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This invention relates to the fields of computers and electronic communications. More particularly, a system, apparatus, graphical user interface and methods are provided for conducting electronic voice communications with status notifications.
Wireless telephones have become indispensable accessories and accompany most people wherever they go. Mobile telephone users are therefore almost always reachable via some form of communication. The ability to conduct live, real-time voice communications is still the main reason many people carry their phones, but many other people may use their telephones more for non-voice communications than for real-time voice communication.
In particular, many people use wireless telephones to exchange short text messages via SMS (Short Message Service). SMS messages are generally limited to 140 characters of text, and are conveyed via control channels of wireless telephone service providers' voice networks. Thus, whether a wireless telephone user is sending a text message to one person or to many people, he or she is limited in how much he or she can communicate at one time. MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) was developed to allow media (e.g., images, video) to be conveyed to and from wireless telephones, but still relies on the SMS protocol to deliver a notification to the recipient.
A wireless telephone user's ability to exchange recorded voice communications with another wireless telephone user, however, are cumbersome, even with MMS. In particular, initiating a voice recording (or other audio recording) on a typical wireless telephone requires multiple actions, such as manipulation of multiple controls in the correct sequence. For example, a user may need to open a recording application, start a recording, end the recording, possibly name it for storage, open a communication application, create a message to the desired recipient, select an option to add an attachment, then find and attach the recording. Even if the originating and destination users are operating a common communication application, the originator may still need to open a menu to find and select an option to make a recording, start the recording, stop it, then select an option to send it to the recipient. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a NAND type flash memory or other semiconductor memory device having memory strings connected to bit lines and source lines via selection switches and to a signal processing system provided with such a semiconductor memory device, more particularly relates to an error correction processing technology of a semiconductor memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a NAND type flash memory, a plurality of memory transistors are connected in series to form memory strings. Two memory strings share one bit contact and source line, whereby a higher integration is achieved.
In a general NAND type flash memory, an erase operation is performed by, for example, applying 0V to all word lines to which a selected memory string is connected, making all word lines to which unselected memory strings are connected floating states, and applying a high voltage (20V) to the substrate of the memory array. As a result, electrons are drained from the floating gates to the substrate for only the memory transistors of the selected memory string. As a result, the threshold voltages of the memory transistors shift to the negative direction and become, for example, −3V.
Further, data is written in units of so-called “pages” of several hundreds to several thousands bytes for memory transistors connected to the selected word line all together. Specifically, for example, a high voltage (for example, 18V) is applied to the selected word lines, 0V is applied to bit lines to which memory transistors into which data is to be written (0 data) are connected, and a high level voltage (for example 3.3V) is applied to bit lines to which memory transistors for which the writing is to be prohibited (1 data) are connected. As a result, electrons are injected into the floating gates for only the selected memory transistors into which the data is to be written. The threshold voltages of the selected memory transistors shift to the positive direction and become, for example, about 2V.
In such a NAND type flash memory, data is both written and erased by an FN (Fowler Nordheim) tunnel current, so there is the advantage that supply of an operation current from a booster circuit in a chip is relatively easy and operation with a single power supply is easy. Further, since the data is written into the memory transistors connected to the selected word lines all together in units of pages, this is superior to a NOR type flash memory in the point of the write speed.
In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device for performing page write operations in units of word line sectors like the above mentioned NAND type flash memory, the data is written into all memory cells connected to the selected word line all together. However, the memory cells connected to the selected word line vary in size due to the production process, so differences occur in the write speed. Specifically, in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device performing page write operations in units of word line sectors like a NAND type flash memory, a distribution arises in the time required for writing among memory cells.
Taking such variation as the write speed in account, from the viewpoint of keeping the distribution of the threshold voltage Vth at the time of the write operation narrow in a general NAND type flash memory, etc., the write operation is carried out through a verify operation. This write/verify operation is repeated until all memory cells finish being written by successively prohibiting the write operations from the memory cell finished being written for a so-called bit verify operation. In the case of a general memory cell, however, the time taken for programming is t0, but there will sometimes very rarely be memory cells which take an extremely long programming time of, for example, t1 (>t0) or more due to variation in the process. In such a case, the number of times of the above write/verify operation is set to a large number of, for example, 100 times or more for such a rare memory cell with such a slow write speed.
Further, the data is read into the NAND type flash memory by establishing the data stored in the memory cells through a sense amplifier and storing the data in a data register in units of random accessed pages, then serially transferring the page data to the outside in units of one or two bytes. Specifically, for example, a voltage of 0V is supplied to the selected word line and a voltage of about 4V is supplied to the unselected word lines. In the case of a NAND type flash memory, a plurality of memory cells is connected in series, therefore the read current of the memory cells is small in comparison with the NOR type flash memory, and thus the so-called “random access time” for establishing the data stored in the memory cells through the sense amplifier is long.
Further, in error correction of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, such as a NAND type flash memory, a redundant memory area is provided. A defective portion is found before shipment of the product and physically replaced by this redundant memory. The main type of error correction code (ECC) used is a hamming code, BCH code, or other code for error correction in units of bits. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift register with a lower coupling effect. More particularly, the present invention relates to a LCD having shift registers with lower coupling effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional LCD 100. The LCD 100 comprises a pixel circuit 110, a shift register area 120. The pixel circuit 110 comprises a plurality of pixels 111. The shift register area 120 comprises a plurality of shift registers S1-Sn for receiving the external voltage level signal VSS, the clock signal XCK, the clock signal CK, and a start signal ST and for transmitting gate driving signals G1-Gn to the pixel circuit 110 according to the received signals. The pixel circuit 110 respectively drives the pixels 111 according to the gate driving signals G1-Gn for displaying.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the shift register area 120 of the conventional LCD 100. As shown in FIG. 2, all of the shift registers S1-Sn receives the voltage level signal VSS, the clock signal XCK, and the clock signal CK. The first shift register S1 receives the start signal ST, and transmits the first gate driving signal G1 to the pixel circuit 110 and the second shift register S2 after a predetermined period according to the signals VSS, XCK, and CK. The second shift register S2 receives the first gate driving signal G1, and transmits the second gate driving signal G2 to the pixel circuit 110 and the third shift register S3 after the predetermined period, and so on. Thus, each shift register of the shift register area 120 sequentially transmit gate driving signals to drive the pixels 111 of the pixel circuit 110.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the signals of the conventional shift register area 120. As shown in FIG. 3, when the first shift register S1 receives the start signal ST, the shift register area 120 is triggered to sequentially generate the gate driving signal G1, and then G2, and so on. In this way, the pixels 111 of the pixel circuit 110 are sequentially driven for displaying.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional shift register 400. The shift register 400 comprises seven switches Q1-Q7, 3 control circuits 410-430, and an output circuit 440. The output circuit 440 comprises a switch Q8. The control circuit 410 respectively controls the voltages of the nodes B and C through the switches Q2 and Q3 according to the clock signal CK. When the control circuit 410 turns on the switches Q2 and Q3 according to the clock signal CK, the voltages of the nodes B and C are pulled to the voltage level VSS. The control circuit 420 respectively controls the voltages of the nodes B and C through the switches Q4 and Q5 according to the clock signal XCK. When the control circuit 420 turns on the switches Q4 and Q5 according to the clock signal XCK, the voltages of the nodes B and C are pulled to the voltage level VSS. The control circuit 430 respectively controls the voltages of the nodes B and C through the switches Q6 and Q7 according to the gate driving signal Gn+1 of the next stage. When the control circuit 430 turns on the switches Q6 and Q7 according to the gate driving signal Gn+1 of the next stage, the voltages of the nodes B and C are pulled to the voltage level VSS. The output circuit 440 transmits the clock signal CK to the node C for generating the gate driving signal Gn according to the voltages of the nodes B and C. In this way, when the gate driving signal Gn−1 of the previous stage inputs the shift register 400, the shift register 400 operates the way shown in FIG. 3, delays a predetermined period, and then outputs the gate driving signal Gn.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a gate driving signal Gn of the conventional shift register. Because an intrinsic capacitor C1 of the switch Q8 exists between the nodes B and A which enables the current to flow from the node A to the node B, this interferes with the switch Q8 and causes the switch Q8 to turn off incompletely and still pass unwanted signals. In other words, when the switch Q8 is turned-off, parts of the clock signal CK still pass to the node C and affects the gate driving signal Gn. The condition described above gets worse as the switch Q8 becomes old. Thus, the gate driving signal gets worse and the quality of the display is deteriorated. | {
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1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to a transport container for cut flowers comprising at least one substantially watertight first container part for receiving the stems of cut flowers as well as a second container part, which at least during transport largely surrounds the cut flowers.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to keep cut flowers fresh during transport, they are preferably transported in water, especially in the case of long distances. It is in addition preferred to transport flowers in transport containers to protect the flowers against damage. This usually involves a transport container in the form of a cardboard box, on whose floor a watertight bucket is placed. The bucket constitutes a first container part and is filled with water for receiving the stems of the flowers. The box forms a second container part, whose height is adapted to the length of the flowers such that during transport they are concealed therein and protected against damage.
A drawback of this known transport container is that not infrequently water spills from the bucket into the packaging due to, for example, jolting and shaking during transport and transfer causing the cardboard packaging to soften at the expense of the stability of the packaging. In addition, the flowers have to be unpacked at their place of destination, which is not only time-consuming but also leaves much packaging waste.
Another problem is that the cut flowers may become damaged when the bucket with flowers is being placed into the packaging and when the bucket with the cut flowers is being taken out of the packaging. This is related to the long stems that cut flowers may have, so that during handling of the bucket the cut flowers may become spoiled. | {
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Demand for wireless broadband access communication is trending upwards. Such systems include Local Area Network (LAN) systems and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) systems, for example. Although new wireless systems are continually being developed, such as IEEE 802.16 wireless broadband communication systems, the amount of frequency spectrum is limited within each system while demands for increased Quality of Service (QoS) increase. As a result, more and more users are driven to use a fixed amount of bandwidth with a given quality level in any particular broadband system. This results in congestion and subsequently problems in communication latency in obtaining a communication link when entering the system. This problem is compounded for mobile communication systems, wherein a mobile station moving between cells of a broadband system will require communication overhead to deal with handovers between base stations, resulting in even further delay or latency issues.
Specifically, during handover conditions in IEEE 802.16 communication systems a Mobile Station (MS) exchanges a number of Media Access Control (MAC) Management Messages with a Base Station (BS). These messages form a series of Request/Response pairs, i.e. the MS receives a downlink message and, as a result, generates a response message in the uplink direction. Alternatively, the BS receives an uplink message and, as a result, generates a response message in the downlink direction. Decisions regarding handover procedures are made and communicated between an MS connected with a BS in time segments called frames. The size of a frame in IEEE 802.16 is variable and can range from two to twenty milliseconds.
One of the factors that can significantly affect the delay associated with a communication link handover is the time at which channel descriptor data about the BSs in an 812.16 network is provided to the MS. Currently, there exists no means for the MS to have the most recent identifying channel descriptor data of a target BS available in a handover procedure so that the MS is quickly informed of data such as uplink channel descriptors (UCD) and downlink channel descriptors (DCD) to avoid delaying the handover procedures. Without informing the MS of the identifying data of the target BS in a timely manner, the MS must wait until a serving BS notifies the MS of the target BS identifying data at the low frequency of approximately once a second as required by IEEE 802.16 standards. Alternatively, the MS has to first switch to the target BS and wait for the target BS to broadcast its own identifying data, which further increases delay.
Referring to FIG. 2, which is described in more detail below, the procedure of handing over the MS from the serving BS to the target BS is shown as currently enabled by the IEEE 802.16 standard. As seen, there is no requirement during the handover process to inform the MS of the most recent identifying data before the handover actually occurs. At any time during the process, the target BS identifying data, including the UCD and DCD, can be sent to the MS and the identifying data can change. The MS might not have the correct data to accurately complete the handover procedure if the UCD and DCD change between the time the last identifying message is sent to the MS and the time the handover is initiated. In any event, the MS must wait for the synchronization between the MS and the target BS before it will know the identifying data and, in particular, the correct UCD and DCD of the target BS. Alternatively, the MS has to switch to the target BS first and then wait for that BS to broadcast its own identifying data and in particular the correct UCD and DCD.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that reduces the amount of latency and delay in wireless broadband communication systems, particularly in communication handover procedures. It would also be an advantage to inform MS of the UCD and DCD of the target MS in a timely manner and before the process of handing over the MS from the serving BS to the target BS occurs. Such an improvement would provide the MS with more accurate and current data to increase the speed of the handover process.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to methods of offering caching services to servers in a network. Other aspects of the invention relate to a caching device and a caching aggregator for offering caching services to a server through a network. Yet further aspects of the invention relate to a server in a network for receiving and either accepting or rejecting offers of caching services from caching devices in the network.
2. Description of Related Art
Caching appliances are typically purchased by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide better Internet performance for their customers. Inktomi and Akamai provide such caching appliances. The caching appliances can be used to reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed by an ISP by serving some requests from a local cache. A caching appliance can also improve internet access performance for end users when the end users access web sites.
Currently ISPs that own caching appliances do not receive any revenue for placing web content on the caching appliances. As content is requested by end users it is copied into a cache as it is delivered. The ISP has no control over what is placed into the cache. There is no compensation to the cache owner by the content provider when content is placed in the cache. There is a need for new caching appliances and methods to make possible the generation of revenue by the owners of such appliances. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fabricating method of an organic electro luminescence display device and an organic electro luminescence display device using the same, and more particularly to a fabricating method of an organic electro luminescence display device that simplifies its manufacturing process by forming a barrier rib by use of a new material, and an organic electro luminescence display device using the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, various flat panel display devices have been developed that have reduced weight and bulk to overcome the disadvantages of a cathode ray tube (CRT). Such flat panel display devices include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as ‘PDP’) and an organic electro luminescence (hereinafter, referred to as ‘EL’) display, etc.
Among them the PDP is simple in structure and fabrication process, thus the PDP is drawing attention as the most advantageous display device to be made in large sizes while being light and thin but there is a disadvantage in that its light emission efficiency and brightness are low and its power consumption is high. In comparison to this, an active matrix LCD having a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as ‘TFT’) as a switching device uses a semiconductor process, thus it is difficult to make large LCDs due to manufacturing yield problems, and its power consumption is high due to a backlight unit. Further, the LCD has a disadvantage in that its viewing angle is narrow and there is a high light loss by optical devices such as a polarizing filter, a prism sheet, a diffusion plate, etc.
In comparison to this, the EL display device is generally divided into an inorganic EL display device and an organic EL display device in accordance with the type of material in a light emitting layer. The EL display is a self luminous device and has an advantage in that its response speed is fast, its light emission efficiency and brightness are high and its viewing angle is wide. An inorganic EL display device has higher power consumption than an organic EL display device, and the inorganic EL display device does not have high brightness and does not emit light with various colors of R (red), G (green) and B (blue). On the contrary, the organic EL display device is driven at a low DC voltage of several tens of volts, and the organic EL display device has a rapid response speed, has high brightness and can emit light with various colors of R, G, B, thus it is suitable for the next generation flat panel display device.
The organic EL display device includes sub-pixels arranged in an area defined by the crossing of gate lines and the data lines. The sub-pixel receives a data signal from the data line when a gate pulse is supplied to the gate line, and the sub-pixel emits light corresponding to the data signal, thereby displaying a picture.
The organic EL display device includes: an upper array substrate where an EL cell is formed; a lower array substrate where a drive TFT for driving the EL cell is formed; and a spacer that connects a cathode electrode of the EL cell to a drain electrode of the drive TFT.
Currently, the EL cell is formed to be separated by barrier ribs, and the barrier rib is formed in a reverse taper shape in order to divide the EL cell. The barrier ribs of the reverse taper shape effectively divide an organic light emitting layer of the EL cell and further make the cathode electrode separated by only the deposition of an electrode material without patterning. Accordingly, its yield is improved because the organic EL display device effectively separates the organic light emitting layer by the barrier ribs with the reverse taper shape, and its manufacturing cost is reduced because the cathode electrode is formed without being patterned.
Hereinafter, in reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C, a detailed description will be made for a method of forming the barrier ribs with the reverse taper shape of the organic EL display device as follows.
Referring to FIG. 1A, according to a fabricating method of a barrier rib 8 with a reverse taper shape in an organic EL display device of the related art, a silicon nitride SiN×1 8a is deposited on the entire surface of an upper substrate 2, where a bus electrode 5, an anode electrode 4 and an insulating film 6 are formed, at a temperature of not greater than 280° C.
Subsequently, a silicon nitride SiN×2 8b is deposited on the entire surface of the silicon nitride SiN×1 8a that is deposited on the entire surface at a temperature of not greater than 280° C., at a temperature greater than 350° C., as shown in FIG. 1B. And then, the silicon nitride 8a, 8b is patterned by a photolithography process and a dry etching process, thereby forming the barrier rib 8 with an upright taper in a lower part and a reverse taper in an upper part, as shown in FIG. 1C.
Herein, the silicon nitride has a characteristic of being differently etched during the dry etching process in accordance with the deposit temperature. To describe this in detail, the silicon nitride deposited at the temperature of not greater than 280° C. is etched with an upright taper shape by the dry etching process, and the silicon nitride deposited at the temperature greater than 350° C. is etched in the reverse taper shape by the dry etching process. Accordingly, the barrier rib 8 of the organic EL display device of the related art deposits the silicon nitride at different temperatures, and thus, by use of the characteristic of the silicon nitride it is possible to form the barrier rib 8 having an upright taper shape in the lower part and the reverse taper shape in the upper part.
However, the fabricating method of the organic EL display device of the related art has a characteristic that the silicon nitride SiN×2 deposited at the temperature greater than 350° C. is etched to have a large reverse taper, as shown in FIG. 2, by the dry etching process. Due to this, the fabricating method of the organic EL display device of the related art produces a phenomenon where an area where the organic light emitting layer 10 can be formed is hidden by the big reverse taper and should form the barrier rib 8 with a height higher than a height by which the organic light emitting layer 10 is filled.
Accordingly, the fabricating method of the organic EL display device of the related art lowers the thickness of the silicon nitride deposited at the temperature greater than 350° C. in order to reduce the height of the barrier rib SiN×2 8b with the reverse taper shape, thereby reducing the phenomenon that the area where the organic light emitting layer 10 can be formed is hidden by the barrier rib 8b with the reverse taper shape. The fabricating method forms the barrier rib 8a with the upright taper by depositing the silicon nitride at the temperature of not greater than 280° C. in the lower part of the barrier rib 8b with the reverse taper, thereby forming the barrier rib 8 at the height by which the organic light emitting layer 10 can be filled.
Accordingly, the fabricating method of the organic EL display device of the related art deposits an inorganic material such as the silicon nitride at deposition temperatures that are different from each other, thus the barrier rib 8a with the upright taper shape is formed at the lower part and the barrier rib 8b with the reverse taper shape is formed at the upper part, thus there is a disadvantage that the number of processes for forming the barrier rib 8 with the reverse taper shape is increased because the barrier rib 8 is formed in double layer.
Also, according to the related art, if the silicon nitride deposited on a substrate in single layer, for example, at the temperature greater than 350° C., then patterned by a dry etching process to form a barrier rib, the barrier rib is formed in an upright taper by the characteristic of the dry etching process. So, according to the related art, a barrier rib with a reverse taper can not be achieved in single layer using a silicon nitride.
According to another related art, a barrier rib can be formed by depositing photosensitive organic material on a substrate and pattering it with a photolithography process. However, as the barrier rib formed by organic material is easily contaminated, therefore it decreases processing yield and causes a break in electrodes of an organic electro luminescence display frequently. | {
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In certain applications, for example in the manufacture of domestic cleaning appliances it is important that manufacturing costs are minimized. Any way of reducing the cost involved in manufacturing such domestic cleaning appliances whilst maintaining performance and quality would therefore be desirable. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved method of producing acrylonitrile-base in-line dyed fibers, i.e. dyed in the course of the production process. More particularly, the invention concerns a method of producing mainly acrylic or modacrylic fibers which have been wet-spun or dyed in a gel state, that is, a condition occurring during the process step intervening between coagulum and drying.
Such a technology utilizes in particular, as regards gel dyeing, the characteristic of wet-spun acrylic fiber of having a high specific surface area (80-100 m.sup.2 /g) microporous fibrillar structure, and hence a high capacity and rate of absorption. In such conditions, the presence of acid groups imparts the fiber with the property of quickly fixing the basic dyestuffs employed during the dyeing step.
2. Prior Art
The method of producing in-line dyed fibers has been long known. Also known is to dye acrylic fibers in the gel state, e.g. with the method procedures disclosed in the UK Pat. No. 986,114, in Polish Pat. No. 44274, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,111,357; 3,242,243; and 3,113,827, as well as in Japanese Pat. No. 12801/65, U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,498 and French Pat. No. 1.389.015.
However, the application of such methods on an industrial scale would involve considerable difficulties and problems, mainly from the gel dyeing step, which difficulties become the greater as the base tow denier rating increases, i.e. the denier rating of the substantially web-like configuration assumed by the fiber bundle after the coagulum step at the successive deflection and dragging members, and as the count of each individual filament in the tow being treated decreases.
One of the major difficulties is concerned with the micro-uniform dye-taking which the dyed tow should exhibit, i.e. the uniform dyestuff spreading which the fibers are to show within a cross-section area through the tow, which property markedly affects the qualities of the finished articles formed from such fibers.
In order to obtain tows having an adequately micro-uniform dyestuff distribution, especially where high denier tows are being processed--on the order of one million denier above, as demanded by today's markets--the prior art proposes production methods which are hardly satisfactory from the plant layout and economical standpoints, and which not always afford results in keeping with the market requirements. In particular, a first solution for dyeing wet-spun fiber in a gel state, as proposed by the prior art, consists of holding the tow as spread out as possible in the dyeing bath, so as to adequately dye each tow filament. However, this procedure involves the availability of complex equipment, extremely sophisticated to operate, owing to the sensitivity of fibers still in the gel state, to spread the tow and then draw it narrower, as well as a more than negligible risk of damaging the fiber while processing it.
Another prior approach consists of lengthening considerably the two residence time in the bath, either by passing the tow through very long dyeing baths having very high bath volumes, or by using very long dyeing time periods while slowing the tow rate of pass through the dyeing bath.
Both such prior methods pose, accordingly, technological problems, and fail to ensure the highly uniform dye-taking feature which is required of in-line dyed finished fiber.
It has presently been unexpectedly found that by passing, through a tow of mainly acrylic or modacrylic wet-spun fibers still in the gel state, some given dyeing bath flow rates in well defined conditions, it becomes possible to alleviate the problems and difficulties mentioned above, while achieving a dyed fiber with highly micro-uniform dye-taking properties. | {
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The invention relates to a vehicle braking force control device. More specifically, the invention relates to a vehicle braking force control device which executes a brake assist control that generates a braking force higher than that at a normal time, when an operation state of a driver with respect to a brake operating member is a predetermined state.
One braking force control device for a vehicle such as an automobile is, for example, the braking force control device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 9-290743, which is also an application of the applicant of the present invention. In particular, this braking force control device is configured such that a brake assist control is executed when a master cylinder pressure is equal to or more than a reference value thereof, and a rate of change of the master cylinder pressure is equal to or more than a reference value thereof. Moreover, another braking force control device is configured such that when a master cylinder pressure is equal to or more than a reference value thereof, and after a rate of change of the master cylinder pressure becomes equal to or more than a reference value thereof, a brake assist control is started when the rate of change of the master cylinder pressure becomes equal to or less than a pressure rise gradient of an oil pump.
According to the braking force control devices described above, the brake assist control is executed when a rapid braking operation is performed by a driver when, for example, avoiding a potential risk. A brake pressure of each wheel is controlled to a higher pressure than the master cylinder pressure, and thus, delayed braking of the vehicle caused by a lack of depression force of the driver can be effectively prevented.
Generally speaking, there are a variety of brake operations performed by a driver when braking a vehicle. Once example is so-called tapping, where a depression amount is decreased relatively rapidly after the brake pedal is depressed relatively rapidly. When this tapping brake operation is performed, there is no need for the brake assist control to be executed.
However, in the aforementioned conventional braking force control devices, fundamentally, when the master cylinder pressure is equal to or more than the reference value thereof and the rate of change of the master cylinder is equal to or more than the reference value thereof, brake assist control is executed. Therefore, as a result of the tapping brake operation being performed by the driver, a problem occurs where the brake assist control is executed unnecessarily when the master cylinder pressure is equal to or more than the reference value thereof and the rate of change of the master cylinder pressure becomes equal to or more than the reference value thereof.
Furthermore, a condition where a negative pressure of a vacuum type booster of the brake device is decreased to a lower value than a normal value will be described, as an example. In this case, even when the driver performs a rapid braking operation, the master cylinder pressure and the rate of change thereof do not become as high as when the negative pressure of the booster is the normal value. As a result, there are cases where the brake assist control is not executed despite a condition existing where it is preferable that brake assist control be executed. | {
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Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for a printing system that includes a fusing member and a pressure member. More particularly, the disclosure relates to improved self-stripping of a print media from the fusing member as the media leaves a nip formed between the fusing member and pressure member.
In the art of xerography or other similar image reproducing arts, a latent electrostatic image is formed on a charge-retentive surface, i.e., a photoconductor or photoreceptor. To form an image on the charge-retentive surface, the surface is first provided with a uniform charge, after which it is exposed to a light or other appropriate image of an original document to be reproduced. The latent electrostatic image thus formed is subsequently rendered visible by applying any one of numerous toners specifically designed for this purpose.
In a typical xerographic device, the toner image formed is transferred to an image receiving media such as paper. After transfer to the image receiving media, the image is made to adhere to the media using a fuser apparatus. To date, the use of simultaneous heat and contact pressure for fusing toner images has been the most common system that utilizes a pair of pressure-engaged rolls. At the time of initial set-up of a xerographic device, the fuser system is set to be within certain specifications for nip width, media velocity and deformation of rolls and fusing belt or creep.
Nip width is one of the more significant drivers of image fix and quality. Media velocity is an important factor in paper handling. Deformation or creep, which is the release surface's extension in the nip, is important with respect to enabling the stripping of the paper from the fusing belt in a fusing system. It is known that higher magnitudes of creep are effective in improving the self-stripping capabilities of the fuser system over wide latitude of substrate media. Unfortunately, higher magnitudes of creep also mean higher levels of strain energy in the fuser roll materials when in the nip vicinity, thereby shortening the longevity of the belt and rolls and impacting print quality.
Additionally, usage of the belt and rolls in the course of normal printing activities causes contamination and increases the coefficient of friction between the rolls and the belt. This increase in the coefficient of friction reduces the self-stripping capabilities of the roll belt system over wide latitude of print media.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an improved method and apparatus for improving the self-stripping capabilities of a belt roll fuser system in a printing system. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a process for preparing synthetic polycarbonamide filaments having more uniform acid dyeability and filaments so produced. More particularly, it concerns a process of applying a dye-leveling agent to the filaments during their manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Articles composed of synthetic polycarbonamide filaments, commonly referred to as nylon filaments, are susceptible to nonuniform dyeing, particularly with acid dyes, which can be due to small differences in filament composition, physical structure, denier and other variables. Such differences can originate from inadequate control over filament spinning conditions such as polymer heat history, quenching rate, drawing, finish application and so forth. Such dyeing non-uniformities are particularly severe with washfast, acid dyes having large molecular structures. The large dye molecules do not readily transfer from one dye-site to another as do smaller acid dyes which give level dyeing but which have poorer dye washfastness.
It is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,538,151, 3,658,460, 3,713,768 and Br. 1,299,777, that anionic dye-leveling agents can improve dyeing uniformity either as dyebath additives or in a bath pretreatment before dyeing. But at the concentrations frequently required to achieve acceptable leveling, such agents tend to increase the dye cycle times and can actually prevent satisfactory dyeing to deep colors and dark shades. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Enterprise servers that provide access to sensitive data, services, and/or networks to client devices typically enforce specific policies before granting access. The policies are intended to prevent compromised or vulnerable client devices from accessing the sensitive data, services, and/or networks. These compromised or vulnerable client devices may compromise the security, integrity, and/or availability of the accessed data, services and/or networks. As the proliferation of mobile electronic devices (for example, tablet computers and smart telephones) increases, and more organizations are implementing “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) policies, it becomes more difficult to ensure that the correct policies are enforced on the connecting client device.
Additionally, the use of mobile virtual systems to access sensitive data, services and/or networks makes it more difficult for the enterprise server to ensure that all the device-oriented policies (for example, policies that the enterprise server expects the client device to implement) are met by the client device.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the past, various different apparatus and methods were utilized in the fabrication of dynamoelectric machines, such as for instance hermetic electric motors or the like, in order to effect the termination of a set of leads integral with the windings on a stator assembly for such electric motors. In the fabrication of some past hermetic electric motors, the windings and the leads thereof were formed of magnet wire having a conductor with a dielectric material coating adhered in insulating relation about the conductor. For convenience, the winding leads were brought out from the winding generally at a preselected area on a part of the winding, such as for instance one of the opposite generally annular groupings of winding end turns extending beyond one of the opposite end faces of the stator assembly. The winding leads were passed through dielectric material tubes so that the free ends of such leads extended beyond the free end portion of such tubes, and an anchored end portion of such tubes was disposed between the aforementioned one end turn groupings of the windings. Therefore, during a press-back operation to form and size the end turn groupings of the windings, the anchored ends of the tubes were secured in displacement preventing engagement between the end turns of one of the pressed-back end turn groupings.
Various different past apparatus have been employed to remove a distal section of the tubes and to strip the dielectric material coating from the free ends of the leads to prepare them for termination with either individual terminals or a terminal block of well known construction. For instance, laser systems were employed in the past to remove the aforementioned distal sections from the tubes and strip the dielectric material coating from the free ends of the leads. However, one of the disadvantages or undesirable features associated with the aforementioned past use of laser systems is believed to be that dielectric material residue from the distal sections removed from the tubes was left on the stripped conductor at free ends of the leads, and such residue is believed to have resulted in an unsatisfactory connection when terminals were gripped into engagement with the stripped lead conductors. Furthermore, another disadvantageous or undesirable feature associated with the aforementioned past use of laser systems is believed to be that such laser systems were not only expensive to purchase and install but also were expensive to maintain in operation on a production line.
It is believed that various different types of currently available terminals may be satisfactorily connected in conductive relation with winding leads without stripping the dielectric material coating therefrom. When connected to the aforementioned unstripped winding leads, parts of the terminals puncture the dielectric material coating on the winding leads and conductively engage the conductor within the winding leads. Furthermore, apparatus or devices are also currently available for severing the distal end sections of the tubes; however, one of the disadvantageous or undesirable features of at least some such tube severing devices is believed to be that they also leave a residue on the dielectric material coating of the winding leads so as to be unsuitable for production usage. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to devices for generating resonance vibrations in the ultrasonic-frequency range, and more particularly to a piezoelectrically excitable resonance system, which can be used to diffuse, spray or atomize liquids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One device for atomizing liquid described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,896 (DE-Al 2,032,433) consists of a metal body having rotational symmetry, and a piezoceramic vibrator coupled to a base area of the metal body. The metal body of this resonance systemm designed for bending excitation has three regions, namely, a disc-shaped base plate, a vibrating plate designating the working plate, and a stem which connects the base plate and the working plate and which coincides with the axis of symmetry of the metal body. The working plate serves, for instance, for containing a liquid. Liquids atomized with such a resonance system have droplet diameters which, generally, are not small enough to penetrate all the way into the lungs of a person. Such a resonance system is therefore not very suitable for atomizing liquids used for inhalation purposes.
For improving the above-mentioned liquid atomizer, it has been proposed in German patent application DE-A-3,616,713 (U.S. Application Ser. No. 049,129) to design the working plate as a concave mirror while the base plate is cone-shaped, and to connect it to the conical base plate via a neck having a special shape. Thereby, very small volumes of liquid (15 microliters or less) can be atomized by using thickness resonance excitation, without a mechanical droplet filter, with a small electric excitation power and without coupling through a liquid medium, to form droplets with a diameter smaller than or equal to 40 micrometers. The vibration frequency of this resonance system is in the megahertz range. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Absorbent articles for absorbing body fluids are well known. These articles typically comprise an absorbent core covered by a topsheet, which is positioned adjacent to, and, in use, may contact the user's skin. The topsheet for use in an absorbent article is typically an apertured film, nonwoven, or laminated combinations thereof. Examples of such absorbent articles include diapers, incontinent articles, and sanitary napkins.
One problem associated with absorbent articles is maintaining the dryness of the wearer-facing surface of the topsheet. Generally, when the wearer-facing surface is kept dry, the absorbent article is more comfortable. To maintain a dry wearer-facing surface, the absorbent article should be able to eliminate both dynamically-deposited and statically-retained fluids from the topsheet. Dynamically-deposited fluids are generally voluminous fluids expelled by the user, while statically-retained fluids are residual fluids held in or on the topsheet by surface tension. Each presents different problems. On one hand, dynamically-deposited fluids must be rapidly transmitted to the absorbent core to minimize wearer discomfort and to prevent the lateral runoff of fluids leading to leakage and garment soiling. This rapid transmission of dynamically-deposited fluids by the topsheet to the absorbent core is at a rate greater than the absorbent rate of the core. This causes pooling of unabsorbed fluid on the core surface and leads to higher levels of statically-retained fluid over a larger area of the topsheet. Regardless of the cause, the presence of these statically-retained fluids results in a highly uncomfortable and undesirable sensation.
Eliminating these two types of fluids from the topsheet typically requires two different, and often competing, mechanisms. For example, to remove statically-retained fluid from the surface of an absorbent article, one approach has been to interpose an additional layer, such as a nonwoven, between a nonwoven topsheet and an absorbent core. The interposed nonwoven layer typically has a pore size distribution whose average pore size is smaller than the average pore size of the topsheet. This allows the interposed nonwoven layer to transmit static fluid from the topsheet toward the absorbent core by capillary action. Although this may be effective for removing statically-retained fluids, the smaller average pore size in the interposed nonwoven layer interferes with the rapid transmission of dynamically-deposited fluids to the underlying absorbent core. While this has some benefit as it slows transmission to the core and can prevent fluid from accumulating on the core surface, this leads to fluid accumulating in the interposed nonwoven layer and can lead to fluid accumulation on or in the topsheet or even to leakage from the edges of the absorbent article. Additionally, if the absorbent core becomes saturated, the interposed nonwoven layer can wick moisture in the reverse direction toward the topsheet especially when the article is being compressed.
To handle dynamically-deposited fluids, one approach involves interposing a perforated thermoplastic film such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,036 between a nonwoven topsheet and an absorbent core of an absorbent article. The film rapidly transmits dynamically-deposited fluid from the topsheet and tends to disperse the fluids to the core area beyond the primary insult zone. This approach, however, is faced with a number of drawbacks stemming from the film's segregation of the topsheet and core. For example, any fluid that does not penetrate the film to be absorbed in the core may be wicked up by the topsheet to the wearer-facing surface. Furthermore, the film traps moisture in the nonwoven topsheet since it blocks the core from wicking moisture away from the topsheet by interrupting the capillary gradient. Although films with capillary-sized apertures are known for use as topsheets, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,819, their effectiveness in removing residual fluid from a nonwoven topsheet is questionable since they would seemingly lack sufficient contact with the topsheet. These apertured films further suffer from their inability to rapidly transmit the dynamically-deposited fluid to the core and to provide sufficient core-side volume space to disperse the fluid to areas of unsaturated core.
