An interlocking thrust washer is presented. The thrust washer including a first annular upper ring having first inner and outer side circumferential surfaces and first top and bottom surfaces. The upper ring providing at least two holes that extend therethrough the first top and bottom surfaces and a first annular lower ring having second inner and outer side surfaces and second top and bottom surfaces. The first lower annular ring includes at least two annular projections extending upward from the second top surface. The at least two annular projections align with the at least two holes to create an interlocking fit between the first annular upper and lower rings. The interlocking fit allows the first upper and lower rings to combine and function as the single element thrust washer 10 once interlocked together. The interlocking fit further prevents any rotation between the first upper and lower annular rings during operation.

The present invention provides an interlocking locking thrust washer assembly that functions as a single component. It's a two piece design constructed from separate upper and lower injection molded rings that interlock together. As such, the present invention provides a functional design that is also easy to manufacture.
A thrust washer is typically placed between two moving parts. Thrust washers prevent longitudinal movement and provide a bearing surface for the thrust surfaces of the part. Thrust washers are used as a bearing surface for rotary applications. They are usually made of steel, bronze, plastic, or other material with low friction coefficients. Thrust washers, sometimes called rotary thrust washers, are washers designed to prevent movement along the axis of a shaft. Thrust bearings support an axial load on a shaft. A thrust bearing can be a plate at the end of a shaft, or a device against which a collar on the shaft presses.
Thrust washers can be found in almost every appliance, machine, transportation conveyance, power tool and recreational device that has moving parts, axles, bolts, pins, bearings, and rotating components. In their simplest form, thrust washers are long-wearing flat bearings in the shape of a washer that transmit and resolve axial forces in rotating mechanisms to keep components aligned along a shaft. Thrust washers are an economical alternative to rolling thrust bearings whenever forces velocities are moderate.
Precision-engineered thrust washers are used in high-wear applications such as transmissions, power take-offs, pumps, axle assemblies, motors, and winches. Thrust washer kits contain thrust washers of varying thicknesses for correct installation during component assembly. Standard thrust washers are made for products such as automotive engines.
There is shown in FIG. 1A a top plan view of an example of a Prior Art thrust washer design. FIG. 1B shows a side view of the same. Manufacturers of specialty thrust washers typically receive specifications from their prospective customers for a new application. As such a thrust washer's geometry, that is, its part thickness, inner and outer diameters and ultimately its volume, typically emanate from specifications necessitated by the customer's application. Since the required part geometry can vary with the application, there are times when the required part size and geometry are such that the part volume is too large for an injection molding machines shot capacity. The factors for determining the proper parameters for injection molding are well documented in numerous books, one of which is entitled "Injection Molding Handbook" By Tim A. Osswald, Lih-Sheng Turng, Paul J. Gramann.
Here, the Prior Art thrust washer has an inner diameter of roughly 14 inches and an outer diameter of roughly 18.5 inches. It has a maximum thickness of roughly (0.9) inches and a minimum thickness of roughly (0.6) inches. As such, this part has an internal part volume of roughly 70 cubic inches. In this application, the geometric parameters with respect to its volume are too great for an injection molding machines shot capacity. Consequently, the part can not be made and most likely the business opportunity will be lost.
An example of the inventive thrust washer design of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2B. Here, the thrust washer provides component 1 and component 2 with their respective volumes. The volume of each component 1, 2 is roughly half of the prior art thrust washers total volume. This allows the two components 1, 2 to be injection molded without exceeding the machines shot capacity. The present invention meets the design requirements of the customer without exceeding the molding machines shot capacity by splitting the single ring design into two rings thus providing a functional design that is easy to manufacture.


