text
stringlengths 2
806k
| meta
dict |
|---|---|
The present invention relates in general to motor vehicle suspension systems which include variable damping shock absorbers and preferably controllable springs, for example air springs, and, more particularly, to a method for controlling the shock absorbers in response to suspension frequency signals.
Motor vehicle suspension systems are connected between the body of the vehicle and the wheels to determine the ride and handling of the vehicle. Conventional suspension systems include springs and shock absorbers which are fixed such that the ride and handling are fixed as well.
More advanced suspension systems include controllable elements such as variable damping shock absorbers which permit two or more damping factors to be selected as needed. Controllable springs may also be included. Such springs are typically pneumatically or air controlled and are inflated to increase the spring rate of the overall vehicle spring system and deflated to decrease the spring rate.
In prior art suspension systems, the shocks and springs may be manually controlled by the operator of the vehicle. Automatic control is also utilized to control the shocks and springs in response to inputs from the vehicle as well. For example, the damping factor of the shock absorbers may be switched to a firmer damping in response to operating characteristics of the shock absorbers exceeding defined levels.
It is known to monitor shock absorber activity by means of accelerometers associated with the shock absorbers. The switching of the damping factor of the shock absorbers and the time of switching are then based on output signals from the accelerometers.
Such damping factor switching operations can be performed to substantially prevent body movements which can otherwise be caused by the switching. Prevention of the body movements is important to prevent operator concern regarding the ride and handling performance of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the inclusion of accelerometers in the suspension system results in complexity and expense.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved suspension control system which can be simply and inexpensively implemented without accelerometers to control switching of the damping factor of variable damping shock absorbers such that the switches are substantially imperceptible to the operator of a motor vehicle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Only a limited number of molecules with demonstrated therapeutic value can be transported through the skin, even with the use of approved chemical enhancers. The main barrier to transport of molecules through the skin is the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin).
Devices including arrays of relatively small structures are sometimes referred to as microneedles, microneedle arrays, micro arrays, micro-pins, or the like. These structures have been disclosed for use in connection with the delivery of therapeutic agents and other substances through the skin and other surfaces. These medical devices pierce the stratum corneum and form a plurality of microscopic slits or holes in the outermost layer of skin to facilitate the transdermal delivery of therapeutic agents through the skin. The devices are typically pressed or abraded against the skin in an effort to pierce the stratum corneum such that the therapeutic agents and other substances can pass through that layer and into the tissues below.
In some embodiments, the microneedle arrays include structures that have a capillary or passageway extending through the microneedle. This capillary or passageway enables the microneedle to deliver fluid therapeutic agents through the skin of a subject or to extract fluids through the skin from the subject. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor laser devices and more particularly relates to a semiconductor laser device which is suitable for use as a recording and/or readout light source of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for an optical video disc, a digital audio disc and so on.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Roughly classified, conventional semiconductor laser devices are of a refractive index-guiding type and a gain-guiding type regarding its confinement mechanism in the vertical direction mode.
An example of such refractive index-guiding type semiconductor laser device is shown in, for example, FIG. 1. This semiconductor laser device is formed such that on an N type GaAs substrate 1 are epitaxially grown in turn an N type first cladding layer 2 made of Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As, an N type active layer 3 made of Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As, an N type second cladding layer 4 made of Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As and an N type GaAs capping layer 5 and at the center thereof a high refractive index layer 6 of a stripe pattern is formed by injecting thereinto P type impurity Zn according to the selective diffusion or the like in the direction perpendicular to the sheet of drawing in FIG. 1. The depth of this high refractive index layer 6 is selected substantially deep enough to reach into the active layer 3 or further to the first cladding layer 2 by several thousand .ANG. (angstroms). On the surface of the semiconductor layer 5 is formed an insulated layer 7 made of SiO.sub.2 or the like through which an electrode window is formed. And, one electrode 8 is deposited on the high refractive index layer 6 through the above electrode window in the ohmic contact, while the other electrode 9 is deposited on the lower surface of the N type GaAs substrate 1 in the same ohmic contact. As described above, refractive index differences are generated in the active layer 3 depending on whether there exists the high refractive index layer 6 in the active layer 3 or not and thereby the light emission region is restricted.
On the other hand, an example of the gain-guiding type semiconductor laser device is shown in, for example, FIG. 2. Also in this case, this gain-guiding type semiconductor laser device is formed as follows: On an N type GaAs substrate 1 are epitaxially grown in turn an N type first cladding layer 2 made of Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As, an N or P type active layer 3 made of Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As, a P type second cladding layer 4 made of Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-y As and an N type GaAs capping layer 5 and at the center thereof a stripe region 10 is formed by selectively diffusing P type impurity, for example, Zn which is extended to the direction perpendicular to the sheet of drawing in FIG. 2. The depth of this stripe region 10 is selected deep enough to reach into the second cladding layer 4. Also in this case, on the semiconductor layer 5 is deposited an insulated layer 7 through which a stripe pattern electrode window is formed. And, one electrode 8 is deposited on the region 10 through the stripe pattern electrode window in ohmic contact, and the other electrode 9 is deposited on the lower surface of the N type GaAs substrate 1 in ohmic contact. In the gain-guiding type semiconductor laser device thus made, the stripe region 10 allows the concentration of a drive current and the drive current injected into the portion just near or under the stripe region 10 allows the laser oscillation within the active layer 3. Namely, the gain distribution due to the concentration distribution in the transverse direction of the carrier injected into the active layer 3 determines the transverse mode.
Although the above refractive index-guiding and gain-guiding type semiconductor laser devices have advantages respectively, they but are not free from respective defects. More particularly, the refractive index-guiding type semiconductor laser device, since its longitudinal mode is a single mode, is poor against noises caused by a returned light when used as the writing and/or readout light source for, for example, the optical video disc and so on. On the other hand, since a so-called beam waist position exists close to the light end of the light emission region, this refractive index-guiding type semiconductor laser device has an advantage that in the practical use the focal position can be determined with ease. Furthermore, since a long distance image in the cross section parallel to the junction plane, namely, a so-called far field pattern is symmetrical with respect to left and right sides, there is then an advantage that a beam spot having less distortion can be obtained with ease as the readout or writing light in the practical use. While, in the above gain-guiding type semiconductor laser, since the beam waist position exists near the inside by approximately 20 .mu.m from the light end of the light emission region and further the far field pattern is asymmetrical with respect to left and right sides, there is a defect that an astigmatism is large and the distortion of the beam spot becomes relatively large. However, in this gain-guiding type semiconductor laser device, its longitudinal mode is multimode so that this device is less affected by the noises caused by the returned light. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting an immune response to a recombinant vector, as well as a vector and a composition for use in the method.
A broad spectrum of eukaryotic viruses, including adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses, Herpes viruses and retroviruses, has been used in gene therapy. Each type of vector has demonstrated a viral-dependent combination of advantages and disadvantages. Accordingly, careful consideration must be given to the advantages and disadvantages inherent to a particular type of vector when deciding which vector should be used in a particular application of gene therapy.
The advantages of adenoviruses with respect to gene therapy include ease of use, high titer production (i.e., up to about 1013 viral particles/ml), efficient gene transfer to nonreplicating, as well as replicating, cells (see, for example, review by Crystal, Science, 270, 404-410 (1995)), and a broad range of host- and cell-type specificity. Such advantages have resulted in a recombinant adenovirus being the vector of choice for a variety of gene transfer applications. Adenoviral vectors are especially preferred for somatic gene therapy of the lungs, given their normal tropism for the respiratory epithelium.
Other advantages that accompany the use of adenoviruses as vectors for gene therapy include: (1) the rare observance of recombination; (2) the absence of an ostensible correlation of any human malignancy with adenoviral infection, despite the common occurrence of infection; (3) the adenoviral genome (which is comprised of linear, double-stranded DNA) can be manipulated to carry up to about 7.5 kb of exogenous DNA, and longer DNA sequences can potentially be carried into a cell, for instance, by attachment to the adenoviral capsid (Curiel et al., Human Gene Therapy, 3, 147-154 (1992)); (4) an adenovirus is unlikely to interfere with normal cellular function since the vector controls expression of its encoded sequences in an epichromosomal manner; and (5) it already has been proven safe to use in humans, given that live adenovirus has been safely used as a human vaccine for many years.
Using adenoviral reporter gene constructs, it has been established that high levels of gene expression can be obtained in a variety of animal models. However, it also has been established that the high level of gene expression so obtained is transient, with reporter gene expression peaking within the first week after infection and becoming essentially undetectable about 80 days after infection. Recent studies have indicated that the limited persistence of gene expression in vivo is most likely due to an immune response of the host against virally infected cells. For example, gene expression can be maintained in immunologically privileged neuronal or retinal tissues for periods in excess of two months and in immunodeficient or immunologically naive rodents for periods in excess of six months.
Intravenous administration of adenovirus to mice results in the vast majority of adenovirus being localized to the liver (Worgall et al., Human Gene Therapy, 8, 37-44 (1997)). During the first 24-48 hrs of infection, 90% of vector DNA is eliminated, presumably through innate pathways of viral clearance mediated by Kupffer cells in the liver (Worgall et al. (1997), supra), well before maximal levels of transgene are expressed. In spite of the fact that the majority of virus is cleared within one to two days, over 95% of hepatocytes are transduced by the remaining small percentage of input adenoviral vectors (Li et al., Human Gene Therapy, 4,403-409 (1993)) with maximum transgene expression occurring during the first week of post-infection. Transgene expression, however, rapidly declines to baseline levels in immune-competent animals within 2-3 weeks of infection due to immune activation.
Using a combination of mouse strains, which are defective in specific elements of the immune system, it has been shown that the immune response against cells infected with viral vectors involves both cellular and humoral components of the immune system. For example, immunodeficient mice, which lack mature T- and B-lymphocytes express adenovirus-mediated transgenes beyond four months (Kass-Eisler et al., Gene Therapy, 1, 395-402 (1994); Yang et al., Immunity, 1, 433-442 (1994a); Yang et al., PNAS USA, 91, 4407-4411 (1994b); Dai et al., PNAS USA, 92, 1401-1405 (1995); Kay et al., Nat. Genet., 11, 191-197 (1995); and Yang et al., J. Immunol., 155, 2564-2570 (1995)). Similarly, transfer of CD8+ and CD4+ cytotoxic T-cells from adenoviral vector-infected mice to infected RAG-2 mice, which lack mature B- and T-cell lymphocytes, resulted in clearance of the vector and transgene by apoptosis (Yang et al. (1994a), supra; and Yang et al. (1995), oupra), whereas immune depletion of CD8+ or CD4+ cells in immunocompetent mice results in persistent transgene expression (Yang et al. (1994a), supra; Kay et al.(1995), supra; Yang et al. (1995), supra; Kolls et al., Hum. Gene Ther., 7, 489-497 (1996); and Guerette et al., Transplantation, 62, 962-967 (1996)). While pathways involving perforin and Fas are the major pathways responsible for T-cell cytotoxicity (Kojima et al., Immunity, 1, 357-364 (1994); Henkart, Immunity, 1, 343-346 (1994); Kagi et al., Science, 265, 528-530 (1994); and Kagi et al., Eur. J. Immunol., 25, 3256-3262 (1995)), the perforin/granzyme pathway has been reported to mediate clearance of adenoviral gene transfer vectors by antigen-specific, cytotoxic T-cells (Yang et al., PNAS USA, 92, 7257-7261 (1995)).
In addition to limiting the persistence of gene expression from viral vectors, the immune response inhibits successful readministration of viral vectors, which limits the period of efficacy of gene therapy. For example, adenoviruses are classified into 47 different serotypes and a number of subgroups, namely A through G, based on a number of criteria, including antigenic crossreactivity. Following an initial administration of adenovirus, serotype-specific antibodies are generated against epitopes of the major viral capsid proteins, namely the penton, hexon and fiber. Given that such capsid proteins are the means by which the adenovirus attaches itself to a cell and subsequently infects the cell, such antibodies are then able to block or xe2x80x9cneutralizexe2x80x9d reinfection of a cell by the same serotype of adenovirus. This necessitates using a different serotype of adenovirus in order to administer one or more subsequent doses of exogenous DNA in the context of gene therapy.
The present invention seeks to address the problems presented by immune activation mediated by adenoviral gene transduction, as well as immune mediated apoptosis and anti-adenoviral neutralizing antibodies, which inhibit successful readministration of a viral vector, such as in the context of gene therapy. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of inhibiting an immune response to a recombinant vector, as well as a vector and a composition for carrying out the method. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the following detailed description.
The present invention provides, among other things, a method of inhibiting an immune response to a recombinant vector, such as a viral vector, specifically an adenoviral vector. The method comprises contacting a cell with (i) a recombinant vector, preferably a viral vector, most preferably an adenoviral vector, comprising a transgene and (ii) a means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector selected from the group consisting of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor fusion protein, a Fas receptor fusion protein, an interferon (IFN) receptor fusion protein, a dominant negative of an interferon consensus sequence binding protein (ICSBP), a gene encoding a TNF receptor fusion protein, a gene encoding a Fas receptor fusion protein, a gene encoding an IFN receptor fusion protein, and a gene encoding a dominant negative of an ICSBP, whereupon an immune response to the recombinant vector is inhibited. In this regard, the present invention also provides a vector and a composition for use in the method.
The present invention is predicated, at least in part, on the understanding that the cellular components of the immune response are principally responsible for inhibiting persistent expression of a gene contained within an adenoviral vector and the humoral component of the immune response is principally responsible for inhibiting the successful readministration of an adenoviral vector of a given serotype in immune competent animals. This discovery is based on the observation that animals, which were defective for one or more genes involved in programmed cell death or xe2x80x9capoptosis,xe2x80x9d did not respond to the presence of an adenovirus and the subsequent readministration of an adenovirus of the same serotype. Specifically, Fasxe2x88x92 animals were compromised in their ability to respond immunologically to the continued presence of a given adenovirus and its subsequent readministration. TNFxe2x88x92 animals were immunologically severely impaired in their response to the continued presence of a given adenovirus and its subsequent readministration. These observations led to the surprising and unexpected discovery that inhibition of one or more cellular genes, which are involved in cell death and immune activation, such as the TNF, specifically TNF-xcex1, Fas and/or IFN genes, enables persistent presence of a vector and persistent expression of a gene contained within the vector, particularly a viral vector, specifically an adenoviral vector, in a host cell and the successful readministration of the same vector or, in the case of an adenoviral vector, a vector of the same serotype, to the host cell, such as in the context of in vivo and in vitro (ex vivo) gene therapy.
In view of the above, the present invention provides a method of inhibiting an immune response to a recombinant vector, in particular a viral vector, such as an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes viral vector or a retroviral vector, preferably an an adenoviral vector, during the contact of a cell with a recombinant vector comprising a transgene and/or the expression of a transgene in a recombinant vector in a cell, such as in the context of in vivo and in vitro (ex vivo) gene therapy. By xe2x80x9cinhibitingxe2x80x9d is meant the direct or indirect, partial or complete, inhibition of an innate or acquired immune response, whether cellular (e.g., leukocyte recruitment) or humoral, to a recombinant vector, in particular a viral vector, specifically an adenoviral vector, especially when the vector is in the form of a recombinant viral particle as opposed to nonencapsidated nucleic acid, so as to enable persistent presence of the recombinant vector in the cell and concomitant persistent expression of a transgene contained within the vector. Such inhibition, however, desirably should not compromise the long-term immunity of a host, if a host is contacted with a recombinant vector comprising a transgene and a means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector in accordance with the present invention. By xe2x80x9cimmune responsexe2x80x9d is preferably meant an acquired immune response, such as a cellular or humoral immune response. xe2x80x9cIn vivo gene therapyxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cin vitro gene therapyxe2x80x9d are intended to encompass all past, present and future variations and modifications of what is commonly known and referred to by those of ordinary skill in the art as xe2x80x9cgene therapy,xe2x80x9d including ex vivo applications.
The method comprises contacting a cell with (i) a recombinant vector, preferably a viral vector, most preferably an adenoviral vector, comprising a transgene and (ii) a means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector, whereupon an immune response to the recombinant vector is inhibited. The method can be used alone or in combination with other methods, such as the administration of other active agents, e.g., therapeutic or prophylactic agents and/or immunosuppressive agents as are known in the art.
By xe2x80x9ccontactingxe2x80x9d is meant administering the recombinant vector to the cell in such a manner and in such an amount as to effect physical contact between the vector and cell. If the viral vector is a recombinant viral particle, desirably, attachment to and infection of the cell by the viral vector is effected by such physical contact. If the viral vector is other than a recombinant viral particle, such as a nonencapsidated viral nucleic acid or other nucleic acid, desirably, infection of the cell by the nucleic acid is effected.
Such xe2x80x9ccontactingxe2x80x9d can be done by any means known to those skilled in the art, and described herein, by which the apparent touching or mutual tangency of the vector with the cell can be effected. Optionally, the vector, such as an adenoviral vector, can be further complexed with a bispecific or multispecific molecule (e.g., an antibody or fragment thereof), in which case xe2x80x9ccontactingxe2x80x9d involves the apparent touching or mutual tangency of the complex of the vector and the bispecific or multispecific molecule with the cell. For example, the vector and the bispecific (multispecific) molecule can be covalently joined, e.g., by chemical means known to those skilled in the art, or other means. Preferably, the vector and the bispecific (multispecific) molecule can be linked by means of noncovalent interactions (e.g., ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals forces, and/or nonpolar interactions). Although the vector and the bispecific (multispecific) molecule can be brought into contact by mixing in a small volume of the same solution, the cell and the complex need not necessarily be brought into contact in a small volume, as, for instance, in cases where the complex is administered to a host (e.g., a human), and the complex travels by the bloodstream to the cell to which it binds selectively and into which it enters. The contacting of the vector with a bispecific (multispecific) molecule preferably is done before the cell is contacted with the complex of the adenovirus and the bispecific (multispecific) molecule.
By xe2x80x9ctransgenexe2x80x9d is meant a gene, which can be expressed in a cell contacted with a vector comprising the transgene and the expression of which is desirably prophylactically or therapeutically beneficial to the cell or the tissue, organ, organ system, organism or cell culture of which the cell is a part. A therapeutic gene can be one that exerts its effect at the level of RNA or protein. For instance, a protein encoded by a therapeutic gene can be employed in the treatment of an inherited disease, e.g., the use of a cDNA encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
Moreover, the therapeutic gene can exert its effect at the level of RNA, for instance, by encoding an antisense message or ribozyme, a protein that affects splicing or 3xe2x80x2 processing (e.g., polyadenylation), or a protein that affects the level of expression of another gene within the cell (i.e., where gene expression is broadly considered to include all steps from initiation of transcription through production of a processed protein), perhaps, among other things, by mediating an altered rate of mRNA accumulation, an alteration of mRNA transport, and/or a change in post-transcriptional regulation.
By xe2x80x9cmeans of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vectorxe2x80x9d is meant a means with which a cell can be brought into contact that inhibits an immune response to the recombinant vector as described above for xe2x80x9cinhibiting.xe2x80x9d Preferably, the means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector is a TNF receptor fusion protein, a Fas receptor fusion protein, an IFN receptor fusion protein, a dominant negative of an ICSBP, a gene encoding a TNF receptor fusion protein, a gene encoding a Fas receptor fusion protein, a gene encoding an IFN receptor fusion protein, or a gene encoding a dominant negative of an ICSBP. The TNF receptor fusion protein preferably comprises an extracellular domain of a TNF receptor, such as TNF receptor I (TNFI), and either of the xcex1 chain of CD8 or IgG (or a functional fragment thereof). The Fas receptor fusion protein preferably comprises an extracellular domain of a Fas receptor and either of the xcex1 chain of CD8 or IgG (or a functional fragment thereof). Preferably, the means of inhibiting an immune response is other than the combination of a TNF receptor fusion protein (or gene encoding same) and a Fas receptor fusion protein (or gene encoding same). Desirably, the fusion protein is a fusion of proteins/peptides derived from the same species as the cell contacted in accordance with the present inventive method. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,851 with regard to TNF-IgG fusion proteins. The methods described therein can be adapted for construction of Fas-IgG fusion proteins. With regard to the IFN receptor protein, there are a variety of candidate proteins that can be used to block interferon function extracellularly, at the cell membrane or at the level of transcription. One approach is to create a dominant negative mutant of STAT-1 in a manner similar to the approaches used for STAT-3 (Fukada et al., Immunity, 5, 449-460 (1996); and Horvath et al., J. Virol., 70, 647-650 (1996)). The mutants either lack the COOH-terminal or have critical tyrosines replaced. Another approach involves the creation of a dominant negative version of an endogenous gene, such as Interferon Consensus Sequence Binding Protein (ICSBP; Thornton et al., J. Immunol., 157, 5145-5154 (1996)). ICSBP normally is expressed in erythroid lineage cells and, itself, can be controlled by IFN induction. The normal function of ICSBP is to suppress activation of IFN inducible genes. It contains separable DNA binding and repressor domains with the dominant negative of ICSBP consisting of the N-terminal 121aa encompassing the DNA binding domain (termed ICSBP DBD; Sharf et al., J. Biol. Chem., 270, 13063-13069(1995)). When overexpressed in a stable cell line the gene product inhibits both type I and type II IFN-stimulated gene expression (Thorton et al. (1996), supra).
Accordingly, the means of inhibiting an immune response can be in the form of a biologically acceptable proteinaceous composition (e.g., a TNF receptor fusion protein or a Fas receptor fusion protein) or a biologically acceptable composition comprising a gene, which encodes a means of inhibiting an immune response and which can be expressed in the cell. This means to express the gene in a cell is within the skill in the art. In this regard, the recombinant vector comprising a transgene can further comprise a gene encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector. If the means of inhibiting an immune response is a gene and the gene is contained in a vector that is separate from the recombinant vector that comprises and expresses the transgene or the composition is proteinaceous, the composition comprising the means of inhibiting an immune response can be brought into contact with the cell prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to contact of the cell with the recombinant vector comprising and expressing the transgene, as long as the timing of the contact effects inhibition of an immune response to the vectors brought into contact with the cell.
The recombinant vector comprising a transgene preferably is a viral vector. More preferably, the viral vector is selected from the group consisting of an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes viral vector and a retroviral vector. Most preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector. Desirably, if the recombinant vector is a viral particle, in particular an adenoviral vector, the immunogenicity of the capsid, e.g., the hexon protein of an adenoviral capsid, is reduced in accordance with methods known in the art.
A cell can be present as a single entity, or can be part of a larger collection of cells. Such a xe2x80x9clarger collection of cellsxe2x80x9d can comprise, for instance, a cell culture (either mixed or pure), a tissue (e.g., epithelial or other tissue), an organ (e.g., heart, lung, liver, gallbladder, urinary bladder, eye or other organ), an organ system (e.g., circulatory system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, urinary system, nervous system, integumentary system or other organ system), or an organism (e.g., a bird, mammal, particularly a human, or the like). Preferably, the organs/tissues/cells being targeted are of the circulatory system (e.g., including, but not limited to heart, blood vessels, and blood), respiratory system (e.g., nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lungs, and the like), gastrointestinal system (e.g., including mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and others), urinary system (e.g., such as kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the like), nervous system (e.g., including, but not limited to, brain and spinal cord, and special sense organs, such as the eye) and integumentary system (e.g., skin). Even more preferably, the cells are selected from the group consisting of heart, blood vessel, lung, liver, gallbladder, urinary bladder, and eye cells.
In particular, a cell with which a recombinant vector, such as a viral vector, in particular an adenoviral vector, is contacted differs from another cell in that the contacted cell comprises a particular cell-surface binding site that can be targeted by the recombinant vector. By xe2x80x9cparticular cell-surface binding sitexe2x80x9d is meant any site (i.e., molecule or combination of molecules) present on the surface of a cell with which the vector, e.g., adenoviral vector, can interact in order to attach to the cell and, thereby, enter the cell. A particular cell-surface binding site, therefore, encompasses a cell-surface receptor and, preferably, is a protein (including a modified protein), a carbohydrate, a glycoprotein, a proteoglycan, a lipid, a mucin molecule or mucoprotein, and the like. Examples of potential cell-surface binding sites include, but are not limited to: heparin and chondroitin sulfate moieties found on glycosaminoglycans; sialic acid moieties found on mucins, glycoproteins, and gangliosides; major histocompatability complex I (MHC I) glycoproteins; common carbohydrate molecules found in membrane glycoproteins, including mannose, N-acetyl-galactosamine, N-acetyl-glucosamine, fucose, and galactose; glycoproteins, such as ICAM-1, VCAM, E-selectin, P-selectin, L-selectin, and integrin molecules; and tumor-specific antigens present on cancerous cells, such as, for instance, MUC-1 tumor-specific epitopes. However, targeting an adenovirus to a cell is not limited to any specific mechanism of cellular interaction (i.e., interaction with a given cell-surface binding site).
In the context of the present invention, any suitable recombinant vector can be used. A xe2x80x9cvectorxe2x80x9d is a vehicle for gene transfer as that term is understood by those of skill in the art. The vectors according to the invention include, but are not limited to, plasmids, phages, and viruses. A vector according to the invention comprises additional sequences and mutations. In particular, a vector according to the invention further comprises a nucleic acid comprising a transgene and/or at least one gene, which encodes a means of inhibiting an immune response to a recombinant vector and which can comprise a wholly or partially synthetically made coding or other genic sequence or a genomic or complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence and can be provided in the form of either DNA or RNA.
Preferably, the vector is a viral vector, such as an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes vector or a retroviral vector, among others. Most preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector. An adenoviral vector can be derived from any adenovirus. An xe2x80x9cadenovirusxe2x80x9d is any virus of the family Adenoviridae, and desirably is of the genus Mastadenovirus (e.g., mammalian adenoviruses) or Aviadenovirus (e.g., avian adenoviruses). The adenovirus is of any serotype. Adenoviral stocks that can be employed as a source of adenovirus can be amplified from the adenoviral serotypes 1 through 47, which are currently available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Rockville, Md.), or from any other serotype of adenovirus available from any other source. For instance, an adenovirus can be of subgroup A (e.g., serotypes 12, 18, and 31), subgroup B (e.g., serotypes 3, 7, 11, 14, 16, 21, 34, and 35), subgroup C (e.g., serotypes 1, 2, 5, and 6), subgroup D (e.g., serotypes 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22-30, 32, 33, 36-39, and 42-47), subgroup E (serotype 4), subgroup F (serotypes 40 and 41), or any other adenoviral serotype. Preferably, however, an adenovirus is of serotypes 2, 5 or 9. Desirably, an adenovirus comprises coat proteins (e.g., penton base, hexon, and/or fiber) of the same serotype. However, also preferably, one or more coat proteins can be chimeric, in the sense, for example, that all or a part of a given coat protein can be from another serotype.
Although the viral vector, which is preferably an adenoviral vector, can be replication-competent, preferably, the viral vector is replication-deficient or conditionally replication-deficient. For example, the viral vector which is preferably an adenoviral vector, comprises a genome with at least one modification that renders the virus replication-deficient. The modification to the viral genome includes, but is not limited to, deletion of a DNA segment, addition of a DNA segment, rearrangement of a DNA segment, replacement of a DNA segment, or introduction of a DNA lesion. A DNA segment can be as small as one nucleotide or as large as 36 kilobase pairs, i.e., the approximate size of the adenoviral genome, or 38 kilobase pairs, which is the maximum amount that can be packaged into an adenoviral virion. Preferred modifications to the viral, in particular adenoviral, genome include, in addition to a modification that renders the virus replication-deficient, the insertion of a transgene and, additionally and preferably, at least one gene encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response to the recombinant vector comprising a transgene. A virus, such as an adenovirus, also preferably can be a cointegrate, i.e., a ligation of viral, such as adenoviral, genomic sequences with other sequences, such as those of a plasmid, phage or other virus.
In terms of an adenoviral vector (particularly a replication-deficient adenoviral vector), such a vector can comprise either complete capsids (i.e., including a viral genome, such as an adenoviral genome) or empty capsids (i.e., in which a viral genome is lacking, or is degraded, e.g., by physical or chemical means). Preferably, the viral vector comprises complete capsids, i.e., as a means of carrying a transgene and, optionally, at least one gene encoding an inhibiting means. Alternatively, preferably, a transgene and at least one inhibiting gene, as defined above, is carried into a cell on the outside of the adenoviral capsid.
To the extent that it is preferable or desirable to target a virus, such as an adenovirus, to a particular cell, the virus can be employed essentially as an endosomolytic agent in the transfer into a cell of plasmid DNA, which contains a marker gene and is complexed and condensed with polylysine covalently linked to a cell-binding ligand, such as transferrin (Cotten et al., PNAS (USA), 89, 6094-6098 (1992); and Curiel et al., PNAS (USA), 88, 8850-8854 (1991)). It has been demonstrated that coupling of the transferrin-polylysine/DNA complex and adenovirus (e.g., by means of an adenovirus-directed antibody, with transglutaminase, or via a biotin/streptavidin bridge) substantially enhances gene transfer (Wagner et al., PNAS (USA), 89, 6099-6103 (1992)).
Alternatively, one or more viral coat proteins, such as the adenoviral fiber, can be modified, for example, either by incorporation of sequences for a ligand to a cell-surface receptor or sequences that allow binding to a bispecific antibody (i.e., a molecule with one end having specificity for the fiber, and the other end having specificity for a cell-surface receptor) (PCT international patent application no. WO 95/26412 (the ""412 application) and Watkins et al., xe2x80x9cTargeting Adenovirus-Mediated Gene Delivery with Recombinant Antibodies,xe2x80x9d Abst. No. 336). In both cases, the typical fiber/cell-surface receptor interactions are abrogated, and the virus, such as an adenovirus, is redirected to a new cell-surface receptor by means of its fiber.
Alternatively, a targeting element, which is capable of binding specifically to a selected cell type, can be coupled to a first molecule of a high affinity binding pair and administered to a host cell (PCT international patent application no. WO 95/31566). Then, a gene delivery vehicle coupled to a second molecule of the high affinity binding pair can be administered to the host cell, wherein the second molecule is capable of specifically binding to the first molecule, such that the gene delivery vehicle is targeted to the selected cell type.
Along the same lines, since methods (e.g., electroporation, transformation, conjugation of triparental mating, (co-)transfection, (co-) infection, membrane fusion, use of microprojectiles, incubation with calcium phospate-DNA precipitate, direct microinjection; etc.) are available for transferring viruses, plasmids, and phages in the form of their nucleic acid sequences (i.e., RNA or DNA), a vector similarly can comprise RNA or DNA, in the absence of any associated protein, such as capsid protein, and in the absence of any envelope lipid. Similarly, since liposomes effect cell entry by fusing with cell membranes, a vector can comprise liposomes, with constitutive nucleic acids encoding the coat protein. Such liposomes are commercially available, for instance, from Life Technologies, Bethesda, Md., and can be used according to the recommendation of the manufacturer. Moreover, a liposome can be used to effect gene delivery and liposomes having increased tranfer capacity and/or reduced toxicity in vivo can be used. The soluble chimeric coat protein (as produced using methods described herein) can be added to the liposomes either after the liposomes are prepared according to the manufacturer""s instructions, or during the preparation of the liposomes.
The vectors according to the invention are not limited to those that can be employed in the method of the invention, but also include intermediary-type vectors (e.g., xe2x80x9ctransfer vectorsxe2x80x9d) that can be employed in the construction of gene transfer vectors.
A transgene and/or a gene encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response can be moved to or from a viral vector from or into baculovirus or a suitable prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression vector for expression of mRNA and production of protein, and for evaluation of other biochemical characteristics.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding a TNF receptor fusion protein comprising the extracellular domain of a TNF receptor, preferably TNF receptor I, and the xcex1 chain of CD8. Such a vector can further comprise a transgene. Preferably, the recombinant vector is a viral vector. More preferably, the viral vector is selected from the group consisting of an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes viral vector and a retroviral vector. Most preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector.
Also provided by the present invention is a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding a Fas receptor fusion protein comprising the extracellular domain of the Fas receptor and either of the xcex1 chain of CD8 or an IgG (or a functional fragment thereof). Such a vector can further comprise a transgene. Preferably, the recombinant vector is a viral vector. More preferably, the viral vector is selected from the group consisting of an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes viral vector and a retroviral vector. Most preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector.
The present invention further provides a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding an IFN receptor fusion protein. Such a vector can further comprise a transgene. Preferably, the recombinant vector is a viral vector. More preferably, the viral vector is selected from the group consisting of an adenoviral vector, an adeno-associated viral vector, a herpes viral vector and a retroviral vector. Most preferably, the viral vector is an adenoviral vector.
Recombinant baculoviral and prokaryotic and eukaryotic plasmids and expression vectors comprising a transgene and/or a gene encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response are also provided by the present invention.
In terms of the production of vectors according to the invention (including recombinant adenoviral vectors and transfer vectors), such vectors can be constructed using standard molecular and genetic techniques, such as those known to those skilled in the art. Vectors comprising virions or viral particles (e.g., recombinant adenoviral vectors) can be produced using viral vectors in the appropriate cell lines. Similarly, particles comprising one or more chimeric coat proteins can be produced in standard cell lines, e.g., those currently used for adenoviral vectors. These resultant particles then can be targeted to specific cells, if desired.
Alterations of native amino acid sequences to produce variant proteins and peptides for targeting or expression as a transgene, for example, can be done by a variety of means known to those skilled in the art. A variant peptide is a peptide that is substantially homologous to a given peptide, but which has an amino acid sequence that differs from that peptide. The degree of homology (i.e., percent identity) can be determined, for instance, by comparing sequence information using a computer program optimized for such comparison (e.g., using the GAP computer program, version 6.0 or a higher version, described by Devereux et al. (Nucleic Acids Res., 12, 387 (1984)), and freely available from the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group (UWGCG)). The activity of the variant proteins and/or peptides can be assessed using other methods known to those skilled in the art.
In terms of amino acid residues that are not identical between the variant protein (peptide) and the reference protein (peptide), the variant proteins (peptides) preferably comprise conservative amino acid substitutions, i.e., such that a given amino acid is substituted by another amino acid of similar size, charge density, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, and/or configuration (e.g., Val for Phe). The variant site-specific mutations can be introduced by ligating into an expression vector a synthesized oligonucleotide comprising the modified site. Alternately, oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis procedures can be used, such as those disclosed in Walder et al., Gene, 42, 133 (1986); Bauer et al., Gene, 37, 73 (1985); Craik, Biotechniques, January 1995, pp. 12-19; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,584 and 4,737,462.
Any appropriate expression vector (e.g., as described in Pouwels et al., Cloning Vectors: A Laboratory Manual (Elsevior, N.Y.: 1985)) and corresponding suitable host cell can be employed for production of a recombinant peptide or protein in a host cell. Expression hosts include, but are not limited to, bacterial species within the genera Escherichia, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, mammalian or insect host cell systems, including baculoviral systems (e.g., as described by Luckow et al., Bio/Technology, 6, 47 (1988)), and established cell lines, such as COS-7, C127, 3T3, CHO, HeLa, BHK, and the like. An especially preferred expression system for preparing chimeric proteins (peptides) according to the invention is the baculoviral expression system wherein Trichoplusia ni, Tn 5B1-4 insect cells, or other appropriate insect cells, are used to produce high levels of recombinant proteins. The ordinary skilled artisan is, of course, aware that the choice of expression host has ramifications for the type of peptide produced. For instance, the glycosylation of peptides produced in yeast or mammalian cells (e.g., COS-7 cells) will differ from that of peptides produced in bacterial cells, such as Escherichia coli.
