A stretch mounting unit includes a unit body detachably mounted on a stretcher, a drive device attached to the unit body for providing an output, a center shaft for receiving the output of the drive device, a coupling that couples the drive device and the center shaft for transmitting the output of the drive device to the center shaft, a roller pressed on the center shaft to produce torque, a carrier swingably disposed on the center shaft, a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the carrier and rotated by the torque of the roller, and a friction clutch provided rotatably on the center shaft and associated with the carrier for swinging the carrier until one of the pair of wheels touches the ground.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stretcher mounting unit which can be readily attached to and detached from a stretcher to be used in carrying a patient at sites of medical care such as hospitals and other medical nursing facilities.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional stretchers which are used for carrying patients, invalids, etc. at sites of medical care such as hospitals are not provided with a power device for travel motion, and are usually moved by artificial motive power. Thus, these conventional stretchers have cast a heavy burden on men or women of the nursing force.
Heretofore, motor-driven medical beds and motor-driven wheelchairs have been in use. These bedsand wheelchairs are highly expensive because they incorporate internal mechanisms, motors, and electric power sources in their main bodies. These beds and wheelchairs purchase entail enormous cost because they must be procured as new products one by one.
The development of a motor-driven stretcher, among other types of stretchers, has a residual problem in terms of cost. Even at present, substantially all sites of medical care, such as premises of hospitals, use stretchers relying solely on artificial power to carry patients, invalids, etc. Such is a true state of affairs.
Generally, the carriage of a patient by the use of a stretcher is inevitably performed, more often than not, by one person. The combined weight of the stretcher itself and the patient laid thereon averages in the approximate range of 80-150 kg. The carriage of this weight by just one nurse has been found to be very hard labor.
Especially, the carriage of a patient or an invalid with a stretcher on a winding passageway, a sloped passageway which changes in level, or a long corridor has demanded still greater man-power. At times, the carriage of the patient has required extra help.
Most conventional stretchers have four freely rotatable castors fixed thereto, to touch the ground in order to produce a small turning circle while in use. Such a stretcher, while in service, is prone to produce an instable travel because the individual castors thereof often randomly assume directions different randomly from the direction of travel of the stretcher. Thus, the conventional stretchers have been deficient in the ability to produce a translatory motion, and the casters thereof are unstable during a turning motion of the stretcher,
Since the carriage of a patient or an invalid with a conventional stretcher has inflicted great pain on the nurse as described above, the desirability of relieving the nurse of this pain by offering a stably operating, inexpensive stretcher which avoids inflicting an undue burden on the user has been finding enthusiastic recognition.
This invention has been produced in light of the true state of prior art described above. It is an object of this invention to relieve the medical personel of the burden incurred in the carriage of patients, by providing a stretcher mounting unit which allows a reduction in the power necessary for the carriage of patients, enjoys a satisfactory operation, and avoids adding to cost.


A dual fuel mixer is disclosed having a mixing duct, a shroud surrounding the upstream end of the mixing duct having contained therein a gas fuel manifold and a liquid fuel manifold in flow communication with a gas fuel supply and a liquid fuel supply, respectively, and control means, a set of inner and outer annular counter-rotating swirlers adjacent the upstream end of the mixing duct, where at least the outer annular swirlers include hollow vanes with internal cavities and gas fuel passages, all of which are in fluid communication with the gas fuel manifold to inject gas fuel into the air stream, the vane cavities also having liquid fuel passages therethrough in fluid communication with the liquid fuel manifold, and a hub separating the inner and outer annular swirlers to allow independent rotation thereof, the hub having a circumferential slot in fluid communication with the liquid fuel passages which injects liquid fuel into the air stream, wherein high pressure air from a compressor is injected into the mixing duct through the swirlers to form an intense shear region and gas fuel is injected into the air stream from the outer annular swirler vanes and/or liquid fuel is injected into the air stream from the hub slot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air fuel mixer for the combustor of a gas turbine engine, and, more particularly, to a dual fuel mixer for the combustor of a gas turbine engine which uniformly mixes either liquid and/or gaseous fuel with air so as to reduce NOx formed by the ignition of the fuel/air mixture.
2. Description of Related Art
Air pollution concerns worldwide have led to stricter emissions standards requiring significant reductions in gas turbine pollutant emissions, especially for industrial and power generation applications. Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), which are a precursor to atmospheric pollution, are generally formed in the high temperature regions of the gas turbine combustor by direct oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen with oxygen. Reductions in gas turbine emissions of NOx have been obtained by the reduction of flame temperatures in the combustor, such as through the injection of high purity water or steam in the combustor. Additionally, exhaust gas emissions have been reduced through measures such as selective catalytic reduction. While both the wet techniques (water/steam injection) and selective catalytic reduction have proven themselves in the field, both of these techniques require extensive use of ancillary equipment. Obviously, this drives the cost of energy production higher. Other techniques for the reduction of gas turbine emissions include "rich burnt quick quench, lean burn" and "lean premix" combustion, where the fuel is burned at a lower temperature.
In a typical aero-derivative industrial gas turbine engine, fuel is burned in an annular combustor. The fuel is metered and injected into the combustor by means of multiple nozzles along with combustion air having a designated amount of swirl. No particular care has been exercised in the prior art, however, in the design of the nozzle or the dome end of the combustor to mix the fuel and air uniformly to reduce the flame temperatures. Accordingly, non-uniformity of the air/fuel mixture causes the flame to be locally hotter, leading to significantly enhanced production of NOx.
In the typical aircraft gas turbine engine, flame stability and engine operability dominate combustor design requirements. This has in general resulted in combustor designs with the combustion at the dome end of the combustor proceeding at the highest possible temperatures at stoichiometric conditions. This, in turn, leads to large quantities of NOx being formed in such gas turbine combustors since it has been of secondary importance.
While premixing ducts in the prior art have been utilized in lean burning designs, they have been found to be unsatisfactory due to flashback and auto-ignition considerations for modern gas turbine applications. Flashback involves the flame of the combustor being drawn back into the mixing section, which is most often caused by a backflow from the combustor due to compressor instability and transient flows. Auto-ignition of the fuel/air mixture can occur within the premixing duct if the velocity of the air flow is not fast enough, i.e., where there is a local region of high residence time. Flashback and auto-ignition have become serious considerations in the design of mixers for aero-derivative engines due to increased pressure ratios and operating temperatures. Since one desired application of the present invention is for the LM6000 gas turbine engine, which is the aero-derivative of General Electric's CF6-80C2 engine, these considerations are of primary significance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,241, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention, discloses an air fuel mixer for gas turbine combustors to provide uniform mixing which includes a mixing duct, a set of inner and outer annular counter-rotating swirlers at the upstream end of the mixing duct and a fuel nozzle located axially along and forming a centerbody of the mixing duct, wherein high pressure air from a compressor is injected into the mixing duct through the swirlers to form an intense shear region and fuel is injected into the mixing duct through the centerbody. However, this design is useful only for the introduction of gaseous fuel to the combustor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,447, which is also owned by the assignee of the present invention, describes an air fuel mixer similar to that disclosed and claimed herein and is hereby incorporated by reference. The dual fuel mixer of the present invention, however, is different from the air fuel mixer of the '447 patent in that it provides separate fuel manifolds and passages to allow the injection of gas and/or liquid fuel.

Dual fuel mixer for gas turbine combustor


The present invention relates to an absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent article comprises pressure sensitive adhesive on a garment facing surface of the backsheet, and the backsheet is a breathable polyolefin-based film and has a Water Vapour Transmission Rate measured according to NWSP 070.4.RO (15) of at least 1000 g/m2/24 h, preferably at least 3000 g/m2/24 h, and a tear resistance measured according to Elmendorf Tear ASTM D1922 (15) of at least 300 mN.

