An apparatus for use in a cylinder machine having a shoe with a concavely-shaped pressure surface that forms a substantially mating relationship with a cylinder mould or sieve. The concavely-shaped pressure surface of the shoe increases the amount of wrap that a making fabric has on a cylinder mould or sieve thereby increasing the amount of friction generated between the making fabric and the cylinder mould or sieve. The increased friction results in an improved torque transfer between the making fabric and the cylinder mould or sieve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cylinder formers in papermaking machines and other industrial applications such as fiber cement (FC) production and more specifically to an extended couch nip with a pressure shoe in the forming section of a cylinder mould that replaces the traditional couch roll to more effectively transmit torque from a making fabric to a cylinder mould or sieve.
2. Background of the Invention
Typically, during the process for making paper products such as but not limited to paper, paper board and carton board, a cellulosic fibrous web is formed by depositing a fibrous slurry, that is, an aqueous dispersion of cellulose fibers, onto a moving forming fabric in the forming section of a papermaking machine. A large amount of water is drained from the slurry through the forming fabric, leaving the cellulosic fibrous web on the surface of the forming fabric.
The newly formed cellulosic fibrous web proceeds from the forming section to a press section, which includes a series of press nips. The cellulosic fibrous web passes through the press nips supported by a press fabric, or, as is often the case, between two such press fabrics. In the press nips, the cellulosic fibrous web is subjected to compressive forces which squeeze water therefrom, and which adhere the cellulosic fibers in the web to one another to turn the cellulosic fibrous web into a paper sheet. The water is accepted by the press fabric or fabrics and, ideally, does not return to the paper sheet.
The paper sheet finally proceeds to a dryer section, which includes at least one series of rotatable dryer drums or cylinders, which are internally heated by steam. The newly formed paper sheet is sequentially directed in a serpentine path around each in the series of drums by a dryer fabric, which holds the paper sheet closely against the surfaces of the drums. The heated drums reduce the water content of the paper sheet to a desirable level through evaporation.
Presently, there are numerous ways of forming a continuous sheet of paper, paper board, and carton board. For example, continuous paper sheets, can be formed using a number of separate forming sections. The capital cost required to install a multi-fourdrinier papermaking machine, however, is high and sometimes the change is not feasible because of the total capital required. Additionally, larger space requirements are required for this type of papermaking machine. Another factor to consider in choosing which forming process to use may be the weight of the board to be produced or the properties of the board to be developed. Accordingly, in certain applications, the use of a cylinder mould in formation is desirable.
The principle of sheet formation using a cylinder former is depicted in FIG. 1 and is as follows. A horizontal cylinder (cylinder mould or sieve) 14 having a woven fabric sleeve is arranged to rotate approximately three quarters submerged in a container (vat) 22 of paper or other stock 20 so that a small arc of the cylinder's circumference is above stock level. Stock in this case is defined as a fibrous suspension and water. The fiber can be cellulose, synthetic or natural. Other additives such as inorganic particles necessary for development of product properties may also be present. Water 21 associated with the fibrous suspension drains through the woven fabric sleeve, resulting in a layer of fibers deposited on the surface of the fabric sleeve. Drainage takes place because of a difference in the water levels between the stock in the vat 22 and the backwater 23 inside the mould 14. The difference is known as the making head.
A moving fabric or "making fabric" 16 is then pressed by means of a couch roll 12 into contact with the cylinder mould 14 at approximately its top position. By doing this, a layer of fibers (fibrous web or fibrous suspension) that has formed on the fabric sleeve is transferred or couched to the making fabric 16 and moves away from the fabric sleeve with the fabric 16. The fibrous layer 18 formed on the fabric sleeve is transferred to the making fabric 16 upon contact by virtue of the fact that the making fabric 16 is less porous and smoother than the fabric sleeve, as a consequence of which atmospheric pressure facilitates the transfer. As the couch roll 12 compresses the making fabric 16 against the fabric sleeve on the cylinder mould or sieve 14, the making fabric 16 is performing multiple tasks. The fabric 16 is picking the wet fibrous web layer 18 off the sleeve surface on the cylinder mould 14, The making fabric 16 also acts as a drive belt for the entire forming/press section. Finally, the making fabric partially dewaters the fibrous web layer(s) by providing void volume or receptacles within the fabric for the water to go that is pressed out or removed by vacuum from the fibrous layer(s). Since a cylinder mould 14 is typically not connected to a driving means, the making fabric 16 is the source of rotation for the cylinder mould 14. Once the fibrous web 18 has been transferred to the making fabric 16, the sleeves of the cylinder mould 14 are washed by sprays and any fibrous material not transferred to the making fabric 16 enters into the fiber stock reservoir 20 for use in forming a new layer 18.
As depicted in FIG. 2, a number of these units can be placed in series resulting in a multi-cylinder machine. In a multi-cylinder machine, a multi-ply web or sheet is produced continuously. Each forming unit typically has its own supply of stock and a method of removing the drainage water from its interior so that, in effect, each cylinder mould is a separate web forming unit in itself. As the making fabric passes through successive units, additional layers of fibers are transferred or couched to the fibrous web that is already adhered to the making fabric.
Cylinder mould formation of the type described above may also be used in fiber cement (FC) board production. In the FC industry, cylinder mould formation is known as the "Hatscheck" process. In this process, a cementitious slurry is initially formed from water, cellulose fiber, silica, cement and other additives selected to impart particular properties to the product according to its intended application. Similarly to papermaking, a sieve cylinder or mould is immersed into a vat that contains the slurry. The cylinder rotates as it is progressively driven by the bottom run of a making fabric. As the making fabric passes over the cylinder and contacts the mesh screen of the cylinder, the layer of fiber formed on the screen is transferred to the making fabric. As in papermaking, a number of these units can be placed in series resulting in a multi-cylinder machine. This process can be applied to make numerous types of FC products used in the construction industry such as but not limited to FC board and FC pipe.
Various types of cylinder moulds and vat arrangements currently exist. In this regard, one typical cylinder mould is constructed around a cast iron core upon which is secured supporting spokes known as spiders. The spiders support concentric rims, the outside peripherals of which are grooved in order to carry rods that are approximately 1 centimeter in diameter and approximately 3.5 centimeters apart, parallel with the axis of the central shaft. A continuous wire is wound around the cylinder. This skeleton is traditionally covered with a stainless steel wire, typically in the 30-mesh to 50-mesh range. Synthetic sleeves, often made of polyethylene (PE), polyvinylidene fluoride (KYNAR®) and polyphenylene sulfide (RYTON®, PPS), etc., are typically woven and installed onto the cylinder mould or sieve in order to increase the fiber support as well as control formation by controlling drainage. The properties and weave patterns of the synthetic sleeves, however, can make it difficult for the making fabric to drive the cylinder mould due to a reduced friction between the mould and the fabric. The ability of the fabric to transmit torque to the mould, which results in rotation of the mould, is affected by tension (pressure from the couch roll) and the amount of contact between the couch roll and the mould, both of which affect the amount of friction between the two. Therefore, an improved means is needed to increase friction and effectively transfer torque from the making fabric to the cylinder mould in order to drive all the cylinder moulds.
Although, as previously stated, various types of cylinder moulds and vat arrangements exist, they will not be discussed in detail since the present invention can be equally applied to the various cylinder moulds and vat arrangements.
Prior devices have not been developed to increase the ability of the making fabric to drive a cylinder mould or sieve in a cylinder former. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,612 discloses a prepress for a paper web in a papermaking machine that uses a pressure shoe in conjunction with a backing element to apply a pressure to a paper web. The web passes between the load shoe and the backing element and is preferably positioned between two wires or fabrics. A medium is used to apply pressure to the load shoe to remove water from the paper web. The medium can also be passed through channels in the load shoe to lubricate the front surface of the load shoe's web plate. Here, the load shoe is not used in conjunction with a cylinder mould or sieve. The load shoe's function is not to increase the friction between a making fabric and a cylinder mould thereby increasing the making fabric's ability to drive a cylinder mould or sieve in a cylinder former.
Similarly, PCT Publication No. WO 01/51703 discloses a method and device for prepressing a paper web during web formation. A web of paper or a paper board is sandwiched between a pair of forming wires. In various embodiments, the sandwich of forming wires and paper web then passes through one or more pressure nips where the pressure nips may be one or more roll nips or an extended nip press which has a pressure shoe to press the web along a portion of the length of the web. Again, the pressure shoe in this instance does not increase the friction between a making fabric and a cylinder mould thereby enhancing the ability of the fabric to drive the cylinder mould in a cylinder former.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,097 discloses a paper web former for producing a paper web of fibrous suspension on a wire. The former comprises a convex shoe with an opening through which the pulp suspension exits onto a sliding surface of the shoe. The configuration that uses this former still uses couching rolls to press out the webs and couch them to a conveying (making) fabric. The former does not replace the couch roll and is not in a "nipping" relationship (where the shoe in conjunction with a backing element applies pressure to the fibrous web) with a cylinder mould.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,500, a papermaking machine is modified by replacing a conventional rotatable couch roll with a stationary couching device. The stationary couching device has a member with a convexly curved and slotted upper surface on which the web slides. The convexly curved couching device is not in a "nipping" relationship with a cylindrical mould so the device is not used to increase friction and transfer torque from a making fabric to a cylinder mould in order to rotate the mould.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,760 discloses a web former for a paper machine having a top wire and a lower wire. A forming shoe is fitted inside the lower wire loop and after a first forming roll in the web run direction, and guides the twin-wire dewatering zone part. The forming shoe has a convexly curved deck for guiding the lower wire loop. The forming shoe's placement in the paper machine facilitates water removal and water collection from the web without suction. Instead, water is collected and removed on the basis of kinetic energy, and partially on the basis of gravity. The forming shoe having a convexly curved deck is not in a "nipping" relationship with a cylindrical mould. Therefore, the device is not used to increase friction and transfer torque from a pick-up fabric to a cylinder mould in order to rotate the mould.
Accordingly, a need exists for an extended couch nip having a pressure shoe for use on a cylinder former, that increases the nip to a greater area of the making fabric so as to improve the ability of the fabric to drive the cylinder mould(s) or sieve(s) by increasing friction between the two.


