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Patent Document 1 describes a hydraulic drive system as below. A first holding valve is provided in an actuator line between the bottom-side chamber of a boom cylinder and a directional control valve (a changeover valve). A recovery pump motor is disposed via a second holding valve in a line branching from the actuator line. The recovery pump motor is connected on the discharge side thereof to a tank via a proportional restrictor. This hydraulic drive system is such that during the boom-lowering operation in midair in which the boom cylinder can be contracted under the self-weight of a front work implement, the recovery pump motor is rotated by opening the second holding valve to discharge the hydraulic fluid from the bottom-side chamber of the boom cylinder. The rotation of the recovery pump rotates a generator to recover the positional energy of the front work implement. If the front work implement is brought into contact with the ground for excavating, a directional control valve is switched so as to supply hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump to the rod-side chamber of the boom cylinder. In addition, the first and second holding valves are opened to discharge the hydraulic fluid in the bottom-side chamber of the boom cylinder for ensuring a necessary excavating force.
Patent Document 2 describes a hydraulic drive system that includes a jack-up changeover valve and a flow control valve. The jack-up changeover valve is switched when the pressure in the bottom-side chamber of a boom cylinder becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure. With the switching operation of this changeover valve the flow control valve opens or closes a line adapted to supply hydraulic fluid from a main pump to the rod-side chamber of the boom cylinder. The hydraulic drive system is such that during the boom-lowering operation in midair in which the boom cylinder can be contracted under the self-weight of a front work implement, the jack-up changeover valve is switched to close the flow control valve. The supply of the hydraulic fluid from the main pump to the rod-side chamber of the boom cylinder is blocked. In addition, the hydraulic fluid discharged from the bottom-side chamber of the boom cylinder is supplied to the rod-side chamber for recovery. Thus, pump-consumption horsepower is controlled during the boom-midair lowering operation. During the jack-up in which the boom cannot be lowered under self-weight, the jack-up changeover valve is not switched because of the low pressure in the bottom-side chamber of the boom cylinder. The flow control valve is held at an open position and hydraulic fluid is supplied from the main pump to the rod-side chamber of the boom cylinder. Thus, the jack-up operation is enabled. | {
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(1) Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an improvement in the photosensitive layer for electrophotography. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photosensitive layer containing a polyvinyl carbazole type photoconductor in which mechanical properties such as abrasion resistance, toughness and adhesion are improved.
(2) Description of the Prior Art:
Polyvinyl carbazole (often referred to as "PVK" hereinafter) is widely used as a polymeric photoconductor having film-forming and bonding properties for the manufacture of photosensitive materials for electrophotography. However, PVK is defective in that the toughness and adhesion are insufficient. For example, PVK is brittle, readily wears away while used for a long time and is apt to separate from a substrate in the form of slices.
As means for overcoming these defects of PVK, there is ordinarily adopted a method in which a polymeric binder such as a polyester resin, an epoxy resin or a polycarbonate resin is incorporated into PVK. However, these polymeric binders have no photoconductivity at all, and if such non-photoconductive binder is incorporated, a disadvantage of reduction of the sensitivity of the obtained photosensitive layer cannot be avoided. Furthermore, these polymeric binders are ordinarily poor in the compatibility with PVK, and therefore, a photosensitive layer comprising a blend of PVK and such polymeric binder is likely to have a heterogeneous structure and the resulting photosensitive layer is still insufficient in electrophotographic properties. | {
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The present invention relates to vehicle drivetrains, and more particularly to torque converters integrated with starter-generators.
Conventionally, in automotive vehicles with internal combustion engines, starter motors and generators (or alternators) are separate components that are mounted in the engine compartment. The starter is employed only during engine start-up to rotate the engine crankshaft, and the generator (or alternator as the case may be) is used during engine operation to provide electricity for charging the vehicle battery and other vehicle electronics. This arrangement has drawbacks, however, in that the cost is generally high due to the fact that they are separate assemblies that each have their own working components and housings; also, the package space required is not as efficient as possible. This arrangement is particularly inefficient in that the two components rarely, if ever, operate at the same time.
With vehicles becoming smaller and the need to reduce the cost of the vehicles, it is desirable to minimize the cost and packaging space for these two components. This is particularly significant in vehicles that also employ an automatic transmission (or transaxle), and torque converter, because automatic transmission and torque converter overall take up more space than a manual transmission and clutch. As a result, some have attempted to integrate the starter and generator into a single unit. There is a need, however, to accomplish the integration in such a way that the packaging space and cost is minimized while still allowing for both the starter function and the generator function to perform adequately.
Thus, it is desirable to have a vehicle with an internal combustion engine and automatic transmission that overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional arrangement of components. In particular, it is desirable to have a system with an integral starter-generator that mounts compactly with a torque converter assembly, in order to reduce the number of components and the packaging space required in the vehicle""s engine compartment.
In its embodiments, the present invention contemplates an integrated assembly adapted to mount in a vehicle between an engine, having a crankshaft assembly extending therefrom, and a transmission, having a transmission input shaft and stator shaft extending therefrom. The integrated assembly includes a housing adapted to mount between the engine and the transmission. It also includes a torque converter assembly, located within the housing and adapted to mount adjacent to the engine, with the torque converter assembly including a cover adapted to rotatably couple to the crankshaft assembly, and an impeller rotationally coupled to the cover, and with the impeller including an impeller hub adapted to mount about the stator shaft. A motor-generator is located within the housing adjacent to the impeller and adapted to mount between the torque converter assembly and the transmission, with the motor-generator having an ISG stator supported by the housing, an ISG rotor support mounted and rotatable relative to the housing, and with an ISG rotor mounted on the ISG rotor support adjacent to the ISG stator, and at least one flexible member connected between the ISG rotor support and the impeller such that the ISG rotor is rotationally coupled to the impeller.
The present invention further contemplates an integrated assembly adapted to mount in a vehicle between an engine, having a crankshaft assembly extending therefrom, and a transmission, having a transmission input shaft and stator shaft extending therefrom. The integrated assembly includes a housing adapted to mount between the engine and the transmission; and a torque converter assembly, located within the housing and adapted to mount adjacent to the engine, with the torque converter assembly including a cover adapted to rotatably couple to the crankshaft assembly, and an impeller rotationally coupled to the cover, and with the impeller including an impeller hub adapted to mount about the stator shaft. The integrated assembly also includes a bearing mounted between the impeller hub and the housing; and a motor-generator, located within the housing adjacent to the impeller and adapted to mount between the torque converter assembly and the transmission, with the motor-generator having an ISG stator supported by the housing, an ISG rotor support riding on a bearing mounted to the housing, and with an ISG rotor mounted on the ISG rotor support adjacent to the ISG stator, and a set of compliant pin assemblies connected between the ISG rotor support and the impeller such that the ISG rotor is rotationally coupled to the impeller.
The present invention also contemplates an integrated assembly adapted to mount in a vehicle between an engine, having a crankshaft assembly extending therefrom, and a transmission, having a transmission input shaft and stator shaft extending therefrom. The integrated assembly has a housing adapted to mount between the engine and the transmission; and a torque converter assembly, located within the housing and adapted to mount adjacent to the engine, with the torque converter assembly including a cover adapted to rotatably couple to the crankshaft assembly, and an impeller rotationally coupled to the cover, and with the impeller including an impeller hub adapted to mount about the stator shaft. The integrated assembly additionally has a motor-generator, located within the housing adjacent to the impeller and adapted to mount between the torque converter assembly and the transmission, with the motor-generator having an ISG stator supported by the housing, an ISG rotor support riding on ISG bearings mounted to the housing, with the impeller hub supported by the ISG rotor support, an ISG rotor mounted on the ISG rotor support adjacent to the ISG stator, and a rotationally rigid, axially flexible member connected between the ISG rotor support and the impeller such that the ISG rotor is rotationally coupled to the impeller; and a bearing mounted between the ISG rotor support and the housing.
An embodiment of the present invention allows for an integrated assembly that includes both a torque converter assembly and an integrated starter-generator assembly which mounts between an engine and a transmission.
An advantage of the present invention is that the packaging space required to include an ISG in an engine compartment of a vehicle is minimized.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a separate starter and generator are not required, reducing the cost of the overall assembly. | {
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1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to engine generators having handles for carrying the associated engine generator and having mounts for supporting the engine generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Engine generators having an engine for driving a generator to generate electric power have long been known. Some known engine generator designs include handles for carrying the engine generator, and mounts for supporting the engine generator. For example, Japanese Patent Document No JP-A-Hei 8-223856 illustrates such a generator. This generator has the top face provided with a handle which is bent in a squared U shape. The bottom face is formed with four support projections spaced apart from each other.
Each support projection has a rubber mount attached thereto. The support projection includes a shaft portion and a flange formed at the lower end of the shaft portion. The rubber mount also has a short tubular shape.
The upper portion of the rubber mount is formed with a hole for allowing insertion of the shaft portion. The lower portion also includes a hole for allowing insertion of the flange. With the rubber mount attached to the support projection, a space is formed below the flange, within the rubber mount. | {
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Storage buildings of nuclear power plants are generally constructed by a post-tensioning construction method to obtain structural reinforcement. In the post-tensioning construction method, a load is applied based on a design value of an initial tensioning amount, which is obtained by calculating a creep amount related to a concrete tensioning amount and other reasons. Therefore, since the creep amount of concrete must be obtained by an actual experiment before post-tensioning construction of the storage buildings, it is necessary to measure a precise creep amount.
A conventional creep tester for measuring the creep amount is generally designed to apply a load of about 50 tons with a hydraulic jack.
Therefore, it is necessary for the conventional creep tester to have an apparatus for applying hydraulic pressure, that is, a hydraulic pressure actuator. However, since it is impossible to achieve complete sealing due to characteristics of hydraulic pressure, the hydraulic pressure actuator requires periodic supplementation of hydraulic pressure to have a constant hydraulic pressure during operation.
As such, since the conventional creep tester using the hydraulic pressure experiences a decrease in hydraulic pressure with elapse of time, a manual operation or a separate electrical device must be performed or used for continuous supplementation of the hydraulic pressure. However, since such a manual operation or a separate electrical device is also operated based on detection of sensors in a predetermined range of hydraulic pressure, they have a problem in that a precise load cannot be continuously applied to test concrete samples. | {
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This invention relates generally to shelf systems and, more particularly, to a shelf system for releasable attachment to trim molding surrounding a window and which includes vertical and horizontal adjustable supports.
Potted plants kept within a house or business must be strategically positioned to receive sufficient exposure to sunlight. Although plants are traditionally supported upon window sills or tables, such supporting fixtures are often insufficient to accommodate numerous plants or the many dimensions of pots and containers.
Various devices have been proposed for providing shelving in close proximity to windows. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, such devices require the use of fasteners which damage the window, its frame, or surrounding wall structures while other devices are bulky and inconvenient to use or move.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a shelf system that is mountable to trim molding surrounding a window frame without causing damage thereto or requiring tools or hardware. Further, it is desirable to have a shelf system which can adjustably displace mounting tracks a selected distance from a wall surface. Additionally, it is desirable to have a shelf system which includes telescopic legs for selectably providing additional support for articles resting on the shelf.
A window shelf system according to the present invention includes a pair of elongate mounting tracks, each mounting track including front and back walls and with side walls intermediate the front and back walls. The front and back walls of each mounting track define a plurality of corresponding notches that are spaced apart longitudinally between the top and bottom thereof. A generally L-shaped upper support arm is attached to the back side of each mounting track adjacent respective tops and extends normally rearwardly therefrom. The free end of each upper support arm includes an offset flange that is configured for insertion between an upper segment of trim molding surrounding a window frame and a wall to which the trim is mounted. Therefore, each mounting track may be hung from the upper trim molding by a respective upper support arm.
The shelf system includes at least a pair of shelf support arms, each arm having a first end that may be releasably coupled within selected corresponding notches. Each arm further includes a flat upper surface for supporting a shelf board or other conventional shelving.
A length-adjustable lower support arm is attached to the back side of each mounting track adjacent its respective bottom. Each lower support arm includes a first arm element and a second arm element slidably received in the first arm element. A teeth and pawl configuration enables the lower support arm to be adjusted to a selected length for selectably displacing the bottom of a mounting track away from the wall. Further, a length-adjustable leg is housed within each mounting track. Each leg may be slidably retracted within a respective mounting track or extended so as to support the shelf system and articles being supported upon a shelf board.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a shelf system which may be hung from the trim molding above a window so that shelving may be positioned near the window.
Another object of this invention is to provide a shelf system, as aforesaid, that requires no tools or hardware for installation or removal.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a shelf system, as aforesaid, having telescopic support legs.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a shelf system, as aforesaid, in which multiple shelves may be positioned at selected heights along a pair of shelf mounting tracks.
A further object of this invention is to provide a shelf system, as aforesaid, having length-adjustable support arms which displace the mounting tracks from an adjacent wall.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a shelf system, as aforesaid, that is conveniently portable between windows.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. | {
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Requirements on the performance of industrial tools are becoming ever greater, and the ratio of cost to benefit is especially being observed ever more critically. In all industries, the overall costs of production units are considered, and not only the acquisition price: the maintenance effort, replacement parts cost, failure rate, etc., in sum determine the service life costs of the unit. Naturally, productivity also plays a major role. Units that people like to use and that are easy to operate contribute to an increased productivity. For this reason, the user friendliness of a unit is an important differentiating feature for the suppliers of industrial tools. The actuating elements of a device are of greater meaning because they are often operated/used. An electrical or mechanical fault in such a small part can bring the unit to a standstill. The actuating elements (or switch units), among them switches, buttons and/or rotating or sliding elements have to be robust, easy to handle, able to be set in a clear manner and resistant to wear, to the greatest extent possible.
In units that are now on the market, actuating elements, such as switches and rotating knobs are furnished with a mechanical click point torque, in order to improve the operability and the unambiguity of the switching. The click point torque is generated by frictional elements or spring elements, as a rule, and the electrical switching function is implemented by an electromechanical switch. The service life of this type of actuating elements is limited by its mechanical properties, and its wear leads to a reduction in the MTBF (mean time between failures) of the unit. | {
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HSF1 is the master regulator of the heat shock response, in which multiple genes are induced in response to temperature increase and other stresses. At non-shock temperatures in humans and other vertebrates, HSF1 is produced constitutively, but is inactive and bound by protein HSP90. At an elevated temperature, HSF1 is released by HSP90, moves from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and trimerizes. This active HSF1 binds to heat shock elements (HSE) in DNA and activates transcription of heat shock genes by RNA polymerase II. The HSE has a consensus sequence of three repeats of NGAAN and is present in the promoter regions of the HSP90, HSP70 and HSP27 genes. During cessation of the heat shock response, HSF1 is phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and returns to an inactive state. The biochemistry of HSF1 is described, inter alia, in Chu et al. 1996 J. Biol. Chem. 271:30847-30857; Huang et al. 1997 J. Biol. Chem. 272:26009-26016; and Morimoto et al. 1998 Nat. Biotech. 16: 833-838.
HSF1 interacts with additional factors. HSF1 binds to DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), which is involved in DNA repair. HSF1 is a target of mitogen-activated protein kinases, and its activity is down-regulated when the RAS signaling cascade is active.
Additional heat shock factor proteins in humans include HSF2, HSF3, and HSF4. HSF1, HSF2, and HSF3 are positive regulators of heat shock gene expression, while HSF4 is a negative regulator. HSF1, HSF2 and HSF4 play a role in transcriptional control of other heat shock proteins. The various HSF proteins share about 40% sequence identity.
HSF1 has been implicated in several diseases, including cancer and viral diseases. HSF1 and other heat shock proteins (whose expression is increased by HSF1) are over-expressed in, or have otherwise been implicated in breast, endometrial, fibrosarcoma, gastric, kidney, liver, lung, lymphoma, neuroectodermal, neuroblastoma, Ewing's sarcoma, prostate, skin, squamous cell, and testicular cancers, leukemia (e.g., promyelocytic leukemia), and Hodgkin's disease. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that heat shock proteins (HSP) may block the pathways of apoptosis and permit malignant cells to arise despite the triggering of apoptotic signals during transformation. HSP expression may also afford
protection to cancer cells from treatments such as chemotherapy and hyperthermia by thwarting the pro-apoptotic influence of these modalities.
Because HSF1 positively regulates HSPs, a need exists for therapeutics that modulate HSF1. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to coded character sets and more particularly to the problem faced by computer system users who have data encoded in a first coded character set and are required to migrate the data to a second coded character set.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As more of the non-English speaking world comes to rely on the automation and information processing power of computer technology, computer system providers can no longer assume that the end-user of a system will be fluent in English or in a language which can be transliterated into the English alphabet.
European governments are increasingly requiring that information in databases be represented with the character symbols for the language for that country. For example, it is becoming unacceptable to use the English characters "ue" in a data base or file to represent the German character "u" or to force the use of "ss" to represent the character ".beta.".
As a result of these government requirements and changes in user expectations, computer manufacturers are now required to support coded character sets that contain more than the standard English language characters. The most common extended crated character set is the "Latin-1" coded character set which is represented using the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) coded character set ISO-8859.1.
The ASCII coded character set has been in use in many American-made computers for several decades. It is a character encoding which uses 7-bits to represent 95 graphical characters:
<space> ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ? @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z[ .backslash. ] .sub.-- a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { .vertline. } .about . PA1 <space> ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ? @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ .backslash. ] .sub.-- a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { .vertline. } .about. .cent. .English Pound. .sunburst. .Yen. .linevert split. .sctn. .COPYRGT. .sup.a << - .RTM. .sup.-o .+-..sup.23' .mu. .paragraph., .sup.1o >> 1/4 1/2 3/4 A A A A A .ANG. E E E E I I I I N O O O O O x .O slashed. U U U U Y .beta. a a a a a .ang. .ae butted. .cedilla. e e e e i i i i n o o o o o .div. .o slashed. u u u u y y
The Latin-1 coded character set uses 8-bits to represent 191 graphical characters:
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has standardized several coded character sets. The most widely used 7-bit sets are the ISO 646 family of coded character sets listed below:
ISO 646 US PA0 ISO 646 UK PA0 ISO 646 France PA0 ISO 646 Germany PA0 ISO 646 Italy PA0 ISO 646 Spain PA0 ISO 646 Sweden PA0 ISO 646 Denmark PA0 ISO 646 Norway PA0 ISO 8859.1 Latin Alphabet No. 1 PA0 ISO 8859.2 Latin Alphabet No. 2 PA0 ISO 8859.3 Latin Alphabet No. 3 PA0 ISO 8859.4 Latin Alphabet No. 4 PA0 ISO 8859.5 Latin/Cyrillic PA0 ISO 8859.6 Latin/Arabic PA0 ISO 8859.7 Latin/Greek PA0 ISO 8859.8 Latin/Hebrew PA0 ISO 8859.9 Latin Alphabet No. 5 PA0 ISO 8859.10 Box drawing set
The ISO 646 family of coded character sets have "National Replacement Characters". For example, in ISO 646 Germany, the code which, in ASCII (ISO 646 US), represents "]" instead represents "U" and the code which, in ASCII, represents "}" instead represents "u". The characters "]" and "}" cannot be represented at all using the ISO 646 Germany coded character set.
The most widely used 8-bit sets are the ISO 8859.n family of character sets:
The general problem faced by a computer system user having data encoded in a first coded character set and facing the requirement to migrate to a second coded character set may be exemplified as follows: Suppose a user has a large database file containing data encoded using an ISO 646 variant. If that user wants to begin using an ISO 8859.n character set for the encoding, the only choice available today is to make the database file unavailable, unload, transliterate (i.e., convert character codes from ISO 646 to ISO 8859.n), and reload the data, and then make the database file available again.
Many computer system users cannot allow critical database files to be unavailable for even a brief period of time. The database may be the heart of their business--for example in an on-line transaction processing environment such as an airline reservation system. Thus, these users require a way to convert their computer systems and software to use a new coded character set that does not severely impact their day-to-day business operations. | {
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The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
The extraction and processing of hydrocarbons, particularly crude oil and natural gas, is an essential process necessitated by the world's increasing demand for fossil fuels of various compositions. The limited supply of oil and natural gas means that it is necessary to undergo continuous exploration in order to identify new oil and gas reserves, which are often situated in deep subsea locations.
Offshore oil and gas production platforms are generally very large structures which possess the capability and equipment to produce oil and gas from wells drilled into the sea bed, and either process it or store it until it can be taken to the shore. The first oil platforms were built and operated towards the end of the 19th century, and were able to extract hydrocarbons from shallow offshore wells.
As technology has advanced and the demand for oil and natural gas has risen, oil platforms have been operated in increasingly deep waters, to the point at which it has started to become technically and commercially unfeasible to fix the platforms to the sea bed. The first floating production unit (FPU) was developed in 1975 when the Argyll field in the UK North Sea was developed using a converted semi-submersible drilling rig, known as the Transworld 58. Two years later, in 1977, the first FPU based on a converted tanker was installed on the Shell Castellon field, extracting hydrocarbons from waters over 100 m off the coast of Spain. The use of a tanker hull allowed for produced oil to be stored on board and subsequently offloaded to a separate trading tanker. These converted tanker units were christened floating production storage and offloading units, or FPSOs.
A proliferation in deep water exploration and drilling over the past few years has resulted in a large number of new discoveries, which will now require development solutions. Market forecasts suggest that there are many offshore oil and gas projects in the planning and study phases which will require floating production units over the next several years. A significant number of these discoveries are relatively small fields which will be economically marginal compared to larger fields, and reductions in scale and cost of existing technologies, such as FPSOs, has not been able to deliver a sufficiently cost effective solution to produce and exploit these smaller fields. It is therefore necessary for an entirely new technology to be developed.
The objective technical problem addressed by the present disclosure, then, is the development of a compact, not normally manned floating production unit to be used for smaller offshore developments where the use of one of the existing larger scale manned floating production unit technologies is not cost effective. The process of installation of the present disclosure, where separate sections of the floating production unit are installed at the offshore location, is far cheaper and simpler and the requirement for heavy and expensive construction vessels is removed, and the elimination of the need for the floating production unit to be continuously manned will ensure lower operating costs. | {
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For years, televisions have been a staple of consumer electronics sales. As such, a large majority of households in the United States owns at least one television. Providing content to those televisions is a lucrative business and there are numerous types of television content to choose from. For example, viewers can subscribe to digital broadband television networks and digital satellite television networks in order to receive standard digital television content or high definition television content via a broadband connection or a satellite connection. In addition, many companies now offer digital video recorders (DVRs) that can be incorporated into standard set top boxes. A DVR can be used to record digital television content transmitted to the set top box.
Many service providers also offer streaming video content and pre-cache video content in order to provide a user with content that is tailored to his or her needs or tastes. Unfortunately, streaming video content systems and pre-cache video content systems have limitations. For example, in a streaming video content system, the set top box builds up a buffer of the streaming video before video content can be displayed. The buffer is provided in order to account for variations in the download performance of the network. Depending on the available bandwidth and the level at which the content is encoded, the caching phase of the streaming video content can take more than several hours.
With pre-cache video content systems, video files are stored in their entirety on the set top box in anticipation of a user wishing to download one or more of the video files. A pre-cache video content system eliminates the wait, but due to the relatively large sizes of the video files, only a limited number of movies can be pre-cached on the set top box, e.g., five to fifteen video files. As such, if a customer is not interested in one or more of the pre-cached video files, he or she must wait for the entire video file to be downloaded.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system and method for pre-caching video files on a set top box. | {
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Recited in Patent Literature 1 as one example of systems which measure a propagation time of ultrasonic to detect a position of a moving body is an electronic pen system. According to the position detection method which uses a propagation time of ultrasonic as recited in Patent Literature 1, an electronic pen as a transmitter simultaneously transmits an ultrasonic signal and a trigger signal in a fixed cycle to measure a time from a time point of reception of the trigger signal by a receiver and software until a time point of reception of the ultrasonic signal transmitted from the electronic pen as a propagation time of ultrasonic and specify a position of the electronic pen by using the propagation time.
The ultrasonic signal transmitted from the electronic pen, which is a signal whose waveform has such a burst shape as shown in FIG. 23, is transmitted with the same waveform in each transmission cycle. The receiver first receives a trigger signal and then receives an ultrasonic signal arriving with a delay according to a propagation distance as shown in FIG. 24.
Further recited in Patent Literature 2, as another example of position detection by measuring a propagation time of ultrasonic transmitted from a plurality of emission sources, is an ultrasonic type coordinate input device which enables use of a plurality of pens at the same time. In the position detection method using a propagation time of ultrasonic recited in Patent Literature 2, a fixed body (receiver) transmits an electromagnetic wave signal such as an infrared signal including ID information and a moving body (pen) side transmits ultrasonic only when receiving an electromagnetic wave signal relevant to its own ID. The interval of transmission of an electromagnetic wave signal including ID information is set to be longer than a time of moving of ultrasonic within the maximum range of coordinate input.
As shown in FIG. 25, with a sampling cycle T for measuring a coordinate, a time assigned to one pen will be T/n which is determined by a relationship with a drawing range. In a case where T is 10 ms and the drawing range is A4 size, a propagation distance of ultrasonic will be 350 mm at the maximum and a propagation time will be on the order of 1 ms, so that when T/n is set to be 2 ms taking into consideration a margin to prevent the time from falling in a time frame of other ID, five pens can be used simultaneously at the maximum.
On the other hand, assuming the use of an electronic pen on a projection screen of a projector, a screen size on the order of 80 inches will be required as a drawing range in practice, so that a propagation distance of ultrasonic transmitted from the electronic pen to reach a receiver will be about 2 m at the maximum and a propagation time will be on the order of 7 ms.
One example of methods of calculating a propagation time of a sound wave is recited in Patent Literature 3. The sound wave propagation time calculation method recited in Patent Literature 3 is a method in which with an M sequence phase-modulated wave used as a transmission wave, a receiver receives an M sequence phase-modulated wave transmitted by a transmitter and a matched filter obtains correlation between a reception signal and a transmission signal to detect a peak of an output of the matched filter and calculate a propagation time of a sound wave by a peak time.
Patent Literature 1: U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,205
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-199560
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent No. 3876370
Non-Patent Literature 1: Hiroshi Kashiwagi, “M-sequence and Its Applications”, published by Shokodo, Mar. 25, 1996.
In a case of measuring a propagation time of ultrasonic from moving bodies as a plurality of detection targets, when an ultrasonic detection range is large, a propagation time of ultrasonic from the most distant point will be longer to require the above-described T/n to be set to be longer. The detection interval T, however, cannot be set to be unnecessarily long when, for example, preventing collision of bodies or reproducing handwriting by an electronic pen. When the most distant point locates as far as 2 m away as in a case where an electronic pen is used on a projection screen of a projector, the propagation time will be on the order of 7 ms, so that only one electronic pen can be used taking a margin into consideration.
Thus, according to the method recited in Patent Literature 1, when a propagation distance of ultrasonic is long, it is so difficult to detect positions of a plurality of moving bodies (electronic pens) precisely and stably that the pens cannot be used.
According to the method recited in Patent Literature 2, because as an ultrasonic transmission signal, the same signal waveform is assumed for a plurality of pens, detection of an arrival point of ultrasonic from different pens might be affected. A receiver, for example, receives a reflected wave of ultrasonic transmitted first which is propagated through a long distance prior to a direct wave transmitted from a different pen having a next ID and erroneously recognizes the first received reflected wave as a direct wave to erroneously measure an arrival time, so that it is impossible to calculate an accurate position of an electronic pen.
Furthermore, since a wave of a burst shape is assumed for an ultrasonic transmission signal, a configuration of a composite wave will change according to overlapping between a direct wave and a reflected wave, which makes it difficult to detect an arrival point of a direct wave arriving first and impossible to detect an accurate position of an electronic pen as a moving body.
A method of calculating a propagation time of a sound wave by using an M sequence phase-modulated wave as a transmission wave such as the method recited in Patent Literature 3 is a method of measuring a propagation time of a sound wave on a different propagation path on which a transmitter/receiver is disposed in advance and measuring a flow velocity of fluid flowing through a target object on which a transmitter/receiver is disposed. When a plurality of transmitters (moving bodies) transmit ultrasonic simultaneously, it is impossible to identify the plurality of transmitters and measure a propagation time of ultrasonic from each transmitter, that is, to detect positions of the plurality of moving bodies precisely and stably. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a digital cache and to a random replacement generator for use in a digital cache. The invention is especially suitable for implementation in an associative cache.
A cache is a circuit which includes its own internal memory, and control logic for controlling whether the internal memory can be used to service (buffer) a read or write access supplied to the cache, or whether this access is passed through the cache to a downstream device. When a certain address is already buffered by the cache, then an access to that address is referred to as a cache-hit. When a certain address is not already buffered, then an access to that address is referred to as a cache-miss.
In the event of a cache-miss, then a portion of the memory is, or can be, newly allocated to buffer the data for a future access. This is referred to herein as a xe2x80x9cmiss with allocationxe2x80x9d. Generally, if the cache-miss is a result of a read-access (a xe2x80x9cread-missxe2x80x9d), then the miss does result in new allocation, so that the data is buffered. If the cache-miss is a result of a write-access (a xe2x80x9cwrite-missxe2x80x9d), then allocation depends more on the particular write-strategy implemented in the cache. Since the internal memory of the cache is typically several orders of magnitude smaller than the range of addresses it has to service, the internal memory rapidly fills, and each new allocation has to replace (i.e. overwrite) an existing allocation.
A known type of cache is a so-called associative cache, in which the control logic and the internal memory are configured such that there are several internal addresses (so called xe2x80x9cwaysxe2x80x9d) available for each external memory location which is serviced by the cache. In other words, each serviced address can be associated with a plurality of internal addresses for data storage. The number of ways (i.e. the number of possible locations available) for each external address is limited by the design or programming of the cache. In a so-called fully-associative cache, each external address can be mapped anywhere in the internal memory. In a so-called set-associative cache, sets or groups of addresses are mapped statically to an external address, and each set has several ways that represent the associativity.
Whenever a new allocation takes place for which all of the possible ways have already been allocated, then it is necessary for the control logic to implement a replacement algorithm to decide which currently occupied way will be overwritten with new data (and hence replaced in the cache). Various replacement algorithms are known in the art, for example:
Least Recently Usedxe2x80x94the algorithm determines which of the ways was accessed the least recently, and selects that way to be overwritten. This usually leads to a very good performance of the cache, but requires additional memory overhead to record time usage, is complicated to implement, and is slow in use.
Randomxe2x80x94a random number is generated that determines which way to replace. Random algorithms are commonly used, as they are relatively easy to implement and normally result in good cache performance.
Round Robinxe2x80x94the ways are accessed in a fixed sequence, by using a pointer to record which way was accessed most recently, and then accessing the next way in sequence. This can be applied on a global scale or locally with a set. However, round-robin algorithms are generally avoided as they mostly lead to poor cache performance.
The present invention relates to a random replacement generator. The most common technique for implementing this is as a free running counter, e.g. as a simple incremental counter or a sequential code counter (such as a gray code generator). The count value is modified with every clock-period. When a replacement is necessary, the current count value (or certain bits of the value) is read as the random number. Since replacements occur with irregular frequency (due to varying access-series in a program, waitstates, actions of other bus masters, interrupts, etc) this results in pretty good random behaviour.
The main disadvantage of a free running counter is that it wastes power. As the counter value changes on every clock cycle, parasitic capacitances have to be charged or discharged with logic level changes during each clock period. As a result, a free running counter contributes undesirably to the power consumption of the cache, since the counter keeps running even if the cache is not currently servicing a read or write access.
Clock gating has been used to try to reduce the power consumption by advancing the counter only during an access (or only during certain types of access) to the cache. During other periods, the counter is paused. Although this can reduce the power consumption, it drastically affects the xe2x80x9crandomnessxe2x80x9d of the number generated by the counter, since the counter value is no longer independent. In some cases, depending on a particular sequence of read and write access types to the cache, the counter may turn into a round-robin generator, which results in low cache performance. It is also highly undesirable that the cache performance be dependent on a particular sequence of access types to the cache.
The fundamental problem with a counter is that its xe2x80x9crandomnessxe2x80x9d depends on the counter being able to run for a period which is independent of the xe2x80x9creadsxe2x80x9d of the random numbers. However, such running results in increased power consumption.
In a different field, namely the communications field, pseudo-noise generators are known for encrypting CDMA signals based on a secret code. The output is a signal which resembles noise, but which can be decrypted based on the secret code. The pseudo-noise generators operate continuously based on an input signal.
The present invention concerns a cache. The cache may comprise a memory and control logic. The memory may be configured for storing data buffered by the cache. The control logic may be configured for controlling accesses to the memory. The control logic may comprise a pseudo-noise generator and a trigger device. The pseudo-noise generator may be configured for generating a pseudo-random number representing, for a miss access requiring allocation, which of a plurality of possible addresses in the memory to use for the allocation. The trigger device may be configured for controlling a cycle of the pseudo-noise generator to output the pseudo-random number therefrom.
The objects, features and advantages of the invention include (i) providing a high degree of xe2x80x9crandomnessxe2x80x9d and/or (ii) reducing the power consumption of the cache. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for determining, extracting and correcting defective pixel signals from defective pixels in an array of pixels in a sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, the following method has been employed for detecting and correcting defective pixel signals from defective pixels within a sensor array. A detected defective pixel signal pattern is stored as a binary image, as shown in FIG. 1. In correcting an image taken of a subject, the stored defective pixel signal pattern is read, and the individual pixel signals are sequentially searched. If there is any defective pixel signal, it is corrected by, for example, replacing it with an average value of the surrounding pixel signals.
If a defective pixel signal pattern is not formed, coordinate values of the individual defective pixels are stored, and corrections are performed on pixel signals having the corresponding coordinates of a subject image in a manner similar to the above method.
However, the ratio of defective pixels to normal pixels within a sensor is very small, and in searching a defective pixel pattern, most of the pixels are merely skipped. Thus, searching the whole image takes time and is wasteful.
