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Adhesives based on ethylene-propylene rubber copolymer (EPR) and/or an ethylene-propylene diene monomer rubber terpolymer (EPDM) are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,175 discloses pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) compositions based on a natural rubber or synthetic rubber and an amorphous polyolefin blend comprising EPR, hydrogenated polyisoprene and atactic polypropylene (APP). The adhesives are prepared by compounding the above-mentioned polymers, a compatible tackifier and an organic solvent. The adhesives are thus solvent based and not hot melts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,144 discloses an adhesive tape composition comprising a polymer blend of at least one EPDM rubber, or preferably three different grades of EPDM rubbers in equal amounts, and another polymer selected from polyisoprene, polybutadiene, EPR, and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,883 discloses a hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising a tackified EPR rubber modified with a copolymer of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer and/or styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymer.
These prior art compositions rely on curing or chemical crosslinking to acquire good cohesive strength and good adhesion characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,818 discloses a hot melt adhesive composition, comprising a polymer component consisting of EPR and/or EPDM rubber and at least one semi-crystalline olefinic polymer. The compositions provide an excellent heat stability, and good adhesion to a variety of substrates. Nevertheless the viscosity of the polymer component is too high for a number of applications, especially for those applications where a low viscosity of the adhesive or a high polymer proportion in the adhesive formulation is strongly required.
Notwithstanding the state of technology, it would be desirable to provide adhesives based on EPR and/or EPDM rubbers and semi-crystalline olefinic polymers, which exhibit a high cohesive strength, a narrow molecular weight distribution coupled with a low melt viscosity and a high flexibility. | {
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The present invention relates to a canted washer or spring; and more particularly a washer or spring retaining a coupling ring in locking engagement for non-self locking electrical connectors.
The wave spring is commonly used within an electrical connector, particularly between the connector coupling ring and the mated plug and receptacle subassemblies. The wave spring has a spring deflection response which is variable dependent upon the manufacturing tolerances of that spring and the amount of compression to which it is subjected within the electrical connector.
A wave spring traditionally used in the fabrication of electrical connectors is operable to be fabricated inexpensively. However, its inability to maintain deflection and its inability to be manufactured to specific tension requirements limits its use.
A non-bayonet electrical connector consists of a plug, a receptacle and a coupling ring. The plug and receptacle matingly engage within the coupling ring. The coupling ring has interior threads which engage the exterior threads of the receptacle. After the plug and receptacle matingly engage the coupling ring is turned pulling the plug and receptacle tightly together. The mated plug and receptacle bottom out when their engaging surfaces meet. The plug has ratchet teeth and a plug shoulder between the engaged plug receptacle. A dimpled clutch plate surrounding the plug engages the teeth of the plug locking the coupling ring in place.
Friction washers or wave springs are also used in conjunction with the clutch plate to facilitate locking engagement of the coupling ring around the plug and receptacle. A non-bayonet electrical connector incorporating the traditional friction washer or wave spring is locked using tools or the human hand. Force applied to tighten the coupling ring to lock down the ratcheted plug within the coupling ring to the last rachet tooth ensures that there is no looseness or "play" between the mated subassemblies and the coupling ring. When the mated electrical connector is exposed to high vibrational forces, any play between the engaged plug and receptacle and the coupling ring results in a loosening of the coupling ring.
Specifically, hand tightening of the coupling ring does not secure the coupling ring around the mated subassemblies to the last available ratchet. The human hand cannot apply sufficient force to tighten the coupling ring. Invariably, the rachet teeth of the plug fall between the dimples on the clutch plate. This failure to secure the coupling ring to the final ratchet results in the decoupling of the mated connector when it is subjected to high vibrational environments.
It is known, that a Belleville spring consists of an apertured disc made of spring metal and having a generally frustoconical shape. When force is applied to the Belleville spring in an axial direction, the spring deflects and initially exerts a relatively high resistive force which increases rapidly as a non-linear function of the deflection of the spring.
With continued deflection of the Belleville spring, the resistive force exerted by the spring decreases gradually as a substantially linear function of deflection until the spring toggles and once again exerts a force which increases non-linearly with deflection. With many applications, only the linear force/deflection characteristics of the spring are usable.
Washers and wave springs, having non-uniform surfaces, have been fabricated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,120 issued to E. E. Howe Nov. 18, 1947 entitled "Joint for Tubing" discloses a cone shaped thrust plate held in place by a series of springs where the springs employ a corrugated washer. This corrugated spring washer, while split, is circular in configuration and comprises a multiplicity of random dimples or individual waves within the surface of the corrugated washer. The washer in this application is used in high pressure joints for tubing or pipes having thin walls providing a flexible connection for tubing including an elastic compressible sealing cushion member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,434 issued to D. L. Haag Dec. 8, 1987 entitled "Spring Disk", discloses a solid spring disk made of a resiliently yieldable material shaped into a shallow cone having a corrugated surface defined by a plurality of angularly spaced triangular segments of identical size and shape disposed together upon the surface of the cone in a side-by-side arrangement.
The solid spring disk of the Haag device provides an improved spring disk which when compared with springs of the same linear force of deflection are smaller in size and require less material for fabrication. The Haag patented spring is a solid spring and is not a washer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,888 issued to A. J. Gerich Jul. 31, 1973 entitled "Bi-metallic Snap Disk and Method and Apparatus for Making Same" discloses a snap disk having peripherally spaced radially extending scallops which stiffen the disk independent of the cord height of the disk.
The bi-metallic snap disk of the Gerich patent has two positions of mechanical stability. When the temperature of the snap disk is below a predetermined temperature which has been determined during the manufacturing stage, the disk exhibits one position of stability. When the temperature of the disk is raised to a second predetermined temperature or greater, the disk snaps into a second predetermined position of stability and remains in that second position of stability until the temperature of the disk is subjected to drops below the second predetermined temperature. The inventive concept of the Gerich snap disk does not describe a washer format.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,106 issued to A. L. Gu on May 26, 1987, entitled "Thrust Bearing Underspring", discloses a foil thrust bearing underspring having alternate upper ridges and lower ridges wherein the upper ridges have a height greater than the lower ridges. The Gu device is fabricated using strict tolerances thereby producing a device having a predetermined spring capability. This resiliency o spring rate of the underspring is varied by changing the thickness of the upper and lower ridges. The space that occurs between the adjacent lower ridges has a marked effect on the stiffness of the spring. The stiffness of the spring generally outwardly converges in order to better accommodate hydrodynamic pressure forces which increase radially upon the spring. | {
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Daily life requires the use of a wide variety of information devices, such as mobile phones, personal computers, notebook computers, and tablet computers. The information devices may keep users' personal data and identity data. Due to the prevalence of networks, an increasing number of network functions are performed on-line. In particular, servers have to store users' personal data and identity data in order to provide network services, such as social networking services, webpage/email services, mobile commerce services, banking on-line transaction services, database access services, or content and information provider services. Hence, to ensure security and privacy, the servers usually require that, before accessing the services provided by the servers, users have to follow an authentication procedure for recognizing the users' identity. At present, one of the most common authentication procedures is a password-based challenge authentication procedure whereby a server typically requires that, before accessing its services, users ought to enter a username and a password for identity recognition (or known as “login”), in order to prevent user personal data from being stolen or fraudulently changed.
With network coverage and accessibility increasing rapidly, hackers are becoming more likely to target a user's password with a view to faking the user's identity. Therefore, simple passwords no longer provide adequate protection; in view of this, various mechanisms are put forth to provide better protection. For example, users are required to create a password that meets the requirements of password length, complexity, and unpredictability, such that the strength of the password is sufficient to fend off brute-force search attacks and dictionary attacks. Furthermore, users are required to change their passwords regularly to invalidate old passwords, thereby reducing the chance that their passwords will be cracked. The aforesaid mechanisms enhance security and thus help users protect their accounts.
However, referring to FIG. 1, a client end 100 requests access to different web services and an authentication procedure of a username/password 102 provided by website A 110, website B 120, and website C 130 through a network 140 by means of a challenge 101. In practice, most users usually use different usernames/passwords to log in website A 110, website B 120, and website C 130, respectively. The mechanisms require users to memorize passwords for accessing the web services of different websites, respectively. Furthermore, users usually log in a small number of websites on a daily basis, and thus are unlikely to memorize accurately the passwords of those websites which are seldom visited by them; hence, they have to guess the rarely-used passwords, not to mention that their accounts would be locked out after incorrect password entries.
Therefore, there is a need to assist users in memorizing troublesome passwords while ensuring security. A solution lies in conventional one-time password (OTP) technology. However, OTP technology can provide passwords to users only when additional technology is accessible. In most circumstances, OTP technology requires an electronic device. Chances are the electronic device will get lost, and thus the risk of losing the passwords is always there. Furthermore, it is unlikely for an organization to share its OTP generation mechanism with another organization; hence, to access web services provided by different websites, respectively, a user has to use their respective electronic devices. Therefore, users have to carry multiple portable electronic devices, thereby adding to a loss risk.
Another solution is provided by a password hint mechanism. However, the mechanism works at the cost of undermining password security, because unauthorized persons can also see the password hint and therefore help a hacker crack the password. Furthermore, the mechanism is not effective in giving an appropriate password hint to a complicated password. Therefore, sensitive systems nowadays seldom use the mechanism.
Lots of methods for providing a more secure password-based challenge have been proposed, one of which can be referred to U.S. Pat. No. 7,653,818, which is incorporated herein by its entirety. It disclosed a method of incorporating password with a timing factor, such as time limit of keystrokes, a predetermined length of pause between keystrokes, etc., to enhance security and prevent unauthorized access. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hand tools such as gripping pliers, wire cutters and such, and more particularly to a pencil thin linear tool having a pair of finger controlled surfaces for manipulating a pair of jaws which may be turned inwardly toward the user for visibility.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 541,294 describes a pair of shears. These shears are particularly adapted for cutting sheets of metal or other fairly hard material. In their use, they will enable a cut to be made completely across a large sheet of material without the severed portion in any way interfering with the easy forward movement of the shears while cutting.
Pearson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,093,726 describes scissors and shears that are comprised of an upper cutting blade, a lower handle, and an intermediate pivot-tube integral blade and handle.
Keiser, U.S. Pat. No. 1,845,798 describes shears that are especially adaptable for cutting grass and other growths or lawns and like places. This invention has a device whereby a person standing in an upright position may easily and quickly cut grass, which is close to curbing and other objects, and obviates the necessity of the person assuming a bent over or cramped position in order to operated the cutting blade. Operating members carry at their lower ends cutting blades movable relative to each other by the operation of handles secured to the upper ends of the operating members so that a person in a standing position may cut grass as close to the surface of the ground as desired.
Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 2,508,805 describes a fruit-picking device. This device has a pole and a hopper mounted on said pole and presents an opening for the reception of a fruit. In the operation of this device, the fruit picker as a whole is elevated with the front or open end of the hopper facing the operator. The hopper is moved to the fruit selected for picking in order to bring the stem of the fruit into the recess and the fruit itself within the confines of the hopper. The lever can then slide the cutter blade across the opening during which movement of the stem of the fruit is caught by the V-shaped cutting edge and severed.
Vosbikian, U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,980 describes shears for cutting and trimming. The purpose of this invention is to devise a novel and simplified construction of shears, which primarily is designed for grass cutting and trimming and can be used for cutting or trimming any desired material. Each handle is fixed to its respective cutting blade and passes through a bore laterally offset from the other handle through a top blade and is fixedly connected with a bottom blade.
Keyvani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,712 describes a tool of the type having two handles and a pivot axis, and two extension members longitudinal axially aligned with the pivot axis and each attached at one end to one of the handles and having at the other end working tool members positioned for opposed operation so that the handles operate in one plane and the working tool members operate in a parallel offset plane.
Keyvani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,712 describes a hand tool that includes a first handle that provides at one end a first hinge joint extending in a first direction and a hollow tube extending in the other direction. A fixed work element is attached at a distal end of the tube. A second handle is aligned with the first handle and provides a second hinge joint that extends in rotational engagement with the first hinge joint and includes a first set of gear teeth facing the tube. A hinge pin is pivotally engaged with and aligns the first and second hinge joints. As such, the second handle is rotatable toward and away from the first handle about the pin.
German patent, 704,090 describes hand pliers with an offset mandible.
The prior art teaches several hand tools having offset mandibles or jaws and other features related to the present invention. However, the prior art does not teach a linear finger actuated jaw operative tool satisfying the objectives of the present invention and having the structural elements and limitations of the instant teaching. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge pump circuit configured to generate a negative voltage, and particularly to overcurrent protection in such a circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to convert a DC voltage having a certain level into a DC voltage having a different level, a charge pump circuit is employed. The charge pump circuit has a configuration including several capacitors and several switches. With such a charge pump circuit, a particular capacitor (which is also referred to as a “flying capacitor”) is charged using the input voltage, and energy (charge) stored in the flying capacitor is transferred to another capacitor (which is also referred to as an “output capacitor”) so as to boost or step down the input voltage, or so as to invert the polarity of the input voltage, thereby outputting the output voltage thus boosted, stepped down, or inverted.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram which shows a configuration of a charge pump circuit configured to generate a negative voltage. A charge pump circuit 1002 includes a flying capacitor CF, an output capacitor CH, and a first switch SW1 through a fourth switch SW4. The charge pump circuit 1002 alternately repeats the first state φ1 and the second state φ2 so as to generate a negative output voltage Vout, which is then output from the output terminal P2.
In the first state φ1, the first switch SW1 and the third switch SW3 are turned on, and the other switches are turned off. In this state, the flying capacitor CF is charged using the input voltage Vin. Subsequently, in the second state φ2, the second switch SW2 and the fourth switch SW4 are turned on, and the other switches are turned off. In this state, the output capacitor CH is charged using a negative voltage (−Vin). By alternately repeating the first state φ1 and the second state φ2, such an arrangement generates the negative voltage Vout at the output capacitor CH. | {
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In recent times, for photographic materials, high image quality has been strongly demanded not only for small formats such as 110 size cameras and disk cameras, but also for the more conventional 35 mm type format. For increasing the image quality of color photographic light-sensitive materials, it is necessary to improve various photographic characteristics, such as the sharpness, graininess, etc., of the images, as well as color reproduction and tone reproduction.
Color photographic light-sensitive materials forming yellow images, magenta images, and cyan images in the blue-sensitive emulsion layer, the green-sensitive emulsion layer, and the red-sensitive emulsion layer, respectively, are well known. That is, by color-developing the silver halide color photographic material, the couplers in the color-sensitive emulsion layers thereof are reacted with the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent to form color images of azomethine dyes, indoaniline dyes, and the like. In an ordinary color negative photographic film system, the color reproduction based on a subtractive color photographic process is performed, and hence negative dye images, the colors of which are in a complementary color relation with the colors of the photographed object and the shade of which is in contrary with that of the object are formed on a color negative photographic film having the combinations of the color sensitivity and the coloring property described above. Then, by printing the negative film on a color photographic paper having similar layer structures, a color print having the correct reproductions of the colors and shade of the photographed object is obtained.
For color negative photographic films, photographic couplers, in particular, so-called DIR (development inhibitor releasing) couplers capable of releasing a development inhibitor by causing reaction with the oxidation product of a color developing agent are generally used.
A DIR coupler is a coupler having introduced into the coupling active position thereof a group which is released therefrom to show a development inhibiting action or a precursor thereof. Specific examples of such couplers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,554, 3,701,783, 3,615,506, 3,617,291, etc., and also improved compounds of these couplers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,933,500 and 4,477,563.
As described in the above literatures, these DIR couplers provide improvements in the sharpness of color images by edge effects as well as in the color reproduction, particularly in the degree of saturation of the pure color of blue, green and yellow as described in the aforesaid patent specifications. This effect is known as the interlayer effect or the interlayer development inhibition effect and is well known in the field of color photography. This effect is the effect that the color contrast is reduced in the case of exposing to white light than the case of exposing a monochromatic light, whereby the saturation of the monochromatic light color is increased when the gradation or the hue for white light is adjusted to a proper grey gradation as described in W. T. Hanson & C. A. Horton, Journal of the Optical Society of America. 42, pages 663 to 669 (1952) or A. Thiels, Zeitschrifts fur Wissenschaftliche Photographic. Photophysik und Photochemie. 47, pages 106 to 118 and pages 246 to 255 (1952).
As the photographic couplers, acylacetanilide series yellow couplers, pyrazolone series, pyrazolobenzimidazole series or pyrazolotriazole series magenta couplers, or naphthol series or phenol series couplers are frequently used, but the dyes formed by the coupling reaction thereof with the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent have undesirable side absorptions in addition to the main absorption thereof, although the extent thereof may differ, to some extent, from one dye to another. These undesirable side absorptions cause a reduction in saturation owing to the reduction in color contrast for monochromatic light in the case of establishing a proper gradation for white light.
As a technique for compensating the reduction in saturation by the undesirable absorption of the colored dyes as described above, there is known a method of using so-called colored couplers, as described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,521,908.
On the other hand, the same effect as described above can be also obtained by applying the interlayer effect using the DIR coupler compounds disclosed in the aforesaid patent specifications.
The recent trend in increasing image quality in color photographic light-sensitive materials, and particularly the great progress in color reproduction, is largely due to making use of the interlayer effect. In particular, there has been a trend of increasing the interlayer effect in color photographic light-sensitive materials, and technical progress with respect thereto has largely contributed to the improvement of saturation.
However, in the case of reproducing color images on a color photographic light-sensitive material using color images formed on a color negative photographic film showing a large interlayer effect, color images having high saturation are obtained, but on the other hand, the following disadvantages sometimes occur. That is, in the case of photographing an object having primary colors of high purity using a color negative photographic film and then reproducing proper grey on a color photographic paper, a phenomenon occurs wherein the shade and shadow of the primary colors are not properly reproduced and gradation is lost.
The cause of the gradation loss is as follows. That is, since the saturation of, in particular, pure color is increased by the large interlayer effect as described above, (a) gradation does not exist at the high density portion on a color photographic paper, or a flattened density portion of a color photographic paper, which cannot perceive density differences is used, or, in other words, the reproduced density region of a color negative photographic film for pure color corresponds to the portion shifted from the reproduced exposure amount region of a color photographic paper to a high exposure amount side. Furthermore, (b) owing to an increased satuaration, the complementary color for the pure color is not printed on a color photographic paper and the shade is not reproduced or, in other words as above, the reproduced density region of a color negative photographic film corresponds to the portion shifted from the reproduced exposure amount region of a color photographic paper to a low exposure amount side.
This is explained further based on the following practical example. When a clear red and blue object which is shaded is photographed using a color negative photographic film having a large development inhibiting effect for a red-sensitive emulsion layer provided from other silver halide emulsion layers and a large development inhibiting effect for other silver halide emulsion layers provided from the red-sensitive emulsion layer, or a color negative photographic film having a large development inhibiting effect for a blue-sensitive emulsion layer provided from other silver halide emulsion layer and a large development inhibiting effect for other silver halide emulsion layers provided from the blue-sensitive emulsion layer, there occur the following phenomena. In the former case, the saturation is increased, caused by the large inhibiting effect provided from other emulsion layers; that is, cyan is reluctant to be reproduced in the color print obtained, and the saturation is also increased by the large inhibiting effect provided to other emulsion layers, and thus magenta and yellow are liable to be reproduced in the color print obtained to provide clear red. Similarly, in the latter case, yellow is reluctant to be reproduced in the color print and the saturation is increased, and cyan and magenta are liable to be reproduced to increase the saturation of blue. However, if the aforesaid development inhibiting effect of color print, that is, the interlayer effect is further increased, the saturation of magenta and yellow for a red object is too high to reproduce the shade thereof as well as cyan is not reproduced in the color print and the delicate shadow in red cannot be reproduced. Also, the saturation of cyan and magenta for a blue object is too high to reproduce the shade as well as yellow is not reproduced in the color print and the shadow cannot be reproduced. The above-described explanation is applicable not only for a red or blue object, but also by analogy for a green or yellow object.
The phenomenon that a shade or shadow is not reproduced and gradation is lost is specific to an object of primary color having high saturation and also is specific to a color photographic light-sensitive material having large interlayer effect.
Considering the importance of the interlayer effect as a recent technique for increasing image quality of color photographic light-sensitive materials, it is very desirable to eliminate such "gradation loss" phenomenon.
For avoiding the occurrence of "gradation loss" phenomenon, various means, such as that the interlayer effect itself is reduced, the spectral sensitization distribution of a photographic light-sensitive material is changed, and coloring materials are mixed that have hitherto been known, but such means are all accompanied by a reduction in saturation. Accordingly, it has been desired to develop a means for eliminating the foregoing disadvantages without reducing the merit of avoiding the occurrence of "gradation loss" phenomenon. | {
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The present invention relates generally to signal generators and more specifically to a signal generator that can accurately control phase relationships between output signal channels and provide faster output signals.
During the design of electronic devices, some of the circuits in the device are produced as prototype circuits but other circuits in the device may not have been completed. In such a case, a signal generator can be used to simulate the output of the preceding circuit stage for confirming the operation of the prototype circuit by providing the simulated signals to the prototype circuit.
Some prototype circuits require multiple stimulation signal to be provided to points of the circuit. Therefore, some the signal generators have multiple signal output channels providing synchronized signal outputs between the channels. The signal outputs of the channels may be started by a user initiating an output start operation of the signal generator. The signal generator may receive an external trigger signal and start providing signal outputs from the channels in response to the trigger signal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,224 discloses a signal generator having multiple signal output channels.
A typical signal generator has a signal generation block having a waveform memory and digital to analog converter (DAC). The waveform memory stores waveform data representing the output signals. The user can edit the waveform data if necessary. The DAC converts the waveform data into an analog signal output. If the signal generator has multiple signal channels, each of the channels has a signal generation block with the waveform memory being shared by the signal generator blocks.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a conventional signal generator having multiple signal channels. A start signal is provided to a flip-flop (FF) 18 that controls the ON/OFF status of gate 16. The start signal is provided by a control means that preferably includes a microprocessor, hard disk drive, operation panel, and the like. The start signal is controlled by the control means in response to user input settings. If the start signal transitions from low to high, the Q output of the FF 18 becomes high at the next rising edge of the clock to turn the gate 16 “ON” so that the clock is provided to first and second signal generation blocks 10 and 12 on the next rising edge of the clock. On the other hand, if the start signal transitions from high to low, the Q output of the FF 18 becomes low at the next rising edge of the clock to turn the gate 16 “OFF” so that the clock stops being provided to the first and second signal generation blocks 10 and 12 on the next rising edge of the clock. The signal generator provides signal outputs from the channels at the same time in response to in phase clocks. This signal generator synchronizes the outputs of first and second signal generation blocks 10 and 12 through controlling the clocks that are operation reference for the first and second signal generation blocks 10 and 12. That is, the AND gate 16 controls the clock from a clock oscillator 14 whether it is provided or not to the first and second signal generation blocks 10 and 12.
At slow clock speeds, the synchronization between the channels by the clocks to the signal blocks as shown in FIG. 1 is stable. However if the clock speed is over 100 MHz the operation becomes unstable. This is because rectangular shape of a clock pulse becomes close to a sine wave and when the circuit resumes providing the clock the duty ratio of the clock pulse breaks, and then the logic circuits sometimes recognize the first clock pulse and sometimes not. As the operating speeds of electronic devices increase, there is a need for signal generators to generate output signal with higher frequencies.
PLL (Phase lock loop) or DLL (Delayed Lock Loop) may be used to make the circuit operation faster. The DLL intentionally delays the clock phase up to one period at the maximum to align phases so that there is no delay. But this process cannot be used if the clock is not continuously provided.
Therefore what is desired is to provide stable operation of synchronized signal outputs of channels at faster clock speeds. It is further desirable to provide signal outputs from the channels with user defined phase differences in addition to simultaneous signal outputs. It is also desirable to provide faster signal outputs from the channels. | {
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This invention relates to a transmission-reception apparatus and specifically to a transmission-reception apparatus for electric information signals in a recording apparatus for composite-information consisting of a copying machine which is furnished also with a means for recording external electric information signals.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission-reception apparatus capble of high speed transmission and reception of electric information between a recorder (receiver) and a reader (transmitter) of a composite recording apparatus, which records electric information signals in addition to its copying function, by the use of a single transmission line and a relatively simple transmission-reception circuit.
In a transmission-reception apparatus such as the above-mentioned recording apparatus for composite-information wherein transmission and reception of signals between the transmission side and the reception side are carried out through a single transmission line and synchronizing signals are periodically fed from the reception side to the transmission side, another object of the present invention is to provide a transmission-reception apparatus which stops the feed of the synchronizing signals at the time of trouble at the reception side so that the trouble is detected on the transmission side.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Outdoor power equipment units such as lawn mowers and the like are known to include prime movers, e.g., internal combustion engines. These mowers and their associated engines may require periodic maintenance to ensure optimal performance.
For instance, induction of relatively clean air (e.g., into a carburetor of the engine) is beneficial to ensure efficient combustion. To provide this clean air, the engine typically includes a filtering element or air cleaner positioned in line with an air intake of the engine. The air cleaner is able to filter debris that would otherwise degrade engine performance and/or potentially damage engine components were it to pass into the carburetor.
Air cleaners are typically intended to be cleaned and/or replaced after some usage period. Unfortunately, removal/replacement of air cleaners in many engines presents drawbacks. For instance, air cleaners are often secured by a cover fastened to the engine. Some level of caution is needed to ensure that the cover and fastener(s) are not lost during air cleaner replacement. Further, care is needed to ensure that debris that may have gathered on or around the air cleaner does not fall into the carburetor air intake when the air cleaner is removed.
Most engine manufacturers also recommend changing of oil after a specified period of operation. Changing the oil often requires removing a drain plug from a drain on the engine and positioning a collection device (e.g., funnel or can) to collect the draining oil. Depending on the location of the drain, the process of reaching the drain with the collection device and/or collecting the used motor oil may result in spillage onto other parts of the mower and/or the ground. Furthermore, caution is needed to ensure that the drain plug is not lost. | {
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The present disclosure is broadly concerned with structure for use in supporting and maintaining a patient in a desired position during examination and treatment, including medical procedures such as imaging, surgery and the like. More particularly, it is concerned with structure having patient support modules that can be independently adjusted to allow a surgeon to selectively position the patient for convenient access to the surgical field and provide for manipulation of the patient during surgery including the tilting, lateral shifting, pivoting, angulation or bending of a trunk and/or a joint of a patient while in a generally supine, prone or lateral position. It is also concerned with structure for adjusting and/or maintaining the spatial relation between the inboard ends of the patient supports and for synchronized translation of the upper body of a patient as the inboard ends of the two patient supports are angled upwardly and downwardly.
Current surgical practice incorporates imaging techniques and technologies throughout the course of patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. For example, minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as percutaneous insertion of spinal implants involve small incisions that are guided by continuous or repeated intra-operative imaging. These images can be processed using computer software programs that product three dimensional images for reference by the surgeon during the course of the procedure. If the patient support surface is not radiolucent or compatible with the imaging technologies, it may be necessary to interrupt the surgery periodically in order to remove the patient to a separate surface for imaging, followed by transfer back to the operating support surface for resumption of the surgical procedure. Such patient transfers for imaging purposes may be avoided by employing radiolucent and other imaging compatible systems. The patient support system should also be constructed to permit unobstructed movement of the imaging equipment and other surgical equipment around, over and under the patient throughout the course of the surgical procedure without contamination of the sterile field.
It is also necessary that the patient support system be constructed to provide optimum access to the surgical field by the surgery team. Some procedures require positioning of portions of the patient's body in different ways at different times during the procedure. Some procedures, for example, spinal surgery, involve access through more than one surgical site or field. Since all of these fields may not be in the same plane or anatomical location, the patient support surfaces should be adjustable and capable of providing support in different planes for different parts of the patient's body as well as different positions or alignments for a given part of the body. Preferably, the support surface should be adjustable to provide support in separate planes and in different alignments for the head and upper trunk portion of the patient's body, the lower trunk and pelvic portion of the body as well as each of the limbs independently.
Certain types of surgery, such as orthopedic surgery, may require that the patient or a part of the, patient be repositioned during the procedure while in some cases maintaining the sterile field. Where surgery is directed toward motion preservation procedures, such as by installation of artificial joints, spinal ligaments and total disc prostheses, for example, the surgeon must be able to manipulate certain joints while supporting selected portions of the patient's body during surgery in order to facilitate the procedure. It is also desirable to be able to test the range of motion of the surgically repaired or stabilized joint and to observe the gliding movement of the reconstructed articulating prosthetic surfaces or the tension and flexibility of artificial ligaments, spacers and other types of dynamic stabilizers before the wound is closed. Such manipulation can be used, for example, to verify the correct positioning and function of an implanted prosthetic disc, spinal dynamic longitudinal connecting member, interspinous spacer or joint replacement during a surgical procedure. Where manipulation discloses binding, sub-optimal position or even crushing of the adjacent vertebrae, for example, as may occur with osteoporosis, the prosthesis can be removed and the adjacent vertebrae fused while the patient remains anesthetized. Injury which might otherwise have resulted from a “trial” use of the implant post-operatively will be avoided, along with the need for a second round of anesthesia and surgery to remove the implant or prosthesis and perform the revision, fusion or corrective surgery.
There is also a need for a patient support surface that can be rotated, articulated and angulated so that the patient can be moved from a prone to a supine position or from a prone to a 90.degree. position and whereby intra-operative extension and flexion of at least a portion of the spinal column can be achieved. The patient support surface must also be capable of easy, selective adjustment without necessitating removal of the patient or causing substantial interruption of the procedure.
For certain types of surgical procedures, for example spinal surgeries, it may be desirable to position the patient for sequential anterior and posterior procedures. The patient support surface should also be capable or rotation about an axis in order to provide correct positioning of the patient and optimum accessibility for the surgeon as well as imaging equipment during such sequential procedures.
Orthopedic procedures may also require the use of traction equipment such a cables, tongs, pulleys and weights. The patient support system must include structure for anchoring such equipment and it must provide adequate support to withstand unequal forces generated by traction against such equipment.
Articulated robotic arms are increasingly employed to perform surgical techniques. These units are generally designed to move short distances and to perform very precise work. Reliance on the patient support structure to perform any necessary gross movement of the patient can be beneficial, especially if the movements are synchronized or coordinated. Such units require a surgical support surface capable of smoothly performing the multi-directional movements which would otherwise be performed by trained medical personnel. There is thus a need in this application as well for integration between the robotics technology and the patient positioning technology.
While conventional operating tables generally include structure that permits tilting or rotation of a patient support surface about a longitudinal axis, previous surgical support devices have attempted to address the need for access by providing a cantilevered patient support surface on one end. Such designs typically employ either a massive base to counterbalance the extended support member or a large overhead frame structure to provide support from above. The enlarged base members associated with such cantilever designs are problematic in that they can and do obstruct the movement of C-arm and O-arm mobile fluoroscopic imaging devices and other equipment. Surgical tables with overhead frame structures are bulky and may require the use of dedicated operating rooms, since in some cases they cannot be moved easily out of the way. Neither of these designs is easily portable or storable.
Articulated operating tables that employ cantilevered support surfaces capable of upward and downward angulation require structure to compensate for variations in the spatial relation of the inboard ends of the supports as they are raised and lowered to an angled position either above or below a horizontal plane. As the inboard ends of the supports are raised or lowered, they form a triangle, with the horizontal plane of the table forming the base of the triangle. Unless the base is commensurately shortened, a gap will develop between the inboard ends of the supports.
Such up and down angulation of the patient supports also causes a corresponding flexion or extension, respectively, of the lumbar spine of a prone patient positioned on the supports. Raising the inboard ends of the patient supports generally causes flexion of the lumbar spine of a prone patient with decreased lordosis and a coupled or corresponding posterior rotation of the pelvis around the hips. When the top of the pelvis rotates in a posterior direction, it pulls the lumbar spine and wants to move or translate the thoracic spine in a caudad direction, toward the patient's feet. If the patient's trunk, entire upper body and head and neck are not free to translate or move along the support surface in a corresponding caudad direction along with the posterior pelvic rotation, excessive traction along the entire spine can occur, but especially in the lumbar region. Conversely, lowering the inboard ends of the patient supports with downward angulation causes extension of the lumbar spine of a prone patient with increased lordosis and coupled anterior pelvic rotation around the hips. When the top of the pelvis rotates in an anterior direction, it pushes and wants to translate the thoracic spine in a cephalad direction, toward the patient's head. If the patient's trunk and upper body are not free to translate or move along the longitudinal axis of the support surface in a corresponding cephalad direction during lumbar extension with anterior pelvic rotation, unwanted compression of the spine can result, especially in the lumbar region.
