In an image processing apparatus which performs first and second operations, a first processor processes image data in correspondence to the first operation, while a second processor which processes image data in correspondence to the second operation. Further, a memory is shared by the first and second processors. A controller connects the first processor to the memory in the first operation and to connect the second processor to the memory in the second operation. For example, the above-mentioned first and second processors are constructed by a common device such as a field gate programmable array wherein a function thereof can be rewritten.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image data processing.
2. Description of Prior Art
In a color image processing apparatus, a document is scanned for reading its image, and the obtained image data are converted to density data. Then, they are is subjected to various corrections. Before starting the scan, preprocessing is performed based on a prescan. For example, in the preprocessing, automatic exposure for removing the background of a document is performed, it is decided automatically whether the document is a color document or a monochromatic document, and the document size is detected.
It is also known that an image processing apparatus such as a printer has a test print circuit for performing test print, besides an image processing circuit for a normal print mode. A service man or the like can adjust the image forming process by using the test print circuit.
As mentioned above, an image processing apparatus performs operations not performed at the same time, and for each of the operations, a dedicated or separate circuit and a random access memory are provided. For example, in the first prior art apparatus mentioned above, the prescan and the scan are performed successively. Therefore, for example, the automatic exposure, the automatic color selection, the document size detection and the like performed in the prescan are not performed at the same time as the image reading in the scan. On the other hand, in the second prior art apparatus mentioned above, the test print and the normal image forming are not performed at the same time. Therefore, the print circuit for test print and the image processing circuit for normal print are not used at the same time. Therefore, the circuit scale of an image processing apparatus becomes larger, and this is one of factors which increases its cost.


A battery pack includes a first battery case accommodating a plurality of cells, and a second battery case laminated above the first battery case and accommodating a plurality of cells. The first battery case has a first through-hole on an upper surface. The second battery case has a second through-hole on a bottom surface which communicates with the first through-hole. The battery pack includes a communication port composed of the first through-hole and the second through-hole, a gas discharge valve which is provided only in either the first battery case or the second battery case and opens when internal pressure of the battery pack is higher than a predetermined value, and a temperature sensor provided on a gas flow path connected to the gas discharge valve.

In a recent year, electric vehicles using a motor as a drive source have been known. In this type of electric vehicle driven by a motor, a plurality of battery modules composed of stacking a plurality of battery cells are arranged inside a battery case to supply electric power to the motor.
Since a battery pack mounted on the electric vehicle may be used in an extremely harsh environment, it is possible to conceive that the battery cell may generate heat called thermal runaway due to an internal short circuit or the like. When thermal runaway occurs, the battery cell generates heat and releases gas to the outside of the cell, that is, inside the battery pack, via a gas release valve provided in the battery cell. Generally, the battery pack has a closed structure, so when the pressure inside the battery pack increases, it is necessary to discharge gas to the outside of the battery pack.
For example, in the battery pack described in JP2016-072171A, it is described that a duct portion is provided in a bracket for fixing the vertically arranged battery modules to a frame and gas is led out from the duct portion to a discharge space inside a frame member.
However, when the battery pack is provided with the duct portion, the number of parts increases and the battery pack itself becomes large. In addition, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery cell, it is desirable to appropriately detect the occurrence of thermal runaway.


An illuminated sign is for traffic control, in particular for road traffic, and includes light sources for generation of the sign and a monitoring device for functional monitoring of the light source. The light sources are embodied as light diodes and the monitoring device is embodied as a device for the limited current loading of the light diodes. The functional monitoring of said sign can be achieved with reasonable technical requirements in both the deactivated and activated state thereof.

Signs of widely differing types and importance are generally used for controlling traffic, in order to assist the smooth handling of the traffic. This applies to marine navigation, to aircraft, for example to airports, as well as to all rail traffic, but in particular to road traffic.
Owing to the continuously rising amount of traffic, ever more traffic signs and illuminated signs are used for controlling traffic within cities and for controlling long-distance traffic. An increasing proportion of these signs are produced by light sources. Typical examples of this are the changing illuminated signs for light signaling systems at roadway crossings and the changing traffic signs at so-called freeway intersections.
At the moment, incandescent lamps are primarily used as the light sources for illuminated signs such as these. Incandescent lamps can fail by a short or discontinuity, thus resulting in a sign to be produced by them becoming distorted, with inadequate light intensity or not being displayed at all.
In order to prevent an incorrectly displayed illuminated sign from confusing those in the traffic, it must be switched off immediately in order to avoid a risk of accidents. In order to make it possible to check the availability of a safety-relevant sign, for example a red traffic light, a speed limit or a warning display, even when it is switched off, the monitoring must take place all the time. Thus, the monitoring must take place even when the corresponding sign is not active, that is to say when it is not actually illuminated.
Functional monitoring of the incandescent lamps that produce a sign can be carried out by passing a current through their filaments. The inertia of a filament refers to the fact that the serviceability of the incandescent lamp can be tested by passing a current through the filament for a short time, for example for 1 ms, without any light emerging.
The article "On-board multiplexing system checks car's lights automatically" on pages 68 and 70 of Electronics International may be cited as a reference for a cold lamp test such as this for automatically checking a car lighting system. In this case, commands to activate the lamps are passed via a microprocessor, the signals of the lamps and sensors are monitored, and the driver is informed of any malfunction via a display on the dashboard. A power transistor connects the lighting system to the car battery. A high-impedance voltage divider is connected in parallel with this, and its center potential is used as a criterion for checking a lamp state.
During operation, the microprocessor checks the value of the center potential of the voltage divider every 10 ms. When a light is switched on, the potential is 12 V and when it is off, the potential is 0 V. In the event of a short in the lamp circuit, the potential is, however, 0 V in both cases.
In order to obtain a positive indication for all possible faults and light operating modes, the test must be extended in order also to include the OFF mode when the light is switched on the ON mode when the light is switched off. A switched-on lamp is switched off for about 100 ms once every second by the system; when it is off, the system switches it on periodically for 100 ms every 40 seconds. The tests starts when the engine is started, and ends 100 s after the engine is stopped. This extended operation ensures that lamp failures are detected even during the period when the filament is cooling down.
Incandescent lamps are now increasingly being replaced by light-emitting diodes, which are also referred to in the following text for short as LEDs. This is being done since, as a low-maintenance and high-availability light source for optical signs, LEDs have many advantages for economic operation of light signaling systems.
One problem is that signs which can be produced by LEDs have until now been capable of being monitored only when they are in the switched-on state. It has therefore not been possible to use LED technology for safety-relevant signs, whose serviceability must also be monitored when they are switched off.
Owing to the effectively inertia-free conversion of current to light in LED light sources, a functional test analogous to the so-called cold lamp test was not feasible without production of disturbing, and thus unacceptable, light flashes. In complete darkness, when an LED is operated at its rated current, even pulses with a length of more than about 0.3 μs and with a continuous current of more than about 5 μA are noticeable in a disturbing manner, largely independently of the repetition rate. Signs with functional monitoring which produce sufficiently short and weak current pulses and can reliably monitor them have not until now been feasible at an acceptable complexity level.

Illuminated sign for traffic control and method for functional monitoring of such a sign


The present invention relates to a safety device for firearms that enables providing additional safety to the original safety of the weapon itself, such that safety conditions prevail in either of the two systems, the original safety of the weapon or the additional safety device object of the present invention, such that if either of the two is in safe or in locked position, the firearm is in safe or locked position, the safety device for firearms being configured to be implemented in a new firearm or an existing firearm, wherein the invention further relates to a safety method for firearms.

Safety devices for firearms are known in the state of the art and these comprise a safety that can be actuated by means of a lever accessible to the user, which enables establishing at least two positions: at least one first firing position and one second locking position.
By means of this safety, when the lever accessible to the user is arranged in firing position, the trigger is released, which makes the actuation thereof possible in order to release the hammer from the retention to which it is subjected and carry out firing because of the energy stored in the spring to which the hammer is joined.
Among the above, both semiautomatic model Colt AR 15 and the equivalent thereof, U.S. Army automatic model M16 can be found, wherein the trigger prevents the weapon from firing accidentally. However, occasionally, the user may inadvertently actuate the trigger while the safety is in the firing position, which would result in an accidental shot.
The safety device for firearms of the present invention represents additional safety to the safety measures described above, which doubles the safety of the firearm and prevents unforeseen shots from being fired.

Safety device for firearms and safety method for firearms


An opening portion is formed at an upper-side portion of a shroud panel so as to penetrate the panel longitudinally. A face member and a face support member form a duct that guides part of outside air coming in through an outside-air intake of the face member to an opening portion of the shroud panel. Accordingly, there can be provided a bumper structure that can properly guide the outside air to an engine room behind the heat exchanger.

