A collapsible cooking apparatus including a collapsible generally circular shaped hollow cooking enclosure that has containers in its interior for holding fuel during the cooking process. A collapsible structure is also included for suspending articles above or within the collapsible generally circular shaped hollow cooking enclosure for cooking or warming. This collapsible structure for suspending articles has a plurality of collapsible legs whose lower end portions are adapted to rest upon the ground or the like around the collapsible generally circular shaped hollow cooking enclosure when the collapsible cooking apparatus is assembled for cooking.

Currently there are several types of collapsible cooking apparatus, however there is no single cooking apparatus that allows food preparation for a group of people, such as a family, at one time and is portable for use in outdoor recreation. More and more state and federal laws and regulations are restricting or banning the use of bonfires and open-air barbecues. What is needed is a cooking apparatus that allows for barbecue style cooking but in a contained and clean-cook fashion for safety and anti-pollutant reasons. There exists a need for a cooking apparatus that not only has the capacity to cook for a large group of individuals, such as a family, at one time, but that has the means of moderating and adjusting the heat to cook different types of food.
In addition, most outdoor cooking apparatus take up a comparatively large volume of space and are too heavy for easy use in remote locations that are not readily accessible to a vehicle that can transport the cooking apparatus to its point of intended use. Ideally this apparatus needs to be easily portable, light in construction and able to collapse into a container that will fit in a standard backpack. Ideally this cooking apparatus should be easy to assemble, and tear down to return it to its original state for storage in its container ready for reuse and the cooking apparatus should be easy to dispose of any ash and food residue and easy to clean as well as be resistant to staining.
The requirements of the backpacker are very demanding since the backpacker needs a collapsible cooking apparatus that has the smallest possible volume as well. In addition, since a backpacker will have few if any tools the collapsible cooker must be easily assembled for use without any tools the backpacker will also, in many instances, be required to carry his or her fuel for the cooker and hence the collapsible cooker must be extremely efficient in its use of fuel since the fuel source may be fixed to a small amount without the ability for it to be replenished. Fire is also a possibility in many backpacking situations and hence it is important the a collapsible cooker for backpacking situations properly contact ignited fuel or fuel that could be ignited so that it does not pose a possible fuel hazard.
It is also important that a collapsible cooker be readily cleaned. This is particularly true in various outdoor situations where the access to cleaning facilities is limited such as in the case of backpacking or in remote camping situations.
Existing collapsible cookers are also difficult to readily assemble. This is particularly true when assembly is required under difficult conditions such as in low light conditions that are likely to be encountered when backpacking or camping.
The new collapsible cooking apparatus of this invention overcomes these problems and provide a collapsible cooking apparatus that is easy to use and safe to use to cook for varying numbers of people with different types of possible cooking techniques. The new collapsible cooking apparatus is light in weight, is very compact and yet it is easy to assemble without the need for any tools. The new collapsible cooking apparatus has portions that are used for more than one purpose.


According to the present invention, a zinc-containing solid catalyst prepared by contacting zinc oxide with an organic dicarboxylic acid in the presence of or in the absence of an organic solvent under a mechanical pulverization treatment is provided. The catalyst is in a good pulverized state and exhibits a high catalytic activity for polymerization of carbon dioxide with an epoxide to obtain a polyalkylene carbonate.

A large quantity of carbon dioxide are evolved on the earth by commercial productive activities and respiration of animals. Although carbon dioxide is readily available as a raw material, because of its low reactivity, carbon dioxide has not been effectively utilized as an industrial resource. It is significant to make use of this readily available industrial resource.
Several processes for the production of synthetic resins in which carbon dioxide is used as a raw material have heretofore been proposed. Among others, Journal of Chemical Society of Japan (1982) No. 2, page 295, discloses such a process in which a reaction product of zinc acetate with an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid or a reaction product of an alkyl zinc with water is used as a catalyst. Further, a process disclosed by Polymer Journal, Vol. 13 (1981) page 407, use is made of as a catalyst reaction products of zinc hydroxide with various organic carboxylic acids.

Zinc-containing solid catalyst, process of preparing same and process for preparing polyalkylene carbonate


A power supply for vacuum fluorescent displays has a source of a relatively high frequency signal which is provided to a power driver amplifier which is also supplied with a desired supply voltage. The output of the driver amplifier is a square-wave signal varying between approximately zero and the supply voltage; this signal is provided to the filament of the vacuum fluorescent display such that the filament is heated and is self-biased at a DC level which is substantially one-half the supply voltage level. Self-biasing a capacitor between the filament and ground, which also allows the RMS level of the voltage across the filament to be controlled by controlling the frequency of the output signal from the driver amplifier. The voltage may be regulated by comparing the RMS voltage across the filament with a reference and using the difference to control the frequency of oscillation of the source. A voltage multiplier may be connected to receive the square-wave output from the driver amplifier to produce a higher level DC voltage which can be used to supply the grid and plate drivers with the higher voltage needed for these elements. Two driver amplifiers may be connected together with circuitry to self-oscillate, with the outputs of the two amplifiers being connected across the filament to heat the filament and self-bias the filament at one-half the DC supply voltage level.

Vacuum fluorescent displays are similar to vacuum tubes. A cathode, or filament/cathode combination, and a grid and plate are mounted in an evacuated glass envelope. The plate is coated with a phosphor. During operation, the heated filament emits electrons which, if unimpeded by the grid, strike the phosphor on the plate, causing visible light photons to be emitted. Vacuum fluorescent dislays have several advantages. They are visible at almost all ambient lighting levels, and from many angles. Power consumption is relatively low and life expectancy is very high. The display can be customized, and virtually any color of display is attainable.
A primary disadvantage of the use of vacuum fluorescent display devices is that three different power supplies may be needed. For example, in the most commonly utilized filament heating system in which the filament is heated with AC power, three different power supplies are needed. The filament requires an AC voltage which is typically in the range of 3 to 6 volts, and the plates and grids require a positive 20 to 40 volts to illuminate and a negative 2 to 6 volts, relative to the filament, for the plate to be cutoff or dark. Optionally, a bias voltage can be applied to the filament in lieu of negative plate and grid bias voltages. The need for these separate power supplies has added to the size and expense of vacuum fluorescent display units and increased the complexity and cost of designing circuits which incorporate such displays. Expensive and bulky transformers are typically required, with associated oscillators and drivers. The driving circuit typically takes up significant space, tends to be inefficient, and may lead to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and in some cases acoustic noise. Such drive circuits also tend to consume relatively large amounts of power, limiting the suitability of vacuum fluorescent displays for portable devices and other applications in which power consumption is critical.

Power supply for vacuum fluorescent displays


A decoder includes a first sub-decoder that receives a first level voltage set and outputs voltages selected according to lower L-bits of N-bit data, a second sub-decoder that receives a second level voltage set and outputs voltages selected according to the lower L-bits, a third sub-decoder that selects, according to higher M-bits, one voltage from the voltages selected by the first and second sub-decoders, a fourth sub-decoder that outputs voltages selected according to lower P-bits from among a third level voltage set, a fifth sub-decoder that selects one voltage selected according to higher Q-bits from the voltages output from the fourth sub-decoder, and a sixth sub-decoder that controls conduction and non-conduction based on K-bits, between one output among outputs of the first sub-decoder, and one output among outputs of the fourth sub-decoder; output of the third sub-decoder and output of the fifth sub-decoder are connected to an output terminal; the first, second, and third sub-decoders are configured from transistor switches of said first polarity, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth sub-decoders are configured from transistor switches of said second polarity.

