A torque wrench, a torque wrench contains a hollowing extension, a tool head, a torque adjusting mechanism, a controlling member, and a value adjusting device. The tool head connects with a first end of the hollow extension, the torque adjusting mechanism includes a first end coupling with a second end of the hollow extension, the controlling member connects with a second end of the torque adjusting mechanism. The value displaying device couples with the controlling member and includes a housing, a plurality of digital wheels mounted in the housing, a central shaft, and a plurality of driving gears, wherein the central shaft inserts through the plurality of driving gears, each driving gear meshes with one side of a respective one of the plurality of digital wheels so as to drive the respective one of the plurality of digital wheels.

A conventional torque wrench is adjusted to set a desired torque value, and when an operating force is over a set torque value, the torque wrench makes sounds to remind a user. The conventional torque wrench contains a rotatable controlling member for driving a screw rod fixed in an extension of the torque wrench to rotate, and then a sliding block screwed with the screw rod moves to different positions so that a spring is pressed by the sliding block to adjust a torque value.
The torque value is displayed by the following types:
1. A numerical scale is marked on a handle of the torque wrench, but a size of an outer peripheral side of the handle is limited, for example, only some linear scales and larger torque values are marked on the outer peripheral side of the handle, so a precise scale cannot be marked on the handle.
2. The torque wrench is provided with a battery to display the torque value electronically, but the battery has to be replaced after a period of using time.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.


A coatable composition suitable for reducing dust generation during processing of granular materials consists essentially of a tackifier, an organic oil, and an adhesion agent, the tackifier consisting essentially of an organic material having a glass transition temperature of no less than about 120.degree. C. and a diluent present in sufficient amount to give the tackifier a kinematic viscosity ranging from about 3,000 to about 5,000 centistokes at 100.degree. C. The tackifier is preferably present in the composition at about 0.5 to about 2.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, and the adhesion agent is preferably present at about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition, with the balance being organic oil. Granular materials having coatings of the composition (with or without the adhesion agent) are presented, as well as methods of reducing dust generation during processing and/or transport of granular materials and methods of making organic oil-coated granular materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions consisting essentially of an organic oil and a tackifier (which itself includes a diluent), the compositions having an increased propensity to reduce dust generation from granular materials during processing of such materials compared with organic oils used alone.
2. Description of Related Art
Roofing granules, both natural and artificially color-coated, find extremely wide use in roofing and siding materials. Important applications are in granular surfaced bituminous roll roofing and asphalt shingles. The granules, which are partially embedded in one surface of asphalt-impregnated and/or asphalt-coated fiber sheet material, form a coating to provide an inherently weather-resistant, fire-resistant, and decorative exterior surface. "Weather-resistant" as used herein includes ultraviolet (UV) radiation-resistant.
Roofing granules generally consist of crushed and screened inorganic substrate granules. The substrate granules are typically coated with a ceramic coating which may include a pigment. In carrying out these coating methods, the pigment is uniformly applied to the substrate granule surface with a soluble silicate solution. The coating is usually applied in the form of a dispersion of a soluble silicate and a clay which partially or completely react together in the presence of heat to form an insolubilized ceramic coating.
Dust generation during processing and handling of inorganic granules such as roofing granules presents an environmental (air quality) issue that must be dealt with by the manufacturer and the customer, most notably at transfer points when unloading granules from shipping containers, such as trucks and railhoppers and the like, to storage tanks. Airborne particles of substrate and coating (particles range in size from 0.5 to about 30 micrometers) are typically generated during processing and handling.
Various approaches have been taken to reduce dust generation, all having certain disadvantages:
a) dust generated from white roofing granules may be reduced by reducing the amount of borax in the ceramic coating; however, this increases titanium dioxide pigment costs; PA1 b) another alternative to reduce dust generation is to use an organic oil, such as slate oil, coated onto the granules as a post-treatment coating. Increased oil usage however may decrease adhesion of roofing granules to bituminous shingles. Oil can also increase color difference between color of the originally oiled granular material and color after a given period of time. This is an especially important consideration in the manufacture of roofing granules. c) PA1 c) silicone oils and other adhesion agents added to the organic oil may improve adhesion of granules to asphalt-based shingles, as taught in assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,240,760 and 5,286,544; however, the problems associated with use of oil alluded to above remain; PA1 d) magnesium chloride, applied in appropriate amounts, is touted as having the ability to reduce dust generation from inorganic granules during processing of the granules, as disclosed in assignee's copending application serial number 07/909,068, filed Jul. 2, 1992; however, the alkalinity of magnesium chloride-treated granules must be closely scrutinized. PA1 a) an organic oil; PA1 b) an adhesion agent (such as a silicone oil); and PA1 c) a tackifier, the tackifier consisting essentially of an organic material having a glass transition temperature of no less than about 120.degree. C. (more preferably no less than about 150.degree. C.) and a diluent present in sufficient amount to give the tackifier a kinematic viscosity ranging from about 3,000 to about 5,000 centistokes at 100.degree. C. PA1 a) providing a base granule; and PA1 b) coating the base granule with the composition of the invention, preferably to a coating weight ranging from about 0.5 to about 10 grams, more preferably about 2.5 grams to about 4.0 grams of composition per kilogram of base granules. PA1 "Tegosivin HL15M7" is an organosiloxane silicone oil, available from Goldschmidt Chemical, Hopewell, Va.; PA1 "HS-500" is the trade designation for a light-colored naphthenic oil available from Cross Oil & Refining Co. Inc., Smackover, Ark. PA1 tackified "HS-500" is the designation used herein for a composition consisting of an organic material which is the terpolymer of ethene, 1-propene, and 1,4-hexadiene dispersed in "HS-500"; tackified "HS-500" is available from Cross Oil & Refining Co. Inc., Smackover, Ark.; PA1 3M Brand "9300" Series Roofing Granules, white kiln product, available from 3M Industrial Mineral Products Division Pilot Plant, St. Paul, Minn. PA1 1) ceramic-coated white kilned granules prepared as above-described were measured into 500 gram samples; PA1 2) each 500 gram sample was heated in an oven in an air atmosphere to 182.degree. C. and held at that temperature for at least 2 hours; PA1 3) the heated samples were removed from the oven and immediately placed in a mechanical shaker (one gallon paint can shaker), which was then turned on; PA1 4) after 1 minute of shaking, post-treatment oil compositions were added to sample immediately; PA1 5) the treated granules were allowed to shake for a total of exactly 4 minutes; and PA1 6) samples were removed from the shaker, boxed, and allowed to cool overnight.
Given the above, it would be advantageous and an advancement in the art if the level of dust generated during processing and handling of granular materials such as roofing granules could be controlled while avoiding the disadvantages of prior approaches to the problem.

Coating composition, granules coated with same, and method of reducing dust generation

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A cylindrical rack bushing is interposed between a tubular housing and a rack shaft inserted coaxially through the housing, and supports the rack shaft so that the rack shaft is slidable in an axial direction. The rack bushing has an inner periphery on which an inward protruding portion protruding toward an inner side of the rack bushing in a radial direction is formed. The inward protruding portion includes a top portion that is in sliding contact with the rack shaft in a line contact manner or a point contact manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rack bushing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various rack bushings have been proposed which support a rack shaft in a housing so that the rack shaft is slidable in an axial direction (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-126715 (JP 2008-126715 A) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-286164 (JP 2009-286164 A)). In JP 2008-126715 A, the rack shaft is in surface contact with an area of an inner periphery of a cylindrical rack bushing. The area has an axial length approximately one third of the axial length of the rack bushing and includes an axially central portion of the rack bushing. In the rack bushing in JP 2009-286164 A, a recessed portion in which grease is stored is formed in a central portion of an inner periphery of a cylindrical main body in an axial direction. A pair of rack support portions shaped like cylindrical surfaces is provided such that the rack support portions are located at both sides of the recessed portion in the axial direction. The rack support portions are in surface contact with the rack shaft.
In JP 2008-126715 A and JP 2009-286164 A, the rack bushing (main body) is in surface contact with the rack shaft over a large area, resulting in increased sliding resistance of the rack shaft.


A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a plurality of status signals, for a plurality of radio links, at a microwave device; detecting a bandwidth anomaly based on the status signals; and communicating a quality of service (QoS) control signal, which is based on the bandwidth anomaly, to a gateway coupled to at least one of the radio links.

Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communications environments, particularly mobile wireless environments. Data traffic has grown extensively in recent years, which has significantly increased the demands on radio resources. As the subscriber base of end users increases, efficient management of communication resources and quality of service (QoS) becomes even more critical. QoS management allows mobile service providers to control traffic across the radio interface, the transmission network, and the core network: from the heaviest users or applications. However, neither independent carrier Ethernet QoS mechanisms, nor radio access bearer QoS mechanisms are independently sufficient for reliably and consistently enabling a quality end-user experience. As future applications demand increases in bandwidth, reductions in latency, and stricter QoS requirements, current architectures may not be able to accommodate these parameters. Hence, significant challenges remain for managing network resources, particularly in the context of wireless network QoS.

System and method for synchronizing quality of service in a wireless network environment


A cutting apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention includes first and second cutting torches which can be selectively operated, depending upon the nature and thickness of a workpiece which is being cut. The cutting apparatus includes a pivotally moveable torch mounting plate on which each of the first and second torches is mounted, with the mounting plate in turn being rotatably moveable about a vertical main axis of the apparatus. The present apparatus provides significant savings, in that two individual torches, such as an oxy-acetylene gas torch and a plasma torch, and can be mounted on the same mechanism for positioning to produce bevel and vertical cutting in materials having different thicknesses and/or cutting requirements at a significant savings in machine complexity.

The fabrication of structural components such as I-beams, flat stock, channels, and the like typically requires cutting, including beveling, of such structural components with suitable cutting torches. Because such components are frequently extremely heavy, and require careful positioning with respect to cutting devices during processing, various types of carriage devices have been developed, whereby such structural components can be carefully positioned with respect to associated cutting devices. Such arrangements may be configured to precisely position the structural workpiece and/or the cutting device in order to achieve the desired precision in component fabrication. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,256,212, and 5,787,556, both hereby incorporated by reference, disclose arrangements for cutting structural components and like workpieces.
Typically depending upon the thickness of the workpiece, either a plasma torch or an oxy-acetylene torch is used for cutting and/or beveling a workpiece. Ordinarily it is desired to take advantage of the speed at which a plasma torch can cut for plate thicknesses up to approximately a two inch maximum, while an oxy-acetylene (gas) torch is typically employed for its capacity to cut thicker plates, typically up to approximately six inches. The present invention is directed to a cutting apparatus having first and second cutting torches, typically, an oxy-acetylene torch, and a plasma torch. By mounting both of the torches on a single cutting apparatus, positioning mechanisms for positioning the torches and/or the associated workpiece can be commonly used when operating either torch, thereby achieving significant savings in an apparatus suitable for cutting a wide range of different workpieces.


Methods for applying thermal coatings on substrates using a diffusion alloyed metal powder are provided. The powder comprises pre-alloyed iron base powder particles having molybdenum particles diffusion alloyed to the base powder particles.

The present invention concerns thermal spray powders, their production and use. Specifically, the invention concerns coating of aluminum substrates with thermally sprayed metal powders.
Different methods for producing coatings on aluminum substrates are previously known. These methods are used in, e.g., aluminum engine blocks having cylinder liners which are formed by thermal spraying.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,588,422 discloses an aluminum engine block having cylinder liners which are formed by thermal spraying. These liners are built up in two layers on the untreated surface of the engine block, the top layer being a hard slide layer such as steel about 1 mm in thickness and the lower layer being a molybdous interlayer about 50 microns in thickness. The interlayer, containing at least 60% molybdenum, does not constitute a slide layer, but is necessary in order to bind the hard slide layer to the aluminum block. Preferably, the interlayer is made up of pure molybdenum. The slide layer is a layer of hard metal, as for example carbon steel, bronze or stainless steel, in which the steel may be an alloy containing nickel, chromium, vanadium or molybdenum, for example. In principle, this two-layer structure provides a good slide layer, but the cost of the double coating is substantial.
In recent thermal spraying methods, the thermal spray powders are made up by a mixture of powdered steel with powdered molybdenum, such as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,107. The risk of segregation due to differences in properties between the base steel powder and the powder of crushed molybdenum is however a problem which may result in non-uniform coatings. Another disadvantage is that comparatively large amounts of molybdenum are required due to the segregation effect.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive metal powder for thermal coating of substrates, especially for aluminum.
Another object is to provide a powder, which does not segregate and wherein the amount of expensive molybdenum alloying metal can be reduced in comparison with currently used methods.
A further object is to provide a thermal powder, which has high deposition efficiency and gives excellent coating quality.
Another object is to provide a thermal powder giving coatings of suitable porosity and oxide content and wherein the pores are predominantly closed, isolated and have an advantageous range of pore diameters.
These objects are obtained by a metal powder comprising a pre-alloyed iron base powder having particles of molybdenum, such as reduced molybdenum trioxide, diffusion alloyed to the particles of the base powder.

Method of coating substrate with thermal sprayed metal powder


A gas sensor control apparatus 5 is connected to a gas sensor (8) including cells (14, 24) each having a pair of electrodes provided on a solid electrolyte body (13, 23), and includes a sensor drive circuit (52). The gas sensor control apparatus (5) includes an instruction unit for outputting an instruction for setting the sensor drive circuit (52) to a deenergization state so as to stop the supply of electricity to the cells (14, 24) and an instruction for setting the sensor drive circuit (52) to an energization state so as to supply electricity to the cells (14, 24); a setting unit (55) for setting the sensor drive circuit (52) to the deenergization state or the energization state; and a wiring anomaly detection unit (58) for detecting a wiring anomaly of the sensor drive circuit (52) or the gas sensor (8). The gas sensor control apparatus (5) further includes an anomaly final determination unit, operable when a wiring anomaly is detected, for performing return-from-anomaly checking processing so as to cause the instruction unit to output the deenergization instruction and then output the energization instruction.

An oxygen sensor, which detects the concentration of oxygen within exhaust gas, is known as a gas sensor used for improving the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like and/or for performing combustion control for the engine. Further, there has been demanded reduction in the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) within exhaust gas in order to cope with the strengthened exhaust gas regulation for automobiles, and NOx sensors which can directly measure NOx concentration have been developed.
Such a gas sensor includes a gas sensor element having one or more cells each composed of oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer formed of zirconia or the like, and a pair of electrodes formed on the surface of the solid electrolyte layer. The gas sensor is configured to detect the concentration of a specific gas on the basis of the output from the gas sensor element.
One known example of such a gas sensor is a wide-range air-fuel-ratio sensor (hereinafter may be referred to as a "UEGO sensor"), which is configured such that two cells (an oxygen-concentration detection cell and an oxygen pump cell) are disposed with a measurement chamber disposed therebetween, and a gas to be measured (hereinafter referred to as an "object gas") is introduced into the measurement chamber via a diffusion resistor so as to detect oxygen contained in the object gas. Further, another known example of such a gas sensor is an NOx gas sensor which includes three cells in total; i.e., the above-described two cells (an oxygen-concentration detection cell and an oxygen pump cell), and a cell for detecting NOx gas concentration.
A sensor drive circuit is connected to such a gas sensor so as to supply electricity to cells via the sensor drive circuit, and the concentration of a specific gas contained in the object gas is measured on the basis of the output of a cell. A control apparatus, including the sensor drive circuit, is called a "gas sensor control apparatus." Further, there are various states in which electricity is supplied to cells (hereinafter referred to "energization states"), including an energization state for protection which is provided for protecting the gas sensor; a pre-activation energization state in which a minute current is supplied to the gas sensor in an non-activated state; and an energization state for gas concentration measurement which is provided for measurement of the concentration of a specific gas.
Of these energization states, the energization state for protection is established in an operation mode in which the electrical continuity between the cells and the sensor drive circuit is cut off so as to stop the flow of current to the gas sensor, to thereby protect the gas sensor. Further, the pre-activation energization state is established in an operation mode in which a minute current is supplied to the oxygen-concentration detection cell so as to accumulate oxygen of a reference concentration in the reference oxygen chamber of the oxygen-concentration detection cell, to thereby prepare for gas concentration measurement.
Incidentally, the sensor drive circuit or wiring lines (electricity supply lines) of the gas sensor may suffer a wiring anomaly, such as wire breakage or short-circuiting with a battery or the ground. When, irrespective of occurrence of such a wiring anomaly, the energization state for gas concentration measurement is continued so as to measure the concentration of the specific gas, an excessively large current flows through the gas sensor, and the gas sensor may be broken.
In view of the above, there has been developed a technique for cutting off the electrical connection between the sensor drive circuit and the gas sensor upon detection of a wiring anomaly so as to bring the gas sensor into an energization state for protection, and then diagnosing the wiring anomaly so as to determine the details of the anomaly and the location where the anomaly has occurred (see Patent Document 1). This technique prevents an over current from continuously flowing to the gas sensor even after a wiring anomaly has occurred, to thereby prevent breakage of the gas sensor.
Further, when an instruction for switching to the energization state for gas concentration measurement from another energization state is output to the sensor drive circuit without awareness of a wiring anomaly, similarly, an excessively large current flows to the gas sensor, and the gas sensor may be broken.
In view of the above, there has also been developed a technique for permitting the switching to the energization state for gas concentration measurement only when the state immediately before switching is the pre-activation energization state, to thereby allow detection of an anomaly without breaking the gas sensor (see Patent Document 2). If a wiring anomaly occurs in the pre-activation energization state in which a minute current is supplied to the gas sensor, the voltage applied to the gas sensor deviates from a normal range, whereby a wiring anomaly can be detected.

