A device for determining the state of an apparatus capable of existing in a first state and a second state. The apparatus is provided with auxiliary contacts (CAO1, . . . , CAF1, . . . ) which provide binary state signals that depend on the current state of the apparatus. The device includes at least one first state auxiliary contact CAO1), that provides a "1" state signal when the apparatus is in its first state, and at least one second state auxiliary contact CAS1) providing a "1" state signal when the apparatus is in its second state. The device also has a programmed microcontroller (MP) having inputs on which it receives the state signals from the auxiliary contacts (CAO1, . . . , CAF1, . . . ) and also instructions (OO, OF) requesting the apparatus to switch from one state to the other. In particular, the programmed microcontroller provides output signals representative of the state (PO, PF) and/or of the availability (MFP) of the apparatus, and of the state and/or the availability (MACAO, MACAF, MFCA) of the auxiliary contacts. The output signals are generated by a program that implements a strategy for continuity of service and safety of utilization for the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device enabling the state of an apparatus to be determined, and in particular the open or closed state of an electrical cut-out apparatus such as a circuit breaker or a section switch, with the state being determined by means of auxiliary contacts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is recalled that an auxiliary contact is a device which, when used with a cut-out apparatus, includes an element that is linked to the movable portion of the cut-out apparatus and that provides a signal which depends on the position of said movable portion. This signal may be a binary signal, e.g. "1" when the apparatus is "in position" (open or closed), and "0" when the apparatus leaves its position. It is also known that auxiliary contacts can be used for suitably driving coils for controlling the opening and the closing of the electrical cut-out apparatus.
The use of an auxiliary contact for remotely determining the position of a circuit breaker can include the risk of error. An auxiliary contact is a device that may decay: it does little, and its metal contacts may become covered in a layer of oxide. Under such circumstances, the auxiliary contact can provide a wrong signal and can lead to a decision being taken to open a section switch when a circuit breaker that is believed to be open is in fact still closed.
Attempts have therefore been made to improve the operating safety of auxiliary contacts by using redundancy.
For example, two auxiliary contacts are installed instead of one, and the signal provided by each of them is received by an OR type circuit, such that the signal taken into account is that given by the output from the OR circuit.
It is observed that when indicating that the apparatus is "in position", it suffices that one or other of the two auxiliary contacts still gives a "1". If P is the probability of a breakdown in a signal contact, the probability of giving a wrong "in position" signal is P.times.P. To indicate that the apparatus is "out of position", the two auxiliary contacts must both give a "0" signal, thus the probability of giving a wrong "out of position" signal becomes 2P.
It can thus be seen that passive redundancy using two auxiliary contacts does not give the same results for the two signals expected from the auxiliary contact, and, finally, this technique does not solve the problem posed.
Proposals have been made to use passive redundancy with three auxiliary contacts and with a two-out-of-three majority decision being taken.
To give a "in position" signal, it suffices that two of the auxiliary contacts should be giving a "1" signal. The acceptable combinations for transmitting a "in position" are thus:
1 1 1 PA1 1 0 1 PA1 0 1 1 PA1 1 1 0 PA1 0 0 0 PA1 0 0 1 PA1 1 0 0 PA1 0 1 0 PA1 when "in position" the reading will be 111, and that is correct; but PA1 if an auxiliary contact changes state without a state changing instruction being issued by the microcontroller, then the microcontroller considers that the auxiliary contact is faulty and no longer takes its signals into account; and PA1 if after a change of state instruction has been issued by the microcontroller an auxiliary contact does not change state in a given time delay, then the microcontroller considers it to be faulty and does not take signals from it into account; PA1 the software also taking account of the states of good auxiliary contacts as they appear at the instant when a change of state instruction is issued, and the change of state instruction itself. PA1 an auxiliary contact which does not change state within a given time delay following an open or a close instruction is considered as being faulty and is no longer taken into consideration by the program; PA1 an apparatus is declared to be opened at the end of an open sequence if one of the following situations occurs at the end of said opening sequence: PA1 an apparatus is declared to be closed at the end of the close sequence if one of the following circumstances arises at the end of said closed sequence: PA1 the program also being organized so that: PA1 a group of contacts is declared faulty (a major auxiliary contact group failure corresponding to an MFCA=1 signal) if none of the auxiliary contacts of the group has changed state during a first time delay (TIME0) following an instruction to open or close the apparatus, and while during the same time lapse an appropriate change is observed for the auxiliary contacts of the other group; and PA1 an auxiliary contact is declared faulty if it has not changed state at the end of a second time delay (TIME1), initiated by another auxiliary contact of the same group changing state appropriately during an open sequence or a close sequence of the apparatus. PA1 the n open auxiliary contacts are good and in the "1" state if all of the closed auxiliary contacts are faulty; and PA1 the n closed auxiliary contacts are good and in the "0" state if all the closed auxiliary contacts are faulty. PA1 at least one closed auxiliary contact is good and in the "1" state; and PA1 at least one of the open auxiliary contacts is good and in the "0" state. PA1 when an open or a close instruction (OO, OF) is given at time origin (t0), a first surveillance time window having a first duration (TIME0) is initiated by a first time delay (TEMPO1), and simultaneously a first timer (CHRO0) is started; PA1 when the first of the auxiliary contacts of a first group changes state (an open auxiliary contact for an open instruction or a closed auxiliary contact for a close instruction) at an instant t1, a second time window having a second duration (TIME1) is opened by means of a second time delay (TEMPO1) and simultaneously the first timer (CHRO0) is stopped, the time it provides is stored in memory, which time corresponds to the starting time from rest, and a second timer (CHR1) is started; PA1 at the end of the second time duration (TIME1), at instant t2, the auxiliary contacts of said first group have had the chance to change state, and the resulting states thereof are stored in order to be analyzed; PA1 when the first signal contact of the second group changes state at instant t3, said second time window of the second duration (TIME1) is started again using said second time delay (TEMPO1) and simultaneously the second timer (CHR1) is stopped and the time it provides is stored and is suitable for use in determining the mean speed of the contacts of the equipment; PA1 when the second time delay expires (TIME1), all of the good auxiliary contacts in the second group will have changed state, and the resulting states are stored in order to be analyzed; PA1 an auxiliary contact in the first group or in the second group is declared to be faulty if it has not changed state at the end of the second time window (TIME1) relating thereto; and PA1 a group of auxiliary contacts is declared to be suffering from a major fault if none of the auxiliary contacts in the group has changed state by the end of the first time window (TIME0) when an appropriate change of state has been observed in the opposite group. PA1 during an apparatus opening process, after observing that the sequence has been initiated by a change in the state of a closed auxiliary contact and that none of the open auxiliary contacts has changed state at the end of the first time window (TIME0), causes an apparatus fault signal (MFP=1) to appear; PA1 during an apparatus opening process, after observing that the sequence has not been initiated because none of the closed auxiliary contacts has changed state at the end of the first time window, causes an "apparatus open" signal (PO=1) to appear if all three open auxiliary contacts have not changed state, and simultaneously issues a major fault signal concerning the closed auxiliary contacts (MACAF=1, MFCA=1); PA1 during an apparatus opening process, after observing that the sequence has not been initiated because none of the closed auxiliary contacts has changed state at the end of the first time window, and having observed no change of state in the good open auxiliary contacts, causes an apparatus failure signal (MFP=1) to appear and locks out any subsequent instruction; PA1 during an apparatus closing process, after observing that the sequence has been initiated by an open auxiliary contact changing state and observing that none of the closed auxiliary contacts has changed state at the end of the first time window (TIME0), causes an "apparatus closed" signal to appear, with the second duration being taken to be equal to the duration of the first time window (TIME0); PA1 during an apparatus closing process, after observing a major fault of the closed auxiliary contacts, causes an "apparatus closed" signal to appear if one of the open auxiliary contacts changes state; PA1 during an apparatus closing process, after observing a major fault of the closed auxiliary contacts, and after observing that none of the good open auxiliary contacts has changed state, declares the apparatus to be faulty, takes the first duration (T1) to be equal to the duration of the first time window (TIME0), takes the second duration (T2) to be equal to the maximum capacity of said third timer (FFFF), and causes a third fault mode program (fault mode 3) to be run. PA1 the last recorded given instruction being an open instruction, the device confirms the "apparatus open" state only if at least all of the auxiliary contacts in one of the groups are good; PA1 the last recorded given instruction being a close instruction, the device indicates that the apparatus is closed if at least one good closed auxiliary contact is in the "1" state or if at least one good open auxiliary contact is in the "0" state; and PA1 if all of the open auxiliary contacts and all of the closed auxiliary contacts are faulty, the device indicates that the apparatus is faulty and prevents any subsequent operation thereof.
To give a "out of position" signal, it suffices that two of the auxiliary contacts should be giving a "0" signal. Acceptable combinations for transmitting a "out of position" signal are thus as follows:
Since the probability of two auxiliary contacts failing simultaneously is P.times.P, the same reliability is obtained for the "in position" signal as for the "out of position" signal, namely P.times.P, however this applies so long as only one of the auxiliary contacts is faulty.
In contrast, in the event of a second breakdown, assuming that a first breakdown has not been repaired in the meanwhile, erroneous conclusions may be deduced. For example, if two auxiliary contacts are stuck in the "1" position, then:
when "out of position", the reading will be 110, and that is incorrect since a two-out-of-three majority decision will give rise to a "in position" signal being understood.
It can be seen that the above-described passive redundancy greatly improves the availability of signalling, but that it does this in a manner that is often unsatisfactory given the robustness targets set for the system in the event of multiple breakdowns.
The problem thus remains of monitoring electrical apparatuses remotely and of being able to rely on the signals delivered by auxiliary contacts so as to be able to take operating decisions for a grid without taking risks.
An object of the invention is thus to define a device for determining the position of an apparatus by using auxiliary contacts and making it possible to provide signals that are reliable even when some of the auxiliary contacts are faulty. Under some operating conditions of a grid, e.g. under extreme climatic conditions, it is not always possible to repair an auxiliary contact that has become faulty. It is nevertheless essential to be able to discover the position of the apparatus without risk of error. The device must also ensure proper control of the actuators of the apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to define a device that is capable of providing signals enabling it to diagnose itself, in particular signals specifying the good or faulty state of the auxiliary contacts in the apparatus. The availability of the apparatus is thus increased by enabling maintenance to be performed thereon in knowledge of the facts.
Another object of the invention is to define a device making it possible to improve knowledge about the electrical apparatus used while it is being used, for example if the apparatus is a circuit breaker, making it possible to learn how long it takes to operate. One such duration may be the time that elapses between the beginning of an instruction being given to the circuit breaker and the circuit breaker moving from its starting position. Another duration may be the time that elapses between starting from a given position and arriving in the opposite position. Knowledge of such operating times makes it possible to improve maintenance of the apparatus and to forestall major breakdowns.