A liquid crystal display device (LCD), featured by thin thickness, light weight and low power consumption has recently come into widespread use, and is being predominantly employed as a display unit of mobile equipments, such as a portable telephone set (mobile phones or cellular phones), or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) or a notebook personal computer. In these days, with the progress in the technique for increasing a viewing area and for coping with moving images, the LCD display is now usable not only for mobile equipment but also for a stationary large screen display device and for a large screen size liquid crystal television set. A liquid crystal display device of an active matrix driving system is in use. As a thin type display device, a display device of the active matrix driving system employing an organic light emitting diode (OLED) also has been developed.
Referring to FIGS. 12A to 12C, a typical configuration of a thin type display device of the active matrix driving system (a liquid crystal display device and an organic light emitting diode display device) will be briefly described. FIG. 12A is a block diagram showing essential portions of the thin type display device. FIG. 12B is a schematic view showing essential portions of a unit pixel of a display device panel of a liquid crystal display device. FIG. 12C is a schematic view showing essential portions of a unit pixel of a display device panel of an organic light emitting diode display device. In FIGS. 12B and 12C, a unit pixel is schematically shown as an equivalent circuit.
Referring to FIG. 12A, the thin type display device of the active matrix driving system includes, as its typical components, a power supply circuit 940, a display controller 950, a display panel 960, a gate driver 970 and a data driver 980. The display device panel 960 includes a matrix array of unit pixels each comprising a pixel switch 964 and a display element 963. In the case of a color SXGA (Super eXtended Graphics Array) panel, for example, the matrix array is made up by 1280×3 pixel columns and 1024 pixel rows. On the display device panel 960, a plurality of scan lines 961 that transmit scan signals output from the gate driver 970 to the respective unit pixels and a plurality of data lines 962 that transmit gray scale voltage signals output from the data driver 980 are arrayed in a lattice-shaped configuration. The gate driver 970 and the data driver 980 are supplied with a clock signal CLK and control signals under control by the display device controller 950. Image data are supplied to the data driver 980. Nowadays, image data are predominantly digital data. A power supply circuit 940 supplies necessary power supply voltages to the gate driver 970 and the data driver 980. The display device panel 960 includes a semiconductor substrate. As the display device panel 960 for a large display device, a semiconductor substrate formed by an insulating substrate, having a plurality of thin film transistors (pixel switches) formed thereon, has been widely used.
In the display device of FIG. 12A, the pixel switch 964 is turned on (made electrically conductive) and off by a scan signal and a gray scale level voltage signal, corresponding to pixel data, is applied to the display device element 963. The display device element 963 then is changed in luminance in response to the gray scale voltage signal, thus displaying an image. Each image equivalent data is re-written in each frame period, which is usually ca. 0.017 sec, for 60 Hz driving. Each scan line 961 sequentially selects pixel rows (lines) to turn on the pixel switches 964. During the time the pixel rows are selected, the gray scale voltage signals are supplied from the data lines 962 via the pixel switches 964 to the display device elements 963. There are cases where a plurality of pixels is simultaneously selected by scan lines or the driving is performed by a frame frequency higher than 60 Hz.
Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, a liquid crystal display device has a display panel 960 including a semiconductor substrate and an opposite substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a matrix array of pixel switches 964, as a unit pixel, and transparent electrodes 973. The opposite substrate has a single transparent electrode 974 extending on its entire surface. These substrates are mounted facing each other with a gap, in which a liquid crystal material is sealed. The display element 963, forming a unit pixel, includes a pixel electrode 973, an opposite substrate electrode 974, a liquid crystal capacitance 971 and an auxiliary capacitance 972. A backlight is provided as a light source on a back side of the display device panel.
When the pixel switch 964 is turned on by a scan signal from the scan line 961, the gray scale voltage signal from the data line 962 is applied to the pixel electrode 973. The transmittance of the backlight, transmitted through the liquid crystal, is changed due to the potential difference between each pixel electrode 973 and the opposite substrate 974. The potential difference is held by the liquid crystal capacitance 971 and by the auxiliary capacitance 972, for a specified time, even after the pixel witch 964 is turned off, thus providing for display. In driving the liquid crystal display device, the voltage polarity is reversed between plus and minus polarities, with respect to the common voltage of the opposite electrode 974, usually every frame period (inverted driving), in order to prevent deterioration of liquid crystal. Hence, the data line 962 is also driven by dot inversion driving or column inversion driving. The dot inversion driving is a driving method in which a voltage polarity applied to the liquid crystal is changed in every pixel, whereas the column inversion driving is a driving method in which the voltage polarity is changed in every frame.
In the organic light emitting diode display device, shown in FIGS. 12A and 12C, the display device panel 960 includes a semiconductor substrate on which a matrix array of a plurality of unit pixels are arranged. Each of these unit pixels comprises a pixel switch 964, an organic light emitting diode 982 and a thin film transistor (TFT) 981. The organic light emitting diode is formed by an organic film sandwiched between two thin film electrode layers. The TFT 981 controls a current supplied to the organic light emitting diode 982. The organic light emitting diode 982 and the TFT 981 are connected in series with each other between power supply terminals 984 and 985 supplied with different power supply voltages. An auxiliary capacitance 983 holds a control terminal voltage of the TFT 981. The display device element 963, associated with a pixel, includes the TFT 981, organic light emitting diode 982, power supply terminals 984, 985 and the auxiliary capacitance 983.
When the pixel switch 964 is turned on (made electrically conductive) by the scan signal from the scan line 961, the gray scale voltage signal from the data line 962 is applied to the control terminal of the TFT 981. This causes light to be emitted from the organic light emitting diode 982 with the luminance corresponding to the current controlled by TFT 981 to make necessary display. Light emission is sustained even after the pixel switch 964 is turned off (made electrically non-conductive), since the gray scale voltage signal applied to the control terminal of the TFT 981 is kept for a certain time by the auxiliary capacitance 983. In FIG. 30C, the pixel switch 964 and the TFT 981 formed by n-channel transistors are shown as an example. The TFT 981 may, however, be formed by a p-channel transistor. An organic light emitting diode may also be connected to the side the power supply terminal 984. In the driving of the organic light emitting diode display device, no inverted driving, such as is used in the liquid crystal display device, need be used.
The above describes the configuration of an organic light emitting diode display device in which display is made in association with a gray scale voltage signal applied to a device element from the data line 962, but there is another configuration in which the display device receives a gray scale current signal output from the data driver to make display. However, the description of the present invention will be made only with reference to the configuration in which the display device receives a gray scale voltage output from the data driver to make display.
Referring to FIG. 12A, it suffices that the gate driver 970 is adapted to supply a scan signal which is at least a binary signal. On the other hand, the data driver 980 has to drive each data line 962 with multi-level gray scale voltage signals matched to the number of gray scales. Therefore, the data driver 980 includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) circuit that includes a decoder which converts image data into a gray scale voltage signal and an amplifier which amplifies and outputs the gray scale voltage signal to the data line 962.
For high-end use mobile equipments, notebook PCs, monitors or TV receivers, having thin type display devices, such as liquid crystal display devices or organic light emitting diode display devices, the tendency is towards a high image quality or a multiple colors and the demand for multi-bit video digital data is increasing. Multi-bit DAC area is dependent on the decoder configuration.
Furthermore, in the liquid crystal display device, there is a demand for lowering of a power supply voltage used to drive a liquid crystal. On the other hand, in the OLED (organic light emitting diode) display device, polarity inversion as in liquid crystal driving is not necessary, and its dynamic range is wide for a given power supply voltage. In order to realize these, in both the liquid crystal display device and the organic light emitting diode display device, in the data driver 980, as switches of a level voltage selection circuit (decoder), a configuration is necessary in which a Pch transistor switch (Pch-SW) and an Nch transistor switch (Nch-SW) are combined, (a CMOS switch configuration wherein the Pch-SW and Nch-SW are connected in parallel, in order for currents between drain and source of the Pch-SW and Nch-SW to flow in the same direction, and have respective gates supplied with normal and complementary control signals to be controlled in common to be tuned on and off).
However, use of the CMOS switch increases the decoder area and driver cost.
It is to be noted that Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, in a decoder circuit that decodes multi-bit digital data and outputs an electrical signal (voltage) corresponding to the multi-bit digital data, as a configuration where size is reduced in a longitudinal direction in which output candidate reference voltages are arrayed, without increasing size in a lateral direction, there is provided a plurality of first stage sub-decoder circuits (FSD0-FSD31) arranged for a plurality of adjacently disposed output candidates (V0-V63), each including unit decoders (SWE, SWO) disposed in parallel in a direction perpendicular to an array direction of the output candidates. In the disclosure of Patent Document 1, the size in the longitudinal direction of the decoder is reduced, but problems and ways for solving the problems are completely different from the present disclosure.    [Patent Document 1] JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2007-279367A

