An electrical connector assembly has a male connector which mates to a female connector thereby electrically engaging male terminal blades, locked to a male connector body, to female terminals locked to a female connector body. The blade of each male terminal extends into a blind bore defined by a shroud of the male connector body. Prior to mating of the electrical connector assembly, a self-aligning blade stabilizer is snap fitted into a blade alignment position with the male connector via a lock arm which prevents withdrawal of the stabilizer from the male connector and a flex arm which restricts insertion of the stabilizer into the male connector. When the stabilizer is in the blade alignment position, the tips of the blades are disposed within respective apertures of the stabilizer and aligned to their respective female terminals. Moreover, the terminal blades are protected from being inadvertently knocked and bent which would cause blade misalignment and hinder electrical continuity of the mated assembly. Furthermore, the stabilizer prevents entry of debris into the blind bore of the male connector which would hinder or prevent full mating of the electrical connector. During mating of the electrical connector assembly, the stabilizer is pushed out of the blade alignment position and into a seated position as the blades travel through the apertures and into the female terminals of the female connector.

The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly having a pre-aligning terminal blade stabilizer.
A multi-bladed electrical connector has a male connector portion which firmly supports a series of male terminals that are locked within respective terminal cavities of the male connector portion. A female connector portion of the electrical connector mates typically via a snap locking feature to the male connector portion. When mating, the pins are received by respective pin receptacles of the female connector portion to form the electrical connections.
A blade or pin of each terminal projects forward from each terminal cavity and into a common blind bore or chamber defined by a forward projecting circumferential encasement or shroud of the male connector portion. The female connector portion of the electrical connector houses the series of pin receptacles which communicate through a leading end of the female connector portion. For a reliable electrical connection, each pin receptacle must align with its respective pin of the terminal of the male connector portion. When the electrical connector is mated, the leading end portion of the female connector portion fits into the chamber of the male connector portion and is thus guided by the circumferential encasement.
Unfortunately, during the manufacturing phase and/or handling of a wire harness, which is engaged to the male connector portion of the electrical connector, the exposed protruding pins of the terminals can potentially be knocked or bent, or debris may enter the chamber of the male connector portion which results in the inability of the terminals to connected electronically within the pin receptacles of the female connector portions. Moreover, the manufacturing dimensional variances between the terminals and the male connector portion housing cause the terminals to pivot slightly within the housing and the distal ends of the pins to become misaligned with the receptacles.
An electrical connector assembly has a male connector which mates to a female connector thereby electrically engaging male terminal blades, locked to a male connector body, to female terminals locked to a female connector body. The blade of each male terminal extends into a blind bore defined by a shroud of the male connector body. Prior to mating of the electrical connector assembly, a self-aligning blade stabilizer is snap fitted into a blade alignment position with the male connector via a lock arm which prevents withdrawal of the stabilizer from the male connector and a flex arm which restricts insertion of the stabilizer into the male connector. When the stabilizer is in the blade alignment position, the tips of the blades are disposed within respective apertures of the stabilizer and aligned to their respective female terminals. Moreover, the terminal blades are protected from being inadvertently knocked and bent which would cause blade misalignment and hinder electrical continuity of the mated assembly. Furthermore, the stabilizer prevents entry of debris into the blind bore of the male connector which would hinder or prevent full mating of the electrical connector. During mating of the electrical connector assembly, the stabilizer is pushed out of the blade alignment position and into a seated position as the blades travel through the apertures and into the female terminals of the female connector.
An advantage of the present invention is the prevention of accidental mis-alignment or bending of the protruding blades of the terminals of the male connector portion. Another advantage of the present invention is the elimination of foreign article or debris collection within the chamber of the male connector portion which could prevent full mating of the electrical connector. Yet another advantage of the invention is the incorporation of a blade stabilizer having a blade alignment position without having to re-design the male or female connector of the electrical connector assembly.


Methods and apparatuses for fault condition protection of a switched mode power supply. In one aspect of the invention, a power supply circuit having an auto-restart function to turn the power supply on and off repeatedly under fault conditions is included. In one embodiment, one or more off-times following detection of a fault condition is smaller than subsequent off-times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power supplies and, more specifically, the present invention relates to a switching regulator.
2. Background Information
In a switching power supply, a power supply controller is connected in series with a primary winding of a transformer to the high voltage direct current (DC) input derived from alternating current (AC) power line through rectification and filtering. Energy is transferred to the secondary winding in a manner controlled by the power supply controller so as to provide a constant output voltage. Another winding called a feedback or bias winding may be used to provide a feedback signal to the power supply controller. Alternatively, the feedback signal can come through an opto-coupler from a sense circuit at the secondary output. The feedback signal is used to modulate the duty cycle of the power supply controller or used to allow or disallow cycles in order to control the secondary output.
In the event of a short circuit condition, an overload condition (may be caused by either an overload at the output secondary winding or an under voltage condition at the power supply input) or an open in the feedback loop, the power supply controller detects the loss of feedback signal and goes into a mode called "auto-restart." In the auto-restart mode, the power supply controller tries to start the power supply periodically by delivering power for a period of time, also known as the on-time, (greater than needed for start up) and turns off the power supply for another period of time, also known as the off-time. As long as the fault condition is present, the power supply controller remains in this auto-restart mode limiting the average output power to a safe, low value. When the fault is removed, auto-restart enables the power supply to start automatically.
The operating principle of auto-restart is to reduce the average power delivered to the power supply output during fault condition to a safe level by running the power supply alternately between a first predetermined time period (also known as on-time) and a second predetermined time period (also known as off-time). During on-time power supply is on delivering energy to output while during off-time power supply is off delivering no energy to output. To make auto-restart protection effective, the off-time is set significantly longer than the on-time. When fault condition occurs for a duration shorter than the auto-restart off-time, the power supply will not attempt to restart until the off-time is over resulting in unnecessary long delay before recovery.

Method and apparatus for fault condition protection of a switched mode power supply


A printing method and a printer for implementing the printing method are disclosed. When a printhead including a first end and a second end sequentially prints a first area and a second area which are adjacent to each other, the method comprises performing printing by means of the printer by relatively moving locations of the printhead and a print object in such a way that a surface printed by the second end in the first area and a surface printed by the second end in the second area face each other. The printhead rotates around a rotational axis comprising at least one point on the printhead, one end of the printhead, a center of the printhead, or both ends of the printhead.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer and a printing method, and more particularly, to a printer and a printing method for reducing a deviation between nozzles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a display device converts data processed by a data processing device into an image. Examples of the display device include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an organic electroluminescent (EL) display device, and a plasma display panel (PDP). Such display devices are flat display devices which have smaller volume and weight than cathode-ray tube display devices.
The flat display devices commonly have a pixel pattern for displaying an image. For example, the LCD device includes various pixel patterns, such as a thin film transistor (TFT), a gate signal line, a data signal line, a pixel electrode, a black matrix, a color filter, and a common electrode. For example, the organic EL display device includes various pixel patterns, such as an anode electrode, an electron injection layer (EIL), a hole injection layer (HIL), a cathode electrode, and an organic layer.


An apparatus and a method for providing information used for generating and consuming multimedia content in a broadcast system supporting a multimedia service based on an Internet protocol are provided. The method includes composing a message type field containing information indicating on a type of control information contained in the control message, composing a length field containing information on the length of the control message, composing optional fields having different values according to the type of the control information, and composing a payload field containing content of the control information.

