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The present invention relates generally to the field of fluid filtration. More specifically, the present invention relates to cylindrical disposable filter cartridges and methods and apparatus for making the same, whereby the filter cartridge includes a core element and a non-woven, melt-blown filter medium surrounding the core element.
Filter cartridges formed of a nonwoven mass of melt blown, indefinite (continuous) length polymeric fibers are well known and have achieved widespread use in fluid filtration applications. Typically, such melt blown filter cartridges are made by extruding a polymer through orifices associated with a melt blowing die to form continuous length fibers which are directed toward an axially elongate rotating mandrel. During melt blowing, a flow of inert gas (e.g., air) acts on the molten fibers so as to attenuate the fibers to relatively fine diameter and to randomly distribute the attenuated fibers onto the mandrel. Over time, therefore, an annular mass of nonwoven, randomly intermingled solidified fibers builds up on the mandrel. Controlled axial movement of the built-up mass of melt blown fibers relative to the melt blowing die will therefore allow a cylindrical filter cartridge of indefinite length to be formed continuously.
Such melt-blown filter cartridges have been proposed in the past to be produced continuously with and without a separate core element. For example, coreless melt-blown filter cartridges are known in the art through U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,479 to Szczepanski et al (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe Szczepanski et al ""479 patent). According to the Szczepanski et al ""479 patent, coreless melt-blown filter cartridges are formed by directing streams of polymeric fibers toward a rotating mandrel which serves to support the melt-blown polymeric filaments during the production process. The resulting tubular filter portion is subsequently axially withdrawn from the mandrel and will include a central support zone of non-woven polymer filaments and a filtration zone of non-woven polymeric filaments surrounding the central support zone.
Tubular filter cartridges having separate central core elements are also known. In this regard, the attenuated streams of polymeric fibers are typically melt-blown onto a rotating and axially translating core element where the fibers are allowed to build up into a non-woven fibrous mass. The core element thus forms an integral central support structure for the non-woven fibrous mass during both the production process and later during filtration when the filter cartridge is placed into service. The formation of such filter cartridges with integral core elements is, however, somewhat problematic on a continuous production basis.
Several proposals exist in the art for producing filter cartridges having integral separate core elements on a continuous production basis. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,159 and 4,116,738 to Pall (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe Pall ""159 and ""738 patentsxe2x80x9d, the entire content of each being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference) disclose the temporary end-to-end joining of sequential preformed core elements by means of coaxially interdigitated spacers so that the joined preformed core elements are capable of being rotated and axially traversed as a unit relative to a melt-blowing die during the continuous production of melt-blown filter cartridges. The melt-blown fiber layer is subsequently cut at about the midpoint of the spacers leaving a lap which extends beyond the core elements at each end, thereby making it possible to pull off a filter length by withdrawing the core portion of the next following spacer. Presumably, the spacers removed from the filter lengths are then reused in the process disclosed in the Pall ""159 and ""738 patents.
As an alternative to using preformed core elements, the Pall ""159 and ""738 patents also disclose that the core element can be formed in situ by means of a continuous rotatable tubular extrusion die. The core element is thus extruded continuously in tubular form with an open central passage, in a continuous length. Prior to receiving the melt-blown fibers, the extruded core element is perforated or slit by cutting means to provide a plurality of apertures for passage of fluid therethrough into the central open passage of the core.
The techniques disclosed in the Pall ""159 and ""738 patents are not without disadvantages. For example, when using spacers as the means to couple preformed core elements in an end-to-end manner, care must be exercised that the melt-blown fiber media is cut at about the spacer""s midpoint, thereby limiting the maximum length of the filter cartridge to the length of the preformed core element. Furthermore, the cut cannot be made entirely through the melt-blown fiber media and the spacer, since to do otherwise would result in sacrifice of the spacer thereby adding to the overall production costs of the filter cartridge. On the other hand, the continuous extrusion of the core element necessarily involves the provision of a rotatable extrusion die and core-perforation equipment which may not be cost effective in terms of already preformed core elements.
More recently, a technique for producing continuously melt-blown filter cartridges having preformed core elements has been disclosed through U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,833 to Mozelack et al (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe Mozelack et al ""833 patentxe2x80x9d, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference). According to the Mozelack et al ""833 patent, preformed thermoplastic elements are friction-welded coaxially in an end-to-end manner so that the core elements are joined integrally one to another. The integrally coaxially joined preformed core element can thus be rotated and traversed as a unit relative to the melt-blowing die(s) during the continuous production of indefinite length cylindrical melt-blown filter cartridges. Following melt-blowing of the polymeric fibers onto the joined core elements, the filter cartridge preforms may be cut to desired lengths (preferably on-line).
Broadly, the present invention relates to filter cartridges having a core element formed of a non-filtering, self-supporting non-woven mass of indefinite length continuous synthetic polymeric fibers, and at least one annular filtration zone layer formed of a mass of non-woven indefinite length continuous synthetic polymeric fibers, and to the apparatus and methods for making such filter cartridges.
Most preferably, the non-woven core element is formed in situ during filter cartridge manufacturing by melt-blowing synthetic polymeric fiber streams toward a forming mandrel. The fibers forming the core element are of sufficient diameter and/or density to define a highly open cross-sectional non-woven matrix structure which does not serve a filtration function under normal filtration conditions, but yet impart sufficient axial and radial rigidity to the core element sufficient to support the filtration zone fibers during manufacture and during filtration. That is, once formed, the core element provides a formation mandrel onto which the subsequently melt-blown filtration zone fibers may be accumulated.
Importantly, the non-woven fibrous mass of the core element must be completely solidified prior to the filtration zone fibers being melt-blown thereon. That is, according to the present invention, the filtration zone fibers are predominantly mechanically interlocked with the fibrous mass forming the core element, instead of being melt-bonded thereto. In such a manner, the relatively open pore structure of the core element can be maintained in the finished filter cartridge product (i.e., so it does not perform a filtration function).
Filter cartridges of predetermined length may be cut from an upstream filter cartridge perform of indefinite length having a melt-blown annular layer of non-woven melt-blown filtration zone fibers surrounding a melt-blown fibrous core element. According to the present invention, filter cartridges of very precise length can be achieved by subjecting the preform to forced cooling air to thereby minimize (if not eliminate entirely) significant filter cartridge shrinkage over time. In addition, a cutter assembly is mounted laterally of the preform, but is capable of rate-synchronized longitudinal movement with the preform during the cutting operation. In this manner, very precise cuts may be made through the preform which do not necessarily require downstream trimming in order to achieve precise nominal filter cartridge lengths.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof. | {
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Forskolin is a complex functionalised derivative of 13R-MO requiring region- and stereospecific oxidation of five carbon positions. Forskolin is a diterpene naturally produced by Coleus forskohlii. Both Forskolin and oxidized variants of forskolin have been suggested as useful in treatment in a number of clinical conditions. Forskolin has the ability to decrease the intraocular pressure therefore it is used today as an antiglaucoma agent (Wagh K, Patil P, Surana S, Wagh V. Forskolin: Upcoming antiglaucoma molecule, J Postgrad Med 2012, 58(3):199-202), in the form of eye drops. Moreover a water-soluble analogue of forskolin (NKH477) has been approved for commercial use in Japan for treatment of acute heart failure and heart surgery complications because of its vasodilatory effects when administered intravenously (Kikura M, Morita K, Sato S. Pharmacokinetics and a simulation model of colforsin daropate, new forskolin derivative inotropic vasodilator, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Pharmacol Res 2004, 49: 275-281). Forskolin also acts as bronchodilator so it could be used for asthma treatments (Yousif M H and Thulesius O. Forskolin reverses tachyphylaxis to the bronchodilator effects of salbutamol: an in-vitro study on isolated guinea-pig trachea. J Pharm Pharmacol, 1999. 51:181-186). Forskolin may help additionally to treat obesity by contributing to higher rates of body fat burning and promoting lean body mass formation (Godard M P, Johnson B A, Richmond S R. Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men. Obes Res 2005, 13:1335-1343) | {
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The present invention relates to a device for protecting and aesthetically concealing a plumbing cleanout. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel scheme which minimizes fuel consumption in thermally cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock and separating the cracked product. In particular, it relates to thermal cracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock in the presence of steam at temperatures of about 1200.degree. to 1800.degree. F. More specifically, it pertains to preheating combustion air, before it is blown into the thermal cracking furnace, in a heat exchanger by employing bottom pumparound (BPA), top pumparound (TPA) and/or quench water (QW) streams extracted from the primary fractionator which is externally connected to the pyrolysis tubular metal reactor located within the furnace. The heat transferred at low temperatures to the combustion air becomes available above the unheated fuel adiabatic flame temperature for transfer to the furnace tubular reactor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the thermal efficiency of a pyrolysis reactor furnace depends on how much of the thermal energy released from the fuel has been absorbed and utilized within the furnace, efforts have been made to lower the temperature of the combusted flue gas leaving the furnace, thereby maximizing the recovery of the fuel energy. One approach towards reducing the flue gas temperature has been to use the flue gas to preheat the combustion air used in the furnace burners. This recovers heat from the flue gas and improves the overall thermal efficiency of the furnace. The concept of preheating the combustion air with the flue gas stream has been extensively studied.
Unfortunately, however, utilization of the flue gas in preheating the combustion air is attended by several inherent engineering disadvantages. First of all, it requires a high investment for the installation of blowers, drivers, insulated ducts and other miscellaneous equipment needed to transport the hot flue gas to a heat exchanger wherein heat transfer between the flue gas and the combustion air takes place. Further, the heat exchanger and part of the flue gas transportation equipment are vulnerable to corrosion as they are in direct contact with acidic components of the cooled flue gas. Finally, the regenerative heat exchanger normally employed for this is subject to outages which deleteriously affect the furnace service factor.
Another approach proposed for improving the thermal efficiency of the hydrocarbon thermal conversion system has been to preheat the combustion air by employing the pyrolysis product stream which leaves the pyrolysis reactor at high temperatures, e.g., 1200.degree. to 2000.degree. F. Thus, Bergstrom et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,028 have disclosed a pyrolysis reactor of special construction which provides for passage of cool air into the apparatus in indirect heat exchange with the hot conversion products after which it is used as combustion air for the fuel to the reactor. These patentees are therefore not teaching the use of low level temperature waste heat streams for air preheat. Belgian Pat. No. 819,761 (Equiv. U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,452) concerns steam reforming in which the hot product gases are used to preheat combustion air; the latter is then passed to an air preheater where it is heated further by exchange with flue gases.
Wiesenthal, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,733, is essentially concerned with a furnace for heating hydrocarbons in which he uses a portion of the feed stream, which is assumed to be already at elevated temperature, for combustion air preheating, then uses the cooled stream to extract heat from the flue gases. In FIG. X, which is the only embodiment suggested for carrying out a chemical process in the furnace, the entire feed stream is first heated in the convection section of the furnace, then is used for combustion air preheating, then is passed through the convection coil and finallly through the radiant heating coil of the furnace. Wiesenthal, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,946, circulates a heat transfer fluid in a closed loop between the convection section and the combustion air, collecting heat in the former and donating this heat to the combustion air.
Hepp in U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,420 uses three pebble heat exchangers in which the pebbles flow downwardly by gravity and at the bottom are hoisted up to the top. The pebbles directly contact successively: the hot pyrolysis effluent gas; combustion air for the furnace; incoming hydrocarbon feed, so that in effect the pebbles quench the pyrolysis products and heat taken up thereby serves as combustion air preheat and as feed preheat. The contacting of the pebbles with pyrolysis products which contain reactive unsaturated monomers and then with air is undesirable since the two are incompatible; also the refractory material can act as a catalyst for polymerization of the monomers and/or as a catalyst for undesirable further cracking which impairs selectivity to valuable components. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dialysis system and a method of cleaning and priming a blood circulation path of the dialysis system. More particularly, the invention relates to a dialysis system capable of using a dialysate in place of physiological saline as a replenisher solution when blood pressure is lowered and capable of using a dialysate in place of physiological saline in a cleaning and priming operation and in a blood returning operation in blood dialysis treatment, and relates to a method of cleaning and priming of the dialysis system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A dialysate is used in blood dialysis. Air or filled sterilized water is contained in a dialyzer before the dialyzer is used in blood dialysis and the air or the sterilized water needs to be removed. Therefore, as a pretreatment, conventionally, the inside of a dialyzer and the inside of a blood line connected to the dialyzer (hereinafter, referred to as the inside of a blood circulation path) are cleaned and primed by using, for example, physiological saline (normally, about 500 through 1000 ml).
Further, after finishing blood dialysis, blood remaining in the inside of the blood circulation path needs to be returned into the body of a patient who has undergone the blood dialysis treatment (referred to as blood returning) as much as possible, and as a post treatment, conventionally, blood is returned into the human body by using, for example, physiological saline (about 300 ml).
However, since physiological saline is expensive, a conventional blood dialysis system using a large amount thereof is problematic because of the considerable cost of the blood dialysis.
Hence, in order to resolve such a drawback, there have been proposed a method and an apparatus of blood dialysis (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 80346/1996) capable of achieving a reduction in the cost of the blood dialysis by reducing the volume of physiological saline used in the priming and blood returning operations, and a physical solution treating apparatus (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 150201/1996) capable of using a dialysate in place of physiological saline used in the priming and blood returning operations.
According to the blood dialysis system of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 80346/1996, when a blood dialysis operation is stopped, dialysate from a dialysate supply source is filtered to clean the dialysate and the provided filtered dialysate is pressurized from a dialysate flow path of a dialyzer to a blood flow path through dialysis membranes constituting a dialysis element. However, according to the method, in respect of blood remaining in a blood circulation path upstream from the blood flow path, the blood needs to be pushed out to the blood flow path by using physiological saline. Thus, despite the improvement, there is a drawback in that a necessary amount of physiological saline needs to be prepared and the operation takes time and labor.
Meanwhile, according to the physical solution treating apparatus of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 150201/1996, a dialysate reservoir bag is connected to an intermediate point of an artery side line through a branch tube and dialysate in the dialysate reservoir bag can be transferred to prime a blood chamber and a vein side line through the artery side line. However, according to the method, there are drawbacks in that not only is the dialysate reservoir bag expensive but also an operation of filling the dialysate into the bag becomes necessary and the operation is troublesome.
Further, there is a case in which a replenisher solution (normally, physiological saline is used) is injected into the body of a patient when the blood pressure of the patient is lowered during blood dialysis treatment, and in infusing the replenisher solution, conventionally, there are adopted methods, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.
According to the method illustrated in FIG. 7, a replenisher solution supply source 105 is connected to a blood circulation path 101 and the replenisher solution is infused while stopping the blood dialysis operation. As the replenisher solution supply source 105, a bottle or a bag filled with sterilized replenisher solution is generally adopted. In replenishing the solution, a valve 106 is closed, a valve 107 is opened and the replenisher solution is infused from the replenisher solution supply source 105 into the blood circulation path 101 by a blood pump 104. Flow rate of the replenisher solution is determined by the blood pump 104. Further, in the drawing, numeral 100 designates a dialyzer and numerals 102 and 103 designate drip chambers.
According to the method illustrated in FIG. 8, a replenisher solution line 209 is separately provided and a dialysate in a dialysate circulation path 206 which is cleaned by endotoxin filters 207 and 208 is infused into a blood circulation path 201. The replenisher solution line 209 is provided with an endotoxin filter 211 for further cleaning the dialysate and the replenisher solution is infused by a replenisher solution pump 210. Further, in the drawing, numeral 200 designates a dialyzer and numeral 205 designates a closed type water-removal control apparatus.
However, according to the method illustrated in FIG. 7, the replenisher solution needs to be prepared, the setup operation of connecting the replenisher solution supply source to the blood line and adding the replenisher solution (the case of a large amount of the replenisher solution) requires additional labor, and there are drawbacks in that there is a danger of erroneous operation or contamination since the replenishing operation is comparatively troublesome and that the cost is considerable.
Meanwhile, according to the method illustrated in FIG. 8, the dialysate is infused directly into the blood circulation path and accordingly, two of the endotoxin filters are normally needed and the cost is increased. Further, although the solution needs to be replenished when the blood pressure is lowered, according to the system of FIG. 8, water is removed by the dialyzer by a volume of the replenished solution and accordingly, there is a drawback in that the solution cannot be substantially replenished.
The invention has been carried out in view of the above-described situation and it is an object thereof to provide a dialysis system which does not need to use physiological saline in replenishing a solution or in cleaning and priming the dialysis system, does not need a troublesome setup operation and replenishing of the solution can easily and accurately be set with the flow rate of a replenisher solution.
As a result of intensive study in view of the above-described situation, the inventors have conceived of a system in which a pump for infusing a dialysate is provided in a communication line of the dialysate and the dialysate is pressurized into a closed communication line of the dialysate and by which the dialysate is infused from a side of a dialysate chamber to a side of a blood chamber of a dialyzer, and completed the invention. That is, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of cleaning and priming a dialysis system which includes a closed-type water-removal control apparatus, a dialysate line, a dialyzer and a blood line wherein a dialysate is made to flow into a blood circulation path through a membrane of the dialyzer by pressurizing the dialysate from a dialysate source into a closed communication line of the dialysate. In this case, it is preferable that the dialysis system is a dialysis system for central dialysate(i.e., multiple persons) supply.
Further, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a dialysis system comprising a dialyzer having a dialysate flow path and a blood flow path partitioned by a dialysis membrane, a closed-type water-removal control apparatus for controlling a difference between volumes of fresh dialysate flowing into the dialyzer and used dialysate flowing out of the dialyzer by removing a volume of water, a dialysate line connecting the closed-type water-removal control apparatus and the dialysate flow path of the dialyzer, a dialysate pressurizing line branched between a dialysate source and the closed-type water-removal control apparatus and connected to a communication line of the dialysate, a dialysate pressurizing pump provided in the dialysate pressurizing line, an artery side blood line connected to a blood inlet of the dialyzer, a blood pump provided in the artery side blood line and a vein side blood line connected to a blood outlet of the dialyzer. In this case, it is preferable that the dialysis system is a dialysis system for central dialysate supply. Further, it is preferable that the dialysate pressurizing pump is controlled by pressure of the dialysate and/or pressure of the vein. The dialysate pressurizing pump can also be set with a flow rate and a volume of pressurizing dialysate. An endotoxin filter can be provided in the dialysate line between the dialysate pressurizing line and the dialyzer. | {
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The present invention broadly relates to laparoscopic surgical instruments. More particularly, the invention relates to disposable laparoscopic clamps useful in a laparoscopy procedure which involves spreading, separating and dividing tissue (i.e., dissection).
The laparoscopy procedure has recently become a widely practiced surgical procedure. A laparoscopy procedure typically involves incising through the navel and through the abdominal wall for viewing and/or operating on the ovaries, uterus, gall bladder, bowels, appendix, although more recently, incisions and insertion of trocar tubes have been made in different areas of the abdomen and even in the chest cavity. Typically, trocars are utilized for creating the incisions. Trocar tubes are left in place in the abdominal wall so that laparoscopic surgical tools may be inserted through the tube. A camera or magnifying lens is often inserted through the largest diameter trocar tube (e.g. 10 mm diameter) which is generally located at the navel incision, while a cutter, dissector, or other surgical instrument is inserted through a similarly sized or smaller diameter trocar tube (e.g. 5 mm diameter) for purposes of manipulating and/or cutting the internal organ. Sometimes it is desirable to have several trocar tubes in place at once in order to receive several surgical instruments. In this manner, organ or tissue may be grasped with one surgical instrument, and simultaneously may be cut or stitched with another surgical instrument; all under view of the surgeon via the camera in place in the navel trocar tube.
Previous to the present invention, laparoscopic tools have utilized curved Kelly type clamps with dissectors having a curved distal portion which was necessarily of limited transverse length (i.e., the length perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trocar tube) to permit its passage through a trocar tube. However, because of the limited transverse length of the dissector members, laparoscopic Kelly type clamps have found limited applicability, as they cannot readily reach otherwise inaccessible areas for dissection and/or clamping. | {
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This invention relates to a pipeline break detection system and, more particularly, to a system for monitoring the rate at which pressure in a pipeline falls. Previous pipeline break detector systems delivered an output signal in the system. However, such break detection systems were generally extremely complex with numerous high quality components and extensive plumbing or they could not distinguish a fast, short term surge from an actual linebreak, and often required an external power source. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information reproducing system, and more particularly to an information reproducing system which can play back successively a plurality of recording mediums such as CDs (Compact Disks), LVDs (Laser Vision Disks), or the like.
2. Prior Art
There are known CD players for reproducing information which is recorded on CDs. A CD player operates to optically read information recorded on a CD which is rotating thereby to reproduce the information under the control of a playback control unit. Before the playback operation is started by such an information reproducing system, TOC (Table of Contents) information, which is recorded as control data on a CD together with information to be reproduced, is read from the CD into a RAM in the playback control unit. The playback operation is controlled on the basis of the TOC information which is thus read. The TOC information contains various inherent data relative to the information recorded on the CD, such as the number of music pieces recorded on the CD, and the periods of time of the music pieces, for example.
Heretofore, TOC information is read from a CD into the playback control unit each time such a CD is loaded in the CD player. When the playback of a CD is completed and a next CD is loaded in the CD player, the TOC information from the CD that has been played back is no longer held by the playback control unit, and TOC information is newly read from the next CD into the playback control unit.
Recently, there has been developed a multidisk CD player in which a plurality of CDs are stored in a single magazine (a group of recording mediums) and such a magazine is loaded and played back, so that the plural CDs can be handled for easy playback. The multidisk CD player has an automatic CD changer which automatically selects and plays back desired CDs successively.
One conventional multidisk CD player will be described below.
A multidisk CD player employs a magazine which stores a plurality of CDs. The multidisk CD player has an automatic CD changer for automatically selects a desired CD, a drive unit for rotating selected CD, a pickup for optically reading information recorded on the CD, a signal processor for converting the read information into a analog signal, a display/operation panel for displaying a playback condition and operating the CD player for playback, and a playback control unit (playback control means) for controlling the entire playback operation of the CD player. Such a multidisk CD player is also to read TOC information from each of the CDs which are stored in the magazine.
The multidisk CD player can play back a plurality of CDs successively, and can operate according to programmed information which represents the sequence according to which stored CDs are to be played back, the sequence according to which recorded music pieces are to be played back, and other playback modes. Such programmed information is manually established by the user of the CD player when the magazine is loaded. The programmed information is written in a RAM in the playback control unit when the magazine is loaded into the CD player. The programmed information is treated in the same manner as the TOC information. More specifically, programmed information is established with respect to each magazine. When a magazine is replaced with another magazine, the programmed magazine which has been established with respect to the previous magazine and read into the playback control unit is erased, and programmed information with respect to the newly loaded magazine has to be established and read again even if such programmed information is the same as the programmed information regarding the previous magazine.
One problem of the conventional multidisk CD player is therefore that each time a CD is replaced with another CD in the same magazine, the TOC information of the other CD has to be read in. This reading process retards quik playback operation, and prevents smooth continued playback operation. Another problem is that programmed information which has been established and read with respect to a magazine is erased each time the magazine is replaced with another magazine. This requires the user to establish programmed information each time a new magazine is loaded into the CD player, but such a procedure is complex to perform. Any programmed information which has been read into the playback control unit is also erased when the power supply of the CD player is turned off, and hence has to be established again when the power supply is turned on again. | {
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This disclosure relates to a system for evaluating agricultural material, such as an imaging system for evaluating samples of agricultural material.
Certain prior art imaging systems use cameras that are connected to a bypass channel on a clean grain elevator of a combine. The bypass channel can become clogged with agricultural material with high moisture content, or foreign materials, such as weed, plastic, packaging, branches or brush that enter into the combine or harvesting machine. Further, the lens of the camera may become obscured or affected by debris, dirt, dust or other contaminants that impacts detrimentally the accuracy of the evaluation of images of the agricultural material. In some prior art imaging systems, an operator or technician can remove clogged agricultural material or foreign matter from the bypass channel or clean the lens of the camera only by time-consuming disassembly of the imaging system from the combine with tools, such as wrenches. Accordingly, there is need for a system for evaluating agricultural material that is well suited for rapid cleaning of the bypass channel and lens of the camera, such as in real-time in the field. | {
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The present invention generally relates to an apparatus of a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk and more particular, relates to an apparatus of a quick connect/disconnect coupler for mounting a rotational disk member equipped with a diamond disk into a pad conditioner disk holder assembly.
Apparatus for polishing thin, flat semi-conductor wafers is well-known in the art. Such apparatus normally includes a polishing head which carries a membrane for engaging and forcing a semiconductor wafer against a wetted polishing surface, such as a polishing pad. Either the pad, or the polishing head is rotated and oscillates the wafer over the polishing surface. The polishing head is forced downwardly onto the polishing surface by a pressurized air system or, similar arrangement. The downward force pressing the polishing head against the polishing surface can be adjusted as desired. The polishing head is typically mounted on an elongated pivoting carrier arm, which can move the pressure head between several operative positions. In one operative position, the carrier arm positions a wafer mounted on the pressure head in contact with the polishing pad. In order to remove the wafer from contact with the polishing surface, the carrier arm is first pivoted upwardly to lift the pressure head and wafer from the polishing surface. The carrier arm is then pivoted laterally to move the pressure head and wafer carried by the pressure head to an auxiliary wafer processing station. The auxiliary processing station may include, for example, a station for cleaning the wafer and/or polishing head, a wafer unload station, or a wafer load station.
More recently, chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus has been employed in combination with a pneumatically actuated polishing head. CMP apparatus is used primarily for polishing the front face or device side of a semiconductor wafer during the fabrication of semiconductor devices on the wafer. A wafer is xe2x80x9cplanarizedxe2x80x9d or smoothed one or more times during a fabrication process in order for the top surface of the wafer to be as flat as possible. A wafer is polished by being placed on a carrier and pressed face down onto a polishing pad covered with a slurry of colloidal silica or alumina in de-ionized water.
A schematic of a typical CMP apparatus is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The apparatus 20 for chemical mechanical polishing consists of a rotating wafer holder 14 that holds the wafer 10, the appropriate slurry 24, and a polishing pad 12 which is normally mounted to a rotating table 26 by adhesive means. The polishing pad 12 is applied to the wafer surface 22 at a specific pressure. The chemical mechanical polishing method can be used to provide a planar surface on dielectric layers, on deep and shallow trenches that are filled with polysilicon or oxide, and on various metal films. CMP polishing results from a combination of chemical and mechanical effects. A possible mechanism for the CMP process involves the formation of a chemically altered layer at the surface of the material being polished. The layer is mechanically removed from the underlying bulk material. An altered layer is then regrown on the surface while the process is repeated again. For instance, in metal polishing a metal oxide may be formed and removed repeatedly.
A polishing pad is typically constructed in two layers overlying a platen with the resilient layer as the outer layer of the pad. The layers are typically made of polyurethane and may include a filler for controlling the dimensional stability of the layers. The polishing pad is usually several times the diameter of a wafer and the wafer is kept off-center on the pad to prevent polishing a non-planar surface onto the wafer. The wafer is also rotated to prevent polishing a taper into the wafer. Although the axis of rotation of the wafer and the axis of rotation of the pad are not collinear, the axes must be parallel.
The polishing pad is a consumable item used in a semiconductor wafer fabrication process. Under normal wafer fabrication conditions, the polishing pad is replaced after about 12 hours of usage. Polishing pads may be hard, incompressible pads or soft pads. For oxide polishing, hard and stiffer pads are generally used to achieve planarity. Softer pads are generally used in other polishing processes to achieve improved uniformity and smooth surface. The hard pads and the soft pads may also be combined in an arrangement of stacked pads for customized applications.
A problem frequently encountered in the use of polishing pads in oxide planarization is the rapid deterioration in oxide polishing rates with successive wafers. The cause for the deterioration is known as xe2x80x9cpad glazingxe2x80x9d wherein the surface of a polishing pad becomes smooth such that the pad no longer holds slurry in-between the fibers. This is a physical phenomenon on the pad surface not caused by any chemical reactions between the pad and the slurry.
To remedy the pad glazing effect, numerous techniques of pad conditioning or scrubbing have been proposed to regenerate and restore the pad surface and thereby, restoring the polishing rates of the pad. The pad conditioning techniques include the use of silicon carbide particles, diamond emery paper, blade or knife for scrapping the polishing pad surface. The goal of the conditioning process is to remove polishing debris from the pad surface, re-open the pores, and thus forms micro-scratches in the surface of the pad for improved life time. The pad conditioning process can be carried out either during a polishing process, i.e. known as concurrent conditioning, or after a polishing process.
A conventional conditioning disc for use in pad conditioning is shown in FIG. 1C in a perspective view of a CMP apparatus 50. The apparatus 50 consists of a conditioning head 52 which includes a conditioning disc 68 mounted to a hub frame 70, a polishing pad 56, and a slurry delivery arm 54 positioned over the polishing pad. The conditioning head 52 is mounted on a cover ring 58 which is extended over the top of the polishing pad 56 for making sweeping motion across the entire surface of the pad. The slurry delivery arm 54 is equipped with slurry dispensing nozzles 62 which are used for dispensing a slurry solution on the top surface 60 of the polishing pad 56. Surface grooves 64 are further provided in the top surface 60 to facilitate even distribution of the slurry solution and to help entrapping undesirable particles that are generated by coagulated slurry solution or any other foreign particles which have fallen on top of the polishing pad during a polishing process.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the conditioning head 52 of FIG. 1C. The conditioning head 52 is constructed by a bearing mount 42, a ball-bearing 44, a cylinder rotator 46, and a cylinder shaft 48. The bearing mount 42 and the ball-bearings 44 are mounted stationarily, while the cylinder rotator 46 and the cylinder shaft rotate when driven by a pulley 50. A pneumatic conduit 52 is utilized to supply a pressure onto the cylinder shaft 48 such that a conditioning disk 54 is pushed downwardly onto the surface of a polishing pad to be conditioned. The pneumatic conduit 52 further supplies a negative pressure, i.e. a vacuum onto the cylinder shaft 48, when the conditioning motion of the conditioning disk 54 is to be stopped and that the conditioning disk 54 is to be disengaged from the surface of the polishing pad. An elastomeric diaphragm 56 is used to provide a fluid seal between the cylinder shaft 48 and the cylinder rotator 46 to prevent the back flow of polishing slurry into the pneumatic conduit 52.
In the conventional design of the polishing head shown in FIG. 2, numerous design deficiencies have been discovered which lead to serious processing difficulties. For instance, a one-piece travel housing 30 is mounted inside the cylinder shaft 48 for connecting the conditioning disk 54 to the flat end 32 and for connecting to the drive means, i.e. the pulley 50 through the end 34. When a diamond disk (not shown) mounted to the conditioning disk 54 must be replaced, it is a time consuming and labor intensive task. A technician must first remove a pad conditioner cover (not shown), shift the pad conditioner arm outside the polishing machine, remove the pad conditioner belt, disconnect the pneumatic pipe 52 and then remove a worn diamond disk. Since the conditioning disk 54 can only be dropped to a short distance, i.e. to an engagement position with a polishing pad, there is little space to access the mounting screws for the diamond disk which complicates the disk removal procedure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk that does not have the drawbacks or shortcoming of the conventional mounting apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a quick coupler for the quick connect/disconnect of a rotational disk to/from a travel housing when a diamond disk on the rotational disk needs to be replaced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk into a pad conditioner disk holder that can be quickly disconnected by disengaging a plurality of jutting keys from a disk holder.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk that does not require the removal of screws when a diamond disk must be removed from the rotational disk.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk into a pad conditioner disk holder wherein the rotational disk can be removed by a simple retraction of a retractable ring situated on a travel housing.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pad conditioner disk holder assembly that includes a drive means, a rotational disk, a disk holder and a travel housing.
In accordance with the present invention, a quick coupler for the quick connect/disconnect of a rotational disk into a pad conditioner disk holder is provided.
In a preferred embodiment, a quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk is provided which includes a disk holder of a ring shape having a center aperture formed in a polygon, each side of the polygon is provided with a spring-loaded steel ball and a recessed slot behind each ball adapted for receiving a jutting key situated on and operated by a retractable ring attached to a travel housing, the disk holder is further provided with a planar surface for releasably engaging a rotational disk thereon by mechanical means; and a travel housing of cylindrical shape that has a first end threaded for engaging a drive means and a second end in the polygon shape for intimately engaging the center aperture of the disk holder for transmitting a rotational motion of the drive means, the second end is further provided with a spring-loaded retractable ring for sliding in a longitudinal direction of the travel housing and for operating a plurality of jutting keys attached thereon such that when the second end is pushed into the center aperture of the disk holder, each of the plurality of jutting keys engages one of the steel balls by pushing the balls radially inward in a locked position into a hemispherical recess provided in a flat surface of the polygon-shaped second end of the travel housing.
In the quick coupler for mounting a rotational disk, the center aperture may be formed in a polygon that has at least six sides, or formed in an octagon. The disk holder may further be provided with a recessed slot along an outer peripheral surface of the holder adapted for receiving a retaining ring therein for retaining the steel balls in the holder. The rotational disk may have attached thereon a diamond disk for conditioning a polishing pad. The plurality of jutting keys may be eight jutting keys when the center aperture is formed in an octagon. The mechanical means for engaging the rotational disk to the planar surface of the disk holder may be a plurality of bolts. The drive means may be a pulley and a belt that are connected to a motor driven pulley.
The present invention is further directed to a pad conditioner disk holder assembly that includes a drive means for providing rotational motion to the assembly; a rotational disk for attaching to a disk holder; a disk holder of a ring shape that has a center aperture formed in a polygon, each side of the polygon is provided with a spring-loaded steel ball and a recessed slot behind each ball adapted for receiving a jutting key situated on and operated by a retractable ring attached to a travel housing, the disk holder is further provided with a planar surface for releasably engaging the rotational disk thereon by mechanical means; and a travel housing of cylindrical shape that has a first end threaded for engaging the drive means and a second end in the polygon shape for intimately engaging the center aperture of the disk holder for transmitting a rotational motion of the drive means, the second end is further provided with a spring-loaded retractable ring for sliding in a longitudinal direction of the travel housing and for operating a plurality of jutting keys attached thereon, such that when the second end is pushed into the center aperture of the disk holder each of the plurality of jutting keys engages one of the steel balls by pushing the balls radially inward in a locked position into a hemispherical recess provided in a flat surface of the polygon-shaped second end of the travel housing.