Absorbent articles, such as incontinence articles, sanitary towels and panty liners, are disposable products for personal hygiene use and normally comprise a liquid-permeable topsheet, absorbent core and liquid-impermeable backsheet. The absorbent article is fastened on a garment of the user by means of adhesive or for example by means hook-and-loop materials. Absorbent articles require high comfort in use. Especially, it is important that the conditions of the microclimate between skin of the user and the absorbent article are satisfactory to perceive comfort. Occlusion of the skin leads to increased humidity which increases growth of microorganisms, enhances skin degradation, facilitates skin penetration of potentially toxic substances and increases the risk for chafing. Therefore, it is desirable that absorbent articles are breathable. To render the absorbent articles breathable, or to increase the breathability of absorbent articles, backsheet materials that are breathable while still liquid-impermeable, are commonly used in absorbent articles. Such backsheet materials are known in the art and are generally microporous and usually contain an inorganic filler material, such as calcium carbonate. However, inorganic fillers may weaken the backsheet materials, which is not desirable.
Use of hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives to attach an absorbent article on a garment is well known in the art. Traditionally, cotton has been a common material for example in underwear on which the absorbent articles have been attached. Today however, synthetic fabric materials, such as micro-fibre fabrics e.g. polyester, are commonly used in the garments. Absorbent articles may be difficult to fasten to synthetic fabrics and the problem has been noted for example in WO2005087281.
Absorbent articles should nevertheless be attached on garments of the users so that they will sit well and be securely attached on all kinds of fabrics during the use of the article. However, it has been noted that while the absorbent articles are securely attached on the garments, they may become difficult to remove from the garments. Thus, considerable removal forces may be needed to remove the absorbent article from the garment. Breathable backsheet materials are desirable due to improved microclimate to the wearer, but they are weaker than non-breathable films. As mentioned above, this is due to the fact that breathable films contain up to 40-60% of an inorganic particulate filler material, such as calcium carbonate. Microporous films can be manufactured either by casting or blowing followed by stretching the film. When the film is stretched, cavities are formed around the particles. These cavities are large enough for moisture in gaseous phase to be transported through the film, but too small for liquid to pass through. Therefore, such film materials are breathable, but liquid-impermeable but also weaker than unbreathable films that do not contain an inorganic particulate filler material. Furthermore, since there is a desire to decrease material costs, the grammage of the backsheet films is decreased and the films become even more brittle and can thus easily break. Therefore, there may be a risk that the absorbent article breaks and pieces of the article will remain attached to the garment when product is removed from the underwear after use. Alternatively or additionally, there is a risk that adhesive residues will remain on the garment and these residues may be difficult to remove from the garment. Also, there is a risk that the garment will be damaged if substantial forces need to be used to remove the article from the garment of the user.
Thus, there is a need to provide an absorbent article which is breathable, which has a liquid-impermeable backsheet and which has an adequate strength so that the product may be removed from a garment after use such that the product and/or the garment are not damaged.

Absorbent article with breathable backsheet


A system and/or method for controlling a display array without the use of row and column drivers. The display elements within the system are configured to maintain an active address signal in response to a received signal containing serially encoded display settings. Each display element is loaded with an address of where it is located within the array. The display elements then extract the display information from the signal upon matching the address, wherein they output the correct display setting for their position within the array. An optical programming method is described for setting the address of the display elements in-situ.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to displays comprising an array of display elements and more particularly to a method and system wherein array address information is encoded within each display element wherein the elements may be controlled utilizing simplified driver circuits.
2. Description of the Background Art
Display arrays utilize a collection of elements which are controlled in concert with one another for displaying text or graphics. A scrolling LED advertising panel is typical of such a display array. These displays are increasingly utilized both outdoor and indoor for conveying information and advertising. The display elements within these arrays are typically LEDs which are usually provided as single color, dual color, or multicolor, such as red/green/blue (RGB). Large displays may encompass tens of thousands of elements for a large area display or marquee. The use of incandescent bulbs in signs is also prevalent within certain forms of signage, however, as the cost of LEDS decreases and the available intensity increases, fewer signs are utilizing incandescent lighting elements. Although display arrays have become increasingly important, their basic designs has not significantly changed since the 1970s.
In order to appreciate the beneficial aspects of the present invention, it is necessary to generally understand the design and construction of display arrays as they are currently being designed and produced. Elements of a display array are generally arranged in rectangular arrays with rows and columns. In systems with only a few discrete display elements, each element may be individually turned on and off by a controller in a direct (non-multiplexed) operation. However, display multiplexing, as generally shown in FIG. 1, was introduced to overcome the difficulty with providing individual signals for each element of a large array. Basically, in a multiplexed display each display element is connected across a row and a column, such that any element may be enabled, or lit up, by providing power on a column while pulling one of the rows to ground. By quickly scanning across the rows and columns each element can be individually driven for a small duty cycle. Multiplexing reduces the number of control lines necessary but results in a commensurate loss of maximum output intensity. It will be appreciated that each display element may only be driven for a small percentage of the time, depending on the depth of multiplexing utilized, and the achievable display intensity is therefore reduced. In the array of FIG. 1 it will be appreciated that power to one column may be applied wherein current sinking by the row driver activates any LEDs in that column, wherein each LED can be activated for a maximum of 1/6  of the total time as there are a total of six columns which are being driven. In displays requiring greater intensity, such as outdoor displays, the depth of multiplexing must be reduced and many displays utilize drivers for each display element.
A typical multiplexed small to medium sized display array comprises a housing, a backplane, driver chips distributed on the backplane, one or more controller chips for orchestrating the driver chips, a main processor, a power supply, and of course the display elements themselves. Considering a small two line display of 16 rows and 250 columns it will be appreciated that traces must be routed on the backplane to each element within the 16 rows and 250 columns. If multi-color elements are being used, then the two or three sets of rows and columns may be required for each element. On an array of even this miniature size, it would not be possible to multiplex the whole display with only one LED on at a time as each LED could be active a maximum of 1/4000th of the time. Therefore, separate drivers are typically provided for each column and the 16 vertical rows would then be multiplexed so that the elements can be active up to 1/16th of the overall time which would define maximum element brightness. Signal traces and drivers are required for each of the 250 columns and the 16 rows, and that the controller software must accommodate the structure of the multiplexing which is different for each display. Larger displays are generally composed of panels which act as separate displays that each have a controller and a set of row and columns. Each of these separate panels is integrated to one another by another level of driver circuitry. Very large displays can appear reminiscent of an antiquated mainframe computer, replete with complex racks of driver cards, and they are extremely expensive to produce and maintain. When faulty driver circuits occur, entire rows or columns of the display are affected and a service person is often required to locate a suitable replacement (often difficult as the driver circuits change so often) and then remove the surface mounted integrated circuits, with perhaps 100-200 leads, from the display array and solder in the new device.
Manufacture of display arrays is also complex and expensive. In order to fabricate a multiplexed display of a different/custom size a completely new design is required to suit the characteristics of the display. The design requires not only the design of a new backplane, but of all the drive electronics, as the row and column drivers are integrated for the specific number of rows and columns, and to one another, and also for the particular type and configuration of display element being driven. Often each display type and size utilizes its own proprietary control software to properly control the custom array of driver circuits whose operation is to be coordinated. For example, even a small change such as changing from 16 to 18 rows in the previous example would require a complete redesign of the display which would obviously be extremely expensive. Furthermore, it will be understood that large backplanes are expensive to fabricate and populate with distributed driver chips. Therefore, the costs are high even for a production run of displays, such as the 16×250 element array.
It is apparent that the display arrays pose numerous unresolved design problems with regard to multiplexed brightness, production cost, engineering cost, the capability to customize, the reliability, and the serviceability. Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus which would provide for controlling large arrays of display elements without the present "row and column" complexities and limitations.
The universal scanning method and system for driving optical elements in accordance with the present invention satisfies that need, as well as others, and overcomes deficiencies in previously known display array drive techniques.

System and method of driving an array of optical elements


A mounting assembly for suspending the housing of a radio or other electrical appliance from the elevated bottom wall of a kitchen wall cabinet includes first and second concentric substantially circular members which are turnable and axially movable relative to each other and one of which is fixed to the top of the radio housing, stepped surfaces extending along respective arcs adjacent a periphery of the first member and being selectively engageable by seating elements extending radially from the second member for adjusting the axial position of the second member relative to the first member in dependence upon the rotational position of the first and second members relative to each other, and fasteners adapted to be extended from above through the bottom wall of the cabinet and then through holes in the second member into engagement with tapped bores in the first member for securing the latter to the bottom wall of the cabinet and preventing relative turning of the first and second members so that the adjusted axial position of the second member relative to the first member establishes the desired vertical position of the radio housing in respect to the cabinet.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the mounting of a clock radio or other electrical appliance underneath a kitchen wall cabinet or other similar structure having an elevated bottom wall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Clock radios or the like have been provided that are intended for mounting at the underside of a kitchen wall cabinet so that the mounted radio will be clear of the underlying counter surface and will not interfere with food preparation thereon. When such a radio is mounted against the bottom wall or underside of a kitchen wall cabinet, it is desirable that the panel portion of the radio housing which embodies the operating controls and also the time and/or station displays should project forwardly at least to the plane of the front surface of the cabinet doors so as to avoid the casting of a shadow on the panel portion which would interfere with reading of the displays, and further to facilitate manipulation of the controls. However, there are many different types of kitchen cabinet structures, particularly as regards the relationship of the bottom edges of the kitchen cabinet doors to the bottom wall of the cabinet. More specifically, in some kitchen wall cabinets, the doors which swing outwardly on vertical hinges have their bottom edges flush with the bottom wall of the cabinet, whereas, in other kitchen wall cabinets having similarly arranged front doors, the bottom edges of such doors project approximately from 1 to 13/4 inches below the bottom walls of the cabinets. Therefore, existing clock radios or the like intended to be mounted at the undersides of kitchen wall cabinets are provided with separately molded plastic posts or bosses in various heights, and the customer has to select the post or boss of the correct height so that, when he radio housing is suspended from the cabinet with the selected boss interposed between the top of the radio housing and the bottom of the kitchen wall cabinet, the panel portion of the radio housing may project to or beyond the doors at the front of the cabinet without interfering with the opening of such doors. However, the use of a spacing boss separate from the radio housing and the necessity of selecting the correct height thereof undesirably complicate the installation of the radio or the like at the underside of the kitchen cabinet.

