A motor include a rotor to rotate a drum of the washing machine, and the rotor includes a base, a ring-shaped rib formed at the edge of the base, and a back yoke ring connected to the ring-shaped rib. The back yoke ring is inserted into the ring-shaped rib while the base is formed by injection molding.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a motor which drives a drum of a washing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A washing machine is an apparatus which washes laundry using electricity, and generally includes a tub to contain wash water, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, and a motor to rotate the drum.
When the drum is rotated by the motor under the condition that laundry and detergent-containing water are supplied into the drum, dirt is removed from the laundry using friction of the laundry with the drum and the wash water.
Washing machines are divided into an indirect driving type in which power of a motor is transmitted to a drum through a power transmission device including belts and pulleys and a direct driving type in which power of a motor is transmitted directly to a shaft of a drum.
A motor of a direct driving type washing machine includes a stator mounted on a tub, and a rotor disposed around the stator and electromagnetically interacting with the stator.

Motor for washing machine and washing machine having the same


Personification techniques for software agents are described. In an implementation, a plurality of software agents is personified in a user interface to be selectable as friends in a social network service. Each of the software agents is executable to make one or more recommendations based on criteria of the software agent, respectively. Recommendations made by particular software agents are communicated via user accounts of the social network service that have selected the particular software agents as friends.

Conventional techniques that are employed to recommend content to consumers typically employ an "all-in-one" approach that leaves little room for the consumer to customize how the system generates the recommendations. These conventional techniques also typically fail to consider that the user may have different media consumption modalities. One result of these shortcomings is that the consumer often discounts the recommendations made using these conventional techniques, limiting the intended effect and utility of the techniques.


A waterproof connector has a first housing and a seal member. The first housing has an accommodation chamber which accommodates a terminal attached to an electric wire and a rear wall which defines part of the accommodation changer and has an insertion hole. The seal member has a terminal hole into which the terminal is inserted, is formed integrally with the first housing and is formed of an elastic material so as to be secured tight to an outer circumference of the electric wire.

Patent Document 1 proposes a conventional waterproof connector. As is shown in FIG. 19, this waterproof connector 1100 includes a plurality of terminal accommodation chambers where a plurality of female metal terminals 1102 are individually accommodated in a connector housing 1101 which is formed of a synthetic resin, and each female metal terminal 1102 can be inserted into each terminal accommodation chamber from a rear end of the connector housing 1101 in such a state that the female metal terminal 1102 is crimped to a leading end of an electric wire 1104. An insertion hole 1105 is provided in the rear end of the connector housing 1101, and an integral mat seal (a rubber plug) which is formed of an elastic material is inserted in the insertion hole 1105. This mat seal 1106 includes a front housing seal portion 1106a which projects to an outer circumferential side and is held by a seal setting portion (a rubber plug holder) 1107 which is installed in the rear end of the connector housing 1101. A plurality of terminal holes are provided in the mat seal 1106 in positions which confront the terminal accommodation chambers in the connector housing 1101 so that electric wires 1104 are inserted therethrough. A lip 1109 is provided circumferentially on an inner circumferential surface of each terminal hole so as to be tightly secured to an outer circumferential surface of the electric wire 1104. Thus, gaps defined between the electric wires 1104 and the connector housing 1101 are sealed by the mat seal 1106 which includes the lips 1109 so as to prevent the entering of water.
In the configuration described above, firstly, the mat seal 1106 is inserted into the insertion hole 1105 in the rear end of the connector housing 1101, and the seal setting portion 1107 is installed in the rear end of the connector housing 1101 so as to hold the mat seal 1106. As this occurs, the front housing seal portion 1106a of the mat seal 1106 is accommodated in a groove portion 1101a at the rear end of the connector housing 1101, and the seal setting portion 1107 is brought into press contact with a rear end of the front housing seal portion 1106a, whereby the mat seal 1106 is held in an elastically compressed state. However, the mat seal 1106 is not bonded to the connector housing 1101 and the seal setting portion 1107. Following this, the leading end of the electric wire 1104 is inserted into the female metal terminal 1102, which is then crimped onto the leading end of the electric wire 1104. Thereafter, the metal terminal 1102 is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber 1 from a rear end side of the connector housing 1101, so that the electric wire 1104 is disposed in such a state that the electric wire 1104 extends rearwards of the metal terminal 1102 and is inserted through the terminal hole 1 in the mat seal 1106. Following this, a male metal terminal (not shown) of a mating connector housing is inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber 1 in the connector housing 1101 from a distal end side, whereby the electric wire 1104 and a mating electric wire are electrically connected together. When the waterproof connector 1100 is built up in this way, the mat seal 1106 is inserted into the insertion hole 1105 in the rear end of the connector housing 1101, and the outer circumferential surface 1109 of the electric wire 1104 which is inserted into the terminal hole 1 in the seal mat 1106 is elastically and tightly secured to the lip 1109. Therefore, water or the like can be prevented from entering the interior of the connector housing 1101. In addition, gaps defined between the electric wire and a mat seal (not shown) is sealed so as to prevent the entering of water in the mating connector housing.
In addition, for example, Patent Document 2 also describes a conventional waterproof connector.
As is shown in FIG. 20, this waterproof connector 2100 includes a plurality of terminal chambers 2111 which accommodate individually a plurality of terminals 2102 within a connector housing 2110 which is formed of a hart resin material, and each terminal 2102 is inserted into the corresponding terminal accommodation chamber 2111 from a rear end of the connector housing 2110 in such a state that the terminal 2102 is crimped to be joined to a leading end of an electric wire W.
A mat seal 2130 is installed in a rear end of the connector housing 2110, which mat seal 2130 is formed of an elastic material and has through holes 2131 which correspond to the terminal accommodation chambers 2111. Then, a rear holder 2120 is provided behind the mat seal 2130, whereby the mat seal 2130 is interposed between a rear end face of the connector housing 2110 and the rear holder 2120 in a compressed state.
In addition, guide cylindrical portions 2132 are provided at a front end of the mat seal 2130 so as to extend from the corresponding through holes 2131, and the guide cylindrical portions 2132 are inserted into rear end entrances of the terminal accommodation chambers 2111, whereby the terminals 2102 and the electric wires W can be inserted smoothly to the terminal accommodation chambers 2111 through the through holes 2131 in the mat seal 2130 even in the event that a slight positional misalignment exists between the through holes 2131 in the mat seal 2130 and the terminal accommodation chambers 2111 in the connector housing 2110.

Waterproof connector having an integrally formed elastic seal member


Double core-shell fluorescent materials and preparation methods thereof are provided. The double core-shell fluorescent materials include inner core, inner shell coating the inner core and outer shell coating the said inner shell. The inner core is metal particle and the chemical constitution of the inner shell is silicon dioxide. The outer shell is fluorescent powder represented by the following chemical formula: (R1-x, Eux)2O3, wherein R is Y, Gd or combination thereof, 0.02≦x≦0.1. The double core-shell fluorescent materials with uniform and stable luminous effect not only increase luminous intensity, but also decrease usage amount of fluorescent powder by using metal particle as inner core.

Rare earth luminescent material has become an important class of optoelectronic materials. In recent years, with the development of high-definition displays such as CRT, PDP, FED, etc., the requirement on the morphology of the phosphor has become increasingly high. It is usually considered the phosphor exhibiting a uniform particle size distribution, distribution of monodisperse, non-reunion, and spherical has a better application performance, because this type of phosphor has advantages such as high packing density, low light scattering, high resolution, and high brightness.
In considering of that, various methods have been developed to optimize the morphology of the phosphor. For example, urea was used as precipitant to prepare (Y, Tb)2O3 by coprecipitation so as to obtain a spherical phosphor with uniform particle size distribution. However, this spherical phosphor needs to use higher amounts of rare earth raw materials, thus increasing the manufacturing costs, so it is not suitable for industrial mass production and can not meet the wide range of application needs of the lighting display.
Nowadays, the preparation of dual core-shell fluorescent materials has become an important research focus in the field of luminescent materials. As for commercialization, the luminescent properties of obtained core-shell red fluorescent material is not ideal so far, and the luminous intensity needs for further improvement. For example, a SiO2@(Y, Eu)2O3 phosphor is designed and prepared according to core-shell structure theory using (Y, Eu)2O3 to coat SiO2. The phosphor can save the amount of the rare earth element. However, the prepared SiO2@(Y, Eu)2O3 phosphor has a low luminous intensity, resulting in that it cannot achieve industrialization.

Ocean's King Lighting Science & Technology Co., Ltd.


A method for detection of impurities at very low levels in hydrogen, oxygen or specialty gases comprises the metered mixture with high purity helium and subsequent selective separation of hydrogen, oxygen or specialty gas with the detection of impurities remaining in the helium by ionization spectrometry.

