A method, system and apparatus for heating a room, wherein at least one motor and at least one fan blade of a Ceiling Mounted Heating Device, mounted upwards of a distribution fan, moves air into said device through one or more inlets and is forced through and heated by one or more heating elements. The heated air is discharged as a heated primary airflow through one or more outlets, wherein the primary heated airflow mixes with the airflow created by the distribution fan, thus creating distribution of heated airflow throughout a room.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for heating a room, and more specifically to a ceiling mounted heating device that creates a primary heated airflow preferably via an impeller that moves air from an upward location in a room and thereafter across heating elements. The ceiling mounted heating device is preferably adapted to an upward location and is designed to work in an integrated fashion with a ceiling fan, wherein operation of the ceiling fan will create a secondary airflow for distributing the primary heated airflow throughout a room.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior art systems for heating dwellings and offices were primarily by use of radiators having heated water flowing therethrough. Such heating was essentially practical only in buildings wherein a common boiler for heating water was practical. Dispersion of heat from the radiators was primarily a function of convective airflow that unfortunately left vestigial cold and hot spots within the room. Moreover, use of such radiators typically imposed a constraint on furniture arrangement and caused related impediments.
In many private dwellings and offices, forced air systems are currently utilized, as they are relatively inexpensive to install. However, in view of heat loss through ductwork and the size of the heating unit necessary to bring sufficient heat to a multitude of respective rooms, such forced air systems are usually quite expensive to operate. Furthermore, duct outlets, whether wall, floor or ceiling mounted, tend to constrict furniture arrangement as well, often producing hot and cold spots within a room. Moreover, electrically operated baseboard heaters typically rely upon convection for dispersion of heated air, resulting in inadequate heat distribution, production of hot and cold spots, and constraint of furniture placement and activities within a room.
Ceiling fans having heaters suspended therefrom have also been attempted. These heaters usually include a fan or the like for directing air heated by an electric heating element into the path of airflow produced by the ceiling fan. The downward direction of airflow produced by the ceiling fan results in the creation of a hot spot beneath the ceiling fan and a significant temperature gradient from the center of a room to its perimeter. The resulting hot and cold spots are generally uncomfortable and unacceptable as furniture placement limitations are imposed.
Ceiling fans drawing heated air upwardly from a below mounted heater are also known. However, such ceiling fans are of little practical value since the fan motor tends to overheat and self-destruct relatively quickly. Another major factor contributing to the loss of efficiency has been the previous inability of ceiling fans to comfortably remove trapped warm air from the ceiling. As such, in addition to the small temperature gradient within the room, the occupant is quickly subjected to uncomfortable drafts from a ceiling fan alone. In addition to the failure of previous heating units to properly mix the required upward movement of air from the ceiling fan with an additional heated air source, cool airflow from off the blades of a stand-alone ceiling fan is typically greater than the warm air it pushes off the ceiling, thus leaving the occupant feeling uncomfortable.
More specifically, examples of ceiling fans having heaters suspended therefrom may be found by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,958 to Kan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,920 to Pelonis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,785 to Yilmaz and U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,142 to Glucksman. However, in light of the present invention, the aforementioned designs are deficient in that they either fail to evenly distribute heated air throughout the room and thus result in cold spots and hot spots, or they fail to protect the fan motors from adverse heat generated from improperly isolated heating elements and/or deficient airflow design.
For instance, Kan et al. discloses a ceiling fan with adjacently mounted heating elements on the primary fan motor. Such proximity of the heating elements usually results in the adverse overheating of the fan motor and its consequential destruction. The Kan et al. patent fails to employ a heat sink barrier and therefore subjects the rotor and stator of the primary fan motor to nonisolated heat conditions. Further, the Kan et al. design and positioning of the secondary fan blades from the rotor hinders adequate air supply, thus yielding poor distribution of heated air and unwanted cold spots and hot spots throughout the room.
The Pelonis and Yilmaz patents disclose ceiling fans containing both a ceiling fan motor and a heater fan motor. However, due to the design of the Pelonis and Yilmaz inventions, both inventions fail to ensure isolation of the heating elements from the fan motors, thereby causing the subsequent overheating and malfunction of the same. Further, the design of the Pelonis invention essentially amounts to the fan motor blowing heated air in a directly downward fashion instead of an ideal circulating fashion, leaving unwanted cold spots throughout the room.
The Glucksman patent discloses an axial fan in coaxial alignment with an electric resistance heater. The Glucksman invention possesses not only the main elements of a space heater, but also the inadequacies and inefficiencies associated therewith. More specifically, the Glucksman design fails to uniformly distribute its produced heated air throughout a room. Therefore, the inherent deficiency therefore in the Glucksman design yields intense and uncomfortable hot air adjacent to the space heater and uncomfortable and unwanted cold air/spots in areas removed from the space heater.
An additional deficiency in the above references is that many of the ceiling fan/heater devices fail to disclose an adequate means for obtaining and controlling a desired temperature at various elevations. More specifically, with prior systems, the temperature at a standard standing height can often be several degrees higher than at the floor level. Unfortunately, wall-mounted thermostats are often mounted at the standard standing height level and only accurately reflect the temperature at that level. As such, if the occupants are sitting on the floor or on a sofa, the wall-mounted thermostat does not reflect the desired temperature at that level. Moreover, manually operated controls typically require constant manual adjustments depending on the occupant""s elevation.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that a new and improved ceiling mounted heating device is needed, wherein the device provides a means for having a ceiling fan attached thereto and further provides a consistent and adequate uniform distribution of heated air without subjecting the fan motors to adverse heat elevations, and wherein any desired temperature at any desired elevation may be easily obtained. It is, therefore, to the provision of such an improvement that the present invention is directed.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages, and meets the recognized need for such a device by providing a highly efficient preferably ceiling mounted heating device designed to achieve desired heating and energy objectives by creating a powerful, heated airflow using as little energy as possible. The heating device is constructed in such a manner that allows it to integrate with a ceiling fan in either a load-bearing or non load-bearing configuration. Located preferably inside the heating device is preferably an impeller having a blade or blades thereon, heating elements and heat sink material for protecting proximate components from unacceptable heat transfer from the heating elements.
The heating device is designed to move air from an upward location, preferably adjacent the ceiling, by preferably energizing the impeller. Heat is then added to the moved air by the impeller urging the moved air through heating elements before exhausting the now primary heated airflow through outlets. The heating device is able to achieve its greatest efficiency through the constant recycling of heated air molecules, thus reducing the rest and subsequent dissipation of the heated air molecules along the ceiling. Further, the heating device continuously reenergizes the air molecules and circulates them throughout the room with a ceiling fan. A ceiling fan may also be adapted to the heating device, thus creating a system that uniformly distributes primary heated airflow throughout a room.
As the temperature of a room reaches its desired comfort level, preferably a remote transmitter/receiver supplied with the invention reduces the amount of energy needed to maintain the room temperature by reducing the number of heating elements activated and/or the energy consumed by the heating elements. Contrary to conventional systems, the heating device continuously reinvigorates previously heated air molecules with additional heat. The device is designed to first achieve a desired temperature setting and then to maintain that setting with the least amount of energy necessary.
The invention is designed to mount upwards of a ceiling fan in optimum configuration for preferably mixing the primary heated airflow created by the device with the secondary airflow created by the ceiling fan.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a more efficient method of heating a room than with conventional systems. The invention is an apparatus that will work without ductwork, wherein such ductwork has been proven to loose 30 to 40% of its efficiency through placement in a cold attic and through pressure loss due to lengthy distances from a conventional heating source.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a method of heating only specified rooms or areas within a home or office. By using such a method, the occupant can regulate the temperature of each room rather than attempting to regulate an entire home with a conventional centrally mounted thermostat. Additionally, due to the rapid response and efficiency provided by the device, only those rooms in use need to be heated, while those not in use, can be closed off and heated just prior to their intended use and/or occupation.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide an adaptive means to integrate a ceiling fan to form a system that provides a method that first creates a primary heated airflow and then distributes it throughout a room for heating.
A f feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a heating device that when combined with a ceiling fan, will not pass adverse heat created by heating elements within the device to the ceiling fan and adversely impact the ceiling fan""s reliability and function.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a method wherein each cycle of the device further stimulates heated air molecules, causing them to retain additional heat.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a method of continual stimulation of the heated air molecules for distribution throughout a room that when combined with a conventional ceiling fan, results in large eddies of air colliding and transferring their heated energy to achieve near uniform room temperatures.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to be mounted in a location that will not encumber or interfere with furnishing and/or furnishing arrangements.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a heating module portion of an air recirculating and heating system for producing a heated airflow for dispersion by a ceiling fan in a nearly uniform fashion throughout a room and to further maintain the air in the room at a preset desired temperature under control of either an automatic or a manual control unit.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a ceiling mounted heating device that can be mounted independently of a ceiling fan yet still provide a heated airflow to mix with the airflow inherently created by a moving ceiling fan.
A feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide a heating device adapted to removably receive and secure a conventional ceiling fan and work in association therewith.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Ceiling mounted heating device and method therefor


