A method of, apparatus for, and means for controlling pitch of a servowritten track on a disc in a disc drive are disclosed. The disc drive has a head for traversing over a surface of the disc. The head has a read element and a write element separated by a head element offset xcex94. A servowriting controller operably connected to the disc drive creates a track k by writing servo information on the disc. The servowriting controller then calculates the head element offset xcex94 at the track k, [xcex94CALC(k)] and determines a skew angle xcex8 at the track k, [xcex8(k)]. The servowriting controller adjusts a track pitch correction factor based on the xcex94CALC(K) and the xcex8(k) such that the track pitch correction factor is utilized to servowrite a next track.

This application relates generally to self-servowriting tracks in a disc drive and more particularly to controlling track pitch by using the offset measured between the read and write elements in a disc drive.
A disc drive is a data storage device that stores digital data in magnetic form on a rotating storage medium called a disc. Modern disc drives comprise one or more rigid discs that are coated with a magnetizable medium and mounted on the hub of a spindle motor for rotation at a constant high speed. Each surface of a disc is divided into several thousand tracks that are tightly packed concentric circles similar in layout to the annual growth rings of a tree. The tracks are typically numbered starting from zero at the track located outermost the disc and increasing for tracks located closer to the center of the disc. Each track is further broken down into sectors and servo bursts. A sector is normally the smallest individually addressable unit of information stored in a disc drive and typically holds 512 bytes of information plus additional bytes for internal drive control and error detection and correction. This organization of data allows for easy access to any part of the disc. A servo burst is a particular magnetic signature on a track, which facilitates positioning of heads over tracks.
Generally, each of the multiple discs in a disc drive has associated with it two heads (one adjacent the top surface of the disc and another adjacent the bottom) for writing and reading data to or from a sector. A typical disc drive has two or three discs. This usually means that there are four or six heads in a disc drive carried by a set of actuator arms. Data is accessed by moving the heads from the inner to outer part of the disc (and vice-versa) driven by an actuator assembly. The heads that access sectors on discs are locked together on the actuator assembly. For this reason, all the heads move in and out together and are always physically located at the same track number (e.g., it is impossible to have one head at track 0 and another at track 500). Because all the heads move together, each of the tracks on all discs is known as a cylinder for reasons that the tracks are equal-sized circles stacked one on top of the other in space forming a cylinder. So, for example, if a disc drive has four discs, it would normally have eight heads (numbered 0-7), and a cylinder number 680 would be made up of a set of eight tracks, one per disc surface, at track number 680. Thus, for most purposes, there is not much difference between tracks and cylinders since a cylinder is basically a set of all tracks where all the heads are currently radially located.
Servo fields are embedded among the sectors on each track to enable the disc drive to control the position of the heads over the center of the track. Generally, the servo fields are written to the discs during the manufacture of a disc drive using a highly precise external servowriter. The servowriter typically utilizes the heads of the disc drive to write the servo fields. As the servo fields are subsequently used to define the tracks, it is important to precisely control the position of the heads as the servo fields are written to the disc surfaces. Thus, a typical servo track writer comprises an actuator positioning system which advances the position of the heads, a laser based position detector which senses the position of the heads, and control circuitry which provides the servo information to be written to the servo fields on the discs. The positioning system in an external servowriter includes a pusher pin assembly that engages the actuator assembly through an opening in the disc drive base deck. The position detector detects the position of the heads by detecting the radial position of the pusher pin assembly.
Alternatively, tracks may be written by a self-servowriter. The self-servowriter controls the position of the heads directly by applying current to the coil of the disc drive voice coil motor. Self-propagated servo track writing was first described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,589 (Oliver et al.). Several other patents have disclosed slight variations in the Oliver patent, but the same basic approach is used. Under the basic method, the drive""s actuator arm is positioned at one of its travel range limit stops. A first reference track is written with the write element. The first reference track is then read with the read element as the head is radially displaced from the first reference track. When a distance is reached such that the read element senses a predetermined percentage of the first reference track""s amplitude, a second reference track is written. The predetermined percentage is called the xe2x80x9creduction numberxe2x80x9d.
For example, the read element senses 100% of the first reference track""s amplitude when the read element is directly over the first reference track. If the reduction number is 40%, the head is radially displaced from the first reference track until the read element senses only 40% of the first reference track""s amplitude. A second reference pattern is written to the disc once the 40% is sensed by the read element. The head is then displaced in the same direction until the read head senses 40% of the second reference track""s amplitude. A third reference track is then written and the process continues.
The self-servowriting process ends when the actuator arm""s second limit stop is reached and the entire disc surface is filled with reference tracks. The conventional servowriters then checks to see whether a target number of tracks are written on the disc. If the total number of written tracks is unacceptably higher than the target number, the disc is erased, the reduction number is lowered so that a larger displacement occurs between tracks, and the process is repeated. Likewise, if the total number of written tracks is unacceptably lower than the target number, the disc is erased, the reduction number is increased so that a smaller displacement occurs between tracks, and the self-servowriting process is repeated.
The conventional self-servowriting technique such as that shown in Oliver et al. indicates that position information of the new tracks is derived based on the signal generated in the previously written track measured by the read element. However, the total number of tracks that are to be written on a disc is often not predictable or otherwise very difficult to determine until all tracks are written on the disc. This is because the pitch of a track written on a disc cannot be determined unless there is a way to compare the pitch of the track being written with the pitch of a prewritten reference tracks. The conventional self-servowriters such as that shown in Oliver et al. typically cannot predict or determine the total number of tracks that are going to be written on a disc until all tracks are written on the disc. For this reason, the conventional self-servowriting technique such as that shown in Oliver et al. typically erases the entire disc if the average track density of the written tracks is too high or too low. A second pass of servo track writing is required by rewriting of the whole disc.
The use of an external servowriter to create a prewritten reference track increases the cost of servo track writing and further creates a possibility of disc drive contamination since the clock head and the pusher pin of the external servowriter have to be inserted inside the disc drive through an opening throughout the entire servowriting process.
The cost associated with using an external servowriter and the possibility of the disc drive contamination associated with using an external servowriter can be substantially eliminated if the pitch of a track and a total number of tracks to be written on the disc can be computed on-the-fly. Accordingly there is a need for ways to control the pitch of the track as the track is being written.
Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed. The present invention proposes a new technique for controlling pitch of a servowritten track on a disc in a disc drive. The disc drive has, inter alia, a head for traversing over a surface of the disc. In an embodiment of the present invention, the head has a read element and a write element separated by a head element offset xcex94. The head element offset xcex94 is at least one track-width wide. In other words, if the read element is aligned with a first track, the offset is at least large enough that the write element is aligned over the adjacent track.
A servowriting controller is operably connected to the disc drive. The servowriting controller creates a track k by writing servo information on the disc. Then, a skew angle of the track xcex8(k) is determined based on the head element offset of the track xcex94(k). The xcex8(k) and a predetermined skew angle of the track xcex8PRE(k) are compared. A plurality of predetermined skew angles xcex8PREs for a plurality of tracks, including the xcex8PRE(k), is stored in a track mapping table. The servowriting controller then generates a track pitch correction factor based on the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) such that the track pitch correction factor is utilized to servowrite a next track.
The servowriting controller determines the xcex8(k) based on a mathematical relationship, xcex94(k)=S*sin xcex8(k)+xcex4*cos xcex8(k). S is a spacing gap between the read element and the write element, and xcex4 is a base head element offset. This mathematical relationship can be used to determine the skew angle of a track on the disc based on offset xcex94(k). To obtain the xcex94(k), the head writes a temporary track on the disc while the read element of the head is following the track k. The head then moves over to the temporary track, and the servowriting controller determines a new head position. The head element offset xcex94(k) is determined by subtracting the head position at track k and the new head position over the temporary track.
The servowriting controller determines the S and the xcex4 during a calibration stage prior to servowriting tracks on the disc. Generally, the xcex4 and the S are determined by using the same above mathematical relationship based on a xcex8(ID), a xcex8(OD), a xcex94(ID), and a xcex94(OD). The xcex94(ID) is a head element offset xcex94 calculated when the head is positioned at an inner diameter (ID) radial position, preferably when the actuator arm is positioned at the ID limit stop. Likewise, the xcex94(OD) is a head element offset xcex94 calculated when the head is positioned at an outer diameter (OD) radial position on the disc, preferably when the actuator arm is positioned at the ID limit stop. The xcex8(ID) is a predetermined skew angle when the head is positioned at an ID limit stop, and the xcex8(OD) is a predetermined skew angle when the head is position at an OD limit stop.
The servowriting controller determines whether the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) is within a predetermined tolerance. A desired track density is maintained on the disc if the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) is within a predetermined tolerance.
If the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) is not within the predetermined tolerance, the servowriting controller adjusts the track pitch control factor. The servowriting controller rewrites a previously servowritten track incorporating the adjusted track pitch control factor such that the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) is within the predetermined tolerance.
If the difference between the xcex8(k) and the xcex8PRE(k) is within the predetermined tolerance such that a desired track density is maintain on the disc, the servowriting controller adjusts the track pitch control factor for writing servo information on a new track (k+1). The servowriting controller then writes the new track (k+1) adjacent the track k with servo information based on the adjusted track pitch control factor such that the difference between the skew angle of the new track xcex8(k+1) and the predetermined skew angle of the new track xcex8PRE(k+1) is within the predetermined tolerance.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the xcex8(k), is interpolated based on at least two predetermined skew angles, xcex8PREs. A plurality of xcex8PREs for a plurality of tracks is stored in a track mapping table. A desired head element offset xcex94DES for the track k, [xcex94DES(k)], is determined based on a mathematical relationship, xcex94DES(k)=S*sin xcex8(k)+xcex4*cos xcex8(k). S is a spacing gap between the read element and the write element and xcex4 is a base head element offset.
The servowriting controller determines whether a difference between the xcex94CALC(k) and the xcex94DES(k) is within a predetermined tolerance. A desired track density is maintained on the disc if the difference between the xcex94CALC(k) and the xcex94DES(k) is within the predetermined tolerance.
The servowriting controller adjusts the track pitch control factor for re-servowriting a previously servowritten track if the difference between the xcex94CALC(k) and the xcex94DES(k) is not within the predetermined tolerance, and re-servowrites the track k utilizing an adjusted track pitch control factor such that the difference between the xcex94CALC(k) and the xcex94DES(k) is within the predetermined tolerance. Alternatively, the servowriting controller adjusts the track pitch control factor for servowriting a new track (k+1) if the difference between the xcex94CALC(k) and the xcex94DES(k) is within the predetermined tolerance such that a desired track density is maintain on the disc, and servowrites the new track (k+1), preferably adjacent the track k, utilizing the adjusted track pitch control factor such that the difference between the calculated head element offset xcex94CALC of the new track (k+1), [xcex94CALC(k+1)], and the desired head element offset xcex94DES of the new track (k+1), [xcex94DES(k+1)], is within the predetermined tolerance.
These and various other features as well as advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.

