In the art it is desirable to produce elastomeric compounds exhibiting reduced hysteresis when properly compounded with other ingredients such as reinforcing agents, followed by vulcanization. Such elastomers, when compounded, fabricated and vulcanized into components for constructing articles such as tires, power belts, and the like, will manifest properties of increased rebound, decreased rolling resistance and less heat-build up when subjected to mechanical stress during normal use.
The hysteresis of an elastomer refers to the difference between the energy applied to deform an article made from the elastomer and the energy released as the elastomer returns to its initial, undeformed state. In pneumatic tires, lowered hysteresis properties are associated with reduced rolling resistance and heat build-up during operation of the tire. These properties, in turn, result in lowered fuel consumption of vehicles using such tires.
In such contexts, the property of lowered hysteresis of compounded, vulcanizable elastomer compositions is particularly significant. Examples of such compounded elastomer systems are known to the art and are comprised of at least one elastomer (that is, a natural or synthetic polymer exhibiting elastomeric properties, such as a rubber), a reinforcing filler agent (such as finely divided carbon black, thermal black, or mineral fillers such as clay and the like) and a vulcanizing system such as sulfur-containing vulcanizing (that is, curing) system.
Previous attempts at preparing readily processable, vulcanizable, silica-filled rubber stocks containing natural rubber or diene polymer and copolymer elastomers have focused upon the sequence of adding ingredients during mixing (Bomal, et al., Influence of Mixing procedures on the Properties of a Silica Reinforced Agricultural Tire Tread, May 1992), the addition of de-agglomeration agents such as zinc methacrylate and zinc octoate, or SBR-silica coupling agents such as mercapto propyl trimethoxy silane (Hewitt, Processing Technology of Silica Reinforced SBR, Elastomerics, pp 33-37, March 1981), and the use of bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide (Si69) processing aid (Degussa, PPG).
The use of Si69 processing aid in the formulation of silica-filled rubber stocks has been successful, but generally requires a large amount of the additive, such as 10% by weight based on the weight of silica, in order to be effective.
Precipitated silica has been increasingly used as a reinforcing particulate filler in carbon black-filled rubber components of tires and mechanical goods. Silica-loaded rubber stocks, however, exhibit relatively poor processability.
The present invention provides a mixture of silanes for use as processing aids for silica-filled rubber stocks, which greatly improve the processability and properties of the formulations and resulting vulcanized product.


The field of art to which the invention relates includes motors and pumps, and more especially fixed displacement fluid motors and pumps.
It has long been a problem in the art to which this invention pertains to effectively disengage during certain modes of operation of fluid motors and pumps of the type contemplated, the cam track and pistons such that during high speed free-wheeling operation, for example, of the motor or pump the pistons are held in inactive retracted positions without engaging the driving cam surface at any point in the rotary cycle of operation, thereby both protecting the motor or pump from damage as a result of the pumping action of the pistons at excessive rpm, and minimizing the wear and tear of parts associated with reciprocating parts. Heretofore, to my knowledge, no fully satisfactory means has been devised for effectively operating at high speed, fixed displacement fluid motors or pumps while holding the pistons thereof in fixed inoperative positions.
In the use of hydrostatic wheel motors in certain types of vehicles, such as an off-the-road construction type tractor vehicles, for example, it is often necessary to tow the vehicle on highways from one work location to another. Heretofore in certain applications highway towing speeds have been relatively low in order to minimize wear and tear on parts such as pistons, cylinders and bearings, and so that the motors were not damaged or destroyed by high speed towing operation beyond the design limits of the motors.
Again, in operating certain types of cable winches it is desirable, for example, to disengage the winch drive from time to time in a high speed cable pull-off operation. My invention is adapted to effectively disengage such a winch drive motor to stop the piston action which would otherwise occur. Also, for example, it is frequently desirable to accelerate a fly wheel to a relatively high speed to store energy, subsequent to which the fly wheel speed and energy is conserved by minimizing losses. During such fly wheel acceleration powered by the engaged drive motors it is then desirable to disengage the pistons by holding them in retracted positions, and following fly wheel acceleration to conserve fly wheel speed and energy and then extract the stored energy as needed from time to time by reenergizing the pistons when drawing power from the flywheel.
Fixed displacement camming ball or roller radial or axial piston type air compressor motors, steam engines and pumps may be used in a variety of applications in which the kind of problem indicated above exits. My invention may be applied to all such exemplary types of fluid motors or pumps to provide overspeed protection, and/or reduce wear and tear on the motor or pump under certain operational modes, and/or minimize the noise and heat losses generated in such modes of operation.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward a zipper attachment device, and more particularly to such devices that permit a user to selectively suspend, remove and interchange differing decorative designs, logos or jewelry from the apertures of zippers to both add to the operation of the zipper and add to its aesthetic value.
2, Prior Art Statement
Over the years, zipper apertures have played host to a variety of suspended articles. Traditionally such devices were made of cloth or leather, to assist in the operation of the zipper, or of string or plastic, to suspend informational information about the zippered item. The traditional cloth and leather attachments are tied to zippers, through their apertures, and extend a length downward to assist a user in gripping and operating the zipper. Such extensions may have items attached to their ends, but such attachments are usually sewn or tied to the end and are not easily exchanged or removed.
Traditional informational zipper attachments are usually made from a thin strand of plastic or string and serve as mediums to suspend printed information such as price tags, warranties, manufacturer identification and the like. These attachments have no functional value to the zipper and are suspended from the zipper solely as not to damage the material of the zippered item. As such, the informational attachments on zippers are made to be easily removed, and once removed not reattachable to the zipper aperture.
There exists no prior art concerning devices, such as the present invention, for selectively suspending decorative designs and logos from zipper apertures. The present invention can suspend a design from a zipper and lock it into place, to assist in the operation of the zipper, however the invention allows the suspended design to be repeatedly adjusted, removed and replaced without harming the suspended design or the suspension medium. The changing of the suspended design is quick and easy and does not require untying or other complicated manipulations of traditional means. Additionally, the present invention provides for an attachment of a zipper extension that not only assists in the operation of the zipper, but lets the operator change the aesthetics of the zipper extension at will.
Thus, prior art does show the use of zipper apertures to suspend functional or informational items, but prior art does not show a zipper suspension device that allows for the quick and easy interchanging of decorative designs, that are reusable, adjustable, have aesthetic value and serve to functionally assist a zipper's operation.


Sensors convert nonelectrical physical or chemical quantities into electrical signals. The behavior of semiconductor sensor devices is modeled, under a series of assumptions, by a system of nonlinear partial differential equations and associated boundary and input value conditions. For such sensors, it is essential to solve numerically at least some of the equations in order to obtain a meaningful result describing environmental conditions encountered by the sensor. Mechanical sensors also suffer from some of the same issues relating to nonlinearity and associated boundary and initial value considerations.
When the desired result is determined by the integration of sensor output over time, errors of bias scale, and nonlinearity occur. Mathematical algorithms are used to improve the accuracy of the result by correcting for such errors of bias, scale and nonlinearity.
The present invention relates to methods and devices of determination of an input signal which changes in time as well as of its integral value.
Methods are known of the above mentioned general type and disclosed for example in Inventor's Certificates of the USSR 1,453,418 and 1,541,635. In accordance with the method and device disclosed in these references, integration is performed to a given value of the integration result. This objective is presented for example in inertia systems of targeting, for turning off an engine when a rocket reaches a desired speed V.sub.r. The input signal in this case is an acceleration which is measured by accelerometer, and its inaccuracies are a main source of error of the system as a whole. The device includes a convertor 1 for a frequency of pulse sequence, a frequency multiplier 2, an integrator or pulse counter 3, a source of reference signals 4, keys 5 and a control device 7. A code corresponding to a desired value of speed is introduced into the pulse counter by integration of reference signals (accelerations) during a time corresponding time interval. The values of the reference signals can be obtained by turning a sensitivity axis of the accelerometer relative to a local vertical. Then, during measurements of the input signal which is the acceleration during a flight, an inverse integration is performed. In other words, the pulses from the convertor, multiplied many times by the frequency multiplier are deducted in the counter from the code obtained during the time of direct integration when the counter was operating for addition of the reference signals. A system of equations was used to determine the reference signals and time intervals. The nature of change of the input signal was approximately known beforehand, and therefore an initial moment of the input signal was calculated. Zeroing of the pulse counter is a signal that the speed reached the desired value. The above described method has a high accuracy. However, it has some disadvantages, namely the fact that the high accuracy is guaranteed in only one point and not along the whole scale of speed changes. This values must be known in order to determine of the location of a rocket. The known method and device are not always technically implementable since it is necessary that one reference signal is greater and the other is smaller than an average value of the input signal. However, the acceleration can reach a few g while on the ground during giving of the reference signals not always there is a standard of acceleration more than 1 g.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to file folders, and more particularly to stair-step style expandable file folders.
2. Description of the Related Art
File folders are common in home and office settings.
A typical expandable file folder includes a series of rectangular dividers that are joined on three sides to respective pleats in an expandable gusset. The folder has pockets formed between each adjacent pair of dividers. Each pocket is accessible from the unbound edge of the dividers, which will be referred to in this document as the top edge of the file folder.
One common type of expandable file folder is referred to as a stair-step expandable folder. In a stair-step expandable folder, the dividers extend by different amounts along the top edge of the folder. The dividers at the back of the folder extend upward farther than those at the front of the folder, so that the top edges of all the dividers are viewable simultaneously. A user can select a desired pocket directly, rather than having to flip through all the dividers to find the correct pocket.
One potential drawback to typical stair-step expandable folders is that the pockets have different depths. Because the dividers at the rear of the folder extend farther upward than those at the front of the folder, the pockets at the rear of the folder are deeper than those at the front of the folder. As a result, documents stored in a rear pocket are more difficult to access than those stored in a front pocket. This difficulty in accessing the rear pockets is unacceptable.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a stair-step expandable file folder in which the stored documents are easily accessible for all pockets.


