A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (510), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold (512) such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (512). Hot melt adhesive material is supplied from a remotely located adhesive supply unit (ASU), to the drive gear manifold (512), by an inlet supply port hose connection (542), and all of the pump driven gears (524) of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears (514) which are all rotatably mounted upon a common, motor-driven drive shaft (516) rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold (512). The drive gear manifold (512) is also provided with a plurality of outlet port hose connections (540) to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected.

In connection with liquid dispensing assemblies, and more particularly, in connection with liquid dispensing assemblies which are being used to dispense hot melt adhesives or other thermoplastic materials, a typical dispensing assembly conventionally comprises a supply source of the adhesive or thermoplastic material, and means for precisely or accurately metering and pumping the adhesive or thermoplastic material toward an applicator head or dispensing assembly. In connection with particular applications or procedures, it is necessary to accurately or precisely meter the liquids being dispensed so as to ensure that a specific or predetermined volume of the liquid is in fact dispensed within a specific or predetermined period of time. For example, in connection with the dispensing of hot melt adhesive materials, it is often necessary to provide a plurality of individual pumps for providing predetermined volumes of the adhesive material, which may in fact comprise similar or different volume quantities or amounts, to discrete, separate, or respective applicator or dispensing outlets. The individual pumps conventionally comprise rotary gear pumps which are operatively connected to a drive motor through means of a common rotary drive shaft, and dynamic seals, that is, stationary seals which are operatively disposed around or operatively associated with the rotary drive shaft, are provided for effectively preventing any external or outward leakage of the hot melt adhesive material from the assembly at the interfaces defined between the rotary drive shaft and the rotatably driven gears of the rotary gear pumps. An example of such a conventional or PRIOR ART hot melt adhesive rotary gear pump assembly is disclosed, for example, within U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,428 which issued to Allen et al. on Jul. 23, 2002.
More particularly, as disclosed within FIG. 1, which corresponds substantially to FIG. 3 of the aforenoted patent to Allen et al., one of a plurality of gear pump assemblies, as utilized within a hot melt adhesive applicator assembly, is disclosed at 20, and it is seen that each gear pump assembly 20 comprises a conventional sandwiched construction comprising three plates 220,222,224 encompassing or enclosing a pair of gears 230,232. Gear 230 comprises an idler gear, whereas gear 232 comprises a driven gear which is operatively mounted upon a rotary drive shaft 234. The rotary drive shaft 234 has a hexagonal cross-sectional configuration so as to effectively define or provide the drive connection with the driven gear 232, and it is noted that the drive shaft 234 extends through each one of the gear pump assemblies 20. A pair of seals 240, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, are provided within suitable apertures defined within the end plates 220,224 so as to annularly surround the rotary drive shaft 234 and thereby prevent any leakage of the hot melt adhesive material out from the gear pump assembly 20. A threaded port 244 is provided for receiving a temperature sensor for ensuring that each gear pump assembly 20 has been heated to a predetermined temperature level prior to operation, and a rupture disk assembly 242 is provided for pressure relief under overpressure conditions. A bore 248 is provided for receiving a pressure transducer which can read output liquid pressure, and when the pressure transducer is not being utilized, a plug assembly 250 is adapted to be disposed within the bore 248.
While a gear pump assembly 20 such as that disclosed within the aforenoted patent to Allen et al. is operatively viable, the gear pump assembly 20 of the aforenoted type nevertheless exhibits several operative drawbacks and disadvantages. Firstly, for example, it is noted that in view of the fact that the seals 240 of the gear pump assembly 20 are located upon external surface portions of the end plates 220, 224 of the gear pump assembly 20, should the seals 240 experience failure, external leakage of the hot melt adhesive material poses obvious maintenance problems, not to mention the likelihood of the leaking hot melt adhesive material causing fouling of other operative components of the gear pump assembly 20. In addition, it has been noted in the aforenoted patent to Allen et al. that the rotary drive shaft 234 extends through each one of the gear pump assemblies 20. Accordingly, if, for example, one of the gear pump assemblies 20 should experience failure or exhibit leakage, and therefore needs to be removed for repair or replacement, the particular gear pump assembly 20 cannot in fact simply be removed from the overall hot melt adhesive dispensing assembly comprising the plurality of gear pump assemblies 20. To the contrary, and more particularly, the rotary drive shaft 234 must firstly be removed so as to subsequently permit the particular gear pump assembly 20 to be removed and separated from the other gear pump assemblies 20 in order to repair or replace the failed or leaking gear pump assembly 20. Upon completion of the repair or replacement of the failed or leaking gear pump assembly 20, the repaired gear pump assembly 20, or the new gear pump assembly 20, can effectively be re-inserted into the bank or array of gear pump assemblies 20 whereupon, still further, the rotary drive shaft 234 can be re-installed in connection with the plurality of rotary gear pump assemblies 20 so as to again be operatively engaged with each one of the plurality of rotary gear pump assemblies 20. Still yet further, if one of the gear pump assemblies 20 should experience failure and effectively become frozen, the failed and frozen gear pump assembly 20 will effectively prevent rotation of the rotary drive shaft 234 whereby the failed or frozen gear pump assembly 20 can experience or undergo further damage, and in turn, cause opeerative freezing or failure of the other gear pump assemblies 20 which are rotatably engaged with and driven by means of the common rotary drive shaft 234.
Accordingly, a need existed in the art for a new and improved gear pump assembly for use in connection with liquid dispensing assemblies wherein the liquid dispensing assembly would comprise a plurality of rotary, gear-type pump assemblies which are mounted upon the liquid dispensing assembly such that all of the gear pump assemblies would be independent with respect to each other, wherein the plurality of rotary, gear-type pump assemblies would be operatively driven by means of a common rotary drive shaft in such a manner that no external dynamic seals would be required, wherein any particular one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies could be readily removed from the array or bank of rotary, gear-type pump assemblies independently of the other rotary, gear-type pump assemblies, and subsequently be re-inserted into the array or bank of rotary, gear-type pump assemblies, or replaced by means of a new rotary, gear-type pump assembly, and wherein still further, as a result of the plurality of rotary, gear-type pump assemblies being independent with respect to each other and not being operatively driven by means of, or mounted upon, a common internally disposed rotary drive shaft, then should a particular one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies experience a failure, the failed rotary, gear-type pump assembly would not experience additional damage or cause the other rotary, gear-type pump assemblies to experience freezing or failure. The aforenoted need in the art was addressed by means of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,498 which issued to McGuffey on Feb. 10, 2004, which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
More particularly, as disclosed within FIG. 2, which corresponds substantially to FIG. 4 of the aforenoted patent to McGuffey, it is seen that each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 comprises a housing defined by means of a sandwiched construction which includes an intermediate or central plate 316. The central or intermediate plate 316 is provided with a plurality of cutout regions 318, 320,322, and a plurality of gear members 324,326,328 are respectively rotatably disposed within the cutout regions 318, 320,322 such that the three gear members 324,326,328 are disposed in a substantially coplanar manner with respect to the central or intermediate plate 316. Gear member 324 comprises a pump driven gear, gear member 326 comprises a pump drive gear which is operatively enmeshed with the pump driven gear 324, and gear member 328 comprises a pump idler gear which is operatively enmeshed with the pump drive gear 326. Each one of the gear members 324,326,328 is respectively fixedly mounted upon a pin, axle, or shaft member 330, and opposite ends of the gear pins, axles, or shafts 330 are rotatably disposed within bearing members which, while not being shown within FIG. 2, are fully disclosed and illustrated within the aforenoted patent to McGuffey. The bearing members, not shown, are, in turn, disposed within recesses which are defined within or upon interior side surface portions of the side plates of the housing sandwich structure.