Other approaches for eliminating statically-retained fluid include using an apertured formed film as a topsheet. A problem with this approach is that there is a considerable upper surface area which does not allow passage of fluid through the film to an absorbent core below. This upper surface can remain wet, particularly if this surface is hydrophilic. This wetness can cause the film to adhere to the wearer's skin when brought into contact during use. Another problem with this approach is that some consumers do not like the plastic feel associated with formed films.
Therefore, there is a need for an absorbent article that can transmit both dynamically-deposited fluids and statically-retained fluids. The present invention fulfills these needs among others. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scanners in which the integration period is not an integer multiple of the step period. In particular, the invention relates to timing a resume after a pause for scanners in which the integration period is not an integer multiple of the step period.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scanners generate data at a rate proportional to a processor clock signal. The duration of a scan is thus the amount of data to scan divided by the rate. The amount of data to scan is determined by the horizontal resolution, the horizontal size, the vertical resolution, and the vertical size. Scanners transfer the scanned data to an associated device (usually a computer) at a rate generally less than the processor clock speed. Thus, data accumulates at the scanner faster than it can be transferred. Many scanners include a buffer to hold the accumulated data.
Unfortunately, the accumulated data backlog is often greater than a desired size for the buffer. Such desired size is usually measured by cost, with a large enough buffer to hold the largest possible data accumulation being expensive and usually inefficient because often the largest possible data backlog will not be generated. A typical solution, instead, is to provide a moderately-sized buffer and then pause generation of the scanned data until the buffer has been emptied.
The amount of time the scanner takes to process one line of an image is called the integration period. An xe2x80x9cintegration signalxe2x80x9d is a series of pulses spaced apart from one another by the integration period. A horizontal sensor in the scanner reads one line of the image. Data processing hardware in the scanner uses the integration signal to time its processing of the data from the sensor.
A stepper motor moves the sensor vertically down the image. (Some scanners move the image instead of the sensor, and some scanners move a vertical sensor horizontally, but the principles are the same.) A xe2x80x9cstepxe2x80x9d is a unit of vertical movement. (Some scanners move the sensor in units of microsteps, but the principles are the same.) The amount of time the scanner takes to move one step is called the step period. A series of pulses spaced apart from one another by the step period is called the step signal. So, the step signal drives the stepper motor.
Many scanners have sensors that are physically configured to scan an image at 600 dots per inch (DPI) or an integer fraction thereof: 300, 200, 150, 120, 100, 85.71, and 75 DPI. (Other resolutions are generally made by scanning at the next higher resolution and then processing the line data in software to reduce it to the desired resolution.) Many scanners also prefer to scan at the same vertical resolution as horizontal resolution. In such a situation the scanner is set such that one step is {fraction (1/600)}th of an inch, and the scanner takes an integer number of steps per integration period.
FIG. 1 illustrates the movement of a sensor driven by a stepper motor that takes an integer number of steps per integration period. The x-axis shows time in processor clock periods, and the y-axis shows distance in lines. Line 32 shows the progress of the sensor as it moves over the lines. Integration signal 20 has a period equal to the time the scanner takes to process one line, so the pulses of integration signal 20 define the lines. Pulses of step signal 22 cause the sensor to move one step. The illustrated relationship between integration signal 20 and step signal 22 is such that the sensor moves one step per integration period, which for many scanners indicates the highest vertical and horizontal resolution of 600 DPI. Similarly, two pulses of step signal 22 per integration period would indicate that the sensor moves twice as far in one line, so each line would have a doubled vertical dimension and the scan would be at 300 DPI.
Region 28 is the area in which the sensor moves across lines of the image and detects the light levels thereof. In the middle of the sixth line, pause signal 24 goes high to indicate that the buffer is about to be full and the scanner should stop scanning. The scanner continues processing line six, although other scanners may be configured to stop processing immediately. If the scanner is scanning at more than one step per integration period then the stepper motor should continue stepping until the line has been completed, otherwise the partial data of the line may have to be discarded and the line re-scanned in its entirety upon resuming.
Upon de-assertion of the step signal 22 pulse, at the end of the sixth line, the data valid signal 26 goes low to indicate that the sensor has completed scanning line six, the last line to be scanned before the pause. Any light levels the sensor detects at this point should not be transferred into the buffer.
Ideally, the sensor would pause right at the start of line seven, because the pulses of step signal 22 could be paused at that point. However, the physical characteristics of the stepper motor and the sensor, such as the mass of the sensor and the finite torque of the stepper motor, result in nonideal conditions. These nonideal conditions may cause the sensor to continue moving into line seven, resulting in an inaccurate sensor position upon resuming. Similarly, nonidealities affect the resuming of sensor movement as well, causing the sensor to move with a nonuniform velocity when it is first restarted. This further increases distortion of the resulting scan.
Many scanners solve these problems by moving the sensor backward over previously-scanned lines during a pause. This solves the continued movement problem because the sensor can move backward enough to compensate for the continued forward movement. It solves the nonuniform velocity problem because the sensor can reach a constant velocity after accelerating over the previously-scanned lines.
As shown in FIG. 1, in region 30 the step signal 22 pulses three times after pause signal 24 goes low, moving the sensor backward three lines. Pulses of the integration signal 20 may continue, if desired, even though no valid data is being generated.
In region 34, no pulses of step signal 22 are generated as the scanner waits for the buffer to empty. Pulses of the integration signal 20 may continue, if desired. Near the end of region 34, the pause signal 24 changes to indicate that the buffer is no longer full and the scanner can resume moving and generating data.
In region 38, pulses of step signal 22 resume. These three pulses are to move the sensor forward again (over the reversed lines of region 30).
In region 40, after the three pulses of step signal 22 (in region 38), the data valid signal 26 goes high to indicate that the sensor is now at line seven, the correct line to resume generating data.
As detailed above, the scanner having the movement shown in FIG. 1 takes an integer number of steps (specifically, one step) per integration period. However, not all scanners take an integer number of steps per integration period, for example, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/166,871 entitled xe2x80x9cApparatus, Method, and Computer Program for Increasing Scanner Data Throughputxe2x80x9d, assigned to the owner of the present application and incorporated herein by reference. A scanner that takes a non-integer number of steps per integration period will have resuming problems not solved by scanners such as those described above, as detailed in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 illustrates the movement of a sensor driven by a stepper motor that takes a non-integer number of steps per integration period. The x-axis, y-axis, line 32, integration signal 20, pause signal 24, and data valid signal 26 are as described above regarding FIG. 1. Step signal 50 has a period slightly longer than that of integration signal 20; specifically, seven step pulses per eight integration pulses.
The first difference from FIG. 1 is that, in region 30, the sensor moves into line seven because the stepper motor does not generate reverse movement until the step pulse 52, which occurs after line six has been scanned.
The second difference from FIG. 1 is that region 34 is split into a new region 36 because of the non-integer relationship between integration signal 20 and step signal 50. In region 36, the step signal 50 must begin at a timing such that, when generation of valid data resumes in region 40 at integration pulse 54, the sensor is at the correct position to sense line seven. If the step signal 50 begins too soon, the sensor moves along line 56. When line 56 intersects with the timing of integration pulse 54, the sensor begins scanning too late and scans mostly line eight instead of line seven, effectively skipping line seven. If the step signal 50 begins too late, the sensor moves along line 58. When line 58 intersects with the timing of integration pulse 54, the sensor begins scanning too early and scans mostly line six instead of line seven, effectively duplicating line six. Such skipping and duplication can lead to a distorted scan. This distortion results whenever the timing of the resumption of the step signal varies from what it should be.
Thus, a way is needed to control resumption of generation of the step signal after a pause such that the effects of skipping and duplication can be reduced.
The present invention addresses these and other problems of existing scanners by providing an apparatus, method, and computer program for controlling a scanner to reduce distortion of a scanned image on a resume after a pause.
According to one embodiment, an apparatus according to the present invention has a circuit that reduces distortion by controlling a scanner configured to scan an image with a sensor by relative movement therebetween in units of steps. The circuit includes a phase difference storage circuit and a control circuit. The phase difference storage circuit is configured to store a phase difference value. The control circuit is coupled to the phase difference storage circuit and is configured to receive a pause signal, an integration signal, a processor clock signal, and the phase difference value, and in accordance therewith to generate a step control signal.
According to another embodiment, a method according to the present invention reduces distortion by controlling a scanner configured to scan an image with a sensor. The method includes the steps of monitoring an integration signal and a step signal, and calculating at least one phase difference value based on a phase difference between the integration signal and the step signal. The integration signal has an integration period in which a line of an image is scanned, and the step signal has a step period in which a step of relative movement between the image and the sensor is performed. The phase difference is a comparative characteristic between the step signal and the integration signal.
According to yet another embodiment, a computer program according to the present invention reduces distortion by controlling a scanner configured to scan an image with a sensor. The computer program includes a phase difference calculation subroutine configured to calculate a phase difference value based on a phase difference between an integration period in which a sensor scans a line of an image and a step period in which a step of relative movement between the image and the sensor is performed. | {
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The invention relates to a method for determining the quantity of fuel injected for an internal combustion engine in dynamic transition operation.
In dynamic transition operation, such as, for example, acceleration or overrunning, a basic quantity of fuel to be injected must be increased or reduced in relation to the conditions in the steady-state operating condition. For this purpose, a correction quantity of fuel injected is used, this being determined by first of all determining a base quantity from the load and speed. This base quantity is in each case differentiated in order thereby to evaluate the degree to which the operating condition has changed. Finally, filtering is also carried out, in order to simulate the filling of the suction pipe, the build up and decay of the wall film and to compensate disturbing influences. The differentiated base quantity is here subjected as a filter input variable to a filter characteristic which contains various filter constants. These filter constants are determined experimentally and are constant.
In road tests, it has been ascertained that correction quantities of fuel injected determined in this way are in some cases too small or too large by a multiple of their order of magnitude. Moreover, they are strongly dependent on the operating point and the method is only designed for a warm engine.
FR-A-21 63 241 discloses an electrically controlled fuel injection device for internal combustion engines, in which pulsations of the air quantity signal are smoothed out with the aid of a filter.
PCT reference WO-A-88 02 811 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,835) discloses the filtering of the output signals obtained from various operating parameters; likewise in order to smooth out pulsations. The filtering inevitably results in a delay in the event of a change in the signal. In order to match the said signals to the particular situation, the filter characteristic is in both cases made dependent on parameter changes. No alteration is made to the magnitude of the signal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seeding machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A previously proposed seeding machine comprises a rotary drum partially immersed in a reservoir containing seeds. The drum has a plurality of holes in its outer circumferential surface, which holes can alternately be connected to a source of vacuum and source of pressure. As each hole passes through the mass of seeds in the reservoir, the vacuum applied draws the nearest seed to close or partially close the hole. As the drum rotates the attracted seed is lifted out of the mass of seeds and when the seed reaches a discharge position a source of pressure is applied to the particular hole to shoot the seed to a desired discharge tube or location. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the seeds in the mass of seeds do not move readily so that when seeds are picked out of the mass at a predetermined withdrawal location, they are not readily replaced by adjacent seeds. Instead a hole is created in the mass at the withdrawal location so that no further seeds are withdrawn. A further problem which occurs because the seeds do not have sufficient mobility is that a seed attracted to a hole and carried round by the drum may well engage a seed located in front of it and push the seed along towards the discharge position.
This renders the seeding arrangement inefficient since not only is it wasteful of seeds, but when two seeds are planted at the same location, one of the resulting seedlings has to be picked out, usually manually, and this is then wasteful of manpower.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved seeding machine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention generally relates to fluid dispensers, and more specifically, the present invention relates to fluid dispensers which accurately control the amount of fluid dispensed. The present invention also relates to methods of dispensing fluid in a controlled manner. One specific example of a fluid dispenser according to the present invention is a paint colorant dispenser.
Paints are made in a vast number of different colors and shades of colors. Each specific paint color has a specific formula of components to provide the desired color. A paint formula generally includes a relatively large amount of a base and smaller amounts of one or more colorant colors. Each colorant color is measured according to the formula and dispensed from a bulk colorant supply, added to the base, and then mixed to produce the desired paint color.
Existing colorant dispensers have been used in retail paint supply stores and hardware stores, for example. Existing colorant dispensing equipment has included manual and automated machines. Automated colorant dispensing equipment can include several bulk colorant containers, in which each colorant container is connected to an inlet of a fluid pump. The outlet of the fluid pump is connected to a 3-way valve which has a dispense outlet connected to a dispense nozzle and a by-pass outlet connected to a recirculation fluid line. Either one motor may drive all pumps or several pumps may be driven by a single motor through a common drive mechanism or each pump may be driven by an individual motor. When an amount of colorant is dispensed, the motor drives the pumps and the 3-way valve for the particular colorant is opened to allow the colorant to be dispensed through the nozzle. The time period that the valve remains open determines the amount of colorant dispensed. The other 3-way valves, which are all being simultaneously driven by the motor, are in a by-pass mode so that the colorant recirculates back into its container rather than being undesirably dispensed.
However, existing colorant dispensing equipment can be improved. The colorant dispensing equipment utilizes a 3-way valve for each colorant container, which increases the equipment costs and manufacturing costs. Also, the plurality of 3-way valves tend to be a significant source of maintenance and service problems. Furthermore, the accuracy of the amount of colorant dispensed using the pump and valve arrangement can be improved. Also, a by-pass colorant flow path is needed because the single motor simultaneously operates all of the pumps. It is desired to more accurately control the amount of colorant dispensed so that the resulting paint color for any particular formula is consistent. Greater accuracy and control over the colorant dispensing process provides greater consistency in paint color for any given formula.
One paint colorant dispenser according to the present invention utilizes a nutating pump and a computer control system to control the pump. Nutating pumps have a piston which is positioned inside of a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The piston simultaneously slides axially and rotates inside of the housing. Existing nutating pumps have been operated by rotating the piston through a full 360xc2x0 rotation and corresponding linear travel of the piston. Such piston operation results in a specific amount of fluid pumped by the nutating pump with each revolution. Accordingly, the amount of fluid pumped for any given nutating pump is limited to multiples of the specific volume. If a smaller volume of fluid is desired, then a smaller sized nutating pump is used or manual calibration adjustments are made to the pump. For example, in paint coloranting a minimum dispense can be about {fraction (1/256)}th of a fluid ounce. At such a small dispense, the motor would have had to run at excessive speeds to dispense larger volumes of colorant (multiple full revolutions) in an appropriate time period. In order to minimize the dispense motor speed, a partial-revolution dispense for a larger capacity nutating pump would be advantageous. However, using a partial revolution to accurately dispense fluid is difficult due to the non-linear output of the nutating pump dispense profile vs. angle of rotation. Accordingly, needs exist to automatically control and vary the volume amount of fluid pumped by nutating pumps.
The present invention provides new colorant dispensers which accurately, consistently, and effectively dispense fluid. The invention is described as embodied in a paint colorant dispenser; however, the invention can be utilized to dispense any desired fluid. For example, the fluid dispensers can be used to dispense pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, inks, and other fluids at controlled volumes.
The paint colorant dispenser has a computer control system which operates a stepper motor or other incrementally controlled drive that drives a valveless pump, such as a nutating pump. Paint color formulas are stored in the computer control system and selected by an operator to mix a desired color of paint. The nutating pump pumps colorant from a bulk container to a dispense nozzle based on signals sent by the computer control system according to the paint color formula. The computer control system operates the stepper motor and the nutating pump such that the pump piston rotates less than a full 360xc2x0 revolution for each step of the stepper motor. For example, 400 steps may be required for one full 360xc2x0 revolution. The stepper motor and the nutating pump are rotated through a desired number of steps to dispense a desired amount of fluid.
The fluid dispense system having the nutating pump and computer control system accurately dispenses both large and small quantities of fluid. The computer control system controls the stepper motor and nutating pump to dispense a predetermined amount of fluid by dividing one full 360xc2x0 pump piston revolution into several partial dispenses or segments.
The nutating pump of the present invention can be adjustable. For example, the angle between the axis of the nutating pump piston and the axis of the stepper motor shaft can be adjusted by an actuator. The computer control system sends signals to the actuator to operate the actuator which positions the nutating pump piston at a desired angle. The automated nutating pump angle adjustment effectively adjusts the pump fluid output through computer control.
Another nutating pump adjustment also provides for changing the pump fluid output. In this adjustment, the distance that a spherical bearing is off-set from the stepper motor shaft can be varied. The bearing off-set adjustment alters the fluid output of the nutating pump, and can be used to calibrate the pump, for example.
Various advantages of the present invention can become apparent upon reading this disclosure including the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages may be desired, but not necessarily required to practice the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Utilities that provide gas, electric, water, and/or telephone service bury their conveyances (e.g., pipes and/or cables) underground, both for reasons of safety and aesthetics. Where appropriate, such utilities often provide one or more visual markers along the conveyance right-of-way, alerting those who might potentially excavate of the presence of such a buried conveyance. In some instances, a utility cannot place a sign or marker everywhere along the right-of-way of a buried utility conveyance. Instead, the utility must rely on regulations implemented by many jurisdictions that require contractors contact a central registry for buried utility conveyance information prior to excavation. Contractors that call the central registry receive information identifying buried conveyances in the area of desired excavation. Since the conveyance identity information is often general in nature, most utilities, in response to an inquiry received via the central registry, will dispatch one or more technicians to physically pin-point the buried conveyance to avoid damage by excavation.
Presently, most utilities utilize a radio frequency signaling detection technique to locate buried underground conveyances that carry a locating signal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,237, issued Jul. 1, 1997, in the names of Hossein Eslambolchi and John S. Huffman, and assigned to AT&T, discloses a radio frequency signaling detection apparatus for locating buried conveyances. After a utility technician locates a buried conveyance, the technician typically marks the ground above the buried conveyance using a biodegradable paint for this purpose. Different colors are employed to designate different types of conveyances. Telephone service providers typically use orange paint to designate buried telephone cables while gas, water and electric utilities use yellow, blue, and red to designate buried gas, water, and electric conveyances, respectively.
To mark the location of a buried conveyance, the utility technician carries a power paint cartridge or spray can to apply the appropriate color paint. In practice, most utility technicians find it awkward to actuate the power paint cartridge or spray can while using present day radio frequency location equipment. Moreover, even when the technician is able to actuate the paint cartridge or spray can, the resultant color marking, while identifying the type of conveyance, provides no information as to the particular utility responsible for the conveyance.
Thus, there is a need for a technique that allows a utility technician to readily mark the ground above a buried conveyance in a manner that both designates its nature, as well as the entity responsible for its maintenance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a carrier having a velourlike, finely fibrous topside, in particular a grain leather having a buffed grain side forming the topside, a split leather having a buffed topside or a synthetic velour material having a topside consisting of microfibers, and provided with a dressing which has a grain texture on its face side, the dressing consisting of a consolidated polymeric dispersion and being produced separately on a substrate having a textured surface corresponding to the grain texture, and being bonded to the carrier via a bonding layer formed from a consolidated, polyurethane-containing polymeric dispersion and having been applied to the topside of the carrier. The term “grain texture” is to be understood as also comprehending a nubucklike configuration of the face side of the dressing.
2. Background of the Invention
Full-grain leathers, so-called aniline leathers, which have merely been dyed, but have no dressing on their grain side, have the desirable property of a particularly high air and water vapor permeability, but the grain side of these leathers is not abrasion-resistant, scratch-resistant, lightfast and impervious to soiling, so that these leathers cannot be used for the interiors of vehicles and for the manufacture of shoes.
It has therefore already been proposed to provide the topside of a leather, more particularly of a grain leather which has been incipiently buffed on its grain side, but also of a split leather, and also of a synthetic velour material, with a dressing having a grain texture in order that the face side thereof may have the requisite properties and a leatherlike appearance.
In an existing process, the dressing is initially produced separately on a silicone-rubber substrate having a textured surface corresponding to the grain texture of the dressing. This dressing is produced by a polymeric dispersion comprising not more than 60% by weight, generally 40% by weight, of solids being initially applied to the textured surface of the substrate by blade coating, spraying, roll application or casting, and being allowed to consolidate by heating. Immediately after application, the wet polymeric dispersion has a smooth surface, but, in the course of consolidation, the film formed by this polymeric dispersion shrinks as a result of the removal of water, and the dispersion sags down into the valleys in the texture on the substrate, and at the tips of the texture a dressing layer which is very thin or in circumstances even noncoherent is formed, in particular when the dressing is to have an attractive, deep grain and therefore the substrate has a corresponding, very highly defined texture.
This disadvantage arises particularly because only a thin layer of dispersion can be applied to the substrate, particularly when it has a highly defined texture, since problems can otherwise occur with the drying in that blistering and tearing of the dressing occurs particularly in the grain valleys of the textured substrate.
A further difficulty with the production of the dressing on a textured substrate is that the generally used polyurethane-containing aqueous polymeric dispersions having a solids content of more than 50% by weight is not commercially available and the low solids content of the dispersions which are commercially available engenders pronounced shrinkage on drying.
When a dressing separately produced by following such a known process is peeled off the silicone-rubber substrate, the side facing the textured surface thereof will form the face side of the dressing, so that the grain valleys of the dressing will only be of very low thickness and therefore predetermined breakage areas arise in the dressing as a result of notching and these predetermined breakage areas can result in visible damage to the dressing particularly when the leather provided with such a dressing is exposed to flexing or stretching. This is generally the case when the leather provided with such a dressing is used for the production of interior trim of motor vehicles and of seat cushions, but also as shoe material.
To avoid this disadvantage, it has hitherto always been necessary to provide, between the dressing and the surface of the leather, at least one layer, generally two or more layers, to compensate. Thus, it has already been proposed that the shrinkage loss of the first application of dispersion be compensated for by providing a thick compensating layer which also serves as bonding layer.
In this layered construction, adhesion problems frequently arise between the individual layers, so that there is at least some detachment of layers.
A significant disadvantage of known dressed leathers, particularly when at least one compensating layer is provided, is that the requisite air and water vapor permeability is nonexistent, since any pores or open cells present in the thin dressing are occluded by the compensating layer. This has a negative effect on the breathability of the dressed leather. Particularly in the case of a leather with a dressing having a coarse grain texture, however, bonding to the leather needs very thick compensating layers which adversely affect the properties of the leather.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,732 for instance discloses bonding the dressing to the leather surface via a thick compensating layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,116 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,148 likewise show a leather wherein the dressing is bonded to the leather via multiple layers. One of the bonding layers penetrates into the pores in the dressing and lines them, as a result of which water vapor permeability is greatly reduced and air permeability is practically nonexistent. It has therefore been proposed that the dressed leather be mechanically apertured. However, such mechanically produced apertures weaken the leather and lead to soiling of the surface.
Carriers are also known where their dressing is separately produced by applying a dispersion comprising polyurethane and also a crosslinker to a warm substrate. Application is effected in the known processes by blade coating, casting or by means of roll coating, whereby it is impossible to produce a uniformly thick, filmlike dressing. Nor are such thin films obtainable by means of a known spraying process, since a comparatively large amount have to be applied to produce the grain texture, leading to the formation of films of differing thickness in the grain peaks and grain valleys. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to an electromagnetic radiation detection device comprising two superposed detectors, a first non-cooled detector detecting a first range of wavelengths and a second non-cooled detector detecting a second range of wavelengths. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to pneumatic springs which are utilized in lieu of mechanical springs for absorbing the force of movement of two bodies as can occur in use to cushion the movement of one die with respect to another as in the clamping of a workpiece in a press for forming sheet metal parts. Typical prior art of pneumatic springs of this type are shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,101,194, 3,281,138, and 3,379,430.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a pneumatic spring which will effectively cushion the forces; which provides two cushioning chambers which are independent of one another; and which includes chambers that will function independently of one another so that if there is leakage with respect to one chamber, the cushioning action of the other chamber will not be affected and which is easily maintained.
In accordance with the invention, the pneumatic spring comprises an outer housing defining an open-ended outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder slidingly and sealingly positioned in the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder has a cylindrical side wall and end walls. A rod extends from the inner end wall of the outer cylinder, and a piston is fixed on the rod within the inner cylinder, thereby defining a first chamber between the inner end of the outer cylinder and the inner end wall on the inner cylinder and a second chamber between the piston on the rod and the outer end wall of the inner cylinder. The chambers are isolated from one another, and valve means provide gaseous fluid under pressure to each of the chambers independently of the other whereby when a force is applied to move the inner cylinder axially inwardly of the outer cylinder, the pressures on the two chambers are built up independently of one another. In another form, the pneumatic spring comprises an open-ended outer cylinder and an open-ended inner cylinder slidingly and sealingly positioned within the outer cylinder with the valves in the end wall of the outer cylinder. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and, more specifically, to multi-sectioned folding implements such as field cultivators and chisel plows.
2) Related Art
Wide agricultural implements often include a foldable frame structure with a wing frame connected by hinges to the end of an adjacent main frame. The wing frame typically is folded 170 to 180 degrees over the main frame so the frames are near or in a parallel condition for transport. On a five section machine, the outer wing is folded over the inner wing. Current hinges include those generally of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,327 which include a weldment having a folding cylinder mounted a substantial distance above the frame. Floating links extending above the cylinder are connected to the rod end of the cylinder and to the adjacent frame sections. Typically, the floating links are located above the main pivot area. These hinge structures have numerous parts and a substantial vertical component. Such structures provide an obstruction which prevents other linkages and hardware from being mounted near the hinge area. Usually, the hinge can only be placed at one location, typically at the end of a given rank on the implement. The folding cylinders on most multi-sectioned implements remain generally in the open and unprotected. Some toolbars utilize cylinders mounted within the frame tube, but these are difficult to mount and access and usually require a ramping arrangement on the folding linkage structure connected to the cylinder rod end. | {
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A viable process to produce titanium powder entails the following overall reaction:TiCl4+2mM=Ti+2mMCl2/m wherein,
M is a reducing agent selected from an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, for example, Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, and the like, however, in practice M is typically selected from the group Li, Na, Mg, and Ca; and
m=1 when M is an alkaline earth metal and 2 when M is an alkali metal.
This reaction can be performed continuously in a molten salt medium that consists mainly of a halide salt of the reducing agent, typically a chloride salt, which is also a by-product of the reaction.
The titanium thus produced is in the form of powder that is suspended in the molten salt medium. This can be separated from the molten salt by a number of different known technologies such as filtration, sedimentation, leaching or evaporation or any combination of these technologies. After separation, the salt can be recovered and electrolyzed by conventional means to regenerate the reducing agent and chlorine gas, e.g.:MCl2/m=M+1/mCl2
The reactor or reactors in which the reaction is performed is made of a suitable metal, preferably a low-alloy steel vessel.
A major problem experienced with the process is that the TiCl4 is reduced so rapidly that it forms lumps of titanium powder that blocks the line through which the TiCl4 enters the reactor vessel and it also forms lumps of fine agglomerated titanium particles that adhere to the reactor wall and reactor internals such as baffles and stirrers.
It is believed that this rapid reaction occurs via electrochemical reactions which allow the TiCl4 and subsequent titanium sub-chlorides to react with the reducing agent even if there is no physical contact between the titanium chlorides and the reducing agent. This process is sometimes referred to as long range electronically mediated reduction (LR-EMR).
The major electrochemical reactions that occur are:
Anodic Reactions:M=Mn++ne−TiCl2+Cl−=TiCl3+e−Cathodic Reactions:TiCl4+e=TiCl3+Cl−TiCl3+e=TiCl2+Cl−TiCl2+2e−=Ti+2Cl−
The electrons that are formed via any one of the anodic reactions are conducted along all or any of the metal parts of the reactor and wherever gaseous TiCl4 or any dissolved titanium chloride species are in simultaneous contact with such metal parts and the molten salt reaction medium, it is reduced with the electrons. The reducing metal cations and chloride anions that are formed as a result of these reactions neutralize each other via the salt bridge formed by the molten salt medium in the reactor.
It has been proposed to do the reduction of TiCl4 in two batchwise stages in a single alumina crucible reactor. In the first stage TiCl4 is reduced with metallic Ti to a titanium sub-chloride (TiCl3 or TiCl2, preferably TiCl2) and in the second stage, the sub-chloride is reduced with a reducing metal to metallic titanium powder. Part of the metallic titanium produced in the second step is recycled to the first step and the rest is withdrawn as product.
The two stage process was demonstrated on a laboratory scale by doing the first step, batch wise in an alumina crucible and feeding the TiCl4 into the alumina crucible via an alumina or a magnesium oxide tube and thereafter, carrying out the second step batch wise in the alumina crucible by adding magnesium to TiCl2 containing molten MgCl2.
By doing the experiments in an alumina crucible, the electrical current path was essentially broken and by doing the experiments batch-wise in two stages and at different times, the molten salt bridge between the magnesium (or reducing metal) and the TiCl4 feed line was broken.
However, when using an alumina lined reaction vessel with some of the more reactive reducing agents, alumina reacts with the reducing agent and it is virtually impossible to produce titanium meeting the industrially required oxygen specification because the alumina is too reactive. The only oxides that can be used that are sufficiently inactive to the relevant reducing agents noted are calcium, scandium and yttrium oxide. Unfortunately these oxides are too inconvenient or expensive to use as lining material. Furthermore, batch-wise production of titanium powder would be more expensive than continuous production.
Thus, having considered the above technical problems in the production of titanium powder the inventors now propose the following invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to low-powered integrated circuit memories, and particularly to integrated circuits having secure memory therein.
Battery-Backed Integrated Circuits
Compact batteries are increasingly used inside integrated circuit packages or in very small modules, to provide nonvolatile data retention. In such packages and modules, the availability of battery backup can be used to ensure that power outages or power-line noise cannot cause loss of data (including configuration data). For example, modern semiconductor technology has provided solid-state memories with such low standby power requirements that a single coin-sized battery can power the memory for ten years of lifetime or more. Such memories are already commercially available.
The very rapid progress of integrated circuit complexity generally, and the general use of CMOS processing, have permitted a huge increase in the functionality which can be included in a very compact portable system. However, power supply capabilities have not advanced as rapidly. Battery technology has provided a relatively slow increase in the amount of energy which can be stored per unit weight (or per unit volume). Thus, in order to provide complex functionality in a small portable module, a very high degree of power efficiency has become an enabling technology.
Low-Power Memories
Conventional CMOS static memories have developed to the point where their standby power consumption is extremely small. The low power consumption of CMOS is extremely advantageous in a wide variety of environments, and is one of the reasons why CMOS logic has become very widely used for a wide variety of digital circuits. Low power consumption is not only advantageous where the total drain on system power supply must be conserved (as, for example, in applications where the power is being supplied from a battery), but also implies that the power dissipation on-chip will be less. This can be important in a wide variety of applications where a very high density is required.
In a conventional CMOS SRAM, six transistors are used in each cell. Four of these transistors form a latch (i.e. a pair of cross-coupled inverters), which has two data nodes with opposite logic states. Each node is connected to ground through an NMOS driver transistor. The driver transistor which connects each node to ground has its gate connected to the opposite data node so that, when one data node goes high, it will pull the opposite data node low by turning on its driver transistor. Similarly, each node is connected, through a PMOS pull-up transistor, to the high supply voltage V.sub.DD (which is typically 5 volts). Again, the data nodes are connected to control the pull-up transistors of the opposite data node, so that, when one of the data nodes goes low, it will turn on the pull-up transistor of the opposite node, so that the opposite node is held high. In addition, two pass transistors (normally NMOS transistors) selectively connect the two data nodes to a pair of bit lines. (The gates of the pass transistors are connected to a word line, so that the cell nodes will be connected to the bit line pair only if the word line goes high.) Such a 6-transistor cell will hold its logic state indefinitely (as long as the supply voltages are maintained and no transient upset occurs). Moreover, while such a cell is simply holding data, it has almost zero power consumption, since each of the nodes will be disconnected from one of the two power supply voltages. Thus no current flows, except for the very small currents caused by junction leakage. (Currents do flow when read or write operations are occurring, and therefore the power consumption of an active cell is much higher.)
However, even higher power efficiencies would be useful. Many system designs have begun to make use of the low standby power consumption of CMOS memory, to provide nonvolatile memory by attaching a very small battery. For example, many personal computers contain a battery-backed clock/calendar, which continues to keep time and date information when the computer is switched off. Many portable applications have also begun to use significant amounts of memory. In such applications, battery lifetime is one of the key performance parameters, from the end-user's point of view. If an integrated circuit which is sold for use in such systems turns out to consume more power than specified, so that the system batteries are exhausted early, this could be very unwelcome to the end-user. A further important class of applications is in packaging an integrated circuit, which includes some memory functions, together with a very small battery. The power supplied by the battery is used to preserve the data in memory while the system power supply is turned off. Thus, this arrangement permits the full advantages of nonvolatile memory to be achieved, without incurring the penalties of high-voltage circuitry and slow write time (as in EPROM or EEPROM floating-gate technology).
Address Remapping
In the type of computer systems known as "virtual memory" systems, the range of addresses which can be specified is much larger than the amount of physical memory which is actually present. The software can access data by specifying a logical address, without ever having to find out what physical address the logical address corresponds to. (Of course, the translation of logical address to physical address must be done consistently from one access to another.) Thus, at each memory access, the logical address specified by software must be translated into a physical memory address, which can be used for actually selecting RAM chips (or other memory devices). A wide variety of circuits have long been used for translating logical addresses into physical memory addresses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pottery construction and deals mainly with the descrepancy between the beauty of house plants and the containers in which they grow. It is well known that house plants contribute to the beauty and mystique of a home. However same cannot be said of the flower pots which happen to be part of that process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional flower pots are not made to contribute to the beauty of the home but just as dirt holders from which a plant could grow. The implication is that no thought is given to the flower pot and every thought given to the plant even though the plant and pot are part of the same process. It is not surprising therefore to see a beautiful plant in a well decorated home sitting in a dirty looking pot. In fact such contrasts become more vivid when such flower pots sit on a glass table with chrome plated legs. It indeed looks alien to the table. This invention tends to correct this by blending the beauty of the home or the table with that of the flower pot and plant.
As has been mentioned earlier, most people give little thought to their flower pots. But once one stops to think of it, the flower pot and plant are both playing the same role in the home as any painting which is decoration. The fact that most flower pots are not playing this role is why they are generally the first to go when ever there is a need for a change. In other words, the ordinary flower pots are generally less valued than any furniture in the home even though they may not be the least expensive. Again this decorative pottery is intended to be so good as a decorative object that it is regarded in value no less than any artifact in the home.
Another objective of this invention is to offer an alternative to the regular clay, ceramic or plastic flower pots. It contributes to the pool of pottery from which people could make a choice.
Finally, the invention was intended not only to incorporate all the above mentioned qualities but to be also cheap to produce. A product that is affordable to the ordinary man. It is only in this regard can the invention be able to meet all of its objectives.
These objectives and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a polymer and an anti-static composition. In particular, the present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a polymer and an anti-static composition, wherein the anti-static composition comprises at least two components having different properties relative to each other. The polymer composition may be used in packaging applications.