Efficient list decoding beyond half a minimum distance for Reed-Solomon and Bose, Ray-Chaudhuri and Hocquenghem (i.e., BCH) codes were first devised in 1997 and later improved almost three decades after the inauguration of an efficient hard-decision decoding method. In particular, for a given Reed-Solomon code C(n,k,d), a Guruswami-Sudan decoding method corrects up to n−√{square root over (n(n−d))} errors, which effectively achieves a Johnson bound, a general lower bound on the number of errors to be corrected under a polynomial time for any code. Schmidt, Sidorenko, and Bossert devised a multi-sequence shift-register synthesis to find an error locator polynomial beyond half a minimum distance for low-rate (i.e., <⅓) Reed-Solomon codes when a unique solution exists. Apart from small probability of failure due to ambiguity, the resulting decoding radius is identical to that of the Sudan technique. The Sudan technique extended the Guruswami-Sudan technique to achieve subfield Johnson bounds for subfield subcodes of Reed-Solomon codes by distributing multiplicities across the entire subfield.
Wu presented a list decoding technique for Reed-Solomon and binary BCH codes. The Wu list decoding technique casts a list decoding as a rational curve fitting problem utilizing polynomials constructed by a Berlekamp-Massey technique. The Wu technique achieves the Johnson bound for both Reed-Solomon and binary BCH codes. Beelen and Hoeholdt re-interpreted the Wu list decoding technique in terms of Gröbner bases and an extended Euclidean technique to list decoded binary Goppa codes up to the binary Johnson bound.
It would be desirable to implement a combined Wu and Chase decoding of cyclic codes.


A luminaire (i.e., a light fixture) is typically a complete lighting unit consisting of one or more lamps, socket, and optical devices for distributing light. A recessed luminaire is an example of a luminaire that is installed behind a structure such as a ceiling. Recessed luminaires are used in both commercial and residential applications. For example, a recessed luminaire is typically mounted on support structures behind a ceiling wall that has an opening to allow light from the recessed luminaire to illuminate an area below the ceiling wall.
Various support systems have been employed to support recessed luminaires. For example, recessed luminaires are often suspended between support structures such as joists and T-bar structures. To illustrate, a recessed luminaire may be supported by hanger bars that extend between parallel support structures. Generally, hanger bars need to have adequate strength and rigidity to reliably support a recessed luminaire. Further, because the spacing between the support structures such as the joists of a ceiling structure may vary, adjustability of the lengths of hanger bars is desirable for easy installation as well as for compatibility with different support structures. However, unintended detachment of hanger bar members from each other can make installation of hanger bars difficult, which can waste time and money.
Thus, adjustable hanger bars that have structures that prevent or reduce risk of unintended detachment of the hanger bars from each other are desirable.


For preparing catalysts, there have been various methods of reducing catalyst precursors containing metal oxides proposed. For example, a copper-based catalyst is used in production of an alcohol by hydrogenation of a carboxylic acid or a carboxylic acid ester. When a fixed-bed reaction system is employed, the copper-based catalyst is entirely subjected to gas phase reduction for activation. In industry, such gas phase reduction of a catalyst is generally carefully conducted at a predetermined temperature under an inert gas flow that contains several to several tens percent of hydrogen in order to avoid local overheat due to rapid reduction of the catalyst.
In some cases, reduction of a metal oxide with hydrogen generates a large amount of heat. For example, one mole of copper oxide generates 20 kcal of reduction heat. In addition, reduced copper is known to have very low thermal stability. Thus, it is important to gradually conduct reduction with controlling heat generation to produce a copper catalyst without impairing its performance. This is particularly important for a molded catalyst, because it has a difficulty of heat release.
Therefore, it is naturally expected for a catalyst subjected to reductive activation with high concentrate hydrogen for a short time in a gas phase to have significantly decreased catalytic performance due to rapid generation of heat, and more for a catalyst subjected to reductive activation for a short time in such a large scale as in industry to fall into very serious situations due to rapid elevation of temperature. As thus, a general method for practical gas phase reductive activation of a catalyst containing copper oxide is generally conducted with low concentrate hydrogen for a long time. For instance, JP-A 61-161146 describes that such reductive activation takes a time from 4 to 14 days.
As described above, fixed-bed reaction systems generally employ gas phase reduction, but some systems employ liquid phase reduction to activate a catalyst precursor containing copper oxide. For example, JP-B 2990568 discloses liquid phase reduction of a molded precursor of a copper-containing hydrogenation catalyst, that reduction is conducted at a temperature ranging from 50 to 140° C.
JP-B 3195357 discloses activation of a copper-containing hydrogenation catalyst by supplying a mixture of hydrogen with an inert gas under an inert solvent flow.