Voltage level selection circuit and display driver


A T-step hull form for monohull planing vessels includes a forward section, an aft section, a transom, a step, and a skeg. The step is transversely oriented and separates the forward section from the aft section, and the skeg extends longitudinally along the length of the hull form from the step rearwardly to the transom, dividing the aft section into a starboard tunnel portion and a port tunnel portion. The starboard and port tunnel portions are ventilated at their respective outboard sides, at the transom, or both. Vents may pass transversely through the skeg. Tunnel flaps may be disposed in each of the tunnel portions and are hingeably attached at the step to allow for adjustability of the step's geometry. The addition of the skeg, which extends from the step to the transom, provides additional longitudinal surface area for the hull form, and in turn increases lateral stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to vessel hulls and more specifically to a T-step hull form for mono-hull planing vessels.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional stepped hulls are relatively well-known in the art of planing vessel hull forms and are useful in mono-hull designs (as compared to catamaran or trimaran designs). These hulls include one or more steps, or "breaks" in the hull, which are intended to reduce the amount of hull surface that comes in contact with the water. By reducing water contact, friction resistance is reduced leading to faster overall speed capability for a given vessel. Conventional stepped hull designs include a step that runs across the entire width (or "beam") of the vessel, which step is usually located toward the back half of the hull. The step results in large apertures or gaps on the sides of the hull which provides ventilation for the hull.
These conventional stepped hull designs can result in a speed increase of about 10 to 15 percent for a given engine power output as compared to a non-stepped design. The speed increase occurs because the wetted area (i.e. the surface area of the hull that is in contact with water) is divided into smaller areas, each having a larger beam as compared to the length (i.e. larger aspect ratio). Lift generation is simply more efficient with a larger beam-to-length aspect ratio. Accordingly, with a stepped design, the hull can plane (i.e. achieve hydrodynamic lift) more efficiently on two or three high-aspect ratio surfaces rather than a single low-aspect ratio surface. In order for the increase in lift to occur over two or more high-aspect ratio surfaces, the rear of each step must be ventilated; this allows airs to be continuously sucked into the step region. Often, steps are ventilated to the outboard sides, at the transom, or both. Generally speaking, a stepped hull design allows for the adoption of lower output engine for a given set of desired performance characteristics, leading to an overall reduction in cost of the vessel and an increase in fuel efficiency. To that end, the cost of engines is often the largest single cost in recreational vessels and therefore if smaller engines can be used while still meeting desired performance expectations, a significant advantage can be gained.
Despite the speed benefits, conventional stepped hull designs are known to reduce stability, particularly at high speeds. This is because lift is spread laterally across more than one surface, which increases longitudinal stability, making it more difficult to trim the vessel. Without proper trimming, conventional stepped hull vessels can tend to swap ends and/or broach, i.e. become air-borne, while maneuvering. Stability can be achieved through the effective use of trim tabs (i.e. adjustable flaps fitted to the hull at the transom which correct/change the center of gravity of the vessel), but properly adjusting the tabs "on the fly" requires a boater with advanced knowledge and experience. Consequently, high speed maneuvering of stepped hull vessels can be quite dangerous, particularly for less-experiences boaters who are not proficient in setting the trim of the vessel. Further still, conventional stepped hull designs suffer from increased drag at low speeds, before higher speeds cause water to break cleanly off the step
Several attempts at providing stepped hull designs are relatively well-known in the art; however, none are specifically designed to improve handling and stability characteristics, particularly during high speed maneuvering:
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,832,862 to Grumman relates to a hull design for a seaplane or amphibian aircraft designed to reduce suction of the water during takeoff. The hull includes a stepped rearward section having a diminutive keel running the length of the hull. The design provides for an upwardly sloped rearward section to keep the surface clear of the water leaving the step. A triangular flat bottom section is located at the apex of the bend of the keel, at the step, and facilitates early take off from a body of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,767 to Haines describes a boat hull having a flat, recessed section intersecting the transom along with a vent means and drain for ventilating an internal hollow body or reservoir mounted within the hull. The recessed section extends only partially along the beam of the hull, on either side of the centerline (keel) thereof and vents only rearward to the transom. The keel of the hull is completely interrupted at the recess. The venting body and recess prevents water from gaining access to the hull interior, trapping and expelling such water through the transom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,853 to Adler describes a stepped hydroplane hull wherein the aft section has a positive trim angle and a forward portion has either a flat or positive trim angle wherein the angle of the forward portion is less than that of the aft portion. The hull also includes a region immediately aft of the step which is ventilated to atmosphere by air passages joining the step above the water line, in order to reduce drag at pre-planing speeds when the step is completely immersed in water. The air passages are not longitudinally placed and ventilation actually occurs through the hull. As with traditional stepped hull designs, the keel of the hull is stepped as well, decreasing handling stability at high speeds.
Japanese Patent No. JP6-227478 to Yamashita describes a hull design having a forward stepped section, a longitudinally oriented keel, a transverse hydrofoil, and catamaran-like side hulls. The hull results in a main center hull stabilized by smaller demihulls with a hydrofoil connecting the demihulls, with the hydrofoil generating planing lift.
Russian Patent No. RU2161105 describes a high speed ship hull having a stepped recess in an internal section of the hull, and substantially flanged sidewalls. The forward portion of the hull has one or more air distributor holes. The stepped section does not extend to the chines of the hull and thus the hull does not ventilate at the sides of the vessel. Further, the keel is stepped along with the stepped section, limiting high speed handling stability.
Consequently, there is a marked need for a stepped hull design that provides increased speed characteristics and efficiency benefits as compared to traditional mono-hull designs, while also providing greatly improved stability and handling characteristics as compared to known stepped hull designs. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. However, in view of the heat exchanger systems in existence at the time of the present invention, it was not obvious to those persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art as to how the identified needs could be fulfilled in an advantageous manner.


An apparatus and method for obtaining information, such as heart rate or the presence of atrial fibrillation, from electrodes applied to the feet of a subject. A scale having electrodes may be used for this purpose. The signal obtained from the electrodes is digitized and filtered to obtain an electrocardiographic signal exhibiting periodic, sequential, discrete, magnitudinal variations associated with the heartbeats of the subject. The electrocardiographic signal is then analyzed to identify discrete magnitudinal variations useful for obtaining the desired information. In determining the heart rate of the subject, an interval between variations having a desired magnitudinal characteristic may be employed. The absence of such variations is indicative of atrial fibrillation.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for obtaining cardiac data using conductive elements applied to the feet of a subject. While the invention is not so limited, the invention may be carried out using a body fat analysis scale.
Scales are conventionally used to measure body weight. For a commonly used type of scale, a person steps on footpads on the scale and the resulting compressive loading operates a mechanical or electrical apparatus to provide an indication of the person's weight.
Scales have been developed that can also be used to measure a person's body fat. The footpads on such a scale are made electrically conductive. A small electrical current is passed through the body of a person standing on the footpads. Fat tissue has different electrical properties than muscle tissue, due to differing amounts of water in the different tissues. The bioelectrical impedance that exists between the footpads is measured and used to determine body fat properties, typically the body fat percentage.

Apparatus and method for obtaining cardiac data


A mast assembly for a sailing vessel includes a first tubular portion defining an interior and an end, and a second tubular portion defining an interior and an end. The mast assembly also includes a ferrule having a first end disposed within the interior of the first tubular portion, and a second end disposed within the interior of the second tubular portion. An intersection ring is disposed over the ferrule and positioned between the ends of the first and second tubular portions. The intersection ring includes a plurality of apertures formed therein for receiving rigging lines.

This invention relates in general to sailing vessels and, in particular, to sail mounting assemblies that are well suited for smaller vessels, such as kayaks, canoes, sailing boards, and rowboats.
Kayaks and other smaller sailing vessels may come equipped with or without sailing assemblies. It is known to provide aftermarket sailing assemblies which can be attached and used with a kayak even though the kayak was originally not manufactured and provided with an integral sailing assembly. These sailing assemblies generally include a single triangular shaped sail which is supported by a generally vertical rigid mast and a horizontally extending boom. Various rigging lines, such as rope, cords or cables, are provided to fasten the sail to the mast and boom as well as control the position of the sail when in use. It is desirable to provide an inexpensive stable sail assembly which is easy to attach to the sailing vessel.


An object of the invention is to provide a surface mount oscillator that can suppress a change with the lapse of time in frequency characteristics. A surface mount type crystal unit 1 includes: a framed crystal plate 2 in which an oscillating part 6 having a first excitation electrode 5a and a second excitation electrode 5b on opposite principal surfaces thereof is surrounded by a frame 7, and the oscillating part 6 and the frame 7 are connected by connecting parts 8a and 8b; a base 3; and a cover 4. The surface mount type crystal unit 1 has such a configuration that a first metal film 17 is formed in one area of two areas formed by dividing the principal surface of the frame 7 facing the base 3 at two positions around a circumferential direction of the frame 7, and a second metal film 18 is formed in the other area. The first metal film 17 is electrically connected to the first excitation electrode 5a, and the second metal film 18 is electrically connected to the second excitation electrode 5b. The frame 7 and the base 3 are bonded to each other by a sealing material 20 formed on surfaces of the first metal film and the second metal film, and a gap area 19 between the first metal film 17 and the second metal film 18 is filled with glass 21, thereby hermetically sealing the oscillating part 6.