Covalently-bound complexes can be prepared by linking a chemical moiety to a functional group on the side chain of an amino acid of a peptide or protein or at the N- or C-terminus of the peptide or protein. Such modifications can be particularly useful, for instance, in constructing a bispecific or a multispecific molecule comprising a ligand to a cell-surface receptor attached to an antibody. Further modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Viral attachment, entry and gene expression can be evaluated initially by using the adenoviral vector containing the insert of interest to generate a recombinant virus expressing the desired protein or RNA and a marker gene, such as xcex2-galactosidase. xcex2-galactosidase expression in cells infected with adenovirus containing the xcex2-galactosidase gene (Ad-LacZ) can be detected as early as two hours after adding Ad-Gluc to cells. This procedure provides a quick and efficient analysis of cell entry of the recombinant virus and gene expression, and is implemented readily by an artisan of ordinary skill using conventional techniques.
A vector of the present invention has utility in vitro. Such a vector can be used as a research tool in the study of viral clearance and persistence and in a method of assessing the efficacy of means of circumventing an immune response. Similarly, a vector, preferably a viral vector, specifically an adenoviral vector, which comprises a transgene and/or at least one gene encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response, can be employed in vivo.
In particular, recombinant viruses, such as adenoviruses, of the present invention can be used to treat any one of a number of diseases by delivering to cells corrective DNA, e.g., DNA encoding a function that is either absent or impaired. Diseases that are candidates for such treatment include, for example, cancer, e.g., melanoma or glioma, cystic fibrosis, genetic disorders, and pathogenic infections, including HIV infection.
Other applications of the method and constituents of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that many suitable methods of administering a recombinant vector (particularly an adenoviral vector) and means of inhibiting an immune response of the present invention to an animal (see, for example, Rosenfeld et al., Science, 252, 431-434 (1991); Jaffe et al., Clin. Res., 39(2), 302A (1991); Rosenfeld et al., Clin. Res., 39(2), 311A (1991); Berkner, BioTechniques, 6, 616-629 (1988)) are available, and, although more than one route can be used for administration, a particular route can provide a more immediate and more effective reaction than another route. Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients for use in administering the recombinant vector and/or means of inhibiting an immune response also are well-known to those who are skilled in the art, and are readily available. The choice of excipient will be determined in part by the particular method used to administer the recombinant vector and for means of inhibiting an immune response. Accordingly, the present invention provides a composition comprising a recombinant vector encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response, alone or in further combination with a transgene, in a suitable carrier, and there is a wide variety of suitable formulations for use in the context of the present invention. In particular, the present invention provides a composition comprising a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding a TNF receptor fusion protein comprising the extracellular domain of TNF receptor I and the xcex1 chain of CD8 and a carrier therefor. The recombinant vector can further comprise a transgene. The present invention also provides a composition comprising a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding a Fas receptor fusion protein comprising the extracellular domain of the Fas receptor and either of the xcex1 chain of CD8 or an IgG (or a functional fragment thereof) and a carrier therefor. This recombinant vector also can further comprise a transgene. Also provided is a composition comprising a recombinant vector comprising ICSBP DBD and either of the xcex1 chain of CDB or an IgG (or a functional fragment thereof). Similarly, this recombinant vector can further comprise a transgene. Such compositions can further comprise other active agents, such as therapeutic or prophylactic agents and/or immunosuppressive agents as are known in the art.
The following methods and excipients are merely exemplary and are in no way limiting.
Formulations suitable for oral administration can consist of (a) liquid solutions, such as an effective amount of the compound dissolved in diluents, such as water, saline, or orange juice; (b) capsules, sachets or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient, as solids or granules; (c) suspensions in an appropriate liquid; and (d) suitable emulsions. Tablet forms can include one or more of lactose, mannitol, corn starch, potato starch, microcrystalline cellulose, acacia, gelatin, colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, talc, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, and other excipients, colorants, diluents, buffering agents, moistening agents, preservatives, flavoring agents, and pharmacologically compatible excipients. Lozenge forms can comprise the active ingredient in a flavor, usually sucrose and acacia or tragacanth, as well as pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert base, such as gelatin and glycerin, emulsions, gels, and the like containing, in addition to the active ingredient, such excipients as are known in the art.
Aerosol formulations can be made for administration via inhalation. These aerosol formulations can be placed into pressurized acceptable propellants, such as dichlorodifluoromethane, propane, nitrogen, and the like. They also can be formulated as pharmaceuticals for non-pressurized preparations, such as in a nebulizer or an atomizer.
Formulations suitable for parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous, isotonic sterile injection solutions, which can contain anti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats, and solutes that render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the intended recipient, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions that can include suspending agents, solubilizers, thickening agents, stabilizers, and preservatives. The formulations can be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose sealed containers, such as ampules and vials, and can be stored in a freeze-dried (lyophilized) condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid excipient, for example, water, for injections, immediately prior to use. Extemporaneous injection solutions and suspensions can be prepared from sterile powders, granules, and tablets of the kind previously described.
Additionally, suppositories can be made with the use of a variety of bases, such as emulsifying bases or water-soluble bases.
Formulations suitable for vaginal administration can be presented as pessaries, tampons, creams, gels, pastes, foams, or spray formulas containing, in addition to the active ingredient, such carriers as are known in the art to be appropriate.
The dose administered to an animal, particularly a human, in the context of the present invention will vary with the transgene of interest, source of vector and/or means of inhibiting an immune response, the composition employed, the method of administration, and the particular site and organism being treated. However, preferably, a dose corresponding to an effective amount of a vector (e.g., an adenoviral vector according to the invention) is employed. An xe2x80x9ceffective amountxe2x80x9d is one that is sufficient to produce the desired effect in a host, which can be monitored using several end-points known to those skilled in the art. For instance, one desired effect is nucleic acid transfer to a host cell. Such transfer can be monitored by a variety of means, including, but not limited to, a therapeutic effect (e.g., alleviation of some symptom associated with the disease, condition, disorder or syndrome being treated), or by evidence of the transferred gene or coding sequence or its expression within the host (e.g., using the polymerase chain reaction, Northern or Southern hybridizations, or transcription assays to detect the nucleic acid in host cells, or using immunoblot analysis, antibody-mediated detection, or particularized assays to detect protein or polypeptide encoded by the transferred nucleic acid, or impacted in level or function due to such transfer). These methods described are by no means all-inclusive, and further methods to suit the specific application will be apparent to the ordinary skilled artisan. In this regard, it should be noted that the response of a host to the introduction of a vector, such as a viral vector, in particular an adenoviral vector, as well as a vector encoding a means of inhibiting an immune response, can vary depending on the dose of virus administered, the site of delivery, and the genetic makeup of the vector as well as the transgene and the means of inhibiting an immune response.
Generally, to ensure effective transfer of the vectors of the present invention, it is preferable that about 1 to about 5,000 copies of the vector according to the invention be employed per cell to be contacted, based on an approximate number of cells to be contacted in view of the given route of administration, and it is even more preferable that about 3 to about 300 pfu enter each cell. However, this is merely a general guideline, which by no means precludes use of a higher or lower amount, as might be warranted in a particular application, either in vitro or in vivo. Similarly, the amount of a means of inhibiting an immune response, if in the form of a composition comprising a protein, should be sufficient to inhibit an immune response to the recombinant vector comprising the transgene. For example, the actual dose and schedule can vary depending on whether the composition is administered in combination with other pharmaceutical compositions, or depending on interindividual differences in pharmacokinetics, drug disposition, and metabolism. Similarly, amounts can vary in in vitro applications, depending on the particular cell type targeted or the means by which the vector is transferred. One skilled in the art easily can make any necessary adjustments in accordance with the necessities of the particular situation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There are a variety of known Digital-to-Analog (D/A) converters which convert a signal in digital form to analog form. One particular type of D/A converter is a current D/A converter which utilizes current sources controlled by a digital input signal value which is being converted into an analog equivalent. Current D/A converters utilize resistors to translate a current provided by the current sources into a voltage.
Each current source can be implemented to provide a predetermined value of current. In one form, each current source provides a different amount of current, each value being a binary two multiple. Such converters are commonly said to be binarily weighted. In another form, each current source may be implemented to provide the same amount of current, wherein the D/A converter is called a monotonic converter. Monotonic converters require more current sources than binarily weighted converters to implement the same amount of resolution. However, binarily weighted converters are often not monotonic. Monotonic converters are characterized by the fact that when increasing input signal values are provided to the converter, the output never decreases in value. Binarily weighted converters are not typically monotonic because of error in precisely implementing each current source value. Due to the fact that current source values may vary over a wide range, it is possible that in binarily weighted current source converters that an output value can decrease when an input code is actually increased (i.e. non-montonic). The lack of monotonicity is very undesirable in many control applications in which D/A converters find wide usage. However, for higher resolution requirements, a monotonic converter having 2.sup.N equal valued current sources as opposed to N binarily weighted current sources may be prohibitive in size largely due to the size of an associated binary-to-thermometer digital decoder. The amount of erroneous variation in output value between two successive input codes is commonly referred to as differential nonlinearity. The maximum deviation in output value, for all code values, from the predetermined ideal output value with the corresponding input code is referred to as the integral nonlinearity. In contrast with the differential nonlinearity, the integral nonlinearity of a monotonic data converter typically results from a summation of erroneous output signal variations between several successive input codes. A data converter will have perfect differential and integral linearity if the change in output signal for successive input codes is always equal to a predetermined amount. This occurs when each component value, such as a current source value, is precise and has an expected value. Because process and manufacturing variations typically result in some degree of component variation, known data converters have a certain amount of differential and integral nonlinearity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention generally relates to gas generants used for inflating occupant safety restraints in motor vehicles.
Inflatable occupant restraint devices for motor vehicles have been under development worldwide for many years including the development of gas generating compositions for inflating such occupant restraints. Because of the strict requirements related to toxicity of the inflating gases, most, if not all, gas generants now in use are based on azides, particularly sodium azide.
However, the use of sodium azide, or other azides for that matter, results in extra expense and risk in gas generant manufacture because of the extreme toxicity of azides. In addition, the potential hazard and disposal problem of unfired inflation devices must be considered. Accordingly, nonazide gas generants provide significant advantages over azide-based gas generants with respect to these types of toxicity related concerns. Moreover, most azide-free gas generant compositions provide a higher yield of gas (moles of gas per gram of gas generant) than conventional occupant restraint gas generants.
Although an azide-free gas generating composition offers numerous advantages over an azide-based gas generant, one difficulty with the former involves reducing the production of toxic substances upon combustion to sufficiently low levels. The most difficult toxic gases to control are the various oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) and carbon monoxide (CO). This problem stems from the nature of azide-free gas generants, which consist of carbon and nitrogen containing ingredients. Upon combustion, these ingredients produce small, yet undesirable levels of NO.sub.x and CO, along with the desired products of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
In combustion processes involving compounds containing both nitrogen and carbon, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the CO or NO.sub.x by manipulating the ratio of oxidizer to fuel, but this leads to a dilemma. On one hand, increasing the ratio of oxidizer to fuel minimizes the CO, because the extra oxygen oxidizes the CO to carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, however, this approach results in increased amounts of NO.sub.x. On the other hand, if the ratio of oxidizer to fuel is lowered to eliminate excess oxygen and to provide a fuel rich condition which reduces the amount of NO.sub.x produced, then increased amounts of CO are produced.
Even though it is possible, by means of chemical equilibrium calculations, to find conditions of temperature, pressure, and gas generant composition which could reduce both NO.sub.x and CO to nontoxic levels, it has been very difficult to accomplish this result in actual practice.
This problem has heretofore been addressed in, for example, U. S. Pat. No. 5,139,588 which describes the use of additives consisting of alkali metal salts of organic acids to reduce the amount of NO.sub.x produced upon combustion of gas generants. The fuels used in these gas generants were from a group consisting of triazole, aminotetrazole, tetrazole, bitetrazole and metal salts of these compounds. These fuels are all energetic materials which result in high combustion temperatures. High combustion temperatures result in higher CO and NO.sub.x levels and although using excess oxygen to reduce CO levels and additives to reduce NO.sub.x levels improves the resulting gases, meeting existing toxicity requirements is still difficult.
One way to improve the toxicity of the combustion gases is to reduce the combustion temperature which would reduce the initial concentrations of both CO and NO.sub.x. Although simple in theory, it is difficult in practice to reduce the combustion temperature and to also retain a sufficiently high gas generant burn rate for practical automobile airbag applications. The burn rate of the gas generant is important to insure that the inflator will operate readily and properly. As a general rule, the burn rate of the gas generant decreases as the combustion temperature decreases. By using less energetic fuels, specifically fuels which produce less heat upon combustion, the combustion temperature may be reduced but the gas generant burn rate is also reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for converting pitch into fibers. More particularly the invention concerns a process for flash-spinning pitch into plexifilamentary fibers and the fibers produced thereby. The fibers, particularly those formed from mesophase-forming pitch, are suitable as precursors for "carbon" or "graphite" reinforcing fibers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Processes for preparing carbon or graphite fibers of very high Young's modulus of elasticity and very high tensile strength are disclosed, for example, by Singer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,183, "High Modulus, High Strength Carbon Fibers Produced from Mesophase Pitch", and by Diefendorf et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,267, "Forming Optically Anisotropic Pitches", which disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference. In these known processes the anisotropic or mesophase content of the pitch is increased to a concentration in the range of 40 to well over 90% by a first step in which a coal-tar or petroleum pitch is heat soaked or solvent extracted. Singer discloses heating the starting pitch in an inert atmosphere at temperatures in the range of 350.degree. to 450.degree. C. for a time sufficient to produce a pitch with a mesophase content in the range of 40 to 90%, the lower temperature requiring as much as a week and the higher temperatures, between 1-40 hours. Diefendorf et al discloses washing the starting pitch with solvent (e.g., benzene) and drying the benzene insoluble fraction. After the heat soaking or solvent extraction, fibers are prepared by (a) melting the thusly prepared mesophase pitch at a temperature in the range of about 340.degree. to 380.degree. C., (b) melt spinning, centrifugal spinning or blow spinning the molten pitch into fibers, (c) setting and stabilizing the fibers and (d) then graphitizing the fibers at a temperature in the range of 2,500.degree. to 3,000.degree. C. Generally, the fibers produced from molten pitch by the known processes (i.e., step b above) are very brittle and difficult to handle. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a process for preparing precursors for stabilization (i.e., step c above) that are less fragile and easier to handle than the precursor fibers of the known processes and to provide carbon fibers having a high surface area for use in absorption and filtration applications.
Techniques for flash-spinning synthetic, crystalline, organic polymers into fibers in the form of plexifilamentary strands are disclosed by Blades et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,519. According to Blades et al, the crystalline polymer is dissolved in an organic solvent and then, at a temperature above the boiling point of the solvent and under at least autogenous pressure, the polymer solution is extruded through an orifice into a region of lower temperature and substantially lower pressure, whereby the solvent flash-evaporates and a plexifilamentary fibrous structure is formed and cooled. Among the many crystalline polymers disclosed as suitable for use in the process are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyhexamethylene adipamide, polycaprolactam, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. Polyhydrocarbons, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, are preferred. However, Blades et al does not disclose flash-spinning of non-crystalline materials, such as pitch, or the making of carbon or graphite fibers. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The use of valving to control fluid flow has countless applications. One type of common line valve is the Y pattern globe valve which has an inlet passage, an outlet passage and a control stem passage containing the valve stem movable within the body of the valve with the passages generally intersecting in a Y pattern. The movable valve stem will typically have sealing structure which moves into sealing engagement with a portion of the valve body to stop flow between the inlet and outlet passages when the valve is to be closed. The valve stem can be retracted to permit flow between the inlet and outlet passages to open the valve.
A large number of valves, including the Y pattern globe valve, employ soft seals to act between a valve stem and valve body seat. In high pressure applications, particularly in flow of high pressure gas in the 6000 psi range, as the valve stem moves toward the valve body seat, the soft seal typically is extruded outward and under the retaining element retaining the soft seal on the valve stem. This extrusion causes small amounts of the soft seal to be sheared off with each open and close cycle. This shearing activity reduces the volume of the seal over time, which can result in leaking due to improper contact with the valve body seat, and even a seal blowout.
A need exists to develop a valve having a seal which is not extruded during each cycle of the valve between the open and closed position. This need becomes particularly acute when the valve is in a high pressure gas line having maximum pressures of approximately 6000 psi and above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a method and device which are applied to an apparatus where an optical head and a recording medium reciprocate relative to each other to record and reproduce desired information onto and from the medium, for determining whether or not a specific portion of the medium where information is to be recorded is a blank area having no information recorded thereon (i.e., whether or not the specific portion is available for recording information), and also relates to a method and device for verifying whether or not information recording has been performed correctly on a specific portion of a recording medium (i.e., the propriey of the recorded information).
To newly record information onto a write-once type optical information recording medium such as an optical card, a specific portion (track) of the medium where the information is to be recorded (i.e., a track to be used for recording information) must of course be a blank area having no information recorded thereon, and thus it is necessary to determine in advance whether the track is a blank area or not. Such a determination as to whether the track to be used for recording is a blank area or not has conventionally been performed in the art by reading out predetermined information registered in a directory area.
Further, after information has been recorded on the recording medium, it is necessary to ascertain or verify whether the information recording has been performed correctly. To this end, it has been customary, as typically disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 55-122216, to perform information recording only during the forward travel, in a relative reciprocating movement, of the recording medium and then perform information reproduction only during the backward travel of the recording medium so as to verify the propriety or correctness of the newly recorded information.
However, the first-mentioned approach of determining whether a portion of the recording medium where information is to be recorded is a blank area or not by reading out information registered in the directory area is not satisfactory in that it involves an extra readout determination operation associated with the readout of the registered information, thus requiring a considerably long time in determining the availability of that portion.
The second-mentioned approach of verifying the propriety of the newly recorded information during the backward travel of the recording medium is also disadvantageous in that it provides poor recording efficiency and is time consuming, because information recording is permitted only during the forward travel. Further, because the verification of the recorded information is performed by reproducing the recorded information in the direction opposite to the information recording direction, an extra circuit is required for reversing the time series of the reproduced information or information to be recorded. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a distributed processing system which provides a composite function by combining independent functions such as a data input function, data output function, and the like, and its control method.
Conventionally, a distributed document processing system that connects independent function devices such as input devices including an image scanner, digital camera, facsimile receiver, and the like, and output devices including a printer, facsimile transmitter, and the like via a network, and provides a composite function by combining the functions of these independent function devices have been extensively developed and studied. Likewise, a multi-function product (MFP) that integrates the functions of the independent function devices in a single housing is required to extract its internal independent function and to combine it with the function of another device via a network so as to flexibly implement various composite functions.
As a programming model that allows to easily provide functions in information processing devices distributed in the network, remote procedure call (RPC) and distributed object techniques are prevalent. The distributed object technique corresponds to an object-oriented software model expanded to a distributed system, and allows an object on a given node to call an operation for an object on another network node (through the network) in the same procedure as a procedure in which an object on a given network node calls an operation for another object on the identical node.
In document processing including document input and output processes, flexible collaboration of a plurality of functions can be achieved by applying the distributed object technique. As proposals of a system based on the distributed object, which considers distributed processes other than information processes such as pure computations, JINI as an application of Java proposed by Sun Microsystems, and a common facility for a print process in CORBA proposed by Object Management Group (OMG) are known.
When various devices for document processes connected to the network can be controlled by the distributed object technique, a flexible client application which can freely combine various devices that provide objects based on a predetermined interface can be easily described.
By making an application execute the following operations, a client application that can dynamically cope with a change in control interface upon expansion of devices or the like can be easily described. First, the application dynamically inquires of a node which provides an object about an interface for operating that object. Second, the application dynamically acquires interface information of a stub which hides a communication with a server object which is located at a remote place and actually provides services. Third, the application dynamically downloads a proxy object.
However, in the prior art, the following problems are posed upon combining the functions of document processing devices on an operation environment of the client application.
More specifically, a case will be examined below wherein a client application that implements a required combined function by combining document processing devices which are connected via a network and have independent and composite functions is described, and especially, document input and output devices are combined. For example, an image scanner as the document input device and an image printer as the document output device are combined to realize a network-distributed copying machine. In such case, a client application calls a scan function of the image scanner to acquire image data of a document image. In general, the image data has a very large data size. The client application then calls a print function of the image printer, and proceeds with transfer of image data acquired by the scanner to the printer. In this way, when viewed from the client application, an application can be described using simple, integrated function calls regardless of the locations of objects and network nodes. Therefore, various document processing devices can be easily combined. However, the following problems are posed.
That is, since image data transfer processes from the scanner to the client application and then from the client application to the printer are executed, heavy communication traffic is produced on the network. The operation environment of the client application requires a large storage area, which occupies most of the storage capacity. Since these problems consume precious resources in large quantities, the cost problem is posed.
Especially, even when document image data is not used in practice like in a case wherein the printer goes to an error state after the beginning of document input from the scanner, image data is transferred from the scanner to the client application. For this reason, dead communication traffic increases on the network, and the storage area for the operation of the client application is wasted. Also, even when the scanner and printer as independent devices operate in combination, two transfer processes of image data from the scanner to the client application and from the client application to the printer are required, thus increasing dead communication traffic on the network and wasting the storage area for the operation of the client application.
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems, and has as its first object to provide a distributed processing system which includes devices that can be controlled by the distributed object technique, and is advantageous in terms of cost since it does not temporarily store image data upon operation of a client application to obviate the need for a large storage area as an operation environment of the client, and its control method.
It is the second object of the present invention to provide a distributed processing system which avoids data transfer processes from an input device to a client application and from the client application to an output device to reduce network traffic, and its control method.
It is the third object of the present invention to provide a distributed processing system which can reduce network traffic by decreasing the storage capacity required to operate a client application without using any network resources for document data transfer, when an object for a document input process and an object for a document output process provided by a single MFP are combined by the client application, and which can implement special control upon combining the input and output functions in the single MPF without impairing flexibility and expandability of combinations of distributed objects, since the client application and the document input and output objects make that control in the same procedure as that of normal distributed object control, and its control method.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
A distributed processing system comprises:
a first device which saves a driver module that is executed by an external device to achieve a predetermined function; and
a controller for acquiring the driver module from the first device, and transmitting the driver module to a second device that uses the first device, and the second device drives the first device by executing the driver module.
Preferably, the first device is a document input device, the second device is a document output device, and the first and second devices are connected to the controller via a network.
Preferably, the first device is a document output device, the second device is a document input device, and the first and second devices are connected to the controller via a network.
Preferably, the system further comprises a management unit for managing information which pertains to the driver module the first device saves, and the controller acquires the driver module from the first device by looking up the information managed by the management unit.
Preferably, when the first device is connected to the management unit, the first device sends information which pertains to the driver module the first device saves to the management unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a network device controlled by a control apparatus connected to a network, comprises:
a receiving unit for receiving a driver module, which makes another device connected to the network execute a predetermined function, from the control apparatus; and
a communication unit for making the other device execute the function provided by the driver module, and transmitting/receiving data to/from the other device in association with the function under the control of the control apparatus.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a driver server comprises:
a first storage unit for storing driver modules to be executed by a given device so as to allow the given device to use another device connected to a network; and
a table for managing the driver modules stored in the first storage unit so as to be searchable by the given device.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to an improved process for preparing asymmetric isoindoline pigments having high brilliance and color strength and good light- and weather-fastness.
Compounds of formula I are valuable organic pigments previously described in the literature. Such compounds are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,991,054, 4,166,179, 4,316,023, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,815, and in Canadian Patent 1,140,130. These references, however, disclose processes that require an initial preparation of 1-amino-3-iminoisoindoline (also known as 1,3-diiminoisoindoline) (formula A) ##STR2## or ring-substituted derivatives thereof from 1,2 -dicyanobenzene and ammonia. Cf. F. Baumann et. al., Angew. Chem., 68, 133-150 (1956). Among the technical and economical disadvantages of these methods is the need to convert 1,2-dicyanobenzene into this intermediate in an additional step when compared to the s process of the present invention. In addition, the need to handle ammonia causes safety and environmental problems.
The use of dialkoxy isoindolines instead of 1-amino-3-amino-isoindoline avoids the need for ammonia. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,718 discloses a method using alcoholate bases (formed in situ from a strong base in an alcohol) to convert 1,2-dicyanobenzene into intermediate mixtures analogous to those of formula VIII (see below). The disclosed method, however, was used to form only symmetric bis(cyanomethylene) compounds.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,646,033 and 3,794,659 disclose a stepwise method for using 1-amino-3-amino-isoindoline, dialkoxy isoindolines, and other such reactive isoindoline derivatives to prepare asymmetric isoindoline derivatives. These patents, however, teach the importance of removing impurities from isolated intermediates and thus, do not suggest methods in which intermediates are not isolated. In addition, these patents exemplify the preparation of compounds different from those of the present invention.
Therefore, an object of the present invention was to develop a procedure for synthesizing isoindoline pigments of formula I in pure asymmetric form and without the use of ammonia and 1-amino-3-amino-isoindoline and without the need to isolate intermediates. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, gaming machine manufacturers continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a secondary or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “base” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the base game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the base game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the base game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. The bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games and is attractive to both players and operators. Still, there is a continuing need to develop gaming machines with new functions and features to satisfy the demands of players and operators.
One attempt to develop gaming machines with new functions and features involves adding a secondary display to the gaming machine. Gaming machines historically have only one display unit for displaying the base and any bonus games. A secondary display expands the range of possible new functions and features that may be implemented on the gaming machine. The secondary display may be mounted in the gaming machine by installing it in an upper section of the gaming machine, called a “top box.” Such a top box may have different shapes, sizes, themes, and so forth, and may house different types of displays (e.g., CRT, LCD, transmissive display, etc.) depending on the particular design of the gaming machine.
The top box must allow access to the secondary display for maintenance and repair purposes without having to remove the entire top box. To this end, a door or hatch is typically mounted adjacent to the top box, usually on the front wall thereof. Repair and maintenance may then be performed on the secondary display via the door or hatch. The door or hatch typically has a locking mechanism that prevents unauthorized access to the gaming machine. A person may unlock the locking mechanism by operating a release mechanism located in the main body of the gaming machine (e.g., underneath the button panel of the gaming machine).
However, connecting a release mechanism in the main body of the gaming machine to a locking mechanism in the top box presents certain manufacturing challenges. For one thing, assembly of the gaming machine is made more difficult because the release mechanism must be manually connected to the locking mechanism at some point during the assembly (it is not practical to connect the two components ahead of time). This is exacerbated by the fact that the top box, cabinet, and any hatch door release mechanisms are often located in the same area and attached to the same release handle. Also, decisions regarding which type of top box to use must be made well in advance to ensure compatibility between any locking mechanism and release mechanism required. Thus, a need exists for a gaming machine with a locking mechanism that does not require manual connection to a release mechanism and can also be mounted or installed independently of the release mechanism (i.e., preinstalled). The present invention is directed to satisfying one or more of these needs and solving other problems as well. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to agents for and methods of treating synthetic fibers. The false-twisting speed for synthetic fibers are increasing fast in recent years. Most recently, false-twisting apparatus equipped with a non-contact type heater are coming to be used to carry out the false-twisting and draft processes simultaneously at a speed exceeding 1000 m/minute. At such a high yarn speed, the friction between the running yarn and guide members, static electricity which is generated on the running yarn and the abrasion of the running yarn against the sludge operate together in a compounded manner, causing abnormal tension variations in the yarn. If such an abnormal tension variation occurs in the running yarn, the false-twisted yarn which is obtained contains unevenness in filament fineness and uneven crystallinity, dyeing specks appearing as a result. Thus, this invention relates to agents for and methods of treating synthetic fibers with and by which occurrence of abnormal tension variations in running yarn can be prevented even during a false-twisting process at a high speed such that high-quality false-twisted yarns without having dyeing specks can be obtained.
Examples of prior art agents for treating synthetic fibers with which false-twisted yarns with good yarn quality can be obtained even by a high-speed false-twisting process include: (1) those having a polyether compound as principal component (Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 49-31996, 50-155795, 50-199796, 4-24088 and 8-325949 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,541); (2) those using a polyether compound together with polyether modified silicon or a fluoride (Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 60-181368, Tokko 6-21380 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,56,1987); and (3) those using a polyether compound together with an organic salt of organic carboxylic acid anions and quaternary ammonium cations having alkyl group or alkenyl group with 5 or less carbon atoms (Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 9-111659). If such a prior art agent is used to carry out draft and false-twisting processes simultaneously at a high speed over 1000 m/minute and if, in particular, this is done by using a false-twisting apparatus of a recent type equipped with a non-contact type heater, however, it is not possible to fully prevent the occurrence of tension variations in the running yarn and false-twisted yarns of a sufficiently high quality cannot be obtained.
The problem, to which the present invention is addressed, is therefore that prior art agents for treating synthetic fibers cannot fully prevent the occurrence of tension variations in the running yarn in a high-speed false-twisting process and only false-twisted yarns of an inferior quality can be obtained.
This invention is based on the present inventors""s discovery that the above and other problems can be successfully addressed to if use is made of an agent for the treatment containing a lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant and a specified kind of amphoteric surfactant at a specified ratio and, in particular, if such an agent for the treatment is attached at a specified rate to spun synthetic fibers before they are subjected simultaneously to draft and false-twisting processes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weighing machines that start weighing an object automatically.
2. Related Art
A known weighing machine starts weighing an object when it senses that the object is placed on its weighing platform. A weighing machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,596, for example, starts weighing when it senses that a mechanical switch disposed under the weighing platform is turned on. This type of weighing machine saves the user from operating a power switch of the weighing machine and is convenient for use.
The mechanical switch, however, has a high possibility of becoming defective because of wear or the like through the repetition of the on-off operation, and could decrease the durability of the weighing machine. Another problem is that a built-in mechanical switch could increase the thickness of the weighing machine, degrading the stability. In addition, lower-power weighing machines with improved weighing precision are needed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Delivery of drugs to a patient is performed in a number of ways. For example, intravenous delivery is by injection directly into a blood vessel; intraperitoneal delivery is by injection into the peritoneum; subcutaneous delivery is under the skin; intramuscular is into a muscle; and orally is through the mouth. One of the easiest methods for drug delivery, and for collection of body fluids, is through the skin.
Skin is the outermost protective layer of the body. It is composed of the epidermis, including the stratum corneum, the stratum granulosum, the stratum spinosum, and the stratum basale, and the dermis, containing, among other things, the capillary layer. The stratum corneum is a tough, scaly layer made of dead cell tissue. It extends around 10–20 microns from the skin surface and has no blood supply. Because of the density of this layer of cells, moving compounds across the skin, either into or out of the body, can be very difficult.
The current technology for delivering local pharmaceuticals through the skin includes both methods that use needles or other skin piercing devices and methods that do not use such devices. Those methods that do not use needles typically involve: (a) topical applications, (b) iontophoresis, (c) electroporation, (d) laser perforation or alteration, (e) carriers or vehicles, which are compounds that modify the chemical properties of either the stratum corneum and/or the pharmaceutical, (f) physical pretreatment of the skin, such as abrasion of the stratum corneum (e.g. repeatedly applying and removing adhesive tape), and (g) sonophoresis, which involves modifying the barrier function of stratum corneum by ultrasound.
Topical applications, such as a patch, or direct application of a pharmaceutical to the skin, depend on diffusion or absorption through the skin. These methods of transdermal transport are not widely useful because of the limited permeability of the stratum corneum. Although techniques such as those listed above have been developed to enhance the effectiveness of topical applications, topical applications still cannot provide optimum transdermal transport.
On the other hand, invasive procedures, such as use of needles or lances, effectively overcome the barrier function of the stratum corneum. However, these methods suffer from several major disadvantages: pain, local skin damage, bleeding, and risk of infection at the injection site, and creation of contaminated needles or lances that must be disposed of. These methods also usually require a trained administrator and are not suitable for repeated, long-term, or controlled use.
Additionally, drug delivery through the skin has been relatively imprecise in both location and dosage of the pharmaceutical. Some of the problems include movement of the patient during administration, delivery of incomplete dosages, difficulties in administering more than one pharmaceutical at the same time, and difficulties in delivering a pharmaceutical to the appropriate part of the skin. Drugs have traditionally been diluted to enable handling of the proper dosages. This dilution step can cause storage as well as delivery problems. Thus, it would be advantageous to be able to use small, precise volumes of pharmaceuticals for quick, as well as long-term, delivery through the skin. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a tube insert installing tool. More specifically, the present invention relates to tube insert installing tool that simultaneously grips a tube and installs an insert into the tube.
2. Background Information
Hydraulic tubes are well known for use in braking systems in vehicles and bicycles. Such tubes are typically light and flexible but require the installation of special fittings or inserts on their respective ends for proper installation and usage. Tools for installing inserts typically include two separate mechanisms, such as a gripping mechanism and a pressing mechanism. The gripping mechanism clamps or grips the tube and the other mechanism flares the end or presses an insert into the tube.
A problem with such tools is that the gripping mechanism and the pressing mechanism are separately operated requiring several operational steps. Operating such tools can be cumbersome and time consuming.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved tool that simplifies the tube insert installing process. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to methods and means for pulling sucker rod strings and more particularly to a separable connector for use in a well in conjunction with a reciprocating pump in the lower portion of the well and a string of sucker rods used in actuating the pump from the surface.
Downhole reciprocating pumps have been used for years within tubing and casing to lift a column of fluid such as crude oil up the well bore to the surface of the earth. These pumps have been actuated by strings of sucker rods which connect the downhole pump to reciprocating walking beam motors at the surface. The downhole pump is typically tubular in shape with an exterior diameter substantially the same as the interior diameter of the tubing or casing. It is inserted into the tubing or casing at the surface with the sucker rod string attached and lowered into the well until it seats upon an internal shoulder of the tubing or casing provided for that purpose. In operation, the sucker rod string reciprocates a piston within the pump. The weight of the column of fluid above the pump keeps the pump seated upon the shoulder. Since the area of the pump piston is significantly less than the cross-sectional area of the pump, the upward lift required to raise the pump piston is significantly less than the downward force of the fluid column acting on the entire pump, therefore the pump is not unseated during normal operation.
Over an extended period of operation, the fluid in the column above the pump corrodes the inner surface of the tubing and deposits precipitates, such as parrafin, thereon. When it is desired to remove the downhole pump from the well, the sucker rod string may be used to lift the pump to the surface. Since the diameter of the pump is significantly greater than that of the internal piston, the weight of the fluid column upon the sucker rods in this operation is greater than the tensile load on the sucker rods in normal operation. Since the outer diameter of the pump is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tubing, the pump will engage any corrosion scale or parrafin deposited upon the inner surface of tubing as it is raised therein. The downhole pump body will then either strip this scale and parrafin from the inner wall of the tubing, a task for which it is not adapted and which may damage the pump, or the pump body will become stuck in the tubing. To free the stuck pump, the operator must increase the tension on the sucker rod string or rotate the string and attached pump within the tubing, either of which can result in damage to the pump or the tubing.
Recently, fiberglass sucker rods, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,874,937; 2,874,938; and 4,195,691, and abandoned U.S. Application Ser. No. 956,740 referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,691, and Canadian Pat. No. 1,072,191, based on U.S. Application Ser. No. 576,731, have begun to replace some or all of the steel sucker rods used in a sucker rod string. Although fiberglass sucker rods have significant advantages, including light weight and corrosion resistance, they are easily damaged by twisting. Therefore a stuck pump body connected to a sucker string which includes fiberglass sucker rods cannot be freed by twisting the string and the pump.
It is an object of this invention to provide methods and means for withdrawing sucker rod strings from a well bore.
