text
stringlengths 2
806k
| meta
dict |
|---|---|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to personal computing devices (e.g., personal or laptop computers) in a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system, and more specifically to power classification and management of these devices in an enterprise environment.
2. Related Art
Ethernet communications provide high speed data communications over a communications link between two communication nodes that operate according the IEEE 802 Ethernet Standard. The communications medium between the two nodes can be twisted pair wires for Ethernet, or other types of communications medium that are appropriate. Power over Ethernet (PoE) communication systems provide power and data communications over a common communications link. More specifically, a power source device (e.g., power source equipment (PSE)) connected to the physical layer of the first node of the communications link provides DC power (for example, 48 volts DC) to a powered device (PD) at the second node of the communications link. The DC power is transmitted simultaneously over the same communications medium with the high speed data from one node to the other node.
The PSE device is often a data switch. Typically, a PSE on a switch is called an endspan device. The switch is typically a networking bridge device with data ports that can additionally have routing capability. The switch could have as little as two data ports or as many as 400 or more data ports. It may have two or more rows of data ports, where a data port in an input row of data ports can be switched to any one of the data ports in an output row of data ports. Each data port can include a serial-to-parallel (i.e. SERDES) transceiver, and/or a PHY device, to support high speed serial data transport. Herein, data ports and their corresponding links can be interchangeably referred to as data channels, communication links, data links, etc, for ease of discussion.
Typical PD devices that utilize PoE include Internet Protocol (IP) phones (Voice over IP (VoIP) phones), wireless access points, etc. Personal computing devices, such as personal or laptop computers, are another example of PD devices. The power requirements of personal computing devices are significantly different and often much higher than that of VoIP phones and wireless access points. For example, while VoIP systems can have unsubscribed power, personal computing devices in enterprise systems oversubscribe power. In addition, a personal computing device may change its power draw depending on its application load. Moreover, personal computing devices can power other devices such as USB devices or external drives, for example, which will affect total power draw.
The powering of personal computing devices using PoE in an enterprise environment places a tremendous noise and power density burden on a switch PSE. For example, in a conference room of ten people with laptops, a typical 10-port PoE switch would require approximately 25 watts (25 W) of PoE per port to go to each laptop. This totals 250 W, which can actually total more than 300 W if assuming an 80% AC/DC conversion efficiency. More may be required if one or more of the laptops are executing higher power applications, or powering a USB device, for example, or if trickle or regular charging is required. In addition, the switch itself needs approximately 2 W per port just for the data portion of the networking. As the number of ports increases, the power needs increase. Moreover, the cost of power supplies, cooling, and noise issues do not scale linearly, but instead progressively worsen with the increase in power.
In a typical PoE system, power for a PoE PD is classified using information regarding voltage, current draw, and the like, over a Layer 1 type physical communication layer. This is a one-way (i.e., from a PD to a switch), one-time (i.e., static) classification that occurs at the time of connection. The power classification determines how much power is needed by a PD. In an enterprise environment consisting of personal computing devices in which many of the devices could be demanding power all at one time, it is extremely difficult to manage the supply of power to each device and virtually impossible to adjust the supply of power as the power needs change.
What is needed is an intelligent PoE system in which the power supplied to multiple PoE personal computing devices can be dynamically and optimally classified and managed based on changing conditions while reducing noise issues, power supply cooling issues, and the overall cost of a switch by reducing the size of the power supply needed. Specifically, what is needed is a mechanism in an enterprise environment that dynamically classifies, allocates, and prioritizes, via one or more algorithms, for example, power supplied to PoE personal computing devices. A higher level of data communication support (such as data link layer (Layer 2) support) for such a mechanism is also needed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In recent years, the technology of thin film transistor panel is making progress continuously, which includes the driving circuit been integrated on panels. Such as the SOG (system on glass) technology can be actualized by technologies of a-Si (amorphous silicon) and LTPS (low temperature poly-silicon). The major difference between a LTPS TFT and an a-Si TFT is the complexity of the manufacturing process and the electrical characteristics. A LTPS TFT has a higher carrier-mobility whereas its manufacturing process is more complicated. By contrast, a-Si TFT has a lower carrier-mobility than LTPS, but its manufacturing process is simpler and well developed, and therefore an a-Si TFT has a better competitiveness in terms of cost.
However, due to the limit of manufacturing ability, the threshold voltage (Vth) for the manufactured a-Si TFT elements that follows the affection of the bias stress increases gradually. This is an important reason why a SOG panel cannot be actualized by an a-Si TFT. In the well known technologies, several amorphous silicon thin film transistors of a scanning shift circuit whose components are amorphous silicon thin film transistors have the problem of Vth shift. Along with the increasing operating time, the Vth shift severely affects the normal operation of the scanning shift circuit, even the scanning shift circuit will fail at last.
As is known to all, U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,347 entitled “SHIFT REGISTER AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY USING THE SAME” (Feb. 10, 2004) proposed a scanning shift circuit. Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 7 that are the schematic diagram and the timing diagram for the shift register circuit of the patent respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, the bias voltage value for gate-source voltages (Vgs2, Vgs4) of transistors NT2 and NT4 are zero only in the two pulses time when the input terminal IN is at a high-level state (VDD) and when the output terminal OUT is at a high-level state (VDD). The bias voltage value for gate-source voltages (Vgs2, Vgs4) of transistors NT2 and NT4 are positive in the rest time. Consequently, severe threshold voltage shift for transistors NT2 and NT4 are caused due to the long-term positive bias, as shown in FIG. 8. The threshold voltages for transistors NT2 and NT4 rise gradually along with the operating time.
When severe threshold voltage shift for transistors NT2 and NT4 are caused, the value of the threshold voltage is much higher than the normal value, which results in the following problems: 1. When the output terminal OUT is kept at a low-level state (VSS), the impedance between the output terminal OUT and the power voltage VSS should be kept at low by way of turning on the transistor NT2 continuously. However, when the threshold voltage of transistor NT2 is increasing, the impedance between the output terminal OUT and the power voltage VSS is increasing at the same time. As a result, the output terminal OUT is easily affected by other signals or noises such that the output terminal OUT cannot be kept at a low-level state (VSS). Therefore, the scanning signal provided by the shift circuit will be distorted and then the driving for the display panel will be misacted. 2. When the output terminal OUT is kept at a low-level state (VSS), for avoiding the high-level signal (VDD) of the clock-pulse signal CK to affect the low-level signal (VSS) of the output terminal OUT through the transistor NT1, the node P1 should be kept at a low-level state (VSS) so as to assure that the transistor NT1 is at a cut-off state. Keeping the node P1 at a low-level state (VSS) is achieved by turning on the transistor NT4 continuously. However, when the threshold voltage of transistor NT4 is increasing, the impedance between the node P1 and the power voltage VSS is increasing at the same time. As a result, the node P1 is easily affected by other signals or noises such that the node P1 cannot be kept at a low-level state (VSS). Therefore, the high-level signal (VDD) of the clock-pulse signal CK may affect the low-level signal (VSS) of the output terminal OUT through the transistor NT1 so that the scanning signal provided by the shift circuit will be distorted and then the driving for the display panel will be misacted. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to manufacturing small dimension features of objects, such as integrated circuits, using photolithographic masks. More particularly, the present invention relates to the application of phase shift masking to complex layouts for integrated circuits and similar objects.
2. Description of Related Art
Phase shift masking, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,580, has been applied to create small dimension features in integrated circuits. Typically the features have been limited to selected elements of the design, which have a small, critical dimension. Although manufacturing of small dimension features in integrated circuits has resulted in improved speed and performance, it is desirable to apply phase shift masking more extensively in the manufacturing of such devices. However, the extension of phase shift masking to more complex designs results in a large increase in the complexity of the mask layout problem. For example, when laying out phase shift areas on dense designs, phase conflicts will occur. One type of phase conflict is a location in the layout at which two phase shift regions having the same phase are laid out in proximity to a feature to be exposed by the masks, such as by overlapping of the phase shift regions intended for implementation of adjacent lines in the exposure pattern. If the phase shift regions have the same phase, then they do not result in the optical interference necessary to create the desired effect. Thus, it is necessary to prevent inadvertent layout of phase shift regions in phase conflict.
Another problem with laying out complex designs which rely on small dimension features, arises because of isolated exposed spaces which may have narrow dimension between unexposed regions or lines.
Because of these and other complexities, implementation of a phase shift masking technology for complex designs will require improvements in the approach to the design of phase shift masks, and new phase shift layout techniques. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Keystone correction is provided in order to correct an image being projected by a projection system, which would otherwise be distorted principally due to an angle of projection from the projection system to the projection screen.
Typically, keystone correction is applied to a projection system so as to obtain a homography transformation that results in good image fidelity between a source image and a projected image. When the projection system includes multiple projectors in a projector array, the homography transformation is ordinarily derived for a single object, regardless of the number of objects actually formed by the projection system.
A more detailed description of a typical keystone correction is provided in “Smarter Presentations: Exploiting Homography in Camera-Projector Systems”, R. Sukthankar, et al., Proceedings of International Conference on Computer Vision (2001) and in “A Self Correcting Projector”, R. Raskar, et al., Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (2001). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Modern vehicles generally have a tank ventilation system which collects fuel vapors from the tank system in an activated carbon filter when the vehicle is parked. While the vehicle is operating, the activated carbon filter is regenerated, a valve of a line from the activated carbon filter to the suction pipe being opened by a defined amount so that air from the activated carbon filter enters the tank ventilation system and feeds the stored hydrocarbons to the intake air of the engine. This mixture that is additionally fed for combustion leads to a change in the overall composition of the mixture and the filling of the engine. This change can be countered by suitable control mechanisms or a suitable precontrol.
A known method measures the concentration of hydrocarbons in the tank ventilation gas flow and corrects the quantity of fuel introduced via the injection valves by the amount of the fuel quantity additionally introduced through the tank ventilation. This procedure is referred to below as injection correction by the tank ventilation. An important point in injection correction by tank ventilation is always the question of the point in time at which the injection correction should commence. This is explained briefly below:
If the valve is opened after a lengthy regeneration interruption or for the first time after the engine is started, the concentration of fuel vapors is not known, and a correction cannot be carried out. As soon as a measurable mixture deviation, i.e. a deviation between lambda actual value and lambda set value exists, estimation of the concentration can commence. However, at the time of the measurable mixture deviation at the lambda probe, a certain quantity of regenerating gas is already in the suction pipe, cylinders and exhaust tract.
The opening point of the valve, i.e. the point in time at which the valve is actuated for ventilation, and consequently a measurable deviation of the mixture arises, is subject to tolerances. The tolerances are so large that a reliable precontrol of the fuel correction that is based on a predetermined opening time of the valve is not possible. Also, the opening behavior of the valve can be non-linear; for example it is possible that the valves will open suddenly only upward of a certain signal strength in the control. The supply of the regenerating gas can therefore be dosed only poorly.
In the known methods, a significant enrichment of the mixture after opening of the tank ventilation valve was previously unavoidable, particularly in the idling range and at lower load levels.
In order to avoid sudden changing of the composition of the mixture, it was proposed that the enrichment be minimized by a slow opening of the valve. However, this prolongs the opening phase of the valve and enrichment of the mixture cannot fully be avoided due to the sudden behavior of the valve flap.
The technical object of the invention is to provide a method for tank ventilation which using simple means determines very reliably a suitable time and thus also a suitable quantity of fuel, depending on the operating status, for the commencement of an injection correction by the tank ventilation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In early computer systems, it was often difficult or even impossible to replace certain hardware components, e.g., the power supply, memory, and I/O controllers, after the computer had been manufactured. For example, such components might be hardwired together and attempting to remove the components might irreversible damage the computer. In certain cases, it was possible to remove such components by breaking and re-establishing physical connections (e.g., by soldering); however, such processes were tedious and time-consuming and typically required a skilled technician.
Modern computer systems frequently incorporate field-replaceable units (FRUs), which are components such as the power supply, memory, and I/O controllers that can be replaced in the field (i.e., at user locations). These FRUs generally interface with a computer's modular hardware interfaces, and thus FRUs can typically be removed by a relatively unskilled technician. Removing an FRU may, for example, only require removing a few screws and extracting the FRU from the computer's housing.
Generally, FRUs communicate with a computer system's management controller, such as a baseboard management controller (BMC). FRUs communicate with the BMC (or other management controller) using the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), which is the protocol and set of commands that allows the various FRUs and management controller to communicate. FRU information is generally stored in a FRU information device (e.g., EEPROM). While IPMI specifies the protocols and commands that allow the FRUs to communicate with the management controller, as well as recommending the storage organization of the FRU Information Device, FRU information must still be properly formatted such that it can be processed by the management controller.
Therefore, there is a long-felt but unresolved need for a system and method for efficiently and effectively generating FRU information data into a format that is readable by a management controller in accordance with IPMI such that the FRU and the management controller are interoperable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for enclosing electrical subassemblies, and more specifically relates to apparatus for releasably securing a subassembly to a chassis of an electrical assembly such as an automobile stereo, compact disc playing mechanism, cassette tape playing mechanism, computer or disk drive mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
Devices such as automobile stereos or personal computers typically contain subassemblies such as cassette playing mechanisms or disk drives that are attached to a chassis using threaded fasteners. The chassis provides structural support for the subassemblies and also provides electromagnetic shielding to limit electromagnetic interference (EMI) experienced by, and/or created by the device. The fasteners ensure that each subassembly within the chassis is properly located and securely retained within the chassis.
The use of such fasteners can have numerous drawbacks, particularly in a high volume production setting. The fastening process can vary, but there is usually some degree of automation required, ranging from manually loading a screw into a bit on a pneumatic driver to using self-feeding screw machines. Typically, the torque applied by the device used to drive the fasteners must be monitored daily and adjusted in order to assure proper seating of the fasteners. When fasteners are used, sheet metal tolerances have to be maintained at tight levels to allow for the minimization of stress in the assembly when aligning multiple fasteners with corresponding holes in the chassis and the subassembly.
When threaded fasteners are used to assemble an electrical device, the assembly cycle time can be very long especially in high volume production. An operator assembling the device must typically obtain the threaded fastener, bring it in contact with the driver bit, then drive the threaded fastener. Furthermore, using threaded fasteners presents a risk of any one or more of the following upstream failures occurring: stripping of threads; insufficient torque resulting in an unseated fastener; foreign object damage due to fasteners and/or metal shavings dropping into the assembly and/or subassembly; and stripping the head of the threaded fastener. Also, a fastener installation tool such as a driver and bit can slip off the fastener and impact an electrical component resulting in a damaged assembly.
If self-tapping fasteners are used, the process of driving the self-tapping fasteners into sheet metal often causes shavings of sheet metal to disperse into the assembly. Such shavings have been known to cause electrical failures that can permanently damage the product. If self-tapping fasteners are not used, an extra production step is necessary to form threads in the sheet metal of the chassis and/or the subassembly to be installed within the chassis.
Fasteners further require an additional inventory burden on the production line in that the production line must be continuously stocked with part numbers (fasteners) other than the integral components that add value to the assembly. Also, special tools specifically required for assembly using fasteners, such as drivers and bits, must be continuously monitored and maintained for proper performance, wear and torque specifications. Typically, the top and/or bottom surface of the chassis must be secured in place after the subassembly is attached to the chassis.
Special fixtures are often required on the production line to hold a subassembly in the proper location while it is mounted within the chassis with fasteners. Such fixtures can be very complex, and the use of such fixtures usually requires extra handling of both the subassembly and of the resulting assembly thereby adding to the production cycle time and potentially compromising quality of the final product.
Sometimes tabs are cut and bent out of the chassis in order to retain a subassembly. However, when the tabs are small, they are typically too weak to be effective, and when the tabs are large, openings formed when each tab is bent provides a channel for EMI into and out of the chassis.
Accordingly, there is need for electrical assemblies that do not require fasteners, fixtures or tooling for the process of securing subassemblies into a chassis while still providing structural integrity and adequate shielding to minimize EMI. Such assemblies can provide for improved assembly line efficiency and improved product quality. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is well known that Ultraviolet (UV) light can cause serious flash burns to the cornea from high intensity light sources. Thus our eyes need protection from these harmful UV lights. The situations where our eyes definitely need protection from UV lights are welding, exposure to sunlight at elevation above 5000 ft (1524 m), or when the sun glares off snow or water, tanning, etc.
Not just UV light, infrared is also harmful. Wireless communication, appliances, computer, and lights all emit different levels of harmful radiation. In fact, there are also plenty of natural infrared, such as those from sunlight. Sunlight is composed of thermal-spectrum radiation that is slightly more than half infrared. At zenith, sunlight provides an irradiance of approximately 1 kilowatt per square meter at sea level, of which 527 watts is infrared radiation. Once the sunlight reaches the surface of Earth, almost all thermal radiation are of infrared.
The energy of sunlight on the ground can be categorized into approximately 3% Ultraviolet (UV) rays, 44% visible rays, and 53% Infrared (IR) rays. Therefore, when exposed to intense sunlight for a lengthy period of time without protection, human eyes may experience a burning or stinging sensation that is often accompanied by fatigue. Such discomfort can be especially noticeable for those wearing contact lenses, as the infrared can be absorbed by the contact lenses causing them to “warm up”. Eye doctors always encourage a habit of putting on sunglasses when staying out in the sun for a period.
Traditionally, for protection lens to block harmful rays from a light source, the lenses must be coated with one or more layers of IR and/or visible dyes. Usually, soluble dyes and/or metallic oxide pigments are used for coating to absorb or reflect light of certain frequencies, eg., IR frequencies, UV frequencies, etc. Thus, coated lens would reduce or mitigate eye diseases such as cataract and glaucoma.
Because of the importance of sunglasses and protecting eyewear, there have been many coating techniques invented. IR or visible coating can be applied by dipping or spraying a solvent IR or visible dyes on another optical layer of a lens. However, because the majority of lenses are curved, the curvature of the lenses presents a significant obstacle in the application of the IR or visible coating, as the application of the coating may be uneven. As a consequence, the uneven application of the coating on a curved surface would reduce the effectiveness of the protection layers.
Using traditional methods like extrusion or injection, IR or visible dyes are added during the processes. Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed or pulled through a die of the desired cross-section. In a plastic extruding process, plastic is first melted into a viscous, semi-liquid state. After it softens, the plastic is pressed through a contoured opening. Using this technique, a curved lens may be created by pushing a softened optical film through a contoured opening.
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting material into a mold. Material for the part is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity, where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity. For optical plastic films, whether it is an extrusion or injection method, heat is needed to soften the plastic films so they can be shaped curvaceously. Since dyes are sensitive to heat, some dye degradation occurs, and the effectiveness of eye protection reduces.
Another problem with these IR or visible coated lens is that they are easily scratched and are not resistant to chemicals or elements. Over time the protection layers lose their effectiveness and become harmful if not detected and replaced. To overcome this problem lens manufacturers have put another protection layer on top of the IR/visible layer either by spraying, dipping, or injection. However, as a consequence, additional layers make the lens thicker and to have a minimum thickness, which is a barrier for eyewear design and comfort.
Furthermore, traditional coating methods by injection or extrusion methods are aesthetically less appealing because infrared dye appears green in such a coating. In order to counteract or offset the undesirable green color, gray colors may be added to the PVA film. The addition of such gray colors, however, reduces the penetration of light, and therefore the visibility for the viewers, significantly. Finally, the addition of the gray colors to the PVA films on the lens results in higher costs for the lenses, and thus higher costs for the end products. Therefore, material and manufacturing processes for IR absorbing lenses that are inexpensive and quick are desirable.
Recently, to overcome the drawbacks of extrusion and injection methods, solution casting method has been invented and preferred. This manufacturing technology is unique in that the process does not require conventional extrusion or injection molding technologies, yet it readily incorporates components and features traditionally produced by these processes. This method utilizes a mandrel, or inner diameter mold, that is immersed in a tank of polymer solution or liquid plastic that has been specifically engineered for the process. Due to a combination of thermal and frictional properties, the polymer solution then forms a thin film around the mold. The mold is then extracted from the tank in a precisely controlled manner, followed by a curing or drying process.
Other casting devices being used in a solution casting method are a belt or drum machines. Typically, supporting belts are 1.0 to 2.0 m wide and 10 to 100 m long. Stainless steel belts are between 1.0 and 2.0 mm thick. Drums are typically 4 to 8 m in diameter and 1.20 to 1.50 m wide. The belt channel allows a stream of air to flow in machine direction or counter direction. The drum is tightly sealed to prevent vapor emissions and to direct the air stream against the direction of drum movement. One of the two pulleys or drums is connected to a drive that requires extremely accurate speed control to avoid even slight speed variations. One drum is connected to a servo system that adjusts belt tension in order to ensure constant flatness and “absence” of belt movements (vibrations) in the critical area just behind the caster, and to control the expansion and dilatation of the belt length caused by temperature changes. Belt machines have a guide system to avoid belt shifting during operation. The belt is guided by horizontal movements of the support drums. Many different support materials have been used for belts: Copper, silver-plated copper, chromium-plated steel, stainless steel, metal coated with polyvinylalcohol or gelatin, polyester film, PTFE film and other polymer films. At present the commonest support materials are stainless steel and chromium-plated surfaces. Important items for belt and drum machines are the material's heat conductivity, the technical processes used to create the required surface finish and the options for repairing small surface defects. This cast technique permits simple production of films with structured surfaces. The belt surface is clearly and accurately replicated on one surface of the film. The techniques used to adapt the surface of the drums or belts to highly glossy, structured or matt film finishes are proprietary methods.
Once the first layer of thin film is appropriately solidified, secondary features can be added to the product such as braided or coiled wire, laser-cut hypotubes or engineered metal reinforcements to prevent kinking, or imaging targets specific to the intended medical application. Multiple casting steps can then be repeated to encapsulate the reinforcements, build up wall thickness, add additional lumens and optimize column strength. The part is then removed from the mold after it is cured or solidified. This method works with liquid forms of solvent polymers without using excessive heat to cure the part. Since this method uses centrifugal force to shape the part, with the right liquidity ratio, a very thin layer of IR or visible dye solution can be added to an optical film without using excessive heat.
Another method to make the film is a static method such as cavity mold or plate casting or other similar method. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Receptacles may include components within their interior volume, or connected to their exterior. For example, fuel tanks for vehicles typically include a fuel pump, one or more valves, a fuel level sensor and perhaps other components arranged within the fuel tank. The components may be mounted on a carrier or other support that is placed in the fuel tank, or the components may be attached to a flange that is secured on an already formed fuel tank wall, such as by a clamp or threaded connection. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Wounds frequently require debridement, or removal of undesirable tissue, to promote healing. Most debridement techniques suffer from a lack of specificity to the undesirable tissue. Therefore, healthy tissue may be removed along with the undesirable tissue, which frequently leads to longer healing times as well as discomfort and pain to the patient.
Maggot debridement therapy has long been noted for its ability to debride a wound such that undesirable tissue, such as necrotic tissue, is generally removed from the wound while leaving healthy tissue in tact. While maggot therapy may be useful for debriding a wound, it is a costly and time consuming procedure. Additionally, maggot therapy is labor intensive and is frequently objectionable to both health care providers and patients alike. Other shortcomings exist as well. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
When semiconductor devices are formed in integrated circuits, the devices are coupled to each other through the use of back end of the line metal interconnect levels. The resistance and capacitance of these metal interconnect levels has a negative effect on device performance, especially at high frequency operation. Therefore, to minimize the influence of parasitic components (e.g., resistance, capacitance), layers of low electrical resistance and capacitance are used as electrodes to connect the overlying metal interconnect levels selectively to the individual active semiconductor elements.
These electrode layers are often comprised of monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and/or amorphous silicon and are doped as required to give them needed electrical conductivity. To form doped crystalline layers a semiconducting substrate (e.g. silicon) can be subjected to a series of chemical and thermal processing steps which modify the electrical properties of certain areas of the substrate. Typically, formation of the silicon layers is performed by first depositing undoped silicon. The undoped silicon is subsequently doped by means of ion implantation. Finally, a temperature step sometimes referred to as an anneal is used to heal implantation damages and electrically activate the dopant.
Depositing a single crystalline layer can be performed by first forming a seed layer and then epitaxially growing a layer with the same crystalline structure on top of the seed layer. Epitaxial silicon is usually grown using vapor-phase epitaxy (VPE), a modification of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Molecular-beam and liquid-phase epitaxy (MBE and LPE) can also be used. The use of MBE and LPE is mainly done for compound semiconductors. During depositions performed by any of these methods, narrow faults in the underlying layer are often completely filled.
Doping places either specific amounts of dopant atoms into the crystal lattice structure of the substrate or a film deposited on the substrate. In general, the electrical characteristics (e.g., conductivity, resistivity) of a defined region of a semiconductor structure are a function of the concentration and depth of the dopants in that region. In order to obtain electrical devices having predictable and reliable electrical characteristics, a doping process is controlled to provide a desired concentration and depth for dopant atoms within the substrate. In the formation of an epitaxially grown electrode layer, implantation doping can cause device issues as the doping will not be able to extend to the bottom of the faults formed during deposition and as a result, the grown layers will not be uniformly doped.
In-situ doping, which introduces dopant atoms during the epitaxial growth process, provides advantages over implantation doping in terms of layer integrity. One common method of in-situ doping is by gas phase deposition (e.g., chemical vapor deposition (CVD)). With a CVD doping process, a deposition gas and a dopant gas are supplied to a process chamber of a CVD reactor. A substrate to be doped and the process chamber are maintained at a relatively high temperature. In the process chamber, the deposition gas and the dopant gas thermally decompose and deposit onto the substrate. The deposited film is thus a mixture of a deposition species and a dopant species. The dopant atoms move by filling empty crystal positions (i.e. vacancies) or alternately move through the spaces between the crystal sites (i.e. interstitial).
As an example of a prior art CVD doping process, polysilicon thin films are deposited along with a dopant on a silicon substrate. A suitable deposition gas for depositing polysilicon is silane. In general, the silane decomposes under the vacuum and the high temperature of the process chamber and deposits onto the substrate.
For in-situ n-type doping, common dopants include phosphorous and arsenic. These dopants respectively utilize dopant gases comprising phosphine (PH3) and arsine (AsH3) in a CVD doping process. However, as a result of utilization of any of these dopant gases for in-situ doping, the epitaxial deposition rate decreases considerably. Further, it is difficult to achieve dopant concentrations above 1e20/cm3 using in-situ doping. For in-situ p-type doping, a common dopant is boron which utilizes a diborane (B2H6) gas in a CVD doping process. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Immersion lithography is a resolution enhancement technique for exposing images on a substrate such as a surface of a semiconductor wafer. Immersion lithography interposes a high refractive index fluid, such as water, between a projection lens of a lithography system and the substrate. The substrate is typically positioned on a stage or holder, and the fluid is maintained between the projection lens and the stage by a fluid containment mechanism, e.g., a set of “shower heads.” An image can then be projected, such as with deep ultra-violet (DUV) radiation, through the projection lens, through the immersion fluid, and then be exposed onto the substrate surface.
In order to isolate the fluid from the substrate surface during loading and unloading, a fluid closing plate may be used. During exposure, the fluid closing plate is placed in a plate holder of the stage. Prior to wafer unloading, the fluid closing plate is lifted from the plate holder and affixed to the fluid containment mechanism. In this way, the fluid is isolated from the substrate surface while the substrate is unloading. After a new substrate is loaded onto the stage, the fluid closing plate is resituated in the plate holder. This allows the immersion fluid to re-interpose between the projection lens and the substrate surface. The process in which the fluid closing plate is dislocated from the plate holder and resituated is referred to as “closing plate take-over.”
Currently, the position of the fluid closing plate is calibrated after a defined number of cycles using a transmission image sensor (TIS). The transmission image sensor is mounted inside the substrate holder at a distance from the plate holder. The transmission image sensor calibrates the plate position by detecting the DUV radiation projected from the projection lens and adjusting the plate position based on the distance between the detected radiation and the plate holder.
However, this type of calibration is not efficient because extra maintenance time is needed to adjust the plate position if it is out of specification. In addition, the calibration does not monitor plate position after every closing plate take over. This may result in a collision of the fluid closing plate with the wafer holder or other materials, which may lead to damage of parts, unwanted particles, and machine downtime.
A need exists for a method and system that monitor the position of the fluid closing plate after every closing plate take-over. In this way, collision with the wafer holder or other materials may be avoided and efficiency of immersion lithography may be improved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Multi-standard radios, such as cell phones and other electronic devices, require multiple signals having different frequencies to be able to transmit and receive information from different frequency bands. Due to carrier aggregation in cellular communication technologies, newer radio will be capable of operating multiple radios simultaneously. Present topologies have an individual synthesizer associated with each different frequency signal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a printer operating on the principle of thermal ink transfer, such that ink is thermally transferred from an ink transfer sheet to an ink recording sheet for reproduction of a desired image either in color or in black and white. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved mechanism in such a printer for pressing a thermal printing head against a platen via a superposition of the transfer sheet and the recording sheet. The printer with the improved head pressing mechanism is intended for use with an insertable cassette in which are housed both a stack of recording sheets and an elongate strip of transfer sheet.
The thermal ink transfer printer has won extensive commercial acceptance for the production of hard copies (i.e. those readable or appreciable without use of special device) of computer graphics or the like. Among the primary reasons for this popularity are simplicity in construction, fast printing speed, and ease of handling.
Basically, in the printer of this type, the recording sheet is printed upon while being pressed against a platen by the thermal printing head via the transfer sheet. The platen is driven as by a direct current motor or a pulse motor. The printing head has a plurality of electric heater elements which are aligned lengthwise of the transport roller. The electric current fed to the heater elements is controlled for printing dots on the recording sheet line by line with the incremental rotation of the platen.
For color printing, a color transfer sheet is employed which bears on its different sections the inks of the three primary colors, yellow, magenta and cyan. A black ink may also be used to add detail and contrast to the printed reproduction, as is well known in the printing art. The ink of a first preselected color is first transferred from the color transfer sheet to the recording sheet by automatically holding the recording sheet in register with the required ink section of the transfer sheet. Then the transfer sheet is fed a required distance for transferring the ink of a second preselected color to the recording sheet. The same procedure is repeated on the same recording sheet for each additional color until a full color printing is completed.
Of course, the color transfer sheet needs replacement as the inks are used up, and a new recording sheet is required for each printing operation. A known solution to the problem of how to overcome troubles with frequent transfer sheet replacement and recording sheet replenishment is a cassette in which there are housed both a color transfer sheet in the form of an elongate strip and a stack of recording sheets. The cassette can be readily inserted in the associated printer. The color transfer strip extends between a payoff and a takeup mandrel within the cassette. The insertion of this cassette in the printer serves the dual purpose of replacing the used transfer sheet and introducing a fresh supply of recording sheets.
The printer for use with the insertable cassette is constructed to take out the transfer strip takeup mandrel from within the cassette and to hold it in a preassigned position within the printer. Being anchored at one end to the takeup mandrel, the transfer strip is thus pulled out of the cassette and held against the platen. Also, the recording sheets are withdrawn one by one from within the cassette, introduced into the printer, and clamped against the platen preparatory to thermal ink transfer from the transfer sheet by the printing head.
Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-31345 is hereby cited as a prior art printer designed for use with an insertable cassette, to which the present invention bears particular pertinence. This prior art printer has proved to be in need of improvement in regard to its mechanism for pressing the thermal printing head against the platen via the superposed transfer strip and recording sheet. The known head pressing mechanism has comprised a dedicated rotary solenoid together with an associated drive linkage. A drawback of this known mechanism is that it has unnecessarily increased the number of constituent parts of the printer and thus added to its manufacturing cost.