In the pad conditioner disk holder assembly, the drive means may be a pulley and a belt which are connected to a motor driven second pulley. The mechanical means for engaging the rotational disk to the planar surface of the disk holder may be a plurality of screws. The center aperture may be formed in a polygon shape that has at least five sides, or may be formed in a hexagon or octagon. The plurality of jutting keys may be between five and ten jutting keys when the center aperture is formed in a polygon that has between five and ten sides. The rotational disk may have a diamond disk attached thereon for conditioning a polishing pad in a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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German Utility Model 87 16 112 discloses a handheld portable tool of the kind described above. For reasons of safety, the arrangement in this portable tool is so configured that the drive motor is driven back to its idle speed or is brought to standstill when one of the two handles is released. With this measure, a significant step for the safety of the operator is achieved. Situations often arise in which the operator releases the forward handle whereby the motor is brought to idle speed or to standstill even though the actuating element controlling the speed of the drive motor is pressed to the end stop and thereafter the operator again grasps the forward handle and actuates the switch mounted there. This causes the condition that the drive motor is again brought to its maximum speed so that the handheld portable tool is subjected to jolt-like movements which the operator possibly cannot manage or can manage only with extreme exertion. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for enabling interaction between users using two or more client devices with different capabilities and bandwidths.
2. Background and Description of the Related Art
In a heterogeneous network, different client devices have different capabilities. If a single stream is being viewed by these client devices, either the server must slow down to the rate of the slowest client or one or more clients will lose packets. Either way, the quality of the presentation will suffer.
FIG. 1 shows an example of such a system in the prior art. In this example, we show three clients. A client which can handle high speed data streams 102, a client which can handle medium speed data streams 106, and a client which can handle low speed data streams 104. In this scenario, a media server 108 sends a high speed data stream to the network 110. The media server has no knowledge of the clients 102, 104, 106 who are accepting the data stream, as they are passively integrated with the network 110 as well. The result will be that the client capable of keeping up with the stream 102 will be able to process it successfully. The other two 104, 106 will experience differing levels of degradation ranging from what appears to be noisy or distorted information being presented to the client to complete loss blocks of information. | {
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Fc glycosylation has been an important subject in the field of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Fc glycosylation can significantly modify Fc effector functions such as Fc receptor binding and complement activation, and thus affect the in vivo safety and efficacy profiles of therapeutic antibodies.
Several expression systems based on genetically engineering have been reported to produce therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. These include yeasts such as Pichia pastoris, insect cell lines, and even bacteria. However, these expression systems suffer from a number of drawbacks that can negatively affect the effector function of therapeutic antibodies.
The majority of approved biopharmaceuticals are produced in mammalian cell culture systems to deliver proteins with desired glycosylation patterns and thus ensure reduced immunogenicity and higher in vivo efficacy and stability. Non-human mammalian expression systems such as CHO or NS0 cells have the machinery required to add complex, human-type glycans. However, glycans produced in these systems can differ from glycans produced in humans. Their glycosylation machinery often adds undesired carbohydrate determinants which may alter protein folding, induce immunogenicity, and reduce circulatory life span of the drug. Notably, sialic acid as N-acetylneuraminic acid is not efficiently added in most mammalian cells and the 6-linkage is missing in these cells. Engineering cells with the various enzymatic activities required for sialic acid transfer has not yet succeeded in providing a human-like pattern of glycoforms to protein drugs. To date, there is a need for engineering animal cells or glycoproteins to highly sialylated products that resemble as closely as possible to human proteins.
Furthermore, mammalian cell culture delivers a heterogeneous mixture of glycosylation patterns which do not all have the same properties. Properties like safety, efficacy and the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins can be affected by these glycosylation patterns.
Trastuzumab (Herceptin®), approved in 1998 for the treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancers (Baselga et al, (1996) J. Clin. Oncol. 14:737-744), is a humanized anti-HER2 IgG antibody that binds to the extracellular component of the Her2/neu receptor. Overexpression of HER2 is observed in approximately 20% of human breast cancers (hereinafter referred to as HER2-positive breast cancer) and is implicated in the aggressive growth and poor clinical outcomes associated with these tumors (Slamon et al (1987) Science 235: 177-182). Trastuzumab functions with a variety of different of mechanisms, but the main action is to bind to the extracellular membrane portion of the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER-2) on the surface of cancer cells, preventing the activation of its intra cellular tyrosine kinase. Herceptin acts on the immune system mediating Antibody Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and can fix complement, but is considered unable to mediate Complement Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity (CDC).
Trastuzumab is produced in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and is highly heterogeneous in glycosylation patterns in the Fc domain. Each of anti-HER2 IgG molecules in the heterogeneous mixture may not all have the same property, and certain N-linked oligosaccharides bound to therapeutic proteins may trigger undesired effects in patients thus deeming them a safety concern. Response rates to the antibody Trastuzumab given as a single agent (monotherapy) have ranged from about 15-26%. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This present invention relates to an analog-to-digital converter and more particularly, to a pipelined analog-to-digital converter.
Flash, two-step, interpolating, folding and pipelined are the common types of a high-speed analog-to-digital converter. These types of converters compare input signal with reference signals directly and output digital bits in parallel connection. These types of converters work fast, however the resolution is poor because of superficial measure and power consumption. The limitation of resolution is usually designed from 8 to 10 bits.
The flash converter is the fastest of the above-mentioned high-speed analog-to-digital converters. The resolution would be raised by increasing the amount of comparators in the exponent of 2. The relationship between the amount of comparator N and the resolution B is: N=2Bxe2x88x921. When the resolution is over 8, the number of comparators would be more than 500, and the superficial measure and power consumption of the entire circuit would be very large. Therefore, the resolution of flash converter is limited within 6 to 8 bits.
Because there are too many comparators in a flash converter, other types of high-speed converter are developed. In the types, pipelined analog-to-digital converter has the least elements, so it becomes the main stream in the application of the high-speed analog-to-digital converter.
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is the schematic diagram of the pipelined analog-to-digital converter according to the prior art. FIG. 2 is the timing diagram of stage circuit in the pipelined analog-to-digital converter according to the prior art. The pipelined analog-to-digital converter 10 according to the prior art comprises a plurality of stage circuits Sxe2x80x2i (i=1xcx9cn), a register 15 and a digital output code combiner 17. Each stage circuit Sxe2x80x2i according to the prior art comprises a sample and hold operator 12, a comparator 14, an amplifier 16 and a compensator 18. The stage circuit Sxe2x80x2i according to the prior art converts the analog input signal to the digital output signal in two modes: a sampling mode and an amplifying mode.
The operation principle of the pipelined analog-to-digital converter 10 according to the prior art is described as follows. When an external analog signal Vin is inputted into the first stage circuit Sxe2x80x21 of the pipelined analog-to-digital converter 10, the first stage circuit Sxe2x80x21 enters the sampling mode. The sample and hold operator 12 samples the analog signal Vin at sampling time. Moreover, compares sampling signal of the analog signal Vin with a predetermined reference signal Vref of the comparator 14 to generate a digital output code. After that, the stage circuit then enters the amplifying mode. In the amplifying mode, the amplifier 16 amplifies the analog signal Vin. The compensator 18 adds a compensation value to the amplifying analog signal Vin according to the digital output code obtained by comparator 14. After that, the processed analog signal is transmitted to the second circuit Sxe2x80x22.
The following stage circuits repeat the above-mentioned steps. The last stage circuit executes only the sampling mode and compares the analog signal with the reference signal without amplifying. The digital output codes of each stage circuit temporary store in a register 15. When the last stage circuit outputs digital output codes, a digital output code combiner 17 combines the digital output codes to generate the digital signal Bxe2x80x2out corresponding to the analog signal Vin.
Wherein, the resolution K of each stage circuit is based on the number of reference signals in the comparator. If each resolution is 1 bit, the reference signal of the comparator would be xc2x1Vref/4. The amplification factor G of the amplifier in the stage circuit would be confirmed with the confirmation of the resolution. The relationship is G=2K.
Every stage circuit has the sample and hold operator 12 so that they could work at the same time. For example, the second stage circuit simultaneously deals with the analog signal that the first stage circuit inputs into sample and hold operator and transmits the analog signal to the third stage circuit. Therefore, besides the latency at the beginning, the pipelined analog-to-digital converter outputs a result of converting every clock period just as the flash analog to digital converter does.
There are several stage circuits needed in the pipelined analog-to-digital converter that leads to a great number of amplifiers if the resolution of each stage circuit is one bit. 10 bits pipelined analog-to-digital converter needs 9 stages; therefore, 19 comparators and 8 amplifiers are needed. The more amplifiers, the more power consumption. Once the resolution of stage circuits is raised, the power requirement of amplifier and comparator in each stage circuit would be also raised, and it is difficult to lower the power consumption of the entire pipelined analog-to-digital converter. Thus, a new structure of stage circuit that can lower the power consumption of the entire pipelined analog-to-digital converter is needed.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a pipelined analog-to-digital converter for reducing every two stage circuits of the prior art into one stage circuit. The converter of this present invention contains fewer elements and keeps the efficiency. The converter still executes the mission of converting well.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pipelined analog-to-digital converter with fewer elements. The power consumption of the converter decreases by reducing the number of the amplifiers.
The present invention provides a pipelined analog-to-digital converter comprising a plurality of stage circuit for receiving an external analog signal, and converting the analog signal via a plurality of pipelined stage circuits to output a digital signal in responsive to the analog signal. Each stage circuit comprises an amplifier, a comparator, a first compensator and a second compensator for converting the inputted analog signal via a sampling mode, a first amplifying mode and a second amplifying mode.
In the sampling mode, the amplifier receives an analog input signal. The comparator compares the analog input signal with a reference signal to generate a first digital output code.
In the first amplifying mode, the first compensator selectively adds a first compensation value to the analog input signal according to the first digital output code, and then generates a first input signal. The amplifier amplifies the first input signal and then generates a first output signal. The comparator compares the first output signal with the reference signal and then generates a second digital output code.
In the second amplifying mode, the first compensator selectively adds a second compensation value to the analog input signal according to the first digital output code and the second digital output code, and then generates a second input signal. The amplifier amplifies the second input signal, and then generates a second output signal. The second compensator selectively chooses a third compensation value according to the first digital output code and the second digital output code. Then the third compensation value is amplified and added to the second output signal to generate an analog output signal that is sent to the next stage circuit.
These and other objects of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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N-Acylethanolamine hydrolyzing acid amidase (NAAA) is a lysosomal enzyme, which plays a central role in the deactivation of N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA). PEA is an endogenous lipid produced on demand by most mammalian cells, and a growing body of evidence links PEA to the regulation of inflammatory and pain processes. PEA reduces peripheral inflammation and exerts neuroprotective and antinociceptive effects in rats and mice.
Accordingly, there is a need for pharmacologic strategies aimed at correcting a deficit in PEA/PPARα signaling by preventing PEA degradation, e.g., for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In a multiple access wireless communication system, it is highly desirable to maximize system capacity, providing a maximal or optimal level of service to a plurality of mobile stations (also referred to as subscriber units). To ensure a high quality of such service while maintaining system capacity at an optimal level, the transmit power of each mobile station is controlled through messaging from a base transceiver station (“BTS”) (also referred to as a base station). Preferably, the BTS issues control messages which provide that each mobile station is transmitting (on the reverse or “up” link) with only a power level necessary to maintain a predetermined link quality and to avoid unduly interfering with other transmitting mobile stations.
In multiple access wireless communication systems, such as code division multiple access (“CDMA”) systems, a signal from a mobile station is typically deteriorated by interference from noise in the environment, including signals from other mobile stations. This aggregate noise and interference by other mobile stations may be referred to as the “noise floor” of the communication system. In a CDMA system, with the coding gain provided by signal spreading with a pseudorandom sequence, a BTS may receive a signal transmitted from a mobile station at a prescribed quality level, even though that signal has a power level which is lower than the power of the noise floor. To maintain signal quality, however, the transmit power of a mobile station should not be lower than a predetermined threshold below the noise floor occurring within the system, during any given period of time.
The noise floor within the communication system may be changing, during any period of time, for example, as mobile units become active or inactive. In addition, recent proposals in CDMA communication systems include providing for a mobile station or other subscriber unit to transmit packets of data, at a comparatively high rate. To achieve such desired and comparatively high data rates, however, the transmitted power should be relatively large for packet data transmission compared to the lower data rates used for voice transmission, to enable data transmission with sufficient energy per data bit for maintenance of an acceptable link quality. Because CDMA systems preferably operate with a relatively stable noise floor, and because high speed data transmissions are typically bursty in nature, a sudden onset of a high power, high data rate transmission in a CDMA system may interfere with and cause frame errors and erasures in signals received from lower power, lower data rate transmissions from other mobile stations. Such interference may be noticeable, for example, as perceived by a listener in a voice communication, and generally may be unacceptable as a potential source of subscriber or consumer dissatisfaction.
Other examples of multiple access wireless communication systems exhibiting this characteristic behavior include multiple access Orthogonal Frequency Domain Multiplexing (“OFDM”) wireless communication systems and UMTS/WCDMA communication systems.
As a consequence, a need exists for a method and system to control reverse link transmission power of mobile stations in a multiple access system, to enable high power, high data rate transmission, while simultaneously providing acceptable, comparatively high communication link quality for lower data rate transmissions, such as for voice transmission. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information handling systems, and more specifically, to flexible standby voltage distribution and sequencing for the information handling systems.
2. Background of the Related Technology
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes, thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems, e.g., computer, personal computer workstation, portable computer, computer server, print server, network router, network hub, network switch, storage area network disk array, RAID disk system and telecommunications switch.
As the complexity of information handling systems has increased, so has the need for various different standby voltages increased. These standby voltages are used to power circuits in the information handling system used for activation and wake-up of the system, e.g., power-on control, network interface card (NIC), etc. Five (5) volts has been the standard for standby voltage, however, it is quickly fading in favor of 3.3 volts standby becoming the dominate standby voltage. For certain devices, e.g., Embedded Server Management (ESM) and Wake On LAN (WOL), the standby voltages required are even lower, e.g., 2.5 volts and 1.2 volts, respectively. The WOL may activate the information handling system when signals from the LAN (Local Area Network) are received by the NIC of the information handling system.
A problem exists, however, in that the required standby voltages may be supplied by various types of power supplies. Typically, there has been no standardization for these power supplies, nor has any consideration been made for proper sequencing of the voltages from these standby power supplies. Therefore, complex circuitry must be used when the information handling system goes from a standby condition to a power-on condition. An excessive amount of motherboard real estate may be required for the necessary standby power components. In addition, sequencing of the standby power supply voltages is not easily implemented since additional logic, e.g., CPLD, is required. The power supplies also may suffer from low efficiency and high power dissipation through the use of linear regulators.
Therefore, what is needed is a standardized standby power supply system that can supply a plurality of necessary standby voltages for an information handling system, and, in addition, may easily sequence these standby voltages on and off in any desired programmable order. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field
The disclosed subject matter relates to a vehicle structure/surface that has a three dimensional tactile coating and its associated method of manufacture. More specifically, the disclosed subject matter relates to a vehicle substrate surface that is provided with a coating that has a three-dimensional tactile pattern as well as a unique three dimensional appearance for either interior or exterior surfaces.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The relevant art describes various ways of applying paints and/or metal film layers to substrates in order to achieve a particular visual appearance. These coating methods depend, in part, on the type of substrate, the coatings to be applied, and the desired visual appearance of the substrate. For example, in the automotive industry, it is advantageous to provide certain elements, such as body trim pieces, with a metallic appearance to match an automobile body part, or even to enhance the appearance of said body part.
In the automotive industry, there has been a great demand for a protective, functional, yet decorative coating that would also serve to minimize or mask the appearance of surface defects. However, this demand has not been previously met.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,638 describes a novel metallic paint film giving an intensified metallic feeling when viewed at the front, as well as having good flip-flop characteristics. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,768 describes a paint with a three-dimensional effect created by applying liquid drops onto a painted surface, drying the paint surrounding the liquid drops, then re-spraying the entire surface with the paint. Japanese Patent No. 2000052700 describes an automobile coating film that includes paint particles of coarsened paint to provide mottled patterns of light luminous parts. Further, Japanese Patent No. 10005688 discloses a three-dimensional design pattern for an automobile surface which is accomplished by applying a photo-curable material to the surface, applying a pattern film, photo-curing the exposed photo-curable material, then removing non-cured parts to form a projected pattern. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0119259 describes a physical vapor deposition (PVD) film on an automobile body that provides a decorative metallic appearance and can be coated by ultraviolet (UV) curable paint. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,638 discloses a metallic paint film that provides a “three-dimensional effect.” Each of the above-described related art references is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
However, the above-described related art does not solve the immediate need for coating a substrate to produce a decorative effect. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to data processing system, and in particular, to a system for wireless communication between a processor unit and one or more peripheral devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional data processing system, such as a personal computer system, for example, typically includes a system unit having a processor sub-system such as a microprocessor, a display device, such as a cathode ray tube display or a liquid crystal display for displaying data generated by the system unit, display communication means for communicating data between the display device and the system unit, a peripheral device, such as a pointing device, a keyboard or a printer, and peripheral communication means for communicating data between the peripheral device and the system unit.
The display communication means and the peripheral communication means are generally implemented by electrical cables each containing plural signal lines. One problem with this arrangement is that the cables tend to become tangled, thereby hampering maintenance of the system. Another problem with this arrangement, which is particularly noticeable in "desk-top" computer systems is that the cables tend to occupy a large amount of otherwise useful space. A further problem with this arrangement is that the cables create large ground loops which tend to increase undesirable radio frequency emissions from the computer system. The above problems are exasperated by the addition of more peripheral devices, which each require their own individual cable connection to the system unit.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a system for wireless communication between a data processing system and peripheral devices. | {
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This invention relates to oscilloscopes and, more particularly, to a video synthesizer for combining and sampling a set of input signals to generate a continuous flicker-free presentaton on the oscilloscope of a complete set of the signals.
Oscilloscopes are widely used in the laboratory for examination of electronic signals. Frequently, it is advantageous to simultaneously view a plurality of signals. To meet this need, oscilloscopes have been constructed with two input channels wherein each input channel is to be utilized in viewing a separate input signal. One mode of construction of a dual channel oscilloscope is known as a dual-beam oscilloscope wherein two separate electron beams are directed towards the face of the oscilloscope with the aid of separate beam-deflection circuitry. A second mode of construction of a dual channel oscilloscope is known as a dual-trace oscilloscope wherein the input circuitry for a single electron beam is made to switch alternately between two input terminals of the oscilloscope. With both forms of construction, the dual channel oscilloscope is capable of presenting pictorial representations of electronic signals concurrently on the face of the oscilloscope. With the dual-beam oscilloscope, the two input signals are continuously displayed, one signal being displayed by each of the two beams. With the dual-trace oscilloscope, the pictorial representation is actually a set of alternating sampling intervals of the two signals; however, the rate of alternation between the two sampling intervals is sufficiently high to be above the flicker rate so as to present a flicker-free presentation of the two signals on the face of the oscilloscope.
A problem arises in that there are many situations, particularly in the examination of digital electronic circuits, when it is essential to examine simultaneously the waveforms of many more than just the two signals described above with reference to the dual channel oscilloscope. Obviously, one solution to the problem is to utilize more than one dual-channel oscilloscope. However, this clearly becomes unwieldy and impractical, both in terms of cost and in terms of the space required in the laboratory. Also, the use of separate displays does not permit visual alignment of the various portions of the waveforms of the electronic signals. Ideally, it would be desirable to be able to view many digital waveforms simultaneously on the face of the oscilloscope. However, the foregoing dual-channel oscilloscopes are limited to the display of only two signal waveforms at the same time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a puller apparatus installed behind a metal extrusion press.
In order to prevent bending or torsion of an extruded metal which is formed by the metal extrusion press, a puller apparatus is typically provided behind a metal extrusion press (hereinafter simply referred to as an extrusion machine) to pull such an extruded metal by a constant tractional force.
A conventional puller apparatus includes one carrier per extrusion machine. When an extruded metal is conveyed onto a runout table, the carrier can clamp the front end of the extruded metal and pull it in a forward direction. A recent extrusion machine provides two carriers for improving extrusion speed, and using a longer runout table to convey a very long extruded metal. To this end, the two carriers are alternately operated to reduce the rest time of the extrusion machine.
Such a puller apparatus typically includes a pair of guide rails mounted on one side of a runout table, and subrails are employed to connect opposite ends of the guide rails. Two carriers are alternately moved around and on the guide rails (Japanese utility model publication No. 55-7284). Another known puller apparatus includes a pair of guide rails above a runout table. Carriers are hung on the guide rails. Only clamps of the carriers are alternately moved to its operative position on the runout table (Japanese utility model publication No. 59-22883).
In the former prior art, since the opposite ends of guide rails are connected through the subrails, the carriers must be moved from one of the guide rails to the other rail via the subrails. The carriers are moved in two different directions on the guide rails and subrails, so that they do not complicate the drive system. Also, the carrier has to be advanced to its foremost position where the subrail is provided independent of the length of a metal to be extruded. This results in loss of time during an operation cycle.
A disadvantage of the latter prior art is that the guide rails interface with the view above the runout table for operating the puller apparatus. And a space must be available on the runout table to enable movement of the carriers, but this arrangement prevents installation of a cooling fan adapted to cool an extruded metal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Rts1 is a high-molecular weight drug resistance factor which has a molecular weight of 126.times.10.sup.6 daltons and confers resistance to kanamycin. In addition to conferring kanamycin resistance (Km.sup.r), the plasmid exhibits unusual temperature-sensitive phenotypes, which affect plasmid maintenance and replication, as well as host cell growth. These phenotypes include growth inhibition of gram negative bacteria harboring the plasmid at 42.degree. C., but not at 32.degree. C. (the so-called tsg, temperature sensitive growth). In addition, E. coli cells harboring the plasmid allow T4 phage growth at 42.degree. C., yet phage growth is restricted at 32.degree. C. Furthermore, the replication cycle of this plasmid at 42.degree. C. appears to bypass the typical covalently closed circular (CCC) form and proceeds (the so-called Tsc phenotype, temperature sensitive circular DNA formation). At 42.degree. C., but not at 32.degree. C., conjugative transfer of Rts1 is inhibited. Finally, prolonged incubation of bacteria harboring this plasmid at 42.degree. C. results in plasmid loss from host cells (the so-called Tdi, temperature dependent instability).
The nucleotide sequence of Rts1 has been elucidated, and partial nucleotide sequences have been reported, including those regions involved in DNA replication, incompatibility, kanamycin resistance and temperature-dependent instability of the plasmid. A particular region of the plasmid, known as the "repA" region has been identified and the sequence elucidated. The repA protein has been shown to be important in determining the copy number of the Rts1 plasmid maintained in a host cell. Mutated Rts1 plasmids having mutations in the repA region have been described, but induce only a moderate change in the copy number of the plasmid (i.e. at most 5 to 10-tenfold increases).
A second plasmid, known as P1, has been described in the art and contains a similar repA region.
No mutants of these two plasmids, however, are known in the art which induce significant increased copy numbers or which are easily controllable by changes in growth media. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Electronic/electrical devices have been reduced in weight, size, and thickness along with the recent development of electronic technology. In particular, a camera unit that is incorporated in a mobile phone and the like has been reduced in thickness and size, and required to exhibit improved F-number characteristics and modulation transfer function (MTF) characteristics. Therefore, an optical lens that is used for such a camera unit has been required to have a reduced thickness and a complex shape. Accordingly, such an optical lens has been designed to have a non-uniform thickness (i.e., have a thin part and a thick part) instead of a uniform thickness.
It has been desired to produce such an optical lens using an injection molding method that can reduce the production cost and is suitable for mass production. A lens having a diameter of less than 1 cm normally has a large optically effective area. However, it is difficult to increase the optically effective area when producing a lens by injection molding since a weld line occurs, or birefringence becomes non-uniform.
Patent Document 1 discloses a method that produces a small and thin lens by injection molding using a composition that includes a norbornene-based polymer and wax. In this case, however, the wax may bleed out from the surface of the resulting formed article (lens), and contaminate the mold, for example. Patent Document 2 discloses that a polymer that has a specific monomer composition exhibits an excellent thin article-forming capability, and produces a small and thin lens that exhibits optical properties and heat resistance in a well-balanced manner.
Patent Document 3 discloses that a polymer (norbornene-based ring-opening copolymer) obtained by subjecting a norbornene-based monomer to ring-opening polymerization in the presence of a linear α-olefin having 14 to 40 carbon atoms produces a film that exhibits water vapor barrier properties, transparency, and heat resistance in a well-balanced manner, and is suitable as a packaging material or an electronic device-sealing material. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for changing and guiding a running direction of a conveyor belt, and more particularly to an apparatus for changing and guiding a running direction of a conveyor belt, which can change the running direction from a horizontal direction to an ascent direction, from a descent direction to a horizontal direction or from a descent direction to an ascent direction of a conveyor belt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, in a factory, a warehouse and the like, a conveyor belt is used for transferring an object between various kinds of apparatuses and between work stations, the conveyor belt mentioned above is constituted by a belt main body wound between a main drive pulley and a driven pulley, and it is structured such that a zigzag motion when the belt main body runs is prevented by engaging a guide body linearly arranged in a back surface of the belt main body mentioned above along a running direction of the belt main body with a guide groove formed on a peripheral surface of the main drive pulley and the driven pulley.
By the way, in the factory, the warehouse and the like, there is a case that it is necessary to change the running direction of the conveyor belt due to a difference in level between the apparatuses or between the working stations, a limitation of an arranging position for the conveyor belt, and the like. The change of the running direction mentioned above basically comprises a change from a horizontal direction to a descent direction, a change from an ascent direction to a horizontal direction, a change from an ascent direction to a descent direction, a change from a horizontal direction to an ascent direction, a change from a descent direction to a horizontal direction and a change from a descent direction to an ascent direction, and they can be mainly separated into two cases.
Accordingly, they can be separated into the case that a changing portion of the running direction forms a convex portion on a transferring surface of the conveyor belt such as the change from the horizontal direction to the descent direction, the change from the ascent direction to the horizontal direction and the change from the ascent direction to the descent direction, and the case that the changing portion of the running direction forms a concave portion on the transferring surface of the conveyor belt such as the change from the horizontal direction to the ascent direction, the change from the descent direction to the horizontal direction and the change from the descent direction to the ascent direction.
Then, in the case that the changing portion of the running direction mentioned above forms the convex portion on the transferring surface of the conveyor belt, only one conveyor belt can easily realize the change of the running direction by arranging a direction changing pulley for changing the running direction at a back surface (a back surface of the transferring surface) side of the belt main body constituting the conveyor belt.
However, in the case that the changing portion of the running direction mentioned above forms the concave portion on the transferring surface of the conveyor belt, that is, in order to change the running direction of the conveyor belt from the horizontal direction to the ascent direction, from the descent direction to the horizontal direction and from the descent direction to the ascent direction, it is necessary to provide a guide pulley for changing the direction in the transferring surface side of the belt main body constituting the conveyor belt mentioned above. In this case, since the direction changing pulley interrupts the transferring surface of the belt main body and prevents the object from being transferred, only one conveyor belt can not finally change the running direction, so that the direction change in the case that the concave portion is formed on the transferring surface of the conveyor belt is actually performed by combing a flat conveyor and an inclined conveyor.
Further, in the case that the direction changing pulley is not used, since there occurs a problem that a looseness is generated in the belt main body 1 and a running of the belt main body 1 becomes unstable, only one conveyor belt can not finally achieve the change of the running direction, so that the change of the running direction of the conveyor belt from the horizontal direction to the ascent direction, from the descent direction to the horizontal direction and from the descent direction to the ascent direction (a V shape) is actually performed by combining the flat conveyor and the inclined conveyor having a different running direction or the inclined conveyors and the inclined conveyor.
In accordance with the conventional art mentioned above, the change of the running direction of the conveyor belt in the case that the changing portion of the running direction forms the concave portion on the transferring surface of the conveyor belt is performed by combining the conveyor belts having a different running direction, however, in the case of changing the running direction of the conveyor belt by combining the conveyor belts having a different running direction, a plurality of conveyor belts are required and drive means is required for each of the conveyor belts, so that there is generated a disadvantage that a cost for arranging and operating them is increased.
Further, in order to smoothly moving the object between the conveyor belts having a different running direction, it is necessary to minutely set a diameter of a pulley in the conveyor belt and a running speed, and to always monitor a synchronism of a plurality of running conveyor belts, so that various difficulties are accompanied for setting and operating them. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Musical performances have become a key component of electronic and multimedia products such as stand-alone video game devices, computer-based video games, computer-based slide show presentations, computer animation, and other similar products and applications. As a result, music generating devices and music playback devices are now tightly integrated into electronic and multimedia components.
Musical accompaniment for multimedia products can be provided in the form of digitized audio streams. While this format allows recording and accurate reproduction of non-synthesized sounds, it consumes a substantial amount of memory. As a result, the variety of music that can be provided using this approach is limited. Another disadvantage of this approach is that the stored music cannot be easily varied. For example, it is generally not possible to change a particular musical part, such as a bass part, without re-recording the entire musical stream.
Because of these disadvantages, it has become quite common to generate music based on a variety of data other than pre-recorded digital streams. For example, a particular musical piece might be represented as a sequence of discrete notes and other events corresponding generally to actions that might be performed by a keyboardist—such as pressing or releasing a key, pressing or releasing a sustain pedal, activating a pitch bend wheel, changing a volume level, changing a preset, etc. An event such as a note event is represented by some type of data structure that includes information about the note such as pitch, duration, volume, and timing. Music events such as these are typically stored in a sequence that roughly corresponds to the order in which the events occur. Rendering software retrieves each music event and examines it for relevant information such as timing information and information relating the particular device or “instrument” to which the music event applies. The rendering software then sends the music event to the appropriate device at the proper time, where it is rendered. The MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard is an example of a music generation standard or technique of this type, which represents a musical performance as a series of events.
Computing devices, such as many modern computer systems, allow MIDI data to be manipulated and/or rendered. These computing devices are frequently built based on an architecture employing multiple privilege levels, often referred to as user-mode and kernel-mode. Manipulation of the MIDI data is typically performed by one or more applications executing in user-mode, while the input of data from and output of data to hardware is typically managed by an operating system or a driver executing in kernel-mode.
Such a setup requires the MIDI data to be received by the driver or operating system executing in kernel-mode, transferred to the application executing in user-mode, manipulated by the application as needed in user-mode, and then transferred back to the operating system or driver executing in kernel-mode for rendering. Data transfers between kernel-mode and user-mode, however, can take a considerable and unpredictable amount of time. Lengthy delays can result in unacceptable latency, particularly for real-time audio playback, while unpredictability can result in an unacceptable amount of jitter in the audio data, resulting in unacceptable rendering of the audio data.
The invention described below addresses these disadvantages, providing kernel-mode audio processing modules. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
In wireless communications, a transmitted signal (e.g. radio signals) may be received at a wireless receiver via multiple transmission paths. In other words, the wireless receiver includes an antenna that may receive the same transmitted signal via multiple paths. This tendency to receive the same signal via multiple paths is referred to as “multipath.”
Multipath may cause reception errors and decrease quality in wireless communications. For example, multipath may cause intersymbol interference (ISI). A signal received via one of the paths may be out of phase with the same signal received via another one of the paths. Signals that are received in phase with each other result in a stronger signal at the wireless receiver. Conversely, out of phase signals result in a weak or fading signal at the wireless receiver (i.e. result in multipath fading).
Referring now to FIG. 1, a wireless receiver 10 may include a rake receiver 12 to compensate for the effects of multipath fading. A radio frequency (RF) front end module 14 receives a wireless signal 16 from an antenna 18. The rake receiver 12 receives the wireless signal 16 from the front end module 14. The rake receiver 12 decodes each individual path independently and combines the strongest transmission characteristics of each of the paths to generate an output signal 20.
The wireless receiver 10 includes a frequency phase loop module 22 and a timing loop module 24. The frequency phase loop module 22 estimates a frequency offset based on the output signal 20. The timing loop module 24 determines a sampling frequency difference between a wireless transmitter (not shown) and the wireless receiver 10.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the rake receiver 12 includes a plurality of fingers 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, . . . , and 30-N (referred to collectively as fingers 30) and a plurality of corresponding delay modules 32-1, 32-2, 32-3, . . . , and 32-N (referred to collectively as delay modules 32). The fingers 30 receive multipath signals 34 via a corresponding transmission path. Each of the fingers 30 despreads a corresponding one of the multipath signals 34. The delay modules 32 adjust time offsets of the multipath signals 34. A combining module 36 combines the adjusted multipath signals 34 and generates an output signal 38. The combined output signal 38 may have a higher signal-to-noise ratio than any of the individual multipath signals 34. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to processing documents in an image-based document processing system, and is particularly directed to method of processing image data to reorient a document image represented by the image data in an image-based document processing system, such as an image-based check processing system, and an apparatus therefor.
A typical image-based check processing system includes a number of different types of workstations. The different types of workstations may include a document preparation workstation, an image capture workstation, a recognition workstation, a keying and balancing workstation, and an encoding workstation. Items such as bank checks are initially prepared at the document preparation workstation (e.g., removing staples, paper clips, and the like) for further processing at workstations downstream from the document preparation workstation. Each prepared item is fed along a document feed path of the image capture workstation which captures front and rear images of the item. The image capture workstation creates units of work and submits the created work to a workflow manager in a known way.
Workstations downstream from the image capture workstation poll the workflow manager in a known manner for work to perform, and may also create units of work which are submitted back to the workflow manager. The different workstations downstream from the image capture workstation process the front and rear images of each item. More specifically, the front and rear images of each item are sent to the recognition workstation which provides recognition results associated with the item. Operation of each workstation downstream from the recognition workstation, such as the keying and balancing workstation, and the encoding workstation, depends upon the recognition results provided by the recognition workstation.
When an image of an item is sent to the recognition workstation, the image is sometimes not oriented in a correct orientation for viewing by a human operator. This occurs because hardware associated with the image capture workstation does not scan the item in a right-side up orientation. When an image of an item is not oriented in a correct orientation, grayscale image data which is representative of the document image cannot be binarized and compressed for subsequent storage in an image archive. Eventually the misoriented image of the item needs to be oriented, either manually or automatically by a processor, before the grayscale image data which is representative of the image of the item can be binarized and compressed.
A typical misoriented image of an item needs to be rotated 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or 270 degrees to proper orientation for viewing by the human operator. To rotate the misoriented image of the item to proper orientation for viewing by the human operator, the grayscale image data which represents the image of the item needs to be processed and reoriented. The amount of grayscale image data representative of the misoriented image of the item is usually quite large. For example, a front image of a typical check is represented by about 1200×600 pixels of grayscale data. With such a large amount of grayscale image data to process, the rotation of the front image of the check may take a relatively long time. It would be desirable to process the grayscale image data in a manner which quickly reorients the image of the check to proper orientation for viewing by the human operator. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention described herein relates to the methodology of forming a fused composite color image from source gray level images, with application to visualizing the fusion of video imaging in the infrared spectrum (e.g., thermal infrared) with video imaging in the reflective spectrum (e.g., visible).
