A fault tolerant, fail-active computer system comprises a Redundancy Management Unit (RMU) and a plurality of Dual-Port Message Buffers (DPBs) connecting each of a corresponding plurality of communication channels to the RMU. Each DPB includes a message channel interface, a dual-port RAM, a word counter, a page FIFO, a message header FIFO, and a message buffer control circuit. The RMU includes word comparators, 3-state gates, a message comparison control circuit, and a voted message FIFO. Under software control, the RMU and DPBs perform the functions of management of asynchronous redundant digital messages, sorting of redundant messages received in arbitrary order, synchronization of distributed computing elements, comparison of data words of arbitrary bit length, and configuration control of active channels and communication path redundancy.

Redundant communication channels are fundamental to the operation of computer systems where high reliability is essential. For example, digital flight control systems of modern aircraft typically utilize three independent digital computers operating redundantly. Each computer performs a set of calculations and compares its results with those of the other two. Interprocessor communications are conducted over three independent message channels so that no two computers send information on the same channel.
With three independent computational results, each of the redundant computers can perform consistency checks to ensure that the computations are identical. If one of the computers has calculated different results, a hardware or software fault has occurred within some part of the system. In the event of a fault, a two-out-of-three majority "vote" determines which computational results are to be accepted as correct. In addition, discrepancies between the redundant computations can be used to determine within which of the redundant channels the fault has occurred. A faulty channel can then be electronically isolated to prevent further use of its erroneous computations.
If at least two channels of a triple redundant system are operating properly, the overall system will continue to operate without error. At specific time intervals, each computer of the triple redundant system transmits its computational results to and receives data from the other two computers. The computers exchange information in a predetermined time window, during which all copies of the data must be received. Thus, each computer is loosely synchronized with the other computers in the redundant group. Each computer compares its results with the results of the other two by using a software algorithm that identifies and corrects any discrepancies. The results accepted as valid are then used for further system operations.
In addition to triple redundant flight control systems, other examples of prior art redundant computer systems include the Software Implemented Fault Tolerant (SIFT) and the Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor (FTMP) systems.
Like triple redundant systems, the SIFT system also uses direct communication channels between the various computers in the system. However, SIFT is a step beyond basic triple redundancy in that the computers can be dynamically combined into redundant processing groups under software control. This allows graceful degradation because low priority tasks can be terminated to create computational resources to replace failed units. In addition, SIFT can dynamically control the level of redundancy (e.g. dual, triple, quad, etc.) under which each system task is executed.
For a given SIFT configuration, each processor within a redundant group exchanges computational results with the other members of the group. The computers exchange information during a predetermined time window, during which time all copies of the data must be received. Each computer is loosely synchronized with the other members of the redundant group. After data has been exchanged, the results are compared using a software algorithm to identify discrepancies and to designate correct results for further use by the system.
The FTMP system allows computers to be dynamically combined into redundant groups, although the redundancy level is fixed for all system tasks. Computational results are compared during each access to global memory. As a result, the computers within a redundant group are tightly synchronized so that each global memory reference is performed by all participating processors simultaneously.
The FTMP system differs from the foregoing in that the redundant data comparison and correction functions are performed automatically in hardware. This is made possible by the tight synchronization of the message channels. Hardware implementation of these functions results in approximately a 20 to 1 reduction in system overhead for FTMP compared to SIFT systems.
Message comparison in FTMP is performed on a serial bit basis. Error detection and correction is implemented by logic gates. FTMP is also unique in that the data buses forming the inter-processor communication network are multiplexed between the triple redundant clusters, rather than being point-to-point as in SIFT. This results in a significant reduction in hardware, permits a higher degree of fault tolerance, and provides better reliability through incorporation of spare data buses.
In general, inter-processor communication in redundant computer systems requires significant overhead in both system hardware and computing resources. Hardware complexity is increased as the number of unique communication channels is increased. Computational resources are required to manage and control the exchange of redundant data and to perform consistency check and error correction operations. As a result, prior art redundant computer communication systems have the following basic limitations:
1. Point-to-point communication channels require N(N-1) communication channels to accommodate N redundant computers;
2. Redundant communication channels are dedicated to specific computers, so that a fault within a computer causes all of its dedicated channels to be unusable, and
3. A significant percentage of available computer throughput is consumed in managing and controlling the transmission, reception, comparison, and correction of redundant data.
Thus, there is a need for a redundant inter-processor communication system that reduces required communication hardware, provides multiplexed communication channels, and performs data comparison and correction operations in hardware. A major goal is to reduce the system complexity and computational overhead required to manage and control redundant computer elements.

Apparatus for management, comparison, and correction of redundant digital data


A method for producing L-tryptophan comprising culturing coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacteria transformed with an expression vector capable of replicating and expressing an operably linked anthranilic acid phosphoribosyl transferase gene isolated from a brevibacterium glutamic acid-producing bacterium, growing the transformants in culture medium allowing for the production of L-tryptophan and recovering the L-tryptophan accumulated in the culture medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing L-tryptophan by fermentation, and particularly relates to a method for producing L-tryptophan by fermentation using Coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacteria constructed by a gene-recombination technique.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When L-tryptophan is to be produced by fermentation, artificial mutation has been given to wild strains to impart L-tryptophan productivity to them because wild strains hardly produce L-tryptophan outside their cells.
As previously known artificial mutants having L-tryptophan productivity, there can be cited mutants of the genus of Brevibacterium, Microbacterium or Corynebacterium that are resistant to 5-methyltryptophan mutants of the genus Corynebacterium that require tyrosine and phenylalanine for growth and are resistant to phenylalanine antagonists (Japanese Patent Publication No. 19037/1976), mutants of the genus of Bacillus that are resistant to 5-fluorotryptophan (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 85289/1974) and mutants of the genus of Brevibacterium that are resistant to 5-methyltryptophan and to m-fluorotryptophan (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 42091/l975).
On the other hand, recently some reports have been made on trials of construction of L-tryptophan-producing bacteria using a gene recombination technique different from the above-mentioned artificial mutation technique. For example, it was reported in Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 38, (2), 181-190 (1979) that the specific mutants of Escherichia coli that contained a plasmid having trp E 472 genes of Escherichia coli produced about 1.3 g/l of L-tryptophan. In addition, it was also mentioned in Proceedings of 1980 Annual Meeting of the Society of Fermentation Technology, Japan, page 170 that mutants of Escherichia coli containing a plasmid having the tryptophan operons of Escherichia coli produced 360 mg/l of L-tryptophan.
Although several high tryptophan-producers have been known among the mutants of Coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacteria as mentioned above, there has been no significant trial so far as the inventors know to construct tryptophan-producer using such Coryneform-bacteria as above which have high potential ability to produce L-tryptophan.
A need, therefore, continues to exist for a more efficient method for producing L-tryptophan by fermentation.

Method for producing L-tryptophan by fermentation


Various systems and methods for using multiple clients for data backup are described. For example, one method involves accessing a namespace, where the namespace indicates locations of files. At least a portion of the namespace is divided into sets, where the sets correspond to a subset of the files. The files of the subset are accessed by plurality of nodes, and the accessing is based on the sets. Each of the nodes accesses the files of the subset. The nodes are used to store, at data storage, the files of the subset.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to data backup. Particularly, this application relates to managing data backup in a distributed environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Companies today extensively rely on online, frequently accessed, constantly changing data to run their businesses. Unplanned events that inhibit the availability of this data can seriously damage business operations. Additionally, any permanent data loss, from natural disaster or any other source, will likely have serious negative consequences for the continued viability of a business. Therefore, when disaster strikes, companies must be prepared to eliminate or minimize data loss, and recover quickly with useable data.
Data backup can be used to prevent data loss in case of any such disaster. A data backup process typically creates copies of original data. These copies can be used to restore the original data after a data loss event. The backed-up data can be stored using a variety of media, such as magnetic tape, hard drives, and/or optical storage, among others. Various techniques can be used to optimize such backups, such as to improve backup speed, restore speed, data security, media usage and/or reduce bandwidth requirements.
While the embodiments of the application are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments are provided as examples in the drawings and detailed description. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the embodiments to the particular form disclosed. Instead, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.


A method and system for resurfacing one or more lacrosse balls is provided. The system includes a container, a rotatable member, and a motor. The container is configured to hold the one or more lacrosse balls. The rotatable member includes an abrasive surface configured to scuff the lacrosse balls while in the container, The motor includes a drive shaft coupled to the rotatable member and configured to facilitate rotation of the rotatable member. With this arrangement, the lacrosse balls are positioned over the abrasive surface such that, upon rotation of the rotatable member the abrasive surface scuffs the lacrosse balls to, thereby, resurface the balls.