A communication establishment assisting system includes: an electronic apparatus arranged on a first network; and a server device arranged on a second network different from the first network and configured to provide a control driver to be installed in the information processing terminal. The information processing terminal includes: an input unit that communication setting information is inputted to; a transmitting unit configured to transmit the communication setting information to the server device; and a receiving unit configured to receive the control driver from the server device to control the electronic apparatus. The server device includes: a receiving unit configured to receive the communication setting information from the information processing terminal; a setting information applying unit configured to apply the communication setting information to the control driver to be transmitted to the information processing terminal; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the control driver to the information processing terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a communication establishment assisting system and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, some offices and other places use a multi function peripheral (MFP) which has a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copier function and so forth. Most multi function peripherals are used with a connection to an information processing terminal such as a personal computer via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The multi function peripherals may act as an image forming apparatus which performs printing on a sheet on the basis of image data inputted from the information processing terminal, may act as an image scanning apparatus which obtains image data to be used in the information processing terminal, and may act as a document managing apparatus which stores document image data so as to be enabled to be retrieved.
To use such a multi function peripheral, it is required to install a control driver in an information processing terminal connected to the multi function peripheral via a network, and the control driver performs sorts of control of the multi function peripheral such as control of the image scanning apparatus and control of the image forming apparatus. Such a control driver can be installed by executing an installer program in the information processing terminal. For example, such installer programs are prepared for respective types of multi function peripheral, and require input of setting items used to establish communication connection between the multi function peripheral and the information processing terminal in its installing process. Therefore, if a user is not familiar with the network and the target multi function peripheral and the user carries out installation of the control driver, it is difficult to finish the installation completely.
To solve this problem, sorts of techniques on installation of a control driver have been proposed. For example, an installer program of a driver searches for a network peripheral which connects to an information processing terminal via a network and obtains peripheral information transmitted from the network peripheral, and searches for a local peripheral which connects to a local port of the information processing terminal and obtains peripheral information of the local peripheral. If a driver can be installed for the network peripheral and/or the local peripheral, this installer program registers the network peripheral and/or the local peripheral in a peripheral list on the basis of the obtained peripheral information and a driver file stored in a driver file storage unit of the information processing terminal. When a user selects a peripheral in the peripheral list, a driver of the selected peripheral is installed.
Another installer program searches for a printer on a network, and obtains device configuration information such a manufacturer name and a device type name from the printer. If a driver file is stored in an information processing terminal, this installer program installs a driver of the driver file, and if a driver file is not stored in an information processing terminal, this installer program downloads and installs a compatible driver.
Further, to install a driver, another installer program searches for a printing device connected to a network and a printing device connected locally, and displays the printing device for which a driver can be installed so as to enable a user to select it. When a printing device is specified to install a driver among the displayed printing device, this installer program obtains option configuration information and resource information from the printing device, writes the obtained information into the driver, and installs the driver to an information processing terminal.
Further, a printer downloads and stores the latest version of a printer driver from an external server device as a distributor of the printer driver. In this technique, an information processing terminal connected to the printer via a network can obtain and install the latest version of the printer driver from the printer.
Furthermore, an image forming apparatus generates a temporal ID and a temporal password for a guest on the basis of an instruction of an administrator and generates a 2D code which includes the ID for a guest and a path of a web page. The administrator scans the 2D code using an imaging device from the image forming apparatus, and sends the scanned information to an outsider using an email. The outsider accesses the web page displayed by the image forming apparatus on the basis of the information, downloads a driver, and installs the driver in the outsider's information processing terminal. Consequently, printing is available with the image forming apparatus in a predetermined time.
For example, in an office or the like operating a large scale network on which plural multi function peripherals are arranged, when a user wants to temporarily connect an information processing terminal to an image forming apparatus in front of the user to use the image forming apparatus, the user is required to install a control driver in the information processing terminal in order to control the image forming apparatus. Even if the control driver capable of controlling the image forming apparatus has been installed in the information processing terminal, the user must set information to control the image forming apparatus.
For example, using the aforementioned technique, if a user can connect the information processing terminal to the network (can let the information processing terminal to join the network), the user can properly install the control driver relatively easily even if the user is not familiar with the network and the target multi function peripheral.
However, to search for a multi function peripheral in a large scale network a long searching time is required to search a large address range, and since a lot of network devices other than the multi function peripheral are connected to the network, such a lot of network devices are detected as the searching result. Further, if plural multi function peripherals of a same type are arranged on the network, it is difficult to specify the target multi function peripheral among the plural multi function peripherals displayed as the searching result. Furthermore, since such searching is performed in the whole address range, a lot of network traffic may result in depressing a performance of the network, and such searching may be regarded as a malicious attack. Therefore, the aforementioned techniques of the installer program and the printer are not sufficient as solutions of the problems. In addition, in an office operating a large scale network, connecting a device without permission to the network is often prohibited, and therefore, techniques subject to connecting to the network can often not be applied, such as the aforementioned techniques of the installer program and the printer.
On the other hand, in the aforementioned technique of the image forming apparatus, connection to a network is established substantially after an administrator's permission, and thus, it is not the situation that it is possible to connect a device to the network without permission. However, since the administrator which issues an ID and a password is not always available, in this technique, when a user wants to temporarily use the multi function peripheral, the user may not able to immediately use it. Further, obligating the administrator to be always available results in a lot of the administrator's burden, and therefore, it is impracticable. Furthermore, in the aforementioned technique of the image forming apparatus, since the image forming apparatus must be configured to store a control driver and distribute the control driver through a web page displayed by itself, the problem arises that it is difficult to apply this to a low cost machine.

Communication establishment assisting system and electronic apparatus


A non-sliding, non-sutured hands-free contact lens assembly for ophthalmic procedures utilizes a number of microstructures strategically placed on the bottom of either the contact lens or the bottom of a contact lens holder ring. After the contact lens, or the contact lens assembled with the contact lens holder ring, is placed on the cornea of the eye and centered, a surgeon applies downward pressure either on the contact lens itself or on the lens holder ring. This secures the lens assembly to the cornea due to increased friction between the microstructures and the tissues of the eye when the microstructures penetrate through the tear film and, optionally, viscous solution film and into the contact with superficial layer of cornea or other parts of the eye, thus temporarily anchoring the contact lens, or lens holder, to the desired surgical site.