A motorcycle tail light device can have a plurality of front engagement members, provided in a front part of a tail light support stay, that enable movement of a support position of a tail light device 50 in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A plurality of rear engagement members can be, provided in a rear part of the tail light support stay, to enable movement of the support position of the tail light device in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A front engaged member can be provided in a front part of the tail light device, engaged with any one of the plurality of front engagement members. A rear engaged member can be provided in a rear part of the tail light device, engaged with any one of the plurality of rear engagement members.

1. Field
This invention relates to a motorcycle tail light device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a motorcycle is shipped to respective countries, it is often necessary to change the position of a license light and change an irradiation range in correspondence with attachment angle of a license plate which differs in accordance with regulations of various countries.
Therefore, conventionally, a motorcycle tail light device can have a tail light bulb and a license light bulb are individually provided so as to change the irradiation range of the license light, with only the license light bulb being provided movably in a vehicle longitudinal direction. Such a device is taught, for example, in Japanese patent publication JP-A 2008-126708 (JP '708). Further, in a device where one bulb is used as a tail light bulb and a license light bulb, the position of the tail light is changed by changing tail light attachment parts.
However, in the motorcycle tail light device disclosed in JP '708, since it is necessary to individually provide the tail light bulb and the license light bulb, the cost of manufacturing is increased. Further, it is necessary to increase the tail light device in size in view of adjustment moving amount of the license light bulb. Further, in the device where one bulb is used as a tail light bulb and a license light bulb, to change the position of the tail light, it is necessary to change the shape of a tail light attachment part (stay).


11-piperazin-1-yldibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine, compositions thereof, preparations thereof, formulations thereof, prodrugs thereof and pharmaceutical uses thereof.

A goal of antipsychotic drug development has been to develop agents with increased efficacy and safety along with fewer of the side effects commonly associated with the older antipsychotic medications. Quetiapine fumarate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,288, which is incorporated herein by reference. Quetiapine fumarate is able to treat both the positive (hallucinations, delusions) and negative symptoms (emotional withdrawal, apathy) of psychosis and is associated with fewer neurological and endocrine related side effects compared to older agents. Quetiapine fumarate has also been associated with a reduction in hostility and aggression. Quetiapine fumarate is associated with fewer side effects such as EPS, acute dystonia, acute dyskinesia, as well as tardive dyskinesia. Quetiapine fumarate has also helped to enhance patient compliance with treatment, ability to function and overall quality of life, while reducing recidivism. P. Weiden et al., Atypical antipsychotic drugs and long-term outcome in schizophrenia, 11 J. Clin. Psychiatry, 53-60, 57 (1996). Because of quetiapine fumarate's enhanced tolerability profile its use is particularly advantageous in the treatment of patients that are hypersensitive to the adverse effects of antipsychotics (such as elderly patients).
Derivatives of 11-(piperazin-1-yl)dibenzo[b,f][1,4]-thiazepines and related compounds including metabolites of quetiapine were prepared and evaluated in E. Warawa et al. Behavioral approach to nondyskinetic dopamine antagonists: identification of Seroquel, 44, J. Med. Chem., 372-389 (2001). Quetiapine metabolism has been reported in C. L. Devane et al. Clin. Pharmacokinet., 40(7), 509-522 (2001) wherein the structure of 11-piperazin-1-yldibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine (see Formula I below) was shown in FIG. 1. This compound was reported by Schmutz et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,573. This compound has also been used in processes for preparing quetiapine as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,288. It has now been found that 11-piperazin-1-yldibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine is a circulating metabolite of quetiapine in humans.

Because pharmaceutically active compounds and compositions having, for example, improved properties are consistently sought, there is an ongoing need for improved forms of existing drug molecules. The different properties of crystalline polymorphs of a particular drug are known to influence preparation, formulation, stability, solubility, storage stability, and in vivo pharmacology. Different crystalline forms may be desirable for different types of formulations, different modes of administration, and different indications. For example, stable polymorphs are desirable for facilitating preparation of a drug compound as well as preparation of solid formulations. Accordingly, the crystalline form of 11-piperazin-1-yldibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine described herein address the ongoing needs iterated above.


A method for estimating the thermal plasticity of coal and a caking additive by observing the thermal plasticity of coal and a caking additive under the condition that sufficiently simulates an environment surrounding thermal plastic coal and a caking additive in a coke oven and to provide a method for preparing coal of a brand having a specified quality by making clear the required quality of a coal brand which can be ideally used for manufacturing high-strength coke by using the estimation method. A method for preparing coal for coke making, the method including adjusting a permeation distance of one or more kinds of coal to a specified value or less when plural coal brands are blended as materials to be used for coke making is used.

Coke, which is used in a blast furnace method which is the most common method for manufacturing pig iron, has roles as a reducing agent of iron ore, a heat resource and a spacer. As it is important to keep gas permeability in a blast furnace in order to operate a blast furnace steadily and efficiently, the manufacture of coke having high strength is desired. Coke is manufactured by carbonizing a coal blend, which is made by blending various kinds of coal for coke making which are pulverized and whose particle size has been adjusted, in a coke oven. Coal for coke making softens and melts at a temperature in the range from 300° C. to 550° C. when carbonization is performed, and, at the same time, foams and swells due to the generation of volatile matter, which results in the particles of the coal adhering to each other so that the coal is made into agglomerated semi-coke. Then, the semi-coke is made into strong coke by being made denser in a process in which the semi-coke is heated up to a temperature of about 1000° C. and shrinks. Therefore, the adhesiveness of coal when softening and melting occur has a large influence on the properties of coke such as strength and particle size after carbonization has been performed.
As the properties and the cake structure of coke widely vary depending on the thermal plasticity of coal after carbonization has been performed as described above, the thermal plasticity of coal is so important that investigations on a method observing the thermal plasticity have been actively conducted since long ago. In particular, coke strength, which is an important property of coke, widely varies depending on the properties of coal, which is the raw material of coke, especially on coal rank and thermal plasticity. Thermal plasticity is the quality of softening and melting when coal is heated, and is usually estimated by observing the fluidity, the viscosity, the adhesiveness, the swelling property and so forth of a thermal plastic material.
The examples of common methods for observing fluidity when softening and melting occur, which is a kind of thermal plasticity, include a method for testing fluidity of coal by using a Gieseler plastometer method in accordance with JIS M 8801. A Gieseler plastometer method is a method in which coal is pulverized into a particle size of 425 μm or less, then the pulverized coal is put into a specified retort and heated at a specified heating rate, and then the rotational velocity of a stirring stick on which the specified torque is applied is observed on a scale plate and represented in units of ddpm (dial divisions per minute).
While the rotational velocity is observed for a constant torque in a Gieseler plastometer method, a method in which a torque is observed for a constant rotational velocity has also been developed. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method in which a torque is observed while a rotator is rotating at a constant rotational velocity.
In addition, there is a method for observing viscosity by using a dynamic viscoelasticity observing machine in order to observe viscosity, which has a physical meaning, as thermal plasticity (for example, refer to Patent Literature 2). A viscoelastic behavior is observed when a cyclic force is applied to a viscoelastic body in the observation of dynamic viscoelasticity. Patent Literature 2 discloses a method in which thermal plasticity is estimated in terms of complex viscosity among observed parameters and which is characterized in that the viscosity of a thermal plastic coal can be observed at an arbitrary shear rate.
Moreover, an example, in which adhesiveness of the softening coal to activated carbon or glass beads is observed as thermal plasticity of coal, has been reported. This is a method in which activated carbon or glass beads are put on the upper and lower surfaces of a small amount of a coal sample, then the sample is heated, then cooled after softening and melting has occurred, and then the adhesiveness of the coal sample to activated carbon or glass beads is observed from the appearance.
An example of common methods for observing the swelling property of coal when softening and melting occurs is a dilatometer method in accordance with JIS M 8801. A dilatometer method is a method in which coal is pulverized into a particle size of 250 μm or less, then the pulverized coal is compacted in a specified method, put into a specified retort and heated at a specified heating rate, and then the time change in the displacement of the coal is observed by using a detection stick which is placed on top of the coal.
Moreover, a method for testing the swelling property of coal, in which the permeation behavior of gas which is generated when softening and melting occur is improved in order to simulate the thermal plastic behavior of coal in a coke oven, is well known (for example, refer to Patent Literature 3). This is a method in which the observation environment is made closer to one in which swelling behavior is observed in a coke oven by placing a permeable material between a coal layer and a piston, or between a coal layer and a piston and under the coal layer in order to increase the number of permeation channels for volatile matter and liquid material which are generated from coal. Similarly, a method for observing the swelling property of coal, by placing a material having channels permeating through the body on top of a coal layer and by heating the coal with microwaves while a load is applied to the coal, is well known (refer to Patent Literature 4).

