A method, information processing system and computer readable medium for transferring data between applications on a computer is disclosed. The method includes selecting data from a first application and selecting a copy-to command for copying the data selected from the first application. The method further includes selecting a second application as a destination for the data selected. The method further includes selecting a location in the second application for inserting the data selected.

Magnetic storage media are well known. Media for hard disk drives and MRAM are among the most common forms of magnetic storage media. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an MRAM array according to the prior art. The array includes a set of electrically conductive traces that function as parallel word lines 1, 2, and 3 in a semi-horizontal plane, and a set of electrically conductive traces that function as parallel bit lines 4, 5, 6 and 7 in another semi-vertical plane. The bit lines are oriented in a different direction, preferably at right angles to the word lines, so that the two sets of lines intersect when viewed from above. While not shown in FIG. 1, the array is formed on a substrate, such as a silicon substrate on which there would be other circuitry. Also, a layer of insulating material is located between the bit lines and word lines at regions of the MRAM other than the intersecting regions. Three word lines and four bit lines are illustrated in FIG. 1, but the number of lines would typically be much larger.
Also shown is MRAM memory cell 9 that including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The MTJ comprises a magnetically changeable or free region, and a proximate magnetic reference region, arranged into the MTJ device. The principle underlying storage of data in such cells is the ability to change the relative orientation of the magnetization of the free and reference regions by changing the direction of magnetization along the easy axis ("EA") of the free region, and the ability to thereafter read this relative orientation difference. The memory cell 9 is located at each crossing point of the word lines and bit lines in the intersection region vertically spaced between the lines.
The memory cell 9 is formed on and in contact with a word line 2. The MTJ of memory cell 9 is fabricated to have a preferred axis for the direction of magnetization called the easy axis. There are two possible directions of magnetization of the memory cell 9 along this easy axis, which defines the two states of the memory cell. The desired easy axis for the memory cell 9 is set by some combination of intrinsic anisotropy, strain-induced anisotropy and shape anisotropy of the MTJ.
An MRAM cell is written by reversing the free region magnetization using applied bi-directional electrical and resultant magnetic stimuli via its respective bitline and wordline, and is later read by measuring the resultant tunneling resistance between the bitline and wordline, which assumes one of two values depending on the relative orientation of the magnetization of the free region with respect to the reference region. FIG. 1 is an illustration of an MRAM device during an erase operation. Note the application of a first current along the word line 2 and the second current along the bit line 7, which results in writing a "0" to the memory cell 9, i.e., erasing the value of the memory cell 9. The first and second currents typically measure about 20 milliamps and are produced from a power supply measuring about 2 volts. Thus, for one erase operation, two currents of 20 milliamps each result in a power expenditure of about 40 milliamps. The magnetic field produced by the two currents typically ranges from about 20 to about 100 oersteds.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of an MRAM device during a write operation. Note the application of the first current along the word line 2 and the second current (in a direction opposite to the direction during the erase operation) along the bit line 7, which results in writing a "1" to the memory cell 9, i.e., writing a value to the memory cell 9. Again, the first and second currents typically measure about 20 milliamps and are produced from a power supply measuring about 2 volts. Thus, for one write operation, two currents of 20 milliamps each result in a power expenditure of about 40 milliamps. The magnetic field produced by the two currents typically ranges from about 20 to about 100 oersteds.
The term reference region is used broadly herein to denote any type of region which, in cooperation with the free or changeable region, results in a detectable state of the device as a whole. If the free region is modeled as a simple elemental magnet having a direction of magnetization which is free to rotate but with a strong preference for aligning in either direction along its easy axis (+EA or −EA), and if the reference region is a similar elemental magnet but having a direction of magnetization fixed in the +EA direction, then two states (and therefore the two possible tunneling resistance values) are defined for the cell: aligned (+EA/+EA) and anti-aligned (−EA/+EA).
MRAM and media for disk drives both use magnetic bits to store information. The bit is typically a submicron piece of magnetic material. For example, in MRAM the free layer of the tunnel junction is the magnetic bit; it can be an ellipse 300 nm×600 nm in area and 5 nm thick. The information is stored as the direction of magnetization of the bit, either pointing right or left, to store '1' or '0'. When the bit is in a zero applied magnetic field state, its magnetization is stable pointing either right or left. The application of a magnetic field can switch it from right to left and vice versa, to write information into the bit.
Two major types of MRAM devices exist. One of these (the first type, as described above) includes a magnetic storage element with substantially non-zero magnetic moment and with anisotropy axis substantially parallel to one of the programming current direction. The threshold of transition between the two possible stable directions of the magnetic moment is fairly well described by the Stoner-Wohlfarth model. When writing such MRAM devices, the two programming currents play different roles. The programming current that is substantially parallel to the anisotropy axis (bit-line current) determines the final state of the MRAM device, while the programming current that is substantially perpendicular to the anisotropy axis (word-line current) lowers the required bit-line current but does not prefer one state versus the other.
The other type (the second type) of MRAM device includes a magnetic storage element that constitutes two magnetically coupled elements with substantially identical magnetic moment. The magnetic coupling is such that the two magnetic elements are kept substantially anti-parallel. Furthermore, the anisotropy axis of the two magnetic elements make substantially equal angle to either programming currents. The two programming currents play similar roles during the write operation but one precedes the other temporally. A net moment is created by the early programming current and guided to rotate an angle close to 180 degrees. The early and late programming currents can be exchanged due to the fundamental symmetry of the device. When the trajectory of magnetic field encloses the so called spin-flop point, the write operation will invert the initial data in the original bit, and so the popular name of toggle MRAM arises.
For both types of MRAM, the magnitude of the programming currents is relatively large (in the range of 5 to 15 mA) compared with that normally occurs in modern digital semiconductor devices. This requirement leads to large power consumption for writing MRAM devices as well as reduced device reliability and large area. Consequently, there exists a need to reduce the write currents for both types of MRAM device.

