An outdoorsman sink including a sink basin having a bottom face with a drain formed therein. A pipe is coupled to a lower surface of the bottom face in communication with the drain. The pipe terminates with a couple for removably connecting with a sewer. The sink basin further includes legs for supporting the sink basin. A faucet is coupled to the sink basin with an associated pipe for removably coupling with a water source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable sinks and more particularly pertains to a new outdoorsman portable sink for providing a sink specifically tailored for camping and various other outdoor activities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of portable sinks is known in the prior art. More specifically, portable sinks heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art portable sinks include U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,376; U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,621; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,595; U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,169; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 259,137; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 342,121.
In these respects, the outdoorsman portable sink according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a sink specifically tailored for camping and various other outdoor activities.


A lounge chair having a sun tracking positioning mechanism including at least one photo transistor having a lens for focusing sunlight in a straight line path passing through the lens and comprising a motor control circuit that allows a motor to operate for periods of no more than 30 seconds. Should the motor operate for a 30 second period, the system will deactivate. This 30 second cutout allows for controlling of shade times such as when the sun is behind clouds or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of outdoor lounge chairs, and more particularly to an outdoor lounge chair that tracks the direction of the sun.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,588; 4,140,128; 4,441,:220; 4,597,119; 4,856,520; and 5,211,172, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse outdoor lounge chairs and suntanning devices.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical sun tracking lounge chair.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved sun tracking lounge chair and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.


An antenna support fabric including an arm (10), a support table (20), a fixing plate (60) which is rotatably secured to the support table (20), a reflection mirror (50) which is detachably fixed to one surface of the fixing plate (60), a primary radiator (40) which is detachably fixed to one surface of the fixing plate (60) through a through hole (51) provided to the reflection mirror (50), and a transceiver (30) which is detachably fixed to the other surface of the fixing plate (60), and engaged with and connected to a projecting portion (41) of the primary radiator (40) through a through hole (62) of the fixing plate (60).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna support fabric for an antenna which is used as a ground station for microwave communication and adapted to support a reflection mirror, a transceiver, a primary radiator, etc. so that these units are freely detachably joined to one another and are adjustable, and more particularly to an antenna fabric in which each of a reflection mirror, a primary radiator and a transceiver of an antenna can be independently and freely detachably fixed to and supported by a fixing member.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been hitherto known an antenna support fabric for freely detachably coupling a reflection mirror, a primary radiator, a transceiver, etc. to one another, and supporting and fixing these units so that adjustments in direction, etc. of each of these units can be performed.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing a conventional and general antenna support fabric.
In the antenna support fabric shown in FIG. 1, a transceiver 120 to which a primary radiator 110 is connected is detachably fixed to a bent arm 140 which is fixed to a rear surface of a reflection mirror 130, which is mounted on a universal head (not shown) so that the reflection mirror 130 and the arm 140 are detachably fixed to a folding tripod 150 via the universal head.
Further, in the antenna support fabric shown in FIG. 2, a transceiver 220 is directly fixed to the back surface of a reflection mirror 210 by a screw or the like, and the transceiver 220 is mounted on a universal head 240 which is freely rotatably fixed to an antenna mount place such as a pole 230 or the like, thereby fixing and supporting the transceiver 220.
According to the antenna support fabric as described above, each of the reflection mirror, the primary radiator, the transceiver, etc. is freely detachable. Therefore, the antenna support fabric can be easily transported by decomposing it into respective constituent parts. In addition, for maintenance or check of the constituent parts such as the transceiver, etc., each desired part can be easily detached from the antenna support fabric to facilitate the maintenance and the check of the parts.
As such a conventional antenna support structure are known a portable tripod type antenna frame disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. Sho-60-127005, a portable antenna apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Sho-63-302606 or the like.
However, in the conventional antenna support fabrics as described above, particularly in the case of the fabric shown in FIG. 1, when the transceiver 120 is detached from the universal head for maintenance, check or the like, the primary radiator 110 is unintentionally detached together with the transceiver 120, and the positional relationship between the primary radiator 110 and the reflection mirror 130 is varied. Therefore, after the transceiver 120 is fixed to the universal head again, the direction of the antenna must be adjusted again.
Further, in the case of the fabric shown in FIG. 2, the reflection mirror 210 of the antenna is directly fixed to the transceiver 220 by a screw or the like, and the transceiver 220 is interposed between the reflection mirror 210 and the universal head 240. Therefore, when the transceiver 220 is detached for the check or the like, the overall antenna is detached from the universal head 240, and thus the direction of the antenna must be adjusted again.
Still further, in these conventional antenna support fabrics, a connection means such as a cable, a waveguide or the like is required to prevent leakage of radio wave which is transmitted between the transceiver and the primary radiator.
In addition, in order to directly join the transceiver and the primary radiator, a joint force must be applied to the joint portion to prevent leakage of radio wave. Therefore, the transceiver and the primary radiator must be firmly joined to each other by a screw or the like.


A method for driving a neutral point-clamped multi-level voltage source inverter supplying a synchronous motor is provided. A DC current is received at a neutral point-clamped multi-level voltage source inverter. The inverter has first, second, and third output nodes. The inverter also has a plurality of switches. A desired speed of a synchronous motor connected to the inverter by the first second and third nodes is received by the inverter. The synchronous motor has a rotor and the speed of the motor is defined by the rotational rate of the rotor. A position of the rotor is sensed, current flowing to the motor out of at least two of the first, second, and third output nodes is sensed, and predetermined switches are automatically activated by the inverter responsive to the sensed rotor position, the sensed current, and the desired speed.

Voltage source inverters are utilized in AC motor drive, utility interface, and an uninterruptible power supply ("UPS") applications as a means for converting DC to AC electrical power. A traditional voltage source inverter generates a low frequency output voltage with controllable magnitude and frequency by programming high-frequency voltage pulses. The high frequency voltage pulses open and close switches to expose a load to pulses of DC current. An inverter of this type is said to be using pulse width modulation ("PWM"). Timing, duration, and voltage of the pulses simulate the peaks and troughs of traditional sinusoidal alternating current. Where the load has an inherent inductive nature, such as windings of a motor, the pulses approximate the sinusoid without significant high frequency harmonics.
To handle larger and larger input voltages, larger switching transformers are needed. Where silicon fabrication has not kept up with the need for greater power, a multi-level inverter topology has arisen. The topology equally divides two input voltage sources, thereby allowing twice the total voltage at the output for the same capacity transistor. The inverter was further refined for applications that do not have divided input voltage sources to have instead a series connected capacitor bank defining a neutral point-clamped multi-level voltage source inverter.
The three-level voltage source inverter is one of the most popular topologies for three-phase three-level voltage source inversion. The advantages of the three-level voltage source inverter are:                1) Because of the redundancy of the switches, voltage across any one switch is only half of the DC bus voltage;        2) Switching losses are cut in half due to the reduced harmonics present in the output wave forms for the same switching frequency; and        3) The power rating increases.
The literature recognizes certain drawbacks, as well, in the three-level voltage source inverter. Such inverters require complex control circuitry, each of the redundant switches add to the price of the voltage source inverter, and the charge at the mid point between the two DC linking capacitors can accumulate when switching is not balanced.
Due to improvements of fast-switching power semiconductor devices and machine control algorithms, high performance PWM dc-ac inverters find a growing interest. Among requirements of PWM inverters, full utilization of the dc bus voltage is extremely important to achieve maximum output torque under all operating conditions for synchronous motor drive applications. With a voltage source inverter, the output voltage is bounded by dc link voltage in the form of hexagon. When a reference voltage vector exceeds the hexagon boundary, the reference voltage cannot be applied to the motor. This state of exceeding the hexagon boundary is referred to as 'overmodulation'. When an inverter operates in continuous overmodulation mode at high speed, inverter output voltage contains substantial sub-carrier frequency harmonics. As a result, drive performance degrades considerably.
Though fundamental component voltage gain and current waveform characteristics in the overmodulation region are well improved, these schemes are suitable only for an open loop (volts-per-hertz) controlled synchronous motor drive, not a vector-controlled synchronous motor drive.
Vector controlled permanent magnet synchronous motor drive requires closed loop current control with fast dynamic characteristics. Although the performance of current PWM inverters meets the requirement within the voltage boundary, in the overmodulation region the drive performance significantly degrades and the bandwidth of the regulator is shrunk. Therefore, the designed performance of current PWM inverters is guaranteed only in the linear modulation region. When inverter enters continued overmodulation region, the rotor flux should be weakened to reduce induced back-electromotive force voltage. It is, however, difficult to weaken rotor flux sufficiently in the transient state such as reference change, load disturbance, and sudden drop of utility voltage. This is because this transient state is much shorter than the rotor time constant in general. Therefore, in this case, a proper dynamic overmodulation scheme should be implemented because the modulation scheme determines the dynamic performance of the motor drive.
There is then an unmet need in the art for a proper dynamic overmodulation scheme for a three-level inverter.