Method for preparing coal for coke making


Process for producing high-yield biodiesel applying high acidity triglycerides with generation of glycerin 90% free of salts starting from fatty lower cost fatty material allied with an esterification and innovative extraction process that generates a further value, more specifically for the production of biodiesel.

The steady increase in demand for power sources, the climatic changes caused by heating of the atmosphere and the easily extracted oil reserves, along with a more intense socio-economic development, especially in developing nations, has provided incentive for the consumption of renewable resources, which can at least partially substitute fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas.
Recently, biodiesel arose as a viable alternative in terms of renewable fuel. Transesterification is currently the most commonly used process in biodiesel production. It consists of a chemical reaction of vegetable oils or animal fats with common alcohol (ethanol) or methanol, stimulated by a catalyst, of which also extracts glycerin, a product with many different applications in the chemical industry.
Biodiesel may also be attained through other processes such as cracking and esterification. From a chemistry point-of-view, the oil or fat is used in the production of biodiesel is a triglyceride, that is, a tri-ester derived from glycerin.
Under the action of a basic catalyst and in the presence of methanol of ethanol, the oil undergoes transesterification, forming 3 methyl ester or ethyl molecules from the fatty acids, which constitute biodiesel in its essence, and liberating one molecule of glycerol or glycerin. Dozens of plant species may be used for the production of biodiesel, such as castor, palm, sunflower, babassu palm, peanut, soybean and jatropha, among others, as well as animal fats (e.g., tallow) or vegetable.
The processes for biodiesel production generally have a maximum mass yield of 95%, primarily depending on the quality of the fatty material. The better the quality, the higher the yield. Generally, the higher quality raw materials are more expensive, making biodiesel production economically unfeasible. The low mass yield is another economically negative aspect that ends up impacting the business profitability.
Triglycerides with high acidity are normally esterified prior to proceeding with the transesterification step. The process of esterification is a costly step because it requires that the excess methanol used and the reaction water be eliminated via the process of distillation, which increases the cost of the production process.
Crude glycerin coming from the current process lose around 5% to 10% of fatty material in form of 25 esters, partial glycerides and soaps, hence the final yield is around 95% at most. To separate the fatty material contained in crude glycerin, inorganic acids are usually added, such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, with the formation of their respective salts.
The glycerin generated has a purity of 60 to 80%, however the major drawback is the presence of inorganic salts like sodium sulfate and sodium chloride, which makes the glycerin purification process costly and introduces corrosion problems in the equipment used to distill the glycerin. The use of this glycerin as such is very limited due to the presence of these salts. Besides this productive aspect, a large amount of solid residue is formed, which needs to be discarded into the environment. With all these negative aspects, the value of this glycerin is marginal, and currently is a problem for major biodiesel producers.


A mixture comprising at least one vulcanizable elastomer, preferably in a mixture with a thermoplastic polymer, at least one mineral filler preferably including clay, at least one pigment or colorant preferably including red iron oxide, and optionally at least one odor making agent preferably including an extract of vanilla. The mixture can be molded and, after the addition of other suitable ingredients, can be vulcanized, thereby producing an object having the look and feel of natural clay, but having improved low temperature and mechanical stability. Molded objects made from the composition such as plant pots and saucers, wine bottle coolers, trivets, and other objects that typically are made from natural terra cotta or clay, have aesthetically pleasing characteristics as well as improved properties.

This invention relates to molding compositions containing a vulcanizable elastomer and molded objects made therefrom, particularly to molded containers having the look and feel of clay or terra cotta. More particularly, this invention relates to horticultural containers such as flowerpots and saucers as well as to containers useful for cooling beverage bottles such as wine bottles, and other molded objects that typically are made from natural terra cotta or clay such as trivets, garden ornaments, supports or feet for plant pots, dishes, spoon or utensil rests, etc.
Natural clay has been used for generations for horticultural pots such as flowerpots and other containers as well as for making other objects. While such products made from clay are aesthetically pleasing, they are susceptible to breaking when dropped and to cracking from exposure to freeze-thaw cycles in cold weather, particularly if they are wet or contain wet soil. Consequently, in colder climates ordinary clay pots must be brought indoors during the winter months and special care must be taken in handling such pots to avoid breakage. Furthermore, clay pots are susceptible to the permeation of water and the use of an impermeable container under such pots is required to avoid damage to wood floors, carpeting, etc. Similarly, clay has limited use in producing a container for cooling beverage bottles, such as wine bottles, because of its water permeability and susceptibility to cracking due to handling as well as to exposure to low temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,989 describes lightweight horticultural containers made of sand coated with from 0.5 to about 15 wt. % by weight of sand of a thermosettable or thermoplastic resin, e.g., phenol formaldehyde resin or polyvinyl chloride; the resin is set following formation of the container. The amount of sand used is limited to that necessary to coat the sand particles so that the container has a high degree of capillarity in order to provide free transfer of moisture and air. The patent teaches that dry silica sand containing less than 3% clay should be used and that the resulting containers will be about 50% lighter than a standard clay pot of the same dimensions. The use of synthetic rubbers produced in latex form, such as butadiene-styrene copolymers, is also disclosed. However, their use is also limited to low concentrations, i.e., just enough to coat the sand based on the use of a rubber latex. The patent suggests that there is no advantage to using more than 15 wt. % resin by weight of the sand in the mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,848,842 discloses forming plant containers from pulp furnish and including additives that inhibit root formation in order to prevent penetration of roots through the container walls. In example 2 of the reference, approximately 5 wt. % neoprene (polychloroprene) is included in the composition in the form of neoprene latex; additionally, zinc oxide and di-beta-naphthyl-p-phenylene diamine are also included as xe2x80x9ccompounding ingredients for the neoprene rubber.xe2x80x9d The function of these additives is not disclosed, but it is believed that under appropriate conditions zinc oxide can function as a curative for neoprene and the p-phenylene diamine as an antioxidant or stabilizer. The patent states that plant containers were molded by xe2x80x9ca conventional pulp molding processxe2x80x9d, but neither general details of such a process nor the specific conditions used to mold the containers of the example are disclosed. A separate root inhibitor chemical (pentachlorophenol) was included in the composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,909 discloses a resin-aggregate mixture comprising polyurethane resin, aggregate (sand), silane compounds, iron oxide and powdered thermoplastic resins that are molded to form flowerpots and saucers, cured and subsequently are baked at a temperature sufficient to fuse the thermoplastic resin to provide a pot having air permeability but resistance to the permeation of water. The patent fails to disclose the use of several required elements of the present invention including vulcanizable elastomer, clay, and an odor masking agent. Furthermore, as a consequence of using different components in preparing the mixture of the reference, the containers molded therefrom are not disclosed as having the look and feel of clay, nor is there any indication of improved low temperature or mechanical stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,216 discloses the use of various materials to produce films or sheets that can be formed into overlapping folds so as to produce a flowerpot shape. Useful materials are said to include foil, cellophane, paper and processed organic polymer such as polypropylene and including crosslinked polymers, provided that the material is a film or sheet and is flexible. A flowerpot made from the folded sheet or film material is said to be up to 20.0 mils in thickness. Related patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,773,182 and 4,897,031 disclosed articles made from the sheet forming materials just described and to an apparatus for folding and forming such articles.
The general formulating and use of nitrile elastomers is described in a chapter of xe2x80x9cThe Vanderbilt Rubber Handbookxe2x80x9d, Thirteenth Edition, R. F. Ohm, Editor (1990). The chapter, written by J. R. Purdon, includes information on the use of carbon black and mineral fillers, vulcanization systems, blends, processing and properties.
It would be desirable to have improved molding compositions and molded articles made from such compositions that have the look of natural clay, are capable of being formulated so as to have the feel of natural clay, but are more resistant to breakage and cold temperatures than those fabricated from ordinary fired clay.
A composition prepared by forming a mixture comprising, on the basis of parts by weight per hundred of elastomer or rubber, phr: (a) 100 phr of at least one vulcanizable elastomer or a mixture of at least one vulcanizable elastomer with at least one thermoplastic polymer or thermoplastic elastomer; (b) from about 150 phr to about 500 phr of at least one mineral filler; (c) from about 0.1 phr to about 10 phr of at least one pigment or colorant; and (d) at least one vulcanizing agent in sufficient quantity to substantially fully vulcanize said at least one vulcanizable elastomer. Optionally the composition can include from about 0.01 to about up to about 10 phr of at least one odor masking agent. Preferably the following components are employed: the vulcanizable elastomer is a mixture of butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers and styrene-butadiene copolymers, the mineral filler includes a significant amount of clay, the colorant includes red iron oxide and the odor masking agent, when used, is an extract of vanilla. The composition is usefully molded and vulcanized to form objects having the look of clay, are capable of being formulated so as to have the feel of natural clay, as well as having improved low temperature and mechanical stability. Useful objects molded from the composition include horticultural pots such as flower and planting pots, saucers used with such pots, beverage coolers such as wine bottle coolers and other items traditionally made from natural clay and terra cotta.


