Author: claimsbot

1. A speed and direction control mechanism for a differential speed steered agricultural machine comprising:
a ground supported main frame;
an engine resiliently connected to the main frame;
right and left drive motors;
right and left hydraulic drive pumps connected in tandem to and driven by the engine, each drive pump having a displacement control mechanism including a pintel arm rotatable between first and second positions, rotation of which changes hydraulic fluid flow rate from respective drive pumps to control speed and direction of respective drive motors;
a control input shaft connected to the left and right pintel arms, the shaft rotatable about its longitudinal axis and translatable along its longitudinal axis, rotation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in opposite directions, translation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in the same direction;
a steering wheel and steering shaft operably connected to rotate the control input shaft to manage relative displacement of the right and left hydraulic pumps thereby enabling right and left drive motors to be driven at different speeds andor directions; and
an actuator having a fixed end and a moveable end and variably axially positionable between first and second lengths, the moveable end connected to the control input shaft, the fixed end connected to the drive pumps, movement thereof causing translation of the shaft in either direction along its longitudinal axis.
2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the control input shaft includes a first externally threaded portion and a second externally threaded portion, and each pintel arm includes an internally threaded connected block engaged on the first and second threaded portions, respectively, the threads connection of the pintel arms to the control input shaft.
3. The mechanism of claim 2, further comprising a steering shaft and a coupling disposed between the steering wheel and the control input shaft, the coupling having a splined interface connecting the steering shaft and the control input shaft to transfer rotational movement from the steering wheel to the control input shaft while permitting axial movement of the control input shaft relative to the steering wheel.
4. The mechanism of claim 3, wherein the connection between the actuator fixed end and the pumps comprises a rigid bracket.
5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.
6. A mechanism that controls speed and direction of travel of a self-propelled agricultural machine comprising:
a machine main frame;
an engine for propelling the machine, the engine being resiliently attached to the main frame;
right and left hydraulic drive pumps connected in tandem to and driven by the engine, each drive pump having a displacement control mechanism including a pintel arm rotatable between first and second positions, rotation of the pintel arms changing hydraulic fluid flow rate from respective drive pumps to control speed and direction of travel of the machine;
a control input shaft operably connected to the left and right pintel arms, the shaft rotatable about its longitudinal axis and translatable along its longitudinal axis, rotation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in opposite directions, translation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in the same direction;
an actuator having a fixed end and a moveable end, the length therebetween being selectively variable between first and second lengths, the moveable end connected to the control input shaft, the fixed end connected to the drive pumps, variation in the length thereof moving the control input shaft in either direction along its longitudinal axis regardless of movement of the drive pumps relative to the main frame.
7. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the control input shaft includes a first externally threaded portion and a second externally threaded portion, and each pintel arm includes an internally threaded connected block engaged on the first and second threaded portions, respectively, the threads connection of the pintel arms to the control input shaft.
8. The mechanism of claim 7, wherein the connection between the actuator fixed end and the pumps comprises a rigid bracket.
9. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.
10. The mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a steering wheel and steering shaft operably connected to rotate the control input shaft.
11. A mechanism for controlling speed and direction of travel of a self-propelled agricultural machine comprising:
a machine main frame;
an engine for propelling the machine, the engine being resiliently attached to the main frame;
right and left hydraulic drive pumps operably supported in tandem and driven by the engine, each drive pump having a displacement control mechanism including a pintel arm rotatable between first and second positions, rotation of the pintel arms changing hydraulic fluid flow rate from respective drive pumps to control speed and direction of travel of the machine;
a control input shaft operably connected to the left and right pintel arms, the shaft rotatable about its longitudinal axis and translatable along its longitudinal axis, rotation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in opposite directions, translation of the shaft causing simultaneous rotation of the pintel arms in the same direction; and
an elongate actuator having a selectively variable length between generally opposing first and second ends, the first end connected to the control input shaft for movement therewith, the second end anchored to the hydraulic drive pumps to prevent relative motion between the drive pumps and the main frame from axially moving the control shaft.
12. The mechanism of claim 10, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.
13. A control assembly comprising:
a controller that regulates a swash plate angle for a hydraulic pump; and
a mounting component that mounts the controller to the hydraulic pump, to mitigate a movement of the controller relative to the hydraulic pump;
wherein any movement of the control assembly occurs as a single unit, with substantially no relative movement between the controller and hydraulic pump affecting the swash plate angle.
14. The control assembly of claim 13, wherein the mounting component further comprises a bracket weld assembly that is rigidly mounted to the hydraulic pump.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a semiconductor layer;
a block insulating film;
an organic molecular layer formed between the semiconductor layer and the block insulating film, the organic molecular layer having a first organic molecular film on the semiconductor layer side containing first organic molecules, the organic molecular layer having a second organic molecular film on the block insulating film side containing second organic molecules, the first organic molecule having a charge storing unit, the second organic molecule being an amphiphilic organic molecule; and
a control gate electrode formed on the block insulating film.
2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising
a tunnel insulating film formed between the semiconductor layer and the organic molecular layer.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein
the first organic molecules have an insulating unit between the charge storing unit and the semiconductor layer, and the insulating unit contains straight chain saturated hydrocarbon.
4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a tunnel insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer side between the semiconductor layer and the organic molecular layer; and
a conductive layer formed on the organic molecular layer side between the semiconductor layer and the organic molecular layer.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein
the amphiphilic organic molecule has a hydrophobic unit and a hydrophilic unit,
the hydrophobic unit is an alkyl chain, a fluoroalkyl chain, a polysilane chain or a phenylene chain, and
the hydrophilic unit has one of an ether group, a carboxy group, a hydroxy group, an amino group or a thiol group.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is a nonionic surfactant.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is polyethylene glycol alkylether shown in General Formula (I),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is trisiloxanepolyethylene glycol shown in General Formula (II),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is pentaethyleneglycol monododecylether.
10. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a semiconductor layer;
a control gate electrode; and
an organic molecular layer formed between the semiconductor layer and the control gate electrode, the organic molecular layer having a first organic molecular film on the semiconductor layer side containing first organic molecules, the organic molecular layer having second organic molecular film on the control gate electrode side containing second organic molecules, the first organic molecule having a charge storing unit, the second organic molecule being an amphiphilic organic molecule.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule contains straight chain saturated hydrocarbon.
12. The device according to claim 10, wherein
the amphiphilic organic molecule has a hydrophobic unit and a hydrophilic unit,
the hydrophobic unit is an alkyl chain, a fluoroalkyl chain, a polysilane chain or a phenylene chain, and
the hydrophilic unit has one of an ether group, a carboxy group, a hydroxy group, an amino group or a thiol group.
13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is polyethylene glycol alkylether shown in General Formula (I),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is trisiloxanepolyethylene glycol shown in General Formula (II),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is pentaethyleneglycol monododecylether.
16. A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:
a stacked structure having insulating layers and control gate electrode layers, the insulating layers and the control gate electrode layers being alternately stacked;
a block insulating film provided on a side surface of a hole penetrating the stacked structure from its top surface to the lowermost control gate electrode layer with respect to a stacking direction of the stacked structure;
an organic molecular layer having a first organic molecular film formed on an inner surface of the block insulating film containing first organic molecules, the organic molecular layer having a second organic molecular film formed on an inner surface of the first organic molecular film containing second organic molecules, the first organic molecule having a charge storing unit, the second organic molecule being an amphiphilic organic molecule;
a tunnel insulating film provided on the inner surface of the organic molecular layer; and
a semiconductor layer provided on the inner surface of the tunnel insulating film.
17. The device according to claim 16, wherein
the amphiphilic organic molecule has a hydrophobic unit and a hydrophilic unit,
the hydrophobic unit is an alkyl chain, a fluoroalkyl chain, a polysilane chain or a phenylene chain, and
the hydrophilic unit has one of an ether group, a carboxy group, a hydroxy group, an amino group or a thiol group.
18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is polyethylene glycol alkylether shown in General Formula (I),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is trisiloxanepolyethylene glycol shown in General Formula (II),
wherein, n is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20, and m is an integer not smaller than 3 and not larger than 20.
20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the amphiphilic organic molecule is pentaethyleneglycol monododecylether.