Thus, there remains a need for a patient support system that provides easy access for personnel and equipment, that can be positioned and repositioned easily and quickly in multiple planes without the use of massive counterbalancing support structure, and that does not require use of a dedicated operating room. There is also a need for such a system that permits upward and downward angulation of the inboard ends of the supports, either alone or in combination with rotation or roll about the longitudinal axis, all while maintaining the ends in a preselected spatial relation, and at the same time providing for coordinated translation of the patient's upper body in a corresponding caudad or cephalad direction to thereby avoid excessive compression or traction on the spine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Removal of dust, lint or other particulate contaminants is very important in processes for painting, lacquering or otherwise coating articles insofar as such particles will form blemishes in the final coated product. Attempts at dust removal by wiping are frequently counterproductive because contact with cloths and the like can introduce further contamination in the form of lint or extraneous matter. It has been found in many instances that brushes may be employed to remove dust or other fine particulate matter from a surface prior to coating and such brushes are referred to as tack brushes.
Brushes most advantageously employed in a tacking process are those which are prone to develop and maintain a static electrical charge thereupon. A charged brush will attract and hold dust particles rather than scattering them around the surface or the workplace. In addition to developing a static charge, it is desirable that a tack brush be capable of rapidly discharging so as to enable release of the collected dust Discharge is typically accomplished by the use of an ion generator such as a radioactive or electrically charged member.
Of particular advantage in fabrication of tack brushes are feathers, particularly the feathers of ratite birds such as ostriches or emus. Such feathers rapidly develop a static electrical charge and readily discharge when subjected to an appropriate ion source. Other types of feathers, including synthetic substitutes, may be similarly employed in the fabrication of tack brushes.
Heretofore available tacking apparatus have been relatively large pieces of equipment generally comprised of a plurality of power driven brushes, each brush being several feet in diameter and 4-10 feet long. The brushes are typically mounted in a fixed location and articles being tacked passed thereunder. For example, in the preparation of automobile bodies for painting, a tacking apparatus comprised of a plurality of rollers analogous to a carwash is utilized to provide a final dust removal treatment. Such large apparatus work well for high volume cleaning of relatively large area items. However, there is an unaddressed need for apparatus adapted for the tacking of small size and/or low production volume items.
For example, household appliances, burial caskets, furniture and pianos are all generally provided with high quality painted and/or lacquered finishes. However, a large area tacking apparatus would not be well suited for preparation of these items for coating owing to their small size and/or relatively complex shape. Similarly, automobile repair shops need to prepare portions of automobiles for painting. However, it would not be cost effective to employ a large area high volume tacking apparatus for such preparation. Heretofore in such situations, final cleaning of an item prior to counting thereof was accomplished by the use of wiping cloths or feather dusters. However, such items, are prone to deposit new lint particles and to scatter existing dust about, creating more problems than they solve.
Accordingly, it will be seen that there is a need for a relatively small area tacking apparatus suited for low volume and/or small area applications. It is preferred that such apparatus be capable of operation by a single worker and be readily adapted to tacking of surfaces of a variety of shapes. It is further desired that such apparatus be capable of collecting and retaining dust particles as opposed to scattering them about.
The present invention addresses this heretofore unfulfilled need by providing a portable tacking apparatus suited for hand-held operation by a single worker. The tacking apparatus of the present invention includes a portable, relatively lightweight tacking head which an operator may sweep across a surface prior to painting. T he tacking head communicates with a central suction unit adapted to retain dust particles collected by the tacking head. These and other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the drawings, description and claims which follow. | {
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This invention relates to the fields of molecular biology and peptide transporters. Specifically, nucleic and amino acid sequences for expressing the human peptide histidine transporter 1, (hPHT1) and fragments thereof as well as hPHT1 immunospecific antibodies are provided. Methods and kits employing the compositions of the invention are also disclosed.
Several publications are referenced in this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. The disclosure of each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein.
Peptide transport is a specific biochemical process in which small peptides are transported across a membrane by energy-dependent saturable carriers. While the existence of a transport process for intact peptides in the brush border membrane of intestinal and renal absorptive epithelial cells has been known for almost three decades, it is only recently that the molecular nature of the proteins responsible for the transport process has been elucidated. Two peptide transporters, PEPT 1 and PEPT 2, have been cloned. The cloned transporters catalyze active transport of intact di- and tripeptides and utilize a transmembrane electrochemical H+ gradient as the driving force. The characteristic of H+ coupling makes PEPT 1 and PEPT 2 unique among the transporters thus far identified in mammalian cells. In addition, the peptide transporters have immediate pharmacologic relevance because a number of peptide-like drugs are recognized as substrates by these transporters. Recently, cultured cell lines of intestinal and renal origin that express PEPT 1 and PEPT 2 have been identified. (Oh et al., 1999, Pharm Biotechnol. 12:59-88; Liang et al., 1995, J Biol Chem. 270:6456-6463; Fei et al., 1994, Nature 368:563-566; Dantzig et el., 1994, Science 264:430-433).
PepT1 belongs to the proton oligopeptide transporter (POT) superfamily, in which all of the known peptide transporters, with the exception of HPT1 (a cadherin family member), are grouped (Meredith and Boyd, 2000, Cell Mol Life Sci. 57:754-778; Graul and Sadee, 1997, Pharm. Res. 14(4):388-400). Of these transporters, PepT1 has been extensively characterized and appears to be the predominant peptide transporter in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) (Pauletti et al., 1996, J Cont Rel. 41:3-17; Oh et al., 1999, Pharm Biotechnol. 12:59-88; Ganapathy et al., 1998, Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 246:470-475; Tamai et al., 1997, J Pharm Pharmacol. 49:796-801). More recently, HPT-1 has been identified in Caco-2 cells (Dantzig et el., 1994, Science 264:430-433; Hu et al., 1994, Pharm Res. 11:1405-1413; Hu et al. 1995, Pharm Res. 12:1120-1125; Snyder et al., 1997, Antimicrob Agents Chemother; Yang, 1998, thesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.).
Inasmuch as the therapeutic use of peptide-based pharmaceuticals is a burgeoning area in rational drug design, elucidation of the specificity and molecular function of different transporter molecules is highly desirable for the treatment of a variety of pathological disorders.
The present invention relates to the identification of novel nucleic acid molecules and proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules or variants thereof, that participate in peptide transport within the GIT.
According to one aspect of the invention, an isolated nucleic acid molecule is provided which includes a complete coding region for a human peptide histidine transporter 1 (hPHT1)protein of a predicted size between about 50 and 80 kilodaltons. The hPHT1 protein is preferably about 65 kilodaltons. As predicted by structural analysis, the hPHT1 protein comprises twelve putative transmembrane domains (TM) and includes NH2xe2x80x94 and COOH terminal ends that are localized to the cytoplasm of cells.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, an isolated nucleic acid encoding a hPHT1 protein is provided. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hPHT1 protein has an amino acid sequence the same as Sequence I.D. No. 2. An exemplary hPHT1 encoding nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises Sequence I.D. No. 1.
In another embodiment of the invention, an isolated nucleic acid encoding a splice variant of hPHT1 protein is provided. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a splice variant of hPHT protein has an amino acid sequence the same as Sequence I.D. No. 4. An exemplary hPHT1 splice variant encoding nucleic acid molecule of the invention comprises Sequence I.D. No. 3.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, variant hPHT1 encoding nucleic acids have been isolated. These nucleic acid sequences are referred to herein as SEQ ID NOs: 53 and 55. The amino acid sequences encoded by SEQ ID Nos: 53 and 55 are referred to herein as SEQ ID NOs: 54 and 56.
According to another aspect of the invention, antibodies immunologically specific for the proteins described hereinabove are provided.
In addition, this invention presents methods for screening potentially beneficial therapeutic agents which modulate hPHT1 meditated transport. Agents so identified are also within the scope of the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a parking mechanism for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, and more particularly, to a parking mechanism for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission which securely parks the vehicle and improves a free-layout degree of design of a parking gear.
As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional parking mechanism comprises a detente plate 1 rotated by operation of a shift lever(not shown), a push rod 2 operated by the detent plate 1, a cam 4 moving in a rectilinear direction by the push rod 2, a parking sprag 8 which contacts the cam 4 and is rotatably supported by a parking pawl shaft 6, and an annulus gear 10 that engages the parking sprag 8 to park a vehicle.
When a driver changes the shift lever into P range, the parking rod 2 is moved by the detent plate 1. As result, the cam 4, formed on the parking rod 2, moves in a rectilinear direction by the parking rod 2, and the parking sprag 8 rotatably supported by the parking pawl shaft 6 contacts with the cam 4 and, thus, engages the annulus gear 10, thereby parking the vehicle.
As described above, the conventional parking mechanism requires a large number of parts. Accordingly, manufacturing costs are increased and the free-layout degree of design in reduced. | {
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The present invention relates to a modular installation for liquid/gas separation that is of the vertical type, and also to a method of separating a multiphase fluid, in particular oil-water and gas contained in crude oil.
More particularly, the technical field of the invention is the field of oil production, and more particularly from oilfields at sea in great depths.
Deep sea oil production is generally performed from a floating support anchored in the proximity of oil wells that are situated at the sea bottom, i.e. at depths lying in the range 1000 meters (m) to 2500 m, or even more. In general, the floating support has anchor means enabling it to remain in position in spite of the effects of currents, winds, and swell. It also generally includes means for storing and processing oil together with off-loading means for off-loading oil to tankers that call at regular intervals in order to remove the production. The common term for such supports is floating production storage and off-loading supports, and they are referred to throughout the description below by the initials FPSO.
The wellheads are generally connected to said FPSO by undersea pipes, either of the suspended catenary riser (SCR) type, or of the hybrid tower type, comprising: a vertical riser having its bottom end anchored to the sea bottom and connected to a said pipe resting on the sea bottom, and its top end tensioned by a float immersed in the subsurface to which it is connected; and a connection pipe, generally a flexible connection pipe, between the top end of said riser and a floating support on the surface, said flexible connection pipe taking on, where appropriate, a dipping catenary curve shape as a result of its own weight, i.e. dipping down well below the float before subsequently rising up to said floating support.
The entire production of crude oil is thus generally raised on board the FPSO in order to be processed so as to separate the oil proper from the water, the gas, and the sandy components, if any. The oil, once separated, is thus stored on board, the gas is washed and then sent to gas turbines for producing the electricity and the heat needed on board, and then any surplus is injected into the reservoir of the oil field so as to restore pressure in said reservoir. The water, after being released from sand in suspension, is finally either rejected into the sea after thorough extraction of oil particles, or else it is likewise reinjected into the reservoir, with additional seawater taken from the subsurface generally also being added in order to achieve the necessary flow rate for injecting water into the reservoir. The extracted sand, which represents only minimal quantities, is finally washed and then rejected into the sea.
A known method of separating gas, water, and oil from crude oil that is commonly employed on stationary installations on land and on board the FPSOs consists in using enclosures that withstand pressure, that are of very large volume, generally in the form of elongate cylinders, with the crude oil entering via one end and travelling along said enclosure for a duration of about three minutes (min) to about 10 min, during which the various phases separate naturally under gravity before reaching the second end. Gas is then recovered from the top portion of said enclosure, water and sand from the bottom portion, and oil from an intermediate portion. There exists a very large variety of separators of that type, that generally include additional internal devices, such as horizontal, vertical, or sloping screens for the purposes of facilitating separation of the phases and of preventing them from re-mixing at a later stage.
Those separators operate at low pressure, e.g. in the range 3 bars to 10 bars, and sometimes even at negative pressures, in order to optimize degassing the crude oil. If it is desired to install that type of separator at the sea bottom, said enclosure must be capable of withstanding crushing as a result of the pressure that is equal substantially to 100 bars, i.e. substantially 10 megapascals (MPa), for each 1000 m of water depth, and also the internal pressure, which depends on the pressure of the oil reservoir and which can reach 1400 bars in certain circumstances. As a result, transposing such an enclosure to enable it to be used at great or very great depth would require wall thicknesses in the range 100 millimeters (mm) to 300 mm in order to withstand implosion, and such sheet metal elements would be very difficult and very expensive to make and install on the sea bottom at great depth.
Document FR 2 915 403 in the name of the Applicant discloses an undersea gas-liquid separator device, however that device comprises an enclosure containing a set of enclosures arranged vertically that are permanently connected to one another and that are of large weights and volumes, that assembly being found, in certain circumstances, difficult to put into place on the sea bottom and requiring installation ships having considerable offshore hoisting capacity, and in particular requiring the use of installation ships that are longer than 200 m. Also, elements internal to the enclosure, such as sensors, run the risk of failing and/or becoming clogged, and they possibly also run the risk of plugging liquid discharge outlets. Such incidents require maintenance that cannot be performed by disconnecting and recovering the enclosures individually using conventional maintenance vessels (known as “inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) vessels”), which are generally of relatively small size and hoisting capacity.
In another field, in document FR 2 961 712 in the name of the Applicant, proposals are made for a modular undersea installation for liquid-liquid separation that is constituted by a plurality of pipes that slope a little relative to the horizontal, that are in parallel, and that are individually connectable and disconnectable at will, and that can therefore be installed at the bottom and thus handled while limiting the weight of the elements that are to be handled from the surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Wireless communications is becoming increasingly important, with wireless systems finding their way into every growing numbers of applications. Wireless systems are become ubiquitous in the military environment.
Early wireless systems typically operated in a point-to-point arrangement, where a communications link was formed between an individual transmitter and individual receiver. Eventually, networked communications were desired, where communications could occur between several different locations simultaneously using a shared communications channel. Initial networked systems often used manual protocols to ensure that multiple transmitters did not attempt to transmit on the channel simultaneously (and thus interfere with each other). For example, network communications can be directed by a network control operator who periodically polls individual stations to determine if they need to make a transmission.
Many legacy communications systems were initially designed for use in a point-to-point arrangement, and thus are not well suited toward networked communication. This problem can be exacerbated when high speed data communications is desired. In such a system, intervention by a human operator is undesirable due to the resulting inefficiencies and delays that are introduced. | {
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The present invention relates to a method for purifying acrylic acid. Particularly, it relates to a method for purifying acrylic acid from an aqueous solution of acrylic acid, while preventing polymerization of acrylic acid. More particularly, it relates to a method whereby an operation for purifying acrylic acid can be carried out constantly over a long period of time while preventing polymerization of acrylic acid in a distillation column at the time of removing low boiling point components such as water and acetic acid by means of a dehydration column from a crude aqueous solution of acrylic acid obtainable by catalytic oxidation of e.g. propylene.
As a typical method for producing acrylic acid, a method may be mentioned which comprises oxidizing propylene and/or acrolein by a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of steam by means of an oxidizing catalyst. A crude aqueous solution of acrylic acid can be obtained by cooling and/or absorbing by water, reaction gas thus obtained. This crude aqueous solution of acrylic acid contains, in addition to acrylic acid, by-products such as acetic acid, formic acid, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Among these by-products, one most abundantly formed and being accordingly particularly important at the time of purification, is acetic acid. It is believed to be not so efficient to separate water, acetic acid and acrylic acid directly by distillation in view of their chemical similarity and the physicochemical properties such as gas-liquid equilibrium.
Accordingly, it has been common to employ, as a method for purifying acrylic acid, a method which comprises subjecting water to dehydration distillation by means of an organic solvent azeotropically distillable with water (which may sometimes be hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9can azeotropic solventxe2x80x9d) and further separating acetic acid by distillation.
For the distillation process to carry out such separation of water and acetic acid, a method wherein both will be separated simultaneously by a single distillation column (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ca single column methodxe2x80x9d) and a method wherein they are separated by means of the respective distillation columns (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ca double column methodxe2x80x9d), are conceivable, and many proposals have been made for the respective methods, as follows.
(1) With respect to the single column method JP-B-46-18967, JP-B-46-29372, JP-B-46-22456, JP-B-46-34692, JP-B-49-21124, JP-A-5-246941, etc.
(2) With respect to the double column method
JP-B-41-15569, JP-B-46-18966, JP-B-50-25451, JP-B-63-10691, JP-A-3-181440, JP-B-6-15495, JP-B-6-15496, JP-A-8-40974, etc.
These two methods have the following merits and demerits.
The single column method is intended to separate water and acetic acid simultaneously by a single distillation column, whereby it is required to employ a distillation column having a large plate number, and a large reflux ratio will be required. Accordingly, this method is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of energy. Further, as the plate number increases, the column bottom pressure tends to be high, and the column bottom temperature will accordingly be high, but it is not desirable to subject readily polymerizable acrylic acid to such a high temperature.
Whereas, in the double column method, water and acetic acid are separated by means of distillation columns respectively, whereby the optimum distillation conditions and distillation column can be employed, and this method is advantageous also from the viewpoint of energy. Further, this method has a merit such that acetic acid as the main by-product can be recovered from the distillation column for separation of acetic acid. Further, the plate number of each column can be reduced, and the column bottom temperature can be made low, hereby this method is preferred also with a view to prevention of polymerization of acrylic acid.
However, also in the process for purifying acrylic acid by this double column method, polymerization of acrylic acid has been likely to take place especially in the vicinity of the bottom of the dehydration column, whereby a stabilized operation has been still difficult.
To overcome such difficulty, JP-A-8-40974 proposes a method of controlling the concentrations of water and an azeotropic solvent in the bottom of the azeotropic dehydration column. However, this method has been still inadequate to carry out a continuous operation for a few months under a stabilized condition.
It is an object of the present invention to provide operational conditions to prevent polymerization of acrylic acid and make it possible to operate the distillation column under a stabilized condition for a long period of time, when an aqueous solution of acrylic acid is subjected to dehydration by means of a dehydration column.
The present inventors have made various studies on distillation conditions by paying a particular attention to the fact that the above-mentioned polymer of acrylic acid will deposit at a specific site, whereby a continuous operation of the dehydration column for a long period of time will be impossible. As a result, they have found it possible to present polymerization of acrylic acid in the distillation column by controlling the temperature of the specific site in the dehydration column within a specific range, and thus have arrived at the present invention.
That is, the present invention provides a method for purifying acrylic acid, which comprises carrying out dehydration of an aqueous solution of acrylic acid by means of a dehydration column, wherein a distillation column having a theoretical plate number of at least 3 plates is used as the dehydration column, and the operational temperature of a site corresponding to the second theoretical plate is adjusted to be from 50 to 78xc2x0 C.
The present invention also provides the above-mentioned method for purifying acrylic acid, wherein the operational temperature of the site corresponding to the second theoretical plate is adjusted to be from 60 to 73xc2x0 C., and the above-mentioned method for purifying acrylic acid, wherein the bottom temperature of the dehydration column is adjusted to be from 60 to 90xc2x0 C.
Further, the present invention provides the above-mentioned method for purifying acrylic acid, wherein the aqueous solution of acrylic acid is a crude aqueous solution obtained from a reaction gas formed by catalytically oxidizing propylene and/or acrolein by molecular oxygen, and the above-mentioned method for purifying acrylic acid, wherein the acrylic acid concentration of the aqueous solution of acrylic acid is at least 40 wt %.
Furthermore, the present invention provides the above-mentioned method for purifying acrylic acid, wherein an organic solvent azeotropically distillable with water is used at the time of the dehydration distillation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus which stores a printing job in a storage section of the printing apparatus and performs printing of the printing job when a printing instruction by a user is accepted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is a printing apparatus in which a printing job transmitted from a PC can be stored in a storage section such as a RAM (see Japanese Patent Application laid-open No. H11-42817). The printing apparatus executes the printing job in a case that a printing instruction of the printing job is accepted before an expiration date of printing (print expiration date) of the printing job stored in the storage section elapses. On the other hand, the printing apparatus deletes the printing job from the storage section when the print expiration date elapses.
However, in a case that many printing jobs, each of which has a long period of time until the print expiration date elapses, are stored in the storage section, the following problem arises. That is, there is fear that the storage section is occupied for the long period of time by such printing jobs.
In view of the above, an object of the present teaching is to provide a printing apparatus which is capable of preventing a printing job, which has a long period of time until a print expiration date elapses, from occupying a storage section for the long period of time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A variety of techniques exist in the field of orthopaedic surgery for treating bone fractures. Many known techniques utilize bone screws and bone fixation plates. Typically, the plate is used to stabilize the site of a bone fracture, and one or more bone screws are inserted through apertures of the plate and threaded into the bone material so as to secure the plate to the bone material. It is also known that bone screw/plate systems can be improved by machining a thread onto the head of the bone screw, in addition to the thread normally machined onto the main shaft of the screw. In connection with the use of threaded-head screws, the apertures of the plate are threaded to matingly receive the threads of the screw head. Thus, as the screw is inserted into an aperture of the plate and threaded into the bone material, the head of the screw likewise is threaded into the aperture. As a result, the screw becomes rigidly affixed to the plate, in effect locking to the plate rather than simply bearing against the plate. Examples of threaded-head bone screws and threaded-aperture bone plates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,686 to Talus et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,881 to Frigg et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,140 to Siddiqui.
The use of threaded-head screws and threaded-aperture plates provides certain advantages. It is known that some types of small bone fragments tend to change position relative to the plate over time. This deleterious condition can result from the “toggling” of the screws affixed to the plate. However, when multiple screws are rigidly fixed to the plate by mating the respective threads of the screw heads with the threads of the corresponding plate apertures, the screws do not toggle in the plate. The locking action provided by the threaded-head screw in combination with the threaded-aperture plate prevents motion between the bone fragment and the plate as well as premature loosening of the screws.
Although the use of threaded-head screws has provided improvements in orthopaedic surgical techniques, there remains the disadvantage that these screw/plate systems are unidirectional. That is, the thread formed on the inside surface of the aperture of the plate is structurally fixed at a constant helical angle with respect to the central axis passing through the center point of the aperture. Hence, the head of a conventional threaded-head screw can only be rigidly affixed to the plate by mating its thread with that of the aperture, such that the bone screw is always inserted and threaded in one direction, e.g., perpendicularly or coaxially with respect to the plate.
Recent developments in this field provide screw/plate systems that allow the surgeon to choose the angle at which the screw is inserted through, and rigidly affixed in, an aperture of the plate. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,677 to Dahners. Such improvements enable the surgeon to direct the bone screw toward bone fragments that are not situated directly beneath the aperture of the plate, and also provide flexibility in the placement of the plate in relation to the bone fracture. These systems, however, do not address the possibility of the plate failing to completely pull against a bone surface before the head of the bone screw locks into the aperture of the plate, thereby leaving a gap between the plate and the bone surface to which the plate is intended to firmly abut. This is problematic in that the plate fails to perform its intended function, providing support for the bone fracture.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a plate puller device that prevents the head section of the bone screw from advancing and locking within the aperture of the plate until the plate is pulled against the bone surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In some instances, it is desirable for gun holsters to be locked to prevent withdraw of the firearm from the holster. One such instance is in support of air travel, where travelers would benefit from a lightweight and secure means of transporting a holstered pistol. Current transport systems are often bulky, heavy, and expensive. Another instance in which it may be desirable to lock a gun in a holster is in a home or business to prevent unauthorized access to the gun. While no mechanism can indefinitely prevent access to a firearm, it may be desirable to provide a transport system that is tamper resistant, light weight, easy to manufacture, and easy to use.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved gun holster transport system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a novel carrying case fabricated of sheet material. Carrying cases have been provided for toys, dolls, or the like, in which the case not only provides means for carrying and storing the toys, but the carrying case when in open position provides a certain atmosphere related to the toys utilized therewith. This invention is directed to providing a new and improved carrying case of the character described which is readily adapted for use with toys and dolls.
More particularly, the carrying case is generally hexagonal in horizontal cross section and includes a rear compartment which is trapezoidal in cross section to form three sides of the carrying case. The rear compartment has an open front defined partially by a pair of generally parallel vertical side edges. A pair of box-like front compartments are provided and are trapezoidal in cross section to form the remaining three sides of the carrying case. The front compartments each have an open side defined partially by a generally vertical edge hinged to one of the vertical edges of the rear compartment. Each of the front compartments is approximately one-half the size of the rear compartment and is pivotable about the hinged edge between a closed position closing the open front of the rear compartment and an open position whereat the interior of all three compartments are exposed. A handle is provided at the front edge of the rear compartment on a supporting brace extending therealong. The supporting brace includes a forwardly facing slot within which the top front edges of the front compartments are positionable when in their closed position. A latch means in the form of a flexible flap is secured to one of the front compartments and is releasably securable to the other of the front compartments. The one front compartment to which the flexible flap is secured includes a door portion to which the flap is secured for opening the door portion when the flap is released from the other front compartment.
A foldable floor is connected to the bottom edges of the three compartments and is foldably movable into the interior of the carrying case when the two front compartments are moved to their closed positions.
Each of the three compartments are fabricated from a blank of rigidifying sheet material, such as cardboard, having fold lines provided thereon to form the shape of each compartment. The fold lines are defined by slots in the rigidifying sheet material. The three blanks are connected together by a pair of plastic sheets conforming to the shape of the blanks when in position for assembly, sandwiching the blanks therebetween, with the plastic sheets sealed through the slots to hold the blanks in position for assembly.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The term “high molecular weight polyethylene” is generally used to define polyethylene having a molecular weight of at least 3×105 g/mol as determined by ASTM 4020 and, as used herein is intended to include very-high molecular weight polyethylene or VHMWPE (generally characterized as polyethylene having a molecular weight of at least 1×106 g/mol and less 3×106 g/mol as determined by ASTM 4020) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or UHMWPE (generally characterized as polyethylene having a molecular weight of at least 3×106 g/mol as determined by ASTM 4020).
High molecular weight polyethylenes are valuable engineering plastics, with a unique combination of abrasion resistance, surface lubricity, chemical resistance and impact strength. As a result, they find application in the production of high strength fibers for use in ropes and anti-ballistic shaped articles and in the production of other elongated articles, such as membranes for lithium batteries. However, since the flowability of these materials in the molten state decreases as the molecular weight increases, processing by conventional techniques, such as melt extrusion, is not always possible.
One alternative method for producing fibers and other elongated components high molecular weight polyethylene, including VHMWPE and UHMWPE, is by gel-spinning in which the polymer is dissolved in a solvent, the resultant gel is extruded into a fiber or membrane, and part or all of the solvent is then removed from the product. The dried product may be stretched at an elevated temperature below the melting point of the polyethylene to increase its tensile strength (i.e., tenacity) and tensile modulus (i.e., elastic modulus). Examples of such a process are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,451 and United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0161605.
Generally, the strength of polyethylene fibers increases with molecular weight but with conventional forms of polyethylene, such as those produced by Ziegler-Natta catalysts, the solubility of the material in conventional solvents, such as decalin and mineral oils, decreases as the molecular weight increases. In addition, increasing the molecular weight of the polyethylene can be accompanied by agglomeration during the gelation process. Thus the polymer particles tend to absorb the solvent causing the particles to swell and become entangled, thereby forming agglomerates. These more or less mobile networks of gel particles tend to stick to the surfaces of, for example, extruders and can lead to processing difficulties, such as blockages, as well as requiring increased energy for extrusion process. Also the gel particles are potential sources of defects in the final membrane or fiber.
According to the present invention, it has now been found that, by polymerizing ethylene in the presence of a catalyst comprising a Group 4 metal complex of a phenolate ether, it is possible to produce high molecular weight polyethylene, which has a solubility in decalin and other hydrocarbon solvents substantially independent of molecular weight. The resultant polymer is therefore particularly desirable for use in gel processing since higher molecular weight, and hence stronger, fibers and membranes can be produced without a significant increase in processing time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for stabilizing porcine growth hormone, and a stabilized porcine growth hormone composition.
2. Description of the Background Art
One major problem in the administration of growth hormones, such as porcine growth hormone administered to swine, is denaturation of the native globular structure causing aggregation of the growth hormone into precipitated forms which decreases the amount of active growth hormone available. The formation of these insolubles can also block tubing, membranes and various pumps of implanted delivery devices. System failure almost always results due to the formation of these insolubles. In addition to the formation of insolubles, another problem in the administration of growth hormones is retaining the soluble bioactivity of the hormone. It is therefore desirable to provide means for stabilizing growth hormone formulations in order to decrease the formation of insolubles and maintain the bioactivity of the soluble growth hormone.
A variety of stabilizers have been disclosed in the art which avoid the breakdown of native protein structures. For example, glycerol has been used to stabilize the activity of various proteins. Gekko, et al., Biochemistry, 20:4666-76 (1981). Examples of proteins which are described in this article as being stabilized by glycerol include chymotrypsinogen A (from bovine pancreas), ribonuclease A (from bovine pancreas), .beta.-lactoglobin (from milk), bovine serum albumin, insulin (bovine pancreatic), egg-white lysozyme and .alpha.-chymotrypsin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,337 discloses a process for coupling a polypeptide such as enzymes and insulin to polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol having a molecular weight of 500 to 20,000 daltons. The polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol is described as protecting the polypeptide from loss of activity and the composition can be injected without any immuniogenic response.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,181 discloses a method for preventing the precipitation of proteins within drug delivery systems that depend on the fluidity of the infusate for proper function. The method comprises mixing a polyol with the protein solution prior to introduction of the solution into the drug delivery system. Examples of the polyols which are described include glycerol and biocompatible C-4 to C-18 polyols. Exemplary of the polyols are erythritol, arabinose, xylose, ribose, adonitol, arabitol, rhamose, inositol, fructose, galactose, glucose, mannose, sorbose, maltose, sucrose, melezitose, and raffinose. The solid polyols are dissolved in a standard aqueous insulin solution or are first prepared as an aqueous solution and admixed with the insulin to provide the final concentration of polyol in the solution of about 10 to 90 percent weight per volume, with the balance being the protein. Other proteins which are described as being subject to the same precipitation problems include growth hormone, glucagon and the like.
While the prior art has taught a number of various stabilizers for specific proteins, unfortunately, the fact a particular stabilizer is effective with a particular protein does not necessarily mean that the particular stabilizer is appropriate for the stabilization of porcine growth hormone. Therefore, there exists a need for a method of stabilization of porcine growth hormone which decreases the formation of insolubles and preserves the soluble bioactivity of the hormone. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Customer brand loyalty and predominant market share are coveted positions in the product sales industry as a whole. The computer software industry is no exception. Research has shown that people who use a computer software product for a period of time grow accustomed to using that software and are not easily influenced to change to the software product of a competitor. As a result, software companies give customers opportunities to use trial versions of their software products for little or no initial cost. This has proven to be an effective means of gaining market share and repeat customers willing to spend more for unlimited versions of the products.
Software companies place their trial products in the hands of customers in a variety of ways. For example, Internet service providers (“ISPs”) such as AMERICA ONLINE market their products by giving customers free on-line minutes with the expectation of gaining customer loyalty and repeat subscriptions to their service. Unlike other software products, the value in an ISP product is provided by remaining connected to the service. This gives an ISP significant control over the benefits of their product. However, software companies that have less control over the benefits of their trial products mitigate the risk of software piracy by offering trial versions that are diminished in value by restricting the functionality of the software. As a result, the customer does not receive the full product experience, thereby reducing the likelihood of subsequent purchases based on the trial experience.
In order to give customers the full product experience for a minimum cost and mitigate the risk of code piracy, software companies use product activation. Product activation is anti-piracy code that requires customers to connect to a server and receive a license from the software product manufacturer before the trial software product is enabled. Once the trial product is activated it is enabled on the customer computer for a fixed period of time. After the trial period has expired, the functionality of the software product is reduced with the expectation that the customer purchase the non-trial version of the software product at the full price. Reduced functionality permits some use of the product but prohibits saving changes or creating new documents, thereby motivating customers to purchase the non-trial version. In the past, the majority of customers went to retail distributors to purchase non-trial versions of software products, thereby providing profit margins directly to the distributors.
Software product distributors are important to the software sales industry because they place the software in the hands of customers and help software manufacturers build brand loyalty and market share. However, product activation opens opportunities for software manufactures to conduct business directly with the end-user customers. One drawback of product activation technology is that the advent of convertible trials and subscription services threatens software distributor profit margins. Convertible trials and subscription services permit customers to purchase time-limited software from a software distributor or manufacturer at a low cost and then purchase an unlock code for full price directly from the manufacturer to gain or renew access to the non-trial product. Although customers may still purchase non-trial software directly from distributors, purchases directly from the manufacturer could potentially lower profit margins for distributors, put the distributor-manufacturer relationship at risk, and threaten distribution channels for software manufacturers.