2. Description of the Background Art
The advantages of image fusion of the visible and thermal infrared modalities have been studied for quite some time [S. Horn et al., “Fused Reflected/Emitted Light Sensors”, Proceedings of SPIE Infrared Technology and Applications XXVII, Vol. 4369, pp. 1-13, 2001]. Visible imaging (which can also include intensified Near-IR imaging) reveals reflective phenomenology complementary to thermal infrared imaging that reveals emissive phenomenology. There are obvious extensions to using reflective SWIR imagery as well. When viewed simultaneously, the visible and thermal infrared modalities can provide significantly enhanced situational awareness for a variety of applications to the dismounted soldier, maritime/naval operations, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as well as law enforcement. The key issues for practical portable field applications are how to effectively visualize these two complementary modalities at video rates with sufficiently low power consumption and small form factor. One of the simplest visualization schemes is commonly referred to as “A+B” fusion, whereby the signal is combined from each modality in different proportions, or, each modality is represented by a different color and combined together accordingly. This can be conveniently implemented in optical overlay systems. However, such a visualization scheme is usually not suitable for many applications with major drawbacks being the lack of invariance to visible illumination changes and confusion between visible and thermal infrared contrast. A number of computational image fusion methodologies for the visible and thermal infrared wavebands have been developed to address some of these issues [L. van Ruyven A. Toet and J. Valeton. “Merging thermal and visual images by a contrast pyramid”. Optical Engineering, 28 (7): 789-792, 1989; D. Fay J. Racamato J. Carrick M. Seibert A. Waxman, A. Gove and E. Savoye. “Color night vision: Opponent processing in the fusion of visible and IR imagery.” Neural Networks, 10(1): 1-6, 199; P. Burt and R. Lolczynski. “Enhanced image capture through fusion.” In Proceedings of IEEE 4th International Conference on Computer Vision, volume 4, pages 173-182, 1993; J. Schuler M. Satyshur D. Scribner, P. Warren and M. Kruer. “Infrared color vision: An approach to sensor fusion.” Optics and Photonics News, August 1998; D. A. Socolinsky and L. B. Wolff, “Optimal grayscale visualization of local contrast in multispectral imagery.” In Proceedings: DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, pages 761-766, Monterey, November 1998; A. Toet, “New false color mapping for image fusion.” Optical Engineering, 35(3): 650-658, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,449, P. Burt et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,324, A. Waxman et al.]. As the thermal infrared spectrum is beyond human visual perception, the merging of visible and thermal infrared modalities is a non-literal representation placing paramount importance on a visually intuitive fusion methodology. Furthermore, experience has shown that image fusion algorithms appearing intuitive and informative for single still frames are not necessarily appropriate under conditions of continuous operation, particularly if a human observer is immersed in such an environment for significant lengths of time. As with direct human vision, an image fusion scheme needs to have flexibility and adaptability to different scene conditions, where the visible and thermal infrared signatures can have a wide range of combined variability. The user should have the ability to change fusion parameters in order to optimize viewing conditions. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Oil, gas, water, geothermal wells and the like are typically drilled with a drill bit connected to a hollow drill string which is inserted into a well casing cemented in a well bore. A drilling head is attached to the well casing, wellhead or to associated blowout preventor equipment, for the purposes of sealing the interior of the well bore from the surface and facilitating forced circulation of drilling fluid through the well while drilling or diverting drilling fluids away from the well. Drilling fluids include, but are not limited to, water, steam, drilling muds, air, and other fluids (i.e., liquids, gases, etc).
In the forward circulation drilling technique, drilling fluid is pumped downwardly through the bore of the hollow drill string, out the bottom of the hollow drill string and then upwardly through the annulus defined by the drill string and the interior of the well casing, or well bore, and subsequently out through a side outlet above the well head. In reverse circulation, a pump impels drilling fluid through a port, down the annulus between the drill string and the well casing, or well bore, and then upwardly through the bore of the hollow drill string and out of the well.
Drilling heads typically include a stationary body, often referred to as a bowl, which carries a rotatable spindle, which is commonly referred to as a bearing assembly, rotated by a kelly apparatus or top drive unit. One or more seals or packing elements, often referred to as stripper packers or stripper rubber assemblies, is carried by the spindle to seal the periphery of the kelly or the drive tube or sections of the drill pipe, whichever may be passing through the spindle and the stripper rubber assembly, and thus confine or divert the core pressure in the well to prevent the drilling fluid from escaping between the rotating spindle and the drilling string.
As modern wells are drilled ever deeper, or into certain geological formations, very high temperatures and pressures may be encountered at the drilling head. These rigorous drilling conditions pose increased risks to rig personnel from accidental scalding, burns or contamination by steam, hot water and hot, caustic well fluids. There is a danger of serious injury to rig workers when heavy tools are used to connect a stripper rubber assembly to the drilling head. Accordingly, such a connection should be made quickly and achieve a fluid tight seal.
Rotation of respective rotating components of a rotating control head, rotating blowout preventor or other type of rotating control device is facilitated through a bearing assembly through which the drill string rotates relative to the stationary bowl or housing in which the bearing assembly is seated. Rotating control heads, rotating blowout preventors and other types of rotating control devices are generally referred to herein as well drilling heads. Typically, a rubber O-ring seal, or similar seal, is disposed between the stripper rubber assembly and the bearing assembly to improve the fluid-tight connection between the stripper rubber assembly and the bearing assembly. Pressure control is achieved by means of one or more stripper rubber assemblies connected to the bearing assembly and compressively engaged around the drill string. At least one stripper rubber assembly rotates with the drill string. A body of a stripper rubber assembly (i.e., a stripper rubber body) typically taper downward and include rubber or other resilient substrate so that the downhole pressure pushes up on the stripper rubber body, pressing the stripper rubber body against the drill string to achieve a fluid-tight seal. Stripper rubber assemblies often further include a metal insert that provide support for bolts or other attachment means and which also provide a support structure to minimize deformation of the rubber cause by down hole pressure forces acting on the stripper rubber body.
Stripper rubber assemblies are connected or adapted to equipment of the drilling head to establish and maintain a pressure control seal around the drill string (i.e., a down hole tubular). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of means are used to attach a stripper rubber assembly to associated drilling head equipment. Such attachment means include bolting from the top, bolting from the bottom, screwing the stripper rubber assembly directly onto the equipment via cooperating threaded portions on the top of the stripper rubber assembly and the bottom of the equipment, clamps and other approaches.
It will be understood that, depending on the particular equipment being used at a drilling head, a stripper rubber assembly at one well may be connected to equipment specific to that well while at another well a stripper rubber assembly is connected to different equipment. For example, at one well the stripper rubber assembly may be connected to the bearing assembly while at another well the stripper rubber assembly may be connected to an inner barrel or an accessory of the drilling head. Thus, the stripper rubber assembly is not unnecessarily limited to being connected to a particular component of a rotating control head, rotating blowout preventor or the like.
It is common practice to tighten the bolts or screws of the connection with heavy wrenches and sledge hammers. The practice of using heavy tools to tighten a bolt, for example, can result in over-tightening, to the point where the threads or the bolt head become stripped. The results of over-tightening include stripped heads, where the bolt or screw cannot be removed, or stripped threads, where the bolt or screw has no grip and the connection fails. Both results are undesirable. Even worse, vibration and other drilling stresses can cause bolts or screws to work themselves loose and fall out. If one or more falls downhole, the result can be catastrophic. The drill bit can be ruined. The entire drillstring may have to tripped out, and substantial portions replaced, including the drill bit. If the well bore has been cased, the casing may be damaged and have to be repaired.
Drilling head assemblies periodically need to be disassembled to replace stripper rubber assemblies or other parts, lubricate moving elements and perform other recommended maintenance. In some circumstances, stripped or over tightened bolts or screws make it very difficult if not impossible to disengage the stripper rubber assembly from the drilling head assembly to perform recommended maintenance or parts replacement.
One prior art rotating control head configuration that is widely used rotating control heads in the oil field industry is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,181 to John R. Williams (i.e., the Williams '181 patent). The Williams '181 patent relates to drilling heads and blowout preventors for oil and gas wells and more particularly, to a rotating blowout preventor mounted on the wellhead or on primary blowout preventors bolted to the wellhead, to pressure-seal the interior of the well casing and permit forced circulation of drilling fluid through the well during drilling operations. The rotating blowout preventor of the Williams '181 patent includes a housing which is designed to receive a blowout preventor bearing assembly and a hydraulic cylinder-operated clamp mechanism for removably securing the bearing assembly in the housing and providing ready access to the components of the bearing assembly and dual stripper rubber assemblies provided in the bearing assembly. A conventional drilling string is inserted or “stabbed” through the blowout preventor bearing assembly, including the two base stripper rubber assemblies rotatably mounted in the blowout preventor bearing assembly, to seal the drilling string. The device is designed such that chilled water and/or antifreeze may be circulated through a top pressure seal packing box in the blowout preventor bearing assembly and lubricant is introduced into the top pressure seal packing box for lubricating top and bottom pressure seals, as well as stacked radial and thrust bearings.
Primary features of the rotating blowout preventor of the Williams '181 patent include the circulation of chilled water and/or antifreeze into the top seal packing box and using a hydraulically-operated clamp to secure the blowout preventor bearing assembly in the stationary housing, to both cool the pressure seals and provide access to the spaced rotating stripper rubber assemblies and internal bearing assembly components, respectively. The clamp can be utilized to facilitate rapid assembly and disassembly of the rotating blowout preventor. Another primary feature is mounting of the dual stripper rubber assemblies in the blowout preventor bearing assembly on the fixed housing to facilitate superior sealing of the stripper rubber assemblies on the kelly or drilling string during drilling or other well operations. Still another important feature is lubrication of the respective seals and bearings and offsetting well pressure on key shaft pressure seals by introducing the lubricant, under pressure into the bearing assembly top pressure seal packing box.
Objects of a rotating blowout preventor in accordance with the Williams '181 patent include a blowout preventor bearing assembly seated on a housing gasket in a fixed housing, a hydraulically-operated clamp mechanism mounted on the fixed housing and engaging the bearing assembly in mounted configuration, which housing is attached to the well casing, wellhead or primary blowout preventor, a vertical inner barrel rotatably mounted in the bearing assembly and receiving a pair of pressure-sealing stripper rubber assemblies and cooling fluid and lubricating inlet ports communicating with top pressure seals for circulating chilled water and/or antifreeze through the top seals and forcing lubricant into stacked shaft bearings and seals to exert internal pressure on the seals and especially, the lower seals.
Specific drawbacks of prior art rotating control head, rotating blowout preventor and/or the like (including a rotating blowout preventor/or rotating control head in accordance with the Williams '181 patent) include, but are not limited to, a.) relying on or using curved clamp segments that at least partially and jointly encircle the housing and bearing assembly; b.) relying on or using clamp segments that are pivotably attached to each other for allowing engagement with and disengagement from the bearing assembly; c.) relying on or using hydraulic clamp(s); d.) relying on or using a mechanical bolt-type connection to back-up a hydraulic clamp for insuring safe operation; e.) poor sealing from environmental contamination at various interface; f.) cumbersome and ineffective stripper rubber assembly attachment; g.) lack or inadequate cooling at key heat sensitive locations of the inner barrel and/or bowl; h.) lack of real-time and/or remotely monitored data acquisition functionality (e.g., via wireless/satellite uploading of data); i.) static (e.g., non-self adjusting) barrel assembly bearing preloading; and j.) cumbersome/ineffective lubrication distribution and cooling.
Therefore, a rotating control head, rotating blowout preventor and/or the like that overcomes abovementioned and other known and yet to be discovered drawbacks associated with prior art oil field drilling equipment (e.g., rotating control head, rotating blowout preventor and/or the like) would be advantageous, desirable and useful. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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While customer support may be provided either in person or via phone by human agents, recent years have witnessed the appearance of a large number of automated systems that allow customers to obtain support without human contact. Examples include automated voice response system (VRS) and Internet-based websites. However, measurement of those automated customer support systems has proved to be challenging. Common measures involve the classification of customer contacts with the automated system and include the need to classify the contact in specific categories, such as success or failure. This can be particularly important in a case of technical support systems where determining whether the customer solves his problem is an essential measure of success.
In agent-based customer support systems, the success or failure of the interaction can be determined by the agent, as well other measures such as how much time the user spent solving his or her problem. However, measuring the usefulness of those automatic customer support systems often resorts to customer surveys or interviews, which demand the customer's goodwill or compensation. In such cases, the measure can become biased by unhappy customers who accept doing surveys to vent their frustration with the system, or by the particular demographics of the people who accept the compensation. In particular, when trying to measure how productive a user was in his or her interaction, survey-based measurements can affect the results in unpredictable ways.
Accordingly, there is a need for techniques that can examine the traces of what a user did in an automatic system (for instance, which documents he or she read, which options were chosen from menus, and which information was provided), and based thereon, classify the interaction according to pre-specified categories. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to wheeled vehicles and in particular to trailered vehicles and the inclusion of means therewith for externally greasing the inner and outer wheel bearings of each wheel without removing the bearings.
One problem faced by the trailer owner is that of failed wheel bearings and axles and which arise from insufficient lubrication. This problem is of particular concern to the fisherman, in that with the insertion and removal of the trailer from the water, especially when the wheel bearings and grease are hot, the wheel grease tends to wash from the wheel hub and/or water is trapped in the hub with resulting rusting and accelerated wear. The rental trailer industry also shares in this problem, but there it is a consequence of protracted maintenance cycles. The resulting shortage of lubricant causing higher operating temperatures and resultant bearing failure. Some of the results in either case being worn bearings, pitted bearing races and/or possibly damaged wheel hubs, requiring the replacement thereof and/or oftentimes the replacement of the wheel's entire backing plate.
In order to alleviate the foregoing problems, a number of devices have been developed and which are disclosed in a number of U.S. Patents, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,077,948; 3,395,015; 3,649,080; 3,395,950; 3,955,852; 4,106,816; and 4,190,133. A feature common to each of the foregoing devices is that of including a zerk fitting in a special dust cap that mounts over the wheel hub and axle end. Grease injected into the grease fitting then permeates through the entire hub to grease the inner and outer bearings. In practice, however, with the buildup of old grease, this oftentimes does not occur and instead the new grease tends to build up in the region of the outer bearing, with no grease permeating to the inner bearing. Also and where water has leaked into the hub, as the old grease and water is forced out of the hub with the addition of new grease, it tends to ruin the inner grease seal. Thus, wheel failure tends to occur at the inner bearing and race.
Two attempts to overcome this problem can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,460,874 and 3,642,237 and wherein zerk fittings have been mounted in the projecting external portion of the wheel hub itself and which ostensively permits the introduction of grease in between the bearings. Again, however, as the grease ages, one is not always certain that the newly injected grease will migrate to each of the wheel bearings, but may rather only collect in the middle region opposite the internal sides of the two bearings.
It is for the foregoing reasons that the present invention contemplates a modification of a conventional wheel hub and backing plate to permit the application of grease directly at each of the inner and outer bearings and thereby ensure proper bearing lubrication and the prolongation of the wheel's life. It achieves this end by providing grease ports that are accessible from the front of the wheel, but which channel the grease to the inner and outer bearings.
The above objects, advantages and distinctions, as well as the construction of the present invention, will however be described in greater detail hereinafter with respect to the appended drawings. Before referring thereto, it is to be recognized though that the following description is made with respect to the presently preferred embodiment only and is not intended to in any way be self-limiting. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an injection blow molding system, apparatus and method for forming molded articles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Injection blow molding (IBM) is a technique used for creating various articles such as plastic bottles or containers. The IBM process is performed with an IBM machine that first injection molds a resin into a plurality of parisons of desired shapes and then blow molds the parisons into the final molded articles.
An injection station of the IBM machine typically includes a split parison mold assembly that defines a plurality of cavities within which the parisons are formed. In the injection molding stage of the IBM process, the parison-forming surfaces of the split parison mold are heated to and/or cooled to different temperatures via a plurality of water lines formed in the split parison mold near the parison-forming surfaces. The water lines may be supplied with water at different temperatures depending on the location of the water line relative to the neck or body of the parison being formed. For example, a body portion of the split parison mold may require heating to a temperature of about 210° F., while the neck portion of the split parison mold may require a relative cooling to a temperature of about 100° F. Typically, a plurality of individual thermolators are required to control the temperature of water supplied to the various water lines in the parison mold. However, even with such temperature control methods, maintaining precise temperatures within the split parison mold is difficult due to external temperature fluctuations and inherent temperature gradients that exist within the molds.
Similarly, a blow station of the IBM machine typically includes a split blow mold assembly that defines a plurality of cavities within which the parisons formed at the injection station are blow molded into final blow molded articles. In the blow molding stage of the IBM process, the article-forming surfaces of the blow mold are cooled to specific temperatures via a plurality of water lines formed in the split blow mold near the article-forming surfaces. For example, a body portion and a neck portion of the split blow mold may require cooling to a temperature of about 50° F. As with the injection station, maintaining precise temperatures within the split blow mold is difficult due to external temperature fluctuations and inherent temperature gradients that exist within the molds.
Thus, it would be desirable to have injection blow molding systems, apparatuses, and/or processes to allow for the split molds within the injection stations and the blow stations to maintain specific temperatures during formation of the parisons and/or the articles. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to technique about removal of electrostatic charges. Especially, this invention discloses technique about removal of electrostatic charges by using soft X-ray and ceramic having superior thermal characteristics and tungsten in electrostatic charge generating devices in order to remove electrostatic charges effectively.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Generally in LCD, PDP and semiconductor process etc. minute dusts adheres to LCD, PDP and semiconductor wafers according to the generation of electrostatic charges or the dusts cause pattern destruction according to the discharge of electrostatic charges and lowering of yield of products and manufacturing costs increase.
At present in such processes as means for removal of electrostatic charges ion bar and ion blower are used that generate ions by corona discharge but this device generates ions by corona discharge and convects air by fan in order to blow off ionized air. In such processes metallic minute particles under 0.01 μm are generated very much (hundreds of thousands of particles/ft3) at the end part of discharge electrode by the spattering phenomenon according to the high voltage discharge and adhere to it and are separated by forced convection according to a fan and adheres to the surroundings of LCD, PDP and semiconductor patterns to cause inferiority.
O3 gases (ozone) generated by high voltage generation reach 4˜10 ppm and accelerate the adherence of minute dusts as well as the balance of generated +ions and −ions changes frequently to readjust the ion balance every time. Accordingly it became necessary to get a new technique to remove electrostatic charges that does not generate minute dusts and does not need air convection.
FIG. 1 illustrates the principle of removal of electricity of typical voltage-applying type electrostatic remover according to the prior art. As shown in the figure high voltage (10) is applied to ion generation discharging electrode and gases near discharge electrode (20) are ionized by corona discharge between discharging body (40) and electrode and + and −ions are generated. At this time electrostatic charges can be neutralized by the generated + or −ions. Here 30 denotes ion groups generated by the above method. Accordingly it became necessary to get a new technique to remove electrostatic charges that does not generate minute dusts and does not need air convection.
On the other hand nowadays bioscience fields grow rapidly with the development of electronic technologies of high precision system and are based on the air cleaning technology for forming a clean room that is almost clear or germless. However if there exists a discharging body in such a clean room, electrostatic charges become a cause of pollution because minute dusts are absorbed and adhere to it by electrostatic force. Accordingly electrostatic charges that absorb dusts and adhere it become one of main elements affecting to yield of products in clean room like LED, PDP and semiconductor processes. Especially in manufacturing of ultra large scale integrated circuit (ULSI), plasma display panel (PDP) and thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), electrostatic charges are electrified easily because SiO2 or glass surface is high insulator. Electrostatic charges generated in the processes lower the reliability of products as well as become a direct cause of lowering the yield of products. Like this, the pollution of adherence of floating minute particles according to the electrostatic charges becomes a very big obstacle to fine processing techniques of semiconductors and only a little pollution may cause a serious affect to the characteristics of semiconductors. Accordingly the necessity of a new charge removing method in order to remove electrostatic charges is rising.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,849 is a prior art of this field. This patent relates to an electrostatic charge remover using X-ray generator. A electrostatic charge remover according to this patent has a protective case, an X-ray tube generating soft X-ray, power source device and the X-ray tube has a bulb, a cathode, an output window, an output support, a flange portion, a target and the inner components of the X-ray tube and the protective case are connected thermally and electrically.
Japanese patent 2951477 is another prior art of this field. This patent relates to an electrostatic charge removing technique and removes electrostatic charges of a predetermined charged body under the circumstances including the ions by having a target at inner part of itself, to which a predetermined target voltage and current are given at a position where X-ray is irradiated as for circumstances where a predetermined charged body is arrayed as well as arranging an X-ray tube having a Be window and ionizing elements included in the circumstances of the area, on which X-ray having main wavelength in the range of 2 Ř20 Šis irradiated from the Be window.
However in the above prior arts the wavelengths of generated X-ray was long and the thermal characteristics of an X-ray generating device was not superior. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for converting outline data representative of the outline of a visible representation such as letters, symbols and other characters or graphical representations, into dot data representative of image dots to be formed to reproduce the visible representation. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with improvements in the continuity of each stroke of the character or other visible representation.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Visible representations or characters such as letters, numerals and symbols represented by character data are printed, displayed or otherwise reproduced according to the character data suitably processed by a computer. Commonly, the character data takes the form of dot data indicating whether a dot should be formed in each of picture elements which are the smallest part of picture image and which determine the resolution of the reproduced image. If a batch of dot data representative of all the characters available for reproduction is prepared and stored in a character data memory, the memory should have an extremely large storage capacity. It is therefore desirable to store a batch of outline data representative of the outlines of the characters, and convert the outline data into the corresponding dot data by suitable data converting means, when the visible representations are printed, displayed or otherwise reproduced, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-41017.
An example of a data converting apparatus as described above is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/425,604 filed Oct. 23, 1989. In the data converting device disclosed therein, the outline of each character represented by outline data is superimposed on a coordinated pixel screen in which picture elements are defined along a plurality of parallel scanning or pixel lines parallel to the X axis of the screen. Each pixel line passes the centers of an array of the picture elements. In converting the outline data into dot data, X-axis coordinate values of intersections between the character outline and each pixel line are calculated. More precisely, the coordinate values of the picture elements which are nearest to the intersections and inside the character outline are calculated. Based on the calculated coordinate values, bits of the dot data are set to indicate the presence of image dots at the positions of the picture elements corresponding to the width of a stroke of the character. These dot data bits are referred to as "dot-forming bits". In this data converting apparatus, each of the pixel lines intersecting one or more strokes of the character has two X-axis coordinate values for each stroke of the character. These two coordinate values define the width of the stroke as measured along the relevant pixel line. Since image dots are formed at and between the two coordinate values, bits of the dot data which correspond to the picture elements at and between the two coordinate values are set to indicate the presence of the image dots. This apparatus is therefore capable of setting at one time the bits of the dot data between the calculated two X-axis coordinates for each stroke, with respect to one pixel line, without determining whether an image dot should be formed at each picture element position within the width of the stroke. Thus, the character outline data may be efficiently and easily converted into the corresponding batch of dot data.
However, there is a possibility that the character outline does not intersect any one of the pixel lines. For example, if a stroke of a character is relatively narrow, a certain portion of the outline of that narrow stroke does not intersect any pixel lines. In this case, no X-axis coordinate values are obtained for that given portion of the stroke, and as a result, the prepared dot data for the stroke do not include dot-forming bits for the given portion of the stroke. Accordingly, the stroke reproduced according to the dot data is discontinuous and has a poor appearance.
The problem of the discontinuity of the stroke indicated above may be eliminated by using a sufficiently large number of scanning lines parallel to the above-indicated pixel lines which pass the centers of the picture elements. For example, the scanning lines are provided at a pitch which is a half of the pitch of the pixel lines. In this case, there is a reduced or no possibility that a stroke of a character does not intersect any one of the scanning lines, whereby each of almost all portions of the stroke has two intersections with the relevant scanning lines. Accordingly, the discontinuity of the stroke reproduced according to the prepared dot data may be reduced or eliminated. However, this arrangement requires an increased time for calculating the coordinates of the intersections between the character outline and the scanning lines, and consequently reduces the above-indicated advantage of efficient conversion of the outline data into the dot data. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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It is known to provide material handling systems that include vacuum cups or the like that are adapted to be engaged with an object, such as a substantially flat object or panel or the like, and to lift and move the object to a desired location. Such vacuum cups or suction cups may be moved into engagement with the object, and a vacuum source may be actuated to create a vacuum between the object and the cup such that the object is retained to the cup as it is transported to the targeted area. An example of such a vacuum cup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,668, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a typical bellows-type vacuum cup 10 may include a body portion or back panel portion 12 and a bellows-type or pleated skirt or seal 14 extending from body portion 12. The body portion may include a vacuum port or opening or aperture 16 therethrough for receiving or connecting to a vacuum source to draw air out of a cavity 18 defined between the vacuum cup and an object 20. The bellows-type pleated skirt 14 may comprise a flexible, resilient, elastomeric material or the like, and may flex to engage the object 20 and to provide a substantially airtight seal between the vacuum cup 10 and the object 20. The vacuum cup 10 may further include a bushing or fitting or the like 22, such as a threaded brass fitting or bushing, for connection to the vacuum source. Optionally, the bushing or fitting may be adapted or configured to connect to a proximity sensor (not shown), such as to a threaded end of a proximity sensor of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,668. The sensor may detect the presence of an object, such as the object 20 in FIG. 4, that is at or proximate to the sensor. In such an application with an object sensor at the central port or opening of the vacuum cup, the vacuum cup may include a separate vacuum port (such as shown in phantom at 17 in FIGS. 1 and 3) for connection to the vacuum source.
The vacuum source is operable to draw air through the vacuum port and out of the cavity to create a partial vacuum between the vacuum cup and the object. Often, the vacuum source remains operational to maintain the partial vacuum between the object and the vacuum cup to retain the object on the vacuum cup throughout transportation of the object from one location to the other. When the vacuum cup and object arrive at the targeted location, the vacuum cup may be pulled away from the object, while the object is substantially retained in a particular location, such that the object is stripped from the vacuum cup, all while the vacuum source remains operational to create/maintain the vacuum.
For example, vacuum cups often may engage and substantially seal against objects, and may carry the objects to a magnetic belt or conveyor that is positioned above the objects. In such applications, the vacuum cups may lift or raise the object up to the overhead or raised magnetic conveyor and may release the article at the overhead conveyor. Typically, the vacuum cups are pulled upwardly until the panel or object engages the magnetic conveyor. The vacuum cups are then pulled further upwardly (while the panel or object is retained at the magnetic conveyor) to strip or dislodge the cups from the panel or object, whereby the object is retained on the magnetic conveyor via the magnetic attraction between the metallic object and the magnetic conveyor.
The entire process of engaging the object, lifting the object upward to the magnetic conveyor and stripping the cups off of the object at the conveyor is typically performed with the vacuum source activated, such that the vacuum source creates the partial vacuum at the vacuum cup and does not release the vacuum to assist in releasing the cup from the object or panel. The vacuum source may remain operational throughout this process to avoid having to activate and deactivate the vacuum source multiple times while moving multiple objects from one location to the next. However, the pulling of the vacuum cup or cups from the object while the vacuum is applied between the vacuum cup and the object may cause excessive wear to the vacuum cups and, thus, may lead to premature failure of the vacuum cups over time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to peptides that affect the biological activity of cells in culture. In particular, the invention is directed to specific peptide combinations and compositions thereof which promote the attachment and growth of cells on an otherwise cell adhesion resistant (CAR) surface. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to the field of information storage, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for eliminating voltage transients or glitches in a disk drive read head, particularly while switching the biasing.
In general, mass storage devices, such as hard disk drives, include a magnetic storage media, such as rotating disks or platters, a spindle motor, read/write heads, an actuator, a pre-amplifier, a read channel, a write channel, a servo circuit, and control circuitry to control the operation of the hard disk drive and to properly interface the hard disk drive to a host system or bus.
In advanced disk drives, magneto-resistive (MR) heads are used for reading and writing data. An MR head generally includes an MR read element or sensor for reading data from the data tracks and an inductive write coil for writing data to the data tracks. In order to guide the MR head over a data track while the disk is rotating, servo sectors are placed in the track along with data sectors. These servo sectors are read by the same MR sensor that reads the data sectors. The presence of the servo sectors makes it necessary to interrupt the writing during write cycles of the MR head as the head passes over a servo sector to allow the head to read the sector. Furthermore, with the disk rotating at a very high speed, it is crucial that the MR head be ready for reading data almost immediately after it is switched from write or idle mode to read mode, to avoid skipping portions of the track. The thermal response of the MR sensor, due to the variation in the MR sensor bias current as the MR head mode changes, prevents the MR sensor from reaching steady-state until several microseconds after the MR head changes its operational state.
Pre-amplifying circuits for MR heads are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,122,915 and 5,032,935. Due to the thermal response problem described above, the prior art pre-amplifying circuits typically generate undesirable transient voltages at their outputs as the MR head switches from write or idle mode to read mode. These transients result because the MR sensor is biased with a different current in each operational state.
Normally, the MR sensor is not biased when the MR head is in write mode or in idle mode to save power. With the MR head off, overdriving may occur, which is caused mainly by the capacitance coupling between the MR sensor and the write coil of the MR head. When the MR head is in write or idle mode, the amplifier coupled to the MR sensor is usually switched off. Upon the MR head switching to read mode, the MR sensor is again biased with a DC-current. This bias current causes the temperature of the MR sensor to rise from its value when the MR head was in write or idle mode until the steady-state temperature is achieved. The temperature rise results in a change in the MR sensor resistance, which depends on the temperature coefficient of the MR sensor. The variation in the MR sensor resistance in turn produces a transient voltage at the output of the read-back pre-amplifying circuit, thus preventing the MR head from properly reading data for several microseconds immediately after the MR head switches to read state.
MR heads typically use current biasing to sense the data on the disk. The current bias can be used to bias the MR heads during write mode for the benefits described above. More recently, voltage biasing has been used to supply a bias to the head during servo data write and at other times such as an idle state. Using voltage biasing during servo bank write has the advantage of insuring a more constant bias current when several or all the heads are being written simultaneously. Biasing of the MR head during servo bank write is important to protect the head as well as keep the MR head at the proper temperature. A voltage transient or glitch often occurs when the head bias is switched from current bias to voltage bias and at other times when switching is done in the pre-amp circuit. Eliminating or reducing these glitches is also important to protect the MR head and extend the head lifetime.
The present invention provides an improved bias circuit for a disk drive head which reduces or eliminates transients while switching biasing. Embodiments of the invention are specifically directed to eliminating transients while switching the bias of a MR head such as from current bias to voltage biasing.
In an embodiment of the present invention, bias enable signals from a control circuit are inputs to delay circuits. The delay circuits provide a delay on the high-to-low transition, and essentially no delay on the low-to-high transition. This unsymmetrical delay ensures that the read head bias current will continue to be driven during the biasing transition to reduce voltage swings that could damage the head. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Fuel cell apparatuses and their operation methods have recently been proposed for next-generation energy. Fuel cells can generate electric power, using a fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) and an oxygen-containing gas (normally air), and the fuel cell apparatus comprises the fuel cell and auxiliary devices operating the fuel cell within an enclosure. For example, a fuel cell apparatus has been proposed which comprises within a housing case a cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series, a reforming portion comprising a reforming catalyst, disposed over the cell stack, and a vaporizing portion generating steam to be supplied to the reforming portion (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-59377).
In the start-up operation of such a fuel cell apparatus, it is necessary to increase the temperature of the reforming portion, which reforms a reforming target gas (raw fuel) and supplies the reformed fuel gas (hydrogen-containing gas) to the fuel cell, to a predetermined value. It is also necessary to increase the temperature of the fuel cells (cell stack) to a predetermined value. After the fuel cells (cell stack) reach the predetermined temperature, the start-up operation is terminated and the fuel cell is brought into a power-generating state.
It is known that the start-up operation of the reforming portion performs partial oxidation reforming (pox), autothermal reforming (ATR) and steam reforming (SR) in that order for producing hydrogen used for fuel cell power generation from a reforming target gas (raw fuel) such as natural gas (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-319420).
More specifically, for example, it has been proposed that: when the temperature of the reforming portion is low, the reforming reaction is performed by partial oxidation reforming; the reforming reaction is switched from the partial oxidation reforming to autothermal reforming according to the temperature of the reforming portion increased by the partial oxidation reforming; and when the temperature of the reforming portion (vaporizing portion) is further increased, the reforming reaction is switched from the autothermal reforming to steam reforming. Accordingly, the temperature of the fuel gas generated in the reforming portion is increased as the temperature of the reforming portion is increased. In addition, it has been proposed for the type of fuel cell apparatus disclosed in the above-cited Patent Document that the temperature of the reforming portion be increased by heat generated by burning unreacted gas (reforming target gas) and the fuel gas in one end side (reforming portion side) of the fuel cells.
The fuel gas and unreacted gas (reforming target gas) warmed in the reforming portion in the start-up operation is supplied to the fuel cell (cells), and the fuel cell is thus warmed by the warmed fuel gas. Also, the fuel cell (cells) is heated by combustion reaction of the fuel gas and unreacted gas (reforming target gas) supplied to the fuel cell (cells) with an oxygen-containing gas. The temperature of the fuel cell is thus increased. When the reforming portion and the fuel cell (cells) come to predetermined temperatures, the start-up operation of the fuel cell apparatus is completed and the fuel cell (cells) starts power generation.
Accompanying the operation of the fuel cell apparatus, it may be suspended in some cases, for example, for maintenance or with an event of failure. The period of operational suspension of the fuel cell apparatus may be over several minutes to several hours (or, in some cases, several days). After maintenance or repairing the failure, the fuel cell apparatus is restarted to operate.
Unfortunately, if the temperature of the reforming portion of a fuel cell apparatus controlled to perform reforming reaction in the order of partial oxidation reforming, autothermal reforming and steam reforming is a predetermined value or more when the fuel cell restarts, the reforming target gas (raw fuel) supplied to the reforming portion may be rapidly increased. Accordingly, carbon, a constituent of the reforming target gas, may be easily precipitated, and, consequently the fuel cells may deteriorate. In addition, ignition for burning the fuel gas and unreacted gas (reforming target gas) in one end side of the fuel cells may become difficult.
Also, if partial oxidation reforming is performed in the reforming portion having a predetermined temperature or more at the starting time of the fuel cell apparatus, the reforming portion may easily come to high temperature. Such a condition may easily cause the reforming catalyst to deteriorate and its lifetime to decrease. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembling apparatus and an assembling method of a nuclear fuel assembly, and more specifically to a guiding apparatus which enables the insertion of fuel rods to be carried out efficiently and free of surface scratches.
