In the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network, the specifications of long term evolution (LTE) have been drafted for the purpose of further increasing high speed data rates, providing lower delays and so on (see non-patent literature 1). In LTE, as multiple-access schemes, a scheme that is based on OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) is used in downlink channels (downlink), and a scheme that is based on SC-FDMA (Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access) is used in uplink channels (uplink). Also, successor systems of LTE (also referred to as, for example, “LTE-advanced” or “LTE enhancement” (hereinafter referred to as “LTE-A”)) have been developed for the purpose of achieving further broadbandization and increased speed beyond LTE, and the specifications thereof have been drafted (Rel. 10/11).
In relationship to LTE-A systems, a HetNet (Heterogeneous Network), in which small cells (for example, pico cells, femto cells and so on), each having local a coverage area of a radius of approximately several tens of meters, are formed within a macro cell having a wide coverage area of a radius of approximately several kilometers, is under study. Also, in relationship to HetNets, a study is in progress to use carriers of different frequency bands between macro cells and small cells, in addition to carriers of the same frequency band.
Furthermore, for future radio communication systems (Rel. 12 and later versions), a study is in progress to introduce a new mechanism for small cell discovery. To be more specific, a user terminal detects the detection/measurement signal that is transmitted from a small cell, and establishes synchronization, conducts measurements and so on. Note that this detection/measurement signal may be referred to as the “discovery reference signal” (DRS). When a channel state measurement signal (for example, the CSI-RS (Channel State Information Reference Signal) is included in the DRS, the user terminal detects and measures this channel state measurement signal based on the timing of synchronization.


The present invention relates to an educational device and includes a plurality of movable plates that simulate a shoe to provide not only play value, but is also educational in purpose in teaching the lacing and tying of shoelaces.
Educational devices that also have play value are commonly available for use and instruction of children, and these prior known devices have taken various forms, depending upon the purpose in the teaching aspect thereof. Prior to the instant invention, some efforts have been made to provide educational devices that incorporate the configuration of a shoe, wherein the simulated shoe also included a provision for teaching the lacing and tying of shoelaces on the shoe, thereby enabling a child to conveniently practice the technique of shoelace tying at a relatively early age. Such an educational device as known heretofore is illustrated by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 142,670; and, as shown in this patent, a book comprising front and back covers and a plurality of pages are formed in a design that simulates a shoe. However, the play value of this prior known educational device and others similar thereto had limited interest for the child and was constructed in such a way as to be easily abused by a child in the use thereof.
Although the prior known educational devices did have some educational and play value and in some instances accomplished the purpose intended, they were usually not constructed or formed in a way to retain the interest of a child; and, since such articles did not impart a realistic effect to the article being portrayed, the child usually quickly lost interest after a short period of use and play thereof.


There is the need in deer hunting and the like to place one's self above the ground in order to command a superior field of vision of the hunting area and to keep out the deer's line of sight. Therefore, tree stands are a preferred method of hunting for deer. Building an ordinary stand takes a considerable amount of time and effort. Once the stand is built it is more or less permanent. Although suitable for the instant purpose, it soon becomes impractical. The building materials are subject to deterioration; the deer population in the immediate area may decrease necessitating a relocation of the stand; also, a permanent stand might attract other hunters to one's favorite spot.
There has accordingly long been a need to develop a prefabricated tree stand which may quickly and efficiently be placed in and removed from the tree. While some chair stands have been developed, there has remained the need for a compact, integrated unit which features easy manipulation, lightweight construction, portability and versatility in other uses.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a peptide which has an affinity for gp120, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) envelope protein.
2. Description of the Related Art
The therapy for HIV infection is usually chemotherapy, such as the nucleotide derivative AZT (3′-azido-3′-deoxythmidine). This AZT therapy or protease inhibitor, which was later developed, prolongs the life of HIV patients, but there are some problems, these are derived from the chemotherapy itself.
The problems are shown as follows: The first is chronic poisoning due to long term administration, the second is the appearance of an HIV virus resistant to the medicine during the therapy, the third is the appearance of malignant tumors in prolongation of the HIV patient's life, the fourth is that the recovery of the immune system can not be monitored, the fifth is that there is not a method to monitor treatment effect, etc. Since such chemotherapy is not basic therapy for HIV infections, most people anticipate the development of a vaccine.
Generally, the vaccine is an inactive treatment (in active vaccine) of a microbe of viruses; a weak activity virus which loses pathogenesis or a pseudo virus (live vaccine) which has no fatal effects to humans. However, although HIV itself is natively a weak activity virus, it is well known to stay long after having once invaded the body. In addition, the host cell of HIV is mainly a lymphocyte, which controls the immune system; furthermore, HIV spreads over hemophilic patients through blood-preparation. From these finding, even if it is assumed that we selected either an in-active or a weak vaccine, the development of an HIV vaccine has many problems with safety.
Accordingly, an HIV vaccine is being developed which utilizes a part of the HIV envelope protein and inhibits further infection.
From such an idea, many researchers performed an epitope analysis of gp120 in the HIV enveloped protein, and then, watched the V3 region (3rd hypervariable region) of gp120 as an epitope. But it was a true hypervariable region [Palker T. J., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2709-2713, 1988; Rusche J. R., et al., ibid 85:3198-3202, 1988; Gouddsmit J., et all., ibid 85:4478-4482.1988; Matsushita S., et al., J. Virol. 62:2107-2114, 1988]. After this, a vaccine which used a part of this region as antigen was administrated to an HIV infected monkey as an infection inhibitory experiment, but the effectiveness has not yet been reported.
As well as this, Tam et al. devised further antigenecity for the above-mentioned peptide antigen (Tam et. al., Japanese patent publication (Tokuhyo) No. H 3-503539), but have not yet had success because in most parts of the V region, particularly in the V3 which is a convenient region for antibody preparation, mutation or deletion occurs.
In addition, a neutralized antibody, which inhibits the infection against lymphocyte, is developed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-171385, after the production of a monoclonal antibody by using a part of the above mentioned peptide as antigen, a method is reported, which produces anti HIV chimera antibodies on hybridization due to genetic engineering at the level of the protein as the Fab′ itself. But, although with such neutralizing antibodies it is possible to inhibit HIV infection to the lymphocyte at laboratory level, an antibody that can be used practically has not yet been developed.
As mentioned above, chemotherapy has some problems; drug tolerance in the virus and side effects in the host, another idea to solve the problem of removing the virus from the body is by plasmapheresis. Although this method to remove the HIV virus by using a pore size membrane filter (smaller than virus size) for plasmapheresis has been definitely proposed it is not yet possible to make a uniform pore size membrane. It is also possible that the pores will become clogged during plasmapheresis resulting in the deterioration of the membrane due to pressure. As mentioned above there are many technical problems which have to be settled. So, a method to use CD4 derived from human lymphocyte having specific affinity to HIV, as absorbed carrier in column for plasmapheresis is also proposed. It cannot be used as a medical procedure because of the lost affinity due to decay by autoclave treatment. In addition, there are also methods using thermostable molecules, a high molecule polymer or color ligand as an affinity carrier to HIV. However, as these molecules do not originally have specific binding ability to HIV, they cannot be used because they bind to blood ingredients faster than to HIV.
In this way, aiming at the development of an HIV treatment medicine, research to produce a vaccine and neutralizing antibody is flourishing, but useful medicine has not yet been developed.
The inventors paid attention to this present situation and developed a superior peptide to have the same degree or more affinity for gp120 compared to antibodies and to be resistant to autoclave treatment, and have already made a patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. H 8-351474 and Japanese Patent Application No. 8-351475). This peptide basically consists of a three amino acid sequence, but from a study of the sequel, we found that an affinity to gp120 of this peptide deteriorated by number and a kind of the amino acid which ranged in it. So, we knew that we needed to develop a more stable peptide.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a frequency modulator, and in particular, to a digital frequency modulator for accumulating input digital signals and changing the phase of the accumulated signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a wireless communication system transmits on a radio channel a relatively high-frequency carrier with a relatively low-frequency input signal. This is called modulation. In particular, when the information of the input signal is contained in the frequency and phase of the carrier signal, the modulation is called frequency modulation (FM).
An analog frequency modulator illustrated in FIG. 1 is usually used as a frequency modulator. The analog frequency modulator is comprised of a gain controller 110, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 120, an FM filter 130, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 150, and a frequency synthesizer 140.
Referring to FIG. 1, the gain controller 110 multiplies an input digital signal Vin by a predetermined gain G. The DAC 120 converts the output of the gain controller 110 to an analog signal. The FM filter 130 filters the analog signal and feeds the filtered signal as a voltage control signal to the VCO 150. Meanwhile, the frequency synthesizer 140 generates a carrier signal with a predetermined carrier frequency. The VCO 150 controls the frequency of the carrier signal received from the frequency synthesizer 140 with the voltage control signal, thereby outputting an FM signal.
As described above, the analog frequency modulator effects FM by converting an input digital signal to an analog signal and then controlling the VCO 150 with the analog signal.
A distinctive shortcoming of the typical analog frequency modulator is that the VCO being an analog device makes performance optimization difficult due to performance variation and use of additional analog devices for stabilizing the characteristics of the VCO increases cost. The VCO has a non-linear frequency output characteristic with respect to an input signal and exhibits very different characteristics depending on devices. Thus to achieve desirable FM characteristics, compensation or adjustment is required for the VCO. As a solution to this problem, implementation of a digital frequency modulator has been considered. However, the digital frequency modulator also has the limitations of difficulty in achieving desirable resolution with respect to various frequency inputs and implementation complexity.