A particular objection is to the rotary solenoid, which is unduly expensive in consideration of the function for which it is intended. Moreover, the rotary solenoid must of necessity be inconveniently large in size for pressing the printing head with a sufficient force to assure high quality printings. Such a bulky rotary solenoid has demanded a correspondingly large installation space, with a consequent increase in the overall size of the printer itself. Additional difficulties with the rotary solenoid have been its great power requirement and much noise production. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Engineered wood products utilize particles, such as strands, flakes, granules or the like as raw materials. For example, oriented strand board or TIMBERSTRAND® (manufactured by Weyerhaeuser Company) consists of layers of strands which are compressed to form the wood product. The strands are deposited onto, for example, a screen or directly onto the conveyor belt. Prior to being deposited, the strands are aligned by being dropped past a series of vertically-aligned disks which are disposed on one or more horizontally-aligned shafts positioned beside each other successively. These shafts and disks combine to form what is commonly referred to as a deck. The closer the disks are to one another as the strands fall through the disks, the greater the potential of achieving a desired alignment. Better alignment leads to optimal wood product properties, such as a high modulus of elasticity (MOE).
However, when longer and wider strands and/or other particles are utilized in formation of a wood product, the strands can get caught between the disks. The longer and wider strands tend to create plugs or “strand jams” in the deck. Often the plugs/jams occur between the middle deck and along one or both of the upper and lower decks. Most frequently, the plugs/jams occur on the upper deck and prevent the strands from reaching the middle deck. Removing these strands from the orienting disks can be a tedious, time-consuming and labor-intensive task. In addition, the removal may require stoppage of production, which is costly to a manufacturer.
A need, therefore, exists for systems for orienting strands and other particles which prevent accumulation of the particles between disks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming convex patterns in which, while conveying a substrate coated with a positive photosensitive material, the photosensitive material is exposed by controlling an irradiation timing of exposure light with which the substrate is irradiated, thereby forming a plurality of types of convex patterns of different heights on the substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for forming convex pattern so as to enable top of protruding portion to be a substantially hemispherical shape, an exposure apparatus, and a photomask.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional method for forming convex pattern of this type is used, for example, in forming of columnar spacers on a color filter substrate in a liquid crystal display apparatus. Color filters of RGB are coated with a photosensitive transparent acrylic resin or the like, to be exposed and developed to thereby form columnar spacers. In this case, columnar spacers of different heights are formed by changing film thicknesses of the color filters of RGB (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open (Kokai) Patent Application Publication No. 2003-84289). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A resin coating used for the surface finishing of a leather is conducted for the prevention of penetration of soil and easy wipe-off of attached sweat and soil, in addition to the protection of leather surface and beautification of appearance. As a surface coating film material for the leather, used are urethane resins, nitrocellulose lacquers, proteins such as casein, and fluorine-free resins such as higher fatty acid ester waxes. Among them, the urethane resins are widely used, because they are excellent in the coating film adherence, the softness, the transparency, the bend resistance, the low-temperature resistance, the chemical resistance, the heat resistance and the abrasion resistance.
However, conventional coating films are either hydrophilic or lipophilic, and an aqueous soil such as a mud and a soy sauce easily attaches to the hydrophilic coating film and an oily soil such as a skin fat, a lipstick and a ball point pen ink easily attaches to the lipophilic coating film and it is difficult to remove off these soils.
On the other hand, the coating of a fluororesin paint is applied to various substrates such as construction materials in view of the excellent soil resistance of the coating film. However, because the coating film is poor in softness, the fluororesin paint is not practically used for the leather which requires high softness.
For example, JP-A-4-279612 discloses a fluororesin coating composition and JP-A-10-147746 discloses a composition comprising a repellent such as a polyfluorinated carbon chain-containing compound and a silicone oil, as a fluororesin paint. However, these documents do not consider the leather use.
JP-A-2000-54000 discloses a leather having good soil resistance caused by applying a fluororesin paint to the leather, but the applied leather is not one satisfying all of the demand peculiar to leather such as feeling and matt appearance, and film properties such as soil resistance and abrasion resistance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for use in user stations of a CAN bus system which is equipped to provide and process a global time information in the event-controlled exchange of data with other user stations of the CAN bus system, as well as the bus system developed using such user stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
From International standards ISO 11898-1, -2 and -3 the “Controller Area Network” (CAN) is known, which includes an event-controlled method for the exchange of data between users of a bus system. The media access control method is based on the bit-wise arbitration, in which a plurality of user stations are simultaneously able to try to transmit data via the channel of the bus system, without thereby interfering with the data transmission. The user stations are able to ascertain the logical state (0 or 1) of the channel while transmitting a bit over the channel. If a value of the bit sent does not correspond to the ascertained logical state of the channel, the user station terminates the access to the channel.
Because of the bit-wise arbitration, a non-destructive transmission of the data frame over the channel is achieved. Good real time properties of the CAN are yielded thereby.
From international Standard ISO 11898-4, for example, a extension of the CAN is known that is designated as “Time-Triggered CAN” (TTCAN). According to the TTCAN protocol specification, in the so-called system matrix, a time window structure is defined which has a plurality of successive base cycles which, in turn, are made up of time windows (often also designated as “time slots”) whose sequence repeats regularly. In this way, each message, and consequently the sending user station, is able to have allocated to it a certain time window, within which this message has to be transmitted. There is also the possibility, in time windows, of releasing the access, coordinated by arbitration, to a plurality of user stations. In TTCAN, the access to the channel is thus at least partially coordinated by a time-controlled method.
In TTCAN, a distinction is made between TTCAN Level 1 and TTCAN Level 2. In both cases, the communication takes place in a sequence of base cycles which are initiated in each case by a reference message. The difference between the two levels is that in Level 2 the reference message includes information on synchronizing a global time information or global time. Thus, TTCAN is distinguished in that the user stations may be provided with global time information by a time master. One specified procedure for synchronization takes care that all user stations use uniform global time data.
CAN controllers, which control TTCAN Level 2, have a circuit (counter, arithmetic unit, control unit) which synchronizes and calibrates the Global Time in Hardware, and enables time measurement and time status indication.
The TTCAN protocol also includes monitoring functions, which are supposed to ensure that the CAN communication maintains the previously specified fixed time reference. If errors occur in the time reference, the time base is indicated as being invalid. In response to serious errors, the CAN communication may be stopped.
In certain applications, the time control of the bus communication is either not possible or at least not meaningful, or the effort to set up the system matrix is unjustifiably costly. Still, providing global time information, as is performed by TTCAN Level 2, is desirable in order to be able to use the time information in the algorithms which run in the user stations.
The methods known from the related art do not deliver results that are satisfactory in every respect. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to condition detection in asynchronous pipelines.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
A pipeline is a mechanism used in computer architecture for speeding up system throughput. It is analogous to a production line, where the product (data) flows through a series of stages (circuits) in each of which an operation is performed to process the product (data). The use of a pipeline mechanism does not speed up the time taken for an individual element of data to traverse the pipeline (the latency) but rather increases the number of elements of data processed in a given time (the throughput). This is achieved because the operations comprising the pipeline can be kept simple and each can start processing a subsequent element as soon as the current element has passed through that stage. A non-pipelined implementation of the same set of operations requires that all processing is complete on any one of a number of elements before further elements can be processed.
Computer pipeline systems are conventionally synchronous. In such systems, several stages operate in "lockstep". A global clock signal is asserted when all the stages have completed operation and data is transferred to subsequent stages. This gives a simple structure which is easy both to model and to analyze. The clock period of the pipeline is, of course, limited to a minimum of the time taken for the slowest pipeline stage to complete its processing. The clock frequency thus derived determines the throughput of the pipeline. The pipeline latency is the clock period multiplied by the number of pipeline stages, which will generally be somewhat greater than the processing time for the same logic without pipelining.
For example, in a synchronous pipeline comprising three elements having respective clock frequencies of 50 MHz, 10 MHz and 30 MHz when operating in isolation, the maximum clock frequency of the system is limited to 10 MHz if all the elements are to function correctly. This frequency determines the pipeline throughput. Even if the slowest element is not in use, due for example to the pipeline having been flushed and not yet fully refilled, the system is synchronised to the global clock and thus cannot run any faster.
In an asynchronous system the basic speed limitation still applies, that is in the case outlined above the system would naturally adopt a throughput rate of 10 MHz given that this is the speed of the slowest element. However each element is free operate at its own rate and in an operation where the slowest unit was not in use the throughput would automatically rise to that of the next slowest element, that is 30 MHz in the example quoted. In asynchronous pipelines the latency is therefore the sum of the individual times per stage. The pipeline may well fill up at a greater rate than its throughput and length would suggest. Furthermore not all pipeline stages require a constant processing time. For example an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) may perform an add operation much faster than a divide operation. In an asynchronous pipeline each may be treated as a single operation without slowing the general throughput to the speed of the slowest.
The article "Micropipelines", Communications of the ACM, Vol. 32, No. 6 Jun. 1989, pages 720-738 by Sutherland, I. E., describes a framework for designing asynchronous circuits. A library of circuits is described which may be used to control asynchronous pipelines which are referred to as "Micropipelines" and are event controlled, that is to say they use single electrical transitions as control signals rather than voltage levels. Communication between stages of the pipeline uses a bundled data convention. A whole data word is accompanied by a single pair of event control lines. These indicate when the data is valid and when the data has been received by the next stage in the pipeline. Event control is sometimes called transition signalling as it uses electrical transitions to convey information.
The micropipeline approach can be used to construct a microprocessor. Each element of the data-path of the microprocessor can be made to correspond to a stage of a micropipeline. This is aided by the essential hierarchical structure of micropipelines as an element of the pipeline can itself contain an arbitrary number of pipeline stages.
Micropipelines incorporate a register bank in the form of a number of registers with common sets of READ and WRITE buses. All the registers are the same width, for example in a 32 bit microprocessor they would be 32 bits wide. The microprocessor executes instructions by reading the contents of one or two of the registers out of the bank, performing some operation on the read out contents, and then writing back the result of the operation into a third register in the register bank. The number of registers read out in any instruction is limited by the number of output ports of the register bank, which is usually two. After an instruction has been issued, an instruction decoder extracts the addresses of the registers that should be read and the register to which the result of the operation identified in the instruction should be written. These register addresses are passed to the register bank so that execution of the instruction may begin. The operands are read out and passed to a processing unit such as an ALU where some operation is performed to provide the result. Some time later the result arrives back at the register bank and is written to the appropriate register. Thus, if an instruction is issued which when completed will result in data being written to a particular register, and a subsequent instruction is issued which attempts to read that particular register, the subsequent instruction must be delayed until the instruction already in progress has been completed.
The problem of delaying read instructions described above is one example of difficulties that can arise in detecting conditional information in asynchronous pipelines. In such circumstances it is usually necessary both to detect the presence of items in the pipeline and to determine the position of those items within the pipeline. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to polyphosphazene copolymers containing repeating ##STR2## units in the polymer chain in which nitroalkyl substituents and substituted and unsubstituted alkoxy, alkenyloxy, alkenylaryloxy, aryloxy amino and mercapto substituents are attached to the phosphorus atom. More particularly, the invention relates to polyphosphazene copolymers containing substituents derived from nitroalkanes and substituted and unsubstituted aliphatic and aromatic and aromatic alcohols, amino compounds and mercaptan compounds.
Polyphosphazene polymers containing repeating ##STR3## units in which various alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, aryloxy and substituted aryloxy groups are attached to the phosphorus atom and their method of preparation are described in the prior art as illustrated in the publication "Nitrogen-Phosphorus Compounds," Academic Press, New York, N.Y. 1972 by H. R. Allcock and "Poly(Organophosphazenes)," Chemtech, Sept. 19, 1975 by H. R. Allcock and in such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 3,515,688; 3,702,833; and 3,856,712.
However, none of the aforementioned publications and patents or for that matter, none of the prior art of which applications are aware, discloses or suggests polyphosphazene copolymers containing nitroalkyl substituents attached to the phosphorus atom or methods of preparing such copolymers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for processing an informational signal. More specifically, it relates to an apparatus and a medium for processing an informational signal, a processing board for processing an informational signal, an informational-signal-processing system, a program product and a recording medium for recording the program, which are well applicable to, for example, an image-signal-processing system etc. for performing a series of processing procedures such as format conversion and noise cancellation on an image signal and outputting a processing result.
2. Description of Related Art
In an image-signal-processing system for performing a series of processing procedures such as the format conversion and the noise cancellation on an image signal and outputting the processing result, it has been conventionally considered to implement this series of processing procedures by using plural processing boards. In this case, for example, when a format in which the image signals are input or output is changed or another processing board is added, an order in which the image signals are processed changes, so that it is necessary to replace the board or change wiring between the boards.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-1798211 discloses communication of data between the boards by radio, thereby eliminating restrictions on signals flowing between the boards, and avoiding a troublesome job such as replacement of these boards and changing of inter-board wiring.
In the image-signal-processing system disclosed in the above publication, a controller is used. The controller recognizes plural processing boards installed therein and sets a processing order of image signals based on a table stored in a built-in memory. Thus, the image-signal-processing system disclosed in the publication has such the controller in addition to the processing boards so that its circuit scale is enlarged by the amount thereof. Further, in the image-signal-processing system, a communication between the controller and each processing board is executed when setting a processing order of image signals. This causes communication control to be complicated.
It is an object of the invention to improve the existing apparatus for processing informational signal, and the like by which, when input or output format of the informational signal is changed in, for example, the image-signal-processing system using plural processing boards or an processing board is added thereinto, it is possible to easily perform setting of processing order of informational signals without using a controller performing any complicated communication control such that the controller can control each processing board. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of secondary storage devices, such as disk drives, in computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for facilitating validation of data retrieved from a secondary storage device to ensure that data retrieved from the secondary storage device matches data that was originally stored to secondary storage.
2. Related Art
Advances in disk drive technology have dramatically increased the amount of data that can be stored on disk and have increased the rate at which data can be transferred to and from a disk. As data is packed more densely on disk drives and is transferred at faster rates, it becomes increasingly more likely for errors to occur. Hence, there is an increasing need to confirm the integrity of data retrieved from a disk to ensure that it is the same as data that was originally stored on the disk.
In order to confirm data integrity, computer system often compute a checksum, which is a function of a block of data to be stored on a disk drive. This checksum is stored along with the block of data on the disk drive. When the block of data is later retrieved from the disk, a new checksum is computed from the retrieved data and this new checksum is compared with the checksum that was stored with the data. If these checksums match, there is an extremely high probability that the data has not changed from its original value. If the checksums do not match, either the data or the checksum has changed.
One problem in using checksums is that the checksums require additional storage space on the disk drive. Hence, in order to store checksums along with disk blocks, the size of the disk blocks must be increased. For example, the size of a disk sector may have to be increased from 512 bytes to 516 bytes to accommodate four additional bytes of checksum information. This method works well. However, it requires the disk to be specially formatted to accommodate the checksums. Hence, it is not possible to add checksums to existing data stored on a normally formatted disk drive because the size increase causes the data to no longer fit in the original disk sector. Furthermore, when adding checksums to existing data, it is undesirable to dump out and restore the existing data in order to accommodate a new disk block format that includes space for checksum information.
It is possible to store the checksum data to another disk drive. However, if a system failure occurs during a write operation, there is no way of telling whether both the data and the checksum were written. If a system failure causes the checksum and the data to get out-of-synch, a false negative can be generated, which causes an error to be reported on good data.
What is needed is a method and an apparatus for providing validation information for disk blocks without the above-described problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed broadly to table lighter devices. More specifically, it pertains to a novel, improved, stable and simplified table lighter housing receptacle which may insertably accommodate a standard pocket lighter without the latter falling or rattling, as well as being adapted to provide a comfortable and hefty feel for a user's hand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, it has been conventional practice to retain a standard pocket lighter, such as of the butane type, in a receptacle to function as a table lighter. A wide variety of constructions presently exist for pocket lighter housings. In several, though, the lighter housings of the foregoing category suffer from several drawbacks. One of the more significant shortcomings results from the fact that such housings or receptacles are made of several distinct components and such constructional complexities often inhibit simple and easy assembly, as well as disassembly, if required for any reason. By virtue of such relatively complicated construction, the housings are relatively more expensive to manufacture. Thus, it will be appreciated that the resultant savings provide substantial economical advantages.
Furthermore, the prior art suffers from the drawback that it does not provide table lighter housings which are capable of providing a user with a comfortable and hefty feel while at the same time preventing conventional pocket lighters of somewhat varying dimensions from rattling and falling out during ordinary and customary use.
The present invention, however, overcomes the preceding enumerated drawbacks generally associated with known table lighter housings or receptacles and table lighters by providing a table lighter device capable of receiving therein a conventional pocket lighter, and which device is simple and economical in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble, and snugly and resiliently supports and retains a pocket lighter so as to prevent rattling and falling out of the latter. The present invention is fabricated from flame retardant material in a manner to provide a hefty and comfortable feel to a user's hand. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a hydrophilic sponge, adapted for medical and particularly surgical usage, comprising the reaction product of polyvinyl alcohol and formaldehyde. The sponge when wet with body fluids has a smooth and non-abrasive soft texture, is lint free, even when used abradably, is of exceptionally high fluid holding capacity, is compressible, flexible and resilient.
Medical sponges have many fluid absorbing applications including bandages for cuts and bruises, sanitary napkins for feminine hygiene, diagnostic swab "mailers" upon which bacteria can be cultured, general surgical sponges and specialty surgical sponges adapted for orthopedic, vascular, plastic, eye, ear, nose and throat use, among other known applications. As is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,871, surgical sponges are used to remove body fluids such as blood, serum, plasma, lymph, spinal fluid, tissue fluid, urine, sweat, bile juice, and digestive juice. In the practice of surgery following an initial incision, it is customary to blot the incision and the adjacent area with sponges to remove blood and other fluids emanating from that incision. During internal surgery, for example, when operating in the thoracic cavity or abdominal cavity, sponges are used both to absorb blood and to isolate various organs from the operating field. The latter is accomplished by packing those organs with sponges to restrain them from interfering with the operation. The packing sponges are customarily pre-moistened in saline solution to prevent drying out organs or tissue with which they come into contact.
The sponge most commonly used today is a cellulose derived pad that may be of woven cotton, nonwoven cellulose or a felt made of rayon. However, cellulose pads tend to fragment and may shed lint thereby depositing biologically incompatible foreign substances in critical sites which can lead to the formation of brain or pulmonary emboli. As such, the fragments may also serve as a carrier for bacteria present in nonsterile areas of the operating room. The cellulose dust generated by opening a package of gauze pads may also lay down on the surface of open vessels of injectable solutions in the operating room enabling cellulose fragments to enter the blood stream directly. The gauze pad fragments left on internal organs also give rise to an adverse inflammatory reaction in the body, such as granulomater or adhesions.
Furthermore, gauze pads are known to be abrasive especially when dry. During use, as they absorb blood and body fluids, they tend to ball up and become increasingly harder and less pliable and therefore exhibit correspondingly increased abrasiveness. That is true notwithstanding the fact that the gauze pads were pre-moistened with saline solution. Since surgical pads may have to be moved or repositioned during an operation, abrasiveness of the pad can lead to trauma and inflammation.
Gauze pads used in surgery have the further disadvantage that they may not readily be shaped other than square or rectangular. That is due to their property of fraying and tendency to shed fragments. Thus, a surgeon cannot readily cut gauze pads to adapt them to a particular use.
Another problem with gauze pads is that they do not have a high capacity for holding fluid which increases the number of pads needed for a given medical procedure. In general their fluid holding capacity is limited to about 6 to 7 times the weight of the dry gauze. It would be greatly desirable to provide a pad capable of absorbing more than about 20 times its weight so as to reduce the need for replacing the pads during an operation.
The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,871 seeks to resolve the above problems associated with the use of gauze pads by means of a sponge made of polyurethane. That sponge is described as overcoming, for the most part, the problems of the gauze pad. The polyurethane sponge pad apparently does overcome some of the deficiencies of the gauze pad but in doing so it also appears to generate new problems of its own. For example, the polyurethane sponge described therein is impregnated with a hydrophilic surfactant absorbed into the sponge pores. The difficulty with that sponge, is that it contains a surfactant designed to render it artificially hydrophilic since polyurethane generally is otherwise hydrophobic. Those surfactant agents or substances have a tendency to leach out in the bloodstream. Although designed to absorb blood and body fluids upon contact, without compression, the fact remains that during the course of an operation, limitations of working space within the body make it highly unlikely that the surgeon will completely avoid making some contact with the sponges. Thus, when viewed pragmatically, particularly in the course of surgery, some compression of the sponges used is likely to occur. The significance of that compression, even if occasional, is that upon such compression the polyurethane sponge will release not only the blood and fluids absorbed, but also surfactant. That surfactant is a foreign substance and the body reacts to it just as it would to any foreign substance. Although described as substantially free of toxicity, it is in fact, and to varying degrees, toxic.
The polyurethane sponge also suffers from other deficiencies. Among its shortcomings is the fact that it remains somewhat abrasive. If particles should break off from the main sponge, the particles are not biocompatible. The sponge is not compressible for packaging and handling purposes. It does not completely resolve the problem of linting, is non-compressible, is friable, may yellow with age, and it is difficult to control the pore size of the sponge. Pore size control is of particular significance for precision work such as for neurosurgical or opthalmic surgical sponge instruments. For example, in opthalmic surgery it is most important that the sponge used to pick up blood and vitrous fluids which is commonly in the shape of a sponge-tipped spear and generally referred to as an "eye spear" has a definite smooth, predictable boundary. If an eye spear has large pores, its cut edge could have a half-moon shaped or swiss-cheese-like indentation. That would adversely affect the precision with which the eye surgery could be performed, e.g. the fine sutures used in eye surgery may get caught in the rough edges of the sponge. Thus a small uniform pore size distribution is desirable for eye surgical sponges. On the other hand, if a sponge is to be used for routine surgical procedures, e.g. soaking blood, a larger pore size would be acceptable.
One characteristic common to virtually all known surgical sponges used in internal surgery is that they are tagged with thin strips of radiopaque markers. Such radiopaque markers are visible by X-ray fluoroscopy. Thus, following surgery, a patient may be X-rayed to locate or help determine the presence of a sponge that may have slipped from view in the operative field. The difficulty with such radiopaque markers is that their visibility is limited by their size. X-ray opaque strips used on present gauze pads are made by mixing 6-12% barium sulfate with a resin such as polyethylene and extruding the resultant composition into a rod of about 1/16-inch diameter. The rod is heat sealed to the pad surface. The pad then is folded 12 to 15 times with the strip contained therein. As a practical matter, it would greatly facilitate determining the location of a sponge if the entire sponge was radiopaque and thus visible upon X-ray. However, this improved radiopacity must be achieved without altering fluid capacity or leaching of the radiopaque material from the sponge so that a foreign body toxic reaction is avoided.
Reaction products of polyvinyl alcohol and formaldehyde also have been used to produce sponge material, which material has been used as a washcloth, synthetic chamois skin, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,347 describes sponges made by reacting polyvinyl alcohol and formaldehyde. The sponges made as described in said patent are intended for use as washcloths or chamois skin. Past efforts to use the sponge clinically for skin grafts and implantation in living tissue proved for the most part unsuccessful. This result is primarily due to possible toxic residues leaching from the sponge resulting in unreliable biocompatibility.
Furthermore, the sponges produced by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,347 are undesirable for surgical sponges since they are not characterized by a pore geometry and size necessary for fast wicking, high liquid holding capacity and precision sponge instrument design. Fast wicking is highly desirable, since a sponge, in the dry state, is relatively abrasive and it is desirable to minimize abrasiveness quickly. The process described in this patent also is deficient for surgical purposes since no means are provided for assuring that the sponges produced will expand uniformly. This characteristic is essential since the utility of a medical sponge instrument is also dependent upon its predictable shape during use. This requires that a dry sponge, which is cut and compressed to a desired shape prior to use retains that shape and expands to a predictable volume during liquid absorption. Furthermore, the sponge described in this patent is undesirable since its liquid holding capacity is only in the order of 10 to 13 times the weight of the sponge.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a soft non-toxic uniformly expandable medical sponge having a high fluid holding capacity and fast wicking which is lint free, even when cut or trimmed to a smaller size. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide a medical sponge which is non-abrasive to delicate tissue and is capable of being rendered homogeneously radiopaque without incorporating a leachable X-ray opaque material into the sponge. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a sponge which can be formed in a manner such that the size and geometry of the sponge pores can be regulated to conform to the desired pore size distribution required for fast wicking, high liquid holding capacity, and precision design. Also, it would be desirable to provide a sponge, which when expanded by virtue of liquid absorption, will expand to a predictable shaped volume. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the handling of sheet material such as is used for building construction, it has been common in recent times to provide a portable sheet bending brake wherein sheet material is clamped between an anvil member and a clamping surface and a bending member is hinged for bending the sheet material about the anvil member. Typical sheet bending brakes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,161,223, 3,481,174, 3,482,427, 3,559,444, 3,817,075 and 4,240,279.
As shown, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,161,223, 3,559,444, 3,817,075 and 4,240,279, the anvil member is clamped into position by means of a backing plate that has inclined cams underlying a portion of the fixed frame so that when the plate is moved longitudinally by a hand lever, the cams are moved into and out of position clamping and unclamping the backing plate.
In the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,481,174 and 3,482,427, the anvil is supported by pivoted bars that, in turn, are connected by links to a handle that is pivoted on the frame of the brake so that rotation of the handle moves the bars and, in turn, the anvil into and out of clamping position.
It has also heretofore been suggested that eccentric cams be utilized for moving the anvil member into and out of position as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,383,899, 4,092,841 and 4,081,986.
One of the problems with prior sheet bending brakes utilizing eccentric cams is that of adjusting the cams on the shaft. Thus, it is common to provide some type of clamp for holding the cams in position. Any such arrangement results in difficulty in adjustment and also the tendency of the clamp arrangement to loosen resulting in a loss of adjustment.
In one arrangement, the cams are adjustably mounted by bolts which can be loosened to permit rotation of the cams about the shaft. Such an arrangement operates satisfactorily but is subject to loss of adjustment in use necessitating frequent adjustment.
Accordingly, among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a portable sheet bending brake incorporating a construction wherein the eccentric cam positions can be readily adjusted and will remain adjusted; which is low in cost; and which can be adjusted without the use of heavy tools.
In accordance with the invention, the shaft and eccentric cams are provided with circumferentially spaced teeth extending axially so that the cams are locked in any adjusted position. The position of a cam can be adjusted by moving the cam axially relative to the shaft to disengage the teeth on the cam from the teeth on the shaft, rotating the cam to the desired adjusted position and moving the cam axially to reengage the teeth. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to motor vehicles. In a preferred embodiment, it pertains to motor vehicles having both a two wheel drive configuration and a four wheel drive configuration and which are retrofitted for operation in an overdrive gear in two wheel drive. A reciprocal lockout prevents concurrent operation of the vehicle in overdrive and four wheel drive. The overdrive is arranged to reduce the magnitude of cyclic loading in single cardan joints connected to a propeller shaft of the vehicle.
2. Review of the Prior Art
Off road driving is becoming increasingly popular as evidenced by the increase in sales of motor vehicles which are capable of either two wheel drive or four wheel drive modes of operation. In this time of diminishing resources, improvements in fuel economy of motor vehicles, which can be realized by an overdrive arrangement, are continually being sought to optimize performance.
The present invention is believed to have particular significance when used in a motor vehicle capable of operation in either four wheel drive or two wheel drive, but the invention can be used to advantage in more conventional motor vehicles which have only two wheel drive capability.
Motor vehicles transmit power from the engine to a drive axle. In many vehicles having both two and four wheel drive capability, such as a Jeep CJ-5 or an International Harvestor vehicle, in which this invention has particular significance, tubular propeller shafts transmit engine torque from a transfer case to the front and rear axle; the transfer case houses the gearing which enables selection between two wheel and four wheel vehicle operation modes. Single cardan universal joints connect each shaft to relevant transfer case and axle yokes. A substantially horizontal drive shaft driven by the engine is connected to the transfer case yoke, and an input shaft of a drive axle differential is connected to the axle yoke. The drive shaft and the input shaft are generally parallel but are not coaxial so that the drive shaft is high in the vehicle relative to the differential. This means that the propeller shaft is inclined relative to a substantially horizontal reference plane associated with the vehicle chassis and to the drive and input shafts with which it is coupled. It also means that the cardan joints operate at an angle.
Neither single cardan joint is a constant velocity universal joint. When torque is transmitted through single cardan universal joints operating at an angle, the rotating speeds of the joint driving and driven yokes will differ from each other during a single rotation of the driving yoke. In operation, the driving yoke rotates at a constant speed while the driven yoke speeds up and slows down twice every revolution.
This variation in driven yoke rotating speed is proportional to the operating angle of the universal joint. In effect, the greater the universal joint operating angle, the greater the speed fluctuation of the driven yoke. Speed fluctuation causes the cardan joints to experience substantial cyclic stresses during each rotation of the propeller shaft. Cyclic stresses tend to decrease the useful life of the cardan joints and the propeller shaft by causing progressive degradation, driveline vibration and eventual failure. When this occurs, it becomes necessary to repair or replace the cardan joints or the propeller shaft, which requires servicing the vehicle.
An overdrive arrangement permits a vehicle to operate at highway speeds with a lower engine rpm and greater fuel economy than would be possible in direct drive, i.e., without the overdrive capability. A higher gearing ratio is used in overdrive than in direct drive. In vehicles having four wheel drive capability, such as the Jeep CJ-5, the gearing for shifting between two wheel and four wheel drive is contained in the transfer case located at the rear of the transmission. To modify such a vehicle for overdrive, it is highly desirable to retrofit the transfer case so as to take advantage of the existing vehicle gearing and shifting mechanisms to the greatest extent possible. Since the front end of the transfer case is attached to the vehicle transmission, an ideal place to install the overdrive would be where the transfer case rear drive shaft connects to the rear inclined propeller shaft, i.e., at the back of the transfer case. While this location would take advantage of the existing gearing and shifting mechanisms of the vehicle, it effectively decreases the length of the rear propeller shaft because an overdrive mechanism is inserted between the transfer case and the rear differential. Any modification to provide an increased gearing ratio which effectively decreases the length of the rear propeller shaft, without adjusting its angularity relative to the rear drive axle, will aggravate a problem which is already troublesome in the Jeep CJ-5 vehicle.
A need exists for an overdrive mechanism connectible to a transfer case or transmission of a vehicle having an inclined driving propeller shaft and which does not produce an increase in that inclination.
Since the overdrive feature is useful only at highway speeds, where fuel economy rather than power or engine torque is the primary consideration, it is not necessary to adapt the overdrive mechanism for operation while the vehicle is engaged in the four wheel drive mode. By attaching the overdrive mechanism to the back of the transfer case, only the rear drive axle is affected. However, this presents another problem. If an overdrive gear were to be engaged while the vehicle is being operated in four wheel drive, the front axle would turn at a different rate of speed from the rear axle. This would create a host of manifest mechanical problems.
A need exists for an overdrive arrangement which prevents concurrent operation of the vehicle in the overdrive gear and in four wheel drive mode.
The use of this invention in a motor vehicle provides a simple and effective way to provide an overdrive arrangement which reduces cyclic loading stresses on single cardan joints operating at an angle and, in its preferred form, when used in a motor vehicle having both two wheel drive and four wheel drive modes, provides a reliable way to prevent simultaneous operation of the vehicle in four wheel drive and overdrive modes.