The popularity of the game of lacrosse has grown immensely over the last decade. Surprisingly, one of the major on-going costs for lacrosse programs and individual players alike is the cost of lacrosse balls. The lacrosse ball is a polymeric sphere with a petroleum base product. Although the cost for an individual ball runs about two to four dollars, the problem is the surface of the balls quickly become slick, making it difficult for players to accurately throw and control the balls from the pocket of a lacrosse stick. New lacrosse balls have a certain level of grip to them that players demand due to the grip providing the player greater accuracy and control over the ball and, further, allowing the players to throw the ball at higher speeds. Due to the balls petroleum base product, the grip on the balls quickly wears off and becomes slippery, resulting in balls that are difficult to use compared to the new halls with the appropriate grip surface. As such, replacing the slippery balls for new lacrosse balls is an on-going cost for lacrosse programs and individual players. Further, replacing slick lacrosse balls with new lacrosse balls is wastefid and unacceptable when considering the large volume of lacrosse balls in the U.S. alone and the potential impact polymeric/petroleum based products have on the environment.
Based on the foregoing, it would be advantageous to develop a system and method that would allow players to use the same lacrosse balls for longer periods of time and, therefore, reduce the costs for lacrosse programs and individual players and, further, limit the impact that lacrosse balls may have on the environment.

Devices, systems, and methods for refurbishing one or more lacrosse balls


Alkyl ethers of sulfur-containing hydroxyl-derived aromatics have been found to be effective as high-performance synthetic lubricant base stocks with superior catalytic thermal/oxidative stabilities, excellent antiwear and load-carrying properties, as exemplified by bisphenol sulfide (BPS) based products. These ethers are also highly useful in fuel compositions.

This invention is directed to hydrocarbyl, particularly alkyl, ethers of sulfur-containing mono- or polyhydroxyl-derived aromatics as high performance/high temperature synthetic lubricant base stocks.
Generally speaking, current synthetic lubricants have a "satisfactory" temperature performance ceiling between about 240.degree. C. to 260.degree. C. in the presence of antioxidants. In the future, the operating temperatures of internal combustion engines and the like are expected to increase in order to boost the engine's efficiency. Polyphenyl ethers, for example, and other hydrocrabon fluids have such higher operating temperatures but are either cost disadvantageous or have limitations on their lubricant properties (such as poor low temp characteristics, for polyphenyl ethers). New base fluids clearly need to be developed.
Sulfurized lubricant compositions are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,271 is directed to sulfur containing lubricant additives which are useful in providing antiwear, antioxidant and friction reducing properties thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,463 discloses the use of certain metal dialkyl dithiocarbamates or dithiophosphates in combination with metal-free additives containing sulfur and phosphorous.

Hydrocarbyl ethers of sulfur-containing hydroxyl derived aromatics as synthetic lubricant base stocks


A portable football target device for improving the accuracy of a pass and to also teach defensive backs the appropriate decision to make when covering a receiver as to whether to attempt an interception or to tackle the receiver, includes a rounded weighted base attached to an upper padded contact member within which is located an internal support tube array providing a plurality of spacial target rod receptacles within which is placed one or more netted target members, providing at least one target at a location relative to the device to which a pass may be thrown with the football being retained within the netted target member.

1. Field of Invention
A portable football target device for improving the accuracy of a pass and to also teach defensive backs the appropriate decision to make when covering a receiver as to whether to attempt an interception or to tackle the receiver, includes a rounded weighted base attached to an upper padded contact member within which is located an internal support tube array providing a plurality of spacial target rod receptacles within which is placed one or more netted target members, providing at least one target at a location relative to the device to which a pass may be thrown with the football being retained within the netted target member.
2. Description of Prior Art
The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to football target devices and tackling dummies.
It has been long known in the art that a tackling dummy generally includes an external covering with a heavy material loaded within a base portion with the upper portion filled with air or some other expandable material, the upper portion intended for contact or tackling practice, as indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,937,872 and 2,237,599 to Gilman. Both of these devices are self-erecting, indicating that when these objects are hit, they return to an upright position for the next contact. These devices are used to teach proper tackling technique in non-game practices to simulate tackling of a football player during a game. Their sole purpose is for contact drills.
Several other devices are used in football practices for training a quarterback to throw a football accurately. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,738 to Taa, a base member is attached to an upright member, the base member either being embodied as a flat weighted base retaining the device in an upright position without movement, or a rounded weighted base which allows the device to pivot. The upright portion of this device includes a cavity including holes which allow the football to pass through the holes and retained in the cavity, as well as being provided with a basket attached between two arms which are extended wither over the device, or somewhat behind the device.
A single netted target on a pipe frame is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. D371,587 to Braun and U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,334 to Magazzu, which are supported by the ground. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,095 to Nedwick has a netted target device suspended from a horizontal pole above the ground, shown supported by a goalpost cross member. A multiple target device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,578 to Hudson, Sr., Providing upper or lower positional rings on the outer ends of the target cross member support, and a lower ring integrated within the vertical support member having a base with an adjustable height upper ring telescoping within the vertical support member.
Another target device portrays a football player dummy mounted on a moving cart which is controlled by a drive mechanism and a remote steering device, the football player dummy having positional arms supporting a basket into which a football is thrown which the device rolls about the football field.
None of these target devices include a support member suited for moderate contact while also provided with a multiple positioned target net or a plurality of target nets in multiple positions for simultaneously providing a training device for both quarterbacks and defensive backs to teach passing and pass coverage for football players.


An efficient source of EUV or SXR flux uses multiple e-beams from multiple cathodes to impact a wide anode target with a flux-generating surface to generate flux over a wide area. The conversion efficiency of e-beam power to flux power may be improved by the direction of the e-beams towards the anode target at shallow or grazing incidence angles or the use of mirrored anode surfaces which reflect EUV or SXR. The source is enclosed in a vacuum chamber and performs work such as the penetration of photoresist on a semiconductor wafer in vacuum.

This invention provides a source of EUV or SXR (EUV/SXR) Bremsstrahlung and characteristic line radiation with improved power and performance over the existing art. Such sources are particularly useful in photolithography for very fine feature size devices.
Considerable efforts are being made for the development of next generation photolithography tools. The semiconductor industry now plans to move from device feature sizes of tens of nanometers (nm) to a node, meaning a feature size for which the needed tools and materials (light sources, photomasks, photoresists, etc.) are being developed, in the EUV range of around 13.5 nm. Beyond that, plans call for nodes in the single or few nm, or SXR, range. The photon flux (or light) sources for processing wafers in these ranges have proved difficult to develop. Flux in the 100 W range and higher is needed for economical processing of wafers in the EUV node. These sources have been repeatedly delayed, however, and reliable, cost-effective sources are not yet available for producing EUV at these power levels.
The most common source for the EUV node uses high energy lasers to strike droplets of molten tin in vacuum, a process which produces intense EUV flux that is then collected by mirrors and transmitted through optical elements to the wafer being processed. EUV processing must be done in vacuum, since all nearly all materials absorb EUV. The tin droplet sources produce debris that contaminates the chambers, collection mirrors and demagnification optics used for projection lithography. They also make for extremely expensive photolithography tools, which are estimated to cost over $100 million. The power efficiency of these tools is also low; the flux reaching the wafer has only 10−4 of the input power needed for these tools. Power sources for the tin droplet EUV flux sources are therefore in the 1 MW range. Short source lifetimes and high maintenance costs are other problems with the tin droplet EUV sources. Moreover, other types of sources will be needed for progression to SXR nodes, so the massive investments in EUV sources will not be of benefit when that change occurs.
Photomasks are reflective in the EUV node, but could be transmissive in the SXR node, since light at these wavelengths can transmit through some materials. EUV and SXR can be reflected by mirrors made with multiple layers of materials, such as Mo and Si for EUV. Reflective EUV photomasks and the projection optics used in lithography tools make use of such mirrors.
It is known in the art that EUV and SXR can be produced in a manner similar to the way harder x-rays are produced in a standard x-ray tube, i.e. by hitting an anode target with an accelerating electron beam from a cathode. Several materials, such as Si, SiC, Be, Mo, Cu and alloys thereof, can produce characteristic line, and Bremsstrahlung, radiation in the 10-15 nm range, and other materials can be used as anodes for SXR. In particular, Si and SiC produce characteristic line radiation around 13.5 nm. Shell electrons of atoms in the target are ejected from their shell through electron impact excitation by the electrons from the cathode. The unoccupied shell is quickly refilled, which results in the emission of a photon from the atom with an energy characteristic of that shell. The radiation is isotropic and independent of the direction of the colliding electron's momentum direction.
Point sources of EUV have been developed in which a Si or SiC anode target is used in a standard x-ray tube configuration, i.e. with an e-beam from a cathode accelerating into an angled anode in an evacuated tube. These, however, have had low (10−5) power efficiency, with the best efficiencies produced by an accelerating voltage between cathode and anode of 8 kV to 10 kV. A major reason for this low power efficiency is that the target material absorbs the EUV photons. This is because the characteristic line and other photons are generated at some distance below the surface of the target material. As the accelerating electron voltage is increased the electrons penetrate deeper into the target and the probability impacting one of the electrons in the target material increases. This corresponds to an increase in EUV flux radiating off the target. The increase in flux, however, only increases to a certain point and then starts to decrease. This is because the electrons are then penetrating so deep into the material that the bulk of the EUV photons are absorbed before they can reach the surface of the target. Moreover, a single electron beam cannot impart enough power to the anode for this source to be useful in photolithography, or even in measurement tools. The fundamental process, however, has a number of advantages over the tin droplet sources now being developed, such as the lack of debris and compatibility with use in a vacuum chamber, which also obviates the need for a glass tube.
A need therefore exists for more efficient, more reliable and less expensive EUV and SXR sources that can produce higher flux power, especially for use in photolithography tools.


