This disclosure pertains to compound semiconductor, such as AlGaAs, surface skimming hetero-transverse junction (HTJ) lasers and improved heterojunction bipolar transistors (L-HBTs). These lasers and transistors are structurally consistent with each other, so they can be fabricated in the same set of epitaxial layers for integrated optoelectronic applications. The surface skimming characteristic of the HTJ lasers provided by this invention enables them to be configured relatively easily, without requiring any epitaxial regrowth, to operate as DFB lasers in axial or surface emitting configurations and to function as harmonic generators. Single and multiple base channel L-HBT transistors, as well as structurally corresponding single and multiple quantum well surface skimming HJT lasers are disclosed.

Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,648 of R. L. Thornton, which issued Jan. 22, 1991 on "Lateral Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (LHBT) and Suitability Thereof as Hetero Transverse Junction (HTJ) Laser," describes the use of impurity induced disordering (IID) for forming the p-n junctions of planar buried heterostructure compound semiconductor devices, including "dual function HTJ laser/L-HBT transistor devices" (i.e., devices which can be biased for operation either as HTJ lasers or as L-HBT transistors). Buried heterostructure devices of that general type are preferred because their internal structures are planar and are fabricated entirely by diffusion, without any intermediate etching steps or any other interruptions requiring epitaxial regrowth. The above-identified Thornton'648 patent hereby is incorporated by reference, together with the following related articles: R. L. Thornton et al., "Unified Planar Process for Fabricating Heterjunction Bipolar Transistors and Buried Heterostructure Lasers Utilizing Impurity Induced Disordering" Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 53, No. 26, Dec. 26, 1988, pp. 2669-2671; and R. L. Thornton et al., "Demonstration and Properties of a Planar Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor with Lateral Current Flow," IEEE Transcations on Electron Devics, Vol. 36, No. 10, October 1989, pp. 2156-2164.
Heretofore the accepted practice has been to bury the active region of a HTJ laser sufficiently far below the outer surface of the semiconductor to ensure that the evanescent optical field of the laser decays to a negligibly low intensity level before it reaches the outer surface of the semiconductor. For example, the active regions of AlGaAs HTJ lasers characteristically have been buried at depths in excess of about 1 .mu.m for effectively isolating their evanescent optical fields from their usual GaAs capping layers and from the metallizations that are normally provided for making external electrical connections to them. This practice has been followed, even though it was recognized that the performance of the structurally corresponding L-HBT transistor was adversely affected by burying its active base channel so deeply. More particularly, it was known that the width of the base channel of such a transistor could be significantly reduced and more precisely controlled, while maintaining a given photolithographic feature size, by forming the active base channel closer to the outer surface of the multilayer heterostructure. Furthermore, conventional HBT technology provided convincing evidence that L-HBT transistors having narrower base channels would have higher current gain and improved high frequency performance. Nevertheless, until now, the depth to which the active base regions of dual function HTJ laser/L-HBT devices have been buried has been governed by the assumption that the evanescent optical field intensity of the waveguided modes of the laser configuration of such a device should be neglibible at the surface of the device.

Structurally consistent surface skimming hetero-transverse junction lasers and lateral heterojunction bipolar transistors


Contact lenses are described that include particles of polymer fiber mat incorporated into a polymer lens wherein the polymer fiber mat is formed by electrospinning a prepolymer solution. Methods for making the contact lenses with improved oxygen permeability are also described. Methods for making the contact lens with optional therapeutic drug delivery and refractive correction are also described.

While significant advances have been achieved in the field of contact lens design and fabrication, many problems still exist. Paramount of these is the fact that it is common for a contact lens to be constructed as a completely homogenous solid or with a homogenous outer surface enclosing a hydrogel or polymeric interior, which means that the lens outer covering material is consistent throughout its structure. These structures reduce the available oxygen to the corneal surface, minimize tear and aqueous transport through the lens, and act as a nucleation point for protein buildup.
Electrospun polymer fibers provide a material with a variety of favorable characteristics that may be tailored to fit various applications. It is therefore desirable to provide an ophthalmic drug delivery system utilizing electrospun polymer fibers. The system may utilize an improved contact lens incorporating electrospun fibers with desired characteristics, and a system and method for delivering ophthalmic drugs from the improved contact lens to an eye over an extended period of time while maintaining the concentration of the drug in the eye at an efficacious level throughout the period of drug delivery.
A number of patents disclose the use of electrospun fibers for ocular adaptation or treatment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,396 discloses a technique for creating polymer fibril diameters and spacing that duplicate the optical transmission and diffusion characteristics of natural corneal collagen; U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,347 discloses methods of coating and cross-linking polymer fibers in contact lenses; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,361,492 discloses drug-delivery systems, both through direct use of electrospun fibers in the eye and by inclusion of the fibers in a contact lens.

Extended release drug-delivery contact lenses and methods of making


A method involves operating an internal combustion engine connected to an electric generator, in particular a synchronous generator, during a network fault, in particular during an electric short-circuit, in a power supply network connected to the generator. A mechanical power delivered by the internal combustion engine is introduced into the generator and converted into electric power in the generator. The electric power is delivered to the power supply network, and the mechanical power delivered by the internal combustion engine is at least temporarily increased depending on the value of at least one operating parameter of the generator and/or the internal combustion engine prior to the network fault and/or during the network fault, preferably by an amount of a fuel introduced into the internal combustion engine being increased.

The invention concerns a method of operating an internal combustion engine connected to an electric generator, in particular a synchronous generator, during a network fault, in particular during an electric short-circuit, in a power supply network connected to the generator. A mechanical power delivered by the internal combustion engine is introduced into the generator and is converted into electric power in the generator, and the electric power is delivered to the power supply network.
During a network fault in a power supply network, in particular during an electric short-circuit and the concomitant drop in network voltage in the power supply network, unwanted changes in operating parameters of an electric generator connected to the power supply network, in particular a synchronous generator, such as the rotary speed or the load angle of the generator, can occur at the generator. The term load angle is used to denote the angle between the vector of the rotating magnetic field in the stator of the generator and the vector of the rotating magnetic field in the rotor of the generator.
The drop in the network voltage leads to a significant reduction in the delivery of electric power from the generator to the power supply network. In the case of usual configurations in which a rotor of the generator is connected to an engine shaft, driving the rotor, of an internal combustion engine (for example a gas engine) that drop in electric power can lead to a corresponding increase in the rotary speed of the internal combustion engine and therewith the rotor. As a result, synchronization of the generator with the power supply network can be lost or damage in the generator can even be caused.
Detection of a network fault in the power supply network can be effected, for example, by the network voltage of the power supply network and/or the electric current fed into the power supply network by the generator and/or the rotary speed of the generator or the internal combustion engine and/or the torque at the engine shaft of the internal combustion engine or at the rotor shaft of the generator being monitored. In that case, upon the occurrence of a change in at least one of those monitored operating parameters beyond a predeterminable threshold value, a network fault is detected. In that respect, changes which occur are detected as a network fault only when a plurality of those operating parameters involve corresponding changes beyond predeterminable threshold values, if for example both the network voltage, the electric current and also the rotary speed involve corresponding deviations. The generator can remain connected to the power supply network during a network fault.
The conventional approach for reacting to such network faults is to take suitable measures in order to counteract such an increase in the rotary speed and an increase related thereto in the load angle of the generator. Thus, measures are usually taken which reduce the rotary speed and the load angle. Such a measure, by way of example, is a reduction in the acceleration moment by an internal combustion engine connected to the generator being correspondingly throttled.
It has been found, however, that the conventional measures are disadvantageous in the event of a network fault in certain situations. Thus, the rotary speed of the generator might not increase upon the occurrence of a network fault, but firstly falls. That effect, which is known to a person skilled in the art by the English technical term "back-swing", can under some circumstances even lead to pole slip of the generator. Pole slip in turn leads to an instability of the generator, in which a mechanical power introduced into the rotor by an internal combustion engine by way of the engine shaft can no longer be converted as desired into electric power by the generator.