The present invention provides other advantages which are set forth in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The causes of stuttering are not fully understood but researchers believe that it may be caused by interference between the left and right hemispheres of the brain competing against one another to send signals to the muscles used to produce speech. These conflicting signals ultimately impair the muscles resulting in stuttering, which is typically characterized by interruptions in speech flow, repetitions, prolongations, and pauses in speech.
The treatments for stuttering are varied and include methods such as psychological therapy, drug, therapy, and altered auditory feedback (AAF). Most AAF treatments can be divided into three categories: delayed auditory feedback (DAF), frequency-shifted auditor, feedback (FAF), and masked auditory feedback (MAF). Treatment using DAF typically utilizes a user's own voice which is delayed between 50 to 200 ms and then relayed back to the user, usually through headphones or an earpiece. This type of treatment relies on the “choral effect”, which occurs when people who stutter speak or sing in unison with others, experience a dramatic reduction or even elimination of stuttering.
Treatments using FAF are based on changing the frequency characteristics of the user's voice by, about a half octave such that the relayed auditory feedback sounds somewhat distorted to the speaker. This frequency shift is believed to effect the user's brain in the same manner as DAF treatment. The MAF treatment involves generating a synthetic sine signal corresponding to the user's own phonetic frequency and relaying this masking feedback to the user.
These treatments usually involve placing a device within the ear canal of the user to completely or partially obstruct the opening much like air-conduction hearing aids. However, such devices are intended to be left in place even when the user is not talking and will also obstruct ambient noises that the user may wish to hear. Moreover, such in-ear devices (as well as other external devices) are usually visible to others and may thus be a deterrent for use by some users for aesthetic reasons. Other devices utilizing such treatments are placed upon a post which is permanently implanted into the skull of the user. However, such devices require invasive surgery and present various complications which may occur as a result.
Accordingly, there exists a need for methods and apparatus for receiving and processing a user's voice and effectively transmitting these processed signals back to the user with minimal obstruction. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrochemical storage cell of the alkali metal and chalcogen type with at least one anode space for receiving the anolyte, and one cathode space for receiving the catholyte, which are separated from each other by an alkali ion-conducting solid electrolyte and are bounded, at least in some places, by a metallic housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such rechargeable electrochemical storage cells with a solid electrolyte are highly suited for constructing storage batteries with high energy and power density. The solid electrolytes used in the alkali-chalcogen storage cells use solid electrolytes, made for instance of .beta.-aluminum oxide, which are distinguished by the fact that the partial conductivity of the mobile ions is very high and the partial conductivity of the electrons is several powers of ten smaller. By using such solid electrolytes for constructing electrochemical storage cells practically no self-discharge takes place since the electron conductivity is negligible and the reaction substances cannot get through the solid electrolyte as neutral particles.
A specific example for such rechargeable electrochemical storage cells are those of the sodium and sulfur type, the solid electrolyte of which is made of .beta.-aluminum oxide. It is an advantage of this electrochemical storage cell that no secondary electrochemical reactions occur during the charging. The reason for this is again that only one kind of ions can get through the solid electrolyte. The current yield of such a sodium-sulfur storage cell is, therefore, near 100%. In these electrochemical storage cells, the ratio of energy content to the total weight of such a storage cell is very high as compared to lead storage batteries, because the reaction substances are light and much energy is released in the electrochemical reaction.
The electrochemical storage cells of this design, however, have the disadvantage that the solid electrolyte can break if too high a voltage is applied to the storage cells. Aging or mechanical damage of the solid electrolyte can also lead to their fracture. As a consequence, sodium and sulfur flow together and react directly with each other. This results in a large temperature rise of the storage cell, so that in the worst case the destruction of the cell housing or an explosion can come about.
From German Published Non-Prosecuted Application DE-OS No. 25 51 604, an electrochemical storage cell is known which is provided with a safety insert which is supposed to prevent the confluence of sodium and sulfur. This safety insert has the disadvantage that the solid electrolyte can have only a simple geometry, and also must be designed as a tube closed on one side. This limits the power density of the storage cell. Since such a safety insert must practically have the same area as the solid electrolyte, the weight contribution of the safety insert is no longer negligible as compared to the total of weight of the storage cell, which again diminished the power density and the energy density of such a storage cell. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Up to now, a piezoelectric valve which is used to control the inflow and outflow of the fluid or the flow rate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,411, for example. As shown in FIG. 13, this piezoelectric valve 1 is configured so that a diaphragm 3 whereon a piezoelectric element 2 is provided can be brought near or separated from a valve seat 5 of an output port 4. In this case, if the pressure of compressed air is introduced into a pressure chamber 6 from an input port 7 is P, a force Fp applied to the output port 4 is expressed by: EQU Fp=.pi./4.times.D.sup.2.times.P
(D: Diameter of opening of output port 4)
On the other hand, a recovering force Fs of the diaphragm 3 when the diaphragm 3 is displaced by an amount of displacement of x.sub.1 to close up the output port 4 is expressed by: EQU Fs=k.sub.i.times.x.sub.1
(k.sub.1 : Spring constant)
And, with this piezoelectric valve 1, by setting the pressure P of the compressed air so that Fp=Fs, a closed state is maintained.
On the other hand, when the output port 4 is to be opened, drive power is applied to the piezoelectric element 2 to change the amount of bending of the piezoelectric element 2 for separating the diaphragm 3 from the valve seat 5. This results in that the compressed air is allowed to flow from the pressure chamber 6 to the output port 4.
However, with the above prior art, there is a possibility of that, if the pressure P of the compressed air is varied, the force Fp applied to the diaphragm 3 is varied, as shown in FIG. 14, and when the recovering force Fs is larger than the force Fp, the diaphragm 3 is separated from the valve seat 5, resulting in the compressed air being allowed to leak from the output port 4.
The present invention has been provided to solve the above stated problem, being intended to offer a piezoelectric valve with which there is no possibility of the fluid leaking from the pressure chamber with a variation in the pressure of the supplied fluid. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
All of the existing radiation imaging inspection systems for cases or luggage employ an X ray machine as a radiation source, high voltage of which is from 100 to 200 kV. Currently, the widely used X ray inspection systems for cases obtain a projection picture of a case through line scanning. In the projection picture, the images of the articles inside the case overlap on each other, while the grayscale of pixels of the images depends on the total mass thickness along the projection path. It is difficult to distinguish the material property of the articles from the projection picture of the case provided by such a DR type radiation imaging inspection system, thus it is insufficient to satisfy the requirement for searching the explosive, drug and flammable dangerous articles. In order to overcome this drawback, some major airports in USA begin to install a new radiation imaging case inspection device (disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,764 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,552). Actually, the inspection device is in the form of tandem combination of the above-mentioned DR type X ray inspection system with the CT type X ray inspection system, which distinguishes the material property of the articles through the density based on the tomographic image achieved by the X-ray CT system. In order to increase the pass-through rate, the projection picture of the case is first obtained from the X ray DR inspection system, then it is determined which portions of the case require a further CT inspection based on the projection picture, finally the X-ray CT inspection system is adopted to obtain the tomographic images for these portions so as to search the illicit or dangerous articles such as explosive, drug and flammable articles; at the same time, if searched, mark them and generate an alarm.
Such a novel case inspection system still uses X ray machine as a radiation source, in which, the X ray machine of the CT inspection system has to rotate rapidly around the case. The major defects of this kind of X ray machine inspection system are:
1. The mean energy of X ray is low.
The high voltage of the above-mentioned X ray machine inspection system is from 100 to 200 kV, so the mean energy of resulted X-ray is limited to 30-70 keV. Such a low X ray energy leads to a poor penetration ability of the inspection system, thus no satisfactory inspection effect for relatively heavy cases can be achieved.
2. The configuration of the X ray machine is too complex and ponderous.
For the part of the CT inspection system, the main elements of the X ray machine, including a X-tube device and a high-voltage power supply, have to rotate around the object at a high speed (e.g. 720°/s) together with an array detector so as to increase the pass-through rate. However, the ponderous and complex X-tube device and high-voltage supply make it difficult to realize high rotary speed.
3. The lifetime is short
Since the operational lifetime of X-tube of CT inspection device is determined by the total complete tomographic scanning times, the higher the throughput rate (the number of inspected cases per unit time) is, the shorter the continuous working period of the X-tube is. For example, the X-tube of a CT inspection device can generally accomplish 100 thousand times of tomographic scan. Assumed that the pass-through rate is 360 cases per hour, and 3 times of tomographic scan process for each case, then the operational lifetime of X-tube will be only about 92 hours. In terms of 8 working hours per day, then the X-tube needs to be updated every 12 days, which greatly increases the operation cost and maintenance workload for such a X ray inspection system.
4. The irradiation field of the X-ray radiation is small
Limited by its generating mechanism, the space distribution of the X-ray is uneven, which has a preshoot character. Generally, the expanding angle of irradiation field of 100-200 kV X ray machine is about 42°. Therefore, in order to accommodate the X-ray irradiation field with the inspected object, the size of CT device must be large enough, which leads to the increase in both occupied land and weight of the equipment.
5. The cost is expensive
The price of the compact type high-voltage supply and X-ray tube device capable of moving rapidly together with the rotary frame is very expensive. If taking other elements into consideration, the total price of the case inspection device including the CT inspection system is nearly as high as 1 million dollars in US. This will inevitably restrict the wide application of this kind of inspecting device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foil container for storing a compound and insertable in a receptacle of a ejection device and having foil bag chambers arranged next to one another for compound components of a multi-component compound which are stored separately from one another, and a head which has a base plate with a contact side at which at least one receptacle portion is provided for an end of the foil bag chambers, and a mixer connection at the base plate, with a first outlet opening for one of the compound components of the multi-component compound and at least one additional outlet opening for at least one additional compound component of the multi-component compound provided in the mixer connection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multi-component compounds such as, for example, mortar compounds, foam compounds, and sealing compounds are made available to the user as two-compound component or multi-component compounds in cartridges and foil containers. Foil containers have proven successful as packaging for compounds of this type and are distinguished in particular by the small proportion of material to be disposed of after the compound is dispensed compared to cartridges. Further, foil containers are simple and inexpensive to produce.
The foil container is inserted or guided into a receptacle of an ejection device such as, e.g., a dispenser. The compound components are ejected out simultaneously through outlet openings at the head by an ejection mechanism so as to be guided through a mixer housing with a mixing element in which the individual compound components are mixed to form the desired compound and are dispensed at the application location.
DE 91 00 054 U1 discloses a foil container with two foil bags arranged side by side as foil bag chambers. The mixer connection has a dividing wall for creating two outlet openings located next to one another, each of them feeding one compound component of the two-component compound to a mixing element. This feed in the mixer connection is also known as a side-by-side feed.
The known solution is disadvantageous in that, owing to the dividing wall in the mixer connection, the compound components flow parallel next to one another along the inner wall of the mixer connection when the foil container is squeezed. Accordingly, a high mixing energy or a long mixing path with a correspondingly designed mixing element is required for a sufficiently thorough mixing of the compound components. Consequently, high ejection forces are required for dispensing the multi-component compound. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,723, issued June 12, 1979 and U.S. application No. 005,749 filed Jan. 23, 1979 a novel concept for a sterile connector member is disclosed. The need for sterile connection arises in various fields, for example, in the area of blood banking. At the present time, when a unit of stored blood is taken from the blood bank and partially used, it is not possible to return the remaining portion of the blood back to storage, since the conventional connections which are made, although highly aseptic, constitute at least a technical breach of sterility. Accordingly, the blood cannot be reliably stored any longer without the danger of the growth of bacteria.
Numerous designs for means for accomplishing sterile connection have been proposed, including the idea of obtaining a connection to stored blood for withdrawing of part of the unit in such a manner that the remainder of the unit can be returned to storage for the remainder of its useful life.
The disclosures of the above cited patent applications represent potentially highly effective and successful means for sterile connection, in that opaque barrier membrane means within a sealed transparent housing is exposed to radiant energy to cause the barrier membrane means to fuse or melt, forming a hole in the membrane which establishes the connection. At the same time, if the barrier membrane is a high melting material, the sterility of the connection is assured, since the achievement of the melting point of the barrier membrane can assure the destruction of all bacteria present on the portions of the membrane that are non-sterile.
Particularly, a pair of housings, each carrying an opaque membrane, are brought together with the non-sterile faces of the opaque barrier membrane or walls being brought together into facing relationship. Then, when the opaque walls are exposed to radiant energy, they fuse together, preferably destroying the bacteria by the high melting point of the material, and also entrapping them by the melting process, since the non-sterile faces of the two membranes fuse together. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lens case for a contact lens cleaning device, and more particularly to a lens case for a contact lens cleaning device which washes the contact lens by using a cleaning liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, before wearing a pair of contact lenses a user washes the contact lenses as follows. First of all, each contact lens is put on their palm or fingers, and the lens is washed by rubbing with fingers after a cleaning liquid is dropped on a surface of the contact lens. Thus stains, particularly a fat contained in tears, are removed. After washing, the lens is rinsed with a rinsing water such as a distilled water and is sterilized by boiling in a preserving liquid such as a physiological saline solution. After boiling, it is kept in the preserving liquid such as a physiological saline solution till the next use of the lens is used next.
On the other hand, applicants of this case have developed a contact lens cleaning device to clean and sterilize by boiling the contact lens with effect. In this device, the contact lens is washed by swirl current which is generated by stirring means positioned in a disposal chamber. After that, the contact lenses are sterilized by cleaning liquid which is boiled by a heater in the disposal chamber. The contact lens cleaned by this device is positioned in the disposal chamber while the contact lenses are in lens case. As shown in FIG. 9, the lens case is composed of a container body 6 and a cover 7. The container body 6 includes a receiving chamber 65 which accommodates a contact lens W and an upper surface of the container body is opened. The cover 7 closes the container body 6 and the opening/closing of the receiving chamber 65 is established by the cover 7. The container body 6 and the cover 7 have plural penetrating holes 60 and 70 respectively, thereby establishing the liquid communication between the receiving chamber 65 and the outside of the container body 6.
In the case of cleaning the contact lens W using the contact lens cleaning device, the contact lens is accommodated in the receiving chamber 65 of the lens case and the lens case is disposed in the disposal chamber of the device. The swirl current which is generated by stirring means flows into the penetrating holes 60, 70 of the lens case, and current thereof washes the dirt on the surface of the contact lens W and flows out from the other penetrating holes 60, 70. But the current which flows in the receiving chamber 65 is apt to be controlled by the swirl current which is generated by stirring means. Thus if the contact lens W faces to the swirl current vertically, the swirl current attacks one side of the contact lens and another side thereof is difficult to clean. Still more if the contact lens W faces the swirl current horizontally, the concave side is difficult to clean. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the current invention relate to germicidal sanitizing systems that utilize ultraviolet light.
2. Description of the Related Art
Germicidal sanitizing with ultraviolet (UV) light generally involves exposing an area or an enclosed space to a UV light source. Due to the potentially harmful effects of UV light to humans, care must be taken when sanitizing a space to avoid human exposure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
With regard to video compression encoding, encoding of an MV is generally carried out by encoding a difference between the MV and an MV predictor, thereby reducing a code length assuming that the MV predictor is almost exact. Depending on scenes, however, there occurs a problem that the MV predictor considerably differs from the MV, which results in an increase of the MV code length. In an MPEG (moving picture expert group), encoding of the MV involves calculating a differential vector between the MV and the MV predictor that is determined in accordance with a certain method; and encoding the differential vector. The differential vector can be expressed by scaling a basic differential vector using a scale factor and adding a residual vector to the scaled result. With a scale factor code f_code that determines an encodable range of MV, the scale factor can be expressed as (1<<(f_code−1)). That is, the encodable range of MV is of a size proportional to 2f—code. The basic differential vector is encoded in VLC (variable length coding) while the residual vector is encoded in FLC (fixed length coding). Depending on the f_code, the code length can be varied even for a same differential vector.
The f_code may be determined for every picture. It is possible to employ the minimum f_code value that includes the maximum and minimum values of MV components of a picture.
Moreover, it is also possible to extract the maximum differential value among differential values for MVs of respective macroblocks (MB) in a picture and to employ a minimum f_code value that can express the maximum differential value (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2001-197492).
Further, it is still possible to obtain all MVs of a picture from inputted image processing information, and prevent an excessive increase of MV code length based on the maximum value of the MV components and the correlation value of the MVs (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2002-209216).
In the above methods, however, it is impossible to determine a scale factor until all of the MVs of the picture are detected.
That is, the above-described conventional methods have a problem in that, in encoding a certain picture, an f_code cannot be determined to reduce an MV code length unless all the MVs of the picture are calculated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A large number of industrial processes involve the use of volatile organic compounds (frequently referred to as VOC's) whose emission into the atmosphere is objectionable because of environmental pollution or the expense of replacement in the process scheme, or both. In either instance it is becoming increasingly necessary to reduce such emissions in a highly effective manner to meet stringent government requirements or to improve the economics of the process.
Accordingly many methods for emission reductions have been proposed which may involve condensation and recovery of the VOC's in the liquid phase, combustion to environmentally acceptable substances such as CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O, preferential adsorption on a porous or microporous material such as activated carbon or zeolitic molecular sieves, or absorption in a hydrophilic fluid such as an oil-in-water emulsion as in the HEC process. Combinations of these techniques are frequently employed.
The chemical and physical properties of the light aliphatic alcohols, i.e., methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and isopropanol, coupled with their generally pleasant odor, make this group of solvents highly preferred in a wide variety of industries. As a solvent, ethanol's use is exceeded only by water, and is a key raw material in the manufacture of drugs, plastics, lacquers, polishes, plasticizers, perfumes and cosmetics. The other light alcohols find similar uses. It is found, however, that the adsorbents typically employed in solvent recovery, i.e., activated carbon, low-silica zeolites, aluminas and silica gels, are not very effective for the adsorption and retention of the light alcohols. This is especially true when the fluid stream being treated contains a relatively high concentration of water which is preferentially adsorbed with respect to the alcohols. To increase the selective adsorption of alcohols under these circumstances it has heretofore been proposed to employ highly siliceous molecular sieves, such as silicalite, which are less hydrophilic than low-silica zeolites and consequently exhibit a greater affinity for the less polar alcohols. These organophilic molecular sieves are ordinarily employed in the form of bonded agglomerates prepared by admixing the molecular sieve, after calcination to remove the organic templating agent present as organic cations or simply occluded in the pores system, with water and an inorganic oxide matrix material such as a clay to form an extrudable mass, and firing the extrudate particles to set the binder and activate the molecular sieve. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The basic principle in controlled release is the entrapment of an active ingredient by some method in such a way that slow escape of the ingredient to the environment is allowed, see Agis Kydonieus, Controlled Release Technologies: Methods, Theory and Applications, pages 2 and 4, CRC Press, Inc. 1980.
The use of time-release agents for agricultural purposes in cultivated field environments is known. In many instances the means used for controlling release of the active ingredient over a period of time has been chosen to reduce the exposure thereof to the environment so as to prevent its being quickly washed away by water or to prevent rapid evaporation. Consequently, the effort has frequently been to coat the active ingredient with one or more insoluble materials, thereby to slow down its movement into the environment.
Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,533 discloses a product having a core of a urea fertilizer and two water-insoluble coatings, viz., cement and a thermoplastic polymer/wax blend. The patentee of U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,385 bonds the fertilizer to oil shale as an insolubilizing and support material. U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,458 uses a fertilizer, a dry fibrous organic material such as sawdust and a bonding agent such as a urea-formaldehyde resin or a Cumar V-3 resin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,031 discloses urea (fertilizer) particles precoated with a thin film of a diatomaceous earth (natural clays, e.g. bentonite, are briefly mentioned) and then coated with wax. U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,637 describes an agricultural granule for insecticide, herbicide and plant nutrient purposes, which comprises the active ingredient, a mineral carrier such as diatomaceous earth and as a binder a colloidal clay, viz., attapulgite or sepiolite.
On the other hand, water-immiscible herbicides and the like are used which are formed into aqueous dispersions with the aid of emulsifiers and then encapsulated, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,833. Controlled release pesticides are also formulated with silanes as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,282,207 and 4,283,387.
In the medical/biochemical area, compositions are used in which the medically active components in solution are releasably enclosed within a container at least part of which is a microporous membrane. In this category fall U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,067,961 and 4,145,408.
A solid pesticide adapted to be progressively disintegrated by contact with a stream of water is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,620. It comprises a pesticide, a solid non-hydrophilic filler such as talcum and a starch. Kaolin is included in some of the compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,349 discloses a plant nutrient composition, for potted plants containing little mineral soil but instead containing growth media, and comprising various plant nutrients on a calcined clay which may be bentonite or attapulgite. As described, the compositions are prepared by mixing the calcined clay granules with a solution of the nutrients. The compositions are applied to the growth media in plant nourishing amounts. The patentee theorizes that when the plant nutrient compositions are incorporated into the growth media they will equilibrate with the solution bathing the roots and the media; the plant roots exchange protons and bicarbonates for the needed ions in solution which in turn exchange with the micronutrients on the clay granules to supply nutrients to complete the cycle.
Thus, the plant nutrient compositions function via an ion exchange process with plant roots in an aqueous medium.
In a series of U.S. patents to Gary W. Beall, assigned to Radecca, Inc., which are:
No. 4,470,912 PA1 No. 4,473,477 PA1 No. 4,517,094 PA1 No. 4,549,966
a method is described for absorbing organic contaminants on an organoclay from an aqueous composition or from solid or liquid wastes.
Organoclays are well known in the art, especially as gelling agents for paints and the like. In this invention, the term "organoclay" refers to various clay types, e.g. smectites, that have organo ammonium ions substituted for cations between the clay layers. The term "organo ammonium ion" refers to a substituted ammonium ion in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by an organic group. The organoclays are modified clays which exhibit in organic liquids, some of those characteristics which untreated clays exhibit in water. For example, they will swell in many organic liquids and will form stable gels and colloidal dispersions. Organoclays are organophilic or oleophilic. An extensive discussion may be found in the above-mentioned patents to Beall.
According to the invention, organic bioactive agents such as fertilizers and pesticides, e.g. insecticides, herbicides, bactericides, growth regulators and fungicides, may be controllably released by a unique mechanism which is independent on the absorptive/desorptive characteristics of a particular material on which the agents are provided. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Binoculars and stereomicroscopes have been known and used for many hundreds of years. In the design of binoculars, particular care is taken to ensure that the two optic axes of the individual telescopes are parallel to each other. There are known in the patent literature, however, stereomicroscopes which permit the distance between the eyepieces to be adjusted to accomodate different pupillary distances of different users. Examples of such stereomicroscopes are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,914,212 (Ott), 1,637,563 (Gary) and 2,087,329 (Ott). There are also known stereomicroscopes which employ converging light paths, such as microscopes of the Greenough type in which the angle between the microscope tubes may be adjustable.
It may be perceived by users of binoculars and microscopes that magnification produces distortion of depth perception of the object. Thus an object seen through binoculars appears flattened. Objects seen through stereomicroscopes may also seem distorted; i.e. they may have either exaggerated or flattened depth appearance. Applicant is not aware of any proposed solution of this problem. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stitching, and more particularly to a rigid stitching grid having perforations surrounded by lands, a colored design imprinted on the lands, and colored yarn stitched through the perforations with the color of the yarn matching the color of the lands to form a rigid yarn embroidered design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Stitching sets are known comprising a flexible cloth grid having a yarn latticework defining perforations. A colored design is imprinted on the yarn latticework. Colored yarn is provided which is stitched through the perforations with the color of the yarn matching the color of the design to form a flexible yarn embroidered design. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the correction of artifacts in computed tomography and, in particular, to the correction of artifacts in helical multi-slice computed tomography.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commonly existing single slice CT systems employ an array of x-ray detectors which extend a line or an arc in the transverse plane (the transverse plane is also called the scan plane or the X-Y plane). The x-ray source is collimated in such a way as to limit the x-ray radiation only to the detector array. As a result of this geometry, in the static scan mode the data collected by the detector array during one revolution of the x-ray source and the x-ray detectors pertains to one plane which is defined by the x-ray focal spot and the array of detectors, and the ensuing image shows a cut through the scanned object at this same plane.
In the helical scan mode, the object moves in the axial direction during the scan, so that the data collected during the scan corresponds to longer axial length, however the data is still collected along the same plane in space, although the object is now in motion relative to this plane.
In order to speed up the process of data collection, x-ray CT cone beam multi-slice systems were developed having multi-slice arrangement of detectors. This multi-slice arrangement of detectors can be obtained by actually stacking several layers of detector arrays in the axial direction, or by using other area detectors such as x-ray image intensifier and more. The x-ray source is now collimated as to allow the x-ray radiation to be collected by all the area of detector arrays thus covering a larger volume than in the case of single slice systems. Multi-slice scanners can be used in the static mode, covering larger volume in one scan, but their largest advantage is achieved in helical scans where the gain in the speed along the axial direction will be proportional to the number of slices.
The "cone beam" part in the name of the described systems refers to the fact that radiation of the x-ray source extends a cone-like portion of space, or in other words, the radiation diverges from one spot. Consequently, the planes defined by the different detector arrays and the focal spot (detection planes), are not parallel to each other, but also converge towards the x-ray focal spot.
The last fact, the convergence of the detection planes, is currently a weakness of x-ray CT cone beam multi-slice systems, because images generated with the commonly available reconstruction algorithms sometimes result in several types of artifacts in the images. One of the ways to reduce those artifacts is the generation of finite width images which are processed by filtered interpolation. The complimentary data rebinning is used, both in the regular generation of zero width images or in the generation of finite width images, in order to improve the spatial resolution in the axial direction. However the addition of the complimentary data results in artifacts.
To better illustrate how these artifacts arise, it is useful to consider multi-slice image generation. In fan beam multi-slice CT, the reconstruction of an image is typically preceded by slice data generation (SLG). The slice data (SD) generated at this stage is a set of data which is designed to approximate a set of two dimensional data that would have been collected in a stationary two dimensional scan at a specific image plane. Consequently the SD are arranged in SD fan-views which are generated from the acquisition data, better known as projection data, which is the acquired data after the necessary corrections and processing. The acquisition data belonging to every detector line are arranged in acquisition fan-views, where each acquisition fan-view contains one data point corresponding to each channel, ordered according to channel numbers or channel angles. All these data points within an acquisition fan-view are acquired at the same time, and therefore have the same axial position which depends on the view angle. The axial position assigned to all the points (regardless of channel number) within an acquisition fan view V.sub.n, with fan-view angle .alpha..sub.n, and acquired by detector line k, is given by the following expression: ##EQU1## where P is the helical pitch, which is the axial distance traveled by the scanned object during one full rotation (360 degrees) of the x-ray tube, and Z.sub.0k is the initial (at the beginning of the rotation) axial position of the kth detector line.
The fact that the SD is designed to approximate the data that would have been collected in a stationary two-dimensional scan at a specific user-determined axial position, and, on the other hand, each acquisition fan-view corresponds to a different axial position, explains why some interpolation processing with respect to the axial direction is required.
The interpolation processing can be simple linear interpolation, or higher order interpolation, when the reconstructed image plane is a thin plane (zero reconstruction width) defined by one point on the Z axis, or it can be filtered interpolation processing (discrete filtering or continuous filtering), when the reconstructed image plane is thick and defined by its center and its reconstruction width. As a concrete example, the description will concentrate on linear interpolation in the generation of thin slices, but the treatment of the other cases can be derived from the same principles. For example, in the case of the discrete filtering, the same description applies to each of the thin slices involved in the filtering, and the same correction has to be applied to each of these thin slices.
As explained above, when only direct data is involved in the SLG, all the acquisition data points in each acquisition fan-view, or SD fan-view, correspond to the same axial position, irrespective of the channel number. The situation is more complicated when complementary data (reflection data, or opposite data) are incorporated in the SLG. As each direct data point involved in the SLG can be characterized by belonging to detector line k, fan-view V.sub.n with fan angle .alpha..sub.n, and channel angle .beta..sub.m, the corresponding complementary data point is then defined as belonging to the same detector line k, with opposite channel angle -.beta..sub.m, and belonging to an acquisition fan-view defined by its angle as .alpha..sub.n +2.beta..sub.m +.pi.. This transformation from direct data point to its complimentary data point can be summarized: EQU (.alpha..sub.n, .beta..sub.m).fwdarw.(.alpha..sub.n +2.beta..sub.m +.pi., -.beta..sub.m)
The last result shows that the complimentary data points involved in the generation of the SD at a specific SD fan-view, belongs to many different acquisition fan-views, and therefore these points correspond to different axial positions. The fact that in general the new fan-view angles do not correspond to real acquisition fan-view angles is corrected by interpolation using the real acquisition fan-views.
To understand how these facts result in a discontinuity refer to FIG. 1, which shows the axial positions of the acquisition data points under consideration as a function of the SD view number, or view angle. The graphical consequence of the constant axial motion, the fact that the acquisition data points within a fan-view are all taken at the same time, and the fact that the acquisition fan-view are collected in succession in time is that the lines representing the positions are tilted with a constant slope with respect to the axial position and view angle axes. This slope is determined by Equation 1 given above. The full lines represent the positions of the direct data D1, D2, and D3, for all channel numbers, and the broken lines which are tilted with the same slope, correspond to the positions of the complimentary data points. Contrary to the direct data lines, each channel number is represented by a different broken line. Consequently the broken line denoted by C(n1) corresponds to a certain channel number n1, and the broken line denoted by C(n2) corresponds to another channel number n2. More generally, the dependence of the axial position of the complimentary points belonging to one acquisition fan view (and one detector segment) on their channel number, is linear dependence. This dependence can be described as motion with respect to the axial position of the direct data points in the same view which do not depend on the channel number and therefor do not move. At certain scan parameters the position of the opposite data can cross over the position of the direct data. The channel at which this cross-over occurs is a point of discontinuity in the slice data. For the purpose of this demonstration, the axial positions of the data points will be denoted as Z(D1), Z(D2), and Z(D3), for the direct data D1, D2, and D3, respectively, and Z(n1), and Z(n2) for the complimentary points, C(n1) and C(n2). The vertical line is drawn at the axial position Z, of the image plane, and the intersection of this line with the horizontal line that is drawn through V1, determines the interpolation point for all the channels in view V1. Since the positions of the data points depend on the channel number, the interpolation operation also depends on the channel number.
For channel n1 the result of the calculated value D(Z,V1,n1) is obtained by linear interpolation with D1 and C1-D(Z,V1,n1)=LI(Z(D1),Z(n1),Z,D1,C(n1)), where LI is the linear interpolation operation. The first step implied by the equation above is the identification of Z(D1) and Z(n1) as the two closest neighbor points on both sides of Z, and the application of the linear interpolation, follows as the second step: ##EQU2## where x1 and x2 are, by definition, the closest points on both sides of point x, and D1 and D2 are the data corresponding to them.
For channel n2 the result of the calculated value D(Z,V1,n2) is obtained by linear interpolation with D1 and D2-D(Z,V1,n2)=LI(Z(D1),Z(D2),Z,D1,D2).
Here, in the calculation for n2, the two points on both sides of Z are Z(D1) and Z(D2), the reason being that at some intermediate point between n1 and n2, the line representing the axial position of the complimentary data points crossed the line of the direct data point Z(D2).
Denoting now
I1(ni)=D(z,v1,ni) for ni<n1 and, PA1 I2(nj)=D(z,v1,nj) for nj>n2, PA1 it can be seen that the difference between the result for I1 and the result for I2 is that, I1 (an interpolated set of data) depends on complimentary value C(n1), while I2 (another interpolated set of data) depends in the same way on D2. Due to the cone angle, data value D2 and data value C(n1) may not belong to the same detector angle and they are generally not equal, so that the data obtained in I2 is not a smooth continuation of the data obtained by I1. The occurrence of the discontinuity between I1 and I2 is shown in FIG. 2, which shows the two sets of calculated values as a function of the channel number. This manifests itself as streaks in a high density object in the image. The problem is that I1 is performed for some range of channels n where n<n1, and I2 is performed for some range channels n where n>n2. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a method for vulcanizing an elastomeric product using gas as a pressurizing medium.