Therefore, in light of the above, there is a need for a method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium that can provide software customers with the full product experience at a low introductory cost, yet at the same time keep software product distributors involved with the ongoing customer relationship. There is a further need for a trustworthy method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium that tracks the distribution of software product sales in order to compensate the distributors. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention is in the field of runners which are removably attachable to vehicles, carts or carriages immediately adjacent or near the wheel thereof allowing the wheel to be glided across snow or ice. A number of U.S. Patents have been granted disclosing runners and similar items for a variety of carriages. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,851,891 and 4,163,564 disclose mounting skis or skids on carts including shopping carts. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,128,698 and 2,480,256 disclose runners mounted to sleighs and baby carriages. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,301 discloses a ski mounted to a powered cycle. Despite the prior devices, there is still a need for a device which is removably mountable to a wheel for gliding the wheel across a snowy or icy surface. Such a device could be mounted to the wheels of a grocery cart thereby allowing a person to use the cart in snowy or icy weather. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a deflection fitting for the safety belt of a restraining system, especially for motor vehicles, with a fitting plate having a guide slot for the belt band, a cross bar around which the belt is partly wrapped and a deflection element having a rounded roll-off surface for the belt band which can be mounted on and secured to the cross bar.
2. Background of the Invention
In the known safety belt arrangements the belt is guided at the deflection points over a fitting which is hingeably fastened to the vehicle frame. The fitting is a stamped part with a straight cross bar in shape similar to a chain link, over which the belt band is guided. The problem here is the fact that due to the relatively small deflection radius of the cross bar edge very strong twisting forces occur when the belt is under load, connected with very high friction forces, and a very high area loading per unit roll-off area. These disadvantages are avoided in a known deflection fitting by the feature that a deflection element with a rounded contact surface for the safety belt is form-fitted onto the cross piece of a fitting plate made as a metal stamping. In this manner a relatively large deflection radius and optimized friction and pressure conditions are obtained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to infant carrier apparatuses, and more particularly to a collapsible infant carrier apparatus that has an adjustable handle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stroller apparatus typically comprises a support frame provided with wheels, a seat assembly, a folding mechanism and a handle. After a child is placed in the seat, the parent can use the handle to push the stroller in movement. In traditional strollers, the seat assembly is usually oriented toward the front of the stroller in its direction of displacement. Because the child does not face the parent when seated in the stroller, no interaction is permitted between the child and the parent. To remedy this deficiency, some current approaches propose a stroller structure in which the orientation of the handle or backrest can be adjusted back and forth, whereby the child can also be seated facing the parent. However, the presence of the adjustable handle may interfere with the collapse process of the stroller frame, and requires to make sure that the handle is set in a proper position before the stroller is collapsed. In case it is not at the proper position, the handle may collide against the ground or other moving parts as the stroller frame is folding, which results in the failure to completely collapse the stroller. Because the folding operation becomes more complex, erroneous operation from the user may occur.
Therefore, there is a need for an infant carrier apparatus that can prevent erroneous folding operation and address at least the foregoing issues. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a dielectric printing paper, of the type used to selectively attract toner particles by use of differential electrostatic potential on the surface of the paper, and to an improved versatile process for making such a paper.
Electrostatic printing paper, or dielectric papers suitable for electrostatic printing as they are more properly described, are well known to the art. These papers are to be distinguished from the photosensitive papers which are commonly used with office copying equipment.
Dielectric printing is based on forming a charged area on a dielectric surface by electron-beam, or some other such selective surface charging means. The charged area is then directly contacted with a toner selectively attracted to the areas of the paper made electrically receptive to it. There is no intermediate light-caused discharging process, and photoconductive materials are not generally useful in dielectric printing processes using liquid toners and wherein, for example, a print speed of 18,000 lines per minute is typical. In general, dielectric copy sheets are used in high-speed copying processes. Papers heretofore used in such processes tend to be expensive because of their utilization of expensive organic conductivity-imparting additives, of relatively expensive coating substrates, and of relatively expensive dielectric coating procedures.
It has long been a problem to provide electrostatic printing papers having a high-filler content. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,661 is typical of a coating laid down from a liquid medium. There are a number of problems caused by such processes. If the liquid medium is a solvent for a polymeric matrix, then there is substantial contamination of the surfaces of filler product with the polymer as evaporation of the solvent takes place. This interferes with ink-receptively of the filler reducing substantially any absorbency of said filler for eventual use in imaging. If the liquid medium is water, then there is an increased chance of excessive filler polymer segregation and, moreover, there is often a tendency to disrupt the water-laid fibers of the paper being coated. Another problem with aqueous coating of the dielectric layer is the fact that one must, from a practical point of view, limit selection of the electrolyte, used to impart a degree of conductivity to the substrate paper, to one which has relatively low water solubility. Even with such a limitation made, the use of aqueous coating procedures in manufacturing operations can result in unwanted contamination of the dielectric coating with the substrate electrolyte. The process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,661 is characterized by a substantially continuous polymer layer and is limited to low pigment levels. U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,562 to Shibata discloses a process for increasing the filler content of coatings by pre-coating the particular with a plastic envelope which remains on the surface of the particle in the coating and, to that extent, interferes with the imaging performance contributed by the inorganic filler present on the surface of the paper. Even with the pretreatment, however, total particle content of the coating is limited.
In the above discussion, the term liquid coating systems relates to those using volatile organic solvents or water as coating vehicles of low viscosity.
It should be noted that this discussion of the prior art is made with knowledge of the present invention and after having an opportunity to evaluate the advantages of the present invention and the probable reasons for those advantages, in light of drawbacks of the prior art processes. It is not to be inferred that the disadvantages of the prior art or the reasons for such disadvantages were realized by prior artisans before the present invention was made. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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An ion exchange membrane fuel cell comprises a stack of elementary electrochemical cells. Each electrochemical cell comprises a membrane electrode assembly (“MEA”) sandwiched between two separator plates.
The membrane electrode assembly is laminated and comprises an ion exchange membrane sandwiched between two electrodes. Each electrode comprises an active layer adjacent to the membrane and a gas diffusion layer. One electrode makes up the anode and the other makes up the cathode.
Each separator plate comprises grooves provided in its face in contact with the membrane electrode assembly in a manner so as to define between the separator plate and the membrane electrode assembly conduits for the circulation of a reactant gas in contact with the membrane electrode assembly. A seal is formed between the separator plates and the membrane electrode assembly in order to ensure the sealing of the conduits for the circulation of a reactant gas.
Optionally, each separator plate is formed by a stack of two elementary plates defining between them the conduits for circulating a cooling fluid. In this case, a seal is formed between the two elementary plates in order to ensure the sealing of the conduits for the circulation of the cooling fluid.
The document FR 2 899 386 discloses an electrochemical cell wherein the seal between the membrane electrode assembly and the separator plates is formed by means of gasket seals attached onto separation spacers.
The document FR 2 887 687 discloses an electrochemical cell wherein a seal between a membrane electrode assembly and a separator plate is formed by a screen printed seal.
The patent document US 2009/0325036 discloses a fuel cell wherein the seal between two elementary plates forming a separator plate is achieved on account of the welding of the individual elementary plates. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present disclosure relates generally to an imaging module mountable inside an imaging reader for reading targets, such as bar code symbols, to be electro-optically read by image capture over a field of view, and, more particularly, to supporting a plurality of printed circuit boards on which electro-optical reading and/or interfacing components are mounted to lie in predetermined planes in a predetermined angular relationship on the module, and, still more particularly, to a method of assembling the module, and of mounting the assembled module as a unitary assembly in the reader.
Solid-state imaging readers have long been used, in both handheld and hands-free modes of operation, in many industries, such as retail, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, postal, transportation, logistics, etc., to electro-optically read targets, such as one- or two-dimensional bar code symbols to be decoded. A known imaging reader generally includes an imaging module, also known as a scan engine, mountable in the reader and having a chassis on which an engine printed circuit board (PCB) is mounted. A solid-state imager for capturing an image of a target along an imaging axis over a field of view is mounted on the engine PCB. For optical reasons, it is desirable for the imager to directly face the target with its imaging axis generally horizontal, and to lie in a generally upright or vertical plane, to thereby maximize imaging performance since lying in any other plane could tend to defocus the captured image. Typically, an aiming light source, which directs one or more visible aiming lights along respective aiming axes to the target to visually locate the target, is also mounted on the engine PCB, and an illuminating light source, which emits one or more illuminating lights along respective illuminating axes toward the target to illuminate the target, especially in dimly lit environments, is mounted either on the engine PCB, or somewhere else on the chassis. For optical reasons, it is also desirable for the aiming light source and/or the illuminating light source to directly face the target with their respective aiming and/or illuminating axes generally horizontal, and to lie in a generally upright or vertical plane, to thereby maximize the amount of aiming and/or illuminating light that is directed to the target, and to avoid excessive light corrections with aiming and/or illuminating lenses. When the imager, the aiming light source and/or the illuminating light source are all surface-mounted on the same engine PCB such that their imaging, aiming and/or illuminating axes are generally perpendicular to the engine PCB, then the engine PCB is typically supported on the chassis to lie in the generally upright or vertical plane.
It is known to configure the handheld imaging reader with a generally gun-shaped configuration having a handle that, for ergonomic reasons, extends along a handle axis that is typically tilted at a tilt angle of around fifteen to about twenty-two degrees with respect to the vertical. Rather than not occupy and waste the available space inside the handle, another PCB, also known as a handle or control or decode PCB, is mounted inside, and extends along the handle axis of, the handle. The handle PCB advantageously supports other electro-optical reading components, such as a controller or processor for controlling the imager, the aiming light source and the illuminating light source, and for processing the captured image. The handle PCB also supports an electrical interface connector at a lower end of the handle PCB adjacent a bottom of the handle, for connection to electrical power/data cables, as well as an indicating light source at an upper end of the handle PCB adjacent a top of the handle for visually indicating when a successful reading of the target has been performed. The handle PCB is mounted at the tilt angle relative to the engine PCB by using separate mounting brackets or frames that are individually secured in place to the chassis.
Although generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, the mounting brackets that are used to hold the engine PCB and the handle PCB at the tilt angle are relatively cumbersome to mount on the chassis, impede and delay the assembly of the module, and represent a non-negligible expense, not only in terms of manufacture and inventory maintenance of additional components, but also in terms of assembly and installation. The mounting brackets could, under certain circumstances, e.g., if the reader is dropped and subjected to a high shock force, break loose, in which case, undesirable motion between the PCBs might result, and, in a worst case, the required predetermined angular relationship between the engine PCB and the handle PCB might not be maintained, and, as a result, reading performance could be degraded.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to avoid the use of mounting brackets, to make the reader more resistant to shock impacts, and to simplify, expedite, and reduce the cost of, assembling the module.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and locations of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The imaging module, the imaging reader, and the method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Pavement marking or pavement striping is conducted by applying paints, resins, reflective materials, and/or reflective media onto streets, roads, or parking lots, These markings serve a variety of purposes: they demarcate roadway lane boundaries, identify where it is appropriate to pass cars traveling in the same lane of traffic, identify where pedestrians are permitted to cross a street or intersection, identify where it is or is not appropriate to park a vehicle in a parking lot, and indicate restrictions and permissions on lane usage. These markings must be clearly visible in both daylight hours and in the less than optimal conditions, such as during twilight or evening hours. Moreover, these markings must be visible even under wet conditions and be able to withstand constant wear from vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
Although advancement has been made to increase the visibility of paints, current standards find the reflective quality of paint less than adequate. One solution to increase the reflectance quality of paints is to incorporate a reflective material within the paint as it is applied to the pavement surface. This technique may also be useful for resins (e.g. thermoplastics or epoxies) and tapes which may contain reflective materials called retroreflectors. Retroreflectors are devices that send light or other radiation back where it came from regardless of the angle of incidence, unlike a mirror, which does so only if the mirror is exactly perpendicular to the light beam. Retroreflectors produce the effect of retroreflection (also called retroflection) and possess retroreflectivity characteristics. One such retroreflector is a highway marking sphere, e.g. a glass bead, having a refractive index of at least 1.5. Each marking sphere behaves like a spherical lens reflecting multiple angled incident light back to the motorist. When light from a vehicle headlight enters the marking sphere, it travels through the marking sphere, strikes the pavement marking material, and is reflected back toward the source from which the light originated, i.e., the driver of the vehicle. In this manner, in the pavement marking material, e.g. the paints, tapes or resins, reflectance qualities are increased and make it easier for drivers to see these pavement markings at nighttime.
Incorporation of marking spheres into paints and resins while maintaining the retroreflectivity of a highway marking has its challenges. With paints and resins, marking spheres can be mixed into the paint or resin before application, or the marking spheres can be applied just after the paint is applied to the highway. Of these incorporation techniques, the latter technique is generally preferred because the marking spheres are adhered to the pavement marking material, but not embedded completely below the surface of the pavement marking material. This application technique allows the marking spheres to be present at the surface of the pavement marking material where retroreflectivity of the applied highway marking can be immediately utilized.
That is to say, other techniques have certain disadvantages. For example, marking spheres mixed into the paint or resin before application tend to have marking spheres within the layer of paint or resin as it is applied on the pavement surface. These embedded marking spheres are not easily removed from the pavement marking surface, but also cannot be immediately utilized. They can be subsequently utilized after the top layer of pavement marking material is worn away from vehicle traffic or weather.
A typical device to dispense marking spheres just prior to application is a marking sphere dispenser. A marking sphere dispenser is typically located on a movable vehicle that also carries the paint or resin applicator, so that an appropriate quantity of marking spheres are dispensed onto the width of the pavement marking in accordance with predetermined marking characteristics. The vehicle carrying the marking sphere dispenser is generally moving while the pavement marking materials and marking spheres are applied to the pavement surface. Therefore, if the marking spheres are simply dropped directly onto the pavement marking material as the pavement marking material is applied, the relative velocity of the marking spheres approximates the velocity at which the vehicle is moving over the pavement.
The relative marking sphere velocity is responsible for a phenomenon called marking sphere rolling. It is typically seen that applying marking spheres from a vehicle traveling less than about 8 mph does not result in any significant marking sphere roll. At these speeds, the amount of road surface covered in a day is meager. There is a desire therefore to increase the application speeds, but application speeds above 8 mph are problematic in that these speeds impart a significant relative velocity to the marking sphere. The relative velocity at which the marking spheres strike the pavement marking material on the road surface can cause the marking spheres to roll along the pavement marking material in the direction of vehicle travel after initially striking the pavement marking material despite the tackiness of the pavement marking material. As the marking spheres roll, they pick up some of the pavement marking material on their surface, which prevents that portion of the marking sphere from reflecting light. To reduce marking sphere roll, the marking sphere dispenser may be positioned so that the marking spheres are ejected from the marking sphere dispensing device having a vector opposite the vector of vehicle travel. This opposing marking sphere vector cancels some or all of the relative velocity of the marking spheres and reduces rolling.
Marking sphere roll becomes more problematic by the continuing drive to apply the pavement marking materials and marking spheres at faster speeds so that the vehicles carrying the pavement marking devices minimally impact traffic conditions. As is understood, the faster the vehicle moves in one direction, the faster the marking spheres must travel in the opposite direction to reduce marking sphere roll. In this regard, some marking sphere dispensing devices impart a velocity to the marking spheres with pressurized fluid in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Nets of various types, materials, sizes and shapes such as, gill nets, purse nets, trawl nets, lift nets, drift nets and aquaculture nets, among others, may cover large areas of the ocean and create physical barriers to moving marine vessels and underwater vehicles. Marine vessels and underwater vehicles can encounter these nets and others in a variety of orientations and tensions. Nets can be anchored and tightly strung, be loose and compliant, or float with weights distributed on the bottom. The use of fishing nets and other objects in water bodies present a significant obstacle to marine vessels and underwater vehicles, especially in littoral zones where fishing activity is concentrated.
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have contributed greatly to the gathering of information in harbors and littoral waters where other underwater vehicles such as submarines cannot travel or may be easily detected. For example, UUVs can carry out critical missions in the areas of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, tactical oceanography, navigation and anti-submarine warfare. Mission performances, however, have been hindered by a UUV's inability to penetrate through fishing nets and other objects while traveling underwater.
Presently, UUV mission areas are scanned for fishing nets and other objects. Mission routes are selected so as to minimize the probability of encountering objects even though the selected route may not be the shortest or the most desired route. Yet, UUVs may be called upon during mission critical situations to penetrate waters in which there is a high probability of encountering fishing nets and other objects. In these situations, a UUV may be forced to stop and maneuver around obstacles encountered during its mission. Even the smallest hull protrusions, such as the control fins, sonar pods and antenna masts of a UUV, may get entangled in a fishing net. Once entangled, divers may be required to retrieve the UUV and cause significant operation delay. Operation failure may result if the UUV is not retrievable or lost altogether.
Accordingly, there is a need and desire for an apparatus, system and method for easily and quickly penetrating through nets and other objects. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A variety of ion channel proteins exist to mediate ion flux across cellular membranes. The proper expression and function of ion channel proteins is essential for the maintenance of cell function, intracellular communication, and the like. Numerous diseases are the result of misregulation of membrane potential or aberrant calcium handling. Given the central importance of ion channels in modulating membrane potential and ion flux in cells, identification of agents that can promote or inhibit particular ion channels are of great interest as research tools and as possible therapeutic agents.
Cation channels such as TRPC5 modulate the flux of calcium and sodium ions across cellular membranes. Sodium and calcium influx leads to a depolarization of the cell. This increases the probability that voltage-gated ion channels will reach the threshold required for activation. As a result, activation of non-selective cation channels can increase electrical excitability and increase the frequency of voltage-dependent events. Voltage-dependent events include, but are not limited to, neuronal action potentials, cardiac action potentials, smooth muscle contraction, cardiac muscle contraction, and skeletal muscle contraction.
Calcium influx caused by the activation of non-selective cation channels such as TRPC5 also alters the intracellular free calcium concentration. Calcium is a ubiquitous second messenger molecule within the cell and the alterations in intracellular calcium levels have profound effects on signal transduction and gene expression. Thus, activation of non-selective cation channels such as TRPC5 can lead to changes in gene expression and cellular phenotype. Gene expression events include, but are not limited to, production of mRNAs encoding cell surface receptors, ion channels, and kinases. These changes in gene expression can lead to hyperexcitability in that cell.
Transient receptor potential (TRP) homomeric TRPC5 ion channels are signal transduction gated, Ca2+-permeable channels predominantly expressed in the neurons. TRPC5 forms homomultimeric structures such as tetramers (i.e., TRPC5 homomultimers) and heteromultimeric structures such as tetramers (i.e., TRPC5-TRPC1 heteromultimers). Unless expressly stated otherwise, when the term TRPC5 is used herein, for example, when identifying a modulator of TRPC5 such as a TRPC5 antagonist, the term TRPC5 is used generically so as to include either or both of a TRPC5 homomultimer or a heteromultimer (e.g., TRPC5-TPRC1 or TRPC5-TRPC4 heteromultimer). Examples of TRPC5 in the literature include the following: Nature. 2008 Jan. 3; 451 (7174):69-72; Mol Pharmacol. 2008 January; 73 (1):42-9; J Biol Chem. 2007 Nov. 16; 282 (46):33868-78; Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Jan. 11; 365 (2):239-45; J Biol Chem. 2006 Nov. 3; 281 (44):33487-96; Eur J Pharmacol. 2005 Mar. 14; 510 (3):217-22; J Biol Chem. 2006 Feb. 24; 281 (8):4977-82; Biochem Soc Trans. 2007 February; 35 (Pt 1):101-4; Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2007; (179):109-23; J Biol Chem. 2005 Mar. 25; 280 (12):10997-1006; J Physiol. 2006 Jan. 15; 570 (Pt 2):219-35; and Nat Neurosci. (2003) 6: 837-45.
Modulating the function of TRPC5 proteins provides a means of modulating calcium homeostasis, sodium homeostasis, membrane polarization, and/or intracellular calcium levels, and compounds that can modulate TRPC5 function are useful in many aspects, including, but not limited to, maintaining calcium homeostasis, modulating intracellular calcium levels, modulating membrane polarization, and treating or preventing diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with calcium and/or sodium homeostasis or dyshomeostasis. | {
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Devices which are secured to the rearward portion of motor vehicles for the purpose of recreational camping within the vehicles are well known to those skilled in the art. However, to the best of the applicant's knowledge, no such device or set of devices is available which provides adequate protection from adverse weather conditions, can be easily installed on the vehicle, requires no modifications or additions to the vehicle, and is capable of being easily stored and transported in a compact transporting container.
One prior art camping device was described in July of 1993 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,689 of Roe et al. In discussing the problems of conventional tent camping, Roe et al. disclosed (at column 1) that " . . . erecting the tent was usually a lengthy process, often quite complicated." Roe et al. further disclosed (at column 1) that a number of problems exist with prior art camping devices which attach to motor vehicles; among the problems are that " . . . they are not easily erected or taken apart . . . ", and " . . . they do not appear to provide adequate weather-proofing and water leakage and drainage control."
However, the apparatus proposed by Roe et al. in response to these problems is itself a complicated system, which requires a multi-component tube frame assembly, a seal to be joined to the external surface of the vehicle, provisions for sealing around the vehicle's spare tire rack, and a vertical support pole for extending the uppermost portion of the canvas enclosure into a steeple shaped configuration.
It would appear that the apparatus of the Roe et al. patent is not easily erected due to the complex nature of the tube frame which must be fitted together from subassemblies prior to the installation of the fabric covering to the vehicle. Furthermore, it appears that the frame assembly has a degradative effect on the vehicle tailgate paint finish on which it rests, causing mars and scratches to the finish. The durability of the frame assembly when subjected to the repeated rigors of camping also appears to present a problem.
Furthermore, it does not appear that the apparatus of the Roe et al. patent provides adequate protection from adverse weather conditions typically encountered when camping. The apparatus of this patent employs a rubber gasket sealing material attached to the canvas enclosure along its forwardmost edge which is in contact with the roof and sides of the vehicle toward the rearward portion of the vehicle. However, in practice, the surface of this particular portion of many motor vehicles intended for use of this apparatus is very often of an irregular and discontinuous nature because of such features as ribbing of the roof surface for structural strength, rain gutters at the edges of the vehicle roof, framing of the vehicle windows, fitting of the vehicle with decorative trim, moldings and accessories such as roof mounted luggage racks, and the like. The rubber gasket sealing means which is secured to the vehicle by the tension of elastic cords in the system of this patent is not likely to properly conform to these numerous surface irregularities.
Additionally, it appears that, when exposed to rain, the steeple-like configuration of the apparatus of the Roe et al. patent directs a large portion of accumulated rain water into contact with the rubber gasket sealing means, causing significant leakage of rain into the vehicle, particularly in the presence of wind directed toward the rearward portion of the vehicle.
The spare tire rack seal disclosed by Roe et al. (at column 5 of their patent) is yet another feature which is likely to result in a leakage of water into the interior of the vehicle, as this seal employs " . . . a synthetic fuzzy fabric that adheres to a mating hook fabric when pressed together." The use of these "VELCRO" fabric components is well known to those skilled in the art of camping equipment design; however, these fabric fastening components are not used in weather sealing applications because the manner in which they join to each other does not provide a seal which excludes the flow of liquids.
The Roe et al. patent is the most recent attempt of which applicant is aware to provide a satisfactory modular system for camping in a sport utility vehicle, and it is far from perfect. However, the system of Roe et al. was superior in many respects to earlier systems described in the prior art.
One such earlier system is described in 1985 in Mary Gunn's U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,195. The Gunn patent discloses a tent-like apparatus which encloses the opening at the rearward portion of a vehicle, including the vehicle tailgate mechanism. However, the device of this patent requires that the vehicle have a rear window which is hinged along the rear roof line and swings outward and upward in order to provide structural support for the tent enclosure and that Gunn's tent-like enclosure be secured to the roof and sides of the vehicle with a series of snaps. Thus, the Gunn apparatus appears to lack sufficient sealing means adequate to prevent leakage of wind and precipitation from entering the vehicle.
Yet another prior art device was disclosed by Robert Straub in 1985 in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,049. The device of Straub is suitable only on those vehicles which have a large hatchback that is hinged along the rearward roof line of the vehicle and swings upward to its open position. In an attempt to provide adequate reclining space to occupants of the vehicle, the Straub apparatus requires a rigid panel of material which is fitted to the rear of the vehicle along the lower line of the hatchback opening. Furthermore, the tent-like enclosure portion of the Straub device must be contacted with the vehicle along the rearward roof and side panels of the vehicle. Thus, the Straub device suffers from the same disadvantages as the device of the Roe et al. patent; it does a poor job of excluding rain and wind.
None of the prior art devices known to the applicant include a means for providing additional ventilation from the forward portion of the vehicle on which the device is used. Furthermore, the prior art devices do not include a means for conveniently storing and transporting all system components fitted to the vehicle for the purpose of camping.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which is easy to erect and secure to the vehicle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which provides adequate protection from inclement weather. It is a further object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which is lightweight and can be collapsed into a contact shape for easy storage and transportation.
It is another object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which encloses the tailgate of the vehicle, thereby providing occupants of the vehicle with adequate room to recline.
It is another object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which allows easy entry into and exit from the rearward portion of the vehicle.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which requires no structural modifications or additions to the vehicle and which does not adversely affect the paint finish of the vehicle.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which provides superior ventilation within the vehicle while excluding inclement weather and flying insects.
It is another object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which does not require that a portion of the apparatus be enclosed or sealed around a spare tire rack.
It is another object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle containing an awning which provides protection from sun and rain immediately adjacent to the vehicle.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which includes a lightweight bag for the storage and transportation of all parts of the apparatus.
It is an object of this invention to provide a camping apparatus to be attached to a sport utility vehicle which is inexpensive to manufacture. | {
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Computer software is generally created for interpreted language systems or compiled language systems. Interpreted language systems translate high-level program statements into executable form and execute one statement at a time rather than completely translating (i.e., compiling) the high-level statements before execution. Basic, LISP and APL are generally implemented as interpreted languages. Compiled language systems translate high-level program statements into an intermediate, object code, format prior to execution. In compiled language systems program statements are written in a source code programming language (e.g., C, C++). Source code contains human-readable program statements written in a high-level or assembly language that is not directly executable by a computer. The source code is processed by a compiler which transforms the source code into object code (e.g., .OBJ files) by following a set of syntactic and semantic rules. The object code is then linked together using a linker to produce an executable computer program (e.g., an .EXE file).
Executable computer programs can be very large in size, both as stored on disk and when loaded into computer memory. Dynamic link libraries (“DLL”) provide a mechanism to store executable routines and data separate from the main executable computer program. The executable routines can be loaded only when needed by the executable computer program. DLLs conserve space by only using memory when a routine or data is used. DLLs also provide for organization and management of computer code and data separate from the executable computer program and also separate from other DLLs. This allows a programmer to make corrections or improvements to only certain routines in a DLL without affecting the operation of the calling computer program or any other DLL. Additionally, DLLs can be shared among multiple computer programs. DLLs themselves can be quite large and multiple executable routines are often organized into a single module within the DLL, making the DLL not very granular in terms of its downloading, updating and loading.
Techniques exist for minimizing the transfer time associated with updating large DLLs or other code/data. File transfer protocols using a difference detection algorithm (e.g., rsync) can reduce transfer time. These algorithms can arrange source and target files into blocks of data, analyze the blocks, and only transfer the blocks that are not identical between the source and target files.
Compression can also be used to reduce transfer time of code and data both over communications media as well as from disk to memory. Embedded processor systems, which are especially sensitive to executable code size, have been implemented that implement compression for executable code. A compressed “wire” representation of code can be used, but the code must be decompressed before execution. Other techniques provide for direct execution of compressed code (e.g., “byte-coded RISC” or “BRISC” virtual machines).
The Curl™ language combines layout, scripting and programming capabilities in one integrated environment. By pairing this fully featured language with client side execution, Curl™ technology delivers fast, efficient, highly functional applications over the Web, and enables interactive Web services capabilities in which the client and server can interoperate. Curl™ content is displayed using a Web browser augmented with a Curl™ plug-in and a Curl™ runtime environment. The Curl™ runtime environment is atypical of many runtime environments in that it is compiled from approximately equal amounts of code and data. The Curl™ runtime environment is implemented using a large number of DLLs. | {
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2.1 Interferons:
Type I interferons (IFN) (IFNα, IFNβ, IFNω, IFN-τ) are a family of structurally related cytokines having antiviral, antitumor and immunomodulatory effects (Hardy et al. (2001) Blood 97:473; Cutrone and Langer (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276:17140). The human IFNα locus includes two subfamilies. The first subfamily consists of 14 non-allelic genes and 4 pseudogenes having at least 80% homology. The second subfamily, αII or omega (ω), contains 5 pseudogenes and 1 functional gene which exhibits 70% homology with the IFNα genes (Weissmann and Weber (1986) Prog. Nucl. Acid Res. Mol. Biol., 33:251-300). The subtypes of IFNα have different specific activities but they possess the same biological spectrum (Streuli et al. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2848) and have the same cellular receptor (Agnet M. et al. in “Interferon 5” Ed. I. Gresser p. 1-22, Academic Press, London 1983). Interferon alpha subtypes have been identified with the following nomenclature: IFNα 1, 2a, 2b, 4, 4b, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14, 16, 17, and 21.
The interferon β (IFNβ) is encoded by a single gene, which has approximately 50% homology with the IFNα genes.
Interferon γ, which is produced by activated lymphocytes, does not possess any homology with the alpha/beta interferons and it does not react with their receptor.
2.1.1 Interferon Receptors:
All human type 1 interferons bind to a cell surface receptor (IFN alpha receptor, IFNAR) consisting of two transmembrane proteins, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 (Uze et. al. (1990) Cell 60:225; Novick et al. (1994) Cell 77:391). IFNAR1 is essential for high affinity binding and differential specificity of the IFNAR complex (Cutrone et al. 2001 J. Bio Chem 276(20):17140-8) While functional differences for each of the type I IFN subtypes have not been identified, it is thought that each may exhibit different interactions with the IFNAR receptor components leading to potentially diverse signaling outcomes (Cook et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271:13448). In particular, studies utilizing mutant forms of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 suggested that alpha and beta interferons signal differently through the receptor by interacting differentially with respective chains (Lewerenz et al. (1998) J. Mol. Biol. 282:585).
2.1.2 Function of Interferons:
Early functional studies of type I IFNs focused on innate defense against viral infections (Haller et al. (1981) J. Exp. Med. 154:199; Lindenmann et al. (1981) Methods Enzymol. 78:181). More recent studies, however, implicate type I IFNs as potent immunoregulatory cytokines in the adaptive immune response. Specifically, type I IFNs have been shown to facilitate differentiation of naïve T cells along the Th1 pathway (Brinkmann et al. (1993) J. Exp. Med. 178:1655), to enhance antibody production (Finkelman et al. (1991) J. Exp. Med. 174:1179) and to support the functional activity and survival of memory T cells (Santini et al. (2000) J. Exp. Med. 191:1777; Tough et al. (1996) Science 272:1947).
Recent work by a number of groups suggests that IFNα may enhance the maturation or activation of dendritic cells (DCs) (Santini, et al. (2000) J. Exp. Med. 191:1777; Luft et al. (1998) J. Immunol. 161:1947; Luft et al. (2002) Int. Immunol. 14:367; Radvanyi et al. (1999) Scand. J. Immunol. 50:499). Furthermore, increased expression of type I interferons has been described in numerous autoimmune diseases (Foulis et al. (1987) Lancet 2:1423; Hooks et al. (1982) Arthritis Rheum. 25:396; Hertzog et al. (1988) Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol. 48:192; Hopkins and Meager (1988) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 73:88; Arvin and Miller (1984) Arthritis Rheum. 27:582). The most studied examples of this are insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (Foulis (1987)) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (Hooks (1982)), which are associated with elevated levels of IFNα, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (Hertzog (1988), Hopkins and Meager (1988), Arvin and Miller (1984)), in which IFNβ may play a more significant role.
Moreover, administration of interferon α has been reported to exacerbate underlying disease in patients with psoriasis and multiple sclerosis and to induce an SLE like syndrome in patients without a previous history of autoimmune disease. Interferon α has also been shown to induce glomerulonephritis in normal mice and to accelerate the onset of the spontaneous autoimmune disease of NZB/W mice. Further, IFNα therapy has been shown in some cases to lead to undesired side effects, including fever and neurological disorders. Hence there are pathological situations in which inhibition of Type I IFN activity may be beneficial to the patient and a need exists for agents effective in inhibiting Type I IFN activity.