Device for determining the state of an apparatus, and in particular the open or closed state of an electrical apparatus by means of auxiliary contacts


An illumination device, for example, a flashlight includes an adjustable beam focus assembly to change the relative position of the lamp bulb to the reflector to alternately provide a narrow focused or wide beam being emitted from the device. The adjustable beam focus assembly includes a resilient blade supporting the lamp bulb extending through an opening in a reflector of the device. Beam focusing is achieved by flexing the blade upon application of a displacing force to the base of the bulb by a cam or to the blade itself using a plunger.

The present invention relates in general to an illumination device such as a flashlight and the like, and more particularly, to such an illumination device having an adjustable beam focus.
Flashlights of varying sizes and shapes are well-known in the art. In particular, certain of these known flashlights utilize two or more dry cell batteries as their source of electrical energy carried in series in a cylindrical housing serving as a handle for the flashlight. The actuation of a switch completes a circuit within the housing to enable electrical current to pass through the filament of a bulb, thereby generating light which is typically focused by a reflector to form a beam of light.
The production of light from such flashlights has often been degraded by the quality of the reflector utilized and the optical characteristics of any lenses interposed in the beam path. Efforts at improving such flashlights have primarily addressed the quality of the optical characteristics. The production of more highly reflective, well-defined reflectors, which may be incorporated within such flashlights have been found to provide a more well-defined focus thereby enhancing the quality of the light being produced.
Since there exists a wide variety of uses for hand-held flashlights, one desirable feature is the capability of adjusting the beam width, i.e., variable focus which produces a beam of light having a variable dispersion. In certain situations it is useful to provide a concentrated beam of light of constant diameter, while in other circumstances, it is desirable for the beam to spread and thereby illuminate a larger area. This has been achieved in the past by selecting the position of the bulb with respect to the parabolic reflector commonly used in flashlights.
The bulb is located at the focus of a parabolic reflector and rays from the bulb are collimated by the reflector to provide a beam which is of substantially constant diameter. On the other hand, a beam that is conical in shape, i.e., one that spreads, has been achieved by moving the bulb so as not to be located at the focus of the reflector. The distance between the bulb location and the focus point will effect the amount of beam spread or dispersion. Flashlights that have had this capability in the past have generally included a large number of components and complicated mechanisms, all of which have rendered these flashlights relatively expensive to manufacture.
Varying the relative position of the bulb with respect to the focus point of the reflector has been achieved by a number of designs. For example, there is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,759 the longitudinal movement of the bulb by means of an internal motor which drives a supporting shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,944 slides an internal battery casing within its outer housing. U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,928 provides an adjustable threaded rod attached to a bracket supporting the bulb holder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,984 provides a central knob which receives the front end of the bulb in a spring biased assembly U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,783 utilizes an exterior magnet which effects a magnetic member which is secured to the bulb housing. U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,993 achieves longitudinal movement of the bulb by means of a slide plate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,397 provides a manually rotatable bulb housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,612 achieves longitudinal movement of the bulb housing which is connected to a carriage by means of an externally accessible tab. U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,268 utilizes a switch which when depressed causes a dog to push against a lip resulting in the bulb housing moving rearward U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,417 achieves longitudinal movement of a bulb housing by rotation of a housing tail assembly. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,527,223, 4,577,263, 4,821,156, 4,388,673 and 4,656,565 achieve beam focusing by rotation of a head assembly which supports the parabolic reflector.
Despite the apparent variety of construction details to achieve variable beam focusing in a flashlight, there still remains a need for an internal assembly having few components and which is economical to manufacture.


A computation circuit operates in the modulation domain to generate a signal having phase modulation proportional to the ratio of the dividend (numerator) signal to the divisor (denominator) signal. The phase modulated signal may be demodulated by a phase demodulator to produce a baseband quotient signal. The divisor signal maintains inverse proportional control of the modulation gain of the modulator by varying the carrier injection level, resulting in higher bandwidth and accuracy, and lower drift and offset compared to traditional analog computation techniques. The circuit may contain all linear components, even though the division function is a non-linear function. The circuit and method operate when the input signals are analog or both are in the modulation domain.

This invention relates to analog computation circuits and more particularly to circuits and methods for designing and using analog circuits operating in the modulation domain.
Instrumentation systems sometimes require the generation of a time-varying signal that is the ratio of two other signals. This may be accomplished either with an analog divider computation circuit or it may be done by digitizing the two input signals and using numerical computation, commonly known as Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Digital techniques are limited to relatively low frequencies because of the intense computation load placed on the processor. Analog division can potentially have greater bandwidth, but is difficult to implement using conventional techniques.
A commonly used circuit and method to perform the division using logarithms is shown in FIG. 5. This circuit is based on the mathematical property that the logarithm of a quotient is equal to the difference of the logarithms of the dividend and divisor.
As shown in FIG. 5, input signals n(t) and d(t) to circuit 50 are conditioned by passing each of them through logarithm function blocks 501 and 502 respectively. The logarithms of the input signals are subtracted by block 503 and the result is sent to anti-logarithm (exponentiation) block 504. The accuracy of nonlinear circuit 50 depends upon how accurately the logarithmic (501, 502) and antilogarithmic (504) functions are realized. If the signals involved have wide dynamic range, then the transistors within the calculation blocks must operate over a wide range of currents. This increases the difficulty of achieving accurate nonlinear functions. Also, when the current is small, bandwidth tends to suffer. The design equations for this type of circuit are all highly temperature dependent, making drift a problem. It is also difficult to obtain a low noise floor using analog circuits as described.
Another commonly used circuit and method is to use a multiplier, such as multiplier 602, in a feedback path of a servo loop, as shown in FIG. 6 circuit 60. This has the effect of using a multiplier to obtain division when its output is fed into subtractor 601. Such a circuit is an inverse multiplier analog divider. Multiplier 602 is commonly constructed as a Gilbert multiplier. There are two main practical difficulties with this circuit. First the divider accuracy can be no better than the accuracy of the multiplier. Although a Gilbert multiplier is somewhat easier to build than the logarithmic circuits of FIG. 5, it still has problems with linearity, dynamic range, and noise. Second, the accuracy of the circuit is also affected by errors in the servo loop. Impairments in servo amplifier 603 can cause loop tracking errors, denoted xcex5 in FIG. 6. Also, the loop gain varies depending on the characteristics of the signals being divided. This makes loop design difficult and loop dynamics unpredictable.
FIG. 7 shows Armstrong phase modulator 70 where sine wave carrier generator 701 drives multiplier 703 via amplifier 705 (gain xe2x88x921) which is being used as a double side band suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) (balanced) modulator. A DSB-SC signal is the same as a conventional amplitude modulation signal, except that the carrier is suppressed. Modulation input port 710 drives the other input of multiplier 703. The output of multiplier 703 is a DSB-SC signal. The DSB-SC signal drives one input of adder 704. The other input to the adder is the carrier signal shifted 90xc2x0 by shifter 702. Output 711 of adder 704 is a phase-modulated signal. The modulation index is proportional to the ratio of the amplitude of the DSB-SC signal to the injected carrier amplitude. Modulation index is defined as the peak phase deviation in radians.
For proper operation, the maximum modulation index must be within the xe2x80x9csmall angle approximationxe2x80x9d regime, where phase modulation can be considered a linear process. This is also known as narrow band phase modulation (NBPM). In general, phase modulation (a member of the angle modulation family) is a non-linear process. The modulation index limit for NBPM is approximately 0.5, depending on the amount of modulation error that can be tolerated. For example, if the modulation index is limited to 0.45, then the harmonic distortion for tone modulation is less than 5%.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for performing analog division in the modulation domain. In one embodiment of the invention, a sine wave carrier is modulated by one of the input signals and a cosine wave carrier is modulated by the other of the input signals. These modulated signals are added together with the result being a modulated signal having a phase modulation index proportional to the ratio of the amplitudes of the first and the second input signals. This signal is then phase demodulated. The resulting baseband signal is proportional to the ratio of said first to said second signals.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