Mounting assembly for suspending an electrical appliance from an elevated cabinet


An amplifier implementing with a common base circuit is disclosed. The amplifier includes the common base circuit, a current shunt, and a current supplement. The common base circuit receives an input current. The current shunt shunts the input current based on the average of the output of the pre-amplifier. The current supplement supplements a current shunted by the current shunt.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a common base circuit with output compensation, a current-to-voltage circuit configured with the common base circuit, and an optical receiver implementing with the current-to-voltage converter.
2. Related Prior Art
A Japanese Patent Application published as JP-H09-008534A has disclosed an amplifier with the common base arrangement. FIG. 8 shows a fundamental portion of the common base circuit disclosed therein. The amplifier 100 includes three (3) transistors, 101 to 103. The transistor 103 has the common base configuration where the emitter thereof receives the photocurrent generated in a photodiode by illuminated with an optical signal; the base thereof is fixedly biased; and the collector generates an output. The other two transistors, 101 and 102, have an arrangement of, what is called, the tandem connection, namely, the collector of the transistor 101 is directly connected to the base of the other transistor 102, while, the base of the transistor 101 is connected to the emitter of the other transistor 102. These two transistors, 101 and 102, connected in tandem operate as a load of the last transistor 103.
Another Japanese Patent Application published as JP-H11-205047A has discloses, what is called, a trans-impedance amplifier (hereafter denoted as TIA) used in an optical receiver that converts a photocurrent into a voltage signal. The TIA disclosed therein includes a transistor with the common base arrangement, a variable current source coupled with the emitter of the transistor, a load resistor, a fixed bias source for the base of the transistor, and a controller connected between the input and the output of the TIA to adjust the magnitude of the current generated in the current source depending on the output voltage.
Still another Japanese Patent Application published as JP-2009-246823A has disclosed a type of TIA. The TIA disclosed therein has a plurality of power supplies dynamically switched depending on the magnitude of the input photocurrent.
An optical receiver generally includes a photodiode (hereafter denoted as PD), and a pre-amplifier to convert the photocurrent into a voltage signal and amplifies this voltage signal. A TIA is generally applicable to such a pre-amplifier. A TIA has an arrangement including an inverting amplifier with high input impedance and a trans-impedance element, typically a resistor, connected between the input and the output of the inverting amplifier. In such an arrangement, a substantial portion of a current input to the TIA flows in the trans-impedance to cause a voltage drop thereat. Thus, the voltage drop, which may be evaluated by a product of the input current with the impedance of the trans-impedance element, becomes proportional to the input current.
The TIA with the arrangement above described is necessary to set the input impedance of the inverting amplifier high enough, which equivalently enhance the input capacitance of the amplifier and resultantly degrades the high frequency performance of the pre-amplifier.
Another type of the pre-amplifier of an optical receiver has been known as the common base circuit. The common base circuit receives the photocurrent generating in the PD at the emitter of the transistor, and outputs a voltage signal form the collector. The common base circuit has an inherent feature of the low input impedance, which may eliminate the influence of the input capacitance of the device. Moreover, the output of the common base circuit, which is drawn from the collector, has a phase same with that of the input; accordingly, the common base circuit may reduce the miller effect between the output and the input.
However, the common base circuit has a subject explained in FIG. 9 that shows a fundamental circuit of a conventional common base circuit. The common base circuit 200 includes a transistor 201 whose base is fixedly biased by a voltage Va determined by a ratio of resistance of two resistors, 202a and 202b; the collector thereof is connected to the power supply Vcc through a load resistor 205; and the emitter is grounded through the constant current source 206. The input current Iin is given to the emitter of the transistor 201, while, the output Vout thereof is given at the collector.
When no input current Iin is input, the current flowing in the transistor 201 and the resistor 205 is given by IE, substantially equal to the constant current determined by the current source 206. When a substantial current Iin is input, which flows into the current source 206, the current flowing in the load resistor 205 becomes IE−Iin. Thus, as the input current increases, which decreases the current flowing in the load resistor 205, the voltage drop by the load resistor 205 becomes smaller and the output level Vout approaches the power supply Vcc and saturates thereto.
FIG. 10 shows eye diagrams of the output Vout of the common base circuit 200 as varying the input current Iin from 100 μA to 2000 μA. As shown in FIG. 10, the cross point of the eye diagrams shifts to the higher level as the input current Iin increases. This is because the output Vout rises faster and saturates as the input current Iin increases. Thus, the conventional common base circuit 200 has an inherent subject that the output Vout degrades the shape thereof as the input current Iin increases.

Common base circuit with output compensation, current-to-voltage circuit configured with common base amplifier, and optical receiver implemented with the same


A system and method for language instruction for implementation on a language instruction system that includes a computer system, is disclosed, wherein the method may include identifying a speech segment in a target language, that is susceptible to mispronunciation by language learners; selecting an auditory attribute for use in playing the identified speech segment by the language instruction system; altering a level of the auditory attribute to differ from a naturally occurring level of the attribute; and playing a first text sequence by the language instruction system, including at least one instance of the identified speech segment, using the altered level of the auditory attribute.

The present invention relates generally to teaching machines and, more particularly concerns a system and method for teaching a language.
Traditional methods for teaching a language, in particular a foreign language, are far from enjoyable for students. Students spend a great deal of time learning rules of grammar and syntax and generally learn by memorizing words in the target language (the language being learned) that are translations of corresponding words in a source language. The only exposure to correct pronunciation might be on a recording or during discussions in a classroom. On such occasions, the student finds himself mentally composing his recitation in his native language and then translating it. The usual result is a halting, stilted recital, replete with grammatical and syntactic errors introduced by the translation process. The foregoing approach generally does not enable the language learner to converse fluently in the target language.
In contrast, upon first learning a language, young children are fully immersed in a natural learning process in which they learn words, grammar and syntax interactively through deductive reasoning, in context, and by emulating others. In time, children develop a flowing communication style, without the need to translate or to be concerned about rules. It would be desirable to be able to emulate this kind of learning process in learning a second language.
Systems of teaching a user language using immersion are known to some extent in the prior art. However, to best measure the user's progress, the language student should be prompted to speak naturally. Simply showing the user target language text to be read aloud is less than optimum, because read speech is not spoken the same way as natural speech not being read. Thus, attempting to gauge student progress by measuring an ability to read prepared text is generally not effective.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for language instruction that better emulates the immersion environment in which children typically learn their first language.

System and method for language instruction using visual and/or audio prompts


A chain link assembly is fabricated from a plurality of links joined together in articulated relationship with each of the links having a first end with a complementary pitch opening and a second end with a complementary opening. A barrel having an inside diameter surface greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the complementary pitch opening and having milled end segments which extend through the shell of the barrel to provide flat surfaces which permit the milled end segments of the barrel to be press fit into the complementary pitch opening. A pin member having a cross-sectional diameter substantially less than the inside barrel diameter is positioned through the complementary opening in the second end of the links to complete the chain link assembly. The completed chain link assembly provides a one-piece outer circumferential bearing surface on the barrel throughout the entire angle of articulation.

The present invention relates to chain link assemblies and more particularly to an improved bushing structure for use in a chain link assembly which permits the combination of a bushing and roller into one element and which provides full joint bearing areas throughout the angle of flexure required for the engagement of the chain link assembly with a driving sprocket.
At present, chain link assemblies are made by welding, casting or otherwise fixedly securing one-piece bushings or barrels to the sidebars which form the closed end of the chain link assembly. The number of links, as required or desired, are joined together in tandem fashion to form the chain assembly by inserting a pin through the barrel at its closed end of the first link to complete the chain link assembly.
Bushed chain link assemblies are at present completed and made by fixedly securing one-piece bushings to the first ends of sidebars containing a double-D pitched openings therein. The present used milled barrels include an inside diameter bore which will matingly and snugly receive the outside diameter of a pin inserted therethrough. In such constructions, the milled end dimension of the ends of the bushings are greater than the inside diameter of the bushing, a structure which permits material to enter into the space between the outside diameter of the pin and the inside diameter of the barrel, thus resulting in increased wear when the chain assemblies are employed handling heavy loads under severe operating conditions. The rapid wear of such links and the attendant costs in replacing the worn chain links is undesirable.
In welded chain link assemblies, the working inside width of the chain, which is defined as the width of the barrel or backing between the sidebars, is reduced by the thickness of the weld which secures the ends of the barrel to the inside surface of the sidebars. Thus, such welded chain assemblies are either wider than required or the inside width of the sprocket contact is less, such that there is not full bushing link contact during chain link articulation about the drive sprocket. Additionally, in such welded steel chain assemblies, there are pockets formed between the outside barrel surface and the sidebar pitch hole. These pockets tend to receive and to pack the conveyed material which can jam and freeze the chain joint thereby preventing articulation around the drive sprockets. Furthermore, in such welded steel chain link assemblies the material selection for the barrel or bushing and the material selected for the sidebar is limited to the same or a similar material because of the welding requirements of the material. Also, the problem of weld joint susceptibility to embrittlement, grain size growth, corrosion and fatigue are problems encountered with the use of welded chain link assemblies. Finally, welded constructions lack inherent positive alignment of the sidebars relative to each other because they are fixed by welding. Accordingly, such welded chain links cannot be disassembled and prevents the replacement of worn barrels with new barrels.
Chain link assemblies made by casting have been suggested and are used in industry, but such cast designs require that the same or single material be used for casting the entire link, comprised of sidebars and the barrel or bushing. Accordingly, such cast designs are therefore limited to specific castable materials, which materials do not provide the desired increased wear area of the overall barrel width and do not provide the desired angle of articulation about the drive sprocket. Moreover, such cast assemblies prevent the replacement of worn links and the rebuilding of chain assemblies as wear recurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,045 to K. Kishitani shows a replaceable cover surrounding each bushing for protecting the external surface of the bushing from wear. However, such an assembly fails to provide for the necessary clearance between the pin and the inside diameter of the bushing and requires a complex retaining means for anchoring each of the covers in place about each of the bushings.