Top surfaces and inclined surfaces of prisms on a side opposite to a light source are formed such that, in a region on a light source side, light traveling in a light guide body toward the side opposite to the light source is sequentially reflected by the top surfaces and the inclined surfaces of the side opposite to the light surface of the prisms and approaches a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the light guide body. The height of the prisms can be the lowest in the longitudinally central portion of the light guide body, and gradually increases toward the light source side and the side opposite to the light source, from the central portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light guide body having a prism formed surface longitudinally arrayed with a plurality of prisms and provided opposite to a light emitting surface, in order to allow light emitted from a light source to enter a light incident surface on a longitudinal end side and to emit from the longitudinally extending light emitting surface. The present invention also relates to a lighting apparatus and a document scanning apparatus that have the light guide body.
2. Description of Related Art
In a document scanning apparatus that scans an image on a scanned surface of a document, a light receiving element, such as a line CCD and the like, receives reflected light from a document surface illuminated with a lighting apparatus, and outputs an image signal. The lighting apparatus of the document scanner conventionally uses a fluorescent tube in general. In view of energy saving, however, a light source using an LED has recently become widespread.
Such a lighting apparatus using an LED as a light source has a configuration in which a light guide body extending along an entire width of a scanned area is used to guide light emitted from an LED light source to a document surface. In order to allow the light emitted from the light source to enter a light incident surface on a longitudinal end side and to be emitted from a longitudinally extending light emitting surface, the light guide body is provided with a prism formed surface on which a plurality of projecting prisms are arrayed in the longitudinal direction of the light guide body (refer to Related Art 1).
As a surface light source apparatus, a light guide body is disclosed having a substantially a triangular prism in a projecting shape on a surface opposite to a light incident surface (refer to Related Art 2).
In the lighting apparatus having such a configuration of the light guide body, commonly-called black floating may occur, in which an area of high brightness appears in a black-colored document surface. It is desired to prevent black floating in order to increase the quality of a scanned image.
FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating a state of light emission from a light guide body and light intensity in an optical reduction system in a conventional lighting apparatus. Light emitted from a light source 101 enters a light guide body 102. The light emitted from the light guide body 102 is radiated onto a document A. The reflected light from the document A is guided to a scanning sensor 104 through an optical reduction system 103. In the optical reduction system 103, the reflected light from the document A is reduced in a main scanning direction by a lens 105 so as to fit a width of a scanning sensor 104. Of the reflected light from the document A, only the light having a specific angle corresponding to the field angle of the lens 105 enters the scanning sensor 104.
In the light guide body 102, meanwhile, the light from the light source 101 entering the light guide body 102 and traveling toward the side opposite to the light source is reflected by a prism formed surface 106 and is emitted from a light emitting surface 107 (indicated with "a" in the drawing). Further, the light reflected by a mirror 108 provided to an end portion of the side opposite to the light source of the light guiding boy 102 and traveling in the light guide body 102 toward the light source side is reflected by the prism formed surface 106 and is emitted from the light emitting surface 107 (indicated with "b" in the drawing). The sum of the two lights emitted from the light guide body 102 has directivity.
In a region on the light source side in particular, the light emitted from the light guide body 102 has directivity in a direction inclined toward the side opposite to the light source as a main axis, relative to the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (main scanning direction) of the light guide body 102. The intensity of the light in the main axis direction is the highest. Since the light in the main axis direction substantially coincides with the field angle of the lens 105, however, light receiving intensity is high on a light receiving surface of the scanning sensor 104. Meanwhile, toward the side opposite to the light source, the main axis direction of the emitted light shifts gradually to the direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction and the field angle of the lens 105 rapidly changes to a direction inclined toward the side on the light source. So, a difference between the main axis direction of the emitted light and the field angle of the lens 105 is greater toward the side opposite to the light source. Thus, the light receiving intensity on the light receiving surface of the scanning sensor 104 gradually decreases. The density in a scanned image then changes, thus causing black floating in which the scanned image looks pale on the light source side.
[Related Art 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-204329
[Related Art 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-293304

Light guide body, and lighting apparatus and document scanning apparatus having the same


An apparatus for drying a semiconductor substrate includes a chamber having a processing bath and a cover, a liquid flow system for supplying a liquid flow into the processing bath so as to clean the substrate and for draining a liquid from the processing bath, a gas distributor for spraying a gas for drying the substrate, and decompression means for exhausting air in the chamber.

This application relies for priority upon Korean Patent Application No. 2001-87114, filed on Dec. 28, 2001, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device used in a wafer cleaning process and, more particularly, to an apparatus for drying a wafer subjected to a cleaning process.
As semiconductor devices are continuously scaled down, the wafer cleaning techniques have been diversified and increasingly significant. Particularly in a process for fabricating semiconductor devices having a fine structure, particles attached to a cleaned wafer, static electricity, watermarks, and linear particles have a great effect on subsequent processes. Therefore, what is needed is a wafer drying process.
There were suggested a spin dryer and an IPA vapor dryer. In drying a wafer, the spin dryer uses a centrifugal force while the IPA vapor dryer uses a low vapor pressure of isopropyle alcohol (IPA). However, the dryers cannot completely remove watermarks that occur on a wafer surface or between patterns. In order to avoid this problem, a Marangoni dryer has been widely used. The Marangoni dryer uses a difference between surface tenses of the IPA and water.
A drying process using the Marangoni effect will now be described in brief hereinbelow.
After wafers are rinsed out by de-ionized water (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cDIWxe2x80x9d), the IPA vapor is fed to an upper interior space of a rinsing bath and the DIW is slowly withdrawn. Thus, the water is eliminated from a wafer surface. When the DIW is completely drained, the nitrogen of high temperature is fed thereinto to evaporate the DIW remaining on the wafer surface. Unfortunately, the evaporated DIW and residues including particles are not fully issued out. They cause the irregular liquid flow (turbulence) in the rinsing bath together with the nitrogen, so that the wafer surface is not uniformly dried and the water remains at a portion contacting with a wafer guide. In addition, since the Marangoni dryer cannot fundamentally prevent oxygen from reacting on the wafer, it cannot suppress formation of an oxide layer.
A feature of the present invention to provide a wafer drying apparatus that fundamentally prevents oxygen from reacting on a wafer surface during a wafer drying process to suppress formation of an oxide layer.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a wafer drying apparatus that improves a wafer drying efficiency.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a wafer drying apparatus that suppresses the turbulence in a processing bath. To achieve these features, the present invention provide a wafer drying apparatus in which a gas used to dry a wafer smoothly flows from an upper part to a lower part of a processing bath and is smoothly discharged to improve a wafer drying efficiency. This wafer drying apparatus includes an injection port for injecting a dry gas into the processing bath to eliminate water remaining on a wafer, decompression means for decompressing an inside of the processing bath, and an exhaust pipe through which the injected dry gas and residues including vapor dried by the dry gas are exhausted. The exhaust pipe communicates with a drain pipe for draining a process solution filling the processing bath. The drain pipe is comprised of a first drain pipe for draining the process solution and a second drain pipe for draining the process solution slower than the first pipe. The exhaust pipe is connected to the first drain pipe.
The wafer drying apparatus further includes a sealing member for sealing between the processing bath and the cover. The sealing member may be an O-ring or a gasket.
According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for drying a semiconductor substrate includes a chamber having a processing bath with which a liquid is filled and a cover mounted upon the processing bath, a gas distributor for spraying a gas for drying the substrate from an upper part of the processing bath, a liquid flow system for supplying a liquid flow into the processing bath so as to clean the substrate and for draining a liquid from the processing bath, decompression means for exhausting air in the chamber, and means for exhausting the gas supplied into the chamber.
The gas distributor includes first and second nozzles mounted upon the cover. The decompression means includes an exhaust port formed at the cover, a second exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust port, and a valve for shutting on/off the first exhaust pipe. The liquid flow system controls the liquid flow and drain together with the gas distributor to achieve the Marangoni effect. The apparatus further includes means for forcibly exhausting the gas supplied into the chamber. The forcibly exhausting means includes a first exhaust pipe connected to the drain pipe and an on/off valve for shutting on/off the second drain pipe.