Method of operating an internal combustion engine connected to an electric generator


An exercise device includes two foot carriage assemblies. The foot carriage assemblies are operable to support a user's feet on a frame and to travel along a generally lateral path of motion. The foot carriages are operable to engage first and second torque tubes, which in turn participate in resisting the lateral movement of the foot carriages. A lateral striding motion on the exercise device may include a simulation of a motion associated with skating and/or skiing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to exercise equipment, and more specifically, to a stationary exercise device for simulating a range of lateral motions, including skiing and skating.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stationary machines designed for exercising allow users to exercise indoors, alleviating obstacles associated with outdoors, such as adverse weather. Additionally, these apparatus allow the user to interact with entertainment media such as a television. However, existing machines have a limited range of motion. Many tend to emulate activities related to walking, climbing and running. Those that do tend to emulate more sophisticated motions suffer from designs that conform the user to a strict posture, precluding the user from experiencing a natural feeling associated with actual sports.
One example is an elliptical motion machine on which the user uses his or her feet, driven by some leg muscles, to pedal in an elliptical range of motion. The position of the user on an elliptical machine generally discourages movement of the upper body. Other machines emulating walking motions typically restrain the user to a specific range of motion that can become monotonous and feel artificial. Factors contributing to the artificial feel of such machines include ranges of motion that generally travel vertically and/or in the fore and aft directions.
Accordingly vast ranges of motion associated with many sports are typically not accommodated indoors. Many such sports require special gear, climate and conditions, such as skiing, which requires snow, mountains and expensive gear, and/or ice-skating, which requires a large area of thickly formed ice. Furthermore, due to the limited range of indoor exercise machines, muscles such as outer thigh muscles, upper body muscles and/or inner thigh muscles are generally not sufficiently worked to gain benefits similar to those gained from performing actual sports such as skiing. Additionally, existing equipment generally is not capable of selectively aiding a portion of the motion to suit the skill or strength level of the user.
There is a need for an indoor exercise device that simulates a range of lateral motions, provides a natural experience associated with outdoor sports, and can selectively aid in portions of the motions to suit varying skills and/or strength levels.


A display panel driver includes an image data generator, a brightness correction circuit performing a correction calculation on image data, a drive section driving the display panel in response to corrected image data; and a display timing generator outputting a timing control signal. The correction calculation by the brightness correction circuit is adjustable. When the display panel driver is placed into a test mode, the display timing generator is configured to output an internally-generated timing control signal and the image data generator outputs internally-generated evaluation image data. The evaluation image data are generated so that the evaluation images are switched from one to another in response to the internally-generated timing control signal.

Panel display devices, such as liquid crystal display devices, require adjustment of display characteristics to obtain accurate output images for input image data. Examples of display characteristics to be adjusted include the color temperature of the white point (or the white balance) and the gamma value, for example.
The color temperature of the white point influences the color tone of the image. The specifications of many of recent display devices define that the color temperature of the white point is adjusted to 6504K (that is, the chromaticity coordinates (x, y)=(0.313, 0.329)). In this case, the setting of the display device should be adjusted so that the color temperature of the white point is kept constant for all of the allowed gray levels with respect to any grayscale images in which the gray levels of red, green and blue of every pixel are the same value.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the color temperature of the white point is adjusted to 6504K in a normally-black liquid crystal display device which displays images in response to image data which represent the gray level of each color (red, green and blue) of each pixel with eight bits. With respect to all grayscale images in which the gray levels of red, green and blue are the same value, the color temperature of the white point is adjusted to 6504K for all of the allowed gray levels from 00h to FFh. It should be noted that the symbol "h" represents the hexadecimal notation.
The gamma value, on the other hand, influences the linearity or non-linearity between the gray level of image data and the actual brightness of the pixel. The input-output characteristics of a display device can be represented by the following expression:VOUT=VINγ,where VIN is the input signal or input data, VOUT is the output signal or output data, and γ is the gamma value. The specifications of many of display devices define that the gamma value γ is 2.2 and display devices are generally configured so that the gamma value is kept at 2.2, when displaying grayscale images in which the gray levels of red, green and blue of each pixel are the same value, while varying the gray levels. FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the gamma value is adjusted to 2.2 in a normally-black liquid crystal display device which is adapted to image data which represent the gray level of each color (red, green and blue) of each pixel with eight bits (that is, image data which represent each color with 256(=28) allowed gray levels).
One issue is that the characteristics of panel display devices, such as the color temperature of the white point and the gamma value, vary depending on the panel display devices due to the individual variations of the color filter and the backlight. In order to improve the product quality, it is desirable to compensate such individual variations.
One method for adjustment of display characteristics of a panel display device is to adjust the settings of a brightness correction circuit integrated in a display panel driver which drives the display panel. A brightness correction circuit is a sort of circuit which performs a correction calculation on input image data fed to a display panel driver, and image data obtained by the correction calculation by the brightness correction circuit (that is, corrected image data) are actually used to display images on the display panel. It is possible to adjust the color temperature of the white point and the gamma value by adjusting the settings of the brightness correction circuit and to thereby achieve compensation of the individual vitiations among display devices.
In relation to such technique, Japanese patent application publication No. H05-064037 discloses a technique in which the brightness of an optical modulated output obtained from a liquid crystal display device is measured while a video signal is externally fed to the liquid crystal display device, and the gamma correction data of a gamma correction device are adjusted on the basis of the measurement result.
The technique disclosed in this patent document, however, requires feeding the video signal (that is, image data) to the liquid crystal display device when the settings of the gamma correction device are adjusted, and this implies that it is necessary for an adjustment device used for setting the gamma correction device to have the function of feeding the video signal to the liquid crystal display device. The provision of the function of feeding the video signal to the liquid crystal display device to the adjustment device results in an increase in the cost of the adjustment device. This problem is especially severe in adjustment of settings of a brightness correction circuit of a display panel driver in a panel display device using a recent high-speed serial interface. The provision of the function of transmitting a video signal with a high-speed serial interface, which achieves a high-speed signal transmission, to the adjustment device undesirably increases the cost.

Apparatus and method for adjusting display characteristics of display device


A ball pitching trainer is disclosed having two supports. Each support has a base at an upright and may be disassembled for transport and storage. A target area is suspended between the uprights. The target is defined by an upper horizontal cord and a lower horizontal cord. Two vertical cords are suspended from the upper horizontal cord further defining the open target area. Springs, elastomeric or otherwise, absorb shock from an errant ball striking the target. Fittings are provided for ready adjustment of the target area vertically and horizontally. The bases have hollow interiors for the addition and removal of ballast. Weights are used to keep the vertical cords plumb.

