Garments comprise a plurality of adhesive bonds within a bonded region of the garment; a garment base that defines a garment lateral edge; and a moisture capture assembly bonded to the garment base within the bonded region. The moisture capture assembly comprises a moisture retention portion configured to absorb and retain moisture; and an anti-leak portion configured to restrict moisture from exiting the moisture retention portion. The bonded region extends fully around a perimeter of the moisture capture assembly, and the moisture capture assembly and the bonded region do not extend to the garment lateral edge.

Garments and other wearable accessories that are configured to be worn adjacent to a wearer's crotch often exhibit moisture-absorbing properties, such as to absorb and/or retain menstrual fluids and/or urine produced by the user. In particular, it generally is desirable that such garments absorb and retain such fluids in a discreet and leak-proof manner, such as to hide such fluids from view and/or to enhance the wearer's comfort. However, many such garments include absorbent regions that are bulky and thus uncomfortable and/or difficult to conceal. Moreover, many such garments utilize stitching to attach the absorbent regions to the remainder of the garment, increasing the potential for leakage through the stitching perforations and/or producing bulky seams at the expense of the wearer's comfort and the discreetness of the garment.
To address these considerations, several prior art undergarments include absorbent regions that are bonded and/or laminated to a main body portion of the undergarment. However, the arrangement of such bonds may be insufficient to fully protect against moisture exiting and/or entering the undergarment. Additionally, such constructions may be incompatible with garment applications other than traditional undergarments.

Garments with moisture capture assemblies and associated methods


A method and apparatus for generating a composite of an individual face by an person not skilled in computer use, without need for recalling particular facial characteristics. The invention requires rating of a small number of faces, which are then converted by means of a genetic algorithm to a new set of faces, until the person is satisfied with a particular composite in the set.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating a composite of an individual face without the need for recall of discrete facial parts, through the evaluation of a series of computer-generated facial composites.
2. Background Art:
Humans have excellent facial recognition ability. Age, sex, race, intention, mood and well-being may be determined from the perception of a face. Additionally, humans can recognize and discriminate between an "infinity" of faces seen over a lifetime, while recognizing large numbers of unfamiliar faces after only a short exposure. Unfortunately, humans often have great difficulty recalling facial characteristics in sufficient detail to generate an accurate composite of the individual. As a consequence, current composite-drawing creation procedures, which depend heavily on recall of specific facial features, are not always adequate.
When the nature of the perceiver is fixed, such as when a witness is required to identify a criminal suspect, only the configuration and presentation of the stimulus facial print may be varied to facilitate recognition. To ensure success under these circumstances, the facial stimuli must provide adequate information, without including unnecessary details that can interfere with accurate identification. A body of research has attempted to uncover the important factors governing facial stimuli and methods of presentation that are most compatible with the recognition process. The most systematic studies of facial recognition have been conducted in the field of criminology.
Beyond the use of sketch artists, more empirical approaches have been developed to aid in suspect identification. The first practical aid was developed in Britain, between 1968 and 1974. J. Penry, "Photo-Fit," Forensic Photography, vol. 3(7), pp. 4-10 (1974). Termed "PhotoFit," this technique uses over 600 interchangeable photographs of facial parts, picturing five basic features: forehead and hair, eyes and eyebrows, mouth and lips, nose, and chin and cheeks. With additional accessories, such as beards and eyeglasses, combinations can produce approximately fifteen billion different faces. Initially, a kit was developed for full-face views of Caucasian males. Other kits for Afro-Asian males, Caucasian females and for Caucasian male profiles soon followed.
Alternatives to PhotoFit have since been developed. They include the Multiple Image-Maker and Identification Compositor (MIMIC), which uses film strip projections; Identikit, which uses plastic overlays of drawn features to produce a composite resembling a sketch (see Solso et al., "Prototype formation of faces: A case of pseudo-memory," 72 British J. of Psych 499-503 (1981)); and Compusketch, a computerized version of the Identikit process available from the Visitex Corporation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,753, Identification Kits, to Haggas, discloses an overlay based identification kit similar to Identikit.
The Compusketch software is capable of generating over 85,000 types of eyes alone. With no artistic ability, a trained operator can assemble a likeness 45 to 60 minutes. Because of such advantages, computer-aided sketching is becoming the method of choice for law enforcement agencies.
However, because Of its wide distribution, the PhotoFit system has generated the largest body of research on recognition of composite facial images. One study of PhotoFit compared memory for photographs of faces with memory for PhotoFit facial prints which have noticeable lines around the five component feature groups, reporting that subjects recognize the unlined photographs more easily. The presence of lines appears to impair memory, and random lines have the same effect as the systematic PhotoFit lines. G. M. Davies, H. D. Ellis, and J. W. Shepherd, "Face Identification--the Influence of Delay Upon Accuracy of Photo-Fit Construction," Journal of Police Science and Administration, vol. 6(1), pp. 35-42 (1978). Individuals display a high degree of recognition of photographs, but generally describe a human face poorly. At least three sources of distortion arise between viewing a suspect and a PhotoFit construction--"selective encoding of features," assignment to physiognomic type,.revreaction. and "subjective overlay due to context"--which contribute to the production of caricatures of a suspect rather than accurate representations. G. M . Davies, J. W. Shepherd, and H. D. Ellis, "Remembering Faces--Acknowledging Our Limitations," Journal of the Forensic Science Society, vol. 18, pp. 19-24 (1978).
The need to respond to suggestive stimuli or concentrate on specific facial parts is a failing of all currently used systems of generating facial prints. The introduction of bias is particularly sensitive, since the primary use of these systems is in the law enforcement and legal areas. Ideally, to avoid such bias, an unskilled witness should be able to generate a composite facial stimulus unaided and uninfluenced.
Moreover, humans employ different and multiple methods of facial recognition that involve processing dichotomies that vary between analytical, feature based, and holistic organizational strategies. Existing methods of creating facial composite prints appear to constrain some of these methods of recognition. A major conclusion from cognitive research is that the mechanics of Compusketch and its predecessors, PhotoFit, MIMIC, and Identikit, actually inhibit recognition, by forcing witnesses to employ a specific cognitive strategy; namely, constructing facial prints from isolated feature recall. Since facial recognition appears to also involve holistic processes, the single feature methodology may be inappropriate. Indeed, One study has suggested that the single feature approach may be a more serious source of recognition distortion than interference from an outside source. G. M. Davies and D. Christie, "Face Recall: An Examination of Some Factors Limiting Composite Production Accuracy," Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 67, pp. 103-109 (1982).
Many of the problems and limitations of the existing identification systems may be eliminated by adopting a strategy for generating facial prints that exploits the well developed human skill for facial recognition, rather than individual feature recall. Moreover, the present invention has been designed so that it accommodates a wide variety of individual styles of cognitive processing, using a genetic algorithm to generate composite facial prints, evolving an individual facial print over generations, and using recognition as the single criterion for directing the evolutionary process.
The present invention is not primarily concerned with automated recognition of faces, but rather with permitting unskilled individuals to generate facial composites using a computer. Patent dealing with the former area of endeavor include U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,969, Method and Apparatus for Uniquely Identifying Individuals by Particular Physical Characteristics and Security System Utilizing the Same, to Tal; U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,575, Image Encoding and Synthesis, to Welsh et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,487, Picture Storage and Retrieval System for Various Limited Storage Mediums, to Newmuis; U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,189, Personal Access Control System Using Speech and Face Recognition, to Feix et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,686, System for Checking the Authenticity of Identification Papers, to Bonicalzi et al.; and U.K. Patent No. GB 2,231,699 A, Obtaining Information Characterizing a Person or Animal, to Sherman.
The genetic algorithm, first described by in 1975 by J. H. Holland, Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press 1975), is a robust search algorithm based upon the principles of biological evolution. In essence, the genetic algorithm is a simulation of the evolutionary process, and makes use of the powerful operators of "natural" selection, mutation and crossover to evolve a solution to any complex design problem. Unlike other procedures Currently in use, a genetic algorithm is capable of efficiently searching a large sample space of alternative facial composites and of finding a "satisficing" solution in a relatively short period of time. Since such a genetic algorithm procedure can be based on recognition rather than recall, and makes no assumptions concerning the attributes of witnesses or the cognitive strategy they employ, it can find an adequate solution irrespective of these variables.

Method and apparatus for generating composites of human faces


The present invention provides a novel cDNA sequence (Pem), a gene product protein (Seq. id No. 1), and uses for this novel cDNA Sequence and the Pem gene product. The DNA sequence and recombinant DNA molecules of this invention are characterized in that each codes for a novel protein having the following characteristics: (1) is expressed by T lymphoma cells, (2) is not expressed in normal thymus, activated spleen cells, gut associated lymphoid tissue, or bone marrow, and is not detectable in adult brain, liver, large intestine or ovary, (3) is expressed in immortalized or cancerous cell lines, and (4) is expressed in embryonic development.

