The invention relates to a multilayered water-repellent film formed on a glass substrate by the sol-gel process. The film has a first metal oxide layer which is formed on the glass substrate by the sol-gel process and a second water-repellent layer formed on the first layer. As a first method for providing the film with superior durability of water repellency, mechanical strength and chemical resistance, the first layer is prepared by using a mixture of three specific sols which are respectively prepared from metal alkoxides or metal acetylacetonates. As a second method for providing the film with the above advantages, the second layer is prepared by using a coating mixture comprising a fluoroalkylsilane, tin oxide particles doped with antimony oxide, a silicon compound, water and an organic solvent. As a third method for providing the film with the above advantages, the second layer is prepared by using another coating mixture comprising a fluoroalkylsilane, tin oxide particles doped with antimony oxide, a silicon compound, water, an organic solvent and an acid.

The present invention relates to a multilayered water-repellent film, and a method of forming the film on a glass substrate. The film-forming method belongs to the sol-gel process. The water-repellent coating is suitable for application, for example, to vehicular and architectural window glasses which are to be exposed to rain water.
Hitherto, there have been various proposals to provide a glass substrate with water repellency. For example, there have been proposed water-repellent agents to be applied to a glass substrate surface, each of which contains a silane compound having a polyfluoroalkyl group or a condensate of the partially hydrolyzed silane compound (see JP-A-58-122979, JP-A-58-42958, JP-A-58-147483, JP-A-58-172242, JP-A-58-172243, JP-A-58-172245, JP-A-58-172246, JP-A-58-190840 and JP-A-58-223634). JP-A-58-167448 discloses a reflectance reducing agent which contains a silane compound having a polyfluoroalkyl group or a condensate of the partially hydrolyzed silane compound.
JP-A-58-129082 and JP-A-58-172244 disclose, as water-repellent agents, silicone block oligomers each having a polyfluoroalkyl group.
JP-A-5-345641 discloses a method of forming a water-repellent film on a glass substrate. This method comprises the Steps of: (a) applying a mixture to the glass substrate and (b) baking the coated glass substrate in an atmosphere containing fluoroalkylsilane vapor so as to increase the fluoroalkyl content of the water-repellent film. This mixture contains a metal alkoxide, a substituted metal alkoxide in which alkoxyl groups are partially replaced with fluoroalkyl groups, an alcohol, water, and an acid or a base.
JP-3-90345 discloses a high refractive index dielectric layer formed on a transparent substrate and a low refractive index layer formed on the dielectric layer. This dielectric layer contains inorganic fine particles which may be tin oxide doped with antimony. The low refractive index layer is prepared from a mixture containing a fluoroalkyl-containing compound, a silicon compound, an alcohol and an acid.
However, the above publications' proposals do not provide glass substrates with water-repellent and/or reflectance reducing films which are superior in durability and weatherability tests.
There is a glass substrate coated with a film of Teflon (a trade name). However, this film is soft and thus tends to have scratches thereon. With this, the film becomes opaque.
JP-A-5-51238 discloses a water-repellent film formed on a glass substrate. This film (2) has a metal oxide phase (21) and water-repellent fine particles (22) dispersed in the metal oxide phase (21). However, this film has a problem that it tends to have scratches thereon.
JP-63-117933 discloses a method of providing a glass substrate with water repellency. This method comprises irradiating the glass substrate with at least one ion of at least one element selected from the group containing Sn and Sb. JP-A-4-160039 discloses a similar method of providing a glass substrate with water repellency. This method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a metal oxide film on the glass substrate and (b) irradiating the film's surface with at least one ion of at least one element selected from the group containing Sn and Sb for providing the film with water repellency. However, according to these two methods, the initial contact angle of water drop on the film does not become sufficiently large, and the ion will be gradually oxidized and thus water repellency does not last for a long time.
There are provided proposals to form on a glass substrate a multilayered water-repellent film having a first layer adherent to the glass substrate and a water repellent second layer formed on the first layer.
For example, JP-A-60-231442 discloses a water-repellent film having a first layer of a first polymer of a first organic silicon compound having a siloxane bond and a second layer of a second or third polymer. The second polymer is prepared from a second organic silicon compound which contains more carbon or less oxygen than that of the first organic silicon compound. The third polymer is prepared from a fluorine compound. However, this film tends to have scratches thereon.
JP-A-3-153859 discloses a water-repellent film formed on a plastic substrate. This film has a first metal oxide layer formed on the plastic substrate and a second layer of a mixture of a metal oxide and a fluorine-containing resin. However, adhesion of this film to the substrate is inferior because the substrate is plastic.
JP-A-2-311332 discloses a method of a water-repellent film on a glass substrate. This method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a metal oxide layer on the glass substrate; and (b) treating the metal oxide layer with at least one silyl compound which is selected from the group consisting of chlorosilyl compounds, alkoxysilane compounds and fluoroalkylsilane compounds. JP-A-5-238781 discloses another water-repellent film having a first layer of SiO.sub.2 and a second layer of perfluoroalkylalkylsilane. However, these water-repellent films are not sufficient in durability of water repellency in a severe environment.
To increase adhesion between the first and second layers of a water-repellent film, there have been proposed some conventional methods to make the first layer's surface minutely rough. For example, JP-A-4-124047 discloses a method of forming a water-repellent film having first and second layers. This method comprises the steps of: (a) forming the first metal oxide layer on a glass substrate; (b) etching the first layer so as to make the first layer's surface minutely rough; and (c) forming on the first layer the water repellent second layer. JP-A-6-116430 discloses another method of forming a water-repellent film having first and second layers. This method comprises the steps of: (a) forming the first layer such as SiO.sub.2, film on a plastic film; (b) etching the first layer by plasma discharge so as to make the first layer's surface minutely rough; and (c) forming the second layer (a chemical adsorption monomolecular layer containing fluorine) on the first layer through siloxane bonds. However, according to these methods, the processes to make the first layer's surface minutely rough are complicated. Furthermore, according to these methods, the configuration or roughness of the etched surface of the first layer is inferior to sufficiently increase adhesion between the first and second layers. Thus, the water-repellent films according to these methods are not satisfactory in durability of water repellency in a severe environment.
Another example is making the first layer's surface minutely rough by the thermal decomposition of an organic polymer added to a metal alkoxide solution. However, this method has the following drawback. Micro-pits which make the first layer minutely rough tend to disappear by the densification of the first layer after baking at a temperature not lower than 400.degree. C. This tends to make the first layer relatively flat.
JP-A-5-147976 discloses a method of forming on a glass substrate a metal oxide film having a minutely rough surface. This method belongs to the sol-gel process. In this method, a coating solution comprises at least two sols prepared from at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal alkoxides and metal acetylacetonates. The at least two sols, i.e. at least two polymers thereof, have different average molecular weights. This method provides a metal oxide film which has a minutely rough surface having numerous micro-pits thereon.
JP-A-6-16455 discloses a method of forming on a glass substrate a multilayered metal oxide film having first and second metal oxide layers. In this method, a first coating solution which is similar to the coating solution of JP-A-5-147976 is used for providing the first layer with a minutely rough surface having numerous micro-pits thereon. Furthermore, a second coating solution which contains a silane compound having a fluorocarbon group is used in this method for forming on the first layer the second water-repellent layer. This method provides a multilayered metal oxide film which is durable in water repellency.
However, a recent demand has been increasing for a multilayered water-repellent film which is more superior in durability of water repellency, mechanical strength and chemical resistance even in a severe environment.

Multilayered water-repellent film and method of forming same on glass substrate


According to the present invention, two-dimensional pressure distribution associated with walking are collected at a preselected time interval as time series pressure distribution images, superposed images are formed by superposing the time series pressure distribution images in a time direction, a plurality of foot pressure mass regions are extracted from the superposed images, correspondence of each foot pressure mass region to the time series pressure distribution images are detected, feature parameters associated with the walking are detected based on the correspondence, and the feature parameters are displayed or printed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walking pattern processing method and a system for embodying the same and, more particularly, a walking pattern processing method of measuring human walking actions, analyzing the results of measurement, and displaying them as parameters and a system for embodying the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there has been two means as means for analyzing and processing walking patterns, i.e., means using a force plate and means using a pressure distribution sensor in foot size.
According to the means using the force plate, force change in walking can be measured in time series. However, neither pressure distribution in a foot contact region of foot, nor foot contact location in walking can be measured.
Alternatively, according to the means using the pressure distribution sensor in foot size, if the inner bottom of shoes is covered with the pressure distribution sensor in foot size, not only pressure distribution in the footmark can be measured, but also respective instants of foot contact and heel off can be measured. However, location of foot contact in walking cannot be measured.
As a method of measuring location of foot contact, there have been merely troublesome measuring methods such as method of walking with inked feet on the sheet to then measure location of foot contact, method of taking a video of walking together with scale and then measuring location of foot contact while reproducing the video, or the like.
Likewise, as a method of displaying the results of analysis of walking patterns in the prior art, there have been several methods such as direct display of respective parameter values, statistical display thereof, etc. However, it has been difficult to accumulate a great deal of data because of their insufficient measuring methods. Accordingly, no display method by which a large amount of data are able to be easily grasped has not developed yet. Furthermore, as a conventional display method of common walking parameters, there have been display methods, e.g., those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, since both figures are only for use in conceptual explanations, there is given no means for implementing such display methods equivalent to these figures to display the actual measured and analyzed results.
As explained previously, there has been a problem that it is difficult for the conventional analyzing method to display parameters associated with location and time of foot contact simultaneously and simply. Furthermore, as for display of the measured results, there has been another problem that, if the walking action which is taken as a time series phenomenon performed in three-dimensional space is depicted on the two-dimensional paper either by a few parameters or as the schematic view, such walking action would be hard to be understood intuitively and also would require a great amount of skill to be grasped.