Control method for peak power delivery with limited DC-bus voltage


A sensor guide wire includes a sensor element arranged in a jacket in a sensor region of the sensor guide wire; a core wire extending at least partly along a length of the sensor guide wire; and at least one electrical lead connected to the sensor element. The jacket is tubular and includes proximal and distal end openings, a jacket wall, a first opening arranged in the jacket wall, and a second opening arranged in the jacket wall, the first and second openings being proximate to the sensor element. The core wire is adapted to extend through the jacket via the proximal and distal end openings. At least a portion of the first opening and at least a portion of the second opening are both located in the same cross-section of the sensor guide wire, the cross-section being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sensor guide wire.

In many medical procedures, various physiological conditions present within a body cavity need to be monitored. These physiological conditions are typically physical in nature—such as pressure, temperature, rate-of-fluid flow, and provide the physician or medical technician with critical information as to the status of a patient's condition.
One device that is widely used to monitor conditions is the blood pressure sensor. A blood pressure sensor senses the magnitude of a patient's blood pressure, and converts it into a representative electrical signal that is transmitted to the exterior of the patient.
For most applications it is required that the sensor is electrically energized. Some means of signal and energy transmission is thus required, and most commonly extremely thin electrical cables, sometimes called microcables, are provided inside a guide wire, which itself is provided in the form of a tube, which often has an outer diameter in the order of 0.35 mm, and oftentimes is made of steel.
In order to increase the bending strength of the tubular guide wire, a core wire is positioned inside the tube. The core wire also helps to improve "pushability" and "torquability" of the guide wire. The mentioned electrical cables are e.g. positioned in the space between the inner lumen wall and the core wire.
Sensor and guide wire assemblies in which a sensor is mounted at the distal end of a guide wire are known. In U.S. patent Re. 35,648, which is assigned to the present assignee, an example of such a sensor and guide wire assembly is disclosed, where a sensor guide comprises a sensor element, an electronic unit, a signal transmitting cable connecting the sensor element to the electronic unit, a flexible tube having the cable and the sensor element disposed therein, a solid metal wire, and a coil attached to the distal end of the solid wire. The sensor element comprises a pressure sensitive device, typically a membrane, with piezoresistive elements connected in a Wheatstone bridge-type of arrangement mounted thereon.
As is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,763, which also is assigned to the present assignee, the sensor element can be arranged inside a short tube (usually referred to as a sleeve or jacket), which protects the sensor element and comprises an aperture through which the pressure sensitive device is in contact with the ambient medium. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,763 further illustrates that a first coil may be attached to the distal end of the jacket and that a similar second coil may be attached to the proximal end of the jacket. The solid metal wire—which, as also mentioned above, in the art usually is referred to as the core wire—extends through the interior of the jacket and may be provided with an enlarged diameter portion adapted for mounting of the sensor element.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,539 discloses a jacket, wherein a sensor element and a core wire are provided in separate compartments. Another example of a sensor guide wire comprising a sensor enclosed by a sensor housing is disclosed in WO 2006/037082 A2.
In WO 03094693 A2, a pressure-measuring apparatus is disclosed, the pressure-measuring apparatus comprises a sensor transducer adapted to be incorporated in a catheter.
DE 2420610 A1, discloses a sensor for measuring pressure, the sensor is adapted to be incorporated in a catheter. The sensor is enclosed by a protecting tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,728 discloses a catheter including a catheter tube to be inserted into a body. A plurality of sensing portions are arranged in the catheter tube. Two pressure communication holes are provided in the wall of the catheter tube to communicate the ambient pressure of the tube into the interior of the tube.
In US 2007088220 A1 an implantable medical device including a physiological sensor is disclosed. The sensor is embedded in a mesh structure of a stent-like structure.
In US 20050187487 A1 and US 20060211946 A1, further examples of catheters provided with sensors are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,182 discloses a cannula usable to remove blood from a patient during surgery.
Generally, a sensor and guide wire assembly comprises a sensor element in the form of an elongated, essentially rectangular chip with a pressure sensitive member in the form of a membrane provided thereon. The sensor chip is arranged inside a jacket, which besides the sensor chip also accommodates a portion of a core wire and at least one electrical lead connected to the sensor element. A first coil may be attached to the distal end of the jacket, and optionally a second coil may be attached to the proximal end of the jacket. The first and second coils may be attached to the respective end of the jacket, e.g. by gluing, or alternatively soldering.
Although sensor and guide wire assemblies comprising a jacket designed according to the techniques presented by the present assignee in practise have proven to work very well, there are continuously ongoing efforts to improve the performance and functionality of the sensor and guide wire assemblies.
According to the prior art, the jacket is provided with an aperture or window, through which the pressure sensitive part (typically a membrane) of the sensor element is in communication with a surrounding medium, e.g. blood. Now, it has—for the first time—been recognized that the dimensions of the aperture, the sensor element and the interior of the jacket in combination with the particular mounting arrangement of the sensor element are such that air present within the jacket and/or adhering to the surface of the jacket or sensor element has a tendency to be entrapped within the jacket and/or forming an air bubble covering the aperture in the jacket. In other words, the ambient fluid (e.g. blood) does not wet the sensor element and the membrane completely, which affects the signal quality of the device.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a sensor and guide wire assembly comprising an improved jacket, with which the above-mentioned wetting problem is eliminated or at least minimized.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

ST. JUDE MEDICAL COORDINATION CENTER BVBA


A ladder drum is mounted in a head rail of a Venetian blind for securing a ladder cord thereto, and includes a drum body installed on a tilt bar of the blind. An upper portion of the drum body is formed into an open-topped recess, which has two sidewalls interconnected by an end wall. A holder set is provided in the recess, such that a clearance is existed between the holder set and each of the sidewalls and a limiting space between the holder set and the end wall for receiving a securing element therein. The securing element is a rectangular frame has a rear end turnably received in the limiting space and a front end releasably engaged with a front side of the holder set to thereby firmly press two free ends of the ladder cord in the drum body against the two sidewalls of the recess.

A blind is mounted to or near a window. Slats of the blind stop sun light from directly projecting through the window into a room, and shield an interior of the room from external environment. Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. For the slats of a conventional Venetian blind to tilt by an angle to close the window, a ladder drum A1 is mounted to and in each end of a head rail of the blind, and a ladder cord B1 having the slats held thereto is secured to the ladder drum A1. The ladder drum A1 is associated with a tilt bar C1 in the head rail and can therefore be turned by a desired angle along with the tilt bar under control. When the ladder drum A1 is turned by an angle, slats held to the ladder cord B1 secured to the ladder drum A1 are brought to synchronously tilt by the same angle.
The ladder drum A1 has an axial central shaft A2, and is provided on a top with two securing holes A3. Each of the two securing holes A3 has an expanded end and a reduced end communicable via a narrowed neck portion. To secure the ladder cord B1 to the ladder drum A1, first the two retaining blocks B2 are connected to two free ends of the ladder cord B1. A total of four retaining blocks B2 are needed because there are two ladder cords B1 provided for one Venetian blind. Then, the free ends of the ladder cord B1, which has the slats held thereto, are lead into the reduced ends of the two securing holes A3 via the expanded ends and the neck portion thereof. With the retaining blocks B2 being stopped by and held in the reduced ends of the securing holes A3, the free ends of the ladder cord B1 are secured to the ladder drum A1. When the tilt bar C1 is controlled to turn about an axis thereof, the ladder drum A1 and accordingly, the slats held thereto are brought by the tilt bar C1 to turn a certain angle at the same time.
In the above-described conventional ladder drum A1 for controlling the tilting angle of the slats of a Venetian blind, the retaining blocks B2 are used as stoppers to stop the ladder cord B1 from separating from the ladder drum A1. Generally, the retaining blocks B2 are manually or mechanically connected to the free ends of the ladder cord B1 and then extended through the securing holes A3 to be held to the reduced ends of the securing holes A3. In the event a retaining block B2 is connected to an incorrect position on the ladder cord B1, it must be removed from the ladder cord B1 and be reconnected to thereby increase the labor and time for assembling the ladder cord B1 to the ladder drum A1. The assembling efficiency is therefore lowered.
Moreover, the Venetian blind delivered from the blind manufacturer might be defective due to incorrectly connected retaining blocks B2 on the ladder cord B1. Such defect might not be found until the whole Venetian blind is mounted to a window and it is found the slats thereof are not in a horizontal position. Since some of the parts for mounting the Venetian blind are not reusable once they are dismounted from the blind, the worker has to troublesomely mount another new set of Venetian blinds to replace the defective one.


The present invention describes a pharmaceutical composition at a fixed dose of paracetamol and specifically amitriptyline supported by the pharmacological interaction and safety studies that show its synergy for the anti-allodynic, the mechanical anti-hypernociceptive effects and for the reduction of persistent pain, proportions, safety and neuroprotective capacity. This is aimed to the treatment of mixed pain due to cancer that can be incorporated as another option in the strategy of the WHO analgesic ladder at step 1 for the treatment of mild pain. However, it can also be included in higher steps associated with opioids for the treatment of pain of greater intensity and potentially decrease the escalation of its doses and adverse effects such as tolerance and hyperalgesia.