System and method for designing and using analog circuits operating in the modulation domain


The associative memory comprises a simplified functional processing unit (SFPU), implemented by an LUT logic network, that implements simplified CAM function g, where g is the function derived from CAM function ƒ by replacing the value showing “invalid” with the don't care, an auxiliary memory that stores the inverse function ƒ−1 of said CAM function ƒ; and an output modifier that checks whether the output value of said SFPU is equal to the output value of the CAM function ƒ; wherein the SFPU produces the operational value (“tentative index value”) for the simplified CAM function g; the auxiliary memory produces the value of the inverse function ƒ−1 when the tentative index value is applied; the output modifier compares the input data with the value of the inverse function ƒ−1, and produces the output of said SFPU if they are the same, otherwise produces the signal showing the “invalid”.

For a given index (address), an ordinary memory generates the registered data stored in that address. On the other hand, a CAM generates the index (address) of a given search (input) data, (See non-patent literature 1, 2) stored in the CAM.
CAMs are used in wide area such as pattern matching, routers for internet, cache for processor, TLB (Translation Lookaside Buffer), data compression, accelerator for a database, neural network, and memory patch.
From their functions, CAMs are usually classified into two types: The first one is a Binary CAM ("BCAM"), and the second one is a ternary CAM ("TCAM"). In the BCAM, each cell stores either 0 or 1. On the other hand, in the TCAM, each cell stores either 0, 1, or *. where, '*' denotes a "don't care", which matches both 0 and 1.
[Definition 1] (BCAM)
An n-input BCAM table with p registered vectors stores, p different two-valued vectors. We assume that p vectors are stored in the BCAM from the address 1 to the address p, in order. Note that an address of each vector can be represented by m bits. m is given by (1).
[Expression 1]m=┌log2(p+1)┐  (1)The corresponding BCAM function ƒ: {0, 1}n→{0, 1}m satisfies the following condition:
For the given input x, if the same vector exist in the BCAM table, then ƒ(x) produces the CAM address (from 1 to p) that stores the vector x. If no vector in the BCAM table matches to the input x, then the value of ƒ(x) is 0.
(End of Definition)


A manual transmission is disclosed wherein a large number of shift arms are arranged evenly over a pair of selector rods. The design has the advantages of rendering the transmission compact in size, making it possible to enhance the stiffness of the shift arms, and making the layout of the gearshift mechanism more flexible. The synchromesh manual transmission 1 has a pair of selector rods 31, 32 arranged in parallel with the output shaft of the transmission 1. The selector rod 31 is mounted with a 1st-speed, one reverse shift arm 37 and its associated shift block 44 against sliding movement while mounted with a 2nd-, 3rd-speed shift arm 38 integral with a shift block for sliding movement. Likewise, another selector rod 32 is mounted with a 4th-, 5th-speed shift arm 39 for sliding movement and further connected to a shift lever 40 for a 6th-speed shift arm. The shift block mechanism 56 and the shift blocks 38, 39 are arranged in symmetry relationship about the center point C.

Most manual transmissions are composed of low-speed gears having a spline clutch connected to the gears against rotation, high-speed gears having a spline clutch connected to the gears against rotation, and a clutch hub interposed between the low-speed gears and the high-speed gears and connected an output shaft against rotation. A spline sleeve is fitted on the clutch hub for axially sliding movement. On actual speed changing, the spline sleeve fitted with the clutch hub rotatable with the output shaft is moved axially into spline engagement with either one of the low-speed gears and the high-speed gears, thereby selecting a transmission ratio in accordance with the gear ratios of the low and high gears so as to obtain the power transmission at the selected transmission ratio.
A selector mechanism of such manual transmissions as described above is of the multi-rod gear selector type in which there may be shift arms, one to each spline sleeve, and selector rods are each provided for each of the shift arms to support the shift arms and transmit the power. The shift arms are separately connected with the individual selector rods, one to each shift arm, by suitable fixing means such as bolts, spring pins, welding and the like. In the design, one shift arm and one selector rod are in combination employed for a transmission ratio between a pair of low and high gears and, therefore, the five-speed, one-reverse manual transmissions require three selector rods and also the six-speed, one-reverse manual transmissions require four selector rods. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57819/1987 discloses an example of the multi-rod gear selector mechanism.
Another selector mechanism of the manual transmissions is of the single rod gear selector type, although being minor in use, in which all desired shift arms are arranged on a single selector rod in order to reduce the transmission in its weight, required space, the number of the parts and the like. In this design, all the shift arms except for a shift arm at a design location are arranged so as to slide on a single selector rod.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view illustrating an exemplary prior gearshift mechanism of the single rod gear selector type. The gearshift mechanism 60 in FIG. 3 has low and high gear pairs for obtaining various speed ratios or transmission ratios. Further, there are provided selector rods extending over the overall length of a transmission case 74, one to each gear pair. That is, for the six-speed, one reverse manual transmission illustrated, it is necessary to install four selector rods extending through the full length of the transmission case 74, which are a first-speed, reverse selector rod 61, a second-, third-speed selector rod 62, a fourth-, fifth-speed selector rod 63 and a sixth-speed selector rod 64. The first-speed, reverse selector rod 61 is connected to a first-speed, reverse shift arm 65. Likewise, the second-, third-speed selector rod 62, the fourth-, fifth-speed selector rod 63 and the sixth-speed selector rod 64 are connected to a second-, third-speed shift arm 66, a fourth-, fifth-speed shift arm 67 and a sixth-speed shift arm 68, respectively. Shift blocks 69 to 72, each corresponding to each of the shift arms 65 to 68, are assembled on the second-, third-speed selector rod 62. There is provided engaging means operable in response to the manipulation of a shift lever, not shown, whether the engaging means is of a direct control type in which one end of the shift lever constitutes the engaging means or a remote control type in which the shift lever is operatively connected with the engaging means through wires or rods. Manipulating the shift lever thus causes the engaging means to make selective engagement with any one of the shift blocks 69 to 72, resulting in shifting any one of the shift arms 65 to 68, selected depending on the shift direction of the engaging means, so that any desired transmission range may be selected out of six-speeds and one reverse. On the gearshift mechanism of multi-rod gear selector type designed as described above, two or more selector rods occupy the space exceeding the area for the selector rods intrinsically indispensable for the transmission. This becomes a major problem exerting the great adverse influence upon the gearshift mechanism as to production cost, weight and the desired number of parts.
In contrast, FIG. 4 is a side elevation showing an exemplary prior gearshift mechanism of single-rod gear selector type. The gearshift mechanism 80 in FIG. 4 has a single selector rod 81 supported for sliding movement by the transmission case 74 and carrying thereon all shift arms 82 to 84. Both the first-, second-speed shift arm 82 and third-, fourth-speed shift arm 83 are movable in a linearly sliding manner relatively of the selector rod 81, whereas the fifth-speed shift arm 84 is fixed to the selector rod 82. Shift block arrangement 85 is concentrated on a design location for selectively shifting the shift arms 82 to 84. In the single rod gear selector type, the permissible spaces for each of the shift arms 82 to 84 become very small and, therefore, each shift arm is inevitably made slender although such an structure is less desirable because the shift arms become reduced in stiffness. In addition, the practical gearshift mechanism 80 makes no remarkable saving in the desired space for all the parts, including the shift arms 82 to 84 and the selector rod 81, compared with the gearshift mechanism 60 of multi-rod gear selector type having four selector rods. Moreover, the need of a large number of forward speeds such as the six-speed, one reverse transmissions in recent years makes much more it difficult to assemble all shift arms on a single selector rod.
In the conventional gearshift mechanism of multi-rod gear selector type, the problem as described above arises that increased number of forward speeds increases the desired number of the selector rods. Moreover, the aggregation of the shift blocks on one location results in requiring such arrangement that the shift blocks for the shift arms corresponding to the outer opposing selector rods are to be formed on the extensions of the shift arms, which elongate beyond the inner selector rods. This causes the inevitable drawback in which the gearshift mechanism becomes greater in height so that it is hard to make it compact in size. In addition to the above, the shift blocks should be each assigned exclusively to each of the selector rods and, therefore, the parts necessary for gearshift in corresponding to the shift blocks have to be provided at every shift block. In contrast, on the prior gearshift mechanism of single rod gear selector type, the shift arms are limited in material to pressed iron alloys, cast iron alloys or the like, which is relatively higher in strength in order to avoid a deficiency in stiffness owing to the slender structure of the shift arms. Moreover, increased number of forward speed ranges causes such inconvenience that all shift arms may not be kept round a single selector rod. In recent years, accordingly, much attention has been given to a gearshift mechanism, which may contribute to make the transmissions compact in size, reduce the number of the desired parts and make available of inexpensive materials thereby being reduced in production cost.
The present invention has for its primary object to overcome the problems described above and in particular to provide a manual transmission having two selector rods, which design may reduce the desired number of selector rods by roughly half of the selector rods required in the multi-rod gear selector type while make it possible to improve the stiffness of the shift arms compared with the single rod gear selector type in which all shift arms are integrated on the single gear selector rod, whereby the layout design of the shift arms and the selector rods may afford to make the gearshift mechanism less in its height.


