A multi-function day/night observation, ranging, or sighting device includes a single objective lens and a single eyepiece lens and provides an image of a distant scene. The single objective lens leads to a visible-light first optical path and to an invisible-light second optical path. The invisible-light second optical path includes an image intensifier tube providing a visible image. The first and second optical paths converge with visible images provided by along each path being overlaid at a reticule plane. A single light path leads from the reticule plane to the eyepiece lens. A laser provides laser light projected into the scene, and the image intensifier tube is used as a detector for a portion of the laser light reflected from an object in the scene in order to provide imaging or a laser range finding functions. The device includes provisions for controlling an operating temperature of the laser to a selected one of at least two temperatures which are above ambient temperature, and at which the laser produces laser light of correspondingly differing wavelengths. At least a pair of optical band-pass filters each corresponding to one of the wavelengths of light produced by the laser are available for use during day-time operations in order to improve a signal-to-noise ratio of the device methods of the device's operation are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of day-night viewing devices which can be used both in the day time to obtain a view of a scene, and which can also be used at night or under other conditions of low ambient lighting in order to view such a scene. At night the scene is also intensified or amplified by use of an image intensifier tube to provide a visible image when the scene is too dark to be viewed with diurnal vision. Accordingly, this invention relates to such viewing devices which may be used both in day and at night for observation and surveillance.
The present invention also relates to laser range finding apparatus and method. Such laser range finding apparatus and methods ordinarily project a pulse of laser light into a scene. The laser light pulse illuminates objects in the field of view and is partially reflected from at least one object in the scene whose distance from the observer is to be determined. In order to select this one objects the device may include a reticule and the laser light pulse may be of "pencil beam" configuration corresponding to the reticule. The reflected portion of the laser light pulse is detected at the devices and the transit time for the laser light pulse to travel to and from the object is used to calculate a range to the object using the speed of light as a measuring standard.
2. Related Technology
A conventional day/night telescopic sight is known in accord with U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,780, issued Jan. 28, 1992 to E. A. Phillips The Phillips patent appears to teach a telescopic day/night sight which has several alternative embodiments. According to one embodiment set out in the Phillips patent, such a telescopic sight includes a single objective lens behind which is disposed an angulated dichroic mirror. This mirror divides light coming into the sight via the objective lens into two frequency bands. Light of longer wavelengths (lower frequencies) is allowed to pass through the dichroic mirror to an image intensifier tube. This image intensifier tube operates in the conventional way familiar to those ordinarily knowledgeable about night vision devices. That is, the image intensifier tube provides a visible image which replicates a dim image or an image formed by invisible infrared light within the so-called near infrared. Thus, the longer wavelength band which passed through the dichroic mirror includes the infrared portion of the spectrum, and provides to the image intensifier tube the frequencies of light to which the tube is most responsive.
The visible portion of the light entering the Phillips sight via the objective lens is reflected by the dichroic mirror into an optical system leading to a combiner and to an eyepiece. At the combiner, the image provided by the image intensifier tube is superimposed on the image from the visible-light channel of the sights and the resulting combined image is presented to a user of the sight via the eyepiece.
A possible disadvantage of the Phillips sight as described above is that the angulated dichroic mirror can introduce both parallax, astigmatism, and color aberrations into the image provided to the user. Thus, slight movements of the sight may cause the user to experience some shifting of the image along a line parallel with the angulation of the mirrors while the image does not shift along a line perpendicular to this angulation. In other words such an angulated dichroic mirror may result it the slight jiggling inherent in a hand-held telescope or weapon sight amplifying the apparent movement of the image in at least one direction. This effect can be disconcerting for the user of the device.
Other versions of the Phillips sight use a separate objective lens for both the day channel and the night channel of the sight. These versions would not appear to suffer from the same possible parallax problem described above with respect to the versions using the dichroic mirror. However, the versions of Phillips sight with two objective lenses suffer from an increased size, weights and expense because of the additional optics and larger housing required to mount and protect these optics.
In each case with the sight disclosed by Phillips, the optical channels for the night sight and the day sight are laterally offset relative to one another. These two offset optical channels are parallel, and the image from these channels is combined for presentation at the eyepiece. However, in each case, the sight taught by Phillips requires separate laterally offset optical channels, and presents the problem of correctly and precisely superimposing the image from these two channels for the user of the sight.
Another consideration with the Phillips sight is the mechanism and size of housing required for effecting windage and elevation adjustments of the reticule. Some versions of the Phillips sight use a reticule plate, while others use an injected reticule (i.e., provided by a projector for a lighted reticule "dot" which is superimposed on the image of the viewed scene). In each case, the objective lens of the device receives a larger scene image (i.e., field of view) than is provided to the user, and the reticule is moved about within this field of view in order to provide windage and elevation adjustments. However, it is often desirable for the user of such a sight to perceive no apparent change in the centering of the reticule on the field of view. This results in a smaller imaged field of view with a centered reticule pattern moving about in a larger field of view provided by the objective optics. Understandably, optical systems of this type suffer from increased size and weight because of the larger objective optics.
Yet another disadvantage of sights of this conventional type is that the mechanism for moving the reticule is inherently located near the rear of the sights. This location for the reticule mechanism results in the housing of the sight being undesirably large at a location where clearance must be provided for the action mechanisms of many weapons.
Another conventional day/night weapon sight is known in accord with U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,472, issued Jul. 30, 1991 to Charles L. Hansen. The '472 patent appears to disclose a sighting device including a number of dichroic reflectors, which divide the incoming light into spectral bands. The visible one of the spectral bands passes to an eyepiece for viewing by a user of the device. Another of the spectral bands of light passes to an image intensifier tube. A visible image provided by this image intensifier tube then passes to the eyepiece. Yet another spectral band passes to a focal plane array device, such as to a CCD. The CCD is associated with a display device, such as a CRT. The image from the CRT then passes to the user via the eyepiece.
The device disclosed in the '472 patent appears not to provide laser range finding. No provisions appear to be made for a reticule usable in sighting by use of this device. Focusing and adjustment of a reticule position for windage and elevation also appear not to be addressed by the '472 patent.
Conventional laser range finders have also been known for a considerable time. One exemplary version of such a device is known as the MELIOS. This device uses viewing optics, a laser having a projection optical system, and a detector having a separate receiving optical systems all directed at a scene in which an object is located having a range to be determined. In operation, the laser provides a pulse of laser lights and this is projected into the scene via the projection optics. This laser light illuminates the object, and a portion of the laser light is reflected back toward the device. Part of the reflected laser light returning to the device is captured by the receiving optical system, and is directed to a detector. The device includes a timer starting when the laser light pulse is transmitted and stopping when the returning laser light is detected. A calculator portion of the device uses the elapsed time from transmission of the laser light pulse until detection of the returning reflected laser light to calculate the distance to the object.
Another conventional laser range finder is known as the Commander's Viewer Sight. This device uses a catadioptric optical viewing system, and places separate optics for projecting and detecting the laser light in the central obscuration of the viewing optical system. Thus, the viewing optics and laser range finder optics (i.e., projector and detector optics) are coaxial in this sight, but they are nevertheless separate optical structures.
Still another device which includes a laser and an imaging system responsive to reflected laser light from a scene is known as the TLOS system. This system allows observation of retroreflective optical targets in a scene by projection of a train of laser light pulses and timed operation of an image intensifier tube with a delay interval accounting for imaging objects within a range envelope in the scene. The TLOS device requires use of an optical filter during day time operations, which optical filter passes substantially only the wavelength of light provided by the laser. Pulses of laser light. This optical filter eliminates optical "noise" resulting from light of other wavelengths to which the image intensifier tube is responsive. Such light is rich in the day-time scene. A long standing problem with devices such as the TLOS is that the conventional laser requires temperature stabilization to stabilize the wavelength of laser light projected at the wavelength passed by the optical filter.
In the case of portable devices which are battery operated, such temperature stabilization of a laser light source represents a significant and undesirable energy expenditure requirement.

