GIAN Abondoned Patents Database

An immersion nozzle which comprises a twisted tape-shaped part (1) for allowing a flow of molten steel to swirl in the nozzle. This part is applicable to both of straight pipe type and double port type immersion nozzles, and a double port type immersion nozzle (12) is constructed to be bottomless to eliminate a problem associated with inclusions that may attached to bottom surface. Further, in the immersion nozzle, an inner wall surface of a discharge port is shaped to be arcuately divergent in longitudinal cross section, whereby the quality of cast pieces are further enhanced. When the immersion nozzle additionally includes a construction (15) for blowing a gas into a flow of molten steel which is made by the twisted tape-shaped part to swirl, effects of catching, carrying and floating inclusions are further enhanced.

A transporter for lead frames has two rotatable wheels with mutually facing running surfaces for engaging a lead frame between the wheels. A frame supports the wheels. An actuating cylinder engages on at least one wheel for mutual displacement of the wheels. An assembly of two such transporters is also disclosed.

A device to treat or process and especially to disintegrate materials and compounds characterized by a rotor, to which mentioned materials are fed axially. The rotor centrifugally accelerates the input material to a tool ring rotating around the rotor preferably in opposite direction, in which the tools are arranged radially. The tools of the tool ring intercept the highly accelerated material in flight and induce an extrem shear and bending strain effecting that the material disintegrates at it's natural weak point. The tools are arranged at the circumference at such distances that a laregely open circumference is established. That effects that the disintegrated components of the material can be discharged from the device after the impact without any hindrance even if the material is wet or sticky. The degree of impact of the tools on the material can be adjusted by the regulating parameters. That offers a large field of applications to disintegrate and separate raw materials and waste materials consisting of physically sufficiently different components into their individual components.

A winding tool operating in conjunction with a level wind spools coiled tubing in a helical pattern onto a reel. In one embodiment, the winding tool includes a plurality of rollers that are urged against the winds of coiled tubing with a biasing member. A driver provides controlled oscillatory translational movement for the rollers.

A system of suspending a tree includes a hook secured to an overhead support such as a ceiling joist or beam or structure dedicated to this purpose. A swivel is then secured to the hook. A tree grip is secured to the swivel and then to the main leader of the Christmas tree. The tree will then hang plumb due to the force of gravity. Optionally, a pulley may be employed to assist in the raising of the tree. The pulley is secured to the hook by a loop. The tree grip is secured to the top of the tree. A cable is securely attached to the trunk of the tree below the apex of the tree. The cable is threaded through the sheave of the pulley and may be pulled to raise the tree until the tree grip can be attached to the hook. The free end of the cable may then be attached to the trunk of the tree to provide additional security of attachment.

A safety apparatus including an air bag (20). The air bag includes a first (22) and second (24) panel of flexible, impermeable material, each panel having a respective peripheral edge (23,25). The first and second panels are joined together along a structural first joint (110), which extends along a substantial portion of the peripheral edges to define an inflatable chamber (26) therebetween. The first joint (110) is subject to a peel load as the first and second panels are urged apart as the chamber is inflated. The apparatus also includes inlet means (32, 44) for communicating inflation gas into the chamber. A pressure barrier (100) is located within the chamber, for preventing inflation gas from bearing against the first joint. In the preferred embodiment, the pressure barrier is not subject to the peel load as is the first joint.

A roller ski board similar to an ordinary snow ski board having a board body with bending elasticity and repellant property, and having at least one of single roller at its central portion and with or without smaller twin rollers at its front and rear edge portions, pivoted rotatively on an under surface of the board body along its longitudinal axis. The rollers have a lubricity and wear proof property with repellant elasticity so as to absorb the vibrations and shock added to the board from or to the ground during sliding. The rollers are arranged such that each external side periphery of the rollers is gradually wider from the central portion to a front and rear edge so that the external side peripheries of each roller does not protrude over the contour curvature of the board body. The rollers are also arranged consecutively from both the front and rear edges to the central portion such that each running surface of the rollers contacts with an arc curvature slightly curved upwardly over the ground. The single rollers have different diameters and the twin rollers the same diameter, and therefore are arranged at different ground contact levels so as to reduce frictional resistance during sliding. The vertical sectional surface of each single roller forms a small concave curvature with the contacting ground to achieve edging effects similar to an ordinary snow ski board.

A tool (10) is provided for creating an indentation, dimple or furrow in the portion of a necktie (20) that flows down and out of the knot (22) formed when the necktie is tied around a human neck. The tool includes a rigid fin (14). An elongate probe (16), projects from one end of the fin. The end of the elongate probe (18) is inserted into the bottom of the untightened knot in the necktie and pushed upward until it protrudes from the top of the knot. The necktie is then folded against the rigid fin and the tool is slid upward and downward alternately as the necktie knot is tightened down. As the necktie knot begins to tighten around the elongate probe, the tool is removed from the knot. At this point a dimple has formed in the portion of the necktie that flows down and out of the knot. The user will grasp this dimple between his forefinger and thumb and cinch down the knot to lock the dimple (32) in place.

A console latch for securing a first console closure panel to a first compartment bin and for securing the first compartment bin to a second compartment bin, the latch including a double pawl member with pawl latching elements on each end thereof, and an actuation button for actuating the latch, a locking member being carried on the housing and selectively positionable between a first position which permits actuation of the pawl and a second position which prevents actuation of the pawl. The actuating member including a living spring element which returns the member to its original position after it has been depressed for actuation, and the double pawl member including a spring feature.

The invention relates to a rotating catch lock, wherein a closing member (10) interacts with a catch (20), which can be rotated between a closing position accommodating the closing member (10) and an open position which releases said member. The catch (20) is force-loaded (22) in an open position and is held by a spring-loaded (33) rotating latch (30) in the close position. Said latch (30) is moved by a motor (50) between the locking position retaining the catch (20) and a stand-by release position in which the spring-loaded latch (30) is propped up by the catch (20) as long as it remains in an open position. In order to use small compact motors (50), the invention provides that the stored energy (61) exerted by an energy storage mechanism (60) is transmitted to the latch (30) via a storage lever (40). Normally, the latch (30) is shifted into its stand-by position by the storage lever (40). When the latch (30) is in a stand-by position, the storage lever (40) is supported on a control tappet (51) which is rotationally driven by the motor (50). The motor (50) can be driven by an electrical control logic in both a forward mode (56) unloading the energy storage (60) and a reverse mode (56′) loading the energy storage (60), i.e. in opposite directions. In the reverse mode (56′) the control tappet (51) releases the latch (30), moves towards the storage lever (40) and guides it back into a starting position which corresponds to the stand-by position of the latch (30).

This invention is related to an energy dissipating device for an automobile bumper, which includes two or more energy dissipaters, one or more oil tanks and oil pipes. There is a hollow rod-piston in each energy dissipater, which divides the dissipater into two chambers: a front chamber and a back chamber. In each back chamber a hollow oil-pin is installed with damping holes (oil-holes) on it. Energy dissipaters are filled with oil, and the oil-tank is filled with air. This invention can stand heavy force. When automobiles suffer severe bumping, this device can effectively dissipate bumping energy and reduce the damage to vehicles and personnel to a minimum.

A body mount bushing connects the structural components of a frame portion of a vehicular body and frame assembly together and provides a mounting support for connecting a body portion of the assembly to the frame portion. Each of the body mount bushings includes a hollow cylindrical bushing portion having one or more V-shaped projections extending therefrom. An end of a first structural component and an end of a second structural component can be formed having respective recesses, within with the projections of the body mount bushing extend. The structural components may be secured to the projections of the body mount bushing by welding, riveting, bolting, and the like. The body mount bushings also provide a mounting support for connecting the body portion to the frame portion. To accomplish this, the bushing portions of the body mount bushings are sized to receive and support respective body mounts provided on the body portion of the vehicular body and frame assembly.

A modular panel for forming part of an enclosure for an appliance of the type which is manufacturable in a plurality of sizes requiring one or more modular panels. The panel includes a main planar section having first and second substantially parallel edges. First and second flanges are integrally formed with the main section and extend rearwardly from the first and second edges, respectively. The first and second flanges are parallel to one another and each has an inner and outer facing surface. The outer facing surface of the first flange is provided with integrally formed hinge elements which together define a first axis. The outer surface of the second flange is provided with integrally formed mating hinge elements spaced from one another the same distance as the first hinge elements and together defining a second axis parallel to the first axis. The second hinge elements are configured to engage the first hinge elements of a second modular panel in a manner which causes the first and second axes to become coincident and allows pivotal movement of the two panels with respect to one another about the coincident axes until the outer surfaces of the flanges are in confronting relation with one another. Interacting means are provided for interconnecting the confronting outer surfaces with one another.

A reflection illumination device includes a light guide, light sources, and a reflecting mirror. The light guide is placed in front of an object to be illuminated. The light sources are arranged around the light guide. The reflecting mirror is placed behind the object. One or a plurality of total reflection areas on which projections or recesses each having a triangular cross-section and serving to totally reflect light emitted from the light source toward the object are formed are arranged on the surface of the light guide. Each of the projections or recesses is constituted by an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined angle toward a reference portion positioned at a predetermined position on the light guide, and a vertical surface vertical to the light guide. The light sources and irradiation means for parallelly irradiating the total reflection areas with light from the light sources are arranged at edges of the light guide in correspondence with the total reflection areas.

A motor vehicle headlight has a light source, a reflector and a mask. The mask has one or more sets of masking elements, such as fins or annular rings, that face each other to form a passage. The passage extends through the mask in a direction away from the light source, thereby allowing heat to escape from the light source without optical leakage.

Assembly allowing for connection of optical fibres with optical or optoelectronic components and process for manufacturing this assembly.According to the invention, at least one fibre support (4, 6) is formed including, for each fibre (2), a V-shaped housing. The support and the component (32) are attached to a substrate (12) with meltable elements (16, 38) and the fibre is positioned in the housing so as to vertically align the fibre with the component, horizontal alignment being obtained by the melted elements. Application is to microelectronics.

A dispenser for volatile material has an enclosure having an opening sealed by a removable first cap member and a stationary barrier at a location opposite the opening; a platform in the enclosure to form a primary cavity between the platform and the opening and an intermediate cavity between the platform and the stationary barrier, the platform being permeable to the volatile material in a molten state for transfer thereof between the primary and intermediate cavities, the platform being movable relative to the stationary barrier to dispense the material through the opening, wherein the platform is operable in a storage position to establish a seal with the stationary barrier to minimize loss of the volatile material.

In order to provide watertight properties between a spring socket (1) and a release socket (2) for a plug of a push-pull connector, a bellows expansion joint (5) is provided between the spring and release sockets. When the two sockets are spaced apart, the bellows expansion joint is in the rest (non-stressed) position. When the release socket is driven closer to the spring socket, a stress is exerted on the bellows expansion joint (6, 7). This helps to force back the release socket. By this structure, improvements are shown in the vibration resistance and, at the same time, in the watertightness of the plug of a push-pull connector.

A connection arrangement for coupling a hydrodynamic torque converter to a rotating shaft so that the torque converter is fixed with respect to rotation relative to the rotating shaft includes at least one fastening element arranged at a converter housing. The at least one fastening element is arranged at the converter housing such that a fastening portion of the at least one fastening element meshes or interlocks in a positive engagement with a receiving portion of the converter housing.

The present invention particularly relates to a foundation body and method of disposing additional reinforcing materials in foundations formed with a reinforced base which obtains a high underpinning strength with respect to detaching loads. The natural ground 4 is excavated. A plurality of rod shaped additional reinforcing materials are fixed in the peripheral earth which extend radially from the formed main foundation body and which are disposed at fixed intervals in the radial direction. The additional reinforcing materials are disposed so as to be corresponded with the direction of minimum principal strain in the earth peripheral with respect to the foundation body when a detaching force acts.

An abrasive element for grinding samples during supply of liquid lubricant includes a layer of binding agent containing grains of a grinding agent and particles of an organic acid, the organic acid being soluble in the lubricant and the particles thereof having sizes of 5 to 250 &mgr;m.

The present invention provides a golf ball with a pale color that has a bright color tone, maintains visibility without giving incongruous feeling to a golfer during shot, and has high resistance against discoloration due to ultraviolet rays. The golf ball comprises a golf ball body and a layer formed on the body. The colored layer contains a white inorganic pigment and/or a white organic pigment, a coloring inorganic pigment and/or a coloring organic pigment, and a fluorescent pigment. When the color tone of the golf ball is represented by the Lab system, values of “L”, “a” and “b” satisfy the following relationships:L≧8210≦(a2+b2)½≦45.

A system for enhancing patient compliance with a predetermined breathing pattern during inspiration measurements utilizes patient feedback based on inspiration flow. The measured inspiration flow is displayed on a first display and a target inspiration flow is display on a second display, preferably, disposed adjacent to the first display to facilitate visual comparison. The patient is instructed to breathe in manner that causes the measured inspiration flow display to match, or flow the target inspiration flow display.

The present truss body joint brace includes a pair of upper bars for positioning on opposite sides of an upper portion of a limb, a pair of lower bars for positioning on opposite sides of a lower portion of the limb, and a pair of hinges for positioning on opposite sides of a joint on the limb and connected between respective upper bars and respective lower bars. A pair of upper front crossed straps and a pair of upper back crossed straps are connected between the upper bars. A pair of lower front crossed straps and a pair of lower back crossed straps are connected between the lower bars. A flexible tubular upper sleeve is positioned between the upper bars, and a flexible tubular lower sleeve is positioned between the lower bars. The straps are adjustable in length for a snug fit. The bars, crossed straps, and the limb cooperate to form a truss structure that strongly resists lateral forces and protect the body joint from injury while allowing normal joint movement.

An anatomically shaped disposable absorbent article having a front end portion and a rear end portion and a periphery, and comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a multiplayer backsheet joined to said topsheet and an absorbent core intermediate the backsheet and the topsheet. The anatomically shaped disposable absorbent article has lobes provided by the topsheet and the backsheet extending beyond the absorbent core and has a reduced tendency to form folds in the lobes during the use.

An apparatus for lowering the temperature of skin on a patient during treatment applying electromagnetic energy to the skin comprising a window of a first thermally conductive material through which electromagnetic energy can pass for placement against the epidermis of the skin. A reservoir of coolant is spaced from an edge of the window. A non-flowing second thermally conductive material connects the window and the reservoir to transfer heat from the window to the coolant in the reservoir.

A dissection device for dissecting tissue from an elongate structure in a body is disclosed. The device comprises an elongate tubular member such as a cannula or other hollow tube and an inflatable elongate tubular balloon coupled to the elongate tubular member. The device further comprises device for connecting the elongate tubular balloon to an inflation source to inflate the elongate tubular balloon and device for deflating the elongate tubular balloon such as by a deflation valve. The elongate tubular balloon typically has multiple cylindrical chambers, is inverted during its uninflated state and everts during use.

A system and method for closing a first side of a severed bone with a second side of a severed bone of a patient. The system includes a first anchor mechanism which is adapted to enter into the first side of the bone and a second anchor mechanism which is adapted to anchor into the second side of the bone. The second anchor mechanism is separate and remote from the first anchor mechanism. The system also includes a lash that extends through the first and second anchor mechanisms and which binds the first side of the severed bone with the second side of the severed bone. Preferably, the lash comprises a wire made of stainless steel or suture material. A method for closing a first side of a severed bone with a second side of a severed bone. The method includes the steps of anchoring a first anchor mechanism into the first side of the severed bone, anchoring a second anchor mechanism into a second side of the severed bone, extending a lash through a first opening of a housing of the first anchor mechanism in the first side, extending the lash through a second opening of a housing of the second anchor mechanism, pulling the lash until the first side and second side are contacting each other, and fixing the lash so the first side and second side maintain contact with each other.

A method is provided for stimulating nerve growth, especially for nerve regeneration after damage to the nerve. The method comprises: applying thermal energy to one or more nerve segments adjacent a damaged region of the nerve, such that nerve fibers from the treated adjacent segment are stimulated to grow and extend toward the damaged region. The method may be used to enhance mechanical stimulative effect at a terminus of a severed nerve or a region of nerve injured by crush or other physical forces. The method may also be used to treat nerve segments retrograde up the nerve fiber and to increase the response of the injured nerve to regrowth and extension rapidly. An apparatus for delivery of thermal energy to the distal terminus of the severed nerve or region is disclosed. Thermal conductive or electromagnetic energy is delivered through a probe having a handle and a shaft. An energy delivery portion of the probe is configured to apply thermal energy to the distal segments of the severed nerve to promote rapid and more extensive growth of the nerve cells.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the internal body temperature of a patient. According to the present invention, a catheter is inserted through an incision into a large blood vessel of a patient. By selectively heating or cooling a portion of the catheter lying within the blood vessel, heat may be transferred to or from blood flowing within the vessel and the patient's body temperature may thereby be increased or decreased as desired. The invention will find use in treating undesirable conditions of hypothermia and hyperthermia, or for inducing a condition of artificial hypothermia when desired. The method and system further provide for the cooling of initially hypothermic patients whose blood or body temperature has been warmed above the desired target level and the warming of initially hyperthermic patients whose blood or body temperature has been cooled below the desired target temperature.

An improved interbody fusion device incorporating anti-rotation features to inhibit accidental screwing or unscrewing of the fusion device in an intervertebral disc space. One such feature is a thread pattern having a crest diameter that increasingly tapers from a smaller diameter at the insertion end to a larger diameter at the opposite end making further advancement of the thread into the bone more difficult. Another feature is a thread cut out on the trailing edge of the thread, creating a barb which has a tendency to inhibit unscrewing. These features may be used alone or in combination for an improved interbody fusion device.

Provided is magenta ink that satisfies all the necessary properties including good light-fastness, good color reproducibility, especially good color reproducibility of magenta-related secondary colors of red and blue, and high reliability, and gives satisfactory high-quality images. Also provided are a color ink set for ink-jet recording, which contains the magenta ink, and an ink-jet recording method in which is used the magenta ink or the color ink set. The magenta ink contains water, a colorant and at least two water-soluble organic solvents, and its visible-light absorbance spectrum gives a first peak A (abs.) within a range of from 500 to 570 nm and a second peak B (abs.) within a range of from 300 to 350 nm with a ratio A/B falling between 0.9 and 2.5. The magenta ink is combined with cyan ink and yellow ink to form the color ink set, which contains water, colorants and at least two water-soluble organic solvents.

A coating head discharges the coating solution in a discharging direction through a slit to a support and is designed such that a slit has a length M (mm) along the discharging direction and a gap G (mm), and a manifold has a coating width L (mm) orthogonal to the discharging direction, a cross sectional area S (mm2) and a circumferential length R (mm) of a cross section, wherein the coating head and the supplying means are arranged such that the coating solution is supplied symmetrically in terms of the center of the coating width of the manifold through the feeding port into the manifold, and dimensions of the coating head are determined to satisfy formula (1):10−4<(L2R2G3)/(24MS3)<10−2  (1)

A method for aligning a wafer on a support member within a vacuum chamber includes increasing the pressure within the vacuum chamber to at least about 1 Torr before aligning the wafer. The wafer is introduced into the vacuum chamber on the support member, the pressure is increased to at least about one Torr, and the support member is lifted into a shadow ring that has a frustoconical inner cavity constructed to funnel the wafer to a centered, aligned position.

Methods and compositions for loosening adhesive bandages on human skin include d-limonene and, preferably, alkyl benzoates.

Papermachine clothing comprises a base fabric comprising at least two superimposed perforated non-woven membranes (11, 12), the upper or paper side one of which (11), has a lower maximum creep modulus and is less hard than the lower or machine side membrane (12).

A water distiller has a sub-atmospheric boiler having a non-recirculating brine section, an input, a brine output and a vapor output. The input is for water to be distilled, the brine output for brine, and the vapor output for water vapor. A compressor is connected to the vapor output for heating the water vapor, and an heated vapor line is connected to an output of the compressor, the heated vapor line heating the brine section.

A self-contained, portable rainwater collecting and purifying system for collecting, filtering and disinfecting rainwater or other precipitation primarily for drinking purposes. In a preferred embodiment the portable rainwater collecting and purifying system is characterized by a housing which contains the system components. The bottom of the housing is typically fitted with skids or wheels, and a pair of sloped water collection panels is typically hinged to the housing for receiving the falling rainwater. A collection gutter receives the rainwater from the panels and drains the rainwater into a vertical standpipe fitted with a typically screen filter or filters. As the rising water in the standpipe eventually overflows, the overflowing, partially filtered water leaves the standpipe and enters a water collection tank through a hopper typically fitted with a gravity-flow filter or filters. A typically battery-operated pump automatically pumps the water through a pair of particle filters which remove dirt and other particulate impurities from the water, and finally through an ultraviolet light sterilizer which kills bacteria and other microorganisms to render the water suitable for drinking. In another embodiment solar panels provided on the respective water collection panels collect solar energy for energizing the pump, ultraviolet sterilizer or both. In still another embodiment, a heating blanket is provided beneath each water collection panel for heating and melting accumulating snow, sleet or ice on the panels, and the melted precipitation is filtered and disinfected through the system.

The invention relates to a holistic sustainable wastewater treatment system that utilizes a bast medium as the attached growth medium. The wastewater treatment system of the present invention (Bast Medium Biological Reactor Treatment System) reduces odors and in-house ammonia levels and increases the overall water quality of organic waste streams. It uses naturally occurring microorganisms to process wastewater and remove odor without chemical augmentation. The Bast Medium Biological Reactor Treatment System is simple, with few moving parts and low maintenance requirements. The invention also relates to a method for treating wastewater using the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention.

A method of processing waste water comprises atomizing waste water under selected atmospheric conditions to achieve substantially complete phase change of the water. The atomization is conducted by spraying waste water from a nozzle mounted on a tower adjacent a catchment area for collecting ice crystals produced by the phase change of the atomized waste water into ice crystals, under atmospheric conditions favorable to freezing of atomized water droplets into ice.

Cu metallization is treated to reduce defects and effect passivation, and to reduce leakage between lines, by removing surface defects subsequent to CMP and barrier layer removal. Embodiments include the sequential steps of: CMP and barrier layer removal; buffing with a solution comprising citric acid, ammonium hydroxide and deionized water to remove copper oxide; rinsing with deionized water or an inhibitor solution, e.g., benzotriazole or 5-methyl triazole in deionized water; buffing with an abrasive slurry; and rinsing with deionized water or an inhibitor solution.

The invention concerns a refrigerant composition which comprises a chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbon based refrigerant and, mixed with the refrigerant, a lubricant comprising a polyol ester. According to the invention the polyol ester comprises an ester of 2-butyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propane diol, the carboxylic acid residue of which is derived from a linear or branched C4 . . . C8-carboxylic acid or an anhydride thereof, or it is derived from a mixture of linear or branched C4 . . . C18-carboxylic acids or anhydrides thereof. The present invention also concerns novel complex esters of 2-butyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, which contain residues of mono- or bivalent carboxylic acids. The novel esters exhibit good solubility in fluorinated hydrocarbons and excellent lubricating properties.

Staple fiber is produced by extruding a solution of a polymer through a spinneret to form continuous filaments, gathering the continuous filaments to form a tow and continuously cutting the filaments in a cutter to form staple fiber. At least one jet of gas is blown at the tow before it enters the cutter to reduce smearing of polymer on the cutter. The process is particularly advantageous for treating water-soluble or water-absorbent filaments.

A method of manufacturing a cellulose based fiber of high water-retentivity. The cellulose based fiber of high water rententivity is manufactured by mixing together a stock solution as a homogeneous mixture of a non-cellulose based material of high absorbency and a cellulose based material and a stock solution singly composed of cellulose based material by means of a nozzle. Then the mixture is formed into a complex fiber as a sheath-core type by spinning, elongation and refining the mixture.

Steel is obtained which comprises by wt %, C: 0.001-0.025%, Si: not more than 0.60%, Mn: 0.10-3.00%, P: 0.005-0.030%, S: not more than 0.01%, Al: not more than 0.10%, Cu: 0.1-1.5%, Ni: 0.1-6.0%, B: 0.0001-0.0050%, and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities; since the steel contains C and P in small contents, stable amorphous rusts are formed on the surface thereof at an early stage; and steel simultaneously realizes excellent weather resistance, material weldability and toughness particularly in an environment such as a seashore district and the like where salt is present in a large amount.

