A buckle assembly is described. The buckle assembly includes a a buckle body having first and second openings, and first and second waist strap fasteners, each having a fastener coupling section configured to couple to the respective openings of the buckle body, each also having a shoulder strap coupling section. The buckle assembly also includes first and second shoulder strap fasteners, each having a waist strap fastener coupling section configured for coupling to the shoulder strap coupling section of the respective waist strap fastener, wherein the respective shoulder strap coupling sections and the respective waist strap coupling sections are arranged relative to each other such that, when the first and second shoulder strap fasteners are coupled to the first and second waist strap fasteners, respectively, and the buckle body is coupled to the first and second waist strap fasteners, the first and second should strap fasteners are spaced from the respective openings of the buckle body and remain exterior of the buckle body.

Five point buckle assemblies, which engage five straps, are known. For example, five point buckle assemblies for a car seat typically engage two shoulder harness straps, two waist harness straps, and a single bottom harness strap to restrain a child within the car seat. When a child is in the car seat and the buckle assembly components are coupled together, the shoulder, waist, and bottom harness straps act to restrain the child. These five point buckle assemblies thus accordingly comprise two shoulder strap fasteners, two waist strap fasteners, and a bottom strap fastener, which typically comprises a buckle body.
Five point buckles generally are of two types: 1) five point only, where the shoulder strap and waist strap fasteners are a single piece that cannot be separated, and 2) three/five point buckles that enable manual separation of the shoulder strap fasteners from the waste strap fastener or bottom strap fastener. Typically the shoulder strap fastener remains attached to the waist strap fastener even when the waist strap fastener is decoupled from the bottom strap fastener.
There is a need in the art for a five point buckle assembly where, when the waist strap fasteners are decoupled from the bottom strap fastener, the shoulder strap fasteners can decouple passively from the bottom strap fastener and need not be manually decoupled from the waist strap fasteners.


In a data communications system including an infrastructure 100 and a subscriber terminal 115 a method of acquiring an operating channel at the subscriber unit on power up including: turning on the subscriber unit 203; selecting from a data base a most frequently used channel that corresponds to a last operating channel 209; and attempting to acquire service 213 on the most frequently used channel. Alternatively, in a similar setting at a subscriber terminal a method of acquiring a next operating channel including: exiting an operating channel 317; updating 319 a channel occupancy data base 301 with occupancy information corresponding to the operating channel; selecting, from the channel occupancy data base 309, a next operating channel that corresponds to information from past operating channels; and attempting to acquire service 313 on the next operating channel.

As our society becomes more mobile and information dependent the demand for untethered data communications continues to grow. A proliferation of radio data communications systems have been, are being, or will be deployed in an attempt to satisfy this demand. To no ones surprise, these systems, while often occupying or providing coverage to overlapping geographic areas and user groups, do not always lend themselves to providing, alternatively, relatively seamless data message delivery service to a particular subscriber's unit or terminal.
The systems, as deployed and planned, have sought to optimize different criteria depending on the system designers perception of what user groups needs are intended to be addressed by a particular radio data communications system. Such criteria have included various combinations of data message delivery capacity and delivery reliability, conservation of radio frequency spectrum, the economics of system deployment and expansion, and the extent of the desired geographic coverage. The process of optimization often relies on or takes advantage of expected or measured characteristics and content of data messages that are representative of probable system traffic. As a result of the above considerations at least two distinct types of systems, often referred to as a single frequency and multiple frequency reuse systems respectively, have evolved to provide data message delivery to user groups throughout a geographic area. This evolution is such that the present infrastructure from a collective or macro perspective for any one populous geographic region is now often referred to as a general frequency reuse system.
While distinct, both systems include some similar elements, functions, or characteristics. For example, both systems (networks) likely are centrally managed under the control of a network controller and include a plurality of fixed (base) stations arranged and managed to provide data message delivery to subscriber units or stations (portable or mobile terminals) throughout a geographic area. The network controller includes, among others, a data message routing function for selecting the appropriate path or point of origination, such as a base station, to attempt a data message delivery to a particular subscriber station. This path selection will depend in part on an estimate of the geographic location of the particular subscriber station or other system activity and may include when to attempt a data message delivery, which base station to utilize, and therefore, or additionally, which radio channel (a radio channel may represent two radio frequencies, one for receive and one for transmit).
One of these systems, referred to as a multi-frequency reuse (MFR) system, is characterized by typically comparatively small coverage areas with adjacent areas employing different radio channels, thus frequencies, and spatially distant areas reusing the same radio channels. The areas in total provide coverage throughout the intended MFR geographic area. Ordinarily the fixed stations, at least one per area, in this system are continuously transmitting and receiving and subscriber stations, such as portable or mobile stations or units are capable of operating on any legitimate and authorized network channel. The portable stations, by scanning the network channels, etc., can determine or aid in determining there location within the intended MFR geographic area on a more or less real time basis by observing the better quality channels based on signal strength, error rates, etc. The MFR network, although using several radio channels and thus frequencies, can provide significant data message delivery capacity since all areas may be simultaneously and independently active. Said another way, any path within the MFR system will, at least in principle, have a unique radio channel, i.e. frequency.
The second system, referred to as a single frequency reuse (SFR) system, is characterized by a multiplicity of coverage areas where all areas and potential paths are served by the same radio channel. As above, the areas in total provide coverage throughout the intended SFR geographic area. The fixed stations, usually one per area, in the SFR system are not ordinarily all simultaneously and independently active. To demonstrate, since all areas and paths operate on the same radio channel any two or more areas, when simultaneously active (respective fixed stations transmitting), will have an interference region. This region's geographic size and boundary will depend in part on the spatial separation, radio power levels, etc., of the respective base stations. Within this interference region a given portable station likely cannot resolve (successfully receive) a data message from either of the stations unless some further coordination of the base stations is undertaken.
In essence the effective coverage area depends at least in part on activity within other areas of the SFR system. Portable stations used in the SFR system need only operate on the assigned channel for the network and will not be able to directly aid in determining their location within the intended SFR geographic area unless and until an appropriate fixed station is enabled and uniquely identified. The SFR network tends to be viewed as a spectrally efficient and cost effective approach to providing coverage to a comparatively large geographic area. This follows from the limited number of frequencies employed and comparative simplicity of the portable stations, etc. Somewhat offsetting the above noted attributes, resulting from the single channel, interference regions, etc., a SFR system will typically have relatively limited data message delivery capacity and often more complicated data message routing functions.
The characteristics of either of these systems much less the characteristics of a combined system together with the growing popularity of data communications and hence number of systems and subscriber units or stations or terminals mandates that the practitioner in the field pay careful attention to the particulars of a subscriber unit roaming from one geographic area to a second geographic area within a given system, roaming from one system to a second system as well as the particulars of initially finding a channel to operate on. The proliferation of varying forms of data communications systems and channels on which data systems operate can make the task of finding a channel on which to operate time consuming particularly in an SFR system and inconvenient at best.
Generally these topics may be called mobility management. Some straight forward approaches to mobility management have been discussed including, for example, at a subscriber unit simply keying up and transmitting some inquiry type of message and waiting to see if a response is forthcoming each and every time your unit is powered up or each time a data channel you are operating on becomes unsatisfactory. Unfortunately this is unsatisfactory because it wastes valuable system capacity without delivering any data messages, or wastes an inordinate amount of time, further consumes a significant amount of battery capacity if the subscriber unit is battery powered, such as in the case of a portable unit, and may not be allowed by various regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission. Additionally, due to the large number of potential channels, frequencies, paths, or stations as well as data protocols, the time delay associated with this technique at its most basic renders the approach simply not practical.
Concerns such as these and practical considerations such as the fact that the subscriber unit rather than the network is likely to best know what data communications attributes and geographic particulars best serve the subscriber unit's needs as well as the economics of manufacturing a `standard` subscriber unit has resulted in various other mobility management techniques that may be employed by subscriber units. Such techniques include a preloaded list of channels to scan or manually select when the presently used channel fails and must therefore be exited. Another includes a continual scan of possible frequencies on which to register and operate so that if the present registered channel degrades an undo amount the subscriber unit may exit such channel and may begin registration attempts on the other possible channels or frequencies. All such prior art techniques continue to be unsatisfactory for a generalized subscriber unit, either exhibiting inconvenience, wasting system capacity, resulting in excess data message delivery latency, or consuming excess power, that is expecting to have data service on any of the plethora of various data communications networks. Clearly an urgent need exists for improved techniques that address mobility management in general and more particularly methods of initially acquiring an operating channel.

