Improved methods and apparatuses for treatment of posterior pelvic floor repair, including rectocele and related pelvic organ prolapse, are provided. A specialized mesh (3) having a shape for convenient placement to treat rectocele by providing both level 2 and level 3 support. Appropriate devices for introducing such a mesh implant are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to urogenital and gastrointestinal surgery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Female genital prolapse has long plagued women. It is estimated by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics that 247,000 operations for genital prolapse were performed in 1998. With the increasing age of the U.S. population, these problems will likely assume additional importance.
The common clinical symptoms of vaginal prolapse are largely related to the fact that the vagina is inappropriately serving the role of a structural layer between intra-abdominal pressure and atmospheric pressure. This pressure differential puts tension on the supporting structures of the vagina, causing a "dragging feeling" where the tissues connect to the pelvic wall or a sacral backache due to traction on the uterosacral ligaments. Exposure of the moist vaginal walls leads to a feeling of perineal wetness and can lead to ulceration of the exposed vaginal wall. Vaginal prolapse may also result in loss of urethral support due to displacement of the normal structural relationship, resulting in stress urinary incontinence. Certain disruptions of the normal structural relationships can result in urinary retention, as well. Stretching of the bladder base is associated with vaginal prolapse and can result in complaints of increased urinary urgency and frequency. Other symptoms, such as anal incontinence and related bowel symptoms, and sexual dysfunction are also frequently seen with vaginal prolapse.
Anterior vaginal wall prolapse causes the vaginal wall to fail to hold the bladder in place. This condition, in which the bladder sags or drops into the vagina, is termed a cystocele. There are two types of cystocele caused by anterior vaginal wall prolapse. Paravaginal defect is caused by weakness in the lateral supports (pubourethral ligaments and attachment of the bladder to the endopelvic fascia); central defect is caused by weakness in the central supports. There may also be a transverse defect, causing cystocele across the vagina.
Posterior vaginal wall prolapse results in descent of the rectum into the vagina, often termed a rectocele, or the presence of small intestine in a hernia sac between the rectum and vagina, called an enterocele. Broadly, there are four types based on suspected etiology. Congenital enteroceles are thought to occur because of failure of fusion or reopening of the fused peritoneal leaves down to the perineal body. Posthysterectomy vault prolapses may be "pulsion" types that are caused by pushing with increased intra-abdominal pressure. They may occur because of failure to reapproximate the superior aspects of the pubocervical fascia and the rectovaginal fascia at the time of surgery. Enteroceles that are associated with cystocele and rectocele may be from "traction" or pulling down of the vaginal vault by the prolapsing organs. Finally, iatrogenic prolapses may occur after a surgical procedure that changes the vaginal axis, such as certain surgical procedures for treatment of incontinence. With regard to rectoceles, low rectoceles may result from disruption of connective tissue supports in the distal posterior vaginal wall, perineal membrane, and perineal body. Mid-vaginal and high rectoceles may result from loss of lateral supports or defects in the rectovaginal septum. High rectoceles may result from loss of apical vaginal supports. Posterior or posthysterectomy enteroceles may accompany rectoceles.
Several factors have been implicated as being involved in genital prolapse in women. It is thought that individual women have differing inherent strength of the relevant connective tissue. Further, loss of connective tissue strength might be associated with damage at childbirth, deterioration with age, poor collagen repair mechanisms, and poor nutrition. Loss of muscle strength might be associated with neuromuscular damage during childbirth, neural damage from chronic straining, and metabolic diseases that affect muscle function. Other factors involved in prolapse include increased loads on the supportive system, as seen in prolonged lifting or chronic coughing from chronic pulmonary disease, or some disturbance in the balance of the structural support of the genital organs. Obesity, constipation, and a history of hysterectomy have also been implicated as possible factors.
As noted, vaginal prolapse and the concomitant anterior cystocele can lead to discomfort, urinary incontinence, and incomplete emptying of the bladder. Posterior vaginal prolapse may additionally cause defecatory problems, such as tenesmus, constipation, and anal incontinence. Furthermore, apart from the physical symptoms, vaginal prolapse has been shown to result in a lower quality of life for its sufferers, including feeling less attractive, less feminine, and less sexually attractive.
Vaginal prolapse develops when intra-abdominal pressure pushes the vagina outside the body. In a normal situation, the levator ani muscles close the pelvic floor. This results in little force being applied to the fascia and ligaments that support the genital organs. Increases in abdominal pressure, failure of the muscles to keep the pelvic floor closed, and damage to the ligaments and fascia all contribute to the development of prolapse. In addition, if a woman has a hysterectomy, the vaginal angle may be altered, causing increased pressure at a more acute angle, accelerating the prolapse.
There are generally two different types of tissue that make up the supportive structure of the vagina and uterus. First, there are fibrous connective tissues that attach these organs to the pelvic walls (cardinal and uterosacral ligaments; pubocervical and rectovaginal fascia). Second, the levator ani muscles close the pelvic floor so the organs can rest on the muscular shelf thereby provided. It is when damage to the muscles opens the pelvic floor or during the trauma of childbirth that the fascia and ligaments are strained. Breaks in the fascia allow the wall of the vagina or cervix to prolapse downward.
Put another way, support for the pelvic structures can be described in three levels. Level 1 is the suspension of the apex of the vagina from the sides of the sacrum. The principle anatomical structure is the cardinal uterosacral ligament complex, which suspends the vagina while allowing some vertical mobility. Normally, the cervix of a woman will not descend below the plane of the ischial spines. Damage to Level 1 supports permit the uterus and upper vagina to telescope downward. Symptoms of Level 1 failure include pelvic heaviness, pressure, and urinary incontinence. A cervix-first prolapse, where the cervix inverts, is seen in complete Level 1 failure.
Level 2 concerns the lateral attachment of the vagina to the pelvic side wall. This level prevents prolapse of the bladder and the rectum into the vagina, i.e. cystocele or rectocele. The pubocervical and rectovaginal fascia provide this mid-vaginal suspensory mechanism. Level 2 support failure results in eversion of the vaginal walls, as opposed to inversion as seen in Level 1 failures. Symptoms of Level 2 failure include symptoms related to visceral failure, such as stress incontinence, voiding difficulty, fecal incontinence, or incomplete rectal evacuation. Sexual symptoms, such as painful intercourse and decreased libido are also seen.
Level 3 is near the opening of the vagina where the muscles of the levator sling and the distal portion of the vagina are joined to the perineal body. These distal vaginal defects can result from or exacerbate levator muscle flaccidity, which, if present with Level 2 failures, can result in worsening of any posterior or anterior eversion of the vagina. Level 3 failures can result in urinary and anal incontinence, and can result in vaginal dryness, chronic vaginitis, and loss of vaginal tightness due to the concomitant gaping of the lower vagina.
Level 3 support includes the perineum. The perineum is the entirety of the pelvic outlet inferior to the pelvic floor. The area between the vagina and anus is called the perineal body. The borders of the female perineum are the ischiopubic rami, ischial tuberosities, sacrotuberous ligaments and coccyx. A line connecting the ischial tuberosities divides the perineum into the urogenital triangle anteriorly and the anal triangle posteriorly. In the standing position the perineal body is oriented horizontally. The urogenital triangle is oriented horizontally and tilted upward so that it faces more anteriorly while the anal triangle is tilted upward so that it faces more posteriorly.
The perineal membrane is a thick fibrous sheet that spans the urogenital triangle. It attaches laterally to the pubic arch and has a free posterior margin anchored in the midline by the perineal body. The urethra and vagina penetrate through a hiatus in the perineal membrane (the urogenital hiatus) to exit at the vestibule. The perineal membrane, therefore, provides fixation of the distal urethra, distal vagina, and the perineal body to the pubic arches.
The urogenital triangle is divided into a superficial and deep perineal space by the perineal membrane. The superficial perineal space contains the superficial perineal muscles (ischiocavemosus, bulbospongiosus, superficial transverse perineal muscles), the erectile tissue of the clitoris, the vestibular bulbs, and Bartholin's glands. The deep perineal space lies deep to the perineal membrane and inferior to the levator ani muscles. Within this thin space lie the external urethral sphincter and the urethrovaginalis, compressor urethrae, and deep transverse perineal muscles. The urethrovaginalis and compressor urethrae muscles provide accessory sphincter function to the urethra. The urethrovaginalis muscle surrounds the distal urethra and vagina without passing between them and therefore acts as a sphincter to the vagina as well as to the distal urethra. The deep transverse perineal muscle, along with its superficial counterpart, serves to stabilize the position of the perineal body and inferior border of the perineal membrane.
The perineal body marks the point of convergence of the bulbospongiosus muscle, superficial and deep perinea, perineal membrane, external anal sphincter, posterior vaginal muscularis, and fibers from the puborectalis and pubococcygeus. The perineal body plays an important role in support of the distal vagina and in normal anorectal function.
The perineal body is supported centrally to the vagina. The connective tissue of the perineal body extends 2 to 4 cm cephalad from the hymenal ring along the posterior vaginal wall between the smooth muscle layers of the vagina and the rectum. This layer does not, however, extend the full length of the posterior vaginal wall. Therefore the perineal body gets more support for preventing downward movement from its lateral attachments. The perineal body is attached laterally to the ischial tuberosities. Superiorly, the support comes from the posterior lateral support of level 2. The posterior vaginal wall is attached laterally to the pelvic sidewall in a slightly more complex arrangement than the anterior vaginal wall. The distal half of the posterior vaginal wall fuses with the aponeurosis of the levator ani muscle from the perineal body along a line referred to as the arcus tendineus rectovaginalis. It converges with the arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis at a point 2 to 3 centimeters from the ischial spine and terminates at the ischial spine. Along the proximal ⅓ to ½ of the vagina, the anterior and posterior vaginal walls are both supported laterally to the arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis. Thus, in the proximal vagina, the lateral supports for the anterior and posterior vaginal wall are identical. This arrangement accounts for the H-shape of the distal vagina when viewed in cross-section and the flattened-tube configuration seen in the upper vagina. The Arcus tendineus rectovaginalis therefore gives direct support to the perineal body. Detachment of these lateral supports can lead to decent of the perineal body and prolapse of the posterior vaginal wall.
Level 3 support is also provided by the perineal membrane, the muscles of the deep perineal space, and the perineal body. These structures support and maintain the normal anatomical position of the urethra and the distal third of the vagina. At level 3, the vagina fuses with the urethra anteriorly and with the perineal body posteriorly. Disruption of the level 3 support anteriorly can result in urethral hypermobility and stress urinary incontinence. Disruption posteriorly may result in distal rectoceles and if there is detachment laterally from the ischial tuberosities with detachment of the lateral support from the arcus tendineus rectovaginalis there can also be perineal descent resulting in possible rectal prolapse and/or anal incontinence.
The vascular and nerve supply to the perineum, including the deep and superficial spaces, is provided by the pudendal neurovascular bundle. The pudental nerve innervates the striated urethral and anal sphincters in addition to the deep and superficial perineal muscles. Sensory innervation to the external genitalia also comes from the pudenal nerve. The pudendal nerve follows a complex course that originates from S2-S4 and travels behind the sacrospinous ligament just medial to the ischial spine, exiting the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen. The nerve then enters the ischiorectal fossa through the lesser sciatic foramen and travels through the pudendal canal (Alcock's canal) on the medial aspect of the obturator internus muscles before separating into several terminal branches that terminate within the muscles and skin of the perineum. See Davila et al., Current Concepts in Pelvic Anatomy and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Supplement 4 to volume 72, December 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
When the perineal body becomes separated from it bilateral support attachments it will have downward movement of up to 3 to 6 cm. with increased abdominal pressure such as is generated with Valsalva for bowl movements. This movement causes the pudendal nerve to be repetitively stretched which can lead to denervation of the perineum structures. This nerve injury can be subtle and progressive. A common expression is the development of anal incontinence. When the perineal body is restabilized bilaterally the repetitive injury is prevented with the resolution of the incontinence. If the incontinence doesn't resolve then neural rehabilitative therapy may be required.
Treatment of vaginal prolapse and related conditions herein discussed is uncertain, and generally based on the symptoms of the prolapse. If symptoms are more severe, treatment is commonly by either surgery or pessary. Surgical options might include hysterectomy or by uterus-saving procedures. Such procedures may include abdominal or vaginal access routes. Sacralcolpopexy or sacrospinous fixation may be used. Anterior colporrhaphy is often utilized for treatment of anterior vaginal prolapse. In addition, methods of surgical repair using mesh or biological implants, or a combination thereof, to support the prolapsed organ in its appropriate position, have been developed, and may use either a transobturator or vaginal approach.
With regard to the rectocele, surgical treatment often includes the so-called posterior methods, better described as the anchorage of the involved tissues to the levator muscle (i.e., levator myorrhaphy). However, no matter the surgical approach, the rate of recurrence is unacceptably high, and the degree of satisfaction with the results of the surgeries is not acceptable.
The adaptation of synthetic mesh systems to support the repair of pelvic organ prolapse in women has, however, proven to result in improved results, reduced recurrences, and reduced morbidity associated with the repair. Examples of methods and apparatus useful for effecting repair of prolapse conditions include those disclosed in U.S. Publication 2005/0245787, herein expressly incorporated by reference, and in U.S. Publication 2005/0250977, also herein expressly incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,807, U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,003, U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,682, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,986 are also incorporated by reference.
Implants can be used to treat discrete prolapse conditions, or can be used to support the mid-urethra to relieve incontinence. However, if multiple levels of failure are present, multiple surgeries may be required. Indeed, some surgical options that show a good effect in treating certain symptoms, such as correcting the anatomical disorder and the concomitant sexual dysfunction, have a much less favorable effect in correcting obstructed defecation.
Consequently, there is a need for alternative methods and apparatus for repair of rectocele and other conditions associated with posterior pelvic floor pathology, particularly when several layers of support are desirable. Thus, the present invention is directed to providing such alternative methods and apparatus