The present invention relates generally to a training device for baseball and similar games, and more specifically provides a device for training accurate and consistent pitching.
In baseball, the target or strike zone for pitching comprises an imaginary rectangular area oriented in a vertical plane and extending the width of home plate and vertical distance between the batter's knees and the letters on the uniform at the batter's chest. It is advantageous for practice and training purposes to have a device which provides a target for a pitcher. A variety of systems have been developed, although they have certain limitations. One general type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,164 to Butcher and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,423 to Wright in which the target comprises a net or a fabric material which catches the pitched ball. Another such device is the "pitch-back" type device which essentially comprises a square steel frame supporting a central net. The net is supported by springs to provide it with a trampolene-type action and typically the net has a target in the center thereof. With this "pitch-back" type device, when the ball strikes the net, the trampoline action reverses the direction of the ball, tossing it back to the pitcher for easy retrieval. These devices suffer the inherent limitation that not all pitchers pitches are perfect, and great frustration can ensue when an errant ball completely misses the net, causing the ball to roll down the field.
Another type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,467 to Dawson. This device discloses a unitary rectangular frame, like the pitch-back type frame discussed above. The frame supports four cords defining a target area in which the ball passes through, typically to a catcher on the opposite side. This device has several limitations, including limited adjustability, and a cumbersome frame structure which, if struck by a pitched ball, would deflect the ball and quite probably be toppled. An errant ball striking the target can be deflected, ricochet up into the face of a catcher and causing injury. Other devices have been used with steel poles embedded in the ground with a variety of string structures tied tightly therebetween.
The present invention provides a unique combination of features which provides a significant advantage over these older systems. The present invention is readily portable and may be conveniently set up over home plate, out in a grassy field, in a gymnasium, or elsewhere. The device provides a target which is readily visible from the pitcher's mound while minimizing the cross-sectional area presented by the target. Thus, the frequency of an errant ball striking the target is minimized, providing advantages in convenience and safety. With older devices an errant ball may knock the target device over causing frustration and possible injury.
Additionally, the present invention provides a target structure which includes flexible cord and shock absorbing elastomeric members and/or springs. When an errant ball strikes the target structure it only minimally disrupts the trajectory of the ball and avoids toppling of the device.
The present invention also provides free standing base structures which can receive ballast for added stability.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a fully adjustable target configuration which may be moved vertically and horizontally, as well as being changed in shape and size. The coach may assist his pitchers in working on a particular type of pitch, such as a low pitch, an inside pitch, an outside pitch, a high pitch, and so forth. The target can also be adjusted for different size players from little-league up to the major leagues.
The target structure includes vertical cords which suspend weights, maintaining target integrity while optimizing target flexibility if hit by an errant ball.
The present invention has been used and endorsed by Mr. Stan Williams, former major league pitcher and present pitching coach for the World Series Champion Cincinnati Reds.


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unified authentication method for application in a trunking system, a server and a terminal. The method includes: an application service network element of a server receives a registration request transmitted by a terminal and transmits the registration request to an authorization authentication network element, where the registration request carries a token indicating a unique identity of a user initiating the registration request, and the token is assigned by the authorization authentication network element of the server to the user when the user logs onto the terminal; the authorization authentication network element then performs a token authorization to the user according to the token; and finally the application service network element performs an application service interaction with the terminal if the token authorization is passed.

The trunking system is a dedicated wireless communication system directed to an industry-specific application, which is developed to meet needs of commanding and dispatching by a user within the industry.
A long-term evolution (LTE)-based broadband trunking system is gradually evolving towards user-based service management. A user account is registered with authentication authorization. In addition, the trunking system has an session initiation protocol (SIP) authentication authorization at a SIP level, which uses a traditional user name and pass word for a digest authentication, that is, a 401 or 407 authentication challenge message is performed with the user name and password, and reference may be made to a standard (Request For Comments, RFC) 3261 for details; moreover, for the purpose of security of various application services in the trunking system, it is also necessary to perform an authentication authorization to a terminal.
In the prior art, the user has to perform the authentication authorization of the account. A trunking service and a private voice call have the SIP authentication authorization, and other application services also have their own authentication authorizations. User names and pass words for various authentication authorizations are saved respectively, but there may be information on the user names and the pass words, posing a great threat to security.

Unified authentication method for application in trunking system, server and terminal


The present invention relates to an apparatus which can be inserted between the stack and a transceiver of a transmissometer to provide zero and span measurements using the primary light source from the transceiver. The apparatus includes a calibration device mounted between the transceiver and one side of the stack and within the path of the light beam. A zero reflector is mounted within the calibration device for movement back and forth between an inactive position and an active position within the path of the light beam to reflect the same amount of light back into the transceiver as the retro-reflector would across the stack when the stack is clear of smoke. In addition, means is connected to the zero reflector for accomplishing this movement. A span filter is also provided within the calibration device which is movable between an active position in the light beam path to provide an upscale reference calibration check. The invention further contemplates a method of using the apparatus to establish zero and upscale references during initial set-up, followed by periodic establishment of new values indicative of soiling of the transceiver windows.

A well-known and effective transmissometer is the Dynatron 1100M, a product of Lear Siegler Measurement Controls Corporation of Englewood, Colorado. It is a dual beam transmissometer which measures light transmittance through smoke and dust. It consists of two units: an optical transceiver mounted on one side of a stack or duct and a passive reflector mounted on the opposite side. Both the transceiver and the reflector are sealed to minimize condensation or deposits of dirt on optical surfaces.
The transceiver houses a light source, photodetector and glass fiber optics. A multiple lens condenser system assures uniform light radiation through the transceiver window for high accuracy. For calibration purposes, a multi-lamp calibration system is used wherein a first lamp is used to set the zero calibration and a second lamp for the span calibration. Periodically, the instrument is recalibrated to compensate for soiling of the window during use. Thus, the Dynatron 1100M uses three light sources. One lamp for the primary measurement, another for zero calibration and a third for span calibration. Both a reference and measurement detector are used to establish the appropriate measurements and short fiber optic cables are used to direct light from the applicable source of light to the detector. It can be seen that as the three lamps age, the amount of light output from each will decrease at different rates thereby affecting the accuracy of the readings obtained.

Apparatus for full-system zero check and window soiling measurement and correction for transmissometers


An implantable medical device system that includes an implantable medical device, along with a transceiver device that exchanges data with the patient, between the patient and the implantable medical device, and between a remote location and the implantable medical device. A communication device coupled to the transceiver device exchanges data with the transceiver device, the implantable medical device through the receiver device, and between the transceiver device and the remote location to enable bi-directional data transfer between the patient, the implantable medical device, the transceiver device, and the remote location. A converter unit converts transmission of the data from a first telemetry format to a second telemetry format, and a user interface enables information to be exchanged between the transceiver device and the patient, between the implantable medical device and the patient through the transceiver device, and between the patient and the remote location through the transceiver device.

