Combinations of a sulfonylurea antidiabetic agent and a glitazone antidiabetic agent are useful for treating diabetes mellitus and improving glycemic control.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and is often associated with other disorders such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, as well as complications such as cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. The disease is progressive in nature, and can often be controlled initially by diet alone, but generally requires treatment with drugs such as sulfonylureas and injections of exogenous insulin. A new class of compounds known as the glitazones has recently received a great deal of attention for their ability to treat diabetes. These compounds operate by increasing the sensitivity of insulin receptors throughout the body, thereby diminishing or eliminating the need for exogenous insulin.
It has now been discovered that combination therapy with a sulfonylurea and a glitazone results in dramatic improvement in glycemic control. Accordingly, such combinations are especially useful in treating diabetes and associated complications.

Sulfonylurea-glitazone combinations for diabetes


A cable or other track is supported at points along its length by track support brackets that define and shape the course of the track, providing corners, curves, and other direction changes. A track-traveling element is provided that can travel along the track unimpeded by the track supports. The track support and the track-traveling element are formed to cooperate with each other so that the track-traveling element can pass by the track support brackets without manipulation. The track support has an arcuate arm having a center of curvature and an arm radius defining a circular segment. The track-traveling element has a passageway surrounding the track, a pivoting axis, and a slot communicating with the passageway. The slot is spaced from the pivoting axis by a distance substantially equal to the arm radius of the track support. The pivoting axis and the arcuate arm's center of curvature are arranged to be coincident within a predetermined tolerance, so that the slot passes the arcuate arm despite pivoting of the track-traveling element throughout a substantial range of angles about the pivoting axis. The system can be used for various purposes including carrying loads in a conveyor system, protection of a worker in a fall-arrest system, controlling an animal in an animal-tethering system, and supporting and guiding draperies.

Workers who are performing duties at heights or near vertical edges need to be protected from falls that might cause injury or death. In many situations where putting up railing is not a feasible or viable option (e.g. working on top of an airplane, tractor trailer, or railroad car, as well as erecting steel and many other construction and industrial tasks), then a system has to be employed that will protect the worker.
Protection systems are in use that incorporate a lanyard attached at one end to a single fixed anchor point and to a harness or safety belt worn by the worker at the other end. This single anchor system is a safe option for performing some types of tasks, but many tasks are performed over areas larger than can be provided by a single anchor point. In this type of situation, the worker has to disconnect himself from one anchor point and reconnect to another. During the time when the worker is in the process of changing anchor points the worker becomes exposed to hazards of falling. This type of system is very limited as to the type of safe tasks a worker can perform while attached.
A system that allows more mobility than the single anchor point system is the two point system where a worker's safety belt or harness is attached to a lanyard and possibly to a shock absorber, and the other end of the lanyard is attached to a trolley, slide, or other movable component that is adapted to move freely along a track, e.g. an I-beam or cable that is supported or anchored safely at two end-points, the track usually being directly overhead in relation to the worker. Such a system is limited to a straight-line movement of the worker between the two end-points and in the case of the I-beam requires a more or less permanent installation.
There are also systems known and in use at the present time that use a non-flexible track usually constructed by connecting many smaller sections together to create one continuous track of metal or plastic rails which can form curves and corners and allow the movable component to freely travel along the entire length of the track without being impeded by track supports. These systems, because of the number of pieces of hardware required to form and install them, are usually costly to manufacture, are time-consuming to install, require many safe anchor-points to be tested, and are probably better for use as non-fall-arrest permanent installations.
Many applications and tasks could be made easier and would benefit from a multiple track-support system that allows passage of a track-traveling element past the track supports unaided by human intervention and unimpeded by undue frictional orientation of passing components. Among these applications would be fall-arrest systems, animal-tethering systems, conveyor systems, and guidance systems.

Track transport system, track-support bracket, and track-traveling apparatus


Methods and systems are provided for controlling a remote start feature of an engine of a vehicle. A receiver is configured to receive a signal to initiate a remote start of the engine. A processor is coupled to the receiver, and is configured to initiate the remote start after receiving the signal; set a timer that measures an amount of time after which the remote start has been initiated, for a duration of the remote start; extend the remote start upon detection of an action by an individual proximate the vehicle before the amount of time exceeds a first predetermined threshold; and terminate the remote start after the amount of time exceeds the first predetermined threshold if no action has been detected during the duration of the remote start.

Certain vehicles today having include remote start systems and algorithms that enable a user of the vehicle to remotely start an engine of the vehicle. Such a remote start of the engine may be desired, for example, if the user wishes to have the vehicle's interior heated or cooled before the user enters the vehicle. However, in certain situations, existing remote start systems may not always remain active for an optimal amount of time, for example in light of different circumstances for various remote start events.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved methods and systems for controlling remote start functionality of vehicles, for example with respect to the duration of time for which the remote start remains active. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.


A cyclic high pressure fluid seal for a fuel injector includes an injector body that defines a cyclic high pressure space connected to a low pressure space by a bore. A member with a pressure face end and a side surface is mounted to reciprocate in the bore between a retracted position and an advanced position. An O-ring is positioned in contact with the side surface of the member and the injector body within the bore. A portion of the member and the bore define a pressure accumulation volume positioned between the O-ring and the pressure face end. The pressure accumulation volume is positioned such that fluid pressure in the pressure accumulation volume changes with that of the cyclic high pressure space.

In one class of fuel injectors, a reciprocating plunger is utilized to pressurize fuel to initiate and sustain injection. With each reciprocation, pressure gradients along the plunger can oscillate between zero and about 20,000 psi or more at a frequency of many times per second. Because of this high cyclic pressure gradient, fuel naturally has the tendency to leak past the plunger along the plunger bore wall. For a number of reasons, including decreased complexity, increased reliability, allowable fuel leakage, concerns about where and how to route the leaked fuel and for other reasons known to those skilled in the art, it is often desirable to eliminate leakage past the plunger by using an O-ring seal. However, because of the high frequencies involved in injection cycles and the extreme magnitude of cyclic pressure changes acting on an O-ring seal, most presently available O-rings tend to fail long before the other components of the fuel injector. In other words, O-ring technology has not sufficiently advanced to provide reliable and long term sealing at the high frequencies and relatively extreme pressures experienced within a fuel injector environment.
The present invention is directed to overcoming this and other problems associated with sealing against fluid leakage past a reciprocating cylindrical member within a fuel injector.

Fluid seal for cyclic high pressures within a fuel injector


A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes an electrically conductive layer disposed over a substrate. A moisture barrier layer is disposed over the substrate and between the substrate and the electrically conductive layer. A dielectric layer is disposed over the moisture barrier layer. The dielectric layer has an elastic modulus that is lower than an elastic modulus of the moisture barrier layer.

Packaged semiconductor structures can be negatively impacted by exposure to environment, particularly moisture. The semiconductor structures typically include dielectric materials on various surfaces, which may be permeable or otherwise may crack or become defective, enabling moisture to penetrate the electrical circuits. The moisture may cause short circuits, as well as disintegrate the components within the packaged semiconductor structure.
In order for moisture barrier layers to effectively seal the circuit against moisture, the layers should remain intact throughout the fabrication, assembly, and life of the product. Unfortunately, in many known packaged semiconductor structures, ambient temperature and humidity result in expansion of various layers beneath the moisture barrier layer creates stress on the moisture barrier layer, which can lead to cracking of the moisture barrier layer. Cracking of the moisture barrier layer can compromise its effectiveness and lead to the deleterious results noted above.
What is needed, therefore, is a semiconductor structure that overcomes the shortcomings of known structures, such as those described above.

Moisture barrier for semiconductor structures with stress relief

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A voice coil motor driving circuit 10 with retracting function used in a disk drive unit for driving a read/write head by means of a voice coil motor VCM, comprising a voltage up-converter 12; a voice coil motor control circuit 16 for driving the voice coil motor during normal operation; a retract power source Vrr for supplying a retract current to the voice coil motor during head retract action; a retract control circuit 24 for allowing the retract current from the retract power source to the voice coil motor in response to a retract signal. The driving circuit also includes a capacitor C for providing an uninterrupted supply of voltage to the retract control circuit 24 during head retract action.

The use of a voice coil motor driving circuit in the field of magnetic disk drive units is well known in the prior art. A typical voice coil motor driving circuit has retracting function in which a read/write head of the disk drive unit can be retraced from a memory portion of the magnetic disk when disk operation is ceased or power is shut off. In the prior art it is common practice to include additional power supply such as a battery in a voice coil motor driving circuit with retracting function, for the purpose of supplying power to a retract control circuit which controls a retract current flowing through a voice coil motor. This additional battery requires additional cost and space in the voice coil motor driving circuit.

