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In the nuclear industry it is often necessary to accomplish hermetically sealed electrical connections in extremely harsh environments characterized by high radiation levels, steam saturated air, and temperature and pressure extremes. In such harsh environments conventional electrical connectors often prove unsuitable. Even those connectors which accomplish a hermetically sealed connection often are unable to withstand the temperature and pressure extremes, or the effects of high radiation levels. Further, those connectors which have been devised to withstand the rigors of such harsh environments tend to be complex, bulky devices which are difficult to install and maintain.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector for releasably connecting a plurality of electrical wires.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector which can maintain a hermetically sealed electrical connection in an environment characterized by high radiation levels, steam saturated air, and temperature and pressure extremes.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical connector comprising a pair of connector halves, and locking means for releasably locking the connector halves together to avoid inadvertent disconnection.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector with a streamline design, allowing such connector to be inserted through small apertures.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Consumers who purchase products online or by mail-order often desire to see photographs of a product before purchasing the product. For many personal articles, such as apparel or footwear, the appearance of an article may be a very important consideration in whether or not to purchase the article. In the case of shoes, for example, a customer may wish to see how the shoes look from the sides, the top, and several other directions. One retailer may offer hundreds or even thousands of different articles. Moreover, a retailer's offerings for some types of consumer products may be in a continual state of change, with new items being added continually. For such retailers, acquiring and processing all of the images of interest to its customers may be labor-intensive and expensive.
Some online retailers employ a photographer, or even several photographers, to take photographs of specimens of articles to be offered for sale. Setting up, photographing, and post-image acquisition processing of the needed images, as well as the associated handling and tracking of the specimens themselves, is likely to require substantial staff, studio facilities, and other resources. In addition, the photographs taken are likely to vary from photographer to photographer, and, even with the same photographer, from photo shoot to photo shoot and from shot to shot, due to a myriad of variations in object placement, lighting, background, camera position, camera setting choices, etc. With many imaging systems, when a camera is moved from one position to another to capture different views of an object, the background will change from view to view, as different features of the imaging apparatus (such as rails, platforms, or positioning mechanisms), and/or objects behind the apparatus, appear in the background. Some inconsistencies, anomalies, and other undesired features introduced during a photo shoot can be removed or at least mitigated by post-image acquisition processing techniques. For example, an image may be touched up to remove the edge of a platform. Such post-processing techniques may, however, be expensive and time-consuming to employ, and even when employed may not ultimately achieve the level of article-to-article consistency that is sought by the retailer.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including, but not limited to. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle hub with a detachable freewheel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle hub with a spacer provided on a two-part axle to allow separation of a sprocket support member from the hub without removing the freewheel from the bicycle frame.
2. Background Information
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has become a very popular competitive sport. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the bicycle industry is constantly improving the components of the bicycle. One particular component of the bicycle, which has been extensively redesigned over the past years, is the rear bicycle hub.
Specifically, most bicycles have several speeds. Accordingly, the rear bicycle hub usually includes a freewheel. The freewheel includes at least one chain engaging sprocket. One popular form of drive train and freewheel for a bicycle includes a plurality of sprockets that are mounted on the hub of the rear bicycle wheel. During pedaling, the bicycle chain engages one of the rear sprockets to rotate the rear wheel. When bicycle rider stops pedaling, the rear wheel should be able to continue to rotate while the sprockets remain stationary. Accordingly, the rear hub is usually provided with a freewheel that has a one-way clutch.
Freewheels are used to transmit a driving force to the rear bicycle wheel in one rotation direction only. These freewheels are usually mounted on the rear hub of a bicycle. Freewheels typically allow the bicycle to advance freely without any rotation of the pedals. Freewheels usually include boss type freewheels which are mounted on the boss of the rear hub by being screwed onto the rear hub, and free hub type freewheels which are fastened to the rear hub as integral parts of the rear hub. Both types of freewheels are equipped with an outer tubular part, an inner tubular part which is installed radially inwardly of the outer tubular part so that the inner tubular part is free to rotate relative to the outer cylinder part. A one-way clutch is installed between the outer tubular part and inner tubular part for transmitting the driving force from the outer tubular part to the inner tubular part in one rotational direction only. The outer tubular part usually has a plurality of gears mounted thereon, while the inner tubular part is usually mounted on the rear hub of the bicycle.
Splines are formed between the sprocket wheels and boss to prohibit relative rotation therebetween positively. Since this unit is used for the rear wheel of a bicycle, drive must be transmitted between the rear wheel axle and boss through a one-way mechanism. For this purpose, the boss is formed as an outer race of a one-way clutch, and the one-way clutch and inner race are disposed on an inner periphery of the boss.
With the increased number of speeds provided by a derailleur of a bicycle today, a multi-step sprocket wheel unit for the rear wheel includes an increased number of sprockets which is now usually at least five to seven. With the increased number of gears or sprockets, a wider range of torque can be applied from the sprockets to the freewheel. Often the sizes of the sprockets (i.e. the number of gear teeth on the sprockets) are configured for certain riding conditions, such as hilly or flat conditions. Moreover, the configuration of the sprockets or gears is designed for different rider skill levels or rider preferences. Accordingly, sometimes it is necessary to change freewheels or the entire rear wheel depending on the rider or riding conditions. Therefore, there are demands for a simplified mounting structure and an easy mounting method.
Furthermore, as the number of rear gears or sprockets have increased over the years, the freewheel has become larger and heavier. Additionally, with the increased number of gears or sprockets, rear hubs and freewheels can be complicated and expensive to manufacture and install. Moreover, with the increased number of gears or sprockets, it can be difficult to remove the rear wheel from the bicycle frame or to replace an existing freewheel with a different freewheel.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a bicycle hub with a detachable freewheel which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. | {
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Window coverings come in many different configurations. Many window coverings are adjustable in various different ways, such as including adjustable height for a lower portion of the shade, such as a bottom rail. Such adjustable shades can be lifted or lowered to cause the shade to alternatively block a greater or lesser portion of the window. Lift cords are provided that can be manipulated to control the position of the bottom of the shade. Other cords are often utilized to adjust an angle at which slats or other structures within the window are oriented. Such cords may extend down from different portions of the shade, depending on the configuration of the shade.
One shade in particular which is adjustable is shown in FIG. 1 and exists within the prior art. This shade includes lift cords which extend from a top rail down through the shade or other window covering to a bottom rail. In the bottom rail they come together and pass through a cord brake which holds the cords in position and holds the bottom rail where desired, except when a button is pushed to allow height adjustment of the bottom rail. This prior art shade depicted in FIG. 1 has the cords extending down from the cord brake in the middle of the bottom rail.
Such a configuration for this particular shade, and perhaps other shades, is not always the most desirable orientation. This orientation causes the cords to block somewhat the view out through the window when the shade is partially or fully raised. In general, it would be more desirable if these cords extended down from one edge of the shade so that the window would not be blocked by the cords in any fashion. Also, having the cords angled over to some form of cord holder off to the side of the shade would decrease a length that the cord would dangle down from the bottom rail. Cords can present danger to children, pets and others, and so are best kept sufficiently high so that children cannot handle them. Also, keeping them sufficiently elevated can reduce the possibility of children being able to play with the shades and potentially damage them.
Accordingly, a need exists for some form of cord management system which can hold cords which would otherwise extend from a portion of the shade which is not desired over to a different portion of the shade where location of the exposed cords is more desirable, and with potentially less of the cords extending downwardly therefrom. | {
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The present invention relates to a process for producing a water-absorbent resin. In detail, this invention relates to a process for producing a water absorbent resin, which has high absorption capacity and in which water-soluble ingredients are contained in only a small amount.
The water-absorbent resin has been so far used for various kinds of water-absorbent materials such as a paper diaper (or a disposable diaper), physiological articles, a soil water-retentive agent. As a water-absorbent resin of this type, there have been known a hydrolysis product of a starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymer, a neutralized product of a starch-acrylic acid graft copolymer, a crosslinked product of acrylic acid or an acrylate polymer, a partially crosslinked product of polyethylene oxide, a crosslinked product of carboxymethylcellulose and the like. Why the crosslinked polymer is used as a water-absorbent resin is to prevent conversion into a sol by its infinite swelling in absorbing water followed by swelling.
In the above-described crosslinked polymers, a crosslinked polymer obtained by copolymerizing a water-soluble monoethylenic unsaturated monomer such as acrylic acid in the presence of a crosslinking agent is of low cost as raw materials, superior in water-absorbent properties, and needs not to care about decomposition, so that it is a main current of the water-absorbent resin.
Preferable crosslinking agents so far known are N,N'-methylenebis(meth)acrylamide, N-methylol(meth)acrylamide, (poly)ethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate or (poly)propylene glycol di(meth)acrylate (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,922), glycerol tri(meth)acrylate, trimethylolpropane tri(meth)acrylate, triallylamine, triallyl cyanurate, triallyl phosphate, di(2-acryLoyloxyethyl) acid phosphate (refer to JP-B-62-56888), glycidyl (meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,922), glycerol and the like.
The real situation of conventional water-absorbent resins produced by using the aforementioned crosslinking agents is that, as the absorption capacity becomes higher, the amount of water-soluble ingredients becomes larger. If such a water-absorbent resin having a large amount of water-soluble ingredients is used for a diaper and the like during a long time, there is a problem that a slime generates on the diaper surface, and another problem that the liquid permeability becomes bad and thereby, the water-absorbent capacity and liquid-dispersing character decrease, so that a leak easily occurs. Conversely, if reduction of the water-soluble ingredients in a water-absorbent resin is intended by increase of the amount of a crosslinking agent, the water-absorbent capacity decreases and an usable range of the water-absorbent resin is limited. | {
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The present invention relates to stent deployment devices and methods for deploying stents. More particularly, the present invention concerns a stent deployment device and a method for deploying a stent within the alimentary tract using an endoscope.
Endoscopes are effective devices for diagnosing and treating patients with minimal intervention and discomfort and are often used to explore and perform biopsies in such areas as the alimentary tract. In general, an endoscope has a flexible elongated tubular body equipped with a miniature television camera or other viewing device, a light, and a working lumen or channel. The working channel is used to store and deploy a variety of surgical tools for different endoscopic operations.
A stent is a resilient device often used in anchoring vascular grafts and for supporting body openings during the grafting of vessels and tubes of the body during surgery. Also, stents are frequently used, without grafts, for supporting lumenal patency. More recently, artificial (woven or nonwoven polymeric) grafts are used in cardiac, vascular and nonvascular applications to provide extra support. Moreover, stents can be separated into self expanding and plastically deformed stents. A self expanding stent is deployed by its self expanding resilience. A plastically deformed stent is deployed by plastic deformation of the constituent material with a balloon or other such dilating instrument.
Endoscopes are effectively utilized to deploy stents within a body cavity in a minimally invasive manner. In a conventional method, a stent is compressed to fit into the working channel of the endoscope and is delivered to the body cavity to be treated. However, storing a stent within the working channel of an endoscope causes several problems. First, there is a limitation on the size of the stent that can be compressed to fit in the working channel. Because the working channel of the endoscope is often relatively small, a large stent may not fit within the working channel. Thus, this method is not suitable for deploying large stents.
Additionally, fitting a stent in the working channel often results in extreme deformation of the stent when it is deployed to the body cavity. Since stents are made of resilient material, compression within the working channel can cause the stent to become deformed and fail to return to its original shape if strained beyond a certain point. The more the stent gets strained, the more extreme the deformation is likely to be.
Consequently, there is a need for stent deployment systems and methods that provide a solution to aforementioned problems and permit deployment of stents, regardless of size, into body cavities. | {
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DE 1200809 describes two ways to prepare chloromethanesulfonic acid chloride. Both use s-trithian as starting material and produce yields of only 51.6% and 61.7%. In addition, the relatively expensive starting material, s-trithian is also required to prepare the desired derivatives. Also, pure products are not obtained by this process. Rather, mixtures of mono- and polychloroalkylsulfonic acid chlorides are produced, which are difficult to separate completely. Also a number of sulfur-containing side products are produced, the waste disposal of which can cause problems.
DE-OS 2545644 discloses a process by which R-Hal compounds are reacted with sulfite salts by phase transfer catalysis in water to give salts of sulfonic acids. In a separate second step, after isolation and drying, the sulfonic acid salts obtained are converted into the corresponding sulfonic acid chlorides by means of a chlorinating agent. Yields of 69% are achieved. In this process, production of the sulfonic acid and chlorination are separated by a drying stage. The disadvantage is that the salt mixture which is used for chlorination has to be extremely dry (s. Organikum 1986, 16th edition VEB, bottom cf p. 422), since residues of the aqueous solvent from the first step lead to a higher consumption of the chlorinating agent and to an increase in the range of secondary products.
This extreme drying of salt mixtures, however, is very difficult to achieve in an industrial process and leads to a time-consuming, cost-intensive drying procedure. Also, the handling of solids is an obstacle to industrial use of the process. | {
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The present invention relates to quartz glass-made optical fibers coated with a silicone composition and a method for the preparation thereof or, more particularly, to silicone-coated, quartz glass-made optical fibers from which the coating layer of cured rubbery silicone is readily peelable to facilitate the connecting works for making joints between the terminals of the optical fibers in extending the lines.
As is known, the technology of communication by use of optical fibers is under rapid growing in which, although optical fibers can be made of various transparent materials including fused quartz glass, multicomponent glasses and synthetic plastic resins and the like, most of the practically and currently employed optical fibers are made of fused quartz glass in view of the lightweight, low transmission loss, absence of induction and heat and weathering resistance as well as the large transmission capacity thereof.
Since a quartz glass-made optical fiber is usually very slender having a diameter of only a fraction of a millimeter and hence fragile and is also subject to contamination with external stainas well as deterioration by moisture, it is a generally undertaken way that quartz glass-made optical fibers are provided on the surface with a protective coating which is usually formed by first coating the fiber with a primary coating composition capable of being converted into a rubbery layer and an overcoating is provided thereon with a coating material having larger toughness.
The coating material used for the primary coating should satisfy various requirements such as low temperature-dependency of the rigidity, versatility in a wide temperature range of use, effectiveness for mechanical reinforcement and stress relaxation, low transmission loss even in bending of the fiber with a small radius of curvature and little tendency to cause noise by light scattering. In this regard, several types of silicone compositions are widely accepted for the purpose as the most suitable ones among a variety of polymeric coating materials.
In practice, conventionally used silicone materials for providing coating on quartz glass-made optical fibers are limited to a few types and the method for providing coating is accordingly limited (see, for example, Japanes Patent Publication No. 56-11122 and -11123 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,980,390 and 4,270,840). For example, a composition of a thermally curable silicone admixed with an organic peroxide is applied on to the surface of the optical fibers followed by curing with heating. Alternatively, curing of a silicone composition is performed by heating a mixture comprising an organopolysiloxane having silicon-bonded vinyl groups in the molecule and an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having hydrogen atoms directly bonded to the silicon atoms as catalyzed by a platinum catalyst to cause addition reaction of so-called hydrosilation. One of the problems in these methods is that the curing must be effected with heating in an oven kept at a high temperature according to the types of the silicone so that uniformity in curing can hardly be ensured in the absence of very accurate control of the oven temperature in addition to the inherent disadvantage that the velocity of curing in these methods is limited. Therefore, these methods are not suitable for high-speed production of optical fibers. Moreover, high-temperature curing of the silicone coating composition necessarily causes sticking of the coating layer to the surface of quartz glass so that peeling of the coating layer can be performed with great difficulties as is required when extension of the communication lines is desired by making a joint between terminals of the optical fibers. | {
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Conventionally, a semiconductor apparatus that uses a trench formed in a depth direction of a substrate with a high aspect ratio (e.g., MOSFET (see Patent Publication 1 for example), super junction MOSFET (see Patent Publication 2 for example) has been known. A semiconductor apparatus having the structure as described above forms an impurity diffused layer having a high aspect ratio by burying an epitaxial film in a trench (see Patent Publications 3 and 4 for example). Patent Publication 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-274398 Patent Publication 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-124464 Patent Publication 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-196573 Patent Publication 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-317905 | {
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Loads such as packaged lumber, pipe, etc. shipped via open railcar must be securely tied-down to the railcar for shipment in compliance with regulations set by the railways. Conventionally, the load is carefully arranged in accordance with such regulations and tied down to the railcar surface using steel strapping and dunnage. Typically, about U.S. $200 worth of strapping and dunnage, about four man-hours of manual labor and about two machine-hours of automated labor (i.e. employing a forklift) are consumed in the tie-down operation. The strapping and dunnage adds about 1,500 pounds in weight, which must be taken into account in planning the railcar loading operation. The strapping and dunnage comprising this extra weight is scrapped when the railcar reaches its destination and the load is removed.
Newer style "center beam" railcars are provided with an integral cable-stayed load tie-down system. Such cars have a vertically extending divider which runs longitudinally along the railcar's center line. However, center beam railcars are subject to several disadvantages. For example, the divider in a center beam car precludes use of such cars in rail yards which are equipped to load or unload cars from only one side of the car. (It is not possible to load or unload only one side of a center beam car at a time, since this could cause the car to tip over. Both sides must be evenly loaded or unloaded.) Another disadvantage is that some rail yard operators use overhead cranes for loading and unloading. Center beam railcars have a roof member atop the divider which restricts load height and prevents usage of overhead cranes with such cars.
During the course of loading or unloading a center beam railcar, one or more workers must climb atop the car to attach or release components of the car's cable-stayed load tie-down system. This presents a potential safety hazard which the present invention avoids by allowing all railcar loading or unloading operations to be performed from the ground adjacent the railcar. A further potential safety hazard of the center beam railcar cable-stayed load tie-down system is its use of loose, heavy metal components such as corner brackets which must be manually positioned on the top corners of loads placed on the car before they are fixed in place. Such components may be inadvertently dropped while they are being installed, presenting serious risk of injury to persons below. The present invention does not require workers to clamber atop the loaded railcar, nor does it require heavy, loose components which may be dropped as aforesaid.
The older bulkhead style cars mentioned above do not have center dividers. By contrast, such cars have a simple flat deck which extends between a pair of transverse, vertical bulkheads located at opposed ends of the railcar. The present invention adapts such cars for the shipment of packaged lumber and similar loads in a manner which substantially reduces the need for metal strapping and dunnage, thereby reducing costs and redundant weight on the car, and minimizing the problem of having to dispose of large amounts of scrapped metal strapping and dunnage.
The invention also simplifies the railcar loading and unloading operation, which again reduces costs. Because bulkhead railcars can be loaded or unloaded from either side, and have no roof members, they are not subject to the aforementioned disadvantages of center beam cars. Further, the invention does not interfere with any traditional usage of bulkhead cars, but remains available for use in any load tie-down situation. Thus, bulkhead cars adapted in accordance with the invention can be used in "two-way" mode, to ship loads such as packaged lumber in one direction and different loads such as pipe in the return direction. This helps reduce non-revenue generating "empty miles" in which empty railcars travel in the return direction. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of treating ovarian, tubal and peritoneal cancer, especially for applying a pharmaceutical composition comprising a copper chelator, a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent and an anthracycline to a subject in need thereof. The copper chelator lowers intracellular copper ion levels and promoting activation of transcription factor Sp1 and human copper transporter 1 (hCTR1), resulting in an increased uptake of the platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent as well as the anthracycline, and reduced proliferation of cancer cells.
2. Description of Related Art
Growing evidence implicates tubal cancer, ovarian cancer, and so-called primary peritoneal carcinomas as having a common origin, pathogenesis, and behavior (Annu Rev Pathol. 2014; 9:27-45). Hence, ovarian cancer cell lines are usually used for in-vitro and animal studies for these three cancers. Regarding the treatment, the NCCN Guidelines discuss fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer that are managed in a similar manner to epithelial ovarian cancer. In the clinic, these cancers are treated with the same chemotherapeutic agents even when they recur after primary therapy. Additionally, clinical trials for ovarian cancer are commonly designed to enroll patients with these three cancers.
Usually, tubal cancer, ovarian cancer, and primary peritoneal carcinomas are found at a late stage. According to NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, these patients are generally administered with platinum-based chemotherapeutic compounds after a debulking operation. However, cancer cells treated with platinum-based chemotherapeutic drugs frequently develop chemoresistance and result in treatment failure. Hence, an increased dosage of drugs or different strategies for improving the treatment against chemoresistant cancer cells is necessary.
Currently a variety of treatment strategies are developed, e.g. liposomal doxorubicin, hycamtin and the like. However, the use of these second-line drugs may not enhance the treatment efficacy. As a result, the mortality rate remains high due to cancer recurrence. Additionally, US Patent Pub. No. 2006/0013819, have disclosed a method for treating platinum-resistant, ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal carcinoma or fallopian tube carcinoma with the combination of a HER2 antibody that effectively inhibits HER dimerization as well as gemcitabine. However, the therapeutic effect of abovementioned method is still limited.
The present inventors found that copper chelator can lower intracellular copper ion levels and increase Sp1 and hCTR1 activation, allowing chemotherapeutic agents to be transported into ovarian cancer cells in basic research. Furthermore, they also observed significantly treatment effect in animal experiments.
Nowadays there are numerous chemotherapeutic agents on the market. Therefore, how to develop a pharmaceutical composition comprising copper chelating agents in combination with chemotherapeutic agents for overcoming chemoresistance of these three cancers is still an important goal in cancer therapy. | {
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Intervertebral body spacers have been in use for many years. Typically, these spacers are constructed from polymers, such as polyetherether ketone (PEEK) polymer, titanium, and stainless steels. By inserting these devices into a disc space, restoration of the disc space height is reestablished. The device removes pressure on nerve structures and eliminates nerve entrapment caused by the otherwise collapsed disc space. More recently developed devices, constructed of polymers or composites, provide an additional benefit of being radiolucent when viewed by xray techniques.
The most significant problem of the aforementioned conventional intervertebral body spacers is that the rigidity of the spacer does not allow for load sharing with a bone graft or bone substitute. Such grafts are disposed in the intervertebral space in order to fuse the vertebral surfaces that define the space together. The aforementioned prior art devices cannot fuse the vertebrae together alone, so bone, bone substitutes, and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type materials are used to provide a means of bone fixation. However, Wolff's law states that bone grows along lines of stress. For good fusion to occur, the implant spacer must distribute a load to the graft. Another problem with conventional spacers that are made from bioresorbable materials, such as poly-L-lactides (PLLA), is that these materials have limited strength and are designed to resorb completely away. With limited strength, these devices can fracture under the high loads of the spine.
In addition to the above, fusion in vivo is a variable process. It may happen quickly, slowly, or not at all due to a variety of other reasons characteristic of the intervertebral space. If fusion does not take place and the bioresorbable materials resorb, the space established during surgery closes and the preoperative painful condition returns.
While the aforementioned devices can be suitable for a particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable to providing a device that permits load sharing with the bone graft or bone substitute material while providing sufficiently rigid support of the spine during a healing process. In contradistinction, the present invention provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of creating controlled load sharing while providing sufficiently rigid support of a spinal implant system and preventing full collapse of the disc space should a fusion fail to occur. | {
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Automated dispensing systems are often used to store quantities of items, often in bulk, and to dispense the items to a container or user in response to an instruction to fill an order. Automated dispensing systems may dispense various articles, such as medications when filling prescription orders. Automated dispensing systems provide a mechanism for accurately and repeatably filling orders in a manner that is faster and more efficient than manual methods.
The accuracy of the quantity and type of item dispensed may be of great importance, particularly when the automated dispensing system is dispensing medications. Further, the quantity of articles items dispensed may be of great importance to ensure a prescription is completely filled and costly overfills are avoided. Automated dispensing systems may provide a mechanism for ensuring the quantity and type of item dispensed is accurate; however, the dispensing system must be properly replenished with the correct items in order to maintain the accuracy of the dispensing system. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water-based hydraulic fluids and metalworking compositions.
2. Prior Art
In the technology of hydraulic power transmission, mechanical power is imparted to a fluid called "a hydraulic fluid" in the form of pressure by means of a hydraulic pump. Power is utilized where desired by tapping a source of said hydraulic fluid thus transforming the power as pressure back to mechanical motion by a mechanism called a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic fluid is utilized as a pressure and volume transmitting medium. Any non-compressible fluid can perform this function. Water is the oldest fluid used for this purpose and is still sometimes used alone for this purpose. In the prior art, there has been a heavy emphasis on the development of petroleum oils for use as hydraulic fluids and, consequently, much of the equipment utilized with hydraulic fluids has been designed and manufactured specifically for use with petroleum oils. A petroleum oil in comparison with water as a hydraulic fluid possesses the advantage of inhibiting the development of rust of the ferrous components of the mechanical equipment utilized in conjunction with hydraulic fluids, (i.e., hydraulic pumps, motors, etc.) and in preventing wear of the machinery since the hydraulic fluid must lubricate the equipment. Petroleum oils have a second advantage over the use of water as a hydraulic fluid in that the petroleum oils normally exhibit a substantially higher viscosity than water and thus contribute to reduction of the leakage of the fluid in the mechanical equipment utilized. In addition, the technology relating to additives for petroleum oils has developed to such an extent that the viscosity, foam stability, wear prevention and corrosion prevention properties of such petroleum oil-based hydraulic fluids can be further enhanced by the use of said additives.
Over the past 25 years, various substitutes for petroleum oil-based hydraulic fluids have been developed in order to overcome one of the major deficiencies of petroleum oils, namely, flammability. Recent interest in the use of hydraulic fluids having up to 99 percent or more of water has resulted from the higher cost of petroleum oils and recent emphasis on problems of ecologically suitable disposal of contaminated or spent petroleum oil-based hydraulic fluids.
Metalworking fluids of the so-called "soluble oil" type have been considered for use as hydraulic fluids. Such fluids contain mineral oil and emulsifiers as well as various additives to increase corrosion resistance and improve antiwear and defoaming properties. Such fluids, when used as hydraulic fluids, are not generally suitable for use in ordinary industrial equipment designed specifically for use with the petroleum oil-based hydraulic fluids since such fluids do not adequately prevent wear damage in pumps and valves of such equipment. However, such fluids have found application in specially designed, high cost, large size equipment which, because of said large size and thus inflexibility, is not suitable for use in most industrial plants. The soluble oil hydraulic fluid usage has thus been quite limited; usage has been largely confined to large installations where flexibility and size are not critical, such as in steel mills.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,538 to prepare an aqueous lubricant concentrate and lubricating composition consisting essentially of molybdenum disulfide and a water-soluble viscosity increasing agent such as polyvinyl alcohol and an emulsifiable mineral oil. It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,569 to prepare aqueous lubricating compositions containing a water-soluble mixed ester obtained by transesterification of a polyoxyethylene glycol and a triglyceride.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,658 that a mixture of a phosphate ester and a sulfur compound can be used in a water-based metalworking composition to obtain extreme pressure, antiwear and corrosion inhibiting properties. Such additives are used with a suitable vehicle such as mineral oil, vegetable oil, aliphatic acid ester, etc. The sulfur compounds disclosed are not sulfurized molybdenum compounds but rather are derivatives of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. The phosphate esters and salts of the instant invention, however, are similar to those disclosed in this reference. These are alkylene oxide derivatives of an alkyl, aryl or aralalkyl phosphate which are converted in situ from the free acid form to the neutralized form wherein the phosphate ester is neutralized with an alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or carbonate, ammonia or an amine. The use of these phosphate ester acids and the sodium or triethanolamine salts thereof in water-based metalworking fluids is suggested in ASLE Transactions 7, pages 398 to 405, at page 405.
It is also known to use, in equipment designed for use in mineral oil-based hydraulic fluids, flame-resistant glycol-water based hydraulic fluids such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,699. Up until now, water-based hydraulic fluids containing about 70 to 95 percent water, have had very poor lubricating characteristics. While hydraulic fluids are used primarily to transmit forces, it is necessary that they provide lubrication for the impeller, rings, vanes, gears, pistons and cylinders and other mechanical parts of hydraulic pumps in such systems in order to prevent excessive wear on such parts.
Many prior art fluids, such as the petroleum oil type, are highly flammable and unsuitable for certain uses where such fluids have frequently been the source of fire. Where these fluids are used to control such industrial operations as heavy casting machines, which are operated largely by hydraulic means, danger of fire exists. Therefore, there is a growing demand for hydraulic fluids characterized by reduced flammability.
Hydraulic fluids obtained by blending water and a synergistic mixture of a phosphate ester, with a sulfur-containing compound, etc., and where desirable, a polyglycol type polymeric thickener to increase viscosity are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,346. The sulfur compounds employed in the patent are ammonia, amine or metal salts of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole or 5-, 6-, or 7-substituted 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.
Molybdenum oxide phosphorodithioates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,188 as useful as additives in power transmitting fluids. It appears that the power transmitting fluids with which these compounds may be used are those which are soluble in hydrocarbon compositions in view of the statement at the beginning of the patent:
"Those which are soluble in hydrocarbon compositions have found uses as additives in gasolines, fuel oils, lubricating oils and greases, cutting oils, transformer oils, hydraulic fluids, and other power transmitting fluids."
A hydraulic fluid or metalworking lubricant, of compositions having water as a base and yet possessing superior lubricating and wear preventing characteristics, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,099. The fluids comprise (1) a water-soluble polyoxyethylated ester of an aliphatic acid and a monohydric or polyhydric aliphatic alcohol, either one or both said acid and said alcohol being polyoxyethylated, (2) a sulfurized molybdenum or antimony compound or alternatively mixtures of (1) and (2) with (3) a phosphate ester salt. In accordance with this patent, the water-soluble polyoxyethylated ester (1) is an essential component while the phosphate ester salt (3) may be employed but is not essential.
In no one of the references discussed above is there any suggestion that a water-based hydraulic fluid or metalworking lubricant can be provided by combining (1) a sulfurized molybdenum or antimony compound with (2) a phosphate ester or salt thereof. | {
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The present invention relates to improvements in a wire electric discharge machining method and a wire electric discharge machine in which an electric discharge is induced in a gap formed between a wire electrode and a workpiece so that the workpiece can be machined.
Electric discharge machining has acquired a steadfast position as a technique for machining metallic dies and others. Therefore, electric discharge machining has been widely used for machining metallic dies in the automobile industry, electric appliance industry and semiconductor industry.
FIGS. 4A to 4E are schematic illustrations for explaining a mechanism of electric discharge machining. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 is an electrode, reference numeral 2 is a workpiece, reference numeral 3 is an arc column, reference numeral 4 is a machining solution and reference numeral 5 represents chips produced in the process of electric discharge machining. While the following processes (a) to (e), which correspond to FIGS. 4A to 4E, are being repeatedly conducted, removal machining is conducted on the workpiece 2 by electric discharges. Each process proceeds as follows.
(a) Formation of the arc column 3 by the generation of electric discharges
(b) Local melt of the workpiece and vaporization of the machining solution 4 by the thermal energy of electric discharges
(c) Generation of vaporizing explosive power by the machining solution 4
(d) Dispersion of the melted portion (chips 5)
(e) Cooling, coagulation and restoration of insulation between the electrodes executed by the machining solution
The present invention relates to wire electric discharge machining used for gouging, cutting and so forth. Concerning the technique of wire electric discharge machining, there is a strong demand for higher accuracy. For example, when metallic dies used in the field of manufacturing semiconductors, the dimensional accuracy of which is high, are machined, it is necessary to conduct machining with high accuracy of 1 to 2xcexcm.
FIGS. 5A to 5C are schematic illustrations showing an example of the wire electric discharge machining process. In the drawing, reference numeral 1a is a wire electrode, reference numeral 2 is a workpiece, reference numeral 4a is water which is a machining solution, and reference numeral 6 is an initial hole. FIG. 5A shows a first cut process which is a rough machining process, FIG. 5B shows a second cut process which is an intermediate finishing process to be conducted after the rough machining process, and FIG. 5C shows a third cut process which is a final finishing process.
An example of the first cut process shown in FIG. 5A shows a gouging process in which the wire electrode 1a is threaded into the initial hole 6 and the workpiece 2 is gouged by electric discharges. In the case of the first cut process described above, since the surface roughness and the accuracy are finished in the later process, it is unnecessary to machine the workpiece with smooth surface roughness high accuracy, and it is important to increase a rate of machining so as to enhance the productivity. In order to enhance the rate of wire electric discharge machining, water 4a is strongly jetted out between the electrodes so that chips can be effectively ejected from between the electrodes. In order to spray water 4a between the electrodes uniformly and prevent the breaking of the wire electrode 1a, a method is adopted in which water 4a is stored up in a machining tank not shown and the workpiece 2 is dipped in the water 4a.
In the conventional wire electric discharge machining method described above, the second cut process (shown in FIG. 5B), which is executed after the first cut process (shown in FIG. 5A), and the third cut process (shown in FIG. 5C), are executed in the water 4a which is a machining solution.
When a voltage is impressed between the wire electrode 1a and the workpiece 2, an electrostatic force is generated between the positive and the negative polarity. By this electrostatic force, the wire electrode 1a, the rigidity of which is low, is drawn onto the workpiece 2 side, which could be a cause of vibration of the wire electrode 1a. Due to the vibration, it becomes difficult to conduct electric discharge machining with high accuracy.
When vaporizing explosive power is generated in the machining solution by electric discharge energy (for example, as shown in FIG. 4C), the wire electrode 1a is given a strong force by the vaporizing explosive power created in the machining solution in a direction opposite to the workpiece 2, and vibration is generated. Due to the vibration, irregularities are caused on the profile of the workpiece 2, which impairs the dimensional accuracy.
In the industry of semiconductors in which wire electric discharge machining is utilized, the following uses are increased. For example, in the case of machining metallic dies of IC lead frames, very high accuracy and very smooth surface roughness are required when a workpiece is machined, the dimensional accuracy of which is not more than 1 xcexcm, and the surface roughness of which is not more than 1 xcexcm Rmax, and further it becomes necessary to enhance the productivity. Especially, in the case where high accuracy and smooth surface roughness are required as described above, remarkable problems are caused by the aforementioned vibration of the wire electrode.
As a means for solving the above problems caused in wire electric discharge machining conducted in the machining solution, there is disclosed a technique of wire electric discharge machining conducted in the atmosphere while a machining solution is not being interposed between the electrodes. This technique is disclosed by the title of xe2x80x9cEnhancement of Accuracy of Second Cut by Electric Discharge Machining Conducted in Atmospherexe2x80x9d written by Adachi et al. of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology on page 154 of the seventh issue of the fourteenth volume of xe2x80x9cDie Technologyxe2x80x9d published by Nikkan Kogyo Shinbunsha in 1999. According to this technique, it is disclosed that the straightness of a cut section of a workpiece can be enhanced by wire electric discharge machining conducted in the atmosphere. From the viewpoint of enhancing the accuracy, this technique has a great significance. However, it is difficult to put this technique into practical use because a short circuit tends to occur between the wire electrode and the workpiece compared with the electric discharge machining conducted in a machining solution and the machining can not be stabilized and the rate of machining can not be increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire electric discharge machining method and a wire electric discharge machine capable of realizing the high accuracy and quality of wire electric discharge machining and also capable of realizing the enhancement of productivity of wire electric discharge machining.
The present invention provides a wire electric discharge machining method in which electric discharge is generated between the electrodes of a wire electrode and a workpiece so as to machine the workpiece by the electric discharge, comprising the steps of: a first step of conducting rough machining in a machining solution; and a second step of conducting finish machining in gas, wherein a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece in the second step is set at a constant speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method in which electric discharge is generated between the electrodes of a wire electrode and a workpiece so as to machine the workpiece by the electric discharge, comprising the steps of: a first step of conducting rough machining in a machining solution; and a second step of conducting finish machining in gas, wherein a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece in the second step is set at a variable speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method, in which the variable relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be increased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is large, and the variable relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be decreased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is small.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method, in which the predetermined traveling speed at which the short circuit can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to the required specification is compared with the predetermined traveling speed at which a frequency of concentrated generation of electric discharge is lower than a frequency which has been previously set according to the required specification, and the relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be a speed not lower than the faster speed of the two traveling speeds.
The present invention provides a wire electric discharge machine in which electric discharge energy is supplied between a wire electrode and a workpiece by a machining electric power supply means so as to machine the workpiece in gas when the wire electrode and the workpiece are relatively traveled with each other by a positioning means, comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means so that a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece can be set at a constant speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time or more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine in which electric discharge energy is supplied between a wire electrode and a workpiece by a machining electric power supply means so as to machine the workpiece in gas when the wire electrode and the workpiece are relatively traveled with each other by a positioning means, comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means so that a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece can be set at a variable speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine, further comprising a control means for controlling the variable relative traveling speed so that it can be increased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is large and also for controlling the variable relative traveling speed so that it can be decreased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is small.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine, further comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means in such a manner that the relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be a speed not lower than the faster speed of the two traveling speeds when the predetermined traveling speed at which the short circuit can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to the required specification is compared with the predetermined traveling speed at which a frequency of concentrated generation of electric discharge is lower than a frequency which has been previously set according to the required specification.