A surgical needle for use in narrow, deep incisions in the abdominal wall opening into the abdominal cavity. The needle can be used to suture laparoscopic incisions and to suture an artery, ligament and the like which is reached through the incision. The needle has an elongated shaft with a proximally directed hook at its distal end. At its proximal end, there is a handle or indicia for indicating the direction of the hook. The hook is pointed and has an eye adjacent its point through which a suture can be threaded. The hook is of a size and shape that it can be inserted through the incision and manipulated from the opening of the shaft to place the suture "through and through" a selected portion of the abdominal wall from the base of the incision.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical needle for closing laparoscopic incisions to prevent the development of hernias. The device may also be used for suturing an artery, ligament and the like which is reached through a laparoscopic incision and for other surgical procedures which require suturing of deep but narrow wounds.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Surgical procedures such as laparoscopy have created a need for a surgical needle capable of closing a small, deep incision through multiple layers of tissues. At first, laparoscopic incisions tended to be small and did not require closure. Larger incisions are now common to accommodate larger instruments and removal of tissue specimens. As reported by Kadar N., Reich H., Liu C. Y., Manko G. F. and Gimpelson R. J. in an article entitled "Incisional hernias following major laparoscopic gynecological procedures" accepted for publication in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the incidence of incisional hernia is greatly increased when a 10 mm or larger trocar is used at an extra-umbilical site. When the incision is 10 mm or larger, the authors believe that the underlying fascia should be closed and that even the peritoneum may require closure at a 12 mm and larger site.
There are straight needles for closing a laparoscopic incision that have a suture attached to the end of the needle opposite the point and straight needles with a suture attached adjacent the point. Both types of straight needles must be worked inside the patient and require the use of graspers. For example, when a suture is attached opposite the point, the needle is inserted down into the abdominal wall on one side of an incision and then with much difficulty manipulated with laparoscopic graspers at the base of the incision and inserted up through the abdominal wall on the other side of the incision.
Straight needles with an eye adjacent the end are inserted through the abdominal wall on one side of the incision. The suture is then unthreaded from the needle and rethreaded into the eye of the needle inserted on the other side of the incision. Laparoscopic graspers in the abdominal cavity are used for this difficult and time consuming procedure.
Curved needles are also used for closing a laparoscopic incision. They can be worked outside the patient but they require the use of a needle holder. The suture is usually attached to the end of the curved needle opposite the point and it is nearly impossible to determine just where the point is going. Great damage can result from accidentally penetrating tissues.


A system, method, and apparatus includes a computer readable storage medium with a computer program stored thereon having instructions that cause a computer to access a first anatomical image data set of an imaging subject acquired via a morphological imaging modality, access a functional image data set of the imaging subject acquired via a functional imaging modality, register the first anatomical image data set to the functional image data set, segment the functional image data set based on the functional image data set, define a binary mask based on the segmented functional image data set, and apply the binary mask to the first anatomical image data set to construct a second anatomical image data set and an image based thereon. The second anatomical image data set is substantially free of image data of the first anatomical image data set correlating to an area outside the region of physiological activity.

The present invention relates generally to the creation of an imaging data set and more particularly to the creation of an imaging data set that represents an isolated region or area of a subject.
Morphological image data, also known as anatomical or structural image data (as opposed to functional image data), often contains impressive detail. For example, morphological MR head image data often provides detailed information of the anatomical structure of the brain. In order to analyze or quantify portions or regions of the brain, segmentation of the morphological brain image data found in the head image data is often employed. However, head image data also often includes skull image data, and before such segmentation of the brain image data can occur, it is desirous to first isolate the brain image data from the skull image data. That is, in such an instance, it can be difficult to analyze or quantify brain tissue data before non-brain tissue data is segmented from brain tissue data. As such, a segmentation technique is often first employed to segment the brain tissue data from the non-brain tissue data such as skull data. Once segmented, the isolated brain tissue data allows for image-processing algorithms to more easily segment different tissues or regions within the brain and generate quantitative data from the morphological brain data. One example of quantitative brain data is the thickness of the cerebral cortex, which is of interest in studies related to dementia, migraines, and intelligence, among others.
The amount of detail in some morphological image data makes the data rich in information, but the detail can also make it difficult to segment out the regions of interest. For example, the level of detail represented in a morphological image data set can make it difficult to isolate brain detail from surrounding detail such as eyes, skull, and other surrounding tissues. These same details can also make it difficult to generate a 3D contour separating brain from non-brain tissue. Segmentation may be directly employed on such data sets, but this may be a computational and algorithmically difficult task. Similar difficulties arise when attempting to quantify other regions or areas, other than the brain, of a subject.
It would therefore be desirable to have a system and method capable of efficiently isolating regions of an imaging subject for later quantitation.

Apparatus and method for isolating a region in an image


The invention provides compositions and methods for ultra-stable coating or printing from aqueous complex coacervates.

Over the past decades, significant advances have been made in novel printing materials and systems. For example, inkjet printing has been a key technology in the field of defined polymer deposition. 3D printing techniques of polymer composite materials have also gained attention in recent years for their potential use in biomedical, electronics and aerospace engineering.
Existing printing technologies using inks containing polymers and pigments require the use of organic solvents. Given the drawbacks of organic solvents in processing complexities, cost increases, and their negative impact on the environment, "green inks" devoid of toxic organic solvents are desired to enable applications in personalized health care monitoring, food packaging, coatings, 3D printing, and drug delivery. Unfortunately, a major challenge in the green processing of polymers is their poor solubility in water.
Thus, major obstacles remain in providing cost effective and environmentally friendly printing methodologies.

Ultra-stable printing and coatings using aqueous complex coacervates, and compositions and methods thereof


A spread range control apparatus of the present invention controls a clock generator, which generates a spread spectrum clock based on setting of spread data, so as to regulate a spread range of the spread spectrum clock. The spread range control apparatus includes: a loading quantity detection module that detects a loading quantity of a loading device, which is driven in response to a clock output from the clock generator; and a spread range setting module that sets spread data, which represents a spread range corresponding to the loading quantity detected by the loading quantity detection module, in the clock generator. This arrangement effectively protects a device having operations controlled in response to a clock from adverse effects possibly arising due to spread of the clock.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of controlling a spread range set in a clock generator that generates a spread spectrum clock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Noise generated from any of diverse electronic devices often gives adverse electromagnetic interferences (EMI) with another electronic device. Diverse restrictions have accordingly been set with regard to the noise generated from electronic devices (hereafter referred to as 'EMI noise').
Manufacturers that develop and manufacture such electronic devices naturally try to minimize the EMI noise generated from their electronic devices, in order to make the electronic devices meet the restrictions of the EMI noise.
The respective units constituting a certain electronic device are generally driven and controlled in response to given clocks. The frequency spectrum of a clock typically has peaks of its amplitude at an oscillation frequency of the clock (fundamental wave: f1) and respective frequencies (f2, f3 . . . ) corresponding to its harmonies. The frequency spectrum of the EMI noise generated from the electronic device accordingly has peaks of its amplitude at the oscillation frequency (f1) of the clock and the respective frequencies (f2, f3, . . . ) corresponding to its harmonies. For reduction of the EMI noise, it is required to lower the peaks of the amplitude generated at the fundamental wave of the clock and the respective frequencies of its harmonies. One proposed technique dynamically varies the oscillation frequency of the clock output from a clock generator to spread the frequency spectrum of the clock and thereby lowers the peaks of the amplitude on the frequency spectrum generated at the fundamental wave (f1) of the clock and the respective frequencies (f2, f3 . . . ) of its harmonies. In the description hereafter, the action of varying the oscillation frequency of the clock to spread the frequency spectrum is called the 'spread spectrum'. The variation in oscillation frequency of the clock by the spread spectrum is referred to as the 'spread range'. The clock having the spread frequency spectrum is referred to as the 'spread spectrum clock'.
Each manufacturer experimentally specifies in advance a spread range that meets the restrictions of the EMI noise generated from each manufactured electronic device and makes the frequency of the clock spread by the specified constant spread range.
The spread range of the clock is set in advance to a fixed value to meet the restrictions of the EMI noise as mentioned above. The setting of the spread range may, however, have adverse effects on the operations of a certain electronic device in some state of driving load of the electronic device. One typical procedure of the EMI noise measures assumes a heavy load and spreads the frequency of the clock by a designed single spread range. Even when the electronic device is actually driven in the state of a light load, the operations of the electronic device are based on the clock, which has been subjected to the spread spectrum on the assumption of a heavy load. This may adversely affect the operations of the electronic device.
For example, a projector may be used in a dark place to display a screen image with a low level of lighting luminance set in its light source unit. In such cases, a viewer who watches the screen image is relatively sensitive to a variation in luminance of the screen image. When the frequency of the clock, which is used to control the operations of the light source unit, is spread and varied, a variation in lighting luminance accompanied with the frequency variation may become prominent in some level of the spread range.