A device for storing and displaying one or more photographs is disclosed. The device includes at least one display plate for holding one of the photographs, and a container having a top that includes one or more display slots for holding a display plate. A photograph is mounted in the display plate and the display plate is then attached to one of the display slots to display the photograph. Additional photographs may be stored inside the container when they are not being displayed.

The present invention is related to image display devices and more particularly to a device for both storing and displaying one or more photographs or printed images.
Conventional devices for displaying printed images typically hold one or more images, such as photographs, which are displayed by hanging the device on a vertical surface or setting the device upright on a horizontal surface. In order to change the photographs being displayed, the display device is disassembled and the photograph is removed from the device and the new photograph inserted in its place. Additionally, conventional display devices usually have no provision for storing photographs which are not currently being displayed.
Thus, there is a need for a display device for displaying printed images which can display and/or store one or more images and in which the images being displayed can be quickly and easily changed.

Display device for photographs and printed images


Attendance of subjects within a monitored area includes periodic steps of: (a) transmitting by wireless transmitters (23) of identification modules (2), assigned and attachable to subjects (7), notification messages (Nm) with identification data; (b) receiving by a wireless base receiver (3) the notification messages (Nm) transmitted by the transmitters (23) and a wireless base transmitter (11) transmitting receipt confirmation messages (Cm); (c) determining attendance statuses (As) based on the received notification messages (Nm); wherein (a) additionally includes transmitting individual motion signals (Ims) representing a motion of a given identification module (2), and (c) additionally includes determining attendance status (As) of an “absent” value in a case of indicating for a predetermined time period by the individual motion signal (Ims) for a motionless status of an identification module (2) assigned to the given subject (7). Also a system is shown for an automatic monitoring of attendance of subjects within a predetermined monitored area.

An exemplary, known from the prior art and similar to the above described solution, method of a localization of an object or person within the monitored geographical area is disclosed in the European patent application EP 0 583 623 A1. This method is realized with using a number of base stations and a number of localization transmitters. Each base station comprises at least one localization receiver and is assigned to a given and limited subarea of the monitored geographical area, wherein the base stations are distributed in such a manner that their subareas cover the whole monitored area. The localization transmitters are connected to subjects that are to be localized and transmit signals that are received by the localization receivers. The method comprises the following steps:
a) periodical emissions of a localization message comprising an identification code assigned to an identity of the subject to which a given transmitter is connected, wherein the emissions are realized by the localization transmitters;
b) receiving of the emitted localization messages by at least one localization receiver;
c) storing in a database of messages by the base station corresponding to a given transmitter from the stage b), records comprising identification codes contained in the emitted messages; and
d) retrieving the code corresponding to a given subject in the database.
An automation of known solutions of this type consists in a lack of a necessity of any interaction of a given subject the attendance of which is to be monitored on a given area. The one and only duty of a subject is to carry an identification transmitter with it. Such a system automatically determines an attendance of a given subject in the monitored area and determine a given localization transmitter incoming and outgoing respectively on and from the monitored area.
The essential disadvantage of such known solutions is a lack of a resistance thereof against an attempts of a simulation of attendance of a given subject assigned to a given localization transmitter by:                carrying in a transmitter onto the monitored area, leaving the transmitter in the monitored area, and subsequently coming out from the monitored area by the subject, the attendance of which are to be monitored, without the left transmitter;        carrying in a number of transmitters by one subject onto the monitored area;        exchanging transmitters between subjects.
The only one known method for providing in such solutions a resistance against such attempts of an attendance simulation is to fixedly connect a transmitter to a given subject that is to be monitored in a manner disabling for an unauthorized detachment of a transmitter from the subject to which it is assigned. Such a solution may however not be used in each case.
The above presented exemplary disadvantages cause that such an automatic attendance monitoring, featuring apparently some advantages, have not as yet found a practical use, for example in working time registration systems where a use thereof seems to be particularly advantageous.
Practical solutions for a working time registration are still based solely on an entrance-exit terminals reading information from personal proximity cards of employees (for example RFID cards, cards provided with a bar code or cards with a magnetic strip) and employee biometric information during an employee approaching the terminal. For a correct registration these solutions require on each ingoing and outgoing episode, both in and out of the monitored work area, an interaction of an employee consisted in bringing a proximity card near to the terminal or an appropriate part of a body in a case of a biometry employment. Therefore in order to prevent for employees to passing through such terminals without reading of required data from a proximity card or without acquiring biometric information, such terminals have to be additionally provided with special gates that are open only after reading the required proximity card information or biometric data.
In such known systems an occurrence of reading of proximity card data or biometric data reading evidences solely a passing of a given employee through a terminal. Therefore in such solutions it is necessary to implement additional mechanisms (for example by an interaction with an employee, that by means of an appropriate user interface manually determines whether a given passing is an ingoing or an outgoing, or on the basis of a passing "history" analysis) specifying whether a given passing through a terminal constitutes an ingoing or an outgoing event, or simply to install individual entrance terminals and exit terminals.
Obviously in order to provide security and reliability for such a type of systems, their terminals have to be installed at all entrances and exits respectively into and out of the monitored working area. Therefore an employment of such systems is not possible in an obvious manner in a case of open working area, such as for example a construction site.
As a possibility of a simulation of an ingoing/outgoing of an employee assigned to a given proximity card is obvious, for example by providing a proximity card for reading in the terminal by a different employee not assigned to the card being read, the system of such a type have to be additionally provided with an additional appropriate security mechanism comprising for example an identity verification of an employee presenting a given proximity card, wherein the verification may for example comprise an acquisition of biometric information, photo- or video registration of an episode of bringing a card near to an entrance/exit terminal reader. However an automatic detection of such unauthorized operations using photo- and video registration may be in many cases impossible as it is difficult to recognize an image of a given employee in each situation and to automatically compare the image with a standard pattern.
Furthermore in many cases using biometric system for a working time registration may be restricted by legal restraints.
It is clearly visible that in a comparison with the automatic attendance monitoring solutions using active identification modules, the presently used working time registration systems are much more complicated with regard to a structure and a construction, and furthermore a proper operation thereof requires a considerably greater monitored employee involvement as such a proper operation is dependent on an employee goodwill and requires from an employee to do a greater number of operations for a proper registration of an ingoing or an outgoing episodes.

