A system for measuring differences in a physical variable, such as temperature, by utilizing predictable behavior in the relative time drift of offset curves for various circuit elements, including two sensors connected to a difference signal amplifier, an ambient condition amplifier, and an analog to digital converter. In an initial calibration mode, the system records several offset curves, stored in memory, correlating ambient condition measurements to offset measurements acquired from the ambient condition amplifier and the difference signal amplifier. Offset curves recorded in the initial calibration mode, correlating ambient condition measurements to measurements from the difference signal amplifier, include one curve recorded with both inputs of the difference signal amplifier held at equal potential and another curve recorded with both sensors held at the same value of the physical variable, over a given ambient condition range. Another offset curve correlates ambient condition to measurements from the ambient condition amplifier, with inputs to the ambient condition amplifier connected to voltages from a substantially time stable reference resistance bridge. These offset curves representing drift behavior, among electrical components, can be updated for time drift, at a single, current arbitrary ambient temperature, the measurements for which can be obtained quickly and applied as a time drift correction to the offset curves, without interrupting normal system operation, to provide a compensated difference measurement between the different values of the physical variable measured by the respective sensors. Additionally, the system dynamically tracks cumulative system errors, in order to calculate optimal system resolution, based upon current operating conditions.

Various electronic systems exist for measuring extremely small differences in sensor measurements, such as temperature, for use in biological and physical analysis. It is known in the art that active and passive electronic components in such systems are subject to time and temperature drift, and that under normal operating conditions, the amplitude of time and temperature component drift is typically much greater than the amplitude of other inaccuracies generated by system components, such as amplifier noise voltage, noise current, and resistor noise. Consequently, component time and temperature drift are significant limiting factors to high resolution measurements, such as temperature difference measurements. To address the problem of component drift in electronic measurement systems generally, various approaches to compensate for drift have been devised.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,532 (Kamens); U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,307 (Kato); U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,163 (Madeley); and U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,042 (La Claire) disclose electronic measurement systems (principally directed to pressure sensing, in the preferred embodiments) which include additional hardware components that change their electrical resistance, or other electrical parameters, with ambient temperature, in such a way as to compensate for thermal drift in measurement systems to which they are electrically connected. While such hardware compensation systems provide some compensation for thermal drift inaccuracies, they do not compensate for component drift over time, particularly the drift of sensors, such as thermistors. This would be sufficient to preclude temperature difference measurements, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if these techniques were applied to that purpose. Additionally, such hardware based compensation techniques do not readily compensate for component drift, resulting from the combined time drift characteristics of multiple system components, located at different parts of the system, with different thermal drift characteristics, and subject to non-uniform aging. In any case, the ability of the above hardware based compensation systems and techniques to compensate for system thermal drift are limited by the extent to which the particular technique tracks with thermal drift of the overall system, over time and temperature. Consequently, such techniques would not provide sufficient compensation for component time and temperature drift to permit differential temperature measurements, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if these techniques were applied to that purpose.
Other hardware compensation techniques, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,846 (Kwasnik); U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,091 ((ruger et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,609 (Nguyen), require a time and temperature stable reference signal, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,010 (Leopold et al.) requires the use of precision analog amplification hardware and costly time and temperature stable resistors. The required precision analog components in these systems results in increased cost, complexity, and power consumption. Moreover, these systems do not compensate for time drift of passive components, such as thermistors, which would be sufficient to preclude temperature difference measurements, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if these systems were applied to that purpose.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,725 (Hodson et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,613 (Lehnert); U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,936 (Sakamoto et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,725 (Briefer) describe electronic measurement systems which compensate for thermal drift, and other system inaccuracies, by utilizing a computer, and memory for storing known temperature behavior of a measurement system, at various calibration temperatures. That is, system inaccuracies due to temperature drift are recorded at specific calibration temperatures. This stored temperature behavior is then used to interpolate system inaccuracies due to thermal component drift at operational temperatures within the calibration range. This has been accomplished by using mathematical formulae to model thermal offset curves (e.g., using a parabolic interpolation, such as the LaGrange method, to plot offset curves, based upon discrete offset measurements, at discrete ambient temperatures), and then during normal operation, using a said formula, with a current ambient temperature measurement, to determine expected circuit offsets for the current ambient temperature, so that actual system measurements during normal operation can be adjusted for the effects of said expected circuit offsets. The prior art measurement systems, which utilize a computer, can provide time and temperature compensation based only upon the most recent reference calibration data, the acquisition of which requires that the system be cycled through an entire temperature range, and is sufficiently time consuming to prevent, or significantly interrupt, normal system operation. Other techniques that utilize software compensation, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,601 (Lenderking et al.), as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,725 (Briefer, referred to above), require the use of a time and temperature stable reference signal, which increases cost, complexity, and power consumption. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,804 (Willing) utilizes time and temperature stable passive components, which, even with costly bulk metal foil, or wirewound, resistors, would not provide the accuracy necessary in temperature difference measurements, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if this technique were applied to that purpose. Such time and temperature stable bulk metal foil resistors (e.g., manufactured by Vishay Electronics Foil Resistors, of Malvern, Pa.) and wirewound resistors, such as manufactured by Dale Electronics, of Norfolk, Nebr., are one to two orders of magnitude more expensive than standard metal film resistors, which provide comparable time stability, but are not nearly as temperature stable. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,804 (Willing, referred to above) updates a previously recorded temperature curve according to the two endpoints of the curve, thereby ignoring variations that might occur at intervening points along the curve, over time, as well as time drift in temperature measuring thermistors, which drift sufficiently over time to invalidate temperature difference measurements, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if it were applied to the purpose of high resolution differential temperature measurements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,292 (Jeenicke) relies on updating a point on a measurement curve, requiring, however, the restriction that the sensor curve characteristic be linear (not the case with temperature sensors, such as thermistors, and not sufficiently so, to provide resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, even with known thermistor linearization techniques) and that ambient temperature measurements not drift with time, to the extent that measurement accuracy would be affected, making this technique unsuitable for a differential thermometer with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, if such a technique were to be applied to that purpose.
In the above approaches, as they would relate to a temperature difference measurement system, utilizing a pair of thermistors (e.g., in a thermistor-resistor bridge arrangement), it is relevant to note that differences in thermistor resistance-temperature curve characteristics, between two thermistors, result in a difference in the two thermistor resistances, throughout an ambient temperature range, that varies significantly with ambient temperature. For instance, YSI 460 series "Super-Stable Thermistors", manufactured by YSI, Incorporated, of Yellow Springs, Ohio, are characteristic of well matched, commercially available thermistors, and are matched to within 0.05.degree. C. of each other, between 0.degree. C. and 50.degree. C. This means that within the 0.degree. C. to 50.degree. C. range of operating temperatures, the difference in thermistor resistances may change by as much as 0.001.degree. C., relative to each other, for each ambient temperature change of 1.degree. C., a significant amount in measurements intended to resolve temperature differences on the order of micro-degrees centigrade. The above approaches, as they would relate to a temperature difference measurement system, utilizing a pair of thermistors, do not provide a means to compensate for this effect. Additionally, in order to minimize common mode amplifier error, the use of bipolar power to the measurement bridge is often preferred in the above prior art, as are high precision amplifiers, which typically require bipolar power, resulting in added cost and complexity, compared to a single-ended power supply architecture.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,746 (Friauf et al.), directed specifically to the technical field of temperature difference measurement, with resolution on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, it is pointed out that a number of digital thermometers exist, which, however, have accuracy limitations on the order of one hundred milli-degrees centigrade. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,746 addresses some of the limitations of the prior art, in this respect, by using a computer to maintain a thermistor-resistor bridge in a balanced state, to provide a means for adjusting thermistor power dissipation and to null out thermally generated offsets in the system's analog to digital converter, digital to analog converters, and amplifiers, for a given thermistor power dissipation, for the current ambient temperature. However, this requires that the bridge circuit be balanced with extreme accuracy, requiring the addition of two digital to analog converters to the circuit, preferably employing high resolution, in order to achieve high resolution temperature difference measurements, resulting in added component count, cost, and power consumption. Additionally, no means is provided to compensate for time drift of thermistors, which typically amounts to ten or more milli-degrees/year (e.g., YSI 44018, manufactured by YSI Incorporated, of ellow Springs, Ohio), a significant figure in temperature difference measurements, intended to approach micro-degree centigrade resolution. Additionally, software calibration of this system, for a current ambient temperature, is undertaken at the time when temperature difference measurements are undertaken, yet requires that bridge thermistors be completely powered down first, so that there is zero voltage potential across the bridge during calibration. That is, system calibration followed by continued operation in the temperature difference measurement mode must be undertaken by first powering down the bridge thermistors, and then powering them up again. Due to self-heating properties of thermistors, when a voltage is placed across thermistors, time is required for the thermistors to reach equilibrium with ambient temperature, which they do asymptotically. In cases where temperature difference measurements on the order of micro-degrees centigrade are to be resolved, this powering down and then powering up of the bridge, until the thermistors are within micro-degrees centigrade of equilibrium, adds significant time to the calibration process. Since each calibration offset measurement is associated with a specific ambient temperature, a calibration measurement (and, therefore, an ambient temperature) must be associated with each temperature difference measurement. Calibration measurements performed before and after a measurement run can conceivably be used to interpolate linear changes in ambient temperature with time, during a measurement run, but this places an unrealistic limitation on a measurement system which desirably operates under normal atmospheric conditions, in which ambient temperature changes may not be linear with time. Therefore, a calibration measurement must be undertaken for each temperature difference measurement, in which ambient temperature may not have undergone a linear change, thus adding significant time to the measurement process. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,010 (Leopold et al., also mentioned above) requires that current be reversed through zero, in resistive sensors, for each calibration, as well as requiring precision circuitry, that increases cost, complexity, and power consumption.
Additionally, the prior art does not provide a means to dynamically quantify compensation inaccuracies, resulting from the particular drift compensation technique used. These inaccuracies, inherent in the above compensation techniques, may vary widely, depending on specific operating conditions, such as: ambient temperature; number and location of temperature compensation/sensing devices in the system; thermal and time drift homogeneity among system components; time elapsed since a reference calibration (where relevant); and system warm-up status. In the above prior art, a general specification based upon a combination of individual system component drift tolerances, taken as a whole, can conceivably be computed to account for temperature and time drift limitations of a system. Based upon a given calibration, and/or compensation technique, over an intended temperature span, such a computation could be used to provide a limitation to achievable resolution in the above prior art, in a given operating environment, for a given calibration/compensation technique, over an expected temperature range of operation. However, in order to be reliable, such a computation would need to take into consideration factors which include long term time-drift characteristics of active and passive components, including amplifiers, and mixed-mode devices, such as analog/digital converters, as well as time drift of passive components, such as resistors and thermistors. An additional source of error to take into consideration, in devices expected to perform to specification when they are turned on, includes time versus drift behavior during system warm-up. Consequently, although a general specification for the ability of a technique to compensate for component time and temperature drift may be calculated, by combining manufacturer supplied drift specifications for relevant components, the actual value of errors associated with uncompensated component drift, in a given compensation technique, may change significantly, depending on the above factors, so that rather than being optimized, based upon current operating conditions, such a calculated specification must be set high enough to anticipate worst case conditions.
Such calculated resolution limits, for a given system, over a given temperature span, are often used to estimate performance in bridge measurement systems. However, it would be highly advantageous in detecting extremely small variations, approaching the limitations of modern electronics, to dynamically use limitation information that improves upon such absolute estimates, whenever possible. For example, system limitation specifications can be significantly enhanced by using such information as: elapsed time since a last reference calibration; empirically determined tolerance of temperature versus offset drift curves, over time; and elapsed time since power-up. In the above prior art, no means is provided to dynamically and efficiently account for collective circuit limitations, associated with a drift compensation method, in such a way as to provide an accurate, instantaneous indication, or continuous system control, reflecting optimum achievable system accuracy, under the drift compensation method, and based upon current operating conditions.
In spite of advances in bridge measurement systems, and in particular, high resolution temperature difference measurement systems, there remains a need for a high resolution differential thermometer, utilizing a minimum of low cost components, consuming minimal power (permitting battery powered operation), and operable from a single-ended power supply, that provides accurate temperature compensation, and that can be calibrated during normal operation, for temperature drift, and time drift of system components, without significantly interrupting operation in the field, and that sufficiently compensates for time drift of passive components, such as thermistors, so that a specified system resolution, on the order of micro-degrees centigrade, is achievable. Additionally, there remains a need for such a system which provides an instantaneous indication of system resolution limitations, based upon current operating conditions, which can be reported to the user, or employed to continuously and automatically effect system reporting in such a way as to dynamically provide optimal resolution, rather than using a single specification based upon a combined estimate of expected system tolerances.