Voice coil motor driving circuit with retracting function


A coherency controller, such as one used within a system-on-chip, is capable of issuing different types of snoops to coherent caches. The coherency controller chooses the type of snoop based on the type of request that caused the snoops or the state of the system or both. By so doing, coherent caches provide data when they have sufficient throughput, and are not required to provide data when they do not have insufficient throughput.

Cache coherency is used to maintain the consistency of data in a shared memory system. A number of initiators, at least one comprising one or more caches, are connected together through a fabric or a central cache coherency controller. This allows the initiators to take advantage of the performance benefit of caches while still providing a consistent view of data across initiators.
Cache coherency protocols are usually based on acquiring and releasing permissions on sets of data (e.g. 32 or 64 bytes), typically called cache lines. Typical permissions are:                None: the cache line is not in the initiator and the initiator has no permission to read or write the data.        Readable: the cache line is in the initiator and the initiator has permission to read the cache line content stored locally. Multiple initiators can simultaneously have read permission on a cache line (i.e. multiple readers).        Readable and writable: the cache line is in the initiator and the initiator has permission to write (and typically read) the cache line content. Only one initiator can have write permission on a cache line, and no initiator can have read permission at the same time.
There is usually a backing store for all cache lines (e.g. a DRAM), which is a target of the fabric or coherency controller. The backing store is the location where the data is stored when it is not in any of the caches. At any point in time, the data in the backing store may not be up to date with respect of the latest copy of a cache line, which may be in an initiator. Because of this, cache lines inside initiators often include an indication of whether the cache line is clean (i.e. it has the same value as in the backing store) or dirty (i.e. it needs to be written back to the backing store at some point as it is the most up-to-date version).
The permission and "dirtiness" of a cache line in an initiator is referred to as the "state" of the cache line. The most common set of coherency states is called MESI (Modified-Exclusive-Shared-Invalid), where Shared corresponds to the read permission (and the cache line being clean) and both Modified and Exclusive give read/write permissions, but in the Exclusive state, the cache line is clean, while in the Modified state, the cache line is dirty and must be eventually written back. In that state set, shared cache lines are always clean.
There are more complex sets of coherency states like MOESI (Modified-Owned-Exclusive-Shared-Invalid) where cache lines with read permission are allowed to be dirty.
Other protocols may have separate read and write permissions. Many cache coherency state sets and protocols exist.
In the general case, when an initiator needs a permission on a cache line that it does not have, it must interact with other initiators directly or through a cache coherency controller to acquire the permission. In the simplest "snoop-based" protocols, the other initiators must be "snooped" to make sure that the permission requested by the initiator is consistent with the permissions already owned by the other initiators. For instance, if a first initiator requests read permission and no other initiator has write permission, the read permission can be granted. However, if a second initiator already has write permission, that permission must be removed from that initiator first before it is granted to the original requester.
In some systems, initiators directly issue snoop requests on a bus and all initiators (or at least all other initiators) respond to the snoop requests. In other systems, the initiators issue permission requests to a coherency controller, which in turn snoops the other initiators (and possibly the requesting initiator itself).
In "directory-based" protocols, directories of permissions acquired by initiators are maintained and snoop requests are sent only when permissions need to change in an initiator.
Snoop filters may also be used to reduce the number of snoop requests sent to initiators. A snoop filter keeps a coarse view of the content of the initiators and don't send a snoop request to an initiator if the snoop filter knows that the initiator does not need to change its permissions.
Data and permissions interact in cache coherency protocols, but the way they interact varies. Initiators usually issue requests for both permission and data simultaneously, but not always. For instance, an initiator that wants to place data in its cache for reading purposes and has neither the data nor the permission can issue a read request including both the request for permission and for the data itself. However, an initiator that already has the data and read permission but needs write permission may issue an "upgrade" request to write permission, but does not need data.
Likewise, responses to snoop requests can include acknowledgments that the permission change has happened, but can also optionally contain data. The snooped initiator may be sending the data as a courtesy. Alternatively, the snooped initiator may be sending dirty data that has to be kept to be eventually written back to the backing store.
Initiators with caches can hold permission without data. For instance, an initiator that wants to write a full cache line may decide not to request data with the write permission, as it knows it will not use it (it will override it completely). In some systems, holding partial data is permitted (in sectors, per byte . . . ). This is useful to limit data transfers but it makes the cache coherency protocol more complex.
Many cache coherency protocols provide two related ways for data to leave an initiator. One is through the snoop response channel, providing data as a response to a snoop. The other is a spontaneous write channel (often called write back or evict channel) where the initiator can send the data out when it does not want to keep it anymore. In some protocols, the snoop response channel and write back channel are shared.
Fully coherent initiators are capable of both owning permissions for cache lines and receiving snoop requests to check and possibly change their permissions, as triggered by requests from another initiator. A common type of fully coherent initiator is a microprocessor with a coherent cache. As the microprocessor needs to do reads and writes, it acquires the appropriate permissions and potentially data and puts them in its cache. Many modern microprocessors have multiple levels of caches inside. Many modern microprocessors contain multiple microprocessor cores, each with a cache and often a shared second-level cache. Many other types of initiators may be fully coherent such as DSPs, GPUs and various types of multimedia initiators comprising a cache.
In contrast, I/O coherent (also called one-way coherent) initiators do not use a coherent cache, but they need to operate on a consistent copy of the data with respect to the fully coherent initiators. As a consequence, their read and write request may trigger snoops to fully coherent initiators. In most cases, this is done by having either a special bridge or the central coherency controller issue the appropriate coherency action and sequence the actual reads or writes to the backing store if necessary. In the case of a small bridge, that bridge may act as a fully coherent initiator holding permissions for a small amount of time. In the case of the central coherency controller, it tracks the reads and writes, and prevents other initiator from accessing cache lines that are being processed on behalf of the I/O coherent initiator.
In cache coherency systems, when data is requested by an initiator, it can be provided either by one of the other initiators (if they have a cache containing the data) or by the backing store target (or another cache on the way to the backing store). It is normally advantageous to try to obtain data from another initiator as this reduces the throughput and therefore power needed from the backing store, which is often a bottleneck in the system (e.g. when the backing store is external DRAM). Because of this, cache coherency systems are often tuned to obtain data from other initiators as much as possible.
However, in some cases, the other initiators may not have enough throughput to provide data on a continuous basis. Usually, the data request is done in conjunction with a snoop request or implicit within a snoop request. While initiators can typically handle a large amount of snoop requests when no data needs to be transferred (for instance, they can handle one snoop request per cycle when they do not have the snooped data), they can handle many fewer snoop requests when they have to provide data (for instance, 1 snoop every four cycles). This is particularly a problem when the required snoop data throughput is high or the initiators with coherent caches are running at a lower-than-peak clock frequency.
Therefore, what is needed is a coherency system where initiators with coherent caches may be asked to provide data when they have enough throughput to do so, and asked not to provide data, if allowed by the protocol, when they do not have enough available throughput to do so.


A micro-turbo generator device (10) includes a housing (12), a rotor (14), a plurality of stator cores (16), and coils (18) encircling the stator cores. The housing (12) includes a shaft (34) which has an axis (11). The rotor (14) is rotatably mounted onto the shaft (34) and includes a perimeter (32) and a plurality of rotor poles (24) extending generally radially about the axis (11). Each rotor pole (24) includes a magnetizable tip (30) and a concave fluid impact surface (26). The stator cores (16) are disposed about the rotor (14) and include first pole face (15) and second pole face (17) facing the perimeter (32) of the rotor (14) and spaced apart therefrom. The coils (18) helically encircle the stator cores (16) and conduct electrical current to magnetize the stator cores (16) to magnetize the tips (30) and to alternately conduct induced electrical current generated in response to changes in magnetic flux between the first and second pole faces (15, 17) and the magnetizable tips (30).

Turbo-generators have been proposed to produce power for electrical devices. A traditional turbo-generator system consists of a discrete turbine and a discrete generator which are coupled via a shaft. The turbine is used to convert momentum from a fluid stream into rotary motion. The shaft transmits the motion to the generator rotor, which typically contains permanent magnets or coil windings around each of its poles. Stator poles are typically arranged around the perimeter of the generator rotor, each of which is wrapped with coil windings The perimeter of the rotor is completely surrounded by stator poles to maximize energy conversion.
Variations of this design include the switched reluctance generator, in which the rotor has no permanent magnets or windings yet is still coupled to the turbine via a shaft, and several versions of a dual-purpose rotor design in which a single component functions as both the turbine and the generator rotor, having windings surrounding each of its poles or permanent magnets at the tips of each of its poles. In the latter case, because the stator poles surround the rotor, the fluid must be directed axially, rather than tangentially, through the turbine.
However, due to size constraints, these designs lead to limited use in portable electronic devices. Consequently, a need exists for a compact turbo-generator device capable of producing power for portable electronic devices.