2.1.3 Antibody Effector Functions:
The Fc region of an antibody interacts with a number of ligands (also referred herein as “Fc ligands” which include but are not limited to agents that specifically bind to the Fc region of antibodies, such as Fc receptors and C1q) including Fc receptors and C1q, imparting an array of important functional capabilities referred to as effector functions. The Fc receptors mediate communication between antibodies and the cellular arm of the immune system (Raghavan et al., 1996, Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 12:181-220; Ravetch et al., 2001, Annu Rev Immunol 19:275-290). In humans this protein family includes FcγRI (CD64), including isoforms FcγRIA, FcγRIB, and FcγRIC; FcγRII (CD32), including isoforms FcγRIIA, FcγRIIB, and FcγRIIC; and FcγRIII (CD16), including isoforms FcγRIIIA and FcγRIIB (Jefferis et al., 2002, Immunol Lett 82:57-65). These receptors typically have an extracellular domain that mediates binding to Fc, a membrane spanning region, and an intracellular domain that may mediate some signaling event within the cell. These receptors are expressed in a variety of immune cells including monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells, eosinophils, mast cells, platelets, B cells, large granular lymphocytes, Langerhans' cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and T cells. Formation of the Fc/FcγR complex recruits these effector cells to sites of bound antigen, typically resulting in signaling events within the cells and important subsequent immune responses such as release of inflammation mediators, B cell activation, endocytosis, phagocytosis, and cytotoxic attack. The ability to mediate cytotoxic and phagocytic effector functions is a potential mechanism by which antibodies destroy targeted cells. The cell-mediated reaction wherein nonspecific cytotoxic cells that express FcγRs recognize bound antibody on a target cell and subsequently cause lysis of the target cell is referred to as antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) (Raghavan et al., 1996, Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 12:181-220; Ghetie et al., 2000, Annu Rev Immunol 18:739-766; Ravetch et al., 2001, Annu Rev Immunol 19:275-290). The cell-mediated reaction wherein nonspecific cytotoxic cells that express FcγRs recognize bound antibody on a target cell and subsequently cause phagocytosis of the target cell is referred to as antibody dependent cell-mediated phagocytosis (ADCP). In addition, an overlapping site on the Fc region of the molecule also controls the activation of a cell independent cytotoxic function mediated by complement, otherwise known as complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC).
2.1.4 The Different Types of Human FcγR:
Human FcγRs are divided into three distinct classes: FcγRI (CD64), FcγRII (CD32) and FcγRIII (CD16). FcγRI is a high affinity receptor (Ka: 10−8-10−9 M−1) and binds both immune complexes and monomeric IgG molecules while the Fc receptors FcγRII and FcγRIII exhibit lower affinities (<10−7 M−1 and 2-3×10−7 respectively) (Gessner J. E. et al., 1998, Annn Hematology 76:231-48). Signaling through the FcγRs is either through an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) or immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) for all the transmembrane receptors (Presta 2006, Adv Drug Deli Rev 58:640-656).
The 72 kDa extracellular glycoprotein FcγRI is mainly expressed on myeloid cells such as monocytes, macrophages CD4+ progenitor cells and may elicit the ADCC, endocytosis, and phagocytosis responses (Siberil et al. 2006, J Immunol Lett 106:111-118).
The 40 kDa FcγRII group of receptors (A, B and C isoforms) exhibit extracellular domains but do not contain active signal transduction domains. These receptors propagate signals through phosphorylation of a cytoplasmic tail domain (Amigorena S. et al., 1992 Science. 256:1808-12). The FcγRIIA is mainly expressed on monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and platelets whereas the FcγRIIC receptor has only been identified on NK cells. These two receptors have been shown to initiate ADCC, endocytosis, phagocytosis and inflammatory mediator release (Cassel et al. 1993. Mol Immunol 30:451-60). By contrast, the FcγRIIB (B1 and B2 types) receptors are expressed on B cells, Mast cells, basophils, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells and has been shown to downregulate the immune response triggered by the A and C isoforms.
The 50 kDa FcγRIIIA, expressed on NK cells, monocytes, macrophages and a subset of T lymphocytes where it activates ADCC, phagocytosis, endocytosis and cytokine release (Gessner et al.). The FcγRIIIB isoforms is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored peripheral membrane protein involved in the degranulation and the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (Salmon J. E. et al. 1995 J Clin Inves 95:2877-85).
IgG molecules also exhibit differential isotype specificity for FcγRs. IgG3 molecules bind strongly to all FcγR isoforms. IgG1, the most prevalent isoforms in the blood binds to all FcγRs albeit with a lower affinity for the FcγRIIA/B isoforms. IgG4 is an intermediate binder to FcγR1 and a weak binder to FcγRIIB. Finally, IgG2 binds only weakly to one allelic form of FcγRIIA (FcγRIIA-H131) (Siberil et al. 2006, J Immunol Lett 106:111-118).
2.1.5 Complement
The complement inflammatory cascade is a part of the innate immune response and is crucial to the ability for an individual to ward off infection. Another important Fc ligand is the complement protein C1q. Fc binding to C1q mediates a process called complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) (reviewed in Ward et al., 1995, Ther Immunol 2:77-94). C1q is capable of binding six antibodies, although binding to two IgGs is sufficient to activate the complement cascade. C1q forms a complex with the C1r and C1s serine proteases to form the C1 complex of the complement pathway.
2.1.6 Regions and Amino-acid Residues of IgG Involved in FcγR Binding
The mapping of human IgG binding sites to different FcγR has been studied extensively. These studies, based on genetically altered IgG molecules have identified a short continuous stretch of amino acid residues (234-238) of the N-terminus part of the CH2 domain as being directly involved in the binding to all FcγRs. Additionally, residues 268, 297, 327 and 329 may impact binding to a subset of FcγRs. Also, multiple residues located in the CH2 and CH3 domains also contribute to FcγR binding (Canfield S M. et al., 1991 J Exp Med 173:1483-91, Chappel M S. Et al. 1991, Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 888:9036-40, Gergely J. et al. 1990 FASEB J 4:3275-83).
2.2 Antibody Therapeutic Related Toxicity
In many circumstances, the binding and stimulation of effector functions mediated by the Fc region of immunoglobulins is highly beneficial, however, in certain instances it may be more advantageous to decrease or eliminate effector function. This is particularly true for those antibodies designed to deliver a drug (e.g., toxins and isotopes) to the target cell where the Fc/FcγR mediated effector functions bring healthy immune cells into the proximity of the deadly payload, resulting in depletion of normal lymphoid tissue along with the target cells (Hutchins et al., 1995, PNAS USA 92:11980-11984; White et al., 2001, Annu Rev Med 52:125-145). In these cases the use of antibodies that poorly recruit complement or effector cells would be of tremendous benefit (see for example, Wu et al., 2000, Cell Immunol 200:16-26; Shields et al., 2001, J. Biol Chem 276:6591-6604; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,194,551; 5,885,573 and PCT publication WO 04/029207).
In other instances, for example, where blocking the interaction of a widely expressed receptor with its cognate ligand is the objective, it would be advantageous to decrease or eliminate all antibody effector function to reduce unwanted toxicity. Also, in the instance where a therapeutic antibody exhibited promiscuous binding across a number of human tissues it would be prudent to limit the targeting of effector function to a diverse set of tissues to limit toxicity. Although there are certain subclasses of human immunoglobulins that lack specific effector functions, there are no known naturally occurring immunoglobulins that lack all effector functions. An alternate approach would be to engineer or mutate the critical residues in the Fc region that are responsible for effector function. For examples see PCT publications WO2006076594, WO199958572, US20060134709, WO2006047350, WO2006053301, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,821 each of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The use of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of many disease states has been well documented. With the myriad of effector functions that an antibody can trigger, one of the requirements of antibody therapeutics is that they are targeted specifically to a target of interest. For example, but not limited to, the specificity of a target tissue is analyzed by examining the immunohistochemistry (IHC) of a tissue of interest. It is important that the therapeutic only bind to tissues that contain a target of interest. Failure to do so could result in higher toxicity of the antibody therapeutic due to inappropriate activation of effector function elicited at the non-targeted site. If the effector function could be diminished or ablated, the danger of the widespread binding of the therapeutic could be avoided. With all these considerations, there is an unmet need for antibodies with reduced or ablated affinity for at least one Fc ligand responsible for facilitating effector function. Such antibodies would be of particular benefit for use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.
Citation or discussion of a reference herein shall not be construed as an admission that such is prior art to the present invention. | {
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The suppression or elimination of odors, particularly undesirable odors, has been the objective of countless investigations. Malodors have their genesis in many forms but those that are of most consequence to human beings are those involving occasional or repeated daily exposure. Of primary concern are those malodors that are caused by normal bodily functions, for example, the urine and feces odors associated with infants and the malodors associated with menses.
Cultural and aesthetic standards have influenced the permissible level of human and environmental malodors and control of these odors has been the focus of investigation for many centuries. In general, these investigations have been focused on either of two approaches, namely: (a) odor masking, in which a substance of strong yet relatively pleasant odor is introduced into the proximity of a less pleasant odor source with the intent of overburdening the olfactory receptors with the dominant pleasant odor, or (b) sequestering the undesired odorous substance in a non-volatile form either by chemical reaction, adsorption or absorption on a sorbent material exhibiting a preference for the odorous substance.
Odor masking, although effective in the short term, has certain limitations. First, masking does not remove or eliminate the source of the malodor. Secondly, when scents and perfumes are used to overcome malodors, the user must make sure an effective and constant level of masking agent is present to avoid too low a level of masking agent that may not be sufficient to cover-up the malodor. In turn, too high a level of masking agent may itself produce an undesirable effect. The premature depletion of the masking agent can be an additional concern.
Sequestration has thus become the method of choice for elimination and control of both human and environmental malodors. The more effective approach has been to sequester the undesired malodor primarily by adsorption.
By far the most commonly employed of the solid adsorbents are activated charcoal or active carbon, although silica gel, activated alumina, kieselguhr, Fullers earth and other clay minerals and zeolites, alone or in combination, have also been proposed as odor "adsorbents". In U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,429, to Goldstein et al., issued Mar. 20, 1984, the use of a hydrated zeolite in admixture with clay is proposed as being particularly useful for the control of odors from pet litter. Though it is observed that the use of zeolites by themselves as litter material has generally been unsuccessful due to their poor water adsorption properties as compared with clays. However, these absorbents are direct to methods of soaking up moisture or liquids whereas, described herein below, the present invention is directed to the absorption of volatile substances without the necessity to absorb any liquid carrier material.
The use by women during menstruation of sanitary napkins, pads, and panty liners has become common place. Although natural fluids produced during menstruation are suitably absorbed by the catamenial absorbent material thereby protecting clothing from damage, the problem of malodor persists. This is due in part to the fact that many chemical compounds responsible for malodor typically have very low odor detection thresholds and are perceptible at the part per million (ppm) level. In addition, may of these malodorous materials are hydrophobic easily partitioning out of the liquid phase as the fluids are absorbed by the catmenial substrate material.
It has now been surprisingly found that modified starch granules can be coated with surface modifying agents producing microporous hydrophobic granules that readily absorb malodorous agents even when the agents are in the "gaseous" state. For example, when menstrual fluid is absorbed onto a substrate, volatile low molecular weight compounds nevertheless can still escape into the gas phase resulting in the release of malodors. The modified starch granules of the present invention contain modified surfaces that absorb these and like malodors therefore removing them from the air.
Modification of porous starch granules by partial solubilisation with alpha-amylase for use as dusting powders and talc is described in European Patent Application 182,296, published May 28, 1986. However, the purpose of the modified starch granules is the complete absorption of moisture without concomitant caking.
Other modified starch materials have been described, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,082 to Whistler, issued Jan. 15, 1991, which discloses treated granular starches derivatized to enhance the absorptive properties. This patent discloses the specific use of interior crosslinking agents to strengthen the granules against collapse when too much moisture is absorbed. This patent relates to releasable containment of an absorbate whereas the present invention preferably does not release the volatile materials once absorbed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that performs image processing to render an object. More specifically, rasterizing an object into a bitmap.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a recent central processing unit (CPU) equipped in an image processing apparatus, an access speed to a main memory is not so high compared to a speed of internal processing which is greatly increased.
Instead, to compensate for insufficiency in the access speed to the main memory, the CPU can be equipped with a high-speed cache memory. The cache memory has a very small capacity compared to the main memory. Therefore, the cache memory is configured to increase the processing speed based on the principle of locality of reference (LOF), i.e., characteristic of a runtime program that manages the locality of memory access.
This characteristic is based on that a command and its data to be executed immediately after a command and data presently executed are stored in a memory area having an address next to that of the presently executed command and data and sequentially accessed.
However, compared to the program (text) that can maintain higher locality, the data is dependent on respective processing. It is very difficult to assure that the data to be processed next is present in the next address.
Similar situation occurs in a rendering process of PDL data that constitute one page with a plurality of objects.
More specifically, if rendering process (writing) positions, i.e., coordinate positions, of respective objects are distant from each other, their locality is lessened and the access becomes random.
To solve this problem, in addition to the cache memory, the CPU can include a high-speed access memory (hereinafter, referred to as “local memory”). In general, the local memory stores data which is processed in each processing in a format specialized therefor.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-227301, there is a high-speed processing method for rendering PDL data on a local memory, according to which a page is divided into a plurality of bands and stored in the local memory for use in the processing.
However, according to the above-described method, the local memory is required to have capacity sufficient for the bands. The local memory is generally expensive and is not available for a low cost system.
Moreover, if a size of an object is relatively large, the object can maintain higher locality when it is processed for rendering. The local memory needs not to be used for such an object.
According to the conventional method, an object having a large size is also processed for rendering on the local memory. Therefore, transfer processing between the main memory and the local memory may be uselessly performed.
Recently, a multi-functional direct memory access (DMA) circuit could be used for the transfer processing between the local memory and the main memory. However, usability of the functions of the DMA circuit to effectively use the local memory is not considered. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to an approach for developing pharmaceuticals and treatment protocols that are effective against Candida-associated pathologies.
Fungal diseases have become a major medical problem and are growing in severity, given the rising incidence of immunosuppression associated with AIDS, diabetes, cancer therapies, and organ transplantation, among other conditions. Debilitated patients thus affected are especially susceptible to fungal pathogens, most of which are opportunists.
The yeast Candida can exist both as a non-virulent colonizer (commensal) and as a pathogen. Candidiasis is increasingly widespread, with hospitalized and immunocompromised patients at greatest risk, and has become the sixth most common form of pathogenic infection. Systemic Candida infections may be lethal, with a mortality rate of 50% in adults and up to 65% in infants. Reviewed in Pfaller (1996); see also Colombo et al. (1999). The risk of death from systemic infection most strongly correlates with the time between the first detected infection and the onset of anti-fungal treatment. Pacheco-Rios et al. (1997).
The pathogenic success of Candida depends in part upon phenotypic plasticity. The most prominent Candida pathogen, C. albicans, exhibits a bud-hypha phenotype transition that occurs en masse, in response to various stimuli, and provides C. albicans with the capacity to penetrate tissue and to disseminate. Odds (1997). Candida albicans also undergoes spontaneous, reversible, high frequency switching of phenotypes, which does not occur en masse.
More specifically, C. albicans may switch reversibly between a phenotype characterized by white colonies and a phenotype characterized by opaque colonies. Soll (1992). This white/opaque switching occurs at higher frequencies in isolates from deep versus superficial mycoses, Jones et al. (1994), at higher frequencies in infecting versus commensal isolates from the oral cavity, Hellstein et al. (1993), within sites of infection, Soll et al. (1987), (1988), and within sites of commensalism, Soll (1992). Switching also has been shown to regulate virulence in animal models. Kvaal et al. (1999).
High-frequency phenotypic switching in C. albicans involves the coordinated regulation of a battery of phase-specific genes. The gene products of several of these genes facilitate pathogenesis, Soll (1992) and Soll (1996). These products include secreted aspartyl proteinases, Hube et al. (1994), Morrow et al. (1992), (1993) and White et al. (1993), and drug resistance proteins, Balan et al. (1997).
Switching provides a mechanism for enhancing pathogenesis via generation of phenotypic plasticity. Thus, switching results in antigenic variability on the yeast cell surface. No single phenotypic trait has been found to be responsible for Candida pathogenesis, however. Moreover, uncertainty has surrounded the extent of overlap in respective regulatory circuitry for the switching event (white⇄opaque) and the dimorphism event (hypha⇄budding cell), as well as the significance of such overlap to Candida pathogenesis.
With the emergence of drug-resistant Candida strains and a growing population of immunocompromised individuals, there is an mounting need to find new treatments for candidiasis.
In light of this need and others, the present invention has provided, in one aspect, a method for screening a therapeutic agent, comprising subjecting a first Candida culture to the agent and then determining the impact thereof on expression of a gene in the TUP1 pathway, such as SAP3, OP4 and TUP1 itself, whereby decreased expression of the gene is predictive of efficacy for said agent against candidiasis. In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned determination comprises gauging expression of the gene by reference to the level of Tup1 protein or TUP1 transcript in the first culture. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention provides a process for preparing methylmercaptopropionaldehyde (MMP) from gaseous acrolein (AC) and methyl mercaptan (MC). The present invention provides, more particularly, a process for preparing methylmercaptopropionaldehyde from gaseous acrolein and methyl mercaptan, in one process step, wherein simultaneously, (a) gaseous acrolein is absorbed to a mixture comprising at least one compound from the group consisting of the methylthio hemiacetal of methylmercaptopropionaldehyde, methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and methyl mercaptan, (b) in this mixture, acrolein is reacted with methyl mercaptan and/or the hemithioacetal of methylmercaptopropionaldehyde to give methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and (c) impurities and by-products are removed from this mixture.
MMP formation from methyl mercaptan and a gas mixture comprising acrolein is conventionally known.
DE 2627430 describes a two-stage process wherein, in the first stage, the AC is absorbed from a gas mixture in MMP and, in a second stage, the AC dissolved in MMP reacts with MC at temperatures between 10 and 50° C. in the presence of a catalyst. A great economic disadvantage of this separation in two stages is the necessity of MMP recycling at −10° C. in order to completely absorb AC in MMP. The MMP yield based on the MMP introduced into the absorption column in the example described is 99%. At the same time, preferably 0.1 to 0.2% hemithioacetal is established in the reaction mixture. At hemithioacetal concentrations below 0.1%, AC is lost due to incomplete conversion, whereas at hemithioacetal concentrations above 1% the yield of the MMP reaction worsens. The gas mixture formed during the catalytic oxidation of propylene is absorbed from the acrylic acid present in a solvent such as, for example, tri-n-butyl phosphate (FR 7718136), a mixture of biphenyl and diphenyl ether (FR 1393175) or water (FR 1393175), and, after performance of this process step, freed of water in a condenser at −5-0° C. This condensation step too leads to higher capital and operating costs.
According to NL-A 68/09647, it may also be possible to first contact MC with MMP in the reaction zone and to contact the mixture thus obtained with the AC-containing gas. However, an additional step is needed here for treatment of the aqueous phase (extraction), and only an MMP yield of 91% based on the AC used is achieved.
WO 9429254 describes the continuous preparation of MMP from an acrolein-containing gas mixture and MC in a “gas/liquid” reaction zone, in which uncondensable gases are additionally separated from the AC process. Hemithioacetal formation is prevented by the equimolar addition of MC and AC, monitored preferably by periodic use of gas chromatography. According to the description, it may be possible to increase the MMP formation rate by a factor of 3-10. The limitation of the AC mass transfer is minimized by turbulent conditions in the reaction system.
In all documents described above, MC worked up by distillation is used. This is evident from the fact that the principle secondary components from the MC reaction, such as dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide, are present neither in the MMP product nor in the MMP offgas (WO 9429254 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,047). MC is usually synthesized in the gas phase at temperatures between 300 and 500° C. and at pressures between 1 and 25 bar. One process is described, for example, in EP 850922. The product mixture of the synthesis comprises, as well as the desired MC, the water formed in the reaction and, as by-products, dimethyl sulphide, dimethyl ether, small amounts of polysulphides, and unconverted methanol, excess hydrogen sulphide, and the gases which are inert for the purposes of the reaction: nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The separation of the product gas mixture into its components serves for recovery of methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide, for discharge of water and inert gas components, and for recycling of unconsumed methanol and hydrogen sulphide into the synthesis reactor. This gives rise, for example, to pure MC with an MC content of up to 99.6% by weight (EP 0850923 and DE 1768826). Disadvantages of this distillative workup of the complex reaction mixture are, in addition to the high capital and operating costs, the unavoidable formation of residues which require disposal and the associated loss of materials of value.
DE 10359636 describes a process which avoids the high distillation complexity to obtain pure methyl mercaptan and nevertheless uses the methyl mercaptan obtained in the catalytic reaction of H2S with methanol, without losses, for the further conversion to MMP with liquid AC. Based on the crude MC used, the isolated yield is virtually quantitative, i.e. >99.9%. This is achieved by distillative removal of the constituents from the MC synthesis still present in the MMP reaction mixture, and preferably by the supply of an inert entraining agent, for example nitrogen. This reference does not disclose the use of AC-containing gases.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,940 discloses that reaction temperatures in the MMP synthesis can be controlled by dividing the exothermicity of hemithioacetal formation as intermediate and, after subsequent addition of liquid AC, the MMP reaction enthalpy of the MMP reaction into 2 zones. However, the the use of AC-containing gases is not disclosed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the above fields of monochromatic and color printing, gray scale printing techniques have been used wherein 256 levels of a complete gray scale have been subdivided into typically sixteen (16) or thirty-two (32) levels of a gray table. These subdivided gray levels have been used to control the printing of information of a scanned image into a plurality of pixels to form the reproduced image in one or more color planes. The remainder difference between a printable gray level value of a chosen gray table and the actual scanned pixel value of the image read by a scanner is error diffused into one or more pixels surrounding the just-scanned pixel or super pixel. These error diffusion processes have been described in various detail in my following identified co-pending applications and issued patent which are all assigned to the present assignee and are all incorporated herein by reference.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,018 issued May 2, 1990 is entitled "Method and System for Enhancing the Quality of Both Color and Black and White Images Produced by Ink Jet Printers".
2. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 353,859 filed May 17, 1989 is entitled "Method and System for Providing Closed Loop Color Control Between a Scanned Color Image and the Output of a Color Printer".
3. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 484,713 filed Feb. 26, 1990 is entitled "Method and System for Reproducing Monochromatic and Color Images Using Ordered Dither and Error Diffusion".
4. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 515,946 filed Apr. 27, 1990 is entitled "Method and System for Enhancing the Quality of Both Color and Black and White Images Produced by Ink Jet and Electrophotographic Printers".
All of my above identified co-pending patent applications disclose and claim new and useful improvements in the fields of both monochromatic and color printing and describe pixel assignment and error diffusion printing processes of the type in which the present invention will prove useful. The error diffusion processes described in these co-pending applications cite, among other things, the Floyd and Steinberg 4-point algorithm and the Stucke 12-point algorithm as being useful for controlling the dispersal of error diffusion into the neighboring pixels surrounding a just-scanned pixel or super pixel and corresponding to the error difference between a printable gray scale discrete level pixel value and the actual input image gray scale pixel data converted by a scanner. These algorithms are operative to control pixel assignment during the error diffusion process in such a manner as to predetermine the exact location of the pixels surrounding a just-scanned pixel or super pixel into which the above error remainder dots are diffused with fixed assigned weights. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Caster devices are generally secured to tubular frame members either by one-piece or multiple-piece caster sockets or by multiple-piece expansion devices. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,805,260, 4,282,629, 4,086,680, 5,052,072, Des. 32,291 and Des. 26,112. A caster-stem or bolt, extending upwardly from a caster, extends through a sleeve and is either threaded into a conical expander or a friction grip ring snaps into a groove or the top edge of the socket.
In the case of merchandising displays as well as with other desired roll-about articles, special mounts or socket devices have been necessary for attachment to frame or housing members. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,428,123, 5,934,639, 5,503,417 and 4,086,680.
While mounting or socket devices provide a means for securing a caster to a tubular frame member, they can be expensive and somewhat time consuming to assemble and install. Even the one-piece caster sockets, on the other hand, may be less expensive and easier to install, but they may not be as reliable or long lasting and they add more parts to deal with in packing, shipping and assembly.
What is needed is an inexpensive, easy to use and long-lasting arrangement for securing casters to merchandising or product displays.
The invention provides such a device and method of manufacturing. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to reverse-turn mimetic structures and to a chemical library relating thereto. The invention also relates to applications in the treatment of medical conditions, e.g., cancer diseases, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the mimetics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Random screening of molecules for possible activity as therapeutic agents has occurred for many years and resulted in a number of important drug discoveries. While advances in molecular biology and computational chemistry have led to increased interest in what has been termed “rational drug design”, such techniques have not proven as fast or reliable as initially predicted. Thus, in recent years there has been a renewed interest and return to random drug screening. To this end, particular strides having been made in new technologies based on the development of combinatorial chemistry libraries, and the screening of such libraries in search for biologically active members.
In general, combinatorial chemistry libraries are simply a collection of molecules. Such libraries vary by the chemical species within the library, as well as the methods employed to both generate the library members and identify which members interact with biological targets of interest. While this field is still young, methods for generating and screening libraries have already become quite diverse and sophisticated. For example, a recent review of various combinatorial chemical libraries has identified a number of such techniques (Dolle, J. Com. Chem., 2(3): 383-433, 2000), including the use of both tagged and untagged library members (Janda, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:10779-10785, 1994).
Initially, combinatorial chemistry libraries were generally limited to members of peptide or nucleotide origin. To this end, the techniques of Houghten et al. illustrate an example of what is termed a “dual-defined iterative” method to assemble soluble combinatorial peptide libraries via split synthesis techniques (Nature (London) 354:84-86, 1991; Biotechniques 13:412-421, 1992; Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 3:405-412, 1993). By this technique, soluble peptide libraries containing tens of millions of members have been obtained. Such libraries have been shown to be effective in the identification of opioid peptides, such as methionine- and leucine-enkephalin (Dooley and Houghten, Life Sci. 52, 1509-1517, 1993), and a N-acylated peptide library has been used to identify acetalins, which are potent opioid antagonists (Dooley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:10811-10815, 1993. More recently, an all D-amino acid opioid peptide library has been constructed and screened for analgesic activity against the mu (“μ”) opioid receptor (Dooley et al, Science 266:2019-2022, 1994).
While combinatorial libraries containing members of peptide and nucleotide origin are of significant value, there is still a need in the art for libraries containing members of different origin. For example, traditional peptide libraries to a large extent merely vary the amino acid sequence to generate library members. While it is well recognized that the secondary structures of peptides are important to biological activity, such peptide libraries do not impart a constrained secondary structure to its library members.
To this end, some researchers have cyclized peptides with disulfide bridges in an attempt to provide a more constrained secondary structure (Tumelty et al., J. Chem. Soc. 1067-68, 1994; Eichler et al., Peptide Res. 7:300-306, 1994). However, such cyclized peptides are generally still quite flexible and are poorly bioavailable, and thus have met with only limited success.
More recently, non-peptide compounds have been developed which more closely mimic the secondary structure of reverse-turns found in biologically active proteins or peptides. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,013 to Kahn and published PCT applications nos. WO94/03494, WO01/00210A1, and WO01/16135A2 to Kahn each disclose conformationally constrained, non-peptidic compounds, which mimic the three-dimensional structure of reverse-turns. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,237 and its continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,458, both to Kahn, disclose conformationally constrained compounds which mimic the secondary structure of reverse-turn regions of biologically active peptides and proteins. The synthesis and identification of conformationally constrained, reverse-turn mimetics and their application to diseases were well reviewed by Obrecht (Advances in Med. Chem., 4, 1-68, 1999).
While significant advances have been made in the synthesis and identification of conformationally constrained, reverse-turn mimetics, there remains a need in the art for small molecules which mimic the secondary structure of peptides. There is also a need in the art for libraries containing such members, as well as techniques for synthesizing and screening the library members against targets of interest, particularly biological targets, to identify bioactive library members.
The present invention also fulfills these needs, and provides further related advantages by providing confomationally constrained compounds which mimic the secondary structure of reverse-turn regions of biologically active peptides and proteins.
Wnt signaling pathway regulates a variety of processes including cell growth, oncogenesis, and development (Moon et al., 1997, Trends Genet. 13, 157-162; Miller et al., 1999, Oncogene 18, 7860-7872; Nusse and Varmus, 1992, Cell 69, 1073-1087; Cadigan and Nusse, 1997, Genes Dev. 11, 3286-3305; Peifer and Polakis, 2000 Science 287, 1606-1609; Polakis 2000, Genes Dev. 14, 1837-1851). Wnt signaling pathway has been intensely studied in a variety of organisms. The activation of TCF4/β-catenin mediated transcription by Wnt signal transduction has been found to play a key role in its biological functions (Molenaar et al., 1996, Cell 86:391-399; Gat et al., 1998 Cell 95:605-614; Orford et al., 1999 J. Cell. Biol. 146:855-868; Bienz and Clevers, 2000, Cell 103:311-20).
In the absence of Wnt signals, tumor suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) simultaneously interacts with the serine kinase glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β and β-catenin (Su et al., 1993, Science 262, 1734-1737: Yost et al., 1996 Genes Dev. 10, 1443-1454: Hayashi et al., 1997, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 242-247: Sakanaka et al., 1998, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95, 3020-3023: Sakanaka and William, 1999, J. Biol. Chem 274, 14090-14093). Phosphorylation of APC by GSK-3β regulates the interaction of APC with β-catenin, which in turn may regulate the signaling function of β-catenin (B. Rubinfeld et al., Science 272, 1023, 1996). Wnt signaling stabilizes β-catenin allowing its translocation to the nucleus where it interacts with members of the lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF1)/T-cell factor (TCF4) family of transcription factors (Behrens et al., 1996 Nature 382, 638-642: Hsu et al., 1998, Mol. Cell. Biol. 18, 4807-4818: Roose et all., 1999 Science 285, 1923-1926).
Recently c-myc, a known oncogene, was shown to be a target gene for β-catenin/TCF4-mediated transcription (He et al., 1998 Science 281 1509-1512: Kolligs et al., 1999 Mol. Cell. Biol. 19, 5696-5706). Many other important genes, including cyclin D1, and metalloproteinase, which are also involved in oncogenesis, have been identified to be regulated by TCF4/bata-catenin transcriptional pathway (Crawford et al., 1999, Oncogene 18, 2883-2891: Shtutman et al., 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 11, 5522-5527: Tetsu and McCormick, 1999 Nature, 398, 422-426).
Moreover, overexpression of several downstream mediators of Wnt signaling has been found to regulate apoptosis (Moris et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93, 7950-7954: He et al., 1999, Cell 99, 335-345: Orford et al, 1999 J. Cell. Biol., 146, 855-868: Strovel and Sussman, 1999, Exp. Cell. Res., 253,637-648). Overexpression of APC in human colorectal cancer cells induced apoptosis (Moris et al., 1996, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA., 93, 7950-7954), ectopic expression of β-catenin inhibited apoptosis associated with loss of attachment to extracellular matrix (Orford et al, 1999, J. Cell Biol. 146, 855-868). Inhibition of TCF4/β-catenin transcription by expression of dominant-negative mutant of TCF4 blocked Wnt-1-mediated cell survival and rendered cells sensitive to apoptotic stimuli such as anti-cancer agent (Shaoqiong Chen et al., 2001, J. Cell. Biol., 152, 1, 87-96) and APC mutation inhibits apoptosis by allowing constitutive survivin expression, a well-known anti-apoptotic protein (Tao Zhang et al., 2001, Cancer Research, 62, 8664-8667).
Although mutations in the Wnt gene have not been found in human cancer, a mutation in APC or β-catenin, as is the case in the majority of colorectal tumors, results in inappropriate activation of TCF4, overexpression of c-myc and production of neoplastic growth (Bubinfeld et al, 1997, Science, 275, 1790-1792: Morin et al, 1997, Science, 275, 1787-1790: Casa et al, 1999, Cell. Growth. Differ. 10, 369-376). The tumor suppressor gene (APC) is lost or inactivated in 85% of colorectal cancers and in a variety of other cancers as well (Kinzler and Vogelstein, 1996, Cell 87, 159-170). APC's principal role is that of a negative regulator of the Wnt signal transduction cascade. A center feature of this pathway involves the modulation of the stability and localization of a cytosolic pool of β-catenin by interaction with a large Axin-based complex that includes APC. This interaction results in phosphorylation of β-catenin thereby targeting it for degradation.