Method and apparatus for economical drift compensation in high resolution difference measurements and exemplary low cost, high resolution differential digital thermometer


A device for measuring the tack of materials, comprising a first cylinder (1) included in a fixed frame (2) and a second cylinder (3) included in a movable yoke (4), whose outer surfaces contact each other via a layer of the material to be tested for tack (8). The yoke (4) is connected with the frame (2) via a connecting element (5) movable about a center. A force sensor (6) is included between the yoke and the movable connecting element or between the frame and the movable connecting element. The output of the force sensor (6) is connected with processing means (7) for processing the measuring signal delivered by the force sensor into a material-specific tack value. In a first calibration step, the first cylinder is coupled with a static mass (11) via coupling means (10). A first correction value, based on the measuring signal delivered by the force sensor, is stored in the processing means. During a second calibration step, the first and second cylinder are contacted with each other without material to be measured. A second correction value, based on the measuring signal delivered by the force sensor, is stored in the processing means. In an actual measuring step, the first and the second cylinder are coupled via a layer of the material to be tested. The measuring signal delivered by the force sensor is processed as a measuring value, taking into account the stored first and/or second correction value.

From a prior patent application in the name of applicant, such a device for measuring the tack of materials is known. The second cylinder is arranged movably with respect to the first cylinder by means of two spring systems, on both sides of the second cylinder. One or both spring systems are provided with a force sensor, which delivers a measuring signal in proportion to the force exerted upon the respective spring system.
For measuring the tack of, for instance, a printing ink, it is uniformly applied to the outer surface of the first cylinder ("main cylinder"). Then, the driving means are activated so that the first cylinder is brought into rotation. Via the outer surface of the first cylinder—and the ink applied thereon, the tack of which is to be determined—the second cylinder ("measuring cylinder") is also brought into rotation. The greater the tack of the ink is, the greater the force exerted upon the spring systems and the greater, therefore, the value of the measuring signal delivered by the force sensor(s).
Although, in practice, the known tack measuring device serves its purpose very well, the accurate setting and adjustment of the device is a time-consuming job. This results from inter alia the bearing and/or alignment of the second cylinder with respect to the first cylinder, in the known device designed by means of leaf spring systems on both sides of the yoke in which the cylinder is included. Further, the positioning of the force sensor(s) on the side of the second cylinder is also unfavorable and this positioning causes systematic inaccuracies.

Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO


A method of stripping an optical fiber including a silica optical waveguide and a coating to be removed over a portion to be stripped includes making a cut in the coating of the portion to be stripped, depositing a stripping gel on the coating of the portion to be stripped, and cleaning the portion to be stripped to remove the coating and expose the silica of the fiber.