Method of adaptive channel acquisition at a subscriber unit


The invention is a fire hose holding apparatus that involves a hose clamp that involves two halves that are connected together via a hinge and a handle. Located along the interior of said two halves are rubber strips. The locking apparatus involves a locking clip on the opposite ends of the two halves and locking notch in the handle.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of fire hose clamping devices for use by firemen when fighting a fire.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with fire hose holding apparatuses. As will be discussed below, no piece of prior art discloses a fire hose holding apparatus that has in addition to a handle, a squeezing clamp that enables the apparatus to be moved along the fire hose without disengaging the apparatus from the fire hose.
The Ganung et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,177) discloses a fire hose clamp provided with a hand grip for firemen for use on a fire hose when fighting a fire to resist the back pressure acting on the hose. The device has a rubber insert to prevent it from slipping on the hose. However, the rubber insert is not spring-loaded in order to place a clamping force on the hose when in use, and of which can be removed to slide the apparatus along the fire hose.
The Lancaster (U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,834) discloses a quick release clamp to easily receive, slide upon, and secure a fire hose with any moving parts. However, the no-moving parts clamp relies on an open end of said clamp to enable the hose to enter and exit as opposed to a holding apparatus that uses a rubber clamp that is spring-loaded along with a locking clasp to secure the apparatus about the fire hose.
The Labonville (U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,757) discloses a fire hose clamp that has two flexible straps permanently connected at their upper ends by a pivotal lever and detachably connected at their lower ends by means of a pawl and ratchet assembly. However, the fire hose clamp uses a pawl and ratchet assembly as opposed to a locking clasp. Also, the fire hose clamp does not have a handle but a strap to be worn about a firefighter's neck.
The Landry (U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,492) discloses an improved hose gripping tool for use with high pressure hoses, such as fire hoses. However, the hose gripping tool involves no moving parts and is not secured upon a hose by a locking clasp or a spring-loaded rubber insert as a means of securing the fire hose in place with respect to the holding apparatus.
The Love (U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,806) discloses an adjustable girth clamping ring. The girth clamping ring does not include a handle, and also does not secure itself about a tubular object by a locking clasp. In addition, the clamping ring docs not include a rubber insert that has a biasing force placed upon the fire hose by a single or plurality of springs, which secures the fire hose in place with respect to the holding apparatus.
The Winter (U.S. Pat. No. 2,018,906) discloses a hose clamp that can be locked in place upon said hose. Again, the hose clamp does not include a handle, and also does not secure itself about a tubular object by a locking apparatus that involves a spring-loaded rubber insert with a locking clasp.
The Huffine (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 360,128) illustrates a design for a fire hose gripping tool, which does not illustrate a locking clasp nor a spring-loaded rubber insert.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a fire hose holding apparatus that has a handle, locking clasp, and spring-loaded rubber insert that enables the apparatus to slide along the fire hose by pulling back the springs located between the apparatus and the rubber insert. Some of the prior art used a separate locking apparatus or a no-moving part assembly. In this regard, the fire hose holding apparatus departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.


An x-ray tube has a number of emitters that generate respective electron beams, and has a common anode at which the electron beams strike on a surface to generate x-rays. A high x-ray dose power with a long lifespan are achieved while being able to quickly vary the x-ray dose power by using a superimposed intensity distribution from the x-ray beams, which is measured by a detector, to optimize the x-ray beams on the surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method for operation of an x-ray tube of the type having a number of emitters that generate respective electron beams, and an anode at which the electron beams strike on a surface to generate x-rays. The invention additionally concerns an x-ray tube with a number of emitters and a common anode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An x-ray tube in its simplest form is composed of a cathode and an anode that are situated in a vacuum within a sealed glass body. In high-power tubes as they are used in computed tomography (CT) and angiography, the vacuum container is formed of metal which withstands significantly greater heat effects. In the course of time, tech improvements have also been made to the x-ray tubes but these changes have not changed the basic principle of the generation of x-rays.
To generate the x-rays, electrons are emitted from the cathode (the emitter) and are accelerated toward the anode by means of an applied high voltage. This electron beam penetrates into the anode material and is thereby braked (decelerated). In principle three different radiation types are generated by the braking of the individual electrons. One of these radiation types is the characteristic x-ray radiation that, depending on the anode material that is used (and therefore on the radiation structure), possesses a characteristic or, respectively, discrete spectrum and has its origin in a transition of electrons from high-energy shells of the atomic shell to low-energy shells. However, this characteristic x-ray radiation is not used (or is used only in small part) for image generation in an x-ray radioscopy, with the exception of mammography and crystal analysis.
The more important or greater part of the radiation types that is used is the x-ray bremsstrahlung. This arises due to the braking of electrons upon passing through the material of the anode. The wavelength of this radiation depends on the value of the acceleration (or braking), such that harder (i.e. higher energy) x-ray radiation is created at high acceleration voltage or anode voltage. The bremsstrahlung spectrum has a minimum wavelength at which the entire kinetic energy of the electron is emitted in a single photon. The third generated radiation type is the transition radiation or Lilienfeld radiation, but this cannot be employed in the medical use of x-ray tubes.
An x-ray tube with two emitters is known from DE 195 04 305 A1, for example. The one emitter generates a larger focal spot and the other emitter generates a smaller focal spot arranged within the larger focal spot on the anode, such that a resulting focal spot arises.
Application fields of x-ray tubes are, for example, in medicine in the radioscopy of bodies for analysis of illnesses or fractures or, respectively, in luggage inspection, or even for non-destructive materials testing (for example in the quality control of welding seams). The x-rays are thereby directed through the medium to be examined and captured by a photo plate or a similar image generating unit. The blackening of the photo plate is inversely proportional to the density of the medium being traversed. Fractures or material weakenings can be detected in a simple manner.
Particularly in the application of x-ray tubes in computed tomography, a high intensity or a variable setting of the intensity of the x-rays is frequently desired. However, for the most part this cannot be achieved in the x-ray tube due to structural and material-related limitations. In particular, the lifespan of the emitters is severely shortened given the generation of very high electron currents given lower high voltage values. Furthermore, an optimal focusing of the x-ray beam generated in the anode cannot occur at high electron currents since an expansion of the focal spot size on the anode ensues due to the repulsion of the electrons among one another due to space charge effects.