A broadcast network uses the Moving Picture Experts Group-2 Transport Stream (MPEG-2 TS) for delivering multimedia content according to the related art. The MPEG-2 TS is used as a representative transmission technique for delivering a bit stream in which a plurality of broadcast programs (a plurality of encoded video bit streams) can be transmitted without having an error. For example, the MPEG-2 TS is appropriate for digital TV broadcasting, or the like, in the multimedia era.
FIG. 1 illustrates a layer structure for supporting the MPEG-2 TS according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the layer for supporting the MPEG-2 TS includes a media coding layer 110, a sync layer 120, a delivery layer 130, a network layer 140, a data link layer 150, and a physical layer 160.
The media coding layer 110 and the sync layer 120 are formed of a format which is easily usable as a basic unit of recording or transmission of media data. Further, the delivery layer 130, the network layer 140, the data link layer 150, and the physical layer 160 record a data block (for example, "AU") configured by the sync layer 120 in a recording medium or configure a multimedia frame for transmission. The configured multimedia frame is delivered to a subscriber's terminal, or the like, through a predetermined network.
The sync layer 120 is composed of a fragment block 122 and an access unit 124, and the delivery layer 130 is composed of an MPEG-2 TS/MP4 132, an RTP/HTTP 134, and a UDP/TCP 136.
However, the MPEG-2 TS has several limits in supporting a multimedia service. That is, the MPEG-2 TS has the limitations of unidirectional communication, non-efficiency in transmission due to a fixed frame size, and a generation of an unnecessary overhead while delivering data by using a transmission protocol and an Internet Protocol (IP) specialized to an audio/video.
The MPEG newly suggests the MPEG Media Transport (MMT) standard as one of the multimedia transmission techniques for supporting the multimedia service based on the MPEG technique. The MMT standard is suggested by the MPEG in order to overcome the limits of the MPEG-2 TS.
The MMT standard may be applied in order to efficiently deliver hybrid contents through heterogeneous networks. Here, the hybrid contents refer to a set of contents having combined multimedia elements, such as a video/audio/application, or the like. The heterogeneous network means a network in which a broadcast network, a communication network, or the like, are mixed.
In addition, the MMT standard defines a transmission technique more friendly to the Internet Protocol (IP) which serves as a basic technique for transmitting the multimedia.
The MMT standard typically proves to be an efficient MPEG transmission technique in a multimedia service environment, varying based on the IP; continuous research and standardization thereof have progressed.
The MMT standard requires a preparation of a method of providing an efficient MPEG transmission technique in a recent multimedia service environment aiming to provide a hybrid network and hybrid contents.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for configuring a control message to be used in a broadcast system that supports an IP-based multimedia service.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Apparatus and method for configuring a control message in a broadcast system


A method for producing a sandwich component, which method permits the production of a sandwich component with a class-A surface without cumbersome reworking of the visible surface of the sandwich component, a sandwich component produced by the method, and a corresponding device for producing the sandwich component.

Sandwich components are typically areal components which are constructed from at least three plies, specifically a central core ply between two cover layers or plies, and are used for example in the automobile construction industry as body components, in particular for the construction of lightweight automobiles. Normally, areal sandwich components are produced, the shape of which can be adapted in a compression mould.
German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2010 0054 56 A1 discloses, for example, a sandwich component comprising a honeycomb core with a plurality of webs and with at least one cover layer, wherein the honeycomb core is composed of a cellulose-based material, in particular paper, wherein the cover layer is formed from a fibre-reinforced semi-finished part with a thermoplastic synthetic matrix, wherein the webs of the honeycomb core are, at attachment points to the cover layer, at least partially received in the thermoplastic synthetic matrix of the cover layer, such that a bond of the sandwich component is realized.
German Patent Publication No. DE 10 2012 006 609 A1 disclose a sandwich component having two fibre-reinforced thermoplastic cover layers and an interposed honeycomb core ply, wherein the cover layers are connected to the honeycomb core ply via a thermoplastic material, and wherein at least one side of the sandwich component has a decorative ply which is arranged on the cover layer, wherein the sandwich component furthermore comprises at least one foamed ply which is arranged between the cover layer and the decorative ply, wherein the foamed ply is connected to the cover layer and to the decorative ply. Via this solution, it is sought to realize a laminated sandwich component which is intended to prevent surface defects on the decorative layer arising as a result of the support core that is used.

Method and apparatus for manufactoring a sandwich part and sandwich part


In an embodiment, a retractable awning comprises a slotted track; a webbing disposed in the slotted track; a cover attached to the webbing and disposed on the slotted track; a first roller disposed at a first end of the slotted track and connected to a first end of the webbing; a second roller disposed at a second opposite end of the slotted track and connected to a second end of the webbing; and a bracket, the bracket disposed over the first roller and comprising a guide roller which contacts the cover when the retractable awing is in a deployed position between the first roller and the first end of the slotted track.

(1) Field
Disclosed is a retractable awning. The awning is suitable for reversibly covering a pergola, for example.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Outdoor venues are desirable for many events, such as weddings and graduations, and present the challenge of how to accommodate adverse weather. Thus, there remains a need for a way to provide a deployable covering over large events that can be provided without disturbing the event if adverse weather develops.


Wire-free, unibody jumpers that may be used with crimp terminals. These jumpers may connect two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a plug housing. One example may provide a jumper that is formed from a single piece of metal or other conductive material. In this example, a form may be stamped from a sheet of metal or other conductive material. A jumper may be made by folding or bending the stamped form. The jumper may then be inserted into two or more adjacent or nearby crimp terminal openings in a crimp terminal plug housing. In various examples, the folding or bending of the stamped form may be done in various ways.

The number and types of electronic devices that are commercially available have increased tremendously the past few years, and this increase shows no signs of abating. The functionality that each of these devices packs in has increased as well.
Much of this increased functionality is generated by components, circuits, and other apparatus that may be located on a main logic board, or motherboard, in the device. Additional functionality may be included by inserting additional device components inside a device's housing. These additional device components may connect to the components, circuits, and other apparatus on the main logic board.
The additional device components may connect to the main logic board using wires. For example, these wires may be connected to an additional device component on one end, and a plug on the second end. Specifically, each of these wires may be crimped using a wire crimp. The wire crimps may then be inserted into a crimp terminal pug. The crimp terminal plug may be inserted into a crimp terminal receptacle. The crimp terminal receptacle may be attached to a main logic board. Contacts in the crimp terminal plug may connect and form electrical pathways from the wire crimps to the main logic board.
On occasion, it may be desirable to connect two of the crimp terminal receptacle contacts together. One way of doing this is to use a wire jumper. That is, a wire may be crimped using a crimp on each end. Each end of the wire may then be inserted into a crimp terminal plug, thereby forming the desired connection.
But the use of these wires may provide a connection between a main logic board and an additional device component that has an undesirable appearance. For example, the use of such a wire may make it appear that a design error had been committed, and that a wire jumper had been employed to correct the error. This may provide an undesired, and incorrect, impression to users.
Thus, what is needed are apparatus that may be able to connect two crimp terminal receptacle contacts in a wire-free manner. It may also be desirable that this apparatus be able to be readily manufactured.


A transfection agent is provided that has lower toxicity and can be applied in the clinical setting. The transfection agent comprises a peptide surfactant.

RNA interference (RNAi) is expected to be applied to the treatment of disease since it is able to inhibit the expression of specific genes. At the current level of technology, transfection agents used when transfecting cells with small interfering RNA (siRNA) consist mainly of cationic phospholipids that have been indicated to be toxic.
However, when considering the application of siRNA and other nucleic acid pharmaceuticals in the clinical setting, transfection agents are desired to have as low toxicity as possible, and the development of a transfection agent having lower toxicity has been awaited.
Peptide surfactants are known to have an action that stabilizes membrane proteins such as the G protein coupled receptor, bovine rhodopsin, and be capable of self-assembly (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, their application as transfection agents has heretofore been unknown.
Non-Patent Document 1: Zhao, X. et al., PNAS, Vol. 103, No. 47, 17707-17712
Non-Patent Document 2: Nagai, A., et al., J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., Vol. 7, No. 7, 1-7


A method and apparatus for measuring a molecular composition of protein molecules. A fluid containing at least two varieties of protein molecules is irradiated with first and second laser light beams having different wavelengths. The molecular composition of the at least two varieties of protein molecules contained in the fluid is measured on the basis of an autocorrelation function of a scattered light signal from the at least two varieties of protein molecules irradiated with the first and second laser light beams having different wavelengths.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring a molecular composition, and relates more specifically to a method and apparatus for measuring a molecular composition in which a fluid containing at least two varieties of protein molecules is irradiated with a laser light beam, and scattered light is received from the protein molecules to measure their composition from a scattered light signal thereof.
2. Background Art
Aqueous humor flows in the anterior chamber disposed between the cornea and the crystalline lens of the eyeball. The albumin and other proteins in the aqueous humor are at a very low concentration in a normal eye due to the operation of the anterior chamber barrier. The aqueous humor also lacks blood cells.
However, it is known that when the function of the blood-aqueous barrier is reduced after intraocular lens insertion operations for cataracts or uveitis, white blood cells or red blood cells are discharged into the aqueous humor, the number of albumin molecules drastically increases, or globulin or the like that is a protein molecule larger than albumin is discharged.
Quantitatively measuring the number density of blood cells and the concentration of protein molecules is thus important for performing a follow-up diagnosis after surgery.
A method for calculating the protein concentration of the aqueous humor by irradiating the protein molecules suspended in the aqueous humor of the eyeball with laser light, and measuring the intensity of light scattered from the protein molecules is proposed as a method for quantitatively measuring the concentration of the protein molecules in the following Patent Document 1, for example.
The conventional technique described in Patent Document 1 concerns a measuring technique referred to as a laser flare-cell measuring technique using a single-wavelength laser, which provides information relating to the composition of proteins and various biomolecules contained in the aqueous humor inside of the anterior chamber of a human eye without contact and in a noninvasive manner.

