An image photographing apparatus is provided. The image photographing apparatus includes a first photographing unit configured to photograph an image by using a phase difference image sensor, a second photographing unit configured to be spaced on a side of the first photographing unit, a controller configured to generate a first depth map by using a first image photographed by the first photographing unit and generate a second depth map by using a second image photographed by the second photographing unit, and an image processor configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) image by using the first depth map and the second depth map.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a photography apparatus, and more particularly, to a photography apparatus for photographing a high-quality three-dimensional (3D) image and a photography method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of 3D image technologies, a camera for photographing a 3D image has been developed.
A perceivable 3D effect may be roughly divided into monocular cues and binocular cues. Monocular cues may be based on a degree of thickness change of a crystalline lens according to a position of an object to be observed, a difference in angle between both eyes and an object, a difference in positions and shapes of an object observed by each eye, disparity due to movement of an object, psychological or memory-related effects, and the like.
The binocular cues use binocular disparity, which occurs as both eyes are spaced 6 to 7 cm from each other in a horizontal direction. Such binocular cue may be the most important factor of a 3D effect. That is, a human observes an object from two different angles due to the binocular disparity, and each eye recognizes a different image due to the difference. In response to the different images being transferred to a brain through retinas, the brain precisely combines the different images, and the viewer is able to recognize the original 3D image.
In general, a 3D image camera photographs a subject by giving a certain distance between a left eye image and a right eye image, thereby maximizing the 3D effect. In response to generating a 3D image, the 3D image camera generates a depth map to set a depth value with respect to a subject of the image.
A depth map is a table including depth information on each area of a 3D image. The depth information relates to each area or each pixel of a 3D image frame, and represents a distance between the area or pixel, and a viewing position. An object having far depth is an image part shown as being distant from a viewing position, and an object having close depth is an image part shown as being close to the viewing position. A 3D camera photographs a left eye image and a right eye image by using two camera modules and calculates a depth map by using the left eye image and the right eye image.
Quality of the depth map varies depending upon a distance between the two camera modules. Specifically, as the distance between the two camera modules increases, the depth map accurately expresses depth information, but a boundary of an object becomes unclear due to data loss of an area where the left eye image and the right image overlap. As the distance between the two camera modules decreases, an accurate object may be obtained because the area where the left eye image and the right image overlap is reduced, but the depth map may not accurately express the distance to the object.
Accordingly, there is a need for a 3D image photographing apparatus capable of generating a depth map having accurate and abundant depth information.

Photography apparatus and method thereof


An auto-focus (AF) method adapted for an image capturing device includes following steps. When a first press signal generated by a user pressing a button of the image capturing device is detected, a local peak searching method is applied to perform an AF procedure. It is determined whether a second press signal generated by the user pressing the button is detected. If not, it is determined whether a first released signal generated by the user releasing the button is detected. The continuous pressing count is calculated according to the first released signal and the first press signal that are continuously generated. Whether the continuous pressing count is greater than a first threshold is determined. If yes, a global peak searching method is applied to perform the AF procedure. If not, the local peak searching method is still applied to perform the AF procedure.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an auto-focus (AF) method, and more particularly, to an AF method to automatically switch between different focus value searching algorithms.
2. Background of the Invention
Digital single lens reflex cameras (also named DSLR) are characterized by delicate and complicated mechanical structures as well as enhanced functionality and maneuverability. In addition to shooting skills of users and environmental factors, the built-in auto-focus (AF) systems of the DSLR also pose a significant impact on the quality of photos.
Generally, according to the AF technology, the lens of the DSLR is moved to adjust the relative distance between the lens and an object to be shot. In response to different locations of the lens, focus evaluation values (hereinafter "the focus values") of a subject frame having the to-be-shot object may be respectively calculated until the peak focus value is acquired. The peak focus value represents the location of the lens where the subject frame may have the optimal sharpness. Nonetheless, in order to obtain the optimal sharpness, the lens is required to move back and forth, and relevant calculations are continuously made. This thus leads to significant time consumption. In consideration of focus speed, DSLR often obtains a local peak through adopting a fast AF technique, i.e., a mountain-climbing method. In this case, however, the autofocus may fail if a near object and a far object co-exist in the subject frame.
For instance, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a focus value curve of an image. Here, the horizontal axis represents the lens-movement steps, and the vertical axis represents the focus value. FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b) are schematic diagrams respectively illustrating a display image on a DSLR while the DSLR is focusing a scene. The focus value curve C1 shown in FIG. 1 indicates calculations made on the subject frame as shown in FIG. 2(a), for instance. According to the subject frame shown in FIG. 2(a), the to-be-shot object includes a notebook computer, a mouse, and a cup at a distance, and the focus frame 201 only contains one focus target (i.e., the notebook computer). As illustrated in FIG. 1, at the location of the lens corresponding to the lens-movement steps S1, the local peak F1 may be obtained, i.e., the location of the lens allows the subject frame to have the optimal sharpness. However, with reference to FIG. 2(b), after the AF procedure is successfully performed, another object (a pen) to be shot is also moved into the focus frame 203 for performing the AF procedure. At this time, the focus frame 203 contains the relatively far notebook computer and the relatively near pen. Since the AF procedure is already successfully performed on the notebook computer, the local peak may still be searched first from the locations of the lens corresponding to the lens-movement steps S1 shown by the focus value curve C1 when the AF procedure is performed once again. Namely, in the focus frame 203, the DSLR still focuses the relatively far notebook computer, and thus the autofocus on the relatively near pen fails. In view of the above, how to develop an AF method that may achieve favorable efficiency and satisfactory accuracy is one of the issues to be resolved.


The present invention is a dental oral appliance to open the airway for a sleeping individual who suffers with snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. The appliance includes a base to secure the appliance within the mouth for the individual. Typically, the base will fit over and secure to the lower teeth of the individual. The appliance also includes a tongue restraining device connected to the base. The tongue restraining device has a substantial breach formed therein to permit movement of the tongue so that the user can more easily swallow saliva. A ramp might also be attached to the anterior portion of the base to advance the mandible.

Medical studies have shown that snoring can have serious medical consequences for people. Many people who snore suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. If not diagnosed or if left untreated, Obstructive Sleep Apnea can result in severe medical consequences such as systemic high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack.
Spouses also suffer through the night from the noise of the snorer. Snoring not only disturbs the sleeping pattern of the snorer, it is also disruptive to his or her spouse. This leaves both unrefreshed, tired and sleepy throughout the day. It can cause sleepiness while driving, reading, working or doing other tasks.
A broad variety of intra-oral and dental appliances and devices are now available to treat a patient for snoring. However, most of these are uncomfortable to the user and studies have shown that the vast majority of these devices go unused. Other treatments for snoring include various surgeries, which are drastic steps that can have significant adverse consequences to the patient and often do not work in any event.
The present invention is a dental oral appliance for use with patients who suffer with sleep disorders, to reduce or eliminate snoring and to open the airway for a sleeping individual who suffers with obstructive sleep apnea.


Aromatic silane compounds containing at least an aromatic ring bound directly to the silicon atom, wherein the aromatic ring has at least one substituent located in the ortho position selected from C1-10 hydrocarbon groups, are useful as electron donors in olefin polymerization catalysts for the production of polyolefins having a stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%.