A method of remanufacturing a seal spooling mechanism of a printer cartridge, the printer cartridge defining a seal passage, the seal passage providing access to a toner port of the cartridge to be covered by a toner seal, the seal spooling mechanism including a spool where a first toner seal may be wound, the seal spooling mechanism further including a spool frame where the spool may be mounted, the method including detaching the spool frame from the printer cartridge; inserting a second toner seal through the seal passage; sealing the toner port with the second toner seal, the second toner seal including a toner seal extension configured to extend out of the seal passage upon sealing the toner port; winding the toner seal extension around the spool; providing a replacement spool frame, the replacement spool frame being configured to be attached to the printer cartridge at a location that is different from the location where the spool frame was previously attached on the printer cartridge; and attaching the spool to the replacement spool frame.

Printer cartridges typically include a toner hopper, which is configured to store toner. The toner hopper usually has a toner port where toner is drawn out during printing. Printer cartridges are typically packaged with a toner seal to prevent toner from escaping from the toner port during shipment or handling. The toner seal is typically a removable piece of material, such as plastic, which is laid and adhered to the surfaces surrounding the toner port. In some cartridges, the toner seal is removed by hand by the end user.
In some other cartridges, such as the cartridges for Hewlett Packard's HP4700 and HP9000 printer, the toner seal is removed by a seal spooling mechanism built within the printer cartridge. The seal spooling mechanism operates in a manner wherein after the printer cartridge is introduced into the proper printer, the seal is wound around a spool thereby removing it from the toner port. The toner port is consequently opened, and the toner may then be used for printing.
Used printer cartridges are often remanufactured. The remanufacturing of printer cartridges may include cleaning, repairing damaged parts, replacing worn parts, and adding toner. The toner hopper seal may be one of the worn parts replaced during remanufacturing. The new toner hopper seal may be introduced from one side of the toner hopper through a seal passage. For cartridges with seal spooling mechanisms built within the cartridge, a spool frame may block the access to the seal passage. To gain access to this blocked seal passage, re-manufacturers may break the frame bridge (reference no. 32 in FIG. 2), which connects the spool holders of the spool frame. Re-manufacturers may then remove a sealing plug and insert a new seal. One problem with this method is that the frame may break or become susceptible to breaking, as the supporting structure for the spool frame, the frame bridge, is broken. As a result, the re-manufactured seal spooling mechanism may not properly work, or the remanufacturing may not be completed without finding a replacement frame. Another problem with the existing method is that it does not provide a way to secure the sealing plug after the new seal is installed. The unsecured sealing plug may detach and cause toner leak during shipment, handling, or use. Methods and devices for effectively remanufacturing cartridges with toner seal spooling mechanisms are desired and are addressed by the present invention.

Device and method for spooling a cartridge toner seal


A process for forming halogen of chlorine and/or bromine by subjecting aqueous hydrohalic acid electrolyte solution to an electrical current while providing a continuous flow of inert gas through the solution and maintaining the solution at a substantially invariant level and composition.

The present invention is directed to an improved electrochemical method for continuously generating chlorine and/or bromine and to the apparatus required to perform the method. Specifically, the method is directed to the electrolysis of hydrohalic acid of an aqueous hydrohalic acid solution, continuously removing hydrogen and halogen gaseous products with simultaneous removal of portions of the electrolyte water from the electrochemical cell while maintaining a substantially invariant electrolyte solution.
The present process and device provides a simple, highly efficient means of producing halogen product in high yields without the need for an elaborate divided cell while preventing explosive concentrations of hydrogen to develop within the system and providing for substantially reduced corrosion problems.
The use of halogens, either individually or as mixtures, for water treatment is well known. Chlorine, bromine and their mixtures are known effective biocides for cooling water and swimming pool facilities, are useful for sterilization of drinking water and for the disinfection of waste materials. However, the use of halogens (The term "halogen" or halogens" shall refer herein and in the appended claims to chlorine and bromine unless otherwise specifically designated.) has been curtailed, especially at small to moderate size facilities, because of the difficulty and hazards involved in their transportation, storage and handling. For example, it is well known that storage and handling of halogen gases requires extreme care and precautionary measures. In the event of an accidental leakage of a large quantity of the halogen gas, considerable harm could come to the surrounding environment and to individuals in the vicinity. Because of the problems associated with handling and storage of pure halogen gases, there has been a great effort to develop either alternate means of providing halogen based biocides, as well as on-site generation of halogen gas as it is needed.
Concentrated solutions of sodium hypochlorite has been used in place of chlorine gas. Precautions must be maintained in handling hypochlorite solutions as exposure to them is known to cause severe damage to humans. In addition, such solutions have only limited shelf life and, therefore, must be used within a short period of a few weeks. Finally, there is a significant increase in cost and, thus, an economic barrier to use the hypochlorite solution in place of pure chlorine gas, especially in larger scale applications. Similar hypobromite solutions are not commercially available as these solutions are extremely unstable having the ability to remain active for only several hours to a few days.
Another alternative is the utilization of "halogen carriers." These carriers are usually solid organic compounds capable of releasing halogen when dissolved in water. For example, bromochlorodimethyl hydantoin (BCDMH) is a compound known to dissociate in water to form hypobromous and hypochlorous acids. Thus, compounds, such as BCDMH, provide a safe, convenient and easy to use form of providing halogen. The major drawback is the high cost of these materials which limits their practical use to only very small applications.
Recently, electrochemical halogen generators have received a great deal of attention as a means of generating halogen at the site of use and, thus avoid the transportation, handling and storage problems. The raw materials, alkali metal salts and electricity are safe and easily handled and the cost of halogen generation by this method is typically much lower then that of halogen carriers. Because this means is normally conducted in aqueous systems, hydrolysis occurs causing the ultimate product to be hypobromous or hypochlorous acid and, therefore, these generators are sometimes referred to as hypobromite or hypochlorite generators. Typical generators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,305,472 and 4,208,123. In addition, J. P. Willington et al. in "Modern Chlor-Alkali Technology," Vol. 3, Pg. 400-404 (1986) Ed. by K. Wall, describes several electrochemical devices for generating hypochlorite in a continuous manner. Each of the devices require the use of precious metal anodes to inhibit corrosion and produce a dilute hypochlorite stream (0.5 to 2 g/l) from a 3 weight percent sodium chloride feed stream. These systems are, therefore, only applicable when appreciable amounts of salt can accompany the hypochlorite product.
In general, electrochemical halogen generators use dilute brine as the feed and, therefore, are susceptible to electrode fouling and corrosion due to precipitation of calcium and magnesium compounds at the cathode. The generators have design features which limit them to production of bromine or chlorine but are not interchangeably or capable of providing mixtures of halogens. The generators are normally required to be used in a batch mode either because of depletion of feed material and/or because of maintenance and antifouling work must be conducted on the system. Such requirements cause the known generators to be inefficient and cumbersome to handle. A further defect of presently known generators is the requirement that a diaphragm be used to separate the cathodic and anodic portions of the cell and the product streams generated by each portion. These diaphragms reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of the cell and are another element which undergoes corrosion from the generated elements. Overall, the known electrochemical generators provide low conversion, are of low efficiency, require periodic supervision to cleanse the system of spent material and replenish feed stock and require elaborate and expensive parts (i.e. electrodes) and equipment to overcome the corrosive nature normally encountered.
It is highly desired to provide a means for generating halogens by an electrochemical process which permits continuous operation of the system, permits the use of conventional low cost equipment and electrodes, provides for high efficiency and yield of halogen, does not need an elaborate divided cell configuration and permits the production of either chlorine or bromine or mixtures thereof utilizing the same equipment and method.


Electric power is provided to motor vehicles via a respective outlet station. A number of outlet stations are connected to a common electric power supply, each with an interface towards a control node. Over the interfaces, the outlet stations receive operation commands from and send status messages to the control node. The control node allocates a fraction of the common electric power supply to each outlet station to which a motor vehicle is connected. The fractions are allocated such that a sum of all fractions represent a total delivered power, which is less than or equal to a predefined maximum level for the common electric power supply. If an interface between an outlet station and the control node is broken, the outlet station is configured to apply a power supply scheme according to which the outlet station is only allowed to deliver electric power up to a level prescribed by a predefined principle stored in each of the outlet stations.