Numerous genes have been identified in invertebrate organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans and Sacharomyces cerevisiae which participate in developmental events. In mammalian systems, only a few genes which play an integral role during development have been identified (Blau, (1988) Cell 53:673). For example, the muscle-specific genes, MyoD1 and myogenin, have served as important models of genetic control of murine differentiation. Somites and limb buds first express myogenin and MyoD1 on days 8 and 10 of gestation, respectively (Sasson, et al. (1989) Nature 341: 303-308) and are known to control the switch to the myoblast lineage in vitro (Davis, et al. (1987) Cell 51: 987-1000). The Hox-5 gene complex exhibits an interesting pattern of expression in murine limb buds after the 9th day of gestation (Dolle, et al. (1989) Nature 342: 161-111), although the function(s) of the encoded genes have yet to be defined. Few other genetic markers are known which tag cells in early and intermediate stages of murine development. For example, no gene has been associated uniquely with the initial process of segmentation, which occurs on day 8 of gestation in the mouse (for review, see Rossant and Joyner, (1989) Trends in Genetics 5: 277-283).
Immortalized and fully transformed cells frequently transcribe genes which are expressed in (and presumably influence) normal mammalian development (reviewed, Ruddon, (1987) Gene Derepression in Cancer Cells, in Cancer Biology, Oxford University Press, New York, pp 431-436). In some cases, these "oncofetal" genes do not appear to contribute to the neoplastic phenotype. For example, a-fetoprotein is expressed by trophoblast cells and by many tumor cells. In other cases, developmentally regulated genes play a primary role in the conversion of cells to the transformed phenotype. For example, the proto-oncogenes c-myc, c-src, c-fos, and c-fms are expressed during embryonic development, and have been shown to regulate developmental steps in vitro (for review, see Adamson, (1987) Placenta 8: 449-466).
In the development of the immune system, T lymphocytes are derived from precursor stem cells which enter the thymus to undergo differentiation and maturation. Many genes are either activated or repressed as the T cell passes through different stages of development within the thymus. For example, the cells acquire the IL-2 receptor, CD4, and/or CD8 on their surface during this time. These differentiation markers are important for T cell development and/or function. Many gene products are increased in their levels of expression in developing T lymphocytes. These include the T cell receptor for antigen as well as the markers CD4 and CD8. Many other antigens have served as T cell markers before their exact function in lymphocytes were known. Only recently has it been discovered that the T cell antigen Pgpl aids thymocytes in their homing to the thymus whereas T200 (CD45) serves as a component for intracellular signalling. Another T cell marker, Thyl, still has no known function associated with it.
The SL 12.4 cells exhibit a CD4/CD8 double negative phenotype and therefore resemble thymocytes at a relatively early stage of development. Furthermore, they do not express the T cell receptor alpha subunit. SL 12.4 cells, however, can be induced to stably express CD4 and CD8 on their surface after co-cultivation upon thymic epithelial monolayers. TCR-alpha mRNA is also induced after these treatments. Thus, it appears that SL 12.4 cells have the capacity to undergo differentiation and maturation. This unique in vitro biological system mimics, to some extent, the thymic microenvironment.
A number of genes have been identified which are first expressed in developing thymocytes. Many of these genes encode proteins which must be expressed for T cell precursors to become functional in the immune system, for example: 1 ) the TCR for antigen which is required for antigen recognition; 2) CD25 (the IL2 receptor) which must be expressed for the cells to respond to the cytokine IL2; 3) gene products important for signal transduction during antigen recognition, such as CD3, CD4, CDS, CD45, 4) some of the gene products involved in thymocyte homing to target organs, and 5) gene products involved in T cell activation (Fowlkes and Pardoll, Advances in Immunology 44:207-264 (1989); Hood et al., (1985) Cell 40, 225-229; Rothenberg and Lugo, Develop. Biol. 112, 1-17 (1985); Adkins et al., Ann. Rev. Immunol. 5:325-365 (1987); Crabtree, Science 243:343-355 (1989); Kwon and Weissman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:1963- 1967 (1989). There is remarkable heterogeneity in thymocyte subsets which express different combinations of expressed genes. Gene expression has been analyzed in detail in many, but not all, of the numerous classes of thymocytes and it is likely that genes remain to be identified that encode products which function in T cell development and homing; particularly those which are expressed in numerically infrequent, transient progenitor thymocytes.
Due to the extensive heterogeneity of thymocytes, it is not feasible to obtain fractionated progenitor thymocytes in sufficient numbers or purity to fully characterize the cascade of gene expression which occurs during development. For this reason, lymphoma and leukemia cell lines have been used extensively to study gene expression in lymphoid development (Greaves, (1986) Science 234:697-704; Hanley-Hyde and Lynch (1986) Ann. Rev. Immunol. 4:621-649. A considerable body of literature indicates that numerically infrequent, transient progenitor cells are the target of transformation to malignancy; and further that some of the characteristics of the transformed target cells are preserved in the tumor cells. Unexpected gene expression in tumor cells was frequently dismissed as an aberration of transformation. However, careful analysis of "aberrant" gene expression in hematopoeitic tumor cells, has revealed rare subsets of normal progenitor cells which express such genes (Greaves, (1986) Science 234:697-704; Hanley-Hyde and Lynch (1986) Ann. Rev. Immunol. 4:621-649; Pierce and Speers (1988) Cancer Res. 48:1996-2004).
The heterogeneity of murine and human lymphoma cell lines derived from a single individual can result from differences in the extent of maturation reached by individual cells. The heterogeneity of established T lymphoma cell lines has been utilized to obtain closely related cell clones which differ in a limited number of characteristics. Hedrick, et al (Hedrick, et al., (1984) Nature 308:149-153), using subtraction cloning techniques, provided estimates that T and B, cells differ in the expression of about 100 genes. It is likely that closely related T lymphoma cells might differ in the expression of even fewer genes. Such cell clones provide an opportunity to work with pure populations of cells with defined and stable phenotypes which differ in a limited number of characteristics. The SL12 T lymphoma model system was developed and utilized in the present application to provide such a closely related cell population. (Hays et al., (1986) Int. J. Cancer 30:597-601; MacLeod, et al., (1984) Cancer Research 44:1784-1790; MacLeod, et al., (1985) J. Nat. Cancer Inst 74:875-882; MacLeod, et al., (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:6989-6993; Siegal, et al., (1987) J. Exp. Med. 166:1702-1715).
SL12.4 cells are similar to thymocytes at an intermediate stage of maturation (Fowlkes and Pardoll, (1989) Advances in Immunol. 44: 207-264). The two cell clones differ in their biological properties. SL12.4 cells generate extranodal tumors and are sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced lysis, whilst SL12.3 cells cause diffuse disseminated tumors resistant to lysis by glucocorticoids.

Oncofetal gene, gene product and uses therefor


A spring actuated fastener driving tool has a lift pawl, bearings for supporting the lift pawl for pivotal movement about a first axis into and out of engagement with a power spring, and an operating handle continuously engageable with the bearings and intermittently engageable with the lift pawl. The operating handle is supported by a housing for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to the first axis through successive driving cycles each including a loading phase during which the pawl remains engaged with the power spring as the power spring is resiliently deflected and loaded, and a release phase during which the pawl is disengaged from the power spring. The housing and the operating handle have guide surfaces which coact in sliding engagement with the bearings to accommodate movement of the bearings towards a reference plane containing the second axis during at least the loading phase of the drive cycles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spring actuated fastener driving tools of the type employed to drive staples and the like into various work surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spring actuated fastener driving tools are well known and widely employed in a variety of industrial and commercial applications. A typical example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,388 issued on Jun. 5, 1984, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Although such conventional driving tools operate satisfactorily, there are certain attendant disadvantages to their methods of manufacture and assembly, as well as their repeated use over protracted periods of time. Of these, the relatively high level of force required to cycle such tools is of particular concern, since it can result in worker fatigue and loss of production efficiency.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to achieve a beneficial reduction of the force required to cycle a spring actuated fastener driving tool, without any lessening of the driving force being generated by the tool.
A companion objective of the present invention is the provision of a smooth interaction of driving components, with minimum attendant shock and vibration as the tool is operated through successive driving cycles.
Still other objectives include an improvement in the feeding and separation of fasteners from the supply contained in the tool's magazine, as well as improvements in the manner in which the tool is manufactured and assembled.


