The present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for database search, by grouping data entries based on join conditions between the data entries as set in search conditions; and executing the search based on the grouping of the data entries, and can efficiently and effectively resolve the issues that are common to the existing MapReduce query processing systems, thereby being particularly suitable for big dataset analytics in a large cluster system.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of databases, and more specifically, for searching/querying a database.
With the constant development and improvements of database technology, requirements for database search/query techniques also get increasingly demanding. In practice, the MapReduce framework has been widely recognized as an efficient approach for big data analytics in a large cluster system. MapReduce application development requires the developers to code the application logic into the simple interfaces exposed by MapReduce (i.e. the map and reduce functions). Although such map and reduce interfaces offer extremely high programming flexibility, they often become challenging to implement, optimize and maintain, especially for non-trivial and complex data analysis tasks that are involved in practical productions. As is evident from the success of relational database technology (i.e. SQL), program development and optimization would be more efficient and effective if data processing programs were written in a declarative query language that hides the implementation details and is amenable to optimization. In this case, users can directly write declarative queries, which are then translated into a sequence of MapReduce programs (jobs) to be executed by the MapReduce platform (e.g. Hadoop).
In recent times, several declarative languages have been proposed and integrated into MapReduce-based systems, such as Pig Latin/Pig, HiveQL/Hive. In these systems, users directly write declarative queries, which are then translated into a sequence of MapReduce programs (jobs) to be executed by the MapReduce platform (e.g. Hadoop). These languages have significantly improved the productivity of MapReduce application developers. However, their effects and impact are limited by two major issues. On one hand, till date only few specialized optimization techniques have been exploited during the query translation procedure. As a result, in practice it is observed that automatically translated MapReduce programs for many queries are often extremely inefficient compared to hand-optimized programs that are written by experienced programmers. For example, existing language translators take the local one-operation-to-one-job approach, which simply replaces each operation in the query graph with a prepared MapReduce program. On the other hand, existing MapReduce languages provide a limited syntax for operating on data collections, mainly in the form of well-known relational joins and group-bys. As such, these languages enable users to plug-in custom MapReduce scripts into their queries. This actually nullifies the benefits of using a declarative language and may result in sub-optimal, error-prone and hard-to-maintain code.


This ionic liquid-containing laminate includes a porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C), said layer holding an ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) within voids therein, and a porous layer lacking affinity with ionic liquids (B). The porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C) may include an inorganic material (e.g., metal oxide particles having an average particle size of 0.001 to 10 μm on a number basis). The ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) may include an ionic liquid containing cations selected from ammonium, imidazolium and phosphonium cations, and anions selected from fluorine-containing anions, cyano-containing anions and amino acid-derived anions. The porous layer having affinity with ionic liquids (C) may include 1 to 100 volume parts of the ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) with respect to 100 volume parts of voids therein. The ionic liquid-containing laminate is easily formable, and is able to stably hold (or fix) the ionic liquid while maintaining said liquid in a liquid state.

Ionic liquids are known as materials composed of cations and anions and present as liquids under normal temperature and ambient pressure, and have attracted attention for their specific properties different from known solvents, such as high thermal stability (or flame retardancy), high electrochemical stability, and low volatility. In addition, since the ionic liquid can be adjusted to have various characteristics by appropriately selecting and combining cationic species and anionic species, the ionic liquids are under consideration to be used in various applications such as electrochemical devices, separative refining materials, and reaction solvents. Among these, separation and purification materials using gas absorption characteristics and the like of the ionic liquids are under development.
For example, JP 2016-10760A (Patent Document 1) discloses that the ionic liquid using aminium as a cation, the aminium having a primary or secondary amino group and having a specific skeleton, can be used as an acidic gas chemical absorption liquid. In the examples of this document, a device configured to introduce carbon dioxide into an acidic gas chemical absorbing liquid housed in a reaction vessel 12 using a gas introduction pipe 16 is disclosed.
However, since the ionic liquid is used in a liquid state, the ionic liquid is difficult to handle, and the assembly or installation operation of the device is likely to be complicated.
In addition, JP 2015-124264A (Patent Document 2) discloses a gel-like thin film which contains a polymer obtained by an ene-thiol reaction of a polyfunctional thiol compound having a polyethylene glycol skeleton and a polyfunctional vinyl compound having a polyethylene glycol skeleton and a liquid such as the ionic liquid. Patent Document 2 discloses that the gel-like thin film has a high liquid content, high strength, and high pressure resistance, and can be used as a gas separation membrane having excellent gas permeability. And the document also discloses that the gel-like thin film may be coated on a porous membrane to form a composite membrane and thus the thickness can be reduced. In the examples of this document, the gel-like thin film is prepared, in which the liquid such as the ionic liquid is included in the polymer obtained by reacting the tetrafunctional thiol compound with the tetrafunctional vinyl compound. In particular, in Examples 6 and 7, the composite membrane in which the gel-like thin film is formed on a polysulfone layer is prepared.
Since the gel-like thin film can keep the ionic liquid as a gel, the gel-like thin film is more easily handled than the liquid form (for example, a liquid film). However, when a user manually handles the gel-like thin film, the user may experience stickiness due to liquids on his/her hands. And thus, the handling of the gel-like thin film may not be sufficiently easy and an increase in a viscosity due to gelation may limit the improvement in gas permeability. In addition, since the compound for preparing the polymer also has a high viscosity and has poor handling property and is difficult to form a thin coating stably or efficiently, it is difficult to improve the gas permeability by reducing the film thickness. Furthermore, even if the film thickness of the polymer can be adjusted to be thin, since the liquid is impregnated and gelled, not only the film thickness inevitably increases due to swelling but also the dimensional stability is poor. For this reason, the usage applications may be limited.
JP 2001-120940A (Patent Document 3) discloses a method of separating and removing a carbon dioxide gas using a membrane in which a non-gelling porous membrane (A) into which a carbon dioxide gas carrier-liquid (C) having a combination of polyols and amines are impregnated and a hydrophobic porous membrane (B) having liquid repellency to the carrier-liquid (C) is laminated. In the examples of this document, a membrane in which a porous membrane made of hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene into which a mixed solution of triethylene glycol and diethylamine is impregnated and a porous membrane made of polyvinylidene fluoride are laminated is prepared.
However, this document does not describe the ionic liquid at all.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ionic liquid-containing laminate and method for producing same


A method and apparatus for assigning color values (or gray scale) to picture display locations. A large frame buffer is written into with each memory location (preferably one bit) corresponding to a separate element of an image. The frame buffer contents are then mapped into a smaller space. The frame buffer memory has a color value assigned to each location of the memory. The memory has a larger number of locations than the number of color picture display locations. Each location is also assigned one of a plurality of weights. A number of color patterns are created and stored, with each color pattern being a bit pattern designed to produce the desired color when applied to the color values of the memory locations. A representation of a desired image is written into the memory using the color patterns, with each memory location corresponding to a separate element of the image. A group of bits in adjacent memory locations are combined with their weighting factors to produce each color value for each color picture display location.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for mapping color or gray scale values onto a monitor.
A typical display system consists of a computer, a frame buffer and a CRT display. The quality of the image produced in such a system is related to the number of pixels generated, the number of colors that can be assigned to each pixel and the type of processing done by the computer. A very crude system might display only 256 by 256 pixels with only two levels (black or white) for each pixel. A higher end system might display 512 by 512 pixels with 16 million colors (256 levels for each of red, green and blue) for each pixel.
The latter system is capable of displaying very high quality natural images captured from a TV camera or similar source. However, when using simple computer algorithms for generating synthetic images (consisting of text, lines, polygons, etc.) on such a system, the results often look little better than on the crude 256 by 256 pixel system due to the jagged and stair-stepped edges on some objects. These problems are called aliasing artifacts. Antialiasing algorithms can be used which eliminate many aliasing artifacts to produce smooth looking results. However, such algorithms often take excessive time for display generation, complicate other aspects of system design and sometimes "soften" the resulting image in an undesirable way.
A straightforward way to minimize aliasing artifacts without using antialiasing algorithms is to increase the number of pixels displayed. A display system having something in the range of 2000 by 2000 pixels to 4000 by 4000 pixels would suffer minimal image degradation due to aliasing artifacts. Implementing such a display system using prior art would require a frame buffer with between 8 and 24 bits per pixel for a total number of bits ranging from 32 million to 100 million or more bits. The preferred embodiment of the present invention acts as a 4000 by 2000 frame buffer using only 8 million bits.
For a display system which does not require a large number of colors, a color map may be used to reduce the size of the frame buffer required. Instead of storing a color value for each display location, an address for a separate color map is stored, with the address location containing the actual color value. However, for natural image displays which require a large number of colors (in the thousands) a color map is not as useful because the number of bits required for the color map address is comparable to the number of bits required for the color value itself, and the color map requires a larger amount of additional memory.
Dithering is one way to reduce the number of bits when the number of colors desired is too large for color mapping. Dithering involves alternating colors between adjacent positions so that the pattern appears to be a composite color to the human eye.
Some systems store the video image in YUV format rather than RGB format. In this format, Y corresponds to luminance information (brightness), U corresponds to the blue color difference value and V corresponds to the red color difference value. Thus, luminance information is separated from the red, green and blue colors. A linear conversion will convert the YUV information to RGB information. Because the luminance portion is separated out, this coding has advantages in some applications. Such a system will convert the YUV information back into RGB information before supplying the data to the CRT.