Method and system for automatic attendance monitoring


An electromagnetic radiation source is provided which includes an anode and a cathode separated by an anode-cathode space. The source further includes electrical contacts for applying a dc voltage between the anode and the cathode and establishing an electric field across the anode-cathode space. At least one magnet is arranged to provide a dc magnetic field within the anode-cathode space generally normal to the electric field. A plurality of openings are formed along a surface of the anode which defines the anode-cathode space, whereby electrons emitted from the cathode are influenced by the electric and magnetic fields to follow a path through the anode-cathode space and pass in close proximity to the openings. A common resonator receives electromagnetic radiation induced in the openings as a result of the electrons passing in close proximity to the openings, and reflects the electromagnetic radiation back towards the openings to produce oscillating electric fields across each of the openings at a desired operating frequency.

The present invention relates generally to electromagnetic radiation sources, and more particularly to a phased array source of electromagnetic radiation.
Magnetrons are well known in the art. Magnetrons have long served as highly efficient sources of microwave energy. For example, magnetrons are commonly employed in microwave ovens to generate sufficient microwave energy for heating and cooking various foods. The use of magnetrons is desirable in that they operate with high efficiency, thus avoiding high costs associated with excess power consumption, heat dissipation, etc.
Microwave magnetrons employ a constant magnetic field to produce a rotating electron space charge. The space charge interacts with a plurality of microwave resonant cavities to generate microwave radiation. Heretofore, magnetrons have been generally limited to maximum operating frequencies below about 100 Gigahertz (Ghz). Higher frequency operation previously has not been considered practical for perhaps a variety of reasons. For example, extremely high magnetic fields would be required in order to scale a magnetron to very small dimensions. In addition, there would be considerable difficulty in fabricating very small microwave resonators. Such problems previously have made higher frequency magnetrons improbable and impractical.
Recently, the applicant has developed a magnetron that is suitable for operating at frequencies heretofore not possible with conventional magnetrons. This high frequency magnetron is capable of producing high efficiency, high power electromagnetic energy at frequencies within the infrared and visible light bands, and which may extend beyond into higher frequency bands such as ultraviolet, x-ray, etc. As a result, the magnetron may serve as a light source in a variety of applications such as long distance optical communications, commercial and industrial lighting, manufacturing, etc. Such magnetron is described in detail in commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/584,887, filed on Jun. 1, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,194, and Ser. No. 09/798,623, filed on Mar. 1, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,303, the entire disclosures of which are both incorporated herein by reference.
This high frequency magnetron is advantageous as it does not require extremely high magnetic fields. Rather, the magnetron preferably uses a magnetic field of more reasonable strength, and more preferably a magnetic field obtained from permanent magnets. The magnetic field strength determines the radius of rotation and angular velocity of the electron space charge within the interaction region between the cathode and the anode (also referred to herein as the anode-cathode space). The anode includes a plurality of small resonant cavities which are sized according to the desired operating wavelength. A mechanism is provided for constraining the plurality of resonant cavities to operate in what is known as a pi-mode. Specifically, each resonant cavity is constrained to oscillate pi-radians out of phase with the resonant cavities immediately adjacent thereto. An output coupler or coupler array is provided to couple optical radiation away from the resonant cavities in order to deliver useful output power.
Nevertheless, there remains a strong need in the art for even further advances in the development of high frequency electromagnetic radiation sources. For example, there remains a strong need for a device with fewer loss mechanisms and hence even further improved efficiency. More particularly, there is a strong need for a device which does not utilize a plurality of small resonant cavities. Such a device would offer greater design flexibility. Moreover, such a device would be particularly well suited for producing electromagnetic radiation at very short wavelengths.
A phased array source of electromagnetic radiation (referred to herein as a xe2x80x9cphaserxe2x80x9d) is provided in accordance with the present invention. The phaser converts direct current (dc) electricity into single-frequency electromagnetic radiation. Its wavelength of operation may be in the microwave bands or infrared light or visible light bands, or even shorter wavelengths.
In the exemplary embodiments, the phaser includes an array of phasing lines and/or interdigital electrodes which are disposed around the outer circumference of an electron interaction space. During operation, oscillating electric fields appear in gaps between adjacent phasing lines/interdigital electrodes in the array. The electric fields are constrained to point in opposite directions in adjacent gaps, thus providing so-called xe2x80x9cpi-modexe2x80x9d fields that are necessary for efficient magnetron operation.
An electron cloud rotates about an axis of symmetry within the interaction space. As the cloud rotates, the electron distribution becomes bunched on its outer surface forming spokes of electronic charge which resemble the teeth on a gear. The operating frequency of the phaser is determined by how rapidly the spokes pass from one gap to the next in one half of the oscillation period. The electron rotational velocity is determined primarily by the strength of a permanent magnetic field and the electric field which are applied to the interaction region. For very high frequency operation, the phasing lines/interdigital electrodes are spaced very closely to permit a large number of gap passings per second.
According to one particular aspect of the invention, an electromagnetic radiation source is provided. The source includes an anode and a cathode separated by an anode-cathode space. Electrical contacts are provided for applying a dc voltage between the anode and the cathode and establishing an electric field across the anode-cathode space. At least one magnet is arranged to provide a dc magnetic field within the anode-cathode space generally normal to the electric field. A plurality of openings are formed along a surface of the anode which defines the anode-cathode space, whereby electrons emitted from the cathode are influenced by the electric and magnetic fields to follow a path through the anode-cathode space and pass in close proximity to the openings. The source further includes a common resonator which receives electromagnetic radiation induced in the openings as a result of the electrons passing in close proximity to the openings, and which reflects the electromagnetic radiation back towards the openings and produces oscillating electric fields across each of the openings at a desired operating frequency.
According to another aspect of the invention, an electromagnetic radiation source is provided which includes an anode and a cathode separated by an anode-cathode space. The source further includes electrical contacts for applying a dc voltage between the anode and the cathode and establishing an electric field across the anode-cathode space. In addition, the source includes at least one magnet arranged to provide a dc magnetic field within the anode-cathode space generally normal to the electric field, and an array comprising N pin-like electrodes forming at least a part of the anode and arranged in a pattern to define the anode-cathode space. Furthermore, the source includes at least one common resonant cavity in proximity to the electrodes. The electrodes are spaced apart with openings therebetween, and electrons emitted from the cathode are influenced by the electric and magnetic fields to follow a path through the anode-cathode space and pass in close proximity to the openings to establish a resonant electromagnetic field within the common resonant cavity.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

Phased array source of electromagnetic radiation


The invention is a method for retrieving answers to questions from an information retrieval system. The method involves automatically learning phrase features for classifying questions into different types, automatically generating candidate query transformations from a training set of question/answer pairs, and automatically evaluating the candidate transforms on information retrieval systems. At run time, questions are transformed into a set of queries, and re-ranking is performed on the documents retrieved.