Electron beam controller of an x-ray radiator with two or more electron beams


An array substrate for an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line along a first direction on the substrate, a data line along a second direction and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate and data lines, a pixel electrode in the pixel region and connected to the thin film transistor, and a common electrode in the pixel region and arranged in an alternating pattern with the pixel electrode, wherein each of the pixel electrode and the common electrode includes a transparent conductive pattern, and one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode further includes an opaque conductive pattern having a more narrow width than the transparent conductive pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to an array substrate for an in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Liquid crystal display ("LCD") devices are driven based on electro-optical characteristics of a liquid crystal material. The liquid crystal material has an intermediate state between a solid crystal and an isotropic liquid. The liquid crystal material is fluid like an isotropic liquid, and molecules of the liquid crystal material are regularly arranged like a solid crystal. An alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules depends on the intensity or the direction of an electric field applied to the liquid crystal molecules. Light passes through the LCD device along the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules. By controlling the intensity or the direction of the electric field, the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules changes, and images are displayed.
Active matrix liquid crystal display ("AMLCD") devices, which include thin film transistors as switching devices for a plurality of pixels, have been widely used due to their high resolution and ability to display fast moving images.
Generally, an LCD device includes two substrates, which are spaced apart and facing each other, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. Each of the substrates includes an electrode. The electrodes of the respective substrates face one the other. An electric field is induced between the electrodes by applying a voltage to each electrode. An alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules changes in accordance with a variation in the intensity or the direction of the electric field. The direction of the electric field is perpendicular to the substrates. The LCD device has relatively high transmittance and a large aperture ratio.
However, the above-described LCD device has a narrow viewing angle. To increase the viewing angles, various modes have been proposed. Among these modes, an IPS mode of the related art will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an IPS mode LCD device according to the related art.
In FIG. 1, the IPS mode LCD device according to the related art includes a lower substrate 10 and an upper substrate 40, and a liquid crystal layer LC is interposed between the lower substrate 10 and the upper substrate 40.
A thin film transistor T, a common electrode 18 and a pixel electrode 30 are formed at each pixel P on the lower substrate 10. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 14, a semiconductor layer 22, and source and drain electrodes 24 and 26. The semiconductor layer 22 is disposed over the gate electrode 14 with a gate insulating layer 20 therebetween. The source and drain electrodes 24 and 26 are formed on the semiconductor layer 22 and are spaced apart from each other.
The common electrode 18 includes a plurality of portions, and the pixel electrode 30 includes a plurality of parts. The portions of the common electrode 18 and the parts of the pixel electrode 30 are parallel to and spaced apart from each other on the lower substrate 10. The common electrode 18 may be formed of the same material and in the same layer as the gate electrode 14. The pixel electrode 30 may be formed of the same material and in the same layer as the source and drain electrodes 24 and 26.
Although not shown in the figure, a gate line is formed along a first side of the pixel P, and a data line is formed along a second side of the pixel P perpendicular to the first side. A common line is further formed on the lower substrate 10. The common line provides the common electrode 18 with a voltage.
A black matrix 42 and a color filter layer 44 are formed on an inner surface of the upper substrate 40. The black matrix 42 is disposed over the gate line, the data line and the thin film transistor T. The color filter layer 44 is disposed at the pixel P.
Liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer LC are driven by a horizontal electric field 35 induced between the common electrode 18 and the pixel electrodes 30.
The lower substrate 10 including the thin film transistor T, the common electrode 18 and the pixel electrode 30 may be referred to as an array substrate. The upper substrate 40 including the black matrix 42 and the color filter layer 44 may be referred to as a color filter substrate.
As stated above, the common electrode 18 is formed of the same material and on the same layer as the gate electrode 14, and the pixel electrode 30 is formed of the same material and on the same layer as the source and drain electrodes 24 and 26. Since the common electrode 18 and the pixel electrode 30 are formed of an opaque conductive material, regions for the common electrode 18 and the pixel electrode 30 are not included in an aperture area. The aperture ratio decreases, and thus the brightness is lowered.
To solve the problem, the pixel electrode has been formed of a transparent conductive material.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an array substrate for another IPS mode LCD device according to the related art.
In FIG. 2, gate lines 52 are formed along a first direction on a substrate 50. Data lines 70 are formed along a second direction. The data lines 70 cross the gate lines 52 to define pixel regions P. A common line 56 is formed between adjacent gate lines 52 along the first direction. The common line 56 is disposed along a side of the pixel region P.
A thin film transistor T is formed at each crossing point of the gate and data lines 52 and 70. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 54, an active layer 62, a source electrode 66 and a drain electrode 68. The gate electrode 54 is connected to the gate line 52. The active layer 62 is formed over the gate electrode 54 with a gate insulating layer (not shown) therebetween. The source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 are spaced apart from each other over the active layer 62. The source electrode 66 is connected to the data line 68.
A common electrode 58 and a pixel electrode 76 are formed in each pixel region P. The common electrode 58 includes portions extending from the common line 56 along the second direction, and the common electrode 58 is formed of the same material and on the same layer as the gate line 52. The pixel electrode 76 contacts the drain electrode 68 and includes parts extending along the second direction. The portions of the common electrode 58 alternate with the parts of the pixel electrode 76. The common electrode 58 is formed of an opaque conductive material, and the pixel electrode 76 is formed of a transparent conductive material.
Even though the pixel electrode is transparent, light is not transmitted all over the pixel electrode. That is, some areas of the pixel electrode under the electric field induced between the pixel electrode and the common electrode can be used for the aperture ratio. However, the brightness of the IPS mode LCD device is fairly increased on the whole when the pixel electrode is formed of a transparent conductive material.
Accordingly, in an IPS mode LCD device including the array substrate of FIG. 2, since the pixel electrode 76 is transparent, the brightness is fairly improved as compared with the IPS mode LCD device of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A to 3E illustrate processes of manufacturing an array substrate according to the related art. FIGS. 3A to 3E are cross-sectional views corresponding to the line III-III of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3A shows an array substrate in a first mask process. In FIG. 3, switching regions S and pixel regions P are defined on a substrate 50. Each pixel region P includes one switching region S. Gate lines 52 of FIG. 2 and gate electrodes 54 are formed on the substrate 50. Each gate electrode 54 is disposed in the switching region S and is connected to each gate line 52 of FIG. 2. A common line 56 of FIG. 2 is also formed between adjacent gate lines 52 of FIG. 2 on the substrate 50, and a common electrode 58 is formed at each pixel region P on the substrate 50. Although not shown in the figure, the gate lines 52 of FIG. 2 and the common line 56 of FIG. 2 extend along a first direction. The common electrode 58 includes portions extending from the common line 56 of FIG. 2 along a second direction crossing the first direction.
A gate insulating layer 60 is formed substantially on an entire surface of the substrate 50 including the gate lines, the gate electrode 54, the common electrode 58, and the common line by depositing one selected from an inorganic insulating material group including silicon nitride (SiNX) and silicon oxide (SiO2).
FIG. 3B shows an array substrate in a second mask process. In FIG. 3B, an active layer 62 and an ohmic contact layer 64 are formed on the gate insulating layer 60 over the gate electrode 54 by depositing intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and impurity-doped amorphous silicon (for example, n+a-Si:H) substantially on an entire surface of the substrate 50 including the gate insulating layer 60 and patterning them.
FIG. 3C shows an array substrate in a third mask process. In FIG. 3C, source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 are formed on the ohmic contact layer 64 by depositing a metallic material substantially on an entire surface of the substrate 50 including the active layer 62 and the ohmic contact layer 64 thereon and then patterning it. The source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 are spaced apart from each other. Data lines 70 are formed simultaneously with the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68. The data lines 70 are connected to respective source electrodes 66. Although not shown in the figures, the data lines 70 extend along the second direction and cross the gate lines 52 of FIG. 2 to define the pixel regions P. Each data line 70 is disposed between adjacent pixel regions P. The metallic material may be one or more selected from a conductive metallic group including aluminum (Al), an aluminum alloy such as aluminum neodymium (AlNd), chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti) and molybdenum-tungsten (MoW).
Next, a part of the ohmic contact layer 64 is removed between the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68, thereby exposing the active layer 62.
FIG. 3D shows an array substrate in a fourth mask process. In FIG. 3D, a passivation layer 72 is formed substantially on an entire surface of the substrate 50 including the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68 by depositing one selected from an inorganic insulating material group including silicon nitride (SiNX) and silicon oxide (SiO2) or coating the substrate 50 with one or more selected from an organic insulating material group including benzocyclobutene (BCB) and acrylic resin. The passivation layer 72 is patterned to thereby form a drain contact hole exposing a part of each drain electrode 68.
FIG. 3E shows the array substrate in a fifth mask process. In FIG. 3E, a pixel electrode 76 is formed at each pixel region P on the passivation layer 72 by depositing a transparent conductive material substantially on an entire surface of the substrate 50 including the passivation layer 72 and then patterning it. The transparent conductive material is selected from a transparent conductive metallic group including indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO). The pixel electrode 76 is connected to the drain electrode 68 through the drain contact hole 64. The pixel electrode 76 includes parts spaced apart from and alternating with the portions of the common electrode 58.
The array substrate including the transparent pixel electrode 76 may be manufactured using the above-mentioned 5 mask processes. However, various trials still have been made to further improve the brightness of the LCD device. To do this, a transparent common electrode has been proposed.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another array substrate for an IPS mode LCD device according to the related art. In FIG. 4, switching regions S and pixel regions P are defined on a substrate 50. Each pixel region P includes one switching region S. A thin film transistor T is formed in the switching region S. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 54, a gate insulating layer 60, an active layer 62, an ohmic contact layer 64, a source electrode 66, and a drain electrode 68. A data line 70 is disposed between adjacent pixel regions P. The data line 70 is formed of the same material and on the same layer as the source and drain electrodes 66 and 68.
Although not shown in the figure, gate lines and a common line between adjacent gate lines are formed on the substrate 50 and cross the data line 70.
A passivation layer 72 covers the thin film transistor T and the data line 70. A pixel electrode 76 and a common electrode 78 are formed in each pixel region P on the passivation layer 72. The pixel electrode 76 contacts the drain electrode 68, and the common electrode 78 contacts the common line (not shown).
The pixel electrode 76 and the common electrode 78 are formed of a transparent conductive material. Liquid crystal molecules over edge areas E of each part of the pixel electrode 76 and each portion of the common electrode 78 are affected by an electric field induced between the pixel and common electrodes 76 and 78. The edge areas E are utilized as the aperture area.
Since the pixel electrode and the common electrode are transparent, an IPS mode LCD device including the array substrate of FIG. 4 has a more improved brightness than that of the array substrate of FIG. 2. The array substrate of FIG. 4 may be manufactured using 5 mask processes in the same way as the array substrate of FIG. 2.
However, central areas C of each part of the pixel electrode 76 and each portion of the common electrode 78 cannot be utilized as the aperture area. There may be a leakage of light in the central areas C. When the device shows black, the leakage of light may cause a disclination line. This decreases the contrast ratio of the device.

Array substrate for in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same


A family of rearview mirror assemblies for motorized vehicles. Each assembly includes a housing, a mirror with at least one multidimensional graphical image etched through the reflective layer and illuminated by light sources such as LEDs located within the housing and behind the graphical image(s). The mirror assemblies operate properly with or without an external flashing circuit. The light source is energized at a first light level during normal operation of the vehicle to function as running lights, decorative lighting or accent lighting. When the light source is operated at a second light level (either higher or lower), the lighted graphical images may also provide additional functionality. The exterior rearview mirror assembly may optionally include additional light sources, light from which is viewable outside of the outer surface of the housing.