Consumers of industrial gases demand higher and higher purities of such gases wherein impurity contents must be determined, quantified, qualified and monitored down to exceedingly low levels of such impurities typically in the parts per million, parts per billion and in some instances, parts per trillion. Industrial gases being utilized by sensitive manufacturing operations such as semi conductor fabrication facilities, require exceedingly low levels of impurities in gases used in semiconductor fabrication processes, such gases such as hydrogen and oxygen. Various analytical techniques are presently utilized to determine impurity levels in industrial gases such as those supplied to semiconductor fabrication facilities. One such detection device utilized for sensitivity to impurities, particularly at low levels, is an atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer ("APIMS"). Mass spectrometers are known analytical detection devices such as is described in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Edition, (1978), Vol. 2, page 600 to 650.
The prior art has broadly described various techniques for separating mixtures of gases, such as hydrogen or oxygen from helium. One such agent useful for selective absorption of oxygen from other gases is the family of inorganic compositions called perovskite. Perovskites possess a cubic crystal structure comprised of ABO.sub.3, such as mineral perovskite, CaTiO.sub.3. These perovskites are identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,718. Analogous perovskite materials and applications are identified i n U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,748,143 and 5,071,626.
Other material s useful for selective oxygen adsorption from mixed gas streams include cyanocobaltate complexes as identified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,725.
It is also known to remove carrier gases such as hydrogen in the feed to a mass spectrometer by diffusion through palladium. See Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Edition, (1978), Vol. 2, page 644.
Some industrial gases, such as nitrogen, helium and argon, can be analyzed for low level impurity detection directly by injection of a sample of such gas into an APIMS. Hydrogen has been evaluated for impurity content in direct injection into a mass spectrometer, but certain impurities are not readily distinguishable in hydrogen using the best mass spectrometer capabilities. Presently, oxygen cannot be evaluated for potential impurities by direct injection in an APIMS. Therefore, a need exists for a method for detecting and analyzing impurities of a broad spectrum in hydrogen and a comparable need to analyze oxygen for any impurity is also sought.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties in analyzing and detecting low concentration levels of impurities in industrial gases destined for high purity end uses by effectively transferring the impurities to a high ionization potential gas and selectively removing the gas being sampled before detection in an appropriate detector for concentration and quantification of such impurities, as will be set forth in greater detail below.

Method of separating and detecting impurities using a fractional concentration detector


An image processing device includes an image acquiring section for acquiring images; a mount number setting section for setting a mount number for mounts; an image dividing section for dividing the acquired images into a predetermined number of groups based on accessory information of the images, with the number of groups being equal to the mount number; and an image arranging section for arranging images included in each group after division on each corresponding mount. The image dividing section divides the images into the groups so that the number of images included in each group is not more than the upper limit number of images capable of being arranged on the corresponding mount.

The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method and an image processing program for arranging a plurality of images on each of mounts.
The photo book is a service with which a user transmits a plurality of images (image data) captured by, for example, a digital camera to a service provider through the Internet to create a photo album having a layout desired by the user. When creating a photo book, the user can select a desired template from a plurality of layout templates in which positions where images can be arranged are previously determined and determine as desired the number of pages of the photo book, images to be included in each page, and the layout of the images in each page.
A conventionally known photo book-creating method involves classifying images into groups in consideration of the continuity and relationship of the images, for example, based on the shooting time and arranging images included in each of the groups on their corresponding pages.
For example, JP 3528214 B proposes an image display method comprising setting classifying conditions for each page based on accessory information data concerning capture of image data and attached to the image data upon the capture thereof, classifying the image data for each page based on the accessory information data and the conditions, and displaying the classified image data on a display screen for each page.
JP 4127178 B proposes an image processing device in which images are allocated to each page based on the shooting date or shooting date and time and, if it is possible to allocate images to the same page, a correction is made so that the images are allocated to the same page.
JP 2010-108165 A proposes an album print order reception machine which receives an inputted total number of pages and sets an image layout in each page based on the received total number of pages.

Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing program


A processor for a user-portable device, the user-portable device comprising FM transmission circuitry, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a first set of valid geo-specific FM transmission parameters for the current geographical location of the user-portable device based on received global positioning satellite (GPS) data for the current geographical location of the user-portable device; and provide signalling to configure the FM transmission circuitry to use the valid first set of geo-specific FM transmission parameters.

Low powered frequency modulation (FM) transmitters are used in some countries for interfacing personal audio devices with radio receivers. The FM transmitter plugs into the headphone jack or proprietary output port of the audio device so that the audio signal can be broadcast over an FM band frequency and received by the radio. One of the main purposes of FM transmitters is to provide a simple and inexpensive means for playing music from an audio device through a car stereo without the need to modify or replace the existing stereo. Nowadays, FM transmitters are being integrated into mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and even laptop computers.
The legal status of unlicensed FM transmission varies around the world. In certain regions it is illegal to transmit on FM frequencies due to the risk of interference with other radio devices. In other regions, however, unlicensed FM transmission is legal provided that local regulations are adhered to. The regulations define technical requirements for FM transmission, but these requirements typically vary from region to region. In Europe and Japan, the maximum output power of an FM transmitter is limited to 50 nW (−43 dBm effective radiated power, ERP), whilst in China and the US, the maximum output is limited to 45 nW (−43.5 dBm) and 250 μV/m@3 m (−47.3 dBm), respectively. Besides output power, the available frequency bands and channel spacing also differ. The available frequency bands are currently 87.6-107.9 MHz in Europe, China and the US, and 76.1-87.5 MHz in Japan, and the channel spacing is 100 kHz in Europe and Japan, and 200 kHz in the US and China.
Manufacturers provide type-approval certificates to demonstrate that an FM transmitter meets the minimum set of regulatory, technical and safety requirements in the country of manufacture, but there is no way for the certification authorities to ensure that local regulations are met when the transmitter is taken from one region to another. As a result, an FM transmitter may be used illegally when the user travels between regions with different transmission requirements. In order to be able to use the same FM transmitter legally in all parts of the world, it is necessary to reconfigure the FM transmission parameters of the FM transmitter according to the region-specific requirements. In some regions, the FM transmitter may even need to be switched off.
At present, one solution involves storing the FM transmission parameters for each region in the device memory and configuring the FM transmitter with the parameters for the current geographical location of the device when FM transmitter is switched on. When the device is moved to a different location, the FM transmitter is then reconfigured with the local parameters to ensure compliance with the requirements of the region in which the device is being used. If certification authorities could certify an FM transmitter for international use, only FM transmitters implementing such dynamic control of parameters would be certified.
In order to determine and track the device location, previous techniques have made use of information obtained from cellular networks. Each cell in the network is uniquely identified within its location area, network and country by means of Cell Global Identification (CGI). When a mobile phone enters a new location and registers to the base station in that cellular location, it has access to the Mobile Country Code (MCC). Therefore, a mobile phone comprising an FM transmitter is able to determine the region in which it is currently located from the MCC of the local base station.
This method for determining and tracking the device location suffers from several disadvantages. Firstly, it is not possible to locate or track the device in areas without network coverage. If there is no network coverage, then the device is not able to determine its current location and obtain the appropriate FM transmission parameters. This can result in two scenarios: either the user proceeds to transmit data and risks breaching the local regulations, or the FM transmitter is automatically disabled by the device until a network connection has been re-established. This limitation could therefore disadvantage a user wishing to transmit music to the FM receiver in his car stereo while driving through mountainous regions or tunnels.
A further problem may occur when the device is located close to a boundary between two regions that require different FM transmission parameters. If the signal from a base station on the opposite side of the boundary is stronger than the signal from any base station on the same side of the boundary, the device may connect to, and receive location data from, the former. In this situation, the FM transmitter may be configured to use parameters which are not valid for use at the current device location.
Also, modern mobile phones often come with additional features (digital camera, MP3 player, games, GPS etc) which can be operated when the phone is in either active mode or flight mode. Active mode refers to the state when the cellular telecommunications circuitry is enabled for use. In contrast, flight mode refers to the state when the cellular telecommunications circuitry (and other transmission circuitry) is disabled from use, and is most often used onboard aircraft to prevent transmitted signals from interfering with the aircraft avionics and ground cell networks. Flight mode can also be used to reduce power consumption and extend battery life during use of the additional features.
Modern mobile phones also allow a user to access the additional features whether a subscriber identity module (SIM) card is in use or not. Operation of the phone without a SIM card automatically disables the telecommunications circuitry. As with flight mode, this mode of operation can be used to reduce power consumption and extend battery life during use of the additional features. The necessity to connect to a telecommunications network in order to configure an FM transmitter with local transmission parameters therefore reduces this ability to extend battery life.
It should not be automatically assumed that the above-mentioned discussion is knowledge already available in the public domain.
US 2009/0017800 discloses a method for configuring an FM radio transmitter on a portable telecommunications device to automatically cease transmission in countries where unlicensed FM transmission is not permitted. The method uses the current cell ID (or GPS, WLAN or other suitable means) to determine the current location of the device. Once the current location is known, the device accesses a country lookup table to determine whether FM transmission is permitted in the country in which the device is currently located. If transmission is allowed, the FM transmitter remains operational, but if transmission is not allowed, the FM transmitter is disabled from use while the device is within that particular country. This method therefore helps to prevent against illegal operation of FM radio transmitters in portable devices. This document does not disclose a method for configuring an FM radio transmitter on a user-portable device to use valid FM transmission parameters corresponding to the current geographical location.
The listing or discussion of a prior-published document or any background in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or background is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. One or more aspects/embodiments of the present disclosure may or may not address one or more of the background issues.