This application is based on French Patent Application No. 01 05 032 filed Apr. 12, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of stripping an optical fiber consisting of removing the coating from a particular area of the fiber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An optical fiber consists of a core surrounded by a cladding layer delimiting an optical waveguide surrounded by a coating layer that protects the optical fiber as a whole. As a general rule the core and the cladding of the optical fiber are made of silica and the coating layer is made of polymers.
Optical fibers have many and varied applications. In some applications it is necessary to manipulate the silica optical waveguide, for example for optically writing a Bragg grating. To carry out this kind of operation, the fiber must be stripped, etched and then recoated. It may also be necessary to strip the optical fiber at one end, for example to execute a weld or a connection. The method according to the invention can be used to strip any portion of the optical fiber, whether in the middle or at an end. By stripping is meant removing the protective polymer from the optical waveguide consisting of the core and the cladding, that is to say, in the remainder of the text, removing the coating in order to bare the silica.
The present invention relates essentially to a method of stripping an optical fiber in order to bare the silica.
The person skilled in the art knows various stripping methods. Stripping methods are subject to heavy constraints, however. This is because the length of the stripped fiber portion must be carefully controlled, the high strength of the fiber must not be compromised, and the edges of the coating at the limits of the stripped portion must be clean.
What is more, the stripped fiber becomes extremely fragile and delicate to manipulate.
One method routinely used by persons skilled in the art is described in the paper: xe2x80x9cEffect of chemical stripping on the strength and surface morphology of fused silica optical fiberxe2x80x9d. Proc. Soc. Photo Optique Instrumentation Eng., vol 2074 pp 52-58. This kind of method consists of plunging the fiber portion to be stripped for 20 seconds into a bath of 98% sulfuric acid heated to 180-200xc2x0 C. To do this, it is necessary to coil the fiber. The stripped fiber is then cleaned with ethanol and/or acetone.
The above prior art method has many drawbacks. Coiling the fiber immersed in the acid bath increases the risk of impinging on the silica, which is bared after the polymer of the coating is degraded, which could reduce the mechanical strength of the stripped fiber. It is also difficult to control the length of the stripped portion because the sulfuric acid migrates rapidly into the coating by capillary action. This causes an uneven edge of the remaining coating (known to the person skilled in the art as a xe2x80x9ccauliflower edgexe2x80x9d).
The above method is also hazardous because of the proximity of inflammable products, such as alcohol, and pure sulfuric acid. The risk of acid burns is not negligible. All of this leads to heavy industrial constraints associated with temperature, relative humidity and, of course, rules for manipulation of the products.
Other prior art methods are based on the principle of softening the coating of the fiber by heating it, and then scraping it off.
For example, the international patent application WO 00/02076 proposes a method of stripping the end of an optical fiber by heating the fiber and scraping off the coating when it has become sufficiently softened.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,801 describes a method of stripping any portion of an optical fiber, including a portion between its ends, by using a hot jet of inert gas to soften the coating. The power of the jet is such that the coating is blown off the fiber when it has become sufficiently softened. The jet is moved along the whole length of the portion of fiber to be stripped.
These prior art methods have all or some of the drawbacks already cited, in particular the use of heat.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that none of the above prior art methods has yet been industrialized on a large scale.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art.
To this end, the invention proposes a two-stage method, a first or mechanical stage which makes one or more cuts in the coating of the fiber and a second or chemical stage which softens the coating by the action of a stripping gel. The method according to the invention produces a stripped portion with clean edges and of perfectly controlled length, without compromising the mechanical strength of the optical fiber.
The invention relates more specifically to a method of stripping an optical fiber including a silica optical waveguide and a coating to be removed over a portion to be stripped, the method including the following steps:
making a cut in the coating of the portion to be stripped,
depositing a stripping gel on the coating of the portion to be stripped, and
cleaning the portion to be stripped to remove the coating and expose the silica of the fiber.
According to one feature of the invention the cut has a depth controlled in accordance with the nature of the fiber to be stripped in order to protect the optical waveguide of the fiber.
According to another feature of the invention the cut is circular.
In one application of the invention at least two cuts are made in the coating of the portion of the fiber to be stripped and the spacing between the cuts is adapted to suit the length of the portion to be stripped.
According to one feature of the invention the portion to be stripped is placed in a receptacle adapted to receive the stripping gel.
According to one feature of the invention the stripping gel has a suitable viscosity from 3 000 cps to 5 000 cps.
According to one feature of the invention the portion to be stripped is cleaned by cleaning jets adapted to clean the surface of the silica and to make a clean break in the coating at the edge of the portion to be stripped.
According to one feature of the invention the optical fiber is placed in a cassette with the portion to be stripped under tension.
According to one feature of the invention the portion of the optical fiber to be stripped is under a controlled tension and the cassette includes indexing means.
According to one advantageous feature of the invention the optical fiber remains in the cassette throughout the stripping process.
In respective embodiments of the invention the portion to be stripped is in the middle of the fiber and at an end of the fiber.
The present invention further relates to a system for implementing a method in accordance with the invention, which system includes:
a station for making a cut in the coating of the portion of the fiber to be stripped, and
a stripping station for effecting the following operations:
positioning the portion of the fiber to be stripped in a receptacle,
depositing a stripping gel in the receptacle and allowing it to act on the coating of the fiber, and
cleaning and drying the stripped fiber portion.
According to one feature of the invention the system for implementing the method further includes a cassette for supporting the optical fiber and maintaining the portion of the fiber to be stripped under tension.
The present invention also provides an optical fiber comprising a silica waveguide and a coating that is removed over a stripped portion, in which fiber the edges of the coating at the ends of the stripped portion are smooth and oblique with a longitudinal depth less than twice the diameter of the optical fiber.
The method according to the invention preserves the specifications of the fiber defined in terms of the constraints applying to its mechanical strength, a controlled and reproducible length of the stripped portion, and the quality of the edges of the coating.
Furthermore, the method according to the invention can be carried out at room temperature and without manipulating unstable hazardous products. The stripping gel is stable at room temperature and normal relative humidity.
What is more, the method according to the invention lends itself readily to large-scale industrialization.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become clearly apparent after reading the following description, which is given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Automatically reconfiguring an electronic landing display that includes a flight path vector (FPV) symbol and a rising runway symbol combined with a digital altitude value that merge at low aircraft altitudes is disclosed. During approach, when the aircraft descends below a predetermined minimum altitude, e.g., 200 feet, the FPV symbol is removed. When the aircraft is on the ground and during takeoff, the rising runway symbol is removed. Removing one or the other of the merging symbols prevents the symbols from overlapping. Thus, the potential for pilot error due to one of the merging symbols occluding the other is avoided.

The introduction of electronic flight instrument systems (EFIS) on board aircraft has resulted in a proliferation of flight display features and options. Unfortunately, certain display symbols are inherently incompatible when simultaneously used on the same display. One display system that includes symbols that are incompatible under certain circumstances are the symbols of an electronic landing display. An electronic landing display is a computer-controlled display that indicates to the pilot of an aircraft the relationship between his aircraft and the runway on which the aircraft is to land based on information derived from various aircraft sensors and indicators, such as a radar altimeter, airspeed indicators thrust indicators, etc. Landing displays may include a flight path vector (FPV) symbol and a runway symbol. As the aircraft approaches the runway during a landing, the FPV and runway symbols of the display merge toward one another. One type of such an aircraft landing display system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,517, entitled "Aircraft Landing Display System" by Peter Lovering.
Landing display symbol incompatibility occurs because as the FPV symbol and the runway symbol merge the symbols tend to occlude one another. Because the symbols occlude one another, the information provided by the symbols may be erroneously interpreted by a pilot. This possibility becomes greater when the runway symbol rises and includes a radar altitude value in digital form that rises with the runway symbol. Such a display is presently scheduled for inclusion in the electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) designed for the 747-400 airplane produced by The Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington. In this particular instrument, the FPV symbol occludes the digital altitude value when the rising runway symbol and the FPV symbol overlap.
In the past, aircraft instrument systems have often included some provision for solving this incompatibility problem. For example, the flight display system incorporated on the A320 produced by the European Commercial Airplane Manufacturing Consortium, commonly referred to as Airbus, includes a rising runway symbol combined with a radar altitude value and a flight path vector or flight path angle symbol. The Airbus approach to solving the occlusion problem is to allow one symbol to disappear behind the other, somewhat similar to the way personal computer (PC) graphics provide overlapping displays. (The overlapping display solution in the personal computer environment is commonly referred to as a "window display". In such displays, a "window" overlaps the main displays; i.e., the main display disappears behind the window display.)
Flight management displays, including means to eliminate undersired symbols, are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,622, entitled "Flight Management Display" by James R. Ganett et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,843, entitled "Aircraft Flight Instrument Display System" by Harry Miller et al.
While solutions of the type incorporated in the Airbus A320 flight display instrument and described in the foregoing patents reduce the symbol incompatibility problem and/or eliminate undesired symbols, they are not as satisfactory as desired when applied to a landing system. As will be better understood from the following description, the present invention is directed to solving the symbol incompatibility problem in an aircraft landing display system by removing one or the other of the merging symbols depending upon the flight status of the aircraft.