Polymers have an extremely wide field of applications. In the food industry the use of polymers for the manufacture of food containers is important. In particular, polymers may be used to manufacture small food containers in which food products may be stored.
After the manufacture of food containers and the like, it is known that static charge may build up on the polymer surface. This static charge attracts dust and other fine particles. If such particles settle on a polymeric food container or similar packaging the container will appear dirty and will be less appealing to purchasers of the food. There is also the possibility of food contamination.
To overcome the problems of static build up on polymers in the food and other industries, anti-static (antistat) compositions have been provided. A good antistat composition dissipates or reduces static charge on a polymer over a long period. In the field of packaging, it is desirable that the antistat properties remain for the life time of the packaged product.
Antistat protection is typically obtained by incorporating an anti-static composition or compound into a polymer. The anti-static composition or compound may be incorporated into the polymer during the processing or production of the polymer, for example during the injection moulding of the polymer.
Conventional anti-static compositions of the prior art are distilled monoglycerides or mono-diglycerides derived from vegetable oils e.g. soya bean and rape seed, and animal fats. These anti-static compositions have been particularly recommended for incorporation into polypropylene and, in addition, have been particularly recommended for incorporation into injection moulded polymers.
Because of the derivation of the above conventional anti-static compositions they most commonly have a fatty acid profile that is a blend of palmitic (C16) acid and stearic (C18) acid.
A typical prior art teaching is provided by JP-A-01263135 which discloses polyolefins containing anti-static agents composed of xe2x89xa72 A1OCH2CH(OA2)xe2x80x94CH2OA3, wherein A1-3=H,COR; Rxe2x95x90C9-21 alkyl or alkenyl, xe2x89xa71 of A1-3 is COR.
JP-A-08134289, JP-A-63213538, JP-A-63056545 and JP-A-07331230 disclose mixtures of glycerides and amine based compounds. These documents teach that these compositions have anti-static properties. To achieve their anti-static properties these compositions require the presence of the amine based compound. Legislation and consumer pressure provides that such amine based compounds should be present at low levels in food applications, or, if possible, completely excluded. However, the above prior art documents require the presence of amine based compounds to exhibit an anti-static effect.
The prior art anti-static compositions may provide acceptable results in some applications. However, in demanding applications, for example in the use of block copolymer polypropylene, the prior art anti-static compositions do not provide reliable results.
Furthermore, prior art antistats may also be disadvantageous because they may be incompatible with the polymer into which they are incorporated or with which they may be contacted. For example, the electronics industry commonly uses polycarbonates as a substrate and/or carrier for electronic components. However, nitrogen based or ionic anti-static compounds, which are commonly used, may corrode polycarbonate materials.
The present invention addresses the problems of the prior art anti-static compounds and compositions, namely their poor performance in use with some polymers and/or in some applications.
The present invention aims to overcome the problems of the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided use of an anti-static composition for the manufacture of a polymer composition, e.g., the present invention can provide an anti-static composition, as well as a polymer composition including the anti-static composition; wherein the anti-static composition comprises at least a first component (xe2x80x9ccomposition Ixe2x80x9d) and a second component (xe2x80x9ccomposition IIxe2x80x9d); wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; and wherein the anti-static composition is contacted with a polymer to form the polymer composition; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II, the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; or (ii) dry blending. Thus, the present invention also provides a method for preparing an anti-static composition comprising integrated or dry blending of compositions I and II, as well as a method for preparing the polymer composition comprising contacting the anti-static composition with the polymer to form the polymer composition.
Therefore, according to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of preparing a polymer composition comprising the steps of a) providing an anti- static composition comprising at least a first component and a second component; wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; and wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; and b) contacting the anti-static composition with a polymer to form the polymer composition; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II, the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; (ii) dry blending.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a polymer composition comprising: a polymer; and an anti-static composition; wherein the anti-static composition comprises at least a first component and a second component; wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; and wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; (ii) dry blending.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an integrated pellet comprising a polymer and an inventive anti-static composition; or, comprising an inventive polymer composition.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a container comprising an inventive polymer composition or comprising a polymer composition prepared in accordance with the methods or uses described herein.
These and other objectives and embodiments are disclosed or are obvious from and encompassed by the following Detailed Description.
As discussed above, the present invention entails, for instance, according to a first aspect, use of an anti-static composition for the manufacture of a polymer composition, e.g., the present invention can provide an anti-static composition, as well as a polymer composition including the anti-static composition; wherein the anti-static composition comprises at least a first component (xe2x80x9ccomposition Ixe2x80x9d) and a second component (xe2x80x9ccomposition IIxe2x80x9d); wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; and wherein the anti-static composition is contacted with a polymer to form the polymer composition; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II, the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; or (ii) dry blending. Thus, the present invention also provides a method for preparing an anti-static composition comprising integrated or dry blending of compositions I and II, as well as a method for preparing the polymer composition comprising contacting the anti-static composition with the polymer to form the polymer composition.
Likewise, as discussed above, according to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of preparing a polymer composition comprising the steps of a) providing an anti-static composition comprising at least a first component and a second component; wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; and wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; and b) contacting the anti-static composition with a polymer to form the polymer composition; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II, the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; (ii) dry blending.
Similarly, as discussed above, according to a third aspect, the present invention provides a polymer composition comprising: a polymer; and an anti-static composition; wherein the anti-static composition comprises at least a first component and a second component; wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component; and wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component; with the proviso that if the anti-static composition consists solely of composition I and composition II the anti-static composition is prepared by any one of: (i) integrated blending; (ii) dry blending.
The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing an anti-static composition which is effective over the lifetime or a substantial part thereof of a polymer article.
It will be appreciated that the use of antistat compositions of the present invention are not limited to the field of food packaging and accordingly the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the antistat compositions also have applications in, for example:
electronics industryxe2x80x94here the build up of static charges are to be avoided because of the damage which may be caused to electronic components e.g. semi-conductors by the discharge of the static charge;
aerospace industryxe2x80x94here build up static charge may attract dust/dirt and compromise delicate components
automotive industryxe2x80x94here build of static charge may attract dust/dirt and detract from the appearance of vehicles and/or components thereof;
non-food packaging applicationsxe2x80x94for example, in the paint industry, build of static charge on a paint container may result in attraction of dust/dirt. The dust/dirt may contaminate the paint on introduction thereof into the container and/or may render the container unappealing to the purchaser;
extreme environmentsxe2x80x94here environments with aggressive, in particular explosive atmospheres are vulnerable to static charge build up. If a static charge discharges in an explosive atmosphere, detonation of the atmosphere may result.
In the present specification, the term xe2x80x9cintegrated blendingxe2x80x9d means blending the components when all the components are in the liquid phase.
In the present specification, the term xe2x80x9cdry blendingxe2x80x9d means blending the components when at least one of the components is a phase other than the liquid phase.
The above aspects of the present invention are advantageous as they overcome the problems associated with the prior art.
In the present specification, composition I refers to a composition consisting of a distilled mono-glyceride prepared from edible, fully hydrogenated lard or tallow, the composition having the following specification:
In the present specification, composition H refers to a composition consisting of a distilled mono-glyceride prepared from edible, distilled, reaction product of lauric acid and glycerol, the composition having the following specification:
An anti-static composition contained in a polymer composition is believed to migrate to the surface of the polymer composition. At the surface the anti-static composition attracts water to the surface. The attracted water forms a conductive layer which dissipates static charge and/or prevents accumulation of static charge. We also believe that the properties of the anti-static compositions of the prior art are inhibited by the crystallisation of the composition at the surface of the polymer. Thus the problems of the prior art have been overcome in the present invention by providing an anti-static composition comprising at least a first component and a second component, wherein the first or second component inhibits the crystallisation of the other respective component and wherein at least the other respective component is an anti-static component
Crystallisation of an anti-static component in an antistat applied to a polymer may also result in clouding or hazing of the polymer. The present invention is also advantageous in that by providing two components, wherein one of which inhibits the crystallisation of the other, clouding of the polymer may be reduced or prevented.
In the present specification, the term xe2x80x9ccontacted with a polymerxe2x80x9d means that the anti-static composition is brought into contact with the polymer or is mixed and/or blended and/or integrated with the polymer and/or is incorporated into the polymer. The polymer composition containing the polymer and the anti-static composition may then, if necessary, be further processed, for example the polymer composition may be melted. Optionally the melt may be extruded and subsequently cooled.
The term xe2x80x9cblendingxe2x80x9d with respect to contacting the anti-static composition with the polymer includes
i) dry blending of the components to be blended, for example by mixing the components in a powdered form and, optionally, subsequently extruding them; and
ii) dry blending the polymer in a pellet form with the anti-static composition, for example by mixing the polymer and anti-static composition in a pellet and a powdered form, respectively and, optionally, subsequently extruding them.
In a preferred embodiment the anti-static composition and polymer are integrated. This may be achieved by melting the polymer and/or the anti-static composition and combining the polymer and anti-static composition. Optionally, the melt of the two materials may be extruded. In a preferred embodiment the integrated product is in a pellet form.
Thus, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an integrated pellet comprising a polymer, and an anti-static composition.
Preferably, a container comprising a polymer composition in accordance with the present invention exhibits anti-static properties within 24 hours of its date of manufacture and maintains those properties for a prolonged periodxe2x80x94such as for at least 5 days, preferably at least 10 days, preferably at least 14 days, preferably at least 20 days, preferably at least 40 days, preferably at least 60 days, preferably at least 80 days, preferably at least 100 days, preferably at least 150 days, preferably at least 200 days. Such a container, or indeed any other polymer article comprising the polymer composition, avoids the build up of static charge during the manipulation and/or treatment and/or shipping of the container. This is advantageous because a static charge may attract dust which would, for example,
reduce the adherence of a label which is to be applied further down a production line;
be incorporated into or entrappsed by a subsequently applied print or paint layer and be visible through the layer; or
pollute the inside of the container.
By the term xe2x80x9cexhibits anti-static propertiesxe2x80x9d we mean that when the polymer composition is in the form of a plaque having a thickness of 1.0 mm and contains 0.6 wt % of anti-static composition based on the total weight of the polymer composition, the polymer composition has a measurable static delay time when measured in accordance with the Static Delay Time Protocol given in the Examples.
Thus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a container comprising a polymer composition described above or comprising a polymer composition prepared in accordance with a method or use described above.
Preferably, the polymer is selected from polymerisation or copolymerisation products of monomers selected from those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,816, namely ethylenically and/or acetylenically unsaturated monomers having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms. Preferred monomers of those disclosed include C2-10 alpha-olefins including ethylene, propylene, isobutylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, and 1-octene. Other preferred monomers include carbonates, xcex1-olefin rubber, butadiene, ethyleneterephthalate, vinylchloride, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), acrylonitrile, vinylcyclohexene, vinylcyclohexane, styrene, C1-4 alkyl substituted styrene, tetrafluoroethylene, vinylbenzocyclobutane, ethyl-idenenorbornene, piperylene, 1,4-hexadiene, methyl-1,4-hexadiene and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene, derivatives and mixtures thereof. Thus, the polymer can be a polyethylene, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE), very low density polyethylene (VLDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), e.g., an HDPE homopolymer, single site catalyst polyethylene (SSCPE); or, polypropylene, such as a polypropylene block copolymer or oriented polypropylene, and the like.
Preferably, the polymer is selected from polymerisation and copolymerisation products of propylene, xcex1-olefin rubber, styrene, derivatives and mixtures thereof.
Preferably, the polymer is a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). TPOs have extensive applications, in particular in the automotive industry.
The polymer may be any form of polymer. The term polymer includes but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, the term polymer includes all possible geometrical configurations of the polymer. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and atactic i.e. random symmetries.
Preferably, the polymer is a copolymer. Preferably, the monomer constituents of the copolymer are selected from the monomer units listed above. The copolymer may be a random copolymer, a branched copolymer or a block copolymer (sometimes referred to as a impact copolymer or a heterophasic copolymer). Preferably, the copolymer is a block copolymer.
Preferred copolymers include copolymers of ethylene and 1-butene; ethylene and 1-hexene; ethylene and 1-octene; styrene and acrylonitrile; styrene, acrylonitrile and butadiene; high impact styrene and acrylonitrile; high impact styrene, acrylonitrile and butadiene.
Preferably, the copolymer includes monomer units selected from propylene, ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), acrylonitrile, styrene, derivatives and mixtures thereof. In a particularly preferred embodiment the polymer is polypropylene block copolymer.
The polymer may be copolymer of propylene and ethylene. The polymer may be a copolymer comprising at least 70 wt % propylene and no more than 30 wt % ethylene. The polymer may be a copolymer comprising propylene and no more than 40 wt % EPR.
The polymer may be a mixture of the polymerisation or copolymerisation products of any of the above monomers.
In the present specification reference has been made to polymers and to polymer compositions comprising anti-static compositions. In addition, the present invention also encompasses polymerisable compositions which comprise the respective monomers and monomer compositions comprising anti-static compositions. Such polymerisable compositions comprising anti-static compositions could be polymerised to obtain the respective polymers or polymer compositions referred in the present specification.
The anti-static composition of the present invention may comprise any compound or mixture of compounds provided the anti-static composition meets the criteria of the present invention as described above.
The at least two components of the anti-static composition may be discrete from each other. Alternatively, the two components may be linked. In this latter embodiment, the two components may be two constituents of the same compound.
Preferably, the at least two components of the anti-static composition are discrete from each other.
When the at least two components of the anti-static composition are discrete from each other, the at least two components may be obtained from a common source material. The common source material may be selected from coconut oil, palm kernel oil including Babassu oil, Cohune oil, Murumuru oil, Ouricuri oil and Tucum oil, mixtures and derivatives thereof.
Preferably, the common source material contains at least two glycerides having different fatty acid chain lengths. More preferably, the at least two glycerides having different fatty acid chain lengths which differ in length by at least two carbons, yet more preferably by at least four carbons. Suitable common source materials include coconut oil, palm kernel oil including Babassu oil, Cohune oil, Murumuru oil, Ouricuri oil and Tucum oil, butterfat, herring oil, menhaden oil, mixtures and derivatives thereof
When the at least two components of the anti-static composition are discrete from each other, the at least two components may be combined by blending.
The term xe2x80x9cblendingxe2x80x9d with respect to combining the at least two components includes
i) dry blending of the components to be blended, for example by mixing the components in a powdered form;
ii) spray blending, for example by blending the components in a fluid form and subsequent spraying. This may be achieved by melting of the components or by dissolving them or suspending them in a carrier material;
iii) blending and milling of the components to be blended;
iv) blending and flaking of the components to be blended;
v) forming the components into pellets on a cooling band;
vi) integrating the components. This may be achieved by providing each of the components in fluid form, preferably in a liquid form, and mixing the components.
The mixed components may optionally be cooled;
vii) any combination of i) to vi) above;
viii) optionally treating the product after any one of i) to vii) above to form a liquid, block, powder, pellet or flake.
In the above blending processes the components may each be in any one of the following forms, independently of each other: liquid, block, powder, pellet and flake.
Preferably, each of the two components of the anti-static composition are independently selected from monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of no greater than 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 4 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 6 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 8 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 10 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain A length of 12 carbons including the reaction product of glycerol and lauric acid (preferably the lauric acid is obtained from coconut oil, palm kernel oil including Babassu oil, Cohune oil, Murumuru oil, Ouricuri oil and Tucum oil), monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 16 to 24 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 16 to 22 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 18 to 22 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 18 to 20 carbons, animal fats, including lard and tallow, vegetable oils including rape seed oil, soya bean oil, palm oil, mixtures and derivatives thereof.
Preferably, the first component is selected from monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 4 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 6 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 8 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 10 to 14 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of 12 carbons including the reaction product of glycerol and lauric acid, mixtures and derivatives thereof. Preferably the lauric acid is obtained from coconut oil, palm kernel oil including Babassu oil, Cohune oil, Murumuru oil, Ouricuri oil and Tucum oil, mixtures and derivatives thereof.
Preferably, the second component is selected from monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 16 to 24 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 16 to 22 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 18 to 22 carbons, monoglycerides having a fatty acid chain length of from 18 to 20 carbons, animal fats, including lard and tallow, vegetable oils including rape seed oil, soya bean oil, palm oil, mixtures and derivatives thereof.
Preferably, the first component and/or the second component is at least a glycerol ester (i.e. a glyceride) preferably, each of the first component and the second component is at least a glyceride.
More preferably, the first component and/or the second component is at least a monoglyceride. Yet more preferably, each of the first component and the second component is at least a monoglyceride.
In a further preferred embodiment the first component is a monoglyceride having a fatty acid chain length of 8 carbons and/or a monoglyceride having a fatty acid chain length of 10 carbons and the second anti-static component is a monoglyceride having a fatty acid chain length of 14 carbons. In a further preferred embodiment the first component is a monoglyceride having a fatty acid chain length of 12 carbons and the second anti-static component is a monoglyceride having a fatty acid chain length of 18 carbons.
When a glyceride is utilised as the anti-static component, crystallisation may be prevented/inhibited by providing a component which prevents the glyceride from switching from xcex1-form to xcex2-form. Such a component may be selected from the class of products known as xcex1-tending products. Thus in a preferred embodiment, the anti-static component is a glyceride, more preferably a mono-glyceride, and the crystallisation inhibiting component is an ax-tending product.
Preferably, the xcex1-tending product is selected from propylene glycol esters, for example GRINSTED PGMS SPV(trademark) available from Danisco Ingredients, Denmark, polyglycerol esters, for example GRINSTED PGE 55(trademark) available from Danisco Ingredients, Denmark, mixtures and derivatives thereof.
Preferably, the first component comprises at least 15 wt % of the anti-static composition. Preferably, the first component comprises at least 20 wt % of the anti-static composition.
Preferably, the second component comprises at least 30 wt % of the anti-static composition. Preferably, the second component comprises at least 40 wt % of the anti-static composition.
Preferably, the anti-static composition comprises at least 20 wt % of the first component. More preferably, the anti-static composition comprises at least 30 wt %, more preferably at least 50 wt % of the first component.
Preferably, the anti-static composition comprises at least 20 wt % of the second component. More preferably, the anti-static composition comprises at least 30 wt %, more preferably at least 50 wt % of the second component.
In a preferred embodiment the anti-static composition comprises 35 wt % of the first component and 65 wt % of the second component or vice versa. In yet another preferred embodiment the anti-static composition comprises 50 wt % of the first component and 50 wt % of the second component.
In the process or use of the present invention the anti-static composition may be contacted with the polymer by first combining the anti-static composition with a first polymer to form a polymer master batch composition. Preferably, the anti-static composition comprises at least 5 wt % of the polymer master batch composition. The polymer master batch composition is then combined with a second polymer and the mixture treated to form the polymer composition. Preferably, the polymer composition so formed is substantially homogenous.
The first polymer and the second polymer may be the same.
Preferably the polymer composition is substantially homogenous.
By xe2x80x9csubstantially homogenousxe2x80x9d it is meant that for any part of the polymer composition comprising x wt % thereof, that part of the polymer composition contains xxc2x10.2x wt % of the total amount of a given component of the polymer composition. Preferably, that part of the polymer composition contains xxc2x10.1x wt % of the total amount of the given component. More preferably, that part of the polymer composition contains xxc2x10.05x wt % of the total amount of the given component. Yet more preferably, that part of the polymer composition contains xxc2x10.02x wt % of the total amount of the given component.
Preferably, the given component of the polymer composition is the anti-static composition.
Polymers are prepared by polymerising one or more types of polymerisable monomers, such as by emulsion polymerisation, solution polymerisation, suspension polymerisation, gas phase polymerisation or bulk polymerisation.
The monomer(s) may be polymerised in the presence of optional ingredients such as any one or more of emulsifiers, stabilisers, anti-oxidants, surface active agents, slip agents, further anti-static compositions, initiators (such as photoinitiators), inhibitors, dispersants, oxidising agents, reducing agents, viscosity modifiers, catalysts, binders, activators, accelerators, tackifiers, plasticizers, saponification agents, chain transfer agents, cross-linking agents, surfactants, fillers, pigments, dyes, metal salts, solvents, mixtures and derivatives thereof. The optional ingredients listed above that can be used in the present invention may be any of those commonly used in the art.
Alternatively and/or in addition an optional ingredients may be contacted with/added to the polymer after polymerisation. Suitable optional ingredients include any one or more of emulsifiers, stabilisers, acid scavenger, anti-oxidants, surface active agents, slip agents, further anti-static compositions, dispersants, viscosity modifiers, tackifiers, plasticizers, surfactants, fillers, pigments, dyes, metal salts, solvents, mixtures and derivatives thereof. The optional ingredients listed above that can be used in the present invention may be any of those commonly used in the art.
Preferably, the anti-oxidant is a phenolic anti-oxidant.
Preferably, the acid scavenger is calcium stearate or calcium lactate.
By way of example, the surfactants and dispersants can be salts of fatty rosin and naphthenic acids, condensation products of naphthalene sulphonic acid and formaldehyde of low molecular weight, carboxylic polymers and copolymers of the appropriate hydrophile-lipophile balance, higher alkyl sulphates, such as sodium lauryl sulphate, alkyl aryl sulfonates, such as dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium or potassium isopropylbenzene sulfonates or isopropylnaphthalene sulfonates; sulfosuccinates, such as sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate alkali metal higher alkyl sulfosuccinates, e.g. sodium octyl sulfosuccinate, sodium N-methyl-N-palmitoyl-taurate, sodium oleyl isethionate, alkali metal salts of alkylarylpolyethoxyethanol sulfates or sulfonates, e.g.. sodium t-octylphenoxy-polyethoxyethyl sulfate having 1 to 5 oxyethylene units. Typical polymerisation inhibitors that can be used include hydroquinone, monomethyl ether, benzoquinone, phenothiazine and methylene blue. | {
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The present invention relates to coupon dispensing machines and coin sorting machines.
There are a variety of machines which dispense stamps, tickets, coupons, money orders, bank transactions or the like. One type of machine, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,848 to Raymond Stoken, dispenses coupons in exchange for money. A display area indicates the different coupons available as well as the specific amount of money required to obtain each particular coupon. Money is inserted into the machine via a coin slot. Control circuitry determines which coupon has been selected, the amount of money required to purchase this coupon, and if the correct amount of money has been inserted into the coin slot. The control circuitry then causes the coupon dispenser to dispense the requested coupon.
Other machines dispense other types of products. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,967 to Lawrence Smith is a money order dispensing machine. This machine is meant to be operated by a system operator, not a customer, and therefore does not require the capability to receive money. The machine prints money orders on a dot matrix printer after receiving the necessary data inputs from the operator.
Such previous devices are deficient from the point of view of a consumer with an arbitrary amount of coins, since they require the input of an exact coin value. Further, the device requires a mechanism for determining if the required amount has been deposited and for taking an appropriate action depending on whether the required amount is deposited.
A different variety of machines has been patented which sort coins. One such machine, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,848 to David Goh uses two methods to sort coins, both methods based on the diameter of the coins. In this machine the coins are loaded into a hopper. A rotating wheel feeds the coins individually onto an inclined ramp. The coins roll down the ramp with their rear surfaces resting against a support surface. Specific denominations are selected when they fall through slots of varying size located in the support surface. Specific denominations are also selected using peeler knives which are arranged at different distances from the ramp surface. These knives topple the coins from the ramp into bins. Using both techniques allows a short ramp to be employed. Another type of machine shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,122 to Yoshio Kinoshita counts the number of coins according to denomination after sorting the coins.
Devices intended for counting/sorting coins are deficient in that the monetary value remains based in the coins, i.e., there is no transfer of the value from the medium of coins to a more convenient form such as a paper form.
Furthermore, a number of counting and sorting devices are deficient for certain other reasons. Many devices, while having some form of waste control device, have been unsuccessful in completely controlling waste which may be mixed in with coins. As a result, many previous devices are only suitable for operation by an experienced or skilled operator and are not suitable for use by the general public who may be less careful about including foreign or waste material among coins. In particular, many previous devices were designed to admit coins into the counting device at such a rate that it was not possible for each coin to be individually exposed to the waste control device, i.e., such that some coins may block others from the waste control system.
Some counting/sorting devices have had complicated or ineffective control of the flow of coins so that it was difficult, or expensive to prevent unacceptably high surges of coin flow from jamming or otherwise overwhelming the sorting/counting mechanism. Some devices were designed to permit only a slow entry of coins into the counting/sorting mechanism but, in some cases, this was done at the expense of the ability to accommodate a high volume of coins and/or has resulted in unacceptably slow operation.
Many previous devices have been designed with insufficient accommodation for maintenance and/or cleaning so that it was difficult or impossible to adequately clean, maintain and/or upgrade such previous devices.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a device which receives an arbitrary amount of coins, i.e., which does not require insertion of an exact minimum amount and which converts the value of the coin from the inconvenient medium of coins to a more convenient medium. It would be further advantageous to provide a device which provides for effective and efficient waste management such that the device can be used by the ordinary consumer without resulting in jamming or damage of the machine. It would also be advantageous to provide for a device which accommodates a high volume or flow of coins without permitting surges of coin flow which can interfere with the counting/sorting and/or waste management systems, without complicated electro/mechanical machinery and, preferably, taking advantage of a gravity mechanism. It would also be useful to provide a device which efficiently and conveniently provides the sorted coins in a standard sized coin bag which is conveniently accessible. | {
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Modern communication and collaboration systems provide a large variety of services. These services can range from multiple forms of messaging (voicemail, email, texting, and so forth) to real time collaborations such as voice and video conferencing. These services have been widely deployed. There is a broad acceptance that they have contributed greatly to the increase in economic productivity that has been witnessed in the last thirty years. However there is a perennial issue which affects these services. The physical infrastructure that has been required to implement them has made them uneconomical for small and very small installations. Such installations can be situated in small or home office businesses or branch offices of larger enterprises. These organizations can benefit from new communication and collaboration systems but are prevented by the cost, which may not be amortized effectively across the small number of user devices in such installations.
Manufacturers of such systems have tried to address this problem for many years. Nevertheless economic and technological reality typically requires that systems designed for these small and very small installations offer fewer and different types of services than those available for larger organizations.
One alternative is to locate expensive equipment, such as dedicated telecommunications servers, at a centralized location. Users can then rent the services provided at the centralized location. The rise of networking technologies, marked by the pervasive connectivity afforded by the internet, and the availability of high-speed interconnections (multi-megabit network connections are priced at the consumer level) has led to a model of centralized network-based or hosted services being offered to small organizations.
For example, Google and its competitors offer free or very modestly priced Internet-based office applications (word processing, scheduling, Email, instant messaging) to the public including the small and very small organizations under discussion. There is also much discussion of similarly based hosted web service applications in customer relationship management, and other services of interest to small and very small organizations.
However, many organizations find the prospect of basing their telecommunications systems on externally owned technologies unattractive. When relying on external service provides, the users must depend on the providers to maintain the quality and currency of these systems. Many organizations would rather control the technology that is essential to the way they do business, rather than rely on an outside party whose interests are not their own. Many organizations consider their communication and collaboration infrastructure to be one of strategic advantage. The ability to customize and upgrade their infrastructure as the opportunity arises can enable the organization to gain a competitive advantage.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. | {
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A metal gasket comprising a bead sheet and a coating material provided thereon by coating the bead sheet with a rubber-mixed paint comprising 100 parts by weight of fluororubber, 50-200 parts by weight of an inorganic lubricant such as graphite, carbon, and molybdenum dioxide, and 4-16 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent, followed by vulcanization, has been so far proposed as a gasket metal sheet coated with a coating material capable of maintaining high slippability and non-stickiness for a long time without any breaking or peeling problem by controlling the rubber flow (see Patent Document 1).
The object of addition of the silane coupling agent contained in the proposed rubber-mixed paint is to control the rubber flow, that is, to increase the rubber stiffness, whereas the anti-freezing liquid resistance, or the long-term durabilities such as oil resistance, heat resistance, etc. are deteriorated. The inorganic filler showing low friction factor is hard to disperse, and the particle size of the filler is consequently larger, and particularly in cylinder head gaskets, etc. in the product rubber layer thickness as small as about 25 μm the seal surface is much roughened, giving an adverse effect on the sealability. Furthermore, when the proportion of admixed amine-containing silane coupling agent exceeds 4 parts by weight on the basis of 100 parts by weight of fluororubber, the pot life of the coating solution, i.e. the fluororubber-mixed paint, is considerably deteriorated, where the productivity is substantially lost.
In the gasket raw materials generally using rubber-metal laminate sheets, metallic sheets are used upon applying thereto a chromating treatment or a chromating substitute treatment (hexavalent Cr-free treatment, or non-chromating treatment such as iron phosphatizing treatment, zinc phosphatizing treatment, etc.). However, the chromating treatment involves an environmental load problem, and rubber-metal laminate sheets produced by application of a chromating substitute treatment for the metal sheet, followed by multi-layer coating also have a heavy environmental load from the total product side, in view of the complicated treating process, and further are costwise inadvantageous. | {
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The present invention relates to a blended-fiber, knit garment and a process for designing and dyeing polyester-cotton, knit garments with soil-release characteristics, colorfastness, durability, shrinkfastness and anti-pilling properties in order to meet the diverse demands of the commercial laundering and industrial rental markets. The invention conveys these benefits without the application of resins that are known to have limited effectiveness and cause loss of cellulosic tensile strength. Additionally, the invention economically maximizes the cost of transporting finished garments, eliminates the production of unwanted dyed scrap fabric and significantly reduces wastewater that is otherwise commonly associated with garment dyeing processes.
Knit garments are naturally more comfortable than woven garments, and knits also provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, making knits highly desired for industrial uniform rental applications. However, the processes by which knit garments are presently manufactured causes them inherently to lack stability, durability and fastness, making knits unsuitable for rental applications and commercial laundering attendant thereto. Knit garments are cut and sewn from fabric that is manufactured by one of two processes: either yarn dyeing or fabric dyeing. Yarn dyeing involves first spinning fibers into yarn, winding the yarn into skeins and then placing the wound skeins onto dyeing cones. The cones are immersed into liquor and dyed. The dyed yarn is then knitted into fabric, usually in tubular form. In fabric dyeing, the yam is first spun and knit into fabric in a tubular shape and stored on a take-up roll. The tubular-knit fabric is then pulled through a water jet nozzle while being impregnated with dye.
Whether yam-dyed or fabric-dyed, the resulting fabric is then passed through a finishing procedure that attempts to minimize staining from different types of soil, reduce wrinkling during washing and drying, improve shrinkage resistance, provide softness for better hand and reduced needle cutting during the garment sewing process. This finishing process is performed by supporting the fabric on a tenter frame and treating the fabric with resin. Unfortunately, application of resin imparts only partial shrinkage control, and the effectiveness of the resin to impart soil release characteristics decreases when the fabric is exposed to chemicals used in commercial laundering. Additionally, the application of resin to cotton-polyester blended fabric causes a significant decrease in the tensile strength of the cellulosic component of the textile, thereby decreasing the durability and serviceable life of knit garments. As a result, there is a need for knits that can acquire good soil release characteristics, shrinkage resistance and softness without the addition of resin.
In addition to the shortcomings imposed by resin treatment, yarn and fabric dyeing processes employed in the textile industry waste dye, chemicals and water. In both yam dyeing and fabric dyeing, the dyeing processes must be performed before the garment is cut and sewn. As a result, a significant amount of dyed fabric is wasted when the unneeded fabric scraps are discarded after the cutting portion of the respective processes. In addition to the lost dye contained in the unneeded scraps, the discarded, dyed fabric represents increased production of wastewater as well as the loss of otherwise unneeded chemicals in the dyeing process and the loss of dyeing capacity that was unnecessarily consumed in dyeing the wasted scraps.
In addition to losses associated with dyeing unnecessary portions of textiles, the economics associated with transportation in the garment industry causes inefficiencies to be introduced in the manufacture of knit garments. Cutting and sewing is the most labor intensive portion of the garment manufacturing process. However, certain dyeing processes, such as custom dyeing, involves only modest amounts of labor and is highly technical. As a result, manufacturers of knit garments transport their undyed spun yam or undyed fabric from the location of manufacture, which typically has widely available labor, to a location for dyeing that has adequate technical and equipment resources. After dyeing, the goods are shipped back to regions of available labor for knitting and/or cutting and sewing before final shipment to a finished garment distribution network. This is a lengthy process. Consequently, large stores of dyed garments must be maintained in order to readily supply any demands. The costs attendant to maintaining such an inventory can be high. Additionally, the transaction costs associated with the transportation of goods can exceed the value of the materials in the finished garments, making custom dyeing impractical. Consequently, there is a need in the industry for both a garment and a process by which such a garment can be manufactured that will maximize the efficient use of available resources, including inventory management and transportation resources.
In addition to streamlining the utilization of resources, there is a need to improve the chemical processes by which knits are dyed so as to better serve the needs of the commercial laundering and industrial rental markets. Yarn dyed and fabric dyed knit garments shrink by five percent (5%) or more in width and greater than ten percent (10%) in length when exposed to commercial laundering. Length-to-width shrinkage can be so disproportionate that threads break and seams pucker. In addition, yarn dyeing is inefficient. In yarn dyeing, the outer surface of fibers may appear to be dyed; however, the inner portion of each fiber remains undyed. This is known as the "ring-dye effect." When combined with the poor colorfastness of dyes typically utilized in yarn dyeing, garments made of yarn-dyed fibers wear prematurely with industrial use and commercial laundering. While the chemistry of fabric dyeing can produce textiles with better washfastness than can yam dyeing, fabric dyeing is very difficult to execute properly. Consequently, in addition to the aforesaid, there is a need in the industry for a garment and a process of designing and dyeing a knit textile to render it capable of maintaining dimensional stability, durability, colorfastness, and pill resistance when exposed to the harsh environments imposed by commercial laundering and industrial rental. | {
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At present, various search engines for searching Web pages are public on the Internet and are available to anyone. However, if private information, such as patent information, information on the development of new products, know-how, personal information, etc., is searched or retrieved using a public search engine, the private information may be surmised from keywords included in the search query. | {
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Modern day non-volatile memory products incorporate the ability to electrically program and erase the memory cells. In most manifestations, the erase operation is preformed on a subset of cells and not individually cell-by-cell, as normally performed during the programming operation. This means that erasure conditions are applied to the subset until the last (slowest) cell finishes erasure, i.e. is verified as passing a predetermined level (erase verify).
Memory products incorporating tunneling enhanced hot hole injection during erasure, as in NROM (nitride read-only memory) technology, require high biasing of the transistor junction to create the injected holes, through band-to-band tunneling, as may be seen in FIG. 1. Charge injection must be controlled to insure proper device operation, and accordingly, step and verify algorithms are typically implemented. In a typical algorithm, charge is injected at a certain bias following by a verify operation to ascertain whether the cell has reached its destination. If the destination has not been achieved, stronger charge injection is initiated via a higher bias and vice versa. For tunneling enhanced hot hole injection, this flow usually has to be performed on both sides of the memory cell separately, resulting in longer erase time and lower performance.
During the lifetime of the device and specifically after intensive cycling (consecutive program and erase operations) the voltages required to erase an NROM or NROM-like cell increase. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a typical prior art erase curve of an NROM cell before and after cycling. The graph shows the degradation of the erase operation, in which higher voltages are required to erase the cell after cycling.