This invention relates to aromatic silane compounds and to Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems which use said aromatic silane compounds as electron donors for the production of olefin polymers. The olefin polymers produced with such catalyst systems exhibit a desirable stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%.
Polymer stereoblock content can affect the physical properties of the polymer itself and those of products prepared therefrom, particularly films manufactured from such polyolefins and blends of such polyolefins with elastomeric materials, regardless of whether they are mechanically blended from pre-produced polyolefins and elastomeric materials or reactor blended by first producing such a polyolefin then producing the elastomeric material in the presence of the polyolefin.
Organosilane compounds have been used in catalysts (1) as an internal electron donor in a solid catalyst component comprising a halogen-containing titanium compound supported on an activated magnesium dihalide compound and (2) as an external electron donor in combination with an aluminum-alkyl co-catalyst. Typically the organosilane compounds have Sixe2x80x94OR, Sixe2x80x94OCOR or Sixe2x80x94NR2 groups, where R is alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkyl or cycloalkyl having 1 to 20 atoms. Such compounds are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,180,636; 4,242,479; 4,347,160; 4,382,019; 4,435,550; 4,442,276; 4,473,660; 4,530,912 and 4,560,671, where they are used as internal electron donors in the solid catalyst component; and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,472,524, 4,522,930, 4,560,671, 4,581,342, 4,657,882 and European patent application Nos. 45976 and 45977, where they are used as external electron donors with the aluminum-alkyl co-catalyst.
Conventional propylene homopolymers, obtained by using external electron donors known in the state of the art, show a high degree of cristallinity, which determines the physical properties of the polymers, such as high melting temperature, high glass temperature and high xcex94Hfus. These physical properties, while necessary in some applications, are often disadvantageous in fiber and film applications, where lower bonding temperatures are required, for instance in producing laminate structures.
Hence, there is the need for external electron donor compounds which allow propylene polymers to be obtained having a relatively high degree of stereoblocks, at the same time at acceptable polymerization yields.
It has been surprisingly found that a novel class of substituted aromatic silane compounds can be used as external electron donors for olefin polymerization catalyst systems, in order to produce propylene polymers having a stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%.
In one aspect, the present invention concerns an aromatic silane compound useful as electron donor compound in an olefin polymerization catalyst, having formula (I):
wherein
R1 is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-26 alkyl, C2-26 alkenyl, C1-26 alkoxy, C2-26 alkoxyalkyl, C7-26 arylalkyl, C3-26 cycloalkyl and C4-26 cycloalkoxy groups, optionally containing one or more halogen atoms;
R2 is an aromatic ring having at least one substituent in the ortho position selected from C1-10 hydrocarbon groups; and
R3 and R4, the same or different from each other, are selected from the group consisting of a linear or branched C1-10 alkyl and C3-10 cycloalkyl groups.
In another aspect, the present invention concerns a catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins comprising:
(A) an aromatic silane compound having formula (I):
wherein
R1 is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-26 alkyl, C2-26 alkenyl, C1-26 alkoxy, C2-26 alkoxyalkyl, C7-26 arylalkyl, C3-26 cycloalkyl and C4-26 cycloalkoxy groups, optionally containing one or more halogen atoms;
R2 is an aromatic ring having at least one substituent in the ortho position; and
R3 and R4, the same or different from each other, are selected from the group consisting of a linear or branched C1-10 alkyl and C3-10 cycloalkyl groups;
(B) an aluminum alkyl compound; and
(C) a solid catalyst component comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and an electron donor compound.
In another aspect, this invention concerns a process for the polymerization of alpha-olefins carried out in the presence of the catalyst system described above, to produce a polyolefin having a stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%, and preferably from 12 to 20%.
The inventors have discovered that organosilanes having an aromatic ring substituted in the ortho position can produce, in conjunction with the catalyst systems described below, polyolefin resins having a stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%.
The aromatic silane compounds of the present invention have the following formula (I):
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meanings reported above.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, R1 is a linear or branched C1-18 alkyl or C3-18 cycloalkyl, and even more preferably R1 is a linear C1-5 alkyl or a branched C3-8 alkyl.
R2 is an aromatic ring having at least one substituent in the ortho position selected from C1-10 hydrocarbon groups. Depending on the stereoblock content desired, R2 may preferably be a non-heterocyclic aromatic system, and most preferably a mono-substituted phenyl ring system, a di-substituted phenyl ring system, or a mono-substituted naphthyl ring system. By xe2x80x9csubstituent in the ortho positionxe2x80x9d, it is meant that at least one of the two aromatic ring atoms adjacent to the aromatic ring atom that is bound to the silicon atom must be substituted.
The groups R3 and R4, the same or different from each other, are preferably C1-10 alkyl, and even more preferably are methyl or ethyl.
Illustrative examples of aromatic silanes which conform to formula (I) include the following:
(2-ethylphenyl)-3,3-dimethylbutyl-dimethoxysilane;
(2-ethylphenyl)-3-methylbutyl-dimethoxysilane;
(2-ethylphenyl)-propyl-dimethoxysilane;
(2-ethylphenyl)-3,3,3trifluoropropyl-dimethoxysilane;
(2-methylphenyl)-propyl-dimethoxysilane; and
(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-propyl-dimethoxysilane.
The aromatic silanes of the present invention may be prepared from readily available starting materials using conventional synthesis methods and equipment well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Aromatic silanes where the aromatic ring system is an ortho-substituted phenyl group may be prepared by the reaction between the appropriate 2-phenylmagnesium bromide and the appropriate alkyl-trialkoxysilane, as illustrated in Example 2. Alternatively, such ortho-substituted aromatic silanes may be prepared by first reacting the appropriate 2-bromobenzene with an alkyl lithium reagent, such as n-butyl lithium, to generate the corresponding 2-phenyl lithium, which is then allowed to react with the appropriate alkyl-trialkoxysilane, as illustrated in Example 3.
The organosilanes of the present invention are useful as the external electron donor in an olefin polymerization catalyst system. More particularly, the present invention concerns a catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins comprising:
(A) an aromatic silane compound having formula (I):
wherein
R1 is preferably a linear or branched C1-18 alkyl or C3-18 cycloalkyl, and even more preferably R1 is a linear C1-5 alkyl;
R2 is an aromatic ring having at least one substituent in the ortho position;
R3 and R4, the same or different from each other, are preferably C1-10 alkyl groups, and even more preferably are methyl or ethyl;
(B) an aluminum alkyl compound; and
(C) a solid catalyst component comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and an electron donor compound as essential elements.
In said aromatic silane compound (A), R1 is preferably selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-18 alkyl, C1-18 alkoxyl and C3-18 cycloalkyl groups, and even more preferably R1 is selected from the group consisting of linear C1-5 alkyl and branched C3-8 alkyl groups. R2 is preferably selected from the group consisting of mono-substituted phenyl, di-substituted phenyl and mono-substituted naphthyl, and the ortho substituent is preferably a linear or branched C1-10 alkyl or C1-10 alkoxy group. R3 and R4 are preferably selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-8 alkyl and C3-8 cycloalkyl, and even more preferably are methyl or ethyl.
The aluminum alkyl compound (B) may be triethylaluminum, isobutylaluminum, tri-n-butylaluminum, and linear and cyclic alkylaluminum compounds containing two or more aluminum atoms linked to one another through oxygen or nitrogen atoms or SO4 or SO3 groups. Examples of such alkyl aluminum compounds include (C2H5)2Alxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Al(C2H5); (C2H5)2Alxe2x80x94N(C6H5)xe2x80x94Al(C2H5); (C2H5)2Alxe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94Al(C2H5); CH3[(CH 3Alxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94]nAl(CH3)n; and (CH3Alxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94]n. The alkyl aluminum compound (B) is preferably triethylaluminum.
The solid catalyst component (C) preferably comprises a titanium compound having at least one titanium-halogen bond and an internal electron donor, both supported on an active magnesium halide.
The titanium compound, which may be selected from titanium tetrahalides and titanium alkoxy halides, is supported on the solid magnesium halide, according to common procedures.
The titanium compound is preferably TiCl4.
The magnesium halide is in anhydrous state, and preferably has a water content of less than 1% by weight. The magnesium halide is preferably MgCl2 or MgBr2, with MgCl2 being most preferred.
Those of ordinary skill in this art are well aware how to activate the magnesium dihalide compound, and to determine its degree of activation. More particularly, the active magnesium halides forming the support of component (C) are the Mg halides showing in the X-ray powder spectrum of component (C) a broadening of at least 30% of the most intense diffraction line which appears in the powder spectrum of the corresponding inactivated magnesium halide having 1 m2/g of surface area or are the Mg dihalides showing an X-ray powder spectrum in which said most intense diffraction line of the inactivated magnesium dihalide is absent and is replaced by a halo with an intensity peak shifted with respect to the interplanar distance of the most intense diffraction line and/or are the Mg dihalides having a surface area greater than 3 m2/g.
The measurement of the surface area of the Mg halides is made on component (C) after treatment with boiling TiCl4 for 2 hours. The value found is considered as the surface area of the Mg halide.
The Mg dihalide may be preactivated, may be activated in situ during the titanation, may be formed in situ from a Mg compound, which is capable of forming Mg dihalide when treated with a suitable halogen-containing transition metal compound, and then activated, or may be formed from a Mg dihalide C1-3 alkanol adduct wherein the molar ratio of MgCl2 to alcohol is 1:1 to 1:3, such as MgCl2.3ROH where R is a C1-20 linear or branched alkyl, C6-20 aryl or C5-20 cycloalkyl.
Very active forms of Mg dihalides are those showing an X-ray powder spectrum in which the most intense diffraction line appearing in the spectrum of the corresponding inactivated magnesium halide having 1 m2/g of surface area is decreased in relative intensity and broadened to form a halo or are those in which said most intense line is replaced by a halo having its intensity peak shifted with respect to the interplanar distance of this most intense line. Generally, the surface area of the above forms is higher than 30-40 m2/g and is comprised, in particular, between 100-300 m2/g.
Active forms are also those derived from the above forms by heat-treatment of component (C) in inert hydrocarbon solvents and showing in the X-ray spectrum sharp diffraction lines in place of halos. The sharp, most intense line of these forms shows, in any case, a broadening of at least 30% with respect to the corresponding line of inactivated Mg dihalides having 1 m2/g of surface area.
The internal electron donor may be selected from alkyl, aryl, and cycloalkyl esters of aromatic acids, especially benzoic acid or phthalic acid and their derivatives, such as ethyl benzoate, n-butyl benzoate, methyl p-toluate, methyl p-methoxybenzoate, and diisobutylphthalate. Alkyl or alkaryl ethers, ketones, mono- or polyamines, aldehydes and phosphorus compounds, such as phosphines and phosphoramides, can also be used as the internal electron donor. The phthalic acid esters are most preferred.
Solid catalyst component (C) can be prepared using techniques and equipments well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the magnesium halide, titanium compound and the internal electron donor can be milled under conditions where the magnesium halide is active. The milled product is then treated one or more times with an excess of TiCl4 at a temperature of from 80xc2x0 to 135xc2x0 C. and then washed with a hydrocarbon such as hexane until all chlorine ions have been removed.
Alternatively, the solid catalyst component (C) may be prepared by first preactivating the magnesium chloride according to known methods, reacting it with an excess of TiCl4 containing the internal electron donor in solution at a temperature of from 80xc2x0 to 135xc2x0 C., and then washing the solid with a hydrocarbon such as hexane to remove residual TiCl4.
Yet another method for preparing the solid catalyst component (C) includes reacting a MgCl2nROH adduct (where R is a C1-20 linear or branched alkyl, C6-20 aryl or C5-20 cycloalkyl), preferably in the form of spheroidal particles, with an excess of TiCl4 containing the internal electron donor in solution at a temperature of from 80xc2x0 to 120xc2x0 C., isolating the solid, reacting it once more with TiCl4 and then washing the solid with a hydrocarbon, such as hexane, to remove all remaining chlorine ions.
The molar ratio between the Mg dihalide and the halogenated Ti compound supported thereon is preferably between 1 and 500, while the molar ratio between the halogenated Ti compound and the internal electron donor supported on the Mg dihalide is preferably between 0.1 and 50. The amount of aluminum alkyl compound (B) employed is generally such that an aluminum/titanium ratio is from 1 to 1000.
The catalyst system comprising an aromatic silane compound (A), an aluminum alkyl compound (B) and a solid catalyst component (C) can be added to the polymerization reactor by separate means substantially simultaneously, regardless of whether the monomer is already in the reactor, or sequentially if the monomer is added to the polymerization reactor later. It is preferred to premix components (A) and (B), then contact said premix with component (C) prior to the polymerization for from 3 minutes to about 10 minutes at ambient temperature.
The alpha olefin monomer can be added prior to, with or after the addition of the catalyst to the polymerization reactor. It is preferred to add it after the addition of the catalyst.
Another object of the instant invention is a process for the polymerization of alpha-olefins carried out in the presence of the catalyst system as described above.
The polymerization reactions can be done in slurry, liquid or gas phase processes, or in a combination of liquid and gas phase processes using separate reactors, all of which can be done either by batch or continuously.
The polymerization is generally carried out at a temperature of from 0 to 150xc2x0 C., and preferably from 40 to 90xc2x0 C.; the polymerization may be carried out at atmospheric pressure or at higher pressures, preferably from 100 to 10,000 kPa, and more preferably from 200 to 8,000 kPa.
Chain terminating agents, such as hydrogen, can be added as needed to reduce the molecular weight of the polymer, according to methods well known in the state of the art.
The catalysts may be precontacted with small quantities of olefin monomer (prepolymerization), maintaining the catalyst in suspension in a hydrocarbon solvent and polymerizing at a temperature of 60xc2x0 C. or below for a time sufficient to produce a quantity of polymer from 0.5 to 3 times the weight of the solid catalyst component.
This prepolymerization also can be done in liquid or gaseous monomer to produce, in this case, a quantity of polymer up to 1000 times the catalyst component weight.
Suitable alpha-olefins which can be polymerized by this invention include olefins of the formula CH2xe2x95x90CHR, where R is H or C1-20 straight or branched alkyl, such as ethylene, propylene, butene-1, pentene-1,4-methylpentene-1 and octene-1.
The aromatic silane compounds of the present invention, as well as the polymerization catalyst systems containing them, enable the production of propylene polymers, and in particular propylene homopolymer having a stereoblock content of from about 7 to about 25%, and preferably from 12 to 20%, by changing the ortho substituent on the aromatic ring of the silane themselves.
Propylene polymers prepared using the external electron donors of the present invention may be manufactured into films using conventional apparatus and techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the polyolefin art.