2. Technical Background of the Invention
In general, pressurized light water nuclear reactors utilize a type of fuel assembly in which a number of fuel rods are arranged horizontally at regular intervals. The fuel assembly comprises an upper nozzle, a lower nozzle and a plurality of fuel rod supporting grids (shortened to grids henceforth), made of thin metal straps intersecting orthognally to form grid cells. Fuel rod-guide pipes and instrumentation pipes are inserted into the grid cells, and are fixed to the grids and also to the upper and the lower nozzles at the ends. Fuel rods are also inserted into and are supported elastically in the grid cells by means of springs formed inside the grid cells.
When assembling such a fuel assembly, there is a danger of introducing scratches on the surface of the fuel rods if the rods are inserted into the grid cells as they are, because of the presence of the fuel rod supporting springs and dimples which are formed inside the grid cells. To prevent such a surface damage to the fuel rods, the springs must temporarily be deactivated while the fuel rods are being inserted into the grid cells. However, the technology to successively deactivate a large number of springs formed on each strap in the assembly required a high precision in the tooling and advanced drive-control technology.
In view of such problems in the existing technology, there have been, prior to the present invention, alternative proposed techniques, such as those presented below.
An assembling method is known, in which surface scratches are prevented by applying a cylindrical protective sleeve on the fuel rod over its entire external surface before its insertion into the grid cells, and removing the sleeve after the insertion is completed. (Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, S53(1978)-11294)
Another approach is to insert a slitted cylindrical jig in the grid cell beforehand, and after placing the fuel rod in the jig, the jig is moved into the assembly with the fuel rod, and the jig is removed with the use of the slit. (Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, S60(1985)-50490)
Another method is to arrange a plurality of such slit tools in a line along the grid cells, and to insert a line of fuels rods all at once. (Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, S60(1985)-67891)
Yet another method is to insert a cylindrical plastic sheet into the grid cell prior to inserted a fuel rod in the plastic sheet. (Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, S60(1985)-181680)
Yet another method is to prepare a rattan type support made of a series of thin plastic strips, and arrange the supports in accord with the grid cells prior to inserting the fuel rods into the support. (Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, S60(1985)-213889)
Such method which utilize various protective covers between the grid cells and the fuel rods are effective in preventing the formation of surface scratches on the fuel rods, but none of them provided for an automated facility for insertion of a plurality of fuel rods efficiently. Therefore, the operation was labor-intensive, and a need existed to reduce the labor content associated with such operations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to trust-metric networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to prioritizing communications via trust-metrics methods and apparatus.
With the wide-spread use of computers, cell phones, pda, and the like, it has become easier for people to communicate with each other. As a result, more parents call children, more friends chat over IM with other friends, more business send e-mail to other businesses, and the like. Unfortunately, this also results in people making and receiving calls from “wrong numbers,” businesses making unsolicited calls to people, often at dinner time, businesses and individuals receiving “spam” e-mail, and the like. In the past several years, unsolicited communications have become more burdensome to recipients.
To address such problems, regulations have been passed to attempt to reduce the amount of unwanted communication. For example, telemarketing laws have been passed to allow consumers to opt-out of cold-call lists via use of a national telephone registry. As another example, federal and state spam laws have been passed to allow consumers and businesses to request “removal” from unsolicited e-mail mailing lists.
These regulations have only been somewhat effective. For every regulation, there are work-arounds. For example, as been noted in the press recently, telemarketing laws do not appear to cover telemarketers outside the US, and/or telemarketers making VOIP calls. As another example, e-mail spammers with overseas servers are beyond enforcement jurisdiction.
The problem with unwanted communications is now being extended to new forms of communication, including IM-type chat, SMS, data feeds, pop-up web windows, and the like.
Accordingly, in light of the above, what is desired are methods and apparatus that provide communications without the drawbacks to individuals, as discussed above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Given a dividend X and a divisor N, the remainder of X divided by N is denoted as X mod N. The remainder may also be referred to as a residue.
Modulo arithmetic is used in many applications including number theory, group theory, ring theory, knot theory, abstract algebra, cryptography, computer science, chemistry and the visual and musical arts. Modulo arithmetic may be realized through recursive subtraction which may result in decreased processing throughput. A flow diagram of the conventional recursive subtraction method for modulo arithmetic computation is shown is FIG. 1.
To compute the residue of a division through recursive subtraction method for conditions where the difference between the divisor and the dividend is high, the number of iterations of subtraction is also high. The processing time for the recursive subtraction method varies as a function of the relationship between the input operands.
To perform any arithmetic operations on a continuous sequence of numbers, initial delay to get the results, known as latency, may also be critical. Furthermore, if the processing time for modulo computation of each input number varies, then additional control logic may be required and the throughput may be limited by the worst case scenario. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,845 discloses a feedback control method of a speed ratio of a continuously variable transmission such as a V-belt continuously variable transmission or toroidal continuously variable transmission of a vehicle.
Under this control, a controller calculates a final target speed ratio which is a final target value of a speed ratio, based on vehicle running conditions. In order to attain the final target speed ratio with a predetermined response speed, it calculates a transient target speed ratio as a target value for every control cycle. Based on the deviation of a real speed ratio from the latest transient target speed ratio, the controller performs feedback correction of the transient target speed ratio for this cycle, and controls the continuously variable transmission by a speed ratio command value corresponding to the corrected transient target speed ratio. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuits and, in particular, to systems and methods for facilitating, within an integrated circuit, receiver trip level testing of pads of the integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, integrated circuit (IC) devices have been tested and verified using a variety of test methods. For example, IC devices have been tested and verified to be defect-free using functional test vectors, such as those applied to the IC by the use of automated test equipment (ATE), which stimulate and verify the IC device functionality at the pin level of the device. A practical limitation to the utilization of ATE for testing IC""s, however, is that the number of IC pins (or pads) that can be tested by a particular ATE has, heretofore, been limited by the physical configuration of the ATE. For instance, the number of pads of the IC to be tested may exceed the number of test channels provided by an ATE, or the number of pads may exceed the capacity of the ATE support hardware, such as by exceeding the maximum number of probes on a probe card, among others. As utilized herein, the term xe2x80x9cpadxe2x80x9d is used to refer collectively to both a physical site, which serves as an electrical contact for an IC, as well as circuitry associated with the physical site for enabling electrical communication between components of the IC and components external to the IC.
Additionally, performance limitations of a particular ATE may impose certain other testing restrictions. For example, the frequency of IC inputs and outputs may exceed the maximum frequency of the ATE, thereby limiting the test frequency of the IC to be tested to the maximum frequency of the ATE. Although configuring an ATE with additional test channels and/or a higher operating frequency may be accomplished, providing an ATE with an appropriately high pin count and/or an appropriately high operating frequency in order to eliminate the aforementioned deficiencies is, oftentimes, cost prohibitive.
In light of the foregoing and other deficiencies, it is known in the prior art to test IC devices utilizing a variety of xe2x80x9cstop-gapxe2x80x9d testing procedures, including: (1) connecting an ATE to less than all of the pins of an IC device; (2) connecting multiple pins of an IC device to a single ATE test channel; (3) testing the IC device in multiple passes of the ATE, with each pass testing a subset of the pins of the entire IC device; (4) testing the device at less than maximum frequency, and; (5) limiting, through design implementation, the pin count and/or frequency of the IC device to accommodate existing ATE, among others. As should be readily apparent, many of these xe2x80x9cstop-gapxe2x80x9d testing procedures may result in a loss of test coverage and, thereby, may lead to an increase in numbers of defective IC devices being shipped. Moreover, the practice of limiting, through design implementation, the pin count and/or frequency of the IC device to accommodate existing ATE is, oftentimes, an unacceptable constraint on IC design.
Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods which address these and other shortcomings of the prior art.
Briefly described, the present invention provides receiver trip level testing functionality within integrated circuits. In this regard, some embodiments of the present invention may be construed as providing integrated circuits (IC""s). In a preferred embodiment, the integrated circuit includes a first pad incorporating a first driver and a first receiver. The first driver is configured to provide a first pad output signal to a component external to the IC. The first receiver is configured to receive a first pad input signal from a component external to the IC, and to provide a first receiver digital output signal to a component internal to the IC in response to the first pad input signal. Additionally, a first test circuit is provided that is arranged internal to the IC, with the first test circuit being adapted to provide information corresponding to at least one receiver trip-level characteristic of the first receiver of the first pad.
In an alternative embodiment, the integrated circuit includes a first pad incorporating a first driver and a first receiver, and means for providing information corresponding to at least one receiver trip-level characteristic of the first receiver of the first pad.
Some embodiments of the present invention may be construed as providing systems for measuring receiver trip-level characteristics. In this regard, a preferred embodiment includes automated test equipment (ATE) and an integrated circuit (IC). Preferably, the ATE is configured to electrically interconnect with the IC and to provide at least one stimulus to the IC. The IC includes a first pad that incorporates a first driver, a first receiver and a first test circuit. The first driver is configured to provide a first pad output signal to the ATE. The first receiver is configured to receive a first pad input signal from the ATE and to provide a first receiver digital output signal to a component internal to the IC in response to the first pad input signal. Additionally, the first test circuit is configured to electrically communicate with the ATE so that, in response to receiving at least one stimulus from the ATE, the first test circuit provides information to the ATE corresponding to at least one receiver trip-level characteristic of the first receiver of the first pad.
Some embodiments of the present invention may be construed as providing methods for testing an integrated circuit. In this regard, a preferred method includes the steps of: electrically interconnecting ATE with the IC; providing at least one stimulus from the ATE to the IC so that the IC measures a receiver trip-level characteristic of the first pad of the IC; and receiving information corresponding to a receiver trip-level characteristic of the first pad.
Other embodiments of the present invention may be construed as providing computer readable media. In this regard, a preferred computer readable medium, which incorporates a computer program for facilitating measuring of a receiver trip-level characteristic of an IC, includes: logic configured to enable ATE to provide at least one stimulus to the IC so that a first test circuit provides information corresponding to at least one receiver trip-level characteristic of a first receiver of the IC; and logic configured to enable the ATE to receive, from the first test circuit, the information corresponding to the at least one receiver trip-level characteristic of the first receiver.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to golf clubs and more particularly to the type of golf clubs known as irons with these iron golf clubs having improved performance characteristics resulting from strategic changes in weight distribution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although a golfer controls the swinging of a golf club, at the moment of impact the club head acts as though it were a free mass moving at a particular velocity. Most of the energy of this moving mass is transferred to the golf ball in about half of a millisecond with the result being that the ball, which is compressed against the face of the club, will spring clear as it returns to its spherical configuration. Maximum energy transfer and desirable golf ball flight direction and trajectory are achieved when the golf club head impacts a golf ball on the "sweet spot" of the club. The sweet spot of a golf club head is a point on the face of the club head which is in general alignment with the center of gravity of the golf club.
It is very difficult even for highly skilled and experienced golfers to consistently impact a golf ball on the sweet spot of a golf club, and when the sweet spot is missed the golf club will tend to twist, i.e., the face of the club will move from a position of being square with the intended flight path of the ball. When this happens, the amount of energy transferred to the golf ball will be less than maximum which results in a loss of distance. Also such twisting, or turning, of the golf club face will cause the golf ball to deviate from an ideal flight path.
To minimize the effects of mis-hitting a golf ball, modern golf club design has produced a class of game improvement golf clubs which are sometimes referred to as cavity back, or perimeter weighted clubs. As the name suggests, such clubs are formed with a central hollow, or cavity, in the back surface thereof, and the metal which would otherwise be located in the cavity is redistributed in predetermined proportions to strategic locations on the club heads. A relatively large mass is concentrated in the sole of these game improvement clubs to lower the center of gravity. This makes it easier for a golfer to get the center of gravity of the club head below the center of gravity of a golf ball at the moment of impact for producing a properly airborne and solidly hit ball. In addition, relatively large concentrations of mass are located in the heel and toe areas of the cavity back club to minimize the effects of hitting a golf ball on the toe or heel of the club head. When toe or heel hits occur, the club head will twist about the center of gravity. Such twisting, as mentioned above, results in less than a maximum transfer of energy to the golf ball at impact and deviations from the intended flight path of the ball will occur. By designing the golf club head with relatively large concentrations of mass in the toe and heel areas of the club head, the moment of inertia is increased so that the golf club will resist twisting movements in response to laterally off-center hits, i.e., in the directions of the toe and heel of the club head.
Many prior art golf clubs have been designed with mass concentrations in the sole, toe and heel areas of the club head in attempts to achieve optimum weight distribution benefits. The degree of success in achieving these design objectives varies from one club head to another in that the club's performance relies, along with other design parameters, on the proportions of the mass concentrations and the locations of those concentrations.
In a prior art design of mine, which is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,813, I removed metal from the central area at the back edge of the sole of the golf club head where it forms a junction with the lower edge of the back surface thereof. The removed metal was relocated to strategic areas in the toe and heel portions of the club head. This redistribution of material resulted in improved resistance to twisting as a result of lateral mis-hitting of the club, i.e., in the direction of the hoe or heel of the club and this improvement was made without any change in the total weight of the club head. Further, this improvement was made without sacrificing any other desirable characteristics of the golf club in that the relocated material was taken from a non-crucial area of the golf club head.
In most modern golf club designs, including mine as set forth in the hereinbefore disclosed U.S. Patent, considerably more than half of the golf club head mass is located in the lower part of the golf club head. As described above, the reason for this is to take advantage of the benefits derived from toe and heel mass concentrations and sole weighting. I have found that although minimizing the effects of mis-hits in the direction of the toe or heel of the club head is a major consideration in the design of the golf club heads, the effects of mis-hits in vertical directions relative to the center of gravity should not be overlooked.
As is the case with twisting movements of the club head resulting from mis-hits in the direction of the toe or heel, the club head will react to mis-hits in vertical directions by movements that may be described as tilting or tipping movements. When the impact point of the golf ball on the face of the club head is high on the face, i.e., above the sweet spot, that impact causes the club head to tilt about the center of gravity and such tilting will be in a direction which increases the loft angle of the club. This occurs due to the inertia of the mass concentration at the sole of the club head which causes the lower end of the club head to move forwardly under the ball in an arcuate path about the center of gravity. This movement is amplified by the relative lack of mass in the upper end of prior art golf clubs which results in a relatively small moment of inertia that provides very little resistance to tilting motion.
Similarly, when the impact point is low on the face of the golf club head, i.e., below the sweet spot, the lack of mass in the upper end of the club head provides a small moment of inertia and thus a very low resistance to tilting of the golf club head in a direction that reduces the loft angle of the club. In other words, the top end of the golf club head moves forwardly over the top of the ball in an arcuate path about the center of gravity.
To the best of my knowledge, no prior art golf clubs have been designed to provide mass concentration in the top part of iron type golf club heads with those concentrations being located and of sufficient magnitude to effectively minimize the hereinbefore described tilting problem.
A particular prior art golf club design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,151 which issued to Anthony J. Antonious on Apr. 30, 1991. The club head disclosed in this patent had some of the mass, which is referred to as toe counterweight, located above a theoretical longitudinal axis of the club head. The longitudinal axis is defined as bisecting the face of the club head and is shown as extending between the heel and toe of the club head. The toe counterweight is a relatively large mass concentration which blends smoothly with the mass of the sole so that the counterweight appears to be an upwardly sweeping extension of the sole. At least 25% and preferably 33% of the mass of the toe counterweight is disclosed as being located above the longitudinal axis to shift the center of gravity upwardly and toward the toe which maximizes the energy transfer when a golf ball is hit off-center toward the toe. Although the design of this prior art golf club appears to provide improved resistance to the club tilting problem, it is believed that less than the maximum benefit is achieved in that the toe counterweight does not extend all the way to the top of the toe but ends abruptly at a point below the top. This golf club design is further disclosed as having the top ridge at the upper end of the club of increased mass to provide a top counterweight. However, the cross-sectional configuration of the top ridge is of substantially rectangular conventional design and does not derive the maximum benefit from the mass located in that area.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved set of golf clubs which are configured to minimize the tilting motion of the club heads resulting from vertically miss-hit golf balls, and to otherwise provide a club head design with overall improvement of the club head balance. | {
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With increasing industrial development, digitalized office technologies have experienced great growth and are now rapidly gaining in popularity. For example, a diversity of office machines such as copy machines, printers, fax machines and scanners are utilized to achieve various purposes. The diverse office machines, however, occupy lots of space. Nowadays, a multifunction peripheral having multiple functions in one structural unit, for example the functions of a printer, a scanner, a fax machine and/or a copy machine, is thus developed. As a consequence, the processing capability of the multifunction peripheral is increased and the operative space thereof is reduced.
For enhancing the scanning quality, before the image reading apparatus reads out data, the image reading apparatus should be corrected according to background condition and the light-sensing element. After the correction is implemented, the optical parameters of the light-sensing element will be compensated. Moreover, for increasing the scanning speed, the image reading apparatus has two image sensors to respectively scan the front and back sides of the original document. Since the light beams emitted by these two image sensors have different reflecting effects on the front and back sides of the original document and the sensing efficacy of both image sensors are different, the imaging quality is distinguished. For achieving the similar image quality, it is critical to develop a mechanism for correcting these two image sensors.
The conventional correcting method, however, still has some drawbacks. For example, if the compensated correction position is far from the real scanning position, a distortion correction problem occurs and thus the scanning quality is deteriorated. In addition, if the surface of the correction element is abraded or contaminated by the document that is transported through the transfer path, the distortion correction problem also occurs and thus the scanning quality is deteriorated.
There is a need of providing an image reading apparatus with enhanced correcting efficacy so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art. | {
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Packages having perforations that must be broken to access the interior compartment are widely used in the product supply chain. The shipment of some photosensitive products, such as X-ray film, is widely accomplished in corrugated boxes having a perforated lid for accessing the X-ray film product therein. The perforations along the perforated lid and the main body of the corrugated box must be at least partially burst so that access to the product can be easily achieved. Presently, such perforations along the perforated lid are burst by any one of several ways including manually by hand or by equipment that applies opposing forces to an end of the corrugated box body and the perforated lid. In some instances, products such as X-ray film may be shipped in a corrugated box having the perforated lid pre-separated from the main body of the box. However, experience indicates that each of the aforementioned practices of shipping products in a package with a perforated lid has well known shortcomings and, therefore is undesirable for select applications, such as where an adhesive product label is used to rejoin the separated perforated lid with the main box body.
Removing the perforated box lid manually by hand is known to introduce unacceptable ergonomic problems for the operator. Suppliers who ship the corrugated boxes with the perforated lid removed introduce an expensive alternative because the product, i.e., the X-ray film, would have to be introduced into the box and then a product label applied. Moreover, in this latter instance, the perforated lid may not properly align with the main body of the corrugated box when it is desirable to reseal the box.
Known methods and apparatus for opening a lid of a box include that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,562, by Nagaoka et al., Nov. 8, 1994, and titled, "Method And Apparatus For Opening Lid Of Box" in which a gas is injected into the upper lid of the box that causes the lid to separate from the body of the box. Nagaoka et al., however, does not teach or suggest removing a perforated lid from a corrugated box.
Therefore, there persists a need for an apparatus and method for bursting perforations on an article, such as a corrugated box, that solves the aforementioned problems in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Mobile commerce transactions are starting to become increasingly common among the general public with the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets. While security software is commonly used on laptops and desktops, the majority of mobile devices today remain devoid of security protection and are exposed to a new growing breed of mobile malware. Mobile devices are attractive targets because they are well-connected, often incorporating various means of wireless communication, and capable of performing mobile commerce transactions on a regular basis. There is a need for a system to detect the presence of malicious code and take action accordingly. The present invention addresses this issue by implementing a mobile device data security system to identify the presence of malicious code. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for controlling a flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid fed from a variable displacement pump such as a variable displacement swash plate type axial piston pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
A control device for a variable displacement pump has been used in an injection molding machine or a hydraulic press for performing plastic deformation working on a metal plate or the like, for example. In the injection molding machine, for example, control characteristics having high precision and high response are required in such a manner that a flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid for driving a hydraulic piston can be controlled according to a flow rate of a molten synthetic resin while keeping a predetermined pressure for a short time of 0.2 second, for example, by the hydraulic piston.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-66483 has disclosed the typical prior art in which a swash plate acting as a variable element in a variable displacement swash plate type axial piston pump is driven by a hydraulic cylinder so that an inclination thereof is controlled, thereby controlling a discharge flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid corresponding to the inclination and controlling a discharge pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid. In an injection process to be performed in an injection molding machine, it is necessary to cause an injection flow rate to conform to the flow of a synthetic resin while an injection pressure is being kept constant as described above. It may not be possible, however, owing to the shape of a metal mold and a synthetic resin material. In the prior art, it is very difficult to meet such requirements of the injection molding machine to stably control the inclination of the swash plate at a sufficient speed, and response is limited.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, there has been proposed a structure in which the flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid discharged from the pump is kept constant and the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is controlled to be constant by means of an electromagnetic relief valve in order to control the pressure. Consequently, it is possible to keep response at a high speed.
With such a structure, however, a relief flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid bled off from the electromagnetic relief valve is large. Accordingly, there is a problem in that power is wasted.
With such a structure, furthermore, if the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is rapidly raised, a speed of a rise in the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is increased more than a tilting turn speed of the pump. Consequently, there is a possibility that a high surge pressure might be generated. The pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is detected, and the detected pressure is converted into an electric signal to control the operation of the electromagnetic relief valve. However, it is impossible to control the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid with high precision due to a signal delay caused by the pressure detection and a signal delay caused by the conversion into the electric signal and subsequent arithmetic processings.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of controlling a relief flow rate obtained from an electromagnetic relief valve with high precision and hopefully capable of reducing the waste of a discharged hydraulic operating fluid as much as possible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of preventing a high surge pressure from being generated.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of statically stabilizing the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid fed from the variable displacement pump in a short time.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of statically stabilizing the flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid fed from the variable displacement pump in a short time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,439 to Parthasarathy, which is assigned to AtheroGenics, Inc. discloses analogs of probucol with increased water solubility in which one or both of the hydroxyl groups are replaced with ester groups that increase the water solubility of the compound. The '439 patent reports that carboxylic acid derivatives of probucol can be prepared by treating probucol with an excess of dicarboxylic acid anhydride and catalytic amounts of 4-dimethyl-aminopyridine at a temperature sufficient to ensure that the dicarboxylic acid anhydride is liquid. Under these conditions, no anhydrous solvent is necessary, as the anhydride itself acts as a solvent.
WO 01/70757 filed by AtheroGenics, Inc. describes the use of certain compounds of the following formula, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof along with method of use and methods of manufacturing:
wherein a) Ra, Rb, Rc, and Rd are independently any group that does not adversely affect the desired properties of the molecule, including hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkaryl, substituted alkaryl, aralkyl, or substituted aralkyl; and b) Z is (i) a substituted or unsubstituted carbohydrate, (ii) a substituted or unsubstituted alditol, (iii) C1-10alkyl or substituted C1-10alkyl, terminated by sulfonic acid, (iv) C1-10alkyl or substituted C1-10alkyl, terminated by phosphonic acid, (v) substituted or unsubstituted C1-10alkyl-O—C(O)—C1-10alkyl, (vi) straight chained polyhydroxylated C3-10 alkyl; (vii) —(CR2)1-6—COOH, wherein R is independently hydrogen, halo, amino, or hydroxy, and wherein at least one of the R substituents is not hydrogen; or (viii) —(CR2)1-6—X, wherein X is aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocycle, and R is independently hydrogen, halo, amino, or hydroxy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,250, assigned to AtheroGenics, Inc., provides compounds, compositions, method for inhibiting the expression of VCAM-1, and methods of preparing said compounds and compositions. The patent reports that a monoester can be prepared by treating a quantity of probucol in a 0.1 M solution of tetrahydrofuran with 2 equivalents of sodium hydride and stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. To the reaction mixture is added 3 equivalents of an acid chloride or acid anhydride and the reaction stirred at room temperature for 16 hours. The reaction is quenched with 1 N HCl and diluted with ethyl acetate. The aqueous layer is removed and the ethyl acetate layer is washed with water and then with an aqueous saturated sodium chloride solution. The ethyl acetate solution is dried over magnesium sulfate, gravity or vacuum filtered, and then concentrated. The product is purified by silica gel chromatography yielding 14% of the desired compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,359 discloses and claims methods of manufacturing a group of compounds found in the '250 patent. The '359 patent discloses the use of alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal alkoxide, alkali ammonium alkoxide, alkyl ammonium hydroxide to form alkali metal salts of probucol compounds and then reacting the salts with dicarboxylic acid anhydride.
French Patent Publication No. 2.168.137 describes the production of diesters of probucol by reacting probucol with a halide or anhydride of an organic acid in an inert solvent with heat and in the presence of a base such as an alkaline hydroxide or carbonate, a tertiary amine or a tertiary nitrogenous heterocycle. The O-metallic derivative of probucol can also be used as the reaction intermediate.
What is still needed is a method of manufacturing a group of compounds described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,141,250; 6,323,359; 5,262,439; and WO 01/70757 that is efficient and gives good yields.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process for the preparation of monoesters and monoethers of probucol or a probucol derivative that optimizes the amount of final product.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a process for the preparation of monoesters and monoethers of probucol or a probucol derivative that minimizes the amount of reagent used. | {
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The present invention relates in general to an optimistic, robust, distributed data base system, and in particular to a system for merging virtual partitions in a distributed data base system.
The purpose of a database system is to reliably store data and to process valid, authorized read and write requests on that data. A database system provides a uniform interface for accessing data by executing transactions. A transaction is a unit of work comprising a sequence of steps required to achieve some goal. Each transaction consists of an inhibition phase; a read, compute, and write phase; and a commit phase. In the initiation phase, the transaction is authenticated and assigned some priority for being executed. In the read, compute, and write phase, the transaction carries out the requested action. The commit phase installs all of the results written by the transaction into the database making them visible to other transactions.
The purpose of a "distributed" database system is to provide global database service to users at a collection of sites. A distributed database system is a coalition of sites that share access to a set of data. Each site maintains directory information about the data so that each site has knowledge of all data stored by the database system. Copies of the data itself are distributed among the sites. The sites are connected by a communication network consisting of some physical communication medium and a communication protocol for controlling communication over that medium. This basic communiction protocol is part of the network services of an operating system.
A distributed database must, under normal operating conditions, maintain internal and mutual consistency of the data stored by the system. Internal consistency is maintained if all database updates performed by committed transactions are reflected in the database, none of the updates performed by the uncommitted transactions are reflected in the database, and no transaction is allowed to read a data value written by another transaction that is not yet committed. A distributed database system maintains mutual consistency of the database if given a data item, all replicated copies of the data item are the same. Mutual consistency is defined to mean, "all copies converge to the same state and would be identical should update activity cease".
A "robust" distributed database system is one that processes transactions and preserves internal and mutual consistency even when system components have failed. There are a number of types of component failures. A "site crash" is a machine failure due to loss of power, operating system deadlock or panic, processor malfunction, or human intervention to restart a site. A "network partition" occurs when two or more groups of sites are running but are unable to communicate. "Media failure" occurs when a storage device fails while reading or writing data, rendering some portion of the stored data unreadable. "Software failure" occurs when the internal consistency or the mutual consistency of the database has been compromised due to an error in the implentation of the database system or due to the occurrence of failure types not managed by the protocol implemented by the software.
Preserving internal consistency in the event of failures requires some mechanism for undoing results written by uncommitted transactions and ensuring the results written by committed transactions are reflected in the database. Preserving mutual consistency in the event of failures in the distributed environment requires that all sites acquire knowledge of new data items and new values for existing data items in as timely a manner as possible.
A "robust" system should provide users with continuous service while maintaining internal consistency and mutual consistency of the database. The traditional approach to building a robust system has been to extend failure free protocols for maintaining internal consistency and mutual consistency. However, degrees of robustness can be gained only at considerable cost in time and storage space. In addition, a system can be robust only in the event of failures it can detect and have anticipated detecting.
A robust distributed data base system is described in the paper "Robustness in Distributed Hypothetical Databases" by D. Ecklund, published 1985 in Proceedings of The Nineteenth Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, and incorporated herein by reference. The system described in this paper establishes "virtual partitions" after system component failure prevents communication between various sites. Each virtual partition is a collection of sites that have access to a copy of the data base and which can still communicate with each other. The sites in each virtual partition continue to read and write access their copy of the data base even though they cannot communicate those changes to other sites in the system. The described system can support robust optimistic access control because under normal processing conditions the system ignores the possibility of update conflicts until they actually occur. If a failure partitions the network, the system may unknowingly process conflicting updates in separate partitions. In some sense the system ignores these conflicts until the failure is repaired and the partitions are brought back together. When the partitions are merged, the conflicting updates occur but are managed by implicitly deriving alternate versions. The general philosophy is that the results of conflucting updates will be by allowing one result to prevail over another.
However, the system described in the above mentioned paper is unsuitable for merging partitions in a hierarchical data base system wherein groups of data objects are grouped into "configurations" that themselves have version histories. While the system can resolve conflicting updates of low level data objects, it is unable to resolve conflicts between updates of configurations so as to provide a consistent version history of each configuration. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The disclosure relates to an image pixel apparatus for detecting electromagnetic radiation, a sensor array for detecting electromagnetic radiation and a method for detecting electromagnetic radiation by means of an image pixel apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,344 B1 describes an infrared detector and a method for producing an infrared detector.
DE 692 16 862 T2 describes a monolithically integrated microbolometer sensor for infrared radiation comprising a monolithic semiconductor main body having a plurality of depressions and a plurality of dielectric thin-film elements. The plurality of dielectric thin-film elements have a depression with embedded vanadium oxide.
DE 10 2006 028 435 A1 describes a sensor for spatially resolved infrared radiation detection, having a substrate, at least one microstructured sensor element having an electrical property which changes its value in a temperature-dependent manner, and a membrane above a cavity, wherein the sensor element is arranged on the underside of the at least one membrane.
Furthermore, in the case of the sensor described therein, contact is made with the sensor element via leads running in, on or below the membrane. In that case, suspension springs are embodied in the membrane, said suspension springs taking up the individual sensor elements elastically and in an insulating manner.
US 2005 017 896 7 A1 describes an infrared sensor comprising a substrate having a concave section, a temperature detecting section, which is connected to the substrate via a supporting leg at an upper part of a space in the concave section. Furthermore, the infrared sensor described therein comprises an infrared-reflecting film and an infrared-absorbing hood section opposite the infrared-reflecting film.
US 2002 003 487 8 A1 describes a method for producing an infrared image sensor, wherein a multiplicity of etched holes are produced in a semiconductor substrate by etching in order to embody at least one hollow section in the semiconductor substrate. | {
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Conventionally, there has been proposed a card connector which includes a housing, contact terminals, a contact spring piece, and a fixing piece (see Patent Literature 1).
The housing includes a pair of side walls, an abutment wall which is orthogonal to the pair of side walls and connects the side walls to each other, and a lower board which is connected to the side walls and a bottom of the abutment wall.
Inner surfaces of the side walls are formed with guiding grooves, respectively, and the guiding grooves guide an IC card in an inserting/removing direction and support the same.
A plurality of grooves are formed in the lower board of the housing at equally-spaced intervals. The plurality of grooves extend in the direction of inserting/removing the IC card.
The contact terminals include a contact terminal for power supply and contact terminals for signals. The contact terminals are press-fitted in the grooves in the lower board and are held therein.
The contact spring piece is substantially U-shaped in plan view, and is accommodated in an accommodating space formed in the abutment wall of the housing. The contact spring piece has one end formed with a fixing portion which is fixed to the abutment wall, and the other end formed with an abutment portion which is brought into abutment with a front end surface of the IC card. The abutment portion can be displaced along the direction of inserting/removing the IC card.
The fixing piece has one end formed with a fixing portion which is fixed to one of the side walls, and the other end formed with a contact piece.
The contact spring piece and the fixing piece form a switch for recognizing whether or not the card connector is loaded with the IC card.
When the IC card is inserted into the housing, the IC card is guided to the abutment wall by the guiding grooves in the pair of side walls.
At this time, the abutment portion of the contact spring piece is pressed backward by the front end surface of the IC card, and is brought into contact with the contact piece of the fixing piece. As a result, the switch is closed, whereby it is possible to detect that the card connector is loaded with the IC card.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-143788 (see paragraphs 0021 to 0029, FIGS. 2 and 4) | {
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} |
A data processing apparatus may be able to operate in a secure domain and a less secure domain. When operating in the secure domain, data can be accessed that is not accessible when operating in the less secure domain. This provides a way of isolating potentially sensitive data and code from access by unauthorized persons or processes.
One way of keeping data and code secure is provided by ARM® of Cambridge UK, with their Trustzone architecture where there are secure and non-secure states and an exception instruction is used to transition between the states, the exception handler protecting the security of the secure side. Although this approach provides a high degree of security, considerable software intervention in the form of the software exception handler is required to change security states which both reduces the performance of the system and increases the amount of effort required to develop an external application program interface API for the secure software as all calls must be proxied through the exception hander.
For a small system such as microcontrollers, it may be more important to achieve a compromise between the level of security and the performance of the system, and so keep the overheads associated with implementing the secure domains reasonably low. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The nuclei of atoms that have a magnetic moment will have sharply defined frequencies of nuclear oscillation in a strong magnetic field (Larmor frequency). The frequency of oscillation of each atomic nucleus will depend on its mass, its dipole moment, the chemical bonding of the atom, the atom's environment (which will be affected by electromagnetic coupling to other atoms in the vicinity), and the strength of the magnetic field seen by the atom. Thus, the frequency of oscillation will be characteristic, not only of the various atomic species, but also of their molecular environments. By resonantly exciting these oscillations, the atomic species and their environments can be determined with accuracy. This phenomenon is known as “nuclear magnetic resonance,” or NMR.
If a pulse of RF energy is applied at a resonance frequency of atoms of a particular species and environment (e.g. hydrogen atoms in a water environment), the atomic nuclei of this type and environment will resonantly be excited, and will later make a transition back to a low state of excitation. This transition is accompanied by emission of a radio-frequency signal, at the excitation frequency or a known lower frequency. The signal is known as the Free Induction Decay (FID) The amplitude and the shape of this FID-curve is related to the amount of nuclei involved in the process and to specific conditions and properties of the atoms in relation to the environment.
The use of NMR techniques in measurement, detection and imaging has become desirable in many scientific fields of endeavor. The non-invasive, non-destructive nature of NMR has facilitated application to industrial instrumentation, analysis and control tasks.
Almost every element in the periodic table has an isotope with a non-zero nuclear spin. This spin causes the nuclei to be magnetically active. Among magnetically active nuclei, NMR can only be performed on isotopes whose natural abundance is high enough to be detected. Commonly encountered magnetically active nuclei are 1H, 13C, 19F, 23Na, and 31P. The most common is 1H, which also possesses the largest magnetic moment, rendering it most advantageous for the performance of NMR spectroscopy.