Day/night viewing device with laser range finder utilizing two wavelengths of laser light, and method of its operation


A method of finishing garments that includes the steps of providing an endless conveyor that transports a plurality of garment forms mounted on respective carriages successively through a garment loading zone, a steam zone for applying steam to the garments, a hot air zone for applying hot air to the garments as they pass through the hot air zone, a cool down zone for exposing the garments to cooling air, and an unloading zone where the operator removes the garment from the garment form. A plurality of form rotating stations are positioned at predetermined locations relative to the zones that rotate the forms between a position aligned with the direction of travel of the conveyor and perpendicular with the direction of travel of the conveyor.

This invention relates to a garment finisher of the type used in garment manufacturing facilities to "finish" garments and put them in condition for folding, shipment and display. This principally involves removing wrinkles resulting from the manufacturing or laundering process. These machines are typically referred to as "tunnel finishers" and are well-known. More particularly, the invention changes the orientation of the garment form with respect to the conveyer during the cycle through the garment finisher machine.
Conventionally, after the manufacture of garments, physical labor is required to press garments for removing wrinkles. Some labor has been reduced by the development of tunnel finishers operating in an endless loop by means of a conveyor having spaced-apart forms on which the garments are placed, usually under tension. These tunnel finishers function by conveying the garment successively through several different zones, loading zone, steam zone, hot air zone, cool down zone and unloading zone.
Generally, a garment is loaded onto a form at the loading zone of the conveyer. As the garment moves along the conveyer, the garment is first conditioned with steam within a steam zone before proceeding to a hot air zone. In the hot air zone, the garment is heated and agitated with hot air to evaporate moisture from the garment. This process causes the fibers in the garment to return to their natural, relaxed, wrinkle-free condition. The garment then proceeds through a cool-down zone and finally comes to an unloading zone where the garment is removed from the form, folded and prepared for further downstream processing.


A chassis for receiving power supply modules therein, including: (1) a cabinet; (2) an elongated bus bar assembly suspendable within the cabinet from a mount coupled to the cabinet at an end thereof, the bus bar assembly having a pair of conductors, the pair of conductors having terminal connectors associated therewith for receiving output terminals of a power supply module received into the cabinet (3) a shelf, oriented laterally with respect to the bus bar assembly and located proximate the terminal connectors, that supports at least one power supply module received into the cabinet, the bus bar assembly being suspendable to eliminate a need for support of a weight of the bus bar assembly apart from the mount.

It is not uncommon to find a power supply having a plurality of slots for receiving individual power supply modules. The modular architecture provides several advantages, including, an increase in the level of power that may be delivered to a load and an increase in the overall reliability of the power supply by sharing the load requirements among a plurality of redundant power supply modules. Additionally, the modular architecture enhances the flexibility of the power supply by allowing individual modules to be replaced to accommodate changes in the power supply requirements. Finally, the modular architecture provides a robust system whereby untrained personnel can rapidly replace failed modules.
Conventionally, the power supply may employ multiple converters in separate modules that convert an AC or DC input voltage to a DC output voltage. Again, the power supply may employ multiple converters in separate modules to increase the overall capacity and reliability of the power supply. The converters, in such a system, share the load to, among other things, evenly distribute stresses among the separate modules, while providing a regulated output to the load. Also, when a failure occurs in a modular system, it is possible to identify and shut down the failed unit without affecting the other parallel connected units, thereby minimizing the overall effects on the output of the power supply.
Structurally, the modular power supply is housed in a chassis or framework that provides support for shelves that contain the individual power supply modules. The chassis generally includes U-shaped uprights that the shelves and other equipment of the modular power supply are attached to. The chassis further includes compartmentalized rear and side panels formed of sheet metal to cover the power supply modules and other components that make-up the modular power supply. The chassis and panels form an exo-skeletal cabinet for the modular power supply. The chassis is typically a freestanding framework with the panels added for aesthetic and safety purposes. The shelves accommodate multiple power supply modules.
The modular power supply further includes a power distribution system that distributes power to and from the power supply modules therein. For instance, commercially provided AC power derived from the local utility is fed into the power supply modules, converted by the power supply modules (e.g., in this case, the power converter modules) and DC power is provided to a load coupled to the modular power supply via a power bus architecture. The input and output power, therefore, is distributed through the modular power supply by the power distribution system.
The power bus architecture generally includes a plurality of horizontal bus bars couplable to the power supply modules. The horizontal bus bars are typically supported by the horizontal braces of the chassis. The horizontal bus bars are coupled together by a vertical main power bus. In addition to coupling the horizontal bus bars together, the main power bus provides a path for the output power to the load. Therefore, the power bus architecture of the modular power supply includes a plurality of horizontal bus bars and a vertical main power bus.
The construction of the modular power supply occurs according to the following general steps. First, the chassis is constructed providing the structural framework for modular power supply. Second, the power distribution system is coupled to the frame. Third, the power supply modules are evenly placed on trays that are individually loaded into the chassis proximate the horizontal braces. In conjunction with loading the trays into the chassis, the power supply modules are coupled to the AC input and control terminals and to the horizontal bus bars. Finally, the sheet metal panels may be placed about the chassis to complete the modular power supply.
While the present design of the cabinet and power distribution system provides a workable construction for a modular power supply, there are limitations with such designs. The power supply modules dissipate heat in the process of generating or converting power. To promote the safe and efficient operation of the modular power supply, the heat must be removed from within the cabinet. The horizontal bus bars impede the airflow within the chassis. Consequently, powerful fans capable of moving a sufficient quantity of air through the chassis must be provided in connection with the power supply modules.
In combination therewith, the chassis of the modular power supply must be of sufficient depth to provide a channel that facilitates the removal of the exhaust air from the power supply modules. The modular power supply, therefore, occupies a great deal of valuable floor space to accommodate the depth requirements compelled with the use of the horizontal bus bars of the power distribution system. Additionally, the present power bus architectures require added hardware and structural framework to accommodate the power supply modules of the modular power supply.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a power distribution system having a simplified power bus architecture that facilitates a reduction of the overall footprint of the modular power supply by minimizing airflow restrictions therethrough.

Modular power supply chassis employing a suspended bus bar assembly


A method of improving the appearance of aging skin that includes applying an effective amount of artichoke leaf extract and olive oil extract in combination to a target area of skin that exhibits a sign of aging skin, and compositions that include an effective amount of artichoke leaf extract and olive oil extract in combination. The composition is applied for a period of time sufficient to improve the appearance of the aging skin.

The epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, comprises a cellular continuum of four layers: the stratum corneum, the granular layer, the spinous layer, and the basal layer. Each cellular layer in the epidermis represents various stages along a process in which basal epidermal keratinocytes undergo a continuous cycle of proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, moving upward from the basal layer to finally yield corneocytes. These corneocytes form the cornified layer known as the stratum corneum.
Basal keratinocytes reside at the lower portion of the epidermis. These mitotically active cells undergo a proliferative cycle to generate daughter cells that are physically dislocated upward into the spinous and granular layers and undergo the process of differentiation into corneocytes. On passing through the spinous and granular layers, the cells undergo morphological changes that render them flatter in structure as they lose their cellular viability, undergo alternate keratin expression profiles, and transform into cellular remnants. On average, a younger-aged epidermis turns over in about one month, shedding the older cells and replacing them with newer ones, but this process can increase to over forty days in older skin.
The stratum corneum's corneocytes remain connected to one other via proteins and lipids, creating a protective barrier between the organism and its outside environment. This tightly regulated epidermal permeability barrier functions as a physical and selective barrier against chemical and biological insults. Important functions of this barrier include attenuation of the penetration of free radicals and prevention of penetration of harmful radiation, including UV radiation, into deeper layers. The stratum corneum also acts as a permeability barrier and functions to prevent loss of body moisture to the outside environment. Dysfunction of this barrier can lead to chronic skin conditions, diseases, and in extreme cases can even threaten the viability of the organism.
Skin aging is a multifactorial process driven by intrinsic (chronological aging) and extrinsic (environmental) factors, including ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure (i.e., "photoaging"), environmental toxins, pollutants, and smoking. It is well known in the art that the ability of the stratum corneum to cyclically generate new layers of skin diminishes with age so that the stratum corneum turnover rate is substantially reduced in aged skin, with the cornified layer becoming gradually thinner. This results in a reduction in the functioning capacity of the barrier so that harmful stimuli penetrate the stratum corneum more easily, leading to UV-damage, for example, of the underlying dermal layers, degradation of collagen and elastin, and eventually manifests in appearance as wrinkling and skin atrophy. Thinning of the stratum corneum by the sum of intrinsic and extrinsic aging factors increases the visible appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Further, the barrier suffers from an age-related increase in permeability to free radicals and a reduction in the amount of lipid in the intercellular matrix, decreasing barrier capacity to diffuse toxins from deeper layers. Recovery capacity of the barrier to environmental insult is also substantially reduced with age.
Thus, the skin's epidermal barrier function is key to the skin's ability to regenerate and protect itself from the appearance of aging signs such as fine lines and wrinkles. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide compositions and methods of treatment that can improve the skin's epidermal functioning and thus also improve the appearance of aging skin.