One or a pair of exterior rearview mirrors have been used on the sides of motorized vehicles such as motorcycles, trucks and automobiles for many years. The primary purpose of the mirrors was to provide the driver of the vehicle with information about other vehicles behind and on the side of his own vehicle.
Vehicles are required to include such indicators as brake lights, turn signals and hazard indicators. Turn signals, however, are commonly mounted only on the very front and rear portions of the vehicle. In many instances a driver in a second vehicle adjacent a first vehicle may not be able to adequately view the turn signals of the first vehicle due to his relative position to the front or rear of the first mentioned vehicle.
In the last decade, functionality has been added to exterior rearview mirrors to improve the safety of the passengers thereof. It is highly desirable to provide adjacent vehicles with information concerning a vehicle operator's intentions. Providing additional information to adjacent vehicles has been the subject of several patents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,948, issued to Bukosky et al. for ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION EMITTING OR RECEIVING ASSEMBLY and U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,325, issued to Bukosky et al. for SIGNALING ASSEMBLY disclose light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), and mechanisms for allowing the light to be shaped and seen through the mirrors. These mechanisms project light through a shaped template attached to a semi-transparent mirror. A simple shape such as an arrow or a series of dots forming the overall shape of an arrow are etched into the reflective layer on a mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,943, issued to Roberts et al. for INDICATORS AND ILLUMINATORS USING A SEMICONDUCTOR RADIATION EMITTER PACKAGE shows an exterior rearview mirror including a keyhole illuminator implemented by the inclusion of a high power LED within the mirror to produce light to illuminate the door handle and the keyhole of an automobile door. If the light were instead directed toward the ground, it would function as a puddle lamp.
It is significant to note that exterior rearview mirrors of the prior art that include a light source to project light through the mirror have the light source turned off as the default condition. The light source is then activated to provide information to the operator of another vehicle that a turn is about to be made, or to the passenger of a vehicle that a door of his vehicle has been unlocked and he may now enter the vehicle.
For interior rearview mirrors for motorized vehicles, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,565, issued to Gallmeyer et al. for INFORMATION DISPLAY FOR REARVIEW MIRRORS, a light source within the housing of the mirror has been included to illuminate simple images that provide warnings or information to the occupants of the vehicle to which the mirror is attached.
But given the effort and money that people today spend to customize their motorized vehicles, it is desirable to provide an exterior rearview mirror with a plurality of light sources energized at a first light level during normal operation of the vehicle to illuminate a plurality of multidimensional graphical images. The lighted graphical images can function as running lights, decorative lighting or accent lighting. Also, if the light sources are operated at a second light level (either higher or lower), the illuminated graphical images may also provide a secondary function. It is also desirable to provide an interior rearview mirror that can illuminate a plurality of multidimensional graphical images where the illuminated graphical images function as running lights, decorative lighting or accent lighting.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a rearview mirror for motorized vehicles that includes a plurality of illuminated multidimensional graphical images that function as running lights, decorative lighting or accent lighting.
It is another object of the invention to provide an exterior rearview mirror for motorized vehicles that includes a plurality of illuminated multidimensional graphical images that can provide additional functionality.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a rearview mirror for motorized vehicles that includes a plurality of illuminated multidimensional graphical images that is reliable and readily manufacturable.

Rearview mirror assembly with running lights


An electric power supply of an electric apparatus is provided. The electric power supply includes a low power supply unit configured to convert a voltage of an input alternating current (AC) power source and provide the converted voltage, a power storage unit configured to be charged by receiving the converted voltage from the low power supply unit and to provide the charged power as a standby power of the electric apparatus, a voltage detection unit configured to detect a level of voltage charged in the power storage unit, and a switch unit configured to allow the voltage of the low power supply unit to be supplied to the power storage unit, or to block the voltage of the low power supply unit from being supplied to the power storage unit according to the level of voltage charged in the power storage unit detected through the voltage detection unit.

1. Field
The embodiments discussed herein relate to an electric power supply apparatus capable of reducing a standby power that is provided to an electric apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a standby power represents an electric power consumed when an electric apparatus does not perform its primary function or waits for power-on signals from external and internal parts while being connected to an external power source (nominal alternating current (AC) power source).
In many cases, some electric apparatuses—such as a television, an air conditioner, a microwave, a computer, and a charger of a mobile phone—consume a greater amount of electric power in a standby mode than during the time that they are in an operating mode during a day. An example is a home microwave.
Such an electric apparatus performs a power-saving standby mode when they do not offer any feature while being connected to a commercial AC power source. However, the electric apparatus is not completely disconnected from the nominal power source and thus consumes, for example, several hundreds of milliwatts or several watts.
In particular, some electric apparatuses activated by a remote will control—a television, an air-conditioner, and an audio system, for example—need to provide a minimum amount of electric power to a control unit including a remote control signal receiver even when the electric apparatuses are switched off. In this manner, when a user controls a switched-off electric apparatus by use of a remote control, the electric apparatus can receive a remote control signal transmitted from the remote control, and performs a function corresponding to the received remote control signal.
Accordingly, electric apparatuses controlled by a remote control further generate a predetermined amount of standby power to receive a remote control signal in a standby mode.
Such a standby power users approximately 11% of domestic power consumption in Korea, and in order to reduce the standby power, a lot of government regulations come into force and many technologies have been developed.
One method to reduce the standby power is by use of a technology in which the efficiency of power source generated is enhanced when the voltage is converted in a transformer. Another method to reduce the standby power is by use of a technology in which standby power is provided by use of a subsidiary standby power supply apparatus other than an electric transformer.
According to the technology of enhancing the efficiency of power generated when converting the voltage of a transformer, an AC power source supplied from a commercial power source is rectified, and then the rectified power is provided to a transformer so that the voltage of the transformer is changed to a power by intermittently controlling the switching device; and therefore the converted power is used as a standby power.
Most of the standby power in an electric apparatus is mainly consumed by a remote control signal receiving circuit, which may be configured to receive a signal from a remote control to control the power of the electric apparatus, or from a control circuit, which may be configured to receive a signal of an external power button, when the electric apparatus is in a standby state. Although the amount of power consumption is very small, the efficiency of a Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS) used to provide the standby power is significantly lowered and thus a power loss at an internal transformer occurs. In this regard, a number of technologies have been developed to enhance the efficiency of the SMPS in the standby mode, but it is difficult to reduce the standby power to the level of several milliwatts.
According to the technology of providing the standby power by use of a subsidiary standby power supply apparatus other than an electric transformer, a power is charged in a subsidiary standby power supply apparatus, such as a secondary battery or a super-capacitor, and the charged power is used as the standby power in the standby mode.
In this case, the power stored in the standby power supply apparatus is used as the standby power in a standby mode state, so a standby power in a normal state can be removed. However, the amount of power stored in the secondary battery is limited, so the secondary battery needs to be recharged after a predetermined time period of the secondary battery's use. In addition, since the secondary battery is recharged by use of a power source of the SMPS, more power is consumed than it requires to be recharged.
In addition, if the secondary battery is not recharged, the secondary battery is completely discharged and thus the electric apparatus does not operate properly.

Electric power supply apparatus of electric apparatus


A drill bit having a body with a stationary cutter and a rotatable cutter such that in a first position the rotatable cutter does not radially extend beyond a periphery of the stationary cutter and in a second position the rotatable cutter radially extends beyond the periphery of the stationary cutter.

In mining operations, such as coal mining, the roof may be supported by roof bolts that are embedded within spaced apart holes that have been drilled in the mine roof. A common roof drill bit design uses a cutting insert that has been brazed or otherwise attached into a slot at the axially forward end of the roof drill bit body.
The roof drill bit is then pressed against the roof and drilling apparatus operated to drill a bore hole in the roof. The bore hole may extend between two feet to greater than twenty feet into the roof. The bore hole is then filled with resin or other grout material and the roof bolt is affixed with the bore hole. A roof support, such as a plate or roof panel, may be attached to the roof bolt.
A fully grouted bolt anchors itself by frictional interlock between the resin and the rock. Thus, drill bit manufacturers may use wide tolerances or offset bit cutters to induce wobble during drilling which, when combined with loose bit mounting to the drill rod produces ridges on the hole walls. The ridges produce a wall roughness that may increase anchoring capability.
Another method of producing wall roughness is to use a drill bit with cutting members arranged in a helical pattern on the periphery of a central hub to form a helical grove or thread. This drill bit, however, must follow a standard cutting bit, which requires an additional process step. This additional process step is generally undesirable since it increases the roof bolt installation time. One solution that has been proposed is to use a helical roof bolt that will cut a helical groove in the borehole as part of the roof bolt installation process (which occurs after the bore hole is created). A problem with this approach is that the cuttings produced during installation of the roof bolt may contaminate the resin and reduce the cross-sectional area available for the resin to bond.
The present invention provides a cutting drill bit that can create a helical or rifled pattern on the bore hole wall in a single pass. Advantageously, practice of the invention may include the use of resin or it may be dispensed with. In addition, the principles of the present invention are advantageously used with both vacuum drill bits and wet drill bits.

Drill bit with radially expandable cutter, and method of using same


A motor-current square value calculation section 45 calculates, as a motor-current square value, the sum of respective square values of two phase currents converted from three phase currents flowing through an electric motor. A temperature estimation calculation section 44 performs low-pass filtering for the motor-current square value, and calculates temperature increases of the mass portion and coils on the basis of the filtered motor-current square value. In the low-pass filtering, filtering calculation is performed in a manner which changes depending on rotational speed RV of the electric motor; i.e., whether the electric motor is in a rotating state or in a stopped state. The temperature increase of the mass portion is added to ambient temperature of the electric motor to thereby estimate temperature of the mass portion, and the temperature increase of the coils is added to the estimated temperature of the mass portion to thereby estimate temperature of the coils. Accordingly, the coil temperature of the electric motor can be accurately detected, and current flowing through the electric motor is properly controlled in accordance with the detected temperature.

As shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. H10-67335, a conventional apparatus includes a temperature sensor provided within an electric motor, and corrects drive current on the basis of temperature detected by use of the temperature sensor, to thereby compensate drop in permeability of the stator of the motor stemming from temperature increase. Further, in the publication, there is proposed a technique of estimating temperature of an electric motor through integration of drive current flowing through the motor.
The above-described technique which uses a temperature sensor incorporated in an electric motor is not preferable from the viewpoint of cost and easiness of mounting of the motor onto an apparatus which uses the motor, because of the necessity of providing a temperature sensor and connection wires for connecting the temperature sensor and a control circuit of the motor. Although the above-mentioned patent publication proposes a technique of estimating temperature of an electric motor through integration of drive current flowing through the motor, it does not describe the details of the technique.

Motor-temperature estimation apparatus and motor control apparatus


A recording apparatus includes guide rails that each control the posture of a carriage at an arbitrary recording position by being in contact with the carriage. The guide rails are disposed on respective sides of a guide shaft in a direction in which a recording medium is conveyed. The length of a gap between the recording medium and the carriage is selectable between a case where the carriage is in contact with one of the guide rails and a case where the carriage is in contact with the other guide rail. Such a configuration provides a compact and low-cost recording apparatus capable of performing recording on recording media having various thicknesses by appropriately adjusting the gap between the carriage and any of the recording medium while maintaining the parallelism therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording apparatuses such as printing apparatuses and image forming apparatuses, and in particular to recording apparatuses capable of performing recording on recording media of various thicknesses by appropriately adjusting a gap between a recording unit, such as a recording head, and any of the recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a general recording apparatus that performs recording on a target surface of a recording medium while moving a recording head back and forth along a guide member, it is desirable that parallelism between the target recording surface and a surface of the recording head be adjusted with high accuracy. To appropriately perform recording on recording media having different thicknesses, it is also desirable that a gap between the recording head and the target surface of any of the recording media be maintained in an appropriate manner even if the thickness of the recording medium, such as paper or the like, is changed.
There are various recording media proposed as a target of recording performed by recording apparatuses such as printing apparatuses and image forming apparatuses. Exemplary media of small size and having relatively large thicknesses include compact discs-recordable (CD-Rs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), and cards (which are hereinafter collectively referred to as CDs). In known general-purpose recording apparatuses, use of a conveying path for cut paper in performing recording on a CD, for example, triggers problems in that the CD is not conveyed appropriately or is damaged with scars because of high rigidity of the CD, or the CD cannot be conveyed because of the distance between conveying rollers. To avoid such problems, when a small-sized recording medium having a large thickness such as a CD is conveyed, the medium is fed with a dedicated tray and is conveyed therewith along a conveying path different from the conveying path for cut paper.
In general, a tray dedicated for performing recording on a CD has a thickness of about 3 mm. In contrast, cur paper such as glossy paper for photographic printing has a thickness of about 0.25 mm. To appropriately perform recording on various recording media ranging from glossy paper to CDs, a gap adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting the gap between the recording head and the recording medium within a wide range of about 3 mm is required.
A recording apparatus capable of accommodating various paper thicknesses while maintaining parallelism between the surface of a recording head and the target surface of a recording medium is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,474. Referring to FIG. 15, in the recording apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,474, when an eccentric cam 521 fitted to a guide shaft 52 serving as a guide member is rotated, the guide shaft 52 is moved vertically in a direction A in which the gap between the recording head and the recording medium is adjusted, whereby a carriage 50 having a recording head 55 is guided in a vertical direction B. In this case, a controlling guide member 114 that controls the posture of the carriage 50 is provided in such a manner as to have the surface thereof being parallel to the direction in which the gap is adjusted. Thus, the aforementioned parallelism is maintained and capability of accommodating various paper thicknesses is realized.
Another recording apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,468. This recording apparatus includes a plurality (two, for example) of guide shafts that guide the movement of a recording head. The guide shafts are provided at respective ends thereof with eccentric cams. These eccentric cams are rotated synchronously, whereby the plurality of guide shafts are synchronously raised and lowered. Thus, the parallelism between a recording medium and the recording head is maintained.
In the recording apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,899,474 and 6,315,468, however, it is difficult to provide a simple configuration that realizes reduction of both the size of the apparatus body and the manufacturing cost.
Specifically, in the recording apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,474, the controlling guide member controlling the posture of the carriage needs to have a surface parallel to the gap adjusting direction so as to maintain the parallelism between the recording medium and the recording head. Moreover, the controlling guide member needs to be provided at an appropriate distance from the guide shaft for the purpose of securing stable movement of the carriage. That is, the controlling guide member needs to be provided above a region where the carriage moves. This results in a restriction in terms of the height of the apparatus (see reference numeral 114 in FIG. 15).
On the other hand, the recording apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,468 includes a plurality of movable members, the guide shafts, used for gap adjustment. This results in complexity of the mechanism for driving such members. Moreover, in terms of maintaining the parallelism between the recording head and the recording medium, it is difficult to obtain high accuracy because the recording head is positioned with a plurality of cams. Consequently, image quality tends to be deteriorated.

Recording apparatus having carriage guide members for maintainig parallelism between a recording head and recording medium


In an overhead cam type internal combustion engine having a cylinder block extended at an angle to either side of a crankshaft, a first cylinder head is mounted on one side of the cylinder block and a second cylinder head is mounted on the other side of the cylinder block. Each of the first and second cylinder heads includes at least one camshaft for opening and closing intake and exhaust valves. A camshaft driving mechanism comprises a first driving force transmitting means interlocked with the camshaft of the first cylinder head and the crankshaft so as to drive the camshaft thereof, an idler shaft provided at such a position as to equalize the elongation of the first driving force transmitting means with that of the second driving force transmitting means and driven by the first driving force transmitting means, and a second driving force transmitting means interlocked with the idler shaft and the camshaft of the second cylinder head so as to drive the camshaft thereof, whereby the length of the driving force transmitting means can be shortened and the elongation thereof can be reduced. Further, the rotational angular deviation between the camshafts on both sides can be minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camshaft driving mechanism for an internal combustion engine, in particular, to a camshaft driving mechanism for an overhead camshaft V-type internal combustion engine whose left and right banks of a cylinder block are set at an angle to each other, including a horizontally opposed engine whose left and right banks are arranged 180.degree..
2. Prior Arts
With respect to a camshaft driving mechanism for a V-type engine or a horizontally opposed engine of which cylinder blocks are set to each other at an angle, since camshafts supported with the cylinder head is rotated by the driving force of the crank shaft so as to open and close the intake and exhaust valves at a specified timing, so many driving mechanisms for rotating the camshafts have ever been proposed.
Japanese patent application laid-open No. Toku-Kai-Hei 2-211307, as shown in FIG. 7, discloses a camshaft driving mechanism for a DOHC engine comprising a crankshaft 100, intermediate shafts 114, 116 provided at each of left and right banks 114, 116 respectively, camshafts 108, a first driving chain 102 which interlocks the crankshaft 100 with the intermediate shafts 114, 116, and second driving chains 118, 120 provided at each of left and right banks 110, 112 respectively which interlocks the intermediate shafts 114, 116 with the cam shafts 108, so as to drive these camshafts with the crankshaft through the intermediate shafts.
Further, Japanese patent application laid-open No. Toku-Kai-Hei 5-156903, as shown in FIG. 8, also discloses a camshaft driving mechanism for a DOH internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft 100, a camshaft 108 of a right cylinder head 106, an intermediate shaft 114 provided on the left bank side, a first driving chain 102 wound around the crankshaft 100, the camshaft 108 of the right cylinder head 106 and the intermediate shaft 114 so as to drive the camshafts on the right bank side, camshafts 108 of the left bank side and a second driving chain 122 wound around the intermediate shaft 114 and the camshafts 108 on the left bank side so as to drive the camshafts on the left bank side.
However, as shown in the forgoing examples of prior arts, in case of employing chains as a means for transmitting driving force, commonly there is a problem of lengthwise elongation in chains due to wearing, its own elasticity or thermal expansion.
In the former prior art disclosed in Toku-Kai-Hei 2-211307, when the first driving chain 102 is elongated, the rotational angular deviation of the camshaft 108 on the right bank side becomes larger than that of the camshaft 108 on the left bank side with respect to the rotational angle of the crankshaft 100, because when viewing from the tight side of the driving chain the length of the chain between the crankshaft 100 and the intermediate shaft 116 is larger than that between the crankshaft 100 and the intermediate shaft 114.
Similarly, in the latter prior art in Toku-Kai-Hei 5-156903, when the first chain 102 is elongated, the rotational angular deviation of the camshaft 108 on the right bank side becomes larger than that of the camshaft 108 on the left bank side with respect to the rotational angle of the crankshaft 100, because the length (mn+qr+st) on the tight side of the driving chain between the crankshaft 100 and the camshaft 108 on the right bank side is larger than the length (mn+op) on the tight side of the driving chain between the crankshaft 100 and the camshaft 108 on the left bank side.
This deviation in the rotational angle of the camshaft between the left and right banks 110, 112 produces a difference in the valve timing between the left and right banks, this leading to irregular combustion in cylinders or other unfavorable phenomenon.
Further, generally, in the internal combustion engine, accessories such as alternator (generator), water pump and oil pump are driven by a V-belt interconnected with at least one pulley. In most cases, the pulley (crank pulley) is connected with the crank shaft. Generally, the V-belt driving system must be incorporated separately from the chain drive system because lubrication is needed for all components such as chains and sprockets. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, a crank pulley 124 for driving accessories is disposed outside of a chain cover 128. Further, the first driving chain 102 must be arranged on a different plane from the second chain 122, therefore the engine 99 requires a substantial lengthwise space for accommodating these driving chains. Since a further lengthwise space is needed for the crank pulley 124, the overall lengthwise size of the engine inevitably becomes large in the prior arts.