A process for producing a dicarboxylic acid compound represented by the formula (4):

An aminochromone compound is a useful compound as a pharmaceutical intermediate (e.g. Eur. J. Med. Chem., 32, 547(1997), JP-A 3-95144, etc.) and a known process for producing said compound comprises reacting a nitrochromone compound with hydrogen in the presence of a palladium catalyst (e.g. J. Chem. Soc. (C), 2230(1970), etc.). However, such a process is unsatisfactory as an industrial production process because it has a tendency to produce over-reduced compounds, wherein the carbon-carbon double bond at the 2-position and/or the carbonyl group at the 4-position of a nitrochromone compound are also reduced in addition to the nitro group, as byproducts and therefore the yield of the aminochromone compound thus obtained is low.
Another known process of synthesizing a compound having a chromone skeleton comprises hydrolyzing a dicarboxylic acid compound obtained by addition reaction of an expensive acetylene compound and a phenol compound to obtain carboxylic acid and then cyclizing said carboxylic acid to obtain a chromone compound (Aust. J. Chem., 48, 677(1995)). However, said process is not necessarily satisfactory industrially because it requires an expensive acetylene compound. Further, as a process for producing a nitrochromone compound, a process involving a use of nitro-substituted 2-hydroxyacetophenone as a starting material (JP-A 3-95144) is known and the nitro-substituted 2-hydoxyacetophenone is produced by nitration of 2-hydroxyacetophenone. However, position-selectivity for the nitro group-introduction in the nitration is low and as a result, isomers with nitro groups at different substitution positions are produced as byproducts. Therefore, a step of removing the isomers is required and thus said process involving a use of nitro-substituted 2-hydroxyacetophenon as a starting material is not necessarily an industrially satisfactory process.

Abstract: wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents lower alkyl and the wavy line indicates that this compound is the E- or Z-isomer or a mixture of them, characterized by reacting a compound represented by the formula (2):

Abstract: wherein R1, R2 and the wavy line have the same meanings as the above, and one of X2 and X3 represents hydrogen and the other represents halogen, with nitrophenol represented by the formula (3):

Abstract: in the presence of a base; a process for producing a nitrochromone compound represented by the formula (5):

Abstract: wherein R1 has the same meaning as the above, characterized by reacting the dicarboxylic acid compound or carboxylic acid thereof with an acid; a process for producing an aminochromone compound which comprises reducing the nitrochromone compound; and a process for producing an amidochromone compound which comprises acylating the aminochromone compound are provided.


An all-in-one braking system for a vehicle is described. The braking system includes an operating rod, a first piston system, a second piston system, and a fail safe plate. The operating rod is couplable to a brake actuator operated by the driver of the vehicle. The first piston system and the second piston system each include a piston, a fail recovery key, and a motor. The motor is coupled to the piston to affect lateral movement of the piston which, in turn, causes a braking pressure to be applied to a wheel of the vehicle. The fail safe plate is fixedly coupled to the operating rod such that lateral movement of the operating rod causes lateral movement of the fail safe plate. A controller is configured to operate the motors to control the lateral movement of the pistons based at least in part on detected movement of the operating rod.

The present invention relates to a system for operating the brakes of a vehicle. The system provides for normal braking where the same braking force is applied to each of the four wheels of the vehicle and also provides for dynamic braking where different braking forces are applied to each wheel. Examples of dynamic braking provided by the system include anti-lock braking (ABS), electronic stability (ESP), and cooperative regenerative braking (CRBS).


An internally mounted, portable clamping device for preventing distortion during welding of branch fittings on thin walled pipe. The clamping device comprises a pair of generally arc-shaped clamp halves which are inserted into a pipe and engaged by a screw inserted through a branch fitting which has been tack-welded to the outer surface of the pipe. Turning the screw in one direction moves the clamp halves radially apart until they engage and apply a radially tensive force on portions of the inner surface of the pipe immediately adjacent and opposite the fitting, thereby preventing the pipe from distorting during finish-welding of the fitting. The clamp is disengaged by turning the screw in the opposite direction.

For years pipe fitters have been frustrated with the problem of weld distortion in thin walled piping systems. This problem has been on the increase in recent years. Quality and cost control measures implemented by suppliers have allowed them to eliminate the extra wall thickness on pipes that was formerly characteristic of such pipe and that was expected by fitters. Thinner walls means that the ends of pipes have a tendency to be drawn toward the weld area resulting in curvature of the pipe in the longitudinal direction. That is, the heat from welding fittings and branch pipes onto the main pipe can cause it to become distorted in shape, thus necessitating rework due to improper fitup of the ends.

Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company


Disclosed is a method for indirectly coupling a small molecule ligand to a molecule to be labelled with the ligand, the method comprising the step of: contacting a scaffold molecule, to which is attached at least one small molecule ligand, with the molecule to be labelled, the scaffold molecule having at least one group which is reactive towards a receiver moiety present or formed in situ on the molecule to be labelled, so as to forma bond between the scaffold molecule and the molecule to be labelled, thereby indirectly coupling the small molecule ligand to the molecule to be labelled.

The need to conjugate biomolecules with labels is found in all areas of bioscience research, diagnostics and medicine. Labels that are attached to biomolecules include proteins (e.g. enzymes, fluorescent proteins, streptavidin), oligonucleotides and small-molecule ligands (SMLs; singular SML) usually with molecular weights of less than 1000 (e.g. biotin, fluorescent dyes, metal ion chelators, photoreactive groups, iodinatable molecules, photosensitisers, quenchers, short peptides and drugs). SMLs that are employed in conjugation reactions usually, but not always, have a reactive (often amine-reactive [AR]) group that facilitates attachment of the SML to the biomolecule. For example, fluorescein is normally introduced using an isothiocyanate derivative (FITC; fluorescein isothiocyanate) or an N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) derivative.
The majority of activated SMLs used in conjugation reactions are NHS esters, which have a number of attractive features, such as facile coupling to amines at physiological pH. This generates an amide link that is both strong and irreversible. Disadvantageously, NHS esters are prone to decomposition on storage, especially if moisture enters the product, and they are very susceptible to hydrolysis in aqueous solutions. As SMLs are monovalent with respect to the reactive moiety, the loss of any reactive groups reduces the percentage of SML that can participate in conjugation reactions. Because of possible decomposition on storage and because of competing hydrolysis reactions, the SML is generally used in a significant molar excess. As many biomolecules contain multiple amine functions, trial experiments are usually carried out on a small scale with varying molar ratios and/or varying reaction times to optimise the conditions and to avoid over-labelling. Finally, with the need to use a significant excess of SML, it is inevitable that large amounts of unconjugated SML and/or hydrolysis products will contaminate the final product, and that purification of the conjugate will be required.
An alternative chemistry that avoids some of the problems encountered with NHS esters involves thiol-mediated coupling of molecules. Thiol-reactive (TR) SMLs are relatively stable but because of their more limited commercial availability and because many biomolecules lack of indigenous free thiols TR-SMLs are less frequently used in conjugation reactions. While methods to introduce thiols into biomolecules are known, the operation of adding thiol groups usually makes the process of conjugation technically more complicated. Functional groups found in commercially available SMLs that react with thiol groups include maleimide, iodoacetyl, bromoacetyl, aziridine, epoxide, acryloyl, and thiol-disulfide exchange reagents (e.g. pyridyl disulfides).
The present invention relates to, inter alia, methods for making conjugates that circumvent at least some of the problems associated with reactive SMLs, particularly NHS esters, and with other SMLs that are monovalent with respect to their reactive functional groups. These methods are described more fully below.