It is a further object of this invention to provide methods and means for withdrawing a downhole reciprocating pump or a similar tool from a well bore without stripping the tubing with the pump, damaging the pump by using it to strip the tubing, or twisting the sucker rod string to free a pump stuck within the tubing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide methods and means for use with a sucker rod string which includes fiberglass sucker rods which will permit routine operation of a downhole reciprocating pump but which will permit the operator at the surface to separate the sucker rod string from the pump when he so desires. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to distance measuring devices, and more particularly, to distance measuring devices for ascertaining the approximate great circle distances on a globe or certain map projections and directly displaying that distance. The present invention also relates to the measurement of electrical resistance in materials, especially thin, transparent, electrically conductive materials. The aforementioned map projections would have a minimum inherent distortion, where the distance scale is constant, and where a straight line as drawn on such a projection is equal to or approximates the great circle distance. Such map projections include, but are not limited to, Lambert Azmithul Equal Area Projections, Delesli Conic Equidistant Projections, Polar Azimuthal Projections, Lambert Conformal Conic Projections, Polyconic Projections and Oblique Cylindrical Projections. For purposes of this patent, the terms map and chart may be used interchangeably.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices which measure straight line distances on maps, or great circle distances on globes are known in the art. One of the most simple methods employed is the string method. A first end of a string is placed on a first point on the map or globe and a second end of the string is brought to a second point on the map or globe. The length of the string intermediate the two points is measured and this distance in compared to the scale present on the map or globe. A ruler may be effective for measuring straight line distances on a flat map; however, the ruler is defective in measuring the straight line distances on a spherical projection such as a globe, due to the inherent curvature of the globe.
Several other devices employ other methods for determining the distance between two points. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,326 provides an example of a device for measuring distances where a movable wand is moved to a point whose distance from a datum point is to be determined. A resistor extends along the length of the wand and an electrical contact on the cursor makes point contact with a resistor. The contact and resistor form a potentiometer whose output varies with the position of the cursor. A digital voltmeter connected to the output of the potentiometer provides an indication of the distance measured. This device is employed in the analysis of seismic records. This device does not measure the electrical resistance in a thin transparent covering between two points, and also suffers from the deficiency where the device would be unable to measure distances on a spherical surface such as a globe.
Another device for electronically measuring distances is U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,267 which is employed to measure linear distance on scaled drawings. A rectangular device includes a side mounted stylus which is moved between a first and second point on the drawing. An electrical voltage signal is generated, which is then converted to frequency. A first and second binary count is generated by the circuit therein and an output of feet and inches is generated. This device does not measure the electrical resistance in a thin transparent covering between two points, and also suffers from the deficiency where the device would be unable to measure distances on a spherical surface such as a globe.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use electrical devices to measure distances on flat surfaces which employ voltage signals, the concept of covering the flat surface with a thin, transparent, electrically conductive material, and measuring the electrical resistance between two points located thereon, has not been shown. No prior art discloses the processing of a electrical resistance measurement to an output representative of the distance between the two above mentioned points as well. Nor has the concept of covering a spherical object, such as a globe, with a thin, transparent, electrically conductive material been shown, and measuring the electrical resistance between two points located thereon, also has not been shown. The simple and cost effective device of the instant invention is not contemplated. Nor does the prior art described above teach or suggest a educational device which may be used by individuals studying distances between major cities, geographical sites of interest, or other geological features on a globe. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reclosable dispensing cartons, and more particularly to a shaker type dispensing carton with pouring holes in a top wall intermediate closure flap and a outer closure flap pull-up portion for covering the holes upon carton closure.
2. Description of the Background Art
A background art search directed to the subject matter of this invention conducted in the United States Patent and Trademark Office disclosed the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 2,020,680 2,470,388 2,593,019 2,983,422 3,395,848 3,438,565 3,971,506 4,015,768 4,019,673 4,113,103 4,308,956 RE 31,425 4,706,875 5,007,542 5,044,503 5,205,480 ______________________________________
None of the patents uncovered in the search discloses a shaker type reclosable dispensing carton which includes an intermediate top closure flap having poring holes located in a depressible portion of the flap which can be depressed into the plane of underlying flaps, when the carton is reclosed, to allow a hinged outer closure flap pull-up portion to be depressed into the plane of the intermediate flap to effect a friction type locking closure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to magnetic devices for electronic circuits and associated methods of assembly and more particularly to stacked core devices for providing a middle core leg with a stepped end profile and associated methods for assembling stacked step gap core components.
Magnetic components for electronic circuits, including inductors and transformers, are known in the art. Some conventional step gap inductors and transformers include a category of magnetic components that provide a stepped air gap, or an air gap having a stepped profile, defined between opposing legs of a magnetic flux loop. The stepped air gap provides improved performance of the core apparatus and the magnetic component that includes the core.
Conventional core devices including a stepped air gap commonly use a first, non-stepped E-core positioned opposite a second E-core including a middle leg having a stepped end profile. The first, non-stepped E-core includes a middle leg extending toward the middle leg of the second E-core, and a stepped gap is defined between the distal ends of the two middle legs. The stepped gap includes two widths corresponding to the stepped profile of the middle leg on the second E-core. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/00852138 illustrates a conventional core device including first and second opposing E-cores defining a vertical stepped gap between the middle legs of the two E-cores.
One problem associated with conventional step gap core devices and associated magnetic components such as inductors and transformers includes the expense, difficulty and unreliability of manufacture. The step gap profile in conventional step gap inductors and transformers is generally formed by grinding the desired stepped profile into the distal end of the middle leg of one of the E-cores.
Conventional methods of grinding step gap core assemblies for inductors and transformers is problematic because it is difficult to accurately and consistently grind a specific dimension step gap on a ferrite core. The step gap includes horizontal and vertical dimensions that must be accurately maintained to ensure proper performance of the magnetic component. Additionally, in a manufacturing environment wherein numerous core devices are produced, cores must be consistently ground to the same dimensional tolerances to ensure consistent performance between magnetic devices that include the ground cores. However, the conventional grinding process leads to large dimensional tolerance ranges which adversely affect component performance and reliability. When the dimensions of the step gap are not precise, undesirable variability in performance of the magnetic components results.
What is needed then are improvements in step gap cores, magnetic components utilizing step gap cores and methods of manufacturing magnetic step gap cores and components having step gap cores. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical apparatus including a medical instrument for photographing the inside of a body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, an endoscope as a medical instrument includes an image pickup apparatus. The endoscope is led into a body cavity of a patient and used for performing various inspections, various kinds of treatments, and the like for an affected area in the body using observation images photographed by the image pickup apparatus.
Examples of such an endoscope include an endoscope that is led into digestive organs such as the esophagus, the stomach, the large intestine, and the duodenum, which are luminal tracts in the body, from the anus or the mouth cavity and an endoscope that is led into the abdominal cavity penetrating through the body wall from the vicinity of the navel. In general, the endoscope has a long insertion portion. The insertion portion is inserted into the digestive tract or into the abdominal cavity.
In recent years, in order to reduce pain to a patient due to the insertion of the insertion portion, for example, capsule type medical devices disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-500110, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-73884, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-14634 are proposed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-500110 discloses a delivery device that directly delivers a capsule device, which is a capsule type medical device, by holding the capsule device to a targeted position in the body cavity such as the stomach or the small intestine and discharging the capsule device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-73884 discloses a technique for a protective device for a radio intra-subject information acquiring device that surrounds a pill, which is a capsule type endoscope, using a protective cap, which is a protective device, and suppresses careless radio wave radiation related to communication with an external device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-14634 discloses a technique for a capsule placement medical device that places a capsule type endoscope in the body cavity and prevents the surface of a distal end portion cover housing of the capsule type endoscope with a dome-like hood section, which covers an entire observation field of view of the capsule type endoscope, to reduce the influence on observation as much as possible. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a mechanism for braking a weft yarn in a weaving machine. More particularly, this invention relates to a a mechanism employing a flexible brake band for braking a weft yarn in a weaving machine.
Heretofore, various types of mechanisms have been employed for the braking of a weft yarn in a weaving machine. For example, as described in Swiss Pat. No. 497,576, one known mechanism employs a flexible brake band having ends which are secured to carrier means in the form of pivotably mounted arms as well as a brake member for pressing a weft yarn against the brake band. In addition, a tension spring is used to return the pivotably mounted arms of the carrier means. However, a disadvantage of this mechanism is that the pivotable mounting of the carrier arms is complicated and requires a considerable amount of space. Further, relatively large masses have to be moved. Another disadvantage is that the pivotable parts and the tension spring are susceptible to soiling by flying dust. This, in turn, impairs the operation of the mechanism.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a braking mechanism of simple and compact construction which is reliable in operation.
It is another object of the invention to improve the reliability of a weft yarn braking mechanism employing a flexible brake band.
Briefly, the invention provides a mechanism for braking a weft yarn in a weaving machine which employs a flexible brake band, means for guiding a weft yarn over the brake band and at least one brake member for pressing the weft yarn against the brake band. In accordance with the invention, the mechanism has at least one linearly movable carrier which mounts the brake band thereon and a return means for displacing the carrier during pressing of the weft yarn against the brake band. The mechanism is relatively compact and is of simple construction with relatively small moving masses. Further, the accumulation of dust does not have any appreciable effect on the function of the yarn brake.
In order to provide a particularly effective protection of the mounting against dust, the carrier can be telescopically mounted in a sleeve.
The return means may be in the form of a compression spring which is also mounted in the sleeve. This provides practically complete encapsulation of the return means.
In addition, the compression spring may engage an adjusting screw which is mounted in the carrier and which engages the spring. This screw may be used to make very simple adjustments in the compression force of the spring. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the various types of data recording systems based on use of a magnetic medium, a magnetic transducer head is used to create the magnetic patterns in the medium and to read back the data after recording it. The typical magnetic head has an 0-shaped core element which provides a magnetic flux path including a flux gap across which flux fringing occurs. During reading and writing, the flux gap is placed in close proximity with the medium, and the medium is moved with respect to the gap. The fringing flux during writing enters the medium, causing the magnetic patterns to be created therein. The flux flow for the writing process is created by a winding through which the flux path passes.
During reading, the medium is again moved relative to the gap, and the magnetic pattern in the medium causes flow of flux in the flux path, which flux flow recreates the magnetic pattern in the medium. By detecting, i.e. converting it to an electrical signal, this flux flow can be converted into the original data. During reading, voltage across this same winding can be used to detect the flux flow, or a separate flux-detecting element such as a magneto-resistive element can be used.
There are two types of magnetic recording heads now in general use. The older type has a ferrite or other core providing the flux path and a separate wire winding for writing and reading. The newer is formed by photolithographic processes and is typically referred to as a thin film recording head. The invention forming the subject matter here is concerned with the ferrite core type of recording head.
The complete O core of a ferrite core head typically comprises a C core element, so called because it is in the shape of a C, and an I core element having an elongated rectangle shape. The I core and C core elements are attached to each other in some manner with the I core element connecting the arms of the C core element to thereby close the flux path. One of the connecting points between these two elements forms the flux gap. Typically, the flux gap is formed of a hard non-magnetic material such as glass or alumina. The two facing surfaces of the I core and the C core which define the flux gap are called the gap faces.
In most applications and certainly for disk drives for digital storage of data, it is very desirable to make the width of the flux gap (dimension of the gap faces which is adjacent the medium and parallel to the medium surface) very small so that the magnetic patterns created by writing are confined to a very narrow track. By reducing the gap width to 0.001 in. (0.025 mm.) or less for example, it is possible to space tracks of data on a disk so that 1000 or more are packed in a radius of one inch. It is preferred to closely pack these tracks so as to increase the amount of data which a single disk drive unit can store, thereby increasing the compactness of the drive itself for a given data capacity. It also turns out that in general by increasing the capacity of a disk drive by increasing the density of data storage on the individual disks as technical advances allow, one can on a cost per bit basis store data more cheaply than is possible by simply increasing the number of disk drives in an installation.
To make the individual cores used for the heads, a C bar element whose cross section is uniformly identical to that of an individual C core element, is bonded to an I bar element whose cross section is the same as that of the individual I core elements. Usually the I and C bars are from 50 to 100 times as long as the finished core width, with the gap width substantially smaller than the core width. A thin layer of gap material is placed, now usually by a sputtering process, at the interface corresponding to the gap of the finished cores. The I bar is then clamped to the C bar to close its ends, in combination with it assuming the shape of an O bar. The I bar/C bar assembly is then heated to a temperature sufficient to fuse the gap material to the adjacent I and C bar gap faces, fixing the gap length and bonding the bars to each other in the O bar shape. The assembled bar resulting is then sawed transversely into individual cores which can be wound and mounted in a suitable support. For use in rigid disk drives, these cores are mounted in slots in hard ceramic sliders which are designed to aerodynamically fly in close proximity to the disk surfaces.
The trend is to smaller gap lengths. (Length of the flux gap refers to the dimension in the direction of the flux flow in the core adjacent the gap, and is essentially the thickness of the gap material.) By making the gap length very small, it is possible to write and read individual flux pattern changes which are packed very closely together, increasing the amount of data which can be stored in a given length of track. Increasing this linear bit density again increases the overall capacity of a given amount of medium area to store data. Here too, it usually is economic to increase the linear bit density to what the state of the art allows, since this results in reduced costs for storage of a given amount of data.
It is also necessary to accurately control the gap length, since gap length interrelates with the other dimensions and parameters of the medium, so that deviations from the design gap length can adversely affect performance. For example, incorrect gap length can substantially affect the flux pattern created during writing or the electrical signal generated during reading, causing data to be read incorrectly.
Control of gap length has always been a difficult problem because of the small dimension involved. It is now customary to make the gap on the order of 20 .mu. inches (about 0.5 .mu.) long, and reliably reproducing such a small dimension in a manufacturing process is very difficult. The tolerances are now typically held to .+-.5 .mu. in. (.+-.0.1 .mu.). In particular, where the I and C bars must be bonded with the gap lengths controlled to within say 15-25 .mu. in. over perhaps 50 to 100 core widths or 1 in., it is virtually certain that using current technology, much of the length along the assembled bar will have improper gap length. This occurs for two reasons. In the first place, the two bars may have gap face areas which have not been machined to interface within just a few .mu. inches of perfect contact along the entire length of the gap faces. This arises from unavoidable flaws in the lapping process which is intended to produce perfectly flat gap face areas on the I and C bars. Secondly, clamping with conventional point contact clamps and then heating in the bonding step allows the individual bars to distort such that even initially perfect and uniform contact becomes incorrect. In either case, many of the individual cores which are later cut from the bars will have gaps with improper lengths, or the bonding between the gap material and the ferrite will be imperfect. These cores must be scrapped, since there is no way to correct these flaws. Thus it can be seen that current processes result in large numbers of defective cores which must be scrapped. Although there is not a great amount of the total cost of a finished head expended at this stage of the manufacturing process, it is much preferable to have high yield at this, and each, step of the process, since the likelihood of defective parts slipping through the inspection process after the step is done is reduced substantially whenever the process has only a small fraction of defective parts to begin with. In fact with sufficiently high yields, individual inspection of the parts after every step is unnecessary. And regardless of the cost of individual parts at even an early stage of the process, the defects still are an expense.
There are a number of different ways in which the gap may be formed in a manufacturing process. In one process, the I and C bars are positioned so that the spacing between them is equal to the desired gap length. Molten glass is then applied to the gap so that capillary action draws the glass into the gap simultaneously forming the gap and bonding the I and C bars. Another way involves placing a glass foil between the I and C bars to define the gap, and then heating the assembly and applying mechanical pressure to it to melt the glass and bond the bars mechanically. Yet another way is to place a glaze paste on the gap faces of the I and C bars and then fuse the paste to the gap faces with heat to form the gap. Another process uses a nonmagnetic and abrasion-resistant layer to define the gap and then places a bonding material in the form of a thin cane or wire at the inner line of the gap within the I and C bar assembly. Heat is then used to fuse or bond the bonding material to the I and C bars. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,452,430; 3,550,264; 3,395,450; 3,375,575; 3,024,318; 3,117,367; 4,536,270; 3,233,308; 3,246,383; 3,767,497 and 3,333,332 disclose these processes with a number of variations. In all of these processes, the inability to accurately control the viscosity of the glass gap material by control of the temperature, and the variation of the pressure along the I and C bar interface during bonding results in gap lengths which are difficult to control sufficiently to achieve high yields.
The later approach, as was briefly mentioned earlier, forms the gap from alumina rather than a glass layer. Alumina being very hard, is fully the equal of glass as far as resistance to erosion and undercutting during machining or abrasive contact in use. But alumina has the additional advantage of chemical and mechanical stability during the relatively high temperature bonding process. Glass tends to flow under pressure and heat, and with the extremely short gap lengths involved, results in extremely variable gap lengths whereas alumina is much more stable. The alumina gap material is sputtered onto one or both gap faces of the I and C bars, as is explained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,270. Sputtering is inherently capable of depositing very accurate, uniform and repeatable layer thicknesses. When formed by sputtering, alumina layers, or layers of any material for that matter, are strongly adherent and completely conform to the substrate surface.
The present conventional processes then use a thin layer of bonding glass sputtered on at least one of the surfaces to be joined, and the I and C bars properly juxtaposed and subjected to heat and pressure to complete the bond. Unfortunately, to bond alumina requires relatively high temperature, leading to dissolving of the ferrite by the bonding glass, and an indeterminate gap length. However, avoiding this problem by use of very thin layers of glass as the bonding agent between the alumina and the other face makes it difficult to assure that solid bonding occurs along the entire length of the bars because of the hardness of the alumina. This is because of unavoidable spacing variations or voids between the two faces at which the bonding occurs due to deviations from perfect flatness resulting from mechanical and thermal stresses and imperfections in the lapping process preventing precise flatness of the surfaces to begin with. However, the mechanical rigidity of the alumina prevents its flowing to fill the voids between the bonding faces as does glass, in effect substituting one disadvantage for another.
As a general observation, it is desirable to effect the conventional core assembly process with as low temperatures as possible to avoid the possibility of damaging the magnetic properties of the ferrite or causing mechanical damage through thermal stress. This also reduces the magnitude of reaction between the ferrite and any adjacent dissimilar material. It is known that core bonding at relatively low temperature can be done by increasing the pressure between the faces of the parts at the bonding interface of the parts to be joined. This is called diffusion bonding or thermal compression bonding. Such processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,045 and in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletins Vol. 20, No. 10, March 1978, p. 4088, by Daniels et al., "Diffusion Bonding of Dissimilar Ceramics"; Vol. 21, No. 6, November 1978, pp. 2212-2213 by Kehr et al., "Ferrite-Ferrite Diffusion-Bonded Recording Head"; and Vol. 24, No. 3, August 1981, p. 1496 by Chow et al., "Diffusion Bonding Fixture".
However, it is difficult to cause the individual surfaces of a pair of ferrite bars to intimately contact each other along the entire length of their bonding interface, and if there is not this intimate contact the bond is faulty. A solution to this problem is provided in IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. MAG-20, No. 5, September 1984, pp. 1503-1505 by Rigby, "Diffusion Bonding of NiZn Ferrite and Nonmagnetic Materials", where a what will be hereafter referred to as a "granule vise" is described. By burying a pair of ferrite bars with their surfaces to be bonded juxtaposed, in a volume of hard, heat resistant granules contained in a cylinder bore and then powerfully compressing the granules with a piston driven into the bore, the bars are strongly forced against each other. By applying heat to the bars after thus compressing them against each other, high quality diffusion bonding can be effected along the entire length of the bonding surface of the bars. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to robots and more particularly, to a spherical linkage type surgical robotic arm.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advances in medical technology, new surgical techniques have been continuously introduced. Fast and low risk surgical techniques that enable patients to recover faster have been the goal of the medical profession, and the very popular minimally invasive surgery in recent years is one of them. For example, endoscopic imaging technology and micro-surgical instruments are used in laparoscopic surgery, so that the surgery can be performed without making a large wound on the body of the patient, not only reducing blood loss in the patient but also enabling the body of the patient to recover quickly from the wound.
However, when performing a laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon needs to insert an endoscopic imaging module and a surgical instrument module into the body of the patient and then to perform the surgery while simultaneously viewing the endoscopic image. Thus, the surgeon will need the assist of a mechanical arm to hold or operate the related surgical instruments so that the surgeon can proceed with the operation.
Conventional robotic arms commonly have a complicated structure and require complicated calculations and precise control to achieve precise allocation. US 2007/0173976 A1 discloses a center robotic arm with five-bar spherical linkage for endoscopic camera. According to this design, each link has a different length (see FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B), therefore, it requires a large amount of calculations to precisely move the outward axis to the desired location.
Further, US2012/0184968 discloses a robotic arm with five-bar spherical linkage, which uses a parallel spherical five-bar linkage. According to this design, the surgical instrument is affixed to an extension portion of one link (see FIG. 15). This designs allows the surgical instrument to pass through the center of spherical rotation, however the other part beyond the center of spherical rotation will be turned with the respective link around the center of spherical rotation. During movement of the link, the large turning angle of the surgical instrument will reduce the readability for the surgeon to read the data being displayed on the surface of the surgical instrument. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric stapler attached to a copier machine and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric stapler relating to the present invention is equipped with a table on which a set of copied sheets are placed, and a cartridge which holds sheet staples and is also provided with a magazine vertically movable to the table, a drive mechanism to move up and down the magazine and a driver plate to drive down a staple into the set of sheets from a staple supply portion.
The drive mechanism is provided with a drive motor, a series of speed reduction gears rotated by the drive motor, and a cam turned by the speed reduction gears. One turn of the cam makes one vertical reciprocating movement of the magazine, and the driver plate tied to the reciprocating movement of the magazine shoots staples from a staple supply portion. And a series of binding processes is completed with clinching flat legs of the staple which have pierced the set of sheets with a clincher mechanism provided on the table.
In this sort of an electric stapler, in order to drive down the staple into a set of sheets with reliability, the staples are driven down after the magazine descends from its home position and holds the set of sheets between the magazine and the table.
Incidentally, this type of conventional drive motor is driven for a designated period of time to make the cam one turn as shown with an alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 4. The angular velocity of the drive shaft of the drive motor increases with the passage of time until a certain lapse of time and the angular velocity W1 is accelerated to a high velocity when the magazine descends to the position where it holds the set of sheets with the table between.
Therefore when the magazine makes forcible contact with the set of sheets S, a strong force is applied on the table through the set of sheets S, which brings such a state as if the magazine crashed against the table. It has a disadvantage that the magazine has a heavy weight due to the installed cartridge which holds the sheet staples, giving a big impact on the table with a loud noise. And there is a possibility that the sheet staples may be separated at connecting portions. Particularly, in an electric stapler in which the table and the magazine are separated, these disadvantages are remarkable because the reciprocating motion of the magazine is set in high speed so that a series of binding processes can be completed in a short time.
In considering the above described disadvantages, it is an object of the present invention to present an electric stapler which can complete a series of binding processes in a short time with a reduced impact from the magazine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new and improved finger sleeves and, more particularly, pertains to extending the effective length of a basketball player's fingers to facilitate one-handed dunks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices for receiving a user's fingers for a wide variety of purposes is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices for receiving a user's fingers for a wide variety of purposes heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of facilitating the grasping of objects through a wide variety of methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The prior art discloses a large number of devices for extending the effective length of a basketball player's fingers to facilitate one-handed dunks. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,275 to Cazares et al. discloses a basketball gripping glove constructed of a wrist anchor strap with a plurality of five elastomeric bands extending therefrom the other end of the bands being each attached to a single finger cowl for the five fingers of one's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,265 to Bergman discloses a grip augmenting bowling ball handling apparatus enabling persons having limited gripping ability and others interested in an alternate way of bowling to hold and release a bowling ball.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,648 to Mallick discloses a football with finger-grip pocket with a flange and finger grip bar glued and sewn into a section of a football such that a player can insert his fingers into the pocket opening against the bar thus enabling him to hold onto the ball with more firmness, or throw and spin the ball with added accuracy.
In this respect, the finger sleeves according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of extending the effective length of a basketball player's fingers to facilitate one-handed dunks.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved finger sleeves which can be used for extending the effective length of a basketball player's fingers to facilitate one-handed dunks. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The gaming industry has traditionally developed electronic gaming machines (EGMs) that implement simple wagering propositions. The communication and processing needs for these simple wagering propositions are easily met using conventional EGMs.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,405 to McClintic describes a conventional gaming device provided with a central processor (CPU) operably coupled to input logic circuitry and output logic circuitry. The input logic circuitry is employed to operably couple the CPU to input devices such as, for example, a touch screen segment or physical button, a coin acceptor, a bill acceptor, a user tracking card reader or a credit/debit card reader. The output logic circuitry is employed to operably couple the CPU with output devices such as, for example, a hopper, a video monitor, meter displays, and a printer. The CPU is also operably coupled to controlling software memory, which includes assigned memory locations storing game software and system software. Such controlling software memory dictates when selected graphics or messages are displayed to a user, as well as when play sequences begin and end and management of wager input and award output. The CPU is also operably coupled to a second memory, which is employed to store data indicative of game statistics, number of plays, number of wins, etc. Controlling software memory, a second memory, or other, ancillary memory store data indicative of winning results, such as data representative of one or more symbol combinations, including winning combinations. Second memory may also be used, for example, to store a bit map of the symbol pattern depicted as a matrix display on video monitor. In operation of the gaming device the CPU carries out instructions of the system software to implement an initial display pattern on the video monitor and to enable the input devices. After a wager is received a user activates an initiator interactive element such as a handle, the physical button or the touch screen to initiate a play sequence. At this point, the game software, in conjunction with a random number generator, generates a random symbol configuration at for a random final outcome comprised of a pattern of symbols for depiction on video monitor. System software then animates the video monitor by simulating the movement of visible representations of symbol carriers including symbols thereon so that the user perceives symbol carrier rotational “movement” of each symbol carrier as well as, optionally, rotational movement of the entire group of symbol carriers about a common axis. Once the visible representations of the symbol carriers have stopped, all of the generated, displayed symbols comprising a winning combination or combinations in the matrix display are identified or flagged. The displayed results (pattern of symbols depicted on the video monitor, which may include symbols received from a remote location, is compared with data stored in game software representing winning combinations to determine if any displayed combination on an active pay line is a winning combination. Any identified winning combination or combinations of symbols are then associated with winnings to be distributed to the user according to a paytable of the game software associated with the various possible winning combinations. The various pay line configurations and required combinations of the various indicia for a winning combination within each pay line reside within the game software and are retrieved for comparison to the randomly generated pattern of indicia depicted on the video monitor.
Operation of another conventional computer gaming system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,602 issued to Wiltshire et al. A game program is executed on server/host computer. It is then determined whether an image is to be displayed on a screen of a client/terminal computer. If so, an image is sent from the server/host computer to client/terminal computer. The image may include any type of graphical information including a bitmap, a JPEG file, a TIFF file or even an encoded audio/video stream such as a compressed video MPEG stream. The image is generated by game computer program and passed to server/host interface program. In turn, the image is transferred over communication pathways to client/terminal computer via the network services provided by server operating system. The image is received by a client/terminal program executing on the client/terminal computer via the network services provided by client operating system. The client/terminal program then causes the image to be displayed on a screen of the client/terminal computer. It is then determined whether an input command has been entered by the patron using the client/terminal computer. The input command may be a keystroke, movement or clicking of the mouse, a voice activated command or even the clicking of a “virtual button” on a touch screen. The client/terminal program causes the input command to be transmitted back to server/host computer via communication pathways, again using network services provided by the client operating system on one end and server operating system on the other. The command is thus received by the server/host interface program, that, in turn, passes the command back to the game program. The game program processes the input command and updates the state of the game accordingly.
However, more complicated wagering processes need communication and processing systems that are better suited for implementing these more complicated wagering processes. Various aspects of embodiments of the present invention meet such a need. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The protection of crops from weeds and other vegetation which inhibit crop growth is a constantly recurring problem in agriculture. To help combat this problem, researchers in the field of synthetic chemistry have produced an extensive variety of chemicals and chemical formulations effective in the control of such unwanted growth. Chemical herbicides of many types have been disclosed in the literature and a large number are in commercial use.
In some cases, herbicidal active ingredients have been shown to be more effective in combination than when applied individually and this is referred to as “synergism.” As described in the Herbicide Handbook of the Weed Science Society of America, Ninth Edition, 2007, p. 429 “‘synergism’ [is] an interaction of two or more factors such that the effect when combined is greater than the predicted effect based on the response to each factor applied separately.” The present invention is based on the discovery that penoxsulam, triclopyr and imazethapyr or imazamox, already known individually for their herbicidal efficacy, display a synergistic effect when applied in combination. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This disclosure relates generally to techniques for processing materials for manufacture of gallium-containing nitride substrates. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure include techniques for growing large area substrates using a combination of processing techniques. The disclosure can be applied to growing crystals of GaN, AlN, InN, InGaN, AlGaN, and AlInGaN, and others for manufacture of bulk or patterned substrates. Such bulk or patterned substrates can be used for a variety of applications including optoelectronic devices, lasers, light emitting diodes, solar cells, photo electrochemical water splitting and hydrogen generation, photo detectors, integrated circuits, and transistors, and others.
Gallium nitride (GaN) based optoelectronic and electronic devices are of tremendous commercial importance. The quality and reliability of these devices, however, is compromised by high defect levels, particularly threading dislocations, grain boundaries, and strain in semiconductor layers of the devices. Threading dislocations can arise from lattice mismatch of GaN based semiconductor layers to a non-GaN substrate such as sapphire or silicon carbide. Grain boundaries can arise from the coalescence fronts of epitaxially-overgrown layers. Additional defects can arise from thermal expansion mismatch, impurities, and tilt boundaries, depending on the details of the growth of the layers.
The presence of defects has a deleterious effect on epitaxially-grown layers. Such effect includes compromising electronic device performance. To overcome these defects, techniques have been proposed that require complex, tedious fabrication processes to reduce the concentration and/or impact of the defects. While a substantial number of conventional growth methods for gallium nitride crystals have been proposed, limitations still exist. That is, conventional methods still merit improvement to be cost effective and efficient.
Progress has been made in the growth of large-area gallium nitride crystals with considerably lower defect levels than heteroepitaxial GaN layers. However, most techniques for growth of large-area GaN substrates involve GaN deposition on a non-GaN substrate such as sapphire or GaAs. This approach generally gives rise to threading dislocations at average concentrations of 105-107 cm−2 over the surface of thick boules, as well as significant bow, stress, and strain. Reduced concentrations of threading dislocations are desirable for a number of applications. Bow, stress, and strain can cause low yields when slicing the boules into wafers, make the wafers susceptible to cracking during down-stream processing, and may also negatively impact device reliability and lifetime. Capability to manufacture substrates larger than 2 inches is currently very limited. Most large area substrates are manufactured by vapor-phase methods, such as hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), which are relatively expensive. A less-expensive method is desired, while also achieving large area and low threading dislocation densities as quickly as possible.
Ammonothermal crystal growth has a number of advantages over HVPE as a means for manufacturing GaN boules. However, the performance of ammonothermal GaN crystal growth processing may be significantly dependent on the size and quality of seed crystals. Seed crystals fabricated by HVPE may suffer from many of the limitations described above, and large area ammonothermally-grown crystals are not widely available. Large area seed crystals are needed for ammonothermal bulk GaN growth, for example, at least 2″, at least 4″, at least 6″, at least 8″, at least 10″, or at least 12″ in diameter. Various methods have been disclosed for forming such seed crystals but they suffer from various limitations. Pinnington et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,101,498) disclose fabrication of GaN layers on CTE-matched handle substrates by ion implantation, exfoliation, and layer transfer. However, Pinnington et al. do not disclose passivating layers for exposed surfaces of the handle substrate that are suitable for withstanding an ammonothermal bulk GaN crystal growth environment, nor do they teach methods for reducing the dislocation density.
Lateral epitaxial overgrowth is a method that has been widely applied to improvement in the crystallographic quality of films grown by vapor-phase methods. However, no one has yet been able to apply such methods to ammonothermal GaN growth.
From the above, it is seen that techniques for improving crystal growth are highly desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to an organic light emitting display panel and a method of manufacturing the same, and particularly, to an organic light emitting display panel including a low temperature poly silicon (LTPS) thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the same.
Discussion of the Related Art
As times have progressed toward the information-oriented society, flat panel display (FPD) devices which have desired characteristics such as thinness, lightness, and low consumption power are increasing in importance. Examples of the FPD devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panels (PDPs), organic light emitting display devices, etc. Recently, electrophoretic display (EPD) devices are being widely used as one type of the FPD device.
In the FDP devices, organic light emitting display devices including a thin film transistor (TFT) use a self-emitting device and have low power consumption, a fast response time, high emission efficiency, high luminance, and a wide viewing angle. Therefore, the organic light emitting display devices are attracting much attention as next-generation FPD devices.
Particularly, an LTPS TFT may be manufactured at a low temperature. In comparison with an amorphous silicon (a-Si) TFT, the LTPS TFT has a high mobility of an electron or a hole, and because it is possible to implement a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor including an N channel and a P channel, the LTPS TFT may be applied to a large-size substrate.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for describing an active layer of a related art LTPS TFT.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, an organic light emitting display panel including the related art LTPS TFT includes a buffer 11 formed on a substrate 10, an active layer 13 formed on the buffer 11, a gate insulation layer 14 formed on the active layer 13, a gate electrode (not shown) formed on the gate insulation layer 14, an interlayer dielectric (not shown) formed on the gate electrode (not shown), first and second electrodes (not shown) formed on the interlayer dielectric (not shown), and an organic light emitting diode (OLED, not shown) connected to the first electrode or the second electrode.
The active layer 13 of the LTPS TFT is formed on the substrate 10 through a photolithography process using a mask. In this instance, inclined planes 13a and 13b are respectively formed on both sides of the active layer 13 formed on the substrate 10.
When the related art LTPS TFT is driven, a strong electric field is generated from each of the inclined planes 13a and 13b of the active layer 13. As the strong electric field is generated, a free carrier occurs in each of the inclined planes 13a and 13b, and a hump channel where a high current flows even under a low voltage may be formed.
A gate-source voltage (Vgs) which is a difference voltage between a gate and a source is shifted in a negative (−) direction by the hump channel. As the gate-source voltage (Vgs) is shifted in the negative (−) direction, an off-current of a TFT increases.
Moreover, consumption of power of the organic light emitting display panel increases, and for this reason, deterioration of a transistor is accelerated.
Moreover, a reliability of the organic light emitting display panel is degraded. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Several mechanisms exist to verify that a computer system or system user can be trusted with sensitive information or data that a user desires to keep confidential. Computers running on a network are often used to perform sensitive tasks such as transferring money between users, accessing confidential information stored elsewhere, communicating with selected other users, and other actions where a user may desire to keep certain details confidential. Mechanisms used to verify whether a particular user can be trusted to perform an action include passwords, tokens, fingerprints, and the like. Mechanisms used to verify whether a system can to be trusted, or the degree to which it can be trusted, include certificates, Trusted Platform Module, and the like.
Despite these security measures, computer systems are still vulnerable to hackers and cyber thieves. For example, a cyber-thief or other imposter can install malicious programs, or malware, on an unsuspecting system, such as a keylogger, Trojan, proxy, or other malware that can compromise the security of the login or a transaction after login. Malware can be launched and controlled from a remote computer and can be nearly undetectable to an unsuspecting user without special software. In such cases, secure accounts or services become vulnerable to malicious programs that can exploit old or insecure program interfaces or otherwise compromise a computing device. Security programs such as antivirus software can detect and remove malicious programs if the security programs are kept up to date and regularly used. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This patent document relates to wireless communications.
