A set of discrete input/output (I/O) channels for one or more field devices may be grouped, organized, and connected to a field module device, which may connect to an electronic marshalling apparatus in a marshalling cabinet via an I/O channel. The field module acts as an intermediary, decoding messages received via the I/O channel to identify commands for discrete output (DO) channels that are then forwarded appropriately. The field module may also receive variable values carried by signals on discrete input (DI) channels and encode the values to a message that may be transmitted to the marshalling apparatus and controller, thus making the variable values on the DI channels available to the controller. The field module may store a profile including information that facilitates various smart commissioning techniques, including autosensing of tags, automatic tag binding, and automatic configuration of a control element corresponding to the field module.

Distributed process control systems, such as distributed or scalable process control systems like those used in power generation, chemical, petroleum, or other processes, typically include one or more process controllers communicatively coupled to each other, to at least one host or operator workstation via a process control network and to one or more field devices via analog, digital or combined analog/digital buses.
The field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, and flow rate sensors), perform functions within the process or plant such as opening or closing valves, switching devices on and off, and measuring process parameters.
The process controllers, which are typically located within the plant environment, receive signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices and execute a controller application that runs, for example, different control modules which make process control decisions, generate control signals based on the received information and coordinate with the control modules or blocks being performed in the field devices, such as HART®, WirelessHART®, and FOUNDATION® Fieldbus field devices.
Execution of the control modules cause the process controllers to send the control signals over the communication links or signal paths to the field devices, to thereby control the operation of at least a portion of the process plant or system, e.g., to control at least a portion of one or more industrial processes running or executing within the plant or system. For example, the controllers and the field devices control at least a portion of a process being controlled by the process plant or system.
Input/output (I/O) cards (sometimes called "I/O devices" or "I/O modules"), which are also typically located within the plant environment, typically are communicatively disposed between a controller and one or more field devices, and enable communications there between, e.g. by converting electrical signals into digital values and vice versa. Typically, an input or output for a field device is communicatively coupled to a process controller via one or more I/O cards configured for the same communication protocol or protocols as those utilized by the field device inputs and outputs. Specifically, field device inputs and outputs are typically configured for either analog or discrete communications. In order to communicate with a field device, a controller generally needs an I/O card configured for the same type of input or output utilized by the field device. That is, for a field device configured to receive analog control signals (e.g., a 4-20 mA signal), the controller needs an analog output (AO) I/O card to transmit the appropriate control signal; and for a field device configured to transmit measurements or other information via an analog signal, the controller typically needs an analog input (AI) card to receive the transmitted information. Similarly, for a field device configured to receive discrete control signals, the controller needs a discrete output (DO) I/O card to transmit the appropriate control signal; and for a field device configured to transmit information via a discrete signal, the controller needs a discrete input (DI) I/O card. Generally, each I/O card can connect to multiple field device inputs or outputs, wherein each communication link to a particular input or output is referred to as a "channel." For example, a 120 channel DO I/O card can be communicatively connected to 120 distinct discrete field device inputs, enabling the controller to transmit (via the DO I/O card) discrete control output signals to the 120 distinct discrete field device inputs.
As utilized herein, field devices, controllers, and I/O devices are generally referred to as "process control devices," and are generally located, disposed, or installed in a field environment of a process control system or plant. The network formed by one or more controllers, the field devices communicatively connected to the one or more controllers, and the intermediary nodes facilitating communication between the controllers and field devices may be referred to as an "I/O network" or "I/O subsystem."
Information from the field devices and the controllers is usually made available over a data highway or communication network (the "process control network") to one or more other hardware devices, such as operator workstations, personal computers or computing devices, handheld devices, data historians, report generators, centralized databases, or other centralized administrative computing devices that are typically placed in control rooms or other locations away from the harsher field environment of the plant, e.g., in a back-end environment of the process plant.
The information communicated over the process control network enables an operator or a maintenance person to perform desired functions with respect to the process via one or more hardware devices connected to the network. These hardware devices may run applications that enable an operator to, e.g., change settings of the process control routine(s), modify the operation of the control modules within the process controllers or the smart field devices, view the current state of the process or status of particular devices within the process plant, view alarms generated by field devices and process controllers, simulate the operation of the process for the purpose of training personnel or testing the process control software, diagnose problems or hardware failures within the process plant, etc. The process control network or data highway utilized by the hardware devices, controllers, and field devices may include a wired communication path, a wireless communication path, or a combination of wired and wireless communication paths.
As an example, the DeltaV™ control system, sold by Emerson Process Management, includes multiple applications stored within and executed by different devices located at diverse places within a process plant. A configuration application, which resides in one or more workstations or computing devices in a back-end environment of a process control system or plant, enables users to create or change process control modules and download these process control modules via a data highway to dedicated distributed controllers. Typically, these control modules are made up of communicatively interconnected function blocks, which are objects in an object oriented programming protocol that perform functions within the control scheme based on inputs thereto and that provide outputs to other function blocks within the control scheme. The configuration application may also allow a configuration designer to create or change operator interfaces which are used by a viewing application to display data to an operator and to enable the operator to change settings, such as set points, within the process control routines.
Each dedicated controller and, in some cases, one or more field devices, stores and executes a respective controller application that runs the control modules assigned and downloaded thereto to implement actual process control functionality. The viewing applications, which may be executed on one or more operator workstations (or on one or more remote computing devices in communicative connection with the operator workstations and the data highway), receive data from the controller application via the data highway and display this data to process control system designers, operators, or users using the user interfaces, and may provide any of a number of different views, such as an operator's view, an engineer's view, a technician's view, etc. A data historian application is typically stored in and executed by a data historian device that collects and stores some or all of the data provided across the data highway while a configuration database application may run in a still further computer attached to the data highway to store the current process control routine configuration and data associated therewith. Alternatively, the configuration database may be located in the same workstation as the configuration application.
Generally speaking, a process plant (or a portion of a plant) is brought online after a multi-step process including a design phase, an installation phase, and a commissioning phase. During the design phase, designers develop general control strategies and identify process elements (i.e., identify the equipment and process control devices needed to implement the control strategies). During the installation phase, process elements are installed. During the commissioning phase, the process elements are tested and generally brought to the point where the system or plant can operate as intended. Unfortunately, it is difficult to fully design some aspects of a plant before beginning installation and commissioning. These phases may be somewhat iterative in nature, and may be performed at least partially in parallel.
For example, designing the I/O network or subsystem is a complicated multi-step process. For decades, a dedicated I/O architecture has been utilized wherein each controller has one or more dedicated multi-channel I/O cards that are physically connected to a controller via a backplane. Unfortunately, designing this dedicated I/O architecture is a significant undertaking. First, process and instrumentation diagrams ("P&IDs") are designed, providing an early view of the control elements and how they are intended to be used in the control strategies. Then, an instrument list is derived from these P&IDs, which is a detailed list of each element (e.g., field device) in the design, including the device type, manufacturer, calibration ranges, etc., as well as the physical location of each element with in the process equipment. However, the field wiring design generally cannot be completed until the I/O subsystem is defined, and the I/O subsystem generally cannot be defined until the field signal usage is defined in the control strategies so that the signal and the control strategy can be assigned to an appropriate controller. Once the signal count for each controller is known, only then can the actual I/O subsystem for each controller be specified, enabling completion of the field wiring design.
Unfortunately, project changes and redesigns often disrupt and complicate field wiring installation. Typically, after the field wiring design is completed, the physical communication links can be installed to build the I/O network. Traditionally, "wired marshalling" has been the accepted industry practice for establishing the physical communication links (e.g., two or three wire links). This wired marshalling is a significant undertaking, in which field technicians wire field devices to terminal blocks in a field junction box ("FJB"), and then wire those FJB terminal blocks to a first set of terminal blocks in a marshalling cabinet in an I/O room (sometimes called a "control room"). The field technician then wires the first set of terminal blocks in the marshalling cabinet to a second set of terminal blocks in the marshalling cabinet, which is then wired to an appropriate I/O card in a "system cabinet." This I/O card is typically communicatively coupled to a controller (e.g., via a backplane) assigned to control or monitor the field devices in question.
The marshalling cabinet represents a communication interconnection point that can be a source of problems during the design and commissioning phases. Because wires typically come from the field (through multi-core cables) to the marshalling cabinet, the wiring in the cabinet generally must be cross-marshalled to ensure each connected field device is connected to its appropriate I/O card and channel. Specifically, the field devices are typically connected to a first set of terminals in the marshalling cabinet and the I/O cards are typically connected to a second set of terminals in the marshalling cabinet. To ensure proper operation, each terminal in the first set of terminals must be wired to the proper terminal in the second set of terminals (i.e., cross-marshalled) to ensure that, e.g., when the controller attempts to send a command to a field device, the intended field device receives the command.
Cross-marshalling can cause problems. Particularly, "mapping errors" may occur at multiple points. As a first example, a field device output may be wired to the wrong terminals in a marshalling cabinet and thus to the wrong I/O card channel, resulting in the information transmitted by the field device being assigned to the wrong system variable (e.g., when the field device is mistakenly wired to an I/O card of the same type as the correct I/O card), or resulting in a controller simply being unable to receive information transmitted by the field device (e.g., when the field device is mistakenly wired to an I/O card of a different type than the correct I/O card). As a second example, even if the field device is correctly wired to the marshalling cabinet, the wiring between the marshalling cabinet and the I/O card may be incorrect, resulting in the same problems. As a third example, even if the field device and the I/O card are each correctly wired to the marshalling cabinet, errors in cross-marshalling may result in the same problem. Further still, even if all of the wiring is correct, an engineer may mistakenly assign a wrong system variable to the I/O channel, resulting in errors. Identifying the source of errors and determining whether these errors stem from wiring errors or from software configuration errors can be incredibly time and labor intensive. Simply put, like the maze of cords behind billions of televisions across the world, it becomes harder and harder to keep track of where wires are coming or going—making human error far more likely.
Exacerbating issues, the field wiring activities often need to begin long before the I/O subsystem(s) design can be completed. This creates a period of uncertainty in the design, where assumptions are made based on available information that is subject to change due to project scope changes or due to control logic changes resulting in hardware changes. These late changes can be costly, especially if field devices must be redistributed to new controllers. These changes can be costly not only due to the rewiring of communication links to new I/O cards, but also due to the extra cabinet space required to accommodate the additional equipment.
Simply put, any addition of a process control device or other element in the I/O network to accommodate late design changes will add cost as these changes impact the engineering drawings, the field wiring, and sometimes the system cabinet footprint. Inevitably, every project sees its share of late changes. These changes can come from: changes in the control strategy design; late definition of skid equipment requirements; underestimation of the required control CPU capacity; adding field devices; changing device types (e.g., replacing limit switches with analog transmitters); etc.
These late project changes—a common issue—around I/O requirements can have a domino effect across the entire implementation. They can result in drawing rework, control system partitioning, moving wires, and building new cabinets. Even something as simple as replacing an installed field device can be complicated. For example, if an installed field device that is connected to a DO I/O card is replaced with a new field device configured to receive control commands via an analog signal, the field technician needs to find an AO I/O card with empty channels or install a new AO I/O card. The field technician may then need to remove the wiring between the field device and the marshalling cabinet, the wiring between the terminals in the marshalling cabinet, and the wiring between the marshalling cabinet and I/O card. Finally, the field technician needs to wire the new field device to the marshalling cabinet, wire the new I/O card to the marshalling cabinet if necessary, and ensure the cross-marshalling in the marshalling cabinet correctly couples the appropriate terminals within the marshalling cabinet.
In sum, all late changes add time, cost, and risk to a project—an issue that is only amplified by the inflexibility of traditional dedicated I/O architectures and the cross-marshalling that is necessary to ensure that field devices are communicatively coupled to the appropriate I/O card and I/O card channel.
As for commissioning, generally the commissioning of a process plant or system involves bringing various components of the plant or system to the point where the system or plant can operate as intended. After process elements have been installed, at least some of the process elements are commissioned. For example, field devices, sampling points, and/or other elements are subject to being commissioned. Commissioning is an involved and complex process which typically includes multiple actions or activities. For example, commissioning may include actions or activities such as, inter alia, verifying or confirming an identity of an installed process control device (such as a field device) and its expected connections; determining and providing tags that uniquely identify the process control device within the process control system or plant; setting or configuring initial values of parameters, limits, etc. for the device; verifying the correctness of the device's installation, operation, and behaviors under various conditions, e.g., by manipulating signals provided to the devices and performing other tests, and other commissioning activities and actions. Device verification during commissioning is important for safety reasons, as well as to conform to regulatory and quality requirements.
Other commissioning actions or activities are performed on a process control loop in which the device is included. Generally speaking, a "process control loop" includes one or more field devices and a controller configured to communicate with each other for the purpose of implementing a control scheme. For example, a control loop may include a field device that can actuate (e.g., a control valve for an inlet line to a tank) to change a manipulated variable (e.g., the flow of cold water through the pipe when the valve opens); one or more field devices measuring one or more controlled variables impacted by the change in the manipulated variable (e.g., the temperature of water in the tank); and a controller controlling the actuating field device to achieve a desired value for the manipulated variable.
In any event, commissioning actions or activities on a control loop include, for example, verifying that various signals sent across interconnections (e.g., interconnections found in marshalling cabinets) result in expected behavior at both ends of the interconnection, performing integrity checks on the process control loop, generating as-built I/O lists to indicate the actual physical connections of the devices that are implemented within the plant as well as recording other "as-installed" data, to name a few.
Typically, the commissioning of a process plant requires physical devices, connections, wiring, etc. to be installed, set up, and inter-connected in the field environment of the process plant. At the back-end environment of the plant, data that specifically identifies and/or addresses the various devices, their configurations, and their interconnections is integrated, verified or commissioned, and stored. As such, after the physical hardware has been installed and configured, identification information, logical instructions, and other instructions and/or data is downloaded or otherwise provided to the various devices disposed in the field environment so that the various devices are able to communicate with other devices.
Of course, in addition to commissioning actions performed in the back-end environment, commissioning actions or activities are also performed to verify the correctness of the connections and operations in the field environment of both the physical and logical devices, both individually and integrally. For example, a field device may be physically installed and individually verified, e.g., power-on, power-off, etc. A port of a field device may then be physically connected to a commissioning tool via which simulated signals may be sent to the field device, and the behavior of the field device in response to the various simulated signals may be tested. Similarly, a field device whose communication port is commissioned may eventually be physically connected to a terminal block at marshalling cabinet, and actual communications between the terminal block and the field device may be tested. Notably, commissioning may reveal errors in system design or field wiring. These errors can result in some of the costly late project changes previously discussed.
Typically, commissioning of field devices and/or other components in the field environment requires knowledge of component identifications, and in some cases, knowledge of component interconnections so that test signals and responses can be communicated amongst field devices and other loop components and resultant behaviors verified. In currently known commissioning techniques, such identification and interconnection knowledge or data is generally provided to components in the field environment by the back-end environment. For example, the back-end environment will download field device tags that are used in control modules into smart field devices that will be controlled by the control modules during live plant operations.