Using permanent magnets in MRAM to assist write operation

International Business Machines Corporation


A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes bit lines, a word line, a dummy word line, a memory cell, a dummy cell, a dummy word line drive circuit and a word line drive circuit. A dummy word line drive circuit is connected to the dummy word line. The dummy word line drive circuit supplies a precharge potential level that is higher than a first power supply potential level and a second power supply potential level that is lower than the first power supply potential level to the dummy word line. The word line drive circuit is connected to the word line. The word line drive circuit supplies the second power supply potential level and the precharge potential level to the word line.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a dynamic random access memory (hereafter, it is called DRAM), and to a dummy word line drive system of the DRAM, for example.
Traditionally, as techniques related to memories, there are those described in documents such as JP-A-60-242591 or JP-A-6-187781. FIG. 9 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a memory cell part in a DRAM described in JP-A-6-187781 (hereafter, it is simply called Document 2). The memory cell part was proposed for solving disadvantages of the memory cell part described in JP-A-60-242591 (hereafter, it is simply called Document 1), in which complementary first and second bit lines BLa and BLb, a plurality of word lines WL0 and WL1 intersecting each of the bit lines BLa and BLb, a plurality of first dummy word lines DWL0 and DWL1 intersecting the bit lines BLa and BLb, and a plurality of second dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 arranged close to the first dummy word lines DWL0 and DWL1 nearly in parallel therewith are provided.
A dynamic memory cell 100 is connected at the intersection of the bit line BLb and the word line WL0, and a dynamic memory cell 101 is connected at the intersection of the bit line BLa and the word line WL1. Each of the memory cells 100 and 101 has a charge storage capacitor 11 and a charge transfer N-channel MOS transistor (hereafter, it is called NMOS) 12. They are serially connected between ½·VCC and the bit lines BLb and BLa (where VCC is power supply voltage).
Dummy cells 200 and 201 are connected at the intersections of the bit lines BLb and BLa and the dummy word lines DWL0 and DWL1, respectively, and dummy cells 202 and 203 are connected at the intersections of the bit lines BLa and BLb and the dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3, respectively. Each of the dummy cells 200 to 203 is configured of an NMOS.
An equalizer circuit 30 for equalizing the bit lines BLa and BLb to ½·VCC is connected to one ends of the bit lines BLa and BLb. The equalizer circuit 30 is configured of an NMOS 31 connected between the bit line BLa and ½·VCC, an NMOS 32 connected between the bit line BLb and ½·VCC, and an NMOS 33 connected between the bit lines BLa and BLb, and the NMOSs are turned on/off by an equalizer signal EQ.
To the other ends of the bit lines BLa and BLb, a sense amplifier 40 for sensing and amplifying potential difference between the bit lines BLa and BLb is connected, and complementary data lines Da and Db are connected through data transfer NMOSs 51 and 52 to be turned on/off by a column line Y-DEC. The sense amplifier 40 is configured of NMOSs 41 and 42 and P-channel MOS transistors (hereafter, called PMOS) 43 and 44, which are cross connected between the bit lines BLa and BLb in which the NMOSs 41 and 42 are turned on/off by an activating signal φa and the PMOSs 43 and 44 are turned on/off by an activating signal φb in the opposite phase of the activating signal φa.
In the memory cell part of Document 1, the second dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 and the dummy cells 202 and 203 are omitted. In such the memory cell part, the readout operation of information 0 stored in the memory cell 100, for example, will be described.
When the equalizer signal EQ is at the VCC level, the bit lines BLa and BLb are equalized to ½·VCC because the NMOSs 31, 32 and 33 in the equalizer circuit 30 are in the ON state. In addition, the sense amplifier activating signals φa and φb are also equalized to ½·VCC. When the equalizer signal EQ falls from the VCC level to a ground voltage (hereafter, it is called GND) level, the NMOSs 31 to 33 in the equalizer circuit 30 are turned to the OFF state. Then, the word line WL0 selected by a decoder, not shown, rises to turn on the NMOS 12 in the memory cell 100, and information 0 stored in the capacitor 11 is outputted to the bit line BLb. At this time, the word line WL0 rises from the GND level to a (VCC+Vt+α) level (where Vt is the threshold voltage of the NMOS), and the dummy word line DWL0 falls from the VCC level to the GND level. The dummy word line DWL1 remains at the VCC level.
Subsequently, the sense amplifier activating signal φa gradually rises from the ½·VCC level to the VCC level, and the sense amplifier activating signal φb falls from the ½·VCC level to the GND level. Then, the sense amplifier 40 operates to amplify the bit line BLa to the VCC level and the bit line BLb to the GND level. After that, the column line Y-DEC rises from the GND level to the VCC level, the data transfer NMOSs 51 and 52 are turned to the ON state, and information of the bit lines BLa and BLb is transferred to the data lines Da and Db.
By disposing the dummy cells 200 and 201, which are originally unnecessary, the memory cell part of the half precharge system described in Document 1 has advantages that can avoid unbalance in the bit line to potential caused by combined voltage of the word lines WL0 and WL1 with the bit lines BLa and BLb and that can increase operational margins to prevent malfunctions.
However, when the word line WL0 is changed from the GND level to the (VCC+Vt+α) level and the dummy word line DWL0 is changed from the VCC level to the GND level in information readout from the memory cell 100, the capacitive coupling of gate capacitances between the word line WL0 and the bit line BLb and between the dummy word line DWL0 and the bit line BLb generates the offset voltage ΔVs between the bit lines BLa and BLb because of the presence of the difference in voltage amplitude ΔV=Vt+α. On this account, there is a disadvantage that a loss is generated in the amount of a readout signal to cause the sense amplifier 40 to malfunction.
Furthermore, when voltage is turned to VCC=1.5 V in a DRAM using voltage level lower than VCC=3.3 V used for a 16-Mbit DRAM, there is a disadvantage that a loss is further increased in the amount of the readout signal because a rate of (Vt+α) occupied in the activation level of the word lines WL0 and WL1 is further up.
Then, in order to solve the disadvantages, a plurality of second dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 and a plurality of dummy cells 202 and 203 are disposed near a plurality of first dummy word lines DWL0 and DWL1 in the memory cell part of Document 2.
In the memory cell part of Document 2, when information 0 stored in the memory cell 100 is read out where the boost levels of the word lines WL0 and WL1 are (VCC+Vt+α), for example, the word line WL0 is changed from the GND level to the (VCC+vt+α) level. At this time, the first dummy word line DWL0 is changed from the VCC level to the GND level, and the second dummy word line DWL2 is changed from the VCC level to the (VCC+Vt+α) level. Therefore, the offset voltage ΔVs generated between the bit lines BLa and BLb is cancelled to be zero. Accordingly, the amount of the signal transmitted from the memory cell 100 to the bit line BLb is not varied, and correct information can be read out. In addition to this, since the offset voltage ΔVs generated between the bit lines BLa and BLb is zero, a loss is not generated in the amount of the readout signal and correct information can be read out even in the case of a DRAM using low voltage VCC=1.5 V, for example.
However, although the semiconductor integrated circuit device described in Document 2 can solve the disadvantages of the semiconductor integrated circuit device in Document 1, it needs to be added with the plurality of the second dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 and the plurality of the dummy cells 202 and 203. Thus, drive circuits for driving the added dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 need to be disposed, and then the number of the circuit elements is increased. Furthermore, since the second the dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 are disposed over some of the array configurations, the area for forming the dummy word lines is increased. On this account, there are problems that the chip size is scaled up and the amount of power consumption is increased because the dummy word lines DWL2 and DWL3 are driven, and the problems are difficult to solve.

Semiconductor memory device having a word line drive circuit and a dummy word line drive circuit


Virtual fencing of an animal includes a microprocessor for continuously determining the position of an animal relative to a target and whether the animal is moving relative to the target. A stimulus unit applies a sensory stimulus to the animal in response to signals received from the microprocessor. The microprocessor is programmable such that if the distance between the animal and the target is less than a predetermined distance and if the animal is moving in a direction towards the target a stimulus is applied to the animal and the stimulus is withdrawn when the animal either stops, retreats from the target, or accelerates while the distance between the animal and the target is less than the predetermined distance.

1. Technical Field
The invention concerns an apparatus and a method for the virtual fencing of an animal.
2. Related Art
Traditionally, physical fences have been used to contain livestock within defined areas. More recently, devices have been manufactured for attachment to animals. Some devices use the application of auditory stimuli as a precursor to electrical stimuli to control the spatial location of the animal. However animals do not readily discriminate between the stimuli.
Other devices can be problematic in that the animal does not know in which direction to move to escape the application of stimuli. One solution has been to provide separate stimuli to each side of the head of the animal to steer the animal however this adds to the complexity of the device, and may limit fitting options. Other devices provide continual stimuli together with an override feature designed to cause the stimulus to an animal to stop when the animal for some reason is unable to leave the exclusion area. However such devices inhibit a desired response and may compromise the welfare of the animal. Moreover, such devices do not take into consideration how animals learn and behave.

Apparatus and method for the virtual fencing of an animal

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation


A troffer-style luminaire includes first and second side ends and a top end extending between the side ends. The side and top ends define an interior region. Light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) are coupled along interior surfaces of the side ends, within the interior region. At least some of the LEDs are coupled to the interior surfaces by being wedged between members protruding into the interior region from the interior or other surfaces. In addition, or in the alternative, one or more spring clips can apply a force that holds the LEDs against the interior surfaces. A reflector extends between the LEDs and the top member and reflects light from the LEDs towards a bottom end of the frame. The light emitted by the LEDs is directed to the reflector and then indirectly emitted through the bottom end, into a desired environment.

A luminaire is a system for producing, controlling, and/or distributing light for illumination. For example, a luminaire can include a system that outputs or distributes light into an environment, thereby allowing certain items in that environment to be visible. Luminaires are often referred to as "light fixtures".
A troffer is a light fixture that includes a relatively shallow, inverted trough-shaped housing (or "trough") within which at least one light source is disposed. The trough includes a substantially closed top end and a bottom end with an opening through which light from the light source is emitted. Generally, the trough is either suspended from a ceiling or other surface or installed in an opening therein. For example, the trough can be recessed within the ceiling, with the bottom end of the trough being flush with the ceiling. Traditional troffers include fluorescent light sources, with one or more fluorescent lamps extending across a length of each troffer.
Increasingly, lighting manufacturers are being driven to replace fluorescent lamp fixtures with light emitting diode ("LED") fixtures because LEDs tend to have better longevity than fluorescent lamps. Existing LED troffers include multiple LEDs spaced along the length of a top, interior surface of the troffer, with each LED pointing downward, into the environment to be illuminated. Because the LEDs are separate, bright light sources that emit light directly into the environment, the existing LED troffers generally emit light with bright and dark spaced spots onto a surface and poor cutoff. In particular, light emitted by the existing LED troffers tends to result in a substantial amount of glare because the shallow troughs of the LED troffers do not allow the LEDs to be recessed deep enough to achieve good cutoff. Accordingly, a need currently exists in the art for an improved LED troffer with reduced glare, improved cutoff, and more consistent light output.


Methods, systems, and products are disclosed in which generating evidence of web services transactions are provided generally by receiving in an ultimate recipient web service from an initial sender a request, the request containing a proof of message origin (‘PMO’). The PMO contains an element addressed to the ultimate recipient web service and the element bears a first signature, the first signature having a value. Embodiments also include authenticating the identity of the initial sender; creating a proof of message receipt (‘PMR’) including signing the value of the first signature; sending the PMR to the initial sender, receiving, by the initial sender, the PMR; and saving, by the initial sender, the PMR.

1. Technical Field
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, systems, and products for generating evidence of web services transactions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "web services" refers to a standardized way of integrating web-based applications. Web services typically provide business services upon request through data communications in standardized formats called bindings. A binding is a specification of a data encoding method and a data communications protocol. The most common binding in use for web services is data encoding in XML according to the SOAP protocol and data communications with HTTP. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) is a request/response messaging protocol that supports passing structured and typed data using XML and extensions.
Unlike traditional client/server models, such as an HTTP server that provides HTML documents in response to requests from browser clients, web services are not concerned with display. Web services instead share business logic, data, and processes through a programmatic interface across a network. Web services applications interface with one another, not with users. Because all data communications among web services are carried out according to standardized bindings, Web services are not tied to any one operating system or programming language. A Java client running in a Windows™ platform can call web service operations written in Perl and running under Unix. A Windows application written in C++ can call operations in a web service implemented as a Java servlet.
As discussed above, web services typically provide business services upon request through data communications in standardized formats called bindings. Such business services are typically carried out through request/response protocols in which a client or intermediary requester transmits a request message to a web service requesting a particular service, and the web service provides a response in the form of a response message. Disputes may arise in such a business transaction carried out as a message exchange. A dispute may arise, for example, if a web service never receives a request or does not respond to a received request. In order to protect the interests of parties operating requestors and web services, it is desirable to generate and preserve some evidence of the requests and responses for dispute resolution. There is an ongoing need for generating evidence of web services transactions.

