A water sport training device is disclosed comprising, in one embodiment, a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion. A relatively rigid platform is positioned within the raft and configured to provide a stable surface for the person during use of the device. A tow rope attachment means is secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water, the attachment means comprising at least one tow rope attachment point located on the nose portion of the raft, below a nose portion mid-plane. The device is configured such that a back half of the device has a center buoyancy sufficient for providing a stable surface to support the weight of a person while floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of this invention relate generally to water sports, and more particularly to a water sport training device.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Water sport training devices are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,344 to Notermann on Jul. 17, 1984 teaches such a device. Such devices are designed to make the sport of water skiing easier to learn and enjoy for water skiers. However, despite the development of many approaches to water sport training, these approaches often have significant drawbacks.
A major challenge in water skiing is keeping the two skis close together in a parallel position. One solution to this problem is to connect the two skis at a fixed distance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,344 to Notermann on Jul. 17, 1984 teaches such a device with a pair of skis connected together.
Another approach is to use a one piece U-shaped device that simulates the experience of two separate skis. Both U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,805 to Roudebush on Jul. 8, 1958 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,664 to Thompson on Sep. 5, 1969 teach such a U-shaped water ski device. These devices can require starting from the shore or from very shallow water which can be very dangerous for beginning skiers. In many lakes and streams it is against the law to start from the shore.
All of these devices provide solutions to the problem of keeping skis parallel and close together. However, similar to water skis, these hybrid devices require a relatively high minimum speed to prevent the rider from sinking. Before water planing occurs, the force of the water against the skis creates a substantial amount of resistance and requires considerable leg strength and balance in order to initiate planing. Therefore, a device is needed that makes it easier to stand in an upright position on the device before planing is initiated and not requiring the skier to start from shallow water or dry land.
One approach to make the transition from a non-moving position to a standing moving position is to provide a seat for the skier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,728 to Simpson on Aug. 19, 1986 teaches an inflatable seat as a water ski aid, wherein the inflatable seat does not travel with the ski, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,572 to Andes on Sep. 12, 1989 teaches an attached support seat for a ski but does not have an inflatable buoyant rider support. Standing on the skis is easier starting from a seated position above the water. Despite the benefit of providing a seat, neither of these devices provide any alternative solution, other than a curved front lip, to the problem of the front of the ski submerging under the water when being towed. Therefore a device is needed that reduces the tendency of a towed object being pulled underwater.
As mentioned, another challenge in water-skiing is keeping the nose of the ski from diving under the water. This is also true for water sport devices that can be towed without a person on the device. Such devices are usually designed with the front edge extending upwards to avoid the front diving into the water. U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,932 to Murphy on May 14, 2002 teaches a hydrofoil water sport device that uses inflatable pontoons on each side of the hydrofoil, in addition to having a front edge extending upwards. The inflatable pontoons give the hydrofoil device additional buoyancy that reduces the tendency of the device to dive into the water when being towed. The pontoons must be enlarged in such a device to achieve sufficient buoyancy. However, despite features to reduce dive tendency of a device when towed without a rider, the Murphy device teaches and requires a user to manually hold the tow rope attached directly to the boat. As such, the device cannot be towed without a rider or when capsized. The device does not have an inflatable or substantially buoyant center seat which is preferable to support and stabilize the rider and allow the device to be towed by the boat. With the tow rope in the skier's hands, the skier will feel the full force of the boat pulling the tow rope, which requires a great deal of upper body strength and coordination to hold on. Therefore a water-skiing training device is needed that does not require the skier to directly hold the tow rope being pulled by the boat, while it also provides for a reduced tendency to dive when the device is either upright or capsized.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,000 to Parten et al. on Oct. 23, 2001 teaches the use of a training platform designed to be attached to the boat. This towing system attempts to reduce the breakage that is inherent from the present tow systems which attach the tow rope to the water planing devices. However, breakage is not significantly reduced with such a device because the tow system does not substantially reduce the diving inherent from ski platforms and because the tow rope is attached directly to the training platform, creating stress points on the platform. Therefore, a water-skiing training device is needed that provides for reduced diving tendency when being towed and that provides a more efficient attachment means that does not attach directly to the training platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,773 to Churchill on Feb. 3, 1998 teaches an inflatable water sport device with seat and handles not attached directly to the main tow rope. The problem of direct force on the rider from the tow rope is alleviated by connecting the tow rope to the front of the vehicle and having two handles attached to the front of the device for the rider to hold for stability without requiring a great deal of upper body strength. However, because of the fixed location of the handles of the Churchill device, no adjustment can be made for the height of the rider as the rider moves from a seated position to a standing position. Also the device does not provide for a rigid or semi-rigid floor upon which a skier may stand because the device is only an inflatable and does not provide the stability necessary for standing. Therefore a water-skiing training device is needed that provides a handle that can adjust with the skier as the skier stands, and a rigid or semi-rigid floor, as well as a bottom planing surface area that replicates the parallel position of water skis. It would be desirable to provide an inflatable water ski training device that is capable of planing at low speeds and maintaining structural rigidity to allow for low speed towing. It would also be desirable to provide an inflatable water ski training device that is capable of being towed when in either an upright or capsized position.
As the prior art shows, a variety of water sport training devices already exists. A popular training device is the one-piece U-shaped ski. Even though the U-shaped ski can be difficult to use for young and new skiers and may require shore starts and assistance to hold the skier above water, this device is a good intermediate training device before attempting to ski on traditional water skis. However, it can become expensive to buy multiple water sport training devices. Preferably, a needed training device would use the popular U-shaped platform, while also accommodating the needs of more advanced skiers. Therefore a water sport training device is needed that can incorporate a wide variety of existing water sport training platform shapes.
Thus, there is a need for a water sport training device that solves the problem of keeping skis together in a parallel position as well as provide a seat to make it easier to stand in an upright position on the device. The needed invention would provide beginners the advantage of starting from a dry out-of-the-water seated position. The needed invention would also include inflatable stability bladders to reduce the tendency of a towed object being pulled underwater while either upright or capsized. Such a needed device would further avoid having the skier directly hold the tow rope being pulled by the boat, but still provide a handle that can adjust with the skier as the skier stands. Additionally, the needed invention may incorporate existing water sport training platform shapes made of wood or other materials. The needed invention would further provide the stability from the combined inflatable bladder with the rigid or semi-rigid platform necessary to train water skiers in basic maneuvers.
Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.


The present invention provides a display panel including: a first input terminal group in which input terminals are disposed at intervals along first long side of a rectangular driver IC facing a panel end portion; a second input terminal group in which input terminals are disposed at intervals along the second long side of the driver IC facing a display section; a first wiring group connected to the first input terminal group, that extends under the first short side of the driver IC and extends out from between the driver IC and the panel body; and a second wiring group connected to the second input terminal group, that passes under the second long side of the driver IC and extends out from between the driver IC and the panel body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional display panel that has narrowed frame by not providing groups of wirings including transparent electrodes provided between a panel end portion of a panel body and a driver IC for driving a display unit, so as to reduce an interval defined between the panel end portion and the driver IC, has been known.
Input terminals of the driver IC are normally disposed along a first short side of the driver IC. However, when the number of input terminals is large, and the input terminals cannot be disposed along the first short side, the input terminals may be disposed along the first long side of the driver IC.
In such case, when the above method for aligning the input terminals is adopted, the number of input terminals which can be disposed along the first short side of the driver IC depends upon an interval defined between the input terminals. Therefore, the area of the driver IC becomes greater to an increase in number of input terminals.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (JP-A) No. 10-214858 discloses the configuration in which plural input terminals of a semiconductor chip are disposed along first long side of the semiconductor chip, and along the second long side of the semiconductor chip.
However, in the configuration disclosed in JP-A No. 10-214858, wirings are drawn from both of the long sides of the semiconductor chip outward of the driver IC. Therefore, the above configuration cannot be applied to a display panel that has no wiring interposed between a panel end portion and the driver IC.


A search engine is described herein for providing search results based on a context in which a query has been submitted, as expressed by context information. The search engine operates by ranking a plurality of documents based on a consideration of the query, and based, in part, on a context concept vector and a plurality of document concept vectors, both generated using a deep learning model (such as a deep neural network). The context concept vector is formed by a projection of the context information into a semantic space using the deep learning model. Each document concept vector is formed by a projection of document information, associated with a particular document, into the same semantic space using the deep learning model. The ranking operates by favoring documents that are relevant to the context within the semantic space, and disfavoring documents that are not relevant to the context.