A retaining ring for an engine gasket has an annular section with convex upper and lower surfaces. The ring is formed from a homogeneous composite powdered metal with multiple density material zones. The composite powdered metal retaining ring has numerous advantages. It is possible to design and manufacture a ring having a desired yield strength in both the vertical and hoop directions, wherein the stiffness along a particular axis may be selectively variable as a function of seal loading. The multiple density zones may be provided by layers of material. In other aspects of the invention, the powdered metal may be primarily titanium with trace elements of the composite powdered metal providing lubrication to reduce the coefficient of friction of the composite metal at the ring's outer surface.

The present invention relates to a retaining ring having a layered composite powdered metal construction for use with a cylinder head gasket.
A cylinder head gasket bears a clamping load from a bolted connection of a cylinder head and an engine block and relies upon that load to provide a seal against the sealing elements of the gasket.
The gasket includes a combustion seal ring to prevent the leakage of combustion gases during engine operation. Several types of combustion seal rings are known. One type, known as a yieldable combustion seal ring, is essentially comprised of a wire having a generally circular cross-sectional area. A clamping force applied to such a ring is concentrated at the point of contact, deforming the ring's circumference to effectively seal out combustion gases. This type of seal ring, however, is subject to thermal crushing which results from plastic deformation which tends to occur under high temperature operation during the life of the ring.
Dual sealing systems are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,037 to Abbes, et al. discloses the use of a spring seal in combination with an elastomeric ring. The seals are not utilized as a portion of a combustion seal for a cylinder head gasket. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,980 to Backlin, discloses a cylinder head gasket for an internal combustion engine having double metal wrapped hoops to provide a reinforced fire ring around the combustion chamber. This type of dual seal fire ring is still subject to leakage under certain circumstances.


A method and an apparatus for managing a data transmission channel includes obtaining a delay of data transmitted on a first channel and a continuity parameter of the first channel, and a delay of data transmitted on a second channel and a continuity parameter of the second channel; detecting whether a fault event occurs on the first channel; and switching a working channel of a source provider edge (PE) and a sink PE to the second channel when the fault event occurs on the first channel.

Currently, with development of communications technologies, many data transmission networks use a multi-protocol label switching transport profile (MPLS-TP) technology.
One of the main functions of the MPLS-TP technology is keeping an unobstructed data transmission channel for carrying a network service. A channel protection switching mechanism in the MPLS-TP technology is basically that during data exchange between a source provider edge (PE) router and a sink PE router (generally, a source PE router is referred to as a source PE for short, and a sink PE router is referred to as a sink PE for short), two transmission channels, that is, a working channel and a protection channel, are often provided between the source PE and the sink PE. In a default state, the working channel is preferentially used for data exchange between the source PE and the sink PE. The source PE and the sink PE periodically send continuity check messages (CCMs) to each other, so as to determine whether a consecutive packet loss or a bit error occurs on the working channel. If a consecutive packet loss or a bit error occurs on the working channel, a channel used by the source PE and the sink PE is switched from the working channel to the protection channel.
However, in multiple complex service scenarios, factors affecting a network service are not limited to a consecutive packet loss or a bit error, and many other factors, for example, a transmission delay, cause a working channel to fail to be switched in time. However, according to current reception of a CCM, it is difficult to determine whether a relatively great delay exists in data transmission. Therefore, when multiple factors affect a network service, in a current channel protection switching mechanism, it is difficult to trigger in time switching of a working channel, and a channel with a relatively low transmission capability is still used to carry the network service, thereby reducing quality of the network service in a complex service scenario.

Method and apparatus for managing data transmission channel


A denture treating apparatus employs a receptacle base with a chamber closed by a rotatable cover. A denture and an effervescing denture treating composition, such as a denture cleaning tablet is place in water in the chamber. When the chamber is closed, the pressure created by the effervescing tablet causes the active ingredients to penetrate small spaces in the denture. A seal is compressed between relative thick peripheral lips on the cover and receptacle base. Thinner sections of the receptacle base can bow under pressure to show that pressure is building up. A shiftable handle on the cover makes it easier for a user to close the cover and compress the seal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the treatment of dentures and especially to more effectively cleaning or deodorizing dentures. This invention is also directed to the removal of biolayers that can build up in confined spaces within a denture and to the capability of denture treatment compositions to wet or contact confined areas where these biolayers can be deposited.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many methods and techniques have been suggested to facilitate cleaning and disinfecting dentures. Denture cleaning can be broadly defined as the reduction of a biolayer or biofilm and plaque containing bacteria, fungi and virus and pathogens or debris in general. Generally some method is employed to disrupt the plaque coating or biolayer and to soak the denture to allow chemical solutions to interface with denture surface and with porosities, micro-channels, fissures, cracks, fractures and spaces between teeth and the acrylic that retains the teeth in the gum portion of the denture. Additional pores, micro-channels, fissures, cracks, and fractures can be formed as a denture ages or by scratching, by toothpaste abrasives, and bacterial action that pits the denture surface.
One common approach to cleaning dentures is to use effervescent tablets, which foam when placed in water. Conventional tablets contain cleaning agents. Traditionally, these tablets have a composition containing a variety of sulfate salts, such as bisulfates, monopersulfates and sulfates acting as detergents, oxidizers and the like. They have also used alkali metal and alkaline earth metal halides as bleaches. Such compositions have also included perborate, carbonate and phosphate salts in varying amounts to provide effervescence and activation. A discussion of some of these traditional effervescent cleaning compositions can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,224, which is incorporated herein be reference.
Limitations have been encountered with standard prior art methods. Strong solutions containing alcohol adversely affect the acrylic. Some cleaning or treatment solutions are too strong for biocompatibility with oral tissues. Microwaving weakens the dentures and may warp the acrylic due to uneven heat buildup. Mechanical means to scrap the denture surface are incomplete and the size of practical mechanical scraping means is too large to remove plaque in microscopic pores, micro-channels, fissures, cracks, and fractures. Furthermore mechanical means tend to scarify or abrade the denture surface thereby increasing fissures where pathogens may build up.
A method for improving the action of standard denture treatment compositions, such as denture cleaners, and an apparatus for use in practicing that method is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/339,802 filed on Jan. 10, 2003. This pending patent application is entitled Treatment of Dentures at Elevated Pressures. The apparatus disclosed therein has demonstrated the efficacy of employing elevated pressures with standard denture cleaning and treating compositions. However, the apparatus depicted therein, has some practical problems. For instance, it can be difficult to maintain an adequate gas tight pressure seal in a relatively inexpensive pressure containment vessel suitable for use by the average consumer. The rigidity needed for surfaces compressing the seal introduces difficulties because of the limitations imposed by injection molding plastics for such a product. Also, the amount of force that may be needed to adequately compress a seal may be difficult to apply for elderly users who may have inadequate grip strength. It is also important that the pressure generated by effervescent denture cleaning compositions not be lost by a failure to quickly seal the pressure chamber. The denture treatment, pressure containment vessel of the instant invention addresses these and other problems.


There is provided a signal control device including a signal output unit that outputs a signal for a vibratory device, and a signal control unit that controls the signal. Between a case where a change from a reference level to a first level is exerted on the signal and a case where a change from the first level to the reference level is exerted on the signal, magnitudes of variation amounts of acceleration per unit time generated in the vibratory device are different from each other. The signal control unit exerts the change from the reference level to the first level and the change from the first level to the reference level on the signal.