Weighted mapping of color value information onto a display screen


A travel route searching method of a mobile object whereby a travel route preferred by a user of a mobile object is searched using a road preferred by the user of the mobile object, a travel pattern at a crossroad and a road recommended by other user, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: collecting information of a road traveled by the mobile object, and discriminating a road preference by the collected information of the road to search the travel route; collecting a behavioral factor of the mobile object at a crossroad, and discriminating a behavioral factor preference of the user by the collected behavioral factor to search the travel route; storing as a recommended road the information of the road the mobile object has traveled if there is a instruction of storing the recommended road; and searching a recommended road situated between a starting point and a destination if the travel route is searched. Preference of the user relative to roads, a travel pattern preferred by the user and a recommended route are selectively used for the search of the travel route by the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a travel route searching method of a mobile object in a navigation system from a current position to a destination. More particularly, the present invention relates to a travel route searching method of a mobile object using a road preferred by a user of the mobile object, a travel pattern at a crossroad and a road recommended by other users.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the number of various vehicles such as passenger cars continuously increases, traffic congestion becomes more critical. Particularly, there is a serious problem in that the increase rate in the number of vehicles is much faster than that of infrastructure such as road, bridge or the like. As one of the solutions to such traffic congestion, attention has been paid to a navigation system for guiding a travel path of a vehicle using a navigation system known as Global Positioning System (GPS).
In a navigation system using the GPS, a GPS receiver receives navigation messages transmitted by a plurality of GPS satellites in order to detect a location at which the navigation messages are received, i.e., a current vehicle location, using the received navigation messages, and the detected current vehicle location is map-matched on a digital map data so that the digital map data and the current vehicle location can be displayed on a display screen.
Therefore, the vehicle user can beforehand search or plan a travel route from the current vehicle location to a destination and under the guidance of the navigation system, the vehicle user can move a vehicle along the searched travel route. Accordingly, when the navigation system is used, the travel route of the vehicle can be searched and guided, resulting in an efficient use of the given road systems.
In the conventional navigation system by which a search is made for a travel route from a current location of a vehicle to a destination, a shortest route is searched using the map date stored in a map data storage, or a travel route is searched using a preference search of a highway or a freeway.
The navigation system is used for receiving traffic information via a public communication network, and the received traffic information is further used to search a travel route of a mobile object, enabling to avoid a congested road.
However, the conventional method thus mentioned has been to search a travel route of a vehicle without reflecting information of a road preferred by a vehicle user, a travel pattern and the like. Therefore, there is a limit in searching for an optimum travel route specifically wanted by a vehicle user.
In other words, there are cases where, in moving a mobile object from a current location to a destination, a vehicle user wants to travel to a destination along a scenic road instead of using a broad road. Furthermore, there is a travel pattern preferred by a vehicle user such as a U-turn, a straight run, a right turn or a left turn at every crossroad.
The travel route of a vehicle user has been searched in the past without consideration to a travel preference of the vehicle user for each road from a current location of a vehicle to a destination and a travel pattern at each crossroad. Accordingly, there is a limit in searching an optimum travel route for a vehicle user, resulting sometimes in a case where a searched travel route in a navigation system is avoided by the vehicle user who then travels along another travel route.
There is a case where a vehicle is used by plural users, and in this case, other users may recommend a scenic route or a route where it is convenient to steer a vehicle and traffic is less congested. However, there is a problem in the conventional navigation system thus explained in that a travel route has been searched without any consideration to the other users' recommendation.

Travel route searching method of mobile object


A ceramic tile gauge for determining the shape of a space between a fixed tile and an adjacent fixed member and for enabling a tile to be cut to the shape of the space comprises a body member having an abutment surface thereon and a pair of arm members extending rearwardly of the body member. A pair of engagement means are slidably mounted one on each arm member to be selectively and releasably lockable to the arm members whereby, with the abutment surface engaging the fixed member and with the engagement means located and locked in operative positions on the arm members and in engagement with the bounding edge of the fixed tile, the abutment surface and a straight line through the engagement means define opposed edges of the space.

This invention relates to a ceramic tile gauge and more particularly to such a gauge for accurately measuring the size and shape of the part-tile at the end of a row of tiles.
When tiling an area of floor or wall with ceramic tiles it is usual to terminate each horizontal or vertical row of tiles, be it adjacent a wall, ceiling, skirting board or the like, with a part-tile. Although the rows of tiles in question may be accurately aligned with the horizontal or vertical, it is quite common for the wall, ceiling, skirting board or the like to be slightly offset from the horizontal or vertical whereby a space of tapering width remains at the end of the row. In order to ensure an attractive finish to the tiled area, it is necessary for the shape of the end part-tile to conform with the shape of said end space, be it tapering or otherwise.
It is known to provide calliper-like devices for measuring the width of a space at the end of a row of tiles, but these devices are only able to determine the width of the space at any given point therealong and cannot immediately detect a tapering space and the angle the cut edge of the tile should have. In this respect, these devices only provide a guide for a straight cut at either the maximum or minimum width of the space and require the use of a specialised tile cutter which must be used in a handed manner.
It is also known, for example from United Kingdom specification No. 2185115B, to provide a tile gauge or jig capable of detecting and determining a tapering shape at the end of a row of tiles and whereby a correspondingly-shaped tile can be cut using the gauge.
However, the jig in question is of relatively complex and therefore expensive construction, comprising a plurality of components incorporating both pivotal and slidable connections therebetween.
Pivotal joints in particular are extremely prone to jamming or otherwise failing, especially in tiling environments where adhesive can get everywhere.


An active implantable medical device (AIMD) comprising an implantable electronics module and a tissue interface. At least one of the electronics module and the tissue interface comprises an electrically non-conductive, biocompatible and needle-piercable base having one or more biocompatible electrically conductive strands of conductive filaments stitched to the base. As used herein, stitching a conductive filament to a base refers to sewing, embroidering or otherwise securing the filament to the base through the use of hand or machine needlework.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to active implantable medical devices (AIMDs), and more particularly, to stitched components of an AIMD.
2. Related Art
Medical devices having one or more active implantable components, generally referred to herein as active implantable medical devices (AIMDs), have provided a wide range of therapeutic benefits to patients over recent decades. AIMDs often include an implantable, hermetically sealed electronics module, and a device that interfaces with a patient's tissue, sometimes referred to as a tissue interface. The tissue interface may include, for example, one or more instruments, apparatus, sensors or other functional components that are permanently or temporarily implanted in a patient. The tissue interface is used to, for example, diagnose, monitor, and/or treat a disease or injury, or to modify a patient's anatomy or physiological process.
In particular applications, an AIMD tissue interface includes one or more conductive electrical contacts, referred to as electrodes, which deliver electrical stimulation signals to, or receive signals from, a patient's tissue. The electrodes are typically disposed in a biocompatible electrically non-conductive member, and are electrically connected to the electronics module. The electrodes and the non-conductive member are collectively referred to herein as an electrode assembly.