A groove configuration, formed on an inside wall of a heat exchanger tube, has a cross-sectional area varying in the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanger tube. An increased rate of the cross-sectional area is differentiated from a decreased rate of the cross-sectional area by changing the height or top width of a protruding portion, or the depth or bottom width of a recessed portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a heat-transfer tube or pipe equipped in a heat exchanger for use in an air-conditioning apparatus or the like, and more particularly to a heat exchanger tube preferably used for an air-conditioning apparatus using non-azeotropic coolant.
2. Prior Art
One conventional heat exchanger tube will be explained with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a heat exchanger tube 1. In FIG. 17, heat exchanger tube 1 has an end being cut obliquely with respect to a center line 3 of heat exchanger tube 1. A plurality of grooves 2 are formed on an inside wall of heat exchanger tube 1.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view enlargedly showing a conventional groove configuration at a portion corresponding to "A" of FIG. 17. Ridge portion of the groove configuration comprises a top surface 4 and side surfaces 5. Between parallel two ridge portions, there is provided a flat bottom (recessed portion) 6.
Top surface 4 extends flatly in the longitudinal direction thereof. Opposed two side surfaces 5 are inclined with respect to bottom 6 at the same angle .beta..
FIG. 19 is a perspective view enlargedly showing another conventional groove configuration at a portion corresponding to "A" of FIG. 17, for example shown in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 3-189013, disclosed in 1991. Each protrusion, formed on an inside wall of heat exchanger tube, comprises a slant surface 7. A bottom comprises a slant surface 8 and a stepped portion 9.
However, if the former conventional groove configuration is adopted for a heat exchanger tube of the air-conditioning apparatus using non-azeotropic coolant, it will encounter the following problems. Non-azeotropic coolant has a difference between its boiling point and its dew point under the same pressure. When the difference between its boiling point and its dew point is approximately 5.degree. C., an inlet temperature at a vaporizer is decreased to -2.5.degree. C. under settings of an average vaporization temperature at 0.degree. C. The surface of fins near the inlet of the vaporizer will be bothered with icing of condensed water, deteriorating the ability of the heat exchanger.
To prevent such icing phenomenon, pressure loss in the heat exchanger tube is normally increased by changing the groove configuration in the heat exchanger tube, reducing the inner diameter of the heat exchanger tube, or reducing the number of fluid passages in the heat exchanger. Increase of pressure loss in the heat exchanger tube leads to an increase of inlet pressure and increase of inlet temperature.
However, to increase the pressure loss in the heat exchanger tube, using the former conventional groove configuration will undesirably increase the pressure loss in the condenser. Increase of pressure loss in the condenser leads to decrease of condensation temperature, deteriorating the condensation ability.
According to the latter conventional groove configuration, fluid in a vaporization phase flows in the direction of "B" while the fluid in a condensation phase flows in the direction of "C". Slant surface 7 acts to reduce the pressure loss in the condensation phase, however stepped portion 9 acts to increase the pressure loss in the condensation phase. In short, slant surface 7 and stepped portion 9 act oppositely in such a manner that they mutually cancel their effects. According to the latter conventional groove configuration, protrusions and recesses are formed by changing the pressure of rolling processing so as to form a protrusion by an amount excluded from a recess. In other words, a cross-sectional area normal to the center line of the heat exchanger tube is not changed regardless of formation of protrusions and recesses.

Heat exchanger tube for an air-conditioning apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A device for varying the valve timing of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine comprising a driven unit (3) rotationally fixed to a camshaft (2), and a drive unit (6) which is in driving relationship through a traction element with a crankshaft while being rotatably mounted on the driven unit (3), the device (1) further comprising at least two pressure chambers (11, 12) that can be pressurized by a hydraulic pressure medium, the hydraulic pressure medium being fed into the device (1) through a connecting bracket (13) which is rotationally fixed to the driven unit (3) and coaxially surrounds the end portion of the camshaft (2) while comprising on its outer peripheral surface (16), a plurality of annular flanges (29, 30, 31) having sealing rings (20, 21, 22) arranged in annular grooves (17, 18, 19), which annular flanges (29, 30, 31) are sealingly surrounded by a reception bore (36) in a connecting structure (35), characterized in that the sealing rings (20, 21, 22) either comprise an elastic coating (34a) at least on an outer peripheral surface (23, 24, 25) and are sealingly force-locked through this coated outer peripheral surface (23, 24, 25) with the reception bore (36) in the connecting structure (35), or the sealing rings (20, 21, 22) comprise a wear-reducing coating (34b) at least on an outer peripheral surface (23, 24, 25) and are in a sealed sliding relationship through this coated outer peripheral surface (23, 24, 25) with the reception bore (36) in the connecting structure (35).

In a camshaft adjusting device of the above type known from DE-OS 42 18 082, the required hydraulic pressure medium is fed into the device through a connecting bracket which is rotationally fixed to the driven unit and coaxially surrounds the end portion of the camshaft. The outer peripheral surface of this connecting bracket comprises a number of annular flanges between which the hydraulic pressure medium is guided in circumferential annular channels and which are sealingly surrounded by a reception bore of a connecting plate. The hydraulic medium flows via the control valve and through feed bores made in the connecting plate into the annular channels of the connecting bracket from where it is diverted through a longitudinal channel into a direction perpendicular to the camshaft adjusting direction. The sealing of the pressure medium conveying channels is achieved by steel sealing rings comprising a split gap and arranged in annular grooves in the outer peripheral surface of the annular flanges of the connecting bracket while bearing sealingly against the inner wall of the reception bore of the connecting plate.
Practice has shown, however, that in such sealing arrangements, the rotation of the driven unit is transmitted to the steel sealing rings which causes them to "dig" into the inner wall of the reception bore with their radial bearing surfaces, or the steel sealing rings and the reception bore undergo a considerable amount of wear. This detrimental behavior is due to frictional locking between the steel sealing rings and the inner wall of the reception bore resulting from the pressure of the hydraulic pressure medium prevailing in the annular channels and, more importantly, from the radial pre-stress of the steel sealing rings.
Measurements of the pre-stress of "dug-in" steel sealing rings have shown that the steel sealing rings can get buried to the extent that the pre-stress force becomes zero. This can result, for example, in a setting-free of scuffing chips which, on penetrating into the camshaft adjusting device, can cause a malfunctioning. Further, the "digging-in" of the steel sealing rings into the reception bore causes a radial expansion of the steel sealing rings which results in an enlargement of the split gap of the steel sealing rings arranged in the annular grooves and thus also in an enlargement of the leak gap of the steel sealing rings. Under certain circumstances, this can lead to a loss of pressure medium in the pressure chambers of the camshaft adjusting device during a standstill of the internal combustion engine, so that the adjusting piston is no longer sufficiently clamped hydraulically during starting of the engine and can abut unobstructedly against its end stops resulting in a disadvantageous generation of noise.
It was also determined that from a certain penetration depth of the steel sealing rings into the reception bore during operation of the engine especially at low engine speeds, vital system characteristic values such as, for example, the adjusting speed of the camshaft adjusting device, are strongly reduced because the additional pressure medium leakages and a limited performance of the pressure medium pump lead to a sinking of the pressure level. Even the use of steel sealing rings with a lower pre-stress force has not been able to substantially diminish the "digging-in" effect of the steel sealing rings because the attainable minimum pre-stress force is determined essentially by the toleranced inner diameter of the steel sealing rings, and the surface pressure of the steel sealing rings, especially in the presence of pressure medium pressure is, in any case, still so high that the aforesaid "digging-in" with its negative consequences continues to occur.

Device for varying the valve timing of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine


The present disclosure relates to an indoor monocular navigation method based on cross-sensor transfer learning and a system thereof. Determining an preliminary autonomous navigation model according to simulated laser radar data; acquiring actual single-line laser radar data and monocular camera data of the mobile robot simultaneously in an actual environment; determining the heading angle of the mobile robot according to the actual laser radar data; determining a laser radar monocular vision navigation model, according to the generated heading angle of the mobile robot and the monocular camera data at a the same moment and by using a Resnet18 network and a pre-trained YOLO v3 network; determining a heading angle of the mobile robot at the current moment, according to the acquired monocular camera data and by using the laser radar monocular vision navigation model; performing navigation of the mobile robot.