In a conventional vulcanization method, an elastomeric product, such as a vehicular tire, is vulcanized by (1) placing the elastomeric product into a bladder containing mold (2) closing the mold while feeding shaping pressure into the bladder so as to bring the elastomeric product into contact with the inner surface of the mold by means of the inflated bladder; (3) supplying steam as a heating medium into the bladder after the mold is completely closed; (4) stopping the supply of steam either when the temperature of the elastomeric product rises to a predetermined level or when a predetermined time has elapsed; (5) supplying combustion gas or nitrogen gas as a pressurizing medium at a pressure equal to or higher than that of the steam; and (6) discharging the mixture of heating and pressuring mediums after a lapse of a predetermined time. In such vulcanization processes, the pipe inlets for supplying the pressurizing and heating mediums are open, while the outlet pipes for discharging the pressurizing and heating mediums are kept closed. In other words, the pipe outlets are dead ends. Also, only steam is used as the heating or bladder side medium to heat the elastomeric product from the inside. The gas is utilized for pressurization purposes.
If the elastomeric product is a large-size tire, a greater quantity of heat is necessary. This is because a large-size tire has a greater thickness than a smaller tire. Accordingly, a longer heating time is usually required for vulcanization of a large-size tire as compared to a smaller tire.
Normally the steam is supplied at a pressure of 13 to 15 kg/cm.sup.2, and the gas is supplied at a pressure of 18 to 28 kg/cm.sup.2. Accordingly, the steam pressure is lower than the gas pressure.
In the case of vulcanizing a large size tire, it is preferable from a tire quality viewpoint to change to the pressurizing process as soon as possible after starting the heating process. This is because of the trouble caused by air in the rubber or a resulting bareness produced in the cured tire. However, if the heating time is cut short, the to the tire is decreased and the vulcanization will have either a longer cure time as a result of making up for the thermal value shortage, or worse, will have under curing trouble.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for vulcanizing an elastomeric product which makes it possible to prevent air from being trapped in the elastomeric product and/or between the mold surface and the elastomeric product, or a bareness from occurring, and cure the elastomeric product without prolonging the cure time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ironing apparatus for ironing clothing or the like, and more particularly, to an ironing apparatus which is self-contained.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that ironing takes time in preparation and tidying-up toil, like placing an ironing table, filling the tank with water, and removing the water after cooling. This is all extra work.
In order to reduce the preparatory and tidying-up burdens imposed on users, Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos. 33-13196, 40-18239 and 41-20639 propose an ironing apparatus which can be accommodated in the ironing table so as to simplify the preparation and tidying-up. However, the ironing table can not be cleared off and folded up, and is an obstruction on the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,503, Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-17879 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 58-50999 propose other solution. The proposed ironing apparatus is provided with a small ironing table having collapsible legs so that the ironing apparatus as a whole can be stored in a tool shed or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,226, No. 2,871,587, Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-20273 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 59-75099 disclose an apparatus which is provided with a separate large tank so as to eliminate the necessity of replenishing the water over a continued operation. However, the external connection between the apparatus and the separate tank hampers the mobility of the ironing apparatus, and this inconvenience trades off the merits of small size and lightweight.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 58-12700 and 58-29498 disclose an apparatus in which water is supplied upon placement of the body of the apparatus on a worktable.
The apparatus referred to above has the following disadvantages:
First, after the ironing is finished, a mat, a covering cloth and others spread on the ironing table must be cleared off, and then the worktable is folded up. This tidying-up is toilsome, and the merit of portability is offset. Before starting the ironing, the operator must unfold the folded ironing table. Furthermore, the ironing apparatus must have a tank large enough to reduce the frequency of replenishing the water. The provision of a large tank increases the size of the ironing apparatus, thereby lacking handiness and portability.
Second, a water supply pipe is connected to the ironing apparatus at an out-of-sight place, and the pipe often becomes disconnected owing to the reciprocal movements of the ironing head. When the disconnection occurs, the user tends to overlook it because of the out-of-sight place where it occurs. In addition, the user must be constantly careful about the connection between the water pipe and the plug. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The living body of a mammal possesses humoral immunity which is a defense system for specifically capturing and eliminating various antigens (for example, exogenous antigens (viruses, bacterial toxins, and chemical substances), or autoantigens (for example, autoreactive lymphocytes; cancer cells; excessive endogenous factors (cytokines, hormones, or growth factors)) which are detrimental for maintaining homeostasis in the living body and can become causatives (pathogens) that cause or deteriorate various diseases. In this humoral immunity, the so-called antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) play a major role.
An antibody (immunoglobulin) has a Y-shaped basic structure comprising four polypeptide chains—two long polypeptide chains (immunoglobulin heavy chains; IgH chains) and two short polypeptide chains (immunoglobulin light chains; IgL chains). This Y-shaped structure is made when the two IgH chains bridged by disulfide bonds are connected to each of the IgL chains through another disulfide bond.
Due to this function of capturing and eliminating an antigen (pathogen) harmful to the living body, antibodies have been used as drugs for a long time. An early antibody drug was the so-called antiserum, and serum itself in which various types of antibodies against a specific antigen (for example, bacterial toxins and snake poison) are present (in other words, it was a polyclonal antibody) was used. The method for obtaining this antiserum however was limited to collecting from serum, and therefore, the supply was inevitably limited. Moreover, it was extremely difficult to isolate a single type of antibody molecule comprising specificity to a specific antigen, namely a monoclonal antibody, from this antiserum.
The successful preparation of a monoclonal antibody using hybridoma by Kohler and Milstein in 1975 (Nature, Vol. 256, p. 495-497, 1975) led to the solution of these problems.
Specifically, in this method, immortalized B cells (hybridoma) were obtained by fusing cells producing a monoclonal antibody of a specific type (B cells such as splenocytes) collected from a non-human mammal immunized by an antigen with myeloma cells, and thus immortalizing the cells. Then, the monoclonal antibody is purified after culturing the hybridoma. This method does not necessarily achieve mass-production of a desired monoclonal antibody, however, was a dramatic method as the desired monoclonal antibody can be obtained when it is desired. This technique enabled the use of monoclonal antibodies as drugs.
Monoclonal antibodies have been used as extremely useful drugs for preventing and treating various diseases due to their exceptional superiority in antigen specificity and stability in comparison to the above antiserums (polyclonal antibodies). They are also superior in their capability to control the biological activity of an antigen (for example, inhibition of activity, enhancement of activity, inhibition of signal transduction., signal transduction in place of ligands, or inhibition of intercellular adhesion) by specifically binding to the antigen (for example, exogenous antigens such as viruses and bacterial toxins; various endogenous factors such as cytokines, hormones, and growth factors, molecules on the cell surface such as receptors, cell adhesion molecule, and signal transduction molecules) involved in the onset or deterioration of diseases.
On the other hand, the amount of monoclonal antibody produced by the above hybridoma is not necessarily large, and it was difficult to produce a large amount of a monoclonal antibody by culturing the hybridoma and purifying and isolating the monoclonal antibody from the cell culture solution. Therefore, methods for producing a larger amount of monoclonal antibodies are being studied in order to cheaply supply a sufficient amount of monoclonal antibodies, which are extremely useful as drugs.
For example, it has been reported that antibody production increases when human antibody-producing hybridomas are cultured in an interleukin 2-supplemented culture medium (Cellular immunology, vol. 115, p. 325-333, 1988).
In addition, in an attempt using the genetic engineering technique, Ochi et al. have reported as follows (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 80, p. 6351, 1983):
Recombinant cells obtained by introducing IgH chain gene (μ) and IgL chain gene (κ) encoding the IgH chain and IgL chain (κ), respectively, of an anti-hapten (TNP; 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) monoclonal antibody, which were cloned from hybridoma Sp6 which produces mouse IgM monoclonal antibody specific to TNP into plasmacytoma X63Ag8 which produces a IgG monoclonal antibody against an unknown antigen different from the anti-TNP monoclonal antibody, produce both the anti-TNP antibody and the IgG antibody. Moreover, recombinant cells obtained by introducing IgH gene encoding the heavy chain of the anti-TNP antibody into mutant cells that derive from hybridoma Sp6 and secrete solely X chain, the light chain of the TNP antibody, but do not express the heavy chain and thus do not secrete the anti-TNP antibody as a result, produce the anti-TNP antibody.
However, the experiment of Ochi et al. failed to increase the amount of monoclonal antibody secreted, since the amount of anti-TNP-antibody produced by each of the above recombinant cells is about 10 to 25% of the amount of anti-TNP antibody produced by hybridoma Sp603 sub-cloned from the hybridoma Sp6.
In general, as a means to produce a large amount of a monoclonal antibody by hybridoma and host cells into which the antibody gene has been inserted, the method of increasing the number of cells per culture solution and the method of improving the production of a substance per cell have been studied.
The method of increasing the number of cells per culture solution is preferable, however, the increased number of cells does not necessarily lead to a high production of an antibody. It is important to select and isolate a single cell line with a high antibody productivity and culture the single cell line. Selection and isolation of cell lines with high antibody productivity (for example, hybridoma and recombinant cells) are laborious, but are extremely important factors for the purpose of increasing the productivity of cells producing a desired monoclonal antibody.
On the other hand, in the production of a desired protein using recombinant cells, the following method is used to increase the expression efficiency of a desired protein-encoding gene introduced into recombinant cells, and thus, increase the production of the desired protein. Namely, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene or glutamate synthase (GS) gene is introduced together with the gene encoding the desired protein into the recombinant cells to increase the copy number of the gene of the desired protein (for example, WO81/02426 and WO87/04462).
Taking the DHFR gene as an example, in these methods, specifically, an expression vector is constructed in which DHFR gene has been inserted near the gene encoding a desired protein, host cells are transformed with the expression vector, and drug-resistant lines are selected by culturing the host cells in the presence of a drug (for example, methotrexate (MTX), phosphinotricine, methionine sulfoximine).
In the obtained drug-resistant strains, the copy number of the introduced dhfr gene is increased (gene-amplified) and flanking genes are also amplified at the same time. It can be expected that, as a result of the amplified copy number of the gene encoding the desired protein, the desired protein production will also be increased.
In immortalized B cells (for example, hybridoma obtained by fusing the above B cells and myeloma cells) obtained by immortalizing monoclonal antibody-producing B cells isolated from a mammal immunized by an antigen, both the rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH gene) and the rearranged immunoglobulin light chain gene (IgL gene) have been incorporated into the genome.
In order to amplify the IgH and IgL genes by the above gene-amplification gene, it is necessary to identify the location of each gene on the genome and to insert the gene-amplification gene near each gene.
This method is theoretically possible, however, it requires enormous time and labor and it is impossible to target the gene-amplification gene at a desired location on the genome of the immortalized B cells. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Recent developments with photo-cathode-based accelerators and light sources such as free electron lasers and x-ray laser machines have demonstrated the usefulness and desirability of lasers with extremely short pulses. With the rapid progress in the performance of the existing machines and many proposed facilities, the technical requirements for conventional lasers such as drive lasers, X-ray seed lasers and diagnostic lasers have reached a new level. However, the pulsed laser systems currently used in the art typically fall into one of two groups either high energy and relatively low repetition rate or relatively low energy and high repetition rate. Ti:sapphire lasers are exemplary of the former having a femto-second pulse width, milli-joule energy output pulse energy and kilo-hertz (kHz) repetition rate. Typically conventional lasers having repetition rates of mega-hertz (MHz) to giga-Hertz (GHz) have pulse energies on the level of nano-joules (nJ). Major obstacles have been encountered in attempting to achieve mega-hertz repetition rates on milli-joule energy output lasers such as Ti:sapphire lasers or micro-joule to milli-joule pulse energy outputs on a mega-hertz repetition rate laser system.
Additionally, for single oscillator lasers known in the art changing repetition rate is very difficult at best. In the prior art, the traditional master-oscillator-power amplifier mode (MOPA) configuration is most typically used. In the MOPA mode, the repetition rate is set by the oscillator. In the traditional system the output pulse energy is limited with a CW amplifier as the maximum stored energy in the CW amplifier is limited for efficient extraction and the amplified energy in each pulse is dependent on the pulse repetition rate with higher repetition rates typically yielding lower pulse energies.
Accordingly, there is a need for a practical way to achieve high pulse energy and high repetition rate in a pulsed laser system simultaneously. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is important in electronic circuitry and packages to adequately cool large electronic boards that include multiple chips and packages mounted to the boards. In electronic systems, a heat sink or cold plate is a passive heat exchanger used to cool the multiple chips and packages by dissipating heat into the surrounding medium. For example, heat sinks and cold plates are used with high-power semiconductor devices such as power transistors and optoelectronics such as lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs), where the heat dissipation ability of the basic device is insufficient to moderate its temperature.
A heat sink or cold plate is designed to maximize its surface area in contact with the cooling medium surrounding it, such as the air and liquid, as well as to maximize its surface area with the chip and package. In conventional systems, heat sinks or cold plates with separate air or water supplies are mounted to each chip in order to regulate heat, e.g., dissipate heat. Each heat sink or cold plate has to be individually aligned and thereafter mounted to each chip or package by a thermal interface material (TIM) such as thermal adhesives or thermal grease to improve performance by filling air gaps between the heat sink or cold plate and the device.
However, the use of separate cold plates or heat sinks becomes very problematic as chips and packages have different sizes and heights, are placed at different distances from each other and dissipate different levels of power. These different sizes, heights, etc., leads to a non-optimized cooling design leading to lower supported power levels and the need for a multitude of cooling devices. Also, each of these separate cold plates or heat sinks requiring their own separate coolant supply complicates the manufacturing process and adds additional costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an engine cylinder valve control and a system for controlling an internal combustion engine with such a cylinder valve control device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,555 discloses an engine cylinder valve control device for moving a cam relative to its driving shaft. This device is applicable to an internal combustion engine to vary the movement of the cams which control the intake and/or exhaust valves of the engine. This known device comprises a drive member rotatable with a driving shaft, and an intermediate member mounted in an external bearing which is eccentric with respect to the shaft. The shaft extends through an opening in the intermediate member dimensioned to allow limited movement of the bearing to vary the eccentricity. A cam is coaxial with the shaft and rotatable relative thereto. The device includes a first coupling between the drive member and the intermediate member at a first position spaced from the shaft axis, and a second coupling between the intermediate member and the cam at a second position angularly spaced from the first position with respect to the shaft axis. The two couplings are so spaced from the shaft axis that they are at varying distances from the axis of the intermediate member during operation. Each of these couplings has a movable connection with the intermediate member to permit the variation in its distance from the axis of the intermediate member.
An object of the present invention is to improve a control strategy for an internal combustion engine with a cylinder valve control device such that information as to operation of the cylinder control device is used in advantageous manner in controlling the engine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to vessels which regularly operate in both shallow and deep water and, more particularly, to an apparatus for selectively altering the depth of such a vessel's rudder.
It has been a common expedient to provide small vessels, and particularly small sailboats, with retractible rudders which permit the vessel to sail into shallow waters or to even be beached without causing harm to the rudder itself. Such devices have also often provided for retraction of the rudder in the event it should strike a submerged object.
In some of these constructions which have been in use prior to the present time, the rudder blade could only assume two positions, namely, a fully extended position or a fully retracted position. In any intermediate position the rudder blade would merely hang loosely and uncontrolled until such time that it should move or be moved to either of the extreme positions. At these extreme positions, it was customary for the rudder blade to be held against further movement by means of a detent mechanism or by some other device.
In some other known constructions in which the rudder blade was actually able to assume one or more firmly held intermediate positions, these intermediate positions were usually of a minimal number. Such constructions therefore, could not accommodate the broad range of positions which might be desirable under greatly varying conditions. Furthermore, in those instances in which an infinite range of positions between a fully extended and a fully retracted position was possible, the construction was usually applied to large ships utilizing rudders fabricated of dense materials such as copper, steel, and the like. Ropes or chains or other non-rigid connections between the rudder blade and the deck of the ship were utilized for raising and lowering of the rudder blade. In these instances, the weight of the rudder was relied upon for maintaining the ropes or chains taut. However such constructions are not applicable to the rudder assembly presently being considered. Specifically, the present invention is concerned with the rudder blade for a relatively small vessel which would likely be composed of a material such as wood or fiberglass having a density normally lighter than water. As such, a rudder blade would be unable to submerge itself under its own weight or in the absence of a rigid connection between it and the vessel.
Additionally, the known art includes a number of instances in which the tiller is employed for adjusting the depth of the rudder blade. Although there may be a benefit by combining the normal operation of the tiller with the operation of raising and lowering the rudder blade under normal conditions, this is undesirable and can be quite hazardous under adverse conditions. Under such conditions each of the operations should be performed separately and by means of separate devices to assure independence of operation and without compromising the performance characteristics of each device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Many medical situations and treatments are associated with the need for conveying fluid media into or out of the body of a patient. Access to a person's circulatory system, such as the cardiovascular or the cerebrospinal fluid system, is often achieved by means of introducing a catheter tube into the patient in a subcutaneous, intravascular or intramuscular way. Insertion of a catheter is done by means of a needle element, wherein the needle point is used for punctuating e.g. a vein and subsequently introducing the catheter before withdrawing the needle, leaving only the soft catheter tube which for instance may be connected to a source of fluid to be administered into or from the vein.
A typical example of such medical situation is blood dialysis (usually hemo-dialysis), which sometimes is required as a consequence of kidney malfunction. In dialysis, two catheter tubes are inserted into a so called fistula which is created by connecting an artery to a vein. One catheter is used for withdrawal of blood and the other for reinserting it into the patient. Dialysis treatment is a rather delicate and exposed situation for the patient and it is desired to provide a very cautious and careful handling during the penetration of the patient's skin or fistula wall or during the continued treatment.
A common problem related to dialysis treatment (as well as to any situation involving insertion procedure for a catheter tube) is the risk of blood leakage, particularly when connecting the dialysis equipment to the fistula. Typically, the needle used for connecting the assembly to a fistula has quite a large diameter (often larger than 1.6 mm) in order to provide for sufficient volume of blood passage during the time dialysis is run, and at the same time avoiding rupture of the blood cells which are passing at a high flow rate. The large needle in combination with the high pressure in a fistula leads to the risk that blood from the circulation system often escapes, either when connecting the catheter to the fistula or during treatment, resulting in a leakage of blood which is of course highly undesired as it makes an already uneasy and exposed situation even worse for the patient, and also leads to a risk for blood contamination for health care providers.
As the blood pressure within a fistula is very high, penetration will lead to a heavy and immediate outflow of blood. This naturally puts extremely high demands on the equipment/catheter assemblies which are intended to be used for transferring the blood from the patient to the dialysis equipment and again back to the patient. A catheter assembly used in dialysis should be designed to handle over—as well as subpressure since each fistula is connected to two catheters: one for the withdrawal of blood and one for reintroducing it into the patient. The assembly through which blood will be withdrawn will be subjected to a subpressure and the assembly through which blood is to be transferred back to the patient will be subjected to a overpressure. In each of those situations there is a risks that the pressure difference inside the catheter hub compared to the ambient pressure leads to failure of the assembly components with leakage as consequence.
Another risk associated with extracorporal treatment is the occurrence of turbulence in the blood flow leading to risk of damage to the blood cells (hemolysis) which, as a result of the frequently reoccurring treatments that the patient is subjected to, gradually would degenerate the patient blood and in the long run represent a serious health risk.
Another problem which may pose a serious problem during a dialysis treatment is the risk of clotted/coagulated blood which sometimes is formed inside the catheter introducer assembly running the risk of entering into the dialysis equipment and/or into the patients. A blood clot unintentionally entering a blood circulation system of a patient could lead to serious health risks and even be fatal.
In one type of catheter assembly, the fistula is penetrated by a needle which is subsequently withdrawn only leaving the catheter tube for transferral of blood or liquid. This is advantageous since a soft catheter tube will not run the risk of damaging the patient's fistula/skin the way a dialysis needle could. However, retracting the cannula (often a metal needle) out of the instrument sometimes gives rise to undesired friction drag between the needle and the assembly wherefrom it is to be removed, which in its turn may lead to an inert or even irregular retraction motion which is of course a disadvantage: preferably connection of a catheter tube should be performed smoothly and without sudden interruptions.
Many examples of sealing devices for assemblies exist, aiming to prevent leakage in various forms, e.g. leakage of blood. For instance in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,412, there is seen a catheter introducing system with a so called “duckbill”-solution, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,284 there is described an automatic shut-off mechanism for a catheter tube assembly. However due to the specific circumstances related to certain treatments such as dialysis, according to our knowledge, no prior art arrangement has yet presented a fully satisfactory solution for connecting to a catheter assembly. Existing catheter introducing assemblies are often quite complicated to handle, and may e.g. require at least two hands during the introducing procedure which makes the connection of the catheter laborious for the professional health care provider as well as it eliminates the possibility of self-treatment at home: the operation is simply too difficult to perform by oneself. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Distributed file systems offer many compelling advantages in establishing high performance computing environments. One example is the ability to easily expand, even at large scale. In one example, a distributed file system can operate under a cluster of nodes topology, whereby clients can connect to any node among the cluster of nodes to perform file system activity. Individual nodes among the cluster of nodes each can contain their own processor(s), storage drives, memory and the like. Operating together in a cluster, the nodes can respond to client requests, store data, mirror data, and accomplish all the tasks of a modern file system. A cluster of nodes, in some cases, can provide easy scalability by providing for new nodes to be added to the cluster of nodes to increase the amount of storage space within the distributed file system and/or to meet other needs of the users of the distributed file system.
Some distributed file systems can also regularly sync with a backup cluster of nodes. The backup cluster of nodes can operate as an independent file system to the primary cluster of nodes. Data can be cloned on the backup cluster of nodes and periodically updated to include changes made on the primary cluster of nodes. For example, using a snapshot based change identification model to changed files of the file system, block based updates can be made to the backup cluster of nodes that solely require sending modified portions of files to the backup cluster of nodes. A backup cluster of nodes can operate to provide a safe backup from a potential disaster recovery where the primary cluster of nodes has suffered total failure. However, for some use cases, it may not be economical or feasible to locate a backup cluster of nodes geographically separate from the primary cluster of nodes such that a potential disaster does not affect the backup cluster of nodes as well.
One common approach to disaster recovery is to use offsite Tape backup. Using a protocol such as NDMP, a file system can dump an image of its data onto a physical tape backup and that tape backup can then be geographically dispersed from the file system. However, tape backup can consume resources and time making it difficult to scale. One means for addressing this is to use cloud storage services as the backup target. It can be appreciated that cloud storage systems can be operated independent of the primary cluster of nodes and thereby less prone to a single a disaster event affecting both the primary cluster of nodes and the cloud storage backup. It can also be appreciated that cloud storage services can be more efficient and more convenient than tape backups. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to sorbitol and its use in confectionary compositions.
Sorbitol has been utilized as a plasticizer and bodying agent in many products, a principal use presently being as a sweetner or excipient in confections or pharmaceutical tablets as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,039. However, the hygroscopic nature of sorbitol may limit the conditions under which a tablet press, used to prepare lozenges or tablets, can be operated without jamming. Further, problems may exist with respect to preparing a sorbitol product which has sufficient crystallinity to be tableted.
Amorphous uncrystallized sorbitol, or "glass" is characterized by an absence of a significant heat of fusion. The large percentage of "glass," e.g. about 40%, in many commercially available sorbitol products results in a material which has a tendency to soften when tableted, necessitating high pressures to obtain satisfactory lozenge hardness, if such can be obtained at all.
In order to prepare sorbitol with a high crystallinity, methods including the cooling of a hot solution or melt with added sorbitol crystals have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,483,254; 2,594,863; 3,308,171 and 3,330,874, German Auslegeschrift No. 1,115,726, Japanese Patent Application No. 1970-119151 and Patentschrift No. 83,341 of the German Democratic Republic. Other crystallization or solidification techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,315,699 and 2,566,410 as well as in German Patentschrift No. 76,487.
A procedure for preparing a substantially crystalline sorbitol is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,041. The sorbitol produced comprises at least about 80% of the gamma sorbitol polymorph and the method involves a simultaneous mixing and cooling of a sorbitol magma in a continuous mixer such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,902. Other mixing or kneading apparatuses are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,195,868; 3,198,491; 3,318,606; 3,419,250; 3,423,074; 3,490,750; 3,873,070 and 3,900,187. The compounding of various food compositions is reported in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,847,311; 3,694,227 and 3,806,617.
Highly crystalline sorbitol, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,041 may not meet tablet manufacturers needs since some of the more crystalline sorbitol tends to have a limited degree of crystal copenetration under pressure during tableting. Added pressure may cause "capping", the separation of tablet into two separate pieces. This problem is particularly encountered when the formulator uses a weight-to-weight substitution of a highly crystalline sorbitol with a dense crystal matrix for a conventional sorbitol preparation, for example, sorbitol with a low degree of crystallinity. Further, when the dense crystalline sorbitol is used as a weight-to-weight substitution in chewing gum formulations, it may be found that the gum is too soft to process in an efficient manner and an increased amount of crystalline sorbitol with a corresponding decrease in the volume of plasticizer is required to achieve the desired consistency.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a gamma sorbitol product, at least about 80% crystalline, which possesses excellent tableting characteristics and which will also increase the shelf life of sorbitol-containing chewing gums produced therewith, while at the same time allowing the formulator to make a substantially weight-to-weight substitution for the conventional crystalline sorbitol which is about 60% to 90% crystalline and which contains one or more crystalline polymorphs.
As used in the present specification, "sorbitol" is inclusive of the compound sorbitol with or without minor amounts of mannitol, either material being commercially accepted in the confectionary art as sorbitol. Additionally, the sieve cut specifications given in the specification, e.g. "-20/+60 mesh cut," refer to stainless steel sieves of the U.S. Standard Screens. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In ArF liquid immersion lithography and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, processing dimensions of resist line widths have been required to be finer. In formations of such fine resist patterns, the smaller the contact area between a resist pattern and a ground is, the larger the aspect ratio (the height of the resist pattern/the line width of the resist pattern) is, which is likely to cause collapse of the resist pattern. Thus, a resist underlayer film (anti-reflective coating) that is in contact with a resist pattern has been required to be highly adhesive to the resist pattern in order to avoid collapse of the resist pattern.
A resist underlayer film-forming composition has been disclosed that employs a lactone structure as a structural component for achieving high adhesiveness to a resist pattern. A resist underlayer film formed with the composition has improved adhesiveness to a resist pattern to be obtained (Patent Document 1). In other words, by using a structure having a polar moiety such as a lactone structure as a structural component of a resist underlayer film-forming composition, adhesiveness to a resist pattern is expected to be improved, and collapse of a resist pattern is expected to be prevented even in a fine resist pattern.
Unfortunately, in a lithography process requiring formation of much finer resist patterns, such as ArF liquid immersion lithography and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, containing only a lactone structure in a resist underlayer film-forming composition as a structural component does not sufficiently prevent collapse of a resist pattern. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Measurements of the oxygen saturation of the blood in the fundus of the eye are very instrumental for prevention and diagnosis of geriatric brain diseases such as hypertension and arterial sclerosis and also for premature infant monitoring.
In order to obtain information about the blood in the eye fundus, it is not sufficient to merely know the status of blood vessels in the eye fundus and thus necessary to carry on spectral analysis. In the case of this type of analysis, however, great difficulties are expected in discriminating the reflection or absorption of light by the eye fundus blood from the reflection of light on the surfaces of the cornea and the crystalline lens or absorption of light by various cell layers in the eye fundus. Accordingly, there has been no prior art device available which could measure the oxygen saturation of the blood in the eye fundus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A refillable electronic cigarette is becoming more and more popular because it is environmental-friendly. When tobacco liquid in the refillable electronic cigarette is used up, the user of the electronic cigarette usually uses an injector to fill in tobacco liquid. However, during this process, the tobacco liquid may leak out. For example, since the injector is not fixedly coupled with the electronic cigarette, the tobacco liquid may leak when the electronic cigarette is turned over, thus rendering user experience unsatisfactory.
What are needed, therefore, are a liquid injecting container, a refillable liquid injecting system including same, and a liquid injecting method using same, which can overcome the above shortcomings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Materials must meet demanding criteria in order to function well in a biocompatible role, where sustained intimate contact with a living organism is expected. Ophthalmic lenses must meet particularly demanding criteria, and materials from which lenses are made must therefore also possess a demanding combination of properties. Lens material must be sufficiently oxygen permeable to allow adequate oxygen to permeate through lenses to reach users' eyes. Lenses must be sufficiently physically robust to remain intact while worn in the user's eye, as well as during handling, installation, and removal. During wear, lens surfaces must be wettable, and must resist deposition of proteins, lipids, and other biological material. Lens material must also be highly transparent, and lenses that are soft or flexible are generally more comfortable to wear.
Some of the above characteristics are difficult to achieve simultaneously. Rigid ophthalmic lenses have good visual clarity and are generally sufficiently physically robust, but their high modulus makes them uncomfortable for some users to wear. Soft ophthalmic lenses have a lower modulus that makes them more comfortable to wear, but decreased modulus often comes at the expense of decreased tear strength. Moreover, soft ophthalmic lenses typically cover a larger area and conform closely to the contour of the surface of an eye than rigid ophthalmic lenses. Accordingly, soft ophthalmic lenses typically need to have sufficient oxygen permeability to avoid oxygen deprivation of wearers' eyes.
Ophthalmic lenses made of non-silicone hydrogels typically have moderate to high water content and, provided the lens is sufficiently thin, can be produced to have acceptable oxygen permeability along with desirable wettability. However, excellent oxygen permeability is difficult to attain with non-silicone hydrogels, and high water content hydrogels can be physically unstable, having a tendency to reduce in size with increases in temperature. In addition, thin lenses made from materials with high water content are also prone to dehydrate on the eye, which results in lower on-eye oxygen permeability and can also lead to serious clinical complications. For lathe cut lenses, which often have increased thickness compared to cast-molded lenses, oxygen transmissibility is often undesirably low.
Silicone hydrogels generally have higher oxygen permeability than non-silicone hydrogels, but high silicone content can result in increased modulus and poor surface properties that lead to poor wettability and deposition of biological material on lens surfaces. High silicone content material also tends to be difficult or impossible to lathe at or above room temperature, thereby making manufacture of ophthalmic lenses by lathing silicone hydrogel material impracticable. Silicone hydrogel material that has a Tg at or near room temperature may nonetheless be difficult or impossible to lathe at room temperature because cutting the silicone hydrogel with a lathe can heat the material being cut. Lowering silicone content typically results in decreased oxygen permeability.
Ophthalmic lenses made from silicone hydrogels can achieve an adequate, albeit not optimal, balance of surface wettability and resistance to deposition, modulus of elasticity, tear resistance, and oxygen permeability. However, manufacturing silicone hydrogels and lenses therefrom introduces problems that are difficult or expensive to overcome. Moreover, it can be difficult to simultaneously achieve high oxygen permeability, low modulus and high wettability in silicone hydrogels, and it can be difficult to achieve high water content in silicone hydrogels that are high enough in silicone content to have desirable oxygen permeability. Finally, hydrogel lenses that have high water content tend to suffer from high water loss rates that result in undesirable dehydration of both lenses and wearers' eyes.