Despite significant advances in the knowledge of cancer and the increment of survival of the affected patients, its incidence and mortality continue to rise globally. In 2008, 12.7 million new cases were reported for a total of 7.6 million cancer deaths worldwide and this number is forecast to double by 2030 with 21.4 million new cases and 13.2 million deaths. Regardless of the development achieved in the therapies directed to the tumor and the use of analgesics, in general 70% of cancer patients suffer pain, in early stages 48% and in the advanced stages between 64-75%. Its prevalence varies according to the location, in tumors of the head and neck it is very high 70%, lung and bronchi 55%, breast 54%, gynecological 60%, urogenital 52%, gastrointestinal 59%. In addition, pain from cancer can be directly related to the primary and/or metastatic tumor which infiltrates and compresses visceral, somatic and nervous structures, but also its therapeutic, whether surgical, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is one of the most commonly used and in general 3 pain syndromes related to the chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer are recognized: Arthralgias induced by aromatase inhibitors with a prevalence of 23-47%, oral mucositis induced by anti-metabolites, antimitotic agents, DNA-Interactives and also radiotherapy with a prevalence of 5-40%, but the most complex is the chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This form includes a neural lesion in which alterations of the mitochondrial bioenergetics, glutamatergic dysfunction and neuroinflammation have been involved. The CIPN is presented as a side effect of the 6 major agents used in cancer therapy, limiting the number of sessions that the patient receives and their chance of healing. Its incidence varies depending on the agent, the classic vinca alkaloids (25-65%), taxanes (7-50%), platinum derivatives (10-50%), thalidomide (9-41%) and the new agents, epothilones (6-71%) and bortezomid (˜50%). Consequently, cancer pain can be considered as mixed where inflammatory, neuropathic and ischemic mechanisms that affect more than one site underlie, so that it can not be circumscribed as a somatic, visceral or neuropathic type strictly (Bray, E. et al. al., 2012. Lancet Oncol, 13: 790-801, Breivik, H. et al, 2009. Ann, Oncol 20: 1420-33, Hershman, D L et al, 2014. J. Clin. Oncol. 32: 1941-67; Cata, J P et al., 2010. In: Paice, J A, Bell, R F, Kalso, E A, Soyannwo, O A editors, Cancer pain from molecules to suffering, Seattle: IASP Press, p. 3-21). Consequently, antidepressants and antiepileptics offer benefit to a third of patients and are used as adjuvants in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs) and opioids, included in the World Health Organization analgesic ladder's (WHO analgesic ladder) own dynamic concept. Unfortunately, in Cuba there are no systematic epidemiological studies of pain, but regional and hospital studies that show similar results extrapolated to the national situation that allow cancer pain to be recognized as a health problem not only because of its high prevalence but also because of the partial ineffectiveness of the available therapies. At present, there are seven approaches for its integral management: educational interventions to provide explanations, increase the painful threshold (with social support, activity, improvement of mood, quality of sleep), modify the pathological process (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, surgical orthopedic procedures), modify the perception of pain (pharmacological and non-pharmacological), interruption of painful pathways (anesthetic blocks, chemical or physical neuroablation, spinal analgesia and surgical techniques) as well as psychological intervention. The WHO analgesic ladder constitutes a non-rigid model for the treatment of pain due to cancer, constituted by 3 steps, its dynamism presupposes an active and individualized movement starting from step 1 for the treatment of mild pain (non-opioid analgesics such as paracetamol or NSAIDs), step 2 for the treatment of mild to moderate pain (weak opioids such as codeine or dextropropoxyphene) and step 3 for the treatment of moderate to severe pain (strong opioids such as morphine). The recommended route of administration is oral and by the clock. However, adjuvant drugs such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants are included in all levels, a strategy that responds to the knowledge that 20% of cancer pain responds to primarily neuropathic mechanisms and that in more than 40% the pain is of mixed type, which includes them. Another strategy for the treatment of pain with a neuropathic component is neuroprotection that focuses on glutamatergic dysfunction, nitro-oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, trophic factors, neuroinflammation and undamaged fiber changes induced by neurodegeneration (Bennett, N I 2012. In: Tracey, I. editor, IASP Refresher Courses on Pain Management, Seattle: IASP Press, 301-304, Urch, C E and Dickenson, A H 2008. Eur. J. Cancer 44: 1091-1096 Bennett, M I et al., 2012. Pain 153: 359-365; Bordet, T. and Pruss, R M 2009. Neurotherapeutics 6: 648-662). It has been reported in a study of 3030 patients with cancer pain that 26% were treated with NSAIDs and 23% with paracetamol. The opioids used for the treatment of mild to moderate pain were codeine (8%), tramadol (8%), dextropropoxyphene (5%) and dihydrocodeine (2%). For moderate to severe pain, morphine was the most commonly used, 40% orally and 10% parenterally, followed by patches of fentanyl (14%), oxycodone (4%), methadone (2%) and hydromorphone (1%). The major survival of cancer patients due to immunotherapy, allows cancer to be approached as a chronic no transmissible disease, so long-term treatment with opioids and recent changes in practice such as the introduction of titration-to-effect for opioids have resulted in higher doses used in the clinic setting than ever seen previously. Consequently, in addition to its recognized adverse effects of acute installation, other emergent ones have been observed such as the development of tolerance to its analgesic effects that is inevitably associated with the successive escalation of doses, dependence and addiction, as well as hypogonadism, osteoporosis, immunosuppression, cognitive impairment and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). Combinations of low-dose opioids and adjuvants make it possible to minimize the adverse effects and titrate the doses slowly, a possibility not offered by monotherapies (Klepstad, P. et al., 2005. Palliat, Med. 19: 477-84, Sullivan, M D and Howe, C O 2013. Pain 154: S94-S100; Rivat, C. and Ballantyne, J. 2016. Pain Reports 1: e570). Studies in bone metastasis and primary oral cancer models showed that the pain is generated by changes in the tumor microenvironment through the secretion of mediators by the tumor cells and by the cells of the immune system (lymphocytes, macrophages, mast cells and fibroblasts) that are attracted to the tumor by mediators released by the tumor cells. These include nerve growth factor (NGF), endothelin 1, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), protons H+, bradykinin (BK), proteases, which activate and can sensitize nociceptors. Particularly the signaling NGF-receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) expressed in sensorial neurons, is vital in the sensitization as well as inducing the phosphorylation of the channels of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), its retrograde transport to the neuronal soma induces the increase in the expression and synthesis of excitatory neuropeptides such as substance P and the peptide related to the calcitonin gene (SP and CGRP), of BK receptors, channels such as purinergic receptors (P2X), acid sensitive channels 3 (ASIC3), TRPV1, transcriptional factors such as transcription factor 3 (ATF3) associated with neural injury and structural molecules. In addition, this signaling modulates the traffic and the insertion of the sodium channels (Nav 1.8) and TRPV1 in the sensory membranes and the expression profile of Schwann cells and macrophages. Particularly, the P2X4 receptor is involved in spinal microglia-neuron signaling and the induction of mechanical hypersensitivity after peripheral neural injury. These models have also demonstrated central nervous system (CNS) changes, such as an increased expression of the NR2B subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by glial cells that facilitate their phosphorylation, as well as phenotypic changes in the neuronal populations of the superficial layers of the spinal dorsal horn in murine models of breast cancer. These changes are associated with the hyperexcitability of neurons of wide dynamic range before mechanical, thermal and electrical stimuli that suggest the state of central sensitization. Glial activation and neuron-glia interactions contribute to the generation and maintenance of this process, which is not only limited to the spinal cord, but also affects brain stem areas involved in the descending modulation that facilitates pain. Consequently, tumor growth not only activates, sensitizes damages and induces regenerating sprouts in primary and sympathetic afferent neurons, also induces a significant pro-nociceptive reorganization in the CNS (Peters, C M et al., 2005. Exp. Neurol. 193: 85-100; Gordon-Williams, R M and Dickenson, A H 2007. Curr. Opi. Support, Palliat. Care 2007.1: 6-10; Yanagisawa, Y. et al., 2010. Mol. Pain 6:38; Latremoliere, A. and Woolf, C J 2009. J. Pain 10: 895-926; De Leo, J A et al., 2006. Pain 122: 17-21; Tsuda, M. et al., 2003. Nature 424: 778-83). Subsequently, drugs that alter the supraspinal bioavailability of serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA) such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) and balanced inhibitors of amine reuptake, through which they increase the descending bulbospinal inhibitory modulation, show their effectiveness in the treatment of cancer pain. The favorable results achieved with the use of combinations of drugs in the WHO analgesic ladder and with bimodal or polymodal drugs such as tramadol, tapentadol, methadone, duloxetine, venlafaxine etc. that combine monomodal mechanisms interactively in a simple drug, evidence the clinical expression of the multifactorial basic dilemma of cancer pain. In addition, combination drug therapy constitutes a tendency to try to confront the phenomena of tolerance and OIH, given the convergence of the mechanisms of glutamatergic dysfunction/neuroimmune activation in the chronic pain and OIH paradigms. (Bennett, M I 2011. Palliat, Med. 25: 553-9; Fishbain, D. 2000, Ann. Med. 32: 305-16; Klepstad, P. et al., 2005. Palliat, Med. 19: 477-84; Mayer, D J et al., 1999. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96: 7731-7736; Tawfik, V L and De Leo, J. 2007. In DeLeo, J A, Sorkin, L S, Watkins, L R editors and glial regulation of pain Seattle: IASP Press, pp. 341-359). On the other hand, many patients affected by cancer are older than 60 years, so the inherent benefits of reducing dosage-reducing adverse effects and increasing efficacy by synergistic mechanisms and/or additive combinations of drugs, offer a greater efficacy-safety balance in the pharmacological treatment (Atkinson, T J et al., 2013. Clin. Ther. 35: 1669-1689; Finnerup, N B et al., 2015. Lancet Neurol. 14: 162-73). The formal demonstration of the synergy, as well as the proportion of each drug in the combination, requires an intensive isobologram analysis associated with pharmacological safety tests that evaluate the possible adverse effects expected for the combination of these known agents that could overlap. An interesting option for this strategy in clinical practice has been the introduction of fixed-ratio analgesic drug combination. These produce a well-standardized and reproducible clinical effect of two drugs of different classes in a formulation that can facilitate prescription and adherence to treatment by reducing the amount of medication patients should consume (Gilron, I. et al., 2013. Lancet Neurol 12: 1084-1095; Raffa, R B et al., 2010. J. Pain 11: 701-709). Particularly paracetamol, an aniline derivative is attractive for the design of combinations, because, although its precise mechanism of action has not yet been fully elucidated, it exerts its analgesic actions through multiple central mechanisms such as the inhibition of the synthesis of prostaglandins, supraspinal activation of descending inhibitory serotonergic pathways, inhibition of SP-mediated nitric oxide (NO) pathway and activation of NMDA receptors. Recently, the interaction of its metabolites with the endogenous cannabinoid system and its cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2) of recognized importance in the control of nociceptive transmission and chronic pain, as well as in the adaptive changes of the opioid receptors in these conditions. In addition, the weak peripheral actions of paracetamol on the synthesis of prostaglandins make it a better tolerated product than NSAIDs in terms of their impact on the gastrointestinal tract and platelet activity. However, other peripheral mechanisms through CB1 and CB2 receptors can supra-additively facilitate their effects in the affected site, locally administered through the use of topical formulations. In general, a multi-target ability of paracetamol explains its recognized analgesic efficacy (Mitchell, D. et al., 2010. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 642: 86-92; Bjiirkman, R. et al., 1994. Pain 57:259-264; Hama, H T and Sagen, J. 2010. Neuropharmacology 58: 758-66; Dani, M. et al., 2007. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 573: 214-5). On the other hand, amitriptyline, a dual inhibitor of the reuptake of 5-HT and NA, has demonstrated its efficacy in the treatment of neuropathic pain precisely because of its plurality of mechanisms inherent to the TCA class, not only because of the increase in bioavailability of amines in the synaptic cleft, but by the activation of their receptors, activation of opioid receptors (supraspinal 5 and spinal p), blocking of Na+ channels, activation of K+ channels, inhibition of NMDA receptor activity, facilitation of the function of GABAB receptors. As well as by other mechanisms better elucidated in this particular drug in relation to inflammatory and immune parameters of interest in cancer pain, as the reduction of the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme, the production of NO and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). In addition, amitriptyline peripherally modulates P2X purinergic receptors, recognized for their role in the inflammatory changes induced in the tumor microenvironment and in Wallerian degeneration. Some neurotrophic factors such as the glial cell derivative (GDNF) and the brain derivative (BDNF) have been implicated in the actions of this drug. Likewise, its participation in the suppression of neuroinflammation and the disruption of glutamate transporters in morphine-tolerant rats has been recognized. Its local peripheral antinociceptive action has been related, at least in part, to the increase in the local bioavailability of adenosine and the activation of its A1 receptor, considered responsible for its analgesic effect. Consequently, formulations of amitriptyline in the form of gel or creams have been recommended for the treatment of inflammatory pain (Micó, J A et al., 2006. Trends Pharmacol, Sci 27: 348-54, Arsenault, A. and Sawynok, J. 2009. Pain 146: 308-314; Tai, Y H et al., 2006. Pain 124: 77-86; Yaron, I. et al., 1999. Arthritis Rheum, 42: 2561-2568, Oliveira Lima, F. et al., 2010. Pain 151:506-515; Sawynok, J. et al., 1999. Pain 80: 45-55). In WO 2005/077168 A1 a method was described for the treatment of chronic pain such as neuropathic pain and painful fibromuscular disorders, as well as compositions such as oral suspensions, tablets or capsules, containing a low dose to provide 25 mg/day or less of TCA combined with non-narcotic analgesics such as paracetamol in the range of 0.50 to 2 g/day. While TCAs as a class have definite characteristics, there are clear differences between individual agents in terms of their relative affinity for particular mechanisms, their differential contribution to clinical use and the profile of side effects (Sawynok, J. and Reid, A. 2001 Pain 93: 51-59).