According to the technique using coordinate values of defective pixels in the sensor, a given defective pixel signal cannot be accurately corrected if there is another defective pixel near the given defective pixel in the sensor. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Chemokines are a class of cytokines that play important roles in inflammatory responses, leukocyte trafficking, angiogenesis, and other biological processes related to the migration and activation of cells. As mediators of chemotaxis and inflammation, chemokines play roles in pathological conditions. For example, the concentration of the chemokine MCP-1 is higher in the synovial fluid of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis than that of patients suffering from other arthritic diseases.
Known chemokines are typically assigned to one of four subfamilies based on the arrangement of cysteine motifs. In the so-called alpha-chemokines, for example, the first two of four cysteines (starting from the amino terminus) are separated by an intervening amino acid (i.e., having the motif C—X—C). The beta-chemokines are characterized by the absence of an intervening amino acid between first two cysteines (i.e., comprising the motif C—C). The smaller gamma- and delta-chemokine families are characterized by a single C residue (gamma) or a pair of cysteines separated by three residues (delta; i.e., comprising the motif CX3C). For a recent review on chemokines, see Ward et al., 1998, Immunity 9:1–11 and Baggiolini et al., 1998, Nature 392:565–568, and the references cited therein.
Chemokine activity may be mediated by receptors. For example, several seven-transmembrane-domain G protein-coupled receptors for C—C chemokines have been cloned: a C—C chemokine receptor-1 which recognizes MIP-1α, RANTES, MCP-2, MCP-3, and MIP-5 (Neote et al., 1993, Cell, 72:415–415); CCR2 which is a receptor for MCP1, 2, 3 and 4 or 5; CCR3 which is a receptor for RANTES, MCP-2, 3, 4, MIP-5 and eotaxin; CCR5 which is a receptor for MIP-1α, MIP-1β and RANTES; CCR4 which is a receptor for MDC or TARC; CCR6 which is a receptor for LARC; and CCR7 which is a receptor for SLC and ELC (MIP-3β; reviewed in Sallusto et al., 1998, Immunol. Today 19:568 and Ward et al., 1998, Immunity 9:1–11).
Due to the importance of chemokines and their receptors as mediators of chemotaxis and inflammation, a need exists for the identification, isolation, and characterization of members of the chemokine receptor family to facilitate modulation of inflammatory and immune responses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to threading devices, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved button die holder which is designed to be utilized on a metal cutting lathe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of die holders for cutting threads on bar stock retained within the headstock of a metal cutting lathe is well known in the prior art. For example, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 2,383,991, which issued to A. Sarossy on Sept. 4, 1945. The Sarossy device, while being functional for its intended purpose, possesses several disadvantages. In this respect, the device includes a die housing which is slidably movably received upon a guide bar. The guide bar in turn is retained within a tailstock during a use of the die holder. A button die is retained within the die housing, and the housing includes a knurled gripping surface. One obvious disadvantage experienced by the Sarossy die holder is its inherent instability since the guide bar is positionable for only a short distance within the die housing due to an incorporated lip structure which serves as a stop. As can be appreciated, a substantial amount of torque is experienced on a die holder during a cutting of threads on bar stock, and it would be desirable to have the guide bar move substantially completely through the die housing during a use of the holder. This of course lessens the chance of distorted thread formation as can be occasioned by the applied torque upon the die holder. As such, some binding or distorted thread formation can be expected when utilizing the Sarossy device.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved die holders which are utilizable with a lathe wherein such holders would be more stable during a use thereof, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As usage of computers and computer related services increases, storage requirements for enterprises and Internet related infrastructure companies are exploding at an unprecedented rate. Industry estimates indicate that storage capacity is doubling every nine to twelve months. Enterprise applications, both at the corporate and departmental level, are causing this huge growth in storage requirements. Recent user surveys indicate that the average enterprise has been experiencing a 52% growth rate per year in storage. In addition, over 25% of the enterprises experienced more than 50% growth per year in storage needs, with some enterprises registering as much as 500% growth in storage requirements.
Administrators face increasing amounts of data and are under tremendous pressure to reduce downtime due to data not being readily available, or not available at all. Acts such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, for example, increase compliance requirements and specify that data should be available at all times and should be produced on demand within a reasonable amount of time. Adding together, each minute of downtime can equate to thousands or even millions of dollars in lost revenue. Moreover, enterprises are under increasing pressure to maintain business continuance in light of a disaster and/or other unforeseen or foreseen disruptions. There is also a need for system confidence whereby administrators and users are confident that future needs will not outgrow the system.
Today, several approaches exist for networked storage, including hardware-based systems. These architectures work well but are generally expensive to acquire, maintain, and manage, thus limiting their use to larger businesses. Small and mid-sized businesses might not have the resources, including money and expertise, to utilize the available scalable storage solutions. Thus, currently available solutions do not provide fault tolerance, high availability, and scalability for small and mid-size business. This is true even though the data generated is equally important and necessary for the continued maintenance and viability of such businesses as it is for larger businesses.
Therefore, to overcome these as well as other challenges related to networked storage, there exists a need for a solution that requires a minimal amount of management, is fault tolerant, scalable, can utilize commodity off-the-shelf hardware and is easy to install, implement, and use. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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According to the report on world health 2002 of the World Health Organization (WHO), world-wide infectious diseases still are the main cause of death. In particular in the developing countries each year millions of people die from the implications of malaria, sleeping sickness, Chagas-disease, leishmaniosis, candida-infections and other infectious diseases. Whereas in the industrialized countries the classical infectious diseases initially appeared to be defeated (2002: 7% of the fatal cases in Germany), these are progressing world-wide again: Many of the common drugs loose their effect because of the increasing resistance of the pathogens. These also include Gram-positive bacteria, such as staphylococci and enterococci that can cause septicemia and other infections, mainly in immune-suppressed patients. The methicillin and oxacillin-resistant staphylococci (MRSA, ORSA), the vancomycin-resistant enterococci, and the multi-resistant pseudomonades are to be mentioned as particularly problematic germs.
In addition to the increasing generation of resistance of microbial pathogens, their formation of biofilms is a large problem. Biofilms are understood as a community of microorganisms that is coated with an extracellular polysaccharide or protein-matrix, whereby the individual cells are able to stick to another and/or to surfaces (J. W. Costerton, Z. Lewandowski, D. E. Caldwell, D. R. Korber, H. M. Lappin-Scott, Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 1995, 49, 711-745; P. Stoodley, K. Sauer, D. G. Davies, J. W. Costerton, Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 2002, 56, 187-209).
Thereby, the microbial community can be composed of one or even several species. The organization of cells in a biofilm leads to a markedly increased resistance of the overall population against a large variety of influences. Thus, biofilms are not to be understood as a group of individual cells. Rather, they are similar in their physiology to a multicellular organism, in which a different gene expression and metabolic activity, dynamics, and division of labor is found.
Biofilms are widely found in nature. They can be preferably found at the interfaces between the solid and liquid phase, and possibly are the primary life-form of microorganisms in the aquatic milieu (rivers, lakes, oceans, etc.). They also cause an essential economic damage in shipping through the formation of biofilms on those parts of ships that are located under water. Then, these are the organic matrix for the further growth of mussels or bryozoans. This secondary growth on of the hull of ships can reach a thickness of several decimeters, and leads to a drastic increase of the drag of water and thus to a reduction of the maneuverability and the speed of the ships, and to an increased consumption of fuel. Nevertheless, biofilms can also become a threat for humans. Indeed, biofilm-forming human pathogenic bacteria represent an important cause for chronic and recurring infections in human medicine. Prominent examples for this are the formation of plaque on teeth by streptococci, the formation of alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in lung infections in the context of a cystic fibrosis, and, last but not least, the colonization of plastic and metal implants by biofilm-forming staphylococci in modern intensive care medicine.
In view of the increasing importance of nosocomial infections, we have concentrated our attempts on the identification of biofilm-inhibiting drugs against multi-resistant Staphylococcus-aureus and S.-epidermidis-pathogens. These bacteria mainly occur in connection with the use of plastic and metal implants. In particular in immune-suppressed patients they can cause severe general infections that are mainly caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Both species form biofilms on artificial surfaces (e.g. on venous catheters, pacemakers or on joint replacements) that consist of the bacteria themselves and a polysaccharide matrix. This matrix, which is also designated as Polysaccharide-Intercellular-Adhesin (PIA), consists of β-1,6-bonded glucosaminoglycane-subunits that are substituted with different side groups (D. Mack, W. Fischer, A. Krokotsch, K. Leopold, R. Hartmann, H. Egge, R. Lauts, J. Bacteriol. 1996, 178, 175-183). The substance mediates the adherence of the cells with another, and thus is responsible for the three-dimensional, multi-layered growth of a staphylococcal biofilm. Until today, four proteins, IcaA, IcaD, IcaB, and IcaC, could be identified that are involved in PIA-synthesis (C. Hellmann, O. Schweitzer, C. Gerke, N. Vanittanakom, D. Mack, F. Götz, Mol. Microbial. 1996, 20, 1083-1091; C. Gerke, A. Kraft, R. Süssmuth, O. Schweitzer, F. Götz, J. Biol. Chem. 1998, 29, 18586-18593). The genes that encodes for these enzymes are organized in the so-called icaADBC-operon, which so far was identified in all S.-aureus-isolates as tested, and in 70 to 80 percent of all S.-epidermidis-strains from foreign matter-associated infections (W. Ziebuhr, C. Heilmann, F. Götz, P. Meyer, K. Wilms, E. Straube, J. Hacker, Infect. Immun. 1997, 65, 890-896; S. E. Cramton, C. Gerke, N. F. Schnell, W. W. Nichols, F. Götz, Infect. Immun. 1999, 67, 5427-5433).
Although the PIA, according to all findings so far, is the most important factor for the generation of a biofilm in staphylococci, nevertheless, also additional components are involved in this. It was shown that the establishment of a biofilm takes place in two phases. The first phase first requires the adherence of the staphylococci on the surface, in the second phase followed by the PIA-mediated accumulation of the biofilm. The first phase of the formation of the biofilm, which is also designated as initial adherence, is mediated in S. epidermidis by a surface protein, which is known as AtlE (C. Heilmann, M. Hussain, G. Peters, F. Götz, Mol. Microbial. 1997, 24, 1013-1024). In addition to the initial adherence, AtlE also has another function in the cell of the staphylococcus. It is involved as autolysin-protein in the separation of the cell wall during cellular division. Mutations in the atlE-gene thus lead to an inhibition of the formation of biofilms on surfaces and to a generation of cellular aggregates in the supernatant of the culture (C. Heilmann, M. Hussain, G. Peters, F. Götz, Mol. Microbial. 1997, 24, 1013-1024). Most recently, additional factors were detected that are involved in the formation of biofilms of staphylococci. Members of these are teichoic acids that make up for an essential part of the biofilm-matrix (I. Sadovskaya, E. Vinogradov, S. Flahaut, G. Kogan, S. Jabbouri, Infect Immun 2005, 73, 3007-3017.) Similarly, two surface-associated proteins, Aap and Bap, were identified that can mediate the accumulative phase of the formation of biofilms independently of ica and PIA (H. Rohde, C. Burdelski, K. Bartscht et al., Mol. Microbial. 2005, 55, 1883-1895; C. Cucarella, C. Solano, J. Valle, B. Amorena, I. Lasa, J. R. Penades, J. Bacterial. 2001, 183, 2888-2896.)
Furthermore, for some of the compounds an outstanding activity against trypanosomes could be found. These single-cell parasites are important pathogens in the veterinary, but especially in human, medicine. According to information provided by the World Health Organization, every year 300.000 to 500.000 humans suffer from sleeping sickness that is caused by trypanosoma brucei (A. Stich, P. M. Abel, S. Krishna, BMJ. 2002, 325, 203-206). Without therapy, the disease ends fatally. The medicaments as currently available have a lot of side effects, can not be obtained everywhere, and often are not effective enough. Therefore, new medical options are urgently needed (A. Stich, M. P. Barrett, S. Krishna Trends Parasit. 2003, 19, 195-197).
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide novel, highly effective and non-toxic substances, which, in particular, can be used for an improved inhibition of the formation of biofilms, as well as for a treatment of diseases, such as, for example, infectious diseases.
This object is solved by the N,C-bonded aryl isoquinolines of the general formulae 1 to 3,
wherein R1 to R6 and R8 to R12 independently are either H, a non-substituted, monosubstituted or polysubstituted C1-C18-alkyl, wherein the alkyl can be straight, branched or cyclic, alkenyl, a non-substituted, monosubstituted or polysubstituted aryl or heteroaryl residue, a non-substituted, monosubstituted or polysubstituted benzyl group, an acyl group, such as, for example, formyl, acetyl, trichloroacetyl, fumaryl, maleyl, succinyl, benzoyl, or a branched or heteroatom- or aryl-substituted acyl group, an alkoxy substituent, such as, for example, —OMe, —OEt, —OnPr, -iPr, —OnBu, —OiBu, —OsecBu, —OtBu, the alkyl group thereof is branched, non-branched or cyclic, an alkyl group bound through a sulfur atom, such as, for example, —SMe, —SEt, or a sulfonyl group, such as, for example, —SO3H, —SO2Me, —SO2CF3, —SO2C6H4CH3 or SO2C6H4CH2Br, or a nitrogen substituent, such as, for example, —NH2, —NHR, —NRR′ (with R, R′=alkyl, aryl etc.), —NC or —NO2, or fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, —CN or a hetero substituent,R7 independently can be either H, a non-substituted, monosubstituted or polysubstituted C1-C18-Alkyl, wherein the alkyl can be straight, branched or cyclic, a monosubstituted or polysubstituted, straight, branched or cyclic C1-C18-alkenyl or can be an acyl group, such as, for example, formyl, acetyl, trichloroacetyl, fumaryl, maleyl, succinyl, benzoyl, branched or heteroatom- or aryl-substituted acyl groups,and R8 to R12 can also be bonded in a manner that thereby a non-substituted, monosubstituted or polysubstituted ring and dimers of 1 is generated, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates, with the provisio that the following substances are excluded from the above-mentioned compounds according to the invention:
In view of the increasing importance of hospital-derived infections, the inventors have concentrated their efforts on the identification of novel drugs against multi-resistant Staphylococcus-aureus and S.-epidermidis pathogens, since these are responsible for the largest number of hospital-derived infections. Thereby, not only the approach of searching for those that are effective in the bacteriostatic or bactericidal killing of the pathogens, but particularly those compounds are sought for that interfere with the gene regulation and gene expression of virulence factors. This concept appears to be reasonable in particular with foreign matter-associated staphylococcal infections. Staphylococci form biofilms on plastic and metal surfaces of medical implants, thus representing a major source for persisting and recurring infections. A prevention of the formation of biofilms or their dissolution and removal would markedly contribute to a therapy of nosocomial infections.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a series of the above-mentioned compounds for a treatment of infectious diseases, such as leishmaniosis and trypanosomal diseases (such as the African sleeping sickness or Chagas-disease). Indeed, it could be found that, upon a modification of the different structural parameters, conveniently the selectivity of the activity can be improved, particularly against a specific pathogen.
A medical applicability of the compounds of the general formulae 1 to 3 as identified according to the present invention was yet unknown. A further aspect of the present invention thus relates to their use for a prevention or treatment of diseases, such as, for example, tumorous diseases or infectious diseases.
A further aspect of the present invention then relates to the use of a compound of the general formulae 1 to 3:
wherein the residues R1 to R12 are as defined above, for an inhibition of the formation of biofilms on surfaces. Preferably, the use relates to an inhibition of the formation of biofilms through staphylococci, such as, for example, S. epidermidis, on plastic and metal surfaces of medical implants, stents, catheters, cannulae, and other medical invasive devices.
A further aspect of the invention relates to the use of the compounds according to the present invention as tools for studying and research of the formation of biofilms, and as “Lead Structures” for the development of additional compounds that inhibit the formation of biofilms and are anti-infective.
In the context of the present invention, a “derivative” shall be a compound derived from the general formulae 1 to 3, which, for example, is substituted in several of the residues as given above for R1 to R12, as well as mixtures of several of these compounds, which, for example, can be converted into a medicament that can be “personalized” for the disease to be treated and/or the patient, respectively, on the basis of diagnostic data or data with respect to the success of the therapy or progress thereof.
A “precursor” of a substance in the context of the present invention shall mean, on the one hand, a substance which during the course of its administration for a treatment is modified by the conditions in the body (e.g. pH in the stomach, or the like) in such a way, or after uptake is metabolized by the body in such a way, that the compounds of the invention or their derivatives are formed as effective substances.
The invention shall now be further described in the following with reference to the attached FIGURE, nevertheless, without being limited thereto. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to medical technology but more particularly, to a device and method of determining the elasticity of the arterial wall.
I have been working on the oscillographic method of recording arterial pulses for many years now. When I started doing researches on haemodynamics, particularly pulse wave velocity, for which I was granted a Fellowship by the International Federation of University Women, I was confronted with the problem of recording arterial pulses which resembled the intra arterial pulses as closely as possible. This was essential as these said pulses showed the foot points or starting points of the recorded pulses which serve as reference points and which are marked for time interval measurements. After many repeated trials, I was able to design an attachment to the pickup microphone of the NEP pulse recording unit (Type A-643) of Sanborn. This attachment enabled me to record the desired pulses described above so that I was able to continue with my researches on pulse wave velocity. Said attachment is described in detail below.
In determining the elasticity of the arterial wall indirectly by measuring the time of the transmission of the pulse wave through the arteries, we use a xe2x80x9ccentral arteryxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d as reference points. The time interval between the instant the pulse is recorded in the xe2x80x9ccentral arteryxe2x80x9d and the instant that the same pulse is recorded in the xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d, is a measure of the time delay between the two reference points. In the medical literature, the left external carotid artery has always been used as the xe2x80x9ccentral arteryxe2x80x9d and the left femoral, brachial, radial or other arteries have been used as the xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d. The use of the left dorsalis pedis artery as a xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d has never been mentioned in the medical literature up to the present. It was my original idea to make use of the dorsalis pedis artery as the xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d on the assumption that I will be measuring a longer segment of the arterial system so that the margin of error for statistical analysis is less. Also, this artery is well exposed and easy to locate so that the sensor can be placed over it with ease.
Compared to other non invasive methods of measuring the pulse wave velocity (Doppler flow, ultrasounds and magnetic resonance) my device and method are simple, easy and fast to perform, reproducible, relatively inexpensive, compact and portable so that it is very suitable for epidemiologic studies in large populations especially in developing countries.
The primary object of this invention is to introduce a new device and an original method which has never been described in the medical literature for indirectly determining the elasticity of the arterial wall on a living subject.
The left external carotid artery as the xe2x80x9ccentral arteryxe2x80x9d has been described by many authors, but the use of the left dorsalis pedis artery as the xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d is my original idea and has not been mentioned in the medical literature up to the present. These arteries are well exposed, easily located and the distance between them is much longer compared to other methods heretofore described. The longer segment measured makes the margin or error for statistical analysis less, The subjects used for these studies are within a specific height range.
It is essential that the pulses recorded resemble as closely as possible the intra arterial pulse so that the foot points are clearly distinguishable as they are marked and used as reference points for time interval measurements. This has been achieved by using a special device that I have originally designed to be attached to the pick up microphone of the high frequency oscillograph. Specifically, the device is a circular metallic plate, one centimeter in diameter and one millimeter thick whose center is welded to the center of the pick up microphone with a solid tubular rod, one centimeter long and one millimeter in diameter. This device is placed on the skin over the artery. The anacrotic pulses recorded distinctly shows the foot points which serve as reference points in measuring the distances between the pulses of the left external carotid (xe2x80x9ccentral arteryxe2x80x9d) and left dorsalis pedis (xe2x80x9cperipheral arteryxe2x80x9d). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A prior art vehicle component may be provided with a heat shield for blocking and/or reducing the transfer of heat to the vehicle component. For example, there exist heat shields in metal, which are fixed on or near the wall of a vehicle tank using e.g. clips or adhesive. Such heat shields are used to reduce the amount of heat that is transferred to the vehicle tank, e.g. heat from a hot element such as an exhaust pipe, which is arranged near the vehicle tank.
Such metal shields are dangerous to handle in view of the risk on cuts when manipulating such heat shields. Further, when a heat shield is fixed using clips, noise may occur due to vibrations of the heat shield. Also, adhesive heat shields may peel off after aging. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a method of identifying piston rings having an asymmetrical cross section such as taper face rings, scraper rings or bevelled edged rings. The method comprises the application of a marking which extends from an annular face (flank face) of the piston ring to a circumferential face thereof.
For identifying piston rings, particularly piston rings having a non-cylindrical running face, so-called "top" markings have been stamped on the annular faces of the piston ring adjacent the piston ring gap to ensure a proper positioning of the piston ring when installed in the engine. While the piston rings have the "top" marking on that annular face which is to be oriented towards the combustion chamber, it occurs quite frequently that individual rings, in the course of further machining, stacking or packaging are accidentally inverted so they are positioned in an inverted state in the piston ring stack. Since in general the piston rings are no longer drawn onto the piston manually (this operation has largely been taken over by machines) the installer has to rely fully on the piston ring manufacturer concerning the correct positioning of the piston rings in the packages. Piston rings drawn onto the piston in an inverted position not only affect adversely the operation of the engine, but later necessitate a time-consuming disassembly thereof. Although with significant labor and thus with the substantial cost the above-descirbed error can conceivably be detected during the final inspection of the piston rings, such individual checking is otherwise only seldom justified and furthermore, the possibility of oversight by the inspectors (due to carelessness or fatigue) cannot be discounted.
German Pat. No. 1,251,114 discloses piston rings having a circumferential groove which is provided in the running face of the piston ring for mechanically sensing the position of the piston rings. This type of marking, however, is expensive to provide: markings on the running faces of the piston rings must not exceed a certain thickness since the surface quality of the running faces has to meet very high standards. If a marking of substantial depth is provided, its sealing function in the engine may be adversely affected.
Further, according to German Utility Model (Gebrauchsmuster) No. 7,039,835, each piston ring is provided with a notch which extends from one of the annular faces to one of the circumferential faces of the piston ring. It is a disadvantage of such an arrangement that the notch can only extend into the inner, and not into the outer circumferential face and thus the packaged rings can be checked only with difficulty concerning their correct positioning. If such a notch extended from one of the annular faces to the outer circumferential face (that is, the running face of the piston ring), the latter would no longer have the required sealing properties.
It is further generally known to identify piston rings by stamping the annular faces. Such a method, however, is generally not acceptable because of the resulting protrusions of material and the damaging of the wear-resistant layers which are at least partially applied to the running faces. | {
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A video is made up of plural frames, each frame being a still image, the effect of showing consecutive frames being to give the impression of movement. The frame rate of videos is generally sufficiently high such that a viewer cannot perceive the individual frames but rather perceives a continuous moving image.
On some television displays it is desirable to increase the frame rate from that at which the video being displayed was originally captured. This can be due to increase frame rate requirement for display in accordance with a different standard from that at which the video was captured.
In addition, many of the latest high-performance television sets, particularly large screen and wide screen (16:9 format) versions, use a 100 Hz screen refresh rate instead of the conventional 50 Hz refresh rate. This is primarily to avoid screen flicker, which becomes more perceptible and annoying to the viewer as the screen size increases. However, standard television broadcast transmissions only contain 50 frames per second. Therefore if television is being watched on one of the latest high-performance television sets, the frame rate must somehow be doubled.
Such increase in frame rate is referred to as frame rate up-conversion. Frame rate up-conversion is used to eliminate large areas flicker on a television screen. Motion judder is a problem that can arise in such situations with some types of up-conversion that are currently used.
While up-converting, i.e. subjecting a video to up-conversion, new interpolated frames are added to the original or source video stream. Typically, one interpolated frame is determined and added temporally between two existing frames. A known method for achieving this up-conversion or frame interpolation is to show each original frame twice. This is an acceptable solution in static regions but problems occur in moving areas of the displayed video. The problems are referred to as “motion judder” and blur and they cause degradation in visual quality which is undesirable.
One known method for frame interpolation is described in the paper entitled Real-time 2-3 Pull-Down Elimination Applying Motion Estimation/Compensation In A programmable Device, by R. J. Schutten and G. de Hann of Philips Research Laboratories, Eindhoven, the Netherlands. In this document a method of frame interpolation is described in which motion estimation is utilized to enable judder-free display of movie material. The method described utilizes a complex algorithm by which motion estimation is achieved by sub-sampling original frames from a video to be up-converted.
The motion of an object in the frame is described using a simple translational model and parameters are then estimated for the model to obtain a useful description for an object in the image. The motion parameters are then selected from a number of identified candidates based on a cost-function analysis. Last, segmentation occurs. This is described as an extremely important step in the algorithm. Its task is to assign one motion model to each group of pixels. This is achieved by assigning the best matching model to each group of pixels, which is typically as large as 8×8 pixels.
The algorithm is extremely complex and expensive computationally.
US-A-2003/0194151 discloses a method of temporal interpolation of an image sequence using object-based image analysis. The method comprises the steps of image segmentation for partitioning a known image into objects, motion estimation, object-based motion field processing, determination of object depth order and graceful degradation for alleviating visible artifacts. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an assembly which readily secures hard disk drives (HDDs).
2. Description of Related Art
In computer systems, HDDs are generally fixed to HDD racks. However, HDD racks may easily deform if not being used to hold HDDs after a long time. | {
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In order to be able to correctly assess the effect of the brightener in paper for different spectral distributions of the target observation illumination, measuring methods are currently known for example from the documents EP 1 775 565 B1 and European patent application No. 07 110 191.9 of Jun. 13, 2007 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/136,373 of Jun. 10, 2008) in which two measurements are taken using different illumination spectra, and the resulting measurement values are evaluated on the basis of a mathematical or physical model. The measuring methods described in these documents are based on a measurement using a white illumination and a subsequent measurement using an exclusively UV illumination.
Color measurement charts which are usually referred to as test charts are used for color management applications. Such color measurement charts or test charts normally include a two-dimensional arrangement of color measurement fields; in the simplest case, however, a test chart can also consist of a single row of color measurement fields, wherein in most cases, this is then referred to as a color measurement strip. Various hand-held color measurement devices for gauging such test charts (in rows and/or lines) during scanning operations are known, for example the devices “i1” and “ColorMunki” of X-Rite Europe GmbH, Regensdorf, Switzerland. Other hand-held color measurement devices for scanning operations are described in all their details in the documents WO 2006/117598 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 7,345,763 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,648 B1.
When gauging test charts during scanning operations, for example by means of the cited known devices “i1” or “ColorMunki”, the hand-held color measurement device is preferably guided over a respective row of the color measurement fields on the test chart by means of a mechanical guide, wherein a multitude of individual measurements are automatically taken consecutively, at short intervals. The position of the color measurement fields on the test chart is ascertained from the spectral measurement data by evaluating the differences between the measurement values of the consecutive measurements. A detailed explanation is for example to be found in the document U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,648 B1. This method requires that measurement values between adjacent color fields do not fall below a minimum color difference. Furthermore, color measurement devices are also known, for example from the document U.S. Pat. No. 7,345,763 B2, which are already suitable for scanning operations and comprise an integrated distance measurement sensor which determines the position of the color measurement device during the scanning process. The knowledge of the position of the device during each individual measurement can then be adduced as an aid to identifying the measurement fields.
If an exclusively UV illumination is used in a measuring process, a sufficient difference in the reflection of the adjacent color fields in the UV range is required in order to determine the position of the measurement fields from the measurement data. However, this means a massive restriction in the configuration of the test chart. | {
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With normal vision, an individual is able to change focus for different distances. Ideally, an individual is able to focus on distant objects, referred to as distance vision, and on near objects, referred to as near vision. The optical system of the eye uses numerous muscles to focus for both distance and near vision. These muscles allow the eye to adjust focus when transitioning between distance vision and near vision. There are various responses involved in changing focus from distance vision to near vision. These include making the image clearer, the eyes turning in or out, and pupils changing size. If the eyes do not turn in enough with near vision, for example, then the individual would see double.
Presbyopia is a natural deterioration of near vision caused by loss of flexibility in the eye's lenses as one ages. This can be compensated by wearing “reading” glasses having lenses which correct refraction errors so that the eye does not have to focus as much. Often with presbyopia, the person does not need distance correction, but rather only near correction. To avoid continually taking the eyeglasses on and off, bifocals may be used. Bifocals enable the person to see at different distances. Particularly, bifocals are generally used when the eye can no longer correctly change focus from distance to near. Progressive addition lenses (PALs) include a distance portion and a smooth, graduating, continuous change in dioptic power to a near portion. PALs have no lines or edges visible between changes in dioptic power.
When a person transitions from looking through the distance portion to the near portion with bifocal lenses, the eyes do not need to focus to the same extent, because of the increase in dioptic power, as without the bifocals. As a result, there is a decrease in accommodative convergence, meaning that the eyes do not try to converge as much. This results in eye strain because the eyes subsequently use additional fusional convergence to converge for near.
The present invention is directed to solving one or more of the problems discussed above, in a novel and simple manner. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a headlamp assembly having low beam and high beam operation modes and a multi-focal condenser lens.
2. Background of the Invention
Many projector headlamp units have two functions—low beam and high beam. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art headlamp assembly is generally shown at 10. The headlamp assembly 10 includes a light source 12, a reflector surface 14, and a condenser lens 16. Switching between high beam and low beam is done by a movable shield 18. The shield 18 is moveable between a first position, shown in solid lines, and a second position, shown in dashed lines. In the first position, the shield 18 stops the light 20 reflecting from certain portions of the reflector surface 14 so that this light 20 cannot hit and pass through the condenser lens 16. Thus, the shield 18 creates the cutoff line of the low beam. In the second position, the shield 18 is moved out of the way and allows this light 20 reflecting from the reflector surface 14 to come over the shield 18 to the condenser lens 16 to provide a high beam function.
The problem associated with this type of headlamp is the need to achieve an ideal balance between low and high beam according to photometrical regulations. Regulations require that the high beam meet minimal values and the low beam meet maximal values within measurement points laying very closely to one to another.
There are two current solutions to this problem. The first one uses an optical design of the reflector surface to create an extreme gradient between the high beam and low beam regulation points. The second current solution is illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a headlamp assembly 110 includes a light source 112, a reflector surface 114, a condenser lens 116, and a shield 118. The shield 118 includes a first portion 118a and a second portion 118b. The second portion 118b is spaced from the first portion 118a at a distance in front of the first portion 118a. The second portion 118b of the shield 118 decreases the intensity closely below the low beam cutoff, such that the low beam meets the maximal requirements.
These solutions meet the maximal and minimal requirements for low beam and high beam operation, but only by a small margin. Therefore, there is a need for a headlamp assembly that provides an optimal balance between the low beam and high beam operation, such that both the low beam and high beam have good intensity values that meet the maximal and minimal requirements. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk device for recording or reproducing information onto/from an optical information recording medium such as an optical disk and in particular, to an optical disk device for recording/reproducing information onto/from an optical disk having a plurality of layers recordable or reproducible layers (hereinafter, simply referred to as recording/reproducing layer) and its tilt adjustment method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in an optical disk device for recording or reproducing information onto/from the recording/reproducing layer formed on the optical disk as an optical information recording medium, as shown in FIG. 12, a disk warp and clamping error cause inclination (so-called tilt value) of a disk with respect to the optical axis of the laser beam, which in turn generates coma aberration on the optical spot focused. This deteriorates the information recording or reproducing operation performance. For this, in order to reduce the deterioration of the recordability or readability caused by disk inclination (tilt value) with respect to the optical axis of the laser beam, it is necessary to perform tilt adjustment and tilt control by detecting and correcting the tilt amount.
On the other hand, recently, for example, a DVD which is one type of such an optical information recording medium, especially DVD-Video (DVD-ROM for recording and reproducing a movie is widely spread. Such a medium often has a two-layered recording/reproducing layer on one side (that is, has a plurality of recording/reproducing layers) as recording capacity of the video data increases. Inn this case also, in the same way as the aforementioned, it is necessary to provide means for correcting/controlling the tilt value optimally.
Conventionally, in an optical disk device for recording or reproducing information onto/from an optical disk having a plurality of recording/reproducing layers, there have been already suggested some techniques related to such a tilt adjustment and tilt control. For example, WO 00/079525 discloses a method for adjusting the tilt control means in a fine adjustment. That is, when recording or reproducing information onto/from an optical disk having a plurality of data layers, tilt control means is controlled on each of the plurality of data layers of the optical disk so as to set the tilt position (that is, an angle defined by the data layers of the optical disk and the optical axis of the laser beam) and furthermore, at the set tilt position, the tilt control means is adjusted according to the jitter detected.
Moreover, for example, JP-A-2003-30842 discloses a method for setting a recording condition (recording waveform parameter) appropriate for an optical disk having a plurality of recording layers, wherein data trial write is performed on the recording layers starting at the farthest recording layer from the optical beam incident surface and the data written by trial is read so as to set the recording waveform parameter including the tilt position (value). | {
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Keeping an animal safely within the confines of one's property or within a selected area or range is very important. Unfortunately, giving an animal room to move unsupervised requires barriers be constructed. Physical barriers such as fences or walls are often expensive, time-consuming to create, or unsightly. Common electronic animal control methods utilize a long buried antenna wire that acts as a proximity detection system and border. When the animal's collar is located in proximity to the buried antenna wire, a collar is activated to encourage the animal to retreat from the wire. These conventional systems often require an involved process of arranging and burying a lengthy antenna wire around the area where an animal is to be confined. Once the antenna wire is installed, it becomes for all practical purposes immobile and not easily adjustable to a different position or location.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an animal control system that monitors or controls the movement of an animal but is otherwise adjustable or portable. It would also be desirable to provide a system that can determine the distance between the animal and a base. | {
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A modern convenience enjoyed by most consumers is the ready availability of hot water for cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene. To ensure an adequate supply of such hot water, many dwellings and commercial establishments utilize an electric water heater that includes a large water storage tank or reservoir in which are positioned electrical heating elements and temperature sensors. The water temperature to which the water heater heats and maintains the water temperature may be set by the consumer and is thereafter regulated by an onboard controller.