It has been known in the plastic pipe industry for several decades that pipe couplings made by injection molding are inherently weaker than couplings made from extruded material. Further, accelerated life tests and experience with old pipe lines shows that these couplings have a life substantially less than that of extruded pipe which they join together. Part of the problem is due to the strength of the plastic materials. Plastic formulations for injection moldings are inherently weaker than the formulations that can be extruded. For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that is extruded can easily have a design strength rating of 2,000 psi. However, to provide the necessary plasticity and flow characteristics for injection molding, it is difficult to use a PVC formulation that exceeds a design strength 1600 psi (design stress) for conventional injection molding machines.
Another part of the problem has to do with the injection molding process. The cavity of the mold is usually fed by a side inlet or gate, and the material flows around the inner core of the mold on each side of the gate. The liquid plastic being injected into the mold joins together approximately opposite the gate and more or less welds together along a line known as the weld line. This weld line can be a line of weakness where injection molded couplings fail upon being subjected to high internal pressures caused by the fluids in the pipe line. The various conditions of injection molding must be critically met in order to obtain a good weld line.
As a result, couplings have been largely replaced by bells or enlarged sockets formed on one end of each length of plastic pipe. A typical installation of a pipe line involves inserting the spigot or plain end of another section of pipe into an adjoining bell and the joint is sealed by a ring of rubber or rubber-like material held in an internal groove in the bell. The bells may be formed by properly expanding a pipe and thus the inherent strength of the extruded material and the extrusion process is preserved.
However, these enlarged bells give rise to difficulties in manufacturing, storing and shipping plastic pipe. In stacking the pipe, each adjoining length has to be reversed, and each layer has to alternate plain ends and bell ends. The stacks are thus longer than the pipe sections and the protruding bells receive much damage in handling and in transportation. Furthermore, each length of extruded pipe has to be subjected to the belling process which adds substantially to the cost. For these and other reasons the plastic pipe industry has long sought a satisfactory and economical coupling.
Various attempts have been made to provide extruded couplings. Oversize extruded pipe sections have been internally machined to form the seal grooves and tapers, but these have proved to be expensive. Also, oversize extruded pipe sections have been internally expanded to create seal grooves in each end, but because of thinning at the grooves, the material had to be grossly oversize to start with, resulting in unnecessary material and cost.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an excimer laser pumped by an electrical gas discharge, and particularly to a preionization device and technique for generating a stable pulsed gas discharge for pumping of an active medium of an excimer laser.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
UV-preionization of the electrical discharge in a pulsed gas laser is typically realized by means of an array of spark gaps or by another source of UV-radiation (surface, barrier or corona gas discharges), disposed in the vicinity of at least one of the solid electrodes of the main discharge of the laser. Conventional pulsed electrical gas discharges typically used for pumping the active media of excimer lasers are unstable. The development of discharge instabilities cause the glow discharge, a precondition for laser emission, to have a short phase (e.g., having a typical duration from 10-100 ns) and to thus be terminated too quickly. The desired way of generating a high quality gas discharge for use in excimer lasers is to provide an intense, yet uniform preionization of the gas volume before the main gas discharge occurs.
One way of providing this preionization is by photo-ionizing the laser gas with UV-light emitted from an auxiliary gas discharge before the main gas discharge is switched on. Some known methods of preionizing high pressure gas lasers include x-ray, spark and corona-gap preionization. See R. S. Taylor and K. E. Leopold, Pre-preionization of a Long Optical Pulse Magnetic-Spiker Sustainer XeCl Laser, Rev. Sci. Instum. 65 (12), (December 1994). The spark method involves the use of spark gaps (ordinary or stabilized by a dielectric surface), and the corona-gap method involves the use of pulsed corona-like discharges near a dielectric surface.
Areas of focus for design improvement of corona-gap preionizers include the geometry of the dielectric body, and the arrangement of the preionization electrodes. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,072 to Marchetti et al. (showing a grounded internal preionization electrode surrounded by a dielectric having a positive potential applied to its outer surface through contact with the positively biased main electrode), European Patent Application published) EP 0 532 751 A1 (showing an internal preionization electrode surrounded by a dielectric buried in one of the main electrodes); U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,174 to Eldridge et al. (showing the dielectric surrounding an internal preionization electrode abutting with a main discharge electrode); see also R. Marchetti et al., A New Type of Corona-Discharge Preionization Source for Gas Lasers, J. Appl. Phys. 56 (11), (Dec. 1, 1984); U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,079 to Cohn et al.
Reconfiguration of external electrical circuits is another area where corona-gap pre-ionizer design improvement efforts have been focused. See Taylor et al., citation above; U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,531 to Muller-Horsche (showing an excitation of preionization electrodes affected by the same high voltage source as the main discharge electrodes including a time delay inductance between them), U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,534 to Muller-Horsche (including flow bodies configured to facilitate laser gas flow and formed of material exhibiting secondary x-ray emission characteristics) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,535 to Muller-Horsche (disclosing electron emission from a heated cathode, wherein x-rays emitted as the electrons impinge upon a separate anode serve to preionize the laser gas volume).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,330 to Largon describes the typical corona-like preionization arrangement of FIG. 1a. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,391 to Qormley, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,174 to Eldridge et al. The discharge chamber having the preionizing device of FIG. 1a includes a high voltage main electrode 1 and a grounded main electrode 2. The preionization unit includes two internal preionization electrodes 3a each located on one side of main discharge region 5 between the main discharge electrodes 1,2. Each preionization unit includes a dielectric tube 3b of generally cylindrical shape surrounding the internal preionization electrode 3a. A preionization discharge (ultraviolet emission) 4 from the preionization electrodes 3a and 6 and dielectric tubes 3b causes a preionization of the volume of the main gas discharge. A pair of external preionization electrodes 6 of the preionization units comprise metal plates and are each directly connected to the nearby main discharge electrode 1 (e.g., the cathode at high potential).
In this case energy stored in the dielectric tubes 3b, which can be non-negligible relative to the energy of the main discharge, during a preionization phase, will also be absorbed into the main discharge 5. However, that added energy typically will not increase the laser output due to a high wave impedance of the dielectric tubes 3b. The tubes 3b act much like a charged transmission line in that this wave impedance is typically much higher than the impedance of the main gas discharge. The high wave impedance is caused by a distributed inductivity of the whole dielectric tubes 3b (as a transmission line) and a concentrated inductivity at the point of electrical connection of the tubes 3b with the internal corona discharge electrodes 3a.
The residual energy produces high voltage electrical oscillations between the capacitance of the dielectric tubes 3b of the preionization units and the main gas discharge volume. These high voltage oscillations are undesirable because they significantly reduce the ability of the dielectric tube 3b of the preionization unit to resist direct high voltage breakdown and over-flashing near the open ends of the dielectric tubes 3b. Moreover, these oscillations deteriorate the quality of the main gas discharge 5 and thus hinder the operation of the laser, particularly during operation at a high repetition rate. Furthermore, the oscillations cause additional wear to the main gas discharge electrodes 1,2 and the internal corona discharge electrodes 3a, and also cause contamination and a reduced lifetime of the laser system.
FIG. 1b shows a conventional preionization unit setup wherein only one internal corona-discharge preionization electrode 3a is employed. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,044 to Fahlen et al. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a preionization unit of either of FIGS. 1a and 1b. The preionization unit includes the internal electrode 3a and the external electrode 6. The area of most intense discharge 4 is shown at the surface of the dielectric tube 3b nearest the external electrode 6.
Another problem with conventional corona-like preionization units is illustrated in FIG. 3. In the preionization unit of FIG. 3, an internal preionization electrode 3a is shown surrounded by a dielectric tube 3b. An external preionization electrode 6 is shown abutting the surface of the dielectric tube 3b. The dielectric tube 3b often exhibits an unsatisfactorily non-uniform surface discharge 4a in this configuration. The non-uniform surface discharge leads to instabilities such as arcing from areas of higher charge density. The lack of uniformity of surface discharge also can cause an unstable xe2x80x9cjitterxe2x80x9d of the laser output. This jitter is a fluctuation of the interval between successive laser pulses from an evolving instability in the ignition from one laser pulse to another. This variance, or jitter, is undesirable and makes laser performance legs reproducible.
Other problems are associated with conventional corona-like preionization units such as that illustrated in FIG. 4. Some of the UV-light emanating from the outer surface of the dielectric tube 3b unit illuminates the main discharge volume 5, as is desired. However, some of the gas volume outside of the main discharge region 5 is also illuminated by the UV-light. The UV-light is preionizing a larger gas volume than is either requited or desired.
A disadvantage related to this is illustrated in FIG. 4, which shows that at high repetition rate operation, arcing occurs across the gas volume between the external electrode of the preionizer 6 and the grounded main electrode 2. Arcing of this kind puts constraints on the maximum achievable repetition rate. Moreover, even before the onset of visible arcing of this kind takes place, the laser pulse energy is substantially reduced by parasitic discharges in the additionally preionized gas volume. These parasitic discharges produce an instability in the laser operation.
Moreover, as may be understood from inspection of the arrows pointing away from the tube 3b of FIG. 4, some UV-light is undesirably misdirected away from the main discharge region 5 and is absorbed by the dielectric laser chamber walls. As a result, charges build up on the walls and further inefficient arcing and parasitic discharging occurs. To address this problem, Japanese Pat. Application No. 3-9582 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,330 to Larson each disclose a shielding element, shown as reference numerals 6 and 36, respectively, to reduce the electric field strength between the main electrode and the dielectric pipe.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to design a preionization unit for a laser having a high quality gas discharge by providing an intense, yet uniform, preionization of the gas volume between the main discharge electrodes.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a dielectric tube which prevents over-flashing and arcing at the tube ends.
It is another object of the invention to prevent electrical oscillations from arising out of residual energies stored in the dielectric tube,
It is an object of the invention to provide an external electrode which shields the walls of the discharge chamber and the gas volume outside of the main discharge area from the effects of the preionization unit.
The present invention meets these objects and addresses the shortcomings of conventional preionization techniques by providing a preionization device for a gas laser which comprises an internal preionization electrode having a dielectric tube around it and an external preionization electrode displaced from the dielectric housing by a small gap. The dielectric tube includes two cylindrical regions of differing outer radii of curvature. One end of the tube is open to allow an electrical connection to the internal electrode, and the other end is closed. The open end of the tube has a larger radius of curvature than the closed end. The internal electrode connects to circuitry external to the discharge chamber at the open end of the tube via a conductive feedthrough which penetrates through the housing. The external circuitry prevents voltage oscillations caused by residual energy stored as capacitance in the dielectric housing. The external preionization electrode, which is connected electrically to one of the main discharge electrodes, is formed to shield the internal preionization electrode from the other main discharge electrode to prevent arcing therebetween. The external electrode is also formed to shield the outer gas volume and walls of the discharge chamber from the preionization unit. A semi-transparent external electrode prevents electrical field distortion near the main gas discharge.


The neurotransmitter serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] is involved in multiple central nervous facets of mood control and in regulating sleep, anxiety, alcoholism, drug abuse, food intake, and sexual behavior. In peripheral tissues, serotonin is reportedly implicated in the regulation of vascular tone, gut motility, primary hemostasis, and cell-mediated immune responses. Walther, D. J., et al., Science 299:76 (2003).
The enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) catalyzes the rate limiting step of the biosynthesis of serotonin. Two isoforms of TPH have been reported: TPH1, which is expressed in the periphery, primarily in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; and TPH2, which is expressed in the brain. Id. The isoform TPH1 is encoded by the tph1 gene; TPH2 is encoded by the tph2 gene. Id.
Mice genetically deficient for the tph1 gene (“knockout mice”) have been reported. In one case, the mice reportedly expressed normal amounts of serotonin in classical serotonergic brain regions, but largely lacked serotonin in the periphery. Id. In another, the knockout mice exhibited abnormal cardiac activity, which was attributed to a lack of peripheral serotonin. Côté, F., et al., PNAS 100(23):13525-13530 (2003).
Because serotonin is involved in so many biochemical processes, drugs that affect serotonin levels are often attended by adverse effects. Thus, a need exists for new ways of treating diseases and disorders that are affected by serotonin.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser driving device (laser driving circuit) and an optical apparatus such as an optical disc apparatus using such a laser driving device (a recording apparatus using an optical disc).
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording/reproducing apparatus using a laser as an optical source has been used in various fields. For example, optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus (hereinafter, only referred to as an optical disc apparatus) has been attracting attention.
As a laser used as a light source, a semiconductor laser using a semiconductor material has been widely used for various kinds of devices in recent years. This is because it is very small and responses to driving current at high speed.
As a writable optical disc to be used as a medium for recording or reproducing data, a phase-change optical disc, a magnetic optical disc, and so on have been widely known in the art. These optical discs perform recording, reproducing, and erasing operations by changing the strength of irradiating laser beams. Usually, when recording information on an optical disc, a so-called optical strength modulation system that forms marks and spaces by a change in intensity of a laser beam. In the recording operation, the optical disc may receive the irradiation of a laser beam at a high peak intensity as much as 30 mW or more. In the reproducing operation, the optical disc may receive the irradiation of a laser beam at an intensity lower than that of the recording operation (e.g., 1 mW) to read the information without destroying recording marks.
Mark edge recording, which uses changes at both ends of a recording mark, has become mainstream because of superiority thereof for achieving higher density of a recent writable optical disk. In the mark edge recording, however, a data error may occur by distortion in the shape of the mark. As a technique for preventing data errors due to the mark shape distortion in the mark edge recording, a write strategy technique in which recording power is modulated into multi-leveled power by pulse division (see, for example, Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2007-141406 and “Industry-leading levels of low noise and high response: Clear a wall of achieving a technology of Blu-ray with 8× speed recording/reproduction”, CX-PAL Semiconductor & Component News No. 74 (October, 2007) published by Sony Corp. (URL:http://www.sony.co.jp/Products/SC-HP/cx pal/vol74/pdf/featuring2 bd.pdf)).