The present invention generally relates to implantable medical devices and communication therewith, and in particular, the present invention relates to a transceiver device in proximity to the implantable medical device and an external sensor that cooperates with the implantable medical device to produce a desired therapy in one or more implantable medical devices.
Various medical devices have been developed that acquire information from one or more physiologic sensors or transducers. A typical physiologic sensor transduces a measurable parameter of the human body, such as blood pressure, electrical activity (ECG), temperature or oxygen saturation, for example, into corresponding electrical signals. In many implantable medical device applications, it is often desirable or necessary to acquire physiological data for extended periods of time and on a continuous basis. In addition to the continuous acquisition of physiological data, there are many applications in which it is often desirable to implement a patient diary of sorts by enabling the patient to input relevant information at appropriate times so that the combined continuous data acquisition and patient input provides a record that can be used to better understand other physiologic events or to create signals.
A problem well known to designers of implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, for example, concerns the necessity of using low power components, including low power memory and processing components, within the implantable medical device. Use of low powered components is considered necessary in order to provide for extended periods of implantable medical device operation, and to reduce the need to repeatedly replace batteries, which can only be accomplished through surgical means. As a consequence, conventional implantable medical devices typically employ low voltage, low current memory and processing devices, which have limited storage capacity and access speed, and often lag behind the state-of-the-art memory and processing technology by several years. These and other limitations significantly decrease the data storage, processing power, and access capability of implantable medical devices, and often precludes the opportunity to integrate high capacity, low cost, state-of-the-art memory and processing devices in implantable medical device designs.
Various implementations of portable or user-worn electrocardiographic recording/monitoring devices are known in the art, examples of which may be found in the issued patents list in Table 1 below.
Conventional portable or patient-worn electrocardiographic (ECG) monitor/recorders, such as those disclosed in one or more of the patents listed in Table 1 above, are autonomous systems that enable only limited interaction between the patient and the device, and can only be used in accordance with a single specific telemetry format. Accordingly, what is needed is a device for communicating with an implantable medical device that allows increased patient interaction with the device, seamless transmission of data to other devices, including an Internet appliance, a cellular network, and so forth, enabling use across multiple telemetry formats and between multiple implantable medical devices to store and manage information from a broad range of devices.
The present invention relates to an implantable medical device system that includes an implantable medical device for implantation within a patient that monitors physiologic conditions of the patient and/or delivers a therapy in response to physiologic conditions. A transceiver device coupled to the implantable medical device along a wireless link exchanges data with the patient, between the patient and the implantable medical device, and between a remote location and the implantable medical device. A communication device coupled to the transceiver device along a wireless link exchanges data with the transceiver device and with the implantable medical device through the transceiver device, and exchanges data between the transceiver device and the remote location. In this way, the implantable medical device system enables bi-directional data transfer between the patient, the implantable medical device, the transceiver device, the communication device, and the remote location.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a patient wearable transceiver device exchanges data with an implantable medical device for implantation within a patient. The transceiver device includes means for receiving information from the implantable medical device, means for exchanging data between the patient, the implantable medical device, the communication device, and a remote location, and means for processing the data exchanged. The means for receiving, the means for exchanging, and the means for processing enable bi-directional data transfer between the patient, the implantable medical device, the transceiver device, and the remote location.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a converter unit that converts transmission of the data between the implantable medical device, the transceiver device, and the communication device from a first telemetry format to a second telemetry format.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an implantable medical device system includes an implantable medical device for implantation within a patient that monitors physiologic conditions of the patient, and/or delivers a therapy in response to the physiologic conditions, along with a transceiver device coupled to the implantable medical device along a wireless link that exchanges data with the patient, between the patient and the implantable medical device, and between a remote location and the implantable medical device. A communication device coupled along a wireless link to the transceiver device exchanges data with the transceiver device and with the implantable medical device through the transceiver device, and exchanges data between the transceiver device and the remote location. A converter unit converts transmission of the data between the implantable medical device, the transceiver device, and the communication device from a first telemetry format to a second telemetry format, and a direct interface couples the transceiver device to an external device to enable direct downloading of the data and configuration/setup information to the external device, and connection to user interface devices. An external reference sensor senses a parameter external to the patient, and the transceiver device receives the sensed parameter from the external reference sensor and/or receives data from the implantable medical device. A user interface enables information to be exchanged between the transceiver device and the patient, between the implantable medical device and the patient through the transceiver device, and between the patient and the remote location.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the user interface includes a patient physiologic parameter portion that displays the physiologic conditions of the patient, a daily activity diary portion that enables the patient to input activities to the transceiver device, and a medication reminder portion that displays medication reminders in response to a request received from the implantable medical device and in response to data processed by the implantable medical device and the transceiver device. An event storage portion stores information, including the input activities and the physiologic signals associated with the patient, processes the information, and acquires high resolution activity in response to the information. A send message portion stores messages transmitted between the remote location and the transceiver device and/or the patient, and a status portion adjusts and displays battery status, therapy status, and settings of the transceiver device. Finally, a receive message portion of the interface receives messages transmitted between the remote location and the transceiver device and/or the patient, including automated information, adjusting parameters and output of the implantable medical device, along with manual information, input directly at the transceiver device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the data received by transceiver device is used as feedback control information for a second implantable medical device for implantation within the patient.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a removable memory stores information received directly from the transceiver device and received from the implantable medical device through the transceiver device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the transceiver device triggers the implantable medical device to change from a normal state, in which implantable medical device gathers data at a first rate and performs a relatively high amount of averaging, to a second state in which the amount and resolution of data is increased so that an increased resolution of data is obtained and stored in transceiver device in response to an input to the transceiver by the patient.

Externally worn transceiver for use with an implantable medical device


There is provided a maintenance cover member including: a cover body for closing an opening of a power train of a vehicle; and a vibration suppressing member attached to a surface of the cover body. There is also provided a maintenance cover member including: a cover body for closing an opening of a power train of a vehicle; and a plurality of vibration suppressing members attached to a surface of the cover body. Adjacent vibration suppressing members are disposed spaced apart from each other.

To close a maintenance opening, a power train of a vehicle is often provided with a maintenance cover. For example, at a position under a flywheel disposed between an engine and a transmission of a vehicle, a maintenance cover for covering the flywheel is provided. The maintenance cover is supported to bridge between an oil pan disposed on a lower portion of the engine and a lower portion of the transmission. The maintenance cover is removed during maintenance work of the flywheel. The maintenance cover is a plate member made of metal, and is fixed to the transmission and the oil pan by fastening member such as bolts.
Such a structure for suppressing vibration of a cover to isolate noise is disclosed in JP 2014-40830 A (hereinafter referred to as Patent Literature Document 1). The noise isolation structure disclosed in Patent Literature Document 1 includes a connecting portion configured to surround a fastening member for attaching a cover body to an engine. The connecting portion includes a pair of fixing members and a pair of elastic members. The cover body is held between the pair of elastic members to suppress vibration of the cover body.
The noise isolation structure of Patent Literature Document 1 has a certain extent of noise isolation effect by suppressing vibration at the member for fixing the cover body to the engine. However, a radiated sound due to membrane surface resonance may be generated at the cover body when the engine vibrates. In recent years, quiet performance has been improved by hybridization of vehicles, and a further improved vibration suppression performance has been required.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a maintenance cover member having an improved vibration suppression performance.


The invention relates to management of I/O in data storage systems. In an embodiment, the invention provides a data storage subsystem processing I/O requests each having a priority, comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a disk array, an array controller coupled to the processor and the disk array, a network interface, coupled to the processor, to receive an I/O request with a priority, and a program in the memory for managing the I/O request based on the priority, a clip level of the priority, the total workload in the data storage subsystem, and processing I/O requests based on priority, workload clip levels, and fairness levels. The invention also contemplates the use of static and dynamic adjusted clip levels. The invention also relates to a method of managing I/O requests, comprising receiving an I/O request, determining the priority of the I/O request, comparing the total workload to the clip level for the priority, and processing the I/O request if the total workload is below the clip level or the priority workload is below a fairness level.