The present invention relates to a bumper structure of an automotive vehicle.
A bumper is generally provided at a vehicle front portion of an automotive vehicle. A face member that forms an outer face of the bumper is generally made of a thin resin plate member for the purpose of weight reduction and the like. Accordingly, the face member may have a problem in that it tends to be easily deformed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-170237, for example, discloses a face support member that is provided behind the face member to restrain deformation of the face member as a solution of the above-described problem.
Generally, in the automotive vehicle with en engine room provided at the vehicle front, a heat exchanger (radiator) is provided behind the bumper, and the face member has an outside-air intake that allows outside air to come therethrough toward the heat exchanger. Herein, there is a concern that the outside air that has passed through the heat exchanger and been warmed up by the heat exchanger flows into the engine room, thereby improperly increasing the temperature of the engine room.
Herein, according to the structure disclosed in the above-described patent publication, a grille opening is formed between a front edge of a bonnet hood and an upper edge of the face member in addition to the outside-air intake. The grille opening is located above an upper end of the heat exchanger so that the outside air coming through the grille opening can be supplied to the engine room without passing the heat exchanger. Thereby, the cooling function of the engine room can be improved.
However, there is a case where the heat exchanger is fixed to a vehicle body via a rectangular frame-shaped shroud panel, for example. In this case, the shroud panel is generally disposed in such a manner that there is a very small gap provided between its respective side portions and the vehicle body around them. Accordingly, even if the outside-air is taken in through the grille opening as disclosed in the above-described patent publication, the shroud panel may prevent the outside-air coming through the grille opening from properly flowing down to behind the panel and the heat exchanger.
Further, there may be case where the grille opening can not be provided between the front edge of the bonnet hood and the upper edge of the face member from a design perspective or the like.


A stabilized fabric composed of a mesh or a woven fabric is disclosed as are methods of their manufacture, the manufacture of medical devices made using a stabilized fibers and stabilized medical devices are all disclosed. Fabrics can be stabilized by several techniques including: using mechanical, chemical and/or energetic fasteners at warp and weft intersections in the weave; by using various weaving techniques and fibers. Meshes can be stabilized when properly dimensioned and arranged junctions and struts of the necessary properties are used. All of these stabilized fabrics can be made of synthetic polymer materials such as ultrahigh molecular weight PE or PP and expanded PTFE.

The present disclosure relates to synthetic fabric materials that can be used in various medical devices and the medical devices including the synthetic fabric materials. For purposes of discussing the state of the art, however, prosthetic heart valves, and particularly collapsible/expandable prosthetic heart valves useful for delivery through a catheter or trocar, will be exemplified.
Prosthetic heart valves, including surgical heart valves and collapsible/expandable heart valves intended for transcatheter aortic valve replacement ("TAVR") or transcatheter mitral valve replacement ("TMVR"), are well known in the patent literature. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,657,744; 4,056,854; 5,411,552; 5,545,214; 5,855,601; 5,957,948; 6,458,153; 6,540,782; 7,510,575; 7,585,321; 7,682,390; and 9,326,856; and U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0320556.) Surgical or mechanical heart valves may be sutured into a native annulus of a patient during an open-heart surgical procedure, for example. Collapsible/expandable heart valves may be delivered into a patient via a tube-like delivery apparatus such as a catheter, a trocar, a laparoscopic instrument, or the like to avoid a more invasive procedure such as full open-chest, open-heart surgery. As used herein, reference to a "collapsible/expandable" heart valve includes heart valves that are formed with a small cross-section that enables them to be delivered into a patient through a tube-like delivery apparatus in a minimally invasive procedure, and then expanded to an operable once in place, as well as heart valves that, after construction, are first collapsed to a small cross-section for delivery into a patient and then expanded to an operable size once in place.
Collapsible/expandable prosthetic heart valves typically take the form of a one-way valve structure (often referred to herein as a valve assembly) mounted to/within an expandable stent. In general, these collapsible/expandable heart valves include a self-expanding or balloon-expandable stent, often made of nitinol or steel. The one-way valve assembly mounted to/within the stent includes one or more leaflets, and may also include a cuff or skirt. The cuff may be disposed on the stent's interior or luminal surface, its exterior or abluminal surface, and/or on both surfaces. (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,458,153; 7,585,321; 8,992,608; 9,241,794; and 9,289,296; and U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0320556.) A cuff ensures that blood does not just flow around the valve leaflets if the valve or valve assembly are not optimally seated in a valve annulus. A cuff, or a portion of a cuff disposed on the exterior of the stent, can help retard leakage around the outside of the valve (the latter known as paravalvular leakage or "PV" leakage).
Leaflets, cuffs and valve assemblies for prosthetic heart valves may be derived from various natural tissues or synthetic materials. Commercial natural tissues that have been chemically treated or "fixed" are often used. For example, leaflets could be made of bovine pericardium and cuffs could be made of porcine pericardium. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,949 at 6:23-33; U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,153 at 8:28-40; U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,601 at 6:21-30; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,321 at 13:5-36.) Other materials that may be used include various synthetic polymers including, without limitation, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or polyester (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,601 at 6:29-31; U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,039,640; 10,022,211; 9,056,006; and 10,299,915; and U.S. Pub. Nos. 2018/0055632; 2017/0258585; 2018/0078368; 2019/0201190; Basir et al., "Flexible mechanoprosthesis made from woven ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers: proof of concept in a chronic sheep model"; Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, 25(2017) 942-949; Yamagishi and Kurosawa, "Outflow Reconstruction of Tetralogy of Fallot Using a Gore-Tex Valve;" Ann. Thorac Surg. 1993; 56:1414-17), and elastic materials including silicone rubber and polyurethanes. (See U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,782 at 6:2-5.) These materials have been used in the form of continuous sheets, porous felts (U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,782 at 6:17-23) or woven fabrics. (See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,039,640; 10,299,915; 10,022,211; and 4,610,688; and U.S. Pub. Nos. 2018/0055632; 2017/0258585; and 2018/0078368.) Valve components and valve assemblies may be attached to a collapsible/expandable stent or frame by sutures or may be molded, glued, or soldered to the stent. (See U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,321 at 13:30-31.)
Mesh has been used in various surgical applications and in intravascular procedures as well. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,974,586 and 6,375,670 describe the use of a mesh made from, inter alia, woven or interlaced wires, fibers or filaments.
Despite the disclosure of various natural tissues and synthetic materials for possible uses in various medical devices, little is often disclosed about the specifics of the structure and compositions of such elements beyond illustrations of their general structure and a generic identification of polymers that can be used. Those generalized disclosures show that, while the concept of polymer-based implantable medical devices, and in particular valves, is known, actually successfully taking the broad concept to working solutions is far more challenging. Therefore, there exists a need for further improvements in the materials for these devices and the devices made therefrom.
Another problem that may be encountered with medical devices formed from synthetic materials is a change in the properties, structure and/or performance of those materials after implantation. Using an expandable heart valve as an example, the free edge of one or more leaflets may retract or curl after implantation which can impact the completeness of coaptation of the leaflets and thereby result in leakage or regurgitation. Leaflet retraction has been observed before. See, Amir Basir, et al., noted above. This can cause a reduction in the rejection fraction of oxygenated blood pumped out of the heart and into the balance of the circulatory system and thus a reduction in pumping efficiency. This means that the heart must work harder to supply sufficient oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body.

Stabilized fabric material for medical devices


The invention concerns a method for making granules which comprises coating, in a rotary drum, a core with at least a coating layer comprising at least of a solution and then drying the coated core, after each new coating. Drying is carried out in the rotary drum and comprises the following phases: mild drying by spraying a lukewarm gas stream corresponding to a temperature between 25° C. and 35° C.; strong drying by spraying a hot gas stream corresponding to a temperature between 40° C. and 50° C.; final drying by spraying a lukewarm gas stream corresponding to a temperature between 25° C. and 35° C. The invention is applicable in particular to granules for aromatic, cosmetic, food or dietetic use.

In this field, a process for the production of solid granules including aromatic, food, dietetic or cosmetic substances is already known from WO 97/04861.
This prior process consists in: forming a core serving as a support, constituted by excipients associated or not with active substances, covering the core in three steps with at least one layer, these three steps being carried out for each successive layer by:                coating the core with active substances associated or not with excipients,        drying the layer,        screening the covered core.
The granules obtained by this type of process are particularly advantageous and can constitute granules to be chewed, sucked, swallowed or dissolved and can contain vegetable extracts and essential oils (or the like).