Generating evidence of web services transactions


The present invention discloses a reset method for a digital circuit. The method includes: providing a clock signal to the digital circuit; keeping the clock signal at a logic level according to a first indicating signal; generating a reset signal for resetting the digital circuit; and recovering the clock signal to the digital circuit according to a second indicating signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reset method, and more particularly, to a reset method for a digital circuit and related signal generating apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A flip-flop is a widely used logic circuit device in a digital system, used for storing input data according to rising edge or falling edge of an input clock signal to achieve the objective of synchronizing the whole digital system. Taking a Delay-type Flip-Flop (DFF) as an example, there are two signals, a synchronous signal and an asynchronous signal, used to control the DFF. The synchronous signal is a clock signal, and the asynchronous signal is a preset signal or a reset signal (also referred to as a clear signal). Regardless of other input signals, the output of the flip-flop is maintained at a binary value "1" if the flip-flop is at the preset state, and the output of the flip-flop is set to another logic value "0" if the flip-flop is at the reset state.
Generally speaking, there are two problems existed when the asynchronous signal is transmitted to the flip-flop. One is the violation of asynchronous recover time and the other is the propagation delay of the asynchronous signal. For further illustration, please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a clock signal and a reset signal. As shown in FIG. 1, the reset signal RST is an asynchronous signal inputted to the flip-flop. If the reset signal RST has a transition from low level to high level (indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1) at the rising edge or falling edge of the clock signal CLK, the error will occur at the output of flip-flop. To avoid the above-mentioned situation, it is necessary to maintain a timing difference between the time when the reset signal has a transition from low level to high level due to an end of the reset period and the time when the clock signal triggers the flip-flop. Another problem is the propagation delay of an asynchronous signal. This means that while a reset signal is transmitted to a plurality of flip-flops, some flip-flops are reset in a clock cycle, while others are reset in the next clock cycle because the reset signal arrives at the flip-flops at different times due to the propagation delay. As a result, error will occur at the output of flip-flops. The conventional solution is to make use of extra buffer(s) to balance the propagation delay. However, the number of required buffers increases as the number of flip-flops increases, thereby increasing the cost and the size of the circuit.

Reset method for clock triggering digital circuit and related signal generating apparatus utilizing the reset method


Examples described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for providing an interactive computer simulation of a life of a user via a user device operated by the user by determining a goal of the user, accessing a transaction history of the user, determining an initial state of the user based on the transaction history of the user, determining a virtual path to the goal, the initial state of the user being a starting point of the virtual path to the goal, configuring the user device to display the virtual path of the goal, determining that the user has selected at least one of selectable in-simulation decisions, updating the virtual path to generate an updated virtual path based on the selected at least one of the plurality of selectable in-simulation decisions, and configuring the user device to display the updated virtual path.

The hallmarks of fiscal responsibility include the ability to plan and manage financial risks. In real life, once a financial decision is made, it is often very difficult to backtrack and rollback the decision. It may not always be obvious what decisions (e.g., actions or sacrifices) one needs to make to reach a particular goal. It is crucial for someone to learn fiscal responsibility through actually making financial decisions that may be less than sound. Consulting with a human advisor is undesirable or unpractical for many individuals for many reasons, including the expense and inconvenience of such consultations. Consulting with a human adviser is especially infeasible for every financial and life decision that someone makes.

Systems and methods for a whole life interactive simulation


A modular ballistic abatement barrier system (10) includes a first corrugated panel (12) having at least one aperture (13), a second corrugated panel (16) having at least one aperture (17), and a ballistic cloth (14) placed between the first corrugated panel and the second corrugated panel. The ballistic cloth can also include at least one aperture (15). The first corrugated panel and the second corrugated panel are coupled using at least one among a mechanical bond and a chemical bond. For example, the ballistic cloth can be laminated between the first corrugated panel and the second corrugated panel to form a multi-layered panel. Alternatively, the first corrugated panel, the ballistic cloth, and the second corrugated panel can be coupled together using a fastener that compresses the ballistic cloth between the first corrugated panel and the second corrugated panel.

Numerous shielding and ballistic abatement barriers exist that fail to provide a low-cost, modular and transportable system that can be easily assembled or deployed, disassembled, and reassembled or redeployed once again. If such a barrier exists, it likely provides poor ballistic abatement. More likely than not, any existing abatement system is overly complicated to assemble or disassemble and costly. Many existing ballistic abatement systems are fixed or a part of permanent construction or structure that is not meant to be disassembled. Many others are costly using expensive and heavy materials such as bulletproof glass or glass along with other laminates that provide some level of ballistic abatement.
Hurricane shutters typically made of aluminum are lightweight, but by themselves fail to provide sufficient ballistic abatement during periods of high risk when superior protection from bullets, shrapnel and other debris associated with explosions might be required. In a military scenario, although transportable, hurricane shutters would not provide adequate protection from ballistic projections. In the field, soldiers need to deploy and maneuver and redeploy rapidly in the field of combat. In some instances, soldiers spend hours and even days creating barriers from local fill only to leave the fruit of their efforts in place to move to another hostile area requiring the same type of barrier to be built in a similar time consuming manner.

Ballistic abatement barrier method and system


An auto-lock slide fastener slider comprises a slider body, a locking plate and a pull tab. An upper wing of the slider body has a locking-pawl-insertion hole, a recess forwardly extending from the locking-pawl-insertion hole, a locking-plate-attachment projection disposed at the front side of the recess, and a pair of pull-tab-attachment lugs disposed at opposite sides of the recess. The locking plate having at one end an axle rotatably supported by the locking-plate-attachment projection and at the other end a locking pawl inserted in the locking-pawl-insertion hole. The pull tab has at one end a pintle axle rotatably supported by the pull-tab-attachment lugs and a cam on the pintle for pressing the locking plate in such a manner that the locking pawl can project from the locking-pawl-insertion hole to engage a pair of rows of fastener elements. This slider will not give any damage to a garment, thus securing adequate safety.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an auto-lock slider for use in an ordinary type slide fastener, and more particularly to an auto-lock slide fastener slider in which locking function is performed by pivotal movement of a pull tab, without using a spring.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows a conventional auto-lock slide fastener slider as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 45-2165. In this conventional slider, a locking leaf spring 102 having a U-shaped locking projection 109 is floatably seated in a central arcuate recess 110 of the upper wing 115 with one end fixed in a recess 133 near a front end of the central recess 110 with the U-shaped locking projection 119 being able to be fitted in the locking-projection-insertion hole 111 provided in a bottom of the recess 110. A pull tab 103 has at one end an axle rotatably supported by a pair of pull-tab-attachment lugs 114 standing on the upper wing 105 at opposite sides of the central recess 110 and a cam 122 on the axle. In response to pivotal movement of the pull tab 103 from an upright posture to a horizontal posture, the cam 122 resiliently bends the leaf spring 102 so as to insert the locking projection 119 through the locking-projection-insertion hole 111 communicating with the recess 110.
FIG. 8 shows another conventional auto-lock slide fastener slider as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 51-523766. In this conventional slider, a locking plate 102 having on its lower surface a locking pawl 119 is loosely received in a recess 110 of the upper wing 105 for pivotal movement about a rear end of the recess 110 and also for sliding movement in longitudinal direction, the cutout having a varying depth progressively increasing from its rear end, which is off the fulcrum 121 of a pull tab 103 to the rear side, toward its front end. The locking plate 102 has on its upper surface a central projection 134 having a perpendicular front surface and a convex rear surface. The pull tab 103 has in its front end portion at a position off an axle 121 a cutaway 120 complementary in shape to the central projection 134 of the locking plate 102 so that the central projection 134 can be fitted in the cutaway 120 when the pull tab 103 assumes a horizontal posture. Also the pull tab 103 has a cam 122 being forward of the cutaway 120 point-symmetric in shape with and contiguous with the central projection 134.
According to the auto-lock slider of FIG. 7, when it assumes a horizontal posture to lock the slider, the pull tab 103 tends to be pushed upwardly partly because the U-shaped locking projection 119 is raised by the fastener elements and partly since the locking leaf spring 102 slides to the rear side by its own restoration, thus resulting in a non-stable locking operation. Further, since the locking projection 119 of the leaf spring 102 is merely curved in a U shape, it tends to deform so that a precise locking operation cannot be expected.
According to the auto-lock slider of FIG. 8, since, in response to pivotal movement of the pull tab 103, the locking plate 102 is pivotally moved in the vertical direction and is slid in the longitudinal direction, it is necessary to press a grip portion of the pull tab against the slider body in order to insert the locking pawl 119 between adjacent fastener elements, thus resulting in a very meticulous and non-smooth locking operation. Further, since, for sliding the slider, it is required to pivotally move and slide the locking plate 102 by pivotally moving the pull tab 103 to an upright posture, a smooth sliding operation cannot be expected as the locking plate 102 is held non-stably.