The present invention relates to methods and systems of managing I/O operations in data storage systems.
This application incorporates herein by reference as follows:    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/264,603, Systems and Methods of Multiple Access Paths to Single Ported Storage Devices, filed on Oct. 3, 2002, now abandoned;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/354,797, Methods and Systems of Host Caching, filed on Jan. 29, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,979 B2;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/397,610, Methods and Systems for Management of System Metadata, filed on Mar. 26, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,253 B2;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/440,347, Methods and Systems of Cache Memory Management and Snapshot Operations, filed on May 16, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,243 B2;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/600,417, Systems and Methods of Data Migration in Snapshot Operations, filed on Jun. 19, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,136,974 B2;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/616,128, Snapshots of File Systems in Data Storage Systems, filed on Jul. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,313 B2;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/677,560, Systems and Methods of Multiple Access Paths to Single Ported Storage Devices, filed on Oct. 1, 2003, now abandoned;    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/696,327, Data Replication in Data Storage Systems, filed on Oct. 28, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,122 B2; and    U.S. application Ser. No. 10/837,322, Guided Configuration of Data Storage Systems, filed on Apr. 30, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,192 B2.
In data storage systems, the hosts will make I/O requests (i.e., reads and writes) of the data storage subsystems. Each user of the data storage system may need a different priority of service for the I/O request. The system administrator typically assigns the priority of service based on the type of work and/or the identity of the user.
For efficiency each host can accumulate a batch of I/O requests from users and transmit them to the data storage subsystem. If a host receives ten I/O requests, it will be desirable to process more high priority requests than low priority requests.
One problem is how to ensure that there is fairness between multiple hosts accessing a data storage subsystem. For example, if one host has all high priority requests and a second host has all low priority requests, each request will receive equal priority at a given data storage subsystem. We would like a host transmitting high priority I/O requests to be given more of the data storage subsystem's capacity than a host transmitting low priority I/O requests.
However, all the host I/O requests that arrive at the data storage subsystem for processing get intermixed without regard to priority. Since each host may have its own file system and logical unit number (LUN) of a storage area network (SAN), yet share the same data storage subsystem, there may be a contention problem. For example, the data storage system should ensure a host with a higher quality of service (QoS) file system is not given lower priority than another host with a lower QoS file system and retain the ability to configure file systems and SAN LUNs by different QoS. At the same time, the data storage system should ensure that all I/O requests are completed in a reasonable time.
In an attempt to solve this problem, the hosts could communicate between each other on a regular basis to exchange information about pending I/O requests, but communications need to be frequent to manage the I/O requests and maintain a sense of priority. In addition, this will not scale well as additional hosts will add significant processing overhead.
It would be desirable if a solution existed that did not require such communication between the hosts since overhead would not increase as hosts increased. It would be also desirable if the solution ensured high priority I/O requests were guaranteed a certain amount of I/O resources, while still not starving out lower priority I/O requests. It would be helpful if the number of priority levels could be easily modified to allow for different priorities (e.g., two or more) to allow for better tuning of the system. The maximum number of I/O requests allowed per priority level could be then determined through testing and some qualitative analysis of different workloads.

Methods and systems of managing I/O operations in data storage systems


A 360° rotatable power grommet mounted in an aperture in a work surface, three vertical copper strips, each connected to a wire which passes through a base to connect to an electrical power source. The copper strips are mounted in a vertical shaft which connects to a base. There are one or more electrical receptacles having arms which rotate horizontally and close to form a central bore, the arms having inner surfaces which are molded with horizontal copper strips, the central bore clamping to the vertical shaft to transfer power from the vertical shaft to the horizontal copper strips, the central bore allowing each electrical receptacle to separately rotate 360° around the vertical shaft.

There are devices for supplying electric power and data devices into work surfaces, desks, counters, conference tables, boardroom tables, and any other surfaces where power, data, are needed. Present solutions to this problem generally involve a metal box, with or without a lid, making it difficult for a designer to integrate it into furniture. Designers have solved this problem by recessing the box beneath a table but this creates a problem of how to open the door, and how to avoid damaging the adjacent surface of the table while doing so.
Other designers offer interfaces that raise and lower a power and data device, which have a number of power receptacles, with or without data terminals. These devices have each of the receptacles and terminals lined up in a row on one side or on opposite sides in a fixed position. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,788. Depending on the power grommet's orientation the receptacles might not be easily accessible or one of the free outlets might be blocked by a larger plug. Turning the outlets to any direction offers a new level access and personalization of cords.


This invention relates to the treatment of substrates with fluidized material in repetitive patterns during application cycles. The treatment patterns made with this invention can be altered by changing machine operating parameters. The patterns of fluidized material are applied to substrates using intermittent charges of compressed air. The intermittent charges of compressed air pass through a venturi slot which creates a region of low pressure in the charges adjacent to a region where the fluidized material accumulates between application cycles. This region of low pressure helps to entrain the fluidized material in the charge of compressed air. After the fluidized material is entrained in the charge of compressed air, the charge deposits the fluidized material on the substrate.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating paper with other material in repetitive patterns. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus whereby repetitive treatment patterns are created without contact between the paper and the apparatus.
Methods for altering or enhancing the characteristics of paper are well known in the papermaking art. For example, many techniques have been developed for imprinting or coating paper webs. These include gravure presses, blade coating, roller coating, silkscreening and stenciling methods. Bogardy U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,534 describes a stenciling apparatus wherein a continuous stencil comes into facing engagement with a paper web during the application procedure. The apparatus includes a preparation step where air is evacuated from the web through the pattern stencil prior to the application step in order to facilitate the treatment procedure. The pattern applied by the device can be altered by changing the stencil used.
The apparatus of Bogardy U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,534 is typical of many of the other previously known treatment devices because the apparatus contacts the paper web during the application process. These previously known devices, as a result, can only be used at points in the papermaking process where the paper is sufficiently stable to withstand the contact. This limits flexibility in placement of these devices, because the devices cannot be incorporated in a papermaking machine at relatively early stages of the papermaking process.
Stenciling and other previously known methods generally transfer a predetermined pattern to a treated article. The only way to change the pattern applied is to replace the pattern-forming element of the device. In other words, there is no easy way to alter the pattern by, for instance, merely changing operating parameters. This characteristic particularly limits the applicability of these devices in mass-production situations where it is desirable to apply several patterns to paper being produced.
Another characteristic of previously known devices like that of Bogardy U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,534 is that the amount of material applied cannot be varied appreciably. In essence, since the devices are in contact with the web, there must be penetration of the web by the material during the application procedure for significant amounts of material to be applied to the web. The required penetration may not be possible depending on the combined characteristics of the paper and the treatment material, thereby resulting in less than optimum treatment of the paper.
A particular limitation of devices like that of Bogardy U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,534 is that a stenciling device incorporating a pattern for applying relatively-closely spaced bands of narrow width to cigarette paper would experience flexure of the stencil and resultant pattern non-uniformity when scaled to the size of a papermaking machine of the type used to make cigarette paper.
One other characteristic of previously known devices is that in order to maintain sufficient pressure, a sump of treatment material needs to be positioned above the stencil. This solution generally requires that sump material be recirculated to a reservoir. This constant recirculation of unused treatment material may allow contamination of the treatment material.
Improved methods for altering the characteristics of paper which overcome these limitations are of particular interest to cigarette manufacturers. Cigarette manufacturers have long appreciated the usefulness of adding flavorings or burn control additives to paper. More recently, it has been recognized that cigarette paper could be altered so that smoking articles incorporating the altered paper will have a reduced burn rate when the smoking article is not drawn on by a smoker.
Paper cigarette wrappers have burn characteristics, including burn rates and static burn capabilities. It is known that burn characteristics can be modified by adding fillers, coatings, or other additives to papers. Copending, commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/614,620, filed Nov. 16, 1990, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, includes a description of many of these methods, and also discloses a nonlaminated paper of variable basis weight and suggests that burn rate control of that paper can be achieved economically with mass-production techniques. The variable basis weight is achieved by applying bands of cellulosic slurry in a pattern to a moving paper web during production while leaving regions of the paper between the pattern untreated. The basis weight of the paper is increased in regions where the slurry has been applied, and when the paper is incorporated in a smoking article, the smoking article has a decreased burn rate in those regions. Limitations of prior mass-production application methods like that disclosed in Bogardy U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,534 render them less effective for altering the basis weight of cigarette paper in patterns as described in above-incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/614,620.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for treating paper webs which can be easily incorporated into present papermaking machines.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for treating paper webs without contact between the paper web and the apparatus.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying chemical treatments to paper webs in patterns wherein the pattern applied can be altered by changing machine operating parameters.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying material to moving paper webs where the amount of material applied can be varied appreciably.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying material to moving paper webs in uniform patterns in a continuous manner, and at high speeds.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying material to moving paper webs where the amount of material being applied can be accurately metered, eliminating the need for recirculation of treatment material.
It would further be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for applying chemical treatments to cigarette paper so that burn rate control can be achieved economically with mass production techniques.