The use of lightweight composite materials in vehicles, such as aircraft, provide an improved strength-to-weight ratio that translates to fuel savings and lower operational costs. Composite materials, however, do not readily conduct away extreme electrical currents and electromagnetic forces generated by lightning strikes. Furthermore, composite or metallic structures used on vehicles are typically assembled using metallic fastener systems, which are conductive and therefore create electromagnetic effect (EME) design considerations. For example, fastener sparking modes must be designed for lightning conditions that include hot particle ejection and arcing between the fastener and surrounding structures.


This invention relates to a convenient wall-mounted holder for shaving razors, specifically for holding a dispenser of multiple razors. These razors can be of the type having replaceable blades, but more typically entire razors are sold, each of which is disposable.
At present, a package of multiple razors is sold in a plastic bag. A user must remove one razor at a time and remove a protective blade guard. Since the razor can be used more than one time before becoming dull, the current razor is placed haphazardly around the sink or ledge in a shower. Since the package of new razors is usually at some distant location from the sink or shower, it becomes problematic how to obtain a new razor, how to deal with the current razor, and what to do with a depleted razor.
Prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,609 to Gibbs discloses a housing for combining a can of shaving cream with a shaver and replacement shaver heads, but this housing must be placed on a shelf. Prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,455 to Schmidt discloses a wall-mounted blade dispenser whose blades are not of the type used for shaving. Prior art shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,053 to Adams discloses a suction cup with a ring which could be used for hanging a razor.


Conventional projection systems typically use 3 primary colours (red, green and blue) for the reproduction of colour images. The colour gamut that can be produced by an additive combination of the 3 primary colours nevertheless is limited. The colour gamut depends on the dominant wavelength (hue) and on the excitation purity (saturation) of each of the primary colours. The visible colours, the primary colours and the gamut of produced colours are usually represented in a chromaticity diagram e.g. CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram or CIE 1976 U.C.S. (Uniform Chromaticity Scale).
One solution to produce a wider colour gamut is by increasing the excitation purity of the primary colours, or in other words to narrow the spectral pass band of each of the three primary colours. An alternative solution to produce a wider colour gamut may be the use of more primary colours, such as e.g. using 4, 5, 6 or more colours instead of 3 colours. In printing devices, where subtractive mixing of colours is performed (by different ink cartridges), the commonly used colours are cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). In special printers, dedicated for certain types of printing, additional colours such as e.g. indigo also are used. In display technology, several techniques are known to apply more than three primary colours. One option is to generate a wider colour gamut by generating more than three primary colours by filtering them from a white illumination source and modulating them sequentially according to image data using a single chip modulation system. In such a system, typically the amount of illumination from the illumination source that is not used for displaying the image is relatively high resulting in a less efficient system. In another option, the wider colour gamut is generated by guiding more than three primary colours each to a primary colour dedicated modulator, where the primary coloured sub-beam is modulated. The latter typically results in complex and expensive systems. An example of such a system is a display system using four primary colours, each primary colour sub-beam modulated by its own primary colour dedicated modulator, as described for example in “Four primary colour projection display” by Roth and Caldwell in SID 05 Digest (2005) 1818.
Adding more primary colours also introduces an electronic puzzle as to how to describe the colour space, as each colour to be displayed needs to be produced by combining the different primary colours, i.e. by subtracting in the case of printing, or by adding in the case of a display system. A method of handling the data conversion for generating images to be displayed using more than three primary colours has been described e.g. in European Patent EP 0 897 641 B1 by BARCO N. V.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for roasting skewered food which can quickly cook a large amount of skewered roasted food such as skewered roasted chickens, skewered roasted giblets and the like prepared by heating pieces of meat, fish, vegetables and the like set on a skewer.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been known the method of cooking skewered roasted food by setting pieces of meat, fish, vegetables and the like on a skewer and heating the materials, but for cooking skewered roasted food such as skewered roasted chickens, skewered roasted giblets and the like which can be provided and sold at pubs, restaurants, or other types of stores, persons hoping to engage in the job are required to work as apprentices at skilled persons for several years. In addition, because scales of the pubs, restaurants, and other stores have been increasingly larger, it is required to cook a large amount of skewered roasted food quickly within a short period of time.
To satisfy the need as described above, there has been proposed the apparatus for roasting skewered food which can quickly cook a large amount of skewered roasted food within a short period of time without requiring the long time job training, in which a number of skewer holders are mounted on an endless rotary chain with a prescribed space in-between, raw materials of skewered food prepared by setting food materials on a skewer are held on the skewer holders in order, and the raw materials of skewered food are carried along heating devices for heating the raw materials of skewered food to prepare skewered roasted food (Refer to, for instance, Japanese Patent Laid.-Open Publication No. 2004-57463).
In the conventional type of apparatus for roasting skewered food as described above, when a raw material of skewered food is held on skewer holder, it is required to hold the raw material of skewered food in the substantially horizontal posture. However, it is difficult for an operator to hold the raw material of skewered food in the horizontal posture, and because it is required to hold the raw material of skewered food with the tip portion of the skewer facing against the operator, the food materials are touched by the operator's fingers, which is not desirable from the sanitary point of view.
Furthermore, there is no step of immersing a raw material of skewered food in sauce during the process of carrying the raw material of skewered food along heating devices with an endless rotary chain for heating, and therefore, after the raw material of skewered food is heated to roast, it is necessary to immerse the raw material of skewered food in sauce and heat the raw material of skewered food again, so that the work load is rather heavy and the period of time required for cooking skewered roasted food is disadvantageously long.
In addition, because linking pins or the like are used for mounting the skewer holders on the endless rotary chain, when the number of skewer holders is to be changed or any skewer holder is exchanged with a new one because of a failure or for some other reasons, it is required to remove the endless rotary chain from sprockets and then dismount skewer holders, and therefore, the work for dismounting skewer holders is laborious and requires a long period of time.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a therapy apparatus for treating a patient with focused acoustic waves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Therapy systems which employ acoustic waves are utilized, for example, for treating stone complaints (lithotripsy), tumors and bone pathologies (osteorestoration). These therapy systems usually are in the form of completely equipped work stations which, in addition to comprising a source of focused acoustic waves with application means for introducing the generated acoustic waves into a patient to be treated, include a locating system and a patient supporting device, whereby the source and the patient supporting device are adjustable relative to one another. During the treatment, the region of the patient to be treated is first localized with the locating system, and the region to be treated is then positioned by adjusting the patient supporting device with the patient thereon and the source relative to one another so that this region is situated in the focus of the acoustic waves. The region to be treated is then charged with acoustic waves in the required way. Although therapy systems having a locating system functioning exclusively on the basis of ultrasound are suitable and are frequently used, therapy systems are normally preferred that have an x-ray locating system, since it is desirable in nearly all applications (and indispensable in many applications) to be able to locate a region to be treated with x-radiation. Some therapy systems have an x-ray locating system, in addition to an ultrasound locating system, since the latter is capable of supplying additional information.
Therapy systems having an x-ray locating system are extremely expensive. This does not represent a disadvantage when the clinic in which the therapy system is operated has an adequately large number of patients in order to enable an economical operation of the therapy system. In the interests of the patient, however, it would be desirable to be able to have a high-performance therapy system of the type described above in smaller clinics or in a doctors's office as well. In the case of a therapy system equipped with an x-ray locating device, however, the comparatively high price thereof does not allow an economical utilization of the therapy system under those conditions.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved molding compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved molding compositions comprising an intimate blend of a high nitrile polymer and a formaldehyde compound. These molding compositions are especially adapted for fabrication into molded packaging material which have a very low level of extractable HCN.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years it has been discovered that certain polymeric nitrile resins are especially suitable for packaging applications because of their excellent water and oxygen barrier properties. Such polymers are described at length in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,451,528, 3,615,710, 3,426,102 and British Pat. No. 1,186,361, among others. Even more recently it has been discovered that although such nitrile polymers have excellent barrier properties they may be unsuitable for certain packaging applications because they contain trace, though detectable, amounts of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) which may be extracted by and impart a taste to the contents of the package. The amount of HCN in such nitrile polymers will vary with the nitrile monomer, the total nitrile content of the polymer, the polymerization method used to prepare the polymer, the processing and thermal history of the polymer and other factors. Moreover, it has been found that the amount of extractable HCN in nitrile polymers may be increased after the polymer has been subjected to forming operations wherein the polymer has been heated in order to soften and/or melt the polymer prior to forming it into shaped articles.
The trace amount of extractable HCN present in such nitrile packaging materials is very low and presents no known health or safety problems. In fact, the amount of extractable HCN in such nitrile polymers is lower than that found in many foods. In this regard it should be noted that HCN is a natural component in many foods and many other foods such as cereals, cocoa, ham, bacon and sausage, which are fumigated with HCN (prussic acid), are permitted to contain from 50 to 200 parts per million of HCN. (See the Food Additive Regulations of the FDA (Page 31, Subpart D, Paragraph 121,1072) as published in the Feveral Register: Dec. 23, 1965; 30 F.R. .15912 and the 1962 Public Health Service Publication 956 "Drinking Water Standards" ).
However, as stated above, the HCN in certain nitrile packaging materials may, in certain instances, be extracted and impart a taste to the contents of the package. The problem of HCN extraction as it affects taste, is of concern in the packaging of beverages which are in prolonged intimate contact with the container. In these packaging applications the probability of HCN extraction is very high.
Thus, there exists in the art a need for improved nitrile polymer molding compositions which can be fabricated into packaging materials which are substantially free of extractable HCN. This need is fulfilled by the present invention which provides a molding composition adapted for the fabrication of packaging materials with a very low extractable HCN content. More particularly, molding compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for the preparation of packaging materials such as bottles, cans, jars, etc., which are used in the packaging of beverages, including carbonated beverages, where the probability of HCN extraction is very high.