A lightning arrester for protecting elements of electrical facilities or a power transmission line comprises an insulating body which is made of a solid dielectric, preferably in the form of a bar, a strip or a cylinder, two main electrodes that are mechanically coupled to the insulating body and two or more intermediate electrodes. The intermediate electrodes, preferably made in the form of bars or cylinders, are arranged between the main electrodes so that said intermediate electrodes are mutually shifted along the longitudinal axis of the insulating body or along a spiral line. Such design makes it possible to form a discharge channel between the adjacent electrodes. Furthermore, said electrodes are located inside the insulating body and are separated from the surface of the body by an insulation layer. Discharge chambers formed as cavities or through bores opened to the surface of the insulating body are arranged between the pairs of the adjacent electrodes. Dimensions of the chambers are selected such that a discharge is easily blown out from the chambers to the surface of the insulating body, thereby increasing the efficiency of the discharge current quenching. In the preferred embodiments, the arrester is provided with an additional electrode for reducing a flashover voltage. Various embodiments of a power transmission line using the arrester of the invention are also disclosed.

There is known a so-called tubular arrester for limiting overvoltages in an electric power line (cf. High voltage techniques. Ed. D. V. Razevig, Moscow, "Energiya" Publishing House, 1976, p. 287). A main element of the arrester is formed by a tube made of an insulating gas generating material. One end of the tube is plugged with a metal lid having an inner rod electrode fastened thereon. A ring-form electrode is located at an open end of the tube. A gap between the rod electrode and the ring-form electrode is called an inner, or arc quenching gap. One of the electrodes is grounded, while the second electrode is connected, via an external sparkover gap, to a conductor of the electric power line.
A lightning overvoltage results in a breakdown of both gaps, so that an impulse current is shunted to the ground. After the overvoltage impulse through the arrester has terminated, a follow current continues to flow, so that a spark channel transforms into an arc one. Due to a high temperature in a channel of the alternative arc current inside the tube, an intensive gas emission takes place providing a strong pressure increase. Gases, by flowing to the open end of the tube, create a longitudinal blowing, so that the arc is quenched when passing its zero value for the first time.
After a plurality of actuations of the arrester, the discharge chamber of the tube wears out. The arrester stops functioning properly and needs a replacement, which means an increase in maintenance costs.
There is also known an arrester for limiting overvoltages in an electric power line, the arrester being based on the use of a protective sparkover air gap formed between two metal rods (cf. High voltage techniques. Ed. D. V. Razevig, Moscow, "Energiya" Publishing House, 1976, p. 285). One of the rods in the prior art arrester is connected to a high-voltage conductor of an electric power line, while the second rod is connected to a grounded structure, for example, to a support (such as a tower or a pole) of the electric power line. In case of the overvoltage, a sparkover gap breaks down, so that a lightning overvoltage current is shunted to the ground, and the voltage applied to the device drops rapidly. In this way, both shunting the lightning current and limiting the overvoltage are attained. However, arc quenching ability of a single gap is small, so that after the termination of the overvoltage, a power arc follow current continues to flow through the sparkover gap. Therefore, a shut-off device must be activated for breaking a circuit, such breaking being quite undesirable for consumers receiving electric power from this electric line.
There is further known an arrester that differs from the above-described one in that a third, intermediate rod electrode is placed between a first main rod electrode and a second main rod electrode (cf., for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,460, H01T 004/02, 1987). Thus, instead of a single sparkover air gap, two such gaps are formed. This feature made it possible to improve somewhat arc quenching ability of the arrester and to ensure, with the aid of the arrester, quenching of moderate follow currents (of the order of tens amperes) in cases of single phase-to-ground short circuits. However, this arrester is unable to quench currents exceeding 100 A, which currents are typical for two- or three-phase-to-ground short circuits in lightning overvoltage cases.
As the closest prior art for the invention, an arrester intended for the lightning protection of elements of electrical facilities or an electric power line and supplied with a so-called multi-electrode system (MES) disclosed in RU 2299508, H02H 3/22, 2007 may be indicated. The prior art arrester comprises an insulating body made of a solid dielectric, two main electrodes mechanically coupled to the insulating body, and also two or more intermediate electrodes. The intermediate electrodes, which are arranged between the main electrodes, are mutually displaced, at least, along the longitudinal axis of the insulating body. They are configured to enable a streamer discharge to occur between each of the main electrodes and the intermediate electrode adjacent to said each of the main electrodes, as well as between adjacent intermediate electrodes.
Owing to breaking a distance between the main electrodes into a plurality of sparkover gaps, this arrester possesses a higher arc quenching ability than devices with a single discharge gap or with just a few of such gaps (cf. for example, A. C. Taev. Electric arc in low voltage apparatuses, Moscow, "Energiya" Publishing House", 1965, p. 85).
Nevertheless, the arc quenching ability of the prior art arrester is not high enough, so that its application is limited to the lightning protection of the HEPLs of voltage class 6-10 kV. Such arrester is difficult to use in the lightning protection of the HEPLs of higher voltage classes for the reason the number of the intermediate electrodes and the arrester size become too large.

Lightning arrester and a power transmission line provided with such an arrester

Otkrytoe Aktsionernoe Obschestvo “NPO Streamer”