Corneal contact lenses are a critical part of vitreoretinal surgery, especially macular surgery. The contact lenses allow a surgeon to visualize the macular as well as other structures of the eye at high magnification. Surgeons typically employ a separate lens that can be placed directly on the eyeball and allow focusing to be extended to the retina and other areas in the back of the eyeball.
In order to be effective, a contact lens must be stably positioned and centered on the cornea of the eye at the site of the surgery. This is difficult to achieve due to the cornea curved contouring. The slipperiness is made worse by the use of viscous coupling agents (such as, for example, viscoelastics or hydroxymethyl cellulose), which are used to avoid bubble formation beneath the contact lens during the surgery.
The lens placed on the eyeball floats on a thin layer of fluid and tends to slide about the surface of the eye. In order to overcome the sliding displacement and to hold the lens in place, a surgeon or a surgeon's assistant constantly monitors the lens position and uses a rod or other extension (handle) to push the lens back to a desired location. In order to perform this task, the surgeon or surgeon's assistant must have a profound experience in vitreoretinal surgery which is not always the case.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,290, describes the gonioscopy, which is a technique used for viewing inner portions (such as the retina and the anterior chamber angle) of the eye for evaluation, management, and classification of normal and abnormal structures of the eye. The gonioscopy technique uses devices known as gonioscopes to enhance visibility of the trabecular meshwork and anterior chamber angle during surgical procedures. The gonioscope is hand-held by a surgeon in place over the patient's cornea while he/she performs the surgical procedure.
The gonioscope described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,290 includes the Hill gonioprism positioned on a patient's eye. The gonioscopic optical element, which includes one or several lens, such as optical prism(s), is received in a lens retainer, and a handle or a grip is attached to the lens retainer. During the surgical procedure, the gonioscopic optical element is positioned over or on the patient's eye, e.g. the cornea of the eye.
A light source is used during the surgery which emits light toward the patient's eye. The light source may be configured such that light from the source illuminates the patient's eye, the anterior chamber, and the eye structures near the anterior chamber, e.g. trabecular meshwork, such that one or more of these structures reflect(s) light incident from the light source.
The light source and the prism(s) is (are) arranged in such a fashion that the light from the light source is reflected by the patient's eye (or specific optical structures), traverses the gonioscopic prism(s), and is redirected, e.g., refracted and diffracted, by the gonioscopic prisms. An image is formed of at least part of the patient's eye and this image is viewed using a microscope.
The handle of the gonioscope described in '290 patent is used to stabilize and centralize the entire gonioscope structure. This arrangement generally requires assistance of a surgeon assistant to manipulate the handle of the gonioscope during the procedure.
Landers has improved upon the gonioscope prism requiring manual manipulation of the handle during the ophthalmic procedure surgery, and provided a "hand-free" solution for the problem which eliminates the need for a surgeon assistant to manually stabilize and centralize the contact lens.
The Landers' system uses a lens ring which circumferentially envelopes sides of the contact lens, and serves as the lens holder. To stabilize and centralize the contact lens at the desired site during the procedure, the lens ring is secured to the conjunctiva/sclera with a pair of fixation sutures. The contact lens is placed inside the lens ring which remains in place by the fixation sutures, and thus, the contact lens is maintained in place and sutured throughout the duration of the macular surgery.
Fixation sutures, however, are not welcomed by a majority of ophthalmologists, especially glaucoma surgeons, due to traumatic effects of the fixation sutures to the cornea or sclera of the eye. In addition to the traumatic nature of the fixation sutures (which typically cause bleeding which can obscure view of the surgical site), if the sutures are excessively tight, the cornea can be disturbed and the sutures may break during the surgery, which is definitely a disadvantage of the suturing approach. On the other hand, if the sutures are too loose, the displacement of lens may occur, which can undermine the surgery efficiency.
Since the Landers development, various solutions for "suture-less" contact lens stabilization have been developed. For example, as presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,301, the lens is constructed with a flange that is shaped to conform to the general curvature of an average eye. In order to be attached to the eye surface, and thus stabilizing the lens in place, the flange is formed with a number of peripheral openings or recesses sized to accommodate various types of instruments to be inserted into the eye during the surgery. The flange is formed with fittings to which a vacuum is applied in order to pull the flange into contact with the sclera of the eye by creating a vacuum between the flange and eye to enhance holding the lens device in position.
Another method for overcoming the problem of contact lens movement during surgery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,147 where the lens are replaced with flexible lens having a relatively flexible flange which is fixed in place by capillary action.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0307229 and related U.S. Pat. No. 9,339,184 describe a contact lens for vitreoretinal surgery where a contact lens assembly has a central lens and a circumscribing flange. The lens has an eye contact surface shaped generally to a radius of curvature of a cornea of an eye. The flange comprises a sterile sponge-like liquid absorbent flexible material having a central aperture for fitting snuggly about an outer circumference of the lens and extending radially outward therefrom.
During the procedure, the lens is mated with a flange and the lens/flange assembly is then placed on the wetted eye of a patient. Additional wetting compound, such as sterile saline solution, is then spread onto the flange until the flange is generally situated. The lens can then be moved as necessary for viewing and the wetted flange holds the lens in a desired position.
It has been found that most of the prior art devices slide off of the cornea during the surgery. The surgeon, or the surgeon's assistant, must push the lens back to the center of the cornea a number of times during critical steps of the surgery. This may cause loss of the surgical field at a crucial moment. Thus, the suture-less systems currently available, are not preferred by many surgeons. The surgeons use the sutured lens ring even though it takes additional time and causes superficial bleeding from the conjunctiva.
It is highly desirable to provide a suture-free and hands-free non-sliding corneal contact lens stabilization and anchoring system for vitreoretinal surgery which does not require monitoring and manual positioning of the lens during the surgery and which provides hands-free effective stabilization and centralization of the lens during a surgical procedure in trauma-free manner.
One of the important topics discussed among glaucoma surgical specialists is micro invasive glaucoma surgery, further referred to herein as MIGS. The MIGS refers to a group of relatively recent glaucoma surgery techniques that are gentler and involve less tissue disruption than traditional glaucoma surgeries (such as trabeculectomy and shunts).
The glaucoma specialists indicate that there is a significant learning curve in order to master MIGS technique. Operating directly on the tiny trabecular meshwork is challenging. Obtaining visualization of the angle is the most difficult part of the learning curve and the key to mastering this surgery. The critical angle of the peripheral cornea may cause total internal reflectivity of light. For that reason, special contact lenses are needed to allow visualization of the angle structures.
Even with a surgical gonioprism, the critical angle surgery is difficult to perform. Mastering the usage of the current surgical gonioprism is a significant barrier for many surgeons. In order to visualize the angle structures, a surgeon rotates the patient's head to the side by 30°, to the microscope 30°, and to steady a hand-held surgical gonioprism on the cornea with their non-dominant hand (as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,290). This requires a significant amount of practice and steady hands. The surgeon cannot learn the technical steps of the MIG surgery, such as implanting the stent or cutting into the trabecular meshwork, until they can consistently obtain a steady view of the angle.
Glaucoma surgeons are universally opposed to placing fixation sutures. They do not want to cause any trauma to the cornea or sclera of the eye. Simplifying and improving the visualization of the critical angle during the surgery, without causing tissue injury by fixating sutures can remove the barriers that are currently limiting adoption of this newest type of glaucoma surgery, i.e., MIGS.
It is highly desirable to provide a device/system for vitreoretinal surgery where the contact lens can be stabilized and centralized over the surgical area of the eye in a suture free non-sliding manner without the need for manual repositioning and centralization of the contact lens during the operation.