Fixed dose composition of paracetamol: amitriptyline and method for the treatment of mixed cancer pain

CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE MEDICAMENT


Herein disclosed are pre-cast concrete wall structures, and processes for manufacturing and installing the same. Wall structure may be wall segments and may comprise a pre-cast concrete monolithic body including a ground-engaging footer and a vertical wall supported by the footer and extending upwardly from the footer. Methods of making wall segments may comprise the steps of providing an initial casting mold, pouring an initial portion of concrete, installing a final casting mold, pouring a final portion of concrete, allowing the initial and final portions of poured concrete to cure to a final hardened state, and removing the initial and final casting molds. Methods of installing wall segments may comprise the steps of excavating the construction site, grading a ground surface at the construction site, positioning a plurality of pre-cast concrete wall segments, interconnecting adjacent wall segments, and backfilling adjacent an exterior side of the foundation wall.

Foundation walls are essential in most buildings. A known method of forming a concrete foundation wall involves the following sequential steps: (1) digging an area at a construction site where the foundation wall will be located to an appropriate grade; (2) adding crushed stone to the bottom of the dug-out area to create a level and relatively incompressible grade; (3) installing forms for a footer of the foundation wall; (4) pouring the concrete footer and waiting for the concrete to cure sufficiently; (5) installing forms for vertical walls extending upward from the footer; (6) pouring the concrete vertical walls and waiting for the vertical walls to cure sufficiently; and (7) removing the forms. After the forms have been removed, and following an additional waiting period, backfilling may be done and construction on the superstructure may begin. The method described above is known as "cast-in-place" because the foundation wall is poured and cured at its final intended location on the construction site. The typical "cast-in-place" process from the time the digging and stone grading is complete until the time construction of the superstructure may begin is about four weeks.
The cast-in-place process may be complicated slightly further when drain tile, waterproofing, insulation, or other improvements to the bare wall are to be included. Improvements may be installed during the stages of the process described in the preceding paragraph, but not while the forms are still on the relevant portions of the foundation wall.
A known alternative to cast-in-place foundation walls is the use of pre-cast concrete wall sections, as shown for example in FIG. 1. Pre-cast wall sections are distinguished from cast-in-place walls by the fact that they are poured and formed at a location remote to the construction site, and then transported to the construction site, where they are assembled to provide the foundation walls.
Pre-cast concrete wall sections known to applicant do not have a footer. Thus, the sections do not reliably remain standing on their own in the presence of external factors such as wind and ground settling; in other words, the sections are not "freestanding." This means that if conditions at the job site on the day of installation are not appropriate for installation (for example, rain, snow, and/or high winds are present), the wall sections cannot be safely installed according to schedule. Moreover, the pre-cast wall sections should not be laid down horizontally and left at the job site because they are prone to cracking or failing when rotated between vertical and horizontal orientations.
Consequently, the job site must be prepared for delivery and installation of the pre-cast wall-sections on the scheduled day of installation. Site preparation includes, among other things, digging out the area within which the wall sections will be installed, depositing an appropriate gravel bed, and, depending on whether a footer will be installed, pouring the footer and allowing it to cure. Since the job site must be completely prepared, the dig must align essentially perfectly with where the wall sections are to be installed according to the site plan. Unfortunately, in practice, there are occasions when the dig differs from the site plan by a slight amount. This leads to delays, as the pre-cast wall sections cannot be installed or left at the job site while the builder remedies the faulty site preparation, and delivery and installation must be rescheduled. As a result, the overall cost and duration of construction are increased.
Known pre-cast wall sections additionally suffer from section-to-section connections that are often difficult to connect and are prone to separation. For example, FIG. 2 shows a prior art connection bracket which has failed. Once pre-cast wall sections separate from one another, it is easier for moisture and other harmful natural agents to enter the structure and degrade the foundation. Another drawback of known pre-cast wall sections is that they rely on mitered corners with calking applied at the joint seam, which can lead to separation and infiltration of moisture.
Therefore, pre-cast concrete foundation walls may be improved.