In this manner, the gear members 324,326,328 are effectively rotatably mounted internally within the housing sandwich structure. This particular structural arrangement, by means of which the gear members 324,326,328 are mounted upon the side plates of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310, is one of the critically important, and unique and novel, features characteristic of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310, as constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the invention as set forth in the aforenoted patent to McGuffey, and which will likewise play a critically important inventive role in connection with the present invention as will be set forth hereinafter. More particularly, it is noted that all of the rotary shafts 330 and the bearing members, not shown, are disposed in an entirely enclosed or encased manner within the internal confines of the sandwiched plate construction comprising the housing of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310. Viewed from a different point of view, none of the rotary shafts 330 and bearing members, not shown, project outwardly through, or extend externally of, the side plates of the gear pump housing, and in this manner, the need for external dynamic shaft seals, which have often conventionally proven to be sources of external leakage of the fluid being pumped and dispensed by means of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310, has effectively been eliminated or obviated. It is noted further that in order to fixedly secure together the plate members comprising the sandwiched construction of the housing of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310, as well as to ensure the proper coaxial alignment of the bearing member recesses defined within the side plates of the gear pump housing, with respect to the cutout regions 318,320,322, defined within the central or intermediate plate 316, so as to properly house, accommodate, and mount the three gear members 324,326,328, and their associated shafts 330 and bearing members, not shown, upon the plate members of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310, a plurality of screws and alignment pins extend through suitable bores, not numbered for clarity purposes, which are defined within the plate members of the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310 as can be seen in connection with central or intermediate plate 316.
With reference continuing to be made to FIG. 2, and as will be more fully appreciated hereinafter, each one of the pump driven gears 324 of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 is adapted to be drivingly enmeshed with a manifold pump drive gear, not shown within FIG. 2 but fully disclosed and illustrated within the aforenoted patent to McGuffey, wherein the plurality of manifold pump drive gears are drivingly or rotatably mounted upon a common drive shaft which extends axially through a drive gear manifold, also not shown within FIG. 2 but fully disclosed and illustrated within the aforenoted patent to McGuffey. The drive shaft, for rotatably driving all of the manifold pump drive gears, is adapted to be driven by means of a suitable drive motor and gearbox assembly, also not shown within FIG. 2 but fully disclosed and illustrated within the aforenoted patent to McGuffey, and the hot melt adhesive material, to be metered and dispensed by means of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310, is introduced into the drive gear manifold by means of a liquid inlet support port to which a suitable supply hose is connected so as to conduct hot melt adhesive material thereinto from an external or remote adhesive supply unit (ASU).
When the hot melt adhesive material is introduced into the drive gear manifold, the hot melt adhesive material will enter liquid supply cavities which are respectively defined around each one of the manifold pump drive gears, and each one of the liquid supply cavities is, in turn, respectively fluidically connected to a liquid accumulator cavity which is located at the enmeshed interface defined between each one of the manifold pump drive gears and the pump driven gears 324 of a particular one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310. As is apparent from FIG. 2, while a first arcuate portion of each pump driven gear 324 is drivingly enmeshed with its respective pump drive gear 326, a second arcuate portion of each pump driven gear 324 projects radially outwardly through an end face 402 of the central or intermediate plate 316 of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 so as to be drivingly enmeshed with a respective one of the manifold pump drive gears. Accordingly, as the drive motor and gearbox assembly, not shown within FIG. 2 but fully disclosed and illustrated within the aforenoted patent to McGuffey, causes rotation of the common drive shaft, and therefore rotation of each one of the manifold pump drive gears, in the counterclockwise direction, the pump driven gear 324 of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 will be driven in the clockwise direction CW, each one of the pump drive gears 326 will be driven in the counterclockwise direction CCW, and each one of the pump idler gears 328 will be driven in the clockwise direction CW, as viewed in FIG. 2. As can additionally be seen from FIG. 2, the diametrical extent of the cutout region 318 defined within the central or intermediate plate 316 of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 is substantially larger than the diametrical extent of the pump driven gear 324 of each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310.
Therefore, when the liquid, that is, the hot melt adhesive, which is to be pumped through the rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310 and ultimately dispensed from the dispensing assembly, not shown in FIG. 2, is supplied to each one of the aforenoted liquid supply cavities and each one of the liquid accumulator cavities, oppositely oriented liquid flow paths 404,406 are effectively defined between the inner peripheral wall of cutout region 318 and the outer periphery of the pump driven gear 324 despite the fact that the driven gear 324 is being driven in the clockwise direction CW. Subsequently, the liquid portions, originally flowing along the flow paths 404,406, are respectively entrained by means of each pump drive gear 326 and each pump idler gear 328 and conducted toward a common liquid inlet cavity 408 which is effectively formed adjacent to the interface defined between the cutout regions 320,322 that are formed within each central or intermediate plate 316 of each rotary, gear-type pump assembly 310 as may be appreciated from FIG. 2. Ultimately, the hot melt adhesive is, in turn, conducted from the common liquid inlet cavity 408 to control valve assemblies and dispensing nozzles or applicator heads by means of suitable fluid passageways defined within each one of the rotary, gear-type pump assemblies 310 and the drive gear manifold.
While the aforenoted gear pump assemblies of McGuffey were disclosed within the aforenoted U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,498 as being utilized in an integral manner with a hot melt adhesive applicator head or dispensing assembly as a result of, for example, being mounted directly upon the applicator head or dispensing assembly, circumstances may arise when it is not possible or practical to utilize such rotary, gear-type pump assemblies in an integral manner with a hot melt adhesive applicator head or dispensing assembly. One possible instance may be, for example, wherein all of the applicator heads or dispensing nozzles are not disposed at one location. In this instance, the applicator heads or dispensing nozzles are to be fluidically connected to the aforenoted rotary, gear-type pump assemblies by means of suitable hose structures for conveying the hot melt adhesive material from the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps to the applicator heads or dispensing nozzles, however, it is undesirable that such hose structures have substantially large or elongated lengths in that predeterminedly desired pressure levels, and precisely metered or predetermined volumes of the hot melt adhesive material, are difficult to attain and maintain within such hose structures when the hose structures comprise substantial or significant length dimensions. It is therefore desirable to develop a metering station which can effectively be located remotely from a source or supply of the hot melt adhesive material, and wherein further, the hot melt adhesive metering station can then be fluidically connected to the applicator heads or dispensing nozzles by means of relatively short hose structures. In this manner, predeterminedly desired pressure levels, and precisely metered or predetermined volumes of the hot melt adhesive material, can be achieved and maintained such that precisely metered or predetermined volumes of hot melt adhesive material can in fact be dispensed onto predetermined substrate locations.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved remote hot melt adhesive metering station wherein the hot melt adhesive metering station can effectively be located, for example, at a predetermined remote distance from a supply or source of the hot melt adhesive material, that is, an adhesive supply unit (ASU), wherein the remote hot melt adhesive metering station has a compact structure such that a multitude of rotary, gear-type metering pumps can be disposed within a minimal amount of space defined within the remote hot melt adhesive metering station, wherein each one of the rotary, gear-type metering pumps can be independently installed within and removed from the remote hot melt adhesive metering station, and wherein further, the remote metering station can be fluidically connected to the applicator heads or dispensing nozzles by means of relatively short hose structures. In this manner, predeterminedly desired pressure levels, and precisely metered or predetermined volumes of the hot melt adhesive material, can be attained and maintained such that precisely metered or predetermined volumes of hot melt adhesive material can in fact be dispensed onto predetermined substrate locations.