Alpha-olefin polymerization catalyst system which contains an aromatic silane compound


A video signal conversion system converts input video signals in a studio format, such as CCIR 601 (625/25), into output video signals in another format, such as the Phase Alternate Line (PAL) format. The horizontal line scanning frequency of the input and output signals is the same. The signal conversion system uses an output clock signal to determine the relative timing of the input and output video signals. This signal is generated by a phase-locked loop which employs a crystal-controlled VCO. The phase of the signal produced by the VCO is adjusted to maintain the sampling clock signals of the input and output video signals in a predetermined phase relationship. The phase error signal which is used to control the VCO is generated by comparing a first phase reference signal, generated from the output signal, to a second phase reference signal generated from the input signal. The output phase reference signal may be the synchronizing signal component of the converted video signal or an indication that a predetermined interpolation phase is being applied by the resampling system. The input phase reference signal may be the input clock signal or an indication of the start of a horizontal line interval.

The present invention concerns phase locked loop (PLL) synchronization systems and in particular, a PLL system in a video signal resampling system which generates a synchronized clock signal for a phase alternate line (PAL) output video signal using phase information from the input video signal.
Sample rate conversion systems are well known for converting television and other video signals from one format to another. An exemplary video signal standards conversion system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,911 entitled, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONVERSION OF DIGITAL VIDEO SIGNALS, which is hereby incorporated by reference for its teachings on digital resampling techniques.
The system described in the above-referenced patent converts a component video signal having a nominal sample rate of 13.5 MHz into a digital signal having a sample rate of 14.31818 MHz, (hereinafter 14.3 MHz) which is compatible with the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) Standard. The ratio of these two sample frequencies is exactly equal to the ratio of 33 to 35.
To obtain good performance from the resampling system it is desirable for the output sample clock signal to be locked in phase with the input sample clock signal. In the referenced patent, this may be achieved relatively easily by dividing the input sample clock signal by 33 and dividing the output sample clock signal by 35, applying both divided signals to a phase comparator and using the output signal of the phase comparator (not shown) to adjust the phase of the output clock signal.
These simple techniques are ineffective, however, for synchronizing an output clock signal for a phase alternate line (PAL) video signal to a standard studio component video signal, such as a CCIR 601 (625/25) signal. This signal has the same line and frame format as a PAL television signal (i.e. 625 lines/frame and 25 frames per second) but it uses a sample clock signal of 13.5 MHz which is 864 times the frequency of the horizontal line synchronization component of the video signal. The ideal sample clock signal for a sampled data PAL television signal, on the other hand, is 17.734475 MHz (hereinafter 17.7 MHz) four times the color subcarrier frequency (4*f.sub.sc). This color subcarrier frequency, f.sub.sc, is related to the horizontal line frequency (f.sub.h) according to the equation (1). EQU f.sub.sc =1135*f.sub.h /4+25 (1)
Because of the 25 Hz offset which is added to the color subcarrier frequency, the largest common frequency between the 13.5 MHz input clock signal and the 17.7 MHz output clock signal is 50 Hz. If the output clock signal were synchronized to the input clock signal at this low frequency, the jitter in the resulting output clock signal would be so great as to make it unusable.
In this sense, the input and output clock signals are incompatible; neither signal can be directly locked in frequency and phase to the other signal using conventional phase locking techniques.
In existing conversion systems, an analog reference video signal, such as
color bars or black burst is used to gen-lock both the digital component input signal and the digital composite output signal. The digital component input signal uses the horizontal pulses of the reference signal as its phase reference while the digital composite output signal uses the color burst of the reference signal as its phase reference. The frame information (i.e. which frame of the multi-frame sequence is currently being processed) is used as a coarse adjustment for both the input and output signals. This method requires get-lock capability in the component source and an external reference signal.

Phase locked loop synchronizer for a resampling system having incompatible input and output sample rates


A device for a plumbing installation, the device, for example, may be a valve, such as valve (1), or a fluid flow meter (6), and has a casing (10) that is hydraulically formed from metal tubing so as to have a wall surrounding a void interior. The casing (10) is provided with one or more formations, such as shoulders (64) and (65) and at least one inlet opening (14) and at least one outlet opening (18). A cartridge (12) is at least partly located in the void interior of the casing (10). The cartridge (12) has at least two openings, being a first opening (20) and a second opening (22). Seals (46), (48) and (50) are provided between the casing (10) and the cartridge (12). The cartridge (12) is accommodated in the casing (10) by the one or more formations of the casing (10). The cartridge (12) is provided with the operational components of the device (1). The inlet opening (14) of the casing (10) and the first opening (20) of the cartridge (12) are in fluid communication. Similarly, the second opening (22), of the cartridge (12) and the outlet opening (18) of the casing (10) are in fluid communication. A fluid flow path is thereby created through the device (1) from the inlet opening (14) of the casing (10), through the cartridge (12), to the outlet opening (18) of the casing (10).

The discussion of the background art, any reference to a document and any reference to information that is known, which is contained in this specification, is provided only for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the background art to the present invention, and is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of that material forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other country as at the priority date of the application in relation to which this specification was filed.
Plumbing installations may incorporate different types of devices in the operation of the plumbing installation. Fluid flowing in the plumbing installation passes through these devices. For example, plumbing installations often incorporate valves, which are used to control the flow of fluids in the plumbing installation. A wide range of different types of valves is available to suit the different operating conditions and requirements of plumbing installations. By way of another example, plumbing installations may incorporate flow meters. Flow meters may measure the volume and/or rate of flow of fluid that passes through the flow meter. An example of a commonplace use of a flow meter is a water meter that is used to measure water consumption in domestic, commercial and industrial situations. The relevant water authority levies a charge for the water consumption based on the readings of water usage recorded by the water meter.
Devices, such as valves and flow meters, that are used in plumbing and other like installations typically consist of a cast or forged housing with the operational components of the device retained in the housing. The housing is typically made of brass or bronze. In addition, openings, projections and/or recesses usually have to be provided in the wall internally of the housing during manufacture of the device to accommodate the operational components of the device.
However, the use of metals such as brass and bronze makes these devices relatively heavy and also bulky in size. The need to incorporate the openings, projections and/or recesses in the housing during manufacture adds to the manufacturing steps required and the amount of material required to make the devices. The use of metals such as brass and bronze to make the device housings and the manufacturing steps necessary in the manufacturing processes result in an increase in the manufacturing costs and the end cost to a purchaser.