A search engine may use a ranking algorithm to rank the relevance of documents with respect to a query input by a user. In many cases, the ranking algorithm provides results which strongly conform to previous search-related behavior by users. For example, consider the illustrative scenario in which a user inputs the search term, "Michael Jordon." The ranking algorithm may provide ranking results that emphasize those documents containing the name of the well-known basketball player, Michael Jordon. This result reflects the fact that the overwhelming majority of users who input the search term "Michael Jordon" are interested in accessing documents pertaining to the basketball player, Michael Jordon. Yet some users who input the name "Michael Jordon" may be interested in exploring other topics of interest, such as work performed by an architect named Michael Jordon. In those scenarios, the search engine may provide users with poor user experience, as the results will contain many documents that are irrelevant in view of the user's actual search intent.

Context-sensitive search using a deep learning model


To manufacture a multi-core press-coated molded product efficiently and in a single step from molding materials, namely, powder or granular particles, a punch has been devised that is characterized in that the punch, consists of a center punch whose tip portion is split into two or more parts, and an outer punch enclosing the outer perimeter of the center punch, and whose tip portion fills the gap at the tip portion of the center punch, with both the center and outer punches being slidable and manipulatable for compression operation the method of manufacturing a multi-core press-coated molded product using the punch of the invention as compression molding means for at least the upper punch and preferably for both the upper and lower punches, and a rotary compression molding machine therefore is also discribed. This has led to the successful manufacture of a multi-core press-coated molded product in which a plurality of cores are arranged horizontally relative to the pressure applied surface of the molded product and further located at specific positions. When provided with a score line, the multi-core press-coated molded product can be made into a dividable molded product.

Rotary compression molding machines called rotary tabletting machines are often used to manufacture molded products by compressing a powder or granular particles in the fields of pharmaceuticals, foods, electronic components and so on. Among such molded products, those which have a core inside are used in the field of drugs and are called press-coated tablets due to the fact that a powder or granular particles serving as an outer layer is compression-molded outside a core tablet (center tablet).

Method for producing multi-cored molded article


A flow cytometer measures fluorescence lifetimes by the phase shift of a reference signal and an emission from a fluorescent particle or cell in a flow chamber in order to identify the particle or cell. An acoustic optic modulator modulates laser light with a sinusoidal wave of a predetermined frequency to excite particles or cells. Detectors respond to emissions of individual particles or cells in the form of an output signal pulse at the predetermined frequency. Signals representative of fluorescence emitted and reference beam signals is measured. The particle is identified by the phase shift.

In a flow cytometer, cells or particles tagged with markers or dyes are passed through a light beam at relatively high speed. Typically the identity of the cells or particles is determined by measuring the intensity of fluorescent emissions produced by the cells or particles or the intensity of the light scattered by the cells or particles. However, intensity measurements alone may not be adequate to identify particles. For example, the resolution of multiple signals with similar emission spectra and similar intensities, suppression of a single emitted signal from multiple signals of similar intensities, and normalization of intensity varying signals with the same or different fluorescent lifetimes are not possible using intensity measurements alone. In general, fluorescent lifetime or phase shift cannot readily be measured by intensity measurements alone.
Fluorescently tagged particles may have multiple fluorescent tags, some having similar emission spectra. Previously the only way to separate these signals with similar emissions was through differences in intensities between light emitted by cells of different types when illuminated. If the signals had similar intensities then the multiple signals could not be resolved. In contrast, the present invention allows such signals to be resolved even if they have different lifetimes and the same or different intensities.
Fluorescent lifetime is associated with the radiative transition from a fluorescent agent's excited state to its relaxed state. The excited state is dependent on the nature of the fluorescent agent. The fluorescent agent (fluorochrome) is chosen to be, or is a natural property of, the cell or particle under observation. The lifetime of the fluorescent agent may be determined by phase sensitive or modulation sensitive techniques.
The fluorescent lifetime of a cell, .tau., is dependent on the phase shift of the fluorescent emission relative to a reference signal as follows: EQU .tau.=1/.omega.(Tan.theta.)
where
.omega.=2 .pi.f, f=frequency of the excitation beam
.theta.=phase angle (shift) between the fluorescent emission and the excitation beam
The fluorescent lifetime may also be determined from the depth of modulation factor m. EQU .tau.=1/.omega.(1/m.sup.2 -1).sup.178
Fluorescent lifetime may thus be resolved through the measurement of the phase shift ".theta." between the fluorescent emission and the excitation light beam. The measured signal may include multiple lifetime signals, and therefore multiple phase signals.
While the detection of phase shift between signals is known, an apparatus and method for determination of phase fluorescence in a high speed and therefore dynamic system is not well known. Determination of the phase shift between a modulated wave and the modulated emission from the cell or particle in a flow cytometer is problematic because of the high speed at which each cell or particle passes through the flow chamber and the widely varying intensity of the signal resulting from emissions of fluorescence.
Since the phase measurement is a relative measurement, the choice of the reference from which the measurement is taken is important.
In order to obtain a reference against which the phase measurement may be taken, the intensity of the excitation light beam is modulated. An acoustic optic modulator is used to modulate the illuminating light beam. The acoustic optic modulator may be a traveling wave modulator or a standing wave modulator. It is desirable to use a traveling wave modulator rather than a standing wave modulator to modulate the illuminating light beam for several reasons including: a traveling wave modulator is cheaper than a standing wave modulator; a traveling wave modulator is able to produce a wider range of modulating frequencies than a standing wave modulator and the efficiency of a traveling wave modulator is greater than that of a standing wave modulator over a range of frequencies.
A standing wave modulator produces modulated waves, which, when viewed from a point directly in the path of the modulated light beam, have constant phase. That is to say, the beam is made up of waves whose phase is constant across any cross section through the beam which is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the waves. In contrast, a traveling wave modulator produces a beam comprising waves whose phase is not constant across a perpendicular cross section of the beam.
A method and apparatus for detecting phase fluorescence is disclosed in copending U.S. Pat. application No. 07/705,044, now abandoned assigned to Becton, Dickinson and Company and which is incorporated herein by reference. In that application, the modulator is a standing wave modulator. The modulating frequency is provided by a frequency synthesizer which also provides the reference against which the phase fluorescence is measured.
When a traveling wave modulator is used, the use of the signal from the frequency synthesizer as a reference poses difficulties. This is because the phase of the modulated waves varies transversely across the light beam. Since the positions of particles in a flow cytometer may vary, causing them to intersect different parts of the illuminating light beam, the phase of the fluorescent light varies with the positions of the particles.

Apparatus and method for fluorescent lifetime measurement


A method for performing initial cell search in wireless communication system wherein unsuitable cells includes searching stored frequencies exhaustively and initial frequencies non-exhaustively. Initial frequencies may be searched exhaustively in certain circumstances. When performing exhaustive initial cell searches, primary synchronization codes that lead to unsuitable cells are excluded from subsequent initial cell searches performed on the same frequency.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication system 10. The communication system has a plurality of base stations 121-12n (12). Each base station 12 communicates with wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) 141-14n (14) within its operating area or cell 161-16n (16). When a WTRU 14 is first activated, it is unaware of its location and with which base station 12 (or cell 16) to communicate. The process where the WTRU 14 determines the cell 16 to communicate with is referred to as "initial cell search."
Initial cell search (ICS) in the proposed time division duplex mode of wideband code division multiple access, by way of example, typically comprises three steps. In step one, a WTRU searches for a primary synchronization code (PSC). Each base station transmits the same PSC in a primary synchronization channel (PSCH). The PSCH may be transmitted in one or two timeslots depending on the manner in which the system is implemented. In FIG. 2, the PSCH is shown being transmitted in two timeslots 20, 22. As shown in the exploded view of timeslot 22, each base station's PSC is offset in time according to a particular time offset. The time offset, typically expressed as particular number of signaling units called "chips," is provided to reduce interference between secondary synchronization codes (SSCs) which are simultaneously transmitted along with each PSC by each base station in a system. The PSC that is selected by the WTRU is the one for which the WTRU has measured the highest power.
In step 2, the SSCs transmitted along with the selected PSC are used to determine the timeslot offset of the detected PSC and the code group. Then, in step 3, the scrambling code and unique midamble base identification number are determined.
This approach to initial cell search has drawbacks. One drawback is where a detected PSC leads to a cell belonging to a PLMN with which the WTRU may not communicate for whatever reason (e.g. a WTRU on a first network detecting a PSC leading to a cell of a second network wherein there is no shared-use agreement between the two networks). In this case, the WTRU will read the broadcast channel (BCH) of the unsuitable cell, realize that it is an unsuitable cell and begin another initial cell search. The problem is that while running subsequent initial cell searches, the WTRU often detects the same PSC and is led to the same unsuitable cell. This is inefficient in that the WTRU is wasting time and resources running additional initial cell searches for PSC's that lead to unsuitable cells and wasting additional time and resources reading the BCH of unsuitable cells and may eventually cause the initial cell search to fail based on a timeout.
It is therefore desirable to have a method and system for running initial cell search without such limitations.