Stitched components of an active implantable medical device


A digital video image stabilization method features scene change detection, adaptive stabilization in two dimensions, prevention of accumulated-compensation saturation, multi-resolution motion estimation, and compatibility with MPEG video encoding standards. The method uses block-based motion estimation on a selected set of macroblocks, which generates and validates a set of motion vectors, to determine how a digital camcorder or other video recording device is moving; accumulates motion data to estimate and preserve overall motion due to panning while eliminating small variations due to shaking; and resets its accumulated motion data when it detects a scene change. The method uses this information to select a sub-image from a larger image for the selected video frame. When one or more edges of the sub-image approach the edges of the larger image, the method reduces its correction factor to transition smoothly to a faster pan and prevent saturation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital video recording, and more particularly, to a method of stabilizing digital video recording in two dimensions when recording a scene with an unstabilized digital video camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Home video camcorders have become increasingly popular in recent years, with people recording everything from their children's antics to space shuttle launches. One reason for their increasing popularity is that camcorders are becoming smaller. While anyone who has hauled a heavy video camera around appreciates the lower weight, it has come at a cost: the mass of the camera no longer helps to keep the camera, and hence the image, steady. A shaky video makes for poor viewing, since the jittery image is distracting to viewers.
Lately, with the conversion to digital video camcorders, digital image stabilization has become a popular feature. However, the current methods have a number of disadvantages. They only stabilize in one axis, have significant computational overhead requiring bulky circuitry and high power requirements, and the compensation algorithm can become overwhelmed, or "saturated", meaning that it can fail to compensate properly especially when the camera is being panned across a scene, resulting in an unstabilized image.
A key limitation is that by only stabilizing in a single axis, most current methods of stabilizing digital video do not address a key part of the problem: one of the most distracting parts of an unstabilized video image is unintended motion away from the general motion of the scene. In other words, unintended motion occurring orthogonal to the vector of the intended pan is more distracting than motion occurring inline with the vector.
A typical prior-art stabilization method uses block based motion estimation which divides the captured video frame into a plurality of squares, called macroblocks, compares these macroblocks against a set of prior video frames, determines how much the image has shifted, and selects a subregion of the captured video frame to record as the current frame of the video. The comparison chooses macroblocks that are 16 pixels wide and 16 pixels high, and searches up to 64 pixels in all directions using half-pixel resolution. However, this method is extremely computationally intensive and is unsuitable for implementation in a real-time consumer device due to the complexity, size, and expense of the computer hardware required.
A second prior-art stabilization method uses block based motion estimation which involves choosing a subset of 28 macroblocks, sized 64×64 pixels, and searching within 30 pixels in all directions using full-pixel resolution. Again, however, this method is extremely computationally intensive and is unsuitable for implementation in a real-time consumer device due to the complexity, size, and expense of the computer hardware required; additionally, this method is not directly compatible with the MPEG video standards used in digital video recorders due to the large size of the macroblocks.
Another method, described by Jones in U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,758 attempts to use histograms to stabilize film being converted to digital video, but the method is limited, requiring manual scene-change detection and using an algorithm which is suited to the more specific case of correcting frame jumping during the film conversion process. Jones' algorithm detects rapid jumps in estimated motion and smoothes these out, while not affecting smaller transitions that fall within a threshold. However, small transitions, such as vertical oscillations due to hand shaking or in an extreme case due to a boat rocking on the waves, are a type of motion which it is particularly desirable to eliminate.
An improved method for stabilizing digital video images in two dimensions is clearly necessary in order to improve the viewing experience, especially regarding eliminating the undesirable orthogonal random motion.

Method to stabilize digital video motion


The present disclosure relates to a method to improve the performance of reservoir simulators, and to widen the range of systems that can efficiently be modeled. The present disclosure relates to determining fluid flow in a subsurface reservoir. One embodiment divides the reservoir into discrete volume elements. Fluid within the volume elements is represented, for example, by it pressure, saturation, and/or composition. For one or more fluid phases comprising the fluid, the potential for each volume element is determined. The volume elements are ordered according to their potentials for each phase comprising the fluid. A local, fully coupled time-step sequence is determined using a local conservation solution based on the potential ordering of and for each fluid phase. The fluid flow is determined using a global conservation solution based on the local, fully coupled time-step sequence.

Oil and gas reservoirs are accumulations of hydrocarbons trapped within the earth's crust. The hydrocarbons exist as fluids within the pore space of porous rocks. If flow of the fluid is possible, then the accumulation may be an exploitable reservoir. The reservoir is typically produced by drilling wells into the appropriate formation to allow flow through the porous rock towards and into a producing well, and ultimately to the surface.
When considering investment decisions and day-to-day operations, reservoir engineers would like to be able to predict the hydrocarbon recovery, given certain assumptions about the reservoir, production system, and operating conditions. Historically, this has been achieved using simple analytic models, but since the advent of the computer, engineers have simulated the subsurface formation and fluid flow using numerical methods.
The computer programs used to do those simulations are usually referred to as reservoir simulators. Different reservoir simulators may use different numerical techniques, and may make different physical assumptions, but all aim to solve equations describing the flow within the reservoir to provide predictions of the fluid movement. Often the simulations will use significant computer resources and take considerable time to run.
Reservoir simulators since the 1960s have discretized the reservoir into grid blocks representing small regions of space. Such simulators are known as finite volume models. For such models, fluid is assumed to be conserved for each grid block. Typically, the pressure is solved for implicitly, while the saturations or concentration variables that describe the composition of the fluid in a grid block may be solved explicitly or implicitly.


A baseball or softball bat improved in repulsiveness while maintaining sufficient durability is obtained. The bat is a baseball or softball bat including a hitting portion, a tapered portion and a grip portion, and the hitting portion offers a hitting portion core as a core, an elastic body and an outer shell member. The elastic body is arranged on the outer periphery of the hitting portion core. The outer shell member is arranged on the outer periphery of the elastic body. The outer shell member includes outer shell member portions which are a plurality of portions elastically deformable independently of each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baseball or softball bat employing an elastic body for a hitting portion, and more specifically, it relates to a baseball or softball bat employing an elastic body for a hitting portion, improved in repulsiveness while maintaining durability.
2. Description of the Background Art
A bat improved in repulsiveness by employing an elastic body for a hitting portion is known in general (refer to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-126144 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), for example). In Patent Document 1, a hitting portion of a bat is constituted of a hitting portion core, an elastic body arranged on the outer periphery of the hitting portion core and a pipe as an outer shell member arranged on the outer periphery of the elastic body. Thus, the elastic body is compressed in batting by an impact resulting from the batting, so that a ball and the outer shell member move toward the direction of the hitting portion core. It is stated that the ball and the outer shell member thereafter move in the outer surface direction of the bat due to restoration of the elastic body, whereby the ball does not remarkably deform in the batting, and repulsiveness of the bat is improved by reducing energy loss resulting from deformation of the ball.
As a result of studying the aforementioned conventional bat, however, the inventor has found the following problem: In other words, while it is necessary to maintain a certain degree of strength in the outer shell member in the bat having the aforementioned structure, the outer shell member does not sufficiently deform or move in batting when the outer shell member of such sufficient strength is employed, and the improvement in the repulsiveness of the bat has been insufficient as a result. On the other hand, while a countermeasure of reducing rigidity of the outer shell member or employing a material softer than ever as the elastic body is conceivable in order to sufficiently deform the outer shell member or the elastic body in batting in the bat having the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, such a new problem arises in this case that the durability of the bat lowers to deteriorate the batting feeling.


A toner fuser member has a substrate, on which is formed a toner release surface layer from a composition that includes: about 95 wt. % to about 99.9 wt. % of a cross-linked, glycidyl end-capped bisphenolic polymer having the formula