Apparatus for posterior pelvic floor repair


A method and a device (1) for automatically generating vocabulary entry from input acoustic data (3), comprising a vocabulary entry type-specific acoustic phonetic transcription module (2; T) and a classifier module (6; 6′) for the classification of vocabulary entry types on the basis of the phonetic structure, wherein the classification of vocabulary entries is carried out in accordance with a number of predetermined types; and vocabulary entry type-specific phoneme-to-grapheme conversion means (28), to derive the respective vocabulary entries comprising a pair of a phonetic transcription and its grapheme form.

Speech recognition and speech synthesis systems apply vocabularies containing words and their pronunciation forms. Both the creation of pronunciation forms and the resulting phoneme sequences are called phonetic transcription. A word together with its phonetic transcription forms a vocabulary entry.
One of the unsolved problems in current speech processing systems is the presence of "out of vocabulary" (OOV) words, that is of words which are not contained in the vocabulary, compare for instance U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,398 B2. The OOV words can be general purpose ones or user-specific pronunciations of known words. Most of the prior art speech recognition systems cannot detect automatically these OOV words; instead thereof, they make a recognition error. Normally in such systems, a correctionist or the user him-/herself identifies these OOV words. After the identification the system can determine the corresponding input acoustic data.
In another embodiment the user has the opportunity to add new words to the vocabulary by simple spelling them.
In all cases the prior systems can produce vocabulary entries automatically only for standard words, namely for words fitting to the morphology of the actual language, but they cannot produce automatically vocabulary entries for special words having a morphology differing from the actually used language. In particular, such special words are foreign words, family names with foreign origin or abbreviations.
This makes both the process of correcting OOV words and the process of adding new words to a vocabulary cumbersome and time-consuming. Additionally, due to the lack of the capability of automatic vocabulary entry generation for special words, an automatic vocabulary generation from any public accessible acoustic data is also not possible.