While smaller electric water heaters may only include a single heating element, many larger water heaters include two electrical heating elements vertically spaced apart from one another within the storage tank. To conserve space, most electric water heaters are configured as a cylindrical tank whose height greatly exceeds its diameter. In such a configuration, the electrical heating elements are typically spaced at two different vertical locations within the storage tank. In such a configuration, two temperatures sensors are typically used, and are placed above and proximate each heating element. As such, the individual temperature sensors can determine the localized temperature of the water proximate the individual heating elements.
Unfortunately, a significant problem that may occur with such electric water heaters is known as a dry fire condition. In a dry fire condition, the electrical heating elements are energized without being submerged in water, i.e. energized at a time when the water heater's storage tank is not filled. The design and construction of such electrical heating elements, however, can not withstand extended periods of energization without being submerged in water. Indeed, typically 10 seconds or longer of energization without being submerged will result in the electrical heating element reaching abnormally high temperatures that are significantly above standard operating temperatures experienced when the heating elements are submerged in water. These high temperatures are reached because no water is present to dissipate the heat generated by the heating elements as would occur when the hot water tank is filled with water.
As a result of these high temperatures, the electrical heating elements rapidly degenerate, and the useful life of the heating element is substantially reduced. It has been noted that energization in a dry fire condition for as little as 30 seconds may result in permanent failure of the heating element. Unfortunately, the occurrence of such situations is not uncommon, particularly during the installation of a new hot water heater if the installation personnel turns on the power to the hot water heater prior to completely filling the storage tank thereof.
In recognition of the serious nature of such a problem and the cost of replacing the heating elements, several approaches have been designed to preclude operation of the hot water heater if a dry fire condition would result. While water level sensors or other mechanisms could be employed to ensure the tank is full before energizing the electrical heating elements, the inclusion of such additional sensors and circuitry would drive up the cost of the hot water heater. This is unacceptable in the highly competitive consumer and commercial appliance market.
As such, many manufactures attempt to sense and prevent operation in a dry fire condition by utilizing the sensors required for normal operation of the hot water heater. These methods include utilizing the internal temperature sensors to sense the temperature proximate each heating element or temperature rise associated with each electrical heating element upon energization thereof. To limit the amount of damage that may be sustained to the electrical heating element until the onboard controller can determine that a dry fire condition exists, some methods utilize a pulse energization of the heating element. However, even in such systems damage to the electrical heating elements occur as the duration of energization must be sufficient to allow the temperature sensors to register a rise in temperature or other required parameter to allow the controller to differentiate a dry fire condition from a normal operating condition.
In view of the above, there exists a need in the art for a method of detecting a dry fire condition without stressing the electrical heating elements as part of the determination. Embodiments of the present invention provide such methods. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup device, and more particularly to an image pickup device provided with electronic zooming means and electronic image vibration compensating means, adapted for use in a video camera or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In an image pickup device for converting an optical image into an electrical signal, the image vibration or the object movement can be detected by a calculation between the frames of the image signal, and the image vibration can be reduced by means of the detected movement vector. The prevention of image vibration can be achieved by an optical configuration in which the vertical angle of a variable-angle prism is controlled according to the detected image vibration, thereby optically compensating the image vibration, or an electronic configuration in which a partial image compensating the image vibration is extracted from an image stored in an image memory and is released as an output in the normal size. The latter is also known as the electronic zooming function for electronically enlarging the taken image.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video camera provided with a circuit for electronically preventing or compensating the image vibration. An image pickup device 12 converts an optical image, formed by a zoom lens 10, into an electrical signal, and an A/D converter 14 converts the output of said image pickup device 12 into a digital signal. An image processing circuit 16 is functionally composed of a memory control circuit 20 for controlling an image memory 18, a movement amount detection circuit 22 for detecting the image movement from the image signal, and an electronic zooming circuit 24, and serves to reduce the image vibration by means of these circuits.
In the above-explained configuration, the image information entered through the zoom lens 10 and the image pickup device 12 is sampled with a predetermined sampling frequency, then converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter 14 and supplied to the image memory 18 through the image processing circuit 16. Then amounts x, y of movement in the horizontal and vertical directions are determined by the correlation of said signal with the next field or frame, and a control circuit 4 reads the image information from the image memory 18, with a reference point displaced according to said amounts of movement.
Referring to FIG. 2, an area W indicates the storage area of the image signal in the image memory 18 and is always constant. An area R.sub.0 is the read-out area of the image signal from the image memory 18 when said amounts of movement are zero, while an area R.sub.xy is the read-out area of the image signal when said amounts of movement are X and Y respectively in the horizontal and vertical directions. The image signal thus read from the image memory is compensated for the vibration and provides a stabler image which is more comfortable to watch.
Within the entire image W stored in the image memory 18, the image processing circuit 16, when the image vibration compensating function is activated, reads a central portion R.sub.0 from the image memory 18 and expands said portion to the size W by the electronic zooming circuit 24, for supply to an interpolation circuit 26.
When the movement amount detection circuit 22 detects a movement of the image, the area of extraction from the entire area W is moved in a direction compensating said movement, for example to an area R.sub.xy shown in FIG. 2, and the extracted image is expanded to the size of the area W by the electronic zooming circuit 24 and is subjected to interpolation between the lines or between the pixels in the interpolation circuit 26.
Thus the interpolation circuit 26 replenishes the pixel data which have become deficient by the expansion in the electronic zooming circuit 24, and a D/A converter 28 converts thus interpolated image data into an analog signal. Thus the output of the D/A converter 28 is a moving image signal with reduced image vibration. A video encoder 30 converts the output of the D/A converter 28 into a predetermined format, for example an NTSC video signal. The output of the D/A converter 28 is also supplied to an electronic view finder (EVF) 32, for image display. The EVF 32 may also be given the output of the video encoder 30.
The above-explained configuration is however unable to completely compensate the image vibration when it is large, so that the target object may vibrate significantly within the image frame or may disappear from the image frame and re-appear therein.
Also in the above-explained configuration, since the image signal already subjected to compensation of image vibration is displayed on the monitor, the photographer tends to misunderstand that the vibration caused by his hands is limited and depends on the image vibration compensating function even though he is in a situation capable of suppressing the vibration of the hands. For example in case of image recording with a camcorder, there is recorded an image with vibration which should have been avoided.
Also in the image vibration compensating device explained above, the read-out image is displaced in parallel manner corresponding to the vibration of the image, and the image has to be expanded in order to avoid the lack of image at an end portion, resulting from such image displacement. Stated differently, the image is expanded when the compensation for image vibration is in action.
If said compensation for image vibration is turned on and off, there will result deterioration of the image quality by a sudden change in the image angle, caused by the presence and absence of said image expansion. | {
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The simultaneous processing of a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a vertical batch furnace presents the problem of how to subject all wafers that are stacked into a wafer boat to substantially the same process conditions across their respective surface areas. One such process condition is the exposure to process gases. To promote the uniformity of this exposure, a vertical furnace is commonly equipped with a boat rotation mechanism that rotates the wafer boat during processing so as to average out non-uniformities in process gas flows that contact the wafers. Another process condition is the temperature of the wafers. To obtain uniform processing results across the substrates of a batch, each of the wafers thereof may preferably be heated substantially uniformly to a common temperature by heating means disposed proximate a side wall of the process chamber and proximate a top wall of the process chamber. As regards in particular the upper wafers in the wafer boat, the wafer-to-wafer temperature uniformity is generally not a significant problem, while the within-wafer temperature uniformity (due to asymmetries in the construction of the furnace) may be enhanced by the aforementioned boat rotation. However, in a vertical batch furnace the temperature of the lower substrates in the wafer boat proves difficult to control. This is partly due to the fact that they are located closely to the relatively cold lower door zone of the furnace. To mitigate the effect of their location, a pedestal supporting the wafer boat from below may be provided with additional heating means for heating the lower wafers. Although such heating means may increase the wafer-to-wafer temperature uniformity across the wafers of the batch, any non-uniformities in the heating means and/or the heat profile they produce may easily affect the within-wafer temperature uniformity of the lower wafers.
To overcome this problem, WO 2004/008491 (Dubois et al.) suggests to fit the vertical furnace with a magnetically coupled wafer rotation system for rotating the wafer boat relative to the stationary pedestal. The rotation mechanism includes a drive shaft that extends vertically inside the pedestal. The lower end of the drive shaft is magnetically coupled to a rotating motor, while the upper end, which resides in a top portion of the pedestal, is magnetically coupled to a support that is connected to the wafer boat and that itself is supported on the pedestal. The rotating motion of the motor may thus be transferred magnetically onto the (lower end of the) drive shaft, and from the (upper end of the) drive shaft onto the support of the wafer boat. In use, the boat is to be rotated relative to the pedestal so as to average out any effects the non-uniformities in the heating element may have on the temperature of the lower substrates. Remarkably, WO '491 is silent about a bearing mechanism between the pedestal and the boat. Such a bearing mechanism is understood to be an essential component of the wafer rotation mechanism. Moreover, it is a non-trivial component, in particular because the bearing mechanism would reside in the high-temperature processing environment of the furnace, which may be rich in chemical reactants that can soil and attack the bearing to shorten its life span significantly. It therefore seems that WO '491 merely discloses a speculative and non-enabling solution to the aforementioned problem. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor mounting structure, and more particularly to a flip chip semiconductor mounting structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional flip chip semiconductor mounting structure is illustrated in FIG. 1. A semiconductor chip 1 with bumps 3 is bonded on a substrate 1. The bumps 3 are bonded and electrically connected with mounting pads 5 which have been provided on a bonding surface of the substrate 1. A solder resist 9 is further provided over the bonding surface of the substrate 6 except for the mounting pads 5. The bumps 3 form a space between the semiconductor chip 1 and the substrate 6. A sealing resin 4 is provided in the space defined between the semiconductor chip 1 and the substrate 6.
FIG. 2 is a plane view illustrative of a semiconductor chip 16 adhered via an insulation material such as a glass material on a lead frame without use of die bonding. An insulation oxide film is formed over a surface of the semiconductor chip 16. A ground aluminum wiring 13 is provided over the insulation oxide film wherein the ground aluminum wiring 13 extends over peripheral portions of the semiconductor chip 16. Namely, the ground aluminum wiring 13 extends along each sides of the semiconductor chip 16 to encompass a center portion of the semiconductor chip 16. The insulation oxide film underlying the ground aluminum wiring 13 has a large number of contact holes 15 aligned along the ground aluminum wiring 13. Electrode pads 17 are aligned along the inside of the ground aluminum wiring 13. Ground electrode pads 14 are also provided in the alignments of the electrode pads 17. The ground electrode pads 14 are connected to the ground aluminum wiring 13. It is possible that a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip 16 is adhered via an insulation material such as glass material onto the lead frame. In this case, the ground electrode pads 14 are electrically connected via bonding wiring to external leads for grounding the package so that the substrate of the semiconductor chip 16 is grounded. The ground electrode pads 14 are connected to the ground aluminum wiring 13. This ground aluminum wiring 13 is further electrically connected via the contact holes 15 to the substrate of the semiconductor chip 16. As a result, the substrate of the semiconductor chip 16 are grounded with stability.
The semiconductor chip 16 may be mounted onto the substrate by use of not only the wire bonding but also bumps, for example, the flip chip bonding.
If the flip chip bonding is used to bond the semiconductor chip via bumps onto the mounting pads of the substrate as illustrated in FIG. 1, then the substrate of the semiconductor chip is grounded only via the bumps. Since, however, the ground resistance is large, it is difficult to keep the substrate of the semiconductor chip 1 at the ground potential with stability.
On the other hand, if the semiconductor chip is mounded on the substrate as illustrated in FIG. 2, then it is necessary to provide the ground aluminum wiring on the peripheral region of the semiconductor chip. It is also necessary to further provide a large number of contact holes for contacting the ground aluminum wiring to the substrate. It is furthermore necessary to provide bonding wires for connecting the ground electrode pads 14 to the external leads. For those reasons, the semiconductor chip area is caused to be enlarged. The assembling cost and the mounting cost are caused to be increased.
In the above circumstances, it had been required to develop a novel flip chip mounting structure for allowing stable operations of a semiconductor chip. | {
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Levulinic acid is a well-known product of hexose acid hydrolysis, and is inexpensively obtained from cellulose feedstocks. Consequently, it is an attractive starting material in producing useful 5-carbon compounds, such as methyltetrahydrofuran and derivatives. 5-methyl-dihydro-furan-2-one, also known as gamma-valerolactone, can be produced from levulinic acid as shown below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,266 discloses the use of a bifunctional catalyst having a first function of hydrogenating and a second function of ring opening to prepare a variety of products from levulinic acid including 5-methyl-dihydro-furan-2-one.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,852 disclosed production of 5-methyl-dihydro-furan-2-one from levulinic acid using a reduced copper oxide catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,622 discloses preparation of 5-alkyl-butyrolactones from levulinic esters using metal catalysts.
The present method represents an advance in the art by offering a process that exploits several advantages of using a supercritical fluid (SCF) as the reaction solvent. SCFs are attractive media for conducting chemical transformations, primarily because the solvent and transport properties of a single solution can be varied appreciably and continuously with relatively minor changes in temperature or pressure. The density variation in a SCF also influences the chemical potential of solutes and thus reaction rates and equilibrium constants. Thus, the solvent environment can be optimized for a specific reaction application by tuning the various density-dependent fluid properties. For a discussion of advantages and applications of supercritical fluid media for chemistry and catalysis, see Hutchenson, K. W., “Organic Chemical Reactions and Catalysis in Supercritical Fluid Media,” in Supercritical Fluid Technology in Materials Science and Engineering, Y. -P. Sun (ed.), Marcel Dekker: New York (2002), pp. 87-187. SCF-mediated reaction processes have the potential for utilizing a reaction medium that exhibits improved safety, health, and environmental impact relative to typical organic solvents. Carbon dioxide and other SCF solvents are generally considered environmentally benign, nontoxic, nonflammable, and inexpensive, useful solvent at relatively moderate temperatures. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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European patent application no. 0340978 A2 describes a modulator/demodulator device which comprises three modules. The first module performs a function of echo canceler on received samples. The second module performs a function of demodulation on samples that are transmitted thereto by the first module. Finally, the third module acts as a controller. It triggers the operations of the first and second module, and it serves as an intermediary for the exchanges of data, notably from the first module to the second module. It is also this third module that receives the data delivered by the second module so as to relay them to user modules. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Video producers often shoot video against a blue or green background screen, and later mix that video with a background image or video such that the subject of the video (e.g., a person) appears to be in the environment of the background image or video. The video producer will use an editing application to composite the subject with the desired background. Additionally, photographers (or video producers) will often want to isolate a particular color in a photo (or video) and make modifications to only the portion of the photo with that particular color. For example, a photo shot in poor light might be made better by changing the saturation levels of a particular feature.
A media editing application uses a key to identify the desired portion of the image or video (e.g., the blue or green screen). Some applications allow a user to select a portion of an image (e.g., by tracing over the image) and then just modify that portion—however, it is often difficult for a user to accurately trace the boundaries of an item in an image. In other applications, the key is defined as a portion of a color space. However, identifying an accurate portion of the color space is difficult, especially when accounting for halos that will appear around a subject in front of a blue or green screen. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor fabrication technology, and, more particularly, to a method of using scatterometry measurements to determine and control gate electrode profiles, and a system for accomplishing same.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a constant drive within the semiconductor industry to increase the operating speed of integrated circuit devices, e.g., microprocessors, memory devices, and the like. This drive is fueled by consumer demands for computers and electronic devices that operate at increasingly greater speeds. This demand for increased speed has resulted in a continual reduction in the size of semiconductor devices, e.g., transistors. That is, many components of a typical field effect transistor (FET), e.g., channel length, junction depths, gate insulation thickness, and the like, are reduced. For example, all other things being equal, the smaller the channel length of the transistor, the faster the transistor will operate. Thus, there is a constant drive to reduce the size, or scale, of the components of a typical transistor to increase the overall speed of the transistor, as well as integrated circuit devices incorporating such transistors.
Typically, integrated circuit devices are comprised of hundreds or millions of transistors formed above a semiconducting substrate. By way of background, an illustrative field effect transistor 10, as shown in FIG. 1, may be formed above a surface 15 of a semiconducting substrate or wafer 11 comprised of doped-silicon. The substrate 11 may be doped with either N-type or P-type dopant materials. The transistor 10 may have a doped polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) gate electrode 14 formed above a gate insulation layer 16. The gate electrode 14 and the gate insulation layer 16 may be separated from doped source/drain regions 22 of the transistor 10 by a dielectric sidewall spacer 20. The source/drain regions 22 for the transistor 10 may be formed by performing one or more ion implantation processes to introduce dopant atoms, e.g., arsenic or phosphorous for NMOS devices, boron for PMOS devices, into the substrate 11. Shallow trench isolation regions 18 may be provided to isolate the transistor 10 electrically from neighboring semiconductor devices, such as other transistors (not shown). Additionally, although not depicted in FIG. 1, a typical integrated circuit device is comprised of a plurality of conductive interconnections, such as conductive lines and conductive contacts or vias, positioned in multiple layers of insulating material formed above the substrate 11.
The gate electrode 14 has a critical dimension 12, i.e., the width of the gate electrode 14, that approximately corresponds to the channel length 13 of the device when the transistor 10 is operational. Of course, the critical dimension 12 of the gate electrode 14 is but one example of a feature that must be formed very accurately in modem semiconductor manufacturing operations. Other examples include, but are not limited to, conductive lines, openings in insulating layers to allow subsequent formation of a conductive interconnection, i.e., a conductive line or contact, therein, etc.
One illustrative process flow for forming the illustrative transistor 10 will now be described. Initially, the shallow trench isolation regions 18 are formed in the substrate 11 by etching trenches 18A into the substrate 11 and, thereafter, filling the trenches 18A with an appropriate insulating material, e.g., silicon dioxide. Next, a gate insulation layer 16 is formed on the surface 15 of the substrate 11 between the trench isolation regions 18. This gate insulation layer 16 may be comprised of a variety of materials, but it is typically comprised of a thermally grown layer of silicon dioxide. Thereafter, the gate electrode 14 for the transistor 10 is formed by forming a layer of gate electrode material, typically polysilicon, above the gate insulation layer 16, and patterning the layer of gate electrode material using known photolithography and etching techniques to thereby define the gate electrode 14. The sidewalls 14A of the gate electrode 14 tend to flare outwardly a very small amount. Of course, millions of such gate electrodes are being formed across the entire surface of the substrate 11 during this patterning process. The source/drain regions 22 and the sidewall spacers 20 are then formed using a variety of known techniques. Additionally, metal silicide regions (not shown) may be formed above the gate electrode 14 and the source/drain regions 18.
As set forth previously, the critical dimension 12 of the gate electrode 14 is very important in that it, to a great extent, affects many performance characteristics of the completed transistors, e.g., switching speed, leakage currents, etc. FIGS. 2A-2B depict illustrative profiles of gate electrodes 14 for purposes of explanation. The gate electrode 14 in FIGS. 2A depicts a condition referred to as undercutting (region 13A) while the profile in FIG. 2B depicts a condition referred to as flaring or footing (region 13B). The extent of undercutting and footing depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, are exaggerated for purposes of explanation. These problems typically result from the use of a two-step etching process to pattern the gate electrode 14. That is, an initial anisotropic etching process is typically performed to etch through approximately 70-80% of the thickness of the gate electrode layer (a so-called main etch), and a second isotropic etch process is used to complete the etching of the gate electrode layer (a so-called soft landing etch). Such a two-step etching process is performed in an effort to insure that the underlying gate insulation layer 16 is not damaged.
Both undercutting and footing can be problematic in modem integrated circuit devices for a number of reasons. For example, transistors with gate electrodes 14 that exhibit undercutting tend to have a smaller cross-sectional area as compared to an ideal target cross-sectional area and, thus, tend to exhibit larger leakage currents. On the other hand, transistors with gate electrodes 14 that exhibit footing tend to have a larger cross-sectional area than anticipated, and such transistors tend to operate at slower than anticipated speeds.
Typically, after the gate electrode structures 14 are formed, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) may be employed to obtain information about the critical dimensions 12 of the gate electrode structure 14. However, due to the close proximity of the millions of gate electrode structures 14, and the inherent nature of the SEM, the data obtained by the SEM does not reveal the condition of the gate electrode 14 in the area adjacent the gate insulation layer 16. That is, due to excessive noise and interference, the SEM can only be used to see down to about the mid-thickness point 17 of the gate electrode 14. Thus, the profile of the gate electrode 14 adjacent the gate insulation layer 16 cannot readily be examined using an SEM. Typically, one or more production or test wafers that are representative of one or more lots of wafers are eventually cross-sectioned and analyzed to detect the existence of under cutting or footing problems. However, it takes days or weeks to generate results from such destructive testing techniques. During this time, additional gate structures 14 may be being manufactured on additional wafers with undesirable undercutting and footing characteristics. Moreover, the results of such destructive testing techniques are not provided in sufficient time to provide meaningful and relatively rapid feedback to allow more precise control of the processing parameters used to form the gate electrode structures 14.
The present invention is directed to a method and system that may solve, or at least reduce, some or all of the aforementioned problems.
The present invention is generally directed to a method of using scatterometry measurements to determine and control gate electrode profiles. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises providing a library of optical characteristic traces, each of which correspond to a grating structure comprised of a plurality of gate electrode structures having a known profile, providing a substrate having at least one grating structure formed thereabove, the formed grating structure comprised of a plurality of gate electrode structures having an unknown profile, and illuminating the grating structure formed above the substrate. The method further comprises measuring light reflected off of the grating structure to generate an optical characteristic trace for the formed grating structure and determining a profile of the gate electrode structures comprising the formed grating structure by correlating the generated optical characteristic trace to an optical characteristic trace from the library. In a further embodiment, the method comprises modifying at least one parameter of at least one etching process used to form gate electrode structures on a subsequently processed substrate based upon the determined profile of the gate electrode structures comprising the formed grating structure. In yet a further embodiment, the library is comprised of a first plurality of traces corresponding to a grating structure comprised of gate electrode structures having a profile that exhibits undercutting, and a second plurality of traces corresponding to a grating structure comprised of gate electrode structures having a profile that exhibits footing.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method whereby a generated trace of a grating structure comprised of a plurality of gate electrode structures having an unknown profile is compared to a target trace established for a grating structure comprised of gate electrode structures having an acceptable profile. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises providing a library comprised of at least one optical characteristic trace, one of which is a target trace that corresponds to a grating structure comprised of a plurality of gate electrode structures having a known target profile, and providing a substrate having at least one grating structure formed thereabove, the formed grating structure comprised of a plurality of gate electrode structures having an unknown profile. The method further comprises illuminating the grating structure formed above the substrate, measuring light reflected off of the grating structure to generate an optical characteristic trace for the formed grating structure, and comparing the generated optical characteristic trace to the target trace. In a further embodiment, the method further comprises determining, based upon the comparison of the generated optical characteristic trace and the target trace, at least one parameter of at least one etching process used to form gate electrode structures on a subsequently processed substrate. | {
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When a fault occurs in an electrical transmission system, switches, circuit breakers, etc., may be utilized to isolate the faulted area. Isolating the fault may allow power to remain on in certain areas, but other areas of the network may remain without power. Restoration of the de-energized areas should be done quickly in order to minimize lost revenue and customer outage time. Power companies may prioritize restoration options based on different criteria, such as load restored, number of customers restored, number of switch operations performed, etc.
Certain restoration algorithms can be used to accomplish power restoration. For example, a fault detection, isolation and restoration (FDIR) algorithm may be utilized with a restoration engine to determine a solution based on the single FDIR algorithm. Such restoration is often viewed and treated as a single operation on a circuit, which may not allow for refinement and optimization of restoration implementations. | {
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Some communication systems employ one or more network nodes that are only available for communication over a specific network during a part of a communication period. Such network nodes thus switch between an active part of the communication period wherein the network node is active to communicate over the specific network and an inactive period of the communication period wherein the network node is not available for communication over the specific network. For example, a low-power network node may be active with a duty cycle of the communication period such that the network node can be switched between a full power, full functional communication mode during the active part of the duty cycle and a low power mode during the inactive part. When another node wants to send data to such low-power network node over the specific network, the other node may find that data is not always received by the low-power network node, and the other node may be required to resend the data until the other node sends the data while the low-power network node is in the active part of the communication period. As another example, a multiple-network node, such as a dual-network node, may be available during a first part of a communication period to communicate exclusively over a first specific network, and during a second part of the communication period to communicate exclusively over a second specific network. Also in this other example, data send by another node over the first specific network can only be received while the multiple-network node is active and data needs to be resend of the multiple-network node is not available to communicate over the first specific network.
Methods are known wherein network nodes try to send data and resend data if it is detected that the data is not received. This results in many retries and a high over-the-air traffic including many failed transmissions. Other prior art methods are known to synchronize networks using special control packets, referred to as beacon packets. As an example of such prior art methods, U.S. Pat. No. 8,254,290 B2 describes a method and apparatus for using a synchronous sensor network medium access control (MAC) protocol such as a ZigBee or IEEE 802.15.4 low-rate wireless personal area network (WPAN). The beacon packets are sent periodically and result in itself in additional over-the-air traffic compared on top of the over-the-air traffic of the data packets. Further, the additional over-the-air traffic may lead to more retries when trying to send data over the network, as retries may be needed when the network is not clear. Also, exchanging these additional beacon packets may decrease the battery life of the nodes. | {
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Composite hockey-stick blades typically are constructed by wrapping fiber-reinforced plies over one or more core elements to create a hockey-stick blade pre-form. The blade pre-form is then placed within an external mold where resin, which is either pre-impregnated in the fiber plies or added via a resin-transfer process, is cured. An expansion bladder within the blade pre-form, or one or more heat-expanding core elements, may be used to provide internal pressure to mold the blade into the shape of the external mold. The curing process hardens the resin so that the fibers become disposed within a hardened resin matrix, while the mold defines the exterior shape of the cured blade (which sometimes is integrally molded with a hockey-stick shaft).
The fibers in composite hockey-stick blades typically are oriented uniformly throughout the blade, which generally has a substantially uniform thickness. Some blades include separate elements that increase the weight in the heel region or other portions of the blade to provide varied feel and control. The toe region of these blades, however, has been ignored with respect to modifying weight and feel. Further, while isolated regions in some composite blades have been modified, the blades are not tailored throughout their lengths to provide tuned performance and feel throughout the lengths of the blades. | {
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This invention relates to a splicing unit for connecting together the ends of two lengths of plastics zipper such as is used for reclosable plastics bags and the like. The invention is also concerned with a method of splicing together, i.e. connecting, two ends of such zipper material.
In the manufacture of plastics bags using reclosable fasteners the zipper which is used and which carries male and female profiles is wound on reels, from which it is unwound for guidance towards the bag-making apparatus. Currently, when a reel of zipper is exhausted, it is necessary to switch over to another reel. This can be a time-consuming operation, requiring the new zipper to be correctly fed into and established within the bag-making apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to speed up the changeover operation from one length of zipper to another when changing reels.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of connecting two lengths of zipper material, each length comprising two interengageable parts, and each part comprising a base carrying respective male and female profiles, the method comprising the steps of bringing the trailing end of one length and the leading end of the other length into abutting relationship with the male and female profiles engaged, bridging end zones of the respective lengths with sealing material, and sealing the bridging material to the lengths of zipper material to effect a connection therebetween.
Preferably, each base has flanges on each side of the male/female profiles, and the sealing material is laid over the end zones with the respective flanges maintained separated.
Preferably, the heat-sealing material is overlaid on the outside surface of both bases and a heat sealing operation is carried out on both surfaces simultaneously.
Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided an apparatus for connecting two lengths of zipper material, each length comprising two interengageable parts, and each part comprising a base carrying respective male and female profiles, the apparatus comprising means to hold the lengths of zipper material in abutting end-to-end relationship with the male and female profiles engaged, means to apply sealing material to the end zones of the lengths to bridge the lengths, and sealing means arranged to effect sealing of the sealing material to the bases to connect the lengths together.
Preferably, each base has flanges on each side of the male/female profiles, and separating means are provided for entry between the opposing flanges to maintain the flanges apart during the sealing process.
Preferably, the separating means comprises dividing plates which divide the flanges of the zipper prior to the sealing treatment, in order to prevent the flanges from being sealed one to another when the sealing operation is carried out, for example by heating.
The connection of the two lengths of zipper in accordance with the invention is essentially a butt splicing operation.
In order that the invention may be more fully understood, one presently preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing. | {
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1. Technical Field
The invention relates to wax imitation candles and more particularly to an imitation candle resistant to cracking at low temperatures.
2. Description of the Problem
Many people find candle light pleasant. The flickering of light and movement of shadows across a floor or on a nearby wall can be almost hypnotically soothing. As a result, candles have remained popular for generations since the invention of more practical electrical lighting, especially for decorative and mood setting purposes.
Consequently, numerous manufacturers have attempted to meet a demand for a candle like luminary using electrical illumination. A now popular imitation candle is taught in International Publication Number WO 03/016783 A1. This imitation candle uses an internal LED as a light source within a solid appearing body. While a classical image of a candle is of a long, thin, tapering rod, which stands upright in a candle stick and which leaves its flame exposed as it burns down, this imitation candle comes as a relatively short to circumference block or cylinder which is self supporting. Such candles commonly leave the outer wall of the candle intact as the candlewick burns down. When this happens, the candle flame is no longer directly visible when viewed from the side. This results in a diffuse, flickering glow visible through the paraffin wall of the candle, which is imitated by the external shape of the imitation candle.
While the imitation candle of WO 03/016783 appears to be a solid body to users it is in fact hollow. This provides space for the installation of batteries, the LED, LED excitation circuitry and possibly light directing internal components. In addition, the contour of the void's internal surface may be chosen for light transmission issues. While the imitation candle can readily be made in plastic, fabricating it in more realistic wax has presented particular problems.
Wax is highly susceptible to compressive and tensile stress. Waxes also tend to have high coefficients of thermal expansion. Differential heating and cooling of sections of a cast wax body introduces stress. Stress tends to be focused along sharp corners and edges of a wax body. Stress can occur during manufacturing and shipping of the wax shell imitation candles when the imitation candles are subjected to rapid cooling or great temperature extremes, respectively. The cavity adds the problem of internal edges, as well as reducing the strength of the body compared to a solid wax body. In addition, the insert on which battery, excitation circuitry and the LED are mounted will typically be constructed by plastic with the wax body being formed in part on the insert body. Wax will typically have a higher coefficient of expansion than the plastic does, which results in additional stress as temperature of the body decreases and contributes further to the problems of the inherent weakness of wax.
Wax bodies, such as candles, are formed by a process of casting. Where it is desired to incorporate a plastic module in the wax body the plastic module may be fixed in position in a mold and hot wax poured around the module, adding wax as earlier poured wax cools and shrinks, until all voids around the module are filled. Alternatively, a wax shell can be formed that produces the outer visible surfaces of the candle while leaving a space for the module. After the shell is produced a second pour is done to secure the module in position. The amount of wax in the second pour is less than in the first, with the attendant advantages of quicker cooling and faster production speeds. While true, solid wax candles have reasonable durability to withstand cold temperature induced stress, wax bodies made by either of the foregoing casting techniques have proven highly susceptible to cracking. Thin sections of the casting adjacent the module cool more rapidly than thicker sections. Leading edges of the imitation candle also cool rapidly. These sections of rapid cooling result in differential rates of contraction, which can easily result in formation of a crack to relieve stress. Once such a crack propagates into a thicker section of the body it can become a focal point for other stresses and can extend to encircle the imitation candle body. | {
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Reference to Previous Application
The present invention is an improvement over an invention disclosed in a patent application entitled Real Time Automated Inspection, Ser. No. 374,373 filed May 3, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,041 issued May 21, 1985 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The disclosure of that application is deemed to be incorporated herein by reference to the extent necessary.
The invention relates generally to a real time digital image enhancement system and, more particularly, to an improved method for performing the image enhancement segmentation processing required for a real time automated system for detecting and classifying surface imperfections in objects such as hot steel slabs.
The American steel industry is one of the largest consumers of energy in the United States. The trend in steelmaking technology in the United States is toward the continuous casting of steel. In a continuous caster, molten steel is continuously poured into a mold which is water cooled. The steel as it solidifies is drawn out of the mold in a perpetual ribbon on a roll table and is cut to form slabs. The steel slabs often have surface imperfections or defects which must be detected and evaluated prior to further processing of the slabs. In most steel mills the hot slab coming out of a caster is cooled to facilitate human inspection for surface defects and imperfections. If the surface imperfections are found to be sufficiently serious to make it necessary to condition a slab before continuing with the processing, as by machining, for example, the slab is routed to a processing area where such conditioning is performed.
If, on the other hand, the surface imperfections are minor or not serious such that intermediate conditioning is not required, the slab is reheated for further processing. Thus, if it were known beforehand that intermediate conditioning was not required, the substantial cost of reheating the slab for further processing could be saved.
An automated inspection system capable of inspecting a slab coming out of the caster while it is still hot avoids the intermediate cooling and reheating process currently necessary for manual inspection and thus eliminates the waste of energy associated therewith in those cases where the surface imperfections intermediate conditioning is not necessary.
The concept of an automatic inspection system involves a data collection camera which views the steel slab moving in a transverse direction relative to the scan line of the camera. The data camera, which has picture sensing elements, collects data and the data in the form of digital values is then routed via interface electronics to the digital image enhancement processing stage.
Image enhancement entails several operations that improve the appearance of an image to a human viewer, or operations to convert an image to a format better suited to machine processing, but still recognizable as an image.
Segmentation processing as it applies to image processing is the process of enhancing or segmenting out objects or features of interest from an image. The two primary forms of segmentation processing are edge detection and intensity region thresholding based processes.
Image edges are places within an image where there are relatively abrupt changes in the intensity level. There are existing algorithmic operators such as the Roberts edge operator which are used for edge detection within image frames. The operator requires computations on every picture element or pixel within the image to determine the edge value of each pixel. The edge value computed is compafed to a threshold value to determine if it may be considered an edge within the image.