In electrostatographic imaging and recording processes such as electrophotographic copying, an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductive surface is developed with a thermoplastic toner powder, which is thereafter fused to a receiver. The fuser member can be a roll, belt, or any surface having the suitable shape for fixing thermoplastic toner powder to the receiver. The fusing step commonly includes passing the receiver, for example, a sheet of paper on which toner powder is distributed in an image-wise pattern, through the nip of a pair of rolls. At least one of the rolls is heated; in the case where the fuser member is a heated roll, a smooth resilient surface is bonded either directly or indirectly to the core of the roll. Where the fuser member is in the form of a belt, it is preferably a flexible endless belt having a smooth, hardened outer surface that passes around the heated roller. A persistent problem with electrostatographic fusing systems, known as offset, is the adhesion of heat-softened toner particles to the surface of the fuser member rather than the receiver during passage through the rolls. Any toner remaining adhered to the fuser member can cause a false offset image to appear on the next sheet that passes through the rolls and can also degrade the fusing performance of the member. Another possible problem is degradation of the member surface caused by continued heating, which results in an uneven surface and defective patterns in thermally fixed images.
Toner fuser rolls are composed of a cylindrical core that may include a heat source in its interior, and a resilient covering layer formed directly or indirectly on the surface of the core. Roll covering layers are commonly made of fluorocarbon polymers such as TEFLON™ or silicone polymers such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) polymers. A thin layer of a suitable primer may be advantageously coated on the surface of the core to improve its bonding of with the covering layer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,491 discloses a priming agent composition that is useful for binding a toner fuser member surface layer containing a fluorocarbon polymeric material to a metallic or an organic polymeric substrate. An intervening layer of the described priming agent composition, which comprises about 98 to 99.99 wt. % of a cross-linked glycidyl end-capped bisphenolic polymer and about 0.01 to 2 wt. % of a perfluoroalkylsubstituted glycidyl-reactive compound, improves the adherence of a surface layer formed from an amorphous fluoroplastic material such as TEFLON™ to the fuser member substrate.
Frequently, release oils composed of, for example, poly(dimethylsiloxanes) are applied to the fuser roll surface to prevent adherence of toner to the roll. Such release oils may interact with the resilient layer upon repeated use and in time cause swelling, softening, and degradation of the roll. Silicone rubber covering layers that are insufficiently resistant to release oils and cleaning solvents are also susceptible to delamination of the roll cover after repeated heating and cooling cycles.
Toner fuser belts are composed of a continuous flexible material having superior resistance to heat and a smooth surface. The belt substrate can be metallic or polymeric. As described above for fuser rolls, the surface layer of the belt is typically a thin coating of a low surface energy polymer such as a fluorocarbon or a silicone resin. This outer layer should adhere strongly to the belt substrate and form a hard, tough surface that is resistant to wear and cracking as well as to cleaning solvents and fluids.
In electrostatographic imaging processes dry developers can be used to form an image on a receiving surface such as a sheet of paper. Dry developers usually include a toner powder and carrier particles. Carrier particles and toner particles have different triboelectric values. As the developer mixture is agitated, the particles rub together and the toner and carrier particles acquire opposite electric charges and cling together. In the subsequent development step the somewhat higher opposite charge of the electrostatic latent image draws the colored toner from the carrier and develops the image. Various addenda are frequently used to improve the properties of the toner and carrier particles.
Toners include, as a major component, the binder and, as minor components, a colorant, and a charge control agent. The binder can be any resin having properties suitable for dry toners. Many such resins are known, but thermoplastic resins that are fixable by fusing are especially useful. When a dry toner powder image is transferred from one surface to another, defects in the image can occur. It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,491 that the addition of low surface energy liquid or solid addenda, especially polymers containing organopolysiloxane segments, may alleviate many of these defects.
Carrier particles include magnetizable irregular particles that are usually coated with a film of a polymeric material, which helps develop the triboelectric charge and aids the transfer of the toner. The coating material must adhere well to the carrier particle because the toner charge decreases as the polymer wears off. Polymers with low surface energy properties are especially useful for coating carrier particles.
Recent electrophotographic apparatus and processes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,089,363 and 5,411,779, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,779 describes an apparatus having an image-fixing belt with a polyimide resin inner layer and a fluoroplastic outer layer that produces unglossed, matte images. Other fuser belt systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,200,284; 5,233,008; 5,330,840; 5,362,833; and 5,529,847, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The ferrotyping belt used for the production of high gloss toner images typically has a metal or an organic polymeric substrate on which is coated a release layer. The toner is generally fused in a heated nip to a receiver, which then continues to travel along the belt without releasing until the toner is cool. To avoid the use of a release oil, the release layer of the fuser belt must have low surface energy.
Toner fuser belts are composed of a continuous smooth, heat-resistant, flexible material on a metallic or polymeric substrate. A release layer applied to the belt substrate is a thinly coated, low surface energy polymer such as a fluorocarbon or a cross-linked silicone resin. Such release layers, however, often display poor mechanical properties, including inadequate adhesion to the metal support, and are susceptible to rapid wear upon repeated contact with abrasive receiving sheets such as bond paper or uncoated laser print paper.
There remains an ongoing need for fuser belts having durable surface layer compositions that adhere well to the substrate, form a hard, tough surface that is resistant to wear, cracking and solvents, and are capable of producing multiple high quality, high gloss toner images, including multicolor images. This need is well met by the release layer composition of the present invention.

Toner fuser member having release layer formed from glycidyl end-capped polymer and perfluoroalkyl glycidyl-reactive compound

Abstract: where R1 and R2 are each independently H or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and R3 and R4 are each independently H, F, or an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, Z is a carbonyl cross-linking group, and x is an integer from 1 to about 10; and about 0.01 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of a perfluoroalkylsubstituted glycidyl-reactive compound having the formula

Abstract: where R5 is H or F, Q is OH or SiR6R7R8, R6, R7, and R8 being independently selected from the group consisting of Cl, OH, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, an acyloxy group containing 2 to about 4 carbon atoms, and an amino group containing 0 to about 4 carbon atoms; and n is an integer from 1 to about 15. When Q is SiR6R7R8, at least one of R6, R7, and R8 is Cl, OH, or an alkoxy, acyloxy, or amino group.


An apparatus for bleeding or purging fluid from a fluid line includes a bleed valve permanently affixed to the wall of the fluid line and a valve actuator releasably connected to the bleed valve which is operative to move a spring-biased, one-way valve member in the bleed valve between a valve open and valve closed position. The valve actuator is movable to a valve open position relative to the one-way valve member in response to the spring force exerted by a coil spring or the like, which avoids damage to the biasing spring associated with the one-way valve member. The valve actuator also includes a guard to prevent assembly or disassembly of the valve actuator and bleed valve with the valve actuator in a valve open position.

Apparatus for purging or bleeding fluid lines, particularly those intended for use in jet aircraft, generally include a bleed valve permanently attached to the fluid line and a separate valve actuator releasably connected to the bleed valve which is operative, in a valve open position, to open the valve and purge or bleed fluid from the line. After the bleed or purge operation is completed, the valve actuator is removed and the bleed valve remains with the fluid line.
One common deficiency of bleed apparatus of the type described above is that no safety mechanism is provided to prevent engagement or disengagement of the valve actuator and bleed valve when the valve actuator is in the valve open position. If the valve actuator is in a valve open position upon connecting or removing it from the bleed valve, leakage of fluid from the fluid line is virtually certain to occur. This can be particularly dangerous where caustic or other hazardous fluid is being transmitted by the fluid line.
Another problem with bleed or purge apparatus such as described above involves inadvertent damage to the valve member of the bleed valve. Most bleed valves of the type utilized in a bleed/purge application include a one-way valve member such as a ball which is spring-biased against a seat to place the valve in a closed position. The valve actuator is moved to the valve open position to disengage this ball from the seat to open the valve. In many bleed apparatus designs, the valve actuator can be tightened down into a valve open position with such force as to damage the spring or other means used to bias the valve member of the bleed valve into a normally closed position. After a period of time, the spring or other biasing means can be weakened to a point where it fails to return the ball to a seated, closed position and thus permits leakage of the fluid from the valve.
A still further limitation of many apparatus for bleeding or purging fluid from a fluid line is the size and weight of the bleed valve portion of the apparatus. This is of particular concern in applications such as the fluid lines in jet aircraft wherein the bleed valves must be as small and lightweight as possible. Because the bleed valve is permanently attached to the fluid line, the bulky or heavy bleed valves of many prior art apparatus cannot be utilized in applications such as in jet aircraft.


The invention relates to an internal milling cutter including an annular tool support (11) equipped on the inner casing thereof with cutting inserts. The tool support (11) is fastened in a machine holder (10). According to the invention, a bayonet-type connection is provided between the tool support (11) and the machine holder (10).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an internal milling cutter with an annular tool support which, on its inner lateral surface, is fitted with cutting inserts and is fastened in a machine holder.
2. Description of Related Art
In the machining methods known according to the prior art, the crankshafts normally pass through a plurality of machining stages. First of all, the cast or forged shafts are subjected to a cutting operation, such as turn broaching, turn-turn broaching, internal rotary milling and external milling, especially at high milling speeds wherein the allowance provided from the casting or forging point of view is removed down to a residual value within the millimeter range.
Annular milling cutter disks with internal cutting edges, preferably indexable cutter inserts, have been known for some time now, also in respect of the use thereof, for crankshaft milling.
DE 34 38 978 C1 describes a device for fastening an internal-milling-cutter support on the accommodating flange of the milling-cutter drum of a crankshaft-milling machine by means of locking elements which, with the internal-milling-cutter support being pressed against the accommodating flange of the milling-cutter drum, can be brought into abutment with opposing surfaces on the respectively other part. Wedges are fastened on the support or on the milling-cutter drum, and the sub-surfaces of these wedges form the opposing surfaces. Wedges in the form of ring elements are arranged on the milling-cutter drum or on the support, it being possible for these wedges to interact therewith and to be displaced radially in relation to the support axis, wherein in each case one eccentric is provided as a displacement drive for the displaceable part such that the combination of the eccentric with the wedge is self-locking.
DE 10 2009 006 010.3 describes a device for fastening an annular milling-tool support, in particular of an internal milling cutter, on a machine holder by means of a threaded connection between the milling-tool support and the machine holder. This configuration has production-related advantages since only a small number of installation parts are required. Furthermore, this connection is easy to handle. The disadvantage, however, is that the tool-support disk has to be rotated a number of times in order to be securely fixed or released.