Gas sensor control device and gas sensor control method


A control device may include a control drive and a coupling unit coupled to a drive side of the control drive for performing bidirectional control motions and also be coupled to an output side of the control member to be bidirectionally actuated. The coupling unit may have a drive element on the drive side coupled to the control drive. The coupling unit may have an output element on the output side coupled to the control member and to the drive element via a joint for transferring tensile and compression forces in a longitudinal axis of the output element. The joint may be configured to allow pivot motions between the drive element and the output element about a transverse axis running in the joint transverse to the longitudinal axis. The joint may also be configured to allow linear motions parallel to the transverse axis.

Control devices of this type can be used, for example, for internal combustion engines, in particular in motor vehicles. There, they are used, e.g., for actuating a wastegate of a turbine of an exhaust gas turbocharger or for actuating a variable geometry of an exhaust gas turbocharger. Furthermore, they can also be used for actuating an exhaust gas valve, or an exhaust gas recirculation valve, or a fresh air valve or for any other flap valve arrangement, in particular on the fresh air or exhaust gas side.
Typically, such a control device comprises a control drive and a coupling unit coupled on the drive side to the control drive for performing bidirectional control motions and designed for coupling on the output side to the control member to be actuated bidirectionally. The term "bidirectionally" comprises here linear motions as well as rotational motions, in each case in both directions, in particular to be able to displace the respective control member between two end positions. Advantageously, for this purpose, the coupling device can have a drive element on the drive side which is coupled to the control drive, while on the output side, it has an output element which can be coupled to the control member and which is coupled via a joint to the drive element in order to be able to transfer tensile and compression forces. Through this articulated connection between drive element and output element, tolerance-related position deviations between the linear control motion of the control drive and the linear control motion of the control member can be compensated. For example, such a joint can be designed as a ball joint having a ball head formed on the output element, wherein the ball head is mounted in a ball head bearing formed on the drive element and can be rotated in any desired direction.


To provide, at a low cost, a head lamp for a vehicle having a low-beam lamp and a high-beam lamp, which is high in the utilization factor of light and can irradiate a wide area, the present invention is provided with a head lamp for a vehicle which includes a low-beam light source unit that is a reflective type and a high-beam light source unit that is a projector type and is disposed beneath the low-beam light source unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head lamp for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projector type or reflective type light source units (lamp units) have been used as head lamps for vehicles.
The reflective type light source unit does not include a projector lens, it includes a light source and a reflector, whereby light emitted from the light source is reflected and irradiated to a desired direction by the reflector.
The projector type light source unit includes a projector lens and a shade in addition to a light source and a reflector.
Japanese Patent No. 4563912 discloses a head lamp structure for a vehicle, in which a plurality of low-beam lamps are disposed at upper positions and at least one high-beam lamp is disposed at a lower position, and each of the low-beam lamps and the high-beam lamp is configured as a projector type.
JP-A-2010-225462 discloses a head lamp for a vehicle, in which a first low-beam part is disposed at an upper position and a second low-beam part is disposed at a lower position, each of the first low-beam part and the second low-beam part is configured as a reflective type, and a frame for holding the first low-beam part and the second low-beam part and a frame for holding a high-beam part are integrally provided.
The projector type light source unit has the following problems.
(1) The projector lens and the shade become necessary.
(2) Since the projector lens is expensive, the cost of this light source unit increases together with the effects of (1).
(3) The utilization factor of light reduces due to the optical loss caused by the projector lens.
(4) Although this light source unit is suitable for condensing and distributing light at a distant area as compared with the reflective type light source unit, this light source unit is not suitable for irradiating a wide area.
According to the technique of Japanese Patent No. 4563912, since the plurality of projector type low-beam lamps are provided in addition to that each of the low-beam lamp and the high-beam lamp is configured as the projector type, the problems (1) and (2) become more apparent.

Head lamp for vehicle including plural light source units


A hybrid turbine airfoil component containing a ceramic material, in which detailed features of the component are formed of materials other than ceramic materials, yet result in a robust mechanical attachment of the ceramic and non-ceramic portions of the component. The component includes a first subcomponent formed of a ceramic-based material, and a second subcomponent formed of a metallic material. The first subcomponent has an airfoil portion and a nub, and the second subcomponent is separately formed and attached to the first subcomponent by casting the metallic material around the nub of the first subcomponent. The second subcomponent includes a blade tip shroud portion having at least one off-axis geometric feature that results in the second subcomponent having a more complex geometry than the first subcomponent.