The present disclosure relates to a signal control device and a signal control system.
Human tactile perception has been known to have nonlinear characteristics. In other words, a relationship between a force actually acting on a user and a force sensation sensed by the user when the user perceives the force actually acting on himself/herself is not a simple proportional relationship, but may follow an S-curve. Amemiya et al. have proposed a device generating a force sensation as a human perception by rotating a crank device with use of the nonlinear characteristics (e.g. Amemiya, T., Ando, H., and Maeda, T. Phantom-drawn: direction guidance using rapid and asymmetric acceleration weighted by nonlinearity of perception. In Proceedings of the 2005 international conference on Augmented tele-existence, ICAT '05 (2005), 201-208).

Signal control device and signal control system


A two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body frame when turning includes a vehicle body frame, a pair of right and left rear arms, a battery, and a shock absorber. The vehicle body frame includes a head pipe, a front inclined portion, a bottom portion, and a rear inclined portion. The front inclined portion extends obliquely downward and rearward from the head pipe. The bottom portion includes a front support portion that supports a front end portion of the shock absorber. The bottom portion extends rearward in a front-back direction of the vehicle from a rear end portion of the front inclined portion. The rear inclined portion includes a battery support portion, and extends obliquely upward and rearward from a rear end portion of the bottom portion. A swing shaft is positioned rearward of the front support portion and below the battery support portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body when turning.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a conventional two-rear-wheel electric vehicle include a two-rear-wheel electric vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-213253.
In the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-213253, a pair of right and left electric power units are located below a central portion of a vehicle body frame. The right and left electric power units are configured to drive the respective rear wheels. Each of the electric power units includes a drive motor, a primary speed reduction mechanism that reduces the speed of a rotational drive force supplied from the drive motor, a power transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational drive force whose speed has been reduced to the rear wheel side, and a secondary speed reduction mechanism that reduces the speed of the rotational drive force transmitted from the power transmission mechanism. Each of the electric power units constitutes a swing arm. The secondary speed reduction mechanism transmits the rotational drive force to the rear wheel that is supported on a rear end portion of the corresponding electric power unit. The electric vehicle also includes a pair of right and left shock absorber units each located between an upper rear portion of the vehicle body frame and the rear end portion of the corresponding electric power unit.
The two-rear-wheel electric vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-213253 also includes a frame holder assembly that is fixed by a lower central portion and the upper rear portion of the vehicle body frame. A battery is located in the frame holder assembly.
Such a two-rear-wheel electric vehicle is able to stand on its own because a pair of right and left rear wheels are provided. Therefore, a driving operation is relatively easy when the vehicle is running at a low speed. Additionally, the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle can be caused to run by less power than a four-wheel vehicle can, and has a more excellent loading capacity than a two-wheel vehicle does. Thus, the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle achieves stable running under a state where a large amount of baggage is loaded thereon. The two-rear-wheel electric vehicle includes a battery serving as a power source. Since a possible travel distance obtained per charging is limited by the capacity of the battery, the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle is better suited for a short-distance travel than a long-distance travel.
Moreover, the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-213253, which is not able to lean its vehicle body when turning, needs to maintain the attitude of the vehicle body against a centrifugal force while the vehicle is running on a curve.
In this respect, a two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body when turning is allowed to turn with the vehicle body leaning to the inner side of a curve. This provides a high stability while the vehicle is running on a curve, and does not require high driving skill.
In view of the above, a two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body when turning is a vehicle suitable for, for example, purposes of short-distance delivery services or purposes (such as shopping) intimately involved in daily lives of females and the elderly.
In consideration of use for the purposes of short-distance delivery services or purposes intimately involved in daily lives of females and the elderly, a high degree of convenience is demanded of the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body when turning. To be specific, the convenience includes requiring a reduced frequency of charging, having a low weight to provide easy handling, and the like.
As for the frequency of charging, in general, a vehicle including an engine does not require much time for refueling with gasoline, but an electric vehicle requires relatively much time for charging a battery. For example, in a case where a user, when carrying out a delivery service, notices that a remaining battery charge of the electric vehicle is low but there is no time for charging, the delivery service may be disabled. In a case where a user, when going out for an urgent matter, notices that a remaining battery charge of the electric vehicle is low but there is no time for charging, the user has to abandon going out with the electric vehicle. Similarly, the electric vehicle may force the user to refrain from the use thereof when the remaining battery charge is low. Thus, a reduced frequency of charging is preferable in the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle configured to lean its vehicle body when turning. In other words, a large battery capacity is preferred, and less power consumption is preferred.
Here, the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle includes two rear wheels, and therefore the weight of the vehicle body is in general larger than that of a two-wheel vehicle. An increase in the weight of the vehicle body leads to an increase in power consumption. In order to reduce the frequency of charging, the battery capacity needs to be increased. In the two-rear-wheel electric vehicle according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-213253 as well, in order to increase the battery capacity, a wide space is necessary for installation of the battery.
However, using a large-size battery for the increase in the battery capacity causes not only an increase in the weight of the battery but also the need to increase the weight of the vehicle body frame because the rigidity of the vehicle body frame must be ensured, which results in a further increase in the weight of the vehicle body. A vicious cycle follows in this manner. Additionally, an increase in the weight of the vehicle body makes the handling of the vehicle body difficult, which deteriorates the convenience. Therefore, how to achieve a weight reduction of the vehicle body while ensuring a large battery capacity is a problem.


When a HDD is operating at a temperature below a threshold, a partial sine wave is input to the spindle motor to activate the motor to reduce undesirable speed oscillations of the motor. At normal operating temperatures a full sine wave is input for noise reduction.

Hitachi's U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,988, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a motor driving circuit for driving a three-phase brushless spindle motor of a hard disk drive (HDD). The disks of the HDD are rotated by the spindle motor. Variations on the Hitachi circuit may be found in USPP 2004/0108827, also incorporated herein by reference.
Feedback from the motor output has been used to establish a sinusoidal input current to the motor. In such an implementation, because the pattern of the three-phase output does not switch the current-supply pattern suddenly, but "softly" within predetermined phase criteria, it is colloquially referred to as a "soft switch".
In any case, the effect of such a control circuit is salutary, because it reduces the acoustic noise that is produced. As critically recognized herein, however, when the HDD is operating at relatively cold temperatures, such as at start-up, the soft switch feature can lead to undesirable speed oscillations of the spindle motor. With this critical recognition in mind, the invention herein is provided.

System and method for establishing spindle motor current during cold temperature operation of HDD

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


Provided is a method for protecting an individual against radiation-induced internal damage that comprises administering an effective amount of an oral composition. The oral composition comprises a mixture of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Crataegus pinnatifida (hawthorn), and Camellia sinensis (green tea) to an individual so that radiation-induced internal damage will be prevented or ameliorated.

Radiation may be in the form of X-rays, gamma rays, alpha particles, beta particles, neutrons, and charged particles. Exposure to damaging or lethal radiation may result from a number of sources including, but not limited to, nuclear accidents, wartime or terrorist nuclear attack, therapeutic or diagnostic radiology, improper disposal of nuclear wastes, and outer space exploration. The extent of radiation-induced internal injury will depend on the duration, dose, and type of radiation exposure. Radiation-induced internal injury may include, but is not limited to, cell damage, and cell death; and may affect internal processes in the body such as the hematopoietic system (due to the reduction in number of hematopoietic cells such as lymphocytes, granulocytes, thrombocytes, and reticulocytes), gastrointestinal system (due to damage to epithelial cells lining the intestinal tract), and central nervous system (e.g., due to damage to neurons, astrocytes and blood vessels in the brain). What is provided is a method for protecting and a method for treating an individual against radiation-induced internal damage.


The invention relates to a method for avoiding safety-critical activation of a clutch in a hybrid module of a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, wherein the hybrid module is effective between the internal combustion engine and the transmission and has an electric drive, the clutch and a freewheel, and the clutch is used to start the internal combustion engine by transmitting a torque, supplied by the electric drive or the drivetrain, by a frictionally locking connection to the electric drive or the drivetrain, or for disconnecting the internal combustion engine from the drivetrain for purely electric driving. In a method for avoiding safety-critical activation of a clutch in a hybrid module in which safety-critical driving situations are reliably prevented, a critical interference torque of the clutch is set as a function of ambient conditions of the motor vehicle and/or peripheral conditions of the vehicle, in order to set a safety distance to be maintained by the open clutch.