Silicone-containing monomers and hydrophilic monomers, from which silicone hydrogels are typically made, tend to resist dissolution and form separate phases in polymerization reaction mixtures comprising relatively high concentrations of hydrophilic and silicone-containing monomers. Manufacture of silicone hydrogels is thus complicated by the tendency of polymerization reaction mixtures to separate into relatively hydrophilic and hydrophobic phases, which can negatively impact polymerization and silicone hydrogel polymerization products. Silicone-containing monomers are often chemically modified to form prepolymers or macromers with relatively hydrophilic substituents that can be used in higher proportions than silicone-containing true monomers. Such silicone-containing prepolymers and macromers can be mixed more readily with hydrophilic monomers, helping to avoid phase separation in polymerization reaction mixtures comprising relatively high concentrations of these silicone containing species.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,943 (the Harvey patent) discloses silicone hydrogels comprising modified silicone-containing monomers, the modified silicone-containing monomers comprising a urethane linkage. Harvey discloses silicone hydrogels having fantastic putative physical properties. One example of silicone hydrogels disclosed in Harvey purportedly has a fully hydrated water content of 50.3%, oxygen permeability of 43 Barrers, and an extraordinary modulus of elasticity of 1.6×10−6 dynes/cm2 (see Sample A, Harvey Table XII). However, this modulus value is not credible. Persons of ordinary skill in the art recognize that 1.6×10−6 dynes/cm2 is an absurdly low modulus value, approximately 12 to 14 orders of magnitude below a reasonable number. Accordingly, it is tempting to suggest that the drafter of the Harvey patent was confused about the sign on the exponent, and the modulus value should be 1.6×106 dynes/cm2. However, 1.6×106 dynes/cm2 (0.16 MPa) is a very low modulus value for a silicone hydrogel, especially one comprising 43.38% N-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl]methacrylamide (TSMAA), leading persons of ordinary skill to reasonably surmise that the absolute value of the modulus exponent is incorrect as well as the sign.
Further evidence that modulus values disclosed in the Harvey patent are unfounded is shown in many other tables, and particularly in Table XIX, where modulus values of about 1.9×10−10 dynes/cm2 are disclosed in silicone compositions containing 35% to 40% TSMAA. Such values are inconceivably low. Other spurious physical parameter values, including values that make more sense if signs on exponents are reversed, appear endemic to the Harvey patent. However, it is beyond the scope of this application to trouble shoot the surfeit of errors in the Harvey patent.
In summary, the Harvey patent discloses modulus values that defy belief by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, modulus figures disclosed in Harvey are not credible. Nevertheless, Harvey discloses a silicone hydrogel embodiment with fully hydrated water content of 58.2% and oxygen permeability of 35.2 Barrers, and another silicone hydrogel embodiment with oxygen permeability of 58 and water content of 37.6%. These water content and oxygen permeability values are fully plausible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,579 (the Lai patent) discloses silicone hydrogel compositions comprising silicone-containing monomers with urethane linkages. The silicone hydrogels disclosed in Lai have varied water content and modulus of elasticity that are adjusted by varying abundance of hydrophilic monomers, including N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMA). Lai discloses silicone hydrogels with modulus values as low as 0.62 MPa (63 g/mm2) at 37% fully hydrated water content (Table 1), but does not disclose any fully hydrated water content above about 46% (Table 1), and no modulus below 0.62 MPa.
Interestingly, the Lai patent claims modulus values as low as 0.05 MPa (5 g/mm2 in claim 5 and 15), a remarkably low but not inconceivable value. However, Lai does not disclose to how a person of ordinary skill in the art might achieve such low modulus in silicone hydrogels. Moreover, it is not implicit that silicone hydrogel formulations such as those disclosed in Lai could achieve modulus values lower than those of the specific examples disclosed.
Conversely, the Lai patent suggests that silicone hydrogels preferably have oxygen permeability of Dk >60 Barrers (Lai column 6, lines 58-59). A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that Dk >60 Barrers is possibly an inherent quality in a silicone hydrogel composition such as disclosed in Lai, examples of which contain about 30%-47% TRIS (Lai columns 9 and 10). Lai does not, however, explicitly enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make a silicone hydrogel with oxygen permeability >60 Barrers.
In summary, the Lai patent discloses silicone hydrogels with fully hydrated water content around 25% to 46% that also have modulus values of 0.62 MPa to 0.85 MPa (63 to 87 g/mm2). Lai does not disclose how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make a silicone hydrogel with a modulus below 0.62 MPa, and embodiments of hydrogels and processes for making hydrogels exemplified in Lai do not implicitly achieve the low modulus claimed in Lai claims 5 and 15. Lai arguably does implicitly disclose silicone hydrogel compositions with Dk >60 Barrers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,722 (the Rosenzweig patent) discloses silicone hydrogel compositions that achieve relatively high oxygen permeability (Dk=117 Barrers) at moderately low water content (32%), and lower oxygen permeability (88 Barrers) at higher water content (46%). Rosenzweig discloses silicone hydrogels with water content as high as 53%, but does not disclose a Dk value for 53% water content silicone hydrogel. The Rosenzweig disclosure shows a loose inverse correlation between water content and oxygen permeability in the Rosenzweig silicone hydrogels. Rosenzweig also discloses numerous silicone hydrogels that comprise styrene or substituted styrene.
United States Patent Application No. 2006/0004165 (the Phelan application) discloses silicone hydrogel compositions that are prepared from reaction mixtures comprising urethane macromers and styrene or substituted styrene monomers. Examples of silicone hydrogel material disclosed in Phelan have oxygen permeability ≧65 Barrers and glass transition temperatures (Tg) in a 60-68° C. range. Interestingly, Phelan discloses room temperature lathability and associated property Tg of 60° to 68° in silicone hydrogels comprising styrene or substituted styrenes that are remarkably similar to silicone hydrogels comprising styrene or substituted styrene disclosed in Rosenzweig.
Collectively, prior art silicone hydrogels have not been able to achieve fully hydrated water content ≧60%. Moreover, prior art hydrogels have not achieved lathability at or above room temperature without the use of urethane macromers and styrene monomers. In addition, prior art references have not disclosed silicone hydrogels with combined physical properties of water content >50%, oxygen permeability >45 Barrers, contact angle <90°, and modulus <1.0 MPa. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
DVB-H is a standard for broadcasting services, such as television, to handheld receivers and adapts the Digital Video Broadcast—Terrestrial (DVB-T) standard for digital terrestrial television to the specific requirements of handheld, battery-powered receivers. DVB-H has been adopted by, among other countries and regions, the USA and the European Community. Like DVB-T, DVB-H determines formats for the transmission of a compressed digital audio/video stream, appropriately modulated and coded for transmission and subsequent reception by the handheld receiver. DVB-H utilizes a time-slicing process for data transmission to reduce receiver power consumption and to enable smooth service handover. DVB-H also provides for multi-protocol encapsulation with forward error correction (MPE-FEC) that provide Forward Error Correction (FEC) to IP datagrams delivered in Multi-protocol encapsulation (MPE) packets as described below.
Multi-protocol encapsulation (MPE) is a data transmission format generally used to broadcast Internet protocol (IP) data, also known as IP datagrams, in packets referred to as MPE packets. IP datagrams, used interchangeably hereinafter with “datagrams” are formatted segments of consecutive data bytes that conform to an internet protocol. IP datagrams may vary in length such that each datagram may have a different number of bytes. In MPE each IP datagram is encapsulated in its own MPE packet which typically includes a section header, a 6 byte media access control (MAC) address in front of the datagram and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) byte in the rear. The MAC address is the address of the receiver(s) to which the MPE packets are transmitted. The CRC is an error-detection technique used to check for errors in transmitted data. CRC is described in greater detail below. MPE packets are typically transmitted in MPE frames, each MPE frame comprising a plurality of MPE packets. The structure of a MPE frame is described in greater detail below.
Data transmission using time slicing involves sending data in bursts using significantly higher instantaneous bit rates compared to the bit rates required if the data were transmitted using traditional streaming mechanisms. It allows a receiver to go into a “stand-by” mode requiring minimal power consumption for considerable periods of time while not receiving. During reception, the receiver switches into an “on” mode requiring relatively high power but only for a time necessary to receive the data bursts. This saves considerable amount of power in the device. Handover refers to a receiver switching from a first communication channel for receiving data from a transmitting station to an alternate communication channel for receiving data from the same station when the first communication channel degrades to a degree that warrants changing to a different channel. Time-slicing enables smooth handover between different DVB-H service networks as the receiver can scan for stronger signals and perform a transition to the stronger signal in the period of time between transmission of bursts (while in “standby” mode).
Each burst of transmitted data carries a data structure called a MPE-FEC frame, i.e. a data frame comprising an MPE frame having MPE packets and a Forward Error Correcting (FEC) frame comprising a Reed Solomon (RS) data table used for correcting data in the MPE frame. The MPE-FEC frame is a data matrix having 255 columns and a maximum of 1024 rows and thereby a data capacity of up to about 2 Mbit (2,000,000 bits). The structure of an MPE-FEC frame is described in DVB-H standard ETSI R 102 377 (2005-02), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB): DVB-H Implementation Guidelines, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In order to properly receive and process data in a 2 Mbit MPE-FEC frame transmitted in a burst, DVB-H implementation guidelines require that a DVB-H receiver have a minimum of 2 Mbit of memory for storage of data transmitted in the frame. For small equipment such as portable handheld devices a 2 Mbit memory is relatively large and expensive. PCT/IL2006/000179, System and Method for Mitigating Memory Requirements during MPE-FEC Processing, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method and a system for saving memory space in certain types of handheld and mobile devices.
The RS data table in an MPE-FEC frame comprises 64 parity bytes for performing forward error correction for every 191 bytes of data in the Application data table. The parity bytes are encapsulated and transmitted as a plurality of “FEC sections” in the FEC frame following the transmission of the MPE frame. Each FEC section in a FEC frame corresponds with a column in the RS data table, every column comprising the parity bytes included in the respectively corresponding FEC section.
CRC is an error-detection technique comprising a check performed on an IP datagram by the receiver that receives the datagram using a “CRC” byte that the transmitter that transmits the datagram generates and attaches to the datagram. The CRC byte is generated responsive to data in the datagram in accordance with a predetermined algorithm of any of various CRC algorithms known in the art. The receiver, when it receives the datagram generates its own CRC byte responsive to the data in the received datagram and the same predetermined CRC algorithm. The receiver then compares its own CRC with the transmitted CRC to determine if an error has occurred during transmission. If the transmitted CRC and the received CRC are the same, then the datagram is assumed to be error free and the datagram is considered “reliable”. If the CRC's are different, then the datagram is flagged as comprising a byte in which an error has occurred. As it is not possible from the CRC to determine in which byte in the datagram an error has occurred, the whole datagram is considered “unreliable”. Datagrams that are known to have an error are considered unreliable and are conventionally referred to as “erasures”. All the bytes in an erasure are referred to as “erasure bytes”.
There may be situations for which the CRC of a datagram actually comprising an error does not indicate the presence of the error and as a result the datagram is considered reliable. The byte or bytes comprising the undetected error are referred to as “error bytes”. These situations have an extremely low probability of occurrence and are generally ignored.
RS codes are block-based error correcting codes generated by a RS encoder. To use RS codes, a data stream is organized into a series of code words prior to transmission. Each code word may consist of data bytes followed by several parity bytes. Upon reception, the receiver's RS decoder analyzes each code word according to an algorithm corresponding to that of the encoder in the transmitter, checks for errors and corrects the errors.
The number of bytes with errors, or byte errors, which may be corrected using RS error correction is based on the following equation:2t+e≦R, where t=number of error bytes, e=number of erasure bytes, and R=number of redundancy bytes used in the RS code. Since CRC allows for the detection of practically all errors in the datagrams, the number of error bytes (bytes having an error not indicated by the CRC) may be considered negligible and only erasures are generally corrected by the RS decoder. The RS decoder is therefore able to correct twice a number of errors compared to a number that it could correct were erasures not identified (i.e. if CRC or some other error detection technique known in the art were not used). In DVB-H a 64-byte RS decoder can correct up to 64 bytes out of a 255 byte code word while, without erasures it would only be able to correct up to 32 bytes out of a 255 byte code word. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to chain links, and, more particularly, to chain links which can be used in a low backline pressure chain.
When transporting articles by means of a conveyor, there are many instances in which the articles will back up or accumulate on the conveyor. When articles accumulate, they push against each other, building up backline pressure. A large backline pressure is unacceptable when the articles being carried by the conveyor are fragile, because the force of the articles pushing against each other tends to damage them. The backline pressure also puts an extra load on the conveyor and sprockets and causes sliding friction and abrasion of the conveyor.
This problem has been dealt with in the past by mounting rollers in a conveyor frame and driving the rollers by means of a number of small belts such that the rollers slip relative to the shafts when backline pressure begins to build up. This is a relatively complicated system and involves considerable maintenance work in order to keep all the belts operating. Furthermore, this arrangement is not self-cleaning, and therefore the rollers would tend to jam if broken glass or other bits of material fall between the rollers.
Another method of handling backline pressure is by attaching sets of carriers to roller chains, such that each carrier has slots in its upper surface adapted to receive a shaft, and each shaft has a roller mounted on it. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Colchicine, a major alkaloid of Colchium autumnale, is used for treatment of some diseases, such as acute gout, familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and chronic myelocytic leukemia (Brossi). Colchicine has also been reported as an inhibitor of HIV replication (Baum).
Colchicine exerts its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects through binding to the microtubular protein tubulin preventing tubulin polymerization. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization can lead either to inhibition of leukocyte migration and phagocytosis limiting inflammation associated with acute gout or to inhibition of cellular mitosis decreasing cellular proliferation associated with cancer (Brossi, Shearn).
Treatment of disease with colchicine suffers from two drawbacks. Colchicine doses required to effect its therapeutic actions are usually at toxic or nearly toxic doses. Secondly, cells can become resistant to colchicine by overproducing the p170 glycoprotein drug-efflux pump (Goz).
Numerous chemical modification studies have been performed to enhance colchicine binding to tubulin, while minimizing cellular toxicity (Brossi). For example, selective demethylation at each of four methoxy groups of colchicine (C(1), C(2), C(3), or C(10)) can be performed. Of these four colchine derivatives only 3-demethylcolchicine, a colchicine derivative lacking a methoxy group at C(3), shows good antitubulin binding activity. The structure of colchicine is illustrated in FIG. 1.
Modification of the amide group in colchicine has also been investigated. For example, the ethyl carbamate of deacetylcolchicine is a potent inhibitor of tubulin polymerization activity (Muzaffar). The tropolonic ring of colchicine (ring C in FIG. 1) has been modified replacing the C(10) methoxy group with amines and amino acid esters resulting in biologically active compounds (Leiter). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a mechanical seal assembly for pumps and the like and more particularly to an improved split mechanical face seal assembly.
Mechanical face seal assemblies are used on a wide variety of machines including pumps and the like having rotating shafts that pass through housings, with the mechanical seal assembly typically being disposed in surrounding relationship to the shaft and cooperating with a stuffing box of the housing to create a sealed relationship between the shaft and housing. Since installation or replacement of mechanical seal assemblies employing one-piece ring members is an extremely time consuming and complex operation, numerous split seal assemblies have been developed to facilitate installation and repair.
The split face seal assemblies are typically split generally diametrically along the axis of the assembly so that the face rings as well as the support rings therefore are all diametrically split so that the various seal assembly components can be mounted on or removed relative to the shaft without requiring excessive disassembly of the overall machine. While split mechanical seal assemblies hence are recognized to possess highly desirable advantages, nevertheless the construction of split seal assemblies continues to present a significant problem with respect to manufacture, assembly and performance thereof.
As to known split mechanical face seal assemblies, most such assemblies have both the stator and rotor face rings split diametrically, and also employ a support collar and a gland member which respectively cooperate with the rotor and stator face rings and which are also diametrically split. All other associated members such as elastomeric seal rings and the like are also split to permit their positioning around the shaft. This construction and the multiple parts thereof hence creates a significant assembly problem since the numerous parts must be field assembled onto the machine (for example a pump), and the parts must cooperate with the precision and fit necessary so as to provide the desired sealing performance. In particular, the split rotor and stator face rings and the respective supporting collar and gland results in a total of eight separate pieces, not counting separate split seals and the like, such that manipulating and assembling this large number of parts at an on-site location and at the same time obtaining or maintaining proper fit and engagement between the parts is thus a relatively complex and time consuming operation. Further, many of the split seals currently commercially available have been unable to provide a consistent performance level since presence of unacceptable leakage levels in such seals has been a fairly common problem.
In addition, because of the difficulties in obtaining proper flatness and opposed flat engagement between the opposed contacting seal faces defined on the diametrically-split rotor and stator face rings, some known constructions have supported these rings and specifically the rotor on resilient support rings in an attempt to compensate for irregularities and distortion. Further, in some of the known constructions the pressure of the working fluid (i.e., the pump fluid) which exists in the stuffing box in surrounding relationship to the seal assembly acts against and urges the rotor face ring more tightly against its supporting collar, and this tends to further increase distortion and the resulting overall performance problems associated with the seal assembly.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved split mechanical face seal assembly which improves on and overcomes many of the disadvantages which are present in many of the current commercially available split mechanical seals.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved split mechanical face seal assembly wherein the stator and rotor face rings and their respective surrounding collar and gland are all split substantially diametrically and are partially factory preassembled to define a reduced number of preassembled subassemblies so as to facilitate shipping, handling and subsequent assembly onto a machine at the job site.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the split rotor face ring and the split supportive collar have the cooperating parts thereof subassembled into two subassemblies which define opposed halves for permitting them to be assembled on diametrically opposite sides of a shaft, with each subassembly having the rotor face ring segment carried on the support collar segment, and an elastomeric seal ring which cooperates between the segments being preassembled therebetween. The stator face ring and its supporting gland ring also have the respective split segments thereof, and the other cooperating components such as seal rings and the like, preassembled at the factory to define a pair of subassemblies.
In the improved split mechanical seal assembly of this invention, particularly a preferred embodiment thereof, the split rotor has a rear surface thereof directly and substantially rigidly seated against an opposed surface defined on the split collar, and the rotor and stator face rings have diametrical relationships such that, when externally acted on by the pressurized pump or working fluid, the pressurized fluid exerts an unbalanced force against the rotor which acts in a direction away from the seating surface to thus minimize and in fact possibly reduce the spring-induced seating contact pressure between the rotor face ring and the collar.
Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent to persons familiar with seal assemblies of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There has hitherto been known an exothermic body containing CaO as a main ingredient for heating a cooked food contained in a flat bag. This exothermic body utilizes heat generated by an exothermic reaction of CaO with water to heat the food.
However, the above-described exothermic body has entailed a danger of setting a flammable material on fire or burning a person due to damage of a recipient (enveloping body) containing the exothermic body because it rapidly generates a great amount of heat upon occurrence of the exothermic reaction.
For this reason, there has been earnestly desired a safe heat source free of such a disadvantage.
In view of the above-mentioned circumstance, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safe heat source which avoids rapid generation of a great amount of heat and is capable of easily heating a food or the like. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The main purpose of an exploration (e.g. offshore oil exploration) over a survey is to cover its underlying area.
As shown in FIG. 1, to ensure this goal is achieved, the area is divided into small areas called bins 2. These bins are virtually located at the bottom of the sea, and the purpose is to hit them through various kinds of reflected waves 8. These waves are captured by receivers (hydrophones) 3 that are part of different source-receiver offset classes, also referred to as “offset classes” (see vertical lines referenced 4, symbolizing the separators between offset classes). A source-receiver offset is an offset distance between source and receiver. The offset classes can possibly be one of the following: “near offsets”, “near-mid offsets”, “mid-far offsets”, “mid offsets”, “far offsets”, . . . , depending on the receiver location along the streamer (linear antennas) 7 towed the seismic vessel 6. Each bin 2 shall be hit enough through these offset classes, according to the client specification, so that the coverage can be considered correct. In fact, the wave 8 starts from the source 5, and ends at a receiver 3 after bouncing on a reflexion point 1, at the bottom of the sea (more precisely, the wave is reflected by the subsurface's layers, at a reflexion point 1). Thus, a bin 2 is considered hit when the reflexion point 1 falls into it.
Operationally, as shown in FIG. 2, the survey is discretized into preplot lines 24, 25, 26, etc. A preplot line is an arbitrary geometric curve, and can be therefore a straight line, a broken line, a circle, an ellipsoid, or something else that can be mathematically expressed through an equation of the type f(x,y)=0. Those preplot lines are positioned on the survey area in such a way that following all of them with a null steering offset (see definition below) and the streamers 7 perfectly aligned behind the vessel 6, would result in a perfect global coverage (a part of which corresponds to each of the preplot lines). In FIG. 2, the coverage corresponding to each of the preplot lines referenced 24, 25 and 26 are referenced 21, 22 and 23 respectively. Being able to steer with a null steering offset and getting streamers perfectly aligned behind the vessel is in practice impossible, mainly because of currents. In practice, preplot lines are contiguously shot so that one can adjust the vessel position to juxtapose the coverage of a given preplot line with the coverage of the adjacent preplot line(s).
In operation, the line along which the vessel actually sails is called “sail line”. The sail line is generally the preplot line, but can be different in some rare cases, e.g. if the vessel must avoid an obstacle located on the preplot line (oil platform, FPSO unit (“floating production, storage and offloading unit”), etc).
In practice, the navigation system (also referred to as INS, for “Integrated Navigation System”), which is onboard the vessel, typically receives two control settings: the steering offset (also referred to as “desired track offset” or DTO), which is the desired offset between the sail line and the vessel; and a distance DC, which is the current distance from the sail line to the vessel position.
Within the navigation system, these control settings are usually used by an autopilot system (e.g. Robtrack) which determines how to alter the seismic vessel course so that the vessel reaches a new position in which the steering offset (DTO) is respected.
In a first known solution, this operation of juxtaposition is manually done aboard, by using the information given by a binning software. For the navigator (human operator), the usual process is to watch the binning software screen, spot holes (e.g. 27) in the coverage by scanning the colours, possibly anticipatively, and to adjust the vessel course accordingly. In practice, the steering offset (DTO) is constantly adjusted (visually) by the human operator.
A main drawback of the first known solution is that steering the vessel to juxtapose the coverage of a preplot line with the coverage of the adjacent preplot line(s) implies that navigators (human operators) must constantly adjust their steering offset by taking the information of the binning software, from the binning offset classes considered. Doing so manually is suboptimal and is very difficult to achieve even for an experienced user.
Another drawback of the first known solution is an excessive steering caused by the motivation of juxtaposing the coverage. Overdoing it often results in a too dynamic line, difficult to mimic in case of a future 4D survey based on the current one.
A second known solution (more recent practice) is to maintain a null steering offset with regards to the preplot line.
A main drawback of the second known solution is that setting a null steering offset indeed facilitates the 4D survey to come, but will result in a poor global coverage.
For information, a 4D acquisition well known in the field of seismic is to repeat later a 2D or 3D acquisition, in order to analyze the changes between two periods, typically to monitor a reservoir. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic induction heat cooking apparatus, and more particularly to an induction heat cooking apparatus which includes a plurality of switching elements and a plurality of resonant circuits, and a method for driving the same.
Background
Generally, an induction heat cooking apparatus is an electric cooking apparatus in which a cooking function is performed in a method in which a high frequency current is caused to flow through a working coil or a heating coil, and an eddy current flows while a strong magnetic line of force generated thereby passes through a cooking container, and thus the cooking container itself is heated.
In the basic heating principle of the induction heat cooking apparatus, as the current is applied to the heating coil, the cooking container formed of a magnetic material generates heat due to induction heating, and the cooking container is heated by the heat it generates to perform cooking.
An inverter used in the induction heat cooking apparatus serves to switch a voltage applied to the heating coil so that the high frequency current flows through the heating coil. The inverter enables the high frequency current to flow through the heating coil by driving a switching element typically including an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), and thus a high frequency magnetic field is formed at the heating coil.
When two heating coils are provided at the induction heat cooking apparatus, two inverters including four switching elements are required to operate the two heating coils.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an induction heat cooking apparatus according to a related art.
FIG. 1 illustrates the induction heat cooking apparatus including two inverters and two heating coils.
Referring to FIG. 1, the induction heat cooking apparatus includes a rectifier 10, a first inverter 20, a second inverter 30, a first heating coil 40, a second heating coil 50, a first resonant capacitor 60 and a second resonant capacitor 70.
Each of the first and second inverters 20 and 30 includes two switching elements which switch input electric power and are connected in series, and the first and second heating coils 40 and 50 driven by an output voltage of the switch elements are connected to each connecting point of the switching elements connected in series. Other sides of the first and second heating coils 40 and 50 are connected to the resonant capacitors 60 and 70.
Driving of the switching elements is performed by a driving part. The switching elements apply a high frequency voltage to each of the heating coils, while being controlled by switching time output from the driving part and thus alternately operated. Since on/off time of each of the switching elements applied from the driving part is controlled with gradual compensation, the voltage supplied to each of the heating coils changes from a low voltage to a high voltage.
However, the induction heat cooking apparatus should include two inverter circuits including four switching elements to operate the two heating coils, and thus a volume of a product increases, and a price of the product also increases.
Further, when the number of heating coils is increased to three or more, a plurality of switching elements are required according to the number of heating coils. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to software rejuvenation, and more particularly to transparent symptom-based selective software rejuvenation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The software executing in computer and networking systems can exhibit a behavior such that its failure rate increases over time, typically because of programming errors that generate increasing and unbounded resource consumption, or due to data corruption and numerical error accumulation (e.g., round-off errors). Examples of the effects of such errors are memory leaks, file systems that fill up over time, and spawned threads or processes that are never terminated.
The above-mentioned effects constitute a phenomenon known as xe2x80x9csoftware aging,xe2x80x9d and may be caused by errors in either application, middleware, or operating system software. As the allocation of a system""s resources gradually approaches a critical level, the probability that the system will suffer an outage increases. This may be viewed as an increase in the software system""s failure rate. Such a software system failure may result in overall system failure, xe2x80x9ccrashingxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9changingxe2x80x9d, performance degradation, etc.
One way of reducing the software""s failure rate is to reset a portion of the system to recover any lost and unused resources. For example, this may be resetting just the application that is responsible for the aging, or it may be resetting the entire computer system. This is referred to as xe2x80x9csoftware rejuvenation.xe2x80x9d When only a part of the system is selected for rejuvenation, this is called xe2x80x9cselective rejuvenation.xe2x80x9d FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship of the software failure rate over time. As shown software ages over time as shown by reference numeral 100, and the effects of software rejuvenations are shown at reference numeral 110.
When the part of the system that is undergoing aging is reinitialized via rejuvenation, its failure rate falls back to its initial (e.g., lower), level because resources have been freed up and/or the effects of numerical errors have been removed. This has a dramatic effect on overall system availability. However, when the failure rate begins to climb again due to the above-mentioned causes, subsequent rejuvenations become necessary.
The transparent nature of this function is partly achieved by being incorporated into a management framework separate and independent of the operating system and application. This approach not only assists in providing transparency, but also allows for portability and interoperability across multiple operating systems. This is important as it is becoming more common for systems management to span multiple platforms in the enterprise.
It should be noted that error-induced resource exhaustion is a fundamentally different phenomenon from performance-based capacity exhaustion. xe2x80x9cError-induced resource exhaustionxe2x80x9d is due to the causes outlined above and its effects can be eliminated temporarily by rejuvenation. xe2x80x9cPerformance-based capacity exhaustionxe2x80x9d results from increases in performance requirements over time, and its effects can only be eliminated by reducing the computational performance requirements or adding new resources to the system.
In a conventional method and system, a time-based rejuvenation is performed within a single node and a multi-node environment. However, the conventional method and system assumes that the application must be modified to include calls to a fault tolerance library. Thus, modification of the application software source code is required. This is problematic because if the application source or executable code must be modified, then software rejuvenation technology cannot be applied to the broad class of applications for which the source or executable code cannot be economically modified, such as xe2x80x9cshrink-wrappedxe2x80x9d applications. Transparency, e.g., the lack of necessity to modify the application source or executable code, allows software rejuvenation to be applied to any application, regardless of whether the code can be modified or not. This extends its applicability to essentially all applications that can be executed on the computer system.
Additionally, the conventional method typically requires a proprietary dedicated system support for the rejuvenation functionality. Thus, the conventional methods and systems significantly restrict the rejuvenation""s potential applicability and ease of use to systems that support the proprietary rejuvenation functionality.
In the above-mentioned co-pending application, it was described how to periodically rejuvenate all or part of a software system to reduce its failure rate to its initial, lower level, based on time.
However, in the co-pending application, there is no mechanism to notify the system operator to only rejuvenate prior to an unplanned outage, as opposed to at statically predetermined intervals.
Further, some system outages are characterized by not just one parameter reaching an extreme value, but by several values reaching a characteristic region in which not all values may be global extreme. In these cases, single-parameter extremes monitoring is ineffective.
Further, hitherto the invention, there has been a problem of predicting impending resource exhaustion. Some methods monitor a small number of key resource parameters of the operating system (e.g., the UNIX operating system), performing trend detection and slope estimation for those parameters, and projecting the mean time to their exhaustion based on the extrapolated trend. However, this technique has been limited to confirming the existence of software aging due to resource exhaustion. In this approach, there has been no successful prediction of outage since only individual indicators of outage are examined independently. There has been no approach of examining several indicators in combination to form a predictor of outage, even though none is necessarily at a global extreme.
Finally, the conventional methods have been unable to pinpoint and identify which subsystem, process, and thread are causing the exhaustion, and selectively rejuvenate solely the offending function.
In view of the foregoing and other problems, disadvantages, and drawbacks of the conventional methods and structures, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for predicting outages of a software system.
Another object is to provide a method and system for providing non-intrusive symptom-based prediction (and subsequent rejuvenation) of unplanned software outages.
In a first aspect of the invention, a method (and system) for increased software dependability, includes learning how to predict an outage of a software system running on a computer, based on the learning, predicting an imminent outage, and avoiding the outage.
In a second aspect of the invention, a method for software rejuvenation, includes waiting for symptoms associated with an outage of the software, determining whether a fail-to node has adequate resources to accept a failover workload, if the determining determines that the fail-to node cannot accept the failover workload, sending an alert that adequate redundancy does not exist to support fault tolerance requirements, and suspending rejuvenation until an operator acknowledges and corrects the deficiency.
In another aspect of the invention, a signal-bearing medium (e.g., storage medium) is provided for storing a program representing the inventive method.
Thus, the present invention provides symptom-based rejuvenation in several environments (e.g., the preferred embodiment being within a clustered environment). In the invention, the application need not be modified or to include calls to a fault tolerance library. Indeed, no such modification is necessary, and applications obtain the benefits of software rejuvenation without any modification. In addition, no proprietary, dedicated system support is required for the rejuvenation functionality. The use of rejuvenation by the invention is performed within the context of any industry-standard clustering environment. These enhancements significantly expand rejuvenation""s potential applicability and ease of use.
Further, the present invention can predict impending resource exhaustion and aging due to resource exhaustion by incorporating the effects of variance on an extrapolated trend, incorporating time integral tests for secondary indicators, and including increased degrees of variance as symptomatic of outages. The multivariate approach of the present invention is especially effective when several indicators combine to form a predictor of outage, where no one indicator is necessarily at a global extremum. Finally, the provided indicators are used to identify which subsystem, process, and thread are causing the exhaustion.
Transparent Symptom-Based Selective Software Rejuvenation (SSR), according to the present invention, expands time-based rejuvenation by providing how to rejuvenate only prior to an unplanned outage, as opposed to rejuvenating periodically (e.g., at statically predetermined periods) as in the co-pending application.