With the increased popularity of wireless devices as the user device of choice for accessing the Internet, the bandwidth demand on wireless networks has significantly increased in the last few years. Many wireless devices, e.g., smartphones, e-readers and tablets, often have radio frequency (RF) capability of receiving and transmitting on multiple different wireless networks such as 802.11x local area networks and cellular wireless wide area wireless networks. Therefore, the increased bandwidth demand is felt in places that may be simultaneously served by multiple different wireless networks. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to graphical user interfaces, and more particularly to interacting with windows in a graphical user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to create and use graphical user interfaces on computers that use windows. Such systems are commonly referred to as windowing systems.
Windowing systems often display a task bar in a display area (e.g., on screen) that is used to launch and monitor windows. The task bar is in a predetermined location and usually on one edge of the display area. Each window may be docked or minimized to the task bar by clicking a button to remove the window from the display area (or a single button to remove all windows from the display area), after which the window is represented on the task bar with an icon and/or title of the window.
Additionally, only one window is configured to receive a user input at any given time, even if a plurality of windows are displayed in the display area. For example, if there are two windows displayed in the display area, a user can only interact with one window at any given time. A user cannot, for example, move two windows in different directions at the same time.
Furthermore, each windows may include objects that have a predetermined purpose that are not usable for other purposes. For example, a scroll bar in a window can only be used to scroll the contents of the window. As another example, in order to move a window, a user must select an object within the window or portion of the window that has the limited and predetermined purpose of moving the window. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to an apparatus for producing packs, in particular cigarette packs, having at least one rotationally driven folding turret, on the circumference of which there are arranged a plurality of pockets or receiving means for packaging material and pack contents as well as folding elements and other elements assigned to the pockets or receiving means.
Packaging machines for small packs such as cigarette packs are usually equipped with at least one folding turret which, during cyclic or continuous rotation, performs folding and filling steps for the production of the packs. Arranged on the circumference of a folding turret are receiving means, pockets or retaining means for blanks and pack contents. Each receiving means or pocket contains elements which perform the folding of the packaging material, displacement movements or filling operations, in order to finish the packs wholly or partially in the region of the folding turret. In particular in the case of continuously rotating folding turrets, all the tools or elements for the production process of the packs are arranged on the folding turret and are assigned, as a complete set, to each pocket or each receiving means. The folding turrets are thus of an extremely complex construction, which is disadvantageous, in particular, for the exchange of worn parts and for format changes (of the packs). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to an image display apparatus, and more particularly relates to a thin image display apparatus used for a video camera and the like.
Conventionally, cathode ray tubes have been used mainly as image display apparatuses for color televisions, personal computers and the like. However, in recent years, image display apparatuses have been required to be improved for space saving, for portability or for some other demands. In order to satisfy these demands, various types of thin image display apparatuses have been developed and commercialized.
Under these circumstances, various types of thin image display apparatuses have been researched and developed recently. In particular, liquid crystal displays and plasma displays have been developed actively. The liquid crystal displays have been applied to various types of products such as portable personal computers, portable televisions, video cameras, car-navigation systems and the like. In addition to that, the plasma displays have been applied to products such as large-scale displays, for example, 20 inch-displays or 40-inch displays.
However, there are some problems for the displays. A liquid crystal display has a narrow visual angle and a slow response. Regarding a plasma display, high brightness can""t be obtained and the consumed electricity is large. A thin image display apparatus called a field emission image display apparatus has attracted considerable attention to solve these problems. The field emission image display apparatus uses field emission, i.e. a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted in a vacuum at room temperature. The field emission image display apparatus is a spontaneous luminescent type, and therefore it is possible to obtain a wide visual angle and high brightness. The spontaneous luminescent type apparatus does not require back lighting, and thus, it consumes less electric power.
An image display apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application (Tokkai-Hei) No. 2-33839 is known as a flat spontaneous light emission type image display apparatus with high-quality images. This is different from the above-mentioned field emission image display apparatus in the structure but uses a linear hot cathode.
FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view showing a conventional image display apparatus. The conventional image display apparatus comprises a back electrode 100, a linear cathode 101, an electron beam-attracting electrode 102, a control electrode 103, a first focusing electrode 104, a second focusing electrode 105, a horizontal deflecting electrode 106, a vertical deflecting electrode 107, a front glass container 109a having a fluorescent layer 108 on the inner surface, and a rear glass container 109b. The back electrode 100, the linear cathode 101, the electron beam-attracting electrode 102, the control electrode 103, the first focusing electrode 104, the second focusing electrode 105, the horizontal deflecting electrode 106 and the vertical deflecting electrode 107 are contained between the rear glass container 109band the front glass container 109a (the fluorescent layer 108 side), and the space where those components are contained between the glass containers (109a, 109b) is maintained under a vacuum.
In the image display apparatus, electron beams are formed in a matrix by the linear cathode 101 and the electron beam-attracting electrode 102, and focused by using the first focusing electrode 104 and the second focusing electrode 105. Then, the electron beams are deflected by the horizontal deflecting electrode 106 and the vertical deflecting electrode 107 before being landed on predetermined positions of the fluorescent layer 108. The control electrode 103 controls the electron beams over time, and adjusts each electron beam independently according to picture signals for displaying pixels.
Respective components for the image display apparatuses in the conventional technique are thin and flat plates. Therefore, an image display apparatus provided by combining these components has a thin body and a flat screen.
In the conventional image display apparatus, however, forming every electrode with accuracy is difficult, since the first and second focusing electrodes (104, 105) functioning to focus electron beams are made of conductive plates provided with slender holes, while the horizontal and vertical deflecting electrodes (106, 107) to deflect the electron beams are made of two interdigital conductive plates.
More specifically, as the first focusing electrode 104 and the second focusing electrode 105 are conductive plates provided with slender holes, waviness or warping may occur in each electrode. The horizontal deflecting electrode 106 and the vertical deflecting electrode 107 are interdigital conductive plates formed by etching plate components. Therefore, waviness or warping may occur in each interdigital conductive plate as well. Moreover, each deflecting electrode is made of two interdigital conductive plates, and thus, relative deflections may occur in the deflecting electrodes for some reason.
Tokkai Hei No. 2-33839 discloses a method for manufacturing a laminated electrode, in which the laminated electrode comprises electrodes comprising separate plural conductive plates, such as the control electrode 103 and the deflecting electrodes 106, 107. When the conductive flat plates are etched to have a slit pattern in such a case, the plates are initially etched in a continuous state. These electrode plates are adhered, laminated and fixed while being insulated in a predetermined order. After that, a predetermined part is cut by using laser beams or some other means, if insulation is required in the same surface. The process of the method, however, has some problems as follows. Pattern-etching does not support the growing demand for precision, since it is difficult to treat holes whose diameter is not more than the plate thickness or residual margins. In order to stabilize the surfaces, adhesion margins should be formed with an appropriate pitch on the entire plate surface, but this is another obstacle to precision. The plates cannot be processed to be so thin for keeping surface accuracy and stiffness, but when a thick plate is etched, the configuration at the etched section is varied, which may cause errors in electron lenses. When plates etched in different shapes are adhered and laminated, the balance in the stress is lost, and warping and waviness arise. As a result, a flat surface is difficult to obtain.
When waviness or warping arises in the focusing electrodes and deflecting electrodes composing a conventional image display apparatus, it will do harm for focusing and deflection of electron beams. As a result, appropriate control of the electron beams becomes difficult, and the landing positions of the electron beams will be deviated. In such an image display apparatus, landing an electron beam on a predetermined position of the fluorescent layer 108 is difficult. As a result, problems such as error irradiation may increase, and thus, image quality of the image display apparatus will deteriorate, and an image display apparatus with high resolution cannot be easily obtained.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, this invention is directed to providing an image display apparatus comprising an electrode having a flat surface free from waviness or warping. Such an image display apparatus appropriately controls focusing and deflection of electron beams and prevents problems such as deviation of the electron beam landing positions and error irradiation. The image display apparatus will have excellent images and high resolution.
In order to achieve the above purposes, an image display apparatus of this invention comprises, in a vacuum container whose inside is kept under vacuum, a fluorescent layer, an electron emission source having an electron source, and electrodes for controlling electron beams emitted from the electron emission source. In the image display apparatus in which the fluorescent layer is illuminated by the electron beams, at least one of the electrodes is formed by stringing wires on a frame of a resilient material. The two opposing sides of the frame on which wires are strung are flat plates formed on the same surface, and the electrodes are arranged between the fluorescent layer and the electron emission source.
In the image display apparatus, the frame is flat and arranged on a surface, and the electrode is formed by stringing wires on the frame. Therefore, considerably flat electrodes can be obtained without any additional processes. Such a flat electrode is free from waviness and warping, and it can control electron beams appropriately. As the frame has a certain resilience and the wires are provided with a certain tensile force by the frame, the flatness of the wires can be maintained efficiently due to the tensile force. Such an electrode can be made thin, and therefore plural electrodes can be arranged in a narrow space. Therefore, a pitch between the electrodes can be decided without limitation. As the electrode is formed by stringing wires on a flat frame, both surfaces of the frame can be used. If the frame is formed by providing a difference in level in the opposing two sides, more wire electrodes including a vertical one can be arranged in one frame. If the electrodes are used for deflection, at least the adjacent wires should be insulated so that different voltages can be applied to the adjacent wires. The flat frame can achieve such a purpose easily by printing a wiring pattern and stringing the wires to be fixed thereon. As the electrodes are composed of wires, the pitch between the electrodes (wires) can be made finer in a relatively simple manner, and thus, the resolution can be improved. In this embodiment, an image display apparatus is made by using considerably flat electrodes that can provide a fine pitch easily. As a result, an image display apparatus with excellent images and high resolution can be obtained.
Preferably in the image display apparatus of the invention, the electron source is divided and arranged in a matrix. A preferable image display apparatus of this invention has electron sources that can be driven equivalently in a matrix. There is no specific limitation on the configuration of the electron source. For example, an electron source, which is divided and arranged in stripes, or which is arranged continuously over a surface of a substrate, may be used. Any electron source can be used if it can emit electron beams in a matrix. For example, an electron emission source, which is composed of a surface conductive component composed of a thin film of SnO2(Sb) or a thin film of Au and the like or a thin film of some other material, a microchip type electric field electron emission component such as Spindt type (microchip cathode of field emission type invented by Spindt), an electric field electron emission component having the MIM type structure or the similar structure or a cold cathode ray component composed of an electron emission material which is carbon material such as diamond, graphite, DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) and the like, may be used.
Preferably in an image display apparatus in this invention, the difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the component where the fluorescent layer is formed and that of the frame is within 8xc3x9710xe2x88x927/xc2x0 C. in a temperature range from 0 to 150xc2x0 C. In this preferable example, even if the internal temperature rises during the operation of the image display apparatus, the deviation generated-over time between the stripe pitch-of the fluorescent layer and the wires"" pitch can be controlled within a range not affecting the practical performance of the device, since the difference between the coefficient of the thermal expansion of the component having the fluorescent layer and that of the frame is determined as mentioned above within the temperature range in the operation of the image display apparatus. As a result, the deviation of the landing positions of the electron beams at the operation can be prevented efficiently.
In a preferable image display apparatus of this invention, the frame is composed of a first frame member, a second frame member and an insulating layer, where the first frame member and the second frame member are laminated via the insulating layer, and the wires are strung on the surfaces of the first and second frame members not contacting with the insulating layer. In this preferable example, the frame is made by laminating the first frame member and the second frame member via the insulating layer. As a result, a pair of insulated electrodes (wires) sandwiching electron beams can be formed easily by stringing the wires on the respective surfaces of the first frame member and of the second frame member not contacting with the insulating layer. According to this embodiment, a pair of insulated electrodes (wires) to control respective electron beams (e.g., focusing and deflection) can be formed without carrying out additional wiring.
Preferably in the image display apparatus, the opposing two sides of the frame to which the wires are fixed are made of metal, and insulating films are formed on the surfaces of the opposing two sides. In addition, a conductive part is patterned on the insulating films, and the wires are strung to contact with the conductive parts. In this preferable example, electrodes such as a signal control electrode or other electrodes (e.g., deflecting-correcting electrode) having various voltages in the same surface can be formed with high accuracy in a relatively simple manner.
Preferably in the image display apparatus of this invention, the insulating films are formed by using a thermally-sprayed alumina layer and glass frit while the conductive parts are made of silver paste.
Preferably in the image display apparatus, the fluorescent layer is formed on the inner surface of the vacuum container. In this preferable example, the vacuum container and the fluorescent layer are integrally formed, so that the manufacturing process is simplified and the process steps can be decreased. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a projection type large-size screen display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there has been developed a large-size screen display apparatus for displaying a single image on a screen having a size of 40 inches or thereabouts by merging optical images formed on respective monochromatic cathode-ray-tubes in red, blue, and green with the size of 7 inches. This conventional large-size screen display apparatus has several disadvantages such as a drop in brightness due to the increase in the projection magnification factor necessary for effecting display on a large-size screen, and the increase in volume of a cabinet for securing a long projection distance.
As a large-size screen display apparatus which is capable of effecting display on a large-size screen while the size of the apparatus and the brightness of the picture are maintained, there is known a large-size screen display comprising a plurality of projection display devices having the size of 40 inches or thereabouts arranged in a matrix layout.
FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings is a schematic representation of a conventional multi-display apparatus having a plurality of projection display apparatuses arranged in a matrix. In FIG. 7, the reference numeral 500 designates a rear-projection type projection display device. This projection display device has a display screen consisting of a column line including four of the projection display devices 500 and a row line including four of the projection display devices 500, and each projection display device 500 displays an enlarged subdivision of one picture frame by the use of a video signal quadrupled both longitudinally and laterally.
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the projection display device 500 of FIG. 7. In FIG. 8, the reference numeral 501 designates a cathode-ray-tube (hereinafter referred to as CRT); 502, a projection lens; 503, a projection screen; 504, a screen frame; 505, a housing for accommodating and supporting the CRT 501 and the projection lens 502.
An enlarged subdivisional image formed on the CRT 501 is projected onto the projection screen 503 through the projection lens 502. The projection screen 503 is attached to the housing 505 with the periphery thereof fixed in a groove of the housing. One large-size screen is made up of a plurality of projection screens 503 arranged planarly in a matrix layout, each being mounted to the corresponding screen frame 504. This thereby produces the large-size screen display apparatus shown in FIG. 7.
The conventional large-size screen display apparatus having the above structure causes non-display areas having a stripe shape to appear longitudinally and laterally on the projection screen due to the presence of the screen frame for securing the projection screen in the optical path when the plural projection display apparatuses are arrayed in combination, which impairs the picture quality. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for flexible magnetic disks, wherein a disk cassette consisting of a cassette and a flexible sheet-like magnetic disk, such as microfloppy disk, accommodated in the cassette, is chucked and the magnetic disk in the disk cassette is rotationally driven for writing or reading information signals to or from the magnetic disk.
2. Related Art Statement
Heretofore, in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for flexible magnetic disks, in which a disk cassette such as micro-floppy disk, is attached or mounted and the information signals are written to or read from the magnetic disk contained in the cassette, there is provided an enclosed a built-in disk attachment unit whereby the magnetic disk is chucked and secured to the disk table of the rotational driving device for the magnetic disk. The disk attachment unit is so designed that, as the disk cassette is introduced by way of the disk insertion and removable opening or aperture, the cassette holder is lowered for pressure holding of the disk cassette on the positioning pins while the magnetic disk is chucked on the disk table. The casette holder of the disk attachment unit operating in the above described manner is mounted with top of a loading plate slidably disposed on top of the chassis and, as the loading plate is slid on the chassis, the cassette holder is moved vertically up and down with respect to the chassis. The magnetic disk is chucked and attached onto the disk table as described above when the cassette holder is lowered with respect to the chassis.
In operative association with the lowering of the cassette holder, a supporting arm of the head unit carrying a magnetic head or a disk supporting pad at the distal end thereof is rotated into abutment on the magnetic disk. The magnetic head or the disk supporting pad at the distal end of the thus rotated supporting arm and another magnetic head at the distal end of the other supporting arm facing the aforementioned supporting arm are brought into sliding contact with the magnetic disk while clamping the disk therebetween so as to enable information signals to be written to or read from the disk.
When the loading plate is slid for floating the cassette holder, the disk is unchucked from the disk table while the disk cassette is ejected towards the disk insertion or removal opening.
In the above described conventional disk attachment unit, when the loading plate is slid to lower the cassette holder onto the disk table for chucking the magnetic disk in the cassette onto the disk table of the rotational driving device for the magnetic disk, the cassette holder is caused to descend horizontally onto the disk table. The supporting arm of the head device is also turned towards the magnetic disk in operative association with and nearly at the same time as the lowering of the cassette holder. The magnetic disk is clamped between the magnetic head or the disk supporting pad at the distal end of the supporting arm and the magnetic head at the distal end of the other supporting arms.
In the above described conventional disk attachment unit wherein the clamping of the magnetic disk by the head unit takes place almost concurrently with the lowering of the cassette holder holding the disk cassette, there is the risk that the magnetic disk may be clamped by the head unit prior to complete engagement of the center opening in the metallic center core secured to the magnetic disk by the spindle of the rotational driving unit of the magnetic disk. As a result, chucking of the magnetic disk onto the disk table is occasionally insufficient so that it may be impossible to drive the magnetic disk into rotation.
In order to prevent the occurrence of insufficient chucking as described above, it may be contemplated to chuck the magnetic disk by the head unit after the cassette holder is lowered onto the disk table. Thus it has been contemplated to provide rotation delay means whereby the supporting arm of the head unit is turned with a delay relative to the descent of the cassette holder. When the rotation delay device for the supporting arm is provided in this manner, the overall system is necessarily complicated, while the production costs are not lowered. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The disclosure relates to a dual inlet microchannel device and a method for using the dual inlet microchannel device to perform a flow-through kinetic assay. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a differential assembly and more particularly to a differential assembly having a limited slip device with adjustable pre-load.
Differential assemblies having a limited slip device are known in the art. FIG. 1 depicts a differential assembly having a limited slip device according to the prior art. Differential pinions 5 and side gears 7 are disposed within a differential case 6. A multiple-disc clutch pack 4 is disposed between one or each of the side gears 7 and the differential case 6. The differential case 6 may have axial grooves or splines to prevent rotation and allow axial displacement of friction discs of the clutch pack 4. Similarly clutch plates are splined onto the side gears 7 and interposed between the friction discs. A spring is normally disposed between the side gears 7 to urge the side gears 7 apart and cause frictional engagement in the clutch pack. However, a Belleville spring 8 may be disposed between the clutch pack 4 and either the side gear 7 or differential case 6. The friction between the friction discs and clutch plates limits the amount that the side gears 5 may slip relative to the differential case 6. However, the prior art assemblies do not facilitate selective adjustment of the clutch pack 4 preload. Moreover, the prior art fails to provide a means to adjust the clutch pack 4 preload after the differential is assembled and provide easy readjustment after a portion of its service life has expired or the ability to easily externally adjust the clutch pack 4 preload from the differential case 6.
The present invention is directed to a differential assembly having a limited slip device with adjustable preload. The differential assembly includes a differential case with pinion and side gears disposed therein. The clutch pack is disposed between at least one of the side gears and the differential case to retard relative rotation there between. An adjustment collar is disposed between the clutch pack and the differential case to adjust the preload of the clutch pack. Elongated slots are formed through the differential case to provide external access to spanner slots formed in the adjustment collar. A tool may be inserted through the elongated slots to engage the spanner slots and selectively rotate the adjustment collar to adjust the pre-load of the clutch pack. The arrangement of the present invention provides the ability to uniformly adjust the pre-load of the clutch pack with access external of the differential case. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and flash memory.
Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Common uses for flash memory include personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and cellular telephones. Program code and system data such as a basic input/output system (BIOS) are typically stored in flash memory devices for use in personal computer systems.
Two common types of flash memory array architectures are the “NOR” and “NAND” architectures. The architecture names refer to the resemblance that the memory cell configuration of each architecture has to a basic NOR or NAND gate circuit, respectively.
In the NOR array architecture, the floating gate memory cells of the memory array are arranged in a matrix. The gates of each floating gate memory cell of the array matrix are connected by rows to word select lines (wordlines) and their drains are connected to column bitlines. The source of each floating gate memory cell is typically connected to a common source line.
A NAND array architecture also arranges its array of floating gate memory cells in a matrix such that the gates of each floating gate memory cell of the array are connected by rows to wordlines. Each memory cell, however, is not directly connected to a source line and a column bit line. The memory cells of the array are instead arranged together in strings. Each string typically comprises 8, 16, 32, or more cells. The memory cells in the string are connected together in series, source to drain, between a common sourceline and a column bitline.
As the performance of electronic systems increase, the performance of flash memory devices in the systems should increase as well. A performance increase can include improving both the speed and the memory density of the devices. One way to accomplish both of these criteria is to reduce the memory device size.
One problem with decreasing the size of a NAND flash memory device is the floating gate-to-floating gate coupling that occurs as the memory cells get closer together. The overall height of the floating gates are not reduced much since that also reduces the coupling of the wordline and impacts the program and erase operations on the cells. The increased capacitive coupling between the floating gates creates a data pattern sensitivity such that data programmed on one cell can affect the verification and reading of an adjacent cell.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a way to reduce the effect of capacitive coupling between adjacent floating gates. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Current methods for tracking three-dimensional structures and capturing their images using even the most advanced systems require substantial human effort, both in terms of time and skill, are prone to operator error and lack uniformity. These shortcomings of the data acquisition activity limit the effectiveness and efficiency of the outcomes severely. For example, in developing bright-field images, the operator collects images at pre-determined time points (e.g., every 48 hours) and analyzes them visually to make comparative determinations. The experimenter observes the objects, chooses targets within a region of interest, and focuses the device on the vertical plane desired. In addition to a significant human presence, this process requires manually tracking and re-focusing the microscope possibly hundreds of times at each session. New and different positioning of the microscope and levels of focus are needed as the morphology and shape related changes over time. In FIG. 1, an example for the need in tracking and re-focusing a microscope is illustrated. A cluster of cancer cells of the breast cancer cell line MCF7 is shown in the left-most pane in FIG. 1. As in typical experiments conducted in cancer biology, the MCF7 cells were placed into a three-dimensional matrigel to be observed over time. The middle pane displays the cells after 5 hours, at which time this cluster moved within the matrigel and became slightly blurred. After 10 hours, as shown in the right-most pane in FIG. 1, the microscope lost its focus on this cell cluster. In addition, the cell cluster moved out of the center of the field of view. Hence, a microscope guiding system to automatically track the location of this cell cluster and keep its image on microscope on focus will be beneficial to the practitioners of such biology experiments.
Unfortunately, the tracking and auto-focus features of even the most modern information capturing devices cannot alleviate the manual operator input in focusing in a three-dimensional environment. As of today, there are no commercially available software packages for efficient tracking and auto-focusing of three-dimensional structures. For example, a current microscope from General Electric (GE) uses the autofocus feature which is very limited. In this example, the microscope set the focal plane at the brightest point in a well full of biological material. This may not necessarily be the best focal plane since most of the material may have less brightness but containing the most useful information. The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mobile communication devices and more particularly to a circuit for managing power in an RF integrated circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
As is known, integrated circuits are used in a wide variety of products including, but certainly not limited to, portable electronic devices, computers, computer networking equipment, home entertainment, automotive controls and features, and home appliances. As is also known, integrated circuits include a plurality of circuits in a very small space to perform one or more fixed or programmable functions.
Power management can be an important consideration for electronic devices, particularly for mobile devices that operate from battery power. Lowering the power consumption of a device can increase battery life, or conversely, can potentially decrease the size of the battery that is required, with a corresponding decrease in weight and size.
The advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art when presented with the disclosure herein. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
As science and technology develop rapidly, intelligent terminals are more widely used. Besides cell phones, tablet computers, and the like, more types of intelligent terminals begin to emerge, for example, wearable devices such as GOOGLE GLASS and a SAMSUNG GEAR smartwatch. To enable a user to conveniently obtain more information, an intelligent terminal generally has a display function.
Currently, an intelligent terminal may present content to a user in different presentation modes, for example, by a screen display or projection display and by a voice broadcast.
However, currently an intelligent terminal can present content to a user in a specific presentation mode only selection by the user. When a presentation mode of the intelligent terminal cannot conveniently enable, in a current scenario, the user to acquire required information, for example, when light is relatively strong, which prevents the user from clearly seeing content on a screen, the user needs to modify the presentation mode to select a more suitable content presentation mode in the current scenario, and a requirement of the user for a content presentation mode in the current scenario may be difficult to be met after multiple times of switching. As a result, operations and a time that are required by the user to acquire the information are increased, and efficiency of acquiring the information by the user is reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention refers to an injection moulding nozzle for use in an injection moulding system, comprising a nozzle body which is provided with an essentially cylindrical outer surface and with a rear end face adapted to abut to a hot runner, further comprising at least a first and second melt passage for at least a first and second plastic melt wherein the second melt passage extends coaxially through the nozzle body and the first melt passage extends through said nozzle body at least substantially parallel to said second melt passage.
Today's injection moulding techniques make increasingly use of plastic materials which tend to show crystalline hardening structures and which, from the point of view of injection moulding technology, can only be processed with difficulties and within a narrow temperature range. It follows that a precise temperature control of the melt of plastic material along the melt passage in the injection moulding system from the melt inlet throughout the runner means and through the injection moulding nozzle up to the gate is particularly important with regard to the quality of the finished injection moulded part as well as with regard to the efficiency and the reliability of the mode of operation of the whole injection moulding system.
For a plurality of cases of use, e.g. in the field of packing industry for producing long-time packings for highly perishable foodstuff or for foodstuff which has to be used under difficult climatic conditions, it is desirable to process several plastic melts of different kinds simultaneously in one injection moulding cycle so as to obtain sandwichlike structures of materials, e.g. for providing plastic packings for foodstuff with an inner barrier layer consisting of an O.sub.2 -impervious plastic material, for embedding conductive plastic films between non-conductive plastic layers, etc. In the cae of the coinjection moulding of two plastic melts with different properties, which has to be carried out for this purpose, it is, however, difficult to master the injection moulding process from the point of view of tool technology in the case of multi-cavity hot runner systems. In particular, it is difficult to avoid, by making use of a suitable control regime, a mixing of the various plastic melts outside of the moulding cavity and to form defined core films within a basic layer of plastic material within extremely short cycle periods.
Hitherto known means for simultaneous injection moulding of different plastic melts include very often complicated injection moulding systems and associated control means, which, due to their degree of complexity, are susceptible to breakdown and expensive, and the results achieved with the aid of these means were not always satisfactory (cf. e.g. "Modern Plastics", February 1990, pages 54 to 56).
With respect to injection nozzles a plurality of different types thereof for feeding a plurality of plastic materials into a cavity are known, as for example described in EP-A 339 753, U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,101 or DE-A 36 32928. Moreover, similar injection nozzles enabling to supply of different kinds of plastic materials through separate melt channels to manufacture multilayered products are shown in EP-A 378 138, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,936, DE-A 35 19 921 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,177, respectively.
A common feature of the majority of said known injection nozzles adapted to be used for coinjection moulding including sequential moulding comprises an internal structure of concentric shells or coaxial cylinders of different diameter in order to form separated flow channels for the different materials which normally should be fed to the cavity in an unmixed condition. Injection nozzles comprising a valve gated tip and a central melt bore feeding one of the melts whereas another melt flows through an annular melt towards the tip end of the nozzle are also known in the air (see for example DE-A 35 19 921). According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,936 two materials are fed through longitudinal separate melt channels forming melt supply bores which are disposed symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal centre axis of the nozzle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Examples of known existing electronic components include an electronic component disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-236157. In the electronic component disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-236157, a plurality of insulating layers are stacked on an insulating substrate. A plurality of helical coil conductors are stacked together with the insulating layers. Via hole conductors extending through the insulating layers connect the plurality of the helical coil conductors to one another. The electronic component disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-236157 is manufactured using a photolithography method. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A brand image is considered to be a powerful asset for many organizations. Organizations may allocate significant capital toward protecting their brand image in the form of advertising, market surveys and analysis, quality control measures, trademark protection, and other means. As an organization grows, it may tend to develop an online brand image, sometimes associated with a website or other online application. An online brand image for an organization may be as significant of an asset as a more traditional brand image, such as reputation for quality products.
One facet of an online brand image for an organization is availability or continuity of presence of the online application projecting the brand image. For example, an organization may wish to project such characteristics as strength, reliability, integrity, security, and others through persistent presence of an online application. An organization may desire to provide “always-on” online applications such that a client using the applications receives, or at least perceives, continuous service. Accordingly, much effort has been exerted in the areas of reliability, durability, and security of online applications, particularly with respect to data centers that host such online applications.
As continuity of online applications hosted in a data center may be critical to particular organizations, various efforts have been made to enhance the reliability of data centers. For example, some data centers are provided with physical reliability such as housing the data center in an inconspicuous location, providing restricted access to the data center, providing the data center with environmental isolation and control, and providing electrical power supply redundancy to the data center. Another element of reliability that has been added to data center design is to provide an organization with more than one physical data center, e.g., providing multiple data centers at different locations. Likewise, an online access point, such as an Internet or intranet connection, to a data center may fail, which could obviate certain measures taken to protect the functionality of a single data center.
Providing “redundant” or “backup” data centers may provide an organization with the ability to protect online application functionality against harmful factors that extend beyond the scope of the organization's control over a single data center. For example, a single data center may be vulnerable to physical failure, e.g., from terrorist activity, fire, earthquake, etc. A single data center may be vulnerable to electronic failure, e.g., “hacker” activity such as viruses, broadcast storms, denial of service attacks, and the like. A single data center may be vulnerable to electric and/or telecommunications failure of such a magnitude that the provided redundant systems internal to the data center are unable to mitigate the failure. Other failures reducing or eliminating the functionality of a single data center are possible. In such instances, having additional data centers at separate geographic locations may provide the organization with the ability to maintain data center functionality after the loss of a single data center or online access point. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention generally relates to a low noise converter of an outdoor unit for satellite broadcast reception use.
Generally, satellite broadcasting transmits electromagnetic waves in the range of 10.95 GHz through 12.75 GHz from a stationary satellite over the equator to the ground to effect a broadcasting operation to wider areas. A parabola antenna of high gain or a plane antenna thereof receives the waves and converts them into the signals of 1 GHz band near the antenna. This is because the received signals are required to be transmitted by a cable to an indoor receiver, such that the lower frequency allows the signal to be sufficient in strength. It is a low noise converter (LNB: Low Noise Block Downconverter) that affects the frequency converting operation.
The band width of the waves transmitted from the stationary satellite is normally 500 MHz through 800 MHz, in which the program of the satellite broadcasting of 1 through 24 channels are included. The low noise converter converts all the signals of this band width into the 1 GHz. For example, in the Europe Ku band, 11.7 GHz through 12.5 GHz are inputted, are converted into the signals of 950 MHz through 1750 MHz (800 MHz in band width) as IF signals, and are outputted so that the station can be selected by an indoor receiver.
FIG. 7 shows a circuit construction example of the conventional low noise converter. The input signals are amplified through a coaxial waveguide converting portion 1 by a low noise amplifier 2 of GaAs FET 2 through 3 step construction. Then, the received signals are passed into a band passing type filter 3 for preventing image signals or local signals so as to be mixed with an office transmitting signals from an office transmitting oscillator 5 by a mixer 4. They are further amplified by an IF amplifier 6 and are outputted as IF signals.
When the input signals are in the range of 11.7 GHz through 12.5 GHz, the office transmitting signals are 10.75 GHz and are converted into the frequencies of 950 MHz through 1750 MHz as IF signals. FIG. 8 shows a characteristic example of frequency relationship and a band pass type filter 3 utilized in the conventional low noise converter.
In the present invention, the frequencies which the satellite uses for the broadcasting operation are not only 11.7 GHz through 12.5 GHz (for example, the above-described Europe Ku band), but also frequency bands which are different from 10.95 GHz through 11.7 GHz (for example ECS (European Communication Satellite) band) and 12.25 GHz through 12.75 GHz (for example, Authert). Low noise converters adjusted for the frequency band are respectively prepared, so that a low noise converter is required to cooperate with the satellite to be received. Furthermore, a plurality of antennas and low noise converters are required when a plurality of satellites exist, the frequencies thereof are different respectively, or frequency bands are changed by the operation replacement of the satellites.
When the art of the circuit construction (which is designed to receive the signals of Europe Ku bands 11.7 GHz through 12.5 GHz) is extended so that signals in the range of 10.95 GHz through 12.5 GHz including, for example, the ECS band, are tried to be received, the conversion band width of the IF signal becomes 1550 MHz (=12.5 GHz through 10.95 GHz. Therefore, it is difficult for the indoor receiver to cover the range, thus considerably deteriorating the accuracy of the IF signals.
Also, in 2-band low noise converter (LNB: Low Noise Block Downconverter), so-called 2-band LNB for receiving two frequency bands, a signal for selecting a receiving band is required to be given to the 2-band LNB in order to receive two bands. Conventionally, a band switching input terminal 13, in addition to the IF output terminal 12 of the 2-band LNB1 as shown in FIG. 9, is provided. It is to be noted that in FIG. 9, reference numeral 14 is an input waveguide.
However, the 2-band LNB requires a sufficient airtight property for outdoor use thereof. It is an obstacle to maintain the airtight property to provide a band switching input terminal 13, in addition to an IF output terminal 12. This results in complicated construction. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a device-installation-information distribution apparatus and a system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasing digitization of information in recent years has made image processing apparatuses such as printers and facsimiles for use in outputting digitized information and scanners for use in digitalizing documents indispensable. It is typical that such an image processing apparatus is configured as a multifunction peripheral having an image capture function, an image forming function, a communication function, and the like to be usable as a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and a copier.
Using such an image processing apparatus via an information processing apparatus such as a PC (personal computer) such that, for example, a print job is transmitted from the information processing apparatus to cause the image processing apparatus to form and output an image is enabled by installing driver software on the information processing apparatus. It is typical for a large number of combinations of an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus to enable using the image processing apparatus via the information processing apparatus by installing a printer driver on the PC.
Management of using an image processing apparatus via an information processing apparatus in this manner may be carried out by granting limited privileges to users of the information processing apparatus. For example, such management may be carried out as follows. Operation settings of driver software configured to permit only monochrome printing and duplex printing for cost reduction are locked to prevent users from making unauthorized changes to the settings. Another scheme of setting a login status (login privilege level) of users logged into the information processing apparatus to a login status as a general user privilege (a general-user login privilege level) that is not authorized to modify system configuration may be employed to restrict unauthorized modification of the system configuration by a user.
However, installation of newly-added software is not permitted to the general-user login privilege level (login status) that is not authorized to modify the system configuration. Therefore, even installation of driver software that enables use of a newly-added device such as an image processing apparatus is restricted. To avoid such a disadvantage, a technique of embedding authentication information such as an ID (identifier) and a password by which login is authenticated as an administrative user to an information processing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-025477.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a device-installation-information distribution apparatus and a system capable of avoiding a disadvantage that can occur in the following situation. Although an information processing apparatus is configured to, when program is to be installed on the information processing apparatus, change a login privilege on the information processing apparatus to a privilege authorized to install program, authentication information for use in logging into the information processing apparatus is changed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
With the proliferation of portable electronic devices including PDA's, cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, gaming devices and so forth, certain docking systems have been created to help organize and power these devices. Currently available device docking systems implement a variety of architectures for both powering and coupling to portable electronic devices may include adjustable clamps to hold individual devices, specially sized recess pocket/cavities, and specially sized individual device adaptor sleeves. The adjustable clamps require complicated moving parts and require allocated space/clearance for a sliding mechanism. Recessed pockets need to be sized to accommodate the largest device, therefore, they are too large for smaller devices. Also, recessed pockets require a clearance feature on the bottom side for electrical connections and can be difficult to access. Recessed pockets do not allow for connections on alternate sides of devices, and they also take up a greater amount of space. Individual device adaptor sleeves require unique parts for each device and require a larger standard sized recessed pocket for the sleeve to engage. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to mirrors curved in at least one plane to produce a virtual image having a specified angular magnification or demagnification with no angular distortion in the aforementioned plane and more particularly to such mirrors for use in vehicles.