The present invention generally relates to ceramic-based articles and processes for their production. More particularly, this invention is directed to ceramic-based articles produced to include metallic regions that define detailed features, for example, dovetails, shanks, platform features and tip shrouds of gas turbine airfoil components
Higher operating temperatures for gas turbines are continuously sought in order to increase their efficiency. Though significant advances in high temperature capabilities have been achieved through formulation of iron, nickel and cobalt-base superalloys, alternative materials have been investigated. Ceramic materials are a notable example because their high temperature capabilities can significantly reduce cooling air requirements. As used herein, ceramic-based materials encompass homogeneous ceramic materials as well as ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials. CMC materials generally comprise a ceramic fiber reinforcement material embedded in a ceramic matrix material. The reinforcement material may be discontinuous short fibers dispersed in the matrix material or continuous fibers or fiber bundles oriented within the matrix material. The reinforcement material serves as the load-bearing constituent of the CMC in the event of a matrix crack. In turn, the ceramic matrix protects the reinforcement material, maintains the orientation of its fibers, and serves to dissipate loads to the reinforcement material. Silicon-based composites, such as silicon carbide (SiC) as the matrix and/or reinforcement material, are of particular interest to high-temperature applications, for example, high-temperature components of gas turbines including aircraft gas turbine engines and land-based gas turbine engines used in the power-generating industry.
Continuous fiber reinforced ceramic composites (CFCC) are a type of CMC that offers light weight, high strength, and high stiffness for a variety of high temperature load-bearing applications, including shrouds, combustor liners, vanes (nozzles), blades (buckets), and other high-temperature components of gas turbines. A notable example of a CFCC has been developed by the General Electric Company under the name HiPerComp®, and contains continuous silicon carbide fibers in a matrix of silicon carbide and elemental silicon or a silicon alloy. SiC fibers have also been used as a reinforcement material for a variety of other ceramic matrix materials, including titanium carbide (TiC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and alumina (Al2O3).
Examples of CMC materials and particularly SiC/Si—SiC (fiber/matrix) CFCC materials and processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,015,540, 5,330,854, 5,336,350, 5,628,938, 6,024,898, 6,258,737, 6,403,158, and 6,503,441, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0067316. One such process is known as "prepreg" melt-infiltration (MI), which in general terms entails the fabrication of CMCs using multiple prepreg layers, each in the form of a tape-like structure comprising the desired reinforcement material and a precursor of the CMC matrix material, as well as one or more binders and typically carbon or a carbon source. The prepreg must undergo processing (including firing) to convert the precursor to the desired ceramic. Prepregs for CFCC materials frequently comprise a two-dimensional fiber array comprising a single layer of unidirectionally-aligned tows impregnated with a matrix precursor to create a generally two-dimensional laminate.
For purposes of discussion, a low pressure turbine (LPT) blade 10 of a gas turbine engine is represented in FIG. 1. The blade 10 is an example of a component that can be produced from a ceramic-based material, including CMC materials. The blade 10 is generally represented as being of a known type and adapted for mounting to a disk or rotor (not shown) within the turbine section of an aircraft gas turbine engine. For this reason, the blade 10 is represented as including a dovetail 12 for anchoring the blade 10 to a turbine disk by interlocking with a complementary dovetail slot formed in the circumference of the disk. As represented in FIG. 1, the interlocking features comprise protrusions referred to as tangs 14 that engage recesses defined by the dovetail slot. The blade 10 is further shown as having a platform 16 that separates an airfoil 18 from a shank 20 on which the dovetail 12 is defined. The blade 10 may be further equipped with a blade tip shroud (not shown) which, in combination with tip shrouds of adjacent blades within the same stage, defines a band around the blades that is capable of reducing blade vibrations and improving airflow characteristics. By incorporating a seal tooth, blade tip shrouds are further capable of increasing the efficiency of the turbine by reducing combustion gas leakage between the blade tips and a shroud surrounding the blade tips.
Because they are directly subjected to hot combustion gases during operation of the engine, the airfoil 18, platform 16 and tip shroud have very demanding material requirements. The platform 16 and blade tip shroud (if present) are further critical regions of a turbine blade in that they create the inner and outer flowpath surfaces for the hot gas path within the turbine section. In addition, the platform 16 creates a seal to prevent mixing of the hot combustion gases with lower temperature gases to which the shank 20, its dovetail 12 and the turbine disk are exposed, and the blade tip shroud is subjected to creep due to high strain loads and wear interactions between its seal tooth (if present) and the shroud surrounding the blade tips. The dovetail 12 is also a critical region in that it is subjected to wear and high loads resulting from its engagement with a dovetail slot and the high centrifugal loading generated by the blade 10.
Current state-of-the-art approaches for fabricating ceramic-based turbine blades have involved integrating the platform 16, dovetail 12, airfoil 18 and tip shroud (if present) as one piece during the manufacturing process, much like conventional investment casting techniques currently used to make metallic blades. However, the platform 16, dovetail 12, tangs 14 and tip shroud represent detailed geometric features of the blade 10 that pose substantial challenges to designing, manufacturing and integrating CMC components into an affordable, producible design for turbine applications. For example, the process of integrating a platform 16 and tip shroud with the airfoil 18 using CMC materials creates complexities in the design and manufacturing process, and can result in a process that can be too expensive to be economically practical. Furthermore, the platform 16, dovetail 12 and its tangs 14 have interface/support functions that can require structural interface capabilities that can be difficult to achieve with CMC materials. In addition, the low strain-to-failure capabilities of typical CMC materials and the possibility of undesirable wear interactions between tip shroud seal teeth and conventional shrouding materials pose additional challenges to implementing CMC materials in shrouded blade designs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Turbine airfoil components containing ceramic-based materials and processes therefor


A pixel circuit and a display device are provided. The pixel circuit includes: a data writing circuit, a storage capacitor circuit, a driving circuit, a light-emitting duration control circuit, and a light-emitting device, where the data writing circuit is configured to, in response to a gate driving signal, write a display data voltage on a display data line to a control end of the driving circuit; a first end of the storage capacitor circuit is electrically connected to a control end of the driving circuit; the light-emitting duration control circuit is configured to, in response to a duration data voltage provided by a duration data line, turn on or turn off an electrical connection between the second end of the driving circuit and the light-emitting device, to control a light-emitting duration of the light-emitting device.

An Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) micro display is at the intersection of a microelectronic technology and an optoelectronic technology, combines an OLED technology and a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, which is a cross-integration of the optoelectronic industry and the microelectronic industry, promotes the development of a new generation of micro display, and promotes the research and development of organic electrons on silicon, even molecular electrons on silicon.
In the related silicon-based OLED display device, when the Pixels Per Inch (PPI) is high, the pixel driving circuit generally adopts a voltage driving mode, however, when the display device is in a high-brightness mode, a low-gray-scale display cannot be realized.


Aspects of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for generating routing information. The method includes one or more processors acquiring a current location for each of a plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors identifying a range that corresponds to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors determining a target location at which at least two of the plurality of mobile computing devices can be in proximity. The determined target location is based on the acquired current location of each of the plurality of mobile computing devices and the identified ranges that correspond to each of the plurality of mobile computing devices. The method further includes one or more processors generating routing information corresponding to the at least two of the mobile computing devices and the determined target location.

The present invention relates generally to the field of providing routing information to mobile wireless devices, and more particularly to providing routing information to multiple mobile wireless devices to rout those wireless devices to a point of intersection.
Global positioning system (GPS) navigation systems can utilize GPS navigation devices, which calculates geographical location by receiving information from GPS satellites. In current implementations, GPS navigation devices and receivers can be present in automobile and smartphones. GPS devices have capabilities that include: providing maps, turn-by-turn navigation, providing directions directly to a vehicle, traffic congestion maps, and information on nearby objects. GPS navigation devices are widely utilized to provide routing information to mobile devices. For example, a driver in a vehicle may use a routing application (e.g., that utilizes GPS navigation) on a mobile telephone to route the driver to a specified destination.

Generating routing information for a target location

International Business Machines Corporation


An acceleration sensor for detecting a horizontal acceleration on the basis of a displacement of the mass bodies is arranged to have a plurality of mass bodies disposed closely to each other. A partition wall is disposed between these mass bodies so that the displacement of the mass bodies in the direction toward the partition wall can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acceleration sensor capable of being preferably employed in a webbing retractor for a seat belt adapted to sense the occurrence of an emergency on the basis of the magnitude of acceleration in the horizontal direction and thus to ensure that the occupant restraint webbing is prevented from being drawn out.
2. Related Art
Hitherto, there is known an acceleration sensor of the type described above arranged in such a manner that when a horizontal acceleration with a force exceeding a predetermined magnitude acts, a spherical mass body rises vertically along the inclined slope of a cone and pushes a movable pawl. As a result, the thus-moved pawl prevents rotation of a locking wheel of the webbing retractor so that the webbing is instantaneously prevented from being drawn out from the webbing retractor.
However, in the above-described type of acceleration sensor, the mass body thereof can resonate to the vibration of the vehicle when the vehicle runs over a rough road. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, a ball 100 can move relative to a vertical axis 104 which passes the center line of the inclined slope 102, causing the ball 100 to be moved even though there is no emergency, and thus locking the webbing for an excessively long time.
This problem is also encountered with other types of acceleration sensors such as tipping type acceleration sensors and swing type acceleration sensors.

Acceleration sensor for a retractable seat belt


An apparatus for measuring a backlash in a specimen gear is provided. The apparatus includes a test gear mounted on a forward portion of a spindle, the test gear is configured to mesh with the specimen gear and form an electrical circuit upon contact with the specimen gear. An encoder is rotatably connected to the spindle and configured to output a rotation angle of the spindle. An interrupt unit is configured to detect an opening and closing of the electrical circuit and generate one or more interrupt signals based on the opening and the closing of the electrical circuit. A measuring unit is operatively coupled to the encoder and the interrupt unit, the measuring unit is configured to start measurement, and stop measurement of backlash based on the interrupt signal.

Backlash is a linear distance between two gears in mesh and is measured perpendicular to a gear tooth at a pitch diameter of one of the meshed gears. Measurement systems for measuring backlash may be constructed for use in open spaces and where it is not difficult to plant testing equipment in such open spaces. However, in some situations, measuring backlash in a gear may be difficult when the gear is located in closed or confined spaces, such as a ring gear disposed within a housing of an engine. Further, conventional measurement systems constructed for use in such applications may be bulky, cumbersome, and difficult to handle while taking measurements of backlash accurately.
JP Published Application 2006-317310 relates to an inspecting apparatus equipped with a driving mechanism for rotating a crankshaft, and an engagement adjusting mechanism for adjusting the engagement state of the crank gear and a balancer gear. The engagement adjusting mechanism adjusts them alternatively in directions being a driven direction in which rotation is performed by the crank gear, and its reverse-driven direction. The inspecting apparatus further comprises rotation angle detecting means which detect rotation angles of shafts respectively, and a thrust displacement measuring means which detects a movement of a balancer shaft in the axial direction. The engagement state of the crank gear and the balancer gear is adjusted during a period of prescribed rotation number in the driven direction, and then the direction is changed into the reverse-driven direction, and a backlash between the crank gear and the balancer gear is calculated based on displacement values measured by respective rotational angle detecting means and the thrust displacement measuring means.