Additionally, it allows the operator to identify exactly (e.g., pinpoint) which subsystem (and/or process and/or thread) is responsible for the exhaustion, opening up the possibility of only rejuvenating the offending subsystem. This is achieved by non-intrusively monitoring and analyzing the state of a software system so as to predict an impending resource exhaustion-induced outage.
Thus, for example, consider the possibilities of 1) a memory leak with no corruption to the rest of the system, 2) an error not contained and thereby the system has been contaminated, and 3) the intermediate case of a small amount of leakage occurring which over time may contaminate the entire system.
In the first case, only the thread or subsystem need be rejuvenated and the effects of the leak will have been eliminated. In the second case, the entire system would need to be rejuvenated to eliminate the effects of the leak. In the third case, the rejuvenation could be performed selectively at a time least disruptive to the system, with the operator knowing that over time more subsystems/threads would have to be rejuvenated; the earlier the rejuvenation, the less disruptive the rejuvenation would be, and the later the rejuvenation, the more of the system would have to be rejuvenated. Selection of the amount of time to rejuvenation in this case (and the resultant risk of an outage) could be at the discretion of the operator.
The present invention uses existing resource monitoring mechanisms provided by an operating system to non-intrusively monitor system resources such as file space, handles, threads, free virtual memory, and system memory. Several techniques, as described below, can then be used to aggregate these indicators into a reliable predictor of impending outage. When an analytical aggregate of these indicators approaches a region associated with increased likelihood of unplanned outage, the system operator can be notified and then can initiate a graceful planned outage instead of an ungraceful unplanned outage.
Symptom-based prediction of unplanned software outages can be beneficially combined with some concepts of time-based software rejuvenation, for example by suggesting to the operator that rejuvenation occur during the next acceptable interval defined under a time-based software rejuvenation management policy.
Additionally, when symptom-based software rejuvenation discovers that a resource exhaustion condition is developing, an additional function provided by the present invention is capable of determining which subsystem, process, and thread (e.g., rejuvenation can be performed at a granular level) is responsible for the exhaustion condition and selectively causing only that part of the system to be rejuvenated, assuming the underlying system has this capability.
With the unique and unobvious aspects of the present invention, unplanned outages due to resource exhaustion are avoided by non-intrusively monitoring the state of a computer system and, based on indicative symptoms, and by signaling an impending unplanned outage to the operator or cluster management software in time to perform a graceful rejuvenation. This benefit is provided transparently to the application software.
Rejuvenation can increase a system""s mean-time-to-outage by a factor of two or more (e.g., based on an analytical model), depending on the degree of aging. Once it has been set up, the rejuvenation process is completely automated and therefore not susceptible to human error, either in terms of forgetting to perform the rejuvenation, or in terms of errors in performing the rejuvenation itself.
Additionally, similarly to a time-based system as described in the co-pending application, rejuvenation can be scheduled to occur at a time of least system workload, when an operator may not be present. Selective rejuvenation allows the operator to only rejuvenate that part of the system that is the cause of the aging, further reducing any impact on system operation. Because transparent rejuvenation requires no modifications to the application software, it can be used for any application running on the system, without modification.
Because the present invention can use the fail-over capabilities of a clustered system, very little downtime is incurred to perform the rejuvenation. Finally, the invention provides an automatic and continual check on the system""s capability to tolerate an unplanned failure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Continuous inkjet printing uses a pressurized liquid source that produces a stream of drops some of which are selected to contact a print media (often referred to a “print drops”) while other are selected to be collected and either recycled or discarded (often referred to as “non-print drops”). For example, when no print is desired, the drops are deflected into a capturing mechanism (commonly referred to as a catcher, interceptor, or gutter) and either recycled or discarded. When printing is desired, the drops are not deflected and allowed to strike a print media. Alternatively, deflected drops can be allowed to strike the print media, while non-deflected drops are collected in the capturing mechanism.
Drop placement accuracy of print drops is critical in order to maintain image quality. Liquid build up on the drop contact face of the catcher can adversely affect drop placement accuracy. As such, there is a continuing need to provide an improved catcher for these types of printing systems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Since the advent of the automatic drip coffee maker, it has become common for the average household to have a stack of coffee filters for use with the coffee maker. The more common type of filter is the "basket" type, which has a flat bottom and a corrugated, expandable side. The filters are sold in packs containing very large numbers of filters nested together into a stack.
One of the common problems with a stack of filters, is the difficulty in removing a single filter from the stack. Because of the nested relationship of the filters, it is quite difficult to remove only one filter from the stack. For this reason, it is typically necessary to remove the entire stack of filters from the cupboard and bend over a portion of the edges of the filters in order to grasp one at a time.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved coffee filter extractor.
Another object is to provide a coffee filter extractor which will remove a single filter from a stack of filters.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a coffee filter extractor which is simple to use.
Yet another object is to provide a coffee filter extractor which has no moving parts.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a coffee filter extractor which is economic to manufacture and refined in appearance.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to transversal filters, and more particularly, to a transversal filter allrate equalizer for use at intermediate frequency.
Transversal filter equalizers operating at baseband have been used extensively in high rate digital modems to improve data quality by compensating for amplitude and delay distortion. By way of example, a conventional adaptive baseband equalizer may be comprised of four transversal filters (two pair) and two adaptive control circuits. Two of the transversal filters (one pair) process the I samples and the remaining two transversal filters (the other pair) process the Q samples. Each adaptive control circuit is coupled to one transversal filter from each pair. The transversal filters operate in a frequency range from DC to a maximum frequency on the order of the data rate and the filter weights are real numbers, not complex numbers. The adaptive control circuits generate weights for the transversal filters that are required to minimize the distortion at the outputs. Many well-known algorithms may be used to accomplish this.
Transversal filter equalizers may be used with many PSK and QAM modulation schemes, including QPSK, MSK, 8PSK, and 16 QAM. The transversal filter equalizer is typically disposed between a quadrature demodulator and a data detector of a modem, for example. The distorted I or Q symbol waveform received from the data detector is processed by the transversal filter equalizer. For a typical symbol, the contribution of energy at sampling times used by a decision circuit in the equalizer other than its own sampling instant are zero. In other words, zero voltage crossovers for the symbol occur exactly at adjacent symbol sampling instants. If any energy exists during these adjacent sampling instants, then these adjacent bits may be detected in error, thus increasing the bit error rate. A corrected bit waveform formed after passing through a high quality adaptive baseband equalizer is such that the voltages at all sampling points, except for the main bit, are zero. Thus the adaptive baseband equalizer contributes significantly to the low error performance of a modem, for example.
Conventional equalizers are disclosed in the following U.S. patents and publication. U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,468 issued to Falconer et al. describes a conventional baseband equalizer. In this invention the base-band I and Q signals are recovered by sampling the IF and are processed in separate transversal filters. U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,449 issued to Falconer describes an improvement to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,468 invention by using several feed forward taps in addition to the transversal filter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,175 issued to Bingham et al. describes methods relating to a baseband equalizer. This patent illustrates methods of deriving the tap weights, not the transversal filter itself. U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,725 issued to Desperben et al. discloses a conventional transversal equalizer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,377 issued to Atobe et al. describes methods relating to deriving the tap weights. The implementation of the transversal filter is at baseband. A publication entitled "Jointly Adaptive Equalization and Carrier Recovery in Two-Dimensional Digital Communication Systems", by D. D. Falconer, AT&T, BSTJ, March 1979, pp. 317-333, describes a conventional baseband equalizer. In the circuit, described in this paper, the base-band I and Q signals are recovered by sampling the IF and are processed in separate transversal filters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,211 issued to Mattis, Jr. et al. discloses a transversal equalizer that performs equalization at IF, demodulates the input signal and then generates the equalization coefficients at baseband from the demodulated data. The Mattis patent discloses an equalizer at IF, but uses whole symbol period delays and thus is not applicable to multirate or allrate operation. Also delay lines operating at IF produce not only a time delay for the modulation but also a phase shift for the carrier. This phase shift can be compensated for by adjusting the phases of the tap weights, W.sub.i. The Mattis patent does not deal with this phase shift problem, even though it does include an adaptive controller.
However, conventional equalizers are relatively complex, because they operate at baseband and the frequency response has to be uniform over many octaves, from DC, or almost DC, to at least the data symbol rate. Also the multipliers are many in number and very complex due to the aforementioned frequency response. Furthermore the delay paths generally must be hand tuned. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a transversal filter allrate equalizer that operates at intermediate frequency that overcomes some of the limitations of conventional equalizers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same, and more particularly, the present invention provides a semiconductor structure with novel aligning marks and method of making the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Micro-processor systems comprised of integrated circuits (IC) are ubiquitous devices in modern society, being utilized in such diverse fields as automatic control electronics, mobile communication devices and personal computers. With the development of technology and the increasingly imaginative applications of electrical products, IC devices are becoming smaller, more delicate and more diversified.
With increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, it is crucial to maintain the efficiency of miniaturized semiconductor devices in the industry. However, as the size of the field effect transistors (FETs) is continuously shrunk, the development of the planar FETs faces more limitations in the fabricating process thereof. On the other hand, non-planar FETs, such as the fin field effect transistor (FinFET) have three-dimensional structure, not only capable of increasing the contact to the gate but also improving the controlling of the channel region, such that the non-planar FETs have replaced the planar FETs and become the mainstream of the development.
In current techniques, in order to meet the sub-lithographic requirements, a regular photolithography and an etching process are provided to form fin structures in the Fin-FETs. Additionally, the fabrication of semiconductor device also utilizes a pattern transfer technique, such as the sidewall image transfer (SIT) process, to form required fin structures. However, although being beneficial to fabricate the fin structures in finer critical dimension (CD), the pattern transfer technique also complicates the fabrication process of FinFET. Furthermore, the current fabrication process also faces more limitations, such as the misaligning problem since the CD has reached a very small value. Thus, there is still a requirement to have a novel aligning mark specifically used for SIT process for forming the FinFET. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to vibrating motors using piezoelectric actuators. More particularly the present invention is directed to vibrating motors and methods of mechanically mounting the piezoelectric actuators in motors to transfer vibrational energy through an attached plate and flexible membrane to a work surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Piezoelectric and electrostrictive materials develop a polarized electric field when placed under stress or strain. Conversely, they undergo dimensional changes in an applied electric field. The dimensional change (i.e., expansion or contraction) of a piezoelectric or electrostrictive material is a function of the applied electric field.
A typical prior ceramic device such as a direct mode actuator makes direct use of a change in the dimensions of the material, when activated, without amplification of the actual displacement. Direct mode actuators typically include a piezoelectric or electrostrictive ceramic plate sandwiched between a pair of electrodes formed on its major surfaces. The device is generally formed of a sufficiently large piezoelectric and/or electrostrictive coefficient to produce the desired strain in the ceramic plate. However, direct mode actuators suffer from the disadvantage of only being able to achieve a very small displacement (strain), which is, at best, only a few tenths of a percent.
Indirect mode actuators are known in the prior art to provide greater displacement than is achievable with direct mode actuators. Indirect mode actuators achieve strain amplification via external structures. An example of an indirect mode actuator is a flextensional transducer. Prior flextensional transducers are composite structures composed of a piezoelectric ceramic element and a metallic shell, stressed plastic, fiberglass, or similar structures. The actuator movement of conventional flextensional devices commonly occurs as a result of expansion in the piezoelectric material which mechanically couples to an amplified contraction of the device in the transverse direction. In operation, they can exhibit several orders of magnitude greater displacement than can be produced by direct mode actuators.
The magnitude of the strain of indirect mode actuators can be increased by constructing them either as xe2x80x9cunimorphxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbimorphxe2x80x9d flextensional actuators. A typical unimorph is a concave structure composed of a single piezoelectric element externally bonded to a flexible metal foil, and which results in axial buckling or deflection when electrically energized. Common unimorphs can exhibit a strain of as high as 10% but can only sustain loads that are less than one pound. A conventional bimorph device includes an intermediate flexible metal foil sandwiched between two piezoelectric elements. Electrodes are bonded to each of the major surfaces of the ceramic elements and the metal foil is bonded to the inner two electrodes. Bimorphs exhibit more displacement than comparable unimorphs because under the applied voltage, one ceramic element will contract while the other expands. Bimorphs can exhibit strains up to 20% (i.e. about twice that of unimorphs), but, like unimorphs, typically can only sustain loads which are less than one pound.
A unimorph actuator called xe2x80x9cTHUNDERxe2x80x9d, which has improved displacement and load capabilities, has recently been developed and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,841. THUNDER (which is an acronym for THin layer composite UNimorph ferroelectric Driver and sEnsoR), is a unimorph actuator in which one or more pre-stress layers are bonded to a thin piezoelectric ceramic wafer at high temperature. Cooling the composite structure asymmetrically stress biases the ceramic wafer due to the difference in thermal contraction rates of the ceramic layer and the pre-stress layers (or substrate). In other words, as the substrate(s) and adhesive cool they contract more than the ceramic to which they are bonded. This places the ceramic layer under compression and the substrate in tension. Because the ceramic layer in compression is bonded to the substrate(s) in tension, the assembled actuator assumes its normal arcuate shape. This prestress condition which compresses the ceramic layer enables the ceramic to be less susceptible to cracking as well as increasing the amount of deformation and resultant strain that the actuator may experience.
In operation a THUNDER actuator may be energized by an electric power supply via a pair of electrical wires which are typically soldered to the metal prestress layers (substrates) or to the electroplated faces of the ceramic layer. When a voltage of a first polarity is applied across the ceramic layer, the ceramic contracts (in the direction of the tension in the substrate), which causes the actuator to relax and flatten (position 99 in FIG. 4). When a voltage of an opposite polarity is applied across the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer expands (increasing the tension in the substrate), which causes the actuator to become more concave (position 101 in FIG. 4). By applying an alternating voltage, the ceramic layer in the actuator can cyclically contract and expand, which causes the actuator to alternately become more and less concave (as illustrated by positions 99 and 101 in FIG. 4).
In practice, these actuators 100 have been used to directly drive a pressure plate 8 or other mechanism in a prior art cyclic motor as shown in FIG. 1. Typically, the convex face 100a of the actuator 100 would directly push (in the direction of arrow 7) against a plate 8 at the lowest point of its curvature, and the plate 8 would maintain contact with the actuator 100, returning to its rest position through the use of a spring mechanism 6.
FIG. 2 illustrates another device using multiple stacked actuators 100. Each actuator 100 has its edges 11 mounted in slots 67 in the sidewalls 70 of a housing 72. The actuators 100 and their electrical connections are electrically isolated from each other using spacers 33, typically TEFLON(trademark) insulators, that are mounted to a spring 6 biased drive shaft 32. The drive shaft 32 may be further mounted to a pressure plate 8 or other motion translating means (not shown).
A problem with the above described mounting methods for a direct drive actuator is that the force against the actuator 100 was concentrated on one point, or at least in a very small area of the actuator 100. This would cause the ceramic 10 in the actuator 100 or the whole actuator 100 to break due to point load concentration. The actuator 100 would then lose most of its effectiveness because it could not generate as much force or displacement with a cracked ceramic 10.
Another problem with prior art actuator mounting methods is that a single actuator typically could not generate sufficient force for higher output applications. This is especially true of applications where the pressure plate against which the actuator acted was spring mounted. The actuator dissipated a large amount of its useful force in trying to overcome the spring mechanism. The force generated for some applications would also fracture the ceramic layer of the actuator.
Another problem with prior art actuator mounting methods is that even a stack of actuators acting against a pressure plate typically could not generate sufficient force for higher output applications.
Another problem in applications using multiple, stacked actuators was that the spacers add weight to the motor as well as opposing the motion of the actuators, dissipating the useful force and displacement in the stacked actuators. The actuators also dissipated a large amount of their useful force in trying to overcome the spring mechanism. The force generated for some applications would also fracture the ceramic layer of the actuator.
Another problem with prior mounting methods for single or multiple actuators was that where a lightweight motor was desired, the use of a housing in which to mount actuator edges would add extra weight to the motor.
The present invention provides a vibrational motor and a method of mounting piezoelectric actuators or stacks of piezoelectric actuators on the vibrational motor. Specifically, the present invention provides a vibrational motor in which, relative to prior art devices, the weight and dissipative forces are minimized, load distribution is more uniform and mechanical mounting is more secure. In the preferred embodiment, THUNDER type piezoelectric actuators are attached at their edges to top and bottom mounting members, and this motor assembly is attached to the blade of a vibrational tool. This vibrating tool may advantageously be used to modify the texture or character (i.e. the xe2x80x9cfinishxe2x80x9d) of a surface of a work material or for other purposes. The vibratory action of the tool is generated by one or more piezoelectric actuators which, when energized, vibrate at the frequency of the applied voltage. The piezoelectric actuators are mounted in a motor assembly that is attached to a reaction mass, a blade/plate and a flexible membrane. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the vibrations are transferred from the motor and attached mass through the blade and flexible membrane at the bottom of the tool and into plastic concrete work material. This vibration causes air and water to rise to the surface of the concrete creating a slurry, which is desirable for producing a smooth surface finish. The motor assembly is sufficiently light that a reaction mass may be attached to it to tune the amplitude and resultant force of the vibrations which are transferred to the blade of the vibrational tool. The reaction mass also ensures that the majority of vibrations are transferred in the appropriate direction, i.e., downward to the work surface. This, coupled with the lightweight design and other characteristics described hereinbelow, makes the tool very easy to handle and operate.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a mounting for a piezoelectric actuator that allows for the production of the force and displacement for motor applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in a lightweight piezoelectrically actuated vibrating tool.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which multiple actuators are used to produce high force in a drive mechanism.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which loads driven by the actuator are effectively distributed across the structure of the actuator to avoid fracture of the ceramic element of the piezoelectric actuator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which stacked actuators are mounted without adding undue weight.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which losses in force and displacement are minimized through effective coupling to a drive mechanism.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which the mechanical mounting of the actuators is particularly secure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which is at the same time compact, light in weight, and of an extremely simple and uncluttered design.
It is another object of the present invention to provide handheld concrete/cement working tools of an automatically vibrating variety wherein a substantial vibratory energy is imparted to the concrete surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described in which there is minimal vibration transmitted through the handle (and subsequently to the operator) in proportion to the amount of vibration transmitted through the bottom of the device and into the concrete.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described wherein a reaction mass is provided to tune the amplitude to the vibratory energy imparted through the tool.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described wherein
It is another object to provide a modification of the present invention in which the vibratory energy is imparted in the frequency range of 50 to 500 hertz.
It is another object to provide a modification of the present invention in which the frequency of vibration is easily user-modified.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which is battery powered.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described wherein multiple motors may vibrate the vibrational tool, or multiple tools may be attached to form a larger one.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described wherein the blades of individual tools operate synchronously while being linked with a flexible membrane.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention broadly relates to gas masks or respirators. More particularly, my present invention relates to Emergency Respirator devices. The field of the invention includes art classified in U.S. Class 128, subclass 202.27 or 206.17.
The prior art is replete with gas and smoke masks. Some are intended for military purposes while others are intended for more conventional uses.
Muntz U.S. Pat. No. 703,984 issued Jul. 1, 1902, discloses a respirator. This device includes a hood and a box type respirator with a mouth piece secured to the hood. Schwart U.S. Pat. No. 1,320,935 discloses a gas mask apparently intended for military use. This mask covers the entire face and has a canister attached below the mouth and nose area. Wood U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,286 issued Jan. 12, 1954, discloses a transparent face mask that has a filtering canister disposed in its base. The mask is strapped onto the head by a series of three straps. U.S. Pat. No. 3,202,150 issued to Miller Aug. 24, 1965, discloses a filter attachment for use with a conventional firefighter smoke mask. Bickford U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,068 discloses a self contained emergency breathing apparatus that employs an oxygen generator hook to a hood by a hose. Furthermore, this invention employs a rebreathing system disposed within the hood. U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,270 issued to Dolbe Jul. 4, 1978, discloses a smoke mask with a transparent face shield and an isolated air tight filtration system disposed over the mouth. Tanka U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,472 discloses a smoke mask that covers the mouth and nose, having an attached, pleated bellows. Melbe U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,196 issued Jan. 21, 1986, discloses a disposable smoke mask and apparatus. This patent speaks to a canister containing gas under pressure intended to be hooked to a mask by a hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,334 issued to Bellm Jul. 18, 1989, discloses a mask for allowing application of gases through the nose and mouth. This is a ventilated nose and mouth mask having a plastic non-elastic adjustable strap.
Michael U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,361 issued June 19, 1990, discloses a respirator of a half mask type with chemical and mechanical cartridges for use therewith. Furthermore, it discloses a lock and seal structure for the housings of the respirator.
Most pertinent to the present disclosure is Haber U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,342 issued Dec. 27, 1988. Haber discloses a mask-hood system for supplying a person with clean air or oxygen during an emergency. It is primarily intended for use by airline passengers and employs a valve system to be hooked to an oxygen source. However, the mask may be removed from the oxygen supply leaving the user with a charcoal cartridge filter system. This portion is intended to be used by the passenger during an attempt to escape a smoke filled aircraft.
The prior art discloses a plethora of masks suitable for use by professionals or during an emergency in a controlled environment such as an airliner. But, an inexpensive respirator for in-home or institutional use is unavailable. Today's safety conscience home employs devices such as smoke detectors, burglar alarms, and medical alert systems. An Emergency Respirator that could easily be stored would find a place in these homes. For example, a respirator for each occupant could be stored in the appropriate bedroom, ready for immediate use during a fire.
Institutions, such as nursing homes, are often under staffed and constructed in such a manner that residents must traverse a great length of hallway to exit. These two factors prove for disaster during a fire. The few staff members available must escort elderly and physically impaired resident down lengthy smoke filled hallways. If convenient inhalation respirators were available the more mobile residents could take advantage of them to exit thereby freeing the staff to aid those less mobile.
However, the budgetary constraints as well as the space constraints imposed on the typical nursing home would necessarily prevent the institution from purchasing conventional gas masks for each resident. Yet, most would find a way to acquire lowcost respirators.
Such a device would necessarily be small and unobtrusive as well as being relatively inexpensive and of a somewhat disposable nature. Importantly, suitable respirators should be user serviceable, and should readily facilitate user maintenance and filter replacement. Primarily such a device must be quickly deployable and easy to use. While such a respirator may not be elaborate, dependability and straightforward structure would be its hallmark. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating and developing apparatus, and a coating and developing method, which perform a coating process of applying a resist liquid or the like to a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate for liquid crystal display (LCD substrate), and a developing process on the substrate after exposure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a fabrication process of a semiconductor device or an LCD substrate, a resist pattern is formed on a substrate using a technology called photolithography. According to the technology, a resist liquid is applied to the top surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to form a liquid film, which is then dried to be a resist film, the resist film is exposed into a desired pattern using a photomask, and then a developing process is performed to yield a resist pattern corresponding to the exposure pattern.
Such a sequence of processes is generally carried out by using a resist pattern forming apparatus that has an exposure apparatus connected to a coating and developing apparatus which applies and dries a resist liquid. One example of such an apparatus is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-193597.
The apparatus disclosed in the publication includes a carrier block 1A, a process block 1B, an interface block 1C and an exposure apparatus 1D, as shown in FIG. 1. In the apparatus, carriers 10 each retaining multiple wafers W are carried onto a carrier stage 11 of the carrier block 1A, and the wafers in the carrier 10 are transferred to the process block 1B. Then, the wafers are transferred to a coating unit 13a in the process block 1B, a resist liquid is applied to the wafers, and then the wafers are transferred the exposure apparatus 1D via the interface block 1C. The wafers after exposure are returned to the process block 1B again, and are transferred to a developing unit 13b to undergo a developing process, after which the wafers are returned into the original carrier 10.
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numerals 14a to 14c denote shelf units which comprise a multilevel of heating units, cooling units, transfer stages and so forth for performing a predetermined heating process and cooling process on wafers before and after the processing of the coating unit 13a and the processing of the developing unit 13b. The wafers W are transferred between modules in the process block 1B where the wafers W are to be placed, such as individual sections like the coating unit 13a, the developing unit 13b and the.shelf units 14a to 14c, by two transfer devices 15a and 15b provided in the process block 1B. The interface block 1C is provided with transfer mechanisms 16a and 16b which transfer wafers W between the process block 1B and the exposure apparatus 1D.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-193597 describes that at the time wafers W are subjected to the processes, all the wafers W to be processed are transferred according to a transfer schedule that specifies at which timing each wafer is to be transferred to which module.
The transfer schedule is made in such a way that after a wafer W is transferred to modules, which perform processes preceding exposure, in order using the two transfer devices 15a and 15b in the process block 1B, the wafer is then transferred to the interface block 1C, and a wafer after exposure is received from the interface block 1C and is transferred to modules, which perform processes following exposure, in order. As the transfer devices 15a and 15b go round in the process block 1B, one transfer cycle is executed, and a new wafer W carried out from the carrier 10 is transferred into the process block 1B every transfer cycle.
Such a resist pattern forming apparatus may come across a case where the a wafer W cannot be received from the process block 1B or cannot be transferred to the process block 1B at the timing set in the transfer schedule upon occurrence of some kind of abnormality, such as failure of the transfer mechanisms 16a and 16b provided in the interface block 1C, or collision of the transfer mechanisms 16a and 16b against the transfer stage, or slight delay in carrying out a wafer from the exposure apparatus 1D.
According to the resist pattern forming apparatus described in the Japanese publication, when such a situation occurs, the operations of the transfer devices 15a and 15b are stopped for the following reason. As the transfer program is complex, if the transfer devices 15a and 15b are allowed to retreat in the transfer path, the transfer program becomes extremely complicated, which is not practical.
If the transfer devices 15a and 15b stop, however, a wafer W is not removed from each module and is left inside the module. If a wafer W is left remaining in a module this way, various problems occur. When a wafer W processed in the coating unit 13a is left remaining in the coating unit 13a, for example, the quality of the coated resist film is degraded, so that even when wafer transfer with the transfer devices 15a and 15b is resumed thereafter, the predetermined quality of the resist film cannot be guaranteed. A wafer W left inside each module often hardly meets a predetermined quality, in which case the wafer cannot be delivered as a product, thus reducing the yield.
With the recent improvement of the throughput of exposure apparatuses, a coating and developing apparatus is demanded of the processing performance that matches with the throughput of exposure apparatuses. One possible approach studied is to arrange an area to store modules before exposure and an area to store modules after exposure, one above the other, and provide transfer means in each area to lower the load of the transfer means and enhance the transfer efficiency, thereby improving the throughput of exposure apparatuses. Japanese Patent No. 3337677, for instance, discloses the structure where an area for performing a coating process and an area for performing a developing process are laid one on the other and transfer means is provided in each area.
Even with the structure, wafers W are transferred between the coating and developing apparatus and the exposure apparatus by a transfer mechanism provided in the interface block, and wafers W are transferred in each area according to the transfer schedule by a transfer mechanism provided in that area. When some kind of abnormality occurs in the transfer mechanism provided in the interface block, therefore, the aforementioned problem may come up. The publication gives no description of any means to overcome the problem. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates in general to automotive side bars for pick-up trucks, jeeps and similar off-road vehicles.
An automotive side bar is one of the pick-up truck or off-road vehicle accessories which has gained considerable popularity recently. In essence, it is a wide U-shaped tubular bar which is attached to the side of a vehicle just below the passenger cab. It usually covers the length of the cab and projects laterally to the outside of the cab side or door surface. It is usually bolted or welded to the main longitudinal frame beam of the vehicle chassis.
The side bar is an appearance accessory as well as a functional side step and/or a protective device for the door and side of the vehicle cab to deflect brush, for example, in an off-road situation.
Side bars have been manufactured and sold of some time, primarily by small off-road equipment outfits, and now are available in a limited way from larger automotive accessory companies. Side bars, to the best of applicant's knowledge, as available on the market today, are "fixed dimension" products individually designed for a specific vehicle type. Separate side bars of such "fixed dimension" types with different dimensions and/or mounting systems are typically manufactured for different vehicle makes and models, and consequently the supplier is required to stock a large number of different side bar stocking units. The side bar system of the present invention, in contrast with available fixed dimension designs of numerous sizes, is a single product kit adaptable to fit a large variety of pick-up trucks and similar vehicle regardless of the vehicles make, size or model.
More particularly, side bars require mounting on the main longitudinal frame beam of the vehicle chassis because only the main beam is strong enough to support forces which may be applied to the side bar. The overall size of the side bar, both its length and depth, is affected by many different factors. The length is given mainly by the size of the cab but it is also affected by the availability of suitable unobstructed surface on the vehicle chassis frame. The depth of a side bar is given by the distance from the main frame to the outside of the vehicle cab. This distance may be different at various places on the same vehicle.
The design of pick-up truck chassis naturally varies, not only among different makes and sizes of vehicles, but also may vary among truck models of the same make and size. This is caused by the availability of different cab sizes which may require different cab support members off the main frame or by optional equipment which may be mounted to the vehicle chassis, or by other variations such as a two-wheel/four-wheel drive or load carrying capabilities, etc. In addition, the main beams of vehicle chassis are linear in some cases and angled either up or down or in or out in others.
Because of all these complications, a typical side bar as available on the market at the present time is a one piece U-shaped tube of a specific length and depth dimensioned to fit a specific make, size and model of a vehicle. Accessory producers typically limit the availability of side bar to the most popular pick-up trucks because many retails stores are not willing to carry a very large inventory of such side bar stocking units.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a side bar kit or assembly as a single stocking unit applicable to a wide variety of vehicles because of the adjustable design. This greatly simplifies the manufacture and the resulting cost of the item, as well as simplifying distribution and warehousing, and significantly minimizes demand on expensive retail store storage and display floor space. Important benefits are also available to a customer from the applicants adjustable design, as the customer is able to obtain a product for his vehicle directly from a local mass merchandise store.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a connector assembly for electrically connecting a flat cable, a ribbon wire, a FPC (flexible printed circuit) or like flat wire member, in which flat rectangular conductors are arrayed side by side, with a circuit board or the like.
There has been generally known a connector assembly for a flat wire member which assembly is comprised of a connector for circuit board (first connector) which accommodates a plurality of terminals side by side and is to be mounted on a circuit board, and a mating connector (second connector) to be mounted on an end portion of a flat wire member such as a flat cable, the flat wire member being connected with the circuit board by connecting the two connectors.
In such a connector assembly, the flat wire member has its end portion processed to expose conductors to outside, and this end portion is supported on a plate-shaped supporting member provided in the second connector. When the two connectors are connected, the end portion of the flat wire member is inserted together with the supporting member into the connector for circuit board to bring the respective conductors into contact with the terminals. As a result, the respective conductors of the flat wire member and patterns on the circuit board are electrically connected.
In the above conventional connector assembly, ribs are generally formed at the opposite widthwise ends (opposite ends with respect to a direction normal to an inserting direction into the first connector) of the supporting member, and the flat wire member is positioned with respect to the supporting member in widthwise direction by being restricted by means of these ribs. When the two connectors are connected with the supporting member positioned with respect to the first connector in widthwise direction, the respective conductors of the flat wire member are positioned with respect to the mating terminals.
However, such a construction in which the respective conductors of the flat wire member are indirectly positioned with respect to the mating terminals via the supporting member has the following problem. Specifically, even if the supporting member itself is properly positioned with respect to the first connector, contact positions of the conductors and the mating terminals are displaced in widthwise direction unless the flat wire member is properly positioned since there are errors in the positions and shape of the ribs of the supporting member. Such a displacement does not present any problem if contact areas of the conductors with the terminals are large in widthwise direction such as a case where the conductors are wide. However, if the contact areas are small, the conductors and the mating terminals may not be brought into contact with each other or the terminals may be shorted with different or noncorresponding conductors.