The need and responsibility which a driver or navigator of a vehicle has for being aware of objects such as other vehicles in his surroundings are obvious. Various techniques, such as the use of rear-view mirrors for ground vehicles or the use of radar for aircraft and ships, have been devised to display or present an image of surrounding objects. Many of these techniques suffer from deficiencies such as gaps or distortions in the presentation of the image. For example, the conventional plane or flat rear-view mirror commonly used in automobiles does not adequately show objects to the side. The use of several mirrors, such as a rear-view mirror and two side-view mirrors, to remedy this shortcoming necessitates the dangerous procedure of looking from one mirror to another, often through a wide angle and often still with gaps in the view of the surroundings presented by the mirrors.
Spherical or other curved mirrors currently used present a wider but angularly distorted view of the surroundings. This angular distortion occurs whether the curved mirrors are used alone or are superposed on or used as "wings" (i.e., as adjoining end sections) for flat mirrors. Due to this angular distortion, the observer is provided with an inaccurate and unreliable representation of the spatial relationships between his or her vehicle and surrounding objects. Reliance on such an angularly distorted view of the surroundings could therefore be unsafe.
Even radar may not show the presence of very close objects as tragically witnessed by the crash of two airplanes approaching the same runway, one above the other, at the same time and in broad daylight at Moffett Field, Mountain View, California on Apr. 12, 1973. An appropriate mirror system with no angular distortion could have timely and accurately apprised the navigators of these airplanes of the danger. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a bezel attaching structure of a wrist watch and an assembled structure of a wrist watch and, more particularly, to a wrist watch having high design performance by making a bezel easily exchangeable by a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, there is known a wrist watch having a design in which a decorative bezel is attached at a region surrounding a glass for protecting a dial. The bezel is formed in a doughnut shape in conformity with an outer shape of a wrist watch and is attached to a surface of the wrist watch. Further, the bezel serves also as a lid of a case main body containing a watch mechanism. In that case, a glass member is adhered or welded to a hole portion of the bezel in the doughnut shape, the bezel is attached to press against the case main body of the wrist watch to thereby hermetically close the case by interposing a packing therebetween, and the bezel cannot be removed without a special tool or special technology/technique [is used]. Meanwhile, a bezel attached by a so-to-speak rotational bezel structure, is rotatably attached to the case main body and the bezel is attached thereto such that the bezel is not removed unless a special tool or special technology/technique is used.
However, according to the above-described conventional wrist watch, the bezel cannot be removed unless special tool or special technology/technique is used and accordingly, the bezel cannot be exchanged easily and there poses a problem that a restriction in view of design is imposed in providing a wrist watch attached with a bezel to suit to taste of a user. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved low thermal skew optic cable covered with successive layers of materials in such manner that heat or cold from a localized source is distributed relatively uniformly throughout the fiber optic cable.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of fiber optic cables as carriers for electronic signals is well known. Frequently such fiber optic cables are coated with a plastic jacket which not only provides thermal insulation but functions as a slick surface to make it easier to pull a cable through a conduits, etc. The use of metallic braid and the use of a metallized polymer film under the braid are likewise well known in industry; for example, in coaxial cables. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates non-exclusively to an electric trigger switch with a locking mechanism enabling the trigger to be locked in ON and OFF positions.
It is known to provide locking mechanisms for power tool trigger switches. These mechanisms typically include a pushbutton enabling the trigger to be locked down in the ON position, so that there is no need for a user to keep pulling the trigger. Inadvertent depression of the trigger from the OFF position to the ON position presents a safety hazard.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above problem and/or more generally to provide an improved locking trigger switch for a power tool. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system which can utilize a function of an image processing apparatus as a web service, an image processing apparatus, and a control method of the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is an apparatus called a multifunction peripheral (MFP) which incorporates the functionality of multiple apparatuses including a scanner, a printer, a fax machine, and a network transmission apparatus into one housing. Further, it is known that the functions of the MFP can be utilized as a web service to use the MFP by a command output from an external apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-203869 discusses a system including a MFP which generates a job (print job, image data transmission job, etc.), and executes the job when it receives a request for the web service from an external apparatus. The request is generated based on Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).
Regarding the system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-203869, a plurality of jobs are generated by the MFP depending on the request for the web service transmitted from the external apparatus. For example, if the MFP receives a request such as “print image data as well as transmit the image data to a file transfer protocol (FTP) server”, the MFP generates two jobs of a print job (print the image data) and a transmission job (transmit the image data).
If the MFP receives a request for a web service via SOAP from an external apparatus, the MFP needs to transmit (upload) a response to the external apparatus. The response is, for example, an execution result of the job. However, as described above, if a plurality of jobs is generated based on the request for web service, the processing time of the jobs will be different depending on the content, type, and setting of the job. Thus, the execution results of the jobs cannot be transmitted (uploaded) to the external apparatus at the same time.
For example, if a print job and a transmission job are requested, normally, the print job takes longer time than the transmission job. Accordingly, the timing the execution result of the print job can be transmitted will be later than that of the transmission job.
If the execution result of each of the plurality of jobs generated according to the request for the web service is individually uploaded from the MFP to the external apparatus at the timing each job is finished, the number of times the MFP communicates with the external apparatus will be increased. Accordingly, the volume of the communication traffic is increased.
However, if the results of the jobs that take different execution time are transmitted at the same time, the execution result of the job which can be finished in a short time cannot be swiftly uploaded to the external apparatus even if it is finished.
When a plurality of jobs taking different processing time are executed by the image processing apparatus, if each of the execution results of the jobs is individually transmitted to the external apparatus across the board, or if the execution results of the jobs are transmitted at one time to the external apparatus across the board, depending on the job type or the job setting, the number of communication times will be increased or the execution results of the jobs cannot be promptly transmitted. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Conventionally, the constitution shown in FIG. 8 is known as an example of an A/D (analog/digital) conversion circuit (for example, refer to Non-patent Document 1). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the conventionally known A/D conversion circuit.
In the example shown, the A/D conversion circuit 190 includes a clock generating circuit 191 that couples in a ring shape one negative AND (NAND) circuit 1911 as an inverting circuit for activation that operates upon receiving a pulse signal StartP to one input terminal, and a plurality of inverter (INV) circuits 1912 as inverting circuits; a counter 192 and an encoder 193 that measure the output signal from the clock generating circuit 191; a latch circuit 194 that holds the output signal from the counter 192; a latch circuit 195 that holds the output signal from the encoder 193; a latch circuit 196 that adds the output signals from the latch circuit 194 and the latch circuit 195 and holds the sum; and a computing unit 197 that computes the difference between the previous signal and the current signal using the latch circuit 196, and outputs it to an external subsequent stage circuit.
Also, in the illustrated example, the NAND circuit 1911 and the inverter circuits 1912 in the clock generating circuit 191, and a power source line 1913 for supplying power to the inverter circuits 1912 are connected to an input terminal 198 of the analog input signal Vin that is the object of the A/D conversion via a buffer circuit 199. Also, clock (CLK) signal CKs is input to the encoder 193 and the latch circuits 194 and 195.
Next, the operation of the A/D conversion circuit 190 shall be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the clock generating circuit 191 causes the pulse signal StartP to go around the circuit consisting of the single NAND circuit 1911 and the plurality of inverter circuits 1912 that are configured in a ring shape.
The counter 192 counts the number of times that the pulse signal StartP, which changes in accordance with the analog input signal Vin and the cycle of the clock (CLK) signal CKs, goes around the circuit in the clock generating circuit 191, and outputs it as binary digital data. The encoder 193 detects the position of the pulse signal StartP, which changes in accordance with the analog input signal Vin and the cycle of the clock (CLK) signal CKs, in the loop of the circuit in the clock generating circuit 191, and outputs it as binary digital data.
The latch circuit 194 holds the digital data that counter 192 outputs. The latch circuit 195 holds the digital data that the encoder 193 outputs. The latch circuit 196 makes the digital data that the latch circuit 194 holds the high-order bits, and the digital data that the latch circuit 195 holds the low-order bits and takes them in, and by adding together these digital data, generates and holds binary digital data according to the analog input signal Vin in the cycle of the clock signal CKs.
The computing unit 197 computes the difference between the digital data that the latch circuit 196 held with the previous digital data that the latch circuit 196 held, and outputs the computed digital data DT to an external subsequent stage circuit.
FIG. 9 is a diagram that shows the relation between the magnitude of the analog input signal Vin in the A/D conversion circuit 190, and the propagation delay time of the pulse signal StartP that travels in the circuit. In the A/D conversion circuit 190, in the case of the analog input signal Vin being low, the propagation delay time of the pulse signal StartP increases, and in the case of the analog input signal Vin being high, the propagation delay time of the pulse signal StartP decreases. Accordingly, digital data according to the propagation delay time of this pulse signal StartP is output from the A/D conversion circuit 190.
FIG. 10 is a diagram that shows the relation of the sampling cycle in the A/D conversion circuit 190 and the timing of outputting digital data. The A/D conversion circuit 190 cyclically outputs the digital data DT in accordance with the cycle of the clock signal CKs that is the sampling cycle. In the example that is illustrated, it outputs the digital data 2121 at the sampling cycle 2111, outputs the digital data 2122 at the sampling cycle 2112, and outputs the digital data 2123 at the sampling cycle 2113.
As stated above, the A/D conversion circuit 190 cyclically outputs the digital data DT corresponding to the analog input signal Vin in accordance with the cycle of the clock signal CKs.
Also, as a clock generating circuit that is included in an A/D conversion circuit, there is known a constitution that provides a delay element between inverting circuits that constitute the clock generating circuit (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). According to this constitution, compared to the case of there being no delay element, by delaying the propagation speed of the clock signal of the clock generating circuit, a reduction in malfunctioning becomes possible by hindering the effects of wiring resistance, wiring capacity and parasitic elements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In-building location determination is inherently difficult and generally not possible with the Global Positioning System (GPS) because the signals from the GPS orbital satellite signals are too weak to be received through most building construction materials. Shorter range wireless technology can be used to determine inter-station range using either received signal strength indication (RSSI) or time-of-flight measurements. The former is typically more error prone due to the vagaries of signal reflection and ferrous materials that are capable of propagating a signal, thereby distorting what would otherwise be a relatively straightforward calculation based on an inverse square law. Time-of-flight based on the propagation time of electromagnetic (EM) waves in space may be a more accurate approach than an RSSI approach, however timing radio signals to a few nanoseconds may be technically challenging.
Indoor location tracking utilizing the RSSI approach typically involves two or more receivers for RSSI location awareness. However, using two or more receivers may be an issue because the device that is a master device generally can only have eight slaves in a piconet system, so as a result finding a position for a mobile device means that each stationary device is a slave to a mobile master. If portability is an issue then duty cycle can adversely expend the battery life of the mobile devices. Also other devices may not be able to communicate with the master to save data. An alternative architecture would be to have the mobile device function as a slave in the network. However, the issue is that the other slaves can not speak to the mobile slave.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, if considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding and/or analogous elements. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Automatic contact or call distribution systems are known. Such systems are typically used, for example, as a means of distributing customer contacts such as telephone calls among a group of agents. Automatic contact distributors (also known as automatic call distributors or ACD's) may be, but not limited to, hardware and/or software systems with many possible configurations including distributed systems, integrated systems, systems based on one or more personal computers or servers, and the like.
Often an organization disseminates a single telephone number to its customers and to the public in general as a means of contacting the organization. The term “calls” refers not only to conventional telephone calls, but also to any customer contacts including but not limited to facsimile, e-mail, Internet communications such as web chat and VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). As calls are directed to the organization from the public switch telephone network or other communication system, the automatic call distribution system directs the calls to its agents based upon some type of criteria. For example, where all agents are considered equal, the automatic call distributor may distribute the calls based upon which agent has been idle the longest. The agents that are operatively connected to the automatic call distributor may be live agents, and/or virtual agents. Typically, virtual agents are, for example, software routines and algorithms that are operatively connected and/or part of the automatic call distributor.
Automatic call distributors are often utilized in communications handling centers, such as telephone call centers, that forward incoming communications for processing by one of several associated call-handling agents. Such communications centers may be used to forward voice-over-internet protocol communications; electronic mail messages; facsimiles or the like, to associated handling agents.
Call centers, for example, are often used to dispatch emergency services, as telemarketing sales centers, as customer service centers, etc. to automatically distribute received calls. Each incoming call may have a number of handling requirements, depending on, for example, the nature of the call, the originating call area, and the language of the call. Agents, on the other hand, each have abilities to process calls having certain handling requirements. Typically, agents are able to process one or more call types. For example, agents may be trained to process certain call subject matters and certain call languages.
In known call centers, computerized automatic call distributors place incoming telephone calls, of a particular type, requiring defined skills, in queues of like calls. Appropriate agents have skills necessary to process calls in the queues, and are assigned to such queues. Agents are often assigned to multiple queues, reflective of their particular handling skills. Typically, this is done to increase the handling capacity of the center by making improved use of available communications handling resources.
Quite often, agents may handle calls related to one or more subject areas, and possess varied attributes that are relevant to all subject areas they are capable of handling. For example, a telephone call center agent may speak multiple languages, and may therefore be able to process telephone calls relating to a particular subject matter in all these languages. One simple approach used to deal with multiple agent attributes is to create and administer individual queues, each of which takes into account the subject matter and the attributes of the agent. This, however, is administratively very cumbersome.
Other known call centers use agent-skill indicators, associated with agents in order to connect calls. In such centers, a call is connected to an agent having an agent-skill indicator matching that of the call, within a group of agents. Agents, however, are typically only assignable to only one, and typically only a single agent-skill indicator is used to connect the call. Disadvantageously, such call centers do not use agent attributes across different groups. This may lead to an inefficient utilization of call center resources. Moreover, these communications handling centers do not allow for easy administration and re-assignment of agents to queues, while maintaining agent skill-sets.
One concern in designing an automatic call distributor system is ensuring that calls are efficiently routed to an agent, so as to minimize the amount of time that any particular call waits to be handled. One basic technique of minimizing on-hold time is to employ a first-in/first-out call handling technique. The first-in/first-out technique requires that calls be routed to the next available agent in the order in which the calls are received. However, in some automatic call distributor systems the agents are specialized in handling particular types of calls, so the first-in/first-out technique is not appropriate. For example in a product support department of a software facility, agents might be grouped according to specialized expertise, so that a first group is knowledgeable in word processing, a second group is knowledgeable in a database program, and a third group is knowledgeable in a spreadsheet program. Utilizing a first-in/first-out technique in such a situation is inappropriate, because a caller with a question regarding the word processing program may be routed to an agent having specialized knowledge regarding the database program or the spreadsheet program, rather than being routed to an agent with specialized knowledge in the word processing program.
The focus in the management of calls has been upon maximizing availability to customers, so as to achieve an acceptable profit margin in a competitive environment of customer service. Call management approaches that increase revenue may lead to savings for customers.
Most present-day call-distribution algorithms focus on being “fair” to callers and to agents. This fairness is reflected by the standard first-in, first-out call to most-idle-agent assignment algorithm. Skills-based routing improves upon this basic algorithm in that it allows each agent to be slotted into a number of categories based on the agent's skill types and levels.
Prior art systems typically cannot accommodate agents with disabilities/handicaps or allow them to function effectively in a transaction processing center environment. Such agents may have visual, auditory, and vocal disabilities, and perhaps disabilities involving manual dexterity.
Certain interfaces exist for some disabled individuals. For example, text-relay services are available, but such a service is very slow and relatively expensive. Braille printers also exist to translate text into Braille. However, such hardware is not currently integrated into a transaction processing system, and a total integrated solution is not available. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display for widening a viewing angle.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display has two panels with electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two panels. Voltages are applied to the electrodes so that the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are re-oriented to thereby control light transmission.
Liquid crystal displays are widely used because they exhibit excellent display characteristics, but they do have a major shortcoming when their viewing angle is narrow. Various techniques for widening the viewing angle have been developed. For instance, liquid crystal molecules may be aligned perpendicular to top and the bottom panels while forming a predetermined pattern of openings or protrusions at a pixel electrode and a common electrode.
In the case of formation of the opening pattern, the liquid crystal molecules are controlled in orientation by way of a fringe field due to the opening pattern formed at the pixel electrodes and/or the common electrode.
In the case of formation of the protrusion pattern, protrusions are formed at the pixel electrode and/or the common electrode, and the liquid crystal molecules are controlled in orientation by way of electric field deformed due to the protrusion pattern.
Furthermore, it is proposed that an opening pattern is formed at the pixel electrode while forming a protrusion pattern at the common electrode. The liquid crystal molecules are controlled in orientation by way of the fringe field due to the opening pattern and the protrusion pattern while forming a plurality of domains.
In such a multi-domain liquid crystal display, the viewing angle per contrast ratio of 1:10 or the viewing angle defined as the limit angle of the inter-gray scale brightness inversion reaches 80 or more in all directions. However, if the lateral gamma curve is deviated from the front gamma curve, visibility at left and right sides is deteriorated, even when compared to the twisted nematic (TN) mode liquid crystal display. For instance, in a patterned vertically aligned (PVA) mode where opening portions are formed for the domain partitioning, the display becomes much brighter as it comes to the lateral side, and the color becomes white. In a serious case, the bright gray scales are removed while conglomerating the picture images. Thus, it is desirable to reduce deterioration of colors on the left and right sides, thereby enhancing the image quality of an LCD. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates to a process for making foamed styrene polymers fast cooling during molding by incorporating silicone surfactants into the polymer during the impregnation of the polymers with a blowing agent.
The making of low density, cellular, shaped, plastic articles from expandable particles of styrene polymers is well known. Such particles generally contain a blowing agent which boils below the softening point of the polymer and which will cause the particles to expand when they are heated. When the expanded particles are heated in a mold cavity, the particles expand further to fill the mold and fuse together to form a shaped article.
This invention also relates to a process for producing thick-section moldings of foamed styrene polymers.
The formation of molded articles from expandable styrene polymer particles is effected in two steps:
1. pre-expanding of foamable styrene polymer particles to a density of between 1 and 2 pounds per cubic foot; and PA0 2. further heating the pre-expanded particles in a closed mold to cause further expansion and form a fused, one piece article having the shape of the mold. The second step is what is normally referred to as "molding".
The pre-expansion step may be carried out by heating the expandable polymer pellets by any suitable heating medium such as steam, hot air, hot water, or radiant heat. An excellent method of pre-expansion of the particles is a process such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,175 by Rodman. Another excellent method is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,360 by Immel, which teaches the pre-expansion of polymer beads by heating in a dry atmosphere followed by the application of a vacuum to cause the particles to expand to the desired density.
The molding step normally comprises 4 cycles: (1) the preheating cycle in which the empty mold is preheated with steam; (2) the fill cycle in which the mold is filled with pre-expanded polymer particles; (3) the fusion cycle in which the mold is closed and heated with steam to further expand the particles therein and cause the particles to fuse together; and (4) the cool cycle in which the mold is cooled, usually with recirculating water, or the application of vacuum, to cool the polymer below the softening point of the polymer, the mold is opened and the molded foamed molding is removed from the mold.
The molding of large cross-section (thick-section) billets of foamed styrene polymers, that are greater than one foot in the smallest dimension, presents many problems not encountered in the molding of thin section parts.
One of these problems is the fact that as the particles expand in the fusion cycle against the hot mold surfaces, the surface of the billet fuses into a solid surface which insulates the core or center portion of the billet from the heating medium. The resulting molded billet thus has a well-fused surface but has decreasingly good fusion as the core of the billet is approached. This decreased internal fusion of the billet is highly undesirable because the core particles tend to break away from one another or crumble, when the billet is cut up into smaller sizes.
A further problem in the molding of large billets is that during the preheat cycle large amounts of steam are required to heat the massive molds. The preheat cycle is done with the vent drains of the mold open to permit the drainage of condensed water from the mold. The peheat cycle is normally necessary because if the mold is cold when the fusion cycle is begun, the steam used for expanding the particles condenses on the surface of the cold mold causing excess water to be present during the fusion cycle. The water thus formed tends to prevent fusion between the particles and to produce water-wet moldings.
The problems of the fusion and preheat cycles can be eliminated by the process of pre-steaming, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,377.
After the granules have been heated in the mold to form the desired article, the article must be cooled for a relatively long period of time, depending upon the thickness of the article, before it can be removed from the mold in a self-supporting state to retain its shape outside the mold. Foamed plastic has good insulation qualities, so the cooling time for the article consumes a large part of the molding cylce and greatly restricts the number of articles that can be produced from a mold in a given period of time.
The cooling time is not appreciably shortened by applying cooling media to the surface of the article or to the mold surface since the heat transfer through the article is extremely slow. This low heat transfer rate is in fact one of the properties wich makes these articles useful, for example, for insulation. If the articles are removed from the mold too soon, the combination of the softness of the thermoplastic material and the pressure due to the hot interior of the article will cause the article to bulge and thereafter not have the desired shape. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A step actuator includes a rotor and a stator. The step actuator linearly drives a shaft according to rotation of the rotor.
For instance, the step actuator is connected to a member, which drives a reflector of a vehicle headlight system, in order to change the direction of illumination. In addition, the step actuator converts the rotational movement of the rotor into the linear movement, so the step actuator can be applied to various electric and mechanical devices requiring the linear action. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Highly absorbent, crosslinked polymers have found wide use in a variety of applications, including sanitary goods, hygienic goods, water retaining agents, dehydrating agents, sludge coagulants, condensation preventing agents and release control agents for various chemicals. Water-absorbent polymers are available in a variety of chemical forms including substituted and unsubstituted natural and synthetic polymers such as hydrolysis products of starch-acrylonitrile graft polymers, carboxymethylcellulose, crosslinked polyacrylates, polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylpyrrolidones, sulfonated polystyrenes, hydrolized polyacrylamides and polyethylene oxide.
In addition, aqueous gels, formed from the highly-absorbent crosslinked polymers of the present invention, have shown unexpected utility both in increasing the crop yield of transplanted plants and in preserving freshly cut plants. These results are more surprising considering that it is not necessary to incorporate primary plant nutrients, micronutrients, growth promoters or other agricultural and/or horticultural adjuvants into the gel to either extend the life of freshly cut plants or to increase the crop yields of transplanted plants. Unexpectedly, it has also been found that aqueous gels including a mixed salt of homopolymerized or copolymerized acrylic acid generate higher crop yields when fertilizers are excluded from the aqueous gels.
It has also been found that it is unnecessary to admix inert solid aggregates, such as sand, rock, woodflour or vermiculite, with the mixed salt of the polymerized acrylic acid in order to help support freshly cut plants. The aqueous gels formed from the mixed salt polyacrylates of the present invention are of sufficient strength and rigidity to hold the plants upright, and also allow the plant to withdraw the necessary water from the gel to preserve plant life.
Water-absorbent polymers have been used both to preserve freshly cut ornamental plants and as a growth medium for seeds, seedlings and transplants. U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,292 discloses a number of gel-forming colloidal materials, including polyacrylic polymers, that preserve the life of freshly cut plants. However, this patent stresses the use of plant nutrients and the use of an inert solid aggregate filler to free water from the gel and thus make the water available for plant uptake. As will be seen in the detailed description of the invention, the inclusion of plant nutrients and inert solid aggregates into gels made from the polymers of the present invention is unnecessary, and is possibly detrimental.
Other patents disclosing the use of water absorbent polymers for use in plant preservation or as a plant growth medium include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,748, wherein a crosslinked copolymer of a vinyl ester and an unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, neutralized with a potassium or ammonium alkali, is suggested as a seed culturing media for plants; U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,537, wherein a nonionic, monolithic, crosslinked polyurethane is used as a soil plug for growing plants; U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,074, wherein a substantially nonionic crosslinked polyacrylamide is used as an additive for a plant growth medium; U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,374, wherein a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer and inert aggregate particles are utilized to preserve floral arrangements; U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,040, wherein a polyvinyl alcohol and polymerized acrylic acid composition is used as a water-retaining agent for plants or soils; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,129, wherein an absorbent crosslinked polymer and sand or soil are admixed to form plant growth modifiers.
Several other U.S. Patents disclose polymers used in plant growth media, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,373,009; 3,900,378; 3,973,355; 4,034,508; 3,831,317; 4,495,310; 4,439,552; and 4,329,436.
The methods and compositions disclosed in the prior art require or recommend the inclusion of fertilizers and/or solid aggregates into the gels formed from the water-absorbent polymer. In addition, several of the prior art methods are difficult or impractical to use since: the compositions are not readily dispersed in water; the polymer, such as a starch-acrylonitrile graft polymer, is expensive and difficult to make; the polymer is subject to hydrolysis or bacterial degradation unless parameters, such as pH, are carefully controlled; the physical parameters, such as pH, necessary to protect the integrity of the polymer may adversely affect certain plants; and the polymers produce a gel that does not readily surrender water to the plants.
Therefore, it would be extremely advantageous to provide a method of extending the life of freshly cut plants and of increasing the crop yield of transplanted plants by utilizing an aqueous gel including an economical, easy to synthesize and disperse, non-degrading, water-absorbent polymer. It would also be advantageous if the polymer would generate gels of sufficient gel strengths to support the stems of the plant without the need of inert solid aggregates, yet be able to release the necessary water to the plant on demand. Finally, it would be most advantageous if aqueous gels formed from the polymer could be used without the addition of fertilizers and the like while providing nutrients to the plant, both with respect to economy and ease of gel formation.
Any method utilizing a polymer having the above-described qualities to extend plant life or increase crop yield would enhance and broaden the use of water-absorbent polymers in the agricultural and horticultural areas. Preferably, any such method should utilize an economical, easy-to-manufacture polymer that possesses qualities necessary to support plant life and that can be used at low percentages. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for dynamically configuring current sharing and fault monitoring in redundant power supply modules.
2. Description of Related Art
The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely complicated devices. Today's computers are much more sophisticated than early systems such as the EDVAC. Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware and software components, application programs, operating systems, processors, buses, memory, input/output devices, and so on. As advances in semiconductor processing and computer architecture push the performance of the computer higher and higher, more sophisticated computer software has evolved to take advantage of the higher performance of the hardware, resulting in computer systems today that are much more powerful than just a few years ago.
One area of computer technology that has seen substantial advances is power supply technology. Computer power supplies are designed to meet the maximum load expected in a given product installation. If the product has multiple option bays (e.g., PCI adapter slots or drive bays), then the power supply must be capable of powering the product with all system slots populated with devices having the maximum wattage allowed in any given slot. Furthermore, some power supplies are implemented in a redundant configuration where current load is shared between the power supplies. In active current sharing systems, the power supplies share the current load within a particular tolerance. The power supplies also report current sharing faults when the difference in the amount of current load shared between the power supplies exceeds that a predetermined amount, called a fault reporting tolerance. In power supplies today such tolerances are static values, set by the manufacturer of the power supply an unchangeable during operation of the power supply. Currently there remains a need to reconfigure such tolerances dynamically and automatically without human intervention during operation of the power supplies. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention generally relates to fuel systems for an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-fuel system for an internal combustion engine that utilizes both diesel and natural gas.
It is estimated that there are currently three hundred million vehicles on America's roads. Every day, the average American spends almost an hour driving in a car. Additionally, approximately seventy percent of goods that are shipped in America travel on commercial vehicles. Clearly, automobiles are an integral part of everyday life in America. The same is true for most countries around the world. The world's dependence on automobiles creates a similar dependence on fuel sources to power these automobiles. Most vehicles on the road today are fueled by gasoline or diesel fuel. Most commercial vehicles are fueled by diesel fuel.
The reliance on fossil fuels creates a host of problems. Diesel fuel prices fluctuate on a daily basis, but there is a definite upward trend in fuel pricing. There are no indicators to suggest that these fuel prices will go down in the foreseeable future. The air pollution problems inherent in the operation of gasoline fueled and diesel oil fueled internal combustion engines are well known. These air pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ozone, sulfur dioxide and lead. All these pollutants are known sources of a wide variety of health problems in humans, as well as ozone depletion and acid rain in the environment. Many speculate that air pollution is causing the gradual and irreversible warming of the globe.
For these reasons, various emission control devices are presently in use, and may be required by federal regulations in order to reduce the amount of pollutants discharged in the atmosphere by internal combustion engines. These emission control devices are in response to various Air Quality Standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including the Clean Air Act. Individual states also have their own environmental protection regulations and methods of enforcement. California's Air Resources Board (CARB) is the strictest regulatory body concerned with pollution in the country. The emissions standards set by CARB are stricter than the federal EPA requirements, specifically with regard to hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions, which become smog. Currently, sixteen other states have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, California's strict emissions standards.
Emission control devices, however, only remove a portion of the pollutants and are subject to deterioration with the passage of time. Also, they often hinder engines from operating at peak efficiencies. Such emission control devices also are somewhat limited in their ability to remove pollutants, and increase the costs of the automobiles significantly.
Discharge or burning of blow-by gas also contributes to emissions. In a diesel powered engine, oil is used to lubricate the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings. The crankcase is mainly filled with air and oil. It is the intake manifold that receives and mixes fuel and air from separate sources. The fuel/air mixture in the intake manifold is drawn into the combustion chamber where it is ignited by a sparkplug, or as a result of compression in the combustion chamber due to the movement of the piston shaft. Although piston rings, disposed around the outer diameter of the pistons within the piston cylinder, are intended to seal off from the crankcase the unburned and burned fuel and air injected into the combustion chamber, the piston rings are unable to completely seal off the piston cylinder. Thus, waste gas enters the crankcase, which is commonly called “blow-by” gas.
Blow-by gasses mainly consist of contaminants such as hydrocarbons (unburned fuel), carbon dioxide and/or water vapor, all of which are harmful to the engine crankcase. The trapping of blow-by gasses in the crankcase allows the contaminants to condense and accumulate over time in the engine crankcase. Condensed contaminants form corrosive acids and sludge in the interior of the crankcase. This decreases the ability of the engine oil in the crankcase to lubricate the cylinder and crankshaft. The degraded oil that fails to properly lubricate the crankshaft components can be a factor in increased wear and tear in the engine, as well as poor engine performance.
Crankcase ventilation systems have been developed to expel blow-by gasses out of a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve and into the intake manifold to be re-burned. However, such blow-by gasses removed from the crankcase often contain relatively high levels of lubricating oil and the like, which are introduced into the air intake manifold and thus into the combustion chamber, which increases the pollution generated by the vehicle.
These issues are especially problematic in diesel engines as diesel engines burn diesel fuel which is much more oily and heavy than gasoline. Thus, the blow-by gas produced by the crankcase of the diesel engine is much more oily and heavy than gasoline blow-by gas. Of course, the burning of such diesel blow-by gas creates even a greater pollution concern.
Recently, there have been found vast sources of natural gas within the United States. Natural gas is also sometimes used as a fuel for internal combustion engines. It has the capability of producing less combustion pollutants and decreasing engine operating costs without complex emission control devices. Its use is anticipated to reduce the rate of world fossil fuel consumption.
Since the current transportation infrastructure does not include large numbers of widely dispersed retail suppliers of natural gas for vehicles, it has been impractical to produce vehicles that are fueled solely by gaseous fuels like natural gas due to range limitations. Instead, it is more practical to equip vehicles with a supply of both a liquid fuel, such as diesel fuel, and an auxiliary supply of gaseous fuel such as natural gas.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a system which is capable of burning not only diesel fuel, but diesel fuel combined with natural gas so as to lessen the emissions of the diesel combustion engine. What is further needed is such a system that does so with as little retrofitting as possible to the existing fuel intake systems and configuration, in order to lessen the complexity and the cost of the system and also to enable existing diesel engines to be retrofitted. What is also needed is such a system that filters the blow-by gas of the diesel engine crankcase, so as to maintain a clean and filtered lubricating oil within the crankcase, while lessening the environmental impact of blow-by gasses that are introduced into the combustion chamber. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides other related advantages. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to attachment hardware for fastening adjoining concrete form panels together for assembling forms for poured concrete. More particularly, the present invention relates to a latching bolt system that permits the latching bolt to be removed easily even when it is subjected to substantial transverse shearing forces that bind it in the receiving aperture.
2. Related Art
Prefabricated concrete forms are frequently manufactured into panels having a face sheet 3 feet.times.8 feet (0.9 m.times.2.5 m). Many panels must be linked together to form a concrete form work for a structure of any significant size. Typically, panels and other forming members are butted together along the long dimension, or side of the panels, and fastened together by a fastening means such as a bolt and nut, a hinged latch or other means, or a wedge and bolt, with a form tie between two adjacent form panels. The form tie extends from one side of the concrete wall to the other to keep the opposed form panels from spreading apart when the concrete is poured.
An example of such a wedge and bolt assembly for joining panel units is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,717, issued to Easton et al. on Mar. 25, 1980; however, other such attachment hardware devices pre-existed the '717 patent.
Normally, a circumferential land or flange about the pin prevents the pin from penetrating the apertures too far. In some fastening systems the pin head includes a slot therethrough. A wedge may be driven into the slot to draw the pin fully into the apertures, wedging the wedge against one side rail and the flange against the other side rail of adjoining form panels with the form tie in between them to hold the pin firmly in place and prevent separation of the adjacent and adjoining panels. Typically, three or four such pins and form ties are employed to join two adjacent panels. The pin may be removably mounted on the rear side of the form panel by means of a mounting block that the pin slides through. The mounting block is typically bolted to the panel. The mounting block may be attached to a side rail or other portion of the rear side of the form panel by a base or mounting pad that is bolted to the form panel. The pin may have an overall length of about 12 inches (30 cm), with a pin head engaging portion comprising 21/2 inches (6.4 cm), of which the first 1/2 to 3/4 inches (1.3-1.9 cm) is tapered to assist in locating the pin in the holes during insertions. The remaining portion of the bolt is cylindrical, with the pin portion having a larger diameter than the bolt portion.
Such attachment hardware pins suffer from significant difficulties. As a first difficulty, it is exceedingly easy to misplace and/or damage the separate wedge pins required. Additionally, labor is used to connect the wedges to the pins. Further, when the form panels are aligned prior to pouring concrete, it may be relatively easy to align the holes or apertures in the side rails of the form panels and in the form ties and drive the pin into those holes by hammering on the back end of the bolt, but removing them can be extremely difficult.
The poured concrete, however, acts substantially like a fluid and develops significant hydrostatic head pressures throughout the concrete forms, which naturally become greater toward the bottom of the forms. The compressive loading on a concrete form 8 feet (2.5 m) high can easily reach 1,000-1,200 lbs. per square foot (420-506 kg/square meter). These forces may not be altogether evenly distributed. Moreover, the forces resisting them may not be evenly distributed throughout the concrete form panels, even among adjacent panels, as common bracing techniques on the rear of the panels may not be equally effective for adjacent panels. Consequently, the panels shift and spread somewhat relative to one another and relative to the opposed form panels, putting significant shear forces onto the pins of the attachment hardware.