Since the wire electric discharge machining method and the electric discharge machine of the present invention are composed as described above, it is possible to enhance the stability of wire electric discharge machining conducted in gas and further it is possible to increase the rate of machining. Therefore, the accuracy, quality and productivity of wire electric discharge machining can be enhanced. | {
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This invention relates to improvements in a recording/playing circuit for use in a recording/playing apparatus for magnetic tapes, and more particularly, to a recording/playing circuit including a muting function which may be more easily fabricated using IC techniques.
In recording/playing apparatus, such as cassette tape decks and the like, it is desirable to provide a muting function to avoid the generation of switching shock noise during switching between the play and record operations, upon actuation of the stop switch or as a result of abnormal key entries. This is accomplished generally by some means which serves to isolate the output of the apparatus during the switching function; however, such isolation means may involve an additional switching function in the output circuit of the apparatus to switch in a muting amplifier or the like during normal switching operations.
Another important consideration in the design of such circuits is the ability to fabricate the circuits using IC technology. In this regard, the trend in the manufacture of all electronic products has been toward the total integration of circuits in order to reduce costs of manufacture and improve reliability and performance. Thus, in the design of a recording/playing circuit which includes a muting circuit, consideration must be given to a design which will facilitate IC manufacture thereof. | {
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In the screening of fluidizable suspensions, such as medium consistency paper pulp, it is desirable to utilize a simple yet effective apparatus, and one which will allow the production of a number of different accept streams. Medium consistency pulp typically is pulp having a consistency of about 6-15 percent, and most typically within the range of about 8-12 percent solids. In order to effectively screen such suspensions, it is necessary to fluidize them by producing pulsations and shear forces in the suspension. When the suspension is fluidized the fibers or other solid materials therein move relative to each other, and can be separated according to different sizes, shapes, or weights utilizing an appropriate screening apparatus.
In co-pending application Ser. No. 836,123 filed Mar. 4, 1986 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein) a simple yet effective screening device which is particularly adapted for screening medium consistency pulp (although it may be utilized in the screening of other fluidizable suspensions) is illustrated. That screening device is typically utilized with chemical pulps, or mechanical pulps, such as TMP, CTMP, or the like. While the screening device illustrated therein is eminently practical, it has been found according to the present invention that such a device may be made even more useful by effecting reduction of shives, and other components of the rejects, within the screening device housing itself.
According to the present invention, for a screening device such as illustrated in said co-pending application Ser. No. 836,123, or a like screening device having a rotor which is rotatable with respect to a screen, rejects refining is provided directly in the screen housing itself by providing first and second grinding elements downstream of the screening means, that is between the screens and the rejects outlet from the housing. The grinding elements comprise a first element operatively mounted to the housing, and a second element operatively mounted to, and rotatable with, the rotor. The grinding elements preferably are in the form of rings which are removably attached to the housing and the rotor, respectively, and define a grinding slot between them. The dimensions of the grinding slot may be adjusted by replacing one or both of the annular grinding elements, or by forming the grinding elements so that they have a conical shape and adjusting the axial position of the rotor within the housing.
It has also been found, according to the present invention, that further shive reduction can be effected by utilizing vanes attached to the rotor, downstream of the grinding elements, which vanes simultaneously effect pumping of the rejects out of the main outlet. The vanes are as described in said co-pending application Ser. No. 836,123.
According to the present invention a method of treating a suspension of finely comminuted cellulosic fibrous material also is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Introducing suspension having a consistency between about 6-15 percent into the housing inlet. (b) Effecting fluidization of the suspension within the housing to effect screening thereof, at least one accept stream being discharged from the housing through said at least one accepts outlet. (c) During screening of the suspension, effecting thickening of the suspension so that the suspension is thickened to a consistency of between about 15-20 percent. And (d), effecting reduction of the reject material in the thickened suspension prior to discharging the reject material out of the main outlet. Step (d) is practiced by passing the rejects through a grinding slot defined by the relatively rotatable grinding elements. Further shive reduction, and powered discharge of the rejects from the housing, is practiced by supplying dilution liquid to the suspension after grinding so that it is diluted to a consistency of between about 6-15 percent, and then acting on the suspension with rotating vanes (which effect the further shive reduction and pump the rejects out of the housing). Further reject reduction can be provided exterior of the housing, too, with a significant reduction in the energy expended in practicing the subsequent refining to get the desired results.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a device and procedure which are eminently suited for effecting screening of paper pulp (preferably medium consistency), or the like, while additionally effecting reduction of shives and other rejects material. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims. | {
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Conventionally, inks comprise colorants such as pigment or dye compounds. Pigment based inks, for example, are typically prepared by dispersing pigment agglomerates, formed when individual pigment particles cluster together, in a dispersant. The size of the pigment agglomerates may be reduced by grinding the pigment dispersion using conventional grinding media such as glass, stainless steel, or zirconium oxide.
When preparing pigment dispersions for use in ink-jet inks, for example, conventional grinding media have been found to be unacceptable because they either alter (usually by increasing) the pH of the dispersion to an unacceptable level or result in contamination of the dispersion. An unacceptably high pH can result in inks having incompatibility with ink processing and printing equipment. Contamination can result in, for example, discoloration of inks prepared from the above-described pigment dispersions.
This invention is based on the discovery that plastic media for grinding colorant dispersions, while satisfactorily reducing the colorant agglomerate size in the pigment dispersion, do not unacceptably alter the pH or unduly contaminate the dispersion. Moreover, using plastic media, as described herein, unexpectedly results in an ink composition having a superior color gamut. | {
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Polyketide synthase (PKS) systems are generally known in the art as enzyme complexes derived from fatty acid synthase (FAS) systems, but which are often highly modified to produce specialized products that typically show little resemblance to fatty acids. Researchers have attempted to exploit polyketide synthase (PKS) systems that have been described in the literature as falling into one of three basic types, typically referred to as: Type II, Type I iterative (fungal-like) and Type I modular. The Type II system is characterized by separable proteins, each of which carries out a distinct enzymatic reaction. The enzymes work in concert to produce the end product and each individual enzyme of the system typically participates several times in the production of the end product. This type of system operates in a manner analogous to the fatty acid synthase (FAS) systems found in plants and bacteria. Type I iterative (fungal-like) PKS systems are similar to the Type II system in that the enzymes are used in an iterative fashion to produce the end product. In other words, the same set of reactions is carried out in each cycle until the end product is obtained. There is no allowance for the introduction of unique reactions during the biosynthetic procedure. The Type I iterative (fungal-like) PKS system differs from Type II in that enzymatic activities, instead of being associated with separable proteins, occur as domains of larger proteins. This system is analogous to the Type I FAS systems found in animals and fungi.
In contrast to the Type I iterative (fungal-like) and Type II systems, in Type I modular PKS systems, each enzyme domain is used only once in the production of the end product. The domains are found in very large proteins that do not utilize the economy of iterative reactions (i.e., a distinct domain is required for each reaction) and the product of each reaction is passed on to another domain in the PKS protein. Additionally, in all of the PKS systems described above, if a carbon-carbon double bond is incorporated into the end product, it is always in the trans configuration.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are critical components of membrane lipids in most eukaryotes (Lauritzen et al., Prog. Lipid Res. 40 1 (2001); McConn et al., Plant J. 15, 521 (1998)) and are precursors of certain hormones and signaling molecules (Heller et al., Drugs 55, 487 (1998); Creelman et al., Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 48, 355 (1997)). Known pathways of PUFA synthesis involve the processing of saturated 16:0 or 18:0 fatty acids (the abbreviation X:Y indicates an acyl group containing X carbon atoms and Y cis double bonds; double-bond positions of PUFAs are indicated relative to the methyl carbon of the fatty acid chain (ω3 or ω6) with systematic methylene interruption of the double bonds) derived from fatty acid synthase (FAS) by elongation and aerobic desaturation reactions (Sprecher, Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care 2, 135 (1999); Parker-Barnes et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97, 8284 (2000); Shanklin et al., Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Nol. Biol. 49, 611 (1998)). Starting from acetyl-CoA, the synthesis of DHA requires approximately 30 distinct enzyme activities and nearly 70 reactions including the four repetitive steps of the fatty acid synthesis cycle. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) carry out some of the same reactions as FAS (Hopwood et al., Annu. Rev. Genet. 24, 37 (1990); Bentley et al., Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 53, 411 (1999)) and use the same small protein (or domain), acyl carrier protein (ACP), as a covalent attachment site for the growing carbon chain. However, in these enzyme systems, the complete cycle of reduction, dehydration and reduction seen in FAS is often abbreviated so that a highly derivatized carbon chain is produced, typically containing many keto- and hydroxy-groups as well as carbon-carbon double bonds in the trans configuration. The linear products of PKSs are often cyclized to form complex biochemicals that include antibiotics and many other secondary products (Hopwood et al., (1990) supra; Bentley et al., (1999), supra; Keating et al., Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 3, 598 (1999)).
Very long chain PUFAs such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6ω3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5ω3) have been reported from several species of marine bacteria, including Shewanella sp (Nichols et al., Curr. Op. Biotechnol. 10, 240 (1999); Yazawa, Lipids 31, S (1996); DeLong et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 51, 730 (1986)). Analysis of a genomic fragment (cloned as plasmid pEPA) from Shewanella sp. strain SCRC2738 led to the identification of five open reading frames (Orfs), totaling 20 Kb, that are necessary and sufficient for EPA production in E. coli (Yazawa, (1996), supra). Several of the predicted protein domains were homologues of FAS enzymes, while other regions showed no homology to proteins of known function. On the basis of these observations and biochemical studies, it was suggested that PUFA synthesis in Shewanella involved the elongation of 16- or 18-carbon fatty acids produced by FAS and the insertion of double bonds by undefined aerobic desaturases (Watanabe et al., J. Biochem. 122, 467 (1997)). The recognition that this hypothesis was incorrect began with a reexamination of the protein sequences encoded by the five Shewanella Orfs. At least 11 regions within the five Orfs were identifiable as putative enzyme domains (See Metz et al., Science 293:290-293 (2001)). When compared with sequences in the gene databases, seven of these were more strongly related to PKS proteins than to FAS proteins. Included in this group were domains putatively encoding malonyl-CoA:ACP acyltransferase (MAT), 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KS), 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase (KR), acyltransferase (AT), phosphopantetheine transferase, chain length (or chain initiation) factor (CLF) and a highly unusual cluster of six ACP domains (i.e., the presence of more than two clustered ACP domains has not previously been reported in PKS or FAS sequences). However, three regions were more highly homologous to bacterial FAS proteins. One of these was similar to the newly-described Triclosan-resistant enoyl reductase (ER) from Streptococcus pneumoniae (Heath et al., Nature 406, 145 (2000)); comparison of ORF8 peptide with the S. pneumoniae enoyl reductase using the LALIGN program (matrix, BLOSUM50; gap opening penalty, −10; elongation penalty −1) indicated 49% similarity over a 386aa overlap). Two regions were homologues of the E. coli FAS protein encoded by fabA, which catalyzes the synthesis of trans-2-decenoyl-ACP and the reversible isomerization of this product to cis-3-decenoyl-ACP (Heath et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271, 27795 (1996)). On this basis, it seemed likely that at least some of the double bonds in EPA from Shewanella are introduced by a dehydrase-isomerase mechanism catalyzed by the FabA-like domains in Orf7.
Anaerobically-grown E. coli cells harboring the pEPA plasmid accumulated EPA to the same levels as aerobic cultures (Metz et al., 2001, supra), indicating that an oxygen-dependent desaturase is not involved in EPA synthesis. When pEPA was introduced into a fabB− mutant of E. coli, which is unable to synthesize monounsaturated fatty acids and requires unsaturated fatty acids for growth, the resulting cells lost their fatty acid auxotrophy. They also accumulated much higher levels of EPA than other pEPA-containing strains, suggesting that EPA competes with endogenously produced monounsaturated fatty acids for transfer to glycerolipids. When pEPA-containing E. coli cells were grown in the presence of [13C]-acetate, the data from 13C-NMR analysis of purified EPA from the cells confirmed the identity of EPA and provided evidence that this fatty acid was synthesized from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA (See Metz et al., 2001, supra). A cell-free homogenate from pEPA-containing fabB− cells synthesized both EPA and saturated fatty acids from [14C]-malonyl-CoA. When the homogenate was separated into a 200,000×g high-speed pellet and a membrane-free supernatant fraction, saturated fatty acid synthesis was confined to the supernatant, consistent with the soluble nature of the Type II FAS enzymes (Magnuson et al., Microbiol. Rev. 57, 522 (1993)). Synthesis of EPA was found only in the high-speed pellet fraction, indicating that EPA synthesis can occur without reliance on enzymes of the E. coli FAS or on soluble intermediates (such as 16:0-ACP) from the cytoplasmic fraction. Since the proteins encoded by the Shewanella EPA genes are not particularly hydrophobic, restriction of EPA synthesis activity to this fraction may reflect a requirement for a membrane-associated acyl acceptor molecule. Additionally, in contrast to the E. coli FAS, EPA synthesis is specifically NADPH-dependent and does not require NADH. All these results are consistent with the pEPA genes encoding a multifunctional PKS that acts independently of FAS, elongase, and desaturase activities to synthesize EPA directly. It is likely that the PKS pathway for PUFA synthesis that has been identified in Shewanella is widespread in marine bacteria. Genes with high homology to the Shewanella gene cluster have been identified in Photobacterium profundum (Allen et al., Appli. Environ. Microbiol. 65:1710 (1999)) and in Moritella marina (Vibrio marinus) (Tanaka et al., Biotechnol. Lett. 21:939 (1999)).
The biochemical and molecular-genetic analyses performed with Shewanella provide compelling evidence for polyketide synthases that are capable of synthesizing PUFAs from malonyl-CoA. A complete scheme for synthesis of EPA by the Shewanella PKS has been proposed. The identification of protein domains homologous to the E. coli FabA protein, and the observation that bacterial EPA synthesis occurs anaerobically, provide evidence for one mechanism wherein the insertion of cis double bonds occurs through the action of a bifunctional dehydratase/2-trans, 3-cis isomerase (DH/2,3I). In E. coli, condensation of the 3-cis acyl intermediate with malonyl-ACP requires a particular ketoacyl-ACP synthase and this may provide a rationale for the presence of two KS in the Shewanella gene cluster (in Orf5 and Orf7). However, the PKS cycle extends the chain in two-carbon increments while the double bonds in the EPA product occur at every third carbon. This disjunction can be solved if the double bonds at C-14 and C-8 of EPA are generated by 2-trans, 2-cis isomerization (DH/2,2I) followed by incorporation of the cis double bond into the elongating fatty acid chain. The enzymatic conversion of a trans double bond to the cis configuration without bond migration is known to occur, for example, in the synthesis of 11-cis-retinal in the retinoid cycle (Jang et al., J. Biol. Chem. 275, 28128 (2000)). Although such an enzyme function has not yet been identified in the Shewanella PKS, it may reside in one of the unassigned protein domains.
The PKS pathways for PUFA synthesis in Shewanella and another marine bacteria, Vibrio marinus, are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,486 (issued from U.S. application Ser. No. 09/090,793, filed Jun. 4, 1998, entitled “Production of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by Expression of Polyketide-like Synthesis Genes in Plants”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are considered to be useful for nutritional, pharmaceutical, industrial, and other purposes. An expansive supply of PUFAs from natural sources and from chemical synthesis are not sufficient for commercial needs. Because a number of separate desaturase and elongase enzymes are required for fatty acid synthesis from linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 Δ 9, 12), common in most plant species, to the more saturated and longer chain PUFAs, engineering plant host cells for the expression of PUFAs such as EPA and DHA may require expression of five or six separate enzyme activities to achieve expression, at least for EPA and DHA. Additionally, for production of useable quantities of such PUFAs, additional engineering efforts may be required, for instance the down regulation of enzymes competing for substrate, engineering of higher enzyme activities such as by mutagenesis or targeting of enzymes to plastid organelles. Therefore it is of interest to obtain genetic material involved in PUFA biosynthesis from species that naturally produce these fatty acids and to express the isolated material alone or in combination in a heterologous system which can be manipulated to allow production of commercial quantities of PUFAs.
The discovery of a PUFA PKS system in marine bacteria such as Shewanella and Vibrio marinus (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,486, ibid.) provides a resource for new methods of commercial PUFA production. However, these marine bacteria have limitations which will ultimately restrict their usefulness on a commercial level. First, although U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,486 discloses that the marine bacteria PUFA PKS systems can be used to genetically modify plants, the marine bacteria naturally live and grow in cold marine environments and the enzyme systems of these bacteria do not function well above 30° C. In contrast, many crop plants, which are attractive targets for genetic manipulation using the PUFA PKS system, have normal growth conditions at temperatures above 30° C. and ranging to higher than 40° C. Therefore, the marine bacteria PUFA PKS system is not predicted to be readily adaptable to plant expression under normal growth conditions. Moreover, the marine bacteria PUFA PKS genes, being from a bacterial source, may not be compatible with the genomes of eukaryotic host cells, or at least may require significant adaptation to work in eukaryotic hosts. Additionally, the known marine bacteria PUFA PKS systems do not directly produce triglycerides, whereas direct production of triglycerides would be desirable because triglycerides are a lipid storage product in microorganisms and as a result can be accumulated at very high levels (e.g. up to 80-85% of cell weight) in microbial/plant cells (as opposed to a “structural” lipid product (e.g. phospholipids) which can generally only accumulate at low levels (e.g. less than 10-15% of cell weight at maximum)).
Therefore, there is a need in the art for other PUFA PKS systems having greater flexibility for commercial use. | {
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The invention relates to providing a rear looking image of the region behind a vehicle such as a car, truck, boat, train or plane.
When operating an automobile, it is awkward to attempt to use the images from both the side view and rearview mirrors to check the area to the rear of the operator. The operator may look behind the vehicle, but this too is awkward and may be dangerous since the operator is no longer watching the area in front of the car.
Thus, there is a need for a system that better enables an operator to be advised about hazards to the sides and rear of a vehicle. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The compression pressure produced above the cylinder of an internal combustion engine has been measured by a compression gauge connected to the sparkplug opening in the cylinder above the piston head. After about three compression strokes of the piston, the pressure reading on the gauge will equal that normally in the cylinder and will give a good indication of the condition of the piston rings on the piston head. Various constructions of compression testers have been utilized for this purpose and have used a movable line pointer which moves over a fixed scale mounted on the device. Because of the small area of the pointer, slight changes in pointer position are not easily observed. Also, because of the smallness of the pointer, the tester had to be carefully handled to prevent damage to the pointer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunctional conduit, and in particular, to a multifunctional conduit acting as a structural member constituting a structure, an attaching member to which various fluid and electrical devices can be attached, and a conduit duct in which pipes and wires are accommodated.
2. Description of Prior Art
When connected to a fluid-pressure device or its controller mounted on a working structure, pipes and wires are conventionally accommodated and protected in a conduit.
Conventional conduits, however, only have a function for simply accommodating pipes and wires to protect them, so they cannot be incorporated into the structure or used to connect the above devices together. They can only be attached to the structure as simple accessories for piping and wiring. Consequently, such conduits are cumbersome to handle, and their attachment and removal operations are complicated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention is directed to a process for the separation of bis pentaerythritol monoformal from crude pentaerythritol.
In the customary production of pentaerythritol by condensation of formaldehyde with acetaldehyde there is formed a crude pentaerythritol contaminated by various byproducts. A particularly disturbing product is bis pentaerythritol monoformal. The content of this byproduct generally amounts to about 2 to 5%.
It is known to remove the bis pentaerythritol monoformal from the crude pentaerythritol by treating aqueous solutions of the crude pentaerythritol at a temperature of 50.degree. to 150.degree. C. with a strongly acid cation exchange resin (Hercules British Pat. No. 799,182) or at a temperature of 150.degree. to 300.degree. C. under pressure with a cracking catalyst (Maury U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,837). These processes are expensive and therefore are little suited for use on an industrial scale. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
An equalizer circuit for compensating for a loss caused by a transmission characteristic of a transmission path is known. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for receiving a combination of two variable volume chambers and a plurality of valves for forming an ink supply circuit for an ink jet printing head. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
When installing carpet, hardwood floor or other type of floor covering, both the removal of existing floor covering (including preparation of the floor surface) and the installation of the new floor covering is facilitated by having easy access to the floor surface, and in particular, the floor surface near to walls.
Access to the floor surface may not be easily or quickly achieved, particularly in an office setting, because of the presence of furniture and other obstacles positioned across the floor surface.
It may not be convenient to empty the room of the furniture, since there may not be an alternate and convenient space in which the furniture to be removed may be stored. Furthermore, it may be difficult to move the furniture, especially if all of the furniture is being moved through doorways and openings and there is the possibility of damage to the room walls and doorways and to the furniture itself. Still further, the process of emptying a room of furniture may consume considerable resources, in terms of time, cost and human power.
In an office setting, the task is often further complicated by the division of a relatively large space into cubicles and offices through the use of a plurality of interconnected partitions or dividers across the floor surface. Clearing the space thus involves, prior to and in addition to the removal of the furniture, dismantling and removal of the wall partitions. Beside the difficulty discussed above in connection with the movement of furniture, which is also the case in connection with the movement of the wall partitions, additional complications arise. For example, the walls may be populated with shelves and personal knick-knacks to be removed, catalogued and stored prior to dismantling the walls.
More significantly, the layout of the wall structures into cubicles and offices is often complicated and may not be easily replicated after the floor covering has been installed without a clear and detailed map. Still further, because the walls are relatively interdependent, there may be a pre-determined order of disassembly and/or reassembly that will avoid unintentional collapse of the entire cubicle structure. In any event, additional human power may be called for in order to ensure avoiding such collapse.
An alternative that may be suitable in many cases of installation of floor coverings is to temporarily move the furniture a short distance away from its present location and elevate the wall partitions. In many instances, moving the furniture by approximately five feet away from a wall or corner and elevating a number of the wall partitions a few feet above the floor surface may provide sufficient access to allow the existing floor covering to be removed, the floor surface to be prepared and the new floor covering to be installed.
There are a number of partition lifting and moving devices disclosed in the prior art. Typically they have a partition engaging portion, such as a foot ledge that may engage the bottom of the partition, that may be urged upwards by an extension mechanism.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,655 entitled “Workstation Panel Lifting Bracket” and issued Aug. 3, 2004 to Beese discloses a workstation panel lifting bracket adapted to be mounted to a jack to raise a workstation panel off the floor a sufficient distance to allow for access beneath the panel. The bracket comprises a generally horizontal top plate that is adapted to be mounted to the jack. A leg extends downwardly and forwardly from a forward edge of the top plate. Preferably, the leg forms an angle of about 80° to about 85° with the bracket top plate. A foot extends forwardly from a bottom end of the leg. An upwardly turned lip is preferably formed at the end of the foot. To provide stability to the bracket, jack, and panel during raising and lowering of the panel, the bracket also includes a brace on the leg. The brace has a front surface and opposed side surface. The side surfaces are generally triangular in shape, and the brace front surface is in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane of said top plate. Preferably, the brace front face is approximately as long as the leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,670 entitled “Apparatus for Lifting Furniture in Place to Install Floor Covering Beneath It” issued Jun. 29, 1999 to Cain discloses an apparatus for lifting furniture in place to install floor covering underneath the furniture. The apparatus comprises a plurality of lifting assemblies. Each lifting assembly includes a substantially vertical piston and cylinder assembly. A piston rod is attached to each piston. The piston rod extends from the upper end of the piston and cylinder assembly and a substantially L-shaped member is attached to the piston rod. A pressurized fluid control system is constructed and arranged to uniformly supply pressurized fluid to the lifting assemblies; whereby, the lifting assemblies act together to simultaneously lift furniture in one movement when pressurized fluid is uniformly supplied from the pressurized fluid control system to the lifting assemblies.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,187 entitled “Apparatus for Lifting or Supporting Modular Furniture” issued Oct. 29, 2002 to Dubé et al. discloses an apparatus for lifting or supporting modular furniture panels having accessory hanging tracks with apertures, including a support having an upright shaft and a lifting jig movable on the shaft. The lifting jig has a support plate for engaging the underside of a panel, and an angle bracket above the support plate has a series of undercut hooks for engagement with apertures of a hanging track so as to positively locate the jig in relation to the panel. The angle bracket has an inner flange parallel to and attached to a front face of the lifting jig and an outer flange projecting perpendicularly from the front face and having the hooks. The inner flange is provided with horizontal slots which are engageable by screws which extend into said front face of the lifting jig and which allow lateral adjustment of the bracket relative to the lifting jig. The slots have enlarged end portions which allow the bracket to be removed from the lifting jig upon loosening of the screws, so that the bracket may be removed and repositioned in inverted position without removal of the screws; in inverted position the hooks can directly engage the hanging tracks.
A number of jack systems make use of a pin locking mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,672 entitled “Collapsible Jack Stand and Method Therefor” issued Jun. 29, 1999 to Dickey discloses a highly portable collapsible jack stand. The jack stand is comprised of a plurality of leg members. Each leg member is detachably coupled to a top guide plate which is used to support and align a telescoping rod. A ram head is coupled to the telescoping rod and is used for supporting a load. A base plate is detachably coupled to the plurality of leg members. The base plate prevents the jack stand from sinking into the ground when the jack stand is in use and under a heavy load. A low profile jack may be positioned underneath the telescoping rod for raising and lowering the telescoping rod thus raising and lowering the load on the jack stand apparatus.
UK Patent Publication No. 2 190 962 entitled “Lifting Jacks” and published Dec. 2, 1987 to Sarra discloses a jack having an elongatable jack body comprising a pair of telescopically mutually slidable members forming a housing, a fluid pressure ram positioned within the housing such as to force elongation of the jack body in use, and a locking fork having arms positionable in holes in a first member to engage a second member to form a mechanical barrier against shortening of the jack body. The jack can be operated from the hydraulic fluid system of a tractor.
There remains a need for a simple lifting apparatus for elevating a wall partition which does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The determination of caloric expenditure is an important component of any weight control or fitness program. The number of calories burned is generally estimated through the use of tabulated values for a given activity or by the use of workload measurements on exercise equipment such as treadmills or bikes. Neither, however, is particularly reliable. The tables are generally only average rates for a 70 kg individual performing each activity in some arbitrary, average manner. Certainly not very reflective of any given individual's caloric expenditures, the tables may vary as much as 50% from actual caloric expenditures. Exercise equipment having calorie calculators makes similar errors, and such equipment fails to provide any indication of total caloric expenditure for the day.
A more reliable approach would be to actually monitor the caloric expenditure. The body's metabolic "engines" generate significant amounts of heat; at rest this heat generation is equivalent to that of a 100 watt light bulb. In the human body's attempt to maintain a body temperature of 98.6.degree. F., it controls heat loss to the environment by regulating blood flow to the body surface. At rest, blood flow to the skin is restricted and the surface of the skin may be as much as 20.degree. F. cooler than the body core. This results in a lower flux of heat to the environment. With exercise however, the excess heat generated by physical exertion (approximately 80% of the energy needed to contract human muscles is wasted as heat) must be dumped to the environment to maintain constant body temperature. Blood flow is diverted to the skin, raising its temperature and the rate at which heat is dumped to the environment is increased.
As a homoiotherm, the body maintains a nearly constant internal body temperature by balancing the generation of heat by its metabolic process with controlled loss of heat through an orchestration of evaporative, convective, radiant, and conductive heat loss mechanisms. At rest in normal room temperature conditions, the body can utilize convective and radiant heat loss (with minor conductive heat loss contributions as well) to regulate body temperature, primarily by control of blood flow to the skin surfaces. If an individual is exercising or is in ambient temperatures above 35.degree. C., the convective and radiant heat loss is inadequate to control internal temperature and the body begins to utilize evaporative heat loss. Evaporation, both that which occurs insensibly (i.e. without obvious sweating) and sensibly (i.e. with obvious sweating) can provide several fold greater heat loss than the other two mechanisms combined.
Heat flow can be accurately measured with a whole body calorimeter. This device is a chamber in which the subject is placed and the total heat given off by the subject's body can be captured and measured. The disadvantages of a whole body calorimeter are that it is expensive, relatively immobile, and the actions and motions of the subject are limited to the space within the chamber. See W. H. Close, M. J. Dauncey, and D. L. Ingram (1980), "Heat loss from humans measured with a direct calorimeter and heat-flow meters", Br. J. Nutr. 43, 87, pp 87-93.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of the whole body calorimeter, a sampling technique using heat flow sensors has been developed to estimate the total heat loss from a subject by measuring heat loss on only a few selected locations on the subject's skin surface. Each measured value is multiplied by a "weighting co-efficient" in order to estimate the heat loss for that particular region of the subject's body. The sum of all regional heat loss components is the estimate of the total heat loss. One system of "weighting co-efficients" has been developed by Hardy and DuBois. See Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 863-871 (1916).
Traditional heat flow sensors are generally based on the measurement of the temperature differential that occurs across a material due to the thermal resistance of that material. In order for the sensor to accurately measure the heat flow, it must not add a significant insulating layer and it must lose heat from its surface in the same manner as the surface on which it is placed. The available heat flow sensors perform well on inanimate objects such as walls, doors, boilers, and pipes, where convective, radiant, and conductive heat loss mechanisms predominate. They are, however, inadequate for measuring heat loss from the human body, where evaporative heat loss may be significant.
Current heat flow sensors, such as that produced by RdF, are unable to reliably include the component of evaporative heat loss from the body as part of its output signal for two main reasons; 1) such sensors actually occlude the surface of the skin, preventing evaporation; therefore, any moisture that does move from under the sensor evaporates from the skin surface adjacent to the sensor and not from the sensor surface itself, and 2) when used to monitor body heat loss, these sensors actually show a decreased heat flow as the evaporative heat loss increases, thereby reducing the skin surface temperature.
Accordingly, a significant advance in the art could be realized if a heat flow sensor capable of measuring all components of heat loss, including evaporative heat loss, could be developed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bus system for data transmission and, more particularly, to a digital data bus for communication within a digital data processing system.
2. Description of Prior Art
Digital data buses are used in data processing systems, for example, for communication of digital data between a data processor and one or more peripheral devices, such as disc drive memories, terminals, or other data processing units. In general, data buses used in such systems are either synchronous, wherein data transfer is performed in synchronization with a clock signal, or are asychronous, wherein handshake signals synchronize the sending and receiving units.
In a synchronous data bus system, all data transfers are performed in synchronization with a clock signal. That is, the operation of the sending and receiving units is synchronized to the clock. Such systems may utilize either a single frequency clock, or a multiple or variable frequency clock. A single frequency clock system allows the use of simple clock circuitry but data transmission rate, and thus operation of the overall system, is limited to the data rate of the slowest device in the data processing system. In a multiple or variable clock rate system, clock rate is selected to be that of the slower of the sending or receiving units currently communicating. Data rate may, however, be selected to be the highest achievable with the particular units which are communicating. A multiple or variable data rate synchronous system is, in general, more complex than a single clock rate system since the clock circuitry must be capable of generating a multiplicity of clock frequencies. Also, before data communication can be performed the sending and receiving units must communicate to select a clock rate.
In an asychronous data bus system, as stated above, transfer of data between a sending and a receiving unit is synchronized by handshake signals. That is, a sending unit places data on the bus and transmits a handshake signal to the receiving unit indicating that data is present on the bus. When the receiving unit is ready to accept the data, the receiving unit accepts the data and transmits a handshake signal to the sending unit indicating that the data has been accepted. An asynchronous data bus system thereby allows greater flexibility of data rate and the data rate may be the maximum achievable between a particular sending and receiving unit pair. An asynchronous data bus system is in general, however, more complex than a synchronous system due to the requirement to exchange handshake signals between sending and receiving units. In addition, maximum data rate may not be achievable due to the requirement to resynchronize the data transferred at the sending and receiving units. That is, data must first be transferred from, for example, a disc drive, to a sending unit, then from sending unit to receiving unit, and finally from receiving unit to, for example, a data processor. Additional delays in data transmission will thereby be imposed at the sending end of the bus in transferring data from the peripheral device to the sending unit, and from the sending unit to the bus. This delay occurs because data transfer between the peripheral device and the sending unit is not synchronized with transfer of data from the sending unit to the data bus. Similarly, additional data transmission delays may be imposed at the receiving end because reception of data by the receiving unit is not synchronized with transfer of data between the receiving unit and the data processor.
The present invention provides a solution to these problems of the prior art as will be discussed in detail hereinbelow. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Organic polysulfides such as alkyltrisulfides are useful for many purposes such as additive for elastomers, as antioxidants for lubricating oils, as intermediate for the production of organic chemicals, insecticides, and germicides and as additive to diesel fuels to improve the cetane number and ignition qualities of these fuels. These compounds are also useful in the compounding of extreme pressure lubricants and in the acceleration of rubber treating processes.
Such trisulfide compounds can be produced by reacting mercaptans with elemental sulfur in the presence of a basic catalyst. For example, Shaw (U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,163) discloses that organic trisulfides can be produced from a mercaptan and sulfur catalyzed by a basic catalyst. However, there is always a need to develop an improved process to produce an organic trisulfide compound for industrial uses. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between a transmission station and a wireless mobile device. Some wireless devices communicate using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) combined with a desired digital modulation scheme via a physical layer. Standards and protocols that use OFDM include the third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard (e.g., 802.16e, 802.16m), which is commonly known to industry groups as WiMAX (Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access), and the IEEE 802.11 standard, which is commonly known to industry groups as WiFi.
In 3GPP LTE the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) include of transmission stations (also commonly denoted as evolved Node Bs, enhanced Node Bs, E-UTRAN NodeBs, eNodeBs, or eNBs), which communicates with the wireless mobile device, known as a user equipment (UE). A downlink (DL) transmission can be a communication from the transmission station (or eNodeB) to the wireless mobile device (or UE), and an uplink (UL) transmission can be a communication from the wireless mobile device to the transmission station. Furthermore, the transmission station can be connected to the Mobility Management Entity (MME) located in the core network by means of the S1 interface.
Another technology for mobile communication is a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), which is a 3GPP mobile cellular technology for networks using code division multiple access (CDMA). In UMTS, the transmission station can be a combination of Node Bs (also commonly denoted as NodeBs or NBs) and radio network controllers (RNCs), which communicates with the wireless mobile device, known as the UE. UMTS can specify a network system, covering the UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), a core network (including a mobile application part (MAP)), and an authentication of users via subscriber identity module (SIM) cards. The RNCs can be connected to the core network by means of the Iu interface.
Under certain circumstances, known as access barring, a transmission station can prevent or restrict mobile device users from making access attempts, which can include emergency call attempts, or responding to pages in specified areas of a public land mobile network (PLMN). Such situations can include states of emergency or failure of one or more co-located PLMNs. Access class barring (ACB) can be used to prevent mobile devices from making access attempts to the transmission station in LTE systems and UMTS.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of estimating a steam turbine output in a single shaft combined plant of a dual fuel type, an apparatus for estimating a gas turbine output, and an apparatus for controlling a single shaft combined plant of a dual fuel type.
2. Description of the Related Art
A control method for controlling a single shaft combined plant according to related art is explained with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, a single shaft combined plant is a plant in which a gas turbine 201 and a steam turbine 202 are connected by a single shaft.
In the single shaft combined plant, the pilot ratio (a ratio between a main fuel flow rate and a pilot fuel flow rate) is controlled on the basis of the difference between a measured shaft output (on the MW basis) 211 of a generator G and a target generator output 211a. That is, for controlling the pilot ratio, it is enough to know the shaft output 211 of the generator G, which is the total of the output of the steam turbine 202 and the output of the gas turbine 201 (a gas turbine output 213). It is not necessary to know the output of the steam turbine 202 and the gas turbine output 213 separately.
On the contrary, an amount of air provided into a compressor C′ and an amount of air provided into a burner 314 are controlled on the basis of the gas turbine output 213 (on the MW basis). However, the gas turbine output 213 can not be directly measured. So, an operating unit 210 calculates an estimated output 212 (MW conversion) of the steam turbine, which is estimated to be outputted from the steam turbine 202. Then, a subtractor calculates the gas turbine output 213 by subtracting the estimated output 212 of the steam turbine from the measured shaft output (on the MW basis) of the generator G′.
A combustor bypass valve opening instruction 216 and an IGV opening instruction 217 are calculated so that a stable combustion situation can be obtained in a gas turbine combustor 214 on the basis of the calculated gas turbine output 213. A combustor bypass valve 220 and an IGV 221 are driven to thereby control the amounts of air introduced into the compressor C′ and the combustor 214. That is, a first function generator 204 receives a signal indicating the gas turbine output 213 and outputs a signal 216 indicative of an optimal combustor bypass valve opening. A second function generator 205 receives a signal indicating the gas turbine output 213 and outputs a signal 217 indicating an optimal IGV opening.