Because the surface mount oscillator is small and light, it is widely adopted as a reference source of frequency and time, particularly in portable electronic equipment. Recently, the consumption of surface mount oscillators is increasing in response to an information-intensive society, and a surface mount oscillator with high productivity and high quality has been desired. As one such surface mount oscillator, there is a surface mount oscillator in which a base and a cover are bonded to opposite principal surfaces of a crystal plate, whose oscillating part is surrounded by a frame.
FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 are diagrams for explaining one conventional example of the surface mount oscillator. FIG. 8 is a perspective view thereof, FIG. 9 (a) is a plan view of one principal surface of a framed crystal plate, FIG. 9 (b) is a plan view of the other principal surface of the crystal plate, FIG. 10 (a) is a plan view of one principal surface of a base, and FIG. 10 (b) is a plan view of the other principal surface of the base.
As shown in FIG. 8, a surface mount oscillator 1 in the conventional example is formed by bonding a base 3 made of ceramic and a cover 4 made of Kovar to opposite principal surfaces of a framed crystal plate 2.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, the framed crystal plate 2 includes an oscillating part 6 having a first excitation electrode 5a and a second excitation electrode 5b on the opposite principal surfaces, a frame 7 surrounding the oscillating part 6, and a first connecting part 8a and a second connecting part 8b that extend from opposite sides of one end of the oscillating part 6 to connect the oscillating part 6 with the frame 7. Frame notches 9a to 9d are fowled at four corners on an outer periphery of the frame 7 in a planar view.
As shown in FIG. 9, the first excitation electrode 5a facing the cover 4 is electrically connected to a frame metal film 11a formed on a principal surface of the frame 7 facing the cover 4, via an electrically-conducting path 10a formed in the first connecting part 8a. On the other hand, the second excitation electrode 5b facing the base 3 is electrically connected to a frame metal film 11b formed on a principal surface of the frame 7 facing the base 3, via an electrically-conducting path 10b formed in the second connecting part 8b.
The frame metal films 11a and 11b are formed, as shown in FIG. 9, over the whole periphery of the frame 7. As shown in FIG. 9 (a), the frame metal film 11a is electrically connected to frame end-face electrodes 12a and 12b formed on the side portions of the frame notches 9a and 9b. Further, as shown in FIG. 9 (b), the frame metal film 11b is formed away from the frame notches 9a to 9d, and is not electrically connected to the frame end-face electrodes 12a and 12b.
The framed crystal plate 2, the cover 4, and the base 3 are bonded by using a eutectic alloy (for example, AuGe) formed on the surfaces of the frame metal films 11a and 11b.
As shown in FIG. 10, base notches 13a to 13d are formed at four corners of the base 3 in a planar view. The base notches 13a to 13d respectively correspond to the frame notches 9a to 9d formed in the crystal plate 2.
Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 10 (a) and (b), a base metal film 14 is formed to face the frame metal film 11b formed in the crystal plate 2. The frame metal film 11b and the base metal film 14 are electrically connected to each other via a eutectic alloy. The base metal film 14 is formed away from the base notches 13a and 13b. However, the base metal film 14 is extended to the base notches 13c and 13d and electrically connected to base end-face electrodes 15c and 15d formed on the side portions of the base notches 13c and 13d.
As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the base end-face electrodes 15c and 15d are electrically connected to a mounting terminal 16b formed on the principal surface of the base 3 serving as an external bottom face of the surface mount oscillator 1. The mounting terminal 16b is formed at one end of the principal surface of the base 3, and a mounting terminal 16a is formed at the other end thereof. The mounting terminal 16a is electrically connected to the frame end-face electrodes 12a and 12b via the base end-face electrodes 15a and 15b formed on the side portions of the base notches 13a and 13b.
Electrical connection of the surface mount oscillator in the conventional example can be summarized as follows. That is, the first excitation electrode 5a shown in FIG. 9 is electrically connected to the mounting terminal 16a via the electrically-conducting path 10a, the frame metal film 11a, the frame end-face electrodes 12a, 12b, and the base end-face electrodes 15a, 15b. The second excitation electrode 5b is electrically connected to the mounting terminal 16b via the electrically-conducting path 10b, the frame metal film 11b, the base metal film 14, and the base end-face electrodes 15c, 15d.     [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-223996


A timing generator for an electronic image sensor includes one or more memory based tables for controlling timing events that occur within one or more different types of image sensor lines, and one or more memory based tables for controlling timing events that occur within one or more different types of image sensor frames.

Electronic image sensors and imaging systems require timing signals to operate. For area image sensors, sensors are composed of rows and columns of picture elements—pixels—that capture a complete image. The pixels are read out in raster fashion. For example, the rows of the image are accessed one at a time in order from top to bottom, and the individual pixels within a row are accessed one at a time from right to left. In this example, timing signals must be provided to control accessing the rows, and other timing signals must be provided to control accessing the individual pixels. In addition, other timing signals must be provided to control sampling and processing the output signal for each pixel as it emerges from the image sensor. Additional timing signals are required to control electronic exposure, and the various timing signals may be operated in various ways to provide different ways of reading out the image sensor.
A timing generator provides the timing signals required to operate an electronic imaging system. Timing generators are typically register/counter based, with the functionality of the timing generator targeted at a specific or limited class of image sensors or applications. Because the scope of sensors and applications is limited, many of the timing functions required are fixed or restricted in flexibility, so the timing generator may be implemented by employing fixed logic structures that are specific to the image sensor and application at hand. The resulting timing generator is fairly small but not very flexible, and each class of image sensor or application requires a unique timing generator design. Because of the difficulty and time required to develop a new timing generator for each specific situation, it is desirable to have a single timing generator that provides the flexibility to handle a wide range of image sensors and applications; it is also desirable to provide that flexibility without incurring a significant penalty in size or complexity of the timing generator.
The notion of using a memory-based table instead of fixed logic structures to control timing for an image sensor has been disclosed previously. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,465 describes a system for controlling reading out and sampling the image signal from a linear image sensor. In this system, each pixel of the linear image sensor has a corresponding set of locations in a memory that controls several different timing signals that are operated during the readout of the pixel: clock signals to the image sensor, sampling signals to the analog signal processing circuitry, a clock signal for the analog to digital converter, and signals to control digitally processing and storing the resulting digital value. This memory-based approach is very flexible, and memory structures in integrated circuits are typically very compact and efficient. This concept could be extended to an area image sensor by providing memory locations that describe the required timing signals for each pixel of the image sensor. Unfortunately, the resulting memory would be very large: area image sensors may be composed of up to 16 million pixels or larger, and each pixel might require many bits of memory to control all the timing functions. Therefore, directly extending this concept to an area image sensor would lead to very large memory sizes.
Consequently, a need exists for overcoming the above-described drawbacks. For example, a need exists to have a highly flexible timing generator for controlling a broad range of electronic image sensors in a variety of electronic imaging applications without incurring the penalties in control logic, memory size, or overall complexity that have been described in the foregoing paragraphs.

Timing generator for electronic image sensor with tables that control line and frame timing


A system of stanchions used to warn about the depth of a swimming pool. The stanchions stand upright and carry a "no dive" warning message about the depth of the pool. Each stanchion can have a flexible base that allows it to flex from a generally vertical position to a horizontal position if someone bumps into it. The stanchions can be read from any direction of approach. The height of the stanchion indicates the depth of the bottom of the pool adjacent to where it is standing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a system for preventing accidents caused by people diving into shallow water. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system of swimming pool depth markers. The depth markers stand upright and indicate the depth of the adjacent pool with a standard insignia and by the height of the markers themselves.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the most common swimming accidents in pools occurs when people dive into shallow water and hit their head on the bottom of the pool. Almost all diving accidents occur when a person dives from the deck of the pool into the shallow end. These accidents often result in severe injury to the head and/or neck. It is common to mark the depth of the water at a particular point on the deck surrounding the pool. This is done adjacent to the depth indicated. The problem with this practice is that the numbers or words are not easily visible to a person running up to dive in the pool. The depth and warning signs are typically written flat on the surface of the deck. Warnings thus written, because of the angle, are not clearly visible to an observer depending upon the approach.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,167 to Whitten shows an example of a depth marking system for a swimming pool. In the Written Patent the depth marking, which is in the gutter of the pool, would be invisible to a person running up to dive in the pool until too late.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,779 to Jewett shows a system of baffles designed in part to safeguard divers by cushioning the bottom of the pool. This patent addresses the same problem as applicant but uses a very different method. Jewett stresses reducing the impact of the diving accident rather than preventing the accident altogether. The system of Jewett would be difficult to install and is not in widespread use if it is used at all.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,584 to Peebles discloses another method of preventing pool accidents. In this patent a perimeter barrier totally prevents access to the pool. This is intended to prevent drowning accidents where a small child might fall into an unattended pool.
None of these prior art patents discloses a device that will prevent diving accidents by providing a prominent warning about depth.

Marker for warning of recreational pool depth


Optical sheets can be fixed easily and positively in a liquid-crystal display device having a liquid-crystal display panel in which a liquid-crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates and a lighting unit provided on a surface opposite to a display surface of the liquid-crystal display panel. For this purpose, a projection is provided on a sidewall of an accommodator, and the projection is inserted into a hole provided in optical sheets arranged within the accommodator, thereby fixing the optical sheets in the accommodator. The length along a certain straight line of a top plan form of a tip of the projection is longer than the length along the certain straight line of the hole formed in the optical sheets, thus preventing the optical sheets from falling out of the accommodator.