FIG. 3 illustrates another example of the detrimental effects cycling has on the erasure voltage. Specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates erase voltage and step count of a prior art NROM based memory product, as a function of the number of program/erase operations (cycle count) performed on the device. The drain voltage (Vppd) increases up to a certain voltage (e.g., 7.1 V, the maximum allowed value in the specific product shown in the graph), together with an increase of the number of pulses. After reaching the maximum allowed voltage, the voltage level becomes clamped.
Since the initial erase voltages are set during the beginning of life testing, a time penalty in the erase operation is accumulated, which translates into low product performance in the middle to end of life range.
Many options have been proposed and tried in the prior art to enhance the efficiency of the hole-injection-based erase flow. One option applies an extra erase pulse at a higher level than the last pulse used to reach full erasure for improving reliability. Application of additional pulses is taught in various patent documents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,818 and US Patent Applications 20050117395 and 20050058005, all assigned to the present assignee of the present application, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Another option uses large voltage strides between consecutive steps. However, this may result in poor control of the operation. Still another option uses multiple strides. Since charge injection is usually performed for many cells in parallel, the rationale of this option is that large strides can be incorporated until a first cell ensemble reaches a target, followed by smaller strides until the full population is done.
Another option is that of a learning phase, in which a prior step level ascertained from a previous cell group or erase operation of the same group is implemented on the rest of the array in order to achieve fast convergence Yet another option calls for dialing in the first pulse level during product sort. However, this does not insure a low pulse count over time.
Another option uses multiple verify levels. This may achieve a faster convergence to the final pulse level, but requires a more intricate design and a longer verify time. Another option calls for alternating between the two sides of the cell in the pulse application/verification operations This approach may result in a twofold improvement in erase performance, but may lead to reduced control.
Another option uses increased erase parallelism through the reduction of the power consumption. In another option, erase verification is stopped if sufficient cells fail erasure. Erase verification then continues after applying an additional erase pulse, at the address of the first failure. However, in all of the abovementioned prior art methods, all cells in the erase group must pass several erase verifications, including a penalty of associated word line switching overhead, before the erase operation is completed. | {
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The polyphenylene ether resins are a family of engineering thermoplastics that are well known to the polymer art. These polymers may be made by a variety of catalytic and non-catalytic processes from the corresponding phenols or reactive derivatives thereof. By way of illustration, certain of the polyphenylene ethers are disclosed in Hay, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,306,874 and 3,306,875, and in Stamatoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,357 and 3,257,358. In the Hay patents, the polyphenylene ethers are prepared by an oxidative coupling reaction comprising passing an oxygen-containing gas through a reaction solution of a phenol and a metal-amine complex catalyst. Other disclosures relating to processes for preparing polyphenylene ether resins, including graft copolymers of polyphenylene ethers with styrene type compounds, are found in Fox, U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,761; Sumitomo, U.K. Pat. No. 1,291,609; Bussink et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,337,499; Blanchard et al., 3,219,626; Laakso et al., 3,342,892; Borman, 3,344,166; Hori et al., 3,384,619; Faurote et al., 3,440,217; and disclosures relating to metal based catalysts which do not include amines, are known from patents such as Wieden et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,442,885 (copper-amidines); Nakashio et al., 3,573,257 (metal-alcoholate or -phenolate); Kobayashi et al., 3,455,880 (cobalt chelates); and the like. In the Stamatoff patents, the polyphenylene ethers are produced by reacting the corresponding phenolate ion with an initiator, such as peroxy acid salt, an acid peroxide, a hypohalite, and the like, in the presence of a complexing agent. Disclosures relating to non-catalytic processes, such as oxidation with lead dioxide, silver oxide, etc., are described in Price et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,382,212. Cizek, 3,383,435 discloses polyphenylene ether-styrene resin compositions. All of the above-mentioned disclosures are incorporated by reference.
The term "alkenyl aromatic resin" includes polymers and copolymers of styrene, alpha methyl styrene, chlorostyrene, ethylvinylbenzene, divinylbenzene, vinylnaphthalene, and the like.
The term "EPDM" includes rubbery interpolymers of a mixture of mono-olefins and a polyene. Preferred types are those rubbery interpolymers of ethylene, an alpha-olefin, and a polyene. Rubbery interpolymers of ethylene, propylene, and a polyene are especially preferred.
In the prior art, rubber-modified styrene resins have been admixed with polyphenylene ether resins to form compositions that have modified properties. The Cizek patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,435, discloses rubber-modified styrene resin-polyphenylene ether resin compositions wherein the rubber component is of the unsaturated type such as polymers and copolymers of butadiene. The physical properties of these compositions are such that it appears that many of the properties of the styrene resins have been upgraded, while the moldability of the polyphenylene ethers are improved.
Nakashio et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,945 discloses that from 0.5 to 15% by weight of an EPDM-modified styrene resin may be used to upgrade the impact strength of polyphenylene ether resins. In Cooper et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,191 it is disclosed that when the highly unsaturated rubber used in compositions of the type disclosed by Cizek, is replaced with EPDM rubber that has a low degree of residual unsaturation, the thermal oxidative stability and color stability are improved. The EPDM rubber in the Cooper et al. compositions is comprised substantially of particles in the range of 3-8 microns. There is no teaching of EPDM rubber having smaller particle size.
The impact strength of the Cooper et al. compositions is superior to that of a polyphenylene ether resin alone or that of similar compositions comprised of unmodified polystyrene; however, the impact strength of the Cooper et al. compositions is inferior to that of similar compositions comprised of polystyrene modified with polybutadiene rubber, such as a composition known as FG-834, available from Foster-Grant Co.
As is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,841, the impact strength of the Cooper et al. compositions can be improved by incorporating therein impact modifiers such as an emulsion-grafted EPDM polystyrene copolymer.
It has now been found that a composition of a polyphenylene ether resin and an alkenyl aromatic resin modified with an EPDM rubber comprised of particles having a median diameter less than about two microns, is a very useful thermoplastic molding material having good thermal oxidative stability and good impact strength.
It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide improved compositions that are based on polyphenylene ether resins and modified alkenyl aromatic resins.
Another object of this invention is to provide molding compositions and molded articles that are based on a polyphenylene ether resin and an EPDM modified alkenyl aromatic resin and that have improved thermal oxidative stability.
Still another object of this invention is to provide molding compositions and molded articles that are based on a polyphenylene ether resin and an EPDM modified alkenyl aromatic resin and that have improved impact strength.
It is also an object of this invention to provide the above-described, improved molding compositions in reinforced and/or flame-retardant embodiments. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Hundreds of auction sites are currently accessible via the Internet, with more coming on-line everyday. Many types of products and services are bought and sold via these on-line auction sites. For example eBay (www.ebay.com) and Auction.com (www.auction.com) allow visitors to participate in auctions for items in various categories, including collectibles, antiques, sports memorabilia, jewelry, and the like. OnSale (www.onsale.com) and uBid (www.ubid.com) allow visitors to participate in auctions for computer products, sports and fitness equipment, electronics equipment, travel packages, and the like.
In addition, some enterprises offer their own products and services for sale through auctions conducted on their own Web sites. For example, The Sharper Image (650 Davis Street, San Francisco, Calif.) conducts auctions on their web site (www.sharperimage.com) that allow consumers to bid on products offered for sale by The Sharper Image. Winning bids may be treated like normal purchase transactions between buyers and The Sharper Image, similar to buying from The Sharper Image store, catalog, or Internet store.
Because of the proliferation of on-line auction sites, identical items may be offered for sale at more than one auction site. For example, a consumer interested in purchasing a particular model of Nikon® brand binoculars may find the particular model of binoculars offered for sale on the eBay auction site, on the uBid auction site, as well as on the auction sites of various retailers. To obtain the best “deal”, the consumer may be required to visit each of these auction sites periodically to monitor an ongoing auction.
Some auction sites may require pre-registration of buyers and sellers. Consumers wishing to view items currently being auctioned, to bid on an item, or to offer an item for sale, may have to enter a user identification and password to gain entry. As such, accessing multiple auction sites to monitor various auctions may become burdensome, particularly if a consumer is required to enter passwords and user identifications each time.
Accordingly, it would be desirable for consumers to be able to search multiple auction sites easily for information relating to items being auctioned without being required to visit each auction site. Various Web sites have emerged recently which attempt to “aggregate” or collect auction information from multiple auction sites and present the data to consumers. For example, BidFind (www.bidfind.com) utilizes a “bot” or “crawler” that visits multiple on-line auction sites to collect data associated with various items offered for sale at each auction site. This auction item data is conventionally collected by parsing the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code of various web pages at an auction site and extracting data related to auction items from the HTML code.
Unfortunately, conventional methods of parsing HTML code, and extracting auction item data therefrom, may be inaccurate and inefficient. A conventional crawler typically parses HTML code line-by-line in a sequential manner. For large Web sites having many web pages and many lines of HTML code, parsing via a conventional crawler may be time consuming, as well. Furthermore, crawlers may not be able to accurately distinguish between auction item data and other data within HTML code, especially since auction site owners are able to change the position and format of auction item data on their Web pages. Accordingly, some auction item data may be incorrect and some may be missing. In addition, there may be a time lag between when a crawler parses HTML code at a particular web site and when the extracted auction item data is available to consumers at an auction search site. As such, auction data obtained via conventional crawler methods may not be timely and, consequently, may be of lesser value to consumers.
As such, it would be desirable to be able to search many different auction sites for auction item data and to present this data to consumers, quickly, accurately and efficiently. From a buyer's standpoint, it would be desirable to quickly locate auction sites having particular items offered for sale. From a seller's standpoint, it would be desirable to quickly locate the best auction sites through which to offer products/services for sale. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The contents of 2000-167484, filed Jun. 5, 2000 in Japan, are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disk array devices including multiple disk devices equipped with a restorative function used when the disk devices fail.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, devices have been made available in which subsystem components are multiplexed and have a degree of redundancy. A localized trouble-shooting function and the redundant configuration of these devices increases the continuous usability of these devices and allows for the automatic restoration of data when a disk fails. The data redundancy method is categorized into 6 stages ranging from RAID 0 to RAID 5 (RAID is the Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks).
FIG. 14(a) shows a schematic diagram of a RAID 4 System 100. As shown in FIG. 14(a), RAID 4 employs a parity system for data restoration information. The RAID 4 System 100 shown in FIG. 14(a) includes several data disks D0, D2, . . . storing the data allocated in multiple read/write units, a parity-generating unit P and a disk device DP which stores the parity.
In the RAID 4 System 100 shown in FIG. 14(a), the data is allocated into multiple units designated by A0, A2, . . . . Generally, these data units A0, A2, . . . are fixed lengths. The allocated data A0, A2, . . . are distributed to and stored on the data disks D0, D2, . . . while the parity is stored on the dedicated disk DP. In the following description, the data that is allocated to different disks and stored as above is referred to as redundant identical group data or simply as redundant group data. The disk groups that this data is stored on are referred to as redundant group disks. The parity can also be referred to as redundant data.
When there is a problem with a disk, the data on the disk is regenerated from the remaining identical group data and parity (redundant data).
RAID 4 is capable of reading out multiple data simultaneously but cannot write multiple data at the same time. When updating data, the RAID 4 System 100 always reads the parity and the data before the update and writes after creating the update parity, which requires additional access. This is referred to as a write penalty.
FIG. 14(b) shows a schematic diagram of a RAID 5 System 200. Like the RAID 4 System 100, the RAID 5 System 200 employs a parity system for data restoration information. The RAID 5 System 200 also includes multiple disks D1, D2, . . . for storing parity, and a parity-generating unit P.
In the RAID 5 System 200, the data is divided into several groups as shown in FIG. 14(b), including A0, A1, . . . B0, B1, . . . The groups of divided data are distributed to disks D1, D2, . . . respectively and stored therein. The parity PA, of the data A0, A1 . . . and the parity PB of the data B0, B1 . . . are distributed to the disks D1, D2, D3 . . . and stored.
In the RAID 5 System 200, as with the RAID 4 System 100, when there is a problem with a disk, the data on the disk is regenerated from the aforementioned identical group data and parity (parity data).
RAID 5 is capable of reading and writing multiple disks simultaneously. When updating the data, there is the aforementioned write penalty. Also, while updating the parity, no read/write access is allowed to the disk.
FIG. 15 shows a diagram with an example of the write sequence in a disk array device to which the aforementioned RAID 4 System 100 or RAID 5 System 200 could be applied. The example of the write sequence shown in FIG. 15 corresponds to the RAID 4 System 100 and is explained with reference to the RAID 4 System 100.
As shown in FIG. 15, the RAID 4 System 100 includes a subsystem control module 101, which includes subsystem control module internal memory 101a. Also shown in FIG. 15, the RAID 4 System 100 includes subsystem internal interface module 102 (hereafter, xe2x80x9cinterfacexe2x80x9d is abbreviated to I/F), device control module 103, buffer 103a, device I/F module 104, disk group 105, data disks D0xcx9cD2, and redundant disk P storing redundant data.
Referring now to FIG. 15, OD (Old Data) is the data that is to be updated (referred to as old data below), OP (Old Parity) is the parity data to be updated (referred to as old parity below), ND (New Data) is the write data, NP (New Parity) is the write redundant data (referred to as new parity below) and IP is the interim parity data.
As shown in FIG. 15, the write operation in the disk array device 100 is carried out as explained herein below. (Items (a)xcx9c(g) in FIG. 15 correspond, respectively, to items (a)xcx9c(g) below.)
(a) The write data ND1 is transferred from the memory 101a of the subsystem control module 101 to the buffer 103a of the device control module 103.
(b) The data OD1 on the disk that is to be written to is read into the buffer 103a.
(c) The redundant data OP of the redundant group of the data to be written is read into the buffer 103a.
(d) The interim redundant data IP is generated by performing an exclusive xe2x80x9corxe2x80x9d operation on OD1 and OP.
(e) The new redundant data NP is generated by performing an exclusive xe2x80x9corxe2x80x9d operation on ND1 and IP.
(f) ND1 is written to the disk 105.
(g) NP is written to the disk 105.
For this sequence, items (a)xcx9c(c) and (e)xcx9c(f) do not have to be performed in any strictly fixed order.
The following types of methods are possible for maintaining the reliability of the data when there has been a momentary interruption due to a power outage or other reason in systems that perform the above sort of write operation:
(1) Continuous subsystem operation by means of a battery back-up system for the entire device.
(2) Write data support based on non-volatile memory.
In (1) above, when the power supply supplied to the device is cut off, the data is secured by the continuous operation of a subsystem. However, in (1) above, a large-capacity battery is required to back up the entire subsystem and in actual installations, the percent that this occupies is extremely large.
In (2) above, the write data remains in memory which nearly always makes recovery possible by writing to the disk again when the power supply is turned back on. Also in (2) above, if the write was being carried out before power supply was cut off and the redundant data was being written, that RAID would be in degeneration mode (at least when one disk had failed). Then when the power supply was turned on again, when the RAID shifted into degeneration mode, the redundancy of that redundant group would be lost and it would not be possible (since it would not be performed properly) to restore the data on the broken disk or to write the data of that redundant group. This state is referred to as a xe2x80x9cWrite Holexe2x80x9d.
To correct this sort of problem, the redundant data stored in the memory 101a is managed constantly and the status of the write progress is written to the memory 101a. That progress status is used with the redundant data to perform the recovery. Avoiding the above state has also been considered, but the need to constantly transfer redundant data while writing led to a drop in performance.
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems.
An object of the present invention is to provide a disk array device that maintains reliability of data without too great a loss of performance, even in degeneration mode, as well as when the power supply is turned back on after being turned off.
The present invention comprises a disk array device including a subsystem control module, disk, and a device control module. The subsystem control module comprises a memory backed up with a battery. The disks store data and/or parity. The device control module controls the disks. The device control module comprises a buffer storing redundant data, wherein when data is to be written to the disks, the disk array device allocates and writes the data to the respective disks, generates redundant data from the allocated data, and writes the redundant data onto disks of the disks not storing the allocated data, and wherein when writing data to the disks, the data written to the memory of the subsystem control module is held until a writing process is completed and when at least one of the disks is broken or degenerated, the disk array device transfers and stores the redundant data stored in the buffer of the device control module to the memory of the subsystem control module.
Further, the present invention comprises a disk array device coupled to and receiving data from a host computer. The disk array device of the present invention comprises a subsystem control module and a device control module. The subsystem control module of the present invention comprises a memory having a backup power supply. The memory stores data redundant to the data received from the host computer. The device control module of the present invention is in communication with the subsystem control module. The device control module interfaces to and controls access of a disk drive group storing data and parity on disk drives. The memory of the subsystem control module stores the redundant data until the device control module notifies the subsystem control module that the device control module has successfully written the data received from the host computer to the disk drive group.
In addition, the present invention comprises a method a disk array device controlling disks storing data and coupled to a host computer. The method of the present invention comprises storing data redundant to data received from the host computer, in a memory, having a backup power supply, of the disk array device until the data received from the host computer is successfully written to the disks by the disk array device.
These together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Alerts can communicate events that may call for human involvement. Alerts may be communicated to alert responders. Alert responders may be employed to view, respond to, and/or resolve alerts. In previous approaches, alerts may be communicated to alert responders as a matter of course, irrespective of the historical actions taken by each alert responder. For example, alerts may be communicated without consideration paid to the individual area(s) of expertise and/or the type(s) of alerts responders have responded to in the past. In addition, previous approaches may not communicate alerts via channel(s) of communication actually used by a given alert responder. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to agricultural cultivating tools which are attached to a standard or other tool support portion of a cultivating implement and, more particularly, to an improved cultivating sweep. Specifically, the present invention relates to an improved sweep design which permits uniform wear across the face of the sweep without narrowing the overall width of the sweep or blunting its point.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of cultivating tools have evolved over the years for the tillage of soil. Such tools have been designed for a variety of purposes and soil conditions. Wing sweeps evolved for the purpose of performing the function of cutting off or uprooting weeds as well as for breaking up or mulching the surface of the soil in order to conserve soil moisture.
Wing sweep designs generally include a forwardly pointed body which is attached to a cultivating implement of some sort. Such wing sweeps include a pair of blades or wings which extend rearwardly from opposite sides of the body, or in some cases, a single blade or wing on one side of the body only. The body wings have customarily been provided with cutting edges extending rearwardly from the point of the body and along the outer front edges of the wings, the wings and the body being shaped so that the cutting edges are in the pattern of a "V" with the apex of the "V" being at the point. In many types of such sweeps, the V-pattern edge lies substantially in a plane. In the transverse direction, the wing or blade inclines upwardly and inwardly from the edge.
Such sweeps are adapted for use on cultivator implements that are drawn by tractors whereby they are propelled at a high forward velocity through the soil and subjected to substantial mechanical strains. Examples of wing sweep designs which exist as part of the prior art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,351,388, 2,595,353, 2,704,499 and 3,038,424. As can be seen from these particular prior art patents, the V-shaped wing sweep design as described above is common. The basis for this V-shape design resides in the modern approach to sweep cultivation wherein evaporation of moisture from soil can be reduced if a layer of the surface soil is sliced or sheared off from the underlying soil and then replaced with a minimum of soil agitation with the soil surface being left relatively level without furrows and ridges. The sweep designs of the above-referenced prior art patents contribute to this concept of cultivation and mulching in various ways and include wings that diverge rearwardly in a "V" so that the soil flows rearwardly over the body of the sweep and falls by gravity downwardly between the stem and wings and is not thrown or plowed violently toward the sides. The soil is thus replaced on the ground surface between the wings rearwardly of the sweep and avoids the plowing of a furrow as in older type designs.
Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to the standard V-shaped wing sweep design as disclosed in the referenced patents. More specifically, a common problem is that since the tip or nose of the sweep is the first point of penetration into the soil and receives the brunt of the wear as the sweep is pulled through the soil, the tip will generally wear faster than the rest of the sweep wing portions. Thus, in the V-shape designs, the nose or tip of the sweep tends to flatten to a very blunt shape. When this occurs drawing of the sweep through the soil can become very difficult since the tip is not sufficiently sharp to cause easy initial separation of the soil and penetration of the sweep through the soil. Another wear characteristic of the existing sweep designs is that such sweeps also tend to wear faster at the distal tip portions of the wings as opposed to the center of the wings. This wearing of the end portions of the wings tends to reduce the width of the sweep during its lifetime thus narrowing the path which the sweep makes through the soil. Since the purpose of the sweep is to shear as much surface soil as possible at one time, this narrowing of the sweep reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of the cultivating tool carry the sweep or a plurality of such sweeps.
Finally, sweeps have incorporated a cutting edge inclined to the surface of the ground in order to increase the penetration and cutting capability of the sweep. In order to increase the angle of inclination to the ground, the rear portions of the wing members have generally been designed to be uplifted relative to the ground surface as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,352,388 and 2,704,499. A problem with such uplifting of the rear portion of the sweep is that while it will achieve better penetration into the ground, the elevation of the rear portion of the sweep will tend to increase the agitation of the soil. This is an undesirable characteristic according to more modern cultivation techniques. Consequently, there is still a need for a wing sweep design which provides efficient penetration into the soil with minimum agitation of the soil so as to achieve the desired shearing of the soil. Moreover, there is still a need for such a tool which will not only perform the referenced function efficiently but will wear evenly so as to provide maximum efficiency of use throughout the entire life of the wing sweep and which will not wear unevenly so as to bring about premature replacement of the wing sweep. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus supporting a peer to peer (P2P) connection, and more particularly, to a method of executing an application program in linkage with a dynamic Internet protocol (IP) address allocated to a wireless device connected to the image forming apparatus supporting the P2P connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, peer to peer (P2P) communication technology, by which wireless devices may be directly connected to each other without an additional wireless connecting apparatus, have been generalized and widely used. For example, BLUETOOTH technology may be utilized to perform P2P communication. Although there are limitations in terms of transmission speed and transmission range of BLUETOOTH, new versions of BLUETOOTH are being developed to compensate for the limitations.
Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network (WLAN) standard based on IEEE 802.11 regulated by the Wi-Fi alliance. Wi-Fi is basically a technology using ultra-high speed Internet by accessing access points (APs) connected to an infrastructured network; however, Wi-Fi may be utilized to perform P2P communication by using an ad-hoc function. However, when the ad-hoc function is used, security is weakened, a transmission speed is lowered, and a setting method is not easily performed. Therefore, the Wi-Fi alliance has suggested a Wi-Fi Direct technology which may also be used to perform P2P communication. Wi-Fi Direct allows for a P2P connection between wireless devices without using an AP, supports a transmission speed of a maximum of 250 Mbps, and performs security settings by using Wi-Fi protected access 2 (WPA2), in order to address problems of the ad-hoc function. In addition, Wi-Fi Direct supports a transmission range of a maximum of 200 m, and thus, is considered as a substitute for performing P2P communication in place of Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH, and the like.
As described above, with the appearance of Wi-Fi Direct, it is considered that utilization of P2P communication will further increase. In addition, P2P communication technology may also be applied to a variety of devices, including image forming apparatuses such as printers, scanners, facsimiles, and multi-function printers. Therefore, technologies for user authentication, controlling connections, controlling rights, and managing security are necessary for safely and conveniently using image forming apparatuses supporting a P2P connection. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This disclosure relates to and incorporates by reference patent application Ser. No. 09/803,599, filed Mar. 9, 2001, Adapting Low Power Scan Architectures for Low Power Operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As a motion guide device of this type, there has been known one disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The motion guide device includes a raceway rail including rolling surfaces for rolling elements formed along a longitudinal direction, a moving block assembled to the raceway rail through intermediation of a large number of rolling elements which roll on the rolling surface and including an endless circulation path for the rolling elements, and a plurality of separators to be moved together with the rolling elements in the endless circulation path of the moving block. Along with circulation of the rolling elements in the endless circulation path, the moving block and the raceway rail can reciprocate relative to each other.
The moving block includes a block body including load rolling element paths in which the rolling elements roll under load between the raceway rail and the moving block, and rolling element return paths provided parallel to the load rolling element paths, and a pair of end plates each including a pair of direction turning paths each connecting the load rolling element path and the rolling element return path to each other so as to form the endless circulation path, the pair of end plates being fixed to the block body. Further, the separators are arranged between the rolling elements in a manner that an axial line of each of the separators and a straight line connecting center points of adjacent the ones of the rolling elements to each other correspond to each other. Further, spherical seats in conformity with an outer peripheral shape of the rolling elements are formed on contact surfaces of each of the separators with respect to the rolling elements.
In the motion guide device of Patent Literature 1, which is structured as described above, when the rolling elements enter the direction turning path, the rolling elements roll in a circular-arc form along an outer peripheral side guide curved surface of the direction turning path. Meanwhile, the separators are arranged so that the axial line of each of the separators and the straight line connecting the center points of adjacent ones of the rolling elements to each other correspond to each other. Thus, at the same time when the rolling elements pass through a start position of the outer peripheral side guide curved surface of the direction turning path and start to roll along the outer peripheral side guide curved surface toward a direction of being spaced apart from the rolling surface of the raceway rail, the separators held in contact with the rolling elements through intermediation of the spherical seats gradually come closer to an inner peripheral side guide curved surface of the direction turning path with respect to the rolling elements. In order to prevent the separators and the inner peripheral side guide curved surface in the direction turning path from interfering with each other due to displacement of a track of the separators, in the motion guide device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the inner peripheral side guide curved surface is formed into a compound curved surface including a plurality of curved surfaces having different curvatures. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to method and apparatuses for flash welding a pair of workpieces.
In a conventional flash welding method, a pair of workpieces to be welded are movably supported by clampers, and at least one of the workpieces mounted on a movable bed is moved toward the other workpiece by a hydraulic cylinder. A voltage is applied across the workpieces to generate flashes between the workpieces for heating and melting the workpiece surfaces to be joined together. When the workpieces are sufficiently heated, they are upset with a predetermined upsetting force by the hydraulic cylinder. The upsetting force is removed from the workpieces when the welded portions of the workpieces are firmly put together.
In the above flash welding method, the voltage between the workpieces and the movement of the workpieces are respectively independently controlled in accordance with the lapse of time irrespective of the progress of actual welding, so that it is difficult to obtain welds of a higher quality.
During upsetting, the workpieces must be moved toward each other at a high speed to prevent the oxidation of the hot weld surfaces. In order to accelerate a workpiece together with a movable bed for carrying it at a high rate, a large force, such as 5 to 7 kg/mm.sup.2, which is larger than the pressure required for upsetting, must be applied to the movable bed. Since the workpieces tend to buckle when such a high upsetting pressure is applied to the workpieces after the upsetting, the upsetting force must be removed from the workpieces after the workpieces have been upset by a predetermined upsetting quantity. Therefore, the body of the apparatus tends to vibrate during the upsetting process, and the workpieces may vibrate in the cooling process of the workpieces after their upsetting, the vibration having an adverse effect on the quality of the finished weld. Also, when a high upsetting pressure is applied to the workpieces, the apparatus must be heavy and large-sized to withstand the high upsetting pressure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Up-converting phosphor is a type of material that emits visible light when excited by long wavelength light. Ytterbium/erbium co-doped fluoride is a high efficiency up-converting phosphor that emits strong green fluorescence and relatively weak red fluorescence when excited by 946-970 nm infrared light.
Due to their unique properties, up-converting phosphors are used in the fabrication of light-emitting diodes, solid-state lasers, and as ultra-sensitive fluorescent labels in biological detections (U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,698).
As a fluorescent label for biological molecules, the phosphor must be small in size and uniform, highly luminescent, and stable in aqueous environment. We have disclosed a method of preparing nanometer-sized molybdenum up-converting phosphor particles (Patent Number: CN 01134861.5). With this method, particles of 50-60 nm in diameter were prepared. They were easy to make, and highly luminescent. But the range of particle size was limited to 50-60 nm. And the annealing temperature is high. James Kane has disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,361 and WO 97/46488 a process for preparing small up-converting fluoride phosphor particles. The process involves high temperature (750° C.) heating, and the size of the particle (about 400 nm) thus obtained is too large for many biological applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Because of rapidly dwindling petroleum reserves, coal has evidenced increasing importance as a source of fuel. Many processes have been developed to utilize coal directly in solid form by combustion, or by first converting it to useful liquids and gases. However, many of these processes suffer because of problems associated with the mineral matter contained in coal. For example, mineral matter in coal can cause recycle problems in liquefaction processes by causing the loss of hydrogen to form the undesirable side product H.sub.2 S. Mineral matter can also be a problem if the coal is burned directly because mineral matter contributes to slagging problems. Mineral matter in coal will also contribute to the release of sulfur dioxide as a pollutant. Therefore, it is highly desirable to remove as much of the mineral matter as possible before coal utilization.
Although various methods have been proposed for the removal of mineral matter from coal, there is still a need in the art for the development of more efficient and effective demineralization methods, especially if chemical comminution of the coal can be simultaneously achieved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. The Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to noise-abatement devices. In particular, this application discusses noise-abatement devices for use with pneumatically operated tools, such as pneumatic percussive drills.
2. The Relevant Technology
The process of converting energy stored in compressed air into motion for powering a pneumatic tool generates a significant amount of noise as the spent air (exhaust) is exhausted. In particular, pneumatic tools are often operated by compressed air that is directed to a pneumatic cylinder. As compressed air expands in the cylinder, the air exerts pressure on an internal piston causing the piston to move from an initial position in a first direction for a determined distance. The travel of the piston within the pneumatic cylinder can be referred to as a stroke. As the piston nears the end of the stroke, the air in the cylinder is exhausted by way of an exhaust port. The piston is then returned to its initial position by an opposing force that is often provided by a spring and/or compressed air applied to the opposite side of the piston and the process begins again.
As spent compressed air is exhausted from the pneumatic cylinder, the spent compressed air expands rapidly causing a loud noise. Often, the operation of pneumatic tools requires a close proximity between the tool and an operator, and the noise generated by the tool can be loud enough to be potentially harmful to the operator. There are many approaches to reduce the noise from these devices. A common approach is a muffler consisting of an expansion chamber into which the exhaust flows and expands before venting to the atmosphere. Such designs take various geometric shapes including cylindrical, kidney-shaped, and rectangular. Another approach includes incorporating a series of internal chambers within an expansion chamber to allow the exhaust to progressively expand. While such approaches offer some improvement in noise reduction, given the close proximity of pneumatic tools and their operators, the noise reduction of current approaches is often insufficient to acceptably reduce the damaging and/or painful noise levels.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some examples described herein can be practiced | {
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Fluid leakage is a common problem in pipelines, particularly in older pipelines which typically employ materials of limited ductility and are thus highly subject to damage such as caused by impact, ground movement or shock. Currently available pipe clamps for repairing high pressure pipelines are generally expensive to manufacture, difficult and awkward to install, and of limited reliability. This is particularly true in the case of repair clamps for repairing and sealing a leak in a bell joint comprised of a spigot end of one pipe inserted in a sealed manner in the bell end of another pipe. Bell, or flange, joints are a common approach to connecting two pipes in a sealed manner. However, the bell end portion of the pipe is subject to splitting resulting in leakage.
A common approach to repairing a leaking bell joint requires the pipeline to be shut down and de-watered. The leaking bell joint is then removed from the pipeline by cutting respective ends of adjacent pipeline sections forming the bell joint and inserting a new sleeve between the severed ends of adjacent pipeline sections. The repair sleeve approach thus results in two pipeline joints subject to leakage rather than the single coupling of the thus removed bell joint. Not only is this approach of limited reliability, but it is difficult and time consuming because of the requirement to remove the leaking bell joint.
Other repair approaches allow the leaking bell joint to remain in the pipeline and attempt to confine the leak by means of a sleeve disposed about and encompassing the leaking bell joint. A sleeve housing generally includes opposed apertures for receiving the spigot and bell joint ends of the coupled pipeline sections and is typically comprised of two semi-cylindrical sections which are adapted for connection and sealed contact. The bell joint sleeve thus forms a hollow enclosure about the bell joint in an attempt to confine the pipeline contents and prevent further leakage. However, the bell joint sleeve itself is subject to leakage particularly at its two gasketed ends and along the longitudinal seams join the semi-cylindrical sleeve halves. | {
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This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gyroscopic devices and to a process of generating electricity thereby.
Gyroscopic novelty devices have heretofore been provided. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,146. Such prior device employs a rotor positioned in a support having an internal circular portion provided with an internal race or groove. The rotor is secured to a shaft extending diametrically across the circular portion with its ends received in the race. A guide ring is positioned in the race so as to be rotatable circumferentially of the race. The guide ring has diametrically spaced notches in its inner periphery that receive the ends of the rotor shaft for maintaining them centered and 180 degrees apart in the race. The rotor can thus rotate about the axis of the rotor shaft as a first or spin axis and also about the axis of rotation of the ring which comprises a second axis at right angles to and intersecting the spin axis. By giving the rotor an initial spin and then holding its support in the hand and manually applying a torque to the support at a third axis at right angles to both the spin and second axes, the rotor will precess about the second axis. By manually gyrating the axis of the applied torque about the second axis at the same rate and in the same direction as the precession of the rotor, the opposite ends of the rotor shaft are continuously pressed against the opposite sides of the race. The precession is continuous and causes the ends of the rotor shaft to roll on the upper and lower surfaces of the race in a manner which increases or decreases the rate of rotor spin in proportion to the amount of torque applied by the operator. A skillful operator can cause the rotor to attain high speeds of rotation about its spin axis. | {
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The subject invention relates to optical metrology devices which include a movable stage for rastering a wafer with respect to a measuring probe beam. More specifically, the invention relates to a stage which includes a system for mounting a reference chip within the footprint of the wafer thereby reducing the amount of stage travel necessary to measure both the wafer and the reference chip.
Optical metrology instruments require periodic monitoring and calibration. The output intensity of the light sources, the nature and extent of solarization of the optical components, chemical contamination of the optical surfaces and the alignment of the system optics can all vary with system operating time. An instrument""s performance must be regularly monitored to verify that the system continues to meet operational specifications and that measurements are performed with the required precision and accuracy. Frequently, this is accomplished with the aid of a reference sample. A reference sample is a well-characterized specimen with known and temporally stable optical properties. Any variation in the measurement of the reference sample optical response is indicative of a variation in performance of the instrument. It is the periodic measurement of the reference sample that indicates performance problems and the requirement for maintenance or re-calibration.
Optical wafer metrology systems are characteristically configured with the wafer surface approximately coincident with the focal plane of the optical system. The focal plane is flat and perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the probe beam (typically defined as the x-y plane). The vertical or z position of the wafer should coincide with the focus position of the probing beam.
High-resolution xe2x80x9csmall spot-sizexe2x80x9d optical wafer metrology tools illuminate a small portion of the wafer surface at the focal position and monitor the change in one or more properties of the reflected light caused by the interaction with the sample surface. Characteristically, measurements are made sequentially as a translating wafer stage moves the wafer surface xe2x80x9cthroughxe2x80x9d the illuminated region. Conventional wafer xe2x80x9cmasteringxe2x80x9d or translation protocols include both bi-linear, x-y translation and single-axis translation in combination with z-axis rotation. The stage system can also include z-axis movement for raising and lowering the wafer surface to achieve focus.