Walking pattern processing method and system for embodying the same


An apparatus for automatically evacuating blood aspiration tubes has an arraying table supporting a number of stoppered blood aspiration tubes which are to be evacuated, an air suction needle for evacuating air from inside the stoppered blood aspiration tubes, and an arm supporting the air suction needle on a needle rest and moving it horizontally and vertically over the arraying table. A drive control moves the air suction needle downward into the stopper of each of the blood aspiration tubes in turn, causes the needle to evacuate air from the tube, then withdraws the needle upward from the stopper. A presser is mounted to a lower part of the needle rest and presses the stopper during the upward movement of the needle in order to maintain the air-tight stoppering of the tube.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to production of a blood drawing or aspiration tube which is used in a vacuum state by medical organizations for obtaining a blood sample for blood analyses. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for automatically evacuating a blood aspiration tube, whereby air may be automatically expelled from the interior of the stoppered blood aspiration tubes to produce a blood aspiration tube maintain in vacuum.
2. Description of Relates Art
In medical organizations, blood samples are produced for detection of possible diseases. Conventionally, blood samples were obtained using a syringe. More recently, blood aspiration tubes are used in an increasing number for blood sampling.
The blood aspiration tube is a transparent test tube which is stoppered by a rubber stopper and has a vacuum maintained inside. For blood sampling with the aid of the blood aspiration tube, a syringe having needles at both ends is used. One needle is introduced into the patient's skin and the other needle is inserted in the rubber stopper of the blood aspiration tube. Since the interior of the blood aspiration tube is maintained in vacuum, the blood is automatically sucked into the blood aspiration tube for blood sampling.
Since blood sampling may be achieved easily by using the blood aspiration tube, it is used in an increasing number by, e.g., medical organizations.
For producing the above-mentioned blood aspiration tube, it is necessary to evacuate the inside of the blood aspirator tube before it fitted with the rubber stopper. This is accomplished by inserting the rubber stopper when the blood aspiration tube is within a vacuum chamber. However, the operation in the vacuum chamber necessitate the use of various devices such as a manipulator and equipment including the vacuum chamber itself which raises production costs.

Apparatus and method for evacuating blood aspiration tubes


In one embodiment of the present application, a memory stores a lookup table storing, in accordance with a combination of a value of a video signal of a current frame and a value of a video signal of a previous frame, each of correction values, the correction values in each of which a temporal change of a video signal is enhanced. A correcting circuit carries out, with respect to a correction value selected from the lookup table, a predetermined correcting operation in accordance with a polarity of a voltage to be applied to each of data signal lines S1 through Sm, with the use of a correction coefficient which is set based on properties of liquid crystal. Thus found is a corrected video signal in accordance with a positive or negative polarity. This makes it possible to find, with less memory capacity, an optimum corrected video signal in accordance with a polarity of a voltage to be applied to a data signal line.

In a liquid crystal display apparatus, a driving method is adopted in which a voltage to be applied to a pixel reverses in polarity at regular time intervals. This is because a problem such as screen burn-in can occur, if a voltage having a same polarity is continuously applied to a pixel. Examples of such a driving method encompass frame-reversal driving in which an applied voltage reverses in polarity frame by frame, line-reversal driving in which an applied voltage reverses in polarity line by line or every several lines, and dot-reversal driving in which an applied voltage reverses in polarity pixel by pixel. In some liquid crystal display apparatuses, overshoot driving (also referred to as overdrive or overdrive driving) is adopted so that a response speed is improved. According to the overshoot driving, a voltage, which is higher or lower than a voltage supposed to be applied, is applied to a pixel in accordance with (i) a video signal of a current frame and (ii) a video signal of a previous frame. Overshoot driving is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-265298 (Tokukai 2001-265298, date of publication: Sep. 28, 2001)

Liquid crystal driving circuit and method with correction coefficients based on current and previous frame gradation ranges


A parallel resonant converter circuit with current-equalization function includes a power input terminal, a power output terminal, an output capacitor, first and second resonant converters and a third transformer. The first resonant converter is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the output capacitor/power output terminal. The first resonant converter includes a first transformer. The second resonant converter is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the output capacitor. The first resonant converter and the second resonant converter are coupled in parallel. The second resonant converter includes a second transformer. The third transformer includes a first coil winding set and a second coil winding set. The first coil winding set is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the first transformer in series. The second coil winding set is electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the second transformer in series.

Because of being capable of providing a qualified conversion efficiency and significantly reducing the switching loss of half-bridge MOSFET, resonant converters are commonly used in DC/DC converters with low-to-medium wattage. However, through employing two sets of resonant converters with the same parameters to share the power conversion load, the resonant converter structure also can apply to the applications required a relatively-high power conversion, thereby reaching the objects of low switching loss, high conversion efficiency and high output power. However, the component parameters of the two parallel resonant converters may have tolerance problems, which may lead to an imbalance between the resonant currents outputted from the two resonant converters, such as one resonant converter may have a larger output power, compared with the other resonant converter. Specifically, the unbalanced output currents may cause the resonant converters to generate an output power greater than the designed rated power when the DC/DC converter is having a full load; and consequentially, the converters may be damaged.
Therefore, a resonant converter capable of solving the aforementioned problems is needed to be developed.

Parallel resonant converter circuit with current-equalization function


Methods, apparatuses and devices related to the manufacturing of compensation devices are provided. In some cases, an n/p-codoped layer is deposited for calibration purposes to minimize a net doping concentration. In other cases, alternatingly n- and p-doped layers are then deposited. In other embodiments, an n/p-codoped layer is deposited in a trench where n- and p-dopants have different diffusion behavior. To obtain different doping profiles, a heat treatment may be performed.

Compensation devices, for example, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors using compensation regions, have been increasingly investigated as devices for power applications. In such devices, for example, alternating vertical p- and n-doped semiconductor regions are used which on the one hand should be highly doped to provide a low resistance when the device is conducting and on the other hand should compensate each other as precisely as possible to ensure a good blocking ability, for example, to avoid a breakthrough of the device like an avalanche breakthrough even at higher voltages when the device is non-conducting before a rated blocking voltage is reached. Compensating in this case essentially means that an overall effective n-doping should correspond as precisely as possible to an effective overall p-doping, for example, an effective overall p-doping adjacent to the n-doping.
To this end, conventionally sources for n- and p-doping each have been calibrated separately prior to depositing n- and p-doped layers. However, for some applications the precision of the compensation obtained in this way may not be sufficient to obtain a desired blocking behavior, for example, voltages of up to 600 V or more.
In the following, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. These embodiments serve as examples only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present application. For example, while embodiments may be described having a plurality of features, other embodiments may comprise less features and/or alternative features. Furthermore, features from different embodiments may be combined with each other unless specifically noted otherwise.


A device for use in monitoring operation of a system asset includes an interface for receiving sensor data representative of an operating condition of the system asset, a memory device for storing the sensor data, and a processor coupled to the interface and to the memory device. The processor is configured to create a hierarchy of sensor data within the memory device, wherein the hierarchy comprises a first tier and a second tier, store a first level of the sensor data in the first tier, and store a second level of the sensor data in the second tier.

The present application relates generally to power systems and, more particularly, to methods and devices for use in monitoring operations of a system asset.
At least some known power systems include a plurality of components, such as generators, motors, fans, and/or other components. Such components are often positioned within a building such as a power plant or a factory. A building may include a plurality of system components that may fail and/or that may require maintenance. Such system components are often monitored to ensure that the components operate satisfactorily and/or to determine whether the components require maintenance.
To enable system components to be monitored, at least some known systems include a plurality of sensors coupled to, or positioned proximate to, the components. The sensors measure operating conditions of the components and transmit signals representative of the measured operating conditions to one or more monitoring systems. The monitoring systems may convert the signals to digital sensor data, and/or may store the sensor data in memory. However, storing such sensor data may require large amounts of memory over time, especially in systems that include a large number of sensors and/or in systems in which the sensors monitor and transmit data at frequent intervals.
To reduce an amount of memory consumed by sensor data, some known monitoring systems only store sensor data at predetermined or periodic intervals. However, the periodic storage of such monitoring systems may cause the monitoring systems to miss or to lose important sensor data. Accordingly, an ability to monitor the system components may be impaired or at least limited.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, system, and device for monitoring operations of a system asset


To provide a transmission apparatus capable of setting the same control data to the entire child transmission apparatuses instantaneously at a time, thereby leading to improved maintenance operation and bringing about efficient maintenance and system stability. The transmission apparatus receives from a maintenance operator a designation of a parent apparatus having the control data set in advance. That control data is to be inherited to a child apparatus. The transmission apparatus determines whether any transmission apparatus has already been registered as parent apparatus in the child apparatus, and also determines whether the designated parent apparatus has already been registered as a child apparatus in the child apparatus. The transmission apparatus then requests the designated parent apparatus to transfer the control data in the designated parent apparatus to the child apparatus, when the designated parent apparatus is not registered in the child apparatus.