Mobile robots such as unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous vehicles bring great convenience for human society. For example, unmanned aerial vehicles, initially in experimental trials and civil aerial photography, and more recently in autonomous navigation and even distributed positioning and modeling, have greatly improved people's work efficiency. Mobile robots, especially small-sized unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous vehicles, have the characteristics of small space and high maneuverability and thus can more conveniently perform tasks in indoor and similar complex environments. Therefore, if a mobile robot is capable of autonomous intelligent navigation in a complex unknown indoor environment, its range of application can be greatly expanded. However, the research and development of indoor autonomous navigation algorithms of mobile robots have faced great challenges: since the invention of indoor autonomous navigation algorithms, they have been having troubles with achieving self-adaptive stable navigation when the environment structure is undetermined, the lighting is unstable, and the indoor pedestrians differ largely in form or walk in random directions, which is one of the difficulties in the field of autonomous navigation of mobile robots such as unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous vehicles. Therefore, it is of great significance to study an autonomous navigation method in an indoor environment.
Due to long-term evolution of the organisms in nature, environmental variations repeatedly strengthen the adaptability of the organisms to the environment. Biological scientific research shows that an organism adapts to an environment by continuously interacting with the environment and acquiring feedbacks from the environment, which continuously strengthens a certain capability of the organism. For example, in the case of walking, hunting, group movement of an animal, the animal constantly improves and elevates its decision strategy through a continuous trial and error process. This type of learning also belongs to the category of evolution, and is characterized in that it does not involve precise modeling and is continuously improved only through continuous interaction with the environment and acquiring a reward or penalty from the environment. As an example, unmanned aerial vehicles can learn their autonomous navigation capabilities in an unknown environment by this type of learning method. In this process, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be compared to an organism, and its continuous trial and error process can be compared to an organism's learning process. As the organism can acquire feedbacks from the natural world, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be excited to adapt to the environment faster by artificially set reward and penalty that are beneficial to the autonomous navigation of the unmanned aerial vehicle. This is also the basic idea of reinforcement learning. It can be seen that reinforcement learning belongs to end-to-end learning; with an input environment state, a decision action is output directly.
At present, according to whether path planning is based on a trajectory method, mobile robot navigation algorithms can be divided into two categories, namely a trajectory planning-based method and an action response-based (end-to-end decision) method. For the trajectory planning-based method, the method has the advantages that by dynamic planning, a global optimal path can be obtained, and the result is more controllable and more stable; however, the method has the disadvantages that the algorithm is long in time and heavily relies on the calculation resource of the computer, in addition, the trajectory planning-based method normally has a relatively low generalization capability. For the action response-based method, an advantage of such method is that it is an end-to-end decision-type algorithm which is generally shorter in its decision-making time-consuming, and currently end-to-end-based algorithms normally have a better generalization capability; however, end-to-end methods have an apparent drawback: the decision is not necessarily a global optimal solution.
Action response-based navigation algorithms can further be divided into an autonomous learning category and a non-autonomous learning category. Non-autonomous learning algorithms include the artificial potential field method; however, it may cause local oscillation when the mobile robot is too close to an obstacle or too far away from the target position, and even subsequent improved version of the artificial potential field method has the problem that its parameters are difficult to set, which all make a practical application nearly unfeasible. Autonomous learning robot navigation algorithms currently include deep reinforcement learning based and deep learning based methods. Currently successful cases where deep reinforcement learning is used for indoor navigation include Generalization through Simulation Integrating Simulated and Real Data into Deep Reinforcement Learning for Vision Based Autonomous Flight (GTS), which is an end-to-end decision method for mobile robot indoor navigation.
However, with regard to this deep reinforcement learning (GTS) navigation algorithm, firstly, it uses a state value estimation network trained from a simulation environment and evaluates all actions one by one in an action space by using the state value estimation network, resulting in an increased response delay when the decision is made; secondly, it uses a discrete action space, which leads to discrete decision actions and unsmooth actions; finally, the method (GTS) migrates the network trained by a simulation environment to an actual physical mobile robot, resulting in insufficient navigation margin and unstable path due to an overly simplified network model.
At present, monocular end-to-end mobile robot navigation algorithms are almost all tested in an environment with no people because depth information is hard to get with monocular cameras; and, pedestrians move randomly and like to gather and watch, which greatly reduces the applicability of this type of algorithms or even makes it unusable.

Indoor monocular navigation method based on cross-sensor transfer learning and system thereof


An anodic vacuum arc deposition system for rapidly depositing a high quality, small grain size, coating on a workpiece. The anodic vacuum arc deposition system includes an arc initiator and an anodic electrode having a continuous feed. The anodic vacuum arc deposition system may be configured with a coaxial anode and cathode. A plurality of coaxial electrodes may be used to deposition coat a large area and/or to sequentially deposit a series of layers each of a different material.

The deposition of material upon a substrate by the use of an electric arc is well known. FIG. 1 depicts a typical deposition apparatus 10. The process takes place in a vacuum chamber 12 which encloses a substrate 14 which is to be and an electric arc electrode assembly 16, having an anode 18 and a cathode 20. Material 24 to be deposited is placed in a receptacle 26 formed in the cathode 20 of the electric arc electrode assembly 16. The substrate 14 to be coated is placed near the electric arc electrode assembly 16. A potential is applied between the anode 18 and the cathode of the electric arc electrode assembly 16 and current flows between them, once the arc is ignited. As current flows between the cathode 20 and the anode 18, the material 24 to be deposited is vaporized and ionized forming a plasma 30 which maintains current flow even as the anode 18 and the cathode 20 are physically separated. The ions of the plasma 30 interact with the surface of the substrate 14 to be coated and are deposited thereupon. It should be noted, in the case where the cathode 20 is constructed from the material 24 to deposited, the cathode 20 need not contain a receptacle 24 and instead the cathode 20 itself is consumed in the deposition process. This form of deposition, in which material is deposited from the cathode region, may be termed cathodic vacuum arc deposition.
Alternatively, the anode 18 of the electric arc electrode assembly 16 may be used as the source of the material to be deposited. In such a case, where the material is deposited from the anode region, the deposition is referred to as anodic vacuum arc deposition.
In anodic vacuum arc deposition, an electric arc 30, which forms between the anode 18 and the cathode 20, is initiated by physical contact between the anode 18 and cathode 20. Once the electric arc 30 forms or ignites, the anode 18 and the cathode 20 are separated and the arc is maintained by the material ionized during initiation.


A sensing element (10) for an intrinsic gravity gradiometer (IGG) for use in sensing variation in a gravity field at a location. The sensing element (10) is flexible, elongate and has unfixed opposed ends (12, 14) when part of the gravity gradiometer. The sensing element can be a metallic ribbon, and can be mounted by a number e.g. 3 or 5, pivot points or axes 30-40 at each of the opposed sides along the sensing element, with the opposed ends of the sensing element free to move. The pivot points or axes can include pins, preferably cylindrical pins (48) or the sensing element may be etched within the side wall and remain joined to the remainder of the side wall by connections. The sensing element (10) can form part of one or more resonant cavities or wave guide (44, 52-66), such as a side or dividing wall (46) or part thereof. A dual phase bridge (61,612) arrangement can be provided. Electrical current (I) can be injected into the sensing element. Feed forward motion compensation (MC or FFMC) can be applied as part of the determination of the current. Applying electrical current into the opposed longitudinal sides (20, 22), such as right and left sides, of the sensing element, such as a ribbon, can be used for several types of compensation. Displacement of the sensing element can be detected by a resonant cavity, electromagnetic sensor or optical sensor.

Gravity gradients provide valuable information about the presence and/or nature of underground/subsea oil, gas and mineral resources, and assist with navigation, defense and several other areas of industrial, commercial and technological endeavour.
In particular (but not solely), gravity gradiometry is used by oil and mineral resource prospectors to measure the density of the underlying ground formation. A picture of subsurface anomalies is built-up which is then used to more accurately target subsurface deposits, such as oil, gas and mineral reserves. Gravity gradiometry is also used to image water column density, when locating submerged objects, or determining water depth, and is used to compensate for anomalies affecting navigation systems, such as the oblateness of the earth.
Accurately measuring direct gravity gradients is difficult. However, there has been a considerable investment, both in terms of time and money, into the development of various types of gradiometers driven by the extremely valuable type of information that is contained in gravity gradients.
An intrinsic gravity gradiometer (IGG) is disclosed in an international patent application published as WO 96/10759. A flexible metal 'string', held under tension between fixed ends, is used to measure two off-diagonal (Gxz and Gyz) direct gravity gradients. It has been revealed ("A novel combined gravity & magnetic gradiometer system for mobile applications", Veryaskin 2000) that a string-like object possesses a dynamic degree of freedom (i.e. the second violin mode described as S-mode) which is coupled only to a direct gravity gradient. In contrast, gravitational and/or kinematic acceleration is coupled to a different dynamic mode (i.e. the first violin mode described as C-mode). By measuring the mechanical displacements of the S-mode, it is possible to measure only direct gravity gradients and not gravitational and/or kinematic acceleration.
Due to the large value of the Earth's ambient gravitational acceleration, the C-mode displacements are coupled to read-out measurements. This is caused by misalignment of the 'string's' displacement measuring means as explained in another international patent application published as WO 03/027715. This problem is well known as the "common mode" problem, which persists in most, if not all, known gravity gradiometers.
In WO 03/027715, further improvements to the string-based gravity gradiometer design are provided. A new boundary condition (constraint) along with fixed ends was introduced in the mid position of a uniform metal wire or ribbon in the form of a knife-edge. This practically eliminates the C-mode dynamic motion of the sensing element leaving the S-mode related degree of freedom relatively unchanged.
However, as explained in another international patent application published as WO 2010/061183, a string or any other string-like object with fixed ends and clamped mid position still possesses an unwanted mechanical degree of freedom (W-mode or sag mode), coupled with the uniform gravitational and/or kinematic acceleration, and effectively represents a gravimeter and a gradiometer, rather then a gravity gradiometer only.
In order to further reduce or completely eliminate all unwanted mechanical degrees of freedom, some new mechanical string-like or ribbon-like workable sensing elements were introduced in WO 2010/061183. By arranging the ribbon to have a varying rigidity and/or mass profile along its length such that the deformation of the ribbon in its W-mode of oscillation is suppressed, the effect of acceleration on the ribbon displacement is low and the contribution of the 'gravimeter' component in the signal detected by the sensing means is also low. Therefore the gradiometer signal is easier to detect against a quieter 'gravimeter' signal.
Similarly, by arranging the ribbon to have a varying rigidity and/or mass profile such that the deformation of the ribbon in its S-mode modes of oscillation is enhanced, the effect of a gravity gradient on the ribbon displacement is high and the contribution of the gradiometer component in the signal detected by the sensing means is also high.
However, the arrangement disclosed in WO 2010/061183 takes a step back from the pure string-like or ribbon-like objects with uniform mass distribution and simple symmetric geometries. The non-uniform rigidity and/or mass profile cannot be made exactly the same along the whole length. This will make the sensing elements behave more like a string of stand alone 'gravimeters' with different masses coupled to each other and make the manufacturing process more complex and costly. The tolerance requirements may well be unreachable in order to get the desired effect of suppressing all unwanted mechanical degrees of freedom and more problems than advantages may result.
From this point of view, the simpler the geometry of the sensing element the easier it will be to manufacture it with tolerances close enough to meet requirements for an 'ideal gradiometer'.
It is noted that the sensing element (string or ribbon like) disclosed in each of the aforementioned published patent documents are clamped at both opposed ends and in the middle and held under tension, no matter if they have a uniform or non-uniform mass profile and cross sections.
With the aforementioned limitations of known gravity gradiometers in mind, the present invention seeks to provide improved functionality and/or accuracy for a gravity gradiometer.