A case for acoustic and electrical sound instruments and including bottom and cover sections hingedly connectable with each other, a fastener for releasably securing the cover section to the other bottom section, and a least one retaining band connectable to the bottom section for releasably securing a sound instrument in the case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case for acoustic and/or electrical sound instruments and, in particular, for string instruments such as guitar or base-guitar, and/or for keyboards, and/or for mixing consoles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The drawback of conventional cases for musical instruments or other acoustic and/or electrical sound instruments such as, e.g., guitars, base-guitars, keyboards, or mixing consoles consists in that the instrument is reliably held only in a closed condition of the case. Therefore, in case of a defective lock, the instrument can fall out and be seriously damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,632 discloses a substantially rectangular case for string instruments such as violins, violas, or guitars with an inner displaceable wall which is displaced to adapt the case to instruments with different body sizes. The displaceable or movable wall has a cut-out section for cradling a neck of a stored string instrument. On opposite sides of the cut-out section, there are provided straps for holding the instrument neck tightly in place. The straps are equipped with a hook and loop fastener. A string instrument, when placed in the case has its neck tightly held with the straps.
German Utility Moder G 89 09 306U1 discloses a formstable case with an inner upholstery for large dimensions, elongate for string instruments, in particular, for string instruments with a body and a neck such as double bass, cello, eletroguitar, or electric double bass. The upholstery surrounds the instrument, preventing its displacement during transportation. The instrument is also held with belts which surround the body in the region of its waist, primarily in the transition region between the body and the neck. The belts are formed as adjustable belts which also can have some elasticity. For retaining of bows, there are provided suspended belts which are equipped with a snap-button fastener or with hook and loop fastener.
British Patent No. 152,482 discloses a case for a violin. For securing the violin in the case, there are provided a first spring clamp surrounding the violin body and engaging the rib, and a second spring clamp for holding the neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,152 discloses a rigid case for musical instruments, in particular for saxophones, which is equipped with means for preventing shifting of the instrument. The shifting-preventing means includes flexible spring restraints enveloped by rubber tubing. Both ends of the spring restraint are secured to braces which are secured to the case floor with screws, rivets, or glue. Alternatively, the spring restraint ends can be secured directly to the case floor. Instead of a spring restraint enveloped with rubber tubing, a band of an elastic material can be used. The fixation means surrounds the instrument, saxophone, securing it to the floor. There can be provided one or more restraints. However, the attachment of the restraint to braces is relatively expensive and can lead to bending of the braces. Of course, this type of restraints cannot be used with flexible cases.
All of the above-discussed references, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,632; 4,190,152, British Patent No. 152,482, German Utility Model G 89 09 306 U1, disclose a case for musical instruments which is rigid and form stable.
An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible case for acoustic and/or electrical sound instruments with an instrument retaining system suitable for such cases and which would prevent or at least substantially minimize the risk of an instrument being damaged or even destroyed.
This is and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a case for an acoustic and/or electrical sound instrument, in particular, for a string instrument such as guitar or base-guitar, or for a keyboard, or a mixing console, and having a bottom section and a cover section hingedly connected with each other and which can be closed with an appropriate lock, and at least one retaining band securable to the bottom section for realisably securing the sound instrument to the bottom section, with the retaining band being secured to the bottom section by stitching or with the retaining band passing through a slot or similar opening formed in the bottom section.
In both cases, the retaining band can be easily secured to the bottom section made of a flexible material which permits to make the case of a flexible material in a simple manner. The present invention provides for a stable, tear-resistant attachment of the retaining belt. With such retaining band(s), falling out of the instrument is prevented if the case lock is defective or is damaged.
In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least the bottom section of the case is formed of a flexible material. However, the entire case can also be formed of the flexible material.
As a flexible material, preferably, a textile or similar material can be used for forming the case. A thick plastic film can also be used as a flexible material for forming the case. All of these materials are suitable for use with the retaining band, as they can be easily stitched therewith.
Obviously, the case can be formed as a formstable piece.
In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the case is formed in particular for receiving string instruments having a body and a neck, with the retaining band being designed for securing the neck of the instrument to the bottom section. The neck of a string instrument is particularly suitable for being encompassed with an appropriate retaining band. The neck forms a narrow part of the instrument which insures, with the neck being encompassed, a formlocking attachment. Besides, the surrounded cross-section of the neck of all string instruments is relatively small so that the retaining band can be rapidly and simply connected. The secured retaining band cannot side-slip either to the body or to the head plate. At the head plate, it is the head plate mechanism that prevents the band from side-slipping. The slide-slipping of the band in opposite direction is prevented by the body itself.
With sound instruments having no tapering, curves, etc., but having an almost regular cross-section, such as, e.g., keyboards, the side-slipping of a band-formed restraint can be prevented by appropriately deforming the bottom section.
For a reliable securing of acoustic and/or electrical sound instruments, in particular, of instruments having a rectangular shape such as e.g., as keyboards and mixing consoles, the bottom section and the restraint band so cooperate with each other that with the closed retaining band, the retained musical instrument is prevented from falling out. Thus, the bottom section can be formed as a somewhat tub-shaped element with front, rear, and side walls and which cooperates with the retaining band(s) so that falling the instrument out of the space in the tub-shaped bottom section, which is designed for receiving the instrument, is prevented. Also, the case can be adapted to the outer shape of the sound instrument.
Advantageously, there are provided two or three spaced from each other, retaining bands to more reliably secure the sound instrument and in particular, a keyboard and to prevent it from tilting or falling out from the case.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the band engages the bottom section, is secured thereto, between its opposite free ends, with the free ends being releasable connectable by appropriate connections means. In an alternative embodiment, the band(s) can have its (their) end(s) adjacent to the case, connected to the bottom section of the case, with the other end(s) being releasably connected, by an appropriate fastener. As connection means, a hook and Loop fastener, a snap-button fastener, or a buckle can be used. In an alternative embodiment of, the present invention, the band(s) is (are) releasably secured, e.g., to a looped strap or other means which defines a grid or a row of a plurality of attachment points that define different positions of the band(s) which permits to adapt the position of the band(s) to the size of the string instrument.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Case for acoustic and/or electrical instruments


An orthodontic appliance includes a telescopic assembly with an end tube and a telescopic member. A distal connector secured to the end tube at a generally distal end of the telescopic assembly. An end cap engages the distal end of the end tube. A spring is secured to the end cap and extends coaxially within the cover and the end tube. The spring is configured to impart a biasing force against the distal end of the telescopic member.

Orthodontic treatment involves the movement of malpositioned teeth to desired positions. During typical treatment, orthodontic brackets are connected to anterior, cuspid, molar, and bicuspid teeth, and an archwire is placed in a slot of each bracket. The archwire guides movement of the brackets and the corresponding teeth to desired positions to correct occlusion. Traditionally, the ends of an archwire have been anchored by appliances known as buccal tubes that are secured to molar teeth (e.g., utilizing bands). More recently, archwire ends are increasingly being secured utilizing buccal tubes bonded directly to molar teeth (e.g., free from use of buccal tubes welded to bands).
Various types of spring devices and elastomeric devices may also be used in orthodontic treatment. The resilient forces of such devices in tension or compression may be used to secure an orthodontic appliance and an interconnected tooth or teeth and correspondingly facilitate movement relative to other orthodontic appliances and an interconnected tooth or teeth. For example, elastomeric rings may be employed as ligatures to secure an archwire in a slot of a bracket. As another example, elongated elastomeric devices (e.g., a chain of interconnected elastomeric ligatures) may be stretched between selected brackets in order to move certain teeth relative to other teeth. Yet other spring devices may be specifically designed to separate adjacent teeth or to rotate a tooth about its longitudinal axis.
The orthodontic treatment of some patients includes correction of the alignment of the maxillary dental arch and the mandibular dental arch. For example, certain patients have a condition referred to as a Class II malocclusion where the lower dental arch is located an excessive distance rearward of the upper dental arch when the jaws are closed. Other patients may have an opposite condition referred to as a Class III malocclusion wherein the lower dental arch is located forward of the upper dental arch when the jaws are closed.
Orthodontic treatment of Class II and Class III malocclusions typically entails movement of the maxillary dental arch (e.g., teeth comprising the maxillary arch) and/or movement of the mandibular dental arch (e.g., teeth comprising the mandibular arch). For such purposes, an activation force is often applied to teeth of each dental arch by applying a force to brackets, archwire or attachments connected to the brackets or archwires. These orthodontic appliances promote malocclusion treatment by restraining jaw movement which results in the biological response by the jaw and facial muscles that progressively corrects the malocclusion.
Additional forces can be added to the orthodontic appliance to apply a further corrective force that accelerate treatment and provide a biasing force as the patient reaches ends of the range of motion for the orthodontic appliance, adding to patient comfort. However, current solutions in orthodontic appliances suffer from problems with breakage and disengagement between the components of the orthodontic alliance, particularly if the patient opens their mouth beyond the functional range of the appliance or if appliance components are disengaged due to an external force. Solutions to these problems reduce patient comfort by extending the appliance beyond lengths needed to carry out treatment.
Orthodontic appliances generally extend between two or more teeth in the patient's dentition to apply the corrective forces. The orthodontic appliance can be secured on or about a tooth using a variety of techniques. Each of these techniques create significant drawbacks when an orthodontist desires to add an orthodontic appliance to the treatment of a patient once the patient has already been treated with braces (e.g., an archwire and bracket and/or buccal tubes). At a minimum, the addition of the orthodontic appliance requires complete or partial removal of the archwire such as to connect the orthodontic appliance to the archwire. In other cases, the existing bracket or buccal tube must be removed and replaced in order to add a specialized bracket or buccal tube or to add a molar band on the patient's tooth before replacing the buccal tube. All of this work takes orthodontist and patient time, increases treatment cost, and is discomforting to the patient. Furthermore, if an orthodontic appliance is to be removed, replaced, or repaired, often similar steps are required at the expense of time, money, and patient comfort.