Remote hot melt adhesive metering station


A toothed pipe gripping die insert has textured surfaces on the die surface opposite the pipe gripping teeth to reduce the insert-to-insert carrier contact surface area to increase unit loading such that selected loads forcing the die insert against its carrier impresses the textured pattern into the carrier surface to reduce the tendency for the die insert to slide on the die carrier surface.

When supporting pipe strings in well bores, the vertical load is usually carried by surface gripping arrangements situated on elevators or spiders of drilling or servicing rigs. When circumstance requires that surfaces be gripped and forces be applied that tend to slip the gripping means along the surface, the gripping means needs teeth or the equivalent. Pipe gripping dies, especially, are the result of needing hard materials used with high unit loads to impress toothed profiles into pipe surfaces to keep dies, in pipe string handling apparatus, from slipping on pipe. Most pipe string lifting apparatus have die carrying slips that apply light loads against the pipe surface until vertical pipe loads are experienced, then the dies engage the pipe with forces that are proportional to the load being lifted. The teeth milled into the gripping face of the die are usually forced to some small amount into the surface being gripped. The teeth are subject to damage. Providing the needed teeth on a removable insert that can be easily installed in and removed from the slips reduces the expendable cost. Slips are inherent in elevators and spiders as the wedge shaped elements that convert vertical loads to radial loads on pipe gripping dies. In addition to wedge shaped slips there are several forms of equivalent means to apply radial forces for gripping pipe. The term slip will be used herein to embrace such equivalent features.
Pipe gripping die inserts are usually dove tailed, or T shaped and, during installation, are pushed along the dove tailed, or T shaped, grooves in the slip to be fitted. The grooves usually hold four or more die inserts in stacked, serial, fashion. The usual elevator or spider may have three or more stacks of die inserts distributed about the periphery of the pipe accepting bore of the pipe supporting system. When pipe loads are lifted, the upper die inserts add their supported load to the inserts below. Accumulation of vertical forces along the grooves tend to press the lowest die insert into the surface used to axially restrain each stack of die inserts in the related groove.
Surfaces are rarely perfect, and dies are rarely situated in perfect cylindrical geometry when prepared to grip pipe. Some dies carry more than their proportion of the load. When lifting pipe strings within the load rating of the elevator, some die inserts experience loads that may be a multiple of their statistically proportional load. Such die inserts may crush through the axial restraints of the confining groove. In addition to slip damage, the die inserts could fall into the well being worked, and pipe strings themselves can be dropped.
When specific die inserts experience serious overload, the size data stamped on their back, or smooth side, are often clearly impressed into the mating groove in the slip. The dies are much harder than the slips. Such image transfers are not smeared, indicating that the die inserts did not slip axially in their groove after axial loads were experienced.
The die insert slippage problem is not new. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,395 issued Jul. 24, 2001 addresses the problem by providing intermediate barrier rings so that a fewer number of die inserts are stacked serially between barriers to reduce the ultimate force on each axial barrier. The needed result is achieved, at substantially increased construction cost. The present invention distinguishes in that there is no reduction in the number of die inserts stacked in each series. Instead, the radially loaded surface on the die insert, contacting the slip, is given more reluctance to slide.
During manufacture and maintenance procedures, die inserts are skidded along their related slip groove during installation and the grooves are designed and built with the ease of that operation in mind. When overloaded die inserts print their stamped numbers in the related groove there is no indication that they lose any ability to move axially along their related slip groove when die inserts are being changed out for servicing. The die inserts are not ground after stamping and the stamping action upsets a small amount of metal, which is subsequently hardened. The upset metal represents a very small surface area until it is driven into the surface of the mating groove. Acceptance of the impression into the groove material redistributes the total load and unit loading is reduced, avoiding damage beyond acceptable marring.
It is possible and desirable to alter the usually smooth surfaces on die inserts, that contact slip groove surfaces, to increase the acceptable load carrying power of elevators and spiders. Otherwise stated, it is desirable to reduce the overload damage to details of elevators and spiders, when operated within their overall load rating.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, including the attached claims and appended drawings.

Frank's Casing Crew and Rental Tools, Inc.


A transmission (8) having a transmission housing (26) having a region in which gear wheels (66, 68) rotate and a heat exchanger (30) which absorbs the heat generated in the transmission (8). This heat is transferred to a transmission lubricant and released to a coolant to transport the heat away from the transmission (8). A recess (56) is provided, in the transmission housing (26) outside of the region in which the gearwheels (66, 68) rotate, through which transmission lubricant flows and in which the heat exchanger (30) is arranged. The heat exchanger (30) has a bypass valve (48) which enables the heat exchanger (30) to be bypassed starting at a predefined low or excess pressure.

In modern vehicle transmissions subject to high loads, the transmission lubricant has to be cooled to temperatures that are uncritical for the system. In particular, in surroundings with high ambient temperatures and for vehicles in which the transmission is encapsulated for noise reduction reasons, cooling devices are accordingly provided in the form of heat exchangers. Heat exchangers are normally used for additional cooling of the transmission lubricant, but may also be used for warming up the transmission lubricant.
The currently known heat exchangers are either oil/air or oil/water heat exchangers and are mounted as additional components at a suitable location in the vehicle. Oil/water heat exchangers may also be integrated in the engine cooling system of the vehicle.
DE 103 15 684 A1 discloses a transmission having a transmission housing, which comprises a region, in which the gear wheels rotate. The transmission also has a heat exchanger which absorbs the heat generated in the transmission and transferred to the transmission lubricant and releases it to a coolant for transporting the heat away from the transmission. In the transmission housing, outside of the region in which the gear wheels rotate, a recess is provided through which lubricant flows and in which the heat exchanger is arranged. One version of the embodiment shows that a bypass valve is provided at the intake side of the pump transporting the transmission lubricant which enables the heat exchanger to be bypassed when the temperatures of the transmission lubricant drop below a specified limit.
The disadvantages of the prior art are, among other things, that additional interfaces are necessary for the constructively separated bypass valve which have to be sealed against leaks. Moreover, a bypass which is constructively separated from the heat exchanger and the power train to be cooled or warmed up requires appropriate constructive efforts and consequently also additional manufacturing costs.
The object of the present invention is to design a cooling system that is more efficient and to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art.
This object is attained by a generic transmission comprising a heat exchanger with an integrated bypass valve.

Heat exchanger with integrated bypass valve


The invention relates to a work machine and a method for monitoring a control system at a work machine (1a). According to the method, in-parameters (32, 34, 36, 38) are obtained in the form of signals from the control system, wherein the control system generates actual values on one or more out-parameters (42, 44) in the form of signals based on said in-parameters. A characteristic of the invention is that a digital flow of data, comprising both said in-parameters and out-parameters via a control bus (5a, 5b), is addressed to a RAM buffer memory (3b,3c), which is included in a personal computer (3a) onboard the work machine, which buffer memory in FIFO mode writes a data file (id:1.1-id1:n) of a predetermined size, which is saved in a non-volatile data support memory (3d).

Work machines such as forest machines are high-technology products, which are equipped with complex control systems to enable managing and controlling a number of various functions. In the following, the term work machine, in addition to forest machines, also refers to agricultural machines, construction machines, such as loaders or excavators.
In the various machine units of the work machine, control units are used for checking and controlling said machine units. At machine control level, these control units can exchange real time information and are connected with each other via one or more bus systems. The function of the control units is determined by programs or software stored in a memory in a control unit (also PLC controls), in which said memory may, but does not necessarily need to be programmable. Modern work machines can contain hundreds of various electronic control units, including large microprocessor CPU-based units, for example so-called ECUs (Electronic Control Unit). Each ECU is in turn cable-connected or wirelessly connected to components in the work machine, such as one or more sensors and/or actuators. Such an ECU then receives in-parameters, i.e. signals or input data from several smaller control units, such as sensors, and sends back out-parameters data, i.e. output data, control signals or control data to several actuators. This type of data is usually designated I/O. I/O is an abbreviation for Input/Output and describes the data flow that takes place through various interfaces in a control bus network.
In work machines and similar vehicles, communication takes place between said control units via various types of data networks, wherein CAN bus (Controller Area Network) or similar high-speed data communication protocols are most common. By means of these networks, CPU control units, sensors and execution means (actuators) can communicate. This communication also makes it possible to update software and perform error search and diagnosing.
The operating state of this complex control system may need to be monitored for analysis, i.e. to diagnose and/or predict errors in the control systems. A number of various techniques and devices have been developed for diagnosing control systems, primarily with regard to engines and engine control systems, including expert systems and various mathematical models, such as neural networks with self-learning algorithms.
Common for said monitoring technologies is that they require a certain critical data volume on which to perform the analysis. Through processing of collected data a monitoring system can be used partly for diagnosing and hence identifying an initial error source after the error has occurred and partly as a prognostic system for identifying an initial error source before the error has occurred.
Forest machines as well as a number of other types of work machines usually have a computer or a PC-based on-board system with programs or applications for various purposes, specifically for management of operating production or process data for the work machine. In the following, operating production or process data relate to data that are usually separated from the machine control data of the control system insofar as said operating data substantially concern the operating functions and efficiency of the work machine. This could for example concern measurement data for the calculation of production optimization of the work machine operation, calculation as well as monitoring and storage of production data.
Although modern electronics ensures high operational reliability, unplanned stoppage may nevertheless occur, for example because some machine function in the control system stops working entirely or that it no longer works in the intended way. Error search in case of unplanned stoppage may be both difficult and time-consuming.
Moreover, questions may arise about guarantee commitments and whether the work machine is used correctly, alternatively if the work machine is in any way manipulated by users. In error search it can also be advantageous to be able to control, in a simple manner, whether a previous exchange of a component, for example a hydraulic control valve, actually solved a previous problem.
In practice, however, no means have so far been available to enable technicians to monitor and perform efficient error search of the control system of work machines. Ever so often error search will have to be performed in the field far away from the nearest service workshop and only based on an oral report from the driver or operator of the work machine. In some cases, on-board diagnostic techniques such as OBD or OBD-II or similar diagnostic tools offer information so that the problem in question can quickly be localized. As the control units constituent in the control system usually just make a noise in case of detected errors, and the content of the error information in a control system overall is limited as to both extent and content, as only parts of the control system overall are monitored, the material is in practice often insufficient as basis for the diagnostic work, and error search is even less useful as basis for prognostic purposes.
In other instances, a limited number of data files and isolated complied system logs of some critical main components of the work machine can serve as helpful support in diagnosing and localizing the error source. If the search relates to errors that only occur sporadically or randomly, the chance of a technician localizing an error source in a control system is smaller, as it is usually very difficult to actively try to provoke such errors.
To meet these requirements, various types of systems have so far been suggested, which can monitor certain specific functions and processes of a work machine continuously in real time by recording data from the work vehicle's control system at a monitoring level arranged in the control system via for example recording equipment on board the work machine. Prior art recording systems can basically be compared with a digital tachograph, wherein selected data logs for a limited number of main components and for a limited previous period of time for the work machine are stored. One problem with the prior art recording solutions for monitoring the control systems is thus that they are limited because they usually just include data for specific main components or functions which are considered critical, for example they may concern recorded signals with engine data. In this context, it should be mentioned that most advanced control units, i.e. primary nodes such as ECU, usually just send diagnostic error code data in the case of errors that trace the internal software of the control unit. Due to the limited amount of measurement data of known monitoring systems, it may therefore be difficult for a technician to efficiently diagnose or predict the occurrence of errors in the control systems and with good certainty localize each error source specifically, as these do not necessarily arise in a dedicated critical component.