Mobility management and power management are two essential functions in a wireless system. For a wireless device to be reached at any time or location, there is a need for the wireless device to support a low rate connection while not actively engaged in a voice call or data session. Mobility management involves messaging between the wireless device and the radio access network (RAN) related to connection management functions, for example, location, paging, cell reselection, and handoff.
Effective power management is essential to conserve battery power. Power saving modes in a wireless device, such as idle mode or sleep mode, decrease the wireless device functions to a minimum so as to maintain some connectivity to the network while conserving power. Each radio access technology (RAT) standard stipulates its own mobility and power management functions. To perform mobility and power management efficiently, wireless standards have introduced state machines at the network layer and/or at the Media Access Control (MAC) layer.
Modern wireless devices, such as smartphones, netbooks, tablets can operate in heterogeneous network regions comprising network nodes supporting different RATs, e.g., GSM/EDGE/3G base stations, WiFi Access Points). Most wireless devices are capable of multi-mode operation (e.g., GSM/EDGE/3G/WiFi/Bluetooth/NFC), i.e., there are multiple radios in a wireless device capable of simultaneously accessing different Radio Access Networks (RANs) with each RAN supporting one or more RATs.
Future wireless device configurations will include even more modes of radio operation including future technologies such as LTE-Advanced as well as sensor radios and cognitive radios. In a multi-mode wireless device, radios that are not actively transmitting (e.g., in IDLE mode) use up some bandwidth and power for state management functions. The battery power usage increases with more radios in a wireless device, even if they are in their lowest power operating state. Further, placing radios in their lowest power operating state results in potential delays when the wireless device has to respond to an incoming voice call or data session. Therefore, there is a need for efficient low power operation modes for a multi-radio wireless device, such as the systems and methods discussed below in the present disclosure.


Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A typical cellular wireless network includes a number of base stations that radiate to define wireless coverage areas, such as cells and cell sectors, in which wireless communication devices (WCDs) (also known as user equipment devices (UEs)), such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. In turn, each base station may be coupled with network infrastructure that provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. With this arrangement, a WCD within coverage of the network may engage in air interface communication with a base station and may thereby communicate via the base station with various remote network entities or with other WCDs served by the base station.
In general, a cellular wireless network may operate in accordance with a particular air interface protocol or “radio access technology,” with communications from the base stations to WCDs defining a downlink or forward link and communications from the WCDs to the base stations defining an uplink or reverse link. Examples of existing air interface protocols include, without limitation, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) (e.g., 1×RTT and 1×EV-DO), Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), among others. Each protocol may define its own procedures for registration of WCDs, initiation of communications, handoff between coverage areas, and functions related to air interface communication.
In accordance with the air interface protocol, each coverage area may operate on one or more carrier frequencies or “carriers.” More particularly, the base station that radiates to define a given coverage area may support one or more frequency bands, such as the 800 MHz band (one or more frequency ranges around 800 MHz), the 1.9 GHz band (one or more frequency ranges around 1.9 GHz), and the 2.5 GHz band (one or more frequency ranges around 2.5 GHz), and may provide service on one or more carrier frequencies with each supported band. In a frequency division duplex (FDD) arrangement, different carrier frequencies are used for the downlink than the uplink. Whereas, in a time division duplex (TDD) arrangement, the same carrier frequency is used for the downlink and uplink and is allocated over time among downlink and uplink communications.
On each carrier frequency in a coverage area, the coverage area may also define a number of air interface channels for carrying information between the base station and the WCDs. These channels may be defined in various ways, such as through frequency division multiplexing, time division multiplexing, and/or code-division multiplexing, for instance. By way of example, each coverage area may define a pilot channel, reference channel or other resource on which the base station may broadcast a pilot signal, reference signal, or the like that WCDs may detect as an indication of coverage and may measure to evaluate coverage strength. As another example, each coverage area may define an uplink control channel or other resource on which WCDs may transmit control messages such as registration requests and access requests to the base station. And each coverage area may define a downlink control channel or other resource on which the base station may transmit control messages such as system information messages and page messages to WCDs. Each coverage area may then define one or more traffic channels or other resources for carrying communication traffic such as voice data and other data between the base station and WCDs.
When a WCD first powers on or enters into coverage of the network, the WCD may scan for and identify a strongest pilot or reference signal and may register with the network by transmitting a registration request or attach request to a base station providing that signal. This registration process may serve to notify the network of the WCD's presence in a particular coverage area and to facilitate network authentication of the WCD. Once registered, the WCD may then operate in an idle mode in which the WCD monitors a downlink control channel to receive overhead information and to check for any page messages. In the idle mode, the WCD may have no assigned traffic channel resources on which to engage in bearer communication.
When the network has a communication (such as a voice call or other traffic) to provide to a WCD that is registered with the network but is operating in the idle mode, the network may page the WCD in an effort to then facilitate assigning traffic channel resources to the WCD. In particular, the network may transmit on the downlink a page message addressed to the WCD. Assuming the WCD receives this page message, the WCD may then transmit to the network a page response message on the uplink. And upon receipt of the page response message, the network may then assign traffic channel resources to the WCD, for use to carry the communication, thus transitioning the WCD to a connected or active mode in which the WCD can engage in the communication.
Likewise, when an idle WCD seeks to initiate a communication (such as to place a voice call or engage in other bearer communication), the WCD may transmit on the uplink to the base station an origination or connection request, and the network may then assign traffic channel resources to the WCD for use to carry the communication, similarly transitioning the WCD to a connected or active mode in which the WCD can engage in the communication.


Internal combustion engines, including diesel engines, gasoline engines, gaseous fuel-powered engines, and other engines known in the art exhaust a complex mixture of air pollutants. These air pollutants are composed of gaseous compounds such as, for example, the oxides of nitrogen (NOX). Due to increased awareness of the environment, exhaust emission standards have become more stringent, and the amount of NOX emitted from an engine may be regulated depending on the type of engine, size of engine, and/or class of engine. In order to ensure compliance with the regulation of these compounds, some engine manufacturers have implemented a strategy called Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR).
SCR is a process where gaseous or liquid reductant (most commonly a solution of urea solid and water) is added to the exhaust gas stream of an engine and is adsorbed onto a catalyst. The reductant reacts with NOX in the exhaust gas to form H2O and N2, which can be safely released to the atmosphere. Although SCR can be an effective method for reducing NOX, it can be difficult to ensure that enough reductant has been injected to adequately reduce the amount of NOX present within the exhaust gas stream, without unnecessarily wasting reductant and releasing unused reductant or byproducts thereof to the atmosphere.
To help control the amount of NOX emitted to the atmosphere, most exhaust systems are equipped with a sensor that detects the level of NOX in the tailpipe of an engine and generates a corresponding signal. Based on this signal, the amount of reductant injected into an exhaust flow can then be trimmed to precisely reduce a desired amount of NOX.
Although relatively successful at helping to control the amount of NOX emitted to the atmosphere, most NOX sensors currently available are cross-sensitive to the reductant used to reduce NOX. That is, NOX sensors on the market today generate signals indicative of the presence of both NOX and reductant. As such, when either NOX or reductant levels in an exhaust flow go up, the signal value from the corresponding NOX sensor also goes up, and vice versa. Thus, it can be difficult to determine which constituent is currently being detected by the sensor, and over-injecting of reductant can occur in some situations when the injections are unknowingly based on a detected high level of reductant instead of NOX.
One attempt to help ensure that reductant injections are correctly based on detected levels of NOX is described in WO Publication Number 2006/000877 of Crane et al. that published on Jan. 5, 2006 (the '877 publication). The '877 publication discloses an exhaust system that utilizes a nonselective NOX/NH3 sensor in conjunction with feedforward and feedback control. The sensor is periodically interrogated by introducing a positive pulse in an ammonia feed rate. A positive response from the sensor to the positive pulse indicates ammonia slip is occurring (i.e., that the sensor is currently detecting NH3). A negative response from the sensor indicates NOX breakthrough (i.e., that the sensor is currently detecting NOX). Based on the positive responses, a controller inhibits feedforward control for a time and reduces reductant injections. Based on the negative response, the controller adjusts feedforward control to increase reductant injections. Feedback control is utilized between sensor interrogations to trim feedforward commands for injection based on sensor output under normal conditions.
Although perhaps somewhat effective at determining if a sensor is detecting NOX or NH3, the exhaust system of the '877 publication may be unresponsive and wasteful. That is, the exhaust system of the '877 publication requires dedicated time for the sensor to be interrogated, this time causing delays in normal operations of the system. In addition, the exhaust system of the '877 publication requires extra pulses of reductant that are used only for sensor interrogation (i.e., the pulses do not help to reduce NOX), which can be expensive and decrease a time between servicing because of the additional exposure to reductant.
The exhaust system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.