The present invention relates in general to liquid-crystal display devices, and, more particularly, to a method of aligning optical sheets in a thicknesswise direction of the liquid-crystal display device.
TFT-type liquid-crystal display modules, using thin film transistors (TFTs) as active elements, are broadly used as display devices, such as in personal computers, monitors and television receivers. These liquid-crystal display modules are each constituted by a liquid-crystal display panel arranged with a drive circuit in the periphery thereof and a backlight for illuminating the liquid-crystal display panel.
The backlights are roughly divided into two basic types, including the under-lighting type backlight, in which a that the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp is arranged underneath a light conductor, and the side-lighting type backlight, in which the cold-cathode fluorescent lamp is arranged at one side face of the light conductor. In both types of backlights, optical sheets (diffusion sheets, prism sheets) are arranged over the top surface (the liquid-crystal display panel side) of the light conductor.
Conventionally, for the purpose of fixing such optical sheets is positioned, a hole is formed in the optical sheets so that a projection formed in a sidewall of an optical-sheet accommodating mold can be inserted in the hole, followed by adhering a tape over the projection from above in order to fix the projection in the hole.
However, with this method, the adhesive tape is readily peeled off the projection because the area of the projection in contact with the tape is small in diameter. In the worst case, it is possible for the optical sheets to move in a thicknesswise direction of the liquid-crystal display device and fall out of the mold. Besides, there is the possibility of inferior production efficiency due to the need to paste an adhesive tape on the assembly.
In order to solve the foregoing problem, Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Hei 11-337942) discloses a technique in which an engagement claw is formed at the head of an engagement piece so that the optical sheets can be prevented from falling out of the engagement piece due to the providing of the engagement claw.


Amino acids (136 to 142) and amino acids (162 to 168) of human osteopontin constitute two sites at which osteopontin interacts with α4 integrins. Products capable of disrupting those interactions are useful in therapy, particularly in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

The integrins comprise a large family of heterodimeric transmembrane receptors that mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. They engage numerous ligands and regulate a variety of cellular and physiological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, differentiation, inflammation and tissue remodelling. The α4β1 integrin is expressed mainly on leukocytes but is also found on smooth muscle cells and tumor cells. It has received particular attention because of its putative role in modulating the inflammatory response, promoting the exfiltration of leukocytes from the circulation. The α4β7 integrin is also thought to play a role in the inflammatory process.
Osteopontin (OPN) is an RGD containing extracellular matrix protein expressed by a number of cell types including osteoclasts, osteoblasts, macrophages, activated T-cells, smooth muscle cells and epithelial cells. It is present in several tissues including bone, kidney, placenta, smooth muscle and secretory epithelia and is associated with normal tissue remodelling processes such as bone resorption, angiogenesis, wound healing and tissue injury as well as certain diseases including restenosis, atherosclerosis, renal diseases and tumorigenesis. Upon infection and damage OPN expression is rapidly upregulated by T cells and macrophages. It acts as a chemoattractant for smooth muscle cells, and may facilitate further recruitment and activation of both T-cells and macrophages. In addition it may also act as a costimulatory molecule for T-cells. The diverse functions of osteopontin suggest that it may be important in both the immune-response and tissue remodelling.
OPN exerts many of its biological effects by interacting with integrins. It constutively binds αvβ3, αvβ5, αvβ1 and α8β1 via a central RGD motif, while proteolytic modification of OPN by thrombin cleavage at aa168 reveals cryptic binding sites for α9β1 and α5β1.

Method of screening for inhibitors of osteopontin


An ultrasonic motor mechanism includes an ultrasonic vibrator that includes a piezoelectric element; a driven member that is driven relative to the ultrasonic vibrator because of a frictional force generated between the ultrasonic vibrator and the driven member; a coupling member that is coupled to the driven member; a first urging member that urges the ultrasonic vibrator with the driven member; a base member that movably supports the driven member; and a spherical rolling member that movably supports the driven member with respect to the base member. By interposing a second urging member between the driven member and the coupling member, the driven member is urged in a longitudinal direction. The driven member and the coupling member are coupled to each other by causing the driven member to abut the coupling member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic motor mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
A driving device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-67479 is an example of an ultrasonic motor mechanism. The driving device includes a first driving mechanism that relatively moves a first frame body and a second frame body, and a second driving mechanism that relatively moves the second frame body and a third frame body. Each of the first and the second driving mechanisms includes a drive generating unit that generates a driving force with a piezoelectric element and a drive receiving unit that receives the driving force generated by the drive generating unit. Both end portions of a shaft of the drive receiving unit of the first driving mechanism are fixed to the first frame body and both end portions of a shaft of the drive receiving unit of the second drive mechanism are fixed to the second frame body.
However, when fixing the shaft and the corresponding frame body (coupling member) to each other, how to perform positioning of the shaft with high precision with respect to the frame body is not specifically considered in the driving device that is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-67479. To perform positioning of the shaft with high precision with respect to the frame body in the driving device, a dedicated jig or a tool is necessary.


A dolly includes a deck having a support surface and a plurality of casters below the deck. The deck includes a plurality of caster-receiving pockets formed in an upper surface of the deck. The caster-receiving pockets are aligned with the casters, such that the casters of an identical dolly could be received in the caster-receiving pockets. The caster-receiving pockets are oriented at an acute angle relative to the end edges and side edges of the dolly. When stacked, the dollies are more consistently aligned and the stack is vertical.

A dolly for bakery trays or other items typically includes a deck supported by casters. A stack of trays or other items can be supported on the dolly for moving the stack. The casters can swivel about an axis perpendicular to the deck. The swivel axis is often offset relative to the wheel axis, so that the caster will pivot automatically based upon the direction that the user pushes the dolly. However, when the dollies are stacked upon one another, there is room for the casters to roll within the caster-receiving pockets, so that if the dollies in a stack all roll in the same direction, there can be significant lean in the stack.


A projector apparatus utilizing wedge-type lens for projecting an image onto a surface, comprising a light source module for generating a single first light path; an illumination lens set for inputting the first light path and outputting a second light path; a reflection-type image generator for generating said image; a prism set for inputting said second light path and outputting the second light path onto the reflection-type image generator, wherein the reflection-type image generator reflects the second light path and forming a third light path carrying said image; an image projection lens set disposed on the third light path for projecting said image onto the surface, wherein the illumination lens set including a wedge-type lens working with the prism set for providing a suitable angle of incidence and angle of emission to the reflection-type image generator, the wedge-type lens lowers the required height difference, between the light axles of the illumination lens and the reflection-type image generator, and lowers the angle of emission.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a projector apparatus, and in particular, to a projector apparatus which utilizes wedge-type lens therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the projection apparatuses used in the corporate market are getting introduced in the household market or personal market. For applications of personal portable products, the volume size of projection apparatus and the efficiency of optical engine are important issues, and more particularly, the specific angle of incidence required by the reflection-type image generator built in the projector apparatus needs to be considered especially to tradeoff between the volume size and the optical engine efficiency.
In general, the projection apparatus includes a light source module, an illumination lens set, a reflection-type image generator, a prism set, and an image projection lens set, wherein the reflection-type image generator is usually composed of micromirror units. Each of the micromirror units, flips with respect to a diagonal axis thereof and reflects light into the subsequent image projection lens set (i.e. On) or reflects away from the subsequent image projection lens set (i.e. Off) according to a controlling signal. And arrangement of micromirror unit within the reflection-type image generator is categorized into a rectangular-type arrangement (i.e. the diagonal axis tilted 45 degrees relative to a horizontal reference line) and a diamond-type arrangement (i.e. the diagonal axis tilted 90 degrees relative to a horizontal reference line). Therefore, a corresponding angle of incidence is required for different arrangement; otherwise, the reflection-type image generator can not provide the correct and desired image generation function. While meeting with the required angle of incidence, the corresponding location of the prism set thus designed can not satisfies the expected size of volume and, at the same time, the expected efficiency of optical engine.
As disclosed in FIG. 6, as the arrangement of micromirror unit is in rectangular configuration, the required incident direction of the primary light will be from the top-left as shown. Therefore, the optical elements utilized before the prism set need to be disposed on the top-left of the reflection-type image generator. Therefore, a minimum difference value in X direction and in Y direction between them is respectively required.
As disclosed in FIG. 7, as the arrangement of micromirror unit is diamond configuration, the required incident direction of the primary light will be from the left as shown. Therefore, the optical elements utilized before the prism set need to be disposed on the left of the reflection-type image generator. Therefore, a minimum difference in Y direction between them is required.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a novel design in this field which could reduce the size of volume of projection apparatus and to enhance the efficiency of optical engine as well.

Projector apparatus utilizing wedge-type lens


Plasma etch processes incorporating H2/Noble gas etch chemistries. In particular, high density plasma chemical vapor etch-enhanced (deposition-etch-deposition) gap fill processes incorporating etch chemistries which incorporate hydrogen and one or more Noble gases as the etchant that can effectively fill high aspect ratio gaps while reducing or eliminating dielectric contamination by etchant chemical species.