A significant number of natural language questions (e.g., "What is a hard disk") are submitted to search engines on the web every day, and an increasing number of search services on the web specifically target natural language questions. For example, some services uses databases of pre-compiled information, metasearching, and other proprietary methods, while other services facilitate interaction with human experts.
Many web search engines typically treat a natural language question as a list of terms and retrieve documents similar to the original query. However, documents with the best answers may contain few of the terms from the original query and be ranked low by the search engine. These queries could be answered more precisely if a search engine recognized them as questions.
Often, it is not sufficient to submit a natural language question (e.g., "How do I tie shoelaces?") to a search engine in its original form. Most search engines will treat such a query as a bag of terms and retrieve documents similar to the original query. Unfortunately, the documents with the best answers may contain only one or two terms present in the original query. Such useful documents may then be ranked low by the search engine, and will never be examined by typical users who do not look beyond the first page of results.
Consider the question "What is a hard disk?." The best documents for this query are probably not company websites of disk storage manufacturers, which may be returned by a general-purpose search engine, but rather hardware tutorials or glossary pages with definitions or descriptions of hard disks. A good response might contain an answer such as: "Hard Disk. One or more rigid magnetic disks rotating about a central axle with associated read/write heads and electronics, used to store data . . . ". This definition can be retrieved by transforming the original question into a query {"hard disk" NEAR "used to"}. Intuitively, by requiring the phrase "used to", most search engines can be biased towards retrieving this answer as one of the top-ranked documents.
A number of systems aim to extract answers from documents. For example, certain systems process the documents returned by the information retrieval system to extract answers. Questions are classified into one of a set of known "question types" that identify the type of entity corresponding to the answer. Documents are tagged to recognize entities, and passages surrounding entities of the correct type for a given question are ranked using a set of heuristics. Other systems re-rank and postprocess the results of regular information retrieval systems with the goal of returning the best passages. There are systems that combine statistical and linguistic knowledge for question answering and employ sophisticated linguistic filters to postprocess the retrieved documents and extract the most promising passages to answer a question.
These systems above use the general approach of retrieving documents or passages that are similar to the original question with variations of standard TF-IDF term weighting schemes. The most promising passages are chosen from the documents returned using heuristics and/or hand-crafted regular expressions. This approach is not optimal, because documents that are similar to the question are initially retrieved. However, the user is actually looking for documents containing an answer and these documents may contain few of the terms used to ask the original question. This is particularly important when retrieving documents is expensive or limited to a certain number of documents, as is the case with web search engines.
Also related are methods for automatically expanding queries based on the relevance of terms in the top-ranked documents. One approach describes how to automatically expand a query based on the co-occurrence of terms in the query with the terms in the top-ranked documents for the original query. In general, automatic query expansion systems expand queries at run time on a query-by-query basis using an initial set of top-ranked documents returned by the information system in response to the original query.

Method for retrieving answers from an information retrieval system


Several unique configurations for interferometric recording of volumetric phase diffractive elements with relatively high angle diffraction for use in waveguides are disclosed. Separate layer EPE and OPE structures produced by various methods may be integrated in side-by-side or overlaid constructs, and multiple such EPE and OPE structures may be combined or multiplexed to exhibit EPE/OPE functionality in a single, spatially-coincident layer. Multiplexed structures reduce the total number of layers of materials within a stack of eyepiece optics, each of which may be responsible for displaying a given focal depth range of a volumetric image. Volumetric phase type diffractive elements are used to offer properties including spectral bandwidth selectivity that may enable registered multi-color diffracted fields, angular multiplexing capability to facilitate tiling and field-of-view expansion without crosstalk, and all-optical, relatively simple prototyping compared to other diffractive element forms, enabling rapid design iteration.

Modern computing and display technologies have facilitated the development of systems for so called "virtual reality" or "augmented reality" experiences, wherein digitally reproduced images or portions thereof are presented to a user in a manner wherein they seem to be, or may be perceived as, real. A virtual reality, or "VR", scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information without transparency to other actual real-world visual input; an augmented reality, or "AR", scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information as an augmentation to visualization of the actual world around the user.
When placing digital content (e.g., 3-D content such as a virtual chandelier object presented to augment a real-world view of a room, or 2-D content such as a planar/flat virtual oil painting object presented to augment a real-world view of a room), design choices may be made to control behavior of the objects. For example, the 2-D oil painting object may be head-centric, in which case the object moves around along with the user's head (e.g., as in a Google Glass approach); or the object may be world-centric, in which case it may be presented as though it is part of the real world coordinate system, so that the user may move his head or eyes without moving the position of the object relative to the real world.
When placing virtual content into the augmented reality world presented with an augmented reality system, whether the object should be presented as world centric (i.e., the virtual object stays in position in the real world so that the user may move his body, head, eyes around it without changing its position relative to the real world objects surrounding it, such as a real world wall); body, or torso, centric, in which case a virtual element may be fixed relative to the user's torso, so that the user may move his head or eyes without moving the object, but such movement is slaved to torso movements; head centric, in which case the displayed object (and/or display itself) may be moved along with head movements, as described above in reference to Google Glass; or eye centric, as in a "foveated display" configuration wherein content is slewed around as a function of what the eye position is.
Some conventional approaches use optical waveguides having surface relief type diffractive elements (e.g., linear gratings) to redirect light beams from an image source to provide pupil expansion and to produce virtual content display to an observer's eye (in a monocular arrangement) or eyes (in a binocular arrangement). These waveguides having surface-relief type diffractive elements require complex designs of digital diffractive patterns. These complex designs are subsequently converted into high resolution binary mask information and then exposed onto a reticle or transferred to an electronic-beam writing device (e.g., lithographic writing equipment). These digital diffractive patterns are then authored or printed into a photoresist material and subsequently etched using various etching techniques. Such surface relief type diffractive elements are not only costly to manufacture, but the resulting structures are also fragile and vulnerable to inadvertent damages or contamination due to the existence of microscopic relief structures.
Thus, there exists a need for methods and apparatus having enhanced diffractive elements for displaying virtual content for virtual or augmented reality.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for generating virtual content display with a virtual or augmented reality apparatus