In a conventional single fuel type (a natural gas combustion type) single shaft combined plant using a premix burner in the gas turbine combustor 214 as shown in FIG. 2, the steam turbine output 212 is estimated on the basis of an intermediate turbine inlet steam pressure 231 by multiplying the correction values of steam temperatures 232, 233 and a steam condenser vacuum degree (steam turbine exhaust pressure) 234, in order to make efficiency high and reduce an exhaust amount of harmful substances (NOx and the like).
Hereafter, the steam turbine output 212 estimated by the method in FIG. 2 is referred to as a steam turbine output 230.
The calculating section 210 in FIG. 1 calculating the steam turbine output 212 corresponds to the part indicated by a symbol A′ in FIG. 2. That is, in the conventional art, the steam turbine output 230 shown in FIG. 2 is inputted to the subtractor 203 as the steam turbine output 212.
Here, the reason why the steam turbine output 230 can be calculated on the basis of only the intermediate pressure turbine inlet steam pressure 231 as shown in FIG. 2 is explained with reference to FIG. 3.
The flows of water and steam in the single fuel type (natural gas combustion type) combined plant is shown in FIG. 3. The flows of the water and the steam shown in FIG. 3 are basically equal to those in the single shaft combined plant and a multi-shaft combined plant.
The steam turbine output 230 is calculated by multiplying an efficiency of the steam turbine 202 by a thermal energy of the steam flowing into the steam turbine 202. The thermal energy of the steam is calculated by multiplying the steam flow rate by the steam enthalpy. Thus, the total thermal energy of the steam flowing into the steam turbine 202 is represented by the following formula:
(Flow Rate of High Pressure Steam 251)×(Enthalpy of High Pressure Steam 251)+(Flow Rate of Intermediate pressure Steam 258)×(Enthalpy of Intermediate pressure Steam 258)+(FlowRate of Low Pressure Steam 251)×(Enthalpy of Low Pressure Steam 261)
The flow rate of intermediate pressure steam 258 is represented by a function of a difference between the intermediate pressure turbine inlet steam pressure 231 and the steam condenser vacuum degree 234. Also, the enthalpy of intermediate pressure steam 258 is represented by a function of the intermediate pressure turbine inlet steam pressure 231 with correction of the intermediate pressure steam temperature 233 as a multiplier.
In the combined plant, as shown in FIG. 3, the high pressure steam 251 generated in a high pressure drum 250, after carrying out a work in a high pressure steam turbine 252, passes through a low temperature reheating steam tube 253, and joins steam 256 generated in an intermediate pressure drum 255 prior to a reheating unit 254, and then flows into an intermediate pressure steam turbine 257 as an intermediate pressure steam 258. That is, there is a relation represented by the following formula:
(Flow Rate of High Pressure Steam 251)=(Flow Rate of Intermediate pressure Steam 258)−(Amount of Steam 256 Generated in Intermediate pressure Drum 255).
Also, an amount of the steam 256 generated in the intermediate pressure drum 255 is represented by a function of a pressure of the intermediate pressure drum 255, and the pressure of the intermediate pressure drum 255 is represented by the addition of a piping pressure loss and the inlet steam pressure 231 of the intermediate pressure steam turbine 257. Thus, a flow rate of the high pressure steam 251 is represented by a function of the inlet steam pressure 231 of the intermediate pressure steam turbine 257
Also, the low pressure steam 261 is mixed with the intermediate pressure steam 258 after carrying out the work inside the steam turbine 202. Thus, the inlet steam pressure of the low pressure steam turbine 262, which serves as the function of the flow rate of the low pressure steam 261, becomes the function of the inlet steam pressure 231 of the intermediate pressure steam turbine 257.
In this way, by considering heat balance, the inlet steam pressure 231 of the intermediate pressure steam turbine 257 is related to all factors. Thus, by calculating the steam turbine output 230 as a function of the inlet steam turbine pressure 231 of the intermediate pressure steam turbine 257, the steam turbine output 230 is approximately calculated.
A combined turbine plant including a gas turbine and an exhaust gas boiler generating steam by utilizing the exhaust heat from the gas turbine and a steam turbine driven by the steam from the exhaust gas boiler and connected with the gas turbine by a single shaft is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-32508). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to the packaging art, and more particularly, to an improved hermetically sealed press-formed paperboard tray.
Numerous types of trays made from plastic coated paperboard have been employed in the past for a variety of purposes, including the housing of moist products, sterilized materials, and food products. Such trays have been formed from unitary, plastic coated paperboard blanks using a either a drawing process or a process wherein the tray is formed by folding side and end walls of the blank along score lines and adhesively securing flap portions in the corners of the tray. The tray includes an outwardly extending flange around the entire upper edge which provides the dual function of rigidifying the tray and providing a flat surface to which a plastic cover sheet or film may be bonded in order to enclose the top of the tray after the tray has been filled.
In the case of trays formed by a drawing process, where a single sheet of paperboard is used, it is often necessary to prescore the blank of paperboard stock from which the trays are drawn at the corners thereof in order to produce evenly distributed folds in the paperboard at the corners during the drawing process. These folds or creases reduce stress concentrations in the corners while the paperboard is being formed during the drawing process and thereby eliminates potential tearing of the paperboard stock during the drawing process. The folds in the paperboard created by the prescoring thereof are present in the sidewalls of the tray and extend into the flange. The folds created in the flange result in alternating ridges and depressions forming a ribbed effect in the flange at the corners of the tray. The ribbed surface of the flange at the corners of the tray creates difficulty in bonding and complete sealing of the cover film around the entire periphery of the flange. Incomplete sealing of the cover sheet to the flange may result in some loss of a liquid product from the tray during shipping and handling and may cause degradation of a sterilized product due to exposure thereof to the surrounding environment.
Similarly, trays formed by folding a blank and adhesively securing flap portions at the corners of the tray exhibit indentations or wrinkles on the surface of the flange at the corners of the tray. Such indentations or wrinkles result when the flap portions forming the tray and/or flange corners do not conform exactly to the score lines provided in the blank. A surface indentation on the flange will also occur whenever adjacent corner flaps forming the flange are adhesively joined in overlapping relation.
Accordingly, the folded or deep drawn tray of the present invention is coated with a hot melt or wax on the edges thereof or along the depressions, indentations and/or wrinkles formed in the flange to seal the depressions, indentations and/or wrinkles to provide a leak-proof container. The hot melt or wax coating is applied to the tray flanges by a roller coater or patterned to the cover film shortly before sealing. When the film cover is applied to the flange of the tray, the tray will be hermetically sealed at the corners. A suitable release agent can also be precoated on the flange portions in the corner of the tray so that upon peeling of the cover film from the tray flange, the hot melt or wax will peel off the tray with the cover precluding possible contamination of the material housed within the tray. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell surface protein expressed on human cortical thymocytes and its use. More particulary, the present invention relates to a novel protein (called "JL1" hereinafter) having molecular weight of about 120,000 dalton expressed exclusively on cortical thymocytes and on malignant cells of T lymphoblastic leukemia, T lymphoblastic lymphoma originated from cortical thymocytes and about 50% of all kinds of leukemia, which are identified by immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analysis, and to its diagnostic an clinical application on leukemia and T lymphoblastic lymphoma.
2. Description of Related Art
Human body shows the specific responses to foreign substances exposed after birth, and T. and B. lymphocytes and antigen presenting cells are involved in immune responses to protect human body, Lymphocytes are the major components of lymphoid organ cells and have an important role in the specific immune response during circulation through blood and lymph. The major role of B-lymphocytes is to produce antibodies against foreign substances. T lymphocytes are classified into two types, one of which has the function to help the specific immune response and the other has the function of killing cells infected by pathogens. And the role of antigen presenting cells is to engulf infecting antigens non-specifically, and to process them by cleaving into small peptides and provide their information to T lymphocytes.
Intrathymic T cell development entails complex series of proliferation, differentiation, and selection stages. T cells are originated from hematopoietic stem cells produced in embryonic liver and postnatal bone marrow. They move into thymus, differentiates, become mature, and after this, move out through blood vessel and become mature T cells. After rearrangement of T cell receptor germline gene in the thymus, thymocytes express T cell receptor complexes on their cell surfaces. The gene rearrangement process requires enzymatic system including RAG-1RAG-2. As a result, extreme T cell receptor diversity can be produced in the course of this complicated process. However, all the T cell receptors produced cannot carry out their appropriated functions in the periphery. The cells which cannot recognize the antigens provided by major histocompatibilty complex (MHC) class I and class II, and cells which show strong response to self antigen are removed. These processes are called positive and negative selection, respectively. T cell receptors can accomplish their appropriate function when they recognize foreign antigen bound to their won MHC molecule on the cell surface. This educational process takes place in the thymus.
T cells express not only T cell receptors but also various cell surface proteins. These proteins are also important in T cell function. Most of these T cell surface proteins are expressed in 2 broad range of T cell subsets. However, some of them are expressed only at 2 specific stage and these proteins can be used as T cell surface markers for the determination of T cell maturation stage. Generally, the classification system by Renherz et al, using T cell surface molecules as markers, has been used for determining the differentiation stages of thymocytes. According to this classification, thymocytes are classified into (a) early thymocyte, DF4.sup..multidot. /CD8.sup..multidot. double negative, (b) common thymocyte, CD4.sup.+ /CD8.sup.+ double positive, and (c) mature thymocyte, CD4.sup.+ or CD8.sup.- single positive. Early thymocytes express CD7, CD38 and CD71 proteins. They are the cells which recently arrive at the thymus from bone marrow and actively divide. The rearrangement of T cell receptor gene. -TCR.beta.- occurs at this stage. Common thymocytes occupy the largest protein of the thymus and begin to express CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD8 and the like on cell surfaces, and TCR.alpha. genes are rearranged. Thereafter, mature thymocytes express T cell receptors on the cell surface. Only some of them can survive and move to the next stage, and most of them die (Nikolis-Zugic, 1991, Immunol. Today, 12, 65-70). The cell surface molecules in T cells and thymocytes can be used to determine the stage of differentiation and the classification of subsets. In addition, they can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors originated form T cells. These cell surface proteins have an important role in function and development of T cell.
A thymocyte should die unless its T cell receptor is appropriate. And the death is not simply passive death but an active death requiring certain proteins or the synthesis of certain metabolic produces (Rothenberg, 1990, Immunol. today, 11, 116-119). This cell death may require the specific stimulating signals from the outside. And the cell surface proteins may be involved in the signal pathway. However, identification of cell surface molecules involved has not been possible until now. If common thymocytes express the specific proteins to transmit the signals for the selection of T cell receptor and programmed cell death, these proteins would be the intrinsic proteins at that stage. Even though a few cortical thymocyte antigens such as CD1a, b and c have been known to be expressed on thymic cortex, they are also expressed on various types of cells such as dendritic cells, brain astrocytes and B lymphocytes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to dryers and, more specifically, to systems and methods for determining a status of a drying cycle and for controlling a dryer.
Appliances for drying articles, such as laundry dryers or other machines for removing moisture (or other substances) from articles, typically comprises a cabinet containing a rotating container for tumbling the articles therein. A blower provides a stream of air for circulating through the articles in the container. One or more heating elements increases the temperature of the incoming air prior to its introduction to the container, causing the incoming air to carry a relatively low level of humidity. The warm, relatively dry air is circulated through the container as it tumbles the articles, decreasing the water content therein while increasing the relative humidity of the circulating air. The humidified air is then exhausted from the container and replaced with more heated, relatively dry air, whereby moisture is effectively removed from the articles in the container.
At least one known laundry dryer utilizes an open loop control system to determine an appropriate amount of time for drying a load of laundry. In this common system, an operator selects a desired drying time using a manual control, such as a time selector knob. For the duration of the selected drying time, the container is rotated, a blower removes air from the container, and heating elements add heat to produce a stream of warm, dry air entering the container. As long as moisture remains in the articles in the container, moisture is available for uptake by the circulating air, and the exhaust air will carry more humidity than the incoming air. When the articles in the container have released most or all of their available moisture, the circulation of warm, dry air inside the container will remain warm and dry, and the exhaust air will also be warm and dry. Absent means for detecting the completion of the goal of drying the articles, the open loop control system will continue to operate the laundry dryer until the prescribed period of time has elapsed. In some cases, this period of time is insufficient to remove all of the excess moisture from the articles. In other situations, the period of time may be too long and the articles dried more than the user desires.
Moreover, these drawbacks are not limited to laundry dryers; they also occur in systems for removing moisture from articles other than laundry articles. Still further, they occur in systems for removing substances other than water (e.g., alcohol, naphthalene, turpentine, dry-cleaning fluid, solvents, or other substances) from articles to be “dried”.
Based on the foregoing, those skilled in the art seek improved systems and methods for determining a status of a drying cycle and for controlling a dryer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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During fuel injector assembly, it is known to locate a valve seat subassembly on a machined shoulder in the nose of the fuel injector valve body. The axial shoulder dimension is used to locate the valve seat subassembly and therefore determines armature position.
During assembly of the valve seat subassembly into the nose of the valve body, the seat subassembly, including a valve seat, swirl disk and lower needle guide, is located or stacked up against the machined shoulder of the valve body. The nose of the valve body is crimped to hold the seat subassembly. An alignment pin on a fixture is used to align the seat subassembly components and valve body. Resistance welding is used to weld the seat subassembly and valve body together.
In this arrangement, the stack up height of the lower needle guide, swirl disk and valve seat, together with the depth of the pocket adjacent the machined shoulder in the nose of the injector valve body is critical. Crimping the valve body nose can cause misalignment of the valve seat components relative to each other and relative to the valve body. Also, the use of resistance welding close to the center holes in the lower needle guide, swirl disk and valve seat distorts the valve seat subassembly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to an electrical connector assembly and/or printed circuit board that electrically couples to signal conductors of a communication cable.
In some electrical connector assemblies, signal conductors from communication cables are terminated to an electrical connector by directly joining exposed wire-terminating ends of the signal conductors to corresponding conductive elements. For example, a wire-terminating end can be soldered directly to a corresponding conductive pad along a surface of a circuit board. To solder the two elements together, a solder paste is applied to the wire-terminating end and/or the conductive pad. The solder paste is then melted and cooled to directly join the wire-terminating end and the conductive pad. An electrical connection is established through this termination.
However, using a soldering process to join two elements at a termination can be undesirable. First, it can be difficult to control the different variables of the soldering process so that the wire-terminating ends and the conductive pads are consistently joined and so that a desired electrical performance is achieved. For instance, the soldering process typically uses large amounts of heat to melt the solder paste. Heating (directly or indirectly) the circuit board and/or the wire-terminating ends increases the likelihood of damage to the circuit board and/or the wire-terminating ends. Second, if several terminations are desired, the conductive pads are typically spaced apart so that the solder paste at one termination does not inadvertently join the solder paste at another termination. Yet increasing the space between the conductive pads may limit the number of possible terminations. Lastly, a soldered joint is generally permanent and is not readily fixable without desoldering and then re-soldering the two elements.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly having a printed circuit board that is capable of electrically coupling to a communication cable without using a soldering process. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Multi-zone HVAC systems (hereinafter ‘HVAC zoned systems’) include one or more components to condition air that enters the system and drive the conditioned air through supply ducts to multiple zones within a building. Each supply duct includes zone dampers that may be adjusted to control a flow of the conditioned air into each zone to achieve a desired temperature and airflow within the zone. When a zone reaches a desired conditioned state, typically, the zone dampers associated with the zone are closed. Since a fixed amount of air is delivered by the air handler of the HVAC system under most operational conditions, when the zone dampers of one zone are closed, additional air is driven through the remaining zones that have open zone dampers which causes static pressure to build up in the remaining zones and affect a balance of airflow and pressure across the HVAC system. The increased amount of air that is driven through any one zone may cause the zone to be over-conditioned and increase a noise level in the zone to undesirable levels. The term ‘static pressure’ as used herein refers to an external static pressure of the HVAC system.
One conventional solution to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise includes providing a bypass system which includes a bypass damper that allows the excess or additional air to be returned to the return duct and back to the temperature changing elements (heating or cooling coils) of the HVAC system via a bypass duct. However, conventional bypass dampers that are used in the bypass system do not provide any means for precisely controlling the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct and the temperature changing elements of the HVAC system. The inability of the conventional bypass dampers to provide a precise control of the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct may negatively affect the efficiency of the HVAC system and cause additional problems. For example, in a cooling cycle, cold air that is returned to the return duct via the bypass damper of the bypass system may reduce the temperature of the air that reaches the evaporator coil, thereby making the evaporator coil colder and reducing its efficiency. Further in said example, since the conventional bypass dampers do not provide precise control of the conditioned air that is returned to the return duct, sometimes a large amount of cold air may be returned to the return duct which may reduce to the temperature of the air that reaches the evaporator coil to an extent that it could freeze the evaporator coil.
One conventional bypass damper is a mechanical bypass damper that utilizes a weighted arm with a spring and typically includes two damper positions, i.e., a fully open position and a fully closed position. Other conventional bypass dampers, such as modulating bypass dampers that can be incrementally closed to provide control over the amount of conditioned air that is returned to the return duct do exist. However, a flow of conditioned air with a change in damper positions of said modulating bypass dampers exhibit a nonlinear behavior, thereby affecting an ability to accurately determine the amount of air that flows through the bypass damper at each damper position of the bypass damper.
Other solutions to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise without using bypass systems do exist. One such solution includes smart HVAC zoned systems, such as a multi-stage or modulating HVAC system that does not include a bypass. Instead, the smart HVAC systems use alternate techniques to relieve the static pressure and reduce the airflow noise in the zones where additional air is delivered. Such alternate techniques may include reducing the airflow using a variable speed blower, reducing equipment capacity, dumping into set back zones, etc. However, once the attempts to reduce the airflow noise using the alternate techniques have been exhausted and the airflow noise is still above an undesirable level, then, the smart HVAC system shuts down which in turn may leave one or more zones under-conditioned. For systems that are prone to noise issues, e.g., systems with many zones, or small ductwork, etc., one or more zones may remain under-conditioned regularly.
Therefore, improvements to HVAC systems with zones are described herein. It is noted that this background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for providing network information, which determine the network state of nodes existing in a network and provide the state information to a new node when the new node connects to the distributed network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the introduction of wireless networks such as a mobile phone network, wireless LANs, WiBro, WiFi, and Bluetooth networks, services using peer-to-peer communication between mobile devices (hereinafter, called “nodes”) have become widespread. That is, nodes exist in a network and communicate with each other to share information, namely transmit and receive data.
In the case where a new node tries to connect to a network in such a distributed network environment, the new node may not be able to easily establish a network connection depending upon the network state of the nodes already existing in the network.
FIG. 1 illustrates the conventional distributed wireless network, and shows the case where a new node 10 is connected to a pre-existing network. In the case where the new node 10 tries to connect to a network consisting of a plurality of nodes, the new node 10 tries to enter the network using network information 15 of another node, which the new node 10 has. For example, in the case where the new node 10 has network information 15 of node 1 11 and node 2 12, the new node 10 first tries to connect to node 1 11, and, if the try fails, it tries to connect to node 2 12.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 1, because node 1 11 is connected to the other nodes, when the new node 10 is connected to node 1, it is possible that node 1 11 is unable to appropriately operate because of the lack of memory resources or network resources. Further, at the moment when the new node 10 tries to connect to node 2 12, if node 2 12 leaves the network, the network connection of the new node 10 fails.
Hence, it is preferable for the new node 10 to try to connect to a node whose network state is good; for example, a node to which only a few other nodes are connected, or a node that is expected to maintain the connection to the network. For this, the methods described below can be used.
First, the new node 10 tries to connect to node 1 11 and node 2 12 at the same time. Here, the method of connecting to a plurality of nodes at the same time can form a loop with the connected nodes; however, in such case overhead can be created and can decrease efficient use of system resources of the nodes connected to the loop. Second, nodes existing in the network periodically transmit and receive their network states. As such, the method of periodically transmitting and receiving the network state between nodes can increase the load on the network. Third, a separate device collects the network state of nodes and provides the collected information to the new node 10. However, there should be a separate device, and because the band for the whole network needs to be used for collecting the network state of the nodes, the network can become overloaded.
Hence, there is a need for a method in which a new node 10 can try to and connect to valid nodes without a separate device, minimizing the increase of the network load. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Thermal regeneration has been proposed for increasing the thermal efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Thermal regeneration consists of the introduction of a heat exchanger within the cylinder which has a core made from a material capable of withstanding nigh temperatures while exhibiting low thermal conductivity. During the exhaust cycle of the engine, the core absorbs the exhaust gas heat. The exhaust gas heat is then transferred from the core to the working fluid following the compression cycle, but prior to or during the combustion of fuel, in order to reduce the required quantity of fuel to be burned.
A regenerative internal combustion engine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,284 issued to Allan J. Ferrenberg et. al. on Dec. 13, 1988 wherein a regenerator captures the unutilized heat normally expelled with the exhaust products of an engine and transfers it to the fresh working fluid at the appropriate time in the next engine operating cycle to reduce the quantity of fuel which must be burned such as that described above. This is accomplished through the use of a permeable, movable heat exchanger located between the piston and the cylinder head. However, the quantity of heat which can be recirculated in this way corresponds to the cooling from the temperature of the exhaust gas after expansion to the temperature of the compressed gas late in the compression process. Therefore, when the gas is compressed isentropically, its end-of-compression temperature is high which limits the efficacy of the regenerator in the disclosed patent.
The present invention is directed at overcoming the problems as set forth above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Controllers play a vital role in allocating computer resources. Thus, controllers often are in a central location, and affect the operation of many program strands. Particularly in larger storage controllers, a failure by the controller can lead to large problems in debugging to prevent further problems.
In a CPU-centric world, applications run in LPARs (z/OS) or hosts (Open). These applications can create either single or multiple jobs which are then used to process I/O to and from storage controllers. There are instances where a job can create an error condition on the storage controller which can then affect all jobs and CPUs accessing that controller. In these cases, it would be advantageous if the particular job could be analyzed to see how it contributed to the creation of the error condition on the storage controller (e.g. malformed command syntax, out of sequence commands, etc). However, in the case where a host or LPAR is running multiple jobs simultaneously, it is not always possible for the “offending” job to be identified from data either on the CPU or the storage controller. While current art allows for the creation and logging of job logs on the CPU, unless the error on the storage controller causes a specific job to fail, it is not possible to identify, from the complete list of jobs, which one created the error condition on the storage controller. It is quite common that even when the storage controller data can point to a particular CPU channel path, IT personnel can not say what jobs are running on that path. Without such ability, debugging and determining the source of the problem can be quite time consuming and expensive, as well as frustrating.
It is therefore a challenge to develop strategies for advancing the art to overcome these, and other, disadvantages. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a thermoelectric semiconductor compound and a method of making the thermoelectric semiconductor compound.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that thermoelectric semiconductor compounds exhibit the Seebeck effect, where heat is converted to electricity, and the Peltier effect, where application of an electric current causes cooling or heating.
The thermoelectric performance of a thermelectric semiconductor compound is indicated by a performance index Z (=.alpha..sup.2.sigma./.kappa., where .alpha. is the Seebeck coefficient, .sigma. is the electrical conductivity, and .kappa. is the thermal conductivity). A higher performance index Z results in higher thermoelectric performance. For example, a higher performance index Z results in a higher voltage being developed if a temperature difference is provided across a thermoelectric semiconductor. A higher performance index Z also results in a larger temperature difference being developed across a thermoelectric semiconductor upon application of an electric current. Thus, much research and development effort has focused on increasing the performance index Z to as high a value as possible.
One improved thermoelectric semiconductor compound is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei. 10-242535, which was published, without examination, on Sep. 11, 1998. The performance index Z was increased by adding BN to a thermoelectric semiconductor with a molecular formula of (Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3).sub.70 (Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3).sub.5 or (Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3).sub.70 (Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3).sub.30, even though the addition of BN led to a reduction in thermal conductivity.
Another improved thermoelectric semiconductor compound is disclosed in Proc. XII Int. Conf. On Thermoelectric, IEEJ, Tokyo, Yokohama (Japan), pp.121-125, 1994. The performance index Z was increased by a factor of 1.2 by the addition of 2 volume % MgO, in the form of powders having an average diameter of 0.01 .mu.m, to a thermoelectric semiconductor having a molecular formula of (Bi.sub.0.25 Sb.sub.0.75).sub.2 Te.sub.3.
In both cases, the performance index Z of a thermoelectric semiconductor compound was increased by the addition of a dielectric material that also decreased the electrical conductivity. Thus, the increases in the performance index Z resulted from an improvement in one or more of .alpha. and 1/.kappa., while .sigma. was sacrificed. As long as improvements in the performance index Z require a trade-off of one or more of the factors of Z, improvements in Z will be limited.
Accordingly, a need exists for a thermoelectric semiconductor compound with a remarkably improved performance index Z that is not the result of sacrificing one of the factors of Z. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Blends of polyetherimide and polyester resins derived predominantly from cyclohexanedimethanol and a carbocyclic dicarboxylic acid, such as, for example, a poly(cyclohexane-dimethanol terephthalate) resin that provide improved impact strength are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,987. Blends of polyetherimide resins and copolyesters of terephthalic acid and/or isophthalic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and ethylene glycol, that is, certain poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene-co-ethylene terephthalate) resins that are said to exhibit a high flexural modulus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,987.
Use of these polyetherimide-polyester blends has become prominent in areas such as microwave food containers and others where visual clarity is desired and often demanded by the consumers, and the articles formed from these blends are often subjected to significant stresses including bending such that tab-bending performance is important. This prominence is driving the need in the industry for improved blends. Consequently, polyetherimide-polyester blends that exhibit visual clarity, resistance to elevated temperature, and further improvements in thermal and hydrolytic stability, impact resistance, and tab-bending performance, are desired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Saturated hydrocarbons are obtained from petroleum, natural gas reservoirs, and other petroliferous deposits. They are, on a relative basis to other hydrocarbons, available in a relatively large supply. They have many uses in addition to being suitable as fuels. One of those uses, and one which has a high order of value in terms of uses, is as a raw material in chemical reactions when they can be made to react in an efficient, economical and predictable if not selective fashion. Particularly desirable is the ability to prepare terminally-substituted compounds, because terminally-substituted, or primary functional compounds, are in the greatest demand commercially. However, saturated hydrocarbons have strong C--H and C--C bonds which make the necessary reactions difficult for one or more reasons.
Various approaches to reaction of hydrocarbons have been studied over the years including thermal, chemical and photochemical. Examples of these are set forth in Janowicz and Bergman, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 105, 3929-3939 (1983). Most of these prior methods have consumed large amounts of energy in one form or another; and, importantly have lacked selectivity. Either, in addition to or separately, the prior methods have suffered other disadvantages.
Unsaturated compounds, in addition to being a valuable raw material for reactions which functionalized alkanes are not, do not always form terminally-substituted compounds but form 2-substituted derivatives according to Markovnikoff's rule.
Recently we found that certain organo-iridium complexes are capable of intermolecular oxidative addition to single C--H bonds in saturated hydrocarbons leading to hydridoalkyl iridium complexes which can be used to convert alkanes to alkyl halides. This is reported in Janowicz and Bergman, J.A.C.S. 104, 352 (1982). While this procedure enjoys a degree of benefits over the prior art it leaves room for improvement in several respects. One such important feature in the use of iridium complexes is the need to pass through an organomercurial intermediate. The process using iridium also provides much less selectivity than theoretically possible and desirable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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People are increasingly using applications on computing devices, such as “apps” on a smartphone, to access content and perform computing tasks such as browsing the Internet, managing e-mail, shopping, and consuming news, “tweets,” photos, and other data. Often, users of an application want to perform an action in another application that may be related to their current activity; for example, users browsing shoes for purchase on an e-commerce website in a mobile web browser, or receiving a link to the shoes in an email, may want to view and/or purchase a particular shoe in an application dedicated to the e-commerce website that may offer additional and/or enhanced functionality and/or a more streamlined environment. It can be difficult, however, to move easily between applications while safely transferring information as part of the process. For example, a computing device may determine to invoke a particular application in response to a user clicking on a link in a different application and transfer information to the invoked application as part of the process. While this approach may be an effective way to transfer information between applications, if the invoked application is malicious, then the information may be stolen or otherwise misused, for example. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The techniques described herein relate to signal buffers and in particular to a high frequency smart buffer.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In previous versions of a high frequency buffer, the push-pull output buffer is biased at a fixed condition. This makes the trade-off difficult in circuit design. If the biasing of the buffer is low then the buffer can not drive a heavy capacitive load at high frequency. If the biasing current is high it wastes current when the output capacitance to be driven is low. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Known diode-accessed, cross-point memory cells may use a rectifying diode as an access device to a state-changeable memory element. The memory element may contain chalcogenide phase change material. Applying a current to the memory element may change a phase of the material so that the memory element exhibits a different resistance. The phase may also be changed back. Hence, the two resistive states provide the “on” and “off” status for data storage.
FIG. 1 shows a conceptual, perspective view of a diode-accessed, cross-point memory array and illustrates its general spatial configuration. The simplified view of FIG. 1 merely shows a memory array 100 that includes words lines 102 having a direction orthogonal to a direction of bit lines 104 and overlapping at cross-points. At cross-points, an access diode containing a n-type material 106 and a p-type material 108 is combined with a memory element 110 in an electrically-connected series extending between word line 102 and bit line 104 at the cross-point. Actual structures implementing the concept shown in FIG. 1 may be formed by a variety of known methods.
To achieve a 4F2 footprint, where “F” is feature size of the access diode, some known methods form n-type material 106 and p-type material 108 in a monocrystalline silicon substrate. With the rectifying diode positioned in monocrystalline silicon, a high current density may be provided to effect a phase change in the state-changeable memory element 110 when it contains chalcogenide phase change material. Other silicon-based diodes may include those formed in polysilicon.
Unfortunately, forming silicon-based diodes uses processing temperatures in excess of 400° C. For activation annealing, temperature may be from 800° C. to 1000° C. for a time of from 2 hours to 20 seconds. As a result, structures of the memory array sensitive to temperatures in excess of 400° C. are formed in advance of processing the silicon-based diodes. Although silicon-based diodes may provide a high current density, their presence also limits the materials and processing order suitable for forming the memory array. Methods and/or materials that overcome the limitations of using silicon-based diodes may be useful. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to gas turbines and, more specifically, to liquid fuel injection systems for industrial gas turbines.
In particular, the present invention relates to a device for purging the systems that inject fuel into the gas turbines.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Gas turbines generally comprise an air intake system, a compressor with one or more compression stages having an air flow rate regulating device, an internal combustion system, an expansion turbine connected mechanically to the compressor, and a system for discharging the exhaust gases. Gas turbines are designed with combustion systems capable of injecting liquid fuel and/or gaseous fuel into the combustion system, via concentric injectors for example. However, certain gas turbines are capable of running alternately on liquid fuel and on gaseous fuel such as, for example, natural gas. In general, gas turbines burn each of the liquid and gaseous fuels alternately. Thus, when the gas turbine is burning a liquid fuel, the supply of gaseous fuel is cut off and when the gas turbine is burning a gaseous fuel, the supply of liquid fuel is cut off. During the switchover from liquid fuel to gaseous fuel, the pressure in the liquid fuel circuit drops gradually while the pressure in the gaseous fuel circuit gradually increases. This type of gas turbine entails a purge system auxiliary to the liquid fuel injection system to eliminate the liquid fuel present in the injectors of the combustion chamber and thus provide the injectors with a continuous cooling air stream. The purge system is generally switched into operation when the liquid fuel supply system starts or is shut down. This is because it is necessary to purge the liquid fuel supply circuit to prevent liquid fuel remaining in a high-temperature region near the combustion chamber which could lead to coking of the liquid fuel, namely to solidification of the liquid within the supply circuit and therefore progressive degradation of the operation of the gas turbine, blocking of valves, pipes, check valves.
One solution for purging the liquid fuel is to use compressed air or a liquid.
In this respect, reference may be made to document EP 0 949 454 which comprises a complex purge system comprising a purge air supply valve combined with a soft purge valve, a non-return check valve and a multi-orifice purge valve directing the purge air towards the injectors. However, this type of purge system proves complex.
Reference may also be made to document U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,963 which describes a purge system comprising a three-way valve to reduce the residual quantity of liquid fuel and effectively avoid combustion gases returning to the liquid fuel supply circuit and to the purge circuit.
However, because it is difficult to regulate the pressure of the purge air, the use of compressed air leads to sudden purges of liquid fuel into the combustion chamber, leading to a sudden increase in the power of the gas turbine.
In order to alleviate this disadvantage, the prior art proposes lengthening the purge time. However, lengthening the purge period means that the residual liquid fuel flow rate needs to remain constant during purging, which it rarely does. In addition, such a solution entails a highly complex purge control system that is difficult to install. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an axle driving system in which a hydrostatic transmission (hereinafter referred to as an “HST”), axles and a power transmitting mechanism are integrally provided in a housing, and more particularly to an axle driving system in which the width of the portion of the housing which houses the HST and power transmitting mechanism is smaller than in conventional systems.
2. Related Art
A conventional axle driving system houses the HST, axles and a driving gear train for interlocking the HST with the axles in a common housing. The HST is constructed so that a hydraulic pump is disposed on a horizontal portion of a center section which is L-like-shaped and a hydraulic motor is disposed on the vertical portion of the same. The hydraulic motor is position to one side of the axle. The hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other by a closed fluid circuit formed in the center section. The hydraulic pump is driven by a prime mover provided on the vehicle so as to drive the hydraulic motor and then the axles through a driving gear train. Such a construction is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,163,293 and 5,335,496.
The hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor in the conventional technique, are disposed side-by-side and to one side of the axles. As such, the width of the HST is larger which results in the lateral width of the common housing for both the pump and motor also being larger. Furthermore, an output shaft of the hydraulic motor extends to one side of the vehicle to transmit power therefrom to a differential gear unit through gears of a driving gear train, so as to drive the axles. An unused space is formed at a side of the gear train and between the HST pump and the axles.
Further, when the HST and the driving gear train for driving the axles by the output shaft of the HST are housed in a common housing, a foreign object, such as iron powder produced by the driving gear train, may enter into the HST. This can adversely affect operation of the HST or various parts thereof. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Any variable parameter (signal) that can be controlled by human (the user) and recorded in a digital form can be used to encode input information affecting the computer functionality. However, the computer functionality to interact with the user is limited to a passive presentation of information in different types of messages delivered through signals of different modalities: auditory, visual and tactile. Both the size and power consumption of wearable devices restrict the output capabilities, the computer is able to perform to support interaction techniques. Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular because of their high sensitivity to detect a location and pressure of an input device (a stylus tip) or a finger tip and advantages of the direct manipulation interface. In this context, manipulation still means the user input that has an effect on the program execution.
However, finger-based interaction has a limited duration of the contact between fingertip and touchscreen (direct input) to avoid visual occlusion of imaging (in a case of the use a visual output). The short contact constraints the time during that it would be possible to apply and perceive mechanical energy variations in a kind of tactile signals (forces, vibrations and/or movements) in fingers to present complex information through tactile channel. On the other hand, tactile information presented during finger movements (gesture) cannot be referred to a specific point of contact at a specific moment of time. Though, instead of the direct feedback the user is able to feel different sensations by other hand continuously holding the portable electronic device, an interpretation of tactile information delivered from the back of the device and presented to the contralateral hand can cause a spatial discordance of the depth perception and localization when tactile signals have to be integrated with the visual information in a specific manner (e.g., in a case of ambiguous images, depth cues, etc).
A stylus is a universal mediator of the user input that can be used with various devices in a manner as a regular pen or pencil, e.g. with Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), personal computers, mobile phones, smart watches (US-2014/0035884-A) and any other portable electronic device to input information in a textual, graphical and pictorial form (US-2014/0078109-A). It also improves the precision of the touch input rather than using a finger, allowing use of handwriting and micro-movements.
Nowadays, advanced styluses have extended input-output capabilities for input spell check and notification (US-2014/0253469-A, US-2005/0125228-A), by interacting with a smart phone as a Bluetooth headset (US-2012/0139879-A) and for input as a wireless 3D manipulandum (US-2014/0191967-A, US-2002/0084114-A, US-2013/0002614-A, WO-2013-003128-A). A stylus input can be used for simulating different physical qualities (stiffness, compliance, elasticity, rigidity, inertia, friction, impedance etc.) and associated perceptual qualities of materials, textures and other sensory experience. Through the stylus mediating human-computer interaction, the user is able to perceive different local properties of the virtual objects and materials such as hard, soft, sticky, and other region/shape descriptors and features as a texture gradient (slippery, silky, velvety, bumpy, smooth), concavity and convexity, edges and so on (US-2009/0079703-A, US-2014/0043242-A, U.S. Pat. No. 8,681,130-B, U.S. Pat. No. 8,749,533-B, U.S. Pat. No. 8,773,403-B, US-2012/0293463-A, US-2012/0127088-A, Wintergerst G. et al., “Reflective Haptics: Enhancing Stylus based interactions on touch screen”, EuroHaptics Conference Proceedings, 2010, Part I, LNCS 6191, 360-366).