In a power transmission arrangement, a working unit includes a hydraulic power unit and a valve unit enclosed in a first bulging portion of a transmission case closer to an upper side or on a top surface thereof and connected with each other along a vehicle lengthwise direction. The first bulging portion is closer to a first lateral side along the vehicle width direction of the transmission case, while a hydraulic pump is located closer to a second lateral side. Hydraulic fluid is drawn from the transmission case, around a lower side of the hydraulic pump, through a suction port thereof, and discharged to a suction port of the valve unit. The hydraulic power unit includes a cylinder tube and piston, extending in the lengthwise direction, and support shaft, extending along the width direction, which is supported by the transmission case and connected to a lift arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power transmission arrangement in a working vehicle with a working unit such as a cultivating unit and mower unit attached thereto, and a transmission for the working vehicle.
2. Related Art
In a vehicle equipped with a working unit such as a bucket, cultivating unit and mower unit on the front side, rear side and/or below the lengthwise center of a chassis, driving power from a driving power source must be divided into a running power transmission path and a driving power transmission path for working unit so as to be transmitted to driving wheels and the working unit. This poses a problem of increasing a size of the transmission in the vehicle.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei-01-17883 and Utility Model Application Publication No. Hei-01-37298 disclose arrangements, which are applicable to the vehicle of the above type, for downsizing the size of the transmission.
The transmission disclosed in each of the above-cited publications has an input shaft for the working unit (PTO input shaft) and a running power input shaft, which are respectively aligned in vertical and parallel relationship with each other, and a transmission case in which the power transmission path for working unit and the running power transmission path are arranged respectively closer to upper and lower sides thereof with occupation of spaces as much compact as possible in an attempt to reduce the size of the transmission.
Meanwhile, for the vehicle equipped with a working unit as mentioned above, a hydraulic power unit for operating the working unit must be provided in some cases, in addition to a power-take-off arrangement for taking off driving power for the working unit. As such a hydraulic power unit, it can be cited a hydraulic lift unit for lifting a cultivating unit mounted on the rear side of the chassis.
As described above, in each of the above-cited publications, although the downsizing of the transmission may be achieved by arranging the running power transmission path and the power transmission path for working unit within the transmission case respectively closer to the upper and lower sides thereof with occupation of spaces as much compact as possible, such downsizing was not considered for the transmission of the vehicle provided with the aforesaid hydraulic power unit.
Specifically, in a vehicle disclosed in each of the cited publications, a hydraulic power unit for reciprocating a cultivating unit or any other working unit is disposed on a top surface of the transmission, while a hydraulic pump for feeding pressurized fluid to the hydraulic power unit is supported on a rear wall of the transmission case.
More specifically, in the transmission described in each publication, a clutch shaft and an intermediate shaft, which constitute a part of the power transmission path for working unit (PTO system), extend below and on the opposite lateral sides of a PTO input shaft, so that an upper space of the transmission case is occupied by this PTO power transmission path. Accordingly, in this conventional transmission, it is not possible to secure within the transmission case closer to the upper side a space for accommodating the hydraulic pump for feeding pressurized fluid to the hydraulic power unit, a driving power transmission mechanism for the hydraulic pump, etc. For these reasons, the conventional transmission has the hydraulic pump supported on the rear wall of the transmission case and a rear end of the PTO input shaft extending through the rear wall of the transmission case, through which the hydraulic pump is driven.
Thus, for the vehicle equipped with the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pump of the conventional transmission extending rearwards through the transmission case poses a difficulty in shortening the length of the transmission with the hydraulic pump.
Also, according to the above arrangement, working fluid reserved in the transmission case for the hydraulic power unit is once transmitted around the rear side of the transmission case and then to the upper side of the transmission case. Accordingly, a hydraulic fluid circulation path to the hydraulic power unit must be elongated, which necessitates application of an excessive load to the hydraulic pump.
As another disadvantage involved in the vehicle described in each cited publication, since the hydraulic power unit is disposed on the top surface of the transmission case, a higher position must be prepared for mounting of the hydraulic power unit. This arrangement poses a problem of increasing an vehicle height. Since a driving seat is above the hydraulic power unit in a general arrangement, this invites a difficulty for a driver to get on and off the seat.
As described above, the power transmission path for working unit of the conventional transmission is entirely located in the upper space of the transmission case. On the other hand, a mid-PTO shaft for driving a mid-mount more or the like is located in the lower space of the transmission case. Accordingly, a power transmission mechanism between the PTO input shaft and the mid-PTO shaft in the conventional transmission must be formed throughout the entire region of the transmission case along the vertical direction. This poses a problem of necessitating a complicated structure for the transmission mechanism.
The present invention was conceived in light of those conventional techniques. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission with the power transmission path for working unit and the running power transmission path, which is capable of achieving downsizing of the transmission case, as well as effectively securing a space for accommodating parts for the hydraulic lift unit or the like within the transmission case.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a power transmission arrangement in a vehicle provided with a working unit operable by a hydraulic power unit, which is capable of shortening a hydraulic fluid distribution path to the hydraulic power unit.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a power transmission arrangement in a vehicle provided with a working unit operable by a hydraulic power unit, which is capable of stably supporting a cylinder tube of the hydraulic power unit at a lower position.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided a transmission for a working vehicle, which includes:
a transmission case providing an accommodation space therein for accommodating a differential gear unit as locating the same substantially below a lengthwise center of the transmission case, in which driving power with its speed changed from an engine is divided and transmitted right and left driving axles through the differential gear unit;
a PTO input shaft supported by the transmission case for receiving the driving power from the engine;
a running power input shaft supported by the transmission case for receiving the driving power from the engine via a transmission unit;
the PTO input shaft located with its rotational axis extending in a vehicle lengthwise direction substantially at a widthwise center of the transmission case along a vehicle width direction;
the running power input shaft located with its rotational axis extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction substantially at the same position as that of the PTO input shaft along the vehicle width direction and at a lower side of the PTO input shaft; and wherein
the accommodation space for accommodating the differential gear unit is displaced to a first lateral side of the vehicle along the vehicle width direction, a running power transmission shaft is located on the front side of the space with its axis extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction, and the running power input shaft, the running power transmission shaft and the differential gear unit are interlocked to each other via a running power gear train;
a mid-PTO shaft having a front end protruding forwards through the transmission case, the mid-PTO shaft located within the transmission case closer to a second lateral side of the transmission case along the vehicle width direction and lower side of the transmission case with its axis extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction and its rear end reaching to a rear side of the transmission case;
a PTO power transmission shaft interlocked with the PTO input shaft via a main PTO gear train located on the front side of the transmission case, the PTO power transmission shaft located within the transmission case closer to the second lateral side along the vehicle width direction with its axis extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction and its rear end reaching to the rear side of the transmission case; and
a mid-PTO gear train located within the transmission case closer to a rear side thereof for interlocking the PTO power transmission shaft with the mid-PTO power transmission shaft.
With the transmission having the above arrangement, it is possible to prevent increase in size of the transmission case, while providing within the transmission case a free space on the upper side of a running power transmission path. This free space may be utilized for example to accommodate constitutional parts of a hydraulic lift unit.
In addition, since the mid-PTO gear train is located within the transmission case closer to the rear side thereof, a distal end of the mid-PTO shaft, which is driven through the mid-PTO gear train can be positioned as close as possible to the driving axle. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a power transmission mechanism for connection between the mid-PTO shaft and the working unit driven by the mid-PTO shaft with an improved durability and noise prevention arrangement.
In the above arrangement, the PTO power transmission shaft and the mid-PTO shaft are displaced to the same lateral side along the vehicle width direction within the transmission case so as to position both the shafts as close as possible to each other. This can simplify a power transmission arrangement between both the shafts.
According to a preferable arrangement, the PTO power transmission shaft and the mid-PTO power transmission shaft are respectively located above and below the driving axles.
According to another preferable arrangement, the transmission further includes a rear PTO shaft having a rear end protruding rearwards through the transmission case located substantially at the widthwise center of the transmission case along the vehicle width direction and above the PTO power transmission shaft; and a rear PTO gear train for interlocking the PTO power transmission shaft with the rear PTO shaft having at least a part located closer to the first lateral side of the transmission case along the vehicle width direction than the PTO power transmission shaft is.
According to a still preferable arrangement, the transmission further includes a switching unit for selectively switching on/off power transmission from the PTO power transmission shaft to at least one of the mid-PTO gear train and the rear PTO gear train.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power transmission arrangement in a working vehicle with a working unit mounted thereto, which includes:
an input shaft supported by a transmission case for receiving driving power for driving the working unit from a driving source;
a hydraulic power unit for the working unit and a valve unit for controlling feeding and discharging of pressurized fluid for the hydraulic power unit are connected with each other along a vehicle lengthwise direction within the transmission case closer to an upper side thereof or on a top surface of the transmission case, and closer to a first lateral side of the transmission case along the vehicle width direction;
a hydraulic pump driven through the input shaft is located closer to a second lateral side along the vehicle width direction than the hydraulic power unit and the valve unit are;
a fluid distribution path is arranged so that hydraulic fluid reserved within the transmission case is drawn around a lower side of the hydraulic pump and then fed into the hydraulic pump through a suction port thereof; and
the hydraulic pump has a discharge port connected with a suction port of the valve unit.
With the aforesaid power transmission arrangement, it is possible to shorten a hydraulic fluid distribution path to the hydraulic power unit, and hence achieves downsizing of the hydraulic pump, downsizing of the vehicle and improved response rate of the hydraulic power unit.
According to a preferable arrangement, the power transmission arrangement further includes a filter located within the transmission case closer to a lower side thereof and substantially at the same position as that of the hydraulic pump with respect to the vehicle lengthwise direction; and the fluid distribution path arranged so that the hydraulic fluid reserved within the transmission case is fed into the suction port of the hydraulic pump through the filter.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power transmission arrangement in a working vehicle with a working unit mounted thereto in such a manner as to be vertically movable through a lift arm, which includes:
an input shaft for receiving driving power for driving the working unit from a driving source supported by a transmission case with a first bulging portion upwardly bulging at a position closer to a first lateral side of the transmission case along a vehicle width direction;
a hydraulic power unit for the working unit including a cylinder tube extending in a vehicle lengthwise direction, a piston reciprocably and fluid-tightly mounted within the cylinder tube and a supporting shaft operatively connected with the piston in such a manner as to be rotatable around its axis based upon reciprocal movement of the piston, in which the cylinder tube is located within a space defined by the first bulging portion, and the supporting shaft is supported by the transmission case so as to extend along the vehicle width direction and have at least one of first and second ends extending to the outside of the transmission case to form an outer extension, with which the lift arm is connected;
a hydraulic pump for feeding pressurized fluid into the hydraulic power unit located on a top surface of the transmission case closer to a second lateral side along the vehicle width direction than the first bulging portion is; and
the input shaft being arranged so that driving power for the hydraulic pump is taken off therethrough.
With the aforesaid power transmission arrangement, it is possible to support the cylinder tube at a lower position, thereby lowering the vehicle height and increasing an operational efficiency of the hydraulic power unit.
According to a preferable arrangement, the transmission case is formed with a second bulging portion upwardly bulging at a position substantially at the same position as that of the hydraulic pump with respect to the vehicle width direction, and the hydraulic pump is supported on the second bulging portion.
According to a more preferable arrangement, the power transmission arrangement further includes at least a drive train extending from the input shaft to the hydraulic pump so that at least a portion thereof is placed within a space defined by the second bulging portion.
According to another preferable arrangement, the power transmission arrangement further includes a valve unit for controlling feeding and discharging of pressurized fluid for the hydraulic power unit connected with the cylinder tube so as to close one of open ends of the cylinder tube, the one of open ends being positioned opposite to another side of the cylinder tube, on which the supporting shaft is located; and a fluid distribution path being arranged so that hydraulic fluid reserved within the transmission case is drawn around a lower side of the hydraulic pump and then fed into the hydraulic pump through a suction port thereof. The hydraulic pump has a discharge port connected with a suction port of the valve unit.
According to still another preferable arrangement, a filter is located within the transmission case closer to a lower side thereof and substantially at the same position as that of the hydraulic pump along the vehicle lengthwise direction; and a fluid distribution path is so arranged that the hydraulic fluid reserved within the transmission case is fed into the suction port of the hydraulic pump through the filter.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission for a working vehicle with a working unit mounted thereto in such a manner as to be vertically movable by a hydraulic power unit, which includes:
a transmission case designed to be capable of reserving hydraulic fluid therein;
a PTO input shaft supported by the transmission case and operatively connected with a hydraulic pump so as to operatively receive driving power from an engine; and
a running power input shaft supported within the transmission case and operatively connected with a driving axle so as to operatively receive driving power from the engine via an HST; wherein
the hydraulic pump is so designed as to feed pressurized fluid to the HST and the hydraulic power unit;
the transmission case includes a front supporting wall and a rear supporting wall aligned in series along a fore and aft direction of the vehicle to divide an inner space of the transmission case into a front chamber, a middle chamber and a rear chamber; and
a hydraulic fluid distribution path being so arranged that hydraulic fluid returned from the HST and hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic power unit respectively flow into the front chamber and the rear chamber, and the hydraulic pump sucks the hydraulic fluid through the middle chamber.
With the above relatively simple arrangement, it is possible to effectively prevent hydraulic fluid, which has been heated to high temperature during circulation and returned from the HST and the hydraulic power unit, from being fed again to the HST and the hydraulic power unit before it is cooled. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent deterioration in operational efficiency of the hydraulic pump, the HST and the hydraulic power unit.
According to a preferable arrangement, a PTO clutch for switching on/off power transmission from the PTO input shaft on a downstream side of the hydraulic pump along its power transmission path is placed within the front chamber, while a drive train for driving the PTO shaft is placed within the rear chamber. The front chamber is communicated with the rear chamber through an intermediate chamber, in which a PTO power transmission shaft for connection between the PTO clutch and the drive train is placed.
According to a more preferable arrangement, the transmission further includes a brake shaft located on an upstream side of the driving axle along its power transmission path, and a brake mechanism for applying braking force to the brake shaft. The brake shaft and the brake mechanism may be placed within the intermediate chamber. The intermediate chamber is designed to enable hydraulic fluid to flow thereinto from the front chamber and then flow out into the middle chamber. More preferably, the rear chamber is provided with an interior wall for temporarily receiving return fluid from the hydraulic power unit.
According to a still preferable arrangement, the transmission further includes a mechanical transmission unit for stepwisely varying the speed of driving power inputted to the running power input shaft and operatively transmitting the driving power to a driving axle. The mechanical transmission may be placed within the front chamber. An input end of the driving axle is placed within the middle chamber.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmission for a working vehicle, which includes:
a transmission case that includes a body with its at least one side closer to a first lateral side of the transmission case along a vehicle width direction forming a lateral opening and a side cover for closing the lateral opening, a PTO input shaft supported by the transmission case and operatively connected with an engine, a PTO shaft supported by the transmission case so as to be able to output driving power to the outside of the transmission case, and a PTO power transmission mechanism constituting a driving power transmission path between the PTO input shaft and the PTO shaft, in which:
the PTO power transmission mechanism includes a clutch unit equipped with a hydraulic clutch mechanism capable of selectively transmitting or shutting off the driving power transmission path between the PTO input shaft and the PTO shaft;
the clutch unit includes a hydraulic brake mechanism for applying braking force to a rotational member of the PTO power transmission mechanism during shutting-off of the power transmission path by the hydraulic clutch unit;
the hydraulic brake mechanism includes a pressing member having a proximal end slidably fitted in a cylinder chamber and a distal end adapted to be brought into and released from engaging relationship with the rotational member of the PTO power transmission mechanism, so that the pressing member selectively applies braking force to and release the same from the PTO power transmission mechanism by controlling feeding of pressurized fluid to the cylinder chamber; and
the cylinder chamber is formed in the side cover of the transmission case.
With the above arrangement, the cylinder chamber, which must be fluid tightly sealed, is not formed in the body of the transmission case but in the side cover, thereby omitting the necessity to work the body of the transmission with higher precision and therefore enabling the body to be relatively easily formed by casting.
According to a preferable arrangement, the hydraulic clutch mechanism and the hydraulic brake mechanism are actuated by working fluid fed from a common hydraulic pressure source. The side cover is provided with a working-fluid controlling member for controlling feeding of working fluid to the hydraulic clutch mechanism and the hydraulic brake mechanism and a pressurized-fluid distributor for distributing pressurized fluid into the hydraulic clutch mechanism and the hydraulic brake mechanism.
According to a more preferable arrangement, the working-fluid controlling member and the pressurized-fluid distributor are respectively and detachably attached on outer and inner surfaces of the side cover.