Unsuitable cell exclusion in wireless communication systems


Disclosed is a paper roll driving apparatus which comprises a timing belt pulley fitted to a rotatable holding member for holding a paper roll core, a timing belt disposed in such a manner as to be selectively displaceable into an engagement/disengagement state with and from the timing belt pulley and belt driving means for driving and moving the timing belt in engagement. The holding member or in other words, the paper roll, is driven for rotation by driving of the timing belt.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper roll driving apparatus. More particularly, in a web feeder of a rotary press using a paper roll, the present invention relates to a paper roll driving apparatus for rotating and driving a next paper roll when a paper roll is spliced with a next paper roll.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During splicing in a web feeder of a rotary press using a paper roll, it is generally necessary that the travelling speed of a travelling web paper pulled out in advance from a paper roll be equal to the peripheral speed of a next paper roll. Therefore, a paper roll driving apparatus for rotating and driving a next paper roll is disposed in the web feeder.
Paper roll driving apparatus of this kind are known from "Pre-Drive" in "Newspaper Printing, Printing Edition, Revised Edition", pp. 74-75, (issued on Oct. 31, 1980, by Japan Newspaper Association, Foundation), Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 19602/1958, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 73002/1973, Japanese Patent Publication No. 48785/1988 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 8920/1990.
In the prior art apparatuses disclosed in "Newspaper Printing, Printing Edition, Revised Edition" (issued on Oct. 31, 1980, by Japan Newspaper Association, Foundation), pp. 74-75 and in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 19602/1958, a driving endless belt or a driving wheel which can come into contact with, and can come out contact from, the outer peripheral surface of a next paper roll and is interconnected to driving means is brought into pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of the next paper roll and is rotated under such a state, so that the paper roll is driven directly for rotation.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 73002/1973, a friction wheel is disposed on the support shaft of a paper roll and a driving roller or driving belt which can come into pressure contact with the friction wheel and is interconnected to driving means is brought into pressure contact with the friction wheel disposed on the support shaft to the paper roll and is driven for rotation under such a state, so that the paper roll is driven and rotated through the support shaft.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48785/1988 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 8920/1990, a gear is disposed on the support shaft of a paper roll and a driving gear is further disposed which can mesh with the gear and is interconnected to driving means. The driving gear is driven and rotated while it is engaged with the gear disposed on the support shaft of the paper roll and the paper roll is driven and rotated through the support shaft.
Each of the prior art apparatuses described above is not free from the following drawbacks.
In the apparatuses of "Newspaper Printing, Printing Edition, Revised Edition" (issued on Oct. 31, 1980, by Japan Newspaper Association, Foundation), pp. 74-75 and in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 19602/1988, the driving endless belt or driving wheel is pushed to the outer peripheral surface of the paper roll. Therefore, it is not possible to apply an adhesive for splicing to that end of paper roll corresponding to the pushed portion and bonding power at the time of splicing drops. Since slip occurs between the driving endless belt or driving wheel and the outer peripheral surface of the paper roll, a stable peripheral speed of the paper roll cannot be obtained and the outer peripheral surface of the paper roll might be damaged.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model No. 73002/1973, slip occurs between the friction wheel and the driving roller or driving belt and a stable peripheral speed of the paper roll cannot be obtained. The friction wheel, the driving roller and the driving belt are worn out during their use for a long period and transmission of the driving force at a set peripheral speed cannot be made.
In the apparatuses disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48785/1988 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 8920/1990, the center distance must be kept accurate when the gear disposed on the support shaft of the paper roll and the driving gear are engaged with each other. Therefore, a special gear equipped with a cylindrical portion becomes necessary and the cost of the apparatus becomes high. Furthermore, this cylindrical portion is worn out in the course of its use for a long period, so that the set center distance cannot be maintained and the gears might be damaged. The rotation of the gears while they are engaged generates noise and deteriorates working environments.


An automatic mixing and injecting apparatus comprises a syringe assembly (400) within a housing (100). The syringe assembly (400) has a chamber (425) for holding a liquid, which can be a liquid medicine or a solvent. A second chamber (460) may hold a dry medicine. The second chamber (460) is releasably sealed with respect to the first chamber (425). A spring-operated plunger (300) forces liquid from the first chamber (425) and causes the releasable seal (430) to disengage when the needle (540) has entered the recipient. At this time, the liquid flows through the second chamber (460) and dissolves any dry medicine in that chamber (460). A releasable coupling (340) disengages the plunger (300) from the driver spring (500) and allows the plunger (300), syringe assembly (400), and needle (540) to retract under the urging of a return spring (505).

In particular, the present invention incorporates a number of important improvements and features as compared to the prior art, including enhanced functionality, convenience, safety and versatility. The present invention also provides a means for quickly administering a predetermined dose of medication when a need for rapid emergency treatment arises. The present invention may be embodied in a device that can be easily, safely and conveniently carried on the person. The present invention allows a single embodiment that may administer a liquid medicine alone or, alternatively, allow a liquid solvent to automatically mix with a dry medicine upon actuation of the device and concurrent with the injection process. The preferred embodiment automatically renders itself safe for disposal after use and eliminates the risk of injury to others through inadvertent contact with the used hypodermic needle. The recipient before, during, or after the injection, need not even see the hypodermic needle.
The use of automatic injection devices has been primarily reserved to emergency, life-sustaining situations. Additional applications for the present invention would be instances where the anatomical site of the injection, such as the penis, make the functional and psychological benefits associated with the use of such a device worth the added cost as compared to the conventional syringes.
There are numerous embodiments of automatic injection apparatuses in the prior art, e.g. Wyrick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,071; Schmitz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,421; and Wilmot, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,965. None of the prior art patents provide all of the benefits of the present invention, however.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automatic mixing and injecting apparatus

West Pharmaceutical Services of Delaware, Inc.


An automatic cold/hot distilled water fountain which automatically performs water boiling, condensing, storing and heating processes to provide purified cold/hot drinking water, mainly composed of a distilling chamber, a condensing mechanism, a water reservoir and a heating box, whereby by the automatic control system designed for the water fountain, the water is controllably supplied into the distilling chamber and distilled therein and the distilled water is then collected and stored in the water reservoir to be directly discharged therefrom as a purified cold drinking water or further heated by the heating box to serve as hot drinking water. By the above arrangement, the amount of the water stored in the water fountain is properly kept within a predetermined range and what is most important is the safety and hygiene in water drinking is insured.

The present invention relates to an automatic cold/hot distilled water fountain which is designed with specific structural arrangement and control means to overcome the shortcomings existed in conventional drinking fountains and provide a better and safer manner in which drinking Water is supplied to people.
It is well known that the hygienic problem of drinking water has become one of the major subjects concerning environmental pollution. Many water sources such as several main rivers over the word are contaminated by the waste water and acid rain. Although the water coming from these water sources is always first treated by a water works with repeated sterilization and precipitation be.+-.ore it is transferred to the users, various impurities are often still visibly contained in the water, not to mention the invisible harmful bacteria. Therefore, the water supplied by the water works is not suitable for drunking before further treatment is done.
The following are five kinds of common contaminations that are caused by numerous impurities dissolved in the water even the same has been treated by the water works and shall very possibly threaten the health of people:
1. Chlorine: In the beginning of the twentieth century, chlorine is added into the supplied running water for bactericidal purpose so as to control the spreading diseases of typhus, cholera, etc. However, it is found recently that chlorine will react upon the organic materials contained in the water to produce multiple kinds of carcinogen and the possibility of suffering the cancer respecting the users who drink the chlorinated water is twice that respecting the users who drink the unchlorinated water
2. Nitrate: Most of the nitrate contained in the water results from the excreta of animals. After entering human body, the nitrate tends to convert into certain kinds of chemical compounds in the oral cavity, stomach and bladder. Some of such compounds are possibly carcinogens. Moreover, excessive nitrate in the body is likely to cause suffocation of the new born infant.
3. Lead: The lead water conduits will be corroded after long period of use, making lead element dissolved in the water. The water containing lead element has been proved to be harmful to infant brain and will cause reduction of learning ability of the infant.
4. Bacteria: Most of the bacteria in the water come from the excreta of human being and animals infiltrated into the water sources. Although the running water supplied by the water works is chlorinated or filtered, a part of the bacteria are not affected by the chemicals and will still remain in the water transferred to the users. Most of such bacteria pertain to digestive bacteria.
5. Chemicals: The contamination problem of drinking water caused by chemicals is probably the most complex one among others. These chemicals, for example, arsenic, may result from the waste water, toxic material and garbage discharged from a chemical factory, plating factory or leather manufacturing factory. These chemicals will induce remediless injury to human body. One of the most serious injury is the deformation of fetus.
It is the early water-sterilizing process to boil the water for a certain time to achieve the bactericidal purpose. However, the insoluable impurities will still remain in the boiled water to threaten the health and safety of users. Furthermore, the boilded water is unable to cool down in short time for drinking at once. Therefore, the boiling process is not an ideal water treatment.
The current commercially available cold/hot water fountains provide an improved water-treating process to meet the hygienic requirements. The main principle employed in such water fountain is that the water is first filtered by a filtering means and then passes through a cold and a hot water guiding pipes respectively connected to a cold water faucet and a heating means, whereby the filtered cold water can be discharged from the cold water faucet while the water heated by the heating means can be discharged from a hot water faucet. In the above arrangement, in case the filtering means is not regularly cleaned up or the filtering cartridge thereof is not replaced with a new one after a period of use, the filtering effect will reduce and the filtering means may tend to cultivate the bacteria that will result in even worse affection on the health of the users. Therefore, the conventional cold/hot water fountain which purifies drinking water by simply filtering the water cannot provide a satisfactory water purifying effect.