An adapter apparatus for receiving a packaged device having a plurality of contact elements disposed on a surface thereof may include a conductive elastomer interconnect. The conductive elastomer interconnect may include a carrier having a plurality of openings defined therethrough from a first side to a second side thereof (e.g., the plurality of openings being arranged to align with the plurality of contact elements of the packaged device) and conductive elastomer suspended in each of the plurality of openings to contact a contact element of a plurality of contact elements of a packaged device when positioned adjacent the second side of the carrier. Further, the adapter apparatus may include one or more adapter wall members used with the conductive elastomer interconnect to define a socket cavity adapted to receive the packaged device.

The present disclosure relates generally to electrical adapters and methods related to such adapters. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to adapters for packaged integrated circuit devices, e.g., ball grid array packages.
Certain types of integrated circuit packages are becoming increasingly popular due to their occupancy area efficiency. In other words, they occupy less area on a target board on which they are mounted while providing a high density of contact terminals. For example, one such high density package type is a ball grid array package (e.g., a micro ball grid array package). Generally, such packages contain an integrated circuit having its die bond pads electrically connected to respective conductive contact elements (e.g., spheres/balls) that are distributed on a surface of the package (e.g., the bottom surface of the package, for example, in an array).
A target printed circuit board upon which the package is to be mounted typically has formed on its surface a corresponding array of conductive pads which are aligned with the conductive contact elements of the packaged device for electrically mounting the package on the target board. The target board typically includes other conductive traces and elements which lead from the array of conductive pads used for mounting the package to other circuitry on the board for connecting various components mounted thereon. To mount such a package to a target board, for example, the package may be positioned with the contact elements thereof adjacent to the corresponding array of conductive pads on the target board and, for example, the resulting structure may be heated until solder melts and fuses the contact elements of the package to the conductive pads of the target board.
Such area efficient packaging, e.g., micro ball grid array packages, provides a high density of terminals at a very low cost. Also, this packaging provides for limited lead lengths (e.g., short leads). The limited lead lengths may reduce the risk of damage to such leads of the package, may provide for higher speed product, etc.
Generally, circuit boards and/or components mounted thereon are tested by designers as the circuit boards are being developed. For example, for a designer to test a circuit board and/or a package mounted thereon, the designer must first electrically connect the package to the target circuit board.
As described herein, this may include mounting the package on the target board and heating to fuse the contact elements of the package to the conductive pads of the target board. Therefore, the package may be prevented from being used again. It is desirable for various reasons to use package adapters for mounting the packages and reuse such packages after testing. For example, such device packages may be relatively expensive. Further, for example, once attached, the contacts may not be accessible for testing. In addition, it is often difficult to rework the circuit board with the packages soldered thereon.
Various adapters are available to electrically connect a package to a target printed circuit board without requiring that the contact elements on the package be fused to the target board. However, the high density of terminals for certain packages, e.g., micro ball grid array packages, leads to various interconnect problems for adapters being used with such packages. For example, alignment of the contact elements of the packaged device to the contact pads of the target board may be problematic when an electrical adapter is used. Further, providing effective contact with minimal adaptive structure may be difficult. Various adapters have been described for electrically connecting high density packaged devices to a target printed circuit board, such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,993 to Palaniappa et al., issued 12 Apr. 2005, entitled "Packaged Device Adapter Assembly with Alignment Structure and Methods Regarding Same," and U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,820 to Palaniappa et al., issued 28 May 2002, entitled "Packaged Device Adapter Assembly and Mounting Apparatus," describe adapter apparatus that use a conductive elastomer layer to provide electrical contact.

Adapter apparatus with suspended conductive elastomer interconnect


Aptamers are nucleic acids and similar molecules, such as peptide-nucleic acids, that specifically bind to a ligand such as a protein or peptide. The present invention provides aptamers comprising at least one base capable of base pairing and different from the standard Watson-Crick bases. The present invention also relates to a method for preparation of such aptamers and to methods for sequencing nucleic acids that comprise at least one base capable of base pairing and different from the standard Watson-Crick bases.

Aptamers are nucleic acids that specifically associate with a ligand. Aptamers can be selected in vitro by a technique known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment). SELEX is a method for optimizing nucleic acids for high-affinity to given ligands starting from random sequence libraries (Hermann T. and Patel D. J., February 2000, Science, Vol.287:820-825; Tuerk C. and Gold L., 1990, Science, Vol.249: 505).
Predominantly unstructured in solution, aptamers fold upon associating with their ligands into molecular architectures in which the ligand becomes specifically complexed with the nucleic acid. Because the evolutionary pressure on aptamer sequences during selection is directed primarily toward the binding of the ligands, the three-dimensional structures of aptamer complexes reflect highly optimized scaffolds for specific ligand recognition.
The architectures of aptamer complexes are valuable for the study of molecular recognition processes and yield a diversity of three-dimensional motifs, which recur in biologically relevant nucleic acid folds. It has been reported that small molecule RNA complexes are especially helpful for the rational exploration of RNA as a drug target. Drug design approaches for cellular RNA targets that combine structural data in RNA complexes with modelling techniques are especially promising, given the extraordinary success of molecular modelling of higher-order RNA architectures (Hermann and Patel, 2000). Nucleic acid aptamers provide unique tools in medicinal diagnosis and biotechnology and serve as therapeutics (Hermann and Patel, 2000). For example, aptamers that bind and inhibit human thrombin have been reported in Bock L. C. et al, 1992, Nature, Vol.355: 564-566.
However, there is a limitation in the use of aptamers because the structurally uniform four nucleotides are limited in possible alternative ways to pack around arbitrary ligands (Hermann and Patel, 2000).
There is therefore the need in this field of science of new solutions for the availability of aptamers which allow the selection of a highly diverse and differentiated kind of ligands.
The invention disclosed in the present application solves this problem in the art.

Method for base sequencing and biologically active nucleic acids


A method for improving time synchronization of digital data signals in receivers by using more than one known data sequence to provide a plurality of timing recovery functions and based on these, one or more optimal sampling points. By using existing data sequences in each frame, the disclosed method provides improved time synchronization without increasing transmission overhead.

In mobile telephone radio systems operating according to the time division multiple access (TDMA) principle, data is transmitted between a base station and one or more mobile stations. This data is transmitted between the various stations at a given rate, e.g., 48.6 Kbits/s. Typically, the data is sent in 40 ms frames with each frame comprising a plurality of equal duration time slots. In this manner, a mobile station will transmit or receive bursts of information which are each allotted a time slot in a frame, whereby a plurality of mobile stations can transmit or receive over a given radio channel. In order to decode the transmitted information a receiver, either in the base station or mobile station, must both deinterleave the time slots and demodulate the data therein.
However, due to the relatively short time span of each time slot and the nature of electromagnetic wave propagation in relation to a given topology, these signals are subject to time dispersion which effectively shifts the time position of the sampled signal. Since the information embedded in each time slot is located in specific fields of predetermined length, it is imperative that the receiver recognize exactly which time segment of the signal it is operating on. Thus in order for the receiver to correctly demodulate the transmitted signal, it must first synchronize the signal to obtain a reference point from which to demodulate.
Typically, this synchronization has been accomplished by including a synchronization sequence, which is known to the receiver, in the transmitted signal. At the receiver a sampled version of the received signal is correlated with the known synchronization sequence to determine where the sequence is most likely located in the sampled signal. This position is then used as the reference point for demodulating the signal.

Time synchronization of a receiver in a digital radio telephone system


A spring retainer for a poppet valve having a valve stem and a groove in the valve stem. The poppet valve is biased by a valve spring. The spring retainer includes a one-piece annular body having an opening through which the valve stem extends. The body has a spring flange encircling the body. The spring flange has a surface agains which the valve spring acts. The surface lies in a plane. The body further has members which deflect outwardly as the valve stem is inserted into the opening. The members snap into the groove to lock the retainer to the valve stem. The members include a plurality of fingers extending inwardly toward the opening and extending upwardly from the plane. Each of the fingers has an upper surface which tapers upwardly and inwardly as it extends from the spring flange and an inner surface for engaging the valve stem.

The present invention relates to a spring retainer for a poppet valve in an engine.
Poppet valves in an engine are biased into a closed position by a pre-loaded spring. The force of the preloaded spring is transferred to a valve stem of the poppet valve by a spring retainer which is locked onto the valve stem.
Spring retainers are often locked onto the valve stem via separate lock members. However, the separate lock members must be manufactured, handled and installed in addition to the manufacture handling and installation of the spring retainer. Also, spring retainers with integral locking means are known. A spring retainer with an integral locking means should be easily installed, provide sufficient locking force, and have a reasonable life.