Likewise, it is possible to compare each picture element or pixel gray scale value to a gray scale threshold and extract areas of uniform gray scale from an image. This later form of image segmentation is called gray scale or intensity region thresholding, and also requires computation on each picture element or pixel within an image.
Existing real time digital image processing systems employ only one type of segmentation process, edge or intensity thresholding due to the severe time constraints of real time digital image processing. | {
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This invention relates to a method for splitting a body of a butchered animal into two halves along the spine and an apparatus adapted to carry such method into practice.
Heretofore, in processing a butchered animal, an operation of splitting a body of a butchered animal into two halves along the spine including the steps of conveying the body to a splitting station, turning the body and splitting the body by means of a saw has been carried out manually. As a result, the operators engaged in the animal body splitting operation have tended to suffer from such occupational diseases as lumbago and paralysis of the arms and legs. | {
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The present invention relates generally to articles and in particular to articles made of links.
Articles made of beads have been previously proposed. Oliver, (U.S. patent number 2004/0134229) teaches interconnected strings of beads. Oliver teaches prefabricated strings of beads that can be joined, or “snapped” together, perpendicularly, to form a fabric. Oliver further teaches that a double thickness fabric can be formed by joining together two layers of pre-fabricated strings. Oliver also lists several uses for the beaded fabric. In particular, Oliver lists bags, purses, fanny packs, cans and bottle holders, decorative packaging, Christmas stockings and other ornaments, wall hangings, banners, vests, skirts, tops, dancewear, headbands and hats, garter belts and other lingerie, bracelets, anklets, necklaces, collars and other jewelry, and fancy dress wear. Oliver also teaches the use of multi-colored beads for making various designs using the beaded fabrics. In one embodiment, Oliver teaches the use of a double thickness fabric to form a flag, making use of existing multi-colored strings of beads to form stripes, and ornamented with pairs of beads to give the impression of stars.
Blatz (U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,856) teaches a woven fabric with beads. Blatz teaches woven bodies or fabrics used in ladies' belts, ladies'handbags and other uses, which is formed, for the greater part, of metallically connected beads or balls. Blatz teaches using parallel strands consisting of metallic beads that are connected by metallic links to form warps of the fabric. Between adjacent strands are placed other warp strands of fibrous material so that the beads do not tend to fit in the spaces between the beads of the adjacent chains.
Tsai (U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,749) teaches an article of footwear having a single-layer ventilating and massaging insole. Tsai teaches an insole including a plurality of upper beads crossingly linked with a plurality of lower beads by a plurality of strut members. Tsai teaches that as a foot depresses the upper beads downwardly against the supporting lower beads, air is pumped upwards to ventilate a wearer's foot and also message the wearer's foot.
Rast (U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,891) teaches an abrasion resistant conformal beaded-matrix for use in safety garments. Rast teaches an article that is highly ventilated while providing abrasion protection for a wearer during a slide, for instance, that may occur during a fall from a motorcycle. Rast teaches a material including abrasion resistant, low sliding friction beads that are held within a matrix of high-tensile strength, abrasion-resistant cords. Rast teaches a rider's arm within a beaded matrix in sliding contact with a pavement surface. Rast teaches that a row of beads can be seen in contact with the pavement surface. As the rider slides the beads are retained above this platform of abrasive resistant, but low friction beads. Rast further teaches a trouser garment which incorporates an embodiment of the beaded matrix according to the invention. | {
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Software applications often use caches and other memory local to the caches to store data during execution. While a software application is being developed, it is often useful to monitor such caches because the data contents and states of the caches often indicate whether the software application is executing properly and/or optimally. For this reason, improvements in cache monitoring techniques are desirable. | {
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The present invention relates to an image delivery system including an image delivery server, image processors, and an information processor, which are connected together through a network. The image delivery server delivers a job simultaneously to the image processors.
For example, JP H11-194911 A discloses a conventional image delivery system including a number of image processors, to which a print job can be delivered simultaneously. For efficient printing of a number of image data, this system distributes them at a suitable ratio and allocates the distributed data to the image processors.
In the conventional image delivery system, uniform job setting information can be delivered to the image processors. More specifically, when the same image data is delivered to the image processors, only one printing method (for example, layout printing, the number of sheets, double-side printing, or post-processing) is specified, because the image data deliverer takes a great deal of time to specify job setting information for each destination. However, uniform print job setting may cause image data to be printed under conditions not desired by the receivers of the data.
The object of the present invention is to provide an image delivery system having great freedom of print job setting for image data without increasing the burden on the deliverer of the data. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device fabricated by using an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate and a method of fabricating the same. Specifically, the invention relates to a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) formed on a SOI substrate.
Incidentally, in the present specification, the term semiconductor device indicates any device capable of functioning by using semiconductor characteristics. Thus, the semiconductor device includes not only a TFT but also an electro-optical device typified by a liquid crystal display device or a photoelectric conversion device, a semiconductor circuit in which TFTs are integrated, and electronic equipment containing such an electro-optical device or semiconductor circuit as a part.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been remarkable developments in VLSI techniques, and particular attention has been paid to a SOI (Silicon on Insulator) structure for achieving low power consumption. In this technique, an active region (channel formation region) of a FET, which has been conventionally formed of bulk single crystal silicon, is made a thin film single crystal silicon.
In a SOI substrate, a buried oxide film made of silicon oxide exists on single crystal silicon, and a single crystal silicon thin film is formed thereon. Various methods for fabricating such SOI substrates are known. As a typical SOI substrate, a SIMOX substrate is known. The term SIMOX is an abbreviation for Separation-by-Implanted Oxygen, and oxygen is ion implanted into a single crystal silicon substrate to form a buried oxide layer. The details of the SIMOX substrate are disclosed in K. Izumi, M. Docken and H. Ariyoshi: xe2x80x9cC.M.O.S. devices fabrication on buried SiO2 layers formed by oxygen implantation into siliconxe2x80x9d, Electron. Lett., 14, 593-594 (1978).
Recently, attention has also been paid to a bonded SOI substrate. The bonded SOI substrate achieves the SOI structure by bonding two silicon substrates as suggested by its name. If this technique is used, a single crystal silicon thin film can be formed also on a ceramic substrate or the like.
Among the bonded SOI substrates, in recent years, attention has been especially paid to a technique called ELTRAN (registered trademark by Canon K.K.). This technique is a method of fabricating a SOI substrate using selective etching of a porous silicon layer. The particular technique of the ELTRAN method is disclosed in, K. Sakaguchi et al., xe2x80x9cCurrent Progress in Epitaxial Layer transfer (ELTRAN)xe2x80x9d, IEICE TRANS. ELECTRON. Vol. E80 C. No. 3 pp. 378-387 March 1997, in detail.
Another SOI technique attracting attention, there is called Smart-Cut (registered trademark of SOITEC Co.). The Smart-Cut method is a technique developed by SOITEC Co. in France in 1996, and is a method of fabricating a bonded SOI substrate using hydrogen embrittlement. The particular technique of the Smart-Cut method is disclosed in detail xe2x80x9cIndustrial Research Society (Kogyo Chosa Kai); Electronic Material, August, pp. 83-87, 1977xe2x80x9d.
When the foregoing SOI substrate is fabricated, a single crystal silicon substrate having a main surface of a crystal face of a {100} plane (crystal orientation is less than 100 greater than orientation) has been used in all of these techniques. The reason is that the {100} plane has lowest interface state density (Qss) and is suitable for a field effect transistor that is sensitive to interface characteristics.
However, with respect to the SOI substrate used for a TFT, since a single crystal silicon thin film must be formed on an insulating layer, higher priority must be given to the adhesion to the insulating layer than the interface state density. That is, even if the interface state density is low, it is meaningless if the single crystal silicon thin film peels off.
The present invention was conceived in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a semiconductor device with high reliability by fabricating a SOI substrate suitable for a TFT and by forming TFTs on the substrate.
The structure of the present invention disclosed in the present specification is fabricated by a method comprising the steps of:
forming a hydrogen-containing layer at a predetermined depth in a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a main surface of a {110} plane;
bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate to each other;
splitting the single crystal semiconductor substrate by a first heat treatment along the hydrogen-containing layer;
performing a second heat treatment at a temperature of 900 to 1200xc2x0 C.;
grinding a single crystal semiconductor layer remaining on the supporting substrate and having a main surface of a {110} plane; and
forming a plurality of TFTs each having an active layer in the single crystal semiconductor layer.
Further, another structure of the present invention is fabricated by a method comprising the steps of:
forming a porous semiconductor layer by anodization of a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a main surface of a {110} plane;
performing a heat treatment on the porous semiconductor layer in a reducing atmosphere;
carrying out epitaxial growth of a single crystal semiconductor layer having a main surface of a {110} plane on the porous semiconductor layer;
bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate to each other;
performing a heat treatment at a temperature of 900 to 1200xc2x0 C.;
grinding the single crystal semiconductor substrate until the porous semiconductor layer is exposed;
removing the porous semiconductor layer to expose the single crystal semiconductor layer; and
forming a plurality of TFTs each having an active layer of the single crystal semiconductor layer on the supporting substrate.
Still, another structure of the present invention is fabricated by a method comprising the steps of:
forming an oxygen-containing layer at a predetermined depth in a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a main surface of a {110} plane;
changing the oxygen-containing layer into a buried insulating layer by a heat treatment; and
forming a plurality of TFTs each having an active layer of a single crystal semiconductor layer having a main surface of a {110} plane on the buried insulating layer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the deployment of inflatable tubular structures and other dynamically deployed devices (xe2x80x9cDDDsxe2x80x9d), and more particularly, to a dynamically deployed device anchor and assembly that optimize the deployment position of a DDD by eliminating the need to affix the DDD directly to a vehicle structure.
2. Background of the Invention
Dynamically deployed devices, such as inflatable tubular structures (xe2x80x9cITSsxe2x80x9d), are widely used to protect vehicle occupants during rapid vehicle deceleration, such as the deceleration encountered in a collision. The DDDs used in vehicles are placed throughout the vehicle in strategic locations where occupants can be expected to impact hard components of the vehicle. Generally, DDDs are placed above and below the dashboard on both the driver and passenger side, and are placed along the sides of the vehicle at both head and hip levels. The lower DDDs protect the legs and hips of the occupant while the upper DDDs cushion the head and upper torso.
To adequately protect a vehicle occupant, the DDD must inflate and come to rest between the vehicle structure and the expected final location of the occupant during the collision. In conventional installations, a DDD is attached to a vehicle structure with cords or straps (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ccordsxe2x80x9d), and is stowed in an uninflated state within a component of a vehicle, e.g., the roof rail. During a collision and upon deployment, the DDD inflates, emerges from its stowed location, and pulls taut the cords or straps that attach both sides of the DDD to the vehicle structure. In its deployed position, the DDD is centered between the two points at which the cords or straps are attached to the structure. Thus, the attachment points determine the final deployment location of the DDD.
In the typical automobile application, the ends of a DDD are mounted to a vertical or horizontal member of the vehicle structure. For example, to provide side impact protection for front and rear seat passengers, a DDD could be mounted to the A-pillar and either the C-pillar or D-pillar of an automobile. FIG. 1 illustrates this typical prior art installation, with the DDD attached to the A-pillar A and D-pillar D, and spanning the B-pillar B and the C-pillar C. Similarly, to provide side impact protection to front passengers only (e.g., in two-seat car), a DDD would be attached to A-pillar A and to either roof rail RR or B-pillar B of the vehicle. Thus, provided that the intended deployment location of the DDD is between two points on the vehicle pillar or roof rail, the DDD can be directly attached to the vehicle structure for optimal deployment.
However, often the vertical and horizontal vehicle members do not provide suitable DDD anchor points for several reasons, including component obstruction, protection zone concerns, and deployment characteristics. For example, a seat belt mechanism may obstruct the deployment or attachment of the DDD. Also, using a particular vehicle member may compromise the size of the protected zone. For example, some vehicle platforms place an occupant between the B-pillar and C-pillar. If the DDD must be mounted on the C-pillar, then the DDD cannot protect the full distance between the B-pillar and C-pillar (because of the attachment hardware and cord). Finally, with respect to deployment characteristics, the required speed and tension of deployment, both of which depend on attachment geometry, may preclude attachment to a vehicle member. For example, with vehicles that place an occupant between the B-pillar and C-pillar, the DDD could be anchored to a D-pillar to solve the protection zone concern and provide complete protection between the B-pillar and C-pillar. However, this solution creates negative deployment characteristics, increasing the time the DDD takes to reach its functional position and decreasing the maximum attainable DDD tension (because of the greater length between anchor points).
Vehicle members are also unsuitable anchor points when the optimal length and orientation of a DDD place the cord ends of the DDD somewhere other than along a vehicle structure member. For example, in the two-seater car A-pillar-to-roof-rail-attachment described above, the DDD""s final deployment position is necessarily diagonal. If, however, optimal DDD performance requires horizontal deployment, there may be no suitable vertical member on which to affix the DDD, e.g., if B-pillar B is not strong enough or contains other obstructing equipment.
Vehicles such as station wagons, sport utility vehicles, and other commercial utility vehicles also present problems with directly anchoring DDDs to a vehicle member. In these utility vehicles, a compartment of the vehicle typically is not intended for passengers. To provide complete protection in the passenger compartments such as the front and rear passenger seats, the DDD should preferably deploy the full length of the each compartment, making attachment of the DDD to the pillar behind the rear passenger compartment unsatisfactory (as described above). Thus, the DDD must attach to the rearmost pillar, e.g., the D-pillar in a utility vehicle, or to the section of the roof rail between the C-pillar and D-pillar. This attachment method requires a longer, more expensive cord or ITS on the DDD. In addition, the longer distance between attachment points detracts from DDD performance, increasing the time required to reach the functional position and magnifying oscillation. In contrast, having an intermediate anchor point just behind the rearmost pillar of a passenger compartment would allow the DDD to optimally deploy and provide full protection to the full length of each passenger compartment.
Thus, there remains a need for a device that anchors a DDD in an optimal position without relying on the direct attachment of the DDD to a vehicle structure. The device should adequately support the deployment of a DDD and should facilitate positioning of the DDD in a location that provides the most protection for the vehicle occupant.
The present invention is a dynamically deployed device anchor and assembly that provide a fixed attachment point offset from a vehicle member. The DDD assembly includes a DDD, at least one anchor pivotally attached to the DDD and a vehicle member, and a means for stopping the at least one anchor from rotating past a predetermined angle. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchor is a link or a cam pivotally fastened to a vehicle structure and the means for stopping rotation is a stop or a tether. A DDD cord is attached to the DDD anchor. Upon deployment, the DDD cord pulls the DDD anchor down around its pivot point and into a locked position against the means for stopping rotation. Once locked, the DDD anchor restrains the cord and provides a fixed attachment point offset from a vehicle structure member, or at least from the point at which the cam is pivotally fastened.
In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the DDD anchor is a link with one end of the link pivotally attached to a roof rail and the other end attached to the DDD cord. The link is stored horizontally on the roof rail, and upon deployment, pivots down into a vertical position against a means for stopping rotation, e.g., a mechanical stop, as shown in FIG. 2. In a first alternate implementation of the first preferred embodiment, the means for stopping rotation is a tether. With the DDD cord pulling the link against the means for stopping rotation, the DDD anchor provides a DDD attachment point offset from the roof rail.
In a second alternate implementation of the first preferred embodiment, if the slack ratio (deployed length/undeployed length) of the DDD and DDD cord is low, making the undeployed and stowed DDD pull tightly against the attachment points, the DDD link can be configured with a slot in which a DDD cord fastener slides freely. The DDD is attached to the sliding DDD cord fastener. With the DDD link in the stowed position, the sliding DDD cord fastener is positioned closest to the DDD, thereby shortening the undeployed length between DDD attachment points. Upon deployment, the DDD cord pulls the link down, and at the same time, pulls the sliding DDD cord fastener to the bottom end of the pivoting DDD link. When the DDD link pivots against the means for stopping rotation and the sliding DDD cord fastener stops at the end of the DDD link, the DDD anchor provides a DDD attachment point offset from the roof rail.
In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the DDD anchor is a cam, e.g., a flat 90xc2x0 wedge-shaped piece. The cam is pivotally attached through its apex to the roof rail and is held in a stowed position before DDD deployment. Upon deployment, the cam is pulled by the DDD such that it rotates around its pivot attachment point and comes to rest against a means for stopping rotation.
Preferably, the cam is stored with its edge opposite the location of the DDD up against the roof rail. The DDD is attached to the corner of the cam up against the roof rail such that upon deployment when the cord pulls tight, the cam is pulled down. During deployment, the cam rotates and stops at 90xc2x0 where the other edge of the cam hits the roof rail, which functions as a stop, preventing the cam from rotating further. In this locked position, the cam provides a DDD attachment point offset from the vehicle roof rail. Optionally, in this configuration a mechanical stop is fastened to the roof rail to act as the means for stopping rotation.
In an alternate implementation of the second preferred embodiment, the cam is stowed above the roof rail and the DDD is attached to the lower comer of the cam. Preferably, the means for stopping the rotation of the cam past a predetermined angle is a stop affixed to the roof rail, or alternately, a tether. The DDD pulls the cam down and rotates the cam around its pivot attachment point until the cam is stopped by the means for stopping rotation.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the positioning of a DDD to maximize occupant safety.
Another object of the present invention is to decrease the length of a DDD to shorten the duration of deployment and reduce DDD oscillation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fixed DDD attachment point that is offset from a vehicle structure member.
Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the optimal placement of a deployed DDD.
These and other objects of the present invention are described in greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, the appended drawings, and the attached claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to an improved fluid coupling and, more particularly, to an improved T coupling.
Fluid couplings have many uses. One of the more demanding uses is for surgical aspiration. The fluid flow paths including necessary couplings for surgical aspiration must avoid occlusion with tissue fragments and coagulating blood as well as kinking from the required movement of the surgical aspirator. Highly accurate flow rates prohibiting even partial occlusion are also required for aspiration of small body cavities such as the eye. Surgical couplings must also be easily and accurately assembled in an operating theatre and, preferably, sterile. Undesired, equipment damaging leakage flows must also be avoided.
Experience with surgical aspiration devices made by the assignee, Cavitron Corporation, has indicated a need to improve the fluid couplings on the devices and, particularly, a T coupling which provides pressure relief to the aspiration line on command. The pressure relief provides vital control of the extent of aspiration and releases the aspirator without pulling tissue if it attaches to a tissue surface with its suction. The variable height of the aspiration line relative to the aspiration unit as the aspirator is manipulated, however, can cause body liquids to enter the pressure relief line. A check valve was therefore provided in the relief line, but failures of the check valve which was small and delicate to be accommodated in the surgical-sized lines too frequently still allowed liquids into the relief line and damage to the equipment. Flow turbulance and protrusions at the coupling to the relief line also too frequently trapped aspirated tissue particles or coagulated blood, occluding the aspiration line at the coupling to the relief line, and requiring manual manipulation of the coupling to dislodge in a procedure nicknamed "flicking the T". Still further, the coupling arrangement and check valve, although small, held the aspiration line away from the device and thus encouraged aspiration-occluding kinking of the aspiration tube as it curved to the device for the application of the suction. Most importantly, however, the fittings for providing the necessary liquid and air fluid-tight couplings to the pressure relief line which were intended to slip together for easy use actually fit so tightly as to be difficult to use. This encourages operating room personnel to leave the check valve portion of the aspiration line on the aspiration device which, with the resulting accumulation of body salts in reuse, promoted failure of the check valve or, in the alternative, to use plyers in the operating theatre for assembling and disassembling the tubing. Experience with all of these problems clearly pointed to the need for an improved fluid T coupling for introducing the pressure relief fluid flow path to the aspiration fluid flow path.
A relatively new fluid coupling has a generally rigid base portion and an attached, relatively resilient face portion on a male member which is received in a generally cylindrical receptacle of a female member. The receptacle of the female member had an asymmetrical portion adjacent an opening into the receptacle so that the male member could be inserted and urged with a camming action upon rotation to compress the resilient face portion of the male member into fluid tight, sealing engagement with the receptacle with the least rotation of the male member in the receptacle. Fluid flow paths opening from the receptacle of the female member and the face portion of the male member were thus brought into sealed communication with a force diagonal of their junction. This fluid coupling therefore had promise for surgical use in providing a fluid coupling of just two, easily assembled components, but had not been used before for the more exacting requirements of a T coupling having both a through-flow path and a communicating, coupled path for both liquid and gas fluid communication as required for surgical aspiration pressure relief. An improved, T coupling embodiment was therefore required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive which is used for various labels, tapes, sheets and the like, and is excellent in quality stability, processability and storage stability, and pressure-sensitive adhesive properties such as adhesion, holding power and bonding power to a curved surface; a pressure-sensitive adhesive product; and a process for producing the same.
Hitherto, as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, acrylic or rubber type polymer has been used. The pressure-sensitive adhesive has, however, the following problems. Firstly, if thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is not strictly controlled, at the time of coating the pressure-sensitive adhesive to a backing in the production step, the resultant products come to have very different adhesions. In the case of any acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive, the thickness of the coated pressure-sensitive adhesive is usually controlled at about 20-25 g/m2. The pressure-sensitive adhesive has a property that the larger the coated thickness becomes, the larger the adhesion becomes; and the smaller the coated thickness becomes, the smaller the adhesion becomes. For this reason, common knowledge in the prior art is that if the coated thickness varies, the adhesion of the products also varies. In order to prevent troubles occurring particularly by the fact that the coated thickness inclines to become thin, coating-makers adapt so that the pressure sensitive adhesive is coated so as to become thick by 20-30% (25-30 g/m2) in the present circumstances.
However, if the layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive becomes thick in such a way, costs rise up and productivity falls. Moreover, in various steps subsequent to the coating, the following problems occur.
Namely, a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is usually slit by using a rotating sharp-edged tool to cut the raw roll thereof coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive into an appropriate width, and the sheet is die cut into an appropriate size at the time of printing. In these slit-or die-cutting procedures, the pressure-sensitive adhesive remains or adheres on the edged tool, or the pressure-sensitive adhesive spreads out and is not cut. Thus, the pressure-sensitive adhesive transfers to the product or other parts, so that the product gets dirty or the sheet is not satisfactorily cut. Such various troubles arise.
And then, concerning a tape or sheet raw-roll, in the step of storing the products, a pressure sensitive adhesive is oozed from its edge-face by its weight and/or rolling-tightening pressure. Such phenomena arise, too. Besides, concerning raw-roll products die-cut into a label form after printing, their pressure-sensitive adhesive is oozed from their backing in the same manner so that the raw-rolls adhere to each other or the labels themselves shift on release paper and get out of their proper-position. In any case, the pressure-sensitive adhesive transfers onto an actual item for sale during the step of sticking the label, so that the item itself gets dirty. During the process of affixing the labels with a machine, the adhesive tends to shift the label out of proper-position. Such troubles tend to arise more frequently in the case that the backing is a plastic film than in the case that the backing is paper.
When a pressure-sensitive adhesive is coated to have a large thickness in this way, various troubles are caused. Therefore, coating-makers take, as an adoption, that a hardening agent (crosslinking agent) is added in a larger amount to, e.g., a solvent-type pressure-sensitive adhesive so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive is made hard and its cohesion is made high. According to the method, however, its original and high adhesion is suppressed so that the real performances of pressure-sensitive adhesive are not exhibited. As a result, there arises a dilemma that the pressure-sensitive adhesive should be coated thicker and thicker.
As for an emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive, holding power can be obtained if a cohesive component is added thereto. There is, however, caused a phenomenon that its adhesion is extremely lowered.
Many emulsion pressure-sensitive adhesives are produced by emulsifying-polymerizing (meth)acrylate such as butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. However, a pressure-sensitive adhesive using, as a monomer, only (meth)acrylate has insufficient holding power necessary after that a tape or the like coated with the pressure-sensitive adhesive is stuck on an adherent.
Thus, the method, which aims to raise the cohesive power of the emulsion and which improves the holding power of the emulsion, is conducted by adding a polar monomer, such as acrylic acid or adding a crosslinking monomer having two or more reactive groups, such as divinylbenzene, to (meth)acrylate and copolymerizing them. The addition of the polar monomer, however, causes a fall in the water-resistance of the pressure-sensitive adhesive, thereby resulting in such a drawback that the adhesion onto any non-polar adherent such as polyolefin is largely lowered. Moreover, when a cohesive component such as these polar monomers and these crosslinking agents is added to the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the pressure-sensitive adhesive becomes elastic so that adhesion and tackiness are largely lowered.
As the above-mentioned, conventionally, it is difficult to produce an emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive having good balance of pressure-sensitive adhesive performances so as to satisfy sufficiently both properties of holding power (cohesion) and adhesion.
Besides, it is important to have sufficient bonding power to a curved surface as one of the properties of a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In the case that an adherent has a curved surface, the larger the curvature thereof is, the more easily a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is stripped from its edge face. In other words, there arises a so-called edge lifting phenomenon that the force of repulsion of the backing against the pressure-sensitive adhesive causes stress for stripping the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet from the curved surface of the adherent so that the edges of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet are gradually lifted up with the passage of time. In the present situation, there is not known a clear theory on such bonding power to a curved surface. A trial-and-error method has been repeated in the industry. The bonding power to a curved surface, which may be referred to as edge lifting resistance, is one of the important performances required for pressure-sensitive adhesives. It should be not lacking for the quality of a final product being stuck with such a pressure-sensitive adhesive label or sheet to satisfy this bonding power sufficiently. In the present situation, however, there is insufficient bonding power to a curved surfaces by various kinds of adherents, in particular an adherent made of polyolefin type compound.
Then, JP-A 7-330813 and WO097/07174 disclose an emulsion for a pressure-sensitive adhesive, comprising 50% or more by weight of a long-chain alkyl (meth)acrylate. However, the emulsion cannot sufficiently meet the above-mentioned demands.
The inventors have found that the above-mentioned object can be attained by a pressure-sensitive adhesive exhibiting a specific storage modulus in dynamic viscoelasticity measurement and having a specific gel fraction. The inventors have found that the above-mentioned pressure-sensitive adhesive can be produced by a process for producing an emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive in which the manner of adding a polymerization-initiator is devised.
The present invention is composed of the pressure-sensitive adhesive whose adhesion does not fall even when it is thin coated, and the present invention provides the excellent pressure-sensitive adhesive which can solve fluctuation in quality based on fluctuation in the coated thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is excellent in slitting property and property for die-cutting into a label, a tape, a sticker or the like, and which is not oozed from its backing even at the time of being stored at high temperature in summer; and provides a pressure-sensitive adhesive product thereof.
The present invention also relates to the emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive having a good balance of pressure-sensitive adhesive performances, that is, having both of high adhesion and high holding power, which are usually difficult to be compatible with each other, and exhibiting excellent bonding power to a curved surface; and relates to the process for producing the pressure-sensitive adhesive.
The pressure-sensitive adhesive of the present invention is excellent in holding power and adhesion, and has the balance of pressure-sensitive adhesive performances; and can be effectively used in various applications.
The pressure-sensitive adhesive has high adhesion performances even if the coated thickness thereof is thin, and is excellent in holding power. There are produced particles having crosslinked structure wherein its inner portion is soft but its surface is hard by multi-step polymerization in which a water-soluble polymerizing-initiator is added during or after the second step. That is, the balance of adhesion and holding power is good.
In dynamic viscoelasticity measurement, the storage modulus, measured at 25xc2x0 C. and at a frequency of 1 Hz, of the pressure-sensitive adhesive of the present invention ranges preferably from 1xc3x97105-1xc3x97106 dyne/cm2, and more preferably from 1xc3x97105-6xc3x97105 dyne/cm2. The gel fraction in the pressure-sensitive adhesive is preferably 55% or more, and more preferably 60% or more.
Herein, the storage modulus can be measured by applying shear stress at a given frequency to a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer coated in a predetermined step and, if desired, heating the pressure-sensitive adhesive.
In many cases, conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives have a storage modulus of 1xc3x97106-1xc3x97107 dyne/cm2, but the inventors have found that the pressure-sensitive adhesive of the present invention has a storage modulus of about 1xc3x97105-about 1xc3x97106 dyne/cm2, which is one-digit smaller than the conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives, so as to give appropriate pressure-sensitive adhesive properties.
Even if the storage modulus is 1xc3x97106 dyne/cm2 or less, which is smaller than conventional ones, the pressure-sensitive adhesive does not become hard so as to give original adhesion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is a target of the present invention.
Then, if the storage modulus is 1xc3x97105 dyne/cm2 or more, the pressure-sensitive adhesive itself does not become excessively soft so that cohesion destruction does not occur at the time of peeling. Holding power is also improved, so that any trouble does not arise at the time of processing such as die-cutting of a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet or at the time of storage.
Necessarily, while the storage modulus is kept within the above-mentioned range, the gel fraction in the present invention is essentially 55% or more, and preferably 60% or more. Holding power is raised by setting the gel fraction to 55% or more, so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive attains its original action.
Herein, the gel fraction means a proportion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive that is not dissolved when the adhesion is incorporated into a given solvent for the purpose of dissolution.
In the case that the gel fraction of conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives is raised to make its cohesion large, the pressure-sensitive adhesives themselves get hard so that its storage modulus is also raised. It is difficult that, for example, the storage modulus is kept below 1xc3x97106 dyne/cm2 while the gel fraction is kept above 55%. According to the present invention, in an example of the process for producing the pressure-sensitive adhesive, which will be described later, the above-mentioned properties can have been satisfied. In other words, high holding power can be obtained while high adhesion can be kept. This makes it possible to satisfy properties as a pressure-sensitive adhesive and supply strong adhesion, even if the pressure-sensitive adhesive is thin coated, so as to give such properties as good processability and good storage stability.
In the present invention, when the ratio, at the temperature of 25 xc2x0 C., of the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 100 Hz to the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 1 Hz satisfies the following formula (1), high bonding power to a curved surface can be obtained.
5 less than storage modulus (100 Hz)/storage modulus (1 Hz) less than 30xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
The boding power to a curved surface means resistance against the phenomenon (edge lift) that when a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet product such as a label is stuck onto a curved surface of an adherent, the edges of the sheet are lifted up with the passage of time.
For evaluation, a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is stuck onto each of columnar rods, which have Ø of 10 to 13 mm and is made of various adherent materials, and then the state that its edge is lifted up is observed for judgement. The evaluation is usually performed by using a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet wherein a pressure-sensitive adhesive is coated in an amount of about 20 g/m2 to a film made of polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of 50 xcexcm.
In the present invention, it is unclear why the bonding power to a curved surface is excellent if the ratio of the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 100 Hz to the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 1 Hz is within the above-mentioned range. The bonding power to a curved surface is a property in the static state, and is a factor for evaluating the state that the edge of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet is gradually lifted up by static repulsion force generated when the backing of the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet stuck onto the curved surface of the adherent is returned to the original state. Herein, the lower the storage modulus is, the softer the pressure-sensitive adhesive gets. Furthermore, a capability of following roughness in the surface of the adherent gets good. As a result, the adhesion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive would be raised. Besides, the pressure-sensitive adhesive is transformed to follow fine deformation that causes lifting-up by the repulsion force of backing. Thus, even if a little deformation arises, the interface between the pressure-sensitive adhesive and the backing or the adherent is not destructed so that the bonding power to the curved surface would be made good.
Although the storage modulus in the static state cannot be directly measured, it appears that the modulus can be presumed by extrapolating a measured dynamic viscoelasticity value toward the side of lower frequencies. That is, it is presumed that the larger the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 100 Hz compared with the storage modulus measured at a frequency of 1 Hz is (i.e., the larger the ratio (or inclination) of the storage modulus (100 Hz)/ the storage modulus (1 Hz) is), the smaller the storage modulus at the side of lower frequencies becomes. It appears that the adhesion in the static state gets larger so that resistance against edge-lifting based on that the repulsion force of backing becomes larger.
When the repulsion force of backing becomes larger, it can be presumed that the larger the value (or ratio) of the storage modulus (100 Hz)/ the storage modulus (1 Hz) is, the better the bonding power to a curved surface is. However, in reality, when the ratio exceeds 30, the adhesion at the time of release becomes small and/or tackiness falls, etc. The pressure-sensitive adhesive comes not to attain its original function.
When the pressure-sensitive adhesive satisfies the above-mentioned properties, the process for producing thereof is not restrictive, but the following process is preferable, for example.
That is; the process of adding, when alkyl (meth)acrylate is polymerized in the presence of polymerization-initiator(s), the polymerization-initiator(s) at separate multi-steps into its reaction system, and using a water-soluble polymerization-initiator at least one time during or after the second step for adding the polymerization-initiator(s).
Examples of the process for preparing (meth)acrylic emulsion include emulsion polymerization, pre-emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization. In order to prepare the emulsion of the present invention, any one of these processes may be used.
In the present invention, the polymerization-initiator that is first added (i.e., at the first addition) may be water-soluble or oil-soluble. During or after the second step, however, a water-soluble polymerization-initiator needs to be added at least one time. In this case, the following is thought: the addition of the water-soluble polymerization-initiator causes crosslinking reaction based on pulling-out of hydrogen of acrylate or the like near the surface of emulsion particles, so as to raise the gel fraction; therefore, cohesion acts as a whole to improve the holding power of the emulsion. The polymerization-initiator acts only near the surface of the emulsion because the initiator is water-soluble. Thus, crosslinking is not caused inside the emulsion so that the emulsion is soft and the pressure-sensitive adhesive is not hard as a whole. Thus, the adhesion thereof is kept good.
From the above-mentioned standpoint, it is preferred that the water-soluble polymerization-initiator is added after reaction of the monomer advances to some degree and the particle size of the resultant is made stable. In the case that the water-soluble polymerization-initiator is used in the first step, polymerization reaction takes priority over crosslinking reaction because of a large amount of the monomer in the system so that the effect of improving cohesion is small. By adding the water-soluble polymerization-initiator during or after the second step, the gel fraction rises in the emulsion and further its molecular weight distribution widens from a low molecular weight to a high molecular weight. This fact appears to contribute to the improvement in holding power and adhesion.