Intrinsic gravity gradiometer and gravity gradiometry


A method and apparatus for applying pressure sensitive adhesive to a substrate, in which the adhesive is deposited on a transfer surface, such as a circulating transfer belt, dried, and subsequently transferred to a plurality of overlapping sheets. The sheets are preferably coated with a primer or a low adhesion backsize, or both, prior to application of the adhesive.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the application of a coating material such as pressure sensitive adhesive, to individual sheets, such as sheets of paper.
It is desirable in some fields to apply pressure sensitive adhesive to a paper substrate and several methods are known for performing this process. German patent application 36 06 199, for example, discloses a method and apparatus for applying pressure sensitive adhesive on a continues web of paper. The web is coated with a primer, or adhesion promoter and dried in a first drying station. Next, an optional low adhesion backsize, or release layer, may be coated onto the opposite surface of the web and dried at a second drying station. Finally, a circulating intermediate carrier applies the pressure sensitive adhesive, which has been partially dried while on the intermediate carrier, over the primer layer. The paper web may then be collected and further processed as desired.
The various drying steps disclosed in the ""199 patent (drying the primer layer, drying the low adhesion backsize layer, and drying the adhesive layer while on the intermediate carrier) remove moisture from the aqueous primer, backsize and adhesive materials, to prevent the paper web from curling or wrinkling. However, the sequential application and drying of the primer and low adhesion backsize layers typically result in some curling of the paper web, which is undesirable. The curling problem would be more pronounced in the context of the application of a primer, low adhesion backsize, and adhesive to individual paper sheets rather than a paper web, because the web is typically in tension whereas the individual sheets are not. Thus, the method and apparatus of the ""199 patent typically is not suitable for use with individual paper sheets.
It is therefore desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying primer, low adhesion backsize, and pressure sensitive adhesive to a plurality of individual paper sheets without inducing curling or cockling of the sheets.
The present invention includes within its scope an apparatus for applying a coating material to a plurality of sheets as the sheets are conveyed past the apparatus. The apparatus comprises means for supplying a plurality of sheets, means for overlapping the sheets, such that a minor portion of each sheet overlies a portion of an adjacent sheet, and a minor portion of each sheet underlies a portion of a second adjacent sheet, a coating station comprising means for receiving coating material from a supply of such material, and for applying the coating material to a first major surface of the overlapping sheets as the sheets are conveyed past the coating station, and means for collection the coated sheets. In one embodiment, the coating material is a pressure sensitive adhesive, and the sheets are sheets of paper.
Also provided is a method of applying a coating material to a plurality of sheets. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of sheets, overlapping the sheets, such that a minor portion of each sheet overlies a portion of an adjacent sheet, and that a minor portion of each sheet underlies a portion of a second adjacent sheet, providing a source of coating material, applying a coating material to a first major surface of the overlapping sheets as the sheets are conveyed past the coating station, and collecting the coated sheets. In one embodiment of the inventive method, the coating material is a pressure sensitive adhesive, and the sheets are sheets of paper. Also provided is a sheet coated with a coating material according to the foregoing method.

Apparatus for applying a coating material to sheets


A tamping device is disclosed herein which measures a tamp force applied to ground coffee in a portafilter and provides feedback to the user when a desired tamp force has been achieved so that the user can stop the tamping step when preparing the portafilter to brew espresso. The tamping device may also have a plurality of force sensors, which measure how even the user applied force is being applied to the ground coffee in the portafilter so that a density of the ground coffee is even throughout the compressed ground coffee formed by tamping the ground coffee.

The various aspects and embodiments described herein relate to an espresso tamper for compressing ground coffee (i.e., compressed ground coffee) in a basket of a portafilter when brewing espresso.
Espresso is prepared by extracting coffee from ground coffee beans. The ground coffee beans are compressed into a basket of a portafilter. If the ground coffee is not compressed evenly in the basket of the portafilter to a particular density throughout the basket of the portafilter, the water forced through the compressed ground coffee may flow through a channel (i.e., path of lower resistance) and avoid higher density areas (i.e., path of higher resistance). Put simply, the water will not flow evenly throughout the compressed ground coffee in the basket of the portafilter. Because of this, the extracted coffee may extract more coffee out of the ground coffee adjacent where the channeling occurs and less coffee out of the ground coffee in other areas. Due to channeling, coffee may be unevenly extracted from the compressed ground coffee and may pull unwanted compounds from the ground coffee. The unwanted compounds from the ground coffee may unacceptably alter the flavor profile of the extracted espresso.
As such, a need in the art exists for helping users to compress ground coffee in a basket to better control the extraction process when brewing espresso.


An image processor (IP) and an image processing method to support cardio- or neuro-interventions. An imager (100) acquires a series of fluoroscopic images (F) while an interventional tool progresses through a region of interest (ROI) such as a cardiac vasculature. Image processor (IP) operates to select from a plurality of stored angiograms (A) previously acquired of the region of interest a contextual one from which a contextual roadmap (RM) can be extracted. The contextual roadmap is selected to fit to both, a current cardiac phase and the current position of the device (GW). The selected contextual angiogram and its contextual roadmap is capable of showing the outlines of the vasculature (ROI) at the current device position at high contrast.

Cardiac and neurological interventions are frequently supported by fluoroscopic imaging devices whilst a catheter is introduced into a patient's body by medical personnel. The device is progressed through a suitable feeder artery to a diseased or lesioned site.
Progression of the device is monitored by the radiologist on a screen. On said screen the fluoroscopic images are displayed which are acquired by an x-ray projection imager throughout the intervention. In a cardio context, it is the coronary vessels that are of interest where the lesion, for example a stenosis, is located. The vessels themselves are normally barely, if at all, visible in the fluoroscopic images because of the vessel's low radiation opacity. To still provide the radiologist with a navigational aid, road mapping techniques are used. A road map is a graphic that represents in projection view the outlines of an anatomic structure such as the vessel through which the catheter is made to progress. The road map is usually shown alongside the current fluoro to provide the desired navigational clue. A single road map in general does not cover the whole region of the coronaries through which the catheter travels. According to past solutions, a number of localized road maps have been stitched together into a composite road map to thereby provide the visual navigation aid.
US 2010/049038 describes a cardiac roadmapping procedure.

Device position dependant overlay for roadmapping


Apparatus for programming a non-volatile memory, the apparatus having corresponding methods and tangible computer-readable media, comprise: a command memory configured to hold a plurality of command templates, wherein each of the command templates specifies a sequence of pad signals; a state machine configured to i) receive descriptors, wherein each of the descriptors includes a pointer to a respective one of the command templates in the command memory, and ii) generate the sequence of pad signals based on the command template indicated by the respective pointer; and a non-volatile memory interface configured to provide, to pads of the non-volatile memory, the sequence of pad signals generated by the state machine.