Automatic reconfiguration of electronic landing display


A pair of trousers including two leg coverings for covering two legs of a wearer, respectively, each of the leg coverings including a front and a rear half, one or both of the front and rear halves having a crease line extending over a vertical length thereof, and two side portions extending along the crease line on both sides of the crease line, respectively; and one or more adhesive tapes which connect respective inner surfaces of the side portions to each other over an entire length of the side portions along the crease line, so as to prevent the side portions from opening in a direction in which the side portions become more distant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pair of trousers and particularly to such trousers which has creases, or crease lines on the top of the creases, which have excellent durability and are maintained sufficiently neat for a long time of use.
2. Related Art Statement
Generally, a pair of trousers has creases, or crease lines on the top of the creases, which are set by, e.g., steaming in at least the front and rear halves of each of the two leg coverings thereof. The creases or crease lines ensure that a wearer can always fold the trousers in the same fashion, thereby preventing the trousers from having undesirable wrinkles and/or becoming out of shape. These are technical advantages with the creases or crease lines set in the trousers. Additionally, the creases or crease lines give a straight silhouette to the trousers when the trousers are being worn on the wearer, thereby improving the visual appearance of the trousers. This is an aesthetic advantage with the creases or crease lines.
However, since the creases or crease lines are created simply by folding the fabric of the trousers, they "erase" little by little as the trousers is worn again and again. Specifically, while the trousers are worn on the wearer, tensile forces are exerted to the creases or crease lines in various directions because of physical motions of the wearer. Some of the tensile forces are exerted to the creases in directions in which to unfold or open the creases and thereby "erase" the crease lines on the top of the creases.
For keeping the creases or crease lines sufficiently neat in the trousers, it has conventionally been practiced to frequently iron the trousers at home. However, the ironing of the trousers is very cumbersome and time-consuming and furthermore it may deteriorate the fabric of the trousers.
In the above-described background, there have been various proposals to keep the creases in shape or the crease lines sufficiently neat in the trousers for a long period of use, without needing to frequently iron the trousers, and some of those proposals have been reduced to practice. One of such proposals is to sew trousers using a fabric produced by weaving a yarn made of wool mixed with polyester fiber. In this case, by utilizing the thermal plasticity of the polyester fiber, durable creases or crease lines are thermally set in the trousers. Meanwhile, in the case of trousers made purely of wool, the "CSIRO-set" process has generally been employed. In this process, an appropriate chemical agent or agents is/are applied to, or sprayed toward, the back or inner surfaces of creases and subsequently the creases are subjected to steaming, so as to improve the durability of the creases set in the wool trousers.
However, none of the known proposals has solved the above-mentioned problem to a satisfactory extent because the creases or crease lines set in the trousers according to any of the proposals are not effectively prevented from opening widely due to the tensile forces exerted thereto by the physical motions of the wearer while the trousers are worn on the wearer. Additionally, since the fabric used for sewing the trousers is produced by weaving warps and wefts, it has the property of restoring the creases to their basic forms, i.e., flat forms. For those reasons, it is very difficult to keep the creases in shape or the crease lines sufficiently neat in the trousers for a long time of use.
Stated differently, the creases or crease lines set in the trousers according to the conventional processes "erase" little by little during continued wearing of the trousers. The conventional processes suffer from additional disadvantages. First, those proposals are not versatile with respect to sorts of fabrics or sorts of yarns used for producing the fabrics, that is, are limited to specified fabrics or yarns. Second, in the case where the "CSIRO-set" process is employed for setting creases or crease lines in trousers, the overall production process is complicated because of use of one or more chemical agents. Additionally, some of those chemical agents react with a dye used for dying the fabric of the trousers, thereby discoloring the trousers. Thus, the use of the conventional process is limited to such fabrics dyed using specific dyes.
Meanwhile, it could be said that connecting, by stitching with thread, between two side portions on both sides of a crease line in trousers over the entire length of the side portions will prevent the crease line from opening widely due to the tensile forces exerted thereto. In this case, however, the stitches sewn into the side portions are exposed on the outside surface of the trousers, thereby worsening the outside appearance of the trousers and accordingly reducing the commercial value of the trousers. Thus, this method is not satisfactory, either.


A modified conjugated diene-based polymer is produced that is a modified product of a conjugated diene-based polymer obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene compound, or polymerizing a conjugated diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound, in the presence of an alkali metal compound or an alkaline-earth metal compound. The modified conjugated diene-based polymer is produced by a production method that includes a main chain modification step that reacts at least either an unsaturated bond or a functional group that is included in a terminal-modified polymer and is not situated at a terminal of the terminal-modified polymer, with a specific compound that includes a functional group that interacts with silica, the terminal-modified polymer being obtained by introducing a functional group that interacts with silica into at least one terminal of the conjugated diene-based polymer.

A conjugated diene-based rubber (e.g., styrene-butadiene copolymer) that is obtained using an emulsion polymerization method or a solution polymerization method has been known as rubber for producing an automotive tire. In recent years, an improvement in low fuel consumption performance (fuel efficiency) of automobiles has been increasingly desired, and various modified conjugated diene-based polymers have been proposed to meet such a demand. For example, a modified conjugated diene-based polymer obtained by modifying the terminal of a conjugated diene-based polymer using a compound that includes an amino group and an alkoxysilyl group has been proposed as rubber for producing an automotive tire (see Patent Document 1, for example). A modified conjugated diene-based polymer in which a silicon atom is bonded to a carbon atom that forms the main chain of the polymer, and an amino group is bonded to the silicon atom, and a modified conjugated diene-based polymer to which a benzene ring that includes an amino group is bonded, have also been proposed (see Patent Documents 2 and 3, for example).
Various additives may be added to a polymer composition used to produce an automotive tire in addition to the polymer component in order to improve various types of performance (e.g., tire strength and processability). Specifically, silica, carbon black, and the like may be added to the polymer composition in order to improve tire strength, and mineral oil, a compatibilizer, and the like may be added to the polymer composition in order to improve processability.

Method for producing modified conjugated diene polymer, modified conjugated diene polymer, polymer composition, crosslinked polymer, and tire


Systems and methods are disclosed that perform occupancy detection. Photoelectric sensors, such as through sensors, are arranged in an angled cross pattern, such that light beams of the through sensors cover a substantial portion of the seating surface of a seat. Upon interruption of a light beam making up the angled cross pattern, an object is detected in the seat. The through sensors may be held in a narrow armrest of a seat by a bracket attached to the seat frame. Further, through sensors for neighboring seats may also be held by the bracket.

The present disclosure relates generally to object detection. More specifically, certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to alternating alignment of sensors for detection of objects.
Amusement park rides are becoming increasingly sophisticated, providing more significant thrills and more intricate designs than ever before. Further, ride safety is of utmost importance. Unfortunately, thorough safety equipment oftentimes may hinder creative constraints that would improve aesthetics of the ride.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Alternating crossed alignment object detection


RSVP host proxy services for extending RSVP-signaled QoS provisioning to flows involving one or more RSVP-unaware hosts. In an RSVP sender host proxy service, a switch through which an RSVP-unaware source host accesses a network acts as an RSVP sender host proxy for the source host. In an RSVP receiver host proxy service, a switch through which an RSVP-unaware destination host accesses a network acts as an RSVP receiver host proxy for the destination host.

Data communication switches are becoming more and more intelligent. Whereas legacy data communication switches provided indiscriminate first-in, first-out forwarding of packets, more recent data communication switches support differential packet forwarding based on flow characteristics under the Quality of Service (QoS) label. The trend toward QoS started first in cell-switched ATM networks, but has migrated to packet-switched networks and protocols, including bridging (Layer 2, or xe2x80x9cL2xe2x80x9d), routing (Layer 3, or xe2x80x9cL3xe2x80x9d) and transport (Layer 4, or xe2x80x9cL4xe2x80x9d) protocols.
Standardized QoS elements are emerging in packet switched networks. One standard element is a signaling protocol through which a QoS may be provisioned end-to-end for a flow. This signaling protocol is called the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP). In conventional RSVP-signaled QoS provisioning, an RSVP-aware source host, called a xe2x80x9csenderxe2x80x9d, desiring to initiate a flow with an RSVP-aware destination host, called a xe2x80x9creceiverxe2x80x9d, transmits downstream an RSVP Path message specifying parameters for a proposed flow. Switches along the flowpath review the RSVP Path message and modify certain message fields as required to indicate limitations and conditions on their ability to deliver QoS services to the flow. The RSVP-aware destination host receives the RSVP Path message and uses the information therein to generate and transmit an RSVP Resv message back upstream requesting the provisioning of a specific QoS for the flow at each switch along the flowpath. Each switch determines whether or not to accept the request based on whether the switch has sufficient available resources to provide the requested QoS and whether the flow is entitled to the requested QoS. If the reservation is accepted, the switches are configured to forward packets within the flow in accordance with the QoS. In this way, an RSVP-signaled QoS for the flow is provisioned end-to-end along the flowpath.
While standard RSVP-signaled QoS, as outlined above, provides a means for end-to-end QoS provisioning within a network, it is only known to be available for flows between hosts that are RSVP-aware. There is a need to extend the benefits of RSVP-signaled QoS to flows involving RSVP-unaware hosts.
The present invention provides RSVP host proxy services for extending RSVP-signaled QoS provisioning to flows involving hosts that are not RSVP-aware.
In accordance with an RSVP sender host proxy service, a switch through which a first host accesses a network acts as an RSVP sender host proxy for the first host. Upon receiving a data packet for a new flow from the first host, and determining that the RSVP sender host proxy service is enabled for the first host, the switch generates and transmits on a flowpath to a second host an RSVP Path message. In accordance with RSVP, the RSVP Path message prompts the second host to generate and return on the flowpath an RSVP Resv message.
In accordance with an RSVP receiver host proxy service, a switch through which a first host accesses a network acts as an RSVP receiver host proxy for the first host. Upon receiving an RSVP Path message generated and transmitted by a second host and determining that the RSVP receiver host proxy service is enabled for the first host, the switch generates and returns on a flowpath to the second host an RSVP Resv message.
A switch serving as an RSVP host proxy for a host may continue to act as an RSVP router for hosts.
These and other aspects of the inventions may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.