According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a cosmetic arrangement can be provided, which can include a first structure that can enclose a cosmetic active ingredient(s), a second structure that can enclose a solvent solution, a third structure(s) that can separate the solvent solution from the cosmetic active ingredient(s), a medium that can be configured to absorb a mixture of the cosmetic active ingredient(s) and solvent solution, and an indicator structure that can be configured to indicate whether the cosmetic active ingredient(s) and the solvent solution have come in contact with one another. Upon an application of a particular amount of pressure on a portion(s) of the arrangement, the cosmetic active ingredient(s) and the solvent solution can be caused to come into direct contact with one another.

Cosmetic products, such as cosmetic masks, can be widely used to deliver various health and cosmetic benefits to the skin, such as on the face, neck and chest.
Traditionally, the masks can be sold commercially in packaged bags with the various active ingredients (e.g., green tea extract, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol, Q10, and/or other similar ingredients) already predisposed on the mask. For example, traditionally, the mask can generally be packaged already immersed in a liquid mixture, for example, the solvent, containing various active ingredients, for example, the solute. To use such mask, the user opens the package, removes the mask already pre-immersed in the liquid mixture and applies the mask to various parts of the body as instructed on the package.
The active ingredients dissolved in the liquid mixture can be delivered onto the skin using the mask achieve certain desired benefits. However, these traditional, and currently designed, pre-packaged masks deliver no or very little active cosmetic ingredients onto the skin. This is because the active ingredients, which can be dissolved in the liquid solution, become unstable, and can rapidly lose their activity over a short period of time (e.g., a few weeks). For example, Vitamin C (e.g., L-ascorbic acid) and Vitamin E (e.g. tocopherol) dissolved in a liquid solution and stored in a closed and dark container lose nearly 72% and 35%, respectively, of their initial activity after only 60 days. Exemplary results illustrating this loss as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As a result, the active ingredient on the mask has little to no effectiveness by the time the packaged mask reaches the hands of the consumer as it can take weeks or months between the times the ingredients are dissolved and when the user applies the mask. This reduction in effectiveness can be further exacerbated if the packaged mask sits on the store shelf for a prolonged period of time or may not be immediately used by the user at the time of purchase.
Thus, there is a need for a packaged mask is which the active ingredient and solvent can be separated such that the active ingredients do not lose or do not significantly lose their effectiveness or activity before arriving at the hands of the consumer, and/or away to determine whether the active ingredients have been already mixed prior to use.

Apparatus, arrangement and method for providing skin care ingredients


A device includes, a search controlling information storing unit that stores, for each searching purpose, the search controlling information indicating whether or not the search is to be proceeded for the kinds of parts between the interfaces in the parts is defined and registered, a set information collecting unit that decides the interface of the parts to be searched, according to the search controlling information for each search object, from both the design information of the system constitution diagram and the registered information of the library database of the parts and the interfaces, and traces the connection relations of the interfaces thereby to collect the set information of the searched parts and the interfaces from the library database of the design information of the system constitution diagram, the parts and so on.

When a system structure diagram of a computer system is expressed, it is a general practice to express a system structure diagram focusing on connection relations of its electric interfaces. The design quality of the system is drastically improved by converting such a system structure diagram into electronic form and checking design errors at the design stage.
In order to check design errors in the system structure diagram, it is necessary to collect and check connection relations between apparatuses and information set in the connection interfaces and apparatuses. Unlike an electronic circuit, a computer system has a mixture of many standards in its electric interfaces. Therefore, necessary information, connection relations to be checked and interfaces that can be ignored vary depending on the testing contents.
When, for example, the supply performance of a power supply is checked, it is necessary to search paths of only a power supply system out of the interfaces of the apparatuses, acquire and check information on the power supply such as a voltage, frequency, the number of phases and capacity of the breaker. Furthermore, when checking the settings of IP addresses, it is necessary to search not only a LAN port but also various routes such as a PCI slot route and USB route, collect information and check whether or not these settings are correct.
Patent Document 1 is one example of documents of prior arts describing techniques related to testing of a system structure diagram. Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-187396) describes a technique of verifying validities of combinations of devices based on combinations of attribute information set in each device in a network configuration design.
When a system structure diagram of a computer is tested, necessary information, connection relations to be checked and interfaces that can be ignored or the like vary depending on testing contents. However, no mechanism for collecting setting information of a system structure diagram according to a variety of testing contents or mechanism capable of conducting tests uniformly has been conventionally invented. Therefore, for most of various testing contents, people generally display information set in a system design on a screen individually using, for example, CAD and thereby test them through visual checking. This results in a problem that testing takes quite a long time and overlooking often occurs in testing.
If setting checking information necessary for testing is outputted as a list of information classified by the purpose corresponding to the testing contents, testing can be conducted in a relatively short time even when humans do the testing and overlooking may be reduced. Furthermore, if there is a file of setting checking information organized according to the testing contents, testing may also be automated. Here, there are a variety of test targets such as a check of redundant power supply connections, check of power supply capacity, identification of an IP level communication range, detection of a loop, detection of illegal IP setting, separation error detection by PVLAN, check of switchover by a console switch, and hereinafter the purpose of collecting information for these tests will be referred to as a "search purpose."
To obtain a list of information of the setting checking information necessary for various kinds of testing, it is necessary to provide a program for automatically collecting setting information in a designed system structure diagram for each of testing contents. However, attempting to provide a program tailored to a plurality of testing contents results in a problem that the program becomes complicated and the scale of the program becomes enormous. Moreover, when another testing needs to be newly added, the program must be remodeled every time. Patent Document 1 above describes a technique of outputting specific setting checking information, but describes no technique related to a mechanism for collecting information for each of the various kinds of testing contents.

Setting checking information collecting method, setting checking information collecting device and recording medium that records setting checking information collecting program


A lens assembly includes: a lens group including a plurality of lenses; and a lens holder accommodating the lens group and having an opening in each of a front end face of the lens holder and a rear end face of the lens holder. The opening of the front end face has a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of a foremost lens accommodated in a foremost end face side of the lens holder, the lens holder includes a spacer ring disposed on a rear side of a rearmost lens accommodated in a rearmost end face side of the lens holder, the spacer ring abutting on a peripheral portion of the rearmost lens to keep a space between a rear face of the rearmost lens and the rear end face of the lens holder, and the lens holder holds a rear face of the spacer ring by thermal caulking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens assembly for accommodating a plurality of lenses and an imaging device having the lens assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a lens assembly in which an imaging lens for imaging subject light to a sensor of an imaging element or the like is internally incorporated. Among such a lens assembly, there is a lens assembly in which the miniaturization is promoted by simplifying a structure of an engaging portion of a lens holder and a lens frame by providing a male screw and a female screw to be precisely screwed together in the lens holder and the lens frame, and both optical axis alignment and focus adjustment is simply performed by threading the lens frame into the lens holder. Since this structure is highly miniaturized, the lens assembly is suitable to be mounted in a portable device, a vehicle, or the like.
When a mechanism for fixing the lens frame is additionally provided in a microminiature lens assembly, a size of the lens holder increases. Accordingly, the lens frame is mostly fixed to the lens holder by an adhesive. For this reason, a small adhesive reservoir is usually provided to receive an extra adhesive.
However, in the present situation, the small adhesive reservoir may not be provided in the lens holder in keeping with the further miniaturization of a portable device in the above-described microminiature lens assembly. If the adhesive reservoir may not provided in the lens holder, the adhesive is attached to a lens surface when the extra adhesive flows into a lens portion as long as a worker does not exceptionally carefully perform an operation.
On the other hand, since the use of plastic for a case of a portable device or the like is recently increasing, it is considered to promote the simplification of assembly by caulking a part of the case through thermal caulking after members are loaded within the plastic case, so as to hold the members inside the case.
When a thermal caulking technique like a technique of JP-A-8-136783 can be applied to the above-described lens assembly, the work is further comfortable and the work efficiency is improved. However, there is an issue that a plastic lens, which becomes mainstream as a lens material, inside the lens holder may be deformed when thermal caulking is performed.
When the plastic lens is manufactured by injection molding, a finished shape of the lens becomes a D-cut shape as shown in FIG. 1 since an arrangement portion of a gate for injecting resin into a molding tool is necessarily placed within an outer shape of the lens.
FIG. 1 is views showing a plastic lens 21 of a D-cut shape and an outer appearance when the plastic lens 21 is placed in a rear end face side of a tons holder 20 provided in a lens assembly 2.
When the plastic lens 21 of the D-cut shape shown in FIG. 1 is accommodated in the rear end face side of the lens holder 20, a space is generated between the lens holder 20 and a D-cut portion of the plastic lens 21 as shown in FIG. 1. For this reason, there is an issue that the lens holder 20 is bumpy and the lens holder itself is deformed when a leading end of a tool is put around the space so as to perform thermal caulking from the rear end face side of the lens holder 20 using a caulking tool.