Non-sliding and non-sutured contact lens system for ophthalmic procedures


A spark plug of internal combustion engine is disclosed. The spark plug includes: a main body having main thread on lower outer side; an insulator mounted in a hollow portion of the main body; a ground electrode to correspond to a central electrode extending from the lower end of the terminal rod; a primary combustion chamber forming shell having female thread to be screw-coupled with the main thread, male thread to fix a combustion chamber, and an ejection hole; the primary combustion chamber formed between the main body and the primary combustion chamber forming shell and having changeable volume; and a heat exchange member disposed between the main body and the insulator to exchange heat caused by flame and to block leak of volatile gas; wherein the main ejection hole has a single main ejection hole and at least two auxiliary ejection holes formed around the main ejection hole.

In order to achieve combustion efficiency of optimum output required to a high performance internal combustion engine that uses gasoline of high octane number, ignition is done at an angle of −5 degrees to −6 degrees (±) before top dead center (BTDC) in a case of a low revolution per minute according to respective RPMs of the internal combustion engine and advance ignition timing is also set to BTDC of 50 degrees (±) as RPM increases so as to obtain maximum output of the internal combustion engine.
A fuel supplying system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) which is mounted to an engine and supplies a predetermined amount of fuel through fuel nozzles very sensitively suitable for stoichiometric ratio in proportion to temperature change of the engine and an amount of intake air so that the function of controlling maximum fuel consumption rate of the engine can be enhanced and that exhaust of blow by gas such as hydrocarbon gas (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), etc., can be controlled resulting in optimized performance of the engine.
However, the above described mechanism for obtaining the maximum output of an engine cannot reduce emission of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and this problem is more serious in vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (mixture of propane and butane).
In order to reduce the harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) lower than optimal environmental regulations, an expensive emission control catalyst converter is attached to a proper portion through which exhaust gas is discharged from an engine such that the amount of the nitrogen oxide is controlled to be lower than standard environmental regulations. However, in this case, due to the fine nature of the catalyst, accumulation of the uncombusted hydrocarbon causes blocking, melting and damage of the converter.
In order to reduce discharge of the nitrogen oxide, various types of precombustion chambers such as a encapsulated type, a tube type, and a precombustion chamber to which a cover is fixed and inlet and outlet holes are proposed to promote combustion in combustion chambers and there is an attempt to improve performance and fuel combustion ratio of an engine using lean burn fuel ratio. However, since reduction of the composition of fuel ratio or overheat at the TDC brings misfire and abnormal ignition and consequently new problems such as reduction of output and lowering of performance of a high performance engine arise, the above proposal is not substantially applied to the LPG internal combustion engine.
The above-described problems, in the internal combustion engine using LPG, develope into phenomenon in which metal such as an encapsulated cover of a spark plug of a primary combustion chamber exceeds the heat range of the spark plug due to high heat in a cylinder where the high temperature combustion stroke is carried out and vortex heat source gas or detonation such as pre-ignition occurs in the compression stroke due to overheating in the next stroke caused by other reasons resulting in stopping the engine. Therefore, more reliable improvement is required.
To address this problem, this applicant proposed a spark plug including a main body, a central electrode, a pair of ground electrodes disposed close to a hollow lower end around the central electrode to form an arc shape, a flame exchanging orifice valve surrounding the pair of electrodes at the lower side of the main body to form a primary combustion chamber in which the electrodes are accommodated and to form an ignition hole in Korean Patent No. 0328490. In this patent, the spark plug includes a main ignition hole formed at the central area of the orifice valve and a cap formed with at least two auxiliary ignition holes outside of the main ignition hole and coupled with the lower side of the main body to surround the ground electrodes.
According to the proposal, some of compressed mixture fuel of an internal combustion engine is temporally ignited and burnt at an ignition timing of the engine in advance and a small scale of burning flame occurring from the ignition and burning is discharged into the main combustion chamber to ignite the main combustion chamber so that the combustion performance is maximized and that the combustion performance may be improved through the flame exchanging ignition holes through which the discharging gas passes in comparison with existing spark plugs. However, since excessively small flame is transferred to the combustion chamber, only restricted improvement of ignition performance can be obtained, and thus, a spark plug having precombustion performance by an expandable large volume in response to the purpose of an internal combustion engine and a large cylinder is required. In addition, according to the existing spark plug, the orifice valve is melted by high temperature flame so that lifetime of the spark plug is shortened or misfire may occur. Moreover, the precombustion occurs beyond heat range of the spark plug due to the orifice valve so that misfire occurs and the heat range should be adjusted properly to high performance revolutions of the internal combustion engine.