Method and apparatus for measuring molecular composition


A data processing system provides a desk view which serves as a graphical user interface to the system. The desk view displays detailed miniaturized images of all documents possessed by the user. The compressed document images are user moveable and stackable in the desk view. The desk view also enables user selected operations including mailing, disposing, annotating, stapling, unstapling and printing of documents. User interaction with items of the desk view is communicated through an electronic-stylus. Different actions with the stylus provide naturally expected effects. The stylus and desk view provide a simulation of a common office desk and user interaction therewith.

In many of today's businesses, various tasks are now automated by computers. For instance, a word processor enables the reorganizing and rewriting of documents without the retyping known in the past. In addition, various documents may be organized and stored by a computer filing system which allows retrieval by name, by chronological or alphabetical order, or by other user-desired identification. Another example is a mail system on a network of computer terminals which allows messages to be sent to and from users of the network. Also, a phone system may be connected to a mail system which in turn enables phone messages to be stored and later forwarded to users. These and other computer devices enable various daily office tasks to be accomplished more quickly and more efficiently.
However, most computer devices require the user to be computer literate and to learn commands to direct the computer to perform the desired tasks. In more recent computer developments, user interaction with the computer, or as generally referenced in the art, the user interface, comprises menus or a series of commands from which to choose. For each decision juncture during the use of a computer device, an appropriate menu is displayed to the user to prompt the user on the available, proper commands at the juncture. The user only needs to choose the command from the menu which will direct (in part or in full) the computer to perform the desired task. Due to the menu providing the proper possible commands, the user does not have to remember or recall commands to the computer. Hence, the menus are considered to make computer devices more "user friendly".
Although, the choices on a menu generally are descriptive phrases written in terms which are more common to our everyday language rather than in a coded or technical computer language, the descriptive phrases may not initially have meaning, or at least the proper meaning, to a first-time user or a user who is not computer literate. The user does have to learn the respective meaning of each menu choice.
In addition, the input devices through which the user communicates commands or menu selections to the computer pose various complexities. For example, a keyboard requires knowledge of the position of each key in order for a user to use the keyboard proficiently. A mouse, being a relative movement device, requires certain eye-hand coordination and is operated by unnatural movements such as single and double clicking at appropriate times which must be remembered by the user.
In turn, many office personnel do not make use of computer devices because of the time and complexity in learning to operate these devices.
Accordingly, there is a need to make computer devices, and particularly those for office use, more "user friendly" and readily useable especially to first-time and computer illiterate users.

Method for color image reduction based upon determination of color components of pixels in neighboring blocks


The invention concerns a protective assembly (1, 101) for the lower limbs (31) of a motor vehicle passenger comprising an actuating device (2, 103) secured to the vehicle and capable of displacing a rod (3, 108) which is linked to a protective system. The invention is characterized in that: i) the actuating device contains a pyrotechnic system (9); ii) the protective system comprises a protective cushion (6) mounted on a shaft (5, 105) integral with the vehicle; iii) said protective cushion is mobile in rotation under the effect of the displacement of the rod so as to accompany, in the contact zone provided between the passenger""s lower limbs and said protective cushion, the movement of said lower limbs.

The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle safety and relates more specifically to a protective assembly intended to deploy a protective cushion which serves to block the lower limbs of an occupant of a motor vehicle in an accident.
In order to limit as far as possible the risk of bodily injury run by the occupants of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal or side impact, the incorporation of gas-generating systems into vehicles so as to inflate protective cushions able to protect the head and thorax of the occupants has been proposed now for about thirty years.
Recently, numerous patent applications have appeared regarding protective assemblies included in the lower part of the dashboard and designed to block the lower limbs of the occupant in a collision so that, on the one hand, said lower limbs are protected and, on the other hand, the occupant cannot slide along the seat in which he is sitting and be injured by the seat belt or, as appropriate, by an inflatable protective cushion.
These various protective assemblies may be classified broadly into three categories. The first category contains protective assemblies which call upon a gas generator mounted fixedly in the lower part of the dashboard and intended to inflate a protective cushion designed to come into direct contact with the occupant""s lower limbs. However, these protective cushions, which are situated near plastic or metal elements, may become damaged by such elements in the event of a collision. Such assemblies are, for example, described in patent application DE 39 34588 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,366.
The second category contains protective assemblies which contain a gas generator intended to inflate a protective cushion which itself actuates a plate designed to come into contact with the occupant""s lower limbs. However, these assemblies, which are described for example in Patent Applications EP 0 684 164 and EP 0 820 905, on the whole have excessively high manufacturing costs and occupy too much space. The third category contains protective assemblies which resort to no inflatable protective cushion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,260 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,963 for example disclose protective assemblies including a plate which can be moved in the event of an impact so as to meet the occupant""s lower limbs, it being possible for this plate to be actuated pneumatically or mechanically. However, as the maximum deployment of the plate has to be achieved in the ten milliseconds or so following collision, it then follows that said plate is brought up to speed, in the opposite direction to the direction of the lower limbs, extremely sharply during this space of time and that the plate is then likely to injure the occupant""s lower limbs if these strike said plate before it is fully deployed.
The person skilled in the art is therefore still looking for an assembly for protecting the lower limbs of an occupant that makes it possible to alleviate the various problems mentioned previously.
The object of the invention is to meet this expectation and the invention relates to a protective assembly for protecting the lower limbs of an occupant of a motor vehicle, comprising an actuating device secured to the vehicle and able to cause the movement of a sliding means which is connected to a protective system intended to switch from a retracted storage position to a protecting position, characterized in that
i) the actuating device contains a pyrotechnic assembly comprising a pyrotechnic charge with which an ignition device is associated,
ii) the protection system comprises a shock-absorbing protective cushion mounted on a shaft which is secured to the vehicle,
iii) this protective cushion is able to move in rotation under the effect of the movement of the sliding means so as to accompany the movement of said lower limbs in the anticipated area of contact between the lower limbs of the occupant and said protective cushion.
Thus, this protective assembly, which is able to ensure full deployment of the protective cushion in a period of time of the order of 10 milliseconds, allows a great reduction in the risk of injury to the lower limbs when, bearing in mind the particular positioning of the occupant on his seat at the time of the collision, the impact occurs in the instants preceding full deployment of the protective cushion. What actually happens is that, at that moment, this protective cushion is given a movement not in the opposite direction to that of the lower limbs but which accompanies the movement of said lower limbs. In all cases, the effect of the protective cushion is to absorb some of the energy introduced through the impact.
It should be noted that a protective assembly according to the invention may comprise a shaft which can move in rotation under the effect of the movement of the sliding means and to which a protective cushion is fixedly attached. However, one possible alternative form of embodiment may consist in the use of a shaft which is permanently fixed and on which there is mounted a protective cushion that can move in rotation about this shaft under the effect of the movement of the sliding means. The other structural differences to be made to the protective assembly in order to take account of this alternative form of embodiment will not necessarily all be described hereinafter.
Advantageously, the actuating device consists of a linear pyrotechnic tension ram and the sliding means has, on the one hand, a first end connected to a moving part housed in said ram and, on the other hand, a second end connected to the shaft. In the alternative form mentioned earlier, the second end of the sliding means would then be connected to the protective cushion.
It should be noted that, depending on the geometry of the cabin, it may be necessary to use a linear pyrotechnic thrust ram in place of the linear pyrotechnic tension ram.
Bearing in mind the constant increase in the number of protective systems carried on board a vehicle, another object of the invention is to propose a protective assembly that is of small size. For that, the sliding means is advantageously attached to an element that can move in rotation which is connected to the shaft, this moving element preferably consisting of at least one link rod. Hence, by virtue of this moving element, the movement of the sliding means is manifested at the shaft and therefore at the protective cushion by a large-amplitude rotation which causes this cushion to move from a very retracted storage position into a position of maximum protection, this rotation advantageously being through more than 90 degrees.
Advantageously, the actuating device and the moving element are attached to a fixed armature.
According to a first preferred alternative form of the invention, the sliding means consists of a rigid rod and the actuating device is able to rock about a rotation spindle.
According to a second preferred alternative form of the invention, the sliding means consists of a flexible cable.
Advantageously, the actuating device lies in a plane perpendicular to the shaft.
A protective assembly according to the invention may also comprise a braking device which is able to cause a sharp decrease in the speed of the protective cushion at the end of operation. This device then makes it possible to greatly reduce the probability of the protective cushion bouncing back at the end of operation. This braking device may for example be produced using a first metal part which is attached to the actuating device and which acts as a stop for a second metal part mounted on the sliding means. The first metal part is preferably in the shape of a bell and the second metal part preferably consists of a nut secured to the sliding means.
An assembly according to the invention may also contain a blocking device intended to block the protective cushion when it is fully deployed. Several exemplary embodiments of this blocking device will be expanded upon later on in this patent application. This device may incidentally have the effect of supplementing the action of the braking device.
As a preference, the protective cushion is produced in the form of a body having two ends, each of them being fixed to the shaft by means of a fixing lug.
A protective assembly according to the invention, apart from making it possible to very greatly reduce the risk of injury during the impact, and of occupying only a small volume, has the advantage of having only a small number of mechanical parts which are easy to assemble, thus giving this assembly a low cost of manufacture.
The present invention also relates to an actuating device intended to be incorporated into such a protective assembly, characterized in that it comprises:
i) a body in which, during operation, a moving part to which a rod is attached can slide,
ii) a braking device which is able to cause a sharp reduction in the speed of travel of the moving part at the end of operation,
iii) a blocking device intended to block the moving part at the end of operation.
According to a first feature of the invention, said rod may consist of a rigid rod or of a flexible cable.
Advantageously, the braking device is produced using a first metal part which is attached to the body and which acts as a stop for a second metal part mounted on the rod. The first metal part is preferably produced in the form of a bell and the second metal part may consist of a nut. In such an embodiment, as the bell is made to deform under the impact of the nut, it is then possible for said bell and said nut to be configured in such a way that the nut is held captive in the deformed bell. It then follows that, in such a case, the bell and the nut constitute both the braking device and the blocking device.
Furthermore, the blocking device may for example be produced using elastic tabs carried by the side wall of the body, said elastic tabs being intended to close back up, at the end of operation, onto a groove that the moving part has.
This actuating device therefore has the advantage, on the one hand, of having a moving part whose speed of movement is greatly reduced at the end of its travel and, on the other hand, of avoiding any movement of said moving part in the opposite direction at the end of operation.