For a traveling-wave valve arrangement with a traveling-wave valve and a linearizing circuit arrangement, it is proposed to design the linearizing circuit arrangement and the traveling-wave valve as one constructional unit and, for the thermal protection of the linearizing circuit arrangement in the simultaneous presence of a high permissible temperature of the valve housing, to maintain the circuit arrangement by means of an active cooling element at a nondamaging temperature lower than the one of the wall of the valve or of a common wall. The cooling element is preferably a Peltier element.

The invention relates to a traveling-wave valve arrangement with a traveling-wave valve and a linearizing circuit arrangement.
Traveling-wave valves are preferably employed as high-capacity amplifiers in the microwave range, and in particular in satellites. The power lost in the course of operation of such amplifier valves is dissipated as heat into the environment. When such valves are employed with satellites, the heat is dissipated into space through emission, whereby the housing of the valve is typically secured on the inner side of a heat-conducting wall section of the satellite, and the heat lost is dissipated via the housing of the valve into the wall section and emitted by the wall section. The emitting surface may become smaller as the temperature of the surface increases with no change in the emission power. A permissible minimum temperature of the housing of, for example, 100xc2x0 C. is therefore frequently required for the valves. The high component of power lost by the valve collector is partially emitted via separate radiators projecting from the satellite housing.
Traveling-wave valves exhibit a distinct phase response within the operating frequency band. For the purpose of compensating such a phase response, it is known to transmit the control signals for the valves via a linearizing circuit arrangement with a complementary phase response. The circuit arrangement is herein briefly referred to as a linearizer. The connection between the signal generator, the linearizer and the signal input of the valve is typically realized via flexible coaxial connections. This protects the circuit arrangement against damage by the high temperatures of the valve in that it is located with a spacing from the valve.
The present invention is based on the problem of proposing an advantageous traveling-wave valve arrangement with a traveling-wave valve and a linearizing circuit arrangement.
The invention results in a traveling-wave valve arrangement that is available to the user as a linearized traveling-wave valve without the previously required outside wiring while retaining high permissible temperatures of the housing at the same time. The constructional combination reduces the space requirements of the arrangement and avoids the expenditure for connections that is associated with circuit arrangements which otherwise have to be integrated in the feed line. Furthermore, the constructional combination of the linearizer with the traveling-wave valve offers the user substantially simplified handling, and offers the manufacturer the possibility of being able to offer through individual adaptation of the linearizing circuit arrangement to the individual valve a type of valve with guaranteed very good linearity. Influences deteriorating the linearity properties as a result of unfavorable installation measures at the user""s facility can be excluded to a large extent.
An important feature of the arrangement as defined by the invention is the use of an active cooling element that keeps the linearizing circuit arrangement, herein also briefly referred to as the linearizer, at a temperature lower than that of the wall of the valve. The active cooling element is characterized in that it dissipates heat from a colder surface into a warmer surface. Because of the mechanical insensitivity of the simple electrical controls and the long useful life, the active cooling element is preferably a Peltier element.
By employing an active cooling element and due to the power lost in the element, the power loss occurring in the valve arrangement that has to be discharged is in fact increased overall. However, the power loss component caused by the cooling element is low as compared to the power loss of the travelingwave valve, on the one hand, and any minor increase that may occur in the temperature of the housing of the valve due to the additional loss component is not critical, on the other hand.
The temperature of the linearizer is limited by the cooling element to a temperature not critical for the structural components of the linearizer, preferably to 60xc2x0 C. at the most. The cooling element can be employed as an active element with controllable cooling capacity in a temperature control circuit with a temperature sensor for the temperature of the linearizer, whereby the controllability of a Peltier element is again especially advantageous. The linearizing circuit arrangement may be present, for example in the form of a structure on a printed circuit motherboard with a plurality of components, or fully integrated in the form of an individual integrated circuit.
The linearizer is usually arranged in an electromagnetically screened housing in order to avoid interference caused by leakage fields especially of the traveling-wave valve. In the arrangement as defined by the invention, the housing advantageously acts as an additional radiation barrier and heat insulator against the emission of heat from the valve located in the immediate proximity, or from a common housing of the valve arrangement that may enclose also the housing of the linearizer. By designing the inwardly and/or outwardly facing surfaces of the housing for low radiation emission or radiation absorption power for heat radiation, it is possible to further reduce heating of the linearizer via this path of radiation.
The linearizer is mechanically connected with the wall of the valve or with the wall of a common housing of the valve arrangement substantially only via the cooling element, so that no or minimal solid-body heat transfer takes place from the wall to the linearizer. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housing of the linearizer is secured with a surface of the housing on the cooling surface of the cooling element, which therefore serves as the mechanical carrier that is preferably secured with its heat-radiating surface on the valve wall or on a common wall. Also, the heat-emitting surface of the cooling element can be directly joined with a heat-dissipating surface of an object such as an outside wall of a satellite.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cooling element is arranged, with at least its cooling surface, within the housing of the linearizer, and the cooling element is preferably used directly as the carrier for the linearizing circuit arrangement, in that the linearizer is mechanically secured on the cooling element, as opposed to an arrangement having a common carrier plate. This establishes good thermal contact with the linearizing circuit arrangement. The heat-emitting surface of the cooling element can then be advantageously coupled with a surface of the housing of the linearizer, and the surface can be thermally coupled with a wall of the valve or with a common wall or with a heat-dissipating surface of the object.
The linearizer is advantageously arranged near the radiation generating system and/or the signal input of the valve and far away from the collector of the valve, so that stronger radiation of heat into the linearizer due to the high temperature of the collector, as well as long signal paths from the linearizer to the signal input are avoided.


A device for removing document jamming generated at a platen roller and a contact image sensor of a facsimile comprising sensor brackets mounted to opposite ends of the contact image sensor and pivotally mounted to both sides of a main frame of the body of the facsimile, so as to pivotally move the contact image sensor, each of the sensor brackets having an operating portion, and cam members each having a cam surface being in contact with the operating portion of the corresponding sensor bracket. Each cam member pivotally moves the contact image sensor between its operation position where it is in contact with the platen roller and its document jamming removal position where it is separated from the platen roller to form a gap therebetween. An actuating lever is connected to the cam members for moving it between a first position corresponding to the operation position of the cam members and a second position corresponding to the document jamming removal position. In the device, a certain gap can be formed between the platen roller and the contact image sensor, only by the manipulation of the actuating lever disposed outside of the facsimile body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for removing document jamming generated at a transmitter of a facsimile using a contact image sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 1A, a generally used facsimile of the type using a contact image sensor (CIS) comprises a contact image sensor 1 disposed in a written document feeding path, as a transmitter and a thermal print head 2 disposed in a paper feeding path, as a receiver. The contact image sensor 1 and the thermal print head 2 are fixedly mounted to a top cover 5 pivotally mounted to the body of the facsimile and closely in contact with platen rollers 3 and 3' rotatably mounted to a main frame 4 of the facsimile body, respectively. In case that a document has been jammed at the transmitter, the cover 5 is lifted to separate the image sensor 1 from the platen roller 3, as shown in FIG. 1B, so that the pressure maintained between the image sensor 1 and the platen roller 3 is released, thereby enabling the document jamming to be removed. However, this jamming removal operation unnecessarily or undesirably results in release of the pressure at the receiver, that is the pressure maintained between the thermal print head 2 and the platen roller 3'. It is required that the contact image sensor 1 and the thermal print head 2 be closely in contact with platen rollers 3 and 3' under controlled pressure, respectively. Due to the opening of the cover plate 5, however, precise pressure control can not be accomplished.

Device for removing document jamming generated at a transmitter of a facsimile using a contact image sensor


Provided is a novel aromatic ring compound which may have a GPR40 agonist activity and a GLP-1 secretagogue action. A compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as described in the DESCRIPTION, or a salt thereof may have a GPR40 agonist activity and a GLP-1 secretagogue action, may be useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of cancer, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiac failure, diabetic complications, metabolic syndrome, sarcopenia and the like, and may afford superior efficacy.

Patent document 1 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 1.
Patent document 2 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 2.
Patent document 3 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 3.
Patent document 4 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 4.
Patent document 5 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 5.
Patent document 6 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 6.
Patent document 7 describes the following compound.
wherein each symbol is as described in patent document 7.
However, no documents specifically disclose the compound of the present application.