Method of improving the appearance of aging skin


A bearing assembly for a charging apparatus. The bearing assembly comprises a bearing housing and a shaft. The bearing assembly further comprises a compressor-side bearing bushing and a turbine-side bearing bushing which together support the shaft inside a bearing bore of the bearing housing. The compressor-side bearing bushing is configured differently than the turbine-side bearing bushing.

The individual mobility sector is experiencing a disruptive change. Especially, the increasing number of electric vehicles entering the market demands higher efficiencies from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Therefore, more and more vehicles are equipped with efficiency increasing measures, such as charging apparatuses and emission reduction devices. Well known are, for instance, charging apparatuses wherein a compressor may be driven by an e-motor (e-charger) and/or an exhaust gas powered turbine (turbocharger). Generally, an exhaust gas turbocharger has a turbine with a turbine wheel, which is driven by the exhaust gas flow of the combustion engine. A compressor with a compressor wheel is arranged on a common shaft with the turbine wheel in the case of an exhaust gas turbocharger and with an e-motor in the case of an e-charger, respectively. The compressor compresses the fresh air which is drawn in for the engine. This increases the amount of air or oxygen available to the engine for combustion. This in turn increases the performance of the combustion engine.
In many known charging apparatuses, the shaft is mounted in a bearing housing via a hydrodynamic bearing assembly. The bearing assembly regularly comprise a compressor-side bearing bushing and a turbine-side (or e-motor-side) bearing bushing which surround the shaft in a bearing bore of the bearing housing. Thereby, the shaft is radially supported. In common bearing assemblies, lubricant, for instance oil is provided to the bearing assembly to build up a hydrodynamic bearing film between the bushings and the bearing bore, and between the shaft and the bushings, respectively. In that, a semi-floating or full-floating bearing is achieved.
In the state of the art, various bearing assemblies for charging apparatuses suffer from insufficient rotor stability and low performance of constant tone and unbalance acoustics. Therefore, one of the main challenges of these bearing assemblies is to improve the noise vibration and harshness (NVH) behavior of the bearing assembly. This task is crucial, as a suboptimal NVH behavior may propagate through the structure, may thereby adversely affect the whole charging apparatus and may eventually lead to a complete system failure.
Accordingly, the objective of the present invention is to provide a bearing assembly for a charging apparatus with improved NVH behavior.

Bearing assembly for a charging apparatus


An antenna configured for low frequency applications on a mobile device includes an antenna element coupled to a conductive structure which, in turn, is coupled to the user of the mobile device such that the user of the mobile device effectively becomes part of the antenna. The conductive structure can include, for example, the device housing being made from a conductive material, a conductive structure embedded inside the device housing, or conductive pads exposed in the device housing. The antenna element is electrically connected to the conductive structure and the user can be coupled to the conductive structure either through direct contact or through capacitive coupling.

As new generations of handsets and other wireless communication devices become smaller and embedded with more and more applications, new antenna designs will be needed to provide solutions to inherent limitations of these devices. With classical antenna structures, a certain physical volume is required to produce a resonant antenna structure at a particular radio frequency and with a particular bandwidth. In multi-band applications, more than one such resonant antenna structure may be required. With the advent of a new generation of wireless devices, such classical antenna structure will need to take into account beam switching, beam steering, space or polarization antenna diversity, impedance matching, frequency switching, mode switching, etc., in order to reduce the size of devices and improve their performance.
In addition, wireless devices are experiencing a convergence with other mobile electronic devices. Due to increases in data transfer rates and processor and memory resources, it has become possible to offer a myriad of products and services on wireless devices that have typically been reserved for more traditional electronic devices. For example, modern day mobile communications devices can be equipped to receive broadcast television signals. These signals tend to be broadcast at very low frequencies, 200-700 Mhz, compared to more traditional cellular communication frequencies of, for example, 800/900 Mhz and 1800/1900 Mhz. One problem with existing mobile device antenna designs is that they are not easily excited at such low frequencies. The present invention addresses the need for antenna designs equipped to be excited at relatively low frequencies in order to support low frequency applications.

Antenna configured for low frequency application


Fast access of a memory having a stack uses an address bit, a stack pointer, and fast access random access memory (“RAM”). When a first address mode is used in conjunction with the address bit and the stack pointer, the location of the access RAM can be shifted in order to achieve an index of a literal offset address mode.

Microcontroller units (MCU) have been used in the manufacturing and electrical industries for many years. In any microprocessor or microcontroller, there are memory locations (i.e., RAM) that are used to hold intermediate values. Those memory locations can be used to implement a conceptual data container called a "stack." A stack is a structure that behaves like a linear list for which all insertions and deletions are made at one end of the list. The rules or axioms that specify what a stack is can be stated in terms of three operations, commonly called push, pop, and top. Push adds an item to a stack, pop deletes the most recently added item, and top returns that item, leaving the stack unchanged. A stack is used for a variety of software applications that execute on the microcontroller.
Most microcontrollers have a limited memory resources. The amount of memory resources can be increased through the use of software stacks. A software stack is a method where a set of data locations are used for storing context that is local to one part of a whole computer program. This method allows for efficient RAM usage, because only the portion of a computer program which is currently active consumes RAM space. The software stack is implemented by having a dedicated pointer that indicates the top of the stack. The dedicated pointer is commonly called the stack pointer. Data may be added to, or removed from, the software stack by manipulating the stack pointer. Data in the stack may also be referenced by using "stack-pointer relative addressing" whereby an offset from the stack pointer is used to address data.
FIG. 1 illustrates the use of RAM to create a software stack. Specifically, a portion of the RAM 102 is reserved as a software stack 104. An expanded view of the software stack 104 is illustrated on the right side of FIG. 1. Specifically, the software stack 104 has a stack pointer 150, as well as additional registers that are accessible using an offset from the stack pointer 150. For example, the register 152 that is adjacent to the stack pointer 150 is accessible as stack pointer +1. Similarly, the register adjacent to the register 152 is offset by two from the stack pointer 150. The stack contains 'n' registers, with the last register 198 being offset from the stack pointer by the number 'n' as illustrated in FIG. 1.
Because many high-level languages are designed in such a way that use of a software stack is necessary, the overall performance of software applications written with a high-level language is dependent upon the microcontroller's ability to process efficiently the stack-relative operations. Fast software stack access and manipulation can improve overall performance. As faster performance for software applications is desired, there is a need, therefore, for decreasing the time needed to access and/or manipulate the software stack.

Method and system for fast access to stack memory


An optical fiber cable includes: optical fiber units each having optical fibers; a wrapping tube that wraps around the optical fiber units; a filling disposed inside the wrapping tube; and a sheath that covers the wrapping tube. The optical fiber units includes outer units that are disposed at an outermost layer of the optical fiber units. The outer units are twisted in an SZ shape around a cable central axis of the optical fiber cable. The filling is sandwiched between one of the outer units and the wrapping tube in a cross-sectional view.

In the related art, an optical fiber cable in which fillings are disposed around the optical fiber unit has been used.
For example, in the optical fiber cable of Patent Document 1, a plurality of ribbons are stacked and a unit coating layer is provided around the ribbons to form an optical fiber unit. By providing fillings around the optical fiber unit, it is easy to make the shape of the cross section of the optical fiber cable circular.
Further, in the optical fiber cable of Patent Document 2, fillings are disposed so as to be sandwiched between the optical fiber units. Thus, the movement of the optical fiber unit in the optical fiber cable is suppressed.


A computer program product is disclosed. The computer program product includes a computer useable medium having a computer readable program. The computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to receive user specific data for a debugging session. The user specific data includes a location for an input/output device. Further, the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to initiate a debugging session at the input/output device specified at the location in the user specific data.