With the repaid development of wireless communication systems, the radiating antennas with low cost and dual-band operation are in demand for various applications, such as wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN systems unitize the unlicensed bands, the ISM band at 2.4 GHz and 5.2 GHz only for the industrial, scientific and medical applications, to reduce the cost of the network building. The slot antenna has been investigated since the 1940s and many research studies have discussed the feeding structure, the bandwidth characteristics and the radiation phenomenon. The slot is etched on the ground plane of the substrate and radiation from both sides of the substrate is achieved by a microstrip or CPW-fed in a resonator cavity. In order to derive the maximum beam at the broadside direction, the length of the slot antenna should be limited to one wavelength. The technology of applying two different slot loops in the aperture was proposed to create dual bands. FIG. 12 shows a conventional slot antenna comprising a plurality of etched slots 62 in the ground plate 61 of the substrate 60 and a sub-antenna 64 extends from the ground plate 61 and to the opening 63 of the slot 62 so as to be the signal feedline. Another conventional slot antenna is disclosed in FIG. 13 and the slot 72 is etched as a T-shaped slot in the ground plate 71 of the substrate 70. A T-shaped feedline 73 is located in the inner periphery of the slot 72. Nevertheless, none of the conventional slot antennas is satisfied.
The present invention intends to provide the CPW-fed slot antenna to perform the dual-band characteristic and miniaturize the slot size utilizing the E-like feeding structure and adding the matching stub at the slot edge and four floating patches on the backside of the substrate. According to the measured results, the bandwidth of the lower resonant frequency distributes from 2.38 GHz to 2.60 GHz and one of higher resonant frequency ranges from 5.13 GHz to 5.73 GHz. The above techniques are effective and realizable for the design of the CPW-fed slot antenna.


The present invention relates to the packaging of integrated circuit dies and, more particularly, to heat dissipation in lead frames.
Very similar processes are utilized to manufacture a large variety of integrated circuit packages or chips. A starting substrate, e.g., a thin wafer of silicon or gallium arsenide, is masked, etched and doped during several process steps, with the type, number and order of the steps depending on the type of integrated circuit being manufactured, to form a number of dies or separate integrated circuits thereon. The dies are singulated or separated with a wafer saw and then packaged individually to form integrated circuit packages or chips.
Each die typically has a back that is devoid of circuitry and a front having integrated circuitry formed thereon. The integrated circuitry is accessible via die wire bonding pads that may be arranged in a variety of configurations on the face or edges of the die.
During the packaging process, each die is attached to a corresponding lead frame. The lead frames are processed in groups, typically in strips or in a continuous coil form. Each strip contains multiple, e.g., six, lead frames and is several, e.g., nine, inches long. A coil contains a larger number of lead frames because it is a much longer continuous strip of material. Each lead frame strip or coil typically is a metal frame designed to support several dies for packaging and to provide the leads for the final integrated circuit package.
A typical lead frame strip or coil is produced from metal sheet stock, e.g., a copper or nickel alloy, by subjecting the sheet stock to a stamping or photochemical etch process to form lead fingers, and side rails having pilot holes therein. The side rails and pilot holes therein facilitate transport and indexing of the lead frame strip or coil by automated packaging machinery. For example, a lead frame strip, individually, or a lead frame coil, as a whole, can be removably clipped to carrier belts that move the lead frame strip or coil through the various manufacturing stages.
Each lead frame has a plurality of lead fingers for connection to the die bonding pads. The lead fingers typically are spot plated with palladium, gold or silver. The conductive leads are plated to provide a metallic surface to which wires may be bonded, as a bond wire usually will not stick directly to lead frame material, such as copper or nickel or alloys thereof.
As the demand for thinner packages increases, it becomes desirable to make the die-lead frame assembly thinner, which can be accomplished by reducing the thickness of the lead frame. However, thinner lead frames exacerbate the problems of heat dissipation both during manufacture and use. Particularly, thinner lead frames will, in the absence of other modifications, be less capable of dissipating the tremendous amount of heat that might build up either during manufacture or during operation.
Problems of heat dissipation have also been encountered in view of increased power demands in the context of integrated circuit packages or chips. Particularly, as integrated circuit packages and chips are increasingly used in operating environments that notably increase the power provided thereto, the need for efficient and effective heat dissipation becomes more and more apparent.
To attend to the task of heat dissipation, manufacturers often provide supplementary media for dissipating heat away from the lead fingers. These supplementary media have often taken the form of small metal elements that are connected to portions of a lead frame.
Conventionally, this attachment is often achieved by using small rivets or tappets to interconnect a portion of a lead frame with the heat dissipating element. However, many disadvantages have been encountered with such an arrangement. Particularly, the use of separate interconnecting members, for the purpose of attaching a heat dissipating element to the lead frame, results in extra components that require undesirable additional expenditures of materials and cost.
It is also known to impart a significant thickness to the heat dissipating element in order to increase heat dissipation capabilities. However, by imparting a significant thickness to a heat dissipating element, limitations are subsequently placed on the overall thickness of the integrated circuit package or chip being manufactured.
Generally, the ends of lead fingers, when juxtaposed adjacent to one another, form the outline of a square or other rectilinear shape which might or might not be occupied by additional material. One type of conventional heat dissipating arrangement involves the placement of a quantity of thermally conductive material within this rectilinear space, along with thermally conductive connections to the siderails or other conducting portions of the lead frame. However, since the areal extent of such a heat dissipation arrangement is limited by the dimensions of the rectilinear space, it is often the case that only a significantly small heat dissipating element is realizable, with the result that heat dissipating capabilities may not be as great as desired.
The present invention broadly contemplates, in accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment, a lead frame apparatus comprising: a lead frame; and an arrangement for dissipating heat generated at the lead frame, the heat dissipating arrangement being uninterruptedly connected to the lead frame.
In accordance with another presently preferred embodiment, the present invention broadly contemplates lead frame heat dissipating apparatus comprising at least one element for dissipating heat generated at a lead frame, the at least one element comprising an arrangement for directly and uninterruptedly connecting with a lead frame.
In accordance with another presently preferred embodiment, the present invention broadly contemplates lead frame apparatus comprising an arrangement for directly and uninterruptedly accommodating at least one external element for dissipating heat generated at the lead frame.
In accordance with yet another presently preferred embodiment, the present invention broadly contemplates a method of making lead frame apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: providing a lead frame; providing an arrangement for dissipating heat generated at the lead frame; and uninterruptedly connecting the heat dissipating arrangement to the lead frame.
Finally, in accordance with yet another presently preferred embodiment, the present invention broadly contemplates lead frame apparatus comprising: a lead frame; an arrangement for dissipating heat generated at the lead frame; and an arrangement for mechanically connecting the lead frame with the heat dissipating arrangement; the connecting arrangement consisting essentially of constituent portions of the lead frame and the heat dissipating apparatus.


The present invention relates to a displacement sensor and, in particular, relates to such a device which senses the displacement or vibration of a living body. The present invention is applicable to a stethoscope for medical purposes, and mechanocardiogram.
Conventionally, an acoustic stethoscope has been used for diagnosing a living body. A prior stethoscope places a diaphragm on a surface of a living body, and the vibration of the diaphragm is listened to by a doctor through a stethoscope tube.
Therefore, a prior stethoscope has the disadvantage that only a single doctor can listen to the sound of vibration of heart valves of a living body, but it can not be listened to by a plurality of persons. Further, a prior stethoscope has the disadvantage that a doctor cannot listen to the sound of a heart beat due to a low frequency less than 20 Hz and the output of the stethoscope can not be recorded.
On the other hand, a prior electrocardiogram records pulsation or drive electrical signals of a heart, but it does not record an actual mechanical movement of a heart. Therefore, if there is something wrong with a heart such as valve desease and arteriosclerosis, it could not be detected by a prior electrocardiogram. Conventional mechanocardiograph sensors for detection of heart movement are difficult to treat due to their bad treatability.