Automatic cold/hot distilled water fountain


Carbon nanotubes dispersed by a stabilized solution of nucleic acid molecules formed separated nanotube-nucleic acid complexes and were separated according to standard chromatographic methods, including gel electrophoresis, two phase solvent systems and ion exchange chromatography.

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been the subject of intense research since their discovery in 1991. CNT's possess unique properties such as small size and electrical conductivity, which makes them suitable in a wide range of applications, including use as structural materials in molecular electronics, nanoelectronic components, and field emission displays. Carbon nanotubes may be either multi-walled (MWNTs) or single-walled (SWNTs), and have diameters in the nanometer range.
Depending on their atomic structure CNT's may have either metallic or semiconductor properties, and these properties, in combination with their small dimensions makes them particularly attractive for use in fabrication of nano-devices. A major obstacle to such efforts has been the diversity of tube diameters, chiral angles, and aggregation states in nanotube samples obtained from the various preparation methods. Aggregation is particularly problematic because the highly polarizable, smooth-sided fullerene tubes readily form parallel bundles or ropes with a large van der Waals binding energy. This bundling perturbs the electronic structure of the tubes, and it confounds all attempts to separate the tubes by size or type or to use them as individual macromolecular species. One method to disperse these aggregates is by the use of stabilized solutions of nucleic acid molecules as described in U.S. Ser. No. 60/432,804 and U.S. Ser. No. 60/428,087 incorporated herein by reference.
Co-incident with the problem of dispersion of aggregated carbon nanotubes is the problem of separation. Because most populations of nanotubes are aggregated it has been very difficult to obtain discreet populations of nanotubes that have a uniform length, diameter, chirality or other physical properties. The ability to perform such separations will be essential if carbon nanotubes are to be effectively used in electronics and other applications at the nano-scale.
Jiang et al (Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2003), 260(1), 89-94 have demonstrated that populations of nanotubes may be dispersed in surfactant and separated by precipitation however no attempt was made to characterize the fractions on the basis of common physical or chemical parameters.
The problem to be solved, therefore, is to provide a method for the facile and inexpensive separation of dispersed carbon nanotubes into populations having discreet characteristics. Applicants have solved these problems through the use of stabilized solutions of nucleic acid molecules that have the ability to disperse and solubilize carbon nanotubes, resulting in the formation of nanotube-nucleic acid complexes. Applicants have discovered a method for the separation of these nucleic acid associated carbon nanotubes based on common chromatographic means. Although complexes of nucleic acids and carbon nanotubes are known, the present complexes are new, in that the association between the nanotube and nucleic acid is non-covalent and not through the interaction of specific functionalized groups.

Dispersion of carbon nanotubes by nucleic acids


A method for moving a cursor while constrained on a selected, displayed graphics object displayed on a display screen. Entering a signal for pointing to a position on the display screen, determining a point on the display screen in response to the entered signal, determining a point on the graphics object which is near to the point determined on the display screen, and displaying a cursor at the point determined on the graphics object.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for moving a cursor while constrained on the contour of a graphics object in order to permit a point on the contour of the graphics object to be easily selected in a graphics processing system using a computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Processing of a graphics object displayed on a display screen is typically performed by moving a cursor. A user, while looking at the display screen, controls the movement of the cursor by giving instructions through a cursor key or by moving a pointing device such as a mouse. Moving and positioning the cursor on a specific point on the contour of the displayed graphics object involves a troublesome visual operation for the user. Moreover, this operation alone does not allow the user to select a point on the contour of the graphics object with geometrical precision; he or she can merely select a point that appears to his or her eyes to be nearest to the target graphics object.
In this connection, patent applications were submitted on the following two inventions, which aim to provide a precise and easy method of moving a cursor to a specific position on a graphics object, and descriptions of the inventions were published.
The invention disclosed in JA PUPA 60-168227 is first explained below. According to the invention, when a user wants to select a point P on the line E shown in FIG. 21, he first locates the cursor at an arbitrary point Q on the S-shaped curve E. This specifies the starting point for tracking. Next, the user specifies the direction in which tracking should start by moving the part for manipulation from point Q toward point P. The pixels forming the line figure are then sequentially tracked in the specified direction by a line tracking unit. This cursor movement control apparatus is provided with multiple predetermined masks for tracking pixels. The user can select one of the pixels being tracked. Tracking of pixels is continued until the user specifies that the process be terminated, that is, until a point on the line is selected.
This cursor movement control apparatus, however, involves the following problems:
(1) The user must specify a point and a direction to start tracking. Further, once the tracking has begun, the direction cannot be changed. In the example shown in FIG. 21, if the cursor has passed beyond the desired point P, the user must again specify the starting point and direction of tracking in order to move back the cursor. This is troublesome. PA1 (2) As shown in FIG. 22A, segment N, which intersects segment M, cannot be tracked. More specifically, pixels are distributed as shown in FIG. 22B at the point of intersection of segments M and N, and this prior art apparatus cannot determine which of P2 and P3 should be selected as a subsequent pixel to P1. Even if it could do so, the apparatus might often fail to track segment N but and instead track the segment M. Line figures often include points of intersection or contact. In order to track such a line figure precisely, a method should be based on graphics objects, rather than on tracking pixels as in this device. PA1 This cursor movement control apparatus, however, involves the following problems: PA1 (2) Since the starting point of tracking is fixed, it takes much labor and time to move the cursor to a distant point such as R. PA1 (3) In the example shown in FIG. 23B, the user first specified rightward movement: nevertheless the cursor C moves leftward near the point R on the display screen. This leads to a very bad operability. PA1 (4) In this cursor movement control apparatus, the cursor can be moved along the contour of a graphics object only if it is representable as a function of F (x, y). Therefore, the apparatus cannot treat a free curve drawn by freely moving the mouse cursor on the display screen, as shown in FIG. 24. PA1 (a) entering a signal for pointing to a position on the display screen; PA1 (b) determining a point on the display screen in response to the signal entered in step (a); PA1 (c) determining a point on the graphics object which is near to the point determined in step (b); and PA1 (d) displaying a cursor at the point determined in step (c). PA1 (a) entering a signal for pointing to a position on the display screen; PA1 (b) determining a segment li from the continuous series of segments displayed on the display screen and a point Qi on the display screen, in response to the signal entered in step (a); PA1 (c) determining a point Pi that is a projection of said point Qi onto the segment li; and PA1 (d) displaying a cursor at said point Pi.
The next explanation is directed to the invention disclosed in JA PUPA 62-242494. In the method used with this cursor movement control apparatus, graphics objects are treated as functions, and a point at which tracking should start is predetermined for each graphics object. When a user specifies a graphics object, the cursor is moved to and displayed at the starting point of tracking on the graphics object. When the user specifies a tracking direction by means of a cursor key, the cursor starts moving in the specified direction. In the example shown in FIG. 23A, the starting point of tracking on a circle S is fixed at point P and, when the user instructs a rightward movement, the cursor C starts moving toward a terminal point Q in the direction indicated by an arrow.
(1) The user must specify a point and a direction to start tracking. Further, once the tracking has begun, the direction cannot be changed. In the example shown in FIG. 23A, if the cursor has passed beyond the desired point R, the user must return the cursor to the starting point of tracking P and specify the tracking direction. This is troublesome.
The common features of the foregoing apparatuses configured to move a cursor along the contour of a graphics object are the need to specify a tracking direction every time the user starts tracking a graphics object with a cursor and the impossibility of changing the direction once the tracking has begun. Since a point on a graphics object is selected by trial and error in most cases, repeatedly specifying the manipulation for every change in the tracking direction is a burden on the user. In addition, tracking of a graphics object is performed automatically, and the user can specify only that the process be terminated. While cursor movements other than for tracking a graphics object are controlled through a pointing device or an equivalent, tracking of a graphics object alone is outside the direct control of the user; this lacks consistency and results in bad operability.