Work machine and method for monitoring a control system at a work machine


A disc protecting cover for preventing a disc used as an information recording medium from being damaged or wounded while the disc is not in use, which comprises a flat portion (11;11A) having a diameter smaller than that of a disc which is provided with a center hole and a signal reading surface portion formed on a part of the surface thereof extending around the center hole, and an engaging portion (12) projecting from a central part of the flat portion (11'11A) and adapted to be inserted into the center hole of the disc to engage with the same. The flat portion (11;11A) covers the signal reading surface portion of the disc when the engaging portion (12) is inserted into the center hole of the disc to engage with the same. The disc protecting cover is attached to the disc to be detachable therefrom and can reliably protect the signal reading surface portion of the disc against damage or wound without covering portions of the disc which are not required to be covered therewith.

There has been proposed a digital audio disc which is a disc of relatively small diameter having a center hole and used as a record medium and on which digital information signals representing music or other are recorded in such a manner as to be read optically. The digital audio disc has a signal recording intermediate level which is formed in a plane portion extending around the center hole and on which information signals representing a number of units of music are recorded in such a manner as to be read by a player using a light beam for reading. One of outer surfaces of the digital audio disc facing each other with the signal recording intermediate level between is used as a signal reading surface.
When the information signal recorded in the digital audio disc is reproduced, a light beam is caused to impinge through the signal reading surface upon the signal recording intermediate level to read the information signal recorded thereon. Then, the light beam is reflected at the signal recording intermediate level to be formed into a relfex beam, and a reproduced information signal is obtained by detecting the relfex beam coming out the digital audio disc through the signal reading surface thereof. Accordingly, if the signal reading surface of the digital audio disc is damaged or wounded, the reproduced information signal is likely to include noise components resulting from the damage or wound on the signal reading surface so as to be deteriorated in its quality.
So, for the purpose of avoiding such a problem, the digital audio disc is usually contained in its entirety in a protecting case shaped into a box while it is not in use, so that the signal reading surface is protected against damage or wound.
As a disc with which reproduction of music sound is easily enjoyed, a kind of such a digital audio disc as aforementioned which is provided with a signal recording intermediate level on which a digital information signal representing only one or two units of music is recorded (hereinafter, referred to as a single disc)has been also proposed. The single disc is constituted, for example, as shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings.
In the single disc shown in FIG. 5, a signal recording intermediate level is formed in only a part of a plane portion 2 extending around a center hole 1, and a signal reading surface portion 3 is formed on only an annular portion in one of opposite surfaces of the plane portion 2, which is positioned to correspond to the signal recording intermediate level in the plane portion 2. An inner annular portion 4 in the surface of the plane portion 2, which is positioned at the inside of the signal reading surface portion 3 and an outer annular portion 5 in the surface of the plane portion 2, which is positioned at the outside of the signal reading surface portion 3 are not used as signal reading surface portions but used as, for example, areas on which labels are stuck.
As for such a single disc, it is also required to protect the signal reading surface portion 3 against damage or wound. Therefore, the single disc is preferably contained in its entirety in a box-shaped protecting case while it is not in use, in the same manner as an ordinary digital audio disc having one of opposite surfaces of its plane portion used in its entirety as a signal reading surface portion.
However, in the case where the single disc is contained in its entirety in the box-shaped protecting case for protecting the signal reading surface portion thereof against damage or wound, there is an unreasonableness that the box-shaped protecting case in which the single disc is contained in its entirety is used for protecting the signal reading surface portion of the single disc which is formed on only a partial area in one of the opposite surfaces of the plane portion of the single disc, which is relatively small compared with the whole opposite surfaces, so that portions of the single disc which are not required to be covered are also covered undesirably by the box-shaped protecting case without any benefit compensating for the disadvantage of augmentation in the external dimensions. Further, although main advantages of the single disc reside in cheapness and easy handling, the use of the box-shaped protecting case in which the single disc is contained in its entirety results in spoilage of such main advantages.


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for enabling a client device to learn characteristics of one or more access points in a wireless network used by the client device. In addition to learning the characteristics of the access point, the client device also can learn its own hardware characteristics, its usage profile, its environmental operation condition, its user preferences, and its computing context. The client devices uses the learned characteristics to realize computing efficiencies based on dynamic configuration of wireless network settings at the client device.

Wireless communications system can include one or more access points (APs) and multiple communications devices, such as smartphones, laptop computers, tablets devices, or other related wireless computing devices. A wireless access point can serve, or provide data communication services to, a set of devices within a coverage area of the access point. In routine operations of the communications system, the access point uses protocols specified by wireless standards to manage how resources are provisioned to a device in the wireless network. The protocols may specify various operating parameters for the access point and the device.

Mobile device configuration for wireless networks


Methods and systems are provided herein to allow efficient management of data flowing in and out of an archival data storage system. In an embodiment, storage entities keep very little state information in memory to provide higher throughput. Further, storage entities may send data in large chunks to facilitate high throughput. Techniques such as batching and coalescing may be used by various storage entities to provide efficiency.

With increasing digitalization of information, the demand for durable and reliable archival data storage services is also increasing. Archival data may include archive records, backup files, media files and the like maintained by governments, businesses, libraries and the like. Due to the potentially massive amount of data to be stored, storage entities handling archival data flowing into and out of an archival data storage system need to implement optimizations to reduce the can cause costs to be prohibitive using many conventional technologies. Also, it is often desired that the durability and reliability of storage for archival data be relatively high, which further increases the amount of resources needed to store data, thereby increasing the expense. Effective management of data flowing in and out of an archival data storage system is essential for achieving cost-effectiveness.


A system and method of transacting a prepaid product with an electronic mobile device that is used to electronically interface with a code, such as a QR code, bar code, RF signal or NFC signal, representing a prepaid product. The codes of multiple prepaid products of multiple prepaid product providers are grouped together on a single structure or in a single computer displayed in a shopping area. The electronic mobile device subsequently electronically interfaces with a point of sale device after electronically interfacing with said code to provide prepaid product information.