RSVP proxy service for communication network


According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a first disk, a second disk, a first head, a second head, a first actuator including the first head, a second actuator including the second head, a first arithmetic unit executing a first reordering process of a command stored in a first queue corresponding to the first actuator, and a second arithmetic unit executing a second reordering process of a command stored in a second queue corresponding to the second actuator, the first arithmetic unit executing the second reordering process, the second arithmetic unit executing the first reordering process.

A magnetic disk device stores a plurality of commands transferred from a host and the like in a queue and executes a reordering process of changing the order to process the plurality of commands stored in the queue. In recent years, a split actuator magnetic disk device comprising a plurality of actuators has been proposed. The split actuator magnetic disk device controls the plurality of actuators independently. The split actuator magnetic disk device stores a plurality of commands that correspond to each actuator, in each queue corresponding to each actuator, and reorders the plurality of commands stored in each queue corresponding to each actuator.

Magnetic disk device and method of reordering process

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION


A brake system for a vehicle is disclosed and includes an energy storage device configured to store and discharge energy, a plurality of wheels, one or more processors operatively coupled to the energy storage device, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data comprising a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the brake system to determine the brake system is operating in a backup mode of operation. In response to determining the brake system is operating in the backup mode of operation, the brake system calculates a dynamic slip of the plurality of wheels. The brake system is caused to determine a slip error by comparing the dynamic slip with a target slip value of the plurality of wheels. The brake system is also caused to calculate an antiskid command based on the slip error.

Aircraft brakes are used in a variety of situations. For example, aircraft brakes are used to slow the aircraft down during landing roll along a runway. Aircraft brakes may also be used during ground handling operations such as, for example, taxiing, steering, and parking.
Hydraulic aircraft brake systems include an accumulator that stores hydraulic braking fluid under pressure. The accumulator is used as a redundant pressure source as well as a backup source of fluid energy. Specifically, the braking accumulator is primarily used to provide sustained hydraulic pressure after the active hydraulic system is depressurized, and is also used as a backup source of energy in the event there is a loss of hydraulic pressure within the brake system or if the aircraft's hydraulic power system becomes inoperable. However, the accumulator is only able to store a limited amount of hydraulic brake fluid. Accordingly, the hydraulic fluid level and pressure of the accumulator is depleted each time brake pressure is applied and released. For example, some accumulators are sized to provide enough hydraulic fluid for only about six to eight brake applications. Furthermore, with each brake application, the accumulator pressure, accumulator fluid volume, and maximum braking pressure decrease. Once the accumulator is emptied, then the brakes may no longer be applied to reduce the speed of the aircraft.
In an effort to preserve the hydraulic fluid stored within the accumulator, some functions of the brake system may not be available when the accumulator is being used as a backup source of fluid energy. For example, sometimes the brake system may only use pedal brake control (i.e., brake input by a pilot), without antiskid control. Antiskid control provides skid protection by momentarily relieving the hydraulic pressure provided to a wheel, which results in the wheel being able to rotate and avoid a skid. Omitting antiskid control may create issues if the aircraft is traveling along a slippery surface, such as an icy runway. Alternatively, in another approach, the brake system may still provide antiskid control when the accumulator is used as a backup source of fluid energy. However, this may result in the accumulator being emptied relatively quickly if the brakes are released excessively because of skid protection.

Brake system providing limited antiskid control during a backup mode of operation


An electromagnetic switch includes an excitation coil that forms an electromagnet by energizing, a movable core driven by a magnetism generated in the excitation coil, a cylindrical frame having a bottom that accommodates the excitation coil and constitutes a part of a magnetic circuit of the excitation coil, an end plate electrically connected with the frame, and diodes electrically connected with the excitation coil in parallel. In addition, at least one of terminals of the diodes is fixed to the end plate.

1. Technical Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an electromagnetic switch that is operated by an electromagnetic power, and is suitable for a starter of vehicles, for example.
2. Description of Related Art
An electromagnetic switch that has a coil that generates an electromagnetic power by a current flow and a movable core driven by the electromagnetic power generated in the coil is known up to now.
It is known that the electromagnetic switch that has a coil as a magneto motive force source influences an energizing interrupting means that energizes and interrupts energization of the coil by an effect of an inductance of the coil.
Especially, when a point of contact type relay that has a fixed point of contact and a moving point of contact as an energizing interruption means is used, an arc is caused between the fixed point of contact and the moving point of contact when energizing is interrupted that causes abrasion to both fixed point of contact and the moving point of contact.
Especially, in a case for an electromagnetic switch etc. equipped in a starter used for starting an engine of a vehicle that has a function to stop the engine for improving the fuel consumption of the vehicle when stopping at an intersection (so-called idle stop function), a frequency of starting the engine is much higher compared with the past, thus a frequency of operating the electromagnetic switch will also increase.
Therefore, a durability of the energizing interruption means becomes a problem in the above-mentioned electromagnetic switch that uses the coil for the magneto motive force source.
In Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 60-102469, for such a problem mentioned above, the current that flows to the energizing interruption means when energizing is interrupted is reduced by connecting the diode electrically in parallel to the coil of the electromagnetic switch so that the anode terminal side of the diode becomes lower potential compared with the cathode terminal side, and returns the current that flows from the inductance of the coil when the energizing is interrupted in the circuit of the coil and the diode.
By the way, it is necessary to install the electromagnetic switch so as not to damage the diode by the vibration when the electromagnetic switch that has the diode disclosed in the above-mentioned publication is exposed to vibration.
Especially, the starter used for starting the engine in the vehicle requires extra care because the electromagnetic switch is exposed to the strong vibration since the starter is usually installed directly to the engine.
Moreover, with the miniaturizing of the product in recent years, the electromagnetic switch used for the product is also requested to be miniaturized.


An electronic component including a number of insulated-gate field effect transistors, said transistors belonging to at least two distinct subsets by virtue of their threshold voltage, wherein each transistor includes a gate that has two electrodes, namely a first electrode embedded inside the substrate where the channel of the transistor is defined and a second upper electrode located above the substrate facing buried electrode relative to channel and separated from said channel by a layer of dielectric material and wherein the embedded electrodes of all the transistors are formed by an identical material, the upper electrodes having a layer that is in contact with the dielectric material which is formed by materials that differ from one subset of transistors to another.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of microelectronics and relates more particularly to a new insulated-gate field effect transistor (or MOSFET) structure and relevant manufacturing methods.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the field of circuits that contain MOSFET transistors, reduced dimensions have resulted in changes in the structure of the actual transistors in order to overcome the problem of parasitic phenomena that are capable of impairing the performance of components.
Thus, there is an alternative solution for fabricating the channel of transistors without employing silicon doping techniques. This solution involves using composite gate structures referred to as "double-gate" structures in which the channel of the transistor is delimited by two opposite-facing gates. A first part of the gate is therefore located on the upper face of the substrate whereas the second part of the gate is embedded in the substrate and this makes it possible to avoid using doped silicon at the edges of the channel.

Electronic component comprising a number of MOSFET transistors and manufacturing method


An electronic circuit component is provided with shielding for electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) by covering at least part of the component with a layer of electrical insulation that conforms to the shape of the surface to which the insulation is applied. At least part of the surface of the insulation is then covered by a layer of EMI shielding that conforms to the shape of the surface of the insulation to which the shielding is applied.

This invention relates to electronic circuitry, and more particularly to shielding that may be used around such circuitry to reduce electro-magnetic radiation from or to such circuitry (so-called electromagnetic interference or EMI).
A traditional way to reduce EMI for electronic circuitry is to place electrically conducting (typically metal) shielding around the circuitry, which shielding is connected to electrical ground (i.e., a source of electrical ground potential or voltage). For example, several electronic circuit components that have been mounted on a printed circuit board ("PCB") may be placed under a metal cover or inside a metal container ("can"). A layer of electrical insulation may be included between the circuit components and this metal shielding to ensure that the shielding cannot cause any short circuits in the electronic circuitry by making electrical contact with that circuitry.
A possible problem with the foregoing approach is that the metal shielding is typically fabricated in advance with a predetermined size and shape, which size and shape the shielding retains after the shielding has been combined with the electronic circuitry to be shielded. This means that because of manufacturing tolerances for (1) the electronic circuitry, (2) the shielding, and (3) any insulation used between the circuitry and the shielding, the shielding must be made significantly larger than the theoretical minimum size the shielding could have. Such results are inconsistent with the need to make many types of electronic devices as small as possible.