Substituted cyclyl-acetic acid derivatives for the treatment of metabolic disorders


A system employing a regenerable zinc-oxide based sorbent to remove one or more contaminants from an incoming gas stream. The contaminant-depleted gas stream can then be used for any subsequent application, while at least a portion of the contaminant-laden sorbent can be regenerated via a step-wise regeneration process. In one embodiment, sorbent regenerated via the step-wise regeneration process can comprise less sorbent-damaging compounds than traditional sorbents exposed to conventional regeneration processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to contaminant removal from gas streams. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a process for removing one or more contaminants from a gas stream via contact with a regenerable sorbent.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the demand for natural gas and other gas-phase fuels has increased substantially. At the same time, stricter regulations concerning allowable levels of certain components (e.g., sulfur species, acid gases, and other compounds of environmental concern) have been imposed, prompting fuel gas producers to develop economical methods of producing a compliant gas product.
One known method of treating a gas stream to remove undesirable components is to contact the gas stream with a physical or chemical solvent. Examples of chemical solvents include amines such as methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and diethanolamine (DEA). Often, the selectivity of the chemical solvents can be problematic. For example, while amines are capable of efficiently removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas streams, the amines are generally not capable of absorbing other undesirable sulfur-containing compounds, such as, for example carbonyl sulfide (COS). As a result, additional process steps (e.g., COS hydrolysis) must be carried out before the gas stream can be used as fuel. In addition to removing H2S, most amines also remove carbon dioxide, which can place unnecessary processing loads on subsequent waste gas facilities. Further, most processes utilizing chemical solvents require extensive cooling of the incoming gas stream and often use large volumes of steam to remove absorbed contaminants from the solvent, which make these processes energy-intensive. Physical solvent-based processes are also highly energy-intensive and often require high operating pressures and/or low operating temperatures.
Accordingly, a need exists for an economic process for removing contaminants from a gas stream.


An integrated circuit chip includes a substrate in which active circuits are formed, a lower layer of parallel conductors formed on the substrate, and one or more intermediate layers of insulating material on the lower-layer conductors, the intermediate layers having troughs corresponding to spaces where the lower-layer conductors are absent on the substrate and crests corresponding to spaces where the lower-layer conductors are present on the substrate. An upper layer of parallel conductors is formed on the insulative layers, the upper-layer conductors extending in a direction normal to the length of the lower-layer conductors. The upper-layer conductors have a minimum step coverage of 50%, and the lower-layer conductors have a ratio of a thickness thereof to a separation therebetween, which ratio is either equal to or greater than 0.45 or equal to or smaller than 0.25.

The present invention relates to a multilayered integrated circuit chip.
Conventional integrated circuit chips are constructed of upper and lower layers of parallel conductors between which insulative layers of silicon dioxide and silica are interposed. The conductors of the underlying layer extend in a direction normal to the length of the conductors of the upper layer and are separated at intervals according to predetermined requirements. The insulative intermediate layers are deposited over the conductors of the underlying layer so that the spaces between adjacent lower-layer conductors are completely filled by insulating material. As viewed from ends of the underlying conductors, the insulators describe an undulating curve having troughs corresponding to the spaces where underlying conductors are absent and crests corresponding to the spaces where they are present. Since the upper conductors extend in a direction normal to the length of the underlying conductors, they follow the undulating curve of the insulators, producing thinner portions corresponding to the troughs of the curve and thicker portions corresponding to the crests. The ratio of maximum film thickness to minimum film thickness, or "step coverage", of the overlying conductors is reduced to a level not satisfactory from the viewpoint of what is called the "electromigration" of the overlying conductors.

Multilayered integrated circuit chip wiring arrangement


A line conduit (10) to be cast into a structural element (12), especially a floor/ceiling and/or wall made of concrete, including an elongated housing (18) that has a holding space (25) for at least one line (16). The space is continuous in the lengthwise direction (L), and includes a fire-protection element (26) made of an intumescent material that is arranged around the inner wall of the housing (18) in the circumferential direction, whereby at least one anchoring element (34) is provided on the inner wall of the housing (18), the element being anchored inside the fire-protection element (26).

Line conduits are employed when structural elements are built using concrete or another liquid construction material so that openings in floors/ceilings or walls for lines such as, for instance, cables or pipes can be kept free in the structural elements or else can be integrated in them. The line conduits are positioned in a mold (formwork) into which the liquid construction material is filled, and they keep the desired opening in the structural element free while the construction material is being filled in.
The line conduits can also be removed once the construction material has hardened. However, they are often left in the wall and additional elements, for example, seals or fire-protection elements, are arranged in them so that the wall or floor/ceiling can be closed in case of a fire. The fire-protection element can be made of an intumescent material whose volume expands under exposure to heat, thus closing the wall opening.
The fire-protection element can be positioned in such a way that, once the wall or floor/ceiling is finished, it is situated on the surface of the structural element. As a result, the presence of heat will quickly heat up and activate the intumescent material.
This is particularly advantageous for a floor/ceiling opening. Plastic tubes that pass through such a floor/ceiling soften very quickly upon exposure to heat, forming a drop-shaped constriction below the insulating fire-protection element. The remaining, soft plastic tube is compressed and sealed off by the expanding fire-protection element. The tube that remains below the fire-protection element continues to melt or drops off due to gravity, while the fire-protection element, which continues to expand, is pressed into the section that remains in the line conduit.
This creates a stable bond between the remaining line section and the intumescent material. This entails the advantage that the fire-protection element is affixed and stabilized in the line conduit by the line section. Therefore, after the conduit has been heated up and sealed, there is sufficient stability to withstand, for example, a jet of water that is aimed directly at the fire-protection element.
In order to achieve a smooth wall finish, the fire-protection element is often arranged not on but rather in the opening in the wall or the floor/ceiling, so that the fire-protection element does not project beyond the surface of the structural element. This has the advantage that such a fire-protection element can be cast into the structural element while it is being made.


The flexible printed wiring board according to the present invention includes a first flexible insulating layer, a first conductor wiring laminated on the first insulating layer, a second single-layered insulating layer laminated on the first insulating layer, as it covers the first conductor wiring, and a second conductor wiring laminated on the second insulating layer. The first conductor wiring has a thickness in the range of 10 to 30 μm, a line width in the range of 50 μm to 1 mm, and a line gap in the range of 50 μm to 1 mm. The thickness from the surface of the first conductor wiring to the surface of the second insulating layer is in the range of 5 to 30 μm. The surface waviness of the part of the second insulating layer covering the first conductor wiring is 10 μm or less.

Many flexible printed wiring boards have been used in small-low-profile electronic devices and flat electronic devices. Recently, further increase of the demand for increase in density and decrease in size of electronic devices lead to increased need for lamination of flexible printed wiring boards while requirements for flexible printed wiring boards increase in quality and cost.
For production of a laminated flexible printed wiring board, it is needed to laminate a core material having an insulating layer (first insulating layer), a polyimide film or the like and a conductor wiring (first conductor wiring), an insulating layer (second insulating layer), and a conductor wiring (second conductor wiring). The second insulating layer and the second conductor wiring can be formed for example by a method of using a metal foil-bonded resin sheet (see Patent Document 1).
The metal foil-bonded resin sheet has a structure consisting of a metal foil and a resin layer in a half-hard condition that are laminated to each other. The resin layer of the metal foil-bonded resin sheet is placed on a core material and the metal foil-bonded resin sheet and the core material are heated under pressure in the state. It leads to fluidization of the resin layer, filling the resin layer in the space between the first conductor wirings and also the resin layer hardens thermally, forming the second insulating layer. During the pressure molding under heat, an elastic cushioning material is placed on the metal foil-bonded resin sheet so that the resin layer easily moves when fluidized, and the metal foil-bonded resin sheet and the core material are pressurized through the cushioning material. The metal foil is then subjected, for example, to etching treatment, to form the second conductor wirings.
Under recent increasing need for further increase in density of flexible printed wiring boards, it is desired that finer conductor wirings and finer components are mounted on a multi-layer flexible printed wiring board.

Flexible printed wiring board and laminate for production of flexible printed wiring board

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A system is described which utilizes a novel system of repressor titration for maintenance of a plasmid useful in gene therapy and production of a recombinant protein. The system utilizes a transformed host cell containing a plasmid including an operator susceptible to binding by a repressor expressed in trans, a first chromosomal gene encoding the repressor, and a second chromosomal gene that is functionally associated with an operator and essential for cell growth, wherein the plasmid is present in the cell in sufficient numbers to titrate the repressor such that the essential gene is expressed, thereby permitting cell growth.