Protective assembly for a motor vehicle passenger""s lower limbs


The present invention relates to a glucose sensor (2) including an electrode (32) which includes a conductive component and glucose dehydrogenase immobilized to the conductive component. As the glucose dehydrogenase, use is made of a protein complex including a catalytic activity subunit which has glucose dehydrogenase activity, and an electron mediator subunit for supplying an electron donated from the catalytic activity subunit to the conductive component. Preferably, the glucose sensor (2) is designed to continuously measure the glucose level or successively measure the glucose level a plurality of times.

For diabetics, it is important to know their own glucose levels and it is necessary to decide the timing of insulin administration by repetitively measuring the glucose levels. For example, the glucose level measurement is performed using a disposable glucose sensor (See Patent Document 1: JP-B-H08-10208, for example). To measure the glucose level using the glucose sensor disclosed in the document, blood need be extracted from the skin using a lancing apparatus. Therefore, the monitoring of the glucose level is troublesome for diabetics, and the necessity of sticking a needle into the skin at each time of glucose level measurement causes pain.
To solve such problems, a technique to continuously monitor the glucose level has been proposed (See Patent Document 2: JP-A-H09-503924, for example), which has been commercialized as "Gluco Watch" in the United States. The glucose level measuring technique employs an electrode method in which blood or interstitial fluid extracted from the skin is supplied to an electrode to measure the glucose level by using the electrode. The electrode in this case is arranged in close proximity to the skin in measuring the glucose level and is designed so that an electron taken from the blood or interstitial fluid via glucose oxidase (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "GOD" is supplied to the electrode (conductive component).
The electrode method using GOD has a drawback that the accuracy of measurement may be deteriorated by the influence of dissolved oxygen in the sample (blood or interstitial fluid). Generally, in the method using GOD, the supply of the electron, which GOD took from glucose, to the electrode (conductive component) is performed by either of the following two methods: in one of the methods, hydrogen peroxide is generated so that the electron is supplied to the electrode (conductive component) via hydrogen peroxide, whereas, in the other method, the electron is supplied to the electrode (conductive component) via an electron mediator (e.g. metal complex such as potassium ferricyanide). Both of the methods hardly cause problems to the human body as long as the measurement of the glucose level using blood or the like extracted from the skin is performed at a place separated from the skin. However, considering that hydrogen peroxide and potassium ferricyanide are the substances which are not good for the human body, the method in which the electrode containing GOD is disposed in close proximity to the skin, like the forgoing method, is not preferable.
Further, in the method which utilizes an electron mediator, it is necessary to add an electron mediator into the electrode or mobilize an electron mediator at the electrode surface. In both cases, the preparation of an electron mediator separately from GOD and adding the electron mediator to the electrode is disadvantageous in terms of cost.
Patent Document 1: JP-B-H08-10208
Patent Document 2: JP-A-H09-503924

Glucose sensor and glucose level measuring apparatus


A development device includes: a developer carrier that is positioned to oppose an electrostatic latent image carrier and that supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image carrier; a developer supply member that is positioned to oppose the developer carrier and that supplies the developer to the developer carrier; a developer charging member that is positioned to oppose the developer supply member and that charges the developer.

For electrographic printers, a method is well know by which the image is formed by each process of charging, exposure, development, transfer, fusion and cleaning. Of these, for the development process, a contact type development device, in which a development roller contacts to a photosensitive drum and which applies a voltage to the development roller and uses non-magnetic monocomponent toner to develop an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, is widely used for advantages of miniaturization and low cost.
In such a conventional development device, it is common that a supply roller is pressed against the development roller. However, there are demands to reduce a drive torque and to suppress heat in order to realize, for example, a speed printing. As a method to reduce the drive torque, a development device in which the development roller and the supply roller provided with projections (large surface roughness) are arranged in a non-contact manner (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. H02-101485 (page 2, left lower column, line 14—page 5, right upper column, line 1, and FIGS. 1 and 8).

Development device and image forming device including the same


A high speed moving image processing section of a liquid crystal display device includes: a calculation section having a plurality of LUTs in accordance with which an output for performing overshoot drive is obtained with reference to current frame data and previous frame data; and a frame memory in which a video data signal of a previous frame is stored. During each writing period in a single frame period, the calculation section carries out data conversion for performing the overshoot drive by using a video data signal, transmitted from the host device, as current frame data, and by using a video data signal, read out from the frame memory, as pervious frame data. Further, an LUT for performing the overshoot drive is switched in every writing period.

Recently, liquid crystal display devices have been used in various devices having various sizes, e.g., in a television, a monitor, a mobile phone, and the like. While, a liquid crystal display device raises such a problem that an image blurs in displaying a moving image since its drive mode is a hold drive mode and response of liquid crystal is poor.
As an example of a technique for preventing the blurring image caused by the hold drive mode, black insertion display is known. The black insertion display is such that: a single frame is divided into plural sub frames, and pseudo impulse drive is performed in which at least one sub frame is set as a display period and at least other one sub frame is set as a black display period, so as to suppress the image from blurring.
In the black insertion display, ON/OFF of a backlight is controlled or black is written into a liquid crystal panel so as to carry out black display during a black display period. Recently, also a mobile device such as a mobile phone or the like is required to have a function for displaying a moving image. It is preferable to arrange the mobile device so that black insertion display is carried out by entirely controlling ON/OFF a backlight in order to simplify a device configuration and control means. Note that, it is general that the black insertion display means a method in which black display is inserted by writing black data into a liquid crystal panel. However, in this specification, a display method in which a black display period and an image display period are provided in a simple manner is referred to as "black insertion display", and also a method in which a black display period and an image display period are provided by controlling ON/OFF of the backlight is referred to as "black insertion display".
However, the liquid crystal display device has such a problem that response of liquid crystal is poor as described above, so that it is often that a moving image cannot be sufficiently prevented from blurring merely by carrying out the black insertion display. That is, in the black insertion display, writing into pixels is carried out during the black display period, but liquid crystal response caused by the writing has to be completed during the display period. However, writing into upper pixels of a display screen is carried out at the initial time of the black display period, so that a liquid crystal response period can be sufficiently obtained before the display period, but writing into lower pixels of the screen is carried out at the last time of the black display period, so that a period shifting to the display period is short, which results in incomplete liquid crystal response. This may cause the upper portion and the lower portion of the display screen to be different from each other in effect of suppression of blur of the moving image.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a liquid crystal driving method in which the black insertion display is carried out in combination with preliminary writing and overshoot drive so as to suppress blur of the moving image which blur cannot be prevented merely by the black insertion display.
In the liquid crystal driving method of Patent Literature 1, two writing operations, i.e., preliminary writing and regular writing are carried out during the black display period. Thus, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal response period also in the lower pixels of the display screen by the preliminary writing which is carried out in the first half of the black display period.
Further, Patent Literature 1 discloses an arrangement in which overshoot drive is performed at the time of the preliminary writing so as to further enhance speed of the liquid crystal response. The overshoot drive is the following technique: If a direction in which a current gray scale changes to a gray scale to be displayed is a positive direction, a voltage higher than a writing voltage for the gray scale to be displayed is applied during a predetermined period, and if the direction in which the current gray scale changes to the gray scale to be displayed is a negative direction, a voltage lower than the writing voltage for the gray scale to be displayed is applied during a predetermined period, so as to promote a change of orientation of liquid crystal molecules, thereby enhancing a response property of liquid crystal. That is, in case of changing a first transmittance of a target pixel into a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance, a voltage higher than a writing voltage corresponding to the second transmittance is applied during a predetermined period.