In recent years, WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) technique for transmitting by multiplexing a plurality of optical signals of different wavelengths has been put into practical use in the optical transmission technology, and the technique is increasingly advancing.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary transmission network configuration including a plurality of WDM transmission apparatuses A-D. Each plurality of transmission apparatuses A-D is connected by a WDM ring 1 which multiplexes a plurality of optical signal shaving different wavelengths and transmits multiplexed signals.
As the technique advances, processing capacity for controlling and monitoring a multiplicity of optical signals is required in the WDM transmission apparatus (hereafter simply referred to as transmission apparatus) A-D. Also, there has been an increased amount of setup data per transmission apparatus caused by an increased number of optical signals (wavelengths). Also, the number of transmission apparatuses installed in a transmission network is increasing, because the length of WDM ring 1 is increased. With this, there is a tendency of increasing workload for setting control data necessary when initiating the transmission network or adding a new station.
Namely, as setup items of control data, there are a variety of items for network control data, such as low-speed facility types (SONET OC192, OC48, . . . Ethernet 10 Gps, 1 Gps, etc.) before multiplexing, parameters for high-speed facility (WDM) after multiplexing, cross connect, alarm (level, threshold, etc.), login user registration, network, environment monitoring (house keeping) of the station.
These setup items can be classified into (1) an item to which the same data is set throughout the entire transmission apparatuses in many cases; (2) an item to which mostly the same data is set among each transmission apparatus type, such as add/drop multiplexer and repeater; and (3) an item to which data proper to each transmission apparatus, such as the number of wavelengths, is set.
In the conventional network systems, as shown in FIG. 1, it has been necessary to set the entire network control data described in the above (1) to (3) individually to a setup data storage 122 in each transmission apparatus, from a maintenance apparatus 100, etc. under the control of a processor 121. As an amount of the setting work increases, a necessary time to start up the transmission system becomes longer, and a larger workload by a maintenance operator becomes required.
As a prior art for setting a transmission apparatus in a network system, a method for setting proper data in a distributed network has been known (The official gazette of the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S63-7051) The technique described in this patent document aims at easy setting and modification from a parent station in regard to fixed line connection, etc. A non-volatile memory is provided in a subordinate station, in which proper network data is set and retained under the instruction of a parent station.
Further, as another prior art, there is a known technique for remotely setting and modifying data relay conditions in a CATV router, thereby making it unnecessary to go to each home of individual users for setting and modification of the data (The official gazette of the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-247109).

Inheritance control method of network control data between transmission apparatuses and transmission apparatus using the same


A system of interaction between an electronic theme park experience and live theme park interaction and activity earns rewards. The interaction permits for rewards earned in the electronic theme park experience to be redeemed in the live theme park experience and vice versa. The electronic theme park and live activity are interactive in real or delayed time through an Internet connection. Activities on one or both of the live and electronic formats are designed to drive increased player visiting of the live and/or electronic versions. The Virtual Magic Kingdom is a virtual version of Disney's theme parks, specifically the “Magic Kingdom” portion of the theme parks.

This disclosure relates to real world and virtual world interaction particularly in the field of entertainment. The present disclosure relates generally to awarding, accumulating and redeeming rewards using an electronic system.
One exemplification of the disclosure is in relation to theme parks, and in particular in relation to a theme park with multiple different forms of entertainment centers.
A number of systems exist for awarding promotional incentives to encourage purchases of goods or services. These incentives have included specific award items or discount offers from catalogs, based on the volume of activity in an account. Other promotional systems have involved discounts on goods or services offered by third parties. For example, discount coupons have been offered for airline tickets based on a minimum level of investment at a bank or savings and loan. Holders of bank cards have been offered discounted or free air travel based on a certain level of activity using a general purpose charge card or have been credited with frequent flier miles based on activity in a charge card account. Stores or businesses also issue their own charge cards and awarded store credit based upon amounts charged to the card.

Participant interaction with entertainment in real and virtual environments


A method for and apparatus for inspecting a location on a test object with a number of obstructions to reaching the location. An elongate optical fiber carrier holding a number of optical fibers is moved to the location on the test object with the number of obstructions to reaching the location. A pattern of light is transmitted from the number of optical fibers onto a surface of the test object at the location. The pattern of the light is configured to cause sound waves in the test object when the pattern of the light encounters the surface of the test object. A response is detected to the sound waves using the number of optical fibers.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to inspecting objects and, in particular, to performing nondestructive inspection of objects using ultrasound inspection. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for inspecting composite objects with limited access using ultrasound inspection.
2. Background
In manufacturing aircraft, vehicles, and other structures, inspection of parts used to form these structures is often performed to determine whether the parts will have desired parameters for a desired performance of the part. Additionally, the structures and parts are inspected as part of normal maintenance when the aircraft, vehicles, and other structures are in use.
Nondestructive testing is commonly performed on these parts. Nondestructive testing is used to evaluate the properties of a part without altering the ability to use the part in service.
Ultrasound testing is a type of nondestructive testing. Ultrasound testing is often used to perform inspections on aircraft parts that include or are comprised of composite materials. Ultrasound testing involves transmitting sound waves through a test object, such as an aircraft part or structure.
Ultrasound testing is commonly performed using a transducer. The transducer is configured to send sound waves into a test object and detect a response to the sound waves. The response to these sound waves is analyzed to determine whether inconsistencies are present in the test object.
The transducer is typically coupled to a surface of the test object. This coupling involves physical contact between the transducer and the test object. In most cases, a coupling medium is also employed. For example, water, oil, a water-based gel, or some other liquid may be used. A semi-solid material like rubber can also be used as a coupling medium. This coupling medium is often used to reduce the acoustic impedance between the transducer and the test object.
In some cases, coupling the transducer to the surface of the test object may be more difficult to perform than desired. These test objects may have various shapes and configurations. These shapes and configurations may make inspection more difficult. For example, curved shapes, corners, fittings, or other non-planar structures may be more difficult to inspect than desired.
Further, some locations within an aircraft may be more difficult to inspect than desired. For example, enclosed spaces within the aircraft are particularly difficult to inspect because other structures may obscure the path of the ultrasound inspection system. These obscured locations may have mechanical and/or electrical structures obscuring the path of the inspection system to the surface of the object under test.
Additionally, some enclosed spaces within an aircraft may limit the type of inspection that may be used to inspect the structures within the enclosed spaces. For example, an enclosed space may be smaller than the transducer array for the ultrasound inspection system.
One example of an enclosed space may be a cavity in a structure such as a fuel tank. Access to the cavity may be through an opening that may not allow access by currently used ultrasound inspection systems.
Moreover, some currently used inspection systems for small spaces are not as accurate as desired. For example, the design of currently used ultrasound inspection systems may not be able to inspect as much of the structure within the space as desired by the operator. For example, when inspecting fuel tanks, wing boxes, electrical boxes, ventilation systems, or other structures, some currently used inspection systems may not be capable of inspecting as much of these structures as desired.
Further, when a selected structure to be inspected in an aircraft is obstructed by other structures, disassembly of one or more of the structures blocking the selected structure may be needed to perform inspection of the selected structure. During routine maintenance, disassembly of a structure may take more time or manpower than desired. As a result, disassembly of the structure to inspect all surfaces of the structure may be more expensive than desired.
For example, when ultrasound testing is used to inspect the internal surfaces of a wing of an aircraft, the wing may need to be disassembled. This disassembly of the wing may put the aircraft out of service for longer than desired.
As a result, these surfaces may not be inspected as often as desired. In some cases, disassembly of some or all of the wing may be infeasible. Thus, inspections require using other techniques other than ultrasound inspection systems. These systems may be more expensive or may not provide a desired level of inspection.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

Ultrasound inspection system of limited access composite structures


An antenna comprises: a main reflector being a body of revolution of parabolic shape; a sub-reflector being a body of the revolution of elliptic shape having a circle and a vertex oriented to the main reflector and being placed between the circle and the main reflector, one focal point of the sub-reflector being placed on the axis of revolution and the other focal point of the sub-reflector being placed out of the axis, the sub-reflector circle being placed in the plane of the main reflector edge circle; a radiator being placed along the axis of revolution of the main reflector and being placed between the main reflector and the sub-reflector; and wherein the sub-reflector has eccentricity ranging from 0.55 to 0.75.