1. A lens device for the treatment of visual impairments and designed as a segment of a Fresnel lens and wherein a focal point is generated by the lens device comprising:
an anterior side of the lens and a posterior side of the lens,
a fixation element for fixing in the eye,
a plurality of wedge-shaped recesses on the posterior side of the lens, and a superposition of spherical and non-spherical segments of one or more Fresnel lenses on the anterior side of the lens opposite the posterior side,
wherein the plurality of wedge-shaped recesses include inclined areas, which redirect the focal point through the wedge-shaped recesses, the inclined areas are plane areas running linearly in a parallel direction to each other, the inclined areas and their plane areas running linearly in a parallel direction to each other extend along the entire posterior side of the lens device.
2. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein the wedge-shaped recesses are inclined at different angles.
3. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein the posterior side features a coating or protective layer to fill the wedge-shaped recesses preventing the reflection of light on the edges of the lens device after passage through the lens device.
4. The lens device according to claim 3, wherein the coating features a refraction index equal to that of the chamber fluid of the eye of the patient.
5. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein the lens device features an anterior chamber and a posterior chamber which are separated by a transparent wall, whereby the anterior chamber is configured to face away from the retina and features at least one convex-elastic element, so that by alignment of the curve of the at least one convex-elastic element, the focal width of the at least one convex-elastic element is variable.
6. The lens device according to claim 5, wherein the posterior chamber, which is configured to face the retina, features a transparent, elastic coating, and the posterior chamber features a supporting element for the wedge-shaped recesses, which is designed to be mounted rotatably against the posterior chamber, so that the inclination of the wedge-shaped recesses is adjustable.
7. The lens device according to claim 6, wherein the supporting element is attached to an elastic element which is pre-stressed against rotation.
8. The lens device according to claim 6, wherein each chamber is connected to a supply and removal canal, each of which is assigned at least one pump or volume modification means either directly or indirectly via one or more valves, so that one or more of the convex-elastic element of the anterior chamber and the transparent, elastic coating undergoes a change of form when the pump or volume modification means is activated, and the supporting element for the wedge-shaped recesses undergoes rotation due to the transparent, elastic coating or the convex-elastic element changing its form.
9. The lens device according to claim 8, wherein, in the posterior chamber which faces the retina, a mobile, transparent and inclined surface is assigned to each wedge-shaped recess which is arc adapted to be mounted rotatably due to rotation elements, whereby an elastic element is assigned to each of these mobile, transparent and inclined surfaces and, the mobile, transparent and inclined surfaces undergo a rotation when the pump or volume modification means assigned to the anterior chamber is activated, so that the focal point is redirected on the retina.
10. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein each chamber is adapted to be filled with a transparent medium, whose refraction index is adapted to be adjusted to be that of one or more of the chamber fluid, the transparent, elastic coating, and the transparent wall.
11. The lens device according to claim 8, wherein implanted batteries or receivers are provided as means of providing energy for the at least one pump or volume modification means for inputting energy from outside of a body of a patient.
12. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein optical means for the correction of the near field are provided, whereby the further optical means can also be provided in front of or behind the lens device.
13. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein the lens device features at least one UV-protective film for the protection of the retina from UV rays.
14. The lens device according to claim 8, whereby the pump or volume modification means feature a characteristic curve, which allows conclusions to be drawn on a counterpressure on a recorded performance of a pump or volume changes, against which the pump or volume modification means work, so that a determination of the pressure in the interior of the eye of the patient is possible via a measurement of the recorded performance.
15. The lens device according to claim 9, wherein each chamber is adapted to be filled with a transparent medium, whose refraction index is adapted to be adjusted to be that of one or more of the chamber fluid: the transparent, elastic coating: and the transparent wall.
16. The lens device according to claim 12, wherein the further optical means is a lens.
17. The lens device according to claim 11, wherein energy input from outside of the body of the patient is by one or more of electromagnetic and magnetic fields.
18. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein a material of the fixation element features a refraction index equal to that of the chamber fluid of the eye of the patient.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A vinyl alcohol copolymer resin consisting essentially of recurring units I, II and III,
wherein:
R1 is present or absent and if present is C1-C20 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, heteroarylene, or \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014NH\u2014R2\u2014;
R2 is C1-C10 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, heteroarylene, or alkylheteroarylene; and
M is a cationic counterion or hydrogen;