Smart functionality for discrete field devices and signals


According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of portable communications terminals and assemblies thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, a portable communications terminal includes a support member. An antenna is supported by the support member. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding structure is also supported by the support member. A printed circuit board includes one or more electronic components mounted thereon. The EMI shielding structure is operable for providing EMI shielding for one or more electronic components that are disposed within the interior defined by the EMI shielding structure and the printed circuit board.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Portable wireless communications terminals (e.g., cellular phones with built-in digital cameras, etc.) have become increasingly popular. With increasing popularity, the number of users and their particular preferences and tastes in regard to functionality and operation of the devices have also increased, such as different user preferences as to how the device is opened and closed. In response to user demand, different types of portable terminals have been developed, such as bar type, flip type, flip-up type, and folder type.
In addition, slider type terminals have also been introduced. Slider type terminals can be equipped with an LCD module display device having a similar size as the LCD module display device commonly provided with the folder type terminals. Slider mechanisms may help contribute to size reduction or miniaturization of portable terminals into which they are incorporated. Conventional slider type terminals include a sub-body or cover that may be slidably opened and closed on a main body.
As with other electronic equipment, the electronic components of cellular phone's PCB generate electromagnetic signals that may radiate to and interfere with other electronic components internal or external to the cellular phone. This electromagnetic interference (EMI) can cause degradation of signals, thereby rendering the cellular phone or adjacent electronic equipment inefficient. To reduce the adverse effects of EMI, electrically conducting material is interposed between the electronic circuitry for absorbing and/or reflecting EMI energy. This shielding may take the form of a complete enclosure (e.g., a single-piece board level shielding (BLS) can or enclosure, two-piece BLS shield, etc.) which may be placed around the electronic components of the PCB that generate electromagnetic signals and/or that may be susceptible to electromagnetic signals. For example, electronic circuits or components of a printed circuit board of a slider-type cellular phone are often enclosed within the top cover or lid and sidewalls of a BLS can in order to localize EMI within its source and/or to insulate the PCB electronic circuits or components from external EMI sources. Typically, the BLS can is a separately manufactured single-piece component that is separately installed between the PCB and the slide assembly. For example, the BLS can is typically mounted (e.g., soldered, etc.) to the PCB before the PCB is attached to the slider mechanism. After installation of the BLS can, the PCB may then be attached to the slider mechanism.
As used herein, the term electromagnetic interference (EMI) should be considered to generally include and refer to both electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) emissions. The term "electromagnetic" should be considered to generally include and refer to both electromagnetic and radio frequency from external sources and internal sources. Accordingly, the term shielding (as used herein) generally includes and refers to both EMI shielding and RFI shielding, for example, to prevent (or at least reduce) ingress and egress of EMI and RFI relative to a shielding device in which electronic equipment is disposed.