Pre-cast concrete wall structures, and methods for manufacturing and installing the same


A system for cooling an aircraft includes a fuel tank, a fuel delivery system, a cooling system, and a heat exchanger. The fuel tank is configured to hold cooled fuel for the aircraft. The fuel delivery system is configured to provide at least a portion of the fuel from the fuel tank to an engine of the aircraft. The cooling system is configured to absorb heat generated by components on the aircraft. The heat exchanger is thermally connected to the fuel delivery system and the cooling system. The heat exchanger is configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat from the components on the aircraft to the cooled fuel. The system may further include a two or three phase expendable liquid system. The expendable liquid system is configured to transfer heat to a frozen or liquid coolant to vaporize and expend the coolant from the aircraft.

Aircraft components such as on-board electronics and line replaceable units (LRUs) generate heat during flight. High-speed aircraft also generate heat on the outer surface of the aircraft as a result of friction caused with the atmosphere. All of this heat affects the length of time that the aircraft can be used. Some aircraft use "ram-air" or "bleed-air" techniques to cool aircraft components.
However, the use of such cooling techniques may not provide sufficient cooling in certain scenarios. Given concerns of conventional systems, this disclosure provides an aircraft thermal management system for cooling using expendable coolants.

Aircraft thermal management system for cooling using expendable coolants


A scalable three-dimensional (3D) mesh encoding method includes dividing the 3D mesh into layers of complexity into a plurality of graduated levels and generating vertex position information and connectivity information of each of the plurality of levels. The vertex position information about the 3D mesh is encoded based on a weighting in each bit plane and vertex position information having a higher weighting in each bit plane is first encoded.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to an apparatus and a method of scalable encoding of a 3D mesh and an apparatus and a method of scalable decoding of a 3D mesh.
2. Description of the Related Art
A 3D mesh to restore a 3D object uses a high-capacity storage space, a great number of calculations, and a wide transmission bandwidth. In order to effectively transmit, store, and render the 3D object, the 3D mesh is encoded and compressed.
When a 3D object is complex, a 3D mesh also has a complex form. In order to restore the 3D object, all information forming the 3D mesh is transmitted to a decoding apparatus, which is defined as a single-bit rate compression.
In a conventional single-bit rate compression, vertex position information about vertices forming a 3D mesh is sequentially transmitted. Thus, after all vertex position information is transmitted, a 3D object may be restored.

Apparatus and method of scalable encoding of 3D mesh, and apparatus and method of scalable decoding of 3D mesh

Korea University Industrial & Academic Collaboration Foundation


A filter includes a filter cloth having a corrugated form, a retainer disposed inside the filter cloth, a support groove formed at each corrugated inside bent portion abutting on the retainer in a longitudinal direction of a filter film, and a reinforcement member inserted into the support groove.

In general, a filter cloth is configured as a foldable corrugated filter in order to increase dust collection efficiency in a dust collector, and it may be possible to obtain relatively high dust collection efficiency by increasing a surface area of the foldable corrugated filter through a structure thereof.
Meanwhile, when a filter medium, having low rigidity, such as a needle-punched nonwoven fabric and a woven fabric is used as the filter cloth, the filter medium per se may not be held in a corrugated form because of a material thereof having low strength.
Accordingly, in order to hold the filter medium in a corrugated form in the related art, a method is mainly used in which the filter medium is heated and corrugation-formed in a state of containing thermosetting resin such that the corrugated form is fixed to the filter medium. However, there is a problem in that the contained thermosetting resin reduces filterability of the filter for a dust collector.
Meanwhile, a method is already proposed in which opposed portions of the filter cloth are sewn and bonded along a longitudinal direction of the filter cloth in the vicinity of folded portions (a peak portion and a valley portion) in the corrugated form in order to hold the filter cloth in the corrugated form (see Patent Document 1: Korean Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 2010-0007485, published on Jul. 22, 2010).
However, when the conventional filter cloth held in the corrugated form by sewing is used as the filter cloth (back filter) for the dust collector, the filter cloth has a problem in durability.
That is, in the dust collector, the filter cloth is provided, at an inner side thereof, with a retainer in order to be held in a cylindrical shape, and the filter cloth is cleaned by regularly repeated spraying from the inner side thereof using a vibro-method including a pulse jet method, an air blowing method, or a dust removal method.
Accordingly, in a structure of securing the corrugated form of the filter cloth by sewing, the folded portion (inside bent portion in the corrugated form) at the inner side of the filter cloth coming into contact with the retainer is tend to sag as a dust removal process such as pulse jet spraying is repeatedly performed, since the corrugated portion has weaker rigidity compared with a resin processed product. In addition, the corrugated form of the filter cloth may vanish by repeated cleaning to thereby decrease filter efficiency or the filter cloth may be early damaged due to contact with the retainer.
In addition, since the folded portion (peak portion in the corrugated form) at the outer side of the filter cloth does not come into direct contact with the retainer, the filter cloth is not rapidly damaged at the outer side thereof compared with the inner side thereof coming into contact with the retainer. However, the outer side of the filter cloth may be deformed due to blow-bye of strands of thread by the pulse jet and repeated bending, or even damaged due to fatigue.


A sheet feeder configured to hold a separation pad may include a pivotable housing having a connection element for attaching the separation pad. In one example, the connection element may correspond to a protrusion, with the separation pad including one or more corresponding recesses or holes. A fixing member configured to secure the separation pad may be slidably connected in the housing to be slidable, while connected to the housing, between a first position and a second position.

In a sheet feeding apparatus that feeds a sheet, the sheet is fed through the gap between a roller and a separation pad. The roller rotates and feeds the sheet. The separation pad is disposed in a position facing the roller to provide a feed resistance to the sheet. Even when a plurality of sheets are held in a stack, the sheets can be separated and fed one at a time by feeding the sheets through the gap between the roller and the separation pad. In some examples, a combined separation pad may include a separation pad attached to a holder made of hard resin or the like. The combined separation pad is detachably attached to a housing of the sheet feeding apparatus.

Sheet feeding apparatus and image reading apparatus


A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a first gas shower configured to supply a first gas flow to an interior space of the apparatus, and a second gas shower configured to supply a second gas flow to the interior space of the apparatus, the gas showers configured to direct the first gas flow and the second gas flow at least partly towards each other. Also, a method for conditioning an interior space of a device manufacturing apparatus is provided that includes supplying a first conditioned gas flow and a second conditioned gas flow to the interior space, such that the first conditioned gas flow and the second conditioned gas flow are at least partly directed to each other.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning structure, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scamming the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning structure to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
The application of gas showers is known from the art. For example, European patent EP 0 498 499 illustrates, in FIG. 18 thereof, a part of a lithographic apparatus. The apparatus includes an interferometer system and a space in which the interferometer beams propagate. A constant, preferably laminar, stream of air is passed through this space to obtain a greater accuracy of the interferometer system. Both the purity and the temperature of the supplied air may be controlled. The air may be, for example, of purity class 1 and its temperature may be, for example, stable within 0.10 degrees C.

Lithographic apparatus and method for conditioning an interior space of a device manufacturing apparatus