Parabolic reflector antennas are widely used as satellite television antenna due to a number of factors like the following:                low cost;        wide frequency range;        simplicity of work with waves of different polarizations;        reasonable high aperture efficiency (AE)—usually 60-65%.
There is a known device such as axially symmetric dual reflector antenna with offset from symmetry axis main reflector focus (Patent Great Britain No. 973583, HO1D, published 1962). In this design, a parabolic shape of main reflector and a arbitrary shape of sub-reflector are used. As a particular case, an elliptically shaped sub-reflector is offered. The arrangement of the sub reflector focus, the main reflector focus and feed phase center is common, i.e. first focus of the ellipse coincides with phase center and second focus of the ellipse coincides with focus of the parabola.
There is a known device as an antenna where focuses of a parabolic main reflector and a sub-reflector are displaced so that the sub reflector vertex and above mentioned focuses are disposed on one straight line and the ratio of focal diameters of the sub reflector and the main reflector is chosen in range of 1.03-1.07 (Patent USSR No. 588863, H01Q15/00, published in 1972).
In this design, a problem for antenna gain increasing is solved and antenna itself has big lateral size and especially big longitudinal size.
In another known patent (Patent USSR No. 1804673, H01Q19/18, published 1993), it is mentioned that radiating horn radiates not perfectly spherical wave but a wave with diffused center. Owing to this fact included in the above patent, phase error is corrected by the shape of a sub-reflector further comprising one focus coinciding with a parabolic main reflector focus.
The limitation of known parabolic antennas is a big volume occupied by antenna. All advantages of parabolic antennas appear when the ratio of antenna focus length F and antenna diameter D is big enough. As antenna feed must be certainly placed in reflector focus, it necessarily leads to the increase of the antenna system size.
Big system size leads to the following disadvantages:                A great number of such antennas disfigures architectural image of buildings. In particular, the prohibition of parabolic antenna installation is widely done on the walls and roofs of buildings in many countries.        Parabolic antennas are impossible or very difficult to use in mobile devices, especially when it is required to provide signal receiving during the movement of a car, train, ship, etc.
Due to the above mentioned circumstances, an actual problem arises—to develop for satellite TV or any other flat antennas which occupy sufficiently thinner volume.
The feature of dual reflector antennas with minimal thickness is that their radiator horns and sub-reflectors form a electromagnetic field which differs from geometrical optics field. Therefore, the choice of antenna parameters claimed in known patents mentioned above is not optimal neither applicable. The verification of this statement is technical decision for U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,437 which claims an algorithm for shape choice of a main reflector and a sub-reflector which gives an optimal solution only for the sub reflectors of diameter not less than five free-space wavelengths.
In case of antennas with minimal thickness and maximal aperture efficiency, the above mentioned condition is not correct at least to the antennas of the main reflector diameter less than 36 wavelengths. It is obvious that usage of big electrical size sub-reflectors will lead to aperture efficiency decrease due to the shadowing of main reflector by sub reflector. As an example, therefore, maximal values of aperture efficiency a re achieved when sub-reflector diameter is about 2-3 wavelengths. Note that antenna thickness is from 1 to 3.5 wavelength when its main reflector diameter is from 5 to 18 wavelength. At such sizes of radiator horns and sub-reflectors, their focuses are diffused and incident to the main reflector wave beam forming can not be described correctly in terms of geometrical optics.
There is a known technical solution in which it is suggested to connect dual polarized antennas by means of dual mode waveguides. For instance, circular or square (U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,357). Dual mode waveguide has big thickness which can not be less than 0.5 wavelength. Single mode waveguide may have thickness much smaller than 0.5 wavelength. Real lateral dimension size of a dual mode waveguide is about 0.7 wavelengths. Therefore, incorporation of some units of antennas into antenna array based on dual mode waveguides can not be thinner than above mentioned 0.7 wavelengths. Waveguide turns which necessarily appear in such connections, should be added to this value. Thus, the real thickness of such connection will not be less than 1.5 wavelength. Besides, dual mode waveguide components produce hard requirements to waveguide elements manufacturing accuracy because technological errors may lead to differently polarized waves interconnection which will downgrade the device parameters.
The closest antenna-feeder device is the device comprising four dual reflector antennas positioned in one plane, a main reflector of each antenna is formed by parabolic generatrix rotation around axis, where focus of parabolic generatrix is situated outward from rotation axis, and a sub-reflector is formed by elliptic generatrix rotation around the same axis with forming of circle and vertex faced to the main reflector and situated between the circle and the main reflector, where one of elliptic generated focuses is situated on the rotation axis, and radiators for each antenna are situated on the rotation axis in the main reflector base between the parabolic surface main reflector and the sub reflector, feeding device is made on the base of dividers, where each of dividers is made as a junction of single mode transmission lines and each of dividers is made with equi-phase power division on two equal halves, input of feeding device can be connected with receiving and/or transmitting device, and four outputs of feeding devices are correspondingly connected with antenna radiators (Japanese Patent JP61245605, H 01 Q 21/06, published 31 Oct. 1986).
This device can not provide antenna operation on two orthogonal polarizations, and only single polarization work is provided. The limitations of this technical solution are also big lateral and transversal dimensions.
The problem solved by this invention is to create antenna-feeder device and antenna with minimal size.
Technical result that may be achieved after manufacturing antenna-feeder device and antenna is reduction of it's size and thickness, providing possibility of transmitting/receiving signals of both orthogonal polarizations with high isolation—not less than 20 dB with complete frequency range for satellite TV 10,7-12,75 Ghz or any other frequency range of antenna.
Technical result that may be achieved after manufacturing antenna-feeder device and antenna is reducing of longitudinal size with retention of high aperture efficiency and wide frequency range.


The object of the present invention is to provide a thickness control method for a double side polisher, accuracy of which is not affected by wearing of polishing pad and applicable to polishing of nonconductive work pieces. An eddy current sensor in a cavity of an upper polishing plate measures distance from the senor to the upper surface of carrier with holes for the work pieces being inserted respectively. The measured distance is successively monitored and polishing is stopped when the distance has become a predetermined value corresponding to target amount of material removal from the work piece.

A double side polisher is a machine that polishes surfaces of both sides of a work piece at the same time. The work pieces are inserted in holes of a carrier respectively and the carrier with the work pieces is placed between upper and lower polishing plates on which polishing pads are plastered. Then, a planetary motion is provided to the carrier and a rotary motion is provided to the upper and lower polishing plates, while supplying slurry in the gap of the polishing plates and applying a predetermined polishing pressure to the work pieces by the polishing plates.
Although the amount of polishing of the work piece is usually monitored by means of polishing duration time, there is a case where it is necessary to detect the amount of polishing or material removal. Therefore, there are made some attempts to provide a thickness control device in a polishing apparatus.
Conventionally, there is known a thickness control device using a probe as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. S64-4126. The thickness control device disclosed in the document has a construction wherein a stylus of the probe is directed upward and the upper end of the stylus is in contact with the measurement chip fixed to the upper polishing plate. As the upper polishing plate goes down, with the advance of polishing, the chip of the upper polishing plate pushes down the stylus of the probe and the displacement, namely the amount of polishing, is measured by the probe.
Also there is known another thickness control device using an eddy current distance sensor as disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. S63-9943. This device mounted on the upper polishing plate measures the change of distance from itself to the lower polishing plate by detecting the change of impedance of the sensor.
Furthermore, in the thickness control device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-202514, a reference aluminum plate is provided on the carrier, and distance L1 to the upper surface of the reference plate and distance L2 to the upper surface of an aluminum disk, or a work piece, are measured by the eddy current sensor and a difference between distances L1 and L2 is calculated to determine the thickness of the aluminum disk (work piece).

Thickness control method and double side polisher


Data compression is performed on an original image frame of a display buffer area of the mobile terminal by using a wavelet transform compression algorithm, and after the compressed data is transmitted to the smart television and an inverse wavelet transform decompression processing is performed thereon, the original image frame is restored for display, so as to achieve the content display between the screens of the mobile terminal and the smart television. Existing hardware is used to compress and decompress data, which does not occupy operation resources of the mobile terminal and the smart television, and improves the system performance and accelerates the data compression speed. Also, the adopted wavelet transform compression algorithm can effectively improve the data compression ratio, reduce the data transmission amount in the transmission process, and reduce the hardware overhead.

Nowadays, mobile terminals and smart televisions have become products commonly used by people. However, the display screen of the mobile terminal is small and the display scope thereof is relatively limited. Also, the user's experience is not very good when certain application programs are being used. Therefore, people gradually need communication and interconnection between smart mobile terminals and smart televisions, or even data and screen sharing therebetween.
Such a multi-screen interaction technology with regard to communication and interconnection between the smart mobile terminal and the smart television is to proceed transmitting, analyzing, presenting, and controlling multimedia content between different communication devices via a wireless network, so as to achieve transmitting the display data on the mobile terminal to the smart television and displaying the same thereon, and satisfy the user's needs.
In conventional skills, various smart mobile terminals (e.g., smart phones and tablets) mainly adopt operating systems such as Google Android, Microsoft WP8 (Windows Phone 8), Apple iOS (iPhone OS), and Nokia Symbian operating systems. When content is displayed by using the operating system, the content required by the device for display is stored into a display buffer area of the operating system. Then, a display driver of the mobile terminal is responsible for transmitting the content stored in the display buffer area to a display screen to be displayed thereon. Due to the performance limitations of a processor of the mobile terminal, the content display between multiple screens dramatically increases the amount of calculations of the processor, and the amount of data transmitted from the mobile terminal to the smart television is quite large as well, thereby affecting the display effect.

Image frame transmission method, mobile terminal, and smart television

HUIZHOU TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.