The electronic transaction market is currently filled with many types of credit cards, debit cards, stored value cards, and loyalty cards, all of which may be offered by different issuers, vendors, and providers. Some of the cards are tailored to be redeemed from a retailer while others may be redeemed by financial institutions. Other cards have promotions attached to them, e.g., loyalty cards. However, the increasing quantity and complexity of the cards makes organization and redemption increasingly difficult, thus potentially hindering the growth of the market. For example, a user may not know or remember that the user has a stored value card for a specific store during a purchase at that store because the user has too many stored value cards. Also, a user may not understand the various types of promotions available to him using a card in combination with a loyalty card, and as such, may not benefit from promotions applicable to the user's purchase. Historically, cards have been embodied in a tangible medium such as plastic, and thus are susceptible to loss, theft, or simply being left at home when needed. With the continued growth in card-based transactional offerings provided to consumers, many consumers are faced with the burdensome task of organizing, managing, tracking, transporting, and storing all of their credit, debit, stored-value, loyalty, and other types of merchant, vendor, and provider issued cards. What today's consumers need is a more efficient, secure, and effective way of accessing and using their card-related assets.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for using intelligent codes in conjunction with stored-value cards


Process for the formation of a plasticized proteinaceous material in which a plasticizer component is selectively matched with a protein component to form a blend. The blend is heated under controlled shear conditions to produce the plasticized proteinaceous material having the plasticizer component uniformly distributed within the protein component. The plasticized proteinaceous material is used for a variety of purposes including the production of gums and confectionery compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the formation of plasticized proteinaceous materials and compositions containing the same especially for the preparation of chewing gums and confectionery compositions. The plasticized proteinaceous materials have properties that enable them to replace one or more conventional ingredients in chewing gums and confectionery compositions to provide products which are edible and/or biodegradable.
The plasticized proteinaceous material is made by first combining at least one protein and at least one plasticizer which have been matched according to desirable criteria. The solid state combination is then treated under heat and controlled shear conditions to produce a plasticized proteinaceous material having unique properties, that is especially suitable for gums and confectionery compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Proteins are polypeptide chains of amino acids having molecular weights of from about 5,000 up to and including several million. All proteins are constructed from the same set of twenty amino acids. The side-chains of these amino acids differ in size, shape, charge, hydrogen-bonding capacity and chemical reactivity. Thus, different proteins may exhibit different chemical and physical properties.
Although many proteins may have similar amino acid compositions, the sequence of amino acids is unique to each protein. The polypeptide chains of proteins can be folded in specific ways, depending on their amino acid sequences. The structure of the proteins themselves is determined and maintained by interactions between the different amino acids that form the polypeptide. The specific linear sequence of amino acid residues that determines the native biologically active structure is influenced by environmental conditions. The diversity in protein structures and functions signifies that the relative importance of intrinsic properties in polypeptides and proteins depend upon each of the individual proteins.
The chemical and physical forces, both covalent and noncovalent that generally determine the structure and specific conformations adopted by proteins include covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions and weak, nonspecific attractive and repulsive forces.
Proteins are held in their respective conformations by a number of different interactions, such as hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, ion-pair interactions, metal ion coordinations, and van der Waals interactions. The cross linking of various portions of proteins by the formation of disulfide bonds between pairs of amino acid residues can also impact the conformations of proteins.
The three dimensional structure adopted by proteins in solution is a result of all of the above-mentioned interactions. The structure may also be changed by altering the temperature or the solution conditions. Heat, pH and changes in solvent conditions can lead to conformational changes which cause proteins to denature and lose their native structures. The denaturation of proteins is typically irreversible. Naturally, these changes lead to changes in the properties of proteins, which may be either beneficial or detrimental to the formation of a product.
Denaturation is the most unique property of proteins since no other natural polymer can be denatured. Denaturation is defined herein as "any modification of the secondary, tertiary or quaternary structure of a protein molecule, that does not break covalent bonds". A change in the protein structure is usually associated with some changes in at least one of the physical, chemical or functional properties of the protein. The denaturation of proteins is often thought of as a two-state process, so that proteins are either in the state of native conformation or in the state of denaturation. It is now clear, however, that this is an oversimplification, since there are believed to be several additional intermediate states that proteins assume.
The degree of change in the structure of proteins and thus in their properties, depends on the nature of the individual protein itself, as well as on the type and extent of denaturation. Very little is known about the intermediate states of protein structure. It is possible that the intermediate states may have different degrees of reactivity compared to the fully denatured protein. However, it is clear that proteins may react in three ways upon denaturation: (a) no alteration in molecular weight despite change in shape, (b) dissociation into sub-units of definite uniform size, and (c) aggregation.
A typical denaturation may occur without alteration in molecular weight and it is not always certain that dissociation or depolarization of a protein is accompanied by denaturation. Aggregation of proteins, however, most commonly occurs as a result of heating and may be averted by the presence of denaturants. The process of aggregation is difficult to control and is sensitive to environmental factors such as pH, ionic strength and solvent composition, and also depends on the time and rate of heating but does not give a linear time-dosage response. Aggregation therefore is a secondary phenomenon dependent on the electrokinetic potential of the denatured protein molecules.
The nature of proteins in the state of aggregation may be the most important property of proteins in terms of their functionality. The forces that govern the interactions between protein molecules to allow the formation of aggregates is believed to be the same as those forces that act to create the secondary and tertiary structures of the individual molecules.
The degree of change in structure and thus the properties of proteins depend in part on the manner in which proteins are denatured. Among the most important changes in proteins as a result of denaturation are: (1) decrease in solubility, (2) loss of biological activity, (3) increase in reactivity of constituents groups, and (4) changes in molecular shape and size.
Denaturation can be brought about by the application of physical, chemical and biological methods. Physical methods include heating, freezing, application of surface forces, sound waves, grinding, pressure, and radiation including ultraviolet and ionization radiation. Chemical methods include employing chemical agents such as solvents, pH adjusters, and salts. Biological methods include the use of proteolytic enzymes.
Protein denaturation brought about by heating, usually at 55.degree. to 75.degree. C., conventionally requires the use of a solvent to, inter alia, avoid concomitant decomposition of the polypeptide chain, and to preferably provide a dilute solution to avoid intermolecular interactions of the denatured protein. Aqueous, non-aqueous and aqueous-alcohol solutions have all been used.
A general discussion of proteins including classifications of proteins may be found in John M. deMan, "Principles Of Food Chemistry" 2.sup.nd Edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, N.Y., (1990) at pages 89 & ff, and Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5.sup.th Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York, N.Y. (1987) pages 477-478, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Chewing gums are traditionally comprised of a water insoluble base portion and a water soluble portion which contains flavors and sweeteners. The base portion includes a gum base part which includes a masticatory substance which imparts the chew characteristics to the final product. The gum base typically defines the release profile of flavors, and sweeteners and plays a significant role in the gum product. The flavors and sweeteners provide the sensory appeal aspects of the chewing gum.
Chewing gum bases conventionally contain materials called elastomers which provide the bounce or rubber character to the gum. Elastomers are water-insoluble polymers, both natural, such as natural rubbers and chicle, and synthetic polymers, such as styrene butadiene copolymers, polyisobutylene, polyethylene and the like. The elastomers are usually combined with polyvinyl acetates (PVAc) of varying molecular weight to provide stretch or elasticity to the gum base. Conventional gums will also contain materials such as resins which are used as elastomer solvents to soften the elastomer; waxes; fats and/or oils which can act as plasticizers; fillers and optionally, antioxidants and emulsifiers.
Conventional ingredients and techniques for the manufacture of chewing gums are known such as described in Sugar Confectionery Manufacture, 2.sup.nd Edition, E. B. Jackson, editor, Blackie Academic & Professional, Glasgow, NZ (1995), at pages 259-286, incorporated herein by reference.
Conventional ingredients and techniques for the manufacture of confectionery compositions such as, for example, nougats are disclosed in "Choice Confections", Walter Richmond, Chapter 14, page 250, Manufacturing Confectionery Publishing Company (1954), incorporated herein by reference.
Native proteins, due to their general lack of flexibility, do not exhibit or mimic properties of gum base or confectionery ingredients such as elasticity, extensibility and chewability. Denatured proteins have been used in chewing gums but the art has not provided protein-based gums on a sensory level with conventional gums. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,722 discloses a proteinaceous chewable base for use with confectionery products in which prolamine is dissolved in an alcohol/water solvent system and a texturizing agent is added to form a precipitate with the texturizing agent entrapped therein.
While such systems can be used to form proteinaceous materials that can be substituted for elastomers conventionally used in gums and confectionery compositions, such materials still do not effectively convey the same sensory properties that are associated with conventional chewing gums and confectionery products.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the art of developing gums and confectionery products to provide such products with proteinaceous materials as defined herein and to endow such products with the same or similar sensory characteristics as conventional gums and confectionery products.
It would be a further advance in the art to provide proteinaceous materials which have the properties of one or more ingredients of conventional gums and confectionery products such as elastomers, PVAc, waxes and the like, and which can be used in chewing gums and confectionery products as substitutes for one or more conventional ingredients. It would also be desirable to provide chewing gums and confectionery products based on proteinaceous materials which provide the sensation of a traditional gum or confectionery product, which can be eaten like food and digested, and/or which are biodegradable.