A drinking container with a drinking vessel, a drinking cap and a threaded ring. The drinking vessel has an inner space, a circular vessel opening, an opening edge surrounding the vessel opening and an external thread next to the vessel opening. The drinking cap has a bottom wall, a ring flange surrounding the bottom wall for abutment on the opening edge of the drinking vessel, a drinking element protruding outwards from the bottom wall and a valve for sealing and opening a passage from the inner space to the outside of the mouthpiece, which is openable for drinking and otherwise closable. A ventilation channel is present in the bottom side of the ring flange or in the top side of the opening edge.

The invention relates to a drinking container with a drinking vessel and a drinking cap. The drinking vessel is preferably a drinking bottle or a drinking cup and the drinking cap is preferably a drinking spout, a push/pull drinking cap, a drinking straw drinking cap or a drinking suction nozzle.
Drinking caps have a bottom wall, a ring flange surrounding the bottom wall for fastening on the opening edge of the drinking vessel by means of a fastening ring and a mouthpiece protruding outward from the bottom wall with at least one drinking opening on the outside. The drinking opening is connected with the inside of the mouthpiece via a passage. By sucking on the mouthpiece during drinking, negative pressure is created in the drinking vessel, which must be relieved. Drinking caps have ventilation valves for this reason.
In the case of a design of the drinking cap as a drinking suction nozzle, a suction nozzle is connected with the ring flange via a suction spout. The drinking suction nozzle is produced as a single piece made of an elastomer material. The drinking opening is a hole or a slit or several holes or slits in the upper end of the suction part. For ventilation, for example, a slit valve is present on the circumference of the suction spout, which opens when there is negative pressure in the drinking bottle. Radial grooves on the bottom side of the ring flange, through which air can flow between the ring flange and the opening edge of the drinking vessel, are also known.
Seals of drinking suction nozzles on drinking bottles are also known, in which slightly different setting angles of the sealing surfaces in the case of light screwing do not lead to a full seal. In the case of this type of seal, one of the two sealing surfaces is generally made of a soft elastic material.
Drinking suction nozzles with a slit valve are complex to produce. Grooves in the sealing surface progressing outward radially are very short so that good ventilation is hardly compatible with a sufficient seal against the escape of liquid. Different torques of the threaded ring lead to different deformations of the ventilation grooves, which impair their function. In the case of different setting angles of the sealing surfaces, the production effort is high due to the soft component. Ventilation and sealing also depend greatly on the torque of the threaded ring in the case of these designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,180, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a drinking suction nozzle made of flexible material, which is protected from collapsing by the negative suction pressure. For this, the drinking suction nozzle has a spiral channel in the bottom side of a fastening flange. The drinking suction nozzle is preferably formed from an elastic material or synthetic rubber as well as silicone rubber. But it can also be made of plastic materials with the same elastic properties, as well as for example of PVC.
Due to the elasticity, the air flow is changeable through the setting of the cross-section of the channel, in that a threaded ring is screwed tighter on a drinking bottle for the fixing of the fastening flange. The changeability of the channel cross-section is promoted through the design of the channel between easily deformable ribs. The small cross-section of the channel and its length are to prevent the escape of liquid.
FR 2 548 894 A1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a one-piece drinking suction nozzle made of a soft elastomer. The drinking suction nozzle has several channels, which have the shape of a spiral section and are designed as a groove in the bottom side of the flange. The spiral sections each extend around their common center by approximately 240°. The channels should let air easily flow through when there is negative pressure in the drinking bottle and prevent the escape of liquid. Also in the case of this drinking suction nozzle, the extent of ventilation and prevention of escape of liquid also depends on the torque exerted on the threaded ring.
The known feeding suction nozzles with spiral channels have permanently open drinking openings so that a protection from the leaking of the tipped drinking bottle is not possible. The channels serve above all to ventilate the drinking bottles and prevent the collapse of the soft suction nozzle during drinking. In the case of a firmly tightened threaded ring, the channels are largely pressed together whereby the ventilation is greatly reduced. In order to also ensure this in the case of strong compression, the channels have a large cross-section. For this reason, a liquid escape is easily possible in the case of low torques.
Furthermore, drinking caps designed as a drinking spout are known. In the case of these drinking caps, the mouthpiece generally has an oval cross-section and is arranged eccentrically with respect to the ring flange. A suction valve, which opens when negative pressure is applied, is integrated into the mouthpiece. Furthermore, a ventilation valve, which opens when negative pressure builds up in the drinking vessel, is integrated into the bottom wall. Drinking spouts are leak-proof due to the valves. The mouthpiece, bottom wall and ring flange are preferably designed as one piece of hard plastic (hard spout). There are also soft spouts, which are designed as one piece of silicone or natural rubber and have a slit valve in the mouthpiece and another slit valve for ventilation in the bottom wall. The high production effort is disadvantageous in the case of the known spouts.
Furthermore, drinking caps are known that are designed as a push/pull cap. It has a mouthpiece accessible from the outside, which is arranged in an axially shiftable manner in a mouthpiece holder that is connectable with the drinking container. The mouthpiece is moveable back and forth with the teeth or by hand between an opened and a closed position. Due to the fact that the hands are generally not needed to open and close the cap, these drinking caps are popular in particular in the field of sports, for leisure activities and on drinking containers for children. In simple designs, air flows in through the open mouthpiece, for which the user must put down the drinking bottle. In complex designs, air can flow in through a ventilation valve in the bottom wall of the mouthpiece holder.
Furthermore, drinking caps with a drinking straw are known. These have a drinking straw holder with a through hole, into which a drinking straw is inserted in a sealing manner. An upper part of the drinking straw sticks up beyond the top side of the drinking straw holder and a lower part protrudes into the drinking vessel from the bottom side of the drinking straw holder in order to extract the beverage from the drinking vessel while sucking on the top part. The drinking straw can be sealed for example through bending and fixing of the bent drinking straw by means of a cover clamped on the drinking straw holder. In addition or instead, a suction valve can be integrated into the drinking straw. The drinking straw can be supported via a conical flange on a cone in the bottom wall of the drinking straw holder. The cone of the bottom wall can be provided with ventilation holes. In the case of negative pressure in the drinking vessel, the flange of the drinking straw can be lifted from the ventilation holes so that air can flow in from outside. This requires the buildup of a high negative pressure.

Drinking container with a drinking vessel and a drinking cap


The present disclosure is related to a heatsink and a method for forming a heatsink. In one embodiment, a method for forming the heatsink includes forming at least one thermo pyrolytic graphite element. The at least one TPG element includes a first side having a wedge-shaped surface and a second side having a flat surface. The method further includes layering a metal material over the at least one TPG element, the metal configured to be complementary to the first side of the at least one TPG element, and applying pressure to fasten the metal material to the at least one TPG element.

This disclosure relates generally to methods of fastening thermo pyrolytic graphite (TPG) to metal materials to serve as heatsinks for various uses and, more particularly, to releasably fastening TPG elements to a metal material using a wedge-lock system to form a heatsink.
Modern embedded computer systems contain very high thermal power electrical components in a volumetrically constrained environment. The volumes typically do not change as the power dissipation of the components increase, presenting significant challenges in the management of component temperatures. In the past, a variety of direct cooling techniques such as active or passive heatsinks composed of high thermally conductive materials such as aluminum and/or copper have been used to manage rising temperatures. These materials, however, are only sufficient if a relatively large amount of surface area is presented to the airstream, necessitating a physically larger heatsink structure that occupies a large amount of the total available volume. As the physical size of the heatsink increases, the ability of the material to rapidly carry heat to the extremities of the heatsink, thereby exposing the heat to the airstream, is diminished.
Thermo Pyrolytic Graphite (TPG) materials have been found to have the ability to provide better heat conduction in a single (X-Y) plane as compared to conventional metal materials. Furthermore, TPG has been found to have an improved overall conductivity as compared to copper. Recently, a method has been developed to embed TPG into an aluminum structure using a diffusion bonding process. The diffusion bonding process, while resulting in a very good thermal contact between the TPG material and the aluminum structure, has limitations in that specialized equipment is needed to create the TPG-embedded structures in a time-consuming process, resulting in an expensive product.
As such, there is a need for a method to create a cost-effective product having TPG fastened to a metal material, such as an aluminum structure, to form a metal heat-conducting structure (i.e., heatsink) to provide effective thermal conductivity in the X-Y plane. Additionally, it would be advantageous if the method were easily reproducible and could be performed in many various facilities using many various types of equipment.