A protective device for covering a barb in a strand of barbed wire is disclosed. The barb has a plurality of outwardly extending points disposed around the strand with the strand extending axially outwardly from opposing sides of the barb.. In a first embodiment, the protective covering device of the present invention has an upper shell formed in a substantial hemisphere and a lower shell formed in a substantial hemisphere. A color agent may be optionally added to the upper and lower shells in order to provide high visibility when attached over the barb. A living hinge connects the upper and lower shells in a pivoting relationship so that the upper shell can pivot towards to lower shell. Male and female locking elements are provided on the upper and lower shells for locking the two hemispheres together over the barb. When locked, the barb is located in a formed hollow interior of the two shells and is fully protected from causing damage to animals and the like. The upper and lower shells have formed angular opening on opposing sides thereof so as to permit the passage of the strand through the protective covering device.. A second embodiment, a solid material, is placed or injected over the barb covering the extending points as well as a portion of the strand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to barbed wire and, more particularly, to providing protective coverings for the barbs on barbed wire.
2. Statement of the Problem
Barbed wire has been utilized for over a century to keep livestock, particularly cattle, within a parcel of land or to prevent animals and livestock from coming onto a parcel of land. A fence conventionally constructed of barbed wire usually has fence posts spaced from eight to twelve feet apart carrying three to five strands of barbed wire. The barbed wire has positioned at predetermined distances sharp and pointed barbs. Barbed wire and barbed wire fences function exceptionally well to contain livestock or to keep livestock out from parcels of land.
Many parcels of land undergo a change in the character of use from containing animals such as livestock to containing animals such as horses where the use of barbed wire is dangerous. It is well known that horses, especially if chased by dogs or spooked, can crash into barbed wire and severely lacerate their skin and perhaps permanently disable the horse which may result in the horse being put down. Barbed wire damage to horses, especially to expensive race, show, and performance horses is well known. A n e e d, therefore, exists to permit the full utilization of existing barbed wire fences to contain horses without risking laceration and other damage to the horse.
Smooth strand wire without barbs is typically used to confine horses on parcels of land. Many horse owners, upon purchasing parcels of land with barbed wire go to great expense to have the barbed wire removed and the smooth wire installed. It is expensive to remove barbed wire and it is expensive to reinstall smooth wire.
One problem with smooth wire is its invisibility or transparency to the horse. Many horse owners will affix pieces of cloth to the smooth wire or place a board or pipe across the top of the fence to provide the needed visibility. A need also exists to provide visibility for barbed wire fences.
3. Solution to the Problems
The present invention provides a solution to the above problem in a number of different embodiments. The present invention provides a protective, colored covering for each barb in a barbed wire strand. The protective covering fully covers each barb thereby rendering the sharp point ineffective. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a simple, plastic snap-on sphere that fully covers the barb. The sphere is designed to permanently snap-on and to withstand the environmental extremes a fence is subjected to.
In a second embodiment, the present invention provides an approach for forming a substantially spherical shape of material onto each barb so as to fully envelope the barb.
Under each embodiment, the protective covering can be composed of material in a variety of colors, even fluorescent colors, so as to provide substantial visibility for the fence. In a typical operation, the top barbed wire strand in a fence could utilize the colored protective coverings and the lower strands could use coverings of transparent material so as not to make the overall fence unacceptable to view.
The protective barbed coverings of the present invention are designed to be inexpensive, to be quickly installed onto barbs of existing barbed wire fences and to provide durability in the face of extreme environmental conditions.

Protective barb coverings for barbed wire


A microphone array includes first and second microphones (Ma, Mb) placed on a first axis (f), a third microphone (Mc) placed on a plane (fg) formed by the first axis and a second axis (g) and at a position other than on the first axis, and a fourth microphone (Md) placed on a third axis (h), and at a position other than on the plane formed by the first and the second axes, and a processing circuit generates signals (Cx, Cy, Cz) having bidirectionality in first, second and third mutually perpendicular directions (x, y, z), and an omnidirectional signal (Cw), based on signals (Ba to Bd) obtained by sound collection by means of the first to fourth microphones. It is possible to generate signals having bidirectionality in mutually perpendicular directions, and an omnidirectional signal, without using special microphones, and without excessive restrictions with regard to the placement of the microphones.

Along with spread of virtual reality (VR) technology, needs of a sound collection and playback apparatus handling VR images are increasing. A sound collection and playback apparatus is a technology for identifying the direction of sound arrival, and reproducing sound depending on the direction of the sound arrival. Such a sound collection and playback apparatus is used, for example, for reproducing changes in the sound field which occur when the head of the listener is turned. For example, when the listener turns his/her head while watching a sport on a television, the sound produced by the speakers is changed to reflect the changes in the direction of the sound arrival due to the turning. As one of such streophonic sound technology, ambisonics is known.
In ambisonics, special microphones called ambisonics microphones are generally used to obtain signals of ambisonic A-format, which are then converted to signals of ambisonic B-format (Non-patent reference 1). Examples of ambisonic microphones are TetraMic (Core Sound), SPS200 (SoundField), and the like.

Sound collection and playback apparatus, and recording medium


A discretionary mosaic art kit which comprises a support board arranged so as to selectively accommodate individual pieces of design creating elements at a selected location on said board, and a plurality of design creating elements in the form of an equilateral triangle, each adapted to be fixed to said board at a selected location.

Various puzzles and art kits for forming a predetermined pattern or puzzle and discretionary mosaic puzzles have been taught in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,759,295 illustrates a design-forming toy which enables the user to form an infinite variety of designs or figures embodying three-dimensional as well as multi-colored effects. The device employs a number of design-forming elements which may be selectively placed at the discretion of the user, and adhered to a board using a recess and stem interlocking system. The discretionary pieces may be multi-colored and comprise a variety of forms or designs such as stars, circles, and the like.
Various puzzle assemblies and board games utilizing triangular pieces are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,116 and 4,515,370, respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,116 is directed to a puzzle which is solved as a perfect square and consists of sixteen congruent isosceles-like triangles. The task is to solve the puzzle so that the periphery of the square is uninterrupted by any round corners. U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,370 is directed to a board game having a first and second plurality of triangular areas and a plurality of opposing sets of playing pieces movable on the board. Each playing piece has at least two substantially flat sides so that it may be used or flipped from one triangular area to another triangular area.
Swiss Patent No. 319,974 teaches the use of a discretionary mosaic puzzle in which a mosaic of the desired configuration is formed by using isosceles and right triangles. Optionally, the mosaic may be confined within a frame, but no means are provided for fixing or fastening the triangular pieces to any backing. The pieces may have various colors. It is required that the base of the isosceles triangle be the same length as the base of the right triangle. Equilateral triangles are not disclosed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a discretionary mosaic art kit through which the user can create at his discretion a work of art which may be permanently viewed as an art object, or at the option of the user, later dismantled and re-assembled to provide a new configuration or work of art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the user with a kit which has a limitless potential for combined design shapes and color patterns.


Provided is a headset including a main housing and a speaker housing that are integrally formed with each other and a rear-side sound-leakage preventing section to shield sound emitted towards a rear side of a speaker. To this end, the headset includes a main housing integrally formed with a speaker housing that protrudes from the main housing, at least one rear-side sound-leakage preventing unit engaged with an inner side of the speaker housing to shield sound emitted towards a rear side of a speaker, and a mounting unit to sequentially couple the speaker and the at least one rear-side sound-leakage preventing unit to the inner side of the speaker housing and mount the at least one rear-side sound-leakage preventing units in the inner side of the speaker housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headset, and in particular, to a headset including a main housing integrally formed with a speaker housing and a rear-side sound-leakage preventing section to shield sound emitted towards a rear side of a speaker.
2. Discussion of the Background
Typically, a headset is mounted on any of various digital devices to convert an electric signal into an audio signal for delivery. In line with various functions of portable terminals, a headset may be used for calls, music appreciation, and TV viewing. Recently, headsets using Bluetooth® have been developed, wherein the Bluetooth® technology allows real-time data communication by wirelessly connecting wireless communication devices in a short-distance range with low power consumption.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional headset 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional headset 10 includes a pair of cases 11 that can be separated from or coupled to each other, a speaker housing 12 coupled to the cases 11 and including a speaker (not shown), and an engaging housing 13 to fix the speaker housing 12 and the cases 11. The conventional headset 10 further includes an engagement member 16, such as a screw, to fix the cases 11 and the engaging housing 13 disposed on a front surface of the cases 11, and a bonding unit 15 to bond a coupled portion between the engaging housing 13 and the cases 11 to prevent sound leakage. A sound-leakage preventing rubber 14 is included between the engaging housing 13 and the speaker housing 12 to prevent sound leakage through a coupled portion between the engaging housing 13 and the speaker housing 12.
As described above, however, a conventional headset includes various parts such as cases, a speaker, a speaker housing, an engaging housing, an engagement member, a rubber, and a bonding unit, requiring a number of processes for mounting the various parts. As a result, there may be a large number of assembly processes for assembling the parts, which may make the headset manufacturing process complicated. Moreover, the cost of the headset increases due to the increased number of assembly processes. Furthermore, sound may leak from an engaged portion of each part. Therefore, there is a need for a headset capable of preventing sound leakage through coupled portions. In addition, due to sound leakage occurring in a rear side of the speaker, echoes and sound pressure are generated inside the headset. As a result, to prevent the echoes and sound pressure, a separate device may need to be included in the headset and, aside from a need for bonding, various parts may have to be additionally included in the headset. For this reason, the number of assembly processes may increase and manufacturing costs may also increase accordingly.