Spark plug of an internal combustion engine


A connector includes a plurality of contacts each including a first piece having a contact portion, a pressure receiving portion, and a projection inwardly extending from the pressure receiving portion; a second piece having a connection portion and a fulcrum portion; and an elastic portion for connecting the first piece and the fulcrum portion. The contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion are arranged in the form of a crank. A housing is formed with protection walls for preventing its ceiling portion from being raised. The pivoting member is mounted on the housing so that the axis of rotation is moved with its pivotal movement to achieve their compact rotation. With the construction, the connector achieves a miniaturization or reduced overall height, and a stable electrical connection with simple operation and slight operating force without any failed connection even if being subjected to undue external force.

In general, connectors for use in mobile phones, charge coupled device (CCD) cameras and the like are much thinner and having contacts arranged in extremely narrow pitches (so-called lighter and more compact connectors). These connectors each mainly comprise a housing, contacts and a slider to embrace a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable between the housing and the slider. To embrace the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable by the housing and the slider, various methods may be considered, and there have been used constructions in many cases that after a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the housing, the slider is inserted into the housing to press the board or cable against the contacts.
The housing is provided with a required number of inserting holes for inserting the contacts and also a fitting opening for inserting a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, each of the contacts 64 is substantially U-shaped and mainly comprises a contact portion 22 adapted to contact the circuit board or flat cable, a connection portion 24 to be connected to a circuit board or the like, and a fixed portion 42 to be fixed to the housing 62. The contacts 64 are fixed to the housing 62 by press-fitting or the like.
For example, the slider 66 is substantially in the form of a wedge as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. The slider 66 is inserted into the housing 62 after the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the housing 62 with the required number of contact 64 installed. Such a slider 66 mainly comprises a mounting portion 74 to be mounted in the housing 62 and an urging portion 68 for urging the circuit board 40 or flat cable against the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64. The slider 66 is temporarily inserted into the housing 62, prior to the insertion of the circuit board or flat cable. After the insertion of the circuit board or flat cable, the slider 66 is inserted into the housing 62 again so that the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 is positioned in parallel with the circuit board 40 or flat cable to cause the circuit board or flat cable to be urged against the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64.
Other than these, there have been constructions for bringing contacts into contact with a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or the like by the use of a pivoting member or the like as disclosed in the following patent literatures.
"Patent Literature 1"
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290, this invention has an object to provide a connector of lower geometry or miniaturization in height including an actuator to be operated by a slight actuating force and enabling contacts to move large distances to perform reliable connection of the contacts. The actuator includes cam portions and an actuating portion and is formed between the cam portions and the actuating portion with relief grooves into and from which the forward ends of spring portions of the contacts are inserted and removed for the purpose of obtaining a further lower geometry connector. When the actuator is rotated clockwise about its fulcrum point through 90 degrees, the cam portions cause the spring portions and connection spring portions to be elastically deformed, thereby embracing the flexible circuit board between projections of the contact portions of the contacts to achieve electrical connection between patterns of the circuit board and a printed board through terminals of the contacts. A ceiling portion of an insulator or housing covers the contact portions of the contacts, and the lower portion below the ceiling portion on the front side is formed with a guide for inserting the circuit board into the connector. By the way, the claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-270,290 recites that in a connector including contacts, an insulator for holding the contacts, and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, the contacts each consist of a first beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and an actuated portion at the other end adapted to be actuated by the actuator, a second beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and a terminal at the other end to be connected to a printed substrate, and a connecting spring for connecting the first and second beams, and said insulator has a ceiling portion for covering at least the contact portions of the contacts on the fitting side and said ceiling portion formed with a guide for guiding the insertion of the connecting object. Claim 2 recites a connector of the contacts each of which has at least one contact portion having in the proximity of the connecting spring an inclined portion inclining toward the connecting object. Claim 3 recites a connector of the actuator having an actuating portion, cam portions for actuating the actuated portions of the contacts, and relief groves positioned between the actuating portion and the cam portions so that in the state that the connecting object is not connected to the connector, the actuated portions can be inserted into the relief grooves. Claim 4 recites that in a connector including contacts, an insulator holding the contacts and an actuator rotatably mounted on the insulator and causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring them into contact with a connecting object, said contacts each consist of a first beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and an actuated portion at the other end adapted to be actuated by the actuator, a second beam having a contact portion at its one end adapted to contact the connecting object and a terminal at the other end to be connected to a printed substrate, and a connecting spring for connecting the first and second beams, said contact portion of the first beam having a first projection and a second projection extending toward the connecting object and arranged side by side in the inserting direction of the connecting object, and said contact portion of the second beam having a third projection and a fourth projection extending toward the connecting object and arranged side by side in the inserting direction of the connecting object, so that depending upon the third projection being positioned between the first and second projections or the first projection being positioned between the third and fourth projections, the first and second projections or the third and fourth projections come into contact with the connecting object.
"Patent Literature 2"