Flash memory is a type of memory that is non-volatile, can be electrically erased and written, and that offers short read access times. For these reasons, flash memory has become increasingly popular in portable devices such as smartphones, digital music players, and the like, as well as in computer systems in the form of solid-state drives. Flash memory is generally implemented in a manner similar to that of NAND logic gates, and so is often referred to as NAND flash memory.
Manufacturers are currently producing many kinds of NAND flash memory, each with different modes, speeds, and protocols. These modes, speeds, and protocols are constantly evolving. In addition, some manufacturers are implementing proprietary features. Furthermore, some NAND flash memories are capable of operations in multiple protocols such as single data rate and double data rate protocols. It is difficult for customers to keep pace with these developments as they integrate these memories into their systems.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional non-volatile memory system 100. Non-volatile memory system 100 includes a non-volatile memory 110, a non-volatile memory controller 108, and a processor 106. Non-volatile memory controller 108 includes a single data rate (SDR) state machine 122A, a double data rate (DDR) state machine 122B, and a non-volatile memory interface 124. To program non-volatile memory 110, processor 106 provides SDR commands 130A to SDR state machine 122A, and provides DDR commands 130B to DDR state machine 122B. In response, SDR state machine 122A generates pad signals 126A, and DDR state machine 122B generates pad signals 126B. Non-volatile memory interface 124 provides the pad signals 126 to pads 128 of non-volatile memory 110.
In a conventional non-volatile memory system 100, changes to the modes, speeds, protocols, and the like for non-volatile memory 110 are accommodated by changing the design of the state machines 122 in the non-volatile memory controller 108. However, such changes are expensive and time-consuming to implement. In addition, changing protocols during operation requires switching from one state machine 122 to the other, after waiting for all operations of the first state machine to finish. For example, when changing from SDR protocol to DDR protocol, the non-volatile memory controller 108 must wait until all operations of the SDR state machine 122A have completed before starting the DDR state machine 122B. This costs considerable time.

NAND flash controller with programmable command templates


A vehicle-position monitoring system includes liquid-capacitive inclinometer sensor, configured to provide a measurement of grade (θgrade) of a surface over which a vehicle travels, and an accelerometer to measure acceleration of the vehicle along a principal axis (ax) of the vehicle along the surface. Direct measurement of the grade (θgrade) provides a position-tracking system with accurate information to extract acceleration due to motoring and braking (aMB) from acceleration experienced along the principal axis and track vehicle position without regard to wheel diameter calibration.

Safe operation of rail vehicles on tracks involves the coordination of train positions on the tracks to avoid collisions. One method of determining train positions on set of tracks includes monitoring wheel rotation to determine a vehicle position from a known reference point during rail operations. Tracking wheel rotation to determine vehicle position depends on uniform wheel movement against the set of tracks. However, slipping or sliding occurs for some vehicles, especially in wet or icy conditions, leading to errors in vehicle position estimates.

System and method for determining grade and acceleration due to motoring and braking


This invention provides a compound of the formula (I):

Prostaglandins are mediators of pain, fever and other symptoms associated with inflammation. Especially prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is the predominant eicosanoid detected in inflammation conditions. In addition, it is also involved in various physiological and/or pathological conditions and such as hyperalgesia, uterine contraction, digestive peristalsis, awakeness, suppression of gastric acidsecretion, blood pressure, platelet function, bone metabolism, angiogenesis or the like.
Four PGE2 receptor subtypes (EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4) displaying different pharmacological properties have been cloned. EP4 subtype, a Gs-coupled receptor stimulates cAMP production, and is distributed in a wide variety of tissue suggesting major role in PGE2-mediated biological events.
WO99/47497 discloses carboxylic acids and acylsulfonamides compounds as prostaglandin-receptor antagonists.

Aryl or heteroaryl fused imidazole compounds as anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents

Abstract: or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4 are independently selected from N, CH, etc.; R1 is H, C1-8 alkyl, etc.; Q1 is a 5–12 membered monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic ring optionally containing up to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, etc.; A is a 5–6 membered monocyclic aromatic ring optionally containing up to 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, etc.; B is C1-6 alkylene optionally substituted with an oxo group, etc.; W is NH, O, etc.; R2 is H, C1-4 alkyl, etc.; Z is a 5–12 membered monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic ring optionally containing up to 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, etc.; L is halo, C1-4 alkyl, etc.; m is 0, 1 or 2; R3 and R4 are independently selected from H and C1-4 alkyl; R5 is H, C1-4 alkyl, etc.; Q2 is a 5–12 membered monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic ring or tricyclic ring optionally containing up to 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, etc. These compounds are useful for the treatment of medical conditions mediated by prostaglamndin such as pain, fever or inflammation, etc. This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the above compound.


A reflecting prism has an input surface, an output surface, a first reflection surface, a second reflection surface, and a third reflection surface. The reflecting prism has a first refractive index, such that the first, second, and third reflection surfaces interface with an external medium having a second refractive index less than the first refractive index. This interface defines a critical angle for total internal reflection for each of the first, second, and third reflection surfaces. Light is received at the input surface of a prism body of a reflecting prism and is transmitted along a first internal optical path segment of an optical path to the first reflection surface. The angle of incidence of the first internal optical path segment with respect to the first reflection surface is greater than the critical angle for the first reflection surface, thereby causing the light to be reflected via total internal reflection.

Optics relates to the behavior and properties of light, i.e., electromagnetic radiation that includes visible, infrared, and ultraviolet spectra. Many optical systems employ components for directing and focusing light along one or more optical paths, with some components defining a particular focal length for some or all of the optical path. Generally, optical systems that require long focal lengths also require long physical path lengths. In many applications, packaging constraints do not allow for the inclusion of continuous linear path segments of sufficient length to accommodate the required focal length. This problem can be overcome by folding of the optical path, i.e., deviating an optical beam within a volume to allow the beam to travel the required distance without leaving the physical boundaries of the volume.
Folding of the optical path is commonly accomplished using prisms and/or mirrors, which are configured to redirect the optical beam and allow the beam to have a sufficiently long focal length in a volume without excessive physical length in any dimension. These arrangements typically require precise positioning and alignment of each prism and/or mirror so that the light does not deviate from its intended optical path, e.g., along its optical axis. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for components, systems, and methods that allow for high-quality and cost-effective folding of an optical path within a volume.

Reflecting prism, and related components, systems, and methods


A pulse detection mechanism for detecting the rotation amount of a rotary member and its rotational direction with a high degree of accuracy by reducing the degree of fluctuation in the position of contact between pins and a pulse surface. A rotation shaft to which a pulse plate has been fixed is supported by a shaft insertion hole of a rotation shaft holding member and that of a pin receiving member. Pins are inserted through pin holes formed through the pin receiving member so that one end of each pin contacts the pulse surface and the other end thereof is urged by a leaf spring of a leaf spring member. The pulse surface and the pins are placed in position by the shaft insertion hole of the rotation shaft holding member and that of the pin receiving member so that the pulse detection mechanism so as to prevent a position fluctuation from being reduced greatly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pulse detection mechanism for detecting pulse signals outputted according to the rotation of a rotary plate having a pulse surface formed thereon. A plurality of electrically conductive areas and insulation areas are formed on the pulse surface alternately with each other. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rotation detection mechanism and in particular, a pulse detection mechanism preferably applicable to a rotation direction detection apparatus for detecting the rotational direction of a rotary member which rotates in opposite directions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pulse detection mechanism preferably applicable to a rotation detection apparatus for detecting the rotation operation amount of a lens barrel of a camera or the like and the rotational direction of the lens barrel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pulse detection mechanism for detecting the rotation amount and/or rotation direction of a rotary member has been hitherto utilized. The pulse detection mechanism has a substrate having a pulse surface formed thereon and brushes which contact the pulse surface. In the pulse detection mechanism, the pulse surface and the brushes rotate relative to each other in association with the rotation of the rotary member. The pulse detection mechanism detects pulse signals outputted according to the relative rotation of the pulse surface and the brushes. Various types of pulse detection mechanism have been proposed. Hitherto, brush method has been mainly adopted in this kind of pulse detection mechanism. For example, in the construction of the lens barrel disclosed in Laid-Open Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-97308, in order to detect the rotational position of a zooming ring, the pulse detection mechanism comprises the fixed circuit substrate having the pulse surface formed thereon and the brushes which cooperates with the pulse surface and rotates together with the zooming ring.
The brush method has, however, a disadvantage that errors are liable to occur in detecting the rotation amount of a rotary member and the rotational direction thereof. That is, in the brush method, a brush which contacts the pulse surface is composed of a flexible flat and long metal strip. Therefore, when the width of electrically conductive portions and that of insulation portions are small, the position of contact between the brush and the pulse surface fluctuates greatly.