A blue fluorescence dopant is characterized by the following structural formula:

The electroluminescent phenomenon was first discovered in 1930s, and the luminescent material was ZnS powder. The LED technology was developed through this and now it is widely used in the energy-saving light source. However, the organic electroluminescent phenomenon was first discovered by Pope et al. in 1963. They found that the anthracene single crystal could emit a faint blue light under the drive of the voltage above 100V. Until 1987, by adopting sandwich device structure, Dr Ching W. Tang et al. of Kodak made a double layered device through vacuum evaporation of fluorescent dyes in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,429. The brightness of this device could reach 1000 cd/m2 under the driving voltage of 10 v. This greatly promoted the research of OLED materials and devices.
Compared with inorganic luminescent material, there are the following advantages of the organic electroluminescent material: 1. The processing properties of organic material are good, which could be made into films on any substrate by means of evaporation or spinning, etc.; 2 Due to the diversity of the organic molecular structure, the improvement of the material could be achieved by the design and modification of the structure of the molecular to adjust the heat stability, mechanical properties, luminescence and electric conductivity of the material.
The luminescence principle of electromechanical emitting diodes is similar to that of inorganic luminescent diodes. Its principle is as follows: under the action of the electric field, Hole and Electron are injected respectively through the anode and cathode, the luminescence composite layer form excitons and then the excitons return to ground state by luminescence relaxation, thus the goal of luminescence is achieved.
Most of the material used in the organic electroluminescent device is pure organic material or the mixture of the organic and mental material, which could be divided into hole injection material, hole transport material, luminescent material, electron transport material, electron injection material etc. according to function. Thereinto, the organic material with p-type properties easily being oxidized and having electrochemical stability after being oxidized is often used as hole injection or hole transport material. On the other hand, the organic material with n-type properties easily being reduced and having electrochemical stability after being reduced is often used as electron injection material. The organic material with both p-type and n-type properties is preferably being used as luminescent material.
In order to achieve breakthrough in the application of organic electromechanical device, it is necessary to overcome the difficulties of low capacity of charge injection and transport. An efficient and long-lived organic electroluminescent device is usually the result of the structure of the device and the optimization of various organic materials. This provides a great opportunity and challenge for chemists to develop functionalized materials of various structures.

Blue fluorescence dopant compound and organic electroluminescent device using the same

Abstract: in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are, each independently, selected from, a hydrogen atom, a C1-C10 linear or branched alkyl group, a C1-C20 linear or branched alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted N-(phenylmethyl)imino group, a phenyl group, phenylamine, diphenylamine, phenyl pyridinylamine, bipyridinylamine, phenyl naphthylamine, binaphthylamine, phenyl phenanthrylamine, biphenanthrylamine, phenyl anthrylamine, bianthrylamine, phenanthridine, biphenyl, a pyridinyl group, a pyrimidinyl group, a quinolyl group and a triazinyl group. The blue fluorescence dopant disclosed in the present invention may facilitate to lower driving voltage and increase efficiency, brightness, heat stability, color purity, lifetime, etc. Further, an organic electroluminescent device using the blue fluorescence dopant has excellent performances of high efficiency and long lifetime.


A crossbow having an open-top track mounts a protective shield for a loaded arrow. The shield is an upwardly convex elongated cover of sufficient length to substantially overlie the portions of a loaded arrow which are not already covered. The cover has a flat portion that mounts to a bracket on the crossbow. The cover shape spaces the shield from the loaded arrow so as to not affect the flight of the arrow when fired and extends sufficiently forward to cover and protect the tip of the loaded arrow from engagement by external objects to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of the arrow from its loaded position. The cover mounts a quiver atop the cover for storing spare arrows.

This invention relates to crossbows and, more particularly, to a device for protecting an arrow loaded into firing position in a crossbow.
Crossbows are enjoying a resurgence of popularity among hunters. Most states set aside a portion of deer and other animal hunting season for exclusive use by bow hunters who mostly employ crosshows. Also, the effective range of a crossbow is much less than a conventional hunting rifle, thus making this type of hunting more challenging and rewarding to the true hunter. This exclusivity and challenge have elevated the popularity of the crossbow.
Crossbows have developed from wood and metal devices to be largely made of fiberglass and other plastic materials, which make a crossbow more durable, lighter and stronger. Crossbows are frequently fitted with scopes.
Since hunting is normally confined to late fall months in the northern states, hunters must hunt in all types of weather, including cold, rain, sleet and snow. Hunting also requires the hunter to traverse all types of terrain, including mainly underbrush of varying density. When stalking a deer, a hunter generally positions himself in dense brush near a deer trail and waits for a deer to appear. During this time, rain, sleet or snow are commonly encountered. Also, the loaded crossbow will normally be surrounded by brush and brambles, which can engage and foul a loaded arrow and prevent accurate firing.
Many forms of quivers for holding a supply of arrows have been devised. The usual quiver mounts on the hunter""s body, although bow-mounted quivers are currently marketed. These bow-mounted quivers mount the arrows beneath the bow in a lateral position, which invites fouling by brush normally engaged during hunting. Quivers are also available which mount the arrows longitudinally beneath the crossbow. This mount also invites fouling by brush due to its location, and interferes with the ease of gripping the bow barrel when aiming and shooting.
It would be desirable to provide a means to protect a loaded arrow in a crossbow from the elements, and prevent dislodgement by brush.
It would also be desirable to provide a bow-mounted quiver to hold a supply of arrows in a more convenient and protected position.
It is an object of this invention to provide a means to protect a loaded arrow in a crossbow from the elements, and prevent dislodgement by brush.
It is another object to provide a quiver mounted on the protective shield to hold a supply of arrows in a more convenient and protected position.
According to this invention, a crossbow having an open-top track that receives a arrow for engagement by a bowstring when loaded and cocked for firing, and guides the arrow""s flight when fired, mounts a protective shield which comprises a upwardly convex elongated cover of sufficient length to substantially overlie the portions of a loaded arrow which are not already covered. The cover has a flat portion that includes means for mounting to a bracket carried by the crossbow. The cover shape and mounting position effectively space the shield from the loaded arrow so as to not affect the flight of the arrow when fired. The cover extends sufficiently forward to cover and protect the tip of the loaded arrow from engagement by external objects to prevent inadvertent dislodgement of the arrow from its loaded position.
In one embodiment, the cover has a generally curvilinear cross-section and is mounted to create a lateral vertical space between the cover and the crossbow sufficient to enable movement of the bowstring to cock and fire the arrow, and includes an extended outward flare along one side which enables an arrow to be loaded into firing position between the shield and the crossbow.
In one form of a preferred embodiment, the cover mounts a quiver atop the cover. The quiver comprises a forward pocket having a foam pad for receiving the arrow tips, a rearward holder having notches receiving the arrow shafts in spaced relation, and a mounting bracket which mounts the pocket and holder on the cover. In this way, the arrows are mounted longitudinally of the bow, with the tips forward and shrouded for protection, in a position making them readily available for reloading.
In another form of the preferred embodiment, the quiver is mounted beneath the cover.


The flexible, reusable packaging container of the present invention is comprised of a packaging material. The packaging material is comprised of one or more layers of coating disposed on one or more layers of textile substrate. The coating layer may be comprised of a stiffening agent for providing support to the packaging container. The stiffening agent may provide a gas and/or liquid impermeable barrier between the contents of the container and the textile substrate. The stiffening agent may also include chemicals which impart antifungal or antibacterial properties to container. The textile substrate typically provides an aesthetically pleasing feel and appearance to the outside of the packaging container, as well as providing functional attributes such as water repellence, stain resistance, and/or anti-static resistance. The resulting packaging container possesses increased strength, puncture resistance, and resistance to de-lamination over the current paper or plastic packaging containers.