It is allowable that the oil-soluble polymerization-initiator is first added and then the water-soluble polymerization-initiator is added to perform polymerization step by step.
Examples of the water-soluble polymerization-initiator include peroxide type polymerization-initiators such as t-butylhydroperoxide, potassium peroxodisulfate, ammonium peroxodisulfate; azo type polymerization-initiators; and redox polymerization-initiators, which are obtained by combining any one of these initiators with a reductant such as ascorbic acid, sodium bisulfite or iron ion. These may be used alone or in combination. As the manner of adding the polymerization-initiator in the respective steps, any manner of adding at a time, adding dropwise, and continuous adding may be used. Preferably, the water-soluble polymerization-initiator added during or after the second step, among all of the added polymerization-initiators, is a substance which is dissolved in an amount of 0.1% by weight or more, and in particularly 1% by weight or more, at the reaction temperature in water. It is preferred from the standpoint of adhesion that the amount thereof is from 0.1 to 1.0% by weight and in particular from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of the whole charged amount.
The adding cycle (interval of additions) of the polymerization-initiators, including the first adding step, and the added amounts of the respective steps are not especially limited, and may be appropriately decided considering the initial added monomer, the polymerization manner or the like.
According to the above-mentioned process, even in alkyl (meth) acrylate having a relatively short alkyl chain, for example, butyl acrylate or 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, which has been conventionally used as alkyl (meth) acrylate for emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesives, its holding power and its adhesion are compatible with each other to exhibit sufficient effect. Further, in the case of using a long chain alkyl (meth) acrylate having 9 or more carbon atoms as the monomer, the addition of a small amount of the crosslinking agent causes more reduction in adhesion than in the case of using one having a short alkyl chain. For this reason, it is more effective to add the water-soluble polymerization-initiator during or after the second step.
It is preferred to obtain the (meth)acrylic emulsion by polymerizing alkyl (meth)acrylate mainly containing a long chain alkyl (meth)acrylate having a C9-14 alkyl group. It is preferred to use, for example, 70% by weight or more of such a long chain alkyl (meth)acrylate which has an alkyl group having 9 to 14 carbon atoms, as a main component. Specific examples thereof include nonyl (meth)acrylate, isononyl (meth)acrylate, decyl (meth)acrylate, isodecyl (meth)acrylate, dodecyl (meth)acrylate, isododecyl (meth)acrylate, tridecyl (meth)acrylate, isotridecyl (meth)acrylate, tetradecyl (meth)acrylate and isotetradecyl (meth)acrylate. These may be used alone or in combination, or may be used with other polymerizable monomer(s).
The emulsifier used in the polymerization is not limited. However, in the case that a radical polymerizable emulsifier is used, it is more effective to add the water-soluble polymerization-initiator during or after the second step.
The radical polymerizable emulsifier/dispersant is an emulsifier having a radical polymerizable double bonding group in its molecule. An appropriate emulsifier can be selected from the standpoint of copolymerizability with the monomer, monomer-emulsifying action and dispersion stability of polymer particles, regardless of the structure of its hydrophilic group, such as a nonionic, cationic and anionic structure. The polymerizable emulsifier/dispersant is a surfactant having an allyl group, (meth)acrylate, styrene group and/or isopropenyl group as polymerizable group in its molecule. The number of carbon atoms in its hydrophobic group is preferably from 8 to 20. For example, JP-A 53-126093, JP-A 56-28208, JP-A 4-50204, JP-A 62-104802, JP-A 50-98484, JP-A 54-144317, JP-A 55-115419, JP-A 62-34947, JP-B 49-46291, JP-A 58-203960, JP-A 4-53802, JP-A 62-104802, JP-A 49-40388 and JP-A 52-134658 can be referred. These radical polymerizable emulsifiers/dispersants are used so far as the advantage of the present invention is not damaged, and are usually used in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight per 100 parts weight of all of the monomer component.
If necessary, a tackifier or a thickener may be added. As the tackifier, any one among rosins, rosin derivatives, petroleum resins, terpene resins or the like may be used. The tackifier is usually used preferably in the range of 0.1 to 30 parts by weight per 100 parts weight of the polymer component in the emulsion. Examples of a nonionic thickener include hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol and alkyl-modified compounds thereof. Above all, the thickener having an alkyl group, particularly alkyl-modified polyvinyl alcohol, is preferable, since it can freely cause a change in the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl group, saponification value and the like and it can easily control thickness. Usually, the nonionic thickener is preferably used in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight per 100 parts weight of the polymer component in the emulsion. Further, it is allowable to blend the other component such as an additive such as a pH adjuster, a defoaming agent, a preservative or a pigment so far as it does not cause a fall in the pressure-sensitive adhesive performance of the emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive.
In a pressure-sensitive adhesive product, the amount of its pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is preferably from 3 to 15 kg/m2. The pressure-sensitive adhesive product can be produced by stacking a release sheet, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and backing in this order. A mono-web type pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet may be obtained by applying a release agent to the surface of the backing and then applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive to the back surface thereof.
The emulsion-type pressure-sensitive adhesive obtained by the producing process of the present invention can be produced into a pressure-sensitive adhesive product such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, tape and label by firstly directly applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive to a plastic backing, a paper backing or the like with e.g., a comma coater or a gravure coater and then drying the pressure-sensitive adhesive, or by firstly applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive to a releasing substrate, and then drying the pressure-sensitive adhesive, and secondly laminating the pressure-sensitive adhesive with a plastic backing, a paper backing or the like and transferring the pressure-sensitive adhesive. These pressure-sensitive adhesive products are excellent in quality stability * processability * storage stability, and further pressure-sensitive adhesive properties such as adhesion, holding power and bonding power to a curved surface. Thus, the pressure-sensitive adhesive product can be effectively used in various applications. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermos with a detachable stand.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional thermos 1 that includes a stand 12 and a container 11 mounted on the stand 12 via screw means 13. The conventional thermos 1 is disadvantageous in that removal of the container 11 from the stand 12 requires unscrewing of the screw means 13, and thus is relatively inconvenient.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a thermos with a detachable stand that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.
According to the present invention, a thermos comprises: an upright stand including a laterally extending top seat and a plurality of angularly spaced apart headed studs projecting upwardly from the top seat, each of the headed studs having an enlarged head portion vertically spaced apart from the top seat; a vertically extending cylindrical container mounted detachably and rotatably on the top seat of the stand and having a laterally extending bottom wall with a peripheral edge, an upper peripheral wall extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall and confining a water-receiving space, a lower peripheral wall extending downwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall and confining a mounting space, an annular bottom flange laterally extending from the lower peripheral wall into the mounting space and formed with an engaging hole, and an outlet tube extending downwardly and outwardly of the mounting space from the bottom wall through the lower peripheral wall, and in fluid communication with the water-receiving space, the container being rotatable relative to the stand between engaging and disengaging positions; a coupling member mounted in the mounting space and having a laterally extending annular flange part that is surrounded by the bottom flange, that is disposed over the top seat of the stand, and that is formed with a plurality of angularly spaced apart elongated slots, each of which has an enlarged end and a reduced extension that is reduced and that extends from the enlarged end, the head portion of each of the headed studs having a cross-section which is smaller than that of the enlarged end of a respective one of the slots and greater than the width of the reduced extension of the respective one of the slots, each of the headed studs extending through the respective one of the slots and movable along the respective one of the slots in such a manner that the head portion of each of the headed studs anchors on a periphery of the reduced extension of the respective one of the slots when the container is positioned at the engaging position, thereby preventing removal of the container from the stand, and that the head portion of each of the headed studs is vertically aligned with the enlarged end of the respective one of the slots when the container is positioned at the disengaging position, thereby permitting removal of the container from the stand; and a spring-biased latch that is mounted movably on the top seat and that is operable to move upwardly and downwardly between a limiting position, in which the spring-biased latch moves upwardly to project into the engaging hole in the bottom flange of the container when the container is positioned at the engaging position, thereby preventing angular movement of the container relative to the stand, and a non-limiting position, in which the spring-biased latch moves downwardly to disengage from the engaging hole, thereby permitting angular movement of the container relative to the stand. | {
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A major limitation of any apparatus for screening materials such as for example aggregates, waste, wood, recyclable materials, glass, sand, concrete, asphalt, demolition debris, etc., is the throughput of screened material that can be processed per unit of time. This is true of apparatus such as found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,237,865 and 7,506,461 that employ screening shafts for example. As described therein, a screening shaft defines an elongated rotatable shaft. Replaceable fixed elements project radially away from the surface of the circumference of the screening shaft. Each screening shaft is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, and the rotation is powered so that it is driven under the control of the operator. Several of the screening shafts are disposed in alignment with each other across the outlet area of the bucket containing the screening shafts. The screening size can be varied depending on the radial length of the elements from the surface of the shaft. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,237,865 and 7,506,461 disclose buckets that load from the front, have solid bottoms and sides and have multiple screening shafts aligned in a row at the back of the bucket and lying in a plane that is disposed at a 90 degree angle from the bottom of the bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,916 also discloses a bucket that loads from the front and has solid sides, but has a solid back and has a reciprocating screen in the bottom of the bucket. The direction of reciprocation of the screen is front to back. The reciprocating motion of the screen is driven by a motor that is mounted on the bucket and thus provides a reciprocating connection between the screen and the bucket.
However, the buckets described above require additional machines to bring to the buckets from other sites the raw materials that are to be screened, can only be fed from one direction, and become clogged by debris above a predetermined larger size and so must stop operating while such debris is cleared. Accordingly, these limitations in turn limit the throughput that can be attained by these screening apparatus.
Devices that are essentially mechanical shovels are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,034 discloses a front-end loader with a shovel attachment having a vibrating screen forming the bottom of the shovel. The shovel takes up sand as the screen slides beneath about a two inch depth of the sand as the front-end loader moves forward. The screen is vibrated to separate the sand from the oversized material, which remains in the shovel. However, this device must be moving forward to take up sand and only can be loaded from the front. Accordingly, this vibrating screen in the bottom of the shovel attachment is not suitable for processing large volumes of material.
Moreover, the screen media itself typically is formed of a steel plate that typically is about ⅜ inches thick, and holes are punched through this thickness of the plate to allow material smaller than the area of the hole to pass through the screen media. Another type of screen media typically is formed of a sheet of solid rubber or urethane that is about one inch thick and has holes punched through this thickness of the sheet. This sort of screen media is needed to withstand the rigors of screening the heavy materials involved. However, because of the need to punch the openings to create this sort of screen media, the fineness of the particulates that can be passed through such openings tends to be commensurately limited. Both types of this screen media typically are bolted to supports that are in turn bolted to a screen box that is open only at the top and at the bottom of the vibrating screen, and the entire screen box is shaken to facilitate the filtering function of the vibrating screen. | {
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A wide variety of analytical chemical techniques measure a sample's absorption of radiation at a particular wavelength or series of wavelengths. Often times, the absorption of this specified radiation will vary in a predefined relationship with respect to some specific chemical or physical property of the sample, such as density or concentration. Accordingly, by measuring the absorption of a sample at the specified wavelength or wavelengths, one can frequently determine the density or concentration of some component of the sample.
For example, when radiant energy passes through a liquid, certain wavelengths of that energy may be selectively absorbed by particles which are dissolved in that liquid. For a given path length which the light traverses through the liquid, Beer's law (also referred to as the Beer-Lambert relationship) indicates that the relative transmittance of the liquid at a given wavelength is inversely logarithmically related to the concentration of the solute which absorbs that wavelength. Accordingly, for a sample having a predetermined path length, the transmittance of a sample at the specified wavelength should permit one to fairly readily determine the concentration of the solute which absorbs at that wavelength.
This principle is commonly used in hemoglobinometers, which are essentially specialized spectrophotometers used to measure the concentration of hemoglobin in a sample. By directing a light at a specified wavelength or series of wavelengths into a sample of a known thickness and measuring the intensity of the light passing through the sample, one can effectively determine the concentration of one or more species of hemoglobin in the sample. Such a process is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,105 (Loretz) and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,585 (Frey), the teachings of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The utilization of transmittance as a measure of concentration can provide fairly accurate results in a simple, efficient manner. Unfortunately, this measurement is subject to a number of variables. Some of these variables are dependent on the measuring device itself, such as the nature of the light being emitted by the light source, the spectral response of the other optical components interposed between the light source and the detector, temperature within the system, etc. By utilizing appropriate controls and frequent calibration, such variables can be effectively determined and factored out of any transmittance measurements.
There are some variables which are sample-dependent, though. One such variable which can present significant difficulties in measuring the light attenuation due to absorption of the sample is the presence of scattering particles. If a sample is non-scattering, the total transmittance measured for the sample can provide an accurate measurement of the absorption attributable to the presence of the solute of interest. However, if the sample also scatters the wavelength of radiation of interest, this scattering can significantly impact the measured transmittance of the sample and yield inaccurate analytical results.
The losses attributable to scattering have two primary components. The first is the radiation scattered away from the detector which will never reach the detector at all. The other component is related to the fact that the scattering particles will significantly increase the mean path length of radiation passing through the sample as the radiation bounces from one scattering particle to another on the way to the detector. Since Beer's law is based on an assumption that the path length through the fluid will remain constant, such an increase in the mean path length can have a marked impact on the calculated concentration of the solute.
FIG. 10 illustrates the impact of scattering in a blood sample. Whole blood is made up primarily of plasma and red blood cells, which tend to scatter light. (White blood cells and platelets play a minor role due to the quantity involved.) The presence of the red blood cells, therefore, can have a significant impact on the measured optical density (i.e., the negative of the logarithm of the transmittance value). For this reason, many of the more accurate blood analyzers mechanically or chemically lyse the sample, i.e. break down the cell walls of the red blood cells, before taking any measurements. Since it is the change in the index of refraction of the sample at the surface of the red blood cells that causes scattering, lysing will allow one to achieve a virtually non-scattering sample.
Unfortunately, lysing a sample adds its own complexities. Of one mechanically lyses the sample, this is commonly done in a length of flexible tubing through which each sample must pass. This significantly increases the risk of cross-contamination between the samples. If one chemically lyses the sample, this will dilute the original sample and can make it more difficult to detect smaller hemoglobin concentrations. On addition, lysing will not remove all scattering particles. Sometimes blood includes a not insignificant amount of other light-scattering particles, such as fat particles, and certain drugs, such as one sold under the trade name Interlipid, can also affect scattering. In addition, if lysis is incomplete, the non-lysed cells will continue to scatter light.
FIG. 10 schematically illustrates the relationship between the optical density of a sample and the total hemoglobin concentration THb!. There are two curves depicted in FIG. 10. The lower curve, shown in dashed lines, is the optical density for a lysed blood sample. The slope of this line is constant since the only impact on optical density is the hemoglobin concentration. It should be noted that this graph is somewhat idealized in that a variety of other factors could impact the optical density, as noted above, but those factors are ignored in FIG. 10.
The upper curve, shown in solid lines, is the optical density for a whole blood sample. The slope of this line varies depending on the hemoglobin concentration. Hemoglobin is retained within red blood cells. Generally speaking, therefore, the higher the total hemoglobin in the blood sample, the higher the number of light-scattering red blood cells there will be. As noted above, light-scattering particles will significantly reduce the transmittance, increasing the measured optical density. For this reason, the scattering curve is positioned above the lysed curve along most of its length in FIG. 10. The difference in the measured optical density at any given concentration is indicated as an offset S.
The value of this offset S will differ depending on the concentration of the red blood cells in the sample. Between two end points, indicated as A and B, in FIG. 10, this scattering offset S will remain substantially constant and the slope of the two curves will remain substantially identical. On either end of this range, though, this offset will vary.
In any scattering sample, the offset S will depend on the relative indices of refraction of the scattering particles and the medium in which they are suspended. In the case of whole blood, the plasma, red blood cell walls and the liquid within those cell walls each have different refractive indices. This causes light to bend as it passes from plasma, through the cell wall to the intracellular fluid, and back out again. In addition, since the different refractive indices of the various materials means that the light passes through those materials at different rates, these differences in the indices of refraction will affect the effective light path length through the sample.
Coherent light sources produce light rays with a fixed phase relationship with one another. When the light rays are in phase with one another, their wave maxima will constructively combine to produce a higher total light intensity. If a sample is non-scattering, the path length through the sample is the same for each ray of light, so the phase relationship between the rays remains the same when light passes through the sample. As a result, the rays exiting the sample remain coherent and the wave maxima of the light rays constructively combine.
If the sample is scattering, the path length for each ray is different due to differences in the media through which the light must pass to traverse the sample. As a result, the original phase relationship of the light rays is lost and at least some of the light rays may destructively combine. As the particle concentration of the sample increases, the phase relationship between the light rays is increasingly lost until the phase relationship between any two rays of light exiting the sample is essentially completely random. At this point, the light exiting the sample is said to be "incoherent" and the sample is said to be incoherently scattering.
As the sample becomes increasingly scattering, the light goes from being completely coherent (as in the case of Hct=0 in FIG. 10) to progressively increasing incoherence. As a result, the offset S in FIG. 10 progressively increases from an initial value of zero as the THb value (which is related to the number of light scattering red blood cells, as noted above) increases. Once the light exiting the sample becomes incoherent, though, the offset attributable to such losses will remain fairly constant.
The scattering which occurs at lower particle densities is referred to as "coherent" scattering. "Incoherent" scattering, which occurs at higher particle densities, produces a substantially constant scattering loss over a fairly wide range of particle concentrations due to the essentially random nature of the interaction with the particles. At even higher particle concentrations, the sample begins to scatter coherently again. In essence, the sample can be viewed as scattering particles with a liquid interspersed between those particles, which induces behavior similar to a liquid with particles dispersed throughout the liquid.
Generally, one would expect the sample to be essentially completely incoherently scattering at a hematocrit fraction (Hct) of about 0.25 at the lower end, which will generally correspond to a point where A in FIG. 10 is about 8 g/dL. In a healthy individual, the hemoglobin concentration of the blood will tend to be about 16 g/dL for male adults and about 15 g/dL for female adults. Accordingly, most samples will fall within the incoherent scattering range and have a fixed, predictable increase in optical density attributable to scattering, shown in FIG. 10 as the offset S. However, it is not particularly unusual to have patient samples with hemoglobin concentrations significantly above or below this norm. Some of those samples will fall in the coherent scattering region, which will have a lower, less readily predictable offset S.
Many whole blood hemoglobinometers described in the literature do not take into account the possibility that a patient's hemoglobin concentrations could fall within the coherently scattering ranges. Instead, a fixed offset S is subtracted from every optical density measurement before calculating the hemoglobin concentration. Obviously, the more one deviates from incoherent scattering (e.g., the lower the concentration below the level A in FIG. 10), the more inaccurate the calculated hemoglobin concentration will be. Unfortunately, with current mechanisms, there is no way to determine the transmission losses attributable to scattering on a sample-by-sample basis. Accordingly, if a physician needs to accurately determine lower hemoglobin concentrations, the patient's sample must be analyzed in a different analyzer which will lyse the sample. | {
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The present invention relates to a process for a numerical control unit to estimate the mass, inertia, viscous friction coefficient and sliding (Coulomb) frictional force of a movable part, e.g. a table of a machine to be controlled. Incorporated herein by reference is the subject matter of Japanese priority application No. 2-93547 filed Apr. 9, 1990.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional numerical control unit. In FIG. 8, an interpolation processor 1 is used for entering machining information, e.g. a travel distance and traveling velocity, for each block of a machining program, and for outputting a travel increment per sampling or a position command value of a control axis. An acceleration/deceleration processor 2 receives the interpolation information, e.g. the travel increment per sampling or the position command value provided by the interpolation processor 1, and performs acceleration/deceleration processing for a primary delay circuit, for example, and outputs a position command value for a motor 105 or a travel increment per sampling. A servo controller 3 is responsive to the output of the acceleration/deceleration processor 2 and controls the positioning of the motor 105. The servo controller 3 comprises a position loop controller 101, a velocity loop controller 102, a current loop controller 103, a current detector 104 for detecting a motor current feedback value, the motor 105 for driving a movable part (not illustrated), a velocity detector 106 operatively connected to the movable part (not illustrated) or to the motor 105, and a position detector 107.
In operation, the interpolation processor 1 receives machining information, such as a travel distance and traveling velocity, for each block of the machining program and outputs to the acceleration/deceleration processor 2 a. travel increment per sampling or a position command value of the control axis. The acceleration/deceleration processor 2 receives the interpolation information, such as the travel increment per sampling or the position command value provided by the interpolation processor 1, performs acceleration/deceleration processing for a primary delay circuit having a preset time constant, for example, and outputs a position command value for the motor 105 or travel increments per sampling to the servo controller 3. The servo controller 3 controls the position of the movable part in response to the output of processor 2 by using in sequence the position loop control 101, the velocity loop control 102 and the current loop control 103 to generate operational inputs to the motor 105, in accordance with the position command value or the travel increment per sampling. In this conventional system, the movable part is controlled by using preset loop gains and compensation gains in the position loop control 101, the velocity loop control 102 and the current loop control 103.
In the conventional numerical control unit configured as mentioned above, the time constant of the acceleration/deceleration processor, as well as the loop gains of the position loop control 101, the velocity loop control 102 and the current loop control 103, and each compensation gain, are set while inertia, a viscous friction coefficient or sliding frictional force of the movable part of the machine to be controlled remain unknown or are identified merely as approximate values. In recent years, however, as higher machining speed and higher machining accuracy are demanded, it has become necessary to provide fast, accurate and stable positioning control. Nevertheless, since the conventional numerical control unit carries out positioning control of the movable part without precisely knowing the inertia, viscous friction coefficient and sliding frictional force of the movable part of the machine to be controlled, the acceleration/deceleration time constant, the position loop gain and the velocity loop gain, for example, of the servo controller must be manually adjusted by skilled operators. Even when such operators have a significant level of skill, they require a considerable amount of time to make such adjustments.
The machining of a workpiece having a projection with a curved profile offers a particularly difficult problem. In determining the appropriate machining adjustments when machining a projection which requires switching of circular arc quadrants, the mass and the frictional force of the movable part must be taken into consideration. An accurate offset during high-speed machining cannot be determined by the conventional numerical control unit because it can only compensate for that projection by using the acceleration parameter and the mass of the movable part. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to pipe,flange and fitting alignment apparatus. Most specifically, it pertains to apparatus for aligning the ends of two sections of pipe or pipe and fittings to be joined together by welding or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When sections of pipe are welded together, it is important that the sections to be welded together are properly aligned on a common central axis. If not properly aligned faulty welds may occur. Even if a good weld is obtained, improper alignment of the pipe sections may result in a joint weakened to bending stresses and internal pressures.
Most alignment of pipe for welding is performed manually, using jacks and levels. This is particularly true for larger pipe sizes. Although various pipe alignment tools have been developed, they have found limited use because of ineffectiveness or difficulty of use. Thus, the need continues for effective and easy to use pipe alignment apparatus. | {
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The perishable foods sections of most supermarkets and grocery stores such as the meat department, bakery, deli and produce department, typically include one or more in-store scales having printers for printing labels with item name, weight or count, and price information. The labels are then applied to the packaged items. Many such printers are provided as part of in-store scales or systems including scales.
Increasingly, in-store equipment such as scales/scale systems may include a communications link for receiving information from sites external to the store. As used herein the term scale system refers to any scale device or any larger device that includes a scale, such as a weigh/wrap machine.
It is known to provide coupon dispensing printers at the point of sale in supermarkets and groceries. Typically such coupon dispensers print coupon or other incentive information on paper stock based upon purchases made or not made by the consumer. Product manufacturers, distributors, advertisers and store operators are continually looking for new and improved ways to market and advertise products within the store. Accordingly, using in-store scales to produce product pricing labels having a detachable coupon part pursuant to the teachings contained in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0211600 A1 provides various advantages. As described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0211600 A1 in one technique a label output from the scale may have a detachable coupon part with a fold line that allows a coupon bar code to be folded under the label so that the coupon bar code faces downward against a package to which the label is subsequently applied. It would be desirable to provide a label structure, technique and apparatus for facilitating this folding operation. | {
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High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. In an HDMI frame, audio information can be transmitted in Vertical or Horizontal blanking periods and the positions of the audio information segments in the blanking areas are decided according to the synchronization between audio and video (Lip-sync). However, typically Vertical or Horizontal blanking areas are not transmitted in a wireless system in order to reduce the data rate of a communication stream between a transmitter and a receiver. | {
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In anode bodies of commercially available electrolytic capacitors, tantalum or aluminum is widely used. In the surface of such an anode body, a coating film (chemical conversion coating film) composed of an oxide of the anode material is formed by anodization (chemical conversion treatment). The chemical conversion coating film serves as the dielectric layer of the electrolytic capacitor. Since the performance characteristics of aluminum electrolytic capacitors highly differ from those of tantalum electrolytic capacitors, they are applied to different respective uses.
In the meantime, niobium metals are known to have physical and chemical properties similar to those of tantalum metals. Niobium is abundant as a mineral resource compared to tantalum and is inexpensive. In addition, niobium pentoxide has a high dielectric constant compared to other metal oxides. Accordingly, niobium has been studied to replace tantalum used in tantalum electrolytic capacitors.
However, a niobium oxide coating film obtained by chemically converting a niobium anode body is unstable compared to a tantalum oxide coating film. In particular, the thickness of a niobium oxide coating film per formation voltage is twice that of a tantalum oxide coating film, and the strain occurring with the growth of a niobium oxide coating film is also twice that of a tantalum oxide coating film. Therefore, the breakdown voltage per unit thickness of the niobium oxide coating film is half that of the tantalum oxide coating film.
Furthermore, niobium oxide contains a nonstoichiometric lower oxide, which is not present in tantalum oxide. It is thought that this encourage diffusion of oxygen in a dielectric layer, imparts semiconducting properties to the dielectric layer, and increases leakage current.
Thus, the niobium oxide coating film has unstable characteristics. However, the niobium electrolytic capacitors have a possibility of showing characteristics superior to those of the tantalum electrolytic capacitors. Accordingly, many studies have been further conducted.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for manufacturing a niobium electrolytic capacitor by chemically converting a niobium sintered body or niobium foil in an electrolyte aqueous solution containing chlorine ions at a solution temperature of −15° C. to 100° C. and subsequently performing aging in an electrolytic solution substantially not containing halogen ions. This electrolyte aqueous solution is prepared by dissolving a chloride based electrolyte, such as hydrogen chloride, a metal chloride, or a chloride of ammonium or amine, in water.
Patent Document 2 describes manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor anode by sintering flaked niobium powder in vacuum and anodizing the sintered body in an 0.1 wt % aqueous solution of phosphoric acid. The temperature of the phosphoric acid aqueous solution during the anodization is not specifically disclosed in Patent Document 2, but it is supposed that the temperature is a level at which conventional chemical conversion is performed by a person skilled in the art, that is, about 60° C. to 90° C.
Patent Document 3 proposes a process for chemical conversion by immersing a niobium anode body in an aqueous solution (chemical conversion solution) containing at least one acid selected from phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid and performing chemical conversion at a solution temperature of not lower than the freezing point and not higher than about 40° C. It is disclosed that the freezing point of the chemical conversion solution slightly varies depending on the kind and the concentration of the solute, but is about 0° C. (or a temperature slightly lower than about 0° C.). In the examples of Patent Document 3, the solution temperature during chemical conversion is set at 5° C. to 40° C.
Patent Document 4 describes a method for manufacturing a solid electrolytic capacitor in which an oxide coating film is formed in a surface of a porous sintered body of tantalum, which is a metal exhibiting valve action, by immersing the sintered body in an aqueous solution containing hydrogen peroxide and phosphoric acid to anodize the sintered body. The chemical conversion solution temperature during the anodization is not specifically disclosed in Patent Document 4, but it is supposed that the temperature is a level at which conventional chemical conversion is performed by a person skilled in the art, that is, about 60° C. to 90° C.
Patent Document 5 discloses a method for manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor in which a dielectric coating film layer is formed in the surface of a niobium or niobium-based alloy anode body, and then a first conductive polymer layer of polypyrrole or a polypyrrole derivative is formed on the dielectric coating film layer by immersing the anode body provided with the dielectric coating film layer in a solution comprising 0.7 to 10 wt % of hydrogen peroxide and 0.3 to 3 wt % of sulfuric acid and water as a main solvent, pulling up the anode body and exposing it to vapor of pyrrole or a pyrrole derivative. The dielectric coating film layer is formed by sintering niobium powder to a porous anode element and immersing the porous anode element in an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid at 5° C. for chemical conversion treatment at a voltage of 38 V.
Patent Document 6 describes a method for manufacturing an anode for an electrolytic capacitor by immersing a metal exhibiting valve action in an electrolytic solution to anodize the metal at 40° C. It is shown that when tantalum powder is used as the metal exhibiting valve action, the electrolytic solution composed of ethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol, deionized water, and phosphoric acid is used.
Patent Document 7 discloses an anodization electrolytic solution for forming a dielectric oxide on a metal exhibiting valve action. The anodization electrolytic solution contains water; oxo acid of phosphorus or its salt; at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic acids, salts of inorganic acids, carboxylic acid, carboxylates and mixtures thereof; and a protic solvent. As examples of the protic solvent when the metal exhibiting valve action is tantalum, alkylene glycol and polyalkylene glycol are disclosed. The chemical conversion solution temperature during the anodization is not specifically disclosed, but it is supposed that the temperature is a level at which conventional chemical conversion is performed by a person skilled in the art, that is, about 60° C. to 90° C. | {
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Protective material and protective wear is currently used by persons to protect themselves from knocks, abrasions and other injury. Protective wear is used during sport, rugby for example and equestrian sports and other activities where a person runs a risk of injury, for example building and other trades.
Conventional protective wear may form an integral part of an item of clothing, for example a shoulder pad, or be provided separately, for example a shin pad.
One existing arrangement comprises a moulded foam article shaped to fit a particular part of the body. There are, however, a number of problems with this arrangement. The article must be produced in different sizes to fit different people. Provision of different sizes can be expensive or inconvenient. Also, closely fitting articles can restrict movement of the wearer, especially when worn on or near joints.
In DE 43 41 722 is disclosed a cushioning material for the treatment of lymphostatic fibroses in which a plurality of foam elements with an enlarged base are disposed side-by-side with their bases touching on a foundation layer to which they are affixed. The troughs defined between the side walls of the elements enable the material to be flexed to form a pressure bandage. However, the foram elements of the bandage touch one another at their base, which restricts the stretchability of the material as a whole and is also designed to be worn with the elements in contact with the skin, which would restrict movement.
A moulded foam article can only correctly fit a joint when in one position. When the joint moves, the article will no longer fit correctly. This may reduce the protection it affords.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,768 is disclosed a fabric coated with a surface deformed foam which is manufactured either by grooving or slashing a sheet of foam to a portion of its depth and then laminating it to the fabric or by laminating a foam sheet to a fabric and then grooving or slashing the form layer. However, neither of these methods enables the foam to be cut to define a plurality of spaced, separate elements, which is preferred if the fabric is to be used in protective wear for ,sports persons when considerable freedom of movement by the wearer is required in addition to comfort.
Another existing arrangement comprises a quilted material including lengths of foam sewn into pockets formed between two layers of fabric. Such materials are time consuming to produce. Also, such materials can generally only easily be flexed in a direction perpendicular to that of the strips of foam. Flexing the material in a direction along the length of the strips involves flexing the strips themselves which, depending on the type of foam used, can be difficult. A similar type of garment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,082 which describes an athletic garment in which strategically placed rib-shaped gel, air or foam padding is contained in envelopes that are individually affixed to an elasticized fabric shell. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Electronic locks and keys are used in military applications to prevent unauthorized launching of missiles and arming of nuclear warheads, and in commercial applications to prevent unauthorized entrance into a given area or initiation of a process, for examples.
Mechanical locks, such as combination or lock and key types, are inadequate for military purposes since they can easily be opened, cannot be used where initiation or activation from a remote area is required, and can malfunction in extreme environmental conditions of temperature, etc.
Electronic locks and keys using shift registers have been used, but have not been entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of security and volume or space, for examples.
The present invention relates to a new and improved electronic lock, and lock and key combination, in which a large number of design options are available to make it statistically impossible to circumvent the lock with trial and error use of random codes, without the required key.
In accordance with the invention, an electronic key comprising first means for generating a first coded pulse train is connected to an electronic lock comprising: second means for generating a second coded pulse train; an EXCLUSIVE-OR gate having two inputs connected to the outputs of the two pulse train generating means to produce a logical ZERO output in response to the identical coded pulse trains or a logical ONE output in response to pulse trains that are different; an electronic gate having a first input connected to the output of the second pulse generating means; a binary output counter having a clock input connected to the output of the electronic gate, and means for producing an output at a selected count; and means, connected between the output of the EXCLUSIVE-OR gate and a second input to the electronic gate, for keeping the electronic gate open for transmission of the second coded pulse train to the output counter when the two coded pulse trains are identical, and for closing the electronic gate to stop the counter from counting when the two coded pulse trains are different.
In the embodiment disclosed as an example, the electronic gate is a first NAND gate, the means for opening and closing this NAND gate comprises: a second NAND gate having a first input connected to the output of the EXCLUSIVE-OR gate; and a toggle flip-flop having a toggle input connected to the output of the second NAND gate, an output connected to a second input to the second NAND gate, and means for initially producing a logical ONE output therefrom. In the example, the key includes a power supply and an oscillator or clock for generating a uniform pulse train, and each coded pulse train generating means comprises an N-stage binary counter connected to the clock and to an N-stage multiplexer having 2.sup.N control lines to which a given binary code is applied, where N is an integer greater than 1. The two coded pulse train generating means are as nearly identical as possible, to permit "opening" of the lock and production of the output signal, without closure of the NAND gates.