Method of shielding an electronic component from electromagnetic interference (EMI)


In one embodiment, the tools and techniques can include intercepting with an intermediary module in a running non-virtual process a request from the running non-virtual process to create a requested non-virtual process. In response to the request being intercepted, an appropriate virtual process corresponding to the requested non-virtual process can be identified. In addition, a virtual environment that is configured to host the virtual process can be prepared and the virtual process can be added to the virtual environment. Finally, the request can be fulfilled with the virtual process.

Application or process virtualization software can decouple applications, which can each include one or more running processes at runtime, from an underlying operating system. Thus, application virtualization can typically allow applications to be run without the need to visit a particular physical machine where the application or is installed. For example, a virtual application package that includes the application and the application's own set of virtual environment configurations may be provided on-demand over a network or on a removable storage device.
A virtual environment isolates one or more virtual applications or processes in the environment from applications or processes outside the environment (e.g., the underlying operating system and/or one or more other applications or processes running on the operating system outside the virtual environment). A virtual environment also facilitates access by the one or more applications or processes within the virtual environment to resources outside the virtual environment, such as resources managed by the underlying operating system. Thus, application or process virtualization typically includes two aspects: isolation and resource management. Isolation typically includes keeping a namespace within the virtual environment separate from one or more namespaces outside the virtual environment. Resource management typically includes managing resources in a way that allows processes in the virtual environment to run properly despite the isolation, and the resources are typically managed in such a way that processes in the virtual environment are unaware of the virtualization.
Because of the isolation aspect of virtualization, a virtual environment can provide a layer of indirection between the underlying operating system and a virtual process in the virtual environment. Once a virtual process is running in the virtual environment, communications can be translated between the virtual and non-virtual environments, as is done with existing application virtualization software.
It can be difficult for a running non-virtual process to create a new virtual process in a natural way because there is not yet a translation or indirection scheme set up for the new virtual process. Some application virtualization software has dealt with this type of virtual process creation by having a surrogate intercept new process creation application programming interface (API) calls that have been sent from initiating non-virtual processes. If available virtual processes can fulfill the process creation calls, the surrogate can be used to invoke procedures to create the corresponding virtual processes in appropriate virtual environments.

In-process intermediary to create virtual processes


A method including forming an interconnect in a metal member. The interconnect includes multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures forming a continuous central portion. A vertex of each of the multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures adjoins a next vertex of a next V-shaped structure of the multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures. The method further includes separating the interconnect from the metal member.

A photovoltaic system may use an electrical interconnect to couple a photovoltaic cell to a metalized substrate or another electrical terminal. Power generated by the photovoltaic cell may be transferred via the electrical interconnect to the metalized substrate. In concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) cell applications, optics may be used to concentrate sunlight onto the photovoltaic cell. Such systems may experience dramatic temperature differences (including changes over time and changes from one location to another location of a system) during their normal operation. These temperature differences and differences in thermal expansion coefficients of materials used in the photovoltaic system may apply significant stress to the electrical interconnect, the photovoltaic cells, and the metalized substrate.
Certain photovoltaic systems have used electrical interconnects that are capable of flexing to couple the photovoltaic cells and the metalized substrate in order to address the temperature differences or differences in thermal expansion coefficients of materials used in the photovoltaic system. However, these electrical interconnects typically have shapes that may be difficult or expensive to manufacture. For example, certain electrical interconnects include out-of-plane features, such as flexible elements that project up or down relative to a primary surface of the electrical interconnects. Forming these out-of-plane features may require additional processing steps, such as twisting the electrical interconnect to form the flexible feature.
Other flexible electrical interconnects may be formed with enclosed voids (e.g., holes) that may require additional processing steps to cut. To illustrate, an interconnect mesh with spaces or voids between traces of a conductive material may flex to accommodate thermal expansion; however, forming the spaces or voids between the traces may require additional processing. In another illustrative example, one or more other enclosed voids may be used between electrical connector pads of an electrical interconnect to accommodate thermal expansion. Examples of such enclosed voids include circular or oval voids formed in a conductor (e.g., conductive loops or torus shapes). Other examples include generally FIG. 8 shaped voids (e.g., double torus-shaped voids with a central portion between tori removed). Regardless of the shape of the enclosed void, forming enclosed voids in the electrical interconnects may require additional processing steps.

Method for forming an electrical interconnect


The present invention presents a filtration system with an integrated manifold valve. The filtration system employs only one pivotal component—the pivoting of the manifold. The manifold valve includes a dual aperture design for a two-fold alignment scheme with the ingress and egress lines of the fluid source. The invention is free of multi-component rotary valve with internal, rotatable parts, or an activation component, such as a handle, for initiating the rotary valve, allowing the user to rotate the rotational components thereof. The reduction in moveable components in this design reduces the likelihood of failure and increases the reliability of the filtration system.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to water filtration systems combining at least one filter cartridge with a manifold, and more specifically to a water filtration system of the type having removable cartridges, while sustaining water flow during filter cartridge replacement. More particularly, this invention relates to a home water filtration system having filter cartridges designed for replacement without water spillage, and without removing or ceasing water flow to the household during filter replacement. The water filtration system is designed for enhanced reliability through the reduction of moving components to perform the aforementioned attributes.
2. Description of Related Art
As evidence by reference to the prior art, it is known heretofore to employ a valve in water filtration systems to facilitate the removal and changing of filter cartridges. If the filtration system is designed to have a bypass feature, where the fluid flow from the source to the endpoint remains uninterrupted during filter cartridge replacement, the valve must be capable of providing at least two distinct flow paths. The first, when a filter cartridge is secured within the manifold, and fluid is directed from the fluid source to the manifold, through the cartridge for filtration, and out the manifold to its destination; and the second during cartridge replacement when it is desirable for the fluid to either cease or flow directly from the fluid source to and through the manifold, bypassing the (removed) filter cartridge, and out the manifold to its destination.
Furthermore, it is generally desirable for the manifold-cartridge interface to be sealed from unwanted leakage or dripping during filter cartridge removal. It is desirable for the removal of the cartridge to be a simple process that can be achieved quickly and efficiently by the end user, typically an untrained person. Solutions to this problem have been unsatisfactory, insomuch as these desired functions have introduced complexity in the filtration system manifold and cartridge designs, added to the count of component parts, increased manufacturing costs, and decreased product reliability due in part to the addition of multiple moving parts.
Although the prior art has attempted to address these concerns, there remain deficiencies in implementation that implore another approach. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,564 issued to Rief, et al., on Oct. 8, 2002, entitled "AUTOMATIC-LOCKING SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR LIQUID SUCTION SYSTEMS," a rotary shut-off valve is taught having an actuator housing, a base member, a vacuum-reactive member, a spring, and a piston. The actuator housing is affixed to the valve body adjacent to the plug, and forms an actuator chamber which is in fluid communication with the valve chamber. The base member is affixed to the actuator housing in position to form one end of the actuator chamber. The base member also forms: (1) a sleeve through which a portion of the piston extends; (2) a guide which engages a portion of the piston; and (3) a first spring-abutment. Once the shut-off valve is activated, it requires manual resetting by returning a reset/override lever to the ready position. This design is component intensive, and there is no bypass configuration when implementing this rotary valve.
In U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0247974 published for Gale, et al., on Oct. 13, 2011, entitled, "FILTRATION SYSTEM," a filtration system is disclosed that includes a filter manifold and a filter cartridge. The filter manifold comprises a bracket, a handle-activated multi-component valve, a manifold feed port, and a manifold filtrate port. A multi-component rotary valve is held by the bracket and comprises a fixed portion attached to the bracket and a rotary portion. Importantly, the handle is operatively connected to the rotary portion of the valve and includes a cartridge lifter to lift and secure the cartridge to the manifold upon rotation of the handle. The cartridge lifter has a camming ramp or a camming lug lifter engagement feature. The handle is rotatable to a filtration position and a disengaged, service or replacement position. The manifold feed port is blocked by the valve when the handle is in the disengaged position. The filter cartridge has an external cartridge surface having one of a camming lug or a camming ramp for engaging the lifter engagement feature.
The rotary portion of the design of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0247974 is a multi-component design, having a two-part shell with first and second cylindrical portions. The first cylindrical portion identifies a feed channel. The second cylindrical portion identifies a filtrate channel. The first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion each comprise a portion of a bypass channel. The bypass channel fluidly connects the feed water source to the filtrate outlet of filter manifold when the rotary portion is in the locked position. When the handle is rotated, the rotary portion of the valve is engaged and rotates. Additionally, when the handle is rotated, a cartridge lifter engages a compatible feature on the filter cartridge, thereby lifting the filter cartridge from a cartridge support shelf and drawing the filter cartridge towards the filter manifold. To disengage the water source and replace the cartridge, the rotary portion of the valve is activated by the handle. The handle moves upward while the cartridge remains in the vertical position. Functionally, this design attempts to provide a diversion or bypass for the ingress water when the handle is moved from the downward (filtration) position, to the upward (service) position.
The handle of the design of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0247974 is attached to the manifold, which holds the rotary valve. The handle connects specifically to the end of the rotary portions of the valve. As the handle is rotated, the rotary portion of the valve is rotated; however, the filter cartridge always remains in its configured (filter) position, that is, in the vertical position. The handle rotation and rotary valve rotation do not rotate the filter cartridge.
The multi-component valve having the rotary portion of the valve nested within a fixed portion, and being responsive only to the rotation of a separate handle, requires additional components, adds additional complexity for manufacturing, and reduces the filtration system's reliability. Furthermore, with the filter cartridge remaining in its configured (filter) position when the handle is activated (moved upwards), the only indication that the water is not being filtered, i.e., that the system is in bypass mode, is the positioning of the handle, which could ultimately mislead or confuse a user to think that water filtration is still being performed.
In U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0236271 published for Eserkaln, et al., on Sep. 24, 2009, entitled, "MODULAR DRINKING WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM WITH LOCKING ARRANGEMENT TO ASSURE FILTER CARTRIDGE COMPATIBILITY," a modular filter system is taught using replaceable filter cartridges including a locking arrangement to prevent rotation of the flow control valve spindle in the filter head. The locking arrangement includes spring biased locking pins carried on the filter head and matching unlocking pins on the filter cartridge to operate through an intermediate adaptor ring that is set on assembly to match the positions of the locking and unlocking pins. A valve spindle is disposed on the outer housing for reciprocal rotary movement on the filter body axis between flow and no-flow positions, whereby connection and disconnection of the outer housing inlet opening and outlet opening with the cartridge inlet and outlet are provided. Rotation of the filter cartridge rotates a spindle (a form of rotary valve) from the no-flow position to the flow position. To remove the filter cartridge, the cartridge is turned in the opposite direction causing the spindle to rotate in the same direction to close the valve. Water flow is stopped, not bypassed, by this action. The spindle is an additional movable component, separate and distinct from the manifold.
Other water stoppage designs upon removal of the filter cartridge are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,436 issued to Stankowksi, et al., on Jun. 6, 2006, entitled "DISPOSABLE FLUID SEPARATION DEVICE AND MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY DESIGN WITH EASY CHANGE-OUT FEATURE," and U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,884 issued to Magnusson, et al., on Feb. 27, 2001, entitled "DRIPLESS PURIFICATION MANIFOLD AND CARTRIDGE." In both designs, water flow is stopped during cartridge removal; however, there is no bypass feature.