Method and apparatus for cursor movement control

International Business Machines Corporation


A gas turbine engine backbone deflection control apparatus to counter the effects of backbone bending due to gust, thrust. and maneuver loads by introducing a controlled backbone counter-bending moment by applying controlled tensioning forces only between axially spaced apart frames connected by the backbone. One embodiment of the invention, for a high bypass ratio turbofan engine, provides a hydraulically powered actuator to produce tensioning forces in cables connected between a fan frame and a turbine frame and the actuator is controlled by the engines digital electronic control system using input signals generated by inlet moment load sensors and/or blade tip clearance sensors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gas turbine engine apparatus for minimizing engine case deflection under gust and thrust loads and particularly to means for controlling the engine backbone bending.
The concepts were developed specifically for high bypass ratio, ducted fan engines, but have broader applicability to low bypass ratio and turbojet engines as well.
1. Description of Related Art
A principal type of modern aircraft gas turbine engines in usage today are of the turbofan type. A portion of the working medium gases is directed from the engine inlet through the compression, combustion, and turbine sections of the engine core. The remaining portion of the working medium gases is directed through the fan section, around the engine core, and discharged directly to the atmosphere to produce thrust. The diameter of the engine at the fan stages is typically significantly larger than the core engine diameter, on the order of two to one and larger for high bypass ratio engines of the eighty thousand pound thrust class.
Each engine is supported by an aircraft structure, for example, on a pylon extending downwardly beneath the wing. The engine is typically mounted and secured to the aircraft in two planes normal to the engine centerline, one towards the forward end of the engine, usually just rearward of the fan section and a second toward the aft end of the engine, typically in the turbine section. The engine is mounted by its static structure which supports the rotating components generally referred to as rotors. The engine static structure generally has sub-structures including a forward frame and a aft frame connected by an engine casing often referred to as a backbone. Forward and aft frames having radially extending structural struts which typically support the engine bearings which in turn rotatably support the rotors. Typically a dual rotor engine has a forward fan frame and a rear turbine frame that support the main rotor bearings wherein the fan frame supports a thrust bearing and the rear turbine supports a roller bearing.
Maintaining the engine backbone concentrically about the engine rotor is of obvious criticality, and a constant objective of gas turbine scientists and engineers. Prior art generally disclose case stiffening methods to reinforce the frame. Among the ideas disclosed in the prior art is using the annular cowl structure to reinforce or generally add support to the engine backbone. Many of these ideas add weight and cost to the engine and are not very effective when used with today's low weight metallic or composite cowls. Furthermore the prior art designs are not capable or have limited capability to respond to varying flight conditions which cause correspondingly varying degrees of backbone deflection.
Backbone deflection due to axial and vertical loads is additive because both loads cause a deflected shape wherein the engine casing or backbone structure between the forward and aft mounts is deflected downward relative to the undisturbed engine centerline. High engine power aircraft climb can cause predictable yet varying backbone deflection while wind gusts acting on the nacelle may cause unpredictable and varying backbone deflection which is additive.
To maximize gas turbine engine performance and minimize specific fuel consumption it is desirable to have the engine static structure remains straight and parallel to the engine rotor centerline under all operating conditions. Typically this is achieved through proper design of the engine static structure, engine mounts and engine rotors. It is highly desirable to maintain close clearances between rotating and static elements such between the engine rotor blades and engine casings because this clearance has a significant effect on engine performance and specific fuel consumption. An increase in turbine blade tip clearance allows more of the working fluid to bypass the turbine blades without useful work being extracted. Compressor efficiency is reduced in the compressor section as compressor blade tip clearance increases. Overall engine cyclic efficiency is reduced as labyrinth seal clearances increase. Bending of the engine static structure increases these clearances through abrasive wear between the engine rotating hardware and the engine casing supported stationary hardware.
As the thrust load developed by modern turbofan engines has increased, so has the magnitude of the reaction loads and bending moment. The resultant engine static structure deflection causes increased rubbing between the rotating elements and the adjacent stationary elements. This abrasive wear results in an adverse impact on engine performance and specific fuel consumption, and necessitates more frequent engine maintenance and overhaul. Repair and replacement of rotor blades is one of the highest operating costs for an aircraft gas turbine engine.
Increasing fuel costs and demands for improved durability accentuate the need for low weight designs and systems for minimizing backbone deflection from the engine centerline axis under varying engine operating conditions.

Aircraft gas turbine engine backbone deflection control


A roll forming machine is used for forming material, typically metal strip into various shapes. The machines comprise pairs of forming rolls which are spaced apart along an axis. The profile of the roll pairs progressively change along the axis, so that respective pairs of rolls effect different degrees of folding to material passing between them. As a result, the machine is capable of effecting progressive folding of material fed between the pairs of rolls along this axis. In the present machines, versatility of the machines is improved by using forming rolls each comprising a plurality of roll section elements. The roll section elements are mounted so as to be independently freely revolvable about the axis of the roll and additionally they may be driven so that they are capable of assisting both in folding/forming roll material and in transmitting drive thereto. The roll elements are mounted such that they may be moved aside and up and down into various positions for the purpose of altering the forming roll profile and so altering the profile of the formed end product, without the need to replace the roll elements with others of a different shape.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to roll forming; a technique of progressively and continuously folding material by means of successive pairs of profiled rolls, the rolls in each pair being described as "bottom rolls and top rolls" respectively. The roll pairs are also known as stages, stands or passes. Rolls in the successive pairs have a different profile to effect differing degrees of folding of material passing between them. In use, material is fed into a roll forming machine at one end between the pairs of rolls, either as cut as sheets or in coil material, and is progressively folded by the successive pairs of rolls in a series of discrete steps to emerge at the other end of the machine formed about the feed axis. The rolls in the pairs may both form and drive the raw material through the machine. The material most commonly formed is steel, but non-ferrous metals and other materials are formed by this method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A comprehensive background for the roll forming technique is provided by, for example, "Cold Forming", W. G. Kirkland, Iron and Steel Engineer, November, 1959 and "A Survey of Sheet Metal Cold Roll Forming", M. A. Wallis, British Steel Corporation Corporate Laboratories Paper Number MW/36/71.
A schematic illustration of such a conventional roll forming machine is shown in the accompanying FIG. 1. (The figure shows only a selection of roll pairs and the usual roll supports are omitted for the sake of clarity. In the machine, driven forming roll pairs are mounted so that each roll in a pair is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis. Adjacent roll pairs have slightly differing profile so as to effect correspondingly differing degrees of folding to material passing through the machine, from the roll pair 139 towards roll pair 140.
In addition to the driven forming roll pairs 139, 140, the machine may also include auxiliary rolls 141, which are normally undriven and often rotate about an axis arranged at an angle to the horizontal axis of the main driven rolls. Such auxiliary rolls allow access to parts of the material which are not accessible by the driven forming rolls. Also use of such auxiliary rolls may be advantageous in preventing scuffing of the raw material. Typically, the auxiliary rolls are more readily adjustable than the main driven rolls.
As previously discussed, on such known roll forming machines the profiles of the roll pairs mounted in the machine determine the formed shape of the product and thus the roll pair must be made specifically for a particular shape, size and thickness of product. Thus, adaptation of a machine to form a product of different shape, or size or to accommodate anything more than minor raw material thickness alteration requires a change of bottom and/or top rolls.
This is disadvantageous because a change or roll pairs may take many hours as the new set of roll pairs may require some setting. Additionally, the roll pairs are usually made from hardened alloy steel to high degrees of accuracy and each set is designed individually and may take some weeks to manufacture. As a result, many man hours of labor are required to make the average set of roll pairs.
The cost of a set of roll pairs means that the product to be produced will have to be made in high volume to justify both the initial roll pair cost and also the roll change and setting time.
In recent years a number of techniques have been employed in the attempt to improve machine versatility and production flexibility by seeking to reduce roll change and setting times. In essence these techniques enable a quick change from one predetermined machine section to another. For example, such techniques may involve the removal of a complete set of roll pairs, still mounted on their stands and shafts, known as a `raft` and the substitution of another complete raft. See, for example, the accompanying FIG. 2 in which the roll pairs are mounted on a base comprising a fixed part 145 and a removable part 146. Repositioning of part 146 on part 145 is typically assisted by way of pegs indicated generally at 147.
Such a `raft` method is usually used for producing wide panels where production runs are very high and the roll sets are large and more costly than average.
Also another variation is to mount individual roll pairs, their shafts and stand onto a plate. This assembly, known as a `cassette`, can be changed for another cassette. An example cassette assembly is illustrated in FIG. 3. Here again the roll pairs are mounted on a removable base part 148. This time the part 148 is divided into sections; one for each roll pair. Repositioning of the removable part 148 on fixed part 145 is again assisted by way of pegs 147.
There is also the method of having two sub-sets of roll pairs mounted on cantilevered or overhung shafts facing each other and which together make one forming set on two `heads`. The heads can be pivoted about a vertical axis and other roll sets brought into play if similar cantilevered roll sets are mounted on the horizontally opposing side of the heads. This is illustrated schematically in FIG. 4.
A further technique, similar in principle, mounts sets of top and bottom rolls on a type of carousel about a horizontal axis. A change of rolls is achieved by indexing the top and bottom carousel by a portion of one rotation. A second predetermined roll set then comes into play. This latter method usually has the disadvantage of not being able to drive the raw material at the same time as forming it. Other rolls must be provided to drive the material.
The techniques outlined above seek to avoid the removal of individual rolls in the roll pairs from shafts and subsequent fitting of others. They also rely on the rolls in the pairs being designed to take account of a pre-determined change from one product shape to another and therefore allow the machine to be adaptable for forming products within a limited range of shapes and sizes. Essentially, the aforementioned methods provide for quicker changes between pre-determined configurations.
Australian patent AU-B-26163/84, Applicant John Lysagne (Australia) Ltd. entitled "Roll-forming Machine", shows how axial movement may be accomplished and no device is shown now any movement at right angles to it may be carried out. Moreover, the removable roll segment is limited to being slideably mounted on the same shaft as a fixed roll segment. The pedestal axial movement provided then moves the pair of roll segments. The roll segment is therefore not truly independent.
The axial adjustment that is provided for the slideable roll segment is mounted on the shaft carrying the roll segment and is therefore not suitable for remote adjustment. The means of adjusting the slideable roll segment rotates with the roll shaft and cannot be connected to an adjuster nor can the machine be adjusted at this point while the roll rotates.
The pedestal movement is adjustable but not readily suitable to automatic adjustment since the pedestal once moved must be clamped by a second means. This is a mechanism that is only suited to manual adjustment involving clamping and unclamping between adjustment.
In UK Patent Application, GB 2188 859 A, date of filing Apr. 9, 1987, Applicant Hayes Engineering Ltd., there is no provision for roll movement up or downwards. The rolls are termed roll elements but in no way can they be segmented to the extent required for change in the formed profile that is not a series of pre-determined forms. The alterations that can be accomplished are limited to a variation in profile width and in the orientation of the profiles at each end. The example of forming shown is that described in our application under the term `air-bending`. This is where the variation in leg lengths up the formed angle are not controlled by any restraining part of a roll profile.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,702, Inventor Gene N. Foster, Assignee The Boeing Company, Seattle, dated Oct. 3, 1978, describes a pinch or pyramid forming machine and not a roll forming machine which has sequential pairs of rolls arranged along an axis. Its propose is to curve a pre-formed and straight profile into a curved profile.
The machine described shows how roll movement is to be carried out in a direction transverse to the rotation axis, i.e. towards the center of curvature of the formed product. No means is shown for moving the rolls in a direction parallel to the center of curvature of the formed product as would be necessary for true flexibility. The reference to rolls being able to move along one or more forming axes refers to rolls mounted on axes at an angle to one another.
A person familiar with the art of roll forming could not adapt this principle to the pairs of rolls required for roll forming of products from flat strip as is described in our application. The reason for this is the lack of a mechanism for moving roll segment in both x and y axes and for a mechanism that does this and allows the type of interlacing of roll segments needed that we show with the simultaneous possibility of providing drive to the formed product.
The manufacture of conventional roll pairs can be made more economical by splitting an individual roll up into pieces, allowing the roll to be dismantled and some of the pieces re-assembled and securely fixed together to provide a profiled roll having a different configuration by addition of other suitable pieces. Also as regards economy, it has recently become possible to assist the roll design process by specialized Computer Aided Design Software. This has enabled designer to produce drawings more quickly and manufacturers have been able to take advantage of the design data in electronic form. Economy of the method has, therefore, been improved, but not dramatically.
A final alternative is the so called "air-bending" method, which, for example, can be used to vary the leg lengths of channel shapes by leaving the ends of the legs unrestrained by `traps` (a face against which the end of the strip lies). Unfortunately, this method risks inaccurate leg lengths on the product where parts of the roll profile are not used to control material movement.
Despite the above work, the roll forming technique remains one in which, if product quality and dimensional accuracy are to be retained, individual roll pair shape or profile is fixed and to change this profile requires removal of top and/or bottom rolls from the shaft or rotation of a larger assembly. The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the aforementioned disadvantages.