A single crystal pulling apparatus using Czochralski method includes a first screen in the shape of a hollow round cylinder. One side of the first screen facing a quartz crucible is made of a heat absorbent material and another side of the first screen is made of a heat insulator material. The upper and lower ends of the first screen have an outwardly extending flange and an inwardly extending flange, respectively. The first screen surrounds a single crystal pulling zone such that its lower flange is positioned near a melt charged zone in the crucible. The apparatus also includes a second screen positioned inside the first screen. The vertical section of the second screen has the shape of a substantially parabola and the center of the bottom of the second screen is open and surrounds the single crystal pulling zone. The upper end of the second screen has an outwardly extending flange. The apparatus increases the pulling speed of a grown single crystal and improves preventing degree of dislocation in the grown single crystal due to contamination of the grown single crystal with impurities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single crystal pulling apparatus using Czochralski method and more particularly to a single crystal pulling apparatus having a screen for preventing a contamination of a crystal with impurities and enabling a single crystal rod to be pulled at high speed without blocking monocrystallization processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unexamined Japanese patent application publication No. 62-138386 discloses a single crystal pulling apparatus with an improved pulling speed in which a radiation screen is provided near the surface of a melt, the screen being of multi-layered insulating structure and having the shape of a substantially inverted cone, the surface of the screen being made of a sintered ceramic material or ceramic coated. The screen serves to block heat radiated from the melt to prevent a single crystal under pulling from being heated, thereby to increase the pulling speed while preventing contamination of the single crystal.
In addition, unexamined Japanese patent application publication No. 63-2566593 discloses a single crystal pulling apparatus comprises a screen with a section in the shape of an inverted trapezoid, which surrounds a single crystal pulling zone. The apparatus is provide with a cooling device to improve the operation of the screen.
These conventional apparatuses involve the following problems:
1) To increase pulling speed of a grown crystal, it is important to quickly dissipate, from the grown crystal, heat conducted from the melt, latent solidification heat generated in crystallization process, and heat radiated from heat sources such as the melt and a heater. In particular, when a temperature gradient at and around a solid-liquid interface is large, the pulling speed can be increased even if the cooling speed (i.e., the temperature of the grown crystal) is slightly low. PA1 2) When the radiation screen whose inner surface is made of a material having a high thermal emissivity and a high thermal conductivity such as carbon or silicon carbide (SiC) is used with a cooling device, the inner surface of the radiation screen absorbs heat radiated from the grown crystal so as to heat the radiation screen to a high temperature. As a result, the grown crystal receives heat radiated from both the screen and the grown crystal itself reflected by the screen and holds the heat therein. Thus, it is difficult to achieve a further increase in the pulling speed. PA1 3) When the radiation screen whose inner surface is made of a material having a high reflectivity is used with a cooling device, the screen reflects heat radiated from the grown crystal and the reflected heat is held in the grown crystal, which suppresses a further increase in the pulling speed. PA1 4) Since the radiation screen has a sectional shape of the inverted trapezoid or inverted cone and is placed remote from the surface of the melt and the wall of a crucible both radiating a large amount of heat and the radiated heat is insulated near the grown crystal, it cannot achieve a sufficiently cooling to the grown crystal. Thus, a further increase in the pulling speed is suppressed. PA1 1) The radiated heat reflection surface provided in a lower portion of the cooled cylinder is made of a material having a metal groove or layer. If a heavy metal is used for the material, the heavy metal is likely to contaminate a single crystal such as silicon single crystal during pulling of the single crystal. Thus, electrical properties of a device having the single crystal is deteriorated.
However, the screen in the shape of, for example, an inverted cone does not have sufficiently small solid angle for a grown crystal, especially at the solid-liquid interface. Therefore, the screen cannot dissipate all of heat radiated from the solid-liquid interface and from its vicinity. Thus, this conventional apparatus is difficult to achieve a further pulling speed increase.
Unexamined Japanese patent application publication No. 63-50391 discloses a single crystal pulling apparatus capable of increasing the pulling speed of a single crystal and improving the degree of prevention of dislocation due to contamination of a crystal with impurities. The apparatus has a hollow cylinder which surrounds the grown single crystal, whose inner surface provides a radiated heat reflection prevention surface, and whose surface facing a raw melt provides a radiated heat reflection surface. A cooling device is provided around the cylinder.
This conventional apparatus, however, involves the following problems:
2) When vapors of SiO, SiO.sub.2 and Si from the melt are deposited to and solidified on a heat insulator mounted on the outer surface of the cooled cylinder and fall into the melt, the melt (i.e., raw crystal) is contaminated and the progress of the monocrystallization process or conversion of raw crystal into single crystal is prevented. In addition, if graphite fiber is used for the heat insulator, the graphite fiber exposed to the vapors from the melt is deteriorated and is likely to slip off. As a result, progress of the monocrystallization process is prevented.


The present invention provides compounds useful for the treatment of narcolepsy or cataplexy in a subject in need thereof. Related pharmaceutical compositions and methods are also provided herein.

Orexin is a neuropeptide synthesized and released by a subpopulation of neurons within the lateral hypothalamus and its surrounding regions. It consists of two subtypes: orexin A and orexin B. Orexin A and orexin B bind to orexin receptors. Orexin receptors are G protein-coupled receptors expressed preferentially in the brain. There are two subtypes (type 1 and type 2) of orexin receptors (Cell, Vol. 92, 573-585, 1998). Activation of orexin receptors is known to be important for a variety of central nervous system functions, such as maintenance of wakefulness, energy homeostasis, reward processing and motivation (Sager et al, TRENDS in Neuroscience 2001; Yamanaka. et al., Neuron 2003; Sakurai, Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2014).
Narcolepsy is a neurological disease that results in excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden bouts of muscular paralysis (cataplexy), and disrupted sleep patterns (Mahoney et al., Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2019). It is known that narcolepsy is caused by the degeneration of orexin neurons. Narcoleptic symptoms can be modeled in transgenic mice engineered to degenerate orexin neurons, and their symptoms can be reversed by intraventricular administration of orexin peptides (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 101, 4649-4654, 2004). Studies of orexin-2 receptor knockout mice have suggested that the orexin-2 receptor plays a preferential role in maintaining wakefulness (Cell, Vol. 98, 437-451, 1999, Neuron, Vol. 38, 715-730, 2003). As such, orexin-2 receptor agonists can be therapeutic agents for narcolepsy or other disorders exhibiting excessive daytime sleepiness, such as Parkinson's disease (CNS Drugs, Vol. 27, 83-90, 2013; Brain, Vol. 130, 2007, 1586-1595).
A compound having agonist activity at the orexin-2 receptor is hypothesized to be useful as a novel therapeutic agent for narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea syndrome, disturbance of consciousness such as coma and the like, narcolepsy syndrome, hypersomnolence syndrome characterized by hypersomnia (e.g., in Parkinson's disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome or Kleine Levin syndrome), Alzheimer's disease, obesity, insulin resistance syndrome, cardiac failure, diseases related to bone loss, or sepsis and the like. (Cell Metabolism, Vol. 9, 64-76, 2009; Neuroscience, Vol. 121, 855-863, 2003; Respiration, Vol. 71, 575-579, 2004; Peptides, Vol. 23, 1683-1688, 2002; WO 2015/073707; Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 66, 2015, pages 2522-2533; WO 2015/048091; WO 2015/147240).
Some compounds having orexin-2 receptor agonist activity have been reported (U.S. Pat. No. 8,258,163; WO 2015/088000; WO 2014/198880; Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 58, pages 7931-7937; US 20190040010; US 20190031611; US 20170226137). However, it is considered that these compounds are not satisfactory, for example, in terms of activity, pharmacokinetics, permeability into the brain/central nervous system or safety, and the development of an improved compound having orexin-2 receptor agonist activity is desired.