An apparatus for multiple simultaneous synthesis (110), having a number of vials (28), each vial (28) having an upper end (31), a lower end (30), and a barrel (29), the upper end (31) opening into a mouth (32). It also includes a lower frame assembly (180) having a number of holes (101, 103, 105) for receiving the vials (28), and an upper frame assembly (180), which includes inner side-walls (195) and a ceiling portion (190). A gas-tight seal (197) surrounds a plenum (85), the plenum (85) being formed between the ceiling portion (190) of the upper frame assembly (180) and the lower frame assembly (181). The plenum (85) is adjustable in volume by the positioning of the upper frame assembly (180) in variable relation to the lower frame assembly (181), while maintaining the gas-tight seal (197). The volume of the plenum (85) is adjustable to a minimum whereby the mouths (32) of the vials (28) are sealed by the ceiling (190) of the gas-tight seal (197), which is optionally an upper gasket (90). Also disclosed is a plenum enclosure (182) for multiple simultaneous synthesis used in conjunction with vials (28), which includes the upper frame assembly (180) and lower frame assembly (181) and the gastight seal (197), as well as a gasket vial holder (185) to be used in the plenum enclosure (182).

A product for treating and conditioning cuticles using a semi-solid emollient and a complimentary delivery system is disclosed. The emollient could be any semi-solid emollient suitable for cuticle treatment, the emollient preferably including naturally derived botanicals that impart a “dry” feel, and a soothing and softening effect on the cuticle area. Isopropyl jojoba (IPJ) and hydrogenated isopropyl jojoba (HIPJ) esters, hydrogenated jojoba alcohol, jojoba esters, hydrogenated jojoba oil, ethyl macadamiate and other esters, waxes and oils may be used in the emollient to contribute to the “dry” feel and serve as carriers for active materials used to treat cuticles. The semi-solid emollient is retained in a container, preferably in stick form, and is extendable from and preferably retractable into the container, which can be carried by an individual. The container is designed to enable a user to apply the emollient to a cuticle area without touching the emollient with his/her fingertips, thereby preventing application or migration of the emollient to unselected areas.

The present invention relates to polynucleotide and polypeptide molecules for PAR4, a novel member of the protease-activated receptor family. The polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding them, mediate biological responses and/or cellular signaling in response to proteases. Protease cleavage of PAR4 exposes a PAR4 extracellular amino terminal portion that serves as a ligand for the PAR4 receptor. PAR4 may be used as a target in drug screening, and further used to identify proteinaceous or non-proteinaceous PAR4 agonists and antagonists. The present invention also includes antibodies to the PAR4 polypeptides.

Fibrous textile articles possessing enhanced antimicrobial properties are prepared by the deposition or interstitial precipitation of tetrasilver tetroxide (Ag4O4) crystals within the interstices of fibers, yarns and/or fabrics forming such articles.

Non-gelling polyoxyalkylene compositions, and methods of their use for inhibiting surgical adhesion formation/reformation in mammals are disclosed. The useful non-gelling compositions preferably comprise polyoxyalkylene block copolymer at desired concentrations with or without a therapeutic agent. When used with an incorporated drug, the non-gelling compositions serve as a carrier providing sustained or prolonged release of the therapeutic agent.

This invention herein describes a method of facilitating the entry of drugs into cells and tissues at physiologically protected sites at pharmicokinetically useful levels and also a method of targeting drugs to specific organelles within the cell. This polar lipid/drug conjugate targeting invention embodies an advance over other drug targeting methods known in the prior art, because the invention provides drug concentrations in such physiologically protected sites that can reach therapeutically-effective levels after administration of systemic levels much lower than are currently administered to achieve a therapeutic dose. This technology is appropriate for use with psychotropic, neurotropic and neurological drugs, agents and compounds, for rapid and efficient introduction of such agents across the blood-brain barrier. Further, the invention provides means for retention and prolonged enzymatic release of psychotropic, neurotropic and neurological drugs, agents and compounds comprising the conjugates of the invention, in the brain and central nervous system.

A process for making a composite article comprising providing a coating composition comprising a silane, optional pH modifying agent, and optional lubricant, wherein the silane is compatible with one or more ROMP catalysts used to initiate ring opening metathesis polymerization of the cycloolefin resins; coating fibers with the coating composition; contacting the coated fiber with an uncured cycloolefin resin catalyzed using one or more ROMP catalysts used to form a resin and reinforcing fiber material mixture; and curing the resin and reinforcing fiber material mixture to form the composite article.

A method of laminating two substrates by coating at least one side of a substrate with a laminating adhesive, bringing a coated side of the substrate into contact with a second substrate to form a three layer film, and treating the three layer film with a free radical initiator. The laminating adhesive is formed by mixing an ethylenically unsaturated acid, a bis-silane and a polyamine, and the polyamine optionally can have a crosslinker reacted therein.

In accordance with the present invention, an insulating sealing structure useful in physical vapor deposition apparatus is provided. The insulating sealing structure is capable of functioning under high vacuum and high temperature conditions. The apparatus is a three dimensional structure having a specifically defined range of electrical, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties enabling the structure to function adequately as an insulator which does not break down at voltages ranging between about 1,500 V and about 3,000 V, which provides a seal against a vacuum of at least about 10−6 Torr, and which can function at a continuous operating temperature of about 300° F. (148.9° C.) or greater. The insulating sealing structure may be fabricated solely from particular polymeric materials or may comprise a center reinforcing member having at least one layer applied to its exterior surface, where the at least one surface layer provides at least a portion of the insulating properties and provides the surface finish necessary to make an adequate seal with a mating surface.

A co-mingled polyurethane-polyvinyl ester composition can be used as a coating, which has good scratch, mar and solvent resistance. The coating is derived from a waterborne polyurethane solution containing free radically polymerizable monomers such as acrylate, ultraviolet light initiators, and optionally urethane crosslinking agents. A process for forming the co-mingled polyurethane-polyvinyl ester composition comprises drying the waterborne polyurethane containing the polymerizable monomers therein and radiation polymerizing, as by ultraviolet light, the free radically polymerizable monomers on a substrate such as a plastic sheet to form a laminate. Subsequently, the laminate can be utilized to form a coating on a product as by thermoforming, where if urethane crosslinking agents are utilized, the polyurethane will be crosslinked.

(1) A flame retardant resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of thermoplastic resin, 100 to 250 parts by weight of metal hydroxide, and either 5 to 50 parts by weight of acetate or 5 to 80 parts by weight of calcium carbonate. (2) An insulated wire provided with an insulating layer made of the flame retardant resin composition. (3) A thin-wall high-strength insulated wire obtained by having a conductor with an outer diameter 1.0 mm or less covered with the flame retardant resin composition with a thickness from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. (4) An insulating tube and a heat-shrinkable tube obtained by molding the flame retardant resin composition into a tubular form. (5) A flat cable obtained by enclosing a plurality of conductors arranged in parallel in an insulating layer and the flat cable obtained by further laminating at least one face of the insulating layer with a film made of polymeric material. (6) A high-voltage DC electric wire provided with an insulating layer made of the flame retardant resin composition. (7) Articles as mentioned above having the flame retardant resin composition cross-linked, especially irradiated with ionizing radiation. Insulated wire, tube, heat-shrinkable tube and flat cable having excellent mechanical strength and flame retardance without generating any harmful gas, when burning, are provided. The insulated wire and the flat cable are suitably used for inner wiring of consumer's electronic devices, automobiles and ships and so on.

An alkaline electrolyte secondary electric cell comprises at least one positive electrode and one negative electrode positioned on either side of a separator composed of polyolefin fibers grafted with a vinyl monomer. The cell contains a device for absorbing and retaining nitrogen in a strongly basic medium, with a pH of at least 12. This device is constituted by the separator.

A method of making a photolithography mask for use in creating an electrical fuse on a semiconductor structure comprises initially determining a pattern for a desired electrical fuse, with the pattern including a fuse portion of substantially constant width except for a localized narrowed region of the fuse portion at which the electrical fuse is designed to blow. The method then includes providing a photolithography mask substrate and creating on the photolithography mask substrate a fuse mask element adapted to absorb transmission of an energy beam. The fuse mask element has a first mask portion of substantially constant width corresponding to the desired electrical fuse pattern portion of substantially constant width, and a second mask portion corresponding to the localized narrowed region of the fuse portion. The second mask portion comprises either an additional mask element spaced from the first mask portion, a narrowed width portion, or a gap in the first mask portion. The second mask portion is of a configuration sufficient to create a latent image of the electrical fuse pattern, including the localized narrowed region of the fuse portion at which the electrical fuse is designed to blow, upon passing the energy beam through the photolithography mask and onto a resist layer. Preferably, the fuse portion of substantially constant width on the determined fuse pattern has a design width less than about 0.25 &mgr;m, and wherein the localized narrowed region of the fuse portion has a design width less than the design width of the fuse portion.

The present invention relates to reverse transcription of RNA, and in particular to reverse transcription by thermostable DNA polymerases. Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and Bacillus stearothermophilus possess reverse transcriptase activity in the presence of magnesium or manganese ions. Methods, compositions, and kits for reverse transcription and RT-PCR are also provided.

A gene construct comprising a biotin gene having the sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 3, organisms which comprise this gene construct, the use of these sequences or of the gene construct for preparing biotin, and a process for preparing biotin are described.

To provide a semiconductor memory device in which no separation of a silicide layer formed on a control gate takes place and a process for manufacturing the same. A gate dielectric layer and floating gate (4 in FIG. 4) are formed on a silicon substrate. A sidewall made of polysilicon (7 in FIG. 4) is disposed on the lateral side of the floating gate in such a manner that a stop oxide layer (6a in FIG. 4) which functions as an etching stop for the polysilicon is sandwiched between the floating gate and the sidewall. A control gate (8 in FIG. 4) is laminated on the upper side of the floating gate having a step which is sloped by the sidewall in such a manner that an ONO layer (5 in FIG. 4) is sandwiched between the floating gate and the control gate.

The present disclosure pertains to the discovery that TiN films having a thickness of greater than about 400 å and, particularly greater than 1000 å, and a resistivity of less than about 175 &mgr;&OHgr;cm, can be produced by a CVD technique in which a series of TiN layers are deposited to form a desired TiN film thickness. Each layer is deposited employing a CVD deposition/treatment step. During a treatment step, residual halogen (typically chlorine) was removed from the CVD deposited film. Specifically, a TiN film having a thickness of greater than about 400 å was prepared by a multi deposition/treatment step process where individual TiN layers having a thickness of less than 400 å were produced in series to provide a finished TiN layer having a combined desired thickness. Each individual TiN layer was CVD deposited and then treated by exposing the TiN surface to ammonia in an annealing step carried out in an ammonia ambient. The TiN film formed in this manner not only had a resistivity of less than about 175 &mgr;&OHgr;cm, but was substantially free of micro cracks as well, including films having a thickness greater than 1,000 å.

In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming an insulative plug within a substrate, comprising: a) forming a masking layer over the substrate, the masking layer having an opening extending therethrough to expose a portion of the underlying substrate; b) etching the exposed portion of the underlying substrate to form an opening extending into the substrate; c) forming an insulative material within the opening in the substrate, the insulative material within the opening forming an insulative plug within the substrate; d) after forming the insulative material within the opening, removing the masking layer; and e) after removing the masking layer, removing a portion of the substrate to lower an upper surface of the substrate relative to the insulative plug.

The principal object of the present invention is organic lens molds, constituted wholly or in part of at least one specific inorganic glass, advantageously strengthened by a chemical tempering or a thermal tempering. Said glass has the following composition, expressed in percentages by weight: SiO2 56-66, Al2O3 2.5-10, B2O3 0.5-7, Li2O 0-3, Na2O 8-15, K2O 3-12, with Li2O+Na2O+K2O 12-20, ZnO 2-12, MgO 0-3, TiO2 0-0.5, ZrO2 1-9, CaO 0-1, BaO 0-2, SrO 0-2, with MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO 0-5, Cl 0-0.5, As2O3+sb2O3 0-1. The invention also deals with novel inorganic glasses which have the above composition with a single exception relative to the Al2O3 content: Al2O3 2.5-4.

An aluminophosphate bound silicoaluminophosphate catalyst contains iron, cobalt and/or nickel is useful in a method of making a product including an olefin from a feedstock containing an oxygenate. The method includes contacting an oxygenate feedstock with the catalyst, which is an aluminophosphate bound silicoaluminophosphate catalyst containing iron, cobalt and/or nickel and which does not contain a significant amount of amorphous binder, in its activated state under conditions effective to produce an olefin product.

Disclosed are compounds which bind VAL-4. Certain of these compounds also inhibit leukocyte adhesion and, in particular, leukocyte adhesion mediated by VLA-4. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in a mammalian patient, e.g., human, such as asthma, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, AIDS dementia, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, tissue transplantation, tumor metastasis and myocardial ischemia. The compounds can also be administered for the treatment of inflammatory brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Lipid-containing compositions are disclosed which provide surfactants and solubilizing agents useful in medicine, biochemistry and other industries.

Compounds that modulate the estrogen receptor (ER) are disclosed, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the same. In a specific embodiment, the compounds are selective modulators for ER-&bgr; over ER-&agr;. Methods are disclosed for modulating ER-&bgr; in cell and/or tissues expressing the same, including cells and/or tissue that preferentially express ER-&bgr;. More generally, methods for treating estrogen-related conditions are also disclosed, including conditions such as is breast cancer, testicular cancer, osteoporosis, endometriosis, cardiovascular disease, hypercholesterolemia, prostatic hypertrophy, prostatic carcinomas, obesity, hot flashes, skin effects, mood swings, memory loss, urinary incontinence, hairloss, cataracts, natural hormonal imbalances, and adverse reproductive effects associated with exposure to environmental chemicals.

The present invention relates to the use of prodrug forms of (−)-(2S,4S)-1-(2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)cytosine to treat psoriasis, genital warts and other hyperproliferative keratinocyte diseases such as hyperkeratosis, ichthyosis, keratoderma or lichen planus.

A pharmaceutical composition for antagonizing adenosine at adenosine A3 receptors which comprises a 1,3-azole compound substituted on the 4- or 5-position, or both, by a pyridyl which may be substituted is provided and can be used as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for asthma, allergosis, inflammation, and so on.

Nucleic acid compositions encoding a pro-apoptotic protein, Bok (Bcl-2-related ovarian killer) are identified. Bok has conserved Bcl-2 homology domains 1, 2 and 3 and a C-terminal transmembrane region present in other Bcl-2 related proteins, but lacks the BH4 domain found only in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. Over-expression of Bok induces apoptosis. Cell killing induced by Bok is suppressed by co-expression with selective anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. Bok is highly expressed in the ovary, testis and uterus, particularly in granulosa cells, the cell type that undergoes apoptosis during follicle atresia. Identification of Bok as a new pro-apoptotic protein with wide tissue distribution and hetero-dimerization properties facilitates elucidation of apoptosis mechanisms in reproductive and other tissues, and provides a means for manipulating apoptosis.

The invention relates to novel substituted cycloalkenes, to a plurality of processes for their preparation, and to novel intermediates and a plurality of processes for their preparation.

Catalytic process for metathesis of olefins in the presence of a catalyst and a stabilizing agent that is injected into the reaction medium. Application in particular to rebalancing between one another the light olefins that are obtained from steam cracking or catalytic cracking (FCC), such as ethylene, propylene, butenes or pentenes.

The promoters of the Capsicum annuum (bell pepper) fibrillin gene has the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO: 1. This promoter is useful for driving expression of foreign genes in transgenic plants.

The submarine cable (10) having on an outer sheath, (11) a marking provided by at least one longitudinal strip (13), which stands out with high contrast from the black color of the outer sheath (11) by a lighter color, in particular yellow, and, as a result, is more easily visible on television pictures.

Connection terminals are provided on the upper surface of a film substrate. Each terminal comprises an electrodeconnecting part and a circular reinforcing part connected to the distal end of the electrode-connecting part. Connection electrodes are provided at a predetermined pitch P on the lower surface of a semiconductor chip. The side length L of the connection electrodes and the pitch P may be reduced to accomplish fine pitching. In this case, the width T of the connection terminal is decreased to some extent, in consideration of the bonding precision. In spite of this, the reinforcing part of each connection terminal hardly peels from the film substrate if it has a diameter that is equal to the length L of the side of the connection electrode.

A lifting/sliding switch, in particular for the pop-up/sliding roof of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (1), a first actuation element (5) for the sliding movement and a second actuation element (8) for effecting the pop-up movement of the roof, whereby the actuation elements (5, 8), automatically return to their home position due to a resetting arrangement and, respectively act on switch contacts (49, 50) by means of a switch member. The second actuation element (8) is an integral part of the first actuation element (5), whereby both actuation elements (5, 8) are supported in the housing (1) and the switch members are configured as rotary switch members (13, 34).

A convertible rotisserie and grill which includes a housing having a first mechanical interface for removably receiving a grill plate and second mechanical interface for removably receiving a spit. The convertible rotisserie and grill also includes a first heating element for heating the grill plate for grill-style cooking and a second heating element for heating an area in close proximity to the spit for rotisserie-style cooking. A probe activates and controls the temperature of one of the heating elements depending upon the desired cooking style.

A light detection circuit employed in an electronic device such as an integrated circuit card is disclosed. The light detection circuit having a constant voltage supply connected to a power supply voltage, a sensing circuit including an element responsive to light and connected to the power supply voltage, a first comparator for determining a current sensing state according to an exposure to light, a latch circuit for storing the output of the first circuit, and a second comparator for generating an output signal which controls the constant voltage supply, the sensing circuit, and the latch circuit. The latch circuit outputs a light detection signal in response to the output of the second comparator.

In an optical apparatus comprising a condensing optics (104) for condensing incident light of linearly polarized light (10), an optical splitting element (701) for splitting reflected light reflected by a light reflection member (105) disposed in close proximity of the focal plane of the condensing optics (104) from the incident light, and an optical detection element (704) for detecting a split light beam (12) split by the optical splitting element, an optical rotatory element (103), capable of optically rotating substantially 90° a polarization axis of the linearly polarized light in a region thereof, corresponding to a portion of an effective light beam (11) of the linearly polarized light, available for the condensing optics (104), and also controlling an optical rotatory power thereof by electric signals, is disposed in the optical path of the incident light of the linearly polarized light (10), Further, a linearly polarized light detection element (703) is disposed in the optical path of the split light beam (12). As a result, a superresolved image can be formed without causing attenuation in light amount, and sidelobes can be removed with ease from the split light beam split from the reflected light, thereby improving a SN ratio of detected signals. In addition, it is also possible to obtain detected light in a condition where an aperture of the condensing optics has been switched over.

A barrier film of a SiON film is formed below an interlayer insulating film which is a single layer film or laminated film of an TEOS film or SOG film covering a floating gate 4 and control gate 6. The SiON film which is good in moisture blocking but poor in coverage is covered with another TEOS film which is better in coverage than the SiON film, thereby improving the barrier property of the barrier film. Such a configuration prevents moisture or H atoms contained in the TEOS film or SOG film from being diffused and trapped by the tunneling oxide film 3, thereby improving the trap-up rate and hence endurance characteristic and extending the operation life of a memory cell.

In a semiconductor integrated circuit, a ground plane conductor 3 is formed in a substrate 9 to oppose to a conducting line 2 formed on the substrate, so as to form a microstrip line. A decoupling capacitor 1 is provided on the substrate 9 and is electrically connected between the conducting line 2 and the ground plane conductor 3 so as to bypass a high frequency current component flowing through the conducting line to the ground plane conductor. Thus, the impedance of the conducting line 2 is stabilized, and a path of a feedback current of a high frequency current component flowing through the conducting line 2 is ensured by the ground plane conductor 3, so that a current loop is minimized, resulting in minimized electromagnetic noises radiated from the current loop.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate (101); a first semiconductor chip (102) mounted on the substrate; and a first insulating layer (105) which is provided on the first semiconductor chip. The device further includes a metal layer (102) which is provided on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer (117) which is provided on the metal layer; and a second semiconductor chip (104) which is provided on the second insulating layer.

In order to sense an object or a person in the interior of a vehicle, laser pulses are output by a laser. Sensing devices are provided for sensing a characteristic variable that is decisive for the transmission energy of the laser. The transmission energy is reduced or the emission of a laser pulse is prevented as a function of the sensed characteristic variable.

An electron gun for emitting an electron beam to a phosphor screen and for scanning one of two scanning regions defined in the phosphor screen is arranged in two necks of a vacuum envelope. A mask body of a shadow mask has two effective areas, in which numerous electron beam passage apertures are bored, defined in association with the scanning regions, and has a boundary portion defined between the effective areas and opposed to the boundary between the scanning regions of the phosphor screen. An adjustment member used to adjust a q value at a plurality of points on the boundary portion is fixed to the inner surface of the boundary portion. After the q value is adjusted, the adjustment member is fixed to the mask frame.

An electron emission device includes: a substrate; a gate electrode that has an opening and is disposed on the substrate; an emitter that is formed in the opening; and an anode electrode that is disposed at a predetermined interval from the emitter. In this device, a convergence electric field by which electrons to be emitted from the emitter is converged toward the anode electrode side is formed, the convergence electric field has equipotential surface whose inclination increases according as it approaches the emitter, and a relationship represented by expression below is satisfied:{t(gk)/t(ak)}·Va Status Category:
Patent Expired Due to NonPayment of Maintenance Fees Under 37 CFR 1.362

An electric device testing apparatus for carrying out a test by pushing a terminal of an IC against a contact portion of a test head, comprising a temperature calculation means for calculating an actual temperature of the IC based on a signal from a temperature sensing element provided on the IC.

A monitor for detecting pass gate leakage in a silicon on insulator device and a method for using the same is described herein. A pulse generator supplies a signal to a set of buffers connected in parallel, which pass on a signal to the source side of a series of NFETs. The plurality of NFETs are ordered by increasing channel widths. The NFETs have grounded gates, and therefore will not pass current due to field effects. Each NFET is connected to a latch, and the latches are originally set to the same state. When the signal supplied to the NFET drops from high to low, pass gate leakage will occur through the channel of each NFET. If pass gate leakage through any given NFET is sufficient, the latch will change states. The latch output signal is sent to a shift register, which can be made to output information. By incorporating the monitor on the chip, pass gate leakage tolerances and specifications can be established in-line during manufacture.

In an electric vehicles sharing system, a number of (electric) vehicles are stored in ports and are used by drivers to achieve assigned objects. Herein, multiple vehicles run together in column in an automatic follow-up manner in such a way that following vehicles which are normally unmanned automatically follow up with a manned preceding vehicle. Each vehicle is equipped with ultrasonic sensors, which are arranged in a front portion and a rear portion respectively. Normally, each vehicle detects a travel direction thereof (i.e., a forward or backward direction) to activate only a sensor which matches with the travel direction. Thus, ultrasonic waves radiated from the ultrasonic sensors do not mutually interfere with each other among the vehicles. If a vehicle detects an obstruction being located within a deceleration decision range by the ultrasonic sensor, it is being decelerated while it also transmits a deceleration instruction to other vehicles by radio communication, so that the other vehicles are being decelerated. Thus, it is possible to keep a constant distance between the vehicles which run together in column. If a failure occurs on a sensor of a following vehicle being arranged in the travel direction, the following vehicle transmits failure information to its ahead vehicle which runs ahead of the following vehicle, so that the ahead vehicle automatically activates a sensor which is arranged in a direction reverse to the travel direction. Thus, it is possible to compensate absence of detection due to the failure.

A vehicle simulator having a projection system for projecting a generated scene and symbology onto a common viewing screen. Tracking apparatus is provided for providing position and/or angular orientation signals representative of the eye of a person viewing the projected scene and symbology. An image generation system is included for generating the scene and symbology for the projection system, such scene and symbology being generated as a function of the position and/or angular orientation signals provided by the tracking apparatus. Such symbology is representative of symbology produced by a head-up display. The image generation system generates the scene and symbology with characteristics which simulate vignetting and/or occulting effect characteristics of the head-up display. The OTW scene and symbology are projected onto a screen and are co-located while the image generator, base or data of the eye position of the user, produces the symbology to simulate the collimation, vignetting and occulting effects of the HUD optical type used in the vehicle that is simulated.

The invention relates to a message display panel comprising a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in matrix form on a display surface. Each emitter element is constituted by a first end face of an oblong body made of transparent material which comprises on its second end face at least one cylindrical housing in which a light emitting source is placed. The housing comprises a bottom 18 having a convex internal surface which concentrates the light flux received towards the first end face. The body is square in section and preferably comprises three housings each receiving an electroluminescent diode.