Track pitch control using head offset measurement for self-servowriting tracks in a disc drive

28, Choa Chu Kang St 64, #10-01 The Windemere


The invention relates to a decoding method for a probabilistic anti-collusion code aiming to identify at least one sequence of the code present in a multimedia content having served in the creation of an illegal copy of the multimedia content, this method comprising a step of selection of the collusion strategy used to constitute the illegal copy from among a set of collusion strategy models. In addition, the invention relates to a method for filtering sequences of a probabilistic anti-collusion code for the decoding of this code aiming to identify at least one sequence of the code present in a multimedia content having served in the creation of an illegal copy of the multimedia content comprising a step of selection of a sub-group of the smallest possible sequences of code containing at least one sequence present in a multimedia content having served in the creation of the illegal copy by comparing for each sequence of the code and for a selected given symbol index, the symbol of the sequence of the code with the symbol of the sequence contained in the illegal copy.

The protection of digital contents, such as for example music, films, photographs and video games against the creation and distribution of illegal copies is a significant issue for the media and entertainment industries, particularly for the providers of multimedia content and copyright owners.
For this purpose, various technical solutions are known to overcome the creation and distribution of illegal contents. Solutions based on the encrypting of data preventing the actual creation and distribution of illegal copies. Dissuasive solutions based on the traceability of legal copies enabling the sources of the illegal copy to be identified. The domain of the invention falls into this last category of dissuasive solutions.
The identification of sources at the origin of an illegal copy has numerous applications. For example, a video-on-demand server distributes personal copies of a same content to different clients. Some dishonest clients, called pirates, illegally redistribute a copy of this content for example on a P2P (Peer-To-Peer) network. The copyrights owner would like to identify the pirates. To do this, the video-on-demand server inserts a unique identifier in each of the copies using a video watermarking technique thus producing so many different copies although they appear to be identical. The content identifier in the illegal copy thus enables the source of this illegal copy, and therefore the pirate, to be identified. However in order not to be recognised, a group of pirates can alter the identifier by constituting an illegal copy by mixing their different copies: this is collusion of copies. Finally, this same group of pirates can, notably by compressing the illegal copy with losses, attempt to introduce errors in the identifier of the illegally distributed copy and thus either have innocent people accused, or mask the identity of the pirates.
For this purpose, it is known that the identifier inserted into the copy by watermarking is a sequence of symbols of an anti-collusion code. Cryptographers, such as D. Boneh and J. Shaw in "Collusion-secure fingerprinting for digital data" (in "IEEE Transactions on Information Theory" volume 44, pages 1897-1905, September 1998) have shown the existence of an optimal code of minimum length enabling by decoding of the mix of a finite number of code sequences, to identify the subset of original sequences used for the collusion whatever the collusion strategy used to create the copy.
Such an optimal code known and widely used was proposed by Tardos in 2003 in "Optimal probabilistic fingerprint codes" (in "Proc. of the 35th annual ACM symposium on theory of computing" pages 116-125, San Diego, Calif., USA, 2003. ACM). This probabilistic code responds to the performance criteria of a uniformly efficient decoding system whatever the collusion strategy employed. It is characterized by its length that depends upon the number of users (corresponding to the number of sequences in the code), the maximum number of dishonest users (corresponding to the number of sequences in the code that will be attempted to be identified), the number of symbols in the alphabet, the false alarm probability (the fact of accusing a user who was not party to the collusion) and the miss probability (the fact of not identifying a user who was party to the collusion).
Philips has shown (in "Tardos fingerprinting is better than we thought" by B. Skoric, T. Vladimirova, M. Celik, and J. Talstra, "IEEE Transactions on Information Theory" volume 54, pages 3663-3676, Août 2008) that if we want to maintain the probability of a false alarm below a certain threshold ε, the length of code must be greater than 2π2c2 log(nε−1) for a binary code such as that of Tardos where c represents the number of dishonest clients and n the number of clients in total. Philips (in "Symmetric Tardos fingerprinting codes for arbitrary alphabet sizes" by B. Skoric, S. Katzenbeisser and M. Celik, "Designs, Codes and Cryptography", 46(2):137-166, February 2008) also addressed the generalisation of the Tardos code to a code designed on an alphabet of arbitrary size in keeping with the idea of minimizing the length of code.
The technical problem of these solutions is the length of the code. On the one hand, the number of symbols that can be hidden in a multimedia content using watermarking techniques being limited, the length of the code must remain compatible with the size of the content to be identified. On the other hand, the complexity of the decoding being directly related to the length of the code, it must remain minimal to limit the calculating power and memory size means of the decoding device. Moreover, the length of anti-collusion codes increases to handle the growing number of services users particularly of video-on-demand services and potentially of dishonest users.
In a first patent application filed the same day as the present application by the same applicant, an iterative method for decoding such a code comprising a step of estimation of the collusion strategy associated with a step of identification of sequences present in the collusion was proposed. This method presents the advantage of improving the code decoding performances and of being resistant to errors introduced by noise in the transmission or by transformation of the content. The decoding performance enables limiting of the length of code used to identify the sequences in the collusion and thus provides a solution to the technical problem. However, this decoding method, due to its iterative method, requires significant calculating power and memory size means. A second technical problem is therefore the complexity of iterative decoding that can render it impossible to use for a code supporting a great number of sequences.

Decoding method for a probabilistic anti-collusion code comprising the selection of the collusion strategy


Storage devices, systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for dispensing medication. The storage devices include a container dispensing device for providing users with containers that can be used to securely transport (i.e., in a closed, identifiable container) medications dispensed from the storage device for a single selected patient. In this way, a single user may be able to dispense medications for multiple patients during a single user interaction with a storage device, while keeping medications for different patients separate and easily identifiable so as to provide secure transport between the storage device and the different patients' bedsides. Thus, a printing device may be provided for printing a summary of details, such as in the form of a label and/or a receipt. A sensor may also be provided for detecting the receipt of medications into the container as a check that the correct medications were dispensed by the user.

Automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) are commonly used in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, to provide healthcare professionals, such as nurses, with automated access to medication without requiring the pharmacy to fill patient-specific cassettes of unit-dose medications, which would then have to be delivered to the particular nursing unit and stored in non-automated medication cabinets or carts. In contrast, ADCs are computerized drug storage devices that allow nurses to automatically dispense medications to fill prescriptions near point of care, while at the same time tracking and controlling drug distribution.
Although ADCs have provided nurses with quicker and easier access to a patient's medications, the increasing numbers of patients who are admitted to healthcare facilities each year, coupled with the budgetary constraints on hiring additional healthcare professionals to care for these patients, puts pressure on nurses to multi-task when performing certain work functions so as to have as much time as possible to directly interact with patients. It is, therefore, becoming more commonplace for nurses to dispense medication for more than one patient during a single interaction with an ADC in order to avoid multiple trips to the ADC over a given time period. This creates the potential for errors when administering the medication to the patients. In other words, because at any given time the nurse may be carrying multiple medications for multiple patients with different conditions, there is a risk that the wrong medication may be given to the wrong patient.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for dispensing medication that allows healthcare professionals to securely transport dispensed medication so as to minimize the risk of inaccurately administering the medication.

Storage devices, systems, and methods for dispensing medications


A display substrate is provided that can prevent the opening of an upper conduction layer. The display substrate comprises a semiconductor layer pattern formed on a substrate, a data interconnection pattern formed on the semiconductor layer pattern, a protection layer formed on the substrate and the data interconnection pattern, contact holes formed on the substrate to expose at least a portion of an upper surface of the semiconductor pattern and at least a portion of an upper surface of the data interconnection pattern, and contact electrodes formed in the contact holes to be in contact with the exposed upper surfaces of the data interconnection pattern and the semiconductor layer pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display substrate and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A liquid crystal display, which is one of the most widely used types of flat panel displays, includes two substrates, on which electrodes are formed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two substrates. In such a liquid crystal display, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are rearranged in accordance with voltages being applied to the electrodes. Thus the quantity of light passing through the liquid crystal layer is adjusted, causing an image to be displayed.
One of the two substrates described above is a thin film transistor substrate, which is an insulating substrate on which a plurality of interconnections are formed. A representative method of forming such interconnections is the photolithographic method of laminating component materials and patterning the component materials using a mask process. However, such a photolithographic method requires a number of processing steps, such as thin film deposition, photoresist spreading, mask alignment, exposing, developing, etching, stripping, and the like. The large number of processing steps can increase the process time and manufacturing cost for fabricating the thin film transistor substrate.
A liftoff method can be used to reduce the number of mask processes when fabricating the thin film transistor. In the liftoff method, the process of fabricating a thin film transistor substrate includes a process of removing a photoresist pattern of which the upper surface is covered with a conduction material, and the photoresist pattern and the conduction material formed thereon are simultaneously removed by the liftoff method.
In order to effectively remove the photoresist pattern using the above-described method, a sufficient undercut on the lower part of the photoresist pattern must be formed by etching a protection layer (sacrificial layer) positioned on the lower part of the photoresist pattern.
On the other hand, a portion of the interconnections may be formed in a multi-film (layer) structure, and if a relatively depressed film (layer) exists on one end portion of the multi-film (layer), a stepped portion may be formed on the protection layer that is spread on the upper part thereof This may, however, cause a problem in that an upper conduction layer (e.g., a pixel electrode) to be formed on the protection layer may be opened.

Display substrate and method of fabricating the same


Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein are configured to desirably distribute and thus withstand forces that are applied to an audio device assembly during regular use. The configurations discussed herein can be used to prevent the various device related components from becoming damaged during use. The application of these forces can cause immediate failure of the electrical connections in extreme cases, or more typically cause eventual failure of the electrical connections and device due to repetitive application of the applied force. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the stress applied to the various electrical connection points during use, such as the electrical connection points.

Field
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a consumer electronic device that is configured to provide an audio output.
Description of the Related Art
Audio devices allow users to receive audio content or audio information from various media sources, such as internet, video players, gaming devices, music playing platforms or other types of devices. Typical portable audio devices may include wireless speakers, tethered headphones and wireless headphones. Wireless speakers and wireless headphones allow users to be un-tethered to a video, gaming or music playing platform. Wireless headphones are particularly popular among video game players, since a player cannot become entangled in an interconnecting cord while the player is playing the video game. In the case where the wireless headphones are wireless earbuds, it is common to string the part of the earbuds that is inserted into the user's ears together such that they are tethered to the user so that they will not be easily lost by the user. However, conventionally strung earbuds are typically not anchored to the user for comfort and complexity reasons, so it is not uncommon for users to handle these tethered designs by grabbing onto and/or pulling on the interconnecting cable. In conventional designs, the application of a force to the interconnecting cables and connection point(s) formed between the interconnecting cable and earbud/headphone components can cause the electrical connections to become disconnected or less reliable over time.
Conventional headphones that are used with various communication devices typically have buttons which are used to control the delivery of an audio signal to the user and/or remotely control the communication devices. These button initiated functions may include, for example, muting the delivery of audio input to the user or to initiate voice activated dialing. Typically a single press, or a long press, of a button within the headphone device can activate different functions. However, conventional headphone designs typically include structurally separate button assemblies that are attached to a portion of the interconnecting electrical transmission cable that connects the earbud/headphone components, and are not designed to be integrated into a rugged molded headphone assembly.
Therefore, there is a need for a more rugged audio device assembly that is able to support the stresses applied to its various components during normal use and operation. It is also desirable to provide a rugged audio device assembly that has an integrated multi-button control within the formed device.


A computer implemented system and method for providing general data protection regulation (GDPR) compliant hashing in blockchain ledgers. The invention guarantees a user's right to be forgotten, in compliance with the GDPR regulations, utilizing blockchain technologies.

In accordance with GDPR, Personal Identifiable Information (PII), such as an individual's name, phone number, address, etc. are protected by law and these laws often include the so-called "right to be forgotten". In most of the current blockchain technologies, one cannot delete information from a blockchain ledger because it is tamper-proof. However, in certain geographical regions having GDPR laws, the inability to delete PII stored in a blockchain ledger may lead to a violation of these data privacy laws, and in particular, a violation of the right to be forgotten.
In general, personally identifiable information (PII) is any data that can be used to identify a specific individual. Social Security numbers, mailing or email address, and phone numbers have most commonly been considered PII. However, PII may also include an IP address, login IDs, social media posts, or digital images. Geolocation, biometric, and behavioral data can also be classified as PII.
A common mitigating solution to complying with GDPR laws is to store a) hash value, rather than the actual personal data (message), in the blockchain ledger, which makes it difficult to reconstruct the original personal data, especially if the message is padded prior to hashing. However, storing only the hash values of the personal data may not be enough, because it is still possible to draw conclusions on the personal data based upon the stored hash value and as such the personal data is not considered to have been deleted from the blockchain ledger. For example, knowing the hash function used for a given message m, it is possible for one to exhaust, by brute force, the padding space and see which hash values v are obtained in this way because, if a given hash v is not obtained then it can be concluded that m was not the message. For example, a hash value may be mapped to data of any size and together with cryptographic functionality can be used to confirm a data fingerprint (SHA-1, SHA-256. MD-5 etc.). While prior art methods are known which utilize a Merkle Tree function to generate the hash value, the resulting "hash" is still a data point and therefore can be challenged with GDPR compliance. As such, in order to be GDPR compliant, a hash value must not be attributed to the PII and must be proven as such.
Additionally, assuming that personal identifiable information (PII) is encrypted rather than hashed before it is written to a blockchain, destroying the cryptographic key renders the stored data unreadable. However, again it is still possible to draw conclusions based on the encrypted message by exhausting the cryptographic keys. As a result, one could launch a challenge against an enterprise employing blockchain technology as to whether or not the enterprise is in compliance with GDPR.
Accordingly, there is a strong but, heretofore, unresolved need in the art for a system and method for ensuring GDPR compliance by enterprises that utilize blockchain technology.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for general data protection regulation (GDPR) compliant hashing in blockchain ledgers