The present invention relates generally to packaging materials and the packaging containers formed therefrom. Currently, most consumer product packaging materials are comprised of laminated paper, vinyl, or plastic. These packaging materials are formed into packaging containers which do not generally offer the advantages available to the consumer that can be achieved with the packaging containers of the present invention. Many of the current packaging containers are composite materials comprised of various layers such as, for example, layers of Kraft paper, laminated films, polyethylene, and the like. These composite materials are typically die cut into various shapes, folded, and adhered together with glue to form a packaging container. These types of containers typically generate a lot of noise during use, and they often are less flexible and durable than the packaging containers of the present invention.
The packaging containers of the present invention provide a novel container for consumer goods and are generally designed to be re-usable after the initial purchase of the packaging container. These packaging containers may provide product differentiation for those companies which utilize them, and they may also be used for image building or for making the point of sale part of the purchasing experience for the consumer. As an example, an upscale department store may provide the packaging container as a shopping bag for consumers making purchases in their stores.
In addition, the packaging container of the present invention may possess limited functionality. For example, the packaging containers may provide protection to volatile products placed inside the container when exposed to high and/or low humidity environments. The containers may be water repellent, gas impermeable, and/or antimicrobial, and they may be ideal for packaging such items as cigars, golf gloves, aroma therapy items, disposable wash clothes, razors, and the like. More specifically, a packaging container which holds a razor for consumer purchase may possess further functional use, for instance, by also having a reflective surface which could be used as a mirror attached to one side of the container so that it would be useful while shaving in the shower.
Furthermore, the packaging container of the present invention may possess multi-functional and attribute specific engineered performance characteristics. Several examples of these characteristics include use of the packaging container as industrial packaging for electronic and instrumentation packaging or for food and/or beverage containment. For example, the packaging container may be used as a refillable beverage container that is able to withstand the atmospheric pressure and temperature changes encountered during air travel. The containers may provide a moisture barrier, liquid barrier, and/or gas transmission barrier between the contents of the container and the surrounding environment. The containers may also be resistant to ultraviolet light, and they may be puncture resistant. Thus, the container may be ideal for use as a replacement to the cans of soft drinks and juice that may be distributed during air travel. As another example, the packaging container may be used to hold snack foods, coffee, cereal, spices, and the like. Additionally, the container may exhibit anti-static characteristics for use with packaging sensitive circuit boards or silicone wafers.
In general, the packaging containers of the present invention are typically less noisy and more flexible and durable than the paper, vinyl, or plastic containers currently available to consumers. The versatility of the packaging container of the present invention features makes it ideal for use in a wide array of end-use applications.

Packaging material and containers formed therefrom


An arrangement for isolating an energy transfer system while it is subjected to a test process for noise. The energy transfer system is of the type having an energy input and at least one energy output, and may be mechanical or electrical. The isolation arrangement has a base that supports the energy transfer system. An isolation support supports the energy transfer system, yet affords multiple degrees of freedom with respect to the base. The energy transfer system is clamped in a manner that permits at least one degree of freedom with respect to the base, by means of an engagement arrangement that secures the energy transfer system to the isolation support. When mechanical or electrical energy is applied to the energy transfer system, acoustic energy in the form of sound and/or vibration is issued by the energy transfer system under test, which acoustic energy is monitored by an acoustic sensor that issues a corresponding electrical signal. The monitored acoustic energy is responsive to a qualitative condition in the energy transfer system under test, and also to a temperature thereof. A thermal sensor monitors a temperature change in the energy transfer system under test, and the resulting temperature-responsive electrical signal is employed to control the sensitivity of the acoustic sensor. Such temperature-responsive control is effected non-linearly in certain embodiments of the invention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for testing electrical and mechanical energy transfer systems that exhibit vibratory and other responses to electrical or mechanical input energy, and more particularly, to an arrangement that isolates a mechanical or electrical system under test and produces signals and data corresponding to noise produced by the system under test in response to the input energy, the sensitivity of the subsystem(s) that monitor the noise being responsive to a temperature of the system under test.
2. Description of the Related Art
Noise testing of gears to date has been attempted by methods that rigidly mount the gear or axle assemblies in one or more planes. Some other previous attempts chose to have one of the rigidly mounted planes resonate at a frequency sympathetic to gear noise. None of these methods, or any other rigidly mounted test system has been successful. This is due to the lack of repeatability of the previous systems, largely as a result of interacting resonances, and external background noise that is transferred through the rigid mounting system. This is especially true in a production test environment.
These deficiencies in the prior art are most evident in the axle industry. At this time, the only widely accepted way of measuring gear noise is to acquire an assembled axle and install it in a test car. A specially trained individual then drives the car over its typical operating range while carefully listening for axle gear noise. The individual rates the quality of axle gear noise on a scale that is typically 0 to 10. Ten is usually a perfect axle, i.e. one that has no gear noise. This method is made difficult by:
1 The lack of available trained noise rating individuals
2 The cost of test cars.
3 The lack of quality roads or test tracks on which to perform a repeatable and accurate test.
4 The time required for each test.
5 The subjectivity that humans bring into the rating system
Typically less than a dozen axles can be tested by a major manufacturer in one shift due to all of the above complications. This low number is not statistically valid when it is considered that most manufacturers make thousands of axles each day. Even with all of the above problems, human testers in cars are the only widely accepted method of axle testing in the industry due to the lack of a better more reliable testing method. This lack of a scientific basis for rating axles and gear systems is made worse when the reader considers that modern cars are extremely quiet, and are evolving to become more quite. This market direction increases the pressure on axle and other gear manufacturers to make their products quieter. There is a need for a system that offers gear and axle manufacturers a repeatable, reliable, accurate and practical way of measuring gear noise in production or laboratory environments.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a system for testing an energy transfer system, such as a vehicle axle, quickly and inexpensively, and achieving repeatable results.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved by this invention which provides, in a first apparatus aspect thereof, an arrangement for isolating an energy transfer system while it is subjected to a test process for noise, the energy transfer system being of the type having an energy input and at least one energy output. In accordance with the invention, the arrangement is provided with a base for supporting the arrangement and the energy transfer system. An isolation support supports the energy transfer system whereby the energy transfer system is translatable in at least one plane of freedom with respect to the base. Additionally, an engagement arrangement is provided for securing the energy transfer system to the isolation support, the engagement arrangement having a first position with respect to the base wherein the energy transfer system is installable on, and removable from, the isolation support, and a second position wherein the energy transfer system is secured to the isolation support. A first acoustic sensor arranged at a first location in the vicinity of the energy transfer system for producing a first signal responsive substantially to a qualitative condition of the energy transfer system. A thermal sensor produces a thermal signal that is responsive to a temperature of the energy transfer system. An acoustic sensor sensitivity control arrangement is responsive to the thermal sensor for controlling the amplitude of the first signal in response to temperature.
In one embodiment of the invention, the thermal sensor is in the form of an infrared sensor that communicates optically with the energy transfer system. In one specific illustrative embodiment of the invention, the thermal sensor means has a directional characteristic and is directed to a predetermined region of the energy transfer system for determining a temperature, or a rate of change of temperature, of the predetermined region with respect to time. The control over the amplitude of the noise signal with respect to temperature is performed in accordance with a nonlinear amplitude-temperature relationship.
In one embodiment, there is further provided an energy supply coupled to the energy transfer system for supplying energy thereto when the engagement arrangement is in the second position. The energy transfer system is, in one embodiment of the arrangement of the present invention, a mechanical energy transfer system, and in such an embodiment, the energy supply, which is a part of the arrangement of the invention, is in the form of a source of rotatory mechanical energy. A rotatory coupler couples the source of rotatory mechanical energy to the energy transfer system.
In a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mechanical energy transfer system test has forward and reverse directions of operation, and drive and coast modes of operation for each of the forward and reverse directions of operation. The mechanical energy transfer system contains at least a pair of meshed elements, at least one of the pair of meshed elements being a gear having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the gear teeth each having first and second gear tooth surfaces for communicating with the other element of the pair of meshed elements. A mechanical energy transfer communication between the pair of meshed elements is effected primarily via the respective first gear tooth surfaces during forward-drive and reverse-coast modes of operation, and primarily via the respective second gear tooth surfaces during forward-coast and reverse-drive modes of operation. With such a system under test, the arrangement of the present invention is provided with a first acoustic sensor arranged at a first location in the vicinity of the mechanical energy transfer system for producing a first signal that is responsive substantially to a qualitative condition of the first gear tooth surfaces. A second acoustic sensor is arranged at a second location in the vicinity of the mechanical energy transfer system, and produces a second signal that is responsive substantially to a qualitative condition of the second gear tooth surfaces. The first and second locations are distal from each other on opposite sides of the pair of meshed elements.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the rotatory coupler is provided with a resilient coupler arrangement that transmits rotatory motion thereacross over a predetermined range of rotatory motion transmission angles. The resilient coupler arrangement is provided with first and second coupler portions, the first and second coupler portions being rigidly coupled rotationally to each other. Additionally, they are axially resiliently coupled to each other, whereby the first and second coupler portions are synchronously rotatable over the predetermined range of rotatory motion transmission angles.