A method of making animal litter from a tree nuts, such as from a walnut composition of shells, pelica and membrane, by grinding or crushing the walnut composition, removing all or almost all of the shells from the walnut composition by vibration and aspiration to form muller, adding any desired additives to the muller (e.g. fragrances, fillers and extenders, clumping agent such as guar bean, mold inhibitor agent such as calcium propionate, etc.), and pelletizing the muller by heating and compressing the muller through small apertures and cutting the muller exiting the apertures at desired lengths. The heating and compression of the muller results in pellets that have odor absorbing characteristics that outperform commercial animal litters.

An ideal animal litter is one that is highly absorbent, controls odor, and does not break down to the point that the animal tracks the litter outside of its container. Various solutions have been proposed and marketed. Clumping agents have been included in litter material, so that the soiled portions of the litter clump together to control odor and facilitate removal of just the soiled portions of the litter. However, clumping agents alone do not sufficiently control odor for most applications. Odor control is generally addressed by adding inorganic or organic acids, chemicals, buffering agents, fragrances and/or other mixtures and compositions to the litter to mask the odor and/or produce an odor masking smell when the litter is soiled. Some of these additives are activated by the animal waste itself, while others are activated by agitation of the litter by the animal. Odor control can also be addressed by sprays and other additives that are applied to the litter after it is soiled.
The drawback to most of these litters is that the additives used are expensive to make or obtain, generate hazardous waste byproducts during manufacture, and/or fail to break down properly when disposed in landfills.
It is known that pelletized walnut shell byproducts can be used for wood burning applications. In large scale processing of walnuts, cracking plants typically remove the meat of the walnuts from their shells. The shell byproduct left behind comprises the outer shell itself, the pelica (thin layer between the shell and the meat) and the membrane (thin layer between sections of the meat). Traditionally, the shell byproduct is burned or otherwise disposed of in landfills. However, the shell byproduct has also been combined with saw dust, pelletized by mixing with water and compressing the resulting slurry through a small holes in a die, and marketed as a wood burning product. There was no suggestion however that the pellet composition could be altered to provide odor control as an animal litter.
There is a need for an absorbent organic litter that sufficiently controls odor without reliance on expensive inorganic chemical additives.

Pelletized tree nut animal litter and method of making same


An antenna structure capable of receiving an external radio signal has a structure that enables reception of magnetic flux caused by an external radio signal, but has a magnetic path that makes it difficult for magnetic flux generated by resonance to leak to said outside of said antenna structure, said magnetic path being formed minimally by an antenna part, which is formed by at least one antenna core part and a coil part formed by winding of a conductive wire around said antenna core part, and a cover part disposed in a vicinity of said antenna part and covering at least a part of said antenna part, said antenna core part and cover part being made of a soft magnetic material, and also said cover part being joined to said antenna part at both ends of said antenna core part of said antenna part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna structure and to a radio-controlled timepiece that uses the antenna structure, and more particularly it relates to an antenna structure especially for a resonance antenna, which is configured so that even in the case in which the antenna structure is disposed in the vicinity of a metal object, the receiving performance of the antenna structure does not decrease, and to a radio-controlled timepiece that uses the antenna structure as mentioned above.
2. Related Art
In recent years many wristwatch products using radio signals have appeared.
Specifically, known products include a wristwatch with a radio in which a radio function is added within the wristwatch so as to obtain prescribed information by receiving a broadcasted radio signal, a radio-controlled timepiece that receives a standard radio signal onto which is superimposed a time code so as to automatically adjust the time of the wristwatch to the standard time during use, and a remotely controlled wristwatch.
In a wristwatch, however, in order to use a radio signal an antenna and receiving circuit are necessary, and it is not only necessary to use components and a design that are completely different from watches in the past, but also to consider the issue of not hindering receiving performance.
Specifically, there is the problem of how to improve the antenna receiving performance and also the restriction in designing with regard to size and design because of the placement of the antenna inside or on part of the outer case of the wristwatch.
In particular the antenna, which greatly influences the performance of receiving a radio signal, has a size that is considerable larger than the other components of wristwatches of the past and further, since a placement of the antenna is restricted with respect to the receiving performance thereof, various methods were used, such as internal mounting, external mounting, extendable/retractable mounting, or cord-type mounting.
The internal mounting method is generally used with a bar type antenna formed by a magnetic core and a coil, and when mounting within a wristwatch, it is necessary to take care with regard to the case material and structure, and with regard to design, in order that the receiving performance is not decreased.
In the case of external mounting, in a method such as the extendable/retractable method used in radio-cassette recorder combinations or a cord-type method in which a cord is also used for earphones or the like, it is necessary to consider the overall design, storability, and endurance and the like of the watch.
In this situation, in order to achieve not only compactness and thinness, but also fashionable appearance in a wristwatch, it is of course necessary to give sufficient consideration not only to not causing a drop in receiving performance of the antenna, but also to ease of portability and designability, thereby leading to a demand to make the antenna smaller.
In a radio-controlled timepiece it is the antenna characteristics and the receiving circuit characteristics that determine the receiving performance, the lower limit of the signal input to a receiving circuit or a receiving IC being a signal amplitude of approximately 1 μV at present, so that in order to achieve practically useful receiving performance, it was necessary to obtain an output having a signal amplitude of approximately 1 μV with an antenna in an electrical field strength (strength of the radio waves) of 40 to 50 dBμV/m.
For this reason, in the case of a size restriction, a resonant-type receiving antenna, which enables the achievement of a large signal output, is generally used, and further, regarding the type of the receiving antenna, since the wave length of the radio wave is long, a bar antenna in which conductive wire is wound on a magnetic core is typically used.
With this type of receiving antenna, because the output of the receiving antenna is approximately proportional to the size of the receiving antenna, it is not possible to make a size of the antenna too small in order to obtain practically usable receiving performance.
Accordingly, there are problems in selecting a material or in positioning of a member used in a place or in the vicinity of the antenna so that the receiving characteristic should not be reduced in the case of a compact wristwatch.
In particular, because there is an extreme decrease in the output of the antenna when it is housed in a metal outer case, consideration is necessary so that receiving performance is not hindered.
For this reason, in order to use a radio signal in a wristwatch, it is necessary not only to use the component structures and a design that are completely different from those of watches in the past, but also to consider the issue of not hindering receiving performance.
In the case of a radio-controlled timepiece of the past, the mounting of the antenna was generally made by external mounting method and by internal mounting method, and in the case in which the outer case comprising a bottom cover part and a side part was made of metal, mounting of the receiving antenna was generally made outside.
Because a non-metal such as plastic or the like was used in order that the antenna case does not cause a decrease in receiving performance, there was a large protrusion, so that not only were compactness, thinness, and portability lost, but also there was a prominent loss in the degree of freedom of design.
Also, in the case of an internal receiving antenna, although ceramic or plastic is used as a material for the outer case (bottom cover part and side parts) of the wrist watch in order not to reduce the receiving performance, because these materials have little strength, the thickness thereof increases, thereby causing a loss of housing capacity and portability, and also greatly restricting design, resulting in a wrist watch that is lack of high quality feeling with massive feeling in its appearance.
For this reason, in the past, for example as can be seen in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2-126408, a metal antenna has been disposed within a leather band of the watch.
Also, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 5-81787 by the applicant of this patent application, there an instance in which an antenna in which a coil is wound around a core is disposed between the dial plate and the windshield, which distances it from the metal outer case itself that would interfere with the radio waves and also provides a unique design, and in international patent disclosure WO95/27928, there is the disclosure of the mounting of an antenna on the side part of a watch case of a wristwatch.
Additionally, in European patent disclosure 0382130, there is also a disclosure of the disposition of an antenna for example on the top surface of a case in a ring shape.
However, in a configuration in which the antenna is disposed in the band, because the antenna exists inside the band, it is necessary to make electrical connection with the electronic apparatus, and it is not possible to impart sufficient flexibility to the connection part between the two.
Additionally, it is not possible to use a band of metal, which would interfere with radio waves, and it is necessary to use a band of rubber or the like, this presenting a restriction in terms of materials and design.
In a configuration in which the antenna is mounted on the upper surface or side surface of a wrist watch because the antenna is at a distance from the metal part of the wrist watch itself, there is an increase in the thickness or size of the overall watch, thereby causing a problem of a design restriction.
Additionally, in the instance in European patent 0382130, in which the antenna is disposed in a ring shape on the upper surface of the case, because reception is not possible if metal exists within the ring, there is the problem of the practical necessity to provide antenna that is separate from the watch.
Additionally, although in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-64547 there is a disclosure of a wristwatch in which a coil is disposed in a channel-shaped depression provided around the periphery of a circuit board and in which a core is disposed in a curve along the circumferential direction of the circuit board, in addition thereto the manufacturing process thereof is made complex, and further the assembly process in the manufacturing process also becomes complicated leading it troublesome.
In the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-33571 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-305244 and the like, there is disclosure of a wristwatch in which the windshield and bottom cover part are made of a non-metallic material such as glass or ceramic or the like, and a metal material as in the past is used therebetween so that sufficient radio waves reach the antenna.
Specifically, in the above-noted examples of the past, the output of the receiving antenna was based on a fact that it is extremely reduced when the antenna is externally mounted on a metal outer case, and the object is to make the material of the bottom cover with non-metallic so as to reduce the drop in output and use sides of a metal that has a high massive feeling in its appearance.
In the above-noted prior example, however, because glass or ceramic is used, there is the problem that the thickness of the watch increases. Also, because either a large sized high-sensitivity antenna structure was used or usage thereof was limited to an area in which the radio signal field strength was high, the convenience of the radio-controlled timepiece is suffered.
Furthermore, in a wristwatch having this configuration, although it was possible to achieve a radio signal that reached the antenna, and the bottom cover part was thinly plated with a metallic plating so as to give the user the impression that metal was actually being used, in terms of outer appearance, there was no feeling of weightiness or textural quality, so that the high-quality image was lost.
For this reason, compactness, thinness, portability, freedom of design, massive feeling in appearance (feeling of high quality) are important factors and, in spite of a demand for a type with a metal outer case and a built-in antenna, in the past there were no radio-controlled timepiece with a fully metal outer case and a feeling of high quality.
Also, in the past, as shown in FIG. 3, in the case in which an antenna structure 102 for the purpose of receiving an external radio signal is disposed on the inside of a metal outer case 103 having electrical conductivity, for example, inside the side or bottom cover (hereinafter collectively referred to as the metal outer case in the present invention) used as the outer case of the watch made, for example, of stainless steel, titanium, or a titanium alloy or the like, considering that the magnetic flux 104 of the external radio signal are absorbed by the metal outer case 103 so that the external radio signal does not reach the antenna structure 102 and the output of the antenna drops, in order to improve the sensitivity of the antenna structure 102, the antenna structure 102 was made large and, the antenna structure 102 was provided outside the metal outer case 103 or a plastic or ceramic outer case was used instead of the metal outer case 103, and in order to achieve an accompanying improvement in the quality of the outer appearance, a thin metal plating or metallic paint was applied to a non-metallic surface.
The inventors of the subjection invention, however, as a result of further study, discovered that the above-noted understanding of the problem in the past was in error, and that even if the antenna structure 102 is disposed within a metal outer case 103 of metal that has electrical conductivity, the external radio signal substantially reaches the antenna structure 102, the problem being, as shown in FIG. 3, that the magnetic flux 105 generated from the antenna core part 106 of the antenna structure 102 at the time of resonance interacts with the metal outer case 103 (as eddy current loss), so that there is a resulting loss of magnetic energy, causing the Q value of the resonant antenna to decrease, so that there is a decrease in the voltage output of the antenna structure 102, thereby greatly reducing the receiving performance.