1. Field
This disclosure generally relates to testing software applications for errors. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an interactive debugging session.
2. General Background
Software applications may encounter errors (also called "bugs") that lead to a number of problems, e.g., incorrect modification of data, system crashes, slower performance, etc. Software developers often attempt to discover as many bugs as possible during the development of the software application to eliminate the presence or at least minimize the number of bugs in the software application prior to release of the software application to the end user. A debugger is a software tool that a programmer utilizes to "debug" a program, i.e., find the bugs in a program. The debugger runs concurrently with the execution of the program and allows the programmer to monitor and control that execution. For instance, the programmer can monitor a particular variable or memory register to see what changes take place during execution. Further, the programmer can insert "break points," i.e., locations within the source code at which the debugger can pause execution of the program. The programmer can attempt to make sure that the program is executing properly at particular locations. Accordingly, the programmer can then narrow down potential locations in the source code at which bugs are located.
However, errors may occur within a program after its release because of bugs that were not found beforehand. The programmer then needs to further debug the program. Once again, the programmer can utilize the debugger to debug the program. Realistically, the process of debugging may continue well after the release of the program until the program no longer becomes useful or is improved upon.
Accordingly, the process of debugging can be a long an arduous task that often involves teams of programmers, especially with a larger software application. As a result, multiple programmers should ideally be able to debug the same program at the same time. If only one programmer at a time is allowed to make changes to the code, the efficiency of multiple programmers debugging is significantly, if not completely, hampered.
Current systems do not provide a seamless approach that allows multiple programmers to debug the same code at the same time. Additional infrastructure is utilized on a case-by-case basis and often requires specific implementations such as the granting of special system privileges or rebuilding an application. For instance, a privilege is utilized in many systems to allow for a change to an address for an input/output ("I/O") device for which a debugging session is to occur. A normal programmer does not usually have such a privilege and, therefore, wastes time attempting to obtain such an address change from someone who does have the privilege. Further, the location of the I/O device is usually dependent on the software application. In other words, an I/O device address may be utilized irrespective of the programmer that is utilizing the I/O device at a given time. Therefore, if a first user initiates a debugging session at an I/O device, the debugging session occurs at the I/O device currently on record. If a second user initiates another debugging session at the same time, the additional debugging session will not be successfully established because the I/O device is currently in use by the first user. If the second user initiates a debugging session after the first user completes his or her debugging session, the debugging session is still established at the I/O device of the first user. This may be inconvenient for the second user, who may want to utilize a different I/O device than the first user. The software application may have to be rebuilt to allow for the second user to have a debugging session of his or her own. The utilization of additional infrastructure on a case-by-case basis is an inefficient approach because one programmer may have the resources for a particular infrastructure while another programmer may not have such resources. As a result, current systems are not user friendly, which is an attribute that a debugger should ideally have to allow for easy navigation by programmers.

Method and system that provides an interactive debugging session

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a method for re-forming keratinous fibre cross links comprising contacting at least one oxidoreductase with the keratinous fibres for a sufficient period of time and under conditions sufficient to permit re-formation of keratinous fibre cross links. The method may be performed simultaneously with dyeing of said keratinous fibres. The invention also relates to the use at least one oxidoreductase for re-formation of keratinous fibre cross links.

Hair setting processes, including both permanent and straightening, are usually carried out at room temperature. The process typically includes two phases, namely i) reducing covalent disulfide linkages in the keratinous fibres of the hair, thereby rendering the hair deformable without elasticity, the hair typically being wetted by a solution containing a reducing agent and afterwards rolled on curlers (or mechanically straightened), and ii) re-establishment of a network of cross links in the keratinous fibres of the hair by application of a so-called fixer (which usually contains an oxidising agent), thereby rendering the curly or straightened shape "permanent".
For the purpose of breaking the disulfide cross linkages a number of organic reducing agents can be used, including strong bases such as sodium hydroxide. Thioglycolic acid, thioacetic acid and other sulphur-containing compounds are also commonly used.
Among reagents used for the purpose of fixation of the hair, i.e., compounds capable of re-establishing the physico-mechanical properties of the hair by forming disulfide and other cross links between keratin chains, hydrogen peroxide is the most commonly used reagent as hydrogen peroxide reacts rapidly with the keratin --SH groups. Other examples of commonly used oxidising agents are e.g. perborates, bromates, chlorites, iodates, bromates, persulphates and tetrathionates.
In principle, it is possible to use atmospheric oxygen as an oxidising agent. The direct use of atmospheric oxygen, however, suffers from the disadvantage that several hours are required in order to complete the reaction.
The use of hydrogen peroxide (and other oxidising agents) is preferably avoided as e.g. hydrogen peroxide is known to be caustic to the skin and, accordingly, causes an unsatisfactory working environment for e.g. hair dressers. Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide can damage hair.
Thus, there is a need for a method which may replace the use of hydrogen peroxide and other hazardous oxidising agents in re-formation of keratinous fibre cross links. The method should preferably avoid the use of hazardous chemicals and, at the same time, be easily conducted within a reasonable time, ideally within the time normally required for hydrogen peroxide treatment. Traditionally, hair setting (i.e., waving and straightening) and hair dyeing have been considered as two independent processes, each process being carried out individually by means of different techniques.
Permanent hair dyes are durable to sunlight, shampooing and other hair treatments and need only to be refreshed once a month as new hair grows out. With these dyeing systems the dyes are created directly in and on the hair. Small aromatic colourless dye precursors (e.g., p-phenylene-diamine and o-aminophenol) penetrate deep into the hair where the precursors are oxidised by an oxidising agent into coloured polymeric compounds. These coloured compounds are larger than the dye precursors and cannot be washed out of the hair.
Traditionally, H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is used as the oxidising agent, but also as a bleaching agent. Thus, dyeing compositions comprising H.sub.2 O.sub.2 are often referred to as "lightening dyes" due to this lightening effect of H.sub.2 O.sub.2.
The use of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in dye compositions has some disadvantages as H.sub.2 O.sub.2 damages the hair. Further, oxidative dyeing often requires high pH (normally around pH 9-10), which also inflicts damage on the hair. Consequently, if using dye compositions comprising H.sub.2 O.sub.2, it is not recommendable to dye the hair often.
To overcome the disadvantages of using H.sub.2 O.sub.2 it has been suggested to use oxidation enzymes to replace H.sub.2 O.sub.2.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,742 (Revlon) describes a method for dyeing human hair by dye formation in situ (i.e., on the hair). An oxidative enzyme is used for the colour formation reactions at a substantially neutral pH (pH 7-8.5). Laccases, tyrosinases, polyphenolases and catacolases are mentioned as suitable oxidation enzymes.
EP patent No. 504.005 (Perma S.A.) concerns compositions for hair dyeing which do not require the presence of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 (hydrogen peroxide). The compositions comprise an enzyme capable of catalysing the formation of the polymeric dyes and also dye precursors, such as bases and couplers, in a buffer solution wherein the pH of the composition is between 6.5 and 8 and the enzyme has an optimal activity in the same pH range.
A method for enzyme-mediated dyeing of keratinous fibres, such as hair, has been described in WO 97/19999 (Novo Nordisk) and WO 97/19998 (Novo Nordisk).
Canadian patent 67:93913 discloses a composition containing a metal-containing dye for simultaneously permanent waving and dyeing hair. EP patent No. 328816 describes a process for dyeing of waved or relaxed hair using a metal ion-catalyzed hair dyeing composition.
Until now, there has been not a commercially acceptable method for simultaneously performing permanent dyeing and setting of hair. This is because hair that has been reduced as part of a setting treatment (waving or straightening) will be badly damaged by exposure to hydrogen peroxide at concentrations that are used in conventional permanent hair dyeing products.
A commercially relevant method that would allow simultaneous permanent dyeing and setting of hair would be desired by hairdressers and consumers alike. It will give consumers an entirely new wave of options in their hair style choices. It will also increase convenience and efficiency, in addition to decreasing safety hazards, for both hairdressers and consumers.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method which can be used for simultaneous permanent setting and dyeing of keratinous fibres such as hair.
The method of the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mild, peroxide-free method of dyeing hair and re-forming cross links in hair after a reducing treatment. As a result, this method allows simultaneous permanent setting and dyeing of hair without causing excessive damage to the hair.