The invention relates to a method for avoiding safety-critical activation of a clutch in a hybrid module of a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, wherein the hybrid module is effective between the internal combustion engine and the transmission and has an electric drive, the clutch and a freewheel, and the clutch is used to start the internal combustion engine by transmitting a torque, supplied by the electric drive or the drivetrain, by a frictionally locking connection to the electric drive or the drivetrain or to decouple the internal combustion engine from the drivetrain for purely electric travel.
DE 10 2012 206 680 A1 discloses a hybrid module for a drivetrain of a vehicle. The hybrid module is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the transmission and has an electric drive, a clutch and a freewheel, wherein the clutch and the freewheel are each provided in parallel with one another in order to transmit torque from the internal combustion engine in the direction of the transmission. The freewheel transmits the torque from the internal combustion engine in the direction of the transmission and opens given a torque directed in the opposite direction, with the result that the vehicle can be driven optionally by the internal combustion engine or the electric drive or at the same time by both in combination. The clutch has thereby the tasks of starting the internal combustion engine by transmitting the torque supplied by the electric drive or the drivetrain, by connecting the internal combustion engine and the electric drive or the drivetrain in a frictionally locking fashion, or of decoupling the internal combustion engine from the drivetrain in order to operate the motor vehicle in a purely electrical fashion or in order to transmit the traction torque and thrust torque of the internal combustion engine in the hybrid travel mode.
Changing over from the electric travel mode to the hybrid travel mode therefore requires the clutch to be closed in order to start the internal combustion engine. In particular, in the case of starting or restarting using the kinetic energy of the rotating drivetrain, the closing of the clutch and the associated acceleration of the immobile internal combustion engine result in a corresponding torque which will be referred to below as interference torque. This interference torque can, under specific ambient influences, lead to safety-critical scenarios of the motor vehicle.

Method for avoiding safety-critical activation of a clutch in a hybrid module of a drivetrain of a motor vehicle


A vehicle-vehicle communication system performs wireless communication between multiple vehicles each having an in-vehicle communication apparatus that transmits and receives information using a wireless signal. The vehicle-vehicle communication system includes a roadside communication apparatus including a roadside reception unit receiving information transmitted by the in-vehicle communication apparatus using a wireless signal and a roadside transmission unit transmitting the information received by the roadside reception unit using a wireless signal, and relays communication between multiple vehicles. The in-vehicle communication apparatus includes a vehicle-side reception unit that receives information wirelessly transmitted by an in-vehicle communication apparatus mounted in another vehicle and information wirelessly transmitted by a roadside communication apparatus; a determination unit determines whether or not the information received by the vehicle-side reception unit is needed; and an information processing unit performs information processing based on information determined by the determination unit as being needed.

In recent years, attention has been given to a vehicle-vehicle communication system that enables exchange of various types of information between vehicles due to an in-vehicle communication apparatus mounted in a vehicle performing transmission and reception of wireless signals with an in-vehicle communication apparatus mounted in another vehicle. For example, a system can be realized in which it is determined whether or not another vehicle is approaching by exchanging position information of the vehicle with multiple vehicles, and thus collision of the vehicles or the like is avoided. Also, heretofore, road-vehicle communication systems that provide various types of information using wireless signals from a roadside communication apparatus installed on a road to an in-vehicle communication apparatus mounted in a vehicle have been practically used. The information that is transmitted from the roadside communication apparatus to the in-vehicle communication apparatus can be information such as the lighting state of a traffic light or surrounding traffic information, for example, and a vehicle that has received such information can perform processing such as alerting the driver of the vehicle or driving assistance control of the vehicle, for example.
JP 2016-24591A proposes a communication system for realizing vehicle-vehicle communication using an in-vehicle apparatus that performs obstacle detection or the like by transmitting an electromagnetic wave to the outside of the vehicle, receiving the reflected wave of the transmitted electromagnetic wave, and acquiring information on an object that is present on the outside based on the received wave. In this communication system, the in-vehicle apparatus acquires information on the vehicle, transmits an electromagnetic wave including the information, receives an electromagnetic wave from the outside, extracts information included in the received electromagnetic wave, and stores the information in the storage unit. When the information on the other vehicle is stored in the storage unit, the in-vehicle apparatus transmits an electromagnetic wave including the information on the other vehicle and the information on the vehicle.
In the vehicle-vehicle communication system, the in-vehicle communication apparatus mounted in the vehicle transmits a wireless signal with a predetermined frequency, and the wireless signal is received by the other vehicle, which is within the coverage of the wireless signals. However, for example, if a large building is near an intersection and the building is interposed between the two vehicles, or the like, there is a possibility that a wireless signal transmitted from one vehicle will be blocked by the building and will not be able to reach the other vehicle. In particular, in a vehicle-vehicle communication system in which 5.9 GHz is used as the frequency of the wireless signals, there is a high likelihood that the arrival of the wireless signals will be hindered by an obstruction.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the foregoing circumstance, and aims to provide a vehicle-vehicle communication system, a roadside communication apparatus, an in-vehicle communication apparatus, and a vehicle-vehicle communication method, according to which it is possible to transfer information between vehicles, even if the arrival of the wireless signals is hindered by an obstruction between the vehicles.

Vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, roadside communication apparatus, in-vehicle communication apparatus, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication method


A system, mechanism, and method for physically manipulating media, especially in a data storage environment.

Data is recorded on materials such as magnetic tapes and optical discs, which are contained in cartridges for both protection and ease of handling. Many of such cartridges may be stored in what is known as data storage libraries for potential later use.
Typically, the media is initially introduced into the library through a so-called mail slot or simply by hand placement. The media is then stored in one of many storage slot locations throughout the library. When there is a desire to use the media, the media is transferred from a storage slot via a transport assembly or robot to a drive for the operations of either writing data onto or reading data from the media. Upon completion of that operation, the media is returned via the robot to the same or a different storage slot for possible future use.
Each robot has a sophisticated picker assembly designed to grasp media from a storage slot, retain the media during transport within the library, insert and deposit the media into the drive, grasp and retrieve the media from the drive, retain the media during transport back to a storage slot, and insert and deposit the media into the storage slot. The picker assembly is designed and configured to accommodate the structure and other characteristics of the particular media employed in the data storage library.
Each picker assembly usually includes a carriage provided with clamps or jaws designed to grasp the media at opposing surfaces and includes software and other mechanisms designed to selectively grasp, move, and release the media.
Most carriages are electromechanically controlled and operated via motors or solenoids that are selectively activated to perform the grasping, moving, and releasing functions of the carriage. The present invention relates to a so-called "passive" carriage in which the grasping, moving, and releasing functions are accomplished without conventional electromechanical actuation. Accordingly, the present invention achieves savings by tending to lower the cost of construction, operation, and repair of, and by improving the reliability of operation of, picker assemblies employed in data storage libraries.

System, mechanism, and method for physically manipulating media


An inductor component includes a composite body that includes a plurality of composite layers each including a composite material of an inorganic filler and a resin; and a plurality of spiral wires that each are stacked on the composite layer, the spiral wires each being covered with the other composite layer. The average particle diameter of the inorganic filler is equal to or smaller than 5 μm, the wire pitch of the spiral wires is equal to or smaller than 10 μm, and the interlayer pitch between adjacent spiral wires is equal to or smaller than 10 μm.

An inductor component described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-225718 has traditionally been present. This inductor component includes a glass epoxy substrate, spiral wires disposed on both sides of the glass epoxy substrate, insulating resins that each cover the spiral wire, and cores that cover the insulating resin thereon and therebeneath. The core is a metal magnetic powder-including resin and the core includes metal magnetic powder whose average particle diameter is 20 to 50 μm.

Inductor component, package component, and switching regulator


The present invention provides a topical composition comprising (a) at least one delivery agent compound and (b) a acyclovir compound. Methods of treatment, and methods of preparing the topical composition are also provided.

Skin conditions, such as herpes infections, are a widespread medical problem, with an increasing rate of prevalence. It has been reported that topically administered acyclovir, can be included in an effective protocol for the treatment of herpes infections. The topical application of acyclovir (2-amino-1,9-dihydro-9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6H-purin-6-one) has multiple purposes including the treatment or prevention of mucocutaneous infections such as oral labial ("fever blisters"), gingivostomatitis; and ophthalmically for keratoconjuntivitis and recurrent epithelia keratitis.
For optimal performance a topical acyclovir product should maximize the acyclovir concentration delivered to the layer of the skin where the virus resides. It is believed that in oral labial infection the virus resides in melanocytes at the epidermal-dermal junction. These cells lie 60-140 μm beneath the skin surface. In-vivo measurement in humans of acyclovir transport into the dermis has been performed using Zovirax® and microdialysis for monitoring delivered acyclovir (Br. J Dermatol. 2003 March; 148(3):434-43; The role of stratum corneum and dermal microvascular perfusion in penetration and tissue levels of water-soluble drugs investigated by microdialysis; Morgan C J, Renwick A G, Friedmann P S). The IC50 of Zovirax® cream (5%) against herpes simplex virus-1 isolates ranges from 0.02-13.5 mcg/mL and 0.01-9.9 mcg/mL for herpes simplex virus-2. (2006 Physicians Desk Reference entry for Zovirax cream.) In the study performed by Morgan et al., no acyclovir was detected in the dermis after application of acyclovir to intact skin. An acyclovir concentration of 3.9 μg/ml was achieved only after removal of the stratum corneum and reduction of cutaneous circulation by infusion of 0.0005% noradrenaline. (See Morgan, C J, ibid). Neither approach is suitable for a commercial product, but demonstrates the role of the stratum corneum as the main barrier to acyclovir transport, and the rapid clearance of acyclovir from the dermis due to cutaneous circulation.
There is a need for a composition which provides concentrations of acyclovir at the epidermal/dermal junction and would therefore increase its therapeutic benefits in the treatment of herpes simplex virus infection, including type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex viruses. Providing higher levels of acyclovir to the epidermal/dermal junction via topical administration may also increase indications for topical therapy.