Disclosed is an apparatus and method for characterizing attributes of a moving glass sheet comprising complementary mechanical material handling technologies that progressively stabilize, position, capture, flatten, and release the lower portion of glass sheets traveling past the apparatus while posing minimal constraint on the top section of the sheet. The apparatus includes a pressure-vacuum (PV)-type device comprising distinct regions such that the glass sheets experience a non-contact but gradual increase in constraining force until the point where measurements can be performed, then a gradual decrease in constraining force until the glass sheets are released from the inspection station. This graduated force technique is applied along the direction of travel of the sheets and may also be applied vertically upwards along the height of the sheet to restrict the motion of the sheet without constraining it at pinch points near the conveyor.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for characterizing glass sheets, and in particular to an apparatus adapted to measure one or more selected attributes of a glass sheet while the glass sheet is in motion.
2. Technical Background
The invention relates to controlling motion and attitude of a glass sheet being conveyed along a predetermined path to enable high resolution online measurements, such as topography inspection (e.g. nanotopography, or topography on a nanometer scale). Accurate online measurements of thin glass sheets, and in particular the measurement of nanometer-scale features, is highly dependent upon consistently presenting the glass sheets in a predetermined plane at a predetermined orientation and eliminating the vast majority of vibrations and oscillations of the glass. Challenges such as high accuracy measurement of thickness, waviness, and cord are highly dependent on presenting the glass surface to measurement gauges with reproducible, high tolerance material handling.
Online process control and quality measurements, such as online cord and streak inspection, suffer from a lack of repeatability when performed while simply gripping the glass in a non-quality area. A large part of the material presentation challenge is keeping the sheet of glass moving down a production line while being suspended from a carrier on an overhead conveyor. This constraint often forces measurements to be performed either in a separate inspection portion of the process line, completely offline, or the measurement technology compatible with coarse traditional online material handling is limited in its performance (e.g. resolution).
High resolution metrology is performed online in other industries, such as silicon wafers or paper and plastic webs, but in these cases, the product is in direct contact with a supporting plate, as with wafers, or with rollers, as with most webs. The size and contact prohibition on glass sheets suitable for display applications presents a difficult challenge for handling.

Apparatus and method for characterizing glass sheets


System and methods for customizing fracturing fluids downhole for real-time optimization of micro-fracturing operations are provided. Downhole operating conditions are monitored during a micro-fracturing operation along a portion of a wellbore within a subterranean formation, based on downhole measurements collected by sensors of a downhole formation tester. Injection parameters for a fracturing fluid to be injected from a bulk storage chamber of the downhole formation tester into the subterranean formation are determined based on the downhole operating conditions. Signals for customizing the fracturing fluid using one or more fluid additives stored within corresponding fluid storage chambers of the downhole formation tester are transmitted to a controller of the downhole formation tester, based on the injection parameters. Injection of the customized fracturing fluid from the downhole formation tester into an area of the subterranean formation surrounding the portion of the wellbore is controlled during the micro-fracturing operation.

Micro-fracturing operations may be used to test a subterranean formation prior to initializing a full-scale hydraulic fracture treatment of the subterranean formation. Such operations may be performed in, for example, an open hole wellbore by injecting a small quantity of fracturing fluid into an area of the surrounding formation to create a small-scale fracture (or "micro-fracture") within the formation. After a sufficiently long fracture is created in the subterranean formation, the fracturing operations are stopped and properties of the newly created fracture and the surrounding formation are analyzed as the fracture closes.
A micro-fracturing operation may be performed using a downhole formation tester coupled to a tool string disposed within the wellbore. Such a downhole tool may be used not only to deliver fracturing fluid from the surface for injection into the formation downhole, but also to hold fluid samples collected from the formation for testing at the surface. Conventional formation testing techniques for micro-fracturing operations generally involve either pumping fracturing fluid downhole from a fluid repository located at the surface via the formation-testing tool or filling a bulk storage chamber of the tool with pre-formulated fracturing fluid at the surface and lowering the tool into the wellbore for injecting the fluid downhole, or pumping the fluid present within the wellbore, usually after filtering it.

Downhole customization of fracturing fluids for micro-fracturing operations


A gantry has a cylindrical shape and rotates around a subject on a top panel about the body axis. An X-ray irradiating part is arranged inside the gantry and emits an X-ray. An X-ray detector is arranged at a position facing the X-ray irradiating part and detects the X-ray transmitted through the subject. PET detectors are arranged in two separate regions facing the rotation center and detect γ-rays emitted from the positron-emitting nuclides. A moving mechanism moves the top panel and the gantry relatively to each other. An X-ray CT image generator generates an X-ray CT image of the subject based on the result of detection by the X-ray detector. A PET image generator generates a PET image of the subject based on the γ-rays detected by the PET detectors on the circumference in accordance with rotation of the gantry.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PET device (Positron Emission Tomography device) that coincidentally measures a pair of γ-rays emitted from an agent labeled with positron nuclides and performs a scan for obtaining a tomographic image at a site of interest.
To be specific, the present invention relates to a PET device used in combination with an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) test is a very useful technique for early detection of cancer. However, a PET image represents the accumulation and distribution state of nuclides, but does not show the location thereof in tissues within a human body. As a device for obtaining the shape of the tissues within the human body, there is a device in which a PET test and an X-ray CT test of imaging the distribution of X-ray absorption coefficients are used in combination. A method of executing a precise diagnosis by observing a fusion image composed by superimposing a PET image and an X-ray CT image by this device has been practically used (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-121530, for example).
The device in which the PET device and the X-ray CT device are combined has a top panel held on a bed so as to be movable horizontally, and a cylindrical PET gantry (a PET detector) and a CT gantry (a CT detector) through which a subject placed on the top panel can pass. In the order of proximity from the top panel, the CT gantry and the PET gantry are arranged close to each other. As the top panel moves, data of a PET image and an X-ray CT image of the same plane of the subject are acquired on each scan plane. After a PET image and an X-ray CT image are obtained through image processing by an image processor (not shown) composed of a computer and a memory, these images are superimposed and composed, and displayed as a fusion image on an image display.
Further, there is a conventional system known as SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography), which is configured by a rotating part and a fixed part as in a CT device. With regard to this SPECT system, there is a technique of capturing an image by rotating a gantry (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-192286, for example). However, agents used for a PET image and a SPECT image are different from each other. Two γ-rays are generated from the agent used for a PET image. On the other hand, an image is generated with particles of only one γ-ray generated from the agent used for a SPECT image. Therefore, the SPECT system as a mechanism merely needs to detect particles of a γ-ray travelling in one direction, and there is no need to arrange γ-ray detectors at the facing positions. On the contrary, the PET device needs to detect particles of a pair of γ-rays travelling in opposing directions at 180°, and it is always necessary to arrange γ-ray detectors at the facing positions.
Besides, since a SPECT image has lower resolution than a PET image, the SPECT image is suitable for a measurement of the blood flow rate in the brain but hard to be used for a measurement of the distribution of glucose metabolism at a spot where cancer develops.
In the technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-121530, there is a certain distance between the PET detector and the CT detector as described above.
Therefore, there is a need to make the top panel protrude largely from the bed when performing a PET test, which causes the top panel to bend largely. When the top panel thus bends largely, the position of the subject is displaced from the center for capturing an image, and therefore, the quality of the PET image deteriorates. Accordingly, it is difficult to generate a PET image of favorable image quality.
The technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-192286 is a technique for the SPECT device. The SPECT device and the PET device are largely different in resolution, and the SPECT device does not have resolution required in the PET device. Therefore, it is difficult to implement the technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-192286 as it is in the PET device. Moreover, also in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-192286, the SPECT device and the X-ray CT device are arranged in separate gantries. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce a difference in bend of the top panel between capturing images by the devices.
Further, since a conventional PET device is provided with γ-ray detectors on the entire circumference inside the cylindrical PET gantry, the cost is high. Furthermore, since a large number of detectors are arranged on the entire circumference inside the PET gantry, it is relatively difficult to manage the properties of the detectors uniformly.
Besides, it takes much time for an investigation when a failure occurs in the detectors.