A first internal electrode includes a first lead portion and a second lead portion. A second internal electrode includes a third lead portion and a fourth lead portion. A third internal electrode includes a main electrode portion and a fifth lead portion. A fourth internal electrode includes a main electrode portion and a sixth lead portion. A joint portion between the main electrode portion and the fifth lead portion of the third internal electrode is located between an edge on the first side face side and an edge on the second side face side in a capacitance forming region when viewed from an opposing direction of the third and fourth side faces. A joint portion between the main electrode portion and the sixth lead portion of the fourth internal electrode is located between an edge on the first side face side and an edge on the second side face side in a capacitance forming region when viewed from the opposing direction of the third and fourth side faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer capacitor.
2. Related Background Art
There is a known multilayer capacitor having: a laminate body in which a plurality of internal electrodes are laminated with an insulator layer in between; a plurality of terminal electrodes arranged on side faces of the laminate body and isolated from each other; and a plurality of connection electrodes arranged on side faces of the laminate body and isolated from each other
In the multilayer capacitor described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-168621, the laminate body has four types of internal electrodes. Two out of the four types of internal electrodes each include a main electrode portion to make a capacitance, and a projection connected to the main electrode portion and extending so that one end thereof is exposed in the side face of the laminate body, to be connected to the connection electrode. The other two types of internal electrodes each include a lead portion extending so that one end thereof is exposed in the side face of the laminate body, to be connected to the terminal electrode, and a projection connected to this lead portion and extending so that one end thereof is exposed in the side face of the laminate body, to be connected to the connection electrode. In the latter two types of internal electrodes, the lead portion connected to the terminal electrode has a width large enough to achieve secure contact between the lead portion and the terminal electrode.


An egress system for an interior space such as an attic covered by roof decking. In one embodiment, the egress system comprises a steel frame adapted for installation within an opening formed in the roof decking between two adjacent roof joists. A hatch panel is releasably secured within the opening defined by the frame by means of a plurality of removable pins. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an upper surface of the hatch panel is substantially flush with the upper surface of the roof decking, allowing for the uniform application of roofing material, such as composition shingles, overtop the roof decking and the hatch panel, thereby concealing the presence of the egress system beneath the roofing material. Deployment of the egress system is accomplished with the use of a cutting implement inserted from the underside of the egress system inside the interior space into a gap maintained around the periphery of the hatch panel when secured within said frame. The cutting implement cuts or perforates the roofing material sufficiently to permit at least partial release of the hatch panel from the frame, allowing egress from the interior space defined by the frame.

In residential construction, it is common for a residential structure to include an attic space disposed above the uppermost living area and beneath the decking of the roof. Often, attic spaces are configured so as to not be conducive to everyday occupancy, but may be useable for storage of infrequently accessed items and/or utility equipment such as air conditioning units and the like.
To provide access to attic spaces from living areas below, there is commonly provided an access hole in the ceiling of the living space. In order to enter the attic space, a person in the living space must typically climb a ladder and move aside a panel or other means by which the access hole in the attic floor is normally sealed. Another common arrangement is the provision of "fold-down" or pull-down stairs in the attic floor opening. Countless examples of such attic stairs have been shown in the prior art.
Often, the opening in a residential attic floor is the only means of ingress to and egress from an attic space. This can pose a number of problems and/or dangers. For example, it is possible for a ladder by which a person has used to access the attic space to be inadvertently tipped or moved, making it impossible for those in the attic space to subsequently exit. Likewise, fold-down or pull-down attic stairs are prone to breakage or jamming, making attic egress impossible.
Moreover, the circumstances that may have caused a person or persons to access the attic space in the first place may preclude subsequent exiting of the attic space by the same means with which it was entered. For example, as has been shown by recent catastrophic flooding in the Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama regions, rapidly rising flood waters may force residents to seek the high ground of an attic space. Tragically, there have been many reports of drowning deaths resulting from residents fleeing to attic spaces to avoid rising flood waters, and being subsequently being unable to extricate themselves from the attic spaces. Residential fires have also been known to force residents to retreat to and be subsequently trapped in attic spaces.
Mechanisms do exist for providing roof access to a structure from within the structure itself. Horizontal hinged covers or doors are commonly used for roof scuttles, automatic fire vents, ceiling access doors, basement doors and the like. A conventional roof scuttle 10 is depicted in FIG. 1. Roof scuttles such as shown in FIG. 1 generally comprise a rectangular frame 12 which surrounds an opening to be covered with the frame 12 being coupled with a hinge mechanism 14 to a door 16 for motion of the door 16 between an open and a closed position. The conventional roof scuttle has a vertical sheet metal inner wall with an outwardly extending 90° horizontal nailing flange 18 at the bottom of the wall 12 which flange is nailed or otherwise secured to the roof deck 20. Roofing materials are then used to waterproof the outer wall of the frame 12 by rolling the roofing along the roof surface and then up the vertical walls of the frame 12 and securing the roofing material thereto. An exemplary prior art roofing scuttle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,020 to Cermola et al., entitled "Universal Roof Scuttle."
Roofing scuttles such as depicted in FIG. 1 are most often used in commercial structures, and are believed to have several disadvantages, particularly in the context of residential structures. First, conventional roof scuttles are unsightly and do not tend to blend in with surrounding roofing materials. Second, conventional roof scuttles project upward from the roof surface, and as such can be susceptible to being dislodged, especially in harsh weather conditions, such as hurricanes or tropical storms. Finally, conventional roof scuttles are prone to leakage at the interface between flange 18 and the roof surface.
Thus, is it believed that it would be desirable to provide an improved means of emergency egress from an attic space that does not suffer from the perceived deficiencies of the prior art.


A new and distinct Torenia plant named ‘DANMOON14’ characterized by having shiny green foliage, doted with plenty of delicate, funnel form, cup-shaped flowers with petals in shades of violet, purple and light purple with a yellow blotch on lower petal; vigorous growth habit; densely, compact branching habit which gracefully semi-cascading from hanging baskets; early flowering response and stays in full bloom in moderate climate; suitable as an annual for hanging pots outdoors under partial shade; and good weather tolerance with a preferred temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant, botanically known as Torenia sp. of the Scrophulariaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'DANMOON14'.
The new Torenia cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program by the inventor Gabriel Danziger, in (2002) in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The female or seed parent is the Torenia cultivar designated 'TR-2-1001' (unpatented). The male or pollen parent is the Torenia cultivar designated 'TR-1' (unpatented). DANMOON14 The new Torenia cultivar 'DANMOON14' was discovered and selected by the inventor Gabriel Danziger, as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in (2002) in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new Torenia cultivar by soft tip cuttings was first performed in July of 2002 in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.


Hydrolytically and thermooxidatively stable monophospha-s-triazines prepared by reaction of octafluoroisobutylene epoxide with an acid fluoride followed by transformation of the resultant product into an amide, then into a nitrile, reacting the nitrile with ammonia and reacting the imidoylamidine resulting from the previous steps with di-aryltrihalophosphorane to produce mono-phospha-s-triazines that are useful as antioxidant - anticorrosion agents for perfluoroalkylether fluids are disclosed.

Because of their thermal and oxidative stability and wide fluid ranges perfluoroalkylether fluids are being considered for use as engine oils, hydraulic fluids and greases and are actually used currently in space guidance systems. However, in oxidizing atmospheres and under conditions of boundary lubrications these compositions corrode metals/metal alloys and provide volatile degradation products. Two kinds of additives were found to be effective in arresting the degradation process namely phospha-s-triazines described by K. L. Paciorek, R. H. Kratzer, J. Kaufman and T. I. Ito in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,072 (1980), and by K. L. Paciorek, R. H. Kratzer, J. Kaufman and T. I. Ito in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,071 (1979). The other type of additives are the phosphines described by C. E. Snyder, Jr. and C. Tamborski in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,388 (1978) and C. T. Tamborski, C. E. Snyder, Jr. and J. B. Christian in U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,349 (1984). Both types of the additives exhibit some shortcomings the phospha-s-triazines are susceptible to hydrolysis whereas the phosphines exhibit limited thermal oxidative stability. This invention pertains specifically to the synthesis of hindered monophospha-s-triazines which exhibit high hydrolytic stability, as compared to previously synthesized analogues, without a decrease in their inhibition of metal corrosion and fluid degradation. These monophospha-s-triazines and the chemical intermediates employed in their preparation and disclosed herein are, to the best of our knowledge, new chemical compounds previously unknown.

Monophospha-S-triazines of improved hydrolytic and thermal oxidative stability


A pixel structure is provided. The pixel structure includes a scan line, a data line, an active device, a covering layer, and a reflective pixel electrode. The active device is electrically connected with the scan line and the data line. The covering layer covers the scan line, the data line, and the active device. The reflective pixel electrode is disposed on the covering layer, and electrically connected with the active device. The reflective pixel electrode includes a first region having a plurality of first protruding structures and a second region having a planar surface. The area occupied by the first region is 50% to 70% of the total area of the reflective pixel electrode, and the area occupied by the second region is 30% to 50% of the total area of the reflective pixel electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pixel structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a pixel structure with total internal reflection.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the development in optoelectronic technology and semiconductor manufacturing technology, flat panel displays have flourished as a result. Liquid crystal displays, characterized by advantages such as low operating voltage, free of harmful radiation, light weight, and compact size, have replaced conventional cathode ray tube displays and have become mainstream display products. However, the issue of limited viewing angle still remains for the liquid crystal display. Therefore, the development of a liquid crystal display with better display and wider viewing angle is one of the desired goals of developers.