Process for the formation of plasticized proteinaceous materials and compositions containing the same


Provided are methods for purifying N-methyliminodiacetic acid (MIDA) boronates from solution. Also provided are methods for deprotection of boronic acids from their MIDA ligands. The purification and deprotection methods can be used in conjunction with methods for coupling or otherwise reacting boronic acids. Iterative cycles of deprotection, coupling, and purification can be performed to synthesize chemical compounds of interest. The methods are suitable for use in an automated chemical synthesis process. Also provided is an automated small molecule synthesizer apparatus for performing automated synthesis of small molecules using iterative cycles of deprotection, coupling, and purification in accordance with methods of the invention. Coupling and other reactions embraced by the invention include, without limitation, Suzuki-Miyaura coupling, oxidation, Swern oxidation, “Jones reagents” oxidation, reduction, Evans' aldol reaction, HWE olefination, Takai olefination, alcohol silylation, desilylation, p-methoxybenzylation, iodination, Negishi cross-coupling, Heck coupling, Miyaura borylation, Stille coupling, and Sonogashira coupling.

Similar to peptides, oligonucleotides, and oligosaccharides, most small molecule natural products are highly modular in their constitution. This is because, like the aforementioned oligomers, the majority of small molecules are biosynthesized via the sequential coupling of bifunctional building blocks. Specifically, polyketides are derived from multiple malonyl-CoA and/or methmalonyl-CoA units, non-ribosomal peptides are built from amino acids, polyterpenes are stitched together from isopentenyl pyrophosphate and/or dimethylallyl pyrophosphate building blocks, and fatty acids are prepared from fragments of malonyl-CoA. Other classes of modular natural products result from the oxidative coupling of common building blocks, such as shikimic acid, amino acids, and/or their respective derivatives.
With peptides, oligonucleotides, and increasingly oligosaccharides, this inherent modularity is now routinely harnessed to enable fully automated syntheses from suitably protected bifunctional building blocks (R. B. Merrifield, Science 1965, 150, 178-185; M. H. Caruthers, Science 1985, 24, 799; and O. J. Plante, M. R. Palmacci, P. H. Seeberger, Science 2001, 291, 1523). As a direct result of these advances, research in theses areas is primarily focused on discovering and understanding new molecular function. In stark contrast, despite tremendous advances over the course of nearly two centuries, the laboratory synthesis of small molecules remains a relatively complex, inflexible, and non-systematized process practiced almost exclusively by highly-trained specialists. (For pioneering developments in the automated synthesis of small molecules via polymer-assistance and/or flow chemistry, see: a) C. H. Hornung, M. R. Mackley, I. R. Baxendale and S. V. Ley and, Org. Proc. Res. Dev. 2007, 11, 399-405; b) Nikzad Nikbin, Mark Ladlow, and Steven V. Ley Org. Process Res. Dev. 2007, 11, 458-462; and c) France, S.; Bernstein, D.; Weatherwax, A.; Lectka, T. Org. Lett. 2005, 7, 3009-3012.) Thus, research in this area is still heavily weighted towards synthesis. Given the special properties of many small molecules that make them uniquely suited for a wide range of applications in science, engineering, and medicine, increased access to these compounds via a highly general and automated synthesis platform that is accessible to the non-expert would be highly enabling. Ultimately, such a process could help shift the primary focus from the synthesis of small molecules to the discovery and understanding of important small molecule functions.

Apparatus and methods for the automated synthesis of small molecules

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A semiconductor package includes a VLSI semiconductor die and one or more output circuits connected to supply power to the die mounted to a package substrate. The output circuit(s), which include a transformer and rectification circuitry, provide current multiplication at an essentially fixed conversion ratio, K, in the semiconductor package, receiving AC power at a relatively high voltage and delivering DC power at a relatively low voltage to the die. The output circuits may be connected in series or parallel as needed. A driver circuit may be provided outside the semiconductor package for receiving power from a source and driving the transformer in the output circuit(s), preferably with sinusoidal currents. The driver circuit may drive a plurality of output circuits. The semiconductor package may require far fewer interface connections for supplying power to the die.

Many large scale semiconductors require high current, e.g. 100 A or more, at low voltages, e.g. 1V, or less, dissipate large amounts of power, challenging packaging technologies to accommodate power, thermal, and signal demands. Resonant switching power converters may be used as fixed ratio current multipliers in power conversion systems to provide high current at a low voltage.

Method and apparatus for delivering power to semiconductors


A hydraulic cut-off press includes a base, a body vertically movable along vertical tracks at the base, a plurality of raisers provided at the body in four corners, each raiser having a holder base, a raiser screw vertically mounted in the holder base and fixedly connected to the base, a transmission gear set mounted inside the holder base and meshed with the raiser screw, and an axle extended out of the holder base, a transmission system formed of transmission shafts and couplings for coupling the axles of the raisers to one another for synchronous rotation, and a motor for rotating the axle of the first raiser to move the raiser screws of the raisers to move the body to the desired elevation relative to the base.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic cut-off press for cutting metal sheet members and more specifically, to such a hydraulic cut-off press that can conveniently smoothly be operated to adjust the body to the desired elevation relative to the base.
A hydraulic cut-off press may be used in a metal processing machine for cutting the processed metal product such as U-shaped steel product, Z-shaped steel product, corrugated metal sheet product, or enameled metal tile product. As shown in FIG. 1, the processed metal product delivered from the metal processing machine 9 to the body 921 of a hydraulic cut-off press 92 for cutting by the cutting dies 9211 in the body 921 subject to the desired length. The lead-out height and angle of the processed metal product must fit the position of the body 921 of the hydraulic cut-off press 92 so that the processed metal product can be cut accurately. If the lead-out height of the processed metal product does not fit the position of the body 921 of the hydraulic cut-off press 92, the operator may be unable to perform the cutting operation smoothly.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic cut-off press, which can smoothly be operated to move the body of the hydraulic cut-off press to the desired elevation relative to the base to fit different cutting metal-working operations. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic cut-off press, which can be used with a controller-controlled motor to lift the body of the hydraulic cut-off press to the desired elevation relative to the base automatically. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the hydraulic cut-off press comprises a base, a body vertically movable along vertical tracks at the base, a plurality of raisers provided at the body in four corners, each raiser having a holder base, a raiser screw vertically mounted in the holder base and fixedly connected to the base, a transmission gear set mounted inside the holder base and meshed with the raiser screw, and an axle extended out of the holder base, a transmission system formed of transmission shafts and couplings for coupling the axles of the raisers to one another for synchronous rotation, and a motor for rotating the axle of the first raiser to move the raiser screws of the raisers to move the body to the desired elevation relative to the base.


A cargo restraining system for use within a bed of a pickup truck. The system includes a first pair of rails disposed on sidewalls of the bed. A second pair of support rails are secured to the forward wall of the bed and to an interior surface of the rear liftgate of the bed. First and second independent cross bar assemblies have end supports that are coupled to the support walls so that the assemblies extend perpendicularly from one another. The cross bar assemblies can be adjustably positioned along their associated pair of support rails to engage cargo of widely varying sizes and shapes that is being carried within the bed of the vehicle. The end supports can be simultaneously locked and unlocked from one end of each cross bar assembly.

Article carrier assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications with motor vehicles to carry or restrain articles on a vehicle. Many such vehicle article carriers are adapted to be used on a roof of a motor vehicle for supporting articles above the roof of the vehicle.
One particular style of vehicle that is especially useful for transporting cargo is a pickup truck. Present day pickup trucks have a bed behind a cab portion. The bed is typically of sufficient size to carry a wide variety of cargo items of varying sizes and shapes. However, when carrying cargo or articles of various sizes, often the articles must be restrained in the bed so as to prevent the articles from tipping over, sliding or otherwise moving around in the bed while the vehicle is being driven. There have been previous attempts to provide cargo restraining systems for use with a pickup truck bed, with varying degrees of success. Nevertheless, it would still be highly desirable to provide a cargo restraining system that is specifically adapted for use with a bed of a pickup truck, and that can be easily positioned by a single individual to restrain a wide variety of articles of different sizes and shapes from movement within the bed. It would further be highly desirable to provide such a cargo restraining system that does not otherwise interfere with operation of the liftgate at a rear portion of the bed.

Cargo supporting system and method for pickup truck bed


A system and method for monitoring network connection quality utilizes software installed on a user computer to monitor a first network connection to a target server used for a desired activity and a second network connection to a benchmark server. Various network quality metrics are recorded and compared for each of the connections and displayed on a visual display so that the user may easily and accurately judge the health of the connection to the target server.