CREB binding proteins (CBP)/p300 were identified initially in protein interaction assays, first through its association with the transcription factor CREB (Chrivia et al, 1993, Nature, 365, 855-859) and later through its interaction with the adenoviral-transforming protein E1A (Stein et al., 1990, J. Viol., 64, 4421-4427: Eckner et al., 1994, Genes. Dev., 8, 869-884). CBP had a potential to participate in variety of cellular functions including transcriptional coactivator function (Shikama et al., 1997, Trends. Cell. Biol., 7, 230-236: Janknecht and Hunter, 1996, Nature, 383, 22-23). CBP/p300 potentiates β-catenin-mediated activation of the siamois promoter, a known Wnt target (Hecht et al, 2000, EMBO J. 19, 8, 1839-1850). β-catenin interacts directly with the CREB-binding domain of CBP and β-catenin synergizes with CBP to stimulate the transcriptional activation of TCF4/β-catenin (Ken-Ichi Takemaru and Randall T. Moon, 2000 J. Cell. Biol., 149, 2,249-254). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Nowadays, for surgical applications increasingly assistance systems are used, comprising a holding arm, which is for example attachable to the slide rail of an operating table. For example, such a holding arm is used in shoulder operations for supporting the arm. It includes a plurality of rigid holding members which are movably coupled to each other by joints. Thus, the holding arm may be moved freely in all spatial directions and be fixed securely in the desired position.
The joints, which couple respectively two rigid holding members of the holding arm freely movable to each other, include a first joint body connected to one of the holding members and a second joint body connected to the other holding member. In order to fix the holding members in a desired arrangement with respect to each other, the two joint bodies have to be locked relative to each other.
A possibility for such a locking is described in DE 102 09 209 B4. Therein, one of the joint bodies includes a plurality of locking pins, while corresponding locking recesses are formed at the other joint body. An essential feature of said locking mechanism is that the number of locking recesses is higher than the number of locking pins. In a specific embodiment, thirteen locking recesses and twelve locking pins are provided. In the locked state, respectively one of the locking pins engages completely in one of the locking recesses, while the locking pins immediately adjacent to said pin are only partially inserted in their associated locking recesses. Thus, the clearance-free locking of the joint is assisted.
In order to allow this kind of engaging of the locking pins in the locking recesses, the locking pins respectively include an engagement part having the shape of a truncated cone. The locking recesses are correspondingly tapered in a truncated cone-shaped manner. This ensures that in the locked state of the joint, said locking pin being completely inserted in the corresponding locking recess contacts the locking recess with its engagement part over the entire surface. In contrast, the engagement parts of said locking pins being only partially inserted in the corresponding locking recesses only have line contact or only a very slight surface contact with the corresponding locking recesses.
In practical use, it turned out that a holding arm using a locking of the above-explained type is subject to certain restrictions with respect to high load applications. Thus, the holding arm has to be operated by means of a handle, which is coupled to an unlocking mechanism acting on the joints, in order to unlock the joints. The higher the load, the more manual force has to be exerted. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Oil and water emulsions are commonly formed, and/or present, in the oil-field production industry, the petroleum refining industry, the petrochemical industry, activities related to such industries, such as the transportation of oil and oil products, and other industries which can produce oil and water emulsions, such as the food preparation industry.
For instance, in oil field production, additional oil can be recovered from a formation by waterflooding. This technique of oil recovery involves the injection of water into the oil production formation in secondary or tertiary water floods thereby displacing the oil. The success of a water flood operation is dependent on the effectiveness by which the water replaces oil from the pores of the rock or sand formation. One technique used to achieve this displacement is to reduce the interfacial tension between the oil and water phases. The addition of surfactants to the injection fluids reduces the interfacial tension between the oil and water phases. The net result is an improved displacement of oil from the pores of the formation.
However, the use of surfactants to reduce the interfacial tension causes a stable oil and water emulsion to be formed.
Emulsions in the petroleum refining industry can include emulsions prepared under controlled conditions from crude oil and relatively soft waters or weak brines (crude desalting). Controlled emulsification and subsequent demulsification are of significant value in removing impurities, particularly inorganic salts from crude oil.
Other emulsions can be formed in the waste oil recovery systems in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries.
Emulsions can also be formed as a result of oil spills on water, at the interface between the oil spilled and the water.
These emulsions can be difficult and expensive to demulsify by application of the usual demulsifiers and treating techniques. In addition, the demulsifying of emulsions is not only useful for the recovery of the oil but is also, in many cases, necessary in order to discharge the wastewater from such processes. In fact, the cost to treat such waste waters to acceptable levels of oil for discharge can be quite high and can include the use of processing equipment, such as clarifiers.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop compositions and processes which demulsify emulsions economically and rapidly and that provide water with low oil content. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention is a system or method for providing access to interactive video content (collectively, “video system” or simply the “system”). More specifically, the invention is a video system for interacting with a representation of physical space.
The use of digital media has increased significantly because the tools for capturing and transferring digital sounds, still images, and video clips have become increasingly advanced and inexpensive. However, the tools for transforming digital media content into interactive digital video content have not kept up with the advancements in digital media. Existing techniques fail to display representations of physical space in a photo-realistic manner as seen by the human eye. Two types of image distortion, bent edges and blurry digital zooms degrade the quality of the interactive video. Those distortions result in a display that is significantly different from how a human being would perceive the subject matter embodied in the digital media. In summary, the existing interactive video systems fail to accurately capture the human experience. It would be desirable for an interactive video system to incorporate true video processing in a photo-realistic manner. Instead of relying on stitched-together still pictures or image interpolation applications, it would be desirable to use actual video or film
Internet-based video systems typically require additional Java or other additional external applications in order to run. Such specific configurations preclude a universal approach to interactive media over the Internet. Different environments require different supporting software, and the resulting fragmentation precludes the market success required for a successful universal system. It would be desirable for an interactive video system to compatible across all major web browsers and platforms.
Existing interactive video systems also suffer from substantial performance problems. These problems are particularly acute in the context of invoking interactive video functionality from a web site or some other Internet-based mechanism. Although the use of high-speed connectivity mechanisms such as cable modems, DSL, satellite, and other mechanisms (collectively “high-speed connections”), most web surfers continue to rely on much slower dial-up connections (collectively “low-speed connections”). Existing interactive video systems involve large files that preclude meaningful real-time processing. It would be desirable for the media files of an interactive video system to be sufficiently compact as to allow real-time performance over a low-speed connection. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Multiple standards have competing requirements that limit the ability of a user to simultaneously use different standards. As an example, both 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth standards operate at 2.4 GHz, which can result in interference problems. In some cases, devices physically separate the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas to overcome the potential interference problems. In other cases, the 802.11/b/g/n and the Bluetooth operations are configured to disable one operation before beginning the other operation, which prevents simultaneous operation.
In addition, there may be a desire to provide different antenna matching loads depending upon the operation of the wireless interface. This may require the ability to control the load matching of an antenna remotely, which may include active tuning of an antenna.
To overcome these problems without adding additional wires, there is a need to provide a control means over the existing wiring to permit addition of a controlled device near an antenna. There is also a need for a simple control function to control remote devices that have no dedicated supply, control, or signal lines. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Many search engine services allow users to search for information of various data sources. These data sources may be accessible via various communications links such as intranets and the Internet. Web-based search engine services allow users to search for display pages, such as web pages, that may be of interest to users. After a user submits a search request (i.e., a query) that includes search terms, the search engine service identifies web pages that may be related to those search terms. To quickly identify related web pages, the search engine services may maintain a mapping of keywords to web pages. This mapping may be generated by “crawling” the web (i.e., the World Wide Web) to identify the keywords of each web page. To crawl the web, a search engine service may use a list of root web pages to identify all web pages that are accessible through those root web pages. The search engine service can identify keywords of any particular web page using various well-known information retrieval techniques, such as identifying the words of a headline, the words supplied in the metadata of the web page, the words that are highlighted, and so on. The search engine service then creates an index that maps keywords to web pages.
Although search engine services enable rapid discovery of general information regarding a topic of interest, the search engine services are typically not well suited for in-depth analysis of a topic of interest. When a person wants to explore a topic of interest, that person submits a query containing terms describing the topic of interest. The search engine service uses its index to identify web pages that contain those terms and hopefully relate to the topic of interest. The search engine service returns hyperlinks to the web pages along with a short description of each web page. Unfortunately, the query result typically includes web pages that are not of interest to the person and that are ordered so that the web pages of interest might not even be included on the first few pages of the query result. For example, a person who is interested in understanding “semaphores” may submit the query “operating system semaphores” to a search engine service. Although the query result will likely contain many web pages that relate to operating system semaphores, those web pages will include web pages of universities that list semaphores as a topic in an operating system course, web pages offering to sell books on operating systems, web pages of companies that sell operating systems that use semaphores, web pages of authors who have written papers on semaphores, and so on. It can be difficult for a person to search through the pages of a query result to identify a web page of interest.
To make it easier to search a topic of interest, some organizations have collected, organized, and indexed documents on specific domains. These organizations, for example, may collect documents, such as web pages, journal publications, dissertations, and technical reports, to form a corpus of documents for a specific domain. The organizations may use manual techniques to identify and classify documents that should be included in a domain-specific corpus or may attempt to use automated techniques. A person interested in searching a particular topic selects a corpus for a domain related to the topic and then performs queries on that corpus. The usefulness of such a corpus is based in large part on how comprehensively the corpus covers the topics within the domain. For example, a corpus on operating systems that does not include at least one document relating to semaphores would likely not be useful to a person wanting to study semaphores. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Computer vision has many applications, and is generally characterized by the use of a digital imaging system to produce an image, which is then analyzed with a computer for a subsequent decision. Many applications of computer vision involve identifying and locating objects in the image. Other applications of computer vision involve tracking a moving object. The camera or other image capturing device is the "observer" and the moving object is the "target".
To achieve computer vision in these applications, some methods use computations based on optical flow. In general terms, optical flow is understood by remembering that an image is a digitized representation of a continuous intensity variation of a scene in the physical world. The image changes as the objects in view, or the observer, or both, move with respect to each other. This movement gives rise to an optical flow, which associates a two dimensional velocity with each point on the two dimensional image plane. The result is an instantaneous velocity field on the image plane, which represents the optical flow of a number of points.
The optical flow reveals information about the shape of objects in the scene, which become determinate if the motion parameters are known. Other applications of optical flow include recovery of observer or target motion parameters.
A shortcoming of existing optical flow methods is the absence of methods for analyzing optical flow of a moving target that generates its own optical flow within an optical flow field due to a moving observer. Although one known method analyzes optical flow when the observer is moving, as well as the target, the observer's motion is only rotational and not translational. This method is described in an article by Ken-ichi Kanatani, entitled "Transformation of Optical Flow by Camera Rotation", IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Vol. 10, No. 2, March 1988.
A need exists for a method of analyzing optical flow when both the observer and the target are moving with complete freedom of motion. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Ocular, facial, or dental care, including surgery is often performed under local anesthesia or mild sedation with the patient remaining alert throughout the therapeutic surgical operation. During delicate operations such as eye surgery, the patient's head must be totally immobilized. Lacking proper and efficient restraining devices, the physician must often resort to a general anesthesia or heavy sedation to guarantee the patient's immobility. The risks associated with general anesthesia and heavy sedation could be avoided with an effective head-restraining apparatus compatible with operating tables, or couches. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The manufacture of semiconductor devices is an equipment-intensive venture. The expense of purchasing, maintaining, and repairing production equipment adds significantly to the final cost of semiconductor devices. Equipment technicians are employed to maintain and keep equipment in working order, which minimizes unexpected failures and decreases downtime. Equipment must be removed from production for both maintenance and repair, and increasing the percentage of time equipment remains in production decreases costs and is a goal of equipment engineers and semiconductor fab managers.
Production of semiconductor devices requires photolithographic processing to provide repetitive, patterned features on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. During photolithography, a semiconductor wafer is coated with photosensitive photoresist (resist), then the resist is exposed to a light pattern to alter the chemical makeup of the resist. After exposure of the resist to light, the coated wafer is rinsed with a developer to leave a pattern of resist material over the wafer surface. The patterned photoresist can then be used to etch underlying materials.
To coat the wafer surface with photoresist, a coater track system can be used. A number of photoresist track systems are produced by various manufacturers, for example the POLARIS® P2000 lithography coat system, available from FSI International of Allen, Tex. To coat the wafer with photoresist, a semiconductor wafer is placed onto a chuck within the track system. The chuck spins the wafer, and photoresist is applied to the top of the wafer through a dispensing nozzle which is part of a bowl rinse hardware assembly. The rotation of the wafer results in a uniform, thin coating of resist over the wafer surface. Any excess photoresist is removed from the wafer by centrifugal forces during application, and is contained within a coater cup.
During repeated photoresist applications to a number of different wafers, a buildup of excess resist on various interior surfaces of the coater process bowl system can result, which must be cleaned away. A coater process bowl system typically comprises an automated bowl rinse hardware assembly which periodically rinses the coated surfaces of the coater process bowl system to prevent buildup of excess photoresist. The FIG. 1 cross section depicts a coater process bowl system 10. A deflector 12 is spaced from a baffle 14 to provide a gap 16 which opens to an accumulator 18. The deflector 12, baffle 14, and accumulator 18 together form a “coater cup” assembly. The bowl rinse hardware assembly comprises various structures such as a flange 20, an inlet subassembly 22, a backing plate 24, and a nozzle mount 26 having cleaning nozzles 28 attached thereto. In a typical system, the accumulator has a diameter of about 15.5 inches and the nozzle mount has a diameter of about 5.125 inches.
During coating of the wafer, excess photoresist is forced from the spinning wafer and onto the interior surface of the deflector 12. After coating a number of wafers, the deflector 12 is cleaned by ejecting (outputting) solvent 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) from the nozzles 28 and onto the deflector 12. The track dispenses photoresist onto the wafer using a separate nozzle (not depicted) while the cleaning nozzles 28 dispense a photoresist cleaning solvent such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA). In a typical configuration, the nozzle mount 26 has six cleaning nozzles attached thereto, as depicted in FIG. 2. The solvent rinses the excess resist from the interior surface of the deflector 12, and the solvent and resist flow down the deflector 12 through the gap 16 provided the deflector 12 and a baffle 14, and finally into the accumulator 18 where it is drained away into a larger waste collection system for disposal or recycling.
As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, solvent 30 is ejected from nozzles 28 using a flat, fan spray pattern. As depicted in FIG. 1, the fan spray exits the nozzle at a slight upward incline of about 15° to contact the deflector 12. Further, as depicted in the cross sectional top view of FIG. 2, the solvent 30 exits the nozzle horizontally at an angle 32, for example at an angle of about 90°. The solvent pattern should provide a continuous circle around the interior surface of the bowl so that interior locations of the deflector 12 are rinsed.
After several photoresist dispenses, the gap 16 provided by the deflector 12 and the baffle 14 can become blocked with resist, which can prevent the proper exhaust of resist and solvent through the gap and into the accumulator 18. As such, the coater process bowl assembly is periodically disassembled and sent out for cleaning. Manual cleaning is required after 96 continuous hours of use, and requires removal of the coater track system from production.
A coater process bowl system requiring less manual cleaning than previous designs would have reduced downtime, would require less technician time, and would therefore be less expensive to operate, thereby resulting in decreased production costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The Internet remains a growing public network. Many companies rely on communication over the Internet using Internet Protocol (“IP”) to facilitate their business endeavors. For security in communication over the Internet, a computer may be configured to track and screen communications. This configuration is known as a “firewall,” and one or more of the actions of which may be referred to as “firewalling.”
In a “stateful firewall,” a set of values uniquely identifying each existing connection (“state of each active connection”) is maintained, subject to deactivation or disconnection. Conventionally, five values are used to form such a set. These five values are sometimes collectively referred to as a “five-tuple” entry. A five-tuple entry includes respective values for IP Source Address, IP Destination Address, IP Protocol, Transport Layer Source Port (“Source Port”), and Transport Layer Destination Port (“Destination Port”). Examples of IP Protocols include User Datagram Protocol (“UDP”) and Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”). In a UDP or TCP packet, there are IP Source and Destination Addresses in the IP packet header. In a UDP or TCP packet, Source and Destination Ports are in the UDP or TCP header, respectively, as well as an IP Protocol value indicating whether the packet is a UDP or TCP packet. For clarity, a TCP packet is described below, though it will be apparent that a UDP packet may be used.
In a connection using TCP (“a TCP connection”), namely, where TCP packets are exchanged, there is a received packet (“an inbound packet”) and a sent packet (“an outbound packet”). Notably, five-tuple entries for inbound and outbound packets are the same except that Source and Destination Addresses are reversed, and Source and Destination Ports are reversed. Of course, in each of these two related five-tuple entries, IP Protocol is the same in both inbound and outbound packets.
In a stateful firewall, a data structure, such as an array, may have respective columns indexed to five-tuple categories of information where each row represents an active connection. Additional columns may be used depending on the level of detail used to evaluate each connection. Such a data structure may be referred to as a “table,” indicating a tabularized form of information whether or not headings are used. Five-tuple entries for inbound and outbound packets are stored in a connection table. Connection table stored five-tuple entries are used to compare against five-tuples of inbound and outbound packets to determine whether or not the packets are for use with an existing connection.
When Network Address Translation (“NAT”) is employed, five-tuple information is stored to indicate Public IP Address and Public Transport Layer Port (“Public Port”) of a NAT configured device (“gateway”). The term “Public” is used to indicate that the address and port of the gateway are accessible from outside a local network associated with the gateway. The term “Remote” is used to indicate a device outside of a local network of the gateway. Notably, the gateway device may be a separate computer or installed in a “Local” computer. The term “Local” refers to a device on a local network of the gateway. For NAT, instances of inbound packets to a NAT gateway, a five-tuple entry includes: an IP Source Address (“Remote IP Address”); an IP Destination Address (“Public IP Address”); a Source Port (“Remote Source Port”); and a Destination Port (“Public Destination Port”). For NAT, instances of outbound packets to a NAT gateway, a five-tuple entry includes: an IP Source Address (“Local IP Address”); an IP Destination Address (“Remote IP Address”); Source Port (“Local Source Port”); Destination Port (“Remote Destination Port”); and IP Protocol.
When an inbound packet having a five-tuple from a Remote device is received by a gateway where the five-tuple matches one stored in a NAT table, the gateway translates such an inbound packet for routing. Using the above describe convention, the five-tuple includes: IP Source Address (“Remote IP Address”); IP Destination Address (“Local IP Address”); Source Port (“Remote Source Port”); Destination Port (“Local Destination Port”); and IP Protocol. This is because a packet from a Remote device is sent to a gateway using Public information, which after found to be part of an active connection is used for address translation for routing to a Local device.
When an outbound packet having a five-tuple from a local device is received by a gateway where the five-tuple matches one stored in a NAT table, the gateway translates such an outbound packet for routing. Using the above described convention, the five-tuple includes: IP Source Address (“Public IP Address”); IP Destination Address (“Remote IP Address”); Source Port (“Public Source Port”); Destination Port (“Remote Destination Port”); and IP Protocol. For clarity, the terms Remote, Local and Public are used below whether or not NAT is being used.
Furthermore, to enhance firewalling security, encrypted information may be established for a connection. Examples of protocols for enhanced security on the Internet include Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (“PPTP”) and a set of protocols known collectively as Internet Protocol Security (“IPSec”). However, fragmentation of IP packets has been used to defeat firewalls, such as the so-called “ping-of-death,” “wedge” and “tiny fragment” attacks. IP version 4 (“IPv4”) supports header structures allowing fragmentation of IP packets. Notably, a fragmented packet (“fragment”) may be fragmented further, and there is no requirement that fragments arrive in order, or even that they arrive at all. In many stateless firewalls, fragments are summarily process by dropping them. However, fragments are useful when an intermediate router has to forward a packet that is larger than the maximum transmission unit (“MTU”) of an outgoing interface (“OIF”). Thus, by dropping fragments, information may be lost. Examples of stateless firewalls may be found integrated in low-end home gateway routers. In higher-end standalone or integrated stateful firewalls, more states are added to verify authenticity of a fragment. This approach facilitates use of devices with significant embedded memory limitations, using less memory than a fragment buffering and reassembly approach.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a stateful firewall that buffers and reassembles fragments.
It should be appreciated that whether or not NAT is used a table lookup is done for each packet. Thus, computational cycles are spent for each lookup and comparison of each five-tuple entry. Accordingly, a reduction in computational cycles for packet processing would be useful and desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removably mountable electrothermal printing head for non-impact printing and to the mounting for positioning it on the moving carriage of a printer. Such a head is designed to produce, in response to ingoing electrical impulses, visible imprints on a recording medium which is electrically insulating and heat sensitive.
In thermal printers normally the thermal printing head is fixedly secured to the carriage which moves the head along a printing line of the recording medium; therefore the replacing of said head owing to break or wear thereof is generally an operation that cannot be carried out by the user but requires the call of skilled personnel as, normally, it involves unscrewing and securing screws, to disconnect electric connections and to restore them when the replacing operation is carried out and, finally, to adjust the head position with respect to the printing medium by means of suitable adjusting devices.
Furthermore, the use of a head fixedly mounted on the carriage does not confer thereon any flexibility about the printing character format for the user, namely it does not allow the user to select, for instance, inclined characters by the immediate positioning of the suitable head on the displacing carriage of the printer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
An electric wrench of the prior art as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,921 uses a low electric current to drive a driving piece with a side projection to collide with a worm gear so as to activate a sudden movement of the worm gear, whereby a movable jaw will shift on top of a wrench so as to change the clip size of the wrench. It is advantageous to use a lower driving current since the lifespan of the battery can be significantly prolonged. However, there still exist disadvantages of the housing of the motor and the destructive collusion between the worm gear and the driving piece.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field of the Invention
This application is based on applications Nos. 8-346010, 8-346013, 8-346014, 8-346015, 8-346016, 8-346017, and 8-346019 filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a sheet feeder unit which supplies cut sheets set in a pile thereon by a feeding roller which contacts to the cut sheets from one side thereof, and particularly to a sheet feeder unit which is capable of separating cut sheets to be supplied one after another by a frictional force generated when a leading end of the cut sheet is pushed forward to contact with a friction member which is supported at one end thereof and extended toward a conveying path of the cut sheet. The present invention may be employed for feeding a plurality of piled cut sheets one by one in various appliances such as a copying machine, printer, facsimile machine, or image reading apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 7-196186 discloses the like of such sheet feeder unit, which is shown in FIG. 1. The feeder unit according to this prior art has a friction member 933 rotatably supported at its lower end by a shaft 932 to be able to stand upright and tilt, and configured to be rectangular when viewed from the front. Each time a feeding roller 931 is rotated, an uppermost cut sheet 911 is pushed forward so that a whole width of a leading end of the cut sheet 911 comes into frictional contact with the friction member 933 and causes the same to back away against a rebounding force of a spring 934 as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 1. The cut sheet 911 is thereby separated from the other cut sheets, which are prevented from being supplied one upon another.
In order to assure the separation of cut sheets from each other, the angle .alpha. made by a surface of the friction member 933 and an uppermost cut sheet 911 is set within the range of 55.degree. to 85.degree.. The above mentioned published application also teaches a friction member made of an elastic sheet and fixed at its lower end with the same angular condition as described above, instead of being rotatably supported by the shaft 932.
The friction member of such configuration, however, requires a very fine adjustment to successfully separate the cut sheets. According to an experiment conducted by the inventors of the present invention, the rebounding force of the spring 934 toward its initial position should be set weak enough to prevent residual deformation of the cut sheet caused by the friction member 933. On the other hand, the rebounding force should be strong enough to increase the frictional force between the cut sheet 911 and the friction member 933 so as to ensure the separation. It is difficult to satisfy both of these contradictory conditions. Moreover, physical properties of cut sheets such as resiliency or frictional coefficient vary depending on their quality and thickness, causing differences in frictional resistance even with the use of the same friction member.
Also, the friction member 933 in this prior art arrangement is disposed downstream in a feeding direction and away from a nipping position where the feeding roller 931 presses and pushes the cut sheet 911 forward. The cut sheet is, when contacted against the friction member 933, warped and separated from the other cut sheets. Since the friction member 933 is distanced from the feeding roller 931 widely enough to allow the cut sheet 911 to flexibly deform therebetween, the cut sheet 911 can easily escape from the friction member 933 which is being tilted backward. This configuration helps to prevent residual deformation of the cut sheets 911 irrespective of their thickness.
Still, the sheet feeder unit of this prior art is not fully capable of stably separating cut sheets 911 and sometimes supplies the cut sheets in plural one upon another for the following reason. Since the friction member 933 has an even surface against which the cut sheet 911 is contacted, the more the leading end of the cut sheet 911 pushes the friction member 933 and approaches a free end thereof, the more the contacting angle therebetween widens, to let the cut sheet 911 pass, causing the frictional force to become less than a desired degree. Multiple cut sheets 911 may thus slip through the friction member 933 from time to time without being fully separated from each other. Although the setting of the angle between the cut sheet 911 and the friction member 933 helps prevent such slippage to some extent, it is not enough to fully prevent faulty feeding of cut sheets, especially those being less resilient or having a greater frictional coefficient due to their quality or thickness.
The conditions required for successfully feeding sheets may be satisfactorily set, though it is only temporary as the sheet feeding performance is dependent on various ambient conditions. For example, a cut sheet made of paper which has high absorbency may be less smoothly conveyed. An unabsorbent cut sheet made of synthetic resin for an overhead projector may be also affected by humidity on its surface, which may cause the cut sheet to be fed one upon another. Even the fiber directions (whether parallel or right-angled with respect to the sheet feeding direction) of manufactured paper may slightly affect the resiliency of the cut sheet, causing instability in sheet feeding performance.
Further, the friction member 933 of the prior art apparatus has an even friction surface with respect to a whole width of the leading edge of the cut sheet 911 contacted thereto. For this reason, when the conditions are set to provide enough frictional force in order to fully separate cut sheets of small size, cut sheets of greater size cannot be smoothly fed because of too much frictional force. On the other hand, when the conditions are set appropriately for feeding cut sheets of great size, cut sheets of small size may be fed one upon another due to insufficient frictional force.
Further, when a cut sheet having its leading edge curled downwardly is fed, it is more likely that the cut sheet is curled even more when pushed against the friction member 933 because of its even frictional surface in the prior art arrangement, which can leads to a paper jam or cause the cut sheet to be crumpled or stuck to the following sheets. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Firewalls have become a ubiquitous part of computer networks. Generally, firewalls can be viewed as combined hardware/software systems that reside at gateways between different networks, usually a private network (such as an enterprise's local area network or LAN) and the Internet. The firewall implements policies that determine which traffic can pass between the two networks, blocking access from one to the other when one or more of these policies are implicated. In many applications this policing is implemented at a proxy server.
At the minimum, a proxy server must relay requests in and out of the firewall to offer Internet access to computers inside the private network. This allows private network users to visit Internet Web sites. For most Web sites the information exchanged between the Internet host(s) and the private network client is passed unencrypted. Hence, the proxy is able to examine the information being passed and evaluate it against its firewall rules to determine whether or not the communications should be allowed.
Some communications, however, do not take place “in the clear”. Instead, communications between the private network client and the Internet host(s) are encrypted so as to prevent eavesdropping by third parties. Such encrypted communications are common in cases of Internet hosts involved with electronic commerce or banking, for example.
While the encryption of communications in these situations provides many benefits, one unfortunate consequence may be that proxy servers are not able to read the messages being passed. Hence, these proxies have no way of determining whether their firewall policies are being violated. This means that the private network clients may become vulnerable to attacks by computer viruses and other malware. It may also expose private network owners/operators to possible liability if traffic that otherwise would not have been permitted to pass through the firewall is allowed to pass.
One solution of course would be to permit the proxy to decrypt all transmissions between the private network client and the host and subject those decrypted communications to scrutiny according to the firewall policies just as if the original communications had not been encrypted. This is rather undesirable, however, inasmuch as it defeats the entire purpose of providing a secure communication mechanism for sensitive data. Once decrypted, the sensitive information may become an attractive target for attacks by third parties seeking to exploit such information to their advantage. In addition, even if other security measures were put in place to minimize the possibilities of success of such attacks, some users may simply object to the intrusion into their privacy. Imagine, for example, if users were told that their on-line banking transactions were going to be decrypted and subjected to such scrutiny against firewall policies. Many users would simply forgo such communications altogether rather than permit this exposure of their personal data, thereby becoming effectively deprived of what may be a very efficient way to conduct business.
Thus, what is needed is an effective way to police secure or encrypted communications between clients and hosts that does not require decryption of the message traffic. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high speed memory chip module and a electronics system device with a high speed memory chip module, and particularly to a high speed memory chip module and an electronics system device with a high speed memory chip module that have lower power consumption, lower effective greenhouse gas emission rate, higher data transmission efficiency, enhanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effect, better heat dissipation capability, and an external noise isolation function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally speaking, memories are usually designed as standard memory module or chip which are independent from logic units based on certain industry standard (e.g. Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council, JEDEC is the exemplary one). That is to say, memories are designed typically as standard memory module or chip for various logic units based on certain industry standard, but not for predetermined logic units.
In the prior art, because memory semiconductor process generations are typically more advanced and different from logic unit semiconductor process generations. That is to say, a chip or module memory system, integrating discrete memories with the advanced semiconductor process generations, may face poorer heat dissipation, higher power consumption and bad noise interference, so the chip or module memory system with integrating memories and logic units still suffers from much manufacturing difficulty. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pillar trims for motor vehicles fitted with airbags as safety measures in case of side collisions.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Various airbag systems for protecting motor vehicle passengers' heads in case of a side collision have been conventionally known. Among such airbag systems are known those in which an airbag is placed on the vehicle interior side of the side body of a motor vehicle and towards the roof to extend in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body from a front pillar (hereinafter, referred to as an A-pillar) through a center pillar (hereinafter, referred to as a B-pillar) to the vicinity of a rear pillar (hereinafter, referred to as a C-pillar), as disclosed, for example, in Published Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-59802 and Published Japanese Patent No. 3866733. In these known airbag systems, the airbag is contained between a pillar inner panel and a top sealing member so as to be covered from the vehicle interior side with the top sealing member.
In the above known airbag systems, a plurality of guide platforms are disposed, at an upper end part of a pillar trim body covering the interior side of each pillar, at spaced intervals in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body to rise up beyond the upper end of the pillar trim body. Each guide platform has a guide surface for guiding the inflation of the airbag towards the vehicle interior. The airbag is placed in a folded state on top of the guide platforms. The lower end of the top sealing member is connected to the upper end part of the pillar trim body. Upon inflation of the airbag, the airbag pushes open a lower part of the top sealing member towards the vehicle interior and is guided by the guide surfaces of the guide platforms to inflate towards the vehicle interior.
In the airbag system disclosed in Published Japanese Patent No. 3866733, the pillar trim body has bosses formed below the guide platform to rise towards the pillar of the vehicle body. The pillar trim body is fitted to the pillar by engaging clips at the distal ends of the bosses into clip holes formed in the pillar.
The guide platforms receive a reaction force upon inflation of the airbag. Therefore, to withstand the reaction force, the upper end part of the pillar trim body is generally given a high rigidity.
However, if the upper end part of the pillar trim body has a high rigidity, this causes a problem in safety that in case where the passenger's head hits the upper end part of the pillar trim body in a side collision, the passenger might be seriously damaged.
If each boss includes a clip as in Published Japanese Patent No. 3866733, upon action of a reaction force due to inflation of the airbag on the guide platforms, a force is transmitted from the pillar trim body to the boss located below the guide platforms. This might cause breakage of the boss from its basal end close to the pillar trim body.
Alternatively, unlike with the airbag system in which the boss includes a clip as in Published Japanese Patent No. 3866733, a technique is known in which the pillar trim body has a positioning pin formed below the guide platforms to rise therefrom for the purpose of positioning the pillar trim body in fitting it to the pillar. Also in this case, the positioning pin might break likewise upon inflation of the airbag.
Furthermore, in the structure in which a plurality of guide platforms are disposed at spaced intervals as in the above known airbag systems, the inflating airbag cannot be supported between the guide platforms. Therefore, its reaction force is concentrated on the guide platforms, which might break the guide platforms.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle pillar trim ensuring, in case of a side collision, an appropriate rigidity that can withstand a reaction force due to inflation of the airbag and passengers' safety.
A second object of the present invention is to prevent a positioning pin of a pillar trim body from breaking upon inflation of an airbag.
A third object of the present invention is to prevent guide platforms from being broken by a reaction force upon inflation of an airbag. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
For most people who undertake outdoor activities will wear headwear to prevent from sunburn and to avoid the direct sunshine by means of shelter function from the brim or visor of the headwear. However, the reflecting light ray and the sandy wind during the outdoor activities can not be completely blocked by such brim or visor of the headwear, many people will wear goggles or sunglasses accordingly so as to further provide an additional safety protection for eyes.