Method of configuring FM radio transmitters in portable devices


An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a photodiode of a second conductivity type located in the substrate, a hole accumulated device (HAD) region of the first conductivity type located over the photodiode, a thin surface diffusion region formed on the surface of the HAD region, and a transfer gate located over the surface of the substrate adjacent the HAD region. The image sensor further includes a first channel region of the first conductivity type located in the substrate and aligned below the transfer gate, a second channel region of the second conductivity type located in the substrate between said transfer gate and the first channel region, and an floating diffusion region which is located in the substrate and which electrically contacts the second channel region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image sensor used to transform optical signals into electrical signals. More particularly, the invention relates to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CISs) and charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors are commonly employed in a variety of modern technologies including, for example, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras. CMOS and CCD image sensors transform light incident on a array of two-dimensional photodiodes into electrical charges, which are subsequently transformed into electrical voltages after a predetermined exposure period. One major difference between CMOS image sensors and a CCD image sensors, however, is the manner in which the electrical charges corresponding to each photodiode are transformed into electrical voltages. In a CCD image sensor, the electrical charges are sequentially transferred to a common output structure where they are transformed into electrical voltages. In a CMOS image sensor, on the other hand, each photodiode has its own individual output structure for transforming the electrical charges into electrical voltages.
A number of problems may occur in conventional CMOS image sensors due to the presence of dark current or other forms of noise. For example, dark current is known to deteriorate charge transmission efficiency and charge storage capacity, which can lead to image defects such as pixel saturation. The phrase "dark current" refers to electrical charges that are accumulated at a photodiode in the absence of incident light. It is reported that dark current is usually caused by silicon dangling bonds existing on the surface of a silicon substrate. At relatively high thermal ranges, these dangling silicon bonds generate negative charges that can be accumulated by the photodiode even in the absence of incident light. Thus, if several silicon dangling bonds exist on the surface of the silicon substrate, the image sensor may behave as if light were present, even if the image sensor is in a dark place.
Several technologies have been proposed to reduce dark current in image sensors (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,899, No. 6,714,241, and No. 6,649,950). However, these methods are limited to reducing dark current only within specific portions of a unit pixel.
For example, in a photodiode of a typical CMOS image sensor, various interface defects may exist near a semiconductor substrate surface in a P+-type hole accumulated device (HAD) region formed on an N-type photodiode. Such defects result from fabrication processes performed on the semiconductor substrate, silicon dangling bonds, or the like. Charges generated by the interface defects are introduced into an N-type photodiode through various passages, and travel to a floating diffusion region through a transfer gate region along with electrons generated by incident light on the photodiode. As a result, these charges show up as outputs from a source follower buffer amplifier. The output voltage resulting from the defects is added to the output voltage caused by incident light, thereby causing image defects such as white spots on images.
Because of the problems caused by dark current, there is a general demand in the industry for image sensors that exhibit reduced dark current, such as the dark current caused by dangling silicon bonds on a semiconductor substrate surface.

Image sensors for reducing dark current and methods of fabricating the same


A head-protecting bag for an occupant in an automobile is provided. The bag is not likely to be caught at an inner surface of a compartment as it inflates downward along a lateral side of the compartment. The bag includes an intermediate folded-body which is formed by folding a plurality of times along folding lines extending in a longitudinal direction of the automobile. The intermediate folded-body is bellows-folded from its lower end to its upper end. As a result, the lower edge of its head-protecting bag is positioned toward the lower end side of the folded body. Since the lower edge of the bag is positioned toward the lower end side of the folded body, the folded body inflates always downward along the lateral side of the compartment.

The present invention relates to head-protecting bags for occupants of automobiles. More specifically, it relates to a head-protecting bag device which is normally folded along an upper corner of a lateral side of a vehicle compartment and inflates as a curtain along windows of side doors and a B-pillar when the vehicle in involved in a side impact collision or rolls over.
A head-protecting bag for an automobile is typically folded along an upper corner of a lateral side of a compartment in a normal state (when the automobile is not in an emergency such as a collision), and inflates as a curtain along windows of side doors and a B-pillar when the automobile is involved in a side impact collision or rolls over. Such a head-protecting bag is typically formed with two sheets overlapping each other and connected to each other at edges thereof. The edges are stitched together with sewing threads along a linear connecting part to thereby form a space between the sheets to be filled with gas. The head protecting bag is typically referred to as a head side curtain or curtain type bag.
The configuration of a known head-protecting bag for occupants in an automobile is described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
The known head-protecting bag 1 includes a compartment-side sheet 2 and a window-side sheet 3 that overlap each other and are sewn together. A space 4 is formed between the sheets 2 and 3. Although the sheets 2 and 3 are separate bodies, they may be formed with one piece of sheet which is folded and the folded portions of the sheet overlap each other.
The sheets 2 and 3 are connected to each other along various linear connecting parts. A linear connecting part 10 extends along the peripheral edge of the sheets 2 and 3 (the linear connecting part 10 partly deviates from the edge toward a central portion of the overlapping sheets 2 and 3). Linear connecting parts 11 and 12 that divide the space 4 are provided. In addition, the bag 1 includes annular connecting parts 13 for reinforcing portions in the vicinities of the ends of the linear connecting parts 11 and 12. The sheets 2 and 3 are cut away at the insides of the annular connecting parts 13 to thereby form circular openings 14.
The head-protecting bag 1 extends along a lateral side of the compartment in the longitudinal direction of the automobile. The head-protecting bag 1 is provided with protrusions 16 and 18, one of which protrudes from the front end of the head-protecting bag 1 and the other protrusion protrudes from the rear end thereof. The protrusions 16 and 18 are provided with holes 17 and 19 for fixing the head-protecting bag 1 to the automobile body. The head-protecting bag 1 is also provided with a plurality of protrusions 20 upward protruding from an upper edge of the head-protecting bag 1, the protrusions 20 each being provided with a hole 21 for fixing the head-protecting bag 1 to the automobile body.
The head-protecting bag 1 is provided with an inlet 5 at the front end or the rear end of the head-protecting bag 1 for introducing gas from an inflator (not shown). In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the inlet is located at the rear end. The gas inlet may be disposed at a position other than that described above. The inflator may be disposed inside the head-protecting bag 1.
The upper and lower ends of the linear connecting part 11, 12 are separate from the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the linear connecting part 10. The linear connecting part 11, 12 is connected at the upper and lower ends thereof to the annular connecting parts 13. The linear connecting parts 11 and 12 prevent the space 4 between the sheets 2, 3 from expanding to have an excessively large thickness. The annular connecting parts 13 reinforce the ends of the linear connecting parts 11 and 12.
The head-protecting bag 1 is connected to an A-pillar of the automobile via bolts, rivets, or the like applied through the holes 17 of the protrusion 16 which is disposed, for example, at the front side. The bag 1 is connected to a C-pillar via a bolt, a rivet, or the like applied through the hole 19 of the protrusion 18 which is disposed at the rear side. The bag 1 is connected to a roof side-rail via bolts, rivets, or the like applied through the holes 21 of the protrusions 20 which are disposed at the upper edge of the head-protecting bag 1. As shown in FIG. 6(a), the head-protecting bag 1 is disposed along the upper corner of a lateral side of the compartment in a state in which the head-protecting bag 1 is folded along the roof side-rail.
The folded head-protecting bag 1 may be covered with a cover (not shown). The cover is broken or opens when the head-protecting bag 1 inflates.
When the automobile collides at the side or rolls over, the head of the occupant is protected in such a manner that the inflator (not shown) operates, gas flows into the space 4 through the gas inlet 5 (see FIG. 6(b)), and the head-protecting bag 1 inflates and extends downward as a curtain along the lateral side of the compartment as shown in FIGS. 6(c)-6(e).
The head-protecting bag 1 is generally folded in a form of bellows (in a zigzag) from the lower edge toward the upper edge thereof, as shown in FIG. 6(a). In FIGS. 6(a) to 6(e), white circles represent the upper edge of the head-protecting bag 1, and black circles represent the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1.
However, when gas starts to flow from the inflator into the head-protecting bag 1 which is folded as described above, and the head-protecting bag 1 inflates from the upper edge toward the lower edge (in the steps shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c)), the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1 is likely to be caught by the lateral side of the compartment. When the high-pressure gas is further supplied into the head-protecting bag 1 in this state and a lower portion of the head-protecting bag 1 starts to inflate, stiffness of the head-protecting bag 1 is increased due to the rising inner pressure and the head-protecting bag 1 tends to extend straight. Therefore, the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1 is strongly pressed to the lateral side of the compartment and the head-protecting bag 1 is bent in a V-shape, as shown in FIG. 6(d), whereby the head-protecting bag 1 does not extend downward smoothly.
In order to avoid such phenomenon that the bag does not smoothly extend because the lower edge thereof is caught by the lateral side of the compartment during the inflation of the bag, a folding method for folding a bag is studied, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c) show the steps of folding a bag. FIGS. 8(a) to 8(d) show the steps in which the bag folded by this folding method is inflated. In FIGS. 7 and 8, white circles represent the upper edge of the head-protecting bag 1 and black circles represent the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1.
As shown in FIG. 7(a), the head-protecting bag 1 is firstly folded once such that the lower half of the head-protecting bag 1 overlaps a surface thereof which faces the compartment side (the sheet 2). As shown in FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c), the folded head-protecting bag 1 is further folded in a zigzag from the lower end of the folded body of the folded head-protecting bag 1 toward the upper end thereof.
Therefore, when the head-protecting bag 1 folded as shown in FIG. 8(a) starts to inflate from the upper edge, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the lower half of the head-protecting bag 1 moves so as to incline apart from the lateral side of the compartment (toward the inner side of the compartment), as shown in FIG. 8(c), and the head-protecting bag 1 inflates extending downward.
In this folding method, the head-protecting bag 1 is folded so as to form a twofold body such that the lower half of the head-protecting bag 1 overlaps the surface of the head-protecting bag 1 facing the inner side of the compartment, then, the twofold body is folded in a zigzag in a vertical direction. Therefore, the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1 passes separate from the lateral side of the compartment (that is, away toward a central part of the compartment) when the head-protecting bag 1 folded in a zigzag is firstly released and the twofold body thereof is unfolded, whereby the lower edge of the head-protecting bag 1 is prevented from being caught by the lateral side of the compartment.
However, in the folding method shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the head-protecting bag 1 is unfolded such that the lower half of the head-protecting bag 1 swings by an angle of 180 degrees when inflating to extend downward from the state of the head-protecting bag 1 as the twofold body shown in FIGS. 8(b) and 8(c). Therefore, during the inflation, there is a likelihood that the lower portion of the bag protrudes toward the central part of the compartment. For example, when the bellows-folded portion shown in FIG. 8(c) inflates quickly, the head-protecting bag 1 extends such that the lower portion thereof protrudes to the right direction in FIG. 8(c).
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a head-protecting bag device for occupants in an automobile, which is not likely to be caught by a lateral side of a compartment and inflates extending downward along the lateral side when the head-protecting bag device inflates to extend.
According to an embodiment of the present invention a head-protecting device for occupants in an automobile is provided. The device includes a bag which is connected at an upper part thereof to a portion of an automobile body in the vicinity of a corner between a ceiling and a lateral side of a compartment of the automobile. The bag inflates with gas extending downward along the lateral side. The bag is folded in a zigzag form an even number of times along folding lines extending in a longitudinal direction of the automobile so as to form an intermediate folded-body, and the intermediate folded-body is further folded in a zigzag form along folding lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the automobile.
The bag of the head-protecting device includes an intermediate folded-body of a bag which is formed such that the lower portion of the bag is folded in a zigzag an even number of times (when being folded twice, the intermediate folded-body is formed as a threefold body) so that the lower portion of the bag overlaps surfaces of the bag facing toward the inside of the compartment along folding lines extending in a longitudinal direction of the automobile. Then, the intermediate folded-body of the bag is bellows-folded. Therefore, the lower edge of the bag thus folded is positioned toward the lower end side of the folded body.
When the folded body of the bag deploys, the bellows-folded state of the bag along the lateral side of the compartment is released first, then, the remaining folded portion deploys downward along the lateral side of the compartment and slightly separate from the lateral side of the compartment, whereby the bag can extend smoothly without being caught by the lateral side of the compartment when inflating. Since the lower edge of the bag is positioned toward the lower end side of the folded body, the folded body always inflates downward along the lateral side of the compartment without the folded body swinging by an angle of 180 degrees during the inflation.
The intermediate folded-body preferably comprises a threefold body formed by being folded twice along two folding lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the automobile, thereby easing folding.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.