Apparatus for measuring backlash in specimen gear


The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a sealant coupling the first substrate and the second substrate and enclosing the liquid crystal layer; a display signal line arranged on the first substrate and including an end portion; and a first spacer disposed between the end portion of the display signal line and the sealant. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules exhibiting a pretilt alignment with respect to the first and second substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relates to a liquid crystal display.
2. Discussion of the Background
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are now widely used as one type of flat panel display. An LCD has two display panels on which field-generating electrodes such as pixel is electrodes and a common electrode are arranged, and a liquid crystal layer is interposed between the panels. In an LCD, voltages are applied to the field-generating electrodes to generate an electric field through the liquid crystal layer, and the magnitude of an alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules of the liquid crystal layer is determined by the electric field strength. Accordingly, the polarization of incident light is controlled via the interaction of the polarized light with the aligned liquid crystal molecules, thereby performing image display.
A vertical alignment (VA) mode LCD aligns the major axes of the liquid crystal molecules perpendicular to the plane of the display panel in the absence of an applied electric field. In a VA mode LCD, a wide viewing angle may be realized by forming cutouts such as minute slits in the field-generating electrodes and by forming protrusions on the field-generating electrodes. Since the electric field established by conductive surfaces with such cutouts and protrusions determines the tilt directions of the liquid crystal molecules, the tilt directions may be spatially distributed into various directions by using various patterns of the cutouts or protrusions such that the reference viewing angle may be enhanced.
In the manufacturing process of an LCD, thin film patterns of a multi-layered structure may be applied on a mother substrate through deposition or photolithographic processes, and a plurality of substrates, i.e., a plurality of cells, may be formed by cutting the mother substrate into unit cells to manufacture the display devices. When voltage is applied to the field-generating electrodes of the individual unit cells in the initial alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, ultraviolet light may be used to irradiate the unit cell to produce alignment of the liquid crystal molecules, which typically requires a lot of time and equipment and causes low LCD production yields.
Also, if the initial alignment of the liquid crystal is not well established, the is response speed of the liquid crystal is decreased and the uniformity quality of the liquid crystal display may be deteriorated.


A method is provided to prevent continued unauthorized use of protected software and to maintain control of sites where software is installed. The method allows unauthorized copies of the protected software to be installed and to operate for a limited time. However, if the user does not register the software within a prescribed period of time, the protected software will be disabled. Prior to disabling, the software will operate for a period of time during which messages are provided to the user, warning that the software should be registered. Both a counter for counting the number of times that the protected software is used, and a timer for measuring the elapsed time since installation of the software, are used in determining how long the protected software will be permitted to operate before either registration or disabling.

Unauthorized use of proprietary computer programs is widespread. Since development costs of most software are substantial, it is necessary for developers of such software to set licensing fees for the use of such software at a sufficient level to recover such costs and to provide a profit to the developers. Such pricing provides an incentive for some users to attempt to obtain programs at lower costs by unauthorized copying or by using on several sites software which has been licensed for only one site.
Various methods have been employed for preventing the use of programs by persons who have obtained them in an unauthorized manner. Such methods include the use of a hardware "key" which must be used with the program, the encryption of programs, and the use of "trap" conditions.

System with software usage timer and counter for allowing limited use but preventing continued unauthorized use of protected software


A decorative device enabling ornaments to sway back and forth inside a crystal ball amidst fluttering, shiny disc snowflakes, which uses a device structured from a motor mechanism, a gear mechanism, a rocking mechanism and a crystal ball so that when a motor drives and rotates transmission gears of the gear mechanism, apart from using mutually repelling of two double-sided magnets to drive and rotate a magnet impeller wheel, and thereby cause whirling of water and fluttering of shiny disc snowflakes within the crystal ball, moreover, rotating of a main transmission shaft causes rotating of rocking horse swaying back and forth.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a design of a snowflakes crystal ball, and more particularly to a multifunctional design of a snowflakes crystal ball enabling ornaments to sway back and forth inside a crystal ball amidst fluttering, striking shiny disc snowflakes.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Liquid flowing inside a conventional snowflake crystal ball causes the fluttering of shiny discs, thereby forming the striking appearance of fluttering snowflakes. However, toy figurines or ornaments disposed interior of the crystal ball are not provided with functionality to sway back and forth, and thus the crystal ball is merely provided with the function to produce the impression of striking snowflakes. Hence, there is a need for improvement on prior art.

Decorative device enabling ornaments to sway back and forth inside a crystal ball amidst fluttering, shiny disc snowflakes


A modular metering system comprises a data processing module, a current module and a voltage module. The current and voltage modules include sensor memories characterizing the respective current and voltage sensors facilitating assembly and repair of the metering system.