Therefore, various headwear and goggles almost become the necessary carrying protective equipment for people who undertake outdoor activities. A known cap has a magnet disposed on the visor to pull goggles with a corresponding magnet internally to fix it on the visor so that the goggles become an accessory in association with the cap.
However, the structural design of such cap with magnet for pulling and fixing the accessory of goggles has intrinsic drawbacks of unreliable positioning due to unable precisely retaining from the magnetic force and results in dropping the accessory of goggles off the cap due to extending action in larger degree of the user.
Moreover, other than the goggles, there are many other accessories to be used in connection with the cap. That the weight of some accessories might exceed the magnetic force of the magnet attached on the visor can bring the undesirable consequence out of expectation in the practicability and convenience of the entire contrivance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to a bone screw having a screw body which is provided with an external thread and which comprises flow-through means for bone cement that is used for the production of a cement jacket around the bone screw.
Bone screws of this type are, for example, employed as anchoring screws in a stabilisation system when several bone elements have to be connected together. The formation of a cement jacket around the bone screw following the implantation process increases the stability of the anchorage. This is of particular importance when the bone is of reduced quality, such as is the case for osteoporosis of the bony tissue for example.
A bone screw comprising a longitudinal channel along which there is provided a plurality of radially extending transverse channels that are in contact with this longitudinal channel is known from EP 0 305 417 B1.
Based upon this prior art, the object of the invention is to provide a bone screw which, in comparison with the bone screws known from the prior art, will be anchored in a highly stable manner after being implanted in a bone, and especially after it has been implanted in bones of reduced quality.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in the case of a bone screw of the type mentioned hereinabove, in that the flow-through means comprises at least one longitudinal recess which is formed in the screw body such that it extends transversely relative to the radial direction and transversely relative to the peripheral direction.
By virtue of a recess which is constructed and arranged in this manner and by means of which bone cement can be introduced into the intermediary space between an implanted bone screw and the bone bed, a uniform cement jacket can be formed around the screw. As a result of this feature, the bone screw in accordance with the invention will be anchored in a highly stable manner. Each of the areas between the turns of the external thread can be supplied with bone cement and a highly effective flow of bone cement can be achieved by means of such a longitudinal recess which is formed substantially along the length of the screw body. By contrast, in the case of the bone screw of EP 0 305 417 B1, an individual radial channel basically has to be provided for each of the intermediary spaces. Moreover, in order to also enable a cement jacket to be built-up in the region around the frontal end of the screw, the longitudinal channel used there must extend through the whole of the screw body. Construction of the screw in the form of a self-tapping screw is thereby adversely affected. By contrast, in the case of the bone screw in accordance with the invention, a longitudinal recess basically suffices, and a cement jacket can also be formed about the frontal end of the bone screw by means of appropriate recesses in the turns of the external thread.
It is expedient if the at least one longitudinal recess is arranged such that it is perpendicular to the radial direction and especially so, if it is arranged to be perpendicular to the peripheral direction.
It is particularly advantageous if the flow-through means comprise a hollow channel formed in the screw body and if a longitudinal recess is connected to the hollow channel. Consequently, bone cement introduced into the hollow channel can flow out directly from the body of the screw via such a longitudinal recess without encountering substantial barriers to the flow of material so as to form a uniform cement jacket around the bone screw. It is thereby ensured that the bone screw in accordance with the invention will be anchored in a highly stable manner after the implantation process. It is expedient if a longitudinal recess is connected to the hollow channel in the longitudinal direction of said recess so as to minimise the resistance encountered by the flow of bone cement.
It is particularly advantageous if the dimensions of a longitudinal recess in the longitudinal direction thereof are such that it extends over a plurality of turns of the external thread. Due to this feature, the bone cement can be supplied to the whole of the screw body using essentially just one longitudinal recess.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a longitudinal recess has corresponding recesses associated therewith in the turns of the external thread. This enables the bone cement to flow between different intermediate regions i.e. the regions between adjacent turns of the thread so as to enable the bone cement to be distributed uniformly and thus produce a uniform build-up of the cement around an implanted bone screw. It is expedient if a turn of the external thread is broken-through in the vicinity of a longitudinal recess so as to enable the bone cement to flow therethrough.
For manufacturing purposes, it is particularly expedient if a longitudinal recess is in the form of a slot. This feature enables the recess to be produced in a simple manner by a machining process, for example, a milling process. It is advantageous if a plane of the slot is substantially perpendicular to the peripheral direction of the screw body. In particular hereby, the slot is formed by an upper slot plane and a lower slot plane which are in parallel with one another. Due to the construction perpendicular to the peripheral direction, the slot plane can be oriented in the radial direction. This enables an efficient flow of bone cement when the screw body is rotationally symmetrical. Furthermore, it is also expedient if a plane of the slot is disposed substantially radially relative to the screw body.
It is particularly advantageous if a plane of the slot is located substantially longitudinally relative to the screw body. On the one hand, this ensures that such a longitudinal recess is easy to produce, and it also ensures an efficient flow of bone cement on the other.
For the purposes of forming a cement jacket which will ensure a high degree of stability for the anchorage, it is particularly advantageous if a plurality of longitudinal recesses are arranged over the periphery of the screw body. This feature ensures that the regions between the turns of the external thread taken with reference to the periphery of the screw body will be uniformly supplied with bone cement.
In one advantageous variant of this embodiment, three longitudinal recesses are arranged along the periphery of the screw body. On the one hand, this enables the number of break-throughs in the turns of the external thread and in the body of the screw to be kept low, and it also enables uniform application of the bone cement on the other.
Hereby, it is of especially great advantage if the plurality of longitudinal recesses are substantially symmetrical relative to a longitudinal axis of the screw body. In this manner, the bone cement, which is introduced into the body of the screw, flows uniformly via the longitudinal recesses into the regions between the turns of the external thread and forms a uniform cement jacket.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the bone screw in accordance with the invention comprises successive sections in the longitudinal direction of the screw body which differ in regard to the construction of the outer surfaces thereof. Due to these outer surfaces being constructed such as to have differing geometrical shapes, a particularly highly stable anchorage is attainable by, on the one hand, forming one or more sections which will ensure that the thread is held firmly in the bone and, on the other hand, forming sections which will exhibit a sealing effect in regard to the outward flow of the bone cement. In this manner, a cement jacket can be built-up which will increase the anchoring forces in every direction by virtue of it interlocking with the bone in the manner of meshing gears. The volume of bone cement that needs to be supplied can be precisely metered by appropriate selection of the dimensions of the sections. Consequently, problems associated with the heating effects produced by reactions in the cement are, to a great extent, avoided.
It is expedient if a frontal section of the screw body is substantially conical or is in the form of a truncated cone. An effective self-tapping function of the thread is thereby obtained. On the other hand, such a section is effective as a seal for preventing unintentional outflow of the bone cement.
Hereby, it is expedient if the envelope of the turns of the external thread is substantially conical or is in the form of a truncated cone in the frontal section thereof so as to obtain an effective self-tapping function for the thread. It is expedient if the envelope of the screw body is substantially conical or is in the form of a truncated cone in the frontal section thereof so as to produce a sealing effect for preventing unintentional outflow of the bone cement.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if a central section of the screw body is substantially cylindrical. The thread of an implanted screw will be held firmly in the bone by virtue of such a cylindrical section. Hereby, it is expedient if the envelope of the turns of the external thread in the central section is substantially cylindrical, and likewise, if the envelope of the screw body in the central section is substantially cylindrical.
It is of particularly great advantage if a hollow channel in the screw body is led through the central section, and especially if it is extended up to or close to the frontal section. The hollow channel does not then need to be continuous so that the self-tapping effect at the frontal end of the thread will not be adversely affected although, on the other hand, the bone screw can nevertheless still be uniformly coated with bone cement so as to form a cement jacket. For the same reasons, it is advantageous if the at least one longitudinal recess is arranged substantially in the central section.
It is expedient if a rear section of the screw body is substantially conical or is in the form of a truncated cone. By virtue of such a conical end region of the bone screw in accordance with the invention, a sealing effect for preventing unintentional outflow of bone cement from the bone bed in the case of an implanted bone screw can again be achieved.
Hereby, it is of particularly great advantage if the envelope of the screw body is substantially conical or is in the form of a truncated cone in the rear section so as to obtain the aforesaid sealing effect and if the envelope of the turns of the external thread is substantially cylindrical in the central section. Firstly hereby, one can achieve the sealing effect and secondly, the effect upon the bone caused by the boring action of the screw will not be increased thereby. It is expedient hereby if the envelope of the turns in the rear section and that of the turns in the central section coincide.
For production reasons, it is advantageous if the angle of the cone in the frontal section substantially corresponds to the angle of the cone in the rear section.
In order to form a uniform cement jacket around the bone screw and, in particular, to anchor the bone screw in accordance with the invention with great stability even in the case of bony tissue affected by osteoporosis, provision is made for the turns of the external thread to be provided with longitudinal breakthroughs in a region in which there are no longitudinal recesses. By virtue of this feature, substantially all of the regions surrounding the screw body can be supplied with bone cement since the bone cement is able to flow out from those intermediary spaces which are supplied via the longitudinal recesses and through the longitudinal breakthroughs into those regions that cannot be directly supplied. Thus, for example, a cement jacket can thereby be formed even round the frontal section of the bone screw in accordance with the invention.
It is quite particularly expedient and particularly easy for manufacturing purposes if a surface of the screw body between adjacent turns of the external thread is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the screw body. A larger intermediary space is therefore made available for the bone cement, this thereby enabling, in particular, an effective flow of bone cement into the regions between the individual turns of the external thread for the purposes of distributing the cement around the periphery of the screw body.
For production purposes, it is particularly simple if the hollow channel is in the form of a blind bore.
A multiplicity of ways of utilising the screw are provided if the screw body is provided with an internal thread. In particular thereby, a screw head that may be adapted for a particular application can then be utilised, for example, a spherical head for a polyaxial tension mechanism. It is expedient hereby, if such a screw head is provided with a channel which is connectable to the hollow channel in the screw body so as to enable the bone cement to be supplied to the hollow channel in this manner.
It is of particularly great advantage if the screw body comprises a coupling element for a bone cement applicator. Such a coupling element may, for example, be arranged in a screw head which is formed in one-piece with the screw body or is connected thereto, or, it may be arranged directly in the screw body. It is advantageous if the coupling element comprises a seating arrangement for a nozzle of a bone cement applicator so as to enable bone cement to be injected into the screw body in a simple manner.
An especially stable arrangement for the anchorage is obtained if a diameter of the screw body is greater than a pitch of the external thread. Furthermore, a highly stable anchorage will be obtained if a bone screw in accordance with the invention comprises approximately seven to twelve peripheral turns of the external thread.
It is advantageous if the external thread is constructed in such a manner that the bone screw is self-tapping so as to enable universal usage thereof in this manner.
The following description of preferred embodiments of the invention will serve for a more detailed explanation thereof in conjunction with the drawing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention generally relates to ceramic media for use in environments wherein the media is exposed to an ambient temperature that is greater than the temperature at which the media was sintered. More particularly, this invention is concerned with ceramic media that are sintered at 1250° C. or less and then used in a chemical processing apparatus, such as a reactor, having an internal temperature greater than 1300° C. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to developing software applications. More specifically, the invention relates to techniques for building and installing software applications.
When computers were in their infancy, it was very common for a single programmer to develop a software application or program. Today, however, software applications are typically orders of magnitude more complex and are programmed by many programmers. Each programmer usually has one or more portion of the software application for which he or she is responsible.
As the number of programmers working on a software application increased, there grew a need to control modifications to the source code. As a result, source code control programs evolved that helped manage how the multiple programmers gain access to the source code. As an example, typically programmers “check out” source code modules and modifications that are made to the source code are recorded in some fashion.
Additionally, software applications typically have a large number of deliverable files (e.g., executables, dynamic link libraries, text files, and the like). In order to assist the installation process, installer programs are available that install the software application and its deliverable files on a computer system. For example, the install program can create directories and copy the deliverable files to their appropriate destination.
Although source code control programs and install programs have made software application development easier, it would be beneficial to have techniques that aid in the building and installation processes during software application development. For example, software application development has many stages in which source code control programs are typically utilized later in development during the low level design stage (e.g., programming) and installer programs are typically utilized at a still later stage in development. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have improved techniques for building and installing software applications that utilize information gathered throughout the development process. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is common to use generators for providing electrical energy in motor vehicles. The generator converts mechanical energy, which is supplied from the drive motor of the vehicle via a belt pulley, into electrical energy. The torque driving the generator is thus a function of a state of the internal combustion engine.
Generators are generally coupled to a voltage regulator, which is supplied with power from the generator's own voltage and/or from the vehicle electrical system. Control devices are generally used in this generator, usually in the form of integrated circuits that are designed with a power electronics system. The control devices set the current that is required in the electrical system of the vehicle, depending on the requirements of the electrical consumers and the charging strategies of the battery of the vehicle. For this purpose, the vehicle electrical system voltage is used as a control variable and is continuously compared to a setpoint voltage. A vehicle electrical system voltage is in particular identical to an output voltage of the generator.
In particular, a voltage regulator is known from EP 1 675 245 A2. This voltage regulator includes two switches. A first switch ensures that a vehicle electrical system voltage is maintained in the event of slight variations. If the vehicle electrical system voltage increases sharply due to various circumstances, such as in particular switching off an energy-intensive consumer, the second switch is used to rapidly lower the generator voltage. Thus, a threshold value at which the second stage becomes active must be significantly above the threshold value of the first stage. This has the disadvantage that in the event that a defect occurs at the first switch and it can no longer carry out its control tasks, the second switch can only hold the vehicle electrical system voltage at a higher level. This can potentially result in damage within the vehicle electrical system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of connectors for coaxial cables. More particularly, this invention provides for a coaxial cable connector comprising a conductive component being interactive with the outer conductive shield of a coaxial cable and a method of use thereof.
2. Related Art
Broadband communications have become an increasingly prevalent form of electromagnetic information exchange and coaxial cables are common conduits for transmission of broadband communications. Connectors for coaxial cables are typically connected onto complementary interface ports to electrically integrate coaxial cables to various electronic devices. In addition, connectors are often utilized to connect coaxial cables to various communications modifying equipment such as signal splitters, cable line extenders and cable network modules.
To help prevent the introduction of electromagnetic interference and to facilitate proper transmission of electromagnetic communications, common coaxial cables are provided with an outer conductive grounding shield. In an attempt to further screen ingress of environmental noise and promote accurate electromagnetic information exchange, typical coaxial cable connectors are generally configured to contact with and electrically extend the conductive shield of attached coaxial cables. However, often the electrical contact between a coaxial cable and a typical coaxial cable connector is insufficient to properly extend the electrical shield between the cable and the connector. Hence, problematic electromagnetic noise is introduced via the insufficient connective juncture between the outer conductive shield of the cable and the common coaxial cable connector. Such problematic noise interference is disruptive where an electromagnetic buffer or shield is not provided by an adequate electrical and/or physical interface between the connector and the coaxial cable. Attempts have been made to increase electrical/physical contact between common coaxial cable connector components and outer conductive shield elements of standard coaxial cables. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,919 to Hung, discloses a connector having a resilient member disposed to increase electrical contact with a coaxial cable and to secure the cable to the connector. However, the physical design and corresponding operation of the connector described in Hung, leave the connector open to ingress of environmental contaminants such as moisture and dirt which can disrupt the electrical connection and interfere with proper cable communications. It is desirable for a connector to physically seal to a coaxial cable to prohibit ingress of unwanted environmental contaminants. Existing connector designs do not provide enough electrical/physical contact to ensure an adequate electromagnetic shield extension between the connector and the cable and do not provide a sufficient seal to safeguard against ingress of physical contaminants.
Accordingly, there is a need in the field of coaxial cable connectors for an improved connector design. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The new Rosa cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Robert Ilsink, in Leersum, Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Rosa varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during April of 2006.
The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Rosa ‘INTERBYLONSTRA’. The pollen parent is the commercial variety referred to as Rosa ‘INTERBYLONERI’. The new variety was discovered in April of 2007 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2006 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Leersum, Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by vegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Leersum, Netherlands in Summer of 2008 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 6 successive generations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which can be used in spectacle frames for locking lenses, and more particularly to a rim-locker which includes a first portion, a second portion and a fastening element which adhere to the spectacle frame and never slips off from the spectacle frame at all time.
2. Description of Related Arts
A rim lock is one of very common components being used in spectacle frames today. For many years, a conventional rim locker is a simple design with a screw connecting between an upper portion and a lower portion of rim locker. The upper portion works as a nut that, when the screw is being tighten up, the lower portion comes close to the upper portion, so as to effectively lock the lens in the rim. But when the rim lock is opening, the screw is easy to slip off because there is nothing to limit or prevent the screw not to do so. Doctors or opticians sometime may upset about dropping a screw to the place that difficult to find. On the other hand, the optician may need to remove or replace the lenses several times before the work done when dispensing. It increases possibility to misplace the thread of the screw to the thread of the upper portion, causing stripped on the component, so that the frame becomes defective. In order to solve these problems, the present invention creates a new method as recited below. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to an electromagnetic hydraulic valve as well as a method of its production. The electromagnetic hydraulic valve is especially beneficial for use with proportional valves for controlling of a device for adjusting the rotation angle of a camshaft relative to the crankshaft in an internal combustion engine.
From DE 198 53 670 A1 a category-defining proportional valve for the controlling of a device for adjusting the rotational angle of a camshaft relative to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided, which consists essentially of a cylindrical hollow electromagnet with an armature which moves in it axially, and of a cylindrical valve housing with an axial bore, and a piston valve set in it. The piston valve, which is designed as a hollow piston, is set with the armature of the electromagnet, in such an interaction by means of a valve push rod that the magnetic attraction axially moving the armature when the current feed is applied to the electromagnet, is transmitted to the piston valve and shifts it axially in the fixed axial bore of the valve housing against the force of a compression spring. Furthermore, the valve housing comprises in on a periphery thereof three annular grooves axially spaced from each other, in which several equally distributed radial openings are configured, which open into the axial bore of the valve housing. Above the radial bores as well as above the one-sided open bore in the valve housing there is a proportional valve with a pressure connection, tank connection and two consumer connections in the air connection, by means of which the in- and outflow of the hydraulic medium to and from the pressure chambers of the device used to adjust the rotation angle of a camshaft is controlled. The respective rate of flow is thereby adjusted by means of two annular control sections at the ends of the piston valve which in accordance to the current feed of the electromagnet and the axial position of the piston valve release a part of the opening cross section of the radial bores of the consumer connections and therefore alternatively connect the pressure connection and the tank connection to one of the consumer connections. At the same time, the control sections of the piston valve and the gutters of the valve housing, which originate between the individual radial bores of each consumer connection, create a guide for the piston valve within the axial bore of the valve housing, by means of which a seizure of the piston valve in its axial displacement is therefore avoided.
Proportional valves designed in such a way show this undoubtable advantage that the control sections of the piston valve are at the same time also its bearing surfaces in the axial bores of the valve housing and in this way both the piston valve and the valve housing have a relatively short face-to-face length. But this faces the disadvantage that at least the radial bores in the valve housing, which belong to the consumer connections, because of their overall relatively small opening cross section surface make possible only a low flow of hydraulic medium through the valve and moreover because of the semicircular forms of the opening cross section of these radial bores the flow of the hydraulic medium through the valve in the individual positions of the piston valve is not linear to the respective position of the armature of the electromagnet. When such a proportional valve is applied for the controlling of a device for adjusting the rotational angle of a camshaft, it implicates on the one hand that the valve has a large internal hydraulic resistance, which is expressed in a high pressure drop on the consumer connections and at least in case of devices with a relatively high intake capacity it implicates that their maximum rate of change remains under a permitted minimum face value. On the other hand the non-linear flow through the valve has the effect that the adjustment pressure, which is necessary for a fast adjustment process, takes place in each pressure chamber of the device relatively late because the linear control sections of the piston valve open the round radial bores of the consumer connections first only at the bore edge with a minimum opening cross section until the opening cross section is larger and larger by way of following the axial movements of the piston valve and then in the final position the necessary adjustment pressure is reached. Furthermore, the radial bores in the valve housing have also proved to be disadvantageous regarding the production process because the exact bore of the radial borings is very time consuming and cost-intensive and moreover requires laborious subsequent machining to remove the splinters and ridges.
There are already several solutions known to avoid these disadvantages in which the proportional valve, similar to the solution revealed in DE 100 51 614 A1, has a piston valve in the valve housing, which is led on the radial surfaces of two additional guides in the axial bores set on the ends of the piston valve. Those additional guides on the piston valve make it possible that the control sections of the piston valve do not need to undertake any leading functions and therefore can be freely accommodated by rotating versus two annular grooves in the axial bore of the valve housing. Both of those annular grooves are laterally limited by two piston lands and each of them is connected through a large surfaced one-sided radial opening in the valve housing with the consumer connections. The piston lands of those annular grooves interact here with the control sections of the piston valve in such a way that in accordance with the current feed of the electromagnet and the axial position of the piston valve connected with that a complete circular opening cross section is released to the annular grooves and with that the pressure connection and the tank connection is connected alternatively with the consumer connections.
As a result the advantage of such a designed proportional valve is provided first of all in the relatively large, circular opening cross section surface in each position of the piston valve, which enables a high and moreover linear compared to the displacement of armature of the electromagnet flow of hydraulic medium through the valve, and consequently assures fast adjustment processes in a device for the adjustment of the rotational angle of the camshaft. But a disadvantage must be accepted that the piston valve has a relatively large face-to-face length, which is caused by the additional guides that therefore, correspondingly, a long valve housing also needs deep inserting bores. Furthermore, because of the one-sided design of the radial openings in the valve housing both to the consumer connections as well as to the pressure and tank connection such a proportional valve needs an exact emplacement position and is therefore applicable only in correspondingly designed connecting lines. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Silicones are used in premium consumer products to deliver benefits such as softness, hand, anti-wrinkle, hair conditioning/frizz control, color protection etc. Unfortunately, silicones, including current organosilicones, are expensive, difficult to process, and may lack the required chemical and/or physical stability. Typically, such physical and/or chemical stability problems manifest themselves as creaming and/or discoloration of a consumer product that comprises silicone. In addition, such discoloration may not only occur in product but also on surfaces that are treated with the consumer product that comprises the silicone. Current silicone technologies are expensive due to the cost of silicone raw materials and the silicone emulsification step that is required to make such silicones useful in products. Thus, what is needed is an economical silicone technology that has the required chemical and physical stability when used in a consumer product.
Fortunately, Applicants recognized that contrary to current wisdom that terminal primary aminosilicone polymers can be used to produce polysiloxane copolymers. In short, Applicants discovered that by judiciously selecting the appropriate processing conditions and reactants—including terminal primary aminosiloxane polymers, highly effective, economical polysiloxane copolymers can be obtained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Almquist et al., "Synthesis and Biological Activity of a Ketomethylene Analogue of a Tripeptide Inhibitor of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme", J. Med. Chem., 1980, 23 1392-1398, disclose the ketomethylene compound of the formula ##STR2## This and related compounds are also disclosed by Almquist et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,473.
Meyer et al., "Novel Synthesis of (S)-1-[5-(Benzoylamino)-1,4-dioxo-6-phenylhexyl]-L-proline and Analogues: Potent Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors", J. Med. Chem., 1981, 24, 964-969, disclosed the synthesis and activity of compounds of the formula ##STR3##
Gravestock et al. in European Patent Application 45161 disclose hypotensive compounds of the formula EQU R.sup.1 --Y--NR.sup.2 --CHR.sup.3 --X--CHR.sup.11 --CHR.sup.4 --CO--NR.sup.5 --CR.sup.6 R.sup.16 --Q--R.sup.10.
Mercaptoacyl derivatives of proline and substituted prolines are known to be useful hypotensive agents due to their angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition activity. Ondetti, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,776 disclose such compounds wherein the proline ring is unsubstituted or substituted by an alkyl or hydroxy group. Ondetti, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,935 disclose such compounds wherein the proline ring is substituted with one or more halogens. Ondetti, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,906 disclose such compounds wherein the proline ring is substituted by various ethers and thioethers. Krapcho in U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,359 disclose such compounds wherein the proline ring has a carbamoyloxy substituent. Krapcho in U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,697 discloses compounds wherein the proline ring has a diether, dithioether, ketal or thioketal substituent in the 4-position. Krapcho in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,905 discloses such compounds wherein the proline ring has a cycloalkyl, phenyl, or phenyl-lower alkylene substituent. Ondetti, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,489 disclose such compounds wherein the proline has a keto substituent in the 5-position. Krapcho, et al. in U.S. Ser. No. 162,341 filed June 23, 1980, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,461, disclose such compounds wherein the proline has an imido, amido, or amino substituent in the 4-position. Iwao, et al. in U.K. Patent Application 2,027,025 disclosed such compounds wherein the propline has an aromatic substituent in the 5-position.
Mercaptoacyl derivatives of 3,4-dehydroproline are disclosed as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors by Ondetti in U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,566. Mercaptoacyl derivatives of thiazolidinecarboxylic acid and substituted thiazolidinecarboxylic acid are disclosed as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors by Ondetti in U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,878 and by Yoshitomo Pharmaceutical Ind. in Belgium Pat. No. 868,532.
Mercaptoacyl derivatives of dihydroisoindole carboxylic acids and tetrahydroisoquinoline carboxylic acids are disclosed as being useful hypotensive agents by Ondetti et al., in U.S. Ser. No. 69,031, filed Aug. 23, 1979. These mercaptoacyl tetrahydroisoquinoline compounds are also disclosed by Portlock in U.K. Application No. 2,048,863 and by Hayashi et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,751.
Mercaptoacyl derivatives of various amino acids are disclosed by Ondetti et al. as being useful hypotensive agents due to their angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition activity in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,651.
Carboxyalkylaminocarbonyl substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines and prolines are disclosed as possessing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition activity by Tanabe in European Patent application No. 18,549 and Japanese Patent Application No. 5151-555. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A plurality of the element chips are manufactured by dicing a substrate including a semiconductor layer and a protective layer. The substrate generally contains a plurality of element regions and a plurality of streets defining each of the element regions, in which a plurality of the element chips are manufactured by dicing the substrate with the streets removed. Patent Document 1 (JP 2005-064231 A or US 2005/0035100 A1) discloses a dicing process of the substrate by scribing (laser-scribing) a shallow portion of the substrate along the streets by radiating a laser beam and then by cutting the rest portion through the substrate along the streets by means of a cutting blade.
In the laser-scribing process, a pulsed laser beam is typically used to suppress a thermal impact. It has been known that when the pulsed laser beam is used in the laser-scribing process, a laser abrasion causes particulates called debris (which may be also called an undesired material) scattering from a surface of an object to be processed and again adhering on the same surface. However, when mechanically cutting the rest portion through the substrate as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the undesired material adhered on the streets cause substantially no adverse impact on a processing quality.
In the meantime, a plasma-dicing process has been recently proposed for dicing the substrate, in which the shallow portion of the substrate is scribed along the streets by the laser beam and the rest portion thereof is etched through the substrate by a plasma exposure. A source gas and a condition for generating the plasma may be selected in accordance with material and/or thickness of the object to be processed. This causes adverse impact on the processing quality with the undesired material adhered on the streets during the plasma-etching step. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to electro-optical devices such as liquid crystal devices.
Liquid crystal displays use a spatial light modulator (SLM) made up of a top plate and a substrate which surround a liquid crystal material. Conventionally, the region for the liquid crystal material is defined by spacer balls which may be distributed over the substrate. In addition, it is known to fabricate insulating spacers directly on a silicon substrate. The function of the spacers is to maintain the distance between the top plate and the substrate and to define the region for the liquid crystal.
Liquid crystal devices using liquid crystal over a silicon substrate (LCOS) technology may form large screen projection displays or smaller displays (using direct viewing rather then projection technology). Typically, the liquid crystal material is suspended over a thin passivation layer. A glass plate with an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer covers the liquid crystal, creating the liquid crystal unit sometimes called a cell. The glass layer is typically suspended over the liquid crystal by a gasket that surrounds the cell array.
A silicon substrate may define a large number of pixels. Each pixel may include semiconductor transistor circuitry in one embodiment. The pixel may have a top reflective layer. An electrical potential may be applied to an electro-optical material using the reflective layer. A transparent top plate may have an inner transparent conductive layer that acts as an electrode that works with the reflective layer. An electrical field generated at each pixel may alter optical characteristics of an electro-optical material between the silicon substrate and the top plate. For example, the polarization of light passing through the electro optical material may be altered. As another example, the electro-optical material may change its light transmission characteristics.
In conventional electro-optic devices, the electro-optic material is aligned in a preferential direction by alignment layers on either side of the electro-optic material. The alignment layers may be made of polyimide or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The alignment layers may be formulated by rubbing an indium tin oxide coated glass with a nylon coated velvet cloth. This action may create microgrooves such that electro-optic molecules align along the microgrooves thereby becoming aligned preferentially.
For transmissive liquid crystal modulators the alignment layers are rubbed on the top and bottom indium tin oxide plates. In reflective modulators such as a liquid crystal over silicon modulators, the bottom electrode layer is a metal layer over silicon. Rubbing on this surface may be cumbersome and may require protection measures against electrostatic discharge. Therefore alignment layers are created by oblique deposition of thin layers of silicon oxide.
Controlling the electro-optic properties is a tricky and laborious task which may take several literations to get the manufacturing process right. Further, the alignment process is dependent on the type and nature of the electro-optic material used. Thus, there is continuing need for better ways to create the desired alignment in electro-optic materials such as liquid crystals. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Particularly in the case of medical imaging for the purpose of imaging the heart and the blood vessels near the heart, there is a general problem that as a consequence of the heartbeat, the examination area to be recorded is subject to a continuous periodic movement as a result of which tomographic images are comparable with one another only whenever they have been recorded in relation to the same phases of a cardiac cycle. This circumstance is problematic particularly in the case of computed tomography examinations in the case of which the tomographic images to be produced are calculated by back projection of a multiplicity of projections acquired from different projection angles. The back projection is generally successful and free from interference when the basic projections image a substantially identical phase of the cardiac cycle. A displacement, caused by cardiac arrhythmias, of the scanning with reference to the phase is expressed in movement artifacts in the resulting tomographic image.
In order to enable a reconstruction of a tomographic image representing the heart with small movement artifacts, projections can be obtained in relation to one and the same phase from a multiplicity of different projection directions by evaluating an ECG signal derived from the patient. There are two methods for ECG controlled acquisition of projections that can be distinguished in principle by approach.
One possibility resides in acquiring projections during the entire cyclic duration of the heart movement, and storing them together with the ECG signal. The reconstruction of a tomographic image is performed following on from the data acquisition, projections relating to defined phases retrospectively being selected using the ECG signal. One advantage of this method consists in that it is possible to display arbitrary movement phases of the heart by suitable selection of the data intervals. A precondition for such a retrospective gating in the case of the reconstruction of tomographic images is that the patient be irradiated during the entire scanning with a full X-ray dose, the result being the application of a substantially higher X-ray dose than necessary.
A further possibility resides in carrying out sequential scans triggered prospectively by the ECG in order to minimize the radiation dose during cardiac computed tomography. Such a method is described, for example, in DE 10 2006 060 482 A1. In the case of such sequential scanning, the recording system is moved relative to the examined object to various z-positions along the z-axis, and projections are respectively prepared at the relevant z-position, the time window in which the projections are produced being defined as a function of the ECG signal. For example, it is possible to define a specific time window by a starting point and an end point that are determined relative to a previously measured last R-wave in the ECG. The data recording is mostly performed in this case in an accurately defined time window in the area of the end diastole, in order to display the coronary vessels in a fashion free from movement.