Antenna structure and radio-controlled timepiece


In an actuator latch used with a hard disk drive to lock an actuator in a non-pivoting position when a magnetic head installed at the actuator is positioned in a parking zone of a hard disk, the actuator latch includes a hooked portion provided at one side of the actuator and having first and second hook steps disposed to face each other, a locking member having a hook portion which is coupled to the hooked portion as the actuator moves to the parking zone, the hook portion coupled to the hooked portion being interfered with the first hook step when the actuator rotate clockwise and with the second hook step when the actuator rotate counterclockwise, and an elastic member elastically supporting the locking member to be capable of rotating and providing a restoring force to the locking member with respect to both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the locking member. Thus, when a clockwise or counterclockwise rotational impact is applied to the hard disk drive, the actuator latch restricts rotation of the actuator so that the actuator cannot escape from the parking zone and the hard disk drive can be protected from being damaged.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2001-16868 filed on Mar. 30, 2001, in the Korean Industrial Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hard disk drive, and more particularly, to an actuator latch used with a hard disk drive which fixes an actuator of the hard disk drive in a parking zone when the actuator does not operate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a hard disk as one of auxiliary memory devices in a computer records data on a hard disk or reproduces data from the hard disk. An actuator having a magnet head functioning as an electromagnet is installed in the hard disk drive.
When the hard disk drive is actuated, the actuator rotates so that the magnetic head moves from the parking zone to a data zone. The magnetic head of the actuator writes data on the hard disk or reads data that is stored magnetically on the hard disk.
When the electric power is turned off to end the use of a computer, a driving voltage to a spindle motor also stops so that the speed of the hard disk rotated by the spindle motor gradually decreases. At this point, the magnetic head in the state of flying above the hard disk by the flow of air descends onto the surface of the hard disk. However, when the magnetic head lands on the surface of the data zone of the hard disk, the magnetic surface of the hard disk or data recorded on the hard disk may be damaged. To prevent the above problem, a parking zone is provided on the surface of the hard disk. Here, the parking zone is a portion of the surface of the hard disk where no data is recorded. The magnetic head is moved to the parking zone by a program before it lands on the surface of the hard disk.
When external impacts or vibrations are applied to the hard disk drive in an operation ready mode, the magnetic head, staying in the parking zone, is forced to be moved to a data zone while contacting the hard disk. The magnetic head intruding on the data zone damages the surface of the hard disk as well as the data stored in the hard disk by contacting the surface of the hard disk.
Thus, to prevent the above problem, an actuator latch for firmly fixing the magnetic head during external impacts or vibrations by supporting the magnetic head in the parking zone with a particular force, is used.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional hard disk drive that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,090. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional hard disk drive 100 includes a hard disk 120 rotatably installed at a housing 110 and having a data zone 121 where data is recorded and a parking zone 122 where no data is recorded, an actuator 130 transferring the magnetic head 131 that reads and writes information with respect to the hard disk 120 to a desired track position of the hard disk 120, and a latch device 180 preventing the actuator 130 positioned in the parking zone 122 from escaping therefrom.
The magnetic head 131 is installed at one end of the actuator 130, and a bobbin portion 134, around which a coil 133 is wound to generate a magnetic field, is installed at the other end of the actuator 130. The actuator 130 is installed to be capable of pivoting around a pivot shaft 136 installed at the housing 110. The bobbin portion 134 moves the actuator 130 to a desired track of the hard disk 120 by an electromagnetic force generated between a stator 140 and a yoke 150 installed at the housing 110.
The latch device 180 is installed to be capable of pivoting around a rotation shaft 161 installed at the housing 110, and includes a locking member 160 and a spring 170. In the locking member 160, a latch hole 163 is provided at one end of the locking member 160 to latch a finger portion 139 that is provided at one side of the bobbin portion 134 and an inertia member 162 is provided at the other end thereof. The spring 170 is connected to the locking member 160 and provides an elastic force.
In the above structure, when the actuator 130 moves above the hard disk 120 and/or there is no external impact, including rotational impact, the finger portion 139 is elastically biased by the spring 170. Thus, since the actuator 130 is not firmly held by the latch hole 163, the actuator 130 moves to the data zone 121 from the parking zone 122 and reads or records data with respect to the hard disk 120.
When the actuator 130 is positioned in the parking zone 122 and the hard disk 120 receives a clockwise rotational impact externally with respect to the drawing, the actuator 130 rotates counterclockwise due to a rotational inertial force. Also, the locking member 160, reacting more sensitively than the actuator 130, rotates counterclockwise so that the finger portion 139 is inserted in the latch hold 163 and firmly held therein. Thus, the actuator 130 is prevented from escaping from the parking zone 122.
However, when a counterclockwise rotational impact with respect to the drawing is applied to the hard disk 120, the actuator 130 rotates clockwise due to a rotational inertial force, and the locking member 160 also rotates clockwise. Thus, the finger portion 139 is not firmly held by the latch hole 163.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional load-unload hard disk drive having a ramp. Referring to FIG. 2, the hard disk drive 200 includes a hard disk 220, an actuator 230, and an actuator latch 280. The hard disk 220 is divided into a data zone 222 where data is recorded and a parking zone 221 where no data is recorded.
The actuator 230 is installed to be capable of pivoting at a pivot shaft 235, which is installed at a housing 210. A magnetic head 231 is provided at one end of the actuator 230 and a bobbin portion 234, around which a coil 233 is wound, is provided at the other end thereof. The bobbin portion 234 generates an electromagnetic force between the bobbin portion 234 and a stator 250 installed at the housing 210 so that the actuator 230 can be positioned at a desired track of the hard disk 220. A finger portion 237, to be caught by a hook portion 261 of a locking member 260, is provided at one side of the bobbin portion 234. A magnetic portion 236, corresponding to a magnet match 240 installed at the stator 250, is provided at the other side of the bobbin portion 234.
A ramp 290 is installed at the housing 210 close to the hard disk 220. The magnetic head 231 is accommodated on the ramp 290 when the actuator 230 is parked.
The actuator latch 280 includes the locking member 260 having the hook portion 261 at one end thereof and a spring 270 connected at the other end thereof and is installed to be capable of pivoting by being inserted in a rotation shaft 263 installed at the housing 210. The spring 270 provides an elastic force on the locking member 260, and the finger portion 237 is provided at the bobbin portion 234 to engage with the hook portion 261.
In the above structure, when there is no external impact, or in a normal operation, the hook portion 263 of the actuator latch 280 does not hold the finger portion 237. Here, the actuator 230, overcoming a force between the magnet latch 240 and the magnet portion 236, moves over the data zone 222 of the hard disk 220 to record data or reproduce recorded data.
When there is a relatively weak external impact with respect to a force acting between the magnet latch 240 and the magnet portion 236, the actuator 230 is prevented from escaping from the parking zone 221 by the force acting between the magnet latch 240 and the magnet portion 236. However, when there is a relatively strong clockwise external rotational impact with respect to the force acting between the magnet latch 240 and the magnet portion 236, a clockwise rotational impact with respect to the drawing applies to the hard disk 220. Here, the actuator 230 rotates counterclockwise and may escape from the parking zone 221. Also, the locking member 260 rotates counterclockwise by a rotational inertial force and the hook portion 261 is engaged with the finger portion 237. Thus, the actuator 230 is prevented from escaping from the parking zone 221.
When the external impact disappears, the locking member 260 returns to its original position by an elastic restoring force and the finger portion 237 is released from being held by the hook portion 261.
In the above structure, when the hard disk drive 200 receives a relatively strong clockwise external rotational impact, the actuator 230 receives a counterclockwise rotational inertial force. However, the actuator latch 280 receives a counterclockwise rotational inertial force, and reacts more sensitively than the actuator 230 to the force. Thus, the actuator latch 280 firmly holds the actuator 230 so that the actuator 230 does not escape from the parking zone 221.
However, when the hard disk drive 200 receives a relatively strong counterclockwise rotation impact, the actuator 230, receiving a clockwise rotational inertial force, does not escape from the parking zone 221. Nevertheless, the actuator 230, receiving a counterclockwise rotational force by a repulsive force between the actuator 230 and a stopper 275 installed to limit a range of movement of the actuator 230, may escape from the parking zone 221. Here, since the actuator latch 280 does not firmly hold the actuator 230, the magnetic head 231 of the actuator 230 intrudes the data zone 222, making contact therewith instead of flying over the hard disk 220, so that the surface of the hard disk 220 is physically damaged and, accordingly, data thereon is also damaged.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an actuator latch for a hard disk drive having an improved structure so that the actuator is prevented from escaping from the parking zone regardless of the direction of a rotational impact applied externally.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an actuator latch for a hard disk drive that locks an actuator so that it does not pivot when a magnetic head installed at the actuator is positioned in a parking zone of a hard disk, the actuator latch comprising a hooked portion provided at one side of the actuator and having first and second hook steps disposed to face each other, a locking member having a hook portion which is coupled to the hooked portion as the actuator moves to the parking zone, the hook portion coupled to the hooked portion being interfered with the first hook step when the actuator rotates clockwise and with the second hook step when the actuator rotates counterclockwise, and an elastic member elastically supporting the locking member to be capable of rotating and providing a restoring force to the locking member with respect to both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the locking member.
The above and other objects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing an actuator latch for a hard disk drive that locks an actuator so that it does not pivot when a magnetic head installed at the actuator is positioned in a parking zone of a hard disk, the actuator latch comprising a hook portion provided at one side of the actuator and having first and second hook portions, a locking member having a hooked portion which is coupled to the hook portion as the actuator moves to the parking zone, the hooked portion coupled to the hook portion being interfered with the first hook portion when the actuator rotate clockwise and with the second hook step when the actuator rotates counterclockwise, and an elastic member elastically supporting the locking member to be capable of rotating and proving a restoring force to the locking member with respect to both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations of the locking member.