F152 (LL-Z1640-2) (1) is a zearalenone-like macrolide, isolated from shake flask fermentation, crude extracts of which inhibited the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis (see, McGahren et al. J. Org. Chem. 1978, 43, 2339). It was reported that initial biological studies using this natural product failed to yield any particularly interesting activities.

After initial isolation and reporting of this compound, several other groups explored the possibility of preparing additional derivatives and/or further exploring their biological activity. For example, scientists at Merck reported that F152 and certain isomers thereof inhibit the phosphorylating enzyme Map/Erk kinase (MEK) and thus are useful for the treatment of certain cancers and other diseases characterized by the formation of neoangiogenesis (see, GB 323 845). Other groups have also reported derivatives of F152 having activity as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which are useful, for example, for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory disorders (see, EP 606 044; WO 00/38674; JP 8-40893; WO 96/13259; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,728,726; 5,674,892; 5,795,910). Each of these groups, however, was only able to obtain F152 and derivatives thereof by fermentation techniques and by modifications to the natural product, respectively, and thus were limited in the number and types of derivatives that could be prepared and evaluated for biological activity. Additionally, although F152 and certain derivatives thereof have demonstrated potent in vitro activities, these compounds are biologically unstable (for example, they are susceptible to enone isomerization in mouse and human plasma), thereby limiting the development of these compounds as therapeutics for the treatment of humans or other animals.
Clearly, there remains a need to develop synthetic methodologies to access and examine the therapeutic effect of a variety of novel analogues of F152, particularly those that are inaccessible by making modifications to the natural product. It would also be of particular interest to develop novel compounds that exhibit a favorable therapeutic profile in vivo (e.g., are safe and effective, while retaining stability in biological media).


The science of transplantation, now half of a century old, has dramatically increased and improved the life of many individuals, including many children, with end stage diseases. Recent advancements in immunosuppressive agents have substantially decreased rejection of allografts over the past decade and a half in the United States. Hariharan et al., N Engl J Med 342, 605-612 (2000); and First, M. R., Transplant Proc 34:1369-1371 (2002). However, to avoid both episodes of acute rejection and the initiation of chronic rejection following transplantation, immunosuppressive drugs must be administered over the entire life of the organ recipient. Consequences of this long-term administration are profound, including undesirable side effects, increasing the risk of infection, autoimmunity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The chronic administration of these immunosuppressive drugs (especially when give systemically) lead to toxicity and significant side effects, thereby leaving the patient vulnerable to a variety of diseases and systemic organ failure.
The most desirable alternative to this extended state of vulnerability would be to render the patient's immune system to effectively suppress immune activation without systemic immunosuppression. In this case, no further immunosuppressant drug treatment would be necessary. Furthermore, the recipient's immune system would otherwise function normally, being capable of combating pathogens and malignant tumor cells. What is needed in the art are compositions and methods to induce permanent immunological tolerance by stimulating immunosuppressive regulatory cells.


(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an alarm system for a machine tool and more particularly but not by way of limitation to a portable alarm system used with a CNC milling machine for alerting a machine operator that the milling of a particular work piece has been completed and the milling machine needs to be attended to and a new work cycle started.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, there have been a number of patent applications filed on various types of audio and visual alarms used with milling machines for sounding an alarm related to a cutting fluid shortage, overheating of a machine tool or work piece, collisions of work pieces and moving of axes and tools. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,717,514 to Stein et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,884 to Appleyard et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,581 to Kats, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,691 to Dieterle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,053 to Dubois III, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,944 to Maletta, various types of machine tool safety devices, monitoring apparatus, and alarm devices are described for preventing operator injuries when using lathes, milling equipment, metal shears and the like.
None of the above mentioned prior art alarms have the particular unique features, objects and advantages of the subject portable alarm system used with a tool magazine and a CNC milling machine spindle.


The present invention relates to a white light-emitting diode device which has an excellent color rendering property and which can be used in a back light and a front light as an externally irradiating light source of a color liquid crystal display and for room illumination. Particularly, the present invention relates to a covering member that enables a conventional blue or green light-emitting diode device to emit white light, and a white light-emitting diode device using the covering member.
A light-emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cLEDxe2x80x9d) emits a light when electrons from an N-region and holes from a P-region are moved to a PN junction section and are recoupled in a PN junction semiconductor when a forward voltage is applied. Since the energy released when the free electrons are coupled is radiated as light, the light emitted from the LED is light in a narrow wavelength range, i.e. light of a single color such as red or blue.
On the other hand, a light source for illumination of a color liquid crystal display and for room illumination needs to emit fluorescent light or white light approximate to natural light.
Thus, a full-color LED device has been used as a light source for illumination of the color liquid crystal display and for room illumination. The full-color LED device generates white light by using a combination of a red light-emitting element for emitting red light, a blue light-emitting element for emitting blue light and a green light-emitting element for emitting green light.
However, with a full-color LED device as a light source results in a complicated design, since each of the light-emitting elements in the full-color LED device requires must have an anode terminal and a cathode terminal. Further, a larter space and higher costs are required since a full-color LED device uses three kinds of light-emitting elements. In addition, if one light-emitting element of a full-color LED device is broken, the desired color balance is lost, with the result that the intended color tone may not be obtained. In view of the above situation, many studies are being vigorously undertaken to develop an LED device capable of emitting white color using one kind of light-emitting element. Such an LED device is called a white LED device and is distinguishable from the full-color LED device. Using a white LED device enables a back light or the like to be driven by a simple electric circuit without requiring an inverter circuit and the like, and reduces power consumption. This presents advantages such as reducing the outer configuration of the driving circuit and eliminating electromagnetic noise. Because of such advantages, the white LED device is being developed.
Since a white LED device must generate white light by using only one kind of light-emitting element (single-color), it has been the general practice to use a single-color light-emitting element in combination with a phosphor that can convert the wavelength of light emitted from the light-emitting element to emit light of another color. For example, white LED devices which have a layer containing YAG (yttrium aluminate) phosphor provided on a blue light-emitting element are commercially available.
The YAG phosphor generally emits light in the green to yellow region, depending on the kind of activating element in the YAG. Thus, the red light obtained in a white LED by combining a blue light-emitting element for emitting light having an excitation wavelength of YAG and the YAG phosphor is insufficient. This leads to the problem that matters to be displayed in red look subdued.
To remedy this problem, it has been considered to use a YAG phosphor capable of emitting fluorescent light approximate red light, such as by activating YAG, for example, by substituting Gd at the Y-site of Y3Al5O12, to activate the YAG phosphor and shift the emission peak toward a longer wavelength, i.e. toward the red side of the spectrum. However, such a method cannot be used to provide a white LED device having an average color rendering evaluation number (Ra) of 85 or larger, the value of Ra being an index as to whether an illuminated object conforms to color perception under a reference light. Although more red light may be obtained by increasing the content of red YAG in the fluorescent layer, the emission intensity of yellowish light emitted from YAG also becomes higher, with the result that an average color rendering evaluation number Ra of 85 or larger cannot be obtained.
As a method of compensating for not only the blue, green and yellow lights, but also the red light in the white LED, the use of a red phosphor has also been considered. However, at present the manganese activated magnesium arsenate phosphor known as a dark red phosphor is not being produced for fluorescent lamps due to its toxicity. Further, since manganese activated magnesium fluoride germanium oxide phosphor is expensive, it is not suitable for the use of a white LED as a back light having the merits of being light-weight and thin and of requiring low power consumption.
The effect of adding red pigment to the fluorescent layer of an LED is also being studied (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (HEI)5-152609). However, since the pigment acts like a light filter in making a specified color stand out by cutting other colors, addition of the pigment results in a reduced luminance of the LED device and, thus, is not suitable for a white LED device aimed at conserving space, costs and power.
An object of the present invention is to provide, without increasing manufacturing costs more than necessary, an LED device having an excellent color rendering property and a covering member used for such an LED device.
An inventive light-emitting diode comprises a light-emitting element for emitting light in the blue to green region and a fluorescent substance containing a CaS phosphor activated by Eu for converting the wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting element to a different wavelength.
Another inventive light-emitting diode device comprises a light-emitting element for emitting light in the blue to green region and a fluorescent substance containing a phosphor expressed by a general formula AEu(1xe2x88x92x)LnxB2O8 for converting the wavelength of the light emitted from the light-emitting element to a different wavelength, wherein A is an element selected from the group consisting of Li, K, Na and Ag; Ln is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, La and Gd; and B is W or Mo; and x is number equal to or larger than 0, but smaller than 1.
An inventive covering member for a light-emitting diode device which includes a light-emitting element sealed by a transparent resin for emitting light in the blue to green region comprises a base polymer and a CaS phosphor activated by Eu.
Another inventive covering member for covering a light-emitting diode device which includes a light-emitting element sealed by a transparent resin for emitting light in the blue to green region comprises a base polymer, and a phosphor expressed by a general formula AEu(1xe2x88x92x)LnxB2O8, wherein A is an element selected from the group consisting of Li, K, Na and Ag; Ln is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, La and Gd; and B is W or Mo; and x is number equal to or larger than 0, but smaller than 1.
The inventive light-emitting diode devices are better in emitting red light than conventional light-emitting diode devices using a light-emitting element that emits light in the blue to green region. Thus, according to the present invention, a white diode device having a color rendering property approximate to that of a fluorescent lamp or of natural light can be provided by containing YAG phosphor in the fluorescent substance.
Further, if the inventive covering member is mounted on a conventional light-emitting diode device, it can be used as the inventive white LED device having an excellent color rendering property.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.