Re-formation of keratinous fibre cross links


A design and construction method for a Collapsible Cryogenic Storage Vessel can be used for storing cryogenic liquids. The vessel provides the ability to be packed for transport in a compact state and erected at the point of use. The vessel can be used multiple times. The vessel's volume can also be adjusted during use to minimize or eliminate head space in the vessel.

There are numerous processes in a variety of industries that require cryogenic fluids for operation. Applications are very diverse and include uses such as food processing, hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas production, chemical production and processing, medical experimentation, and space exploration. A variety of cryogenic liquids are used in these applications including liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, liquid argon, liquid hydrogen and liquid natural gas to name a few. Cryogenic fluid storage vessels have historically been manufactured from rigid materials including various metals and rigid composite materials. Rigid vessels have limitations in transport and area required for storage. Rigid vessels are also susceptible to stress and thermal expansion issues resulting from repeated excursions to cryogenic temperatures, and settling of insulation if exposed to vibration which leaves insulation gaps in the vessel.
Examples of rigid vessels can be seen in everyday life as cryogenic storage container trucks move cryogens on roadways all over the world. These trucks are limited in size and weight by transportation regulatory agencies. In some cases, such as hydraulic fracturing, large volume temporary storage containers are required to facilitate the operation. In a case such as this, the largest possible empty vessels called Kings or Queens are moved to the site and filled by smaller container trucks. The use of the larger vessels has a significant positive economic and functional impact on operations, including the number of trucks/drivers required, ground area consumed, and amount of pumping equipment required. Transportable, collapsible vessels offer operational and economic benefits in cases such as this because they can multiply the savings potential by facilitating the transport of even larger tanks than kings.
Smaller cryogenic storage vessels called dewars are ubiquitous in industry. These vessels are moved in and out of facilities all over the world every day. They are limited in volume to facilitate mobility so industrial applications often require numerous dewars. Therefore, it can be seen that some industries, especially those that value mobility, would benefit from mid-size transportable vessels.
Many industries purchase or rent large cryogenic storage vessels to support operations. These are typically large steel vessels that are mounted to concrete pads. This requires infrastructure planning, modification, and maintenance. Transportable vessels will offer the potential to support industrial operations without costly facilities modifications.
Oil and gas production companies regularly transport cryogenic Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on ships over waterways, on rail cars over railways, or on trucks over roads. Much of the tanks used in this supply chain are transported empty and are therefore an economic drain. This process also has a negative impact on the environment. Collapsible vessels can be packed and shipped collectively to greatly reduce the economic burden of rigid tanks.
Rigid vessels can be made mobile by mounting them on transportation systems such as trucks, rail cars, ships, or carts. Collapsible vessels can also be mounted to transportation platforms of all kinds to facilitate long distance or local mobility.

Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC


A rotary rinser 1 which injects dual fluids includes a rotary valve 11 in which an admixture of one of the fluids into the other fluid is prevented.

A conventional rotary rinser comprises a revolving body, bottle grippers disposed at an equal interval circumferentially around the outer periphery of the revolving body for receiving and inverting vessels as they are conveyed on a conveyor, a cleansing nozzle disposed on the revolving body at a location corresponding to each bottle gripper for injecting a cleansing fluid into a vessel which is held in its inverted position by the bottle gripper to cleanse the vessel, and a rotary valve which distributes an externally fed cleansing fluid to each cleansing nozzle (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-277017).
A conventional rotary valve comprises a stationary valve member, and a rotary valve member which is disposed for rotation in sliding contact with the stationary valve member. The stationary valve member is formed with a supply passage which distributes the cleansing fluid fed from a pump while the rotary valve member is formed with a discharge passage which feeds the cleansing fluid into a piping connected to the cleansing nozzle. When the discharge passage of the rotary valve member communicates with the supply passage of the stationary passage at a given interval during the rotation of the rotary valve member, the cleansing fluid is fed through the piping into the cleansing nozzle to be injected into a vessel which is held gripped by one of the bottle grippers for cleansing this vessel.
When the rotary rinser constructed in the manner mentioned above is applied to an aseptic filling system which performs a filling of a sterilized liquid in an aseptic environment, the cleansing nozzle may be constructed as a double tube so that both the cleansing liquid and the air can be injected into the vessel. A cleansing nozzle having a double tube structure is used for purposes of substituting an aseptic air for the air within the vessel and for preventing an egress of the cleansing liquid from the vessel from being hindered by a narrowed opening of the vessel.
To feed the cleansing liquid and the air into the cleansing nozzle having the double tube structure as mentioned, the stationary valve member of the rotary valve is provided with supply passages for two kinds of fluids, the cleansing liquid and the air. The supply passages for such two kinds of fluids may be formed on a circumference of an equal radius as displaced from each other circumferentially or may be formed on circumferences having different radii. In either instance, sliding surfaces on the stationary valve member and on the rotary valve member into which the dual fluid supply passages open are located on a common plane.
In a conventional rotary valve which enables a dual fluid supply, distribution zones for dual fluids are located on a common plane and adjacent to each other, and this is likely to cause an interference between the fluids. In particular, when there exists a pressure difference between the dual fluids, a higher pressure fluid may permeate into a lower pressure fluid, and where a highly osmotic liquid such as sodium hydroxide is used, there exists a problem that it may be admixed with the other fluid. If sodium hydroxide finds its way into the air passage, there is a likelihood that it may be dried up in the air passage to be deposited on a wall surface as a scale to cause a nozzle plugging.
The present invention is made to overcome such problem, and has for its object the provision of a rotary rinser having a rotary valve which avoids the likelihood of fluids being brought into admixture if the rotary valve is used to distribute dual fluids.

Abstract: A stationary valve member 28 is formed with a chemical liquid supply passage 60 and an air supply passage 48 while a rotary valve member 16 is formed with a chemical liquid discharge passage 18 and an air discharge passage 24. As the rotary valve member 16 rotates, a supply passage and a discharge passage for each fluid move into and out of communication. Sliding surfaces into which the chemical liquid passages 60 and 22a open (sliding surfaces of a chemical liquid stator 34 and a chemical liquid distributor 22) and sliding surfaces through which the air passage 48 and 24 move into and out of communication (sliding surfaces of the rotary valve member 16 and the air distributor 49) are disposed at different radial positions and at different elevations.


A method for recovering sulfuric acid from concentrated acid hydrolysate of plant cellulose material is disclosed. In some of the examples, the concentrated acid hydrolysate is mixed with a liquid organic precipitant, with the sugars in the hydrolysate being precipitated and separated out. The remainder is sulfuric acid and an organic solvent solution. The organic solvent is then separated by distillation or extraction, thereby obtaining the pure sulfuric acid solution. This precipitation method can recover above 90% sugars and acids with a small amount of organic precipitant, which greatly reduces the recovery cost.