Resiliently compliant swivel bearings have particular resilience in one radial direction are used in vehicle construction, for example, for link mounting. An elastomeric spring element is firmly adhered between inner and outer bearing elements. Two diametrically opposite, elongate recesses passing axially through a space between the two bearing elements are molded into the springing element. Two radial webs remaining due to these molded recessed support upright forces, with the maximum radial resilience made possible by the recesses being selected so that the radial webs are not overloaded by shear stress. The outer bearing element is connected in resiliently compliant fashion, in each case adjacent to one of the elongate recesses of the springing element, to a carrier which can be secured on a vehicle part in order to impart to the inner and outer bearing elements a radial resilience greater than the maximum possible radial deflection of the inner bearing element relative to the outer bearing element.

The present invention relates to a resiliently compliant swivel bearing for vehicle parts, in particular for wheel suspension members of independently suspended vehicle wheels, and more specifically, to a vehicle swivel bearing having two-sleeve shaped bearing elements and radial clearance one inside the other and each held on different vehicle parts.
In vehicle construction, swivel bearing of the type shown in EP-OS 131,795 and JP-OS 60-107405 are usually used for resiliently compliant mounting and/or support of vehicle parts.
This known swivel bearing has two bearing elements, which are arranged one inside the other and formed by cylindrical sleeves. The elements are connected to one another by two resilient radial webs formed by elongate or kidney-shaped recesses molded into a rubber springing element.
In this conventional arrangement, the radial paths of the inner sleeve which are possible due to the elongate recesses are to be matched to the length and cross-sections of the radial webs in such a way that, in the case of maximum radial deflections of the sleeve, the webs are not overloaded by shear stress.
Since, however, in order to achieve the required radial paths, it has not been possible to design such swivel bearing with an arbitrarily large diameter, compromises must be made in construction of the swivel bearings.
The situation is essentially the same in the case of a swivel bearing constructed as shown in DE-OS 3,708,037. The elastomeric spring element is firmly adhered between two bearing elements and into which diametrically opposite elongate recesses pass axially through the space between the bearing elements and leave radial webs between the recesses. The outer bearing element is held adjacent one of the recesses of the springing element on a carrier element which can be secured to the vehicle part concerned.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to improve a swivel bearing such that, in the direction in which its inner sleeve exhibits its greatest radial displaceability, a radial resilience which is greater than the maximum possible radial deflection of the bearing sleeve in the outer bearing element is imparted to the bearing.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention by connecting the outer bearing element in a resiliently compliant manner to the carrier element.
The swivel bearing construction in accordance with the present invention has the feature of in-line springing means, of which those situated outside the outer bearing element make possible an additional radial movement of the bearing which is performed jointly by both bearing elements.
The swivel bearing is particularly suitable for the swivellable articulation of a wheel suspension link or, if required, of an axle assembly on the body of a motor vehicle, offering an additional advantage of a particularly effective decoupling of noise.
In the case of a wheel suspension link, the present invention makes it possible to mount a transverse link of an independent wheel suspension in such a way that, while the track is substantially retained when driving over obstacles, greater driving comfort is achieved by impact damping. This is accomplished, for example, by cooperation of the transverse link mounted by the swivel bearing so as to be movable on one side of the correspondingly large radial paths, with a drag link engaging on the wheel carrier. The drag link, given appropriate matching of the wheel suspension, allows a longitudinal compliance of the wheel carrier to be achieved which the track alters as little as possible.

Resiliently compliant swivel bearing for vehicle parts


A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine with an airfoil portion including a perimeter wall having first, second, third and fourth sets of cooling holes defined therethrough, including the holes numbered HA-1 to HA-13, HB-1 to HB-13, PA-1 to PA-9, and SA-1 to SA-3, respectively, and located such that a central axis thereof extends through the respective point 1 and point 2 having a nominal location in accordance with the X, Y, Z Cartesian coordinate values set forth in Table 3.

Every stage of a gas turbine engine must meet a plurality of design criteria to assure the best possible overall engine efficiency. The design goals dictate specific thermal and mechanical requirements that must be met pertaining to heat loading, parts life and manufacturing, use of combustion gases, throat area, vectoring, the interaction between stages to name a few. The design criteria for each stage is constantly being re-evaluated and improved upon. The high pressure turbine is subject to harsh temperatures, and as such adequate cooling must be provided to the elements of the high pressure turbine, including the stator vanes. Therefore, improvements in airfoil cooling are sought.

High pressure turbine vane cooling hole distrubution


Bioconversion processes are disclosed that enable high conversion efficiencies of gas substrate containing both carbon monoxide and hydrogen to oxygenated organic compounds via the carbon monoxide and hydrogen pathways using anaerobic, deep, bubble column fermentation in a cost effective manner. The high conversion efficiency processes of this invention comprise the combination of using at least two deep, bubble column reactors in flow series and using certain feed gas compositions and microbubbles while avoiding carbon monoxide inhibition.