The invention is directed to a group-III nitride vertical-rods substrate. The group-III vertical-rods substrate comprises a substrate, a buffer layer and a vertical rod layer. The buffer layer is located over the substrate. The vertical rod layer is located on the buffer layer and the vertical rod layer is comprised of a plurality of vertical rods standing on the buffer layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a group III-V semiconductor substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a group III nitride vertical-rods substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, light emitted diodes and laser diodes are widely applied. For example, the combination of the blue emitting device made of gallium nitride and the yellow fluorescent powder can produce white light. The light emitted diodes and laser diodes not only can provide lights with higher brightness than those provided by the traditional light bulbs but also consume less power than that consumed by the traditional light bulbs. Moreover, the life time of the light emitted diode is about ten-thousand hours which is longer than that of the traditional light bulb.
The light emitted diodes producing colorful light including red, green, blue and ultraviolet, in the market, are mainly made of gallium nitride compound series. Since the lattice constant, the thermal expansion coefficient and the chemical properties of the sapphire are different from those of the gallium nitride, the gallium nitride growing on the heterogeneous substrate, such as silicon substrate, silicon carbide substrate and sapphire, possesses many defects and dislocations. Those dislocations will cause the increasing of the loss of emitted light by gallium nitride based light emitting devices. This kind of dislocation affects the performances and the life times of the light emitted diode and the gallium-nitride-series laser diode.
In order to decrease the numbers of the threading dislocations, several substrate structures are developed in conventional technology. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional group-III nitride substrate. As shown in FIG. 1, a substrate 100 has a gallium nitride buffer layer formed thereon and there are several barrier patterns 104 disposed on the gallium nitride buffer layer 102. A semiconductor layer 106, which is the gallium nitride epitaxial layer, grows from the exposed gallium nitride buffer layer 102 between the barrier patterns 104 and covers the barrier patterns 104. This kind of substrate structure utilizes barrier patterns to block partial of the dislocations so that the portion of the gallium nitride epitaxial layer grown over the barrier patterns 104 does not possess threading dislocations. However, the gallium nitride still has serious local dislocation phenomenon. On the other words, the portion of the gallium nitride not over the barrier patterns has relatively higher distribution of the dislocations.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional group-III nitride substrate. As shown in FIG. 2, a substrate 200 has a buffer layer 202 and a crystal seed layer 204 formed thereon. Then, several trenches 206 are formed to penetrate the buffer layer 202 and the crystal seed layer 204. That is, the buffer layer 202 and the crystal seed layer 204 are patterned to be the strip-like structures. By using the selectively lateral growth of the heterogeneous substrate, which is so-called pendeo-epitaxy (PE), the gallium nitride only suspensorily-and-laterally grows at the sidewall of the strip-like crystal seed layer 204 and then covers the strip-like crystal seed layer 204 for keeping the gallium nitride epitaxial layer from growing vertical penetrating dislocations. Similar to the gallium nitride epitaxial layer growing on the substrate structure shown in FIG. 1, the aforementioned suspensory growth of the gallium nitride epitaxial layer possesses local threading dislocation problem. On the other words, the possibility for forming the threading dislocation phenomenon highly is concentrated at some local area. Therefore, the gallium nitride epitaxial layer growing on this kind of substrate structure is not the total dislocation free.
Because both of the group-III nitride epitaxial layers growing on the aforementioned substrate substrates have threading dislocation problems, the thickness of the group-III nitride epitaxial layer is limited to the dislocation phenomenon and is less than 20 micron meters.

Group-III nitride vertical-rods substrate

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Systems and methods for voice interaction with non-voice enabled web pages and browsers are provided. A communication unit that does not provide for voice enabled web browsing can be provided with a hardware and/or software plug-in. The plug-in can receive non-voice enabled web pages, receive voice from a user of the communication unit and provide the voice to a speech recognition server. The plug-in receives corresponding text from the speech recognition server and provides the text to a non-voice enabled web browser to fill-in form fields with the corresponding text.

The Internet has made it possible to access web sites to obtain information and conduct transactions using a browser. Browsers interpret and display web pages typically written in HyperText Markup Language (HTML). Recently web pages and browsers have been designed to provide a multimodal capability that includes a voice functionality for accessing and interacting with web pages. This is achieved by combining eXtensible HyperText markup Language (XHTML) with voice enablement markup language (Voice XML). Web pages and browsers that are compatible with this combination are typically referred to a X+V enabled.
While X+V enabled web pages and browsers make it easier to browse web pages on communication units with limited input mechanisms, such as the common twelve button keypad of voice communication units, there has been only limited adoption of X+V technology. Specifically, X+V technology typically requires web pages to be written in the X+V language and browsers must be capable of interpreting this language. Yet many, if not most, web pages today are written in basic HTML. Likewise, many communication units do not have the capability of interpreting web pages written in the X+V language. Therefore the ability to use voice and related multimodal technology still remains unavailable for many users.

System and method for voice interaction with non-voice enabled web pages


Disclosed are systems, devices, and methodologies that facilitate increasing the effective fill-factor of digital sensors. In general, fill-factor relates to the active area or photosensor region of the sensor with respect to the inactive area/deadzone or space between pixels. By increasing the effective fill-factor, transmission of optical information is increased to the sensor while mitigating information loss between pixels. A digital camera may contain a sensor that is responsive to electromagnetic radiation and a coherent scattering medium between the sensor and a lens that diffuses the electromagnetic radiation with respect to the sensor in order to increase the effective fill-factor.

One area of concern to sensor array manufacturers is that of ensuring that the active area of their respective products (the pixel) covers the maximum amount of area such that there are substantially no gaps or minimal gaps between pixels. This amount of coverage is usually described as a percentage "fill-factor" and is computed as follows: fill-factor %=(pixel-pixel area)/(pixel active area)*100. In general, it is very difficult to achieve 100% fill-factor, and in some cases, the array process generally does not allow a large fill-factor such as is the case with CMOS sensor technology, for example. There are two primary reasons for achieving the goal of a high fill-factor which include:
1) To facilitate that a majority photons incident on the array are captured by the active parts of the array (i.e., increase sensitivity), and,
2) To facilitate that small structures in an image as presented to the array are not "lost in the spaces between pixels" whereby photons correlated with small structures are thus not captured by the active part of the pixel.
Some manufacturers attempt to achieve a large effective fill-factor by the application of arrays of lenslets to the surface of the sensor array. This approach has the advantage of increasing the effective fill-factor and the sensitivity of the array, but suffers from undesirable chromatic effects. Moreover, lenslet processes by nature pose numerous difficulties in precise manufacture of micron-sized lenslets, and the associated problems in precise positioning. Therefore, lenslet style solutions add significant cost to the overall production of sensor arrays and devices that contain sensor arrays.

Increasing fill-factor on pixelated sensors


An RF ablation apparatus has a delivery catheter with distal and proximal ends. A handle is attached to the proximal end of the delivery catheter. The delivery catheter has an electrode deployment means where said electrode deployment means includes a retractable tip section comprising a deployable electrode with portion of one side having a sharp edge. The tip section has a non-deployed state when it is positioned in the delivery catheter. On the other hand, the tip section has a distended deployed state when it is advanced out of the distal end of said delivery catheter. The deployed tip section has a preformed shape while the farther distal deployed electrode defines an ablation target along with portion of the forward side having a sharp edge on said electrode. The forward edge of the deployed electrode has a slightly curvature or an essentially straight shape. Said deployable electrode has ultrasonic imaging capabilities.