An image forming method is disclosed in which a contact charging means is brought into contact with a latent image bearing member to electrostatically charge the latent image bearing member on which electrostatic latent images are formed and developed with a one component type or two component type developer to form toner images, using a developing assembly provided with a developing container and a developer carrying member. The one component developer is comprised of toner particles. The two component type developer is comprised of toner particles and a magnetic carrier. The toner particles of the one component type and two component type developers contains fine particles as an external additive.. The latent image bearing member has a surface layer having a volume resistivity A of from 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.15 .OMEGA..multidot.cm; the contact charging means comprises an assembly for electrostatically charging the latent image bearing member by applying a voltage to a charging member having a volume resistivity B of from 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.9 .OMEGA..multidot.cm; the toner has, as an external additive, fine particles having a volume resistivity C of from 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.11 .OMEGA..multidot.cm; the magnetic carrier has a volume resistivity D1 of from 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.15 .OMEGA..multidot.cm; and the developer carrying member has a surface layer having a volume resistivity D2 of from 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.15 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. The resistivities A, B, C, D1 and D2 stasisfy the following conditions: B<C<A<D1 or B<C<A<D2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming method for forming and developing an electrostatic latent image in electrophotography or electrostatic printing. More particularly, this invention relates to an image forming method which comprises charging by the use of a contact charging means, forming an electrostatic latent image and developing the electrostatic latent image, in which injection charging performance and developing performance can be made stable over a long period of time.
2. Related Background Art
A number of methods are conventionally known as electrophotography. Copies are commonly obtained by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member by a charging means and an image exposure means while utilizing a photoconductive material, subsequently developing the latent image with a toner to form a visible image (a toner image), transferring the toner image to a transfer-receiving medium such as paper, and thereafter fixing the toner image to the transfer-receiving medium by heat and/or pressure. Here, the toner not transferred to the transfer medium and remaining on the photosensitive member is removed through a cleaning step from the surface of the photosensitive member.
In recent years, various organic photoconductive materials have been brought out as photoconductive materials for electrophotographic photosensitive members. In particular, function-separated type ones in which a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer are laminated, have been put into practical use, and are mounted on copying machines, printers and facsimile machines. As charging means used in such electrophotographic apparatus, corona discharging has been utilized. Since, however, it causes ozone in a large quantity, the appratus must have a filter, and there have been such problems that the apparatus must be made large in size and the cost increases.
As techniques for solving such problems, charging methods have been proposed in which a charging member such as a roller or a blade is brought into contact with the surface of a photosensitive member so as to form a narrow space in the vicinity of the contact portion, and the discharge as can be explained by what is called the Paschen's law is formed so that the generation of ozone can be prevented as much as possible. In particular, a roller charging system making use of a charging roller as the charging member is preferably used in view of the stability of charging.
This charging is performed by causing discharge from the charging member to the member to be charged, and hence the charging takes place upon application of a voltage above a certain threshold voltage. For example, when a charging roller is brought into contact with a photosensitive member having an about 25 .mu.m thick photosensitive layer and containing an organic photoconductive material, the surface potential of the photosensitive member begins to rise upon application of a voltage of about 640 V or above and, at voltages above that voltage, the photosensitive member surface potential linearly increases at a gradient 1 with respect to the applied voltage. This threshold voltage is hereinafter defined as charging start voltage Vth. Namely, in order to attain a photosensitive member surface potential Vd, an excessive DC voltage of Vd+Vth must be applied to the charging roller. In addition, since any environmental variations may change the resistivity of the charging roller, it has been difficult to control the potential of the photosensitive member to the desired value.
Accordingly, in order to uniform variable charging, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-149669, a DC+AC charging system is employed in which a voltage formed by superimposing an AC voltage with a 2.times.Vth or higher peak-to-peak voltage on a DC voltage corresponding to the desired Vd. This is a system aiming at a potential-leveling effect which is attributable to AC, where the potential of the member to be charged converges at the Vd, the middle of the peak of AC voltage, and is hardly affected by external disturbance such as environmental variations.
Even in such contact charging methods, however, their fundamental charging mechanisms utilize the phenomenon of discharge from the charging member to the photosensitive member, and hence the voltage necessary for charging as stated above must be at a value over the surface potential of the photosensitive member. Moreover, the electric field of AC voltage may remarkably cause vibration and noise (hereinafter "AC charging noise") of the charging member and photosensitive member, and the discharge may remarkably cause deterioration of the surface of the photosensitive member. This involves another problem.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 61-57958, a charging method is known in which a photosensitive member having a conductive protective film is charged using conductive fine particles. This publication discloses that a photosensitive member having a semiconductive protective film having a resistance of from 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.13 .OMEGA..multidot.cm is used and this photosensitive member is charged using conductive fine particles having a resistance of 10.sup.10 .OMEGA..multidot.cm or below whereby the photosensitive member can be evenly and uniformly charged without injection of charges into the photosensitive layer, enabling good images to be reproduced. According to this method, the vibration and noise which has been a problem in AC charging can be prevented, but no sufficient charging efficiency can be achieved, and besides, since, e.g., the conductive fine particles serving as a charging member scrape off the transfer residual toner, the toner may adhere to the charging member and consequently a change in charging performance may occur as a result of many-sheet running.
As a charging method having a good charging efficiency, what is called injection charging is known, in which charges are directly injected into a photosensitive member.
This method, in which a voltage is applied to a contact charging member such as a charging roller, a charging fiber brush or a charging magnetic brush to inject charges into a trap level present on the photosensitive member surface, is disclosed in, e.g., Japan Hardcopy '92 Papers, p. 287, "Performance of Contact Charging Using Conductive Roller". In this method, charges are injected into a dark-portion insulating photosensitive member by means of a low-resistance charging member to which a voltage has been applied. This method has been conditioned on a sufficiently low resistance of the charging member and also on its surface to which a material providing the charging member with a conductivity is sufficiently laid bare. Hence, it is reported also in the above publication that aluminum foil or an ion-conductive charging member made to have a sufficiently low resistivity in a high humidity environment is preferable as the charging member. Studies made by the present inventors have revealed that the resistivity of charging members at which charges can be sufficiently injected into photosensitive members is 1.times.10.sup.3 .OMEGA..multidot.cm or below and, at a resistivity higher than that, a difference begins to occur between applied voltage and charge to cause a problem on the convergence of charge potential.
However, when the charging member having such a low resistivity is actually used, excess leak currents may flow from the charging member to scratches and pinholes produced on the photosensitive member surface to tend to cause faulty charging around them, expansion of the pinholes and electrification failure of the charging member.
To prevent such difficulties, it is necessary to make the charging member have a resistivity of about 1.times.10.sup.4 .OMEGA..multidot.cm or above. However, as stated previously, the charging member having this resistivity leads to such an inconsistency that the performance of charge injection into the photosensitive member may lower and sufficient charging cannot be effected.
Accordingly, with regard to contact type charging assemblies or image forming methods making use of such charging assemblies, it has been sought to solve the above problems, i.e., to simultaneously achieve conflicting performances of preventing the photosensitive member surface from pinhole leak which has not been able to be prevented in low-resistivity charging members and of performing sufficient charge injection.
As stated above, in the image forming method having the charging step making use of the charging member brought into contact with the photosensitive member, any faulty charging due to contamination of the charging member tends to cause faulty images and problems in running durability may arise. Thus, also in the charging carried out by injecting charges into the photosensitive member, it has been a pressing need for the realization of many-sheet printing to prevent the influence of the faulty charging due to contamination of the charging member.
Thus, the present inventors, as a result of extensive studies of the surface layers of latent image bearing members such as photosensitive members used when charged by charge injection and of contact charging members, have discovered that a sufficient charging performance can be attained when the contact charging member is made to have a volume resistivity (B) of from 10.sup.4 to 10.sup.9 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and the surface layer of a latent image bearing member a volume resistivity (A) of from 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.15 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, and such members are preferred.
However, it has been understood that the charge injection performance lowers and no satisfactory images can be formed when materials having a volume resistivity of 10.sup.14 .OMEGA..multidot.cm or above such as silica used as what is called toner external additives are once taken into the contact charging member. This problem is serious especially in the case of cleanerless systems, in which no cleaning means for removing transfer residual toner is provided between the transfer zone and the charging zone.
It has also been understood that no satisfactory images can be formed because, when the surface layer of a latent image bearing member has a volume resistivity (B) of about 1.times.10.sup.8 .OMEGA..multidot.cm as stated above, electrostatic latent images formed on the latent image bearing member are disordered in the developing zone by rubbing friction with a two component type developer making use of an iron powder carrier or a commonly known ferrite carrier such as copper-zinc ferrite or nickel-zinc ferrite having a volume resistivity of from 1.times.10.sup.8 to 1.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA..multidot.cm.


An axial flow filtration cartridge, a system, a support assembly, an apparatus, as well as a process are provided for removing particulate matter as well as dissolved heavy metal ions and the like from an aqueous effluent stream. The invention is useful for removing contaminants from industrial waste streams. The cartridge contains features which make it relatively resistant to fouling by solid particles. Additionally, the cartridge has no central void volume. No separate housing for the cartridges is required. In a system embodiment the cartridge has a filtering chamber containing absorbent clay particles confined between porous liquid-permeable retainer means. An upstream cartridge cap and a downstream cartridge cap removably receive the ends of the filter cartridge in a liquid-tight seal. The flow of aqueous effluent to each of the cartridges is individually controlled. An apparatus embodiment combines a filtration assembly incorporating the filter cartridges with a support assembly which facilitates installation and replacement of the cartridges. When utilized in the apparatus embodiment, regeneration and recycling of the adsorbent clay is relatively easy.