Method and device for generating vocabulary entry from acoustic data


An automatically operating apparatus and method for producing cathodes for ry-cell batteries, especially lithium batteries. A strip-like carrier material to which cathode material is fed in a dosed manner is transported on an endless, continuously rotating conveyor belt system. After passing a pasting mechanism, which includes a roller, and after passing a possibly provided cleaning mechanism for exposing the contact locations for the current shunting, the cathode material subsequently passes into a pressing mechanism that includes two rotating belts. Following the pressing mechanism is a cutting device that, just like the cleaning mechanism, moves synchronously with the conveyor belt system during processing, and that cuts the carrier material in conformity with the cathode lengths. Subsequently, the current shuntings are attached.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing cathodes for dry-cell batteries, especially lithium batteries, whereby a pasty cathode material is pasted onto a metallic carrier material and is subsequently compressed therewith, with a current shunting being welded to an end of the carrier material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dry-cell batteries, i.e. nonaqueous cells, are known. In a winding-type of construction, the components, namely the electrodes and separators are superimposed upon one another as long strips and are turned to form a fixed spirally wound unit. In order to be able to produce a high-output battery, lithium in the form of a lithium foil is used as the anode. Manganese dioxide (MnO.sub.2) can be used as the cathode, so that a high-output Li/MnO.sub.2 system is obtained, with an organic electrolyte being used in which a lithium compound is dissolved as a conductive salt.
Whereas for the anode it is merely necessary to provide an appropriate metallic foil, it is more difficult to produce the cathodes for the battery, since especially MnO.sub.2 does not exist as foil, but rather as a substance that has to be applied to a metallic carrier material in order in this manner to obtain a solid cathode. In so doing, the goal is to apply the pasty cathode material onto the carrier material in a constant thickness and density, to compress the same during a fixed time period, and subsequently to provide a current shunting, whereby attention must be paid to not overstress the carrier material during manufacture. A metal mesh preferably serves as carrier material.
The production of cathodes has up to now been accomplished manually. In so doing, the carrier material, in the form of a metal mesh, is first cut to the appropriate cathode lengths and is disposed in a pasting track after first a paper strip has been provided for absorbing moisture. A weighed amount of the pasty cathode material is then manually pasted onto the carrier material, and the thus prepared cathode is subsequently compacted under a hydraulic press. Finally, after the compressing, the contact locations on one or both ends of the compacted cathode are cleaned, so that the current shuntings, which are connection strips of metal, can then be manually welded on via a spot welding procedure.
Such manually produced cathodes are not of uniform quality, so that large manufacturing tolerances and a large number of rejects are noted. Furthermore, the quantity of cathodes required can be produced only with great personnel expenditure as well as a large number of apparatus, especially for the compression.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide both an improved method as well as an improved apparatus for producing cathodes for dry-cell batteries, especially lithium batteries.

Method and apparatus for producing cathodes for dry-cell batteries, especially lithium batteries

Accumulatorenwerke Hoppecke Carl Zoellner & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG


A method for preparing lithium amide is described in which in a first method step lithium metal is reacted with ammonia to form lithium bronze and in a second method step the lithium bronze is reacted with a 1,3-diene or an arylolefin in the presence of a solvent.

The invention relates to a method for preparing lithium amide.
Lithium amide is a strong base. It is often used as a reagent in synthetic organic chemistry, for example in condensation or alkylation reactions (Encyclopaedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Vol. 5, 3031, L. A. Paquette, John Wiley 1995).
Usual preparation methods provide that the lithium metal be dissolved in liquid ammonia (T less than xe2x88x9233xc2x0 C.) and subsequently reacted under the catalysis of a transition metal compound (for example iron III nitrate: Gmelin, Lithium, Supplementary Volume 20, 279) to form lithium amide. The disadvantage of this operation is the low temperature and hydrogen formation.
The reaction of lithium metal and gaseous ammonia at temperatures above 400xc2x0 C. is also known. The disadvantage of this is the high temperature and hydrogen formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,343 describes a method for preparing lithium amide in which lithium metal is reacted in a solvent with ammonia to form lithium bronze and subsequently the lithium bronze is thermally decomposed to form lithium amide, hydrogen and ammonia. The disadvantage here is also the release of hydrogen.
The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a method for preparing lithium amide in which no hydrogen is released and which operates, as far as possible, at ambient temperature.
The object is achieved by means of a method for preparing lithium amide in which in a first method step lithium metal is reacted with ammonia to form lithium bronze and in a second method step the lithium bronze is reacted with a 1,3-diene or an arylolefin in the presence of a solvent;
Preferred 1,3-dienes or arylolefins are butadiene, isoprene, piperylene, dimethylbutadiene, hexadiene, styrene, methyl styrene, naphthalene or anthracene.
The first reaction step may be carried out solvent free. However, operations are preferably carried out in a solvent in the first reaction step as well. Acyclic or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons or ethers or mixtures of these substances are preferably used as the solvents. Examples of solvents are pentane, cyclopentane, hexane, heptane, octane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, cumene, ethyl benzene, tetraline, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran (THF), 2-methyl-THF, tetrahydropyran, diisopropyl ether, dibutyl ether, dioxan, methyl-tert-butyl ether or glycol ether. When THF is used as the sole solvent in the first reaction step, it is to be borne in mind that the THF may be subjected to a slow decomposition reaction, whereby ethene and lithium ethanoate are formed.
A preferred temperature of reaction for both reaction steps lies between 0 and 30xc2x0 C.
The heat of reaction in the first reaction step can be controlled, for example, by way of the rate of dosage of the ammonia. When a solvent is used in the first reaction step, it is possible to dissipate the heat by way of the solvent through jacket cooling. The lithium bronze that is formed then floats on the solvent and can be separated for purification purposes and, if required, stored and transported.
The heat of reaction in the second reaction step can be controlled, for example, by way of the rate dosage of the 1,3 diene or arylolefin. The lithium amide that is formed is insoluble and heavier than the reaction solution. The hydrogenated 1,3 diene or arylolefin is dissolved in the solvent; the ammonia is discharged in gaseous form and can be reclaimed. The powdery lithium amide is separated from the solvent and, if required, dried.
The advantage of the method in accordance with the invention is that the reaction can be carried out at ambient temperature (whereby the product is not subject to any thermal loading), that the product is of greater purity (impurities can be separated with the solvent), that no hydrogen is formed, and that the ammonia, which is free of hydrogen, can be recovered.
The invention is further exemplified with the aid of the following examples.


A therapeutic device for improving the respiration of a patient, the device comprising a curved or kinked pipe section, into the first end of which a mouthpiece provided with a passage is disposed, a holding peg inserted into a second end of the pipe section and connected thereto, the holding peg having a passage disposed therein and being insertable into the inside of the pipe section, and a flexible hose attached to the holding peg inside the pipe section, a free end of the hose moveable freely in an area of the mouthpiece between an inner wall of the pipe section, such that the therapeutic device can be used during inhalation and exhalation, the device (1) enabling the patient to train his respiratory passageways both during exhalation and inhalation, thereby to improve the effectiveness of respiration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During exhalation, the person's breath is forced into a hose disposed in the inside of a curved pipe section. The curvature of the pipe section kinks the hose, with the effect that the hose reproduces the curvature of the pipe section and can, as a result, be induced to adopt adjustable and different vibratory conditions.
As a result of the variably adjustable length and rotation of the hose inside the pipe section, it is possible to achieve variable adjustments to the pressure conditions by means of which the hose is induced to undergo oscillating vibrations and, accordingly, the pressure resistance values of the hose can be adapted to the requirements of the particular user. Consequently, this embodiment of the therapeutic device can be used for improving the pulmonary volume and improving the exhalation process in patients ranging from asthma suffers to performance athletes.
Although such respiratory therapeutic devices have proven effective in practice, it has become apparent that there is a significant medical requirement for providing such respiration therapy devices not just for exhalation but also for inhalation.


An access tunnel system comprising at least one access tunnel for the sheltered guidance of persons to a vehicle, an aircraft, a building or the like. In accordance with the invention, a node element is provided at which the access tunnel opens and which at least one further access tunnel adjoins.