The present invention is an image processing method for drawing an integrated shaping model which has a plurality of models linked by a hierarchical structure, where at least a first models has a plurality of vertices constituting polygons and at least the position of a first vertex is influenced by positions of a plurality of models and weight values from these models. The data (110) of the integrated shaping model comprises: format data of a common vertex buffer which stores data on the plurality of vertices in the plurality of models for each model; a vertex list which is created for each model which influences the vertices and has vertex data specified by a vertex ID in the common vertex buffer; and a polygon list which is created for each model having the polygon and includes polygon data where the vertex ID is attribute data. The image processing method comprises steps of: generating the common vertex buffer corresponding to the plurality of models in the sequence of tracing of the hierarchical structure according to the format data; generating model matrix data where the positions of the models are set based on the game progress data; generating common vertex data by executing the matrix calculation for generating vertex data after movement according to the model matrix data weight calculation for integrating the weight values from the models to the vertex data after movement, for the vertex data of the vertex list of the models, and by storing or adding this operated vertex data to areas according to the vertex IDs in the common vertex buffer; and rendering the polygon according to the common vertex data.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate having a vertical alignment layer provided thereon; a second substrate having a horizontal alignment layer provided thereon; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a concave-convex structure for regulating an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules and a transparent conductive, layer provided on the concave-convex structure, the concave-convex structure being provided on one of the first substrate and the second substrate with one of the vertical alignment layer and the horizontal alignment layer interposed therebetween. The liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of the horizontal alignment layer are aligned in an axially symmetrical manner when no voltage is provided, and the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer-are aligned substantially vertically relative to the first substrate and the second substrate when a voltage is applied.

An image forming apparatus includes a scanner for reading image information of an original, a memory for storing the image information of a plurality of originals read by the scanner, a printer for forming the image information of at least two of the originals stored in the memory on a single image formation medium, a detector for detecting that the memory becomes full, and a controller. When the detector detects that the memory becomes full while the scanner is performing a series of read operations, the controller controls the printer to print images of the image information of originals which are stored in the memory and images of which are to be formed on a single sheet, erases the image information whose images are printed, and controls the scanner to restart reading of the originals.

A parallax barrier includes a polarization modifying layer having aperture regions, for supplying light of a second polarization when receiving light of a first polarization, separated by barrier regions, for supplying light of a third polarization different from the second polarization when receiving light of the first polarization, and a polarizer selectively operable in a first mode and a second mode. At least one of the aperture regions and the barrier regions alters the polarization of light passing therethrough. The polarizer passes light of the second polarization and blocks light of the third polarization in the first mode and passes light of the third polarization in the second mode.

A hard disk microdrive is equipped with an ergonomic assist mechanism for safe handling of the microdrive while removing it from a system. The mechanism is located on one end of the microdrive, opposite the system connector. In one version, the mechanism is a flat, two-piece design having a slide extending through a slot in a strap. One end of each of the slide and strap is mounted to the microdrive and their other ends are unattached and free to move relative to each other and the microdrive. When the microdrive is to be removed from the system, the user grasps the free end of the slide and lifts it away from the microdrive. As the user continues to pull on the slide, the slot in the strap allows the slide to move to the middle of the microdrive, thereby lifting the strap in the process. The force provided by the user is centralized on the microdrive for a smooth, safe extraction from the system while the connectors disengage. Since the user maintains a grip on the mechanism at all times, the risk of mishandling and dropping the microdrive is minimized. After the microdrive is removed from the system, the mechanism collapses to a flat, stowed position against the microdrive.

Disclosed is a universal retaining mechanism (URM) comprising a pair of holders that may be secured to a mainboard and for holding a CPU module in-between the holders, wherein each holder includes: a base member for securing the holder to the mainboard; a holding member rotatably connected to the base member and having a main wall; at least a latch integrally formed with the holding member and arranged on a side of the main wall for latching the CPU module from front and rear sides of the CPU module; positioning means formed on the main wall for locking to the CPU module; and a flexible rib integrally formed with the holding member on the main wall and for cooperating with the latch to guide the CPU module upon insertion of the CPU module.

Micro-pits or micro-pit strings, which are disabled precise copying by means of illegal copying described above and enable signals different from signals of a normal disc to be detected in case of failure in precise copying, are recorded in a copy protected area of an optical disc beforehand. A read unit checks the copy protected area and determines a loaded disc is legal disc or illegally copied disc. If illegal, reading is prohibitted.

An open back speaker module includes a speaker mounting element having a front face defining at least one sound transducer opening and a rim provided with a first set of electrical contacts, and at least one sound transducer for creating sound waves mounted to the sound transducer opening of the speaker mounting element. The open back speaker module is couplable to a structural element such that the speaker module and the structural element at least partially define a chamber behind the sound transducer. A receptacle or a gasket, couplable to the structural element and adapted to engage or be engaged by the speaker mounting element, may also be provided to help secure the open back speaker module to the structural element. The speaker module, receptacle, and the gasket are preferably flexible such that they may conform to any shaped of structural element. However, the speaker module and/or the receptacle may instead be rigidly formed and pre-shaped to conform to the shape of a specific structural element. Additionally, the front of the speaker mounting element may be provided with a plurality of undulations which increase flexibility and improve the acoustics of the speaker.

The present invention provides a motion vector detection apparatus for performing a hierarchy motion vector detection process, in which an unnecessary second hierarchy motion detection process is cut down and times of error calculation required in the second hierarchy motion detection process are reduced, whereby a motion vector is detected at a high speed and with high precision. This motion vector detection apparatus comprises a comparison decision unit u5a for referring to a motion compensation error corresponding to a detected motion vector of a neighboring block, thereby deciding a case where the coding efficiency is not improved even when the second hierarchy motion detection is performed.

A method of evaluating clearance of fluorescein dye instilled into tear film having a greater sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing a tear film disorder as the cause of a patient's ocular irritation and ocular surface disease than can be achieved using the traditional methods. The inventive method can be performed using a diagnostic kit for evaluating tear fluorescence clearance in which the concentration of tear fluorescein is visually quantified via a color standard.

A fraud detection system within a fuel dispenser includes the ability to measure the amount of fuel dispensed through the fuel dispenser. The measurement is compared to a value independently created representing what the amount of fuel dispensed should approximate. If the values are not comparable, an alarm may be generated to indicate that the fuel dispenser has been modified to perpetrate fraud upon the customers. In particular, a reference used in the comparison is created by referring to an independent measurement of time required to complete the fueling transaction.

A flight control system and method for controlling a circle-to-land (“CTL”) maneuver utilizes an airborne area navigator. The area navigator receives inputs on aircraft category, aircraft position and speed, airport navigation data and pilot supplied data. In response to this data, the area navigator calculates the necessary conditions for executing the CTL maneuver and outputs control commands to a flight director. The pilot then executes the CTL maneuver either manually using the information provided by the area navigator or by using the aircraft autopilot under the direction of the flight director.

An apparatus for controlling an automatic transmission of an automobile and a control method thereof. When a feedback control is executed by the automatic transmission while the speed is being changed, the control operation may often lose stability. This is due to a large deviation between a target value and a practical value at the start of the feedback control operation being caused by a change in the opening degree of the throttle and a change in the oil temperature in the automatic transmission. To solve such a technical problem, the invention employs a control apparatus which detects that the automatic transmission is changing the speed, operates the output shaft torque of the automatic transmission, recognizes a point of inflection of the output shaft torque while the speed is being changed, sets a target output shaft torque of the automatic transmission, and sets an initial target value at a moment of said point of inflection.

A user of an information network is provided with information contained within at least one of plurality of network sites in view of a user search criteria by searching a database that is populated with a plurality of other search criteria provided by other network users and a plurality of search strategies. Each of the search strategies includes information regarding network sites likely to contain information relevant to the other search criteria. The other search criteria within the database are linked with the search strategies. At least one search strategy is selected from the database based upon the user's search criteria. The search strategy is executed and the results are provided to the user in one embodiment, users can employ software agents to assist in searching, collecting, and reporting on data in accordance with the user's specified criteria.

A process for reducing required data throughput when transmitting object or process oriented data between user areas communicating within time conditions, uses a data transmission device having at least one communication module to which at least one external unit is assigned. A sending communication module extrapolates the data to be sent and sends the data to a receiving communication module when a comparison value formed of the respective current data and the extrapolated data at least reaches a desired quantity. The receiving communication module extrapolates received data and provides it for use by an external unit until current data are received.

A system and method for generation, graphical composition, and delivery (or routing for delivery) of conventional forms of written correspondence. Specifically, the conventional form of written correspondence (i.e., business letter) is generated from a text Internet email message. More specifically, a sender can initiate correspondence in a variety of formats, to multiple recipients or to group(s) of recipients, wherein there is security provided against unauthorized generation of correspondence by assumed SMTP email identities, thereby preventing “forgery” of a correspondence from the sender.

In an information processing apparatus involving a cache accessed by INDEX and TAG addresses, accesses to the main memory include many accesses attributable to the local character of referencing and write-back accesses attributable to the replacement of cache contents. Accordingly, high speed accessing requires efficient assignment of the two kinds of accesses to banks of the DRAM. In assigning request addresses from the CPU to different banks of the DRAM, bank addresses of the DRAM and generated by operation of the INDEX field and the TAG field so that local accesses whose INDEX varies and accesses at the time of writing back of which INDEX remains the same but TAG differs can be assigned to different banks. High speed accessing is made possible because accesses to the main memory can be assigned to separate banks. Furthermore, as reading and writing at the time of writing back can be assigned to a separate bank, pseudo dual-port accessing is made possible with only one port, resulting in higher speed write-back accessing.

A computer system utilizing a processing system capable of efficiently comparing register identifiers to detect data hazards between instructions of a computer program is used to execute the computer program. The processing system utilizes at least one pipeline, a first decoder, a second decoder, and comparison logic. The pipeline receives and simultaneously processes instructions of a computer program. The first and second decoders are coupled to the pipeline and decode register identifiers associated with instructions being processed by the pipeline. The comparison logic is interfaced with the first and second decoders and respectively compares the decoded register identifiers produced by the first and second decoders to other decoded register identifiers.

A method is provided for reliably receiving digital information from a transmitting device. The information to be received is arranged in discrete subunits (201, 202, 203, 204, 301, 302, 303, 304) so that a predetermined number of subunits correspond to a superunit (200, 300). It is encoded with a certain error detection code (402), corresponding to a certain error detection decoding method, and additionally with a certain error correction code (403), corresponding to a certain error correction decoding method. According to the invention a superunit is error correction decoded (405), and during the error correction decoding (405), the decoding reliability of each subunit of the superunit to be decoded is separately estimated. The error correction decoded superunit is error detection decoded (406), and during the error detection decoding it is detected, whether or not there were errors in the superunit to be decoded. Partial corrective action (407, 408, 409, 450, 451) is arranged for on the decoded superunit on the basis of the estimated reliabilities of the subunits.

Methods and apparatus for performing surface modeling of a substrate for the purpose of characterizing the substrate, which includes initially dividing said substrate surface into a plurality of local partitions and thereafter forming divisions from said plurality of local partitions. The technique includes positioning a first component at a first location on said substrate surface, thereby creating additional divisions within one of said plurality of local partitions. The method further includes promoting said one of said plurality of local partitions to a global partition and forming local partitions within said one of said plurality of local partitions if a number of divisions within said one of said plurality of local partitions exceeds a predefined value.

A system is disclosed including a reconfigurable logic circuit having programmable logic, a first memory, and a second memory. The first memory stores a number of logic designs each operable to configure the programmable logic. Also included is a computer coupled to the reconfigurable logic circuit that concurrently executes one or more application programs and an interface program. The application programs generate a number of requests to utilize the reconfigurable logic circuit and the interface program responds to the requests by opening a number of coexisting program interfaces. These interfaces each correspond to an instance of one of the logic designs stored in the first memory. The reconfigurable logic circuit is responsive to the interface program to provide a number of interface buffers in the second memory that each belong to a corresponding one of the interfaces and are each operable to store data passing between the computer and the reconfigurable logic circuit.

The present invention relates to an electrical terminal implementation device that fabricates individual terminals, positions the terminals at their point of use, and connects the terminals to the subject components. The present device may also include apparatus for attaching the terminals to a component, testing the connection between the terminal and the component, coating the terminals with flux, shaping the terminals, and burnishing the component. More specifically, the present invention includes a terminal feeder by which integrated terminals are fed into the device. The integrated terminals are directed from the feeder toward a punch by a selector assembly. Before an individual terminal is cut from the integrated terminals by the punch, a loader assembly grips the individual terminal. Once separated from the integrated terminals, the individual terminal is moved by the loader assembly to the positioner assembly. The positioner assembly moves the individual terminal to the position where it is to be connected to the subject component. The device also includes an accessory assembly which includes a tool for burnishing the subject component, a camera for visually inspecting the component, and a tester for testing the mechanical and electrical connection between the terminal and the component.

A method of producing layered metal components is described which obviates the need for layering the terminals twice. The method includes the steps of providing a strip of base material, layering the base material with layering material, and cutting individual pieces from the strip such that the layering material is wiped across the surface of the base material which would otherwise be exposed by the separation.

The disposable straight razor comprises: an elongate body; a triple razor blade assembly mounted in the body; the body being molded about the triple razor blade assembly; the triple razor blade assembly extending outwardly from the body a distance of from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 4 mm; and a cover for the body and the triple razor blade assembly which extends over the body and completely over the triple razor blade assembly.

The disposable straight razor comprises: an elongate body; a double razor blade assembly mounted in the body; the body being molded about the double razor blade assembly; the double razor blade assembly extending outwardly from the body a distance of from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 4 mm; and a cover for the body and the double razor blade assembly which extends over the body and completely over the double razor blade assembly.

A stand (8) for supporting an artificial tree of a type having a plurality of optical fibers comprises: a housing (4) having a base (3) and a sidewall defining one or more windows (6), a screen (9) in each window (6), an internal light source (54), a decorative image-bearing material (38) or shape arranged between the light source and the screen, and a tree trunk supporting sleeve (20).

A system and method of panelized construction for use in construction of a building module, such as a residential housing addition. A plurality of pre-fabricated panels, such as wall panels, roof panels, floor panels, and ceiling panels may be provided to decrease on-site building time. The panels may comprise one or more covering layers pre-installed on a frame. The panels may also comprise pre-installed insulation or other core materials. The panels may further comprise a pre-installed portion of a house system, such as an electrical system. Additionally, the panels may comprise pre-installed windows, doors, or skylights. The panels may be designed to meet the residential building code requirements of one or more jurisdictions to decrease permitting time and inspection delays. The panels and other materials may be included in a building kit for a building module to be constructed by contractors or do-it-yourselfers.

A door or window unit adapted for use in a sliding or window assembly wherein said door or window unit includes an infill panel or panels (4) housed in a surrounding frame (3) characterised in that said panel is fined substantially flush to a face surface of said frame.

A hybrid truss and a system of fabricating a building using a hybrid truss is provided. The hybrid truss is designed to span large widths without center support. Each hybrid truss is typically made with two symmetrical truss members that join at the peak. Each member is made with an upper cord and a lower cord having cross bracing between the two cords. A peak end member is attached to the ends of the cords to join the two truss members at the peak to form the hybrid truss. Attached at the lower end of each truss member is a sleeve. The sleeve is rigidly attached to at least the lower cords and cross bracing. The sleeve redirects outward forces into the top of a post in a downward force and a slight rotational force. The sleeve is designed to slide over the top of a post or column to attach and properly position the truss on the top of the posts or columns. Vertical adjustment to level the hybrid truss is provided by vertical movement of the sleeve on the post. Once all the posts are placed, and cut to a generally level height, the hybrid trusses are lifted and placed on the posts with the sleeve fitting over the top of the posts. The sleeve, after being vertically adjusted, is secured to the the post with bolts, screws, nails or other fasteners. Backing 2×4 or 2×6's are attached across the top cord and to the outside of the posts. Roofing material and wall material are attached to the backing to enclose the building. The hybrid truss with the sleeve and this method allows a building to be constructed very rapidly and inexpensively. Site preparation is minimized, in that the land does not have to be leveled. There is no need for a concrete floor, foundation or footing. A building having a large width or span with high overhead clearance can be constructed in a very short time using the hybrid truss and the system of fabricating a building with the hybrid truss.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for fabrication of textiles. The method includes the step of passing a yarn or product along a path through a device. The method also includes applying a rotation force to the yarn or product with at least one jet of liquid directed by the device.

A method is provided for equalizing fluid pressure in a primary fluid flow region, comprised of providing a modulating fluid flow region adjacent to the primary flow region and separating the two regions with a perforated wall. By controlling the fluid pressure in the modulating fluid flow region, and permitting fluid to flow between the perforated wall, the fluid pressure in the primary fluid flow region is equalized. The perforations may be formed either in at least one ring about the perimeter of the plenum or at least one row along the longitudinal direction of the plenum. Furthermore, at least one of the perforations may be canted in either the longitudinal or radial directions. This method is important in equalizing the air pressure in a turbine engine air inlet and thereby avoiding aerodynamic distortions in said inlet. Additionally, an apparatus is provided for equalizing the pressure in a primary fluid flow region.

This description refers to a device for analyzing the most important environmentally relevant substances, such as CO, HC and NO, that are present in vehicle exhaust emissions. It is based on the principle of IR gas absorption. This involves producing measuring signals and a reference signal in a measured optical length (stainless steel tube), with the aid of an infrared source and detector. The production of a ratio then gives a reading and a warning signal is produced whenever a certain limit value is exceeded. The OBM system is made up of modular components, such as a sampling device, exhaust gas processing unit, analyzing device and evaluation unit, which are built into the vehicle. The fluctuating conditions present in the vehicle are compensated for by robust construction and correction of temperature drift by means of production of the first derivation and readjustment of signal strength using an electronically regulated amplification control. Further correction possibilities are: calibration of the zero line using ambient air via a switchover system, and the establishment of a tolerance limit around the noise signals in the detector. The measuring system should in future be installed in all motor vehicles as an extension to using OBD (on board diagnosis) systems. Modification kits are available for older vehicles.

An integrated circuit combines micro-machined elements, piezoelectric elements and signal processing components as part of a compensated oscillating gyroscopic sensor for angular motion detection. An oscillating mass is supported on a number of flexible beams micro-machined into an integrated circuit device, such as a silicon CMOS device. Several Piezo-electric elements, deposited on the beams, are provided to excite the mass and to measure the accelerations. Integrated in the device are electronic circuitry that initiates and maintains the oscillation and electronic circuitry that detects and measures the subsequent motion. Additional circuitry is also provided to eliminate the effects of quadrature oscillation and to determine the Coriolis acceleration and thus the magnitude of the external perturbing velocity.

A method of removing waste material from an annular, elastomeric article 10. The method includes the steps of: securing at least a portion of the annular, elastomeric article 10; securing at least a portion of the waste material; penetrating the waste material with a cutting tool 52; and guiding the cutting tool 52 through the waste material. The method is characterized by the step of stretching the waste material prior to guiding the cutting tool 52. In the preferred method, the waste material is stretched a distance sufficient to simultaneously apply some degree of tension to the unsecured portions of the waste material.

A paper cassette is provided with a first guide groove and a second guide groove. In these guide grooves, first and second cutter blades are respectively arranged. The first cutter blade is separated from a guide face of the first guide groove by a length L1. A recording paper is moved along the first guide groove under a condition that an edge of the recording paper abuts on the guide face. In this way, a right margin of the recording paper having a width L1 is cut off by the first cutter blade. Similarly, a left margin of the recording paper is cut off by the first cutter blade. Top and bottom margins of the recording paper are cut off with the second cutter blade by moving the recording paper along the second guide groove.

A method of making-ready and feeding printing forms to a form cylinder of a printing machine, wherein at least one printing form is provided in a rolled-up state in a container and is unrolled so as to be fed to the form cylinder, which comprises replaceably positioning the container on the frame of a printing unit; gripping the printing form, that is formed as a printing plate, at a leading edge thereof by a clamping device of a form cylinder, that is formed as a plate cylinder; and rotating the cylinder so as to apply the printing plate to the plate cylinder; and a device for performing the method.

In detail, the system includes at least one first pulley mounted on the first structural member and at least one-second pulley mounted on the second structural member. A cable is attached by one end to the first structural member and wound about the first and second pulleys and is attached by its second end to the second structural member. Preferably there are two or more first and second pulleys with the cable alternately wound between said first and second pulleys with one end of cable attached to the first structural member and the opposite end attached to the second structural member. Thus the cable holds the first and second structural members together. A system to sever the cable is included, which upon actuation will sever the cable allowing the two structural members to separate.

Disclosed is a device for marking the path along the ground of a rolling wheel, comprising: a container having a perimeter, and a single opening along the perimeter for dispensing a marking substance contained within the container, and a sliding gate covering the opening, the gate slidable from a closed position in which it fully covers the opening, to open positions wherein progressively more of the opening is exposed, to adjust the delivery of the marking substance through the opening. The device is mounted to the outside of the wheel so that it rotates with the wheel, the container thereby dispensing the marking substance by gravity when the container opening is rotated by the wheel rotation to a position in which the substance can fall from the container.

The portable animal shelter includes a platform having an upper surface on which the animal can sit or lie, and at least one receptacle on or in the upper surface adapted for receiving a heat transfer medium adapted for cooling or warming the animal. In another aspect of the invention, the portable animal shelter includes the platform, and a canopy positionable over at least a portion of the upper surface defining an at least partially enclosed space for receiving the animal.

An internal combustion engine (1), especially for a motor vehicle, is described which is provided with an injection valve (13) with which the fuel, which is to be injected for a combustion, can be injected directly into a combustion chamber (4) during an intake phase and during a compression phase. A control apparatus is provided for open-loop control and/or closed-loop control of the fuel mass injected into the combustion chamber (4). A regeneration gas can be supplied by the control apparatus to the combustion chamber (4) during the intake phase.

A machine tool for working stones and agglomerates of inert materials having a support for the abrasive or, respectively, cutting material to contact the stone during working and a connecting part for connecting the tool to the machine which generates and transmits to the tool the movement that the tool performs during working; the support and the connecting part are fastened to each other, in a detachable manner, by way of removable locking elements. Between the support and the connecting part a layer is interposed, made of a material which is suitable to damp the mechanical vibrations of the machine, reducing their transmission from the connecting part to the support, and suitable to damp the vibrations that occur in the support during working, and reducing further their transmission from the support to the connecting part.

A lantern system capable of being selectively utilized as a source of light for illumination purposes and as a source of heat for cooking purposes, includes a lower assembly including a base constituting a closed container for the receipt of fuel. An upper assembly includes a chimney. A handle assembly includes a rigid U-shaped wire with small loops at its ends. A fluid delivery assembly includes a linear pipe secured with regard to the lower assembly and upper assembly with an inverted U-shaped tube secured with respect thereto and has an input end operatively associated with a mantle support within the chimney supporting a mantle to support combustion therein for illumination and heating. A dome assembly has an annular vertical wall with two notches positionable to straddle the bolts when used for illumination. A cooking assembly has legs extending downwardly with notches positionable to straddle the bolts.

A tracheal stoma valve with a valve housing (2) has a pivotable valve flap (3), which is pivotable upon inhalation with an air stream of predeterminable strength into a position sealing off the open lumen (4) of the valve housing (2), and upon exhalation with an air stream of predeterminable strength is pivotable into a position at least partially clearing the open lumen (4) again. Moreover, a bypass valve (5) is provided, through which breathing air can be inhaled when the valve flap (3) is located in the closed position. The two mentioned switching points of the valve flap (3), between the sealing position and the position at least partially clearing the open lumen (4) of the valve housing (2), are pre-adjustable.

The symptoms of congenital heart failure are addressed in this surgical procedure for mounting a patch in the ventricle of the heart to reduce ventricular volume. Placement of the patch is facilitated by palpating a beating heart to identify akinetic, although normal appearing, tissue. The patch has an oval configuration facilitating return of the heart to a normal apical shape which enhances muscle fiber efficiency and a normal writhing pumping action. The patch includes a semi-rigid ring, and a circumferential rim to address bleeding. Patch placement is further enhanced by creating a Fontan neck and use of pledged sutures. Intraoperative vascularization and valve replacement is easily accommodated. Increased injection fraction, reduced muscle stress, improved myocardial protection, and ease of accurate patch placement are all achieved with this procedure.

To pack a group of cigarettes in a rigid packet, a collar, a respective inner sheet of wrapping material and a respective group of cigarettes are fed successively into a same conveying seat in which the collar and the inner sheet are at least partly folded together about the group of cigarettes as of respective flat initial configurations.

A hair clip includes a pair of semi-annular band portions and a living hinge that extends between, and is integrally formed with proximal ends of the band portions to thereby join the band portions together for pivotal movement between open and closed positions. A locking depression is formed at the distal end of one band portion and a locking projection formed at the distal end of the other band portion. The locking projection and depression are mutually engageable in a snap-fit arrangement to thereby secure the band portions together in the closed position.

The safety support device of this invention includes a frame having a mounting section with a forward end and a rear end. A pair of forward legs are attached to the forward end of the mounting section and a pair of rear legs are attached to the rear end of the mounting section. Each leg has a distal end to which is attached a roller assembly. Each roller assembly includes a roller member mounted so that with the weight of the user bearing down on the assembly the roller member is prevented from moving. In a second embodiment used to assist injured or elderly person stand erect, the legs are long and arm support members engage the arm pits of the user when the user is being supported by the device.