In the light of today's air pollution and increasing environmental problems relating to fossil fuels the demand for electric-powered vehicles increases steadily. For most consumers, electric power is exclusively available at one single place, namely at the respective consumer's home, or the address associated with his/her electricity contract. Of course, this is a severe limitation for electric-vehicle drivers who may want to travel a relatively long distance from a point A (say at his/her home) to a point B, where re-fuelling (or rather re-charging of batteries) may be required before continuing.
Therefore various examples of public charging stations have been developed which allow users to refuel their electric-powered vehicles, for example while being parked in a parking lot. To provide a low threshold for establishing such systems simplicity and low costs are important factors. However, combining these factors with robustness and reliability is challenging from a technical point-of-view.

System and method for providing electric energy to electric motor vehicles


Disclosed is a connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a first component, a second component and a locking assembly. The first component includes an inner housing and an outer housing. The outer housing is sleeved on the inner housing. The second component is configured to engage with the first component in a snap-fit way. The outer housing is movable relative to the inner housing so that the second component is disengageable from the first component. The locking assembly includes a locking groove on one of the inner housing and the outer housing, and a locking hook on the other one of the inner housing and the outer housing, so that the outer housing is secured to the inner housing, and thereby, the first component cannot be disengaged from the second component.

A connector assembly is generally used to connect two optical components or electrical components to transmit optical signals or electrical signals. The connector assembly includes two components detachably connected. The two components are disposed on the two optical components or the two electric components so that the two optical components or the two electric components are detachably connected.
The two components of the connector assembly are detachably connected in a snap-fit way. One component includes an inner housing and an outer housing that are movable relative to each other. The inner housing is provided with a snap-fit groove. The other component includes a snap-fit hook. The snap-fit hook engages with the snap-fit groove in a snap-fit way so that the connection of the connector assembly is implemented. The snap-fit hook is disengaged from the snap-fit groove in response to direct pulling by an external force so that the disconnection of the connector assembly is implemented.
Currently, the connector assembly is not available to the connection occasions with high safety performance requirements. Operators or other irrelevant personnel can disassemble the connector assembly at will. However, if the connector assembly is disassembled and disconnected by the irrelevant personnel, it is easy to cause unexpected consequences in the environment with high safety level requirements.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for a connector assembly to solve the preceding problem.


A terminal holder unit of a wire connecting device includes a terminal accommodation space and a holder-side groove penetrating a wall of a holder base portion of the terminal holder unit in a wire extending direction. A covered electric wire is inserted into the holder-side groove. A press-insert terminal is inserted into the holder-side groove in a terminal insertion direction. A part of an insulating coating portion of the wire is removed, when cutting portions of the press-insert terminal are press-contacted to the wire. A part of a conductive wire portion of the wire is exposed to an outside of the wire, so that the press-insert terminal is electrically connected to the wire. A pair of wire stopper portions is formed in the holder base portion at both sides of the holder-side groove for limiting a movement of the wire in a direction from a wire assembled position to an open end of the holder-side groove.

In one of wire connecting devices of a prior art, a press-insert terminal is inserted into a terminal accommodation space of a terminal holder unit. A covered electric wire is inserted into a holder-side groove and then the press-insert terminal is press inserted into the terminal accommodation space. A part of an insulating coating portion of the wire is removed when the press-insert terminal is inserted into the terminal accommodation space, so that the press-insert terminal is electrically connected to the covered electric wire.
However, in the wire connecting device of the above prior art, the covered electric wire is not stably held in the holder-side groove and not firmly maintained at its wire assembled position.


The present invention provides flexible call processing. For example, a call processor system can receive an inbound call intended for a called party and place an outbound call to the called party. The call processing system can provide the called party with a call transfer option.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and in particular to systems and methods for processing and placing telephone calls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many telephone subscribers have a personal computer on their desk and frequently the personal computer is logged in to the same telephone line that would normally be used by the telephone. This is for use of the computer on the Internet. Frequently, incoming telephone calls receive a busy signal because the computer is logged on to the Internet. Thus there are many lost calls. Many individuals and small businesses are searching for ways to simplify and control their telecommunications systems. Many of them are reluctant to acquire additional telephone lines at current prices.
Many telecommunications systems today have limited intelligence. Many calls end in voice mail, an often unsatisfactory conclusion. With respect to business calls, calls not completed may result in irritated customers and lost sales.
In addition, people are increasingly associated with a multiplicity of communication devices. For example, an individual may have a work phone, a home phone connected to a switched telephone network, a phone connected to an Internet protocol network, and a cellular phone.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service


Provided is a method of determining a control setting of at least one wind turbine of a wind park, the method including: determining a free-stream wind turbulence and deriving the control setting based on the free-stream wind turbulence, wherein the control setting includes a yawing offset, and wherein the yawing offset is derived to be the smaller, the higher the free-stream wind turbulence is.

A wind park may comprise plural wind turbines which extract energy from the wind and convert the energy to electric energy. Due to the extraction of the energy by the rotating rotor blades, the wind stream is affected and modified downstream a considered wind turbine. In particular, downstream of an operating wind turbine there is a wake region generated due to the interaction with the rotor blades of the upstream wind turbine in which the wind speed is reduced and in which in general the wind condition is altered compared to a wind condition upstream the considered wind turbine. In general, downstream wind turbines may be subjected to lower wind speed than the upstream wind turbines.
In order to reduce production losses on downstream wind turbines caused by wakes of upstream turbines, optimized control settings have been conventionally considered. Optimized control settings have been based on the wind conditions coming into the wind farm which is also referred to as free-stream inflow or free-stream wind condition. Conventionally, the optimized control settings may have been designed to result in an increase of the wind speed in the wake region and/or in a deflection of a wake away from downstream turbines.
A conventional way to optimize flow in a wind park is to adjust the blade pitch or rotor speed control settings of the upstream wind turbines to increase the flow speed in the wake of the turbine. Further, EP 1 534 951 A1 discloses an assembly of energy flow collectors by which energy can be extracted from a flowing fluid. Thereby, devices on the upstream side of the assembly are set such that they exert lateral (horizontal and/or vertical) forces on the fluid flow, as a result of which flows are produced that guide fast fluid through the energy extracting devices and guide slow fluid precisely away from these. Thereby, a wake deflection using different yawing angles of different wind turbines may be set for optimizing overall power production. In the relevant art, a wind direction measurement has been utilized to schedule yawing, blade pitch or rotor speed control settings of wind turbines in a wind farm. Thereby, the control settings of the different wind turbines in the wind park has been set to different values such that for example wind park power output is maximized. Furthermore, conventionally, free-stream wind direction and free-stream wind speed have been considered for scheduling or setting optimized control settings of wind turbines in a wind park.
It has however been observed that the conventional methods for determining control settings of wind turbines in a wind park do not in all conditions lead to optimized or desired performance of the wind park, in particular regarding power output and/or load, in particular fatigue load.
Thus, there may be a need for a method and an arrangement of determining control settings of at least one wind turbine of a wind park, wherein a performance goal may be achieved in a reliable manner, in particular appropriately taking into account wake interactions between different wind turbines, in order to in particular optimize wind farm power output and/or to keep the load of the wind turbines of the wind park in acceptable limits.

Determining control settings for a wind turbine


Exemplary systems and methods for automatically converting media content stream data from a buffer to a permanent recording are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a media content access subsystem receiving data representative of a media content stream, temporarily storing the data representative of the media content stream within a buffer for playback to a user, detecting an input command provided by the user to pause the playback of the media content stream, pausing the playback of the media content stream, accumulating data representative of a portion of the media content stream not yet played back within the buffer, detecting an alert condition indicating that the data representative of the portion of the media content stream not yet played back is about to be lost from the buffer, and converting the data representative of the portion of the media content stream not yet played back to a permanent recording.

Set-top box devices and other media content access devices are often configured to provide users with access to a large number and variety of media content choices. For example, a user may choose to experience a variety of broadcast television programs, pay-per-view services, video-on-demand programming, Internet services, and audio programming via a set-top box device.
Certain media content access devices include a digital video recording ("DVR") application. In general, media content access devices with DVR applications temporarily buffer an incoming media content stream for playback. For example, a set-top box device may temporarily buffer an incoming television program. The temporary buffering may support several functions, including a capability to pause and subsequently resume playback of the television program in a time-shifted manner. However, a buffer used for the temporary buffering of an incoming television program typically has a limited buffer capacity in which to temporarily store incoming television program data. As a result, if a user pauses the playback of an incoming television program for an extended period of time, the buffer may reach its capacity and data stored within the buffer may be lost before the user is able to resume playback and experience the remainder of the television program.

Systems and methods for automatically converting media content stream data accumulated during a pause of playback from a buffer to a permanent recording


A radio communication network that requires no connection between base stations during handoff or when the cell is overloaded, is realized by using a receiver that has a multi-user detection function and a transmitter for synthesizing control information and user data to output the synthesized data. Upon reception of a signal that is transmitted from a mobile station located on the boundary with a neighboring cell, the base station synthesizes user data for a mobile station in its local cell and control information for controlling the handoff operation to transmit the synthesized data. In response to this transmission, a mobile station in the neighboring cell separates the control information by multi-user detection to detect the signal and transmits a handoff request to the base station.