The quality of a network connection can drastically affect the quality of the activities that are carried out over that network connection. Activities that are especially sensitive to connection quality include gaming and voice communication over IP, or VoIP for short. Online gaming is an extremely common form of recreation in the modern world and can often be very competitive. Competitive gaming is even performed in a professional setting where players vie for position and monetary prizes. In all forms of online gaming, be it recreational or competitive, a good network connection is crucial to the performance of the players. Poor network connection quality can result in performance problems known as lag and rubber banding. In lag, the actions taken by the player are not processed for a noticeable time delay, hence the term lag. Lag is most often caused by high latency between the player's machine and the game server. In rubber banding, the actions that are perceived as taking place by the user do not actually register with the game sever. This can result in the player ending up in a position in the game world they were in several moments ago and had since progressed. This effect can be perceived by players as what appears to be teleportation from point to point as if the player is being pulled around by a rubber band, hence the terminology used to describe this effect. As expected, issues such as lag and rubber banding can have a drastic impact on player performance which can ultimately result in losing the game and much less enjoyment gained from playing the game. VoIP is another activity occurring over network connections that can be greatly affected by a poor network connection. VoIP is a form of communication which allows for communication by voice over the internet. When using VoIP, latency issues can make it difficult for participants in a conversation to communicate effectively, causing unnecessary delays that can result in participants unintentionally talking over each other. Additionally, packet loss can result in poor communication quality which can make it difficult for participants to understand each other. These issues can make it very difficult to communicate using VoIP.
It comes as no surprise that many gamers playing online games also use VoIP to communicate with other players to form and carry out complex strategies and plans. When a poor network connection is being used, both the actions of the gamer in the game and the communication with other players can be completely scrambled. When this happens, the gaming experience suffers and the game becomes barely worth playing as little enjoyment is gained. There are ways to fix and or bypass poor network connections to ensure that the connection problems as described earlier are not suffered by the gamer, however common knowledge dictates this fact; if the problem cannot be identified, then it cannot be solved.
Many games and VoIP programs incorporate a built in latency or ping meters that displays the latency value of the network connection to the user. These ping meters can assist a user in determining when a problem is being caused by the network connection. Unfortunately, as effective as such meters are at displaying latency, they suffer from several major flaws. the first and foremost of those flaws is the fact that almost all ping meters incorporated into games and other applications only display the instantaneous value for the latency of the connection. What this means is that, at any given moment, the latency displayed by the ping meter is the latency experienced by the last packet of data sent by the game to the game server. Because of this, the latency as displayed by the ping meter fluctuates over time, and so the reading on the ping meter at any given time is not an accurate representation of the quality of the network connection being used for that activity. The second problem of such ping meters is the simple fact that they only keep track of one particular metric; latency. Unfortunately, the quality of the network connection can be influenced by metrics other than an instantaneous latency score such as the latency deviation, the number of hops between sender and destination, and packet loss experience. Such metrics can be very telling about the overall quality of a network connection and they are not displayed by ping meters.
It is an object of the present invention to create a network connection quality meter that solves the issues discussed above. The present invention solves the issues discussed above by tracking latency of a network connection over time as well as other performance metrics such as number of hops and packet loss. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to use a system that enables comparison between the network connection currently being utilized and a benchmark connection. Through this set up, a user is able to see how poor their network connection is when compared to a benchmark connection. Implementing the present invention may help a user identify network connection problems and determine how to correct or bypass those problems, ultimately improving the experience of performing online activities such as gaming and VoIP over network connections.

System and method for monitoring network connection quality by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium


Various embodiments of systems and methods for coordination of collaboration partners are described herein. Data from a plurality of collaboration partners is received during a collaboration process. The collaboration process involves one or more of the collaboration partners at one or more stages of the collaboration process. The data comprises process data relevant to the collaboration process. The received data is stored in one or more collaboration objects. In response to a request from a collaboration partner, a customized view of the one or more collaboration objects is generated and provided to the requesting collaboration partner based on access controls. The customized view includes information about the process data that is allowed to be viewed according to the access controls associated with the requesting collaboration partner.

Inter-organizational processes may require coordination between organizations. Inter-organizational processes exist in areas such as, but not limited to, transportation and logistics, supply chain management, and healthcare. An inter-organizational process involves different organizations at different stages of the process. Organizations perform respective activities during various stages of the process. Information about such activities should be shared for better coordination and successful completion of the process. An organization can share activity information with another organization through various communication channels. However, information exchange is mostly bilateral in that two organizations share information and the shared information may not be accessible to other organizations. This would restrict effective coordination between key stakeholders of the inter-organizational process.


Devices, systems, and methods are provided for detecting and preventing inter-cloud attacks. A method may include determining, by a first cloud management service, a cyber attack on a second cloud management service using the first cloud management service, and determining two or more source Internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with the cyber attack. The method may include determining a response to the cyber attack, the response associated with controlling egress traffic from the first cloud management service, the egress traffic associated with the two or more source IP addresses. The method may include sending a notification to the second cloud management service, the notification including an indication of the response.

Cloud-based services are being used more frequently by more parties and for more functions. When a cloud management service is subject to an attack, such as when systems overwhelm the bandwidth and/or resources of a system, such as a cloud-based system provided by a cloud management service. Because cloud management services are owned and maintained by different entities, different cloud management services may use different attack detection and mitigation protocols, and may use different communication protocols. Cloud management services therefore may benefit from a shared intra-cloud communication protocol.
Certain implementations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various implementations and/or aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the figures refer to like elements throughout. Hence, if a feature is used across several drawings, the number used to identify the feature in the drawing where the feature first appeared will be used in later drawings.

Inter-cloud attack prevention and notification


A channel allocation method includes: determining a second channel among idle channels in response to a communication request received from a terminal device over a first channel; and broadcasting a reservation message over the first channel, wherein the reservation message includes second channel information and a reserved communication period, the second channel information is information about the second channel, and the reserved communication period is a time period in which the terminal device is allowed to communicate with the gateway.

With the development of the Internet of things (IoT) technologies, an increasing number of devices are supporting wireless communication. According to the basic principles of wireless communication, only one transmitter device is allowed to transmit data under conditions of the same moment, the same modulation scheme, and the same frequency in a limited space. Otherwise, mutual interference occurs, and thus communication quality is greatly reduced. In this case, a method for appropriately allocating channel resources is required for avoiding communication conflicts.

Channel allocation method, gateway, and terminal device


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that provide for measurements for narrow-band (NB) Internet of Things (IoT) devices. A user equipment (UE) may receive a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) during a paging occasion and via a non-anchor carrier. The UE may process the CRS by determining and/or making quality measurements of the paging carrier. The quality measurements may be used to determine whether a paging occasion should be terminated early to conserve UE power and to prevent an extended “on” duration during the discontinuous receive cycle of the UE. In some examples, the UE may combine statistics and/or measurements based on processing of both the CRS and a narrow-band reference signal (NRS).

The following relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to measurements for narrow-band (NB) Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
In wireless communications systems, one or more UE and one or more base stations may transmit and receive signals between one another. In some cases, the UE may not be used for a period of time and may enter an idle mode and/or a discontinuous reception (DRx) mode to conserve power at the UE. Even though the UE may be in a DRx mode, the base station may transmit a paging message. Due to the directional nature of communicating in mobile networks, the base station may transmit the paging message as a directional beam-based transmission as opposed to an omnidirectional paging broadcast. In some examples, UEs may communicate with anchor or primary carriers and non-anchor or secondary carriers. The UE may be configured to receive paging information on the NB physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH) from a non-anchor paging carrier. In some examples, the paging message may not be present, thus the NB reference signal (NRS) may not be received, especially when the UE is in a discontinuous receive (DRx) cycle. Unfortunately, the absence of the NRS may lead to the inability of the UE to determine the quality of the paging carrier. A method for detecting poor conditions and reduced quality of the paging carrier may therefore be desirable.

Measurements for narrow-band internet of things devices


A light shroud reduces or eliminates the effects of ambient light on an optical fingerprint scanner. Because of the geometry of a prism used in the scanner, ambient light from only certain incidence angles can interfere with an image produced by the scanner. The light shroud blocks this ambient light entering the system at angles which allow the light to interfere with the illumination system or camera. In an embodiment, the light shroud can be closed to act as a cover, protecting the platen surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of biometrics. More specifically, the present invention relates to live scanning of prints.
2. Background Art
Print imaging systems can capture images of prints on thumbs, fingers, palms, toes, feet, and/or hands. Such print imaging systems are also referred to as live scanners, live print scanners, or simply scanners. Live scanners often include a light source, platen and camera. An object having a print pattern is placed on the platen. A platen is often one planar surface of a prism. The light source illuminates the platen. The camera captures an image of a print placed on the platen.
Many live print scanners utilize the optical principle of frustrated total internal reflection (TIR) to capture a high-quality image of a print pattern. Such a print pattern includes ridges and valleys that make up all or part of a print. For example, ridges on a finger can operate to alter the refraction index at a platen surface compared to valleys, thereby interrupting the TIR of light at the platen surface. This interruption in the TIR causes a high quality optical image representative of the ridges and valleys of a print pattern to be captured by a camera.
Certain illumination systems for live print scanners are susceptible to the effects of ambient light on image quality. However, a cover designed to stop all ambient background light from entering the prism would obscure a user's access to the platen surface and make the instrument harder to operate. Performing fingerprint rolls would also be difficult. Therefore, a method and apparatus are needed to reduce the effects of ambient light without compromising access to the platen by the user.