In yet a further embodiment of the invention, the resilient coupler arrangement is provided with first and second coupler portions, the first and second coupler portions being rigidly coupled rotationally to each other, and radially resiliently coupled to each other. Thus, the first and second coupler portions are synchronously rotatable over a predetermined range of axial displacement.
A torque sensor advantageously is interposed, in a highly advantageous embodiment, between the source of rotatory mechanical energy and the energy transfer system. The torque sensor produces a signal that is responsive to a torque applied by the source of rotatory mechanical energy to the energy transfer system. The torque sensor is provided with a torque-transmitting element that has a predetermined deformation characteristic. Thus, the torque-transmitting element becomes deformed in response to the torque that is applied by the source of rotatory mechanical energy to the energy transfer system. In this embodiment of the invention, the torque sensor further is provided with a strain sensor that is coupled to the torque-transmitting element for producing a strain signal responsive to the predetermined deformation characteristic of the torque-transmitting element. The strain signal, therefore, is proportional to the torque.
It is very advantageous to determine the residual torque required to initiate motion of the system under test. The torque sensor is therefore arranged to produce a static torque signal that is responsive to the magnitude of the torque required to initiate rotatory motion in the mechanical energy transfer system. In addition, it is advantageous that the torque sensor be arranged to produce a dynamic torque signal that is responsive to the magnitude of torque required to maintain rotatory motion in the mechanical energy transfer system.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the energy transfer system under test is an electrical energy transfer system, and the energy supply is provided with a source of electrical energy. In such an embodiment, there is provided an electrical load for receiving an output electrical energy from the energy transfer system when the engagement arrangement is in the second position. A first sensor is arranged to communicate with the energy transfer system for producing an information signal that is responsive to an operating characteristic of the energy transfer system in response to the energy supplied by the energy supply. The first sensor is arranged to contact the energy transfer system to produce the signal. Alternatively, the first sensor is arranged to contact the isolation support for producing the information signal.
The first sensor is arranged, in one embodiment of the invention, so as to be translatable relative to the energy transfer system.
When it is desired to monitor an acoustic energy emitted by the system under test, a microphone is provided for producing a signal that is responsive to an acoustic energy issued by the energy transfer system in response to the energy supplied by the energy supply. A laser sensor may additionally be provided for producing a signal that is responsive to a displacement of the energy transfer system in response to the energy supplied by the energy supply. In still further embodiments, an accelerometer or a velocity sensor is employed.
The resilient support element that supports the energy transfer system, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is configured to exclude a natural frequency of any combination of the base, the engagement arrangement, and the energy transfer system. Thus, the vibratory or acoustic energy provided by the system under test constitutes all of the energy that would be measured and analyzed, without contribution or modification thereof by the structure of the support system.
Preferably, the isolation support supports the energy transfer system so that it is translatable in at least a second plane of freedom with respect to the base.
In a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, there is provided an engagement driver that has a first portion that is coupled to the base, and a second end that is coupled to the engagement arrangement. The engagement driver is, in one embodiment, provided in the form of a linear actuator that has a first end coupled to the base, and a second end coupled to the engagement arrangement. The linear actuator is arranged to drive the engagement arrangement between the first and second positions. Moreover, it is decoupled from the engagement arrangement when the engagement arrangement is in the second position.
In this arrangement, an engagement coupler is interposed between the engagement arrangement and the engagement driver. The engagement coupler is provided with a support portion installed on the isolation support. First and second engagement arms are pivotally coupled to the support portion. Additionally, first and second articulated members coupled at a pivot point to one another and to the engagement driver, and are pivotally coupled at distal ends thereof to respective ones of the first and second engagement arms. In this manner, the engagement driver urges the pivot point along a predetermined path to a latching position beyond where the first and second articulated members are axially parallel. Such a latching effect is facilitated by a resilient biasing arrangement that is installed on at least one of the first and second engagement arms. The resilient biasing arrangement applies a resilient biasing force to the energy transfer system, which additionally maintains the engagement arrangement in the second position.
A displacement sensor is installed on at least one of the first and second engagement arms, and serves to produce a distance signal that is responsive to a distance between the one of the first and second engagement arms on which the displacement sensor is installed and the energy transfer system. In this manner, the distance signal is responsive to a predetermined dimension of the energy transfer system.
In accordance with a method aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of testing a gear assembly of the type having an input and an output. The method includes the steps of:
installing the gear assembly on a mounting arrangement that resiliently permits motion of the gear assembly in all directions, and that has a resilient frequency characteristic that excludes all natural frequencies of the gear assembly;
applying a torque at the input of the gear assembly, whereby the gear assembly is rotatably operated;
applying a load at the output of the gear assembly;
sensing a predetermined operating characteristic of the gear assembly; and
controlling the step of sensing in response to a temperature of the gear assembly.
In one embodiment of this method aspect of the invention, the step of sensing is provided with the step of detecting acoustic energy issued by the gear assembly. Also, the step of detecting acoustic energy issued by the gear assembly is provided with the step of placing a microphone n the vicinity of the gear assembly.
In a further embodiment, the step of sensing is provided with the step of detecting vibratory displacement energy issued by the gear assembly. The step of detecting vibratory displacement energy issued by the gear assembly is provided with the further step of effecting communication between an accelerometer and the gear assembly, and the step of detecting vibratory displacement energy issued by the gear assembly is provided with the further step of effecting communication between a velocity sensor and the gear assembly.
After performing the step installing there is further provided the step of clamping the gear assembly to the mounting arrangement. In an embodiment where the mounting arrangement is installed on a reference base portion, the step of clamping is performed in response to the further step of applying a clamping actuation force to a clamping arrangement with respect to the reference base portion. A clamping actuation force is applied, and the gear arrangement is enabled to move freely independent of the reference base portion.
In a further embodiment, the step of applying a clamping force is provided with the further step of applying a resilient clamping force to the gear assembly. This step may, in certain embodiments, include the further step of monitoring a predetermined dimension of the gear assembly in response to the step of clamping. This is accomplished by use of a sensor that measures distance traveled.
Sensing is effected by monitoring a first sensor that receives acoustic energy that is responsive to a qualitative condition of the gear assembly in a drive mode of operation. When the drive mode of operation is in a first direction of operation, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the drive mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a first surface of the teeth of the gear assembly. Also when drive mode of operation is in a first direction of operation, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the drive mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a profile of a gear of the gear assembly, and a qualitative condition of the eccentricity of a gear of the gear assembly. Additionally, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the drive mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of the angular orientation of the gears of the gear assembly. In still further embodiments of the method aspect of the invention, wherein the drive mode of operation is in a first direction of operation, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the drive mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a plurality of moving components of the gear assembly.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the step of sensing is provided with the further step of monitoring a second sensor that receives acoustic energy that is responsive to a qualitative condition of the gear assembly in a coast mode of operation. The coast mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a second surface of the teeth of the gear assembly. When the coast mode of operation is in a first direction of operation, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the coast mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a profile of a gear of the gear assembly. Additionally, the qualitative condition of the gear assembly in the coast mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of the eccentricity of a gear of the gear assembly, as well as the angular orientation of the gears of the gear assembly. In further embodiments, the coast mode of operation includes a qualitative condition of a plurality of moving components of the gear assembly.
In accordance with a further embodiment of this method aspect of the invention, the drive and coast modes of operation are cyclical over a period that is shorter than a cycle period of the input of the gear assembly. Conversely, the period can be longer than a cycle period of the input of the gear assembly. This will depend, to an extent, upon the operating ratios within the system under test. In situations where the system under test is an electrical system, harmonics and signal distortions may affect the apparent cycle period in relation to the cycle period of the input energy.
In an advantageous embodiment, the first and second sensors are disposed at respective locations that are distal from each other, with the gear assembly interposed therebetween. This enables distinguishing between operating modalities of the system under test, as well as facilitating analysis of operating characteristics of the system under test that have directional components.