Accordingly, it is necessary to enable the respective conductors of the flat wire member and the mating terminals to be more precisely positioned. Particularly in recent years, there has been a demand to arrange the conductors and the terminals at a high density (at narrow intervals) in the connector assemblies for a flat wire member. The conductors and the mating terminals need to be highly precisely positioned in such connector assemblies.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly which is free from the problems residing in the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly which enables conductors of a flat wire member to be more precisely and securely brought into contact with mating terminals.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a connector assembly for a flat wire member comprises: a first connector for accommodating terminals, the first connector being provided with a positioning portion; and a second connector for holding a flat wire member, the second connector including a supporting member supporting a leading end portion of the flat wire member in such a way as to be movable in a widthwise direction which is normal to an inserting direction of the flat wire member into the first connector. The flat wire member is positioned with respect to the first connector in the widthwise direction by directly coming into contact with the positioning portion of the first connector.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In certain professions, such as body artistry, cosmetology, surgery, physical therapy and veterinary medicine, a practitioner applies a treatment to a portion of the body of a subject, e.g., a human or animal. Often, these treatments may be uncomfortable and/or non-ergonomic for the practitioner and/or the subject. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Lighting buildings is estimated to require at least 20 percent of the global electricity consumption. At least in part because of this, the use of energy inefficient light bulbs, especially incandescent lighting, is typically being phased out legislatively and through promotion of more efficient lighting means.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) represent a more energy efficient alternative. However, CFLs are criticized for containing mercury, a very toxic and hazardous substance that could be released in home upon breakage. CFLs also face criticism that they do not generate the same white light tone as incandescent light bulbs, which may negatively impact consumer sentiment.
The use of LEDs is known for providing lighting systems with improved characteristics including: lower power consumption, extended lifetime, smaller size, and improved durability and reliability. LEDs generally use up to 90 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and can have a useful lifetime of up to 50,000 hours. LEDs also have important applications in other market segments, including auto industry, displays and TV backlights, for which the quality of illumination (brightness and color purity) is important, as is the cost and efficiency.
A further alternative may be Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs generally have simpler design than inorganic LEDs, but involve a complex synthesis procedure and contain expensive heavy or rare earth metals (platinum, iridium etc.). As well, organic or organometallic LEDs are generally less stable and less efficient than inorganic LEDs.
Light bulbs that use LEDs do not contain mercury and generally a much longer lifespan than the CFLs. The energy efficiency of a LED light bulb is superior to a traditional incandescent light bulb and at least as efficient, if not more so, than a CFL.
However, LED lighting sources and materials (such as, molecules or semiconductors) generally emit light in a narrow range of the visible spectrum, making the design of white light emitters very challenging and costly. Four conventional approaches for creating white light emitting diodes (LEDs) are described here.
In the first conventional approach, light emitting diodes with blue, green and red outputs have been combined in a light emitting structure to give an illusion of white light. There are several disadvantages to this approach, including the difficulty in making optimal green LEDs, and a very high design complexity and cost of manufacturing.
In the second conventional approach, white LEDs have been created by coating ultraviolet (UV) or blue LEDs (usually based on III-V semiconductors—gallium, gallium-indium or aluminum nitride) with one or more inorganic phosphors emitting complementary colors. If a blue LED is used, then a part of the emitted light is converted by using a phosphor material. Specifically, white LEDs have been created by blue LEDs with doped phosphors, such as Ce:YAG (cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet). In doped phosphors the dopant ions emit complementary colors to blue, for example yellow or orange, giving off quasi-white light upon illumination with a blue LED. In this approach it is difficult to find an appropriate dopant-host combination and to control the doping process in a reproducible way, generally resulting in low purity white light emissions. Furthermore, the difficulty of adjusting the fraction of LED emission which is absorbed by the phosphor to give off a white light appearance also contributes to lower quality of the obtained white light source. This approach generally requires the use of materials containing rare earth elements which are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. As well, this method entails complex design requirements, and can result in lack of homogeneity (impurity) of white light illumination as a consequence of using multiple phosphors, or LEDs, and a single phosphor emission to produce white light.
In the third conventional approach, white LEDs have been created by using organic molecule-based electroluminescence. The most common approach within this strategy is coating an organic molecule-based blue electroluminescence device with multiple layers of organic molecules emitting different colors. This approach requires complex processing and generally results in large amounts of wasted organic material, resulting in relatively high fabrication cost.
In the fourth conventional approach, a blend of multiple organic molecule emitters is coated as a single layer in an electroluminescent device. This approach is more cost-effective, but results in low quality (impure) white light emission. Organic LEDs generally have a simpler design than inorganic LEDs, but involve complex synthetic procedures, and often also contain expensive heavy metals (platinum, iridium etc.) in case of organometallic emitters. Furthermore, organic LEDs are generally less stable than inorganic LEDs.
In general, the construction of white LEDs is challenging and costly because of the difficulties in obtaining multi-color emission in the necessary proportions.
There is therefore a need for an improved white light emitting material or LED and a method of synthesizing or fabricating white light emitting materials that overcomes at least some of the shortcomings of conventional LEDs and methods. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the removal of fuzz from articles of manufacture and more particularly to the removal of fuzz from envelopes used to enclose flexible, interchangeable computer memory disks without damaging the exterior surface of the envelope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many instances wherein fibrous types of materials are used in products. For example, widely used in the computer industry is a data storage medium which consists of a circular disk of flexible material coated with magnetic particles. These disks are known in the trade as "floppy disks." Generally, the disk drive apparatus which is used to drive the disk and write data to and read data from floppy disks is designed so as to permit interchanging of disks. It is necessary to protect the recording surfaces of the disks from dust and other contaminants, both while the disk is installed in the disk drive apparatus and while the disks are stored when removed from that apparatus. The most widely known approach in the industry for protecting the floppy disks is by permanently sealing them into an envelope. The envelope has apertures adapted so that access may be had to the disk for coupling the disk drive to allow the disk to be driven and access by the transducer so that information may be recorded or reproduced while the disk is in the envelope. These envelopes normally have an aperture at their center which permits engagement of the circular disk with a drive spindle of the disk drive apparatus. A radially positioned oblong aperture in the envelope permits a magnetic transducer to interact with the disk to allow recording or reproducing of information thereon while the disk is rotated within the envelope by the drive spindle. Other apertures may be included, e.g. a circular aperture to permit an optical transducer to sense sectors of the disk.
The material used to construct these envelopes, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,668,658, granted to Flores, et al., consists of two sheets or layers permanently bonded to each other. The outer sheet or layer is solid to provide mechanical protection for the recording disk. The inner layer, which is in intimate contact with the circular disk, consists of a sheet of porous, fibrous, low-friction, anti-static material whose properties permit the disk to rotate easily within the envelope and, in addition, clean the recording surfaces of dust, wear products and airborne contaminants. The process by which these envelopes are manufactured consists in first bonding continuous sheets of these two materials to each other and then mechanically punching the envelope apertures. Often the properties of the materials used to fabricate such envelopes are such that the outer solid layer has a lower melting temperature than the inner porous, low friction, anti-static layer. For example, frequently the outer layer is vinyl and the inner layer comprises bonded polyster fibres.
After the edges of an envelope have been cut and the apertures have been punched, "fuzz" from the inner, porous, low-friction, anti-static layer of envelope material remains around the edges of the sheet and of the apertures. The "fuzz" is in the form of small pieces of string-like material created along the edges of the sheets of material. This fuzz frequently results from the shearing, punching or cutting action. Excessive amounts of such fuzz in the completed assembly, consisting of the floppy disk sealed within its envelope, contaminate the drive mechanism and the transducer apparatus used to write data to and read data from the recording disk and interfere with its proper operation. Thus, it is necessary to minimize the amount of fuzz when producing and manufacturing the floppy disks.
Heretofore, the method employed to control the amount of fuzz present around the edges of the apertures of the envelopes consisted in keeping the punching tools sharp and discarding envelopes which had excessive amounts of fuzz. As a result, minimization of fuzz has been difficult and costly.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,326, granted to Collins, et al., teaches a method and apparatus for removing flash from the interior passages of articles molded under pressure in a two-part mold of material which is readily combustible and/or otherwise decomposible at elevated temperature. The method taught by Collins consists of exposing the article to a flow of hot gases and either protecting the interior surfaces of the passages with shields or, alternatively exposing them to a second flow of cooling gases immediately after the exposure to the flow of hot gases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to the art of resuscitation and, in particular, to a manually-operated resuscitator device.
Although mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is typically an effective technique for removing smoke, water, carbon monoxide and other foreign fluids and materials from a patient's lungs, it can be a very tiring procedure and involves the risk of transmitting communicable diseases from the person who receives the resuscitation to policemen, firemen and other administrators of the aid, and vice versa. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The differential cold-valley pipe (herein after called J-pipe for short) is a kind of high efficiency heat exchange device featuring a large heat flow rate per unit area and enabling the end temperature difference for heat transmission to approach zero indefinitely. The Chinese patent application No. 941,121, 107.0 has put forward an "air energy 8-form circulation air conditioner" which is an all fresh air conditioner composed of an air energy heat pump J-pipe, a super condensation J-pipe, a low pressure difference energy transformation heat pump M, has rather high thermodynamic cycle efficiency and requires 100% outdoor fresh air for both cool (heat) output in its air conditioning just for achieving the optimal thermodynamic cycle efficiency. However, the above-mentioned technical scheme is mainly pointing to the theoretical research of 8-form circulation and in need of further improvement with respect to heat exchange and thermodynamic cycle efficiency of J-pipe. There still exist quite a few problems in its cooling-weight ratio, volumetric ratio, industrialization of manufacturing process and reducing product cost, hence it is difficult to achieve a fundamental result in solving the three major difficult problems (high energy consumption , low air quality, limited use of CFCs (chloroflucrocarbons). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to firing pulse generators for thyristors, and similar types of static electric valves such as used for power conversion in polyphase electrical supply. Digital firing pulse generators are known from "Thyristor Phase-Controlled Converters and Cycloconverters" by B. R. Pelly, chapter ten, pages 248-277 - John Wiley and Sons 1971. Of importance with such systems is the reliability and accurcy of the control pulses. Phase-locked oscillator techniques have been used in order to obtain pulse timing which is independent from actual fluctuations in the power lines, so that, for the purpose of establishing an accurate firing angle, the firing instant is fixed in electrical degrees. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,285 entitled "Digital Phase Control Circuit for Synchronizing an Oscillator to a Harmonic Or a Reference Frequency" by P. J. Kobold et al issued Oct. 13, 1970 teaches a system where a signal is applied to a phase detector which in turn controls a voltage controlled oscillator that generates a signal applied to a counter for providing a binary output.
Such a voltage controlled oscillator when synchronized with the phase line of a polyphase AC power system, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,912 of Watanabe, may provide a binary output to be compared with a voltage reference signal for generating firing pulses, at selected firing angles, to thyristors connected in a polyphase arrangement on the power lines. The thyristors in the Watanabe Patent are fired in succession by a ring counter triggered on each comparison. At the same time, the binary count in the counter is modified in its most significant digits so as to generate in a ring fashion, upon each triggering by the comparator, a binary representation of the subsequent phase of the power lines in which the next controlled rectifier to be fired is connected. However, in the Watanabe system, should a lack of concordance occur during transition of the ring counter, the binary counter, or both, a proper correspondency between the phase represented by the digital count and the selected rectifier to be fired no longer exists. Improper firings will result.
In order to overcome this drawback, the present invention proposes that the comparator trigger only the ring counter and that the ring counter be locked with the digital counter used for the determination of the firing angle and the generation of a triggering pulse. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
With the advent of the organic field-effect transistor and organic light emitting diode(OLED) with stack-layered structure in the 1980s, organic electronic devices have drawn a great attention and had a rapid development. Since organic semiconductor has many advantages, i.e., low manufacturing cost, flexibility and large-size, the application of organic optoelectronic-devices in the field of large-size flat panel display, flexible display and lighting should have a promising future. An organic light emitting diode (OLED) has been realized as an application element in the display. A display panel having better color saturation, larger viewing angle, higher contrast and lower power consumption compared with LCD can be obtained by use of OLED.
In the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, the switch state of OLED is performed by the operation of thin film transistor (TFT) array. Therefore, during the manufacturing process of AMOLED, it is necessary to first establish TFT array on a glass substrate before manufacturing the OLED device. As the OLED device is built on top of the TFT array, which makes the manufacturing process of organic electronic light emitting device very complex. Moreover, the aperture ratio of display pixel is low as well as the pixel density as large space being occupied by the TFT array.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the distribution of information over a computer network, and in particular, to a system and method for processing and responding to large volumes of customers request relating to unsolicited commercial email (UCE) and other service disruptions over a computer network, such as the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet is fast proving to be one of the most significant technological developments of the current era. Originally developed in the United States as a cooperative effort of the United States Government known as the Advanced Research Project Agency Network (ARPANET) to tie universities and research and development organization to their military customers, the Internet has now exploded to link computer users world-wide. The Internet is an interconnected system of computer networks of varying types with terminals, usually computer stations, communicating with each other through a common communication protocol, e.g. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Through this interconnected system of computer networks, the Internet serves as the underlying infrastructure that facilitates a global system of communication known as the world wide web.
Piggy-backed input on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the Internet is available to anyone with a telephone line and a computer with modem. Both businesses and private users are taking advantage of the Internet in rapidly increasing numbers for communications of a diverse nature.
One reason for the rapid integration of the Internet into daily activities is that the Internet provides improved efficiencies in communication. For example, messaging over the Internet is very quick, even to remote locations throughout the world. Responses are also typically very quick.
Internet communication has been minimally regulated and continues to involve lowering costs, typically requiring only the cost of a computer terminal and a periodic Internet Service Provider (ISP) fee. Additionally, Internet communications are pervasive, providing easy access from every user on the Internet to millions of other users, almost regardless of physical location.
Because of these efficiencies, one form of communication that has quickly migrated to the Internet is advertising. Advertisers are able to generate and send bulk mailings at a fraction of the cost of mail, telephone, radio, and other commonly accepted types of advertising. Programs exist that quickly merge commercial advertisement messages with reference lists of Internet user addresses and automatically send out many thousands of advertisements in a single day at almost no cost to the sender. Instead, a substantial portion of the costs is born by the intermediary transmission entities and the end users.
Unfortunately, the indiscriminate nature of broadcast advertising over the Internet has led to many problems. To deliver a message in volume and thereby take advantage of the efficiencies of the Internet, senders frequently use commercially generated reference lists of Internet user addresses. These reference lists are very labor intensive and costly to compile in any manner other than randomly. Thus, many Internet broadcasters use random lists of user addresses to send their advertising, transmitting unwanted messages to a large number of disinterested Internet users for every interested Internet user.
Internet users typically resent this random “junk mail” cluttering up their cyberspace mailboxes. Consequently, random advertising over the Internet in the form of electronic mail is commonly referred to, rather unaffectionately, as “spamming.” Angry recipients of this type of Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) advertising have gone so far as to react in simultaneous, damaging, electronic backlashes aimed at particularly notorious junk mail-generating entities.
Large volumes of electronic customer requests (5,000-10,000/day) sent to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) regarding UCE advertisements and other service disruptions are handled by a help desk or customer support center (CSC). Analysts open up each request or complaint, search for the offender's IP address and sent timestamp, then identify the account, categorize the type of incident, analyze the case, and submit a ticket. Portions of the process are done manually. Email requests usually deal with problems related to UCE, but may also include security intrusion reports.
The ISP may be required by law to respond to every complaint that pertains to its network or hosting service. The ISP must maintain a tracking system to insure that each validated complaint is properly handled. The processing is complicated by several conditions, including: 1) analysis of the complaint may involve conditions that change over time and may no longer exist at the time of analysis; 2) many complaints may deal with the same problem, but may be difficult to associate with the other complaints due to different complaint formats; and 3) the customer network itself may change during the time period since the complaint took place. Currently, the ISP has an ad hoc system that may not insure that all complaints are handled correctly, and the introduction of automation into the current environment is difficult.
Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention have recognized a need for a system and method that could be used by an ISP to insure that all spamming complaints are handled successfully, that processing of complaints is done correctly, that legal aspects of certain criminal or fraud related incidents are handled correctly, and that portions of the processing of complaints are handled automatically to the extent feasible. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Numerous computing devices include applications that provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs), allowing for interaction with users. Some applications, such as chat applications, require users to manually input text or select multimedia images as responses to inquiries from other users. However, this can be time-consuming and frustrating for users who wish to reply similarly as they have in the past or for users who wish to utilize a generic reply to the inquiry. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Ashless nitrogen and ester containing lubricating oil dispersants have been widely used by the industry. Typically, these dispersants are prepared from a long chain hydrocarbon polymer by reacting the polymer with maleic anhydride to form the corresponding polymer which is substituted with succinic anhydride groups. Polyisobutylene has been widely used as the polymer of choice, chiefly because it is readily available by cationic polymerization from butene streams (e.g., using AlCl.sub.3 catalysts). Such polyisobutylenes generally contain residual unsaturation in amounts of about one ethylenic double bond per polymer chain, positioned along the chain.
The polyisobutylene polymers (PIB) employed in most conventional dispersants are based on a hydrocarbon chain of a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) of from about 900 to about 2500. PIB having a M.sub.n of less than about 300 gives rather poor performance results when employed in dispersants because the molecular weight is insufficient to keep the dispersant molecule fully solubilized in lubricating oils. On the other hand, high molecular weight PIB (M.sub.n >3000) becomes so viscous that conventional industrial practices are incapable of handling this product in many operations. This problem becomes much more severe as the PIB molecular weight increases to 5000 or 10,000.
Increased amounts of terminal ethylenic unsaturation in polyisobutylene (so-called "reactive polyisobutylene") has been achieved by BF.sub.3 catalyzed polymerization of isobutylene. Exemplary of references disclosing these polymers is U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,499. However, such reactive polyisobutylene materials can still contain substantial amounts of unsaturation elsewhere along the chain. Further, it is difficult to produce such reactive polyisobutylene polymers at molecular weights of greater than about 2,000, and, even so, the reactive polyisobutylenes themselves still suffer the above-noted viscosity increase disadvantages as molecular weights are increased.
Other polymers, such as ethylene-propylene co-polymers and terpolymers containing non-conjugated dienes, have been disclosed as suitable polymers for the preparation of ashless nitrogen and ester dispersants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,435, for example, discloses dispersants prepared from polyalkenes, M.sub.n of 1,300 to about 5,000. The polyalkene can comprise homopolymers or interpolymers of C.sub.2 to C.sub.16 terminal olefins, of which ethylene-propylene copolymers are said to be examples, with specific reference to a copolymer of 80% ethylene and 20% propylene.
However, ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers of the above molecular weights could be produced using Ziegler-Natta catalysts only in combination with H.sub.2 as molecular weight control in order to terminate the growing copolymer chains within this molecular weight range. Without use of H.sub.2 or other conventional, so-called "chain stoppers", the copolymers produced with Ziegler-Natta catalysts would tend to have molecular weights greatly in excess of the above range. (Such higher copolymers, for example, are widely employed in ungrafted form as viscosity index improvers, and when grafted with nitrogen-containing groups, as described below, are conventionally employed as dispersant-viscosity index improver polymers.) The use of H.sub.2 as a chain stopper has the disadvantage of causing the saturation of the olefinic double bond content of the copolymer. Thus, while lower molecular weight copolymers were theoretically possible to prepare, their low unsaturation content (and the accompanying low graft copolymer yields) would have made their further functionalization by a thermal "ene" reaction, e.g., with dicarboxylic acid moieties in preparing dispersants, highly unattractive.
High molecular weight ethylene-propylene polymers and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers, having viscosity average molecular weights of from about 20,000 to 300,000, are generally produced employing Ziegler catalysts, generally VCl.sub.4 or VOCl.sub.3 with a halide source, such as organoaluminum halides and/or hydrogen halides. Such high molecular weight EP and EPDM polymers find use as viscosity index improvers. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,563,964; 3,697,429; 4,306,041; 4,540,753; 4,575,574; and 4,666,619.
The concept of derivatizing V.I. improving high molecular weight ethylene copolymers, with acid moieties such as maleic anhydride, followed by reaction with an amine, to form a V.I.-dispersant oil additive is known in the art as indicated by the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,177 teaches ethylene copolymers of at least 50,000, such as ethylene-propylene, or ethylene-propylene-diene, which are heated to elevated temperatures in the presence of oxygen so as to oxidize the polymer and cause its reaction with maleic anhydride which is present during the oxidation. The resulting polymer can then be reacted with alkylene polyamines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,804 teaches reacting ethylene copolymers with oxygen or ozone, to form a hydroperoxidized polymer, which is grafted with maleic anhydride followed by reaction with polyalkylene polyamines. Preferred are ethylene-propylene copolymers, having M.sub.v from 100,000 to 500,000, prepared by Ziegler type catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,739 teaches an ethylene copolymer (M.sub.v =10,000 to 200,000) which is grafted, using a free radical technique, with alternating maleic anhydride and a second polymerizable monomer such as methacrylic acid, which materials are reacted with an amine having a single primary, or a single secondary, amine group.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,452 relates to graft copolymers wherein the backbone polymer is a polymeric hydrocarbon such as EP copolymer or EPDM (M.sub.v =10,000 to 200,000) and the grafted units are the residues of an addition copolymerizable monomer system comprising, e.g., maleic anhydride, and at least one other addition monomer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,273 reacts an ethylene copolymer (M.sub.v =10,000 to 100,000 with maleic anhydride in the presence of a free radical initiator and then with mixtures of C.sub.4 to C.sub.12 n-alcohol and amine such as N-aminopropylmorpholine or dimethylamino propyl amine to form a V.I.-dispersant-pour depressant additive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,104 relates to EP and EPDM viscosity index improver-dispersant additives prepared from EP polymer (M.sub.n =5000 to 500,000), by maleic anhydride grafting and reaction with polyamines.
The following references include disclosures of EP/EPDM polymers of M.sub.n of 700/500,000, also prepared by conventional Ziegler catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,794 teaches grafting the ethylene copolymer (M.sub.n =700 to 500,000 with maleic anhydride using peroxide in a lubricating oil solution, wherein the grafting is preferably carried out under nitrogen, followed by reaction with polyamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,185 teaches reacting C.sub.1 to C.sub.30 monocarboxylic acid anhydrides, and dicarboxylic anhydrides, such as acetic anhydride, succinic anhydride, etc., with an ethylene copolymer (M.sub.n =700 to 500,000) reacted with maleic anhydride and a polyalkylene polyamine to inhibit cross linking and viscosity increase due to further reaction of any primary amine groups which were initially unreacted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,181 is similar to 4,137,185 in that it teaches using a sulfonic acid to inactivate the remaining primary amine groups when a maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-propylene copolymer 700 M.sub.n =700 to 500,000) is reacted with a polyamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,432 teaches maleic anhydride grafted ethylene copolymer (M.sub.n =700 to 500,000) reacted with a mixture of an amine having only one primary group together with a second amine having two or more primary groups.
Related disclosures of maleic anhydride grafted, aminated ethylene-propylene polymer viscosity improver-dispersant additives useful in lubricating oil compositions are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,507,515; 4,557,847; 4,632,769; 4,693,838; and 4,707,285.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,834 to Uniroyal Chemical discloses preparation (via certain metallocene and alumoxane catalyst systems) and composition of ethylene-alpha olefin copolymers and terpolymers having vinylidene-type terminal unsaturation, which are disclosed to be useful as intermediates in epoxy-grafted encapsulation compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,491 to Mitsui Petrochemical relates to liquid ethylene alpha-olefin random copolymers, useful when hydrogenated as synthetic lubricant oil, characterized inter by having 10-85 mol. % ethylene units, 15-90 mol. % alpha-olefin units, of from 300 to 10,000 and a M.sub.w /M.sub.n of not more than 2.5. The patent also indicates that the liquid copolymer can be easily modified since it has a double bond capable of reacting with maleic anhydride, etc., at the molecular chain ends.
Japanese Published Patent Application 87-129,303A of Mitsui Petrochemical relates to narrow molecular weight distribution (M.sub.w /M.sub.n <2.5) ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer waxes containing 85-99 mol % ethylene, which are disclosed to be used for dispersing agents, modifiers or materials to produce toners. The copolymers (having crystallinity of from 5-85%) are prepared in the presence of a catalyst system comprising Zr compounds having at least one cycloalkadienyl group and alumoxane.
European Patent 128,046 discloses (co)polyolefin reactor blends of polyethylene and ethylene higher alpha-olefin copolymers prepared by employing described dual-metallocene/alumoxane catalyst systems.
European Patent Publication 129,368 discloses metallocene/alumoxane catalysts useful for the preparation of ethylene homopolymer and ethylene higher alpha-olefin copolymers.
European Patent Application Publication 257,696 A relates to a process for dimerizing alpha-olefins using a catalyst comprising certain metallocene/alumoxane systems.
European Patent Publication 305,022-A1 to Mitsui Petrochemical relates to certain synthetic hydrocarbon lubricating oil compositions containing a load-withstanding additive and a liquid ethylene alpha-olefin random copolymer modified by graft copolymerization with an unsaturated carboxylic acid or derivative thereof (e.g., maleic anhydride). The ethylene alpha-olefin copolymers (M.sub.n of 300 to 12,000) are obtained using Ziegler catalysts (e.g., catalyst formed from soluble V compound and an organo aluminum compound), are grafted in the presence of a free radical initiator.
PCT Published Patent Application WO 88/01626 relates to transition metal compound/alumoxane catalysts for polymerizing alpha-olefins. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for determining signal parameters such as the pulse width repetition ratio and the phase angle of periodic square wave signals.
German Pat. No. 11 79 634 discloses an apparatus and process for detecting and determining the phase angle between two alternating currents or alternating voltages. In the disclosed apparatus two square wave signals, each having equal pulse width repetition ratios, are applied to a logical gate circuit which acts to produce at its ouputs a square wave signal. The time averaged value of this square wave signal is proportional to the magnitude of the phase angle. A measuring instrument of the type which is sensitive to current polarity and has a scale with the zero position at the center of the scale can be coupled to the outputs of the gate circuit so that the magnitude and polarity of the phase angle can be displayed directly. In this prior art approach, an indicator such as a pointer is used to provide an analog display of the phase angle. Such an analog display is limited in accuracy; moreover, reading inaccuracies are increased at low frequencies of the square wave signals due to hunting and oscillation of the indicator. In addition, the voltage levels of the two output gates of the gate circuit must correspond with one another closely in magnitude. In order to achieve this correspondence, it is customary to balance the gate circuit. This balancing is not only difficult and time-consuming to achieve, but it also must be repeated from time to time to insure the accuracy of the system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Engine starting apparatus for cranking internal combustion engines can utilize a starter drive that has an over-running clutch. During engine cranking, the over-running clutch is driven by an electric cranking motor and the clutch drives a pinion that, in turn, drives the ring gear of an engine. When the engine starts, the clutch over-runs to thereby prevent the running engine from driving the electric cranking motor.
Engine starting apparatus that utilizes an over-running clutch can produce cranking noise particularly where the pinion is driven from the cranking motor through a gear speed reduction drive. The noise produced is impulsive and is the result of mechanical impact in the starter driveline to the engine. During engine cranking, the load torque due to the engine varies as the engine cylinders go through their compression or expansion strokes. Each time a cylinder begins its compression stroke, it creates a negative engine torque which tends to slow down the engine crankshaft and flywheel. As the piston in a cylinder travels through top dead center, it creates a positive torque which accelerates the flywheel. Due to the large effective inertia of the motor drive (the effective inertia is proportional to the square of the drive ratio), the cranking motor speed cannot follow the engine speed. Therefore, the engine overruns the over-running clutch until the next cylinder begins its compression stroke. This repetitive engaging and disengaging of the over-running clutch creates a noise producing mechanical impact. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to catch basin gates and more particularly pertains to a new catch basin gate for closing a basin opening in a catch basin to inhibit contaminants from entering the catch basin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of catch basin gates is known in the prior art. The prior art commonly teaches a gate pivotally mounted in a catch basin which can easily be overcome by water pressure on the gate. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features the uses a closing plate that is slid into place to close off a basin open and is resistant to being forced open by water pressure. Additionally, the system should include a sensor assembly that detects the vapors released by contaminants and triggers the closing plate to be closed to inhibit further contamination of the catch basin. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to promoting and using brand assets online. More particularly, the invention concerns a framework for brand owners and website owners to control the way of distributing and maintaining brand assets being presented on the Internet.
Description of the Related Art
The Internet is a useful platform for brand owners to promote their brands using various brand assets. The brand assets can include images, videos, presentations, brochures (e.g., PDF or other formats), flash animations, software applications, widgets or other types of media related to the brands. Often, these brand assets are defined by rules as to how they are to be used. These rules are called brand guidelines. When brand owners use their brand assets, they have controls of how the brand assets are used and applied according to the brand guidelines.
In order to extend a brand's reach to a wider audience, a brand owner shares the brand assets with consumers, reseller partners, media, trade associations and other interested third parties for use on websites that are not managed or maintained by the brand owner.
Presently, the method for distributing and maintaining brand assets when they are shared with third parties is manual and disparate. FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the legacy process of distributing and managing brand assets. Once a brand asset has been created in step 101, the brand owner distributes the brand asset to its third party user via email (in step 102) or via an extranet (e.g., a website in step 104 and 106). Ultimately, the recipient of the brand asset uploads the asset into a website system and links the asset in code (e.g., HyperText Markup Language, “HTML”) to the location of the file on the system in step 112. However, previous to publishing the brand asset, the recipient of the brand asset manipulates the brand asset to fit the website that is going to host the asset in step 110. Often, that manipulation violates the brand guidelines, which can potentially harm the equity of the brand. Such manipulation can include stretching images, placing them in places not approved by the brand owners, etc.
Due to the nature of the Internet, users of brand assets can source these assets by copying them from websites other than the brand owner's, in step 108. As a result, these users may use the brand assets that do not conform to the brand guidelines.
Brand assets often change since they represent products, which often receive updates or new models. As a result, brand assets can become out of date quickly. When a person sources an out-of-date brand asset and puts that asset on another website, the incorrect brand information is propagated throughout the Internet, which again harms the brand's equity. Maintaining the currency and correctness of brand assets on websites that are not managed by brand owners is a challenging task, because these brand owners lack visibility to where those brand assets exist on the Internet and lack the ability to remotely update and/or manage those brand assets.
When a brand owner wishes to promote its business on its own website, often multiple brand assets are presented together. For example, a product photograph may be marketed adjacent to a set of specifications, a brochure, a video or some other form of information about the brand and its products or services. This is often called merchandising. When a brand owner controls the website, it is easy for that owner to merchandise these brand assets in a consistent, attractive manner. However, when a brand owner wishes to promote its business on another company's website that is not owned or controlled by the brand owner, it is very difficult to consistently deliver brand assets that are well merchandised together, especially not within a specific, packaged area.
Brands are also used to apply credibility to the users of the brands. For example, a medical board certification or accreditation logo can increase the perceived value of the doctor who has such a certification. There is an association between the beneficiary of such accreditation (e.g. the doctor) and the website that represents that doctor. Today, the brand asset is simply an image file representing the brand logo for that certification and there is no authentication that the brand user is authorized to use the brand and there is no association between the website using the brand asset, the website owner authorized to use the brand asset and the company making the authorization.