A tread 2 for a pneumatic tire 1 has a central portion defining two circumferentially extending center ribs 22, 23 having an axial width RW, and RN2 ranging from 5% to 25% of the tread width TW. The centermost circumferentially extending groove 8 has on both sides a tapered groove wall edges which form with a plane parallel to the equational plane acute angles &agr;1 and &agr;2 ranging between 1 and 10°. The tread height near both edges of the centermost groove extend radially above the average tread height a maximum extra tread height of between 0.3 mm and 1.7 mm. The extra tread height diminishes progressively from the groove edges P0 P1 toward the respective shoulder 3,4 a distance not exceeding 10% of the treadwidth.

The present invention provides a device for breaking up a paved surface which attaches to a host transport, such as a skid steer or backhoe, having a hydraulic power supply and preferably comprises a closed hydraulic system which includes a regenerative and concentric type double hydraulic cylinder arrangement adjustably supported within a vertical frame. The cylinder is operably attached to a weight such that when fluid is pumped into a first chamber, a piston drives a rod, thereby lifting a weight while at the same time, the piston forces hydraulic fluid from a second chamber to the host. The piston separates the first chamber from the second chamber within the cylinder. Upon reaching a prescribed height, a valve is opened, allowing fluid to flow from the first chamber into the second chamber, thereby allowing the weight to drop rapidly under the influence of gravity. The inventive device for breaking a paved surface includes an adjustment system for adjusting the vertical position of the cylinder within the frame and a system for preventing operation of the device unless it is properly positioned above the surface for breaking.

An extension cord reel assembly having a housing which has a spool portion and a mounting portion is provided. A spool member having at least one flange member that is continuously welded to a surface upon which the extension cord is to be stored is positioned within the spool portion of the housing. The mounting portion of the housing of the reel assembly is positioned adjacent an outer perimeter of the spool member and is adapted to attach to a suspension member from which the reel assembly can be suspended above the ground.

A system for dry separation of powders into at least two fractions including a powder to be separated and a separator including a hollow body rotating about an axis and defining a cavity having a powder engaging surface, the surface of the cavity being a surface of revolution which rotates about the axis, an upper edge of the cavity having a greater diameter than a lower edge, a system controlling the rotation of the body, at least one feeder continuously feeding dry powder into a feeding zone adjacent to the cavity surface near the lower edge, the length of the feeding zone being at least an order of magnitude less than a circumference of the cavity surface of the lower edge, at least one discharge device continuously discharging the powder from the cavity surface, the at least one discharge device including a body arranged along substantially the entire length of the generatrix of the cavity surface and located immediately in front of the feeding zone aligned with the rotation of the cavity surface, a first hopper for collecting a powder fraction consisting of powder particles passing over the upper edge of the cavity surface, and a second hopper for collecting a powder fraction remaining on the cavity surface until the discharge device discharges the remaining powder fraction from the rotating cavity surface into the second hopper.

An adapter for rotatably connecting a sprinkler head to a water-transporting standpipe having a cylindrical upper end. The adapter includes three parts: a cup-like base adapted to rest on the upper end of the standpipe in sealed fashion, a male stem adapted to rotatably and scalingly seat in the cup-like base, and an oversleeve adapted to fit over the stem and the base and to be locked to the upper end of the standpipe by threaded connection such that a portion of the male stem protrudes from the oversleeve to be secured to the sprinkler head for rotation therewith. The adapter is sealed at several points internally to positively prevent water leaks, and is easily disassembled for replacement, repair, or cleaning, by hand or with simple hand tools, since no permanent connection is required between the adapter, the standpipe, and the sprinkler head.

A wire reeler enables the auto collection of communication wire, and has a wire collector, an elastic element, and a switch inside a shell body. The wire collector has one end of the communication wire wound on the rotation axle, while another end is wound on the axial column of the wire collector, which axial column is pivotally connected with the switch. The bottom end of the wire collector is engaged with the elastic element. The communication wire will be collected in order without twisting, and the users can take it out easily by pulling or reel it back in automatically.

A scrubs returns cabinet for hospital workers to return surgical garment tops and bottoms. A cabinet housing has a door, drawer or similar port through which the customer places the soiled scrub suit after entering customer identification information. There are first and second belts in the housing that unwind from respective back and front reels or drums, and wind over a series of rollers or idlers onto a lower collecting drum. The scrubs fall onto one of the belts, and then are captured between the belts. The scrubs are compressed onto the collecting drum. The direction of travel of the belts is reversed to expel the soiled scrubs from the cabinet. These can be discharged directly into a laundry bin, so that the laundry attendant does not have to reach into the cabinet to retrieve the scrubs. The cabinet can be configured for the return of towels or other articles, or for dispensing such articles.

A mounting device for attaching an object to a surface comprising: a base, the base having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the first face secured to the object to be attached; a hinge including two portions, a first portion of the hinge fixedly connected to the second face of the base and a second portion pivotally connected to the first portion; at least one spike for penetrating the surface, the spike fixedly connected to the second portion of the hinge and for pivoting with the second portion of the hinge from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position the spike lies substantially parallel to the second face of the base and wherein in the second position the spike forms an angle not greater than 90° with the second face of the base; and a detent attached to the base for locking the spike and the second portion of the hinge in the second position.

A measuring head holder for securing a measuring head to an object to be measured, comprising a receiving portion for definedly securing a measuring head thereto, and at least one securing element for fixing said receiving portion to said object to be measured.

There is provided a switchable liquid-filled vibration isolating mount that damps each of shaking vibration and idling vibration by opening and closing an orifice, and that maintain a stable and reliable operation for a long period. First and second fixtures are joined together by a vibration isolating base body to form an inner space defined thereby. This inner space is partitioned by a partitioner and first and second diaphragms to form main and sub-liquid chambers that are communicating with each other via inner and outer orifices. A space between the first and second diaphragms is an equilibrium chamber. A space between the second diaphragm and second fixture is a switching chamber into which either of an atmospheric pressure and a reduced pressure is selectively introduced. The inner orifice is an opening of the partitioner. The first diaphragm has in its central portion a valve body that has a projection always inserted in the inner orifice all the time the orifice is opened or occluded.

A method and apparatus for feeding a currency note into a currency processing machine. This note feeder includes a transporter for transporting notes from a note stack onto a processing belt inside the currency processing machine. The note feeder also includes a mediating transporter that takes the note from the transporter and feeds the note onto the processing belt. The note feeder also includes sensors for determining when the note has left a first feeding area and entered a second feeding area and a sensor that determines when the note has entered onto the processing belt. Based on information received from the sensors, the transporter starts and stops thus providing uniform spacing between notes.

A webbing guide for a vehicle safety comprises a guide surface in the form of a generally cylindrical bar (6) which has a continuous outer surface over which seat belt webbing passes in use following an upside-down U-shaped path. The surface comprises a top portion and two side portions (8) on either side of the top portion, and the top portion and at least one of the side portions are shaped so as to present a countered surface to the seat belt webbing. Preferably, the central area (7) of the top portion is raised, and the central area (9) of one or both side portions (8), is recessed, but the opposite contour arrangement could be provided with the central area of the top portion recessed and the central area of one or both side portions raised.

Improved variable-pitch pick and place devices may include one or more improvements such as a mechanical linkage such as pantograph linkage, the linkage itself linked to a plurality of device-gripping mechanisms arranged in a row so as to keep uniform, though variable, spacing between the device-gripping mechanisms, with the number of such mechanisms being increased relative to the number of parts in the linkage for reduced tolerance stack-up and improved positioning accuracy. The horizontal position of the linkage may be fixed at a position not at an end thereof, and desirably within the middle third or at the middle thereof. The linkage may be controlled at three points. These points may include a vertically flexible but horizontally fixed link to a supporting structure at the middle of the pantograph, a link at one end of the pantograph to one side of an endless loop of timing belt, and a link at the other end of the pantograph to the other side of the endless loop of timing belt. The links to the timing belt at the ends of the pantograph may be made via two end-most device-gripping mechanisms. The position of the timing belt may be controlled by a servomotor with a position encoder, the servomotor controlled by a controller such as a computer. The device-gripping mechanisms may include a vacuum tip grounded and supplied with vacuum by an electrically-conductive vacuum tube.

A technique of forming a bar of a bar code on print media by a printing device having a plurality of colorants. Each one of the individual bars has a leading edge and a trailing edge that help to define a central region of the bar. The relative locations of the leading edge and trailing edge are determined and a first colorant, usually black, is deposited at the leading edge. A composite of the first colorant, and the other printhead colorants, are deposited in the central region while the first colorant is deposited at the trailing edge. A bar of a bar code produced by this technique has a clearly defined leading and trailing edge for bar code readers to measure while the central region of the bar includes a composite of colorants.

The present invention is an apparatus and method for presenting highly personal thoughts, sentiments, and engrams of a person in the form of a gift to a loved one. Feelings of an occasion or season are combined with a personal message through a representative embodiment of the season, for example, a Christmas ornament, having audio recording and image display devices therein. A simple photo transparency, such as a color slide, or other image storage device projects the donor's image onto a screen, either formed in a case of a predetermined theme, or onto a wall, thus allowing the donor to simply and easily incorporate his or her own image, and voice, in a personalized way.

An improved rotary cutting tool overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of known constructions through the use of least one primary flute defining a low-angle cutting surface, and at least one secondary flute defining a high-angle cutting surface. The primary and secondary flutes intersect to form a compound cutting surface having a continuous cutting edge including a leading cutting edge formed along at least a portion of the low-angle cutting surface, and a trailing cutting edge formed along at least a portion of the high-angle cutting surface. The invention may further include a cooling channel and at least one aperture exiting out of the main body portion to provide a cooling fluid to one of more of the cutting edges. In a different embodiment, the leading cutting edge begins from a leading point and the trailing edge terminates in a trailing point, and one or both of the leading and trailing points are eased to reduce scoring. Optionally, the region of intersection between the primary and secondary flutes may be truncated or radiused, and one or more additional flutes may be used to provide the truncation or radius. According to yet a further configuration, a volume of material may be removed distally with respect to one or more of the leading edges to reduce the clearance angle associated therewith and improve chip removal.

A machining cell and process for deburring root edges of a turbine blade. The machining cell defines a work area enclosing a robot to pick up and transport a blade package between working stations within the cell. A supply conveyor transports the part to an orienter station inside the cell where the part is checked for type and proper orientation prior to being picked up by the robot and moved to a deburring station. The robot manipulates the package into engagement with an active cutting tool to remove material from the root edges. The robot then transports the package to a brushing station located within the cell. The robot moves the package so that edges of the root are subjected to the abrasive action of a rotating brush wheel. The finished part is then transported by the robot to a discharge conveyor which feeds the finished part outside of the cell.

Chamfering C1 is performed along the edge of a notch groove by the center 01 of a grindstone 5. Change to grindstone center 02 is performed to perform chamfering C2 along the edge of the notch groove. Similarly, chamfering C3, C4 and C5 are formed. A grindstone having a large diameter can be employed. Only control of the diameter of the grindstone is required to maintain the shape. Satisfactory surface roughness can be realized. It is possible to improve surface roughness of a notch groove of a wafer and realize high efficiency.

A press die for forming a contact of an electrical connector by blanking a metal sheet is disclosed. The die has a die insert for shaving an engaging section of the contact for electrically engaging with a conductive portion of a device mating with the electrical connector so that an electrical connection between the connector and the device is created. A profile of the die insert for the shaving operation is subject to a final finishing process by an ultrasonic machining using a machining agent consisted of diamond particles dispersed in liquid, wherein the diamond particles have a grit size of 8000#. The profile of the die insert has a surface roughness of 0.08 Ra.

An improved pitching machine is provided. The invented pitching machine may be capable of consecutively throwing balls that each have a different predetermined trajectory, rotational velocity, and velocity, without resetting the machine. The machine may be capable of simulating a pitch sequence, as thrown by a pitcher in a game situation, which may effectively train batters. The machine includes a pair of rotating belts that are vertically spaced and extend parallel to each other and generally horizontally. Once a ball is seized between the belts, the ball is rapidly conveyed by the belts and thrown in a predetermined direction and at a selected velocity. The velocity of the belts may be independently adjusted for imparting a predetermined rotational velocity on balls conveyed by the belts, for throwing balls of different predetermined trajectories. A control system is provided for selecting a pitch type for each ball thrown by the machine. The control system is used to select the velocity of each belt and horizontal and vertical inclination of the belts to enable the machine to throw balls of selected pitch types. The control system can be activated between each ball thrown, so that each consecutive ball thrown may have a different pitch type.

A geared motor 101 comprising a reduction gear unit 102 of oscillating internal meshing planetary gear structure type and a motor unit 103 coupled to each other, the reduction gear unit 102 having a first shaft 111 and a second shaft 112 located on its center axis L, external gears 115a and 115b being fitted on the outer periphery of the first shaft so as to be capable of oscillating rotations, an internal gear 120 with which the external gears mesh internally being provided concentrically with the first shaft, the second shaft being coupled to the external gears via means 117 for extracting the rotational components of the external gears. A simple planetary roller mechanism 202 for transmitting rotational power by means of the friction between rollers is interposed between the reduction gear unit and the motor unit to reduce the vibration and noise levels greatly.

An intra-urethral device that can be used to inhibit leakage of urine due to incontinence is provided. The intra-urethral device can include a urethral plug made from a biocompatible, flexible material, and can be formed into an oblong shape so as to better correspond to the contours of the female urinary tract. In some instances, the intra-urethral device can also include an insertion element that can facilitate self-insertion and the ability of a fluid seal to form between the urethral plug and the walls of the urethra. Furthermore, in some instances, various mechanisms can be provided to keep the intra-urethral device substantially sterile throughout the insertion process.

An orthopedic method for dynamically enhancing proper posture utilizes an elastic base garment and halter strap system. The base garment is generally collarless and sleeveless, as a stocking-like tube interconnecting a pair of shoulder pads and a waist band, which have hook-fastener securing areas. Correspondingly, the elastic halters have hook-fastener tag ends. The halter's hook fasteners are secured to the base garment's hook-fastener securing areas such that one halter supplies tension between an origin on the right shoulder pad and a termination on the waist band approximately on the left side, as the other halter supplies tension between an origin on the left shoulder pad and another termination on the waist band approximately on the right side, by courses stretching diagonally across the garment's back. Thus the halters provide diagonally-crossing filaments of tension across the patient's back in order to oppose slouching and thereby enhance proper erect posture.

A multi-zone, multifinctional graft with two or more zones that have different chemical and biological characteristics is provided. The vascular conduit that has of an inner zone that is permanently non-thrombogenic and anti-proliferative, and one or more outer zones that allow for beneficial tissue in-growth and sealing of the graft to prevent leakage. The small diameter vascular conduits of the present invention containing these different zones may be fabricated from woven or knitted Dacron, extruded porous PTFE, from polyurethane polymer, or other similar materials, and the structure of these conduits so modified as to provide these different zones. One embodiment contains an inner non-thrombogenic layer and an outer thrombogenic layer, optionally containing a growth agent. A second embodiment contains a third intermediate layer having a growth agent impregnated therein.

A process and an apparatus for producing metals from a metalliferous feed material are disclosed. The process includes the steps of partially reducing and at least partially melting a metalliferous feed material in a pre-reduction/melting means and completely reducing the partially reduced feed material in a reduction means. The pre-reduction/melting means is positioned directly above the reduction means and communicates with the reduction means so that at least partially molten, partially reduced feed material flows downwardly into a central region of the reduction means. The reduction means includes a vessel that contains a molten bath having a metal layer and a slag layer on the metal layer. The process includes injecting oxygen-containing gas into the reduction means and post-combusting reaction gas generated in the molten bath and injecting oxygen-containing gas into the pre-reduction/melting means and post-combusting reaction gas discharged from the reduction means. The process further includes injecting solid carbonaceous material and a carrier gas into a metal rich region of the molten bath and causing upward movement of splashes, droplets and streams of molten material which forms a transition zone.

A separator for separating entrained particles from a fluid flow incorporates a cyclone chamber having an outer wall and a cyclonic flow region; a fluid inlet for introducing a cyclonic fluid flow to the cyclonic flow region; a fluid outlet for removing the fluid flow from the cyclone chamber; a particle separation member positioned in the cyclone chamber beneath at least a portion of the cyclonic flow region, the particle separation member having an upper surface and plurality of apertures; and a particle receiving chamber disposed beneath the particle separation member for receiving particles passing into the particle receiving chamber through the apertures. In operation, a fluid is introduced to flow cyclonically in a chamber having a cyclonic flow region and a particle separation member positioned in the cyclone chamber to define a particle receiving chamber. The back pressure in the chamber is adjusted to promote the formation of a laminar boundary layer adjacent the particle separation member. Particles from the fluid flow in the cyclone chamber are then removed via passages provided in the particle separation member, and the fluid flow is removed from the chamber.

A method is provided for stripping a polymer film from a floor surface, comprising the steps of:(a) applying a concentrated alkaline stripper solution including an alkaline agent and a solvent, to the polymer film;(b) allowing this concentrated alkaline solution to chemically act on the polymer film during a contact time of at least 5 seconds;(c) scrubbing the polymer film with a scrubbing device while diluting the concentrated alkaline solution with water, so as to obtain a sludge;(d) vacuum cleaning the floor surface by suction of the sludge,whereby this method is carried out using one floor treating machine. This method is an integrated floor stripping procedure which is considerably more effective than known stripping methods of the prior art.

Nitride layer formation includes a method where a material is electrodeposited on a substrate and converted, at least in part, to a layer comprising nitrogen and the electrodeposited material. The electrodepositing may occur substantially selective on a conductive portion of the substrate. Also, the converting may comprise exposing the electrodeposited material to a nitrogen-comprising plasma. Chromium nitride and chromium oxynitride are examples of nitrogen-comprising materials. Copper or gold wiring of an integrated circuit are examples of a substrate. The chromium may be converted to a chromium-nitride-comprising diffusion barrier using a nitrogen-comprising plasma.

The invention relates to methods of fabricating absorbent articles. In a method of the invention, a bodyside liner, an absorbent core, and an outer cover are joined to form an absorbent article web sausage. Leg cut-outs are cut on opposing sides of the web sausage, and a waist opening is cut in a central region of the web sausage. Adhesive is applied to one of (i) a waist piece material and (ii) the web sausage about the waist opening; and also to one of (iii) extensible leg cuff material and (iv) the web sausage adjacent the leg cut-outs. A waist piece is severed from waist piece material, and is placed. over the waist opening and secured to the web sausage. Leg cuffs are severed from the leg cuff material, and are placed over the leg cutouts and secured to the web sausage. The waist piece and leg cut-outs are preferably stretched to a dimension representing about 5% to about 95% of stretch-to-stop dimensions when bonded to the web sausage.

A method and system for securing a small spherical shaped semiconductor substrate for processing operations, such as lithography, is disclosed. The substrate is secured by attaching it to a member and applying an adhering substance, such as photo resist, to the substrate and a portion of the member. The application may be by electroplating or other means. The electroplated substance securely attaches the substrate to the member so that one or more processing operations may be performed on the substrate. After processing, the substrate can be removed from the member.

An improved method of bonding a layer of material to a substrate is provided in which a laser beam is used to generate heat in a local area on the composite. The heat from the laser beam activates an adhesive to bond the layer to the substrate. Alternatively, the heat from the laser beam locally melts either or both of the substrate and the layer to create the bond. When the bond is created along a closed path, the heat from the laser may also cause the layer to puff away from the substrate. The invention can be used for a variety of purposes such as creating decorative features on greeting cards to give them a novel look and feel.

An improved hood enclosure for isolating wood pulp washing equipment from the ambient environment. The hood has a pair of end members, a pair of skirts along each side to connect to the end member together, and an upper spine also connected at each end to the end members. A pair of clamshell style doors are mounted to the spine along longitudinal hinge lines and are opened vertically. A plurality of access doors are positioned within the skirts, and a plurality of spray or shower pipes penetrate the hood through an end panel to deliver wash liquid to the internal wash drums positioned within the wash vat. Several sealing methods are incorporated to provide sealable access for the access doors, the clamshell doors, and access to the interior of the washing vat for the shower pipes. The clamshell doors abut a peripheral neoprene sealing gasket and are held against the gasket by their own weight. The access doors abut and enclose a raised comb on the hood skirt and an elastomeric closure strap biases the access door against a neoprene gasket positioned along the contact area of the door against the raised comb, thereby sealing the door when closed. At the penetration point of the hood, the washer spray pipes are seated in a saddle flange on one side and a series of half portals correspondingly positioned with saddle flange portals on the other side.

An electropolishing apparatus for polishing a metal layer formed on a wafer (31) includes an electrolyte (34), a polishing receptacle (100), a wafer chuck (29), a fluid inlet (5, 7, 9), and at least one cathode (1, 2, 3). The wafer chuck (29) holds and positions the wafer (31) within the polishing receptacle (100). The electrolyte (34) is delivered through the fluid inlet (5, 7, 9) into the polishing receptacle (100). The cathode (1, 2, 3) then applies an electropolishing current to the electrolyte to electropolish the wafer (31). In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, discrete portions of the wafer (31) can be electropolished to enhance the uniformity of the electropolished wafer.

An apparatus and method for treatment of waste water effluent includes a main conduit connected to a source of waste water, and a removable filter positioned within the main conduit, the filter having a light weight particulate material for filtration of the effluent. A drain field for filtration treatment of waste water effluent includes a source of waste water effluent, a main conduit in fluid connection with the source of waste water, and at least one in-line filter positioned within the main conduit, the filter having a light weight particulate material. The drain field may include at least one extension conduit connected in fluid communication with the main conduit and extending substantially upwardly therefrom, the extension conduit having a removable cap and a sensor to thereby generate a signal when water in the extension conduit reaches a predetermined level.

A submersible fuel filter device (1) of suctional type is connectable to the end of a fuel inlet hose (2) in a fuel tank and comprises a filter (3) consisting of porous plastic with a surrounding outer wall (10) with an upper border (11), a lid (4) provided with an outlet opening (24) that covers the filter (3) and is connected to the outer wall's upper border. The filter is embodied like a cup-shaped body and has a through flow thickness, or material thickness, which is considerably smaller than the other dimensions of the body, and its porosity is less than 10 &mgr;m. The inlet suction hose (2) is connected to said outlet suction opening (24).

A cyclonic ice separator (72) is provided for removing ice from low temperature aviation fuels. The temperature of the fuel is lowered beneath the freezing point of water, such that significant amounts of dissolved water leaves solution and becomes free water, and the free water freezes and becomes filterable. The fuel is then passed through the cyclonic separator (72), which spins the fuel in an intense cyclonic spiral path 121 to create centrifugal forces which separate the ice from the fuel. Heating elements (110, 128) are provided within the cyclonic separator (72) to prevent blockage of ice and water discharge ports (118, 78). A mixture of fuel, ice and water is passed from the cyclonic separator (72) and into a reclamation unit (80), in which gravity separates a reclaimed portion of the fuel from the ice and water. The fuel is then passed through conventional aircraft filtration equipment (130).

A thin-film metal resistor (44) suitable for a multilayer printed circuit board (12), and a method for its fabrication. The resistor (44) generally has a multilayer construction, with the individual layers (34, 38) of the resistor (44) being self-aligned with each other so that a negative mutual inductance is produced that very nearly cancels out the self-inductance of each resistor layer (34, 38). As a result, the resistor (44) has a very low net parasitic inductance. In addition, the multilayer construction of the resistor (44) reduces the area of the circuit board (12) required to accommodate the resistor (44), and as a result reduces the problem of parasitic interactions with other circuit elements on other layers of the circuit board (12).

The invention involves the demulsification and liquefaction of hydrocarbon based sludges. A demulsifier and a liquefaction agent and methods of using the same are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the demulsifier contains a salt of DDBSA, polypropylene glycol, and citrene. In a preferred embodiment, the liquefaction agent contains a glycol ether and sodium silicate. In another preferred embodiment, the liquefaction agent contains a glycol ether and citrene. In preferred practice, the sludge is treated with the liquefaction agent, circulated, treated with the demulsifier, and circulated further. An object of the invention is to provide a hydrocarbon based sludge that is sufficiently liquefied to be pumped and which is sufficiently demulsified to allow the waters, oils, and solids in the sludge to separate.

A process for preparing low density detergent agglomerates having a density in a range from about 300 g/l to about 550 g/l is provided. The process involves the steps of: (a) agglomerating a detergent surfactant paste or precursor thereof and dry starting detergent material in a first high speed mixer to obtain agglomerates; (b) mixing the agglomerates in a second high speed mixer to obtain built-up agglomerates; and (c) feeding the built-up agglomerates into a fluid bed dryer in which a binder is sprayed via a nozzle having a height of from about 25 cm to about 60 cm from the distributor plate of the fluid bed dryer such that the built-up agglomerate are dried and agglomerated to form the desired low detergent agglomerates.