Liquid crystal display devices and methods for driving the same


In a kerogen agglomeration process, a substantial amount of the oil shale is comminuted to a top size greater than about 0.4 to 8 in. prior to kerogen agglomeration. Kerogen agglomeration includes comminuting the oil shale in the presence of an added organic liquid and water to form kerogen-rich agglomerates and mineral-rich particles.

In view of the recent instability of the price of crude oil and natural gas, there has been renewed interest in alternate sources of energy and hydrocarbons. Much of this interest has been centered on recovering hydrocarbons from solid hydrocarbon-containing material such as oil shale, coal, and tar sands by pyrolysis or upon gasification to convert the solid hydrocarbon-containing material into more readily usable gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons.
Vast reserves of hydrocarbons in the form of oil shales exist throughout the United States. The Green River formation of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming is a particularly rich deposit and includes an area in excess of 16,000 square miles. It has been estimated that an equivalent of 7 trillion barrels of oil are contained in oil shale deposits in the United States, almost sixty percent located in the Green River oil shale deposits. The remainder is largely contained in the leaner Devonian-Mississippi black shale deposits which underlie most of the eastern part of the United States.
Oil shales are sedimentary inorganic materials that contain appreciable organic material in the form of high molecular weight polymers. The inorganic part of the oil shale is marlstone-type sedimentary rock. Most of the organic material is present as kerogen, a solid, high molecular weight, three-dimensional polymer which has limited solubility in ordinary solvents and therefore cannot be readily recovered by simple extraction.
A typical Green River oil shale is comprised of approximately 85 weight percent mineral components, of which carbonates are the predominate species. Lesser amounts of feldspars, quartz, and clays are also present. The kerogen component represents essentially all of the organic material. A typical elemental analysis for Green River oil shale kerogen is approximately 78 weight percent carbon, 10 weight percent hydrogen, 2 weight percent nitrogen, 1 weight percent sulfur, and 9 weight percent oxygen.
Most of the methods for recovering kerogen from oil shale involve mining the oil shale, grinding it, and thermally decomposing (retorting) the ground oil shale. In view of the fact that approximately 85 weight percent of the oil shale is mineral components, unless something is done to remove these minerals, most of the oil shale which is fed, heated up, and circulated in a retort is composed of material that cannot produce oil. This high percentage of inorganic material significantly interferes with subsequent shale processing to recover the kerogen. For example, in retorting the shale, either large or numerous retorts are needed to process the commercial quantities involved. Moreover, a substantial amount of heat is expended and lost in heating up the inorganic minerals to retorting temperatures and cooling them back down again.
Another problem associated with the presence of a large amount of mineral matter in the oil shale is pollution. In the retorting process, contaminating fines are produced and must be disposed of. The greater the quantity of minerals, the greater the quantity of polluting fines. Another source of pollution is the spent shale recovered from the retort. During retorting, chemical reactions occur in the shale as the kerogen is volatized. This results in a residue of chemical compounds. Such compounds can present a hazard in surface water pollution after they have been discarded.
As a result of the problems associated with the high percentage of minerals in oil shale, it can be economically beneficial to reject these minerals prior to retorting. This is called "shale beneficiation." This beneficiation is basically divided into two steps: (1) liberating the kerogen from the mineral matter, and (2) separating the kerogen from the mineral matter.
An essential part of liberating the kerogen from the mineral matter is comminuting the oil shale. There are several options for comminuting the oil shale. Hazemag mills, semi-autogenous (SAG) mills, balls mills, and tower mills can be effective equipment for comminution. The number of comminuting stages and the selection of the most efficient mill depends upon the intrinsic grain size of the kerogen and the extent of kerogen liberation required.
In a SAG mill, which is a cascade mill in which about 10 volume percent steel balls supplement the oil shale solid feed as comminution media, the shale can be comminuted down to about 1/2 in. top size. A ball mill, which is a tumbling mill using about 50 volume percent steel balls as comminuting media, can comminute the shale down to about 0.003 in. top size. To obtain a top size of less than 0.003 in., a tower mill can be used. A tower mill is a stirred ball mill that uses attrition as the mechanism for size reduction.
After comminuting the oil shale to produce kerogenrich particles and mineral-rich particles, the second step of beneficiation is separating these particles from each other. The two basic methods of making the kerogen-rich/mineral-rich particle separation are chemical and physical separation.
Chemical separation includes leaching of minerals, such as acid leaching of carbonates, or extraction of kerogen by chemically breaking the kerogen bonds. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,176,042 and 4,668,380 are examples of chemical beneficiation.
One type of physical separation is density separation. This type of physical separation is possible because kerogen has a specific gravity of about 1 gm/cm.sup.3 and because mineral components in oil shale have a density of about 2.8 gm/cm.sup.3. One type of density separation is heavy media cyclone separation. Heavy media cyclone is a process for separating, by density, relatively coarse shale particles. An example of a heavy media separation process can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,090. In general, the aim of heavy media separation is to separate shale into a kerogen-rich fraction having low density and a kerogen-lean fraction having high density. The liquid medium used is a mixture of water and finely ground magnetite and ferrosilicon. By varying the concentration of the magnetite and ferrosilicon, the medium can be made to have a density from 1.8-2.4 gm/cm.sup.2 so that the shale can be split at the density required. The kerogen-rich material floats to the top and is taken overhead, and the kerogen-lean material goes into the underflow from the cyclone. The disadvantages of this process are that it relies upon an inherent natural heterogeneity among oil shale particles and that it has not been successful in separating small oil shale particles.
Another type of physical separation is surface property separation. An example of surface property separation is froth flotation. In the froth flotation process, oil shale particles are mixed with an aerated aqueous solution. Since the kerogen-rich particles have greater hydrophobic character than mineral-rich particles, the kerogen-rich particles preferably attach onto air bubbles, thereby causing the kerogen-rich particles to float. Subsequently, the froth containing these kerogen-rich particles is removed. Additives can be used to improve kerogen grade and recovery. One disadvantage of the froth flotation process is the oil shale is required to be comminuted to a fine particle size prior to froth flotation. Another disadvantage of this process is that the effects of different types of collectors, frothers, and dispersants are difficult to predict. In addition, floated, kerogen-enriched shale has a tendency to have a higher concentration of carbonates than starting shale. An example of a froth floation process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,133.
Another example of surface property separation is selective agglomeration. Selective agglomeration is the combination or aggregation of specific particles into clusters of approximately spherical shape. Selective agglomeration of coal fines is known in the art. Selective agglomeration of high-rank coals using high-quality oils is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,209,301 and 4,153,419. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,810 discloses a process for selectively agglomerating low-rank sub-bituminous coals using low-quality oil. The difference between the methods disclosed in these patents and the instant invention is that the instant invention selectively agglomerates oil shale rather than coal. Because of the difference in chemistry of oil shale and coal, the methods of selective agglomeration must be different. Coal is typically precomminuted in water; however, precomminuting oil shale in water will interfere with the selective agglomeration of the kerogen.
A form of selective agglomeration used for beneficiating oil shale is kerogen agglomeration. In kerogen agglomeration, shale particles are mixed with an organic liquid and water to form agglomerates of the kerogen-rich particles while the mineral-rich particles disperse into a water phase.
In Reisberg, J., "Beneficiation of Green River Shale by Pelletization," American Chemical Society (ASCMC8), V. 163 (Oil Shale, Tar Sands, and Related Materials), pp. 165-166, 1981, ISSN 00976156, a form of kerogen agglomeration of oil shale is disclosed. This reference describes precomminuting the shale to a size small enough to pass through a screen size of 0.0059 in. (100 mesh). This shale is subsequently comminuted in the presence of heptane and water to form a kerogen-enriched fraction in the form of discrete pellets and a mineral-rich fraction dispersed in an aqueous phase. These pellets are subsequently separated from the aqueous phase using sieves. This process was found to be uneconomical due to the major cost of the power used to pregrind the oil shale prior to kerogen agglomeration. An estimated total comminution power input for this process is 130 Kw-hr/ton of shale.
The Reisberg reference's requirement that the shale be precomminuted to less than 0.0059 in. (100 mesh) prior to kerogen agglomeration is illustrative of the commonly held belief that in order to form agglomerates the shale must be finely precomminuted or prepulverized prior to kerogen agglomeration. Another example of this requirement can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,835.
The cost of comminuting the oil shale to a fine size prior to kerogen agglomeration has been a major impediment to the development of a commercial kerogen agglomeration process. There is a need for a commercially viable kerogen agglomeration process that separates kerogen from minerals without comminuting the oil shale to a fine size prior to kerogen agglomeration.