The present invention relates to a metering system and, more particularly, to a modular system for measuring electricity consumption by a plurality of loads.
Electric power is typically generated at a remote, central generating facility and transmitted to the consumer over a distribution grid. To reduce transportation losses, a step-up, sub-transmission transformer is used to increase the voltage and reduce the current for transmission over the transmission lines of the distribution grid. The actual transmission line voltage usually depends on the distance between the sub-transmission transformers and the consumers of the electricity but is commonly in the range of 2-35 kilo-volts ("kV"). Distribution substation transformers and distribution transformers of a utility's secondary power distribution system reduce the voltage from the transmission line level to a distribution voltage for delivery and use by industrial, commercial, and residential consumers. In the United States, for example, electric power is typically delivered to a facility as a 60 Hertz (Hz), alternating current (AC) voltage ranging from 120-660 volts ("V"), depending upon the use.
While the total power consumption of a building or other facility is monitored by the electric utility with a power meter located between the distribution transformer and the facility's power distribution panel, in many circumstances, particularly in business environments, it is desirable to monitor the power consumption of individual loads or groups of loads, such as motors, lighting, heating units, cooling units, machinery, etc. or to sub-meter or attribute the facility's power usage and cost to different occupancies, buildings, departments, or cost centers within the facility. These loads are typically connected to one or more of the branch circuits that extend from the power distribution panel and each may be supplied with single phase or multi-phase power. In addition, it is often desirable to monitor several parameters related to efficient electric power distribution and consumption, such as active power, the time rate of transferring or transforming energy; the apparent power, the product of the root mean square (RMS) voltage and current; and the reactive power, the product of the RMS voltage and the quadrature component of the current. Flexibility has favored adoption of digital power meters incorporating data processing systems that can monitor a plurality of circuits and calculate the desired output parameters.
As generated, the fundamental AC voltage and current of the U.S. power grid approximate in-phase, 60 Hertz ("Hz") sine waves over time. The effective or true power of the analog sinusoidal voltage and current waveforms is the integral of the product of the instantaneous magnitudes of the voltage and current averaged over a time period, usually a cycle of the waveform:
                    P        =                              1            T                                                        ∫              0              T                                                  (                                                v                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                                i                                                        (                    t                    )                                                                                ⅆ                  t                                                                                (        1        )
where: P=effective or true power (watts)                v(t)=instantaneous voltage at time t        i(t)=instantaneous current at time t        T=time period, typically a waveform cycle period
Referring to FIG. 1, in a digital power meter 20 the effective power is typically approximated by averaging the sum of a plurality of products of the instantaneous amplitudes of the voltage and current that are obtained by sampling the voltage and current waveforms at periodic intervals for a period making up at least one cycle of a waveform:
                    P        ≅                              1            T                                                        ∑                              k                =                1                                            k                =                                  T                                      Δ                                                                                t                                                                                v                                                  (                  k                  )                                                                          i                                                  (                  k                  )                                                          Δ                                                                                t                                                          (        2        )
where: P=effective power                v(k)=sample voltage for the k-th sample, for example voltage 24        i(k)=sample current for the k-th sample, for example current 26        Δt=sampling intervalA digital power meter 20 comprises, generally, at least one voltage transducer 22, at least one current transducer 28, voltage and current sampling units 30, 32 and a data processing unit 34 to control the sampling units, read the instantaneous magnitudes of the voltage and current, and calculate the power and other output parameters from a plurality of voltage and current sample values.
The voltage transducer 22 is commonly a voltage divider network that is connected to the conductor in which the voltage will be measured. The exemplary power meter 20 includes three voltage transducers 22, 24, 26 each connected to a bus bar 36, 38, 40 in a power distribution panel 42. Each of the bus bars conducts a single phase of the three-phase power delivered to the power distribution panel from the supply 44, typically the distribution transformer supplying the facility. The power distribution panel provides a convenient location for connecting the voltage transducers because the voltage and phase is the same for all loads attached to a bus bar and interconnection of the transducer and the facility's wiring is facilitated by the wiring connections in the power distribution panel. However, the voltage transducer(s) can be interconnected anywhere in the wiring connecting the supply and the load, including connection at the terminals of a load, for example, terminals 46, 48, 50 of the exemplary 3-phase load 52 or the terminal of the single-phase load 54.
A current transducer 28 typically comprises a resistor network 56 and an associated current transformer 58 that, when installed, encircles the conductor in which current flow is to be measured. A current transformer comprises a secondary winding 60, typically, comprising multiple turns of conductive wire wrapped around the cross-section of a toroidal core 62. The conductor of the current to be measured is passed through the aperture in the center of the toroidal core and constitutes the primary winding of the transformer. The primary winding has N1 turns (typically, N1=1) and the secondary winding has N2 turns and, thus, the current transformer has a turns ratio (n) of N1/N2. Current flowing in the primary winding (primary current) induces a secondary voltage and current in the secondary winding which is connected to the resistor network. The magnitude of the primary current can be determined from the amplitude of the voltage at the output of the resistor network.
To measure the power consumed by a load, a current transformer is installed encircling each conductor conducting power to the load. For example, three current transformers are arranged to encircle three conductors 64, 66, 68 connecting the exemplary 3-phase load 52 to the supply 44 and a single current transformer 70 encircles a single conductor 72 connecting the exemplary single-phase load 54 to the supply. (Neutral conductors are not illustrated). Bowman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,937,003 B2, discloses a power monitoring system that includes a plurality of current transducers mounted on a common support that maintains a fixed spatial relationship between the current transformers and simplifies installation adjacent to the rows of circuit breakers 16 in the typical power distribution panel. Similarly current transformers 58, 74, 76 of the exemplary power meter system 20 and the associated resistor networks are mounted on a single support structure 78 and connected to the power meter by a ribbon cable 80. On the other hand, the current transducers, for example current transducer 70, may be individual units connected to the power meter by individual wires. A current transformer may have a single piece core or a split core to facilitate encirclement of connected wiring with the toroidal core of the transducer. The current transformer 70 is an example of a split core transformer that is commonly installed proximate a pre-wired load or in a pre-wired power distribution panel.
The digital power metering system includes pluralities of voltage and current transducers and multiplexers 82, 84 sequentially connect respective transducers to respective voltage and current sampling units 30, 32. The sampling units 30, 32 each comprise a sample and hold circuit that periodically holds the output voltage of the respective transducer constant and a quantizer that converts the analog output voltage of the transducer to a digital signal. In the sampling units, time, the independent variable of the sinusoidal waveform equation, is converted from a continuum to a plurality of discrete moments and the concurrent magnitudes of the voltage or current transducer signals are converted to discrete, binary values of finite precision. A clock 86, which may be included in the data processing unit 34, provides a time reference enabling the data processing unit to output at least one sampling signal 88 to trigger the sampling of the voltage and current by the respective sampling units 30, 32.
The outputs of the sampling units are read by the data processing unit 34 which, in a typical digital power meter, comprises at least one microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP). The data processing unit reads and stores the digital values quantifying the magnitudes of the current and voltage samples and uses the values to calculate the current, voltage, power, and other electrical parameters that are output to a display 90 for immediate viewing or to a communications interface 92 enabling transmission to another data processing system, such as a building management computer, for remote display or further processing, for example formulating instructions to automated building equipment. The digital power meter also includes a memory 94 in which operating instructions for the data processing unit, current and voltage samples, and calculated output are stored.
In addition, accurate measurement of electric power requires compensation for error introduced by the transducers of the power meter. For example, the secondary current of a current transformer is ideally equal to the current in the conductor (the primary winding) divided by the number of turns in the secondary winding. However, magnetization of the core of the transformer produces ratio and phase errors which depend on the magnitude of the current being measured and the configuration of the particular transformer, including factors such as core material and turns ratio. Typically, error compensation factors are ascertained by experimentation with sample transformers of each production batch. Error compensation factors for correcting the calculated output of the meter are also stored in the memory 94 for use by the data processing unit 34.
While initial installation of the digital power meter 20 is simplified by the available choices of current transformers and the simple connections of the voltage and current transducers to the power meter, the power meter's integration makes field repairs, modifications and updating problematic. The power meter is tested and calibrated with a specific set of current and voltage transducers and modification of a meter or replacement of a failed transducer requires recalibration of the power meter. A field repairperson typically does not have the equipment necessary to recalibrate the power meter and store new error correction data or a revised transducer configuration in the power meter's memory. As a result, it may be necessary to install a new calibrated meter or accept inaccurate readings from a meter that has been altered by repair.
What is desired, therefore, is a power meter providing flexible construction, simplified installation and improved serviceability.


An information processing apparatus for receiving a recording medium that stores image data and data setting conditions for an operation relating to the image data, and that includes an erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism, includes an image recording device for rewriting or erasing image data recorded in the recording medium, a setting device for setting conditions for an operation relating to the image data recorded in the recording medium, a detector for detecting a state of the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism, and a controller for performing control of the apparatus so that, when the detector detects that the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism is in an erroneous-erasure prevention state, an operation of the image recording device is prohibited, and an operation of the setting device is permitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that accesses data stored in a recording medium that includes erroneous-erasure prevention means, and a method for controlling recording in the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Memory cards having a mechanical write-prevention mechanism, such as an erroneous-erasure prevention pawl or the like, are well known. In such a memory card, which may include a flexible disk or a cassette tape, when an erroneous-erasure prevention pawl is set at a write-prevention position, erasure of data stored in the memory card and writing of new data into the memory card are prohibited.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a memory card 100 including an erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102, and illustrates the memory card 100 in a state in which erroneous-erasure prevention is released. FIG. 7 illustrates the memory card 100 in a state in which erroneous erasure is prevented. When the erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102 is slid to the position shown in FIG. 6, the erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102 is set in an erroneous-erasure prevention release position and the memory card 100 is set in an erroneous-erasure prevention release state; when the erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102 is slid in the direction of an arrow WP (Write Prevention) as shown in FIG. 7, the erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102 is set in the erroneous-erasure prevention position and the memory card 100 is set in an erroneous-erasure prevention state.
If a memory card including a mechanical erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism such as the erroneous-erasure prevention pawl 102 is used in a digital camera or a digital camcorder, the following drawbacks may arise.
Initially, some digital cameras and digital camcorders for recording images in a memory card form a file for designating printing operation information for a stored image (DPOF (Digital Print Order Format)). Although a detailed description will be omitted herein, a DPOF file describes, for example, the number of prints of each image to be printed. For example, when asking a print-service shop to perform printing, the printer system reads a DPOF file within a card, and automatically prints the designated number of copies of each designated image. A personal printer can also perform similar automatic printing if it has the function of discriminating a DPOF file.
When presenting a memory card to a print-service shop, in order to prevent rewriting or erasure of images stored in the memory card, a user may set the memory card to a state for prohibiting writing, and release designation of printing operation information that has been set, after printing. For that purpose, it is necessary to temporarily release the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism immediately before printing. However, it is problematic to release the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism solely for the purpose of changing designation of printing operation information.
In some cases, the user inadvertently may perform an operation of writing or erasing an image as a result of forgetting that the erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism remains in the released state, and become aware of the state of prevention of erroneous erasure only after receiving an error message.
In another case, the user may forget to change the designated printing operation information after performing a printing operation, and undesirably again print an image when the user subsequently inserts the memory card into a printer the next time. This results in great waste.
In order to overcome drawbacks, a configuration has been proposed in which a release mechanism which automatically releases an erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism of a memory card is provided in a printer. However, in a printer that allows insertion of a plurality of different types of memory cards having different mechanical shapes, it is necessary to adapt such a release mechanism to a plurality of types of erroneous-erasure prevention mechanisms. Hence, this approach may be onerous or impractical.
A configuration also may be considered in which, rather than providing a mechanical erroneous-erasure prevention mechanism, a change of writing is prohibited for each file, as in a filing system of a computer. In this approach, however, it is impossible to determine whether or not rewriting or erasure of a recorded image is prohibited by observing an external appearance of the memory card. In addition, it is necessary to connect the memory card to a particular apparatus when setting it in a protection state or releasing it from such a setting. This is also problematic.