Heat sink and method of forming a heatsink using a wedge-lock system


Washing machine including a washing tub having an inner tub rotatably mounted for holding and washing laundry, and an outer tub having the inner tub mounted therein, a driving device for rotating the inner tub, a body having a base plate, one pair of side panels at opposite side edges of the base plate, a rear panel at rear edges of the base plate and the side panels, and a top panel on top of the side panels and rear panel, and the washing tub and the driving device held therein, and a front panel rotatably engaged with, supported on, and detachably mounted on, a front part of the body, thereby permitting easy and fast assembly/disassembly of the cabinet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly, to a washing machine of a structure of which assemblability is improved.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, the washing machine washes laundry with actions of detergents and water in a tub by washing, rinsing spinning cycles for removing contaminants stuck to clothes and beddings in a drum rotating inside of the tub.
The cabinet, forming an outer part of the washing machine, holds various components therein, including sensitive electronic components, and mechanical components for carrying out different motions. For an example, in the cabinet, there are the tub rotating at a fast speed, and an electronic controller for controlling the rotation of the tub. Moreover, the cabinet protects the electronic components and the mechanical components from an external physical impact, and the user from moving mechanical components.
In general, the cabinet has a plurality of panels that have required strengths, and are assembled together. In general, for assembly of the panels, the panels have flanges at edges for fastening to each other with fastening members, such as screws.
Referring to FIG. 1, a related art washing machine is provided with one pair of side panels 12, and a rear panel (not shown), to surround both sides and rear of a tub 20 on a base plate 11, and a top panel 13 on the panels to cover a top of the tub 20.
There are an upper plate 14, and a lower plate 15 joined to an upper part and a lower part of the side panels respectively for reinforcing strength, and there is a front panel 40 joined to front edges of the base plate 11, the one pair of the side panels 12, and the top panel 13.
In more detail, opposite side parts of an upper part and lower part of the front panel 40 are fastened to the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 15 with fastening means, respectively. That is, in the opposite side parts of the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 15, there are first fastening holes 14a, 14b, 15a, and 15b for fastening the front panel 40 thereto with fastening means 51, 52, 53, and 54 respectively, and there are second fastening holes 41, 42, 43, and 44 in opposite side parts of the upper part and lower part of the front panel in correspondence to the first fastening holes 14a, 14b, 15a, and 15b.
According to above configuration, the front panel 40 is fastened as the fastening means 51, 52, 53, and 54 are inserted in, and fastened to, the first and second fastening holes.
The related art washing machine requires to align the upper part second fastening holes 41 and 42 in the front panel 40 with the first fastening holes 14a and 14b in the upper plate 34, and the lower part second fastening holes 43 and 44 in the front panel 40 with the first fastening holes 15a and 15b in the lower plate 36, before inserting and fastening the fastening means 41, 42, 43, and 44.
Because of above structure, the cabinet of the related art washing machine has problem in that assembly and disassembly of the cabinet is not convenient, to require a substantial time period. Moreover, as a size of the washing machine becomes the larger, since the front panel also becomes the heavier, it is liable to cause accident.
To cope with the problems, development of a washing machine having a cabinet of which assembly and disassembly is easy, and can be carried out within a short time period has been required.


A compression-ignition internal combustion engine system having an exhaust passage and an exhaust gas treatment arrangement, wherein the exhaust gas treatment arrangement comprises a three-way catalytic converter.

The use of the internal combustion engine is abundant. Since internal combustion engines burn fossil fuels within the cylinders of the engines, gases are emitted that are potentially both harmful to human health and harmful to the environment. Over the past few decades, internal combustion engine usage has risen dramatically with the attendant increase of environmental pollutants.
The main gases of concern emitted from the exhaust system of a vehicle are i) Hydrocarbons (HC) which comprise unburned or partially burned fuel and which, in addition to being toxic, are a significant contributor to smog in urban areas; Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) which are created when nitrogen in the engine air flow reacts with oxygen in the high temperature-pressure conditions inside the combustion cylinders and which are a factor in both smog and acid rain; Carbon Monoxide (CO) which is a product of incomplete combustion and which is also toxic to humans; Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which is a by-product of the combustion process and is considered one of the most significant green house gases; and Particulate Matter (PM), also referred to as soot.
The types of internal combustion engine that are in most widespread use in on-road and off-road applications are the spark ignition engine (gasoline fuelled) and the compression-ignition (diesel) engine.
In a spark ignition engine a throttle valve controls the rate of air supplied to the engine in response to a power demand by the vehicle operator such that a fuel supply system supplies an amount of fuel based on the air supply rate to obtain a desired air/fuel ratio. To reduce the exhaust emissions from such an engine it is known to use a catalytic converter having the functionality of a reduction catalyst to reduce NO2 to nitrogen and oxygen and an oxidation catalyst to oxidize CO to CO2 and HC to water and CO2. For optimum operation of the catalytic converter, the spark ignition engine is operated under stoichiometric operating conditions in which the amount of oxygen supplied to the cylinders of the engine is the exact amount required to completely combust the amount of fuel supplied. In the case of gasoline the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio around is 14.7:1, although the exact value depends on the fuel composition.
In contrast to spark ignition engines, diesel engines are operated under diesel combustion conditions in which the air/fuel ratio is much leaner than that of the spark ignition engine, typically between 20:1 and 40:1.
In a diesel engine, air is introduced into the cylinder head via an inlet valve and is compressed during an compression stroke of the piston which compresses and heats the induced air. Fuel is injected directly into the cylinder at close to top dead centre piston position and is ignited by the heated air which causes combustion and a corresponding rapid expansion of the compressed air/fuel mixture that drives the piston on a power stroke. The air inducted into the cylinder is not throttled as it is in a gasoline engine and as a result a diesel engine naturally runs at a much higher air/fuel ratio.
The diesel engine has many benefits. For example, as a result of its leaner combustion regime and higher compression ratio, the diesel engine has increased thermal efficiency over gasoline engine which translates into a greater torque at comparatively low engine speeds and a greater fuel economy.
One of the characteristic emissions of the diesel engine is the generation of particulate matter or soot, in addition to the emission of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and the like. To combat the emissions of diesel engines, it is known to employ various devices to clean the exhaust gases. For example, it is known to place a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the exhaust system to reduce approximately 80% to 100% of particulate matter entrained in the exhaust gas flow.
It is also known to use a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) which uses excess oxygen in the exhaust gas flow to oxidize CO to CO2 and HC to water and CO2. However, such a device is unable to reduce the NOx present in the gas flow significantly.
A major challenge facing the future of the diesel engine is the reduction of NOx output in a cost-efficient manner.
In general, two main approaches are used in an effort to reduce NOx emissions. Firstly diesel engines are run with extremely high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates in an effort to lower the combustion temperature of the cylinders thus reducing NOx generation. Although a high EGR rate is effective at engine idle and relatively low engine load conditions, it is difficult to obtain high EGR rates at medium to high load conditions, for example during acceleration phases of a vehicle since a relatively high amount of fresh air is required for combustion. Secondly, it is known to use devices generally referred to as NOx absorbing devices ("NOx traps" or "NOx absorbers") and selective catalytic reduction ("SCR") devices, both technologies being known to the person skilled in the field of diesel engine technology.
However, SCR devices tend to be expensive and need a minimum temperature to operate efficiently which requires regimes to heat up the device: typically this is via late injection of fuel which leads to oxidzation of fuel in the SCR device in order to raise its temperature. SCR devices are generally undesirable due to the complexity of the apparatus itself, the associated control system, and the fact that it impacts adversely on the engine fuel consumption. As for NOx absorbing devices, they require periodic regeneration in order to maintain their effectiveness which, again, impacts adversely the engine fuel consumption. Moreover, the presence of sulphur in diesel fuel can degrade the performance of NOx absorbing devices which limits their use to geographic areas in which the fuel supply is of acceptable quality.
As can be appreciated, the provision of several of such devices in an effort to combat the varied emission from the diesel engines results in an excessively costly system that, in general, lacks widespread viability for commercial vehicles and smaller vehicles for the private motorist.
It is an object of the invention to provide a diesel engine system that avoids or at least mitigates some of the problems explained above.


Hydrocarbon streams are heated uniformly and directly using one or more flameless oxidation burners. Flameless oxidation burners may control the temperature within a range of about 50° C. to reduce the tendency to coking due to localized “hot spots”. The hydrocarbon streams, which may be monomer streams, may pass cross-current (perpendicular) to burners having a longitudinal design or configuration, or may pass parallel to such burners.