The invention relates to compatible PM polymer blends with polyesters as mix components, which comprise. A) 0.1 to 99.9 wt % of a P1 polyester synthesized from units of formula I ##STR1## where R stands for a group --(CH.sub.2).sub.m -- or for a group ##STR2## and where m stands for a number from 2 to 6, and PA0 B) 99.9 to 0.1 wt % of a P2 polyester synthesized to 20-100 wt % from halogen-free monomers of formula II ##STR3## where R.sub.1 stands for hydrogen or methyl PA0 R.sub.2 stands for a spacing group having 1-6 monomers, PA0 R.sub.3 stands for an alkyl group, alkoxy group or aminoalkyl- or dialkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and PA0 q stands for zero or one and PA0 z stands for zero, one or two.

According to the general definition, "polyesters" represent macromolecular substances, which are characterized by the presence of carboxylester groups in the repeating units of the main chains (cf. H. Mark et al., Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, 2nd ed., Vol. 12, pp. 1-75, J. Wiley-Interscience 1988, R. Vieweg et al., Plastics Handbook, Vol. III, Polyester, Carl Hanser Verlag, 1973, Ulmann's Encyclopadie der Techn. Chemie, 4th ed., Vol. 19, pp. 61-81, Verlag Chemie, 1980). The manufacturing methods serve either self polycondensation of hydroxycarboxylic acids or the polycondensation of dicarboxylic acids with dihydroxy compounds. The former polymers can be reproduced with the general formula ##STR4## where R' stands for a suitable hydrocarbon group; the latter can be reproduced with the general formula ##STR5## where R" stands for a suitable spacing hydrocarbon group; and R"' for the hydrocarbon group of a dicarboxylic acid; and n or n' exhibits in both cases a value corresponding to a molecular weight of the polymer of >10-15.times.10.sup.3. Those polymers in which R" stands for --CH.sub.2).sub.x -- for x=2,4 or 6, have proven to be of particular industrial importance; and specifically those polymers, wherein R" stands for --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 -- and R"' stands for --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -- (polyethylene terephthalate, PET) and wherein R" stands for --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 -- (polybutylene terephthalate, PBT).
In general the polyalkylene terephthalate can be processed like a thermoplastic in injection moulding or through extrusion. Parts comprising PET are characterized, among other things, by hardness and good abrasion resistance at high dimensional stability.
They exhibit in general a satisfactory impact strength, but only a moderate notch impact strength. Man-made fibers (polyester fibers, abbreviation PES according to DIN 60 001 T1) represent the most important area of application for linear polyesters. In addition, the use of saturated polyesters as injection moulding and extrusion moulding compounds and as film material have gained in importance (cf. Kunststoffe 79, pp. 925-926 (1989).
Therefore, there has been no lack of effort to improve the properties of these bulk plastics, where special stress was laid upon the improvement of the notch impact strength. A large number of patents deal, e.g., with the modification of polyesters by blending them with polyacrylates or through copolymerization of said polyesters.
A large number of patents are applicable to the practical goal of impact modification of polyesters, where one could resort to known ideas. Glass fiber reinforced PET can be blended, for example, advantageously with methacrylate-methyl methacrylate copolymers (JP-A 74 90 345; Chem. Abstr. 82, 99221a). Improved mouldability is claimed, e.g., for blending PET with a (partially) saponified methyl methacrylate-methylacrylate copolymer (cf. JP-A 84 47 256; Chem. Abstr. 101, 131 801 p). The oil resistance of a mixture comprising >50 parts by weight of PMMA and <50 parts by weight of saturated polyester such as PET is underscored in JP-A 84 152 945 (Chem. Abstr. 102, 79 763g). Blending polyalkylene terephthalate with 5-30 wt % of an acrylate graft polymer such as butyl acrylate-methyl methacrylate graft copolymer (cf. DE-A 33 28 568) serves to improve the notch impact strength.
An improvement in the notch impact strength is also achieved according to EP-A 50 265 by blending thermoplastic polyesters with core shell polymerizates, comprising a tough acrylate phase as core and a hard shell comprising PMMA or styrene.
In connection with a silane coupling component, blends of PBT and polyacrylates have, according to EP-A 190 030, good impact strength and extensibility. Observed is a lower moulding temperature.
A blend of PET and polyglycidyl methacrylate and/or fatty acid polyester is known from JP-A 87 149 746 (Chem. Abstr. 108, 7017t). Graft copolymers of tetrahydrofurfuryl esters of (meth)acrylic acid on poly-.alpha.-olefins are also described as additives to polyesters (cf. DE-A 35 25 253). According to JP-A 79 129 050, ethylacrylate-ethylene copolymers represent master batches to incorporate pigments into polyester (Chem. Abstr. 92, 77 480p).
The effect of an addition of PMMA on the crystallization behavior of PET was investigated by V. M. Nadkarny et al. (Polym. Eng. Sci., 1987, 27 (6) 451-457). Practical application as oven-proof pots is projected for crystallizable polyethylene terephthalate, which is modified with 4-29 wt % of a core-shell polymer, for example synthesized from allyl methacrylate butyl acrylate butylene glycol diacrylate as core and polymethyl methacrylate as shell, and with 0-14.5 wt % of polycarbonate (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,268). Other modification methods avail themselves to an allyl methacrylate-butyl acrylate-methyl acrylate copolymer, on which the methyl methacrylate was grafted (JP-A 82 137 347; Chem. Abstr. 98, 55092k).
The issue concerning polymer compatibility in the blends is not explicity investigated in the prior art, but the indicated applications or the reported flattening effects show that they are incompatible polymer blends.
Thus, in the JP-A 76 75749 (Chem. Abstr. 85, 124 964s) a pearlescence effect for blends comprising, for example 70 parts by weight of PMMA and 30 parts by weight of PBT, is reported. As an index for polymer incompatibility, the reported pearlescence effect for cosmetic containers made of PET and PMMA must also be evaluated (cf. JP-A 82 15929; Chem. Abstr. 96, 200978u). The same also applies to blends of PET and methylacrylate-methyl methacrylate copolymers (cf. JP-A 81 161472; Chem. Abstr. 96, 124179s; JP-A 82 98327, Chem. Abstr. 97, 199245q). With the addition of polyacrylates to polyesters a flattening effect in films is achieved (EP-A 184 028). Even the JP-A 78 133254 (Chem. Abstr. 90, 122 459k) reports about pearlescence effects of blends of acrylate copolymers with acrylonitrile and diene-rubber-graft polymers and aromatic polyesters. For this reason, incompatibility must also be assumed for the iridescent ternary polymer blends comprising PET, polystyrene, and PMMA according to JP-A 80 03 471 (Chem. Abstr. 92, 199 282w).
The impact modification of polybutylene terephthalate plastics, whose heat resistance and weather resistance are shown by D. Rempel in Kunststoffe, 1986, (76), pp. 900-904. Butadiene-styrene-rubbers grafted, for example, with styrene and methyl methacrylate are recommended as impact modifiers (cf. NL-A 73 12 510, DE-A 30 04 942). Similarly investigations were made with acrylate-modified styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers as impact resistant components (e.g., DE-A 27 58 497; JP-A 84 11347, Chem. Abstr. 100, 211063u). In other documents the addition of ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid ester-glycidyl methacrylate copolymers (cf. PCT-Int. Appl. WO 85 03 718) or of ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate-vinyl acetate copolymers (JP-A 78 117 049, Chem. Abstr. 90, 5830j) is reported.
In addition to impact modifiers, polycarbonate is also added as another mix component for polyester (cf. JP-A 76 44160, Chem. Abstr. 85, 47657g; PCT Int. Appl. WP 80 00 972). For fire-proofing, halogen-containing groups, in particular halogenated aromatics, have been introduced into the polymers. Thus, the addition of poly(pentabromobenzyl)acrylates (JP-A 84 06248, Chem. Abstr. 100, 193020w; JP-A 84 20351, Chem. Abstr. 101, 8220w, JP-A 84 20350, Chem. Abstr. 101, 24542h; JP-A 84 11351, Chem. Abstr. 101, 92117j) is recommended. Reference has already been made to the obvious incompatibility (=immiscibility) of polyesters with poly(meth)acrylates. In the case of impact modifiers, the elastomer phase is linked to the polyester phase via the PMMA, or the styrene-MMA-copolymer or via the styrene-acrylonitrile polymer even though there is no compatibility between the polyester and this polymer.
In order to link, reactive components such as glycidyl methacrylate must generally be copolymerized. In the literature miscibility is noted for the systems--poly-ethylene-adipate-PMMA and poly-ethylene sebacinate-PMMA due to the observed depression of the melting point (cf. M. Natov et al., J. Polym. Sci., Part C16, p. 4197 (1968). Also from an industrial point of view, the incompatible blends of polyester with other polymers play the dominant role.