In the prior art it has been desirable to place the reference sample in the focal plane. If the reference surface is physically located within the same plane as the wafer surface, no substantial refocusing of the optical system is required during measurement of the standard sample. For systems employing x-y translation stages the reference sample is typically attached to the wafer chuck at the corner of the stage where it does not interfere with wafer measurements. For systems employing z-axis rotation stages, restrictions posed by rotation symmetry, the location of auxiliary metrology instrumentation and the location and design of the wafer handling equipment make locating the reference sample more difficult. Even when a suitable location can be identified this often requires a more expensive, long-travel stage to be used so that the reference sample can be moved to the measurement position. These factors increase both the complexity of the instrument and its cost and size.
Accordingly it would be desirable to locate the reference sample on the wafer chuck within the wafer footprint. This offers two important advantages. First, the stage-travel requirements are determined solely by the wafer dimensions. Therefore minimum form-factor wafer-translation systems can be employed. Second, a major limitation of the prior-art approach is eliminated permitting the use of compact wafer-translation systems having rotary stages. In particular, the prior approach of placing a reference chip outside a circular chuck and connected to the chuck cannot be implemented in a rotational system where an external pin lifter mechanism is used to raise wafer. As can be appreciated, if the reference chip extended beyond the circumference of the chuck, it would prevent the chuck from rotating since it would intersect with the pins of the wafer lifter. Placing the reference sample within the footprint of the chuck allows an external pin lifter to be used with a rotational chuck.
The subject invention relates to an apparatus for holding and translating a wafer in an optical wafer metrology tool. The apparatus incorporates a wafer-chuck that is attached to and combined with a wafer translation system. The apparatus further includes a holder for a reference specimen. The holder is installed within the body of the wafer-chuck within the area of the chuck used for wafer clamping. The holder is movable between a retracted position where the reference sample is below the chuck surface, and an extended position where the reference sample is substantially coincident with the wafer position. During wafer metrology the holder is maintained in the retracted position. Measurement of the reference sample is made with the wafer removed and the holder maintained in the extended position.
Locating the reference specimen within the area of the chuck used for wafer clamping enables an economy of design. The required range of stage-travel is set by the wafer dimensions. This admits the use of extremely short-travel translation stages to access large wafer areas. For example, the entire surface of a 300 mm diameter wafer can be accessed using a single 270 degree rotary-stage in combination with two xc2x175 mm linear-travel stages, e.g. xc2x175 mm of travel in the x direction and xc2x175 mm in the y direction. The economy of motion enables increased accuracy of wafer positioning and increased wafer-throughput at reduced cost. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mobile communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for scheduling downlink packets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication systems are under development to provide high-speed large-data services beyond voice-focused service. A Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA 2000) 1xEvolution Data Only (1xEV-DO) system provides high-data services. A Base Station (BS) transmits a downlink signal with a maximum power and a Mobile Station (MS) measures the Carrier-to-Interference (C/I) ratio of the signal and feeds back a Data Rate Control (DRC) value corresponding to the C/I ratio to the BS. The DRC value is a data rate representing the downlink channel status of the MS.
With DRC values received from MSs, the BS selects an MS (or a flow) to which it will transmit a signal and the format of a transmission packet. The transmission packet can be a single-user packet directed to one MS or a multi-user packet directed to a plurality of MSs.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals between a BS and an MS in a conventional CDMA 1xEV-DO communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, upon receipt of a downlink signal from a BS 100, an MS 150 decodes the downlink signal at a decoder 108 and provides the decoded signal to an Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) decider 114 and a target Packet Error Rate (PER) controller 116. The ARQ decider 114 selects an ACKnowledgment/Negative ACKnowledgment (ACK/NACK) signal for the received downlink signal and transmits the ACK/NACK signal to the BS 100. The target PER controller 116 adjusts a DRC decision threshold for a DRC decider 112, taking into account packet error information about the decoded signal, in order to determine a DRC value that satisfies a target PER of 1%.
A C/I estimator 110 estimates the C/I ratio of the downlink signal received from the BS 100. The DRC decider 112 compares the C/I ratio estimate with the DRC decision threshold, determines a DRC value that makes the downlink signal satisfy the target PER of 1%, and transmits the determined DRC value to the BS 100.
The BS 100 decodes DRC values and ACK/NACK signals received from the MS 150 and other MSs at a DRC decoder 104 and an ARQ decoder 106. A scheduler 102 performs a scheduling algorithm according to the decoding results to thereby allocate downlink resources to the MSs.
The BS uses a transmission format corresponding to a DRC value received from an MS, for transmission of a single-user packet to the MS. The preamble of the single-user packet carries information about the MS to receive the single-user packet, and the MS demodulates the packet using the transmission format corresponding to its transmitted DRC value.
The preamble of a multi-user packet provides information indicating whether this packet is a multi-user packet and information indicating a packet size. Information about a plurality of MSs is included in a Medium Access Control (MAC) header of the multi-user packet. These MSs are those that have transmitted compatible multi-user DRC values. The compatible multi-user DRC values refer to DRC values including the same multi-user transmission format in Table 1. A DRC value is a DRC index in Table 1. The compatible multi-user DRC values range from a low DRC value to a high DRC value.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a downlink scheduling operation of a BS in a conventional communication system.
Referring to FIG. 2, the BS prioritizes MSs in step 202. For example, for a Best Effort (BE) service, the BS can prioritize the MSs by a proportional fairness algorithm. For a Quality of Service (QoS) sensitive time delay, the BS can prioritize the MSs in a descending order of time delay.
In step 204, the BS generates a plurality of candidate transmission formats for an MS according to the priority level of the MS and selects one of the candidate transmission formats, for a transmission packet. If possible, the BS converts the transmission packet to a short transmission packet in step 206 and transmits the packet in the selected transmission format to the MS in step 208.
Table 1 below lists transmission formats for a CDMA 2000 1xEV-DO Revision A communication system.
TABLE 1List of AssociatedList of AssociatedRateSingle-UserMulti-UserDRCMetricSpanTransmissionTransmissionindex(kbps)(slots)FormatsFormats0x0016(128, 16, 1024)(128, 4, 256)(256, 16, 1024)(256, 4, 256)(512, 16, 1024)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 16, 1024)(1024, 4, 256)0x138.416(128, 16, 1024)(128, 4, 256)(256, 16, 1024)(256, 4, 256)(512, 16, 1024)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 16, 1024)(1024, 4, 256)0x276.88(128, 8, 512)(128, 4, 256)(256, 8, 512)(256, 4, 256)(512, 16, 512)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 8, 512)(1024, 4, 256)0x3153.64(128, 4, 256)(128, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)0x4307.22(128, 2, 128)(128, 4, 256)(256, 2, 128)(256, 4, 256)(512, 2, 128)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 2, 128)(1024, 4, 256)0x5307.24(512, 4, 128)(128, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 128)(256, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)0x6614.41(128, 1, 64)(128, 4, 256)(256, 1, 64)(256, 4, 256)(512, 1, 64)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 1, 64)(1024, 4, 256)0x7614.42(512, 2, 64)(128, 4, 256)(1024, 2, 64)(256, 4, 256)(2048, 2, 64)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)0x8921.62(1024, 2, 64)(128, 4, 256)(3072, 2, 64)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)0x91228.81(512, 1, 64)(128, 4, 256)(1024, 1, 64)(256, 4, 256)(2048, 1, 64)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)0xa1228.82(4096, 2, 64)(128, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)(4096, 2, 64)0xb1843.21(1024, 1, 64)(128, 4, 256)(3072, 1, 64)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)0xc2457.61(4096, 1, 64)(128, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)(4096, 2, 64)0xd15362(5120, 2, 64)(128, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)(4096, 2, 64)(5120, 2, 64)0xe30721(5120, 1, 64)(128, 4, 256)(256, 4, 256)(512, 4, 256)(1024, 4, 256)(2048, 4, 128)(3072, 2, 64)(4096, 2, 64)(5120, 2, 64)
Referring to Table 1, under List of Associated Single-User Transmission Formats, transmission formats written in bold are canonical transmission formats mapped to DRC values, and the other transmission formats are for short transmission packets. Under List of Associated Multi-User Transmission Formats, transmission formats for packet sizes less than 1024 are for short transmission packets. Under List of Associated Single-User Transmission Formats and List of Associated Multi-User Transmission Formats, transmission formats are represented as (a, b, c) where “a” denotes a physical packet size, “b” denotes a slot span, and “c” denotes a preamble length.
As described above, there are no proposed techniques for specifying how a BS scheduler determines a transmission format for a downlink packet. When the BS selects MSs to receive a multi-user packet, it is inefficient for the BS to check over every MS to determine whether its DRC value includes the same multi-user DRC value. | {
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Regulatory air pollution limits for diesel engines have caused heavy duty diesel truck manufacturers to adopt engine aftertreatment systems for treating diesel exhaust gases before release into the atmosphere. An aftertreatment system can include a plurality of catalytic units to reduce pollutants, including particulate soot (unburned hydrocarbons) and nitrogen oxide (NOx).
FIG. 1 shows a prior art aftertreatment exhaust system for a heavy duty diesel truck includes, among other components, a diesel particulate filter system 114 and a selective catalytic reduction system 116. The function of the diesel particulate filter system 114 is to reduce the particulates (soot), and the function of the selective catalytic reduction system 116 is to reduce nitrogen oxide.
The diesel particulate filter system 114 includes both a diesel particulate filter 108 and a diesel oxidation catalyst unit 106 ahead of the diesel particulate filter 108. The diesel particulate filter 108 traps particulates from the exhaust gas on a highly porous ceramic core, also referred to as a wall-flow filter. The filter 108 can undergo regeneration to convert the soot into carbon dioxide through chemical oxidation with an oxidant species. Heavy duty diesel truck manufacturers typically select nitrogen dioxide as opposed to oxygen to oxidize the soot, since oxidization with nitrogen dioxide generally proceeds at a lower temperature. However, while the exhaust gas generally includes a large amount of oxygen, the amount of nitrogen dioxide is relatively small. Accordingly, the diesel oxidation catalyst 106 can be used to convert nitrogen monoxide into nitrogen dioxide. In addition, the diesel oxidation catalyst unit 106 is used to remove residual hydrocarbons (HC) and convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
The exhaust gases, including the nitrogen dioxide from the diesel oxidation catalyst, pass into the diesel particulate filter 108, which traps soot. In addition to trapping soot, the diesel particulate filter 108 can include a catalyst to catalyze the oxidation of the soot with the nitrogen dioxide in a process of passive regeneration. Under some circumstances, the temperature of the exhaust gas alone may not be sufficient to initiate the oxidation reaction in passive regeneration. Accordingly, the temperature may be increased by using the hydrocarbon doser 104 to dose diesel fuel into the exhaust gases to raise the temperature and initiate oxidation, which is known as active regeneration.
The selective catalytic reduction system 112 includes a diesel exhaust fluid doser 110 and a selective catalytic reduction unit 112. The function of the selective catalytic reduction unit 112 is to convert NOx species into nitrogen (N2) and water through chemical reduction with a reductant species. The reductant species is usually ammonia. Ammonia is generated upon decomposition of urea, which is dosed as a solution via the diesel exhaust fluid doser 110. The selective catalytic reduction unit 112 can include a flow-through ceramic core loaded with a catalyst.
There have been attempts to reduce the components of the aftertreatment system by combining the functions of the diesel particulate filter 108 and the selective catalytic reduction unit 112 into a single unit, i.e., a diesel particulate filter with selective catalytic reduction capability. A diesel particulate filter that has capability for selective catalytic reduction of NOx is sometimes referred to as a selective catalytic reduction filter or SCRF. However, the conventional SCRFs have not been a viable alternative for heavy duty diesel applications, such as Class 8 trucks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Wireless communication systems typically require frequency synthesis in both the receive path circuitry and the transmit path circuitry. For example, cellular phone standards in the United States and Europe define a cellular telephone system with communication centered in two frequency bands at about 900 MHz and 1800 MHz. For example, United States cellular phone standards include (1) the AMPS (analog), IS-54 (analog/digital), and IS-95 (analog/digital) standards in the 900 MHz frequency band, and (2) PCS (digital) standards in the 1800 MHz range. European cellular phone standards include (1) the TACS (analog) and GSM (digital) standards in the 900 MHz frequency band, and (2) the DCS 1800 (digital) standard in the 1800 MHz range. A dual band cellular phone is capable of operating in both the 900 MHz frequency band and the 1800 MHz frequency band.
Within the frequency bands, the cellular standards define systems in which base station units and mobile units communicate through multiple channels, such as 30 kHz (IS-54) or 200 kHz (GSM) wide channels. For example, with the IS-54 standard, approximately 800 channels are used for transmitting information from the base station to the mobile unit, and another approximately 800 channels are used for transmitting information from the mobile unit to the base station. A frequency band of 869 MHz-894 MHz and a frequency band of 824 MHz-849 MHz are reserved for these channels, respectively. Because the mobile unit must be capable of transmitting and receiving on any of the channels for the standard within which it is operating, a frequency synthesizer must be provided to create accurate frequency signals in increments of the particular channel widths, such as for example 30 kHz increments in the 800-900 MHz region.
Phase-locked loop ("PLL") circuits including voltage controlled oscillators ("VCOs") are often used in mobile unit applications to produce the desired output frequency (f.sub.OUT). The output frequency may be made programmable by utilizing an output frequency feedback divider (.div.N) and a reference divider (.div.R) for an input reference frequency (f.sub.REF). The output frequency produced is a function of the values selected for "N" and "R" in the divider circuits, such that f.sub.OUT =N(f.sub.REF /FR). The PLL circuitry typically utilizes a phase detector to monitor phase differences (.DELTA..theta.) between the divided reference frequency (f.sub.REF /R) and the divided output frequency (f.sub.OUT /N) to drive a charge pump. The charge pump delivers packets of charge proportional to the phase difference (.DELTA..theta.) to a loop filter. The loop filter outputs a voltage that is connected to the VCO to control its output frequency. The action of this feedback loop attempts to drive the phase difference (.DELTA..theta.) to zero (or at least to a constant value) to provide a stable and programmable output frequency.
The values for the reference frequency and the divider circuits may be chosen depending upon the standard under which the mobile unit is operating. For example, within the United States IS-54 system, a PLL could be built such that f.sub.REF /R=30 kHz and such that N is on the order of 30,000. The output frequency, therefore, could then be set in 30 kHz increments to frequencies in the 900 MHz frequency band. Similarly, within the European GSM system, a PLL could be built such that f.sub.REF /R=200 kHz and such that N is on the order of 4,500. The output frequency, therefore, could then be set in 200 kHz increments to frequencies in the 900 MHz frequency band.
The performance of the communication system, however, is critically dependent on the purity of the synthesized high-frequency output signals. For signal reception, impure frequency sources result in mixing of undesired channels into the desired channel signal. For signal transmission, impure frequency sources create interference in neighboring channels. A frequency synthesizer, therefore, must typically meet very stringent requirements for spectral purity. The level of spectral purity required in cellular telephone applications makes the design of a PLL synthesizer solution and, in particular, the design of a VCO within a PLL synthesizer solution quite demanding.
Three types of spectral impurity will typically occur in VCO circuits that are used in PLL implementations for frequency synthesis: harmonic distortion terms associated with output frequency, spurious tones near the output frequency, and phase noise centered on the output frequency. Generally, harmonic distortion terms are not too troublesome because they occur far from the desired fundamental and their effects may be eliminated in cellular phone circuitry external to the frequency synthesizer. Spurious tones, however, often fall close to the fundamental. In particular, spurious tones at frequencies of .+-.f.sub.REF /R from the output frequency (f.sub.OUT) are often found in the output frequency spectrum. These are called reference tones. Spurious tones, including reference tones, may be required by a cellular phone application to be less than about -70 dBc, while harmonic distortion terms may only be required to be less than about -20 dBc. It is noted that the "c" indicates the quantity as measured relative to the power of the "carrier" frequency, which is the output frequency.
Phase noise is undesired energy spread continuously in the vicinity of the output frequency, invariably possessing a higher power density at frequencies closer to the fundamental of the output frequency. Phase noise is often expressed as dBc/Hz or dBc/Hz. Phase noise is often the most damaging of the three to the spectral purity of the output frequency. Because of the effect phase noise has on system performance, a typical cellular application might require the frequency synthesizer to produce an output frequency having phase noise of less than about -110 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz from the output frequency.
Because the phase noise specifications are so stringent in cellular phone applications, the VCOs used in cellular phone PLL synthesizer solutions are typically based on some resonant structure. Ceramic resonators and LC tank circuits are common examples. While details in the implementation of LC tank oscillators differ, the general resonant structure includes an inductor (L) connected in parallel with a fixed capacitor (C) and a variable capacitor (C.sub.X). In the absence of any losses, energy would slosh between the capacitors and the inductor at a frequency f.sub.OUT =(1/2.pi.)[L(C+C.sub.X)].sup.-1/2. Because energy will be dissipated in any real oscillator, power in the form of a negative conductance source, such as an amplifier, is applied to maintain the oscillation. It is often the case that the series resistance of the inductor is the dominant loss mechanism in an LC tank oscillator, although other losses typically exist.
Though the frequency synthesizer may be generally contained within an integrated circuit package, VCO inductors used for band selection purposes are "off-package" or circuit board-mounted, and connected with other package-contained PLL circuitry to form a frequency synthesizer circuit by means of contacts or pin connections. Off-package inductors are often mounted on a circuit board by the board or PC manufacturer. The use of off-package or board mounted inductors increases system costs and connection problems may occur at pin connections between the package and a board, adversely affecting reliability and/or performance of the PLL circuitry. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transparent electrode sheets for use to produce accumulated electroluminescence elements, or like, and a method of producing therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A transparent electrode sheet in which a transparent electrode of indium oxide group, or the like, is formed on a transparent polyester film, of the like, is available on the market. Such a transparent electrode sheet is used, for instance, to produce an accumulated electroluminescence element (hereinafter referred to as ACELD), or the like.
FIG. 1 shows one example of ACLED using this transparent electrode sheet. That is, a phosphor layer 14 is formed by applying a mixture of cyano ethyl cellulose and ZnS sulfide group fluorescent powder onto a transparent electrode sheet 11 which is made by forming an indium oxide group transparent electrode 13 on a transparent polyester film 12, a dielectric layer 15 is formed by applying a mixture of cyano ethyl cellulose and TiO.sub.2 powder onto the phosphor layer 14, and an opposite electrode 16 of an aluminum foil, or the like, is further formed on the dielectric layer 15, thereby constituting an integral assembly, ACELD. In the thus formed ACELD, the phosphor layer 14 is caused to emit light by applying an AC voltage between the transparent electrode 13 and the opposite electrode 16.
In the case of using the above-mentioned transparent electrode sheet 11, however, in the step of forming the transparent electrode 13 on the polyester film 12 and/or in the process of transporting the transparent electrode sheet 11, the transparent electrode 13 may be easily injured due to dust attached thereto or by being rubbed, and, therefore, when ACELD is produced by using the such a transparent electrode sheet 11, it is apt to cause fault phenomena such as light emission stop, irregular light emission, partial light emission, or the like, resulting in reduction in yield. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of pressurized fluids. More specifically, the invention relates to new and useful improvements in valves for actuating the flow of pressurized fluids and a device containing same.
2. Background Art
Assorted types of guns that project paintballs or other projectiles have been developed and used in many applications. Generally, these paintball type guns use valves that control the flow of pressurized fluid employed to propel paintballs. Such propellant fluids might be carbon dioxide, nitrogen, compressed air, or other high pressure gases. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,328, issued Aug., 11, 1998 to Aaron K. Alexander. U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,328 employs a valve for use with a paintball gun that includes a valve body with a flow path through it, a valve stem that passes through the body with one end of the valve stem itself acting as a striking surface, and a cup seal with radial guide legs that slidably contact the valve chamber bore of a paintball gun, the cupseal being attached to the other end of the valve stem. However, there are problems with the current valves, including the valve from U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,328.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention solve and overcome these problems by providing an aerodynamic seal that allows more fluid to flow between a valve chamber bore and the valve""s passageway. Additionally, the aerodynamic structure of the seal creates less turbulence, thereby increasing a scavenging effect and providing more fluid flow into the valve body. Moreover, when the seal mates with the seal seat on the valve body and the valve is shut, fluid pressure on the seal is reduced because of the aerodynamic shape of the seal.
Additional embodiments provide a rear spring assembly that includes a spring that is placed between a strikable portion and the valve body. The strikable portion couples to one end of a valve stem and the other end of the valve stem couples to the seal. By placing the spring on the rear spring assembly, the spring is not located in the valve chamber bore, thereby further increasing fluid flow and volume, and decreasing acoustic irregularities. Moreover, the strikable portion itself creates a constant travel stop for the seal. This provides a constant amount of fluid volume through the valve relevant to fluid pressure.
Additionally, the valve body preferably contains multiple exhaust ports, and these exhaust ports are preferably located in a circumferential recess in the valve body. This allows a larger volume of fluid to pass from the passageway of the valve body to an exhaust bore and provides less restrictive fluid flow. Moreover, providing multiple exhaust ports does not require the valve body to be fixed in a particular way in relationship to the exhaust bore.
In one of the most preferred embodiments, the combination of these features decrease the amount of force necessary to actuate the valve, allow the rear spring to be relatively weak, yet reduce fluid xe2x80x9cpopxe2x80x9d created by supersonic fluid as it flows past the valve, and allow the valve to remain fully functional over a wide variety of fluid pressures. Additional features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention are discussed below.
The other of the most preferred embodiments again combines all of the foregoing features and provides all of the previous advantages, yet preferably provides a plurality of channeled apertures on the outside circumference of the valve body that preferably communicate with a circumferential recess on the valve body and a striker chamber bore. The preferred channeled apertures allow the dissipation of fluid pressure from a striker chamber bore forward into the recess in the valve body, thereby eliminating any cushion of fluid pressure that might stop the striker from sufficiently or effectively striking a strikable portion attached to the valve stem. In addition, the channeled apertures allow a striker chamber exhaust vent to be eliminated, thereby allowing recycling of fluid pressure and not a wasting of fluid pressure by dissipation out the striker chamber exhaust vent. Moreover, the channeled apertures allow the use of low fluid pressures to re-cock the striker because by allowing blow-back fluid to dissipate forward through the channels into the valve body, more fluid will be blown back through the channels when the valve is next open. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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There has been a significant need in many fields for high quantum efficiency, high speed response light detectors, particularly in the blue and near ultraviolet, (200 to 500 nm) as well as for particle detection, and low-energy X-rays. In many applications there is a further need for miniature, portable, rugged, field ready devices, which drives requirements away from photomultiplier tubes and towards solid state devices. In many applications requiring such solid state devices there is a need for relatively large surface area devices. Larger area devices intrinsically have lower signal to noise (SNR) and longer response time than smaller area devices.
Many nuclear detection devices utilize scintillators that convert nuclear energy to light. Most scintillators emit light in the region of 200 to 500 nm. This light must be read or monitored with an appropriate light detector. In many applications a scintillating crystal or ceramic is mounted directly onto a solid state detector such as an avalanche photodiode. This method of direct coupling significantly improves the efficiency of detection. In medical applications such as PET and CT scanning high sensitivity and short response time are required to reduce the patient's exposure to radiation as much as possible. Thus, there is a critical need in nuclear medicine for high quantum efficiency, high speed response, and often large surface area devices.
In other medical applications where detectors are in direct contact with the patient there is the further requirement that the bias voltage that drives the device be as low as possible for reasons of patient safety.
There is also a need for high quantum efficiency, high speed response, and often large surface area light detectors in military applications, such as tracking, targeting, and ranging devices. This is particularly the case for daylight applications where military operations are conducted in the presence of large amounts of visible and infrared light. The human eye has little sensitivity at wavelengths below 400 nm. For laser exposure, there is an “eye safe” UVA region between 315 and 400 nm (ideal, for instance, for operation with tripled Nd:YAG lasers at 355 nm or with solid state lasers emitting in this spectral band region). Solar radiation is minimal in the UVA band and can be significantly further reduced by use of appropriate band pass or short pass filters. These filters can, in many instances, be directly coated onto the detector or an appropriate filter can be placed in the path of incoming light. For tracking and targeting applications it may also be advantageous to use positional sensitive detectors, based on arrays of detectors and/or proportional detectors.
Scientific research instrumentation often requires high quantum efficiency, high speed response, and often large surface area devices in the spectral region between 200 and 1050 nm. Such applications include, but are not limited to, radiation detectors employing scintillators, radiation detectors based upon Cherenkov radiation, radiation detectors for X-ray detection, radiation detectors for ionizing particle detection and astronomical measurements in this spectral region.
Over the past two decades, free-space optical communication (FSOC) has proven to be a viable way to transfer large packets of digital information. Capable of achieving Gbit/s transfer rates over several km, relatively compact systems for local area networks are commercially available. However, the technology required to deploy robust system architectures, such as those used on temporary or mobile platforms operating in a range of daylight and temperature conditions, has yet to be fully realized.
A significant operational barrier for FSOC is the need to maintain eye-safety, which limits the permissible signal power and thus system ranging capabilities. Poor weather conditions, the need for direct line-of-sight, and interference with solar radiation within the receiver's line-of-sight are also factors that can significantly degrade the system performance. Despite these factors, FSOC offers significant advantages over commonly used microwave links. These advantages include: smaller size, weight and power requirements for the transmitter and receiver; higher immunity to electromagnetic interference; faster data transfer rates; and higher security due to directionality.
Such optical communication systems consist of two primary components; namely the transmitter and the receiver. Medium-range FSOC systems have been realized thanks to advances in laser transmitter and LED technology in the ultraviolet (UV). Compared to systems that utilize red or near-IR sources, the advantages of using a UV source include higher permissible transmission levels and reduced interference from solar radiation. Strong absorption and Rayleigh scattering in the atmosphere greatly reduces the solar background in the deep UV (wavelengths<280 nm). However, this same scattering and absorption may also reduce the distance over which the communication signal can be relayed, particularly at sea level where water content is high. As a result, the use of deep UV has been proposed for short range non-line of sight (NLOS) operations where the scattered light is used to relay the signal around objects [2]. For medium to long range communications, therefore, longer wavelengths near the blue-UV region of the spectrum (350 to 380 nm) are preferred.
The advantage created by recent advances in transmitter technology for UV FSOC has been dampened by the lag in the development of matching receiver technology for the UV. In particular, the highest quantum efficiency (QE) (the ratio between the number of photon-induced electrons collected and the number of incident photons) is approximately 50% for detectors at UN wavelengths, compared to >90% at the longer wavelengths. Table 1 compares the QE of various large-area UV-blue sensitive detectors when operated in proportional mode at the common laser wavelength of 355 nm (Nd:YAG).
TABLE 1Detector typeGainQE (at 355 nm)Silicon detector 150%Avalanche Photodiode20050%Photomultiplier Tube 10625%Silicon Carbide 1<10%
Silicon detectors have the highest QEs at 355 nm, which is two to three times higher than photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and six to seven times higher than silicon carbide detectors, which have a peak response at shorter wavelengths. Silicon p-i-n photodiodes are compact, rugged high-speed optical receivers that are relatively inexpensive and require low operating bias. However, their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is much lower than detectors with internal gain structures, such as APD's or PMTs. As a result, post-amplification circuits are often needed to generate appropriate signal outputs, further reducing the SNR.
Avalanche photodiodes (APD's), like the PMTs, exhibit internal gain created by impact ionization, when a strong electric field is present in the detector. However, APD's are much thinner than PMTs, which increases design flexibility, enabling improved light collection geometries. Unlike the PMT, the APD is very rugged, does not require a recovery period (several to tens of minutes) following intense illumination from an unexpected signal or background source, can be operated in magnetic fields, and can be mass produced at low costs. As a result, APD's are often the detector of choice for field-ready instrumentation such as FSOC.
An exemplary APD is depicted in FIG. 1. The substrate contains different regions that correspond to differing amounts of dopant present in that region. For example, an APD may include a photosensitive neutral drift p-region 100 located at, or adjacent to, the top surface of the APD. A depleted p-region 102 may be located beneath the neutral drift region. A depleted n-region 104 may be located beneath the depleted p-region. A neutral n-region 106 may be located beneath the depleted n-region. In some cases the APD may also include a passivation layer 108 disposed on top of the neutral drift p-region. During use an electrical potential may be applied to the APD such that when a photon is absorbed by the photosensitive neutral drift p-region, an electron-hole pair is formed at photon absorption site 110. Due to the applied electrical potential the charge carriers, i.e. the electron and hole, move in opposite directions within the APD. This initial migration of a charge carrier towards the bottom of the APD is indicated by arrow 112 which corresponds to minority carrier transport. As the charge carrier is accelerated due to the applied electrical potential it causes additional electron hole pairs to be formed within the depleted p-region and depleted n-region due to impact ionization which then exhibit similar behavior. This process is referred to as avalanche breakdown and is indicated by enlarged arrow 114. This phenomenon is responsible for the signal gain exhibited by avalanche photodiodes. After passing through the depleted p-region and depleted n-region the generated charge carriers undergo majority carrier transport to the neutral n-region which includes electrical contacts for outputting the generated electrical signal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to scuba masks and apparatus and methods for purging water from scuba masks as well as equalizing pressure within a scuba mask.
2. The Background Art
A self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) typically includes a mask covering the eyes, nose, and surrounding areas of a user's face; a scuba tank containing pressurized air; and a series of regulators to provide breathing air to a user. During a dive several problems, among others, may arise from the mask. First, water may seep into the mask making vision through the mask difficult and discomfiting a user by the presence of water by the eyes, nose, or both. Second, the air trapped between the mask and the face of a user is initially at the pressure of the surface air. Accordingly, as a diver descends into the water, the pressure differential between the trapped air and the surrounding water increases, pressing the mask against the face potentially causing discomfort to a user. Third, humidity in the mask combined with the warm face temperature and cold lens temperature of the mask will fog the mask with condensation.
Pressure may be equalized and water purged by the user exhaling through the nose, thus introducing pressurized air into the confined space of the mask. A user may remove, rinse, and replace the mask to rid the lens of fog. To remove, or purge, any water from the mask, a user must typically both exhale through the nose and lift the lower edge of the mask away from the user's face to allow the air to force the water down and out.
However, this method of equalizing and purging is problematic. For example, a user may be congested. Furthermore, in eventful dives or where the diver is a beginner, remembering to equalize and purge may be problematic. To remove a foggy mask may be as frightening as to move blindly forward trying to follow a leader. It may also cause distress and discomfort to inexperienced divers to forcefully blow pressurized air from their noses at great depths. Purging water from the mask by lifting the mask away from the face is also a frightening experience for beginners and may also permit a large inrush of water if done improperly. Drowning may be possible, but fear thereof is highly probable in such circumstances.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system to permit equalizing of pressure within a mask, purging water from a mask, drying mask air, and the like in a manner that feels safe and convenient to users. Such a system should allow for equalizing and purging that will not add to the stress and complexity of using SCUBA at great depths.
It would be an advancement in the art to use the dried and regulated air from a pressure source to equalize pressure, purge water, or dry the air within the mask. It would be a further advancement in the art to use regulated air to force unwanted water from the mask through a pressure-sensitive or otherwise automated or one-way outlet valve. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention provides a process for smooth cut printing.
The usual processes for smooth cut printing of documents consist in using a thin plate, a shell, a collar or a cylinder, all of them called plate in the following description, preferably made of metal wherein the pattern to be reproduced through printing is sunk engraved. Some areas of said plate are coated with ink so that the ink penetrates the hollows or cuts of same. The inked surface is wiped out in order to leave ink in the hollows only and the surface thus inked and wiped out is applied against an appropriate support, such as a sheet or a strip of paper, by means of a pressing cylinder; thus, a part of the ink is transferred from the hollows onto the sheet.
According to some processes, an indirect transfer of the ink contained in the hollows of the plate is performed by means of a cylinder carrying a flexible coating and positioned between the plate and the support.
In the known processes, the wiping operation causes a great loss of ink. As a matter of fact, the coating of the engraved plate with ink is performed at 100%, and the wiping thereof removes, depending on the case, about 75% of said ink; this corresponds to the parts of the area which do not carry any cut and do not serve for printing. Said 75% of wiped ink constitute wastes. Where a printing with several colors is involved by using one and the same plate each zone of which receives inks of different colors, the waste problems remain. Furthermore, in view of the wiping, the risk is run of running one color into another one and also of mixing colors which spoils the quality of the print.
A process and a machine for smooth cut printing is already known and disclosed in French Pat. No. 1,564,653.
Said process consists in coating the plate before inking it, with a colorless liquid, non-miscible with ink, then in applying the ink. Generally, the non-miscible liquid is filtered water.
Such an improvement to standard processes is aimed to minimise the losses of ink and to increase the sharpness of the printed patterns, as well as to prevent or simplify the wiping operation.
Unfortunately, the practice has shown that this process which rests on a physical balance between the water and ink is suitable only for a given depth of the cut and not for all depths of smooth cuts with various depths as most of them. This greatly limits the scope of the process and practically prevents its use. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern formation method, a pattern, and an etching method, an electronic device manufacturing method, and an electronic device using the same. In more detail, the present invention relates to a pattern formation method which is favorably used for in steps of manufacturing semiconductors such as IC, manufacturing circuit boards such as liquid crystals and thermal heads, steps of manufacturing MEMS and the like, and other photofabrication lithography steps, as well as an etching method, an electronic device manufacturing method, and an electronic device which use this pattern formation method. In particular, the present invention relates to a pattern formation method and a pattern, which are favorable for exposure using a KrF or ArF exposure apparatus and an ArF liquid immersion type projection exposure apparatus in which far ultraviolet ray light with a wavelength of 300 nm or less is set as the light source, as well as an etching method, an electronic device manufacturing method, and an electronic device which use the pattern formation method and the pattern.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since resists for KrF excimer lasers (248 nm) came into use, a pattern formation method in which chemical amplification is used has been used in order to compensate for decreases in sensitivity due to light absorption. For example, in a positive type chemical amplification method, firstly, a photoacid generator which is included in an exposed section generates an acid due to being decomposed by light irradiation. Then, in a baking (Post Exposure Bake: PEB) process after exposure or the like, an alkali-insoluble group which is included in a photosensitive composition is changed to an alkali-soluble group by a catalytic action of the generated acid. After that, development is performed using, for example, an alkali solution. By doing this, the exposed section is removed to obtain a desired pattern (for example, refer to JP3632410B and the like).
In the method described above, various types of developers have been proposed as alkali developers. For example, a water-based alkali developer of a 2.38 mass % tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide aqueous solution (TMAH) is widely used as the alkali developer.
In order to refine semiconductor elements, the wavelength of the exposure light sources is being shortened and the numerical aperture (high NA) of the projection lens is being increased and, currently, an exposure apparatus in which an ArF excimer laser which has a wavelength of 193 nm is the light source is being developed. As a technique for further increasing the resolving power, a method (that is, a liquid immersion method) has been proposed in which a liquid with a high refractive index (also referred to below as an “immersion liquid”) is filled between a projection lens and a sample. In addition, EUV lithography in which exposure is performed with ultraviolet light with an even shorter wavelength (13.5 nm) has also been proposed.