Methods and systems provide a multiplexing cell and a multiplexing cell system for data serialization. The multiplexing cell may be dynamic D-type flip flop having a single phase clock signal (CLK) and a select input (SEL). An input to the multiplexing cell may be passed to an output if CLK is high and SEL are both high. Otherwise, the output of each multiplexing cell may be in a high impedance state. A multiplexing cell system may include one or more of the multiplexing cells and be configured to provide serialization of input data at high data rates with reduced power consumption. Sub-rate clocks, which may be used by at least a portion of a serialization chain, may reduce power consumption allow for less complex clock generation and distribution circuitry. The multiplexing cell and/or multiplexing cell system find application in, among other things, equalization to offset effects of channel imperfections.

As the Internet and other communications networks continue to mature, high volume and high data bit-rate activities such as multimedia streaming and cloud computing are becoming more popular. To accommodate these wide data bandwidth applications, faster network services are required. To facilitate network services, network routers and servers typically include a serializer-deserializer system (SerDes). A SerDes includes a serial data link transceiver. A transceiver includes: (i) a receiver (RX), which receives high speed serial data and parallelizes the serial data into lower frequency, multi-bit data words and (ii) a transmitter (TX) which serializes multi-bit data words into high rate single-bit streams that can be sent over a serial communication channel.
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a conventional transmitter 100. The transmitter 100 is a serial data link, differential output transmitter. The transmitter 100 includes a serializer 101 and an output driver 102. The serializer 101 converts input parallel data into a serial data stream. The serial data is synchronized using the clock signal CLK. The output driver 102 may then send the serial data over a communication channel. The output serial data may be a differential signal with components TX_P and TX_M.
A conventional way to implement the serializer 101 is to use an N-bit shift register with parallel load. FIG. 2 shows an N-bit shift register 200 along with a corresponding timing diagram 250. The shift register 200 includes N two-input digital multiplexers (MUXs) 201 and N D-type flip-flops (DFFs) 202. N-bit parallel data is loaded into the DFFs when a LOAD signal is high. At every rising edge of the CLK signal, the data is shifted to the right, one bit at a time, generating the output serial data. The LOAD signal may be obtained by dividing the main CLK signal by N. However, the shift register 200 becomes impractical to use at higher data rates because of, among other things, the finite propagation delay of DFFs, finite hold and setup times of DFFs, and its large power consumption.
One way of handling higher data rates is to perform serialization of input parallel data in multiple steps. FIG. 3 shows a two-step data serialization system 300. The serialization system 300 may include shift registers 301, a serializer 302, and a line driver 303. An N-bit parallel bus is split into M smaller buses, each N/M-bit wide. M is selected to be a factor of N, such that N/M has an integer value. Each N/M-bit data bus is serialized by the shift registers 301 operating at a rate M times smaller than the rate of the system 300. The outputs of the M shift registers 301 are combined into an M-bit wide data bus, which is transformed into a one-bit stream by an M-bit serializer 302 before being applied to the input of a line driver 303. The line driver 303 may output the serial data in the form of a differential signal with components TX_P and TX_M.
The second stage serializer 302 may be implemented in a variety of ways using data multiplexers and latches. Sometimes the last step of the serialization operation is performed in the output line driver itself. However, since the output serial data needs to be synchronous, either a full rate clock, or a half rate clock with a duty cycle equal to 50% is used. When using a full rate clock, the serial data is synchronized with either edge of the full rate clock. When using a half rate clock with a 50% duty cycle, the data is synchronized alternately with the rising and falling edges of the clock. The generation and distribution of such high frequency clocks is difficult and consumes a large amount of power. Thus, there exists a need in the art to simplify clock generation and distribution circuitry and to reduce the power consumption of SerDes systems.

Dynamic flip-flop and multiplexer for sub-rate clock data serializer


A process for producing a columbite-type niobate and a process for producing a niobium-containing lead-type perovskite compound using the columbite-type niobate. A precursor slurry of a columbite compound composed of a fresh niobium hydroxide, a metal acetate and ammonium aqueous solution is spray-dried, and is calcined at 500.degree. C. or higher to obtain a crystalline columbite-type compound having grain sizes of 1 .mu.m or smaller to which was then mixed a lead component. The mixture is calcined, pulverized and is sintered at a temperature of 800.degree. to 1100.degree. C. to synthesize a highly dielectric material of a niobium-containing lead-type composite perovskite. The precursor of columbite is calcined at 500.degree. to 1100.degree. C. to obtain fine columbite-type niobate crystals of grain sizes of 1 .mu.m or smaller. A lead-type perovskite compound using the above crystals can be sintered at a temperature of as low as 950.degree. C. or lower, and the sintered product thereof has a homogeneous and fine texture and excellent dielectric properties that could not be obtained by the conventional solid-phase process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a columbite-type niobate and a process for producing a niobium-containing lead-type perovskite compound therefrom. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for producing which permits transition into columbite-type crystals and transition into perovskite-type crystals at relatively low temperatures.
2. Prior Art
Ceramic materials of the perovskite-type have been widely used as piezo-electric materials, pyroelectric materials and ferroelectric materials, and there have been used various perovskites having chemical compositions represented by a general formula (2), EQU ABO.sub.3 ( 2 )
A representative example of the perovskite may be a niobium-containing lead-type perovskite such as a lead magnesium niobate (PMN) which is a composite perovskite in which the site A in the above formula (where M denotes a divalent or trivalent metal).
A so-called solid-phase process has been known for synthesizing a composite perovskite of this type, according to which MgO and Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 are mixed together using a ball mill and are reacted together at 1000.degree. C. in solid phase to form an MgNb.sub.2 O.sub.6 (columbite) which is then mixed together with PbO in a ball mill followed by calcining at 850.degree. to 900.degree. C. to prepare a perovskite-type lead magnesium niobate.
According to the above-mentioned process, however, the columbite that is formed and PbO react with each other in the solid phase at considerably high temperatures only at which, however, the PbO volatilizes, resulting in nonhomogeneous composition or making it difficult to accomplish the composition as desired.
In order to solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Publication No. 34890/1990 discloses a process for the preparation a composite perovskite crystal powder comprising adding an organic solvent and an alkali solution to the niobium pentachloride or the niobium alkoxide to form a niobium hydrogel, and adding one or more kinds of metal salt aqueous solutions thereto, followed by drying and calcination.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 83628/1986 discloses the preparation of a PMN perovskite by spraying into an electric furnace maintained at 1000.degree. C. a solution that is obtained by mixing an acidic solution of oxalic acid of niobium and metal magnesium and the like together, calcining the resulting powder at 900.degree. C. for three hours to obtain an MgNb.sub.2 O.sub.6 single phase, mixing the MgNb.sub.2 O.sub.6 single phase with PbO together in a pot mill, and calcining the mixture at 850.degree. C. for one hour.
According to the former proposal, the PMN can be formed at a temperature which is considerably lower than that of the solid-phase process but still requiring a temperature of about 800.degree. C. and making it necessary to handle the whole components inclusive of lead component in the form of solutions.
The latter proposal has an excellent idea in that the columbite is prepared by the wet-type process and the PMN is synthesized therefrom by the dry-type process making, however, it necessary to effect the processings at high temperatures such as decomposition at 1000.degree. C. for forming the columbite, calcining at 900.degree. C., and calcining into PMN at 850.degree. C., thus leaving much room for improvement.

Process for producing columbite-type niobate and process for producing perovskite-type compound therefrom


An improved foldable clipboard having a first extended orientation and a second folded orientation. The improved foldable clipboard includes a top folding portion having a first top hinge arm and bracket and a second top hinge arm and bracket. A bottom folding portion includes a first bottom hinge and a second bottom hinge. The first top and bottom hinge arms and the second top and bottom hinge arms, respectively, connect via connectors to provide first and second hinges, respectively. First and second hinges adjoin the top folding portion and the bottom folding portion to form a flat, planar structure and a folded structure. A clip is operatively coupled to a front surface of the top folding portion.

Clipboards are utilized in a variety of different environments where a portable writing surface may be required. To this end, conventionally known basic clipboards generally consist of a flat panel or board and a clip mounted to one end of the board. The clip retains the papers or other documents being written upon against the writing surface provided by the board. Clipboards have been an essential mobile writing platform that provides a flat surface for writing or drawing and which incorporate a clip device to secure a sheet of papers. Clipboards with varying sizes and shapes are available commercially. Existing clipboards are cumbersome to carry due to their relatively large size and are inconvenient, to operate. These clipboards have been restricted to merely carrying a few papers and sometimes cause tearing of papers. These problems cause difficulty for people who travel from one location to other, research scholars and the like.
While some of the foregoing is alleviated by conventional mechanical and more recently by computer-based electronic voting machines utilizing proven and applicable means of data entry such as special keyboards or touch-screens that have been constructed for conventional electronic voting machines, these do not allow or provide any way for personal checking of votes cast to increase the voter's confidence. While the use of computers for vote tabulation and record keeping for each voting machine and/or election can be done with almost zero error, voter confidence in the process is still a subject to be considered. A particular concern relates to the nature of records stored in electronic and magnetic form which are intangible and can be changed without leaving any evidence thereof.