Substituted macrocyclic compounds and related methods of treatment


A lead-in guide assembly is shown for centralizing a downhole tool being run from a well surface within a well bore to a selected downhole location. The lead-in guide can be utilized as a seal assembly guide including a seal carrier provided with a leading end and a trailing end which is made up in a tubing string leading to the well surface. A collapsible guide is located at the leading end of the seal carrier for centralizing the seal carrier within the surrounding cased well bore as the seal assembly is being run into position above a cooperating sealing bore located at a downhole location. The guide means moves to a retracted position as the assembly moves within the cooperating sealing bore.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to downhole tools run within a subterranean well bore from the well surface during the drilling, completion and production of oil and gas wells and, more specifically, to an improved mechanism for protecting the component parts of such tools during the running-in of such tools to a selected depth within the well bore.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of downhole tools are used in the oil and gas industries which must be lowered from the well surface to a selected location within the well bore. Many of these downhole tools have component parts which are fragile, or which otherwise need protection from scraping, jarring or otherwise impacting the surrounding cased or uncased well bore during the running-in operation. For example, commonly used downhole tools which require the provision of a seal in the annular area located between a fluid transmission conduit, or other tubing string, and a surrounding conduit such as the outer well casing. Such tools may be employed in the drilling and completion of the well, the production of the well, the servicing of the well, or the closing-in of a well. Conventional packers utilize an anchoring system which holds a sealing element in position against other upwardly or downwardly acting pressure differentials in order to establish such an annular seal. Such conventional packers typically employ radially extendible gripping slip systems and radially expandable packing or sealing elements to prevent fluid communication and to provide pressure integrity. Such packers are typically run-in to position within the well bore and set either on a tubing string or on a wireline setting tool. Those packers which are set on a tubing string are typically set using hydraulic pressure within the tubing, hydrostatic pressure in the well bore, or a combination of both. Such packers may also be mechanically set by the application of the force or weight to the tubing string. Permanent packers of the above type include an internal seal bore for receiving tubing which can be retrieved while leaving the packer in place. Retrievable packers utilize such techniques as rotation of the tubing string to release the gripping slip assemblies and packing elements for retrieval of the packing element.
During the above described operations, it is generally necessary that sealing integrity be established between separate elements within the tubing string or between accessory items and the tubing string. Thus, it is generally necessary where a tubing section is inserted into the seal bore of the packer to establish sealing integrity between that section and the packer. One means of providing such sealing integrity is to utilize stacks of sealing elements in which individual sealing elements have a generally chevron-shaped cross-section. Such sealing systems employing chevron-shaped sealing elements are shown, for example on page 62 of the 1990 Baker Service Tools Catalog. These chevron-shaped sealing elements and systems are commonly referred to as tieback accessories or tubing seal systems and are generally employed to establish a seal between a tubing mounted element and the internal seal bore of a conventional packer.
Another method for providing sealing integrity in the tubing casing annulus and to isolate the production zone from portions of the annulus extending above the packing element is to utilize a polished seal bore receptacle in conjunction with sealing elements. Such a seal assembly is again shown on page 62 of the Baker Service Tools 1990 Catalog as the "PBR Tieback Seal Assembly." Such sealing assemblies used in conjunction with polished seal bore receptacles provide a tubing to casing annular seal and permit isolation of the production zone from the tubing-casing annulus. These assemblies can be positioned precisely at a desired location in the casing and permit tubing movement which may result during a production or treating cycle.
There are other advantages associated with the use of seal assemblies of the above type as compared to conventional radially expanding packing elements. Thus, the sealing function can be achieved with a cross-sectional area or gap across which the sealing elements must bridge being much less than that encountered with conventional packing elements. Significant radial expansion of the sealing elements is not required. Also, whereas conventional radially expanding packing elements require a more complicated means of expanding the packing element into sealing relationship, the elements of the tubing seal systems are energized by the pressure which they contain. Thus, they do not need a mechanism to expand them or retain them in sealing relationship.
One problem associated with the use of existing tubing seal assemblies involves damage to the seal means carried on the tubular seal carrier during the running-in operation from the well surface into the polished seal bore receptacle located at the downhole location. The prior art assemblies have not utilized a centralizing device other than a top, stationary gauge ring. Such designs exposed the seals, whether metal-to-metal or elastomeric, to mechanical damage while running into position within the well bore.
The present invention has as its object to provide an improved mechanism for protecting downhole tools during the running-in of such tools from the well surface to a selected downhole location within the well bore or for preventing the premature actuation of such tools during the running-in operation.
In one preferred embodiment, the present invention has as its object to provide a lead-in guide for centralizing a seal assembly being run from a well surface within a well bore to a cooperating sealing bore located at a downhole location.
Another object of the invention is to provide a seal assembly guide for centralizing a packoff seal assembly being run from a well surface within a cased well bore to a cooperating casing or receptacle defining a polished bore surface located at a downhole location.


The present invention is directed to a somatostatin antagonist according to formula (I): A1-cyclo {D-Cys-A2-D-Trp-A3-A4-Cys}-A5Y1, wherein A1 is an optionally substituted aromatic a-amino acid; A2 is an optionally substituted aromatic α-amino acid; A3 is Dab, Dap, Lys or Om; A4 is β-Hydroxyvaline, Ser, Hser, or Thr; A5 is an optionally substituted D- or L-aromatic amino acid; and Y1 is OH, NH2 or NHR1′ where RI is (C1-6)alkyl; wherein each said optionally substituted aromatic amino acid is optionally substituted with one or more substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, NO2, OH, CN, (C1-6) alkyl, (C2-6) alkenyl, (C2-6) alkynyl, (C1-6)alkoxy, Bzl, O-Bzl, and NR9R10′ wherein R9 ad R10 each is independently H, O, or (C1-6) alkyl; and wherein the amine nitrogen of each of amide peptide bond and the amino group of A1 of formula (I) is optionally substituted with a methyl group, provided that there is at least one said methyl group; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and is directed to uses thereof.

Somatostatin (SRIF), a tetradecapeptide discovered by Brazeau et al., has been shown to have potent inhibitory effects on various secretory processes in tissues such as pituitary, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. SRIF also acts as a neuromodulator in the central nervous system. These biological effects of SRIF, all inhibitory in nature, are elicited through a series of G protein coupled receptors, of which five different subtypes have been characterized (sstr1-sstr5). These five subtypes have similar affinities for the endogenous SRIF ligands but have differing distribution in various tissues. Somatostatin binds to the five distinct receptor (SSTR) subtypes with relatively high and equal affinity for each subtype. Binding to the different types of somatostatin subtypes have been associated with the treatment of various conditions and/or diseases. ("sstr2") (Raynor, et al., Molecular Pharmacol. 43:838 (1993); Lloyd, et al., Am. J. Physiol. 268:G102 (1995)) while the inhibition of insulin has been attributed to the somatostatin type-5 receptor ("sstr5") (Coy, et al. 197:366-371(1993)). Activation of types 2 and 5 have been associated with growth hormone suppression and more particularly Growth hormone GH secreting adenomas (Acromegaly) and TSH secreting adenomas. Activation of type 2 but not type 5 has been associated with treating prolactin secreting adenomas. Other indications associated with activation of the somatostatin receptor subtypes are inhibition of insulin and/or glucagon for treating diabetes mellitus, angiopathy, proliferative retinopathy, dawn phenomenon and nephropathy; inhibition of gastric acid secretion and more particularly peptic ulcers, enterocutaneous and pancreaticocutaneous fistula, irritable bowel syndrome, Dumping syndrome, watery diarrhea syndrome, AIDS related diarrhea, chemotherapy-induced diarrhea, acute or chronic pancreatitis and gastrointestinal hormone secreting tumors; treatment of cancer such as hepatoma; inhibition of angiogenesis, treatment of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis; retinopathy; chronic allograft rejection; angioplasty; preventing graft vessel and gastrointestinal bleeding. It is preferred to have an analog which is selective for the specific somatostatin receptor subtype or subtypes responsible for the desired biological response, thus, reducing interaction with other receptor subtypes which could lead to undesirable side effects.
The development of potent, smaller SRIF agonists led to the discovery of differing affinities of the various truncated ligands for the different subtypes. It appears that Trp8-Lys9 sequence often is present in ligands that are recognized by the receptor. The Trp8-Lys9 sequence forms part of a β-bend which is usually stabilized via substitution of D- for L-Trp, cyclization of the backbone, a disulfide bridge, or all constraints. One unintended consequence of such structural simplification, carried out before the discovery of multiple receptor subtypes, was the loss of broad spectrum binding affinity. This is typified by the high type 2 but low type 1, 3, 4, and 5 affinities of peptides in the OCTREOTIDE® series. Thus, the many basic biological studies with this type of analog failed to detect effects mediated by all but one of the somatostatin receptor types. Since then, much work has gone into the re-introduction of broader spectrum binding into small, biologically stable peptides on the one hand and the development of peptides and peptidomimetics with discrete specificity for a particular receptor.
We have discovered that peptide backbone constraint can be introduced by N-alkylation of individual amino acids. This modification largely restricts the affected residue and the amino acid preceding it to an extended conformation. Thus, additionally blocks potential intramolecular hydrogen bonding sites and also proteolytic enzyme cleavage sites thus potentially enhancing the pharmacokinetic properties of a peptide. Only a few N-methyl amino acids are commercially available and their synthesis is tedious. However, in another aspect of the present invention, we have discovered a procedure to N-methylate truncated somatostatin analogs at every amino acid residue using the solid-phase procedure, adopted from the recent publication reported by Miller and Scanlan.