Use of the renewable source cellulose to produce liquid fuels and chemical products can effectively relieve the problem that fossil fuels, such as petroleum, are becoming exhausted day by day. Use of plant cellulose material to produce liquid fuels and chemical products is to hydrolyze the cellulose into carbohydrates, such as oligosaccharides and monosaccharides, and then ferment the carbohydrates to produce liquid fuels and chemical products with microbe. The common methods for hydrolyzing the cellulose into the carbohydrates mainly include diluted hydrochloric acid hydrolysis method, concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis method, and enzyme hydrolysis method. The concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis method has advantages of low reaction temperature, high yield, little by-product, etc., and a shortcoming of high acid recovery cost.
The concentrated acid hydrolysis process of cellulose includes two stages: {circle around (1)} one is main hydrolysis process of hydrolyzing the cellulose into carbohydrates (namely oligosaccharides) in concentrated acid to obtain main hydrolysate; {circle around (2)} the other is post hydrolysis process of hydrolyzing the carbohydrates into glucose in dilute acid to obtain post hydrolysate.
The commonly used method of recovering sulfuric acid from the concentrated acid hydrolysate of plant cellulose material is electrodialysis method. However, this method is capital intensive and high in running cost. Then, new methods of recovering acid have been gradually developed, such as the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,777 of acid hydrolysis of celluloses and hemicelluloses materials: mixing the plant cellulose materials with a solution of 70˜77% sulfuric acid by weight, keeping the reaction temperature in the range of 50° C.˜80° C., adding water to dilute the acid to a concentration of 20˜30% by weight, heating to a temperature of 80° C.˜100° C. at atmospheric pressure, and hydrolyzing for 40˜480 min, then separating the liquid portion from the solid portion, using strong acid cation exchange resins to adsorb sugars in the liquid portion and recover the acid, thereby obtaining 15% sugar by weight and 15% sulfuric acid by weight, finally evaporating water from the recovered dilute sulfuric acid to concentrate the sulfuric acid to a concentration of 70˜77% by weight for reuse. However, because of the low adsorption capacity (2 meq/g) of the cation exchange resin, it is usually applicable to absorb and separate a minute amount impurities from a large amount production, or absorb and purity a small amount expensive production, for example the purification of amino acid or enzyme. While the sugars to be separated from the biomass hydrolysate are a large amount, easily reaching to tens of thousands ton to millions tons per year, therefore the cation exchange resin is incompetent obviously. what's more, the absorptive and elution process of the cation exchange resin is very slow. To attain such yield, it is undoubtedly need a large amount of cation exchange resin, and the complex composition in the biomass hydrolysate easily makes the cation exchange resin poisoned and invalid. Thus the process in fact is not practical.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,245 discloses a method of recovering the sulfuric acid by extraction comprising: mixing cellulose-containing materials with 70˜72% sulfuric acid by weight for 10 min at 50° C.; keeping the radio of sulfuric acid to cellulose greater than 7.2; adding water to dilute the acid to a concentration of 40˜50% by weight; keeping temperature at 90° C. for 2 min; separating the liquid portion from the solid portion to obtain lignin and hydrolysate; extracting the cooled hydrolysate for the first time with C4˜C7 alcohols, such as heptanol, as the first extraction solvent to obtain a glucose-rich raffinate phase and an extract phase rich in the acid and the first extraction solvent; extracting the extract phase rich in the acid and the first extractant for the second time with a second extraction solvent, such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride or toluene, to obtain a raffinate phase containing water and sulfuric acid and an extract phase containing the first and the second extraction solvents; separating the first and the second extraction solvents by distillation with result that the recovered sulfuric acid, the first and the second extraction solvents are reusable; and finally neutralizing the small amount of residual sulfuric acid still contained in the glucose-rich phase with lime and then filtrating to obtain the glucose-rich phase without the sulfuric acid. According to the preferred embodiment of this invention, the hydrolysate obtained from the post hydrolysis process contains 55% sulfuric acid, 40.5% water and 4.5% sugar, so the radio of the sulfuric acid to the sugar equates to 12.2. The extract phase from the first extraction contains 79.4% heptanol, 14.5% sulfuric acid, 5.3% water and a minute amount of sugar, so the radio of the heptanol to the sulfuric acid equates 5.5. In the second extraction, the radio of benzene to heptanol equates 5. If 1 kg glucose needs to be extracted, the amount of benzene to be distilled is: 12.2×5.5×5=335.5 kg, and the burning energy is: 335.5 kg×434 kJ/kg=145607 kJ. However the energy produced by oxygenolysis of the 1 kg glucose is only 15945 kJ, which is far less than the burning energy for distillation the benzene. Obviously it is a process in which the output energy is far less than the input energy, therefore has no practical value. What's more, this process utilizes organic solvent as the second extraction solvent to separate the alcohol and the acid, so a large amount of the second extraction solvent needs to be recovered which, in turn, lead to high energy consumption.
Obviously, in the conventional process, the high cost of recovering sulfuric acid limits the concentrated sulfuric acid hydrolysis method to be used widely.

Method for recovering sulfuric acid from concentrated acid hydrolysate of plant cellulose material


A variable capacity storage unit is disclosed comprising a set of independent conveyor belts superpositioned on top of each other and connected to operate as a single storage unit. The conveyor belts are arranged in a generally H-shaped pattern including two parallel elongated portions and a transverse portion, which is movable along the elongated portions, and include a transfer belt for converting the active portions of each of the conveyor belts into a single unit.

A variable capacity store for elongated articles where an endless conveyor is subdivided into an active path and a passive path is previously known from EP 738478. EP 738478 discloses a variable-capacity store for elongated articles. The store comprises an input station and an output station located in series along a path along which elongated articles are fed. The articles are fed by a single endless conveyor, which is subdivided into an active path and a passive path. The active path extends from the input station to the output station and the passive path extends from the output station to the input station. The active path is formed by a part of the endless conveyer, which is wound around a first set of drums in a first spiral. The passive path, or return branch, is formed by a part of the endless conveyor, which is wound around a second set of drums in a second spiral.
A drawback of the variable capacity store of the above type is that the transfer between the active path and passive path is performed at a single point, which is where the endless conveyer leaves the first spiral to enter the second spiral or vice versa, in dependence of whether the active path should be lengthened or shortened. The friction between the drums and the endless conveyor will increase as the number of turns increases from the point of entrance where the active and passive paths are connected. This implies that, when trying to change the division between the active path and passive path, by removing part of the active path from the passive path or by introducing part of the passive path into the active path, the tension of the chain will increase from the point of entrance where the active and passive paths are connected as the number of turns increases. When a reservoir is used in a process which has relatively large short term variations in the capacity of a delivering device, which is arranged to feed the reservoir, and a receiving device, which is arranged to be fed by the reservoir, it is of importance that the capacity of the reservoir can be altered quickly. A limiting factor in this regard, is that the endless conveyor is designed to support a maximum tension. The tension in the endless conveyor is dependent on the velocity of the change of length of the active and passive path. Since the tension in the endless conveyor increases as the number or turns increases, the maximum feed in-feed or feed out velocity from the active path will be determined from the tension in the chain at the last turn, calculated from the point of entrance. For a conveyor of a determined rigidity, there will be a maximum number of turns allowed for a specific maximum feed in-feed or feed out velocity from the active path. If the designer would need more turns in order to create a larger variable capacity store, the designer would have to contemplate to make a more rigid conveyor, which in turn would increase the weight of the chain and thus require a complete redesign of the store.

Variable capacity store for elongated articles


A multiple set discharge tray receives sets of copy sheets discharged from an adjoining printing apparatus. The discharge tray includes a selectively movable partition mechanism which is capable of extending a partition over, and retracting an extended partition from, a surface of the discharge tray which receives sets of copy sheets. An extended partition enables receipt of a subsequent set of copy sheets while a prior set is being processed and expelled from the discharge tray thereunder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet handling apparatus, and more particularly to a sheet handling apparatus which stacks sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus set by set and carries out stapling, punching, binding etc. with respect to each set of sheets.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, in the art of copying machines and printers, various types of sheet handling apparatuses (finishers) which staple, punch and/or bind sheets with images thereon have been developed.
With respect to such sheet handling apparatuses, there has been a type which distributes sets of sheets among a plurality of sheet trays arranged on different levels and carries out necessary processes with respect to the sets of sheets. However, providing a plurality of sheet trays on different levels causes problems of increasing the size of the apparatus and of complicating the sheet transport system.
Also, there has been another type which has a single sheet tray and carries out necessary processes with respect to a set of sheets stacked on the tray. This type can be downsized. However, transportation of a next set of sheets to the tray cannot be started until the previous set has been subjected to necessary processes and taken out of the tray. Accordingly, image forming operations must be commonly delayed, thereby lowering productivity.

Multiple set discharge tray for a printing apparatus


A cabinet with sliding doors includes tracks for supporting said doors and track shifting members for shifting the doors between two positions. In one position the doors are disposed adjacent a cabinet frame defining an opening, said doors sealing said opening. In another position of the tracks the doors are spaced away from the frame and each other so that they can slide at will to allow objects to be inserted or withdrawn from the cabinet. A handle may be used to shift the tracks back and forth. The doors may be transparent to permit the cabinet to be used for displaying as well as storing articles.

A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a novel sliding door arrangement and more particularly to an arrangement particularly useful for a storage cabinet arranged and positioned to selectively close and seal the cabinet.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Cabinets with sliding doors are often used for storing various objects because they are easy to operate and require less space than cabinets with swinging doors. If the doors are made of glass other transparent materials, then the cabinet can also be used as a display means. Typically, these prior art cabinets includes several sets of coextensive tracks, one set for each, door, with the doors being engaged and guided by the tracks. One major problem with these type of doors is that in order to allow them to move along parallel planes, the doors were offset transversely from each other leaving an air gap therebetween. As a result, the cabinets could not be sealed properly and hence could not be used for storing and/or displaying objects which require a closed environment.