If any other key, having a different pulse frequency or pulse shape, is connected to the lock, the EXCLUSIVE-OR gate output changes to a logical ONE, which toggles the flip-flop to a ZERO output, which closes the NAND gates and prevents transmission of the pulses to the output counter.
Preferably, the clock for generating the uniform pulse train and the power source are parts of the key, to make it more difficult to open the lock. The flip-flop may be either a single flip-flop or the last flip-flop of a binary counter. | {
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The present invention relates to a data processing unit with pipeline control, and more particularly to a data processing unit which executes variable length instructions having operand specifiers for specifying addressing modes of operands issued independently from operation codes for ascertaining operations.
In a variable length instruction architecture, the instruction length varies even if the length of the operation code is fixed. The leading field of the instruction is an operation code but the other fields have various meanings. Accordingly, the meanings of the fields in the instruction are not uniquely defined. Furthermore, since the operand specifiers in the instruction have variable lengths depending on the addressing mode, the instruction length is variable even if the operation code is fixed.
In an instruction decoding unit which handles such variable length instruction architecture, if an instruction is fetched and decoded parallelly, a large scale hardware is required and a complex control is necessary.
In a system in which an instruction is fetched and decoded one or a plurality of predetermined lengths of units at a time, a long time is required to decode the instruction and hence high speed processing can not be attained. For example, if a basic unit comprises eight bits (byte), a basic instruction has a three to seven-byte length. If the instruction is decoded in synchronism with a machine cycle, the machine cycles which are equal in number to the number of bytes of the instruction are necessary to decode the instruction.
Thus, in the data processing unit which handles the variable length instruction architecture, it is an important factor to increase the speed of the processing of the instruction decoding operation to attain an efficient pipeline processing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Improvements in data processing systems have generally been directed at reduction either of the average time required to execute a given instruction or reduction in cost of the equipment required to perform such an instruction. One design tradeoff which has typically been made is that of cost versus speed for units of memory for the storage of data. For example, tape memory is traditionally slower and less expensive than disk memory. Disk memory in turn is available in several types; the selection of any one type involves a cost/speed tradeoff. Disk memory is slower but less expensive than solid-state memory which itself is available in several types, the selection of which again involves a cost/speed tradeoff. Thus, it continues to be a need of the art to provide cheaper, faster memories or, failing that, to improve the efficiency of presently existing memory types. The present invention relates to an improvement of the second type. In particular, the invention involves apparatus and methods of operation thereof for reducing the average time necessary for a host central processing unit (CPU), which typically comprises an arithmetic and logic unit and a main memory unit for retention of the instructions and data currently being operated on, to obtain data stored on a less expensive, long-term data storage device, such as a magnetic disk or tape drive unit.
Delays in memory access occur due to mechanical limitations on the apparatus. For example, in the case of a disk drive, in general, plural disks rotate at a fixed speed past read/write heads which may either be stationary with respect to the disk or move radially back and forth with respect to the disk in order to juxtapose the heads to various portions of the disk surfaces. In either case, there is a finite average time required for a particular data record to be located and read from the disk into a faster form of memory, typically a solid-state main memory included in the host computer. The delay may involve the "seek" time required for the head to be moved radially to the particular "track" selected, as well as "latency" time required for the disk to rotate with respect to the head until the beginning of the particular record sought is juxtaposed to the head for reading and writing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention of copending application Ser. No. 325,346 filed Nov. 27, 1981, of Dodd entitled "Cache Buffered Memory Subsystem", incorporated herein by reference and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,526 to provide a memory subsystem in which the average time required for a record sought to be transferred to the main memory system of a host computer is significantly reduced. The present invention relates to details of a preferred embodiment of that invention.
Prior art data processing systems typically comprise a host computer and long-term memory storage means including such devices as magnetic disk memory units and magnetic tape units. Communication from the host computer to the disk or tape memory subsystem is generally made via a "channel" which physically comprises a defined set of signal connections over which all information--including data as well as commands, control signals, status signals, request signals and the like--must pass. In order that a memory subsystem can be marketable, it must "interface" or mate directly with a channel identical with those with which prior memory subsystems mated, thus being "plug compatible" with the host computer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved memory subsystem which is "plug-compatible" with a prior art host computer.
Similarly, it is desirable if not commercially requisite that any data subsystem not require modification to the host computer's programming instructions or "software" upon connection, i.e., that it be "software-transparent" to the host.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a memory system which provides improved performance as noted above, while being software-transparent to the host.
The copending application referred to above and incorporated by reference herein refers to a cache buffer memory supsystem comprising a solid-state cache memory and a cache memory controller. The solid-state cache memory contains data written thereinto in advance of a host's request for that data. Thereafter, when the host calls for that data it ca be supplied to the host immediately inasmuch as there is no seek or latency time required to access any portion of a solid-state memory array. In a preferred embodiment of that invention, described more fully in copending application Ser. No. 325,350 filed Nov. 27, 1981, of Dodd et al, entitled "Detection of Sequential Data Stream", and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,730, and a continuation-in-part of that application Ser. No. 441,901 filed Nov. 15, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,836, both incorporated herein by reference, the cache memory controller determines at what points it would be desirable to "stage" data not having been called for by the host into the cache memory array in anticipation of its being called for.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that disk memories of the type in most comxon use at the present time generally comprise a plurality of disks each having upper and lower surfaces for the storage of data by magnetization of areas on their surfaces. The disks are divided into concentric tracks which are divided into sectors. An index mark is provided on each disk identifying a first sector. When the host computer desires data from a disk drive it issues a "SET SECTOR" command whereby the disk drive is notified that data beginning with the sector identified by the host is to be read. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the data called for in each reading operation initiated by the host is examined to consider whether it is likely to be a part of a sequence of such records to be called for. If so, it is considered that the following record is likely to be called for, and the entire track from which the access request was satisfied is cached. If the remainder of the track is then called for by the host, it is available in cache memory and the host's request can be very quickly satisfied. Moreover, if the entire track is thereafter called for, the succeeding track is then "prestaged" to the cache in anticipation of further requests.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous types of disk drives are available, each having differing amount of data stored per track. Accordingly, if the cache memory subsystem is to store data by tracks efficiently, it must be adapted to contain varying lengths of data efficiently. This is satisfied in accordance with copending application Ser. No. 325,351 filed Nov. 27, 1981, of Coulson et al, entitled "Adaptive Domain Partitioning of Cache Memory Space", and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,712, and a continuation-in-part of that application, Ser. No. 411,791 filed Nov. 15,1982, having the same title.
While, as noted above, it is deemed desirable to bring data into the cache from a disk memory system track by track, it is not necessarily the case that each request will begin at the index mark which may be taken to the start of each track. Instead, if the host has called for the first record in the track, the subsequent record will inevitably start other than at the beginning of the track. Clearly, it would be desirable to read succeeding records into the cache without waiting for the disk drive to complete the particular rotation during which the first data record was read. In order to do so, it is clearly essential that accurate orientation of the relative location of the track on disk and its storage location in the cache be maintained so that, for example, host requests for data stored on the remainder of the track can be satisfied by access to the corresponding data storage addresses in the cache.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such accurate orientation of disk memory with cache memory.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that records when stored on disk drives have "headers" or count fields preceding each record which include information identifying the particular record, specifying its length and the like. As is understood in the art, the requirements of headers for data stored in solid-state memories are substantially different from those of count fields on magnetic disk media, such as disk drives, and it would be accordingly desirable to provide means for transforming a number of magnetic media count fields into a single solid-state memory header.
It is an object of the invention to perform this transformation of the count fields into a single header and, in particular, to provide a header of a length variable in accordance with the number of records on each track and not of fixed length as is usual in the magnetic media prior art.
As noted above, it is desirable that an entire disk track be read from disk memory into cache memory at one time, but not necessarily starting from the beginning or index mark of the track. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means whereby it can be reliably determined that an entire track of data has been read from a disk drive into the cache memory array.
Occasionally, it is necessary to convert a channel program that was operating on a track image in cache memory (a frame) to operating on the actual track on the disk; that is, it becomes necessary to read a portion of a track from the disk, rather than the cache, or to write to a track which has been cached. In each case, it is necessary to recreate the specific record and field orientation that existed in cache before continuing the channel program with records from the disk track.
The need for returning a channel program to disk arises in the following situations: (1) an error prevents data from being accessed in cache memory; (2) a write command is received in the channel program and it is deemed undesirable to write to cache memory; or (3) a sequential track required during multi-track processing is not located in cache memory.
It is an object of the present invention to perform an accurate reorientation from the records stored in cache memory to the same records stored on the disk track. Further, it is an object of this invention to perform this reorientation operation within a single revolution of the disk, without necessarily waiting for the index mark on the disk track to provide reorientation.
In the prior art, this was not always possible. Examples of related prior art systems include the Storage Technology Corporation 4000/4305 "solid-state disk" system, in which a solid-state memory effectively minimized a magnetic disk system and the Storage Technology Corporation 8880/8650 disk subsystem.
The 4000/4305 solid-state disk subsystem used a track remaining count which is similar to the emulated track position (ETP) of this invention. However, this track remaining count was not used for transferring orientation from a frame to a disk track; no magnetic disk memory was included in that system.
The 8880/8650 disk subsystem uses a reorient counter that counts an approximate full track revolution starting from the beginning of a record. If the 8880 director encounters errors reading a record, then the reorient counter in the device informs the director when the same record is about to pass under the read/write head again. This technique allows positive reorientation on a specific record on disk, but requires that orientation had been previously established on the disk. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to carbon materials comprising an optimized pore structure, methods for making the same and devices containing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Activated carbon is commonly employed in electrical storage and distribution devices. The high surface area, conductivity and porosity of activated carbon allows for the design of electrical devices having higher energy density than devices employing other materials. Electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs or “ultracapacitors”) are an example of such devices. EDLCs often have electrodes prepared from an activated carbon material and a suitable electrolyte, and have an extremely high energy density compared to more common capacitors. Typical uses for EDLCs include energy storage and distribution in devices requiring short bursts of power for data transmissions, or peak-power functions such as wireless modems, mobile phones, digital cameras and other hand-held electronic devices. EDLCs are also commonly use in electric vehicles such as electric cars, trains, buses and the like.
Batteries are another common energy storage and distribution device which often contain an activated carbon material (e.g., as anode material, current collector, or conductivity enhancer). For example, lithium/carbon batteries having a carbonaceous anode intercalated with lithium represent a promising energy storage device. Other types of carbon-containing batteries include lithium air batteries, which use porous carbon as the current collector for the air electrode, and lead acid batteries which often include carbon additives in either the anode or cathode. Batteries are employed in any number of electronic devices requiring low current density electrical power (as compared to an EDLC's high current density).
One known limitation of EDLCs and carbon-based batteries is decreased performance at high-temperature, high voltage operation, repeated charge/discharge cycles and/or upon aging. This decreased performance has been attributed, at least in part, to electrolyte impurity or impurities in the carbon electrode itself, causing breakdown of the electrode at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Thus, it has been suggested that EDLCs and/or batteries comprising electrodes prepared from higher purity carbon materials could be operated at higher voltages and for longer periods of time at higher temperatures than existing devices.
In addition to purity, another known limitation of carbon-containing electrical devices is the pore structure of the activated carbon itself. While activated carbon materials typically comprise high porosity, the pore size distribution is not optimized for use in electrical energy storage and distribution devices. Such optimization includes an idealized blend of both micropores and mesopores. An idealized pore size distribution is expected to maximize ion mobility (i.e., lower resistance), increase power density and improve volumetric capacitance of electrodes prepared from the optimized carbon materials.
Although the need for improved high purity carbon materials comprising a pore structure optimized for high pulse power electrochemical applications has been recognized, such carbon materials are not commercially available and no reported preparation method is capable of yielding the same. One common method for producing high surface area activated carbon materials is to pyrolyze an existing carbon-containing material (e.g., coconut fibers or tire rubber). This results in a char with relatively low surface area which can subsequently be over-activated to produce a material with the surface area and porosity necessary for the desired application. Such an approach is inherently limited by the existing structure of the precursor material, and typically results in a carbon material having an unoptimized pore structure and an ash content (e.g., metal impurities) of 1% or higher.
Activated carbon materials can also be prepared by chemical activation. For example, treatment of a carbon-containing material with an acid, base or salt (e.g., phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, zinc chloride, etc.) followed by heating results in an activated carbon material. However, such chemical activation also produces an activated carbon material not suitable for use in high performance electrical devices.
Another approach for producing high surface area activated carbon materials is to prepare a synthetic polymer from carbon-containing organic building blocks (e.g., a polymer gel). As with the existing organic materials, the synthetically prepared polymers are pyrolyzed and activated to produce an activated carbon material. In contrast to the traditional approach described above, the intrinsic porosity of the synthetically prepared polymer results in higher process yields because less material is lost during the activation step. However, known methods for preparing carbon materials from synthetic polymers produce carbon materials having unoptimized pore structures and unsuitable levels of impurities. Accordingly, electrodes prepared from these materials demonstrate unsuitable electrochemical properties.
While significant advances have been made in the field, there continues to be a need in the art for improved high purity carbon materials comprising an optimized pore structure for use in electrical energy storage devices, as well as for methods of making the same and devices containing the same. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages. | {
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Embodiments of the present description generally relate to the field of microelectronic device fabrication and, more particularly, to the fabrication of a first level interlayer dielectric material layer in a non-planar transistor. | {
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This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of pyridinium chloride salts of higher aliphatic esters of 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide.
Epstein et al., in Examples H and I of U.S. Pat. No. 2,290,173, have disclosed the preparation of the lauric acid ester of 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide. Briefly stated, this preparation involves reacting a lauroyl halide (I) with a 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide (II) to form an intermediate ester (III) and a hydrogen halide gas. The intermediate ester is isolated, purified and subsequently quaternized with pyridine at 90.degree. to 95.degree. to form a solid mass of the pyridinium halide salt (IV) (1-{{[2-(alkyloyloxy) ethyl] carbamoyl} methyl} pyridinium chloride) which is separated, slurried in benzene, filtered and washed with ligroin to effect purification. This process is outlined in Flowsheet I. ##STR1## The process of Epstein, however, suffers from three important disadvantages. First, the formation of the intermediate ester (III) is accompanied by the release of irritating, corrosive fumes of hydrogen halide gas. Second, the intermediate ester (III) must be isolated before the final pyridinium chloride can be produced. Finally, the formation of the pyridinium chloride salt (IV) by heating intermediate (III), in pyridine, causes the pyridinium chloride product to be contaminated with pyridine hydrochloride which coprecipitates and must be subsequently removed by repeated slurrying in benzene. Even with the repeated slurrying in benzene, however, the product produced by the process of Esptein is significantly contaminated with pyridine hydrochloride.
Since the pyridinium chloride salts of the higher alkyl esters of 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide are commercially useful bacteriostatic materials, it would be highly desirable to have a process for their preparation which avoids the difficulties of the Epstein et al., process.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified process, in which no intermediates need be isolated, for the production of the pyridinium chloride salts of the higher alkyl esters of 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide. It is a further object of this invention to provide a process in which no irritating hydrogen halide fumes are released and in which the pyridinium salt produced contains less pyridinium hydrochloride contaminants than that found in the products produced by the processes in current use.
According to the present invention, it has been discovered that pyridine combined with a non-hydroxylic solvent, that is, a solvent essentially free of water or reactive hydrogen atoms, constitutes a suitable reaction medium for the production of the desired pyridinium chloride salt (IV), from 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide.
In order to convert the 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide into the desired pyridinium salt (IV), the hydroxyl group must be esterified, and the halo group must be displaced by pyridine. Although it is possible to conduct these reactions in either order, it is preferable to perform the esterification first, and the quaternization reaction second. Thus, in the preferred reaction sequence, an aliphatic acid halide (I) is reacted with 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide (II) in a non-hydroxylic solvent, in the presence of pyridine, to form the intermediate ester (III) which is converted in situ to the pyridinium chloride salt (IV). Whether the reaction steps are performed in the preferred order or not, however, the process of the present invention is superior to the Epstein process because all reactions may be carried out in a single reaction vessel without isolation of intermediates; hydrogen halide gas released during the esterification step is absorbed by the pyridine present, and the pyridinium chloride product (IV) is obtained in solution rather than as a solid mass from which it is difficult to isolate. In addition, not only is the product produced by process of the present invention lighter in color, but it also contains less pyridine hydrohalide impurities than the products produced by the prior art method. Because of the lower pyridine hydrohalide levels contained in the product produced by the process of the present invention, a 1% aqueous dispersion of such a product has a pH of 4 to 5.2 at 25.degree. C., while a similar preparation of the prior art product has a pH of 2.5 to 3.8.
Any higher aliphatic acid halide containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms may be used singly or in mixtures in the process of the present invention. This includes, for example, straight chain acid halides such as lauroyl, myristoyl, palmitoyl and stearoyl bromides or chlorides, and substituted acid halides containing alkoxyl and carboalkoxy groups such as 2-methoxy-dodecanoyl chloride, 4-ethoxy-tetradeconyl bromide, 5-carbohexoxypentanoyl chloride, 9-carbobutoxynonoyl chloride, 7-carbobutoxy heptanoyl chloride and other similar acid halides. The preferred acid halides are lauroyl chloride and a commerical grade of stearoyl chloride which contains predominantly stearoyl chloride, but in addition, some other long chain carboxylic acids chlorides so that the apparent molecular weight of this material is 285.8 rather than 302.9 which would be expected for pure stearoyl chloride.
Non-hydroxylic solvents suitable for use in the present process include ethers such as ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, diethylene glycol diethyl ether, triethylene glycol dimethylether, triethylene glycol diethyl ether, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether, di-n-butyl ether and tetraethylene glycol diethyl ether; ketones such as ethyl methyl ketone, isopropyl methyl ketone, n-propyl methyl ketone, diethyl ketone, isobutyl methyl ketone, diisopropyl ketone, n-butyl methyl ketone, cyclopentonone, di-n-propyl ketone, cyclohexanone, the methyl cyclohexanones, diisobutyl ketone, and hexyl methyl ketone; aromatic materials such as toluene, zylene, chlorobenzene, nitrobenzene, dichlorobenzene, the chlorotoluenes, bromobenzene and anisole; and aprotic solvents such as dimethyl formamide and sulfolane. It is desirable to add between about 2 and 2.20 moles of pyridine to the nonhydroxylic solvent for each mole of 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide used in the reaction. If the esterification reaction is performed first, then approximately equimolar quantities of the acid halide and the 2-chloro-N-2-hydroxyethylacetamide are added to the non-hydroxylic pyridine solvent mixture. The reaction mixture is stirred at a temperature from about 10.degree. to 65.degree. C. for a period of about 1 to 4 hours. It is preferred, however, to conduct this reaction in a temperature range from about 25.degree. to about 55.degree. C. for a period of about 2 to 3 hours. The quaternization reaction requires slightly higher temperatures and may be conducted from about 65.degree. to about 95.degree. C. for a period of about 1 to 8 hours. It is preferred, however, to conduct this reaction from about 80.degree. to about 85.degree. C. for about 2 to 3 hours.
If the quaternization reaction is performed first, the 2-chloro-2-hydroxyethylacetamid is added to the non-hydroxylic-pyridine solvent, and the reaction is conducted under the same conditions of temperature and stirring which are used for the quaternization reaction when it is performed as the second reaction. The acid halide is then added to the reaction mixture and the esterification reaction is conducted under the same conditions of temperature and stirring which are used for the esterification reaction when it is performed as the first reaction.
The isolation of the pyridinium salt from the solution produced by the process of the present invention, is not difficult. In one method of isolation, the reaction mixture is diluted with a suitable organic solvent, heated to a moderately elevated temperature in order to dissolve any precipitate which may be formed, and then cooled to precipitate the pyridinium chloride salt, which is recovered from the liquid by some suitable means such as filtration. The pyridinium salt, still wet with traces of the liquid from which it was precipitated, is then rinsed with a cold (0.degree.-5.degree. C.) lower alcohol. If a higher purity product is desired the pyridinium chloride is then dissolved in a recrystallization solvent and activated carbon and a filter aid are added to the solution. Upon removal of the activated carbon and filter aid from the solution, the solution is concentrated and cooled in order to precipitate the purified chloride salt which is then rinsed with a small portion of a warm aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent and dried. The process, including the above method of isolation, is illustrated on Flowsheet II. ##STR2## The solvents used to dilute the reaction mixture may include lower alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, N-propanol, and isopropanol; ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone any hydrocarbons, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, hexane and heptane. The preferred diluting solvents are the lower alcohols, and the preferred alcohol is isopropanol. The final product may be recrystallized from a wide variety of organic solvents although the lower alcohols are preferred. The most desirable recrystallization solvent is methanol.
In the preferred isolation procedure, the reaction mixture is diluted with isopropanol; and the precipitate which forms upon the addition of the diluting solvent is then dissolved by warming the mixture to a temperature of from about 55.degree. to to about 75.degree. C. The pyridinium chloride salt is then precipitated by cooling of the mixtures to a temperature of about 25.degree. C. The precipitate is rinsed with isopropanol and the recrystallized from methanol. The recrystallization is conducted by dissolving the pyridinium chloride salt in non-boiling methanol, adding thereto a filter aid and activated carbon, removing said activated carbon and said filter aid, concentrating the methanol solution of the pyridinium salt to a volume of 30 to 40% of the original volume, and cooling the resulting solution to a temperature of -5.degree. to about 15.degree. C. in order to precipitate the pyridinium chloride salt. Finally, the pyridinium chloride salt is washed with a warm (35.degree.-45.degree. C.) aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, (preferably hexane or heptane) and dried to yield the desired product. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring a refractive index distribution of an object such as an optical element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical elements such as lenses that are used for optical apparatuses such as digital cameras and laser beam printers require high refractive indices. On the other hand, molding technology enables easy production of complex shapes such as aspheric surfaces even when using optical glasses and plastics having high refractive indices.
However, the molding sometimes causes, inside the optical element, refractive index nonuniformity depending on molding conditions. Such internal refractive index nonuniformity greatly affects optical characteristics of the optical element, which may make it impossible to obtain desired optical characteristics. Therefore, highly accurate measurement of internal optical homogeneity of the optical element having a high refractive index is required.
Methods of measuring the optical homogeneity generally include interferometries that measure a transmitted wavefront of an object (optical element) highly accurately processed to measure an internal refractive index distribution thereof. Moreover, a method is proposed which places an object between glass plates and soaks the object in oil being provided therebetween and having a refractive index approximately equal to that of the object to reduce surface accuracy errors of the object.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-316627 discloses a method which measures a transmitted wavefront of an object soaked in a medium (matching oil) having a refractive index approximately equal to that of the object to obtain optical properties of the object. This method enables measurement of an internal refractive index distribution of the object without accurate processing of the object.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-008726 discloses a method which measures a transmitted wavefront of an object soaked in a first matching oil having a refractive index approximately equal to that of the object, and further measures a transmitted wavefront of the object soaked in a second matching oil having a refractive index slightly different from that of the object. The disclosed method obtains a shape and a refractive index distribution of the object based on the transmitted wavefronts measured using the first and second matching oils.
In the measurement with the second matching oil, influences of the refractive index distribution and shape of the object appear as interference fringes on a detector for measuring the transmitted wavefront. Therefore, it is necessary that the refractive index of the second matching oil be slightly different from that of the object within a range where the interference fringes are not exceedingly dense.
The measuring methods disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 01-316627 and 02-008726 need the matching oil having the refractive index approximately equal to that of the object. However, matching oils having high refractive indices generally have low transmittances. Therefore, when measuring a transmitted wavefront of an object whose refractive index is high by the measuring methods disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 01-316627 and 02-008726, the detector outputs only a small signal, which deteriorates measurement accuracy. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image receiving material for electrophotography for forming a reflected image and particularly to an image receiving material for electrophotography capable of forming a highly qualified toner reflected image similar to photography with respect to smoothness.
2. Description of Related Art
An electrophotographic method is an image forming method applying a photoconductive effect and electrostatic phenomenon, and the method is widely utilized in a variety of fields. The electrophotographic method has two kinds: one is to form an image on a semiconductor material itself such as zinc oxide paper; the other is to form an image by further transferring a toner image to a recording medium capable of receiving toner images. The latter, called a xerography method, is widely employed in copying machines for offices, and the image forming principle is described below.
First, electrostatic charges are placed in the dark on a photosensitive plate having a photoconductor such as selenium by using corona charge or the like, and when the charged plate is exposed to an original image, charges are dissipated only in irradiated portions to form a latent image where the charges remain. Negatively charged toners, after mixed with carriers and introduced to the latent image, are attracted to the latent image. Then, the image receiving material made of, for example, a paper is applied on the toners and the toners are transferred by heating to a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium.
In recent years, color copying machines are further widely used, and those color copying machines carry out the aforementioned method by utilizing color toners. Because the color copying machines are mostly used for copying images rather than letters, the images to be formed are sought to be clear and highly qualified. However, when color copying is made on a plain paper, clear and highly qualified images cannot be achieved. Particularly, inferiority of glossiness has been raised as a major problem. Thus, it has been sought to improve image receiving materials used for photography application. | {
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A wealth of information is now available to users via the Internet and other communication tools. Some information requires users to actively search for the content before it is presented. Other information (e.g., advertisements) is presented without a user request, but user interest in such information can be limited. | {
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One of the ways in which a video signal may be degraded during processing in a TV studio or other production facility is by the addition of noise (random, short-term variations in amplitude) to the video signals. One of the major sources of noise in a production facility is a video tape recorder (VTR). When a video signal is recorded on video tape in a VTR, and is subsequently played back, the transformation of the picture information from electrical form to magnetic form and back again may result in addition of a significant amount of noise to the video signal, over and above any noise that may be added during processing of the picture information in electrical form. VTR manufacturers attempt to design and manufacture VTRs with the best possible signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio.
The standard method of measuring the S/N ratio for a component VTR involves measuring the noise level added to a component signal (luminance or chrominance, or R, G or B) at a region of the signal that is of constant amplitude. This practice has led some VTR manufacturers to incorporate so-called dead-zone circuits in the VTR at a point in the signal path that is downstream of the playback heads. A dead-zone circuit has the characteristic that it responds linearly to large changes in input signallevel but provides no response to small changes in input signal level. The threshold level, above which the circuit provides a linear response, is selected to be higher than the amplitude of the noise introduced in the record and play-back process. Consequently, the S/N ratio of the VTR, measured by the standard method, is very good. Use of a dead-zone circuit in a VTR might not be particularly objectionable in certain applications, e. g. where the VTR is used solely for recording and playing-back signals representative of pictures that have major areas of constant value and sharp transitions between areas of different value, such as many cartoons and certain computer generated graphics, but the dead-zone circuit results in serious degradation of signals representative of pictures with subtle gradations in value, such as pictures of human faces and of many indoor and outdoor scenes. In fact, after two or three tape-to-tape transfers, the dead-zone circuit can degrade a signal to the point that a serious question arises as to whether the signal can be used.
Dead-zone circuits are used with considerable subtlety. For example there may be different dead-zone circuits in high frequency and low frequency paths for the same component signal, and it is often difficult, even with the benefit of the schematic diagram for the VTR, to identify the dead-zone circuit and adjust it to minimize its deleterious effect.
The presence of a dead zone in a VTR can, in theory, be detected by use of a test signal comprising a horizontal sync pulse and a linear ramp. However, the dead zone only manifests itself by a slight shift in time of the ramp, and unless the original test signal and the signal received at the output of the VTR are superimposed on the screen of an oscilloscope or waveform monitor it is not possible to establish with a high degree of reliability whether there is a dead zone in the VTR. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a projector.
2. Related Art
In related art, a projector including an illumination device having a light source that outputs light from a light emitting part, a first lens array having plural first small lenses, a second lens array having plural second small lenses corresponding to the plural first small lenses, and a superimposing lens that superimposes lights from the second lens array, a light modulation device that modulates light from the illumination device in response to image information, and a projection optical system that projects the light from the light modulation device on a projection target has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2007-219442)).
According to the projector in related art, since the first lens array having the plural first small lenses, the second lens array having the plural second small lenses corresponding to the plural first small lenses, and the superimposing lens that superimposes lights from the second lens array are provided, after the in-plane light intensity distribution of the light from the light source is uniformized, the light may be allowed to enter the light modulation device. As a result, a projection image with little brightness irregularities can be projected.
In the technical field of the projector, a projector that can project a projection image with less brightness irregularities is constantly required. | {
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The present invention relates to a shielding apparatus and, more particularly, to a shielding apparatus connectable between a circuit board and a connector having pins connectable to the circuit board.
Many military and non-military electronic products require circular connectors as rugged external interfaces to interface with other devices. To minimize cabling and assembly costs of these products, the connectors are often attached directly to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Due to the soldering process, however, a gap is frequently left between the metal back of the connector and the PCB. The PCB is often designed to block this electro-magnetic interference (EMI), but the gap still allows all the short exposed pins to act as receiving and transmitting antennae. This causes test failures and can interfere with the proper operation of the products (or adjacent products).
The problem of the gap between the PCB and the metal back of the connector has been traditionally solved by physically quarantining the connector PCB in a separate metal housing. This can work in some applications but is often a bulky, heavy and expensive solution. Other options involve placing small metal canisters around the connectors themselves. This is done with very thin sheet metal that is soldered into place. Such canisters can be an effective EMI barrier but still require that the connector be mechanically mounted to the PCB. | {
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A bottle carrier is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,962 having individual frames, in the form of split collars, supported within a larger frame. A skirt member, including a retaining loop, is provided for attachment to a bottle carrier, and is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,468. U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,094 illustrates a bottle carrier in common use wherein a molded plastic sheet of relatively uniform thickness contains segmental inwardly extending flexible lip member carried in individual bottle sections. A skirt in the form of a sheet member depends from the bottle receiving sections. This latter device has the disadvantage of obscuring the bottles contained within the package while making bottle removal somewhat difficult. The other patented carriers possess a disadvantage in that it is difficult to place the bottle within the carrier because failure to present the bottles in proper alignment with the collars during the forcing of the bottles into the receiving collars results in the collars hanging up with consequent damage and insufficient retension of the bottles.
Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a unitary plastic bottle carrier wherein the necks of the bottles may be readily inserted even when alignment between the bottes and the individual receiving sections is not perfect, and which will also facilate removal of the bottle while affording adequate bottle retension during handling of the bottle package.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive bottle holder which will not obscure the upper portions of the bottles while facilitating insertion and removal of the bottles from the bottle holder. | {
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Designers of tools that perform static analysis on computer software applications are often faced with finding the right balance between precision and performance/scalability. The more accurate the analysis results are expected to be, the more information the analysis needs to maintain and reason about, which leads to degradation in performance/scalability. Some tools attempt to address this issue by statically analyzing software libraries on which software applications typically depend, and producing summaries of the behavior of the software libraries. Thereafter, when a target software application is statically analyzed, the software libraries need not be analyzed, as their summaries are used instead. This enables the static analysis of a target software application to scan less code without compromising precision, provided the libraries were statically analyzed using a precise analysis. However, this approach does have its costs, as the summaries must be maintained in storage, preferably of a type that provides efficient access when the target software application is statically analyzed. Furthermore, as such summaries are currently prepared without advance knowledge of the specific characteristics of the various target software applications that are to be statically analyzed, or of the analyses themselves, the summaries need to be exhaustive in order to adequately anticipate different sets of such characteristics, typically resulting in a cumbersome summary generation process that generates huge summaries. Another problem is that such summaries are often overly conservative, as they need to account for all possible client behaviors. | {
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Many current operations rely upon loading a material or product into a vehicle or other equipment. Automation of many of the processes in the operation is a commonly-sought objective to increase productivity and efficiency. For example, many mining operations utilize vehicles to load, haul and unload materials. Increasing the productivity and efficiency of the processes within a mining operation is particularly desirable as each load hauled by a mining vehicle may be very valuable. Moreover, capital equipment costs in large mining operations can be quite high.
In current mining operations, one of the more difficult portions of the mining cycle to reliably detect is the start of a loading or unloading process. Without knowledge of the time in which the loading or unloading process actually started it is very difficult, if not impossible, to accurately determine how long the process takes to complete, or to monitor and evaluate drivers and loaders, determine when a driver is becoming fatigued or slowing down on the job, so that the driver can be relieved or replaced, etc. It is desirable to know how long each process takes to complete in order to monitor the productivity and efficiency of the operation. In large mining operations, the old adage “time is money” indeed holds true.
Some current mining systems rely on a vehicle operator manually indicating that a loading process has begun. For instance, the vehicle operator may be required to push a button in order to indicate that the loading process has started. Such a technique, however, depends on the accuracy and memory of the operator. If the operator forgets to push the button, or pushes the button too early or too late, any measurement of when the loading process began and how long it took to complete will be inaccurate and unreliable.
Other current mining systems rely only on the location of the vehicle, using GPS for example, to try to infer that the mining vehicle is engaged in the process of loading or dumping a payload. One problem with such a method is that often multiple trucks will be present at a loading site at the same time. GPS alone cannot provide the data necessary to determine when a particular truck begins the loading process. Moreover, many trucks may sometimes stop near a loading site at shift change, thus frustrating any attempt to determine when a loading process for a particular truck began.
Thus, there is a need in the field for a system for detecting the location of a vehicle, such as a mining vehicle, and determine whether the vehicle is undergoing loading or unloading, travelling or sitting idle.
There is also a need in the field for a system that can reliably begin a timer when a vehicle begins a loading or unloading process, so that the time that a vehicle spends completing a particular activity may be known and used to monitor and increase productivity.
Furthermore, there is a need in the field for a system that can determine a condition of a road based on acceleration experienced by a vehicle as it travels over the road.
The ability to reliably and accurately determine whether a vehicle is beginning a loading or unloading process, starting a timer so that the amount of time spent performing the loading or unloading may be recorded, and determining a condition of the road allows for increased operation efficiency and production in a mining operation. | {
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(1) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser module and a method of manufacturing the same.
(2) Description of Related Art
Up to now, a semiconductor laser device that outputs laser light obtained by combining two laser lights (or through polarization synthesis of two laser lights) has been disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,684 B or JP 2000-31575 A.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional semiconductor laser apparatus as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,684.