Integrated antenna and EMI shielding support member for portable communications terminals


A one pot process for the synthesis of Irbesartan comprising reacting 2-n-Butyl-1,3-Diazaspiro[4,4]Non-1-en-4-one (Formula III) and Bromomethyl Cyanobiphenyl (Formula IV) in the presence of base and water with the optional use of PTC to give formula II from which Irbesartan is obtained by reacting with sodium azide and triethylamine hydrochloride in the presence of a non polar solvent.

Irbesartan is a non-peptide angiotensin-K antagonist, which inhibits the action of angiotensin-II on its receptor and thus prevents the increase in blood pressure produced by the hormone-receptor interaction. Irbesartan is, therefore, employed in the treatment of cardiovascular complaints, such as hypertension, diabetic neurotherapy and heart failure. The current pharmaceutical product containing this drug is being sold by Sanofi Synthelabo using the tradename AVAPRO, in the form of tablets.
Irbesartan is known by the following chemical names:    a) 2-Butyl-3-[[2′-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) [1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl]-1,3-diazaspiro[4,4]non-1-en-4-one    (b) 2-Butyl-3-[p-(o-1H-tetrazol-5-ylphenyl)benzyl]-1,3-diazaspiro[4,4]non-1-en-4-one    (c) 2-n-butyl-4-spirocyclopentane-1-[(2′-(tetrazol-5-yl) biphenyl-4-yl) methyl]-2-imidazolin-5-one
The synthesis of irbesartan is first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,317 (equivalent EPO454511) and subsequently, several other patents disclose the synthesis of irbesartan by different methods. Basically the synthesis of this molecule involves two common intermediates namely spiroimidazole of formula III and substituted halomethyl-biphenyl compound of formula IV.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,317 (hereinafter referred to as '317 patent) describes a process for preparation of irbesartan which involves condensation of the Spiro compound of Formula III with halomethyl-cyanobiphenyl compound of Formula IV in presence of an inert solvent such as N,N-dimethylformamide, Dimethylsulfoxide or tetrahydrofuran with a basic reagent for example sodium hydride, or triethyl amine to produce formula II i.e. cyano derivative which is further reacted with tributyltin azide and trityl chloride followed by deprotection with HCl to produce Irbesartan. The yield of Irbesartan obtained is very poor and the process involves column chromatographic purifications. Methods involving column chromatographic purifications are generally undesirable for large-scale operations, thereby making the process commercially unfeasible. The process used in '317 patent also suffers from disadvantages such as high cost of reagents, the use of additional reagents such as tributyltin azide and trityl chloride, low yields of the product, extra purification steps to obtain the final product and health hazards. The use of tributyltin azide is not advisable for scale up operations.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,788 and 5,559,233 also describe identical alkylation of Formula III with the halo-biphenyl compound using the same inert solvent and the same basic reagents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,922 describes a process for preparation of irbesartan which involves treating the spiro intermediate of Formula III with halomethyl-cyanobiphenyl intermediate of Formula IV in presence of a water immiscible organic solvent, a base and a phase transfer catalyst.
WO2007/013101 describes a process for preparation of irbesartan which involves condensation of the Spiro compound of Formula III with halomethyl-biphenyl compound of Formula IV in presence of base and a mixture of polar aprotic and non polar solvents to get the intermediate of Formula IV. The '922 patent uses a mixture of organic solvents comprising of toluene, xylene, DMF or DMSO.
WO2006/046043 describes a one-pot process for preparation of irbesartan which comprises reacting Formula III optionally in salt form with a derivative of formula IV wherein instead of cyano group a trityl protected tetrazole group is present. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a base and a phase transfer catalyst in a hydrocarbon solvent, preferably toluene and optionally in presence of water as a second phase of the one-pot reaction system.
All of the above identified patents describe alkylation in polar aprotic solvents, non-polar solvents or a mixture thereof in the presence of a basic reagent etc. Further the processes known in the prior art for preparing Irbesartan involves tedious workup procedures, e.g. a large number of steps, which includes the protection and subsequent deprotection, and isolation of intermediates, as well as separation by column chromatography and this results in excessive production time, which in turn renders the process more costly and less eco-friendly; thus the processes are not suitable for commercial scale up. The prior art processes further involves use of high boiling solvents in which the recovery of solvent is also difficult that leads to special increase the high effluent treatment load, feasibility and high recovery cost.
In light of above disadvantages there remains a need for a simple, commercially advantageous and industrially viable process for the preparation of Irbesartan intermediates.
The present inventors have surprisingly developed an improved process for the synthesis of one of the key intermediates leading to irbesartan and subsequently a one pot process via the said intermediate which ameliorates the drawbacks of the prior art. The present inventors have surprisingly found that conducting the alkylation reaction in a single phase system with the optional use of phase transfer catalysts yields a product of formula II which can be extracted in a water immiscible solvent and directly used for further steps to provide Irbesartan in high purity and good yield. The present inventors have also found that generation of solid waste is minimized by the presence of aqueous phase in the reaction medium The present inventors have further surprisingly found that the one pot process employed in the present invention helps in the reduction of time and provides Irbesartan with high yield and purity.

One pot process for preparing 2-butyl-3-[[2′-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl]methyl]-1,3-diazaspiro [4, 4] non-1-en-4-one (irbesartan)


To allow combining devices having different functions according to an application, and improve convenience for a user. There are provided a wearing type terminal 1 provided with an external case 10 having a display unit 131 on the upper surface side and belt members 4a and 4b which can be connected to the both sides of the external case 10 respectively; and a docking type device 2 which is detachably engaged with the bottom portion of the external case 10 of the wearing type terminal 1, and is electrically connected to the wearing type terminal 1 via a dock side connection terminal 21. The wearing type terminal 1 and the docking type device 2 are provided with a function which carries out transmission and receiving of data to be displayed on the display unit 131 via the dock side connection terminal 21.

In recent years, along with the advent of the miniaturization, weight saving and multifunction of the information terminal device, various wearable information processing terminals have been proposed, i.e., so-called wearable terminals which can be worn on the body of a user (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to a wrist watch type information processing terminal which can be worn on an arm of a user. Display and functions of great current consumption (organic EL, GPS, conversation and the like) are functionally divided into a main body and a dock, and a dock function can be added or modified and charged. As a result, a wrist watch type information terminal can be realized to be thin, small-sized, light-weighted, and waterproofed in a minimum size.
Also, Patent Document 2 discloses another example of the above wearable terminal which can be worn on an arm, and can recognize, store and communicate time, position, motion and other information through built-in sensors. The terminal makes it possible to perform connection and cooperation with a cellular phone, a PC, a health apparatus and the like through short-range communication.
Furthermore, since a wearable terminal is lightweight and provided with a clock function, a GPS function, a communication capability with various sensors such as a heart rate sensor, a system has been developed which can record and monitor body motions when the wearable terminal is worn during running, walking, sport training and exercising such as a bicycle (for example, refer to Patent Document 3).
In accordance with the system disclosed in this Patent Document 3, it is possible to perform realtime feedback to a user during athletic activity by attaching a device for measuring motion parameters on a shoe sole of the user, comparing baseline data with the motion parameters obtained by monitoring the user during the athletic activity, and in accordance with whether or not the result of comparison is within an allowable range.