An optical sight typically used in cooperation with a weapon is provided to include a light tube, that in turn further is provided with a blade member mounted to the light tube that includes a concave surface of mirror image reflective qualities directing light into the light tube for enhanced optical illumination through the sight arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to optical sight structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved optical sight enhancing blade arrangement wherein the same is directed for use in an optical sight to enhance light gathering capacity to the optical sight in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical sights of various types have been utilized in the prior art such as exemplified in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,597 to Calder. The Calder patent employs artificial illumination structure to enhance visual observation within the sight arrangement.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by employing a reflective mirror structure circumventing need for artificial illumination. Such artificial illumination is typically not approved in various hunting environments and accordingly the instant invention sets forth a passive reflective structure to enhance illumination through a sight tube and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Optical sight enhancing blade arrangement


The present invention relates to a process for the removal of cholesterol from a processed or un processed dairy product, which process comprises: (a) obtaining a processed or unprocessed dairy product containing cholesterol (b) contacting the dairy product at a temperature of between about 35.degree. and 80.degree. C. with an amount of saponin effective to bind up to about 90% of the cholesterol present in the dairy product; (c) contacting a temperature of between about 35.degree. and 80.degree. C. the cholesterol:saponin with an effective amount of diatomaceous earth; (d) separating the insoluble cholesterol: saponin/diatomaceous earth by filtration or centrifugation; and (e) recovering the dairy product having a reduced content of cholesterol. The process particularly useful wherein the dairy product is selected form raw milk, pasteurized milk, raw cream, pasteurized cream, butteroil or anhydrous fat. The dairy product having a lowered cholesterol level is useful as a food to restrict cholesterol intake in a human being.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process to remove cholesterol from dairy products. More specifically the present invention relates to a process of contacting a dairy product, such as milk, cream or butteroil, with saponin at an elevated temperature, followed by treatment with at least one diatomaceous earth or other adsorbent, and filtering to remove the insoluble cholesterol-saponin obtained.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cholesterol present in a variety of foods including meat and dairy products has long been implicated as a source of the high levels of cholesterol in humans. Milkfat, for example, usually contains about 310 milligrams total cholesterol per 100 grams (Christie, 1983). Further essentially all of the cholesterol in milk fat is present as free cholesterol with only traces of cholesterol present as an ester.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an inexpensive large-scale process to remove cholesterol from dairy products ultimately used as foodstuffs.
Methods are known to remove cholesterol from dairy products. These include, for example, steam stripping, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using carbon dioxide, specific enzymatic cholesterol reductase or, adsorption using cyclodextrins. However, these other methods are lengthy, equipment intensive and/or expensive.
The following references are of general and specific interest:
AOAC Official Methods of Analysis, 14th Ed. ".beta.-Sitosterol in butteroil." p. 522. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem , Arlington, Va. PA0 W. W. Christie, (1983). "The composition and structure of milk lipids. p.5 in Developments in Dairy Chemistry, Vol. II. Applied Science. New York, N.Y. PA0 A. M. Glaurert, et al, (1962). "Action of saponin on biological cell membranes." Nature Vol. 194:953-955. PA0 M. KATES, et al (1972). "Total and free cholesterol." in Techniques of Lipidology, P. 360. American Elsevier, New York, N.Y. PA0 I. Katz, et al. (1967). "Rapid method for isolation of unesterified sterols and its application to detection of milkfat adulteration with vegetable oils." J. Dairy Sci., Vol. 50:1764-1768. PA0 K. R. Price, et al. (1987). "The chemistry and biological significance of saponins in foods and feeding stuffs." CRC Critical Reviews in Food Science and nutrition. Vol. 26:27-135. PA0 D. P. Schwartz, et al. (1967). "Rapid quantitative procedure for removing cholesterol from butterfat." J. Lipid Res. Vol. 8:54-59. PA0 P. Seeman, (1974). "Ultrastructure of membrane lesion in immune lysis, osmotic lysis and drug-induced lysis." Federal Proceedings. Vol. 33:2116-2120. PA0 S. Takagi, et al. (1982). "Digitonin-cholesterol complex formation: effects of varying the length of the side chain. Chem. Phar. Bull. 30:3485-3491. PA0 D. P. Schwartz, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,541. PA0 J. Potha, U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,097. PA0 T. E. Furia (ed) (1980) CRC Handbook of Food Additives VII, CRC Press, Boca Ratan, Fla. PA0 W. J. Hurst, et al. (1985), "HPLC Determination of the Cholesterol Content of Egg Noodles as an Indicator of Egg Solids," Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, Vol. 33, pp. 820-822. PA0 M. R. Malinow, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,502 issued Dec. 30, 1980, Class 536/5. PA0 J. Courregelongue et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,573, issued Nov. 14, 1989, Class 260/420. PA0 S. Arichi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,067, issued Jun. 18 1985, Class 514/33. PA0 F. Uenobe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,067 issued Dec. 10, 1984, Class 424/195. PA0 European Patent application 318,326 issued May 1989.
All of the references, patents, standards, etc. cited in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Saponins are glycosides, occurring primarily but not exclusively, in plants that in general share a number of properties, including, binding of 3-.beta.-OH sterols, marked foaming in water, surfactant properties and hemolysis of red blood cells when aqueous solutions are injected into the bloodstream. Saponins occur widely in plants used for food and feed and have a wide variety of structures which are reflected in their varying chemical and biological properties. In general, the aglycone or non-sugar portion of the molecule is a hydrophobic steroidal or triterpenoidal derivative whereas the polar carbohydrate moiety is comprised of different oligosaccharides of varying chain length, some being only mono- or di-saccharides. The sugars associated with the aglycone may include rhamnose, glucose, galactose, xylose, arabinose, glucuronic acid or mixtures thereof. Coupling of the oligosaccharide to the aglycone can involve hemiacetal linkages between the reducing end of a sugar residue or an ester linkage between the carboxyl group of the glucuronate both linked with a hydroxyl group of the aglycone.
The nature of the cholesterol-glycoside complex is apparently not known with certainty. Based on electron micrographs, Seeman (1974) and Glauret et al. (1962) proposed a micellar type arrangement where three saponin molecules associate via the carbohydrate residues projecting inward. The aglycone on the periphery complexes with cholesterol on an equimolar stoichiometry. More recently Takagi et al (1982) have proposed a structural model for the saponin-cholesterol complex based on studies of the interaction between digitonin and a series of cholesterol analogues. The data of Takagi et al. (1982) are not in agreement or compatible with the structure described by Seeman (1974) and Glauret et al. (1962). The data of Takagi et al. (1982) suggest that the digitonin-cholesterol complex is a clathrate in which digitonin molecules associate to form a hydrophobic pocket in which the cholesterol is a guest. Takagi et al. (1982) proved that the stoichiometry of the cholesterol:digitonin complex is 1:1
Many, but not all, saponins are fungistatic. Because they can hemolyze red blood cells, saponins are generally toxic when injected intravenously. However, the oral toxicity of many saponins is quite low because they are not absorbed from the gut. There is some evidence that saponins included in feeds at relatively high levels leads to reduced growth rates in poultry and monogastric mammals. Most common saponins of foods and feedstuffs seem to be free of significant oral toxicity. For example, soybean saponins fed at high concentrations to chicks, mice and rats had no adverse effects. Rats fed alfalfa saponins at a level of 1% in the diet for up to 6 months showed no ill effects, although a potentially beneficial reduction in serum cholesterol and triglycerides was observed. In monkeys (primates also known as Macaca fascicularis), no adverse effects were observed after the consumption of an undefined mixture of alfalfa top saponins for up to 18 months.
The triterpenoid saponins from a soap bark (also known as Ouillaja saponaria) are widely used in some countries as food additive (foaming and emulsifying agent) and have been subjected to thorough toxicological tests. No significant toxic effects were observed in short-term feeding studies in rats, nor in mice fed the material at levels as high as 1.5% over a prolonged period. Saponin-containing extracts of a yucca plant (Yucca mohavensis) were found to be less hemolytic than those of soybeans. No adverse effects of feeding commercial Yucca mohavensis saponin (0.05%) for 12 weeks were noted in rats in respect to growth, food utilization, blood counts, blood glucose and nonprotein N or in gross or histological findings post-mortem.
Retardation of growth by dietary saponins was first observed in chicks fed alfalfa. The effect could be overcome by the addition of 1% cholesterol in the diet; presumably by forming a complex with the saponins in the gut. Growth retardation by dietary saponins has been observed in other avian species and in other monogastric animals (particularly swine) and in laboratory mammals. Isolated saponins from a trefoil (also known as Medicago lupulina) and from other genera, such as Quillaja and Gypsophila species have also been shown to cause growth retardation in rodents. Primates appear to be more resistant to the detrimental biological effects of dietary saponins, and some researchers believe that primates may have adapted to saponins in the diet. It would appear that saponins in foods and feeds have a low order of oral toxicity.
A number of researchers have observed that different saponins exert a hypocholesterolemic effect when included in the diet of various animals at non-toxic levels. (See Price et al. (1987)). The effect appears to be more than binding of cholesterol in the gut to prevent its absorption. Evidence has been presented that saponins also increase the fecal excretion of bile acids. Since bile acids are derived from the body's cholesterol this decreases the body burden of cholesterol, thereby lowering serum cholesterol. The hypocholesterolemic effect of saponins has prompted some biomedical researchers to propose using foods containing them in serum cholesterol-lowering diets.
Saponins occur in a variety of common foods and feeds as well as herbs and tonics (Price et al., 1987). In Table 1 are listed some foods, herbs, flavorings, health foods, tonics and feeds containing substantial concentrations of saponins.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Saponins (% where given) in selected foods, herbs, flavorings, health foods, tonics and feeds (See Price, et al., 1987 above). PLANT PRODUCT Saponins, % ______________________________________ Foods Soybeans - full fat 0.22-5.6 dry wt. Protein isolates 0.3-2.5 dry wt. 0.76 wet wt. Defatted soy flour 0.67 wet wt. Fermented soy products 0.25-0.84 dry wt. Tofu 0.30-2.1 dry wt. Butter beans 0.10 dry wt. Kidney beans 0.2-1.6 dry wt. Navy beans 0.4-2.1 dry wt. Canned baked beans 0.45 dry wt. Green pea 0.18-4.2 dry wt. Peanuts 0.001-1.6 dry wt. Asparagus 1.5 dry wt. Garlic 0.3 dry wt. Alfalfa sprouts 8.0-8.7 dry wt Oats 01-0.13 dry wt. Sesame seeds 0.30 dry wt. Tomato seeds 1.0 dry wt. Onions Lentils Green pepper Tea Pumpkins Melons/Watermelons Yams Cucumber Blackberry Herbs, Flavorings, Health Foods, Tonics Aloe Lemongrass Sage Fenugreek Licorice Nutmeg Quillaja Saponaria Yucca Gypsophila Ginseng Feeds Alfalfa 0.17-1.71 Alfalfa meal 1.26 Horse chestnut 3-6 Lupins 1.1-1.7 Black medic trefoil 3.5 ______________________________________
It is apparent from Table 1 that saponins occur in a wide variety of plants, many of them consumed by humans. Also, common animal feeds contain substantial quantities of saponins. Quillaja saponaria (soapbark) which contains 10% saponins (Price et al., 1987) and Yucca mohavenensis (rich in saponins) are evidently approved in the U.S.A. for use as food additives with no apparent limitations (Furia, 1980). Crude extracts of these sources of saponins are commercially available and relatively low in price.
It is reported that an analytical procedure using benzene is described for the removal and determination of cholesterol in milk-fat using digitonin, which is a known regulated toxic cardiac stimulant for mammals, e.g. human beings. (See D. P. Schwartz et al. (1967)). The use of benzene solvent has its difficulties, and high cost and cannot be applied to foodstuffs.
It would therefore be very valuable to use the less expensive crude extracts of plant saponins (food grade) for the large scale removal of cholesterol from dairy products which can be used in food-stuffs. The present invention provides such a procedure.