This invention relates to semiconductor device fabrication processes. More specifically, the invention relates to plasma-based chemical vapor deposition and etch processes for forming dielectric layers, particularly in high aspect ratio, narrow width recessed features.
It is often necessary in semiconductor processing to fill high aspect ratio gaps with insulating material. This is the case for shallow trench isolation, inter-metal dielectric layers, passivation layers, etc. As device geometries shrink and thermal budgets are reduced, void-free filling of narrow width, high aspect ratio (AR) spaces (e.g., AR>3:1) becomes increasingly difficult due to limitations of existing deposition processes.
The deposition of silicon dioxide (SiO2) assisted by high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP CVD)—a directional (bottom-up) CVD process—has become the preferred method for high aspect ratio gap fill. The method deposits more material at the bottom of a high aspect ratio structure than on its sidewalls. It accomplishes this by directing charged dielectric precursor species downward, to the bottom of the gap. Thus, HDP CVD is not an entirely diffusion-based (isotropic) process.
An etch-enhanced (deposition-etch-deposition) gap fill technique which involves a sequence of deposition, etch and deposition steps using an HDP reactor has been developed to maintain the opening at the top of the gap wide enough for a subsequent deposition(s) to completely fill the gap. Such processes are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,335,261 and 6,030,881, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. A typical 3-step etch-enhanced process can be described as follows: First step—Deposition 1: a partial deposition of SiO2 thin film is conducted to obtain maximum bottom-up gap fill with the gap remaining unclosed; second step—Etch: in-situ etch back is carried out to remove depositions on the top and sidewall of the trench lines and keep the mouth of the gap open enough for the next deposition step with minimum bottom-up deposition loss; and, third step—Deposition 2: deposition of SiO2 film is carried out to further fill the partially filled gap to completion. In some cases it may be necessary to conduct additional etch and deposition steps to completely fill the gap.
The etch component of these etch-enhanced gap fill processes typically uses a fluorine-based etchant, such as NF3, CF4 or C2F6, etc., to achieve a fast etch rate. However, the application of those etchants may contaminate the dielectric (e.g., STI) film with foreign atoms, e.g., C, N and F, causing issues in the subsequent integration processes and device degradation.
Therefore, an etch-enhanced gap fill process that avoided the use of etchants which tend to contaminate the deposited dielectric film would be desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A connector assembly may include first and second connector bodies and a terminal splitter. The second connector body may matingly engage the first connector body. The terminal splitter may be received in at least one of the first and second connector bodies. The terminal splitter may include a body portion having first and second wires connected thereto and a blade portion extending from the body portion and including a third wire connected thereto. The third wire may be joined to a female receptacle mounted in the other one of the connector bodies for being joined to the blade portion.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art. This section also provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
An electrical connector assembly can include one or more wire pairs, each including a single male terminal crimped onto a single wire and mated with a single female terminal crimped onto another single wire. Such a configuration results in a relatively large connector assembly and relatively high insertion forces, especially when the assembly includes a plurality of such wire pairs. For example, where an assembly includes four electrical circuits, the assembly may include four male-female terminal pairs and eight wire harnesses. The connector insertion force for such an assembly will be quite high to properly insert the four male terminals into the four female terminals. Further, the overall size of the connector assembly will need to be large enough to house all four terminal pairs.
In one form, the present disclosure provides a splitter terminal that allows for at least three separate wires to be electrically connected thereto. Two of the wires may be welded to the splitter terminal, and a male blade of the terminal can be accepted by a female spring terminal attached to the third wire. The terminal allows for current flow from one welded connection to another welded connection and to the third wire through the blade and female spring terminal. The shape and structure of the terminal makes the connector mating force lower than some conventional connectors and can be packaged in a smaller space. The splitter terminal allows for fewer terminal connections, which can lower the insertion force necessary to fully electrically connect the assembly.
In another form, the present disclosure provides a connector assembly that may include a first connector body, a second connector body and a terminal splitter. The second connector body may be configured to matingly receive the first connector body. The terminal splitter may be received in the first and second connector bodies. The terminal splitter may include a body portion having first and second wires connected thereto and a blade portion extending from the body portion and having a third wire connected thereto.
In some configurations, the body portion includes an aperture that at least partially receives a flexible tab of the first connector body.
In some configurations, the flexible tab includes a ramped surface and a stop surface. A portion of the ramped surface and a portion of the stop surface may be received in the aperture. The stop surface may interfere with a surface defining the aperture to restrict removal of the terminal splitter from the first and second connector bodies.
In some configurations, the terminal splitter is a metallic member formed as a unitary body.
In some configurations, a width of the body portion is at least two times greater than a width of the blade portion.
In some configurations, a longitudinal axis of the blade portion extends through the aperture.
In some configurations, the surface of the aperture with which the stop surface interferes is a flat surface extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade portion.
In some configurations, the blade portion includes a tapered distal end.
In some configurations, the third wire includes a female receptacle that receives the blade portion.
In some configurations, the first and second wires are welded to the body portion.
In another form, the present disclosure provides an electrical assembly that may include a first electrical component, a second electrical component, a third electrical component and a connector assembly. The first electrical component may include first and second wires. The second electrical component may include third and fourth wires. The third electrical component may include fifth and sixth wires. The connector assembly may include a first connector body, a second connector body configured to matingly receive the first connector body, and first and second terminal splitters received in at least one of the first and second connector bodies. Each of the first and second terminal splitters may include a body portion and a blade portion extending from the body portion. The body portion of the first terminal splitter may have the first and third wires electrically connected thereto. The blade portion of the first terminal splitter may have the fifth wire electrically connected thereto. The body portion of the second terminal splitter may have the second and fourth wires electrically connected thereto. The blade portion of the second terminal splitter may have the sixth wire electrically connected thereto.
In some configurations, a current amperage flowing through the first and second wires is equal to a sum of a first current amperage flowing through the third and fourth wires and a second current amperage flowing through the fifth and sixth wires.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.


Provided is an optical display device using a polarizing film which has a thickness of 10 μm or less and exhibits high optical characteristics. The optical display device comprises a continuous web of polarizing film which is made of a polyvinyl alcohol type resin having a molecularly oriented dichroic material, and formed through stretching to have a thickness of 10 μm or less and satisfy conditions expressed by the following formulas: P>−(100.929T-42.4−1)×100 (where T<42.3); and P≧99.9 (where T≧42.3), wherein T is a single layer transmittance, and P is a polarization rate. The polarizing film may be prepared by subjecting a laminate comprising a non-crystallizable ester type thermoplastic resin substrate and a polyvinyl alcohol type resin layer formed on the substrate to by 2-stage stretching consisting of preliminary in-air stretching and in-boric-acid-solution stretching.