A method and an apparatus for making cans from three pieces of a sheet metal, namely a bottom part, a body part and a closure, the method and apparatus enabling cost efficient production of cans in small batch sizes. The apparatus has means for forming a tubular can body from a blank of sheet material without internally supporting the tubular form. The apparatus further has means for subsequently forming the tubular can body into a cross sectional shape without the use of a dedicated press tool, means for beading, curling and flanging the can body and means for attaching the bottom part and the closure to the can body.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for making cans such as cans for storing and preserving food, cans for containing paint and the like. More specifically the invention relates to the production of cans, which are made from three pieces, namely a bottom part, a body part and a lid or closure and to cost efficient production of cans in small batch sizes.
A large number of different methods and apparatuses for making cans are known. Cans are typically produced in large numbers by specially crafted tools and machines and thereby the production cost for each piece can be kept at a reasonable level. On the other hand, facilities for producing cans are custom made and adapted to produce one specific can size and can shape and the lacking flexibility results in relatively high costs for changing can type.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus enabling fast and cost efficient shifts between cans of different sizes and shapes thus enabling smaller batch sizes in can production.
Accordingly the present invention provides a method of making a tubular can body from a blank of sheet material having a pair of opposite co-extending rim portions, method comprising gripping the rim portions by gripping means, mutually moving the gripping means so as to bring the rim portions into adjacent positions, and interconnecting the rim portions of the blank by a seam so as to form the tubular can body, while a major intermediate portion extending between the rim portions remains unsupported, at least internally.
The sheet blank is thus formed into a tubular can body without using any internal mandrel of a predefined shape. This method enables cans of different sizes to be made by use of the same tools without any reconfiguration of such tools. Only the gripping positions of the gripping means have to correspond to the size of the blank of sheet material.
Each of the gripping means may preferably be provided with at least two linear degrees of freedom and one rotational degrees of freedom. Thereby easy supply and discharge of respectively raw material and can bodies will be achieved. The gripping means should preferably be actuated by power driven means, controlled by a control system so as to enable forming of can bodies of different size. In one embodiment of the invention the gripping position can be set automatically by means of detectors determining the size of the blank of sheet material being processed.
The interconnecting seam can be made by interlocking engagement folded, hook-shaped rim portions, by seaming, welding, gluing, soldering or any other conventional seam making process. Preferably seam is made by interlocking pre-folded rim portions of the blank. The provided 3 degrees of freedom enables the the pre-folded rim portions to be interlocked while the folded parts are being pressed together.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of forming a tubular can body into a desired cross-sectional shape by means of a shape-defining device having a plurality of co-extending elongated contact surface parts for contacting the can body, said method comprising inserting the tubular can body in the shape-defining device such that the contact surface parts thereof each extends substantially axially in relation to the can body and adjacent to the inner or outer side surface thereof, and mutually moving the contact surface parts laterally into contact with the can body side surface or surfaces at peripherally spaced positions so as to peripherally extend the can body and impart the desired cross-sectional shape thereto. The tubular can bodies being formed into a desired cross-sectional shape may be formed by the method described above or by any known method. However, by using this shape-defining device it is less critical whether the cross-sectional shape of the tubular can body being formed has an accurate circular cross-section or any other cross-sectional shape. As mentioned above, this way of forming the can body into a predefined shape can be performed in connection with the above described method of making a tubular, cylindrical can body, or it can be performed in connection with can bodies made in any other way, such as by extrusion, moulding etc. The method enables different shapes to be imparted into the can body just by an exchange of simple tools and therefore a relatively small number of can bodies may be shaped rather cost efficiently.
The lateral movement of the contact surface parts may preferably be actuated by power driven means controlled by a controller in a way enabling a variable stroke length of the lateral movement. As an example the contact surface parts may be moved by pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically driven actuators controlled by a computer system. Cans of different size and/or shape may thus be formed without any physical changes to the shape-defining device.
According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular can body, or a sheet blank may be formed into a desired cross-sectional shape, by passing the blank or the tubular body wall through the nips of at least three pairs of co-operating, rotating shape defining rollers extending in the same general direction, and mutually transversely or rotationally moving said pairs of rollers so as to provide said desired cross-sectional shape. Each pair of rollers may be moved one by one or simultaneously and they may be moved either linearly or rotationally in relation to the path of the sheet or can body. The distance between the rollers in a pair of rollers may be varied so as to enable various sheet thickness or wall thickness of the can bodies. This way of forming a tubular can body into a desired cross-sectional shape may preferably be combined with the earlier described way of making a tubular can body from a blank of sheet material, thus providing a unified flexible means for forming cans from blanks of a sheet material.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of flanging, beading and curling a tubular body, such as a can body, or a sheet blank therefor. The sheet blank or the tubular body wall is passed into the nip of a pair of co-operating, rotating rollers having at a first end thereof flange forming means, which form a flange at an adjacent first end of the tubular body or blank and bead forming means being axially spaced from the flange forming means and forming a bead in an intermediate part of the blank or tubular body, and engaging a curling tool with an opposite, second end portion of the blank or body so as to curl said second end portion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the flanging, beading and curling may be performed simultaneously with the forming of the sheet or can body according to the previous described way of forming a can body by use of rollers. The same pairs of rollers or at least the one pair of shape defining rollers may be used. The rollers must for this purpose be adapted for the flanging by means of a flanging edge at one end of at least one of the rollers. This could be an end portion of one of the co-operating rollers having an increased diameter and extending axially beyond the adjacent end of the other roller of said pair. The rollers must furthermore be adapted for beading by bead forming means such as an peripherally extending ridge formed on one of the co-operating rollers and a ridge receiving peripheral groove formed in the other of the co-operating rollers. A curling tool can preferably be movably positioned so as to enable engagement with an opposite end of the blank or body in relation to the end where the flange is made.
The seam of the tubular can body may be made in any conventional manner. As an example, the rim portions of the can body blank may be pre-formed so as to define seam parts, which are interlocked and subsequently flattened so as to form said seam. This procedure enables a simple and cheap tool for making the seam. Alternatively, the seaming tool may bend both rim portions, provide the interlocking engagement, and subsequently flatten the bent rim portions so as to stabilise the interlocking engagement. Standard tools for these procedures are generally available on the market.
A tubular can body may be seamless, for example when it has been made by extrusion. Usually, however, the can body has a longitudinally extending seam. When such can body is to be formed into a desired cross-sectional shape by the method described above the longitudinally extending seam is preferably gripped between one of said contact surface parts and an oppositely arranged backing member. Thereby it may be avoided that the peripheral stresses, which are generated in the can body wall by the shape-defining device, are transferred to the seam so as to cause defects or leakage thereof.
The desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular can body may be obtained by arranging all of the contact surface parts within the can body and by moving at least one of them radially outwardly, or by arranging at least two and preferably at least three contact surface parts within the tubular can body and one or more radially outside the can body and by moving at least one inner contact surface part radially outwardly and/or at least one outer contact surface part radially inwardly so as to bring all of the contact surface parts into contact with the can body and define the desired cross-sectional shape and so as to provide the necessary peripheral stress in the can body wall to obtain the desired permanent shape. This means that all of the contact surface parts may be moved transversely or radially in relation to the can body, or one or more of the contact surface parts may be maintained substantially stationary in relation to the can body during said mutual lateral movement of the contact surface parts.
As mentioned above, all of said elongated contact surface parts can be located within the inner space of the tubular can body, and at least one of the contact surface parts may then be moved transversely in relation to the other contact surface parts, so as to bring all of said contact surface parts into abutting engagement with the inner side surface of the can body. Alternatively, however, a first number of said elongated contact surface parts may be located in the inner space of the tubular can body and a second number of said elongated contact surface parts may be located outside the tubular can body, at least one of said first number of contact surface parts being moved laterally outwardly into contact with the inner side surface of the can body, and/or at least one of said second number of contact surface parts is moved laterally inwardly into contact with the outer side surface of the can body, so as to bring all of said contact surface parts into abutting engagement with the inner or outer side surface of the can body. In this way the shape of the can body can be imparted both from the outside of the can body and from the inside of the can body or from both sides in combination. This means that seen from the outside the shaped can body may have convex parts only or a combination of convex and concave surface parts.
The elongated contact surface parts may comprise a plurality of rod members having a circular or polygonal cross-sectional shape. Each such rod members may contact the can body along a longitudinal extending, narrow contact area only so as to form a plain inner or outer sharp or rounded corner part on the can body. It may be desired to form corner parts or other wall parts of the can body having a more sophisticated cross-sectional shape. Thus, each of the contact surface parts may have a cross-sectional shape, which is substantially complementary to the desired cross-sectional shape of can body wall parts at respective, peripherally spaced positions of the can body. As an example, apart from sharp edged, rounded or otherwise shaped corner portions the contact surface parts may be used for forming decorative embossments in the side walls of the can body.
As indicated above, the contact surface parts are preferably defined on a plurality of elongated, substantially co-extending rod-like members. In a preferred embodiment the rod-like members are sleeve-like members of which at least some are removable mounted on a core, such as a rod or shaft. This allows for fast and easy exchange of contact surface parts, e.g. for changing the desired cross-sectional shape or for replacement of worn or otherwise defect surface parts. The sleeve-like members can be made from any suitable material, such as from metal or another hard or hardened material, or they can be made from a resilient material, such as a resilient rubber or rubber-like material depending upon the materials characteristics of the sheet material from which the can body has been made.
The can bodies may be made from any suitable material, including plastics material. However the can bodies are preferably made from a conventional sheet metal, such as tinplate, aluminium or aluminium alloys.
According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for fastening a bottom part to a can body, said method comprising positioning the bottom part at one end of the can body such that a rim portion of the bottom part is in abutting engagement with a radial flange formed at said one end, rotating the can body in relation to at least one seaming such as curling, bending or folding tool, and moving said seaming tool radially in relation to the can body along a predetermined path corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the can body. The seaming tool may be moved radially in relation to the can body by any suitable moving means. As an example, the seaming tool may be movable by means of an actuator, which is controlled by a computer. The computer may control the actuator in accordance with a program loaded into its memory. Thus the actuator may be controlled to move the tool radially in relation to the can body so as to follow the pre-determined path corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the can body. In this way cans of different size and with quite different cross-sectional shapes may be produced by means of the same device, provided that the relevant program or pre-determined path be loaded into the memory of the computer. The pre-determined path may be loaded from a computer aided design tool or from a similar CAD/CAM related tool.
Alternatively, the means for radially moving the seaming tool may comprise means for biasing the seaming tool into engagement with said rim portion and/or with said radial flange at a predetermined substantially uniform biasing force during said relative rotation of the can body and the tool, so as to bend or fold said rim portion and/or said flange. This is preferably done by means of force-controlled actuators. Contrary to traditional ways of interconnecting bottom parts with can body parts, where a predetermined path is followed, the advantage of using force controlled actuators is that such actuators follow the specific shape of a given can body and bottom assembly line and thus compensate for tolerances.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the can bottom is being fastened to the can body by means of a plurality of peripherally spaced seaming tools, moved or biased into engagement with said rim portion and/or with said radial flange. Each of the tools being adapted to perform different bending or folding operations so as to form a seam.
As a further possibility, each of one or more of the tools for seaming such as curling, bending or folding operations may be moved along a radial guide member and biased into engagement by spring means or by means of a linear electric motor. These solutions offer a cheap and reliable fastening operation and flexibility and high performance in the fastening operation, respectively.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the method for fastening the can bottom part to the can body part includes a controlled interdependency between the radial movement of the tool in relation to the rotation of the can body and the shape of the can body. This enable fastening of a can bottom part to a can body part having non-circular cross-sectional shape such as a square or triangular shape. When the tool passes a corner or sharp edge the rotational speed of the can body is decreased in order to allow the tool to change its direction.
According to another aspect the present invention relates to an apparatus for can making according to the previously mentioned method.