Noise testing system with temperature responsive sensitivity


The control includes a fluid system having a fluid passage in connection with a rod end chamber and a piston end chamber of a fluid cylinder connected to the front axle and a front end of a vehicle and extendible in length for increasing a distance between the front axle and the front end, a progressive control valve is disposed in the passage and is controllably movable through a range of progressively more restrictive partially open positions. The valve can also have a one-way flow position to allow fluid flow only from the piston end chamber to the rod end chamber, to allow only retraction of the cylinder. A controller is automatically operable for causing the valve to move through the range of progressively more restrictive partially open positions as the fluid cylinder is increasingly extended, and for moving the valve to the one-way flow position when the cylinder reaches a predetermined length. Operation of the control can be enabled by actuation of a drive for the front axle, such as mechanical front drive.

Heavy duty vehicles such as tractors and other work machines, can be subject to widely varying loads. When a relatively heavy load is applied to the rear end of the vehicle, such as when an implement or tool pulled through the ground by a tractor encounters soil conditions resulting in much increased drag, resulting in application of an increased downward force on rear wheels of the tractor, the front end of the tractor can be lifted as a result. If the tractor or other vehicle has a suspended axle, that is, the front end of the frame or body of the tractor or vehicle is connected to the front axle by a suspension, the front end can be lifted relative to the suspended axle, thereby increasing a distance therebetween. An effect of this is that the downward force applied against the ground by the front wheels can be decreased. This can be a particular problem when the front wheels are driving or powered, as the reduction of downward force will result in loss of front wheel traction.
Many tractors and other vehicles are known to have automatic load leveling and/or traction control systems which employ one or more hydraulic cylinders disposed between the suspended front axle and the frame of the vehicle. If the tractor or other vehicle has mechanical front drive (MFD), engagement of the MFD can cause the front wheels to generate traction force for pushing the vehicle forward. In operation, the front wheel traction force of MFD can produce a moment acting against the suspension system to swing it outward relative to a frame of the vehicle, and thereby cause the suspension cylinders to extend and the vehicle front end to rise. In a traction control mode, the cylinders are automatically extended by the system as required to ensure that a desired or required vehicle leveling and/or front traction is maintained. As a result, presence of a signal activating the MFD can serve to indicate the tendency of cylinder extension due to front traction. Additionally, the MFD signal can indicate possibility of dynamic load transfer conditions under heavy load that will tend to extend the cylinders.
Also, many such systems include fluid lines connecting the rod ends and piston ends of the cylinders in a typical regenerative circuit, which allow free fluid flow between the ends of the cylinders, for instance, when loading conditions which tend to urge the front end upwardly are encountered, such as when an implement or tool is being pulled through soil or other material resulting in high drag forces. This can be a problem, as the cylinders may fully extend, substantially reducing or eliminating the capability to extend more, and making retraction actions for absorbing shock loads less cushioned, resulting in a rougher ride. The system may also allow the cylinders to extend and increase the distance between the front end and the front axle, such that, as a result, the front end is raised, and the implement or tool is urged deeper into the ground, resulting in greater drag and increased forces urging the front end upwardly, which can cause still further extension of the cylinders in an attempt to increase or maintain front traction. The system can thus be caught in an undesirable loop, such that suspension performance is degraded and field work quality can deteriorate.
Thus, what is sought is an improved system and/or method of operation of a control for a suspended front axle which overcomes one or more of the problems and disadvantages set forth above.

Progressive control for a front suspended axle of a vehicle


A digital delay locked loop including a plurality of controllable delay circuits connected in series, a phase detecting unit, and a delay control unit is disclosed. As an output end of each of the controllable delay circuits is coupled to the phase detecting unit, the phase detecting unit samples a positive received signal at the transition points of a specific period signal transmitted by each of the controllable delay circuits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital delay locked loop. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital delay locked loop that detects phases according to a specific period signal transmitted by each of a plurality of controllable delay circuits.
2. Description of Related Art
Delay locked loops are mainly used for synchronizing and tracking of clock signals among different circuit systems. For example, in high-speed microprocessors, the delay locked loops are used to eliminate asynchronism between external clock signals and internal clock signals. In communication systems, the delay locked loops are used to recover clocks or data of the systems. Therefore, the delay locked loops are indispensable basic components in many system applications.
FIG. 1 is a basic architectural view of a conventional delay locked loop. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional delay locked loop 100 forms a feedback mechanism with a phase detector 110, a controller 120, and a delay line 130. The phase detector 110 detects a phase difference between an external clock signal VOUT and an internal clock signal VIN, so as to generate a phase detection code Bf1. The controller 120 can acquire whether the external clock signal VOUT is before or after the internal clock signal VIN according to the phase detection code Bf1. Thus, the delay line 130 can regulate the delay time of the internal clock signal VIN according to a delay control code Bd1 generated by the controller 120. Accordingly, the conventional delay locked loop 100 keeps regulating the external clock signal VOUT until the external clock signal VOUT is synchronous with the internal clock signal VIN by the use of the above feedback mechanism.
However, the conventional delay locked loop 100 adopts a mixed-mode design, which incurs many inevitable problems. For example, the conventional delay locked loop 100 cannot be developed to be highly integrated, and is quite sensitive to variations of process parameters including voltage and temperature. In addition, as the locked time of the conventional delay locked loop 100 is too long, so the power consumption will be excessively high.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method of synchronizing to a signal includes first performing a rough synchronization and then a fine synchronization to a sync word. The fine synchronization includes comparing a stored portion of the sync word to a received portion. By adjusting the timing and then performing additional correlations, the timing for the best correlation can be obtained. The bit clock is then adjusted so that subsequent data samples can be taken as close to bit center as possible.

There are many approaches for recovering information from a data signal. For binary or two level signals it is possible to continuously correct the synchronization for the received data. This is traditionally accomplished by sampling at a rate that is higher than the data rate. The multiple samples per bit of information can be processed and the bits defined. Such approach requires both multiple samples for each bit of information and substantial computational power which can be a disadvantage when used in an application such as portable or mobile radios. Such devices may have limited computational power available, as well as limited battery life for portable devices. Additionally, such approaches are not well suited where the information signal can include a high number of possible levels. For instance, a signal that could include data as binary data and analog or multiple level data such as 256 level encoded compressed voice information, presents difficulties in utilizing the traditional approach. It is therefore desirable to have a synchronization and decoding method that can precisely lock to a symbol so that a sample can be obtained at the center of each information symbol without sacrificing efficiency. By sampling at the symbol center, a single sample per symbol can be utilized for decoding.


An access point (102) conveys (202) to communication units (104) of a plurality of multicast groups, a first indication that the access point supports a method for sending a multicast message. The access point receives (204) a multicast message directed to a receiving one of the plurality of multicast groups, and determines (206) that the communication units belonging to the receiving one of the plurality of multicast groups also support the method. The access point signals (208) a second indication to selectively awaken the communication units belonging to the receiving one of the plurality of multicast groups, and transmits (210) the multicast message to the receiving one of the plurality of multicast groups in a manner that allows (212) at least one communication unit not belonging to the receiving one of the plurality of multicast groups to remain asleep during the transmitting.

Prior-art communication systems operating according to the IEEE 802.11 specification handle broadcast (BC) and multicast (MC) messages differently from unicast messages. For a unicast message the Association Identifier (AID) for the Communication Unit (CU) is mapped to its unicast Medium Access Control (MAC) address and used in the Traffic Information (TIM) frame to uniquely identify a buffered unicast message. An AID of 0 is used for BC as well as MC frames as these are addressed to a multicast group. This particular way to deliver the MC/BC messages to the CU reduces the battery life of the CU. Typical examples of multicast groups are groups of devices that receive a common video stream, a group of devices that is in a phone conference, or a group of devices that is in a multicast session such as a dispatch group call. If one uses multicast for the CUs in one of such multicast groups using the current defined MC/BC delivery mechanism in 802.11, the battery life of the other CUs in other multicast groups can be impacted considerably, even if those other groups are not receiving any multicast traffic.
The primary reason for the loss of battery life is that when an access point delivers a MC message with an AID of 0, all sleeping CUs (i.e., CUs operating in a battery saving mode) are awakened until they can determine from the message content whether they belong to the particular multicast group for which there is a MC message. Those CUs that do not belong to the particular multicast group are being awakened for no good reason and will have wasted power unnecessarily.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus for sending a multicast message. The method and apparatus will preferably solve the power-wasting problem just described.

Method and apparatus for sending a multicast message


A sanitary insert unit is provided having a jet regulator which has a housing with a housing inlet and a housing outlet, and a jets splitter in the housing interior. The jet splitter protrudes partially into a diffuser ring, delimiting an annular channel therebetween. The diffuser ring is insertable into an outlet-side housing part of the housing until an annular step on the outer circumference of the diffuser ring bears on an inlet-side mating surface on an outlet-side housing part. A circumferential locking cam on an outer circumference of the diffuser ring is movable into locking engagement with a locking groove provided on an inner circumference of the outlet-side housing part. The locking cam has a run-on bevel which interacts with a mating bevel upstream from the locking groove in an insertion direction that has a greater angle of inclination with respect to a longitudinal axis in comparison with the run-on bevel.

The invention relates to a sanitary insert unit with a jet regulator which has a jet regulator housing with a housing inlet and a housing outlet, which jet regulator housing has, in its housing interior, a jet splitter.
Various insert units have already been produced that can be mounted on the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting in order to shape the emerging water into a homogeneous, non-sputtering and optionally also sparkling-soft water jet. For this purpose, the previously known insert units have a jet regulator with a jet regulator housing in the interior of which the through-flowing water can be mixed with ambient air. The jet regulator housing of such aerated jet regulators has a housing inlet, connected to the clear conduit cross section on the water outlet of the sanitary outlet fitting, and a housing outlet, wherein the jet regulator housing has, in its housing interior, a jet splitter that can be configured as a pot-shaped diffuser or as a perforated plate. In a jet splitter configured as a pot-shaped diffuser, the pot base serves as an impingement surface where the water flowing onto the jet splitter is deflected outwards. In this case, through-flow openings through which the water can flow are provided in the circumferential wall of the pot shape. The through-flow openings lead into an annular channel, which is formed between the outer circumference of the pot-shaped diffuser and a diffuser ring that engages around the diffuser. In the through-flow openings of the diffuser, and likewise in the annular channel narrowing in the direction of flow, the water flowing through experiences an increase in speed which, in accordance with Bernoulli's equation, results in a negative pressure being generated on the outflow side. Due to this negative pressure, ambient air is sucked in and can pass into the housing interior through aeration openings provided in the circumferential wall of the jet regulator housing. With their jet regulator, the jet regulator housing, the jet splitter located in the jet regulator housing, and with the aeration openings provided in the circumferential wall of the jet regulator housing, the previously known insert units impose a certain installation length, which necessitates a correspondingly long outlet mouthpiece. Since the outlet mouthpiece is generally produced in the outer packing of the outlet fitting, and since colour differences between the outlet fitting and a separately produced outlet mouthpiece are all too noticeable, the production of such an insert unit and of the associated outlet mouthpiece is associated with considerable outlay in manufacturing terms.