Conventional industrial furnaces (steel industry, metallurgy, ceramic, glass, forging and the like) use large quantities of natural gas. In order to save energy, most furnaces include an energy recuperation system on the exhaust gases to preheat the combustion air to temperatures up to about 1000° C. (in the case of regenerative burners). Enriching combustion air with oxygen also leads to not only a reduction of the volume of combustion products, but also to energy savings. Unfortunately, this is generally achieved with an increase in NOx emissions due to a higher flame temperature, and sometimes hot spots will occur in the furnaces, which can be harmful to the load being heated. Conventional regenerative burners have the same pros and cons as the oxygen-enriching air technique.
Heating hydrocarbons for processing, such as in endothermic reactions, is accomplished in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, direct heating and indirect heating, such as through the use of superheated steam. A continuing challenge is to heat a hydrocarbon, such as a continuous hydrocarbon process feed stream, uniformly so that undesirable "hot spots" of temperatures higher than specified do not occur in the heating unit. Such hot spots cause difficulties, such as coking or degradation or unwanted polymerization of a reactant or product.
These challenges are particularly present in the heating to make monomer streams, such as styrene streams, where hot spots undesirably cause coking. It would be particularly desirable if monomer streams could be directly heated to avoid the complexities of using indirect heating such as through superheated steam and the like. Furthermore, there are limits to the maximum temperature of superheated steam. If hydrocarbon or monomer heating is no longer dependent upon the amount of steam needed to heat or reheat the process streams to and/or from reactors, more energy saving devices may be installed to lower the energy required to process the hydrocarbons or monomers.
In more detail, conventionally, the energy needed for the reaction to convert ethylbenzene to styrene is supplied by superheated steam (at about 720° C.) that is injected into a vertically mounted fixed bed catalytic reactor with vaporized ethylbenzene. The catalyst is typically iron oxide-based and contains a potassium compound (KOH or K2CO3) which act as reaction promoters. Typically, 1-2 kg steam is required for each kilogram of ethylbenzene to ensure sufficiently high temperatures throughout the reactor. The superheated steam supplies the necessary reaction temperature of about 550-620° C. throughout the reactor. Ethylbenzene conversion is typically 60-65%. Styrene selectivity is greater than 90%. The system is generally operated under vacuum.
After the reaction, the products are cooled rapidly (perhaps even quenched) to prevent polymerization. The product stream (containing styrene, toluene, benzene, and unreacted ethylbenzene) is fractionally condensed after the hydrogen is flashed from the stream. The hydrogen from the reaction is typically used as fuel to heat the steam (boiler fuel).
It is a continuing goal of the industry to heat hydrocarbon streams, especially monomer streams, uniformly and within relatively strict temperature limits to achieve the necessary temperatures, but also to avoid localized hot spots and consequential degradation of the hydrocarbon, such as to coking products.

Heating hydrocarbon process flow using flameless oxidation burners


A method for suppressing a non-periodic random event in a proximity system includes: receiving an output signal generated by a proximity sensor in the proximity system and monitoring at least a magnitude of the output signal; determining whether a spike having a magnitude exceeding a prescribed threshold value has occurred in the output signal; when a spike in the output signal is detected, setting an output of the proximity system to a prescribed level for a prescribed duration of time; when the prescribed duration of time has elapsed, determining whether the output signal meets one or more prescribed criteria indicative of a shutdown condition; when it is determined that the output signal meets the prescribed criteria, setting the output of the proximity system to a level exceeding an alarm threshold; and when it is determined that the output signal fails to meet at least one of the prescribed criteria, releasing suppression of the output of the proximity system.

Rotating machinery, including motors, generators and the like, are widely used in manufacturing, power generation and materials processing, among other applications. Due at least in part to the extended duration of use and high rotational speeds (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM)) at which industrial rotating machines typically operate, such machines are subject to wear and potential failure. In order to minimize catastrophic damage, the machines are often taken offline to perform scheduled maintenance, such as lubrication and/or replacement of parts, as a precaution. However, such preventative machinery maintenance can be costly, in terms of facility downtime and replacement parts and labor expenses.
Consequently, it has become more cost-effective to monitor the operational status of rotating machinery using such metrics as machine vibration to provide an indication of its condition. One type of condition monitoring device is a two-wire proximity transmitter system that converts a non-linear eddy current signal, obtained from a suitable current probe, into a linearized output suitable for conversion into a standard 4 to 20 milliamp (mA) direct current (DC) signal typically used in modern industrial instrumentation systems. This signal is used to indicate whether a portion of a rotating machine (e.g., a motor or compressor) is in need of repair or maintenance. The signal may also be used to provide protection to the machine by triggering an alarm indicating vibration levels that exceed a prescribed threshold, thereby allowing an external control system or other mechanism to shut down the machine before the occurrence of a catastrophic failure.
Unfortunately, there may be events detected which could trigger an alarm, but which may be a spurious spike generated by a non-vibration induced random occurrence; in effect, a false alarm. For example, if a metallic particle breaks loose from the machine and travels between the target and the probe of a proximity sensor via, for example, lubricating oil, a non-periodic, random spike may be generated by the proximity transmitter system. Such an event generally resolves itself without a need to shut down the machine.

Method and apparatus for suppression of spikes detected by a proximity sensor


The invention proposes a suspension-type conveying arrangement in the case of which conveyable-article carriers (1) are supported, by way of running rollers (9) on guide rails (3) for movement along a conveying route. Arranged on a drag chain/drive chain (15) guided along the conveying route are driver elements (17), preferably brush elements (17), which can be moved between a driving position and a non-driving position. The invention proposes various concepts in order, in the case of a build-up of conveyable-article carriers (1), to transfer the driver elements (17) into the non-driving position, with the result that they act on the built-up conveyable-article carriers (1) at most to a slight extent, if at all. In the driving position, it is possible for driver elements (17) to act on the conveyable-article carriers (1) in order to drive them along the conveying route.