A process for preparing N-[1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl]-L-alanine N-carboxy anhydride from N-[1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3 -phenylpropyl]-L-alanine and N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole and the condensation thereof with L-proline silyl ester hydrochloride. The condensation product is used as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.

There is a need for a process for preparing alkyl-L-alanyl-L -proline derivatives of the general formula I which results in an optically pure compound having an SSS configuration, and which is free of other stereoisomers, and in which the use of noxious phosgene, diphosgene or triphosgene is avoided.
According to known processes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,829), the synthesis of alkyl-L-alanyl-L-proline derivatives of the general formula I is carried out by a reduction of a Schiff's base (A), which is prepared by condensation of L-alanyl-L-proline (B) and ethyl-4-phenyl-2-oxobutanoate (C). In the reduction of the Schiff's base various catalysts are used and thus L-alanyl-L-proline derivatives having differing SSS/RSS isomer ratios are obtained. ##STR2##
To avoid the formation of undesired RSS isomer, EP 0215 335 A discloses a method of preparing alkyl-L-alanyl-L-proline derivatives of the general formula I by reacting N-[1(S)-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropyl]-L-alanine N-carboxy anhydride of the formula III and L-proline (E) in the presence of bases in aqueous media (acetone-water). ##STR3##

Process for preparing alkyl-L-alanyl-L-proline derivatives


An air dryer cartridge, in particular for a compressed air treatment system of a commercial vehicle, includes a cartridge housing having a closed housing cover, an inner housing arranged in the cartridge housing, a desiccant accommodated in a space between the cartridge housing and the inner housing, a filter arrangement arranged inside the cartridge housing and positioned in the compressed air stream upstream of the desiccant in relation to normal operation of the air dryer cartridge, and a bypass for bypassing the filter device. A non-return valve, which blocks a compressed air stream in the direction towards the desiccant and allows a compressed air stream in the direction away from the desiccant, is arranged in the bypass. The non-return valve is formed in one piece together with the inner housing.