A micro-mirror strip assembly having a plurality of two-dimensional micro-mirror structures with improved deflection and other characteristics is presented. In the micro-mirror structures, electrodes for electrostatic deflection are disposed on conical or quasi-conical entities that are machined, attached or molded into a substrate. The electrodes are quartered approximately parallel to or offset by 45 degrees from rotational axes to form quadrants. Torsion sensors are provided along the axes of rotation to control deflection of the quadrant deflection electrodes.

The invention relates to optical networking devices such as cross-connect switches and, more particularly, to cross-connect switches that use micromachined mirror arrays.
The huge bandwidth of optical fibers, in combination with enormous growth of data and voice traffic, has led to a significant amount of recent development activity in the field of optical communications. Advances have occurred in architectures and network components, such as optical switches.
One approach to optical switching involves the use of micro-machined mirror arrays. Prior efforts using this approach, like those of other approaches, tend to have certain shortcomings, such as limited scalability and a relatively low level of integration.
In an aspect of the invention, a structure includes a reference member having a raised portion thereon, a mirror suspended above the raised portion and driving devices disposed on the raised portion to impart rotational motion to the mirror in two axes of direction.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of fabricating micro-mirror structures in a micro-mirror strip of micro-mirror structures includes forming a pyramidal structure from a substrate material and defining electrodes on the pyramidal structure.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a micro-mirror strip assembly includes a frame, an array of two-dimensional deflecting mirrors mounted in the frame and dams disposed between the mirrors to block viscous interaction between each of the two dimensional deflecting mirrors and adjacent ones of the two-dimensional deflecting mirrors in the array.
In still yet another aspect of the invention, a hinge includes a plurality of parallel hinge sections provided by vertical slots therein, the slots and parallel hinge sections being dimensioned to provide vertical and lateral stiffness to and a minimal torsion spring constant for the hinge.
Among the advantages of the present invention are the following. The placement of the electrodes on raised structures on a substrate provides for increased electrostatic force, as well as enhanced instability, thus lowering the required drive voltage and enhancing the deflection angles of the mirrors. The slotted hinge has high torsional flexibility and high stiffness (both vertically and laterally). The dam feature overcomes the undesirable effects of the interaction of the flow of air from adjacent mirrors in a micro-mirror strip assembly.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the claims.

Two-dimensional micro-mirror array enhancements


The present disclosure relates to a telecommunications device for dispensing fiber optic patch cord cables. The device has a management body (i.e., securing structure) with adhesive disposed on opposite sides thereof. A first length of fiber optic patch cord cable is wound on a first side of the management structure in a first spiral coil portion and a second length of fiber optic patch cord cable is wound on a second side of the management structure in a second spiral coil portion. The first and second spiral coil portions can be peelable and re-adherable to the management body.

In the telecommunications industry, patch cords are widely used to connect various pieces of equipment. For example, in well-known cross-connect applications, a patch cord may be used to extend between two jack fields. For DS-3 signal rates, patch cords made of coaxial cables are used. The ends of the patch cords are provided with plugs which are received within jacks contained in the two jack fields. In fiber optic installations, a fiber optic patch cord is used extending between fiber optic connectors.
Frequently, telecommunications facilities (such as central office locations) will have a large number of patch cords extending between various pieces of equipment. These patch cords typically have a single strand of optical fiber encased in a suitable jacket. Another type of fiber optic patch cord is a ribbon cable having multiple strands of optical fibers.
In certain patch cord environments, there may be multiple numbers of such patch cords connecting multiple types of equipment together. Normally these patch cords come in fixed lengths and these fixed length patch cords can lead to extra length cord hanging between equipment. Similarly, the fixed length of such patch cords may require multiple patch cords to be connected together to provide the desired length. Because of these concerns, it is often quite difficult to manage such patch cords and their lengths.
The resulting patch cords can lead to some unfortunate results as limbs and equipment can easily get entangled in these cords. Furthermore, the tangled patch cords can make the tracing of connections difficult at best.
From the above, it is therefore clear that a device for managing patch cords is needed. Such a device can be simple to use, simple to store, convenient and easy to deploy.