Adsorbent clays are widely used to remove color and odor from vegetable and mineral oils. Two different methods of presenting the clays are utilized: contact filtration and percolation. In the contact filtration method, a finely divided adsorbent is mixed with the solution to be treated, agitated, and removed from the treated solution by settling and filtration. For percolation, the adsorbent is held in place and the liquid stream to be treated is made to flow over, around, and through it. In the percolation method, the adsorbent usually is in granular form and must have certain mechanical and physical requirements in order to hold its shape and be retained in place.
Adsorbent clays are also used to purify water. The contact filtration method of applying adsorbent clay to water selectively precipitates some contaminants in the form of sludges which are subsequently disposed of in landfills. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,908 to Monick et al. describes a process for removing contaminants from a wastewater system by precipitating them as a non-leachable sludge. The process utilizes a precipitation-inducing composition containing bentonite clay which is said to remove contaminants such as phosphates, nitrites, nitrates, and heavy metals from wastewater.
The process of the '908 patent, and contact filtration processes in general, have drawbacks for treating aqueous effluent in that they contact clay and wastewater in a relatively unconfined manner in an open tank. The resulting sludge must be collected before it can be disposed of. Also before disposal, the sludge must be dewatered using a belt filter, wringer, press roller, or the like. Plant personnel necessarily risk exposure to the contaminants during the collection, dewatering, and disposal operations.
Some specially selected and prepared adsorbent clays are capable of holding their shape while in contact with water and are, therefore, suitable for use with the percolation method. U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,515 to Sawyer, Jr. reports that percolation through a column of 30 to 60 mesh low volatile material (LVM) attapulgite clay particles can remove a toxin, a pesticide, a hormone, and heavy metal ions from various aqueous solutions. The '515 patent goes on to suggest that the clay particles be placed in a downflow metal or plastic container with a filter at the bottom to prevent the clay particles from passing out of the container during operation. The patent states further that other adsorbing materials, such as charcoal and sand, can be placed in the container with the clay particles.
However, there is room for further improvement in the application of adsorbent clays to wastewater processing. The simple particulate beds described in the '515 patent are not suitable for use with aqueous effluent streams that contain suspended solids. For example, the '515 patent provides no means to keep the suspended solids from reaching the particulate bed, teaches no means for immobilizing the suspended solids within the bed, and makes no provision for redistributing liquid flow patterns which have been altered or disturbed by agglomerations of the suspended solids. In addition, the particulate beds of the '515 patent are not adapted for use with relatively large volume, industrial scale waste streams.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,267 to Haase refers to a cross flow filter cartridge that incorporates a primary filter surrounding an adsorber unit which contains heat-treated attapulgite clay particles of about 6 to 25 mesh size. The cross flow filter cartridge uses concentric, perforated cylinders to contain the clay particles. An external post-filter is sometimes located downstream of the cartridge. The cartridge is said to remove dissolved foreign materials such as fatty acids, colors, and water from streams that may contain small particles, such as dry cleaning fluid or engine oil. The clay particles may be mixed with particles of adsorbent carbon.
Cross flow cartridges, also called radial flow cartridges, lack the simplicity and flexibility required for industrial wastewater treating. Cross flow filters are relatively complicated and have fragile internal parts that must be carefully fitted. Mechanical limitations usually prevent cross flow filters from being backflushed to dislodge foreign particles. They are inherently susceptible to partial plugging, which in turn results in maldistributed liquid flow and inefficient utilization of the adsorbent. Further, only a fraction of the volume in a cross flow filter cartridge is actually occupied by adsorbent material.
Thus, a system is needed that allows a column of absorbent clay particles to be brought into contact with an industrial scale aqueous effluent stream in a manner that exposes a relatively large volume of clay to the stream, yet protects the clay particle column from plugging by suspended solids that may be present in the effluent. Desirably, such a system includes means for minimizing the amount of suspended solids which travel to the particulate bed as well as means for immobilizing the suspended solid and redistributing the flow of liquid when suspended solids enter the particulate bed. It would also be desirable to have an indicator that signals when backflushing of suspended solids should be performed.
Preferably, such a system provides the above-mentioned advantages while allowing relatively easy inspection and replacement of the adsorbent material.
The present invention satisfies the foregoing desires by providing an effluent treatment system that includes a cartridge that resists partial plugging and maldistribution and which can be backflushed.

Filtration system with axial flow cartridge


A tool is provided for working a shaped metal tube, such as a square or rectangular metal tube, having a hollow interior and an outer surface to produce an end reduction in the tube. The tool includes a head having a longitudinally extending interior cavity and a plurality of roller cavities, each communicating with the interior cavity. A plurality of grooved rollers are rotatably mounted within the head, one within each of the roller cavities. Each of the grooved rollers has a periphery extending into the interior cavity and configured to engage a portion of the outer surface of the tube to be reduced, such as a corner portion of a square tube. Depending upon the shape of the tube being reduced, the tool may further include a pair of flat-area rollers. The flat-area rollers may be used to engage the relatively long sides of a rectangular tube. The tool further includes a mandrel disposed within the interior cavity of the head and spaced apart from the periphery of each of the rollers, with the mandrel being effective for preventing the tube from collapsing as a result of the end reduction. The tool may also include a rake which is effective for maintaining the shape of the end of the tube being reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tool for working shaped, hollow metal tubing and, more particularly, to a tool for working shaped, hollow metal tubing to achieve an end reduction in the tubing.
2. Related Art
In the metal fabrication industry it is often necessary or advantageous to join adjacent lengths of hollow metal tubing to one another, as part of various structures. It is particularly advantageous to utilize either square or rectangular metal tubing in many applications, because of their shape and associated mechanical strength. Known methods of reducing square and rectangular metal tubing have typically utilized one or more dyes. With this form of reduction, one end of the square or rectangular tube is crushed by the force created by various configurations of press equipment, with the size of the reduction being determined by the die design. This method of end reduction of square and rectangular tubing is subject to the following disadvantages. In the first instance, the end reduction of the tubing may require several "hits" or applications of the press equipment to achieve the desired reduction, with each application adding to the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the crushing force of the press equipment may cause excessive and/or non-uniform deformation of the tube end. More specifically, one or more of the sides of the tubing may become concave, thereby reducing the overall strength of the tube and detracting from the smoothness of the transition between the original shape and the reduced end. In certain instances, the excessive and/or non-uniform deformation may be so severe that the reduced end of the tube is not capable of insertion into a tube of the same size prior to reduction, as intended.
Due to the foregoing problems associated with the use of dies to end reduce square and rectangular tubing, connections of adjacent lengths of like-sized square and rectangular tubing are generally accomplished by inserting a smaller tube inside the two adjacent like-sized pieces of tubing, and then securing the joint by fastening each section of the outside tubing to the inside tube. The inside tube, as well as the required fasteners, add to the cost of this method of joining sections of square or rectangular tubing. Another disadvantage associated with this technique is that the strength of the joint is limited to the strength of the included fasteners.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages associated with known methods of connecting square and rectangular metal tubing, there is a continuing need for improved methods of joining adjacent sections of shaped metal tubing, such as square and rectangular tubing.

Tool for working shaped, hollow metal tubing to achieve an end reduction


A heat-exchanger including a device for separating oil from a coolant-oil mixture and cooling the oil and cooling and/or liquefying the coolant. The heat exchanger features a first area cooling and/or liquefying the coolant, and a second area cooling the oil. The heat exchanger further features at least two manifolds. The first area of the heat exchanger features flow channels guiding the coolant, and the second area of the heat exchanger features flow channels guiding the oil. The flow channels extend between the manifolds. Each of the flow channels has a respective outside flooded by a heat-absorbing fluid.

Within a cooling circuit, the oil has multiple functions. On the one hand, the oil serves as a lubricant for moving components positioned inside the compressor, thereby reducing the friction between the components, which specifically consist of metal parts. This reduces the wear and tear on the compressor. On the other hand, the oil serves to improve the sealing of the compressor from its environment, as well as the internal sealing between the high-pressure area and the low-pressure area of the coolant inside the compressor. A further function of the oil in the cooling circuit is to absorb and conduct the heat generated inside the compressor, for instance as a result of friction between moving parts of the compressor.
Even though essentially the oil is only needed inside the compressor, it is inevitable that the oil also circulates within the cooling circuit. The quantity of circulating oil depends on multiple factors here. These factors include, among other things, the design or the construction and configuration of the compressor and of the periphery, that is, in particular, of the cooling circuit, the age of the compressor, the degree of wear and tear on it, the operating conditions and the system conditions, as well as the miscibility of the oil with the coolant.
In cooling circuits known from prior art, the circulation rate of the oil varies between 1% and 15% of the mass flow of the coolant. The oil of the compressor, which circulates through the cooling circuit together with the coolant, has a variety of effects. For instance, it changes the quality as well as the physical and thermodynamic properties of the coolant-oil mixture. The presence of the oil reduces the effectiveness of the heat exchanger of the cooling circuit, since the heat transfer and therefore the heat throughput are affected when the heat exchange surfaces on the inside of the heat exchanger are covered with an oil film, since the oil film has the effect of an additional insulation layer.
Under certain circumstances, the oil may be retained in so-called oil traps of the cooling circuit, which generate in particular in areas in which low coolant speeds. The oil accumulating in the oil traps may suddenly overflow like a vibrating liquid column and flow back to the compressor. This may generate a pressure wave, which in turn generates liquid slugging.
In low temperature applications, the ability of the oil to move within the cooling circuit is severely restricted due to the increased viscosity at low temperatures. The drop of the oil level within the compressor may lead to irreversible mechanical damage to the compressor.
Furthermore, the essentially incompressible oil does not cool down in the course of a negligible expansion process. The oil is mixed with the coolant, with part of the coolant evaporating. In this, part of the cooling capacity of the coolant, specifically, approx. 8% to 10%, is used for the cooling of the compressor oil.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,727 A, a cooling circuit is described for the cooling of air with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion element, and an evaporator. The cooling circuit further features a flow path for recycling oil from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the compressor, with an oil separator and an oil cooler. The oil that was heated with the compression of the gaseous coolant is cooled before it is let into the compressor. The heat of the oil is transferred to the coolant suctioned in by the compressor. The oil cooler is embodied with an internal heat exchanger as a heat exchanger unit. The heat exchanger unit may be positioned inside an accumulator of the coolant.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub. No. 2010/0251756 A1 also discloses a cooling circuit for the cooling of air with a compressor, a condenser, an expansion element, and an evaporator, as well as a flow path for the recycling of oil from the outlet of the compressor to the inlet of the compressor, with an oil separator and an oil cooler. The oil cooler is embodied as an oil-air heat exchanger and positioned downstream from the compressor in the flow direction of the air. The heat of the oil is transferred to the air that was cooled when it flowed through the compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,335 B2 describes a device for compressing a gaseous fluid with components for separating oil from the compressed gas, for cooling the oil after the compression of the gas, and for storing the oil. The oil is fed back into the compressor with the gaseous fluid meant to be compressed. For cooling the oil, the oil is guided through a heat exchanger, where the heat of the oil is transferred to the gaseous fluid meant to be compressed. Subsequently, the gaseous fluid is compressed.
The oil separator, the oil cooler, and the oil reservoir are all arranged into a shared housing. The oil is guided from the oil reservoir to the compressor via a connecting line.
In traditional cooling circuits, the coolant-oil mixture is guided through the heat exchanger that is positioned downstream from the compressor. Moreover, it is known from prior art [how] to separate the coolant-oil mixture after its exit from the compressor into a coolant component and an oil component. The separated oil is then cooled by heat exchange with the coolant circulating in the cooling circuit or with the air conditioned in the evaporator, which reduces the efficiency of the cooling circuit.
The task of the invention consists in providing a device for separating the oil from a coolant-oil mixture and for the cooling of the oil and for the cooling and/or liquefying of the coolant in a cooling circuit. The device should be space-saving and allow for efficient and safe operation of the cooling circuit. Furthermore, the manufacturing, maintenance, and assembly costs of the device should be minimal.