The disclosed subject matter generally relates a method of irradiating a large area thin film with a pulsed light source. In some embodiments, the disclosed subject matter particularly relates to utilizing flash lamp annealing in combination with patterning techniques for making thin film devices. The flash lamp annealing can trigger lateral growth crystallization or explosive crystallization in large area thin films. In some embodiments, capping layers or proximity masks can be used in conjunction with the flash lamp annealing.

Flash lamp annealing (FLA) of thin silicon films can be used as a low-cost alternative to laser crystallization. Such films, for example, may be used in producing different devices, including thin film transistors (TFTs). The flash lamp pulse durations may be as short as 10 μs or as long as 10 ms.
However, FLA provides limited control over the nature and the location of the grain boundaries in the crystallized thin film. This limitation can pose problems for creating uniform transistors. FLA also may result in a material with a high volume of defects resulting from long lateral explosive crystallization. Therefore, materials produced by FLA may have lower performance levels than materials produced from other methods, including Sequential Lateral Solidification (SLS) and Excimer Laser Annealing (ELA). ELA crystallized thin films with an excimer laser. However, such laser source is not only expensive to purchase but also expensive to use, largely because of the laser tube replacements that are required. Conversely, FLA may provide uniform materials at a low cost and high-throughput, and scalable to large area thin films.
SLS and ELA crystallization techniques are limited by the length of the line beam in both applications. For example, for large area thin films, e.g., thin films having a length greater than 1.3 meters and a width greater than 1.5 (for example, Gen-5 (1.3 m×1.5 m), Gen-6 (1.5 m×1.8 m) or Gen-8 (2.2 m×2.5 m) thin film panels) the SLS or ELA line beam can not provide uniform beam properties over the entire width or length of the large area thin film. Thus, the SLS or ELA scan is performed in small sections of the film area, requiring panel movement in both the x and y directions to successfully process the film. Not only does scanning in both the x and y directions increase the duration of the process, but it also produces lesser quality films with beam edges and non-uniformities between crystallization scans, than scanning a smaller film would produce.

Flash lamp annealing crystallization for large area thin films

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


Methods and systems are provided to control transmit power in a wireless transmitter. By receiving a number of transmit control protocol (TCP) segments, converting the TCP segments to radio link control (RLC) frames and transmitting the RLC frames based on a predetermined targeted frame error rate, the initial RLC frames are transmitted using a minimum of power. Any unsuccessfully transmitted RLC frames are cyclically re-transmitted, along with a number of new RLC frames, at decreasing targeted frame error rates, until all RLC frames in a given transmission cycle are successfully transmitted. Accordingly, a new block of RLC frames are transmitted at the predetermined maximum targeted frame error rate. By transmitting RLC frames in this fashion, the overall transmit power can be reduced as compared to conventional transmission techniques, while increasing total data throughput.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to methods and systems for managing a system target frame error rate in wireless transmitters.
2. Description of Related Art
As global telecommunications networks expand, the need to efficiently interface wired networked systems, such as the Internet, to wireless systems increases. However, most existing wired and wireless systems were developed with different design criteria in mind leading to incompatible wired and wireless systems. While various systems are available to interface wired and wireless systems, these systems are imperfect as they generally incorporate a large number of compromises. As a result, information traversing these interface systems can cause excessive delays as they do not efficiently manage available resources. Accordingly, new systems and techniques that can more efficiently interface wired and wireless systems are needed.

Error-rate management in wireless systems


A participant search method in an online game and online chat, wherein, when starting an online game or online chat on a network connecting a plurality of subscribers to each other with a network server as a core, the network server that has received participant search information from one subscriber matches network subscriber-related attribute information stored in the server with the participant search information to select a matched subscriber currently connected to the network, distributes participant recruiting information to that subscriber, and sends back participant acceptance information for the subscriber who has accepted the recruiting information to the above-described one subscriber.

In an online game enjoyed by participants through a network, different from an offline game, as adversaries are generally at remote sites, it is very difficult to search the adversaries. Namely in the online game, although the adversary is a man, at present a means for making it possible to easily find out an adversary is not available, so that a participant in a game depends on promise with his or her friend or accidental encounter in a chat room or the like in finding the adversary for the game.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-164271, a network game system making it possible to smoothly shift from ordinary communications to those for an action game is disclosed. With the network communication game system, it is possible to easily find out an adversary from a broad area by using the ordinary communications, but it is required to find out the adversary at random with a complicated means of dialogue using letters by activating a game device and a chat device each time it is tried to start a game.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 11-57215 discloses a network game system for playing a game match among an unspecified number of participants on a communication network comprising a server device having a user information storage means for storing therein information for a plurality of participants, a game match requirement response means for differentiating, upon receipt of a requirement for a game match, users having transmitted the requirement for game match from other users as that queuing a match, and a player selection processing means for deciding a combination of users having been differentiated as those in queue for a game; and a client device having a game match requirement means for outputting the requirement for a game match to the server device.
In the network game system described above, the player selection means in the server device automatically selects players for a game, so that the work to be performed by a player to select an adversary for the game is not required, which improves the convenience a little. The client device constituting the network game system also comprises a player requirement means for outputting a requirement for a game to the server device and also for receiving the player requirement transmission timing information specifying timing for transmitting a requirement for a player from the server device; and a player requirement means for outputting, at the timing specified by the player requirement transmission timing information, the requirement for a player to the server device and also for receiving information for the player from the server device, so that the client device can process the information for specifying the timing in selection of a player, but can not start the game immediately like in an offline game.
An object of the present invention is to provide the capability of starting a game immediately at any time like in an offline game by automating search for a game player (or a participant in chat) in an online game or an online chat system, especially in an online game played by participants who are online users.

Participant search method in online game or online chat, participant searching device, participant network server, network terminal and computer program


A signaling fishing tip-up unit has an upright frame with a base adapted to rest on the ice surrounding a fishing opening. The base has a fishing line-passing opening and a reel, on which a fishing line is wound, is supported on the frame above the opening in the base with the line extending down through the opening in the base to support a bait or lure in the water below the ice. A retainer is on the frame, and an elongate ribbon spring is also mounted on the frame and normally biased to support a signal flag in an upright position. A keeper on the flag is adapted to be received by the retainer, when the ribbon spring is depressed from its upright position, to retain the spring in a ready state of depressed arcuate configuration. A generally horizontally movable trigger, having a ready position and a tripping position, has a line accommodating member on an inner end, through which a slacked laterally displaced portion of the line extends when the trigger is in ready position. The trigger has a trip in alignment with the keeper so that it will relatively displace the keeper and retainer and release the flag to spring upwardly when a fish takes the lure and pulls on the line to pull the trigger toward the opening in the base to tripping position.

This invention relates to signaling tip-ups of the type used by ice fisherman, and more particularly to tip-ups which support housing-enclosed reels in position over fishing holes cut in the ice to signal when a fish strikes the bait or lure on the line, and methods of using such tip-ups. A considerable number of ice fishing tip-ups of various types have been previously designed and are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 3,660,923 Johnson 3,727,342 Lindsey, Jr. 4,253,262 Johnson 4,270,297 Yates 4,522,572 Hahn 4,567,686 Akom 4,571,876 LeClair 4,651,460 Sykes 4,662,099 Stewart 4,685,240 Fralick 4,707,932 Sonnemaker 4,780,979 Dyck et al 4,787,166 Vogt et al 4,862,627 Keller ______________________________________
The tip-up device which forms the subject matter of the present invention is, however, considered to embody significant improvements which enhance the marketability of the device and render it more reliably and conveniently useful to ice fisherman.

Fish actuated ice fishing signaling device and method of using it


A fishhook disgorger and method of disgorging employ a pair of opposed, widely-spaced, rotating jaws having surfaces configured to grip and hold a fishhook or lure. The jaws are pivotally connected to each other, and a hand operated mechanism uses links and hingepins to draw the jaws toward each other for clasping an impaled fishhook or portion of a fish lure therebetween. The disgorger clasping force may be increased by extending linked elements at an angle to the surfaces configured to hold a fishhook or lure.

This invention relates to hand operated fishing tackle usable by anglers to disengage fishhooks and fishing lures from the jaw, gullet, gills, throat or mouth of a fish without endangering the user from the teeth or fins of the fish.
Prior disgorgers usually required their fishhook engaging parts to slide linearly in a straight line toward each other. The result often was that they were not readily usable to extract hooks from a number of different fish species or sizes, and some were not sturdy enough to be usable to disgorge hooks and lures from large, heavy fish. Others could not be used to grasp a wide variety lures and hooks of varying sizes, or required the user to have a strong grip. The prior disgorgers and disgorging methods often caused fatal or serious damage to delicate parts of a fish's anatomy.