In recent years, a pattern formation method has also been developed in which a developer which includes an organic solvent is used (for example, refer to JP2008-281975A and JP2013-33227A). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of corn breeding. In particular, the invention relates to corn seed and plants of the variety designated CV940888, and derivatives and tissue cultures thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
The goal of field crop breeding is to combine various desirable traits in a single variety/hybrid. Such desirable traits include greater yield, better stalks, better roots, resistance to insecticides, herbicides, pests, and disease, tolerance to heat and drought, reduced time to crop maturity, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, and uniformity in germination times, stand establishment, growth rate, maturity, and fruit size.
Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination. There are two general methods of pollination: a plant self-pollinates if pollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower of the same plant. A plant cross-pollinates if pollen comes to it from a flower on a different plant.
Corn plants (Zea mays L.) can be bred by both self-pollination and cross-pollination. Both types of pollination involve the corn plant's flowers. Corn has separate male and female flowers on the same plant, located on the tassel and the ear, respectively. Natural pollination occurs in corn when wind blows pollen from the tassels to the silks that protrude from the tops of the ear shoot.
Plants that have been self-pollinated and selected for type over many generations become homozygous at almost all gene loci and produce a uniform population of true breeding progeny, a homozygous plant. A cross between two such homozygous plants produces a uniform population of hybrid plants that are heterozygous for many gene loci. Conversely, a cross of two plants each heterozygous at a number of loci produces a population of hybrid plants that differ genetically and are not uniform. The resulting non-uniformity makes performance unpredictable.
The development of uniform corn plant hybrids requires the development of homozygous inbred plants, the crossing of these inbred plants, and the evaluation of the crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection are examples of breeding methods used to develop inbred plants from breeding populations. Those breeding methods combine the genetic backgrounds from two or more inbred plants or various other broad-based sources into breeding pools from which new inbred plants are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new inbreds are crossed with other inbred plants and the hybrids from these crosses are evaluated to determine which of those have commercial potential.
North American farmers plant tens of millions of acres of corn at the present time and there are extensive national and international commercial corn breeding programs. A continuing goal of these corn breeding programs is to develop corn hybrids that are based on stable inbred plants and have one or more desirable characteristics. To accomplish this goal, the corn breeder must select and develop superior inbred parental plants. | {
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Large boats commonly tow or carry a smaller boat or dinghy for use as a tender to the larger boat and an outboard motor is commonly used as a means of propulsion for the dinghy. Usually when the larger boat is under way or the dinghy is otherwise not being utilized, most operators prefer that the outboard motor is removed from the tender and stored on the boat to minimize the risk of losing or damaging the outboard motor. Unfortunately, for many boaters and boats, various combinations of the weight of the outboard motor, obstacles such as rigging and railings, wave-induced motion of both vessels and/or the physical capabilities of the boaters can make any lifting of the outboard motor from the dinghy and the subsequent return of the outboard motor to the dinghy difficult.
One solution to this problem is the use of a lifting device such as a crane or davit installed on the boat to provide the power or mechanical advantage for lifting or lowering the weight of the outboard motor. Such devices occupy space on the deck, railing or transom of the boat, and may impede the use of particular locations of the boat or simply detract from the aesthetic appearance of the boat. Moreover such systems may not be accommodated on some boats where the required deck or railing space is not available. Still further, such existing lifting devices often do not provide good stabilization of the outboard motor movement relative to the boat due to various factors including wave-induced motion of the boat. In this case, collision between the outboard motor and the main boat can result, causing damage to either or both. Further still, the costs of purchase and installation of such devices is elevated due to the mechanisms required and mechanical forces involved.
There is also a significant concern for many boaters, particularly older and physically less-capable boaters, of recovering a person who may have fallen overboard at sea. For many man-overboard victims, either as a result of the time spent in the water and/or their physical limitations, they are incapable of assisting themselves when a recovery vessel has come alongside to retrieve them from the water. In these situations, the people on the recovery vessel must be able to lift a potentially incapacitated and very heavy person on board. Still further, particularly in rough seas, there is a significant risk of injuring the victim against the sides of the vessel.
While many boats have existing hoisting mechanisms such as sail halyards and winches which can be used as a means for lifting or lowering a heavy load such an outboard motor or a person, the use of such systems on their own do not provide a means for controlling both the lateral and vertical movement of the load which will often result in an unsafe handling of the load.
As a result, there has been a need for an improved system for lifting and controlling heavy loads onto boats and particularly, for ease of handling of outboard motors and other loads such a person who has fallen overboard.
A review of the prior art reveals that various lifting systems have been designed and utilized in the past for boats for lifting and handling cargoes such as outboard motors as well as man-overboard recovery systems. For example, Forespar Products (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) market various davit lifting systems for outboard motors such as the Motor Mate™ system. As well, there are numerous man-overboard products on the market that aid in the recovery of a man-overboard victim.
A review of the patent literature reveals U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,179, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,708, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,770, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,559, U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,423, U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,627, U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,345, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,618, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,481, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,835, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,382 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,307 which relate to various outboard motor handling equipment.
However, these systems do not provide simple but effective systems for controlling both the vertical and lateral movement of the load towards and onto the vessel. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proteins responsible for transducing a signal within a cell. GPCRs have usually seven transmembrane domains. Upon binding of a ligand to an extra-cellular portion or fragment of a GPCR, a signal is transduced within the cell that results in a change in a biological or physiological property or behaviour of the cell. GPCRs, along with G-proteins and effectors (intracellular enzymes and channels modulated by G-proteins), are the components of a modular signalling system that connects the state of intra-cellular second messengers to extra-cellular inputs.
GPCR genes and gene products can modulate various physiological processes and are potential causative agents of disease. The GPCRs seem to be of critical importance to both the central nervous system and peripheral physiological processes.
The GPCR protein superfamily is represented in five families: Family I, receptors typified by rhodopsin and the beta2-adrenergic receptor and currently represented by over 200 unique members; Family II, the parathyroid hormone/calcitonin/secretin receptor family; Family III, the metabotropic glutamate receptor family, Family IV, the CAMP receptor family, important in the chemotaxis and development of D. discoideum; and Family V, the fungal mating pheromone receptor such as STE2.
G proteins represent a family of heterotrimeric proteins composed of α, β and γ subunits, that bind guanine nucleotides. These proteins are usually linked to cell surface receptors (receptors containing seven transmembrane domains) for signal transduction. Indeed, following ligand binding to the GPCR, a conformational change is transmitted to the G protein, which causes the α-subunit to exchange a bound GDP molecule for a GTP molecule and to dissociate from the βγ-subunits.
The GTP-bound form of the α, β and γ-subunits typically functions as an effector-modulating moiety, leading to the production of second messengers, such as cAMP (e.g. by activation of adenyl cyclase), diacylglycerol or inositol phosphates.
Greater than 20 different types of α-subunits are known in humans. These subunits associate with a small pool of β and γ subunits. Examples of mammalian G proteins include Gi, Go, Gq, Gs and Gt. G proteins are described extensively in Lodish et al., Molecular Cell Biology (Scientific American Books Inc., New York, N.Y., 1995; and also by Downes and Gautam, 1999, The G-Protein Subunit Gene Families. Genomics 62:544-552), the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Known and uncharacterized GPCRs currently constitute major targets for drug action and development. There are ongoing efforts to identify new G protein coupled receptors which can be used to screen for new agonists and antagonists having potential prophylactic and therapeutic properties.
More than 300 GPCRs have been cloned to date, excluding the family of olfactory receptors. Mechanistically, approximately 50-60% of all clinically relevant drugs act by modulating the functions of various GPCRs (Cudermann et al., J. Mol. Med., 73:51-63, 1995).
GPR43 is a member of the rhodopsin like receptors family, cloned in 1997. It shows a homology of 38% with another orphan GPCR, GPR41 and 27% with transmembrane domains of mouse PAR1 receptor. The gene encoding GPR43 coding gene is located on human chromosome 19q31 (Sawzdargo et al., 1997). GPR43 has been described as a gene induced by IL-9 in mouse cytokine dependent T helper cell lines and bone marrow derived primary mast cells. In addition, GPR43 mRNA transcription is stimulated in the lung, intestine and stomach of transgenic mice overexpressing IL-9. GPR43 mRNA is also induced in splenoytes by mitogens, such as concanavalin A, and this induction is blocked by aminosterol compounds (see WO99/15656). GPR43 polynucleotide and amino acid sequences are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,430 and 6,180,365B1 and in WO00/28083, WO98/40483, WO99/15656 and WO00/22129, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) include but are not limited to acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate. SCFA are produced by microbial fermentation in the hindgut in considerable amounts. Most of the anions in hindgut contents are SCFA, mainly acetate, propionate and butyrate. SCFA are rapidly absorbed, and the total SCFA concentration in peripheral blood reaches 79 μM (Cummings, 1987). Among the different SCFAs, acetate is the principal anion and can also be produced in different tissues by biochemical synthesis (Bergman, 1990). Acetate is present in the plasma at a concentration of 59 to 85 μM and its concentration can be increased by 20 fold after ethanol administration (Lundquist et al., 1960). It is believed that most plasma acetate is derived from the splanchnic bed and is used by other tissues where it can account for almost 7% of basal energy expenditure. Butyrate is produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary fibers in the colon lumen, and dramatically affects the proliferation of colon cancer cells in vitro experiments. Various periodontal and root canal pathogens, such as the Bacteroides species, can produce significant amounts of short chain fatty acids. (SCFA). Short-chain fatty acids are also physiological regulators of growth and differentiation in the gastrointestinal tract and can act as antibacterial agents. There is some evidence that SCFA metabolism is involved in the development of colitis ulcerosa, diverticulosis and colorectal cancer. The differences between the effects of SCFA on cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of colonocytes in vivo and in vitro indicate that in addition to direct effects of SCFA, systemic effects such as neural and humoral factors are also of crucial importance. The opposing effects of SCFA on proliferation and apoptosis in normal colonocytes and in colon cancer cells demonstrate possibilities for prevention and/or therapy of colonic diseases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to an intensity modulation circuit for cathode-ray tubes, and in particular to an intensity modulation circuit capable of varying the brightness of the display screen of a cathode-ray tube only in a specified area.
Brightness gradation, as used herein, means a variation in the brightness among various portions of the screen. In monochrome television displays, for example, the screen can have several grades of brighter and darker areas on the screen. These variations, however, have no bearing on the average brightness of the screen. Dark images on the screen also have their own brightness grades as well as bright image.
Intensity modulation, as used herein means varying the average value of brightness only in a specified area on the screen by the use of an external rheostat, for example. Intensity modulation in monochrome television, for example, can be achieved by adjusting the rheostat to make the overall screen darker or brighter.
Reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein a conventional television receiver is depicted. The brightness on a cathode-ray tube is varied by changing a bias voltage between a first grid 152 and a cathode 150, as disclosed in Television Receiver From Principles to Practical Circuits, written by Tatsuo Tohmine and Masamichi Takano, and published by Keigaku Shuppan.
Reference is next made to FIG. 2 wherein the effect on intensity (brightness) of the variation in DC bias applied to grid 152 of the cathode-ray tube is depicted. The DC bias applied to grid 152 determines the operating point of the cathode-ray tube and the AC component of the video signal varies the grid potential across the operating point. Since the AC component of the video signal has an average voltage of zero, the average value of the grid potential is equal to the DC bias voltage. An average electrode beam (anode current) and a resulting intensity correspond to the bias voltage. Accordingly, it is the DC bias voltage which is responsible for providing an average brightness or intensity to the overall video image displayed on the television receiver.
Reference is next made to FIG. 3 wherein circuitry used to adjust the bias voltage between a first grid 162 and a cathode 161 is depicted. FIG. 3 depicts a conventional intensity modulation circuit. The positive voltage on cathode 161 is selected by movement of variable resistor 164 utilized for intensity modulation. Adjustment of variable resistor 164 to increase the bias voltage, between grid 162 and cathode 161, reduces the anode current, thereby making the screen darker.
The operating point varies between the cutoff point where the average intensity is zero and a maximum level which depends upon the display medium.
The prior art intensity modulation is achieved by varying the bias voltage between first grid and cathode of a cathode-ray tube. As is clearly seen in FIG. 2, intensity modulation is effected by the displacement of grid voltage along the x axis which causes a uniform variation in brightness over the entire screen. As a result, the brightness varies evenly over the screen, both in brighter and darker areas.
However, there is a need for the ability to vary the brightness of a television screen in only limited areas of the display. In addition, there is a need for an ability to select an area to be highlighted by a variation in intensity. | {
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Airbag systems for protecting the passengers of a vehicle are installed in a steering wheel in the driver's seat, a passenger-side dashboard, and other places, and airbags are covered with and placed behind airbag covers. In the event of an impact such as a collision, the airbag systems deploy so that the airbag covers tear open and the airbags inflate to soften the impact on the passengers.
The airbag stored in the steering wheel in the driver's seat is large enough to cover the passenger when the airbag inflates. Thus, even when the airbag is stored in a folded state, it requires a certain storage space. That is, the airbag cover, which the airbag comes out of, also requires a relatively large area. Accordingly, in general, there is nothing except for an emblem or the like in the center portion of the steering wheel storing the airbag cover.
Meanwhile, steering switches such as buttons or input sensors with which input operation can be performed for on-board equipment may be placed on the steering wheel. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2007-504983 (Patent Literature 1) describes small touch sensors provided on the spokes of a steering wheel and an airbag cover. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication service method and a communication service apparatus, they are able to supply additional services such as, for example, an advertisement propagandizing service of selling goods, an electronic commerce service and the like, in a private communication environment between specific users in a communication network capable of transmitting arbitrary data including moving images. The present invention further relates to a communication terminal apparatus and a communication system, both capable of receiving such services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Owing to the progress of various data processing technologies including communication technologies, coding technologies and the like, a portable terminal apparatus capable of processing a great deal of data such as data of a moving image.
Conventionally, for example, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 10-164137 discloses an information processing apparatus that supplies a previously prepared other piece of information, for example advertisement information, in addition to a piece of information that an user requested when the apparatus picks up the information in an information network. Moreover, the above mentioned Patent Publication also discloses that the information to be added is image information, audio information or text information. However, although the Patent Publication discloses exchange process of information between an user terminal and a server, the Patent Publication does not disclose a technique for adding a previously prepared other piece of information into an updated piece of information in the exchange process of information between user terminals.
Then, if the use of a communication network in a broader band, which is expected in the near future, it is considerable that a communication terminal capable of processing a great deal of data such as data of a real time moving image (hereinafter, it is sometimes called as a live image or moving image) comes into wide use actually.
Moreover, as one of the such communication terminals to become popular widely, a communication terminal in a visual telephone (TV telephone) form that has conventionally been made to be fit for practical use in conformity with various systems, namely a portable communication terminal apparatus capable of mutually transmitting live image is considerable.
By the way, almost all the communication terminal apparatus in such a visual telephone-type have been placed at a position of an apparatus only for private communication because only the transmission of live image between terminal apparatus to be aimed at.
Then, as a result, there has not been examined the connection between the communication terminal apparatus and the environment of the so-called electronic commerce such as the introduction and the advertisement of selling goods and moreover the actual dealings that are widely used in communication networks.
However, it is apparent that such a visual telephone-type communication terminal apparatus capable of transmitting moving image at real time is effective as a system related to such electronic commerce, and more effective services and systems using such communication terminal apparatus have been desired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(1) Field of the Invention:
This disclosure pertains to covers for automobile batteries and in particular to removable, portable covers and a method of manufacturing. The battery covers may be positioned about the battery during extremely cold weather and easily removed when warm weather arrives.
(2) Description of the Prior Art:
Attempts have been made in the past to provide covers for batteries such as that shown in Kraals U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,477 (1974), which is directed to a polyethylene cover having an integrally formed sealing means for enclosing a battery to prevent corrosive fumes and fluids from contaminating the battery's surroundings. While other attempts have been made in the past to keep the battery from freezing or becoming extremely cold during winter weather, there has not been a successful product made available which is reliable and easily adapted to fit both side and top terminal batteries and which is constructed of low-cost materials making the battery jacket available to the majority of automobile owners. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a method of making photonic crystals and passive components comprising photonic crystals. In particular, the method includes one or more extrusion steps to produce a cellular or channeled object followed by a step of viscously sintering the object. The sintered, channeled object is heated and drawn to a final diameter.
A photonic crystal is a structure having a periodic variation in dielectric constant. The periodic structure may be 1, 2 or 3 dimensional. The photonic crystal allows passage of certain light wavelengths and prevents passage of certain other light wavelengths. Thus the photonic crystals are said to have allowed light wavelength bands and band gaps which define the wavelength bands which are excluded from the crystal.
At present, the wavelengths of interest for telecommunication applications are in the range of about 800 nm to 1800 nm. Of particular interest is the wavelength band in the range of about 1300 nm to 1600 nm.
Light having a wavelength in the band gap may not pass through the photonic crystal. Light having a wavelength in bands above and below the band gap may propagate through the crystal. A photonic crystal exhibits a set of band gaps which are analogous to the solutions of the Bragg scattering equation. The band gaps are determined by the pattern and period of the variation in dielectric constant. Thus the periodic array of variation in dielectric constant acts as a Bragg scatterer of light of certain wavelengths in analogy with the Bragg scattering of x-rays wavelengths by atoms in a lattice.
Introducing defects into the periodic variation of the photonic crystal dielectric constant can alter allowed or non-allowed light wavelengths which can propagate in the crystal. Light which cannot propagate in the photonic crystal but can propagate in the defect region will be trapped in the defect region. Thus, a point defect within the crystal can serve as a localized "light cavity". Analogously, a line defect in the photonic crystal can act as a waveguide for a mode having a wavelength in the band gap, the crystal lattice serving to confine the guided light to the defect line in the crystal. A particular line defect in a three dimensional photonic crystal would act as a waveguide channel, for light wavelengths in the band gap. A review of the structure and function of photonic crystals is found in, "Photonic Crystals: putting a new twist on light", Nature, vol. 386, Mar. 13, 1997, pp. 143-149, Joannopoulos et al.
A first order band gap phenomenon is observed when the period of the variation in dielectric constant is of the order of the light wavelength which is to undergo Bragg scattering. Thus, for the wavelengths of interest, i.e., in the range of about 1300 nm to 1600 nm, as set forth above, a first order band gap is achieved when the period of the variation is about 500 nm. However, photonic crystal effects can occur in crystals having dielectric periodicity in the range of about 0.1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m. A two or three dimensional photonic crystal having even this larger special periodicity is difficult to fabricate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,779, Tuchinskiy, a method of making multi-channeled structures is described. Rods are bundled together and reduced in diameter by extrusion. The step of bundling and extrusion may be repeated using rods which have already been extruded one or more times. However, no step of drawing is disclosed, so that channel density, expressed as number of channels per unit area, is not large enough to produce a photonic crystal.
There is a need for a method of making photonic crystals of two or three dimensions which is repeatable, versatile, and potentially adaptable to a manufacturing environment, as compared to that of a laboratory. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is an exercise device. More specifically, the present invention is a board exercise device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many different types of exercise equipment. Some equipment is designed to be utilized in a health club or a gym and some equipment is designed to be utilized at home. Many types of equipment can only provide a cardio or a muscle building workout. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The exponential growth of Internet connectivity and data storage needs has led to an increased demand for scalable, fault tolerant distributed file-systems for processing and storing large-scale data sets. Large data sets may be tens of terabytes to petabytes in size. Such data sets are far too large to store on a single computer.
Distributed file-systems are designed to solve this issue by storing a file-system partitioned and replicated on a cluster of multiple servers. By partitioning large scale data sets across tens to thousands of servers, distributed file-systems are able to accommodate large-scale file-system workloads.
Many existing petabyte-scale distributed file-systems rely on a single-master design, as described, e.g., by Sanjay Ghemawat, H. G.-T., “The Google File-system”, 19th ACM Symposium on Operating System Principles, Lake George, N.Y. 2003. In that case, one master machine stores and processes all file-system metadata operations, while a large number of slave machines store and process all data operations. File metadata consists of all of the data describing the file itself. Metadata thus typically includes information such as the file owner, contents, last modified time, unique file number or other identifiers, data storage locations, and so forth.
The single-master design has fundamental scalability, performance and fault tolerance limitations. The master must store all file metadata. This limits the storage capacity of the file-system as all metadata must fit on a single machine. Furthermore, the master must process all file-system operations, such as file creation, deletion, and rename. As a consequence, unlike data operations, these operations are not scalable because they must be processed by a single server. On the other hand, data operations are scalable, since they can be spread across the tens to thousand of slave servers that process and store data. Also noted, that metadata for a file-system with billions of files can easily reach terabytes in size, and such workloads cannot be efficiently addressed with a single-master distributed file-system.
The trend of increasingly large data sets and an emphasis on real-time, low-latency responses and continuous availability has also reshaped the high-scalability database field. Distributed key-value store databases have been developed to provide fast, scalable database operations over a large cluster of servers. In a key-value store, each row has a unique key, which is mapped to one or more values. Clients create, update, or delete rows identified by their respective key. Single-row operations are atomic.
Highly scalable distributed key-value stores such as Amazon Dynamo described, e.g., by DeCandia, G. H., “Dynamo: Amazon's Highly-Available Key-Value Store”, 2007, SIGOPS Operating Systems Review, and Google BigTable described, e.g., by Chang, F. D., “Bigtable: A Distributed Storage System for Structured Data”, 2008, ACM Transactions on Computer Systems, have been used to store and analyze petabyte-scale datasets. These distributed key-value stores provide a number of highly desirable qualities, such as automatically partitioning key ranges across multiple servers, automatically replicating keys for fault tolerance, and providing fast key lookups. The distributed key-value stores support billions of rows and petabytes of data.
What is needed is a system and method for storing distributed file-system metadata on a distributed key-value store, allowing for far more scalable, fault-tolerant, and high-performance distributed file-systems with distributed metadata. The challenge is to provide traditional file-system guarantees of atomicity and consistency even when metadata may be distributed across multiple servers, using only the operations exposed by real-world distributed key-value stores. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an in-cylinder direct-injection spark-ignition internal combustion engine, and specifically to techniques for an intake port structure capable of providing the enhanced intake-air charging efficiency and ensuring the excellent air/fuel mixture formation, and suitable for a cylinder direct-injection spark-ignition engine, capable of operating in at least two modes, namely a homogeneous combustion mode and a stratified combustion mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there have been proposed and developed various in-cylinder direct-injection spark-ignition engines in which fuel is injected directly into an engine cylinder. Generally, on such direct-injection spark-ignition engines a combustion mode is switchable between a homogeneous combustion mode (or an early injection combustion mode) where fuel-injection early in the intake stroke produces a homogeneous air-fuel mixture, and a stratified combustion mode (or a late injection combustion mode) where late fuel-injection delays the event until near the end of the compression stroke to produce a stratified air-fuel mixture. The previously-noted homogeneous combustion mode is suitable for an engine operating condition such as medium or high engine speed and load, whereas the previously-noted stratified combustion mode is used generally at an engine operating condition such as low engine speed and load. The purpose of the stratified combustion is to deliver a readily ignitable mixture (richer mixture of a combustible air/fuel mixture ratio at which the mixture is ignitable by means of a spark plug provided in the combustion chamber) in the vicinity of the spark plug while forming surrounding air layer (leaner or ultra-leaner mixture often including part of the exhaust gas back through the engine or having the difficulty of direct-ignition by the spark plug) that contains little fuel, and to stable lean combustion under the condition of the low engine speed and load, and to improve fuel economy. In contrast to a conventional engine, the throttle valve is opened at the low engine load to increase the intake-air quantity, thus reducing a pumping loss. On such cylinder direct-injection spark-ignition engine (simply a DI engine) has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 62-191622 and 2-169834. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-119472 teaches the provision of a so-called swirl control valve to modulate in-cylinder gas motion and to create turbulent flow such as swirl flow or tumble flow, thus facilitating the mixing of air with fuel spray and improving combustion.
During the homogeneous combustion mode (or the early injection combustion mode) on the intake stroke, it could be expectable to provide the effect of cooling the intake air owing to fuel vaporization (or gasification), thus ensuring an enhanced intake-air charging efficiency (simply an induction efficiency) arising from reduction in the volumetric capacity of intake air charged. However, in conventional engines, the effects (the enhanced intake-air cooling effect and the enhanced induction efficiency) as previously discussed, were inadequate and unsatisfactory. It would be possible to highly enhance the intake-air cooling effect by promoting the fuel vaporization by virtue of increase in the flow-velocity of intake air flowing through the intake port. In addition to the above, the increase of the flow-velocity of intake air can contribute to strengthen turbulent action (for example tumble flow) in the engine cylinder, thereby assuring good mixing of fuel sprayed out with air and thus promoting homogenization of the air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber. Also, it is possible to properly carry the fuel spray to the vicinity of the spark plug during the stratified combustion mode by swirl motion more greatly strengthened by virtue of both the increased intake-air velocity and the use of the swirl control valve. This may largely improve combustion characteristics (for example, the fuel consumption, the lean misfire limit, and the combustion stability) during the stratified combustion mode. For the reasons set forth above, it would be desirable to effectively increase an intake-air velocity by improving an intake port structure of a direct-injection spark-ignition engine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of grilling and, more particularly, to a heat distributing wave tray for grilling, such as on a barbecue grill.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, gas or electric barbecue grills include one or more tube burners or cooking elements located beneath one or more radiant panels adapted to improve heat distribution across the entire surface of the grill. One example of such an appliance can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,871, wherein a plurality of uniform, undulating panels are utilized over a U-shaped burner. Although such panels improve heat distribution to some extent, the uniform nature of the panels does not address grill specific burner placement. One attempt to address the distribution of heat from a specific burner location can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,412, which depicts a baffle having holes of various sizes and locations designed to control the combustion gas travel pattern within a gas grill. However, such a baffle is not seen to adequately address the distribution of both radiant and convective heat within the barbecue grill. Therefore, there is seen to be a need in the art for a heat distribution system adapted to improve both convective and radiant heat distribution within a grill, particularly a grill having a single burner or cooking element. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a radio transceiver including an antenna switching circuit and, more particularly, to an antenna switching circuit capable of changing reception sensitivity.
In a radio transceiver of the type described, it has been customary to selectively connect a transmitter and a receiver to an antenna by an antenna switching circuit which is responsive to a transmission/receipt control signal and comprised of diodes and others, thereby transmitting or receiving such a radio signal as a frequency modulated signal. Such a transceiver is proposed in the European Patent Publication No. A2-0151014 published in Aug. 7, 1985 and assigned to NEC Corporation.
A prerequisite with a radio transceiver having the above construction is that two remote transceivers, which are in communication, are free from the interference of alien signals. An implementation heretofore adopted to meet such a requisite is varying the gain and, thereby, the reception sensitivity by changing the current value (e.g. emitter current value) of a transistor which is installed in the receiver for high frequency amplification (RF AMP).
However, such a prior art implementation suffers from a drawback that when the current of the transistor for RF AMP is reduced, the transceiver becomes susceptible to mutual interference and, in addition, the decrease in the bias emitter current may deteriorate the temperature characteristic. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Electroluminescence (EL) elements utilizing a substance which emits light by itself through an EL phenomenon when a voltage is applied thereto are known as a type of light emitting element which forms a display apparatus such as a display device and an illumination apparatus. The EL element is a light emitting element of thin film shape in which a light emission layer made from an organic material or an inorganic material is formed between an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and has a structure in which light emission is caused by applying a voltage to the light emission layer with the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
In recent years, development work has been underway on light emitting elements having a resonator structure (so-called microcavity structure) in which one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode is formed of a total reflection mirror and the other is formed of a semi-transmitting mirror allowing transmission of some of wavelengths, thereby resonating light emitted by the light emission layer (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
However, the thin-film light emitting element of the resonator structure has color filter characteristics which are sensitive to an intermirror distance (resonator optical path length). For example, if nonuniformity occurs in the resonator optical path length due to manufacture errors during the manufacture process, color coordinates (color purity) and luminance variations in a front direction may be unacceptable.
The resonator structure can be designed with a relatively large margin for color purity. On the other hand, the luminances of light emitting elements for a blue (B) color and a red (R) color may vary unacceptably due to a shift of a central wavelength. For example, if the film thickness (corresponding to the optical path length) associated with the intermirror distance changes approximately 5 nm (approximately 5% of the overall element film thickness), the central wavelength may also change approximately 5 nm. For example, in the blue-color light emitting element in which the design value of the central wavelength is set to 470 nm, if the film thickness increases 5 nm, luminous efficiency at the shifted central wavelength (for example, 475 nm) changes as much as 20% or more to cause a large luminance change and thus a reduction in image quality (luminance ununiformity). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrical devices and/or power meters and, more particularly, to electrical devices, including electrical power meters, having current input interfaces.
2. Background of Related Art
Electric utility companies track electric usage by customers by using power meters. These meters track the amount of power consumed at a particular location. These locations range from power substations, to commercial businesses, to residential homes. The electric utility companies use the power meter to charge its customers for their power consumption, i.e. revenue metering.
A popular type of power meter is the socket-type power meter. As its name implies, the meter itself plugs into a socket for easy installation, removal and replacement. Other meter installations include panel mounted, switchboard mounted, and circuit breaker mounted. Typically the power meter connects between utility power lines supplying electricity and a usage point, namely a residence or commercial place of business. Though not typical, a power meter may also be placed at a point within the utility's power grid to monitor power flowing through that point for distribution, power loss, or capacity monitoring. Also, power meters can be used to monitor internal customer usage that handle submetering functions.
Traditionally, power meters used mechanical means to track the amount of consumed power. The inductive spinning disk power meter is still commonly used. The spinning disk drives mechanical counters that track the power consumption information.
Newer to the market are electronic power meters. Electronic meters have replaced the older mechanical meters, and utilize digital sampling of the voltage and current waveforms to generate power consumption information. In addition to monitoring power consumption, electronic meters can also monitor and calculate power quality, that is, voltage, current, real power, reactive power, and apparent power, among others. These power quality measurements and calculations are displayed on an output display device on the meter.
In more recent developments, limited power consumption information can be transmitted from the power meter to the utility through the use of telephone communications circuitry contained either within or external to the meter. These developments are advantageous to the utility company in that it reduces the need for employees being dispatched to the remote locations to collect the power consumption information. A standard modem receives raw power consumption information from the power meter and transmits the information to the utility company via telephone lines. While this represents an improvement over past techniques, this information then must be interpreted and further processed to calculate the amount of power consumption, a secondary process that results in further processing apparatus and software, and further resulting in increases to the costs and complexities of the overall system.
There is therefore a need for an electronic power meter that includes improved current inputs to facilitate new installation and/or replacement of such electronic power meters.
There is a further need for an electronic power meter that can be installed in a number of different configurations and/or a number of different wiring schemes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Microfluidic devices and methods are of significant and increasing importance in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. However, considerable challenges remain in applying microfluidic technology to sequential syntheses of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Continuous flow microreactors have recently been used to manipulate individual chemical processes on nanoliter (nL) to microliter (μL) scales with advantages of enhanced heat transfer performance, faster diffusion times and reaction kinetics, and improved reaction product selectivity (de Mello et al., 2002, Lab on a Chip 2:7n; Kikutani and Kitamori, 2004, Macromolecular Rapid Communications 25:158; Jahnisch et al., 2004, Angewandte Chemie-International Edition 43:406; Fletcher et al., 2002, Tetrahedron 58:4735; Worz et al., 2001, Chemical Engineering Science 56, 1029; Watts et al. 2003, Current Opinion in Chemical Biology 7:380). However, in multi-step procedures, flow-through systems are plagued by cross contamination of reagents from different steps; side reactions and poor overall yield result from the inability to confine each individual step. Improved methods and devices are needed.
A compelling application for microfluidic synthesis is in the preparation of organic compounds bearing short-lived isotopes, whose emission permits detailed mapping of biological processes in living organs. See Phelps, 2000, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 97: 9226. The development of sensitive radiolabeled molecular probes is crucial for expanding the capability of target-specific in vivo imaging for biological research and drug discovery. The United States already has a vast network of PET cyclotron production sites in place as convenient sources for radiolabeled precursors (e.g., [18F]fluoride, [11C]CO2 and [11C]MeI) and a few labeled biomarkers. The capacity for diversifying radiolabeled probe structure is therefore limited only by the cost, speed, and efficiency of synthetic methods. A microfluidic device that could be used for synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals would constitute a significant advance in medicine and would provide immediate and significant benefit to patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to the use of mechanical waves in the non-destructive testing of concrete.
Methods and devices are known that utilize the propagation and reception of mechanical waves within the acoustic and ultrasonic frequency ranges for testing characteristics of concrete.
Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test methods utilize piezoelectric transducers on opposite or adjacent sides of a concrete sample to determine the velocity of an ultrasonic signal transmitted through the concrete from one transducer to the other. Because defects in the concrete, such as voids or delaminations, can affect ultrasonic mechanical wave speed through the sample, the amount of variation in the signal velocity as measurements are taken across a concrete sample can indicate the presence of such defects or the presence of material such as metal reinforcing bars (rebar). Further, the UPV test method can be used to determine compressive strength. As should be understood, compressive strength is an estimate of the maximum amount of force that can be applied normally to a surface of the concrete sample without crushing the concrete.
ASTM C 597 describes a standard test method for utilizing pulse velocity through concrete. In one example of such method, respective transducers are disposed on opposite or adjacent sides of a concrete sample, such as a wall. Each transducer includes a piezoelectric element, as should be understood in this art, but other transducer crystals can be used. An impedance matching material, which is used to decrease the impedance difference between the piezoelectric material and the concrete, is disposed between each transducer's piezoelectric element and the concrete surface, and a gel is disposed between the impedance matching material and the concrete to fill air gaps. A control system excites one of the two narrowband transducers to impart a pulse of ultrasonic longitudinal mechanical waves (primary waves, or “p-waves”) into the concrete surface, at a frequency ranging from 50 kHz to 120 kHz. The pulse travels through the concrete and undergoes multiple reflections at occurrences of density variations within the concrete, for example due to delamination, air pockets, or rebar. A complex system of mechanical waves develops, including both p-waves and shear (or “s”) waves, and propagates through the concrete. P-waves travel faster than s-waves, and where the transducers are disposed are opposite sides of the concrete sample, the p-wave therefore first reaches the piezoelectric receiving transducer, which in turn converts the p-wave into an electrical signal. The transit time (TP) for the pulse to travel the known path length (L) is measured by the control system, and the longitudinal pulse velocity (Cp) is given by the following equation:
C p = L T p
The accuracy of the velocity measured by this method is a function of the accuracy of the measured distance (L) between the transducers and the measured transit time (TP). For the pulse velocity operational mode, the programmable data acquisition has a sampling period (h), or transit time resolution, e.g. of 0.1 microseconds using a 10 MHz clock.