The invention seeks to provide an improved method for producing umbrella-type insulators comprising a core which is configured as a full body or a hollow cavity and umbrellas connected thereto, whereby problem-free de-moulding of said umbrella-type elements is guaranteed despite the fact that a vacuum is formed. This is achieved by fact that the mould (5) is used with at least one valve (8) which is arranged laterally and which extends as far as the surface (4.2) of the umbrella elements or sleeve (4). Immediately after the beginning or during axial movement of the mould (5) away from the umbrella-type element (3) with a sleeve (4), a gas medium is automatically introduced into the cavity (9) which is formed between the core (2) and umbrella-type element (3) with a sleeve (4) and the mould (5) or the valve (S) opens under the effect of traction or pressure and the gaseous medium is thus introduced into the hollow cavity (9).

To form a candle blank, a volume of hot liquid candle wax is injected into a generally cylindrical chamber having a length and a diameter. The hot liquid candle wax is then cooled and the length of the generally cylindrical chamber is reduced as the wax cools, so that the volume of the chamber remains substantially that of the volume of the shrinking wax. By operating in this manner, there is no room for a void to form. An apparatus to carry out the process comprises a block, a piston, a gate, a means to inject the wax, and a means to move the piston so that it follows the shrinkage of the wax as it solidifies. The block defines a generally cylindrical mold chamber for the candle blank. The mold chamber has a generally vertically positioned longitudinal axis, an upper end, and a lower end. The piston is positioned in the chamber to slide from the upper end to the lower end of the chamber. The gate is positioned at a lower end of the chamber. The gate is pivotally mounted to the block so as to move from a first position which seals the lower end of the chamber to a second position in which the gate does not impede the ejection of the candle blank from the chamber.

An interconnectable fumigant element connectable with like elements to form a segmented fumigant. The fumigant element has a burnable, elongated body holding a volatilizable active. The body has a first connector at one end and a second connector at a location remote from the first connector, the shapes of the first and second connectors being such that a user can use them to connect two such bodies. A second body so connected to a first body is automatically ignited as the first body bums down to its first connector. Two or more such bodies can be connected to form a segmented fumigant. A method of controlling insects by using such fumigant elements is also disclosed, as well as a kit including such fumigant elements for forming burnable and segmented fumigants. The connected fumigants can be stacked in a vertical manner or disposed horizontally.

Composition of matter useful as an active mass of positive electrodes for a lead acid storage cell has an X-ray diffraction pattern substantially as shown in the. Figure. The matter is formed from lead-cadmium deposits using a methanesulfonic acid electrolyte system and pulse current.

The invention provides a composition whitening teeth, using a bleaching compound and a catalytic activator, where the catalytic activator catalyzes the reaction of a significant portion of the bleaching compound within in a short period of time. A method for whitening teeth by providing a bleaching compound, providing a catalytic agent, and combining the bleaching agent with the catalytic agent so that a reaction of a significant portion of the bleaching agent occurs in a short period of time is also disclosed. A device for whitening teeth, consisting of a toothbrush where at least one of the bristles contains a catalytic activator is also provided. The handle of this device has a reservoir for a bleaching compound and a means for dispensing the bleaching compound. Another device for whitening teeth, consisting of a toothbrush with a catalytic activator capable of catalyzing the reaction of a bleaching compound applied to the head of the device, is further provided.

Emulsifier-free cosmetic or dermatological preparations, which are finely dispersed systems of the oil-in-water type, comprising1. an oil phase,2. an aqueous phase and3. one or more types of micronized, inorganic pigments whicha) have an average particle size of less than 200 nm, and whose particlesb) have both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties, i.e. have an amphiphilic character, and thus position themselves at the water/oil interface, and whichc) are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, whichd) are optionally coated on the surfaceand also optionally comprising further cosmetic or pharmaceutical auxiliaries, additives and/or active ingredients.

Cosmetic skin compositions containing a dextran or maltodextrin and a weak carboxylic acid. Dextran enhances the anti-aging activity of the weak acids and reduces skin irritation that is sometimes caused by the weak acid active.

A skin health enhancing soft wet wipe or wipe-type product, such as a baby wipe, an adult wipe, hand wipe, a face wipe, a cosmetic wipe, a household wipe, an industrial wipe, a personal cleansing wipe, cotton balls, cotton tipped swabs, and the like, can be made by combining the wipe or wipe-type product with an oil-in-water emulsion composition comprising a natural fat or oil, sterol or sterol derivative, humectant, emulsifying surfactant, and water.

Hair treatment compositions are provided which have conditioning benefits and which contain a fatty acid polyester of a polyol selected from cyclic polyols, sugar derivatives and mixtures thereof, in which at least 50% by weight of the total fatty acid moieties of the polyester are C20 or higher unsaturated fatty acid moieties. Specific examples of suitable fatty acid polyesters are sucrose trierucate, sucrose pentaerucate, sucrose tetraerucate, sucrose trirapeate, sucrose tetrarapeate, and sucrose pentarapeate, and mixtures thereof. The compositions are typically in the form of shampoos or conditioners and give surprisingly improved overall conditioning, in particular hair softness.

An irrigation hose splice and method of making the same that permits used irrigation hose to be reinstalled and retrieved in the same manner as new irrigation hose. The method of splicing includes providing two segments of unjoined irrigation hose. Inserting a heat shield into a first segment to prevent its inner circumferential surface from fusing together when the first hose segment is later fused with a second hose segment. Inserting the first hose segment into the second hose segment, creating an area where the two segments overlap. Appyling heat and compression simultaneously at the overlapping area to fuse together the first and second hose segments, creating an irrigation hose splice which is composed of material from the first hose segment and the second hose segment that have been fused together.

Brush filaments having an outer surface which, distal from the filaments' free ends, exhibits sudden directional changes which in use can effect a cleaning action additional to that due to the free ends of the filaments is disclosed.

A metal-plated aromatic polyimide film composed of an aromatic polyimide resin film, a surface layer of which contains a dispersed palladium metal or a palladium compound, and a metal layer which is chemically plated on the surface layer of the polyimide resin film. The surface layer is preferably formed by placing a palladium compound on a self-supporting aromatic polyimide precursor film and heating the self-supporting film having the palladium compound on its surface layer to a temperature at which the polyimide precursor is converted into its corresponding aromatic polyimide.

The object of the present invention is to provide a closed battery capable of rapidly releasing the internal pressure thereof and at the same time disconnecting the current to effectively prevent a rise in temperature and explosion so that it may assure the safety and reliability of the battery, when, the internal pressure is elevated due to short circuit, overcharge, reverse charge, or the like in such a completely closed battery.A closed battery of the present invention is provided with a closing member serving as a valve chip, which is composed of a metal substrate 1 in which a valve element 5 is provided and defined by a break line 3, and a metal foil 2 adhered to the inner surface of the metal substrate 1. When the internal pressure of the battery is elevated, the valve element 5 is raised up from the metal substrate from the bending fulcrum portion 4 so as to permit a opening valve 7 to be formed, so that the metal foil 2 is allowed to burst accurately at a prescribed pressure, especially at a low pressure, so as to discharge the internal gas of the battery. Also, with a lead wire 6 attached to the metal foil 2, the burst can break the current so that the battery is prevented from exploding.

Even when an ambient temperature of a battery housed in a battery pack is detrimentally low, the battery is capable of performing its normal discharge operation, and thereby preventing the available period of time of an electronic device powered by the battery from decreasing due to such detrimentally low ambient temperature. In the battery pack: a positive plate and a negative plate are in a side portion of the battery; a heating element receives therein the battery, wherein the battery has both the positive plate and the negative plate electrically connected with a control circuit board, the control circuit board being electrically connected with the heating element through a pair of lead wires, wherein these components are assembled into an assembly which is inserted into a lower casing in a condition in which the control circuit board is projected outward from the heating element, so that the control circuit board is mounted on a board support base provided with a plurality of terminal output ports; and, an upper casing is mounted on both the assembly and the lower casing 8 to cover them from above.

In electrochemical cells for medical devices having anodes assemblies, an anode assembly includes a folded lithium element having a first and second section. The first and second sections are for receiving a current collector therebetween. A method of forming an anode arrangement includes a step of folding a lithium element having the first and second sections with a current collector positioned therebetween. Thereafter, a pressing step is performed.

Conventional batteries have a problem that, in case the battery temperature should rise to or above a temperature at which the separator melts or flows due to an internal short-circuit, etc., a large short-circuit current develops to generate heat at the part where the separator flows. It follows that the battery temperature further increases, which can result in a further increase of the short-circuit current.The invention has been completed to solve the abovementioned problem. It is an object of the invention to provide an electrode which increases its resistivity with temperature, a method of fabricating the electrode, and a battery using the electrode. Specifically, the electrode of the invention contains a resin which is in contact with an active material or a conducting agent and expands in volume with a rise in temperature.

A nickel-hydrogen secondary battery has a positive electrode including a positive electrode mixture which contains a nickel compound as a major component and which is supported on a collector sheet, a negative electrode including a negative electrode mixture which contains a hydrogen absorbing alloy as a major component, a binder and an electrically conductive material and which is supported on a collector sheet, the positive and negative electrodes being stacked up alternately or rolled up with a separator interposed therebetween to form an electrode group, and a battery case containing the electrode group together with an electrolyte, the battery case having an opening closed with a sealing plate which is provided with a positive electrode terminal, wherein the binder contains at least carboxylated styrene-butadiene copolymer latex, the conductive material contains metal flakes or short metal fibers, and an edge portion of the collector sheet of the negative electrode is electrically connected to the battery case via a collector plate welded to the edge portion of the collector sheet.

Conventional batteries have a problem that, in case the battery temperature should rise due to an internal short-circuit, etc., a large short-circuit current develops to generate heat. It follows that the battery temperature further increases, which can result in a further increase of the short-circuit current.The battery of the invention, which has been completed to solve the problem, is a battery in which a positive electrode (1) has an active material containing nickel, at least one of the positive electrode (1) and a negative electrode (2) has an active material layer (6) comprising an active material (8) and an electron conductive material (9) in contact with the active material (8), and an electrolyte layer (3) is interposed between the positive electrode (1) and the negative electrode (2), wherein the electron conductive material (9) contains a conductive filler and a resin so that the electrode is designed to increase its resistivity with a temperature rise.

A method to repair a scattering stencil type mask having a high electron beam scattering property and low electron absorption. In order to correct a defect caused at the time of manufacturing of the mask, which is being used when a reduction projection image is transferred onto a substrate and has a pattern projection portion comprising an electron beam scattering material, a repair membrane is formed in the defective portion of the mask by irradiating a charged particle beam to said defect while a gas including substances having high scattering properties are supplied to the close vicinity of the defective portion.

The molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human retrovirus, designated lymphadenopathy-associated virus, or LAV, is disclosed. LAV was originally isolated from a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). A cloned LAV complementary DNA (cDNA) was used to screen a library of recombinant phages constructed from the genomic DNA of LAV-infected T lymphocytes. The nucleotide sequence of an insert obtained from the recombinant phage clone &lgr;J19 was ascertained through M13 shotgun cloning and the dideoxy chain termination sequencing method. The env coding region was identified and various hydrophilic peptides obtained therefrom. These peptides correspond to amino acids 551-577, 594-603, 621-630, 657-679, and 719-758 of the LAV envelope glycoprotein. These peptides should provide suitable diagnostic reagents for the detection LAV-specific antibodies and for the generation of LAV-specific immunological reagents.

A sterilization monitor includes a substrate and an monitor composition. The monitor composition contains a colorant and a halogen source and undergoes a distinct color change when exposed to a peracid. The sterilization monitor can be used to monitor a sterilization process involving a peracid. A sterilization monitoring device, including a sterilization monitor enclosed in a housing having a vapor permeable barrier, can also be used to monitor a sterilization process.

Paper machine felt for use in a papermaking machine, and especially at the press section, incorporates an adhesive which takes up the draw forces on the seam joint between the stepped surfaces of the ends of the belt when mated together to form a continuous belt.

The present invention relates to cleaning compositions a mannanase and a carbohydrase selected from cellulases, amylases, pectin degrading enzymes and/or xyloglucanases. These compositions provide superior cleaning performance, i.e. superior stain removal, dingy cleaning and whiteness maintenance.

A binuclear DNA-threading transition metal complex with the general formula: (L1)-M1-(D1-B-D2)-M2-(L2) wherein D1-B-D2 is a bridging ligand; D1 is a polycyclic heteroaromatic ligand in which aza nitrogens can form a bidentate or tridentate chelate with Ml; D2 is any bi- or oligodentate ligand co-ordinated to the transition metal M2; B is any appropriately substituted chain of at least two atoms; M1 is a transition metal ion with octahedral co-ordination sphere; M2 is any transition metal ion; L1 comprises a set of 1-3 ancillary ligands that saturate the remaining co-ordination sphere of M1; and L2 comprises a set of 1-4 ancillary ligands that saturate the remaining co-ordination sphere of M2. An example of the complex according to the invention is shown in the FIG. 1. The complex according to the invention is useful for treatment of different diseases, such as cancer and infections.

Pharmaceutical compositions having enhanced antitumor activity or reduced side effects. The compositions include both (A) a known active substance having antitumor effect or a pharmaceutically suitable salt thereof and (B) an effective amount of a hydroximic acid derivative of formula (I) or a therapeutically useful acid addition salt thereof. Also disclosed are methods for reducing side effects in patients requiring treatment for tumors.

The invention concerns the use of a compound of the formula (I) in which Z, X, T, A, R1, R2, p and q have any of the meanings defined herein, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts or in vivo hydrolysable esters, in the treatment of a disease or condition mediated by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Certain of the components of formula (I) are novel and are provided, together with pharmaceutical compositions thereof, as further features of the invention.

A compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in which R1 and R2 are independently H or methyl (for example N,N-dimethyl-1-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl ]-3-methylbutyl amine hydrochloride optionally in the form of its monohydrate) is used for treating metabolic disorders, such as increased non-exercise activity thermogenesis or increased metabolic rate.

Improved aqueous powder coat dispersion, comprising (a) a powder coating dispersed in (b) an aqueous phase, wherein the aqueous phase contains a silica compound selected from the group consisting of (i) 0.2 to 2% by weight, based on the weight of the powder coating, of finely divided silicic acid with large BET-surface; (ii) 0.1 to 1.5% by weight, based on the weight of the powder coating, of layered silicates; and (iii) combinations thereof, exhibit improved sedimentation properties and provide coatings with improved sag characteristics.

A polydisperse propylene polymer characterized by being produced by polymerizing a propylene monomer or a mixed monomer of propylene and other olefin(s) by a multistage polymerization wherein the polymerization conditions are stepwise changed in the presence of a supported metallocene catalyst having a transition metal compound and an aluminoxane or a reaction product thereof supported on a finely particulate support, and an organoaluminum compound as a scavenger, and by having a ratio of a weight-average molecular weight to a number-average molecular weight (Mw/Mn) of 4.0 or higher, a melting point (Tm) of 165° C. or lower and a difference between the melting point (Tm) and a heat distortion temperature (HDT) of 30° C. or less.

Novel pyrimidin-4-one and pyrimidin-4-thione derivatives of formula (I) wherein A is phenyl, thienyl (including all 3 isomers), thiazolyl or pyridyl; X is oxygen or sulfur; R1 is hydrogen, halogen or trimethylsilyl; R2 is hydrogen, halogen or trimethysilyl; and at least one of R1 and R2 is not hydrogen; R3 is C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6haloalkyl, C2-C6alkenyl, C2-C6haloalkenyl, C2-C6alkynyl, C2-C6haloalkynyl, —(CH2)n—C3-C8cycloalkyl which are unsubstitituted or substituted by halogen, C1-C6alkyl or C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy-C1-C6alkyl; C1-C4alkoxy-C2-C6alkenyl; C1-C4alkoxy-C2-C6alkenyl; C1-C4alkythio-C1-C6alkyl; C1-C4alkylthio-C2-C6alkenyl; C1-C4alkythio-C2-C6alkynyl; mono-C1-C4alkylamin-C1-C6alkyl; mono-C1-C4alkylamin-C1-C6alkenyl; mono-C1-C4alkylamin-C2-C6alkynyl; —(CH2)n—C1-C4alkoxy-C3-C6cycloalkyl; —(CH2)n—C1-C4alkylthio-C3-C6cycloalkyl; —(CH2)2-mono-C1-C4alkylamin-C3-C6cycloalkyl; or N═CR9R10; n is 1, 2, 3, or 4; R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are each independently of the other hydrogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl or halogen, wherein at least one of the substituents R4-R8 must be different from hydrogen; and R9 is hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl, pyridyl, furyl, thienyl or phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono to pentasubstituted by halogen, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C6alkoxy or C1-C6haloalkoxy; R10 is hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl, pyridyl, furyl, thienyl or phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono to pentasubstituted by halogen, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C6alkoxy or C1-C6haloalkoxy; and at least one of R9 and R10 is not hydrogen. The novel compounds have plant-protective properties and are suitable for protecting plants against infestation by phytopathogenic microorganisms, in particular fungi.

A process for preparing an enantiomerically-enriched form of threo-ritalinic acid, which comprises resolving a mixture of enantiomers of a salt of the acid, said salt being formed with an achiral acid or base, using a chiral resolving agent. The resolved salt can be esterified, to give the therapeutic agent d-threo-methylphenidate.

This invention relates to a method for producing biphenols by oxidative coupling of dialkylphenols which proceeds in two stages using a copper amine complex which is catalytically effective in each stage.

Halohydrocarbons comprising at least 3 carbon atoms are obtained by reaction between a haloalkane and a haloolefin, in the substantial absence of nitrile, and by introducing the reactants in a molar ratio between the haloalkane and the haloolefin of less than 2. 1,1,1,3,3-Pentachloropropane can thus be obtained in good voluminal yield.

A folded sheet of rigid material to be attached to the back of a round backed stringed instrument so configured that the surface of the support against the performer's body will be parallel to the front surface of the round backed stringed instrument, this support to be attached to the stringed instruments at a plurality of attachment points by means of U-shaped protrusions bearing flexible, knitted attachment surfaces. This device provides the following new capabilities: improved instrument stability, improved instrument positionability. The performer benefits from the standpoint of health by the fact that the device dampens the twisting moment of the instrument when played, thereby reducing the fatigue in the non-strumming hand, permitting player a greater fluency of technique and increased endurance for long performances.

A printed-circuit board of the present invention, comprises a circuit substrate 1; a plurality of patterned wires 3 formed on a surface of said circuit substrate 1; a plurality of lands 2, each land 2 connected to at least one of said patterned wires 3 through an end portion 3a thereof; and a protection layer 6 with a plurality of openings 7, covering the surface of said circuit substrate 1, wherein said land 2 and said end portion 3a connected thereto are exposed in the associated opening 7 of said protection layer 6.

A system and method for transferring information between spatially distinct points by modulating quantum states operatively coupling at least one transmitter and at least one receiver. In the preferred embodiment, fabrication of an elliptical quantum corral resonator on a length scale on the order of the electron wavelength enables the engineering of substantially confined quantum states as desired. A transmitter preferably located at a wavefunction antinode affects a modulation in the quantum states, and a receiver preferably located at a different wavefunction antinode detects the affected modulation in the spatially distributed quantum states. A second exemplary embodiment exploits the orthogonality of quantum wavefunctions to enable multiple channels of information to be transferred simultaneously through the same volume of space without crosstalk. Additional embodiments enable combinational processing of transferred information, which may be in any format, e.g. analog, digital, or any combination thereof.

A vehicle occupant sensing system includes a laser array that generates three beams. A first beam is directed toward an upper body zone, a second beam is directed toward a middle body zone, and a third beam is directed toward a lower body zone. A first sensor assembly receives reflection beams from the upper body zone and generates a first signal that represents a proportional amount of an occupant present in the upper body zone. A second sensor assembly receives reflection beams from the middle body zone and generates a second signal that represents a proportional amount of the occupant present in the middle body zone. A third sensor assembly receives reflection beams from the lower body zone and generates a third signal that represents a proportional amount of the occupant present in the lower body zone. The laser array and the first, second, and third sensor assemblies are all mounted within a common housing that is mounted to a vehicle structure such as an A-pillar or rear view mirror. A central processor receives the first, second, and third signals and combines the signals to generate a control signal representative of the position of the occupant within the vehicle. The control signal is used to control deployment of an airbag based on the position of the occupant within the vehicle.

A stimulable phosphor sheet having one-dimensionally extended partitions comprising stimulating ray-reflecting material and dividing a plane of the phosphor sheet to give plural narrow sections, and a stimulable phosphor placed separately in the narrow sections is favorably employed in a radiation image reproducing method by scanning stimulating rays in a direction of crossing the partitions.

A configurable instrument panel design is provided that integrates component designs so that an instrument panel can be configured for a specific vehicle content as late in the vehicle assembly process as possible. An electrical system and modular instrument cluster are provided that utilizes the same flat flexible cable for every vehicle independent of vehicle content. Instrument cluster modules are provided with universal connector arrangement, where the type and function of a particular module determine which connectors are live. A plurality of different multiplexing links are built-in to the electrical system and wiring arrangement allowing the system to be universal across all possible instrument cluster configurations. This allows the system to accommodate lower option vehicles at a lower cost than conventional technology. Instrument cluster features can be configured at the time of assembly, all without customizing the electrical system and wiring arrangement.

This invention relates to a driving device, especially for hard disk drives, consisting of a stator, a rotor, an axis as well as corresponding bearings. The winding packet constituting the drive is arranged, together with the corresponding laminated core, on a holding sleeve, which projects axially on both sides over the laminated core. Possible production methods relating to this invention are also described.

Using a simple circuit arrangement, a brightness of the lamp is controlled in accordance with an ambient brightness. A light sensor (10) produces an analog signal of which the signal level depends on an ambient brightness. An A/D converting circuit (307) converts the analog signal into a digital signal of which the pulse width depends on the signal level of the analog signal. An FET QA is on/off controlled in accordance with the digital signal (PWM), and hence an average value of current flowing through a head light (L1) is controlled in level. As a result, a brightness of the head light (L1) is controlled in accordance with the ambient brightness.

A power supply according to the principles of the inventions comprises two stages. The first stage is a power factor corrector stage. This stage provides the required line regulation, including greater than 95% power factor correction, and provides a range of outputs from approximately 5 volts to 200 volts with good load regulation at low voltages. The second stage is a soft switching power supply having good load regulation from approximately 40 to approximately 175 volts. An intermediate high voltage of the first stage supplies the input to the second stage, thereby achieving extremely good line regulation and low regulation.

A portable electronic reference point locator facilitates location of a reference point, located on one side of a structure (such as a wall, floor or ceiling), from the opposite side of the structure. The system is particularly useful when installing new electrical wiring or hardware, when installing new plumbing, or when performing other construction related tasks that require the location of one side of a structure to be determined relative to the other side of the structure. The system comprises a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is located at a position that defines the reference point, and includes an oscillator and an antenna that cooperate to generate and transmit an electromagnetic signal. The receiver includes a transducer that senses the electromagnetic signal transmitted by the transmitter, and an indicator that indicates whether the receiver is within a given distance of the transmitter. The locator uses different types of indicators, including audible indicators (such as a headphone set), visual indicators (such as one or more lights or LEDs), and tactile indicators (such as a vibratory indicator).

The present invention provides a capacitive sensor for fitting to the bumper of a vehicle to assist the driver when maneuvering the vehicle. The sensor comprises a guard plate and a sensor plate which are mounted on a vehicle bumper in use. The capacitance between the sensor plate and ground is measured to provide an indication of the proximity of any obstruction near the vehicle.

A method and apparatus for implementing a dual voltage driver circuit having two predrive circuits for driving the supported voltages. The driver circuit automatically senses the operating voltage and selects the appropriate predrive circuitry while isolating the non-selected predrive circuitry from the sensed voltage.

An input buffer for use in an integrated circuit having a VCC voltage supply and a VSS voltage supply. The input buffer includes a p-channel field effect transistor (FET) having a source region coupled to the VCC voltage supply, a drain region coupled to a bias circuit, and a gate electrode coupled to an input terminal. The bias circuit maintains a voltage at the drain region of the p-channel FET which is slightly greater than the VSS supply voltage when a logic high voltage is applied to the input terminal. In an alternate embodiment, the input buffer includes an n-channel FET having a drain region coupled to the VCC voltage supply, a source region coupled to the output terminal and a gate electrode coupled to the input terminal. The bias circuit maintains a voltage at the source of the n-channel FET which is greater than the VSS supply voltage when a logic low voltage is applied to the input terminal.