Upon application to a sample of a static magnetic field, Bo, sample nuclear spins align with the field, parallel to the direction of the field. The magnetic moments can align themselves either parallel (NSNS) or antiparallel (NNSS) to the static field. Alignment parallel to the static field is the lower energy state and alignment against the field is the higher energy state. At room temperature, the number of nuclei having spins in the lower energy level, N+, slightly outnumbers the number in the upper level, N−. Boltzmann statistics provides thatN−/N+=exp(−E/kT), (1)where E is the energy difference between the spin states; k is Boltzmann's constant, 1.3805×10−23 J/Kelvin; and T is the temperature in Kelvin. As the temperature decreases, so does the ratio N−/N+. As the temperature increases, the ratio approaches unity.
Owing to the slight imbalance of nuclei having spins at the higher state, a sample in a static magnetic field will exhibit a magnetization parallel to the static field. Magnetization results from nuclear precession (relaxation) around the static magnetic field. The frequency of this precession depends on the strength of the static magnetic field, and is defined as:ν=γB, (2)where B is the magnetic field strength and Gamma is the gyromagnetic ratio of at least one atom, typically hydrogen, in the sample material. The gyromagnetic ratio is related to the magnetic moment of the nucleus under analysis. The gyromagnetic ratio of protons is 42.57 MHz/Tesla. The frequency thus measured is known as the Larmor frequency, ν, which can be conceptualized as the rate of precession of the nucleus in the static magnetic field or the frequency corresponding to the energy at which a transition between the upper and lower states can take place.
The fundamental NMR signal is derived by inducing transitions between these different alignments. Such transitions can be induced by exposing a sample to the magnetic component of an RF (radio frequency) signal, typically generated by an RF coil. When the magnetic component is applied perpendicularly to the magnetic field a resonance occurs at a particular RF frequency (identical to the precession frequency, the Larmor frequency), corresponding to the energy emitted or absorbed during a transition between the different alignments. When a strong magnetic field, such as in the range of 0.1-2 Tesla (1 T=10,000 Gauss) is used, this resonance typically occurs in the megahertz frequency range, corresponding to FM radio. Hence the radiation is known as Radio Frequency (RF) radiation.
The signal in NMR spectroscopy results from the difference between the energy absorbed by the spins which make a transition from the lower energy state to the higher energy state, and the energy emitted by the spins which simultaneously make a transition from the higher energy state to the lower energy state. The signal is thus proportional to the population difference between the states. NMR spectroscopy gains its high level of sensitivity since it is capable of detecting these very small population differences. It is the resonance, or exchange of energy at a specific frequency between the spins and the spectrometer, which gives NMR its sensitivity.
Pulsed NMR spectroscopy is a technique involving a magnetic burst or pulse, which is designed to excite the nuclei of a particular nuclear species of a sample being measured after the protons of such sample have first been brought into phase in an essentially static magnetic field; in other words the precession is modified by the pulse. Typically, the direction of the static magnetic field, Bo, is thought of as being along the Z-axis in three-dimensional space. At equilibrium, the net magnetization vector lies along the direction of the applied magnetic field Bo and is called the equilibrium magnetization M0. In this configuration, the Z component of magnetization Mz equals Mo. Mz is referred to as the longitudinal magnetization. There is no transverse (Mx or My) magnetization in such a case.
It is possible to change the net magnetization by exposing the nuclear spin system to energy of a frequency equal to the energy difference between the spin states. If enough energy is put into the system, it is possible to saturate the spin system and make Mz=0. The time constant, which describes how Mz returns to its equilibrium value, is called the spin lattice relaxation time (T1). The equation governing this behavior as a function of the time t after its displacement is:Mz=M0(1−e−t/T1) (3)T1 is therefore defined as the time required to change the Z component of magnetization by a factor of e. Hence, at t=T1, Mz=0.63 M0. In order to properly perform repeated measurements, which is necessary in order to reduce background noise and enhance signal quality, M0 should be allowed to return to Mz. In other words, the longitudinal magnetization Mz, which equals zero upon saturation, should be allowed to fully return to the +Z direction and attain its equilibrium value of M0. While this theoretically would take forever, (i.e., following saturation, Mz=M0 when t=∞), it is generally considered sufficient when Mz=0.99 M0, which occurs when t=5T1. This places time constraints on the speed at which a sample may be measured multiple times or the overall throughput of samples through an interrogation zone.
If the spin system is oversaturated, forcing the net magnetization into the −Z direction, it will gradually return to its equilibrium position along the +Z axis at a rate also governed by T1. The equation governing this behavior as a function of the time t after its displacement is:Mx=Mo (1−2e−t/T1) (4)The spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) is the time to reduce the difference between the longitudinal magnetization (Mz) and its equilibrium value by a factor of e. Here, too, an elapsed time of t=5 T1 is required in order for Mz to return to a value of 0.99 MO, placing a similar time constraint on sample throughput.
If the net magnetization is rotated into the XY plane by a 90° pulse, it will rotate about the Z-axis at a frequency equal to the frequency of a photon, having the energy corresponding to a transition between the two energy levels of the spin. This frequency is called the Larmor frequency. In addition to the rotation, the net magnetization, now in the XY plane, starts to dephase because each of the spin packets making it up is experiencing a slightly different magnetic field and hence rotates at its own Larmor frequency. The longer the elapsed time, following the pulse, the greater the phase difference. If the detector coil is sensitive to measurements of fields in the X-direction alone, the dephasing results in a decaying signal, eventually approaching zero. The time constant, which describes this decay of the transverse magnetization, MXY, is called the spin-spin relaxation time, T2.MXY=MXY0e−t/T2 (5)T2 is always less than or equal to T1. The net magnetization in the XY plane goes to zero while the longitudinal magnetization grows until M0 returns to the +Z direction. Any transverse magnetization behaves the same way.
The spin-spin relaxation time, T2, is the time to reduce the transverse magnetization by a factor of e. The difference between spin-lattice relaxation and spin-spin relaxation is that the former works to return Mz to M0, while the latter works to return MXY to zero. T1 and T2 were discussed separately above, for clarity. That is, the magnetization vectors are considered to fill the XY plane completely before growing back up along the Z-axis. Actually, both processes occur simultaneously, with the only restriction being that T2 is less than or equal to T1.
Two factors contribute to the decay of transverse magnetization—(1) molecular interactions (said to lead to a pure T2 molecular effect), and (2) variations in Bo (the applied static field), said to lead to an inhomogeneous T2 effect. The combination of these two factors is what actually results in the decay of transverse magnetization. The combined time constant is called “T2 star” and is given the symbol T2*. The relationship between the T2 from molecular processes and that from inhomogeneities in the magnetic field is1/T2*=1/T2+1/T2inh (6)The source of the inhomogeneities can be natural fluctuations in a field, or imperfections in the magnets generating the field or magnetic contaminants, such as iron or other ferromagnetic metals.
In practice, to actually measure a sample using NMR, a sample is first placed in a static magnetic field, Bo, which is the interrogation zone of the instrument. Next, a magnetic pulse is applied, which rotates the magnetization vector to a desired extent, typically 90° or 180°. A 90° pulse, for example, rotates the magnetization vector from the Z-direction into the XY plane resulting in transverse magnetization, MXY, as discussed above. After the application of the pulse, there occurs a free induction decay (FID) of the magnetization associated with the excited nuclei.
Traditional Fourier Transform analysis transforms a time domain spectrum (amplitude of magnetization vectors vs. time) into a frequency domain spectrum (frequency vs. relative amplitude), which separates individual frequencies out of a multiphase spectrum. This separation can be used to advantage in studying the nuclei of interest. The duration of the pulses, the time between the pulses, the pulse phase angle and the composition of the sample are parameters, which affect the sensitivity of this technique.
International Patent Application No. WO9967606, incorporated herein by reference as if fully written out below, describes a check weighing system for samples on a production line, including a magnet for creating a static magnetic field over an interrogation zone to create a net magnetization within a sample located within the interrogation zone, and an RF coil for applying an alternating magnetic field over the interrogation zone to cause excitation of the sample according to the principles of NMR.
The use of NMR for techniques for check weighing samples on a production line encounters a variety of difficulties, including but not limited to the presence of interfering species such as metal particles either within the sample container or elsewhere in the system, effects of temperature on the magnet or electronics, humidity in the sample or system, and mechanical instability of the containers.
It would be desirable to provide a system and method for identifying and/or compensating for the above noted potential sources of imprecise measurements for an NMR sample check weighing system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Interactive input systems that allow users to inject input (e.g. digital ink, mouse events etc.) into an application program using an active pointer (e.g., a pointer that emits light, sound or other signal), a passive pointer (e.g., a finger, cylinder or other suitable object) or other suitable input device such as for example, a mouse or trackball, are known. These interactive input systems include but are not limited to: touch systems comprising touch panels employing analog resistive or machine vision technology to register pointer input such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,448,263; 6,141,000; 6,337,681; 6,747,636; 6,803,906; 7,232,986; 7,236,162; and 7,274,356 assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference; touch systems comprising touch panels employing electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic or other technologies to register pointer input; tablet personal computers (PCs); laptop PCs; personal digital assistants (PDAs); and other similar devices.
A number of applications that generate calligraphic ink from a user's handwritten input (i.e. ordinary ink) have been considered. For example, these applications include Microsoft Tablet PC applications, and the calligraphy tool implemented in the Inkscape Open Source vector graphics editor. Compared to ordinary ink, which is represented as a pixel-based image object, calligraphic ink is represented as a vectorized image. As a result, calligraphy ink has a smoother appearance than ordinary ink, and can be arbitrarily zoomed without showing jagged or zig-zag lines (i.e. stair-stepping) that are usually seen at the edges of a zoomed ordinary ink object. Unfortunately existing calligraphic ink generating applications still exhibit disadvantages. In particular, existing calligraphic ink generating applications are slow, do not present the outlines of calligraphic ink objects with the desired degree of smoothness and do not readily permit portions of calligraphic ink objects to be erased.
Methods of erasing ink objects have been considered. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,954 to Van leperen et al. entitled “Method For Erasing On An Electronic Writeboard”, assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, teaches a method of erasing at least a portion of an ink object displayed on an electronic writeboard. However, when this method is applied to calligraphic ink objects, the degree of smoothness of the unerased portion of the calligraphic ink object typically does not meet the desired standard.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a novel method of generating and erasing calligraphic ink objects on a display surface. | {
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The invention relates to seals. More particularly, the invention relates to compression seals.
A variety of metallic seal configurations exist. Many metallic seals are commonly held under compression between two opposed flanges of the elements being sealed to each other. Such metallic seals may be used in a variety of industrial applications.
Many examples of such metallic seals are of an annular configuration, having a convoluted radial section which permits the seal to act as a spring and maintain engagement with the flanges despite changes or variations in the flange separation. Certain such seals have an S-like section while others have a section similar to the Greek capital letter sigma (s). with diverging base and top portions. Other similar seals are formed with additional convolutions. | {
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The invention relates to a device for the treatment of water, in particular an ion exchange device for the treatment of domestic water, with means for the treatment of water, in particular an ion exchanger material with a supply container for providing a regeneration agent solution for the regeneration of the means for water treatment, in particular a brine supply container, as well as with a piston-stroke controlled metering device for the allotting of feed-water into the supply container, wherein the metering device comprises a hollow cylindrical delivery body which contains a piston which is axially displaceable and one axial surface of which faces a pressure area within the cylinder, which can be acted upon with water pressure, preferably of the water to be treated or the water which has already been treated, whereas the piston is forced in the direction of the pressure area on the side axially opposite to the pressurized area by means of a spring element, in particular a helical spring, which is supported by an end-faced inner wall of the cylinder and wherein the water volume which is displaced with a piston stroke can be fed to the supply container.
Such a device is known from DE 26 55 374 A1.
Plants or devices for the treatment of water which require a multitude of valve control processes, are driven in different ways depending on their size. Big plants, which are used for example in the industrial field, are usually equipped with a multitude of magnetic valves and have an electronic system handling the valve control program. Magnetic valves of this type are frequently too expensive for relatively small water treatment devices which are used in domestic water technology--i.e. mainly ion exchangers, however also neutralization, deferrization or demanganization filters etc. are feasible. Thus, one usually goes back to a control camshaft driven by an electromotor (see leaflet "MaBgebend in der Wasseraufbereitung" by the company JUDO Wasseraufbereitung GmbH, 01/1992, page 22) or a control cam plate, as it is known from EP 0 447 350 A2 and respectively a ceramic disc pair, known from EP 0 184 773 A2 which contains the control valves.
The electromotors used in this case, however, are relatively expensive since they have to be very robust. A further problem lies therein, to always position the control camshaft or a further control element correctly via the motor rotation, such that the right valves are opened and respectively closed at the right point in time. This can be realised for example by means of an electronically controlled stepping motor or via a positioning switch. But both possibilities are expensive. As an alternative to the electrical drive of the control elements, a drive by means of water power is possible which is considerably less expensive. For example, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,552, a water meter with an impeller as drive for the valve control is known, in which the mechanical control of the valve(s) is performed via the water power by means of pressurized water. A disadvantage is the expensive gear transmission for the water meter which is necessary for this valve control. A further disadvantage is the long reaction time of the water meter caused by the loss of energy due to the drive, which is approximately 150 liters per hour, whereas a conventional water meter without drive function reacts at approximately 30 liters per hour.
A further problem with the known plants for the treatment of water is the exact allotting of the regeneration agent amount. According to EP 0 347 577 B1 the measuring of the regeneration agent is performed for example via a float switch. In a method according to the above-mentioned leaflet of the company JUDO (pages 22 and 23) which is further improved thereto, fresh water is guided via the salt supply, where the fresh water becomes saturated with the regeneration salt and flows via an overflow weir into the brine provision container. Therein, it is presented for regeneration. The regeneration solution continues to flow via this weir until the floating body has reached the upper switching point of the float switch and the latter then closes the fresh water feeding valve. In this manner, a certain regeneration agent volume is metered. This method, however, has two weak points: Firstly, regeneration salt crusts may impair the mobility of the floating body and secondly there are fluctuations in the regeneration agent amount trailing across the weir in dependence upon the surface tension between the weir material and the regeneration fluid.
The two above-mentioned problems have resulted in a series of alternative methods. Thus, DE 26 44 759 A1 describes a simple water softener, in which a piston is moved by the water pressure and valves are opened and respectively closed in certain piston positions. At the same time the volume generated by the piston displacement in the guiding cylinder represents the feeding water volume and thus eventually the volume of the regeneration agent. In this connection the total allotted volume is delivered with one single stroke which necessitates a large cylinder volume.
A similar device, in which not the feeding water, but the regeneration agent directly is metered by the piston stroke, is described in DE 26 52 113 C2. In both cases a feeding with fresh water defined in terms of volume is not provided.
In contrast thereto, the initially cited DE 26 55 374 A1 describes a feeding water dosage controlled by a magnetic valve, wherein the volume control of the feeding water for the brine is performed by means of piston stroke. In the case of the known device, however, no valve control functions are provided, merely the allotting of fresh water into the brine supply container is effected.
All above-mentioned alternative devices and methods have in common that complicated regeneration methods with reduced salting, i.e. brine dilution and rewash function as well as four regenerations each day, as requested by the German Standard DIN 19636, cannot be realised. The cylinder volume, generated by the piston displacement, must also be sufficiently large such that it corresponds to the total volume of regeneration agent. A settable regeneration agent volume is realised in none of the solutions suggested in prior art and would be feasible at best by a further development of the device known from DE 26 55 374 A1, which however does not give any suggestions for a solution of the problem of valve control. | {
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1) Field
Embodiments of this invention relate to the field of semiconductor devices and more particularly to a non-planar gate all-around device and method of fabrication.
2) Description of Related Art
As integrated device manufacturers continue to shrink the feature sizes of transistor devices to achieve greater circuit density and higher performance, there is a need to enhance transistor drive currents while reducing short-channel effects such as parasitic capacitance and off-state leakage for next-generation devices. One way of increasing transistor drive currents is to use higher carrier mobility semiconductor materials to form the channel. Higher carrier mobility in the channel supports higher transistor drive currents. Carrier mobility is a measure of the velocity at which carriers flow in a semiconductor material under an external unit electric field. Process induced stress (sometimes referred to as stress) on the semiconductor body is another way of increasing drive currents. Inducing stress on the semiconductor body enhances carrier mobility, thereby increasing the drive currents in transistor devices.
Non-planar transistors, such as the tri-gate transistor, are a recent development in semiconductor processing for controlling short channel effects. With tri-gate transistors, the gate is adjacent to three sides of the channel region. Because the gate structure surrounds the fin on three surfaces, the transistor essentially has three gates controlling the current through the fin or channel region. These three gates allow for fuller depletion in the fin and result in less short-channel effects due to steeper sub-threshold current swing (SS) and smaller drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL). Unfortunately, the fourth side, the bottom part of the channel is far away from the gate electrode and thus is not under close gate control. As transistor dimensions are continually scaled down to sub 20-25 nm technology nodes, parasitic leakage paths between the source and drains become problematic for tri-gate transistors. | {
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With the proliferation of electronic devices in modern society, technologies for displaying information to people have become more important than ever. Advances in display technology from bulky cathode ray tube (CRT) displays to liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light emitting diode (LED) displays and other displays have fueled the popularity and ubiquity of displays in the marketplace. Emissive displays, such as organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, have become increasingly popular in recent years as they have many advantageous attributes such as relatively low weight, low cost, and low energy consumption compared to other types of displays. Emissive displays are increasingly found in mobile electronic devices such as notebook computers, tablet computers, smartphones, cameras, etc., and are increasingly being used in outdoor environments. The outdoor viewing scenario, however, presents increased unpredictability in terms of lighting conditions and increased range of possible ambient light conditions. These factors associated with outdoor use, particularly regarding strong ambient lighting, are particularly challenging for the emissive displays because of ambient light reflections on the reflective layers in the displays.
In order to improve their viewability, emissive displays often employ circular polarizers to reduce ambient light reflection by the reflective layers in the displays, particularly in bright ambient light conditions. However, circular polarizers reduce the light output from the emissive display by at least 50% because of the circular polarizer's handedness. When there is little or no ambient light, the circular polarizer reduces the emissive display's own light emission and reduce the brightness of the emissive display. | {
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The invention relates to a color television camera comprising a plurality of pickup elements. Each pickup element converts an optical image on a pickup area of the pickup element into an electric picture signal. The optical images are obtained by an optical color separation system provided in an optical path of scene light.
The camera comprises a test image projector for producing a test image on the pickup areas via the optical color separation system. The camera comprises an adjusting circuit coupled to the pickup elements for obtaining, with the aid of the test images, synchronous picture signals with optimum picture coverage on joint display.
Such a color television camera is disclosed in French Pat. No. 1,577,746. More specifically, FIG. 3 of that patent shows the color separation system and the test image projector. Herein, a wheel, provided with a transparent optical filter plane and an opaque plane which has a reflecting surface on the side facing the color separation system, is arranged in front of a light entrance face of the color separation system.
During scene recording, the transparent filter plane of the wheel is present in the optical path to the color separation system. During synchronization of the picture signals (that is to say that upon a collective display of the adjusted picture signals to obtain optimum registration), the opaque plane of the wheel is present as a shutter in the optical path, thus blocking light coming from the scene. The test image is then projected to the reflecting wheel plane, which reflects the light from the test image in the direction of the optical axis to the light entrance face of the color separation system. As a result, the test images and the scene pictures are produced on the pickup areas of the pickup elements along the same optical axes. In the drawing the wheel is provided between an optical lens system and the optical color separation system.
Arranging the reflecting shutter between the optical lens system and the optical color separation system is considered to be a disadvantage, as it is desirable to keep the optical path as short as possible. When the optical path is kept as short as possible, a more compact construction is obtained so that less imaging errors occur in the optical path.
Advantageously, the shutter is arranged before the optical lens system, but the presence of the wheel then interferes with adjustment of the lens system. So as to enable an unobstructed rotation of the wheel between the lens system and the color separation system, prior to and after adjustment of the lens system, some mechanical tolerance is necessary, which again increases the length of the optical path. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive air conditioning system. In more particular, the present invention relates to systems, methods, and apparatus, for utilizing deceleration of an automotive engine to compress refrigerant in an air conditioning system.
2. The Relevant Technology
For the past several decades, air conditioning systems have been used in automobiles and other motor vehicles during hot weather to provide more comfortable conditions for drivers and other occupants of the motor vehicles. Traditional air conditioning systems utilize a refrigerant to cool and/or dehumidify air. The cool air is then dispersed into the passenger compartment in a manner so as to mitigate the temperature in the passenger compartment.
Traditional automotive air conditioning systems draw the power to compress the refrigerant from the engine of the motor vehicle. In one configuration, an engine fan belt pulley is connected to the engine and to the compressor of the air conditioning system. When it becomes necessary to further compress the refrigerant in the air conditioning system, a clutch (e.g., a magnetically operated clutch—“magnetic clutch”) provides engagement between the compressor and the fan belt pulley. Engaging the magnetic clutch allows the fan belt pulley to provide power to the air conditioner compressor from the engine, effectively compressing the refrigerant in the system.
For example, when an air conditioner is switched to an “on” position to cool the motor vehicle's interior, the magnetically-operated clutch provides an effective engagement between the compressor and the fan belt pulley. This translates power from the engine, allowing the compressor to operate and compress the refrigerant. Once compressed to a pre-set pressure level, the compressor is disconnected from the engine, such as by disengaging the magnetic clutch. The air conditioning system then passes the compressed refrigerant through a condenser/heat exchanger and, thereafter, to an expansion valve, orifice tube, or other mechanism in the air box heat exchanger. In the air box heat exchanger, the compressed refrigerant is expanded and liquefied to thereby cool incoming air. The fresh air, once cooled, is directed into the car's interior.
Typically, a high and/or low pressure switch is utilized to identify the pressurization of the refrigerant in the air conditioning system. Pressurization of refrigerant in the air conditioning system allows for desired expansion of the refrigerant in the air box heat exchanger to cool air. Before the refrigerant passes into the air box heat exchanger, such as in the compressor or tubing between the condenser/heat exchanger and the air box heat exchanger, the refrigerant is in a high pressure state. This is often referred to as the high pressure side of the system. When the refrigerant passes into the air box heat exchanger and before being recompressed in the compressor, the refrigerant is in a low pressure state. This is often referred to as the low pressure side of the system.
The configuration of most air conditioning compressors does not require continuous actuation of the magnetic clutch, the engine fan belt, or other sources of power for the compressor. In particular, during operation of the air conditioner, operation of the heat exchanger generally needs only intermittent operation of the magnetic clutch/compressor. As the volume of refrigerant is being expanded and passed into the low pressure side of the system, the transfer of refrigerant to the low pressure side of the system increases the pressurization on the low pressure side of the system. Similarly, the volume of refrigerant that is being held on the high pressure side of the system decreases. The decrease in the volume of refrigerant decreases the pressurization of refrigerant on the high pressure side of the system.
Of course, the decrease in the pressurization on the high pressure side of the system can decrease the efficiencies of operation of the air conditioner. For example, the refrigerant may not provide optimized cooling of air in the air box heat exchanger. The state of pressurization of the refrigerant can thus be detected in a number of ways. In one conventional system, the pressurization of the refrigerant on the low pressure side of the system is monitored as an indicator of the pressurization of the refrigerant on the high pressure side of the system. For example, when the pressurization of the refrigerant on the low pressure side of the system increases to a certain level, the pressurization of the refrigerant on the high pressure side of the system is deemed to have decreased below desired levels.
When the refrigerant on the low pressure side of the system has reached certain upper pressure limits, the magnetic clutch is engaged and power from the engine is translated to the compressor. Refrigerant pulled from the low pressure side of the system is compressed by the compressor to increase pressurization of the refrigerant on the high pressure side of the system. Once the pressurization of the refrigerant on the low pressure side of the system has been reduced by operation of the compressor, the magnetic clutch is disengaged, and the engine is allowed to operate without the increased load required to drive the engine fan belt pulley.
The increase in pressurization of refrigerant on the high pressure side of the air conditioning system allows the refrigerant to be useful as it flow through the condenser/heat exchanger. In particular, the compressed refrigerant continues cooling even when the engine fan belt pulley is not in engagement with the compressor. Ultimately, however, the continual flow of refrigerant and cooling of air in the heat exchanger also results in a gradual decline in pressurization of the refrigerant in the air conditioning system.
When the refrigerant pressure reaches a preset high pressure value on the low pressure side of the system (i.e., depleted high pressure side), the low pressure side limit switch again turns the magnetic clutch back on, allowing the compressor to once again draw power from the engine pulley, and increase the pressurization of the refrigerant on the high pressure side of the system. When the refrigerant reaches the preset low pressure value on the low pressure side of the system, the low pressure limit switch again disengages the magnetic clutch and the compressor from the engine pulley.
Since the depressurization of refrigerant on the high pressure side is gradual, the ongoing air conditioning can continue to run for some time without applying a load on the motor vehicle engine. While this provides efficiencies in system operation, a number of deficiencies are also presented. For example, because the air conditioning system does not apply a continuous load to the motor vehicle engine, the default operating state of the motor vehicle is typically one in which the engine fan belt pulley is not in operation. Thus, motor vehicle engines are often designed to optimally operate in the absence of running of the engine fan belt pulley. As a result, during certain operating conditions, it can be disadvantageous for the air conditioning system to exert a load on the motor.
For example, typical compressors of air conditioning systems may not be actuated when the motor vehicle is idling, or when the temperature of the engine has exceeded certain upper temperature limits. Instead, the compressors of conventional air conditioning systems are configured to operate when the motor is in a state of acceleration or at a constant driving speed. During acceleration, increased load on the engine is expected as part of the acceleration process. While engaging of the engine fan belt pulley during acceleration may place an increased load on the engine of the motor vehicle, such increased load is typically minimal compared to the load placed on the engine during acceleration.
In other words, the design requirements which allow for acceleration of the motor vehicle engine also tends to accommodate the increased load needed to drive the engine fan belt pulley, and charge the air conditioning compressor. While utilizing acceleration cycles to power the air conditioning compressor does not present challenges in operation of the motor vehicle engine, the additional engine load imparted by the air conditioning compressor can nonetheless represent significant fuel consumption increases when compared with engine operation in the absence of such additional load.
For example, in some situations, depending on the specific heat load encountered during operation of the air conditioning system, operation of the air conditioning compressor can result in about 20-25 percent or more reduction in overall vehicle fuel efficiency (e.g., mpg, kpl, etc.) Such energy consumption implications can not only limit the fuel efficiency of the motor vehicle, but can also be quite costly when the air conditioning system is used over a period of weeks or months. Additionally, such additional energy consumption results in the burning of additional fossil fuels which correspondingly increases the total combustion exhaust expelled by the motor vehicle during operation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The background of the invention can be described most clearly, and hence the invention can be taught most effectively, by subdividing this section in three subsections. The first subsection will provide some general background regarding the role of crosslinked (and especially stiff and strong thermoset) particles in the field of the invention. The second subsection will describe the prior art that has been taught in the patent literature. The third subsection will provide additional relevant background information selected from the vast scientific literature on polymer and composite materials science and chemistry, to further facilitate the teaching of the invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plumbing and other fittings in fluid lines or pipes in stationary structures, and more specifically to a cleanout fitting for installing in an evaporator drain line in an air conditioner system in a residence, office building, or other stationary structure. The present fitting allows water or air under high pressure to be forced through the line downstream of the evaporator pan without flowing into the pan, and also allows the line to the pan to be cleaned out with a plumber's cleanout tool or "snake" by means of a selectable valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
All air conditioning systems provide the same final result for air being processed or conditioned thereby, with the air being chilled as a result of contact with the very cold coils of the evaporator unit. In nearly every case, the evaporator coils are at a temperature very close to freezing, in order to impart the maximum cooling effect to the air. This results in much of the moisture which is being carried by the air, condensing out as the air is chilled. Accordingly, nearly all air conditioning evaporator units are provided with a drain pan and a drain line for draining condensed water from the area of the evaporator.
A problem occurs when the drain line becomes partially or completely blocked by dirt, dust, etc., over some period of time. Condensed water will then back up in the evaporator pan, and spill over into adjacent areas. Such evaporator drain line blockages must be taken care of quickly, in order to avoid water damage to the surrounding areas.
Yet, most such evaporator drain lines include a right angle fitting somewhere between the outlet end and the connection at the evaporator pan or air handler plenum. Moreover, such lines are generally formed of PVC plastic pipe with connections being cemented together to form a permanent installation. This requires the pipe to be cut apart in order to run a plumber's snake or other cleanout tool through the pipe, thus resulting in a relatively labor intensive and time consuming job. The alternative of flushing or blowing the blockage from the line cannot generally be used, as the line can generally only be easily accessed from its outlet end, thus resulting in blowing the blockage back into the evaporator pan and creating an unacceptable flow of water into the already flooded pan, if water is used. Moreover, such blowout and flushing methods often do not completely clean out a blocked area, but only remove a part of the blockage, with the relatively narrow cleared area being prone to further blockage in the immediate future.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a cleanout fitting for an air conditioner evaporator drain, to allow the drain line to be accessed completely for thorough cleaning. An evaporator drain line equipped with the present fitting, does not need to be cut for cleanout purposes. Moreover, the present fitting with its selector valve enables all of the line downstream of the valve to be flushed or blown out with high pressure water or air, as desired. Opening the valve allows a cleanout tool or snake to be passed through that portion of the line all the way into the evaporator pan, in order to physically remove any blockage or obstruction therein.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,274,103 issued on Jul. 30, 1918 to Frank Story, titled "Device For Cleaning Pipes," describes a cleanout fitting comprising a rotary valve with a hollow shaft for blowing steam under high pressure through the valve and the attached pipes. The valve is installed in line in the pipe, with no T fitting provided for drainage. No removable cap is provided at one end of the line for the insertion of a cleanout tool through the pipe, whereas the present fitting includes such a removable cap at one end of the fitting to allow a cleanout tool to be inserted essentially straight through the fitting and pipe upstream of the fitting. Even if the pipe sections were disconnected, the male ends would not provide for the attachment of a male garden hose coupling, as provided by the present fitting.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,655,796 issued on Jan. 10, 1928 to Robert N. Murphy, titled "Plumbing Fitting," describes a fitting installed in the stem of a T in a plumbing line. The device permits the line to be flushed, but only in one direction at a time, depending upon the orientation of the valve of the fitting. In contrast, the valve of the present fitting may be opened completely, to allow flow in either direction and the passage of a cleanout tool straight therethrough. The Murphy valve fitting must be removed for normal flow through the pipe due to the one way nature of the valve and consequent blockage of flow through the pipe, whereas the present fitting remains in place at all times and provides for normal use of the drain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,460 issued on May 20, 1980 to Werner K. Priese, titled "Ball Valve With Compound Closure Movement," describes a tapered seat valve for use in the food industry, for relatively high pressure flow. The Priese valve may be lifted slightly from its seat to relieve pressure on the seat, for easier turning of the valve. The Priese valve is not a T fitting, but includes a cleanout passage to the interior of the valve body. However, the relationship of the cleanout plug and passage and the valve, results in any flow introduced through the cleanout passage flowing in both directions through the line to either side of the valve, or no flow to either side. In contrast, the present fitting provides for flow in one direction when the valve is closed, and another when the valve is open. Also, Priese does not provide any means for attaching a conventional hose to his fitting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,566 issued on Nov. 19, 1985 to John A. Barclay et al., titled "Rotary Multiposition Valve," describes a valve having multiple inlets and outlets, with rotation of the valve resulting in flow through a predetermined pair of the inlet and outlet lines. All of the lines are radially disposed, with no axial flow being possible completely through the Barclay et al. valve, unlike the present fitting. The Barclay et al. valve does not have a T configuration, and no fitting or means for attaching a conventional male connector from a garden hose is provided by Barclay et al. for his valve, whereas the present generally T shaped fitting includes such hose attachment means at one end of the crossmember portion of the T.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,412 issued on Mar. 12, 1991 to Joel Bell, titled "Blockage Alert And Purge System," describes a system for cleaning out air conditioner evaporator drain lines, including a T fitting installed in the line. However, the crossmember of the T is in continuous communication with the drain line, and as a result is inaccessible in a straight line, whereas the present fitting allows access for mechanical cleanout through one end of the T crossmember. Bell provides access to the line interior through the stem of the T, but thus requires high pressure fluid (air) to be blow through the line, as it is not possible to pass a mechanical cleanout tool past the ninety degree bends in the fitting. Moreover, Bell does not provide for connection to a conventional garden hose for economical flushing of the system, as provided by the present device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,244 issued on Feb. 4, 1992 to Douglas H. Funk, titled "Assembly For Cleaning A Drain Conduit," describes a device having a T fitting located to each side of a generally centrally disposed valve. As the cleanout fittings are disposed at right angles to the line, a mechanical cleanout tool cannot be readily passed through the fittings to be run through the pipe, as provided by the present invention. Funk utilizes a vacuum to draw any blockage from the downstream side of the assembly, but utilizes high pressure air to blow back through the upstream side. The oftentimes only partial effectiveness of such blowout technique has been noted further above, and moreover, tends to blow the foreign matter far into the evaporator drain pan or plenum where it may flow back to the drain again in the near future.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,458 issued on Mar. 3, 1998 to Andrew M. Potter, titled "Valve For Clearing Air Conditioning Drain Lines," describes an in-line fitting providing for flow through the valve, or cutting off either side of the line from the valve as desired. Pressure or vacuum may be introduced into the top of the valve to attempt to remove a blockage in either direction, depending upon the orientation of the valve. The arrangement is more closely related to the assembly of the '103 U.S. patent to Story, discussed further above, than to the present invention. The configuration of the Potter valve does not permit a mechanical cleanout tool to be run straight through the line, as provided by the present fitting, nor can the Potter valve be economically flushed using a garden hose, as provided by the present fitting.