Shear waves also reach the opposite side of the concrete wall, and using a pair of shear wave transducers similarly disposed on opposite or adjacent sides of the concrete as the p-wave transducers, the s-wave transit time (TS) is similarly measured. As should be understood in this art, s-wave transducers are piezoelectric devices configured to mechanically react in response to shear waves, thereby producing an electrical signal when the transducer is affected by a shear wave. Given the path length (L), the shear velocity (Cs) is given by the following equation:
C s = L T s
The p-wave velocity (Cp) and shear velocity (Cs) are correlated to the Young's modulus (E), Poisson's ratio (ν), and density (ρ) of the material as determined by the following equations:
C p = E ( 1 - v ) ρ ( 1 - 2 v ) ( 1 + v ) C s = E 2 ρ ( 1 + v )
The p-wave modulus (M) is correlated to the p-wave velocity (Cp) and density (ρ) of the material as determined by the following equation:M=ρCp2
Using shear wave transducers, the shear modulus (G) can be correlated to shear velocity (Cs) and density (ρ) of the material as determined by the following equations:
G = ρ C s 2 v = M - 2 G 2 M - 2 G = C p 2 - 2 C s 2 2 ( C p 2 - C s 2 )
Thus, the Poisson's ratio (ν) can be determined without knowing the concrete density by measuring the p-wave velocity (Cp) and shear velocity (Cs). Once the Poisson's ratio (ν) is known, the control system calculates the Young's modulus (E) from the above equation, where density (ρ) is known from empirical destructive (stress/strain) testing. For conventional concrete from 200 psi to 3,000 psi, the compressive strength (σ) can be calculated from the following equation:E=0.043ρ1.5√{square root over (σ)}
Where density (ρ) is in units of kg/m3, and Young's modulus (E) and compressive strength (σ) are in MPa, the above equation is applicable to twenty-eight day compressive strength, and the following adaption of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) equation can be used, with the value of the proportionality constant (k) determined by curve fitting experimental data:E=k√{square root over (σ)}
The American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 318 recommends a model to predict the modulus of elasticity for a wide range of concrete compressive strengths from 200 psi to 3,000 psi, although overestimating the modulus of elasticity for compressive strength over 6,000 psi [ACI 318-11].E=0.043ρ1.5√{square root over (σ)} where: E=modulus of elasticity in MPa ρ=density in kg/m3 σ=compressive strength in MPaE=4.38ρ1.5σ0.75 where: E=modulus of elasticity in psi (English) ρ=density in pcf or lb/ft3 (English) σ=compressive strength in psi (English)
The ACI Committee 363 recommends a model for higher strength concretes ranging from 3,000 psi to 12,000 psi [ACI 363R-92].E=3320√{square root over (σ)}+6900 where: E=modulus of elasticity in MPa ρ=density in kg/m3=2323 kg/m3 σ=compressive strength in MPaE=(40000√{square root over (σ)}+1.0×106)(ρ/145)1.5 where: E=modulus of elasticity in psi (English) ρ=density in pcf or lb/ft3 (English)=145 lb./ft3 σ=compressive strength in psi (English)
The Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) recommends an equation to predict the modulus of elasticity for high-strength concretes ranging from 2,900 psi to 23,200 psi [Tomosawa, et al 1990]. The AIJ equation expresses the modulus of elasticity (E) as a function of compressive strength (σ), and density (ρ):E=k1486σ1/3ρ2 where: E=modulus of elasticity in MPa ρ=density in kg/m3 σ=compressive strength in MPa k=k1k2 k1=correction factor corresponding to coarse aggregates k2=correction factor corresponding to mineral admixtures
Compressive strength may also be determined by acoustic attenuation or relative amplitude, which measures the attenuation of an acoustic wave by observing the ratio of the wave amplitudes. As ultrasonic waves pass through materials, attenuation is caused by beam divergence (distance effect), absorption (heat dissipation), and scattering. Scattering is the only form of attenuation affected by the characteristics of the materials through which the waves pass, as well as the degree of inhomogeneity and frequency of the transducer. Attenuation caused by scattering (αS) is given by:
α s ∝ { 1 / D for diffusion range λ ≤ D Df 2 for stochastic range λ ≈ D D 3 f 4 for Raleigh range λ >> D where f is the wave frequency, λ is the wavelength, and D is the average inhomogeneity in concrete. D may also be the void or aggregate size. For λ much greater than D, concrete strength is related exponentially with the wave attenuation.
Porosity is the main factor influencing strength of a brittle material such as concrete. Several models that relate strength to porosity exist, but the most common is the exponential model:K=K0e−kp where K0 is the strength at zero porosity, P is the fractional porosity, and k is a constant that depends on the system being studied.
Techniques for determining ultrasonic attenuation include placement of receiving and transmitting transducers on opposite or adjacent sides of a concrete sample. Typically, the use of adjacent sides is not possible because the amplitude of the pressure and the torsion waves are difficult to determine. However, when thickness of the structure is known, it may be possible to utilize an impulse reflected off of the opposing surface of the concrete sample, assuming a sufficiently high input signal.
When porosity is not known, the relative amplitude (β) can be correlated to the fractional porosity (P) for a specific condition, as shown by the following relationship between strength (K) and relative amplitude (β):K=e5.2115−0.1444β
The equation above is applicable to concrete with a moisture content of 3-4%, an age of ninety days, made from crushed granite aggregate with a maximum size of twenty mm, cured by immersing in water for twenty-eight days, and measured by the direct technique (receiving and transmitting transducers on opposing sides of the concrete sample) at 150 mm beam path distance without reinforcement bars. The relative amplitude decreases as the strength is increased. While the above equation is an example, such a relationship between strength and relative amplitude can be drawn from empirical testing.
When an impulse is transmitted through a material, the relative amplitude (β) is given by:
β = 20 log ( A ps A p )
where Aps is the pressure wave amplitude after the arrival of the torsional wave, and Ap is the pressure wave amplitude. Since the relative amplitude method sends an impulse through the concrete, it might also be used to correlate the size, type, and stiffness of any reinforcing fibers. This correlation is determined by sending impulses at various frequencies and analyzing the frequency response.
In some instances, only one side of the concrete sample may be accessible, such that thickness of a concrete sample is unknown. In such circumstances, or otherwise where it is desired to determine thickness of a concrete sample, the impact-echo method of determining concrete thickness may be used, as described in the ASTM C 1383 standard. The impact-echo test involves two modes of operation, both of which rely upon mechanical waves imparted to a concrete sample by an impact hammer. The impact hammer produces a mechanical impact on the concrete surface, generating multiple modes of vibration, including p-waves, s-waves and Rayleigh waves. The impact hammer includes a steel ball head in which is disposed a piezoelectric element that generates an electrical signal when the steel ball strikes the concrete sample. The impact hammer outputs this signal to a computer system, allowing the computer system to recognize that the test has begun and to therefore configure the system to receive the receiving transducer output.
The first part of the test determines p-wave speed, based on reception of the hammer-imparted p-wave detected by a pair of broadband transducers disposed on the same concrete surface at which the hammer imparts the mechanical wave. Both transducers may include piezoelectric elements that are coupled to the concrete surface. The receiving transducers are independently disposed on the concrete surface at a fixed distance, e.g. about 300 mm, apart. Although disposed on the concrete surface independently of each other, a spacer may be placed between them to fix the desired distance. The operator strikes a hammer on the concrete surface on the same line that includes the centers of the two receiving transducers, at a distance of 150+/−10 mm from the closest transducer, with an impact duration of 30+/−10 microseconds.
When the p-wave reaches the two piezoelectric receiver transducers, the transducers convert the mechanical energy to an electrical signal that is output to a computer. Upon reception of the signals from the receiving transducers, the computer determines the difference in time between the two signals, i.e. the p-wave's time of travel between the two receiving transducers, or (Δt). Since the distance (L) between the receiving transducers is known, the computer calculates p-wave speed (Cp) by dividing distance by travel time. P-wave speed in concrete is then converted to the apparent p-wave speed in a plate (Cp, plate=0.96 Cp).
The second part of the test determines the frequency of a standing wave generated by the hammer impact, i.e. the resonance frequency. A broadband transducer is manually disposed on the concrete surface, and the operator strikes the same concrete surface with the impact hammer near the transducer. The piezoelectric element at the impact hammer head outputs a signal from the hammer to the computer that triggers the computer to watch for a response from the broadband receiving transducer. The impact generates a p-wave that propagates into the concrete plate and reflects from the opposite surface. The return wave reflects, in turn, from the initial impact surface, and so on, giving rise to a transient thickness resonance. The broadband transducer converts the detected wave into an electrical signal that is output to the computer, which captures the output as a time domain waveform. The computer obtains a frequency domain signal through a windowing function and execution of a Fast Fourier transform. A Hamming window may be used to reduce ringing in the spectral values outside the windows. A sampling period may be two microseconds, using a 500 kHz clock and 1024 data points in the recorded waveform. The duration of the recorded waveform is 2048 microseconds, giving a spectral resolution of 488 Hz in the signal spectrum. There are 512 frequency channels, and the maximum sample frequency is 250 kHz. The computer displays 1024 samples in the time domain and 512 bins (250 kHz) in the frequency domain. The resonance frequency (f) appears as a peak in this waveform, which the software application identifies.
Thickness of the concrete plate is then given by the following equation:
T = C p , plate 2 f
The actual impact has a significant influence on the success of the impact-echo test. The estimate of the maximum frequency in the frequency domain excited is the inverse of the impact hammer's contact time at the concrete surface. Thus, a shorter contact time results in a higher range of frequencies contained in the pulse imparted into the concrete by the impact hammer, and the depth of the opposing surface (which may be the opposite surface of the concrete sample, or a defect or object located within the sample that creates an intermediate standing wave) which can be detected decreases according to the equation above. Short duration impacts are needed to detect opposing surfaces and defects that are near to the surface upon which the test is performed. Sansalone and Streett, “Impact-Echo: Nondestructive Evaluation of Concrete and Masonry,” (1997), provide an estimate of the maximum frequency (fmax=291/D) for a steel ball bearing of diameter D, and it is known for an impact hammer to utilize interchangeable steel and stainless steel balls that vary in diameter. As steel ball diameter increases in the impact hammer, so does maximum detectable thickness.
Depending upon knowledge of the characteristics of the concrete sample, the concrete density may be known.
The ultrasonic pulse echo method may be used on one side of a concrete sample to determine both thickness and concrete characteristics in the sample when only one side of the sample is available. In particular, this method may be used to detect internal features, such as the location and density of rebar. The principle is based on the measurement of the time interval between transmitting an ultrasonic impulse into the sample and receiving an echo. The transit time (T) of the pulse to traverse twice the path length to (L) is measured, and the longitudinal pulse velocity (Cp) is given by:
C p = 2 L T
Ultrasound is highly attenuated in concrete, and for increasing thicknesses, it may therefore be difficult to effectively obtain an echo signal. Thus, to overcome the effects of wave scattering, and thus attenuation, caused by aggregates and air pores, the frequency of the ultrasound signal is typically low, and can be as low as 50 kHz.
To implement this method, two narrowband transducers are applied to the same side of the concrete sample, at a predetermined distance apart from each other. The computer system excites one of the two transducers, causing the transducer to impart a mechanical signal into the sample. The computer system is in communication with both the transmitting and receiving transducers, actuating the transmitting transducer and receiving the electrical signal from the receiving transducer. The signal received from the receiving transducer will include data describing both a surface wave and reflections. To remove the surface wave data, leaving the reflection data, the computer system applies a signal processing technique known as frequency-wave number filtering (FK filtering). FK filtering uses the slope of the data to selectively remove values that lie along a particular line (two dimensional filtering).
In essence, the pulse-echo method determines the time of flight of the mechanical pulse imparted into the concrete sample and reflected back from the opposing side of the sample or an intermediate object, such as rebar. By taking these measurements sequentially across a concrete sample, the most common detected distance is typically from the opposing sample side. Accordingly, anomalies of shorter distances that appear in the output data correspond to positions at which imbedded material may occur. | {
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This invention relates broadly to a portable bleacher construction and, more particularly, pertains to a jack system for leveling and stabilizing a portable bleacher in a stationary position upon a ground surface.
There are various instances where events, particularly outdoor events, are to be staged which require the availability of seating for a viewing audience. Permanent seating, such as bleachers, can be constructed for events which are always held in the same place. For one-time events or less frequent events, temporary seating such as portable bleachers can be employed. Portable bleachers can also be used to supplement existing permanent seating to increase seating capacity, if desired, for certain events. One of the characteristics of such portable seating is that the mobile framework carrying the seating must be stabilized and leveled on ground surfaces which are frequently uneven and vary from site to site.
Portable bleacher constructions are known in which one section of seating is permanently fixed to a wheeled framework and at least one other section of seating is pivotally mounted thereto. Hydraulic cylinders or other mechanical devices are often used to pivot the movable section between a nested, travel position and an operative, seating position. In order to stabilize and level the bleacher construction prior to use, it has been the practice to install a plurality (i.e. 10-14) of individually operated jacks along the framework. Typically, the jacks are installed such that a series of jacks are located on each side of the framework. In operation, the operator must swivel each jack down from a storage mode, and then each jack must be manually cranked from a squatting or kneeling position to adjust for the particular terrain, to stabilize and level the portable bleacher. This necessitates that an operator will expend a great deal of time and energy adjusting the jacks on each side of the framework.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to markedly reduce the labor-intensive efforts required in deploying and individually adjusting the jacks employed in a portable seating arrangement. It would also be desirable to shorten the time needed to efficiently effect leveling of the mobile framework supporting the portable seating.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a portable bleacher construction equipped with a stabilizing jack system in which an operator can control the deployment and operation of the jacks to stabilize and level the portable bleacher construction with a minimum of time and effort.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable bleacher framework with at least one pair of leveling jacks on opposite sides of the framework such that a control arrangement on one side of the framework is employed to independently adjust the positioning of both jacks.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stabilizing jack system for a portable bleacher in which a plurality of jacks disposed on each side of the portable bleacher framework may be operated in a standing position from one side of the framework.
In one aspect of the invention, a portable bleacher construction includes a wheeled framework for supporting a plurality of bleacher seats thereon in a mobile travel condition and a stationary seating condition. At least one pair of leveling jacks is located on opposite sides of the framework for stabilizing the framework in the seating position upon a ground surface. The invention contemplates a small number of high-capacity jacks in selected locations on the framework, to provide ease of operation and to increase stability to the portable bleacher construction. In a preferred form, four jacks are mounted to the framework to provide a stable stance, and each jack has a high sway load capacity to provide a high degree of lateral stability. In a particularly preferred form, a control arrangement is located on one side of the framework for separately controlling the deployment and leveling of both jacks in each pair of jacks. The framework includes a pair of parallel, spaced longitudinal beams interconnected by a pair of transverse end beams. A pair of wheel assemblies are located one on each of the longitudinal beams between the transverse end beams. Each jack is mounted to one of the longitudinal beams. Each jack has an upper tubular member affixed to one of the beams, and a lower tubular member with a ground engaging foot telescopically received and movably mounted in the upper tubular member for upward and downward movement relative thereto. The control arrangement is preferably interconnected with one of the jacks in each pair, and is located on a rear one of the longitudinal beams.
In one form, the control arrangement includes a first rotatable crank assembly and a second rotatable crank assembly movably mounted on an upper end of the upper tubular member of the jack disposed on the rear longitudinal beam. Each crank assembly is operably interconnected with one of the jacks, and the crank assemblies are operable to move the lower tubular members of the jacks on opposite sides of the framework upwardly and downwardly independent of each other. The first rotatable crank assembly has a first S-shaped handle pivotally mounted to a shortened transfer rod projecting into the upper end of the upper tubular member of the jack disposed on the rear longitudinal beam. The second rotatable crank assembly has a second S-shaped handle pivotally mounted to an elongated transfer rod extending from the jack on the rear longitudinal beam to the jack on the front longitudinal beam. The upper tubular member of the jack on the rear longitudinal beam includes clamp structure adapted for engagement with the first handle and the second handle for selectively retaining the first handle and the second handle in an inoperative position when not in use. The first handle and the second handle are disengaged from the clamp structure and pivoted upwardly on their respective transfer rods to an operative position, after which the handles are separately rotated to turn the transfer rods and operate the jacks, to effect movement of the lower tubular members against the ground surface. In a preferred form, at least one pair of jacks is located between the wheel assemblies and one of the transverse end beams, and another pair of jacks is located between the wheel assemblies and the other of the transverse end beams.
The invention also contemplates a portable bleacher construction having a mobile framework for supporting a plurality of bleacher seats thereon, and a plurality of pairs of leveling jacks located on opposite front and rear sides of the framework for stabilizing the framework on a ground surface when the framework is stationary. The invention includes a control station commonly located on each jack position on one side of the framework for allowing independent adjustment of each pair of jacks on the front and rear sides of the framework. The control station includes a pair of side-by-side, manual crank assemblies disposed upon an upper end of each jack positioned on one side of the framework. Each of the manual crank assemblies has a handle which is pivotable about a first horizontal axis extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the framework, and is rotatable about a second horizontal axis extending generally perpendicularly to the first horizontal axis. The control station is preferably located on the rear side of the framework.
Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. | {
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The present disclosure relates to solid state imaging devices in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in an array pattern.
Much attention has been paid to MOS-type solid state imaging devices due to their low power consumption, and high-speed imaging. The MOS-type solid state imaging devices have been and are being employed in various fields, such as cameras of mobile devices, on-board cameras, monitoring cameras, etc.
FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a structure of a conventional MOS-type solid state imaging device. As shown in FIG. 6, pixels 100 including photoelectric conversion elements (photodiodes) 101, respectively, are arranged in an array pattern to constitute an imaging region 200. Charges produced by photoelectric conversion of the photoelectric conversion element 101 are transferred to a floating diffusion layer 102 by a transfer transistor 103. The charges transferred to the floating diffusion layer 102 are amplified by an amplifier transistor 104, and are transferred to an output signal line 110 through a selection transistor 106 which is selected by a vertical shift register 108, and are output from an output end 111 through a horizontal shift register 109. A surplus of the charges accumulated in the floating diffusion layer 102 is discharged by a reset transistor 105 having a drain region connected to a power supply line 107.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a general structure of the pixels 100. As shown in FIG. 7, the photoelectric conversion elements 101, the floating diffusion layers 102, and source/drain regions of the amplifier transistors 104 are formed in a substrate 201. The pixels 100 adjacent to each other are electrically isolated from each other by an insulating isolation part 202.
Long wavelength light incident on the substrate 201, such as red light, travels to a deeper region in the substrate 201. Thus, when some of the charges produced by photoelectric conversion leak to the adjacent pixel 100, mixing of colors, or blooming may occur. To prevent the mixing of colors etc. due to the leakage of the charges, Japanese Patent Publication No. H11-284168, U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,462, etc. describe a method for forming a narrow and deep isolation diffusion layer 204 below a shallow isolation diffusion layer 203 formed below the insulating isolation part 202 as shown in FIG. 7.
When operating speed of the solid state imaging device is increased, and a potential of the substrate 210 in which the amplifier transistors 104 are formed varies during high-speed operation of the amplifier transistors, operation of the amplifier transistors becomes unstable. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, high concentration well regions 205 are formed in the substrate 201 to form the amplifier transistors 104 in the high concentration well regions 205. This can reduce change in potential of the well regions 205 even when the amplifier transistors 104 are operated at high speed. Thus, the amplifier transistors 104 can stably be operated. | {
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So far, as framing wooden members in, for example, housing and other structures, what is called "solid shafts" cut out from lumber have been generally available, but recently as much more attention has been paid for the saving of natural resources and overhead costs have increased, it has been very difficult to obtain such members at a reasonable price. Therefore, a various shape of members have been proposed for the market. One of them is formed by solidly securing a plurality of wooden plates facing each other at a certain interval of spacing.
Framing members with such conventional construction are formed by solidly binding both members by adhesives or bolting after the end portion of one framing member is inserted into an opening in the other member.
With the framing members according to the prior art, however, until the connection portions are completely tightened with bolts or solidly fixed with adhesive agent, the connection portions must be temporarily fixed or a delicate positional adjustment of the connection portions must be made, thereby requiring much more labor or tools, thus resulting in an increased cost. In particular when used at a poor scaffolding made of longer materials like house or other building site, the temporary fixing work of the framing members is very dangerous.
To solve the above problems, this invention intends to provide a jointing method of framing members which can easily temporarily fix framing horizontal members to framing columns when building or assembling houses and other constructions. | {
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When a subject to be processed is drilled by applying laser beams, pulse irradiation of laser is performed many times on a subject to be processed, or processing is performed by irradiation for a fixed time.
In this process, multiple points collective processing (hereinafter referred to as a “microlens system”) has been known in which a laser beam is branched into a multitude of beams by using a microlens array, and is condensed on a surface to be processed, by which many holes are formed in the subject to be processed.
When processing is performed by the aforementioned microlens system, a disadvantage that the laser beams are generally uneven at the early stage or when time has elapsed has been known.
Also, in order to perform laser processing precisely, mask projection processing has conventionally been known. The mask projection processing is a technique for performing processing by projecting a mask pattern on the surface to be processed by using a projection optical system.
In this technique, to decrease unevenness of processing, a beam homogenizer using a fly's eye integrator as shown in FIG. 19 has been used widely as a fixed type uniform illumination optical system.
In addition, a processing uniformizing technique using mechanical scan of beams has been known (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 to 4).
Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which in the projection processing of an aperture, irradiation beam scanning to the aperture is performed by a moving mirror, by which the depth of processed bottom surface of single hole is uniformized. Patent Documents 1: Japanese Patent No. 3199124
Patent Document 2 describes a technique in which in the projection processing of pattern mask, the pattern mask and a subject to be processed are moved in association with respect to irradiation beams, by which the processing depth is uniformized. Patent Documents 2: Japanese Patent No. 3211206
Patent Document 3 describes a technique in which in the projection processing of an aperture, a scan system of parallel beams is formed in combination with an angularly movable mirror and a cylindrical lens, and irradiation beam scanning to the aperture is performed, by which the processing accuracy is uniformized. Patent Documents 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-51878
Patent Document 4 describes a technique in which in the microlens system, in an example aiming at the performance of processing in a wide range, unevenness of irradiation can be decreased by beam scanning in an area to be processed. Patent Documents 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-269789 | {
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The general field of the invention is that of mobile vehicles and, more particularly, those vehicles known as unicycles. In the general field of unicycles there are those which are operated by movable pedals which the rider moves in circular paths with his feet, and others which are operated by power, and the invention relates to unicycles of the latter type. | {
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Firearm components and accessories may be attached to the muzzle end of the barrel of a firearm, such as a handgun. In order for the firearm components and accessories to operate most effectively, they should be properly aligned, which may be difficult to achieve before, during, and after discharging the firearm. | {
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To make informed IT business decisions, decision makers need access to a wide variety of data including operational information, regulatory information and strategic or operational business information. Typically the data is split among a variety of applications designed to deal with a specific data domain, e.g. financial applications. In addition to specific domain applications, the data may be stored in numerous spreadsheets or other solutions that tend to isolate data into specific interest silos and make correlating useful data a laborious manual process. The use of so many applications and solutions further complicates the problem because the data may exist in many different forms, adding to the decision maker's burden when trying to use the data. Integrating the IT data and correlating related data may provide decision makers with a convenient and comprehensive data set from which to make informed decisions. | {
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One of the present inventors has conducted studies for some time in order to work out a muscle strength increasing method for easy, safe, and effective muscle development, and put together the accomplishments into a patent application having Japanese Patent Application No. 5-313949, which has been granted as Japanese Patent No. 2670421.
The muscle strength increasing method according to the subject patent, which involves the application of pressure, is a distinctive non-conventional one called a “Pressure Muscle Strength Increasing Method”. This muscle strength increasing method is based on the following theoretical concept.
Muscles are composed of slow-twitch muscle fibers and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are limited in their potential for growth. Accordingly, it is necessary to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers of the slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers in order to develop muscles. Recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fibers causes lactic acid buildup in the muscles, which triggers secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary. The growth hormone has effects of, for example, promoting muscle growth and shedding body fat. This means that recruitment and exhaustion of fast-twitch muscle fibers results in development of fast-twitch muscle fibers and, in turn, the entire muscles.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers and fast-twitch muscle fibers are different from each other in terms of the following. Slow-twitch muscle fibers use oxygen for energy and are recruited for low-intensity activities. Fast-twitch muscle fibers provide for activities regardless of whether or not oxygen is present. They are recruited after the slow-twitch muscle fibers for highly intense activities. Therefore, it is necessary to cause the earlier recruited and activated slow-twitch muscle fibers to be exhausted soon in order to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Conventional muscle strength increasing methods use heavy exercises with, for example, a barbell to cause the slow-twitch muscle fibers to be exhausted first, and then to recruit the fast-twitch muscle fibers. This recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fibers requires a significant amount of exercises, is time-consuming, and tends to increase the burden on muscles and joints.
On the other hand, when a predetermined range of muscles near the top of a limb is compressed and pressurized to restrict the blood flow therethrough before muscle exercises, less oxygen is supplied to these muscles. The slow-twitch muscle fibers, which require oxygen for energy, are thus exhausted in a short period of time. Muscle exercises with blood-flow restriction by application of pressure will result in recruitment of the fast-twitch muscle fibers without needing a large amount of exercises.
In addition, restriction of the blood flow by application of pressure makes the lactic acid built up in the muscles less likely to be removed from the muscles. Thus, the muscle lactic acid level is more likely to rise and a much larger amount of growth hormone is secreted, as compared with the case where the blood flow is unrestricted.
Based on this theoretical concept, to restrict the muscle blood flow can provide significant development of the muscles.
The muscle strength increasing method according to the aforementioned patent is premised on the theoretical concept of the muscle strength increase by the restriction of blood flow. More specifically, a compression pressure for the blood flow restriction is applied to a range near the muscles that you want to develop and closer to the heart, i.e., a proximal region near those muscles. The compression pressure is controlled to put an appropriate stress attributed to the reduced blood flow on the muscles, thereby causing muscle fatigue. In this way, effective muscle development is achieved.
This muscle force increasing method has a significant feature in muscle development not necessarily requiring exercises because it involves developing muscles by putting a stress attributed to a reduced blood flow on the muscles. In addition, this muscle strength increasing method can compensate for a total amount of stress that is placed on the muscles by putting a stress attributed to a reduced blood flow on the muscles. When combined with some exercises, the method advantageously provides a less exercise-related stress than conventionally. This advantage brings about some effects: the possibility of incurring damages to the joints or muscles can be reduced and the period of training can be shortened, as a result of decrease in amount of muscle exercises.
The implementation of this muscle strength increasing method requires a muscle strength increasing device or apparatus that can restrict the blood flow through the muscles that you want to develop and can provide accurate control of the degree of blood flow restriction. In particular, the function that can provide accurate control of the degree of blood flow restriction in muscles is very important in order to enhance effects obtained using the pressure muscle strength increasing method and to improve the safety of the pressure muscle strength increasing method.
One of the present inventors has made studies for a muscle strength increasing device. In the course of these studies, he made an invention relating to a muscle strength increasing device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-248317. The muscle strength increasing device according to this invention comprises a tight fitting device, which is a bag-shaped belt, having a rubber-made tube provided therein. It is designed to compress muscles and thereby to apply a desired compression pressure to the muscles when a gas is introduced into a tube with the tight fitting device rest on and fastened around a predetermined range of muscles.
Such a muscle strength increasing device of the type that achieves compression using a gas has the advantage of allowing detailed control for the compression pressures by means of measuring a gas pressure. However, it still has a point that should be improved.
Such a muscle strength increasing device is said to be able to measure the compression force applied by the muscle strength increasing device to muscles by measuring the gas pressure within the aforementioned tube. The compression force applied to muscles, which is determined according to the measurement of the gas pressure, provides information that is used to predict the degree of blood flow restriction in muscles. In the aforementioned muscle strength increasing device, an appropriate degree of blood flow restriction is tried to be achieved by changing the gas pressure within the tube based on this prediction.
However, people have individual differences as well as other variations over time, such as gains and losses in body weight. This suggests that a constant compression force does not always result in the same degree of blood flow restriction, so that the above prediction is attended with difficulty.
Thus, the use of such a muscle strength increasing device requires an experienced person with a good knowledge about a pressure muscle strength increasing method who can teach how to use the muscle strength increasing device. In fact, the pressure muscle strength increasing method is carried out under the supervision of a person who is available for the coaching.
In addition, the pressure muscle strength increasing method has a potential use in preventing the decline of muscle strength and the decrease in bone density of an astronaut after having many months of zero gravity in a spaceship, which is a major concern in recent years. However, the distribution of blood through the body in a weightless state differs from that on earth. Accordingly, it is very difficult to predictively determine whether the resulting degree of blood flow restriction becomes appropriate even when a compression force is selected according to the experiences and knowledge about the pressure muscle strength increasing method accumulated on earth.
The present invention is for solving the aforementioned problem and an object thereof is to provide an art with which a muscle strength increasing apparatus can be achieved that is capable of providing accurate control of the degree of blood flow restriction. | {
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Stability is an important aspect of all forms of controlled release dosage forms and other formulations for active ingredients. Stability study requirements are covered in the United States Pharmacopia 24th Edition (USP XXIV), in the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as well as in FDA Guidelines. The ingredients used in controlled release dosage forms often present special problems with regard to their physical stability during storage. Strategies used in the prior art to stabilize controlled release formulations include: insuring the individual ingredients are in a stable form prior to their incorporation into the product; retarding the instability by adding additional ingredients; inducing the individual ingredients to reach a stable state before the product is completed; changing the porosity and/or hydration level of a polymeric film to adjust the moisture content of the product; and proper packaging of the product.
In some instances, active ingredients of solid controlled release formulation degrade by hydrolysis. For example, hydrolysis of bupropion hydrochloride is encouraged in environments where the pH is above 4, as well as in the presence of (hydrophilic) excipients. The prior art shows that hydrolysis of certain active ingredients can be retarded in an acidic environment. Accordingly, acidified additives or formulations have been used to retard degradation.
Examples of prior art formulations of the drug bupropion hydrochloride demonstrate the use of acidic stabilizing ingredient to prevent degradation of the active ingredient. Bupropion hydrochloride is an aminoketone-derivative designated as (±)-1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-[(1,1-dimethylethyl) amino]-1-propanone hydrochloride and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,358,970; 5,427,798; 5,731,000, 5,763,493; Re. 33,994; 3,819,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,046. It is marketed as an antidepressant and as an aid to smoking cessation. The drug is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic or selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors. Noradrenergic pathways and/or dopaminergic effects appear to be the primary mechanism for antidepressant and smoking cessation actions. The dosing regimen for sustained-release bupropion is once or twice daily.
The stability of bupropion hydrochloride and other active ingredients may be affected by factors including formulation and storage conditions. Heat lability of bupropion hydrochloride formulations is known. Although bupropion hydrochloride is stable in bulk and in most simple blends, the drug is unstable in complex mixtures such as granulations or tablets.
Stability studies of mixtures with lubricants show that bupropion is stable in the presence of talc but stability is poor in the presence of magnesium stearate or stearic acid. A lubricant, such as, magnesium stearate is often added to prevent picking and sticking on a high-speed rotary press. Bupropion formulations without stabilizers lose more than 50% of active ingredient potency at six weeks of accelerated conditions.
Labeling of conventional tablets or extended-release tablets of bupropion hydrochloride indicates storage at a temperature of 15-25° C. and protection from light and moisture. Extended release tablets of bupropion should be stored in tight, light-resistant containers at a temperature of 20-25° C. (USP Pharmacopeial Forum, Vol. 26(4): July-August 2000).
The prior art describes the use of stabilizers to prevent degradation of the active ingredient. For example, the patents summarized below teach the addition of an organic or inorganic acid as a separate stabilizing ingredient for formulations of bupropion hydrochloride.
Sustained release tablet forms of bupropion are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,798, comprising a sustained release tablet where controlled release is achieved by combining bupropion particles with microcrystalline cellulose and hydrogel-forming high molecular weight, high viscosity grades of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Stabilization of this formulation is taught by addition of cysteine hydrochloride or glycine hydrochloride.
Stabilization by acidification of the environment in which degradation occurs in pharmaceutical compositions containing bupropion is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,553. In this patent, the stabilizer is an inorganic acid having an aqueous solution pH of about 0.5 to 4.0 at a concentration of about 0.31% w/w. The inorganic acids are selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid. The stabilizer constitutes from about 0.01% to about 5% of the amount of bupropion hydrochloride in the composition.
Solid bupropion formulations containing acidic stabilizers are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,970 where the stabilizer has an aqueous pH of about 0.9 to 4.0 at an aqueous solution concentration of about 6% w/w and are solid or liquid at 30° C. Stabilizers used are selected from the group consisting of L-cysteine hydrochloride, glycine hydrochloride, ascorbic acid, malic acid, sodium metabisulfite, isoascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, L-cysteine dihydrochloride or their combinations.
Stabilization of the commercially available Wellbutrin® SR is achieved by acidification with L-cysteine hydrochloride.
Although the prior art teaches incorporating acidification additives to reduce the hydrolytic degradation of active ingredients, it is less desirable because: 1) it may not be suitable for pharmaceutical compositions with basic excipients and 2) it represents additional ingredients in the formulation. The need exists for a stable controlled release bupropion formulation that does not require a stabilizer and which may be used with basic excipients. Such delayed delivery dosage formulations have a practical application, and represent a valuable contribution to the medical arts. The present invention provides such compositions, and offers efficient and cost effective methods of preparation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the broad field of flue gas desulfurization. Flue gas desulfurization, as it applies to the present invention, generally relates to the removal of sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) from flue gases produced by fossil-fueled boilers used to generate electric power, process steam, etc. The Environmental Protection Agency promulgates regulations which require SO.sub.2 removal devices or other means for controlling SO.sub.2 emissions on many such flue gas producers, i.e., those that fire boilers with coal, oil, or other types of fossil fuel. The assignee of the present invention is, of course, a major producer of electric power, a portion of which is produced by the burning of fossil fuel, and has a major test facility at its Shawnee Power Plant wherein is conducted research in this field on technologies concerned specifically, but not exclusively, with desulfurization of flue gas from coal-fired power generation stations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As was mentioned earlier, at the inception of utilizing lime and/or limestone scrubbing facilities for flue gas desulfurization, the scrubber wastes were initially disposed of by incorporating the slurry resulting therefrom in ponds. This procedure, which is termed by some as ponding, has proven to be environmentally unattractive because upon closure of the ponds, the acreage is completely unfit for any commerically attractive subsequent industrial or agricultural use thereof. As an alternate to this ponding approach, the method of dewatering the initial limestone scrubber slurry was turned to as a possible viable alternative. Following this approach, a substantial amount of the water resulting from the limestone scrubbing would be removed by various means from the scrubber slurry to increase thereby the solids content thereof and provide for disposal of same as solid landfill. This approach appears to be the most practical disposal method at present.