Nowadays, in advanced multimodal interfaces besides spatial audio, enhancement of graphic cues is often based on the use of a haptic sense (Evreinova T. V et al., “Virtual Sectioning and Haptic Exploration of Volumetric Shapes in the Absence of Visual Feedback”, Advances in Human-Computer Interaction, 2013, Article ID: 740324). Many stationary (desktop) and mobile (linkage-free) input devices have been developed to augment visual interaction with three-dimensional objects through complementary haptic sense (U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,469-A, Yang “Design and Control of an integrated haptic interface for touch screen applications”, Ph.D. thesis in Lille1 University, France, 2013, Evreinova T. V. et al., “From Kinesthetic Sense to New Interaction Concepts: Feasibility and Constraints”, International Journal of Advanced Computer Technology, 2014, 3, 4, 1-33). Various solutions for different kinds of devices in three-dimensional pointing mostly rely on enhanced visual feedback even when the user can apply different pressure on a stylus tip to change the cursor location along the direction of the normal force applied (e.g., US-2009/0079703-A, WO-2011-061395-A, US-2008/0225007-A, US-2012/0206419-A, Withana A. et al., “ImpAct: Immersive haptic stylus to enable direct touch and manipulation for surface computing”, ACM Computers in Entertainment, 2010, 8, 2, Article 9, Lee J. et al., “Beyond-Collapsible Tools and Gestures for Computational Design”, CHI2010, 2010, 3931-3936, Nagasaka S. “Haptistylus: Stylus for Unified Manipulations”, 2015, available at: http://oshiro.bpe.es.osaka-u.ac.jp/research/cgvr.html).
However, to our knowledge and understanding the solutions mentioned above are able only to simulate the feelings that the user can sense by moving a stylus/pen or a paintbrush across a piece of paper or a canvas, while these solutions cannot actively move the stylus/pen or/and the user's hand with respect to the stylus or with respect to the surface of interaction (Moscatelli A. et al., “A change in the fingertip contact area induces an illusory displacement of the finger”, EuroHaptics Conference Proceedings, 2014, Part II, LNCS 8619, 72-79). For example, US-2012/0127088-A discloses that “In some embodiments, the haptic actuator may further generate haptic feedback that can be felt by the nerves of a user's fingers without physically moving the body of the haptic input device.” (paragraph [0042]). US-2014/0043242-A discloses a method for guiding a stylus on a surface of a touchscreen by moving the stylus across the surface while varying the friction based on a location of the stylus. The friction is modulated such that a region of the surface has a higher friction than areas immediately surrounding the region so as to bias the stylus towards the region, by guiding the user towards appropriate strokes (claim 20, par [0061], [0062]).
Nevertheless, the guidance that contains ambiguity and is not able to present an exact way to solve the task can fail in the absence of visual feedback and prior knowledge (preexisting attitudes, experiences, and mental templates). By other words, when the user is not able to exactly track/cross the areas having a low coefficient of friction in a specific direction, an exploration of areas surrounding the stylus tip region disintegrates kinesthetic information or complicates filtering and integration of kinesthetic information by hindering an appearance of the holistic mental representation of the path (appropriate strokes) needed to follow to complete a task. To optimize learning for the specific handwriting skills, the guidance has to facilitate filtering and integration of the kinesthetic information by applying the tangential vector of force moving the stylus along the needed pathways, while avoiding any exploratory extra movements. Still besides the known solutions for desktop devices (U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,469-A, U.S. Pat. No. 8,432,361-B, U.S. Pat. No. 8,725,292-B, US-2005/0065649-A, US-2010/0042258-A, WO-2004-095170-A, Evreinova T. V et al., “From Kinesthetic Sense to New Interaction Concepts: Feasibility and Constraints”, International Journal of Advanced Computer Technology, 2014, 3, 4, 1-33), there have not been published any attempts of implementing autonomously movable (self-propelling) stylus, pen or stick for a mobile interaction (Nagasaka S. “Haptistylus: Stylus for Unified Manipulations”, 2015, available at: http://oshiro.bpe.es.osaka-u.ac.jp/research/cgvr.html).
For example, by producing push and pull forces in synchronization with altering static and kinetic friction forces, it is possible to create a displacement vector to an object in a given direction with respect to a supporting surface (U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,162-A, U.S. Pat. No. 8,230,990-B, U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,899-B, Reznik D. S., “The Universal Planar Manipulator”, Ph. D. thesis in University of California at Berkeley, 2000, Darby A. P. et al., “Modeling and Control of a Flexible Structure Incorporating Inertial Slip-Stick Actuators”, Journal of Guidance, Control, And Dynamics, 1999, 22, 1, 36-42, Awrejcewicz J. et al., “Occurrence of Stick-Slip Phenomenon”, Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 2007, 45, 1, 33-40). Herewith, there is a strong interest in a haptic society to apply the controllable friction, tangential force and displacement in the absence of any mechanical linkage to the user's fingerpad when s/he interacts via touchscreen with a portable electronic device (U.S. Pat. No. 8,525,778-B, Wiertlewski M. et al., “A High-Fidelity Surface-Haptic Device for Texture Rendering on Bare Finger”, EuroHaptics Conference Proceedings, 2014, Part II, LNCS 8619, 241-248, Dai X. et al., “LateralPaD: A Surface-Haptic Device That Produces Lateral Forces on A Bare Finger”, IEEE Haptics Symposium, 2012, 7-14, Chubb E. C. et al., “ShiverPaD: A Glass Haptic Surface That Produces Shear Force on a Bare Finger”, IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2010, 3, 3, 189-198, Giraud F. et al., “Design of a transparent tactile stimulator”, Haptics Symposium, 2012, 485-489, Gleeson B. T. et al., “Perception of Direction for Applied Tangential Skin Displacement: Effects of Speed, Displacement, and Repetition”, IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 2010, 3, 3, 177-188, Winfield L. et al., “T-PaD: Tactile Pattern Display through Variable Friction Reduction”, Second Joint EuroHaptics Conference and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, 2007, 421-426, Kaye J. J., “Sawtooth planar waves for haptic feedback”, Adjunct proceedings of the 25th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and technology, 2010, 5-6, Roudaut A. et al., “Gesture Output: Eyes-Free Output Using a Force Feedback Touch Surface”, CHI2013, 2013, 2547-2556, Saga S. et al., “Simultaneous geometry and texture display based on lateral force for touchscreen”, IEEE World Haptics Conference, 2013, 437-442). For example, Derler S. et al., “Stick-slip phenomena in the friction of human skin”, Wear, 2013, 301, 324-329 mentions the stick-slip behavior of the index fingerpad sliding on wet, smooth glass as a function of normal force and sliding velocity in friction measurements using a tri-axial force plate.
In general, the friction coefficients during the stick-slip phase of sliding were 30% lower than those in a stationary phase of sliding. During a stick-slip phase, the amplitude of the friction coefficient also varied more than twice greater than during a stationary phase of sliding. As soon as new materials and actuators are available, the stick-slip phenomenon can be realized on a portable electronic device and in designing the stylus as a mediator of interaction with portable electronic devices. This can significantly extend functionalities of the stylus-based interaction that has been realized in the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to liquid dispensers and more particularly comprises a dispenser particularly suitable for mixing and dispensing high density liquids such as barium sulphate and liquids in suspension. A particular application of this dispenser is in X-ray laboratories where barium sulphate is dispensed to patients before undergoing examination. In the following description, the dispenser is described in terms of its use as a barium sulphate dispenser but it will be appreciated that the invention has wider application.
At the present time, barium sulphate is regularly mixed and dispensed from a container by mixing the prescribed amount of barium sulphate with water (usually tap water) and then pouring the mix into a cup for the patient to drink. Because the mixture is warm or at best only slightly cool, the patient is reluctant to drink it because of the taste. Moreover, the mix is not always consistent.
Heretofore, automatic dispensers have been considered unsuitable for this use because of the difficult problems involved in handling the barium sulphate. For example, the barium sulphate is not soluable in water and tends to settle to the bottom of the liquid. Consequently, the liquid must be shaken constantly to avoid the settling action or kept in suspension by a constant paddling. A more acute problem in handling barium sulphate arises from the tendency of the liquid to dry and block the discharge opening of its container. If a valve controls flow through the discharge, the valve must be heavy enough or have biasing means which are sufficiently forceful to cause the valve to close. In addition, the valve must be so constructed that the liquid does not collect in the discharge passge, exposed to the atmosphere, and be permitted to dry there which would very quickly clog the valve.
One important object of this invention is to provide a dispensing valve which will not clog when called upon to dispense such high density liquids as barium sulphate.
Another important object of this invention is to provide a liquid dispenser having a circulator capable of handling heavy liquids that have a density two or more times that of water without a great amount of settling of theinsoluable particles in the mix.
Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a liquid dispenser having cooperating circulation and refrigeration systems capable of maintaining the temperature of heavy liquids in the range of 35.degree. F.
To accomplish these and other objects, the dispenser of this invention includes a bowl having a variable speed paddle-type mixer-circulator and an evaporator coil which together mix and circulate and refrigerate the liquid. The mixer-circulator and evaporator are free of restricted passages so as not to impede the flow of liquid having a specific gravity of two or more. The dispenser also includes a specially designed valve which is vented so as not to allow any liquid to accumulate in the valve after it is closed. As a result, no liquid is trapped in the valve beyond the influence of the circulating system in the bowl.
These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnostic device, and more specifically, to a disposable ECG diagnostic chest pad having pre-positioned lead electrodes and internal wiring which may be placed quickly as a single unit upon a patient and may be separated into two sections by way of perforated sections in the underling pad material, thus allowing greater flexibility in monitoring and diagnosing a patient's electrocardiogram waves.
2. Description of Prior Art
It has been long known in the medical community that the current condition, and possibly future state, of a subject patient's heart muscle can be ascertained by measuring the cardiac electrical activity. The electrical system of the heart not only initiates and controls the rate of heartbeat, but also coordinate to transmission in the most efficient mechanical manner. When such electric signals are irregular, it is a sign of cardiac problems, particularly cardiac arrest, better known as a “heart attack.”
Like all electrical signals, the electrical signals generated by the heart can be expressed as a wave or a series of waves having a frequency and amplitude. Again, like all electrical signals, these waves can be detected and measured—in this case by an electrocardiograph. Electrodes, generally pads containing conductive material, such as silver chloride and an adhesive are attached to the trunk and limbs of a patient's body. The electrodes are in turn attached to “leads” or cables which are connected to the electrocardiograph. Generally, in modem medical practice a ten-lead electrocardiograph is used to produce twelve lead measurements through the use of bipolar electrodes. The electrocardiograph receives the signals from the leads, processes them and outputs the resulting waveform patterns, usually on a strip of moving paper. These resulting patterns are known as an electrocardiogram (ECG). By viewing the resulting ECG output, the physician or other healthcare professional can determine the current condition of the patient's heart muscle and can compare such pattern against healthy and known abnormal patterns. As such, an initial diagnosis of the patient's condition can be made.
The majority of electrocardiological testing is performed in hospital emergency rooms where time of patient treatment of the essence in order to obtain a positive outcome. Trained personnel are required to properly position the electrodes onto the chest wall and limbs of the patient and connect the corresponding wires. In an emergency room situation, this procedure must be performed with speed and accuracy. The work of attaching the ten or twelve electrodes and the corresponding leads can be time consuming. In addition, the leads tend to clutter up the chest area, making additional emergency medical procedures more difficult to perform. Such problems associated with this process are increased when the patient is a small child or an infant.
Traditional prior art electrocardiograph systems typically utilize electrodes comprising elastic cloth or other material having moderate flexibility together with rigidity and strength, such as rubber, synthetic rubber or porous synthetic resins having air permeability. Lead cables are attached either externally or internally and are connected to a control box mounted on the pad. The pad is fastened with belt- or strap-like means, which must wrap around the subject's waist, chest, and arms. These pads are generally used for long term monitoring, and are not typically disposable. For the short-term use in the emergency room, single disposable electrodes are individually applied, with an adhesive backing, to the patient's body at the designated optimal locations. The corresponding leads from the electrocardiograph are then attached to the electrodes by any number of means known in the art, such as alligator clips or plugs. As previously mentioned this process is cumbersome and time consuming, particularly within an emergency situation. Under such circumstances, the electrodes may be incorrectly placed or fall off the patient, thus requiring additional time for replacement upon the patient.
Several solutions are presented in the prior art which attempt to solve some of the aforementioned problems by pre-positioning the leads. The first general solution seen in the art is a vest that contains the leads built into the material. Two such examples are an “Apparatus for Transmitting ECG Data,” to Mills, U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,987 and an “ECG Diagnostic Pad,” to Sekine, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,479. By having the leads prepositioned within the vest, the entire apparatus can be placed upon the patient and immediately used, thus saving valuable time. However, such vests, including those seen in Mills and Sekine, have several drawbacks. First, these vests must be made in multiple sizes in order to fit the vast multitude of patient sizes and shapes from infant to adult and from thin to overweight. Production and acquisition costs are increased as well as the storage space needed to stock a supply of multiple, different-sized vests. The amount of materials used for an entire vest also adds to cost concerns. Most prior art vests are not disposable and reuse and refurbishment costs may be prohibitive.
A second solution presented in the prior art is the use of “electrode strips.” In these devices, the electrodes placed within a strip of material, usually containing an adhesive backing layer. The leads are generally wired into the strip. When need, the adhesive backing is exposed or adhesive otherwise applied and the strip is positioned and affixed to the patient's torso. Representative examples can be see in U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,987 to Feingold, U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,620 to Cudahy et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,671 to Mahoney. While cheaper to produce, store and use than vests, these and other prior art strips do have their drawbacks. First, may of the prior art electrode strips, such as the device illustrated and claimed in the Cudahy et al. patent, utilize leads which are positioned only across the torso of the patient. Readings from the upper and lower extremities cannot be taken or optimal positioning cannot be obtained. The Feingold strip allows individual placement, but having only three leads, it is likely that the medical professional would not utilize placement at the extremities. Another drawback to prior art electrode strips is their inability to be used to monitor a patent. Often, after the initial diagnosis, a physician or other medical professional may wish merely to monitor the patient's cardiac activity. As such, only certain leads of the ECG need to be used. It is, again, preferable, to eliminate as leads and other materials from the patient's chest in order to allow room for other procedures. Using the conventional technique of placement of individual leads, the unnecessary leads can be removed. However, in prior art electrode strips, one cannot remove the unnecessary electrodes without also removing the electrodes needed for the monitoring function.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for quickly and accurately positioning electrodes and leads for electrocardiographic analysis.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electrocardiographic electrode pad that provides signals from the torso and extremities of a patient.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electrocardiographic electrode pad that can be used for patient monitoring.
It is an additional object of the present invention is to provide inexpensive and disposable ECG diagnostic pad which can be attached and removed quickly so as to not interfere with other procedures such as chest X-rays. | {
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The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkyl-ureas, starting from O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate.
Alkyl-ureas are a family of well-known compounds. They are important intermediates in the production of isocyanates, drugs, phytomedicines and are used in colouring agents"" chemistry, as plasticizers and stabilisers (see Ulmann""s Encyclopaedia of Industrial Chemistry, Fifth Edition, 1996, Vol. A27, 355).
There are various processes for preparing monoalkyl-ureas. Among these, the main, long-known processes are the following reactions: i) the reaction of ammonia with a suitable carbamoyle chloride, obtainable by phosgenation of a suitable amine; ii) the reaction of a salt of a suitable amine with a cyanate of an alkaline metal; iii) the reaction of a suitable isocyanate with ammonia; iv) the reaction of a suitable amine with nitro-urea; v) the reaction of transamidation of urea with a suitable amine (see Houben-Weyl, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1952, Vol. VIII, 153). The starting materials used in the first four processes are fairly expensive, highly toxic and/or difficult to obtain. The fifth process does not exhibit the same disadvantages of the first four processes. The transamidation of urea with amines is carried out under pressure in an aqueous or anhydrous medium, as described in DE-C-8 555 551 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,727, or, more easily, in a solvent at atmospheric pressure (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,692). The transamidation reaction uses, as a starting material, urea, which is an innocuous, non-toxic and inexpensive compound. However, the yields of the reaction products are fairly limited (they normally reach about 80%) and, at the same time, as results from their physical properties (melting point), their purity is low.
Similarly, the main processes for synthesising di- and tri-alkyl-ureas may be related to the above-described processes for monoalkyl-substituted ureas, i.e.: (i) the reaction of a suitable amine with a suitable carbamoyle chloride, obtainable by phosgenation of a suitable amine; (ii) the reaction of a suitable isocyanate with a suitable amine; (iii) the transamidation reaction of the ureas with suitable amines. The disadvantages of all these processes are the same as those mentioned above, i.e.: as regards the synthetic processes (i) and (ii), the toxicity, difficulty to obtain and/or very high costs of the raw materials; as regards process (iii), the yield and purity problems; on this subject, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,170, wherein the preparation of N,N,Nxe2x80x2-trialkyl-ureas starting from N,Nxe2x80x2-dimethyl-urea, with a yield of only 61% is disclosed.
Symmetric and asymmetric N,Nxe2x80x2-dialkyl-ureas have been recently prepared also starting from S,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate (see Man-kiti Leung et al, J. Org. Chem., 1996, 61, 4175). O,S dimethyl dithiocarbonate is an industrially accessible compound (I. Degani, R. Fochi, V. Regondi, Synthesis, 1980, 375 and I. Degani, R. Fochi, V. Regondi, Synthesis, 1980, 149); however, the processes described for its conversion into symmetric and asymmetric N,Nxe2x80x2-dialkyl-ureas are not suitable for industrial exploitation, due to the long reaction times, the usually poor yield and, referring in particular to asymmetric ureas, due to the sophisticated operation conditions and the fairly high cost of the reagents.
Concerning symmetric dialkyl-ureas only, it is also possible to synthesise them from carbon dioxide and a suitable monoalkyl-amine at high temperatures and pressures, but with no more than a 75% conversion, which implies the need to recover and purify the gaseous effluents before being able to recycle them in the reaction, as described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,309.
The object of the present invention is a process for preparing mono-, di- and trisubstituted ureas that may solve the disadvantages of the known processes, i.e. a process which may provide high yields of the said ureas, in fair conditions and at a low cost. Such an object is brilliantly solved by the present invention, which relates to a process for preparing alkyl-ureas starting from O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate, represented by the following formula (1):
characterised in that is provides the following steps:
A) causing the O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate (1) to react with a primary amine of general formula R1NH2 in order to obtain an O-methyl thiocarbamate of formula (2), wherein R1 is an alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic radical
B) isomerising the O-methyl thiocarbamate of formula (2) in order to obtain a S-methyl thiocarbamate of formula (3)
C) causing the S-methyl thiocarbamate of formula (3) to react with a compound of general formula Rxe2x80x2Rxe2x80x3NH, wherein Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x3 may be equal or different one in respect of the other and may be H, R2 and R3, wherein R2 and R3 are alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic radicals and may be equal to or different from R1, in order to obtain one of the alkyl-ureas (4), (5) or (6)
The present invention relates to the preparation of monoalkyl-ureas (4), N,Nxe2x80x2-dialkyl-ureas (5) and trialkyl-ureas (6) starting from O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate (1), through the intermediate formation of O-methyl thiocarbamates (2) and S-methyl thiocarbamates (3), wherein R1, R2 and R3 represent alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic radicals which may be equal or different one in respect of the other and wherein R2 and R3 may also be H.
The first step provides causing the O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate (1) to react with a primary amine R1NH2, wherein an alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic radical is bound to the nitrogen atom, which reaction results in yields between 99% and 99.9% of O-methyl thiocarbamate (2), wherein R1 represents the same radicals of the primary amine; the molar ratio R1NH2/(1) lies between 1.1 and 1.2; the reaction temperature is between 20xc2x0 C. and 30xc2x0 C.; the reaction time is between 2 and 3 hours. The O-methyl thiocarbamate (2) thus obtained is highly pure and may be employed directly in the following step. During the formation of the O-methyl thiocarbamate (2), a mole of methanthiol is produced, which is a product of a certain industrial value and is recovered under the form of sodium salt in aqueous solution, with a 94-98% yield.
The second step consists in isomerising the O-methyl thiocarbamate (2) into S-methyl thiocarbamate (3), wherein R1 represents the same radicals of the primary amine and of the corresponding O-methyl thiocarbamate (2). The isomerisation reaction is made at a temperature between 40xc2x0 C. and 60xc2x0 C., in an organic solvent, preferably toluene, in amounts between 0.05 and 4.50 parts in weight per part in weight of (2), using, as initiator, a quantity of dimethyl sulphate between 4% and 8% of the weight of the reagent; the reaction time is between 0.5 and 4 hours; the reaction yields are between 94% and 98%. Dimethyl sulphate may be replaced by a protic organic acid, preferably by methansulphonic acid, used as catalyst. When the reaction is carried out using a protic organic acid, the reaction temperature is about 100xc2x0 C.; the reaction time is between 2 and 3.5 hours; yields are around 98%. The S-methyl thiocarbamate (3) thus obtained is extremely pure and may be employed directly in the following step.
The third step provides causing the S-methyl thiocarbamate (3), wherein Rxe2x80x3 represents the same radicals of the primary amine R1NH2 and of the corresponding O-methyl thiocarbamate (2), to react with a compound of general formula Rxe2x80x2Rxe2x80x3NH, wherein Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x3 may be equal or different one in respect of the other and they may be H or an alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic group. In case a monoalkyl-urea of formula (4) is to be obtained, Rxe2x80x2=Rxe2x80x3=H and the compound reacting with the S-methyl thiocarbamate is aqueous ammonia. The reaction is carried out at a temperature between 60xc2x0 C. and 70xc2x0 C.; the reaction time is between 3 and 6 hours; the reaction yields are between 93% and 96%. The alkyl-urea (4) thus obtained is extremely pure and does not require further purification steps in order to be employed for the intended purposes. During the formation of the monosubstituted urea (4), a mole of methanthiol is produced, which product hasxe2x80x94as mentioned beforexe2x80x94a good industrial value and which is therefore recovered under the form of sodium salt in aqueous solution, with a 95% yield.
Alternatively, if a dialkyl-urea of formula (5) is to be obtained, Rxe2x80x2=H, Rxe2x80x3=R2 (which may also correspond to R1) and the compound with which the O-methyl thiocarbamate (3) is made to react is a primary amine R2NH2. The reaction is carried out at a temperature between 30xc2x0 C. and 60xc2x0 C.; the reaction time is between 4 and 8 hours; the reaction yields are between 93% and 96%. The dialkyl-urea (5) thus obtained is extremely pure and may be employed directly for the intended purposes. Also during the formation of the N,Nxe2x80x2-disubstituted urea (5), a mole of methanthiol is produced, which is recovered under the form of sodium salt in aqueous solution, with a 95% yield.
Furthermore, if a trialkyl-urea of formula (6) is to be obtained, Rxe2x80x2=R2, Rxe2x80x3=R3 and the S-methyl thiocarbamate (3) is to react with a secondary amine R2R3NH. The reaction is carried out at a temperature between 60xc2x0 C. and 70xc2x0 C.; the reaction time is between 1 and 2 hours; the reaction yields are between 93% and 96%. The trialkyl-urea (6) thus obtained is extremely pure and may be employed without any further purification for the intended purposes. During the formation of the N,N,Nxe2x80x2-trisubstituted urea (6), a mole of methanthiol is produced, which is recovered under the form of sodium salt in aqueous solution, with a 95% yield.
The process constituted by the steps A-C as described above, which employs, as a, starting compound, the O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate, an easily accessible, safe and inexpensive compound, provides, in mild and easily obtainable conditions and with usually very high yields, mono-, di- and trialkyl-substituted ureas, respectively of formulae (4), (5) and (6), wherein the substituents R1, R2 and R3, which may be equal or different one in respect of the other, are highly pure and, in most cases, immediately usable alkylic, cyclo-alkylic or aryl-alkylic radicals. The present process also has the important advantage of producing sodium methanthiolate, by completely exploiting the O,S-dimethyl dithiocarbonate (1) used as a starting compound.
The present invention will now be described more in detail, with reference to some examples, which are only provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) devices, and more particularly to a de-integrated trench formation for advance magnetic random access memory (MRAM) integration.
Background
Unlike conventional random access memory (RAM) chip technologies, in magnetic RAM (MRAM), data is stored by magnetization of storage elements. The basic structure of the storage elements consists of metallic ferromagnetic layers separated by a thin tunneling barrier. Typically, one of the ferromagnetic layers, for example the ferromagnetic layer underneath the barrier have a magnetization that is fixed in a particular direction, is commonly referred to as the pinned layer. The other ferromagnetic layers (e.g., the ferromagnetic layer above the tunneling barrier) have a magnetization direction that may be altered to represent either a “1” or a “0”, and are commonly referred to as the free layers. For example, a “1” may be represented when the free layer magnetization is anti-parallel to the fixed layer magnetization. In addition, a “0” may be represented when the free layer magnetization is parallel to the fixed layer magnetization or vice versa. One such device having a fixed layer, a tunneling layer, and a free layer is a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). The electrical resistance of an MTJ depends on whether the free layer magnetization and fixed layer magnetization are parallel or anti-parallel to each other. A memory device such as MRAM is built from an array of individually addressable MTJs.
To write data in a conventional MRAM, a write current, which exceeds a critical switching current, is applied through an MTJ. Application of a write current that exceeds the critical switching current changes the magnetization direction of the free layer. When the write current flows in a first direction, the MTJ may be placed into or remain in a first state in which its free layer magnetization direction and fixed layer magnetization direction are aligned in a parallel orientation. When the write current flows in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, the MTJ may be placed into or remain in a second state in which its free layer magnetization and fixed layer magnetization are in an anti-parallel orientation.
To read data in a conventional MRAM, a read current may flow through the MTJ via the same current path used to write data in the MTJ. If the magnetizations of the MTJ's free layer and fixed layer are oriented parallel to each other, the MTJ presents a parallel resistance. The parallel resistance is different than a resistance (anti-parallel) the MTJ would present if the magnetizations of the free layer and the fixed layer were in an anti-parallel orientation. In a conventional MRAM, two distinct states are defined by these two different resistances of an MTJ in a bitcell of the MRAM. The two different resistances indicate whether a logic “0” or a logic “1” value is stored by the MTJ.
Spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) is an emerging nonvolatile memory that has advantages of non-volatility. In particular, STT-MRAM embedded with logic circuits may operate at a higher speed than off chip dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In addition, STT-MRAM has a smaller chip size than embedded static random access memory (eSRAM), virtually unlimited read/write endurance as compared with FLASH, and a low array leakage current. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Human T cells are distinguished on the basis of T cell receptor structure. The major populations, including CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, express a receptor composed of alpha and beta chains. A smaller subset expresses T cell receptor made from gamma and delta chains. Gamma delta (“GD”) T cells make up 3-10% circulating lymphocytes, and Vδ2+ subset makes up 75% of GD T cells in blood. Vδ2+ cells recognize non-peptide epitopes and do not require antigen presentation by major histocompatibility complexes (“MHC”) or human leukocyte antigen (“HLA”). The majority of Vδ2+ T cells also express a Vγ9 chain and are stimulated by exposure to 5-carbon pyrophosphate compounds that are intermediates in mevalonate and non-mevalonate sterol/isoprenoid synthesis pathways. The response to isopentenyl pyrophosphate (5-carbon) is universal among healthy human beings.
Another subset of GD T cells, Vδ1+, make up a much smaller percentage of the T cells circulating in the blood, but Vδ+1 cells are commonly found in the epithelial mucosa and the skin.
In general, GD T cells have several functions, including killing tumor cells and pathogen-infected cells. Stimulation through their unique T cell receptor (“TCRs”) composed of two glycoprotein chains, γ and δ, improves the capacity for cellular cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion and other effector functions. The TCRs of GD T cells have unique specificities and the cells themselves occur in high clonal frequencies, thus allowing rapid innate-like responses to tumors and pathogens.
Aminobisphosphonate drugs (“ABPs”) and other inhibitors of farnesyl diphosphate synthase (“FDPS”), which are downstream from isopentenyl pyrophosphate (“IPP”) in the mevalonate pathway (see, for e.g., FIG. 1), have been used to treat various diseases, including cancers, specifically those involving bone metastasis. ABPs include trade names such as Zometa® (Novartis) and Fosamax® (Merck).
ABPs have also been used to stimulate GD T cells. This may be because when FDPS is inhibited in myeloid cells, IPP begins to accumulate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (“GGPP”), a downstream product of FDPS that suppresses activation of the inflammasome pathway, is reduced. The reduction in GGPP removes an inhibitor of the caspase-dependent inflammasome pathway and allows secretion of mature cytokines including interleukin-beta and interleukin-18, the latter being especially important for gamma delta T cell activation.
Thus, when FDPS is blocked, the increased IPP and decreased GGPP combine to activate Vδ2+ T cells. Vδ2+ cells activated by IPP or ABPs will proliferate rapidly, express a number of cytokines and chemokines, and can function to cytotoxically destroy tumor cells or cells infected with pathogenic microorganisms.
However, ABPs are associated with inflammation and osteonecrosis, as well as having poor bioavailability due to their chemistry. Likewise, IPP has a very short half-life and is difficult to synthesize. Both types of compounds require systemic administration in an individual. Accordingly, both ABPs in general, and IPP specifically, leave a great deal to be desired for therapeutic purposes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless LAN system, and more particularly, a communication control device and a communication control method that use an IEEE 802.11 standard-compliant system and the infrastructure mode of the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In these days, in a wireless local area network (LAN) system, an IEEE 802.11 standard-compliant system is used. In the IEEE 802.11 standard-compliant system, Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) is used for the access control of a medium (wireless channel).
With CSMA/CA, a node that sends a packet verifies the situation of a medium in order to prevent the loss of transmission data due to packet collisions. That is to say, in a wireless LAN system, before a packet that was sent from a sending node arrives at one receiving node, another packet that was subsequently sent from another sending node sometimes arrives at the receiving node. Packet collisions means that, in such a case, the receiving node cannot distinguish arrived packets or perform demodulation of data.
When packet collisions occurred, the receiving node has captured all the collided packets. Then the receiving node refers to a destination address put on the captured packet, and determines whether or not its own node is a destination. When the receiving node is the destination, it is determined that packet loss occurs, and the need of retransmission arises. Further, if the packet is management data or control data addressed to a plurality of nodes including the receiving node, degradation of communication quality and reduction in system throughput occur.
Note that no problem arises if the packet that triggered the collision was not destined to its own node.
In order to avoid such packet collisions, when a medium is not performing communication, a node waits to send packets (back off) for a random period within specified time (contention window), then sends the packets. On the other hand, when the medium is performing another communication, the node waits for the medium to be released, then sends the packets (transmission control). Then, after the medium is released, the node sends the packets again.
At this time, the node adjusts a modulation scheme, the number of multi-values (M-ary), and an error correcting coding rate depending on the size of the power of a signal, which arrives at a receiving side, and the quality of communication. The adjustment is performed by self-distributed adaptive modulation/demodulation operation at each node.
Further, adjustment by a node allows data transmission speed to be increased (shift-up) or reduced (shift-down). In CSMA/CA, the adjustment of the data transmission speed makes wireless resource utilization more efficient (maximization of data transmission speed, minimization of medium occupancy time of packet, and maximization of the probability of enabling connection of a medium at a node).
Note that transmission power of each node is usually fixed to equal to or less than the specified value of the standard, and that a node usually does not change the level in accordance with the situation of the medium and traffic.
More specifically, the situation of a medium is checked through the measurement of a wireless channel used for transmission by a node, which a node is attempting to send out a packet to. The measurement of the wireless channel allows the size of total received power, and the presence or absence of an arriving packet which reception is identifiable, to be determined. Note that the total received power is the sum of thermal noise power of a receiver, and received signal power of packets which have been sent out from another node, and arrived at its own node at the time of measurement.
When the total received power is larger than a preset threshold (carrier sense threshold), or when there is a arriving packet which reception is identifiable, the node determines that another communication being performed nearby or multiple communications being performed in the surrounding is the situation (Busy).
Note that “nearby” means an inter-node distance for which its own node is determined to be “Busy” as a result of another node sending a packet. In addition, “in the surrounding” means an inter-node distance for which its own node is determined to be “Busy” as a result of a plurality of other nodes sending packets simultaneously. Further, “long distance” means an inter-node distance for which its own node is not determined to be “Busy” even if a plurality of other nodes send packets simultaneously.
If the total received power is equal to or larger than the carrier sense threshold, or if there is an arriving packet which reception is identifiable, when new communication starts, packet collisions occur. In addition, interference of communication by another node causes congestion of a medium due to packet retransmission. Further, transmission error due to interference is promoted, and the throughput of the entire system is reduced.
On the other hand, when the total received power is less than the carrier sense threshold, and there is no arriving packet which reception is identifiable, it is determined that communication is not being performed nearby or in the surrounding (Idle). At that time, the node can start new communication.
However, even when Idle, due to the interference of communications being performed remotely, sometimes packets arrive at its own node with received powers such that the total amount of received signal power is equal to or less than the carrier sense threshold, or with received powers that do not allow identification of reception as packets. Such a state is a factor of shift-down because of avoidance of transmission error based on the adaptive modulation/demodulation operation, even if transmission data loss due to packet collisions does not occur.
As described above, with a carrier sense, packet collisions can be reduced to some extent to facilitate communication.
Prior arts of such a wireless LAN are described in Duck-Yong Yang et al, “Achieving Efficient Channel Utilization Using Dynamic Coverage Control in IEEE802.11,” Proc. IEEE ISPACS, November 2004 (hereinafter referred to as Non-patent Document 1), Hector Velayos et al, “Load Balancing in Overlapping Wireless LAN Cells,” IEEE ICC 2004, June 2004 (hereinafter referred to as Non-patent Document 2) and Olivia Brickley et al, “Load Balancing for QoS Optimisation in Wireless LANs Utilising Advanced Cell Breathing Techniques,” Proc. IEEE VTC 2005-Spring, May 2005 (hereinafter referred to as Non-patent Document 3), for example. An infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode are defined in the IEEE 802.11 standard-compliant wireless LAN system, and Non-patent Document 1 to Non-patent Document 3 are based on the regulation of the infrastructure mode.
Note that an infrastructure mode is the regulation of a wireless network comprised of two types of nodes: a base station (access point: AP) and a mobile terminal (station: STA). Further, an ad hoc mode is the regulation of a wireless network comprised of only STAs.
A set of one AP and a plurality of STAs attributed thereto in an infrastructure mode is referred to as a Basic Service Set (BSS). A BSS corresponds to a cell of a cellular system.
A technique described in Non-patent document 1 discloses that, in a configuration where infrastructure mode wireless LAN systems are densely deployed, the transmission power of an AP can be controlled to a necessary minimum value that each STA requires based on link margin information that has been reported by each STA. In the technique described in Non-patent document 1, such control allows interference between BSSs (temporal occupancy of the medium of a neighboring BSS) to be reduced, and wireless resources to be used efficiently, thus allowing the system throughput to be increased.
Note that the method disclosed in Non-patent Document 1 is particularly effective for a case where a frequency band assigned to the wireless LAN system is not sufficient for traffic, and interference between BSSs cannot be avoided due to the design of the BSS operating frequency.
In addition, Non-patent document 2 describes that, in the infrastructure mode wireless LAN system, as an AP to be connected to its own device, the STA selects an AP where the received signal is the strongest among a plurality of AP candidates. The technique disclosed in Non-patent Document 2 is a technique that balances, in such a configuration, the loads among self-distributedly overlapping APs, and increases the throughput of the LAN system to reduce a transmission delay.
More particularly, each AP regularly exchanges load information through a wired backbone, and selects an STA requiring hand-off in order to balance the load. At this time, the AP determines the state of its own device (high load, low load, adequate) based on the exchange result of the load information. The load information representing a state is represented by throughput in consideration of uplink and downlink traffics on each AP.
In addition, as a result of determination, an AP whose load was determined to be low actively accepts the roaming and new connection of STAs that a neighboring AP takes charge of. An AP whose load was determined to be adequate accepts the new connection of STAs. An AP whose load was determined to be high does not accept the new connection of STAs, and forces the existing STAs to be handed over in order to reduce the load.