The subject invention provides a system and/or method that facilitates prescribing a navigation within an application utilizing a topology and a navigation path. The topology is created based upon received metadata and is a network of node objects and link objects. The navigation path is a sequential list over the topology that represents a sub-graph thereof. A prescribing component can create the topology and navigation path such that a prescribed navigation can be utilized by an application during navigation (e.g., exploration) during runtime.

There is a growing trend to provide business application software to a plurality of industries in order to simplify business procedures and/or forecasts. Business application software provides navigation and/or exploration across heterogeneous business data, which can be related explicitly and/or implicitly. Business applications typically are assorted with an overwhelming amount of information, wherein an essentially endless amount of this information contains inter-relationships. For example, a typical middle market application can contain forms, tables, inventory, charts, graphs, etc., wherein a majority of data is intertwined explicitly and implicitly. Specifically, data (e.g., billing forms, employee tables, order forms, etc.) can be utilized in conjunction with business applications involving, for example, payroll applications, sales analysis, shipping applications, bonus reports, cost analysis, etc.
Conventionally, hypermedia systems are utilized to discover and/or navigate through the enormous quantities of information within a business application. Such hypermedia systems are information systems in which data access and exploration is accomplished through navigation rather than traditional con text querying. Additionally, such systems create and maintain links within an application or to external applications and resources. These links provide users with the ability to retrieve additional information related to the query results. For instance, a query for a list of customer names can also provide a link to another query that retrieves a list of orders for a particular customer.
One benefit associated with hypermedia systems is the ability to store complex, cross referenced bodies of information as a network of nodes and links (e.g., a hierarchical database model that links records together in a tree structure). Querying within navigation can be defined as a query for data access and a query for correlation. For instance, a query for data access can be utilized to provide data access to certain type of node where resources are data. Whereas a query for correlation provides the correlation of the data based upon, for example, metadata and/or keywords. In other words, the term "query" refers to getting data (e.g., projects data), whereas the term "navigation" refers to getting related data (e.g., projects relationships and data). This navigational projection of relationships between data can also be referred to as a "non-linear" exploration of data.
During non-linear exploration of data within a hypermedia system, a user typically can become lost and/or disorientated by the extensive cognitive overhead. Essentially, users can be overwhelmed by the vast amount of related links discovered during a navigational data exploration search. Moreover, navigation within hypermedia systems has traditionally been performed during runtime. A majority of the code is imperative, yielding modules with a single use, which in turn results in a very inefficient and slow application during runtime. In view of at least the foregoing, there is a need to improve navigation within related data in business applications.

Prescribed navigation using topology metadata and navigation path


A child carrier and swimming aid allows a caregiver to carry a child in pressing relation to the caregiver's torso and allows the device to be used in the water. The adult dons a harness and places the child into a vest, which vest is a personal flotation device. The vest is attached to the harness in order to facilitate normal carrying of the child by the adult. In a body of water, the vest can be detached from the harness allowing the child to float free of the adult, with the vest being tethered to the harness for safety.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a child carrier wherein the child is carried proximate an adult's torso area and wherein the child holder doubles as a personal flotation device.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Child carriers, wherein the child is held within a carrier that is attached to a harness worn by an adult such that the child is carried proximate the adult's torso region, are used and loved by millions of moms and dads. These devices allow the caregiver to be able to hold the child using the caregiver's body to support the child instead of predominately the arms and shoulders. These carriers hold the child securely and in a pressing relation with the adult while allowing the adult to have arms and hands free for other activities such as shopping or attending to other chores such as banking. If a child is simply being carried, then when the adult desires to perform an act such as cashing a check, the adult must either place the child on the ground and struggle to make sure that the child does not run off or otherwise get into trouble (as children are famous for), or, if the child is too small, the adult must awkwardly fumble around with one hand while holding the child with the other. This is not only uncomfortable and time-consuming, but gives the caregiver a lessened sense of security in the hold on the child. Additionally, some functions require the use of both hands to perform, which functions the adult must forego should the child need to be constantly held.
The present day child carriers, which come in a variety of styles, give the caregiver both security in the knowledge that the child is being securely held and freedom to do activities that would be difficult, if not impossible, if the child were simply being free carried. These devices also give the caregiver a more intimate interaction with the child then can be experienced if the child is carried in a stroller or other walker.
Many modern child carriers have features that facilitate the device's immersion in water so that the caregiver can take the child into a body of water such as a swimming pool or the ocean while maintaining secure contact with the child. Such features include the use of waterproof materials and meshing to release any water that may accumulate between the device and either the adult or the child. By giving the carriers the ability to be used effectively in water, the adult can swim or otherwise interact with the child in a manner that is not possible if the adult needs to use her arms to support the child in the water. While such water friendly features give the adult and child enhanced freedoms in a body of water, room exists to give even more water borne freedom and versatility within a body of water.
Therefore, the exists a need in the art for a child carrier wherein the child is held within the carrier and carried about by an adult that dons a harness, which child carrier not only gives the adult maximum freedom in carrying the child about, but also allows the device to be used in a body of water and that gives maximum flexibility and versatility to both child and adult while using the device in the body of water. Ideally, such a child carrier must be of relatively simple design and construction and be easy to use and maintain.