As shown in FIG. 15, the conventional semiconductor laser apparatus comprises a first semiconductor laser device 100 and a second semiconductor laser device 101 emitting laser beams of identical wavelengths in mutually orthogonal directions; a first collimating lens 102 configured to collimate the laser beam emitted from the first semiconductor laser device 100; a second collimating lens 103 configured to collimate the laser beam emitted from the second semiconductor laser device 101; a polarization-synthesizing device (i.e. cube beam splitter) 104 configured to polarization-synthesize the laser beams that were collimated by the first collimating lens 102 and the second collimating lens 103; a convergent lens 105 configured to converge the laser beams polarization-synthesized by the polarization-synthesizing device 104; and an optical fiber 106 for receiving the laser beams converged by the convergent lens 105 and letting the laser beams travel outside.
In the conventional semiconductor laser apparatus, the laser beams are emitted from the first semiconductor laser device 100 and the second semiconductor laser device 101 in mutually vertical directions and are polarization-synthesized by the polarization-synthesizing device 104 to obtain a laser beam of reduced DOP (Degree Of Polarization) from the optical fiber 106. (This technology will hereinafter be called a prior art 1.)
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-31575 discloses a semiconductor laser module including a thermoelectric cooler; a first and a second semiconductor laser devices mounted on the thermoelectric cooler; two lenses each for collimating the first and second laser beams emitted from the first and second semiconductor laser devices; a polarization-synthesizer for synthesizing the first and second laser beams; and an optical fiber for receiving the laser beams emerging from the polarization synthesizer and letting the laser beams travel outside (see FIG. 5 or FIG. 10 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-31575). Moreover, the first and second semiconductor laser devices are formed in an LD array, in which the laser diodes are arrayed at a pitch between their light-emitting centers (hereinafter referred to as inter-emission-center pitch) of 500 μm. Further, the first and second convergent lenses are formed in a lens array such as a ball lens array or a Fresnel lens array. (This technology will hereinafter be called a prior art 2.)
Further, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a semiconductor laser module in which two laser beams emitted from two light-emitting stripes (hereinafter referred to simply as stripes) formed in a single semiconductor laser device are polarization-synthesized and received by an optical fiber. (See Japanese patent application No. 2001-383840, for example. This technology will hereinafter be called a related art.)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a configuration of the semiconductor laser module of the related art.
As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor laser module of the related art includes a single semiconductor laser device 2 having a first stripe 9 and a second stripe 10 formed in parallel to each other interposed therebetween and emitting a first laser beam K1 and a second laser beam K2 from a front end face (i.e. an end face on right-hand side in FIG. 2) of the first stripe 9 and the second stripe 10 respectively; a first lens 4 positioned so that the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 are incident therealong and configured to separate the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 in the direction in which the first and second stripes 9, 10 are arrayed; a half-wave plate 6 (a polarization rotating means) configured to rotate a polarization direction of at least one of the first and second laser beam K1, K2 (i.e. the first laser beam K1 in FIG. 2) by a predetermined angle (by 90 degrees, for example); a PBC (Polarization Beam Combiner) 7 configured to optically synthesize therealong the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2; and an optical fiber 8 optically coupled to the synthesized laser beams emerging from the PBC 7 and letting the synthesized beams to travel outside.
In addition, a prism 5 is disposed between the first lens 4 and the half-wave plate 6 so that the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 are incident thereon and output therefrom along their respective optical axes parallel to each other. This prism 5 includes an incident surface 5a positioned so that the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 are incident and vertically disposed to the optical axis of optical fiber 8, and an exit surface 5b inclined at a predetermined angle from the incident surface 5a. Further, a second lens 16 is disposed between the birefringence element 7 and the optical fiber 8 in order to optically couple the first and second laser beams K1, K2 optically combined by the PBC 7 to the optical fiber 8 which is supported by a ferrule 23.
The first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 emitted respectively from the front end face 2a of the first stripe 9 and the second stripe 10 of the semiconductor laser device 2 travel through the first lens 4, intersect and separate until the separation between the two beams is enough, before entering the prism 5.
During propagation through the prism 5, the first laser beam K1 and the second laser beam K2 are made parallel to each other, and are emitted from the prism 5. The first laser beam K1 then enters the half-wave plate 6, where its polarization direction is rotated by 90 degrees, and then enters a first input port 7a of the PBC 7, while the second laser beam K2 enters a second input port 7b of the PBC 7.
The first laser beam K1 incident on the first input port 7a and the second laser beam K2 incident on the second input port 7b are optically coupled along the PBC 7, and output from an output port 7c.
The laser beams emerging from the output port 7c of the PBC 7 are then converged by the second lens 16, enter an end face of the optical fiber 8 supported by the ferrule 23, and propagate to outside.
In Prior Art 1, Prior Art 2, and Related Art, a semiconductor laser device is fixed to the top of a base by solder or the like, and YAG laser welding or the like is used to fix a lens to the top of the base. If the thickness of solder is not uniform or the lens is YAG-welded at a wrong position in this fixing process, for example, it makes the plane defined by optical axes of two laser lights that are emitted from the one or two semiconductor laser devices unparallel to a mount surface (principal surface) of the base to which the semiconductor laser device(s) is (are) to be fixed. In this case, the two laser lights have different spot positions at the output port of the light combining element, and the exit optical axes do not coincide with each other, leading to a failure in combining the light beams appropriately.
In the case of polarization synthesis, a problem is that the intensity of synthesized light after polarization synthesis is lowered by polarization split, which takes place when laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser device enters the light combining element (polarized wave synthesizing element) while polarized in an inappropriate polarization direction.
A specific description is given on the problems referring to FIGS. 16. FIG. 16(A) is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of the semiconductor laser module of Related Art illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 16(B) is a diagram showing positions and polarization directions of the laser lights K1 and K2 on the incident surface 5a of the prism 5. FIG. 16(C) is a diagram showing positions and polarization directions of the laser lights K1 and K2 in the input ports 7a and 7b of the PBC 7.
As shown in FIGS. 16(A) and 16(B), when the two laser lights K1 and K2 enter the prism 5 while a plane P, which is defined by the optical axes of the two laser lights K1 and K2, is not parallel to a mount surface Q of a base to which the semiconductor laser device 2 and others are fixed, the laser lights K1 and K2 on the exit surfaces 5b have different refraction angles. Accordingly, the optical axes of the two laser lights that have exited the prism are no longer on the same plane. After the two laser lights K1 and K2 exit the exit surfaces 5b, the laser light K1 of the two laser lights K1 and K2 enters the input port 7a of the light combining element (PBC) 7 with its polarization direction rotated by 90° by the half-wave plate 6 whereas the laser light K2 enters the input port 7b of the light combining element 7 as it is. The laser lights are then subjected to polarization synthesis in the light combining element 7 and exit from the output port 7c. As a result, the laser lights K1 and K2 in the output port 7c are offset from each other in the Y-axis direction by δ and the exit optical axes of the laser lights K1 and K2 do not coincide with each other.
In the case where a polarized wave synthesizing element is used as a light combining element as in the semiconductor laser module of Related Art shown in FIG. 2, the two laser lights K1 and K2 enter the input ports 7a and 7b, respectively, of the light combining element (PBC) 7 with their polarization directions shifted from a given direction as shown in FIG. 16(C). This causes polarization split in which the laser light K1 is split into an ordinary ray K1n and an extraordinary ray K1a, and the laser light K2 is split into an ordinary ray K2n and an extraordinary ray K2a (see FIG. 16(A)). As a result, the intensity of laser light that exits from the output port 7c is lowered.
Accordingly, synthesized light coupled to the optical fiber 8 does not have desired intensity and degree of polarization in some cases. | {
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An area of ongoing research and development is access points. In particular multi-user multi-input multi-output (“MU-MIMO”) access points have been developed. MU-MIMO access points consume more power than single-user multi-input multi-output (“SU-MIMO”) access points.
There therefore exists a need for MU-MIMO configured access points operating at lower power consumption levels.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the relevant art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the specification and studying of the drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to track lighting systems, particularly of a kind that is being powered by way of a frequency-converting power supply and in such a way that the track voltage is of substantially normal magnitude (120 Volt RMS) but of a much higher than normal frequency (20-40 kHz).
2. Description of Prior Art
Track lighting systems are being manufactured by a number of different companies. One such company is Halo Lighting Division of McGraw-Edison Company, Elk Grove Village, Ill. 60007; whose track lighting systems and products are described in their Catalog No. A8100.
Conventional track lighting systems are designed to operate from a conventional utility power line and to have regular 120 Volt/60 Hz voltage on the track. The lighting units plugged into the track must be able to operate directly from this 120 Volt/60 Hz voltage.
Low voltage incandescent lamps particularly 12 Volt Halogen lamps, have proven to be particularly attractive for track lighting purposes, and are being used to a growing degree. However, these low-voltage/Halogen lamps are designed to operate at a voltage of 12 Volt or less, and therefore have to be powered by way of voltage step-down transformation means. Thus, at present, whenever low-voltage/Halogen lamps are being used in track lighting systems, each such low-voltage/Halogen lamp has to be powered by way of such a voltage step-down transformation means; which implies that each lighting unit has to contain such a voltage step-down transformation means--a practice that results in costly, large and heavy track lighting units.
The use of a single large step-down transformation means capable of providing power at a suitably low voltage to the complete track has been considered and tried. However, the resulting track current becomes prohibitively large for most applications.
(Since a conventional track is designed to handle a current of not more than 16 Amp, it would only be capable of powering three or four typical low-voltage/Halogen lamps, which is far fewer than the number of lamps that would be required in most applications.) | {
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The present invention relates to the use of web pages, and more particularly, to persisting the state of visual control elements in web pages constructed dynamically from widgets and resources specified in a uniform resource locator (URL).
For systems management web applications, many different web pages are composed from a variety of available and reusable widgets. A widget may be any code, application, or JavaScript class that creates an object, such as via implementation of a constructor, which takes or receives parameters and a pointer to a source document object model (DOM) node, such as a Dojo “srcNodeRef.” Any of these widgets may be composites of one or more simpler widgets. In other words, each major area of a display may be rendered based on a “super-widget,” which may include a plurality of simpler widgets and which may be reused to build many different web pages for display of information from a broad range of resources. For example, a “tree selector” widget may include a tree, a title, buttons, and possibly other sub-widgets of even simpler construction.
The web pages are composed from the widgets in a flexible way, so that new pages may be easily defined during prototyping and development. Moreover, new pages may be created in the field after installation of a system, after the product has shipped, so that a user's needs that may not be acknowledged or readily known during building of the system are capable of being addressed on site. Many systems management applications have a rich ecosystem of resources, along with different types of resources, and specified collections of resources. A large number of different pages are possible given these resources, using different permutations of the widgets and types/groups of resources.
When a table or a tree is output to a user on a web page dynamically constructed from re-usable widgets that pull resources from a specified URL, it is possible to maneuver through and manipulate the table and/or trees in many different ways prior to accessing a next web page which is dynamically rendered from the same or different URL. Any sort of manipulation or changes may be made, such as sorting columns and/or rows by a specific parameter or value in a table, adjusting widths of columns and/or rows in a table, filtering according to a specific criteria or parameter, selection of a particular row, column, or value in a table or tree, expansion of a branch in a tree, selection of a particular branch or node in a tree, etc.
However, any changes or manipulations that are made to any visual control elements, such as tables, trees, and other complex widgets, output on an initial web page are lost when the user navigates away from the initial web page to a subsequent web page, and then navigates back to the initial web page. This is because the initial web page is dynamically rendered each time it is accessed, according to conventional methods, with no ability to store visual control element or widget state information upon reloading.
Accordingly, when navigating between web pages built dynamically from a URL, it would be beneficial to maintain the last viewed state of any visual control elements and/or widgets which are output on a previously viewed web page when a user navigates back to that particular web page. | {
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This invention relates to fitting assemblies for anchoring aircraft passenger seatbacks to seat structures and more particularly, to a device which allows the seatback to rotate freely towards the seat structure, while remaining anchored to it, upon the application of an excessive external force on the seatback.
Seatback fitting assemblies must be safe, reliable and capable of positioning a passenger for comfort and safety for the duration of a flight. Under normal operating conditions, the entire seat configuration is subject to various loads and external forces, such as the weight and movement of an occupying passenger, or contact from others behind or near the seat.
Excessive dynamic loads on the seatback during a severe crash condition often exceed the structural strength required for normal operation and can contribute to the structural failure of the seatback. Further, under such crash conditions, the seatback is subject to being forcefully struck from behind by the head and/or body of another passenger, adding to any excessive dynamic load already acting on it. When such failure occurs, the seatback breaks off from the seat structure and carries itself dangerously into the cabin area. The torn seatback can become a missile causing serious injury, possibly lacerating passengers due to jagged edges formed in the torn anchorage. It could also hamper rapid evacuation of the aircraft. Thus, it is desireable that the seat remain structurally sound and that the seatback be capable of withstanding any excessive forces and remain anchored to the seat structure.
A variety of seatback fitting assemblies exist in the prior art. It is known for the fitting assemblies to have means for the seatback to be tilted forward within a limited range of motion, typically around fifteen degrees. This is accomplished by the use of a friction clutch, which normally retains the seatback in a fixed position, but may be overcome by a force exerted upon the seatback. The seatback may then be moved forward until the clutch mechanism prevents further tilt, typically by means of an "anchor point." This "tilt capability" is useful to expedite cleaning of the aircraft cabin, e.g., a cleaning crew member merely pushes the top of the seatback to move it into a forward tilt position, without needing to unlock the seatback from the fitting assembly. However, the seatback anchorage of those seats which feature this limited forward tilt capability may fail at load levels substantially lower than those experienced in a severe crash.
The present invention is directed at eliminating the safety problems experienced in the prior art due to the structural failure of seatbacks caused by excessive dynamic loads and/or passenger impacts under severe crash or similar conditions. Further, the present invention reduces the potential injuries to the occupant of a seat behind the seatback of this invention by limiting the reaction load experienced by such occupant impacting the seatback. | {
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates to outriggers as used on certain types of wheeled vehicles such as fire engine ladder trucks employing movable extension ladders, booms or cranes, the vehicles being designed to travel under their own power along highways which limits their lateral dimensions. When set up for operation at a site the large extension ladders, booms, and the like are often extended laterally to the side of the vehicle and exert a moment on the vehicle that will tip over the vehicle or tilt the vehicle if no further lateral support is provided other than the wheels of the vehicle. To provide lateral stability to resist such tipping moment, it is common to use outrigger legs on one or both sides of the vehicle with each such leg employing telescoping housing with the housing permanently angled outwardly and downwardly or swung to such angled position about a pivot. The legs are telescoped downwardly from their housing into engagement with the ground outwardly of the wheels to provide stability. There are many occasions when such stability is not enough and the boom or ladder must therefore be lowered or the extension angle of the boom or ladder length reduced or the vehicle must be moved closer to the work area all to reduce the tipping moment to an acceptable level that can be handled by the existing outrigger structure. Further, to obtain whatever distance is obtained by the outrigger structure from the adjacent vehicle wheel line, the mechanisms are greatly restricted by the allowable beam or width of the vehicle as permitted by road traveling conditions or requirements.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The prior art disclosing outrigger support systems is represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,215,282 to Wiemann, et al, 3,276,603 to Noller and 3,985,036 to Decker, et al.
The disclosures of the Wiemann, et al and Noller patents relate to adjustable outriggers having telescopic legs. In the disclosures the inner leg members are manually pulled outwardly of the outer leg members and pins are inserted in aligned holes at the desired adjusted length. The leg assemblies are pivoted to the vehicles or implements on which they are mounted and are movable relative thereto by hydraulic or pneumatic means.
The Decker, et al disclosure relates to an outrigger system having outboard leg members which are pivotally mounted to inboard leg members. None of the prior art discloses the structure of the present outrigger support system and in particular the laterally movable extensions which substantially increase the outrigger support ability. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video discs and, more particularly, to a composite video disc structure having symmetry about its central plane for improving resistance to warping and curling in the presence of changing environmental conditions especially heat and humidity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Video disc structures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,873 to Winslow. A video disc structure is also described by John Holmes in his patent application entitled "Video Disc Composition and Method for Molding" filed Aug. 28, 1978, Ser. No. 937,221, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, now abandoned.
Each of these video disc structures is identified as a nonsymmetrical disc. The nonsymmetrical nature of the video disc arises from the fact that a substrate member carries an information bearing layer on one surface thereof. In the Winslow application, Ser. No. 890,407, a glass substrate member is provided. In the environment to be described hereinafter, the glass member does not absorb water nor does it substantially distort in the relatively low temperatures that will be discussed hereinafter.
The John Holmes application Ser. No. 937,221, describes a videodisc member comprising a plastic substrate with an information bearing layer carried on one side of the substrate. A metallized coating covers the information bearing layer. A protective coating is formed on top of the metallized layer. The Holmes prior art structure is referred to as a nonsymmetrical video disc structure because of the substantially greater thickness of the substrate body when compared to the protective overcoat. Additionally, no portion of the structure is isolated between first and second metal coatings. In the Holmes structure, moisture enters simultaneously into both the substrate and the protective coating. During the moisture absorption process, the single metallized layer detrimentally acts as a vapor barrier and prevents moisture absorption equilibrium by isolating the two water vapor absorbing members on each side of the metallized layer. Significantly more water is absorbed into the substrate member than into the overcoat member because of the relative greater thickness of the substrate member. Because of this difference in water vapor content on each side of the metallized coating, the video disc structure tends to warp during the period of absorption into an umbrella shape with the top portion of the umbrella represented by the thick plastic layer. When equilibrium in moisture content is reached on each side of the metallized layer, no warping occurs unless a plastic flow or other similar stress event is caused to happen.
Transmissive recording discs which carry recordings on two surfaces are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,430,966 and 3,518,442 assigned to the assignee of the present application. These differ in many respects with the structure hereinafter described and claimed. Some of the differences between the prior art structure and the improved structure hereinafter described include the use of information tracks formed by members lying in alternate planes. Such information tracks are formed on each major surface of a central core member. A reflective metal coating is formed over each surface carrying the information tracks for providing not only a reflective surface for the impinging reading beam, but also for acting as a barrier about the central core to control the rate of moisture into and out of the core member. | {
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Certain cyclopropane carboxylic acid derivatives are a useful class of pesticides called "pyrethroids", which have been of considerable interest because of their quick knockdown activity, low persistence as toxic residues and their low mammalian toxicity. Certain derivatives of phenylacetic acids have also been found to have properties of the pyrethroid type. Of particular interest are certain .alpha.-cyanobenzyl phenylacetate pyrethroids. Unfortunately, while such compounds are desirable pesticides, they tend to be difficult or expensive to manufacture due to their relatively complex chemical structures. It is thus desirable to minimize the amount of the pyrethroid that is required to control the pests. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for processing image data such as a digital copying machine with an image memory and to a method of processing image data. More particularly, it relates to improvements in techniques of controlling the image memory of the digital copying machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been proposed a digital copying machine with an image memory, in which image data obtained by reading an original document is divided into a plurality of blocks (or a plurality of bands each having a specified number of lines) so as to be compressed at every block, and then the compressed blocks are expanded prior to completion of the compression of the whole image data, thereby enabling it to start printing earlier.
Moreover, in order to increase the copying speed further, there has also been proposed a digital copying machine in which printing of image data starts during expansion processing of the compressed image data.
Further, there has been proposed a digital copying machine which performs expression processing by using a plurality of expanders so as to enable it to start printing much earlier.
Thus, when printing of image data is to be started before expansion of the image data to be output is completed as described above, timing of starting to print must be set carefully so that the progress of printing does not outrun the progress of expansion. Hereupon, if the printing speed is slower than the expanding speed, printing can be started immediately after starting the expansion of the image data because progress of printing cannot outrun the progress of expansion. However, if the printing speed is faster than the expanding speed, timing of starting to print must be set by predicting the time when expansion will be completed so that the progress of printing does not outrun the progress of expansion.
Moreover, when the image data, which is divided along the vertical direction (auxiliary scanning direction) and horizontal direction (principal scanning direction) into a plurality of blocks of predetermined size respectively, is expanded by using a plurality of expanders, and then printing is started before the completion of the expansion processing, the expansion time of each of the blocks differs from one another. Therefore, in each of all the blocks, timing of starting to print must be carefully set so that the progress of printing does not outrun the progress of expansion.
For example, let us suppose that the image data is divided along the vertical direction into four blocks and also divided along the horizontal direction into four blocks, namely divided into sixteen blocks in total, and then compressed at every block. Further, let us suppose that two expanders (first expander and second expander) are used in the expansion processing, the image data in the left two columns of blocks are expanded by the first expander, and the image data in the right two columns of blocks are expanded by the second expander. Thus, in the above-mentioned case, the expansion processing can be performed in higher expanding speed as about twice as in the case where only one expander is used.
However, when each of the blocks to be expanded is simply assigned to either one of the two expanders as described above, if the time required for expanding the image data of each of the left two columns of blocks is different from that of each of the right two columns of blocks, the total processing time of the first expander differs from that of the second expander. Therefore, the both expanders do not complete expansion processing at the same time. In consequence, it must occur such a condition that one of the two expanders completes expansion processing earlier in comparison with the other expander so that the expander which completes expansion earlier cannot perform any processing till the other expander completes expansion processing. Therefore, a plurality of expanders (two expanders) cannot efficiently function.
Further, in the above-mentioned case, it is obliged to set the timing to start outputting data according to the expander which completes expansion later. Therefore, the timing at which outputting can be started may be delayed in comparison with the case in which all the expanders complete their processing at the same time. Hereupon, if the size of each of the expanders differs from one another, or the number of the blocks which are assigned to each of the expanders differs from one another, the same disadvantage may also occur.
The present invention has been developed to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and has an object of providing a device (such as a digital copying machine) or method for processing image data, in which the image data is divided into a plurality of blocks, compressed at every block (namely, in the unit of block), and is expanded at every block by a plurality of expanders, wherein the timing which can start printing is quickened as early as possible.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data processing apparatus for processing a digital image data including, (A) a plurality of expanders for receiving a compressed image data divided into a plurality of blocks and then expanding the compressed image data to output, and (B) a controller for assigning each of the blocks of compressed image data to the expanders according to a time which each of the expanders requires to expand the compressed image data, (C) wherein each of the expanders expands the blocks of image data assigned thereto.
In the apparatus it is preferable that the controller has a predictor for predicting a time which each of the expanders requires to expand the blocks of image data which have been already assigned thereto, the controller assigning each of the blocks to the expanders according to the time predicted by the predictor.
Further, in the apparatus it is more preferable that the predictor predicts a time required for expanding each of the blocks of image data on the basis of a time consumed for compressing the block of image data.
Moreover, the apparatus may includes a compressor for dividing the image data into a plurality of blocks to compresses the image data in the unit of block, wherein the image data compressed by the compressor is input to the expanders. Hereupon, the number of the compressor may be plural.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data processing apparatus for processing a digital image data including, (A) a compressor for receiving an image data and then dividing the image data into a plurality of blocks to compress the image data in the unit of block, (B) a memory for storing the image data compressed by the compressor, (C) a plurality of expanders for expanding the compressed image data, (D) a controller for reading the compressed image data in the unit of block from the memory to assign the compressed image data to the expanders, the controller calculating a time which each of the expanders requires to expand the blocks of image data which have been already assigned thereto to assign each of the blocks to any one of the expanders according to the calculated time, and (E) a synthesizer for synthesizing each of the blocks of image data expanded by the expanders to generate one image.
In the apparatus, it is preferable that the controller calculates the time which each of the expanders requires to expand the image data on the basis of a time which the compressor has consumed to compress the image data.
Further, in the apparatus, it is more preferable that the expanders simultaneously expand the block of image data assigned thereto in parallel with one another. Moreover, the apparatus may further include a printer for performing printing processing on the basis of the image data synthesized by the synthesizer. Hereupon, the apparatus may further include an image reader for reading an original image to generate the image data, the image reader outputting the read image data to the compressor.
In the apparatus, it is preferable the memory has a capacity capable of storing the image data corresponding to a plurality of original image sheets, wherein pages of the image data are sorted by controlling an order of reading the image data from the memory.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data processing method of processing a digital image data including (A) the step of assigning a compressed image data, which is divided into a plurality of blocks and then compressed, to any one of a plurality of expanders, (B) the step of calculating an expansion time which each of the expanders requires to expand the blocks of image data assigned thereto in the assigning step, (C) the step of performing repeatedly the assigning step and the calculating step according to the expansion time calculated in the directly previous calculating step, and (D) the step of expanding the blocks of image data assigned to each of the expanders by driving the expanders at the same time.
The method may further include the step of printing the image data expanded in the expanding step, or include the step of reading an original image to generate the image data, and the step of compressing the image data generated in the reading step in the unit of block to generate the compressed image data to be expanded.
In the method, it is preferable that the expansion time is calculated in the calculating step according to a time which has been consumed to compress each of the blocks of image data in the compressing step.
The method may further include the step of storing the image data corresponding to a plurality of original image sheets compressed in the compressing step to a memory, and then repeatedly reading the stored image data at plural times, wherein the read image data is expanded in the expanding step.
Also in the method,it is more preferable that the image data is assigned to the expanders in such a manner that the expansion time of each of the expanders is close to one another.
According to the present invention, the difference of the total expansion time among the expanders is very close to one another. Therefore, all the expanders can be efficiently used so that the timing when printing can be started is quickened. In consequence, the speed of expansion processing or print processing is improved. | {
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of blanket flower, an ornamental grown for landscape and container. The new invention is known botanically as Gaillardia×grandiflora and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘FRENZY’. Gaillardia is in the family Asteraceae, under which the commonly referred to “flower” is actually the inflorescence, and made up of smaller ray flowers and disc florets.
The new Gaillardia variety named ‘FRENZY’ is a hybrid seedling selection that resulted from the deliberate cross-pollination between, as female parent, a Gaillardia plant which the inventor had raised from seed collected from a plant of Gaillardia×grandiflora ‘Fanfare’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,892) and, as male parent, a plant which the inventor discovered as a naturally-occurring mutation of Gaillardia ‘Burgunder’ (unpatented). The goal set forth by the inventor was that of producing new Gaillardia varieties exhibiting improved flower color, higher petal count, and improved flower form, over all other varieties known to the inventor.
Breeding and selection was conducted by the inventor, at the inventor's nursery located in the state of Washington. The inventor selected ‘FRENZY’ in 2004 based on the criteria of flower color and plant habit.
The distinguishing characteristics of ‘FRENZY’ are habit, flower color, flower dimensions, and quantity of flowers.
‘FRENZY’ is readily distinguishable from the female parent by the color and number of the ray flowers. Although both varieties bear tubular ray flowers, the ray flowers of ‘FRENZY’ are predominantly red in color, with yellow coloration to the petal tips, whereas the ray flowers of the female parent are more equally yellow and red in color. The typical number of ray flowers in a single inflorescence of ‘FRENZY’ ranges between 25 and 30, whereas the typical inflorescence of the female parent contains 18 to 25 ray flowers.
‘FRENZY’ is readily distinguishable from the male parent by the shape of the ray flowers. The ray flowers of ‘FRENZY’ are tubular in shape, whereas the ray flowers of the male parent ‘Burgunder’ are planar.
The closest comparison plant known to the inventor is the inventor's variety Gaillardia ‘TIZZY’ (U.S. co-pending application 12/075,635). Whereas both ‘FRENZY’ and ‘TIZZY’ bear tubular ray flowers, the ray flowers of ‘FRENZY’ are red and yellow in color, whereas the ray flowers of ‘TIZZY’ are uniformly red.
The new Gaillardia variety named ‘FRENZY’ exhibits compact dwarf habit, large red tubular flowers with bright yellow petal apices, and medium-green foliage. Flowers are fragrant and bloom profusely from early to late summer. Cultural requirements include full sun and well-draining soil such as loam, given moderate water. Hardiness is classified as USDA Zone 5.
The first asexual reproduction of ‘FRENZY’ was conducted in 2005 at the inventor's nursery in Washington. Asexual propagation was carried out by the inventor, and the method used was softwood cuttings. Since that time under careful observation ‘FRENZY’ has been determined uniform, stable and true to type in subsequent generations of asexual propagation. | {
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Sewer lines are typically dug according to a laser guide beam shone from a point of origin to a point of destination. Accordingly, sewer lines are dug in straight segments extending from manhole to manhole. Typically, the sewer line is dug and the pipe laid in the freshly dug ditch in one single operation. The laser is fired through the as-laid pipe, and the excavator maintains grade and course using the laser as a reference. Thusly, the resulting sewer pipe is linear.
This technique has the drawback of allowing the sewer line to change direction only at junction points, as the laser guide is fired through the already-placed pipe as it is installed. Typically, these junction points are manholes. A manhole represents extra materials, time and expense to construct. Further, by digging the sewer line in straight segments, easements must typically be acquired, representing still more expense. Finally, straight segments connected at junction points are inherently inefficient, as they require more materials and time to construct than would otherwise be necessary.
Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus that would allow the digging of sewer ditches and installation of sewer piping while following a nonlinear or curved course. The present novel technology addresses this need. | {
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Futures contracts, options on futures contracts and numerous other types of financial products are traded using exchanges established for such trading. Such trading may involve potential purchasers of a financial product submitting orders known as bids. A bid order may include a bid price representing the value at which a potential buyer is willing to purchase the financial product in question. Similarly, potential sellers of a financial product may submit orders known as offers. An offer order may include an offer (or “ask”) price representing the value at which a potential buyer is willing to sell the financial product in question. A bid order may be matched to an offer order so as to execute a trade in the financial product that is the subject of the matched bid and the offer.
So as to avoid wasting computer resources processing orders that are unlikely to be matched, an exchange may use a price band to set a price range for acceptable bids and offers. If an incoming order has an associated bid or ask price within the price band, the order is accepted for further processing (e.g., entry into an order database and evaluation for potential matching against other orders). If an incoming order has an associated bid or ask price that is outside the price band, the order is rejected. A rejected order may, for example, be the result of an input error by the party submitting the order. Such errors are sometimes called “fat finger” errors.
A price band is typically established by first determining a banding start price (BSP). The price band is then set as a certain range of values above and below the BSP. For example, a price band for crude oil futures contracts may be set at 75 ticks above and below a BSP. As known in the art, a “tick” may represent the minimum price fluctuation permitted by an exchange during a trading session. At any point in time, an incoming order for a crude oil futures contract is compared to a +/−75 tick price band centered on the current BSP. If the order has an associated bid or ask price within that price band, it is accepted for further processing. If the order has an associated bid or ask price outside that price band, the order is rejected.
It is desirable for a BSP to accurately reflect a current market value for the financial product in question. In at least some current methods, a default value for a BSP is the most recent settlement price for the financial product in question. As is also known in the art, a “settlement price” for a futures contract and for other types of financial products may be an official closing price for the product set by an exchange at the close of a daily settlement cycle for a daily trading period. That settlement price may not reflect an accurate value of the financial product, however, particularly if there has been significant trading in that product since determination of that settlement price. Accordingly, if there is recent trading data available for a financial product, current methods will use such data to calculate the BSP.
Existing methods for BSP determination can determine a fair value for BSP in liquid markets. When prices are stale and a market for a particular financial product is illiquid, however, existing methods may result in a BSP which is a less accurate indicator of fair market value. | {
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Digital service subscribers are beginning to be offered various types of rich content over their Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections. Streamed videos, multicast videos, real-time communication, videoconferencing and network-based gaming applications are examples of such rich content. To support such rich content in a manner that is efficient and effective for both the subscriber and the service provider, a minimum level of service intelligence must be available to the service provider for enabling management of subscriber services. Examples of subscriber service management capabilities include real-time/dynamic analysis reporting, provisioning, bandwidth management and application management.
Service management capabilities enabled by service intelligence of conventional network elements are limited in its scope and abilities. For example, Internet Service Provider (ISP) points of presence (POPs) are a conventional network element capable of providing only limited service intelligence on their Internet Protocol (IP) backbone networks. A significant limitation of service intelligence in ISP IP backbone networks is that they do not involve any higher-layer awareness in associated DSLAM access networks. Such higher-layer awareness in associated DSLAM access networks is necessary to manage subscriber services all the way down the network to the end-user. Similarly, Service Selection Gateways (SSGs) that exist in some DSLAM applications are another conventional network element capable of providing only limited service intelligence. In fact, SSGs that exist presently in DSLAM applications are little more ‘portal dashboards’, providing no significant management of subscriber services.
Therefore, facilitating subscriber services management in a manner that overcomes the limitation associated with the conventional approaches is useful. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for measuring formation parameters by transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals by means disposed in recesses of a tubular housing member. More particularly, the present invention is related to downhole logging tools which use propagating electromagnetic waves to perform measurements of formation or borehole parameters.
2. Description of the Background
It is desirable for many reasons to transmit electrical signals through the Earth as a propagating medium, and to receive the signals at a location spaced from the transmitter. Such a signal propagation system is, for example, used both for the determination of various parameters associated with the propagating medium and for communication purposes. These systems are often used in the investigation of the environment surrounding a borehole, and in particular, the surrounding formations. Various types of borehole logging systems are available to perform these investigations. A class of these systems utilize electromagnetic field phenomena to obtain data from the environments surrounding the borehole. One type of prior art logging is electrode logging which utilizes an electric field in the surrounding formation to produce a measure of the conductivity of the formation. A conductive mud is necessary for proper use of this system, thus rendering the system inoperative with oil based muds. Inductive logging is another type of prior art electromagnetic logging which uses a time-varying magnetic field in the formation to produce a secondary current flow in the formation. The secondary current flow sets up a second magnetic field which induces current in receiving coils positioned in the borehole, the induced current in the receiving coil or coils being proportional to the secondary current flow in the formation and thus is directly proportional to the conductivity or inversely proportional to the resistivity of the surrounding formation. Electromagnetic wave propagation for investigating the environment around a borehole is the subject of the present invention.