1. Field of the Invention
This specification relates to a refrigerator having a vegetable storage container, and particularly, to a hermetic structure of a vegetable storage container for a refrigerator capable of sealing an inner accommodation space of a vegetable box.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, a refrigerator is equipment for keeping food stuffs in a cold state for a long term of time by generating cold air by way of driving a refrigerating cycle installed in the refrigerator and supplying the cold air into a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber.
The refrigerator may include a vegetable container for keeping vegetables. When the vegetables are kept in the refrigerator, they should be maintained as fresh as possible. Therefore, it may be important to maintain the space for storing the vegetables in an optimal condition.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show main parts of a vegetable container for a refrigerator according to the related art, which are a perspective view and coupled views of a sealing structure of the vegetable container for the refrigerator according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the related art vegetable container may include a vegetable box 200 having an accommodation space having an upper opening for storing vegetables therein, and a cover 100 for covering the upper opening of the vegetable box 200.
The cover 100 may include an inner cover 120 having cover gaskets 123 for sealing the upper opening of the vegetable box 200, and an outer cover 110 located on the inner cover 120.
The vegetable box 200 may include a main body 210 defining the accommodation space for the vegetables therein, and a front part 230 having a front panel 231 formed thereon.
The cover 200, as shown in FIG. 2, may be pushed in a slidable manner to close the upper opening of the accommodation space of the vegetable box 200.
Especially, cover rails 113 may be disposed long in back and forth directions on both sides of a lower surface of the outer cover 110 of the cover 100. The cover rails 113 of the outer cover 110 and main body rails 211, which are disposed on both sides of an upper surface of the main body 210, may be mutually slidable to open or close the inner accommodation space of the vegetable box 200.
Referring to FIG. 3, the cover 100 may be closed in a manner that stopping protrusions 1131 of the outer cover 110 are engaged with protrusions 2111 formed on end portions of the rails 211 on the upper surface of the main body 210 such that the cover 100 cannot be slid.
Accordingly, when the cover 100 is closed with sealing the upper opening of the vegetable box 200, the cover gaskets 123 may be pressed due to the weight of the cover 100, thereby realizing a sealing function.
However, the vegetable box for the refrigerator according to the related art may have the following problems.
Referring to FIG. 3, the related art vegetable box cover 100 may cover the upper opening of the vegetable box 200 in the sliding manner. However, without a force applied upwardly, the cover 100 and the vegetable box 200 may be separated from each other by a predetermined gap at a gasket-loosed portion S. This may make it difficult to completely engage the cover gaskets with the vegetable box, and accordingly a gap may be generated. Also, the accommodation space of the vegetable box 200 may not be completely sealed by the cover 100.
Consequently, odors of food stuffs stored in the refrigerating chamber or the freezing chamber of the refrigerator may permeate vegetables stored in the inner accommodation space of the vegetable box 200 via the gasket-loosed portion S. Also, the accommodation space of the vegetable box 200 may not be maintained with proper humidity, and accordingly the vegetables may not be kept in a fresh state.
Also, due to the loosed gap, the vegetable box may not be sealed depending on a user's usage pattern. Accordingly, a sealing force shortage may be caused and the vegetables may be caught.


In ventilation systems, the ventilation air is admitted to the room through openings in the wall or ceiling and such openings are fitted with a removable ventilation elements, normally air valves, diffusers or grilles for supplying and exhausting air. The conduits to which the elements are connected may be of varying widths or diameters and may even vary in type. Frequently the conduit is simply an opening in a concrete wall and such conduits are often uneven and include a great number of varying irregularities.
If the conduit embodies a standard piece of duct work or other pre-formed conduit, the ventilation element may be designed to mate with the pre-formed conduit and may be screwed in place or glued by suitable sealing cement. However, where it is desirable to permit ready removal and replacement of the ventilation element, it has been proposed to provide spring latches which releasably mount the ventilation element in the duct. Such devices are normally not suitable unless the ventilation element has a cylindrical portion which telescopically engages in the duct conduit to position the same. In such cases, the latch element may comprise a special expanding member on the cylindrical portion which springs out to engage the conduit and secure it in position.
In order to solve these problems, a mounting arrangement has been provided in which the ventilation element is provided with resilient brackets which may spring outwardly against or behind an irregularity or a shoulder. The resilient element then is designed either to pass "over-center", or to act as a cam element to resiliently cause the ventilation element to bear tightly against the wall surface surrounding the ventilation opening.
The foregoing mounting apparatuses are not entirely satisfactory, because of their complicated construction and assembly, their expense, and their inability to adapt to openings which are quite irregular.


Generally speaking, conventional lidding films either: 1. provide reliable seal integrity but are often difficult to open; or 2. are easily opened but provide less reliable seal integrity. The present invention eliminates this trade-off; that is, the lidding films of the present invention are easily opened by consumers and have reliable heat seals, even at very low temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,494 to Stokes discloses multilayer films having a semi-crystalline polyester support layer and an amorphous polyester heat seal layer. The heat seal layer further comprises a finely divided particulate additive.


Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor manufacturing device. The semiconductor manufacturing device described in Patent Document 1 includes a stage and a plurality of pins. The stage has a plurality of holes into which the pins are respectively inserted.
Some of the pins are used for vertically moving a substrate to be processed, which is mounted on the stage, with respect to the top surface of the stage. The other the pins are used for vertically moving a focus ring mounted on the stage with respect to the top surface of the stage.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-196691
In the above semiconductor manufacturing device, a plurality of driving units for vertically moving the pins is required as many as the number of the pins, so that the device becomes complicated. Further, in the above semiconductor manufacturing device, holes as many as the number of pins need to be formed in the stage. However, it is preferable to form a smaller number of holes in the stage.


Fiber to the x (FTTx) is a generic term for broadband network architecture that uses optical fiber to replace the copper cabling usually used for connecting the network to the end user. E.g. fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) is a term that defines the scenario when fiber reaches the boundary of the building, such as the curb or basement in a commercial or residential building. The fiber is there connected to some kind of connection device where the final connection to the tenants is made via alternative means.
An Optical Network Unit (ONU) is an example of such a connection device. When installed close to, or in, a commercial or residential building the connection device is often referred to as a Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU). The ONU delivers services over Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL2) or Ethernet from a Giga-bit or Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GPON or EPON) feed. The services are provided to the ONU via a fiber connection coming from an access node (OLT—Optical Line Termination) in a central office. The ONU converts the optical signals in the optical fiber to electrical signals for delivery to the tenants. The ONU is not powered locally, but retrieves power from a remote power station in a remote terminal (RT) that can be located far away. The powering is provided via already existing twisted pair telephone copper from the RT to the ONU. The twisted pair telephone copper was once being used for Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) and later for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) containing POTS. Due to the small wire gauge of the twisted pair telephone copper the power supply in the RT must deliver the power using high DC voltage since the use of low DC or AC voltage would result in high losses. The RT may therefore up-convert −48V (which is the typical operating voltage of the RT) to +/−190V which is necessary to deliver enough power (˜95 W per power channel, 380V, 250 mA max) to the ONU. Depending on power consumption and distance, one or two power pairs are typically utilized. Accordingly, the ONU down-converts +/−190V to −48V to power internal electronics. The RT may be placed in the central office or in another location where access to the AC power grid is available.
To protect the RT and ONU equipment from surges during lightning, primary (gas discharge tubes) and secondary (sidactors) protection mechanisms are deployed in both the RT and the ONU, effectively shortening power leads to ground, bleeding surge energy off. This causes power outages in the area of tens of milliseconds that leads to service unavailability for users. Therefore, hold-over capability in form of an inexpensive hold-over circuit containing low-lost and low-value capacitors may be installed at the ONU to power the device during the short time period of power loss from the remote up-converter.
When a ground fault is detected on the power leads, the up-converter performs a safety power shutdown of the RT for between 60 milliseconds to several seconds according to safety standards. This results in loss of power from the up-converter of the RT to the ONU. For economic reasons an ONU should preferably not be provided with any expensive hold-over capability of several seconds such as ultra-capacitors, batteries, etc. Consequently, a ground fault leads to a reboot of the ONU leading to service outage to all costumers of the ONU for some minutes.
Ground faults do not occur frequently since they are introduced by safety breaches caused by humans or animals touching the leads or power crossover. However, the poorly shielded and aged telephone copper that feeds from RT to the ONU can be very sensitive to external disturbances such as interferences from close-by power distribution and transmission lines causing common mode transients which result in current imbalance. Sometimes the up-converter misinterprets these disturbances as ground fault events causing unnecessary safety power shut downs.
There is thus a need for a method and an apparatus that is resilient to interferences but still complies with existing safety standards.