Application of fluidized material to a substrate using intermittent charges of compressed air


In a method of manufacturing a plastics material sleeve fitted with a heating wire and intended for producing an electric resistance welding connector the sleeve is molded to a cylindrical shape delimited by an outside surface and an inside surface; a helical groove is formed in one of these two surfaces of the sleeve; a wire is placed in the groove; and the plastics material heated by means of the wire is smoothed so as to cover the wire totally and close the groove. The electric resistance welding sleeve obtained in this way is in particular intended to be used either without overmolding it as an ordinary sleeve in particular for welding water pipes or after overmolding it as an electric resistance welding connector in particular for gas pipes.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns a method of fabricating electric resistance welding sleeves, a device for implementing it and preferred applications of the sleeve produced in this way.
2. Description of the prior art
Electric resistance welding sleeves are used in particular for jointing plastics material tubular elements such as gas or water distribution pipes usually made from polyethylene.
The electric resistance welding technique consists in using a heating wire embedded in a connecting part and forming an electrical resistance to heat the contacting surfaces of the parts to the temperature at which the materials weld.
The usual technique employed for forming such connecting parts (or connectors) is overmolding by injection molding. The heating wire is placed in a spool which is overmolded to form the connecting part. The wire is therefore relatively near the inside surface of the element. To achieve good quality welding it is desirable for the wire to be as near as possible to this inside contact surface.
One way to fabricate an electric resistance welding sleeve is known from French patent application FR-B-2.221.679 (STURM VON ROLL AG), by forming a groove in the outside surface of a plastics material sleeve and winding the resistance wire under tension into the resulting groove on the sleeve. When finished, the sleeve is expanded by means of a spreader mandrel and this subjects the heating wire to an additional longitudinal tension stress. The sleeve is then surrounded by an outer sleeve element in an injection mold. The major disadvantage of a method of this kind is the risk of displacement and expansion of the heating wire before and during overmolding.
Before it is overmolded the wire is held in place on the surface of the spool only by the tension in it. This tension may not be correct, for example because of an operator error during winding or during storage because of a variation in the diameter of the sleeve due to ambient atmospheric conditions, in particular excessive relative humidity.
It is also difficult to regulate the tension to be applied to the wire as it is wound onto the sleeve. The wire must be firmly tensioned so that it is securely accommodated in the bottom of the helical groove. However, the wire must not be overtensioned because in this case its diameter is reduced and the final resistivity obtained is higher than that required, which has disadvantages at welding time.
The wire may also be displaced during overmolding by the forces due to the viscosity of the overmolded plastics material.
Any such displacements lead to non-homogeneous dispersion of heat, compromising the quality of the weld. There is also the risk of air pockets being created in the connecting part, which are also detrimental to the weld.
What is more, in a method of this kind there is obviously a minimum distance between the wire and the inside surface of the sleeve that cannot be eliminated and it is therefore impossible to have the wire tangential to the inside surface of the sleeve, among other things.
Finally, with sleeves of this kind storage is a problem because the wire and the groove in the sleeve are exposed to the ordinary atmosphere of the workshop so that contamination by polluted air and soiling by dust or the like leads to the necessity to clean them before carrying out the overmolding.
European patent EP-A-303 909 (GLYNWED TUBES AND FITTINGS LIMITED) proposes a method of fabricating an electric resistance welding connector in which a heated wire is wound onto a sleeve. The temperature of the wire softens the plastics material near the wire. A pressure roller transmits to the wire sufficient pressure to embed it in the plastics material, so that the wire is eventually entirely covered with plastics material. The connector is then obtained by overmolding this sleeve in the conventional way.
This method has various disadvantages.
Guiding the wire onto the surface of the sleeve in a helix can only be achieved by translation of the sleeve or of the heating head during rotation of the sleeve. An incorrect wire tension or incorrect adjustment of the tooling can lead to unwanted variation in the pitch of the helix which is detrimental to the homogeneity of the weld and creates a risk of short-circuiting.
Also, the heating wire is installed near the outer surface of the sleeve and may even be flush with it. As explained above, it is at the inside surface of the sleeve that the plastics material of the sleeve and the tubular elements to be jointed must be heated to achieve the optimum weld.
Finally, there is some uncertainty as to the reliability of this method. The pressure roller smooths the plastics material over the wire to only a limited degree and irregularities in the anchoring of the wire may result, possibly even total absence of anchoring at some locations on the surface of the sleeve.
Generally speaking, the methods described in these two prior art documents systematically require overmolding of the sleeve to produce the electric resistance welding connector.
In both cases if there were no overmolding the heating of the wire would destroy the sleeve. This is because of the absence of any continuous external structure in the document FR-A-2 221 679 and because of the reduced thickness of the sleeve and the external disposition of the wire in the document EP-A-0303 909.
European patent application EP-A-0.086.359 proposes to form a helical groove in the inside cylindrical surface of a plastics material sleeve fabricated beforehand, for example by molding. The groove is formed in the cylindrical inside surface by a rotating cutting head fitted with a cutter.
The heating wire is then introduced into the groove formed in this way and freely placed in the bottom of the groove, which is finally partly closed by pressing the surrounding plastics material.
In this cited document the radial position of the wire relative to the cylindrical inside surface is not specified and it is possible that the wire is not held totally against the bottom of the groove. Also, the method described is such that part of the external surface of the wire is not covered by any coating material which makes it impossible to produce a sleeve in which the heating wire is flush with the cylindrical inside surface. Storing a sleeve produced in this way poses problems because the wire remains exposed to the ordinary atmosphere of the shop and contamination by polluted air may make it necessary to clean the sleeve before it is used for welding.
The fitting of the heating wire into an internal groove by smoothing the plastics material so as to surround it only partially prevents effective control over the anchoring of the wire into the plastics material during winding and at the end of the smoothing operation.
An object of the present invention is to remedy these disadvantages and to fabricate an electric resistance welding sleeve that can be used on its own, without overmolding, for example as an electric resistance welding sleeve for routine use, in particular for welding water pipes, or, after overmolding, as an electric resistance welding connector, in particular for gas pipes.

Electro-welding sleeve obtained by fabrication method


A vehicular sun visor having a single molded plastic core member. A first face of the core member includes an integrally molded channel member for receiving an extender blade therein. The opposite face of the core member includes a series of integrally molded channels and grooves for the reception of a series of wires and lamps comprising the lighting circuitry. An upholstery cover member is folded over the core member and secured along a seam. The cover member is adhered to a rigid foundation and includes a pair of access openings therein through which a mirror and lens assembly is removably attached to the core member. The cover member defines the shape of the sun visor.

The present invention relates generally to sun visors for vehicles, and more particularly, to a sun visor having a molded plastic core member.
It is well known to provide a sun visor for the windshield of a vehicle, e.g., an automobile for shielding the eyes of the driver and front seat passenger from harsh direct or glaring light, primarily sunlight. Conventional sun visors have been constructed with a solid inner core board of a pressed wood material, and an outer cloth covering of foam-backed cloth that is sewn along a seam circumjacent the periphery of the core board. If it is desired to provide components such as a mirror, electrical circuitry for lighting the mirror, and an extender for increasing the coverage of the sun visor, it has been necessary to mount these components onto a side of the inner core board. The addition of these components tends to increase the thickness of the sun visor. In addition, a separate assembly operation is required to mount each component onto the core board, resulting in an accumulation of tolerances of the components as well as an accumulated variation introduced by each assembly operation.
In recent years, visor assemblies have been constructed with molded plastic core members. Typically, these are molded of a plastic material in two half sections or clam shells joined together by a hinge. The half sections form a cavity or recess within the core, into which the internal components such as the lighting circuitry including lamps and mirror are all located. The core halves are then pressed together and bonded by a heat sealing operation or the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,839, issued to White, et al., a plastic core sun visor is disclosed in which the core members 12 and 14 are each covered with an upholstery material 16 and are then locked together by the engagement of rigid pins 44 extending inwardly adjacent the perimeter of one of the core members in snap-in engagement. A disadvantage with this design is that once the relatively expensive core mold has been built, there is no flexibility for changes in the overall size of the sun visor which are often required to accommodate varying sun visor size requirements in newly designed vehicles. Thus, if the size of an existing plastic core sun visor size is either too large or too small, a new mold must be made to change the size of the sun visor. It is desired to provide an improved sun visor that overcomes the above disadvantages.