Typically two spaced opposed parallel sets of forms are erected in order to pour a wall. Form ties are used to maintain the spacing between the opposed sets of forms. Typically the ties comprise strips of steel plate with one or more apertures toward each end. A plurality of ties link opposing form panels at each wall joint. The panel locking mechanism, such as a pin and a wedge, penetrates the side rail of one form panel, an aperture through the form tie, and a side rail of the adjacent form panel. These three elements are pulled together firmly by driving the wedge deeper into the pin slot. The hydrostatic forces generated by the poured concrete tend to spread the opposed form panels apart, but these outward or spreading forces are held in check by the for ties. In addition, the concrete expands as it sets, creating greater spreading forces. The pin is subject to a transverse pulling force by the form tie and an equal and opposed transverse outward pushing force by one or both adjacent form panels. Because the form tie is thin, these forces are quite close to each other, putting the pin into a significant bind. In a typical concrete wall, there may be about 7,000-8,000 lbs. (3,180-3,700 kg) tension or pulling force on each form tie. Because the only source of this force rises from counteracting the outward forces that otherwise would push the opposed form panels apart, the pin must be subject to equal outward forces, for a total transverse pin loading of about 14,000-16,000 lbs. (6,400-7,300 kg).
These forces tend to cause adjacent transverse cross sections of the pin to slip in opposite directions relative to one another, which defines a set of shearing forces on the pin. These shearing forces can make removing the pins very difficult, as the prior art pin has no way to relieve or release these shearing forces prior to removing the pin.
Consequently, removing the pins can be extremely difficult, often requiring an average of four to seven blows from a sturdy sledge hammer. The hammering can mushroom the pin point, causing interference with associated form tie apertures. In addition, the mushroomed pin points can easily shatter when struck with a hammer and may injure the worker. This requires much more additional labor than would be required if removal of the pins during disassembly of the form work were easy. In addition, the workers frequently damage or destroy the pins and significantly shorten the lives of the concrete form panel during disassembly of a form work.
In another problem, liquid from the poured concrete frequently splashes onto the rear sides of the forms. Sometimes significant amounts of concrete are spilled onto the rear side of the forms. Standard operating procedure calls for all the concrete form panels and associated hardware to be sprayed with light machine oil prior to usage so that concrete spilled onto them may be easily removed. Often, however, this step is omitted or the oil is rubbed off by the workers during the process of assembling the form. When concrete spills or splashes onto the attachment hardware it naturally sticks to the attachment hardware as it sets up and makes disengaging the latching pin much more difficult. It can also make it difficult to drive the bolt through the housing. Much of the abuse the attachment hardware is subjected to arises from chipping off the concrete that sets up on the attachment hardware.
Accordingly, there is a need for attachment hardware for concrete forming systems that is easy to engage between adjacent form panels; easy to remove after the concrete has set and consequently does not suffer the abuse of prior art attachment hardware leading to decreased labor costs and longer life for the attachment hardware; that substantially eliminates problems associated with spilled concrete adhering to the attachment hardware and setting up; and that allows the latching mechanism to be readily replaced with a similar mechanism or a different type of fastening mechanism. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a technique of relaying communication between an image forming apparatus and a server, and more particularly to a technique of relaying communication between an image forming apparatus and a server by using a relay device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As image forming apparatuses such as MFPs (Multi-Functional Peripherals) incorporate more functions, it has become possible to utilize an application function in an image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus capable of accessing an application stored in a server and capturing a processing result obtained by execution of this application has also been proposed.
Some image forming apparatuses have a function of communicating directly with a server providing an application. However, in view of security and absorption of the difference in protocol between them, the communication may be conducted through a relay device configured to relay communication.
Such communication between an image forming apparatus and a server providing an application through a relay device is problematic because a communication time is extended as compared to when the image forming apparatus and the server communicate directly with each other. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyor belt and a method of making the same, and more particularly such a conveyor belt and method utilizing, as a parting material, polymeric material which becomes part of the finished surface of the conveyor belt.
b) Background Art
A common method of manufacturing a conveyor belt is to provide a body of material in an elongate belt configuration having upper and lower surfaces with the material of the conveyor belt comprising at least in large part rubber and/or synthetic rubber. The conveyor belt body is positioned between upper and lower heated platens, which are then pressed against the conveyor belt body to cause vulcanization of the rubber and/or synthetic rubber (hereinafter to be referred to as "rubber"). Quite commonly, reinforcing material is provided between layers of the rubber material that is to form the body, such as steel cables, fabric or other material. Further, the layers of the belt body can differ in composition, such as an inner layer or layers being made of a cushioned rubber material, and the outer layers being of a cover rubber material.
It is usually necessary to provide some sort of parting agent at the upper and lower surfaces of the body which is positioned between and pressed by the platens, so that upon completion of the application of heat and pressure to cause vulcanization of the rubber material, the platens can be properly separated from the belt section that has just been formed. One common method of doing this is using a chemical or a fabric like material to provide a release and prevent sticking. Chemical releases can be in the form of a powder (e.g. talc), a liquid (e.g. silicone spray) or a solid (paraffin waxes). These are applied to the top and bottom surfaces of the belt. Also, as a parting agent, fabric materials can be utilized (e.g. a fine strand square woven polyester cloth). The cloth is removed after vulcanizing. Also, light random wisps of synthetic or natural material (e.g. nylon or cotton-like "angel hair") is used. One type of such material is manufactured under the trademark "CEREX". This material which is very thin is vulcanized into the belt surface and becomes part of the belt).
There are a number of significant considerations relating to the character of the upper and lower surface portions of the belt. One such consideration is the appearance of these upper and lower surfaces. It often happens that during the vulcanizing process where the platens are applied against the belt section, the color, shading or texture of the belt surface may become non-uniform so that there are "splotches" of a differing shade and/or color that degrade the appearance of the belt. Also, if the belt has a highly reflective surface (i.e. a mirror-like surface) the splotches become substantially more noticeable than if there is a reflectively soft textured surface.
Another consideration regarding the character of the surface of the belt is its elastomeric qualities. As a loaded belt passes over the support rollers, there is an indentation of the belt surface portion in contact with the rollers. If the surface portion of the belt has poorer elastomeric qualities, then more energy is required to move the belt over the rollers, thus requiring more powerful motors. On the other hand, if the surface portion of the belt recovers from the compression more resiliently, the energy required to move the belt is diminished.
A search of the U.S. patent literature has revealed a number of patents, these being the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,843 (Lewis) discloses the use of a releasing agent for a conveyor belt. In column 1, line 35 and following the invention is described as follows:
"I have discovered that a polymeric monomer nonwoven fabric made preferably directly from molten polymer as preferably continuous filaments that are entangled and may or may not be bonded at each crossover point can be used as a very satisfactory mold release in molding belts and related materials and the nonwoven fabric becomes a part of the molded article. The resulting molded article has an improved appearance of the article due to the elimination of trapped air or gases and the elimination of mold release build-up with its effect on appearance of the molded article."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,947 (Haynhold) shows a conveyor belt having a body of rubber or synthetic materials with steel cable reinforcing. The belt is formed with an elastically deformable cushioning insert which contains air pockets and is embedded in either the upper and/or lower cover layer. The problem toward which this is directed is that the conveyor belt is stressed at the loading location since the material being loaded is usually dropped onto the belt. Accordingly, these air pockets cushion the belt to withstand these impacts. There is a double weave cloth 5 comprising two fabric layers 15 and these are interconnected by the threads 25 to keep them in parallel relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,515 (Runton et al) shows a belt made of canvas layers having between the layers a synthetic foam which bonds the canvas layers together. A layer of the foam is also placed on the face of the belt when required for a protective coating to prevent cutting or tearing the belt when hard objects fall on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,778 (Knowland et al) discloses a belt which is adapted for use in the canning and food handling industry. The body of the belt is made of "rubberized multiple plys vulcanized into a unit and covered with synthetic plastic composition bonded and vulcanized thereto." The layer is of a light color, odorless and resistant to solvents, oils, fats, etc. The plastic composition and a fabric sheet are bonded under pressure and heat to soften the plastic so that it permeates and bonds to the fabric sheets. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A generic radial fan is known from DE 102 04 037 A1 which has a fan housing with a rotating fan impeller therein and with a respective intake and outlet opening. The fan impeller is connected to the electric motor by a drive shaft. The electric motor is covered by a cup-shaped cap. Disposed inside the cap is a printed circuit board with electronic components. An air impeller for cooling the electric motor and the electronic components disposed on the printed circuit board is driven by the electric motor.
The volume of flow conveyed by means of the known radial fan is set by the number of revolutions of the electric motor. The electronic components, which are disposed on the printed circuit board inside the cap, are used for this purpose.
Meanwhile, the step is taken to combine a large number of electronic components for control of the electric motor into an integrated circuit (IC), also called a chip. It is problematic here that the amount of heat that develops due to the dissipation loss in the IC being used is relatively high. In order to cool the IC it is known to use metal cooling elements. Without this type of forced cooling, the IC would very quickly heat up to inadmissibly high temperatures and be turned off by a protective circuit by means of which the fan would also be put out of operation. So that the heat absorbed by the cooling elements can be returned to the environment, the cooling elements are often attached to the outside of the housing. The size of the cooling elements used has a negative effect upon the installation height of the radial fan. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field of the Disclosure
The present embodiment relates in general to a device and method for performing specific laboratory tasks. More particularly, the present embodiment relates to a combination laboratory cutting tool and tool holder for use with laboratory applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been a common practice to adapt tools that are not specifically designed for use, in order to accomplish specific laboratory tasks. Laboratory scientists use single edge razors as sample cutting, chopping, mincing and extracting tools. Some even use glass microscope slides for similar purposes. The use of such tools carries inherent risks and the tool is often exposed to dangerous chemicals or dangerous biological samples that further create disposal and health issues. In addition, the lab scientist risks personal injury and potentially blood contact with the chemicals and biological samples.
Gel extraction or gel isolation is the process of removing a small slice of gel from the larger nucleic acid or protein gel by placing it on the surface of a light box comprising a clear plastic surface and an internal UV light. The light illuminates the gel from beneath thereby causing the DNA or protein bands in the gel to standout and allowing the technician to identify bands that need to be cut out of the gel for downstream processing. This is commonly accomplished with the use of industrial single edge metal razors or glass microscope slips. These sharp tools often scratch the surfaces of the light box and thus damage the surface of light boxes. Further the nucleic acid gels are often made with ethidium bromide, a mutagenic chemical which becomes toxic when used in contact with skin or mixed with blood. The sharp tools can lead to cuts in laboratory gloves and technician's skin causing exposure to dangerous biological pathogens. These metal razors and glass slips damages the work surface thereby allowing chemicals or pathogens to seep into the underlying material. Additionally, these tools conduct electricity and extremes in temperature making them difficult to handle with samples that are extremely cold or hot and inappropriate for use around electrical wires. Furthermore, the razors are difficult to hold thereby increasing the potential for accidental injury. Moreover, these tools are not autoclavable and hence cannot be sterilized. While there are tools that employ efficient means for performing laboratory applications, none have provided satisfactory means of ensuring safety to the user.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,098 issued to Kaye on Apr. 15, 2003 discloses a decorating and cutting device with cutting device blade biasing. The device includes a housing within which a cutting blade and decorating material dispenser are disposed and are operable to simultaneously dispense decorating material and/or cut a target material. The cutting blade is biased within the housing to prevent unintentional operation. While the device discloses a decorating and cutting device, such device is not meant to be used for laboratory applications in a manner similar to the present invention.
Another example includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,942 issued to Doucette on Jul. 11, 1995 that teaches a surgical blade holder and blade combination. The combination allows simple insertion of a plurality of blades. The holder includes a fixed portion and a rotatable portion that pivot relative to one another in the same longitudinal plane around a pivot point positioned adjacent the blade receiving area and lock together to securely hold the blade in the blade receiving area. While the fixed portion of the holder is gripped in one hand, the thumb or finger of the same hand is used to unlock and rotate the rotatable portion to release and eject the blade single handedly, without touching the blade. However, the device is difficult to be assembled by the user. Further, the device does not facilitate bending or bowing of the blade in a manner similar to the present invention.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,816 issued to Richman on Apr. 17, 1990 describes a razor blade holder. The device includes a handle member having a razor blade retaining channel at one end and a finger grip at the other. A malleable metal razor blade support protruding from below the razor blade retainer end is adapted for threading through the central apertures of a conventional double edged razor blade. The malleable metal blade support is then bent to maintain the cutting edges of the razor in a curved position. In the razor blade holder taught by Richman, the razor blade is made of metal which conducts electricity thereby making it difficult to handle with biological samples that are extremely cold or hot. The metal blade is also not suitable for use when cutting DNA or protein Gels due to damage to the work surface.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,738 issued to Kopacz on Oct. 21, 1986 discloses a surgical blade handle for removably holding a substantially planar surgical blade. The blade handle includes a rearward end to be held by the user and a forward end. An elongate tang at the forward end includes a proximal end, a distal end and a boss projecting outwardly from a side of the tang adjacent to the distal end thereof. This tang includes a pair of opposed longitudinal grooves extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the tang wherein the grooves run substantially along the interface of the tang and the boss. The tang also includes a relief recess projecting into the boss to a depth at least as deep as that portion of the boss extending outwardly from the grooves. While the surgical blade handle enables holding of surgical blades, the handle does not facilitate folding of the blade in a manner similar to the present invention.
Accordingly, there is a need for a laboratory tool that would be used in biological applications to perform specific laboratory tasks. In particular, there is a continuing need for a tool that avoids the safety risk when dealing with dangerous chemicals and biological samples to prevent health issues. Such a tool would include a combination blade and blade holder for allowing the user to perform laboratory tasks with ease. Such a tool would include a retaining flap to hold the blade in position. Such a tool would be used to manipulate, collect, slice, smash, cut, chop or mince biological samples. The tool would be designed in such a way the user can easily bend or bow the blade according to the intended use. Finally, such a tool would be easily assembled by the user. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention generally relates to a storage device and its drive startup method, and in particular can be suitably applied to a storage device loaded with a plurality of hard disk drives and a plurality of solid state drives, and its drive startup method.
A storage device generally comprises a random accessible nonvolatile storage media. This nonvolatile storage media is a magnetic disk, an optical disk or the like. Today, mainstream storage devices comprise a plurality of hard disk drives.
With this kind of storage device, in order to start up a hard disk drive and read/write the data recorded on a disk, it is necessary to rotate (spin) the built-in disk. The operation for starting the spinning of the disk is referred to as a “spinup,” and the current consumed during the spinup is referred to as “spinup current.” The spinup current is greater than the current consumption of a hard disk drive during steady rotation. Thus, the current consumption characteristic of a hard disk drive is an inrush current type in which the supply current during the startup is greater than during steady operation. Thus, if the spinup of a plurality of hard disk drives is started simultaneously, substantial supply current will be required.
As background art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H4-78062 discloses technology related to a drive startup method of a disk system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A known garbage can shown in FIG. 1 comprises a can body 10, a stationary half cap 11 formed on the can body and a movable half cap 12 to close a half opening. When garbage is to be thrown in the can, the half cap is to be moved open with hand. Then the half cap is pulled to close up the opening with hand. But the opening is not so large enough to let garbage thrown, so garbage may often touch or bump against the half cap 11 or the upper curved edge of the can body 10. In addition, the half cap 12 may easily become smeared by hand for opening it, and the can has no means for carrying or lifting up, not convenient for moving it, and if worse, the can body may be fallen down to the ground by accident, with the garbage accumulated therein scattering around. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to semiconductor manufacturing processes and particularly to the use of trench isolation in connection with semiconductor manufacturing processes.
In a variety of semiconductor devices, trench isolation is utilized to electrically isolate active areas from one another. Trench isolation is used in modern semiconductor processes to manufacture a variety of devices including transistors and photodiodes.
Photodiodes used in an imaging array can be manufactured using conventional complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing. As a result, an imaging array can be produced on a semiconductor structure which also contains logic circuits such as microprocessors, memories and the like. A pixel sensor uses pixels formed by photodiodes which receive light information from an image and convert the light information to electrical signals that are transferred to subsequent circuitry for further processing. The image sensors may be active pixel sensors or passive pixel sensors.
CMOS image sensors have advantages over the conventional charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors because they may achieve lower power consumption, integration of on-chip logic and lower cost. However when the CMOS image sensors are integrated with other logic circuits such as microprocessors, the sensors may need to be made with processes which include silicidation and trench isolation. Covering the photodiode with silicide would effectively block the light that is incident on the photodiode and thereby prevent the device from operating. However the silicide can be prevented from covering the photodiode through the addition of one or two masking steps.
The trenches used for trench isolation are generally dry etched and, as a result, the trench surfaces usually have a large number of interface states. These interface states lead to high surface generation velocity and, as discovered by the present inventors, a large dark current. The trench forming processes also cause crystalline defects such as dislocations and stacking faults. Those crystalline defects reduce carrier generation lifetime which increases dark current. Dark current is a current which flows when no light is incident on the camera. This is an undesirable consequence of trench isolation. The dark current decreases signal-to-noise ratios for the image `sensor and decreases image quality.
Thus there is a continuing need for image sensors which can be manufactured with advanced logic processes to enable the image sensors and the logic devices to be integrated in a single integrated circuit. There is also a more general need for techniques for overcoming leakage currents in trench isolated semiconductor devices.
In accordance with one aspect, a photosensitive device includes a semiconductor structure having a surface. A first region of a first conductivity type is formed in the structure. A second region of a second conductivity type, opposite to the first conductivity type, is formed between the surface of the structure and the first region.
In accordance with another aspect, a photosensitive device includes a support structure, and a first photosensitive region formed in the support structure. A dielectric layer is formed over the region and a light transmissive covering layer is formed over the dielectric layer.
In accordance with still another aspect, a photosensitive device includes a semiconductor structure and a depletion region formed in said structure. A conductive layer is formed over the depletion region and an isolation region formed in the structure, on either side of the depletion region, but spaced therefrom. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Atherosclerosis is an important cause of ischemic cardiac insufficiency such as angina, myocardial infarction and the like. It has been considered that a major cause of atherosclerosis is the accumulation of cholesterol esters by foam cells which are present under the endodermis cell layer of blood vessels.
Inhibitors of acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (hereinafter referred as ACAT) inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol esters in the foam cells and they diminish the accumulation of cholesterol esters, thereby inhibiting the formation and development of atherosclerosis caused by the accumulation of cholesterol esters.
It has also been established that atherosclerosis is linked with hypercholesterolemia. Cholesterols in food are absorbed as free cholesterol in the intestinal mucosal cell tract, esterified by ACAT and then enter the blood. Therefore, an inhibitor of ACAT will also prevent a rise in the cholesterol concentration in the blood by inhibiting the absorption of food cholesterol into the blood.
For this reason, compounds which are active in the inhibition of ACAT are useful for the treatment and prophylaxis of atherosclerosis.
Tricyclic heterocyclyl compounds which inhibit ACAT are known and, for example, a compound having the formula: ##STR2## has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Application No. Hei 2-6457.
However, it is still desired to develop a therapeutic agent having more potent activity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Magnetic disk drives are desired for their large capacity, and the demand for these drives is intensifying more and more for uses as so-called household information appliances such as video recorders, audio equipment, car navigation equipment, video cameras, etc., in addition to the drives' conventional application as major storage devices for computers. Accordingly, technologies for improving the areal recording density of hard disk drives have been developed. To improve the recording density, it is sometimes necessary to make the write and read track width and the read gap of a magnetic head wider. Specifically, the magneto-resistive (MR) sensor used as a read device may be made smaller including the read track width, stripe height and film thickness thereof. Here, the terms “read track width” and “stripe height” respectively represent the width and depth of the sensor as viewed from the medium facing the magnetic head.
Higher recording density may be realized by making the width and bit length of tracks recorded on the recording medium smaller. This lowers the magnitude of read signal magnetic flux generated from bits recorded on the medium. Therefore, in order to realize higher recording density, the sensitivity of the sensor used in the read head can be raised.
Until recent years, GMR (Giant Magneto-Resistive) film had been used as the sensor in a read head. The MR ratio is a parameter that can represent the sensitivity performance of a magneto-resistive sensor. The MR ratio, expressed in percentage (%), indicates the ratio of the sensor's change in resistance to the minimum resistance. In GMR sensors, the MR ratio is 15% at most.
For areal recording densities not higher than 100 Gb/in2, GMR films were used as sensors in read heads. Beyond 100 Gb/in2, however, still higher sensitivity TMR (Tunnel Magneto-Resistive) films are used as sensors in place of GMR films since GMR films are not sufficient in sensitivity.
The basic structure of the TMR sensor film is basically the same as that of the GMR film, which is commonly referred to as a spin valve, except that an insulation barrier layer is formed in place of a non-magnetic conductive spacer. The TMR sensor film has a layered structure comprising: an underlying layer; an antiferromagnetic layer; a first ferromagnetic layer which is exchange-coupled to the antiferromagnetic layer; a second ferromagnetic layer whose magnetic moment is coupled in antiparallel with the magnetic moment of the first ferromagnetic layer via an antiparallel coupling layer; an insulation barrier layer; and a third ferromagnetic layer. The first and second ferromagnetic layers are called a pinned layer. Since the magnetic moments of the first and second ferromagnetic layers constituting the pinned layer are strongly coupled in antiparallel with each other and the magnetic moment of the first ferromagnetic layer is strongly pinned due to exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, the pinned layer does not easily change the direction of its magnetic moment. The third ferromagnetic layer is called a free layer and the direction of its magnetic moment easily changes by an externally applied magnetic field.
Magnetic information recorded on a medium may be reproduced through the following process. A signal magnetic field occurring from a recorded bit enters the sensor. The signal magnetic field rotates the magnetic moment of the free layer. This changes the relative angle of the magnetic moment of the free layer with respect to that of the pinned layer. The changed relative angle changes the probability of spin-dependent electron scattering, resulting in a change in the resistance of the sensor. By converting this resistance change of the sensor to an electrical signal, the recorded bit information is reproduced.
The TMR sensor differs from the GMR sensor in that the sense current flowing through the TMR sensor is perpendicular to the sensor film while the sensor current through the GMR sensor is along the sensor film. Thus, its electrode structure for applying a current to the sensor film is also different from that of the GMR sensor. In principle, although both lie in the common phenomenon that resistance changes depending on electron-spin scattering in a magnetic structure, these electrons in the GMR sensor are conduction electrons which move in metal while in the TMR sensor they are electrons which pass through an insulation barrier layer by the tunnel effect.
FIG. 15 is an example of an estimated road map of the read track width, stripe height and areal resistivity (RA) for higher areal recording densities in the future. In FIG. 15, RA is an electrical resistance perpendicular to the sensor film surface of one μm2. Since the TMR sensor passes a current perpendicularly through the film, the resistance of the sensor is inversely proportional to the area of the sensor.
Raising the recording density results in a decrease of the sensor area through which the sense current passes since the read track width and stripe height are made smaller. Thus, if the RA remains the same, the resistance increases in reverse proportion to the sensor area. For example, if the recording density is raised from 350 Gb/in2 to 1000 Gb/in2 as is shown in FIG. 15, the resistance quadruples since the sensor area decreases to a fourth. When the resistance increases like this, the signal processing circuitry does not properly operate. Therefore, the resistance of the sensor, as viewed from the signal processing circuitry, is kept constant to avoid problems. That is, decreasing the areal resistivity RA of the sensor as the sensor is reduced in size is appropriate. In FIG. 15, RAs are calculated so as to keep constant the resistance of the sensor even when the sensor area is reduced. As shown in FIG. 15, the RA is decreased to 1.0 and 0.4 at areal recording densities of 500 Gb/in2 and 1000 Gb/in2, respectively. Although FIG. 15 is merely an estimation which may include large or small differences from true values, it represents a future trend.
As described above, for higher recording density, it is technologically logical for the sensor to have a higher MR ratio and a lower RA. In initial TMR sensors, insulation barrier layers were made of alumina or titanium oxide. Their MR ratio was about 30% while that of GMR sensors was 15% at most. This much larger MR ratio contributed to realizing higher sensitivity sensor films, resulting in commercialization of TMR heads.
Then, studies of magnesium oxide earnestly began as a material for insulation barrier layers in TMR sensors. Attention to this material is attributable to W. H. Buttler who indicated in 2001 that according to theoretical calculation, MR ratios beyond 1000% may be realized by a structure comprising a (001)-oriented MgO layer sandwiched between (001)-oriented iron layers. Further, Yuasa et al. disclosed that MgO (001) is grown conformably on single-crystal Fe (001) by using the MBE method, exhibited 180% at room temperature, the highest MR ratio at that time.
Although such a high MR ratio was attractive in view of many desired applications, the proposed structure comprising MgO grown conformably on single-crystal Fe was difficult to directly apply to electronic devices, such as magnetic heads and MRAMs, since the sensor must be formed on a polycrystalline magnetic shield.
According to Japanese Patent Office (JPO) Pub. No. JP-A-2008-135432, high crystallinity MgO can be deposited on an amorphous CoFeB alloy film by a sputtering method to obtain, by annealing it, a high MR ratio of 180% at room temperature. However, its areal resistivity is as high as 1000 Ωμm2, according to this reference, leaving a problem to be solved before the method can be applied to hard disk read heads.
Therefore, studies have been made to attain a MgO-used TMR sensor having a lower RA and improved MR ratio, aimed at applications like hard disk read heads. In K. Tsunekawa et al., “CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with High TMR Low Junction Resistance”, InterMag 2005, FB-05, Apr. 7, 2005, a method for fabricating an insulation barrier layer is disclosed. In this method, after a thin metallic magnesium layer of approximately 0.4 nm is deposited, a magnesium oxide layer is formed by a RF sputtering method with a MgO target. This method has realized a high MR ratio of 100% with an RA of 2.0 Ωμm2.
In this document, the interlayer-coupling magnetic field Hint is also considered. The interlayer-coupling magnetic field Hint is a magnetic field which the free layer receives from the pinned layer. Since the free layer is always subject to the interlayer-coupling magnetic field Hint, this magnetic field, if large, affects the free rotation of the free layer's magnetization and consequently lowers the symmetry property and intensity of the read signal waveform. In this document, the Hint increases as the RA decreases (that is, the thickness of the MgO layer decreases) and reaches to as large is 80 Oe at an RA of 2.0 and greatly exceeds 100 Oe at an RA of 1.0. The inventors predicted that if the RA is further decreased below 1.0, the Hint would steeply increase and reach to 200 Oe and it would become necessary to decrease the Hint in such a low RA region. In this connection, in the case of GMR head sensors, the interlayer-coupling magnetic field was controlled to 30 Oe at its highest.
In K. Tsunekawa et al., “CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with High TMR and Low Junction Resistance”, InterMag 2005, FB-05, Apr. 7, 2005, an antiferromagnetic PtMn layer is deposited on an underlying Ta layer. However, this structure is almost never used in TMR heads due to poor practicality since the magnetization of the pinned layer is not sufficiently pinned. In the current structure employed in commercialized versions, the underlying layer is a layered film composed of Ta and Ru layers, Ta and NiFeCr alloy layers, or Ta and NiFe alloy layers, the anti ferromagnetic layer is made of MnIr alloy, the first ferromagnetic layer is made of CoFe alloy, and the antiparallel coupling layer is made of Ru.
In the currently used above structure whose underlying layer is a laminated film composed of Ta and Ru layers, Ta and NiFeCr alloy layers, or Ta and NiFe alloy layers, the antiferromagnetic MnIr alloy layer has a face centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure with the orientation (111) grown preferentially parallel to the film surface. In JPO Pub. No. JP-A-2008-60273 and Jap. Pat. No. 3083237, it is described that the orientation (111) of the fcc structure of MnIr is used and preferable, respectively.
Usually, out of all of the crystallographic planes, the closest-packed plane has the smallest interfacial energy. Therefore, crystal generally grows so that the closest-packed plane forms the surface. FIGS. 16A-16B show crystallographic conformability relations. Since Ru has a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystal structure and its (001) plane is closest-packed, Ru is preferentially (001)-oriented. MnIr on Ru is (111)-oriented since MnIr has a face-centered cubic crystal structure, its (111) plane is closest-packed and, as shown in FIG. 16A the lattice mismatching of the (111) plane with Ru (001) is as small as 1.1%. In the case of NiFeCr or NiFe, its crystal system is fcc and the (111) plane is closest-packed. Therefore, NiFeCr or NiFe is preferentially (111)-oriented and MnIr thereon is also (111)-oriented since MnIr also has a fcc crystal structure, its (111) plane is closest-packed, the lattice mismatching of the (111) plane with NiFeCr or NiFe is about 5.9%, relatively small, and the interfacial energy of the MnIr (111) plane is small.
As mentioned earlier, to realize higher recording density in the future, the RA can be lowered to 1.0 Ωμm2 or lower. Lowering the RA below 1.0 Ωμm2 remarkably enlarges the Hint. Therefore, suppressing the Hint is one way to help achieve a lowered RA.
As a generation mechanism of the Hint, it is put forward that the Hint is attributable to the waviness of the interfaces of the insulation layer with the ferromagnetic layers. Its theory is illustrated in FIG. 17. If the waviness is large, magnetic poles are generated at the interfaces. A Hint is generated as a result of interaction between magnetic poles (190 and 200 in FIG. 17) at the respective interfaces of the pinned layer 160 and free layer 150. This theory is known as Neel's orange peel coupling. If the MgO layer is thinned to decrease the RA for meeting the demand for higher densities, this sharply enhances the interaction between magnetic poles, the interaction being generated due to the waviness of the interfaces with the pinned layer and free layer, and thus sharply enlarges the Hint. For example, J. C. S. Kools et al., “Effects of finite magnetic film thickness on Neel coupling in spin valves”, J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 85, No 8 (1999), p. 4466-4468, describes this interaction in spin valves.
In addition, as shown in K. Tsunekawa et al., CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with High TMR and Low Junction Resistance”, InterMag 2005, FB-05, Apr. 7, 2005, if the MgO layer is thinned enough to decrease the RA to below 2.0 Ωμm2, the MR ratio sharply decreases. Below 1.0 Ωμm2, the sharp decrease of the MR ratio is very remarkable. Suppressing this decrease of the MR ratio is another technique that can help realize higher recording density.
Therefore, a technique which can suppress the Hint and suppress the decrease in MR ratio would be very beneficial to the manufacturing of read head sensors with higher areal densities. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Polystyrene foam is bulky due to its foamy and lightweight, and moreover polystyrene foam has a strong structure and hence internal gas cannot be compressed or discharged even by the application of considerable external pressure. The efficiency of transporting recovered waste polystyrene foam is thus poor, and transportation costs and treatment costs are very high.
Methods for reducing the volume of waste polystyrene foam has been proposed, wherein waste polystyrene foam is made to contact a liquid medium in which polystyrene foam is soluble, thus dissolving the waste polystyrene foam and reducing the volume thereof (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1990-1748, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1993-59212, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1995-113089, etc.). Furthermore, a solvent that is relatively safe during use, can be easily handled, has no toxic irritating or unpleasant odor, is safe, does not require use of gas or deodorant masks or local ventilation, helps to improve the working environment and promote safety, and thus cause no problems for the working environment, causes no nervous or liver disorders, and is not teratogenic or carcinogenic has been developed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-60535).
However, polystyrene resin treated with the solvent disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-60535 and other solvents of prior arts exhibit excessively strong adhesion, causing it to adhere to the treatment vessel and become ropy when removed therefrom, which complicates the removal of the polystyrene resin from the vessel.
When polystyrene resin is immersed in a solvent to reduce its volume, the polystyrene resin generally absorbs the solvent and forms a gel. The gel then sediments, forming a two-layered structure (with the solvent in the upper layer and the gel in the lower layer) inside the treatment vessel. If the polystyrene resin absorbs a large amount of solvent when it forms a gel, the amount of the solvent remaining in the dipping vessel decreases and the addition of further solvent may be necessary to reduce the volume of additional polystyrene resin. Therefore, it is economically advantageous to have a smaller amount of solvent absorbed by the polystyrene resin when it forms a gel.
Furthermore, if the polystyrene resin absorbs a large amount of solvent, the resulting gel becomes sticky and adheres to the dipping vessel, and the removal of the gel from the dipping vessel becomes complicated. Therefore, it is desirable for the treated polystyrene resin (gel) to exhibit only a small degree of adhesion to the dipping vessel.
Because polystyrene resin has a density less than that of solvents, polystyrene resin floats when placed in a solvent; however, the greater the area over which the polystyrene resin contacts the solvent, the greater the volume of the polystyrene resin is reduced. Therefore, after placing the polystyrene resin in the solvent, the floating polystyrene resin is press fit by pushing it with a presser board, etc., to maximize the area over which the polystyrene resin contacts the solvent. However, if the polystyrene resin whose volume is to be reduced is rigid, a large force is needed for press fitting, and therefore it is advantageous if the polystyrene resin whose volume is to be reduced is soft to some degree. Therefore, it is desirable that the solvent be able to form the polystyrene resin into a gel. However, caution is required if the polystyrene resin is excessively softened by the solvent because, as described above, the adhesion of the polystyrene resin to the vessel generally increases.
In other words, if the treated polystyrene resin is insufficiently hard, the adhesion thereof to the vessel or presser board is too great and this lowers operating efficiency, and if the treated polystyrene resin is too hard, the pressure required for press fitting increases. Therefore, it is desirable that a solvent that gives the treated polystyrene resin a preferable hardness be provided. Furthermore, because many types of polystyrene resin will float in solvents, simply placing the polystyrene resin in a solvent is disadvantageous with regard to the treatment time since the contact area between the polystyrene resin and the solvent will be small. Therefore, it is more effective to apply pressure to the polystyrene resin floating in the solvent (e.g., by placing a heavy substance on the polystyrene resin) to dip the polystyrene resin into the solvent. In this case, if the adhesion of the treated polystyrene resin is too strong, in many cases, the polystyrene resin will adhere to the object that is used to apply pressure to the polystyrene resin, complicating the operation. Therefore, development of a solvent that reduces the adhesion of polystyrene resin that is treated therewith has been awaited.
When the volume of polystyrene resin is reduced in supermarkets, etc., which collect polystyrene foam items such as food trays, etc., equipment or the like for strictly controlling temperature should be made as unnecessary as possible. Therefore, development of a solvent that can reduce the volume of polystyrene foam even when the ambient air temperature is 0° C. or less in winter has been awaited.
The present invention provides a solvent for treating polystyrene resin so that the adhesion of the treated polystyrene resin is lower than that treated by heretofore-used solvents, with the amount of absorbed solvent being small and able to reduce the volume of polystyrene resin even at low temperatures, and a method for treating polystyrene resin using the solvent. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Decomposition of organic matter, such as vegetable wastes and sewage, can be effected by introducing suitable bacteria into a tank containing a slurry of the organic matter in water, while aerating and mixing the slurry. Thorough aeration of the slurry, in the form of fine air bubbles dispersed throughout the slurry, accelerates such decomposition by providing ample oxygen to the bacteria.
Slurries of organic matter typically contain solid matter, namely the organic matter itself or trash such as wrapping materials, which are frequently made of plastic, that accompany the waste. To prevent blockages within the aerator, it is important that it function in a manner which does not draw the slurry into the aerator during the aeration process. It is also desirable for the aerator to draw sufficient air into itself for aeration of the slurry by the simple rotation of the aerator, without the need for any external pump to supply air to the aerator. It is also desirable for the aerator to disperse the drawn air into the slurry as fine bubbles. A need therefore exists for an improved aerator for use in aerating waste slurries. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to accelerometer systems, and more particularly, to a capacitance acceleration derivative detector. It is well known that capacitive accelerometers measure the acceleration, vibration and the inclination of objects to which they are attached. These objects typically include missiles, spacecraft, airplanes and automobiles.