Anaerobic fermentations of hydrogen and carbon monoxide involve the contact of the substrate gas in a liquid aqueous menstruum with microorganisms capable of generating oxygenated organic compounds such as ethanol, acetic acid, propanol and n-butanol. The production of these oxygenated organic compounds requires significant amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. For instance, the theoretical equations for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to ethanol are:6CO+3H2O→C2H5OH+4CO2 6H2+2CO2→C2H5OH+3H2O.
As can be seen, the conversion of carbon monoxide results in the generation of carbon dioxide. The conversion of hydrogen involves the consumption of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and this conversion is sometimes referred to as the H2/CO2 conversion. For purposes herein, it is referred to as the hydrogen conversion.
Typically the substrate gas for carbon monoxide and hydrogen conversions is, or is derived from, a synthesis gas (syngas) from the gasification of carbonaceous materials, from the reforming of natural gas and/or biogas from anaerobic digestion or from off-gas streams of various industrial methods. The gas substrate contains carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide and usually contains other components such as water vapor, nitrogen, methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and the like. (For purposes herein, all gas compositions are reported on a dry basis unless otherwise stated or clear from the context.)
These substrate gases are typically more expensive than equivalent heat content amounts of fossil fuels. Hence, a desire exists to use these gases efficiently to make higher value products. The financial viability of any conversion process, especially to commodity chemicals such as ethanol and acetic acid, will be dependent upon capital costs, the efficiency of conversion of the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to the sought products and the energy costs to effect the conversion.
Syngas fermentation processes suffer from the poor solubility of the gas substrate, i.e., carbon dioxide and hydrogen, in the liquid phase of the aqueous menstruum where the biological processes occur. Munasinghe, et al., in Biomass-derived Syngas Fermentation in Biofuels: Opportunities and Challenges, Biosource Technology, 101 (2010) 5013-5022, summarize volumetric mass transfer coefficients to fermentation media that are reported in the literature for syngas and carbon monoxide in various reactor configurations and hydrodynamic conditions. A number of conditions can enhance the mass transfer of syngas to the liquid phase. For instance, increasing the interfacial area between the gas feed and the liquid phase can improve mass transfer rates.
Numerous processes have been disclosed for the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to oxygenated compounds. One such process suspends the microorganisms for the conversion in an aqueous menstruum contained in a stirred tank reactor such as by using a motor driven impeller. Stirred tank fermentation reactors provide many advantages. For stirred tank reactors, increasing the agitation of the impeller improves mass transfer as smaller bubble sizes are obtained. Also, the stirring action not only distributes the gas phase in the aqueous menstruum but also the duration of the contact between the phases can be controlled. Another very significant benefit is that the composition within the stirred tank can be relatively uniform. For instance, Munasignhe, et al., in a later published paper, Syngas Fermentation to Biofuel: Evaluation of Carbon Monoxide Mass Transfer Coefficient (kLa) in Different Reactor Configurations, Biotechol. Prog., 2010, Vol. 26, No. 6, pp 1616-1621, combine a sparger (0.5 millimeter diameter pores) with mechanical mixing at various rotational rates to provide enhanced mass transfer. This uniformity enables good control of the fermentation process during steady-state operation. This is of particular advantage in the anaerobic conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to oxygenated compounds where two conversion pathways exist. Hence the carbon dioxide generated from the conversion of carbon monoxide is proximate in location to the hydrogen consumption pathway that consumes carbon dioxide. The uniformity further facilitates the addition of fresh gas substrate. The problems with stirred tank reactors are capital costs, the significant amount of energy consumed in the needed mixing and agitation, and the need for plural stages to achieve high conversion of substrate.
Another type of fermentation apparatus is a bubble column reactor wherein the substrate gas is introduced at the bottom of the vessel and bubbles through the aqueous menstruum ("bubble reactor"). See Munasinghe, et al., in Biomass-derived Syngas Fermentation in Biofuels: Opportunities and Challenges, Biosource Technology, 101 (2010) 5013-5022. In order to achieve sought mass transfer from the gas to liquid phases, workers have provided the gas feed to bubble columns in the form of microbubbles. Microbubble spargers were used to generate microbubbles. The authors report that in one study, the mass transfer obtained for a bubble column reactor was higher than that for a stirred tank reactor mainly due to the higher interfacial surface area obtained because of the smaller bubble size generated by the sparger used with the bubble column reactor.
Bredwell, et al., in Reactor Design Issues for Synthesis-Gas Fermentations, Biotechnol. Prog., 15 (1999) 834-844, assessed various types of reactors including bubble columns and stirred reactors. The authors disclose using microbubble sparging with mechanical agitation. At page 839 they state:                "When microbubble sparging is used, only enough power must be applied to the reactor to provide adequate liquid mixing. Thus axial flow impellers designed to have low shear and a high pumping capacity would be suitable when microbubbles are used in stirred tanks."They conclude by stating:        "An improved ability to predict and control coalescence rates is needed to rationally design commercial-scale bioreactors that employ microbubble sparging." (p. 841)
Advantageously, commercial-scale bubble column reactors are relatively simple in design and construction and require relatively little energy to operate. However, microbubble spargers, especially for very small microbubbles, use significant amounts of energy and are prone to fouling. Accordingly, other means for generating microbubbles such as injectors using a motive fluid that are not prone to fouling, are preferred. Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/826,991, filed on Jun. 30, 2010, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses the use of injectors to supply gas feed to an anaerobic fermentation in a deep reactor to make a liquid product such as ethanol wherein the presence of the liquid product enables the injector to produce a dispersion of microbubbles.
For deep, bubble column reactors, the height of the aqueous menstruum is a primary determinant of the gas/liquid contact time. This height also is a determinant of the static head at the bottom portion of the reactor. Higher pressures result in smaller bubble sizes and higher partial pressures both of which enhance mass transfer efficiency and gas substrate conversion efficiency in the fermentation reactor. Thus, on a commercial scale, deep, bubble column reactors would have to have a depth of at least about 10, preferably at least about 15, meters and use microbubbles of gas feed in order to achieve viable conversion efficiencies. However, without the mechanical stifling of a stirred tank reactor, the compositions of the gas phase and liquid phase in a deep, bubble column reactor change over the depth of the vessel due to bioconversions and changes in gas solubility in the aqueous phase.
In their earlier review article, Munasignhe, et al., report that the gas-liquid mass transfer is the major resistance for gaseous substrate diffusion. The authors state at page 5017:                "High pressure operation improves the solubility of the gas in the aqueous phase. However, at higher concentrations of gaseous substrates, especially CO, anaerobic microorganisms are inhibited."
Other workers have understood that the presence of excess carbon monoxide can adversely affect the microorganisms and their performance. See paragraphs 0075 through 0077 and 0085 though 0086 of United States published patent application No. 20030211585 (Gaddy, et al.) disclosing a continuously stirred tank bioreactor for the production of ethanol from microbial fermentation. At paragraph 0077, Gaddy, et al., state:                "The presence of excess CO unfortunately also results in poor H2 conversion, which may not be economically favorable. The consequence of extended operation under substrate inhibition is poor H2 uptake. This eventually causes cell lysis and necessary restarting of the reactor. Where this method has an unintended result of CO substrate inhibition (the presence of too much CO for the available cells) during the initial growth of the culture or thereafter, the gas feed rate and/or agitation rate is reduced until the substrate inhibition is relieved."
At paragraph 0085, Gaddy, et al., discuss supplying excess carbon monoxide and hydrogen. They state:                "A slight excess of CO and H2 is achieved by attaining steady operation and then gradually increasing the gas feed rate and/or agitation rate (10% or less increments) until the CO and H2 conversions just start to decline."
The gas feed is introduced at the bottom of a deep, bubble column reactor where the most favorable conditions for mass transfer of carbon monoxide from the gas to the liquid phase exist. Hence, to avoid carbon monoxide inhibition, operating parameters such as carbon monoxide mole fraction in the gas feed, gas feed supply rate and microbubble size must be controlled to assure that the carbon monoxide mass transfer rate does not become so great as to cause carbon monoxide inhibition. However, the conditions required to avoid carbon monoxide inhibition in a deep, bubble column reactor negatively affect the overall amount of carbon monoxide that can be transferred to the liquid phase, and thus the conversion efficiency to oxygenated organic compound.
This negative effect is exacerbated since the static pressure is reduced as the microbubbles pass upwardly, the partial pressure of carbon monoxide in the bubbles decreases and the surface area to volume of the microbubbles may decrease. Furthermore, the compositions of the gas and liquid phases change over the height of the aqueous menstruum, further negatively affecting mass transfer of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to the liquid phase. Carbon dioxide co-product is generated by the carbon monoxide pathway and the solubility of carbon dioxide in the aqueous menstruum is highly sensitive to pressure. Thus, at higher elevations of the aqueous menstruum, carbon dioxide can pass to the bubbles and reduce the mole fractions of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the gas phase. The reduced mole fractions also reduce the driving force for mass transfer of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to the liquid phase.
The net result is that conversion efficiencies, especially for hydrogen, in a deep, bubble column reactor are often low. Increasing the depth to provide a longer contact time provides ever diminishing benefits, increases the risk of carbon monoxide inhibition and thus is not a solution by itself to obtain sought high bioconversion efficiencies.
Recycling the off-gases from the top of a deep, bubble column reactor is possible as these gases contain unreacted carbon monoxide and hydrogen. However, as the conversion efficiency of hydrogen and carbon monoxide increases, the off-gases have such a reduced concentration of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, that recycling is impractical and may lead to inefficiencies due to a dilution of the mole fractions of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gas feed to the aqueous menstruum.
Processes are therefore sought to capture the benefits provided by a bubble column fermentation system and to be able to enhance the conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide without undue risk of carbon monoxide inhibition.

Low energy, high substrate efficiency, anaerobic, deep, bubble column fermentation processes