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to circuit breakers and more particularly to molded case circuit breakers having an adjustable rating.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Circuit breakers are widely used in commerce and industry to protect electrical apparatus from over-current conditions. The varying requirements of different applications require circuit breakers in a variety of ratings. Manufacturers and suppliers are thus required to produce and hold in inventory a large number of different types of circuit breakers. Considerable savings would result if a single circuit breaker could provide a variety of ratings.
Circuit breakers having adjustable ratings are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,679 issued to James P. Ellsworth and John Zipay, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,234 issued to Allan P. Charbonneau. Circuit breakers described in the above-mentioned U.S. patents employ adjustment means having a variety of locking devices and biasing means to permit adjustment of the circuit breaker rating.
Safety problems can result however from a circuit breaker capable of covering a range of ratings. For instance, if a circuit breaker is properly adjusted and installed on a 200 ampere line, and conditions on the line cause repeated tripping, there is a natural human tendency to increase the tripping current level of the circuit breaker to prevent the nuisance of repeated trippings. This, of course, will result in a dangerous condition if the tripping current level of the circuit breaker is increased above 200 amperes. Thus, a compromise must be established between convenience and safety.
One answer in the past was to provide circuit breakers having interchangeable trip units. In order to change the rating of the circuit breaker the entire trip unit was removed in the field and a new trip unit of different rating installed. This was a complex procedure, however, and sometimes resulted in improper installation of the new trip unit. This in turn resulted in failure of the circuit breaker, causing extensive damage to the circuit breaker and to the apparatus being protected. Also, the problems associated with manufacturing and stocking a variety of unit ratings remained.
It would be desirable to provide a circuit breaker adjustable over a range to provide a variety of ratings which would avoid safety problems associated with adjustable circuit breakers, be of simple construction, and provide for convenient adjustment.


The prostaglandins are a group of hormone-like substances which may be viewed as derivatives of prostanoic acid. Several prostaglandins are found widely distributed in mammalian tissue and have been isolated from this source. These prostaglandins have been shown to possess a variety of biological properties such as broncho-dilation and the ability to reduce gastric secretion.
The present invention concerns PGE.sub.1 and PGE.sub.2 derivatives in which the 11-position (using the prostanoic acid numbering system) is a methylene group, i.e. the 11-hydroxyl group normally present in PGE.sub.1 and PGE.sub.2 has been removed and is replaced with hydrogen. The preparation of the parent molecules of this series, 11-deoxy-PGE.sub.1 and 11-deoxy-PGE.sub.2, is reported in J. Org. Chem. 38, 951 (1973).


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel cell using methanol as a fuel, and more particularly to an improvement of a fuel cell using an electrolyte ion exchange membrane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fuel cell using an electrolyte ion exchange membrane is disclosed, for example, in Japanese patent application Kokai (Laid-open) No. 56-138874, where catalyst particles are fixed to the surface of an ion exchange membrane, and the ion exchange membrane and an electrode are integrated into one body. The procedures for fixing catalyst particles to the surface of an ion exchange membrane are described in detail therein together with the prior art ones. According to one of the procedures disclosed therein, the surface of an ion exchange membrane is roughened and catalyst particles are fixed to the roughened surface, where a binder such as polytetrafluoroethylene, etc. is required when the amount of catalyst particles to be fixed exceeds about 2 mg/cm.sup.2.
According to another procedure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,697, an electrode material comprising metal or alloy powder and a resin binder is distributed onto the surface of an ion exchange resin membrane and integrated with the ion exchange resin membrane at an elevated temperature under pressure.
All of the integrated electrodes disclosed in Japanese patent application Kokai (Laid-open) No. 56-138874 are hydrophilic on the electrode surfaces, and even if polytetrafluoroethylene having a water-repellent property is used as a binder, the electrode surfaces are substantially hydrophilic and not water-repellent.
Thus, the integrated electrode having catalyst particles integrated with an ion exchange membrane so far proposed is hydrophilic, and is not suitable for an oxidizer electrode (or cathode or air electrode) of a fuel cell using methanol as fuel, because, in the case of using such an oxidizer electrode, a three-phase boundary is hardly obtainable among catalyst particles (solid), a fuel (liquid) and an oxidizer (gas) with the result of a poor cell performance.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a novel washing agent and a washing method utilized for laundry, dry-cleaning, and washing of electronic parts, circuit substrates, precision machines, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional washing methods, water has been used to remove water-soluble soil effectively in laundry since washing was begun historically. However, garments made of material apt to sustain damages such as shrinkage and loosing their trim appearance resulting from the use of water, such as wool and silk are treated with dry-cleaning. Various washing agents are properly used taking damages given to garments into consideration, for example, perchloroethylene, organic solvents etc. which are effective in removing oily soil are employed for dry-cleaning, and CFC-113 which can retain good feeling or garments, and petroleum solvents are also employed properly. Powder cleaning using powdered corn core, etc. and shampoo cleaning utilizing foams are also known.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a roasting device and, more particularly, to a coffee bean roasting device for roasting small quantities of coffee beans in the convenience of a person's home.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coffee beans develop color, taste, and smell during roasting. Roasting processes must produce consistent bean roasts for a wide variety of desired bean flavors. If the beans are not circulated evenly inside the roasting chamber, coffee beans will not roast evenly. Thus, even a skilled roast master has difficulty reproducing consistent coffee roasts from time to time.
There are two primary methods for roasting coffee beans. The first method is drum roasting. Drum roasting involves a technique similar to clothes drying. Unroasted or green coffee beans are placed in a round drum. Heating elements adjacent to the drum heat both the drum and the air inside of the drum. The heat from the inside wall of the drum is transferred to the coffee beans. As the coffee beans roll inside the drum, the coffee beans are heated and scorched, changing from a green state to a roasted condition. To generate darker roasts, the coffee beans are heated in the drum at a higher temperature or at the same temperature but for a longer time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,461 to Tamaki, et al., shows a drum roaster. In Tamaki, stirring and exposing the beans to radiant heat from infrared heaters adjacent to the drum roasts the beans in the drum.
The second method involves a fluid bed roaster that blows air up from the bottom end of a roasting chamber. The air raises the green coffee beans up on a bed of hot air causing the beans to circulate inside the chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,175 to Sivetz shows such a fluid bed coffee roasting system. In Sivetz, air is heated to a selected temperature that roasts the beans primarily by convection. The coffee beans are secondarily roasted by the conduction of heat from bean to bean and from the inside walls of the roasting chamber to the coffee beans.
Coffee bean roasting systems, such as those described in Tamaki and Sivetz, are very large complex machines. Thus, current roasting systems are usually operated in industrial locations. While large roasting machines may be suitable for the coffee roasting industry or for retail coffee shops that require roasting high volumes of coffee beans daily, they are ill-suited for home use that require smaller quantities of coffee beans. Moreover, few coffee lovers would tolerate a machine the size of a refrigerator taking up valuable kitchen space no matter how much they enjoy roasting their own coffee.
Existing roasting machines are also difficult to operate and expensive to maintain. Additionally, large roasting machines require custom equipment and include complex exhaust systems. Thus, coffee roasting systems are not feasible for ordinary home use. Finally, large coffee roasting machines are expensive.
Accordingly, a need remains for a home use coffee roasting device that evenly roasts a small quantity of coffee beans. A need also remains for a home use coffee roasting device that is simple, small, inexpensive, and easy to operate and maintain.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention regards a method of dynamic positioning of a vessel. More particularly, it regards a method that involves two or more floating buoys being coupled to a vessel by means of buoyancy, wherein the buoys are provided with positioning machinery. The buoys form part of a dynamic positioning system and are preferably provided with energy from a generator placed on the vessel.
2. Description of Related Art
When operating in relatively shallow waters offshore it is customary to use anchor based mooring methods. Anchor systems of this type reveal substantial flaws when it comes to anchoring a vessel at greater depths. The main reason for this is that the length of chain or steel cable required causes a weight-induced strain on the mooring that takes up a considerable share of the tensile strength of the mooring.
Thus it has become more and more common to equip vessels operating in deep waters with so-called dynamic positioning. Vessels such as drilling vessels, supply vessels, accommodation vessels or cargo vessels are to an increasing extent being equipped with this kind of equipment.
In addition to navigation and control systems, a dynamic positioning system also includes positioning machinery. It is essential that the vessel be equipped with positioning machinery that is arranged to exert a pushing force in at least two directions and in two positions on the vessel. Positioning machinery of this type typically includes several positioning thrusters that are generally arranged for rotation in the horizontal plane, so as to allow them to exert a pushing force in any horizontal direction.
For vessels originally built to use conventional anchor system, the conversion required to allow them to use dynamic positioning has proven to be a relatively complex and costly process.