An explanation is given of a circuit arrangement for generating the control potential for a field-effect transistor from the output voltage (VA) of a filter circuit (20). In order to reduce the noise component thereof, the output terminal (A) of the filter circuit (20) is connected to a capacitive voltage divider (C1, C2), the tap of which carries the control potential. It is possible to control the charge state of the voltage divider (C1, C2) for the purpose of setting a predetermined potential value at the tap (10).

The golf club has a head and a shaft. A three axis linear accelerometer is mounted on the shaft adjacent to the head. The axis of one accelerometer is in parallel alignment with an axis of the shaft. A circuit board is attached to the shaft and the accelerometer. The circuit board includes a calibrator for calibrating at least the accelerometer with an axis parallel to the axis of the shaft. The circuit board also has a wireless transmitter. Data from the accelerometer is transferred to a processor by the transmitter. The measured velocity of the club head is displayed by a display device carried by the golfer.

A method and apparatus to eliminate bias between dense and sparse patterns of photoresist images is presented. By placing an attenuator along the optical axis of a photolithography mask and its projected image, the intensity of radiation passing through a sparse pattern of the photolithography mask is attenuated so that the intensity of the projected sparse pattern falls within the same range as the intensity of radiation that passes the dense pattern of the photolithography mask. In this way, the bias between dense patterns and sparse patterns caused by differing radiation intensities during exposure is eliminated. The attenuator has both a transparent region and an attenuating region. The attenuating region is designed to attenuate only the sparse patterns projected from the photolithography mask. The attenuator is covered by materials that can attenuate the density of passed radiation to make the intensity of both low spatial frequency and high spatial frequency images fall within the same intensity range.

In a test strip for the optical determination of the concentration of a substance in a liquid, especially for blood sugar determination, including a strip-shaped carrier with a reaction field, defined by opaque material on the carrier, containing a reagent carrying medium, which reagent carrying medium upon wetting with the fluid to be investigated changes in regard to its reflectivity or transmissivity, the carrier consists of an optically transparent material onto which a thin-layered carrying medium containing the reagent is applied.

The present invention relates to a hand-held scanner that comprises contact image scanning technology. A waveguide formed in a substrate is comprised of an elongate light pipe. The light pipe includes a reflective layer, preferably having an elliptical shape, deposited on an inside lateral surface. Light sources disposed at each end of the light pipe emit rays of light through the light pipe. The rays of light propagate in the light pipe until striking an area of a reflective surface. The reflective surface directs the ray of light away from the lateral surface and onto the scan line of a document to be scanned. The light of the illuminated scan line is reflected back through the waveguide array, through a slit not covered by the reflective layer, and onto an optical lens array. The optical lens array focuses the light onto an optical sensor array that converts the image into a digital image, to be saved in an internal memory. In a further embodiment, the hand-held scanner includes a mirrored surface, positioned at an angle, that directs the first path of the light of the illuminated scan line through an optical lens array. The optical lens array then focuses the light onto another mirrored surface, also positioned at an angle, which directs the light onto an optical sensor array, which converts the light into a digital image.

A crystal used for non-linear conversion of optical frequencies. Heating in the crystal can cause effects on the angle matching. A number of multiple crystals are used, with the first crystal forming a partial conversion, and subsequent crystals compensating for the heating effect in the first crystals.

The invention is directed to a directionally adjustable telescope arrangement (1) having a first arcuate mirror (3), a second arcuate mirror (9) and a planar deflecting mirror (13). A third arcuate mirror (17) is provided in the imaging beam path of the telescope arrangement (1). The mirror (17) coacts with the first arcuate mirror (3) and the second arcuate mirror (9) to effectively form images.

A hard disk drive has a rotatable disk and an actuator arm that pivots relative to the disk. The arm has a cantilevered mounting support with a suspension extending therefrom. A head gimbal assembly is secured to the suspension for reading/writing data to the disk. The mounting support is a two-piece design with a pair of virtually identical support elements. The distal end of each support element has an aperture with a tab that protrudes into the aperture. The tabs extend in opposite directions. The support elements mount on top of each other in a matching alignment configuration. The proximal ends of the support elements closely receive a pivot assembly to secure them from relative movement. On the distal ends, the apertures of the support elements substantially align such that their tabs precise engage each other in an interference fit. The interlocking tabs and tight fitting pivot assembly combine structurally to give the assembled mounting support enhanced bending, torsional stiffness, and shock resistance.

The present invention is a simple, low cost, and easy-to-operate ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) device equipped with a display circuit for displaying whether the power-input terminals are correctly connected. The device consists of a cover plate and a main body, which includes power-input terminals, plug-in sockets, power-output terminals, a reset button, a simulated earth leakage test button, a current monitoring circuit, and a display circuit. The display circuit is comprised of a commutation diode, a current-limiting resistor, and a variable-color display lamp. Two control legs of the variable-color display lamp are connected with a power-input terminal and a power-output terminal, respectively. One of the control legs and the common leg of the variable-color display lamp are connected in series with a current limiting resistor and commutation diode to form a loop, and are connected in parallel to one side of the power-input terminals.

An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus that records desired information from a plurality of kinds of information having identification information attached thereto, the apparatus having identification information detecting means for detecting the identification information from information supplied thereto; first recording means for sequentially recording supplied information and for recording a table of contents (TOC) of the supplied information including the identification information detected by the identification information detecting means; specifying means for specifying desired information from the TOC recorded by the first recording means; and controlling means for reading the desired information specified by the specifying means from the first recording means.

A laser waveform generation function is provided in a laser driving waveform generator 2 near a laser 3. A recording clock generator 9 is included in the laser driving waveform generator 2 to generate a clock with a frequency higher than that of a synchronizing clock 202. This allows a recording laser current (waveform) to be generated without transmission of a high frequency signal from the modulator 6. Further, because the synchronizing clock 202 is stopped upon a reproduction operation including reproduction operation in an ID unit, undesired effects on a reproduction operation such as ID reproduction can be reduced. Because the response speed of the recording clock generator 9 can be changed, a high precision clock can be generated. Thus, a high-precision recording laser current (waveform) can be generated.

A computed tomography system includes a gantry provided with an examination opening. The computed tomography system is provided with a position measuring system for measuring the position of the gantry. Preferably, an optical position measuring system which includes a camera unit is employed. The camera unit is suspended from a suspension point above the gantry.

The invention is an improved energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer comprising x-ray source (10), sample (12), optics (20) and detector (16). The improvement comprises the use of optics using the principle of total external reflection for delivering an increased flux of x-rays onto the detector. These flux concentrating optics are generally shaped as tubes having a figure of revolution as a longitudinal cross section such as a cone, parabola, hyperbola, ellipsoid and others. These optics may also be used as low energy pass filters by incorporating a stop (22) at or near the aperture of the optic. The reflecting surface of the flux concentrator optic may be selected from the group of metals and their alloys, the choice made to optimize the optic's performance.

An improved telecommunication device for simultaneous and independent communication of analog signals and digital data is disclosed. Processing of analog signals enables functions including, for example, message saver, speakerphone, caller identification and fax. Processing of digital data enables functions, including, for example, DSL modem communications, digital voice communications, video communications, and voice-over-data communications. The disclosed system may operate independently or coupled to one or more computers.

Optical fibers which are disposed in parallel and at each other in a plane, are fixed in this position by pieces of tapes provided with an adhesive on their surfaces facing the fibers, so that the tape pieces are located exactly opposite each other on the two large surfaces of the parallel fiber assembly. The tape pieces can extend exactly up to the lateral edges of the assembly but can advantageously be a little longer, so that adhesives from the opposite tape pieces come in contact with each other at the lateral edges of the assembly. The tape pieces are advantageously cut off from specially designed retainer tapes having openings which are provided in pairs with the openings of each pair placed opposite each other at each of the edges, of the tapes. The assembly is placed so that it extends over the two openings of a pair of openings, crossing or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tapes. Then a cutting-off or more particularly two cuts are made in the tape, using knives, only between the openings of the pair, from one opening to the other one. Then a piece of the tape between the openings is separated which adheres to the assembly and keeps it together. Between the knives a cushion of an elastic material is provided which in a cutting-off movement presses the tapes in a direction towards a counterplate.

An optical quantitative detection device comprising: a nonlinear waveguide sensor having a top cladding layer with a top surface for interacting with a target molecule; a second waveguide; a second cladding layer optically coupling the nonlinear waveguide sensor to the second waveguide. Wherein optical excitation of the sensor and optical excitation of the second waveguide enables quantitative discrimination of a target molecule.

Vehicle thermal testing method and apparatus is based upon the use of a mobile handset. The handset uses spot infra red thermal sensing to identify thermal imbalance between wheels on opposite sides or the same side of a vehicle. Testing identifies thermal levels resulting from braking by mere application of the handset to wheel nuts after a short brake application and without use of roller test beds or other such equipment. Tires can be similarly tested. The handset can generate test instructions. Repetition of an initial test enables the offset for cooling during the test to be verified. A similar technique applies to tires. The handset may communicate with a base station providing for keyboard input of vehicle data and results printout.

A distributed battery control network (14) for a battery string (12) has a plurality of sensing modules (SM) each associated with one of the batteries in the battery string (12). Each of the sensing modules has a respective sequencing input (SI) and a sequencing output (50). Said plurality modules have a sequencing input with a predetermined signature type, storing said address in a particular one of said plurality modules with said sequencing input equal to said signature type, and generating an identifying signature at an output of said particular one of plurality modules with said sequencing input equal to said signature type. A network (22) is coupled to each of the sending modules. A controller (24) is coupled to the bus and communicates with each of the sensing modules. The controller (24) loads each of the sensing modules with an address and a signature type.

An arrangement for sensing the rotational speeds of a wheel or any other rotating member includes a sensor module with a sensor element, a controllable current source with a modulator and a signal conditioning and evaluating circuit. The modulator controls the current source in response to the signals of the sensor element and/or external signals and, as an output signal of the sensor module, delivers a current signal representative of the rotational behavior with status or additional signals superposed on the current signal. The evaluating circuit of the sensor module includes at least two different signal-conditioning networks which, by way of a control network, in dependence on predetermined criteria or conditions, are connected between the sensor element and the modulator controlling the current source and take care of signal conditioning. The shift from one signal-conditioning network to another occurs in response to control signals which the control network derives automatically from the control of one of these networks, or in response to control signals which are sent to the control network by a signal-receiving external circuit outside the sensor module via the same signal line.

Method and weight sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of a seat including a bladder having one or more chambers adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat and one or more transducers for measuring the pressure in a respective chamber. The weight distribution of the occupant in a seat can be measured by using a multi-chambered bladder, measuring the pressure in each chamber and determining the weight distribution of the occupant therefrom. The position of the occupant and center of gravity can also be determined based on the weight distribution.

A method of encoding an audio sequence with synchronized data is provided. An audio sample and a data sample is provided. The audio sample is converted into an audio signal. The data sample is converted into a data signal. The data signal includes a plurality of data segments. Finally, the audio signal is encoded with the data signal to form an audio sequence. The audio sequence includes a plurality of frames. Each frame includes at least one field for receiving at least one data segment of the data signal.

A data output buffer is disclosed that includes an input section receiving a data signal and an output enable signal to output a pull-up signal and a pull-down signal, a drive control section and a plurality of output driving sections. The drive control section activates less than all of the plurality of drive control signals in response to the data signal in a second mode and activates all the drive control signals in normal operations or a first mode. The plurality of output driving sections each receive the pull-up signal, the pull-down signal and one of the drive control signals to perform a pull-up operation or pull-down operation in accordance with the logic value of the data signal when activated.

A computer program product method of circuit design of a multiple input circuit, macro or chip, especially for silicon on insulator (SOI) circuits. For a multiple input circuit, an object list of items corresponding to circuit devices is created. The items model local effects on corresponding circuit elements. The circuit is analyzed using Static or DC analysis to provide initial local effects on circuit devices, including body effects and local heat effects. The initial local effects are passed to the circuit model for transient analysis. The local effects from checked transient results are checked and updated. The transient response is rerun and the local effects are updated until the change in local effects is below an upper limit. For added efficiency, unswitching devices may be eliminated from the iterative analysis and analysis may be limited to the period when switching occurs.

A vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body in which a rotating brush, a dust collecting unit and an electric blower unit are integrally attached to a suction opening casing in which a brush chamber is formed. A rodlike handle is connected to the vacuum cleaner body. The rodlike handle is formed by a hollow member, and a plurality of batteries are arranged in series in the hollow member and are covered with a heat contraction tube.

A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric torque transducer is provided, comprising the steps of (a) forming a prepared area on a surface of a torsion member adapted to be strained by an applied torque; (b) providing a piezoelectric element having an axis of maximum strain sensitivity and disposing first and second electrodes on opposite faces of the element, respectively, and attaching an electrical lead to each electrode; (c) connecting electrical leads to the electrodes; and (d) disposing the element on the prepared area and orienting the axis of maximum strain sensitivity on the member and securing the element to the prepared area with a material selected from a group consisting of (i) adhesive material and (ii) potting material. The step of disposing the piezoelectric element includes configuring the piezoelectric element in a plate-shaped configuration and disposing a resilient annular member on each opposite face of the plate-shaped element and overlaying each of the annular members with a protective cover.

A method for making a suspension system comprising a multiple layer flexure, a load beam and an arm. The load beam extends from the tip of the suspension all the way back to the rear of the arm. Datum holes are located in the load beam such that during assembly all reference points are made from the single load beam piece.

In a method of stripping an insulated electric wire, circumferential cuts are formed in an insulating coating of the electric wire by use of circumferential cutters and then the circumferential cutters are moved in a longitudinal direction of the electric wire to separate cut pieces of the insulating coating from itself. After longitudinal cuts have been formed in the insulating coating by use of longitudinal cutters the insulating coating is removed by an air blow and an upper waste coating is sucked by a vacuum. Longitudinally cut edges of the insulating coating are abutted against shoulders which continue by intersection with inclined outer faces of cutting edges of the longitudinal cutters. A lower waste coating falls by a self weight between a pair of the longitudinal cutters. An ultrasonic horn may be employed to press the insulating coating toward the longitudinal cutters while making ultrasonic vibrations.

A position measuring device having a graduated scale carrier member which is secured to a holder is described. The graduated scale carrier member is secured to the bottom side of the holder, so as to float over a viscous liquid film. The holder, in turn, is elastically supported on a mount. The measuring graduation marking is scanned through the holder, which is preferably made of transparent glass.

A displacement measuring appparatus is small in size and hence capable of avoiding interference with other units and further has its measurement accuracy hardly deteriorated. There are disposed pulleys for movement with respect to the body of the appartus and there is disposed an energizing means such that the pulleys are subjected to the energizing force. A wire is passed around the pulleys. When the wire is subjected to a pulling force, the pulleys are moved against the energizing force of the energizing means.

A child's sandal, having removable and interchangeable soles that may be attached to a permanent upper sole, where the bottom of the removable soles has any desired textured graphical design, such as an animal paw print or the like. A removable ornamental design may be added to an upper portion of the sandal, on top of a wearer's foot, to correspond to the underside of the removable sole. For instance, if the underside of the removable sole includes a design that resembles a bear claw track, then the removable ornamental design may resemble a bear's face and head. Similarly, if the underside of the removable sole resembles the footprint of a rabbit's foot, then the removable ornamental design may resemble a rabbit's face, head, and ears. This arrangement allows a child to choose from any number of available soles and ornamental designs to be attached to a single pair of sandals or flip-flops. The designs on the underside of the removable soles are formed and shaped so that a child walking on a soft surface would leave footprints similar to the sole design. The removable soles may be attached to the underside of the upper sole by using hook and loop fasteners, threaded screw members, snaps, or any other suitable means. Similarly, the ornamental design members may be attached to the upper portion of the sandals by snaps, hook and loop fasteners, or any other suitable means.

A fastening device (F) with first (16) and second sides (30) attaches a first device (10) to a mounting rail (12) of a second device (14). A top section (44) for mounting the first device extends from the first or second sides. The sides are adapted to removably clamp about the rail. A clamping member (46) extends between the first and second sides. An extended end (48) of the clamping member extends through the first side, and an opposing end (50) is coupled with the second side. The clamping member extended portion (48) is movably coupled to a single cam member (56) operably mounted with the first side for drawing the sides closer together into a clamping position (58) to mate the sides with the rail.

A freestanding wall is constructed by erecting at least two upright supports. The upright supports are either posts or columns. Upper and lower horizontal structure members are fastened to the upright supports. Vertical intermediate framing members are secured between the upper horizontal structure member and the lower horizontal structure member. Cladding is attached to at least the front and optionally the back of each vertical intermediate framing member to conceal each vertical intermediate framing member. The upper horizontal structure member is then covered with a cap.

Disclosed herein are a tire-reinforcing steel cord and a pneumatic radial tire using the same. The tire-reinforcing steel cord includes an inner layer consisting of 3 filaments and an outer layer consisting of 7 or 8 filaments and surrounding the inner layer. The inner layer and the outer layer are twisted in such a manner that they have the same twist direction and the same twist pitch length, whereby the number of the twisting steps in the manufacture of the steel cord is reduced, and also the penetration of rubber into the steel cord is improved such that the steel cord has an improved durability upon application to tires.

One aspect of the present invention is directed toward a portable salad bar having a flexible base. Further, one or more inflatable chambers are connected to the base, and the inflatable chambers extend around the base to form a reservoir having a flexible bottom surface defined by the base. The inflatable chambers can then be deflated and the portable salad bar can be folded for facilitating transportation and storage. Another aspect of the present invention is directed toward a portable salad bar having a flexible base with a non-inflatable generally planar surface. One or more inflatable chambers are connected to the base, wherein the inflatable chambers extend upwardly and have an inner wall and an outer wall. Further, the inner wall and the base define a reservoir that has a flexible bottom surface. A drain extends through the inflatable chambers and a filter screen covers the drain. A valve is engaged with the inflatable chambers, and the inflatable chambers can be inflated and deflated by way of the valve. A further aspect of the present invention is directed toward a portable salad bar having a flexible planar surface with a peripheral edge. One or more inflatable chambers extend around the peripheral edge and are secured to the planar surface. The inflatable chambers and the planar surface form a reservoir that has a flexible bottom surface. A drain is connected to the reservoir, and a valve is engaged with the inflatable chambers. Further, the actuation of the valve deflates the inflatable chambers.

An expandable bracelet composed of two layers of links placed on top of each other and cover elements which can be placed on and removed from an associated link of the upper layer of the bracelet by elastic deformation. Clip elements at the ends of each cover element cover the ends of the links at least essentially. The mechanical function portion of the bracelet is covered from the direction of the ends by this arrangement of the cover, and a visually closed appearance of the bracelet is achieved. The application of the cover element also assures a blocking effect on the links of the bracelet when lateral forces appear, so that an unintentional separation of the links is prevented.

A multi-stone round setting for six substantially triangular-shaped gemstones or diamonds, each having three side walls. The multi-stone round setting includes a curved corner prong assembly having six curved prong members; six side rail members connected to the six prong members to form a substantially round-shaped setting; a central support member having six connection points and six support ledges; and six radially extending spoke members connected at their outer ends to the six prong members, respectively, and connected at their inner ends to the six connection points, respectively, to form six seating areas. Each of the six seating areas are used for receiving one of six gemstones. Each of the six triangular-shaped gemstones include three side walls, three corners, and a bottom wall, respectively, and six grooves formed in the six bottom walls, respectively. The six ledges are received within the six grooves of the bottom walls of the six gemstones, respectively, to support the six gemstones in the six seating areas. Each of the six prong members are for engaging two adjacent corners of two adjacent gemstones to keep the six gemstones seated within the six seating areas of the setting.

A system and method of cooling glassware molds by directing liquid coolant to the blank or blow mold halves of a glassware forming machine through an enclosed pivotal rotary union-type structure. A coolant manifold is carried by each pivotal mold arm, and communicates with coolant inlet and outlet ports at the lower end of each mold part. The manifold is connected by a floating shaft seal and a rotary union assembly and a crank arm to a coolant source and coolant return in the section box of the associated machine section. Each pivotal connection—i.e., between the section box and the crank arm, between the crank arm and the rotary union assembly, and between the rotary union assembly and the floating shaft seal—comprises a bi-directional rotary union for feeding liquid coolant to the manifold and mold parts, and returning coolant from the manifold and mold parts. Dynamic floating seals between the coolant manifold and the mold parts, and between the coolant manifold and the rotary union mechanism, accommodate relative motion between these components as the mold parts are opened and closed.

A fluid level detection system includes an illumination source and a photodetector. The illumination source produces a beam at a fixed angle, which the photodetector is adapted to sense as it is reflected from the surface of a fluid. The photodetector varies in accord with the amount of the reflected beam that impinges on it. This amount, in turn, varies with the distance between the surface of the fluid, the illumination source and photodetector. The system can be used, for example, in automated pipetting applications in which it is important to ascertain the position of a pipette tip with respect to fluid contained within a body to provide safe and effective automatic processing of the fluid without the pipette tip contacting the body.

There is described a method of controlling a long-stroke, hydraulic operating cylinder (1), in particular a screw-down cylinder for an edging stand, where the piston (4), to which a load can be applied at both ends, and which can be locked hydraulically along its stroke (s) in various working positions, is abruptly loaded with an external force after it has been locked. To create advantageous method conditions, it is proposed that the piston (4) be locked under a hydraulic pressure chosen in dependence on the respective working position, which hydraulic pressure decreases along the stroke (s) against the direction of action of the external force.

Product is printed in a combined printing process with two ink systems. The printing material is first printed with a solvent-based or radiation-curing ink and then with at least one offset-typical ink. The printing machine for the inline implementation of the novel process is a hybrid press, having a flexo printing unit and a downstream offset printing unit. A UV, electron-beam or air-stream dryer is integrated into the flexo printing unit, or a UV, electron-beam or air-stream drying unit is arranged between the flexo printing unit and the offset printing unit.

The invention provides a triggering mechanism for actuating a trigger signal in response to a pre-determined rate of fluid flow through the mechanism. Triggering mechanism generally includes a sliding piston within an air channel, held in place by a resistance structure. Further provided are aerosol delivery devices having triggering mechanism.

A pneumatic radial tire combination for four-wheeled automobile or light truck vehicles. The tire combination has a pair of front steer position tires and a pair of rear position tires. The front steer position tire has a footprint when the tire is normally inflated for normal load that has a footprint shape factor of greater than 1.00 at a 50% load, and about 1.00 at both 85% load and 100% load, the footprint shape factor being defined as the maximum circumferential extent of the tire's footprint at the centerplane of the tire's footprint width divided by the average of the circumferential extent of the tire's footprint width as measured at 40% of the footprint from both sides of the central plane of the footprint. The rear position tire footprint, when the tire is normally inflated for normal load, has a footprint shape factor of about 1.00 at 50% load, and 1.00 or less than 1.00 at 85% load and 100% load when measured similar to the method described for the front position tires.

A machine for mounting and removing special tires consisting of a floor-mounted turret which supports a unit for coupling and turning wheels provided with the special tires and a device for transversely pushing the beads of the tires, the device being provided with means for adjusting its intervention position.

A pneumatic rotary tool including a housing and an output shaft projecting from the housing for transmitting torque to an object. An air motor drives rotation of the output shaft in the forward and reverse directions. Air passages extend from an air inlet to the motor for delivering pressurized air to the motor. A spring biases the lower portion of a valve within the air passage in a closed position, to restrict the flow of air through the air passage. The upper portion of the valve comprises a stem. When an operator squeezes a trigger on the pneumatic rotary tool, a deflector connected to the trigger deflects the stem to a first angularly deflected position, the valve thereby allows a relatively low rate of air flow to the motor for low-speed operation thereof. As the operator continues to squeeze the trigger, the stem is deflected to a second angularly deflected position, allowing a relatively high rate of air flow to the motor for high-speed operation thereof.

A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface that may be irregular and may include stairs. The vehicle has a support for supporting the payload and a ground contacting element movable with respect to a local axis, where the local axis can be moved with respect to some second axis that has a defined relation with respect to the support. The vehicle also has a motorized drive arrangement for permitting controllable motion of the ground contacting element so as to operate in an operating condition that is unstable with respect to tipping in at least a fore-aft plane when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. The vehicle also has an input device for receiving an indication from an assistant who is not disposed on the vehicle of a direction of desired motion of the vehicle.

A vibration damper with adjustable damping force, having a cylinder in which a piston is guided with a piston rod so as to be axially movable. The piston divides the cylinder into a first and a second work space. At least one damping valve is arranged in a flow connection of one of the two work spaces and is adjustable via an external adjusting device. The damping valve has a sleeve-shaped housing in which a valve body is arranged so as to be movable. The housing of the damping valve is closed at the end by a cover which has, on the outer side, an engagement for the adjusting device which can be mounted separate from the damping valve.