Apparatus for reducing ambient light into an optical print scanner


Reference signals configured for use with extension carriers and/or carrier segments are described. Reference signals for extension carriers and/or carrier segments may include demodulation reference signals (e.g., user equipment-specific reference signals), cell-specific reference signals, and channel-state information reference signals. Methods, systems and apparatuses for configuring extension carriers and/or carrier segments with one or more of the reference signals (e.g., positioning one or more reference signal symbols in extension carriers and/or carrier segments) are described.

A wireless communication network, for example a wireless network configured in accordance with Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards, may support transmission of signals (e.g., voice and/or data signals) over a carrier (e.g., a primary carrier) that may be established between one or more components of a core network (CN) of the wireless communications network and user equipment (UE) associated with the wireless communications network. One or both of the CN and the UE may transmit reference signals over the carrier that may be used, for example, to perform channel estimation of the carrier.
A respective portion of wireless communication network bandwidth that may be made available for use by a UE may be expanded, for example by employing one or more carrier expansion techniques. Carrier expansion techniques may include employing one or more extension carriers configured to supplement the primary carrier. Signaling schemes that may be employed for a primary carrier, for example positions of reference signals within the primary carrier, may not provide optimal performance if employed for an extension carrier.

Reference signal configuration for extension carriers and carrier segments


This invention is directed to a process for preparing a stable suspension of an acid beverage, wherein a hydrated protein stabilizing agent (A) and a flavoring material (B) are combined as a preblend (I) and combined with either a slurry of a homogenized protein material (C) or a homogenized preblend (II) of a hydrated protein stabilizing agent (A) and a slurry of a protein material (C) to form a blend and pasteurizing and homogenizing the blend wherein the homogenization of the blend is carried out in two stages comprising a high pressure stage of from 8000–30,000 pounds per square inch and a low pressure stage of from 300–1000 pounds per square inch; wherein the acid beverage composition has a pH of from 3.0 to 4.5.

The use of vegetable protein, especially soy protein, is receiving greater attention due to its health benefit claims. There is an increased interest to develop technology to incorporate soy protein into juice type acid beverages. The concern, however, is the suspendibility of soy protein in acidic beverages at or near its isoelectric point where the solubility of soy protein is at a minimum. Soy protein will naturally precipitate over time due to gravitational forces based on Stokes' Law. The rate of the formed sediment is proportional to the diameter of the soy protein, coupled with the viscosity of the acid beverage. High viscosity and smaller particles will suppress the development of sediment. A process method, in addition to the use of a stabilizer, will greatly suppress the rate of sediment formation. The processing method employed is homogenization of the fully formulated acid beverage by the use of an ultra high pressure homogenization of up to 30,000 pounds per square inch
Stokes' Law is an equation relating the terminal settling velocity of a smooth, rigid sphere in a viscous fluid of known density and viscosity to the diameter of the sphere, when subjected to a known force. Stokes' Law will correctly predict that for two small steel balls, one having a radius exactly twice the other, the bigger ball will fall through a fluid of known viscosity four times faster than the smaller ball does through a fluid of the same viscosity. The bigger ball has eight times the weight and twice the drag force for the same velocity, and the drag force is proportional to the velocity.
Juices and other acidic juice-like beverages are popular commercial products. Consumer demand for nutritional healthy beverages has led to the development of nutritional juice or juice-like beverages containing protein. The protein provides nutrition in addition to the nutrients provided by the components of the beverage. Recently it has been discovered that certain proteins have specific health benefits beyond providing nutrition. For example, soy protein has been recognized by the United States Food and Drug Administration as being effective to lower blood cholesterol concentrations in conjunction with a healthy diet. In response, there has been a growing consumer demand for acidic juice-like beverages containing proteins that provide such specific health benefits.
A hurdle to adding protein to acidic beverages, however, is the relative insolubility of proteins in an aqueous acidic environment. Most commonly used proteins, such as soy proteins and casein, have an isoelectric point at an acidic pH. Thus, the proteins are least soluble in an aqueous liquid at or near the pH of acidic beverages. For example, soy protein has an isoelectric point at pH 4.5 and casein has an isoelectric point at a pH of 4.7, while most common juices have a pH in the range of 3.7 to 4.0. As a result, protein tends to settle out as a sediment in an acidic protein-containing beverage-an undesirable quality in a beverage.
Protein stabilizing agents that stabilize proteins as a suspension in an aqueous acidic environment are used to overcome some of the problems presented by protein insolubility. Pectin is a commonly used protein stabilizing agent.
Pectin, however, is an expensive food ingredient, and manufacturers of aqueous acidic beverages containing protein desire less expensive stabilizers, where the amount of required pectin is either reduced or removed in favor of less expensive stabilizing agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,726 (Clark et al., Aug. 3, 1993) relates to a method for extending the shelf life of juices, particularly citrus juice such as orange juice, without pasteurization, by subjecting the juice to an ultra high pressure homogenization step of 15,000 pounds per square inch or greater.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,511 (Klavons et al., Feb. 15, 1994) provides a beverage such as orange juice that is clouded by a suspension of soy protein particles, where the protein particles are prevented from aggregating to the point of settling out by pectin. Pectin inhibits the protein from settling by adsorbing to individual protein particles and imparting an overall negative charge to the protein particles, resulting in repulsion of the particles from one another, and thereby preventing the protein particles from aggregating and settling out of the suspension. Pectin also increases the viscosity of the beverage, which helps stabilize protein particles against gravitational forces.
U.S. Pat. No 6,696,084 (Pace et al., Feb. 24, 2004) relates to a spray drying process for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions containing small particles of phospholipid-stabilized fenofibrate. Prior to spray drying, a heated suspension of molten fenofibrate is subjected to a two stage homogenization. The first pressure stage is from 2000 to 30,000 pounds per square inch.
U.S. Pat. No 6,221,419 (Gerrish, Apr. 24, 2001) relates to a pectin for stabilizing proteins particularly for use in stabilizing proteins present in aqueous acidified milk drinks. It must be understood that the inclusion of pectin has both desirable and undesirable effects on the properties of acidified milk drinks. While pectin can act as a stabilizer against sedimentation of casein particles or whey separation, it can have the disadvantage of increasing the viscosity of the drink due to its cross-linking with naturally co-present calcium cations rendering the drink unpalatable. It will be seen that in the absence of pectin, there is significant sedimentation in the case of both drinks caused by the instability of the casein particles which also results in relatively high viscosity. After a certain concentration of pectin has been added, the casein particles become stabilized against sedimentation after which increasing the pectin concentration has little effect on sedimentation. Turning to the viscosity of the drinks, this also significantly drops on stabilisation of the casein particles but then almost immediately begins to rise again due to cross-linking of the excess pectin added by the co-present calcium cations. This increased viscosity is undesirable as it leads to the beverage having poor organoleptic properties. This range may be as narrow as only 0.06% by weight of pectin based upon the beverage weight as a whole. Below this working range, sedimentation is a significant problem, whereas above it, the viscosity of the beverage is undesirably high.

Ultra high pressure homogenization process for making a stable protein based acid beverage


A method of preserving rotor speed during a one engine inoperative operation of an rotorcraft, the method can include: detecting a failure of a first engine; monitoring an engine parameter associated with a second engine; using a computer processor to compare the engine parameter to an engine limit; and commanding a decrease collective pitch command when the engine parameter is within a predefined range of the engine limit.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a system and method of governing rotor speed on a rotorcraft. More particularly, the system and method relate to a rotorcraft rotor speed governing during single engine inoperative event.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, certain rotorcraft have employed some level of rotor speed control in a fly by wire flight control system. For example, rotor speed can be controlled by an engine control unit. However, controlling rotor speed with the engine control unit has shortcomings in certain situations.
There is a need for an improved flight control system.

System and method for maximizing aircraft safe landing capability during one engine inoperative operation