A shield driving device for a headlamp, which operates a rotary shield that selectively blocks a portion of light emitted from a light source to an aspherical lens, the shield driving device may include the rotary shield disposed in front of the light source, and performing a closing operation for blocking the portion of light from the light source, and an opening operation for unblocking the portion of the light while rotating about a rotating shaft, a shield controlling cam disposed below the rotary shield to be rotatable in a state of being in contact with a cam contact portion of the rotary shield, and rotating simultaneously with the cam contact portion by frictional force caused by contact, and an actuator which transmits rotational power to the shield controlling cam.

Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a shield driving device for a headlamp. More particularly, to a shield driving device for a headlamp, which is capable of implementing a high beam mode and a low beam mode by controlling rotational motion of a shield for a headlamp.
Description of Related Art
In general, a vehicle is provided with lighting devices which have a lighting function that allows a driver to easily detect objects positioned in a traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle is driven at night, and a signal function that informs drivers or other road users of a driving state of the vehicle.
Among the lighting devices for a vehicle, headlamps, which are also called headlights, are mounted at two front sides of the vehicle and illuminate a way in front of the vehicle when the vehicle travels at night, thereby ensuring visibility of a driver in a traveling direction.
The headlamp should not cause driving hindrance such as light blindness of a driver of an oncoming vehicle that faces the host vehicle, and to this end, a mode of the headlamp is changed to a low beam mode or a high beam mode by being manipulated by the driver.
Recently, in order to change and selectively use the low and high beam modes, a bi-functional headlamp is sometimes applied, which is provided with a shield driving device (or light distribution direction changing device) including a rotary shield, thereby emitting a high beam and a low beam by using a single light source.
The bi-functional headlamp emits the high beam or the low beam by adjusting light reflected by a reflective surface of a reflector by using the shield driving device, and in this case, the shield driving device changes a rotational position of the shield by using an actuator, thereby directing the light only downward by an operation of closing the shield (low beam mode), or directing the light both upward and downward by an operation of opening the shield (high beam mode).
In the case of the bi-functional headlamp, a large amount of noise does not occur when the shield is rotated to an open position by the actuator, but noise occurs when electric power being applied to the actuator is shut off, and the shield is rotated to a closed position by restoring force of a return spring, and thus collides with a damper.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


Carbonated liquid under pressure is conducted to a point which is at a pressure close to atmospheric pressure without excessive loss of carbonation over a helical flow path formed from a tubular member having an inner circumference and a helical insert having a threaded portion disposed within the tubular member with the threaded portion and the inner circumference together defining the helical flow path. The helical insert has an upstream end formed with a pointed nose adjacent one end of the threaded portion and a downstream end formed as a flat tail adjacent the other end of the threaded portion. The helical flow path has a predetermined length and essentially constant cross section which tends to reduce the pressure of the solution without excessive loss of carbonation.

This invention can be incorporated as an improvement in the carbonator disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 799,911, filed Nov. 20, 1985, now abandoned in favor of application Ser. No. 07/257,128, filed Oct. 7, 1988, now abandoned in favor of application Ser. No. 07/511,941 which is admitted to be prior art to the invention. FIGS. 1-13 and the description thereof describe the admitted prior art.
The invention is directed to the long standing problem of maintaining the desired degree of carbonation in a carbonated liquid. For example, in post-mix dispensers, carbonated water is combined with a concentrate, such as syrup, to make a drink for the consumer. The carbonated water is produced in a pressurized vessel, typically called a carbonator, which generates a solution of water and dissolved gas (CO.sub.2). Due to the pressurization of the carbonator and the requirement that the fluid be delivered to the consumer at ambient conditions, some method of flow control must be used to provide a consumer-acceptable flow rate of the carbonated water upon dispensing. The problem in controlling the flow arises because the solution of water and dissolved gas, i.e., the carbonated water, is an unstable mixture. At standard temperatures and pressures, the carbon dioxide gas tends to come out of solution. This tendency is accelerated if the solution is exposed to any severe turbulent flow or sudden pressure drops. A similar problem arises in pre-mix dispensers where a mixture of carbonated water and syrup is dispensed.
Several solutions to the problem of controlling the flow rate of the carbonated liquid while maintaining the dissolved gas in solution have been attempted with unsatisfactory results. For instance, as described in more detail subsequently in FIGS. 1-13, an expansion chamber can be provided to attempt to prevent the loss of carbonation when dispensing. The expansion chamber itself is kept at a cold temperature and is a gradually enlarging chamber which permits a gradual expansion and lowering of pressure from the pressure inside the carbonated tank, typically approximately 50 psi, to atmospheric pressure at the point where the carbonated water is dispensed to form a drink. The expansion chamber was used in combination with a anti-surge valve which acted to reduce the pressure in the expansion chamber to a level which would allow dispensing upon initial opening of the dispensing valve without spitting or sputtering. The expansion chamber did not provide satisfactory results because the inside diameter of the expansion chamber was so large that the carbonated solution was not in containment and therefore too much space was available for gas which readily came out of solution.
Another solution that was attempted was provision of a standard orifice of approximately 0.052 inches in diameter having a land distance of approximately 0.032 inches as the primary flow control. This is shown in FIG. 13A. The orifice was mounted at the outlet of the expansion chamber thereby effectively eliminating the reduced pressure effect of the expansion chamber. The above-mentioned anti-surge valve also was eliminated. Although this arrangement produced better results than the expansion chamber, it also was unsatisfactory because a rapid pressure drop and turbulent flow conditions were produced which tended to drive the dissolved carbon dioxide out of the solution.

Helical insert for a carbonator and method of conducting carbonated liquid


A drainage pipe for use in a basement waterproofing system is disclosed. The drainage pipe includes a plurality of openings located along its lower sidewalls. The drainage pipe includes a cleaning tube affixed to an interior surface of the drainage pipe. The tube has a plurality of spaced holes which allow fluid such as air or water to be forced out of the tube and clean debris from the drainage pipe. A garden hose, air hose or other fluid source can be attached to the tube.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses for drainage pipes for basement waterproofing systems, and more specifically, to methods and apparatuses for providing a self-flushing pipe for use with a basement waterproofing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art deals with providing waterproofing systems to eliminate water from a basement. Some prior art waterproofing systems use a porous cylindrical pipe mounted below the level of a basement floor to aid in eliminating water from a basement. The pipe is positioned below and around the perimeter of the basement floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,722 discloses a drainage system for basements, which was also invented by the present inventor. In this drainage system, a drainage pipe having a rectangular or square cross-section and a plurality of openings located at lower sidewall portions is used. These openings allow water to flow into the pipe from the surrounding area, thus eliminating water on the basement floor. The above-mentioned pipe reduces and/or eliminates water problems.
While other waterproofing systems require excavation and back filling of the exterior perimeter of the house, the above-mentioned drainage system allows waterproofing to be performed inexpensively from inside of the structure.
However, in any waterproofing system, particulate material, such as gravel, dirt, and other debris may flow into a waterproofing pipe. This debris, and the accumulation thereof, decreases the efficiency of the water flow through the pipe. Obstruction of the drainage pipe hinders its performance in channeling water away from the foundation of the structure. Consequently, it is desirable to flush out the drainage pipe to remove the particulate material causing this obstruction. The invention described herein is designed to overcome the foregoing difficulties of debris accumulation in a drainage pipe and provide better and more advantageous overall results.