Absorbent articles for personal hygiene of the type indicated above are designed to absorb and contain body exudates, in particular large quantity of urine. These absorbent articles comprise several layers providing different functions, for example a topsheet, a backsheet and in-between an absorbent core, among other layers. The function of the absorbent core is typically to absorb and retain the exudates for a prolonged amount of time, minimize re-wet to keep the wearer dry and avoid soiling of clothes or bed sheets.
The majority of currently marketed absorbent articles comprise as absorbent material a blend of comminuted wood pulp with superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in particulate form, also called absorbent gelling materials (AGM), see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 (Buell). Absorbent articles having a core consisting essentially of SAP as absorbent material (so called “airfelt-free” cores) have also been proposed (see e.g. WO2008/155699 (Hundorf), WO95/11652 (Tanzer), WO2012/052172 (Van Malderen)). Absorbent cores with slits or grooves have also been proposed, typically to increase the fluid acquisition properties of the core or to act as a folding guide.
WO2012/170778 (Rosati et al., see also WO2012/170779, WO2012/170781 and WO2012/170808) discloses absorbent structures that comprise superabsorbent polymers, optionally a cellulosic material, and at least a pair of substantially longitudinally extending channels. The core wrap can be adhesively bonded through the channels to form a channel bond. The channel bonds may be permanent, so that their integrity is at least partially maintained both in dry and wet state. As the absorbent structure absorbs liquid and swells, the absorbent structure takes a three-dimensional shape with the channels becoming visible. The channels are indicated to provide improved fit and/or better liquid acquisition/transportation, and/or improved performance throughout the use of the absorbent structure. Any superabsorbent polymer particles known from the superabsorbent literature are indicated to be suitable.
The properties of superabsorbent polymers have been characterized in various ways. The absorbent capacity (CRC) in grams of liquid per gram of superabsorbent particles has been used, as well as their absorption speed as measured by the Free Swell Rate (FSR) and their permeability as measured by the Urine Permeability Measurement (UPM) test.
International patent application WO2012/174,026A1 discloses the K(t) method which can be used to determine the time dependent effective permeability (K(t)) and the uptake kinetics (T20) of a gel layer formed from hydrogel-forming superabsorbent polymer particles under a confining pressure. The application indicates that these SAP can be used to reduce leakage, especially at the first gush, i.e. when the article starts to be wetted.
It has now been found that although the absorption properties of conventional SAP may not be negatively impacted at first gush when used in a core with channels, the liquid absorption of the SAP can be significantly reduced in the following gushes after the fluid has been already absorbed in these cores comprising channels compared to cores without channels. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that the three-dimensional channels which are formed as the SAP absorbs a fluid can create a resistance to swelling for the superabsorbent polymers and reduce their swelling kinetics. As the channels otherwise facilitate the distribution of the fluid along the core, it was on contrary expected that any conventional SAP could be used in these cores. Accordingly the inventors have found that for absorbent cores comprising such channels it can be advantageous to use these SAP having a T20 of below 240 s to maintain sufficient speed of absorption beyond first gush.


The present invention relates to the identification of articles, especially golf balls, which are marked, distributed from a base and subsequently collected.
Golf driving ranges are becoming increasingly popular, especially those involving scoring and other competitions. In such cases the ability to identify a collected ball is important Even in conventional driving ranges, the ability to identify golf bell can facilitate charging players and or detecting theft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,224 discloses a golf range with targets provided with optical scanners to identify balls and to pass the information to a programmed computer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,389 discloses a golfing range game in which a ball rolling into a hole is sensed by a scanner which identifies the tee from which the ball was driven by detecting the colour of the ball or a bar code printed thereon; the information is passed back to a display near the golfer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,642 discloses a driving range with targets with optical readers for detecting unique identification ball codes, the optical readers being connected to a computer device.
Systems employing optical codes have a number of disadvantages. In particular, dirt on the ball can prevent correct identification. Also, the optical codes are subject to wear and abrasion. Furthermore, the orientation of the ball relative to the optical reader is important in order for the code to be correctly read. In addition the coding markings can be visually intrusive.
GB-A-2267222 discloses a golf driving range employing balls which are distinguished from each other by means of bar codes or transponders. Ball detecting means are provided at the holes and the surrounding greens. The disclosure of this document corresponds to the introductory part of claim 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,531 discloses golf balls with passive tags which can be sensed by an electronic detection system and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,815 discloses a golf ball housing a passive transponder which may be uniquely coded.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,770 discloses a ball detection and identification arrangement for a table ball game, e.g. pool. Balls landing in the pockets pass to an electronic detector which operates a display and scoring device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,542 discloses a golf game with identifiable golf clubs and means for sensing the presence of a golf ball in a hole. In a modification the balls may be uniquely coded optically.
The present invention seeks to overcome or reduce the above disadvantages.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf driving range employing uniquely-coded golf balls characterised in that a tee of the range incorporates ball-identifying means connected to a computer system so that the computer system knows which ball a player is driving from said tee.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf driving range comprising means for supplying golf balls to a player, said supply means incorporating first ball-identifying means, the range further comprising means for collecting driven balls incorporating second ball-identifying means, the range further comprising means for processing the output of said first and second ball-identifying means, wherein each golf ball incorporates a coded RF-transponder and the first and second ball-identifying means employ RFID technology.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf driving range comprising means for supplying golf balls one-by-one to a player, said supply means incorporating first ball-identifying means, the range further comprising means for collecting balls driven by the player, said collecting means incorporating second-ball identifying means, the range further comprising means for processing the output of said first and second ball-identifying means, each golf ball incorporating a RF-transponder having a unique code, and the first and second ball-identifying means employing RFID technology, wherein the golf balls to be supplied to the player are fed one-by-one from a holder of a plurality of golf balls past the first ball-identifying means and are then supplied in the same order to the player.
The outputs of said first and second ball-identifying means are preferably supplied to a computer, which processes the received information and provides a display of the result.
The supplying and collecting means preferably comprise channels for directing golf balls, and the first and second ball-identifying means are preferably RFID readers with reading heads located directly adjacent the respective channels.
The balls collected by the collecting means may be arranged to be supplied to the supplying means for recycling.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for supplying golf balls one-by-one to a player and incorporating ball-identifying means and means for processing the output of said ball-identifying means, each golf ball incorporating a RF-transponder having a unique code and the ball-identifying means employing RFID technology wherein the golf balls to be supplied to the player are fed one-by-one from a holder of a plurality of golf balls past the ball-identifying means and are then supplied in the same order to the player.