An access tunnel to an aircraft is known from a German Publication DE 10 2015 173 521 that has a plurality of tunnel elements that are connected to one another in a displaceable manner. Such access tunnel systems are used, for example, at airports and serve, for example, to guide persons from a building to a bus, from a bus to an aircraft or, for example, from a building directly to an aircraft. Such access tunnel systems should in this respect primarily serve to form a shelter for persons; in addition, the persons are led through the access tunnel system and are prevented from leaving a route, for example, to an aircraft, in an undesired manner.
Access tunnel systems that stand on the ground are known as tube-like or channel-like guideways that can be moved on the ground via rollers, for example. For example, if a vehicle such as a bus is to be connected to an access tunnel system, it is possible that a final section up to the door of the bus remains without shelter, in particular when an exit opening of the access tunnel system ends at a distance in front of the bus. If the bus has a plurality of doors, the access tunnel system has to end in front of the bus such that persons can selectively use one of the doors after leaving the access tunnel. The same applies to one or more doors in aircraft or in buildings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Access tunnel system for the sheltered guidance of persons


A method and system for determining whether or not passive entry of a vehicle is permitted, includes allocating separate channels for each authorized key FOB for the vehicle. An indication of manual entry of the vehicle is detected. Upon such detection, a challenge from a transmitter of a passive entry system is output. The challenge is received by more than one key FOB in a vicinity of the vehicle, and outputting a respective remote keyless entry response at an assigned frequency channel for each respective key FOB. The remote keyless entry responses are received at a receiver of the passive entry system, at each respective channel allocated for the respective key FOBs. A determination is then made as to whether or not any of the respective key FOBs are assigned to authorized users of the vehicle, and if so, a vehicle door is set in an unlocked state to allow entry into the vehicle.

Some vehicles employ passive entry systems, in which a controller provided in the vehicle periodically polls for key FOBs (hereinafter referred to as either FOBs or key FOBs) in the vicinity of the vehicle, and to allow entry into the vehicle (e.g., by unlocking a locked door) when an appropriate key FOB is detected. A vehicle passive entry system operates by sensing a door handle operation, such as when a person attempts to open a door. Upon such a sensing, the passive entry system then polls for any key FOBs in the vicinity of the vehicle, by outputting a low frequency (LF) signal), which corresponds to a FOB interrogation signal. The key FOBs in the vicinity of the vehicle respond to this interrogation signal by outputting an ID signal, which is received by a receiver of the passive entry system. When an ID of a key FOB assigned to an allowed vehicle operator is detected, the door upon which the door handle operation was sensed is opened from a locked state, thereby allowing passive vehicle entry.
A problem occurs in conventional vehicle passive entry systems when more than one FOB responds to the interrogation signal output by the passive entry system. This simultaneous response by more than one FOB results in data collision at the receiver of the passive entry system. Due to the collision of data, the passive entry system cannot properly decode the data, and it cannot determine whether or not the person attempting to open the vehicle door is an authorized person.
To solve the above problem, one conventional approach is to preprogram a delay for each FOB to respond to an interrogation signal, so that the likelihood of data collision is minimized. Thus, for a vehicle having two vehicle operators, each with their own FOB, the first vehicle operator's FOB is programmed to respond immediately to a passive entry system interrogation signal, whereby the second vehicle operator's FOB is programmed to respond after a preprogrammed delay, e.g., 10 millisecond delay. The preprogrammed delay allows for enough time such that there is no possibility of data collision of data output by the second vehicle operator's FOB with respect to data recently output by the first vehicle operator's FOB. However, such a system suffers in that the response time for opening a vehicle door is necessarily increased due to the preprogrammed delays built into to each FOB, whereby such a delay may be fairly large when a number of allowable FOBs (e.g., 50 or more) are assigned to authorized vehicle operators.

Multi-channel passive entry system for vehicles


An RFID reading enclosure having a Faraday cage including a cage floor and a cage hood hinged to the cage floor. The cage hood includes a RF blocking fabric formed on a frame with the interior of the Faraday cage having a volume between 4.5 and 30 ft3. There are at least two RFID antennas positioned to transmit signals into the Faraday cage, with the two RFID antennas having a transmission axis along different orientations.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are ubiquitously used to track various objects to which the RFID tags are attached or embedded. There often arises the situation where a large number of RFID tags are placed closely together and in a random orientation, for example, a large number of envelopes (each having its own RFID tag) being placed randomly in a carrying container (e.g., a mail tote). In such situations, there is a high potential for one RFID tag to mask another RFID from the RF interrogation signal, or for certain RFID tags not to be sufficiently energized by the interrogation signal because of the tags' unfavorable orientation. This makes accurate detection of all tags in the container significantly unreliable. A method and apparatus for improving RFID tag detection in general, and of closely packed RFID tags in particular, would be an important improvement in the art.

Faraday enclosure for improved RFID detection


A guide device for hard workpiece transfer is provided, comprising a buffer belt for carrying the hard workpiece, a pilot wheel for driving the buffer belt to move, and a drive device for controlling the pilot wheel to rotate, with the buffer belt being made of elastic materials. With the buffer belt made of elastic materials carrying such hard workpieces as glass to be transferred, when the guide device is in contact with the hard workpiece to be transferred, the buffer belt is pressed to deform, which can reduce the pressure produced during the contact of the guide device with the hard workpiece, and prevent the contact portion from being broken or worn because of the pressure, not only preventing loss of the hard workpiece to be transferred, but also reducing use consumption of the guide device, thereby reducing the material cost.

Currently, glass is usually used as the display substrate in the field of display. In the process flow of formation of the display, basically a guide device is needed for each operation, so as to prevent the glass from deviating when the glass is transferred in the related process, help the glass to move forward, and also support the glass to a certain extent.
However, the vast majority of guide devices currently used in the industry are often made of nylon, plastic steel, PE, UPE and other materials that generally have a relatively high hardness, and glass as the same hard material is often ruptured by mutual collision when in contact therewith, with the edge of glass also easy to be worn to form fragmented microparticles. On the other hand, the portion of the guide device in contact with the glass may also produce indention because of impact and friction with the glass. Therefore, not only a great damage is caused to the glass, but also the cost of maintaining the guide device is increased.

Guide device for hard workpiece transfer

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A printed circuit board includes first and second insulating layers, a wiring trace, a metal thin film, and a connection terminal. The wiring trace is formed on the first insulating layer. The metal thin film is formed on the wiring trace, and has a thickness larger than 0 nm and not more than 150 nm. The second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer to cover the metal thin film. The connection terminal is formed on the first insulating layer to be electrically connected to the wiring trace and exposed from the second insulating layer.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board and a method of manufacturing the printed circuit board.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a printed circuit board is used in various types of electric appliances and electronic appliances. In JP 2013-232261 A, a suspension board having a circuit is shown as a printed circuit board used for positioning a magnetic head in a magnetic disc device.
In a printed circuit board described in JP 2013-232261 A, an insulating layer is formed on a conductive support substrate. A conductor circuit pattern is formed on the insulating layer. A connection terminal is formed at the end of the conductor circuit pattern. A cover layer is formed on the insulating layer to cover the conductor circuit pattern and expose the connection terminal.

Printed circuit board having reduced loss of electric signal and method of manufacturing the same


A method of making a reinforced resin structure is disclosed. A volume of uncured resin compound is placed on a first outer surface of a carrier structure comprising a plurality of fibers. The uncured resin compound and the carrier structure are pressed between two cooperating plates to disperse the resin compound into and through a plurality of passages between the plurality of fibers. The dispersed resin compound is cured to fix the resin within the plurality of passages and around the plurality of fibers.

This invention relates generally to methods for producing composite materials, and more specifically to methods for producing reinforced resin pads, sheets, and other related structures.
Many electronic components, such as motor controllers and other high power circuits, are susceptible to damage or performance degradation due to excessive heat, including a substantial amount of waste heat generated during operation. Therefore, the heat that these and other surrounding components generate must be quickly and efficiently drawn away to an outer shell, a heat sink, or other heat dissipating structure. At the same time, electrical components in close proximity typically need to be electrically isolated from one another, as well as from other electrical conductors in the vicinity to prevent interference, short circuits, and other issues.
Resins, such as silicone, epoxy, or urethane, are often chosen to encapsulate electronic components due to favorable properties as an electrical insulator and thermal conductor, as well as their flexibility and relatively low weight. In many cases, these resins begin as uncured liquid or moldable solids, which can be directed or injected into gaps around the electronic components before curing in place. However, some resin-based encapsulants need to be reinforced by using a carrier structure when compressed into tight spaces or to otherwise improve their mechanical properties.