Canadian Patent Publication No. 482,593 issued on Apr. 22, 1952 to Archibald N. MacArthur, titled "Drain Pipe Blow-Out Plug," describes another assembly more closely related to the device of the Story '103 U.S. patent discussed further above, than to the present invention. The MacArthur assembly also provides a hollow valve stem, through which a fluid under pressure is introduced to the line to either side of the valve, depending on the orientation of the valve. The only access is through the hollow valve stem, with the stem oriented as the stem of a T in the line. Thus, no mechanical means may be readily used to pass straight through the crossmember of the T, as provided by the present fitting. Also, any fluid under pressure toward the upstream end of the assembly creates a backflow, flushing contaminants back to the drain pan where they will likely clog the drain again in short order; this problem is noted in other devices discussed further above as well.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,212,597 published on Jul. 26, 1989 to Anthony T. Kirby-Suttle, titled "Control Valve For Fluid Flow," describes a spherical valve with two rotational axes. This allows the valve to align with one or the other openings through the valve body sides, normally used for rotating the valve. This allows a fluid to be passed into the valve to neutralize the effects of chemicals in the line. No T fitting is provided, nor is any means provided for the insertion of a mechanical cleanout tool straight through the valve, as provided by the present fitting.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor flash memory, and more particularly to multiple simultaneous read and write operations on a flash memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Non-volatile memories, especially flash memories, are widely used in various applications such as computers, hand-held devices, communication devices and consumer products. Since a flash memory is nonvolatile and permits an on system electronic programmability, the flash memory is suitable to store the program code and data code for microprocessors. Flash memory has become widely used in storage for voice data and video data; however, flash memory has a significant drawback in that it requires a relatively long time to process a write operation. It typically takes several milliseconds to several seconds to write data. During this time period, the data stored in the memory cannot be read causing inconvenience of operation. Therefore, a simultaneous operating flash memory is used to fulfill this requirement. The simultaneous operating flash memory allows data to be read out when the memory is performing the write operation. In conventional simultaneous operating flash memories there are two individual banks having fixed memory density. Each bank can independently perform read and write operations, and therefore, the data stored in one bank can be read while the other bank is performing the write operation. There are two significant drawbacks to this prior art configuration: 1) It lacks of flexibility for the memory density of each bank. The density of each bank is determined in the design step, and cannot be altered after manufacturing. 2) The bank size is large. When new data is written into one bank, the other data stored in the bank being written cannot be read.
In order to overcome these problems, some of the prior art increases the flexibility of the array partition and make smaller array partitions creating a different set of drawbacks. To better understand the basic operations of flash memories the read operation is defined as reading stored data from selected memory cells, and the write operation is defined as all the operations involved in changing the data stored in selected cells. A write operation generally includes several operations: 1) An erase operation that is used to remove the previous old data from selected memory cells. 2) A program operation that is used to store new data into selected memory cells. 3) A preprogram operation that is used to increase the Vt of the selected cells before the erase operation. 4) A correct, repair, soft program, or converge operation that is used to make the Vt of over erased cells to be in an allowable range. 5) A de-trap operation that is used to remove the hot hole trapped inside the tunnel oxide after the erase or program operations. All of these operations are a part of a write operation. The required operations vary for different flash memories. Some flash memories require fewer operations while-others require all of the operations. Also different types of flash memory cells, technologies, and array architectures, generally require different bias conditions and operation timing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,264 (Hazen et al.) a method is directed to divide flash memory array into several partitions as shown in FIG. 1A. Each array partition 210 has its own X decoder 220 and y decoder 230. This makes each array partition into a mini array. Each array partition can perform a write or read operation independently and simultaneously with the other partitions. This approach is the extension of the conventional simultaneous flash memories, except that it utilizes more than two banks. Because more than two partitions are used, a smaller partition size can be achieved having more flexible operations. However, the prior art of U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,264 has several drawbacks: 1) A separate y decoder for each array partition which causes an area penalty. 2) The array partition is fixed in size. 3) The array partition is large. 4) The common data lines connected to the y decoder of each array partition have large parasitic load capacitance that can cause significant read delay for the sense amplifiers.
To overcome the problems associated to the prior art of FIG. 1A, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,955 (Kuo et al.) discloses another approach shown in FIG. 1B, which is directed to change the size of the partition. The prior art of FIG. 1B divides the flash memory array 20 into two partitions, called upper bank 22 and lower bank 21. Each bank has its own y decoders 32 and 34, one located on the top of the array and the other one located on the bottom of the array. The prior art of FIG. 1B is directed toward using a metal bit line option during the manufacturing to alter the boundary between the upper bank and the lower bank. This allows the size of the two partitions to be altered, while the total size of the two partitions keep constant. However, there are several drawbacks to the prior art of FIG. 1B: 1) An array can be only partitioned into two partitions. 2) The flexible boundary of the two array partitions has to be decided in a manufacturing step, and cannot be altered after manufacturing. 3) Although one array partition can be small size, the other one will become very large size.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,040 B1 (Akaogi et al.) an architecture is directed to address buffering and decoding for a multiple bank simultaneous operating flash memory. U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,327 (Reddy et al.) is directed to a dual port memory array for a logic device where data words may be read and written simultaneously. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,430 (Chen et al.) a flash memory device is directed to multiple banks each with a decoder and a plurality of sectors to allow simultaneous read and write operations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,998 is directed to a nonvolatile memory array that has a plurality of sectors with independent read and write paths which permit reading from one sector while writing to a second sector. U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,696 is directed to a nonvolatile memory which allows simultaneous read and write operations using time multiplexing of an x-decode path between read and write operations.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a flash memory with multiple simultaneous operations that overcomes the drawbacks of the simultaneous operating flash memories of the prior art.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a new approach that can fully produce a simultaneously read and write operation of a non-volatile memory.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide smaller array partition.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a flexible array partition.
Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide an array that contains at least two or more sectors where each sector has an associated sector decoder.
Also a further objective of the present invention is to provide main bit lines that are divided into at least two or more groups, where each group of bit lines can perform different operations separately.
Also a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a sector decoder that has at least two output ports to connect the main bit line groups to sub bit lines.
The present invention is related to the array architecture of non-volatile memories, especially flash memories. Its application is broad and is not limited in any special type of flash memory. The basic concept of the present invention can be utilized for any type of array structure, comprising such structures as NOR, NAND, AND, OR, Dual-String, and DINOR. Moreover, the basic concept of the present invention can be utilized for any type of memory cells, comprising such cells as ETOX, FLOTOX, EPROM, EEPROM, Split-gate and PMOS. Three embodiments of array architectures will be demonstrated that use typical NOR, AND, and NAND array structures. Although, the present invention can utilize a 2M sector decoder, the demonstration of the present invention applied to various array structures will use a 21 sector decoder for ease of understanding. A 2M decoder couples one input to any one of 2M outputs, and a 21 sector decoder will provide a dual-port operation. The demonstration herein of the operation of the dual ports will be one xe2x80x9cprogramxe2x80x9d operation and one xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d operation and will show the array architecture performing simultaneously read and write operations in two sectors. It should be understood that the simultaneous operation can include any combination of read and write operations and any other memory operations requiring the use of bit lines and word lines and the associated decoders. | {
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It has become a relatively common practice to generate chlorine, for use in swimming pools, spas, and other water treatment applications, by electrolysis of a solution containing a chlorine salt. In conventional practice, common salt (i.e., sodium chloride—NaCl) is dissolved in pool or spa water. Less commonly, other chlorine salts, such as potassium chloride (KCl) may also be used. An electrolysis cell, sometimes called a salt chlorine generator, or simply “salt generator,” is installed in series with a pump and filter in a main line water circulation loop and used to electrolyze pool water to generate free chlorine from the brine solution. The chlorine then reacts with and oxidizes biological and other contaminants in pool water. However, introduction of salt into pool or spa water can lead to more rapid corrosion of hardware and equipment installed in a vicinity of a pool or spa. In addition, byproducts of electrolysis reactions using NaCl include formation of sodium hydroxide and other undesirable chemicals. Since, in conventional practice, virtually all byproducts of an electrolysis reaction remain in circulating pool or spa water, it is necessary to neutralize or remove such byproducts to avoid exposing swimmers or bathers to irritating or unsafe levels of caustic sodium hydroxide or other undesirable chemicals.
In some pool, spa, hot tub, or similar water treatment applications, ozone from an ozone generator may be used to provide an oxidation potential for oxidation reactions with various contaminants. Ozone can provide a higher oxidation potential than chlorine and may thus be more effective against some biological, chemical, or other contaminants than chlorine alone. However, due to the higher reactivity and instability of ozone, ozone will generally provide less residual reactivity for reacting with contaminants that may be introduced into water after initial neutralization of contaminants by an initial higher level of ozone. Thus, for some applications, it may be desirable to make use of both ozone and chlorine, or another halogen, in order to obtain the separate benefits of each in treating water. Other halogens, e.g., bromine, may also be generated from their salts, e.g., NaBr, KBr, in a manner similar to that described above for chlorine. Moreover, there are also some beneficial synergistic effects, as well as other non-obvious effects, when ozone and chlorine or another haolgen are used together in a water treatment system. Some of these effects may be exploited to reduce maintenance and operating costs for pools, spas, and other facilities with such water purification systems, and other effects must be addressed to prevent undesirable responses from redox control systems, as described later herein, when both ozone and chlorine are used in a given water treatment application.
It is thus one object of the instant invention to provide novel and unobvious methods and apparatus for combining use of chlorine and ozone in a water treatment system in ways that exploit separate and combined properties of ozone and chlorine or other halogens, and associated reaction byproducts, to obtain synergistic benefits relative to treatment and purification of water or other fluids. It is another object of the invention to provide control methods and control systems that maintain desirable levels of chlorine or other treatment chemicals in a presence of influences and effects of ozone on conventional control systems, especially those employing redox sensors. It is another object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus for configuring and operating separate and combined components of a water treatment system using one or more halogens and ozone such that reliability is enhanced and maintenance (e.g., removing deposits from, or replacing, electrolysis plates) is reduced.
Other objects of the invention will become clear upon a reading of the following specification. | {
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Modern computer operating systems include one or more file system components. Such components are responsible for storing, organizing, updating, and retrieving data for normal application programs in a manner that is largely transparent to the user of the computer applications running on a computer system employing such an operating system. The specific features supported by these file systems can vary dramatically, both in terms of their model of organization, the manner in which they communicate with their underlying storage, and the specific features they make available to application programs, and thus, ultimately, to the users of those application programs.
Some file systems support specialized data transformation features, such as encryption, compression, storage of multiple disjoint data attributes (such as streams, resource forks, property lists, extended attributes, etc.), transactional support, localized language support, etc. However, these features are characteristics of the specific file system, and different machines in a computer system may use different file systems. Accordingly, applications running on the computer system are unable to take advantage of these specialized features unless all components of the computer system use the same file system. Applications may individually support such features by incorporating their own unique features but this technique does not make the features available to existing applications, limiting overall usefulness. | {
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The medical optics art has suggested several instruments for ophthalmic surgery, and particularly noninvasive surgery using a YAG laser (Pulsed Neodymium: Yitrium-Aluminum-Garnet). The surgical YAG laser beam is first expanded and then converged on the eye so that when the beam concentrates at a focal point within the eye it vaporizes tissue at that point. A succession of carefully positioned laser pulses can destroy tissue within the eye and accomplish some surgical procedures noninvasively.
For aiming and delivering a surgical laser pulse precisely, instruments use a binocular microscope and visible beams from a laser such as a Helium-Neon (He-Ne) laser converging on a focal point coincident with the focal point of the surgical laser beam. While viewing the eye through the microscope, the surgeon can fix the exact location of the focal point for the visible beams and can then deliver a surgically effective pulse at the predetermined point. It is important to locate the focal point of the surgical laser beam accurately in three dimensions to within fractions of a millimeter, and this requires an optical system that can make the focal point of the visible beams clearly viewable and accurately coincident with the surgical laser beam.
I have devised an optical system for a surgical ophthalmic laser instrument that uses light more efficiently, allowing the optical system to be more compact and more accurately combined with the microscope. My system also accurately holds a precise adjustment in the coincidence of the focal points of visible and surgical beams. It results in a compact, sturdy, accurate, and reliable instrument that reduces the chances for error to help and protect both the surgeon and the patient. | {
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The diffusers most frequently used in power gas turbines are known to be derived from those designed and arranged for aeronautical turbines in which a small overall radial dimension is essential, and in which the diffusion duct must be traversed by aerodynamically profiled double-wall ribs, which are cooled in the interspace with cold gas for supporting the shaft bearing which would otherwise not be reachable.
These diffusers are compromised of two coaxial conical walls with an angle of about 7.degree. between the cones. In this respect, a diffuser of this type has its maximum efficiency under conditions of best compromise between the friction loss at the two walls, which is dependent on length for equal surface finishes and is thus smaller the shorter the diffuser, and the diffusion turbulence losses which are smaller the more gradual the diffusion and thus the longer the diffuser. It has been found experimentally that the optimum compromise length, dependent on degree of finish, velocity etc., corresponds as a first approximation to an angle between the cones of about 7.degree. for two-wall diffusers of prevalently axial extension.
On the other hand, the gas is still at high velocity when leaving the diffuser, and its energy is therefore lost, but as the exhaust is axial and taking into account the aeronautical compromise between weight, overall size and efficiency, this loss is accepted.
Land-based turbines, which derive from aeronautical experience, use similar diffusers, the only difference being that at the end of the diffuser the gas is made to curve into the radial direction due to the fact that the exhaust is radial in land-based turbines. In order to curve the gas with smaller losses and smaller radii, formations of deflectors are often arranged in the bend, and have a cross-section in the form of parallel circular arcs. Gas diffusion is considered finished at the end of the conical portion, and the deflectors serve only to reduce the pressure drop through the bend, and not for diffusion purposes.
Land-based turbines derived from aeronautical technology do not exploit the larger range of alternatives offered by land installations over aeronautical installations for the following reasons:
a) they retain the bearing support ribs at the diffuser inlet where the gas is of considerable velocity, resulting in a certain loss which becomes much greater if the turbine has to operate under other than design conditions. In such a case the loss caused by the reduction in cross-section during passage through the ribs is supplemented by the loss caused by the impact of the gas against the ribs, this impact occurring at an angle of incidence which is more removed from the optimum angle the more the operation deviates from the design point (in the case of land-based turbines, it is not unusual to have to operate at 50% of the initial design speed). In the aeronautical turbine, the ribs are essential for overall size and weight reasons. In the land-based turbines, the bearing could instead be supported from the outside if certain mechanical problems related to the shaft line are solved; and
b) they do not reduce the exhaust gas velocity to a minimum without negative effects in the efficiency and noise level.
One type of diffuser which is beginning to be adopted in land-based turbines is precisely characterized by the elimination of these ribs and an attempt to improve diffusion in the final bend. The ribs are eliminated by supporting the bearing from the outside, given that the exhaust is no longer axial, and the bend is made in the form of a truly curved diffuser which is much more complicated than a straight diffuser but which by careful design and experimental setting-up can attain a further worthwhile recovery.
In order to further improve this type of diffuser, it is necessary either to increase the axial conical portion so as to arrive at the bend with a greater diffusion ratio, which however causes an intolerable increase in the axial turbine length, or to dispose an intermediate wall in said portion so as to double the diffusion angle. This path has been followed in particular by those manufacturers who retain the bearing support ribs so as to also support the intermediate wall by these latter. However, this design gives only insignificant results for obvious reasons. In this respect, by retaining the ribs, all the aforesaid losses under working conditions other than the design condition still occur, and in addition because of the said balance between friction losses and diffusion losses, the introduction of the double wall into the zone in which the gas is still at high speed leads to an increase in losses due to friction and entry impact, which strongly reduce the theoretical advantages of the increased diffusion.
A second path would be to increase the curved diffuser portion, but this would lead to an increased overall radial dimension which in the case of large turbines is even less desirable (transport problems etc.). | {
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A conventional bouncing apparatus usually has a clamping fixture to clamp two ends of a resilient stem 10 or 20 made from rubber (referring to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,716,108 and 6,558,265 as shown in FIG. 1. The clamping fixture has two mating coupling members 11 and 11a and two anchor members 13 and 13a. The coupling members 11 and 11a have struts 110, a fastening hole 1100, a cavity 110a and a fastening hole 1100a on an inner side opposing each other. They aim to couple two ends of the resilient stem 10 and are fastened through fastening elements 12. The coupling member 11a further has a plurality of stubs 111 on an outer side corresponding to and engageable with coupling apertures 132 and 132a formed on coupling ends 131 and 131a of the two anchor member 13 and 13a. Such a structure is complex and difficult to fabricate and assemble. When in use for bouncing under a strong force, the coupling structure between the coupling apertures 132 and 132a formed on coupling ends 131 and 131a of the two anchor members 13 and 13a and the stubs 111 easily breaks away due to not latching means (referring to FIG. 2). Hence the resilient means has risk concern when in use. To use it on the bouncing apparatus creates a great safety issue.
As the resilient means shown in FIG. 1 is not desirable for fabrication and use, another clamping fixture made of aluminum that has two corresponding coupling members 21 and anchor members 22 has been developed to clamp two ends of the resilient stem 20 (referring to FIG. 3). The two coupling members 21 are made of metal and have a sharp latching inner rim 211. When the two ends of the resilient stem 20 are clamped, the coupling members 21 tend to scrape and damage the resilient stem 20 or even create fracture (referring to FIG. 4). Moreover, the coupling members 21 have respectively an indented portion 212 to be latched by a boss 221 formed on the anchor member 22. Referring to FIG. 3, when the resilient means of the bouncing apparatus is in use under a strong bouncing, as the boss 221 and indented portion 212 are coupled without latching. The boss 221 easily breaks away from the indented portion 212 and results in separating of the anchor member 22 and the coupling member 21. Hence it is also not desirable design.
Therefore there is a need to provide an improved clamping fixture for bouncing apparatus to provide rapid clamping without scraping or damaging the resilient stem, and form a secure clamping without loosening the coupling members in a strong bouncing condition. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to textile treatment preparations based on condensation products of carboxylic acids or carboxylic acid derivatives with hydroxyalkyl polyamines. The preparations show particularly good dispersibility in water through the addition of dispersion accelerators which are present in the reaction mixture during the condensation reaction. The invention also relates to a process for the production of the textile treatment preparations and to their use. In the context of the invention, textile treatment preparations are understood to be products which may be used in preparations for the finishing of fibers and yarns, in detergents and in aftertreatment preparations for washed fabrics.
2. Discussion of Related Art:
Several compounds or mixtures of compounds have been proposed for the treatment of textile fibers, yarns or fabrics, providing the textiles thus treated with particularly valuable properties or as part of preparations for the particularly effective care of textiles. The processing properties, the wear properties of the textiles and also their care can be improved, depending on the active substances used. U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,881, for example, describes condensation products prepared from a hydroxyalkyl polyamine and a fatty acid glyceride. These condensation products improve the slipping properties and softness of the textiles thus treated. According to the teaching of this patent, the condensates are used in the form of aqueous dispersions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,494 relates to fatty acid condensation products containing an addition of dispersing polyoxyalkylene compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,424 describes detergents containing fatty acid condensation products which contain dispersing fatty acid partial glycerides from their production. U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,316 describes the same fatty acid condensation products as fabric softeners, more especially for liquid laundry aftertreatment preparations. These and similar textile treatment preparations may be dispersed in water be heating the water and generally applying intense shear forces or by dispersing the condensation product still molten from its product in water. On account of the work involved, therefore, the manufacturer normally undertakes dispersion and supplies the user with the dispersions which involve the transport of considerable quantities of water. According to the teaching of German patent application P 35 30 302.6, hydrophilic dispersion accelerators are added to active substances of the type herein to improve dispersibility. However, there is still a need for fabric treatment preparations based on fatty acid condensation products which show improved dispersibility, above all in cold water, so that the users are themselves readily able to undertake dispersion of the textile treatment preparations. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the course of resurfacing a concrete or asphalt pavement, the upper surface of the worn pavement is removed by a machine having a rotating drum and a plurality of rotatable tools mounted on the drum. Each tool is mounted by first welding to the drum a base block mounting having a bore suitable for receiving the shank of a removable quick-change tool holder. Fitted into the bore of the base block mounting is the shank of a replaceable quick-change tool holder having a retaining bore at the forward end for retaining the shank of a tool.
Where the tools are used to cut hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete, the tools retained in the quick-change tool holder must rotate to wear evenly around their circumference and thereby maximize their useful life. A hard surface engaged by such tools nonetheless wears the tool rapidly. When the machine is used to cut hard surfaces it is common to replace the tools at least once a day. The hard surface that causes the tool to become rapidly worn also wears the tool holder that receives the rotatable shank of the tools. Although life expectancy of the tool holders may be several times longer than the life of the tools received therein, extended use of the machine will result in the tool holders becoming worn and requiring replacement.
A quick-change tool holder generally has a tapered forward end and extending axially rearwardly of the tapered forward end is a shank that is received in the complementarily shaped bore of the base block mounting on the machine. Preferably, the quick-change tool holder is the type disclosed in my previously issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,371,567 B1 and 6,585,326 B2, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Ideally, worn quick-change tool holders are removed from the base blocks of the machine using a punch and hammer to withdraw the shank from the bore of the base block mounting. The strong forces that are applied to the tools are also applied to the tool holders and the base block mountings as the machine cuts the hard surfaces, and those forces cause the various parts to become deformed such that the shank and quick-change tool holders cannot be easily extracted from the bore of the base block mounting. The problem becomes more complicated for tool holders mounted near the peripheral edges of the drum because several of such end mounted tool holders are oriented at an angle with respect to the drum that allows little or no access to the rearward end of the shank thereof. It is therefore difficult or nearly impossible to remove such quick-change tool holders from the retaining bore, and it is often necessary to use a torch to cut away portions of the worn tool holder in order to replace it.
In my co-pending patent application filed Dec. 4, 2006 and assigned Ser. No. 11/633,298 I disclosed a retraction device for retracting a quick-change tool holder from the bore of a base block mounting that includes an elongate shaft that extends through the bore of the quick-change tool holder with a nut, or other enlarged object positioned at the distal end of the shaft such that the nut and shank can be used to extract the tool holder from a base block mounting. Where the quick-change tool holder includes a moveable plunger, however, the use of the device of Ser. No. 11/633,298 requires that the plunger be first removed. There is therefore a need for a retraction device for retracting a quick-change tool holder from the bore of a base block mounting without requiring access to the rear end of the shank of the quick-change tool holder. There is also a need for a retraction device that does not require the removal of the plunger from the quick-change tool holder before the tool holder can be removed from the base block mounting. | {
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The present invention relates to semiconductor packaging and, more particularly, to a stiffened semiconductor die package.
Semiconductor die packages are often manufactured with increased functionality. As a result, the number of external connectors (pin count) must often be increased to accommodate the increased functionality and power supply rail requirements of the semiconductor die. The number of external connectors is due to the increase in the number of die connection pads comprising power rail pads, ground rail pads and data input and output pads. Other requirements of increased functionality semiconductor die packages can include increased heat dissipation and reduced package thickness, especially when the package is to be incorporated into a small handheld device where reduced device size can be a major specification requirement. Unfortunately, relatively thin semiconductor packages can warp during manufacturing, which may affect package yield. When populating circuit boards, such warping may also affect pick-and-place machine performance since the warped packages may not have a suitable flat surface required by suction cups of the pick-and-place machine. | {
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Usually, a frame rate of a moving picture imaged by an imaging device is approximately 30 fps, and in a case of an attempt to realize a high speed frame rate faster than above, in many cases, an upper limit of the imaging device in practical usage is limited by a bandwidth of an I/F and the power consumption. For example, in a case of a full high-definition moving picture in which an amount of data per one pixel is 10 bits and a resolution is 1920×1080 is output at 1000 fps, it is necessary for an I/F which communicates the image data to have a bandwidth of equal to or larger than 20 Gbps.
On the other hand, a bandwidth of an I/F of a mobile device such as a mobile phone is merely about four to six Gbps even if it has a high speed. Therefore, the above-described effect is significantly prominent in a small-type imaging device which is mounted on a mobile device or a consumer camera.
In addition, a moving picture having a resolution of 4K which is 4 times the full high-definition or 8K which is 8 times the full high-definition is expected to spread in the future as well as demand for high speed frame rate increases. Therefore, it is expected that it may be difficult to cope with the above-described limitations by only widening the bandwidth of the I/F.
Furthermore, in a case where the resolution or the frame rate increases, the power consumption in the imaging device or an image signal processing circuit provided in the next stage increases which results in increase in heat generation, and the increase in heat generation is a problem which has to be avoided for mobile devices or consumer cameras.
With regard to this problem, in the related art, a method is proposed, in which, by thinning out the pixels or cutting out a partial area of an image, a high frame rate is realized and the increase of the power consumption and the heat generation can be suppressed by decreasing the number of processed pixels (for example, refer to PTL 1). | {
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The present invention relates to the field of information presentation and human-to-machine interfaces and, more particularly, to cycling through an Ordered Sequence of content by rotating digital objects.
The presentation of information is a crucial component of business that is often underappreciated. Most software applications present information obtained from an electronic space using a visual modality, sometimes supplemented with an alternative audio presentation of the information. A series of tools have been developed to facilitate the presentation and user selection manipulation of information. Conventional interface tools include, for example, hot-keys, menus, toolbars, pop-up command lists, mouse clicks, and the like. Together, these tools facilitate user interaction with the information in the electronic space. However, the majority of existing tools are severely limited in the ways in which they display information.
The primary limitation to these software tools is the manner in which information can be displayed without losing logical continuity, display area, and integrity. For example, a popular method for displaying information is through pop-up windows. With pop-up windows, as the number of user activated pop-up windows increases, the amount of visible display area decreases. Soon, the pop-up windows clutter the interface and obscure the information that is being displayed. Also, a use of too many pop-up windows can degrade system performance, since each window can consume computing resources.
Another problem with many existing implementations is that the tool functions in an expected and linear manner. That is, the elements act in a way that is consistent with a physical reality. For example, selecting the forward-facing or “next” button displays the subsequent page of a numeric sequence. Additionally, the amount of information that can be displayed is limited by the quantity of available space of the object. For example, the amount of information contained in a book is limited by the number of pages it contains and each page can only display two sides of information.
To cope with these shortcomings, many tools have become overly complex and cumbersome. Users are forced to use these limited, cluttered, and complex tools without a reasonable alternative. Worse, few standards exist, as each attempted method has many flaws, so tool users are often forced to learn new interface tools for each software application that they use. | {
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The number of documents that are exchanged between different businesses is increasing very rapidly. Every institution, be it a commercial company, an educational establishment or a government organization receives hundreds and thousands of documents from other organizations every day. All these documents have to be processed as fast as possible and information contained in them is vital for various functions of both receiving and sending organizations. It is, therefore, highly desirable to automate the processing of received documents.
There are many document classification systems known in the art. The references described below and the art cited in those references is incorporated in the background below.
There are at least two ways of interpreting the term “classification”. One relates to classifying documents into groups having similar context. Normally it means documents having similar collections of related keywords. This is sometimes called categorization. Another way of classifying documents treats documents as similar if they have similar layouts. It is this latter classification that the present invention is concerned with.
The existing classification patents could themselves be classified into several groups. One group is concerned with classifying electronic documents (normally not images of documents, but electronically generated documents) in the natural language processing context where the features used for classification are words (keywords) that are present in documents to be classified, and their attributes such as frequency of their occurrence. To this category belong, for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,207 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,723. Another group deals with methods of using combinations of multiple different classifiers to achieve better results than a single classifier (U.S. Pat. No. 7,499,591, U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,415). Yet another group targets optimization of classification features that provide a more efficient separation of various classes of documents in the feature vector space, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,008, so that it is easier to separate the documents themselves. There are also patents that classify documents in genres such as advertisements, brochures, photos, receipts, etc. (US Patent Application 2010/0284623). Yet another group of patents attempts to extract features (from document images) that can be useful in classifying various types of documents (U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,556). There are also patents that prescribe using layouts for document classification and identification. To this category belong U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,635 and US patent application US2004/0013302, U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,463 and references cited therein. US Patent Application 2009/0154778 discloses a system for identification of personal identity documents such as passports. U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,635 teaches a method of classifying documents into types such as letters, journals and magazines by first segmenting their images into blocks of text and white space and uses hidden Markov models to train classifier to distinguish between these categories. Layout is defined as a unique fixed vector scheme encoding each row of text. It does not address the problem of identifying documents having fixed layouts that originate from the same printing program or source and it does not utilize features other than text blocks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,463 prescribes using ruled lines and document titles for document classification and ignores other elements present in the document. US Patent application 2004/0013302 builds a layout graph model which utilizes such specific features as fonts and font sizes and leaves out geometric lines as informative features. The classification is based on comparison of layout graphs. There are known in the art document classification systems (for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,723) that require a human to manually set up features salient for classification namely those features that would be present in one type of documents and absent in others, such as specific logos, or specific keywords, company names, etc. All described patents are incorporated herein as references.
Unlike methods deployed in the prior art, the present invention teaches a totally automatic method of classifying documents which originate from a specific printing program (such as an invoice printing software or an explanation of benefits printing program or a bill of lading printing system). These documents typically exhibit a specific pre-programmed layout. The layout in this context means a specific geometric configuration of isolated text blocks and their interrelations, geometric lines and their interrelations and the contents of text blocks. Thus the prior art either addresses a different problem of classifying documents into more general classes or genres such as letters of journal articles, or ignores some vital information useful in classification. In contrast, the present invention overcomes difficulties of the prior art by a fully automated method and system that effectively utilizes classification-critical information. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hot dip coating apparatus, as well as a method, for coating a steel sheet by using a coating bath of a molten metal. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a hot dip coating apparatus and method in which a steel sheet is introduced into a bath of a molten metal through a slit formed in the bottom of a tank holding such a bath and pulled upward through the molten metal, while the bath of the molten metal is held without leaking through the slit by the effect of magnetic fields applied thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hot-dip-coated steel sheets coated with various kinds of metals such as Zn, Al, Pb and Sn are finding diversified use, such as materials of automotive panels, architectural members, household electric appliances, cans, and so forth. A general description will be given of a process for producing a galvanized steel sheet, i.e., steel sheet coated with Zn, which is a typical example of the hot-dip-coated steel sheets. A cold rolled steel sheet is subjected to a pre-treatment in which the surfaces of the steel sheet are cleaned. The steel sheet is then heated and annealed in a non-oxodizing or reducing atmosphere, followed by cooling down to a temperature suitable for the hot dip coating, without allowing the steel sheet to be oxidized in the course of the cooling. The continuous steel sheet thus cooled is dipped in a bath of molten zinc. The steel sheet is then guided by rollers immersed in the molten zinc, e.g., sink rolls, so as to be pulled vertically upward out of the bath of the molten zinc. Any surplus molten zinc deposited on the surfaces of the steel sheet is removed by a doctoring device, such as a gas wiper, so that a suitable amount of the coating zinc remains on the surfaces of the steel sheet, which is then cooled.
This known method suffers from several problems caused by the presence of the immersed devices in the bath. First, the size of the tank containing the bath of molten zinc is inevitably large because of the presence of the immersed devices. The use of such immersed devices also restricts the selection and change of the type of coating molten metal. In addition, maintenance of the immersed devices is difficult. Furthermore, flaws or defects may appear in the surfaces of the product coated steel sheet due to introduction of dross into the nip of the sink rolls through which the steel sheet runs.
Accordingly, methods have been proposed for hot dip coating without the use of immersed devices, such as sink rolls. Among such proposed methods is "air pot method" that is capable of coating both sides of the steel sheet. As shown in FIG. 7, this method employs an apparatus which includes a coating tank for holding the molten metal bath and that has a slit in its bottom. A steel strip is introduced into the tank through the slit by being pulled vertically upward, so as to be coated with the metal of the bath. The coating apparatus further has an RF magnetic field application device 2b and a movable magnetic field application device, arranged as shown in FIG. 7, and further includes molten metal drain passage 11, molten metal supply passage 12, slit nozzle 20 and guide roller 33.
One of the critical requisites for the air pot method is a high degree of uniformity of the coating layer in the breadthwise direction of the strip. It is also important to ensure that there is no leakage of the molten metal through the clearance between the edges of the bottom slit and the surfaces of the strip running through the slit. Various measures have been proposed to meet these requirements by making use of an electromagnetic force. For instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-258811 proposes an apparatus in which a horizontal magnetic field is applied to the molten metal so as to hold the bath of the molten metal, while Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-310949 discloses a method in which a bath of a molten metal is held by means of a linear motor. A method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-86446 holds a bath of a molten metal by the combined effect of electromagnetic forces produced by an RF magnetic field and a movable magnetic field. In the method proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-303045, molten metal constituting a bath is held by the effect of an interaction between a magnetic field and electric current and, at the same time, a gas jet seals the clearance at the slit through which the strip is introduced.
All these methods employ electromagnetic forces for the purpose of holding the molten metal without allowing the molten metal to leak through the clearances between the steel strip and the bottom slit through which the strip is steadily introduced and pulled upward. Such methods, however, have the following problems. The molten metal and the steel strip are induction-heated by electric currents induced therein as an effect of application of the electromagnetic fields, so that the temperatures of the molten metal and the steel strip are elevated undesirably. Such a temperature rise is notable particularly at the edges of the steel strip. The rise of the temperatures affects the reaction between the molten metal of the bath and the steel sheet in the bath, such that an alloy layer rapidly grows at the interface between the steel strip and the molten metal. The alloy is hard and fragile, so that an excessive growth of the alloy layer reduces the adhesion between the coating layer and the steel strip, permitting easy separation of the coating layer from the steel strip.
One commonly adopted technique to avoid this problem is to circulate the molten metal in the coating tank to prevent abnormal growth of the alloy layer caused by the rise of temperature of the molten metal or the steel strip. Such a circulation uses the molten metal as a cooling medium to prevent local build up of heat in the molten metal or the steel strip.
The molten metal is commonly circulated by continuously supplying the molten metal into the tank while discharging the same from the tank, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 5-86446 and 8-337875. However, continuous supply and discharge of the molten metal into and from the coating tank causes a variation of the flow velocity of the molten metal across the breadth of the steel strip, with the result that the dynamic pressure is locally elevated along the breadth of the steel strip. Leakage of the molten metal tends to take place where the dynamic pressure is high.
Circulation of the molten metal poses another problem in that separation of the coating layer is likely to occur due to the extraordinary growth of the alloy layer caused by lack of uniformity of the composition of the molten metal. The molten metal supplied into the coating tank inevitably contains components that suppress growth of the hard and fragile alloy layer at the interface between the coating molten metal and the steel strip. For instance, molten zinc used as the molten metal contains Al as the component for suppressing growth of the alloy layer. A variation of the flow velocity of the molten metal along the breadth of the steel sheet causes a corresponding variation in the effect of the alloy suppressing component along the breadth of the steel sheet, with the result that the growth of alloy layer cannot be suppressed satisfactorily where the flow velocity of the molten metal is comparatively low.
In most cases, the supply of molten metal into the coating tank is performed by a pump. Direct supply of the molten metal into the tank, however, creates a variation in the flow velocity of the molten metal in the breadthwise direction of the steel strip, particularly where the molten metal delivered by the pump is received. The above-described problems remain unresolved.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-337858 discloses a hot dip coating technique in which molten metal is drained from a coating tank by overflow. This technique can provide a uniform distribution of flow velocity of the molten metal at the drained region where the molten metal is drained outside the coating tank, because the molten metal is allowed to overflow without encountering any obstacle. This technique therefore can effectively be used as a measure for suppressing local rapid growth of alloy layer, but is still unsatisfactory in that it cannot effectively suppress variation of the flow velocity of the molten metal where the molten metal is supplied into the coating tank. In other words, there is a demand for a technique that provides uniform flow velocity distribution of the molten metal in the breadthwise direction of the steel strip where the molten metal is supplied and where it is discharged.