A display apparatus is provided including a display panel displaying an image, and a driving chip including a front surface and a rear surface provided with a first marking code, the driving chip being electrically connected with the display panel. The display panel includes an upper substrate, and a lower substrate located facing the upper substrate to include a second marking code, and including a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface. The driving chip is located on the second surface such that a rear surface thereof is closer to the second surface than to the front surface thereof, and wherein the second marking code is provided on the second surface.

The present disclosure herein relates to a display apparatus.
Examples of display apparatuses are liquid crystal displays, field emission displays, plasma display panels, and organic electroluminescent displays. To operate a display apparatus, components for generating various control signals, data signals, etc, may typically be mounted on a substrate which constitutes the display apparatus. Methods for mounting components may be classified into a chip on glass (COG) method, a chip on flexible printed circuit (COF) method, or etc. The COG method is a method for directly mounting components such as integrated circuit (IC) chips on a substrate, and the COF method is a method for mounting a film on a substrate after mounting components such as IC chips on a film such as a polymide film.

Display apparatus capable of easily acquiring identification about a display panel and a driving chip


Provided are a high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet having excellent formability, excellent ductility, excellent hole expansibility, and high yield ratio and a method for producing the same. The high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet contains 0.05% to 0.15% C, 0.10% to 0.90% Si, 1.0% to 2.0% Mn, 0.005% to 0.05% P, 0.0050% or less S, 0.01% to 0.10% Al, 0.0050% or less N, and 0.010% to 0.100% Nb, which are chemical components, on a mass basis, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities; has a microstructure which is a multi-phase structure containing 90% or more of a ferrite phase and 0.5% to less than 5.0% of a martensite phase on a volume fraction basis, the remainder being low-temperature transformation phases; and has a yield ratio of 70% or more.

In recent years, regulations on CO2 emissions have been tightened in awareness of environmental issues. In the automotive field, the improvement of fuel efficiency by automotive weight reduction is a big issue. Therefore, gauge reduction by applying high-strength steel sheets to automotive parts has been pursued. Steel sheets with a TS of 590 MPa or more are applied to parts for which steel sheets with a TS of 270 MPa to 440 MPa have been conventionally used.
The steel sheets with a TS of 590 MPa or more need to have properties being excellent in formability typified by ductility and stretch flange formability (hole expansibility) from the viewpoint of formability and also being high in impact energy absorbing capability. An increase in yield ratio is effective in order to enhance impact energy absorbing capability and it enables impact energy to be efficiently absorbed even with a small amount of deformation.
From the viewpoint of mechanisms for strengthening a steel sheet to achieve a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more, there is a method making use of hardening of a ferrite phase, which is a parent phase, and there is another one making use of a hard phase such as a martensite phase. As for hardening of a ferrite phase, precipitation-hardened high-strength steel sheets containing a carbide-forming element such as Nb can be produced at low cost because the amount of an alloying element necessary to achieve a predetermined strength is small.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for producing a galvanized steel sheet, precipitation-hardened by the addition of Nb, having a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more and excellent resistance to secondary working embrittlement after press forming. Patent Literature 2 discloses a high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet, precipitation-hardened by the addition of Nb and Ti, having a tensile strength TS of 490 MPa to less than 720 MPa, a yield ratio of more than 0.70 to less than 0.92, excellent stretch flange formability, and excellent impact energy absorbing capability and also discloses a method for producing the same. Patent Literature 3 discloses a high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet, precipitation-hardened by the addition of one or both of Nb and Ti, having high yield ratio. This steel sheet has a microstructure containing recrystallized ferrite, unrecrystallized ferrite, and pearlite; a maximum tensile strength of 590 MPa or more; and a yield ratio of 0.70 or more.
On the other hand, as for a method making use a hard phase such as a martensite phase, for example, Patent Literature 4 discloses a dual-phase high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet having excellent dynamic deformability due to a multi-phase microstructure containing a primary phase which is ferrite, a secondary phase containing 3% to 50% martensite on a volume fraction basis, and other low-temperature transformation phases and also discloses a method for producing the same. Patent Literature 5 discloses a high-strength steel sheet having excellent stretch flange formability and crashworthiness. The high-strength steel sheet is composed of a ferrite phase which is a primary phase and a martensite phase which is a secondary phase, the martensite phase being a maximum grain size of 2 μm or less and an area fraction of 5% or more.

High-strength cold-rolled steel sheet with high yield ratio having excellent formability and method for producing the same


An image forming apparatus includes a communication interface unit to communicate with a network using a physical layer protocol (PHY), a first control unit that includes a first Media Access Controller (MAC) to perform Media Access Control for the PHY when the image forming apparatus operates in a normal mode, and to control the image forming apparatus, a second control unit that includes a second Media Access Controller (MAC) to perform Media Access Control for the PHY when the image forming apparatus operates in a power saving mode, and a switching unit to switch a data path between the PHY, the first MAC, and the second MAC according to the operation mode of the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus and a network connection method thereof. More particularly, the present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus which supports different network connections according to an operation mode by switching a data path with a network according to the operation mode, and a network connection method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses generate, print, receive, and transmit image data. Examples of image forming apparatus are printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines, and multifunction peripherals incorporating these functions.
In order to reduce power consumption in a power saving mode, image forming apparatuses may have a low power controller as well as a main controller to control printing. That is, since a networking function of the image forming apparatuses has to be maintained in the power saving mode, a low power controller to perform only a simple networking function is provided to reduce power consumption and support the networking function in the power saving mode.
However, in the image forming apparatuses having the conventional low power controller, a network packet is transmitted to the main controller through the low power controller even in a normal mode. More specifically, since the low power controller receives a network packet, stores the network packet in a memory, and transmits the network packet to the main controller, the network speed is affected by performance of the low power controller as well as performance of the main controller in the normal mode.
Accordingly, in order to enhance the network speed of the image forming apparatuses, performance of the lower power controller should also be enhanced. However, if performance of the lower power controller is enhanced, power consumption of the low power controller is increased in the low power mode.

Image forming apparatus and network connection method thereof relates to an image forming apparatus which supports different network connections according to an operation mode


Reduced source spacing for multi-source, multi-detector X-ray imaging systems is provided by allowing channels within an X-ray collimator to intersect within the body of the collimator. As a result, the channels are not independent, and the source spacing can be significantly reduced. Although such collimators have a much more “open” structure than conventional collimators having independent channels, they can still provide efficient collimation performance (e.g., predicted leakage <5%). Several high attenuation layers having through holes and stacked together can provide collimators according to the invention, where the through holes combine to form the intersecting channels.

In many applications of X-ray imaging, and especially in medical imaging applications, it is highly desirable to minimize the total X-ray dose delivered during imaging to the subject or object being imaged. Since X-rays travel substantially in straight lines, X-rays emitted from the X-ray source (or sources) directed away from any X-ray detector in the system are useless for imaging. Such useless radiation is typically blocked by providing an X-ray collimator near the X-ray source that passes radiation directed toward the detector(s) and blocks other radiation.
Various X-ray imaging systems have been considered in the art, and a corresponding variety of X-ray collimation approaches for imaging have also been considered. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,157, an imaging approach having a single X-ray source and multiple well-separated detectors is considered. A collimator is employed to block radiation that otherwise would pass through the patient and strike the dead spaces between the detectors. Fan beam systems (e.g., as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,870) are commonly employed, where a collimator having vanes defines several parallel thin fan-shaped beams.
Conventional X-ray collimators typically provide vanes to define fan beams and/or high aspect ratio channels to define narrow beams, e.g., as considered in US 2004/0120464. Collimators having a large rectangular aperture matched in shape to a rectangular detector array are considered in US 2004/0028181. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,893, a system having multiple source locations and multiple detectors is considered. The corresponding collimator has independent high aspect ratio channels defining beam paths from each source to each detector.
However, when an X-ray imaging system has multiple sources and multiple detectors, conventional X-ray collimation approaches (e.g., providing independent channels for each source to detector path) can encounter a hitherto unappreciated difficulty. More specifically, providing such independent channels in the collimator can lead to a situation where the X-ray source spacing is forced to be undesirably large.
Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide an X-ray collimator for multi-source, multi-detector imaging systems that can provide reduced source spacing.

X-ray collimator for imaging with multiple sources and detectors

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University