Mobile communication that has originated from the discovery of radio waves has been under research and development because of the necessity of communication with vessels, aircrafts, and trains. The targets of communication have been expanded into automobiles and human beings. Not only telegraphic and telephone messages but also computer data and multimedia content such as images can be transmitted through mobile communication.
In recent years, reduction in size and cost of mobile terminals has rapidly advanced owing to the improvement of manufacturing technology and the like. Expansion of information communication services and so on causes mobile terminals to be personalized, like mobile phones. Additionally, deregulation of communication and reduction of communication fee causes increased growth in user population.
Basically, in mobile communication, a mobile station, such as an in-vehicle phone and a mobile phone, detects the nearest base station to communicate radio waves between the mobile station and the base station. A range over which the radio waves sent from one base station can propagate is referred to as a "cell". The cell is ordinarily a circle having a predetermined radius around an antenna mounted at the base station. Arrangement of cells with no space therebetween constitutes a communication service area.
FIG. 15 schematically illustrates the cell structure in a mobile radio communication system, typified by a cellular system, in which the service area is two-dimensionally expanded with a plurality of base stations. Providing base stations (not shown) at predetermined intervals and continuously (non-sparsely) arranging a plurality of cells offered by the respective base stations, as shown in FIG. 15, allow a mobile station to communicate with the base stations from anywhere, thus constituting a wide service area.
The advantages of the cells that are used in the mobile communication system include the following ones; that is, the propagation of the radio waves that are sent from a base station only within the corresponding cell causes the same frequency to be repeatedly used in other cells for efficiently utilizing limited frequency resources, and the division into the cells causes the radio-wave output for communication to be decreased for reducing in size of a mobile body that is usually installed as a battery-driven mobile device and for saving electric power. Recently, the reduction in size of the cells is increasingly advanced owing to the increase of the number of mobile phone users and so on.
A plurality of mobile terminals exists in one cell and they simultaneously communicate with one base station. In other words, from the point of the base station, it is necessary to detect which signal is transmitted from each user by multiple-access, that is, by multiplexing radio signals (multi-user detection).
Multiple-access technologies in radio communication include time division multiple access (TDMA) and frequency division multiple access (FDMA).
The TDMA is a communication system in which the communication channel is divided in advance into time slots on a time basis and different time slots are allocated to the respective mobile terminals, which simultaneously communicate with each other. The TDMA is assumed to be a digital system.
The FDMA is a communication system in which different frequencies are allocated to the respective mobile terminals, which simultaneously communicate with each other, (that is, different frequencies are allocated for every communication channel), to establish communication. Namely, multiple channels that are used for communication are arranged on a frequency basis and idle channels are appropriately allocated to the respective mobile terminals for use. The FDMA is accommodated to either analog or digital communication system.
For example, in the same cell, a base station can simultaneously connect to a plurality of mobile stations in its local cell by the TDMA. In such a case, one TDMA frame is divided into a plurality of time domains, each being allocated to an uplink or a downlink of each mobile station. A method, for example, channel allocation is employed for the allocation of the time domains.
Between cells, switching a frequency channel that is used to another frequency channel for communication by the FDMA allows the problems of interference waves from outside the local cell around the cell boundary to be eliminated.
Within one cell, the base station transmits (broadcasts) a beacon (identification signal) or other control information to perform synchronization within the local cell, identify the cell, specify the frequency channel to be used, and so on.
How to enhance the communication capability with fewer resources poses a big task in a radio communication environment in which the mobile communication has become quickly widespread and multiple mobile stations exist in one cell. In such a radio communication environment, the multi-user detection for detecting a plurality of users in a cell is highly important. With a known radio communication system, there is no benefit given by multiplexing signals for someone other than a desired person for transmission. This is because the interference is simply increased to lower the communication quality. In other words, there is no known radio communication system on the assumption of the multi-user detection and of the synthesis of user data and the control information to transmit the synthesized data.
Meanwhile, in the service area in which small cells are arranged with no space therebetween as shown in FIG. 15, the base station to be connected must be shifted in connection with a mobile station that moves from one cell to another cell. Such a shift of the base station to be connected at a mobile station is referred to as "handover" or "handoff". The opportunity for the handoff is increased as the cells are downsized.
The mobile station must determine the base station to be linked to next, that is, must perform cell detection, for every handoff. For example, the move of the mobile station toward the cell boundary causes the communication quality of desired waves from the local base station to be lowered and permits the reception of interference signals from outside the local cell, so that it is necessary for detecting another base station having higher communication quality. The cell detection is performed also on startup of the device.
In a known cellular system, the switching of the control information between base stations through a control-switching station starts the handoff procedure. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a multi-cell environment in a cellular communication system. Referring to FIG. 16, a mobile station 201 moves toward a cell 13 while communicating with a base station 102 in a cell 12. The function for switching the target of the communication signal for a subscriber station from the transceiver in the original base station 102 to the transceiver in a next transceiver 103, when the mobile station 201 is to cross the cell boundary, is referred to as "handoff".
The handoff techniques in the cellular communication system are mainly divided into two categories; "soft handoff" and "hard handoff". With either handoff technique, the communication must be established between the base stations for informing that the mobile station is a target for the handoff when the mobile station switches the base station to be connected in the cell boundary. Such communication between base stations is established through a backbone. Namely, an infrastructure, such as a mobile communication control center, for controlling the base stations is necessary, as shown in FIG. 17.
The hard handoff ordinarily occurs in the vicinity of the cell boundary. In this case, the base station continuously measures the power of the received signal from the mobile station that is communicated with and determines whether the power of the received signal from the mobile station in the vicinity of the cell boundary is lower than a rated value. The base station in the candidate cell to be switched to and the base station in the original cell must communicate the information concerning the handoff with each other through the backbone in order to quickly perform the handoff without suspending the call in progress.
The soft handoff is continuously performed within a range apart from the base station in the original cell and the base station in the cell to be switched to by a predetermined distance. In the soft handoff, when the mobile station moves in the vicinity of the boundary between cells, it is connected to both base stations in the respective cells. It is determined whether the switching is performed based on the reception of a pilot signal from the mobile station. A telephone switching center, that is, the control-switching station that exists on the backbone of the corresponding network determines the point where the switching from the base station in the original cell is performed.
With either handoff technique, it is essential to establish some kind of connection between the base stations in order to realize the cellular handoff in a multi-cell environment. Hence, the number of control-switching stations is increased in accordance with the increase in the number of the base stations, thus causing a problem in that the cellular network is complicated. Since the shift to higher frequency band has been advanced in accordance with the request for high capacity and the request for high communication speed in recent years, it is anticipated, based on the propagation characteristic or the like, that the size of the cells is reduced, that is, the number of the base stations is increased. The reduction in traffic of the backbone that connects the base stations is an important concern.
When the number of users connected to a base station increases (that is, the cell is overloaded) and the number of users connected to another base station next the above base station is small, a control method is proposed for forcedly performing the handoff of the mobile station that is connected to one base station while being located in the vicinity of the boundary between the base stations, to the other base station. Also in such a case, the resource management information at each base station must be communicated through the control-switching station by using the resources in the backbone, thus increasing the traffic in the backbone.
In order to expand the calling areas with no space therebetween by using a known handoff technique, the constructor of the base station (access point) must allocate the frequency according to planning such that the base station in a neighboring cell does not use the same frequency for eliminating the interference. The infrastructure is designed so as to reduce the load of the mobile station by providing the base station that is fixedly installed with various control functions. Under such design of a radio span, the mobile terminal is obliged to rely on the base station as for the control, so that the mobile-station-driven control operation cannot be expected in a radio layer.

Radio communication system, radio communication apparatus and radio communication method, and computer program


A vehicle bench seat is proposed which includes a seat surface and back rest as well as a middle arm rest. The middle arm rest is capable of swiveling between a substantially horizontal position parallel to the seat surface and a substantially vertical position, in which it is disposed in a recess of the back rest. The middle arm rest has at its front end a head rest, which in the vertical position of the arm rest projects above the top edge of the back rest. The head rest (5) has a recess (8) at the side which forms the top side when the middle arm rest (6) is horizontally aligned.