The present invention is directed to cleaning agent compositions, especially useful in the electronics industry, containing acyclic aliphatic hydrofluorocarbons and a co-solvent.
Various organic solvents have been used as cleaning liquids for the removal of contaminants from articles and materials. Certain chlorofluorocarbons such as 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane have been reported as useful for this purpose, particularly with regard to cleaning organic polymers and plastics which may be sensitive to other more common and more powerful solvents such as trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene.
Solvent cleaning and degreasing with chlorofluorocarbon-based solvents have been used extensively in industry for cleaning solid surfaces, particularly the surfaces of intricate parts. Common uses include the removal of fluxes from circuit boards and removing oils, grease and abrasives from machine parts. Cleaning procedures include exposing the cool article to vapors of the boiling chlorofluorocarbon cleaning composition and allowing any chlorofluorocarbon to evaporate from the cleaned article. Another cleaning technique involves immersing the article to be cleaned in a sump of boiling chlorofluorocarbon cleaning composition which removes most of the soil from the article, followed by a second immersion of the article in fresh chlorofluorocarbon at about room temperature and finally exposing the cooled article to vapors over the boiling sump. However, hydrofluorocarbons used alone are not effective cleaning agents.
Recently, the long term environmental effects of chlorofluorocarbons have come under scientific scrutiny because it has been postulated that these materials because of their high stability are able to reach the stratosphere where under the influence of ultraviolet radiation release chlorine atoms which, in turn, undergo chemical reaction with stratospheric ozone. Reduction of the stratospheric ozone layer would increase the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surfaces. In view of the potential environmental problems associated with stratospheric ozone depletion, there is a need for new materials possessing properties which make them useful substitutes for applications in which chlorofluorocarbons have been used.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for effective cleaning agents for removing oils, grease and abrasives, fluxes, water, etc., which are nonflammable, possess low toxicity and are degradable in the lower atmosphere.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opto-electric device.
The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing an opto-electric device.
The present invention further relates to a semi-finished product that can be used in the method.
The present invention still further relates to a method of manufacturing the semi-finished product.
2. Related Art
An optoelectric device is a device that provides for an optical effect in response to an electric signal, or that generates an electric signal in response to an optical stimulus. Examples of the first are light emitting diodes, such as organic light emitting diodes and electro chromic devices. Examples of the second are photo voltaic cells.
For large area OLED lighting on flexible plastic substrates, a large current is required to drive the system. The present thin film materials used for the anode (e.g. ITO) and cathode (e.g. Ba/Al) have a large resistivity and the large currents give rise to substantial voltage drop, which determine a non-uniform light emission. For producing large area flexible OLED devices on plastic substrates there is a need for an additional metallization structure of the plastic substrate. For reducing the manufacturing costs, such structured metallization coatings will preferably be applied on rolls of plastic foil using an inline roll-to-roll web coating process.
Accordingly, for optoelectric devices, such as light emitting devices and electro-chromic devices, but also for photo-voltaic products there is a need for a metallization structure that on the one hand has a good electrical conductivity, while on the other hand has a high transmission for photon radiation.
WO2007/036850 describes an organic diode device that comprises an organic diode structure having an anode layer, a cathode layer and an organic layer. One of the anode layer and the cathode layer has a set of contact areas that are distributed over a face of said structure. A barrier layer hermetically covers said structure and is provided with a set of openings aligned with said set of contact areas. A metal conductor has been electroplated on said barrier layer and contacts the set of contact areas via the set of openings.
The electroplated metal conductor shunts the anode and the cathode, and therewith provides for an even voltage distribution over the area of a large organic diode device and therewith an even luminance.


1. Field of the Invention
An adjustable vehicle steering column is locked to the vehicle chassis by a remote-controlled electrically-operable locking arrangement that is carried solely by a locking arm that is pivotally connected between the steering column and the vehicle chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in the prior art to provide vehicle steering columns wherein the position of the steering wheel can be adjusted in terms of height and/or in terms of depth. The position of the steering wheel is selected by the driver and is maintained in place by a locking system whose manual control consists of an operating lever that is worked by the driver.
These different types of locking devices, operated by means of a lever, possess several inconveniences. First of all, the lever can be positioned only in the proximity of the locking axis, in other words, in an area where accessibility is reduced along with poor visibility, which creates a risk of injury as the fingers are squeezed. Moreover, the locking and unlocking operations necessitate a major effort and is interfered with by the driver's knees. Finally, the operating lever is situated in areas that must be used for other functions so as to provide a good ergonomy for the driver's position. This environment can be the area of computers when the locking axis is placed adjacent or above the column spindle. This environment can also be the area where the driver's legs are located when the locking axis is placed below the column shaft, which introduces a risk of impact against the knees in case of an accident.
The present invention was developed to provide a device for locking an adjustable automotive vehicle steering column, which will eliminate the above-described inconveniences by providing remote locking control. This remote control must employ a simple and rather small device to allow great adaptation flexibility depending on the type of steering column and the environment of the driver's position.


This invention relates to an infrared gas burner plate used for a radiation type gas burner.
As for a burner plate of this kind, there has been hitherto known such a type as that shown in FIG. 1, for instance. A sintered plate body a composed chiefly of a heat resisting material such as ceramic or the like is provided at its front surface with a large number of grooves b crossing one another and a large number of convex portions c defined by these grooves b The plate body a is additionally provided with a large number of burner holes d piercing therethrough between the front and rear surfaces thereof and distributed over the grooves b and the convex portions c so that each of convex portions c may be made red-hot by being heated through the burner holes d made therein and the burner holes d in the surrounding grooves b around the same, and thereby the burner plate may be improved in radiation efficiency. This conventional type of burner plate, however, is such that the same is liable to be broken along any of the grooves b when subjected to a bending force. Moreover, it takes only about 40 seconds from ignition until the ignition can be confirmed visually from a red-hot condition of a corner portion of any of the convex portions c that is raised in temperature most easily. This makes it easy to more rapidly confirm the ignition as compared with a conventional flat plane type plate in which it takes one minute to confirm the ignition. However, it is desirable that this time be shorter so that use of a burner plate of this kind may be further facilitated.
This invention has for its object to provide a burner plate which has an improved bending strength, and in which the time necessary for confirmation of the ignition is shortened, and also has an improved radiation efficiency. More particularly, it is an object to provide a burner plate of the type wherein a sintered plate body composed chiefly of a heat resisting material such as ceramic or the like is provided at its front surface with a large number of grooves crossing one another and a large number of convex portions defined by these grooves, the plate body being additionally provided with a large number of burner holes piercing therethrough between the front and rear surfaces thereof and distributed over the grooves and the convex portions characterized in that each of the intersecting portions of these grooves is provided with a small convex portion having at its center the burner hole. In a preferred embodiment, each of the small convex portions is frusto-conical in form.