Majority of current tumor management approaches are related to surgical means. Surgical treatment of cellular tissues usually exposes both the target and surrounding tissues to substantial trauma and the procedure is costly and time consuming. During a surgical procedure, precise placement of a treatment apparatus is difficult because of the specific location of a target tissue in the body or the proximity of the target tissue to obstructions or easily damaged critical body organs, such as nerves and blood vessels. In the past few years, new products with an emphasis on minimally invasive approaches are being progressively developed to replace the traumatic nature of traditional surgical procedures.
There has been a relatively significant amount of development activity in the field of high energy as a tool for treating tumors. It is known that elevating the temperature of tumors is helpful in the treatment and management of cancerous tissues. The mechanisms of selective cancer cell eradication by high energy doses are not completely understood. However, Edwards et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,267 hypothesized certain cellular effects of high energy on cancerous tissues. Nevertheless, treatment methods for applying heat to tumors include the use of direct contact radio-frequency (RF) applicators, microwave radiation, inductively coupled RF fields, ultrasound, laser, and a variety of simple thermal conduction techniques.
In the last few years, high frequency currents were used in electrocautery procedures for cutting human tissues, especially when a bloodless incision is desired or when the operating site is not accessible with a normal scalpel but presents an access for a thin instrument through natural body openings such as the esophagus, intestines, uterus, or urethra. Examples include the removal of prostatic adenomas, bladder tumors or intestinal polyps. In such cases, the high frequency current is fed by a surgical probe into the tissue to be cut. The resulting dissipated heat is controlled so that no boiling and vaporization of the cell fluid occurs at this point. The frequency of the current for this use must be above ca. 300 kHz in order to avoid any adverse effect such as nerve and/or muscle responses.
Destruction of cellular tissues in situ has been used in the treatment of many diseases and medical conditions alone or as an adjunct to surgical removal procedures. It is often less traumatic than surgical procedures and may be the only alternative where other procedures are unsafe or unavailable. Ablative treatment apparatus has the advantage of using a destructive energy which is rapidly dissipated and reduced to a non-destructive level by conduction and convection forces of natural body process. Ablative energy may also be controlled by a close-loop temperature sensing and control mechanism.
The same is true for ablation of the tumor itself through the use of RF energy. Different methods have been utilized for the RF ablation of masses such as tumors. Instead of heating the tumors it is ablated through the application of RF energy. This process has been difficult to achieve due to a variety of factors, such as access site, probe location, electrode positioning and energy level. Among them, the most critical factor is the positioning of the RF ablation electrode to effectively ablate all of the mass by controlled delivery and monitoring of RF energy to achieve successful ablation without damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. An ablation apparatus with ultrasonic imaging capabilities meets the positioning requirements.
There have been a number of different treatment methods and apparatus for minimally invasively treating tumors. One such example is an endoscope that produces RF hyperthermia in tumors, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,978. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,978, an endoscope for RF hyperthermia is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,200, an electrode system is described in which a single entrance tract cannula is used to introduce an electrode into a selected body site. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,597, an RF probe with fluid infusion capability is described. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,267, a multiple electrode ablation apparatus with fluid infusion means is disclosed. For the system with a close-loop temperature control mechanism, the fluid infusion means for the sole purpose of cooling-off the tissues may not be required. Recent clinical studies have indicated that RF energy is rapidly dissipated and reduced to a non-destructive level by conduction and convection forces of natural body process. In all examples, the tissue destruction energy and/or substances have been used to destroy malignant, benign and other types of cells and tissues from a variety of anatomic sites and organs. Tissues treated include isolated carcinoma masses and target tissues in organs such as prostate, glandular and stromal nodules characteristic of benign prostate hyperplasia.
After the exact location of a target tissue is identified, the ablation apparatus may still not easily approach the target site even with assistance of an internal viewing means, such as an endoscope. This viewing situation may turn into a nightmare when an endoscope approach becomes prohibitive or unavailable during procedures. An external ultrasonic imaging capability therefore becomes in need so that ablation is not taking place in an inappropriate location.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,931, there has been disclosed a catheter apparatus and system which can be utilized for ultrasonic imaging. However, there is no disclosure to how such an apparatus and system can be utilized in conjunction with a tissue ablation apparatus to achieve the desired ultrasonic imaging. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,000, an endocardial mapping and ablation system with ultrasonic imaging capabilities is disclosed. However, there is no disclosure to how such a system can be utilized in tissue ablation which is anatomically different from an endocardial ablation.
There is therefore a need for an RF ablation apparatus with ultrasonic imaging capabilities that is useful for treatment and reduction of undesired body tissues by minimally invasive procedures. It would be desirable for such an apparatus to surround the circumferential base of a tumor via ultrasonic imaging and comprising treatment electrodes to define a controlled ablation amount of RF energy by monitoring the temperature and controlling the energy delivered. Additionally, there is a need for an ablation apparatus with a sharp edge electrode to loosen the target tissue for improved ablation treatment. This would provide for the most effective method for reducing the mass of any type of tissue containing tumor cells and the like.

Ablation apparatus with ultrasonic imaging capabilities


The striking compartmentalization of p21.sup.WAF1 expression found in normal tissues is completely abrogated in neoplastic tissues. Methods are provided for using p21.sup.WAF1 expression as a tool to assess neoplasia and to discover new drugs. A truncated p21.sup.WAF1 protein is more active than full-length p21.sup.WAF1 protein in inhibiting tumor cell growth.

The cell cycle and the genetic alterations that drive tumorigenesis are inextricably linked. Examples include the amplification of cyclin and cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) genes, the phosphorylation of Rb by CDK'S, the control of the CDK inhibitor p21.sup.WAF1 by p53, and the tumor suppressor activity of the CDK inhibitor p16 (reviewed by Sherr, 1994, Hunter and Pines, 1994).
A turning point in cell cycle research was realized with the discovery that cyclin complexes had different constitutions in transformed and nontransformed cells (Xiong et al., 16992, Xiong et al., 1993). In particular, the complexes in the non-transformed cells were associated with small proteins different from those found in transformed derivatives. A variety of approaches subsequently determined that these small proteins not only bound to the cyclin complexes, but were potent inhibitors of the associated CDK's (p21: Harper et al., 1993, Xiong et al., 1993b, Gu et al., 1993, p16: Serrano et al., 1993, p15: Hannon and Beach, 31994, p18: Guan et al., 1994, p27: Polyak et al, 1994, Toyoshima and Hunter, 1994).
Five CDK inhibitors have thus far been identified. The first to be cloned, p21.sup.WAF1 (also known as CIP1, SDI1, MDA6, CAP20), is encoded by a gene on chromosome 6p and can be directly regulated by p53 (El-Deiry et al., 1993). It inhibits a broad range of cyclin-CDK complexes, and may be involved in cellular senescence as well as in neoplasia (Noda et al., 1994). In vitro, p21.sup.WAF1 also complexes with the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), resulting in an inhibition of DNA replication (Li et al., 1994, Flores-Rozas et al., 1994). A related gene, p27.sup.KIP1, is located on chromosome 12p and may play a role in a subset of leukemias (Bullrich et al., 1995, Pietenpol et al., 1995, Ponce-Castaneda et al., 1995). The p16, p15 and p18 genes are unrelated to the p21/p27 family, and have a more selective inhibitory activity, affecting only CDK4 and 6. The p16 and p15 genes are homozygously deleted in many human cancers, and p16 mutations result in familial melanoma (Kamb et al., 1994 a,b, Nobori et al., 1994, Hussussian et al., 1994, Jen et al., 1994).
Although cell culture studies have been used to initially study these CDK inhibitors, such studies fail to provide insight into their regulation in intact animals. There is a continuing need in the art for methods and reagents for diagnosing and treating cancer patients. An understanding of in vivo regulation can lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

P21.sup.WAF1 derivatives and diagnostic methods


In radio communication with non-modulated signal at head of receive signal, the non-modulated signal or the head of the receive signal is detected in spite of rather large frequency error of receive signal, and frequency acquisition for coherent detection in a receiver is established during detection operation of the non-modulated signal Discrete Fourier Transform (1) is carried out for an input signal in digital form in every receive sample to provide frequency spectrum of an input signal. Then, the maximum component is selected (2) in the frequency spectrum. Next, a peak detector (3) detects peak value of the selected maximum components on time axis, and recognizes the detection of the non-modulated signal. The frequency (f.sub.e) of the non-modulated signal is estimated through interpolation of the selected component having the peak value and the adjacent component. The receive frequency is adjusted by using said estimated frequency (f.sub.e), and the adjusted frequency is subject to coherent detection.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for detection of non-modulated signal and frequency acquisition, used in a radio communication system. That apparatus is used in an input stage of a radio receiver so that non-modulated signal at head of receive signal is detected for recognizing the presence of a receive signal and frequency acquisition for coherent detection in a receiver.
The present invention is used in a burst mode radio communication including a random access communication like ALOHA system, and/or a voice activation system.
FIG. 1 shows a signal format in those communication systems. In FIG. 1(a), the receive signal has a non-modulated signal (CW) at the head of the receive signal, and the modulated signal (MOD) follows that non-modulated signal. The modulated signal (MOD) is subject to coherent detection. The non-modulated signal (CW) is used for recognizing the presence of the receive signal, and the frequency acquisition in a receiver for coherent detection of the modulated signal (MOD). FIG. 1(b) is an example that the receive signal has two non-modulated signals (CW.sub.1, CW.sub.2) with a predetermined time interval. In case of FIG. 1(b), the detection of a receive signal is reliable since even when the first non-modulated signal (CW.sub.1) is missed because of noise, the receive signal is recognized by using the second non-modulated signal (CW.sub.2).
When a receive timing is unknown in those systems, the present invention detects a non-modulated signal at the head or the middle portion of the receive signal, and effects the frequency acquisition for coherent detection in a receiver.
Conventionally, a non-modulated signal detector, and a frequency acquisition apparatus are used separately.
FIG. 2 shows a prior non-modulated signal detector. In the figure, the numeral 9 is a bandpass filter, and 3 is a peak detector. The filter 9 is a narrow band pass filter having the center frequency equal to the frequency of the non-modulated signal which is subject to detection. When non-modulated signal appears in an input signal of the filter 9, an output level of the filter 9 is high. Then, the peak detector 3 detects the presence of a non-modulated signal by recognizing the peak output of the filter 9 on time axis, or detecting that the output level of the filter 9 exceeds a predetermined threshold level.
When a non-modulated signal to be detected has some frequency error, the filter 9 must have the pass band enough for receiving the signal with the allowable maximum frequency error. So, the larger the frequency error of a receive signal is, the larger the pass band of the filter is, and the worse the S/N of the output signal of the filter is. So, the probability of success of detecting a non-modulated signal is decreased when the frequency error is large.
FIG. 3 shows another prior art which solves the above problem, by having a plurality of bandpass filters 91 through 9n. In the figure, the numerals 91, 92, 93 .sup.. . . 9n are filters, 2 is a maximum level selector, and 3 is a peak detector. It is assumed that the filters have the different center frequency from one another so that pass band of a filter does not overlap with that of another filter. Even when the frequency error is large, one of the filters may receive the input signal. The maximum level selector 2 selects one of the filter outputs, so that the selected filter has the maximum output level. The peak detector 3 operates as is the case of FIG. 2.
An apparatus for frequency acquisition for coherent detection in a receiver must be used further in both the cases of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, after non-modulated signal is detected, for the operation of a radio receiver. The apparatus for frequency acquisition may be a conventional phase synchronization device, or an apparatus based upon a DFT (digital Fourier Transform).
However, a prior non-modulated signal detector in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 has the disadvantage that the probability of success of detection of non-modulated signal is worse when the frequency error is large in case of FIG. 2, and many filters must be used to complicate a hardware structure in case of FIG. 3.
Further, the delay time until the frequency acquisition is rather long, since the frequency acquisition operation starts after non-modulated signal is completely detected, in both cases of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