In general, capacitive accelerometers change electrical capacitance in response to acceleration forces and vary the output of an energized circuit. Capacitive accelerometer systems generally include sensing elements, including capacitors, oscillators, and detection circuits.
The sensing elements include at least two parallel plate capacitors functioning in differential modes. The parallel plate capacitors generally operate in sensing circuits and alter the peak voltage generated by oscillators when the attached object undergoes acceleration.
When subject to a fixed or constant acceleration, the capacitance value is also a constant, resulting in a measurement signal proportional to uniform acceleration.
This type of accelerometer can be used in a missile or in a portion of aircraft or spacecraft navigation or guidance systems. Accordingly, the temperature in the operating environment of the accelerometer changes over a wide range. Consequently, acceleration must be measured with a high accuracy over a wide range of temperatures. This is often a difficult and inefficient process for current accelerometer systems.
The disadvantages associated with current capacitive accelerometer systems have made it apparent that a new capacitive accelerometer is needed. The new accelerometer should substantially minimize temperature sensing requirements and should also improve acceleration detection accuracy. The present invention is directed to these ends. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention is a pump dispenser for viscous fluids, namely creams, lotions, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art shows a variety of dispensers for fluid masses which comprise a generally tubular container with a pumping mechanism at one end and a take-up piston at the other. In such dispensers, the pumping mechanism is adapted to dispense the product from the container. As product is removed from the container which holds it, the take-up piston is moved by atmospheric pressure towards the pumping mechanism to insure that the fluid product and any associated reservoir in the pumping mechanism do not develop unwanted voids or open spaces which would interfere with the desired dispensing action on subsequent uses of the dispenser. One approach to the design of an appropriate pumping mechanism for one end of such containers is to provide a container body part which is resiliently compressible to effect a decrease in voIume of a pumping chamber so as to cause the dispensing of product from the container. Examples of devices which use such an approach are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,088,636; 3,361,305; 3,768,705; 4,154,371; 4,402,431; 4,413,759; 4,442,958; 4,474,313; and 4,533,069.
An alternative approach to the design of an appropriate pumping mechanism for tubular containers having a take-up piston at its opposite end is to provide a pumping dispenser having movable, rigid members which effect an appropriate volume reduction in a reservoir to dispense product therefrom. The following patents have been noted as following this approach:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,948 to J. Czech illustrates a pumping mechanism which comprises a head member in the form of a substantially cylindrical cap which is slidely supported on an outer side wall surface of the container. Movement of the head member towards the tubular container effects a reduction in a pump chamber containing the product to effect dispensing of the product through a suitable outlet in the head member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,175 to J. Eckert illustrates a dispenser having a delivery device on the upper side of a supply container, transverse to the main direction in which the supply container extends. This delivery device has a cylinder space in which is arranged a displacement piston which is adapted to be displaced axially.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,943 to J. Czech shows a dispenser which utilizes a spring-biased piston to effect an appropriate reduction in the volume of a pump chamber. The path of egress of the material from the pump chamber to the outlet first lies in a direction lateral to the path of travel of the piston and thence parallel to the path of travel of the piston but laterally displaced therefrom.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,511,068 to J. Bossina and 4,598,843 to D. D. Foster et al. both show the use of spring-mounted pistons to effect removal of viscous product from the type of tubular container described before. In both cases the product is dispensed through outlet means in the piston structure initially in the direction that is parallel, and coaxial, with the path of travel of the piston, and the lateral dimensions of the piston are substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular container. In other words, the lower surface of the delivery piston at its circumferential portions makes sealing contact with the inner walls of the tubular container. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Due to an aging phenomenon continuing around the world, Korea is predicted to become an aged society where the percentage of people over 65 years old is 14% or more of the total population by 2018. Since an increase in aging population means an increase in a percentage of population having chronic diseases or deteriorated biological functions, anti-aging industries, for example, a pharmaceutical industry, a functional food industry, a cosmetic industry, and the like, for satisfying the needs for healthy life and improving health of old-aged people are expected to be developed.
Further, in middle-aged people, there is growing demand for improving various biological indices associated with aging before they got too old, and there is growing desire to live in a healthier and more youthful state. Further, since in terms of gender distribution, the proportion of women participating in economical and social activities has gradually increased, there is a large need to develop anti-aging materials and products for women, and among them, a demand for a product of which scientific efficacy is clearly proven has gradually increased.
In order to satisfy the demand for the anti-aging product as described above, there is a need to understand main features in aged tissue and cells and to seek a method for alleviating the aging. As the main feature in cells configuring aged tissue or organs, there is a decrease in intracellular anti-oxidant activity for protecting cells from oxidative stress and/or a rapid decrease in autophagy activity. As the intracellular anti-oxidant activity and/or the autophagy activity is decreased, cell viability and activity are rapidly decreased, such that morphological aspects of the aging appear, thereby leading to cell aging and metabolic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, type 2 diabetes, or the like.
Autophagy means a mechanism to regenerate energy and remove damaged materials by decomposing aged or damaged materials and organelles in cells when an energy source in the cells is exhausted or stress factors in cells are excessively generated, and enables maintenance of normal cells. Recently, in various studies, it was reported that as the aging has proceeded or been accelerated, an autophagy activity in cells has rapidly decreased. On the contrary, in the case of suppressing the autophagy activity, aged mitochondria, misfolded proteins, or the like, are excessively accumulated in cells, such that free radicals and oxidative stress in the cells are increased, thereby resulting in increasing apoptosis and promoting aging.
Further, in mitochondria, while an energy generation process is performed, reactive oxygen species are formed as by-products, and lipid peroxide, a lipid peroxy radical, peroxynitrite, or the like, is formed by external stress such as ultraviolet light, drugs, materials taken into the body, and stimulation of environmental contamination factors, or the like, thereby applying a wide oxidative stress. These oxidative stress products are significantly unstable and have high reactivity with surrounding materials to significantly strongly bind to proteins, lipids, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), or the like, in cells, and cause various denaturation, which results in causing fetal problems.
An example of a material capable of increasing the intracellular anti-oxidant activity may include anti-oxidant materials such as vitamins, glutathione, coenzyme Q10, and the like, or anti-oxidant proteins such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-dependent peroxidase, peroxiredoxin, and the like. However, these anti-oxidant materials according to the related art have problems in that they may exhibit an excellent reactive oxygen scavenging activity in-vitro and in the blood, but these anti-oxidant materials may rather increase formation of reactive oxygen in cells depending on the concentration. Further, proteins, lipid, mitochondria, and the like, denatured by oxidative stress may be rapidly removed by activating autophagy, a recycling mechanism to decompose aged materials and organelles in cells, such that an environment in which cells may live in a healthier state may be provided.
In order to remove this oxidative stress generated in cells and recover health of an individual, tissue, and cells, the anti-oxidant activity and autophagy activation in the cells are significantly important. Therefore, in order to basically solve problems of the anti-oxidant materials according to the related art and provide an excellent anti-aging effect, there is a need to develop a material having an excellent effect of inducing autophagy activation while increasing expression of anti-oxidant proteins in cells to increase the anti-oxidant activity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the monitoring of a liquid, in particular a liquid contained in a tank of an SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system in a motor vehicle, the liquid being an aqueous urea solution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Legislation on vehicle and heavy goods vehicle emissions stipulates, amongst other things, a reduction in the release of nitrogen oxides NOx into the atmosphere. One known way to achieve this objective is to use the SCR process which enables the reduction of nitrogen oxides by injection of a reducing agent, generally ammonia, into the exhaust line. This ammonia may derive from the thermolytic decomposition of an ammonia precursor solution, whose concentration may be the eutectic concentration. Such an ammonia precursor is generally a urea solution (eutectic at 32.5% by weight of urea).
With the SCR process, the high discharge of NOx produced in the engine during combustion at optimized efficiency are treated in a catalyst as they exit the engine. This treatment requires the use of the reducing agent at a precise concentration and of extreme quality. The solution is thus accurately metered and injected into the exhaust gas stream where it is hydrolysed before converting the nitrogen oxide (NOx) to nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O).
To do this, it is necessary to equip the vehicles with a tank containing an additive solution (generally aqueous urea solution).
However, it is important to be able to monitor the quality of the reducing agent in the tank to be able to dose it in an accurate manner. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention pertains to a magnetically guidable intubation device. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a magnetically guidable intubation device for use in performing medical procedures to an interior of a body; and specifically to performing medical procedures to the large intestine of a human patient.
Conventionally, there are known devices for performing medical procedures within the large intestine of a human patient. A typical device, known as an a colonoscope or endoscope, includes a head disposed at a distal end of an elongated flexible member. The head is inserted into the large intestine of a patient through the rectum and is moved forward through the colon. By manually pushing the elongated flexible member forward, the head is moved through the colon.
The head may be equipped with a diagnostic or therapeutic device. For example, a fiber optic imaging device may be used diagnostically by a doctor for viewing the interior of the large intestine to allow visual inspection for polyps or other malformations of the intestinal wall. The head may also carry a therapeutic tool, such as a remotely controlled cauterizing loop mechanism which is capable of removing, a polyp from the mucosa of the large intestine.
The elongated flexible member typically has a hollow interior which is in communication with an interior chamber of the head. The head holds the therapeutic or diagnostic device. Thus in the case of the fiber optic imaging device, the end of a fiber optic cable bundle and a light source may be contained in the chamber in the head and the fiber optic cable and a power cable for the light source may be enclosed within the flexible elongated member. In the case of the therapeutic device, for example, the cauterizing loop mechanism (known as a polypectomy snare), a cable may be inserted through an operative channel contained within the flexible elongated member so that the cauterizing loop mechanism may be remotely manipulated. At the end of the flexible elongated member opposite the head, an eye piece may be disposed for viewing the interior of the large intestine through the fiber optic cable bundle. Further, a control device may be disposed at the end for manually manipulating, for example, the cauterizing loop mechanism.
In accordance with the conventional art, the elongated flexible member is relatively stiff so that it may effectively push the head forward through the large intestine. Since the large intestine is not straight, but rather has a number of turns to it, it has been difficult to provide an elongated flexible member which has both the stiffness necessary for pushing the head forward through the large intestine and the flexibility to maneuver the head around the various curves of the large intestine. During the procedure, the coventional colonoscope has a tendency to bend into what are known as an alpha loop, N-loop an/or reverse alpha loop. These loops in the colonoscope usually occur in sigmoid colon and further advancement of the colonoscope, if the procedure is not abandoned alltogether, causes great discomfort due to streatching of the colon. Also, in the conventional method, there is the danger of possible complication of colon perforation due to these loops.
To overcome this drawback, a conventional endoscope has been developed which has means for remotely changing the curvature of the elongated flexible member at a portion thereof just below its connection with the head. In this device, the portion of the elongated flexible member capable of being remotely curved is manipulated through a series of cables connected with remotely accessible dials. However, even with this remote curve changing feature of this device, it is still very difficult to maneuver the head comfortably through the turns of the large intestine. In fact, because of the difficulty in maneuvering the head through the convolutions of the large intestine, and the discomfort experienced by the patient, it is common practice for primary care doctors using these generally disclose merely the attachment of a magnetic tip to a semi-rigid tube. These devices generally provide little more than crude positioning of a catheter or intubation device by dragging a permanent magnet across the exterior of the skin to move magnetic tip within an interior cavity of the body such as the throat or stomach.
There is an unsatisfied long felt need to provide a device which can be effectively magnetically guided within the interior of a body to perform a diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedure. In particular, a magnetically guidable intubation device is needed which is easy to use, can be accurately positioned and can be intubated into the large intestine to perform a medical procedure by specialist and nonspecialist. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There are known techniques for notifying a user with a location for shooting an image. For example, Patent Literature 1 describes displaying an image and its shooting location in association with each other on a map, thereby making a shooting position of the image easily understandable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Integrated circuits are typically formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer or other semiconducting material. In general, layers of various materials which are either semiconducting, conducting or insulating are utilized to form the integrated circuits. By way of example, the various materials are doped, ion implanted, deposited, etched, grown, etc. using various processes. A continuing goal in semiconductor processing is to continue to strive to reduce the size of individual electronic components thereby enabling smaller and denser integrated circuitry.
One technique for patterning and processing semiconductor substrates is photolithography. Such typically includes deposition of a photoresist layer which can then be processed to modify the solubility of such layer in certain solvents. For example, portions of the photoresist layer can be exposed to actinic energy through a mask/reticle to change the solvent solubility of the exposed regions versus the unexposed regions compared to the solubility in the as-deposited state. Thereafter, the exposed or unexposed portions can be removed, depending on the type of photoresist, thereby leaving a masking pattern of the photoresist on the substrate. Adjacent areas of the substrate next to the masked portions can be processed, for example by etching or ion implanting, to effect the desired processing of the substrate adjacent the masking material.
In certain instances, multiple different layers of photoresist are utilized in a given masking/photolithographic step. Further, the photolithographic masking and patterning might be combined with one or more other layers. One such process forms what is commonly referred to as a “hard mask” over the substrate prior to deposition of the photoresist layer or layers. The resist layer is then patterned, for example as described above, to form masking blocks over the hard mask. The hard mask is then etched using the photoresist as a mask to transfer the pattern of the photoresist to the hard mask. The resist may or may not be removed immediately thereafter. Hard masks such as just described provide a more robust masking pattern than using resist alone, for example should the resist be completely eroded/etched away during an etch.
One material utilized as a hard mask is amorphous carbon. When etching oxide material using amorphous carbon as a hard mask, the etching typically removes the oxide at a rate of about ten times faster than it removes amorphous carbon.
Other masking methods exist in addition to photolithographic processing such as described above. For example, field effect transistors utilize a conductive gate which is typically received over a channel region of semiconductive material. Conductively doped source/drain semiconductive material regions are typically received on opposing sides of the channel region, with the gate overlying or underlying such channel region therebetween. In certain instances, it is desirable that the doping profile across the source/drain region be lighter/lower more proximate the channel region than distal therefrom. One method of processing for providing such dopant profile is to first form a desired conductive gate outline over the desired channel region of a semiconductor substrate. A suitable implant dose of a conductivity enhancing impurity can then be provided into the semiconductive material of the substrate, with the gate construction precluding such implant into the channel region. Then, an insulating layer can be conformally deposited over the gate construction and anisotropically etched to form insulative sidewall spacers over the gate. These sidewall spacers effectively function as a mask which both protects the sidewalls of the gate and precludes a subsequent implant from occurring beneath the spacers just formed. Accordingly, the sidewall spacers can be used as a mask for a subsequent higher dose source/drain implant to complete the formation of the outline of the desired source/drain regions.
While the invention was motivated in addressing the above issues, it is in no way so limited. The invention is only limited by the accompanying claims as literally worded (without interpretative or other limiting reference to the above background art description, remaining portions of the specification or the drawings) and in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a system for monitoring the flow of water through a pipe and more particularly to a battery operated flowmeter which can transmit flow related data (volume and/or temperature) to a remote receiver.
It is becoming more and more important to conserve our resources. While it has long been appreciated that monitoring and billing for resource use will cause a decrease in the use of the monitored resource, many situations, such as water use by a tenant in an apartment complex, do not lend themselves to monitoring.
To monitor such very local water use, a number of monitors is often required and accordingly for such monitors to be economically viable they have to be very inexpensive to install and have a low cost. Such a monitor must be battery powered and since batteries will only power a system for a definite period of time, the batteries will have to be periodically replaced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to the formation of plastic articles having multilayered walls by coinjection of two or more thermoplastic materials wherein the starting materials can if desired have substantially different optimum processing temperatures.
The simultaneous or sequential injection (coinjection) of two or more resins into a mold cavity to develop layered wall structures is well known as evidenced by the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,497,621, 4,518,344, 4,525,134, 4,526,821, 4,609,516 and 4,657,496.
These disclosures, while providing separate flow paths for the respective resins, do not show or suggest a method for maintaining each resin at its optimum processing temperature during transit from an extruder or other source to the mold cavity.
The maintenance of processing temperatures of each individual resin is especially important when the optimum processing temperature of one resin causes degradation of a second resin or vice versa.
For example, it is frequently desirable to mold a layered wall structure for a hollow article or a preform where coinjection materials include ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) which process most satisfactorily at temperatures ranging from 400.degree. to 440.degree. F. and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which processes best at temperatures ranging from 500.degree. to 550.degree. F. As stated previously, failure to maintain these optimum temperatures individually leads to degradation of one resin or the other resulting in defective product.
Various art references describe the process of sequential coinjection including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,710,118, 4,497,621, 4,657,496, 4,808,101 and 4,701,292.
In addition, art references describe insulating various components in a sequential coinjection device so that the resins can be processed at their optimum temperatures, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,717,324, 4,775,308, 4,863,665 and 4,931,234.
It is desirable to develop an apparatus to coinject two or more resins into a mold cavity through the same orifice while minimizing thermal degradation, especially to provide separate temperature control of the resins in the hot runner area and to minimize the volume and residence time of one of the resins in the nozzle area so as to minimize its exposure to thermal degradation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to electrochromic devices, and more particularly, to normally operating, color-stabilized electrochromic devices having an electrochromic medium comprising one or more additives, which serve to substantially preclude the formation of undesirable residual color within the electrochromic medium while in its high transmission state.
2. Background Art
Electrochromic devices have been known in the art for several years. While the utilization of electrochromic devices, such as electrochromic mirrors, has become increasing popular among, for example, the automotive industry, the development of undesirable residual color within the electrochromic medium remains problematic.
Indeed, when a sufficient electrical potential difference is applied across the electrodes of a conventional device, the electrochromic medium becomes intentionally colored (i.e. a low transmission state) inasmuch as one or more of the anodic and the cathodic materials are oxidized and reduced, respectively. Specifically, the anodic materials are oxidized by donating electrons to the anode, and the cathodic materials are reduced by accepting electrons from the cathode.
For most commercially available devices, when the electrical potential difference is removed or substantially diminished, the anodic and cathodic materials return to their native or unactivated state, and in turn, return the electrochromic medium to its colorless or nearly colorless state (i.e. a high transmission state). The application and removal of an electrical potential difference is conventionally known as a single cycle of the electrochromic device.
Scientists have observed that over a period of cycles and/or time, during normal operation of the electrochromic device, the electrochromic medium sometimes does not remain colorless in the high transmission state. In some instances, even in the absence of an electrical potential difference, either one or both of a portion of the anodic and cathodic materials are oxidized or reduced respectively, thereby forming residual oxidized and/or reduced materials. The residual oxidized anodic materials and/or the residual reduced cathodic materials of the electrochromic medium can result in an undesired residual coloration of the electrochromic medium.
Factors that are believed to facilitate the formation of the undesired residual oxidized anodic and/or reduced cathodic materials include, among other things, impurities within the medium, thermal and/or photochemical decomposition of one or more of the medium materials, and/or the permeation of water and/or oxygen into the electrochromic medium.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrochromic medium with a color-stabilizing additive that remedies the aforementioned detriments and/or complications associated with maintaining a colorless or nearly colorless electrochromic device while the device is in its high transmission state. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a capacitor package structure, and more particularly to a stacked-type solid electrolytic capacitor package structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Various applications of capacitors include home appliances, computer motherboards and peripherals, power supplies, communication products and automobiles. The capacitors are mainly used to provide filtering, bypassing, rectifying, coupling, blocking or transforming function, which play an important role in the electric and electronic products. There are different capacitors, such as aluminum electrolytic capacitors, tantalum electrolytic capacitors or laminated ceramic capacitors, in different utilization.
A typical aluminum electrolytic capacitor includes an anode foil and a cathode foil processed by surface-enlargement and/or formation treatments. The surface-enlargement treatment is performed by etching a high purity aluminum foil to increase its surface area so that a high electrical capacity can be obtained to achieve miniaturized electrolytic capacitor. The anode aluminum foil is then subjected to the formation treatment to form a dielectric surface film. A thickness of the dielectric film is related to a supply voltage of the electrolytic capacitor. Normally the cathode foil will be subjected to the formation treatment, too. However, if no formation treatment on the cathode foil, an oxide film layer will be still formed on the surface when exposed in the air. After cutting to a specific size according to design spec., a laminate made up of the anode foil, the cathode foil which is opposed to the dielectric film of the anode foil and has etched surfaces, and a separator interposed between the anode and cathode foils, is wound-up to provide an element. The wound-up element does not have any electric characteristic of the electrolytic capacitor yet until completely dipped in an electrolytic solution for driving and housed in a metallic sheathed package in cylindrical form with a closed-end equipping a releaser. Furthermore, a sealing member made of elastic rubber is inserted into an open-end section of the sheathed package, and the open-end section of the sheathed package is sealed by drawing, whereby an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is constituted.
In fact, the electrolytic capacitor utilizes the mobility of ions in the electrolytic solution to obtain an electric circuit; therefore, the electrical conductivity of the electrolytic solution is an important factor for deciding performance of the electrolytic capacitor. Such that, it is an issue for how to promote the electrical conductivity of the electrolytic solution to maintain the electrolytic capacitor with high-temperature stability on the solution, the aluminum foils, the separator etc., especially the stability of the solution and the aluminum foils. A typical electrolytic solution for a conventional electrolytic capacitor, especially for those electrolytic capacitors work on a supply voltage under 100V, includes water, organic solvent, organic acid, inorganic acid and some special additives mixed in different proportions.
Moreover, because solid electrolytic capacitor has the advantages of small size, large electrical capacity and good frequency characteristic, it can be used as a decoupling element in the power circuit of a central processing unit. In general, a plurality of capacitor elements is stacked together to form a solid electrolytic capacitor with a high electrical capacity. In addition, the solid electrolytic capacitor of the prior art includes a plurality of capacitor elements and a lead frame. Each capacitor element includes an anode part, a cathode part and an insulating part. The insulating part electrically insulates the anode part and the cathode part from each other. More specifically, the cathode parts of the capacitor elements are stacked over one another. Furthermore, conductive layers are disposed between adjacent capacitor elements so that the capacitor elements are electrically connected to one another.
Furthermore, the winding-type capacitor includes a capacitor element, a packaging material, and a sealing material. The capacitor element has an anode foil coupled to an anode terminal, a cathode foil coupled to a cathode terminal, a separator, and an electrolyte layer. The anode foil, the cathode foil and the separator are rolled together. The separator is between the anode foil and the cathode foil. The electrolyte layer is formed between the anode foil and the cathode foil. The packaging material has an opening and packages the capacitor element. The sealing material has a through hole where the anode terminal and the cathode terminal pass through and seals the opening of the packaging material. A given space is provided between the sealing material and the capacitor element. A stopper for securing the space is provided on at least one of the anode terminal and the cathode terminal | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
IP Multimedia (IPMM) services provide a dynamic combination of voice, video, messaging, data, etc. within the same session. By growing the numbers of basic applications and the media which it is possible to combine, the number of services offered to the end users will grow, and the inter-personal communication experience will be enriched. This will lead to a new generation of personalised, rich multimedia communication services, including so-called “combinational IP Multimedia” services which are considered in more detail below.
IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is the technology defined (in TS 32.225, Release 5) by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to provide IP Multimedia services over 3G mobile communication networks. IMS provides key features to enrich the end-user person-to-person communication experience through the integration and interaction of services. IMS allows new rich person-to-person (client-to-client) as well as person-to-content (client-to-server) communications over an IP-based network. The IMS makes use of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Service Delivery Protocol (SDP) to set up and control calls or sessions between user terminals (or user terminals and web servers). IMS sits on top of an access network which would typically be a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network but which might use some alternative technology, e.g. WiFi. FIG. 1 illustrates schematically how the IMS fits into the mobile network architecture in the case of a GPRS access network. IMS will also form part of 3GPP Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network architectures.
An example of a combinational IP Multimedia service is a multimedia service that includes and combines both a Circuit Switched media (such as voice) and a Packet Switched media over the IP Multimedia domain (such as pictures, video, presence, instant messages, etc.). A service referred to here as “WeShare ” combines the full IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) benefits of a multimedia service with CS voice. The service enables a user, during a Circuit Switched (CS) voice conversation with another user, to take a picture, a video or audio clip, etc. and to share this content with other users in (near) real time using the Packet Switched (PS) domain. Either party in the conversation may initiate transmission of content to the other party.
In order to convey the PS data, e.g. a picture, a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context needs to be setup and a PS bearer (Radio Access Bearer (RAB)) established. The former is a logical association between the user terminal and the network, running across the GPRS network, which defines aspects such as routing, quality of service, etc. The latter is the physical channel resources which will actually transport the picture data. The current assumption for combinational services is that the PDP context will be setup when the CS (speech) call is established and is maintained throughout the CS call. The PS bearer needed to transmit the picture is only setup when the user wants to send a picture, and is released some time after the picture has been transmitted. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to automatic focusing systems, and is applicable particularly, but not exclusively, to video cameras.
Known is an automatic focusing system of a video camera which is based on the fact that the voltage level of a high-frequency component of the image signal corresponds to the degree of sharpness of the resultant image and in which the focusing control is performed so that the voltage derived as a focus voltage assumes the maximum level to bring the focus lens into the focus position. Such an automatic focusing system is disclosed, for example, in "NHK TECHNICAL RESEARCH REPORT", vol. 17 (No. 1), published in 1965, or "TELEVISION ACADEMY TECHNICAL REPORT ED", published in 1982 (November), wherein two focus voltages obtained in accordance with movement of the focusing lens in one direction along its optical axis are successively sampled and compared in level with each other and on the basis of a result of the comparison the focusing lens is controlled so as to take the focus position with respect to an object. Generally, in accordance with the movement of the focusing lens, the focus voltage is varied in level so as to draw a curve similar substantially to Gauss' curve with respect to the maximum focus voltage obtained when the focusing lens takes the focus position. Thus, the rate of change of the focus voltage level is not constant, that is, the rate of change is apt to be decreased in the lower level region and further in the higher level region. This provides a problem in that because the difference in level between the two focus voltages becomes too small in the lower and higher level regions, difficulty is encountered to accurately measure the difference between the two focus voltage levels and hence to insure high reliability in the automatic focusing control. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Creating applications or systems from reusable components is common as a means to accelerate the delivery of solutions and reduce cost. Tracking the evolution of systems over time requires versioning, both for individual units of data and for configurations. The use of versioning provides the ability to view the history of individual units of data and compare any two versions of data to identify the changes between them, and the ability to view the history of a configuration to see how the data has changed over time. Today, the primary means of managing and tracking evolution of a system is via a configuration management system. A configuration management system requires a user to manually manage workspaces, and manually check out and check in data, assign new versions to the data, etc. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Information regarding the physiological parameters of a subject is important in a variety of contexts and applications, including for healthcare, military, sports, education, adaptive learning, and personal fitness purposes. For example, in psychophysiological research, it is known that the arterial pulse amplitude and rate and respiration of a subject can vary according to the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive challenges presented to the subject. In clinical settings, the condition of a patient may be determined by the measurement of beat-to-beat indices of rate and amplitude of the arterial pulse and breath-to-breath indices of respiration. In intelligence, security, and law enforcement communities, information regarding the physiological parameters of a subject may be useful to achieve a variety of goals.
A variety of devices and methods have been developed by which the physiological parameters of a subject, such as a human subject, can be measured. One such well known group of such devices requires direct contact with the subject in order to obtain the desired information. For example, the stethoscope is an acoustic medical device that is applied to the body of a subject for auscultation purposes, that is, listening to the lung and heart sounds, to the sound of intestines, to the flow of blood in arteries and veins, and other internal sounds of the subject's body. The stethoscope may be used with a sphygmomanometer, another device that is applied to the body of the subject and is commonly used for measurements of blood pressure. Another device, a pulse oximeter is configured to be placed on the fingertips or earlobes of a subject in order to monitor pulse and hemoglobin oxygenation levels. The pulse or heart rate of a subject can be detected and monitored with the use of an electrocardiography (“ECG”) device. Such devices detect and amplify the electrical changes that the beating heart produces on the skin of the subject through the use of electrodes affixed to the skin of the subject to which has been applied a gel.
Besides having to be applied to the body of the subject in order to obtain the desired information, there are a variety of other limitations associated with such known measurement devices and methods. One is that in all cases the subject must be located within a distance of the device so that at least the probe portion of it can be applied to the body of the subject. Another is that certain known devices require that some material be applied to the body of the subject before contact of the probe with the body is made. For example, with an ECG device, gel must be applied to the body of the subject before the electrodes are affixed to the body. A material such as this gel may cause irritation of the skin of the subject. Such known systems and methods may provide also a limited range of information that is often qualitative, may be inconvenient for both the subject and the operator, and by their use the physiological parameter(s) that are being measured may be affected.
Other devices have been developed for the estimation and monitoring of a subject's heart rate which do not require contact with the subject's skin. These non-contact devices are based on the recognition that the beat of the heart sends a pulse wave through the subject's body. The wave produces slight changes in the blood vessels beneath the skin of the subject. The small changes in the blood vessels can produce changes in the light that is reflected from the skin. By obtaining a color image of the skin of the subject, and analyzing the images for changes in light reflectance, the pulse of the subject can be determined. Devices that estimate the pulse of a subject based on the light reflected from the skin of the subject typically do so by taking a sequence of multiple images of the subject and collectively analyzing and comparing the entire group of images to obtain an estimation of the subject's heart rate.
Many known non-contact heart rate estimations/monitoring systems and methods have a number of limitations associated with them. One is that they typically require that images be captured of a subject over a period of time. The need to capture such a series of related images adds to the amount of time that is needed in order to conduct and complete the analysis of interest and make a determination regarding the heart rate of the subject. The subject may move or the lighting of the subject may change during the period in which the images are captured. Such changes in the subject and the context in which the images of the subject are taken add to the complexity of the processing needed to obtain the information that is sought. Also, as the number of images that are taken increases, the amount of data that must be gathered, recorded and processed in order to make the determination increases. For example, if a video recording is taken of a subject for 60 seconds at 60 frames per second, and each of the frames has a region of 300 by 300 pixels, with separate data collected for certain colors—for example, red, green, and blue—the data integer values equals 972 million. Expanded resources are needed to receive and record this amount of data. Handling and processing this amount of data is time consuming and increases the chance that error will occur.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a noncontact technology capable of detecting human physiological parameters that provides accurate information, is quick and efficient, and convenient to use for both operator and the subject. The present invention satisfies the demand. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a vaccine formula allowing the vaccination of cats against a number of pathologies. It also relates to a corresponding method of vaccination.
Associations of vaccines against certain canine viruses have already been proposed in the past.
The associations developed so far were prepared from inactivated vaccines or live vaccines and, optionally, mixtures of such vaccines. Their development poses problems of compatibility between valencies and of stability. It is indeed necessary to ensure both the compatibility between the different vaccine valencies, whether from the point of view of the different antigens used or from the point of view of the formulations themselves, especially in the case where both inactivated vaccines and live vaccines are combined. The problem of the conservation of such combined vaccines and of their safety especially in the presence of an adjuvant also exists. These vaccines are in general quite expensive.
Patent Applications WO-A-90 11092, WO-A-93 19183, WO-A-94 21797 and WO-A-95 20660 have made use of the recently developed technique of polynucleotide vaccines. It is known that these vaccines use a plasmid capable of expressing, in the host cells, the antigen inserted into the plasmid. All the routes of administration have been proposed (intraperitoneal, intravenous, intramuscular, transcutaneous, intradermal, mucosal and the like). Various vaccination means can also be used, such as DNA deposited at the surface of gold particles and projected so as to penetrate into the animals"" skin (Tang et al., Nature 356, 152-154, 1992) and liquid jet injectors which make it possible to transfect at the same time the skin, the muscle, the fatty tissues and the mammary tissues (Furth et al., Analytical Biochemistry, 205, 365-368, 1992).
(See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 846,946, 5,620,896, 5,643,578, 5,580,589, 5,589,466, 5,693,622, and 5,703,055; Science, 259:1745-49, 1993; Robinson et al., seminars in IMMUNOLOGY, 9:271-83, 1997; Luke et al., J. Infect. Dis. 175(1):91-97, 1997; Norman et al., Vaccine, 15(8):801-803, 1997; Bourne et al., The Journal of Infectious Disease, 173:800-7, 1996; and, note that generally a plasmid for a vaccine or immunological composition can comprise DNA encoding an antigen operatively linked to regulatory sequences which control expression or expression and secretion of the antigen from a host cell, e.g., a mammalian cell; for instance, from upstream to downstream, DNA for a promoter, DNA for a eukaryotic leader peptide for secretion, DNA for the antigen, and DNA encoding a terminator.)
The polynucleotide vaccines may also use both naked DNAs and DNAs formulated, for example, inside cationic lipids or liposomes.
The invention therefore proposes to provide a muitivalent vaccine formula which makes it possible to ensure vaccination against a number of feline pathogenic viruses.
Another objective of the invention is to provide such a vaccine formula combining different valencies while exhibiting all the criteria required for mutual compatibility and stability of the valencies.
Another objective of the invention is to provide such a vaccine formula which makes it possible to combine different valencies in the same vehicle.
Another objective of the invention is to provide such a vaccine which is easy and inexpensive to use.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a method for vaccinating cats which makes it possible to obtain protection, including multivalent protection, with a high level of efficiency and of long duration, as well as good safety.
The subject of the present invention is therefore a vaccine formula intended for cats, comprising at least three polynucleotide vaccine valencies each comprising a plasmid integrating, so as to express it in vivo in the host cells, a gene with one feline pathogen valency, these valencies being selected from those of the group consisting of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), panleukopenia virus (FPV), infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), coryza virus (FHV), calicivirosis virus (FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and possibly rabies virus (rhabdovirus), the plasmids comprising, for each valency, one or more of the genes selected from the group consisting of env and gag/pol for the feline leukaemia, VP2 for the panleukopenia, modified S (or S*) and M for the infectious peritonitis, gB and gD for the coryza, capsid for the calicivirosis, env and gag/pro for the feline immunodeficiency and G for the rabies.
Valency in the present invention is understood to mean at least one antigen providing protection against the virus for the pathogen considered, it being possible for the valency to contain, as subvalency, one or more modified or natural genes from one or more strains of the pathogen considered.
Pathogenic agent gene is understood to mean not only the complete gene but also the various nucleotide sequences, including fragments which retain the capacity to induce a protective response. The notion of a gene covers the nucleotide sequences equivalent to those described precisely in the examples, that is to say the sequences which are different but which encode the same protein. It also covers the nucleotide sequences of other strains of the pathogen considered, which provide cross-protection or a protection specific for a strain or for a strain group. It also covers the nucleotide sequences which have been modified in order to facilitate the in vivo expression by the host animal but encoding the same protein.
Preferably, the vaccine formula according to the invention comprises the panleukopenia, coryza and calicivirosis valencies.
It will be possible to add the feline leukaemia, feline immunodeficiency and/or infectious peritonitis valencies.
As regards the coryza valency, it is preferable to use the two genes coding for gB and gD, in different plasmids or in one and the same plasmid, or to use either of these genes.
For the feline leukaemia valency, use is preferably made of the two env and gag/pol genes integrated into two different plasmids or into one and the same plasmid, or the env gene alone.
For the feline immunodeficiency valency, use will preferably be made of the two env and gag/pro genes in different plasmids or in one and the same plasmid, or only one of these genes. Still more preferably, the FeLV-A env gene and the FeLV-A and FeLV-B env genes are used.
For the infectious peritonitis valency, use is preferably made of the two M and modified S genes together in two different plasmids or in one and the same plasmid, or either of these genes. S will be modified in order to make the major facilitating epitopes inactive, preferably according to the teaching of Patent PCT/FR95/01128.
The vaccine formula according to the invention can be presented in a dose volume of between 0.1 and 3 ml and in particular between 0.5 and 1 ml.