Information processing apparatus and recording control method including erroneous-erasure prevention feature


A weighing device is provided that suppresses air convection currents generated in a weighing chamber in the opening/closing of a door of the chamber with a relatively simple configuration. A weighing space is partitioned into two spaces with a partition plate to form a lower small-capacity weighing chamber, which enables to settle down the convection in a short time if convection is generated in the chamber. Suspended walls adjacent to the doors are attached to the partition plate edge sides along the door opening/closing directions. Even when a door is opened, warm air stagnant in the upper space in the chamber is restricted or blocked to flow out to the outside by the suspended walls, which generates no convection or slight convection, which settles down in a short time, without adverse effect on a weighing operation. The upper space may be utilized for another purpose such as a neutralization chamber.

It has been known that vibration, wind pressure, temperature, humidity, static electricity, atmospheric pressure, magnetism, gravitational acceleration, and the like whose effects are mostly ignored in the case where relatively large mass is measured, have an effect on a measurement value as error factors (disturbances) causing measurement errors at the time of measurement of mass, particularly minute mass measurement. In particular, in a device which is capable of minute amount measurements, such as an electromagnetic equilibrium system weighing device (commonly called "analytical balance") which is capable of weighing 0.1 mg (a weight of approximately 1/10,000 of a weight of a 1-yen coin) or less as a minimum indication, the above-described disturbances are unignorable gross error factors in measurement, and it is necessary to exclude the error factors in calculation of a measurement value by some means.
Here, with respect to the atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and gravitational acceleration among the above-described error factors, changes therein are generated in accordance with motion of heavenly bodies and weather changes, and those changes are relatively gradual, and effects thereof on volume balance, weight balance, and the like are dominant. Therefore, the effects on the performance of the weighing device due to these changes appear as zero-point drifting over a long time. Accordingly, this problem can be solved by a zero-point operation before weighing except for cases of continuous measurement of a same sample for a long time.
On the other hand, for the error factors of vibration, static electricity, and magnetism, methods for actively eliminating or removing the factors have been established, such as providing a vibration removal, vibration isolation, or neutralization mechanism, distancing the source of magnetism, and carrying out magnetic shielding. In addition to eliminating the factors by physical means as such, a program for correcting measurements in response to disturbance factors has also been established.
In contrast to the foregoing error factors, wind pressure and air flow are sudden and often have an effect as an abrupt change in a weighing device capable of minute mass measurement, and thus a correction processing by a program for elimination of measurement errors is virtually impossible. Therefore, there have been proposed various windproof mechanisms for minimizing the effect of wind pressure and air flow on a weighing mechanism section for measuring the mass.
Air fluctuation as error factors in mass measurement, it ranges from a level at which it is possible for a person to sense the air as wind, up to air flow at a slight fluctuation level at which it is practically impossible to sense. Among those, in particular, air flow is unstable, and sustained for a long time in many cases as compared with wind pressure. However, it is possible to cope with air flow outside of a weighing device, for example, flow of heating and cooling air by an air conditioner, flow of discharge air from an air purification system, and the like by means of stopping these devices or distancing the weighing device from these devices, and the like to a certain extent.
On the other hand, in the weighing device itself as shown in FIG. 3A, air (hereinafter called "warm air") A1 warmed by this electronic substrate and the like rises up to the upper part of the weighing chamber in a weighing chamber 50 by heat generated from an internal electronic substrate and the like, and a stagnant layer A1′ of the warm air A1 is formed sequentially from the upper part toward the lower part of the weighing chamber 50. Further, in this transient state, the air is cooled down by relatively low-temperature air around the weighing chamber, to generate downdraft. The temperature distribution of the air in the weighing chamber 50 is gradually uniformed due to an increase in capacity of the stagnant layer A1′, and therefore, according to this, convection inside the weighing chamber is reduced.
In this way, even in a state in which air flow inside the weighing chamber is stable, which does not have an effect on a measurement value of a sample, relatively intense convection may be generated inside the weighing chamber as described below when the door of the weighing chamber is opened.
When a temperature of the weighing chamber 50 is raised compared to the outside of the device, even if its temperature difference is extremely slight, relatively large convection is generated when the weighing chamber is opened and closed. That is, in the case where a door 50A of the weighing chamber 50 of FIG. 3A is opened to place a sample on a weighing dish 51, even in a case where a temperature inside the weighing chamber 50 is slightly higher than the outside of the weighing chamber 50, as shown in FIG. 3B, the air in the stagnant layer A1′ which has been stagnant in the upper part of the weighing chamber 50 flows out as air A2 along the outerwall of the weighing chamber 50, and air A3 flows into the weighing chamber 50 from the outside of the weighing chamber so as to correspond to the outflow of the air A2. As a result of this, imperceptible convection different from that when the weighing chamber 50 is hermetically closed is generated in the weighing chamber 50, which may lower the reliability of a weighed value of a sample, or may make measurement itself impossible.
Incidentally, it has been confirmed that a weighing error by this air flow (convection) reaches several tens of milligrams at a maximum. This value becomes several tens of dig in a weighing device of 0.1 mg as a minimum indication, which corresponds to 1,000 dig in a weighing device of 1 μg, that is a major cause of measurement error.
In addition, the illustrated case shows a state in the case where the door 50A on the right side toward the front of the weighing chamber 50 is opened. Meanwhile, another door 50B as well is generally formed at a position facing the door 50A in the weighing chamber 50, and in this case, the above-described situation is caused when the door 50B is opened, as a matter of course.
As described above, because it is extremely difficult to process by a program the effects of weighing errors caused in a short time by air fluctuation, in particular, air flow (convection), a variety of windproof mechanisms which physically reduce the effect of air flow on the weighing mechanisms are proposed centering on persons who provide devices for minute amount measurements such as an electronic balance. However, all mechanisms have both merits and demerits.
Patent documents in which windproof structures are proposed are shown below.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. S62-184436    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 2822671

Weighing device having a weighing chamber


Some embodiments include an electrochemical sensor. The electrochemical sensor has a lid element comprising a substrate, multiple electrodes, multiple interior contacts electrically coupled to the multiple electrodes, a base element configured to be coupled to the lid element, and an electrolyte element. The base element includes a sensor cavity, multiple exterior contacts located at an exterior surface of the base element, and multiple signal communication channels comprising multiple signal communication lines, and the electrolyte element is located in the sensor cavity. When the lid element is coupled to the base element, the multiple electrodes are located in the sensor cavity, the multiple electrodes are in electrolytic communication with the electrolyte element, the multiple interior contacts are located in the sensor cavity, and the multiple interior contacts are electrically coupled to the multiple exterior contacts by the multiple signal communication lines. Other embodiments of related sensors and methods are also disclosed.