Such a method disclosed in Non-patent Document 2 is effective in increasing the system throughput in a case where STAs in an area are unevenly distributed, and congestion occurs in the AP of a specific BSS, but congestion does not occur in the AP of the adjacent BSS.
In addition, Non-patent Document 3 describes that, in the infrastructure mode wireless LAN system, when the connections of the STAs having data to be transmitted concentrate on a specific AP, the AP whose load (number of connections of SATs) is high reduces transmission power to narrow BSS coverage. In addition, in Non-patent Document 3, the AP whose load is low increases transmission power to expand BSS coverage, in order to distribute the load among APs.
In such Non-patent Document 3, congestion occurs in a specific AP, thus allowing reduction in throughput due to packet collisions and packet retransmission, and the resulting increase in delay and degradation of Quality of Service (QoS) to be avoided. Non-patent Document 3 is effective in increasing the system throughput in a case where STAs in an area are unevenly distributed, and congestion occurs in the AP of a specific BSS, but congestion does not occur in the AP of the adjacent BSS.
However, the above-described carrier sense cannot completely avoid packet collisions when a hidden terminal problem arises. In addition, it is a problem that reduction in throughput due to an exposed terminal problem cannot sufficiently be prevented.
That is to say, a hidden terminal problem occurs when a packet which a sending node “a” sent cannot arrive at another sending node “b”, for example, due to electric wave propagation environment such as obstacles and the distance between sending nodes. This is because, in such a case, the carrier sense cannot be performed properly, and the sending node “b” sends out a packet in spite of the fact that the sending node “a” is sending another packet.
Note that there is a propagation delay time problem as another cause of packet collisions. The propagation delay time problem means that, in spite of the fact that the carrier sense was performed properly, the sending node “b” cannot detect the start of packet sending from the sending node “a” because of the electric wave propagation delay between sending nodes, and starts sending out the packet almost simultaneously with the sending node “a”.
Meanwhile, the exposed terminal problem is a problem that data is sent and received because of an unnecessary carrier sense, resulting in the reduction in system throughput.
For example, when the sending node “a” starts sending out a packet to a receiving node “a”, the sending node “b” detects the packet of the sending node “a” with a carrier sense, and determines that the situation of the medium is Busy. At this time, when there is a packet which the sending node “b” is about to send to the receiving node “b”, the sending node “b” is controlled to not send the packet but keep it.
However, in the case described above, a situation can also be considered, where the receiving node “a” and the receiving node “b” are distanced enough such that packet collisions do not occur even if the sending node “b” sends a packet to the receiving node “b”. In such a situation, the carrier sense is unnecessary, reducing the system throughput.
The hidden terminal problem and the exposed terminal problem occur to predict packet collisions depending on the presence or absence of the packet sending in the sending node (verification of the situation of the medium with a carrier sense).
That is to say, when the sending node “a” and the receiving node “a” are at close enough spots, the node “b” detects the packet sending in the sending node “a” with the carrier sense and suppresses the sending, allowing packet collisions in the receiving node “a” to be avoided.
However, when the sending node “a” and the receiving node “a” are far from each other, even if the packets are arriving at the receiving node “a”, sometimes the situation of the medium is not verified with the carrier sense of another sending node “b” due to shielding objects in the surrounding and attenuation of packets. In such a case, when the node “b” sends a packet to the receiving node “b”, packet collisions occur in the receiving node “b” due to the hidden terminal problem.
In addition, when the sending node “a” and the receiving node “a” are far from each other, packets sent out from another sending node “b” are attenuated to a received signal power that does not cause packet collisions in the receiving node “a” while packets are arriving at the receiving node “a”. In the present circumstances, even in such a case, the sending node “b” detects the sending of the packet to the receiving node “a” with a carrier sense and suppresses the sending. Accordingly, an exposed terminal problem arises, and efficient utilization of a wireless resource is prevented.
The Non-patent Document 1 exchanges control data (RTS: Request To Send, CTS: Clear To Send) among APs or among STAs prior to data transmission in order to avoid a hidden terminal problem. A technique described in such Non-patent Document 1 causes a possibility that a substantial throughput which can be assigned to user data is reduced by the exchange of control data.
In addition, in the technique described in Non-patent Document 1, only the transmission power of an AP is controlled, but transmission power of an STA is not controlled. Accordingly, in Non-patent Document 1, there is room for improvement on an interference reduction effect in a BSS. In addition, the technique described in Non-patent Document 1 assumes the Direct-sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) scheme in the physical layer, and is not applicable to the IEEE 801.11a and IEEE 802.11g standards which use the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme. The OFDM scheme is a scheme which obtains high throughput in the same frequency occupancy band by adopting adaptive modulation/demodulation operation. The fact that the standard using such a scheme cannot be applied reduces the flexibility of the design of a wireless LAN system.
Further, techniques described in Non-patent Document 2 and Non-patent Document 3 can prevent connections from concentrating on a portion of nodes in a BSS, and reduce a probability that packet collisions occur. However, the techniques described in Non-patent Document 2 and Non-patent Document 3 do not consider the effect of interference, which occurs when a plurality of BSSs use the same frequency for communication. Accordingly, it is not unrealistic because it is required that there is a sufficient frequency band assigned to the traffic of the wireless LAN system, and that all the BSSs in an area are operated in different frequencies.
Furthermore, Non-patent Document 3 does not specifically describes a method for detecting the load of a BSS and the degradation of QoS, a relationship between a detected value and the control of transmission power, and a method for coordinating and controlling BSSs.
The present invention is made in light of the above points, and has an object to provide a communication control device and a communication control method that can efficiently use wireless resources to improve communication quality and system throughput by setting and performing node transmission power properly. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Model checking is a method of formal verification that is gaining in popularity as a tool for use in designing complex systems, such as integrated circuits. The method is described generally by Clarke et al. in Model Checking (MIT Press, 1999), which is incorporated herein by reference. To perform model checking of the design of a device, a user reads the definition and functional specifications of the device and then, based on this information, writes a set of properties {φi} (also known as a specification) that the design is expected to fulfill. A model M (also known as an implementation) of the design, which is typically written in a hardware description language, is then verified to ascertain that the model satisfies all of the properties in the set, i.e., ∀φε{φi}, M|=φ, under all possible input sequences. When a property φ is found to be false on M, the model checker returns a sequence of states and transitions (a path) that leads to the problematic state of the design. This path is called a counterexample. It can be used by the engineer in understanding and remedying the design defect that led to the failure of the model.
The properties {φi} for use in model checking are typically written in a suitable specification language for expressing temporal logic relationships between the inputs and outputs of the device. Such languages are commonly based on a temporal logic, such as Computation Tree Logic (CTL) or Linear Temporal Logic (LTL). Model checking can then be carried out automatically by a symbolic model checking program, such as SMV, as described, for example, by McMillan in Symbolic Model Checking (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1993), which is incorporated herein by reference. Symbolic CTL model checking involves computing the transition-relation (TR) of the model, and then applying the model checking algorithm to verify a given CTL formula.
A number of practical model checking tools are available, among them RuleBase, developed by IBM Corporation. This tool is described by Beer et al. in “RuleBase: an Industry-Oriented Formal Verification Tool,” in Proceedings of the Design Automation Conference DAC'96 (Las Vegas, Nev., 1996), which is incorporated herein by reference. In another article, entitled “On-the-fly Model Checking of RCTL Formulas,” in Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Computer Aided Verification (CAV 1998), which is incorporated here in by reference, Beer et al. define a specification language RCTL, as an extension to the conventional CTL language using regular expressions. RCTL makes it possible to translate many CTL formulas conveniently into state machines having an error state. More recently, Beer et al. have extended RCTL to include further expressions and syntax that are useful in creating formulas for model checking, which they describe in “The Temporal Logic Sugar,” Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Conference on Computer Aided Verification (CAV 2001), which is incorporated herein by reference.
Although model checking has gained wide acceptance in hardware design, it is still rarely used in mainstream software development. There are two major reasons for the low penetration of model checking in the software field: (1) The semantics of software programming languages are difficult to translate into models for existing model checkers. By contrast, fully-automatic tools exist for translating gate-level hardware description languages into a form amenable to model checking. (2) Software programs generally have an infinite number of states, whereas hardware devices can be treated as finite state systems.The effort to develop new model checkers that address the features of software design is still in its infancy. Such software model checkers are still far from achieving the degree of automation and versatility offered by existing hardware model checkers, such as RuleBase. There is a need for tools that can automatically convert software source code into models that can be handled in a similar way to hardware models, using proven model checking tools.
For this purpose, a number of research groups have developed methods for converting software source code into modeling languages. For example, Demartini et al. describe a method for applying the SPIN model checker to Java programs in “Modeling and Validation of Java Multithreading Applications Using SPIN,” published in Proceedings of the Fourth International SPIN Workshop (Paris, France, 1998), which is incorporated herein by reference. They use a “Java2Spin” translator tool to convert the Java source code into an abstract formal model expressed in the Promela language used by SPIN. Synchronization among threads is modeled using message queues and global variables. The model complexity is kept low by avoiding explicit modeling of library classes, by letting the user specify which variables need to be modeled and by applying other model reduction techniques. A similar approach is described by Havelund et al. in “Model Checking Java Programs Using Java PathFinder,” International Journal for Software Tools for Technology Transfer (Springer Verlag, April, 2000), page 366, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
Holzmann et al. describe another method for automated model generation from software code in “Software Model Checking: Extracting Verification Models from Source Code,” published in Proceedings of PSTV/FORTE99 (Kluwer, 1999), page 481, which is incorporated herein by reference. (PSTV stands for “Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification,” while FORTE stands for “Formal Description Techniques for Distributed Systems and Communication Protocols.”) The authors extract a control-flow skeleton from C language code using a semi-automatic, user-guided procedure, and use a look-up table to convert specific source statements into corresponding Promela modeling code. To produce the final model in Promela, every abstract data object must be formally declared, defining its type and initial value. The user carries out this step by filling in a model template that contains the required data declarations and an outline of the required process declarations. Holzmann describes this method further in “Logic Verification of ANSI-C Code with SPIN,” in Proceedings of the Seventh International SPIN Workshop (Springer Verlag, 2000), page 224, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
Corbett et al. describe yet another tool for automated model generation in “Bandera: Extracting Finite-state Models from Java Source Code,” in Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Software Engineering (Limerick, Ireland, June, 2000, published by the Association for Computing Machinery), page 439, which is incorporated herein by reference. Bandera has a number of components, including an abstraction engine, which allows the user to reduce the cardinality of data sets associated with variables. It also provides a language for use in specifying abstractions. Bandera generates a low-level intermediate language based on guarded commands, which abstracts common model checker input languages.
Esparza et al. describe the application of model checking to pushdown automata, in “Efficient Algorithms for Model Checking Pushdown Systems,” published in Proceedings of the Twelfth International Conference on Computer Aided Verification (CAV) (Springer Verlag, 2000), page 232, which is incorporated herein by reference. Pushdown systems are infinite transition systems having configurations of the form (control state, stack content) as their states. The authors use pushdown systems to model sequential programs with procedures by concentrating on the control flow and abstracting away information about data. The model establishes a relation between the control states of a program and the configurations of the corresponding pushdown system. Model checking is then applied to the pushdown system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
A voice-assisted user interface has been introduced in digital wireless terminal devices as a new feature. The voice-assisted user interface allows the user to control his terminal without effort and without eye contact in particular. With a user interface concept of this kind advantage is achieved, for example, in professional users, such as, for example, in authority and vehicle use and among users with limited visual abilities.
A voice-assisted user interface always entails a need to get information without eye contact about the current state of the terminal device and about the arrival of commands directed thereto. As one example such a situation may be mentioned, where the user sets his terminal device to listen to a certain traffic channel. Hereby the rotating tuner is used to select, for example, manually a channel, whereupon the terminal device gives a voice feedback corresponding to the channel selection. If the selection of channel was successful, the selecting actions can be stopped. But on the other hand, if the selection of a channel failed, then the selecting is continued, until the desired traffic channel is found. Such voice feedbacks may be mentioned as another example, which the terminal device gives spontaneously, for example, relating to its state at each time.
For example, storing in state-of-the-art terminal devices of the voice feedbacks used in the situations described above has been very problematic and also generally there are hardly any functioning solutions for its implementation. It has also been regarded as a problem how generally to use voice feedbacks in a voice-assisted user interface and how they could be connected to the control steps taken by the users in the terminal device.
Some implementation models have been proposed for the problem of the described kind. Implementations with the closest application areas are found in connection with the name/voice call functions of some mobile station terminals.
Arranging of voice feedbacks to digital wireless terminal devices with various synthesizer applications is presented as the state of the art. Numerous examples of these have been presented in various publications, of which U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,503 (Kowalski) can be mentioned as an example. However, the main drawback of these implementations is their excessive power consumption, although in fact the objective is to minimize this in mobile terminal devices.
The state of the art is also described in the solution presented in WO Publication 96/19069 (Qualcomm Incorporated), wherein voice feedbacks are arranged to the terminal device, for example, in its post-programmable non-volatile memory. Herein the voice feedbacks are processed in order to reduce their file size before they are stored in the memory. However, such a situation constitutes a problem in this solution, where voice feedbacks ought to be arranged in the terminal device for several different user groups, such as, for example, for different language areas. To this end it has been proposed to equip the terminal device with a special additional memory, which makes the implementation clumsy from the viewpoint both of the user and the manufacturer of the terminal device. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Devices for assisted parking of a motor vehicle are increasingly used in today's motor vehicles. As an example of such driver assistance systems the park steering assistant of Volkswagen is to be mentioned, where a periphery sensor system measures an appropriate parking space during passing by and the vehicle due to a driver command parks into the parking space based on an appropriate starting point by means of the park steering assistant, wherein the park steering assistant autonomously takes over the steering activity while the driver is responsible for the speed of the vehicle. This requires a controllable electro-mechanic steering gear in order to be able to apply the required steering momentum to the steering gear by means of an appropriate actuator. It is a disadvantage of the well-known driver assistance system that when exceeding a predetermined maximum speed of 10 km/h by a predetermined amount, for example 20%, the assistance function is deactivated and the driver all of a sudden does not anymore receive a steering assistance.
Furthermore, known from DE 196 07 788 A1 is a method and a device for controlling the approach of a vehicle towards an obstacle, where the speed of the vehicle is limited by means of controlling the power of the drive unit of the vehicle in a first range of a distance to the obstacle, and in a second distance range braking power is established at the wheel brakes of the vehicle. It is a disadvantage of the method known from the art that no active steering assistance is provided to the driver.
Furthermore, known from DE 122 426 A1 is a method for operating a parking assistance system and such a parking assistance system in which an automatic braking and/or accelerating of the vehicle is carried out during the activity of parking and/or pulling out. Also here it is a disadvantage that an active steering assistance of the driver is not provided for. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doimmalaven’.
The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Koka, Ethiopia and Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early and freely flowering New Guinea Impatiens plants with large attractive flowers and good garden performance.
The new Impatiens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in November, 2013 in Koka, Ethiopia of a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number NN-0474, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number NN11-003606-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in April, 2014.
Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art. For the purposes of this disclosure, “optically heterogeneous” means a heterogeneous structure where the heterogeneity leads to differences in optical or related properties.
A variety of optical imaging techniques can be used, for example, in biomedical applications. For example, microscopy methods (MM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) allow imaging at shallow depths in tissue. In deep tissue, the deleterious effects of scatter require different techniques, such as diffuse optical imaging (DOI) (also known as optical diffusion imaging), where a model of scattered light propagation can assist with image formation. DOI techniques may encompass such imaging methods as hyperspectral reflectance imaging (HRI), speckle imaging, spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI), diffuse optical tomography (DOT), optical diffusion tomography (ODT), near infrared optical tomography (NIROT), fluorescence diffuse optical tomography (FDOT), and fluorescence optical diffusion tomography (FODT). DOI techniques use light of certain wavelengths to penetrate a body and the tissue portion thereof and form 3D images of the tissue as a result of light scattering and absorption that occurs when inhomogeneities are encountered. Optical imaging techniques can be utilized to obtain information regarding medical conditions and biological activities within living bodies, including conditions and activities of such internal organs as the heart, brain, kidneys, lungs, liver, skeleton, vascular structures, etc.
Imaging techniques and equipment typically require testing and calibration to promote the reliability of their results. For this purpose, optical imaging techniques often involve the fabrication of a “phantom” structure intended to simulate an object of interest, such as an entire body or portion thereof to be evaluated with the imaging technique. Phantoms are particularly useful for calibrating imaging techniques that will be used to evaluate tissue of a living body, as they avoid the need to have actual tissue for calibration, for example, a tissue donor, live subject, cadaver, etc. Consequently, a phantom is preferably fabricated to emulate internal and external physical characteristics of a body and its tissue. In order to do so, a phantom should have controlled optical properties, including but not limited to regions in which the phantom has different scattering, absorption, or fluorescent properties.
Phantoms can be formed of polymeric materials that contain additives intended to adjust its optical properties. External geometry and physical characteristics of the body to be simulated by a phantom are emulated by the mold in which the phantom is formed, whereas internal physical characteristics of, for example, tissue within the body are emulated by attempting to control the optical properties within the phantom with additives that alter the scattering and/or absorption and/or related optical coefficients of the phantom material. These injection molding techniques typically used in the fabrication of phantoms may adequately simulate the external shape of a body, but difficulties arise if the body has a complex external shape. Furthermore, injection molding techniques are not well suited for controllably tuning the internal physical characteristics of a phantom by selectively placing additives in regions that alter the scattering and/or absorption and/or related optical coefficients of the phantom to accurately simulate inhomogeneities such as internal organs.
Thus there is unmet need for phantoms that accurately simulate inhomogeneities of interest within a background medium. The methods detailed within this disclosure are meant to satisfy this unmet need. | {
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The ever increasing proliferation and/or availability of media players (e.g., personal computers, digital video recorders (DVRs), home media centers, game playing system, etc.) creates a strong demand for systems, devices and/or methods to download video, audio and/or multimedia data, files and/or assets. Today, most media devices are customized for operation with a single content delivery medium, for example, satellite, digital cable, Internet. Additionally, present media devices rely on often incompatible media file formats and transmission protocols. As such, a device that can record, for example, a movie delivered via satellite may be incapable of receiving a movie, even the same movie, via the Internet. Additionally, to reduce piracy, broadcast and/or delivery systems and media players require methods to ensure secure authorization, secure content delivery and secure content storage. | {
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The plantar fascia is connective tissue that runs between the distal ends of the metatarsal bones of the foot to the protuberance of the calcaneus bone. The planta fascia may be become inflamed from overuse or lack of arch support. Current arch support mechanisms include orthotics, which are worn within a shoe between the sole of the shoe and a plantar surface of the wearer's foot. However, wearers performing studio-type exercises, such as dance, aerobics, yoga, Pilates, Barre, etc., do not typically wear shoes while exercising.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a wearable foot garment that supports the plantar fascia to help prevent or recover from injury to the plantar fascia and that can be worn during exercise. | {
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The present invention relates to a multichannel stimulation system for regenerating damaged corneal nerves, and more specifically, to a multichannel stimulation system for regenerating damaged corneal nerves, which can effectively regenerate damaged corneal nerves by applying electric pulse signal as a stimulation signal through multiple channels attached in a plurality of areas close to the eyes.
After the permission of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the mid-1990s, about 30 million people worldwide have undergone vision correction surgery for myopia treatment, and recently in Korea, more than half of the population needs vision correction surgery as a result of aging population and rapid increase in the use of digital devices.
Accordingly, it is estimated that more than 200,000 people undergo laser vision correction surgery every year in Korea, and this laser vision correction surgery damages the corneal nerve bundles in the process of physically affecting the corneal epithelium to correct refractive error.
The density and sensory function of the actual corneal nerve bundles tend to decrease immediately after the laser vision correction surgery, and it has been found that dry eye syndrome and corneal pain, which are frequent side effects of the laser vision correction surgery, are closely related to the corneal nerve bundles.
Recently, thanks to the rapid development of neuromodulation and research of nervous system, understanding of the growth and function of nerve cells is increasing. In addition, according to the accumulated technologies, it is shown that nerve regeneration may control activities by means of inherent features and regeneration of nerves and tissues can be accelerated by using minute electrical stimulation in regenerating peripheral nerves.
Accordingly, although various methods are proposed to treat patients suffering from visual disorder using minute electrical stimulation, effective treatment is difficult as the methods simply exercise electrical stimulation through probes.
The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Laid-opened Patent No. 10-2018-0125997 released on Nov. 26, 2018. | {
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A semiconductor device employable as a capacitor and a semiconductor memory cell employing the one transistor and one capacitor structure are available in the prior art. The semiconductor device employable as a capacitor available in the prior art has a structure consisting of a conductive layer horizontally produced on an insulator layer horizontally produced on a conductive region produced by introducing an impurity along the horizontal top surface of a semiconductor substrate. In other words, the semiconductor device employable as a capacitor available in the prior art has one dielectric plate arranged between two electrodes, all of them extending in the horizontal direction. Incidentally, the semiconductor memory cell of the one transistor and one capacitor structure available in the prior art has a field effect transistor of which the gate acts as a word line, of which the source is connected with a bit line and of which the drain is connected with a capacitor which is produced on top of the foregoing field effect transistor and which has one dielectric plate arranged between two electrodes, all of them extending in the horizontal direction. The other terminal of the capacitor is generally grounded.
Referring to the drawings, the structure of a semiconductor memory cell of the one transistor and one capacitor structure available in the prior art and a process for producing the same will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of plural semiconductor memory cells available in the prior art and FIG. 2 is a cross section of a semiconductor memory cell or of a portion thereof limited by the I-I' arrows shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a part of the surface of a p-Si substrate 1500 is surrounded by an element separation area 1501 to define an active area 1502, in which a drain 1503, a gate 1507, a source 1504 and a drain 1503 are arranged in a row. In other words, one active area 1502 contains two field effect transistors which hold one source in common. The gate electrode 1507 which is made of a conductive poly crystalline Si layer on a gate insulator layer 1506 and of which the both sides are insulated by insulator side walls 1508, extends in the direction perpendicular to the page of the drawing to constitute a word line. The source 1504 is connected to a bit line 1510 which extends along the page from side to side or in the direction perpendicular to the word line 1507. The source 1504 is connected with the bit line 1510 via a bit contact 1511 which is produced aside of the source 1504 under the bit line 1510. The numeral 1509 indicates an insulator layer covering the field effect transistor described above. The bit line 1510 is produced on the insulator layer 1509, and the numeral 1512 indicates an insulator layer covering the bit line 1510. At a location corresponding to the drain 1503, a contact hole 1513 is produced in the insulator layers 1512 and 1509, to be filled by a conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1514 which extends on the surface of the insulator layer 1512. The contact between the drain 1503 and the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1514 is called a cell contact 1515. The conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1514 is patterned to produce one electrode 1516 of a capacitor 1519. A dielectric layer 1517 is produced to cover the one electrode 1516. A conductive poly crystalline Si layer is produced on the dielectric layer 1517 to act as the other electrode 1518 of the capacitor 1519. The other electrode 1518 of the capacitor 1519 is connected with a low and fixed electric potential, e.g. the ground level.
Referring to FIGS. 3 through 7, a process for producing the foregoing semiconductor memory cell will be described below.
Referring to FIG. 3, a LOCOS process or the like is employed to produce an element separation area 1501 on a semiconductor (Si in this example) substrate 1500 having one conductivity (p-type in this example).
Referring to FIG. 4, the top surface of the Si substrate 1500 is oxidized to produce a silicon dioxide layer 1506 which is scheduled to be a gate insulator layer, and a CVD process is employed to produce a conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1507. The conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1507 is patterned into the horizontal shape of a gate electrode 1507. The gate electrode 1507 is scheduled to be a word line (See FIG. 1). A CVD process is employed to produce a silicon dioxide layer 1508. The silicon dioxide layer 1508 is etch backed to be remained exclusively on the sides of the gate electrode 1507. Employing the gate electrode 1507 as a mask, an ion implantation process is conducted to introduce an impurity of the other conductivity (n-impurity in this case e.g. phosphorus, arsenic or antimony) in the top surface region of the Si substrate 1500 to produce a drain 1503 and a source 1504. At the edges of the drain 1503 and the source 1504, the impurity of the other conductivity diffuses toward beneath the gate insulator layer 1506 to a marginal extent, during the thermal processes conducted later, so that the drain 1503 and the source 1504 are allowed to contact with a channel which will occur during the operation of the field effect transistor. The drain 1503 is scheduled to be connected with a capacitor which is scheduled to be produced later and the source 1504 is scheduled to be connected with a bit line which extends in a direction perpendicular to the word line 1507 (See FIG. 2), via a bit contact 1511 (See FIG. 1) which is produced in the insulator layers 1509 and 1512 (See FIG. 2) produced on the Si substrate aside of the source 1504 (See FIG. 1).
Referring to FIG. 5, a CVD process is employed to produce a BPSG (silicate glass containing phosphorus and boron) layer 1509. After the bit contact 1511 and the bit line 1510 (See FIG. 1) referred to above are produced by employing CVD processes and photolithography processes, a CVD process is employed to produce a BPSG layer 1512 to insulate the bit line 1510 (See FIG. 1). A dry etching process is employed to produce a contact hole 1513 which reaches the drain 1503, penetrating the insulator layer 1509 and 1512.
Referring to FIG. 6, a CVD process is employed to deposit conductive Si in the contact hole 1513 and on the insulator layer 1512 to produce a conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1516, which is patterned to the horizontal shape of one electrode (or the first electrode) of a capacitor 1519 (See FIG. 7) covering the areas corresponding to the gate 1507 and a part of the neighboring gate 1507 of a field effect transistor belonging to the neighboring memory cell, as shown in the drawing.
Referring to FIG. 7, CVD processes are employed to produce a silicon nitride layer 1517 and a conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1518. Piled layers of the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1516, the silicon nitride layer 1517 and the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1518 constitute a capacitor 1519.
In this manner, produced is the capacitor 1519 which horizontally extends along the top surface of a filed effect transistor which acts as the transfer gate for a semiconductor memory cell. Accordingly, the capacity of a capacitor employed in a semiconductor memory cell having the one transistor and one capacitor structure available in the prior art, is determined by the horizontal area of a semiconductor memory cell or the horizontal dimension of a field effect transistor acting as the transfer gate for the semiconductor memory cell. Therefore, the amount of the capacity of the capacitor having the foregoing structure is inclined to be increasingly decreased in the wake of improvement in integration of semiconductor devices.
This drawback can be overcome by an increase in the thickness of the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1516, because this increase in the thickness of the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1516 causes an increase in the vertical area of the side wall of the conductive poly crystalline Si layer 1516 (See FIG. 7) and results in an increase in the magnitude of the area with which the two electrodes of the capacitor 1519 face to each other. However, this inevitably increases the thickness of the core domain of the semiconductor memory cells, causing a step to be produced in the thickness between the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell and the domain of the peripheral circuits of the semiconductor memory cell. This step in the thickness between the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell and the domain of the peripheral circuits of the semiconductor memory cell causes various difficulties for producing interconnections between the memory cell proper and the peripheral circuits. The difficulties include difficulty which occurs during the exposure process in which the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell and the domain of the peripheral circuits are concurrently exposed in one step. In other words, if the step is larger than the depth of a focus of the optical equipment employed for the exposing process, it is difficult to focus equally on the two independent domains. Since the depth of a focus determines the size of numerical aperture which determines the resolving power which limits the magnitude of minute processing, the foregoing drawback is more serious for production of a highly integrated semiconductor memory.
The foregoing step in the thickness between the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell and the domain of the peripheral circuits causes another problem for spin coating a photoresist on the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell and the domain of the peripheral circuits. When a photoresist is spin coated, the top surface of the photoresist layer produced on the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell is flush with the photoresist layer produced on the domain of the peripheral circuits. This means that the thickness of the photoresist layer produced on the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell is thinner than that of the photoresist layer produced on the domain of the peripheral circuits. This causes possibility that the photoresist layer produced on the core domain of the semiconductor memory cell does not sufficiently function as an etching mask, due to its thin depth. | {
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Cooling towers are widely used in H.V.A.C. and Industry. The towers will normally employ evaporation of water, and heat exchange the building HVAC circulating water, to cool water. The evaporation results in the concentration of dissolved solids in the cooling tower recirculation water. Scale, principally in the form of calcium carbonate, can build up, thereby reducing the rates of heat transfer and hence the efficiency of the tower. The water is also suitable for the growth of biological contaminants such as bacteria and algae. Biofouling organisms, using organic nutrients collected by scale deposits, attack system surfaces with corrosive acids to further increase dissolved particulate contamination. Conventional chemical treatment, particularly since chromates were banned by E.P.A., in practice, does not control scale, corrosion or microbiological contamination, and produces the potential liability of toxic discharge water into the environment, and handling barrels of toxic chemicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,761, Leach et al. disclose a method of recirculation cooling tower basin water through a series of filter bags in order to reduce the amount of particulate contamination. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,978, Cushier et al. teaches a combination of filtration and treatment with redox media to reduce contamination in recirculation cooling tower waters. However, scale is not controlled, backwashing cycles are mandatory, and the copper compounds used plate out onto the metals of the equipment. Ozone treatment, among other disadvantages, does not prevent scale formation and is restricted in application. The known prior art methods do not eliminate scale, and do not offer 24 hour/day, automatic, effective protection against legionella, scale, corrosion and microbiological contamination. | {
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Whole grains are nutritious and provide high dietary fiber content. Shredded products have been historically made with whole grain wheat. Generally, in the production of shredded wheat, ready-to-eat cereal biscuits, and shredded wheat wafers from whole grains, a plurality of shredded layers are laminated upon one other, and the laminate is cut, dockered, and baked to provide products having a distinctly visible shred pattern on their opposing major surfaces. The shreds provide visual attractiveness and a unique, crispy texture and connote a healthy, hearty, natural product. Also, the shreds may provide increased surface area and deliver a robust flavor.
Wheat is often shredded because it has a composition that lends itself to be easily cooked, cooled, and shredded. To prepare wheat for shredding, whole wheat berries are generally immersion cooked in water and then cooled and tempered, using prolonged tempering times. Wheat is generally easy to shred over long periods after the cooking and tempering, for example up to about 24 hours after tempering. Whole wheat is unique in that it contains gluten that helps to retain water and to provide cohesiveness and elasticity during machining even after prolonged periods after tempering. However, the same is not true for other grains because of their lack of gluten and their unique chemical composition and changes that happen to the grains after cooking and tempering.
Starch-based compositions, which have little or no gluten, when mixed with water, tend not to form a material that is cohesive at room temperature and may not be continuously machinable or sheetable. Machinability of material made from ingredients having little or no gluten may be improved by forming the material under elevated temperature conditions, such as by steaming the ingredients. However, in the production of shredded products from cooked, tempered, non-glutenous and low gluten whole grains such as corn, oats, rice, and barley, or their combinations shreddability into long continuous shreds tends to decrease as tempering times increase or as the time between tempering and shredding increases. For example, cooked corn has a tendency to become hard and rubbery during the cooling and tempering process due, it is believed, to starch retrogradation. Also, storing of tempered low or no gluten grains in surge bins to accommodate mass production processes tends to increase starch retrogradation and hardness. The cooked, tempered grains which become hardened or rubbery, tend to fracture during shredding or do not conform to shredding roll grooves for producing continuous, well-defined shredded net-like sheets.
In conventional processes for producing shredded cereals, the grain is cooked and then permitted to temper to increase shred strength. Tempering of the cooked grains prior to shredding has generally been considered necessary for obtaining strong, continuous shreds. Cooked wheat or similar gluten containing grains are subjected to tempering times of over 12 hours before shredding. In the manufacture of a whole wheat food product such as shredded wheat, whole wheat is cooked sufficiently to gelatinize the starch. Gelatinization is a function of water penetration into the whole berry, temperature, and time, for a given type of grain. The gelatinization of wheat starch involves a destruction of bonds in the crystalline regions of starch granules. Retrogradation is the return of the starch molecules to a crystalline structure, which is different from the original crystalline structures, upon cooling. Tempering permits the gelatinized wheat starch to slowly cool and permits water migration through the wheat particles to achieve a uniform moisture distribution within the particles. Retrogradation occurs during tempering. If shredding is attempted shortly after cooking, the insufficient degree of retrogradation or tempering results in at best, short non-continuous strands and/or strands which are strong, curly, or suffer from other physical or textural disadvantage. In some cases, the time required for the tempering of cooked whole wheat is substantially reduced by cooling the wheat at a temperature of from 60° F. to about 70° F.
It is believed that for wheat, the tempering permits distribution of water and facilitates development of the gluten into a network which provides cohesiveness for shredding. It is also believed that the retrogradation of wheat starch during tempering or after tempering is slow so as not to impede shredding or it forms a crystalline structure which permits shredding in the presence of gluten. Tempering of non-glutenous and low gluten grains, such as corn, oats, rice, and barley also helps to distribute water throughout the starch granules. It is believed that release of some soluble starch during cooking and distribution of the starch and water during tempering helps to provide cohesiveness. However, the amount released may be insufficient for continuous shreddability or the starch retrogradation may be too rapid and may provide a crystalline structure which impedes shreddability into long continuous shreds.
Further, there has been increasing interest in providing foods with combinations of ingredients, flavors and textures. For example, traditional foods such as crackers oftentimes have a generally uniform appearance. In view of this, consumers often look for variations in product appearance when seeking to try new products. However, when incorporating additional components to modify the texture and/or appearance of a product, such as a cracker, traditional processing steps can result in detrimental effects on the strength and/or flavor of the resulting product. For example, shredded wheat crackers are oftentimes cooked in a pressure cooking stage. If additional components are added at the start of the pressure cooking stage, the additional components may denature or otherwise break down or become excessively overcooked or sticky.
Additionally, consumers have been looking for snacks that provide more natural food ingredients while still providing the taste and appearance of a snack food. Such snack foods may provide, for example, the sweet and/or savory flavors of traditional snacks or crackers while providing more natural ingredients that some consumers may interpret as being more “wholesome” when compared with other snacks. | {
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Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical powered vehicles, and it more particularly relates to systems to power vehicles from storage batteries. | {
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While a number of recent efforts are being made to achieve a finer pattern rule in the drive for higher integration and operating speeds in LSI devices, DUV and VUV lithography is thought to hold particular promise as the next generation in microfabrication technology. In particular, photolithography using an ArF excimer laser as the light source is thought requisite to the micropatterning technique capable of achieving a feature size of 0.13 μm or less.
The ArF lithography started partial use from the fabrication of 130-nm node devices and became the main lithography since 90-nm node devices. Although lithography using F2 laser (157 nm) was initially thought promising as the next lithography for 45-nm node devices, its development was retarded by several problems. A highlight was suddenly placed on the ArF immersion lithography that introduces a liquid having a higher refractive index than air (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, glycerol) between the projection lens and the wafer, allowing the projection lens to be designed to a numerical aperture (NA) of 1.0 or higher and achieving a higher resolution. See Journal of Photopolymer Science and Technology, Vol. 17, No. 4, p 587 (2004).
In the photolithography using an ArF excimer laser (wavelength 193 nm) as the light source, a high sensitivity resist material capable of achieving a high resolution at a small dose of exposure is needed to prevent the degradation of precise and expensive optical system materials. Among several measures for providing high sensitivity resist material, the most common is to select each component which is highly transparent at the wavelength of 193 nm. For example, polyacrylic acid and derivatives thereof, norbornene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymers, polynorbornene, ring-opening metathesis polymers, and hydrogenated ring-opening metathesis polymers have been proposed as the base resin. This choice is effective to some extent in that the transparency of a resin alone is increased.
Studies have also been made on photoacid generators. In prior art chemically amplified resist compositions for lithography using KrF excimer laser, photoacid generators capable of generating alkane- or arene-sulfonic acids are used. However, the use of these photoacid generators in chemically amplified resist compositions for ArF lithography results in an insufficient acid strength to scissor acid labile groups on the resin, a failure of resolution or a low sensitivity. Thus these photoacid generators are not suited for the fabrication of microelectronic devices.
For the above reason, photoacid generators capable of generating perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids having a high acid strength are generally used in ArF chemically amplified resist compositions. These photoacid generators capable of generating perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids have already been developed for use in the KrF resist compositions. For instance, JP-A 2000-122296 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,672 (or JP-A 11-282168) describe photoacid generators capable of generating perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluoro-4-ethylcyclohexanesulfonic acid, and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid. JP-A 2002-214774, US Patent Application Publication 2003-0113659 A1 (JP-A 2003-140332), and US Patent Application Publication 2002-0197558 A1 describe novel photoacid generators capable of generating perfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acids.