A photographic processing apparatus and method for processing a photosensitive material. The apparatus comprises a processing tank containing a processing solution through which a photosensitive material is passed for processing. A transport system is provided for transporting of the photosensitive material through the processing solution contained with the tank. The transport system includes at least one transport roller which is partially submerged in the processing solution. The replenishment system includes a dispensing tube for dispensing the replenishment solution directly on the transport roller, such that the replenishment solution is on the roller.

In conventional type photographic processors, the photosensitive material is passed through a series of processing solutions contained in adjacent processing tanks. Each of the processing tanks contain a substantial amount of processing solution that is recirculated through various devices, such as filters, heaters, and pumps. As photosensitive material is processed, certain chemical components are consumed in the processing solution, thereby requiring replenishment of the processing solution. In a typical conventional prior art processor, replenishment of the processing solution is accomplished by the introduction of replenishment solution directly into the processing tank, or into the recirculation system. Often the replenishment solution is diluted such that an amount of processing solution is caused to overflow out of the processing tank. In these systems, cross-over transport rollers are provided for transferring the photosensitive material from one tank to the next adjacent tank. At least some of these cross-over rollers are partially submerged within the processing solution. When the processor is inactive for a period of time, a build-up of undesirable residue may be formed on the cross-over roller. In conventional prior art processors, it has been suggested that this build-up residue may be cleaned by allowing water to be poured on the roller. This is particularly important during initial start-up of the processor at the beginning of the day. Because of the large amount of processing amount solution contained in typical prior art processors, the addition of this water does not substantially affect the processing solution therein. In certain processors the cross-over rollers are taken out for cleaning.
Recently there has been suggested the use of low volume thin tank type processors. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,270,762; 5,353,088; 5,400,106; 5,420,659; 5,355,190; 5,398,094; 5,313,243; 5,418,591; 5,347,327; 5,386,261; 5,381,203; 5,353,087 illustrate thin tank processors wherein a photosensitive material is passed through a narrow processing channel. The processing channel has a generally U-shaped configuration comprising a first generally arcuate entrance section, a generally straight processing section, and a generally arcuate exit section. A nozzle is typically provided in the narrow processing channel for impinging a processing solution onto the photosensitive material as it passes through the processing channel. The processor is designed to process individual sheets and/or a continuous web.
In the foregoing low volume thin tank processor, minimal amounts of processing solution is provided in each of the processing sections. However, it is still necessary that the cross-over rollers be cleaned after a long period of non-use, for example, during overnight periods when the processor is not used. Unfortunately, the operators often are negligent, or are too busy to take out the rollers for appropriate cleaning. Additionally, in low volume thin tank processors, it is not desirable to wash the rollers while they are in the tank as this would substantially dilute the processing solution contained within the processing section to undesirable levels. Quite often, in a low volume thin tank processor, this could dilute processing solution by up to 10% as opposed to 1% for conventional-type processors.
Thus, there is a need in low volume thin tank processors to provide means that is convenient and easy to use for the operator to clean these rollers without unnecessarily diluting of the processing solution contained in the processing tank.
The present invention solves the foregoing problem by providing a replenishment system for dispensing replenishment solution directly along the transport rollers which are used for transporting of the photosensitive material.


A protection circuit for a power converter with cascaded bipolar and/or unipolar semiconductors is provided. The protection circuit includes at least one comparator circuit which is adapted to monitor a voltage characteristic on a collector-emitter path of at least one semiconductor which is arranged in a polarity selection stage of the power converter and/or to monitor a voltage characteristic on at least one capacitor, which is arranged in the power converter. The at least one comparator circuit is further adapted to output an electrical signal, representing the voltage characteristic of the semiconductor and/or the at least one capacitor to at least one evaluation unit. The at least one evaluation unit is further adapted to evaluate the result from the at least one comparator circuit and to deactivate the semiconductors in case that the voltage characteristic of the semiconductors and/or the capacitors deviate from a predetermined threshold.

Multilevel Power converters are used to convert electric energy from one form to another such as converting between AC and DC; or changing the voltage or frequency; or some combination of these.
Power MOSFETs are very advantageous for power electronic converters due to their fast switching capabilities and resistive conduction behavior. However, silicon based power MOSFETs generally suffer from limited voltage blocking capability. Moreover, the body diode has a poor dynamic performance. For this reason silicon, IGBTs have partly replaced them especially in industrial applications.
However, Silicon carbide (SiC) came as a viable material for power semiconductors like MOSFETs and provided an improvement for the two main drawbacks, namely the poor dynamic performance of the body diode and the limited voltage blocking capability. This made the MOSFET to an attractive device, also for industrial applications.
The SiC MOSFETs offer a comparable and even higher voltage blocking capability than state-of-the-art silicon based IGBTs, very low switching losses, bidirectional conduction capability with low conduction losses, and a body diode with good dynamic performance, which renders separate anti-parallel diodes unnecessary. However, the main disadvantage of the SiC MOSFETs is the poor short circuit capability.
Although the introduction of the SiC material has been a significant technical advancement for power MOSFETs in the recent years, the Silicon based power MOSFET technology has also taken some steps forward. Especially the considerably improved body diode reverse recovery performance of the fifth generation 100V and 150V MOSFETs has proven to be the key enabler for high performance. As a result, so-called flying capacitor (FC) converter topology has become very attractive when it comes to compact, light-weight, and high-efficient power converters for low-voltage applications.
Due to the low voltage rating of the individual device, the converter phase leg needs to be built with a large number of series-connected devices to enable connection to standard residential and industrial low-voltage distributions systems.
In the case of an FC converter topology, the total voltage blocking capability of a phase leg can be increased by increasing the number of the flying capacitor cells.
To limit the number of necessary MOSFETs and gate drivers (an FC cell may consist of four semiconductors and one capacitor), the FC converter can be combined with a polarity selector stage (PSS) which halves the input voltage of the FC converter. This may reduce the number of the FC cells. Because the polarity selector stage operates at fundamental frequency, IGBTs with a high voltage blocking capability can be used.
The large number of active semiconductor devices, isolated gate driver units, and gate voltage supplies make the FC converter topology more complex compared to conventional converter topologies. Typically, each active switch is individually protected against short circuits e.g. by a standard desaturation detection circuitry.
However, having an individual protection circuitry for each device when the total number of devices is in the range of several tens or even a couple of hundreds is neither practical nor cost-efficient.
Therefore, alternative protection methods are highly desired, which have a similar level and effectivity of protection than the current methods but are less expensive and do not need, e.g. one specific desaturation detection circuit per semiconductor.

Protection scheme for power converters utilizing cascaded bipolar and unipolar power semiconductor devices


The present a step controller includes a switching circuit having at least two outputting states, especially a three-level switch (DPS1) with negative feedback, and a PI or PID controller having an integrator (I1). The integrator is inactive during the positioning pulse of the three-level switch. The integrator (I1) is provided with a correcting element (CORR) which reduces the reset time (Tn) for a large input signal (xd). In this way, linear behavior of the step controller can be attained over the entire positioning range of a positioning element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a step controller, and more particularly to a correcting element of a step controller that reduces a reset time of the step controller as a function of an input signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional step controller is disclosed by German Patent DE 40 04 183 A1. This step controller has a three-level switch with an operating threshold and with hysteresis. The step controller also has a negative feedback through a feedback element containing an integrator. To achieve PI (proportional-integral) action by the controller, an error signal, used as the input signal, is multiplied by a factor Kp and fed back directly as the proportional (P) component. The input signal is also fed back through a parallel branch containing an integrator to the three-level switch. In the integrator, the input signal is integrated only during the intervals between the output signals from the three-level switch, i.e., during the pauses of the output control pulses. Thus, the linear behavior of the P component across the control range is attained in an advantageous way.
The step controller has only a slight dependence of the effective controller parameter on the controller input signal. Therefore the control parameters of the step controller can be optimized like a linear controller so that the step controller can be used as a self-adapting controller. To adapt the controller to a process, for example, a step excitation can be applied to the process and the step response of the process can be evaluated. By evaluating the process response, a suitable process model and its parameters can be calculated, and a linear controller can be determined for the parameters of the process identified in that manner to give optimum yield. In the known step controller, furthermore, a special adaptation of the operating threshold of the three-level switch can be used to reduce the frequency of switching so as to minimize wear of the positioning element. In this adaptation, the duration of the control pulse increases with the magnitude of the excitation.
Although the conventional step controller is generally thought to provide acceptable control action, it is not without shortcomings. Namely, the conventional step controller still has residual, nonlinear behavior, and therefore the controller parameters established for the controller following parameter optimization differ from the controller parameters that are finally effective on operation of the step controller. That can lead to the transient response of the controller changing with the magnitude of the excitation. Furthermore, the number of control pulses increases with increasing excitation, and that in turn increases the wear of the positioning element again.
An object of the present invention is to provide a step controller in which the control action can be further improved.
The present step controller improves the approximation of the controller behavior to that of a linear controller by use of a correcting element which reduces the controller reset time as a function of the error signal used as the input signal, so that the reset time is shorter for a larger input signal.
The present invention is based on the recognition that the effective reset time for the known step controller increases with increasing excitation. Only the controller amplification was independent of the excitation. That is, for large error signals the step controller initially behaved as a P controller. The integral (I) component became active only with diminishing error signal. The greater the excitation was, then, the more slowly it was corrected. For a controller adjustment according to the optimum process and with small changes in the set point, there was still an overshoot in the control magnitude, which decreased for larger steps in the set point. If the controller were adjusted so that large changes in the set point could be adjusted aperiodically, then the control magnitude could still overshoot with small steps in the set point. In spite of the improvements made for the linearity of the P component in the known step controller, the controller was still always nonlinear with respect to the reset time. This effect is compensated by the use of the correcting element in the present step controller.
Practically ideal linear behavior of the step controller can be attained advantageously with the correcting element of the present invention. For example, when the step controller controls a linear process, the parameters can be set so that if a sudden excitation occurs, then the control magnitude is adjusted aperiodically to a new steady final value, independent of the magnitude of the sudden excitation.
For reliability, the corrected reset time is limited to a minimum value, preferably five times the sampling time. Limitation to one-tenth of the reset time Tn is an acceptable alternative.
If the operating threshold of the three-level switch is adjusted only as a function of the proportional component of the controller, then the step controller is also advantageously well suited as a controller with proportional-integral (PI) behavior in which the reset time is very large so that the I component is practically negligible.
When the set point is constant, the operating threshold can be set advantageously to half of the magnitude of the proportional component, for example. If the set point changes, the operating threshold can be set to one twentieth of the magnitude of the proportional component, for example. That gives a good compromise between the number of switching processes and the control quality. In addition, ramp changes in set point can be followed better with such a controller.
The above and other features of the invention including various and novel details of construction will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular step controller embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.