The present invention is a vehicle body welding assembly system including at least one working cell. The assembly system also includes a carrier for transporting preassembled vehicle bodies to the working cell. A pallet is operatively connected to the carrier and suspended above a support surface by the carrier. A plurality of locator pins are operatively attached to the pallet means for supporting the vehicle body in spaced relation to the pallet means. A plurality of clamping means are secured to the support surface in precise positions for locating and removably securing the locator pins to the clamping means to allow successive vehicle bodies to be accurately and repeatedly located in a precise spaced relation within the one or more successive working cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicle bodies, and more particularly, to an assembly system for welding automotive vehicle bodies.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, there exists assembly systems for welding together automotive vehicle bodies by programmable robots which provide respot or finish welding at successive welding stations. Examples of such an assembly system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,162,387 and 4,256,947 by inventor De Candia. These assembly systems typically include a plurality of holding carrier pallets, each provided with locator pins, upon which the lower surface of a preassembled "body in white", composed of provisionally connected stamped sheet metal elements, rests. The pallets include clamping devices to clamp this preassembled body in white on the pallet in a predetermined position. A carrier supports the pallets and transfers the pallets along a route passing through one or more "framing" welding stations. Each framing welding station includes a programmable robot to perform the welding and interchangeable holding side frames hereafter called "side gates" able to engage a preassembled body in white supported by the pallet.
One disadvantage of the above patented assembly systems is that the body in white resting on the locator pins has to be located relative to the pallet which, in turn, has to be located relative to the carrier. As a result, the locator pins are located indirectly through the pallet. Since the dimensional accuracy of the pallets may vary, the accuracy in the reference location of the body in white may vary. This may affect welding quality and repeatability. Another disadvantage is that all pallets must all be dimensionally the same to control the accuracy of locating the body in white. This results in a large cost in fabricating the pallets. Yet another disadvantage is that the operational equipment used to transfer and locate the pallet must be maintained in good condition. Otherwise, the accuracy in locating the pallet may vary.


An air conditioner and a method for controlling and air conditioner are provided. The air conditioner may include at least one compressor, a main suction passage to guide a refrigerant into the at least one compressor, at least one oil separator connected to the at least one compressor, that separates oil from the refrigerant discharged from the at least one compressor, at least one oil level sensor disposed in the at least one compressor to detect whether the at least one compressor lacks oil, a return passage to collect the oil separated from the at least one oil separator into the at least one compressor, a distribution return passage branched from the at least one return passage and connected to the main suction passage, and a valve disposed in each of the at least one return passage and the distribution return passage.

1. Field
An air conditioner and a method for controlling an air conditioner are disclosed herein.
2. Background
Air conditioners are home appliances that maintain indoor air in a most proper state according to a use and purpose thereof. In general, such an air conditioner may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. Thus, the air conditioner has a refrigerant cycle in which compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation processes of a refrigerant are performed to cool or heat a predetermined space.
The predetermined space may be a place at or in which the air conditioner is used. For example, when the air conditioner is disposed in a home or office, the predetermined space may be an indoor space of a house or building. On the other hand, when the air conditioner is disposed in a vehicle, the predetermined space may be a riding space in which a person or user rides.
When the air conditioner performs a cooling operation, an outdoor heat-exchanger provided in an outdoor unit or device may serve as a condenser, and an indoor heat-exchanger provided in an indoor unit or device may serve as an evaporator. On the other hand, when the air conditioner performs a heating operation, the indoor heat-exchanger may serve as a condenser, and the outdoor heat-exchanger may serve as an evaporator.
An inner temperature of the compressor may increase to a relatively high temperature while the compressor compresses the refrigerant. A predetermined amount of oil to provide lubrication and cooling functions may be included in the compressor. However, as described above, when the inner temperature of the compressor increases to the relatively high temperature, the oil in the compressor may be included in the refrigerant being discharged. Thus, an amount of the oil in the compressor may be reduced or decline.
Therefore, an oil separator may be connected to a discharge tube of the compressor to separate the oil included in the discharged refrigerant and re-collect the separated oil into the compressor. When a plurality of compressors is provided, the oil separator may be connected to an outlet-side of each of the compressors.
However, when the oil separator is connected to the outlet-side of each of the plurality of compressors, an amount of oil received in each of the plurality of compressors may not be uniform. That is, when the plurality of compressors has different capacities from each other, and thus, discharge different amounts of refrigerant, amounts of oil being discharged may be different from each other. Thus, amounts of the oil in the plurality of compressors may be imbalanced or different from each other. Also, when a compressor operates in a state in which an amount of oil therein is non-uniformly maintained, the compressor may break, and thus, a cooling/heating system employing the compressor may operate abnormally.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of compressors in a related art air conditioner. FIG. 2 is flow chart of a method for controlling oil balancing in the related art air conditioner of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art air conditioner includes a first compressor 11 and a second compressor 12. A first inflow tube 13 to guide introduction of a refrigerant or oil into the first compressor 11 and a first discharge tube 14 to guide the refrigerant or oil discharged from the first compressor 11 may be connected to the first compressor 11. A second inflow tube 15 to guide introduction of the refrigerant or oil into the second compressor 12 and a second discharge tube 16 to guide the refrigerant or oil discharged from the second compressor 12 may be connected to the second compressor 12.
The first and second inflow tubes 13 and 15 are branched at a branch point 22, and the branched first and second inflow tubes 13 and 15 are, respectively, connected to the compressors 11 and 12. Also, the first and second discharge tubes 14 and 16 are combined with each other at a combination point 21.
A first oil level sensor 17 and a second oil level sensor 18 may be disposed in or at the first and second compressors 11 and 12, respectively. Each of the oil level sensors 17 and 18 may detect an amount of oil at a predetermined position in the respective compressor.
Referring to FIG. 2, when the first and second compressors 11 and 12 operate at a set or predetermined drive frequency, a predetermined amount of oil may be introduced into the first and second compressors 11 and 12 in accordance with the corresponding drive frequency, in step S11. A control number N is initialized to zero, in step S12. In step S12, the control number N may be understood as a number of control operations performed to reduce the drive frequency of the first compressor 11.
In steps S13 and S14, the first oil level sensor 17 detects an amount of oil contained in the first compressor 11 and determines whether the detected oil amount is less than a reference amount. When it is determined that the detected oil amount is less than the reference amount, it may be determined whether the controlled number N has reached a first set or predetermined number M, in step S15. When N<M, the first compressor 11 may perform a control to reduce the drive frequency and then operate for a preset or predetermined time, in step S16. Also, the control number N is increased by 1 (N=N+1), in step S17. Then, the process may return to step S13. Steps S13 to S17 may be repeated.
During the process, in steps S16, when it is determined that N=M, the first and second compressors 11 and 12 operate at a normal frequency. That is, in the related art, when an amount of oil contained in one compressor of the plurality of compressors is less than the reference amount, the corresponding compressor is reduced in drive frequency to reduce a discharge amount of refrigerant, and then, a relatively large amount of refrigerant is discharged from the rest of the compressors to adjust the amount of oil contained in the refrigerant.
Therefore, as it takes a lot of time to collect the oil, oil balancing may not be quickly achieved.

Air conditioner with oil separators and method for controlling the same


Disclosed are systems and methods which provide for processing of calls by determining when a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface and providing call processing adapted for addressing issues associated with a portable interface. Call processing may provide for point of demand processing of calls to facilitate completion of calls in real-time, even when such calls are directed to a wireless telephone, a telephone for which LNP has been utilized, or other telephone having a portable interface. If an appropriate relationship has not been already been established for facilitating a call to a telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to establish such a relationship. When it is determined that a called number is associated with telephone having a portable interface, embodiments operate to invoke rating schemes appropriate to the called number, possibly including flat rate schemes and rating determined using current location determination.