The present invention relates in general to a method of forming a protective coating on a substrate by means of plasma polymerization with at least one gaseous silicon-organic compound, in which a plasma is generated in a vacuum chamber and a gas with the compound is fed thereto for the production of the coating. The invention relates further to a coating apparatus with a coating chamber, a source arrangement which, for the generation of a plasma, generates an electromagnetic alternating field, a pumping arrangement connected to the chamber, and a controlled gas inlet arrangement for the infeed of gas into the chamber.
In the technology of protective coatings it is generally known to provide substrates, specifically non-planar substrates such as reflectors for automobile or other headlights, floodlights, etc. with corrosion proof or wiping resistant, protective coatings.
Plasma polymerization which, as is generally known, is used for this task, and which is a plasma enhanced chemical deposition method operative at comparatively low substrate temperatures, permits metal substrates or previously coated metal layers, specifically aluminum vapor coated substrates, to be coated with siloxane, a silicon-organic compound.
Because a plasma is generated for this procedure by direct current, as disclosed, for example, in the German patent publication DE-OS 22 63 480 or French patent reference FR A 21 690 072, a new metal encasement must be furnished from time to time, around at least one of the metal electrodes used for the coating process and between which the plasma is generated after every coating process. This is because an insulating coating is produced at relatively high coating rates on the electrode during coating with siloxane. Without this new metal encasement, the longer the process continues, the more dielectric coating is formed on the electrode. This would lead to an unstable plasma with flashovers through the insulating coating and contamination of the coating process area, sputtering-off until, finally, a disruption or break down of the plasma discharge takes place.
This problem remains if, according to German reference DD A 272 773, a pulsed DC-plasma is used. According to DD A 272 773, an alternating voltage of selected frequency is rectified in one direction and is used for the plasma generator. By means of a super-imposed DC-voltage, the total voltage is raised causing the plasma discharge to intensify which, it is said, increases productivity. It is also stated in the reference that an upper limit for this DC-voltage exists, above which the discharge becomes continuous. This pulsed switching of a discharge with a non-pulsed operating voltage (a rectified voltage) can no longer support pulsed DC-discharge operation. A pulsed DC-discharge is used according to DD A 272 773 for preventing arcing, which, as is known, is often encountered in pure DC-discharge operation.
Due to the necessity of having to reencapsulate the mentioned electrode, relatively long maintenance intervals occur due to which a production plant must often shut down for prolonged time spans. This can not be tolerated with in-line production plants, for example.
It is noted that the parameters for a plasma polymerization method depend very strongly on the gaseous compounds used and which will thus form the process coating. It is known from European patent reference EP A 207 767, to pulsate RF plasma, during a surface treatment-etching or coating by plasma enhanced reactive processes. Without any specific selection, a large number of different materials are proposed for processing in this reference, e.g., Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, TiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, BN, SiO.sub.2, B.sub.4 C, SiC, HC, TiC, TiN, BP. All of these coating materials are not produced by polymerization.
In case of the plasma polymerization of silicon-organic compounds, it is known, e.g. from EP A 0 299 754 to generate the plasma by means of an electromagnetic alternating field. It is further known that, when using certain non-silicon organic gaseous compounds such as methane, higher deposition rates can be obtained by pulsing the electromagnetic alternating field, and at the same applying average power.
How the coating process behaves, as noted above, depends on plasma modulation, and to a large extend, on the specific gaseous compound supplied for the coating operation.
Regarding the recognition that it is possible to reach, in certain cases, higher coating rates by a pulsed electromagnetic alternating field for the generation of the plasma at the same average electrical power applied also under the same process conditions, reference is made to:
Vinzant J., Shen M., Bell A. ACS SYMP.SER; SHEN BELL 108 p. 79 (1979), "Polymerization of Hydrocarbons in a pulsed plasma"; PA1 H. Yasuda, T. Hsu: J. Polym Sci, Polym Chem ed 15, 81, (1977), or PA1 H. Yasuda "Plasma polymerization" Academic press (1985), p.103-105; and PA1 Lloret A., Bertran E., Andujar J., Canillas A., Morenza J., J.APPL.PHYS. 69, p. 632 (1991), "Ellipsometric study of a-Si:H thin films deposited by square wave modulated rf glow discharge". PA1 GB A 2 105 729 (1981), ITT Industries Ltd., London-GB; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,956 (1990), Anelva Corp., Tokyo, Japan. PA1 JP 62 103 371 (1985), Hitachi KK; PA1 DD 264 344 A3 (1986), VEB ZFT Mikroelectronik. PA1 in relation to the depositing of diamond or graphite out of methane, from JP 62 123 096 (1985), Showa Denko KK; PA1 for silane (SiH.sub.4) from: Watanabe Y., Shiratani M., Kubo Y, Ogawa I., Ogi S., APPL.PHYS.LETT. 53, --p. 1263 (1988), "Effects of low frequency modulation on rf-discharge chemical vapor deposition"; PA1 with reference to the deposition of amorphous carbon from methane, from Hossary F., Fabian D., Webb A., THIN SOL.FILM 192, p.201 (1990), "Optical properties of amorphous carbon films formed by rf-plasma deposition from methane"; and PA1 again with reference to silane (SiH.sub.4) further reference is made to: Watanabe Y., Shiratani M., Makino H., APPL.PHYS.LETT. 57, p. 1616 (1990), "Powder-free plasma chemical vapor deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon with high rf power density using modulated rf discharge."
Further, that a lower heat loading of the substrate takes place by the application of a pulsed electromagnetic alternating field for the generation of the plasma follows from:
It is furthermore, also known that new coating properties are realized by the application of a pulsed electromagnetic alternating field for the generation of a plasma. Reference is made in this respect to:
Improvement in the purity of the layer or a reduction of powdery layer portions is known:
All of the above documents are to be taken as an integrated part of the present description and are to be considered as incorporated in the present description by reference.


    [Patent document 1] JP 2008-205604 A
An antenna is mounted in a vehicle for executing various communications such as GPS, vehicle-to-vehicle communications, or road-to-vehicle communications. Such an antenna in a vehicle is required to enable downsizing and favorable transmission and reception performance.
Several wireless communication modules with antennas are provided for the several kinds of communications in a vehicle, respectively; the several wireless modules are required to be arranged collectively at the same place (for example, a predetermined place on the roof of the vehicle). Therefore, the various wireless communication modules with the antennas are required to achieve further downsizing.
To that end, Patent document 1 discloses a technology to downsize a wireless communication module with an antenna as follows. A radio frequency circuit board is mounted on a ground structure serving as a ground of a wireless terminal. A circuit board has a feed point at one end and a variable capacity reactive element at the other end. The feed point has one end connected with one end of a ground conductor of the circuit board and the other end connected with the ground structure via a first contact terminal. The variable capacity reactive element has one end connected with the other end of the ground conductor of the circuit board and the other end connected with the ground structure via a second contact terminal.
This forms a current loop that flows from the one end of the feed point, via the first the ground structure, the second contact terminal, the variable capacity reactive element, and the earth conductor, to the other end of the feed point. This configuration achieves a radiating pattern shape as an antenna without using an antenna element, thereby enabling downsizing.
However, the feed point and the variable capacity reactive element are arranged at both the ends of the circuit board, respectively, to achieve a function as one antenna; thus, the downsizing is not fully achieved.
Further, in the antenna apparatus of Patent document 1, the above-mentioned current loop is formed, thereby causing both the ground structure and the earth conductor to be radiation source. This requires the design to consider the both. Therefore, the design of the antenna apparatus may become complicated; the configuration of the antenna apparatus may become complicated.


This invention relates to the construction of an electronic watch, and particularly to the manner in which a watch substrate is mounted, protected and controlled within a watch case.
An electronic watch is one in which time increments are generated at a frequency in the order of kilocycles to megacycles per second, with dividers and memories for electronic time information processing. Readout is conveniently digital so that there are usually no movable mechanical parts except for switches to control the electronics. In recent years, there have been many inventions in electronic watches and many of the patents describe at least a portion of the physical constructions which interrelates the physical and electronic components. Pertinent background patents include McCullough et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,031, Perkins et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,725, Doss U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,972, Yamazaki U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,523 and Zurcher et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,567. These patents are just a few in the large body of prior art in the electronic watch and related field and are offered as examples of patents which disclose some of the physical structure of electronic watch construction.
In assemblying an electronic watch the electronics must be supported and protected and must be related to other components for physical and electrical interconnections. The clamping, attachment, interconnection, and protection of the watch structure is a field in which concepts relating to economy reliability and serviceability must be applied. The prior art does not indicate the manner in which various design features should be optimized.


The present invention relates to a wireless thermostatic control system based on room occupancy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless thermostat control system based on room occupancy for saving energy by detecting whether or not a person is in the room and setting back energy requirements if the room is not occupied. In the hotel and motel industry, the cost of heating and cooling a room has been of concern for a long time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,596 issued in 1980 to Johnson Jr. et al. discloses an energy conservation system for inns, hotels and motels for reducing the unproductive consumption of energy, primarily during periods where a room is unoccupied. Energy consumption during periods of non-occupancy is also of concern to individual consumers and in office buildings and other structures. Other patents of interest in this field include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,127,575 to Beerbaum, 5,165,465 to Kenet, and 4,101,886 issued in 1978 to Grimes et al. All of these systems are complicated and require substantial hard wiring to install. There are also commercially available systems such as Linear Corporation's 9HC40 and GEM 5000 and North American Technologies'Sensorstat.RTM.1000, 2000 and 3000 which suffer from the same problems of complexity and difficulty of installation as the above patents.
For example, in the Grimes, et al. patent, the system includes a door switch, a dead bolt switch, a transmitter, a receiving means for receiving signals transmitted from the transmitter, a connecting means for connecting the receiving means to the particular appliance, such as a heating and cooling system's thermostat, and there is hard wiring not only between the door switch, dead bolt switch and transmitter and but also between the receiving means and appliance. The system will, upon the dead bolt being opened and the door being opened and closed, cause the transmitter to send out a signal to the receiving means connected to the existing controls of the particular appliance. There is a two and a half minute delay until the appliance enters a set back or turned off mode. When the room is reentered, the door switch detects opening and closing of the door. Reengagement of the dead bolt will then cause the transmitter to send out a signal to fully activate the appliances. Where set back control is used, the receiving means contains the extra thermostats and control circuitry to perform this function. The receiving means must thus have a separate source of energy from the appliance being controlled and must be hardwired to the existing thermostat. The commercially available systems use similar operation concepts as Grimes et al., but also use sensors to detect whether or not someone is in the room. In fact, these systems have hard wiring between a door switch and a power pack and between a sensor and the power pack associated with the extra thermostat control unit.