Method of making a reinforced resin structure

Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.


A method of feeding a composite molten resin capable of easily forming a multi-kind-multi-layer preform. An apparatus for feeding the composite molten resin has a nozzle portion which includes an outer discharge port in which an outermost annular flow path through which a main layer-forming molten resin flows, meets an outer annular flow path through which a sub-layer-forming molten resin flows inside of the outermost annular flow path; and an inner discharge port in which a shell layer-forming molten resin annularly flowing inside of the outer conflux path, meets the core layer-forming molten resin flowing inside the shell layer; the outer discharge port and the inner discharge port being arranged in this order from the downstream toward the upstream in a direction in which the molten resins flow; wherein provision is made of a shaft-like opening/closing valve for opening and closing the inner discharge port, and a gear pump for intermittently discharging the sub-layer-forming molten resin.

Synthetic resin materials have been used for forming preformed bodies (usually called preforms) that are formed into beverage containers through hollow forming, and for forming container lids and container bodies such as cups. As is well known among people skilled in the art, a composite resin material is often used comprising outer molten resins and at least one inner molten resin layer wrapped in the outer molten resin layers. As the outer molten resin, in many cases, a synthetic resin having excellent mechanical properties and sanitary properties is selected and as the inner molten resin, a synthetic resin having excellent gas-barrier property is selected.
WO2004/065101 discloses an apparatus for feeding a composite molten resin comprising an outermost flow path through which a main layer-forming molten resin flows for forming a main layer of a preform, an outer flow path having an outer discharge port opened in the outermost flow path and through which a sub-layer-forming molten resin flows for forming a sub-layer of the preform, and an inner flow path having an inner discharge port opened in the outer flow path and through which a core-forming molten resin flows for forming a core.
The inner discharge port is provided with opening/closing means for selectively opening and closing the inner discharge port and with intermittent means for intermittently disposing the sub-layer-forming molten resin at the outer discharge port. As the inner discharge port is opened and closed by the opening/closing means of the apparatus for feeding the molten resin, the core layer-forming molten resin flows intermittently into the outermost flow path from the inner flow path through the outer flow path. The core layer-forming molten resin is pressed and deformed by the sub-layer-forming molten resin as the core layer-forming molten resin flows into the inside of the outermost flow path.
JP-B-6-49318 discloses an apparatus for forming a composite molten resin comprising an outer flow path through which a main layer-forming molten resin flows for forming a main layer of a preform, an inner flow path having an inner discharge port opened in the outer flow path and through which a shell layer-forming molten resin flows for forming a shell layer of the preform, and an innermost flow path having an innermost discharge port opened in the inner flow path and through which a core-forming molten resin flows for forming a core layer of the preform.
The innermost discharge port is provided with opening/closing means for selectively opening and closing the innermost discharge port. As the innermost discharge port is opened and closed by the opening/closing means, the shell layer-forming molten resin is fed into the outer molten resin so as to cover the core layer-forming molten resin like a shell.
Usually, the main layer and the sub-layer which use the same material can be regarded to forming one layer. The preform formed by the technology of WO2004/065101 is of a three-layer structure of main layer—core layer—main layer (for details, refer to its Examples). Since the core layer having a functional property is made of a material different from that of the main layer, the preforms had so far been limited to those of the two-kind-three-layer structure.
According to the technology of JP-B-6-49318, the shell layer-forming molten resin that is covering the core layer-forming molten resin like a shell, is fed into the inside of the main layer-forming molten resin that continuously flows through the outer flow path. Therefore, the preform that is formed is of a five-layer structure of main layer—shell layer —core layer—shell layer—main layer. The preform of a three-kind-five layer structure can be formed if the materials of the main layer, shell layer and core layer are changed. Though the technology of JP-B-6-49318 deals with a multi-kind-multi-layer structure, the core layer and the shell layer of a spherical shape requires a cumbersome operation for controlling the layer distribution of the multi-layer compression formed articles. Besides, difficulty is involved in wrapping the core layer with the shell layers.
The present invention was accomplished in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a method of feeding a composite molten resin capable of easily forming a multi-kind-multi-layer preform and an apparatus therefor.

Method of feeding composite molten resin and apparatus for feeding the same


Each of first and second contact blocks includes a substantially rectangular insulating member, a pair of stationary contact members projecting inward from the insulating member and supported with a predetermined interval therebetween, a movable contact member arranged between the pair of stationary contact members and supported by the insulating member, and first, second, and third terminals for electrically extracting the pair of stationary contact members and the movable contact member, respectively, and projecting from a base portion of the insulating member with predetermined intervals therebetween. An electromagnet includes a movable member for commonly acting on the movable contact members of the first and second contact blocks to move each movable contact member toward one of the pair of stationary contact members of each of the first and second contact blocks. A shielding block member with a substantially H-shaped section includes two storage spaces for storing the first and second contact blocks, respectively, a support portion for mounting the electromagnet, and a predetermined number of notched portions for guiding the first, second, and third terminals of each of the first and second contact blocks. At least a surface of the shielding block member has conductivity. A shielding case shields at least an edge of an opening portion of the shielding block member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relay device and, more particularly, to a radio frequency (RF) relay device constituting a switch for an RF band.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a metering system for an RF band of several GHz such as a spectrum analyzer, a standard signal generator, and a network analyzer, a programmable attenuator is used as a means for varying an RF signal level. This programmable attenuator is constituted by a plurality of stages of the RF relay devices as described above. The performance, quality, and shape of the programmable attenuator are factors having a direct influence on the metering system. Most of the factors depend on the RF relay device as a component of the system.
FIG. 13 is a side view showing a conventional RF relay device disclosed as Published Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-69453.
Referring to FIG. 13, reference numerals 40 denote movable contact members; and 43, terminals. Each movable contact member 40 is brought into contact with a corresponding terminal 43 to electrically switch the circuit.
Reference numeral 41 denotes a shield for covering the movable contact members 40 and the terminals 43.
The above RF relay device, however, is of a one-transfer-type in which the central terminal 43 serves as a common terminal.
In addition, an electromagnet 2 for moving the movable contact members 40 must be arranged at the side of the shield 41 along a moving direction of the movable contact members 40. Therefore, an installation area of the entire RF relay device is undesirably increased.
Furthermore, since the movable contact members 40 and the terminals 43 are brought into direct contact with each other, contact surfaces are easily abraded after switching is performed a large number of times. In addition, since a contact resistance and the like are increased accordingly, RF characteristics are adversely affected, thereby degrading the durability of the relay device.
In addition the shield 41 is notched at the central portion of the longitudinal direction of the movable contact member 40, no isolation can be obtained.
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of another conventional RF relay device disclosed as Published Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 61-133943.
Referring to FIG. 14, reference numerals 401 and 411 denote movable contact members; and 341, 351, and 361 denote terminals fixed to a shielding case 331 by an insulating member 371. The movable contact members 401 and 411 are bought into contact with the terminals 341, 351, and 361 by a moving mechanism (not shown) to electrically switch the circuit.
The shielding case 331 covers the movable contact members 401 and 411 and the terminals 341, 351, and 361.
The shielding case 331 of the above RF relay device, however, is formed to cover the movable contact members 401 and 411 and the terminals 341, 351, and 361 in consideration of only external isolation. Therefore, since such an RF relay device is not particularly arranged in consideration of a characteristic impedance between the movable contact members, the terminals, and the shielding case, its usable frequency is at most 200 MHz. For this reason, this RF relay device cannot be used for a higher frequency band (1,000 MHz or more).
In addition, since no ground terminal is provided between the shielding case and each terminal, no isolation can be obtained.
Furthermore, if an electromagnet is arranged at the side of the shielding case in a horizontal plane, an installation area of the entire RF relay device is undesirably increased.
Note that the conventional RF relay device as shown in FIG. 13 or 14 is of a printed circuit board mounting type which can be mounted on a printed circuit board. However, a use frequency band of the above conventional RF relay device cannot reach an RF band of several GHz, and its reliability including reproducibility is poor.