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-31,561/1999, this invention has an object to provide a connector superior in operationality and capable of reliably connecting flat wires. When a pivoting member provided at an opening on the opposite side of an inserting opening for flat wires is at the starting position of the pivotal movement, the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member do not abut against peripheries of corners of contact elements, and the connector is under the opened condition in which flat wires are freely inserted or removed. By pivotally moving the pivoting member the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member press the peripheries of corners of the contact elements to cause elastic deformation so that the contact portions are forced to connect the flat wires. At the terminal position of the pivotal movement, the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member ride over the apexes of the corners of the contact elements to cause forces in directions to maintain the connection state by elastic restoring force of the contact elements. By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-31,561/1999 recites a connector comprising a housing having an inserting opening for flat wires and an opening on the opposite side thereof, a plurality of contact elements installed in the interior of the housing, and a pivoting member rotatably supported on the housing on the opening side, said pivoting member having press-connecting portions which are not pressed to the contact elements to allow the flat wires to be inserted and removed into and from the inserting opening of the housing at the starting position of the pivoting member, while the press-connecting portions are pressed against the contact elements to cause the contact elements to be elastically deformed so that the contact portions of the contact elements are brought into close contact with the flat wires at the terminal position of the pivoting member. Claim 2 recites a connector of the pivoting member whose press-connecting portions are caused to be pressed against peripheries of corners of the contact elements, and whose press-connecting portions are on one side of a line connecting the center of pivotal movement and apexes of the corners at the starting position of the pivotal movement, on progressing of the pivotal movement the press-connecting portions are moving over the line, and the press-connecting portions are on the other side of the line at the terminal position of the pivotal movement. Claim 3 recites a connector of the pivoting member whose press-connecting portions are pressed against peripheries of the corners on one ends of the contact elements so that the contact portions on the other ends of the contact elements are brought into close contact with the inserted flat wires. Claim 4 recites a connector of contact elements each having a pair of contact portions opposed to each other, and the press-connecting portions of the pivoting member are pressed against the contact elements at the terminal position of the pivoting member so that one of each pair of contact portions is elastically deformed onto the other side to embrace the inserted flat wires by both the contact portions.
"Patent Literature 3"
According to the Abstract of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-307,198/1999, this invention has an object to provide a connector connected to a plurality of terminals and holding a flexible printed circuit board superior in operationality and holding power. The disclosed connector for a printed circuit board includes a housing formed with inserting groove for inserting the flexible printed circuit board, a plurality of contacts provided side by side whose contact portions are arranged to extend and retract relative to the inserting groove, and an actuating member arranged pivotally movably between a connecting and a disconnecting position. The actuating member is provided with a plurality of cams so that when the actuating member is in the connecting position, contacts are urged with their actuated portions by the cams to extend their contact portions into the inserting groove thereby enabling the contact portions to be pressed and connected to terminals of the flexible printed circuit board and holding the circuit board. While when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, some contacts are urged with their actuated portions by the cams to slightly extend their contact portions into the inserting groove so as to abut against the flexible printed circuit board, thereby temporarily holding the circuit board, while the contact portions of the remaining contacts are retracted from the inserting groove. By the way, claim 1 of the Patent Literature 3 recites that in a connector for a printed circuit board, the connector provided with a plurality of contacts arranged side by side for connecting a plurality of terminals of a printed circuit board or the like in the lump, comprises a housing having an inserting groove for inserting the printed circuit board or the like, said contacts arranged to extend and retract relative to said inserting groove, and an actuating member provided movably between a connecting and a disconnecting position, and when the actuating member is in the connecting position, the contacts are urged by the actuating member so as to extend into the inserting groove to press the terminals of the flexible printed circuit board or the like so that the contacts are connected to the terminals and hold the printed circuit board or the like, and when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, the some of the contacts extend slightly into the inserting groove to abut against and temporarily hold the printed circuit board or the like, and the remaining contacts retract relative to the inserting groove. Claim 2 recites a connector for a printed circuit board in that the plurality of the contacts are formed in the same shape and the actuating member is provided with a plurality of cams, and when the actuating member is in the connecting position, the contacts are urged by the cams to extend into the inserting groove, and when the actuating member is in the disconnecting position, the some contacts are urged by the cams to slightly extend into the inserting groove and the remaining contacts are retracted relative to the inserting groove.
"Patent Literature 4 "
Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160 discloses a connector capable of securely urging a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to contact portions of contacts with the aid of a slider without degrading strength of respective members and specifications or customers demands, and capable of being used with high operationality and fully complying with requirements such as narrower pitches of conductors and lower geometry or miniaturization in height. This connector comprises contacts each comprising a contact portion, a connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged in the form of a crank, and a slider comprising urging portions arranged continuously in the longitudinal direction and pivotally mounted on a housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and pressure receiving portions of the contacts. Claim 1 of the Patent Literature 4 recites a connector removably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having an inserting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for urging the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to the contacts, wherein the contacts each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion and located in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the connection portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the slider is provided with urging portions continuously arranged in its longitudinal direction and is mounted on the housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and pressure receiving portions of the contacts. Claim 2 recites a connector removably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having an inserting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for urging the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to the contacts, wherein two kinds of contacts are arranged alternately staggered, the contacts of one kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion in a position opposite to the connection portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending in the opposite direction of the contact portion, and the contact portion, elastic portion, fulcrum portion, and connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and the slider is provided with urging portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and mounted on the housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved in a space between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions and the housing of the contacts of the other kind. Claim 3 recites that when the urging portions of the slider are pivotally moved in the space between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind, the pressure receiving portions are raised by the urging portions so that the elastic portions are tilted about the fulcrum portions toward the contact portions to urge the contact portions against the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 4 recites that the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind or the other kind are each provided with a projection so that the urging portions of the slider are prevented from moving toward the connection portions of the contacts of the one kind. Claim 5 recites that the urging portions of the slider are of an elongated shape. Claim 6 recites that the slider is formed with a required number of anchoring grooves independent from one another, which are adapted to engage the projections of the contacts, respectively. Claim 7 recites the elongated urging portions being in the form of an ellipsoid. Claim 8 recites a connector of contacts each provided with a further contact portion at a location extending from the fulcrum portion and adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 9 recites that the contacts of the other kind are each provided with an extension portion extending from the fulcrum in the opposite direction of the connection portion, and the slider is mounted on the housing so that the urging portions of the slider are pivotally moved in the space between the extension portions and the pressure receiving portions. Claim 10 recites a connector of the contacts of the other kind each provided between the fulcrum portion and the connection portion with a contact portion adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
In recent years, with miniaturization of electrical and electronic appliances, the connectors 60 of this kinds have been strongly required to be more miniaturized, particularly to have a flat geometry or reduced overall height. In the connector 60 of the prior art described above, there are six layers in height as shown in FIG. 12B (that is, the upper and lower walls of the housing 62, the contact portion 22 and the receiving portion 70 of each of the contacts 64, the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 and the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable). In order to reduce the connector's height as much as possible, it is possible to remove the receiving portion 70 of each of the contacts 64 to obtain five layers in height (that is, the upper and lower walls of the housing 62, the contact portion 22 of each of the contacts 64, the urging portion 68 of the slider 66 and the flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable). However, it is impossible to more reduce the height of the connector in consideration of strength of the respective members and specifications or customer's demands. With the connector 60 described above, moreover, the insertion of the circuit board 40 or flat cable, and urging of the contact portions 22 of the contacts 64 against the circuit board 40 or flat cable take place only on the side of the fitting opening of the housing 62, so that as the connector is miniaturized, such operations would become more difficult. In the case that extremely narrow pitches of contacts of the connector 60 are required, moreover, the insertion of contacts into the connector from only one side would prevent or impede the required miniaturization of the connector.
Under such circumstances, the connectors of a so-called "back-lock type" as in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4 have been proposed, wherein the pivoting member is operated on the opposite side of the fitting opening into which a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board is inserted, thereby causing the contacts to be elastically deformed to bring the contact portions of the contacts into contact with the connecting object.
With the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 1, as the cam portions of the actuator are rotated about one point as a fulcrum, the cam portions could not perform a compact rotation, and the connector could not achieve more miniaturization in height and could not prevent the permanent set in fatigue of springs and undue increase in locking force. Moreover, applied torque in the clockwise direction could not be certainly stopped or a location at which application of torque should be ended is not clear.
With the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, the miniaturization in height could not be achieved, and a large operating force to be applied to the actuator is required to obtain a desired contact force between the contacts and board or cable so that reliability of contact would be poor. Moreover, as the actuator is rotated about one point of fulcrum, a compact rotation could not be obtained, and the permanent set in fatigue of springs and undue increase in locking force could not be prevented and applied annular moment or torque could not be certainly stopped.
Similarly to the Patent Literature 1, even with the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature 3, as the pivoting member is rotated about one point of the pivotal axis X, the compact rotation could not be obtained and more miniaturization in height could not be achieved. Moreover, the permanent set in fatigue of the springs and undue increase in locking force could not be prevented, and applied annular moment or torque could not be certainly stopped.
With the construction of the Patent Literature 4 (FIGS. 2 and 6 thereof), as the fitting opening into which the connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or the like is inserted is chamfered, when the connecting object is accidentally subjected to an external force in an upward direction, the housing would be likely to be raised so that the contacts also would be raised to make it impossible to obtain stable contacting force (particularly, in the case of contacts positioned on bottom side), resulting into defective or failed connection. This problem would be particularly acute when a connector is miniaturized, particularly with reduced overall height and accidentally subjected to undue external forces in the case of rotating an actuator or pivoting member on the opposite side of the fitting opening. Concerning this tendency, the same holds true in the connectors disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 3.
In the case of the Patent Literatures 1 to 3, moreover, the contact portions of the contacts provided on the upper side and further the front ends or entire portions of the contacts on the opposite side thereof are held by an insulator or housing, so that the miniaturization in height of the connectors would be limited or impeded.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method and computer program products for estimating data reduction in a file system. A method includes selecting a sample of all data from data files in the file system, wherein said sample represent a subset of all the data in the file system. The method further includes estimating a data reduction ratio by data deduplication for the file system based on said sample. The method further includes estimating a data reduction ratio by data compression for the file system based said sample. The method further includes generating a combined data reduction estimate for the file system based on said data compression estimate and said data deduplication estimate.