The invention relates to a conveying arrangement, in particular suspension-type conveying arrangement, having rails for guiding conveyable-article carriers, equipped with running rollers, along a conveying route, having a drive belt which is driven in circulation about diverting means, is guided along the conveying route, at least in certain regions, by means of a guide arrangement and has driver elements which are arranged on it and, in a driving position, are suitable, and envisaged, for driving rail-guided conveyable-article carriers along the conveying route, and having means for stopping conveyable-article carriers in a build-up region of the conveying route as the drive belt continues running.
A generic suspension-type conveying arrangement of the type mentioned above is described, for example, in EP 0 516 971 B1. In the case of this known conveying arrangement, the conveyable-article carriers have two running rollers which are arranged in a rotatable manner at the free leg ends of a V-shaped or U-shaped bracket and are oriented obliquely in relation to one another, with the result that they can roll on the running surfaces of a gable-roof-like guide rail along a relevant conveying route, the bracket extending beneath the running rail. The known suspension-type conveying arrangement has, as drive belt, a plate link chain which is guided in a chain guide along the conveying route. For coupling the conveyable-article carriers to the drive chain, use is made of driver fingers which are provided at certain intervals on the drive chain, the driver fingers projecting laterally from the drive chain, in a direction transverse to the running direction of the conveyable-article carriers, and into the path of the conveyable-article carriers. If the drive chain is then driven in order to move along the conveying route, a respective driver finger can act on a conveyable-article carrier which may be present on the guide rail, and push or drive it along the conveying route, the conveyable-article carrier being guided on the guide rail by way of its running rollers. The driver fingers are individual, inherently elastic flat-bar elements which are made of plastic, can be deflected with yielding action and are connected, via a region of increased elasticity, to a respective driver-retaining part of the drive chain. The elasticity of a respective driver finger is intended to ensure certain damping, in the case of the driver finger acting on the conveyable-article carrier, if the driver finger comes into contact with a stop region provided rigidly on the conveyable-article carrier. Furthermore, it is possible for a relevant elastic driver finger, in the case of the conveyable-article carrier stopping as the drive chain continues to run, to be deflected to the extent where it disengages from the conveyable-article carrier, with the result that, in a situation where the conveyable-article carriers build up, the drive belt can continue running without the relevant conveyable-article carriers or driver fingers being destroyed. However, each time a driver finger passes as the drive chain continues running, a conveyable-article carrier which has been stopped or is located in a built-up formation, is subjected to contact impact. This may result in undesired vibrations, in increased wear to elements of the conveying arrangement and in the development of aggravating noise. It is also the case that it is not possible for the abovementioned disadvantageous effects to be prevented by the elasticity of the driver fingers.
Also known are suspension-type conveying arrangements of the type mentioned in the introduction in the case of which brush elements are spaced apart from one another at certain intervals on a drive belt in the form of a drive chain, the brush elements serving as driver elements for driving conveyable-article carriers. As in the case of the driver finger described with reference to EP 0 516 971 B1, the bristles of the brush elements are also intended to provide damping action in the case of the driver elements acting on a conveyable-article carrier in order to drive it along the conveying route. In the case of intended or unintended stoppage of the conveyable-article carriers, however, it is also the case that such brush elements subject the conveyable-article carriers to contact impact, this resulting in corresponding vibration with the disadvantages which have already been described above.
German patent application 100 05 646 describes a suspension-type conveying arrangement with brush elements on a drive chain for driving conveyable-article carriers, said conveying arrangement having the special feature that the conveyable-article carriers have pivotable coupling elements in order to be subjected to the action of the brush elements. Build-up formation results in the coupling elements of the conveyable-article carriers which come into contact with one another being pivoted, under the build-up pressure, into a passive position, in which they are not engaged by the brush elements of the continuing drive chain, with the result that the above-mentioned contact impact is largely avoided.
The object of the invention is to demonstrate further ways in which, in the case of a conveying arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction, impact loading of the conveyable-article carriers in the case of a build-up can be at least largely avoided.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, in order to achieve this object, it is proposed that the conveying arrangement have position-changing means which can be activated in a controlled manner and are intended for transferring driver elements of the drive belt from their driving position into a non-driving position in the build-up region, it being possible for the driver elements located in the non-driving position, if appropriate, only to engage with a slight degree of coupling, if at all, and with easily yielding action with built-up conveyable-article carriers.
The driver elements transferred into the non-driving position, in the build-up region, are guided past built-up conveyable-article carriers such that they subject the conveyable-article carriers, at most, to extremely weak contact impact, if any at all.
It is thus possible to have built-up operation which does not adversely effect the conveying arrangement as the drive belt continues running.
The advantages of the invention are still utilized even when individual driver elements cannot be shifted into the non-driving position or, in their non-driving position, nevertheless come into contact with built-up conveyable-article carriers.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the position-changing means comprise controllable means for changing the guide path of the drive belt in a reversible manner, said controllable means being designed for diverting the drive belt in the build-up region of the conveying route optionally from a path in which the driver elements are guided into the driving position into a path in which the driver elements are guided into the non-driving position. This configuration of the invention makes it possible to divert the drive belt in the build-up region if required, with the result that driver elements can pass the build-up region along the conveying route without actively engaging with built-up conveyable-article carriers. According to a variant of this embodiment of the invention, the deflecting means are configured such that they keep the drive belt away from built-up conveyable-article carriers, over more or less the entire length of the build-up region, to the extent where the driver elements, in the build-up region, can only act, at most, to a slight extent, if at all, and with yielding action on the conveyable-article carriers. In order to disperse a build-up of conveyable-article carriers, the deflecting means can be controlled such that they guide the drive belt again so that driver elements can engage with conveyable-article carriers in order to drive them.
According to a further variant of the configuration of the invention mentioned above, it is provided that the means for changing the guide path in the build-up region are arranged, and can be activated, along the conveying route such that they divert the drive belt, at predetermined locations of the conveying route, into the path in which the driver elements are guided into the non-driving position, said predetermined locations corresponding to the locations in which, in the event of a build-up of conveyable-article carriers, are located those regions of the conveyable-article carriers which are to be subjected to the action of the driver elements for the driving coupling between conveyable-article carriers and drive belts. Once these locations have been bypassed, the drive belt is diverted in the opposite direction again in each case and guided normally along the conveying route. In the case of such a locally restricted redirection of the drive belt, the driver elements in each case bypass the stop regions of the conveyable-article carriers in the build-up. In order to disperse a build-up, the effect of diverting the drive belt is reversed again, with the result that driver elements can then engage with the previously built-up conveyable-article carriers in order to drive them. According to a development of the last-mentioned variant of the invention, the means for changing the guide path have deflecting guide elements which deflect the drive belt locally in a guided manner from the path in which the driver elements are guided into the driving position into a path in which the driver elements are guided into the non-driving position, it being possible for the deflecting guide elements, in a respective displacement region, to be displaced in a controlled manner along the conveying route in order to vary the respective location of the deflection of the drive belt. The deflecting guide elements can preferably be displaced in each case between two end positions in the longitudinal direction of the conveying route, one of these end positions corresponding to a position in which a stop region of a conveyable-article carrier located in the build-up is bypassed, whereas the other end position is selected such that the abovementioned bypass is eliminated and the driver elements can engage with the stop regions of the conveyable-article carriers again.
The invention preferably relates, in all configurations, to a suspension-type conveying arrangement with conveyable-article carriers which have at least one running-gear mechanism with a V-shaped or U-shaped bracket, running rollers being arranged in a rotatable manner at the free leg ends of the bracket and being oriented obliquely in relation to one another, with the result that they can roll on running surfaces of gable-roof-like guide rails along a relevant conveying route, the bracket extending beneath the guide rail. The conveyable-article carriers in question here preferably comprise at least two running-gear mechanisms of the abovementioned type, which are connected to one another at their bottom ends by a carrying rod for conveyable articles, the conveyable-article carriers preferably being of the same dimensions and, in particular at a predetermined location of their longitudinal extent, having a stop region for driver elements of the drive belt. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive-belt guide is configured in relation to the extent of the guide rails such that a respective driver element guided into the driving position can engage behind a respective rail-guided conveyable-article carrier on the bracket leg of a running-gear mechanism in order to drive the same along the conveying route.
According to a particularly preferred configuration of the invention, in all the embodiments, the drive belt is a drive chain, in particular plate link chain, with driver elements arranged thereon. The driver elements located in the driving position project, for example, laterally from the drive chain (conveying chain), with the result that they extend into the path of the rail-guided conveyable-article carriers in order to be able to engage with conveyable-article carriers. The driver elements are preferably driver fingers which can be deflected with elastic yielding action. These should be of such a nature that, after overcoming a certain opposing force, they can move away from a conveyable-article carrier which has been blocked unintentionally, for example, outside a build-up region, and can overcome engagement with the conveyable-article carrier, without causing spontaneous damage.
The driver fingers may be combined in groups to form driver brushes, the driver-brush elements preferably being arranged on the drive belt such that they follow equidistantly one after the other.
In an alternative configuration, the drive belt could be provided with driver bristles without any significant spacings being formed therebetween.
According to a further preferred configuration of the invention, the driver elements are mounted on the drive belt such that they can be moved relative to the drive belt between the driving position and the non-driving position. In the case of such a solution, there is thus no need to influence the drive-belt guidance in order to transfer driver elements, in the case of a build-up of conveyable-article carriers, into the non-driving position, in which they can undergo coupling or engagement with relevant conveyable-article carriers at most to a slight extent, if at all. Rather, the driver elements are transferred into the non-driving position by the driver elements being moved relative to the drive belt. For this purpose, it is provided that the position-changing means, which can be activated in a controlled manner, have position guiding elements which are arranged at least in certain sections along the build-up region and are designed for influencing driver elements, which are carried along the conveying route by the drive belt, such that the driver elements are transferred from the driving position into the non-driving position at least at predetermined locations along the build-up region.
The position guiding elements are preferably cam elements against which the driver elements moved along by the drive belt butt or are supported (if appropriate under spring prestressing). In accordance with the course taken by the cam or cams, driver elements can thus be moved between their driving position and their non-driving position.
Cam sections are provided in the build-up region, at least at certain locations, and result in the driver elements being transferred into the non-driving position. These certain locations are the locations at which, in the event of a build-up, are located stop regions of the conveyable-article carriers for the driving coupling by driver elements. These stop regions are thus bypassed by the driver elements. A switchable stopper element is usually provided at the front end of the build-up region, this stopper element, in its active position, constituting a barrier for the conveyable-article carriers. The cam sections can preferably be displaced in a controlled manner in the conveying direction and/or transversely thereto in order to vary conditions for the engagement between driver elements and conveyable-article carriers, for example for the purpose of dispersing a build-up again once the stopper element has been transferred into the passive position.
The driver elements may be arranged in a pivotable manner on the drive belt. In another configuration, it is possible for the driver elements to be arranged on the drive belt such that they can be linearly displaced transversely to the respective direction of the conveying route.
Within the context of the invention, it may be provided that separate driver elements always remain in the driving position or, even in their non-driving position, can produce easily yielding engagement with conveyable-article carriers or a slight degree of coupling with conveyable-article carriers, whereas the driver elements located therebetween bypass the conveyable-article carriers in their non-driving position.
The invention also relates, under a further aspect, to a conveying arrangement, in particular suspension-type conveyor arrangement, having rails for guiding conveyable-article carriers, equipped with running rollers, along a conveying route, having a drive belt which is guided, at least in certain regions, along the conveying route and has driver elements which are arranged on it and, in a driving position, are suitable, and envisaged, for driving rail-guided conveyable-article carriers. In order to achieve the abovementioned object, this conveying arrangement is characterized in that the driver elements on the drive belt can be transferred in each case from the driving position into a non-driving position, and in that each driver element is assigned a respective build-up sensor which is carried along on the drive belt and is intended for detecting built-up conveyable-article carriers, the build-up sensors being designed for transferring the driver elements assigned to them into the non-driving position directly, or possibly indirectly via a controlled arrangement, when a buildup of conveyable-article carriers is detected.
Each build-up sensor preferably has a contour-follower element which is mounted on the drive belt such that it can be moved between a normal position, which corresponds with the driving position of the associated driver element, and a yielding position, which corresponds with the non-driving position of the driver element, the contour-follower element having a cam section by means of which it extends, in the normal position, into the path of conveyable-article carriers guided by rails along the conveying route, with the result that, when the cam section comes into contact with a group of built-up conveyable-article carriers, the contour-follower element can move away from contours of the conveyable-article carriers, in a controlled manner, into the yielding position in order to transfer the associated driver element into the non-driving position, and to keep it in the non-driving position until it has been moved past the group of built-up conveyable-article carriers.
The driver elements are preferably arranged directly on the contour-follower elements. According to one embodiment of the invention, the contour-follower elements are arranged on the drive belt by means of a pivoting mount such that they can be pivoted between the normal position and the yielding position. It is possible here for the contour-follower elements to be mounted in a pivotable manner on the drive belt such that the pivot pins, in accordance with the respective course taken by the conveying route, are oriented parallel or (in the case of the course taken by the conveying route being closed) tangentially to the conveying route, the pivoting mounts being mounted on the drive belt such that the contour-follower elements are loaded, under the action of gravitational force, in the direction of their normal position.
In the case of all of the configurations of the present invention, the drive belt is preferably a drive chain, in particular plate link chain.
The driver elements are preferably driver fingers which can be deflected with elastic yielding action. Driver elements in the form of brush elements with driver bristles are particularly preferred.