Kerogen agglomeration process for oil shale beneficiation


A method for preparing a compatible blend of polyolefin and thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol comprising:. (a) melting polyolefin in the initial elements of a melt extruder,. (b) adding and melt blending an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride with the melted polyolefin downstream in the extruder,. (c) adding peroxide to the melt blend and grafting the unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride onto the polyolefin, and. (d) melt blending thermoplastic PVOH into the grafted polyolefin/unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride melt mixture.

One of the more useful methods to modify polymers involves blending them with other polymers of different structures and properties. In fact, the subject of polymer blends has been one of the key research and development areas in the field of polymers in the past decade. In a few cases, polymer blend combinations are miscible, i.e., they exhibit thermodynamic miscibility and are mixed at the scale of molecular dimensions. These blends are mechanically compatible.
However, most blends are phase separated and generally exhibit poor mechanical compatibility. Phase separated systems in several cases can exhibit mechanical compatibility where the polymer compositions are similar, e.g., polyolefin blended with other polyolefins, or where interfacial agents are added to improve the compatibility at the interface between the constituents of the polymer blend.
For blends of polyolefins and PVOH, the extremes in polymer compatibility are expectedly observed. Polyolefins are very water insensitive whereas PVOH dissolves in water. Polyolefins are sensitive to hydrophobic compounds, e.g. oils and grease, whereas PVOH is very resistant.
Polymer blends of polyolefins and thermoplastic PVOH are melt processible, however, they exhibit very poor mechanical compatibility. This poor mechanical compatibility is manifested in the mechanical property profile of the blends relative to the properties of the unblended constituents where the blends suffer significantly in elongation at break, tensile strength and toughness. In addition, the blends exhibit non-homogeneity as noted in the injection molded surface and topology of the fractured samples for mechanical testing.
The utility of polyolefin/thermoplastic PVOH blends, if mechanical compatibility could be achieved, can be envisioned for many applications including barrier films, foam, injected molded articles and extrusion applications. The potential utility of polyolefin/thermoplastic PVOH blends has been noted in the patent literature. These patents note the poor mechanical compatibility of polyolefins and thermoplastic PVOH and many note various approaches towards solving this deficiency. Thus, modifications of polyolefin/thermoplastic PVOH blends are necessary in order to obtain useful properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,746 discloses the compatabilization of PVOH with a functional polymer, i.e., polyolefin or an ethylene-ester copolymer with groups capable of reacting with the hydroxyl of PVOH, e.g. carboxylic acid, anhydride, for barrier polymer blends. Ethylene-acrylic acid, ethylene-methacrylic acid, ionomers, and maleic anhydride grafted polyolefins are disclosed in blends with PVOH as melt processible alloys.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,513 discloses a laminate of a polyolefin, a melt blend of a polyamide and a PVOH, and an alkyl carboxyl-substituted polyolefin. The laminate is used as a barrier film composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,597 discloses a blend of an aromatic polycarbonate, polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and a hydrogenated styrene/butadiene block copolymer modified with unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,844 discloses a biaxially stretched mixture of polypropylene and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer. Coupling agents proposed to improve the compatibility include maleic anhydride or acrylic acid grafted polypropylene or ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers.
The above references disclose various methods involving modification of olefins to improve compatibility with PVOH. These methods comprise including polar groups in the polyolefin structure or potentially reactive groups, for example, carboxylic acid or anhydride functionality.
Borggreve, R. J. M., et al, "Brittle-Tough Transition In Nylon-Rubber Blends: Effect Of Rubber Concentration And Particle Size", POLYMER, 1987, Vol 28, August, (1489-1496) discloses a one-pass extrusion operation for polyolefin compatibilization with polyamides where the maleic anhydride is grafted to polyolefins utilizing peroxide.

Reactive melt extrusion grafting of thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol/polyolefin blends


Apparatus and methods of collecting and transmitting data of an object during an activity where object is impacted by another object. A method of tracking an object's location and trajectory based on data received at a portable device used by the participant; to determine a location and trajectory based on data received at a mobile device embedded in the object. Collection of data transmitted to a server, compiled by a computer program, and sent to a participant during the activity. When used in a stand-alone mode, environmental conditions, velocity, change in velocity, heading, spin, exact location, force imparted to the device and the estimated resting point of the device is delivered to the participant or spectator. When used in tandem with another similar device, additional performance data of velocity, change in velocity, spin and maximum force that can be imparted onto another object is provided to the participant or spectator.