The dose will be generally between 10 ng and 1 mg, preferably between 100 ng and 500 xcexcg and still more preferably between 1 xcexcg and 250 xcexcg per plasmid type.
Use will preferably be made of naked plasmids simply placed in the vaccination vehicle which will be in general physiological saline (0.9% NaCl), ultrapure water, TE buffer and the like. All the polynucleotide vaccine forms described in the prior art can of course be used.
Each plasmid comprises a promoter capable of ensuring the expression of the gene inserted, under its control, into the host cells. This will be in general a strong eukaryotic promoter and in particular a cytomegalovirus early CMV-IE promoter of human or murine origin, or optionally of another origin such as rats, pigs and guinea pigs.
More generally, the promoter may be either of viral origin or of cellular origin. As viral promoter, there may be mentioned the SV40 virus early or late promoter or the Rous sarcoma virus LTR promoter. It may also be a promoter from the virus from which the gene is derived, for example the gene""s own promoter.
As cellular promoter, there may be mentioned the promoter of a cytoskeleton gene, such as for example the desmin promoter (Bolmont et al., Journal of Submicroscopic Cytology and Pathology, 1990, 22, 117-122; and Zhenlin et al., Gene, 1989, 78, 243-254), or alternatively the actin promoter.
When several genes are present in the same plasmid, these may be presented in the same transcription unit or in two different units.
The combination of the different vaccine valencies according to the invention may be preferably achieved by mixing the polynucleotide plasmids expressing the antigen(s) of each valency, but it is also possible to envisage causing antigens of several valencies to be expressed by the same plasmid.
The subject of the invention is also monovalent vaccine formulae comprising one or more plasmids encoding one or more genes from one of the viruses above, the genes being those described above. Besides their monovalent character, these formulae may possess the characteristics stated above as regards the choice of the genes, their combinations, the composition of the plasmids, the dose volumes, the doses and the like.
The monovalent vaccine formulae may also be used (i) for the preparation of a polyvalent vaccine formula as described above, (ii) individually against the actual pathology, (iii) combined with a vaccine of another type (live or inactivated whole, recombinant, subunit) against another pathology, or (iv) as booster for a vaccine as described below.
The subject of the present invention is in fact also the use of one or more plasmids according to the invention for the manufacture of a vaccine intended to vaccinate cats first vaccinated by means of a first conventional vaccine (monovalent or multivalent) of the type in the prior art, in particular, selected from the group consisting of a live whole vaccine, an inactivated whole vaccine, a subunit vaccine, a recombinant vaccine, this first vaccine having (that is to say containing or capable of expressing) the antigen(s) encoded by the plasmid(s) or antigen(s) providing cross-protection.
Remarkably, the polynucleotide vaccine has a potent booster effect which results in an amplification of the immune response and the acquisition of a long-lasting immunity.
In general, the first-vaccination vaccines can be selected from commercial vaccines available from various veterinary vaccine producers.
The subject of the invention is also a vaccination kit grouping together a first-vaccination vaccine as described above and a vaccine formula according to the invention for the booster. It also relates to a vaccine formula according to the invention accompanied by a leaflet indicating the use of this formula as a booster for a first vaccination as described above.
The subject of the present invention is also a method for vaccinating cats, comprising the administration of an effective vaccine formula as described above. This vaccination method comprises the administration of one or more doses of the vaccine formula, it being possible for these doses to be administered in succession over a short period of time and/or in succession at widely spaced intervals.
The vaccine formulae according to the invention can be administered in the context of this method of vaccination, by the different routes of administration proposed in the prior art for polynucleotide vaccination and by means of known techniques of administration.
The subject of the invention is also the method of vaccination consisting in making a first vaccination as described above and a booster with a vaccine formula according to the invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, there is administered in a first instance, to the animal, an effective dose of the vaccine of the conventional, especially inactivated, live, attenuated or recombinant, type, or alternatively a subunit vaccine, so as to provide a first vaccination, and, after a period preferably of 2 to 6 weeks, the polyvalent or monovalent vaccine according to the invention is administered.
The efficiency of presentation of the antigens to the immune system varies according to the tissues. In particular, the mucous membranes of the respiratory tree serve as barrier to the entry of pathogens and are associated with lymphoid tissues which support local immunity. The administration of a vaccine by contact with the mucous membranes, in particular the buccal mucous membrane, the pharyngeal mucous membrane and the mucous membrane of the bronchial region is certainly of interest for vaccination against respiratory and digestive pathologies.
Consequently, the mucosal routes of administration form part of a preferred mode of administration for the invention, using in particular nebulization or spray or drinking water. It will be possible to apply the vaccine formulae and the vaccination methods according to the invention in this context.
The invention also relates to the method of preparing the vaccine formulae, namely the preparation of the valencies and mixtures thereof, as evident from this description.
The invention will now be described in greater detail with the aid of the embodiments of the invention taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor module that switches a plurality of sensors capable of measuring different ranges to extend a dynamic range, and particularly relates to a technique suitable for a current sensor module using a plurality of magnetic sensors capable of measuring different magnitudes of magnetic fields.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of extending the range of measurement of a sensor, a method of switching sensors capable of detecting different magnitudes of physical quantities is generally known. In a sensitivity switching-type sensor circuit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,382,150 B2 described below, the voltages of shunt resistors are amplified in an amplifier for a small current of a high gain and an amplifier for a large current of a low gain, respectively. After a low-frequency component is extracted by a low-pass filter, the output signals of the respective amplifiers are converted into pieces of detection data x and y which are digital values in an A/D converter, and are loaded into a microcomputer. In the microcomputer, a current value is calculated on the basis of the detection data x in a case where the detection data x of the amplifier for a small current is smaller than a threshold iL, and a current value is calculated on the basis of the data y in a case where the detection data y of the amplifier for a large current is larger than a threshold iH (>iL). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
In the field in which the present utility model is developed, the means used to close the side compartments of cargo vehicles such as trucks, closed trucks, boxcars, trailers, or semi-trailers are observable. The means utilized for said purpose generally use detachable gratings, xe2x80x9csantamariaxe2x80x9d-type hopper doors, or simply crossbars, depending, of course, on the type of merchandise transported.
Nevertheless, although such systems serve the functions for which they were created more or less efficiently, they present weaknesses in terms of how they are opened or closed, given that some or all of the components, such as hinged side bars, usually need to be dismantled or present relatively complicated mechanisms such as xe2x80x9csantamariaxe2x80x9d-type sliding hopper doors.
The present utility model has the purpose of providing a foldable hopper door mechanism that can be folded upward and driven by a hydraulic or pneumatic means, which allows the following advantages:
It provides maximum access space, given that it in no way interferes with cargo vehicle entry into the internal space.
It facilitates the operation of the hopper door by remote activation, without the direct intervention of the operator.
It defines a safety measure during the running and parking of the vehicle and its cargo, given that the hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism makes it possible to keep the hopper door tightly closed, unless it is directly driven, for example, from the cab of the vehicle.
It is especially useful in sheds or more or less enclosed spaces, given that during operation it takes up little lateral space in the travel of the hopper door, and it also does not especially take up space above when it reaches its maximum [degree of] opening. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Recently, a technique has been developed to use a vehicle such as electric vehicle, hybrid vehicle, or the like as an electric power source and feed electric power from the vehicle to an electrical apparatus external to the vehicle or to a household. In the following, electric power feeding from a vehicle to a receiver external to the vehicle is also referred to simply as “external discharging.”
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-236023 (PTD 1) discloses a hybrid vehicle configured to be capable of external discharging. This hybrid vehicle performs external discharging in the following way. Namely, when the state of charge of a battery is higher than a predetermined state of charge, the hybrid vehicle feeds electric power stored in the battery to an external receiver and, when the state of charge of the battery is lower than the predetermined state of charge, the hybrid vehicle uses engine's motive power to generate electric power therefrom and feed the generated electric power to an external receiver. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure generally relates to an imaging system, and more particularly to a lens shading correction (LSC) system for an imaging system.
2. Description of Related Art
In an imaging system, lens shading (or vignetting) is a phenomenon that causes pixels located away from a center pixel of a pixel array to have a lower pixel signal value even when all pixels are exposed to the same illumination condition. As a result, brightness of an image can fall off from a center region to corners. In other words, a maximum brightness may be at or around the center and decrease along a radial direction of the pixel array. The lens shading phenomenon may be presented, for example, in the contexts of lens mechanisms, optics, sensor pixels, ray traveling distance, aperture effect and/or ray incident angle to pixels.
Lens shading correction (LSC) is commonly proposed to compensate for the brightness falloff by way of applying different gains, particularly for the pixels away from the center of the pixel array. One drawback of conventional LSC schemes is induced color shading (or color non-uniformity) due to use of a single light source to perform correction. Even when multiple light sources are used, the falloff may correspond not to a monotonic change but rather to an abrupt drop from high color-temperature to low color-temperature light sources. Moreover, metamerism issues may occur, causing confusion in performance of lens shading correction via color temperature because two (or more) light sources may have similar color temperatures but have very different spectra.
For reasons including the fact that conventional LSC schemes have been unable effectively to solve the lens shading phenomenon, a need has arisen to propose a novel LSC system to overcome drawbacks encountered in such conventional LSC schemes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to aircraft systems and, more specifically, to aircraft braking systems.
After takeoff, the landing gear of an aircraft is retracted as soon as possible. In order to safely stow the landing gear in the fuselage, the wheel speed must be zero (not spinning). Otherwise, damage can occur to components, such as hydraulic lines, within the landing gear bay. This is of special concern when a spinning wheel has shredded. For example, tread rotating with a failed tire can potentially damage flight equipment when the rotating, failed tire enters the wheel well.
Presently wheel braking during landing gear retraction is a passive non-monitored function. That is, the flight crew has no way of knowing if the wheels are spinning while being retracted. Thus, the flight crew does not have the ability to stop gear retraction if the wheels are spinning. Therefore, there exists a need to ensure that wheels are not spinning before the landing gear is fully retracted.
The present invention is a method and system for braking aircraft landing gear wheels after initialization of landing gear retraction. The system takes advantage of existing physical components of a brake control system. Thus very little new hardware needs to be added to accomplish the functionality of the present invention. The present invention is an active control system. The Brake Metering Valves in an airplane can be made xe2x80x9cless costlyxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cless complexxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clighterxe2x80x9d by elimination of the existing gear retract function. Gear retraction is made xe2x80x9cmore safexe2x80x9d because the threat from a flailing tire tread is greatly reduced. The braking system formed in accordance with the present invention reliably stops tire rotation before a failed tire can enter the wheel well where a tread rotating with the tire can potentially damage combinations of flight critical equipment.
An embodiment of the system includes monitors, controlling components, measurement components, a fault recording memory, fault annunciation components, wheel braking system and brakes. The monitors monitor speed of the landing gear wheels and landing gear position. The control component generates braking instructions based on the monitored speed of the wheels and position of the landing gear. The measurement components provide indications proportional to wheel speed and landing gear position. The fault recording memory records incidents of wheels spinning above a threshold when the landing gear position is at a given threshold. The braking system component applies brake pressure according to the generated braking instructions.
The generated braking instructions suitably include instructions to implement wheel braking with onset of gear retraction, increase braking if the landing gear position is at least to a threshold position and wheel speed is greater than a speed threshold value.
The system also includes a component for alerting the flight crew, if the landing gear position is at least to a threshold position and wheel speed is greater than a speed threshold value.
The system includes a component for inhibiting landing gear retraction, if the landing gear position is at least to a threshold position and wheel speed is greater than a speed threshold value. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
It is common practice to supply medical solutions for parenteral administration in the form of disposable, flexible pouches. One class of such pouches is commonly referred to as an “I.V. bag.” These pouches must meet a number of performance criteria, including collapsibility, optical clarity and transparency, high-temperature heat-resistance, and sufficient mechanical strength to withstand the rigors of the environment in which they are used. Medical solution pouches should also provide a sufficient barrier to the passage of moisture vapor and other gasses to prevent contamination of the solution contained therein.
High-temperature heat resistance of medical pouches is important so that the contents of the pouch can be heat sterilized. Heat-sterilization of solution-containing medical pouches typically occurs in an autoclave at about 250° F. for periods of 15 to 30 minutes. Steam is generally used as the heat-transfer medium. Heat-sterilization is normally performed by the manufacturer and/or packager of the medical solution prior to sending the packaged medical solution to the end user, e.g., a hospital. This helps to ensure that the medical solution, as packaged in the medical solution pouch, will be substantially free from contamination. Accordingly, a requirement of medical solution pouches is that they must be able to endure the high temperatures which are encountered during heat-sterilization without deterioration by, e.g., developing a heat-seal leak or other type of containment failure.
To achieve the desired properties and functionalities, films for use in medical pouch applications generally include multiple layers in which each layer provides one or more properties so that the resulting pouch has the desired end properties. For example, the film may include outer layers and one or more inner layers including adhesive or “tie” layers that adhere layers to each other. Generally, films for use in the preparation of medical pouches include a heat/abuse-resistant layer that forms the outside surface of the pouch. The primary functions of the outer layer are to provide heat-resistance to the pouch during heat-sealing and heat-sterilization, and to provide abuse-resistance from external handling and abrasion.
During autoclaving, the film is subjected to a high temperature to sterilize the contents of the pouch. In the case of medical solutions, the autoclaving process can result in the formation of bubbles or foam within the solution. It is believed that the formation of bubbles or foam may be the result of components of the film that have migrated into the medical solution during autoclaving. The presence of such foam/bubbles may in some cases be undesirable. For instance, films for use in medical pouches in China must pass a so-called “bubble test” in which the presence of any bubbles or foam after autoclaving and rigorous shaking must quickly dissipate.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a multilayer film that is suitable for as a material for the manufacture of medical solution pouches, and which has a reduced proficiency for forming foam or bubbles after the pouch has been heat-sterilized. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to transmission lines and more particularly, to a coaxial transmission line which reduces a signal loss during transmission of a radio frequency (RF) signal, and reduces signal interference between adjacent signal lines, and is manufactured by improved packaging technologies. Further, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing the coaxial transmission line, and a method of packaging the coaxial transmission line.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a coplanar-type transmission line system and a microstrip-type transmission line system have been widely used to transmit RF signals.
The coplanar-type transmission line system is constructed so that a signal line and ground wires are arranged on the same plane. In this case, the ground wires are placed on opposite sides of the signal line. Because it is possible to arrange the signal line and the ground wires on the same plane as described above, the coplanar-type transmission line system has been widely used to make a circuit using a semiconductor substrate or a ceramic substrate.
Further, the microstrip-type transmission line system includes a signal line on an upper surface of a substrate, and a ground wire on a lower surface of the substrate. However, the microstrip-type transmission line system has a problem in that a via hole must be formed to connect the signal line provided on the upper surface of the substrate to the ground wire provided on the lower surface of the substrate. Thus, the microstrip-type transmission line system has been limitedly used for a substrate made of a soft material which allows the via hole to be easily formed, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). However, due to development of a semiconductor manufacturing technology, the microstrip-type transmission line system is also employed to the semiconductor substrate and the ceramic substrate.
Since the signal lines in the above-mentioned transmission line systems are not shielded, that is, are open, radiative signal losses of the signal lines occur during the transmission of signals, and further, signal interference occurs due to the radiative signals. In order to overcome the above problems, there is proposed a method of building a shielding wall made of a metal material to shield each signal line. However, it is difficult to execute such a method of building the shielding walls, thus undesirably causing an increase in the manufacturing costs.
Recently, as a frequency in RF electrical equipment and an output power of the equipment becomes higher, the signal interference is further increased. Thus, those skilled in the art have made efforts to develop a coaxial transmission line which is capable of shielding the signal lines.
A conventional coaxial transmission line will be described in the following.
A conventional coaxial transmission line, which is disclosed in Korean Patent Appln. No. 10-1999-0059866 and is titled “COAXIAL TYPE SIGNAL LINE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF”.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view to show the conventional coaxial transmission line. In order to provide dielectric layers between signal lines and ground layers during the manufacture of the coaxial transmission line, a liquid polymer material 3 is coated on a semiconductor substrate 1 through a spin coating method, and then the semiconductor substrate 1 coated with the liquid polymer material 3 is cured at 200° C. While the above-mentioned process is repeated, a flattening process is carried out, thus providing a multi-layer film. Metal lines for signal lines 4 are arranged on the film, and another polymer material 5 is coated on the metal lines, and then cured.
The method of manufacturing the coaxial transmission line will be described in detail in the following. First, grooves are formed on predetermined portions of the semiconductor substrate 1, and a first ground layer 2 is formed on the substrate 1. Subsequently, the liquid polymer material 3 is coated on the first ground layer 2, and then flattening and curing processes are executed. The signal lines 4 are arranged on the cured polymer material 3, and a second polymer material 5 is coated on the signal lines 4. Thereafter, the second polymer material 5 is cured and etched, thus providing a second ground layer 6.
However, such a method has problems in that it takes a longer time to manufacture the coaxial transmission line, and a stress is generated due to a difference in thermal expansive coefficient of interface between the polymer film and other material during the hot curing process, thus reducing yield. Meanwhile, in order to reduce a signal loss caused in a dielectric during a signal transmission, an air layer whose dielectric loss is little may be used in place of the dielectric. However, the method of using the air layer has a problem in that it is difficult to manufacture the coaxial transmission line, thus incurring great expense. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance in the body that is required for normal biological functions. For example, it is used for the synthesis of bile acids in the liver, the manufacture and repair of cell membranes, the production of vitamin D, and the synthesis of steroid hormones. There are both exogenous and endogenous sources of cholesterol. For example, the average American consumes about 450 mg of cholesterol each day and produces an additional 500 to 1,000 mg in the liver and other tissues. Another source is the 500 to 1,000 mg of biliary cholesterol that is secreted into the intestine daily; about 50 percent is reabsorbed (enterohepatic circulation).
Cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream via plasma lipoproteins, which are particles of complex lipid and protein composition that transport lipids in the blood. There are specific kinds of lipoproteins that contain cholesterol, namely low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL), and triglycerides.
LDL normally carries about 75 percent of the circulating cholesterol. LDL is believed to be responsible for the delivery of cholesterol from the liver, where it is synthesized or obtained from dietary sources, to extrahepatic tissues in the body. The term “reverse cholesterol transport” describes the transport of cholesterol from extrahepatic tissues to the liver, where it is catabolized and eliminated.
As free cholesterol liberated from LDL accumulates within cells, there are three important metabolic consequences. First, there is a decrease in the synthesis of HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that controls the rate of de novo cholesterol synthesis by the cell. Second, there is activation of the enzyme acyl cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), which esterifies free cholesterol into cholesterol ester, the cell's storage form of cholesterol. Third, accumulation of cholesterol suppresses the cell's synthesis of new LDL receptors. This feedback mechanism reduces the cell's uptake of LDL from circulation.
In contrast, plasma HDL particles appear to play a major role in the reverse transport process by acting as scavengers of tissue cholesterol. HDL is also responsible for the removal of non-cholesterol lipid, oxidized cholesterol, and other oxidized products from the bloodstream. It is hypothesized that high levels of plasma HDL are not only protective against coronary artery disease, but may actually induce regression of atherosclerotic plaque (i.e., see Badimon et al., Circulation 86:(Suppl. III)86-94 (1992); Dansky and Fisher, Circulation 100:1762-3 (1999)).
Currently, an estimated 105 million American adults have undesirable (high) cholesterol levels—namely total blood cholesterol levels of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and higher. Of these, 42 million have cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, and are considered a high health risk population. (Centers for Disease Control: National Center for Health Statistics as published by the American Heart Association, Heart and Stroke Statistics—2003 Update. Dallas, Tex.: AHA, 2002).
The very property that makes cholesterol useful in the cell membranes, namely its insolubility in water, also makes it potentially lethal when large amounts of cholesterol are circulating in blood. For example, high cholesterol is commonly associated with an increased risk of heart attack, atherosclerosis and circulatory disorders. In addition, a variety of diseases are caused by disorders of cholesterol catabolism, such as gallstone disease, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia and some lipid storage diseases.
Atherosclerosis, for example, is a slowly progressive disease characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol within the arterial wall. Compelling evidence has been submitted regarding the role of oxidized LDL in the formation of artherosclerotic lesions. (Chisolm, Clin. Cardiol, 14:I-25-I-30 (1991)). As LDL becomes oxidized, its properties and mechanisms of interaction with cells are altered extensively. These changes cause the oxidized LDL to act deleteriously at various levels of artherosclerotic lesion development.
Abundant evidence indicates that lowering undesirable cholesterol levels will diminish or prevent atherosclerotic complications. In addition to a diet that maintains a normal body weight and minimizes concentrations of lipids in plasma, therapeutic strategies for lowering cholesterol levels include elimination of factors that exacerbate high cholesterol and the administration of therapeutic agents that lower plasma concentrations of lipoproteins, either by diminishing the production of lipoproteins or by enhancing the efficiency of their removal from plasma. For example, recent studies have shown that taking antioxidants such as vitamin E or beta carotene, reduces an individual's risk of heart attack presumably by preventing the oxidation of LDL (See NY Times, p. A9, cols. 1-6, Nov. 19, 1992).
Additional methods for maintaining a desirable/healthy serum cholesterol levels include the use of cholesterol-lowering agents (i.e., lavostatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin). Several trials of the long-term effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs on patients have shown reduced death from and incidence of heart disease. (See Lipid Research Clinics Investigators, Arch Intern Med. 152:1399-1410 (1992)). Although these drugs can produce significant reductions in serum cholesterol, most if not all have undesirable side effects.
Although it has been demonstrated that estrogens have beneficial effects on serum LDL, long-term estrogen therapy has been implicated in a variety of disorders, including an increase in the risk of uterine cancer and possibly breast cancer. Recently suggested therapeutic regimens, which seek to lessen the cancer risk, such as administering combinations of progestogen and estrogen, cause the patient to experience regular bleeding, which is unacceptable to most older women. Furthermore, combining progesterone with estrogen seems to blunt the serum cholesterol lowering effects of estrogen. Concerns over the significant undesirable effects associated with estrogen therapy, support the need to develop alternative therapies for lowering undesirable cholesterol levels, which generate desirable effects on serum LDL but do not cause undesirable effects.
Diabetes, which is often linked with high cholesterol, is a chronic disease that has no cure. Currently, about 18.2 million people or 6.3% of the population in the United States have diabetes. While roughly 13 million have been diagnosed, it is estimated that 5.2 million people are not aware that they have the disease. As the 6th leading cause of death by disease in 2000, diabetes is costing the US health care system an estimated $132 billion annually. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, NIH Publication No. 04-3892, November 2003. More serious than the economic costs associated with diabetes are the decrease in quality of life, serious health complications/consequences, and deaths associated with diabetes.
With about 12,000 to 24,000 new cases each year, diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults ages 20-74. Diabetes is also the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, accounting for about 44% of new cases annually. In 2001 alone, approximately 42,800 people initiated treatment for end stage renal disease (kidney failure) because of diabetes. About 60-70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which, in severe forms, can lead to lower limb amputations. In fact, more than 60% of non-traumatic, lower limb amputations are performed on persons with diabetes. In 2002-2003, about 82,000 non-traumatic, lower limb amputations were performed on persons with diabetes. People with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer a stroke. Moreover, adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than those without diabetes.
Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels, which result from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. Because diabetes can remain undiagnosed for years, many people become aware that they have diabetes only after the development of one of its life-threatening complications. Although the cause of diabetes is still unknown, it is well-accepted that both genetics and environmental factors, such as obesity and lack of exercise, are important factors.
One group of diabetes, Type 1 diabetes (or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes), develops when the body's immune system destroys pancreatic cells that make the hormone insulin, which regulates blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in children and young adults; although disease onset can occur at any age. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors for Type 1 diabetes include autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors. Individuals diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes require daily delivery of insulin via injections or pumps.
Another group of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes (or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes), is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough, or properly use, insulin. This disease usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells do not use insulin properly, and as the need for insulin rises, the pancreas gradually loses its ability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease accounting for 90-95 percent of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is nearing epidemic proportions, due to an increased number of older Americans, and a greater prevalence of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Gestational diabetes refers to a form of glucose intolerance that is diagnosed in pregnant women. During pregnancy, gestational diabetes requires treatment to normalize maternal blood glucose levels to avoid complications in the infant. A percentage (5-10 percent) of women with gestational diabetes have Type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. Women who have had gestational diabetes also have a 20-50 percent chance of developing diabetes in the next 5-10 years.
Hyperinsulinemia refers to the overproduction of insulin by pancreatic cells. Often, hyperinsulinemia occurs as a result of insulin resistance, which is a condition defined by cellular resistance to the action of insulin. Insulin resistance, as defined above, is a state/disorder in which a normal amount of insulin produces a subnormal biologic (metabolic) response. For example, in insulin-treated patients with diabetes, insulin resistance is considered to be present whenever the therapeutic dose of insulin exceeds the secretory rate of insulin in normal person.
Hypertension has been associated with hyperinsulinemia. Insulin acts to promote vascular cell growth and increase renal sodium retention, among other things. These latter functions can be accomplished without affecting glucose levels and are known causes of hypertension. Peripheral vasculature growth, for example, can cause constriction of peripheral capillaries while sodium retention increases blood volume. Thus, the lowering of insulin levels in hyperinsulinemics can prevent abnormal vascular growth and renal sodium retention caused by high insulin levels and thereby alleviate hypertension.
Impaired glucose homeostasis (or metabolism) refers to a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. There are two categories that are considered risk factors for future diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) occurs when the glucose levels following a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test are between 140 to 199 mg/dl. IGT is a major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes and is present in about 11 percent of adults, or approximately 20 million Americans. About 40-45 percent of persons age 65 years or older have either Type 2 diabetes or IGT. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) occurs when the glucose levels following an 8-hour fasting plasma glucose test are greater than 110 but less than 126 mg/dl.
Premature development of atherosclerosis and increased rate of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases are characteristic features of patients with diabetes. Hyperlipidemia is an important precipitating factor for these diseases. Hyperlipidemia is a condition generally characterized by an abnormal increase in serum lipids in the bloodstream and is an important risk factor in developing atherosclerosis and heart disease. For a review of disorders of lipid metabolism, see, e.g., Wilson, J. et al., (ed.), Disorders of Lipid Metabolism, Chapter 23, Textbook of Endocrinology, 9th Edition, (W. B. Sanders Company, Philadelphia, Pa. U.S.A. 1998).
Serum lipoproteins are the carriers for lipids in the circulation. They are classified according to their density: chylomicrons; very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL); intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL); low density lipoproteins (LDL); and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Hyperlipidemia is usually classified as primary or secondary hyperlipidemia. Primary hyperlipidemia is generally caused by genetic defects, while secondary hyperlipidemia is generally caused by other factors, such as various disease states, drugs, and dietary factors. Alternatively, hyperlipidemia can result from both a combination of primary and secondary causes of hyperlipidemia. Elevated cholesterol levels are associated with a number of disease states, including coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, carotid artery disease, strokes, cerebral arteriosclerosis, and xanthoma.
Dyslipidemia, or abnormal levels of lipoproteins in blood plasma, is a frequent occurrence among diabetics, and has been shown to be one of the main contributors to the increased incidence of coronary events and deaths among diabetic subjects (see, e.g., Joslin, E. Ann. Chim. Med. (1927) 5: 1061-1079). Epidemiological studies since then have confirmed the association and have shown a several-fold increase in coronary deaths among diabetic subjects when compared with nondiabetic subjects (see, e.g., Garcia, M. J. et al., “Morbidity and mortality in diabetics in the Framingham population. Sixteen year follow-up study,” Diabetes, 23:105-11 (1974); and Laakso, M. and Lehto, S., “Epidemiology of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance,” Atherosclerosis, 137 Suppl:S65-73 (1998)). Several lipoprotein abnormalities have been described among diabetic subjects (Howard B., et al., “Lipoprotein composition in diabetes mellitus,” Artherosclerosis, 30:153-162 (1978)).
Hyperglycemia, a common feature of diabetes, is caused by decreased glucose utilization by liver and peripheral tissues and an increased glucose production by liver. Glucokinase (GK), the major glucose phosphorylating enzyme in the liver and the pancreatic β-cells, plays an important role in regulating blood glucose homeostasis. Notably, the levels of this enzyme are lowered in patients with Type 2 diabetes (Caro, J. F. et al., Hormone metabolic Res., 27; 19-22, 1995) and in some diabetic animal models (Barzilai, N. and Rossetti, L. J. Biol. Chem., 268:25019-25025, 1993).
As supported above, virtually every major organ system in the body is damaged by diabetes. Complications can include blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, amputation of extremities, loss of nerve sensation, early loss of teeth, high-risk pregnancies and babies born with birth defects. Currently, insulin injection is the only treatment method available for the over 1.5 million Type 1 diabetics and becomes the eventual course of treatment for many of the more than 16 million Type 2 diabetics in the United States. Treatment of Type 2 diabetes usually consists of a combination of diet, exercise, oral hypoglycemic agents, e.g., thiazolidinediones, and in more severe cases, insulin. However, the clinically available hypoglycemic agents can have side effects that limit their use, or an agent may not be effective with a particular patient.
In the case of Type I, insulin is usually the primary course of therapy. In spite of the early discovery of insulin and its subsequent widespread use in the treatment of diabetes, and the later discovery of and use of sulfonylureas, biguanides and thiazolidinediones, such as troglitazone, rosiglitazone or pioglitazone, as oral hypoglycemic agents, the treatment of diabetes remains less than satisfactory. Nutritional therapies that positively impact glucose uptake in the face of insulin insufficiency would have a major impact on the long term treatment costs associated with diabetic care.
Adiponectin or Acrp30 (Hu, E. et al, “AdipoQ is a novel adipose-specific gene dysregulated in obesity,” J. Biol. Chem., 271:10697-10703 (1996)) is an adipocyte-derived hormone with multiple biological functions. It has been reported that obesity, Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are associated with decreased plasma adiponectin levels, and that adiponectin may have putative anti-atherogenic properties in vitro (Ouchi, N. et al, “Adipocyte-derived plasma protein, adiponectin, suppresses lipid accumulation and class A scavenger receptor expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages,” Circulation, 103:1057-1063 (2001); Yokota, T. et al, “Adiponectin, a new member of the family of soluble defense collagens, negatively regulates the growth of myelomonocytic progenitors and the functions of macrophages,” Blood, 96:1723-1732 (2000)).
It has also been reported that an acute increase in circulating levels of Acrp30 lowers hepatic glucose production (Berg, A. H. et al, “The adipocyte-secreted protein Acrp30 enhances hepatic insulin action,” Nat. Med., 7:947-953 (2001); Combs, T. P. et al, “Endogenous glucose production is inhibited by the adipose-derived protein Acrp30,” J. Clin. Invest., 108:1875-1881 (2001)). Moreover, it has been reported that globular Acrp30 increases fatty acid oxidation in muscle, and causes weight loss in mice (Fruebis, J. et al, “Proteolytic cleavage product of 30-kDa adipocyte complement-related protein increases fatty acid oxidation in muscle and causes weight loss in mice,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98:2005-2010 (2001)). Further, it has been reported that treatment with adiponectin consisting solely of the globular domain (globular adiponectin or gAd) increases fatty acid oxidation in muscle, thereby ameliorating insulin resistance in lipoatrophic mice and obese mice, while treatment with full-length adiponectin also ameliorates though less than with gAd (Yamauchi, T. et al, “The fat-derived hormone adiponectin reverses insulin resistance associated with both lipoatrophy and obesity,” Nat. Med., 7:941-946 (2001)).
Recently it has been reported that adiponectin acutely activates AMP kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle, thus stimulating fatty acid oxidation and glucose uptake (Yamauchi, T. et al, “Adiponectin stimulates glucose utilization and fatty-acid oxidation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase,” Nat. Med., 8:1288-1295 (2002)), and that adiponectin chronically activates PPARα, resulting in increased fatty acid oxidation but reduced tissue TG content in the muscles, with these effects being greater with gAd than with full-length adiponectin (Yamauchi, T. et al, “Globular adiponectin protected ob/ob mice from diabetes and ApoE-deficient mice from atherosclerosis,” J. Biol. Chem., 278:2461-2468 (2002)). Interestingly, in the liver full-length adiponectin alone acutely activates AMPK, causing a reduction in gluconeogenesis-associated molecules and stimulating fatty-acid oxidation, and moreover full-length adiponectin alone chronically activates AMPK, stimulating fatty-acid oxidation and reducing tissue TG levels in the liver. All these changes serve to enhance insulin sensitivity in vivo (Yamauchi, T. et al, Nat. Med., 8:1288-1295 (2002); Yamauchi, T. et al, J. Biol. Chem., 278:2461-2468 (2002)).
The findings above suggest adiponectin's potential involvement in obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Production and circulating adiponectin concentrations are suppressed in obese mice and humans (Hu, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271:10697-107032 (1996); Arita, et al., “Paradoxical decrease of an adipose-specific protein, adiponectin, in obesity,” Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 257:79-83 (1999)). Low plasma levels of adiponectin may be a risk factor in coronary heart disease and concentrations are also significantly reduced in Type 2 diabetes (Ouchi, et al., Circulation. 100:2473-2476 (1999); Hotta, et al., Diabetes. 50:1126-1133 (2001)). The ability of adiponectin to lower glucose and reverse insulin resistance suggests that it may 30 have application as a diabetes drug (Yamauchi, et al., Nat. Med. 7:941-946 (2001); Berg, et al. Nat. Med. 7:947-953 (2001)). Furthermore, a proteolytically cleaved fragment of adiponectin was shown to cause weight loss in obese animals (Fruebis, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 98:20(15-2010 (2001)). This protein directly or indirectly affects at least four cell types. Adiponectin modulates NF-.kappa.B mediated signals in human aortic endothelial cells, presumably accounting for their reduced adhesiveness for monocytes (Ouchi, et al., “Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived plasma protein, inhibits endothelial NF-kappaB signaling through a cAMP-dependent pathway,” Circulation, 102:1296-1301 (2000)). The protein suppresses differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells and has discrete effects on two monocyte cell lines (Yokota, Blood. 96:1723-1732 (2000)). Adiponectin may also induce metabolic changes in hepatocytes (Yamauchi, et al., 2001; Berg, et al. 2001).
Insofar as is known, cysteamine compounds have not been previously reported as being useful in modulating biological factors such as adiponectin levels and blood uric acid levels to treat abnormally functioning metabolism (i.e., glucose or lipid metabolism). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Memory array designers have found it advantageous to incorporate PFET MUXes (PMUXes) between precharge equalization circuits and sense amplifiers on bitlines of NFET memory arrays in order to raise the voltage of the bitline low level above ground voltage level. Raising the bitline low voltage level places the NFET access transistors of the memory array deeper into the cutoff region below the threshold voltage, which in turn reduces subthreshold leakage currents and advantageously affects the retention time of the memory array.
However, the incorporation of PMUXes in this manner has not uniformly resulted in increased memory retention time. Nonselected bitlines assume floating voltage levels during sensing intervals. Such floating voltage levels are subject to downward shifts during sensing intervals due to capacitive coupling of signals from adjacent selected bitlines. Because of such lowering of the bitline low voltage level, the subthreshold leakage current for access transistors of cells served by that bitline increases by orders of magnitude, seriously affecting the retention time for data stored in those cells. Considering that the PMUX cannot restore the voltage level on such bitlines to the desirable above ground voltage level, this coupling effect is understood to be a serious problem. Moreover, existing precharge and equalization circuits do not address this problem.
In the description below, reference is made to the drawings herein, the description of which is as follows: | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.