A system and method for post-processing of polymeric items having a liquid component and a predetermined heat deflection temperature is provided. The system includes a washing station to spray water at elevated temperature and pressure on the items while maintaining the temperature of the item below the heat deflection temperature. Then using a water distillation system to separate the water from the water mixed with the liquid polymer component by evaporating the water using heating coils with surface that is not conducive to adhesion of the liquid polymer component and then condense the water vapor into liquid water. The system may further include a spin station to separate the liquid polymer component by spinning the item. The system may further include one or more processing stations to rinse the item, dry the item, cure the item, remove the item from a tray to which the item may be attached and clean trays after removing the item. A conveyor system may be used to automate the post-processing of the items.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of fabricating molds polymeric items, and more specifically, to an automated system for the post-processing of polymeric molds, particularly molds for fabricating plastic orthodontic appliances.
2. Background
Stereolithography is a rapid prototyping process used to create solid, plastic, three-dimensional (3-D) objects, such as molds, from CAD drawings. For example, stereolithography is used to fabricate molds that are used to make plastic orthodontic alignment appliances, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,893 and US Patent Application Publication 2005/0082703, both of which are commonly assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, and the disclosures of which are both incorporated herein by reference.
Plastic orthodontic appliances, of the type disclosed in the above-referenced documents, are made as a set of incremental position adjustment appliances that are used to realign or reposition a patient's teeth. The series of incremental position adjustment appliances is custom made for each patient during the fabrication process.
The fabrication process starts with a dentist making impressions or casts of the upper and lower dental arches of a patient. The impressions or casts are then sent by the dentist to an orthodontic appliance manufacturing facility. The manufacturing facility creates a treatment file from the impressions or casts that includes the treatment information for the patient. Treatment information includes the number of stages (i.e. each appliance in the series of incremental position adjustment appliances represents a stage) for both the upper and lower dental arches that are required for repositioning the patient's teeth, as well as how the patient's teeth move during each stage. The treatment file is then sent to the dentist for approval. Upon approval, the manufacturing facility generates 3D CAD models or images of molds for making the appliances using the treatment file, and then creates the molds using a rapid prototyping process, such as, for example, stereolithography. The molds are then used to fabricate the appliances.
Once the molds have been created, the molds are subjected to several post-processing steps. Currently, the post-processing of the molds is done manually, and includes removing any debris and any excess mold material (i.e., polymeric resin) from the molds. To clean the molds, they are first soaked in a solvent, and then they are sprayed with water and air to remove the excess resin and the loosened debris, and to rinse off the solvent.
The solvent used to clean the molds is toxic to the environment, and using fresh water to rinse off the solvent results in a significant consumption of water. Additionally, manually cleaning the molds is labor-intensive, and therefore entails substantial costs and time to produce the items. Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient system and method to improve productivity by automating the post-processing of the molds, using only water to clean the molds, and purifying the used water and waste resin from the molds to be reused.

System for post-processing orthodontic appliance molds


In a light emitting apparatus, a semiconductor laser has first and second laser structures provided with first and second laser beam emitting points, respectively, and a retrieving or recording laser beam and an erasing laser beam are emitted from the first and second laser emitting points of the laser structures, respectively. A cylindrical lens is located in front of the second laser beam emitting point so that the erasing laser beam is converged in a first plane and is not converged in a second plane normal to the first plane. The erasing laser beam emerged from the cylindrical lens is converged onto a recording surface of a recording medium by an objective lens to form an elliptical beam spot on the recording surface.

The present invention relates to a light emitting apparatus having a plurality of light emitting points capable of generating light beams, respectively and, more particularly, to an improvement of a light emitting apparatus for generating a retrieving or recording light beam or an erasing light beam, which is incorporated in an information recording, retrieving, and erasing system for optically recording information, and retrieving and erasing the recorded information.
In an information recording, retrieving, and erasing system for optically recording information, and retrieving and erasing the recorded information, in a recording mode, a recording beam which is intensity modulated in accordance with information to be recorded is focused on an information recording medium, and a recording film of the information recording medium causes a change in phase from a crystal state to a noncrystal state or the crystal structure of the recording film of the information recording medium is changed, thus recording the information. In a retrieving mode, a retrieving beam having a predetermined intensity lower than that of the recording beam is focused on the recording film of the information recording medium, whose phase is changed, or the recording film of the information recording medium, whose crystal structure is changed, thus retrieving the information. In an erasing mode, an erasing beam having a predetermined intensity higher than that of the retrieving beam is focused on the the recording film of the information recording medium, whose phase is changed, or the recording film of the information recording medium, whose crystal structure is changed, thus erasing the information. In general, according to recording and erasing processes on the information recording medium, a circular beam spot is formed on the information recording medium by the recording or retrieving beam, and an elliptic beam spot is formed on the recording medium by the erasing beam. Such a system is disclosed in, e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 673764 (now abandoned), 705305 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,781), 713598 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,443), 93644 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,835), 018489 (now abandoned), and 018493 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,064), filed on Nov. 21, 1984; Feb. 25, 1985; Mar. 19, 1985; Dec. 1, 1986; Feb. 25, 1987; and Feb. 25, 1987.
Conventionally, the following two systems are known. One system employs an optical system wherein two light sources, e.g., semiconductor lasers are arranged at different positions to be separated from each other, and laser beams from the two light sources propagate toward an information recording medium along a identical optical path. The other system employs a single light source having light emitting points for emitting light beams, e.g., a semiconductor laser array. In the former system, the optical system is complicated, and becomes bulky. As a result, the weight of an optical head is increased to prolong an access time. In the latter system, one of the two light emitting points of the semiconductor laser array must emit a circular laser beam to form a substantially circular beam spot on the information recording medium, and the remaining light emitting point must emit an elliptic laser beam to form a substantially elliptic beam spot on the information recording medium. However, it is difficult to design the semiconductor laser array so that a substantially elliptic beam spot having a sufficiently large elliptic ratio and a predetermined size is formed on the information recording medium. Even if such a semiconductor laser array can be designed, it is difficult to stably emit both the laser beams.

Light emitting apparatus having a plurality of light emitting points


A disposable sanding device is fabricated as a continuous rope-like article which is adapted for selective segmentation and application as a plurality of serially arranged disposable hand sanding devices or ropes. Each hand sanding device is formed as a generally elongated rod shaped base portion formed of lightweight material such as closed cellfoam having a relatively constant cross-section along its line of elongation. An abrasive surface is permanently applied to the external surface of the base portion via an intermediate adhesive layer. As constructed, the sanding device is operable to conform to curvilinear contours of a work piece to be sanded upon application of user induced loading against the work piece. A dispenser holds a rolled length of sanding rope and includes a cutter feature for severing pieces of sanding rope from the coil as required as well as a retainer for the free end of the coil. A tensioning hand tool holds a severed length of sanding rope for precise applications. Interconnection means is provided to concentrically position and affix opposed ends of a base portion segment.