The present invention relates to an air dryer cartridge, in particular for a compressed air treatment system of commercial vehicles.
Air dryer cartridges of this type are used, for example, in commercial vehicles, such as trucks and tractors. These frequently have one or more compressed air consumers, such as, for example, brake systems or pneumatic suspension systems, which have to be supplied with compressed air. The compressed air is typically provided by a compressor, for example a reciprocating piston compressor driven by a drive engine of the vehicle. In order to ensure fault-free operation of the compressed air consumers, the compressed air provided by the compressor customarily has to be treated further. In the compressed air treatment systems provided for this purpose, the compressed air is cleaned of dirt particles which were already contained in the sucked-up air, and also of oil and soot particles which are admitted into the compressed air during the compression process by the compressor, and moisture present in the compressed air is separated off. For this purpose, the compressed air treatment systems of commercial vehicles generally have air dryer cartridges which can dehumidify the compressed air and can preferably also absorb oil and dirt particles.
Conventional air dryer cartridges have a cartridge housing with a closed housing cover, an inner housing arranged in the cartridge housing, a drying agent which is accommodated in an intermediate space between the cartridge housing and the inner housing, and a filter device, which is arranged within the cartridge housing, for cleaning the compressed air. During the normal operation of the air dryer cartridge, the compressed air first of all flows through the filter device before entering the drying agent. For the regeneration mode of the air dryer cartridge, in which the flow passes through the air dryer cartridge in the reverse direction, a bypass for bypassing the filter device is generally provided and a nonreturn valve is arranged in said bypass. Such an air dryer cartridge is disclosed, for example, in WO 2004/011125 A2. In said known air dryer cartridge, the nonreturn valve is fitted on a coalescence filter parallel thereto.
The invention is based on the object of providing an improved air dryer cartridge with a simple design.
This object is achieved by an air dryer cartridge in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Advantageous refinements of the invention are described and claimed herein.
The air dryer cartridge according to the invention has a cartridge housing with a closed housing cover; an inner housing arranged in the cartridge housing; a drying agent which is accommodated in an intermediate space between the cartridge housing and the inner housing; a filter device which is arranged within the cartridge housing and is positioned upstream of the drying agent in the compressed air flow, based on a normal operation of the air dryer cartridge; a bypass for bypassing the filter device; and a nonreturn valve which is arranged in the bypass, is formed integrally with the inner housing and blocks a compressed air flow in the direction of the drying agent and permits a compressed air flow in the direction from the drying agent.
According to the invention, it is proposed to form the nonreturn valve integrally with the inner housing. By means of this measure, the number of individual components can be reduced and the design and assembly of the air dryer cartridge can be simplified.
In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the inner housing and/or the nonreturn valve are/is manufactured from a plastics material. In this refinement, the nonreturn valve can preferably be injection molded onto the inner housing, or inner housing and nonreturn valve can be produced by a two-component injection molding process. The inner housing and the nonreturn valve can preferably be manufactured from the same plastics material or from different plastics materials. In this connection, the term plastics material is basically intended to include all types of plastics, in particular also elastomers with regard to the nonreturn valve. In addition, in this connection, the term plastics material is intended to include materials made from one material and also materials made from two or more different materials.
In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the nonreturn valve has a valve flap which is integrally formed on the inner housing. The valve function of the nonreturn valve can preferably be achieved by a shaping and/or choice of material of the valve flap and/or a shaping of the connection between valve flap and inner housing.
In an advantageous refinement of the invention, compressed air can flow through the nonreturn valve in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge, i.e. substantially axially.
In this refinement, the nonreturn valve can preferably have a valve flap with a free end which is supported on an inner circumferential surface of the cartridge housing, preferably on a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the cartridge housing, which portion runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge.
In another advantageous refinement of the invention, compressed air can flow through the nonreturn valve in a direction substantially transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge, i.e. substantially radially. In this refinement, the nonreturn valve can be positioned further inward in the cartridge housing and is thus, for example, better protected against external mechanical loads on the cartridge housing. In addition, in this refinement, a space region within the cartridge housing, which space region lies in the radial direction outside the nonreturn valve, can preferably be at least partially used for accommodating the drying agent.
In this refinement, the nonreturn valve can preferably have a valve flap with a free end which is supported on a flange inner surface of the fastening flange, said flange inner surface facing the inner housing.
In a further advantageous refinement of the invention, the filter device is arranged substantially coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge. In this refinement, compressed air flows through the filter device preferably in the radial direction transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge. In addition, in this refinement, a space region within the cartridge housing, said space region lying in the radial direction outside the filter device, can preferably be at least partially used for accommodating the drying agent. In this case, the filter device is configured, for example, as a coalescence filter or oil filter.
In another advantageous refinement of the invention, the filter device is oriented substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge. In this refinement, compressed air flows through the filter device preferably in the axial direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge. The filter device in this case is configured, for example, as a coarse filter.
The inner housing preferably has a first inner housing part and a second inner housing part. The first inner housing part is preferably arranged radially outside the second inner housing part, and the second inner housing part is movable relative to the first inner housing part in the axial direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer cartridge. In this refinement, a pretensioning element is preferably provided which presses the second inner housing part in the direction of the housing cover of the air dryer cartridge in order to compress the drying agent.
In yet another advantageous refinement of the invention, the air dryer cartridge has a fastening flange for closing an open end side of the cartridge housing, said end side facing away from the housing cover, and for fastening the air dryer cartridge to a compressed air treatment device. In this refinement, the inner housing is preferably sealed off from the fastening flange via a sealing lip. Said sealing lip is preferably manufactured from a plastics material. In this connection, the term plastics material is intended basically to include all types of plastics, in particular even elastomers. In addition, in this connection, the term plastics material is intended to include materials made from one material and also materials made from two or more different materials. The sealing lip can be manufactured from the same or from a different plastics material than the nonreturn valve.
The present invention is advantageously suitable in particular for use in compressed air treatment systems of a commercial vehicle.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


A device that monitors a network element in a network topology of network elements within a software defined network (SDN) and identifies a first node state and a second node state for the network element. The device detects an occurrence of an error between the first node state and the second node state. The device determines a differential for the network element between the first node state and the second node state indicating changes to the network element occurring between the first node state and the second node state. The device, based on determining the differential, displays one or more attributes or the one or more relationships associated with the network element at the first node state, the second node state or the differential between states.

Communication networks have migrated from using specialized networking equipment executing on dedicated hardware, like routers, firewalls, and gateways, to software defined networks (SDNs) executing as virtualized network functions (VNF) in a cloud infrastructure. To provide a service, a set of VNFs may be instantiated on general-purpose hardware. Each VNF may require one or more virtual machines (VMs). In turn, VMs may require various resources, such as memory, computer processing units (CPUs), and network interfaces or network interface cards (NICs). Determining how to assign these resources among VMs in an efficient manner may be unbearably complex.
The operation and management of a large-scale cloud is highly susceptible to anomalies, attacks, and faults. In addition, maintaining insight into changes to the communications network, especially in light of anomalies, attacks, and faults is difficult due to the dynamic capabilities of SDNs.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art.

Network topology management using network element differential history


Disclosed is an antidepressant, neuroprotectant, amyloid β deposition inhibitor, or age retardant composition containing a heterocyclic compound having the general formula (I):

Among drugs currently used in drug therapy for depression and panic disorder, fluvoxamine maleate (1991) and paroxetine hydrochloride (2000) were developed as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). SSRI is a first-line drug for both acute treatment and long-term treatment of depression and panic disorder. However, SSRI has some issues such as drug effects appearing only through chronic administration, drug withdrawal because of adverse effects, and side effects including withdrawal signs and influence on cognitive functions. Therefore, there is a strong demand for development of effective drugs having an immediate activity and fewer side effects.
One of factors involved with ageing is oxidative stress. Antioxidative substances reportedly have antiaging activity. For example, oolong tea containing antioxidants is considered to have antiaging activity (Biol Pharm Bull Vol 26 No 5 739-742 2003). On the other hand, while deprenyl reportedly increases the survival rate and is used as a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor in treatment for Parkinson's disease, this has been confirmed to be due to its antioxidant activity (Mech Ageing Dev Vol 46 No 1-3 237-262 1988). However, these substances do not offer antiaging activity and increase in the survival rate of animals at satisfactory levels.
Edaravone is a free radical scavenger having antioxidative activity and used as a neuroprotectant. However, it is not highly effective and various side effects including kidney failure have been reported (The Japan Stroke Society:Clinical Guidline for Stroke (2004), 42-43).
Curcumin is a component of Curcuma longa contained in curry in a large amount and has antiinflammatory and antioxidative activity equivalent to prescribed nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Studies have shown that curcumin inhibits amyloid-related pathologies (Pharmacia, Japanese Pharmacology Association, Vol. 38, No. 9, 891-892, 2002). However, curcumin does not inhibit amyloid deposition at satisfactory levels.
Booklet of International Publication No. 01/009131 and Booklet of International Publication No. 2002/060907 disclose brain function improvers containing heterocyclic compounds having specific structures. The heterocyclic compounds are disclosed as brain function improvers leading to treatment for memory loss and memory acquisition/retention disorder in senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Other effects useful as antidepressant, neuroprotectant, amyloid β inhibitor, and age retardant are not disclosed.