The present invention relates to any object impacted by another object, such as a bat and a ball, a golf club and a golf ball or a bowling ball and pins without direct implication to any one activity or sport. The present invention is directed to activity monitoring and data collection. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system and method for monitoring the location of an object within a particular activity with participants and/or an activity spectator. A wireless apparatus is inserted in the object ball or other relevant object and said wireless apparatus shall collect and transmit data to a storage device with a computer program that will display, compile and tabulate the results. Presently, it is not possible to easily determine the exact impact data a certain participant, utilizing objects such as a bat or club, impacting a ball or another object. Once the participant impacts the object or ball with a bat or associate object, there is a great deal of force imparted onto the ball from the bat. In the current sports environment, this data is not presently collected or transmitted for data collection and analysis, nor does a method or device exist that performs said function on experimentation levels.
Sports activities and the objects used to participate in said activities can generate a wealth of information to improve the experience of both participants and spectators. In this context, spectators may include, for example, coaches, trainers, supervisors, aid station attendants, or doctors. For example, improving the communication and data collection between participants and such spectators may be useful for supervising the physical condition of the participating athletes to achieve better performance or to provide medical services in order to prevent injuries or other health threats. The data collection may also improve participant technique and performance in the desired activity. Certain technology has resulted in the development of systems capable of monitoring the objects of these activities and the performance of individuals engaged in these activities. However, the data collection, monitoring systems and methods are not current adequate and do not provide the compressive solution of the present invention that is needed to provide real-time information to participants and spectators of these activities.
There are external performance gathering tools that are used to gather some data about thrown balls or a participant's activity. For recording data about a thrown ball, a radar gun is used in baseball that measures the velocity of the ball. In this instance, the velocity is chronicled but other important and relevant data are lost or not collected. Such data includes but is not limited to g-forces, spin, altitude and direction as well as environmental conditions such as the barometer and temperature. Accordingly, this loss of data does not lead to an accurate analysis of the performance of the impacted object by a bat or similar sports utility tool.
Similarly, there are other performance gathering techniques to include a three dimensional analysis of a participant by the use of hooking up probes to the participant's body and analyzing the swing characteristics in a laboratory environment. However, this methods and devices do not provide a detailed analysis of a participants' performance in the field utilizing the actual equipment. Further, the data that could be provided relating to the qualities and attributes of the impact of the bat with the ball (or the ball with the pins) are not collected and thus lost.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,791 relates to a system for tracking balls in sports in which participants kick, pass, bounce, strike or carry a ball. The ball is equipped with two beacons pulsing in the 5-10 Hz range at a frequency, which is not attenuated, by the body of the participants. However, this system relies on a data logger worn by the participants, which includes a clock, location and speed sensors, a receiver for the beacon signals and a micro controller to record the data from all the sensors. A micro controller is able to record whether the participant is in possession of the ball or is contesting the ball. The path of the ball from participant to participant is tracked relative to the playing field. An impact or pressure sensor may be fitted to the participant's footwear, glove or a bat stick, club or racquet to register a kick or ball strike. This system is effective for tracking the path and trajectory of an object but it cannot provide the additional data the current invention tabulates and relays to the computer program application.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,911,324 relates to a method and arrangement for obtaining information about a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device or an object on which the RFID device is mounted when the RFID device is in a space defined by a frame includes arranging a plurality of antennas on the frame to enable transmission of signals into the space and reception of signals from the space, controlling transmission of signals by the antennas by means of an interrogator, and directing radio frequency signals from at least one of the antennas into the space to cause a RFID device in the space to return a signal if it receives any signal from any of the antennas. This method and device also lacks the additional information that will be tabulated and collect by the current invention because this prior art focuses only on the location of an RFID in relation to the collection device.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,101 relates to a sensor within a garment that transfers information, either wirelessly or wired, to an external data-processing device. Such information includes location, physiometric data of the individual wearing the garment, garment performance and wear data (when the garment is an athletic shoe, for example). The external data processing device can be portable digital media participants that are, in turn, in wireless communication with a server computer or other wireless devices. This device too lacks the additional data that will be collected and transmitted by the current invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,620,466 relates to a computerized tracking system with computer program and data collection devices used to deduce events and accumulate statistics about a sporting event. Events and statistics are accumulated based on tracking possession of the ball, or primary object of play. In addition to gathering statistics based on the possession of the ball, the system will also include a method of accumulating additional game statistics by logging specific game events. This system is a general means for data collection and does not account for the empirical data collect and transmitted by the current invention. It lacks the collection means, save only location statistics, that the current invention will provide to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,607,243 relates to articles of footwear and other devices for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the footwear or other devices. This device includes a housing for receiving an electronic module, mechanisms for mounting the module in the housing, and activation/authentication systems for selectively activating the module. Additionally, methods of making articles of footwear or other structures that include such housings, electronic modules, release systems, activation systems, authentication systems, etc. are described in this device. However, this performance sensing system and method are localized to the shoe of a competitor or user. The current invention involves not only the user, but also the tools or equipment and the ball or projectile of the event. Data is collected and transmitted by the current invention rather than just data collection from the shoe of a user as reflected in this system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,263 also relates to an article of footwear, particularly a soccer shoe, having one or more sensors mounted in the shoe upper which, when impacted by a ball, are effective to send a signal to a controller representative of the magnitude of the force with which the ball was struck by the shoe. A liquid crystal display, mounted within a housing, which also carries the controller, provides a visual indication of the force of the ball strike, which can be readily observed by the wearer of the shoe. This invention is again localized to the shoe and transmits data to a controller, but the only data provided and collected comes from the shoe of the user rather than the comprehensive collection provided by the current invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,292,867 relates to a portable fitness device which includes a GPS receiver that receives GPS signals, a wireless wide-area network transmitter supporting communication over-the-air to a wireless communication network, and a processing unit coupled to the GPS receiver and the wireless wide-area network transmitter. The processing unit receives the time-stamped waypoints from the GPS receiver and determines athletic performance information and route information from the time-stamped waypoints. The processing unit further outputs at least one of the athletic performance information and the route information to the wireless communication network during a human fitness activity via the wireless wide-area network transmitter. Once again this described prior art lacks only provides one element of data, specifically GPS determined location, and does not consider or collet all the other relevant data that is collected by the current invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,863 relates to a system for tracking the movement and location of an object in a predefined area. The system comprises an object having at least one readable sensor contained therein. The at least one readable sensor transmits a unique signal. There is also at least one reader at a preselected, proximate location, wherein the at least one reader reads each unique signal from each at least one readable sensor as each sensor moves through the predefined area. There is also a control system. The control system is programmed to use the unique signal from each at least one readable sensor to precisely locate each object within the predefined area. There is also a communication link between each at least one reader and the control system. This system and devices is applicable to sporting events but yet again focuses specifically on location of a projectile and does not consider other relevant data that the current invention takes into account, collects and transmits.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,876,947 relates to a method of identifying an average foot contact time of a user during an event, identifying an average pace of the user during the event, defining a relationship between foot contact times of the user and corresponding paces of the user, wherein the relationship is based upon the average foot contact time and the average pace identified during the event, and wherein no other average foot contact times and no other average paces identified during any different outings by the user are used to define the relationship; and finally calibrating at least one device that monitors activity of the user in locomotion on foot based upon the defined relationship between foot contact times of the user and corresponding paces of the user. This method was a forerunner of the previous collection methods wherein location within an event is identified and collected. However, this method lacks the robust collection method and device the current invention offers as advancement on the basic tenant of data collection within a sporting event.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,432 relates to an interactive educational system which includes a tracking system for determining changes in an overall physical location of a user and a display for displaying cues for the user to engage in full-body motion and to engage in an interactive cognitive learning task. An educational method includes prompting a user to engage in an interactive cognitive learning task which involves full body motion, thereby enabling the user to reach the enhanced learning state which results from elevated metabolic rate, and synergistically engaging the user's kinesthetic learning facilities. This described system is location based, does not use GPS, and is unconcerned with other relevant data from a projectile or an object in motion during a monitored event. The current invention acts as an advancement on this described system.
As such and in conclusion, insofar as the data represents and the research concludes, there is no method for collecting data concerning the performance of a participant utilizing any method of data gathering from the actual instruments used during the play. No other system or method on the market or in the patent registry fulfills all the data collection, tabulation, and transmittal elements the present invention claims. Therefore the registration of this application is warranted and should be authorized as a novel and non-obvious advancement on the current art and technology.

Method for collecting and transmitted data of an object impacted by another impacted object, apparatus, or device


A controller of an in-home controller receives, via a terminal communicator, input data related to a manager registration transmitted from a terminal device. The controller performs a manager registration based on the received input data. Also, the controller generates user registration request data containing a user ID and a password extracted from the received input data, a controller ID read from data storage. The controller transmits the generated user registration request data to an external server via a wide-area communicator.

There is known remote control technology that controls multiple electrical devices in a home not only with respective dedicated remote controllers and the like, but also with operations using a portable terminal device.
According to such remote control technology, even if a user is away from home, the user is able to, for example, program the recording of a desired television program in a recorder at home, control an air conditioner to run in advance, thereby making the interior of the home comfortable for when the user returns home, and the like.
More specifically, in the case of desiring to control a desired electrical device in a home to perform desired operation while away from home, the user operates a terminal device to perform operation input with respect to the electrical device. Data corresponding to the operation content (operation data) is transmitted from the terminal device, and passes through an external server to arrive at a controller in the home (in-home controller). Subsequently, the electrical device to be operated is controlled by the in-home controller according to the content indicated by the operation data.
The above external server is, for example, a server computer installed by the manufacturer selling the in-home controller. The external server provides the user with a remote operation service from outside the home as above, and thus stores user information including authentication information of the user (such as a user ID and a password), and information for communicating with the in-home controller (such as a controller ID and a network address).
Conventionally, in remote operation services of this type, when an in-home controller is newly installed, the user is required to access the external server via the terminal device and perform user registration in advance. At this time, the user is required to input the above user authentication information, as well as the controller ID. The controller ID is an identification (ID) preassigned to the in-home controller by the manufacturer, and is used to uniquely identify the in-home controller, and additionally, determine that the in-home controller is a genuine product. Examples of the controller ID include a manufacturing number, serial number, and the like.
The above controller ID is printed on a sticker or the like affixed to the casing surface of the in-home controller. Because the user is required to visually confirm and read the controller ID first, and furthermore because a controller ID of this type often has many digits, there is a problem in that the input work is burdensome.
To address this problem, Patent Literature 1, for example, proposes technology for registering the controller ID to an external server, without requiring input from the user, when replacing the in-home controller. With this technology, the controller ID is stored in advance in a storage provided in the in-home controller. The procedure for registering a controller ID to an external server proposed in Patent Literature 1 will be briefly described below.
First, the user accesses the external server via the terminal device, and gives an instruction for an in-home controller replacement process. Subsequently, the user operates and controls the in-home controller to transmit a replacement execution message containing the controller ID to the external server.
If the external server receives the replacement execution message from the in-home controller within a predetermined time since receiving the above instruction for the replacement process, the external server updates a customer database by newly assigning the controller ID included in the received replacement execution message to the user.

Home device, remote control system and program


An electrical connector that includes a housing with an interior cavity configured to receive a card. Electrical contacts are secured across a wall of the housing within the interior cavity and are configured to matingly receive corresponding electrical contacts of the card. The plurality of electrical contacts secured across the wall of the housing are the only electrical contacts of the electrical connector. Each of the plurality of electrical contacts includes a mating interface and the mating interface of each of the plurality of electrical contacts is co-planer. Additionally, the housing includes a card slot opening and each of the plurality of electrical contacts are arranged on one side of the card slot opening.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors.
Communication systems exist today that utilize electrical connectors to transmit data. For example, network systems, servers, data centers, and the like may use numerous electrical connectors to interconnect the various devices of the communication system. Many electrical connectors include signal conductors and ground conductors in which the signal conductors convey data signals and the ground conductors reduce crosstalk and/or electromagnetic interference (EMI) between the signal conductors.
As communication systems continue to decrease in size, there is increased demand to decrease the size of all electrical components, including electrical connectors. By reducing the size of the electrical connectors, spatial constraints are minimized allowing for greater design choices for custom and new communication systems.
Accordingly, there is a need for electrical connectors that improve spatial characteristics while maintaining robustness, performance, and/or expense.