Apparatus for detection of non-modulated signal and frequency acquisition


A microwave oven includes a door. The door includes a door unit for selectively opening/closing a cooking chamber and a control unit, for controlling an operation of the microwave oven, is arranged at a predetermined part of the door unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a door for selectively closing a front surface of a microwave oven.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, microwave ovens such as those illustrated in FIG. 1 include a door 2 arranged on a front surface of the microwave oven body 1. Using a door handle 3, the door 2 may be used to open and close a cooking chamber provided within the body 1. Microwaves may be generated by various electrical devices accommodated in a device chamber provided in one side of the microwave oven body 1 and behind the controller 5.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the controller 5 further includes a control panel 6 provided as a frame of the controller 5. The control panel 6 generally includes, for example, a display portion 7a provided as a pass-through hole, a key portion 12 including a plurality of operation keys, operating buttons 13 and 13a, and the like. A key pad 11 is provided at a front surface of pass-through hole 7a and a display cover 8 is provided at a rear surface of pass-through hole 7a. Generally, both the key pad 11 and display cover 8 are formed of a transparent material.
Referring to FIG. 2, a substrate 10a is provided behind the control panel 6, opposite the pass-through hole 7a, and supports a display 10 (e.g., LED, LCD, VFD, etc.). As the display 10 is smaller in size than the pass-through hole 7a, a gap is formed between the two components. Accordingly, a display holder 9 may be arranged between the display cover 8 and the display 10 to fill a space created by the gap.
The key pad 11, provided on one region on the front of the control panel 6, shields the key portion 12, and includes printed information corresponding to different operation keys included within key portion 12. Accordingly, the printed information meaningfully defines, to a user, the operation each operation key may initiate. Return spring 13s allows for the operation of the operation button 13.
In the microwave oven illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, however, controller 5 is provided on one side of the microwave oven and in front of the device chamber. Disadvantageously, a portion of device chamber located between the various electrical devices and the controller 5 is inefficiently used and a portion of the front surface of the microwave body 1 is dedicated to the controller 5. Moreover, since the controller 5 is provided in front the device chamber, a user may operate the operation buttons 13 or the key part 12 when door 2 is opened. If a sensing device, capable of sensing whether the door 2 is open or closed, is out of order, a safety issue arises in that the open microwave oven may be operated by the user.

Door for microwave oven permitting the efficient use of space


Several procedures are provided for the thermal rearrangement of a water emulsion, of or a mixture with water, of a feedstock selected from the group consisting of tar sand bitumen, heavy oil, refinery residue and a heavy waste oil stream, the feedstock containing a naturally-occurring, finely-divided mineral material. The essence of such procedures involves contacting the water emulsion or the water mixture with a gas selected from the group consisting of synthesis gas and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount, i.e., from about 0.3% to about 15% of a bifunctional catalyst that facilitates the water gas shift reaction and also promotes the hydrogenation and stabilization of cracking reaction products. The bifunctional catalyst includes the naturally-occurring, finely-divided mineral material which is contained in the feedstock. The process is conducted under such conditions of pressure and temperature that the water gas shift reaction occurs. Thermally rearranged liquid oil having a lower viscosity and a lower density than that of the feedstock is recovered. In addition, separate streams of gaseous carbon dioxide and gaseous hydrogen are also recovered therefrom.