Small sanding jobs and sanding jobs calling for considerable detail work or access to small confined areas will usually require the direct hand application of sandpaper of one or more suitable grit sizes. The difficulty in hand-sanding is in applying firm pressure long enough to complete the job and in applying even pressure to obtain a desired smooth and even finish. A further difficulty is to obtain efficient use of the sandpaper by not wasting any substantial portion of its surface area.
Common sanding jobs calling for considerable detail work or access to small confined areas, or for the sanding of contoured surfaces, will often require that the surfaces be hand sanded. Therefore, hand-held sanding devices devised for this purpose consist essentially of a sanding block for holding conventional sandpaper wrapped over the block. By using a sanding block as a sandpaper holder, hand-applied sanding forces on the sandpaper can be increased and more evenly distributed. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,096 to Lukianoff, wherein a generally triangularly shaped sandpaper holding device provides three different sanding surfaces and corners for accommodating a variety of sanding conditions. The sandpaper wrapped around the faces of this device is held at its ends by means of an angled slot located in one of its faces.
The difficulty with the above-mentioned prior sanding devices is the necessity of installing or wrapping a separate piece of sandpaper around the device. This installation or wrapping process presents some inconvenience to the user, and the paper, if improperly installed, is susceptible to falling off. Also, the device requires the purchase of separate sheets of sandpaper which is a further inconvenience in terms of the amount of supplies needed.
Sanding blocks are presently available in a variety of forms in an attempt to meet the needs of those who must sand various surfaces. Perhaps the most common sandpaper support is a block of wood from which one may move through myriad supports and into complex electric sanders. In virtually all of these items, the general purpose of the sanding block is three fold.
First, it allows the user to apply greater pressure to the area being sanded. Secondly, it moves the user's hand away from the work surface, usually by providing a handle for the user to grasp, in order to reduce the likelihood of injuries. Thirdly, when a sanding block having a flat sanding paper supporting surface is used to sand a flat surface, the block reduces points of excessive pressure by more evenly distributing the user's force over the sandpaper supporting surface. However, when non-flat surfaces need to be sanded, difficulties often arise. The standard sanding block has a relatively large, flat sandpaper supporting surface which does not satisfactorily meet the needs of one who is sanding an irregular surface. The use of such a sanding block on an irregular surface will generally result in the user angling the block or using it in a way in which it was not intended in an attempt to conform the sanding surface to the work surface. Even with such attempts, the resultant effect is uneven sanding as generally no portion of the block will conform exactly to the area being sanded and excessive areas of pressure which will result in over sanding.
Excessive pressure points can also result in the quickened wearing of the sandpaper, such that the sanding block itself may become exposed, which, depending upon the fabrication of the sanding block, may damage the work surface. Similarly, as the user angles the sanding block in order to utilize a corner or edge of the sandpaper, a portion of the block not covered by the sandpaper may scratch the work surface.
In an attempt to provide sanding blocks which are usable on irregular surfaces, a wide variety of devices have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,496 to R.W. Martin discloses a metal strap to which a piece of sandpaper may be secured. The strap is then placed over a pipe or other circular type object so that a back and forth motion may be applied to sand the item. A circular piece of sandpaper is also secured over the handles which are particularly adapted for sanding the inner edges of the pipes. Other patents disclose devices such as special sandpaper holders for louver doors, U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,031 to Descant; sanding fittings, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,150 to Pass; abrading corners and crevices as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,569 issued to Bates. While such devices may be suitable for their intended uses, they do not sufficiently meet the myriad surface irregularities often encountered when sanding a complex work piece.
Thus, an individual faced with the task of sanding a variety of irregular surfaces, must either attempt to use different types of sanding blocks, many of which still will not conform to the actual intended use, or in the alternative, those experienced in this area will use their hand in order to conform and support the sandpaper to the work piece. Attempting to enhance this latter approach are devices which either secure the sandpaper directly to the users hand or to a specialized glove.
It should be easily appreciated that these later approaches, while at times effective, are not reasonable alternatives when extreme precision or small detailed contours, such as in furniture finishing, are involved.
The present invention overcomes the forgoing difficulties of hand-held sanding devices by providing a hand-sized sanding device which eliminates the need for a separate sheet of sandpaper. A sanding device is particularly provided which has its own integral abrasive surfaces and which can be manufactured at a sufficiently low cost to be disposable. The invention further provides a self-contained sanding device that can be conveniently used off-the-shelf to hand sand a variety of standard, contoured or shaped surfaces, such as trim or molding surfaces, and for projecting into restricted exactly defined areas.


An exhaust heat recovery device comprises an exhaust pipe, a shell member, a heat exchange portion, a guide portion, and a valve. An exhaust gas downstream end that is a downstream end along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe is disposed in the downstream side of a downstream-side end portion of the heat exchanger along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe. The guide portion comprises a partition wall portion that is a portion from the exhaust gas downstream end in the exhaust pipe to the downstream-side end portion of the heat exchanger in the exhaust pipe, and a guide member disposed so as to at least partially cover a radially outside of the partition wall portion in a manner so as to have an interspace between the partition wall portion and the guide member.

An exhaust heat recovery device is known in which exhaust heat is recovered by performing heat exchange between exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine as a high-temperature fluid and cooling water of the internal combustion engine as a low-temperature fluid (see Patent Document 1).
The exhaust heat recovery device disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises an exhaust pipe, a shell member, a heat exchange portion, an exhaust gas inflow portion, and a valve. The exhaust pipe is a member formed in a tubular shape and guides exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine to the downstream side. The shell member is a tubular member that covers the outside of the exhaust pipe. The heat exchange portion has a heat exchanger disposed between the exhaust pipe and the shell member. The heat exchanger performs heat exchange between exhaust gases as a high-temperature fluid and a low-temperature fluid flowing inside thereof.
The exhaust inflow portion in Patent Document 1 is a portion where exhaust gases flowing out of the exhaust pipe enters the heat exchange portion. The exhaust gas inflow portion in Patent Document 1 is an opening formed in the upstream side of the downstream-side end portion of the heat exchanger along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe and formed along the entire circumference of the exhaust pipe.
The valve is disposed in the downstream side of the exhaust gas inflow portion along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe.
Specifically, in the exhaust heat recovery device, the valve is closed to close the exhaust pipe when the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine is low. Accordingly, exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine enter the heat exchange portion from the exhaust gas inflow portion and heat exchange is performed in the heat exchange portion with the cooling water.
On the other hand, in the exhaust heat recovery device, the valve is opened to open the exhaust pipe when the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine is high. Accordingly, in the exhaust heat recovery device, the flow rate of exhaust gases entering the heat exchange portion from the exhaust inflow portion is decreased so as to reduce heat transfer from the exhaust heat to the cooling water.


An apparatus including an autostereoscopic image selection device having a plurality of lenticules is provided. The autostereoscopic image selection device has an opaque material applied thereto in gaps between the plurality of lenticules. The opaque material is applied to the autostereoscopic image selection device in a soft aperturing manner, the soft aperturing manner comprising applying the opaque material such that the opaque material is tapered from the gaps over the plurality of lenticules. The opaque material can be applied in accordance with a windowing function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present design relates generally to the art of autostereoscopic displays, and more specifically to enhanced techniques for flat panel monitor devices that improve optical quality, and increase the depth of the image and the number and quality of the viewing zones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's stereoscopic display manufacturers seek to continually improve the image quality associated with the presentation of three-dimensional (3-D) content. One current autostereoscopic flat panel monitor device that exhibits improved image quality uses refractive optic techniques for image selection. Refractive optic designs typically include lenticular screens and Winnek slanted lenses. Another current flat panel monitor design relies on raster barrier techniques for image selection. In both designs, columns of images consisting of stripes made up of perspective views form a repeating pattern on the autostereoscopic display. Refractive optic techniques involve associating each column of images with a cylindrical lenticule. Raster barrier techniques associate each column of images with an aperture slit of a raster barrier.
Autostereoscopic display designs have been the subject of several prior disclosures. Reference is made to the work of, for example, Okoshi in "Three-Dimensional Imaging Techniques", Academic Press, New York, 1976.
An alternate technology currently available for use in flat panel monitor device designs employs a "fly eye lens" technique for image selection. This technique involves a number of related miniature spherical lenses refracting light rays in both the vertical and the horizontal direction.
As noted, refractive optic autostereoscopic display techniques employ parallel rows of cylindrical lenticules, while raster barrier autostereoscopic display techniques employ parallel rows of slits. Both techniques produce a parallax effect only in the horizontal direction, unlike the "fly's eye lens" that produces parallax effects in both the vertical and horizontal directions. Accordingly, the refractive and raster barrier techniques involve horizontal parallax exclusively. Refractive and raster barrier designs can produce images with lower resolution requirements since they selectively use image information in the horizontal direction only, rather than in both the vertical and the horizontal directions.
In practice, designs employing lenticular autostereoscopic screens have drawbacks because they reduce the overall effective display sharpness. In particular, autostereoscopic displays that employ a lenticular screen for image selection tend to have shortcomings with regard to the sharpness of the image having high parallax values. Such shortcomings are particularly apparent with regard to images including objects appearing off the plane of the screen or very deep into the screen. Further issues with lenticular screens can occur when a multiplicity of non-primary viewing zones exist, particularly with respect to the sharpness of those non-primary viewing zones.
In practice, designs employing raster barrier displays reduce the overall display brightness and introduce undesirable visible pattern noise. In fact, raster barrier autostereoscopic screens turn out to be so dim, typically losing 80 or 90 percent of the light when rendering multi-perspective images, that they may not be commercially viable when used with currently available flat panel displays.
Refractive screens employing "fly eye lens" designs have not been deployed into the marketplace to any extent but have been shown experimentally in laboratories. They have low resolution when employed in connection with a flat panel monitor device.
Autostereoscopic displays using either lenticular screen, raster barrier, or "fly eye lens" techniques are difficult to manufacture due to the tight dimensional and alignment tolerances required when used with the underlying flat panel monitor device electronic display.
Further, it has been noted that certain performance issues, particularly crosstalk due to diffraction of signals transmitted through lenticules and perceived by a viewer, can occur when lenticular arrays are employed.
Based on the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a flat panel display device for use in viewing stereoscopic image content that overcomes the foregoing drawbacks present in previously known designs.