The invention herein relates to an automobile steering column switch comprising a support, which can be mounted to a steering column tube of an automobile steering column, said support having arranged on it at least one wiper switch and/or blinker switch and/or driving light switch.
As has been known, motor vehicles consist of a plurality of complex construction assemblies, whereby the steering column switch assembly to be installed on the steering column tube of the motor vehicle represents an important feature.
Typically, steering column switches are mounted in radial direction relative to the steering column on the steering column""s steering column tube, thereby rendering the steering column switch immobile relative to the steering wheel when the steering wheel and hence the steering column guided inside the steering column tube are moved. As a rule, the steering column switch comprises a blinker switch and a driving light switch, in which case the driving light switch frequently is configured as a rotary switch being an integral part of the switch lever of the blinker switch. Furthermore, the steering column switch frequently comprises a wiper switch for graduated activation of the windshield wipers and activation of the switch functions for the windshield washer system. For example, such steering column switches have been known from DE Auslegeschrift 2,810,790 and DE Patent 3,532,532 C2.
Every steering column switch comprises a plurality of interacting components that perform a large number of switch functions. These components are accommodated in an extremely small space and, therefore, make the construction of the steering column switch complex. Therefore, depending on the type of vehicle, individual components are more or less pre-assembled and subsequently mounted to a support located on the steering column tube of the steering column.
A similar situation exists in the case of an ignition starter switch with integrated steering lock because the ignition starter switch frequently performs two additional switch functions such as, for example, activation of an immobilizer cooperating with a transponder integrated in the ignition key. As a result, ignition starter switches are becoming more and more complex because integrated code-recognition systems are to protect the vehicle against unauthorized use.
The two assemblies, namely the steering column switch and the ignition starter switch, are mounted separately to the steering column tube at the time the motor vehicle is assembled, whereby, in most cases, the ignition starter switch is located at a distance from the steering column switch. However, considering the viewpoint of technology, the automobile industry has demanded reduced assembly times for motor vehicles, in particular on the assembly line.
The problem to be solved by the invention herein is to provide an automobile steering column switch of the above-described type, in which case said switch can be pre-assembled practically completely and can incorporate the switch functions of an ignition starter switch.
In accordance with the invention herein, this problem has been solved in that
the support comprises an integrated printed circuit board provided with electrical contacts to which the switch functions relating to the wiper switch and/or blinker switch and/or driving light switch and an ignition starter switch can be transferred,
said support is configured in one piece with an accommodation space for the ignition starter switch, and
said support can be mounted, together with the switches, as pre-assembled module to the steering column tube.
Consequently, the support of the steering column switch not only accommodates the printed circuit board for performing the switch functions of the steering column switch and the ignition starter switch but also is configured in such a manner that it can accommodate the ignition starter switch. Therefore, all of the switch functions combined are transferred as one single function to the printed circuit board provided in the steering column switch. As a result, it is no longer necessary to install a plurality of electrical cables in the steering column switch, said cables taking up an unnecessary amount of space and being prone to trouble. In addition, the electrical cable connections of the ignition starter switch are eliminated because its switch functions are now transferred directly to the printed circuit board on the support. The particular advantage of this is that the pre-assembled ignition starter switch can be inserted in one piece in the respective accommodation space on the support of the already pre-assembled steering column switch. The steering column switch may then be mounted in the form of a module to the steering column of the motor vehicle. Consequently, this reduces the number of required components, the required assembly facilities, as well as the assembly time on the assembly line during the preliminary and final assemblies of the motor vehicle. Therefore, a separation of mechanical and electrical assembly functions has been created.
As an alternative, this problem has also been solved in thatxe2x80x94the support comprises a printed circuit board with electrical contacts, to which the switch functions relating to the wiper switch and/or the blinker switch and/or the driving light switch, as well as an ignition starter switch, can be transferred,
the support can be mounted as pre-assembled module to the steering column tube, and
the ignition starter switch can be mounted as a pre-assembled module to the steering column tube, separately from the support, by means of a clamp connection.
Considering the printed circuit board and the combination of the switch functions of the steering column switch in conjunction with the ignition starter switch, this alternative solution offers the same advantages as the first solution. While in this case the ignition starter switch is not directly integrated in the support of the steering column switch, but rather mounted as a separately pre-assembled component on the steering column tube of the steering column in close proximity of the steering column switch, the switch functions of the ignition starter switch can be transferred directly to the printed circuit board mounted to the support due to its close proximity to this support. In order to simplify the assembly effort relating to the ignition starter switch provided as separate module and to allow fast assembly, the clamp connection consists of a clamp overlapping the steering column tube and a corresponding counter-clamp adjoining the ignition starter switch. In this case the clamp overlapping the steering column tube is connected with the counter-clamp on the ignition starter switch by means of screws. Due to this, only a few hand movements are required to mount the ignition starter switch quickly to the steering column tube.
In the case of an advantageous embodiment of the invention herein the wiper switch and/or blinker switch and or driving light switch are mounted to the support by means of clip connections. These become a fixed integral part of the support simply by inserting the switch in the respective accommodation space on the support. As a result, these clip connections may be released conveniently for repair and maintenance purposes, thereby permitting the quick and easy removal of the switches from their respective accommodation spaces.
In order to reduce assembly efforts even further, one modification of the invention herein provides that the support be mounted in position to the steering column tube by means of a clip connection or bayonet connection, whereby the support rests on a ball-bearing located on the steering column. This ball-bearing is placed in the support of the steering column switch during preliminary assembly and placed on the steering column at the time of assembly in such a manner that, due to the clip connection or bayonet connection between the support and the steering column tube, the steering column switch is mounted rigidly on said steering column tube.
In accordance with another modification of the solutions offered by the invention herein the electrical contacts of the printed circuit board are configured as micro-switches. These micro-switches can have multiple functions, be subjected to frequent use, and are resistant to mechanical stress and distinguished by high reliability. As an alternative, as has been well known, the said electrical contacts of the printed circuit board may be configured as switch contacts or the like.
In order to be able to convert switch functions transferred to the printed circuit board in an effective manner, the circuit board is connected with a computer-controlled electronic control system of the automobile. In addition, the printed circuit board is covered with a lid that is mounted to the support. As a result of this, the printed circuit board is protected against outside influences such as damage caused by moisture and dust.
Frequently, switch contacts located inside the steering column switch are subject to corrosion or breakage due to excessive use. To prevent this and achieve greater reliability, the ignition starter switch preferably comprises a cam control activated by means of a key, said cam control acting on the electrical contacts of the printed circuit board. Therefore, different configurations of the cams activate different switch functions that are transferred to the printed circuit board in the support of the steering column switch.
It is useful if the support incorporates an electrical transfer system for an airbag device. As a rule, this type of transfer system comprises a helical volute buffer spring used as electrical connection element between two parts, which move relative to each other; this is the case with a steering wheel containing an airbag and moving relative to the steering column switch. In as much as the electrical transfer system is also an integral part of the pre-assembled steering column switch module, the assembly effort is reduced even further.


1. Field of the Invention
The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to induced or forced air filtration; and more specifically related to a system for removing contaminants from air used to ventilate an equipment room on an offshore drilling rig.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the drilling industry, drilling fluids, such as drilling mud, which may be a mixture of clay, water, and various additives, are pumped down through the drill string into the well. The drilling fluid exits the drill string at the bottom through holes or jets in a drill bit. The fluid picks up cuttings and other solids from the well and carries them away from the bit and out of the well in the annulus between the well and the drill string.
Once the drilling fluid is returned to the surface, equipment, such as mud pits and shakers, are used to remove large amounts of coarse, drilling cuttings from the drilling fluids so that the drilling fluids may be reused or recirculated within the well. The cuttings are generally filtered out of the drilling fluid on a series of filters or screens provided within the shaker. The drilling fluid that has passed through the equipment is now clean of coarse debris and is ready to be cleaned via other processes prior to being ready for reuse.
On offshore drilling rigs, where area or space is a precious commodity, the equipment is typically located below the main work deck in an enclosed area. Drilling fluids typically contain a measure of volatile organic compounds and fugitive contaminants from the drilling process. Because of this, the enclosed room is subject to forced ventilation to remove unpleasant and/or hazardous fumes. Depending on where the fumes are vented on the rig and the various and changing environmental conditions, the fumes may infiltrate other workspaces on the rig.
The inventions disclosed and taught herein are directed to a filter system for removing or reducing equipment room contamination of ventilation air.


Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) may be used in machine learning implementations in applications such as image and video recognition, or natural language processing. A CNN may typically comprise a number of layers of computational constructs called “neurons.” Each neuron may receive as input a portion of the receptive field (e.g. the output of the previous layer), and output a value for a selected feature. A CNN may be trained based on a set of training data which provides inputs and correct outputs.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for regulating the exposure time of a light sensor. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for regulating the exposure time of a light sensor according to the variation of luminosity in the work environment in which the sensor is located.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Throughout the present description and the attached claims, with the term: “light sensor”, it is intended to indicate a light-sensitive optical element capable of converting a light signal, contained in a incident light beam, in an analogic electrical signal proportional to the light intensity of the light itself. In particular, the light sensor transforms the light image of an illuminated object into an electronic image thereof, in order to allow the carrying out of further operations of image processing, such as for example those connected to the reading of an optical code located on the object.
In the following, reference to light sensors of known type will be made, for example CCD or CMOS sensors, both linear and of matrix type.
As is known, a drawback associated with light sensors at present available on the market is correlated to the fact that their operation is strongly influenced by the variations in luminosity of the surface on which the image to be acquired is to be found (such surface can be more or less clear and more or less illuminated). In particular, the resolution of the image acquired by the sensor (that is the richness of details detected in the image acquired by it) considerably varies according to the variation of the luminosity of the surrounding environment and of the surface to be acquired: highly illuminated environments can as such create conditions of strong overexposure or saturation (little contrast) of the image on the sensor, whilst badly illuminated environments can create conditions of strong under-exposure (excessive dark) in the image on the sensor. In both cases, the image acquired by the sensor appears badly exposed and not very clear, therefore making it impossible to detect details having small sizes.
In particular, with reference to the reading of an optical code, the acquisition on the sensor of an image of an optical code having a low resolution is often undesired because it renders the subsequent operations of localization, reading and decoding of the code itself very approximate and rough; this is absolutely unacceptable where it is necessary to carry out a correct decoding of the code in order to unequivocally identify the object having the code thereon.
The drawbacks associated with the acquisition of an image having low resolution can be overcome by suitably regulating the exposure time of the sensor according to the variations of luminosity of the surrounding work environment and of the surface to be acquired. In particular, where an increase in luminosity occurs in the work environment, it would be advisable to set a shorter exposure time on the sensor, in order to avoid the risk of generating conditions of saturation of the acquired image; viceversa, in the case where a decrease in luminosity occurs in the work environment, it would be advisable to set a higher exposure time on the sensor, in order to avoid the risk of generating conditions of under-exposure of the acquired image.
The majority of light sensors at present available on the market allow to set an exposure time by choosing it between a range of values, more or less extensive, each differing the one from the other by descrete amounts; such values are stated by the manufacturers of the sensors.