Oil management in a refrigeration system—compressor oil cooler integrated into gascooler


An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup optical system having an optical axis and configured to form a subject image, an image pickup element configured to pick up the subject image and output the picked-up subject image as an image, an optical axis controller configured to displace an optical axis position relative to the image pickup element every time image capturing is performed, an image addition processor configured to correct positional displacement between a plurality of images output from the image pickup element and add the resulting images together, and an operation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pickup apparatuses, and particularly to an image pickup apparatus that adds captured images together.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed systems that are capable of adding a plurality of continuously captured images to form a less-noise high-quality image (e.g., see, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-244797). Also, with recent advances in image processing technology, it has become possible to detect motion vectors between a plurality of continuously captured images, perform adjustment of positions of the captured images, add the resulting images together, and thus obtain a less-noise image.

Image pickup apparatus for reducing fixed pattern noise


A light source holding structure eliminates non-uniformity of temperature distribution of a tube body of a light source in order to make uniform the amount of light emitted or prevent portions at which the amount of light emitted is locally lowered. The light source holding structure has a linear light source and a first light source holding member substantially in the shape of a bar. An engaging groove arranged to engage with a portion of a tube body of the light source is provided on the front side of the first light source holding member. The portion of the tube body is engaged in the engaging groove and substantially the entire length of the tube body is brought into surface contact with the inner surface of the engaging groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source holding structure, a light source holding member, a light source unit, and a display device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a light source holding structure to be incorporated in a light source unit for a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, a light source holding member which can be used in the light source holding structure, a light source unit using the light source holding structure, and a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device having a non-self-emissive display panel such as a translucent liquid crystal display panel generally has a configuration such that a light source unit in which a light source is incorporated is provided on a back side or a lateral side of the display panel. For the light source which is incorporated in the light source unit, a substantially linear or substantially U-shaped fluorescent tube is widely used. A light source clip is used for fixing the light source to a chassis of the light source unit (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2004-348150).
FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a conventional example of the configuration of the relevant portion of a light source unit for a display device in which a plurality of light sources are incorporated. A light source unit 9 for a display device in FIG. 19 has a chassis 91, a plurality of linear light sources 93, a plurality of light source clips 92 for fixing the light sources 93 to the chassis 91, and other given constituent elements.
Each of the light source clips 92 has light source holding portions capable of holding tube bodies of the light sources 93 and a locking portion for attaching the clip 92 to the chassis 91. A plurality of through holes (not shown) are provided in given positions on a bottom plate of the chassis 91. The locking portions of the light source clips 92 are caught in the through holes, by which the light source clips 92 can be attached to the chassis 91. In addition, the tube bodies of the light sources 93 are held at one or some positions by the light source holding portions of the light source clips 92, by which the light sources 93 can be fixed to the chassis 91.
However, the following problems could arise when the light sources 93 are fixed to the chassis 91 by holding the tube bodies of the light sources 93 at one or some positions by the light source clips 92 as described above.
It is a known characteristic of fluorescent tubes used as the light sources that when temperature distribution of tube bodies of the fluorescent tubes becomes non-uniform during the use of the fluorescent tubes, the amount of light emitted by the fluorescent tubes also becomes non-uniform depending on the temperature distribution. To be specific, the amount of light emitted becomes larger in high temperature portions of the tube bodies and becomes smaller in low temperature portions of the tube bodies.
When the material of the light source clips 92 has higher thermal conductivity than air, heat of the light sources 93 is easily transferred to the chassis 91 through the light source clips 92. Thus, the temperatures of the light sources 93 are locally lowered in the portions at which the light sources 93 are held by the light source clips 92 and in the vicinities of the portions as compared to the other portion. As a result, the amount of light emitted is locally lowered in the portions at which the light sources 93 are held by the light source clips 92 and in the vicinities of the portions as compared to the other portion.
If the light sources 93 have portions at which the amount of light emitted is locally lowered, lower luminance portions could appear locally on a display screen (i.e., luminance irregularity could occur) when the light source unit 9 is incorporated in and used in the display device. Because such luminance irregularity decreases display quality of the display device, it is preferably prevented or minimized.
There is proposed a configuration in which the light source clips are arranged in a zigzag pattern on the chassis in order that luminance irregularity may be made less noticeable (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publications Nos. 2004-348150 and 2004-318176). This configuration prevents portions at which the luminance is locally lowered due to radiation of heat through the light source clips from being aligned linearly in a specific direction. Thus, luminance irregularity can be made less noticeable even if the light sources have portions at which the luminance is locally lowered.
However, the above configuration is effective for making low luminance portions less noticeable but not for preventing the light sources from having portions at which the amount of light emitted is locally lowered. In accordance with a recent increase in the size of the display panel, the length of the fluorescent tubes to be used as the light sources becomes longer. Accordingly, in order not to break the light sources to be incorporated in the light source unit, it is necessary to increase the number of positions at which the tube bodies of the light sources are held by the light source clips. By doing so, the number of lower luminance portions on the display screen is increased, and the lower luminance portions could become easily noticeable.

Light source holding structure, a light source holding member, a light source holding unit, and a display device


A rotorcraft having pusher propeller generated power during autorotations. The rotorcraft has an engine powered mode and an autorotation mode. The rotorcraft includes an engine and a drivetrain configured to receive torque and rotational energy from the engine in the engine powered mode. A main rotor system is coupled to the drivetrain and is rotatable to generate lift and forward thrust for the rotorcraft in the engine powered mode. A pusher propeller is coupled to the drivetrain and is rotatable to generate forward thrust for the rotorcraft in the engine powered mode. In the autorotation mode, the pusher propeller is aerodynamically driven responsive to airflow therethrough and the drivetrain is configured to receive torque and rotational energy from the pusher propeller, thereby providing power to the main rotor system.

Rotorcraft are classified into various categories according to size and other factors and are subject to airworthiness requirements based upon these classifications. Examples include "Category A" and "Category B" classifications for rotorcraft set forth by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. To meet these requirements and to improve the overall safety of rotorcraft, it is desirable for rotorcraft to be capable of reducing their descent rates to an acceptable level upon experiencing an engine malfunction. One method of reducing the descent rate following an engine malfunction is through autorotation of the main rotor system wherein the aerodynamic force of air moving up through the main rotor system drives the main rotor system, thereby reducing rotor speed decay and enabling a controlled glide of the rotorcraft to the ground. Upon final approach during an autorotation landing, a flare recovery maneuver may be performed to convert kinetic energy of the main rotor system into lift using aft cyclic control, which further reduces the rate of descent and levels off the flight path trajectory of the rotorcraft. The flare recovery maneuver is typically performed just before touchdown with the altitude at which the maneuver is performed being dependent upon factors including the rotorcraft model, the descent rate, the airspeed, the headwind component and how rapidly the pilot moves the cyclic control stick.

Rotorcraft having propeller generated power during autorotations