There has been widely known a method in which a single layer made of a polyvinyl alcohol type resin (hereinafter referred to as "PVA type resin") and formed in a film shape is subjected to dyeing and stretching to produce a polarizing film comprising a PVA type resin layer, wherein molecules of the PVA type resin are oriented in a direction of the stretching, and a dichroic material is impregnated in the PVA type resin in a molecularly oriented state. The polarizing film to be obtained by the above conventional method using a PVA type resin single layer film usually has a thickness in the range of about 15 to 35 μm. The conventional method makes it possible to obtain a polarizing film having the optical characteristics of a single layer transmittance of 42% or more; and a polarization rate of 99.95% or more. Currently, polarizing films produced by the conventional method are used in optical display devices for televisions, and other appliances.
It should however be noted that a PVA type resin is hydrophilic and highly hygroscopic, so that a polarizing film produced using the PVA type resin is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and more likely to expand and contract due to changes in surrounding environments and is liable to be subjected to occurrence of cracks. Moreover, the expansion and contraction caused by environmental changes during use will produce stress applied to an adjacent member to which the polarizer film is joined, and thereby cause deformation, such as warp, in the adjacent member.
Thus, in order to suppress such expansion and contraction of a polarizer film to thereby reduce the influence of changes in temperature and humidity, it has been a usual practice to employ, in the case of a polarizing film for use in televisions, a laminate prepared by laminating a triacetylcellulose (TAC) film having a thickness of 40 to 80 μm and serving as a protection film, on each of opposite surfaces of a polarizing film. However, even in such a structure, in cases where a single layer polarizing film is used therein, because of a limit in reducing the thickness of the polarizing film, expansion and contraction forces produced in the polarizing film are of a level which cannot be ignored, so that it is difficult to completely avoid the influence of expansion and contraction of the polarizing film, and a certain level of expansion and contraction will inevitably occur in the optical film laminate including the polarizing film. If expansion or contraction occurs in such an optical film laminate including a polarizing film, stress arising from the expansion or contraction will cause deformation, such as warp, in an adjacent member. This deformation, even if it is small, leads to the occurrence of non-uniformity of display in a liquid-crystal display device. Thus, in order to suppress the occurrence of non-uniformity of display, it is necessary to make design considerations, for example, to carefully select a material for each member to be used in the optical film laminate including the polarizing film. Further, the stress produced by the contraction of the polarizing film will cause the optical film laminate being peeled off the liquid-crystal display panel, so that there will be a need to use an adhesive having a high adhesive power to join the optical film laminate to the liquid-crystal display panel. However, the use of such a high-power adhesive gives rise to a problem of difficulty in re-working which is an operation of, when the presence of an optical defect is found in a polarizing film of an optical film laminate laminated to a liquid-crystal display panel through a subsequent inspection, peeling the optical film laminate from the liquid-crystal display panel and laminating another optical film laminate to the liquid-crystal display panel. This is a technical problem encountered in a polarizing film produced by the conventional method using a single layer of a PVA type resin formed in a film shape.
Thus, there is a need for a new method of producing a polarizing film, as an alternative to the conventional polarizing film production method using a PVA type resin single layer, which is incapable of reducing the thickness of a polarizing film to a sufficient level due to the aforementioned problem. Specifically, it is practically impossible to produce a polarizing film having a thickness of 10 μm or less by the conventional method using a PVA type resin single layer formed in a film shape. This is because, in producing a polarizing film using a single layer of a film-shaped PVA type resin, if the thickness of the PVA type resin single layer is excessively reduced, dissolution and/or breaking is likely to occur in the PVA type resin layer in the dyeing step and/or the stretching step, so that it becomes impossible to form a polarizing film having a uniform thickness.
In order to cope with this problem, there has been proposed a method designed such that a PVA type resin layer is applied and formed on a thermoplastic resin substrate, and the PVA type resin layer formed on the resin substrate is stretched together with the resin substrate, and subjected to dyeing, so as to produce a polarizing film significantly thinner than the polarizing film obtained by the conventional method. This polarizing film production method using a thermoplastic resin substrate is noteworthy in that it provides a possibility of producing a polarizing film more uniformly than the polarizing film production method using a PVA type resin single layer.
For example, Japanese Patent JP 4279944B (Patent Document 1) discloses a polarizing plate production method which comprises steps of forming a polyvinyl alcohol resin layer having a thickness of 6 μm to 30 μm, on one of opposite surfaces of a thermoplastic resin film by a coating process, stretching the polyvinyl alcohol resin layer at a stretching ratio of 2.0 to 5.0 in such a manner that the polyvinyl alcohol resin layer is formed as a transparent coating element layer to thereby form a composite film consisting of two layers, the thermoplastic resin film and the transparent coating element layer; laminating an optical transparent resin film layer on the side of the transparent coating element layer of the composite film consisting of the two layers, through a bonding agent, peeling and removing the thermoplastic resin film, and dyeing and fixing the transparent coating element layer in such a manner that the transparent coating element layer is formed as a polarizing element layer. A polarizing plate to be obtained by this method has a two-layer structure consisting of the optical transparent resin film layer and the polarizing element layer. According to the description of the Patent Document 1, the polarizing element has a thickness of 2 to 4 μm.
The method disclosed in the Patent Document 1 is designed to perform stretching under an elevating temperature by a uniaxial stretching process, wherein the stretching ratio is restricted to the range of 2.0 to 5.0, as mentioned above. As for the reason why the stretching ratio is restricted to 5.0 or less, the Patent Document 1 explains that stretching at a high stretching ratio of greater than 5.0 makes it extremely difficult to maintain stable production. Specifically, there is described that the ambient temperature during stretching is set to 55° C. in cases where ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is used as the thermoplastic resin film, to 60° C. in cases where non-stretched polypropylene is used as the thermoplastic resin film, or to 70° C. in cases where non-stretched nylon is used as the thermoplastic resin film. The method disclosed in the Patent Document 1 employs a uniaxial stretching process in air under an elevated temperature. Further, as described in the Patent Document 1, the stretching ratio is restricted to 5.0 or less. Thus, a polarizing film having an extremely small thickness of 2 to 4 μm, to be obtained by this method, is not enough to satisfy optical characteristics desired for a polarizing film to be used, for example, in an optical display device such as a liquid-crystal television.
The method of forming a polarizing film with steps of forming a PVA type resin layer on a thermoplastic resin substrate by a coating process, and stretching the PVA type resin layer together with the substrate is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication JP 2001-343521A (Patent Document 2) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication JP 2003-043257A (Patent Document 3). The methods disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 3 are designed such that a laminate consisting of a thermoplastic resin substrate and a PVA type resin layer applied on the substrate is subjected to uniaxial stretching at a temperature of 70° C. to 120° C., in cases where the substrate is made of a non-crystallizable polyester resin. Then, the PVA type resin layer molecularly oriented by the stretching is subjected to dyeing to allow a dichroic material to be impregnated therein. In the Patent Document 2, there is described that the uniaxial stretching may be longitudinal uniaxial stretching or may be transverse uniaxial stretching. Differently, in the Patent Document 3, a method is described in which transverse uniaxial stretching is performed, and, during or after the transverse uniaxial stretching, contracting the length in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the stretching by a specific amount. In both of the Patent Documents 2 and 3, there is described that the stretching ratio is typically set to about 4.0 to 8.0. Further, there is described that the thickness of a polarizing film to be obtained is in the range of 1 to 1.6 μm.
In the Patent Documents 2 and 3, although there is described that the stretching ratio is typically set to 4.0 to 8.0, since the Patent Documents 2 and 3 adopts an elevated temperature in-air stretching process, it is considered that the stretching ratio will be limited to 5 as described, for example, in the Patent Document 1. None of the Patent Documents 2 and 3 describes a specific technique for achieving a stretching ratio of greater than 5.0 by the elevated temperature in-air stretching process. In fact, in Examples described in the Patent Documents 2 and 3, only a stretching ratio of 5.0 and a stretching ratio of 4.5 are described, respectively. Through additional tests on the methods disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 3, the inventors of the present invention have ascertained that it is impossible to adequately perform stretching at a stretching ratio of greater than 5.0 by the methods disclosed therein. Therefore, it should be understood that only a stretching ratio of 5.0 or less is substantially disclosed in the Patent Documents 2 and 3. As with the Patent Document 1, the polarizing film to be obtained by the method disclosed in each of the Patent Documents 2 and 3 is not enough to satisfy optical characteristics desired for a polarizing film to be used, for example, in an optical display device such as a liquid-crystal television, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,523 (Patent Document 4) discloses a polarizing film production method which comprises subjecting a PVA type resin layer coated on a polyester film to uniaxial stretching together with the polyester film. This method disclosed in the Patent Document 4 is intended to form the polyester film serving as a substrate of the PVA type resin layer in such a manner as to have optical characteristics allowing the polyester film to be used together with a polarizing film, but it is not intended to produce a polarizing film comprising a PVA type resin layer and having a small thickness and excellent optical characteristic. Specifically, the method disclosed in the Patent Document 4 is no more than a technique of improving optical characteristics of a polyester resin film to be stretched together with a PVA type resin layer to be formed as a polarizing film. A polarizer material production method having the same object is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication JP 08-012296B (Patent Document 5).

Optical display device having polarizing film


A method and apparatus for detecting the location of subterranean pipe includes sensors 24 and 26 which detect seismic energy. A pulsing valve (20) is disposed on one end of a water line (10) to allow water to intermittently flow and be shut off. This results in a water hammer effect which send shock waves (22) outward from the pipe (10). This is detected by the sensors (24) and (26) and then transmitted to a detector (32) to provide a differential indication. The locations of the sensors (24) and (26) will determine the differential balances therebetween such that when the sensors (24) and (26) are directly over the pipe (10), an indication of the location of the pipe is provided. Further, a reference sensor (19) is provided to allow distance measurement along the pipe by measuring the difference between the received energy at sensor (19) and either of sensors (24) or (26).

Locating subterranean pipes is a necessity in view of costs incurred due to accidental damage thereto. For example, utility companies often damage subterranean pipes as a result of trenching procedures, etc. Although most subterranean pipes are marked on maps and the such, this is typically unreliable in that the pipes oftentimes are routed in different locations as compared to those on a given map.
Another problem that exacerbates the task of locating a given pipe is the widespread use of non-metallic pipe such as plastic or PVC pipe. Previous methods for locating metallic pipes utilized metal detectors. This is inadequate when considering the use of PVC pipe. Another method for locating pipes is to bury a metal wire such as copper adjacent to the pipe to facilitate later location thereof with metal detectors or cable locators. This, of course, is very expensive and impractical for systems utilizing a large amount of subterranean pipe, such as a sprinkler system. Other applications include pipes located in rivers, lakes and the oceans which are difficult to access with conventional metal detectors.
In view of the above disadvantages, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for economically locating subterranean pipe.

Method and apparatus for detecting location of a subterranean pipe


A security seal for a medical container includes a seal foot having at least one latch structure movable relative thereto for engaging a mating latch structure formed on the container, and a seal head connected with the seal foot that includes at least one locking tab which is movably connected with the seal head through a hinge element, wherein the security seal includes a bolt element which can be positioned between a release position, in which the latch structure can be moved relative to the seal foot, and a locked position, in which the deformable latch structure is fixed in position relative to the seal foot and/or seal head.