Power transmission arrangement of a working vehicle and transmission for the working vehicle


An amplitude expected value data generator generates amplitude expected value data that represents, in increments of sampling points, which of multiple amplitude segments the amplitude of a modulated signal waveform that corresponds to the expected value of data to be output from a device under test belongs to. A demodulator performs sampling of the signal waveform to be tested received from the device under test, and generates judgment data that represents, in increments of sampling points, which of the multiple amplitude segments the amplitude of the signal waveform belongs to. A judgment unit makes a comparison between the amplitude expected value data and the judgment data in increments of sampling points.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital data transmission technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional digital wired communication, a binary transmission method using time division multiplexing (TDM) has been the mainstream. In this case, high-capacity transmission has been realized by parallel transmission or high-rate transmission. In order to overcome the physical limitations on parallel transmission, serial transmission, which is high-speed transmission, is performed at a data rate of several Gbps to 10 Gbps or more using a high-speed interface (I/F) circuit. However, the data rate acceleration also has a limit, leading to a problem of BER (Bit Error Rate) degradation due to high-frequency loss or reflection in the transmission line.
On the other hand, with the digital wireless communication method, multi-bit information carried by a carrier signal is transmitted and received. That is to say, the data rate is not directly limited by the carrier frequency. For example, in QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modification), which is the standard quadrature modulation/demodulation method, 4-value transmission is provided using a single channel. Furthermore, 64-QAM provides 64-value transmission using a single carrier. That is to say, such a multi-modulation method raises the transmission capacity without raising the carrier frequency.
Also, such a modulation/demodulation method can also be applied to wired communication in the same way as with wireless communication. Such a modulation/demodulation method has begun to be applied as the PAM (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) method, QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) method, or DQPSK (Differential QPSK) method. In particular, in the field of optical communication, from the cost perspective, it is important to increase the information carried by a single optical fiber. This has shifted the technology trend from binary TDM to transmission using such digital modulation.
In the near future, such a digital multi-level modulation/demodulation method has the potential to be applied to a wired interface between devices such as memory, SoC (System On a Chip), etc. However, at the present time, there is no known multi-channel test apparatus which is capable of testing such devices for mass production.
Mixed test apparatuses and RF (Radio Frequency) test modules are known, which test a conventional wireless communication device. However, typical conventional wireless communication devices have a single or several I/O (input/output) communication ports (I/O ports), and thus conventional test apparatuses and test modules include only several communication ports. Accordingly, it is difficult to employ such a test apparatus or a test module to test a device, such as memory, having from tens of to a hundred or more I/O ports.
Furthermore, with the conventional test apparatuses for RF signals, signals output from a DUT (Device Under Test) are A/D (analog/digital) converted, and large amounts of data thus obtained are subjected to signal processing (including software processing) so as to perform expected value judgment. This leads to a long testing time.
Furthermore, digital pins included in conventional test apparatuses are provided, basically assuming that a binary signal (in some cases, a three-value signal further including the high-impedance state (Hi-Z)) is to be tested. That is to say, conventional test apparatuses including such digital pins have no demodulation function for a digitally modulated signal.
In a case in which all the I/O ports of a device such as memory, MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc., are configured using the digital multi-level modulation method, such a single device has from tens of to a hundred or more I/O ports. Accordingly, there is a need to test such hundreds of I/O ports at the same time. That is to say, there is a need to provide a test apparatus having thousands of input/output channels for digitally modulated/demodulated signals. Furthermore, real-time testing at the hardware level is required in all steps due to the CPU resource limits of the test apparatus.

Test apparatus for digital modulated signal


A method and apparatus are disclosed for the manufacture of a sheathed superconducting ceramic strip. The apparatus includes a chill wheel and metal casting apparatus wherein means are provided within the metal casting apparatus to cause oxygen to react with molten metal, comprising the base alloy from which a superconducting ceramic is formed, in a controlled manner. Strips of superconducting ceramic partially sheathed in the molten metal emerge from the metal casting apparatus and are engaged by the chill wheel, which solidifies the molten metal to form a continuous strip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the casting of metallic strips. More particularly, it relates to the continuous casting of a superconducting ceramic strip wholly or partially sheathed in a protective metallic shell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fabrication of high temperature superconducting ceramics such as YB.sub.A2 C.sub.U3 O.sub.T0 here consisting of yttrium, barium, copper and oxygen, which may also contain other materials such as strontium for the barium and another rare earth element for the yttrium, presents a number of difficulties centering around the chemical stability of the end product. For example, reheating the superconducting ceramic can cause reduction of oxygen content with consequent reduction, or even loss of, superconducting properties. Moisture also has an adverse effect on the superconducting properties of the above-described ceramic. A solution to the foregoing problem is to seal or encapsulate the superconducting ceramic by some suitable means, e.g. plastic, metal housings, etc. Such a method has the disadvantage of requiring two separate steps which lead to higher costs as well as presenting the potential problem of degradation of the superconducting properties of the ceramic due to environmental (moisture, contamination, etc.) and handling factors.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing composite superconducting strip


This disclosure is directed to methods and systems for handling a cookie by an intermediary between a server and a client. An intermediary may receive a first request from a client for a web page of a server, and may incorporate code into a first fragment of the web page to include in a modified web page for presentation at the client. The code, upon execution, may transmit a predefined request from the client. The intermediary may receive a response from the server to the first request. The response may include a cookie and information about the cookie in a header section of the response. The intermediary may transmit to the client responsive to the predefined request, the cookie and a second fragment for inclusion in the modified web page. The second fragment may include the information about the cookie in a header section of the second fragment.