Finally, brand owners have limited visibility regarding where these brand assets are used online, who is using those assets, how many people are viewing or interacting with those assets and under what condition those brand assets appear. This impacts the ability for brand owners to control those brand assets, value the brand assets, and evaluate the return on investment from the use of those brand assets. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The autonomic nervous system is separated into the cholinergic and adrenergic nervous systems. Norepinephrine, the neurotransmitter of the adrenergic nervous system, exerts its activity by interaction with receptors (adrenoceptors) on the effector organs or on the nerve endings. The adrenoceptors are of two primary types: .alpha. and .beta.. Based upon selectivity of the receptors for a series of agonists and antagonists, the .alpha. adrenoceptors have been subdivided into .alpha..sub.1 and .alpha..sub.2 subtypes.
A large amount of experimental evidence now supports the view that the .alpha..sub.2 subtype is a heterogeneous adrenoceptor class. (For a general review see Timmermans and Van Zwieten, J. Med. Chem., 25, 1389 (1982)). Experiments using 6-chloro-9-(3-methyl-2-butenyloxy)-3-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzaz epine (SK&F 104078) demonstrated that the classical adrenoceptors are heterogeneous and can be divided into SK&F 104078-insensitive and SK&F 104078 - sensitive .alpha..sub.2 adrenoceptors. The latter variously are referred to as postjunctional .alpha..sub.2 adrenoceptors or, preferably, .alpha..sub.3 adrenoceptors, U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,229, July 28, 1987.
As one of the primary regulators of peripheral vascular tone, .alpha. adrenoceptors long have been the targets of efforts to develop agents effective in changing vascular tone for use in treating diseases, such as hypertension, in which alterations in vascular resistance produce therapeutic benefits. Antihypertensive compounds presently in clinical use that function via interaction with .alpha. adrenoceptors include methyldopa, clonidine, and prazosin. Efforts to modulate sympathetic tone through interactions with .alpha. adrenoceptors have resulted in several compounds that interact somewhat selectively with .alpha..sub.1 or .alpha..sub.2 adrenoreceptors. Selective agonists include phenylephrine and methoxamine which preferentially activate .alpha..sub.1 receptors; and clonidine, .alpha.-methylnorepinephrine, and tramazoline which preferentially activate .alpha..sub.2 adrenoceptors. Examples of selective .alpha.-adrenoceptor antagonists include prazosin which has high selectivity for .alpha..sub.1 adrenoceptors; and the .alpha..sub.2 -selective blockers yohimbine and rauwolscine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,634, describes allyloxy- and allylthio- 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepines useful as intermediates for preparing .alpha..sub.2 adrenoceptor affinity resins and as antihypertensive agents.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,591, 3,904,645, and 3,906,000 disclose substituted compounds of the following base structure: ##STR2## These compounds are disclosed as having utility as hypoglycemic agents.
PCT Application No. WO 87/00522 describes a series of 4-aminotetrahydrobenz[c,d]indoles and tetrahydroazepino[3,4,5-c,d]indoles having the general formula: ##STR3## in which A-B is --CH.sub.2 --CH(NRR)--CH.sub.2 or --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --NR--CH.sub.2. These compounds are disclosed as having utility as dopamine agonists in the treatment of hypertension. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the field of digital logic, extensive use is made of well known and highly developed complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. As CMOS has begun to approach maturity as a technology, there is an interest in alternatives that may lead to higher performance in terms of speed, power dissipation computational density, interconnect bandwidth, and the like. An alternative to CMOS technology comprises superconductor based single flux quantum circuitry, utilizing superconducting Josephson junctions (JJs), with typical signal power of around 4 nanowatts (nW), at a typical data rate of 20 gigabits per second (Gb/s) or greater, and operating temperatures of around 4 kelvins. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Insects, and the damage they cause, are a serious economic threat to farmers worldwide. Insects such as the citrus leaf miner, Phyllocnistis citrella, a major pest of citrus worldwide result in reduced growth rate of young citrus trees and cause extensive damage to new growth which in turn causes a significantly higher instance of citrus canker. Importing countries, for example, will block fruit and vegetable shipments from certain exporting countries, rather than risk their phytosanitary status by importing foreign fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products from areas infested with crop damaging insects and diseases.
The larvae stage of the citrus leaf miner is difficult to control because they are protected within the leaf tissue. The insect larvae can also damage and blemish the external surface of the fruit resulting in fruit loss and grade lowering blemishes. Economic loss is suffered from the diminished fruit value, lack of normal tree growth, lower production per acre, and the increased infection rate of citrus canker.
Semiochemicals (pheromones, allomones, kairomones, attractants, and repellents) can alter or interfere with behavior of insect pests of citrus, pecans, peach, ornamentals, grapes, nursery and horticulture crops. Various devices for release of insect semiochemicals (e.g., sex pheromones) are used. An emulsified wax formulation (SPLAT™, ISCA Technologies) was developed for machine application and slow release of semiochemicals over weeks to months, providing environmentally appropriate control compatible with management practices. Use of SPLAT is limited by difficulties specific to its use as a viscous liquid.
Mating disruption is an essential component of integrated pest management, IPM, programs for major pest reduction worldwide in fruit crops, forage crops, forestry, and stored product warehouses. This method of pest control also reduces the need for the application of broad spectrum insecticides. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Certain types of communication channels are generally restricted in the amount of data that are included in each transmission and in the characters that can be transmitted. If the message is short and limited to the characters that can be transmitted over the channel, the limitations do not present a problem. For example, the accepted protocol for paging channels used to transmit signals to portable paging devices limits the amount of data in each transmission to 240 characters. In addition, only printable American National Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) characters can be transmitted over a paging channel. Since conventional pagers typically have displays on which only a few lines of an alphanumeric message comprising only the printable characters can be displayed, this limitation has not previously posed much of a problem. However, new applications for paging and other portable electronic communication devices are being developed that will greatly expand the amount and type of data, which will be transmitted over paging and other communication channels, and as a consequence, such limitations have become a problem.
The problem is most evident in cases where data not limited to printable ASCII characters must be transmitted over a paging channel or other similarly limited communication channel. Such data may include any of the 256 characters in the expanded ASCII character set typically used in many fonts. The data will be transmitted to a new type of page receiver that includes a microprocessor with a limited memory. In addition to receiving conventional paging messages, the pager also serves as a personal information management (PIM) device. The microprocessor in the pager can execute small software applications called "applets." The data transmitted to this new pager thus often include ASCII characters that are not within the limited printable ASCII character set specified for transmission over paging channels.
One solution to this problem would be to encode the entire data to be transmitted using only the printable ASCII characters that are allowed to be transmitted over the pager communication channel. Such an approach would thus be similar to that used in the UUEncoding of binary files into E-mail messages for transmission over the Internet. However, the technique will often produce an encoded data file that is substantially larger than the original data file, and the encoded file size that is thus produced can easily exceed the 240 characters per transmission limit set by the paging industry. Accordingly, it will be evident that a modified approach must be employed to encode full range of ASCII characters in the data that must be transmitted to the new pager using only the limited printable ASCII characters, so that the resulting encoded data transmitted are compact and the encoded data are less than the limit imposed by the paging channel specification. Furthermore, the method must impose a relatively minimal processing load on the microprocessor included in the pager, so that its efficiency in handling all of the other functions it provides is not adversely affected. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with pattern making apparatus suited for use by upholsterers or other craftsmen in order to facilitate making of a pattern for seat cushions or other upholstery items. However, the invention is in no way limited to this particular end use, and variants of the preferred embodiment can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as for producing a pattern of irregular wall configuration. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improved pattern maker which includes a plurality of elongated rods which cooperatively and slidably carry elongated web means at the outer ends of the rods; the rods are in turn mounted for individual axial shifting thereof as needed to conform to a particular configuration, and in preferred forms the respective rods are laterally shiftable and rotatable to facilitate proper adjustment thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The problem of pattern making with respect to irregular surfaces or objects has long presented problems for craftsmen. For example, upholsterers often need to make patterns of seat cushions and the like in order to prepare a replacement fabric for the cushion. The traditional cut and try method of pattern making in such instances is a costly and time consuming procedure, even for a skilled upholsterer. However, any pattern making apparatus designed to facilitate this operation must be of relatively small size, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive, or no real advantage is gained through the use thereof.
The problem of pattern making is also confronted in connection with irregular wall configurations such as archways or the like. Here again, the traditional approach has been to approximate the configuration and attempt to achieve a final result by additional refinements of the original approximation.
In view of the above, it will be readily apparent that a truly simple and efficient pattern maker adaptable for a wide variety of uses such as those outlined above would represent a real breakthrough in the art.
One type of pattern maker heretofore known is used by tile setters and comprises a plurality of shiftable pins mounted in an appropriate holder. When a pipe or other obstruction is encountered during a tiling job, an outline of the obstruction is taken by appropriate adjustment of the pins to conform to the outline, and the tile is thereafter cut accordingly. It will be seen though, that this type of pattern maker does not have universal applicability and cannot really be used in the instances discussed above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network and to a method for exchanging information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication systems in motor vehicles typically include a plurality of different bus systems, such as CAN, LIN or FlexRay, for example. The communication systems are used for exchanging a multiplicity of brief pieces of information, which, depending on the resolution, are mostly smaller than 8 bytes, cyclically or in an event-controlled manner among connected control units. These pieces of information are combined by a particular control unit into brief messages. By combining individual pieces of information into messages, the bandwidth required for the transmission is reduced, since an improved ratio of metadata, respectively control data to the actual useful data is provided. The metadata are provided by a header and/or a trailer of the message. Typically, the header (head) includes information pertaining to a source address and/or target address, as well as a type of a data packet to be transmitted. Generally, a trailer (appendage) includes a checksum, as well as control and management information.
In comparison to automotive communications protocols, there is a substantial need for control data when working with the Internet Protocol (IP) in the realm of computer networks. In this case, a customary use is the transmission of large-volume data packets, which, in comparison to individual pieces of information within data packets that are transmitted in the motor vehicle, have a large proportion of useful data. These are typically files or streaming data that are transmitted using long data packets. In comparison to the useful data, the meta data here have a smaller volume, so that a favorable ratio between the meta and useful data is obtained.
When the Internet Protocol, respectively IP technology is used in the motor vehicle, an exchange of the brief pieces of information described above leads to an unfavorable utilization of the communication capacity. In comparison to an Internet transmission, the proportion of metadata within a data packet is large in the case of an IP transmission due to the system-related protocol overhead of metadata, so that an unfavorable ratio between the meta data and useful data results. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Aluminum hydroxides and aluminum hydroxyoxides are well known compounds and well established in industrial usage. These compounds can appear in various crystalline forms which can have a significant effect on their properties. Examples of such various forms are known under the names of hydrargillite, bayerite, nordstrandite, boehmite, diaspore, pseudoboehmite, etc.
Basic aluminum chlorides, or aluminum chlorohydroxides as they are sometimes termed, are also well known compounds of the formula Al.sub.2 (OH).sub.6-n Cl.sub.n (n=1 to 5). Such compounds have been widely used in deodorant, antiperspirant and fungicidal preparations.
Various attempts have been made to provide aluminum chloride hydrates of differing structures in order to improve their properties for various applications. Note, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,329 to Shih et al. A common problem with such known aluminum chlorhydroxide compounds is that they are all soluble in water. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This application claims the priority of German application 198 42 979.7, filed in Germany on Sep. 19, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a vehicle seat of the generic type having a seat heating arrangement integrated into a seat cushion, a ventilation device for ventilation of the cushion and a control unit for controlling the heating arrangement and ventilation device.
In the case of a known vehicle seat of this type (German Patent Document DE 196 28 698 C1), the cushion has a ventilation layer which consists of a coarse-meshed knitted spacing fabric, rests on a cushion support consisting of rubberized hair or foam and is covered by an air-permeable pressure-distributing layer. A covering filling consisting of a nonwoven fabric, wool batting or a foam layer of approximately 5-8 mm in thickness is positioned between the pressure-distributing layer and a cushion covering which covers the cushion surface, the cushion covering and covering filling likewise being of air-permeable design. Electric heating wires of the seat-heating arrangement are positioned between the pressure-distributing layer and the covering filling. A arranged in air channels made in the cushion support are miniature fans of the ventilation device which take in air at the underside of the seat and blow it into the ventilation layer. The air spreads out over a large surface area in the ventilation layer and flows out, via the air-permeable cushion layers, at the seat surface and cools the cushion here, which has been heated for example by insolation, to comfortable temperatures. When the seat is occupied, the ventilation of the cushion prevents heat from accumulating in the occupied seat surface and dissipates perspiration moisture from the seat surface.
In the case of a likewise known vehicle with a seat-heating arrangement and seat-ventilation device U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,748 which claims priority to (German Patent Document DE 197 03 516 C1), a control unit is provided in order to achieve considerable temperature-conditioned seat comfort which prevents the seat occupant from perspiring and also from becoming too cold, and said control unit is connected, on the inlet side, to a temperature sensor integrated in the cushion and, on the outlet side, to the electric circuits of the seat-heating arrangement and seat-ventilation device. The control unit controls the switching on and switching off of the seat-heating arrangement and seat-ventilation device, in dependence on the cushion-surface temperature measured by the temperature sensor, in accordance with a predetermined control algorithm.
Such seat-heating arrangements react extremely sluggishly when switched on since the heating elements are located beneath the covering filling or lamination, and in the case of leather seats the heating up is made more difficult by the poor heat conduction of the leather covering. In the winter in particular, a delay in the response time, which may last up to 3 minutes, of the seat-heating arrangement is disadvantageous.
An object of the invention, in the case of a vehicle seat of the type mentioned in the introduction, is significantly to shorten the response times of the seat-heating arrangement when the latter is switched on.
The object is achieved according to the invention by providing an arrangement wherein the control unit at least temporarily activates the ventilation device immediately after the seat-heating arrangement is switched on.
The vehicle seat according to the invention has the advantage that the specific combination of the seat-ventilation device with the seat-heating arrangement in the heating-up phase doubles the heating-up speed of the cushion because, by virtue of the seat-ventilation device being switched on, the ventilation taking place uniformly and over a large surface area, the warm air, which circulates around the heating wires as soon as the seat-heating arrangement has been switched on, is forced to the seat surface.
Advantageous features of preferred embodiments of the vehicle seat according to the invention with expedient configurations and developments of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control operation, in the control unit, which causes the seat-heating arrangement to be switched on is such that the seat-heating arrangement and ventilation device are switched on at full power and the power of the ventilation device is reduced asymptotically to a predetermined end value within a predetermined time interval. This co-ordination of the heating and ventilation power achieves an optimum heating-up speed. This means that the end value can be predetermined manually depending on how warm the user is feeling.
Alternatively, according to one embodiment of the invention, the end value is fixed and, when the end value is reached, the control unit controls the seat-heating arrangement and the ventilation device, in dependence on the cushion-surface temperature measured by means of a temperature sensor, in accordance with a predetermined control mode.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Polypeptide growth factors are important mediators of intercellular communication (Rubin et al. (1989), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:802-806). These molecules are generally released by one cell type and act to influence proliferation of other cell types.
One family of growth factors is the fibroblast growth factors (FGF). There are currently eight known FGF family members which share a relatedness among primary structures: basic fibroblast growth factor, bFGF (Abraham et al. (1986), EMBO J., 5:2523-2528); acidic fibroblast growth factor, aFGF (Jaye et al. (1986), Science, 233:541-545); int-2 gene product, int-2 (Dickson & Peters (1987), Nature, 326:833); hst/kFGF (Delli-Bovi et al. (1987), Cell, 50:729-737, and Yoshida et al. (1987), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:7305-7309); FGF-5 (Zhan et al. (1988), Mol. Cell. Biol., 8:3487-3495); FGF-6 (Marics et al. (1989), Oncogene, 4:335-340); keratinocyte growth factor (Finch et al. (1989), Science, 24:752-755; Rubin et al. (1989), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:802-806; Ron et al. (1993), The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 268(4):2984-2988; and Yan et al. (1991), In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., 27A:437-438); and hisactophilin (Habazzettl et al. (1992), Nature, 359:855-858).
Among the FGF family of proteins, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a unique effector of non-fibroblast epithelial (particularly keratinocyte) cell proliferation derived from mesenchymal tissues. The term "native KGF" refers to a natural human (hKGF) or recombinant (rKGF) polypeptide (with or without a signal sequence) as depicted by the amino acid sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:2 or an allelic variant thereof. [Unless otherwise indicated, amino acid numbering for molecules described herein shall correspond to that presented for the mature form of the native molecule (i.e., minus the signal sequence), as depicted by amino acids 32 to 194 of SEQ ID NO:2, with the initial MET in each such sequence being considered residue number "0".]
Native KGF may be isolated from natural sources. For example, hKGF can be isolated from medium conditioned by an embryonic lung fibroblast cell line (Rubin et al. (1989), supra. Three chromatographic steps, namely heparin-Sepharose.TM. (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) affinity chromatography, HPLC gel filtration, and reverse-phase HPLC, were used to obtain a purified hKGF preparation. Approximately 6 mg of hKGF were recovered from 10 liters of conditioned medium. These chromatographic steps only recovered 0.8% total hKGF based upon a mitogenic activity assay. A further example teaches the use of another chromatographic step using heparin-Sepharose.TM. affinity and Mono-S.TM. ion-exchange chromatographys (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) for isolation of rKGF produced in bacteria (Ron et al. (1993), Journal of Biological Chemistry, 268:2984-2988).
The properties of keratinocyte growth factors suggest a potential for the application thereof as a drug for promoting specific stimulation of epithelial cell growth. It therefore would be desirable to develop a method or methods for obtaining relatively high levels of homogeneous keratinocyte growth factors to provide sufficient quantities of material for comprehensive in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation and for a potential therapeutic application.
It is the object of this invention to provide a novel method for the purification of keratinocyte growth factors. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As it is known, the damping of the noise perceived in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is still one of the key issues in the automotive industry, with the aim of improving passengers' acoustic comfort.
Basically, the damping of the noise perceived in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle can be obtained through two different approaches, which can be used alternatively or in combination: a so-called passive approach, which is based on the use of proper soundproofing materials, and a so-called active approach, which is based on active noise control (ANC), also known as active noise cancellation (ANC), active noise reduction (ANR) or active noise damping (AND), through which the noise is reduced by adding a sound that is specifically designed to disruptively interfere with the noise, so as to mitigate it or even completely cancel it in the ideal case in which the added sound is perfectly identical to the noise but with an opposite phase.
A solution based on active noise control in the automotive industry is disclosed, for example, in DE 43 05 217 A1, wherein the noise in the passenger compartment is measured by means of sound sensors properly arranged in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and then is hindered by diffusing in the passenger compartment a proper sound signal by means of the loudspeakers of the stereo system of the motor vehicle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Powders of metals, ceramics, plastics, etc. having particle diameters of several .mu.m or larger which are coated with a certain metal by electroless plating, chemical replacement plating based on ionization series, CVD, etc. are used for catalysts, ornaments, powder metallurgy, dispersed reinforcing particles for composite materials, materials which provide electromagnetic shielding materials with electric conductivity, etc. Powders used for such purposes should preferably be as small as possible because the specific surface area of a powder increases with decreasing particle size and thus powders of smaller particle sizes have better sintering properties, reactivity, etc. Therefore, development of techniques by which fine particles of smaller diameter can be coated with a wider range of materials is strongly desired.
JP-A 56-130469(1981) discloses a process for preparing powders coated with a noble metal which have the same appearance as said noble metal and can be used for ornaments, said process comprising coating a fine powder of glass, a ceramic or a plastic which has a diameter of not smaller than 50 .mu.m with a noble metal by sputtering as the powder is being cascaded on an inclined surface.
However, it is believed to be extremely difficult to firmly and uniformly coat fine particles smaller than 10 .mu.m with a metal or a ceramic by the conventional processes mentioned above or by PVD process such as sputtering, ion plating, etc, and successful coating of this type has not been reported. The difficulty arises because fine powders with particle diameter smaller than 10 .mu.m exhibit strong aggregation and thus easily form secondary particles, and may adsorb moisture and various gases.
Under the circumstances, the inventor disclosed in JP-A 62-250172(1987), a process for coating ultrafine powder of a metal, a ceramic or a plastic whose primary particles have an average particle diameter of 100 .ANG. to 1 .mu.m with a metal, a ceramic or a plastic, said process comprising:
(a) dispersing the particles of said powder into primary particles by fluid-jet-milling in an inert atmosphere and carrying the particles by an inert gas; PA1 (b) heating the dispersed ultrafine powder in a heating zone of an inert atmosphere under a reduced pressure; PA1 (c) dropping the powder in a sputtering chamber provided with vertical targets so as to fall in the direction parallel with said targets and thus coating said powder with a metal, a ceramic or a plastic by sputtering; and PA1 (d) repeating the procedures of the above (a), (b) and (c). PA1 (1) It takes a long time to uniformly coat each particle of a fine powder having a particle size of 0.1 .mu.m to 10 .mu.m by sputtering since the powder has a vast surface area. It was further found that the sputtering time is determined by the free falling velocity of the falling particles in the sputtering chamber (vacuum) while the sputtering (coating) proceeds at almost the same speed as in the atmosphere. Because of this, it is often difficult to uniformly coat heavy metal powders particle by particle. PA1 (2) In the case of light powders, it was found that powder particles diffuse during free falling in the sputtering chamber and some of the powders tend to adhere to the targets and hinder the normal sputtering. PA1 (a) dispersing particles of said fine powder into primary particles by fluid jet mill treatment in an inert atmosphere; PA1 (b) heating the dispersed fine powder in an inert atmosphere under reduced pressure; PA1 (c) placing the heated powder in a rotary barrel sputtering chamber, forming a fluidized bed by rotating the barrel at a low speed, and coating said fluidized powder by sputtering as the barrel is being rotated. PA1 (1) a sputtering chamber comprising an evacuable rotary barrel supported by two separate rotation shafts, wherein a sputtering source or sources are supported by the first rotation shaft, and the second rotation shaft functions as a conduit for introducing fine powder to be coated and taking out coated fine powder; PA1 (2) a fluid jet mill means communicating with the sputtering chamber via a conduit provided with a valve and the second rotation shaft which functions as a conduit for taking out coated powder; PA1 (3) an evacuable heat-treating vessel communicating with said fluid jet mill means via a conduit provided with a valve; and PA1 (4) a powder-introducing conduit provided with a valve which communicates said heat-treating vessel and said second rotation shaft.
However, it was discovered that the process involves the following problems:
This invention is intended to solve the above problems and provide a sputtering process and apparatus for coating the surface of primary particles of a diameter of 0.1 .mu.m to 10 .mu.m firmly and uniformly with a metal or a ceramic. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an athletic glove conditioning system. More particularly, the invention relates to a system which utilizes a hand member to be fitted inside a baseball or softball glove and a mechanical apparatus for effecting a repetitive flexing movement upon the athletic glove while the hand member remains therein.
Baseball gloves, softball gloves, and the like are often constructed of thick leather and one drawback to new leather athletic gloves is the amount of time and energy required for breaking them in since they are quite inflexible when newly purchased. Accordingly, in an attempt to solve the problems associated with breaking in of baseball gloves, several references uncovered in the prior art provide devices for shaping thereof to enhance the ability of the gloves to catch baseball or softball. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,114 to Mitchell discloses an apparatus for breaking in baseball gloves comprising a holder on which the glove can be mounted, and an air-operated impact member which is repeatedly caused to strike a palm part of the glove to soften the leather at the palm part. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,493 to Ebeling discloses a tool for breaking in baseball gloves that includes a head portion for pounding into the glove pocket and a handle portion for holding the tool.
While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The rejection of transplanted tissue and autoimmune diseases are pathological conditions that involve an immunorejection of a foreign biomolecule because of its antigenic nature. Many drugs and clinical processes are involved in suppressing or treating immunorejection. Vaccines take advantage of this process by stimulating an immune response to antigens on pathogenic biomolecules to build up the immune system response against proteins or other biomolecules that carry the antigen. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
More particularly, the invention relates to a process for preparing substantially caffeine-free extracts containing polyphenols derived from epigallocatechin in their natural ratio.
Caffeine is known to have undesirable effects on the cardiovascular system as well as a mutagenic effect, and it is usually removed from such polyphenol fractions by extraction with carbon dioxide under hypercritical conditions or with chlorinated solvents. However, the above techniques are not intended to, nor are they capable of, producing extracts with reproducible amounts of the polyphenol compounds responsible for beneficial biological effects.
The polyphenols, characteristic of the tea plant, have recently been the object of a great interest due to their strong antioxidant effect, as described in, for example, Zhao B. et al, Cell Biophys. 14, 175 (1989) and Huang M. T. et al., Carcinogenesis 13, 947 (1992). Such an effect is apparently related to some extent to the capability of some of these polyphenols (for example epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate) of inhibiting formation of neoplasias artificially induced in the laboratory animals (Conney A. H. et al., Prev. Med. 21, 361 (1992) and Mukhtar H. et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 102, 3 (1994)).
Moreover, some recent epidemiological studies evidenced how the consumption of large amounts of green tea is associated with a lower incidence of degenerative chronic diseases, for example some forms of cancer and atherosclerosis, see, e.g., Kono, S. et al., Jpn. J. Cancer Res. 79, 1067 (1988); Oguni I. et al., Agric. Biol. Chem. 52, 1879 (1988); Kato I et al., Jpn J. Cancer Res. 81, 1101 (1990) and Kono S. et al., Prev. Med. 21, 526 (1992).
At present, the mechanisms of action of the substances contained in green tea derivatives have not yet been completely elucidated, apart from the general antioxidant effect described above. It has, however, been determined that the polyphenol component of green tea is capable of exerting a differentiated cytotoxic effect depending on the type of cell which is studied and that such a differentiation is particularly related to the selective targeting which some of these polyphenol molecules have towards sub-cell sites such as mitochondria.
Therefore, there has been a long-felt need, which is now met by the present invention, for a method of extracting Camellia sinensis that produces extracts containing a predetermined, i.e., "standardized" amount of polyphenols and wherein the caffeine content of these extracts is minimized, if not eliminated totally. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Art
This invention relates to a polarization conversion element to be used on various optical appliances, and to an optical system containing such a polarization conversion element.
2. Prior Art
A beam splitter is used on various optical appliances as an optical element for splitting an incident light flux into two or more light paths. A certain type of beam splitter functions to split incident light into a number of light paths on the basis of diffraction of light, while another type of beam splitter functions to split incident light by transmission and reflection of light. An optical element which splits light by transmission and reflection of light is generally known as a half mirror. In this regard, half mirrors are not necessary made to split light equally into a number of light paths. Certain half mirrors are adapted to split light at an arbitrary ratio.
A half mirror is fabricated by laminating an optical film on a transparent material like optical glass. The laminating optical film can be a semi-transmitting type which is adapted to reflect incident light at a predetermined rate while transmitting the remainder, or a polarizing type which is adapted to reflect one of two polarized components with perpendicularly intersecting planes of polarization while transmitting the other component. Therefore, optical elements which are called “a half mirror” in a broad sense include a semi-transmitting film type and a polarizing film type which should be called “a half mirror” and “a polarizing beam splitter” in a narrow sense, respectively. In splitting incident light by reflection and transmission, the half mirror in the narrow sense can reflect and transmit light at an arbitrary ratio by controlling the transmission rate through the semi-transmitting film. On the other hand, of two polarized components with rectangularly intersecting planes of polarization, certain polarizing beam splitters are arranged to have such properties as to transmit one polarized component 100% while reflecting the other polarized component 100%. In this regard, it is possible to hold the transmission rate of one polarized component and the reflection rate of the other polarized component at a value less than 100%. The former can be classified as “complete beam splitter” and the latter can be classified as “incomplete beam splitter.”
Polarized components of incident light, which is cast on a half mirror for splitting a light path, include linearly polarized light, circularly polarized light and elliptically polarized light. Even linearly polarized light may contain not only a component having a plane of polarization in perpendicularly intersecting relation relative to a certain plane of polarization but also components having a plane of polarization at an arbitrary angle relative to the certain plane of polarization. Further, elliptically polarized light includes a wide range of components from a component akin to circular polarization to a component of flat elliptic polarization which can be almost regard as linear polarization. Besides, the line of apsides lies in an arbitrary direction.
Gathering from the foregoing, normally a half mirror of the narrow sense is used as an optical element which transmits and reflect incident light in a controlled ratio. On the other hand, it has been the general practice to use a polarizing beam splitter particularly for splitting incident light having perpendicularly intersecting polarized components which are called p- and s-polarized components.
In the case of the half mirror, a beam splitter in a narrow sense, as a semi-transmitting film a metal film is laminated on a transparent member like optical glass. In order to control the transmission and reflection ratio, the metal film is formed by the use of metals such as silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), gold (Au) and chromium (Cr). Of these metals, silver and aluminum are low in wavelength dependency. That is to say, in order to split light of a broad wavelength range, it is necessary to use silver or aluminum. Comparing semi-transmitting films of the same transmission rate, it is preferable to employ a semi-transmitting film of silver rather than aluminum for the control of transmission rate, taking into account the effort which is required in making the aluminum film thinner. However, due to dependency on polarized components of incident light in addition to dependency on wavelength, it is difficult even for silver to split incident light strictly in a desired transmission and reflection ratio over a wide wavelength range. Above all, in the fields of optical pickups and other recently developed high precision optical devices like photo-computing devices, one faces difficulties in getting accurate light splitting characteristics by the use of a half mirror laminated with a silver semi-transmitting film.
In connection with a half mirror using a semi-transmitting film of silver, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2001-13308 discloses a half mirror with a function of correcting variations in transmission-reflection ratio attributable to wavelength dependency and polarized components of incident light. According to this published patent literature, as a semi-transmitting film to be laminated on a half mirror (in a narrow sense), a metal film of silver is combined with a dielectric layer of low or medium refraction material and a dielectric layer of high refraction material to solve the problem of variations in transmission-reflection ratio due to wavelength dependency and polarized components.
Further, silver is problematic in weather resistance, namely, characteristics of a silver semi-transmitting film changes over a long period of time, with progress of corrosion which occurs under the influence of temperature and humidity. Besides, if incident light is of a wide range in wavelength, it may become difficult in some cases to prevent marked variations in transmission-reflection ratio and to guarantee sufficient reliability. In the case of the half mirror of the above-mentioned published patent literature, three films of different materials, i.e., a metal film and two dielectric films, have to be formed to stabilize the transmission-reflection ratio. In addition, considering the necessity for laminating a protective film layer on the metal film for the improvement of the weather resistance, it is likely that the fabrication process will become difficult and result in an expensive optical element.
Polarizing beam splitters, i.e., another type of half mirror in a broad sense, are stabilized in optical characteristics because no metallic films are used as optical films, and can maintain a predetermined transmission-reflection ratio accurately over a wide wavelength range by providing a suitable number of polarizing films of an adequate thickness. However, it is difficult to split incident light in a desired ratio without controlling polarized components in the incident light flux.
In splitting incident light in a controlled ratio, optical characteristics of the above-mentioned polarizing beam splitters do not necessarily require that the incident light be composed of two perpendicularly intersecting linearly polarized components. Namely, according to optical characteristics of polarizing beam splitters, it is possible to accurately control the transmission-reflection ratio for two perpendicularly intersecting polarized components of the same energy profile even if the two components are not linearly polarized in a strict sense. That is, in case two perpendicularly intersecting components of incident light on a polarizing beam splitter are of the same energy profile, the polarizing beam splitter can split the incident light substantially in the same way as incident light consisting of two perpendicularly intersecting linearly polarized components. Accordingly, if it becomes possible for a polarizing beam splitter to convert incident light into perpendicularly intersecting polarized components with the same energy profiles in an initiatory or introductory stage, the polarizing beam splitter can find a wide range of applications because it is reliable in weather resistance and stable in optical characteristics as a light splitting means. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.