A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘KLELE06115’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy plant form; continuously and freely flowering habit; and white-colored flowers.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to by the name 'KLELE06115'.
The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely and early-flowering Lobelia cultivars with good branching habit and attractive flower coloration.
The new Lobelia originated from an open-pollination in June, 2003 of a proprietary seedling selection of Lobelia erinus identified as code number 040312, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Lobelia erinus. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant with the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in April, 2004.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since May, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


In a network synchronization system, setting information synchronized among plural information processing apparatuses contains at least user information; user operating policy information; first equipment group information that prescribes a first equipment group to which the information processing apparatus belongs; and equipment operating policy information. The information processing apparatus includes a user authentication unit; a storage unit that stores the setting information and second equipment group information that prescribes a second equipment group to which the information processing apparatus belongs; and an operating policy generation unit that generates an applied operating policy to be applied to a login user. The operating policy generation unit generates, when the second equipment group information is contained in the first equipment group information, the applied operating policy in accordance with the equipment operating policy information corresponding to the first equipment group information in preference to the user operating policy information corresponding to authenticated user information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network synchronization system and an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the technological advancement of digital multi-function peripherals (MFPs) such as improvements in the performance of CPUs (Central Processing Units), the high capacity of memory units, high-speed communications technology, and highly-developed digital imaging technology, the digital MFPs (hereinafter referred to as image forming apparatuses) have not only functions as digital copiers but also functions as networked facsimile machines, printers, and scanners, and are used in a variety of situations according to users' environments.
In using such an image forming apparatus, user authentication is generally required in many cases. In other words, when input user authentication information matches authentication information previously registered in the image forming apparatus, the use of the image forming apparatus is authorized. However, in case the user is required to connect the image forming apparatus to plural other image forming apparatuses via a network, if the plural other image forming apparatuses that request authentication are independently provided, the user has to input user authentication information every time he or she accesses the respective image forming apparatuses. Therefore, the usability of the image forming apparatus is degraded. In order to solve this problem, if the plural image forming apparatuses are integrated together as a system, the use of the image forming apparatuses is made possible with a single user input of authentication information. However, constructing the system for collectively managing independently-managed authentication information is extremely expensive.
As a related technology, Patent Document 1 describes the provision of a network synchronization system and an information processing apparatus that effectively realize the synchronization of setting information among plural information processing apparatuses. Further, Patent Document 2 describes the provision of an image forming apparatus, an information synchronization system, and an information setting method capable of easily setting equipment setting information in plural image forming apparatuses.
According to the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, setting information such as user information can be synchronized (shared) among the apparatuses in a network. Therefore, even if authentication information is independently managed in the respective apparatuse, the user authentication information can be collectively managed at low cost. In other words, the use of the plural apparatuses in the network is made possible with a single user input of authentication information.
Meanwhile, since an image forming apparatus is often shared by plural users, equipment statuses can be separately set for each user (for each user information set) to enhance the convenience of the apparatus. For example, the use range of authorities and functions is set for each user and each user group and generated as operating policy information in the image forming apparatus. After the generation of the operating policy, limitation on the use range of the functions and the control of function operations can be performed in accordance with the operating policy for each user and each user group. Therefore, the optimal adjustment of the operations of the image forming apparatus is made possible for each user.
By using the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the present inventor has invented a system that also synchronizes (shares) operating policy information among plural image forming apparatuses, thereby making it possible to use the plural apparatuses and control the function operations of the apparatuses in a network with a single user input of information and a single operating policy. For example, let it be assumed that user authentication information and operating policy information set in an apparatus A are synchronized with user authentication information and operating policy information set in an apparatus B. In this case, the user authentication information set in the apparatus A can be used also in the apparatus B, and the apparatus B is authorized to control the function operations in accordance with the operating policy set in the user authentication information. Thus, the convenience of an image forming system is further enhanced.
However, while it is requested that the operating policy of all the image forming apparatuses in the image forming system be synchronized in terms of the convenience described above, there is also demand for changing the operating policy for each of the image forming apparatuses.
For example, OA equipment such as an image forming apparatus is provided for each department in a company, and each department bears the output expense of the OA equipment. A department C, which prints only in-company documents, is basically prohibited from performing full-color printing that causes high cost, and thus authorized to perform only low cost black-and-white printing. Accordingly, the output expense of the OA equipment can be reduced. In the synchronization system described above, users belonging to a department D may log into the image forming apparatus of the department C to perform full-color printing. In this case, however, the output expense has to be borne by the department C in which the image forming apparatus is provided. Users belonging to the department C are configured to have an operating policy that does not authorize full-color printing, while the users belonging to a department D are configured to have an operating policy that authorizes full-color printing. Therefore, when setting information is synchronized among the image forming apparatuses of the departments C and D, the users belonging to the department D are authorized to perform full-color printing with the image forming apparatus of the department C. In this case, it is desirable that the image forming apparatus provided in the department C apply the operating policy that does not authorize full-color printing to the users belonging to the department D.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2009-033706
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2009-064177

Network synchronization system and information processing apparatus


A force sensor that is a MEMS sensor includes: a plurality of detectors arranged in a circle and each including an element disposed in part of a surface layer of a base component including a semiconductor; an elastic component including resin and disposed sandwiching the plurality of detectors from both sides; and a probe that is connected to an end of each of the plurality of detectors at a center portion of the circle in which the plurality of detectors are arranged, extends up to a position that protrudes from the elastic component, and to which force is applicable directly without passing the elastic component.

Conventionally, there are tactile sensors that are mounted on a relatively large machine element such as the surface of a robot hand. Such tactile sensors need to be distributed widely over the surface of the robot hand, and thus miniaturization is being carried out through microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
For example, a tactile sensor described in Patent Literature (PTL) 1 is a sensor capable of detecting force in three axis directions using one element, and is formed on a square substrate having sides that are approximately 0.5 mm. Furthermore, such a tactile sensor has a relatively narrow detection range and detects relatively strong force.

Force sensor and force sensor manufacturing method

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION KOBE UNIVERSITY


The present invention is directed to a bicycle leg shield which includes a pair of side frames detachably hingedly mounted to the bicycle frame.

Not infrequently a rider of a bike is confronted with a situation wherein a dog or other animal will chase the rider nipping at the rider's legs. The rider is forced to react in a manner to avoid such attack resulting in an accident and injury to the rider. The rider might avoid such accidents if the rider was without fear of leg exposure.
Previously, leg shields have been made for motorcycles, an example of which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,204. Heretofore, however, there is yet to be a leg shield which is readily attachable and detachable to a bike which protects the legs of the rider against dog attacks. Additionally, it is desirable that the legs of the rider should be protected against side impacts. It is also desirable that there be a leg shield which can act as a brace mechanism to prevent the bike from tipping over.


Provided are methods for multiple administrations of cells for adoptive cell therapy, and for administering cells to subjects having received prior administrations, and compositions and articles of manufacture for use in the methods. The cells generally express recombinant molecules such as recombinant receptors, e.g., chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and/or other transgenic receptors. The methods can involve administering cells expressing a first or prior receptor(s) and cells expressing a second or subsequent receptor(s), the second or subsequent receptor(s) being distinct from the first, and which generally do not express the first receptor, and/or administering the cells expressing the second receptor to a subject having received the first administration. The methods can provide various advantages, such as improved efficacy in the context an immune response in the subject against the first or prior receptor and/or in the context of antigen loss, downregulation, or modification, following a first or prior administration.

Various methods are available for adoptive cell therapy using engineered cells expressing recombinant receptors, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CARs). Improved methods are needed, for example, to improve efficacy of such therapies, for example, by increasing exposure of the subject to the administered cells. Such methods are needed, for example, that improve expansion and/or persistence of the administered cells, provide the ability to treat refractory or relapsed subjects, and/or that reduce the risk of toxicity or other unwanted outcomes. Provided are methods, compositions, and articles of manufacture that meet such needs.

Methods and compositions for adoptive cell therapy


An apparatus for removing spent primers from spent ammunition shell casings includes a body defining a feed channel, a pin plunger channel intersecting the feed channel at a punch zone configured to receive a shell casing therein, and a guide channel intersecting the pin plunger channel, a pin plunger movable along the pin plunger channel and defining a punch end, a guide member movable along the guide channel, and a handle assembly coupled to the pin plunger and the guide member such that rotary motion of the handle assembly drives the pin plunger along the pin plunger channel toward and into the punch zone so that, with a spent shell casing positioned in the punch zone, the punch end of the pin plunger extends into and drives the spent primer from the spent shell casing.