The present invention relates generally to data reduction storage systems, and more particularly to data reduction estimation for storage systems.
Storage systems are utilized in information technology environments such as enterprise computing systems. Because information technology system managers are generally interested in increasing data storage efficiency, many modern storage systems provide data reduction for increasing storage efficiency and storage savings. The storage savings generally depend on the nature of data being subjected to data reduction. As such, the potential storage savings offered by data reduction schemes depends on the amount and peculiarities of the data in such storage systems.

Estimating data reduction in storage systems

International Business Machines Corporation


A pair of lens frames 11 being more soft and flexible than a pair of lenses 10 include annular lens holders 15 to hold the lenses 10, gasket skirts 16 extending from rear edges of the lens holders 15 and a bridge 17 to connect the lens holders 15 to each other. The bridge 17 has a gradient in flexibility increasing from a middle zone of the bridge 17 bisecting the length of the bridge 17 toward the respective lens holders 15.

This invention relates to swimming goggles and more particularly to swimming goggles having a bridge means connected between a pair of lens holders opposed to and spaced from each other so as to form a part of lens frames.
Swimming goggles are usually provided with a bridge connected between a pair of lens holders opposed to and spaced from each other so as to form a part of the lens frames. One of the conventional bridges is made from a flexible material in a flat belt-like shape adapted to be freely deformed following an individual wearer and thereby to avoid feeling incompatible feeling as it comes in contact with the wearer""s nose. Another bridge of well known art is previously shaped so as to be curved forward with respect to the face of the goggle wearer. One example of the flat belt-shaped bridge is that of the swimming goggles disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,300 (referred to hereinafter as a first goggles of prior art) and one example of the curving forward bridge is that of the swimming goggles disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,064 (referred to hereinafter as a second goggles of prior art).
FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings is a schematic plan view showing the first goggles of prior art. Referring to FIG. 6, a bridge 1 is formed on its rear surface with a plurality of stopper projections 3a, 3b spaced one from another in a longitudinal direction of the bridge 1. These stopper projections 3a, 3b may be selectively engaged with a pair of connector pieces 6 extending inward from opposite inner side edges of the respective lens holders 4 to connect the bridge 1 to the respective lens holders 4. A distance between the lens holders 4 can be adjusted by changing over positions of each pair of the stopper projections 3a, 3b one from another.
Solid lines on upper part of FIG. 6 shows the bridge 1 as the swimming goggles are properly worn by the swimmer. In this state, the bridge 1 is curved along an upper edge contour of the wearer""s nose and gasket skirts 5 associated with the respective lens holders 4 also are placed closely against peripheral regions (not shown) of the wearer""s eyes.
However, the face is different with respect to its shape as well as its size for each wearer and, depending on the shape of the wearer""s face, there may occur a case in which the left lens holder 4 is displaced to a counterclockwise direction while the right lens holder 4 is displaced to a clockwise direction about the wearer""s nose as viewed in FIG. 6 and the bridge 1 is deformed until it is substantially flattened. In such case, pressure with which the goggles should be tightly pressed against the wearer""s face may be slackened and consequently the tightness with which gasket skirts 5 thereof should be pressed against the wearer""s face in the peripheral regions of the wearer""s eyes, particularly in the vicinity of inner eye corners is reduced. Thus inside of the goggles may often be filled with water flown into from apertures in the peripheral regions of the wearer""s eyes.
Such problem is primarily due to the fact that flexibility of the bridge 1 is uniform over the entire region of the bridge 1 and excessively high.
With the goggles of prior art shown in FIG. 6, the wearer is required to undertake a troublesome adjustment, for instance, to move by sliding the bridge 1 from a position defined by a stopper projection 3a to a position defined by a stopper projection 3b so as to reduce the distance between the opposite lens holders 4 as indicated on a lower part of FIG. 6 by chain lines.
Though not shown, the second goggles of prior art is characterized in that the bridge has a cross-section smaller in its intermediate region extending between the opposite lens holders than in its regions adjacent to the respective lens holder. More specifically, the cross-section of the bridge 1 is gradually enlarged from its intermediate region toward the respective lens holders so that flexibility of the bridge 1 is gradually decreased from the intermediate region toward the respective lens holders.
With the goggles having such bridge configuration, the bridge is deformed more easily in its intermediate region than in the remaining regions and it is difficult for these goggles to ensure a desired self-shape-retention. In other words, the curve of its initial shape is apt to be largely straightened.
Thus, the second goggles of prior art may have the problem similar to the problem accompanying the first goggles of prior art.
It is an object of this invention to solve the problem by a relatively simple means.
According to this invention, there are provided swimming goggles basically comprising a pair of lenses and a pair of lens frames being more soft and flexible than said pair of lenses, the lens frames including annular lens holders to hold the lenses and gasket skirts extending from rear edges of the lens holders, and further comprising a connector member extending between the lens holders to connect the lens holders to each other.
The connector member is provided in a form of a bridge extending between the lens holders and having intermediate regions extending between the lens holders and opposite end regions defined between the intermediate region and respective lens holders wherein the bridge has a flexibility lower in the intermediate region than in the opposite end regions.
In addition to the basic configuration as has been described above, this invention may be implemented in other manners as follow. For example, the bridge has a gradient in flexibility increasing from a middle zone of the bridge bisecting the length of the bridge toward respective lens holders.
In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the gradient in flexibility of the bridge is defined by a cross-sectional shape and/or a cross-sectional area of the bridge.
In still another preferred embodiment of this invention, the bridge is curved in a convexed shape to the front of a goggles wearer""s face.
In further another preferred embodiment of this invention, the bridge is formed integrally with the lens frames using the same flexible material as the material of the lens frames.
In an additional preferred embodiment of this invention, the bridge is formed by a flexible material different from the material for the lens holders and coupled at opposite ends of the bridge to the lens holders.
An alternative embodiment is also possible, in which the lens frames inclusive of the bridge are formed by rubber or plastic elastomer.
Finally, it is also possible to implement this invention in a manner such that each of the lens is formed in a shape of a cup provided on its peripheral walls with at least one rib, on one hand, and each of the lens holders is provided on its inner peripheral wall with a groove so that the rib may be water-tightly engaged with the groove.
It will be obviously understood that the swimming goggles according to this invention are added with a head strap detachably connected to the opposite outer sides of the respective lens frames when the swimming goggles are supplied as the complete swimming goggles which can be practically used by the swimmer.
With the swimming goggles according to this invention, the intermediate region of the bridge less flexible than the remaining region acts to retain stably its initial shape of the curve due to a given self-shape-retaining property during use of the goggles regardless of differences in shape as well as in size of the face of an individual wearer. The opposite end regions of the bridge having relatively high flexibility are appropriately deformed in conformity with a contour of the face of the individual wearer.
It should be noted that there is no possibility that the difference between the lens holders might be enlarged as the opposite end regions of the bridge are deformed in conformity with a shape and a size of the individual wearer""s face.
Therefore, the gasket skirts associated with the respective lens holders can be stably and water-tightly contacted with the regions around the wearer""s eyes.
In this way, it is unnecessary for the swimming goggles according to this invention to include an arrangement such that the bridge is slidably moved and engaged with the lens holders to adjust the distance between the lens holders depending on the size of the individual wearer""s face as the conventional swimming goggles have been the case.