Content delivery systems are typically used to improve the end-to-end performance of web content delivery between a server and a client. These systems may cache static web pages or other objects, and may serve these cached objects to requesting clients directly, thereby improving performance while reducing load and congestion on a content originator such as a server. However, a significant portion of typical web content may be dynamic in nature, and typical content delivery systems may not handle dynamic content efficiently. As such, server-side processing of a requested web object, as well as any accompanying cookies, can take a significant amount of time, while the web client may be waiting for the server to respond. This can significantly impair the web experience of a user.

Systems and methods for handling a cookie from a server by an intermediary between the server and a client


An air-conditioning system includes a refrigerant system in which an outdoor unit, one or more indoor units, and one or more ventilators are connected by a refrigerant pipe and in which refrigerant circulates, and a control device configured to control the refrigerant system. The control device includes a target temperature adjustment unit configured to adjust a target evaporating temperature based on a detection value detected by a temperature and humidity detection unit provided to at least one of the indoor unit and the ventilator that satisfies a specific criterion, and an air-conditioning control unit configured to control the refrigerant system such that the evaporating temperature of each of the indoor unit and the ventilator is equal to the target evaporating temperature adjusted by the target evaporating temperature.

In air-conditioning systems including an air-conditioning apparatus and a ventilator, the ventilator performs a ventilation operation to replace air in an air-conditioned space with outside air. If air introduced from the outside during cooling operation has high enthalpy, this results in increased cooling load. Examples of heat loads in air-conditioning systems other than a cooling load include an indoor load generated indoors and a building structure load entering through a wall or other areas of a building.
With existing air-conditioning systems, the evaporating temperature of the indoor heat exchanger of an air-conditioning apparatus is kept at a low, constant temperature to thereby handle a latent heat load among the above-mentioned heat loads. Such an operation of keeping the evaporating temperature at a low, constant temperature in order to handle a latent heat load leads to decreased operating efficiency. Although operating efficiency can be increased by increasing the evaporating temperature, this may cause indoor humidity to rise due to insufficient amount of latent heat handled, leading to decreased comfort.
Accordingly, to provide an improved method for setting evaporating temperature, latent-sensible heat separation air-conditioning systems have been hitherto proposed that are capable of handling latent heat and sensible heat separately (see, for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2). The air-conditioning system described in each of Patent Literatures 1 and 2 calculates a temperature difference between an indoor target temperature and an indoor temperature, and a humidity difference between an indoor target absolute humidity and an indoor absolute humidity, and sets a target evaporating temperature by using the difference between a given threshold and each of the calculated temperature difference and the calculated humidity difference.

Air-conditioning system controlling evaporating temperatures of indoor units and ventilator


Protective lenses with a flexible gasket assembly has a main lens, at least one peripheral lens, at least one hinge, a main lens gasket and at least one peripheral lens frame. Each hinge bonds to the main lens and one of the at least one peripheral lens to connect the main lens and the peripheral lens and provides a resilient cushion between the main lens and the peripheral lens to keep the lenses from breaking. The main lens gasket and the peripheral lens gasket are able to compensate for inaccuracies in the lenses prevent sharp edges on the lenses from injuring people.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective lenses, and more particularly to protective lenses with a flexible gasket assembly that have a wide field of view and high safety factor.
2. Description of Related Art
Masks and goggles are widely used in many fields such as water activities, biking, snow sports and any other activities that require eye protection.
Conventional eye protection devices comprise a lens frame and lenses. The lenses are mounted in the main frame. The conventional lenses may be a one-piece lens or two lenses. The one-piece lens and the two lenses are made of essentially flat optical material such as glass or plastic. When a person wears the eye protection device, the essentially flat lens and the lens frame limit the person's field of view so that the person's peripheral vision is virtually completely obstructed.
To overcome this problem, an eye protection device with a wide field of view was developed. A conventional eye protection device with a wide field of view comprises a main frame, a main lens, two peripheral lenses and two lens connectors. The main lens and the peripheral lenses are mounted in the main frame. The lens connectors are relatively narrow and are mounted between the main lens and peripheral lenses to connect the peripheral lenses to the main lens at an angle to unmask a person's peripheral vision.
When a person wears the eye protection device with a wide field of view, the person can see through the main lens and the peripheral lenses. Furthermore, the lens connectors between the main lens and the peripheral lenses are thin line obstructions to the person's vision.
The lens connectors can also make the main frame, the lens and the peripheral lenses waterproof, but the lens connectors cannot allow the main frame, the main lens and the peripheral lenses to change shapes or be adjusted. When a force acts on the eye protection device with a wide field view, the main lens and the peripheral lenses are easily broken. To keep the lenses from breaking, the lens frame has to be strong and large, which makes the lens frame heavy and inconvenient to use.
All lenses need to be cut to a specific size before the eye protection devices are assembled. However, every lens cannot be cut precisely enough to make every lens exactly the same. Because the lens connectors are only mounted between the main lens and the peripheral lenses, the lens connectors cannot be adjusted or compensate for imprecision in the lenses after cutting. Furthermore, imprecision in the cutting of lenses will result in variations in assembly of the eye protection devices. If the lenses sizes are larger than the precise size, the connector will break away between the main lens and the peripheral lens when a force is applied to the lenses. If the lenses are smaller than the precise size, leaks will develop between the lenses and the lens frame when a force is applied to the lenses. After cutting, edges of the lenses are sharp and easily injury a person or cause the lenses to break.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides protective lenses with a flexible gasket assembly to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems.


An imaging device for forming a visible image by pressurizing and feeding an exposed recording sheet with a developing sheet detects that the recording sheet and the developing sheet are accurately overlapped with each other before the pressurizing operation is begun. The position of the sheets is monitored and the pressurizing rollers are controlled in accordance with the detected positions.

This present invention relates to an imaging device such as a copying machine, more particularly to an imaging device, in which a photo and pressure sensitive recording medium (for example, photo and pressure sensitive micro-capsule sheet) on which a latent image has been formed in accordance with a visible image is overlapped with a color development medium (for example, color development sheet), for pressuring them, and forming a visible image on the color development medium side, capable of controlling a timing of pressurizing them in such a manner that these sheets are accurately overlapped.
As a prior art of this type of imaging device, as shown in FIG. 1, the following structure has been well-known. As a wound state photo sensitive micro-capsule sheet 37 is pulled, a latent image corresponding to a visible image of an original document is formed at an exposure stage 19. After that, a cut sheet type color development sheet 38 is contacted with the exposed side of the micro-capsule sheet 37 and then they are pressurized and developed by pressure development member, for example, a pair of pressure-developing rollers 21, 31, provided on a pressure development unit 20, thereby forming a visible image on the color development medium.
A plurarity of development sheets 38 are stacked in a casette case 32 and fed out by a semicircular roller 33, and further fed by a feed roller 34 to the pressure development unit 20 through a gate 35 one sheet by one sheet.
In this structure, the pair of rollers 21, 31 are normally open to prevent the roller surfaces from being dirtied by accidental pressuring of the micro-capsule sheet 37. The color development sheet 38 is fed synchronously at the feed speed of the micro-capsule sheet 37 and they are pressurized and developed by the close operation of both of the pair of rollers 21, 31.
In the above device, which further provides a function which increases or decreases the exposure amount on the micro-capsule sheet 37 or a function which enlarges or reduces a visible image by a copy scale factor, a structure where the feed speed of the micro-capsule sheet 37 is varied has been widely used. In this case, the nip timing of the pair of rollers 21, 31 is not changed, whereby a deviation occurs at the start pressure time. Thus, when the pressure operation starts before the color development sheet 38 is sent to the pair of rollers 21, 31, only the micro-capsule sheet 37 is pressurized and the surfaces of the pair of roller 21, 31 are dirtied by a crushing of a plurality of unhardened microcapsules coated on the surface of the micro-capsule sheet 37. On the other hand, when the pressure operation starts in the condition that the color development sheet 38 is excessively fed, the leading end of the color development sheet 38 is not developed.
In the enlargement or reduction state, the exposure start position of the micro-capsule sheet 37 is changed. In this case, the contact position of the exposure side of the micro-capsule sheet 37 and the color development sheet 38 deviates from the correct position.

Imaging device having means to accurately superpose sheets in the developing process


A rotating-tool main shaft includes a hollow ram, a hollow main shaft, a collet, a draw bar that moves the collet in the axial direction, a hydraulic cylinder that moves forwardly the draw bar, and a disc spring that moves backwardly the draw bar. The draw bar includes a spring catch which is retained in the hollow main shaft so as to be movable, and which catches the disc spring. The disc spring is placed in the hollow main shaft, and is placed within a distance that is at least a half of a distance from a tip of the draw bar to the spring catch in the axial direction.