A machine (1) for erecting open topped cartons or trays from a substantially flat blank of varying height and footprint dimensions, comprising a magazine 3 adapted to support a supply of flat blanks of predetermined dimensions, a vacuum transfer means for transferring blanks one at a time from the supply to adjustable transfer rails (4)(62)(63) for transferring the blanks to a tray forming section 5, means G for applying glue to the blanks at predetermined locations, the tray forming section 5 including a variable well 6 defined by wall means 11 to 18 which are moveable in two directions to adjust the size of the well and a mandrel 7 having portions 40 to 43 which are moveable in two directions to adjust the size of the mandrel, and a cylinder 45 for pushing the mandrel into the well to fold the blank into a tray, the well being open at the bottom to allow the formed tray to be pushed through the well and onto a conveyor 8 for conveying the formed tray away from the machine.

At the present time, tray erectors having a well of fixed dimensions and a mandrel of fixed dimensions adapted to fit within the well, are used to erect corrugated cardboard or other packaging material trays or open topped cartons from a flat blank. The blank is positioned over the well and mandrel pushes on the blank in the base region to force the sides of the blank up as the blank is pushed into the well. Whilst this arrangement works well for trays of one fixed footprint size, if a tray of a different size is required, the components from which the well and mandrel are constructed must be repositioned or replaced to suit the dimensions of the new tray. Alternatively, more than one machine will be required. This adds to the cost of equipment or to the cost of operating the machine to allow for the erection of trays of various footprint dimensions.
Other forms of tray erector machines are known in the patent literature. Examples of such machines will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,655 (Monaghan) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,931 (Calvert, et al). It will be noted that the machines described in these United States patents are complex and do not allow for the erection of trays using a well/mandrel combination.


A motor vehicle has an internal combustion engine and an exhaust system with an exhaust which has two deformable pipe members and at least two casings arranged downstream thereof and belonging to a catalytic converter and/or silencer. At least the last casing, relative to the direction of flow of the exhaust gas, of the exhaust, together with the first casing, defines a straight connecting line passing through the two casings and is held on the vehicle body by means of at least partially rubber-elastic connecting members in such a way that it is deflected by a force parallel to the straight connecting line more than by a force of equal magnitude at right angles to the straight connecting line. This enables the casings to be connected to one another exclusively by rigid exhaust parts and oscillations of the second casing to be kept small.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an exhaust system. The exhaust system is provided, for example, for a car but may also be used for another motor vehicle--for example a truck or bus The internal combustion engine may consist of a gasoline or diesel engine.
When a motor vehicle is used, the internal combustion engine generates vibrations, i.e. oscillations, of the engine casing. Furthermore, rapid changes in the power output by the engine can cause swivel movements of the engine casing about a virtual axis of rotation and/or pivot axis. The oscillatory movements and other movements of the engine casing are transmitted to the exhaust via the mechanical link between said casing and said exhaust. Moreover, the engine feeds exhaust gas to the exhaust in a pulsating manner, which exhaust gas can also generate oscillations of the exhaust. Furthermore, driving over holes and other irregularities, driving around curves and the acceleration and braking of the vehicle cause accelerations of the exhaust. The exhaust is furthermore heated by the exhaust gas during operation of the engine, the exhaust gas temperature decreasing in a direction away from the engine, along the flow path. Owing to the thermal expansion of the rigid parts of the exhaust, the heating results in a temporary lengthening of said exhaust.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An exhaust system disclosed in German Patent Application Publication 31 37 746 has an exhaust which has in succession, in the direction of flow of the exhaust gas, a pipe, a deformable pipe member, a first silencer, a deformable pipe member, a pipe, a second silencer and a pipe. Each silencer has a casing. The exhaust is held on the vehicle body by retaining means. The retaining means have suspension means with rubber rings, said suspension means engaging the pipes. Similar exhaust systems having rubber rings are also known in practice. If a force is exerted on an exhaust part held by means of rubber rings, the rubber rings first offer only a very small resistance to a deflection of the retained exhaust part from its rest position. Only when the deflections of the exhaust parts reach certain limits, which are generally 1 to 2 cm or more in practice, does the resistance generated by the rubber rings increase abruptly. The parts held by the retaining means can thus move almost freely within the ranges defined by the stated limits.
The deformable pipe members are intended to decouple silencers arranged downstream of said members and other exhaust parts from the engine with respect to vibration. Since the known exhausts and in particular their parts arranged downstream of the deformable pipe members can move fairly freely within certain limits, transverse oscillations of large amplitudes are frequently generated in the exhausts. This is the case in particular when the exhausts have resonant frequencies in the region of the fundamental oscillations generated by the engine. The oscillations and other accelerations and forces acting on the exhaust subject the pipes belonging to the exhaust, silencer casings and deformable pipe members to considerable stress. The pipes and casings of the known exhausts have thick walls. The known exhaust systems are therefore heavy. The high weight of the known exhaust systems requires a great deal of material for their manufacture, for example relatively expensive stainless steel, and in particular increases the fuel consumption during driving. Furthermore, in spite of the large wall thicknesses, the exhausts fracture fairly frequently. Since the silencers of the known exhausts are usually deflected transversely with respect to the general longitudinal direction of the exhausts, starting from their middle and/or rest position, in various transverse directions up to at least 1 cm and often up to 2 cm or more, they also require space for their transverse movements in addition to the space occupied by them. This often has the disadvantage that the silencer cannot be made as large as desirable for good silencing.
European Patent Application Publication 0 807 749 published on Nov. 19, 1997, and the corresponding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/853,183 (1997) proposed exhausts which have two deformable pipe members connected by a rigid pipe and two or three catalytic converter and/or silencer casings arranged downstream thereof. Furthermore, retaining means were provided for holding each of these casings relatively firmly on the vehicle in such a way that each of these casings is at most slightly displaceable in all directions and in particular in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and hence in the general longitudinal direction of the exhaust. These retaining means make it possible considerably to reduce oscillations and other movements of the casings and of the entire exhaust and to make said exhaust thin-walled, light and nevertheless durable. However, the exhaust systems according to this proposal also have the disadvantage that expensive, deformable pipe members must be arranged between the stated, successive casings in order to compensate the changes in length which are caused during operation by the thermal expansions of rigid exhaust parts.

Exhaust system for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle


Disclosed is a display apparatus including: a display unit; a power supply unit which supplies power to at least one external device; and a controller which displays on the display unit an at least one indicating image indicating an at least one power supply area of the display unit supplying power to the at least one external device, and controls the power supply unit to supply power to the at least one external device placed on the at least one power supply area in a wireless manner.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a display apparatus which displays an image and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a display apparatus which supplies power to an external device, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display apparatus processes an image signal or image data which are supplied externally or stored therein to display an image on a screen. With development of related or associated technologies, the display apparatus also includes and incorporates various functions for a user's convenience other than the existing function of displaying an image. For example, a port or a connector is installed in the display apparatus to communicate with an external device, and a user may connect such a port with the external device in a wired manner for data transmission between the external device and the display apparatus.
Other than such data transmission, a conventional display apparatus may supply power to an external device that is connected with a port. That is, the display apparatus supplies power to the external device after adjusting the power to a proper level so as to charge a battery of the external device.
However, as for the display apparatus, a port should be additionally installed in an external side of the display apparatus to supply power to the external device, and a cable is also needed to connect the external device and the display apparatus.

Display apparatus for supplying power to an external device and control method thereof


An electric compressor is installed in a vehicle and includes a shell. The electric compressor includes an inverter, a cover, and a conductive component. The cover covers the shell and the inverter. The conductive component is electrically connected to the inverter and arranged outside the cover. The cover includes an outer guide surface inclined relative to a forward direction of the vehicle. The outer guide surface has a normal including a forward component directed in the forward direction. The outer guide surface is arranged closer to an outer side of the vehicle than the conductive component.

The present invention relates to an electric compressor installed in a vehicle, and more particularly, an electric compressor including an inverter and a cover with the inverter being covered by the cover and a shell of the electric compressor.
If a vehicle that includes an electric compressor crashes, the crash may damage an inverter housing (cover), which covers an inverter, and a high voltage unit of the inverter. This may cause electrical leakage.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-103100 describes an electric compressor including an inverter and a compressor housing. A projection projects from the compressor housing toward the engine. When the vehicle crashes, the projection hits the engine before the housing and the inverter. This lowers the possibility of the inverter housing and inverter hitting the engine and, in turn, raises the probability that electrical leakage will be avoided if the vehicle crashes.
However, peripheral devices arranged near the electric compressor may hit and break the inverter housing when the vehicle crashes. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-103100 does not discuss any resolution to such a situation.