The invention provides compounds of Formula (I)

The protein kinases represent a large family of proteins that play a central role in the regulation of a wide variety of cellular processes and maintenance of cellular function. A partial, non-limiting, list of these kinases include: non-receptor tyrosine kinases such as the Tec family (BTK, ITK, Tec, ETK/BMX & RLK/TXK), Janus kinase family (Jak1, Jak2, Jak3 and Tyk2); the fusion kinases, such as BCR-Abl, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Fes, Lck and Syk; receptor tyrosine kinases such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the platelet-derived growth factor receptor kinase (PDGF-R), the receptor kinase for stem cell factor, c-kit, the hepatocyte growth factor receptor, c-Met, and the fibroblast growth factor receptor, FGFR3; and serine/threonine kinases such as b-RAF, mitogen-activated protein kinases (e.g., MKK6) and SAPK2β. Aberrant kinase activity has been observed in many disease states including benign and malignant proliferative disorders as well as diseases resulting from inappropriate activation of the immune and nervous systems. The novel compounds of this invention inhibit the activity of one or more protein kinases and are, therefore, expected to be useful in the treatment of kinase-mediated diseases.
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase with a key role in immunoreceptor signaling (BCR, FcεR, FcγR, DAP12, Dectin-1, GPVI, etc.) in a host of hematopoietic cells including B cells, platelets, mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, macrophages and neutrophils as well as osteoclasts involved in bone destruction (for reviews, see Brunner et al., 2005 Histol. Histopathol., 20:945, Mohamed et al., 2009 Immunol. Rev., 228:58). Mutations in BTK are known to lead to X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) in humans and X-linked immunodeficiency (Xid) in mice, which are characterized by limited B-cell production & reduced antibody titers (Lindvall et al., 2005 Immunol. Rev., 203:200). The combined action of BTK in multiple cell types makes it an attractive target for autoimmune disease. BTK is related with sequence homology to other Tec family kinases (ITK, Tec, ETK/BMX & RLK/TXK).
In B-lymphocytes, BTK is required for B-cell development and for Ca2+ mobilization following of B-cell receptor (BCR) engagement (Khan et al., 1995 Immunity 3:283; Genevier et al., 1997 Clin. Exp. Immun., 110:286) where it is believed to downstream of Src family kinases (such as Lyn), Syk & PI3K. BTK has been shown to be important for both thymus-dependent and thymus-independent type 2 responses to antigens (Khan et al., Immunity 1995, 3:283). In mast cells, studies using BTK mouse knock-outs (Hata et al., 1998 J. Exp. Med., 187:1235; Schmidt et al., 2009 Eur. J. Immun., 39:3228) indicate a role for BTK in FcεRI induced signaling, histamine release & production of cytokines such as TNF, IL-2, & IL-4. In platelets, BTK is important for signaling through the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) receptor that responds to collagen and has been shown to promote platelet aggregation and contribute to cytokine production from fibroblast-like synoviocytes (Hsu et al., 2013 Immun. Letters, 150:97). In monocytes and macrophages, the action of BTK in invoked in FcγRI induced signaling and may also have role in Toll-Like Receptor-induced cytokine responses including TLR2, TLR4, TLR8 & TLR9 (Horwood et al., 2003 J. Exp. Med., 197:1603; Horwood et al., 2006 J. Immunol., 176:3635; Perez de Diego et al., 2006 Allerg. Clin. Imm., 117:1462; Doyle et al., 2007 J. Biol. Chem., 282:36959, Hasan et al., 2007 Immunology, 123:239; Sochorava et al., 2007 Blood, 109:2553; Lee et al., 2008, J. Biol. Chem., 283:11189).
Therefore, inhibition of BTK is expected to intervene at several critical junctions of the inflammatory reactions resulting in an effective suppression of autoimmune response. As such diseases involving B-cell receptor activation, antibody-Fc receptor interactions & GPVI receptor signaling may be modulated by treatment with BTK inhibitors. BTK inhibition is likely to act on both the initiation of autoimmune disease by blocking BCR signaling and the effector phase by abrogation of FcR signaling on macrophages, neutrophils, basophils, and mast cells. Furthermore, blocking BTK would provide additional benefit via inhibition of osteoclast maturation and therefore attenuate the bone erosions & overall joint destruction associated with rheumatoid arthritis Inhibiting BTK may be useful in treating a host of inflammatory and allergic diseases—for example (but not limited to), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS) and type I hypersensitivity reactions such as allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma and systemic anaphylaxis. For a review on targeting BTK as a treatment for inflammatory disorders and autoimmunity as well as leukemias and lymphomas, see Uckun & Qazi, 2010 Expert Opin. Ther. Pat., 20:1457. Because BTK is highly expressed in cancers of the hematopoietic system & BTK-dependent signaling in believed to be disregulated there, BTK inhibitors are expected to be useful treatments for B-cell lymphomas/leukemias & other oncologic disease—for example (but not limited to) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and acute myeloid leukemia (for review, see Buggy & Elias 2012 Int. Rev. Immunol. 31:119). Taken together, BTK inhibitors provide a strong method to treat a host of inflammatory diseases and immunological disorders as well as hematologic cancers.

Abstract: pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pro-drugs, biologically active metabolites, stereoisomers and isomers thereof wherein the variable are defined herein. The compounds of the invention are useful for treating immunological and oncological conditions.


There is provided a vehicle control system configured to select one of driving modes which are associated with abnormalities of control units and are previously defined in a mapping table, and to output an execution command via CAN bus to a corresponding control unit that achieves the selected driving mode. In the above process, the driving modes stored in a driving mode change instruction unit each provide a driving state which enables a vehicle to perform safety driving reliably, while maintaining a minimum necessary driving performance even when an abnormality occurs in the relevant control units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle control system which automatically shifts to an appropriate driving mode in the case where an abnormality occurs in an onboard control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when an abnormality occurs in the control device, an onboard control device disables additional function of the control device while maintaining the basic function related to driving performance is maintained, compensate the vehicle performance using other remaining systems. As an example of the former, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2011-99394 discloses a technology which sets a first driving power as a target driving power in a vehicle driving power control device when the vehicle driving power control device is in a failed state, the vehicle driving power control device including a driving power calculation unit configured to calculate a first driving power based on the related characteristics between an accelerator opening and the driving power of a driving power source, and to calculate a second driving power using the first driving power as a reference value, the second driving power decreasing gradually with an increase in elapsed time. As an example of the latter, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2006-282036 discloses a technology which improves a roll restraining effect by increasing the stiffness of a stabilizer bar in the case where the roll restraining effect by a vehicle height adjustment device reduces in a vehicle suspension system including a roll restraining device which restrains the roll of the vehicle body.
Like the example of technology disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A Nos. 2011-99394 and 2006-282036, when a warning light lights up due to an occurrence of an abnormality in a control device, a driver can recognize which control device has an abnormality, and attention to the driver is drawn. However, it is difficult for the driver to appropriately and immediately understand what operation should be done specifically for driving the vehicle until the control device having an abnormality is repaired. For example, in the case where an output is reduced due to an engine malfunction, the driving speed also decreases, however, the driver usually does not come up with the idea that a sufficient inter-vehicle distance should be taken in order to avoid unnecessary acceleration and deceleration. Thus it is difficult for the driver to take appropriate action except for repairing the vehicle quickly, and therefore, a solution for improving the safety of vehicle has been demanded.


A sensor including at least one electrode (3, 4) which is made of electrically conductive plastic and is connected to one end of an electrical conductor (5, 6). The electrode (3, 4) and conductor (5, 6) are surrounded by an insulating housing (2, 22), except that the electrode has an exposed surface (7, 8) for contacting an aggressive or corrosive medium inside the housing. The other end (11, 12) of the electrical conductor protrudes from the housing (2, 22). The housing (2, 22) is made of an electrically insulating plastic material which is joined to the electrode (3, 4) in a sealed manner. In a preferred embodiment, the housing (2, 22) forms a valve seat and seal for a bottom drain valve of a fluid container.