Disclosed is a ceramic material which is suitable for coating a body by way of a thermal spraying method and which has a coefficient of longitudinal thermal expansion that may be matched to that of a metal. The ceramic material includes 10 to 95% by weight of MgAl2O4, 5 to 90% by weight of MgO, up to 20% by weight of Al2O3, remainder standard impurities, and has grains of MgO which are embedded in a matrix of MgAl2O4.

The invention generally relates to a ceramic material for use in various coating techniques, such as for example the different variants of thermal spraying. The invention also relates to a method for producing a ceramic material of this type. Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of the ceramic material and to a layer made from the ceramic material on a metallic or ceramic body.
Different variants of thermal spraying are flame spraying, plasma spraying, high-speed spraying, detonation spraying, and coating by way of laser or powder plasma weld surfacing. These methods are used to coat highly stressed components which are exposed to abrasive or erosive wear, corrosion, high temperatures or a very wide range of combinations of such loads. Components of this type are used, for example, in automotive engineering, in mechanical engineering, in power engineering, in chemical or petrochemical installations and numerous other sectors of the economy.
In the thermal spraying method, meltable material, such as metal or ceramic, is softened or melted by heating and is applied onto a surface which is to be coated. The heated particles of the material come into contact with the surface, on which they cool and, as a result, adhere to the surface. The heating of the material to be sprayed, including the acceleration of the heated material toward the surface, usually takes place in a spray gun for thermal spraying. The material to be heated is fed to the spray gun in powder form. The mean grain size of a powder of this type is usually between 2 xcexcm and 150 xcexcm.
The powder is accelerated in the spray gun by way of a gas stream. This gas is generally one of the operating gases of the spray gun, which generate the combustion or plasma flame in the spray gun. For a plasma spray gun, operating gases of this type are usually nitrogen or argon, on the one hand, and helium, on the other hand. In this case, the nitrogen or argon simultaneously serves as carrier gas for the powder.
Various ceramic materials, or materials which resemble sintered carbides, are in widespread use as coating powder for thermal spraying in engineering. A ceramic material is used in particular if the component to be coated is to be protected against corrosion or thermal influences. One example of such an application is that of protecting against wetting by metallic or oxidic melts. Particularly with components of this type, the problem arises that high mechanical stresses are generated in the ceramic coating under thermal loads. These stresses readily lead to cracks in the coating or to the coating becoming detached from the coated component. Mechanical stress occurs when the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic coating material differs significantly from the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the component. Therefore, it is preferable to select a material for thermal spraying which has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is similar to that of the material of which the component to be coated consists.
To coat a metallic component, it is particularly appropriate to use a ceramic material whose coefficient of thermal expansion is close to that of the metal. Since metals generally have a coefficient of thermal expansion which is greater than 10*10xe2x88x926/K, only a few oxides may be used for coating purposes. A preferred spraying material is zirconium oxide, which is used with a stabilizing additive of 7 to 9% by weight of yttrium oxide, for example in internal-combustion engines. The coefficient of thermal expansion of zirconium oxide layers of this type is in the region of 11*10xe2x88x926/K. However, the resistance of zirconium oxide to attack from metallic or oxidic melts is lower than that of a number of other materials.
MgO has a satisfactory resistance to melts, and its coefficient of thermal expansion of 13.6*10xe2x88x926/K means that it is also a suitable coating material for metals. However, MgO is not a suitable material for use in a thermal spraying process, since MgO decomposes at the high temperatures which occur in such processes, and the decomposition products are volatile.
Ceramics which are produced from a mixture of MgO and Al2O3 have good properties for use in combination with various metals. Sintered ceramics produced from MgO and Al2O3 are commercially available. They have the advantages of being highly resistant to chemical, thermal and mechanical attacks and of having a coefficient of thermal expansion which lies in the region of 11*10xe2x88x926/K. However, ceramics of this type have only limited suitability as coating material, since in practice they are not suitable for coating by way of a thermal spraying method. In these ceramics too, the MgO of the ceramic evaporates at the high temperatures which occur during thermal spraying.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stable ceramic material which is suitable for a coating operation by way of a thermal spraying method and which has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is matched to a metal.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a material of this type. A further object of the present invention is to describe a use of the ceramic material. Furthermore, the invention has an additional object of providing a layer on a metallic body, which is able to withstand thermal loads.
The first object is achieved by a ceramic material which, according to the present invention, includes 10 to 95% by weight of MgAl2O4, 5 to 90% by weight of MgO, up to 20% by weight of Al2O3, remainder standard impurities, and which has grains of MgO with a mean diameter of 0.1 xcexcm to 10 xcexcm that are embedded in a matrix of MgAl2O4 in spinel form.
The present invention is based on the consideration that, unlike in a sintered ceramic including MgO and Al2O3, in which MgO and Al2O3 adjoin one another, in a compound formed from MgO and Al2O3 the evaporation of MgO during thermal spraying can be prevented or greatly restricted. An example of such a compound is MgAl2O4. This compound or ceramic has proven to be a suitable material for a thermal spraying process in a number of tests. Moreover, it is highly chemically and mechanically stable. The drawback of a ceramic of this type is its low coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately 8.5*10xe2x88x926/K, which is lower than that of most metals.
Furthermore, the present invention is based on the consideration that MgO has a coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately 13.6*10xe2x88x926/K. Therefore, the introduction of MgO into MgAl2O4 leads to an increase in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic material which forms. Depending on the amount of MgO added, the coefficient of thermal expansion can be set in a defined way and can be specifically matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal to be coated,or at least the difference between the coefficients of expansion can be reduced.
In a third step, the present invention is based on the consideration that the MgO has to be incorporated in the ceramic material in such a manner that it does not decompose or sublime in the hot flame of the spray gun used for thermal spraying. It is incorporated in this way if the material has areas of MgO which are embedded in a matrix of MgAl2O4. The MgO present inside such areas, which can also be referred to as grains, is surrounded by MgAl2O4. The MgAl2O4 is preferably in the form of a homogeneous matrix which does not include MgAl2O4 grains which have been sintered together with spaces between them, but rather includes homogeneous, pore-free MgAl2O4. This MgAl2O4 is sufficiently thermally stable to preserve the covering which surrounds the MgO even during the thermal spraying operation. In this way, the area of MgO remains enclosed during the thermal spraying, and the MgO cannot sublime or evaporate.
In the range between 0xc2x0 C. and 1000xc2x0 C., the ceramic material has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 8.5*10xe2x88x926/K to 13*10xe2x88x926/K. After the ceramic material has been applied as a layer to a metallic body, for example by thermal spraying, the material has a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion. This expansion coefficient may differ from the expansion coefficient of the material prior to the spraying. The expansion coefficient of the material of the sprayed-on layer is matched to the expansion coefficient of the metallic component which is to be coated. This matching means that, if the component is exposed to high temperature fluctuations, there are scarcely any stresses produced between coating and coated substrate. This prevents the coating from being exposed to high mechanical loads caused by temperature fluctuations and, for example, becoming detached from the substrate or forming cracks.
The present invention is able to achieve the particular advantage that the coefficient of thermal expansion of a coating produced by thermal spraying may be matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the coated material. This matching is effected by suitably selecting the proportion of MgO in the mixture of substances used in the ceramic material.
By matching the coefficient of thermal expansion, it is possible to achieve a specific reduction in stresses within the layer composite material formed in this way. As a result, the resistance to thermal shocks and the layer adhesion under cyclic temperature loads may be positively influenced. Furthermore, the ceramic material according to the present invention is highly resistant to aggressive melts or basic slags, such as those which are encountered in nonferrous metallurgy. Furthermore, a coating made from the material according to the invention does not undergo any relevant aging, for example through destabilization or modification changes to the structure, even under high thermal loads. A coating made from this type can scarcely be wetted by liquid aluminum or zinc. Also, on account of its white color, it has a low radiation coefficient. Moreover, a coating made from the material according to the present invention has a high electrical resistance. It is therefore also suitable as an insulator.
In an advantageous configuration of the invention, the grains of MgO embedded in a matrix of MgAl2O4 have a mean diameter of 0.1 xcexcm to 2 xcexcm. This grain size has a particularly advantageous effect on the sprayability of the ceramic material. The MgAl2O4 is expediently in spinel form. MgAl2O4 in a structure of this type is particularly suitable for thermal spraying and is particularly resistant to chemical and mechanical attacks.
The ceramic material advantageously contains 55 to 80% by weight of MgO. Depending on the amount of MgO, a material of this type has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is between 11.4 and 11.8*10xe2x88x926Kxe2x88x921 at 1000xc2x0 C. The coefficient of thermal expansion of iron and numerous iron or steel alloys is only slightly above this range. Therefore, a material of this type is particularly suitable as a coating for such alloys.
In a further configuration of the present invention, the material additionally includes at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of CaO, SiO2, ZrO2 and Fe2O3. These materials, as additives, have beneficial effects on the materials properties of the material.
The second object is achieved by a method for producing a ceramic material in which, according to the present invention, MgO and Al2O3 as starting materials are melted to form a liquid phase, then the liquid phase is made to solidify by cooling, and the solidified phase is milled to form a powder of the ceramic material.
During the melting, MgAl2O4 and, if sufficient MgO is present in the starting materials, free MgO are formed. This MgO is homogeneously distributed in the liquid phase. When the liquid phase solidifies, areas in which MgO is preferentially present and which are embedded in a matrix of MgAl2O4 are formed. This method according to the present invention produces a ceramic material which has the advantages described above.
In an advantageous configuration of the present invention, the starting materials of the ceramic are melted in an arc furnace. A furnace of this type is particularly suitable for melting the ceramic starting materials.
The starting materials MgO and Al2O3 are advantageously homogeneously mixed with one another prior to the melting. This is achieved, for example, by the starting materials being introduced into a suspension and homogenized, and then being granulated, for example spray-dried. Mixing is also achieved as a result of the starting materials being present in the form of a powder and mechanically mixed.
In an expedient configuration of the present invention, 26% by weight to 96% by weight of MgO is used in the starting materials. The defined quantity of MgO added in the starting materials makes it possible to set the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic material to be produced to a predetermined value. This value is between 8.5*10xe2x88x926/K and 13*10xe2x88x926/K. As a result, the expansion coefficient of the material in the coating may be matched to the expansion coefficient of a metallic material which is to be coated.
A further advantage can be achieved by the fact that the material powder is formed into larger powder grains by agglomeration of the powder grains. This is achieved, for example, by adding a binder to the material powder, followed by fluidized-bed agglomeration or spray drying. The grain size of the agglomerated powder is, in the method, matched to the requirements of the particular coating technology. Therefore, it may lie in a wide range from 10 xcexcm to 250 xcexcm.
The object relating to use is achieved, according to the present invention, by the fact that the ceramic material as described above is used as a spray powder for thermal spraying. The material does not dissociate or dissociate only to an insignificant extent during thermal spraying. Furthermore, the material, as a result of the thermal spraying, forms a coating which adheres securely to the component to be coated and is distinguished by particular stability when exposed to thermal, chemical or mechanical attacks. It should be particularly emphasized that the coefficient of thermal expansion of a material of this type can be matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the component to be coated by selection of the composition of the material.
The ceramic material is advantageously used as a coating in nonferrous metallurgy which is produced, for example, by thermal spraying. A coating of this type made from the material according to the invention, in particular on a part of a tool used in nonferrous metallurgy, is particularly suitable for use, for example, in a strip-galvanizing or aluminum-coating installation, for measurement sensors, blowing lance heads or for tools used for aluminum or magnesium casting.
A further advantage of the present invention is achieved by using a ceramic material as described above for coating a surface of a component of a high-temperature fuel cell by means of thermal spraying. Components of a high-temperature fuel cell, which is operated in the temperature range between 850xc2x0 C. and 1000xc2x0 C., are exposed to high thermal loads. Moreover, components of this type come into contact with chemically aggressive operating gases of the high-temperature fuel cell. The abovementioned advantages of the ceramic material, which are also inherent to a coating made from the material, are therefore particularly relevant in a high-temperature fuel cell.
The latter object is achieved by a layer including the ceramic material on a metallic body which has a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, the quantity of MgO in the ceramic material being selected in such a way that the material, after coating of the body, has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the body.
A layer of this type does not form any stress cracks even under considerable thermal loads, on account of the matched coefficient of thermal expansion, since the stress within the layer composite workpiece formed in this way is reduced to a minimum. Consequently, the layer is able to withstand thermal shocks and adheres securely to the metallic body.