and wherein:
recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 10 mole percent;
recurring unit II is present in the resin in an amount of from about 75 to about 98 mole percent; and
recurring unit III is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 mole percent;
wherein the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin is characterized by a substantial absence of compositional drift as determined by 13C NMR spectroscopy.
2. The resin of claim 1, wherein recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 1 to about 8 mole percent.
3. The resin of claim 1, wherein recurring unit III is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 mole percent.
4. The resin of claim 1, wherein the resin is characterized by a degree of hydrolysis of from about 70 to about 99+ %.
5. The resin of claim 1, wherein a 4 weight % aqueous solution of the resin is characterized by a viscosity of about 2 to about 30 cps.
6. The resin of claim 1, wherein R1 is \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014NH\u2014R2\u2014 and R2 is C1-C10 alkylene.
7. The resin of claim 1, wherein R1 is absent, such that recurring unit I is
8. The resin of claim 1, wherein M is a hydrogen or a sodium ion.
9. A vinyl alcohol copolymer resin consisting essentially of recurring units I, II and III,
wherein:
R1 is present or absent and if present is C1-C20 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, heteroarylene, or \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014NH\u2014R2\u2014;
R2 is C1-C10 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, heteroarylene, or alkylheteroarylene; and
M is a cationic counterion or hydrogen;