The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising at least one electrically conductive plastic electrode substantially embedded in a surrounding insulating housing.
Apparatus of this type are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,834, German Patent Application 29 50 039 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,830. These devices are configured as electromagnetic flow rate meters and contain two electrodes in diametrically opposing recesses of a tubular housing, which are tightly bonded to the insulating plastic of an internal lining or of the entire tube. The electrodes are made of electrically conductive plastic and, except for the exposed surfaces, which are in contact with the medium flowing through the tube, are enclosed in the insulating plastic. The respective electrode extends radially over the entire thickness of the wall of the housing and/or tube from the inside to the outside and is electrically conductively connected to an electric conductor, which is constructed as a wire or pin in a radially external region. The electric conductor is not enclosed in insulating housing, but rather leads from the radial external surface of the electrode to the outside. According to German Patent Application 29 50 039, a metal mesh is also attached to the electrical conductor and an electrical insulation layer is also provided, the electrically insulating housing also not enclosing the electrical conductor in this case. There is no further information in the three cited publications for other fixing or support of the electrical conductor in relation to the housing. The electrode is exclusively fixed by the housing and additional means for the electrical conductor are not provided. Problems may arise because of this, both in manufacturing, while the electrical conductor and the electrode are pressed in or injection molded, and in use, due to the forces acting on the electrical conductor from the outside, the connection between the electrical conductor and the electrode being disturbed. In addition, the housing, which is configured as a tube, requires a significant amount of space.
An apparatus is known from German Patent 198 45 318, which is configured as an electrochemical oxygen sensor and contains a measurement electrode and an air-oxygen electrode. The measurement electrode comprises a gas-permeable, polymeric, perfluorinated diffusion membrane, which is coated at least partially on one side using a mixture made of a noble metal and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). The diffusion membrane is exposed to the ambient atmosphere and, together with the electrodes described and an electrolyte, is positioned in the sensor housing, which is made of porous PTFE, in order to allow oxygen exchange and pressure equalization independent of position. The measurement electrode and the diffusion membrane are constructed with circular surfaces and have an external diameter of a magnitude of 2 to 50 mm. Since, in such an oxygen sensor, the oxygen must get through the gas-permeable diffusion membrane and the porous housing to reach the inside of the housing to the electrodes positioned there, the possible uses are restricted, use for fluids or mediums which are aggressive and/or under pressure not being possible without something further.
Modern production methods for chemical, biochemical, and pharmaceutical products, food products, or the like react more and more sensitively to changes in the production conditions, so that high precision during the production is necessary. With increasing automation of the production methods, copious information is necessary for detecting the properties of the often aggressive or corrosive fluids or media and the process conditions, this referring above all to the pressure, the temperature, and state of the fluid or medium. To detect information of this type, electrodes are used, which are often positioned directly in the region of the fluid or medium and come into contact with them. Electrical conductors, which must lead out of the region containing the fluid or medium to the outside and/or must be extended through the respective machine or facility parts, are required for using the electrodes and for relaying the information detected to associated electrical or electronic analysis devices.

Electrically conductive plastic electrode sealingly embedded in an insulating plastic valve seat


A flexographic printing system uses a flexographic printing plate to produce printed patterns on a substrate. An ink recirculation system is used to reduce variability in system performance resulting from ink viscosity changes. A recirculation pump moves ink through an ink recirculation line connected to an ink reservoir. A metering pump adds a controlled flow rate of solvent from a solvent replenishment chamber into the ink recirculation line, thereby providing replenished ink. The replenished ink is returned to the ink reservoir through a distribution tube that includes a plurality of supply ports at a plurality of spaced apart locations across a width of the ink reservoir. A control system is used to control the flow rate of solvent provided by the metering pump.

Flexography is a method of printing or pattern formation that is commonly used for high-volume printing runs. It is typically employed for printing on a variety of soft or easily deformed materials including, but not limited to, paper, paperboard stock, corrugated board, polymeric films, fabrics, metal foils, glass, glass-coated materials, flexible glass materials and laminates of multiple materials. Coarse surfaces and stretchable polymeric films are also economically printed using flexography.
Flexographic printing members are sometimes known as relief printing members, relief-containing printing plates, printing sleeves, or printing cylinders, and are provided with raised relief images onto which ink is applied for application to a printable material. While the raised relief images are inked, the recessed relief "floor" should remain free of ink.
Although flexographic printing has conventionally been used in the past for printing of images, more recent uses of flexographic printing have included functional printing of devices, such as touch screen sensor films, antennas, and other devices to be used in electronics or other industries. Such devices typically include electrically conductive patterns.
Touch screens are visual displays with areas that may be configured to detect both the presence and location of a touch by, for example, a finger, a hand or a stylus. Touch screens may be found in televisions, computers, computer peripherals, mobile computing devices, automobiles, appliances and game consoles, as well as in other industrial, commercial and household applications. A capacitive touch screen includes a substantially transparent substrate which is provided with electrically conductive patterns that do not excessively impair the transparency—either because the conductors are made of a material, such as indium tin oxide, that is substantially transparent, or because the conductors are sufficiently narrow that the transparency is provided by the comparatively large open areas not containing conductors. As the human body is also an electrical conductor, touching the surface of the screen results in a distortion of the screen's electrostatic field, measurable as a change in capacitance.
Projected capacitive touch technology is a variant of capacitive touch technology. Projected capacitive touch screens are made up of a matrix of rows and columns of conductive material that form a grid. Voltage applied to this grid creates a uniform electrostatic field, which can be measured. When a conductive object, such as a finger, comes into contact, it distorts the local electrostatic field at that point. This is measurable as a change in capacitance. The capacitance can be changed and measured at every intersection point on the grid. Therefore, this system is able to accurately track touches. Projected capacitive touch screens can use either mutual capacitive sensors or self capacitive sensors. In mutual capacitive sensors, there is a capacitor at every intersection of each row and each column. A 16×14 array, for example, would have 224 independent capacitors. A voltage is applied to the rows or columns. Bringing a finger or conductive stylus close to the surface of the sensor changes the local electrostatic field which reduces the mutual capacitance. The capacitance change at every individual point on the grid can be measured to accurately determine the touch location by measuring the voltage in the other axis. Mutual capacitance allows multi-touch operation where multiple fingers, palms or styli can be accurately tracked at the same time.
Self-capacitance sensors can use the same x-y grid as mutual capacitance sensors, but the columns and rows operate independently. With self-capacitance, the capacitive load of a finger is measured on each column or row electrode by a current meter. This method produces a stronger signal than mutual capacitance, but it is unable to resolve accurately more than one finger, which results in "ghosting", or misplaced location sensing.
WO 2013/063188 by Petcavich et. al. discloses a method of manufacturing a capacitive touch sensor using a roll-to-roll process to print a conductor pattern on a flexible transparent dielectric substrate. A first conductor pattern is printed on a first side of the dielectric substrate using a first flexographic printing plate and is then cured. A second conductor pattern is printed on a second side of the dielectric substrate using a second flexographic printing plate and is then cured. In some embodiments the ink used to print the patterns includes a catalyst that acts as seed layer during subsequent electroless plating. The electrolessly plated material (e.g., copper) provides the low resistivity in the narrow lines of the grid needed for excellent performance of the capacitive touch sensor. Petcavich et. al. indicate that the line width of the flexographically printed material can be 1 to 50 microns.
To improve the optical quality and reliability of the touch screen, it has been found to be preferable that the width of the grid lines be approximately 2 to 10 microns, and even more preferably to be 4 to 8 microns. Printing such narrow lines stretches the limits of flexographic printing technology, especially when relatively high viscosity printing inks are used. In particular, it has been found to be difficult to achieve a desired tolerance of plus or minus one micron in line width tolerance. What is needed is an inking system for a flexographic printing system that is capable of printing such narrow lines with tight control of line width.

Flexographic printing system with solvent replenishment


A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same. The structure includes (i) a dielectric layer, (ii) a bottom capacitor plate and an electrically conductive line on the dielectric layer, (iii) a top capacitor plate on top of the bottom capacitor plate, (iv) a gap region, and (v) a solder ball on the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer includes a top surface that defines a reference direction perpendicular to the top surface. The top capacitor plate overlaps the bottom capacitor plate in the reference direction. The gap region is sandwiched between the bottom capacitor plate and the top capacitor plate. The gap region does not include any liquid or solid material. The solder ball is electrically connected to the electrically conductive line. The top capacitor plate is disposed between the dielectric layer and the solder ball.

In flip chip technology, the attachment of the solder balls of a chip to the substrate pads of a ceramic substrate usually results in stress in the solder balls. Therefore, there is a need for a structure (and a method for forming the same) for monitoring the stress in the solder balls.

Gap capacitors for monitoring stress in solder balls in flip chip technology

International Business Machines Corporation