A screw (10) and a connection produced therewith of a thin metal sheet forming a substructure (40) to a plastics component (30) having a through-bore (32) and having a seal (50) located between the substructure (40) and the component (30). The screw (10) has a shank (13) having a thread-cutting thread (16) and a tip (12) in the form of a boring part, and also a lower thread section (18) having a first thread outside diameter (D18) and an upper thread section (19) having a second, larger thread outside diameter (D19) and having a conically narrowing transition section (22) between the two thread sections (18, 19). The upper thread section (19) has a thread pitch (P2) which is smaller than the thread pitch (P1) of the lower thread section (18). During the production of the connection, the upper thread is screwed into the through-bore (32), wherein a form-fit is produced in the component (30) between the latter and the screw (10) and the material of the component (30) rests in a sealing manner around the upper thread section (19). This produces a combination of a seal without a sealing washer and with a defined distance between the component and the substructure by defined compression of the seal (50).

The invention relates to a connection of a thin metal sheet, forming a substructure, by a screw to a plastics component having a through-bore and having a seal located between the substructure and the component, wherein the connection is produced with a screw having a shank with a thread-cutting or self-tapping thread and with a tip.
A screw of the abovementioned type is known from the document DE 10 2008 045 412 A1. This document also discloses a connection which corresponds essentially to the abovementioned connection. However, in the case of the known connection, a conical sealing disk is arranged between the screw head and the component, and the upper thread section is additionally coated with a sealing means. A sealing profile is located between the component and the substructure.
The known screw connects a profile, which is a threshold, a door frame part or window frame part, to an outer wall in an opening in a building. The upper thread section of the screw is coated with the sealing means. The sealing disk rests in a sealing manner on the profile. The sealing means fills and seals off any space between the support thread and an internal thread of the bore in the profile. The upper thread section serves as a support thread. The thread engagement between the support thread and the profile prevents a relative movement between the profile and the screw. Sealing is achievable between this screw and the profile only because both are precisely coordinated with one another. Such sealing would not be readily achievable if the screw were to be used to fasten photovoltaic elements to trapezoidal sheet metal on a roof. The upper thread section having a larger thread outside diameter would tend to be disruptive in this case. Furthermore, a conical sealing disk would only be usable when the screw has a head, this not necessarily always being the case, and use is usually made, between the trapezoidal sheet metal and the photovoltaic elements, of holding elements, frequently made of plastics material, in the region of which sealing would in any case only be achievable with difficulty. If screws without a head are used, the problem otherwise arises that the lower thread section can be stripped in the trapezoidal sheet metal.
A screw having a shank and a head for fastening a component to a substructure with a conical sealing disk being pressed tightly against the component is already known from the document DE 10 2006 041 860 A1. In this case, the screw head is configured as a cone on its underside about the shank. The cone angle of the conical sealing disk is equal to or greater than the cone angle of the screw head. On account of the conical configuration of the underside of the screw head, what is known as "dishing" of the sealing disk when the screw is tightened is avoided. Such screws are preferably used for mounting steel profile panels for roof, wall and ceiling constructions. The sealing disks usually consist of a metal rear, on which an elastomer layer made of EPDM is vulcanized in an inseparable manner. For thin metal sheet connections, as are intended to be produced in the case of trapezoidal sheet metal, such a screw is less suitable on account of the high force with which it has to be tightened. The risk that the thread will be stripped in the trapezoidal sheet metal would be too high.
The document WO 02/40803 A1 discloses a device and a method for fastening a roof sealing web. Together with the screw, use is made of a holding element, into which an upper thread section is screwed. The screw has a lower thread section having a smaller diameter, which is screwed into a roof substructure. The connection produced in this way is complicated because a specifically designed holding element is required. In order to achieve complete sealing, after the screw has been set, a liquid film is poured into a recess between the holding element and the screw head. Therefore, such a screw connection is likewise less suitable for use in the photovoltaic field.
The document EP 1 015 774 B1 discloses the fastening of wooden battens to a roof or wall substructure consisting inter alia of wood. The screw used in this fastening has on its shank in each case a thread section adjoining the boring tip and the head. These two thread sections have the same outside diameter. In order that wooden battens can be fastened to a roof or wall substructure consisting of wood in a manner resting thereon in a firmly pressed manner, the thread section adjoining the head has a thread pitch which is smaller than the thread pitch of the thread section adjoining the boring tip. The head of the screw is small and formed in a countersinkable manner. Sealing considerations play no part in this connection. There is mutual firm pressing between the batten and the substructure, as a result of which relatively small changes in size, dependent on air humidity, in the region of the batten and likewise in the region of the substructure can be supported.
The document DE 201 21 563 U1 discloses a screw for fastening a formwork panel to a metal formwork girder, having a shank provided with a thread, which is intended to pass through the formwork panel and to come into thread engagement with the formwork girder, wherein the screw is provided with a boring part, an expendable device is provided in the region of the boring part for widening a bore produced in the formwork panel by the boring part, and the shank provided with a thread has a tool engagement end for a screwing-in tool and, next to the tool engagement end, a thread part which has a larger diameter than the remaining thread part. The thread part having a larger diameter has a smaller pitch than the remaining thread part. When a formwork panel is fastened, a connection is produced, in which sealing between the screw and the formwork panel does not matter. This known screw is also only usable when, as in the present case, a substructure provides sufficient resistance in order to shear off the boring wings of which the expendable device consists. Therefore, the known screw would be suitable only to a limited extent to produce a thin metal sheet connection.
The document DE 295 02 068 U1 shows a screw for connecting a window frame, consisting of plastics material, to a cuboidal steel profile. The screw has an upper thread section and a lower thread section, wherein a conically narrowing transition section of the screw shank is arranged between the upper and the lower thread section. The screw is used in a plastics window frame in which a steel profile is used for reinforcement.

Screw and thin metal sheet connection produced therewith


A system and method for conducting forensic investigations by investigators on an investigations field using a mobile device. A digital search warrant is downloaded to the mobile device prior to conducting the forensic investigation. The digital search warrant defines the search parameters of the search to be conducted, including key terms, file types, and the like. The mobile device is coupled to a target device in the investigations field that is the subject of the forensic investigation. The mobile device parses the digital search warrant and automatically identifies and collects data from the target device based on the parsed digital search warrant. The automatically identifying and collecting of the data is done without modifying a state of the target device to retain forensic integrity during the investigation process.

It is often desirable to collect forensic data quickly in the field without having to invoke specialized computer equipment or having to be an expert in computer forensics. Specifically, it is often desirable to collect forensic data with equipment that field officers often have at hand, such as mobile phones, tablets, or the like. Once collected via such standard devices, the collected data can be taken to a forensic professional for full analysis as required.
The gathering of forensic data for criminal investigations often requires a search warrant. A law enforcement official typically generates the search warrant identifying the object and/or location of the search. The law enforcement official takes the search warrant to a judge for approval and presents the approved search warrant to an individual being investigated prior to conducting the search. If during the investigation the law enforcement official determines that other documents or areas need to be investigated which are beyond the scope of the current warrant, the law enforcement officer returns to his/her headquarters to obtain a new warrant. However, by the time that the new warrant is approved and the law enforcement officer returns to the field to resume the search, the material to be investigated may have disappeared.
Accordingly, what is desired is a system and method for efficiently creating, reviewing, approving and transmitting search warrants to the investigating officers to allow efficient and quick collection of forensic data.

System and method for collecting forensic data via a mobile device