An electromagnetic logging system of the wave propagation type is disclosed in Gouilloud et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,797, which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses a wire line system having a transmitter and receivers for measuring formation parameters, and utilizing phase comparison and amplitude. However, the Gouilloud wire line system is not particularly useful in a measuring while drilling (herein after, "MWD") configuration. The Gouilloud patent discloses a nonconductive sonde of insufficient strength to operate in a drill string characterized by massive steel and more particularly drill collars in the vicinity of the drill bit and measurement apparatus. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,107,597 and 4,185,238 also show electromagnetic wave propagation systems for use in wire line apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,597, for example, describes the wire line sonde as being constructed of a non-conductive material which is customary in such devices in order to accommodate the use of electromagnetic transmitting and receiving apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,550 shows an induction logging system for measuring similar formation parameters, utilizing lower frequencies and requiring a conductive mud in the borehole.
An improvement over each of the above-referenced electromagnetic logging systems is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 036,170, filed on Apr. 6, 1987 and assigned to the Assignee of the present application, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,247. This present application is an improvement over the methods and apparatus described in the said application No. 036,170.
One of the major problems associated with downhole logging tools, whether they be wireline or MWD, is that of overcoming borehole effects. Another failure mode associated with electromagnetic wave propagation is that of damage to the antennas.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electromagnetic wave propagation tool which has a greatly enhanced immunity to borehole effects.
It is yet another object of the invention to reduce the susceptibility of the electromagnetic wave propagating antennas to damage while operating downhole. | {
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In the construction or repair of stairs and railings, it is desirable to be able to assemble a series of balusters as the railing is installed or, in the case of stair and railing repair, to be able to replace or reposition balusters conveniently and efficiently, without having to completely remove and reassemble the entire railing.
It is also desirable to be able to position and adjust balusters as a stair system is assembled to provide an accurate fit and support for the railing or stairs.
For instance, in the assembly of wood railings, it is most efficient if newels may be left in place while wood balusters are replaced with metal balusters.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improvement in systems for the construction and repair of stairs and railings, especially in the field of do-it-yourself home repair and improvement. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field
The present disclosure is generally related to antenna systems and more particularly, to a conformal broadband stacked multi-spiral antenna system configured for integration into a structural element of a mobile platform.
Related Art
Present day mobile platforms, such as aircraft (manned and unmanned, fixed-wing and rotary-wing), spacecraft, watercraft, and even land vehicles, often require the use of multiple antenna systems for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals. These signals include radar transmissions, signals intelligence (SIGINT) communications, Communication, Navigation, and Identification (CNI) signals, electromagnetic counter measures (ECM) and electronic warfare (EW) signals, and other sensor-processing applications. Each of these applications requires its own antenna system for the radiation and receipt of signals, and therefore many of these mobile platforms may have severe antenna crowding problems.
Conventional antennas may form protuberances that detract from the aerodynamics of the mobile platform. Also, if an antenna protrudes from the mobile platform body, the antenna may be exposed to accidental damage from ground personnel, environmental effects, or airborne objects. Typically weight is added to the mobile platform by the various components on which the antenna array is mounted. These components may include metallic gimbals, support structures, or other like substructures that add “parasitic” weight that is associated with the antenna array, but otherwise perform no function other than as a support structure for a portion of the antenna array. By the term “parasitic” it is meant weight that is associated with components of the support structure or antenna feed components that are not directly necessary for transmitting or receiving operations of the antenna array.
In the case of helicopters, finding an available area on the outside of a helicopter body to mount an antenna where the antenna will not interfere with a rotor, a stabilizer, or control surfaces of the helicopter can be difficult. There may be little available area on the helicopter body to mount such an antenna where the antenna can provide unobstructed coverage in all directions around the helicopter. For example, mounting a “towel bar” type antenna on a tail boom section of a helicopter makes use of available, largely unused space on the helicopter. However, towel bar type antennas extend outward from the tail boom section and may be subject to environmental damage, or damage by personnel servicing the helicopter when the helicopter is not in flight.
Therefore, there is a need for improving the design of antenna systems as well as their placement on mobile platforms to overcome the problems arising from the lack of space available for the various required antenna systems and also to avoid interference issues. | {
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The present invention is in the field of soybean variety S02-AP98041-2-333-01 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety S02-AP98041-2-333-01 and its progeny, and methods of making.
The breeding and development of crops has been ongoing across the last 1000 years. The pace of this development in soybeans, as an animal foodstuff and as an oil seed has dramatically increased in the last one hundred years. Planned programs of plant breeding have increased the growth, yield and environmental hardiness of the soybean germplasm. Due to the sexual reproduction traits of the soybean the plant is basically self-pollinating. A self-pollinating plant permits pollen from one flower to be transferred to the same or another flower of the same plant. Cross-pollination occurs when the flower is pollinated with pollen from a different plant. This is a rare occurrence in nature.
Thus the growth and development of new soybean germplasm requires intervention by the breeder in the pollination of the soybean. The breeders"" selections of methods of intervening in the pollination depend on the type of trait that is being selected. Soybeans are developed for a number of different types of traits morphological (form and structure), phenotypical, for growth habit, daylength temperature requirements to initiate floral or reproductive development yield. The genetic complexity of the trait drives the breeding method. Backcross breeding is employed when the cultivar that is being bred has a fairly full profile of desirable traits, but lack one or two traits that are highly inheritable. Backcrossing is often employed to move disease resistance, insect resistance and transgenes (hereinafter DNA which are introduced into the original ancestor germplasm by a transformation method) into other varieties.
When the variety is being employed to develop a new variety or an improved variety the selection methods include pedigrees, recurrent, modified and mass selection and backcrossing. Each of these selection techniques is employed with the efficiency of the breeding procedure as the driver. The breeding procedure requires a continuous evaluation of the success of the breeding program. The success is measured by yield increase, commercial appeal and environmental adaptability of the developed germplasm.
New varieties must be tested thoroughly to compare the development with the commercially available soybeans. This testing usually requires at least two years and up to six years of comparisons with other commercial soybeans. Varieties that lack the entire desirable package of traits can be used as parents in new populations for further selection. The breeding and associated testing process is 8 to 12 years"" progression toward a new variety. Thousands of lines are produced and limited lines are selected in each step of the process. Thus the breeding system is like a funnel with numerous lines and selections in the first few years and fewer and fewer lines in the middle years until one line is selected for the final development testing.
The selected line or variety will be evaluated for it""s the growth and development and yield. These traits of a soybean are a result of the varieties genetic potential interacting with its environment. All varieties have a maximum yield potential that is predetermined by its genetics. This hypothetical potential for yield is only obtained when the environmental conditions are perfect. Since perfect growth conditions do not exist field experimentation is necessary to provide the environmental influence and to measure its effect on the development and yield of the soybean. The breeder attempts to select for good soybean yield potential under a number of different environmental conditions.
Selecting for good soybean yield potential under a number of different environmental conditions is a process that requires planning, analysis of data in a number of seasons. Identification of the varieties that carry a superior combination of traits that provides this consistent yield potential is a complex science. Other plant traits, unusual weather patterns, diseases, and insect damage often mask the genotypic traits. One widely employed method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to commercial and experimental plants in replicated studies. These types of studies give more certainty to the genetic potential and value of the plant.
The goal of the soybean plant breeder is to produce unique and new soybeans and progeny of the soybeans. To accomplish this the plant breeder painstakingly crosses two or more varieties or germplasm. Then the results of this cross is repeatedly selfed or backcrossed to produce new genetic patterns. Additionally, the breeder can introduce mutations into the genetic material. These can alter herbicide resistance, fatty acid compositions, and amino acid compositions of the seeds and the like. Fortunately, through transformation in combination with breeding the plant breeder can alter or introduce some genetic alleles into the breeding material.
These capabilities are widening the potential uses and markets for the various products and by-products of oil seed plants such as soybean. One of the products of soybeans is the oil of the seed. Soybean oil is employed in a number of retail products. Soybean meal is also used in food and animal feedstuffs. The traits a breeder selects for can be driven by the ultimate goals of the end user of the product. Thus if the goals of the end user is to produce an oil with a high level of oleic acid and a lower level of linoleic acid then the breeder may drive the genetics toward levels of fatty acids and accept some lesser yield potentials or other less desirable agronomic traits.
Regardless of the market characteristics of the plant most breeding proceeds along a similar path on a yearly basis. The breeder annually selects the germplasm to advance on into further development. This germplasm is grown in different locations at different altitudes, in different climates and subjected to different soil conditions. Based on the datum collected from these tests individual plants are selected during the end of the growing season. Due to the number of genes within each chromosome millions of genetic combinations exist in the breeders"" experimental soybean material. This genetic diversity is so vast that a breeder cannot produce the same two cultivars twice using the exact same material. Thus the developing a single variety of useful commercial soybean germplasm is highly unpredictable, and requires intensive research.
The development of new soybeans comes through breeding techniques such as recurrent selection, mass selections, backcrossing, single seed descent and multiple seed procedure that is used to save labor costs. Other breeding methods are taught in several soybean textbooks.
The development of soybean cultivars most often requires the development of hybrid crosses (some exceptions being initial development of mutants directly through the use of the mutating agent or transformants made directly through transformation methods) and the selection of progeny therefrom. Hybrids can be achieved by manual manipulation of the sexual organs of the soybean or by the use of male sterility systems. The breeder attempts to identify true hybrids by a readily identifiable trait. These hybrids are then selected and repeatedly selfed and selected to form new homozygous lines from the heterozygous hybrids.
Outcrossing to a number of different parents creates breeding populations of fairly heterozygous populations. These populations are produced and used in pedigree breeding and recurrent selection. Pedigree breeding is commonly used with two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits. The parents are crossed to form a F1 hybrid. The progeny of the F1 hybrid is selected from this the best individuals F2 are selected; this selection process is repeated in the F3 and F4 generations. The inbreeding is carried forward and at F5-F7 the best lines are selected and tested in the development stage for potential usefulness.
Mass and recurrent selection can be used to improve populations. Several parents are intercrossed and plants are selected based on selected characteristics like superiority or excellent progeny.
In backcross breeding a genetic allele or loci is transferred into a desirable homozygous recurrent parent. The trait is in the donor parent and is tracked into the recurrent parent. The resultant plant is like the recurrent parent with the new desired allele or loci.
The single-seed descent method involves use of a segregating plant population for harvest of one seed per plant. Each seed sample is planted and the next generation is formed. When the F2 lines are advanced to F6 each plant will be derived from a different F2. The population will decline due to failure of some seeds, so not all F2 plants will be represented in the progeny.
Soybean Glycine max (L) is an important oil seed crop and a valuable field crop. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to rescue tools and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for performing emergency extrications.
The purpose of an emergency extrication is to remove an injured victim from a damaged structure, in an orderly and efficient manner that does not facilitate increasing injuries to the victim. Powered portable rescue tools, such as the xe2x80x9cPOWER HAWK(copyright)xe2x80x9d which is manufactured and sold by Curtiss Wright Flight Systems, Inc., of Fairfield, N.J., and the xe2x80x9cJAWS OF LIFE(copyright)xe2x80x9d, which is manufactured and sold by Hurst Performance, Inc., of Warminster, Pa., are specialized tools used by rescue personnel to extricate accident victims from vehicles, buildings, and other structures which otherwise impose a difficult or nearly impossible means of egress. These tools typically develop spreading or ramming forces for opening or forcing apart inoperable doors, damaged structures, or blocked pathways.
However, the distance or range over which the spreading or cutting force can be applied is limited to the maximum spreading distance between the ends of the rescue tool. In situations where a larger opening is required, or where a suitable brace, prop, or support is available but located beyond the expandable reach of the rescue tool, the tool could be rendered virtually ineffective. Parts of an automobile, such as the door or steering wheel, may also be so badly damaged and contoured that the expandable range of the rescue tool is insufficient to extricate a victim.
To facilitate increasing the use of such rescue tools, rescue personnel may brace the hydraulic equipment against a brace, such as is described within U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,148. At least some known braces include a plurality of surface platforms extending from a body. The braces typically are positioned against a suitable support and the rescue tool is then braced against the brace during its operation. More specifically, at least some known braces include a plurality of angled platforms extending upwardly from a substantially planar lower surface. The surface platforms are angled to provide a structural support to which the rescue tool is braced.
However, because such braces are typically minimally adjustable, such braces are limited in their application, and are typically only used when space considerations permit their installation. Furthermore, such braces are typically fabricated from heavy-duty material to withstand the forces applied by the rescue tools, and as a result may be cumbersome and heavy to transport and handle. In addition, such braces are only effective when braced against a suitable structure, and as such the rescue tool may still be rendered virtually ineffective in situations when the distance between the portion of the structure to be forced open and the suitable support is too great, or in situations where the vehicle is badly damaged or contoured.
In one aspect of the invention, a tool including an elongate body and a pair of opposing arms is provided. The arms include a first arm and a second arm that extend outwardly from the body. At least one of the first arm and the second arm are slidably coupled to the body. Each of the arms includes an inner face and an outer face, wherein at least one of the arm inner and outer faces includes a plurality of teeth.
In another aspect of the invention, a rescue tool is provided for use with emergency extrications from a vehicle. The tool includes a shaft and a pair of arms coupled to the shaft. The shaft has an axis of symmetry, and the pair of opposing arms include a first arm and a second arm. At least one of the first arm and the second arm is slidably coupled to the shaft and is configured to move along the shaft in a direction that is substantially parallel to the shaft axis of symmetry. Each of the arms includes an inner face and an outer face. At least one of the arm inner and outer faces includes a plurality of teeth configured to contact the vehicle. At least one of the first arm and the second arm extends substantially perpendicularly to the shaft.
In a further aspect, a rescue extrication system is provided. The system includes a hydraulic ram having a first end and a second end, and a rescue tool configured to coupled to a vehicle during an extrication to provide structural support for the hydraulic ram. The rescue tool includes a body and a pair of opposing arms. At least one of the pair of opposing arms is slidably coupled to the body. Each arm includes an inner face and an outer face, and at least one of the arm inner face and outer faces includes a plurality of teeth extending substantially along a length of the face.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of emergency extrication from a vehicle with a rescue tool is provided. The method includes providing a rescue tool including a body and a pair of arms coupled to the body and extending outwardly from the body, wherein each at least one arm includes an inner face including a plurality of teeth, and an outer face including a plurality of teeth, adjusting at least one of the pair of arms plurality of teeth contacts the vehicle, and performing the extrication from the vehicle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As the size of semiconductor devices is reduced, process development and integration issues are key challenges for new gate stack materials including high-permittivity dielectric materials (also referred to herein as “high-k” materials).
Dielectric materials featuring a dielectric constant greater than that of SiO2(k˜3.9) are commonly referred to as high-k materials. In addition, high-k materials may refer to dielectric materials that are deposited onto substrates (e.g., HfO2, ZrO2) rather than grown on the surface of the substrate (e.g., SiO2, SiNxOy). High-k materials may incorporate metallic silicates or oxides (e.g., Ta2O5(k˜26), TiO2(k˜80), ZrO2(k˜25), Al2O3(k˜9), HfSiO, HfO2(k˜25)).
For front-end-of-line (FEOL) operations, in the near future, these high-k materials are contemplated for integration with polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) gate structures and, in the longer term, they are contemplated for use with metal gates. However, the integration of high-k materials with polysilicon gate structures generally requires the insertion of a thin layer, such as a metal nitride, between the high-k layer and the polysilicon layer which acts as a barrier layer. This material must be etched while minimizing damage to the gate structure, etc. Furthermore, metal nitrides are contemplated for use in metal gates, and must be etched while minimizing damage to the underlying structure.
Of course, many other needs exist in semiconductor processing for etching a metal containing layer. One example includes etching portions of a metal containing barrier layer in a contact or via during metallization processes for back-end-of-line (BEOL) operations. Another example includes etching portions of metal containing layers in capacitors for DRAM production. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for performing earth borehole operations such as drilling, and in particular to apparatus which can use both coiled tubing and jointed-pipe.
2. Description of Prior Art
The use of coiled tubing (CT) technology in oil and gas drilling and servicing has become more and more common in the last few years. In CT technology, a continuous pipe wound on a spool is straightened and pushed down a well using a CT injector. CT technology can be used for both drilling and servicing.
The advantages offered by the use of CT technology, including economy of time and cost are well known. As compared with jointed-pipe technology wherein typically 30-45 foot straight sections of pipe are threadedly connected one section at a time while drilling the wellbore, CT technology allows the continuous deployment of pipe while drilling the well, significantly reducing the frequency with which such drilling must be suspended to allow additional sections of pipe to be connected. This results in less connection time, and as a result, an efficiency of both cost and time.
However, the adoption of CT technology in drilling has been less widespread than originally anticipated as a result of certain problems inherent in using CT in a drilling application. For example, because CT tends to be less robust than jointed-pipe for surface-level drilling, it is often necessary to drill a surface hole using jointed-pipe, cement casing into the surface hole, and then switch over to CT drilling. Additionally, when difficult formations such as rock are encountered down-hole, it may be necessary to switch from CT drilling to jointed-pipe drilling until drilling through the formation is complete, and then switch back to CT drilling to continue drilling the well. Similarly, when it is necessary to perform drill stem testing or coring operations to assess conditions downhole, it may again be necessary to switch from CT drilling to jointed-pipe drilling and then back again. Finally, a switch back to jointed pipe operations may be necessary to run casing into the drilled well. In short, in CT drilling operations it is generally necessary for customers and crew to switch back and forth between CT drilling rig and jointed-pipe conventional drilling rigs, a process which results in significant down-time as one rig is moved out of the way, and another rig put in place.
Another disadvantage of CT drilling is the time consuming process of assembling a (bottom-hole-assembly (BHA)—the components at the end of the CT for drilling, testing, well servicing, etc.), and connecting the BHA to the end of the CT. Presently, this step is performed manually through the use of rotary tables and make-up/breakout equipment. In some instances, top drives are used but the CT injector and the top drive must be moved out of each others way, i.e., they cannot both be in line with the borehole. Not only does this process result in costly downtime, but it can also present safety hazards to the workers as they are required to manipulate heavy components manually.
In U.S. Publication 2004/0206551 there is disclosed a rig adapted to perform earth borehole operations using both CT and/or jointed-pipes, the CT injector and a top drive being mounted on the same mast, the CT injector being selectively moveable between a first position wherein the CT injector is in line with the mast of the rig and hence the earth borehole and a second position wherein the CT injector is out of line with the mast to allow operations using the top drive involving jointed pipe. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Although applicable to any desired stiffening elements, the present invention as well as the problem on which it is based will be explained in more detail with reference to frames for stiffening a fuselage shell of an aircraft.
Fuselage shells for aircraft are normally produced using a so-called lightweight structure from an outer skin, which is reinforced on the inside by a two-dimensional structure composed of stringers, which run in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft, and frames which run in the lateral direction as stiffening elements. In this case, different profile shapes are known for the stringers and are equivalent, for example, to an “L”, an “Ω” or an inverted “T”. In this case a part of the profile respectively forms a foot section of the stringer, which rests flat on the inside of the outer skin and is firmly connected to it by various techniques such as riveting, welding or adhesive bonding.
In order to allow frames which run in the lateral direction for further stiffening to be fitted into the substructure which is formed by the connection of the skin and stringers, cutouts are normally provided on the frames at the crossing areas of the frames and stringers, so that the stringers are passed through the cutouts underneath the frames in the stiffening structure which is formed together with the frames. The connection between the frame and the outer skin in the areas between the cutouts is in this case produced either by means of a separate clip, for example a molded sheet-metal part, or, in the case of a so-called integral frame, by a foot section which is integrated in the frame.
In order to achieve good mechanical robustness, it is desirable for the clip or the foot section of the frame to be passed not only over the outer skin itself but also over foot sections of the stringers, for example over a foot section of an Ω-shaped or T-shaped stringer. Since the junction between the outer skin and the foot section of the stringer represents a step, the clip or foot section of the frame must be appropriately matched to the shape of this step, in order to fix the frame both in the area of the foot sections of the stringers and in the area of the outer skin which is exposed between the stringers.
For example, in the case of a clip formed from a molded sheet-metal part it is possible to provide apertures, corresponding to the shape of the step, in the molded sheet-metal part during production, or to introduce these by subsequent shaping. In the case of an integral frame which is manufactured from aluminum or from some other metal, the foot section can be adapted by milling the shape of the step-like substructure.
Fuselage shells, stringers and frames are, however, increasingly produced from fiber composite materials, in particular from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), for weight-saving reasons. In this case, they have a structure composed of a plurality of layers of fiber mats, which are connected to one another by means of a cured resin matrix, in particular epoxy resin. This results in the problem that step-like milling of a foot section of an integral frame manufactured from CFRP is impossible in the manner described for an aluminum frame, since CFRP is subject to splitting and delamination if milled in a direction at a sharp angle to the fiber profile.
One method that is currently used for CFRP integral frames therefore provides for shims to be inserted between the foot section of the frame and the deeper areas of the step-like substructure in order to compensate for the steps in the substructure. This method has the disadvantage that numerous additional parts which fit accurately must be manufactured with the shims, thus increasing production costs and the total weight of the structure.
A further problem which occurs when using integral frames manufactured from CFRP is that the curing process during the production of the CFRP frames means that it is not possible to achieve the same dimensional accuracy as in the case of milled aluminum frames. Shims are also used for this reason, in the stated manner and with the stated disadvantages. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a portable electronic device, and particularly to a built-in antenna of a portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable terminal (portable device) is generally considered any hand held electronic device capable of receiving and/or transmitting an information or communication signal. Today's ubiquitous portable devices such as smartphones typically perform a variety of function such as voice communication, short message transmission, a multimedia function such as playing music or reproducing video, and an entertainment function such as a game. Such portable terminals may be classified into various types considering specialized functions and portability thereof. For example, portable terminals are classified into a bar-type, a folder-type, a slider type, etc. based on external appearances thereof.
As the multimedia function has expanded, a recent trend is to configure portable terminals with a large display. In addition, as the degree of integration in electronic devices has increased and high capacity and ultra high speed wireless communication is popularized, a myriad of functions are integrated in a typical portable terminal. However, with the larger displays, when considering the portability, miniaturization and lightening of portable terminals are also desirable. Accordingly, in order to maintain ease of portability while increasing the display size, it is required to reduce the thickness of the portable terminal.
Meanwhile, portable terminals have in recent years been designed with a built-in antenna for wireless communication, rather than the protruding antennas of earlier models. In order to achieve a requisite radiation characteristic and suppress interference with other circuit devices, the antenna should be suppressed from interfering with a circuit board, a conductive component or an integrated circuit chip within the portable terminal.
FIG. 1 illustrates an installation structure, 10, of a conventional embedded antenna device of a portable terminal. An antenna device, more specifically, a radiator embedded in the portable terminal, is usually positioned to face a circuit board 11 at least partially. The installation structure 10 of the antenna device is the rear surface of the circuit board 11. In order to minimize the effect of an RF signal transmitted/received through a radiator to other circuit devices, it is desirable to maintain a predetermined gap between the radiator and the other circuit devices. In particular, when a ground surface 13 is provided over a major surface of the circuit board 11, a fill-cut region 15 (i.e., a region that is cut out and then filled) is formed by removing a part of the ground surface 13 on the circuit board 11 as illustrated in FIG. 1 so as to install an embedded antenna device. Typically, a portion of the radiator of the antenna device is disposed over the fill-cut region 15.
In addition, a connecting member 17 of an earphone socket, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, or the like is provided at an edge of the circuit board 11. Such a connecting member 17 is also fabricated to include a metallic material, and especially, a USB connector or the like, which includes connecting terminals arranged densely in the inside thereof, and is protected by a metallic case. FIG. 2 illustrates a connecting member 17, in particular a metallic case portion of the connecting member. When the case of the connecting member 17 is formed of a conductive material, it is desirable to ground the case itself to the ground surface 13 of the circuit board 11.
Even if such a case formed of a conductive material is connected to the ground surface 13, it is desirable to secure a sufficient gap between the circuit board and the antenna radiator. This is because the radiation characteristic of a given radiator varies considerably depending on the installation position, the proximity to other conductive components, and whether nearby conductive components are grounded or not.
Recently, as integrated circuits have been made smaller, the size of a circuit board 11 of a portable terminal has gradually decreased. The smaller size makes it more difficult to achieve a requisite connecting member mounting space, a fill-cut region 15 for disposing an antenna device, and so on. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the connecting member 17, more specifically, the case of the connecting member 17, is sometimes inevitably disposed on the fill-cut region 15 of the circuit board 11.
However, such an arrangement of the connecting member may limit a space or region 19 where an antenna device may be installed. That is, the flexibility in designing an antenna device is seriously degraded. Further, it is necessary to keep portable terminal thickness to a minimum in order to miniaturize and lighten the portable terminals as the sizes of displays increase, and the ability to provide a built-in antenna device capable of achieving a stable radiation performance has reached a limit. In addition, when a plurality of antenna devices are installed in a single terminal in order to use various types of communication standards, for example, mobile communication, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), Bluetooth™, and NFC (Near Field Communication), arranging all the antenna devices inside the portable terminal is even more challenging. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the science of initiating chemical conversions by catalysts, and more particularly to the technology of reducing the light-off temperature to improve catalyst efficiency.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Conventional platinum automotive exhaust catalysts have a propane light-off temperature of about 495.degree. C. Light-off temperature means the temperature at which a 50% conversion efficiency is reached with respect to the gas being converted. It is desirable to achieve lower light-off temperature for hydrocarbon oxidation because hydrocarbon emissions during cold-start operation of an automobile can be significant and, if untreated, can significantly affect the emission content that is released. For example, during the first 60 seconds of cold-start, 65-70% of hydrocarbon emissions remain unconverted.
The prior art has not recognized that titania can lower the light-off temperature for hydrocarbon when (i) used in concert with platinum and (ii) applied in a certain manner. Heretofore, titania has been used as a continuous washcoat over platinum to impart resistance to SO.sub.2 (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,782), or as a more stable base on Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 for overcoating platinum (see U S. Pat. Nos. 2,894,901; 4,219,447; 4,237,030; 4,134,860; and 4,478,797).
One of the applicants herein has previously disclosed, in copending U.S. Ser. No. 440,525, filed Nov. 22, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,853, commonly assigned to the assignee herein, how a palladium/alumina catalyst can be modified by application of organo-titanates to increase high temperature conversion efficiency. However, differing chemical complexing abilities of precious metals (which result from differing electronegativities and differing thermodynamic characteristics of reactions involving the precious metal) cause researchers to believe such success is highly selective to palladium. For example, palladium is more reactive to O.sub.2 than platinum. Thus, the direction of the prior art would not make it obvious to realize that organo-titanates might have a low temperature conversion efficiency improvement as well as enhancing sulfur poisoning resistance. It would be reasonable to assume that platinum would not react the same with organo-titanates and not only would not improve high temperature conversion efficiency but would fail also to enhance low temperature conversion efficiency.
What is needed is an oxidation catalyst that is more effective to provide hydrocarbon conversion at light-off temperatures as low as 150.degree. C. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A haptic engine (also referred to as a vibration module) is a linear resonant actuator that determines one of acceleration, velocity and displacement of a moving mass. FIGS. 12A-12B show aspects of a conventional haptic engine (HE) in which position of a magnet (M), that is moving relative to a fixed coil (C), is encoded in the intensity of magnetic field flux and sensed by Hall-effect sensing elements (HSEs), also referred to interchangeably as HESs or simply Hall sensors, disposed on a top side of the coil, and on a bottom side of the coil. For example, a displacement ΔX along the x-axis and a displacement ΔZ along the z-axis of the magnet, that is moving relative to the fixed coil, is determined as:
Δ X ∝ V H top + V H btm , ( 1 ) Δ Z ∝ ( V H top - V H btm ) Δ X , ( 2 ) where the magnetic field flux induces a Hall voltage VHtop in the Hall sensor disposed on the top side of the coil, and a Hall voltage VHbtm in the Hall sensor disposed on the bottom side of the coil.
As another example, the displacement ΔX of the magnet along the x-axis can be obtained as:ΔX=LUT(VH−ηI) (3),where VH is voltage output by an HSE, I is a current through the driving coil C, and η is an EM coupling factor. VH is proportional to a magnitude B of a total field caused by the magnet and induced by the driving coil, while ηI is proportional to a magnitude of a field induced by the driving coil. In EQ. (3), the difference represents the Hall voltage due to the field caused only by the magnet. LUT is a look-up table mapping the measured value of the field caused only by the magnet and a corresponding value of the displacement.
FIG. 12C shows examples of errors of the displacement measurements for various frequencies of driving currents. For driving currents having frequencies in the mid-frequency range, a sensing error can be caused by the inaccuracy of η. As such, a conventional HE needs an external reference displacement sensor (e.g., laser or bEMF model fitting, etc.) for calibration, as shown in FIG. 12C.
For instance, bEMF can be determined conventionally using the driving coil itself, in the following manner:
bEMF = V - RI - L dI dt - R τ ADC dI dt , ( 4 ) where R and L are the resistance and inductance, respectively, of the driving coil. Here, the first term is the voltage across the driving coil, the second term is a driver term, and the third term is an inductance term. However, as shown in EQ. (4), accuracy of bEMF-based motion sensing is prone to a number of error sources. The coil resistance R is very sensitive to temperature changes and quantization error associated with analog-to-digital conversion (ADC). Typically, copper's temperature coefficient of resistance is approximately 0.4%/deg C. This can represent a large error source when the engine is operating in power-limited regime (away from resonance frequency) where bEMF can be approximately 10% of the RI term. Similarly, when R is estimated in real-time with very small signal magnitude (typically a calibration tone in kHz range), the estimation itself is also prone to errors of 1 to 10%. Another error source in Eq. (4) is the timing synchronization between driving coil voltage V and driving coil current I when an ADC delay τADC between the measured driving coil voltage V and measured driving coil current I is finite (i.e., non-zero). As such, for driving currents having frequencies in a high-frequency range, a finite false inductance term, given by the fourth term in EQ. (4), can be sensed as part of bEMF, as shown in FIG. 12C. Such timing synchronization can be expressed as
τ D + τ ADC ≈ L + L g R , ( 5 ) where τD is the group delay between voltage and current caused by the inductance, and LE is the false inductance term caused by the ADC group delay.
Further, large offsets of the magnet's cage relative to one side of the HE's housing can produce dead-zones in displacement sensitivity, as shown in FIG. 12D. Furthermore, the conventional HE can be sensitive to temperature change. At least for the above reasons, the conventional HE shown in FIGS. 12A-12B requires external calibration, however, module to system test correlations can be elusive. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In order to conserve the amount of surface area, or “real-estate,” consumed by integrated circuits on a carrier substrate, such as a circuit board, various types of increased density packages have been developed. Among these types of increased density packages is the so-called “multi-chip module” (MCM). Some types of multi-chip modules include assemblies of integrated circuits that are stacked one on top of another. The amount of surface area on a carrier substrate that may be saved by stacking integrated circuits is readily apparent.
The system of increasing semiconductor density on a circuit board by stacking semiconductor packaged devices one on top of another is commonly referred to a “package to package” or a “package on package” assembly. One problem with the current package to package system assembly is difficulties caused by irregularities in the flatness/coplanarity of the lower package. Another problem results from the increased stiffness of the overall assembly, which can lead to reduced board level reliability. Still another problem can arise from poor heat dissipation from the upper package.
The typical package on package stacked semiconductor assembly uses an interposer structure between the first package and the second package. A second package fits mounts onto an interposer substrate using a ball grid array (BGA) interface. The interposer substrate provides electrical contact points at the peripheral boundary. The second package electrically couples to the first substrate through the ball grid array (BGA) interface through the interposer substrate then connected to the first substrate. This packaging system and design requires additional interposer structure and manufacturing steps to create the package on package assembly with degraded electrical performance.
Thus, a need still remains for a package on package (POP) semiconductor package with a stacking substrate assembly to stack the multiple packages without intermediate structures, such as an interposer. In view of the ever-increasing need to save cost and improve efficiencies, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lens module, and more particularly to a thin lens module.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the improvement of technology, the image capture devices, such as digital camera, cell phone equipped with camera, video game, PDA . . . , are popular in the present market. Users may record things and check the record immediately by such image capture devices. It becomes a convenient tool for users to record things in ordinary life or for work.
In order to improve the portability of the image capture devices, the common lens structure for the image capture device is cylinder cam type lens, so called telescope type lens, in which a plurality of lens groups are provided. The lens may telescope forward and backward to change the positions of the lens groups to obtain the best focus for shooting. The cylinder cam type lens may move into the image capture device when it is not used for portability. Although the cylinder cam type lens may move into the image capture device, however, the lens groups in the cylinder cam type lens need a long distance to move for focusing so that the size of such lens structure is limited, and it will make the image capture device cannot reduce its size.
To overcome the drawback of the cylinder cam type lens as described above, a prism type lens was invented, and its structure is taught in Taiwan utility module patent M376769. The prism type lens has the lens groups received in the image capture device and reflects light to the lens groups though a total reflective prism, and then the lens groups are moved in a straight optical axis for focusing. The lens groups of the prism type lens do not have to extend out of the image capture device to reduce the structure of the telescope lens so that it may greatly reduce the thickness and weight of the image capture device to enhance the portability of the image capture device. Based on the increasing demand for the thin design, how to make a thin prism type lens is a main issue that the present manufactures are working for.
Besides, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the conventional prism type lens has many joints P exposing out of the case 100, such as the joints for inputting focusing activating signals, the joints for outputting focus detecting signals, the joints for inputting shutter activating signals, the joints for inputting zooming activating signals, the joints for outputting zooming detecting signals . . . , for various signals input and output to control focusing, zooming, and shutter in the following procedures. However, the joints are provided on a side S2 of the case which is vertical to the optical axis X. Therefore, the total thickness of the prism type lens will be the thickness of the case 100 plus the height of the joints P. Besides, when other devices of the image capture device, such as flexible printed circuit board, are electrically connected to the joints P, it will further increase the total thickness and fail to achieve the purpose of reducing the thickness. Therefore, there still are some places need to be improved in the conventional lens module for reducing the thickness. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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