A rotating group of a bent-axis axial piston pump/motor is assembled as a subassembly with a removable stabilizing component that holds together and compresses the subassembly while it is outside of the pump/motor case. A yoke that carries a permanent or attachable back plate is installed in the case and positioned aside to allow clearance for installation of the rotating group. After the rotating group is installed, the yoke is moved back into proximity with the barrel, the stabilizing component is removed, and the remaining connections are completed.

1. Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments are directed generally to the production and assembly of a bent-axis hydraulic, pump or motor having a case and a rotating group.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bent-axis axial piston hydraulic pumps and motors (which will be collectively referred to herein as pump/motors, but with the intent to encompass both bent-axis axial piston pumps and motors even if such may be used primarily or exclusively in applications as solely a pump or motor without reversible operation) are employed in hydraulic hybrid vehicles as Weil as other hydraulic devices. Such pump/motors typically include a rotating group that comprises several rotating components, such as a power shaft, a barrel, a plurality of working pistons reciprocating within bores in the barrel, a tripod between the barrel and power shaft, and a drive plate that connects the working pistons to the power shaft. The rotating group normally resides within a stationary pump motor case which is provided with fluid supply connections and arcane for installation in a vehicle or other device.
In modern manufacturing systems it is often advantageous to assemble a device as a group of two or more subassemblies, with each subassembly being assembled in a different location and then transported to a final assembly location. The different locations may be within the same factory, which may require hand carrying or transportation by shop cart, or in different buildings or different countries, which requires more robust packaging and transportation. However, for hydraulic pump/motors, although there may be benefits in assembling a rotating group as a subassembly, many of the individual parts of a rotating group are only loosely held together and will easily come apart when outside of a pump/motor case, making it difficult to handle or transport as a subassembly. For these reasons, the rotating group is commonly assembled piece by piece within the pump/motor case. This limits flexibility on the assembly line by tying up the pump/motor case assembly for a longer time while the intricate parts of the rotating group are painstakingly placed into the ease one part at a time.

Method for assembling a bent-axis pump/motor

The United States of America, as represented by the Administator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency


A lid for a cup is provided with a filter fitted into a sipping hole which filters solid objects, such as tea leaves, mixed into the beverages so that pure beverage can be drunk. In the preferred embodiment, the filter component is a coil spring 14 having hooking parts 20, 21 on the both ends thereof. In another embodiment, the filter component is a grid in an elastic body 56 which is snap-fitted into the sipping hole by the side edges thereof fitting into grooves formed at its ends. The filtered liquid can be drunk by filtering the substances (such as tea-leaves and herbs) inside of the cup 11 through this filter component.

It is well known that a lid is capped on a cup made of paper and plastic as described in the prior patent document 1. It prevents inside beverage from being cold and the contents from spilling easily.
The prior patent or UM documents 2 and 3 disclose a lid for a cup with a drinking hole.
The prior patent document 1: Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-284206 (A)
The prior patent document 2: Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2002-240841 (A)
The prior UM document 3: Japanese UM Registration No. 3036444 (B2)

Lid with a filter and the filter therefor


A vehicle-mounted moving image transmitting device includes: a camera outputting a video signal corresponding to a video of a subject existing outside a vehicle; a signal processor superimposing animation images on multiple frames, which form a moving image corresponding to the video signal outputted from the camera, frame by frame, while changing the animation images in synchronization with frame advancement; and a wireless communication interface wirelessly transmitting the moving image formed of the multiple frames, which are superimposed with the animation images by the signal processor, at a predetermined frame rate to a moving image display device. The moving image display device receives the moving image and displays the received moving image to an occupant of the vehicle.

A vehicle-mounted moving image communication system in the related art is described in, for example, Patent Literature 1. The moving image communication system includes a moving image transmitting device wirelessly transmitting a moving image indicating an outside view of the vehicle at a predetermined frame rate, and a moving image receiving device receiving the moving image transmitted from the moving image transmitting device and displaying the received moving image to an occupant in the vehicle.

Vehicle-mounted moving image transmitting device, vehicle-mounted moving image display device, and vehicle-mounted moving image communication system


The invention relates to a melon plant, and parts thereof including seeds and fruit, that is resistant to Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV) and Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV). The melon plant may further comprise resistance to Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) and/or further display a Brix measurement of ≧9.5° Bx, orange flesh color, and/or a fruit width to length ratio of ≧0.5. Methods for producing such a plant are also provided.

Melon fruits are highly appreciated worldwide and are often eaten as a fresh product. Melons are members of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), a class of trailing annual vines that also includes squash, pumpkin and cucumber. They have large broad leaves, stems covered in light prickles and small yellow flowers. The fruit themselves are soft fleshed with a central cavity containing seeds, surrounded by a thick protective rind.
Taxonomically, melons are broadly divided into two groups: watermelons (species Citrullus lanatus) and muskmelons (species Cucumis melo L.). C. melo includes a wide variety of cultivars producing fruits of different shape, external appearance and flesh color, including such melons as Canary, Cantaloupe (including Western Shipper, North American and Charentais types), Casaba, Hami, Honeydew, Navajo Yellow, Piel de Sapo, Santa Claus, Sugar melon, Ambrosia, Bailan, Galia, Ogen, Persian, and Sharlyn.
Certain viruses are capable of infecting melons and causing crop damage and loss in many varieties. Examples of viral pathogens that may impact melon cultivation include Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV), and Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV).


A paint drying system for drying painted motor cars, particularly those cars painted with water-born paints. The system includes a spray booth (2) which is supplied with heated air which flows in a downdraft from an upper inlet (32) to a lower outlet (44) and also from wall-mounted air jets. The air from the air jets disrupts the downdraft causing air turbulence within the spraybooth (2) which accelerates drying of the painted cars. In a preferred embodiment, the spraybooth has corner mounted air jets.

The invention relates to a paint drying system for painted bodies, especially automobiles and particularly, but not exclusively, a system for drying painted motor cars.
Conventional automobile spraybooths dry solvent-borne paints which have been applied onto the surfaces of an automobile by passing heated air over the painted surface. Typically, heated air is blown down through inlets in a ceiling of the booth and is evacuated through floor outlets. This process involves the release of polluting solvents into the atmosphere after the paint has dried. In an effort to conform with new legislation which regulates the use of solvent-borne paints, paint manufacturers have developed new paints, such as water-borne paints which are less damaging to the environment.
However, the conventional paint drying spraybooth has proved unsuitable for the drying of water-borne paints. This is because it relies on the volatility of the paint solvent to dry the paint quickly. As water is not volatile it takes substantially longer to evaporate under normal ambient conditions. The water in water-borne paints is thereby released more slowly, resulting in extended drying times when using conventional drying systems. The drying of water-borne paints is further hindered when ambient humidity levels rise. Experiments involving dehumidification techniques have proved impractical and expensive.
It is also known, as described in EP 0 690 279, to dry water-borne paints with directional air jets using re-circulated air from within the spraybooth. As described in this specification, the jets are directly optically aligned with individual painted surfaces to be dried. The specification states that the directional air jets, when used with heat lamps, reduce the drying times for one vehicle from 60 minutes to 8-14 minutes. This is still significantly longer than is required for the drying of solvent-borne paints. Furthermore, since the air jets are individually aimed directly at painted surfaces, water may be entrained in the paint resulting in subsequent blistering of the paint surface.


A replacement coolant manifold and pump for pumping coolant through an engine, such as a race car, replaces the conventional coolant pump, thereby conserving engine horsepower. The unit comprises a replacement coolant manifold, a pump with an inlet and outlets, and a electrical motor to drive the pump.

This invention relates to apparatus for the pumping of coolant through an engine, particularly a race car engine, independent of engine operation, to cool the engine.
In convention automobiles the coolant pump is driven by the engine via a V-belt, therefore depleting some of the horsepower which could be delivered to the drive train. This is a particular concern in race cars where the goal is to deliver as much horsepower to the drive train as possible, in order to win a race. Changing the engine driven coolant pump to an independently driven coolant pump will conserve engine power.
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,658 discloses the use of an electrical motor to drive a standard coolant pump instead of a belt drive from the engine. Smith does not replace the conventional coolant pump, nor is the electrical motor attached directly to the coolant pump but merely drives the conventional pump with an electrical motor, through a V-belt, much the same way as the engine drove the pump.