Among these, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and homologues thereof (collectively referred to as PFOS) are considered problematic with respect to their non-degradability and biological concentration in the environment. Manufacturers made efforts to develop partially fluorinated alkane sulfonic acids having a reduced degree of fluorine substitution as the replacement to PFOS. For instance, JP-A 2004-531749 describes the development of α,α-difluoroalkanesulfonic acid salts from α,α-difluoroalkene and a sulfur compound and discloses a resist composition comprising a photoacid generator which generates such sulfonic acid upon exposure, specifically di(4-tert-butylphenyl)iodonium 1,1-difluoro-2-(1-naphthyl)-ethanesulfonate. JP-A 2004-2252 describes the development of α,α,β,β-tetrafluoroalkanesulfonic acid salts from α,α,β,β-tetrafluoro-α-iodoalkane and sulfur compound and discloses a photoacid generator capable of generating such a sulfonic acid and a resist composition comprising the same. JP-A 2002-214774 discloses such photoacid generators having difluorosulfoacetic acid alkyl esters and difluorosulfoacetic acid amides although their synthesis method is lacking. Furthermore, JP-A 2005-266766 discloses a photosensitive composition comprising a compound capable of generating a partially fluorinated alkane sulfonic acid having a sulfonylamide structure derived from perfluoroalkylene disulfonyl difluoride.
In forming fine feature size patterns with a pitch of less than 200 nm, the problem of pattern density dependency, that is, the size difference between isolated and grouped patterns having different optical contrast becomes significant. Using a photoacid generator capable of generating an acid with low diffusion, the problem of pattern density dependency can be overcome to some extent, but not to a satisfactory extent. While the resist composition is required to achieve a further reduction of the pattern rule as well as a good balance of sensitivity, substrate adhesion, and etching resistance, it is also required to ameliorate the pattern density dependency fundamentally without sacrifice of resolution.
Under the circumstances, it was proposed to form a polymer from an acryloyloxyphenyl diphenyl sulfonium salt as a monomer for enhancing sensitivity (as described in JP-A 4-230645) and to incorporate the monomer into a polyhydroxystyrene resin for improving the line edge roughness of this base resin (as described in JP-A 2005-84365). However, since the sulfonium salt is bonded at its cation side to the polymer, the sulfonic acid generated upon exposure to high-energy radiation is not different from the sulfonic acids generated by conventional photoacid generators, which is unsatisfactory in view of the outstanding problem. Also, sulfonium salts having an anion side incorporated into the polymer backbone such as polystyrenesulfonic acid are disclosed as effective in enhancing sensitivity or improving resist pattern profile (Japanese Patent No. 3,613,491). The acids generated thereby are arenesulfonic and alkylsulfonic acid derivatives which have too low an acid strength to sever acid labile groups, especially acid labile groups in ArF chemically amplified resist compositions.
With respect to the immersion lithography, some problems arise from minute water droplets which are left on the resist and wafer after the immersion exposure. They can often cause damages and defects to the resist pattern profile. The resist pattern after development can collapse or deform into a T-top profile. There exists a need for a patterning process which can form a satisfactory resist pattern after development according to the immersion lithography.
The lithography techniques which are considered promising next to the ArF lithography include electron beam (EB) lithography, F2 lithography, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, and x-ray lithography. In these techniques, exposure must be done in vacuum or reduced pressure, which allows the sulfonic acid generated during exposure to volatilize, failing to form a satisfactory pattern profile. The sulfonic acid volatilized can damage or stain the exposure system. | {
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The present invention is directed to an ink jet recordable substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a water-resistant, coated, ink jet recordable substrate. This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/319,360 filed on Dec. 13, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/205,033 filed on Jul. 26, 2002, which is a conversion of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/309,348 filed on Aug. 1, 2001.
It is known in the art to size paper with sizing components for the purpose of retarding or preventing penetration of liquids into the structure. “Internal sizing” consists of introducing sizing materials into the pulp during the paper making operation. The sizing materials are precipitated onto the fibers primarily for the purpose of controlling penetration of liquids into the final dry paper. “Surface sizing” involves the application of dispersions of film-forming substances such as converted starches, gums, and modified polymers, to previously formed paper. Surface sizing imparts strength to the paper.
The use of sized paper to print with an ink jet printer containing predominantly water-based inks may yield imaged papers which have a tendency to curl into tubes. The use of un-sized paper may result migration of the image through the sheet and interference with the image on the other side, if one side of the imaged sheet comes into contact with water.
Various attempts have been made in the art to overcome the forgoing problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,976 discloses a paper substrate coated with a hydrophobic barrier material and an image receiving layer. The hydrophobic barrier layer is coated on both sides of the paper and includes a water insoluble component and a water or alcohol soluble anti-curl agent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,412 teaches a process for coating paper with an aqueous cationic polyurethane resin solution. Japanese Patent (JP) 11216945 discloses a process for coating paper with a composition that includes polyvinylpyrrolidone, a polyurethane resin emulsion, polyvinyl alcohol and a cationic resin.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,861,644 and 5,196,262 disclose a microporous material sheet which includes a matrix of linear ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin, a large proportion of finely divided water-insoluble siliceous filler, and interconnecting pores. U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,068 teaches a method of coating a microporous polyolefin substrate with a coating composition which includes a binder dissolved or dispersed in a volatile aqueous liquid medium. The binder includes a film-forming organic polymer of a water-soluble poly(ethylene oxide) and a water-soluble or water-dispersible crosslinkable urethane-acrylate hybrid polymer.
Another coating composition for ink jet recording materials is disclosed in Japanese Patent (JP) 2001-184881. This reference discloses a coating composition that includes a nonionic or anionic polyurethane and the reaction product of a monomeric secondary amine and epichlorohydrin. Japanese Patents (JP) 11268406 and (JP) 2000153667 disclose cationic polyurethanes that are useful in waterproofing coatings for ink jet printing substrates.
There remains a need for an ink jet recording medium that is durable, water-resistant and able to record sharp images when an ink jet printing ink is applied thereto. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a scanning beam generating unit normally employed in a printing apparatus such as a laser printer, a laser facsimile, and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a scanning beam generating unit comprising: a base frame defining an emitting or output window; a motor drive supported on the base frame; a rotating mirror attached to the drive shaft of the motor drive and capable of reflecting a beam emitted from a light source; and an optical component mounted on the base frame and designed to direct the beam from the mirror to the output window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A laser printer utilizes a laser beam irradiated on an optical photoconductor, namely, an optical photoconductive drum. The laser beam is designed to draw an electrostatic image on a photoconductive cylindrical surface of the drum. Particles of toner supplied to the drum serve to visualize the electrostatic image on the photoconductive cylindrical surface. The visible image of the toner can be transferred to the printing medium, such as a sheet of paper, from the photoconductive cylindrical surface of the drum. When the transferred toner is subjected to heat, the particles of the toner are fused so that the fused toner is deposited onto the printing medium. A fuser, such as a heat roller, may be employed to fuse and deposit the particles of the toner.
The laser beam is in general supplied from a scanning beam generating unit or optical unit. The rotating mirror having a shape, such as a polygon, causes the laser beam, emitted from a laser, to scan across the optical photoconductive drum along the meridian. Each facet of the polygon thus generates a scanning laser beam directed to the optical photoconductive drum. A motor drive is usually employed to generate rotation of the polygon.
In general, the fuser is preferably disposed adjacent or closer to the optical photoconductive drum in a laser printer. Such location of the fuser and drum enables a rapid fusion of the particles of the toner which have been transferred onto the printing medium. The toner can be fused soon after it has been transferred onto the printing medium. On the other hand, it is likewise preferable that the optical unit is disposed adjacent or closer to the optical photoconductive drum. Accordingly, the optical unit is usually disposed closer to the fuser. The smaller the size of the laser printer gets, the closer to the fuser the optical unit is disposed. However, if heat generated at the fuser is conducted to the optical unit, the motor drive tends to suffer from the deficiency of rotation, such as a jitter, because of an increased temperature in the bearing supporting the drive shaft, in particular. In addition, the bearing also suffers from a shortened lifetime or a deterioration.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a scanning beam generating unit, in general employed in a printing apparatus, capable of avoiding a deterioration and a jitter of a motor drive induced by thermal conduction.
According to the present invention, there is provided a scanning beam generating unit comprising: a base frame defining an output window; a motor drive disposed at a position spaced from the base frame and designed to rotate its drive shaft; a scanning mechanism attached to the drive shaft of the motor drive so as to allow a beam, emitted from a light source, to scan; and an optical component mounted on the base frame and designed to direct the beam from the scanning mechanism to the output window.
For example, the base frame serves to interrupt heat radiated toward the motor drive in the scanning beam generating unit. As compared with the case where a motor drive is mounted directly upon a base frame, the motor drive is prevented from receiving heat through the base frame. It is possible to avoid an increase in the temperature of the motor drive to the utmost. In particular, a rise in temperature can be prevented in the bearing supporting the drive shaft in the motor drive, so that a deterioration can be avoided in the bearing. At the same time, a deficiency in rotation, such as a jitter, can reliably be avoided in the motor drive.
The scanning beam generating unit may further comprise: an attachment member fixed on the base frame; and a basement member supported on the attachment member and spaced from the base frame so as to support the motor drive at a surface opposed to the base frame. The motor drive is located within a space defined between the base frame and the basement member. The basement member can be kept spaced enough from the base frame. Accordingly, heat is hardly conducted to the basement member from the base frame. Increases in temperature can still efficiently be avoided in the motor drive, in particular, at the bearing.
A heat radiation member may be attached on the basement member at a surface opposite to the surface on which the motor drive is attached. The radiation member serves to efficiently radiate heat staying at the basement member. Rises in temperature can still efficiently be avoided in the motor drive.
The scanning beam generating unit may further comprise: a thermal conductive frame cover coupled to the base frame so as to define a space for accommodating at least the optical component; and a conductive member connecting the frame cover to the basement member. The thermal conductive frame cover and the conductive member serve to increase the radiation area for heat staying at the basement member. Such an increase in the radiation area contributes to an accelerated heat radiation from the basement member.
In general, a printing apparatus employing the aforementioned scanning beam generating unit includes a heat source represented by a fuser such as a heat roller, for example. The scanning beam generating unit is often disposed adjacent or closer to the heat source. If the base frame is designed to oppose its back surface to the heat source, while the base frame receives the attachment member at the front surface, it is possible to avoid an increase in temperature of the motor drive spaced apart from the base frame. Accordingly, a deterioration can be avoided in the bearing supporting the drive shaft in the motor drive. At the same time, a deficiency in rotation, such as a jitter, can reliably be avoided in the motor drive.
In addition, the scanning beam generating unit is often located above an optical photoconductor such as an optical photoconductive drum within a housing or enclosure of the printing apparatus. If the output window is defined in the base frame, the base frame is allowed to keep facing the front surface upward when the scanning beam generating unit is assembled within the housing of the printing apparatus. The base frame can be received on a stationary support or stay within the housing of the printing apparatus. In this case, the scanning beam generating unit may simply be mounted from the above onto the upper surface of the stationary support, so that an operator is allowed to assemble the scanning beam generating unit within the housing of the printing apparatus in a facilitated manner.
A conductive connecting member may be employed to connect the basement member to the conductive stationary support. The connecting member and the stationary support contribute to an increased radiation area for heat staying at the basement member. Such an increase in the radiation area enables an accelerated heat radiation from the basement member.
Furthermore, a heat insulator may be attached to the base frame at a location between the motor drive and the fuser. The heat insulator serves to still efficiently interrupt or block heat radiated from the fuser. Less heat energy reaches the motor drive. In this way, an increase in the temperature can still efficiently be avoided in the motor drive.
Furthermore, the aforementioned printing apparatus may further comprise a ventilator designed to generate an air stream directed at least toward the motor drive. The generated air stream can be utilized to drive heat in the vicinity of the motor drive away, so that an increase in the temperature can still efficiently be avoided in the motor drive.
It should be noted that the printed apparatus may be represented by a laser printer, a laser facsimile, and the like. Any types of beam may be employed, instead of a laser beam, to electrically charge the optical photoconductor in the printer and facsimile. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silicide joint and a method for manufacturing the silicide joint (hereinafter also referred to simply as “joint” and “method”) and, more particularly, to a silicide joint that may suitably be used as a high-temperature-resistant electrode material for heaters and a method for manufacturing the silicide joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
Silicon carbide (SiC) and nickel (Ni) are generally known to join to each other ohmically (with negligible contact resistance) under particular conditions. Furthermore, silicon and nickel form a nickel silicide at high temperature (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2004-128493 and No. 2005-150752).
Silicon carbide is useful as a material for high-temperature-resistant products, such as resistant electrodes for heaters. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-156043 discloses a joint structure that includes an electrode connected to a sintered silicon carbide heater at one end, and a spiral feed-terminal screwed into the other end of the electrode, wherein the electrode is formed of sintered silicon carbide.
However, when silicon carbide is used as an electrode material for heaters, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between silicon carbide and nickel or nickel silicide often causes a failure at the interface between silicon carbide and nickel or nickel silicide during a heating process. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, in a common electrode joint that includes a silicon carbide plate 12 fixed between metal plates 11, such as nickel plates, with a metal bolt 13 and a metal nut 14, as the temperature increases, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the metal bolt 13 and the metal nut 14, and the silicon carbide plate 12 may result in a gap between the metal plates 11 and the silicon carbide plate 12 or in an outwardly warped metal plate 11. This may result in a longitudinal or transverse crack, finally causing a fracture. Hence, silicon carbide is difficult to use as an electrode material. | {
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The present invention is related generally to a method and apparatus for accessing vehicle systems. More particularly, a method and apparatus with an audio and/or video presentation that provides a means for accessing vehicle systems.
As vehicles become more complex there is a corresponding increase in operating systems required for operation of the vehicle systems and subsystems.
A control system for a vehicle having a visual display for providing selectable options corresponding to vehicle subsystems, the system is operated via a controller for activating the visual display, the controller is positioned on a spoke of a steering wheel and provides a means for selecting the selectable options of the visual display. A plurality of prerecorded text messages corresponding to a plurality of selectable menus from the visual display are sounded as each of the selectable menus is highlighted by the controller.
In one embodiment the controller comprises: a scroll switch;
a selector switch; and an escape switch. The scroll switch and the escape switch are positioned on an upper surface of the spoke of the steering wheel and the selector switch is positioned on a lower surface of the spoke. The selector switch is easily manipulated by an index finger of individual""s hand and the scroll switch and the escape switch are easily manipulated by an individual""s thumb when they are grasping the steering wheel.
A method for engaging a plurality of control systems in a vehicle, comprising: enabling a main menu of a main control program; providing a means for scrolling through a plurality of selections of the main menu; providing an audible text messages for each of the plurality of selections, the audible text messages are activated as an individual scrolls through the plurality of selections; and providing a selector switch for selecting one of the plurality of selections. The means for scrolling through the plurality of selections is located on an upper surface of a spoke of a steering wheel and the selector switch is located on a lower surface of the spoke. The method also includes providing a visual representation of the main menu.
The above-described and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims. | {
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(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor-device design method, a semiconductor-device design program, and a semiconductor-device design apparatus, particularly those wherein change in capacitance due to a dummy pattern is taken into consideration.
(2) Description of the Related Art
At present, in the field of semiconductor devices, inserting a dummy pattern between wiring patterns is an essential technique for reducing difference in flatness of a chip surface and difference in thickness of wiring patterns, which differences are due to uneven wiring pattern density. Hence, there is a design tool for designing a semiconductor device with dummy patterns inserted.
For example, in aluminum wiring, when etching for forming wiring is carried out, side-wall protective films are formed on side-walls of wiring patterns. Uneven wiring pattern density would cause an undesired variance in the side-wall protective film thickness. The existing design tools avoid this problem by placing dummy patterns in sparse portions to populate the patterns as uniformly as possible.
In copper wiring, uneven wiring pattern density would cause dishing, that is, a phenomenon that the center of a wiring pattern is dented, in CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing). The existing design tools avoid this problem by placing dummy patterns in sparse portions to populate the patterns as uniformly as possible.
However, when a dummy pattern having no potential difference (being in a floating state) is inserted between wiring patterns, the physical distance between the wiring patterns becomes smaller by the width of the dummy pattern. Hence, the capacitance value between the wiring patterns changes.
FIG. 10 shows a flow of a process performed by a conventional design tool. The design tool is installed in a computer to perform the following process:
[Step S21] Process information about wiring structure such as wiring width, wiring distance, wiring height and dielectric constant of a wiring pattern in each wiring layer is received.
[Step S22] A capacitance value for each of wiring distances between the wiring patterns defined by the process information is calculated, and an RC rule file containing the calculated capacitance values is created. The RC rule file is stored in an RC rule database.
[Step S23] Referring to the RC rule file, capacitance values produced between wiring patterns of an intended semiconductor device defined by layout data stored in a layout database are calculated.
[Step S24] Using the calculated capacitance values, analysis of operation of a signal in the wiring patterns defined by the layout data is performed.
[Step S25] Whether the signal performs intended operation or not is determined. If the signal does not perform the intended operation, step S26 is taken. If it does, step S28 is taken.
[Step S26] The layout data is corrected in respect of the wiring patterns so that the signal will perform the intended operation. The layout data corrected in respect of the wiring patterns is stored in the layout database.
[Step S27] Whether the corrected layout data meets design rules such as a rule about processing dimension or not is checked.
[Step S28] Dummy patterns defined by data stored in a dummy rule database are inserted between the wiring patterns defined by the layout data.
[Step S29] Mask data is generated from the layout data, which covers dummy patterns inserted between wiring patterns.
In the case of the conventional design tool, the RC rule file does not reflect change in capacitance due to the inserted dummy patterns. The operation analysis is carried out using the capacitance values calculated referring to this RC rule file, and mask data about the wiring patterns with the dummy patterns inserted between is created. Thus, with the conventional design tool, there is a problem that a semiconductor device is designed without considering change in capacitance between wiring patterns due to an inserted dummy pattern. | {
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Present day, telecommunications service providers may attempt to mitigate network congestion and maintain a particular Quality of Experience (QoE) by generating and transmitting policy updates to client devices operating on the telecommunications network. In some examples, policy updates may include policy rules that govern availability and accessibility of cellular and non-cellular data network. Particularly, client devices may receive scheduled, and unscheduled, policy updates based on anticipated and unexpected changes to network conditions. Each client device may receive a policy update by first initiating a policy-pull request, which occurs according to a predetermined schedule. However, initiating a policy-pull request according to a predetermined schedule may cause the client device to experience a delay between the telecommunication service provider making a policy update available and the client device receiving the policy update. | {
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In general, the structure of a diaper release part, in which a tape for diaper use such as a fastener tape is fixed, is required to be difficult to cause separation of the fastener tape when the tape should be kept fixed, in order to prevent leakage or slippage during wearing of the diaper. On the other hand, the fastener tape must be easy to peel from the diaper in order for the diaper to be put on and off easily.
For this reason, in the fastener parts of diapers, adhesives which can easily obtain firm bonding have conventionally been used for the fastener tapes. Also, and the diaper front parts have been provided with a reinforcing film for easy peeling, with the surface of this reinforcing film being coated with a long-chain alkyl type release agent having good holding properties which prevent the fastener tape from separating when the tape should be kept fixed.
Although this long-chain alkyl type release agent has exhibited its advantages as an excellent release agent for meeting the above-described demand, there has been a drawback that when mother tries to peel the fastener tape from the reinforcing film, the tape makes a loud noise of "Bari--Bari".
Such a peeling noise has posed a problem, for example, that it awakes the baby in sleep or awakes sleeping persons around the baby. Thus, and an improvement in this respect has been desired.
On the other hand, if silicone-based release agents generally employed for various purposes are used as the release agents for use in adhesive tapes or the like, the tapes or the like do not make such a noise when peeled.
However, since use of the silicone-based release agent greatly reduces the shear bond strength to the adhesive layers of the tapes, application thereof to a diaper fastener part or the like is defective in that the tape is prone to separate off. Hence, the silicone-based release agent is not frequently used in such fixing applications at present. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to polyimide prepolymers of the addition reacted type and prepregs obtained therefrom as well as to a method of producing laminates by the use of said prepregs, more particularly to such compositions and method suitable for fabricating multi-layer printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of fabricating printed circuit boards of a fewer number of layers, there have been widely utilized a various epoxy resins having valuable properties including superior adhesive properties, remarkable resistance to chemical agents, high mechanical strength, and excellent dielectric properties. However, the epoxy resins are found to be no longer appropriate for fabricating multi-layer printed boards in use for constructing high density circuits and modules, since they do not always assure enough resistance to heat which is applied repeatedly to such printed boards for module mounting purposes, in addition to that they frequently reduce reliability in conductivity of conductor layers thereof due to possible resin smear or heat expansion in the direction of thickness of the board. To settle the above problems, heat-stable polyimide resins are presently utilized and found to be satisfactory for the fabrication of the multi-layer printed boards. Particularly, polyimide resins of addition reacted type obtained by reacting unsaturated bisimides with diamines are most acceptable for fabricating the multi-layer printed boards, because the use of that material gives rise to remarkable and advantageous features. Included in the above advantageous features expected by the use of that material are to allow the formation of fine conductive paths as well as the drilling operation of minute holes with high accuracy, which are indispensable for high density circuit arrangement; to keep the heat expansion in the direction of thickness at a minimum for providing increased reliability of conductivity at plated through-holes; to eliminate the deposition of resin smear during drilling operation; to give increased bond strength to the conductor layers as well as increased hardness to the bases of the printed board at elevated temperatures for improving module mounting performance; and to well withstand the continuous operation at an elevated temperature of about 200.degree. C.
Such polyimide prepolymers with valuable characteristics have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,223 granted to Michel Bargain et al, and have been taught therein to be obtained by reacting unsaturated bisimides with diamines.
In the meanwhile, today's increasing miniaturization of large-scaled computers has resulted in the utilization of multi-layer printed boards with high mounting density, which should require much finer circuit pattern arrangement and much more minute through hole drilling. Consequently, the printed boards to be employed for that purpose should have a higher level of dimension stability as well as superior adhesive property. That is, possible variance in the dimensions of boards can seriously affect interlayer or interplane registration. Thus, the dimensional variance should be kept at a minimum and this is particularly important for fabricating the multilayer boards of larger dimensions. Accordingly, the printed boards are preferred to be molded at such a low pressure level as not to lower the dimensional stability. But, there still remains a problem that the molding at such low pressure level may sometimes fail to successfully flow the resin uniformly throughout the boards being cured or fail to eliminate all traces of solvent employed for an impregnation purpose and therefore result in the presence of unacceptable voids in the molded printed boards. With regard to the adhesive property, the formation of high density circuits requires a correspondingly high bond strength not only between the conductor layer and the resin composition but also between the resin composition and the substrate or base material of the board, otherwise minute peels would occur at the interlayer between the cured resin and the base material during the minute hole drilling, such peels being unacceptable and should be of course eliminated.
In view of the above, the multi-layer printed boards for use in the large-scale computers are desired to combine much higher bond strength with much superior dimensional stability. In other words, prepolymers and the prepregs made therefrom used for fabrication of the multi-layer printed boards should exhibit much higher bond strength and as well enable the molding of the boards at such a low pressure level as not to reduce the dimension stability yet without causing any defective void in the resulting boards.
The prior polyimide prepolymers including those disclosed in the above U.S. patent are known to exhibit excellent bond strength together with other remarkable features, but unfortunately are found to be still unsatisfactory for the fabrication of the multi-layer printed board of the type having a larger number of layers which require a higher level of dimension stability and superior adhesive property. That is, the prior polyimide prepolymers are likely to suffer insufficient bond strength when fabricating such multi-layer printed boards and further to cause defective voids when molded at a low pressure in an attempt to ensure the dimension stability.
The investigation into the above unsatisfactory results with the use of prior polyimide prepolymers has revealed that macromolecular components with a molecular weight of more than 15,000 contained in a greater amount may account for the above insufficient bond strength and the occurrence of the voids at the low pressure molding. In fact, the components with a molecular weight of more than 15,000 have inherent high viscosity which requires a more amount of solvent for impregnation purposes and therefore provides more chance of the residual solvent being entrapped in the printed board at the time of low pressure molding, thus leaving the defective voids in the boards. Also characteristic to the above macromolecular components is less sensitivity with a cooperative substrate with which it is in contact for bond therebetween, such lowered sensitivity or activity will be the cause of failing to achieve integral bonding with the substrate, resulting in less bond strength therebetween. As suggested from the above consideration, polyimide prepolymers for the present purpose are expected to contain less amount of the macromolecular components having a molecular weight of exceeding 15,000 than the prior prepolymers. Conversely, prepolymers containing more amount of components with a molecular weight of less than 15,000 are expected to be preferable. With this in mind, the inventors have further studied the adaptability of the polyimide prepolymers to the fabrication of the multi-layer printed boards and other laminate products and found that polyimide prepolymers containing specific proportions of components with a specific range of molecular weight with respect to the other components in the prepolymer composition are responsible for providing satisfactory properties for the fabrication of the multi-layer printed circuit.
To this end, the applicant of the present invention have proposed in their U.S. patent application Ser. No. 715,001 useful prepolymers and prepregs prepared therefrom. However, further investigation into such prepolymers and prepregs reveals that they are still insufficient for practical application purposes. That is, although the prepolymers and prepregs disclosed in the above application have been found to be advantageous in many aspects, the solution of the prepolymers and the prepregs will have a relatively working life, or they will become solidified rapidly so as not to afford enough curing time during which a volatile solvent being used is required to evaporate successfully from the prepreg solutions or the prepregs. Without enough curing time, the solvent is likely to be entrapped in the finished products or laminates when the resin composition is entirely solidified, rendering the cured resin to have defective voids caused by evaporation of the residual solvent. Such voids will certainly lower the bond strength expected by the cured resin and further be the cause of a blister in the finished laminates. Consequently, the prepolymers and the prepregs are mostly desired to have a longer curing time during which the solvent is allowed to successfully evaporated before the resin composition is finally cured. | {
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The present invention relates generally to a device for coupling pipe sections whose one end has an outwardly directed bead or a plurality of projections positioned along the circumference. The invention is particularly directed to a device with a clamping band of the type which preferably is used for the coupling of pipes of thin metal sheet, of which the front ends have flanges or outwardly directed beads, such as spiral-fold ventilating pipes and grain conveying pipes, or for the clamping of, for instance, end covers on electric motors or the like. Pipe sections, to which the invention is applicable, are shown in, for instance, Danish Design Registration MR 0508/89.
Prior-art clamping bands of this type are usually fitted with a clamping device, which can consist of, for instance, a handle with a wire or leaf spring (snap lock), the handle and the spring being directly integrated with the clamping band by bending or like operation, or attached by means of mountings which are mounted on the band by riveting or welding.
There are also prior-art clamping bands whose ends are bent perpendicularly away from the band and formed with through holes, the band being clamped by a screw being passed through the outwardly bent ends and a preferably square nut being put on the screw, whereupon the screw and the nut are clamped, thereby moving the ends of the clamping band together.
These prior-art devices are, however, provided with rather complicated clamping mechanisms. Usually, the abutment means cooperating with the straining screw are specially designed and positioned in specially constructed spaces or pockets which are defined by flanges of the clamping band. For instance, the pockets may be formed by the two end portions of the clamping band being rearwardly bent and riveted, soldered or welded to the outer circumference of the clamping band. This makes the construction of the clamping device expensive.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive coupling device which eliminates the drawbacks inherent in prior-art clamping bands. Moreover, the invention aims at providing a coupling device having a good sealing effect. | {
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This invention relates to puffer type circuit interrupters, and more specifically relates to a novel puffer interrupter having an increased gas flow pressure during operation, and which permits a dual axial flow of gas through the separating contacts during the interruption operation.
Puffer type interrupters are well known to the art and generally consist of a relatively movable piston and cylinder, one of which is connected to the moving contact of an interrupter device. During interruption, movement of the contact to the open position causes the relative movement of the piston and cylinder to create a high pressure region which forces the flow of gas through the separating contacts, thereby to assist in extinguishing the arc drawn between the contacts. Gas type interrupters are also well known wherein the piston and cylinder are adapted to create a flow of gas in a direction which is along the axis of movement of the movable contacts and which moves axially and along the arc path.
In the prior art puffer type interrupter, one of the limitations on the performance of the device is due to inadequate pressure differential between the high and low pressure regions until relatively late in the opening stroke of the movable contact. Consequently, the necessary contact gap must be larger than optimum for maximum operating performance.
Another limitation on the performance of single pressure puffer type interrupters is that the gas flow is usually only in a single direction along the arc. | {
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In the treatment of sewage, particularly involving single-family installations, the so-called "Septic systems" have been employed for many years, which systems employed solely anaerobic action in a suitable container and subsequent discharge of effluent into a suitable ground field.
More recently, various types of packaged waste treatment plants have been developed, which usually employ a modified activated sludge/extended aeration process, with the final plant effluent normally containing approximately 25 ppm BOD.sub.5 and approximately 50 ppm of suspended solids, chlorine, for example in tablet form, being utilized to provide final disinfection.
Systems employing granular-activated carbon are also known, and considerable data is at hand as to area and height of beds thereof, flows involved, as well as carbon reactivation requirements. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,820. The use of carbon columns thus involves additional considerations. In addition to other problems as to size requirements etc., the carbon must be backwashed and eventually reactivated or replaced, the carbon usually being removed and heated in a furnace or kiln to a sufficient temperature to oxidize the adsorbed materials thereon, but insufficient to oxidize the carbon, for example 1500.degree.-1700.degree. F.
In addition, various procedures for "wet oxidative" reactivation of spent active carbon has also been devised utilizing air and water, the temperatures involved running from 125.degree. C to 300.degree. C or higher and may include relatively high pressures. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,150,105 and 3,386,922. It will be noted that operations of this type normally involve the removal of the carbon from the apparatus involved and reactivation in a suitable kiln, autoclave or the like, the operation normally taking at least a matter of hours. Operations of this type, requiring removal of the carbon from the apparatus involved, thus necessitate the use of standby units for operation when a spent unit is being reactivated, necessitating a greater number of units than actually required for the sewage treatment. Consequently, the use of carbon columns has been limited to installations that make the inclusion of a carbon column and means for reactivating the same both practical and feasible economically.
More recently the importance of the zeta potential (ZP), a long known principle of physical chemistry, has been recognized in connection with coagulation, particularly in connection with difficult raw-water colloids. The zeta potential is a measure of the electro-kinetic charge (in millivolts) that surrounds particulate matter. The charge on raw-water turbidity and suspended matter in domestic sewage is, on the average, predominately electro-negative and is strong enough to cause significant mutual repulsion, so that while coarse fractions, for example, ranging in particle diameter from 1 mm to 1 micron, may be relatively readily removed by conventional coagulation, fine colloidal fractions, for example, ranging from 1 micron to 10 Angstrom units, cannot. In such case the colloidal size prevents sedimentation and its electro-negative zeta potential (which may be in the range of -15 to -25 mv) prevents agglometaion.
In connection with the study of zeta potential reference is made to the following publications:
Zeta Potential: New Tool For Water Treatment, Thomas M. Riddick, Chemical Engineering, June 26, 1961, July 10, 1961 McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Inc. PA1 Role of the Zeta Potential in Coagulation Involving Hydrous Oxides, Thomas M. Riddick, PA1 Tappi, The Journal of the Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry, Volume 47, No. 1, Jan., 1964 PA1 Zeta-Meter Helps Filter-Rate Study, D. Lamoureux, Water and Pollution Control (Formerly Canadian Municipal Utilities), Aug., 1965
As will be apparent from the reference articles, the actual mechanics of the zeta potential and reduction in zeta potential of floc is not precisely factually known at the present time and explanations thus involve theoretical concepts. One such concept is described in the first mentioned article while the second mentioned article refers to the coating of each colloid with sufficient adsorbed hydrous oxides to bring its zeta potential to zero.
As a result, small systems have involved installations such as previously described, with the additional utilization of bacteria-enzymes etc. in an effort to achieve rapid degredation. However, substantially all systems, particularly if the system is intended to bring the ultimate effluent within currently accepted standards, involve a considerable number of individual steps, requiring corresponding number of tanks, etc., with none of the systems actually being fully automatic, whereby no operating personnel are required. It will be appreciated that this problem is somewhat analagous to the electronic field wherein almost any electronic problem can be solved if size, number of components, complexity and costs are not of critical importance. Likewise, in water purification, almost any degree of purification can be achieved if the number of stages, vessels, filters, columns, multiple chemical treatments, size, cost and complexity are not controlling factors.
A very interesting and comprehensive study of waste water treatment concepts including a review of known types of systems (as of 3-1972) will be found in the treatise "Advanced Waste Water Treatment Concepts" by Dr. James E. Young, P.E. Research Consultant in Environmental Engineering, General Filter Company, Ames, Iowa, appearing in Bul. No. 7221, 3-72-2M-W, entitled "GFC Conservation for `better water`", published by General Filter Co. | {
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1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply control in a voice communication apparatus that includes a plurality of radio communication devices.
2) Description of the Related Art
In the field of portable phones (including a PHS), there are growing needs for realizing what is called IP (Internet Protocol) telephony that lowers telephone charges by using the Internet or a similar IP network in place of the Public Switched Telephone Network. The public radio network of portable phones covers a wide coverage area but has a narrow bandwidth. On the other hand, a WLAN (wireless LAN) has a wide bandwidth but covers a narrow coverage area such as corporations, homes, public hot spots. To compensate for the defects, communication terminals including a plurality of communication interfaces (such as the PHS, the WLAN) have been already suggested.
However, such a terminal needs to switch the interfaces seamlessly to allow continuation of voice communication. To meet this requirement, a technology called VoIP (Voice over IP), which means voice communication over IP, is used in the terminal. That is, a communication via every interface is connected over IP to perform a VoIP communication. Since a WLAN communication is usually connected over IP, VoIP can be used as it is, but in the PHS, it is necessary to use VoIP after IP connection by PPP. This makes it possible to realize seamless roaming disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-319010 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-129024.
Since it is necessary for the terminal with a plurality of communication interfaces to supply power to every interface, power consumption increases. In particular, power consumption of the WLAN is very high. As a result, the standby time of the terminal disadvantageously becomes shorter. To reduce power consumption and lengthen the standby time, it has been already suggested, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-135203, to stand by with a narrowband wave receiving circuit with comparatively lower power consumption, and to supply power to a mediumband or wideband wave receiving circuit upon receiving an incoming call.
In the conventional technology, however, as described in FIG. 13 which explains an eighth embodiment of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-135203, power supply to the narrowband receiving circuit is continued even during communication in the mediumband or wideband wave. As a result, extra power is consumed. Moreover, another incoming call is disadvantageously received even during communication in the mediumband or wideband wave, which makes the control complex. Furthermore, the terminal cannot receive any incoming call when the terminal is out of the coverage area of narrowband wave, even if it is in the coverage area of the mediumband or wideband wave. | {
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In, for example, the technical field of machining, it is often the case that a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices are fitted to a work pallet, and, in a state with the work being fixed by these clamp devices, the work is machined by a machining center. Many hydraulic clamp devices are driven to clamp by hydraulic pressure or by the elastic force of a spring, and are unclamped by hydraulic pressure. And there are provided a mechanism for positioning a work pallet to which the hydraulic clamp device is provided with respect to a base member and a clamping mechanism for fixing it there, and a fluid passage connection device that connects and separates a hydraulic passage for hydraulic pressure supplied to and vented from the work pallet.
In Patent Document #1, for a work pallet that can be fitted to or removed from a table of a machining center and for that table, there is disclosed a device provided with a positioning and fixing mechanism that positions and fixes the work pallet with respect to the table, and with a fluid passage connection device that connects a fluid passage. This fluid passage connection device includes a table side female coupler and a pallet side male coupler, and these male and female couplers incorporate valve mechanisms that are closed by springs, so that the pallet side male coupler may be separated from the female coupler while still maintaining a state in which fluid pressure is still remained.
And, in a device for fluid linking device described in Patent Document #2, each one of an almost symmetric pair of couplers incorporates a check valve that includes a steel ball provided at the tip end portion of that coupler, and a spring that biases the check valve to close it; and, when these two couplers contact against one another, the two steel balls shift one another backwards in mutually opposite directions and put the valves to their opened states, so that the fluid passage is put into the communicating state.
Patent Document #1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2003-117748
Patent Document #2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2003-4191
In such a case in which predetermined numbers of workpieces consisting of plural pairs of two symmetric types are to be machined in order, such as with automobile components or the like, it is not unusual for there to be a requirement for changing the location in which the hydraulic clamp device is positioned on the work pallet, according to the type of the workpiece. In this case, the clamp unit provided on the work pallets is equipped with a clamp device whose position needs to change, so that a mechanism for positioning and fixing the clamp unit on the work pallets, and a fluid passage connection device for supplying hydraulic pressure to the clamp unit, are also provided; and, by relocating this clamp unit, it is anticipated to vary the location in which the clamp device is positioned.