The stable maintenance of a plasmid, particularly at high copy number, is important for the preparation of DNA carrying a therapeutic gene for use in gene therapy. However, extrachromosomal DNA carried in host cells is inherently unstable in cell culture because cultured cells which contain plasmids usually have an increased metabolic burden compared to plasmid-free segregant cells. In efforts to maintain plasmid stability and decrease metabolic burden, plasmids engineered to contain dominant selectable markers have been routinely used. During scale-up fermentation of bacterial or yeast host strains, the presence of the selecting agent prevents plasmid loss and overgrowth by cells not burdened by the effort of replication and maintenance of plasnid DNA.
Antibiotic resistance genes, for example encoding resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin, kanamycin or tetracycline, are the most common dominant selectable markers used in molecular biology cloning and fermentation procedures for the production of recombinant proteins or plasmid DNA. For continuous fermentation in the presence of an antibiotic, selective pressure is lost because the antibiotic loses activity over time due to culture dilution or degradation by the host cell. Therefore, some of the more successful methods for maintaining plasmids do not utilize antibiotic selection but rather rely on a mutant host which is unable to synthesize an amino acid and inserting the gene which provides for this synthesis in the plasmid. Other solutions which prevent the takeover of a culture by plasmid-free segregant involve placing a gene coding for a toxic product in the chromosome and then including a corresponding repressor system in the plasmid. Plasmid-free cells are effectively killed upon segregation. Even with selective pressure, however, plasmid-free cells may continue to grow due to leakage of the complementing product of the selective gene from plasmid-bearing cells. In addition, the use of genes for antibiotic resistance or other dominant selectable markers on vectors intended for gene therapy has raised potential problems related to expression of those genes in the target mammalian cell or host mammalian organism. Expression of the those genes in the target mammalian cell may lead to its destruction and/or to an antigenic response to the gene product in the mammal. There are also concerns regarding contamination of the final product with the antibiotic used for plasmid selection in culture, with the potential induction of a severe immune response to the antibiotic, e.g., anaphylactic shock. The wide-spread use of bacterial genes for antibiotic resistance also will ultimately result in their transfer to the bacterial population as a whole. There is, therefore, a need for a method of plasmid maintenance that does not require the presence of plasmid borne genes or antibiotic selection.


A Paintball Gun of the "cocking type" is provided wherein the cocking pin is covered by a sight rail cover which doubles as an aiming sight or as a platform for a scope. The cocking pin is retracted by use of a cocking link which is slidably disposed within the sight rail cover.

Paintball guns which pneumatically project a round projectile containing a gelatinous colored material have become enormously popular within the last fifteen years.
Most paintball guns presently sold on the market operate by providing a short burst of compressed gas behind a paintball in the gun's paint ball chamber (firing chamber) using a compressed gas valve which is opened by an impact device known as a "striker." When the trigger is pulled, the striker impacts an impact opener on the compressed gas valve, thereby causing the valve to open briefly and release a short burst of compressed gas into the paint ball chamber. The striker can be operated by purely mechanical means, for example by use of a coil spring, or by pneumatic means whereby the striker is energized by a portion of the compressed gas.
In almost all paintball guns of this type, operation of the gun is initiated by "cocking" the striker by use of a manual cocking pin. The cocking pin draws the striker away from the impact opener on the compressed gas valve against the biasing pressure of a coil spring and the cocking pin and/or striker is latched in that position, ready for activating the firing mechanism. When the trigger is pulled, the latching mechanism is released, allowing the striker to impact the impact opener on the compressed gas. This causes the valve to release a burst of compressed gas into the paint ball chamber, thereby propelling a first paintball down the barrel of the gun. The striker is then retracted to the cocking position, either manually (by again use of the cocking pin) or pneumatically (by use of a portion of the compressed gas).
The cocking pin is generally disposed in an elongated slot in the body of the gun. This slot is generally open to the air. Several problems arise from this configuration. First, the exposed slot allows dirt and grime to enter the body of the gun. This is an important problem because most paintball gun tournaments are conducted outdoors. Second, the exposed cocking pin can easily be inadvertently bumped or jarred, thereby causing the gun to misfire.
Accordingly, there is a need for a paintball gun which simply and inexpensively eliminates these problems associated with the exposed cocking pin and slot.


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate. The TFT array substrate is of a top-gate structure. The method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor array substrate applies three times of masking operation to manufacture the TFT array substrate, wherein IGZO is used to manufacture a TFT of the TFT array substrate so as to greatly increase the charging speed of the TFT with respect to a pixel electrode, improve the response speed of the pixel, and achieve a relatively high refresh rate. Further, the fast response also help improving row scanning rate of pixels to make it possible to achieve ultra-high definition of a TFT LCD. Further, the manufacturing method applies only three times of masking operation so as to significantly reduce the manufacturing steps, shortening the manufacturing time, effectively lowering down the manufacturing cost, and increasing throughput.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of manufacture of liquid crystal displays, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate with three masking operations.
2. the Related Arts
Nowadays, technology and science have been in prosperous development and progress and information devices are constantly innovated to suit the need of the public. The early displays were mostly cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, which is of a bulky size and a great power consumption and also generates radiations that are dangerous to human body for user operating for a long while. Thus, the displays that are currently available in the market are liquid crystal displays in substitution of the CRT displays.
Liquid crystal displays have a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and are thus of wide applications. Most of the liquid crystal displays that are currently available in the market are backlighting liquid crystal displays, which comprise a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module. The operation principle of a liquid crystal panel is that liquid crystal molecules are interposed between two parallel glass substrates and a driving voltage is applied to the two glass substrates to control rotation direction of the liquid crystal molecules in order to refract out light emitting from the backlight module for generating images. Since the liquid crystal panel itself does not emit light, light must be provided from the backlight module in order to normally display images. Thus, the backlight module is one of the key components of a liquid crystal display.
The two parallel glass substrates of the liquid crystal panel are respectively a TFT array substrate and a color filter (CF) substrate. The TFT array substrate comprises: a substrate; gate lines, gate terminals, gate insulation layers, semiconductor active layers, data lines, source terminals, drain terminals, and protective layers formed on the data lines, source terminals, and drain terminals and pixel electrodes formed on the protective layers, wherein the gate terminals, the source terminals, the drain terminals, and the semiconductor active layers constitute thin-film transistors. In the state of the art, the TFT is an amorphous silicon thin-film transistor or a low temperature poly-silicon thin-film transistor. An amorphous silicon TFT display array requires only 3-5 photolithographic masking operations, and this leads to low cost and high competition power. A low temperature poly-silicon TFT display array usually needs 8-9 photolithographic masking operations, making the cost relatively high.
Oxide semiconductor IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) has a carrier mobility that is about 20-30 times of that of amorphous silicone and may greatly increase the charging/discharging speed of a TFT with respect to a pixel electrode thereby improving the response speed of the pixel electrode to achieve increased refreshing rate. Further, the increased response speed also increases, to quite a great extent, row scanning rate of pixels, making it possible to achieve ultra-high definition in a thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD). Further, since the number of TFTs is reduced and light transmittal of the pixel is enhanced, the IGZO LCD shows high level of performance and increased efficiency. The oxide semiconductor IGZO can be manufactured with an existing amorphous silicon manufacturing line, with just minor modification. This makes it more competitive than low temperature poly-silicon in respect of cost.
However, the manufacture of a TFT with oxide semiconductor IGZO adopts a manufacturing process that requires 6 masking operations so that manufacturing efficiency is low and the manufacturing cost is high.

Method for manufacturing thin-film transistor array substrate

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


In one embodiment, the present invention includes a computer-implemented method for receiving information regarding a vehicle involved in an accident, determining availability of event data recorder (EDR) data from the vehicle based on the information, and if the EDR data is available, assigning a level of suitability for data collection from the EDR based at least in part on a type of the EDR and information regarding the accident.

Organizations such as insurance companies and others have the task of investigating auto accidents to resolve property and injury claims. Some vehicles involved in accidents will have data from an event data recorder (EDR), also known as a "black box". While black box data may be useful in determining the circumstances surrounding a vehicle accident, it can be a costly and time consuming process to obtain such data and analyze the same. For example, an investigator, claims adjuster, insurance company or other entity may need to travel to a vehicle-site to obtain the data. Even if data is obtained, its use may not be suitable for certain purposes. Insurance companies and others need to appropriately allocate resources in the investigation of accidents, and accordingly, the appropriateness of black box data in evaluating an accident may or not be justified based on a wide variety of circumstances.

Method and apparatus for obtaining and using event data recorder triage data


A hot runner system for an injection molding machine capable of increasing durability of the nozzle includes a manifold having a resin injecting hole extending therethrough in its inner portion, a nozzle having a piston guide bushing formed at its upper end inserted into the nozzle seated groove of the manifold, a manifold guide bushing for surrounding and threadedly engaging with an upper portion of the piston guide bushing of the nozzle, and a fastening bushing for receiving an outer surface of the manifold guide bushing and threadedly engaging with an inner circumferential surface defining the nozzle seated groove of the manifold so that the manifold guide bushing is fastened by the fastening bushing to the inner circumferential surface defining the nozzle seated groove of the manifold.