Multi-tasking lathes that cause a tool (also called a cutting tool), such as a bite or a milling cutter, to rotate around a main shaft to execute cutting and machining on a workpiece have become popular.
According to a multi-tasking lathe, the rotating tool is replaced as appropriate. Hence, many lathes include a tool holding unit called a collet chuck. When operated by a drag link called a draw bar, the diameter of the collet decreases. This diameter-reduction allows the collet to hold the rotating tool. A multi-tasking lathe that includes such draw bar and collet is disclosed in, for example, Japan Patent No. 25579145B.
The technology disclosed in Japan Patent No. 2557915B will be described with reference to FIG. 4.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, a bearing 102 is fitted in a ram 101, and a drive shaft 103 is fitted in the bearing 102. The drive shaft 103 rotates while being supported by the ram 101.
Moreover, an attachment 104 is attached to the tip of the ram 101. A main-shaft housing 105 is fitted in the attachment 104. A bearing 106 is fitted in the main-shaft housing 105, and a hollow main shaft 107 is fitted in the bearing 106. The hollow main shaft 107 rotates while being supported by the main-shaft housing 105.
This hollow main shaft 107 has a tool attachment hole 108 in a circular conical shape formed in a tip, and a collet 109 is embedded in a nearby location to this tool attachment hole 108. The hollow main shaft 107 includes a draw bar 111 which extends from the collet 109 toward the drive shaft 103 and which is built in such a shaft.
This draw bar 111 is mechanically coupled to the drive shaft 103 via a coupling 112.
When the drive shaft 103 is rotated by a drive source, the coupling 112 is rotated, and thus the draw bar 111 is rotated. The rotational force by the draw bar 111 is transmitted to a key 113, and then transmitted to the hollow main shaft 107. The key 113 allows the draw bar 111 to rotate together with the hollow main shaft 107.
A rotating tool 115 is attached to a tool holder 117 that includes a male tapered portion 116. The tool holder 117 has a pull stud 118 formed at a tail section.
The tool holder 117 is fitted in the tool attachment hole 108. The pull stud 118 is inserted in the collet 109. In this condition, when the draw bar 111 is drawn, predetermined frictional force is produced between the male tapered portion 116 and the tool attachment hole 108.
Subsequently, the drive shaft 103 causes the tool holder 117 to rotate, the rotating tool 115 to rotate, and this rotating tool 115 executes cutting and machining.
Meanwhile, the forward movement of the draw bar 111 is executed by a hydraulic cylinder 119 that is fitted in the main-shaft housing 105, and by a piston 121 that is retained in this hydraulic cylinder 119. That is, when hydraulic pressure is applied to the hydraulic cylinder 119, the piston 121 moves forward, and the draw bar 111 is pushed forwardly by this piston 121. The forward movement of the piston 121 compresses a disc spring 122.
The backward movement of the draw bar 111 is executed by the disc spring 122. That is, when the hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 119 is released, the disc spring 122 moves backwardly (a pulling side) the draw bar 111. The force by the disc spring 122 keeps the tool holder 117 to be attached to the hollow main shaft 107.
Meanwhile, in view of structural and mechanical components, the hydraulic cylinder 119 may be able to actuate the draw bar 111 to move forwardly or backwardly. When, however, the draw bar 111 is moved backwardly by the hydraulic cylinder 119, and when hydraulic pressure is lost due to blackout, etc., the tool holder 117 is detached from an intermediate main shaft 107. Regarding this point, an adverse effect due to blackout does not act in the case of the disc spring 122.
Because of such a reason, the disc spring 122 is adopted.
The stroke (a forward movement amount) of the draw bar 111 is defined by the structure of the collet 109. Depending on the structure of the collet 109, it is necessary to increase the stroke.
Because the disc spring 122 has a limit in displacement in the axial direction per a spring, in order to increase the stroke of the draw bar 111, it is necessary to increase the number of the disc springs 122.
According to the technology disclosed in Japan Patent No. 2557915B, the number of disc springs 122 is six, but a change in number of such springs to be 20 to 30 may be necessary in practice.
According to the structure disclosed in Japan Patent No. 2557915B, because the key 113 is adopted, the number of disc springs 122 is increased at the coupling 112 side. In this case, the draw bar 111 is to be elongated, and thus the dimension of the rotating-tool main shaft increases.
Since downsizing of the rotating-tool main shaft is being demanded, a structure is desirable which is capable of increasing the number of disc springs 122 without elongating the draw bar 111.


A conveyance truck movable along travel rails includes a suspended supporting device for supporting a vehicle body, a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the suspended supporting device, and a posture adjusting device for adjusting the posture of the vehicle body. The raising and lowering device includes a first supporting axle disposed in the front section in the travel direction, a second supporting axle provided in the rear section movable towards and away from the first supporting axle, a crank arm supported rotatably on the second supporting axle and having the suspended supporting device supported rotatably at its free end portion, a swinging arm fixed to the first supporting axle and having a free end portion coupled to an intermediate position of the crank arm, and an arm drive mechanism for causing the crank arm to rotate about the second supporting axle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyance apparatus for a processing step, as used in a conveyance line in which processing is carried out, such as a coating line or a machining line in a manufacturing plant.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art example of a conveyance apparatus with which a vehicle body is coated while being conveyed is disclosed in International Patent WO 02/053482. This conveyance apparatus is provided with a conveyance truck that is able to travel over immersion tanks, and pairs of swinging arms are provided on the conveyance truck, as two sets, at the front section and at the rear section of the truck in the direction of travel. Supporting bars are installed respectively between the free end sections of the pairs of swinging arms, and a vehicle body is supported on top of the front side supporting bar and the rear side supporting bar. By causing the front and rear side swinging arms to rotate downwards, in either an independent fashion or a mutually combined fashion, the vehicle body held on the supporting bars is caused to descend and is introduced into a coating material.
However, in the conveyance apparatus according to the prior art described above, the vehicle body is raised and lowered along an arc-shaped path of descent. Therefore, it is necessary to form an entrance to the immersion tank and an exit from the same, each of a large dimension, in the direction of travel of the conveyance truck. Moreover, if the vehicle body is to be lowered in a perpendicular vertical direction, it is necessary to move the conveyance truck in the direction of travel. Furthermore, if the direction of descent and ascent of the vehicle body is an arc-shaped direction, then a problem arises in that the positional control of the vehicle body and the control of the posture of the vehicle body become complicated, when it enters into the treatment liquid and when it exits from the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Conveyance apparatus for processing step