The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund


A method of detecting and diagnosing the probable presence of lung cancer in a mammal, including a human, comprising collecting a measured quantity of alveolar breath from the mammal; analyzing the collected breath for the presence of a marker for lung cancer; determining a first mean alveolar gradient for the marker present in the mammal's breath; comparing the first mean alveolar gradient for the marker present in the mammal's breath to a second mean alveolar gradient for the same marker, found in the breath of a mammal free of lung cancer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of detecting and diagnosing lung cancers in mammals.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Primary carcinoma of the lung is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Every year, more than 100,000 males and 50,000 females develop lung cancer, and most of them die within twelve months. There is a clinical need for a screening test which can detect lung cancer in its earliest stages because prompt treatment of localized disease improves the 5-year survival rate to 30% in males and 50% in females. However, most cases are not detected until local or metastatic growth causes symptoms, and prospective screening with frequent radiography and sputum cytology has not improved the survival rate in smoking males aged 45 years or older. Since early detection of lung cancer can potentially reduce mortality, researchers have investigated alternative diagnostic technologies such as breath testing.
The rationale of a breath test for lung cancer is based upon three observations: first, carcinogenesis is accompanied by increased production of oxygen free radicals (OFRs), second, OFRs degrade cell membranes by lipid peroxidation, evolving alkanes such as ethane and pentane, and third, these alkanes are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are excreted in the breath.
OFRs cause mutagenesis by oxidative damage to DNA; as a result, affected cells acquire malignant properties and tumor clones expand. The mutagenic effects of OFRs appear to be partially reversible; treatment with OFR scavengers significantly improved survival in metastatic gastric cancer as well as in a rat model of colon cancer induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. Oxidative stress has also been associated with chemical toxicity, ischemia, inflammation and dietary deficiency of antioxidants. The final common pathway is the intracellular accumulation of OFRs which overcome cellular defense mechanisms and degrade cellular membranes by lipid peroxidation, resulting in chemical and anatomical disruption of the membranes which may progress to cell death.
Breath hydrocarbons, particularly alkanes such as pentane, are markers of oxidative stress mediated by OFRs. Increased breath pentane has been reported in breast cancer, acute myocardial infarction, heart transplant rejection, rheumatoid arthritis, and acute bronchial asthma. Previous studies have attempted to identify the VOCs in breath which might provide clinically useful markers of lung cancer. Gordon et al reported 28 VOCs which were present in the breath of more than 90% of patients with lung cancer; and Preti et al found increased o-toluidine;
Preti G, Labows J N, Kostelc J G and Aldinger S: Analysis of lung air from patients with bronchogenic carcinoma and controls using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. J. Chromatography 1988;432:1-11.
Gordon S M, Szidon J P, Krotoszynski B K, Gibbons R D and O'Neill H J:
Volatile organic compounds in exhaled air from patients with lung cancer. Clin Chem 1985; 31:1278-82;
O'Neill H J, Gordon S M, O'Neill M H, Gibbons R D and Szidon J P: A computerized classification technique for screening for the presence of breath biomarkers in lung cancer. Clin Chem 1988; 34(8):1613-1618.
However, progress in breath testing for lung cancer has been impeded by the technical difficulty of detecting VOCs in breath. The majority are excreted in very low concentrations: nanomolar (10.sup.-9 mol/l) or picomolar (10.sup.-12 mol/l). Most existing laboratory instruments cannot detect VOCs in such low levels in breath unless the sample is concentrated prior to analysis. Researchers have circumvented this problem by constructing specialized instruments for the collection and concentration of breath samples. Phillips has recently described a method for the collection and analysis of breath VOC samples which can be employed in clinical settings. A portable microprocessor-controlled breath collection apparatus collects alveolar breath VOCs onto sorbent traps which are then analyzed by conventional gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. This breath collection apparatus was utilized to collect samples from patients undergoing bronchoscopy and biopsy for suspected lung cancer, in order to correlate the VOCs in alveolar breath with the histopathologic screening tests.
Phillips M: Method for the collection and assay of volatile organic compounds in breath. Analytical Biochemistry 1997;247:272-278.

Breath test for detection of lung cancer


A resilient connector for maintaining an electrical conductor in side-by-side conductive engagement with a bus bar includes a generally loop- or O-shaped resilient contact body having a first end portion, an intermediate portion arranged generally normal to the intermediate portion, and a second end portion that is normally arranged at an acute angle relative to the contact intermediate portion, the contact first end portion containing a window opening having first and second opposed edges remote from and adjacent the intermediate portion, respectively, the second contact end portion being displaceable from a normal first position adjacent the first window edge toward a second position adjacent the second window edge, whereby when the second contact end is displaced to its second position and a conductor and a bus bar are introduced in side-by-side electrically conductive relation within the window, release of the second end portion causes the conductor and the bus bar to be clamped in tight electrical contact by the cooperation between the second contact end portion and by the first window edge. In order to prevent permanent distortion of the contact body, a stop member is mounted within the contact cavity for limiting movement of the second contact end beyond the second position. Consequently, the stop member permits the use of the contact arrangement in fixed pole applications where the bus bar and the compression spring are to be installed from above or below a housing within which the electrical components are contained.

1. Field of the Invention
A resilient connector is provided for maintaining an electrical conductor in side-by-side conductive engagement with a bus bar, including a generally loop- or O-shaped contact body having a first end portion, an intermediate portion arranged generally orthogonally relative to the first end portion, and a second end portion arranged at an acute angle relative to the intermediate portion, the contact first end portion containing a window opening and the second contact end portion being bendable from a first position adjacent a first edge of the window remote from the intermediate portion to a second position adjacent a second window edge adjacent the intermediate portion, thereby to permit introduction within the window of the conductor and the bus bar in side-by-side electrically conductive relation, characterized by the provision of a stop member within the contact body to prevent deformation of the second contact end portion beyond the second position.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the patented prior art to provide resilient connectors for maintaining an electrical conductor in electrically-conductive side-by-side relation with a bus bar, the connector having a generally loop- or O-shaped contact body having a first end portion arranged generally normal to an intermediate portion, and a second end portion arranged at an acute angle relative to the intermediate portion, the first end portion containing a window opening for receiving the conductor and the bus bar. The second end portion normally biases the conductor and the bus bar toward the edge of the window that is remote from the intermediate portion. An example of such a resilient connector is presented by the German Gebrauchsmuster No. DE-GE 295 14 509 U 1 published Dec. 12, 1995. Such resilient connectors are particularly useful in connection with so-called terminal blocktype arrangements wherein a plurality of synthetic plastic blocks are assembled to form a multiple connecting block. In this arrangement, a previously assembled subassembly including a bus bar and a resilient compression member is inserted laterally into a given housing. In this arrangement, there is no problem in preventing excessive stressing and permanent deformation of the resilient connector. To this end, the previously assembled bus bar and resilient connector assembly is maintained on s stop cam that is arranged on the plastic housing and that comes to rest inside the loop-shaped bent spring and limits the resilient travel of the movable spring portion relative to the overall dimensions of the component.
The aforementioned stop means cannot be used with fixed-pole housings having resilient connections for electrical connectors. The significance of such fixed-pole housings increases particularly in the area of high pole numbers and, simultaneously, very low grid intervals for reasons of production engineering, technical function and installation. Here it is impossible to insert protective means for preventing overstretch deformation, as in the case of the aforementioned terminal block type, because the bus bar and the resilient connector must normally be inserted from above or from below the housing chamber, and in the process a synthetic plastic cam or the like cannot be inserted that protrudes into the interior or the loop- or O-shaped contact.
In the aforementioned German Gebrauchsmuster No. 295 14 509 U |, a stop portion is formed on one of the movable resilient connector portions, or on the bus bar itself, thereby to limit the extent of resilient travel in the opening direction. One problem associated with such stop means is that complex machining or metalworking techniques are required to produce the stop extensions on the contact parts or on the bus bar, and complicated tools are required for their manufacture. Furthermore, it is difficult to assemble the sheet metal parts, owing to their shapes and the various assembly possibilities.
The present invention was developed to avoid the above and other drawbacks of the known types of resilient connectors, and to provide an improved resilient connector assembly that will positively prevent deformation through over-stressing of the moveable parts of the connector, together with simple assembly procedures and at a reasonable cost.

Resilient connector having an insertable stop member