To provide an active matrix liquid crystal display unit in which a wiring break at the intersection of drain wiring and gate wiring is prevented with reliability. One or more recesses extending along drain wiring and having a depth equal to or greater than the width of the drain wiring are formed in at least one side of gate wiring at an area near an intersection of the gate wiring and the drain wiring. Furthermore, the gate wiring is composed of two layers of Mo and Al, for example, and the side faces of the gate wiring are tapered. The recesses having a sufficient depth formed in the gate wiring at the area near the intersection with the drain wiring adequately elongate the etchant penetration path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display unit. In particular, it relates to an active matrix liquid crystal display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An active matrix liquid crystal display unit using a thin film transistor (abbreviated as TFT, hereinafter) as a switching element is widely used. Such an active matrix liquid crystal display unit comprises: a substrate on which gate wiring, drain wiring, TFTs, pixel electrodes and the like are disposed (referred to as a TFT substrate, hereinafter); an opposite substrate on which a color filter, a black matrix and the like are disposed; and a liquid crystal interposed between the substrates. Applying a voltage between the electrodes on the TFT substrate and the electrodes on the opposite substrate or between plural electrodes on the TFT substrate causes the orientations of the liquid crystal molecules, thereby controlling the light transmission on a pixel-to-pixel basis.
FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B show an exemplary structure of an active matrix liquid crystal display unit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a TFT substrate showing a configuration thereof near an intersection of gate wiring and drain wiring. FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views thereof taken along the lines I-I and II-II in FIG. 1, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, the TFT substrate comprises a transparent insulating substrate 1, gate wiring 2 on the transparent insulating substrate 1, and drain wiring 6 that perpendicularly intersects with the gate wiring 2 with a gate insulating film 3 interposed therebetween. At the intersection of the gate wiring 2 and the drain wiring 6, an island-like semiconductor layer is provided on the gate insulating film 3. The semiconductor layer comprises a lower amorphous silicon sublayer (referred to as an a-Si sublayer 4, hereinafter) and an upper n+a-Si sublayer 5 containing an n-type impurity in a relatively large amount. A TFT 11 is disposed near the intersection of the gate wiring 2 and the drain wiring 6. The TFT 11 comprises a gate electrode 2A, the gate insulating film 3, the a-Si sublayer 4, the n+a-Si sublayer 5, a drain electrode 6A and a source electrode 7. A channel section of the TFT 11 is formed by partially removing the n+a-Si sublayer 5 and the a-Si sublayer 4. The drain electrode 6A and the source electrode 7 are located on the opposite sides of the channel section. The drain electrode 6A and the gate electrode 2A of the TFT 11 are connected to the drain wiring 6 and the gate wiring 2, respectively. A pixel electrode 9, which is made of a transparent conductive film of indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like, is formed so as to partially overlap with the source electrode 7, and a passivation layer 8 for protecting the surface of the substrate is formed on the pixel electrode 9 and the source electrode 7.
In this way, in order to drive a matrix array of the TFTs 11, the TFT substrate has the gate wiring 2 and the drain wiring 6 disposed perpendicular to each other. If the TFT substrate has inverted-staggered TFTs 11, the drain wiring 6 is formed over the gate wiring 2. The drain wiring 6 is formed by depositing a metal material, such as Cr, by sputtering or the like. It is known that the Cr film deposited by sputtering is not dense and, in particular, is coarse in an area covering a step. Furthermore, sputtering cannot provide adequate step coverage, and thus, the resulting metal film, which is to constitute the drain wiring 6, is thinner on the side faces of the step on the gate insulating film 3 formed due to the gate wiring 2. Therefore, when the deposited metal film, which is to constitute the drain wiring 6, is wet-etched using a resist pattern as a mask, the etching process is completed faster in the side faces of the step, and the etchant penetrates into the interface between the gate insulating film 3 and the metal film at the step. As a result, a problem occurs that the drain wiring 6 is broken.
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592 described above discloses a method of avoiding such defective etching of the upper wiring due to the step at the intersection of wires. According to the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592, as shown in FIG. 3, the gate wiring 2 (gate electrode 2A) and the semiconductor layers located below the drain wiring 6, the drain electrode 6A and the source electrode 7 have protrusions formed at the opposite sides thereof. It is described that the penetration path for the etchant is elongated by these protrusions, and thus, the drain wiring 6 can be prevented from being broken at the step formed due to the underlying gate wiring 2 and semiconductor layers.
In the liquid crystal display unit, the gate wiring and the drain wiring tend to be made thin to improve the aperture ratio. As the drain wiring becomes thinner, the penetration path for the etchant becomes shorter, and the wire becomes more likely to be broken. Besides, to reduce the parasitic capacitance between the gate wiring and the drain wiring, it is preferred that the gate wiring is as thin as possible at the intersection. However, in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592 described above, no mention is made of the size of the protrusions. The protrusions formed on the gate wiring 2 described in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592 cannot provide sufficient extension of the penetration path for the etchant. In addition, since the protrusions extending outwardly from the gate wiring 2 are formed along the drain wiring 6, the parasitic capacitance between the wires increases.
Furthermore, in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-330592 described above, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the gate wiring 2 has substantially right-angled side faces, which are reflected in the drain wiring 6, and thus, the drain wiring 6 has a step having substantially right-angled side faces. The drain wiring 6 is composed of a metal film, specifically, a Cr film. At the side faces of the step, the metal film is covered inadequately, so that the metal film is thinner than in the remaining areas, and thus, the metal film is susceptible to penetration of the etchant. Thus, even if the protrusions are formed on the gate wiring 2 to elongate the penetration path for the etchant, it is difficult to prevent the drain wiring 6 from being broken with reliability.
As described above, if the drain wiring is thin to improve the definition of the liquid crystal display unit, it is necessary to optimize not only the two-dimensional configuration of the gate wiring at the intersection of the gate wiring and the drain wiring but also the three-dimensional configuration thereof in accordance with the width of the drain wiring.


A fabrication-tolerant non-linear waveguide taper for a waveguide transition can be designed by computing the scattering rate associated with the waveguide transition as a function of waveguide width of the waveguide taper for each of multiple sets of parameter values characterizing the waveguide transition (e.g., a set of nominal parameter values and sets of parameter values associated with process corners representing process variations from the nominal parameter values), determining an envelope of the computed width-dependent scattering rates, and computing a non-linear taper profile of the waveguide taper based on the envelope. Light propagation and coupling along the waveguide transition may further be computationally simulated for the multiple sets of parameter values to determine a minimum transmission value associated with the waveguide transition for a specified taper length, and/or to determine a minimum taper length at which the transmission values associated with the waveguide transition exceed a specified threshold transmission value.

Silicon-based PICs benefit from low optical losses, ease of integration with electronic components, and manufacturability using standard photolithographic techniques. To allow for the integration of active photonic devices—such as lasers, optical amplifiers, optical modulators, and photodetectors—into the photonic circuits, III-V materials, which feature high electro-optic efficiency, may be combined with silicon in a heterogeneous (sometimes also referred to as "hybrid") material platform. A common way of achieving such heterogeneous material integration involves bonding III-V die to a pre-patterned silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, and coupling light between a silicon waveguide in the wafer and the optically active III-V region. In some applications, the light couples evanescently from the silicon waveguide to the active region, but this approach provides only limited overlap between the optical mode and the active region, as a large portion of the optical mode remains guided in the silicon waveguide. To maximize the overlap with the active region, therefore, many applications use tapered waveguide transitions between silicon and III-V waveguides to fully transfer the optical mode to the waveguide and/or back to the silicon waveguide.
The performance of a laser or other active device utilizing a tapered waveguide transitions depends in no small part on the optical losses that the guided light incurs along the waveguide due to scattering into undesired higher-order modes. In general, scattering losses can be reduced by making the change in width more gradual, and thus the taper longer. However, longer tapers come with their own problems. In single-mode laser applications, for instance, the laser cavity, which includes the waveguide taper, is preferably made as short as possible to make single-mode operation easier. Also, light propagation losses in the bulk of the waveguide increase linearly with length. Accordingly, a low-loss, yet compact waveguide transition is desirable.

Fabrication-tolerant non-linear waveguide taper


A portable electronic device having an immovable body, a movable body, and a sliding module. The sliding module has a fixing frame fixed to the immovable body, a movable frame fixed to the movable body and slidably coupled to the fixing frame, and an elastic element having a fixing end fixed to the fixing frame and a movable end fixed to the movable frame. When the movable body slides with respect to the immovable body from a first position to a second position by the sliding module, the movable end relatively moves from a first stop position to a second stop position along a moving path. The distance from the orthographic projection of the fixing end on the moving path to the first stop position is larger than the distance from the orthographic projection of the fixing end on the moving path to the second stop position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and in particular, to a portable electronic device having bodies capable of sliding with respect to each other.
2. Description of Related Art
A portable electronic device is an electronic device which can be carried around with ease. Moreover, the portable electronic device is small and light, such that a user may carry it conveniently. The most common portable electronic devices are, for example, a mobile phone, a multimedia player, a personal digital assistance (PDA), a PDA phone, a handheld game console, a handheld global positioning system, and a notebook.
In order to improve the convenience for typing, the portable electronic device may include a standard keyboard. However, if the keyboard and a display are on the same side of the device, the device must have a larger area on one side. Therefore, the portable electronic devices in the current market mainly utilize a two-layer foldable design or a two-layer sliding type design, so that the display and the keyboard may be disposed respectively on two overlapping machine bodies, and thereby the area of the portable electronic device may be reduced.


A pump actuated by a reciprocal oscillating motion, the pump including a casing member enclosing an elongated substantially cylindrical chamber therewithin, a pair of flexible bellows disposed at the opposing distal ends of the chamber, each of the bellows, in a normal unflexed state, extending inward into the chamber, and each of the bellows enclosing a pumping chamber, each of the pumping-chambers having a one way intake port and a one way output port, a piston positioned within the chamber for reciprocation therewithin under the influence of gravity in response to the reciprocal oscillating motion, the piston including a substantially spheroid member, the piston having a reciprocal stroke such that, at the extremes of the reciprocal stroke, the piston alternately compresses each of the flexible bellows, thereby alternately decreasing the volume of each of the pumping, and a cap member disposed at each of the distal ends of the casing member, each of the cap members abutting one of the flexible bellows to thereby enclose the pumping chambers between the cap members and the flexible bellows.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to pumps, more particularly, to pumps that draw their power from the environment, and even more particularly, to bilge pumps that are employed to remove bilge water from water going vessels.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,295 relates to an apparatus for removing water out of a boat that includes a swingable member actuated by a rolling or pitching motion of the boat, and a water discharging pump actuated by the swingable member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,671 relates to a gravity actuated pump for a boat that includes a housing, at the base of which there is a pressure chamber having an entrance flutter valve, a flexible bellow, and an output ball and seat valve. A pressure head is connected to the bellow, the pressure head being constrained for reciprocal motion by a vertical guide within the housing, and being universally pivotally connected to a heavy weight, the weight, in turn, being universally pivotally connected to the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,969,761 relates to a bilge pump for a vessel having a casing and a piston reciprocal therein adapted to be mounted for oscillating motion caused by the vessel, the casing having a single median inlet port for passing liquids only into the casing, and outlet ports at opposite ends of the casing for passing liquids only out of the casing and into conduits that communicate with the exterior of the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,499 relates to a pump which, when installed in a boat, is operated by the incessant intermittent pull of the boat on the mooring line to pump out any water that may be at the bottom of the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,305 relates to a bailing pump for boats that includes a vertically upward projecting leaf spring having a weighted pendulum at the top thereof, the rocking of which actuates a bellows, the bellows connecting via a conduit to a T-shaped coupling member, one branch of the T-shaped connection leading to a one way intake port, and the other branch of the T-shaped connection leading to a discharge conduit.