For functional cardiac imaging, in particular for the purpose of determining the ejection fraction, that is to say the proportion of the blood volume ejected during the contraction of the heart to the total volume of the ventricle, there is additionally the need also to prepare an image in the phase of the maximum contraction, that is to say at the instant of the end systole. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the lung, GSH is present in high concentrations in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the lower respiratory tract, with normal levels in human ELF being more than 40-fold greater than that in plasma. As such, ELF GSH is a major component of the antioxidant screen that protects the pulmonary epithelium from oxidants released by inflammatory cells as well as inhaled oxidants. In addition, ELF GSH helps maintain the normal function of the immune components of the pulmonary epithelial host defense system. However, in certain conditions, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and AIDS patients, there is found to be a substantial ELF GSH deficiency. A problem in augmenting GSH levels in the lungs is that oral administration of GSH does not achieve significant elevation of GSH level in the lungs and intravenous administration of GSH is associated with a very short plasma half-life of the molecule. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a novel series of chemical compounds useful as HIV protease inhibitors and to the use of such compounds as antiviral agents.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a relatively newly recognized disease or condition. AIDS causes a gradual breakdown of the body's immune system as well as progressive deterioration of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Since its initial recognition in the early 1980's, AIDS has spread rapidly and has now reached epidemic proportions within a relatively limited segment of the population. Intensive research has led to the discovery of the responsible agent, human T-lymphotropic retrovirus III (HTLV-III), now more commonly referred to as the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
HIV is a member of the class of viruses known as retroviruses. The retroviral genome is composed of RNA which is converted to DNA by reverse transcription. This retroviral DNA is then stably integrated into a host cell's chromosome and, employing the replicative processes of the hose cells, produces new retroviral particles and advances the infection to other cells. HIV appears to have a particular affinity for the human T-4 lymphocyte cell which plays a vital role in the body's immune system. HIV infection of these white blood cells depletes this white cell population. Eventually, the immune system is rendered inoperative and ineffective against various opportunistic diseases such as, among others, pneumocystic carini pneumonia, Karposis sarcoma, and cancer of the lymph system.
Although the exact mechanism of the formation and working of the HIV virus is not understood, identification of the virus has led to some progress in controlling the disease. For example, the drug azidothymidine (AZT) has been found effective for inhibiting the reverse transcription of the retroviral genome of the HIV virus, thus giving a measure of control, though not a cure, for patients afflicted with AIDS. The search continues for drugs that can cure or at least provide an improved measure of control of the deadly HIV virus.
Retroviral replication routinely features post-translational processing of polyproteins. This processing is accomplished by virally encoded HIV protease enzyme. This yields mature polypeptides that will subsequently aid in the formation and function of infectious virus. If this molecular processing is stifled, then the normal production of HIV is terminated. Therefore, inhibitors of HIV protease may function as anti-HIV viral agents.
HIV protease is one of the translated products from the HIV structural protein pol gene. This retroviral protease specifically cleaves other structural polypeptides at discrete sites to release these newly activated structural proteins and enzymes, thereby rendering the virion replication-competent. As such, inhibition of the HIV protease by potent compounds may prevent proviral integration of infected T-lymphocytes during the early phase of the HIV-1 life cycle, as well as inhibit viral proteolytic processing during its late stage. Additionally, the protease inhibitors may have the advantages of being more readily available, longer lived in virus, and less toxic than currently available drugs, possibly due to their specificity for the retroviral protease.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a novel class of chemical compounds that can inhibit and/or block the activity of the HIV protease, which halts the proliferation of HIV virus, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and the use of the compounds as inhibitors of the HIV protease. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring an article in a printing machine, the device being of the type including: a support structure; a manipulator arm carried by the support structure and hinged relative to the support structure about a pivot axis; a clamp for gripping the article carried by the manipulator arm and hinged relative to the manipulator arm about a tilt axis that is angularly offset relative to the pivot axis; and drive means adapted to drive both the manipulator arm and the gripper clamp in rotation during an intermediate rotation stage.
Silkscreen printing machines are used for performing repetitive printing on identical articles presenting an axis of circular symmetry. | {
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(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display monitor of the kit type. More specifically, the invention relates to such a monitor which includes means for mounting the video driving circuitry,the means for mounting being attached to the cathode ray tube (CRT).
(b) Description of Prior Art
The trend in CRT video displays at this time is to provide smaller, more compact, displays so that the displays can be placed on working desks as part of a computer terminal or the like. Each such video display has a display monitor mounted in appropriate cabinetry. The display monitor consists of the CRT and video driving circuitry. The video driving circuitry typically consists of a monitor circuit board as well as a flyback transformer. The flyback transformer has a high voltage connection to the CRT.
The display monitors are basically of two types:
1. kit type; and PA1 2. assembly type.
In the assembly type, the CRT and the video driving circuitry are mounted on structural metal work. The metal work may then be connected to the cabinetry. With the assembly type arrangement, the video testing and alignment can be performed by the display monitor manufacturer with the video driving circuitry mounted in place. The CRT and video driving circuitry are mounted in place by the display monitor manufacturer on the structural metal work, and the entire arrangement is then shipped to the customer with all of the parts mounted in place so that such an arrangement does not require retesting and realignment by the customer. However, the assembly type arrangement requires a good deal of space, so that it is difficult to decrease the size of the CRT video display in which an assembly arrangement is used. In addition, as there is a high voltage connection between the flyback transformer and the CRT, the wire carrying this high voltage connection should not be flexed for safety reasons. Thus, if one wishes to have a CRT video display with a movable screen, it is necessary to move the entire metal work structure to provide such a moving screen. If the CRT alone were moved, then the position of the CRT relative to the flyback transformer would keep changing so that the wire providing the high voltage connection would have to be flexed.
In a kit type arrangement, the display monitor manufacturer typically mounts the monitor circuit board and flyback transformer on a temporary structure such as, for example, a cardboard structure, and video testing and alignment is performed with the video driving circuitry mounted on the temporary structure. When the customer receives the kit arrangement, he removes the video driving circuitry from the cardboard structure and mounts it in the cabinetry. A kit arrangement is characterized by the fact that the CRT is connected directly to the cabinet for structural support, and the video driving circuitry is then mounted at different places in the cabinet. Typically, the monitor circuit board and the flyback transformer are mounted on the floor of the cabinet. (This is contrasted to the assembly type where, as above-mentioned, the CRT and driving circuitry are mounted on a metal structure, and the structure is connected to the cabinetry.) Thus, the position of the video driving circuitry relative to the position of the CRT is different in the customer setup than it is in the display monitor manufacturer's setup, so that retesting and realignment is usually necessary. This increases cost to the customer who must provide manual labour both for installing the video driving circuitry and for then retesting and realigning it. In any case, once the flyback transformer is mounted on the cabinetry, we are still left with the problem of a flexing high voltage lead from the transformer to the CRT in the case of a tilting screen video display.
To somewhat overcome the problems of the above two systems, there is provided a system wherein the monitor circuit board is mounted on the neck of the CRT. The flyback transformer is then also mounted on the monitor circuit board. With this arrangement, testing and alignment performed by the monitor display manufacturer does not have to be redone by the customer as the position of the flyback transformer and the monitor circuit board relative to the CRT remains fixed. In the same way, the problem of a flexing high voltage lead is overcome as the flyback transformer would move with the CRT for a tilting screen display.
However, the neck mounted arrangement also has its problems. Thus, it is structurally not a very sound arrangement as the monitor circuit board is only supported at its edges by the neck of the CRT. In addition, in order to mount the monitor circuit board on the neck of the CRT, it is necessary to supply a custom attachment means, which is expensive to mount and which, in any case, is permanently mounted on the tube. Thus, when a tube fails, both the tube and the mounting means must be thrown out so that very little can be saved. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Cell culture is a vital part of the biotechnology revolution, and is important in bringing many new and useful developments to society. During certain kinds of cell culture, in particular In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the growth and viability of the cells is particularly sensitive to the environmental conditions during growth. Principal among these conditions are the temperature and CO2 which effect the pH level of the growth media, where it has been shown that even small changes in temperature and/or CO2 can adversely affect the pH levels which in turn can lead to lower chances of successful cell growth, and in the case of IVF, to a lack of success in final implantation and pregnancy. IVF generally helps couples who have difficulty conceiving, and even with the best technology, the chances for some couples successfully achieving pregnancy are low.
IVF laboratories generally grow cells in an incubator, which allows for the maintenance of a constant environment for the growing cells. The pH of growth media is frequently maintained in the incubator by controlling of the level of carbon dioxide gas which produces carbonic acid when dissolved in water. Accordingly, the more carbon dioxide present in the environment, the lower the pH of the media. Laboratories using IVF often have to remove the container of media and cells from the incubator to perform manipulations, and possibly to make measurements of characteristics such as temperature and pH within the growth media. This is undesirable because each time the cells are removed from the incubator there is a period of time in which the cells are exposed to an uncontrolled environment where they may experience changes of temperature, pH, and light, all of which affect the viability of the cells. Consequently, removal of the cells and media from the incubator removes the control of the pH provided by the regulated carbon dioxide levels in the incubator. And, if there is a problem with the carbon dioxide levels in the incubator, the pH of the media could change and threaten the viability of the cells.
Accordingly, there have been attempts to find ways to measure certain characteristics of the cells, such as pH and temperature, without having to remove the cells from the incubator. One such attempt includes obtaining an optical pH measurement via the use of dyes and/or color discs. However, while this method appears to be functional, it generally does not provide the accuracy required to adequately monitor and maintain the cells and media. This inability to accurately monitor and maintain the cells and media is undesirable because the viability of the cells and media may be negatively affected without the laboratory personnel being aware. | {
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Network simulation provides a means for evaluating and assessing communication performance based on modeling of various elements. In the current state of the art, a network simulator may include models for propagation loss, antennas, transmitter and receiver models, queuing, and protocol stacks. They usually include a means for specifying a communication load; this may be in the form of constant, variable or function-based bit rate generators, based on parametric models of application level codes (such as FTP or TELNET), etc. Most general-purpose network simulators are discrete-event based, meaning that models and load generators insert and extract ‘time-stamped events’ to/from a queue which are processed in-temporal order to maintain causality. Some of these events may represent packet queue insertion, removal or transference in a packet-based network, similar operations for messages in a message-based system as well as other abstract, non-physical elements that are artifacts of the modeling.
Many advancements have taken place in network simulation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,132, “System, method and article of manufacture for demonstrating E-commerce capabilities via a simulation on a network” purports to disclose simulation of a more specific network simulation application in terms of an e-commerce user. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,514, “Large-scale network simulation method and apparatus”, purports to disclose performing the simulation more efficiently by using distributed/parallel-programming techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,269, “Simulation of multiple local area network clients on a single workstation” purports to disclose efficient simulation of multiple clients using a single workstation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,514, “Large-scale network simulation method and apparatus” purports to disclose execution of the simulation using parallel computational techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,282, “Automated network simulation and optimization system” purports to disclose the use of network simulation to aid in network deployment, design and optimization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,128, “Apparatus and processes for realistic simulation of wireless information transport systems” purports to disclose the use of specific propagation loss models in simulation. US Patent Application No. 20010051862, “Simulator, simulation method, and a computer product” purports to disclose the use of measurements and prediction to aid in the creation of network simulation and modeling.
Similar to network simulation, network emulation uses hardware or software techniques to present varied network conditions to network application codes. In a typical setup, one or more network application codes (i.e., those that communicate over a network) are connected to a network emulation facility. Such a facility, for example, allows the application code(s) to be tested in a local network environment (e.g. on a LAN) while experiencing various network conditions that occur in wide area networks. These conditions can include packet losses, duplicate packets and out of order packet arrivals as well as other conditions. An example of a tool that provides network emulation is NIST Net. It allows statistical settings for determining packet losses, can reorder packets and provides other features based on rules defined in user settings. Some existing emulation techniques use address translations as a means for including application code(s) in the emulation. For such an emulation facility, inclusion of addresses in the data portion of a message(s) becomes problematic as the application code embedded address and that used during the emulation may be different (see Simmonds, Bradford, & Unger, “Applying parallel discrete event simulation to network emulation”, Workshop on Parallel and Distributed Simulation (PADS), Bologna, Italy, pp. 15-22, 2000 heretofore called the “Simmonds reference”). While providing no solution, the Simmonds reference properly identifies the problem that most packet rewrite methods bear when the carrying network addresses in the data payload. They correctly state that this is “a difficult, computationally expensive or impossible problem even if a great deal is known about message formats.”
Some extensions to basic emulation have been previously proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,531, “Method and system for testing and debugging distributed software systems by using network emulation” purports to disclose the ability to avoid having to make any changes to the application code while maintaining the ability to emulate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,846, “Method and system for testing real-time delivery of packets of data” purports to disclose the use of a simulator, rather than a user-defined rule-set as in NIST Net, to act as an emulator between just a pair of network nodes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,362, “Network failure simulator” purports to disclose using user-defined settings to control and direct packet handlers that may emulate network disconnect on a workstation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,855, “Socket simulation protocol for network printing systems” purports to disclose emulating a network socket interface for a printer. Recent open publications have also expanded the forefront of emulation technology, for example, by using parallel simulation as the emulator and using packet-level rewriting/translation or insertion of routers between clients and servers to act in the emulation of the simulated network conditions (see Simmonds reference; and NIST Net, Computer Communications Review (June 2003). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present disclosure relates generally to well drilling operations and, more particularly, to fluid sampling during well drilling operations.
Existing well drilling operations require information on formation characteristics to aid in drilling decisions. Numerous measurement techniques are used, including logging while drilling (LWD), measuring while drilling (MWD), and wireline tests. One such measurement technique requires that a sample of various downhole fluids is taken. These downhole fluids may include, for example, formation fluids, or fluids captured within the formations that are drawn out into a borehole. Typical systems capture the fluids downhole and store the sample in a container integrated within the sampling tool itself, such that the entire tool must be retrieved to the surface before the sample can be accessed. What is needed is a fluid sampling tool with retrievable and reloadable fluid samples, and a way to capture the fluid samples at the surface.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted and described and are defined by reference to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, such references do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Airport communication systems comprise a large number of terminals which are shared between a variety of airlines, each having their own departure control system (DCS). A departure control system is a server containing details relating to the departures for the airline (passenger records, flight details etc.). As the terminals are shared between airlines (for instance, at departure gates or check-in desks), each terminal must be able to communicate effectively with a variety of departure control systems. To this end, virtualization has been implemented such that the terminals themselves are clients of a virtualization server which runs virtual applications for the clients. This allows users working for different airlines to share the same terminal and, using the terminal as a basis, interact effectively with their airline's DCS (checking passengers in, accessing flight information, etc.).
The nature of airports is such that there are a large number of peripheral devices, many of which are not in common use outside of the airport environment (for example, baggage tag printers or boarding pass bar code scanners). These peripherals need to communicate with the terminals as well as the external servers to enable their operation based on up to date information as provided by the relevant departure control system.
Each terminal has a peripheral manager which contains drivers for peripherals connected to it and which establishes communication between the terminal and the peripherals. These peripheral managers are limited in their ability to communicate with server based (virtual) applications due to the use of non-static IP addresses and the need for IP address translation when communicating across networks comprising a mix of public and private addressing schemes.
One means of implementing communication between peripheral devices and various departure control systems is to direct communication based on fixed IP addresses and hostnames. This solution is problematic given the limited availability of public IP addresses and also present issues relating to security, firewalls and mobile data modes where 3G and/or 4G networks are used. Further problems arise from the need for many routing configurations that must be established and effectively managed, and the need to manage multiple stakeholders providing different elements of the communications, for example, airport authorities, network providers, airport information providers etc.
In addition, firewalls often block communication channels which are established by external devices, unless specific rules allowing communication from said devices have been established. This means that communication from an external virtualization server to peripherals within a local area network may well be blocked. To set up rules for each and every peripheral would be a complex and time consuming process for large networks, such as those implemented in airports.
Many virtualization protocols, however, do not allow external applications to establish and use virtual channels within the communication link between the virtualization server and the client.
Accordingly, there is a need for a flexible means of establishing communication between an application virtualized on an external server and a peripheral locally connected to a client. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
a. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to optical proximity sensors with optical fibers used for measuring distance to a target which has a narrower diameter than that of the fiber optic bundles, and more particularly to a system incorporating such sensors and having automatic reflectivity compensation.
b. Description of the Invention
Optical proximity sensors are known in which a distance to a target is determined by directing light from a source through a fiber optic bundle to the target and then measuring the intensity of the light reflected by the target. Typically, the bundle comprises transmitter and receiver fibers (for transmitting light to, and receiving light from the target respectively) which are randomly distributed. This type of bundle was founnd satisfactory for measuring distances to normal targets. However, if the target is narrower than the diameter of the bundle and, furthermore, if the target is moving in a direction transversal to the light path between the bundle and the target (for example, such as rotating turbine blades) then the normal optical proximity sensors perform very poorly. To major factors which influence the performance of normal proximity sensors in such cases are poor linearity between the distance between measured and the intensity of the reflected light and the effects of with and movement of the target with respect to the bundle. While some attempts have been made to compensate for these effects by adding various offsets, these attempts resulted in only marginal improvements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor storage device, such as a semiconductor storage device including a MIS transistor including a charge storage layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, NAND-type EEPROMs are widely used as nonvolatile semiconductor memories. A NAND-type EEPROM includes a memory cell array and a peripheral circuit disposed around the array. A structure of this type is disclosed in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-324400.
In a conventional NAND-type EEPROM, the direction from the source to the drain in each memory cell is parallel to or perpendicular to the direction from the source to the drain or the direction from the drain to the source in each MIS transistor in the peripheral circuit. This arrangement is intended to facilitate placement of transistors and resist openings used in photolithography steps.
Further, conventionally, a NAND-type EEPROM is formed on the (001)-plane of a semiconductor substrate, wherein the direction from the source to the drain in each memory cell is parallel to the [110]-direction of the semiconductor substrate (crystal orientation). This is so, because silicon crystal mainly used for semiconductor substrates has a cleavage property in the [110]-direction. Accordingly, in the NAND-type EEPROM, the direction from the source to the drain or the direction from the drain to the source in each MIS transistor in the peripheral circuit is also parallel to the [110]-direction.
However, the conventional NAND-type EEPROM described above has a problem in that program disturbance is caused due to generation of hot carriers within memory cells. Further, carriers in each MIS transistor flow in the [110]-direction of the semiconductor substrate. Consequently, the performance of an n-type MIS transistor is larger than that of a p-type MIS transistor. This brings about a problem in that the performance difference between the n-type MIS transistor and the p-type MIS transistor becomes larger. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spectral density techniques for use with spread-spectrum modulation.
2. Description of Related Art
In direct-sequence spread-spectrum communication, a data stream may be modulated with a pseudo-random code, so that the energy of the modulated signal is spread over a bandwidth which is larger than the bandwidth of the data stream. Present regulations, for communication in a band of electromagnetic spectrum in which spread-spectrum communication is allowed, generally require all parts of the modulated signal to be no more than +8 db power over the signal average, measured over a 3 KHZ resolution bandwidth. In a spread-spectrum system which uses relatively short pseudo-random codes, the modulated signal may at times not be sufficiently random to meet the regulatory requirement. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to generate a spread-spectrum signal using relatively short pseudo-random codes which meets the regulatory requirement. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the course of development of pollution-reducing driving engines for motor vehicles, various systems have been proposed for operating vehicles by means of piston engines driven by compressed air. These systems usually involve the use of a source of compressed air, such as a readily rechargeable pressure tank, from which the working fluid is supplied to the engine cylinders through admission valves suitably timed to provide power strokes of the pistons, and on the return strokes the expanded air is allowed to discharge from the cylinders via suitably timed exhaust valves.
The admission of working fluid to the cylinders is usually controlled by a camshaft having individual cams acting on linkage systems operating respective air intake valves for the cylinders. In engines having groups of cylinders which are alternately acted on by the working fluid it is uneconomical to employ camshafts with individual cam elements and associated valve-operating linkage systems, and the engines of this type usually involve a large number of moving parts subject to frequent maladjustment and operational failure, are relatively cumbersome and noisy, and are inefficient in the utilization of compressed air. Also, in the case of compressed air engines of the dynamically balanced type it is desirable to employ a more reliable arrangement for synchronizing the timing of the power strokes of symmetrically arranged cylinder groups in order to maintain a proper dynamic balance.
Further background will be given by examining the following prior U.S. patents, which appear to represent the closest prior art relating to the present invention:
Jakowchuk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,182 PA1 Gardner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,468 PA1 Dickinson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,054 PA1 Murphy U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,050 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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An automobile is equipped with seatbelts and airbags as devices for securing the safety of occupants. In recent years, in order to further improve the performance of a seatbelt and an airbag, there has been a tendency to control the movement of such safety facilities in conformity with an occupant's weight (body weight). For example, the expansion gas volume and expansion speed of an airbag and the pretensioning of a seatbelt are adjusted in conformity with an occupant's weight. For that purpose, it is necessary to know the weight of an occupant in a seat by some sort of means. As an example of such means, a means of disposing load sensors (load cells) at the four corners of a seat rail assembly, adding up the loads in the vertical direction imposed on the load cells, and by so doing measuring the weight of a seat including an occupant's weight has been proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-304579).
With regard to a mechanical quantity sensor for detecting load, pressure, etc., various sensors has been proposed in accordance with the kind of a substrate and the kind of a strain sensitive material used for a resistive element. Typical proposed examples are: (1) a sensor produced by using a film comprising a resin such as polyester, epoxy, polyimide or the like as a substrate and forming on the surface of the substrate a lamellar resistive element comprising Cu—Ni alloy, Ni—Cr alloy or the like by vapor deposition or sputtering, (2) a sensor produced by using a glass plate instead of the aforementioned resin film (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H3-20682), and (3) a sensor produced by using a metal base material the surface of which is covered with a crystallized glass layer as a substrate and forming a resistive element on the surface thereof by coating it with paste and baking it (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H5-93659).
The magnitude of a mechanical quantity is measured in the following way. When a force or a load is imposed on a mechanical quantity sensor from outside, a resistive element formed on the surface of a substrate deforms together with the substrate. The imposed mechanical quantity is detected by measuring the change of an electric resistance between a pair of electrodes formed by connecting the resistive element, the change of the electric resistance being caused by the change of the length and sectional area of the resistive element. A mechanical quantity sensor that uses a metal base material on the surface of which a crystallized glass layer is formed as a substrate is most suitable as a sensor used under a harsh environment because, unlike other types of sensors, each of the component elements interdiffuses between the metal base material and the crystallized glass layer and also between the crystallized glass layer and a resistive element, and thus the adhesiveness between them is very strong. As a resistive element of a mechanical quantity sensor of this type, an element formed by being coated with resistive paste containing ruthenium oxide that functions as a resistive material, then dried and baked is known.
As metal base materials used for mechanical quantity sensors, a vitreous enamel steel, a stainless steel, a silicon steel, various alloy materials such as nickel-chromium-iron, nickel-iron, Kovar, Invar, etc., clad materials of those alloy materials and the like can be selected. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-180255 discloses a technology that uses a stainless steel sheet as a metal base material. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-38733 discloses a technology that uses SUS 430 as a metal base material from the viewpoint of the adhesiveness with an insulating glass layer. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H5-93659 discloses a technology that uses SUS 430 concretely as a metal base material from the viewpoint of the necessity of coordinating the expansion coefficient thereof with that of a glass layer.
However, with a metal base material based on the aforementioned existing technologies, glass adhesiveness and high temperature oxidation resistance during baking are insufficient and therefore the metal base material has not been put into practical use. It is preferable that a sensor substrate is made of a stainless steel sheet and that an insulating glass layer and the layers of a resistive element and electrodes are solidified by baking (the schematic illustration is shown in FIG. 1). In this light, a stainless steel that has a high thermal resistance and an excellent glass adhesiveness so that sensor members may be baked together when each of the layers is baked at a high temperature has strongly been longed for.
When a crystallized glass layer functioning as an insulating layer, a strain sensitive resistive element and electrodes are baked and resultantly solidified in the form of layers onto a stainless steel sheet functioning as the substrate of a sensor, it is necessary to coordinate the linear expansion coefficients of a metal base material and a glass layer with each other in order to improve the adhesiveness between them. Since the baking is applied at a temperature of 900° C. or lower, it is necessary for the linear expansion coefficients of the metal base material and the glass layer to approximate each other, not only in the vicinity of room temperature but also in the temperature range from 20° C. to 900° C. If the difference in the average linear expansion coefficient is large between a metal base material and a crystallized glass layer, the adhesiveness between them deteriorates considerably and therefore they do not function as the substrate of a resistive element. Whereas the average linear expansion coefficient of generally used crystallized glass is 13 to 16×10−6/° C., that of a conventionally used stainless steel is about 13×10−6/° C. Accordingly, the difference in the average linear expansion coefficient is too large between the stainless steel substrate and the glass layer, and thus sufficient glass adhesiveness cannot be obtained. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to system and methods for coupling powered pusher vessels to unpowered vessels. More specifically, the present invention concerns a system for coupling a first vessel, such as a tugboat or other pusher vessel, with a second vessel, such as an unpowered barge, to minimize undesirable movement therebetween while allowing for lightering, i.e., compensating for changes in the relative vertical positions, or draft differential, of the vessels as weight is added or removed from one or both of the vessels.
2. Background of the Invention
Barges are used to transport cargo on water but have no self-propelling mechanisms and therefore rely primarily on tugboats or other pusher vessels for movement from one location to another. There exist many types of connections for coupling tugboats to barges, and the particular form of connection used depends on the marine environment in which the transportation takes place. A more secure coupling arrangement is required to maintain the connection of the tugboats to the barges in rough waters. For example, when a barge is used to transport oil, the coupling of the tugboat to the barge, the loading of the barge, and the actual pushing of the loaded barge take place on open sea and are subject to substantial waves. The tugboats must be securely connected to the barges to prevent the tugboats from being tossed against the barges, otherwise substantial damage and injury can occur.
One type of connection involves extendable ram devices on the tugboats which interconnect with receivers on the barges. This connection is achieved by the bow of the tugboat entering a generally U-shaped or V-shaped notch in the barge. Once the tugboat is within the notch, the port and starboard rams are extended from the tugboat into the corresponding receivers on the barge using a drive mechanism that generates sufficient force to securely hold the tug within the notch in the barge. This type of connection is suitable when the barge maintains a fixed load and the tugboat merely transports the barge. However, a tugboat must frequently transport a barge to a first destination where the barge receives a load, and then transport the barge to a second destination where the barge is unloaded. During the loading and unloading operations, the respective drafts of the tugboat and the barge will change relative to each other as a function of the changing load weight. For example, when the barge is empty, it will sit relatively high in the water. As the barge is loaded, the weight of the load will cause the barge to sit lower in the water. Because the weight of the tugboat does not change, its draft remains constant. If the tugboat were to remain fixedly connected to the barge during the loading operation, the weight of the load would push the tugboat down into the water, with possibly disastrous consequences. The tugboat must, however, maintain some degree of connection with the barge during loading or else wave or wind action may prevent subsequent realignment and reconnection. Therefore, the connection must permit the relative heights above the water of the tugboat and the barge to change as the weight of the load changes. The process by which the tugboat adjusts its position relative to the connected barge as the weight of the load is changed is called “lightering.”
Another type of connection provides receivers in the form of vertical channels on the port and starboard sides of the notch in the barge for receiving the rams. The vertical channels extend from the top to the bottom height of the barge and have a wedge-shaped configuration which opens into the notch (inboard). The rams are provided with coupler heads having a similar wedge-shaped configuration, and which are oriented on the rams to mate with the vertical channels. A series of teeth are arranged along the sidewalls of the vertical channels. Similarly, a series of teeth are arranged along the lateral sides of the coupler heads. As the rams are extended and brought into engagement with the vertical channels, their respective teeth interlock. The depth of the teeth permits sufficient engagement to substantially prevent relative vertical movement of the tugboat with respect to the barge.
To permit relative vertical movement of the barge with respect to the tugboat, the rams are retracted a sufficient distance so that the teeth of the coupler heads completely disengage from the teeth of vertical channels. With this type of connection, any contact between the coupler heads and the barge when disengaged can causes the rams to rotate, thereby misaligning the respective teeth and making reengagement difficult. Furthermore, complete disengagement results in a loss of longitudinal and tugboat roll control. Any time that the rams disengage from the receivers, there is a potential for mishap, especially in rough wave or wind action. More specifically, whenever the tugboat and barge are disconnected in this manner, the tugboat is allowed to roll in the notch. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to video image recording and playback, and in particular, it relates to methods and apparatus for recording and playing back video images for a computer session.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video image recording is widely used in many practical applications. In many applications, the video images are either slow-changing (e.g. they often remain unchanged for extended period of time), or remain unchanged for large portions of the image (e.g. changes often occur only in small or scattered areas). One example is the recording and playing back of a computer session, i.e., the recording and playing back of the video images outputted by a computer to a user's monitor. In such an example, often large portions of the video image displayed on the monitor are unchanged. Another example of such an application is video surveillance, i.e. the recording and playing back of video images from a surveillance camera.
MPEG (including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, etc.) is a standard for widely used in digital video image compression and recording. MPEG uses interframe compression, i.e., compressing the current frame by using one or more earlier or later frames in a sequence, to reduce frame to frame redundancy. In interframe compression, certain frames, known as intra-frames or “I-frames”, are compressed without referencing to other frames. All blocks in the I-frame have the same timecode. Thus, MPEG's interframe compression tends to be inefficient for the above-discussed type of video signals. | {
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(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ion implanter, and particularly to an ion implanter which is suited for implanting ions with a heavy current.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In an ion implanter, ions generated from an ion source are introduced into a magnetic field where they are dispersed according to their mass numbers. Among the ions thus dispersed, those of predetermined mass numbers are allowed to pass through slits selectively, and are implanted into a sample.
In recent years, there has been a strong demand to provide an ion implanter that is capable of implanting ions with a heavy current on the order of 10 milliamperes. To implant ions with a heavy current, it is essential that ions generated from an ion source are able to arrive at the sample with as little loss as possible, i.e., by keeping the ion transmission factor as high as possible.
To increase the ion transmission factor, it is important to utilize the convergence of ions in the dispersion direction thereof (hereinafter referred to as the radial direction) as well as to utilize their convergence in a direction at right angles thereto (hereinafter referred to as the axial direction). A mass-dispersing magnetic field also exhibits a converging function in the radial direction. To converge the ions in the axial direction, on the other hand, a specific device is usually required. That is, a mass-dispersing magnetic field must be formed in the plane of incidence of ions so that the angle of incidence of ions upon that plane of incidence has a positive value. Furthermore, the plane of emission of ions in the mass-dispersing magnetic field must be formed so that the angle of emission of ions of a predetermined mass number which are emitted from the plane of emission has a positive value. This is based upon a prerequisite that ions emitted from the ion source toward a mass-dispersing magnetic field should travel nearly parallel or diverge slightly in the axial direction.
According to studies conducted by the inventors, however, ions emitted from the ion source toward the mass-dispersing magnetic field do not necessarily travel parallel or diverge slightly in the axial direction, but converge slightly as travel, so that the ions converge only poorly on the sample in the axial direction. Furthermore, the convergence of ions varies according to the angle of emission of ions emitted from the ion source in the axial direction (opening angle). | {
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This application relates generally to electrical power generation and power system stabilization and, more specifically, to systems, methods, and computer program products for utilizing wind turbines in a wind park as variable power system stabilizers.
Wind turbines can be used to produce electrical energy without the necessity of fossil fuels. Generally, a wind turbine is a rotating machine that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy and the mechanical energy subsequently into electrical power. Common horizontal-axis wind turbines include a tower, a nacelle located at the apex of the tower, and a rotor that is supported in the nacelle by means of a shaft. The shaft couples the rotor either directly or indirectly with a rotor assembly of a generator housed inside the nacelle.
A wind park is a collection of wind turbines that are connected to the power grid and collectively supply electrical power to the power grid. The power grid has defined parameters, in particular a defined voltage and a defined frequency. The stability of the power grid parameters is dependent on several variables including but not limited to the instantaneous balance between the generated power at the wind park and the consumed power in the power grid. Imbalances lead to changes in the voltage and/or frequency of the power grid. Stability of the grid frequency is important, which provides ample motivation to minimize low frequency fluctuations.
One common type of transient disturbance within a power system is constituted by small signal stability concerns, which are well known phenomena within the power engineering industry. Small signal stability is defined as the ability of the power system to remain stable and synchronous in the presence of small disturbances and is usually associated with power system's ability or inability to dampen such low frequency electro-mechanical oscillations. Because of the increasing capacity of generation units, increased loading of transmission lines, and high-speed excitation systems, fewer than all of the dynamic characteristics of a transmission system may be captured. This hinders the ability to effectively respond to the low frequency oscillations associated with small signal stability concerns.
Improved systems, methods and computer program products are needed to permit a wind park to effectively respond to small signal stability concerns on the power grid. | {
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Gaming devices that provide games of chance tend to be highly regulated and secure to achieve compliance with laws in the jurisdictions where they are operated. When software-based gaming devices are used, the gaming software is generally validated by an in-depth review so as to obtain approval from a regulatory body. This in-depth review often includes both laboratory evaluation and field validation. In-depth review and validation can be a costly and lengthy process and may require specialized and expensive consultants. The cost and time of the validation and review process can expand exponentially as the number of lines of software code increases.