Soft aperture correction for lenticular screens


A universal ironing board cover is provided having two separate and independent anchoring systems for anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board and a multifunctional nose pocket. The first independent anchoring system includes an independent drawstring for tensioning the ironing board cover to the ironing board, while the second independent anchoring system includes a plurality of alternative openings in at least two independent straps for engaging the plurality of alternative openings and anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board to accommodate a variety of shapes, configurations and mechanical arrangements for the support structure of the ironing board.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a universal ironing board cover with two independent tensioning systems for accommodating ironing boards of a variety of shapes and configurations. The first independent tensioning system of the novel universal ironing board cover is a drawstring disposed around the perimeter of the ironing board cover. The second independent tensioning system for the novel universal ironing board cover has a plurality of side openings in combination with a pair of independent tensioning straps for engaging the pair of plurality of openings at desired locations along the perimeter of the ironing board cover.
The novel universal ironing board cover further includes a multifunctional dual nose pocket which can be utilized for either accommodating an ironing board nose of different sized and configurations and assist in anchoring the cover to the ironing board or can be utilized in the anchoring of the pad of varying sizes when sewn into the ironing board cover or for securely engaging the ironing board pad when the pad is not sewn to the cover while the securely engaging the nose of ironing board. The dual nose pocket together with the novel universal tensioning system provides a secure engagement for ironing board covers of a variety of configurations and design while accommodating variations in the placement of support structures and mechanisms for providing for the adjustment and operation of the support structure along side the bottom of the typical ironing board.
(2) Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The prior art includes a wide variety of ironing boards of different designs, dimensions and configurations, as well as ironing board covers of various designs adapted to fit one or more of varying types of ironing boards typically in use. The typical ironing board is of a substantially rectangular configuration having a tapered end or nose. The length, width and degree of taper of the nose varies among commercially available ironing boards. The tapered end or nose is tapered to accommodate the ironing of cylindrical objects, such as sleeves, trouser legs and dresses which are typically threaded over the tapered nose which provides the support for ironing the cylindrical article. The degree of taper of the ironing and the point on which the tapered nose or tapered end begins is a matter of design in the ironing board manufacturing art, as well as consumer preference for the particular type of taper provided for the typical ironing board.
The size, shape and configuration of the ironing board and, particularly, the taper of the nose has created problems in providing a cover for covering the ironing board and has resulted in a number of types of ironing board covers and designs for strapping, lacing, tying or otherwise firmly fixing the ironing board cover. The shape and design of the traditional ironing board has also resulted in securement problems with the traditional ironing pad and has resulted in pads and covers that fit one particular type or design of ironing board better than other types of ironing boards due to a number of factors, the most important of which involve not only the configuration of the ironing board but also the arrangement of the pivoting support structure, as well as the mechanisms for adjusting the position of the support structure.
The prior art ironing board covers have been manufactured to accommodate one or more designs for ironing boards having a particular arrangement of folding legs and nose configuration. For example, one type of folding ironing board is described in Goldsmith U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,267, which provides for an ironing board cover having a pair of legs disposed substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the ironing board and a pair of support legs pivotally crossing between the back end of the ironing board and the nose of the ironing board. Obviously, in fitting the ironing board cover in U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,267, the elastic tie band for fixing the ironing board cover to the ironing board cannot interfere with the position of the support legs or the position of the mechanism for activating the folding legs of the ironing board.
Similarly, prior art ironing board covers, such as Santangelo U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,644, which provide for a plurality of openings along the periphery of the ironing board cover and a crosstie support system are illustrated without reference to a particular type of ironing board in which the folding support system, as well as the mechanism for adjusting the position of the folding support is not illustrated. As a result, the applicability and use of an ironing board cover, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,644, is limited to applications where the predetermined openings and straps for interconnecting the predetermined openings do not interfere with the existing support structure as well as mechanisms for adjusting the support structure and, as a result, such an ironing board cover does not provide for a universal application to all types and shapes of ironing board covers. The same is true with regard to Sundby U.S. Pat. No. 1,881,977, which provides for an ironing board cover having a tapered nose in which rear cleat for the legs is positioned at the far back end of the ironing board. As a result the ironing board cover has an open back end to accommodate the rear cleat and does not have two independent tensioning systems.
Other prior art, such as Allaback U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,804, provide a securing system, which provides for the threading of the drawstring through a plurality of holes disposed adjacent to the drawstring and utilizing a hook having a spring to tension the drawstring to the ironing board. U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,804 does not provide a universal ironing board cover for accommodating the variety of ironing boards, shapes and sizes irrespective of the placement of the support structure and means for activation of the support structure and does not employ two separate independent tensioning systems.
Lehrman U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,543 provides a tensioning strap for engaging and tensioning the drawstring around the ironing board. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,543 is not a universal tensioning system since it does not provide a plurality of alternative openings disposed along the perimeter of the ironing board and does not provide for the alternative engagement of those plurality of openings dependant upon size, shape and configuration of the ironing board.
Further, none of the prior art provides for a multifunctional dual nose cover that can be used for accommodating ironing boards having noses of different taper and width, as well as accommodating ironing pads of different size and configuration. In addition, the multifunctional dual nose cover can be employed to securely position the ironing board pads of varying widths with respect to the cover for sewing the ironing board cover to the pad. The novel dual nose pocket may also be employed to engage securely the nose of ironing board and for securely anchoring dual nose pocket to the ironing board utilizing a drawstring. The novel multifunctional dual nose cover utilizes an inner and outer pocket that can be used not only accommodating ironing boards of different sizes and shapes, but also can be utilized for engaging the ironing board pad which may be utilized to either accommodate pads of different widths or to assist in affixing the ironing board pad to the ironing board cover while providing the same or an alternative pocket for anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board with a universal tensioning system providing for alternative tensioning points for accommodating a variety of ironing board configurations and designs.
The prior art has not provided a universal ironing board cover for anchoring the ironing board pad and ironing board cover to an ironing board irrespective of the size, shape and configuration of the ironing board by providing a multifunctional dual nose cover to assist in not only accommodating pads of different sizes, but also ironing boards of different shapes and configurations to assist in fixing the ironing board pad to the nose of the ironing board while providing for a plurality of openings around the periphery of the ironing board cover which may be engaged through a plurality of alternative laterally disposed anchoring points utilizing a pair of independent tensioning straps which may be placed at alternative locations along the underside of the ironing board to tension the ironing board cover to the ironing board.
The invention provides a novel universal ironing board cover capable of accommodating a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations for an ironing board and securely anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board to maintain the position of the ironing board cover on the ironing board utilizing two independent tensioning systems. In a further embodiment of the invention, a dual nose pocket having an inner and outer pocket is provided for receiving the nose of the ironing board pad and fixing the position of the nose of the ironing board pad to the ironing board nose and providing a universal tensioning system for tensioning the anchored nose pad to the ironing board and providing a universal tensioning system for anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board irrespective of the position of the support mechanisms and mechanisms for activating and adjusting the position of the ironing board support system. This is achieved by utilizing a plurality of alternative openings for engagement by at least two independently placeable tensioning straps.
The invention achieves its advantages by employing a fabric body conforming substantially to the shape of an ironing board having at one end a tapered portion for receiving the nose of an ironing board. The ironing board cover includes a first independent tensioning system which preferably is a drawstring sewn into the channel provided by a pocket sewn around the periphery of the ironing board cover designed to contain a drawstring which may be either an elastic or non-elastic cord disposed within the channel. The second independent tensioning system is a plurality of alternative paired openings or slots provided adjacent to the drawstring for receiving a pair of independently placeable tensioning straps or connectors that may be used to tension a pair of openings at various desired locations along the length of the novel ironing board cover. The tensioning straps and slots or openings may be disposed inside or outside the perimeter of the tensioning drawstring and the tensioning straps may be adjusted to firmly secure the ironing board cover to the ironing board at various positions as may be selected by the user so as to not interfere with the ironing board support mechanism or adjustment mechanism and provide an accommodation for a variety of ironing board shapes and designs as well as the placement of the support structure (legs) on the ironing board as well as the placement of the mechanism for activating and adjusting the position of the legs.
The novel ironing board cover further provides for a novel multifunctional dual nose pocket to assist in anchoring the cover of an ironing board utilizing either an inner pocket of the ironing board cover or an outer pocket of the ironing board cover to accommodate either or both the pad or nose of the ironing board depending upon size and configuration. The novel multifunctional dual nose pocket further cooperates with the two independent tensioning systems to securely attach the novel ironing board cover to the ironing board. In the preferred embodiment ironing board pads and ironing board covers are sewn together as a unit. In this preferred application the inner and outer pockets serve to anchor and position pads of varying sizes, shapes and widths before the pad and cover are sewn together. When the inner pocket does not accommodate the ironing board pad, the novel ironing board cover further allows for the anchoring of an optional ironing board pad in the outer pocket of the ironing board cover. In this configuration the inner pocket remains empty and is then drawn tightly around the ironing board when the unit is fitted to the board. This advantage of the novel ironing board cover having two nose pockets may be achieved with or without the novel two independent tensioning systems.
The objects of the invention include the provision for a universal ironing board cover for accommodating a variety of ironing board shapes, sizes and designs with a variety of support systems and a variety of support adjustment systems by utilizing an ironing board cover having a first independent tensioning system such as a drawstring disposed intermediate the periphery of the ironing board cover and the second independent tensioning system composed of a plurality of alternative openings for receiving the pair of independently placeable tensioning straps for tensioning the ironing board cover to the ironing board. A further object of the invention is to provide two independent tensioning systems for anchoring the ironing board cover to the ironing board by providing a tensioning drawstring and a pair of independent tensioning straps that may be placed at various locations around the perimeter of the ironing board cover.
A further object of the invention is to provide a universal ironing board cover having an inner and outer nose pocket for receiving and anchoring the ironing board pad with respect to the ironing board cover. A further object of the invention is to provide a universal ironing board cover for anchoring not only the nose pad within a nose pocket, but also to anchor the ironing board cover and ironing board pad to the ironing board by utilizing two independent anchoring systems; the first independent anchoring system is preferably a tensionable drawstring for tensioning the ironing board cover to the ironing board and the second anchoring system is a plurality of independent tensioning straps which may be placed at various locations around the periphery of the novel ironing board cover. This is achieved by utilizing a plurality of alternative opening disposed around the periphery of the ironing board cover.