Vehicle bench seats, in particular the bench seat of a passenger car, are mostly intended for use by up to three passengers although the middle location often remains unoccupied. For the comfort of the passengers sitting in the outer locations, it is customary to provide a middle arm rest which may be aligned substantially parallel to the upholstered seat surface and in said position often rests on the latter. When the middle location is also occupied, the arm rest may be swivelled into a substantially vertical position, in which it is disposed in a recess of the back rest of the bench seat, resulting in a substantially flat back rest and also allowing a passenger to sit comfortably in the middle of the bench. The arm rest is therefore preferably upholstered on all sides.
To guarantee adequate safety also at the middle location in the event of an accident, a head rest at the top edge of the back rest is required. On the other hand, the head rest obstructs the rear field of vision of the driver and is preferably removable when the middle location is unoccupied. It was therefore proposed in publication EP 0 604 375 to form or attach the head rest onto the front end of the middle arm rest. In such a manner, in the vertical position of the arm rest the head rest projects above the top edge of the back rest and is therefore in a suitable position to protect the passenger. When the middle location is unoccupied, however, the head rest is folded down with the arm rest towards the seat surface and therefore does not obstruct the field of vision of the driver. To achieve an adaptation to the height of the occupant, it is known for the head rest to be extendable out of the arm rest or--in the case of an integral style of construction--displaceable up and down with the arm rest when in the vertical position.
It is moreover customary in many cases for a middle arm rest to be used as a storage compartment or provided with areas where articles may be placed or deposited. In particular, cup and drinks can holders, ashtrays or oddments trays are often fastened to the front end of the arm rest. When not in use, they may be inserted into the arm rest to eliminate risks of injury and avoid clutter. When the front-end region of the middle arm rest is used as a head rest, however, such prior art devices are not usable because the padding of the head rest almost totally takes up the volume of the arm rest required for accommodation.

Motor vehicle seat bench with middle arm rest and head


An image processing apparatus which uses a tomogram group formed from a plurality of object tomograms or measurement data for generating the plurality of object tomograms, wherein the tomograms parallel to a plane containing first and second directions and aligned in a third direction different from the first and second directions, are provided. The image processing apparatus includes a storage unit which stores the tomogram group. The image processing apparatus specifies a plurality of tomograms from the tomogram group, and sets higher priorities for the specified tomograms or a predetermined number of tomograms adjacent to the specified tomograms than for other tomograms. The image processing apparatus reads out the tomogram group from the storage unit in descending order of the set priorities, and provides it to subsequent processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus using a plurality of tomograms and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a medical tomogram display system including a server which saves a plurality of medical tomogram groups each formed from a plurality of digital images, and an image application terminal which is connected to the server and uses medical tomograms transferred from the server. Recently, improved performance of various modalities provides higher-resolution medical images, and the amount of image data is increasing. This prolongs the image transfer time to the image application terminal from the server which saves image groups. A need exists to shorten the time required until an image becomes usable on the image application terminal.
Conventional methods currently exist to shorten the transfer time between the server and the image application terminal. For example, there is a method of shortening the transfer time by transferring an image group after data compression to decrease the data amount. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-230755 (to be referred to as Reference 1) proposes a method of shortening the waiting time by changing the tomogram transfer order to preferentially transfer a tomogram to be used, instead of deciding the tomogram transfer order arbitrarily (e.g., file name order).
However, the data compression ratios are low for noisy images such as those captured by OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography). When the data compression time and data decompression time is considered, the transfer time taken to transfer a noisy image after data compression may become longer than that taken to perform the transfer without data compression. Depending on the image, data compression is sometimes ineffective for transfer processing. The method described in Reference 1 decides the input order in descending order of closeness to the slice position of a given tomogram. A waiting time is generated till the completion of input of a tomogram at a slice position spaced apart from the given tomogram. Even if a tomogram at the region of interest is to be used, it may not be used quickly because input of a required tomogram has not completed.

Image processing apparatus and method with control of image transfer priority


An edge trimming mechanism of an edge banding machine capable of removing scraps includes a cutting device and an air guiding cover. The cutting device includes a motor having a power outputting shaft, and a cutter mounted at an end of the power outputting shaft. The air guiding cover is hollow-shaped, installed outside the motor, and has air inlet and outlet. The power outputting shaft protrudes out of the air inlet and the cutter is at least partially located out of the air inlet. An air exhausting path is defined between the inner wall of the air guiding cover and the outer wall of the motor. Two opposite ends of the air exhausting path communicate with the air inlet and outlet respectively. By the above-described configuration of the edge trimming mechanism, it is effective in removing the scraps produced by the edge banding machine in the edge trimming process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an edge trimming mechanism of an edge banding machine and more particularly, to an improved edge trimming mechanism of an edge banding machine, which can remove the scraps produced in the edge trimming process.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the traditional edge banding machine, Taiwan Patent No. 1671237 can be referred to, which is applied by the applicant of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, an edge banding machine is illustrated, which includes a base 10′, a set of slideway 20′, a positioning pressing wheel set 30′ and a plurality of mechanisms including a pre-milling mechanism 40, a glue applying mechanism 50, an edge band conveying mechanism 60, a horizontal pressing wheel set 70 and a bottom trimming mechanism 80. The slideway 20′ is movably disposed on the base 10′. The positioning pressing wheel set 30′ is disposed above the slideway 20′. The workpiece is clipped between the slideway 20′ and the positioning pressing wheel set 30′. The pre-milling mechanism 40 performs a preliminary processing to the surface of the workpiece. The glue applying mechanism 50 applies glue to the surface of the workpiece. The edge band conveying mechanism 60 is adapted to convey an edge band to the workpiece applied with the glue. Then, the edge banding machine cuts off the edge band by a cutter (not shown) and tightly presses the cut-off edge band to the workpiece by the horizontal pressing wheel set 70 to combine the cut-off edge band with the workpiece tightly. At last, the edge banding machine trims edges of the edge band by an edge trimming mechanism which usually includes a top trimming mechanism (not shown) and the bottom trimming mechanism 80, so as to trim off the superfluous part of the cut-off edge band and possibly chamfer the edges of the edge band.
However, the scraps of the edge band produced in the edge trimming process will scatter over the inside of the edge banding machine. The scraps are possible to attach to the surface of the workpiece, resulting in that the operator has to clean the surface of the workpiece. On the other hand, if lots of scraps are accumulated inside the edge banding machine, the scraps are also possible to affect each mechanism located inside the edge banding machine. It can be seen that the design of the conventional edge trimming mechanism of the edge banding machine is not faultless and thereby still needs improvement.

Edge trimming mechanism of edge banding machine capable of removing scraps and edge banding machine


A fixture frame having a junction box formed from a blank and an integrally connected frame arm connected to the junction box and formed from the blank. The frame arm is formable in a plurality of configurations for receiving a corresponding plurality of ring aperture sizes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recessed downlight mounting fixture frame. More specifically, the present invention relates to recessed downlight mounting fixture frame which may be utilized with a plurality of recessed lighting sizes but is formed from a single blank and therefore improves manufacturing efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recessed downlights have become increasingly popular for use in both commercial and residential constructions and as a result, competition has increased dramatically in this lighting area. One reason for the increased popularity is that the recessed downlight fixtures meet a wide range of interior lighting requirements while also being aesthetically pleasing. The recessed lighting fixtures come in various sizes and therefore can be used in multiple arrangements depending on room size, ceiling height and desired brightness. Further these recessed downlight fixtures may be installed in new constructions as well as existing ceilings and therefore installers like using them. Typically, ceiling-mounted recessed downlight fixtures comprise a frame or frame-in kit with a fixture frame connection means for retaining the fixture frame between structural supports of the ceiling.
Fixture frames are an integral component of the recessed downlight and hold the fixture, reflector, reflector trim, lamp and other parts in place. As previously described, the recessed downlights come in various sizes and therefore require fixture frames to be formed in corresponding various sizes to retain the fixtures. Since distinct frames must be formed for each size light fixture, manufacturing efficiency is decreased. Specifically, forming separate fixture frames for each lighting size is difficult because it raises tooling and manufacturing costs while decreasing production output.
Given the foregoing deficiencies, it will be appreciated that a recessed downlight mounting fixture frame is needed which is formed from a single blank which therefore increases manufacturing efficiency and maybe utilized with various fixture sizes.