Conventional ammunition reloading apparatuses replace spent primers in spent shell casings with new primers as part of the overall reloading process. As this reloading process is typically carried out as a single-stage process, there is generally no opportunity with such conventional apparatuses to inspect or clean the primer bore after removal of the spent primer. As conventional primers are by their nature incendiary devices, firing of such primers typically results in deposition of powder residue, e.g., carbon, on and around the primer bores of spent shell casings.
If not cleaned prior to reloading the spent shell casing, such residue can potentially cause improper seating of reloaded primers which can lead to increased misfire rates with reloaded shell casings as compared with OEM shell casings. As such, it is desirable to remove spent primers from spent ammunition shell casings to allow complete cleaning of the case, including the primer bore, prior to any subsequent reloading operations.

Apparatus for removing spent primers from ammunition shell casings


A cable tie is provided that includes an integral cable tie head and strap. The strap includes a first end forming a neck section, a free end opposite the first end, and an intermediate section between the first end and the free end, the intermediate section having a predetermined width B1 and thickness T1 defining a predetermined cross-sectional area. The cable tie head is secured to the neck area of the strap at the first end of the strap, the cable tie head having a width E that is wider than strap width B and including a strap accepting channel containing a locking device. The strap accepting channel is sized to receive the free end of the strap. The neck section has a width that transitions from a width of B to a width Exe2x80x2 that is substantially the same as width E and a thickness T2 that is thinner than T1, the neck section having a cross-sectional area that is at least substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the intermediate section of the strap so as to have a tensile strength at least equal to a tensile strength of the intermediate section of the strap. The cable tie may be a bent neck type cable tie. Preferably, the neck section has at least one recessed channel defining the reduced thickness T2 and thickened side portions.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an advanced neck design for cable ties.
2. Description of Related Art
Cable ties have traditionally been formed by an integral molding of a cable tie head and a cable strap. Most of these cable ties involve a design in which the elongated strap extends straight outward from the cable tie head. An example of such a conventional cable tie design is U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,449 to Caveney et al., which is represented in FIGS. 1-3.
As shown, this conventional cable tie 100 includes an elongated strap 110 extending from an integrally molded cable tie head 120. A neck area 130 is formed at the interface between strap 110 and head 120. Cable tie head 120 includes a strap accepting channel 140 that receives strap 110 and a locking device 150. In use, cable tie 100 can be wrapped around objects such as a bundle of cables 160 and locked in place as known in the art.
With such a conventional design, there is often little or no bending at the neck area 130. Rather, bending incrementally occurs throughout the length of strap 110 as apparent from FIG. 3. Most designs for this type of cable tie, including the Caveney ""449 patent, have a uniform strap width B that is substantially smaller than a cable head width E. There may be a slight radiusing at the transition with cable head 120, but for the most part the neck area 130 in such designs has had the same width B and cross-section as the remainder of strap 110.
There also is known a bent neck type of cable tie, such as the one shown in FIGS. 4-9 described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/855,262. now U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,126 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In such a bent neck design, cable tie 100 is again integrally formed with both a cable tie head 120 and a strap 110. However, in this design, strap 110 initially extends from head 120 along a strap attachment axis S substantially parallel to the strap passageway, and is then formed with a bend at neck section 130 such that the strap extends substantially perpendicular to the strap attachment axis S. With such a bent neck design, a more favorable position of the portion of strap 110 exiting the strap passageway after threading is achieved. This can be particularly important when the excess strap length is cut off so as to avoid a sharp edge sticking up. However, a substantial amount of the bending forces acting on cable tie 100 during use act at the bent portion. That is, to accommodate either a very small bundle of cables or a large bundle of cables, strap 110 will need to be stretched inward or outward and the forces from such stretching are concentrated at the prebent neck section 130.
The design shown in FIGS. 4-9 substantially conforms to the conventionally used notion that the neck should correspond in size to the strap. That is, strap 110 has a substantially constant overall width and thickness. Neck section 130 in this design has substantially the same width B as the strap 110 and may include a cored out bottom portion 115 that has a reduced thickness at central portions as best shown in FIG. 7. This reduction in thickness is used to increase flexibility in the neck area. However, there are several problems that may exist with such designs. First, there may be a difficulty in bending at the neck section if the neck section is not cored out. Second, there is a reduced strap strength (tensile strength) when the neck section is cored out compared to the tensile strength of the rest of the strap body. Third, there may be molding and reliability problems. Molding in such a design is achieved by a two-piece mold having a complex shape. The mold has a stepped part line (P/L) as shown with the bolded dashed line in FIGS. 6 and 8 in which the part line follows the midline of strap 110 around the bend of neck section 130 where the part line then angles down across cable tie head 120. However, for the simplest mold tooling design of a cable tie head 120 that has a width E substantially larger than the width B at the neck area (FIG. 4), there is a sharp edge and/or mismatch on the plastic part at the interface between neck section 130 and cable tie head 120. This sharp edge and mismatch can be avoided with complicated tooling, including the complicated metal mold 200 partially shown in FIG. 8. Such complicated tooling, however, has sharp edges that could be easily worn or broken.
Furthermore, for either design there is a sharp step (change in cross-section) from the transition of neck section 130 to cable tie head 120, there is a distinct potential for stress risers. As the neck section bends considerably in either direction, such stress risers can lead to part failures, particularly when brittle materials are used for the part.
It is an object of the invention to provide a cable tie with an improved neck design. The neck design allows improved flexibility and bending at the neck without reducing loop strength from that attained in the strap section. Moreover, the neck design maintains a generous edge radius that prevents cable insulation damage and allows use of a simpler mold design.
Applicants have found that the lie of a strap in a bent neck type cable tie can be improved by maximizing the radius of the neck at the bend and by improving the neck""s flexibility. The strap thickness, parting line angle, and strap body edge radii limit the size of the radii that can transition from cable tie head to neck.
The general equation for the moment of inertia for a simple rectangular cross-section cable tie is I=(Bxc3x97T3)/12 where B is the width of the strap and T is the thickness of the strap. The flexibility of the neck can be improved by: 1) making the strap narrower; or 2) making the strap thinner. Reducing either variable and holding the other constant would reduce the moment of inertia and thereby decrease the force to bend the part in that region. However, doing so will also decrease the area through the section (A≈Bxc3x97T), which has the adverse effect of decreasing tensile strength through the section. As such, attempts to increase bending flexibility using these methods would result in reduced tensile strength, which is undesirable.
Applicants have noted that by increasing the width of the strap while decreasing the thickness, one can achieve a desired lower moment of inertia while maintaining or increasing the tensile strength (area) of the section. The magnitude of the moment of inertia can be decreased as the strap width increases by reducing the overall thickness of the part, or by creating a channel on either or both sides of the part. The channel-shaped geometry has the added advantage that a larger thickness flow path is maintained for the purpose of more easily filling out a molded part.
Applicants have also found manufacturing and use advantages to increasing of the width of the strap to match the width of the cable tie head. This provides the most desirable tooling configuration for a stepped parting line part, which may be used to create bent neck type cable ties such as those of the claimed invention. That is, a neck width that matches the head width eliminates the need for weak or complicated mold components to eliminate sharp edges or mismatches on the part. Such a design in which a neck width matches the head width also eliminates a traditional stress concentration where there is an abrupt change in cross-section.
The above and other objects are achieved by a cable tie that includes an integral cable tie head and strap. The strap includes a first end forming a neck section, a free end opposite the first end, and an intermediate section between the first end and the free end, the intermediate section having a predetermined width B and thickness T1 defining a predetermined cross-sectional area. The cable tie head is secured to the neck area of the strap at the first end of the strap, the cable tie head having a width E that is wider than strap width B and including a strap accepting channel containing a locking device. The strap accepting channel is sized to receive the free end of the strap. The neck section has a width that transitions from a width of B to a width Exe2x80x2 that is substantially the same as width E and a thickness T2 that is thinner than T1, the neck section having a cross-sectional area that is at least substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the intermediate section of the strap so as to have a tensile strength at least equal to a tensile strength of the intermediate section of the strap. The cable tie may be a bent neck type cable tie. Preferably, the neck section has at least one recessed channel defining the reduced thickness T2 and thickened side portions.


The present invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of the carbon-carbon double bonds in nitrile butadiene rubber which is present in latex form, this means as a suspension of nitrile butadiene rubber particles in an aqueous medium, using a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of an emulsifier.