In a motorized conveyor pulley of the type comprising a cylindrical pulley drum with axially opposite end plates enclosing an electric motor and drive transmission, the pair of end plates of the pulley are constructed with an increased axial thickness compared to prior art end plates and are supported on a pair of shaft ends by pairs of bearings and are sealed by a pair of lubricant seals between each pair of bearings. The enlarged end plates and the pairs of bearings resist bending loads exerted on the conveyor pulley by the conveyor belt and thereby reduce loading stresses on the motor and drive transmission contained in the pulley permitting more economical manufacture of the motor and drive transmission.

The caulking cartridge alleviates the afterflow prolem and assures that substantially all of the caulking composition can be driven from the cartridge. The cartridge has a tubular body, a forward dispensing opening at a forward end of the tubular body, and a backwall movably disposed within the tubular body. The backwall has a shape that is complementary to a shape of the forward end of the tubular body. This ensures that the composition is completely purged from the tubular body when the backwall is pushed against the forward end. The backwall may be formed to slide contactlessly within the tubular body, preferably by way of a reduced diameter of the backwall relative the inner diameter of the tubular body, so that it is pushed backwardly when the body retracts radially after actuation.

A wire brake for use with automatic wedge bonding machines which have cutting pliers arranged behind the associated bonding tool and movable along the bonding wire for detaching bonding wire from the open pliers. The wire brake includes guiding members having a plurality of deflectors that can be applied to the bonding wire, the guiding members having two planes from which the bonding wire can be laterally deflected. A central deflector is provided for deflecting the bonding wire from the planes. The central deflector projects between the two planes for guidance of the bonding wire and is displaceable transverse to the longitudinal extension of the bonding wire. Additional guiding members are arranged opposite the planes such that the bonding wire rides between the central deflector and the additional guiding members when the bonding wire is deflected.

The corner connector is used to attach a horizontal shelf above the horizontal cross-bar of a garment rack. The corner connector includes a body with a horizontal passageway formed therethrough and a vertical cylinder with a blind aperture. Arcuate arms terminating in clip portions extend upwardly from the body.

A device for protecting a vehicle occupant includes an airbag, a first sensor which detects the presence of an object or of the vehicle occupant in a danger area into which the airbag unfolds as it inflates, and a second sensor for measuring the unrolled belt length of a belt device which is assigned to a vehicle seat. An evaluator controls the inflation of the airbag as a function of the detection of the object or of the vehicle occupant in the danger area and as a function of the belt length. A method for controlling the inflation of an airbag is also provided.

A latch assembly that comprises a housing, a plug or actuator, and an engagement arm wherein the actuator is rotatably held within the housing and the engagement arm is mounted to the actuator, and wherein the actuator and engagement arm may be assembled in several orientations relative to the housing. Each different assemblage provides for a different range and direction of operation. As a result, the latch of the present invention can operate as a quarter-turn latch or a half-turn-latch. As a quarter-turn latch, the latch may be operated in any one of the four 90° quadrants around the axis of rotation, and it may operate in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. As a half-turn latch, the latch may likewise be operated in either one of the two 180° halves of a full circle around the axis of rotation, and it may operate in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Further, in one configuration assemblage, the engagement arm will operate as a bi-directional quarter-turn latch, rotatable throughout a quarter-turn in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

A vehicle headlamp device 10 can be equipped with a discharge lamp 11, a beam switch device 13 that is used to switch between the high beam and low beam, a light distribution switch device 14 which broadens the horizontal light distribution in the forward direction of the vehicle during cornering, and a lighting device 20 which supplies electric power to the discharge lamp. The light distribution switch device 14 can be controlled such that the horizontal light distribution is broadened in the forward direction when the vehicle speed and steering angle exceed specified values. The lighting device 20 can be controlled such that the electric power supplied to the discharge lamp increases only when the horizontal light distribution is broadened by the light distribution switch device 14.

A method of illuminating a region outside a vehicle, and a system for accomplishing the method, the method consisting of the steps of: receiving a signal from outside of the vehicle; activating, in response to the receiving the signal, at least one lamp within the vehicle; and illuminating, in response to the activating of the at least one lamp, the region outside the vehicle. The illumination is at least 180 degrees around the vehicle and includes projecting light from the at least one lamp within the vehicle to the region outside the vehicle. In variations of this embodiment, the illuminating includes intermittently illuminating the at least one lamp by projecting light in a flashing manner from the at least one lamp within the vehicle to the region outside the vehicle.

An optical fiber terminus body has a helical spring (32) trapped between front and rear shoulders, with the rear shoulder formed by a thin flange (64) that facilitates mounting of the spring on a one-piece body (40). The thin flange has front and rear surfaces that are angled by no more than about 30° from a radial direction, and the base of the flange has an axial length substantially no greater than the radial length of the flange, to facilitate installation of the spring by turning the spring to thread it past the flange.

The diaphragm for an objective lens in a camera includes a circular series of coilable resilient opaque electrodes that are biased to curl into respective coils radially outward to make the size of an aperture larger and are electrostatically actuatable to uncurl from the coils radially inward to make the size of the aperture smaller, a transparent flat stationary electrode that is positioned parallel to the coilable electrodes when the coilable electrodes are uncurled from the coils, a peripheral conductor that encircles the coilable electrodes and has respective conductive connections to each one of the coilable electrodes, and one conductive lead attached to the peripheral conductor and another conductive lead attached to the stationary electrode for together applying an electric potential between the coilable electrodes and the stationary electrode to electrostatically actuate the coilable electrodes to uncurl.

A shuttle valve for use in a pumping apparatus for pumping concrete or the like. The valve uses belleville springs to hold a wear ring against the concrete hopper, thereby creating a seal.

A golf swing training device comprising a golf club having a head, shaft and grip and a piston assembly housing is disposed in the club head. A piston is disposed in the housing and is movable therein in a direction parallel to the shaft of the club. A spring loaded detent acts against the piston to retain it in an upper position in the housing. Air vents in the top and sole of the club head communicate with the interior of the housing to maintain atmospheric pressure within the housing and to prevent any resistance against the piston which would be caused by compressing air in the housing. As the club is swung the speed of the club head generates centrifugal force that, if sufficient, overcomes the retaining force of the detent and allows the piston to move downward in that housing toward the sole of the club. When the piston strikes a floor of the housing an audible click can be heard. An adjuster knob has a threaded shaft that acts against the spring to compress it against the detent ball urging the detent ball into the annular groove of the piston to secure the piston in the up position. The force required to release the piston is adjusted by turning the adjuster knob to increase or decrease the compression on the spring which increases or decreases the force of the detent ball against the piston.

This invention is comprised of an apparatus which provides improved means for perfecting the art of putting of a golf ball by a golfer. It allows for refining a golfer's putting skill by making the starting and ending points of the putting stroke easy to evaluate. The apparatus is a rectangualr frame which is placed on the ground with the head of the putter inside the frame and perpendicular to the long sides of the frame. A golf ball is placed on the ground roughly in the center of the frame. The putter is drawn back a given distance to the edge of an adjustable backstop. At the end of the stroke the putter just contacts a flexible rod whose positoin along the frame can be adjusted. The frame has both fixed and adjustable markings to allow the golfer to judge the beginning of the putting stroke and the follow through.

Provided is a weighted cable resistance apparatus, primarily for rehabilitation and therapy, and equally effective for recreational exercising. A frame with a perpendicularly attached seat form a rigid structure. The structure is supported on leveling screws or lockable casters for transport to bed-confined patients. Dead weights within the frame and the rigid seat structure stabilize the apparatus against overturning during use of the apparatus. At each end of the frame is attached a horizontally pivotable assembly, called a ‘module’. Each module contains weights which are, in turn, connected to a cable and to pulleys controlling the cable path. Vertically pivotable arms are mounted on the front of the is modules. The cables are guided to the end of the arms and past the exit pulleys, whereupon exercise tools can be connected. The twin module design provides simultaneous exercising with any two limbs. Horizontally and vertically selectable exercise tool positioning, and the freely rotating exit pulleys, offer unrestricted range of motion in a nearly hemispherical space. Additional features may be attached to the seat, such as a security stabilizer frame for unsteady users, and a disconnectable seat extension for exercising in a prone or supine position.

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses, which make use of at least one trained and tuned artificial neural network (16) to generate decision regions (32) in the n-dimensional space of n input variables associated with AMI. The set of measured variables (30) is related to the decision regions (32), in order to provide decision support. Preferably, the decision regions (32) are graphically visualized as areas in a two-dimensional diagram. Preferably, the artificial neural network (16) is trained by patient specific parameters. The variables associated with AMI (30) are preferably selected as biochemical markers and/or quantities derived from continuous/intermittent ECG/VCG. The performance of the artificial neural network (16) is preferably optimally tuned to clinical requirements on predictive values of the artificial neural network output in given prevalence situations.

A system and method for monitoring patient variables in a wireless mode via a patient worn monitoring devices. The patient worn monitoring device connects to a variety of bio-sensors with at least one microphone for voice communications. The pertinent worn device connects to a wireless network and thence to the internet for transmitting voice and data to a health care provider. The health care provider communicates with the patient worn device via the internet and the wireless network to send instructions to the patient worn monitoring unit and to communicate via voice with the patent. The health care provider can also flexibly reconfigure the patent worn monitoring device to change collection parameters for the bio-sensors worn by the patient. When an alarm limit is exceeded an detected by the bio-sensors, it is transmitted to the health care provider over the wireless network and thence over the internet thereby allowing full mobility to the patient wearing the device.

A biopsy forceps for an endoscope has a flexible sheath and a control wire axially movably inserted in the sheath. A control part is connected to the proximal end of the sheath. The control wire is advanced or retracted at the control part to open or close a pair of forceps cups pivotally provided at the distal end of the sheath. The sheath is formed from a member that does not twist in at least one direction about an axis thereof. A rotation control member is provided on or near the control part to rotate the sheath about the axis in a direction in which the sheath does not twist.

A method and apparatus used for relieving motion sickness, in which a sensor senses a property of an object and a sensory converter coupled to the sensor converts the sensed motion to related sensory signals for presentation to a user. The sensory signals include, for example, audio signals, display signals, electronic stimulation, mechanical stimulation, white noise, etc. The audio, electrical and mechanical sensory signals have a variation in spectral emphasis related to the sensed motion, such as by varying a bandwidth, a center frequency, and an amplitude of a first range of the sensory signals. The display signals have a variation in a display characteristic and the audio tone signals have a variation in time intervals between successive audio tones. The audio tones may also include audio messages containing words. The sensory signals are used to resolve a conflict between vestibular, ocular, and proprioceptive inputs of the user, thus relieving motion sickness. The apparatus also includes ON/OFF switches configured to turn ON and OFF desired components within the apparatus. Further, the properties sensed by the sensor may be exaggerated.

An absorbent article such as a panty liner for disposal of body fluids discharged thereon includes a body facing side, an undergarment facing side and an absorbent core disposed therebetween, the undergarment facing side including a thermoplastic synthetic fiber layer placed against a bottom surface of the core and having a density lower than that of the core, a synthetic resin layer having a density higher than that of the fiber layer and a first thermoplastic synthetic fiber having a density lower than that of the resin layer, and the synthetic fiber layer being coated with adhesive agent to an undergarment.

The present invention provides an ablation lead for treating atrial flutter wherein the tip of the lead is fixed in the patient's heart by screwing and wherein the electrodes are arranged on the lead so as to overlie the area between the tricuspid annulus and the inferior vena cava. Radiofrequency energy is applied through the electrodes to cause ablation of the tissue. With the tips screwed in position, the lead can then be manipulated so that the RF energy can be applied to the area between the coronary sinus the tricuspid annulus to cause ablation of the tissue in that area also.

A surgical extractor for use in laparascopy. It has a first hollow tube called “slide” and a second hollow tube called “pusher”, which is mounted in a sliding manner over the slide. The slide has a first open end, a second end and a long radial opening close to the second end. A set of flexible rods called “straps” extend in line with the pusher. Each strap has a first end fixed in a rigid manner to the pusher and a second end connected in a rigid manner to the slide close to the second end of the same. Handles are provided for applying a pressure onto the pusher so as to move it over a given stroke distance from a rest position to an opening position closer to the second end of the slide, such causing the straps to fold up and open like petals over the radial opening and thus to allow grasping in a radial direction of an organ to be extracted from the body of the patient. The same handles are also used to bring the pusher back from its opening position to its rest position while forcing, if needs be, the straps to unfold and thus crush the organ grasped by them, such permitting to the organ to pass inside the slide and thus to be extracted from the same through the first open end thereof.

A stitching tool including a needle including an arcuate shank having an arcuate length extending from a needle point at one end thereof to another end, called a suture end, and wherein the needle is toothed along at least a portion of the length.

The present invention is directed to a self-forming prosthetic device. The present invention is further directed to a method of making the self-forming prosthetic device. In addition, the present invention is directed to a new bra for use with a prosthetic device in the form of a breast prosthesis.

A process for producing metal foams comprising mixing one or more metal powders, if desired combined with particulate metallic or nonmetallic, e.g., mineral, additives of varying particle size, with a gas-liberating blowing agent; optionally preheating the mixture in an open or closed mold to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent; subsequently heating the mixture to a temperature above the melting point of the lowest-melting metal in such a way that the temperature rises from the equilibrium decomposition temperature of the blowing agent to the melting point of the metal in a time which is shorter than the time required to reach the equilibrium state in the blowing agent/blowing gas system at this temperature and subsequently cooling the resulting metal foam to a temperature below the melting point of the lowest-melting metal is provided as well as foamed metal bodies obtained using the inventive process.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing materials onto a substrate. In one embodiment, a dispensing system includes a controller, a vacuum source in electrical communication with the controller, the vacuum source applying a vacuum to at least a portion of the substrate in response to an instruction from the controller, an injector in electrical communication with the controller, the injector comprising a valve in communication with a pressure source and a material port in communication with a material source, the valve permitting material from the material source to be dispensed onto a substrate in accordance with an instruction from the controller. In one embodiment, the dispensing system also includes a trap in communication with the vacuum source, where the trap substantially prevents excessive material dispensed by the injector from contacting the vacuum source.

A gas injection system for a chemical vapor deposition device includes a gas providing pipe providing gases into the system, a shower head unit coupled to the gas providing pipe for evenly injecting the gases on a wafer, and a temperature control unit coupled to the shower head unit for controlling a temperature of the shower head unit.

Apparatus for depositing substrates by means of a CSS process comprising a heated receptacle (20) for a supply (70) of material to be deposited and carrier means for holding the substrate (60) with its side to be deposited towards an opening (22) of said receptacle, said receptacle opening (22) being provided with a cover (30) including a plurality of through-holes (32) for the sublimated material, said cover separating said material supply (70) from said substrate (60) and, due to being heated to a temperature higher than that of said receptacle (20), acting as sublimation source for said substrate.

A process for preparing crystalline sugar by providing a solution of a solvent and sugar, exposing the solution to a magnetic field having a strength which is sufficient to impart improvements in the processing of the sugar or the properties of the resulting crystalline sugar product, and providing conditions suitable for crystallization to obtain a substantially crystalline sugar product. The magnetic field strength is sufficient to influence at least one of morphology, size, nucleation rate or, crystallinity of the crystalline sugar product.

A method of cleaning a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The method comprises setting a substrate to-be-treated substantially in parallel to ends of multi-nozzles including an inner tube nozzle and an outer tube nozzle to oppose each other, cleaning the substrate by discharging, to the substrate, a chemical fluid, a combination of chemical fluid and a gas, pure water, or a combination of pure water and a gas through the outer tube nozzle and simultaneously discharging a chemical fluid, a combination of a chemical fluid and a gas, pure water, or a combination of pure water and a gas through the inner tube nozzle, and washing the substrate by discharging pure water to the substrate through at least one of the inner tube nozzle and the outer tube nozzle.

Manufacture by rolling silicon steel having a silicon content of 3 wt % or greater and by rolling thin sendust sheet is implemented by powder metallurgical fabrication using powder as the starting raw material, and the average crystal grain size of the sheet-form sintered body or quick-cooled steel sheet is made 300 pm or less, whereby intra-grain slip transformation occurs after slip transformation in the grain boundaries, wherefore cold rolling is rendered possible. In addition, a mixture powder wherein pure iron powder and Fe—Si powder are mixed together in a prescribed proportion is fabricated with a powder metallurgy technique, and an iron-rich phase is caused to remain in the sintered body, whereby cold rolling is possible using the plastic transformation of those crystal grains. Furthermore, when a minute amount of a non-magnetic metal element such as Ti, V, or Al, etc., is added beforehand, it becomes easy to make the iron-rich phase and silicon-rich phase enter into solid solution during annealing, crystal grain growth can be promoted, the magnetic properties of the fabricated steel sheet become roughly equivalent to those of conventional ingot material, and silicon steel sheet exhibiting outstanding magnetic properties can be fabricated.

The precipitation and removal of suspended organic containing particles, such as starch, and other suspended solids from a given solution can be accomplished by the addition of multivalent metal ions and their complexes in order to form metal ion/organic particle complexes and the addition of a flocculating agent to flocculate the metal ion/organic particle complexes into insoluble particles capable of removal by conventional technology.

A method of finishing a wood floor comprising a first step of applying an aqueous polar solvent for a sufficient period of time to allow removal of a portion of any existing stains and soils and to at least partially etch the surface of an existing finish. A second step of applying an aqueous rinse to flush at least a substantial portion of any residue formed in the first steps and a third step of applying a water based finish and allowing it to dry.

A CMP slurry comprising polishing abrasives containing mixture abrasives of silica and alumina is used. In CMP using the slurry comprising mixture abrasives of silica and alumina as polishing abrasives, a down force-dependency of a polishing rate is high and an increase in dishing can be effectively suppressed.

The present invention concerns cartridges adapted to provide a solution for medical use such as a dyalysis solution by dissolving a plurality of substances in powder form in at least one liquid.The cartridge according to the invention comprises a container including a lateral wall, a bottom wall unitary with the lateral wall, the lateral and bottom walls delimiting a main volume, a central nucleus unitary with the bottom wall, the height of the central nucleus being substantially equal to that of the lateral wall to define an annular volume in the main volume, at least two separation walls imperviously unitary with the bottom wall, with the interior surface of the lateral wall and with the exterior surface of the central nucleus to delimit two secondary volumes in the annular volume, and at least two fluid connections adapted to connect the exterior of the container with the two secondary volumes.

An exhaust gas purification device includes a porous body of catalytic material of the general formula AaBbO4 disposed in an exhaust gas stream of an engine. The porous body of catalytic material has a characteristic response temperature above which it is catalytically active to reduce pollutants in the presence of a reducing agent. The porous body stores at least 20% by volume hydrocarbons at temperatures below the response temperature. A represent at least one element selected from Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Sn, Ti and A+B is less than 3, A is greater than 0 and B greater than 0.

Disclosed herein is a porcine intra-vaginal device of a shape and size adapted to be positionable in the vaginal tract across the hymenal ring of a target animal (e.g., a gilt) to extend to both sides of the hymenal ring of the animal. The device once inserted delivers progesterone from a progesterone impreganated matrix on either side of the hymenal ring, the progesterone releasing surface being at least 150 cm2 in total area. Variable geometry means (preferably for vestibular engagement) ensure retention of the devices (e.g., for at least 7 to 14 days) where, in the preferred device, the progesterone load of from 1.9 to 2.5 g within 1.2 mm of the release surface can, by maintaining a progesterone blood plasma level (equating to a progestrone blood plasma level in excess of 4 ng/mL measured in an ovariectomised animal), ensure or prompt the onset of oestrus within 3 to 5 days after device removal.

Functionalized polymer surfaces having reactive moieties thereon are contacted with stamps having ligands adsorbed thereto, the ligands also comprising reactive moieties. The reactive moieties of the functionalized surfaces and the ligands form covalent bonds, thus providing a method of microstamping polymer surfaces directly with ligands such as biological ligands. Using this method, devices such as tissue culture plates with polymer surfaces that are microstamped directly with ligands can be made.

Acetylene derivatives of the formula I in whichR, A1, A2, Z1, Z2, Z3, L1, L2, L3, Y, m and n are as defined hereinare suitable as components of liquid-crystalline media.

There is described a needle board (1) for a device for needling a web, comprising a board body (2) of a light metal alloy, in particular a magnesium-aluminum alloy, and a plastic coating (3) cast onto the board body (2) on the side of the board facing the needle tips. To create advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the board body (2) preferably consisting of a cross-cut extruded section has undercut grooves (7) at its edges on the side of the board covered by the plastic coating (3), where the plastic coating (3) cast thereon positively fills the undercut grooves (7).

The present invention provides an acrylic resin laminated film comprising a layer comprising an acrylic resin composition containing an acrylic resin and acrylic rubber particles and a layer comprising an acrylic resin containing no impact-resistant material, which has excellent flexibility and can maintain transparency even after coloring treatment, and is suitable for uses such as, for example, interior materials of automobiles, exterior materials of domestic electric appliances, construction materials, exterior materials and the like.

A closing plate for a battery comprises a metal substrate provided with a safety valve at a peripheral portion thereof. The safety valve is protected by applying a protection film to the metal substrate of the closing plate. The closing plate comprises a metal substrate, metal foil which is adhered to the lower surface of the metal substrate, and a protection film attached to the upper surface of the metal substrate, which protection film has previously been provided with a cut in a prescribed shape.

A waterborne photoimageable composition or photoresist comprises a latex binder polymer based on a waterborne dispersion of a photopolymerizable urethane acrylate oligomer having sufficient carboxylic acid functionality to render it develop able in alkaline aqueous solution and a photo initiator chemical system and other components to produce an aqueous coatable and alkali develop able photoresist composition.

In the context of charged-particle-beam microlithography as used to transfer a pattern, defined by a segmented reticle, to a sensitive substrate, methods are disclosed for reducing the occurrence of defects caused by subfield-stitching errors and/or overlayer errors. The methods are especially useful in semiconductor-device fabrication situations in which multiple pattern layers are projection-transferred to a wafer. In defining the segmented reticle for a pattern layer, subfield boundaries are established so as to cross pattern elements at locations other than where stitching or overlayer accuracy is critical. E.g., subfield boundaries are not passed through gate, source, or drain regions of transistors.

We have produced a hybridoma cell line that produces monoclonal antibodies (MAb) that bind effectively to 2-methylisoborneol (MIB). The MAbs were produced using a structurally related molecule, borneol, whose structure was minimally changed when complexed to the protein carrier. These MAbs detected MIB at approximately 0.01 to 1 ppb (or lower) when used in ELISA assays. Because these antibodies were produced as MAbs, their affinity characteristics remained constant. With access to MAb's, MIB can be easily detected at low levels using immunological techniques that are adapted to fast and easy field assays of large samples. For example, catfish could easily be assayed in the field for the presence of MIB prior to marketing.

A method for analyzing blood enables one to isolate, detect, enumerate and confirm under magnification the presence or absence of target cancer cells and/or hematologic progenitor cells, or other rare events which are known to circulate in blood. The analysis is performed in a sample of centrifuged anticoagulated whole blood. The analysis involves both morphometric and epitopic examination of the blood sample while the blood sample is disposed in a centrifuged blood sampling container. The epitopic analysis of the presence or absence of cancer cells relies on the detection of epitopes which are known to be present on cancer cells and not on normal circulating blood cells; and the epitopic analysis of the presence or absence of hematologic progenitor cells relies on the detection of epitopes which are known to be present on hematologic progenitor cells and not on normal circulating blood cells. The targeted epitopes on the target cell types are epitopes which are also known to be absent on normal circulating blood cells; and the target cancer cell epitopes are epitopes which are known to be absent on target hematologic progenitor cells. Fluorophors with distinct emissions are coupled with antibodies which are directed against the targeted epitopes. The morphometric analysis is performed by staining the cells in the blood sample with an intracellular stain, such as acridine orange, which highlights the intracellular cell structure. Both the morphometric and epitopic analyses are preferably performed in the expanded buffy coat layer in the centrifuged blood sample. The morphometric analysis and/or the epitopic analysis may be performed under magnification both visually and/or photometrically.

Provided are methods of classifying and prognosticating human neuroectodermal tumors by analyzing a sample of the tumor to determine whether various bHLH proteins are detectably expressed in the sample. In the methods disclosed herein, expression of the bHLH genes is assessed by measuring transcripts or proteins expressed from the genes.

Methods for monitoring power supplied to a substrate to form a doped or undoped crystalline semiconductor material are disclosed. The methods include providing a layer of an amorphous semiconductor material, doped or undoped, on a substrate and heating the substrate while monitoring the power applied to a heating element to heat the substrate so as to maintain a desired temperature. A decrease in the power supplied to the substrate is indicative of a conversion of the amorphous semiconductor material to a crystalline form thereof, at which time the power supplied to the heating element is terminated. By selecting the degree of crystallinity of the layer of doped or undoped amorphous semiconductor material on a substrate, the grain size of the resulting crystalline material can be controlled.