Electrochemical cells have been used for detection of toxic gases since the 1970's in, for example, fixed location instrumentation for infrastructure (such as buildings and parking garages) and portable safety and inspection equipment used in transportation. For example, see Stetter, J. R., "Instrumentation to Monitor Chemical Exposure in the Synfuel Industry," Annals American Conf. of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists, 11, 225-269, (1984). These sensors may be desirable in ambient monitoring applications because of their accuracy at low detection levels, selectivity, linearity, and power requirements. Industrial-grade electrochemical cells can cost the customer over $25 each and even several hundred dollars without any electronics, even when manufactured in high volumes. This cost can significantly increase the cost of gas monitors and detectors, and can leave manufacturers with few cost-effective options to create ultra-cheap, yet high performance gas detectors. For example, high quality, accurate devices for sensing carbon monoxide and triggering an alarm in the presence of excessive concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) that may be hazardous to life or health are presently available for many industrial applications, but such devices are still too costly for use in most homes.
As a result, less expensive sensors with much lower performance are chosen to meet high volume consumer product cost goals, resulting in lower performance and a sacrifice of needed safety and health protection for the consumer. Additional consumer, medical, and industrial applications will be made available with a significant reduction in the cost and dimensions of electrochemical gas sensors. Other prior art gas sensors may use a liquid proton conductor where the outside surfaces of the sensing and counter electrodes of the sensor are coated by NAFION™ layers. NAFION™ material is subject to freezing at 0 degrees (° C.)., hindering operation of a sensor coated by NAFION™ material at temperatures of 0° C. and below. Further, the lifetime of these sensors can range from about 6-12 months due to rapid drying of the liquid electrolyte. Thus, the sensor requires maintenance due to liquid electrolyte evaporation, leakage, and/or corrosion. In addition, the sensors can have significant manufacturing costs and be relatively large, sometimes with large electrolyte or water reservoirs, which make integration of these sensors into modern equipment or small personal monitors difficult.
Another prior art gas sensor uses a design incorporating proton conductors, one type of electronically conductive metal catalyst for the sensing electrode, and a different type of electronically conductive metal catalyst for the counter electrode. This configuration allows the sensing electrode to decompose a gas to produce protons and electrons, while the counter electrode exhibited no activity to decompose the gas. The result is a Nernst potential between the two electrodes, which can be used to detect a target gas. However, issues that could result from such a design include the gas reaction being carried out slowly or interfering reactions occurring on one or the other electrode surface. Additionally, the response signal could be weak. Further, the Nernst potential may be difficult to zero in clean air and the calibration is limited to about 59 millivolts (mV) per decade of concentration. Again poor electrolyte or electrode stability over time can degrade performance of a potentiometric gas sensor which often operate better at a high temperature.
Thus, there is a need or potential benefit for a competitive electrochemical sensor that can cost less to manufacture in high volume, has high performance and small size, and that would create a new opportunity for companies to develop low-cost gas detectors that could be manufactured in high volumes, thus making high accuracy detectors, such as carbon monoxide detectors, much less expensive. This cost reduction, without loss in performance, could revolutionize and tremendously expand the use of gas detectors in their application, including home carbon monoxide monitors, automobile air quality monitors, and building ventilation and controls. In addition, new applications would become possible, including safety organizations that may desire to inexpensively protect or monitor a large area from toxic gases like carbon monoxide, and universities or scientific/environmental organizations wanting to study toxic gas levels over large areas. In addition, an electrochemical sensor that also can be small can be used in cell-phones to enable worldwide networks of CO and other gas monitors.
The traditional porous, composite electrode is comprised of 10-40% polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) by weight and 60-90% catalyst by weight. The traditional electrode has possible residual dispersing, surfactants and thickening agents. These residual components are chemically inert and electrochemically inert. These electrodes are cured and/or sintered near the melting point of PTFE, typically 290-310 C. This requires printing on substrates such as porous PTFE that can withstand the PTFE cure temperatures. The PTFE serves as a binder to hold the catalyst particles together in a porous bed. It also serves as the hydrophobic portion of the composite bed electrode to provide a proper environment for a triple-phase boundary. This triple-phase boundary is desirous for gas-phase amperometric sensors.
A need or potential benefit exists for high performance electrochemical sensors having thin and tiny form factors and low cost assembly.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms "include," and "have," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.
The terms "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "over," "under," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.
The terms "couple," "coupled," "couples," "coupling," and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements or signals, electrically, mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more electrical elements may be electrically coupled but not be mechanically or otherwise coupled; two or more mechanical elements may be mechanically coupled, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled; two or more electrical elements may be mechanically coupled, but not be electrically or otherwise coupled. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant.
"Electrical coupling" and the like should be broadly understood and include coupling involving any electrical signal, whether a power signal, a data signal, and/or other types or combinations of electrical signals. "Mechanical coupling" and the like should be broadly understood and include mechanical coupling of all types.
The absence of the word "removably," "removable," and the like near the word "coupled," and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable.

Electrochemical sensors and packaging and related methods


A system for converting the tidal variations of water to electrical energy. The system has a stabilizing column, a platform configured to float at least partially above the water surface moving relative to the at least one stabilizing column, and an electrical generating system configured to transform the movement of the platform relative to the at least one stabilizing column into electrical energy. The platform can have a top side and floating retail structures and can be configured for constructional development.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tidal energy and, more particularly, to a floating generator system with retail structures thereon, converting changes in water levels due to lunar tides to electrical energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to generate electricity by using various fuels and sources of power, including fossil fuels, nuclear fuel, solar energy and wind power.
Burning fossil fuels in electrical power plants to generate electricity is well-known, and provide a reliable and consistent source of power, but burning fossil fuels is undesirable because it is not a renewable resource, has a high cost, and results in political instabilities and creation of air and water pollution. Additionally, the burning of fossil fuels can produce large amounts of pollution, such as carbon dioxide, which can contribute to the greenhouse effect. The extraction and accidental release of fossil fuels can destroy the surrounding natural habitat. Nuclear power can provide a consistent electric power, but also has multiple disadvantages. One disadvantage is the associated nuclear waste, which is very hazardous. Additionally, the fuel for nuclear energy, uranium, is not renewable. While solar and wind power do not produce large amounts of pollution, the power generated is often not consistent and depends largely on the weather conditions.
Tidal energy can produce electricity consistently and produces little to no pollution. However, current methods of producing tidal energy, such as tidal barrages and the like, interrupt the inland water levels and can lead to the disruption of fish migration and nearby wildlife. Because locations for tidal barrages are often dictated by the presence of specific geographical features, an appropriate location for a tidal barrage might be in an area with very little electrical demand. Building an extensive electrical transmission system is expensive. Additionally, the structures generally used in known tidal energy methods are often not multifunctional.

Integrated lunar tide electric generator and floating retail structures system


A waste removal device for collecting waste material is disclosed. The waste removal device comprises a first sheet having an inner surface and a second sheet attached to the first sheet and overlying the inner surface to define an envelope for storing the waste material. The waste removal device also includes a third sheet made from an absorbent material that overlies the inner surface of the first sheet adjacent to the second sheet. The third sheet is intended to contact the waste material while the waste removal device is being used and the first sheet is intended to provide added protection to a user by protecting the user from the waste material.

The present invention relates to a device for collecting waste material, more specifically, a waste removal device of the type having an absorbent sheet for contacting the waste material and a plastic sheet for protecting the user from the waste material.
A common problem with the collection of waste material is the potential contact of the waste material with the user. The majority of the prior art devices have a bag or envelope for receiving a hand of a user. The bag comprises a first sheet and a second sheet sealed together in a conventional manner to form the bag or envelope. In some cases, the waste removal device further includes a third sheet attached to an outer surface of the first sheet for contacting the waste material. The third sheet is made from an absorbent material for facilitating the collection of the waste material. In such a configuration, the user places a hand within the bag and grabs or wipes the waste material. In so doing, the third sheet contacts the waste material and the first sheet provides a barrier between the user""s hand and the waste material being collected.
An example of such a prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,645 to Teaster granted Nov. 23, 1999 wherein an envelope defined by a first sheet and a second sheet and in the shape of a mitt protects a user from the waste material being collected. The user places a hand in the mitt and proceeds to collect the waste material with the first and second sheets providing a barrier between the user""s hand and the waste material. Here, the first and second sheets could be made from a plastic material or an absorbent material, however, there is no added protection for the user should the first or second sheets be made from an absorbent material. If the first or second sheets were made from an absorbent material, a waste material with a high liquid content would likely absorb through the absorbent sheet. Hence, the user""s hand would come into contact with the waste material.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,883 to Reo granted Feb. 2, 1999 discloses a bag defined by a first sheet and a second sheet for receiving a hand of the user and having a third sheet made from tissue paper attached to an outer surface of the first sheet. After use, the bag of the ""883 patent is inverted to create a barrier between the used tissue paper and the user. The invention of the ""883 patent to Reo, however, requires an unnecessary amount of material to manufacture. The second sheet attached to the first sheet provides little added utility to the device. The second sheet""s primary function is to provide a barrier between the waste material and the user after the waste material has been collected and the bag is inverted.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a simplified waste removal device that protects a user""s hand and provides absorbancy, yet is simple to use and employs a minimum amount of material.
The waste removal device of the present invention comprises a first sheet having an inner surface and a second sheet attached to the first sheet and overlying the inner surface to define an envelope for storing the waste material. The waste removal device further includes a third sheet made from an absorbent material that overlies the inner surface of the first sheet adjacent to the second sheet.
Accordingly, the present invention reduces the amount of material required to protect the user from the waste material. In the present invention, once the waste material is collected, the first and third sheets are simply wrapped around the waste material and rolled into the envelope to secure the waste material for disposal.