This invention relates to a magnetic apparatus for producing movement, preferably linear movement which is produced by intermittent actuation of electromagnets positioned in an aligned set of relatively movable paramagnetic members.
The prior art is replete with disclosures of linear actuators wherein electromagnets are periodically energized to provide linear movement. Typical examples of the prior art are discussed in and cited against the earlier patent applications mentioned above.
A particular objective of the present invention is to provide a system which is superior to prior art devices in that it will provide a high efficiency and a low weight-to-power ratio.
The invention disclosed herein is an improvement over my earlier devices in two primary respects. First, rather than providing electrical windings on all of the paramagnetic members in the system, the present system utilizes axially movable reactor members which are positioned between the electromagnets and do not themselves create a magnetic field. Second, the invention calls for the reduction of electrical consumption by providing for the gradual reduction of the magnetomotive force of the electromagnets while the gap is being closed by the action of such electromagnets. This reduction of magnetomotive force, while conserving energy, does not significantly reduce the force output of the device since, as the gaps between the members are closing, a lesser magnetomotive force is required to produce any given force of magnetic attraction.
More specifically, the invention relates in one sense to an apparatus which has a pair of relatively movable paramagnetic members which are separated by a gap which opens and closes as the members move relatively away from and toward each other. One of the paramagnetic members is provided with electrical windings which, when energized, produce a magnetic field which will pull the members together and close the gaps between them. The windings are energized by means which causes an electrical current to flow through them to create a magnetomotive force, and control means are provided for gradually reducing the magnetomotive force while the gap is being closed by the field. Preferably, the windings associated with a particular paramagnetic member include a plurality of winding sections, and the control means is constructed and operated to energize simultaneously and deenergize sequentially the sections of windings. The control means preferably is a timer provided with a set of cams which rotate together at a constant angular velocity. A set of electrical switches are sequentially operated by the cams and are connected to respective sections of windings. A single rotary cam may be operatively engaged with switches associated with the windings of two different paramagnetic members.
In another sense, the invention pertains to a system which includes an axially aligned set of paramagnetic members which include a central paramagnetic member and a spaced pair of paramagnetic members which are spaced apart by a constant distance and are located on opposite sides of the central member. Two intermediate paramagnetic members are located where each lies between the central paramagnetic member and one of the spaced pair of members. The energizing means is operable in a first mode to produce movement in a first direction by creating magnetic attraction between one intermediate member, the central member and one of the spaced pair of members. The energizing means is operable in a second mode to produce movement in an opposite direction by creating magnetic attraction between the other intermediate member, the central member and the other one of the spaced pair of paramagnetic members.
In another sense, the invention relates to a set of aligned paramagnetic members which includes a driven paramagnetic member located between two stationary paramagnetic members. A first movable intermediate paramagnetic member is located between one stationary member and the driven member; and, a second movable intermediate paramagnetic member is located between the other stationary member and the driven member. The intermediate members are on opposite sides of the driven member. The energizing means associated with this apparatus is operable in a first mode to create magnetic attraction between the first intermediate member, the driven member and the first stationary member to move the driven member in a first direction. The energizing means is operable in a second mode to create magnetic attraction between the second intermediate member, the driven member and the second stationary member to move the driven member in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. Means are provided for repeatedly shifting the energizing means between the first mode and the second mode to move the driven member alternately in the first and second directions.
Although the invention may take many forms, the presently preferred embodiments thereof are described in the following text and illustrated in the drawings.


Color transfer thermal printers use a color donor member which may be a sheet, but usually is in the form of a web advanced from a supply roll to a take-up roll. The color donor member passes between a printhead and a dye receiver member. The thermal printhead comprises a linear array of resistive heat elements. In operation, the resistive heat elements of the printhead are selectively energized in accordance with data from a printhead control circuit. As a result, the image defined by the data from the printhead control circuit is placed on the receiver member.
A significant problem in this technology is that the color donor members used to make the thermal prints are generally intended for single (one time) use. Thus, although the member has at least three times the area of the final print and contains enough colorant to make a solid black image, only a small fraction of the color is ever used.
After printing an image, the color donor cannot be easily reused, although this has been the subject of several patents. The primary reason that inhibits reuse of the color donor is that the color transfer process is very sensitive to the concentration of the colorant in the donor layer. During the first printing operation, color is selectively removed from the layer thus altering its concentration. In subsequent printings, regions of the donor which had been previously imaged have a lower transfer efficiency than regions which were not imaged. This results in a ghost image appearing in subsequent prints.
The cost associated with having a single use donor ribbon is large because of the large area of ribbon required, as well as the large excess of colorant coated on the donor member. While this technology is able to produce high quality continuous tone prints, it is desired to provide an approach which has all of the good attributes of thermal color transfer imaging but without the limitations associated with single use donor members.
Some work has been done by others to accomplish similar goals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,521 discusses a reusable wax transfer ink donor ribbon. This process is intended to provide a dye donor ribbon that may be used to print more than one page before the ribbon is completely consumed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,393 describes a reusable ink ribbon, again for wax transfer printing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,382 discloses a printer device capable of re-inking a thermal transfer ribbon. However, again the technology is wax transfer rather than dye transfer. In the device, solid wax is melted and transferred using a roller onto the reusable transfer ribbon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,574 describes a reusable dye donor ribbon for thermal dye transfer printing. This reusable ribbon has multiple layers containing dye which limit the diffusion of dye out of the donor sheet. This enables the ribbon to be used to make multiple prints. In addition, the ribbon may be run at a slower speed than the dye receiver sheet, enabling additional utilization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,657 describes a multiple use thermal dye transfer ink ribbon. This ribbon has a high concentration dye layer on the bottom and low concentration dye layer on the top. The low concentration dye layer meters or controls dye transfer out of the ribbon. This enables the ribbon to be used multiple times. U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,318 is another example of a thermal dye transfer ribbon which can be used multiple times.
Another problem with the resistive head thermal printers described above is high the large amount of energy used by thermal resistive printing. This is because the heat generated by resistive printing head must first heat the support layer before the heat reaches the color donor layer. While the color donor layer can be quite thin and therefore have a low heat capacity, the support layer must be relatively thick, particularly if the support is to be used for multiple printing events without tearing or distorting from the insult of the printing operation.
Yet another problem of the printers described above is that of low resolution images. As the heat from the printhead moves through the support toward the color donor layer, the heat spreads in all directions, so that the spot of color printed is necessarily larger than when it is first generated at the print head. This means the final image is of lower resolution then might be possible with a thinner color donor web.


Programmable logic arrays are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,899, for example, describes both the background and the uses of programmable logic arrays and field programmable logic arrays. U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,912 discloses an improved version of the programmable logic array described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,899 wherein an output cell is provided to allow a single circuit to be configured to simulate a programmable logic array having a combinatorial unregistered output lead or a registered output lead.
As is known in the programmable logic array art, one type of programmable logic array uses what is called an "X-type" output structure where the output signal is passed through an exclusive OR gate and stored in a register (See FIG. 2). Another type of programmable logic circuit uses what is called an "L-type" output structure and has a combinatorial unregistered output (See FIG. 1).
A typical logic output cell for a programmable logic array of the "L-type" is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the seven logic signals PT0-PT6 are applied to OR gate 10. The output signal from OR gate 10 optionally is passed through an exclusive OR gate (not shown in FIG. 1) which acts as either a buffer or a programmable invertor for the signal before it reaches tristate output buffer 12. The output signal from buffer 12 is sent to terminal 14. Terminal 14 can be used either as an input path or an output path depending upon the state of tristate buffer 12. If tristate buffer 12 presents a high impedance in response to logic signal PT7 being low level, then terminal 14 functions as an input terminal and the input signal on terminal 14 is transmitted on leads 19 and 17 to buffer 13. Buffer 13 provides on output leads 18b and 18a, true and complemented versions, respectively, of the signal on lead 17 and terminal 14. The structure shown in FIG. 1 provides a logical combinatorial unregistered output signal on lead 19 when buffer 12 acts as a transmission gate for passing the output signal from OR gate 10 to output terminal 14. In this context, lead 17 and buffer 13 are part of a feedback path capable of providing the true and complement of the output signal on terminal 14 to selected points within the programmable logic array.
FIG. 2 illustrates an X-type output structure from a programmable logic array. As shown in FIG. 2, four input logic signals PT0-PT3 are applied in pairs to OR gates 31a and 31b. Logic signals PT0 and PT1 are applied to the two input leads to OR gate 31a and logic signals PT2 and PT3 are applied to the two input leads to OR gate 31b. The output leads from OR gates 31a and 31b are applied to the two input leads to exclusive OR gate 32. The output signal from exclusive OR gate 32 is applied to register 33 (typically a D-type flip-flop). The Q output signal from register 33 is passed through invertor 34 to the output terminal 36. The Q output lead from register 33 is fed back through buffer 35 which provides on output leads 37a and 37b, true and complementary versions of the signal on lead 33b, respectively.
The architectures of the output logic circuits with existing programmable logic arrays provide a number of different options to the designer. However, in many cases the use of one option as opposed to another requires the use of a different part or product. This can be a disadvantage if the user wishes to change the design after acquiring a substantial inventory of one type of product.