An electronic component includes via holes having an elongated cross section, which are provided in a ceramic green molded product provided with a plurality of terminal conductors to define external terminal electrodes. Thereby, a portion of each terminal conductor is exposed on the inner wall of a piecing hole. The ceramic molded product is fired to obtain a ceramic sintered product. Then, the sintered product is split along cutting grooves passing through the via-holes, wherein ceramic electronic components are produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component and a method of producing the same, and more particularly to a ceramic electronic component having improved external terminal electrodes and a method of producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a conventional ceramic electronic component 1.
The ceramic electronic component 1 defines a capacitor, an inductor, a resonator, a circuit substrate, or other suitable electronic components. The ceramic electronic component 1 includes a member 2 having a laminated or single-layer structure.
The ceramic electronic component member 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape which includes first and second main surfaces 3 and 4 disposed opposite to each other and four side surfaces 5, 6, 7, and 8 connecting the first and second main surfaces 3 and 4. A plurality of external terminal electrodes 9 is provided on at least one side surface of the ceramic electronic component member 2, for example, on the side surfaces 5 and 7. These external terminal electrodes 9 are provided on the inner walls 10 of concavities having a semicircular cross-section provided on the side surfaces 5 and 7.
The ceramic electronic component 1 is produced as follows.
First, a ceramic green molded product 11 as shown in FIG. 16 is produced. When the ceramic electronic component member 2 has a laminated structure, a plurality of ceramic green sheets are laminated to produce the ceramic molded product 11. A plurality of the ceramic electronic components 1 are produced from the ceramic green molded product 11.
Next, a plurality of through-holes 12 are formed in the ceramic green molded product 11 as shown in FIG. 16. The positions of the through-holes 12 correspond to positions where the external terminal electrodes 9 are to be formed.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 16, cutting grooves 15 are formed on one main surface 13 or on both main surfaces 13 and 14 of the ceramic green molded product 11. FIG. 18 clearly shows that the cutting groove 15 is formed on both of the main surfaces 13 and 14. When a plurality of the ceramic electronic components 1 are produced in a later process, the cutting grooves 15 facilitate breaking along the boundary lines between the plurality of the ceramic electronic components. For example, the cutting grooves 15 are formed to have a depth that is equal to about one third to one sixth of the thickness of the ceramic green molded product 11.
Then, the ceramic green molded product 11 is fired, whereby a ceramic sintered product 16 can be obtained. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the ceramic sintered product 16.
Subsequently, electrically conductive paste 17 is applied on the inner walls of the through-holes 12, and thereby, the terminal conductors 18 to be formed into the external terminal electrodes 9 are formed on the inner walls of the through-holes 12, respectively, as shown in FIG. 17. To form each terminal conductor 18, for example, screen printing is performed. That is, the ceramic sintered product 16 is placed on a stand 21 having holes 20 to which a vacuum is applied as shown by arrows 19, with the holes 20 and the through-holes 12 being aligned. The electrically conductive paste 17 is applied onto the inner walls of the through-holes 12 by moving a squeegee 23 over a screen 22.
In the above-described screen printing process, the electrically conductive paste 17 is applied to the main surface 13 of the ceramic sintered product 16 in a desired pattern, if necessary, whereby conductor films for wiring are formed.
Succeedingly, the terminal conductors 18 and the conductor wiring films formed with the conductive paste 17 are fired.
If the ceramic green molded product 11 has a laminated structure, the process illustrated in FIG. 17 is carried out for the ceramic green molded product 11 in the green state. In some cases, the conductive paste 17 forming the terminal conductors 18 and the other wiring conductors are fired together with the ceramic green molded product 11.
Next, the surfaces of the terminal conductors 18 are plated with nickel/gold, nickel/tin, nickel/solder, or other suitable conductive material.
Next, components are mounted on the main surface 13 of the ceramic sintered product 16.
The cutting grooves 15 may be formed after the process illustrated FIG. 17, which is carried out before firing, after the plating process, or after the components are mounted.
The ceramic sintered product 16 having the terminal conductors 18 disposed on the inner walls of the through-hole 12 are formed as described above. FIG. 18 shows a portion of the ceramic sintered product 16.
Then, the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken along the cutting grooves 15, and the plurality of the ceramic electronic components 1 are separated. FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a portion of the separated ceramic electronic component 1. FIG. 19 shows a concavity 10 formed by splitting the through-hole 12 and the external terminal electrode 9 formed by splitting the terminal conductor 18.
When the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken as described above, the terminal conductors 18 are split when tensile stress is applied. Therefore, the splitting forms split surfaces 24 which are exposed on the external terminal electrode 9.
The above-described ceramic electronic component 1 and the method of producing the same have the following problems.
The split surfaces 24 formed on the external terminal electrodes 9 oxidize because they are not plated with the plating film. Thus, the soldering properties of the split surfaces 24 are deteriorated. As a result, satisfactory soldering to the external terminal electrodes 9 is not possible.
Moreover, when the ceramic sintered product 16 are broken along the cutting grooves 15, the through-holes 12 are split in such a manner that the terminal conductors 18 on the inner walls of the through-holes 12 are torn off. Thus, the terminal conductors 18 often do not accurately split into halves along the cutting groove 15. In some cases, severe defects are caused. That is, one of the halves is chipped which causes electrical disconnection. Moreover, a fatal deficiency may be caused. That is, the terminal conductors 18 may be partially chipped together with a portion of the ceramic sintered product 16.
To solve the above-described problems, the thickness of each terminal conductor 18 and that of the plating film formed thereon is decreased. However, the decrease of the thickness causes a defect, such as disconnection.
If the external terminal electrodes 9 are formed after the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken along the cutting grooves 15, the above-described problems are solved. However, in this case, the production efficiency is deteriorated.
Moreover, to solve the above-described problem of chipping of the external terminal electrodes 9 caused when the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken along the cutting grooves 15, the terminal conductors 18 must be hollow, as clearly shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, the diameter of the through-hole 12 cannot be significantly reduced. As a result, the size of the ceramic electronic component 1 cannot be significantly reduced.
As shown in FIG. 17, the terminal conductors 18 are formed to be hollow as described above while the peripheries of the holes 21 of the stand 20 are not smeared with the conductive paste 17. Accordingly, the conductive paste 17 must be screen-printed while a vacuum is applied to the holes 20 each having a diameter larger than the through-holes 12. Thus, portions 25 extending onto the main surfaces 13 and 14 are formed for each of the external terminal electrodes 9. However, the presence of the extended portions 25 prevents substantial reduction of the interval at which the external terminal electrodes 9 are arranged. As a result, a substantial reduction in the size of the ceramic electronic component 1 cannot be achieved.
The characteristics of the ceramic electronic components 1 must be measured before the components 1 are shipped. However, before the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken along the cutting grooves 15, the terminal conductors 18 to be formed into the external terminal electrodes 9 of a ceramic electronic component 1 are continuous to those of the adjacent ceramic electronic component 1 in the sintered product 16. Thus, the characteristics of each ceramic electronic component 1 cannot be measured before the ceramic sintered product 16 is broken along the cutting grooves 15. Thus, the measurement of the characteristics cannot be efficiently performed.
If the ceramic electronic component 1 is used as a circuit board, other electronic components may be mounted onto the main surface 3 or 4 of the ceramic electronic component member 2. In this case, the mounting of the electronic components onto the ceramic sintered product 16 is more efficient. However, the characteristics of each of the ceramic electronic components 1 cannot be measured, when the components are present in the form of the assembled electronic component. Thus, the electronic components are mounted on defective ceramic electronic components as well as acceptable ceramic electronic components. This increases the cost of manufacturing the electronic components.
To overcome the above-described problems, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a greatly improved electronic component and a method of producing the same.
According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electronic component includes a member having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other, and four side surfaces connecting the first and second main surfaces, at least one of the side-surfaces being provided with a recess portion extending from the first main surface to the second main surface, and a plurality of external terminal electrodes arranged in the recess portion.
The external terminal electrodes are arranged to extend from the first main surface to the second main surface, or may be arranged to extend from the first main surface, but not reaching the second main surface.
Preferably, a plurality of concavities are arranged in the recess portion, and the external terminal electrodes are arranged so as to be filled into the concavities, and the surface of the external terminal electrodes have a common flat surface with the bottom surface of the recess portion.
The member of the electronic component has a laminated structure or a single layer structure. If the member of the electronic component has a laminated structure, the member includes a plurality of ceramic layers laminated together, and an internal conductor film provided on a desired interface between the ceramic layers.
Preferably, an external conductor film is provided on at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the member of the electronic component.
Preferably, the external terminal electrodes each have a portion extending onto at least one of the first and second main surfaces.
The surface of each external terminal electrode is preferably entirely covered with a plating film.
Moreover, another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a method of producing an electronic component.
According to a second preferred of the present invention, a method of producing an electronic component includes the steps of preparing a ceramic green molded product having a plurality of terminal conductors to be formed into external terminal electrodes and extending in the thickness direction over at least a portion of the thickness thereof, forming a via-hole having an elongated cross section along a line on which the plurality of the terminal conductors of the ceramic green molded product are arranged, the via-hole piercing the ceramic green molded product between the first and second main surfaces thereof opposite to each other, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of the terminal conductors is exposed on the inner surface of the via-hole, firing the ceramic green molded product to obtain a ceramic sintered product, and splitting the ceramic sintered product along a split line passing through the via-hole, wherein the terminal conductors exposed on the inner surface of the via-hole are arranged in a recess portion formed by splitting the via-hole, and the ceramic electronic component is separated from the ceramic green molded product.
In the case in which the electronic component has a laminated structure, preferably, the step of preparing the ceramic green molded product includes laminating ceramic green sheets having a plurality of the terminal conductors provided in the thickness direction thereof so as to pass through the ceramic green molded product.
Moreover, the step of preparing the ceramic green molded product may further include forming conductor films and via-hole conductors for wiring on and in the ceramic green sheets.
According to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method of producing an electronic component includes the steps of preparing a ceramic green molded product, forming a via-hole having an elongated cross section which pierces the ceramic green molded product between the first and second main surfaces opposite to each other, firing the ceramic green molded product to obtain a ceramic sintered product, forming a plurality of external terminal electrodes on the ceramic green molded product or the ceramic sintered product so as to be arranged on the inner surface of the via-hole, and splitting the ceramic sintered molded product along a split line passing through the via-hole, whereby the plurality of the external electrodes formed on the inner wall of the via-hole are arranged in a recess portion formed by splitting the via-hole, and the ceramic electronic component is separated.
In the case in which the electronic component has a laminated structure, the step of preparing the ceramic green molded product includes laminating a plurality of ceramic green sheets.
Preferably, the step of preparing the ceramic green molded product includes forming a conductor film or a via-hole conductor for wiring.
According to the second and third preferred embodiments of the present invention, preferably, the ceramic sintered product is an assembled electronic component from which a plurality of the electronic components are separated, the step of splitting the ceramic sintered product includes splitting the assembled electronic component, and in the step of forming the via-hole, the via-hole is formed so as to split the terminal conductors. Specifically, according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the step of forming the via-hole, the via-hole is formed so as to split the terminal conductors.
Preferably, the method of producing a ceramic electronic component further includes the step of measuring the characteristics of each of the ceramic electronic components in the state of the assembled electronic component before the step of splitting the assembled electronic component.
Also preferably, the method of producing a ceramic electronic component further includes the step of plating the surfaces of the external terminal electrodes before the step of splitting the ceramic sintered product.
The present invention is also intended for a ceramic electronic component obtained by the above-described method of producing the ceramic electronic component.
Other features, elements, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

Electronic component and method of producing the same