Ceramic material, method for the production thereof, use of the ceramic material, and layer of the ceramic material on a metallic or ceramic body


A power amplifier according to the present invention includes: a carrier amplifier (2) that amplifies a carrier of a high-frequency input signal; a peak amplifier (3) that amplifies a peak component of the high-frequency input signal; an average power level detecting circuit (11) that detects an average power level of the high-frequency input signal; a peak power level detecting circuit (12) that detects a peak power level of the high-frequency input signal; a first voltage controller (10a) that controls a DC voltage supplied to the carrier amplifier (2) according to an output voltage signal from the average power level detecting circuit (11); and a second voltage controller (10b) that controls a DC voltage supplied to the peak amplifier (3) according to an output voltage signal from the peak power level detecting circuit (12).

There is an increasing demand for reduction in power consumption (high efficiency) in transmission power amplifiers for cellular phone base stations. As a matter of course, the reduction in power consumption is effective not only in reducing an environmental load by saving electricity costs or energy, but also in reducing the surface area of a radiator plate necessary for heat radiation, because of a reduction in calorific power of power amplifiers. This results in an effect of allowing the volume of each transmission power amplifier to be made relatively small.
To improve the efficiency of transmission power amplifiers, Doherty amplifiers are typically used (see Patent Literature 1, for example). A Doherty amplifier includes a carrier amplifier that performs a signal amplification operation constantly, and a peak amplifier that operates only at the time of high power output. The Doherty amplifier has a configuration in which an input signal is distributed to the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier, and outputs of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier are combined.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an exemplary power amplifier with a Doherty amplifier configuration. Referring to FIG. 6, the power amplifier includes an input branch circuit 6, DC (Direct Current) decoupling capacitors 8, a carrier amplifier 2, and a peak amplifier 3.
The power amplifier also includes RF (Radio Frequency) choke coils 9, a DC power supply 1, an output combiner circuit 7, an RF input terminal 21, and an RF output terminal 22. Further, the input branch circuit 6 includes a ¼ wavelength transmission line 4, and the output combiner circuit 7 includes a ¼ wavelength transmission line 5.
As the carrier amplifier 2 and the peak amplifier 3, field effect transistors (FET) are used, for example. The output combiner circuit 7, which is formed of a transformer, is typically composed of the ¼ wavelength transmission line 5. The input branch circuit 6 is composed of the ¼ wavelength transmission line 4 or a 90-degree hybrid circuit, for example, which causes output signals of the carrier amplifier 2 and the peak amplifier 3 to be in phase at a signal combining point of the output combiner circuit 7.
A common power supply voltage from the DC power supply 1 is supplied to each of the carrier amplifier 2 and the peak amplifier 3 through the RF choke coil 9. As the DC decoupling capacitors 8, capacitances having a sufficiently low impedance at the frequency of an RF signal to be used are selected. In general, the carrier amplifier 2 is based to AB-class or B-class, and the peak amplifier 3 is biased to C-class. The power amplifier includes the carrier amplifier 2 that operates while being saturated in the vicinity of a saturated output power. Accordingly, an efficiency higher than that of a normal A-class or AB-class amplifier is realized even when the saturated output power backs off.
FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of efficiency versus output signal power characteristics of the power amplifier with a Doherty amplifier configuration shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 shows that when the saturated output levels of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier are the same, the power amplifier has efficiency peaks at a 6 dB backoff point where the carrier amplifier is saturated and at a 0 dB backoff point where the peak amplifier is also saturated, with respect to the combined saturated outputs of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier. FIG. 8 is a signal power versus time characteristic diagram showing a relationship between a peak power value and an average power value of the RF signal.
Meanwhile, W-CDMA modulation wave and OFDMA modulation wave, which are used in recent mobile communication systems, have a relatively large peak factor (a ratio between an average power level and a peak power level of an input signal) of 7 dB to 11 dB. For this reason, it is necessary to set the operating point of each power amplifier in the range of 7 dB to 11 dB or higher. Accordingly, it is impossible to cause the power amplifier to operate at the efficiency peak point.
An example of means for solving such a problem is disclosed in Patent Literature 2. This supplies different power supply voltages to a carrier amplifier and a peak amplifier and changes the saturated output levels of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier, thereby allowing the efficiency peak point of a Doherty amplifier to change from 6 dB and to operate at a given operating point with a maximum efficiency. Further, Patent Literature 2 proposes a technique in which an input level detector and a voltage control unit are provided. When the input level is relatively low, a power supply voltage is set to be relatively low, and when the input level is relatively high, the power supply voltage is set to be relatively high, thereby optimizing the power supply voltage supplied to each of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier according to the input average signal power and maintaining the high efficiency.
Another example of the related Doherty amplifier is disclosed in Patent Literature 3. This amplifier has a configuration in which an input signal is branched by a directional coupler; the branched signals are further distributed by a distributor; an envelope of one of the distributed signals is detected by an envelope detector; and a bias voltage according to a peak/average power ratio is applied to a peak amplifier.
Still another example is disclosed in Patent Literature 4. In the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 4, input distribution means distributes an input signal and inputs one of the distributed signals to a detection circuit. Next, the detection circuit detects an envelope of the input signal and inputs the detected output to waveform forming means. Then, the waveform forming means outputs a signal corresponding to the envelope of an equivalent RF signal to each of voltage controllers 1 and 2. After that, the voltage controller 1 supplies a voltage corresponding to the signal from the waveform forming means to a carrier amplifier, and the voltage controller 2 supplies a voltage corresponding to the signal from the waveform forming means to a peak amplifier.

Power amplifier and amplification method thereof