The method in which a steel strip is introduced into a bath of molten metal through a bottom slit of a coating tank and pulled upward while the bath is held inside the tank by the action of electromagnetic force also faces the problem that, since the volume of the molten metal in the bath is extremely small, deposition of dross inside the tank becomes notable, particularly when the flow velocity of the molten metal varies along the breadth of the steel strip, tending to allow deposition of the dross on the steel strip.
The air pot coating method also suffers from the following problem. Vibration or other forms of spatial displacements may occur during steady coating operations causing the steel strip to fail to pass through the bottom slit of the tank cleanly, with resultant breakage of the edges of the slit or of the tank wall due to collision with the steel strip. Replacement or repair of damaged parts may be difficult and expensive.
One of solutions to this problem is to control the position of the coating tank in accordance with the position of path of the steel sheet so as to ensure that the steel strip always runs through the center of the slit formed in the bottom of the coating tank. This solution, however, is uneconomical because it is expensive. In addition, movement of the coating tank during the coating operation causes a vibration of the molten metal which renders the electromagnetic force temporarily ineffective, causing leakage of the molten metal through the slit. Leaking molten metal falls onto various components arranged along the pass line of the steel strip which is perpendicular to and right below the slit, such as deflector rollers of a steel sheet supporting device, support rollers for levelling the steel strip, guide rollers for suppressing vibration and so forth, so as to attach to these components. The coating metal attached to the path line components causes defects in the steel strip. Frequent cleaning, replacement or other maintenance work is required to prevent this problem.
Thus, some extraordinary conditions, such as extreme winding or vibration of the steel strip, hamper a stable and smooth coating operation. In order to deal with this problem, specific means for dealing with these extraordinary conditions are desired.
The methods that use electromagnetic forces to hold the bath of molten metal also suffer from a problem in that the molten metal tends to leak through the slit formed in the bottom of the coating tank during transitory periods, such as the period immediately after the start of supply of the molten metal into the coating tank or the period when the molten metal is drained after the coating operation is finished, because the effect of the electromagnetic force is insufficient to restrain the molten metal during the transitory period. Such leakage ceases when the electromagnetic force becomes large enough to hold the molten metal. However, the leakage of the molten metal through the slit before the electromagnetic force is large enough to hold the molten metal causes the same problems as described above in connection with the extraordinary conditions. | {
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Pulse combustors have been known for many years. They work on the principle that a load of mixed fuel and air periodically enters a combustion chamber where it ignites, therefore giving a pulse combustion. Some pulse combustors are specifically adapted for use as burners. Other pulse combustors are specifically adapted for use as engines of the pulse-jet type. Typical pulse-jet engines use valves which periodically allow fuel and air intake. There is a general need in the field of pulse combustors to enhance efficiency, durability and thrust output of pulse combustors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,962 to Gluhareff teaches a valveless pulse-jet engine and somewhat discusses the use of acoustics. There is a need in the art to somewhat elaborate on the teachings of Gluhareff.
Furthermore, known pulse combustors are typically limited to a pulse mode of combustion.
An aim of the improvements is to alleviate some of the needs concerning combustors.
In accordance with one aspect, the improvements provide an ejector system comprising: a supersonic fluid injection nozzle having an acoustic injection frequency and amplitude; a first resonant tube having an inlet coupled to the nozzle for receiving the injected fluid from the nozzle and ambient fluid entrained by the injected fluid, and an outlet for ejecting the fluids, the first resonant tube having a first fundamental resonance frequency excitable by the nozzle injection; and a second resonant tube having an inlet coupled to receive the fluids ejected from the outlet of the first resonant tube outlet for receiving the ejected fluids and additional ambient fluid entrained by the ejected fluids, and an outlet for ejecting the fluids received by the inlet, the second resonant tube having a second fundamental resonance frequency being a sub-harmonic of the first fundamental resonance frequency.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide an ejector system having a first resonant tube having a first fundamental resonance frequency, an inlet and an outlet, a second resonant tube wider than the first resonant tube having a second fundamental resonance frequency, an inlet coupled to the outlet of the first resonant tube, and an outlet, and a supersonic fluid nozzle aerodynamically coupled to the inlet of the first resonant tube, the supersonic fluid nozzle having an acoustic injection frequency and amplitude suitable to acoustically excite the first and the second resonant tubes, the ejector system being CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the first resonance frequency is a harmonic of the second resonance frequency.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide an intake system for a combustor having a pulsating frequency, the intake system comprising: a supersonic injection fuel nozzle having an acoustic injection frequency and amplitude; a first resonant tube having an inlet coupled to the nozzle for receiving the injected fuel and ambient air entrained by the injected fuel, and an outlet for ejecting the fuel and the air, the first resonant tube having a first fundamental resonance frequency excitable by the fuel nozzle; a second resonant tube having an inlet coupled to the outlet of the first resonant tube for receiving the ejected fuel and air and additional ambient air entrained by the ejected fuel and air, and an outlet, the second resonant tube having a second fundamental resonance frequency being a sub-harmonic of the first fundamental resonance frequency; and a resonant intake tube having an inlet coupled to the outlet of the second resonant tube for receiving the fluids ejected from the second resonant tube outlet and additional ambient fluid entrained by these ejected fluids, and an outlet connected to a combustion chamber inlet of the combustor.
In some cases, the combustor further has a resonator having a fundamental resonance frequency which corresponds to the pulsating frequency, the resonator further having the combustion chamber inlet, an outlet, an oscillator for use as the combustion chamber, having the inlet at an acoustic center thereof and defining one end of the resonator, and an exhaust pipe extending from the oscillator and having the outlet at the opposite end of the resonator, wherein the oscillator has a resonance frequency which is an odd harmonic of the pulsating frequency and at least one of the coupling between the first resonant tube and the second resonant tube and the coupling between the second resonant tube and the intake tube has a difference of area and a penetration depth suitable for the intake system to define a high-pass filter having a cut-off frequency between the pulsating frequency and the oscillator fundamental frequency.
In some cases, the odd harmonic is the third harmonic.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a method of ejecting fluid, the method comprising: making high frequency noise by injecting one of an over-expanded and under-expanded supersonic flow of fluid into a first resonant tube at a speed sufficient for the fluid momentum to entrain ambient fluid through the first tube, and for the fluid exiting the first tube to entrain further air particles through a second tube; and driving the first tube into resonance using the high frequency noise, and driving the second tube into resonance using the resonance of the first tube.
In some cases, the ejected fluid is fuel and the ambient fluid is air.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide an acoustic cavity for use in a combustor having a pulsating frequency, the acoustic cavity comprising: a resonator with a fundamental resonance frequency which corresponds to the pulsating frequency of the combustor, the resonator further having an inlet, and an outlet; an oscillator made integral to the resonator and defining one end thereof, being for use as a combustion chamber, having a fundamental resonance frequency which is an odd harmonic of the pulsating frequency and having the inlet at an acoustic center thereof, and an exhaust pipe made integral to the resonator and having the outlet at an opposite end thereof, the exhaust pipe extending from the oscillator.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor comprising: a resonator having a fundamental resonance frequency which corresponds to a pulsating frequency of the combustor when operating in a pulse mode, the resonator further having: an oscillator for use as a combustion chamber, having a fundamental resonance frequency which is an odd harmonic of the pulsating frequency, and having an inlet at an acoustic center thereof, the oscillator defining one end of the resonator, and an exhaust pipe extending from the oscillator and having an outlet at the opposite end of the resonator; and an intake system connected to the inlet to feed the combustion chamber with fuel and air.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide an acoustic cavity for use in a combustor having a pulsating frequency, the acoustic cavity having a resonator with a fundamental resonance frequency which corresponds to the pulsating frequency of the combustor, the resonator further having an inlet, an outlet, an oscillator for use as a combustion chamber, having the inlet at an acoustic center thereof and defining one end of the resonator, and an exhaust pipe extending from the oscillator and having the outlet at the opposite end of the resonator, the acoustic cavity being CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the oscillator has a fundamental resonance frequency which is an odd harmonic of the pulsating frequency.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor having a resonator with a fundamental resonance frequency, the resonator further having an inlet and an outlet, and a combustion chamber opposite the outlet, the combustion chamber defining an oscillator and having the inlet at an acoustic center thereof, the combustor further having an intake system connected to the inlet, the combustor being CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the oscillator has a fundamental resonance frequency which is a harmonic of the resonator fundamental frequency, the intake system is acoustically excitable by the oscillator fundamental frequency, and the intake system defines an acoustic high-pass filter to reflect the resonator fundamental frequency back into the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a method of pulsatingly combusting fuel in a resonator at a fundamental resonance frequency of the resonator, the method comprising: magnifying a harmonic frequency of the fundamental resonance frequency in a combustion chamber portion of the resonator; exciting an acoustic high-pass filter defined by an intake system connected to the combustion chamber with the magnified harmonic frequency; impeding the transmission of the pressure pulses from the fundamental resonance frequency to the intake system with the excited acoustic high-pass filter; and feeding fuel and air into the combustion chamber with the intake system; and periodically increasing the pressure in the combustion chamber by the resonance of the resonator.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor having a main longitudinal axis and a pulsating frequency, the combustor comprising: a tubular combustor body having an outlet, a combustion chamber opposite the outlet and an exhaust pipe narrower than the combustion chamber between the combustion chamber and the outlet, the combustion chamber, exhaust pipe and outlet being in flow communication along the main longitudinal axis, and the body having a resonance frequency corresponding to the pulsating frequency; a plurality of substantially longitudinally oriented slots interspaced around the combustion chamber at a longitudinal acoustic center thereof, the slots defining an inlet to the body; and an intake system connected to the combustion chamber inlet.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor having an elongated combustion chamber having an inlet proximate a longitudinal center thereof, an intake system connected to the combustion chamber inlet, and a tail pipe extending from the combustion chamber and defining an outlet thereto, wherein the combination of the combustion chamber and the tail pipe define an acoustic resonator having a fundamental resonance frequency at which fuel from the intake system is to be pulsatingly ignited in the combustion chamber, the combustor being CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the inlet comprises a plurality of longitudinally oriented slots being peripherally interspaced around the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor comprising: a tubular combustor body, the body having: a combustion chamber having a plurality of tangentially spaced apertures, and an exhaust pipe narrower than the combustion chamber and extending away from the combustion chamber and being in flow communication therewith, the exhaust pipe defining an outlet of the tubular combustor body; and an intake system connected to the apertures to feed the combustion chamber with fuel and air.
In some cases, the apertures are disposed in a peripheral surface of the combustion chamber. In other cases, the apertures are disposed around an intake tube which protrudes into the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor having a main longitudinal axis comprising: a tubular combustor body having an outlet, a combustion chamber portion opposite the outlet and an exhaust pipe narrower than the combustion chamber between the combustion chamber and the outlet, the combustion chamber portion, exhaust pipe and outlet being disposed along the main longitudinal axis, and the body having a resonance frequency corresponding to a pulsating frequency of the combustor; an intake system having an intake tube longitudinally penetrated into the combustion chamber along the main axis, opposite the outlet, the intake tube having an open end outside the combustion chamber, a closed end inside the combustion chamber, and plurality of longitudinally oriented apertures tangentially interspaced around the intake tube at a longitudinal acoustic center of the combustion chamber, the slots defining an inlet to the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a combustor having an elongated combustion chamber having an inlet proximate a longitudinal center thereof, an intake system connected to the combustion chamber inlet, and an exhaust pipe extending from the combustion chamber and defining an outlet thereto, wherein the combination of the combustion chamber and the tail pipe define an acoustic resonator having a fundamental resonance frequency at which fuel from the intake system is to be pulsatingly ignited in the combustion chamber, the combustor being characterized in that the intake system is aligned on an axis common to the combustion chamber and to the exhaust pipe and that the combustion chamber inlet is peripheral to the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a turbine system for an in-line combustor having an intake system, a body and an outlet aligned along a combustor axis, the turbine system having a power turbine adapted to extract energy from the gasses exhausted from the outlet into rotation, a fan positioned upstream from the intake system, and a shaft connecting the power turbine to the shaft, whereby energy from the exhausted gasses is transmitted from the power turbine to the fan by the rotation of the shaft and the fan thereby enhances the air intake through the intake system.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a method of tuning a combustor having a body defining a resonator and a combustion chamber in the body, the method comprising: selecting a combustion chamber shaped to define an oscillator which has a fundamental resonance frequency which is the third harmonic of the resonator fundamental frequency at operation temperature.
In accordance with an other aspect, the improvements provide a method of tuning an ejector having a high frequency fluid nozzle, a first resonant tube and a second resonant tube, the method comprising: selecting a first stage resonant tube which has a fundamental resonance frequency which is a harmonic of the fundamental resonance frequency of the second resonant tube.
In the present specification, when reference is made to a resonant frequency, it is to be understood that what is meant is the resonant frequency during operation, which may depart from resonant frequency at rest due to temperature variations. | {
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Olefin polymerization catalysts are of great use in industry. Hence there is interest in finding new catalyst systems that increase the commercial usefulness of the catalyst and allow the production of polymers having improved properties.
Catalysts for olefin polymerization are often based on metallocenes as catalyst precursors, which are generally activated either with an alumoxane or with an activator containing a non-coordinating anion.
Cyclopropyl cyclopentadiene is reported in “Chemistry of Polyhalocyclo-pentadienes and related compounds: XVII Reaction of Hexachlorocyclopentadiene with unsaturated compounds,” Reimschneider, R. et al, Univ Berlin-Dahlem, Monatshefte Fuer Chemie (1960).
2-Cyclopropyl indene is disclosed in: 1) “Nickle Catalyzed Carboannulation Reaction of o-Bromobenzyl Zinc Bromide with Unsaturated Compounds,” Deng, Ruixue, et al. Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China, Organic Letters (2007) 9(25) pp. 5207-5210; and 2) “Are Perpendicular Alkene Triplets Just 1,2 Biradicals? Studies with the Cyclopropylcarbinyl Clock,” Caldwell, Richard A. et al. Program in Chemistry, The University of Texas, Dallas, Richardson, Tex., USA, Journals of the American Chemical Society (1994) 116(6), pp. 2271-2275.
1 and 3-cyclopropyl indene are disclosed in reference to the photolysis of 2-cyclopropyl indene (and have not been prepared in large scale) in Upper Excited State Photochemistry: Solution and Gas Phase Photochemistry and Photophysics of 2- and 3-Cyclopropylindene; Waugh, Tim; Morrison, Harry; Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., USA; Journal of the American Chemical Society (1999), 121(13), pp. 3083-3092.
Cyclopropyl substituted fluorenyls are disclosed in “Transformations of arylcyclopropanes under the action of dinitrogen tetroxide,” Mochalov, S. S.; Kuz′min, Ya. I.; Fedotov, A. N.; Trofimova, E. V.; Gazzaeva, R. A.; Shabarov, Yu. S.; Zefirov, N. S., Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry (Translation of Zhurnal Organicheskoi Khimii), (1998), 34(9), pp. 1322-1330, MAIK Nauka/Interperiodic a Publishing.
2-cyclopropylfluorene is disclosed in the abstract of “Reaction of 2-cyclopropylfluorene with mercury acetate,” Shabarov, Yu. S.; Bandaev, S. G.; Sychkova, L. D., Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 2: Khimiya, (1976), 17(5), pp. 620-621.
Nitration of 2-cyclopropylbiphenyl is disclosed in “Nitration of biphenylcyclopropanes,” Mochalov, S. S.; Novokreshchennykh, V. D.; Shabarov, Yu. S., Zhurnal Organicheskoi Khimii, (1976), 12(5), pp. 1008-1014.
Other references of interest include: 1) “An efficient three-step synthesis of cyclopenta[b]pyrans via 2-donor-substituted Fischer ethenylcarbenechromium complexes,” de Meijere, Armin; Schirmer, Heiko; Stein, Frank; Funke, Frank; Duetsch, Michael; Wu, Yao-Ting; Noltemeyer, Mathias; Belgardt, Thomas; Knieriem, Burkhard, Chemistry—A European Journal (2005), 11(14), pp. 4132-4148; 2) “Novel Pi Systems Possessing Cyclopropenylidene Moiety,” Yoshida, Zenichi, Pure and Applied Chemistry (1982), 54(5), pp. 1059-74; 3) JP 55010596 B (1980); 4) “An efficient three-step synthesis of cyclopenta[b]pyrans via 2-donor-substituted Fischer ethenylcarbene-chromium complexes,” de Meijere, Armin; Schirmer, Heiko; Stein, Frank; Funke, Frank; Duetsch, Michael; Wu, Yao-Ting; Noltemeyer, Mathias; Belgardt, Thomas; Knieriem, Burkhard, Chemistry—A European Journal (2005), 11(14), pp. 4132-4148; and 5) “Novel Pi Systems Possessing Cyclopropenylidene Moiety,” Yoshida, Zenichi, Pure and Applied Chemistry (1982), 54(5), pp. 1059-74.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,829,495 discloses alkyl substituted metallocenes having a “ . . . C3 or greater hydrocarbyl . . . substitutent bonded to either the LA or LB ring through a primary carbon atom . . . preferably an n-alkyl substituent . . . ” (see column 4, lines 9-12). Further, in the Examples section, (n-propylcyclopentadienyl)(tetramethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride combined with methylalumoxane and Davision™ 948 silica is used for ethylene hexene polymerization; bis(n-propyl cyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride combined with methylalumoxane and Davision™ 948 silica is used for ethylene hexene polymerization; and dimethylsilyl(flourenyl)(n-propyl cyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride combined with methylalumoxane and Davision silica is used for ethylene hexene polymerization.
Other references of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,051,727, 6,255,506, EP 0 576 970, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,459,117, 5,532,396, 5,543,373, 5,585,509, 5,631,202, 5,696,045, 5,700,886, 6,492,465, 6,150,481, 5,770,753, 5,786,432, 5,840,644, 6,242,544, 5,869,584, 6,399,533, 6,444,833, 6,559,252, 6,608,224, 6,635,779, 6,841,501, 6,878,786, 6,949,614, 6,953,829, 7,034,173, 7,141,527, 7,314,903, 7,342,078, 7,405,261, 7,452,949, 7,569,651, 7,615,597, 7,799,880, 7,964,679, 7,985,799, 8,222,356, 5,278,264, 5,276,208, 5,049,535, US2011/0230630, WO02/002575; WO 02/022576, WO 02/022575, WO 2003/002583, U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,498, US 2011/0230630, US 2010/0267907, EP 1 250 365, WO 97/9740075 and WO 03/045551.
There is still a need in the art for new and improved catalyst systems for the polymerization of olefins, in order to achieve specific polymer properties, such as high melting point, high molecular weights, to increase conversion or comonomer incorporation, or to alter comonomer distribution without deteriorating the resulting polymer's properties.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to novel catalyst compounds, catalysts systems comprising such compounds, and processes for the polymerization of olefins using such compounds and systems. | {
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In Radio Frequency (RF) or wireless communication networks, transmitters and receivers are employed to communicate data. Looking specifically, however, to RF receivers, these devices generally operate in one of two modes: direct conversion or intermediate frequency. Each of the different modes offers different sets of benefits and drawback, which are taken into consideration when a particular receiver is designed.
Turning first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a receiver 100 for an intermediate frequency architecture can be seen. With this intermediate frequency architecture, the analog input signal AIN is centered at an intermediate frequency by input circuitry (mixer 104 and oscillator 102, for example) and provided to analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 106. ADC 106 operates as a time-interleaved (TI) ADC with sampling rate of twice the bandwidth of the signal of interest (x(t), for example). Constructing such a TI ADC, such as ADC 106, however, generally requires compensation circuitry to correct for different mismatches that are often present in TI ADCs.
As can be seen in FIG. 1B, ADC 106 includes several mismatch correction circuits. As shown, ADC 106 is a dual channel ADC, meaning that two ADCs 108 and 110 are employed. Each of these ADCs 108 and 110 are clocked by clocking circuitry (buffer 116 and adjustable delay elements 112 and 114, for example). In this configuration, the clock signal provided to ADC 108 is substantially the same as the sample clock signal CLK, while the clock signal provided to ADC 110 is substantially the same as the inverse of the clock signal CLK. Direct Current (DC) offset circuit (adders 128 and 124 and DC offset estimation circuit 118, for example) and gain mismatch circuit (adders 126 and 130 and gain mismatch correction circuit 120, for example) provide gain and DC offset correction. Additionally, timing skew estimation circuit 122 provides adjustments to delay elements 112 and 114 to provide timing skew correction.
Turning now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a receiver 200 with a direct conversion architecture can be seen. With this architecture, ADC 106 operates at baseband with the signal centered at 0 Hz. In particular, input circuitry (oscillators 202 and 208 and mixers 204 and 206, for example) provides in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals to ADC 210. As with ADC 106, ADC 210 also employs circuitry to correct for different mismatches. Some difference, though, between ADCs 106 and 210 are that each of the ADCs 108 and 110 of ADC 210 use the same clock signal (the sample signal CLK, for example) and that the time skew estimation circuit 122 is replaced with the IQ correction circuitry (IQ mismatch estimation circuit 220, multipliers 222 and 224, and adders 214 and 218, for example) to correct for IQ mismatch.
Some other conventional circuits are: U.S. Pat. No. 7,002,505; U.S. Pat. No. 7,277,040; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,352,316. | {
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ATRP is a versatile, controlled/living polymerization process. ATRP has been described by Matyjaszewski in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,763,548 and 5,807,937 and in the Journal of Americal Chemical Society, vol. 117, page 5614 (1995), as well as in ACS Symposium Series 768, and Handbook of Radical Polymerization, Wiley: Hoboken 2002, Matyjaszewski, K., and Davis, T. P., editors (Handbook of Radical Polymerization), specifically Chapter 11, all hereby incorporated by reference. In controlled polymerizations such as ATRP, fast initiation and low termination rates result in the preparation of well-defined polymers with low polydispersity. A variety of initiators, typically alkyl halides, have been used successfully in ATRP. As used herein, an “ATRP initiator” is a chemical compound or functionalized particle comprising radically transferable atom or group, such as a halogen or a transferable (pseudo)halogen. Many different types of halogenated compounds may be used as potential ATRP initiators. ATRP can be conducted in bulk or in solution using solvents selected to dissolve the formed copolymer.
Living/controlled polymerizations typically, but not necessarily, comprise a relatively low stationary concentration of propagating chain ends in relation to dormant chain ends. When the chain is in the dormant state, the chain end comprises a transferable atom or group. The dormant chain end may be converted to a propagating chain end by loss or weakening of the bond of the transferable atom or group in a reaction with an added transition metal complex.
In ATRP, radically polymerizable monomers are polymerized in the presence of a transition metal catalyst. For a list of radically polymerizable monomers, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,548, hereby incorporated by reference. Though the details of the complex mechanism are not fully understood, it is believed that the transition metal catalyst participates in a redox reaction with at least one of an ATRP initiator and a dormant polymer chain. Suitable transition metal catalysts comprise a transition metal and a ligand coordinated to the transition metal. Typically, the transition metal is one of copper, iron, rhodium, nickel, cobalt, palladium, or ruthenium. In some embodiments, the transition metal catalyst comprises a copper halide, and preferably the copper halide in the activator state is one of Cu(I)Br or Cu(I)Cl.
There are basically four types of polymerization in aqueous dispersed media: suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerizations, mini emulsion polymerization and microemulsion polymerizations. The classification of the process depends on the size of the oil droplets and micelles in the aqueous phase and the composition of the individual oil droplets and micelles. Controlled/living emulsion polymerizations are economically and environmentally important for industrial production of commercially viable products. An initial step towards expanding the scope of ATRP to aqueous dispersed media was ATRP in an emulsion polymerization system. [U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,371 and Gaynor, S. G.; Qiu, J.; Matyjaszewski, K. Macromolecules 1998, 31, 5951-5954; and Chambard, G.; De Man, P.; Klumperman, B. Macromol. Symp. 2000, 150, 45-51.] While some level of control was attained the system behaved in many ways like a suspension polymerization. In this process, the catalyst was initially dissolved in the monomers prior to forming the emulsion. Therefore, the majority of the catalyst was present in the monomer droplets and not the micelles. Only a limited portion of the catalyst could be transported through the aqueous phase from droplets to micelles. Therefore, polymerization occurred throughout the dispersed oil phase.
There has been significant research in miniemulsion polymerization processes for aqueous biphasic ATRP, and other controlled/living radical polymerizations (CRP) processes such as Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization (NMP) and Reversible Addition Fragmentation Transfer (RAFT). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,491, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/271,025 and PCT/US05/007265. Miniemulsion polymerization process overcame the problem of mass transport of monomers and/or catalyst components through the aqueous phase thereby providing significantly improved control over the polymerization their suspension polymerizations. Such improved control may allow preparation of stable latexes comprising polymeric materials of controlled molecular composition and functionality. Homopolymers [Li, M.; Min, K.; Matyjaszewski, K. Macromolecules 2004, 37, 2106-2112.], block copolymers [Li, M.; Jahed, N. M.; Min, K.; Matyjaszewski, K. Macromolecules 2004, 37, 2434-2441; and Min, K.; Gao, H.; Matyjaszewski, K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 3825-3830.], and gradient copolymers [Min, K.; Li, M.; Matyjaszewski, K. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2005, 43, 3616.] have been successfully prepared in a miniemulsion polymerization system by ATRP.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,262, hereby cited and incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a controlled radical polymerization process, such as ATRP, that allows preparation of materials where aspects of composition, topology or architecture and functionality can be predetermined in addition to the polymerization exhibiting first-order kinetics behavior, predeterminable degree of polymerization, narrow molecular weight distribution, and long-lived polymer chains. Understanding the scope and meaning of this language is important since prior art microemulsion polymerization procedures discussed below use similar language to that employed in ATRP but do not, and indeed cannot, prepare similar polymers.
There is a need therefore to develop a robust controlled radical polymerization process that can be conducted in dispersed aqueous media that can control all the desired molecular and process parameters. There is also a need for an aqueous dispersed polymerization process that can be conducted with a commercially viable concentration of reagents in commercially viable equipment at a commercially viable scale. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to coupling devices more particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to such devices employed on a vehicle and trailer for coupling the trailer to the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Problems tend to be encountered whenever trailers are coupled to vehicles, more particularly, problems are encountered in easily aligning (usually both horizontally and vertically) a coupling part on the vehicle with a coupling part positioned on the trailer, prior to locking the two coupling parts of the coupling device to one another. Often a degree of "guess-work" manoeuvering is required by the driver of the vehicle in order to position the vehicle coupling part proximate the trailer coupling part, and usually the driver of the vehicle will require assistance by a second person observing the manoeuvre and calling out guidance instructions (and assistance may also be required by a third person to help lift a heavily loaded trailer coupling). Therefore, it is believed that coupling of the trailer is effected by a somewhat "hit and miss" or "trial and error" approach which is certainly much more difficult if the driver of the vehicle does not have any assistance from a second person to lock the coupling parts of the coupling device together. | {
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This invention generally relates to measuring and alignment procedures and, in particular, relates to internal component alignment within a turbomachine casing.
A turbine casing for a large turbomachine is usually split along a horizontal joint to form casing halves; an upper casing half and a lower casing half. Within the turbine casing there are certain stationary internal components which minimize the axial flow of motive fluid such as packing rings, diaphragms, and other annular surfaces about the rotor surface. Generically, these devices may be referred to as packing ring holders. During the assembly of the turbine a packing ring holder half is positioned into each casing half. Thereafter a rotor is positioned into the lower casing half. One aspect of the present invention deals with aligning the packing ring holder with the surface of the turbine rotor. There is a radial clearance between the rotor surface and the packing ring holder inner circumference which extends along the length of the holder inner circumference. It is important that the rotor be exactly positioned within the lower packing ring holder half. Thereafter the upper casing half is lowered onto the lower casing half and bolted into place.
The radial annular clearance between a rotor surface and an annular packing ring is necessarily very limited to prevent excessive axial leakage of motive fluid and consequent decrease in machine efficiency. This clearance may be expressed in terms of mils. If the clearance is too great there is an increase in axial steam leakage. If the clearance is too slight then there is a chance that a shaft rub could cause damage to either the shaft or a packing ring which terminates the inner circumference of a packing holder. This means that extraordinary care must be taken in order to properly position the rotor relative to the surrounding annular packing ring holder. Relatively simple measurement devices such as mechanical gauges or shims have been utilized as well as sophisticated electronic or telemetric methods. The present invention is a relativey simple yet accurate method of positioning a turbine rotor within a turbine casing.
In carrying out the method of the present invention, means had to be devised for measuring the requisite radial clearance in a relatively restricted area. Means have been invented for inserting a plurality of space proximity probes between the rotor surface and the packing holder inner circumference for measuring the radial clearance therebetween at certain predetermined locations around the rotor surface. The packing holder is adjusted until the rotor surface is equally distant from the measuring probes. Adjustment means for altering the packing holder position are illustrated; for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,827 to Peabody et al. It is desirable that the method and apparatus of the invention be available for both factory and field installation. | {
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Train consists may be configured with one or more locomotives and one or more cars. Various train lines are owned and operated by different railroad companies. Each railroad company uses a selected locomotive operating control system for controlling the locomotives of its fleet.
Due to the large volume of trains being operated, sometimes a railroad company may need to borrow a locomotive from another railroad company. However, if the two companies do not use the same locomotive operating control system, the borrowed locomotive becomes functionally incompatible (with respect to control system) with the other locomotives in the fleet of the borrowing company. Consequently, the incompatible locomotive is relegated to a remote locomotive status, even if it is newer than the other locomotives in the train consist. If the newer borrowed locomotive has novel features unavailable on the other locomotives of the train consist, the full advantages of the borrowed locomotive are not availed. | {
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Transcriptional regulation of development and homeostasis in complex eukaryotes, including humans and other mammals, birds, fish, insects, and the like, is controlled by a wide variety of regulatory substances, including steroid and thyroid hormones. These hormones exert potent effects on development and differentiation of phylogenetically diverse organisms. The effects of hormones are mediated by interaction with specific, high affinity binding proteins referred to as receptors.
A number of receptor proteins are known, each specific for steroid hormones [e.g., estrogens (estrogen receptor), progesterones (progesterone receptor), glucocorticoid (glucocorticoid receptor), androgens (androgen receptor), aldosterones (mineralocorticoid receptor), vitamin D (vitamin D receptor)], retinoids (e.g., retinoic acid receptor) or thyroid hormones (e.g., thyroid hormone receptor). Receptor proteins have been found to be distributed throughout the cell population of complex eukaryotes in a tissue specific fashion.
Molecular cloning studies have made it possible to demonstrate that receptors for steroid, retinoid and thyroid hormones are all structurally related and comprise a superfamily of regulatory proteins. These regulatory proteins are capable of modulating specific gene expression in response to hormone stimulation by binding directly to cis-acting elements.
It is known that steroid or thyroid hormones, protected forms thereof, or metabolites thereof, enter cells and bind to the corresponding specific receptor protein, initiating an allosteric alteration of the protein. As a result of this alteration, the complex of receptor and hormone (or metabolite thereof) is capable of binding with high affinity to certain specific sites on chromatin. One of the primary effects of steroid and thyroid hormones is an increase in transcription of a subset of genes in specific cell types.
A number of transcriptional control units which are responsive to members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors have been identified. These include the mouse mammary tumor virus 5'-long terminal repeat (MTV LTR), responsive to glucocorticoid, aldosterone and androgen hormones; the transcriptional control units for mammalian growth hormone genes, responsive to glucocorticoids, estrogens and thyroid hormones; the transcriptional control units for mammalian prolactin genes and progesterone receptor genes, responsive to estrogens; the transcriptional control units for avian ovalbumin genes, responsive to progesterones; mammalian metallothionein gene transcriptional control units, responsive to glucocorticoids; and mammalian hepatic .alpha..sub.2u -globulin gene transcriptional control units, responsive to androgens, estrogens, thyroid hormones, and glucocorticoids.
A major obstacle to further understanding and more widespread use of the various members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of hormone receptors has been a lack of awareness of the possible interactions of various members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of hormone receptors, and an understanding of the implications of such interactions on the ability of members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of hormone receptors to exert transcriptional regulation of various physiological processes.
DNA binding studies on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the estrogen receptor (ER) have indicated that these receptors bind to their hormone response elements (HREs) as homodimeric complexes [see, for example, Kumar and Chambon in Cell 55:145-156 (1988) and Tsi et al., in Cell 55:361-369 (1988)). However, recent biochemical analysis has revealed that some other receptors (including retinoic acid receptor (RAR), thyroid hormone receptor (TR), and the vitamin D receptor (VDR)) can not efficiently bind to cognate response elements as homodimers, but rather require additional factors present in cell nuclear extracts to achieve high affinity DNA binding (see, for example, Murray and Towle in Mol. Endocrinol. 3:1434-1442 (1989), Glass et al., in Cell 63:729-738 (1990), Liao et al., in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:9751-9755 (1990), and Yang et al., in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:3559-3563 (1991)].
Several recent reports have identified members of the retinoid X receptor family (RXR; see, for example, Mangelsdorf et al., in Nature 345:224-229 (1990) and Gene Dev. 6:329-344 (1992), and Leid et al., in Cell 68:377-395 (1992)) as factors that can interact with RAR and potentiate DNA binding by forming a novel RAR/RXR heterodimer [see, for example, Yu et al., in Cell 67:1251-1266 (1991), Kliewer et al., in Nature 355:446-449 (1992), Leid et al., supra, and Zhang et al., in Nature 355:441-446 (1992)). Interestingly, RAR is not the only receptor with which RXR can interact. In fact, RXR has been found to be capable of heterodimerizing with several other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, including VDR, TR (see Kliewer, et al., supra) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR; see, for example, Issemann and Green in Nature 347:645-650 (1990)).
Although the physiological significance of these interactions remains to be definitively determined, the capability of nuclear receptors to heterodimerize suggests the existence of an elaborate network through which distinct nuclear hormone receptor classes are capable of modulating each other's activity. In addition, the possible existence of other factors that can potentially interact with members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily and potentiate DNA binding by forming novel heteromeric species remains to be determined. | {
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Today, systems, in which the price indicating items of information are stored in a central system computer, are introduced in greater retail stores, which computer, in turn, provides the cash-point locations with price indicating items of information related to various articles. The cashier normally reads, usually by means of an optical reading device, a unique bar code, the so-called EAN code, which is present on each article. Through this code the cash register thereby obtains the current price information of the article in question from the central system computer.