A method of forming a damascene structure using a sacrificial conductive layer to provide a uniform focus plane for the photolithography tool during formation of circuit features. In particular, a metal layer is provided between the insulative layer and the photoresist, upon which the capacitive sensors of the photolithography tool focus during the formation of the circuit features, namely, troughs and vias.

A base cloth for an air bag is obtained by forming a film of a silicone modified thermoplastic polyurethane resin having a polysiloxane segment on a surface of a woven fabric, and the air bag is formed of the base cloth. Since an organic solvent is not used when the resin is prepared, its workability is superior, the resin is safe for the human body. Also, the air bag can be quickly developed in a wide range from an extremely low temperature to a high temperature, and there is no problem of adhesion or sticking. Thus, the air bag having a stable performance and the base cloth for the air bag are provided.

Granular detergent compositions and in particular low density, phosphate containing detergent compositions comprise a specific bleaching system containing hydrophobic peracid bleach and hydrophilic peracid bleach and a peroxide source. These detergent compositions have specific low levels of available oxygen from hydrophobic aid hydrophilic peroxyacid bleach, specific ratios of available oxygen from the hydrophobic peracid bleach to the hydrophilic peracid bleach and specific ratios of available oxygen of the peroxide source to the available oxygen of the peracids. These specific mixed bleach systems are useful for sanitization or reduction of bacterial activity.

The present invention relates to methods for preventing the development of epithelial ovarian cancer by administering a Vitamin D compound in an amount capable of increasing apoptosis in non-neoplastic ovarian epithelial cells of the female subject.

The present invention is directed to novel lipid soluble steroid prodrugs, compositions comprising steroid prodrugs, and uses of the same.

The present invention provides a method for treating pain using an atypical antipsychotic compound.

The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I, wherein Z1, X, Y, ( )n, R1, R2 and R3 are defined as in the specification, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds; and the use of such compounds to treat neurological and gastrointestinal disorders.

The invention provides novel lavendamycin analogs having the following general formula: and quinoline-5,8-diones having the following formula: Methods of making and using and compositions containing these compounds are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a storable and transportable and optionally utilizable mixture containing vegetable residues and at least one polymer product which absorbs water and/or aqueous liquids. The invention also relates to a process for producing said mixture and to the use thereof.

A process is described for effectively reducing the residual monomer content of an aqueous polymer dispersion by aftertreatment at atmospheric pressure or above with an initiator system comprising a) a hydroperoxide, hydrogen peroxide or a peracid, and b) an &agr;-hydroxy carboxylic acid, such as tartaric acid, or with a salt thereof.

The present invention relates to novel antiobesity and hypocholesterolemic compounds, their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. More particularly, the present invention relates to novel &bgr;-aryl-&agr;-oxysubstituted alkylcarboxylic acids of the general formula (I), their derivatives, their analogs, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of the above said novel compounds, their analogs, their derivatives, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutically acceptable solvates and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The present invention also relates to novel intermediates, processes for their preparation and their use in the preparation of compounds of formula (I).

A fungicidal compound of formula (I) having a fluorovinyloxyphenyl moiety and stereoisomers thereof are useful for protecting crops from fungal diseases: wherein:X is CH or N;Y is O or S;Z is O or NH;R1 is hydrogen or CF3; andR2 is hydrogen, a C1-10 alkyl, naphthyl, thiophenyl or a phenyl group optionally carrying one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of C1-6 alkyl, halogen-substituted C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, phenoxy, halogen, and methylenedioxy radicals.

Cyclic alcohols and ketones having from 7-16 carbon atoms are prepared by a process comprising oxidizing cycloalkanes having 7-16 carbon atom s in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas and a sparingly water-soluble and sparingly aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon-soluble transition metal catalyst of Group 6 to Group 12 combined with a boron compound, and separating the sparingly soluble transition metal catalyst by mechanical separation after completion of the reaction.

Disclosed is an interposer for electrically coupling two electrical components having different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). The interposer has two substrates which have different CTE values, with each substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The interposer has electrical connectors located on the first surfaces of the two substrates, the connectors for making electrical connections to the two corresponding electrical components. A flexible-circuit layer is disposed between the two substrates and interconnects the connectors on the first substrate to the connectors on the second substrate. The two substrates are folded such that their second surfaces confront one another, where they may be attached to one another. General methods of making interposers for electrically coupling two electrical components are disclosed. A first substrate and a sacrificial substrate are encapsulated in an encapsulant material to form a composite substrate, with a second substrate being formed from the cured encapsulate material. Alternatively, the second substrate may be provided by a separate substrate that is encapsulated along with the first substrate and the sacrificial substrate. The surfaces of the composite substrate are polished, and a dielectric layer is formed over a polished surface of the composite substrate. A plurality of electrical traces are formed over the dielectric film. A portion of the composite substrate at its back surface is removed to expose a surface of the sacrificial substrate, and the sacrificial substrate is removed.

The invention relates to a device for sorting any desired pieces of products in dependence on criteria, and a method for operating the same. It is the object of the invention to provide a solution which permits a very fast at least three-channel fractionating of a product flow with a simultaneous mild treatment of products, at low expenditures for energy, and at a high wear resistance. The object is realized in that the products pass a first approaching zone, arrive in a second zone in which a separating element set into rotations by operation of a stepper-motor, including on its circumference with equidistantly spaced fingers, and which, in dependence on a respective control, transfers the products to be sorted into at least three further zones. A real-time image tracking system is provided which is adapted to capture the entire path of the products through the zones. The real-time image tracking system inputs individual product information of each single product such as at least one parameter as volume, speed, profile of parts, center of mass, defective spots, deflection characteristic, angular momentum, or the like into microprocessors and address arrays, respectively, and feeds said information into a main coordinate processor. The individual product information is adapted to be associated and addressable to each individual product. The output signals from said main coordinate processor control the stepper-motor and, thus, the separating element with single product related different senses of rotation and accelerations.

The present invention comprises an array lens illumination system for shaping laser light in a band-like beam, a mask which is arranged in an optical path of the laser light from the array lens illumination system and on which a plurality of circular apertures are formed in a staggered shape in accordance with an arranged state of orifices formed on an orifice plate, a shift member which is arranged at the incident side of the laser light rather than the mask, and which splits the laser light incident on the mask into a plurality of beams in accordance with the number of circular apertures and irradiates the split beams onto the respective circular apertures of the mask, and a projecting lens for forming an image of the laser light passing through the mask on the orifice plate.

A detection apparatus and method for detecting the direction to a light source. The detection apparatus comprises a strobe lamp for emitting a high intensity beam of light and a region-based detector, e.g., a quadrant light detector, for receiving a portion of the high intensity beam of light. In employing a strobe lamp, the overall accuracy and range of the detection apparatus are improved.

A focussing method and system transmits a light for measuring a focus to a semiconductor wafer at a fixed incident angle having high reflectance and detects a light reflected at a surface of a photoresist layer on the semiconductor wafer. The light is transmitted at an incident angle such that the amount of light reflected from the surface of the photoresist layer is larger than the amount of light which penetrates the surface thereof. The reflected light is detected, and the position of the semiconductor wafer is controlled in response to the amount of light detected. The focussing system has a source part, a detection part, and a control part. The source part creates the light and then transmits the light to the surface of the photoresist layer. The detection part detects the amount of reflected light and generates a detection signal corresponding thereto. The control part controls the position of the semiconductor wafer in response to the detection signal generated at the detection part.

In a light-emitting diode, a substantially square flip chip is placed on a substantially square sub-mount at a position and posture which are obtained through superposition of a center point and center axis of the flip chip on a center point and center axis of the sub-mount and subsequent rotation of the flip chip about the center points by approximately 45°. Therefore, triangular exposed regions are formed on the sub-mount, in which two lead electrodes for the flip chip can be formed. As a result, the flip chip can be placed on a lead frame such that the center axis of the flip chip coincides with the center axis of a parabola of the lead frame. Further, the sub-mount is formed of a semiconductor substrate, and a diode for over-voltage protection is formed within the semiconductor substrate. Therefore, breakage of the light-emitting diode due to excessive voltage can be prevented.

The fabrication of ferromagnet-insulator-ferromagnet magnetic tunneling junction devices using a ramp-edge geometry based on, e.g., (La0.7Sr0.3) MnO3, ferromagnetic electrodes and a SrTiO3 insulator is disclosed. The maximum junction magnetoresistance (JMR) as large as 23% was observed below 300 Oe at low temperatures (T<100 K). These ramp-edge junctions exhibited JMR of 6% at 200 K with a field less than 100 Oe.

A lateral bipolar type input/output protection device of the present invention includes a N type well formed below an emitter impurity diffusion layer of N type over a P type substrate. With such construction of the lateral bipolar type input/output protection device, a parasitic bipolar operation occurs easily and sufficient electrostatic durability without degradation of protection performance of the protection device even when a semiconductor integrated circuit is miniaturized by employing the STI isolation structure.

A method of forming conductive contacts to drain and source regions of a semiconductor device such as a field effect transistor (FET). A gate structure is formed over a portion of a semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate structure includes: a gate dielectric on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a conductive gate aligned on the gate dielectric, a silicide layer aligned on the conductive gate, and a silicon nitride cap aligned on the silicide layer. Insulative spacers are formed on sidewalls of the gate structure, and the insulative spacers contact the semiconductor substrate. A drain region and a source region are formed within the semiconductor substrate, wherein a channel region is disposed between the drain region and the source region, and wherein the gate structure is over the channel region. After an insulative region containing a photosensitive material, such as boro-phoso-silicate glass, is formed over the gate structure and the semiconductor substrate, a cavity over the drain region and a cavity over the source region are formed photolithographically. The cavities are filled with conductive material such as tungsten, forming a conductive contact to the drain region and a conductive contact to the source region. The top surfaces of the conductive contacts and the top surface of the gate structure are coplanar.

In a semiconductor device having a junction type diode using a bipolar transistor and a process for producing the same, a ratio of a diode electric current to a leakage electric current is improved, and latch up resistance is improved without increasing the process. A p type semiconductor substrate, a collector buried region and an n type epitaxial layer are formed, a p type first impurity region is formed in the n type epitaxial layer, an n type second impurity region is formed in the first impurity region, an N+ sinker is formed, and a collector electrode is formed, with a common electrode being formed on the first and second impurity regions.

There is provided a semiconductor device including (a) a substrate, (b) a semiconductor chip mounted on the substrate, (c) a wall having a closed cross-section and mounted on the substrate such that the semiconductor chip is surrounded by the wall, and (d) a cover covering the wall therewith so that a closed cavity is defined by the substrate, the wall and the cover, the cavity being designed to be under a pressure almost equal to an atmospheric pressure at a temperature highest in both steps of fabricating the semiconductor device and steps expectable after the semiconductor device is completed. The semiconductor device can prevent defectiveness such as electric leakage and electromigration, and further prevent occurrence of “popcorn” phenomenon which might occur in an annealing step.

A semiconductor device, having a multi-layer interconnection structure, is provided which comprises a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of interlayer insulating films formed on the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of conductive leads are formed in the interlayer insulating films. In one of the interlayer insulting films having conductive lead or leads, at least one conductive plug is formed vertically to connect the conductive leads in different interlayer insulating films. Further, adjacent conductive leads may be formed in an adjacent interlayer insulating films are connected together to form a unified conductive lead.

A cap of synthetic resin material for separating the wet and dry spaces of a motor/pump assembly and receiving the rotor of the motor has, at a bottom of the cap remote from the pump, a seat formed by axially-extending centering elements and detent arms which snap onto one of the bearings of the motor shaft and form-fittingly that retains that bearing in the axial and radial directions and prevents rotation thereof.

A cathode ray tube includes an electron gun having a cathode, first and second grid electrodes, plural focus electrodes and an anode electrode fixed by two glass beads; a voltage-dividing resistor attached to one glass bead for producing an intermediate voltage applied to a first one of the plural focus electrodes adjacent to the anode electrode by dividing an anode voltage and a metal conductor attached to one of electrodes of the electron gun disposed upstream of the first one of the plural focus electrodes to surround the voltage-dividing resistor and the glass bead. The voltage-dividing resistor includes an overcoat insulating film, a resistance element and an insulating substrate stacked in the order named from the overcoat insulating film facing the glass bead, and the resistance element includes first-type resistance-forming regions disposed on opposite sides of the metal conductor and a second-type resistance-forming region containing a portion thereof facing the metal conductor. The resistance element in the first-type resistance-forming regions extends meanderingly in a direction of a tube axis, and the resistance element in the second-type resistance-forming region is configured such that minimum distances L1 and L2 between the resistance element and two long sides of the insulating substrate, respectively, are larger than corresponding minimum distances between the resistance element and two long sides of the insulating substrate in the first-type resistance-forming regions.

A diode structure field emission display panel that utilizes a nanotube emitter layer as the electron source and having a cathode and an anode formed on the same panel substrate is provided. The electron source of the nanotube emitter layer can be suitably formed by nanometer dimensioned hollow tubes of carbon, diamond or diamond-like carbon mixed with a polymeric-based binder. The nanotube emitter material can be advantageously applied on top of an electrode layer such as a silver paste by a low cost thick film printing technique. Since both the cathode and the anode are formed on the same bottom glass plate, the operating voltage is controlled by the thickness of a dielectric material layer that is used to form the nanotube emitter stacks. As a result, the distance between the top glass plate and the bottom glass plate can be suitably selected to allow a rapid evacuation of the panel cavity to form a high vacuum therein without affecting the operating voltage of the device. The present invention novel diode structure FED can be fabricated in large areas and at a low cost.

A magnetic level sensor is adapted for interconnecting with a vertically moving component of a vehicle such that the level sensor determines a vertical orientation of the component of the vehicle relative to the frame or chassis of the vehicle. The magnetic level sensor includes a magnetic angular measurement device interconnected to the component of the vehicle such that vertical movement of the component causes a corresponding relative rotational movement of a magnetic element associated with the angular measurement device. An electronic control is included for analyzing an output of the angular measurement device and determining an angle of rotation of the magnetic element and thus a vertical movement of the component. The control further determines an error or offset in the output of the angular measurement device and adjusts an output of the control in response to the error or offset. The control thus continuously calibrates an output of the angular measurement device to account for manufacturing irregularities and drift in sensor output due to temperature variations and aging of the sensors and magnets over time.

In the process for converting a frequency signal to a DC voltage according to the invention a first and a second output voltage signal (UA1, UA2) are generated from the frequency signal. Each of the output voltage signals is a sequence of rectangular pulses the pulse sequence frequency of which is equal to a frequency f of the frequency signal. These are converted with a first and a second lowpass filter to a first DC voltage signal and a second DC voltage signal, respectively, with the second DC voltage signal being used to influence the pulse width T0 of the rectangular pulses of at least the first output voltage signal. This makes it possible to build a simple frequency-to-voltage converter using cost-effective standard monoflops in which a largely linear correlation between frequency f of the frequency signal and the magnitude of the first DC voltage signal is realized in a simple manner.

An input driver for use with a differential folder in a flash A/D converter having a static ladder that provides an array of reference voltages and a method of operation thereof. The input driver includes a differential signal driver, coupled to an AC input signal, that generates first and second complementary drive signals for a differential folder stage. A tracking circuit, coupled to the differential signal driver, is utilized to maintain a voltage at the center of the static ladder to improve common mode rejection of the input driver without reducing bandwidth. In a related embodiment, the voltage at the center of the static ladder is an average DC voltage of the first and second drive signals.

A bus coupling includes an amplitude-controlled transmission circuit for generating a substantially rectangular active pulse for a transmission pulse including an active pulse and an equalizer pulse for a bus system which guides alternating voltage data and direct voltage in order to prepare a vehicle wiring system voltage for user terminals, in particular for the bus of the European Installation Bus Association. The transmission circuit operates with a transmission circuit operates with a transmission stage which includes as a transmission transistor, a transmission valve functioning as a transistor in the transmission circuit. Depending on the function, the selection line of this transmission circuit is reduced in terms of the control signal by a transistor of the inverse type to the transistor in the collector circuit as reducing transistor. A capacitor, as a separating filter for the direct voltage, is connected, on the one hand, to a connection for a bus conductor; and, on the other, to a voltage divider which is also connected to a reference voltage, a tap of the voltage divider being connected to the base of the reducing transistor.

A process for preventing motor vehicle theft in which, while the anti-theft device is activated, a drive control device is switched off, the anti-theft device automatically transmits during each deactivating operation a transmittal code to the drive control device and the drive control device will be switched back on only when the transmitted transmittal code corresponds to a comparison code made available in the drive control device.

In a contact type recording head which moves relatively with respect to the recording material while its one portion is coming into contact with the recording material, and directly prints an image onto the recording material or indirectly prints an image onto the recording material through the recording material, the microscopic irregularity is provided on a material contact portion S of the heating element 45 which comes into contact with the recording material. It is preferable that the microscopic irregularity is formed in a streak-like manner in the direction of the relative movement with the recording material, and the average roughness Ra of the microscopic irregularity in the perpendicular direction to the relative movement direction is 0.03-0.5 &mgr;m.

When loading an upper head, it is brought into contact with a disc, with a lower head being in contact with the disc. In this process, the entire surface of the upper head which slides on the disc and in which gaps are provided is brought into contact with the disc at a position off the data zone. Further, the upper head is provided with a supported member, and a support member supporting the supported member, whereby the upper head is supported before coming into contact with the disc, and the upper head is gradually brought close to the disc to effect contact.

A disk apparatus has a rotatable actuator adapted to magnetically latch in a predetermined stop position when the disk apparatus is not operating. The actuator rotates about a rotating or swinging shaft and includes a coil arm having a latch magnet. The coil arm is adapted to pass between opposing permanent magnets when the actuator rotates about the rotating or swinging shaft. When the actuator is in the stop position, the latch magnet is outside of the area between the permanent magnets, therefore generating a repulsive force between the latch magnet and permanent magnets, inducing the actuator to magnetically latch. When the disk apparatus is operating, the latch magnet travels between the permanent magnets, resulting in opposing repulsive magnetic forces having equal magnitudes which cancel each other, maintaining the actuator's attitude without rotating it. In this manner, the latch magnet does not interfere with the operation of the actuator, and locks the actuator in a stop or park condition when the disk apparatus is not operating.

A multilayer structure is disclosed having a magneto resistive free layer. The multilayer structure is between a pair of shields and the shields are separated by at least two spacings. A first of the spacings is at least the length of the multilayer structure. A second of the spacings is greater than the first spacing.

The invention is a device which electrostatically charges external sides of at least one moving web. The invention includes a pair of rollers, each roller having an outer coating of limited electrical conductivity and an inner core in contact with the outer coating with the outer coating of each roller being spaced apart to define a gap through which the at least one moving web passes so that the outer coating of each roller contacts one of the external sides of the at least one web to transfer electrical charge from the outer surface coating to the moving web; and a high voltage power supply which applies electrical charge to the outer coating with one polarity of the power supply being grounded and electrically connected to a part of the core and another polarity of the power supply being electrically connected to a corona charging electrode which transfers the electrical charge to the outer coating of each roller.

An information recording/reproduction apparatus is adapted to quickly move the optical pickup to a desired position on the optical disk being used with it without emitting any sound of collision. The information recording/reproduction apparatus adapted to use an optical disk comprises an optical pickup 5 supported by a lead screw 9 so to move freely at least in a radial direction of the optical disk 1, a thread motor 4 for driving the optical pickup 5 to move by the distance specified by a drive signal in the radial direction of the optical disk 1, a position detecting switch 7 for detecting the innermost movable limit of the optical pickup 5 in the radial direction of the optical disk 1 and a system controller 6 for controlling the movement of the optical pickup 5 by means of the drive signal applied to the thread motor 4, using the detected position as reference.

A magazine assembly containing numerous media units is disposed adjacent to a picker assembly. One of the two assemblies is normally stationary, while the other assembly is a traveling assembly. In either case, the two assemblies cooperate with one another to selectively provide the picker assembly with access to the media units that are stored in the magazine assembly. A motion reversal assembly is coupled to the normally stationary assembly and is engageable by the traveling assembly when it enters an end portion of its excursion path. When the motion reversal assembly is so engaged, it moves the normally stationary assembly in the direction opposite to that of the traveling assembly's movement. The effect is an apparent increase in the traveling assembly's available excursion length, which makes it possible for the picker assembly to access media slots that would otherwise be disposed in the dead spaces located on either end of the traveling assembly's excursion path.

A high energy x-ray tube includes an evacuated chamber (12) containing a rotor (34) which rotates an anode (10) in the path of a stream of electrons (A) to generate an x-rays (B) and heat. The rotor includes a bearing shaft (54, 80, 122) connected to the anode by a thermally conductive structure (40). The bearing shaft carries soft metal-lubricated bearing balls (44F, 44R) in forward and rear bearing races (64, 66, 106, 108, 128, 130). An annular groove (70, 94, 132) is defined longitudinally in the shaft which, particularly when evacuated, provides a thermal barrier between the forward race and the portion of the shaft that is thermally connected with the anode. The groove lengthens the path heat entering the bearing shaft travels in order to reach the forward bearing race. As a result, the temperature of the forward race, and hence the evaporation of lubricant during operation of the x-ray tube, is reduced. The groove may be formed by electrical discharge machining the bearing shaft or by forming the shaft from inner and peripheral components (124, 126) which are connected together adjacent the rear bearing race (130).

A small-sized audio signal reproducing apparatus for hearing reproduced audio signals with the aid of a headphone is disclosed. Digitized and compression encoded audio signals, stored in a semiconductor memory, are read out so as to undergo a decoding operation, which is an inverse operation to compression encoding, to reproduce the audio signals, and the reproduced signals are heard by the headphone. The apparatus may be significantly reduced in size and weight as compared to the apparatus in which a tape or a disk is used as the recording medium.

The enclosure of the invention enables greater response in the base range by converting the rear wave present within the enclosure. The enclosure is flexible and is able to act in a manner analogous to a lens in that below a transition frequency, the back wave is reversed to be in phase with the acoustic wave produced by the speaker outside the enclosure and then passed to the listening environment. Above the transition frequency, the enclosure acts as a baffle to dissipates the back wave and acts as a baffle. The result is greater bass response. The speaker system is able to use an underdamped speaker (driver). In this manner, a smaller magnet is used with the speaker (driver) than would otherwise be conventional. The enclosure itself is a simple construction and the result is a low cost speaker system that delivers greater base response.

Various 3-port and 4-port micromachined optomechanical matrix switches are disclosed herein. In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided an optomechanical matrix switch including a substrate and a first plurality of optomechanical switching cells coupled thereto. Each of the first plurality of optomechanical switching cells is arranged to be in optical alignment with a first input port. A second plurality of optomechanical switching cells is also coupled to the substrate, each of the second plurality of optomechanical switching cells being in optical alignment with a second input port. In another aspect of the present invention an optomechanical matrix switch is provided which includes a substrate and a first plurality of optomechanical switching cells coupled thereto. Each of the first plurality of optomechanical switching cells is placed in optical alignment with one of a corresponding first plurality of input ports and with one of a corresponding first plurality of output ports. The matrix switch further includes a second plurality of optomechanical switching cells coupled to the substrate. Each of the second plurality of optomechanical switching cells is placed in optical alignment with one of a corresponding second plurality input ports and with one of a corresponding second plurality of output ports.

Various configurations of optomechanical matrix and broadcast switches are disclosed herein. One such optomechanical matrix switch includes a substrate and a plurality of optomechanical switching cells coupled thereto. Each of the optomechanical switching cells includes a mirror and an actuator. The matrix switch further includes an array of collimator elements, each of the collimator elements being in optical alignment with one of the optomechanical switching cells. Also disclosed herein is a distributed matrix switch including first and second optomechanical matrix switches. The first and second optomechanical matrix switches respectively include first and second pluralities of optomechanical switching cells mounted upon first and second substrates. A collimator array is interposed between the first and second matrix switches in optical alignment with the first and second pluralities of optomechanical switching cells.

A system and method for detecting a patient's susceptibility to arrhythmias and cardiac tissue abnormality is disclosed. The method consists of using a computer, a display, software loaded onto the computer that generates graphical user interfaces (GUIs), an electronic interface, and a plurality of electrodes. The electronics interface is in electronic communication with the computer, and further in electronic communication with the electrodes that are placed by self-adhesion at predetermined locations on a test subject. According to one aspect of the invention, the method enables a user, typically a medical professional, to initiate, with minimal input, certain diagnostic tests involving observing and analyzing a series of QRS complexes, some of which are biased with a subpacing current, and others of which are unbiased. The signals are then compared, and the differences are analyzed to detect a patient's susceptibility to arrhythmias and cardiac tissue abnormality.