The regulations imposed by the authorities in the various jurisdictions limit the flexibility of gaming machines. Regulating authorities view gaming machines as a source of potential fraud either by players or operators, and consequently impose strict controls on their design and operation. | {
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Animation generally designates one (or more) moving images to be displayed on a screen, for example a computer screen. The animation is normally defined as a sequence of fixed images, whose regular renewal at a frequency above the sensitivity of the human eye makes it possible to simulate a movement.
In order to limit the amount of information necessary for coding these animations (in particular for their storage or transmission), it has already been proposed to completely code (according to a given algorithm) only a first part of these images (key images). For the remaining images (secondary images), there is kept (for storage or transmission) only secondary data, which allow the restoration of the initial image only with knowledge of a neighboring key image. This drawback is compensated for by the reduced size of the secondary data. Such an approach is for example used by the MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group) standard.
It is naturally wished to transmit such animations (or sequences of images) in order to distribute them with a view to their display by one or more end users. The transmission means used has, however, a limited, and sometimes even variable, bandwidth. This is, for example, true in the case of the Internet on which the exchange of animations is expanding, especially nowadays.
It is often preferable for the user to be able to display the transmitted animation in real time or with as slight a delay as possible. In certain applications, display in real time (or almost real time) is even necessary for implementing the desired service with an acceptable quality. This is for example the case for videophone type systems in which the exchanged images of the communicating parties constitute animations.
In order to obtain a display without a sizeable delay at the end user, it has already been proposed to adapt the amount of transmitted data to the bandwidth available at transmission time. To do this, the data to be sent is first put into a hierarchy, then only part of the data (base data) or the whole of the data (base data and enhancement data), according to the available bandwidth, is transmitted. Such a solution is for example described in the patent application WO 01/03 441. | {
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The present invention relates to a redox control and monitoring platform and, more particularly, to a redox control and monitoring platform that is to be used in conjunction with another detector during high throughput screening and drug discovery applications.
A great number of studies have demonstrated the importance of the redox environment in the regulation of a number of cellular functions in both normal and diseased states. Such processes include those that involve redox active proteins and enzymes, free radical damage, and oxidative stress. The redox environment can influence both catalysis and binding affinity. Additionally, transcription of DNA into mRNA, the translation of mRNA into proteins, and the rate of transport of glutamate across the nerve synapses have all been shown to depend on the redox environment. The cellular redox environment has also been implicated in the modulation of more complex cellular events such as proliferation and apotosis, and the specific redox environment can also activate certain drugs. It is apparent that the redox environment of a target molecule or species can have a great affect on the efficacy of a particular drug.
Researchers often use high throughput systems to analyze a large library of compounds that could have a desired activity. An example of a system useful for high throughput screening and assay is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,869 to Kris, et al, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Such systems allow researchers to quickly test a huge number of compounds and discard those that do not show the desired activity or quality. Such systems are especially useful in the drug discovery process because large scale testing of a series of compounds can be accomplished quickly and relatively cheaply. Only those compounds that show desired activity are tested further. Without high throughput technology, the screening of such a large number of compounds would be virtually impossible.
Current high throughput drug screening discovery processes do not provide for the measurement of the redox environment or the active control of the redox environment of a target. Much of the current high throughput technology relies on spectroscopic, especially fluorescent, methods to provide information about how or if a particular compound is reacting with a target. However, researchers cannot generally make such measurements while actively controlling the redox environment.
Many methods do exist to measure the redox environment. An example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,815 to Hafeman. However, such a system does not provide for active control of the redox environment of the sample. Additionally, the systems do not provide other data other than electrical measurements, such as spectroscopic measurements. The systems also are not adapted for use in a high throughput process.
Electrochemistry and spectroscopy have been combined to perform various studies. Heineman, Spectro-electro-chemistry: Combination of Optical and Electrochemical Techniques for Studies of Redox Chemistry, Anal. Chem. 1978, 50, 390–402; Asanov et al., Heteroenergetics of Bovine Serum Albumin Adsorption from Good Solvents Related to Crystallization Conditions, J. of Colloid and Interface Science 1997, 191, 222–235; Johnson et al., Potential-Dependent Enzymatic Activity in an Enzyme Thin-Layer Cell, Anal. Chem 1982, 54, 1377–1383. The thin-layer spectrochemical methods are often used to characterize the fundamentals of electron transfer between and within redox active enzymes and other biomolecules. The change in redox potential changes the ratio of the redox forms of the enzymes that the spectroscopic technique is generally measuring. However, these methods cannot be generally performed under conditions where assays independent of the redox potential can be performed. When independent assays have been performed, they involved immobilized biomolecules on a surface or within a membrane. It is known that this immobilization can alter the biological activity and the nature and extent of their interaction with proteins or other potential binding partners such as drugs. Additionally, these methods are not generally applicable to a wide variety of systems and sample types.
Accordingly, there is a need for a versatile system that can provide measurement and control of the redox environment that is independent of other assays that can be performed on the sample, especially in high throughput screening. | {
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The present invention relates generally to medical treatments. More specifically, the present invention relates to solutions used for medical therapy including dialysis therapy, infusion therapy or the like.
Due to disease, insult or other causes, the renal system can fail. In renal failure of any cause, there are several physiological derangements. The balance of water, minerals (e.g., Na, K, Cl, Ca, P, Mg, SO4) and the excretion of a daily metabolic load of fixed ions is no longer possible in renal failure. During renal failure, toxic end products of nitrogen metabolism (e.g., urea, creatinine, uric acid, and the like) can accumulate in blood and tissues.
Dialysis processes have been devised for the separation of elements in a solution by diffusion across a semi-permeable membrane (diffusive solute transport) across a concentration gradient. Examples of dialysis processes include hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration.
Hemodialysis treatment utilizes the patient's blood to remove waste, toxins, and excess water from the patient. The patient is connected to a hemodialysis machine and the patient's blood is pumped through the machine. Needles or catheters are inserted into the patient's veins and arteries to connect the blood flow to and from the hemodialysis machine. Waste, toxins, and excess water are removed from the patient's blood and the blood is infused back into the patient. Hemodialysis treatments can last several hours and are generally performed in a treatment center about three or four times per week.
To overcome the disadvantages often associated with classical hemodialysis, other techniques were developed, such as peritoneal dialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration. Peritoneal dialysis utilizes the patient's own peritoneum as a semipermeable membrane. The peritoneum is the membranous lining of the body cavity that, due to the large number of blood vessels and capillaries, is capable of acting as a natural semipermeable membrane.
In peritoneal dialysis, a sterile dialysis solution is introduced into the peritoneal cavity utilizing a catheter. After a sufficient period of time, an exchange of solutes between the dialysate and the blood is achieved. Fluid removal is achieved by providing a suitable osmotic gradient from the blood to the dialysate to permit water outflow from the blood. This allows a proper acid-base, electrolyte and fluid balance to be returned to the blood. The dialysis solution is simply drained from the body cavity through the catheter. Examples of different types of peritoneal dialysis include continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, automated peritoneal dialysis and continuous flow peritoneal dialysis.
Hemofiltration is a convection-based blood cleansing technique. Blood access can be venovenous or arteriovenous. As blood flows through the hemofilter, a transmembrane pressure gradient between the blood compartment and the ultrafiltrate compartment causes plasma water to be filtered across the highly permeable membrane. As the water crosses the membrane, it convects small and large molecules across the membrane and thus cleanses the blood. An excessive amount of plasma water is eliminated by filtration. Therefore, in order to keep the body water balanced, fluid must be substituted continuously by a balanced electrolyte solution (replacement or substitution fluid) infused intravenously. This substitution fluid can be infused either into the arterial blood line leading to the hemofilter (predilution) or into the venous blood line leaving the hemofilter (post dilution).
In addition to the removal of metabolic products, one of the most important problems of every kidney replacement therapy, such as hemodialysis, hemofiltration and peritoneal dialysis, lies in the correction of metabolic acidosis. For this reason, the dialysis solutions used in each of these processes contain a buffer.
Three common buffers often used in dialysis solutions are bicarbonate, lactate and acetate. While initially bicarbonate was the primary buffer used in dialysis solutions, over time lactate and acetate were used as substitutes for bicarbonate. This was due to the difficulty in preparation and storage of bicarbonate-buffered dialysis solutions. Lactate and acetate buffers are known to provide greater stability in use over the previous bicarbonate-buffered solutions.
However, since bicarbonate ions provide advantages over acetate or lactate ions, bicarbonate is again surfacing as the primary buffer used in dialysis solutions. Tests have been conducted that indicate patients exhibit a better tolerance for bicarbonate dialysis solutions. In patients with a multiple organ failure, bicarbonate-buffered solutions are preferred because of the lack of metabolic interference. Further, certain treatments require sterile dialysis solutions containing bicarbonate, calcium and magnesium.
But, in the presence of bicarbonate, these ions can form calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, respectively, which at increased pHs typically precipitate from the solution. To initially remedy this problem, bicarbonate solutions are often made from concentrates, ranging from slightly concentrated, two-fold or less, to much more concentrated solutions. Further, the bicarbonate on the one hand and calcium and/or magnesium on the other hand are included in separate concentrates and stored separately prior to use. For example, the concentrates can be stored in separate containers or separate chambers of a multi-chamber container. The bicarbonate concentrate and the concentrate of electrolytes that can include calcium, magnesium and the like are then mixed just prior to use to prevent the precipitation of carbonates.
However, the use of a multi-chamber container or individual containers to separately store the bicarbonate concentrate and the electrolyte concentrate prior to use can increase the amount of time and effort that is needed to perform dialysis therapy. With the use of a bicarbonate-based solution in a multi-chamber container, the patient is typically required to break a frangible to allow the concentrates to mix prior to use. Further, if a gas barrier overpouch is used with the multi-chamber container, the overpouch is typically removed prior to mixing. If the gas barrier overpouch is not removed, the breaking of the frangible can damage the gas barrier, thus causing a loss of long term solution stability.
Further, the use of a multiple number of individual containers to separately store the concentrates prior to mixing can require additional handling and storage capacity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,242 (“Zander”) describes the use of a stable aqueous solution in the form of two separately stored single solutions, one containing a metabolizable organic acid, and the other alkali bicarbonate and alkali carbonate. The Zander patent relates to adjusting the pH of the dextrose compartment with an organic acid; the dextrose compartment is adjusted to a pH range of 4.0 to 6.0. Not only do the inventors believe a physiological solution will not be achieved with such a high pH for the dextrose component, problems arise from the use of organic acids. For example, in patients with liver failure the body has difficulty in metabolizing organic acids, and it is therefore preferable to have all buffer available as bicarbonate. In case of peritoneal dialysis, the presence of organic acids and dextrose in the same container will enhance the formation of glucose degradation products, which in turn may damage the peritoneal membrane.
Bicarbonate-based solutions are known which require the use of a stabilizing agent in addition to bicarbonate and other constituents, such as calcium and magnesium. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,175 discloses the use of stabilizing agents, such as glycylglycine, to prevent the precipitation of carbonates. European Patent Document No. EP 1166787 discloses the use of other types of stabilization agents, such as disodium hydrogen citrate. However, the use of stabilizing agents may have undesirable side effects.
Therefore, a need exists to provide improved bicarbonate-based solutions that can be readily manufactured, that can remain stable and sterile under storage conditions, and that can be readily and effectively used during medical therapy, such as dialysis therapy. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
A present invention discloses a monoclonal antibody against Der p 2, hybridoma cell line producing thereof and test strip, kit and method for dust mite assay.
2. Description of the Related Art
Asthma and allergic rhinitis are the most common airway allergic diseases in Taiwan. Both of them are resulted from the inflammation induced by the interaction between respiratory epithelial cells and allergens. The major allergens include hair of vertebrates, egg, murine urine, poisonous fluid of insect, dust mite, cockroach, shrimp, pollen, peanut and fungal. Therein, the dust mite exhibiting rich and diverse allergens majorly distributes at the food, furniture, interior decoration, bedding, carpet and dust within the indoor environment. Besides, allergens from dust mite are particularly easy to cause allergy of airway and skin. Therefore, dust mite is considered as the major allergen in the interior environment.
Previous reports show that dust mite allergens are divided into 22 groups according to their biological characteristics, molecular weight and binding affinity with immunoglobulin E (IgE). Therein, the major allergens are group 1 and group 2 allergen of Dermatophagoides pteronyssiuns (Der p 1 and Der p 2). The IgE in the serum from 75% of the allergic patients exhibits the binding response to Der p 1 and Der p 2. Previous reports also suggested that reduce the concentration of allergens in the environment, especially at the onset time of asthma and allergic rhinitis, could efficiently prevent the occurrence of the allergic diseases.
Der p 1 belongs to enzymatic allergen which is unstable to be applied as the real time indicator. In contrast, Der p 2, a stable non-enzymatic allergen, which exhibits the great correction with the number of dust mite in the environment, is a capable indicator for detecting the concentration of dust mite allergen at home. Allowing patients to detect the number of dust mite and control the allergen concentration at home environment brings more economic profit than pharmaceutical therapy.
Monoclonal antibody technology has been widely applied for rapid detection kit because of its advantages, including high specificity, fast reaction and high sensitivity. However, there are still many uncertainties during the production of monoclonal antibody. Therefore, finding the monoclonal antibody with high specificity is the critical point in the development of detection kit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,734 disclosed the amino acid sequence of Der p 2, but did not reveal the specific epitope of the Der p 2 or the monoclonal antibody against Der p 2. In addition, Taiwan Pub. No. 200414904 disclosed the method for producing the monoclonal antibody, WAN-108, via injecting the allergen protein isolated by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting into recipient mice. However, the allergenic type, recognized epitope and antibody activity of WAN-108 monoclonal antibody still remained elusive. Accordingly, these previously disclosed dust mite detection technologies still remain to be improved. | {
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US patent application US2002/0084748A1 discuses a light source that is suitable for general illumination, which means for the illumination of spaces that may be too dark for people to stay or work in. The light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED) that emits UV light. Phosphor material is used to convert the phosphor material towards visible light that is emitted into the ambient for illuminating the environment. Near a light exit window, a material is provided that reflects non-converted UV light back to the phosphor material for conversion such that no UV light is emitted into the ambient. | {
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The invention relates generally to shielding and more particularly to hybrid carbon nanotube shielding for cables.
CNTs are 1-dimensional, nanometer-scale, tubular-shaped graphene molecules that exhibit ballistic semiconducting and metallic electrical conductivity properties at room temperature. CNTs have extremely small size and extremely large specific surface area. CNTs are known to have extraordinary strength, including high strain to failure and relatively high modulus. CNTs may also be highly resistant to fatigue, radiation damage, and heat.
CNTs comprise sp2 covalently bonded carbon atoms in a hexagonal array and have a relatively low density of around 1,400 kg/m3. Due to void volume, spun CNT yarns, braided wire and manufactured sheet products can have densities as much as ⅔ lower than this figure. CNTs may be produced as single- or multi-wall tubular structures by a variety of synthesis methods and can have a length-to-diameter aspect ratio ranging from approximately 102 to 108. Having such a large range of aspect ratios, CNTs may be readily assembled into strands, threads and yarns, and braided into wires and woven into fabrics much like wool or other macro-scale fibrous materials.
The key to a successful lighter weight cable involves the use of an hybrid mechanical-electrical architecture employing a metallic foil for the shielding function, i.e., shielding effectiveness, and carbon nanotube (CNT) tapes for the mechanical function, i.e., holding the foil in place, as well as secondary shielding function. FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematics of the design configurations for a typical DC cable and for a coax cable, respectively. | {
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The present invention relates to a vehicle seat assembly and in particular to a seat assembly having an integral child seat. The child seat is conveniently stored within the seat assembly, enabling the seat assembly to be used by an adult passenger. When desired, the child seat can be deployed for use in providing a seat for a small child.
Several seat assemblies with integral child seats have been developed or proposed. However, many of these suffer from one or more deficiencies that compromise the usefulness of the seat assembly and/or its comfort. In particular, due to the added mechanical features of the child seat, comfort of the seat assembly when used by the adult is reduced. This is particularly true in the case where the child seat is contained solely within the seat back of a seat assembly, where limited space is available for packaging of the child seat.
Child seats, whether integrated with a vehicle seat or a separate seat assembly, typically include a restraint system for the child occupant that includes a buckle mounted to the child seat between the legs of the child occupant. These buckles are sometimes attached by a short piece of belt webbing to allow movement of the buckle while the restraint system is being positioned around the child. However, such a flexible mounting of the buckle necessitates that two hands be used by the person buckling the child into the child seat. One hand is used to hold the buckle in place while the other hand is used to insert the belt latch plate into the buckle.
Another problem often found with integral child seats is the placement of the child's shoes on top of the adult seat cushion of the seat assembly. This results in additional wear and soiling of the adult seat cushion cover by the child's shoes.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to improve upon seat assemblies with integral child seats by overcoming the above problems.
It is a feature of the seat assembly of the present invention to improve the adult seating comfort by moving the child seat hardware, particularly the pivotal attachment of the child seat cushion, as far rearward from the face surface of the adult seat back as possible. This is accomplished through a floating pivot axis for the child seat cushion by providing the child seat cushion with a pair of attaching pins contained within slots formed in the seat back frame. This allows the effective pivot point to rise as the child seat cushion is lowered. The child seat cushion is free to float vertically as the foam on the child seat cushion and the adult seat cushion is compressed.
It is an advantage that the packaging of the child seat cushion is enhanced within the adult seat back, ensuring that the bite line between the adult seat cushion and adult seat back is maintained and also enables the child seat hardware to be packaged as far from the face surface of the seat back as possible to improve adult seating comfort.
It is another advantage of the present invention that the restraint system buckle is pivotally mounted directly to the child seat cushion for rotation about a fixed axis. This rigidly supports the buckle, enabling a user to insert the latch plate into the buckle with only one hand by merely pushing the latch plate into the buckle, freeing the other hand to restrain the child, etc.
It is yet another feature of the invention to provide protection for the adult seat cushion from the child's shoes. This is accomplished by providing a removable protective flap of either vinyl or fabric material overlying the adult seat cushion forwardly of the child seat cushion.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods used to fabricate semiconductor devices, and more specifically to a method used to form portions of a device on an insulator layer without forming a floating body device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Devices formed in silicon layers which in turn completely overlying insulator, have allowed reductions in performance degrading parasitic capacitances to be realized. The increased performance of devices fabricated using silicon on insulator (SOI), technology however is achieved at higher processing costs when compared to counterpart devices formed in, and only overlying, semiconductor material. The increased cost of SOI devices is attributed to the additional processing used to form the SOI layer, with a first option featuring bonding procedures, where one of the bonded wafers features the insulator layer, followed by thinning of the bonded semiconductor wafer. A second option, also resulting in increased processing cost, is formation of the SOI layer via implantation of oxygen ions into a semiconductor wafer followed by an anneal cycle resulting in an silicon oxide layer located underlying a thin portion of unimplanted silicon. In addition to the increased processing costs incurred with the SOI technology, the presence of an insulator layer on the entire surface of the semiconductor can result in a floating body effect, wherein the semiconductor substrate is floating with respect to the device channel region. This can result in unwanted threshold voltages thus adversely influencing designed operating conditions.
This invention will describe a method of fabricating a device where only portions of the device overlay insulator layer, wherein the overlaid insulator layer is buried oxide regions, not an entire insulator layer as is the case with SOI layers. The use of buried oxide regions still allow decreased parasitic capacitance and increased performance to be realized, without experiencing the negative device parameters encountered with SOI, floating body type devices. Prior art such as Chu et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,751 B1, Juengling, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,412, Huang, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,567 B1, and Chu et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,817, describe methods of forming buried oxide regions, however none of these prior art describe the unique combination of process steps of this present invention, allowing optimum buried oxide regions to be formed and overlaid by specific portions of a semiconductor device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which an information signal is recorded (written) on and/or reproduced (read) from a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk. In particular, the present invention relates to a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a clamp member fixing a disk-shaped recording medium to a disk mounting part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, disk recording and/or reproducing apparatuses in which an information signal is recorded on and/or reproduced from a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk (OD) such as a CD or DVD, or a magneto-optical disk (MO) have been provided as apparatuses for storing a large amount of information.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 discloses an example of such a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 discloses a slot-in disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a disk entrance through which a disk-shaped recording medium enters and exits. The disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-334499 (hereinafter referred to as “first related art example”) is as follows. Specifically, the apparatus includes an enclosure having a disk entrance; a gate member provided to cover the disk entrance; and a disk moving mechanism moving a disk-shaped recording medium to pass through the disk entrance. The gate member has a gate cover having a cut edge through which a disk-shaped recording medium passes; and a resistance modifying device modifying resistance on a periphery of the cut edge. The gate member is formed of a fabric member such as a fabric, a synthetic resin sheet, etc., and is constructed such that the gate cover rotates around a slit when a disk-shaped recording medium is inserted into the disk entrance.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 discloses another example of a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the related art. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 discloses a disk clamp mechanism which may be used for both a read-only (non-recordable) disk and a read/write (recordable) disk, and a disk drive device including the same. The disk drive device according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-302425 (hereinafter referred to as “second related art example”) is as follows. Specifically, the device includes a clamp arm rotated around a fulcrum and between a clamp position and a clamp release position. The device also includes a damper which is maintained with a clearance at the top of the clamp arm and is rotated to the clamp position to press a disk against a turntable, and is rotated to the clamp release position to release pressing of the disk against the turntable. A top bent part bent toward the turntable is formed at the top of the clamp arm, where a bending point of the top bent part bent relative to the clamp arm is deviated from the center of gravity of the damper toward the fulcrum by a predetermined dimension.
However, in the aforementioned first and second related art examples, a lever rotatably supports a clamp member, and the lever is vertically rotated to change an inclination angle, so that the clamp member is pressed against a disk mounted on a disk mounting part. In this type, since the lever is moved in a wide range, a large space is needed to ensure its movement and the whole apparatus is increased in size, disadvantageously. Moreover, a pressing force of the clamp member against the disk mounting part is generally based on an attraction force generated between a magnet and an iron piece incorporated in these members. Therefore, the lever may need a strength enough to withstand a force to strip the clamp member from the disk mounting part against a pressing force of the magnet when the disk is ejected. As a result, the lever may need to be prepared, with a sufficient strength ensured, using a material having a certain strength, and is therefore limited in terms of the usable material and size, disadvantageously.
In another related art example, a lever rotatably supporting a clamp member is moved along a circumference of a disk, so that the clamp member is pressed against the disk mounted on a disk mounting part. However, in this type, a holding member holding the clamp member has an inclined surface, and the clamp member is pressed upward from both sides to release a pressing force of the clamp member. Therefore, a space for moving the holding member is needed, and furthermore a space to connect the members to each other is widened, making the structure complicated, disadvantageously. Moreover, since the clamp member is supported only by both edges of the holding member, an attitude of the clamp member is unstable, disadvantageously. In this regard, although the clamp member may be supported by many points of the holding member, the number of components is increased in order to support the clamp member by many points, making the structure complicated, disadvantageously. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is typical in hydrocarbon wells to “set” or actuate a downhole tool, such as packers, bridge plugs, high-expansion gauge hangers, straddles, wellhead plugs, cement retainers, through-tubing plugs, etc. Some of these downhole tools are set to selectively seal a fluid pathway, such as a wellbore annulus defined between the wellbore and tubing string or the primary through-bore of the string. These tools are run-in and in some cases retrieved using various conveyance methods such as a wireline, slickline, or coiled tubing. The DFG unit is often retrieved after setting the downhole tool. The DFG unit used for setting tools can be mechanically, electrically, chemically, explosively, hydraulically, electro-mechanically or otherwise powered. One type of DFG uses electro-mechanical power, where the DFG converts electrical power, typically provided by a battery unit, into mechanical movement, typically rotary or longitudinal movement of a shaft or power rod. One such setting tool is the DPU (trade name) Downhole Power Unit available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Disclosure relating to DFG units, their operation and construction can be found in the following, which are each incorporated herein for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,810 to Clemens, filed Sep. 15, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,397 to Clemens, filed Jan. 5, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,467,661 to Gordon, filed Jun. 1, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,705 to Baker, filed Sep. 3, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,432 to Assal, filed Feb. 26, 2008; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0168403 to Patel, filed Jan. 7, 2011; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2011/0073328 to Clemens, filed Sep. 23, 2010; 2011/0073329 to Clemens, filed Sep. 23, 2010; 2011/0073310 to Clemens, filed Sep. 23, 2010.
Electro-mechanical DFG setting tools are commonly available and can be purchased in various sizes, including various stroke lengths. While most downhole tools require a relatively short stroke to set, other downhole tools require a longer stroke than is typically available from an electro-mechanical DFG. Additionally, electro-mechanical DFG setting tools tend to have a relatively slower setting speed, resulting in longer setting times. Consequently, there is a need for methods and apparatus for improved electro-mechanical downhole force generators having a relatively longer setting stroke and a relatively quicker setting speed for use with downhole tools. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a robot having a plurality of movable sections such as legs and a method of controlling the attitude of such a robot. More particularly, the present invention relates to a robot that autonomously maintains the stability of its attitude according to a predetermined stability criteria and a method of controlling the attitude of such a robot.
To be more specific, this invention relates to a robot that controls the stability of the attitude of its body without using a ZMP (zero moment point) as stability criteria and a method of controlling the attitude of such a robot. More particularly, it relates to a robot that controls the stability of the attitude of its body by paying attention to periodic motions of the moving parts thereof and a method of controlling the attitude of such a robot.
This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-300521, filed on Aug. 25, 2003, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-234022, filed on Aug. 11, 2004, the entireties of which are incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
A machine device adapted to move in a manner resembling to motions of human being by means of electric and/or magnetic operations is referred to as “robot”. It is said that the word “robot” derives from a Slavic word “ROBOTA (slave machine)”.
In Japan, robots started to become popular in the late 1960s, although many of them were industrial robots such as manipulators and transfer robots installed for the purpose of automating productive operations of factories and saving man power. Research and development efforts have been paid in recent years on mobile robots that are equipped with movable legs and adapted to work on legs. Expectations are high for such mobile robots in practical applications. Two-legged mobile robots modeled after human motions are referred to humanoid robots.
While two-legged robots that are based on human's biped locomotion are accompanied by problems of instability and difficulty of attitude control and walk control if compared with crawler type robots and four-legged or six-legged robots, they provide advantages including that they can adapt themselves to unleveled ground, walking surfaces with obstacles and undulations on the way and discontinued walling surfaces such as staircases and ladder to be stepped up and down so that they can move in a flexible manner.
Numerous techniques have already been proposed with regard to attitude control and stable walking of two-legged mobile robots. Stable “walking” as used herein is defined as “moving by using legs without stumbling and falling”. When the body of a robot stumbles and falls, it means that the ongoing operation of the robot is suspended and that considerable power and time need to be spent for the robot to stand up from the failing state and resume its operation. Additionally, when the robot stumbles and falls, there arises a risk that the robot itself and/or the object that the falling robot collides with can be fatally damaged. Thus, the attitude/stability control of robots for avoiding stumbling and falling is one of the priority issues when developing two-legged mobile robots.
The standing posture of a robot that is based on human's biped locomotion is unstable as basic attitude. A ZMP (zero moment point) is often used as a criteria for the stability of walking of a two-legged mobile robot. The evaluation of the stability of walking using a ZMP is based on d'Alembert's principle that the gravity and the inertial force exerted by a walking system on the floor surface and their moments are balanced respectively by the reaction force of the floor exerted by the floor surface to the walking system and its moment. As a consequence of reasoning in the framework of dynamics, there exists a point where both the pitch axis moment and the roll axis moment are equal to zero, or a ZMP, on one of the sides of the supporting polygon (or the ZMP-stable region) formed by the contact points of the soles relative to the floor and the floor surface or in the inside thereof (see, inter alia, Non-Patent Reference Document 1).
Generation of a bipedal walk pattern on the basis of the ZMP criteria provides advantages including that it is possible to define a sole landing point in advance and that it is easy to consider kinetic constraints for the tips of the feet corresponding to the profile of the floor surface. Additionally, using a ZMP for the evaluation of stability means that it is not force but a trajectory of motion that is handled as target for controlling the motion and hence it is technically more feasible.
Target ZMP control has been successful on real robots when motions are planned so as to achieve dynamic balance at each and every moment. The motion generation technique using a ZMP as stability criteria can realize stable bipedal walking and hence is a proven technique. On the other hand, in an aspect, stability control on the basis of a ZMP is constantly being restricted by a single equation and hence it is necessary to accurately model the robot itself and the environment in order to plan a trajectory of motion according to the ZMP criteria and constantly make the plan match the environment model to realize a robot motion by means of a high precision trajectory tracking control system. In other words, stability control on that basis of a ZMP is accompanied by a problem of adaptability to unknown environment. The operation of solving the ZMP equation entails a relatively heavy calculation cost and hence difficulties in real time control situations.
Satisfying the ZMP equation is a sufficient condition and not a necessary condition for attitude stability control of robot. It will be appreciated that human walk is not necessarily always maximizing the ZMP stability margin.
On the other hand, man walks humanly with the biological mechanism he has, appropriately utilizing the passive dynamics of the limbs without relying on a ZMP. If a robot can smartly utilize the passive dynamics, it may be possible to realize a walking motion with a high energy conversion efficiency, requiring neither an exquisitely designed model (and hence a heavy calculation cost of computing operations) nor a large drive torque of actuators.
For example, it is possible to take a walking motion for a periodic motion and at least part of each movable section of a robot for a physical oscillator. Then, it will be possible to control the walking motion of robot by determining or controlling the phase and the frequency of oscillation of the oscillator. When such a periodic motion continues, it may be taken for “a stable walk”. If there is a moment in a period when the dynamic balance and hence the stability are lost (according to the ZMP theory), it is possible to continue the walking motion so long as the stable limit cycle is restored by repeating the period. Furthermore, if the stable limit cycle is not restored in a period, the motion can be continued so long as the motion is converged to a constant periodic motion within a realistic period of time.
If stability is defined as such by paying attention to the walking motion of robot, it will be possible to realize “comprehensive stability” because a steady state is restored within several periods if the robot is exposed to an unknown external disturbance. Then, as a result, neither a precise model nor a precise trajectory tracking control is required. Additionally, the gain of the actuator can be reduced to make it possible to reduce the cost and improve the stability with a small gain. (Differently stated, if a precise model and a precise trajectory tracking control are required, the cost will rise due to the large gain and the precision). Furthermore, from the viewpoint of comprehensive, the robot is allowed to go out of a stable region. Then, walk and other leg motions (attitudes) can be realized in a variety of modes to raise the expression potential of the robot and improve the adaptability to the environment.
Walking techniques of legged mobile robot that pay attention to the periodicity of walking motion include biologically inspired adaptive dynamic walking of a quadruped robot on irregular terrain (see, inter alia, Non-Patent Reference Document 2) and the relationship between rhythm resetting against an external disturbance and dynamic stability of walk in a bipedal walking motion of man (see, inter alia, Non-Patent Reference Document 3).
According to the former document, an adaptive motion is creatively generated through interaction of a dynamic system formed by coupling a machine system and a nervous system on the basis of unique non-linear dynamics and the environment. However, the former document says that phase and frequency are entrained by a nonlinear differential equation (Matsuoka Oscillator) to reveal that it is not possible to obtain an analytic solution for the phase of the physical oscillator and hence mathematically design the system. In short, it is not possible to get to any specific design theory.
According to the latter document, it is possible to mathematically analyze the relationship between the trajectory of motion that involves phase resetting and dynamic stability by using a dynamics type model for a bipedal walking motion. However, it only describes regulation of the phase of the physical oscillator by way of an open loop immediately after a known external disturbance and lacks any feedback from the physical system and hence adaptability to unknown states and external disturbances.
[Non-Patent Reference Document 1] Miomir Vukobratovic, “LEGGED LOCOMOTION ROBOTS”, (Ichiro Kato et al., “A Walking Robot and Artificial Feet”, (Nikkan Kogyo Shinbun, Ltd.).
[Non-Patent Reference Document 2] Fukuoka et al., “Biologically Inspired Adaptive Dynamic Walking of a Quadruped on Irregular Terrain—Proposal of the Design of Coupled Neuro-Mechanical System and Evaluation of the Mutual Entrainment among Pitch Motion, CPG and Rolling Motion”, (Journal of Robotics Society in Japan, Vol. 21, No. 5, July 2003).
[Non-Patent Reference Document 3] Yamazaki et al., “The Relationship between Rhythm Resetting against an External Disturbance and Dynamic Stability of a Bipedal Walking Motion of Man”, (Technical Report of IEICE, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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