Many wireless communication devices include hardware modules and/or software modules to provide support for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The United States government provides a Global Positioning System (GPS) that typically uses 31 satellites orbiting the Earth broadcasting specialized GPS signals in a 1.6 GHz frequency band. Other global positioning systems such as the Russian GLONASS and the Chinese Beidou systems function in approximately the same manner. The term GNSS can be used to refer to satellite based positioning systems in general, and the terms GNSS and GPS can be used synonymously herein to indicate satellite based global positioning systems and signals without loss of generality.
Wireless communication device based GNSS systems can try to determine a position of the wireless communication device by receiving GNSS satellite signals. Oftentimes, the position of the wireless communication device can be presented to a user of the wireless communication device through a map displayed on the wireless communication device or on a display to which the wireless communication device is coupled. The wireless communication device can attempt to determine a position based on information obtained while in poor GNSS operating conditions, which can adversely affect the accuracy of position determination and information provided for map location display. GNSS signals are prone to fade, can suffer multipath or may be blocked by structural objects such as tunnels and/or tall buildings. In these cases, a GNSS determined position may be inaccurate.
Therefore, what is desired is an enhancement of the performance of GNSS determined positioning, particularly when the wireless communication device operates in conditions that can result in poor reception of GNSS signals.


1. Field of the Invention
The systems and methods of this invention generally related to communications systems. In particular, the systems and methods of this invention relate to providing a variable state length initialization.
2. Description of Related Art
Multicarrier modulation, which is also known as Discrete Multitone Transmission (DMT), transceivers step a through a number of initialization states prior to entering steady-state communication or “showtime.” In particular, these various initialization states include channel discovery, transceiver training, channel analysis, and the like. These various initialization states allow, for example, the determination of transmitter power levels, line characteristics, training of receiver function such as equalizers or echo cancellers, or any other feature necessary to establish communication, or to exchange parameters and settings, between transceivers.


The farnesoid-X-receptor (FXR) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of transcription factors. FXR was originally identified as a receptor activated by farnesol, and subsequent studies revealed a major role of FXR as a bile acid receptor [Makishima, M., Okamoto, A. Y., Repa, J. J., Tu, H., Learned, R. M., Luk, A., Hull, M. V., Lustig, K. D., Mangelsdorf, D. J. and Shan, B. (1999) Identification of a nuclear receptor for bile acids. Science 284, 1362-5]. FXR is expressed in liver, intestine, kidney, and the adrenal gland. Four splice isoforms have been cloned in humans.
Among the major bile acids, chenodeoxycholic acid is the most potent FXR agonist. Binding of bile acids or synthetic ligands to FXR induces the transcriptional expression of small heterodimer partner (SHP), an atypical nuclear receptor family member that binds to several other nuclear hormone receptors, including LRH-1 and LXR alpha and blocks their transcriptional functions [Lu, T. T., Makishima, M., Repa, J. J., Schoonjans, K., Kerr, T. A., Auwerx, J. and Mangelsdorf, D. J. (2000) Molecular basis for feedback regulation of bile acid synthesis by nuclear receptors. Mol Cell 6, 507-15]. CYP7A1 and CYP8B are enzymes involved in hepatic bile acid synthesis. FXR represses their expression via activation of the SHP pathway. FXR directly induces the expression of bile acid-exporting transporters for the ABC family in hepatocytes, including the bile salt export pump (ABCB11) and the multidrug resistance associated protein 2 (ABCC2) [Kast, H. R., Goodwin, B., Tarr, P. T., Jones, S. A., Anisfeld, A. M., Stoltz, C. M., Tontonoz, P., Kliewer, S., Willson, T. M. and Edwards, P. A. (2002) Regulation of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (ABCC2) by the nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor, farnesoid X-activated receptor, and constitutive androstane receptor. J Biol Chem 277, 2908-15; Ananthanarayanan, M., Balasubramanian, N., Makishima, M., Mangelsdorf, D. J. and Suchy, F. J. (2001) Human bile salt export pump promoter is transactivated by the farnesoid X receptor/bile acid receptor. J Biol Chem 276, 28857-65]. FXR knockout mice have impaired resistance to bile acid-induced hepatotoxicity and synthetic FXR agonists have been shown to be hepatoprotective in animal models of cholestasis [Liu, Y., Binz, J., Numerick, M. J., Dennis, S., Luo, G., Desai, B., MacKenzie, K. I., Mansfield, T. A., Kliewer, S. A., Goodwin, B. and Jones, S. A. (2003) Hepatoprotection by the farnesoid X receptor agonist GW4064 in rat models of intra- and extrahepatic cholestasis. J Clin Invest 112, 1678-87; Sinal, C. J., Tohkin, M., Miyata, M., Ward, J. M., Lambert, G. and Gonzalez, F. J. (2000) Targeted disruption of the nuclear receptor FXR/BAR impairs bile acid and lipid homeostasis. Cell 102, 731-44]. These data show that FXR protects hepatocytes from bile acid toxicity by suppressing both cellular synthesis and import of bile acids and stimulating their biliary excretion.
The process of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids is also a major regulator of serum cholesterol homeostasis. After biosynthesis from cholesterol in the liver, bile acids are secreted with bile into the lumen of the small intestine to aid in the digestion and absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. The ratio of different bile acids determines the hydrophilicity of the bile acid pool and its ability to solubilize cholesterol. FXR activation increases the hydrophilicity of the pool, decreasing the intestinal solubilization of cholesterol, effectively blocking its absorption. Decrease absorption would be expected to result in lowering of plasma cholesterol levels. Indeed direct inhibitors of cholesterol absorption such as ezetimibe decrease plasma cholesterol, providing some evidence to support this hypothesis. However ezetimibe has limited efficacy which appears due to feedback upregulation of cholesterol synthesis in cells attempting to compensate for depletion of cholesterol. Recent data have shown that FXR opposes this effect in part by directly repressing the expression of HMGCoA reductase via a pathway involving SHP and LRH1 [Datta, S., Wang, L., Moore, D. D. and Osborne, T. F. (2006) Regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase promoter by nuclear receptors liver receptor homologue-1 and small heterodimer partner: a mechanism for differential regulation of cholesterol synthesis and uptake. J Biol Chem 281, 807-12]. FXR also decreases hepatic synthesis of triglycerides by repressing SREBP1-c expression by an alternate pathway involving SHP and LXRalpha. Thus compounds which modulate FXR activity may show superior therapeutic efficacy on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride lowering than current therapies.
Most patients with coronary artery disease have high plasma levels of atherogenic LDL. The HMGCoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are effective at normalizing LDL-C levels but reduce the risk for cardiovascular events such as stroke and myocardial infarction by only about 30%. Additional therapies targeting further lowering of atherogenic LDL as well as other lipid risk factors such as high plasma triglyceride levels and low HDL-C levels are needed.
A high proportion of type 2 diabetic patients in the United States have abnormal concentrations of plasma lipoproteins. The prevalence of total cholesterol>240 mg/dl is 37% in diabetic men and 44% in diabetic women and the prevalence for LDL-C>160 mg/dl are 31% and 44%, respectively in these populations. Diabetes is a disease in which a patient's ability to control glucose levels in blood is decreased because of partial impairment in the response to insulin. Type II diabetes (T2D), also called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), accounts for 80-90% of all diabetes cases in developed countries. In T2D, the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans produce insulin but the primary target tissues (muscle, liver and adipose tissue) develop a profound resistance to its effects. The body compensates by producing more insulin ultimately resulting in failure of pancreatic insulin-producing capacity. Thus T2D is a cardiovascular-metabolic syndrome associated with multiple co-morbidities including dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, as well as hypertension, endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory atherosclerosis.
The first line treatment for dyslipidemia and diabetes is a low-fat and low-glucose diet, exercise and weight loss. Compliance can be moderate and treatment of the various metabolic deficiencies that develop becomes necessary with, for example, lipid-modulating agents such as statins and fibrates, hypoglycemic drugs such as sulfonylureas and metformin, or insulin sensitizers of the thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of PPARgamma-agonists. Recent studies provide evidence that modulators of FXR may have enhanced therapeutic potential by providing superior normalization of both LDL-C and triglyceride levels, currently achieved only with combinations of existing drugs and, in addition, may avoid feedback effects on cellular cholesterol homeostasis.
The compounds of the present invention bind to and selectively modulate FXR very efficiently, resulting in reducing cholesterol absorption lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and reducing inflammatory atherosclerosis. Since multiple facets of combined dyslipidemia and cholesterol homeostasis are addressed by FXR modulators, they are expected to have an enhanced therapeutic potential compared to the compounds already known in the art.


It is typical of the usual tractor-drawn plow that it is connected or supported at its laterally spaced front portions by vertically shiftable hitch means on a tractor and on vertically shiftable linkage means on a furrow wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,313 discloses an arrangement in which the furrow wheel linkage includes a two-way hydraulic motor and the linkage is mechanically connected to the hitch means so that operation of the motor activates the furrow wheel linkage and hitch means substantially in unison so that substantial leveling of the plow frame is achieved during movement between raised and lowered positions. It is also typical of such plow that, during lowering of the frame from fully raised or transport position to a position for opening up the field, the frame will descend to a greater distance in relation to the front furrow wheel than when it is lowered from transport to the normal plowing position, because, in the opening-up plowing position, the furrow wheel is traveling on unplowed land and, in normal position, the furrow wheel runs in a previously formed furrow. In the recent past it has been necessary to control a hydraulic cylinder in two phases, one stroke for lowering to open-up plowing position and a different stroke for lowering to normal plowing position.