Relay device for switching radio frequency signal


An encoding apparatus for highly efficiently encoding an input digital signal includes a band dividing means, an encoding means, a normalization processing means for normalizing a signal component of each block encoded by the encoding means and generating a normalization signal, a quantization coefficient calculating means, a bit allocating means for deciding the number of allocated bits for each block corresponding to the quantization coefficients calculated by the quantization coefficient calculating means, a normalization information changing means for gradually changing the normalization information generated by the normalization processing means corresponding to a user""s operation on a time base, and an encoded data generating means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encoding apparatus, an encoding method, a decoding apparatus, a decoding method, a recording apparatus, a recording method, a reproducing apparatus, and a reproducing method for processing a signal of for example audio data. The present invention also relates to a record medium for recording audio data and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a related art reference of a highly efficiently encoding method for an audio signal, for example, a transform encoding method is known. The transform encoding method is one example of a block-segmentation frequency band dividing method. In the transform encoding method, a time-base audio signal is segmented into blocks at intervals of a predetermined unit time period. The time-base signal of each block is converted into a frequency-base signal (namely, orthogonally transformed). Thus, the time-base signal is divided into a plurality of frequency bands. In each frequency band, blocks are encoded. As another related art reference, a sub band coding (SBC) method as an example of a non-block-segmentation frequency band dividing method is known. In the SBC method, a time-base audio signal is divided into a plurality of frequency bands and then encoded without segmenting the signal into blocks at intervals of a predetermined unit time period.
As another related art reference, a highly efficiently encoding method that is a combination of the band division encoding method and the SBC method is also known. In this highly efficiently encoding method, a signal of each sub band is orthogonally transformed into a frequency-base signal corresponding to the transform encoding method. The transformed signal is encoded in each sub band.
As an example of a band dividing filter used for the above-described sub band coding method, for example a QMF (Quadrature Mirror Filter) is known. The QMF is described in for example R. E. Crochiere xe2x80x9cDigital coding of speech in sub bandsxe2x80x9d Bell Syst.
Tech. J. Vol. 55. No. 8 (1976). An equal band width filter dividing method for a poly-phase quadrature filter and an apparatus thereof are described in ICASSP 83, BOSTON xe2x80x9cPolyphase Quadrature filtersxe2x80x94A new sub band coding techniquexe2x80x9d, Joseph H. Rothwiler.
As an example of the orthogonal transform method, an input audio signal is segmented into blocks at intervals of a predetermined unit time period (for each frame). Each block is transformed by for example a fast Fourier transforming (FFT) method, a discrete cosine transforming (DCT) method, or a modified DCT transforming (MDCT) method. As a result, a time-base signal is converted into a frequency-base signal. The MDCT is described in for example ICASSP 1987, xe2x80x9cSub band/Transform coding Using Filter Bank Designs Based on Time Domain Aliasing Cancellationxe2x80x9d, J. P. Princen and A. B. Bradley, Univ. of Surrey Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech.
On the other hand, an encoding method that uses a frequency division width in consideration of the hearing characteristics of humans for quantizing each sub band frequency component is known. In other words, so-called critical bands of which their band widths are proportional to their frequencies have been widely used. With the critical bands, an audio signal may be divided into a plurality of sub bands (for example, 25 sub bands). According to such a sub band coding method, when data of each sub band is encoded, a predetermined number of bits is allocated for each sub band. Alternatively, an adaptive number of bits is allocated for each sub band. For example, when MDCT coefficient data generated by the MDCT process is encoded with the above-described bit allocating method, an adaptive number of bits is allocated to the MDCT coefficient data of each block of each sub band. With the allocated bits, each block is encoded.
An example of a related art reference of such a bit allocating method and an apparatus corresponding thereto is described as xe2x80x9ca method for allocating bits corresponding to the strength of a signal of each sub bandxe2x80x9d in IEEE Transactions of Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, vol. ASSP-25, NO. 4, August (1977). As another related art reference, xe2x80x9ca method for fixedly allocating bits corresponding to a signal to noise ratio for each sub band using a masking of the sense of hearingxe2x80x9d is described in ICASP, 1980, xe2x80x9cThe critical band coderxe2x80x94digital encoding of the perceptual requirements of the auditory systemxe2x80x9d, M. A. Kransner MIT.
When each block is encoded for each sub band, each block is normalized and quantized for each sub band. Thus, each block is effectively encoded. This process is referred to as block floating process. When MDCT coefficient data generated by the MDCT process is encoded, the maximum value of the absolute values of the MDCT coefficients is obtained for each sub band.
Corresponding to the maximum value, the MDCT coefficient data is normalized and then quantized.
Thus, the MDCT coefficient data can be more effectively encoded. The normalizing process can be performed as follows. From a plurality of numbered values, a value used for the normalizing process is selected for each block using a predetermined calculating process. The number assigned to the selected value is used as normalization information. The plurality of values are numbered so that they increment by 2 dB of an audio level.
The above-described highly effectively encoded signal is decoded as follows. With reference to the bit allocation information, the normalization information, and so forth for each sub band, MDCT coefficient data is generated corresponding to a signal that has been highly efficiently encoded. Since a so-called inversely orthogonally transforming process is performed corresponding to the MDCT coefficient data, time-base data is generated. When the highly efficiently encoding process is performed, if the frequency band is divided into sub bands by a band dividing filter, the time-base data is combined using a sub band combining filter.
When numbered normalization information is changed by an adding process, a subtracting process, or the like, a reproduction level adjusting function, a filtering function, and so forth can be accomplished for a time-base signal of which a highly efficiently encoded data has been decoded. According to this method, since the reproduction level can be adjusted by a calculating process such as an adding process or a subtracting process, the structure of the apparatus becomes simple. In addition, since a decoding process, an encoding process, and so forth are not excessively required, the reproduction level can be adjusted without a deterioration of the signal quality. In addition, in this method, even if a highly efficiently encoded signal is changed, since the time period of the decoded signal does not vary, when numbered normalization information is changed, part of the signal generated by the decoding process can be changed.
In the reproduction level adjusting process and the filtering process that can be accomplished by changing normalization information of the highly efficiently encoded information, unless any special device is disposed, a predetermined function is performed at a designated time period. Thus, the functions are restricted. For example, in the reproduction level adjusting function, the same reproduction level is kept at a designated predetermined time period. On the other hand, in the filtering function, the same function is performed at a designated time period.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an encoding apparatus, an encoding method, a decoding apparatus, a decoding method, a recording apparatus, a recording method, a reproducing apparatus, and a reproducing method that accomplish various functions corresponding to a change of normalization information. Another object of the present invention is to provide a record medium for recording changed normalization information.
A first aspect of the present invention is an encoding apparatus for highly efficiently encoding an input digital signal, comprising a band dividing means for dividing the input digital signal into a plurality of frequency band components, an encoding means for block-segmenting a sequence of samples arranged in a time-base direction and/or a frequency-base direction of the input digital signal divided in the plurality of frequency band components and encoding each block, a normalization processing means for normalizing a signal component of each block encoded by the encoding means and generating normalization signal, a quantization coefficient calculating means for calculating quantization coefficients that represent a feature of the signal component of each block, a bit allocating means for deciding the number of allocated bits for each block corresponding to the quantization coefficients calculated by the quantization coefficient calculating means, a normalization information changing means for gradually changing the normalization information generated by the normalization processing means corresponding to a user""s operation on a time base, and an encoded data generating means for re-quantizing the signal component of each block corresponding to the normalization information changed by the normalization information changing means and the number of allocated bits allocated by the bit allocating means and generating encoded data corresponding to a predetermined format.
A second aspect of the present invention is a decoding apparatus for decoding a digital signal that has been highly efficiently encoded, comprising a normalization information changing means for changing normalization information contained in encoded data that is input corresponding to a user""s operation, a bit allocation decoding means for deallocating allocated bits corresponding to the normalization information changed by the normalization information changing means and to bit allocation information contained in the input encoded data, a plurality of decoding means for decoding an output signal deallocated by the bit allocation decoding means into a time-base sample sequence corresponding to block size information contained in the encoded data for each frequency band component, and a filtering means for combining signals of all the frequency band components that are output from the plurality of decoding means and generating a decoded signal of all the frequency band.
A third aspect of the present invention is a recording apparatus for highly efficiently encoding an input digital signal and recording the encoded signal to a record medium, comprising a band dividing means for dividing the input digital signal into a plurality of frequency band components, an encoding means for block-segmenting a sequence of samples arranged in a time-base direction and/or a frequency-base direction of the input digital signal divided in the plurality of frequency band components and encoding each block, a normalization processing means for normalizing a signal component of each block encoded by the encoding means and generating normalization signal, a quantization coefficient calculating means for calculating quantization coefficients that represent a feature of the signal component of each block, a bit allocating means for deciding the number of allocated bits for each block corresponding to the quantization coefficients calculated by the quantization coefficient calculating means, a normalization information changing means for gradually changing the normalization information generated by the normalization processing means corresponding to a user""s operation on a time base, an encoded data generating means for re-quantizing the signal component of each block corresponding to the normalization information changed by the normalization information changing means and the number of allocated bits allocated by the bit allocating means and generating encoded data corresponding to a predetermined format, and a recording means for recording encoded data generated by the encoded data generating means to the record medium.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a digital signal that has been highly efficiently encoded from a record medium, comprising a reproducing means for reproducing the highly efficiently encoded digital signal from the record medium, a normalization information changing means for changing normalization information contained in encoded data that is input corresponding to a user""s operation, a bit allocation decoding means for deallocating allocated bits corresponding to the normalization information changed by the normalization information changing means and to bit allocation information contained in the digital signal reproduced by the reproducing means, a plurality of decoding means for decoding an output signal deallocated by the bit allocation decoding means into a time-base sample sequence corresponding to block size information contained in the encoded data for each frequency band component, and a filtering means for combining signals of all the frequency band components that are output from the plurality of decoding means and generating a decoded signal of all the frequency band.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is a record medium for recording encoded data generated by the steps of (a) dividing the input digital signal into a plurality of frequency band components, (b) block-segmenting a sequence of samples arranged in a time-base direction and/or a frequency-base direction of the input digital signal divided in the plurality of frequency band components and encoding each block, (c) normalizing a signal component of each block encoded at step (b) and generating normalization signal, (d) calculating quantization coefficients that represent a feature of the signal component of each block, (e) deciding the number of allocated bits for each block corresponding to the quantization coefficients calculated at step (d), (f) gradually changing the normalization information generated at step (c) corresponding to a user""s operation on a time base, and (g) re-quantizing the signal component of each block corresponding to the normalization information changed at step (f) and the number of allocated bits allocated at step (e) and generating encoded data corresponding to a predetermined format.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Encoding apparatus, decoding apparatus, decoding method, recording apparatus, recording method, reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, and record medium