Various call processing systems have been developed over the years to provide automated calling functionality, including call routing, call completion, call monitoring, and call billing. Many such call processing systems benefit from the use of call information obtained from a calling party, a called party, and/or the communication network in order to provide calling functionality as desired. For example, in order to provide automated completion of a collect telephone call (a call for which the charges are reversed to the called party), billing name and number (BNA) information may be obtained from a system coupled to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), such as through the use of a line information database (LIDB). Similarly, rates charged for a long distance call may be determined using dialed number information, such as through use of North American telephone numbering system (NATNS) telephone numbering conventions (e.g., NPA-NXX number analysis).
Call processing systems providing call processing with respect to certain environments may be particularly sensitive to availability/accuracy of one or more aspects of call information. For example, a call processing system providing calling services to a prison facility, or other controlled environment facility (e.g., camp, nursing home, school, hospital, etcetera), may utilize call information to make determinations regarding the propriety of completing a call. Calling services from a prison facility may comprise a prisoner privilege which is closely regulated and monitored, such as to prevent harassing phone calls, fraud, and the commission of crimes. Accordingly, call processing systems providing prison facility calling services may experience increased overhead associated with providing the services and, thus, demand a premium rate.
Changes in the communication network and protocols (e.g., development of a location routing number (LRN) scheme) have introduced issues with respect to information available to call processing systems for use in processing calls. The development of wireless telephones (e.g., cellular, personal communication services (PCS) mobile telephones, or other digital or analog based wireless communication systems) may facilitate arbitrage where rating based upon dialed number information is used. For example, a family member of an inmate may purchase a wireless telephone having a number (NPA-NXX) that is local to a prison in which the inmate is incarcerated. This wireless telephone may be transported to another area, e.g., another state, in which the family member resides, to allow the inmate to make calls to the family member which are charged as local calls. Such a scheme allows the inmate and/or family member to avoid paying rates calculated to compensate the calling service provider for their investment in the specialized equipment and services required in providing calling services to such a facility.
Wireless telephones further present issues with respect to automated completion of collect calls. For example, reversing of charges to a wireless telephone as a called number is typically not permitted by wireless service providers. Moreover, BNA information is typically not available with respect to wireless telephones through typical means, such as the aforementioned LIDB. Accordingly, call processing systems providing call processing with respect to certain environments, such as a prison facility, may be unable to obtain useful call information, such as to determine if the dialed number is associated with an individual the calling party is to be prevented from calling (e.g., harassing phone call to a victim or judge).
Local number portability (LNP) also presents issues with respect to information available to call processing systems for use in processing calls. For example, a prepaid account may be established for calls placed to a particular wireline telephone number and a call rate established for calls placed to that telephone number based upon location. Additionally, a payment history may be established with respect to the telephone number, and therefore a call processing system may relax or omit one or more validation operations when calls are placed to that telephone number. However, with LNP, that telephone number may be subsequently utilized at a different location and/or with a different service (e.g., wireless rather than wireline service). Such a change may incur a different rate and/or involve different restrictions (e.g., preventing calls placed to particular locations or using particular services) which may remain unrealized where the call processing system relies on the dialed number.

Systems and methods for processing calls directed to telephones having a portable interface


A power supply circuit provides power to an antenna amplifier (4) of a vehicle radio via the antenna bushing (A) and the antenna cable (6). The circuit is resistant to short-circuits and has a pair of signal terminals (K2, K3) from which information, about the type of attached antenna and about its operating state, can be picked up.

If a motor vehicle has a so-called "active" antenna, i.e. an amplifier-equipped antenna, this must be supplied with operating voltage. This operating voltage is conventionally supplied through a cable connected to an operating voltage terminal.
It is known, in stationary installations like household antennas, to use the antenna cable to supply operating voltage to an antenna amplifier, with coupling-in and coupling-out carried out using filters provided for this purpose. However, due to the substantial noise pulses which are common at the operating voltage terminals in motor vehicles, it has heretofore been necessary to refrain from double use of the antenna cable, and to supply operating voltage to the antenna amplifier by a separate cable.

Power supply circuit for an active antenna of a vehicle radio


A vehicle door control method includes operating a vehicle door handle to disengage a door lock device of a vehicle door, beginning to count time upon the operation of the door handle, if the vehicle door has moved from a fully closed position after the door lock device has been disengaged, operating a power assist mechanism to move the vehicle door in an opening direction, if the vehicle door has not moved from the fully closed position, operating the power assist mechanism to urge the vehicle door to move in the opening direction, if the vehicle door moves while being urged by the power assist mechanism, the operation of the power assist mechanism is continued to move the vehicle door in the opening direction, if the vehicle door does not move while being urged by the power assist mechanism, the power assist mechanism is operated in a direction which urges the vehicle door to move to the fully closed position.

As an automobile door, such as a slide door, a power assisted slide door has been used, in which the door is slidably opened or closed with a power assist mechanism. This door is sometimes called as a power slide door (PSD). In some of such power slide doors, a so-called remote controlled door operation system is installed for power assisted opening and closing of the door by an operation of a switch provided near the driver's seat or a remote controlling by a wireless switch attached to an engine ignition key or by a user operation (manual operation) of a door handle on the vehicle door.
Concerning the remote control operation for opening and closing a door by the user operation of the door handle as mentioned above, according to one known state of the art, the powered door operation (power assist open/close operation) is started after the door handle has been manually operated by the user from the fully opened or closed door position up to a certain position. One example of this type is disclosed in a Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-280806 A, in which the door handle is manually operated to open the door from the fully closed position to a position where a slide door courtesy switch mechanism or a half-latch switch mechanism is actuated and thereafter the power assist mechanism assumes the rest of the opening operation.
However, in such conventional system, when the door is operated for a vehicle exposed to a very cold weather condition, or for a vehicle with the door being installed insufficiently (not well-built condition), a greater operation force is required to operate the door under such condition and even the manual operation to move the door to a preset position, from where the powered operation assumes, is difficult. If such condition occurs, the power slide door operation would not be started. This is inconvenient for the user of the vehicle who needs to use such power system for some reasons such as convenience.
Accordingly, the invention pertains to improve the vehicle door control method and system which can improve the convenience for the user of the vehicle by improving the door operation of the vehicle door under A bad condition, such as under the vehicle being exposed to a very cold weather or the vehicle door being not well built to the vehicle.
In order to attain such improvements, the inventors of the applicants reviewed various aspects with respect to the conventional problems. For example, in the remote control power assist system using a switch provided near the driver's seat or by a wireless switch to achieve powered operation, the following improvements have been proposed. Normally, in this system, when the driver's seat switch or the wireless switch is operated, latch releasing actuator is operated to release the engagement of the door lock for door open/close operation. After the door lock is disengaged, the power assist mechanism is operated to slide or swing the door in the opening direction giving a power from a power source. Considering this operation mechanism, the inventors added the similar function to the power slide door mechanism of user operation by the door handle. In other words, when the user operates the door handle for opening purpose, the latch releasing actuator is operated to automatically release the lock by an electrical mechanism. Thereafter the power assist mechanism starts its powered door opening operation.
However, in the conventional power slide doors or the power slide doors, which are actually used, generally the lock disengagement operation is manually performed by operating the door handle by the user upon power slide door operation. This is because the door lock disengagement can be mechanically or structurally achieved in a moment when the door handle is operated utilizing the motion (pulling or pushing the door handle) of such operation. Compared with this, it would be very difficult to achieve the same function for the case of the powered door slide operation by the user operation of the door handle. In this case, a detection switch for detecting the user's handle operation has to be additionally provided for actuating the latch releasing actuator and further a judging time has to be set to prevent erroneous operation of the detection switch. Such judging time is set to be a predetermined time (one second or so) to see whether the detection switch correctly detects an intended door handle operation as is the same with the driver's seat switch, which is usually pushed down for a preset time to eliminate any noise or inadvertently generated signal. For the driver, it would be inconvenient to grip the door handle for a time to let the detection switch to inform his or her intent to open or close.
Considering the above problems for the power assist door opening operation, the inventors further reviewed the state of art and reached a new invention.

Vehicle door control method and system therefor


A gas supply system includes first and second gas supply lines, first and second valves, and a controller. The first gas supply line is connected between a process gas source and a substrate processing chamber and has an intermediate node. The second gas supply line is connected between a purge gas source and the intermediate node. The first valve is disposed upstream of the intermediate node on the first gas supply line. The second valve is disposed upstream of the first valve on the first gas supply line. A controller controls the first and second valves to open the first and second valves in a first mode for supplying a process gas from the process gas source to the substrate processing chamber, and close the first and second valves in a second mode for supplying a purge gas from the purge gas source to the substrate processing chamber.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H02-50421 discloses that a purge gas inlet line is connected to a line through which a processing gas used for substrate processing flows, and a valve disposed upstream of the line is switched from an open state to a closed state when the processing gas is switched to a purge gas.
The present disclosure provides a technique capable of suppressing backflow of a purge gas to an upstream side of a line.

Gas supply system, substrate processing apparatus, and control method for gas supply system