It has been known that carbon-carbon double bonds in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) may be successfully hydrogenated by treating the polymer in an organic solution with hydrogen in the presence of different catalysts. Such processes can be selective in the double bonds, which are hydrogenated, so that, the triple bonds between carbon and nitrogen are not affected. This field of art contains many examples of catalysts suitable for such hydrogenations e.g. based on rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, palladium, and iridium.
However, typically NBR-copolymers or -terpolymers are made by emulsion polymerization processes and are therefore obtained in latex form, i.a. as polymer particles suspended in the aqueous medium due to the stabilizing effect of emulsifiers, when they are discharged from polymerization reactors. Therefore it is very desirable to directly hydrogenate a diene-based polymer in said latex form and increasing efforts are spent on such direct hydrogenation in the recent decade.
Several technical routes have been attempted to hydrogenate C═C double bonds in polymers in the form of latex.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,202 describes a process for the selective hydrogenation of the carbon-carbon double bonds of an unsaturated, nitrile-group-containing polymer with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst being a palladium compound. In this process an latex of the unsaturated, nitrile-group-containing polymer is subjected to the hydrogenation. The latex is brought into contact with gaseous or dissolved hydrogen while maintaining an emulsified state.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,727 discloses a process for selectively hydrogenating ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in polymers. Said process involves reacting the polymers with hydrogen in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst selected from the salts and complex compounds of rhodium and/or of ruthenium, in an aqueous suspension of the polymers. The suitable rhodium containing catalysts are rhodium phosphine complexes of the formula RhXmL3L4(L5)n wherein X is a halide, the anion of a carboxylic acid, acetylacetonate, aryl- or alkylsulfonate, hydride or the diphenyltriazine anion and L3, L4 and L5 independently are CO, olefins, cycloolefins, dibenzophosphol, benzonitrile, PR3 or R2P-A-PR2, m is 1 or 2 and n is 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that at least one of L3, L4 or L5 is one of the above mentioned phosphorus-containing ligands of the formula PR3 or PR2-A-PR2, wherein R is alkyl, alkyloxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, aryl or aryloxy.
In Macromol. Rapid Commun. 26 (2005) 1768-1772 an NBR-latex hydrogenation technique is disclosed by which the rubber latex was directly hydrogenated without the requirements for pretreatment of the latex prior to the hydrogenation. Wilkinson's catalyst and its ligand triphenylphosphine (TPP) were used as a catalyst and co-catalyst respectively. In this study, the added excess TPP plays a crucial role to transport the catalyst into the latex particles. One drawback of this system is that the hydrogenation rate is quite slow, which limits the further development of this technique.
EP-A-2 676 971 discloses that Hoveyda Grubbs 2nd generation (HG2) catalyst shows a catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of NBR-latex. After 4 hours hydrogenation reaction at 100° C. and 6.89 MPa hydrogen pressure, the hydrogenation degree reaches 98%. No visible gel was generated in the resultant hydrogenated NBR polymer. However, no examples were disclosed where the hydrogenation of NBR-latex is performed after addition of hydrogenation catalyst and emulsifier to the NBR-latex.
The present invention had the object to provide an improved process allowing the hydrogenation of a nitrile butadiene rubber latex, i.e. present as an aqueous suspension, with a high degree of hydrogenation within short reaction times. A short reaction time is crucial for a commercial process for the hydrogenation of NBR. It was therefore a further, preferred object of the invention to provide an process for hydrogenation of a nitrile butadiene rubber latex until a conversion of 95% within 4 hours with low amounts of catalyst, preferably with catalyst amounts of 0.3 wt.-% or less based on the nitrile butadiene rubber solid content of the latex.

Hydrogenation of nitrile butadiene rubber latex


A television receiver includes a single tuner for tuning both television channels and broadcast FM stations. The tuner serves as the first conversion stage of a double conversion FM receiver, wherein the mixer of an FM radio integrated circuit serves as the second conversion stage. A single discriminator circuit is employed for tuning FM radio signals having a first deviation, such as broadcast FM radio signals, and FM radio signals having a second deviation, such as signals of the National Weather Service. Circuitry for amplifying the output signal of the discriminator circuit exhibits a first gain when amplifying FM signals having the first deviation, and exhibiting a second gain when amplifying FM signals having the second deviation.

In the United States, the broadcast FM radio band occupies a band of frequencies extending from approximately 88 MHz to approximately 108 MHz. This band of frequencies lies between the frequencies allocated for broadcast television channel 6 and television cable channel 98. In addition, the National Weather Service broadcasts FM radio signals in a band of frequencies near 162.5 Mhz. Single-tuner multiband radio receivers having the capability to receive AM, broadcast FM, and National Weather Service radio signals, and television sound signals, are known from, for example, the Windsor Radio, model number 2239, FCC ID number BGK91F2239, manufactured in Hong Kong.
Television receivers having the capability to receive broadcast FM signals are known from the prior art. The Dumont model RA-119A television receiver, manufactured by Allen B. Dumont Laboratories, Passaic, N.J., is an example of a class of television receivers having a single tuner for receiving both television signals and broadcast FM radio signals. This single-tuner class of television receivers was manufactured during the years 1949 to 1952 inclusive, and utilized a continuous tuning arrangement for tuning signals having frequencies between 44 MHz and 217 MHz. This class of television receivers employed a so-called split sound IF system, that is, a separate sound IF channel tuned to 41.25 Mhz. The sound signals for both television and FM radio were demodulated directly from signals at the television sound IF frequency of 41.25 MHz.
Modern television receivers have abandoned the split-sound IF system in favor of the intercarrier sound system, which is less complex, less costly, and more reliable. The intercarrier-sound IF system takes advantage of the fact that the picture and sound carriers are held to close tolerances at the transmitter, ensuring that they are always separated by a constant 4.5 MHz. In an intercarrier-sound IF system, the sound IF signals are amplified along with the picture IF signals in a single IF amplifier. After amplification, the sound signals are converted to a 4.5 MHz intercarrier sound IF frequency by "beating" (i.e., heterodyning) the sound IF signals at 41.25 MHz against a signal at the picture carrier frequency of 45.75 MHz. The television sound signals are then demodulated from the resulting 4.5 MHz intercarrier signal.
Modern intercarrier-sound type television receivers cannot recover and reproduce broadcast FM radio sound signals, because FM radio signals lack a signal at the picture carrier frequency required by the television receiver circuitry for use in recovering the sound signal. Therefore, as a result of adopting the intercarrier sound system, television manufacturers wanting to provide the capability of receiving broadcast FM radio signals, added a separate FM radio having its own tuner.
Copending U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 561,588, entitled STEREO FM RADIO IN A TELEVISION RECEIVER (Wignot et al.) discloses a double conversion FM radio in which the first frequency conversion stage is the television tuner. Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 561,586, entitled NATIONAL WEATHER RADIO RECEPTION BY SYNTHESIZING ONLY THE CENTER FREQUENCY (Wignot et al.) discloses a system in which a double conversion FM radio using a television tuner as the first conversion stage can receive both FM radio broadcast signals and signals transmitted by the National Weather Service, both of which are processed by the same circuitry, including the same discriminator circuit.
Unfortunately, using the same discriminator circuit for demodulation of both FM broadcast signals and National Weather Service signals causes a problem in that the amplitudes of the recovered signals at the output of the discriminator circuit are vastly different. Recall that the amplitude of the demodulated audio signal is a function of the deviation of the FM carrier frequency from its nominal center frequency. Specifically, the vastly differing amplitude problem occurs because the peak deviation of broadcast FM stereo radio signals is approximately 68 kHz, while the peak deviation of the National Weather Service FM radio signals is only 5 kHz. The difference in the magnitudes of these two signals is equal to 20 log (68/5)=22.67 dB. This situation would force the listener to greatly increase the volume when the receiver is tuned to a National Weather Service station, and to greatly reduce the volume when tuning back to a broadcast FM radio station.

Audio level equalization of broadcast and national weather service FM radio signals


Multi-panel computing devices that have integrated magnetic coupling structure(s) are described herein. For example, a magnetic coupling structure in a panel of a multi-panel computing device may serve to magnetically couple the panel to another panel of the multi-panel computing device and/or to another object (e.g., that is exterior to the multi-panel computing device). In accordance with this example, the magnetic coupling structure may enable the multi-panel computing device to be magnetically coupled to the object without utilizing a mounting structure between the multi-panel computing device and the object.

In modern society, people are using devices (e.g., mobile electronic devices) increasingly more in their everyday lives. For instance, people often carry devices with which they can discover information (e.g., using a digital personal assistant), perform work, consume audio and/or video content, and communicate with friends, coworkers, and family members. It may be desirable for a user of a device to use the device in a hands-free manner. A variety of mounting solutions have been proposed to enable such hands-free use. However, conventional mounting solutions typically utilize a dedicated mount that is attached to the surface of an object (e.g., a wall) and that includes a mechanical attachment for receiving the device.