Methods for treating depression, neurodegeneration, inhibiting amyloid β deposition, delaying senescence, and extending life spans with heterocyclic compounds


A tray is provided for dispensing and wetting pre-pasted wallpaper. The tray features a trough and a dispenser rod for holding a roll of wallpaper. The wallpaper can be extended to a desired length and cut directly from the dispenser rod. The cut wallpaper is then placed on a shelf adjacent to a trough containing a wetting agent. The wallpaper is passed under the shelf and through the trough being guided by a guide submersed in the trough to ensure proper wetting. The paper is then withdrawn from the trough and hung on the desired surface.

The present invention relates generally to an improved tray for dispensing and wetting pre-pasted wallpaper. Generally, modern wallpaper is pre-pasted. That is to say, paste is applied at the factory and dried on the back of the paper. The paper is then bundled into tightly-turned rolls for sale. Accordingly, the user must unroll a portion of paper and cut it to size before wetting.
To hang the paper, the user must wet the paper in a prescribed manner and then affix it to the surface to be papered. In order to perform the paper hanging in a durable manner, having no air bubbles, and further so that the paper will not shrink, the paper must be uniformly wetted with a very short maximum dwell time in the wetting medium. Generally, the maximum dwell time for wetting the paper is in the range of 10 to 15 seconds.
Currently, a simple rectangular tray is available for a user to wet pre-pasted wallpaper. In order to cut the wallpaper to a desired size, the roll end must be restrained, the wallpaper must be unrolled, the roll itself then restrained, and the desired piece measured and cut. This cumbersome process can be extremely difficult to accomplish by one person. After cutting the paper to size, the user must reverse the roll of paper in order to remove some of the inherent "memory" which results from the paper being rolled at the factory, re-roll the cut piece, immerse it in the tray, and remove it extremely quickly in order to avoid overwetting the adhesive.
When using the rectangular tray currently available, an undesirable result is often obtained due to inconsistent wetting of the adhesive over the length of the cut piece. This results in poor adhesion, which may be manifested in the form of bubbles or separating edges occurring months after installation. The non-uniform wetting is caused by the fact that a rolled piece is immersed in the tray, and contact between the finished surface of an interior layer and the pasted surface of the next layer is therefore unavoidable.
Using the rectangular tray of the prior art is extremely cumbersome, and may require a second person to hold the cut piece of paper under the surface of the water as the end is being withdrawn, since the paper is not otherwise restrained. Further, the possibility of non-uniform wetting and the cumbersome aspects of withdrawing the paper make control of the total wetting time uncertain. Finally, since the prior art contains no dispenser, it is difficult to measure and cut the wallpaper with the rectangular tray of the prior art.


A massage machine for an automobile which comprises a main body suspendaly supported on the back rest of an automobile seat by way of a height-adjustable suspending member, a plurality of ceramic finger pressure balls rotatably borne on the front surface of the main body in a projected state, magnets installed deeply inside of finger pressure ball bearing parts on the front surface of the main body corresponding to each finger pressure ball, attracting and holding each finger pressure ball rotatably about the bearing parts, and bringing about magnetic effects to each finger pressure ball, heater coils disposed at the finger pressure ball bearings parts of the main body correspondng to each finger pressure ball, and connected to an automobile power supply through a power supply outlet such as cigarette lighter, a temperature sensor incorporated in part of the main body to controlling the heater coils to a proper temperature by turning on and off, and a pressure sensor incorporated in part of the main body for controlling the heater coils by turning on and off by sensing the presence or absence of the pushing pressure of the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a massage machine for automobile for healing and eliminating lumbago, stiff shoulder or the like of athlete, professional driver or the like while seated in the driver's seat of automobile.
2. Prior Art
Lumbago, stiff shoulder, etc. are pains for not only athletes and professional drivers, but also for everyone, and an early recovery is desired, but the conventional massage machine is not designed to be used easily in an automobile, it was felt inconvenient for those commutating to the destination by car.


A multi-function spectroscopic device includes a first lens installed in an emission direction of parallel light and focusing the light in a center portion thereof, a second lens disposed to face the first lens and, a reference mirror installed to face the second lens, a beam splitter installed between the first lens and the second lens, a third lens focusing light which moves through the beam splitter onto a measurement object, a fourth lens focusing light which is reflected by the measurement object and reversely moves through the third lens and the beam splitter, a fifth lens converting light which is diffused through a second focus of the fourth lens into parallel light, and a diffraction grating obliquely disposed with respect to a light axis of the fifth lens and diffracting parallel light which moves through the fifth lens and split the parallel light.

Generally, in the case of a multilayer structure including a multilayer thin film such as a semiconductor, various measurement methods are used for inspecting a performance factors such as a film thickness, a surface shape, and a refractive index of a film.
A method of measuring a thickness and a shape using an interferometer is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0916618.
Meanwhile, there are a method of analyzing a thickness and a refractive index by light being made perpendicularly incident on a measurement object and detecting an intensity of light reflected from the measurement object, and a method of measuring a thickness and a refractive index by light being made obliquely incident on a measurement object and analyzing polarization and intensity of light reflected from the measurement object, instead of a method using the interferometer.
However, since conventional devices for measuring a film thickness, a refractive index, and a surface shape are independently formed according to the above-described application manner, there is a disadvantage in that an integrated structure, which can be selectively used according to a required specification such as a level of accuracy required for a measurement object, cannot be provided.

KOREA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY


A liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with exposure light and a cleaning method of the liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes holding a plate member by a holding section of a substrate stage that can hold the substrate, confining a liquid between a first member and the plate member, thereby a liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of the plate member, the portion being less than the upper surface, varying at least one of a supply rate and a recovery rate of the liquid to move an interface of the liquid between the first member and the plate member, thereby removing a foreign substance from the first member, and unloading the plate member from the substrate stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate and a device manufacturing method, and a cleaning method and a cleaning member for the exposure apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In exposure apparatus used in the photolithography process, liquid immersion exposure apparatuses that form a liquid immersion space where an optical path space for exposure light is filled with liquid, and expose a substrate via this liquid, as disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO99/49504, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-289127.
In a liquid immersion exposure apparatus, there is a possibility of contamination on a member that comes in contact with the liquid, and if the contaminated member is left in the contaminated state, the contamination expands and the performance of the exposure apparatus deteriorates. As a result, the liquid immersion exposure apparatus may become unable to expose a substrate well.
A purpose of some aspects of the invention is to provide an exposure apparatus able to suppress deterioration in performance caused by contamination, and a device manufacturing method that uses this exposure apparatus. Another purpose is to provide a cleaning method and a cleaning member for cleaning the exposure apparatus well, in order to suppress deterioration in the performance of the exposure apparatus caused by contamination

Immersion exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method, cleaning method, and cleaning member to remove foreign substance using liquid


A coated tool may include a base member having a first surface and a coating layer may be located on the first surface. The coating layer may include a first layer having a plurality of α-Al2O3 crystal particles. At least one of the α-Al2O3 crystal particles has at least two regions with different orientations from each other.

As a cutting tool for use when performing a cutting process of a workpiece, such as metal, for example, a surface coated cutting tool (hereinafter simply referred to as a coated tool) described, for example, in International Publication No. 2017/009928 (Patent Document 1) has been known. The coated tool described in Patent Document 1 includes a base material and a coating formed on the base material.
The coating includes a plurality of α-Al2O3 crystal grains and exhibits a (001) orientation. The grain boundaries of the plurality of crystal grains include coincidence site lattice (CSL) grain boundaries and general grain boundaries. That is, the coating in the coated tool described in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of crystal grains including different orientations from one another, and some of the grain boundaries of these crystal grains are CSL grain boundaries.
In the coated tool described in Patent Document 1, the coating includes a plurality of crystal grains including different orientations from one another. However, each crystal grain has one orientation. Therefore, when a cutting process is performed using the coated tool described in Patent Document 1, depending on the direction in which chips flow, some crystal grains are likely to be worn, and the wear resistance of the overall coating may be reduced. Nowadays, there is a need for a coated tool having a coating with improved wear resistance.

Coated tool, cutting tool, and method for manufacturing machined product


A multi-function socket wrench includes a driving head, a handle, a pivot rod, a first elastic limit unit and a second elastic limit unit. The driving head is pivotally connected with the pivot rod. The driving head can be slidably moved on the handle through the pivot rod and the first elastic limit unit. The driving head and the handle are secured through the second elastic limit unit. The handle and the driving head of the multi-function socket wrench can be turned free as the demand of the user to be a T-shaped socket wrench or operated horizontally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket wrench, and more particularly to a multi-function socket wrench.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional socket wrench comprises a handle and a tool head. The tool head and the handle are coupled at a specific angle. This kind of socket wrench is used to lock or unlock an object. However, the configuration of the conventional socket wrench is immovable. There are an L-shaped socket wrench and a T-shaped socket wrench on the market. By replacing different sockets, the socket wrench is adapted to lock or unlock different objects. But, the operation and the suitable occasion of these two socket wrenches are different. The user have to carry both the socket wrenches for work. This will be a burden to the user. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve this problem.