When changing the location of the clamp unit on the work pallet, the position of the clamp unit is changed manually, the clamp unit is fixed by the positioning and fixing mechanism after having been positioned, and then the fluid passage connection device is connected. If at this time, from before the clamp unit is positioned and fixed, the movable connection members of the male and female couplers of the fluid passage connection device are already in the advanced state, then there is a fear that, during relocation of the clamp device, the clamp unit or the like may collide with these movable connection members and cause damage to them.
Moreover, if the fluid passage connection device described in Patent Documents #1 or #2 is employed, then, when connecting the male and female couplers, it is necessary to press the male and female couplers together in the direction to approach one another with a strong force against the elastic force of the springs in the valve mechanisms that bias their valve members, and against the resistance of the fluid pressure enclosed in the clamp device which acts on the valve members; and this task of connection necessitates a considerable amount of labor and time. In this case it is easy for the clamp unit to be affected by its own weight, since the male and female couplers are connected by the weight of the clamp unit itself and by manual pressure, and it is difficult to enhance the freedom in design.
Moreover, when relocating the clamp unit after use, there is a danger that damage may be caused to either or both of the male and female couplers during separation of the male and female couplers, if the male and female couplers do not separate perfectly when the positioning of the clamp unit is released, or when the fixing by the fixing means is released.
Objects of the present invention are: to provide a fluid passage connection device with which there is no fear of damage to a male coupler or to a female coupler; to provide a fluid passage connection device which is capable of reliably and smoothly connecting the male coupler and the female coupler; and to provide a fluid passage connection device which is capable of automatically connecting the male coupler and the female coupler.
The fluid passage connection device according to the present invention comprises a first coupler fitted to a stationary base member and a second coupler that can be connected to the first coupler and that is fitted to a movable member, constituted so as to connect and separate a fluid passage through the first coupler and the second coupler, and is characterized by comprising: a positioning mechanism for positioning the movable member with respect to the base member, so that it becomes possible for the first coupler and the second coupler to connect together; and a clamping mechanism that clamps the movable member with respect to the base member with an elastic force of an elastic member or an enclosed compressed gas, and that releases this clamping with a fluid pressure of a fluid pressure cylinder; and in that: the first coupler comprises a connection member that is provided so as to be shiftable in its axial direction and connects a fluid passage in an engaged state with the second coupler, a spring that elastically biases the connection member so as to project, and a fluid pressure operation chamber that applies a fluid pressure to drive the connection member so as to retract; and a fluid passage is provided in the base member, making an unclamping fluid chamber of the fluid pressure cylinder communicate with the fluid pressure operation chamber.
When the first coupler and the second coupler are to be connected together, the movable member is positioned with respect to the base member by the positioning mechanism, and then the movable member is fixed with respect to the base member by the clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is driven for clamping by the elastic force of the elastic member or the enclosed compressed gas, and its clamping is released by the fluid pressure in the fluid pressure cylinder. The first coupler, which is fitted to the base member, comprises the connection member that is provided so as to be shiftable in its axial direction and connects the fluid passage in an engaged state with the second coupler, the spring that elastically biases the connection member in its direction to project, and the fluid pressure operation chamber that applies a fluid pressure to drive the connection member in its direction to retract.
Since the fluid passage is provided that makes the unclamping fluid chamber of the fluid pressure cylinder communicate with the fluid pressure operation chamber, accordingly, when the clamping of the clamping mechanism is to be released, and when hydraulic pressure is supplied to the fluid passage, initially the connection member shifts to retract so that the first and second couplers are separated, and thereafter the clamping mechanism releases its clamping after the fluid pressure has sufficiently risen.
When the clamping mechanism is to be put into the clamped state, when the fluid pressure in the fluid passage is vented, since the elastic force of the clamping mechanism is a strong force, initially the clamping mechanism goes into its clamped state, and thereafter, after the fluid pressure in the fluid pressure operation chamber has sufficiently decreased, the connection member shifts in its projection direction due to the elastic force of the spring, and the male and female couplers go into the connected state. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to machining devices that machine a workpiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among machining devices that grind a workpiece of a cylindrical object such as a workpiece to be used as an inner ring or an outer ring of a rolling bearing, a machining device is known which uses a two-roll, one-shoe spindle mechanism as one type of spindle mechanism that rotates a workpiece when grinding of the workpiece is carried out (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-240094 (JP 2014-240094 A)). As shown in FIG. 10, the two-roll, one-shoe spindle mechanism has an upper roll 91 that contacts a workpiece W from above, a lower roll 92 that contacts the workpiece W from below, and a shoe 93 that prevents the workpiece W from falling off.
The use of such a two-roll, one-shoe spindle mechanism is advantageous in that a workpiece can be loaded relatively quickly and idle time during operation can be reduced (the net operation rate can be improved). However, the two-roll, one-shoe spindle mechanism has the following disadvantages. In the two-roll, one-shoe spindle mechanism, components of the spindle mechanism such as the rolls are frequently required to be replaced or adjusted in position when the bearing number (specifications) of workpieces is changed. This work is complicated and increases the operation stop time of the machining device for changeover. As a result, the operation rate of the machining device is reduced, which results in reduction in productivity.
A machining device (grinding machine) described in JP 2014-240094 A includes a position adjustment mechanism and an angle adjustment mechanism as a configuration that carries out changeover between workpieces. The position adjustment mechanism changes the positions in the up-down direction of the upper and lower rolls. The angle adjustment mechanism changes the tilt angles of the central axes of the upper and lower rolls with respect to the horizontal direction.
In order to change the bearing number of workpieces (changeover), the position adjustment mechanism can adjust the positions of the upper and lower rolls 91, 92 and the angle adjustment mechanism can adjust the angle of the upper roll 91 by using a master workpiece. However, these adjustments need be made every time the bearing number is changed. In the case of machining many kinds of workpieces with different bearing numbers in small quantities, the operation of the machining device is stopped every time changeover is carried out, which may significantly reduce the operation rate of the machining device. Depending on the machining device, adjustment of a stopper for an upper frame (not shown) that is integral with the upper roll 91, adjustment of the position of a proximity switch for the rolls, etc. are required in addition to the above adjustments. This further increases the operation stop time. | {
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Azoxystrobin was a strobilurin fungicide discovered and commercialized by Zeneca company first, its chemical name is methyl (E)-2-{2-[6-(2-cyanophenoxy) pyrimidinyl-4-oxy]phenyl}-3-methoxyacrylate, and its structural formula is shown in formula (4):
This compound is an efficient and broad spectrum fungicide, can prevent and control almost all diseases resulted from fungi, oomycetes, phycomycetes, ascomycetes, and deuteromycetes, and is widely applied in foliage treatment and seed treatment of crop plants.
Two compounds with structural formulae shown in formula (1) and formula (2) respectively are key intermediates for preparing azoxystrobin in the industry. A typical preparation method for the two compounds is disclosed in patent document WO92/08703. The preparation method is as follows:
Where, the chemical name of the compound represented by formula (3) is 3-(α-methoxy) methylene benzofuran-2-(3H)-ketone. The compound represented by formula (3) reacts with sodium methoxide, and then reacts with 4,6-dichloropyrimidine, to obtain a mixture of the intermediates represented by formulae (1) and (2). The reaction takes 20-43 h. The reaction is poor in selectivity, it is difficult to separate the products, the yield ratio of azoxystrobin obtained finally in the follow-up reaction is approx. 40%, and the azoxystrobin product is poor in quality and is in dark brown color.
In patent document CN102311392A, an improved method is reported. In that method, a catalyst 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) is introduced after the compound represented by formula (3) reacts with sodium methoxide and thereby the compound represented by formula (8) is obtained. Under the catalytic action of the catalyst, the compound represented by formula (8) reacts with 4,6-dichloropyrimidine to obtain an intermediate represented by formula (1); the compound represented by formula (1) is transformed into the intermediate represented by formula (2) under the action of KHSO4. The reported chemical reaction process is as follows:
Since a catalyst DABCO is introduced, that method improves the reaction rate of the reaction between the compound represented by formula (8) and 4,6-dichloropyrimidine; hence, the reaction time is greatly shortened, and the process can be completed within 1.5h.
However, the above-mentioned techniques have the following drawbacks: 1) In the processes described in WO92/08703 and CN102311392A, the compound represented by formula (3) reacts with sodium methoxide to generate the compound represented by formula (8) first. Owing to the fact that the reaction is a strong exothermic reaction, the compound represented by formula (8) produced in the reaction is unstable, and may be transformed into the compounds represented by formulae (9), (10), (11), and (12) when it is subjected to heat or stored in a long time, resulting in compromised yield ratio. Especially, when the technical scheme is applied at an industrial scale, the reaction time will be prolonged severely because a great deal of heat is produced in the reaction; consequently, such subsidiary reactions will happen more strongly, and the yield ratio of the reaction will be compromised.
2) The reaction between the compound represented by formula (8) and 4,6-dichloropyrimidine is also an exothermic reaction, and the reaction process is very sensitive to the reaction temperature. When the temperature is low, the reaction rate will be decreased severely; when the temperature is too high, a conjugate product as shown in formula (15) will be formed. Since 4,6-dichloropyrimidine is solid, usually it can be added in one operation or in batch only; in the existence of a catalyst DABCO, the reaction rate will be increased greatly; consequently, such an adding approach results in uneven heat release in the reaction, it is difficult to control the reaction temperature, and more conjugate products may be produced, resulting in compromised yield ratio of reaction.
3) In the process of transformation from the intermediate represented by formula (1) into the intermediate represented by formula (2) as described in WO92/08703 and CN102311392A, both the intermediate represented by formula (1) and the intermediate represented by formula (2) are viscous liquids, while the catalyst potassium bisulfate is solid; hence, it is difficult to solve the solid-liquid mixing problem (i.e., stirring problem) in mass industrial production.
In view of the problems described above, the present invention discloses an innovative method, with which the reaction process can be controlled easily, and the operation is simple and convenient, and the method is more suitable for use in mass industrial production. | {
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The present invention relates generally to the field of spinal implant systems of the type which employ spinal rods connected at various locations along the spinal column by various fixation elements including spinal screws and, more particularly, to a spinal screw fixation element which provides variable angle adjustability.
Several systems have been developed for use in correcting and stabilizing spinal curves and facilitating spinal fusion. In one system, a bendable rod is longitudinally disposed adjacent the vertebral column and is fixed to various vertebrae along the length of the column by way of a number of fixation elements. A variety of fixation elements can be provided, such as hooks or bone screws, which are configured to engage specific portions of the vertebra.
An example of one such system is the TSRH.TM. spinal system of Danek Medical, Inc. In this system, the hooks or screws are engaged to the spinal rod by way of eyebolts. As is well known in the art, the eyebolts are received over the spinal rod and captured within a yoke means formed on the head of the fixation hook or screw. A nut is threaded onto a threaded post of the eyebolt to clamp the yoke and to provide a three-point shear clamp force positively locking the hook or screw element to the spinal fixation rod. Details of the TSRH spinal implant system are disclosed in the "Surgical Technique Manual" provided by Danek Medical, Inc., published in 1990, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.
It is the goal of the surgeon using such spinal implant systems to apply the vertebral fixation elements (hooks and/or screws) to the spine in the appropriate anatomic position, and then to engage each fixation element to the spinal rod. Once the spinal implant system is assembled it is then possible to correct anatomical deformities and stabilize the spine. In order to perform this procedure with a minimum of patient trauma, it is important that the system used be relatively easy to install. Further, it is highly desirable that the system permit three dimensional adjustment of the bone screw fixation elements in order to take advantage of the most desirable fixation sites in the spinal column. Ideally, a mechanism providing such adjustment should be designed in a manner which does not create undue difficulty in installing the spinal rod or detract from the overall rigidity of the system.
Various mechanisms have been employed in spinal implant systems to provide a three dimensional adjustment capability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,458 to Harms et al. discloses a pedicle screw provided with a ball and socket type arrangement for permitting angulation of the bone screw relative to the receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,365 to Gotzen el al describes an external bone fixator employing radially splined interdigitation elements to vary the angular orientation of bone screws. However, the arrangement is far too cumbersome and complex for internal fixation to the spinal column.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,892 to Krag et al. discloses a spinal fixation system employing pedicle screws having radially splined heads interdigitating with radial splines or teeth integrally formed upon articulating clamps which in turn clamp about a stabilizing rod. The articulating clamp arrangement requires the radial splines be offset relative to the stabilizing rod. This offset creates alignment problems which make it difficult, if not impossible, to permit the screws to be angularly rotated in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the stabilizing rod. Furthermore, the Krag et al. system requires a specially formed articulating clamp for the pedicle screw. If hooks, crosslinks or other fixation elements are to be connected to the stabilizing rod, differently configured rod attachment elements would be needed. This undesirably complicates the overall structure and installation method. Another difficulty of the Krag et al. system is that it is not an open design. In other words, the articulating clamp must be engaged on the rod prior to insertion. On the contrary, a more beneficial design would permit dropping the spinal rod into the screw connector.
German Patent No. 3,219,575 C2 to Kluger discloses a spinal implant system which provides angular adjustment of the bone screws by relative movement of interdigitating disk contact surfaces on corner pieces within which each bone screw is mounted. The system is mechanically complex, in that separate adjusting means are needed to angularly adjust the orientation of the bone screws and to fix the position of the bone screws relative to the corner pieces and to one another. Any rotational adjustment of the bone pins in a plane normal to the spinal rods changes the distance between the pins, requiring further adjustment of the sleeve nut. Further, the system is limited to situations where only two pins or other fixation elements are required on the same rod. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a flow path member having a flow path, the flow path member, and a liquid ejecting head providing with the flow path member.
2. Related Art
A representative example of a liquid ejecting head for ejecting a liquid droplet includes an ink jet recording head for ejecting an ink droplet. For example, the ink jet recording head is provided with a head main body for ejecting the ink droplet from a nozzle opening and a flow path member for supplying an ink to the head main body.
As the flow path member, a flow path member formed by welding a plurality of members has been proposed (for example, refer to JP-A-2014-012370). In such a flow path member, since the one welding member is a functional member such as a filter, if a welding portion flows into a flow path, a case where an effective area of the filter is reduced, or the like occurs. Thus, the function in the member is lost. Therefore, the flow path member is configured such that the welding portion is positioned away from the flow path.
However, in a case where two members are welded with each other and the flow path is formed in the interface therebetween, if the welding portion is positioned away from the flow path, a concave portion is formed within the flow path. Specifically, when a director to be used for welding is disposed in a location apart from the flow path, the concave portion that opens the flow path is formed by the director. In the concave portion of the flow path, there are problems in that a liquid flow is being stagnated, air bubble dischargeability is deteriorated such that air bubbles reside and grow in the concave portion, and reliability is deteriorated.
Such a problem is not limited to the flow path member to be used in the ink jet recording head, and the same problems exist in a flow path member to be used in other devices. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an electrodeless microwave excited bulbs which emit ultraviolet light and processes for generating ultraviolet light with a microwave excited electrodeless bulbs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of forced air to cool microwave excited electrodeless bulbs which are rotated is known. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,332; 4,695,757; 4,947,080; 4,954,756; 5,021,704; 5,594,303; 5,866,990 and 5,997,724. The systems disclosed herein are generally for applications of rotating small bulbs cooled with air flow having a major dimension of the bulb envelope of less than {fraction (xcex/4)} or for larger bulbs having a major internal dimension greater than {fraction (xcex/2)} wherein xcex is the free space wavelength of the microwaves used for excitation which is 2.45 GHz.
Small bulb products with a major internal dimension less the {fraction (xcex/4)} of the foregoing type are used in special applications, such as photo lithography, used in semiconductor processing. These systems require a small bulb as a consequence of the optics associated with the photo lithography and are heavy, large, and expensive as a consequence of higher power magnetrons used therein and complicated forced air cooling systems associated therewith. High speed rotation of the bulb in them is required to prevent harmful thermal gradients in the wall temperatures of the bulb envelope. Moreover, while substantial forced air cooling in combination with high speed rotation of the electrodeless bulb provides stable operation, the internal temperatures of the walls of the envelope are too high to permit the use of known additives to the envelope to modify the spectrum from that produced by the primary emissive materials such as Hg.
Mercury based electrodeless lamps have been in use for many years. See Electric Discharge Lamps by Dr. John Waymout, MIT Press, 1971.
Metal halides in combination with halogen doping of electrodeless lamps has been known since the 1960""s. The use of Ba, Na, Ti, In and Cd iodides is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,431.
Lanthanides and rare earths are used as dopants in electrodeless bulbs to produce selected spectral emissions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,261 lists Y, La, Ce, Nd, Lu, Ho, Tn, Pr, Gd, Tb Dy and Er as dopants for electrodeless bulbs which produce visible light.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,714 discloses the use of Fel2 as an additive to the constituents of an electrodeless bulb.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,141 discloses the use of Ga as a dopant in an electrodeless bulb.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,837,484 and 4,945,290 disclose eximer electrodeless bulbs using noble gases and gas mixtures.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,504,391 and 5,686,793 disclose eximer electrodeless lamps which operate at high pressure.
Moreover, Fusion Systems, Inc. of Gaithersburg, Md., has used forced air cooling of a rotating bulb in their AEL/HIIQ products which are powered by magnetrons having a power of at least 0.85 kW to produce wavelengths in the visible range with major internal dimensions of 30 mm respectively. The angular speed of the bulb in the AEL/HIIQ is variable between 250-300 revolutions per minute with air impingement cooling being used. The angular speed of the 35 mm, visible light bulb in the Solar 1000/Light Drive 1000 products of the same company (and reorganized Fusion Lighting, Inc.) is 3250 revolutions per minute with no driven air cooling being used.
The present invention is an electrodeless bulb and a process of generating ultraviolet light with a microwave excited electrodeless bulb which utilizes a bulb with an envelope having a major dimension between ⅓ and xc2xdxcex to which a strong field of microwave excitation varying between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz is applied with the strong field being produced by a microwave source having a steady state rated power no greater than 0.85 kW while being cooled with a forced air stream and rotated at a rotational velocity of at least 20 rpm and which contains an ultraviolet emissive material emitting ultraviolet light in response to the microwave excitation.
The aforementioned parameters of operation provide an electrodeless bulb and a process of lower cost than the prior art bulbs and processes using small bulbs with a major internal dimension of xc2xcxcex or less. In a typical application of a rotating small electrodeless bulb used for photo lithography, the cost of the small bulb lamp may be between $15,000-$20,000, wherein the lamp of the present invention may cost $3,000-$5,000 which is useful for many applications not suited for small bulb lamp systems having major internal dimensions of the bulb less than xc2xcxcex.
Larger lamp systems having major bulb internal dimensions greater than xc2xdxcex typically are excited by microwave power greater than a kilowatt and therefore, produce too much ultraviolet light output and are too large and heavy for the applications of the present invention.
The intermediate size bulbs of the present invention having a major dimension between ⅓ and xc2xdxcex are excited with microwave sources of less than 0.85 kW at an excitation frequency of 2.4 and 2.5 GHz which permits selective ultraviolet emission to be produced in accordance with known microwave emissive materials which are stable thermally and chemically within the envelope as a result of the wall temperatures of the envelope being stabilized as a consequence of rotation and forced air cooling so as to avoid hot spots causing thermal degrading of the microwave emissive materials and additives at the walls of the envelope and further undesirable thermal gradients in the walls of the bulb envelope and/or attacking of the walls of the bulb envelope by the plasma.
In one embodiment, the envelope within the foregoing major internal dimensional range is filled with between 10 mg and 100 mg of mercury as the emissive material and at a pressure of 20-600 Torr at room temperature and includes at least one buffer gas selected from at least one of the group consisting essentially of Ar, Kr and Xe with the ultraviolet emission being in a range between 200-300 nm while directing a stream of air in contact with the bulb to provide cooling thereof. The first embodiment may utilize HgCl2 in an amount of not greater than 2 mg. in the envelope. The air stream may be laminar. The emission range between 200-300 nm may have a peak emission between 250-270 nm
In another embodiment the envelope within the foregoing major internal dimensional range is filled with one of Xe or Ar gas as the emissive material at a pressure range from 10-2500 Torr at room temperature and chlorine gas in a pressure range from 0.5-200 Torr at room temperature which excites microwave emission between 200-310 nm while directing a stream of air in contact with the bulb to provide cooling thereof. The envelope may be filled with a metal halide dopant. The stream of air may be a laminar flow. The range between 200-310 nm may have a maximum peak range between 300-310 nm.
In an additional embodiment the envelope within the foregoing major internal dimensional range is filled with between 10-100 mg of Hg as the emissive material at a pressure of 200-600 Torr at room temperature and includes at least one of the group consisting essentially of Ar, Kr and Xe as a buffer gas with ultraviolet emission in a range of between 320-400 nm while directing a stream of air in contact with the bulb to provide cooling thereof. The envelope may contain up to 50 mg of halide selected from the group consisting essentially of Fe, Co, Ni, Pb and Al. Additionally, the envelope may also contain at least one other group of elements consisting essentially of Mn, Mg, Mo, Be, Cd, Ge and Li to provide additional emission in the spectrum of the ultraviolet light. The stream of air may be laminar flow. The range between 320-400 nm may have a peak between 350-380 nm.
In an another embodiment the envelope within the foregoing internal dimensional range is filled between 10-100 mg of Hg as the emissive material and at a pressure of 20-600 Torr at room temperature including at least one buffer gas selected from at least one of the group consisting essentially of Ar, Kr and Xe and at least one salt selected from the group consisting essentially of Ga, Al and Pb in an amount between 1 and 50 mg with the ultraviolet emission being in the range between 390-450 nm while directing a stream of air in contact with the bulb to provide cooling thereof. The stream of air may be laminar flow. The range between 390-450 nm may have a peak emission between 395-420 nm. | {
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This invention relates generally to vehicle seat harnesses and, more particularly, to vehicle seat harnesses of the type including a body restraining portion which is positioned in front of the occupant to restrain excessive forward motion.
Many types of restraint systems have been suggested for use in vehicles. The most prevalent type of restraint is the flexible seat belt which is normally manually positioned to encircle the occupant's waist. Such flexible seat belt systems, however, are often not used. Equipping of the vehicle with devices to assure use of such systems, such as warning buzzers and electrical cut-off devices, is costly.
Other types of restraints have also been suggested including air bags which are situated forwardly of the vehicle occupants and which are adapted to inflate upon impact of the vehicle. It would appear that such systems are not practical due to the expense involved in their installation and maintenance.
Vehicle seat harnesses have been suggested which include the use of bars which are pivotally mounted so as to be positionable in front of the vehicle occupant when in use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,158 discloses a vehicle seat harness which includes a pair of hook-shaped members pivotally mounted on the vehicle seat so as to be movable over the occupant's body when in use. Harnesses of this type are not entirely satisfactory in that they require complicated maneuvers by the occupant in moving the same to their operative position. Moreover, such harnesses do not adequately provide for suitable adjustment to accommodate occupants of different shapes and sizes. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to devices for data entry, and more particularly, to devices in lieu of keyboards that input data to a computer equivalent to keystroke data.
2. Prior Art
Keyboard entry is commonly used for input of data to a computer. Typically, the keyboard is used on a desktop to support the keyboard. Both user hands placed on the keyboard keys enter data with repeated strokes of fingers (or thumb) on a selective key.
It is known to have data entry devices other than keyboards, which devices might not require both hands or a desktop. Some of the devices attach paraphernalia to the user's fingers to monitor finger movement. However, finger movement alone does not replicate traditional hand and finger movement familiar in keyboard use and does not provide sufficient discrete finger positions to identify with a single keystroke, or a keystroke in combination with a another key, in the manner of well-known keyboard entry a full set of symbols and commands typically found on a keyboard.
It is the object of the present invention to present a data input device that substitutes for a traditional keyboard, employing the same finger and wrist movements that a user employs on a keyboard, but is usable without a keyboard with the user's hands resting comfortably in the user's lap or otherwise as the user may choose. It is a further object to provide additional finger positions for identifying additional symbols and commands by tracking a user's wrist movement in pitch and yaw, which when combined with traditional finger movements multiplies the number of positions representative of symbols and commands. It is a further object to provide a data input device that can identify and communicate a full set of symbols and commands of a traditional keyboard using only a single hand. | {
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The threshold voltage (V.sub.t) tolerance on metal-oxide semiconducting field effect transistor (MOSFET) is an important design parameter in very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI). The threshold voltage (V.sub.t) is contributed to mainly by variations in insulator charge, gate oxide thickness, short channel effect, narrow channel effect and macroscopic doping tolerance. The statistical total is typically in the vicinity of 200 mV. As the dimensions of MOSFET devices are reduced, constant field scaling dictates that the doping level within the channel increase in inverse proportion to the device dimension. This means that the number of dopant atoms within the device channel decreases in proportion to the square of the device dimensions. Device operation, dependent upon a forbidden energy gap within the silicon, free of sub-bands, requires that the location of dopant impurity ions within the silicon lattice be completely statiscally random. As the number of dopant ions within a device decreases, statistical fluctuations in the random placement of dopant ions will increase from device to device. Since the threshold voltage (V.sub.t) of a MOSFET strongly depends on the doping, threshold voltage tolerance due to statistical dopant density fluctuation similarly increases.
It has been shown that for a scaled device design point with a width to length equivalency of 0.1 .mu.m, has an average number of 360 dopant ions within the channel. In a device with these dimensions, a one sigma threshold voltage (V.sub.t) tolerance is only 20 mV. In effect, as dimensions continue to decrease, threshold voltage (V.sub.t) tolerance in MOSFETs will not only become dominant, but will constitute a practical limit MOSFET dimensional scaling and device application. Also, in this environment, expanded applications for MOSFETs, e.g., in production drivers and clock drivers with uniform characteristics and delays, become especially difficult since circuit timing and delay times become critical as dimensions become smaller and the demand for circuit speeds increases.
One approach to overcoming statistical dopant density fluctuation is to provide a ground plane doping profile wherein a high doping region is buried beneath a near intrinsic layer at the device surface. Although this type of retrograde doping profile does reduce the sensitivity to the doping variations, it negatively increases the sensitivity to short channel effects.
A method to decrease the sensitivity to both doping fluctuations and channel length variations is to completely remove the impurity in the channel. This is accomplished by using intrinsic silicon on insulator (SOI) devices. However, the same requires both very thin silicon films of approximately 20 nanometers (nm) for device length of 0.1 .mu.m, and an alternative means of controlling the threshold voltage (V.sub.t) other than by impurity doping. In other words, a processing technology change would be required with a departure from conventional processing tools and steps, or changing the gate material from polysilicon to a metal.
Thus, what is needed is a method and structure for MOSFETs which reduce or eliminate the effects of statistical dopant fluctuations and channel length variations as the dimensions in these devices continue to scale down. Further, it is desirable to develop a method and structure for MOSFETs which can accord these benefits using conventional processing tools and process steps. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with the breaking or resolution of oil-in-water (O/W) bituminous emulsions by treatment with chemical agents.
2. Description of Related Art
A great volume of hydrocarbons exist in known deposits of tar sands. These deposits occur at various places, the Athabasca tar sands in Canada being an example. The petroleum in a tar sand deposit is an asphaltic bitumen of a highly viscous nature ranging from a liquid to a semi-solid. These bituminous hydrocarbons are usually characterized by being very viscous or even non-flowable under reservoir conditions by the application of driving fluid pressure.
Where surface mining is not feasible, the bitumen must be recovered by rendering the tar material mobile in situ and producing it through a well penetrating the tar sand deposit. These in-situ methods of recovery include thermal, both steam and in-situ combustion and solvent techniques. Where steam or hot water methods are used, a problem results which aggravates the recovery of the bitumen. The difficulty encountered is emulsions produced by the in-situ operations. These emulsions are highly stable O/W emulsions which are made even more stable by the usual presence of clays. Most liquid petroleum emulsions are water-in-oil (W/O) types. These normal W/O emulsions are broken by methods known in the art. However, the bitumen emulsions which are O/W types present a much different problem, and the same demulsifiers used in W/O emulsions will not resolve the O/W bitumen emulsions.
C. W. W. Gewers, J. Canad. Petrol. Tech., 7 (2), 85-90 (1968) describes the uniqueness of emulsions encountered in the production of bitumen from tar sands.
Ser. No. 326,461 filed of even date describes the use of polyamine salts which are one component of the combination of chemical agents found useful in this invention.
A review article on the preparation and structure of polycarbonates is S. Inoue, Chem. Tech., September 1976, p. 588.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,120 (Texaco) describes preparation of one type of polycarbonate of interest. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices, and is particularly suitable when applied in controlling the crystal orientation in ferroelectric capacitors.
2. Related Art
In order to improve characteristics of ferroelectric capacitors in ferroelectric memories, a reset film may be provided to control the crystal orientation of a lower electrode. Also, in order to planarize a surface of a contact plug on which the lower electrode is formed, the surface of the contact plug is polished by a CMP method. Furthermore, for example, Japanese laid-open patent application JP-A-2001-345432 describes a method for improving oxidation resistance of capacitor electrodes without inhibiting an improvement in the degree of integration, in which a metal nitride layer is provided on a surface of an embedded conductive body embedded in an insulation layer, and a ferroelectric capacitor is provided on the metal nitride layer through an intermediate layer composed of a conductive oxide and having an oxygen barrier property.
However, in the ferroelectric memories described above, erosion, dishing and recess may be generated, when the surface of the contact plug is planarized by CMP, due to the difference in polishing rate between the contact plug and the insulation film in which the contact plug is embedded. For this reason, it is difficult to finish smoothly the surface of the contact plug on which the lower electrode is formed, and it is difficult to maintain well the surface condition and crystal structure of the base layer where the lower electrode is formed, such that ferroelectric capacitors with good characteristics cannot be formed. Furthermore, even when a reset film is provided according to the aforementioned reset film forming method, is it difficult to control accurately the crystal orientation of the lower electrode due to the difference in material (orientation property) between the plug and the insulation film in which the plug is embedded, such that ferroelectric capacitors with good characteristics cannot be stably formed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image onto a recording sheet by a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording apparatus is constructed so as to record an image onto a recording sheet such as paper, plastic sheet, or the like based on image information. The recording apparatuses can be classified into an ink jet system, a wire dot system, a thermal system, a laser beam system, and the like according to a recording system. In a recording apparatus of a serial type using a recording head which moves in the width direction of the recording sheet, the recording is executed to the whole recording sheet while alternately repeating the recording of an amount corresponding to one line and the conveyance of a predetermined pitch. In a recording apparatus of a line type which records only by a scan in the conveying direction of the recording sheet, the recording of the whole recording sheet is executed by executing the conveyance of the predetermined pitch while continuously executing the recording of one line in a lump.
FIG. 14 is a partial vertical sectional view of a recording apparatus of the related art. In FIG. 14, a recording head 1301 executes the recording by discharging ink onto a recording sheet S1. A platen 1302 supports the recording sheet S1 at a position where it faces the recording head 1301. A conveying roller 1303 conveys the recording sheet S1 on the upstream side of the recording head 1301 in the conveying direction of the recording sheet. A pinch roller 1304 generates a conveying force by coming into pressure contact with the conveying roller 1303. A sheet discharge roller 1305 ejects the recorded recording sheet S1 to the outside of an apparatus main body. A driven roller 1306 such as a spur or the like generates a conveying force by coming into pressure contact with the sheet discharge roller 1305. The recording apparatus is constructed in such a manner that a pressure contact point of the pinch roller 1304 to the conveying roller 1303 is deviated at the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording sheet, thereby pressing the recording sheet S1 onto the platen 1302. A nip portion 1308 is formed between the sheet discharge roller 1305 and the driven roller 1306.
However, in the case of pressing the recording sheet onto the platen by deviating the pressure contact point of the pinch roller, an optimum position of the pinch roller differs depending on conditions such as recording sheet type, conveying conditions, environmental conditions, ink type, image forming area, and the like. Among those various kinds of conditions, there are also conditions which are reciprocal to one of a movement amount and the moving direction. Therefore, a certain margin is allowed for recording quality by using a method whereby the apparatus is designed based on an intermediate value of an optimum value, a method whereby design values are determined by weighting each recording condition, or the like. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to confocal imaging systems, and more particularly to a confocal macroscope.
Confocal microscopes with coherent optical illumination are capable of producing very thin optical sectioning yielding sharp 3-D image volume data sets and an image of a specimen with much better contrast between fine details than is possible with non-confocal imaging systems such as wide-field instruments known to those skilled in the art. Confocal microscopes are employed to produce images of many types of specimens such as biological materials and semiconductor devices.
A schematic diagram of the essential components of a conventional confocal microscope 100 is shown in FIG. 1. A light source 110, such as a laser in the instance of monochromatic illumination, generates light that is deflected off of a beamsplitter 114, which directs the light toward an objective lens 116. The objective lens 116 focuses the light at a focal point 118 in a specimen 120. The focal point 118 is a small illuminated area in a focal plane, also called an object plane 122, in the specimen 120. In the instance of fluorescent imaging, if the specimen 120 is stained with fluorescent dye that is illuminated with a wavelength near its excitation maximum, then it will emit fluorescent light of a Stokes-shifted wavelength. Fluorescent molecules at the focal point 118 emit Stokes-shifted light rays toward the objective lens 116 which focuses the emitted rays into a confocal pinhole in a conjugate image plane. The confocal pinhole is also called an image pinhole 130 and is located in a plate 132 placed in the conjugate image plane for the focal point 118. In the instance of fluorescent imaging the beamsplitter 114 transmits the fluorescent light to the image pinhole 130, and the fluorescent light passing through the image pinhole 130 is detected by a photodetector 140 such as a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The photodetector 140 generates a signal indicating an intensity of the fluorescent light passing through the image pinhole 130, and the signal is processed by an appropriate data processing system (not shown). An image of the specimen 120 in the object plane 122 is generated by moving the focal point 118 relative to the specimen 120 such that the focal point 118 traverses the object plane 122 in the specimen 120 in a pattern such as a raster pattern. The data processing system assembles the signal from the photodetector 140 to generate the image. Images of different sectional depths of the specimen 120 may be generated by moving the object plane 122 relative to the specimen 120.
If the specimen 120 is reflective then the illumination light is reflected back toward the objective lens 116 and the beamsplitter 114 to be focused on the image pinhole 130 and detected by the photodetector 140. An example of a reflective specimen 120 is an integrated circuit wafer specimen.
Beam-scanning or stage-scanning confocal microscopes differ from wide-field instruments in two major aspects: an illumination spot and an image pinhole. First, in the confocal microscopes rays of light impinging on a specimen from an objective lens are converged along a cone to a single focal point or apex in an object plane in the specimen. This is in contrast to a wide-field instrument where, in each instant, the entire area circumscribed by the field-of-view of the objective lens is illuminated simultaneously. This area includes information from points extending through the entire depth of the specimen, including points above and below the object plane of the objective lens. One advantage of the beam-scanning or stage-scanning confocal microscopes is that all of the light is focused on the focal point in the object plane to produce a much more intense excitation of each scanned point of the specimen, with greater spatial specificity of the area being excited.
A second advantage of the beam-scanning or stage-scanning confocal microscopes is the pinhole in the emission/detection path. Some of the rays of light emanating from the object plane as a result of the illumination light will retrace the path of the impinging path through the objective lens to be collected at a point in the conjugate image plane. The confocal pinhole or image pinhole at the conjugate image plane acts as a spatial-filter to remove out-of-focus rays of light which emanated from points above, below, or to the side of the focal point or apex in the specimen. A single focal point in the specimen is examined at a time. If the focal point of the objective lens is scanned over the specimen at different object planes, then a three-dimensional data set of the specimen may be obtained. The greater intensity of confocal illumination and a segregation of adjacent object planes through which the focal point is scanned allow for the generation of low-distortion images of slices of a thick specimen such as a biological tissue section.
The intensity of illumination in a confocal microscope is enhanced if the excitation light source is a laser such as the laser 110 shown in FIG. 1. Arc-lamps normally used in wide-field instruments have much less optical power at a given excitation wavelength. Arc-lamps are also not as capable as a laser of providing a narrow excitation wavelength while excluding other wavelengths or colors, as arc-lamps emit wavelengths throughout a very broad spectrum. Lasers produce just a few colors or discrete wavelength lines with negligible energy in other spectral regions.