(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to procedures for reducing the viscosity and density of heavy oils to make them more suitable for transportation by pipeline from the field to refineries for further processing.
This invention also relates to processes for the generation of both hydrogen and carbon dioxide by one of two alternative schemes: either only reducing the viscosity and density of the heavy oils to a small extent by minimizing thermal cracking; or totally changing the properties of the heavy oil by operating at typical hydrocracking conditions.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
The decreasing supply of light conventional crude is spurring the use of more heavy oils and bitumen. Much of this heavy oil production is transported by pipeline from the field to refineries for further processing. For example, significant quantities of heavy oil are transported from western Canada to the United States where they are used in asphalt production. However, many of the heavy oils produced do not meet the specifications set by the pipeline companies for viscosity, density and bottoms, sediment and water (BS&W). Currently these oils are blended with large amounts of diluent (natural gas condensate or lighter petroleum fractions) to meet the specifications. However, demand and supply predictions for heavy oil and diluents indicate that a shortage in diluent will develop during the 1990's.
An increasing fraction of the heavy oils are being produced by enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, e.g. steamflood, carbon dioxide flooding or fireflood. Natural surfactants present in the oil often result in stable oil/water emulsions being formed. In such oil/water emulsion, the water is present as small water droplets in a matrix of oil. Sometimes reverse emulsions are formed wherein the oil is present as small droplets in water as the continuous phase. To meet the pipeline specifications for bottoms, sediment and water (BS&W) generally requires removing the water, which was difficult and involves costly chemical and mechanical treatments. Generally (most) water is removed by a combination of gravity separation (sometimes mechanically aided) and by the addition of demulsifiers to break the emulsion. To remove the last traces of water, more severe measures are often required. In addition, certain emulsions, e.g. fireflood emulsions, are very difficult to break. Removal of the last amounts of water often is accomplished by flash evaporation, i.e., the oil is heated to above the boiling point of water. Finally after a clean, water-free oil has been obtained, the viscosity and density specifications still have to be met to allow transportation by pipeline. Again this is accomplished by mixing the oil with diluent.
The prior art has addressed the problem of how to transport such viscous material, while reducing the diluent requirements, by two general classes of treatment. The first class includes processes that do not affect the oil in any way and use water as a substitute for diluent. The second class includes processes that break up the constituent oil molecules and change its properties, thereby reducing both its viscosity and density. In both classes of treatments, the original emulsion water has to be separated first.
Processes in the first class reduce the viscosity by mixing the oil with water and surfactants to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion. This emulsion must be stable enough to withstand the diverse conditions it encounters in the pipeline system, e.g., the high shear stresses in the pumps, yet be easy to break at its destination.
Transportation of the oil using core annular flow is another proposed concept. Here an artificially created film of water surrounds the oil core concentrically. This reduces the viscosity and pressure drop almost to that which would be expected for water. These processes require that, where field emulsions are produced, these emulsions be broken first. Water, and in the case of emulsion transport, surfactants, are then added and mixed under controlled conditions to obtain a stable emulsion or core flow. In all cases where diluents or water are used, a significant part of the capacity of the pipeline is being taken up by a non-heavy oil component, significantly adding to the cost of the system. In the case of water, it might also create a disposal problem at the receiving end of the pipeline, and in the case of diluent, return lines will often be required to transport the diluent back to the field to be mixed again with heavy oil.
Processes in the second class alter the oil properties significantly and are generally of the carbon rejection or hydrogen addition type. Both procedures employ high temperatures (usually>about 430.degree. C.) to crack the oil. In the carbon rejection processes, the oil is converted to lighter oils and coke, while in the hydrogen addition processes the formation of coke is prevented by the addition of high pressure hydrogen. In some coke rejection processes, the coke is burned or gasified to provide heat, or fuel that can be used elsewhere in the process. Both of these upgrading processes significantly increase the distillate yields, because of the thermal cracking of the heavy oil molecules that takes place, which results in significantly altered molecular weight structures and properties. However, because of the extensive cracking that takes place, these high conversion processes destroy the asphalt properties that many of the original heavy oils exhibit. This is a serious concern since asphalt is a high priced commodity.
All hydrogen addition processes require hydrogen to allow the process to proceed without coke formation. Some hydrogen addition processes are described in the prior art that use coke or effluent streams to generate carbon monoxide, which in turn is used to make hydrogen.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,066, patented Oct. 14, 1952 by P. W. Cornell, provided a continuous method of hydrodesulfurization, in which the hydrogen utilized in the process was largely obtained from contaminant produced concomitant with the hydrodesulfurization process. The patented process comprised removing sulfur from petroleum hydrocarbons containing sulfurous material at an elevated temperature with a hydrogen-containing gas in the presence of a contact material having hydrogenating characteristics, cooling the effluent to obtain a first gas portion and a hydrocarbon liquid portion containing dissolved gases, separating the hydrocarbon liquid portion, and removing the dissolved gases from the hydrocarbon liquid to form a second gas portion. Substantial amounts of the hydrocarbon portion of this second separated gas portion were then converted into hydrogen through a reforming and shift reaction. The formed hydrogen was recycled for the hydrodesulfurization of the feed petroleum hydrocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,214, patented Nov. 26, 1968 by R. B. Galbreath, provided for the hydrogenation of liquid hydrocarbons which was carried out in the presence of hydrogen and a controlled amount of oxygen to hydrogenate a major portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feed and to oxidize a minor portion thereof, thereby producing a gaseous product containing carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide content of the gaseous product was subsequently reacted with steam in a separate reactor to form additional hydrogen which was recycled to the hydrogenation zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,344, patented Sep. 26, 1972 by W. H. Munro, provided a process for the hydroprocessing of hydrocarbon. In the description of the invention, a steam reformer, water-gas shift converter and an acid-gas removal system is combined utilizing compression between the water-gas shift converter and the acid-gas removal system to produce relatively high purity hydrogen for use in a hydrogen-consuming process. In essence, therefore, the invention provides a method for the hydrogenation of hydrocarbons utilizing a specified hydrogen stream which is obtained from a specific hydrogen-producing plant. The hydrogen-producing plant was a steam reforming unit which utilized centrifugal compression between conversion zones and the carbon dioxide adsorption zones of the unit. In the hydrocracking process, the hydrocarbons to be converted into lower-boiling material are contacted with a suitable catalyst under hydrocracking conditions chosen to produce an effluent stream containing unreacted hydrogen, normally gaseous hydrocarbons and normally liquid hydrocarbons.
Suitable catalytic composites comprised at least one metallic component selected from the metals of Groups VI-B and VIII of the Periodice Table combined with a suitable refractory inorganic oxide, e.g. alumina, silica, and mixtures thereof. However, this patent does not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,374, patented Sep. 26, 1972 by Y. Yamazaki et al (and its corresponding Canadian Patent No. 943,943 patented Mar. 19, 1974) provided a catalyst for the catalytic cracking or steam reforming of hydrocarbons. According to the patented invention, with the patented catalyst, a desirable oxidation reaction, i.e. water gas reaction is especially promoted. Therefore, the amount of carbon deposited on the catalyst is very small. Formation of tar is also negligible. Thus, a gas having a high content of hydrogen (H.sub.2) and consisting of methane (CH.sub.4), ethylene (C.sub.2 H.sub.4), carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and a small amount of carbon monoxide (CO) is obtained. The patented catalyst was an alkali polyaluminate or a catalyst prepared by adding at least 2% of an alkali polyaluminate, calculated as an alkali metallic oxide (Na.sub.2 O or K.sub.2 O), to other refractory carriers. However, this patent does not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,167 patented Jun. 10, 1980 by R. W. Bradshaw, provided a combination process for hydrocarbon cracking, hydrogen production and hydrocracking. The invention provided a combination of process steps which comprises catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon oil, regenerating a used catalyst having coke laydown thereon, the regeneration being effected under conditions to produce a gaseous effluent containing carbon monoxide, subjecting the effluent to a water shift reaction producing carbon dioxide and hydrogen, fractionating cracked oil vapours earlier obtained to obtain among other fractions, a cycle oil and hydrocracking the cycle oil in the presence of the hydrogen earlier produced. That invention provided in combination, steps as follows: catalytic cracking a hydrocarbon oil, regenerating catalyst used in the cracking under conditions to produce gases rich in carbon monoxide, effecting the water shift upon the gases to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen, fractionating vapours obtained in the cracking of hydrocarbon oil to obtain, e.g. gases, cracked gasoline, a light-cycle oil, a heavy-cycle oil and a heavier fraction of hydrocarbons and hydrocracking at least one of the light and heavy cycle oils with hydrogen obtained in the water shift reaction. The catalyst used may be nickel-molybdenum or cobalt-molybdenum. However, this patent does not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,198 patented Jan. 5, 1982 by G. Moss, provided a method of converting liquid and/or solid fuel to an inerts-free gas. In the described inventive process, liquid and/or solid fuel is converted to inerts-free reducing and/or synthesis gas (which may contain at least one of the following compounds: CO, H.sub.2, CH.sub.4) by treating the fuel in a conversion zone under fuel conversion conditions in the presence of a reducible (and preferably reoxidizable) solid oxygen comprising compounds in the presence of a gaseous phase substance which, under the conversion conditions, promotes the transfer of oxygen from tee solid oxygen-comprising compound to the fuel and/or to a partially-converted component of the fuel. The patent discloses the production of reactant gas by the water gas reaction, using a catalyst known to catalyze the water gas reaction. However, this patent does not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,753 patented Feb. 11, 1986 by L. E. Busch et al, provided a process for oil upgrading by thermal and catalytic cracking. The patented process is said to be a unique sequence of operations designed to dispose of and/or handle the undesirable components of reduced crude in a manner permitting conversion of high boiling hydrocarbon components in association therewith to more desirable gaseous and liquid fuel products.
More particularly, the process comprises a thermal visbreaking operation with fluidizable inert solids followed by a fluidized zeolite catalytic cracking operation processing demetallized products for the visbreaking operation, regenerating solid particular of each operation under conditions to provide CO rich flue gases relied upon to generate steam used in each of the fluidized solids conversion operation and downstream product separation arrangements, separating the wet gas product stream of each operation in a common product recovery arrangement and processing the high boiling feed product of visbreaking comprising up to 100 ppm Ni+V metal contaminant over a recycled crystalline zeolite cracking catalyst distributed in a sorbent matrix material comprising a high level of Ni+V metal contaminant. However, this patent does not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
Canadian Patent No. 916,083 patented Dec. 5, 1972 by D. A. Messing et al, provided a hydrocracking process in the presence of hydrocarbon containing a minor amount of carbon monoxide. That patent taught the production of hydrogen by the gasification of hydrocarbons to a synthesis gas composed for the most part of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, either by the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons or by the reforming of hydrocarbons with steam. Conventionally, the synthesis gas was passed in the presence of steam into contact with a shift conversion catalyst, e.g. iron oxide, which resulted in the production of a gas composed for the most part of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide content was reduced to a negligible level to yield a gas containing about 96-98% hydrogen and about 2% CO, with smaller amounts of other impurities. The patented process involved treating the hydrocarbon oil in the presence of hydrogen using a hydrocracking catalyst comprising an iron group metal under hydrocracking conditions, the hydrogen containing at least 50 ppm CO.
As taught in that patent the catalysts contained two components, a hydrogenating component and a cracking component. The hydrogenating component was an iron group metal, for example, I0 nickel or cobalt. The hydrogenating component was present in an amount between about 5 and 40% by weight of the catalyst composite.
The cracking component was at least one amorphous inorganic oxide having cracking activity, for example, silica, alumina, magnesia, zirconia, and the like, which if necessary had been treated with an acidic agent, e.g. hydrofluoric acid, to impart cracking activity thereto. A preferred mixture of amorphous inorganic oxides taught in that patent contained 60-90% silica and 10-40% alumina. However, this patent did not teach operation under conditions enabling the recovery, for use later, of a gaseous stream of carbon dioxide.
Canadian Patent No. 1,195,639, issued Oct. 22, 1985 by H. S. Johnson, et al, provided a process for upgrading heavy viscous hydrocarbonaceous oil. The patented process involved contacting the oil with a carbon monoxide-containing gas and steam in a reaction zone at hydrocracking conditions, e.g. at a temperature of at least about 400.degree. C. and a pressure between substantially 5MPa and 20 MPa, in the presence of a promoted iron catalyst, to yield a hydrocracked product. The required hydrogen to prevent coke formation was made from carbon monoxide and added water inside the upgrading reactor. No hydrogen or carbon dioxide was recovered.
Canadian Patent No. 1,124,195, issued to Khulbe et al, described a hydrocracking process that operated from about 400 to about 500.degree. C., where synthesis gas was used to supply the hydrogen for the cracking reactions. The synthesis gas was made in a separate reactor.
None of the patented processes described above are suitable for reducing both the viscosity and density of heavy oils without substantially breaking up the constituent molecules of the oil. In all the hydrocracking processes described above, the oil properties were changed significantly. None of the patents taught the use of a bifunctional hydrogenation/water gas shift reaction catalyst. Furthermore, in none of the described processes, were hydrogen and carbon dioxide recovered separately for use in alternative processes.

Upgrading oil emulsions with carbon monoxide or synthesis gas

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources


A cabinet comprises a plurality of selected cabinet-defining components wherein components defining said cabinet integrally define at least one respective cooperating part of at least one coupling element, said components all secured respectively together exclusively by said respective cooperating parts and the coupling elements formed by said respective cooperating parts.

Storage cabinets have been made for years of sheet metal components including backs, sides, tops, bottoms, doors, kick plates and shelves. These cabinets are frequently shipped in collapsed or unassembled condition, and later erected by the buyer. Assembly of these components has typically been facilitated through the use of fasteners such as bolts, screws, rivets and clips, to name a few, packaged with the cabinets. And while such cabinets are desirably light in weight for shipping, transport and assembly considerations, it is also desirable that in erected form, they provide a substantial, tight, strong and rigid appearance and feel. While newly erected cabinets may be sturdy, over time and through use or stress, they are subject to loosening of fasteners. When that happens, the cabinets may feel flimsy when used or opened.
Moreover, when unassembled cabinets are erected through the use of fasteners, the correct fasteners in size and count must be provided along with the cabinet components. This need is accompanied by supply, inventory, packing and package quality control issues as will be appreciated in the industry. Moreover, tools are typically required to install to manipulate or to operate the fasteners
As a result, the industry has recently witnessed a reduction in the design number of fasteners necessary to erect a cabinet, but even smaller numbers of required fasteners have the foregoing inherent disadvantages.
Accordingly, it has been one objective of this invention to provide a storage cabinet which can be erected and used without the use or application of separate fasteners.
Another objective of the invention has been to provide an improved storage cabinet.
Another objective has been to provide improved methods for erecting a cabinet without the use of separate fasteners.