Accordingly, this approach dictates that the scrubber slurry be dewatered to a point wherein the solids resulting therefrom, usually in the form of filter cake, can be used directly as landfill. Furthermore, due to the large tonnages of material produced as waste from these processes, it goes without saying that transportation of same away from the production site thereof would greatly add to the cost of the overall operation. Accordingly, not only must the slurry be dewatered to the point wherein the resulting product is suitable for landfill, it must be in a form suitable for such purposes at or close to the site wherein it is produced. As was noted earlier, the sulfite sludges resulting from the throwaway lime or limestone scrubbing operations do not lend themselves to effective or efficient dewatering operations by conventional means. Such waste products generally cannot be dewatered directly to solids contents ranging greater than about 60 to 70 percent. Such materials exhibit thixotropic properties or can return to such state upon wetting and if they are not further treated but rather are placed directly in landfills at or near the plant site, they do not meet the criteria of being both economically and environmentally attractive. A technical solution to this problem is the approach of further processing such materials by forcing copious quantities of air into admixture therewith to effect oxidation therein of the sulfite to the sulfate form prior to the dewatering operation. Such a forced oxidation approach renders the resulting calcuim sulfate crystals in the sludge slurry generally satisfactory as far as the dewatering characteristics thereof; however, both the capital investment necessary for compressor capacity and the energy required to operate the compressors greatly adds to the cost of this approach.
Still another approach to rendering the sulfite sludge products usable for landfill is by the physical stabilization thereof which may be accomplished by effectively reducing the moisture content of the sludge to the point where the structural properties thereof are optimized when the material is disposed of in landfill. This may be accomplished by the addition thereto of relatively dry materials such as, for example, fly ash, soil, or other materials. This approach accomplishes at least two things: (1) it dries out the mixture by spreading entrained water throughout a larger weight of solids while modifying the particle-size distribution so that closer packing can be accomplished; and (2) the additional drying and closer packing usually result in increased shear strength, lower permeability, and lower combined volume of the two materials, which, in the case of fly ash and sludge, are both waste materials seeking disposal solutions. However, there are some major drawbacks to this approach, the principal one, perhaps, being that since minimal chemical reactions are involved, the stabilization process, to wit, adding a dry material to the slurry is, of course, reversible and if the mixture is subsequently rewetted, for instance by heavy rains, and allowed to saturate, the fluidization thereof will usually cause rapid decreases in shear strength leading to probable failure of structures supported thereupon and possible flow of the resulting uncontained sludge. In addition, insufficient fly ash may be available.
Yet another approach is chemical stabilization in which specific chemical binders or cementitious materials are added to the sludge. This binder addition, however, adds considerable expense and is not currently used extensively in the industry.
It should be readily apparent, of course, that the foregoing brief description of some of the prior art is perfunctory at best since voluminous periodicals and reports thereupon have been written, edited, and rewritten on the whole general subject area. Those skilled in the art interested in further pursuing such subject matter might avail themselves with copies of any of such numerous treatises including, for example, FGD Sludge Disposal Manual, Second Edition, of the Electric Power Research Institute dated September 1980. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a flotation-hydration system including a vest assembly comprising a flotation assembly therein to provide required buoyancy, and a hydration assembly which is also disposed substantially within the vest assembly in a supported relation to provide for balance and to prevent entanglement of the hydration assembly as the user maneuvers about a watercraft or elsewhere.
2. Description of the Related Art
People of all ages enjoy a wide variety of water based recreational activities. These include boating, fishing, water skiing, etc. Furthermore, these activities are conducted in a wide variety of places ranging from small inland lakes to the open seas and oceans which surround us all. While pursuing many of these activities it is often recommended and in some instances required by regulation that certain or all persons don an approved personal flotation device while engaging in one or more of the above activities. As such, numerous personal flotation devices have been developed over the years, among the more common being a life preserver, or doughnut, and a personal flotation type vest, more commonly referred to as a life jacket.
As noted above, while conducting some of these activities, such as boating, fishing, water skiing, etc., it is recommended if not required that all persons wear a personal flotation device. It is also known that while conducting these activities, users are not always able to freely move about a water craft, for example, while commandeering the same, or while trolling, or even fishing while anchored. As such, it is not always convenient for people to maintain adequate hydration while engaged in these popular water activities.
As such, at least one device has been developed which provides for mounting a refillable hydration container onto the back of a standard life jacket and providing a tube to extend over a user's shoulder from the hydration container so that the user has a ready fluid supply at their disposal. Unfortunately, a hydration container and tube hanging off the back of a life jacket can easily become caught or entangled as a user maneuvers about the water craft. Further, simply strapping a hydration container to the back of a life jacket does not provide for a balanced distribution of the weight of the fluid within the hydration container, which can lead to imbalance of the user as he or she maneuvers about the water craft. As will be appreciated, loss of balance on a moving, or even stationary, water craft can be dangerous and can result in a used inadvertently falling overboard, possibly into the path of an oncoming craft.
A variation on the previously described device includes a hydration bladder strapped along a user's back while an inflatable flotation device is worn around the user neck and abdomen. As will be appreciated, the entanglement and balance issues are not resolved by virtue of having a front mounted inflatable flotation device and a hydration bladder mounted along a user's back.
As such, it would be beneficial to provide a combined flotation-hydration system wherein a hydration chamber is mounted within a flotation vest assembly such that the hydration chamber does not become entangled while a user is maneuvering about a water craft, or otherwise. It would be further beneficial to provide a flotation-hydration system having a hydration support assembly within a flotation vest assembly, wherein a hydration chamber is maintained in a supported and balanced orientation in the hydration support assembly in the back panel of the flotation vest assembly so as to assure an even distribution of the weight of the fluid in the hydration chamber, thereby providing balance for the user. | {
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a projector for projecting and displaying an image.
2. Description of Related Art
In projectors, light emitted from an illuminating optical system is modulated according to image information (image signals) with the use of a liquid crystal light valve or the like, and the modulated light is projected onto a screen, thereby achieving image display.
The liquid crystal light valve commonly includes a liquid crystal panel and a polarizer formed on the side of a light incidence surface or on the side of a light emission surface. The polarizer transmits only a light component in a direction of a polarization axis and intercepts other light components. This will modulate the light incident on the liquid crystal light valve according to image information.
The polarizer commonly generates heat when it intercepts light other than a light component in the direction of the polarization axis. When the temperature of the polarizer is raised by the generation of heat, the polarizer is strained or deteriorated, and the polarizer transmits light that should not be transmitted or intercepts light that should not be intercepted. In order to reduce the temperature rise, the polarizer has been provided on a single-crystal sapphire substrate having high heat conductivity.
FIG. 10 is an illustration showing a conventionally used single-crystal sapphire substrate 908. A polarizer 902 is bonded on a single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 as shown by broken lines in the figure. The single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 and the polarizer 902 are formed according to an effective display area of a liquid crystal panel having nearly a rectangular shape, so that the single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 and the polarizer 902 have nearly a rectangular shape.
The single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 includes a c-axis substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate. In addition, the c-axis is substantially parallel to a first side s1 selected from perpendicularly intersecting two sides s1 and s2 of the nearly rectangular shape. Specifically, the single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 is accurately formed so that an inclination angle xcex8 of the c-axis with respect to the reference side s1 of the substrate falls within about 1xc2x0.
Such a single-crystal sapphire substrate having high c-axis accuracy is used in the conventional projector in order not to change too much the polarization state of light passing through the single-crystal sapphire substrate. The use of such a single sapphire substrate can provide excellent maintenance of optical characteristics of the projector.
However, much labor is required to manufacture such a single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 having high c-axis accuracy and, consequently, much labor is required to manufacture a projector using the single-crystal sapphire substrate 908 having high c-axis accuracy. This is because, in order to obtain a single-crystal sapphire substrate having high c-axis accuracy, an adjusting procedure should be repeatedly performed such that the inclination angle xcex8 of the c-axis is measured by X-ray diffraction or the like after producing a single-crystal sapphire substrate having relatively low c-axis accuracy and further, the sapphire glass substrate is polished.
This invention is made to solve the above-described problems in the conventional art. One object of the various embodiments of the invention is to provide a technique capable of easily manufacturing a projector without deteriorating too much the optical characteristics of the projector.
In order to solve at least a part of the above-described problems, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a projector including:
an illuminating optical system that emits illumination light;
an electro-optical device that modulates light from the illuminating optical system according to image information; and
a projection optical system that projects a modulated light beam flux obtained by the electro-optical device;
wherein the electro-optical device includes a single-crystal sapphire substrate having a substantially rectangular shape disposed on at least one side of a light incidence surface and a light emission surface; and
a polarizer provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate;
the single-crystal sapphire substrate includes a c-axis substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate; and
the c-axis has an inclination of about 3xc2x0 to about 7xc2x0 with respect to one reference side selected from perpendicularly intersecting two sides of the nearly rectangular shape.
In the projector of the present invention, the polarizer is provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate having the c-axis inclined about 3xc2x0 to about 7xc2x0 with respect to the reference side of the nearly rectangular shape. The use of such a single-crystal sapphire substrate makes it possible to easily manufacture the projector without deteriorating too much the optical characteristics of the projector.
In the above device, the polarizer may be provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate so that the polarization axis thereof is substantially parallel to or perpendicular to the reference side.
If the polarizer is provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate in this way, the relationship between the c-axis of the substrate and the polarization axis of the polarizer can be set to be substantially parallel to or perpendicular to each other. This makes it possible to reduce the change in the polarization state of light due to the passage through the single-crystal sapphire substrate.
In the above device, the polarizer formed on the single-crystal sapphire substrate may be provided on the side of the light emission surface of the electro-optical device, and
the single-crystal sapphire substrate and the polarizer may be disposed so that light emitted from the polarizer enters the single-crystal sapphire substrate.
In addition, in the above device, the polarizer formed on the single-crystal sapphire substrate may be provided on the side of the light incidence surface of the electro-optical device, and
the single-crystal sapphire substrate and the polarizer may be disposed so that light emitted from the single-crystal sapphire substrate enters the polarizer.
If the single-crystal sapphire substrate and the polarizer are disposed in this order, the polarization state of light is changed by passing through the single-crystal sapphire substrate, but lowering of contrast of an image light (modulated light) is avoided.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a projector that projects and displays a color image, including:
an illuminating optical system that emits illumination light;
a color light separation optical system that separates the illumination light emitted from the illuminating optical system into first to third color lights having three color components;
first to third electro-optical devices that modulate the first to third color lights separated by the color light separation optical system according to image information to produce first to third modulated light beam fluxes;
a color synthesizing section that synthesizes the first to third modulated light beam fluxes; and
a projection optical system that projects synthesized light emitted from the color synthesizing section;
wherein each of the first to third electro-optical devices includes a single-crystal sapphire substrate having a substantially rectangular shape disposed on at least one side of a light incidence surface and a light emission surface; and
a polarizer provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate;
the single-crystal sapphire substrate includes a c-axis substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate; and
the c-axis has an inclination of about 3xc2x0 to about 7xc2x0 with respect to one reference side selected from perpendicularly intersecting two sides of the nearly rectangular shape.
In this projector, the polarizer is also provided on the single-crystal sapphire substrate having the c-axis inclined about 3xc2x0 to about 7xc2x0 with respect to the reference side of the nearly rectangular shape, so that it is possible to easily manufacture the projector without deteriorating too much the optical characteristics of the projector. | {
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The term streaming media describes the playback of media on a playback device, where the media is stored on a server and continuously sent to the playback device over a network during playback. Typically, the playback device stores a sufficient quantity of media in a buffer at any given time during playback to prevent disruption of playback due to the playback device completing playback of all the buffered media prior to receipt of the next portion of media. Adaptive bit rate streaming or adaptive streaming involves detecting the present streaming conditions (e.g. the user's network bandwidth and CPU capacity) in real time and adjusting the quality of the streamed media accordingly. Typically, the source media is encoded at multiple bit rates and the playback device or client switches between streaming the different encodings depending on available resources.
Adaptive streaming solutions typically utilize either Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), published by the Internet Engineering Task Force and the World Wide Web Consortium as RFC 2616, or Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), published by the Internet Engineering Task Force as RFC 2326, to stream media between a server and a playback device. HTTP is a stateless protocol that enables a playback device to request a byte range within a file. HTTP is described as stateless, because the server is not required to record information concerning the state of the playback device requesting information or the byte ranges requested by the playback device in order to respond to requests received from the playback device. RTSP is a network control protocol used to control streaming media servers. Playback devices issue control commands, such as “play” and “pause”, to the server streaming the media to control the playback of media files. When RTSP is utilized, the media server records the state of each client device and determines the media to stream based upon the instructions received from the client devices and the client's state.
In adaptive streaming systems, the source media is typically stored on a media server as a top level index file pointing to a number of alternate streams that contain the actual video and audio data. Each stream is typically stored in one or more container files. Different adaptive streaming solutions typically utilize different index and media containers. The Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) developed by the World Wide Web Consortium is utilized to create indexes in several adaptive streaming solutions including IIS Smooth Streaming developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and Flash Dynamic Streaming developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif. HTTP Adaptive Bitrate Streaming developed by Apple Computer Incorporated of Cupertino, Calif. implements index files using an extended M3U playlist file (.M3U8), which is a text file containing a list of URIs that typically identify a media container file. The most commonly used media container formats are the MP4 container format specified in MPEG-4 Part 14 (i.e. ISO/IEC 14496-14) and the MPEG transport stream (TS) container specified in MPEG-2 Part 1 (i.e. ISO/IEC Standard 13818-1). The MP4 container format is utilized in IIS Smooth Streaming and Flash Dynamic Streaming. The TS container is used in HTTP Adaptive Bitrate Streaming.
The Matroska container is a media container developed as an open standard project by the Matroska non-profit organization of Aussonne, France. The Matroska container is based upon Extensible Binary Meta Language (EBML), which is a binary derivative of the Extensible Markup Language (XML). Decoding of the Matroska container is supported by many consumer electronics (CE) devices. The DivX Plus file format developed by DivX, LLC of San Diego, Califormia utilizes an extension of the Matroska container format (i.e. is based upon the Matroska container format, but includes elements that are not specified within the Matroska format). | {
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This invention relates to an audio signal transmission circuit, and, more particularly, to an audio signal transmission circuit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a volume control circuit and a tone control circuit both connected between the input and output terminals, and a record terminal from which is derived a substantially constant level tone-controlled audio signal to be recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape by a suitable recorder.
An example of prior art audio signal transmission circuits provided with a record terminal is shown in FIG. 1. In this circuit, input signals of different levels from signal sources such as a disc record player, an FM tuner and so on are led to an input selecting switch 1, a variable attenuator (i.e. volume controller) 2, a tone control circuit 3, a main amplifier 4 and finally a loudspeaker 5. A record terminal 6 is provided at the output of the tone control circuit 3, and from this terminal a tone-controlled audio signal to be recorded is obtained. However, since the variable attenuator 2 is connected to the input of the tone control circuit 3, the level of a signal obtained at the record terminal 6 will inevitably change if the output level at the loudspeaker 5 is adjusted by means of the variable attenuator 2. It is, however, preferred that the level of a record signal should be changed only at a tape recorder. If the record terminal 6 is connected to the input of the variable attenuator 2 as indicated by a dotted line, the level of a record signal will not change even if the output level of the loudspeaker 5 is adjusted. In this case, however, the tone-controlled audio signal is never obtained at the record terminal 6. If an audio signal is to be recorded on a magnetic tape while being monitored by the loudspeaker, it is desired that the record signal should have the same tone quality as that of audio signal being reproduced by the loudspeaker. | {
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Presently, portable transceivers of many types including cellular telephones, PCs, laptops, cordless phones, headsets, printers, PDAs, etc., are incorporated into wireless networks. These portable transceivers, such as Bluetooth devices, may contain digital devices to secure fast wireless transmissions of voice or data with worldwide compatibility. As a specification for a small-form factor, low-cost radio solution Bluetooth products may provide links between mobile computers, mobile phones and other portable handheld devices, and connectivity to the Internet. “Bluetooth” refers to a specification to standardize wireless transmission between a wide variety of devices such as PCs, cordless telephones, headsets, printers, PDAs, etc. as is known in the art. Bluetooth creates a single digital wireless protocol to address end-user problems arising from the proliferation of various mobile devices that need to keep data synchronized from one device to another thereby allowing equipment from different vendors to work seamlessly together using Bluetooth as a “virtual cable”.
Bluetooth devices may be named according to a common naming concept. For example, a Bluetooth device may possess a Bluetooth Device Name (BDN) or a name associated with a unique Bluetooth Device Address (BDA). Bluetooth devices may participate in an Internet Protocol (IP) network as well. If a Bluetooth device functions on an IP network, it may be provided with an IP address and an IP (network) name. Thus, a Bluetooth Device configured to participate on an IP network may contain at least one of a BDN, a BDA, an IP address and an IP name.
In the case of Bluetooth devices, communication between devices is commonly accomplished through an Inquiry and Paging procedure that entails a first Bluetooth device emitting an INQUIRY message that is received by all Bluetooth devices within range of the first Bluetooth device. In response to receiving the INQUIRY message, Bluetooth devices may return an INQUIRY_RESPONSE message back to the first Bluetooth device. Upon receiving all of the INQUIRY_RESPONSE messages from neighboring Bluetooth Devices available for communication, the first Bluetooth device selects the device in which connection is desired and sends that device a PAGE message. The connection is typically established upon receipt of a PAGE_RESPONSE message from the receiving Bluetooth device.
In this method, however, the Bluetooth devices must be in the proper mode or scan state for receiving INQUIRY or PAGE messages. These scan states may be referred to as Inquiry_Scan state for receiving inquiry responses and Page_Scan state for receiving pages. Collectively, these states may be referred to as scan states. To receive an INQUIRY message, for example, a Bluetooth device must be in the proper Inquiry_Scan state by tuning to a particular frequency hopping pattern (FHP). Likewise, to receive a PAGE message, a Bluetooth device must be in the proper Page_Scan state. However, when a Bluetooth device is in a Scan state, it cannot form a connection with another device. To form a connection with another device, the Bluetooth device must be in a connected state by tuning to a different FHP, namely the channel hopping pattern (CHP). A Bluetooth Device may only tune to one FHP at a time and therefore may not be in a scan state and a connected state simultaneously as each requires a different FHP.
A Bluetooth device must therefore choose between being in a scan state and being in a connected state. A Bluetooth device may enter a scan state in order to become aware of its surrounding devices. Although when the device enters a scan state, it may not maintain an active connection with other devices. This is because a Bluetooth device may form a connection with another device while in a connected state by tuning to a CHP. The length of time that a device spends in a scan state is referred to as the Scan Dwell Time (SDT). The longer this time is, the more the Bluetooth device loses an opportunity for transmitting user information, degrading the throughput performance of the system. Conversely, the longer the time the Bluetooth device spends in a connected state (referred to as connection dwell time, CDT), the longer the device is able to exchange user information, however during this time the device remains oblivious to surrounding devices that are not already connected, degrading the responsiveness of the device to establishing new connections. This may result in lost opportunities to connect with the Bluetooth device. The frequency in which a device enters a scan state is defined by the scan frequency (SF). A low SF indicates that the originating device does not enter a scan state often and as a result, a second device desiring a connection with the originating device may have to wait before the next time the originating device enters scan state to exchange INQUIRY and PAGE messages. The higher the SF, the longer the wait time.
Therefore, a tradeoff exists such that increasing the CDT while necessarily decreasing the SDT would result in longer connection times, more user data being transmitted and more efficient utilization of the link, however, it would also result in decreased opportunity to connect with other devices. On the other hand, increasing SDT while necessarily decreasing CDT would result in the Bluetooth device spending large amounts of time seeking other devices but less time transmitting actual user information.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a method and system for providing Scan state operations for devices without limiting the connection of the devices. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for heating and cooling enclosures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heating and cooling system utilizing wind energy to generate electricity, which in turn is used by thermoelectric devices to effect interior heating or cooling of the enclosure. In a specific application, the present invention is employed to heat and cool the interior of a building, by converting wind energy to electrical energy for use by a thermoelectric heating and cooling device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Presently, conventional heating and cooling systems for use with buildings employ electricity or petroleum to effect heating or cooling of the air within the building. In general, the electricity is produced by generators driven by internal combustion engines, steam turbines which use steam created by boiling water, gas turbines, or the like. In any event, petroleum and coal are the primary source of energy used to generate the electricity.
With the increasing cost of petroleum, coal and other hydrocarbons, there is an increasing demand for alternate sources of low-cost energy. One alternative source for generating low-cost electricity is nuclear energy which is presently under attack by many environmental groups. The use of solar and wind energy as a source of low-cost energy is still in the early stages of development. In any event, conservation of existing hydrocarbons is of utmost importance.
To this end, many systems have been developed to help conserve energy but have failed in one way or another. In the past, wind energy has been used to generate electricity as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,334,485; 1,355,672; and 1,978,143. These patents disclose an electric generator connected with a windmill. In a typical system, wind energy causes the windmill to rotate a generator which is connected to the windmill by a suitable drive arrangement. Generally, the electricity generated by windmills is used for illumination or to charge storage batteries so that power is available when there is no wind. The use of wind energy as a source of energy, has been very inefficient and impractical for generating electricity as a source of conventional household power. As for providing electricity for heating and cooling, the capacity of the windmill generators is of limited output and not capable of generating sufficient electrical power to operate conventional heating and cooling systems. Because of the variation in the output of the generator powered by wind energy, the conventional compressor type system cannot be easily adapted. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a camera having a finder whose angle of view is variable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional cameras, only an object situated in a taking area can be viewed through a finder since the taking area and the finder field area almost coincide. Such cameras have the following problems:
For example, when an object is violently moving, the object is immediately out of the taking area even if the camera is trained on the object and the object is captured within the taking area. At this time, since the object is out of the finder field, the location of the object cannot be found, and therefore it is difficult to capture the object within the taking area again.
In photographing with a telephoto lens, since the finder shows a part of the object which is enlarged, it is difficult to find out which part of the object is shown in the finder.
Such problems can be solved by a finder designed so that the finder field is larger than the taking area. However, it is inevitable that the size of such a finder is large, which increases the size of the camera. Moreover, in single-lens reflex cameras, it is impossible to make a finder field larger than the taking area sine only object light that is within, or almost within, the taking area is conveyed to the finder. | {
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In the manufacture of plastic containers, such as monolayer or multilayer PET containers, it is conventional to mold a container preform having a body and a finish with one or more external threads. The finish typically is molded to its final geometry in the preform, while the body of the preform is subsequently blow molded to the desired geometry of the container body. Although this manufacturing technique is satisfactory for fabrication of containers with narrow-neck finish diameters, the throughput of the process is greatly reduced when employed for fabricating preforms and containers of larger finish diameters. For example, a preform mold cavity block that has ninety-six mold cavities for preforms with a 28 mm finish diameter would typically accommodate only forty-eight cavities having a 43 mm finish diameter for the same overall cavity block size. This throughput is even further reduced for wide-mouth preforms having a finish diameter greater than about 2.0 inches or 50 mm.
To address this manufacturing throughput problem, it has been proposed to fabricate a wide-mouth container by molding a narrow-neck preform and then blow molding the preform body within a cavity that forms the container body, a container finish with external threads, and a trim dome or moil. The trim moil must be removed from the container body and finish, along with the preform finish, after the container is removed from the blow mold. A problem with this technique is that the external threads on the container finish are blow molded, and are not as sharply defined and detailed as desired. Furthermore, this thread definition problem is exacerbated in the case of containers having at least an external surface of polyester construction, such as PET, because the polyester material can strain harden as it expands during blow molding, making it more difficult to force the finish material into the thread-forming portions of the blow mold. It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a method of making a plastic wide-mouth container, and/or a plastic wide-mouth container formed by such method, in which the container threads are formed in a post-molding operation so as to possess improved quality and definition.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of making a plastic container having a threaded wide-mouth finish includes providing a preform of molded plastic construction. The preform is placed in a mold cavity having a first portion for forming a container body, a second portion adjacent to the first portion for forming a cylindrical finish wall without threads, and a third portion adjacent to the second portion for forming a trim dome or moil. The preform is expanded within the mold cavity to form a one-piece intermediate container product that includes a body, a cylindrical wide-mouth finish wall without threads, and a trim moil. After removing the intermediate product from the cavity, the moil is severed from the end of the finish wall. At least one internal or external thread is then formed on the finish wall by engaging the finish wall with at least one thread-forming tool. In the preferred method of the invention, the cylindrical finish wall is exteriorly engaged by at least one first tool having at least one groove segment. The cylindrical finish wall is simultaneously interiorly engaged by at least one second tool having at least one rib segment, complimentary to the at least one groove segment, to force portions of the cylindrical finish wall into the groove segment and thereby form at least one internal or external thread. One or both of the first and second tools may be heated to facilitate the forming operation.
A wide-mouth blow molded plastic container in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention includes a hollow body and a cylindrical wide-mouth finish integrally blow molded with the body. The finish has at least one internal or external thread swage-formed in the finish wall after molding. At least the exterior surface portion of the finish wall preferably is of PET construction. | {
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Pursuant to an exemplary scenario, various video coding paradigms suggest a block-based coding of video content, where each frame of video content is represented in terms of a plurality of blocks, and where coding techniques are applied to the blocks so as to remove spatial and/or temporal redundancies in the frames corresponding to the video content. Pursuant to an exemplary scenario, the coding techniques include transformation of video content into frequency coefficients, quantization of the frequency coefficients, and encoding of the quantized coefficients. The quantization may be controlled so as to achieve a desired quality of the coded video content. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration suppressing device in a feed screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A feed screw mechanism is often used in a mechanical system to accurately move a table or the like by a predetermined amount. The feed screw comprises a screw shaft having a spiral groove formed in the outer peripheral surface thereof, and a nut member having a spiral groove formed in the inner peripheral surface thereof and threadably engaged with the screw shaft, and the nut member is moved relative to the screw shaft by a predetermined amount by the screw shaft being rotated through a predetermined angle.
As a problem peculiar to the feed screw, the thickness of the screw shaft is extremely small as compared with the length thereof and therefore, in the entire mechanical system, particularly the rigidity in a radial direction is small and the screw shaft is very liable to vibrate during operation (the dynamic rigidity is small), and such tendency is conspicuous particularly in a ball screw wherein balls as rolling members are fitted between the screw shaft and the nut member. It has been found that the vibration of the screw shaft leads to noise of the entire machine enploying the mechanical system. Thus, it is very important to reduce the vibration of the screw shaft.
However, various elements creating vibration such as a motor, bearings and a timing belt are connected to the mechanical system including the ball screw and it is difficult to completely eliminate the vibrations from these vibration sources. Also, between the screw shaft and the ball nut, vibratory forces are produced by rolling or circulation of balls, and it is nearly impossible to eliminate such forces. These vibratory forces become greater as the operation speed of the ball screw becomes higher. The above-mentioned minute vibratory forces always act on the screw shaft system, and the screw shaft is very small in dynamic rigidity as previously mentioned. In addition, the screw shaft often creates resonance, and due to the movement of the nut, a resonance frequency exists over a considerable range and therefore, the creation of the vibration and noise of the mechanical system.
The dangerous speed and resonance frequency of the screw shaft are physically determined by the dimensions, shape, etc. thereof independently of the manufacturing accuracy of the various elements and it is impossible to cope with this by the manufacturing technique. It might seem appropriate to support, for example, the intermediate portion of the screw shaft in order to improve the dynamic rigidity of the screw shaft, but since the ball nut moves on the screw shaft, the interference therebetween must be avoided and it is not easy to suppress the creation of the vibration of the screw shaft system and resultant noise by such a simple construction. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Sample preparations in medical diagnostics, the pharmaceutical industries, chemical industries as well as people doing DNA work require many precise liquid handling steps, such as: transfer of samples, dilutions, additions of reagents, transfer of reaction mixtures, etc. Automated liquid handling systems have been developed and are commercially available in the form of programmable pipetting work stations. These automated systems reduce the manual labor involved in the liquid handling and processing of samples. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,911, owned by applicant.
However, these systems are not completely automatic and still require manual manipulation and user intervention, especially when using a manual vacuum manifold system with the pipetting work station. The processing of liquids still requires human intervention and manual manipulation. Typically, the user is required to place a filter plate on top of the manual vacuum box and then the filter plate is filled with a plurality of samples. Once the filter plate is filled with samples, the user has to manually manipulate the vacuum during the wash steps of the extraction process. Once the wash step of the extraction process is completed, the user carefully removes the filter plate containing the remaining constituents which are being collected. The user then places a collection plate into the vacuum box and then places the filter plate on top of the collection plate and then manually manipulates the vacuum to extract the constituent of interest. Thus, the user is constantly interacting with the system during the collection of samples.
Thus, existing systems have short comings that limit their efficiency. For example, some analytical laboratories process hundreds of samples using solid phase extraction or other techniques. Since the steps are highly repetitive, automated systems are needed to reduce the manual labor involved in the liquid handling and processing steps. In addition, user intervention and manual operations reduce the efficiency of an otherwise automated analytical system.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method for performing analytical procedures without the need for operator intervention and minimizing the manual tasks before, during and after the analytical procedures.
In addition, there is a need for an apparatus and method which provides automated vacuum control to enhance flow rates through the sorbing media or frit, thus providing good recoveries and throughput of flow rate dependent compounds. In addition, a system having an automated variable vacuum control would mitigate well to well cross talk tendencies.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
PATENT NO.ISSUE DATEINVENTOR4,113,434Sep. 12, 1978Tanaka, et al.4,184,961Jan. 22, 1980Rynde, et al.4,771,642Sep. 20, 1988Parth, et al.4,766,082Aug. 23, 1988Marteau D'Autry4,810,471Mar. 7, 1989Wachob, et al.4,846,970Jul. 11, 1989Bertelsen, et al.4,869,116Sep. 26, 1989Meyrat, et al.4,895,706Jan. 23, 1990Root, et al.4,927,604May 22, 1990Mathus, et al.4,948,564Aug. 14, 1990Root, et al.4,952,518Aug. 28, 1990Johnson, et al.4,976,926Dec. 11, 1990Matkovich5,141,719Aug. 25, 1992Fernwood, et al.5,190,666Mar. 2, 1993Bisconte5,217,619Jun. 8, 1993Redmond, Jr., et al.5,219,528Jun. 15, 1993Clark5,227,137Jul. 13, 1993Monti, et al.5,232,666Aug. 3, 1993Longman, et al.5,260,028Nov. 9, 1993Astle5,273,718Dec. 28, 1993Sköld, et al.5,283,039Feb. 1, 1994Aysta5,372,037Dec. 13, 1994Butt5,380,437Jan. 10, 1995Bertoncini5,401,637Mar. 28, 1995Pocock5,415,051May 16, 1995Rokugawa, et al.5,424,038Jun. 13, 1995Benz, et al.5,490,971Feb. 13, 1996Gifford, et al.5,529,694Jun. 25, 1996Strickler5,620,894Apr. 15, 1997Barger, et al.5,624,815Apr. 29, 1997Grant, et al.5,645,723Jul. 8, 1997Fujishiro, et al.5,660,792Aug. 26, 1997Koike5,770,157Jun. 23, 1998Cargill, et al.5,888,830Mar. 30, 1999Mohan, et al. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Chlorinated phenols exhibit outstanding germicidal and insecticidal properties and have demonstrated utility as flea repellents, fungicides, wood preservatives, mold inhibitors, etc. In general, effectiveness increases with the degree of chlorine substitution. The commercially available technical grade chlorinated phenols contain some impurities which give rise to objectionable color formation, typically a dark red or dark brown color. The dark color is caused by high molecular weight tarry impurities and is of itself no particular disadvantage for certain applications (fencepoles, housing substructures) wherein the color is relatively unimportant. In many other uses, e.g., in the wood working industry, particularly where painting of the treated product is necessary, a light or water-white colored chlorinated phenol is preferred. Another family of high molecular weight impurities, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, is known to have toxic properties. It has also been found that other polychlorinated polynuclear impurities, the chlorinated phenoxyphenols, are a primary cause of blooming of the impure chlorinated phenol. Thus, high molecular weight impurities in chlorinated phenols cause dark coloration, cause blooming and impart toxic properties to the impure chlorinated phenol.
Impurities such as those described above can be removed by distillation of the impure chlorinated phenol. Biltz et al., Berichte 37, 4018 (1904) report the purification of pentachlorophenol by distillation. However, all chlorinated phenols are not completely stable at elevated temperatures and will tend to decompose during storage or distillation to form large volumes of hydrogen chloride and tar. Product degradation is attributed to the presence of metal ions in storage and process vessels and small amounts of catalyst residue, i.e., aluminum and iron chlorides present in the commerical material. Elevated temperatures accelerate the decomposition reactions. Thus, an economical process for purifying chlorinated phenols which simultaneously allows the removal of undesirable impurities and eliminates the decomposition of the chlorinated phenol at the elevated temperatures required for distillation, would be a highly desirable advance in the art for the production of an environmentally safe, aesthetically acceptable, chlorinated phenol biotoxicant. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of an opto-electric hybrid module including an optical waveguide portion, an electric circuit portion, and an optical element mounted on this electric circuit portion, and to an opto-electric hybrid module obtained thereby.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 10, a conventional opto-electric hybrid module is manufactured by: individually producing an optical waveguide portion W0 in which an under cladding layer 51, a core 52 and an over cladding layer 53 are disposed in the order named and an electric circuit portion E0 in which an electric circuit 57 (including pads 57a for the mounting of an optical element 11) is formed on a substrate 55; bonding the back surface of the substrate 55 in the above-mentioned electric circuit portion E0 to the front surface of the over cladding layer 53 in the optical waveguide portion W0 with an adhesive (not shown); and thereafter mounting the optical element 11 on the pads 57a for the mounting of the optical element 11 which are included in the electric circuit 57 in the above-mentioned electric circuit portion E0 (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-302345). When the optical waveguide portion W0 and the electric circuit portion E0 are bonded to each other and thereafter the optical element 11 is mounted on the electric circuit portion E0 by using the above-mentioned pads 57a for the mounting of the optical element 11 as a guide in this manner, it is easy to locate the optical element 11 in an appropriate position relative to the core 52 in the optical waveguide portion W0. For this reason, it is common practice to mount the optical element 11 after the optical waveguide portion W0 and the electric circuit portion E0 are bonded to each other.
After the mounting of the above-mentioned optical element 11, a burn-in step [the process of subjecting the optical element 11 to harsher conditions (for example, high temperature and high voltage) than normal use conditions] is performed. Thereafter, an inspection is performed to verify the mounting state of the above-mentioned optical element 11. As a result of this inspection, an opto-electric hybrid module in which the mounting state of the optical element 11 is appropriate (an accepted product) is shipped as a finished product, and an opto-electric hybrid module in which the mounting state of the optical element 11 is not appropriate (a reject) is discarded. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Due to the sheer number of available multimedia channels (e.g., broadcast/cable television channels, packet-based network streaming radio and video channels, and the like), content providers have resorted to providing electronic programming guides (EPGs) for display at subscribers' display devices to allow users to more easily navigate among channels. However, EPGs conventionally are directed solely to the content provided by one type of content provider. For example, a satellite television provider may provide an EPG for satellite television channels representing only the multimedia channels distributed by the satellite television provider, whereas a cable television provider may provide a different EPG representing only the multimedia channels provided by the cable television provider. Thus, a user typically is required to access and navigate multiple EPGs in order to navigate between multimedia channels from different content sources. This problem is further exacerbated by new sources of multimedia content brought about by the implementation of Internet Protocol (IP) television (also known as “IPTV”) and other data packet network-based content distribution schemes.
Accordingly improved techniques for navigating between multimedia channels from different content sources would be advantageous. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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