A spring-loaded piston is produced from plastic, particularly by injection molding. The spring-loaded piston is developed in the area of a connection to a piston or piston rod such that tilting of the spring-loaded piston with respect to the piston rod is prevented and a sufficiently firm connection is ensured. In addition, the spring-loaded piston 1 may include a reinforcing insert by which clearly higher forces can be transmitted while maintaining smaller wall thicknesses than in conventional spring-loaded pistons. Also, the seat or contact surface in the spring-loaded piston is constructed for supporting the preloaded spring such that possibly occurring radial forces do not have any negative influence on the functionality of the spring-loaded piston.

The present invention relates to a spring-loaded piston for spring-loaded brake cylinders, particularly for brake cylinders of commercial vehicles.
Service brake cylinders, spring-loaded brake cylinders as well as combined service brake and spring-loaded brake cylinders, frequently called xe2x80x9ccombination cylindersxe2x80x9d are known from practice. Brake cylinders of this type are used for the operation of brake systems of vehicles, particularly of commercial vehicles. In the case of known pure spring-loaded brake cylinders, a prestressed preloaded spring acts by way of a spring-loaded piston upon a piston rod, so that a brake can be operated in an application. The service brake part of a service brake cylinder or of a combination cylinder, in the case of brake cylinders known from practice, generally contains a diaphragm which can be acted upon by compressed air and which acts with respect to a plate and an operating tappet connected with the plate. In the case of a combination cylinder, the spring-loaded brake part is saddle-mounted on the service brake part. Such a saddle-mounted spring-loaded brake part is described, for example, in German Patent document DE 198 30 154 A1. Here, a piston rod of the spring-loaded brake part, which is connected with the spring-loaded piston, acts upon the diaphragm of the service brake cylinder when actuated by the preloaded spring and transmits via the plate of the service brake cylinder, the spring-loaded brake force upon the operating tappet. For this purpose, the preloaded spring is tensioned beforehand when the spring-loaded chamber is acted upon by compressed air.
Such spring-loaded brake cylinders have a spring-loaded piston cast of aluminum or zinc. However, these cast components have the significant disadvantage that, after the casting, finishing steps are always required for the removal of possible burrs or for evening-out the surfaces. Furthermore, frequently required bores for fastening devices have to be made, for example, in a cutting manner, or seat surfaces for sealing rings or slide rings or the like have to be worked-in. Also, these spring-loaded pistons made of aluminum or zinc have the disadvantage that, as a result of not completely avoidable moisture, they are subjected to corrosion or similar aging processes, which may finally lead to a malfunctioning. Finally, the manufacturing of spring-loaded pistons as an aluminum or zinc casting is relatively expensive, and it is another disadvantage that the casting molds are subjected to high wear, and therefore only limited quantities can be produced.
In addition, the spring-loaded pistons known from practice are constructed in one piece with the piston rod. As a result, different casting molds are required for different piston rod lengths for providing different strokes, which again has a negative effect on the manufacturing costs. In this case, the known piston rods are necessarily also made of aluminum or zinc castings, so that these are also subjected to the above-mentioned risks of corrosion or aging.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spring-loaded piston which can be produced at lower cost without any significant finishing expenditures. In addition, it should be possible to minimize the above-mentioned corrosion and aging risks.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a spring-loaded piston having devices that permit an optimal connection between the spring-loaded piston and a separate piston rod.
These objects are achieved by a spring-loaded piston for a spring-loaded brake cylinder, particularly of commercial vehicles, wherein the spring-loaded piston is made of plastic.
According to the invention, a plastic is selected as the material for producing the spring-loaded piston. Contrary to existing prejudices with respect to plastic as a material considered useless for spring-loaded pistons in comparison to aluminum and zinc, tests have surprisingly shown that spring-loaded pistons made of plastic can have operating characteristics which are just as good as those of conventional spring-loaded pistons. Also surprisingly, the braking forces achieved thereby are no less than the braking forces achievable using the conventional spring-loaded pistons. Furthermore, the expected useful life of a spring-loaded piston made of plastic is against all expectations even above the expected useful life of a conventional spring-loaded piston.
In that a spring-loaded piston made of plastic is suggested for the first time, which can be made, for example, as a plastic injection molded part, the clearly higher quantities that can be made by a plastic injection mold can be advantageously utilized for increasing productivity, in which case rates of increase of 10 to 20 times in comparison to the conventional aluminum or zinc castings can be implemented without additional expenditures. Furthermore, when the spring-loaded piston is made of plastic, a high-expenditure finishing can, as a rule, be eliminated. Plastic injection molded parts have smooth surfaces from the start. Burrs, which have to be removed subsequently at high expenditures, normally do not occur in the case of plastic injection molded parts. The manufacturing costs of a spring-loaded piston made of plastic can therefore clearly be reduced in comparison to the manufacturing costs of conventional spring-loaded pistons cast of aluminum or zinc.
Furthermore, the first-time selection of plastic as the material for producing the spring-loaded piston according to the invention has the additional advantage that a spring-loaded piston made of plastic has greater useful life and is resistant to corrosion that may occur because of possibly existing moisture.
In addition, the use of plastic for producing the spring-loaded piston also has the additional advantage of a clear weight reduction in comparison to the aluminum or zinc casting technology. This reduces the expenditures with respect to handling during the manufacture of a spring-loaded piston produced as an injection molded part of a plastic and contributes to lower transport costs of the produced parts because of their smaller measurements.
Furthermore, a spring-loaded piston made of plastic has the additional advantage that seats for sliding rings, seals, or the like have a sufficiently high surface quality and/or fitting precision so that the working-in of such fitting surfaces for sliding rings, seals or the like, which is expensive specifically in the case of conventional aluminum or zinc castings, can be eliminated. This, in turn, is reflected in reduced machining time as well as in lowering of costs.
Not least, the manufacturing of a plastic spring-loaded piston according to the invention permits a noticeable noise reduction during the further machining since its hollow plastic body does not produce any significant noise in contrast to a metallic hollow body. This circumstance is particularly noticeable by the workers entrusted with the integration of the brake cylinder, in that the workplace quality is improved.
Advantageous further developments of the invention are described herein.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the spring-loaded piston according to the invention has a ring-shaped shoulder for receiving a piston or a piston rod. In this case, the ring-shaped shoulder has a defined longitudinal dimension in the axial direction in order to provide a sufficient hold as well as good guidance to the piston or the piston rod. This shoulder is used as a contact surface for a piston to be inserted or a piston rod to be inserted. As a result, it is advantageously ensured that the piston or the piston rod and the spring-loaded piston exactly maintain a predefined position.
This positional accuracy is further increased in that, in another preferred embodiment, the receiving section of the spring-loaded piston for receiving a piston or a piston rod has, for example, a second ring-shaped shoulder molded thereto for an engagement in a corresponding receiving device of the piston or for an engagement in the tube-shaped piston rod. In addition to tube-shaped shoulders, shoulders having other cross-sections may also be used here.
Furthermore, in another preferred embodiment, the spring-loaded piston may have supporting elements extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spring-loaded cylinder. These supporting elements are arranged, for example, in a ring shape and are preferably molded to the spring-loaded piston in one piece to the second ring-shaped shoulder. The supporting elements may engage in a corresponding receiving device of the piston or in the tube-shaped piston rod. This further increases the positional stability of the piston or of the piston rod in relation to the spring-loaded piston and can further reinforce the connection between these two components. In addition, material can advantageously be saved in this manner when the inner ring-shaped shoulder has tongues or lugs extending in the axial direction, instead of having an also conceivable solid-wall, tube-shaped or cylindrical design. The tongs or lugs can, in turn, advantageously be used simultaneously as a receiving device for a standardized, short release device so that the latter can be integrated in the spring-loaded piston in a space-saving manner.
To increase the introduction and/or transfer of force from the spring-loaded piston into the piston rod or the piston, a further embodiment provides radially extending webs as reinforcing ribs in the force diversion area.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the piston or the piston rod is made of plastic, particularly in an extruded manner. Since it is possible for not only the spring-loaded piston to be made of plastic, but also that it may be a component separate from the piston rod, as a result of a free combination possibility of a certain spring-loaded piston type with a plurality of pistons or piston rods differing, for example, with respect to their length or their diameter, a large number of spring-loaded pistons can advantageously be produced without additional costs having an integrated piston or an integrated piston rod of different strokes. In addition, the spring-loaded piston according to the invention, as a separate part, can be installed more easily and is also distinguished by a simpler handling. Furthermore, as required, materials, such as aluminum or zinc castings, can also be used for the piston or the piston rod. As a result, existing piston rods can still be used, which additionally reduces the manufacturing costs.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