Generally, a Hot Runner System refers to a system for injecting melted resin into the inside of an injection mold under high pressure while maintaining the melted resin at high temperature on injecting the melted resin into the injection mold.
This hot runner system has been researched and developed constantly for reducing the wasted resin in manufacturing a plastic injection product. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the typical hot runner systems are implemented inside a mold in which a plurality of flat plates, i.e., a clamping plate 1, a space plate 2, a holding plate 3, and a cavity plate 4 in this order from the upper side are laminated.
A hot runner system 10 comprises a manifold 15 for dividing and supplying melted resin into several desired sites, a nozzle 20 fluidly connected to the manifold 15, and a cylinder 25 for injecting the melted resin by opening/closing the nozzle 20.
The manifold 15 is implemented inside the space plate 2 and maintains the melted resin supplied from an injection molding machine at high temperature by the heater (not shown).
Inside the manifold 15 are formed a plurality of resin traveling passages 16 like a grid type and a plurality of resin injecting holes 17 fluidly connected to the resin traveling passages 16.
The position in which the resin injecting hole 17 is formed on the manifold 15 depends on the volume and injection conditions etc., of the injection molding machine as implemented.
On the resin injecting hole 17 is firmly mounted a nozzle 20 for injecting the melted resin into the inside of the injection mold.
The nozzle 20 not only serves to keep the temperature of the melted resin so that the melted resin traveled through the manifold 15 is not solidified, but also serves to dispense the melted resin into the injection mold from the passage.
The distal end of the nozzle 20 is fixed to the surface of the mold, When the melted resin is dispensed through the nozzle 20, an amount by which the resin is dispensed into the mold is adjusted by raising/lowering actions of the piston 26 provided within the cylinder 25.
Then, the raising/lowering actions of the piston 26 are possibly performed by air pressure or fluid pressure supplied into the cylinder, and the amount of the dispensed resin from the nozzle 20 depends on for example the distance the piston travels.
However, the typical hot runner system 10 described above has a problem that a fracture on the nozzle 20 will be taken place in part or totally due to unbalance of force applied to the axial direction of the nozzle 20 and a bending stress applied to the nozzle 20 while the manifold 15 is thermally expanded on injecting melted resin into the mold, because an upper portion of the nozzle 20 is firmly fixed to the manifold 15 and a lower portion of the nozzle 20 is fixed to the surface of the mold to inject the melted resin into the inside of the mold using the typical hot runner system 10.
That is to say, there is a problem on the typical hot runner system that a split or fracture on the contact area will be taken place due to a bending stress applied to the nozzle 20 because the balance of force applied from a vertical direction of the nozzle 20 is changed into a horizontal direction of the nozzle 20 when the manifold 15 is thermally expanded by heating of the heater.

Hot runner system for injection molding machine


Various methods for server-side recordation and playback of a remote desktop session are provided. One example method may comprise receiving data related to a remote desktop protocol session. The method of this example embodiment may further comprise providing for storage of the data at a location other than the device associated with the remote desktop protocol client of the remote desktop protocol session. Furthermore, the method of this example embodiment may comprise receiving a request to reproduce the remote desktop protocol session. The method of this example embodiment may also comprise retrieving the data from storage. Additionally, the method of this example embodiment may comprise facilitating reproduction of at least a portion of the remote desktop protocol session based at least in part on the retrieved data. Similar and related example methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products are also provided.

The computing industry, over time, has experienced a rapid growth and evolution. Not only have technological advancements led to new models of computing devices, but they have also led to developments in the systems and networks in which the computing devices operate and interact. Each new model of computing device, from mainframes and supercomputers to personal computers and mobile devices, has brought its own share of advantages as well as challenges.
Over the past several decades, computing has been transitioning from distributed systems (e.g. mainframes) to decentralized systems (e.g. personal computers). While the new decentralized, client-oriented personal computer model provided enhanced flexibility and convenience to users, it also resulted in inefficient usage of resources and unnecessary additional costs. For example, each personal computer required the processing power and storage capacity necessary for maximum, rather than typical, loads. As a result, the recent trend in computing has been to a centralized model where applications and data can be centrally managed, stored, and provisioned for the purpose of reducing costs and improving security and efficiency.
One emerging model, known as "the cloud," relies on the delivery of computing resources via a computer network. Services provided by the cloud may range from individual applications to the full functionality of an operating system. To facilitate delivery of these cloud services, some systems may rely at least partially on remote access technologies, such as remote desktop protocol (RDP). RDP allows a user to view and control a remotely running desktop or application over a network connection. Allowing remote control of remote desktops, applications, and even file systems, however, may expose the server to additional security risks and unauthorized access. In addition, errors or inefficiencies may arise from the actions of a user of an RDP service that could be corrected or improved with analysis from the server.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a computing system that allows monitoring of an RDP session by the server so as to prevent or mitigate issues caused by security threats, errors, or inefficiencies arising from the RDP client.

Method and apparatus for server side remote desktop recordation and playback


A method, system and computer program for automatic, highly accurate machine scans of unstructured text data sources, like information kept or displayed in Web browsers, WORD, POWERPOINT, EXCEL, PDF, and other documents, with the ability to detect, isolate and extract specific text information from unknown and varying locations within the unstructured text data. The system uses multiple human-vision-like but electronic scans of the unstructured data using artificial intelligence techniques to locate, and extract required information despite varying conditions, like unknown number of pages, unknown sequence of pages, unknown data layouts and data arrangements, unknown number, lengths and indentations of sections/paragraphs, and in case of tabular data, unknown number of rows and column sequences in the unstructured text data source.

Since the 1980s, rapid hardware and software advances have made it possible to process massive amounts of data. However, these advances work well only when processing "well-described" or "well-structured" data.
However, vast amounts of text data are "unstructured," i.e., they have unknown data layouts. For example, emails, social media posts, blogs, Web pages showing Web search results, Web pages showing stock market information, financial report PDFs, scientific research paper PDFs, medical test results and so forth, have their contents sequenced and positioned randomly as desired by their author/publisher, without any standardized layout. These unstructured text data sources, i.e., practically all Web pages and documents meant for viewing by individuals, contain valuable information, but they require a person to manually view the data source to search and visually isolate the desired information to benefit from it.
For purposes of discussion, the terms "unstructured text data," "unstructured data" and "unknown-layout data" as used herein, will have the same meaning and be used interchangeably.
For purposes of discussion, the term "word," will include any text, word, term, expression, name, phrase, symbol, figure, character, mark, numeric sequence, alphanumeric sequence, and/or the like.
Conventional computers designed for structured text data processing (i.e., processing of data defined precisely by other metadata, for example, Extensible Markup Language (hereinafter referred to as "XML"), JavaScript Object Notation (hereinafter referred to as "JSON"), Electronic data interchange (hereinafter referred to as "EDI") and relational databases) may not handle the unknown data layouts of unstructured data because these layouts lack predictable and reliable locations, sequences, technical descriptors and/or metadata. Current software advances like machine learning (hereinafter referred to as "ML") and robotic process automation (hereinafter referred to as "RPA") may be taught examples of specific unstructured text data layouts, such as layouts of specific Web sites and specific document layouts containing information-of-interest at predictable locations, or standardized data sequences, or reliable technical descriptors within the data source (for example, fixed HTML tag ids, names or paths, or a cell at a known row-column intersection in an EXCEL worksheet). These examples are then used as "templates" for future automatic processing of these specific expected data layouts. However, any unexpected variation in the unstructured data that does not match a previously defined example template results in an error.
These ML and RPA tools lack the ability of dynamically finding and extracting information-of-interest from unknown-layout data sources. As an example, these tools are incapable of extracting, for example, "Capital Assets" for "Fiscal Year 2018" from multiple balance sheet financial statement PDFs (for example, as shown in FIG. 1), because every balance sheet document may have unknown number of pages, unknown start and end of the "Assets" section within the document (there may or may not be fax cover sheets, auditor opinion pages before the "Assets" section starts in the document), unknown number of detailed accounting ledger lines on every page and unknown number of financial years shown as columns on every page, with "Fiscal Year 2018" potentially being in any of the columns. The actual location of "Capital Assets" for "Fiscal Year 2018" in a future balance sheet document is thus impossible to predict, making the "pre-taught examples" approach completely useless. It should be noted that the location on the example page for "ABC Inc.—Fiscal Year 2018, Capital Assets" amount of $3,000 does not match the location on the other example page for "XYZ Inc.—FY 2018, Assets-Capital" amount of $5,000.
While it is possible to extract raw text data out of these unknown format documents using standard programming techniques, with the hope of parsing this raw text to precisely find the information-of-interest, many times the extracted raw data is completely out of order, making parsing impossible (for example, see FIG. 2 for an example of a PDF file whose raw text data has been extracted out of order).
These current unstructured data isolation and extraction computing capability gaps in ML and RPA are not a computing speed or processing power issue, but rather an approach and design limitation.
Many companies throughout the world continue significant efforts to improve processing of unstructured text data, but all of them rely on some form of ML, requiring time-consuming "system training" steps using examples/templates. They still have the flaw that any unexpected text layout variation that falls outside the set of prior-known examples will cause an error. Currently, no commercial software claims to use human-vision-like scanning of unknown-layout text data to detect, isolate and extract information-of-interest, without needing prior examples.
Considering that unstructured data is growing, and will grow much faster than structured data, there exists a need for an automated electronic mechanism that may search for, detect, isolate, extract and update information-of-interest from unknown layout data sources is and will be highly useful in avoiding slow, error-prone, expensive manual steps required today to benefit from the information contained in the unstructured text data sources.

Method and system for human-vision-like scans of unstructured text data to detect information-of-interest