A method of forming a fitting assembly in a filament-reinforced pressure vessel, and a pressure vessel having a fitting assembly secured therein. In the method, a first fitting portion is bonded to an inner surface of a thermoplastic liner in a fluid tight manner. A layer of commingled reinforcing filaments and plastic material is applied to an outer surface of the thermoplastic liner to form a vessel wall. A portion of the vessel wall adjacent to the opening bounded by the fluid-tight seal between the first fitting portion and the inner surface of the thermoplastic liner is removed. Then, a second fitting portion is bonded to the first fitting portion so as to define a port for access into the interior of the vessel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fitting assembly for composite pressure vessels and, more specifically, to a fitting assembly for filament-reinforced composite pressure vessels and methods of forming the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Reinforced pressure vessels are preferred for use in many fluid-containment applications because they are substantially lighter in weight than pressure vessels formed of traditional materials such as steel, and provide exceptional mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. The term "fluid" refers to any material or substance that changes shape or direction uniformly in response to an external force imposed on it and includes not only liquids, but also gases and finely divided solids.
The vessel wall of a filament-reinforced plastic pressure vessel is substantially continuous, and is formed of a composite laminated structure. The inner portion or layer of the vessel wall is typically a thermoplastic liner having an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer portion or layer of the vessel wall is typically formed of overlapping helically-wound reinforcing glass filaments that are wet-wrapped with thermoset plastic and bonded to the outer surface of the thermoplastic liner.
As is the case with all fluid-containment vessels, the aforementioned conventional thermoset and thermoplastic composite pressure vessels need at least one port, and frequently several ports, for providing access to fill and/or empty the vessel and/or for permitting the attachment of devices that monitor the pressure and/or other conditions within the interior of the vessel. These ports are commonly provided as rigid fittings that are adapted to connect to hoses, pipes and/or measurement equipment (e.g., pressure sensors and gauges).
Unfortunately, a port cannot usually be added to the aforementioned conventional thermoset and thermoplastic pressure vessel simply by drilling or cutting a hole in the vessel wall and bonding a port structure around the hole (or vice versa). It is commonly believed that, unless the port structure is bonded to the thermoplastic liner and the thermoset and filament reinforced outer layer, the mechanical strength of the pressure vessel is substantially weakened. Moreover, in conventional vessels, severing the continuous filament reinforcement undermines the strength of the vessel.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved composite pressure vessel, and for a method for forming a port in a sidewall thereof. There further exists a need in the art for a fitting assembly that is adapted to be efficiently secured to the pressure vessel so as to define a port therein.

Filament-reinforced composite thermoplastic pressure vessel fitting assembly


One embodiment of the present invention is apparel that includes: (a) a heat exchanger adapted to be worn in close proximity to a portion of a body; (b) a garment adapted to cover the heat exchanger; and (c) a multiplicity of anchors that couple the heat exchanger and the garment at a multiplicity of anchor locations.

It is common to apply cold and compression to a traumatized area of a human body to facilitate healing, and to prevent unwanted consequences of the trauma. For example, cold packing with ice bags or the like traditionally are used to provide deep core cooling of a body part. In addition, elastic wraps are often applied to provide compression. However, these traditional techniques are uncontrollable. For example, the temperature of an ice pack will change when the ice melts, and the application of elastic wraps and, consequently the pressure provided thereby, varies considerably—even when the wrappers are experienced. Because of these and other difficulties, many have turned to more complicated arrangements which include cooling units for maintaining a desired temperature through a heat exchanger. Some of these cooling units also provide compressive pressure. Active cooling arrangements for humans are used, or contemplated for use, in physical therapy, pre-game conditioning, minor injury care, and so forth.
Designs exist that enable a heat exchanger to be thin, and enable it not to buckle when it conforms to a complex shape to remain in good thermal contact with a body part. As one can readily appreciate, there are instances where a person using such a heat exchanger may wish to do so while going about his/her daily activities. Further, the person may wish to do this without bringing undo attention to the fact that he/she is using a heat exchanger. This entails being able to provide apparel that covers a body part, and also carries and covers the heat exchanger. For example, such apparel might include a jacket with a hood that enables a heat exchanger that covers a person's torso and/or head to be covered as well.
A problem exists in using prior art techniques to provide a garment to carry the heat exchanger since the heat exchanger would typically be attached about (at least a large portion of) its border to the inside of the garment. Then, when in use, as the heat exchanger is compressed about the body part, the garment would be bunched, and the outline of the heat exchanger would be visible from outside the garment. This provides an awkward, and unnatural appearance. Additionally, the misshaping of the garment may provide some discomfort to the wearer. Lastly, attaching closely to the seams or outlines of the outer garment often results in a heat exchanger which provides poor contact with the torso, limb, or head being treated.
In light of the above, there is a need in the art for apparel solves one or more of the above-identified problems.


Quinobenzoxazine, derivatives of the formula ##STR1## as well as the pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, amides and prodrugs thereof are disclosed, wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or a carboxy-protecting group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are substitutents, A is oxygen, Z is a halogen or a nitrogen-containing group, X is hydrogen, halogen or alkyl, and W is hydrogen, alkyl, amino or halogen. The compounds have potent antineoplastic activity.

It is known that certain quinolone compounds possess antibacterial activities. For example, D. Chu, U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,032, issued Aug. 19, 1986, which is incorporated herein by reference, has disclosed 1-substituted amino-2-fluoro-4-oxo-4H-quino[2,3,4-i,j][1,4]benzoxazine-5-carboxylic acid derivatives which possess antibacterial activity. Closely related quinobenzothiazine and quinobenzoxazine derivatives having antibacterial activity have also been disclosed by Chu in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,285, issued Jul. 9, 1985; 4,529,725, issued Jul. 16, 1985; and 4,542,133, issued Sept. 17, 1985. However, these and other related novel derivatives have not been known heretofore to be antineoplastic agents.


A method of forming an HBT structure includes forming an HBT epitaxial layer structure over a first substrate wafer; performing a first substrate transfer of the HBT epitaxial layer structure and the first substrate wafer onto a second substrate wafer, including inverting the HBT epitaxial layer structure and the first substrate wafer; removing the first substrate wafer; forming a first subcollector metal layer over the HBT epitaxial layer structure; performing a second substrate transfer of the subcollector metal layer and the HBT epitaxial layer structure onto a third substrate wafer with a second subcollector metal layer, including inverting the subcollector metal layer and the epitaxial layer structure; compression bonding the first and second subcollector metal layers to provide a bonded subcollector metal layer; and removing the second substrate wafer. The HBT structure includes the third substrate wafer, the bonded subcollector metal layer, and the HBT epitaxial layer structure.