Universal ironing board cover with universal tensioning system and dual nose pocket


A method of installing fastening elements, and rivetless fasteners for use with the method. Rivetless nutplate fasteners are installed in metal structures by providing flush fit barrel shaped plug or bushing portions in a hole in the structure as defined by an edge wall. The barrel portion is acted upon axially, and expanded radially outward toward the edge wall of the hole, to provide an interference fit. The ends of the barrel portion are machined as desired for flushness. Also, a hole is installed as necessary. Rivetless nutplates are easily installed, and the installation enhances fatigue life of the hole surrounding the barrel of the nutplate.

Transportation equipment, and particularly aircraft, utilize a variety of devices and fastening methods in the assembly of structures. Many attachments that must be provided involve the use of inserts such as bushings, nut plates, or plugs. Such inserts are installed into holes, particularly into holes in walls of metal structures. Generally, bushings are applied to pinned joints requiring easy, reliable assembly. Bushings can also be provided in a suitable material selected to provide a hard wear surface; such wear surfaces can be replaceable. Rivetless nut plates are applied to locations where access by a mechanic to one side of the structure is limited or impractical due to the design of the structure. Plugs and repair bushings are applied to discrepant and misplaced holes which occur during manufacturing, as well as to those which have become non-conforming during use. Each of these items presently utilizes a bushing or bushing-like member that is presently installed using any one of a variety of heretofore available methods.
Bushings. One of the simplest methods previously utilized for joining two members together is the use of a single bolt or pin connection. Such a joint can carry relatively large loads yet is easily and quickly connected. It has been generally standard practice to use bushings in the holes of the single bolt or pin type connections to protect against wear at the pin-to-hole interface. However, high cyclic stress and relative rotational motion work to cause fatigue and fretting damage to such joints. Use of a bushing allows a damaged structure to be repaired by simply installing a new bushing into the fitting. Bushings also provide for an increase in bearing strength of a bolt or pin connection by slightly increasing the bearing diameter.
Even with such benefits, structural assemblies with bushed holes have been historically prone to fatigue damage due to high loading and relative oscillatory motion at the bushing-to-structure interface. Additionally, such interfaces as heretofore often found are subject to damage from corrosive elements found in the environment.
A common method for improving the fatigue life of a bushed hole is to install an interference fit bushing. Bushing interference is defined as the geometric difference between the outside diameter of the bushing and the diameter of the hole in which it is installed. Traditional techniques use a liquid nitrogen bath to shrink oversize bushings into holes. Upon warming, the installed bushing expands in an attempt to return to its original diameter, although it is compressively restrained from complete expansion by the edge wall of the hole in which it has been inserted. This action results in an interference fit with the hole. The shrink-fit technique, as it is generally known, is typically limited to a diametric interference of about 0.002 to 0.003 inches, more or less. Attempts to install bushings at higher interference fit levels have often resulted in scoring and galling of the edge wall of the hole, undesirably resulting in reduced fatigue life.
However, one prior art method developed by The Boeing Company (formerly at McDonnell Aircraft Company, St. Louis, Mo., US) installs bushings to a much greater degree of interference than just mentioned, by using a method of hole cold expansion tooling. Initial clearance fit bushings are expanded into holes using a tapered mandrel. That method provides higher interference fit levels (0.004 to 0.008 inches), and results in some improvement in fatigue life.
Nut Plates. A nut plate is a device that can be generally described as a small plate to which a fastener nut is secured, which in turn is secured to a wall of a structure, to facilitate blind attachment of panels or other objects. A blind attachment is conventionally described as one where access to the backside of the wall is not physically accessible, as is the case with removable access panels. Also, nut plates are generally used on thin walls that are insufficiently thick to permit the use of a threaded wall in an aperture. Riveted type nut plates typically include a pair of small fastener apertures spaced diametrically apart on opposite sides of a nut, and a larger, centrally located aperture coinciding with nut placement.
A primary focus of attention for improving nut plate fatigue life performance has been the elimination of the attaching rivet holes. Such a technique generally has a two-fold benefit; first by improving fatigue life by reducing the stress concentration at the rivet locations, and second by simplifying the installation procedure. Designs for the same have been generally called "rivetless" nut plates. Various rivetless nut plate designs have been produced including (1) those with swaged bushing elements with nut attach features, (2) those with epoxy bonded nut plates, and (3) those with conventional looking nut plates that are swaged and that use an anti-rotation pin.
Regardless of the design, i.e., whether riveted or rivetless, nut plates must be constructed and installed so as to reliably resist both the push-out and the rotational forces which are experienced during frequent bolt insertions and removals. A nut plate that fails to resist either of these forces, especially rotation, makes removal of a panel problematic. The resistance to push-out and to rotational forces is generally proportional to the diameter of the nut. An industry standard that has been commonly accepted for the push-out and removal resistance of a nut plate is National Aerospace Standard NASM25027. As an example, a ¼ inch nut plate must be able to withstand (1) a push-out force of 125 pounds force, and (2) a torque force of 100 inch-pounds force.
An early rivetless nut plate concept with enhanced fatigue life performance was developed by the Deutsch Fastener Corporation; the design of which is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,518, issued to R. Toosky on Mar. 22, 1988, and entitled FATIGUE RESISTANT FLARED FASTENER. The main feature of that nut plate is that it has a bushing-like element with integral exterior splines that serve as anti-rotation lobes. The bushing-like element inserts into a controlled starting hole dimension. The starting hole has a diametric tolerance range of 0.005 inches. The starting hole may be optionally counterbored or countersunk on the side opposite the nut, for improved flushness and for resistance to push-out. A sheet metal cage element holds the nut in a floating arrangement; that element is attached to the bushing element. That prior art nut plate is installed by first placing it into a properly sized starting hole then pressing a swaging tool consisting of locally enlarged mandrel and nosepiece. The mandrel portion of the swaging tool expands the bushing element into the hole wall while the swaging nosepiece forces the panel side portion of the bushing element into the wall—typically the counterbored or countersink area of the starting hole. The finished structure made thereby is resistant push-out and rotation forces.
Another version of a rivetless nut plate with a bushing-like element was developed by Fatigue Technology ("FTI"), and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,228, issued to L. Reid et al on Apr. 11, 1995 and entitled NUT CAGE AND MOUNT. That nut plate is installed by expanding the inside diameter of the bushing element. That is accomplished by pulling a tapered mandrel pre-fitted with a split sleeve through the inside diameter. This process is similar to split sleeve cold working of a hole. The combination of the mandrel diameter and sleeve thickness results in yield of the wall of the bushing and expands it into the hole. Resistance to push-out and rotation is enhanced by a roughened exterior surface. Rivetless nut plates of that design require starting holes with diametric hole tolerances of about 0.002 inches. However, in order to achieve a reliable resistance to push-out and rotation with the FTI nut plate it is necessary to have a consistent interference fit between the outer diameter of the bushing element and the starting hole. Such interference is defined as the geometrical difference between the installed bushing element outer diameter and the original diameter of the starting hole. The high interference of the bushing element to starting hole coupled with the roughened outer surface of the bushing element provides the necessary resistance to push-out and rotational forces of the bolt. Installed diametric interference between the outer diameter of the bushing element and the starting hole typically ranges from 0.004 inches to 0.006 inches. Of course, the resulting interference is dependent on the expansion of the bushing element during installation. Therefore, the tolerance stackup, and subsequent diametric tolerances of the tools, and of the nut plate features, is very high because of the number of parameters affecting applied expansion. There are five elements in the applied expansion: inside and outside diameters of the bushing element, diameter of the mandrel, thickness of the sleeve, diameter of the starting hole and the associated tolerances for each.
Most nut plate designs are made to accommodate a range of fastener "fits". The fit is the amount of clearance between the bolt diameter and the inside diameter of the bushing element of the nut plate. These fits range from a fairly tight "net" fit (0.000 to 0.002 inches) to a very loose fit (up to 0.030 inches). In general, a tight fastener fit is associated with structure requiring load transfer carrying capability of the panels, whereas a loose fit is associated with structure requiring a high degree of interchangeability with panels from another aircraft, vendor, manufacturing lot, or the like.
The novel, improved nut plate installation method disclosed herein uses no split sleeves and therefore has no shear discontinuity to contend with. As a result the applied expansion can be increased to levels much higher than are utilized in a split sleeve nut plate design. Even with relaxed tolerances, the novel, improved nut plate designs disclosed herein exhibits greater resistance to push-out and rotation.
Also, the improved nut plate design disclosed herein does not require as high a material strength as the split sleeve installed nut plate, in order to function properly. This is especially important because the improved nut plate design allows for the use of aluminum nut plates. Such nut plates are significantly lighter than their prior art steel and titanium counterparts and have an added bonus in that prior art materials using dissimilar metals often incurred corrosion problems in aluminum walls, which difficulties can be avoided by use of similar materials.
In view of the close tolerance requirements involved in prior art nut plate designs, and the fact that prior art fatigue life enhancing methods involve the use of complicated processes such as cold expansion or split sleeve methods, it can readily be appreciated that a simple and novel method for installing nutplates, and the unique fatigue life enhanced structures including such nutplates as disclosed hereinbelow, represent important improvements in the art.
The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from actual implementations depending upon the circumstances. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the various embodiments and aspects of the invention. However, various other elements of unique method and apparatus for securing a blind nut attachment are also shown and briefly described to enable the reader to understand how various features, including optional or alternate features, may be utilized in order to provide an efficient, fatigue resistant, low cost nut plate design, which can be manufactured in a desired size and configuration for providing a long lasting component.