The invention provides a baby monitor device featuring a specially designed power cord that easily separates from the monitor when handled or otherwise accessed. When the cord is separated from the monitor, an internal battery powered alarm immediately sounds and notifies a child's caregivers, allowing them to take immediate action to retrieve the cord and assist the child.

The prior art has put forth several designs for baby monitors. Among these are:
US Patent 2006/0103522 to Cathryn N. Spencer describes a baby monitor with multi sensory notification. The baby monitor comprises a first base and a second base each having a microphone for detecting sound and a radio component for broadcasting the detected sound as a unique radio signal unique to each base. The baby monitor also has a receiver which contains a speaker for broadcasting a reproduction of the detected sound, a first indicator light to indicate if the unique radio signal is a first unique radio signal, a second indicator light to indicate if the unique radio signal is a second unique radio signal, and a vibrating motor which issues a first vibratory alert when a first unique radio signal is received and a second vibratory alert when a second unique radio signal is received.
US Patent 2007/0161262 to James Taylor Lloyd describes a detachable magnetic electrical connector. A connector body attached to an appliance has a first body with four contact receptacles and a magnet which is adapted to attach and detach from a second body having four contact pins and a ferrous metal plate. The second body is attached to an electrical cord with a grounded plug. Two of the pins are the live electrical connections. The other two pins are ground connections that coexist, so the grounded connection for the appliance exists as long as one remains in contact. The two ground connections are spatially located relative to one another so that no matter which direction breakaway occurs, at least one will always be in connection until the live connection is broken first.
US Patent 2010/0007486 to Jan Jang Lu is a wireless infant state alarm system that includes a detecting device placed adjacent an infant. The detecting device includes an external signal receiver for receiving an external signal indicative of at least one of movement and sound of the infant. The detecting device further includes a signal transmitter receiving and converting the external signal into a wireless signal indicative of at least one of movement and sound of the infant and transmitting the wireless signal. An alarm device is placed adjacent a guardian of the infant and includes a signal receiver and a vibrator. The signal receiver receives the wireless signal from the signal transmitter, and the vibrator vibrates to alert the guardian of a state of the infant.
None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

Baby monitor with breakaway cord and wireless alarm


The IC socket is capable of obtaining a stable engaging force to meet variations in thickness of the lead of an IC package, when the IC socket comprises a socket body, a plurality of contacts which are arranged on the socket body to be engaged with a plurality of leads while being resiliently depressed from above and a cover which is provided to be vertically movable for the socket body and to depress the contacts to displace them outwardly against their resilience to allow the contacts out of the electrical engagement when the cover is moved down, when the plurality of contacts respectively have a fixing portion which is fixed to the socket body, a contact portion for electrical engagement with the lead (L) of the IC package (P), a cantilever portion which enables the release of the lead (L) and the contact from electrical engagement by rotating or pivoting around the contact portion, and an engaging portion which comes into sliding engagement with the cover, the distance from the contact portion to the bottom side of the contact fixing portion of the single contact before it is inserted into the socket body is smaller than the same distance after mounting the contact in the socket body to provide a preloaded engaging force between the contact and the IC package on the socket body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC socket which comprises a socket body, a cover and a plurality of contacts and performs electrical engagement and disengagement of said contacts with the leads of an IC package, and, more specifically, an improvement of contact reliability of the IC socket concerned.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, all IC packages are subject to screening inspections in several methods to ensure their original functions. One of these screening inspections of the IC packages is a burn-in test, which is intended to test high temperature characteristics of IC packages by setting the IC packages mounted on IC sockets in a convective oven and actuating them in a high temperature environment.
FIGS. 15 to 18 respectively show an IC socket applicable to an automatic machine for use in the burn-in test disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,470. More specifically, FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a normal condition before the screening inspection. FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view showing the IC socket on which an IC package is mounted. FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view showing the operating condition and FIG. 18 is a load-displacement characteristic view of the contacts.
This IC socket comprises a socket body 1', a cover 2' and a plurality of contacts 3' as shown. This plurality of contacts 3' respectively have a contact portion 31' for electrical engagement with a lead L of the IC package P, a cantilever portion 32' for rotating this contact portion 31' to allow electrical disengagement of the lead L from the contact 3', and an engaging portion which slides to engage with the cover 2'. In this case, when the cover 2' is depressed downwardly against the resilience (repulsive force) of the contacts 3', the contacts 3' are forcibly displaced outwardly and the contacts 3' and the lead L of the IC package P are released from electrical engagement. Under this condition, therefore, the IC package P can be remounted. When a force for depressing the cover 2' is removed, the contacts 3' are turned around in a opposite direction to the aforementioned direction and connected again with the lead L of the IC package P.
However, in the above-described IC socket, an engaging force between the contact and the lead (L) has been obtained as a resilient repulsive force which would cause the contact to be displaced by as much as the thickness of the lead (L) as shown in FIG. 16 and therefore, if the IC package (P) having the leads (L) with a different thickness is used, a variation in the thickness of the lead (L) has greatly affected the engaging force and a stable engaging force could not be obtained and consequently a stable electrical contact resistance could not be obtained. In addition, there has been a problem that an error of thickness of the leads (L) resulting from manufacturing affects significantly effects the electrical contact resistance. Accordingly, to obtain a stable engaging force, that is, a stable electrical contact resistance, it has been necessary to change the resilience of the contact 3' in accordance with the thickness of the lead (L) of the IC package (P) or partly change the shape of the contact 3' and the socket body 1' and moreover prepare various IC sockets to meet variations in the thickness of the lead (L).
An object of the present invention which was made in view of the above problems is to provide an IC socket capable of providing a stable engaging force in response to variations in the thickness of the lead (L) of the IC package (P).

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A mining plough for plough systems for the exploiting of minerals in inclined formations. In order to provide a mining plough and a plough system, with which coal seams, in particular seams in steep formation can be exploited economically and with high operating safety, the mining plough includes a separable plough body having two plough body basic elements each being provided with a fixture for a separate traction means and with a guide means for moving the coal plough by means of at least two traction means and for guiding the coal plough on at least two mutually spaced guide mechanisms.

In the last two decades, the automatic mechanization of the working of flat-stratified coal seams with 0-20 gon (0 to 18 degrees) dip and slightly inclined deposits with 20-40 gon (18 to 36 degrees) dip has led to outputs of up to 1500 t/h with mining ploughs in plough systems and of over 2600 t/h with shearers. Nowadays, the volume of coal which is worked underground stems more than 90% from flat or slightly inclined deposits, since with existing mining technology these can be worked considerably more economically than coal seams or other mineral seams in heavily inclined formation with more than 40 gon (36 degrees) dip, or in steep formation with 60 gon to 100 gon (54 to 90 degrees) dip.
For the working of coal in inclined formation, in particular in steep formation, mostly baseplate plough systems or portal-type plough systems have most recently been used, and DE 32 45 515 C2 describes by way of example a plough system for the working of steeply stratified coal seams with a dip of more than 60°. In this baseplate plough system for steep formation, the guide mechanism consists of a chain channel profiled roughly in a C-shape, in which the plough baseplate engages with a guide block.

Mining plough for plough systems and plough system for inclined formation