Unitized fixture frame and junction box and method of forming same


A paint ball gun is disclosed including a forward mounted gas supply system. The gas supply systems includes a straight or bent direct connection between the low pressure portion of the paintball gun and the gas cylinder and includes a gas cylinder securing and support assembly. The bent direct connections attach to the gas cylinder and the securing and support assembly is attached to the gun handle and can also include a socket surrounding a major portion of the cylinder. In the straight configurations, the securing and support assembly includes the socket and optionally a support arm attached at the gun handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paint ball gun apparatus having a front mounted gas cylinder that allows a user to position the gun closer to the user""s eye for superior aiming and control.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly, where the gas supply assembly includes an expansion chamber positioned in from of the trigger assembly and connected to a front mounted a gas cylinder, where the front mounting allows a user to position the gun closer to his/her body for improved handling, control, aiming and firing. The gas supply assembly can also include a gas transfer member interposed between the expansion chamber and the cylinder and a cylinder holding assembly connected to a bottom of the trigger grip assembly to support the front mounted gas cylinder. The present invention also relates to methods for making and using same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous types of paint ball guns have been developed and used in a variety of manners, such as in simulated war games. These paint ball guns are generally powered by CO2 cartridges or cylinders which, generally, propel the paint balls at a specified velocity, such as three hundred (300) feet per second out of the gun barrel. In general, the prior art paint ball guns include a typical firearm type mechanism including a bolt, spring and cocking handle. The prior art paint ball guns have the gas cylinder mounted behind the handle interfering with the user""s ability to get the gun close to his/her body for accurate aiming and more controlled firing. Examples of prior art paint guns can be found in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,386,113, 6,378,367, 6,371,099, 6,367,465, 6,352,032, 6,305,941, 6,280,080, 6,276,354, 6,273,080, 6,233,928, 6,226,915, 6,223,658, 6,213,112, 6,199,286, 6,142,137, 6,142,136, 6,138,656, 6,109,252, 6,062,208, 6,003,547, 6,003,504, 5,993,215, 5,988,153, 5,967,916, 5,947,100, 5,931,342, 5,927,261, 5,896,850, 5,850,826, 5,791,325, 5,778,868, 5,676,548, 5,673,679, 5,669,369, 5,630,406, 5,599,187, 5,597,164, 5,595,165, 5,590,886, 5,572,982, 5,515,838, 5,505,188, 5,494,024, incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved paint ball gun having a front disposed gas cylinder which allows the user to hold the gun closer to the user""s body for better aiming and more controlled firing.
The present invention provides a paint ball gun including a front disposed gas cylinder.
The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having a forward mounted gas cylinder.
The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having an expansion chamber including a connector designed to detachably receive a gas cylinder, where the cylinder depending vertically downward from the connector.
The present invention also provides a paint ball gun apparatus including a barrel assembly, a paint ball firing/trigger assembly, a paint ball feed assembly, and a gas supply assembly having an expansion chamber, a forward mounted gas cylinder, a transfer connector interposed between the chamber and the cylinder and a support member attached to the trigger assembly for supporting the cylinder.

Paint ball gun having a front mounted gas cylinder


A method of making tailored blanks in accordance with one embodiment comprises the steps of: (a) friction welding first and second structural members together along a straight interface to form a weld joint, each of the first and second structural members having a respective polygonal profile that is not a parallelogram; and (b) machining the first and second structural members to form first and second curved contours that each intersect the weld joint.

This invention relates to friction welding and, more specifically, to friction welding of one or more structural members to form a tailored blank.
Hogout machining generally refers to a process of forming a structure or structural member by removing excess material from a piece of stock material, such as a plate or block, to arrive at the desired configuration and dimensions. Oftentimes when practicing hogout machining, the dimensions and configuration of the final structure are such that appreciable amounts of material must be removed. Thus, while hogout machining provides a method for forming structures or structural members having complex configurations, hogout machining can be costly due to the relatively large amount of excess material or scrap that typically must be removed and because the machining process can be time consuming and labor intensive. Hogout machining also can cause excessive wear on the cutting machine and tools, which can result in machine downtime and/or tool breakage that in turn can adversely affect the tolerances of the finished structure. In addition, the availability of stock sizes of material limits the overall dimensions of a structure or structural member formed by hogout machining.
In seeking to reduce material waste and machining times, other methods are used for forming the stock material to be used in machining a structure or structural member. For example, one method is machined forging, which refers to the process of machining a part from a piece of forged stock material that approximates the final configuration. When machined forging is used, the amount of machining can be reduced because the forged stock material can be hand or die forged to dimensions that more closely approximate the desired dimensions of the finished assembly. However, the production of forged stock material can be time consuming and labor intensive and, in the case of die forgings, can require the production of costly forging dies. Die forgings can require ultrasonic inspection, as the forging process can cause internal cracks or other defects. Additionally, both die and hand forging can cause residual stresses in the forged stock material that can remain in the finished structure or structural member. Residual stresses can necessitate slower cutting speeds when hogout machining and can adversely affect the material properties and tolerances of the finished structure.
Many complex machined parts are curved due to the mold line contour that is required for many parts, in particular, fuselage frames or longerons. The manufacture of such curved structures using hogout machining results in great material waste.
There is a need for a method of manufacturing curved machined structures with a minimum of material waste.

Welded tailored blanks that allow for part curvature


A resonator element capable of improving impact resistance is provided. A quartz crystal resonator element is a resonator element formed by etching a Z plate which is cut at predetermined angles with respect to the crystal axes of a quartz crystal. The quartz crystal resonator element includes a base, a pair of resonating arms extending from the base in the Y-axis direction, and a positive X-axis notch and a negative X-axis notch formed by notching the base in the X-axis direction. The positive X-axis notch is formed by notching the base from the negative side of the X axis towards the positive side so that the width of the positive X-axis notch increases as it approaches the outer circumference.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a resonator element, a resonator having the resonator element, an oscillator having the resonator element, and an electronic device having the resonator element.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2002-280870 discloses a resonator element which includes a base and a resonating arm portion (hereinafter, referred to as a resonating arm) protruding from the base, and in which a groove is formed in the resonating arm, and a cut-out portion (hereinafter, referred to as a notch) is formed in the base.
In the resonator element disclosed in JP-A-2002-280870, since a notch is formed in the base, a leakage of vibration from the resonating arm to the base decreases. Thus, it is possible to suppress fluctuation of the CI (Crystal Impedance) value (Q value).
The outer shape of the resonator element is generally formed by etching. A resonator element made from a quartz crystal has etching anisotropy: that is, the etching rate differs depending on the direction with respect to the quartz crystal axes of the quartz crystal.
Due to this etching anisotropy, the resonator element at the tip end of the notch in the base is over-etched (excessively etched). Thus, the notch goes further into the central side of the base from an original position. As a result, the notch has a shape, such as a wedge with an acute tip end, such that stress is likely to be concentrated on it.
When an impact, such as by being dropped, is applied to the resonator element, stress is concentrated on the tip end of the notch, and breaking may start from that portion.


A medical tool such as a prophy angle is provided having primarily plastic parts to make disposing more economical. A portion of the drive shaft is made of metal to eliminate detrimental deformation. The housing is made of two plastic halves which snap-fit together and have projecting portions which surround a pair of oversized plastic beveled gears. A prophy cup having a locking projection is provided so that the locking projection fits into locking cavity on a stud of the tool. Vanes are disposed on the inside of the cup and have a step-like configuration to aid in retaining polishing paste in the cup.

The present invention pertains to a medical tool such as a dental tool, and in particular to a disposable dental tool, made primarily from plastic and easy to assemble. The invention includes a polishing cup designed to keep polishing paste in the cup during the polishing operation. The dental tool connects to the cup to positively drive the cup, while still allowing use with ordinary polishing cups. The housing of the invention is designed to enclose a pair of gears in a manner similar to common prophy angles, and yet allows for larger sized gears by having a housing which wraps around the gears to provide protrusions at the location of the gears so that gears having a greater diameter than the diameter of the main body housing can be inserted inside.
Medical tools such as Prophy angle dental tools are either disposable or non-disposable. The non-disposable tools comprised primarily of metal parts which are designed for repeated use and require sterilization between uses. Due to the risk of infection and the cost of sterilizing tools after each use, disposable tools are desirable. Disposal of metal tools, however, is not economical. Consequently, plastic prophy angles have been developed which are less expensive than metal ones, and thus can be disposed of economically.
While making parts of the device from plastic reduces the cost, there are some inherent disadvantages to the use of plastic. First, deformation of the plastic is a much greater problem than it was with metal, where it was virtually nonexistent over the life of the tool. When a plastic prophy angle device is connected to a drive motor, the connecting clamp tends to deform the plastic shaft, and thus hinder or impede the operation of the instrument. Second, while the gears of the prophy angle can be made from plastic, such gears tend to wear out much more rapidly than metal gears, and are less accurate and more prone to slippage. Furthermore, plastic gears cannot transmit as much torque as metal gears.
Conventional prophy cups have a recess at one end for receiving a nub or protrusion. The prophy cup is made from an elastic material so that it can deform to accommodate the nub. In a conventional prophy angle tool, slippage can occur between the cup and the nub. To eliminate this slippage, one solution has been to provide a flange of substantially two dimensions projecting outwardly from the end of the nub, and a corresponding groove at the bottom of the recess to accommodate the flange in a manner similar to a screwdriver and a screw head. While such design will reduce the slippage, the modified nub cannot accommodate conventional prophy cups which do not have the screw head formation at the bottom of the recess.
Another problem with prophy cups is the tendency of paste in the prophy cup to migrate outward out of the cup during operation of the tool, thus splattering the patient, doctor, and their surroundings and reducing the effectiveness of the polishing.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable prophy angle dental tool which is made primarily of plastic components, yet eliminates deformation during attachment to the motor portion of the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable prophy angle dental tool which has primarily plastic components and can be simply and easily constructed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a prophy angle dental tool having a housing which permits the use of larger diameter gears, such as beveled gears.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a prophy angle dental tool which allows for the attachment of a positive drive prophy cup, but still allows for use with conventional prophy cups.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a prophy angle dental tool which has a specific rib formation on the inside of the cup to reduce the splattering of paste out of the cup during operation of the dental tool.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dental tool which evenly distributes paste along the inner surface of the cup wall during operation of the dental tool.