A double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT) or a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) (collectively, "HBT") is a type of bipolar junction transistor (BJT) that incorporates different semiconductor materials in collector, base and emitter layers, respectively, creating heterojunctions at both the emitter-base junction and the base-collector junction. HBTs have better performance characteristics than BJTs at high frequencies, and therefore are often used in integrated circuits (ICs) for high frequency radio frequency (RF) signals in modern communication devices. The collector, base and emitter layers are typically epitaxial (epi) layers (films) grown over a semiconductor substrate, such as indium phosphide (InP), for example.
A conventional HBT also typically includes an InP subcollector layer located between the substrate and an epi stack of the HBT formed by the collector, base and emitter layers. The InP subcollector layer is relatively thick compared to the collector, base and emitter layers in order to enhance electrical performance. However, heat generated during operation of the HBT must be removed through the relatively thick InP subcollector layer, as well as through the InP substrate over which the InP subcollector layer is formed, which provide high thermal resistance. Conventional HBTs are therefore susceptible to overheating. For example, electrical performance characteristics of an IC including HBTs typically improve when operated at higher power. However, operation at too high of a power causes excessive self-heating of the HBTs, which degrades the lifetime of the IC. Also, design complexity of the IC is constrained by thermal factors caused by the poor thermal conductivity of the HBTs.
Changes to HBT designs are limited, as a practical matter, by conventional fabrication techniques with regard to growing the epi layers. These fabrication techniques require additional specialty equipment, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) equipment that provide adequate wafer flatness for wafer bonding between oxide and semiconductor layers of the DHBT, for example. Further, conventional HBTs are often designed around a single substrate transfer, which occurs during fabrication to replace the substrate.

Method of forming heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)


An electrical operating device, particularly a change-over or other switch or the like, including a contact-holding slider having a body provided with usual recesses which open into two opposing faces (A, B) of the body, and contain usual contact elements (40) which move against elastic springs (26, 26A) to cooperate with usual fixed contacts rigid with the body of the operating device, the body of the slider comprising at least two parts (2, 3) fitted together by connection devices (4, 4', 5, 5', 6, 6', 7, 7').

This invention comprises an electrical operating device, in particular a change-over or other switch or the like.
Such devices generally comprise a contact-holding slider arranged to cooperate with a camshaft and provided with recesses which open into two opposing faces of the slider body, and within which generally flat contact elements move against springs, to project via their opposing ends from said recesses.
Sliders of this type have been known for some time and have been used for many years in such electrical components.
Known sliders consist of a single body provided with said recesses, which contain counteracting springs acting on contact elements. These sliders are generally not easy to assemble. In this respect, the insertion of the springs and contact elements into said recesses is laborious and lengthy, particularly because of their small size.
This obviously negatively affects the cost of the finished electrical component (change-over or other switch) and the time required for producing one of these components.

Electrical operating device with contact-holding slider in two parts


A curtain control system for controlling curtains of an animal enclosure having an electrically-operated forced air ventilation system and a plurality of adjustable drop curtains. Each of the drop curtains has an associated curtain control device for providing supplemental ventilation during power failure or excess temperatures in the enclosure. Each of the curtain control devices includes a winch for winding and unwinding a curtain control cord extending between the curtain and the winch. A winch release is moveable between a hold position for normally holding the winch handle stationary to prevent unwinding of the curtain control cord and a release position to release the winch handle and thereby release the curtains to a dropped, open position. Electromagnets hold the winch releases in the hold position during application of current and permit movement of the winch release to the release position upon interruption of electric current to the electromagnets. A circuit electrically cooperates with the electromagnets for interrupting the flow of electricity to all of the curtain control devices when any single winch release moves to the release position to thereby cause the release of all of the curtains upon the release of any of the curtains.

This invention relates to a curtain control system for animal enclosures such as poultry houses. Houses of this type and prior art systems for controlling ventilation and preventing or reducing animal mortality during power interruptions and extremely warm weather are disclosed in applicants' prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,915,377, 4,113,175, 4,428,278, and 4,986,469. Systems such as shown in these prior patents have substantially reduced animal mortality and labor requirements for raising poultry in large, environmentally controlled enclosures. Nevertheless, on some occasions inadvertent release of the some of the curtains can cause environmental conditions resulting in stress and mortality to the animals.
As poultry houses have become larger and more environmentally controlled, the sides of the enclosure are sometimes divided into two or four separate curtain units, with each unit having its own curtain release device. Since all of these units are designed to release when electric current is interrupted, all of the curtains should drop into their open position to permit natural ventilation during any power interruption.
In an poultry house having so-called "tunnel" ventilation, an interruption of electrical power or high temperature causes the curtain winches to be released and the curtains to drop. However, it can happen that power is restored or the temperature drops before all of the curtains release. In some other instances, one or more of the curtains may be inadvertently dropped, with the remainder of the curtains left in their raised, closed position. In both of these instances the flow of air is short-circuited. Air flow through the enclosure moves from the open curtain area in a direct path to the ventilation fans, bypassing other areas of the enclosure. Poultry in the bypassed areas are deprived of adequate air flow and consequently suffer. In this instance, the poultry would be better off if all of the curtains had inadvertently dropped, rather than just some of them.
Some systems have motorized curtain systems which operate to close the curtains when the enclosure changes from natural ventilation to fan-powered tunnel ventilation. In some instances the curtains or the cords operating the curtains may bind or snag, thus increasing the pull on the winch handle which is held in place with a curtain release device. If the curtain release device fails to hold, the particular set of curtains is released, again causing a short circuit in the air flow path. Animals out of the path of air flow suffer from loss of fresh air, increased temperature, and lack of air movement.
Prior art systems do not provide a method and apparatus for insuring the positive release of all of the sets of curtains when any one set of curtains is released. The invention disclosed in this application and claimed in the claims accomplishes this new function.

Curtain control system for animal enclosures


The present invention relates to hydrolytically stable multi-purpose polymers that are polymerized from a monomer mixture comprising: at least one amino-substituted meth(acrylate) (ASMA) monomer or salt thereof; and at least one nonionic vinyl (NIV) monomer, wherein the monomer mixture optionally comprises one or more of at least one vinyl associative (VA) monomer; at least one vinyl surfactant (VS) monomer; and/or at least one polymerizable silicone macromer (PSM) and wherein the monomer mixture further optionally comprises one or more of at least one crosslinking (XL) monomer; at least one chain transfer agent (CTA); and/or at least one polymeric stabilizer. The multi-purpose polymers of the present invention can also be prepared from monomer mixtures containing chain transfer agents or other functional components commonly utilized in polymerization process.

Multi-purpose copolymers derived from, for example, the dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) monomer are known in the art. Such copolymers when produced from the afore-mentioned monomer can, in certain applications, have stability issue. As a result, such polymers have a poor shelf life and can start to "destabilize" after about six months. This in turn causes various logistic problems and undesirable performance degradation. The poor shelf life of these polymers is due to the amine backbone contained in the DMAEMA monomer which readily undergoes hydrolysis in an aqueous medium through "back-biting". The lone-pair electron on the nitrogen atom attacks the electron deficient carbonyl carbon to yield a five member ring Zwitterionic intermediate. Such a structure can then be easily hydrolyzed in the presence of water. The reaction scheme shown below summarizes the problem associated with copolymers that are derived from a DMAEMA monomer. As a result of the hydrolysis —COOH functional sites are produced on the backbone of a copolymer, as well as a dimethylaminoethanol by-product.

Given the above, there is a need in the art for hydrolytically stable multi-purpose copolymers that possess a suitable shelf life (e.g., in excess of six months or more).

Hydrolytically stable multi-purpose polymers


An optical device for viewing an image is provided. The optical device comprises a plurality of optical channels positioned adjacent one another, each optical channel having an image detector and a complimentary objective lens spaced by a respective distance. A focusing mechanism is coupled to the optical device and configured to simultaneously adjust the respective distance between the image detector and the objective lens of each optical channel.

Night vision systems are used in a wide variety of military, industrial and residential applications to enable sight in a dark environment. For example, night vision systems are utilized by military aviators during nighttime flights or military soldiers patrolling the ground. Security cameras use night vision systems to monitor dark areas and medical instruments use night vision systems to alleviate conditions such as retinitis pigmentosis (night blindness).
Conventional image enhancement night vision equipment utilize an Image Intensifier (I2) to amplify an image. The image intensifier collects tiny amounts of light in a dark environment, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present in the environment but may be imperceptible to the human eye. The image intensifier amplifies the light so that the human eye can perceive the image. The light output from the image intensifier can either be supplied to a camera, external monitor or directly to the eyes of a viewer. The image intensifier devices are commonly employed in vision goggles, i.e. a monocular or binocular, that are worn on a user's head for transmission of the light output directly to the viewer.
Image enhancement night vision equipment utilizes available light such as starlight and moon light. Although the image enhancement equipment will work in very reduced lighting, it may not work in environments of absolute darkness, such as caves or caverns. Furthermore, image enhancement equipment effectiveness may be reduced by battlefield obscuration such as smoke, fog, rain, dust, and foliage.
Standard night vision devices may be enhanced with the addition of thermal imaging, i.e. infrared (IR) information. Whereas conventional night vision devices employing image intensifiers can only see visible wavelengths of radiation, the enhanced system provides additional situational awareness by providing infrared (i.e. heat) information to the image. A typical scenario where this might be important is where a camouflaged person cannot be seen with an image intensifier device. However, with the addition of infrared information to the same image, the camouflaged person's heat signature is seen.
The enhanced night vision device commonly includes two channels for transmitting a scene image to the user. The first channel includes a thermal camera (i.e. infrared detector) and a complementary objective lens to transmit a scene image in a first spectral band. The second channel includes an image intensifier camera and another complementary objective lens to transmit the same scene image in a second spectral band. A processing module within the device fuses the images together and superimposes the images on each other. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,029 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The focus of each channel of the enhanced night vision device is individually adjusted by the user. More particularly, the position of each objective lens relative to each detector or camera is adjusted by the user. The devices typically do not allow for tracking of one objective lens relative to another objective lens for the purpose of simultaneously focusing the channels, or determination of and compensation for parallax disparity.
Thus, it would be advantageous to supply an apparatus which simultaneously focuses both channels of a fused system and tracks the position of one channel relative to another channel to compensate for parallax disparity.