An apparatus (12) for applying a zinc or zinc-alloy electroplate to a workpiece comprises an electroplating bath (16) having a pH more than about 14. The electroplating bath includes zinc ions and an additive. A cathode workpiece (18) is in the bath. An anode assembly (20) contacts the bath. The anode assembly includes an anolyte and an insoluble metal anode in the anolyte. The additive is capable of electrolytically breaking down upon contact with the anode. The anode assembly inhibits the electrolytic breakdown of the additive.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,079 discloses an apparatus for electroplating metals. The apparatus comprises an electroplating bath which contains a plating solution of a metallic salt, for instance, nickel sulfate. A cathode workpiece is positioned in the bath. An insoluble anode assembly is also provided in the bath. The anode assembly includes an anode which is essentially insoluble during electroplating and an anion exchange membrane enclosure around the anode. An electrically conductive acid solution is contained within the enclosure of the anode assembly. The flow of electric current in the apparatus causes anions, for instance sulfate ions, in the plating solution to travel through the anion exchange membrane increasing the acid concentration within the anode assembly enclosure. Accumulated acid is periodically flushed from the enclosure. One purpose of the apparatus of the '079 patent is to inhibit the increase in concentration of dissolved metal in the electroplating bath due to a cathode efficiency which is less than anode efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,572 discloses an apparatus similar to that of the '079 patent. An electroplating apparatus for plating nickel onto a workpiece is provided. A nickel-plating bath is provided in the apparatus. The bath is a typical Watts nickel low pH acid bath. A cathode workpiece is positioned in the bath. An anode structure is also positioned in the bath. The anode structure comprises a series of nickel plate anodes. The nickel plate anodes are enclosed in an ion exchange membrane that allows electric current to flow from the anodes to the cathode workpiece while at the same time shielding the anodes from organics, such as Coumarin within the bath. The nickel plate anodes are immersed in dilute sulfuric acid contained within the ion exchange membrane enclosure.
German Patent Publication DE 19834353A1published Feb. 3, 2000, discloses an apparatus similar to that of the '079 patent for applying, a zinc-nickel coating onto a cathode workpiece. The apparatus comprises a vessel which is divided by a cation exchange membrane into a cathode compartment containing a catholyte and an anode compartment containing an anolyte. The catholyte is an alkaline zinc-nickel electroplating bath containing poly(alkyleneimine) additives for complexing and brightening. A cathode workpiece to be plated is positioned in the cathode compartment. The anolyte is an acid such as sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid. A platinum coated titanium anode is immersed in the anolyte. The ion exchange membrane allows electric current to flow from the anode to the cathode, but at the same time shields the anode from the alkaline zinc-nickel electroplating bath.
Electrolysis of alkaline zinc-nickel baths containing poly(alkyleneimines) produces amine breakdown at the anode into nitrites and cyanides if the anode is exposed to the plating bath. The ion exchange membrane prevents such amine breakdown. However, an apparatus which comprises an alkaline electroplating bath adjacent to an acid anolyte can be dangerous. In addition, a platinum coated titanium anode is expensive.


Isolated DNA or RNA molecules capable of hybridizing under stringent conditions to the myoD regulatory region, its proximal promoter and distal enhancer regulatory regions, and regulatory elements within the proximal and distal regions for binding basic helix-loop-helix proteins, MyoD, and proteins binding at SP1, AP1, CAAT, M-CAT, CArG, and MEF sites in DNA. DNA or RNA expression vectors for introducing a gene into a cell under the regulatory control of the myoD regulatory region. Transduced or transfected pre-muscle cells, myocytes, or myoblasts. Methods of inducing a muscle phenotype in a non-muscle cell, positively selecting for a cells expressing MyoD, and negatively selecting for cells expressing MyoD.

The myoD gene converts many differentiated cell types into muscle cells. MyoD protein is a member of the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of proteins; this 68-amino acid domain in MyoD is necessary and sufficient for myogenesis. The MyoD protein is sufficient to orchestrate the coordinated expression of most, if not all, of the skeletal myogenic program in cell types derived from all three germ layers of the embryo. As such, the regulation of Myo D expression and protein activity creates a nodal point, or master switch, that integrates the genetic and environmental influences on a cell. The expression and activity of the MyoD protein is regulated, in part, by interactions with members of a large family of proteins related to MyoD by sequence homology, the helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins. MyoD binds cooperatively to muscle-specific enhancers and activates transcription. The helix-loop-helix (HLH) motif is responsible for dimerization, and, depending upon its dimerization partner, MyoD activity can be controlled.
MyoD is a nuclear protein, 318 amino acids in length, that binds to many muscle-specific enhancers. Although it is phosphorylated, the function of the phosphorylation has not been defined. The protein and RNA turn over rapidly. MyoD binds to a consensus DNA binding sequence that includes a CAN NTG sequence (N represents A, T, G, or C) present in most muscle-specific enhancers (1; see the appended Citations).