Multi-panel computing device having integrated magnetic coupling structure(s)


A resonant DC-DC converter includes an inverter circuit, a rectifier circuit and a transformer unit. The inverter circuit is connected to a first terminal of the transformer unit, and the rectifier circuit is connected to a second terminal of the transformer unit. The first and second terminals are galvanically isolated from one another by a first transformer. The transformer unit is configured to adapt a transformation ratio of the transformer unit. The transformer unit has an energy transmission path which includes an inverter and a second transformer, with an input of the energy transmission path being arranged parallel to a primary side of the first transformer and an output of the energy transmission path being arranged in series with the secondary side of the first transformer.

The invention relates to a resonant DC chopper with an inverter circuit, a rectifier circuit and a transformer unit, wherein the inverter circuit is connected to a first terminal of the transformer unit and the rectifier circuit is connected to a second terminal of the transformer unit.
DC choppers are used in order to vary the voltage level of a DC voltage. They are also referred to as DC converters or DC-DC choppers or DC-DC converters. With the aid of semiconductors, the voltage on the input side of the DC chopper is converted into a predefinable voltage on the output side of the DC chopper. In order to reduce the switching losses in the semiconductors of the DC chopper, in resonant DC choppers alternating currents are generated, during which switching operations are carried out in or close to the zero crossings of the currents. Often, the input and output of DC choppers are galvanically isolated from one another.
The resonant converters are advantageous in the region close to the resonance frequency, where the switch-on or switch-off losses of the semiconductors are lowest. If the spacing between the frequencies of the operating point and the resonance is increased, then the switching losses increase continuously. In addition to increasing the switch-on or switch-off losses, the current also loses its sinusoidal characteristic in the resonant network and thus has a spectrum with a wide bandwidth in the frequency range which requires an elaborate filtering at the output of the resonant converter. Due to the low switch-on and switch-off losses, the resonant converter also has its best degree of efficiency close to or directly at the resonance frequency; otherwise the resonant converter has similar degrees of efficiency to a conventional hard-switching topology.
Resonant converters, which are intended to cover a large range of input and output voltages, are mostly operated over a wide frequency range, which leads to the disadvantages given above. In an extreme case, the resonant converter is operated in the purely capacitive or inductive range.
Currently, DC choppers are used over a large dynamic range of input and output voltages with conventional hard-switching topologies. Resonant structures are mostly only used with constant loads or low load fluctuations. In these situations, they can be operated directly at or close to their resonance frequency and have the advantages cited above.
According to the current prior art, hard-switching full-bridges are used for a large range of input and output voltages. The circuit functions as follows. The input-side inverter circuit provides an AC voltage for the transformer. This is generated by the alternating switching-on of the semiconductors of the inverter circuit. In order to control the voltage-time integral and therefore the power flow, a switch-on period between 0% and 50% Is set. The primary voltage of the transformer generated in this way is transferred to the secondary side depending on the transformation ratio and is rectified with the aid of the rectifier circuit.
In this topology, the switching losses of the semiconductors can be observed clearly. In addition, the current in the shunt arm of the full-bridge circuit has a very wide bandwidth in the frequency range and requires a large output filter for smoothing. The advantage of this arrangement, however, lies in the large setting range of the input and output voltages.
In a resonant-switching inverter circuit of a DC chopper, a sinusoidal current is generated which flows through the transformer and thus can be switched on and off in a current-free manner by the recurring zero crossing. The resonant circuit which generates the sinusoidal current is a series connection of a capacitance and an inductance in the bridge arm of the inverter circuit. By switching the semiconductors of the inverter circuit, a sinusoidal current is produced, which is transferred via the transformer and rectified on the secondary side by means of the rectifier circuit. A capacitor at the output of the rectifier circuit serves to smooth the rectified voltage. The actuation of the switch can take place slightly below resonance (fs<fr), at resonance (fs=fr) or slightly above resonance (fs>fr), depending on the level of the frequency at which the inverter circuit is operated. The resonant operation is therefore ensured with a continuously sinusoidal current. Should the switching frequency be vastly below or above resonance, then the current characteristic is not sinusoidal. It is therefore necessary for the resonant-switching inverter circuit to be constantly operated in the range of the resonance frequency in order to avoid filters in the bridge arm which are elaborate and subject to loss.
The object underlying the invention is to improve a resonant DC chopper.


Techniques for a displaying user interfaces screens of a calendar application include displaying different screens based on an input modality. The calendar application may respond differently to inputs from a touch-sensitive screen, inputs from a rotatable input mechanism, inputs having higher intensities, inputs having lower intensities, and so forth.

Consumers often store their calendars electronically. Those who own more than one electronic device may wish to access their electronic calendars from any device. Access to calendar information from portable electronic devices is particularly desirable for mobile users. As portable electronic devices become more portable—which will increase the desire for electronic information access—suitable user interfaces for managing calendar information will also become increasingly desirable.


A fuel injection valve is disclosed with enhanced uniformity of a swirl flow in the circumferential direction. The valve includes a swirling chamber having an inner wall surface with a helical curve and a swirling passage for guiding fuel into the chamber. The valve is formed such that the center of a circle as the basis of the helical curve and the center of a fuel injection hole open in the swirling chamber align with one another. The joint between the passage for swirling and the inner circumferential wall on the downstream side of the chamber at which both walls intersect is positioned between a line from the center of the hole to a point at which the curvature of the swirling chamber shape starts to change; and a tangent line of the side wall of the hole so drawn that it is in parallel to the line segment.

As a conventional technology for utilizing a swirl flow to facilitate the atomization of fuel injected from multiple fuel injection holes, the fuel injection valve described in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2003-336562) is known.
In this fuel injection valve, a lateral passage and a swirl chamber are formed between a valve seat member and an injector plate. At the front end face of the valve seat member, the downstream end of a valve seat cooperating with a valve body is open and the injector plate is joined to the front end face of the valve seat member. The lateral passage communicates with the downstream end of the valve seat and the downstream end of the lateral passage is open in the tangential direction of the swirl chamber. A fuel injection hole for injecting fuel given a swirl in the swirl chamber is formed in the injector plate. The fuel injection hole is placed so that it is offset a predetermined distance from the center of the swirl chamber to the upstream end side of the lateral passage.
In this fuel injection valve, the curvature radius of the inner circumferential surface of the swirl chamber is reduced from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction along the inner circumferential surface of the swirl chamber. That is, the curvature is increased from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction along the inner circumferential surface of the swirl chamber. In addition, the inner circumferential surface of the swirl chamber is formed along an involute curve having its base circle on the swirl chamber. As a result, the facilitation of the atomization of fuel and the enhancement of injection response are achieved.
The fuel injection valve described in Patent Document 2 (JP-A-2008-280981) includes an orifice plate having: multiple perfectly circular swirling chambers (swirl chambers) for swirling fuel; fuel injection holes for injecting fuel; and fuel inflow passages for guiding fuel into the swirling chambers. The offset of each fuel injection hole from the central axis of a fuel inflow passage is made larger than the width of the fuel inflow passage and a curved spray group is thereby formed. Thus HC of exhaust gas is reduced by reducing fuel sticking to a wall surface. Further, soot is reduced to achieve the enhancement of the power of an internal combustion engine by injecting fuel with high dispersion.
One of products similar to the shape of the swirling chamber in the orifice plate of a fuel injection valve is the scroll of a centrifugal blower (compressor) as is found in Non-patent Document 1 ("Turbofan and Compressor," Takefumi Namai). As one of basic design methods for centrifugal blowers, its shape is prescribed so that the flow rate is conserved at each section of the scroll. This makes it possible to define such a shape of the scroll that pressure loss is reduced and even turning is accomplished.


In the case of a two-apron drafting unit for spinning machines, it is provided for the parallel alignment of the top apron cradle and of the pressure roller twin guided by it with respect to the pertaining bottom cylinder that the pressure roller holder arranged in the load carrier only takes over the function of providing the load and the lateral guiding. The parallel alignment of the apron cradle is caused by a preferably L-shaped stop against which the apron cradle will be placed. The shaft of the pressure roller twin is unguided in the radial direction in the pressure roller holder.