Further a shelf-edge marking is applied at the location of each article, which marking states the name of the article and normally also a cost-per-unit price, e.g. the price per kilogram. Earlier, each article was usually provided also with a sticker stating the price and possibly a temporary discount price. In order to reduce the cost of such a price marking, effort is made, particularly in larger retail stores, to leave out the individual price marking of each article, in which case the price marking is achieved only by means of shelf-edge marking at the storing place of each type of article.
A further step in cost optimization includes electronic shelf-edge markings, which are controlled from the central system computer, thereby stating the price stored in the central system computer of the article in question. Through this, it will be ensured that the items of information of the price marking will correspond to the price charged to the customer at the cash-point, which obtains the price indicating items of information, just like the shelf-edge marking, from the central system computer. Such systems are hereafter referred to as Electronic Shelf Labelling (ESL) systems and one type of such an system has been disclosed, e.g. in the Swedish patent SE 441 447 granted to S. Olsson and R. Ahlm in 1986.
Common to such systems is that the transmission of information should be achieved via wireless in order to obtain a flexible price-marking system. Such transmission is suitably performed by means of radio or light waves. Preferred radio waves are within the short wave range, mainly due to bandwidth regulations. Preferred light waves are within the range of non-visible light, e.g. IR-light as used in prior art for various remote control devices to control electronic or electrical apparatuses, such as TV-sets etc.
Electronic Shelf Labelling (ESL) systems in retail environments using wireless transmission of data from transmitters to electronic labels (EL) commonly comprise a Base Station (BS) to which a number of transceivers are connected, which BS is capable of issuing messages to be transmitted via said transmitters. The BS is in turn connected to and controlled by a central processing unit, and in special embodiments the BS may even be integrated in the central processing unit. Large systems may further comprise several BS, all connected to the central processing unit. With Transciever (TRX) is meant a combined transmitter and receiver device for electromagnetic radiation (like radio, IR etc) or sound waves or other physical means of distributing signals.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a typical ESL system 10 wherein eight TRX 20 are connected to a BS 30. The TRX 20 is typically connected to the BS 30 by a signal distribution line 40, such as a twisted pair-cable, a coaxial-cable or the like. The coverage area 50 from a single TRX 20 is shown by the solid line, but to obtain maximum coverage, the TRXes are arranged such that constructive interference of signals is used to obtain the required signal-level in the intermediate regions 60 between the coverage areas 50 of two adjacent TRX 20. FIG. 2a shows the principle of constructive interference of signals from two spaced apart TRX 20. The required signal level is shown by L1.
However, as communication frequencies are getting higher, due to a demand for higher transmission capacities and other factors, problems associated with destructive interference or pulse-broadening often arise in the intermediate regions 60. This phenomenon is illustrated in FIG. 2b wherein the part of the resulting pulse that exceeds L1 cannot be detected as a pulse at the receiving end. | {
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The present invention relates to a lumbar support system for use within a seat, specifically for use within a vehicle seat.
Many lumbar support systems use an electromechanical actuator to move a load via a Bowden cable. The use of a Bowden cable, however, often results in poor total system efficiency, and such systems typically require numerous components, to include large, heavy motor(s) for actuation. In addition, these systems tend to be noisy during operation. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, a method of generating a mask pattern, a device manufacturing method, a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for generating a mask pattern.
2. Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. The lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs), flat panel displays, and other devices involving fine structures. In a conventional lithographic apparatus, a patterning means, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC (or other device), and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g., comprising part of one or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer or glass plate) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (e.g., resist). Instead of a mask, the patterning means may comprise an array of individually controllable elements that generate the circuit pattern.
In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic apparatus include steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion in one go, and scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the beam in a given direction (the “scanning” direction), while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction.
In projection lithography the image printed on a substrate can be improved by adding optical proximity correction (OPC) features to the desired pattern. The OPC features are intended not to appear in the developed image themselves, but to affect the shape of the pattern features so that when developed the pattern features are closer to the desired pattern. They may also be used to bring the process windows of features of different pitches closer together to enable features of several different pitches to be printed in a single exposure. Known types of OPC features include scattering bars, serifs, hammerheads, and the like.
A binary mask (e.g., a chrome pattern on a quartz substrate) only allows for binary OPC features. To prevent the OPC features appearing in the developed pattern, they are made sub-resolution. For example, the OPC features are made to have a width less than a wavelength of exposure radiation in the case of scattering bars, so that the contrast in the projected image is less than a resist threshold. While known OPC features have been very successful in enabling features of critical dimension (CD) much less than the exposure wavelength (low k1) to be printed, further improvements would be desirable.
Therefore, what is needed is an improved method of providing Optical Proximity Correction features in lithography. | {
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Technology advances have enabled mobile personal computing devices to become more capable and ubiquitous. In many cases, these devices will have both a display as well as a combination of sensors. For example, the devices may include GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, cameras, light meters, and compasses or some combination thereof. These devices may include mobile computing devices as well as head mounted displays.
Additionally, these mobile personal computing devices are increasingly capable of both displaying information for the user as well as supplying contextual information to other systems and applications on the device. Such contextual information can be used to determine the location, orientation and movement of the user interface display of the device. | {
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} |
The invention concerns a fastening for a windshield wiper system.
The fastening of windshield wiper systems, in particular for motor vehicles, to the vehicle body by means of a screw connection using using vibration-damping elements is known. The windshield wiper systems are generally supplied to the automobile manufacturer as preassembled assemblies for installation in the motor vehicle. The preassembled assembly comprises a sheet bar outfitted with an appropriate mounting lug on each of its ends, and a drive motor that is interconnected with the wiper shafts supported on the sheet bar via a coupling linkage. The drive motor itself is also secured to the sheet bar and is outfitted with a mounting lug for fastening the windshield wiper system to the vehicle body. The fastening of the windshield wiper system is screwed to the vehicle body via the mounting lugs arranged on the windshield wiper system. To improve assembly of the windshield wiper system, either the nuts or the screws are welded onto the body of the vehicle. Vibration-damping elements such as damping rubbers or the like are arranged between the vehicle body and the fastening points of the windshield wiper system to dampen or prevent the transmission of vibrations. The mounting lugs are arranged on the preassembled windshield wiper system in such a fashion that they form a relatively large triangle in order to increase the stiffness of the system. The disadvantage of the known type of fastening of windshield wiper systems to the vehicle body, on the one hand, is the relatively great amount of manual effort required to install the windshield wiper system on the vehicle body and, on the other hand, the large material expenditure required for this purpose in the form of nuts, screws, washers, damping rubbers and the like. Additionally, assembly requires that clearance be available for the screwdrivers. Furthermore, there is a risk of an undesired separation or detachment of the screw connection resulting from the vibrations occurring during driving. A detachment of the screw connection unavoidably results in impaired performance of the windshield wiper system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a vehicle speed control apparatus for controlling the speed of an own vehicle relative to a preceding vehicle.
A variety of devices have been developed to alleviate burdens on the driver of a running vehicle and to enhance driving safety. Illustratively, cruise control systems and like apparatuses for controlling vehicles running at a constant speed have already been commercialized. Currently under development are driving control apparatuses that measure by radar a headway distance and a relative speed of a host vehicle with respect to a preceding vehicle so as to let the host vehicle run while maintaining the headway distance or avoid collision with the preceding vehicle. A cruise control system, once its cruise mode switch is turned on, allows the vehicle to maintain its speed until an operation such as the stepping on the brake pedal is carried out to cancel the cruise mode.
One conventional headway distance maintaining system allows the host vehicle to maintain the headway distance if there is a preceding vehicle, and activates a following control device to get into cruise mode based on an established speed if there is no preceding vehicle. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-192661 discloses a driving control apparatus claimed to work as follows: if the host vehicle trailing the preceding vehicle loses the latter from a radar range, the apparatus sets as a target vehicle speed the vehicle speed in effect when the preceding vehicle was lost. Thereafter, if a suitable reset operation is performed during a predetermined period of time, an initially set vehicle speed is restored; if no reset operation is carried out, the target vehicle speed is established as a new vehicle speed.
One disadvantage of the above and other similar conventional apparatuses is that if the preceding vehicle entering a curve is captured by radar, the apparatus causes the host vehicle to start decelerating well before the curve is reached so as to keep the headway distance unchanged. Another disadvantage is that when the preceding vehicle starts accelerating at the exit of a curve, the host vehicle behind it also starts accelerating even if the trailing vehicle is still negotiating the curve.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a vehicle speed control apparatus allowing a host vehicle trailing a preceding vehicle along a curve to accelerate and decelerate in accordance with the configuration of the road.
In carrying out the invention, there is provided a vehicle speed control apparatus comprising detecting means for detecting a headway distance, a relative speed and a direction of a host vehicle with respect to a preceding vehicle, and computing means for computing a speed of the preceding vehicle based on an own speed and the relative speed of the host vehicle. After the speed of the preceding vehicle transiting a given point on a road is acquired and retained, the host vehicle is controlled to pass that point at a speed not exceeding the retained speed of the preceding vehicle. When passing the point in question, the host vehicle may be controlled to run at a speed not exceeding the retained speed of the preceding vehicle while keeping the headway distance to the preceding vehicle from getting shorter than a predetermined value. If subject to a yaw rate of a predetermined minimum value, the host vehicle may be controlled to keep its own speed from exceeding a maximum speed determined by the yaw rate. If the vehicle speed control apparatus further comprises detecting means for detecting headway distances and directions of the host vehicle with respect to a plurality of preceding vehicles, and if the plurality of preceding vehicles change their courses in the same direction, the apparatus may detect the presence of a curve ahead of the host vehicle and may keep the speed of the host vehicle entering the curve not in excess of the speeds of the preceding vehicles. If the plurality of preceding vehicles change their courses in different directions, the vehicle speed control apparatus may control the speed of the host vehicle by getting road information from an on board navigation device to determine whether the directional change is attributable to the preceding vehicles heading into road branches or changing lanes.
The inventive vehicle speed control apparatus above controls the host vehicle entering a curve in a way that keeps its speed from exceeding the speed of the preceding vehicle that entered the curve earlier. This provides speed control of the host vehicle in keeping with the configuration of the road. Because the lateral acceleration of the host vehicle is proportional to the product of the own speed and a yaw rate of the vehicle, the maximum vehicle speed may be set in accordance with the yaw rate. This keeps the lateral acceleration of the host vehicle from exceeding a predetermined level, thus enhancing ride quality in keeping with the road configuration. When the host vehicle is running a multiple-lane road, the inventive apparatus may detect a plurality of preceding vehicles changing their courses to ascertain the presence of curves and thereby allow the host vehicle to travel in accordance with the road configuration. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fabrication of semiconductor devices and more particularly to a process for etching metal with an in-situ plasma cleaning step.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In semiconductor fabrication, circuit elements or devices are typically connected by patterned metal layers. Metal gates are also increasingly formed from patterned metal layers. The patterned metal layers are typically formed by photolithography and etching. During etching polymers form on the metal sidewalls. The photoresist mask and polymer formations on the metal sidewalls are difficult to remove. When the metal etching source gasses include both CHF.sub.3 and N.sub.2 polymers form easily on the chamber walls as well as the metal sidewalls. Typically multiple wet etching cycles are required to adequately remove the polymers.
The importance of overcoming the various deficiencies noted above is evidenced by the extensive technological development directed to the subject, as documented by the relevant patent and technical literature. The closest and apparently more relevant technical developments in the patent literature can be gleaned by considering: U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,916 (Hsu et al.) discloses a method for forming a void free TiN anti-reflective coating on aluminum containing, conductor layer and patterning using a conventional etching process. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,015 (Tabara) discloses a W-plug etch back using SF.sub.6 and N.sub.2 and switching to a chlorinated gas before exposing the Al alloy layer to prevent AlF.sub.3 formation which makes photoresist removal difficult. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,742 (Kadomura) discloses a method of coating Al sidewalls with a sulpher nitride to prevent corrosion. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,812 (Kadomura) discloses a method of etching an Al layer using a Cl or Br compound followed by an etch using a compound containing S and F to deposit S on Al sidewalls. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,293 (Tabara) discloses a method of ashing using O.sub.2, an H and O containing gas, and a F containing gas to remove resist after etching. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,653 (Yanagida) discloses a method of forming an Al-based pattern using a post-etch processing step using CF.sub.4 and O.sub.2 to remove a sidewall protection film. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Compression nail systems have been used in a number of medical applications, including arthrodesis of joints. Arthrodesis is a procedure to fuse the bones that form a joint, such as an ankle. Arthritis, deformity, fracture, or other trauma affecting the joint or other bones may be treated with an arthrodesis procedure. To fuse the joints, pins, plates, screws, wires, or rods may be implanted in the bones to compress them together until they fuse. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of ophthalmology, and particularly to an improved design for haptics for an intraocular lens ("IOL"), the haptics being suitable for implantation of an appropriate optic in either a phakic or an aphakic eye.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ophthalmologists have been developing the art of implanting an artificial lens in the human eye for many years, both to replace the natural lens which has been removed due to disease (an aphakic eye), and to supplement the natural lens with a corrective lens (a phakic eye).
Various pathologic disease processes can cause deterioration of the natural lens requiring removal of the lens, most notably the opacification of the lens which occurs in cataracts. In the developmental stage, cataracts may be treated by frequent changes of eyeglass prescription. When useful vision is lost, the natural lens is generally removed, either intact or by emulsification. When the lens has been removed, correction is achieved either through spectacles, contact lenses, or an intraocular implant.
Common vision problems include myopia (nearsightedness) hypermetropia (hyperopia or farsightedness) and astigmatism. Traditionally such vision problems have been treated with corrective lenses in spectacles or contact lenses. However, as significant improvements and experience has been gained, the use of intraocular implants using corrective lenses has increased.
Generally, the lens separates the aqueous humor from the vitreous body. The iris separates the region between the cornea or anterior of the eye and the lens into an anterior chamber and a posterior chamber. The lens itself is contained in a membrane known as the capsule or capsular sac. When the lens is removed from the eye, the capsule may also be removed (intracapsular excision), or the anterior portion of the capsule may be remove with the lens leaving the posterior portion of the capsule intact (extracapsular extraction), often leaving small folds or flaps from the anterior portion of the capsule. In an intraocular implant, the artificial or prosthetic lens may be inserted in the anterior chamber, the posterior chamber, or the capsular sac. The artificial lenses are usually fixedly attached within the eye, either by stitching to the iris, or by some supporting means or arms attached to the lens, often in the form of sweeping arms called haptics.
In the late 1970's, several intraocular lenses designed for implant in the anterior chamber were developed by D. Pater Choyce. U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,866, issued May 9, 1978, is an example. The lens features four haptics with feet which support the lens in order to avoid the need for clips or sutures to secure the lens to the iris. The lenses designed by Choyce worked; however, sizing the lens to fit the eye was critical to avoid complications. The lenses were made in lengths from 11.5 mm to 14 mm in 0.5 mm increments, and the thickness of the feet were about 250 microns.
A variety of lenses have been developed by C. D. Kelman. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,543, issued Nov. 20, 1979, Kelman taught that although the haptics of many prior art patents provided four point support for the lens, the support structures for the haptics were often linked to the lens body so that the support structure could not deflect freely of the lens body, and is therefore liable to irritate portions of the eye in contact with the support structure (col. 1, lines 48-62). The '543 patent described haptics which included a pair of limbs joined to the lens body by stems so that the limbs would deflect independently, the limbs terminating in contact lobes which have a thickness of 0.2 mm (200 microns).
A variety of other shapes and geometries for the lens supporting elements, or haptics, have been disclosed, including: U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,510, issued Mar. 10, 1981 to J. L. Tennant;, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,143, issued Dec. 14, 1982 to W. B. Callahan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,340, issued Nov. 6, 1984 to D. D. Shepard; U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,981 to G. B. Walman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,895, issued Aug. 27, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,374, issued Mar. 11, 1986 to T. Bittner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,033, issued Apr. 8, 1986 to W. B. Callahan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,460, issued Dec. 16, 1986 to R. L. Dyer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,792, issued Jun. 30, 1987 to D. Praeger; U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,181, issued Oct. 20, 1987 to E. J. Arnott; U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,464, issued Oct. 18, 1988 to Sergienko, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,902, issued Nov. 29, 1988 to Sheets, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,039, issued Aug. 29, 1989 to E. J. Arnott; U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,876, issued Oct. 10, 1989 to J. M. Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,052, issued Sep. 10, 1991 to S. Dubroff; and U.K. Patent No. 2,165,456, published Apr. 16, 1986.
Despite the advances, there remain problems with intraocular implants which may be ameliorated by the improved haptics and method of releasing the haptics of the present invention inside the bulb of the eye. When an intraocular lens is inserted in the eye, an incision is made in the cornea or sclera. The incision causes the cornea to vary in thickness, leading to an uneven surface which causes astigmatism. The insertion of a rigid lens through the incision, even with compressible haptics, requires an incision large enough to accommodate the rigid lens (at least 6 mm), and carries with it the increased risk of complications, such as infection, laceration of the ocular tissues, and retinal detachment. Deformable intraocular lenses made from polymethylmethacrylate ("PMMA"), polysulfone, silicone or hydrogel may be inserted through a smaller incision, about 4 mm.
It is therefore desirable that the intraocular lens be capable of insertion through a small incision. U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,938, issued to C. D. Kelman, shows an intraocular lens in which the lens body is made in two pieces so that each piece may be inserted through the incision separately and then joined by dowels after insertion in the eye. U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,035, issued Sep. 6, 1988, also to Kelman, discloses a foldable lens which may be inserted through an incision about 3.5 mm in length.
When the intraocular lens is inserted in the anterior chamber of the eye, the feet of the haptics, or lens supporting elements, generally lodge in the scleral sulcus, a depression anterior to the scleral spur where the iris and the ciliary muscle join the sclera in the angle of the anterior chamber. The scleral sulcus is crossed by trabecular tissue in which the spaces of Fontana are located. The anterior chamber of the eye is filled with the aqueous humor, a fluid secreted by the ciliary process, passing from the posterior chamber to the anterior chamber through the pupil, and from the angle of the anterior chamber it passes into the spaces of Fontana to the pectinate villi through which it is filtered into the venous canal of Schlemm. The lens must be positioned so the flow of fluid through the trabecular tissue is not blocked or glaucoma may result.
Since the feet of the haptics rest in the scleral sulcus, the flow of fluid will be blocked where the feet are in contact with the trabecular tissue. It is therefore desirable to decrease the amount of surface area of the haptic foot in contact with the trabecular tissue. At the same time, the haptic feet must have sufficient height to prevent adhesive tissue or synechia from growing around the feet and anchoring them to the iris or cornea The opening of the trabecula is about 200 microns. The haptic feet of conventional intraocular lenses are usually on the order of 175 to 200 microns, effectively blocking the openings in the trabecula wherever the feet are in contact with the tissue. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,258,025 and 5,480,428, issued Nov. 2, 1993, and Jan. 2, 1996, respectively, to Federov, et al., describes a lens surrounded by a sheet-like "positioner" having projections called "supporting elements either at the four corners of or continuously around the positioner, the supporting elements being 0.3 mm long and 0.01 to 0.05 mm thick (7"a and 7"b of FIG. 3 of the '025 patent, 18 of the '428 patent). However, the lens described by Federov is for implantation in the posterior chamber, the lens of the '428 actually having a length short enough to "float". In addition, the sheet-like nature of the positioner prevents independent deflection the feet in response to forces applied by the eye.
In addition, the lens may place a greater or lesser degree of force on the haptic feet as the lens is compressed, depending upon construction of the lens. Since the amount of pressure for a given surface area is proportional to the force, it is desirable to decrease or distribute the amount of force placed on the haptic feet in order to diminish the force applied by the feet on the trabecular tissue. The present invention achieves this goal by mounting the haptic arms on the ends of a flexible support bar in cantilever fashion, the support bar being offset from the lens body by a stem. Applicant is not aware of any similar haptic design in the prior art.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a haptics for an intraocuplar lens solving the aforementioned problems is desired. | {
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million baby boomers will retire over the next ten years. Traditionally, Defined Benefit (DB) Plans (i.e., employer-provided pensions) were an employee's primary source for income during their retirement. In recent years, however, employers and the retirement industry as a whole have shifted away from DB Plans toward Defined Contribution (DC) Plans, such as 401(k) Plans, profit sharing Plans, money purchase Plans and the like.
Today, there are literally hundreds of thousands of different 401(k) Plans, each having any number of Plan designs, services, and fees associated with them. In addition, ERISA requires that Plan Sponsors ensure that Plan fees are “reasonable.” To do this, Plan Sponsors traditionally employ a laborious Request for Proposal (RFP) process that is not only expensive and time consuming but is also limiting in terms of the ability of a Plan Sponsor to compare one Plan to another. Consequently, Plan Sponsors using traditional methods may not be able to determine whether or not the fees that are charged to a DC Plan are reasonable and equitable in view of the services the Plan receives as compared to the fees and services associated with other Plans.
For example, a DC Plan, such as a 401(k) Plan, may pay fees to a number of entities that provide services to the Plan Sponsor, such as fees that pay for record keeping, fees that pay for advisors/consultants, fees that pay for investment managers, and fees paid to others for a variety of services. In addition, Plan fees may include different types of fees, such as investment fees, commissions, finders' fees, managed account fees. Exacerbating the difficulty of determining how much, to whom, and when fees are paid is the fact that many of the fees associated with a given Plan are completely hidden to the Plan Sponsor.
That said, fees may contribute only one aspect of determining the “value” of a given Plan to a Plan Sponsor. The Plan Sponsor may be willing to pay higher fees, for example, if the services that the Plan receives in return are better than the average for similarly constructed Plans. Likewise, the Plan Sponsor may be less willing to pay higher fees if the services that the Plan receives in return are less than average for similarly constructed Plans. Consequently, a method and system for comparing DC Plans and which takes into account not only the fees that are paid for various services that a Plan receives, but also the quantity and quality of services that the Plan receives would assist Plan Sponsors, Recordkeepers, Advisor/Consultants, and the like in evaluating a given Plan against other similarly structured Plans.
A challenge to making this comparison is determining what “other” Plans should be used for this comparison, as well as what features, aspects, and considerations of the “other” Plans that should be used in order to make an apples-to-apples comparison of a selected Plan's fees, design, support and services. Another challenge is determining how best to display and/or report the comparison in a meaningful manner to quickly identify a given Plan's quantitative and qualitative aspects relative to the “other” Plans.
Once a meaningful comparison is made, the various aspects and features of a given Plan may become transparent to the Plan Sponsor so as to make an informed decision as to the Plan's overall value, as well as to lead to clearer documentation of fiduciary objectives, better assistance for Plan Participants, lower potential levels of litigation, and objectively manage Plan fees and services. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Multiprice coin operated vending machines have long been a part of everyday life. Food, cigarettes, and various other items have been dispensed (vended) from such machines by the insertion of coins into a slot in the machine and the selection of the item desired by depressing a button or the like.
The normal procedure for collecting the proceeds from vending machines has been accomplished by periodic collections of the coins in the machine by a collector. While collection of the proceeds should supposedly directly relate to the amount of money taken in by the machine, in fact pilferage or machine malfunction e.g., dispensing of the wrong amount of change, may yield less cash to the machine owner than was actually taken in by the vending machine.
Accordingly, a need has developed to provide an up to date period balance of the cash collected by each vending machine so as to detect pilferage or machine malfunction as well as to speed up collections and reduce accounting time.
The present invention provides such a device, termed a totalizer, which will keep track of all cash which has been actually received by the machine for the dispensing of goods. The totalizer herein in its most preferred form has a non-resettable read-out so that the effects of tampering are kept to a minimum. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a monolithic catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and a method for preparing the same.
Description of the Related Art
Conventional catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis employ molecular sieves as a carrier and are in the form of powders. However, in the catalytic process, the pressure drop across the catalyst bed is relatively large, which means that powder catalysts are not suitable for the fixed-bed reactor.
In addition, industrial catalysts are required to be spherical, cylindrical, in a cloverleaf pattern, or gear wheel-shaped. To meet this requirement, molecular sieve powders must be reshaped, which tends to damage the porous structure of the powders and thus reduces the catalytic performance of the catalysts. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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An arrhythmia is a disturbance in the normal rate, rhythm or conduction of the heartbeat. An atrial arrhythmia originates in the atria. Atrial tachycardia (AT), one form of atrial arrhythmia, is a condition in which the atria contract at a high rate, e.g., 100 or more beats per minute. Atrial fibrillation (AF), another form of atrial arrhythmia, is characterized by a chaotic and turbulent activation of atrial wall tissue. AT can lead to AF, which in turn can be life threatening.
Treatment for tachycardia may include anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) or cardioversion, in which a train of high rate pulses or one or more high energy pulses is delivered to the heart in an attempt to restore a more normal rhythm. ATP is typically effective in converting stable atrial tachycardias to normal rhythm, and is often delivered via an implanted device. In many cases, a sequence of increasingly aggressive ATP therapies are applied until an episode of AT is terminated. Some implanted devices can be configured to discontinue ATP and immediately apply cardioversion in the event the AT degrades into AF. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency.
A centrifugal compressor is a machine into which there is admitted a compressible fluid, which is then discharged at a pressure greater than its own intake pressure.
Centrifugal compressors are formed by a cylindrical body or case which is closed at its own ends and contains the operative units of the machine.
Centrifugal compressors can include one or more stages, and can be used for medium and/or high pressures, but hereinafter in the present description reference is made to multi-stage centrifugal compressors.
Non-exhaustive examples of the possible uses of such centrifugal compressors are: re-injection of gas, re-compression of gas, use of the compressor in association with plants for supply of gaseous fuel in machines for generation of power, in refineries, in plants for synthesis of methanol and ammonia, and in high-pressure or liquid natural gas lines.
The basic elements which constitute a multi-stage centrifugal compressor are a rotor which rotates around the axis of the machine, and a series of diffusers or stators with return channels between the various stages, which are integral with a case.
The rotor consists of a series of discs with blading fitted onto a single shaft.
In the rotor, the fluid, which is collected from the central section of the rotor, is forced by this rotary blading and undergoes an increase in speed and therefore in dynamic pressure. The static pressure is also increased owing to the divergent profile of the spaces between the blades of the blading. The rotor therefore gives rise to an increase in the total pressure and an increase in the speed.
Each disc of the rotor is followed by a diffuser, which is also provided with blading.
In the diffuser, owing to the divergent shape of the ducts between one blade and another, the fluid undergoes a reduction of speed. This leads to the loss of part of the dynamic pressure gained in the preceding disc of the rotor, and to an increase in the static pressure, caused by the transformation of kinetic energy into pressure energy.
With each diffuser there is associated a return channel, which conveys the fluid to the successive disc of the rotor. More specifically, the flow of the fluid is returned in the axial direction, thus eliminating the tangential speed imparted by the rotor disc of the preceding stage.
The assembly of a disc of the rotor and of a diffuser, with the corresponding return channel, constitutes a stage, which is separated from the adjacent stages by annular diaphragms.
In compressors of this type there is however the difficulty of conveying the fluid satisfactorily from the output of one stage to the intake of the subsequent one, such as to limit the losses.
In general the return channels are characterised by geometries of a simple type. Their profile is frequently constituted by arcs of a circle which are regularly connected.
The aerodynamic design of these components is carried out using criteria which are substantially empirical, and in general design methods which are aimed specifically at reduction of the losses are not used.
However the return channels give rise to very complex aerodynamic phenomena, which could potentially introduce significant losses of efficiency.
A detailed analysis of the flow in the return channels can be carried out both with experimental means and numerical methods.
This shows that these channels are frequently affected by effects of separation of the flow, which detract from the overall efficiency of the compressor.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-described disadvantages and in particular to provide stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency, which makes it possible to increase the overall performance of the compressor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency, which is particularly reliable, simple, functional and has relatively low costs.
These objects and others according to the present invention are achieved by providing stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency, as described in claim 1.
Further characteristics are indicated in the subsequent claims.
Stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency has the advantage of comprising a significant reduction in the areas of separation in the vicinity of the output cross-section of the blades of this blading. This therefore provides improved polytropic stage efficiency.
The characteristics and advantages of stator blading of return channels for two-dimensional centrifugal stages of a multi-stage centrifugal compressor with improved efficiency according to the present invention will become more apparent from the following description provided by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which: | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A new mandarin citrus tree Citrus reticulata hybrid is described. The new variety named xe2x80x98Shanixe2x80x99 is desirable to the consumer because of the red-orange color and excellent flavor of its fruit and to the commercial grower because of its late-season fruit ripening.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of mandarin citrus tree Citrus reticulata hybrid developed by inventors Pinchas Spiegel-Roy, Aliza Vardi, Avraham Elchanati and Ahuva Frydman-Shani in Bet Dagan, Israel from a controlled pollination cross between seed parent xe2x80x98Wilkingxe2x80x99 (unpatented) mandarin and pollen parent xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99 (unpatented).
Asexual reproduction by conventional bud grafting of the new variety at the Agriculture Research Organization Volcani Center in Bet Dagan, Israel, has shown that the new characteristics are stabilized and permanently fixed through successive propagation.
The objective in breeding the present new tree variety, assigned the denomination xe2x80x98Shanixe2x80x99, was to obtain a late ripening citrus mandarin with few or no seeds. In the spring of 1976, the seed parent xe2x80x98Wilkingxe2x80x99 (unpatented) mandarin (resulting from a cross of xe2x80x98Kingxe2x80x99xc3x97xe2x80x98Willowleafxe2x80x99 (Mediterranean) reported by Frost in Calif. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 1935, pp.597-601), was crossed with pollen parent xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99, a cultivar of Israeli origin believed to be a natural hybrid between two Citrus reticulata xe2x80x98Blancoxe2x80x99 cultivars. The fruit was collected in November 1977. Seeds were extracted and germinated in January 1978. About 400 seedlings were grown from the germinated seeds. Each seedling was grafted onto Sour orange nucellar rootstock.
Field planting was established from container grown plants in the spring of 1979. The first fruits were observed in February, 1983 and again in 1984.
One of the 400 plants was designated 46/2. The fruits of this scion were observed to be fully ripe during February to mid March. The fruit was red-orange in color with few seeds and excellent flavor.
Bud wood was taken from 46/2 and top grafted in the spring of 1984 on 8 Troyer nucellar rootstock The grafted plants were planted a year later in the experimental grove of the Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel. The first crop of these trees was obtained in 1987. The yield of the scion grafted onto Troyer rootstock was good. The fruit was fully ripe the last week in February. The color of the fruit when fully ripe was orange-red, and the fruit was quite easy to peel. The fruit had a pleasant flavor and excellent aroma. The juice had a sugar concentration of about 12.8% and an acid concentration of about 1.09%.
46/2, designated xe2x80x98Shanixe2x80x99, is characterized by reddish-orange fruit having few seeds and flowers with anthers bearing viable pollen. Table 1 shows some of the characteristics of the new tree compared to the seed parent xe2x80x98Wilkingxe2x80x99 and pollen parent xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. All observations were made in Israel on citrus 5-6 years old. Color designations have been determined from The RHS Colour Chart published by the Royal Horticultural Society, London.
Although xe2x80x98Meravxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/716,984) and xe2x80x98Shanixe2x80x99 are sibling cultivars, they can be easily distinguished from each other as shown in Table 2.
The following is a detailed description of the new mandarin citrus variety based on observations made under typical Israeli grove conditions.
The leaf shape, tree size and shape of xe2x80x98Shanixe2x80x99 are intermediate between the seed parent xe2x80x98Wilkingxe2x80x99 and the pollen parent xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. Young shoots have no anthocyanin coloration at the tip. The tree is quite productive with a slight tendency to alternate bearing (lower yield of fruit after a year of heavy bearing if fruit is not harvested). The canopy is moderately dense. The bark of the young shoots is initially smooth and green, gradually turning into a smooth brown-gray.
The chromosome number of the tree is diploid (2n=18) as is the chromosome number of the two parents.
The leaves somewhat resemble xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99 in size and shape. The leaf shape in cross section is slightly concave. Foliar flushes, as measured in Bet Dagan, Israel, occur between April and September. The firmness of the leave blade is relatively weak, without undulation. Petioles are without wings or have very narrow wings.
The characteristics of the flowering and the flower parts are similar to xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. The flower has almost the same size as the flower of xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. All flowers of mandarin cultivars are very much alike in color of petal (both sides are white), anthers, pistils, etc. Flowering as measured in Bet Dagan, Israel, occurs between mid March and the beginning of April. Terminal flower buds have no anthocyanin coloration. Anther color is yellow with 88% stainable pollen grain as obtained by staining with acetocarmine..
The fruit has few seeds, about 0 to 9 seeds per fruit. The fruit shape is oblate and medium in size. When 50 fruits were measured, the fruit had an average weight of 112 grams, an average height of 49 mm, and an average diameter of 65 mm. The fruit surface is usually smooth with a reddish-orange color, 34A, on The Royal Horticultural Society of London Colour Chart. Fruit ripening does not differ from outside of the canopy to the inside, but the fruit color of the outside canopy is a little brighter compared to the fruit color of the inside canopy. There is no persistence of the style and the areola is not completely developed. A small navel is usually present, similar to pollen parent xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. The rind is thin and relatively easy to peel.
The color of the albedo is reddish and the flesh is dark orange in color. The fruit contains 10-12 segments and is very juicy. The external color of the seed is white and the internal color is greyed-orange. The color of the cotyledons is greyed-green. The seed size, shape and texture are quite similar to that of xe2x80x98Michalxe2x80x99. The seed size is medium. The fruit reaches maturity in February in Israel. The ripening of the fruit on the tree and within the fruit is uniform. Fruit remaining on the tree does not re-green and does begin to lose quality until March. The fruit has an attractive appearance and an excellent flavor and aroma. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The catalytic dehydrogenative polymerization of tetrahydroquinoline and certain organo substituted tetrahydroquinoline compounds is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 4,727,135. The polymers produced in the disclosed process contain repeating quinoline moieties. For example, the transition metal sulfide (TMS) catalyzed dehydrogenative polymerization of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (1) produces polyquinoline (2) as shown in Equation 1 below. ##STR4## Similarly, the dehydrogenative polymerization of 3-mono organo substituted tetrahydroquinoline (3) produces a substituted polyquinoline polymer having a 3-organo substituted quinoline moiety (4). This is shown in Equation 2 below, where R represents the organo substituent. ##STR5##
These polymers constitute an important class of electrically conducting organic materials that have use in batteries, photoconductive cells and the like.
In copending application Ser. No. 155,225, filed Feb. 12, 1988, quaternary ammonium salts of polyquinoline oligomers are disclosed and shown to have use as metal corrosion inhibitors.
In contrast to the above mentioned references, U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,191 discloses that quinoline will not undergo polymerization, except at elevated pressures and temperatures of between 250.degree. C. and 400.degree. C. and in the presence of catalytic amounts of certain alkyl halides. The product of the polymerization, however, does not have repeating quinoline moieties but, instead, is represented by formulas 5 and 6 shown below. ##STR6## | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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