Method for attaching a nut element to a metal structure


A handheld exercise device includes an elongated handle and first and second stability heads. The stability heads are located at opposite ends of the handle, and each has a generally dome-shaped top side and generally planar underside. An arrangement of surface-engaging rollers projects from the planar underside of each stability head. The roller arrangement includes first and second inline rollers substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the handle, and a third roller laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the handle.

The present disclosure relates broadly and generally to a handheld exercise device and method for personal fitness training. In exemplary embodiments, the exercise device of the present disclosure is applicable for performing a wide variety of full-body floor exercises without needing to get up from the floor or reposition the body. Exemplary floor exercises include ab rollouts, push-ups (close, normal and wide stance), and chest flies. In a prone position and gripping the exercise devices—one in each hand—the user can perform a full-body extension and cycle through a wide range of upper and lower body stretches. In a seated or supine position, the exemplary exercise device may be located under one or both heels of the feet to perform abduction and adduction leg exercises and other such movements.

Handheld exercise device and method for personal fitness training


A reconfigurable millimeter wave multibeam antenna array is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a first millimeter (MM) wave antenna, a second MM wave antenna, and a hybrid coupler coupled to the first and second MM wave antennas, the hybrid coupler configured to receive a MM wave transmit signal and a phase shifted version of the MM wave transmit signal, and to direct power to the first and second MM wave antennas based on a phase difference between the MM wave transmit signal and the phase shifted version of the MM wave transmit signal.

1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation and design of antenna systems for use with mobile devices, and more particularly, to a millimeter (MM) wave antenna for use with mobile devices.
2. Background
There is an increasing demand to have mobile devices capable of high quality transmission and reception. One key to achieving high quality is associated with the performance of the antenna system. For example, it is desirable to have a high performance antenna system in a mobile device that can operate at frequencies in the millimeter wavelength range, (i.e., ten to one millimeters), which is extremely high frequency in the range of 30 to 300 gigahertz.
Unfortunately, the small size of typical mobile devices limits the placement and/or type of antenna array that may be used. For example, simple planar antennas, which may fit into the available space, may not provide the desired transmission patterns and/or performance at MM wave frequencies. Also, antenna systems designed to operate at lower frequencies may utilize mechanical switches that may be too large and have too much loss to be effective at MM wave frequencies.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a small size and low cost MM wave reconfigurable multi-beam antenna array for use in mobile devices.

Reconfigurable millimeter wave multibeam antenna array


A control method of the present invention is a control method of controlling a fiber laser including a plurality of LD modules constituting a plurality of groups. The control method includes the steps of: (a) detecting an intensity of laser light outputted from the fiber laser; and (b) controlling a driving current so that, in a case where the intensity of the laser light which intensity has been detected in the step (a) is lower than a predetermined lower limit threshold, a driving current for LD modules in a specific group among the plurality of groups is increased.

There has conventionally been known a fiber laser for generating high-power laser light by (i) introducing, into an amplifying optical fiber, excitation light emitted from a laser diode laser light source) and (ii) amplifying laser light in the amplifying optical fiber. Such a fiber laser can generate higher-power laser light by, particularly, (i) combining a plurality of beams of excitation light emitted from a plurality of laser diodes and (ii) introducing the combined excitation light into the amplifying optical fiber. The high-power laser light which has been outputted from such a fiber laser is used in, for example, laser processing or the like.
According to a method disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a fiber laser device including a plurality of laser diodes which emit excitation light controls individual driving currents for the respective plurality of laser diodes. This allows the plurality of laser diodes to be uniform in load (e.g., an electric current flowing in the laser diodes, a temperature of the laser diodes themselves or an ambient temperature of the laser diodes, and the like). With the method, even in a case where the plurality of laser diodes have individual differences in light emission efficiency, calorific value, or the like, it is possible to uniformize lives of the plurality of laser diodes by uniformizing loads on the plurality of laser diodes.
According to a method disclosed in Patent Literature 2, in a multiport optical amplifier including a plurality of excitation light source elements, a driving current for an excitation light, source element which is deteriorated is reduced and a driving current for an excitation light source element which is not deteriorated is increased. This allows the multiport optical amplifier to maintain an intended excitation light power. With the method, it is possible to uniformize lives of the plurality of excitation light source elements as much as possible, so that a usable period of the multiport optical amplifier can be maximally extended.

Control method, control device, and light source device


A receiving container, a method of manufacturing the receiving container, and a liquid crystal display having the same are provided. The receiving container includes a mold frame and a strength enhancing means. The mold frame includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion. The strength enhancing means includes a base plate for supporting a lower part of the backlight assembly, and a strength enhancing portion connected to at least a part of the base plate for surrounding at least a part of the second portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to a receiving container, a method of manufacturing the mold frame, and a liquid crystal display having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is representative of flat panel displays and has the advantage of a smaller size, lighter weight, lower power consumption, and the like in comparison with a cathode ray tube (CRT). Due to these unique advantages, the LCD is widely applied to numerous industries including, for example, the computer industry, the electronic industry, the information communication industry, and the like.
In order to implement a lightweight, thin, and compact LCD design research continues on various LCD elements including, for example, a backlight, a connector, a printed circuit board, a coupling structure, and the like.
The LCD includes an LCD panel, a backlight assembly for providing light to the LCD panel, and a drive circuit portion for generating various signals required to implement an image in the LCD panel. The LCD further includes a bottom chassis and a mold frame for receiving the LCD panel and the backlight assembly.
As LCDs are slim, ultra-compact and ultra-thin LCD panels are being developed. However, the ultra-compact and ultra-thin LCD panels have strength limitations. Accordingly, when the ultra-thin LCD panel is a large size the mold frame and the bottom chassis may not sufficiently protect the backlight assembly and the LCD panel from an external impact.

Receiving container, method of manufacturing the same and liquid crystal display having the same