The confocal microscope has undergone many exciting and ingenious changes since its conception by M. Minsky, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,467, with its defining characteristic being a detector pinhole. Minsky used arc-lamp illumination and a pair of orthogonally oriented, electromechanically oscillated tuning forks to translate a specimen. Advances in confocal designs are disclosed in Sheppard et al. xe2x80x9cA Scanning Optical Microscope For The Inspection Of Electrical Devicesxe2x80x9d Microcircuit Eng., Cambridge, 1980, p.447-454 and in Marsman et al. xe2x80x9cMechanical Scan System for Microscopic Applicationsxe2x80x9d; Rev. Sci. Instrument, 1047-1052, 54(8). These confocal microscopes use resonant galvanometers to oscillate the specimen, incorporate laser illumination and PMT detection, scan in real-time, and are used for observing the functional processes of living cells. They are limited to scanning areas of only about 1 mm on a side. The confocal microscopes described so far are categorized as xe2x80x9cstage-scannersxe2x80x9d, because they move the specimen on a support stage with respect to a fixed optical beam.
Laser beam scanning confocal microscopes, also called beam scanners, are described in xc3x85slund et al., xe2x80x9cPHOIBOS, A Microscope Scanner Designed For Micro-Fluorometric Applications, Using Laser Induced Fluorescence, Proceedings of the Third Scandinavian Conference on Image Analysis, Copenhagen, Denmark (1983). Beam scanners angularly deflect an illumination and detection beam with respect to a central axis of an objective lens, using tilting mirrors or acousto-optic devices. Beam scanners have an advantage in that a specimen is not jostled during scanning, and the specimen position may be adjusted without disturbing the scanner. However, spherical and chromatic aberrations in the objective lens are accentuated as the beam is deflected towards the periphery of the field. The field of view is both delimited and restricted by the diameter of the exit pupil of the objective lens which is typically less than half a millimeter. This produces an image that is bowl-shaped which may extend out of the specimen, and is not a flat-field scan. The introduction of beam scanners was contemporaneously accompanied by the implementation of digital storage.
Beam scanners and early stage scanner designs have drawbacks due to an angular scan, nonlinear velocity, and a curved scan path. These result in images that are irregular in shape, flawed quantitatively, and limited in field-of-view. This is partly attributed to the fact that with a fixed time-clock, both the spatial size of samples and the strength of the detected optical signal relative to a concentration of fluorescent dye molecules in a specimen are inversely related to the instantaneous velocity of the beam within the specimen.
Most of the commercially available confocal microscopes sold today are beam scanners. They are more than sufficient for viewing circumscribed specimens which fit neatly within the objective lens"" field of view. They are also more than sufficient for glimpsing isolated fields of a larger specimen. They also are well suited for monitoring live processes, where small scan spaces can translate into short frame times. Their edge distortion makes them problematic for producing images of extended areas. Attempts to seamlessly align image tiles produced by a beam-scanner to create a montage from scans of adjacent fields of view is cumbersome, due to the tiles"" distorted edges and the need for a separate mechanism, independent of the scanner, to move a specimen stage between tiles.
Recently, large field-of-view stage scanners have been patented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,021 to Smith and U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,652 to Mathies et al. Each describe flat-bed x-y scanners. These models allow seamless scanning, but at a limited resolution and speed. Such large-specimen stage scanners also place great stresses on a specimen at high scan rates, which are necessary in fluorescent imaging to avoid bleaching fluorescent dye in the specimen, and to collect copious data in a timely manner. Not jostling the specimen is critical in applications in which biological tissue cannot be dry-mounted. Further, even dry-mounted biological specimens are susceptible to impact damage.
U.K. Patent Application Number 2,184,321 to White describes a spiral configuration stage scanner having a scan motion without wasted time or as much jostling due to rectilinear motion reversal. However, the data set it generates is spatially irregular, due to uneven dwell time and a curved scan path.
There remains a need for a confocal imaging system capable of efficiently, accurately, and without jarring a specimen, generating a clear image of the specimen having a large cross-sectional area.
According to one embodiment of the present invention an imaging system comprises a specimen stage, a source of a collimated light beam centered on a beam axis, and a scan-head movably positioned to focus the collimated light beam on a focal point in an object plane above the specimen stage and to receive light emitted or reflected from the object plane. The collimated light beam is comprised of parallel light rays, and infinity space is the region in which the light beam is collimated. The scan-head is translated coaxial to the beam axis and takes advantage of the capacity of infinity space to stretch. According to another embodiment of the present invention a method comprises generating a collimated light beam centered on a beam axis and defining a region of infinity space, focusing the collimated light beam on a focal point in an object plane in a specimen on a specimen stage with an objective lens, and detecting light reflected or emitted from the specimen at the focal point to generate image data. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a channel selection device of a television, and in particular to an automatic channel memory and selection method of a television, capable of simply selecting a channel regardless of a cablecast or a wireless broadcast.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a general TV set, comprising a tuner 1 for converting a wireless broadcast signal RF or a cablecast signal CATV to an intermediate frequency signal, a sound signal processing unit 2 for restoring a sound intermediate frequency signal SIF to a sound signal and outputting the sound signal to a speaker SP, a video signal processing unit 3 for separating a video intermediate frequency signal VIF into a luminance signal Y and a chrominance signal C, a RGB matrix 4 for restoring the luminance signal Y and the chrominance signal C outputted from the video signal process unit 3 into a primary color signals R, G, B and, thus, outputting the primary color signals R, G, B to a color picture tube CPT, and a microcomputer 5 for performing a control operation in accordance with various control command signals inputted from a remote control unit 6.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the operation of the above described TV set will now be described.
FIGS. 2A and 2B depict a flow chart illustrating an automatic channel selection procedure and a channel selection procedure.
FIG. 3 is a table comparing a wireless broadcast signal and a cablecast signal according to each frequency and each channel, wherein CH1 and CH70 to CH125 are the exclusive cablecast channels, CH2 to CH13 are the channels in which the wireless broadcast and the channels in which the wireless broadcast and the cablecast have identical channel numbers, but separate frequencies.
First, as shown in step 10 in FIG. 2, when a TV viewer selects a wireless broadcast or a cablecast by using a broadcast mode selection key Air/CATV equipped in the remote control unit 6, the microcomputer 5 checks whether a signal from an automatic channel set-up key is inputted or not.
Here, as shown in steps 16 to 20 in FIG. 2, the broadcast mode selection key Air/CATV is a toggle key, so when the microcomputer 5 receives a signal from the broadcast mode selection key Air/CATV, in a case where the present mode is the wireless broadcast mode, the 10 microcomputer 5 switches the wireless broadcast mode to a cablecast mode, and conversely, in case the present mode is the cablecast mode, the microcomputer 5 switches the cablecast mode to the wireless broadcast mode.
And, as shown in steps 11 and 12 in FIG. 2, when the microcomputer 5 receives a signal from the automatic channel set-up key, the microcomputer 5 distinguishes the present broadcast mode. Here, if the distinguished mode is the wireless broadcast mode, the microcomputer 5 outputs tuning data corresponding to the wireless broadcast to the tuner 1, for thereby sequentially selecting wireless broadcast channels CH2 to CH69 and memorizing channels having wireless broadcast signals.
On the other hand, as shown in step 13 in FIG. 2, if the distinguished mode is the cablecast mode, the microcomputer 5 outputs tuning data corresponding to the cablecast to the tuner 1, for thereby sequentially selecting cablecast channels CH1 to CH125 and finally completing the automatic channel set-up operation by memorizing channels having cablecast signals. As shown in steps 14 and 15 in FIG. 2, after the automatic channel set-up operation, when the microcomputer 5 receives a signal from a channel increase/decrease key operated by the TV viewer, the microcomputer 5 sequentially outputs tuning data of a cablecast channel or a wireless broadcast channel from the present broadcast mode, in accordance with the previously completed automatic channel set-up.
Accordingly, the tuner 1 converts the wireless broadcast signal or the cablecast signal to an intermediate frequency signal in accordance with the tuning data and the sound signal processing unit 2 restores the sound intermediate frequency signal SIF outputted from the tuner 1 to the sound signal SP, for thereby outputting the sound signal to the speaker SP.
And, the video signal processing unit 3 separates the video intermediate frequency signal VIF into the luminance signal Y and the chrominance signal C and the RGB matrix 4 restores the luminance signal Y and the chrominance signal C to the primary color signals R, G, B and thus outputs the primary color signals R, G, B to the color picture tube CPT, whereby the wireless broadcast or the cablecast is displayed on a screen.
Therefore, the TV viewer is able to simply select a desired channel without inputting the desired channel numbers one by one.
Also, when the viewer directly inputs a desired channel number, the microcomputer 5 recognizes a channel input and outputs tuning data, corresponding to the desired channel number inputted by the viewer, to the tuner 1, for thereby selecting the desired channel.
However, according to the conventional channel selection method, for the viewer to have the television memorize all the channels with respect to wireless broadcasts and cablecasts by selecting a wireless broadcast mode or a cablecast mode by using the broadcast mode selection key Air/CATV and then pressing the automatic channel set-up key on the selected mode, this requires two steps.
And, although the channels having broadcast signals are memorized through the automatic channel set-up procedure, when the viewer wants to select a certain channel, the viewer has to select the wireless broadcast mode or the cablecast mode and again press the channel increase/decrease key, thereby causing the viewer inconvenience to perform multiple operation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic channel memory and selection method for a TV set capable of memorizing each channel having a broadcast signal in a single step upon inputting an automatic setup key, regardless of a wireless broadcast mode or a cablecast mode being selected.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic channel memory and selection method for a TV set to sequentially increase or decrease a memorized channel number, whenever a signal from a channel increase/decrease key is inputted, regardless of a wireless broadcast channel or a cablecast channel being selected.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automatic channel memory and selection method for a TV set to judge, in a case where a viewer directly inputs a desired channel number by using a number key, whether the inputted channel number corresponds to a wireless broadcast channel or a cablecast channel and to then output corresponding tuning data.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided a method which includes a step for checking an input from an automatic channel set-up key; a step for sequentially selecting wireless broadcast channels for thereby memorizing channels having a wireless broadcast signal when the automatic channel set-up key is inputted; a step for sequentially selecting cablecast channels for thereby memorizing channels having a cablecast signal; a step for checking an input from a channel increase/decrease key; and a step, in a case where the channel increase/decrease key is inputted, for selecting a desired channel by increasing or decreasing by single channels from the present channel, regardless of whether the present channel is a wireless broadcast channel or a cablecast channel.
To achieve the above objects, there is also provided a method which includes a step for checking an input from the number key; a step for checking whether a channel number inputted by a number key belongs to a first range, a second range, or a third range; a step, when the inputted channel number belongs to the first range, for outputting tuning data of a corresponding channel and thereby selecting a channel; a step for outputting tuning data of a wireless broadcast in the case where the inputted channel number belongs to the second range and for recognizing the present channel as a wireless broadcast channel and thereby selecting the channel in the case where a broadcast signal is detected in the corresponding channel; a step for outputting tuning data of a cablecast channel when the broadcast signal is not detected in the above step and for recognizing the present channel as a cablecast channel and thereby selecting the channel; and a step for outputting only a tuning data of a cablecast channel and thereby selecting the channel when the inputted channel number belongs to the third range.
Additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the description which follows. | {
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The invention relates to novel soluble pigment precursors possessing not only higher thermal stability but also improved solubility characteristics and to a process for mass colouration of high temperature polymers that utilizes these novel soluble pigment precursors.
Soluble pigment precursors and their thermal decomposition in situ, for example in a photosensitive composition, a polymer, an aqueous dispersion, a porous material or a surface, to form pigments having superior properties are known from EP-A-0 648 770, EP-A-0 648 817, EP-A0 654 506, EP-A-0 654 711, EP-A-0 742 255, EP-A-742 556, EP-A-0 761 772, EP-A-0 764 628, EP-A-0 892 018, EP-A-0 718 697, WO-98/32802, WO-98/45756, WO-98/45757, WO-98/58027, WO-99/01511 and WO-99/01512.
However, it has been determined that these soluble pigment precursors do not adequately meet the highest requirements. For instance, many pigment precursors, some of them readily soluble, are thermally impossible to convert selectively and quantitatively into the desired pigments. Other pigment precursors conversely combine excellent thermal convertibility with undesirably low solubility.
It has been found that, surprisingly, there is a previously unrecognized possibility of combining good solubility and superior thermal properties of pigment precursors by using novel substitution pattern. The novel compounds are highly mobile below their starting decomposition temperature and provide technically significant, in certain cases even unique application advantages as detailed hereinbelow.
The invention accordingly provides a compound of the formula
A(B)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
where
x is an integer from 1 to 8,
A is the radical of a chromophore of the quinacridone, anthraquinone, perylene, indigo, quinophthalone, indanthrone, isoindolinone, isoindoline, dioxazine, azo, phthalocyanine or diketopyrrolopyrrole series, this radical being linked with x B groups via one or more heteroatoms, these heteroatoms being selected from the group consisting of N, O and S and forming part of the radical A, and
B is hydrogen or a group of the formula
although at least one B group is not hydrogen and when x is from 2 to 8 the B groups may be identical or different,
E1 is oxygen or is selected from the group consisting of methylene, methyleneoxy and ethylene, each member of the group being unsubstituted or substituted by one R5 or by 2 radicals, R5 and R6, or is two separate radicals, R7 and R8, R7 being attached to the same atom as R1 and R8 to the same atom as R4,
E2 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, propylene and butylene, each member of the group being unsubstituted or substituted by one R9 or by 2 radicals, R9 and R10, or is two separate radicals, R11, and R12, R11 being attached to the same atom as R1 and R12 to the same atom as R4,
G1 is O or N(R13),
R1 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, methoxy or ethoxy,
R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy, C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkylene or C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkyleneoxy,
R4 is hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy, C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkylene, C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkyleneoxy, C5-C6cycloalkyl, C5-C6cycloalkoxy, phenyl, phenoxy or a 5- or 6-membered, saturated or singly to triply unsaturated heterocyclic radical,
R5, R6, R9, R10 and R12 are independently C1-C8alkyl or C1-C8alkoxy, or R6 and R9 together are a direct bond,
R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy, C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkylene or C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkyleneoxy,
R11 is hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl or C1-C8alkoxy,
R13 is methyl or ethyl, and
R14 is C1-C8alkyl, C5-C6cycloalkyl, phenyl or a 5- or 6-membered, saturated or singly to triply unsaturated heterocyclic radical,
it being possible for two methoxies attached to the same carbon atom to combine and form 1,2-ethylenedioxy, or for methoxy to combine with ethoxy attached to the same carbon atom to form 1,2- or 1,3-propylenedioxy, or for methoxy or ethoxy to combine with ethoxy attached to xcex1- or xcex2-enchained carbon to form dimethylmethylene,
and where additionally
a) R1, R2, R3, R7 or R11 is hydrogen, and
b) when E1 is two separate radicals R7 and R8 and E2 is methylene or ethylene at least one of the following further conditions applies:
R1, R2, R3, R4, R7, R8, R9 or R10 is methoxy or ethoxy;
R2, R3, R4, R7, R8, R9 or R10 is secondary C3-C8alkyl or tertiary C4-C8alkyl or C3-C8alkoxy;
R2, R3, R7 or R8 is C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkylene or C1-C8alkoxy-C2-C8alkyleneoxy; or
R4is C5-C6cycloalkyl, C5-C6cycloalkoxy, phenyl, phenoxy or a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic radical.
As is evident from this definition, substitution is of major significance for cyclic compounds.
C1-C8Alkyl, including in C1-C8alkoxy, is for example methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, 2-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl or any isomer of pentyl, hexyl, heptyl or octyl, such as tert-amyl or tert-octyl. C1-C8Alkyl is preferably secondary C3-C8alkyl or tertiary C4-C8alkyl. C5-C6Cycloalkyl, including in C5-C6cycloalkoxy, is cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl.
C2-C8Alkylene, including in C1-C8alkoxy, may be straight-chain, branched or cyclic. Examples are 1,2-ethylene, 1,2-propylene, 1,3-propylene, an isomer of butylene, pentylene, hexylene, heptylene, octylene or cyclopentylene, cyclohexylene or cyclooctylene.
5- or 6-membered, saturated or singly to triply unsaturated heterocyclic radicals are for example 2- or 3-furyl, 2- or 3-thienyl, 1-pyrryl, 2H-2-pyrryl, 2H-2-pyranyl, 4H-4-pyridyl, 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-piperidyl, 1-, 2- or 3-pyrrolidinyl, or any isomer of imidazolidinyl imidazolinyl, pyrazolidinyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolyl, quinuclidinyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, morpholinyl, furyl, dihydrofuryl, tetrahydrofuryl, dihydropyranyl or tetrahydropyranyl.
Examples of bicyclic groups on the carboxyl group in the formula (II) are cyclic terpene radicals, such as thujyl, caryl, pinyl, bornyl, norcaryl, norpinyl or norbornyl.
E1 is preferably oxygen, methylene or two separate radicals R7 and R8, especially methylene or two separate radicals R7 and R8.
E2 is preferably ethylene or two separate radicals R1, and R12.
G1 is preferably O.
R1 is preferably hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, methoxy or ethoxy.
R2, R3 and R4 are preferably hydrogen or C1-C8alkyl.
R5, R6, R9, R10 and R12 are preferably methyl, secondary C3-C8alkyl or tertiary C4-C8alkyl.
R7, R8 and R11 are preferably hydrogen or methyl, especially hydrogen.
R14 is preferably C1-C8alkyl.
Preference is given to B groups which exclusively of the carboxyl group contain at most 3 further oxygen atoms, especially no or 1 to 2 further oxygen atoms, particularly preferably no or 1 further oxygen atom. When a B group exclusively of the carboxyl group contains 2 or 3 further oxygen atoms, it is preferable for no carbon atom in this B group other than in the carboxyl group to be bonded to more than one oxygen atom.
Preference is given to groups of the formulae (II) or (III) which are asymmetrical. Particular preference is given to groups of the formulae
where R15 is xe2x80x94CR1R7R11 and R16 is xe2x80x94CR2R3xe2x80x94CR4R8R12 or xe2x80x94CR2R3xe2x80x94G1R14, and R2, R3, R4, R7, R8, R9 or R10 is secondary C3-C8alkyl or tertiary C4-C8alkyl, especially tert-butyl, tert-amyl or 2,4-dimethyl-2-pentyl.
Very particular preference is given to groups of the formulae (II) and especially (IV).
The compounds of the invention are notable for improved thermal characteristics. At temperatures of about 140xc2x0 C. to about 220xc2x0 C., customary during incorporation into many polymers, they will disperse therein very homogeneously, usually with complete dissolution, without decomposing into the pigment. On cooling they crystallize back out within the polymer. This provides, for example with the diketopyrrolopyrroles, excellent, particularly homogeneous colour and/or fluorescent pigmentations.
On the other hand, the compounds of the invention decompose very smoothly at temperatures of about 220 to 300xc2x0 C. As a result, prolonged heating, which may harm the polymers, can be substantially or completely avoided. In addition, finer, even more transparent, isometric and less dichroic pigment particles are obtained than with prior art pigment precursors, which is of particular advantage in fibres and in injection moulding processes in particular.
The invention accordingly further provides a process for mass colouration of a polymer, which comprises adding at least one compound of the formula (I) to the polymer before or during processing, the processing taking the form of extrusion, injection moulding or fibre spinning at 220 to 330xc2x0 C., preferably at 250 to 320xc2x0 C., especially 280 to 300xc2x0 C.
As mentioned above, the compounds of the invention form pigments very rapidly at high temperatures. However, it has highly surprisingly been discovered that their colour already starts to change at much lower temperatures. Depending on the temperature, it is possible to get different colours as illustrated by some of the examples which follow. The intermediate colours are likely due to partially decomposed compounds of the formula (I); it could be due either to the simultaneous presence of compounds of the formula (I) and pigments of the formula A(H)x (VI) or to the presence of some intermediates. Preferred chromophores for intermediate colours are quinacridones, perylenes, indigos, azos and phthalocyanines, most preferred the quinacridone and indigo chromophores.
The intermediate colours are attractive and can be used purely for decorative purposes. By heating to higher temperatures, they can be further transformed into the pigmentary colour, thus enabling them to be used in thermochromic media, in particular in security items. A preferred use is the selective colouration in the mass of one or more polymeric parts of a composite item, for example to a transparent film, tape or patch of arbitrary shape laminated between the support and the transparent cover of a security item such as but not restricted to identity, bank, credit or company cards, checks, banknotes, driving licenses or any other badges, pass or permits. Counterfeiting security items comprising the instant intermediate, thermochromic colours becomes much more difficult for reasons evident to a person skilled in the art but which should of course not be disclosed to potential counterfeiters.
The invention accordingly also provides a thermochromic material comprising a polymer coloured in the mass by a product obtainable by partial thermal decomposition of a compound of the formula (I) or by two compounds, selected from the group consisting of compounds of the formula (I) and pigments of the formula A(H)x (VI). In a preferred embodiment, said material is comprised within a composite, especially a security item.
The polymer is preferably a polyolefin, polyester or polyamide, especially polypropylene, or some other engineering plastic, for example a polyimide, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyphenylene oxide, polyarylene, polyarylene sulfide, polyepoxide, polyphenylene oxide or ABS.
In addition, many compounds of the formula (I) have a melting point which is lower than the decomposition point, although the latter is none the less still located in a useful range below the onset of decomposition of the material to be pigmented. This allows pigmentation of all sorts of materials, for example porous metal oxide layers or sintered materials as described in WO-00/27930 or EP-A-1,044,945, in significantly higher colour strength. Pigment coatings, as disclosed in EP-A-0 742 556, can also be produced on a smooth surface, in which case the improved thermal properties of the compounds of the formula (I) ensure that astonishingly good results are obtained.
The invention accordingly also provides a process for pigmenting a porous material, which comprises at least one compound of the formula (I), in liquid form or dissolved in an inert liquid in a weight concentration of at least 25%, penetrating into the pores of the porous material and thereafter being thermally converted into a pigment of the formula A(H)x (VI).
Useful solvents include for example hydrocarbons, alcohols, amides, nitriles, nitro compounds, N-heterocycles, ethers, ketones and esters and may be singly or multiply unsaturated or halogenated. Examples are methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethyl ether, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, 1,2-dimethoxyethane, 1,2-diethoxyethane, 2-methoxyethanol, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, dioxanes, acetonitrile, benzonitrile, nitrobenzene, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N-methylpyrrolidone, pyridine, picoline, quinoline, trichloroethane, benzene, toluene, xylene, anisole and chlorobenzene. Further examples may be taken from standard works. The solvent may also be a mixture of 2 or more, for example 3 to 5, liquids. Further details may be taken from WO-98/58027 or WO-00/36210.
The compounds of the formula (I) may also be employed with significant practical benefits, readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the improved thermal characteristics, in reactive extrusion, colour filters, thermodiffusion media, ink-jet printing dispersions, electrophotographic photoreceptors or for colouring wood, these processes being known per se for example from EP-A-0 654 711, EP-A-0 718 697, EP-A-0 892 018, WO-98/45756, WO-98/58027, WO-99/01511 or WO-00/36210, although the imperfect combination of the physical properties (especially solubility←xe2x86x92decomposition point) of previously known compounds did not lead to fully satisfactory results.
The compounds of the formula (I) may be used individually or else in the form of mixtures with other compounds of the formula (I) or with other pigment precursors, for example those disclosed in EP-A-0 648 770, EP-A-0 648 817, EP-A-0 654 506, EP-A-0 742 255, EP-A-0 761 772, WO-98/32802, WO-98/45757, WO-99/01512, WO00/17275 or PCT/EP-00/03085.
This can be used to produce, for example, solid solutions or mixed crystals, in which case host and guest components having identical or else different decomposition points can be used, depending on the desired objective. When host and guest components having different decomposition points are used, the decomposition point of the host component may be lower or higher than those of the guest components.
A preferred embodiment is the use of binary or ternary mixtures including 60 to 99.9% by weight of a compound of the formula (I) and 0.1 to 40% by weight of one or two thermally more labile compounds of the same chromophore class with an Axe2x80x2 that differs from A, preferably a binary mixture of 99.5 to 95% by weight of a compound of the formula (I) and 0.5 to 5% by weight of a thermally more labile compound of the same chromophore class with an Axe2x80x2 that differs from A.
The thermally more labile compound of the same chromophore class with an Axe2x80x2 that differs from A is particularly preferably a compound of the formula
where xxe2x80x2 is an integer from 1 to 8 and Axe2x80x2 is the radical of a chromophore of the quinacridone, anthraquinone, perylene, indigo, quinophthalone, indanthrone, isoindolinone, isoindoline, dioxazine, azo, phthalocyanine or diketopyrrolopyrrole series, this radical being linked with xxe2x80x2 xe2x80x94COOR17 groups via one or more heteroatoms, these heteroatoms being selected from the group consisting of N, O and S and forming part of the radical Axe2x80x2 and R17 being any desired tertiary group. As particularly customary R17 radicals there may be mentioned by way of example tert-butyl, tert-amyl, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-yl, 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-yl, 4-oxa-2-pentyl or 4,7-dioxa-1-methyl-2-octyl, this being just a small selection of known radicals which are cited in the above-cited publications, which are hereby expressly incorporated herein for further examples.
Very particular preference is given to compounds of the formula (VII), whose basic structure Axe2x80x2(H)xxe2x80x2 (VIII) is known to lead to synergistic effects with the basic structure A(H)x (VI) of the compound of the formula (I), the known effect being much intensified when the compounds of the formula (I) have higher decomposition temperatures than the compounds of the formula (VII). This is very surprising because one would expect on the contrary that the effect would be at its most intense when the compounds of the formula (I) and (VII) thermally decompose to the pigment at one and the same time (see JP-A-11/305032).
An example of this is the use of mixtures of two 1,4-diketo-3,6-diarylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrroles of the formulae (I) and (VII) where aryl is phenyl, chlorophenyl, dichlorophenyl, tolyl, p-cyanophenyl, tert-butylphenyl or biphenyl in the formula (I) and m-cyanophenyl in the formula (VII). Corresponding compositions comprising A(H)x (VI) and Axe2x80x2(H)xxe2x80x2 (VIII) are known from EP-A-0 748 851.
It is particularly in polymers that are processed at a temperature of at least 220xc2x0 C., for example polypropylene at 240 to about 330xc2x0 C., that these mixtures provide very surprising advantages in transparency and colour properties, specifically colour strength and saturation, especially and particularly by comparison with the corresponding known compositions.
The compounds of the formulae (I) may be prepared in a conventional manner from known pigments and chloroformic esters or pyrocarbonates obtainable analogously to known processes. Known processes for preparing pyrocarbonates useful as starting materials for pigment precursors are disclosed for example in EP-A-0 764 628 or CH-2585/98.
A is the radical of known chromophores having the basic structure A(H)x (VI), although on every heteroatom linked to x B groups A preferably has at least one immediately adjacent or conjugated carbonyl group, for example
where Z is for example
and also in each case all known derivatives thereof, as for example disclosed in the abovementioned patent applications or described by Willy Herbst and Klaus Hunger in xe2x80x9cIndustrial Organic Pigmentsxe2x80x9d (ISBN 3-527-28161-4, VCH/Weinheim 1993).
Particular utility is possessed by those soluble chromophores wherein the basic structure A(H)x (VI) is Colour Index Pigment Yellow 13, Pigment Yellow 73, Pigment Yellow 74, Pigment Yellow 83, Pigment Yellow 93, Pigment Yellow 94, Pigment Yellow 95, Pigment Yellow 109, Pigment Yellow 110, Pigment Yellow 120, Pigment Yellow 128, Pigment Yellow 139, Pigment Yellow 151, Pigment Yellow 154, Pigment Yellow 175, Pigment Yellow 180, Pigment Yellow 181, Pigment Yellow 185, Pigment Yellow 194, Pigment Orange 31, Pigment Orange 71, Pigment Orange 73, Pigment Red 122, Pigment Red 144, Pigment Red 166, Pigment Red 184, Pigment Red 185, Pigment Red 202, Pigment Red 214, Pigment Red 220, Pigment Red 221, Pigment Red 222, Pigment Red 242, Pigment Red 248, Pigment Red 254, Pigment Red 255, Pigment Red 262, Pigment Red 264, Pigment Brown 23, Pigment Brown 41, Pigment Brown 42, Pigment Blue 25, Pigment Blue 26, Pigment Blue 60, Pigment Blue 64, Pigment Violet 19, Pigment Violet 29, Pigment Violet 32, Pigment Violet 37, 3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-cyano-phenyl)-2,5-dihydro-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione, 3,6-di(3,4-dichloro-phenyl)-2,5-dihydro-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione or 3-phenyl-6-(4xe2x80x2-tert-butyl-phenyl)-dihydro-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione.
Mention may be made in particular of 3,6-diaryl-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-diones of the formula (I) that contain 2 groups of the formula (II).
The compounds of the formula (I) according to the invention are also very useful fluorescent dyes for mass colouration of high molecular weight organic material which are processed at a temperature of about 140xc2x0 C. to 220xc2x0 C.
Examples of useful high molecular weight organic materials that can be fluorescent-coloured with the compounds of the formula I according to the invention are vinyl polymers, such as polystyrenes, polyacrylates, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl fluoride), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(alkyl vinyl ether)s, polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyalkadienes and polycarbonates. High molecular weight organic materials can be of natural or artificial origin and customarily have a molecular weight in the range from 103 to 108 g/mol.
Based on the high molecular weight organic material to be coloured, the compounds of the formula (I) according to the invention can be used in an amount of 0.01 to 30% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight.
If appropriate, customary additives, such as stabilizers, plasticizers, fillers or other colour conferring ingredients, such as white, colour or black pigments, may also be added in any desired customary amounts. The coloured material is then brought to the desired final form in a conventional manner, such as calendering, pressing, extruding, coating, casting, injection moulding or powder coating.
The fluorescent colourations obtainable thereby are notable for particularly high quantum yield and homogeneity.
The invention accordingly further provides high molecular weight organic material having a glass transition point (Tg) of 140xc2x0 C. to 220xc2x0 C. and containing in its bulk 0.1 to 10% by weight of a compound of the formula (I), based on the total weight. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly to a thin film transistor substrate that can be fabricated at reduced cost and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Image display devices, which are a core technology in the information communication age, for displaying various kinds of information on a screen, have been developed such that the image display devices are thinner, lighter, and portable, and exhibit high performance. In addition, flat panel display devices, which have lower weight and volume than cathode ray tubes (CRT), have been highlighted.
A liquid crystal display device, which is one such flat panel display device, adjusts a light transmission rate of liquid crystals using an electric field generated between a pixel electrode and a common electrode connected to a thin film transistor to display images.
The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of passivation films for isolating the electrodes from each other. In particular, an organic passivation film having a low dielectric constant is formed to isolate the common electrode and a data line for supplying a data signal to the thin film transistor, from each other. The organic passivation film is relatively thick so as to reduce parasitic capacitance occurring between the common electrode and the data line. However, the cost of fabricating the liquid crystal display device increases, and it is difficult to fabricate the liquid crystal display device in a slim fashion, with the increase in thickness of the organic passivation film.
In addition, the number of masking processes for patterning increases with the increase in the number of the passivation films. As a result, the masking processes become complicated, whereby the cost of fabricating the liquid crystal display device increases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Luminaires for providing general illumination to an area are well known and often used in outdoor lighting applications including roadway and sidewalk lighting, parking lot lighting, and residential area lighting. In order to increase luminaire efficiency, light emitting diodes have been incorporated into luminaire designs as a light source. Light emitting diodes offer several advantages including high lighting efficiency, long lifetimes that can exceed 50,000 hours of operation, resistance to physical or mechanical shock and rapid lighting response time.
Conversely, light emitting diodes additionally exhibit several disadvantages which challenge their use in luminaire constructions, including luminaires used for general outdoor illumination. The performance of a light emitting diode, for example, is largely dependent on the temperature of the operating environment. Operating a light emitting diode in high ambient temperatures can lead to overheating and device failure. Moreover, light emitting diodes are generally offered in relatively low lumen packages, necessitating large numbers to create the required lighting levels. As a result, it is difficult to produce a light emitting diode luminaire having the size, shape and light output of existing high intensity discharge (HID) luminaires. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Modern people are usually under a sub-health condition for a long time because of the great life pressure, the unhealthy eating habits, etc., and if this condition continues, various diseases will be caused to seriously endanger people's health. Normally, people should be in an alkaline physical condition, and if a change towards a weak acid condition can be detected in time and can be intervened by a change of diet, etc., keeping healthy would not be so hard.
At present, display devices like mobile phone terminals are widely used, and if a pH value sensing circuit can be combined with the display devices, especially with mobile phone terminals, the pH values of holders of the terminals can be sensed in real time so as to determine the physical condition of the body. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a received data compensating device provided between a receiving circuit constituting a physical layer and a processing device utilizing received data and having the function of recovering the received data.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 shows a diagram showing a structure of a conventional received data compensating circuit. As shown in FIG. 8, a received data compensating device 100A is provided in a rear stage of a receiving IC 200 constituting a physical layer and comprises a preprocessing unit 1 and a check unit 2 in this example. The receiving IC 200 is mounted on a printed wiring board (PWB) and the received data compensating device 100A can be properly constituted by an ASIC, an FPGA or a microcomputer. An AD485 adapter for an analog device can also be used for the receiving IC 200.
In FIG. 8, a digital signal acquired through the receiving IC 200 from a communicating transmission line is transferred to the received data compensating device 100A. The preprocessing unit 1 has a filtering function and a sampling function. An example of the sampling circuit to be used herein is shown in FIG. 9. This circuit has already been disclosed by the applicant based on Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-221905.
As shown in FIG. 9, the sampling circuit comprises three D-type flip-flops DFF1 to DFF3 which are cascade connected to each other, a first selector SEL1 disposed in a rear stage of DFF1 to DFF3, a D-type flip-flop DFF4 disposed in a rear stage of SEL1, a second selector SEL2 disposed in a rear stage of DFF4, and a D-type flip-flop DFF5 disposed in a rear stage of SEL2. The sampling circuit serves to monitor the Q outputs of the D-type flip-flops DFF1 to DFF5 and to give switching signals S1 and S2 to the first and second selectors SEL1 and SEL2 based on the Q outputs, thereby restoring a digital signal including various noise components as shown in FIGs. 10A-10H.
The check unit 2 of FIG. 8 serves to check a reliability of data in a frame format of a protocol such as a CRC, a parity, a stop or a coding rule or to detect an error. Furthermore, the check unit 2 also carries out decoding in the case in which a transmission line is coded. Compensated and received data (CD) passing through the check unit 2 are transmitted to the data processing device together with a check result signal S1 and are thus utilized (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-130151).
In such a conventional received data compensating device, however, a filtering circuit included in the preprocessing unit 1 is fixed to have one characteristic. Accordingly, such a PLC can be difficult to use in connecting a master unit to a slave unit.
More specifically, in the PLC system of this type, various wiring configurations such as a digichain, a multidrop, a branch and a start are mixed on a communicating path thereof. In addition, various transmission media (electric cables and connectors having different characteristics) are used. Consequently, a reflecting and damping state of a signal in a transmission line is varied. In the case in which this signal is received by the filtering circuit fixed to have one characteristic, a communication wiring specification such as a wiring length and the number of connections is more reduced than that in the case in which the wiring configuration and the transfer medium correspond. In order to solve this problem by an enhancement in a wiring performance, it is necessary to prepare an IC (including one filtering circuit) and an apparatus to be provided in a plurality of formats for each cable and wiring configuration irrespective of the device having the same function. For this reason, costs for development and management are increased.
The present invention has been made by taking note of the conventional problems and has an object to provide a received data compensating device capable of carrying out a wide application through a single device for a transmission line including various wiring configurations and transmission media.
Other objects, functions and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood by the skilled in the art by referring to the following description of the specification. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotational position sensor device used for an internal combustion engine for detecting the rotational position thereof for ignition timing control or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a prior art internal combustion engine rotational position sensor device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Sho 60-23,714. In the figure, reference numeral 1 designates a timing cam pulley, 2 a cam shaft, on which the cam pulley 1 is mounted, 3 a bolt for securing the cam pulley 1 to the cam shaft 2, 4 a belt cover, 6 a rotational position sensor mounted on an engine body, and 7' and 8' annular ribs coaxially provided on an end face of the timing cam pulley 1. The ribs 7' and 8' have slits. When these slits pass by the rotational position sensor 6, the sensor 6 provides a signal corresponding to the rotational position of the cam shaft 2.
In the assembly of the above prior art internal combustion engine rotational position sensor device, the rotational position sensor 6 is first mounted on the engine body, and then the timing cam pulley 1 having the annular ribs 7' and 8' is mounted on the cam shaft 2. Therefore, the overall measurement accuracy of the device depends on the manufacturing accuracy of various components, and cannot be determined until the device has been actually assembled for use. In other words, the performance of the device can neither be confirmed nor ensured until it has been actually assembled for use. Further, when it is disassembled by removing the timing cam pulley 1 and other components and reassembled due to a defect of other components, its accuracy is subject to variations, and it is impossible to ensure a fixed performance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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