This invention relates to a two-apron drafting unit for spinning machines comprising drivable bottom cylinders and pressure roller twins which are pressed against these bottom cylinders. The respective pressure roller twins are arranged with one shaft in the center of a pressure roller holder of at least one apron is guided by an apron cradle which, together with a load carrier, can be swivelled away from the assigned bottom cylinder. The apron cradle is provided with upper deflecting guides for the top aprons and, during the operation, is positioned by means of contact pressure, as a result of a spring force against at least two stops which are aligned with lower deflecting guides for bottom aprons which are arranged in parallel to the bottom cylinder. The first stop is used for determining the distance of the upper deflection guides with respect to the lower deflection guides, and the second stop is used for the parallel alignment of the upper deflection guides and of the pressure roller twin with respect to the lower deflection guides.
In the case of pressure roller twins and apron cradles, it is relatively difficult to ensure the parallel position of the apron cradles and of the pressure roller twins with respect to the bottom cylinders during the operation. There is the risk that, after an opening and closing of the drafting unit, the apron cradles each time take a changed position. For this reason, in the case of the known two-apron drafting units (German Utility Model 77 21 239 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,559), stops are provided for the parallel alignment of the apron cradles against which the apron cradles are placed without play under the effect of a spring when the drafting unit is closed. However, since normally the pressure roller holder, which is arranged in the load carrier and against which the loading spring is pressed, guides the shaft of the pertaining pressure roller twin virtually without play between guiding surfaces, it is necessary in the case of the state of the art to dispose the pressure roller holder as a whole to be displaceable against the stop in order to avoid redundancies. This is disadvantageous in that not only the shaft of the pressure roller twin guided by the apron cradle but, in addition, also the whole pressure roller holder must be aligned with respect to the apron cradle. In this case, the increased mass forces and friction forces counteract the endeavored goal.
It is also known (German Published Application 12 01 735) to load the apron cradle directly by means of the loading spring and to let a portion of the loading force act upon the shaft of the pressure roller twin. At the same time, the apron cradle is pressed against the lower deflection guide of the bottom apron in a spring-actuated manner. The parallel alignment should take place as a result of the fact that the shaft of the pressure roller twin is guided in a precisely axially parallel manner with respect to the pertaining bottom cylinder in the slot guides of the pressure roller holder. Because of the very narrow guiding base of the pressure roller holder, however, a sufficient parallel alignment is not possible.
In an older German Patent Application (DE 42 15 004.3), which is no prior publication, it was suggested to use a common apron cradle for the top apron and the bottom apron and to place it in a swivellable manner on the bottom cylinder. In this case, the apron cradle is supported against a stop so that the pressure roller twin is aligned in parallel to the bottom cylinder by means of the apron cradle. In contrast to this suggestion, the novelty of the object of the application is the fact that deflection guides are provided for the bottom aprons which are independent of the bottom cylinder.
It is an object of the invention to permit, in the case of a two-apron drafting unit of the initially mentioned type, a good parallel alignment of the upper deflection guides and of the pertaining pressure roller twin with respect to the bottom cylinders without the requirement of also aligning the pressure roller holder by means of the apron cradle.
This object is achieved in that the shaft of the pressure roller twin is unguided in the pressure roller holder in the radial direction.
As a result of the characteristics of the invention, the pressure roller holder essentially only receives the function of providing the load as well as, if required, the lateral guiding, while the parallel alignment of the apron cradle and of the pressure roller twin is determined by at least one stop, against which the apron cradle is placed under the effect of a spring without any clearance and, in the process, will guide the pressure roller twin. The pressure roller holder itself will not go along in these movements against the stop. As a result, in comparison to the state of the art, the mass forces and friction forces are reduced significantly so that the precision of the parallel alignment is increased. By means of the apron cradle, which reaches around the shaft, the pressure roller twin is also pressed against the assigned bottom cylinder without any play.
In a development of the invention, it is provided that the spring-loaded pressure roller holder or its loading spring is applied directly to the apron cradle by means of a force introducing surface which generates a force component against both stops. Deviating from the state of the art, the loading force is not transmitted directly by the pressure roller holder to the shaft of the pressure roller twin, but the pressure roller holder first loads the apron cradle which transmits its load to the shaft. In this case, a component of this load acts directly against the stops. In this manner, as few masses as possible have to be moved.
However, as an alternative, the pressure roller holder or its loading spring may also be applied directly to the shaft of the pressure roller twin by means of a sliding surface which permits radial movements of the shaft.
Expediently, the pressure roller holder is provided with guiding surfaces which guide the apron cradle laterally. They limit the mobility of the apron cradle in the lateral direction.
In a particularly advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that at least two stops each have a stop face, the two stop faces changing into one another in an approximately L-shaped manner. This has the advantage that the upper deflection guides can virtually simultaneously be placed against both stops. The L-shaped profile of the stop faces ensures that the spacing of the upper deflection guides with respect to the lower deflection guides may possibly take place by means of a single component.
Expediently, a sliding surface is assigned to the stop faces which leads the apron cradle to the stops. As a result, it is ensured that, when the drafting unit is closed, the apron cradle automatically finds its operating position.
Expediently, at least one of the stops is exchangeably mounted on the assigned lower deflection guide which is preferably constructed as a reversing rail. As a result, the drafting unit can be adapted to different fiber materials to be spun. For example, by means of this measure, the distance of the upper deflection guide to the pertaining lower deflection guide, the so-called opening width, can be adjusted. This distance of the forward deflection of the apron pairs with respect to the nip line of the roller pair that follows can also be adjusted in this manner.
Advantageously, the lower deflection guides can be adjusted with respect to their position relative to the drafting zone plane of the drafting unit. It therefore becomes possible not only to adjust the desired opening width, but also to carry out this adjustment symmetrically with respect to the drafting zone plane.
In an advantageous development of the invention, the second stop, which is used for the parallel alignment, comprises two partial stops whose distance from one another corresponds approximately to the distance of the top aprons pertaining to a pressure roller twin. As a result, a very wide guiding base of those stops is achieved which take over the parallel alignment. The larger the guiding base, the more exactly the pressure roller twins can be aligned with respect to the pertaining bottom cylinder.
In a further development of the invention, a holding device is assigned to the second stop which holds a sliver guide. Consequently, the so-called condenser can also be adjusted precisely with respect to the apron cradle and the roller pair which follows.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Two-apron drafting unit for spinning machines


A system and method for document management for processing forms on a personal computer while isolated from a network. The forms may be Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms stored on a personal computer isolated from a network. The forms have data fields for data submission. Data is input into a selected form and a submit command is executed to submit the entered data. Execution of the submit command stores the data to a file on the personal computer. Once the personal computer is connected to the network, the stored data is sent to a central computer connected to the network.

Document management systems operate on central computer server systems to aid users in properly storing electronic business form data. However, difficulty arises when personal computers try to collect data while isolated from the central servers. Additional difficulty arises when the personal computers attempt to integrate the collected data with the central servers' document management systems. To overcome these and other difficulties, a system and method for document management are provided for processing forms on a personal computer while isolated from a network. The forms are illustratively Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) forms stored on a personal computer isolated from a network. The forms have data fields for data submission. Data is input into a selected form and a submit command is executed to submit the entered data. Execution of the submit command stores the data to a file on the personal computer. Once the personal computer is connected to the network, the stored data is sent to a central computer connected to the network.


A gun lock including a hardened steel rod (14) threaded at each end, the threaded ends respectively engaging a cartridge shaped plug (27) and a rotatable tumbler lock (24). The lock (24) is fixed within a sleeve body (21) adapted to fit snugly around a barrel end (12) of a gun to be locked. The cartridge plug (27) fits snugly within the firing chamber (11) of the gun, in the same manner as a cartridge adapted to be fired within the gun. With the cartridge plug (27) within the firing chamber (11), and with the rod (14) threadedly engaged in the lock (24) the rod (14) can be inserted down the bore (13) of the gun and threadedly the cartridge plug (27) by rotating a mating key engaged in the lock (24), until the device is snug. Removal of the key results in securing the gun lock within the gun. A slot (26) within the sleeve body (21) engages an aiming sight ( 25) of the gun so as to prevent rotation of the sleeve (21). The end of rod (14), rather than being threaded, may include a circumferential groove which can be lockingly engaged by a set of wedge driven diametrically restricting detent balls, the wedge driving mechanism being threadedly driven by the lock (24) within an alternative arrangement of the sleeve body (21).

This invention relates to a device which may be used to lock in an inoperative state a rifle, pistol or similar firearm.
There is an ever growing pressure to limit the misuse of firearms in the general public. The lack of a secure, yet reasonably priced, gun lock, has to a large extent hampered serious efforts in addressing the problem.
In essence the present invention provides a gun lock which engages the end face of a gun bolt, or corresponding component in the normal manner by which the bolt engages the rear of a cartridge for the purposes of ejection of the cartridge.