and wherein:
recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 10 mole percent;
recurring unit II is present in the resin in an amount of from about 75 to about 98 mole percent; and
recurring unit III is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 mole percent;

and wherein further the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin is prepared by steps including:
(a) continuously feeding vinyl acetate monomer, a sulfonic acid-containing comonomer corresponding to recurring unit I, a free radical yielding polymerization initiator, and a solvent for said monomer, comonomer, initiator, and copolymer resulting from the copolymerization of said monomer and comonomer into a first reaction zone to form a reaction mass;
(b) maintaining the reaction mass in the first reaction zone under polymerization conditions with agitation for a residence time sufficient for a major proportion of the sulfonic acid-containing comonomer fed to said first reaction zone to polymerize;
(c) continuously feeding reaction mass from said first reaction zone to a second reaction zone;
(d) continuously feeding additional sulfonic acid-containing comonomer to the second reaction zone;
(e) maintaining the reaction mass in the second reaction zone under polymerization conditions with agitation for a residence time sufficient to polymerize a major proportion of the sulfonic acid-containing comonomer added to the second reaction zone;
(f) continuously withdrawing reaction mass from the second reaction zone;
(g) separating a copolymer of vinyl acetate monomer and the sulfonic acid-containing comonomer from the latter reaction mass; and
(h) saponifying by hydrolysis andor alcoholysis a major proportion of the acetate groups in the vinyl acetate-sulfonic acid-containing copolymer to form the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin;
wherein the ratio of sulfonic acid-containing comonomer fed to the first reaction zone to the sulfonic acid-containing comonomer fed to the second reaction zone is within the range of about 55:45 to about 80:20; and wherein the resin is characterized by a substantial absence of compositional drift, as evidenced by a unimodal compositional distribution determined using gradient elution chromatographic analysis.
10. A vinyl alcohol copolymer resin consisting essentially of recurring units I, II and III,
wherein:
R1 is present or absent and if present is C1-C20 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, heteroarylene, or \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014NH\u2014R2\u2014;
R2 is C1-C10 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, heteroarylene, or alkylheteroarylene; and
M is a cationic counterion or hydrogen;

wherein further:
recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 10 mole percent;
recurring unit II is present in the resin in an amount of from about 75 to about 98 mole percent; and
recurring unit III is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 mole percent;

and wherein the resin is characterized by a resistance to irreversible dehydration upon exposure to harsh chemicals, as determined by a harsh chemical dissolution test and evidenced by a dissolution time of less than about 100 seconds after 2 weeks of exposure.
11. The resin of claim 10, wherein the recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 1 mole percent to about 5 mole percent.
12. The resin of claim 10, wherein the recurring unit II is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 85 mole percent to about 95 mole percent.
13. The resin of claim 10, wherein the recurring unit III is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 5 mole percent to about 10 mole percent.
14. A vinyl alcohol copolymer resin consisting essentially of recurring units I, II and III,
wherein:
R1 is present or absent and if present is C1-C20 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, heteroarylene, or \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014NH\u2014R2\u2014;
R2 is C1-C10 alkylene, C4-C8 cycloalkylene, C4-C8 heterocycloalkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, heteroarylene, or alkylheteroarylene; and
M is a cationic counterion or hydrogen;

wherein further:
recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 10 mole percent;
recurring unit II is present in the resin in an amount of from about 75 to about 98 mole percent; and
recurring unit III is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 mole percent;

and wherein the resin is characterized by retention of hydroxide functionality upon aging, as determined by infrared (IR) spectra and as evidenced by a peak demonstrating absorption at about 3354 cm\u22121 on the IR spectra after two weeks of aging.
15. The resin of claim 14, wherein recurring unit I is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 1 mole percent to about 4 mole percent.
16. The resin of claim 14, wherein recurring unit II is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 94 mole percent to about 98 mole percent.
17. The resin of claim 14, wherein recurring unit III is present in the vinyl alcohol copolymer resin in an amount of from about 1 mole percent to about 5 mole percent.
18. A resin composition for forming a film, coating or package, the composition comprising a saponified copolymer of vinyl acetate and an acrylamido-sulfonic acid monomer, wherein the copolymer is characterized by a substantial absence of compositional drift.
19. The resin composition of claim 18, wherein a substrate is coated with the composition to provide a soft, flexible oil and grease barrier coating.
20. The resin composition of claim 18, wherein a water-soluble package or a film is formed from the composition, and wherein the water-soluble package or film is resistant to oxidizing chemicals.
21. The resin composition of claim 18, wherein a film is formed from the composition to produce a battery separator which resists degradation by oxidation.