Conveyor device, especially suspended conveyor device


The invention relates to peptides having the general formula (I), or a salt or amide thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are either the same or different, wherein R1 and R2 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon residue, said residue having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein Z1 is selected from the group consisting of histidine and proline, wherein Z2 is selected from the group consisting of an arginine and a peptide comprising an initial arginine and having from 2 to 30 amino acids. The invention also relates to methods using the peptides of the present invention in the treatment of inflammation.

The invention concerns peptides and/or proteins, their use for preparing a therapeutic and/or preventive pharmaceutical composition as well as a pharmaceutical composition.
Substances for the inhibition or prevention of inflammatory reactions, so-called immunosuppressants, which so far have been used for prophylaxis and therapy, generally comprise two distinct groups. Firstly, derivatives of a hormone, i.e. cortisone, naturally occurring in the body, and secondly, exogenous immunosuppressants such as cyclosporin and its derivatives, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide etc. All those substances possess anti-inflammatory effects but they show substantial side reactions in long-term therapy. Those side reactions have a limiting effect on long-term therapy, which is why those substances are used alternately or in combination in order to keep side effects on a tolerable level or in order to be able to actually proceed with the therapy. As examples of side reactions, the pathological fractures associated with cortisone are to be mentioned, which fractures are caused by the osteoporotic effect of the cortisone, or the renal failure which may be caused by cyclosporin. Those side reactions are inevitable with both groups of compounds, and hence it is merely a question of the duration of the therapy and of the total dose at what point the therapy must be stopped.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Therapeutic fibrin-derived peptides and uses thereof

Fibrex Medical Research & Development GmbH


Genomic DNA containing the promoter region of the pMADS3 gene was isolated, ligated to a reporter gene, and then introduced into petunia plants via an Agrobacterium-mediated method. Surprisingly, the resultant plants became double-flowered by conversion of stamens into petaloid structures.

The trait of double-flowered or multi-flowered petals is one of the important factors for ornamentalness of garden plants. Introduction of morphological traits into flowers of garden plants, such as producing multi-flowers via genetic engineering techniques may produce a great diversity of varieties in shorter periods of time than the conventional crossbreeding techniques.
MADS-box genes are a family of genes consisting of 30 or more genes that encode transcription factors having a conserved region called MADS-box. Many of these genes have been shown to regulate morphogenesis and organogenesis of plants by way of transcriptional regulation. Many of the genes of the three classes of homeotic genes that are responsible for development of floral organs (the ABC model) are MADS-box genes and have been studied in detail (Sakai, H. (2000). "Molecular genetics of floral morphogenesis," in: "Molecular Mechanisms for Determination of Plant Morphology," 150–163 (Shujunsha Inc.); Goto, K. (1994). "The ABCs of Flower Development: Genetic and Molecular Analyses of Floral Homeotic Genes," in: Molecular Mechanisms for Determination of Plant Morphology, 52–61 (Shujunsha. Inc.); and Weigel, D., and Meyerowitz, E. M. (1994). Cell 78, 203–209).
One of the MADS-box transcription factors isolated from Petunia, pMADS3 (MADS3 derived from Petunia), is a homeotic gene involved in specificity of floral organs. Its structure and expression pattern suggest that pMADS3 belongs to Class C of the floral ABC model. It was revealed that homeotic mutations, such as formation of antheroid structure (staminody) at the tip of petals and, occasionally, carpelloid structure at the tip of sepals, occur in transgenic petunia plants that ectopically express the pMADS3 gene. Such mutations also suggest that MADS3 is a member of the Class C genes (Tsuchimoto, S. et al. (1993) Plant Cell 5, 843–853; Takatsuji, H. (1994). "Transcription Factors Controlling Floral Organ Development," in: Molecular Mechanisms for Determination of Plant Morphology, 96–106 (Shujunsha Inc.)). The cDNA sequence of pMADS3 has been reported in Tsuchimoto, S. et al. (1993). Plant Cell 5, 843–853.
As described above, many reports on MADS-box transcription factors and their functions in floral organogenesis in plants are available. However, so far no one has reported success in producing highly ornamental plants, such as multi-flowered plants, using a MADS-box transcription factor as the target.

Flower morphology of plants by targeting mads-box gene

National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences

National Agriculture and Bio-Oriented Research Organization


A coating structure for a sheet-like substrate, which includes lignocellulosic fibres is disclosed. The structure includes at least one pre-coat layer including at least 70 weight-% of a first styrene (meth)acrylate copolymer polymerised in the presence of a stabiliser, having a glass transition temperature Tg ≤20° C. preferably ≤10° C., ≤30 weight-% of inorganic platy mineral particles and 0.01-2 weight-% of at least one first thickener. The coating structure further includes a top coat layer including at least 50 weight-% of a second styrene (meth)acrylate copolymer polymerised in the presence of a stabiliser having a glass transition temperature Tg ≤20° C. preferably ≤10° C., ≤30 weight-% of inorganic mineral particles, 0.01-5 weight-% of at least one second thickener and 0.5-30 weight-% of an antiblocking agent. Further disclosed is a sheet-like product coated with the coating structure.

Various coatings can be applied on the surface of paper or board in order to improve their properties. Grease barrier and water vapour barrier properties are particularly important for paper and board that are used for products for packaging purposes. Coating applied on the surface of paper or board should provide an effective barrier for leakage from the goods inside the package and/or protect the packaged goods from contamination and/or contact with the surrounding atmosphere. For packaging materials used for foodstuff and consumable liquids the barrier requirements are especially stringent.
Coatings for packaging purposes should also have good resistance for creasing and folding. The coating should not crack when the paper or board is folded into a box or wrapped around the product. Cracking may decrease or even completely destroy the barrier properties of the coating.
Furthermore, paper and board coatings should be resistant for blocking during the product manufacturing and converting processes. If the coating layer softens under high pressure and high temperature it may adhere after rewinding to the next layer on the reel and block the whole reel when cooled down. During the converting process the coating should have suitable friction properties in order to run smoothly in the process. The coating should also have appropriate glueability properties, which determine the speed and strength of a bond generated by the application of an adhesive to the coating surface, in order to be used at high speed packing lines.
Another aspect that should be satisfied is the recyclability of the package. This means for paper and board packages are after the consumption of the packed goods ideally collected for recycling, i.e. repulping. In this case the coating must also fulfil the requirements of recycling and, for example, it should not disturb the repulping process. Traditional plastic films laminated on the surface of paper or board are not necessarily easily repulpable. Thus laminated paper and board products often end up as energy waste, which is uneconomical in view of the resources.

Coating structure, sheet-like product and its use


A recording tape cartridge, comprising: a leader pin at which flange portions are formed at both ends, holding portions formed at a case and holding the flange portions of the leader pin in a vicinity of an opening, overhanging portions formed at the holding portions and overlapping the flange portions at inner surface sides thereof, and wall surfaces which are formed at the holding portions and which peripheral surfaces of the flange portions oppose, wherein a clearance between the inner surface of the flange portion and the overhanging portion, and a clearance between the peripheral surface of the flange portion and the wall surface, are defined such that, when the leader pin tilts, the peripheral surface of the flange portion contacts the wall surface before the inner surface of the flange portion contacts the overhanging portion, is provided.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording tape cartridge which accommodates, within a case, a single reel on which is wound a recording tape such as a magnetic tape or the like which is used as a recording/playback medium mainly of computers and the like.
2. Related Art
There are conventionally known recording tape cartridges in which a recording tape, such as a magnetic tape or the like which is used as a data recording/playback medium of computers or the like, is .wound on a reel, and the single reel is accommodated within a case which is structured by an upper case and a lower case. A leader member, which is pulled-out by a pull-out member of a drive device, is fixed to the distal end of the recording tape. An example of the leader member is a substantially dumbbell-shaped leader pin having flange portions at both ends of a main body portion to which the recording tape is fixed either directly or via a leader tape.
The flange portions of the leader pin are accommodated in concave holding portions which are formed at the upper case and the lower case in the vicinity of an opening. The leader pin is held, with the heightwise direction of the case being its axial direction, due to the flange portions being restrained by springs or the like. Accordingly, there is the concern that, when a shock is applied to the vicinity of the opening due to the recording tape cartridge being dropped or the like, and the upper case and the lower case flexurally deform so as to separate from one another (so-called opening), the flange portions will come out from the holding portions and the leader pin will tilt or separate from the holding portions.
If such a phenomenon occurs, poor chucking of the leader pin by the pull-out member of the drive device occurs, and the problem of a system error arises. Therefore, there has conventionally been proposed a recording tape cartridge in which undercut portions on which the flange portions of the leader pin are anchored, i.e., overhanging portions which overlap the flange portions, are formed at the holding portions and prevent the flange portions of the leader pin from coming out from the holding portions (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-148179).
However, because the overhanging portions are in a positional relationship of being adjacent to hooks or the like of the pull-out member of the drive device, the plate thickness of the overhanging portions cannot be formed to be thick. Namely, if the plate thickness of the overhanging portions is made to be thick, the problem that the hooks or the like will interfere therewith arises. Accordingly, if a shock is applied to the case due to the recording tape cartridge being dropped or the like and the leader pin tilts or moves in a direction other than the pull-out direction thereof, for example, in a direction substantially orthogonal to the pull-out direction (e.g., the heightwise direction or a direction orthogonal to the heightwise direction), there is the concern that the overhanging portions will break due to the pushing force applied from the leader pin.