Process to remove cholesterol from dairy products

The Regents of the University of California


The inflatable clothing apparatus is designed to provide an inflatable (on position) and deflatable (off position) convection cooled clothing. The apparatus contains a spiralled inner tubular structure attached to the inner portion of the shirt and the inner tubular structure has separate expansion points connected by the air tube. When the expansion points are inflated lifting the shirt away from the skin and opening the cooling flap at the lower rear portion of the shirt, air circulation increases to the skins surface by allowing air to convect upward from the lower flap out through the neck opening. Air passages are also located in the shoulder and upper back area. A release mechanism (valve) is provided to allow deflation of the expansion points in order to provide warmth for the user by closing the flap and having the shirt contact the skin.

This invention pertains to clothing and outdoor clothing, in particular, to an inflatable clothing apparatus that is designed to be used by individuals engaged in outdoor activities where there is exertion requiring cooling followed by inactivity requiring warmth, such as hunting, fishing, hiking or cross country skiing.
There have been a number of attempts made to provide clothing that allows the air to circulate providing cooling. U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,754 shows an undershirt with vertical cords that is designed to create a space between the undershirt and the overshirt. U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,243 shows a shirt in a jacket which is designed to draw air through vents that are defined by means of springs. One of the difficulties is that you cannot turn these units off and there is no air inlet for convection.
Clearly, it is desirable for an apparatus of this type to be very lightweight and flexible. At the same time, the apparatus should be easy to manufacture be extremely simple to operate, both in allowing the circulation of air and also restrict the circulation of air when necessary. In other words, to be a flexible apparatus which will allow the individual to have the comfort he or she desires simply and easily. Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that has an ease of manufacture and ease of assembly. It is an object of this invention to set forth an improved inflatable clothing apparatus which avoids the disadvantages, limitations, above-recited, obtained from prior air circulation clothing apparatus.

2
2
XCL 2102
XCL 2108
XCL 2DIG1
XCL 2DIG3


A winding-up screen device in which, when a screen is wound around a winding axis, a screen guide for guiding the edge portion of the screen unwound from the winding axis is not left on the opening frame of a building. A joining groove is provided in the screen guide provided so as to go in and out between an opening frame and a fixed frame or a movable frame of the building, a joining part is attached to the edge portion, to be guided by the screen guide, of a screen, the screen guide goes in and out when the screen is wound and unwound by operation of the movable frame, and the joining part of the unwound screen is joined to the joining groove of the screen guide so as to freely slide.

Up to now, a winding-up screen device, in which a screen wound around a winding axis is supported between a fixed frame fixed in an opening frame of a building and a movable frame going to and coming back from the fixed frame and opening and closing operation can be performed in such a way that the screen is wound around the winding axis or unwound by the going and coming back movement of the movable frame, is well known.
Now, in such a winding-up screen device, since a gap is easily formed between both end portions of the screen unwound from a winding axis and an opening frame of a building, not only the outward appearance is poor, but also insects such as mosquitoes, flies, etc., easily enter the room through the gap particularly when the screen is an insect prevention net.
Then, in order to solve such a problem, in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 01-061158, a winding-up window screen device, in which one half of a tape as a slide fastener having many protrusion portions on one side thereof is attached to the edge portion of an insect prevention net, a rail having a groove is provided on an opening frame of a building, the one half of a tape as a slide fastener is passed through the groove of the rail so as to slide freely, and the protrusion portions are joined so as to slide freely, is proposed.
However, in such a winding-up window screen device disclosed in the above patent document, it is required to fix the rail having a groove for guiding the edge portion of an insect prevention net to the opening frame of a building and accordingly, even if the insect prevention net is wound around a winding axis to make the opening portion open, the rail having a groove is left on the opening frame and the external appearance is harmed. Moreover, when the above winding-up window screen device is used as a vertical opening type in which the opening and closing operation is performed upward and downward, the opening width is narrowed as much as the height of the rail, and, when it is used as a horizontal opening type in which the opening and closing operation is performed in the horizontal direction, the opening height is narrowed as much as the height of the rail and a difference in level because of the rail is formed on the floor where the lower frame of the opening frame is formed which may cause an obstacle when going in and out of a room through the opening frame is performed.