Ganged focus mechanism for an optical device


A light-emitting module includes a light-emitting plate including a light-irradiating surface including a plurality of striped-pattern light-emitting units, and a reflecting member including a reflecting surface to reflect light emitted from the light-irradiating surface of the light-emitting plate toward a target surface of an object. Light at a peak luminous intensity in a light distribution in a first region of the light-irradiating surface is sent to a first region of the target surface via a first region of the reflecting surface. Light at a peak luminous intensity in a light distribution in a second region of the light-irradiating surface is sent to a second region of the target surface via a second region of the reflecting surface.

In recent years, displays having Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCOS) have been developed. Such displays can be used for head-up displays (HUD), head-mount displays (HMD), electronic view finders (EVF), or projectors.
Patent Document 1 describes one example of a display having LCOS. In this display, light emitted from a light source is reflected toward the LCOS by a polarizing beam splitter (PBS). The PBS reflects S polarization of the light emitted from the light source toward the LCOS. One region of the LCOS returns this S polarization toward the PBS while the polarization direction of the S polarization reflected from the PBS is kept unchanged. Another one region of the LCOS converts the S polarization reflected from the PBS into P polarization and returns the P polarization toward the PBS. The S polarization returned toward the PBS does not pass through the PBS while the polarization returned toward the PBS passes through the PBS. A desired image can be displayed by controlling the above-mentioned one region and the other one region of the LCOS by a circuit inside the LCOS.
Patent Document 2 describes a display device having an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). This display device includes a light guide plate and a reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) element. The light guide plate includes a first surface having irregularities formed thereon and an end face. The light guide plate is overlapped with the reflective LCD element so that the first surface thereof faces the reflective LCD element. Light emitted from the OLED enters the end face of the light guide plate, is emitted from the irregularities of the first surface of the light guide plate, and enters the reflective LCD element.


A vented hatch cover comprising a cover body, an intake filter element, and a discharge filter element includes a plurality of walls defining an air intake passage, and an air discharge passage, an inner rim and an outer rim with a plurality of ribs extending across the air intake passage. The intake filter element includes a plurality of latches engaging the ribs. The discharge filter element includes an outer disc portion with a radially outer edge having a rim with a plurality of latches that releasably secure the discharge filter element to the inner rim of the cover body.

The present invention relates to a vented hatch cover for railroad cars. More specifically, it relates to a vented hatch cover for railroad cars having air filtering mechanisms.
Railroad hopper cars carrying bulk particulate matter, such as grain or plastic pellets, are typically unloaded by applying a vacuum conveying line to an outlet gate positioned at the bottom of each car compartment. The primary air flow for the vacuum conveying line is obtained from the exterior of the car. However, the rate of content removal results in reduction in pressure above the lading. The top of the car compartment must be vented to compensate for material drawn out the bottom of the compartment. Failure to vent the top of the compartment would reduce the efficiency of the vacuum unloading process and even risk damage to the car structure.
Vented hatch covers are known. They represent a successful solution to the prior deficiencies. Such covers are available from Salco Products Inc., Lemont, Ill. The vented hatch covers successfully marketed by Salco Products have downwardly or inwardly directed vent openings which are protected from the elements. These configurations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,830; 5,064,089 and 5,622,177, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention represents a refinement in the vented hatch covers of the type in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,830; 4,964,089 and 5,622,177. The vented hatch cover of the present invention provides the benefits of easy and quick installation and removal of the intake and discharge filter elements. The vented hatch cover of the present invention further provides the benefit of added rigidity to the walls defining the intake passage to prevent the walls from collapsing toward each other or expanding away from each other. This added rigidity to the walls ensures that the air intake passage maintain the full open area.


New photoresists are provided that are suitable for short wavelength imaging, including sub-300 nm and sub-200 nm such as 193 nm and 157 nm. Photoresists of the invention contain a resin with photoacid-labile groups, one or more photoacid generator compounds, and an adhesion-promoting additive compound. Photoresists of the invention can exhibit significant adhesion to SiON and other inorganic surface layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new photoresist compositions that are suitable for short wavelength imaging, including sub-300 nm and sub-200 nm such as 248 nm, 193 nm and 157 nm. Photoresists of the invention can exhibit significant adhesion to SiON and other inorganic surface layers. Preferred photoresists of the invention contain a resin with photoacid-labile groups, one or more photoacid generator compounds, and an adhesion-promoting additive compound.
2. Background
Photoresists are photosensitive films used for transfer of images to a substrate. A coating layer of a photoresist is formed on a substrate and the photoresist layer is then exposed through a photomask to a source of activating radiation. The photomask has areas that are opaque to activating radiation and other areas that are transparent to activating radiation. Exposure to activating radiation provides a photoinduced chemical transformation of the photoresist coating to thereby transfer the pattern of the photomask to the photoresist-coated substrate. Following exposure, the photoresist is developed to provide a relief image that permits selective processing of a substrate.
A photoresist can be either positive-acting or negative-acting. For most negative-acting photoresists, those coating layer portions that are exposed to activating radiation polymerize or crosslink in a reaction between a photoactive compound and polymerizable reagents of the photoresist composition. Consequently, the exposed coating portions are rendered less soluble in a developer solution than unexposed portions. For a positive-acting photoresist, exposed portions are rendered more soluble in a developer solution while areas not exposed remain comparatively less developer soluble.
While currently available photoresists are suitable for many applications, current resists also can exhibit significant shortcomings, particularly in high performance applications such as formation of highly resolved sub-quarter micron and sub-tenth micron features.
Consequently, interest has increased in photoresists that can be photoimaged with short wavelength radiation, including exposure radiation of below 300 nm such as 248 nm, or even 200 nm or less such as 193 nm. Quite recently, F2 excimer laser imaging, i.e. imaging with radiation having a wavelength of about 157 nm, has been considered as a route to manufacture of even smaller features. See, generally, Kunz et al., SPIE Proceedings (Advances in Resist Technology), vol. 3678, pages 13–23 (1999).
Silicon oxynitride (SiON) layers and other inorganics such as Si3N4 coatings have been employed in semiconductor device manufacture, for example as an etch stop layer and an inorganic antireflective layer. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,124,217; 6,153,504; and 6,245,682.
It would be desirable to have new photoresist compositions that could be imaged at short wavelengths such as sub-300 nm and sub-200 nm. It would be particularly desirable to have such photoresists that would provide good resolution on SiON and other inorganic substrate layers.


In one embodiment, the invention includes a medical instrument for insertion into a subject including an elongate body which includes a proximal end and a distal end, a broad face, a narrow face, a lateral side and a counter-lateral side, said faces and sides defining a trapezoid shape along the length of the elongate body. The broad and narrow faces are generally parallel to one another and the lateral and counter-lateral sides each connect between the broad and narrow faces. The distal end of the instrument includes a cutting edge and is provided for insertion into the subject, wherein an incision made in a target area of the subject results in a linear penetration in the target area. An aperture may be disposed at or near the distal end of the medical instrument.

For over 100 years surgeons and medical practitioners have used needles and trocars with circular tubular shafts and various round end configurations. From the advent of modern medical practice to the present, surgeons have relied on devices made from round tubular/circular materials. Round ended or circular medical instruments are typically used in most medical procedures, and are most widely available. Circular or round-ended medical instruments once introduced into and removed from a patient leave behind a puncture-type opening or wound at the access point. It is known that circular openings or wounds in the body typically heal more slowly than linear openings or linear wounds.

Medical instrument for insertion into a body region of a subject


An overcap for a container, which container is of the type having a rim adjacent to an opening in which the rim has an exterior facing top surface, an exterior facing side surface and an exterior facing bottom surface. The overcap includes a center portion having a top surface and a skirt extending downward relative to the top surface. A wall is spaced radially inward from the skirt, defining a channel in one form of the overcap. The wall has an end portion extending downwardly from the center portion. When the overcap is disposed on the container, the end portion engages with the exterior facing top surface of the rim of the container. In one further advantageous form, the overcap skirt has a bead extending radially inward, which engages with the exterior facing side surface of the container when the overcap is disposed on the container.

Packaging for various food products such as coffee, nuts, non-dairy whipped topping, etc. comprises plastic containers, such as a container formed from polyethylene or polypropylene. These containers are initially sealed with a flexible and/or peelable foil membrane which extends over the opening and allows the user to remove it by pulling back on a tab of the flexible or peelable membrane. Typically a separate overcap in the form of a simple annular disk with a vertical skirt extending downward is attached to the container to cover the opening. The overcap has an interior facing surface which engages with an exterior facing surface of the container and, in particular, the interior facing surface of the overcap engages with the chime or rim of the container.
There exists a need in the art for an improved overcap for use with containers of the type described.