In the prior art, seals are used inter alia for the securing of closures. A simple and widely used example is represented by wire loops whose ends are connected with a sealing element, so that opening the seal without destroying the wire loop or seal is not possible. In the field of medical science, seals are used for instance with sterile containers in order to be able to check if such a sterile container has already been opened once after the sterilization and if instruments contained therein are still sterile. Various types of seals are known for this.
A very simple, known seal for sterile containers works according to the principle of a cable tie, i.e. a loop made of plastics, which is put through eyes provided on a container lid and a container trough and then closed. A proximal end of the seal is provided with indentations whose flanks pointing toward the proximal end are slanted, while the flanks pointing toward the distal end are set with a steep angle. The other, distal end of the seal is provided with a head having a through-hole into which an elastic latching nose projects. The seal is closed by inserting its proximal end into the through-hole such that the latching nose latches in place in one of the indentations. Due to the steep flank angle and a corresponding configuration of the latching nose, it is easy to insert the proximal end of the seal into the through-hole, but pulling it out in the reverse direction is not possible. The seal may be provided with labeling fields or the like.
Such a seal can only be opened by destroying it, i.e. by severing it at a certain position. The problem is that they are not protected from willful manipulations. A thin object could be pushed into the head of the seal, deforming the flexible latching nose against the spring action and opening the seal without destroying it. Thereafter, it could even be reused, so that it is not able to fulfil its function of ensuring the original state. In the clinic field, there is the further problem that a properly opened seal, i.e. a destroyed seal, loosely hangs on the container and can fall off during opening the container. As the floor of a surgery room is usually not sterile, a seal which has fallen down cannot be picked up just like that. As it is quite common that several containers are used, it might happen that several seals fall to the floor and impair the safe standing, walking and hence the concentration of the staff.
Another security system for sterile containers is made up of a bendable card which is put from the side into a slit of the container, so that its free end comes to lie in front of the closure tab of the container lid. The inserted end of the card has cutouts which will be engaged by associated protrusions in the slit. This is why the card cannot be removed from the slit if the container is closed. During opening the closure tab, the card is bent and springs back into its original position behind the closure tab. If the closure tab is closed again, the card is situated behind the closure tab and not in front of it, being indicative of the container already having been opened already. A disadvantage of this safety system is that the mechanism allowing the replacement of the card for a successive sterilization procedure is relative complicated, hence expensive and prone to failure and has a negative effect on the sterilization result. What is more, also this safety means is not tamper-proof. With the help of a long, thin object, the card could be bent away prior to closing the closure tab again, so that it will be again situated in front of the closure tab.
A further problem of the previously known seals and safety mechanisms is that it is not readily possible to see at the first glance whether they are already devaluated or destroyed or not. For example with a seal in a looped shape, a destroyed seal can be threaded again into the eyes on the container and an inattentive user will not necessarily notice that the eye has been destroyed already and hence devaluated.
DE 10 2012 004 961 A1 discloses a security seal comprising a seal foot having at least one latching protrusion and a seal head connected with the seal foot and having at least one locking tab. Each of the locking tabs is movably connected with the seal head by means of at least one hinge element. The seal foot comprises latching protrusions elastically formed thereon, which engage correspondingly formed latch structures during attaching the seal on a container and fix the seal on the container. With such a seal, it is not necessarily ensured that the seal is in its correct position and has been undetachably attached on the container. By way of example, the seal may seemingly latch in place on the container or be locked on the latter if it is attached to it in a tilted fashion, without the latching protrusions of the seal indeed having undetachably engaged the latch structure. In this case, the container is only apparently sealed in the correct manner, but can be opened without the possibility of detecting the manipulation. Furthermore, a seal might be potentially used again after the first use, impairing the tamper protection of the system.

Security seal for medical sterile container


The present document describes a vibration-reduced turntable adapted to receive a disc, the vibration-reduced turntable comprising: a frame; a first platter mounted on the frame and for receiving the disc, the first platter for rotation in a first direction; a second platter mounted on one of: the frame and the first platter, the second platter for rotation in a second direction; and a suspension system supporting the frame for reducing vibrations on the disc received by the first platter and for reducing vibrations of the frame.

(a) Field
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to a turntable. More specifically, the subject matter relates to a vibration-reduced turntable.
(b) Related Prior Art
Turntables are electromechanical systems used to extract musical signals cut as modulations into vinyl or shellac records (a.k.a. discs). As a system, a turntable typically consists of a platter and drive system, a tonearm, and a phono cartridge. The platter provides the rotational energy to the record placed upon it via the platter drive system, energy which the phono cartridge transducer, which is held above the record by the tonearm, needs to trace and to convert the modulations into electrical signals. These electrical signals are then amplified, re-equalized, and finally converted into musical sound-waves by loudspeakers. A key functional requirement of a turntable system is the consistency of the platters rotational velocity, especially when high level modulations, such as, without limitations, loud sounds, typically with low frequency content, provide greater friction to the phono transducer, creating a dynamic load on the platter drive system.
Turntables are extremely sensitive mechanical playback systems, and this makes it essential to reduce all external mechanical and electrical influences as much as possible.
One of the most critical components in any turntable design is the drive mechanism. At first glance, it appears to be a simple task to turn the platter at a constant 33⅓ or 45 RPM. In practice, it is extremely challenging to produce rotational speed that is sufficiently stable to prevent audible degradation of reproduced sound. Close examination of speed stability reveals a host of problems.
Micro speed variations are responsible for audible problems that most audiophiles would not attribute to the turntable drive mechanism. Harshness, muddiness and smearing are the classic symptoms of micro speed variations. In addition problems with a slow, dull presentation can often be traced to deficits in the turntable's drive mechanism.
Human hearing is remarkably sensitive to infinitesimally small errors in the time domain. This has been well documented in digital audio where timing errors (jitter) as small as ten trillionths of a second, have been shown to be detrimental to quality sound reproduction.
Well known prior art documents describe drive systems where a turntable and a motor for driving the turntable are directly coupled. In those systems, a record player is characterized in that a cancellation mechanism is disposed concentrically with the driving motor. The cancellation mechanism performs a reciprocating rotational motion to generate a torque equal in magnitude and reverse in direction with respect to a torque fluctuation developed by rotation of the driving motor. The system thereby cancels the counteractive rotational vibrations exerted on a frame of the record player. However, these systems do not provide an optimized reduction of external mechanical and electrical influences.
There is therefore a need for an improved vibration-reduced turntable allowing an important reduction of the external mechanical and electrical influences.


An inspection apparatus configured to inspect a target object includes a placing device configured to place the target object thereon; a heater provided in the placing device and configured to adjust a temperature of the placing device; and a position adjusting mechanism configured to hold the placing device on which the target object is placed, and configured to perform a position adjustment between the target object placed on the placing device and a terminal to be brought into contact with the target object when an inspection of an electrical characteristic is performed. The placing device is configured to be separated from the position adjusting mechanism when the inspection of the electrical characteristic is performed. A heat sink having prominences and depressions is provided at a portion of the placing device except a holding target portion thereof which is to be held by the position adjusting mechanism.

Patent Document 1 describes an inspection apparatus equipped with a placing table configured to place a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as "wafer") and a probe card configured to hold probes for characteristic measurement. These probes for characteristic measurement are brought into contact with the wafer to measure characteristic data of a device from the wafer. This inspection apparatus also has probes for temperature measurement held by the probe card. These probes for temperature measurement are brought into contact with the wafer to measure temperature data from the wafer. Further, the inspection apparatus is equipped with a temperature control mechanism configured to control a temperature of the placing table such that a measurement temperature measured by the probes for the temperature measurement coincides with a set temperature. In this inspection apparatus, inspection of the characteristics of the device is performed based on the characteristic data measured by the probes for the characteristic measurement in the state that the temperature of the placing table is controlled to be equal to the set temperature.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-273176

Inspection apparatus and inspection method for inspecting electrical characteristic of electronic device


An adaptive, human-machine-interaction, system and method for executing system-actions at times in accordance with performance times of past user-actions to either accommodate user habits or to modify user behavior.

The present invention relates generally to a system for improving the quality of human-machine interaction by adapting execution times of machine-actions in accordance with performance time of user-actions. The machine-actions are executed by the adaptive system so as to improve system effectiveness by reducing user annoyance and to also modify user behavior so that the user complies with various safety and system requirements in an embodiment of the invention.
Such user-adaptive systems have application in the following activities, inter alia, fastening seat belts, removing ignition key from an ignition, and deactivating headlights lights, cabin lights, radio, and dimming headlights.
It should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention have application in a wide variety of applications including, inter alia, vehicular devices like cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and amusement rides.
It should be appreciated that for the sake of simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and reference numerals may be repeated in different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

Adaptive human-machine system and method


A parts tray conveying system includes a first station for supplying a plurality of occupied trays each containing parts under a stacked condition; a second station for separating the occupied trays under the stacked condition one by one from the upper stage; and a third station for conveying the occupied trays. Also provided is a device for taking an upper-most one of the occupied trays under the stacked condition from the second station to the third station; a fourth station for discharging a plurality of empty trays each containing no parts one by one from the third station; and a fifth station for stacking the empty trays discharged by the fourth station. Accordingly, a large number of the parts trays can be compactly set under the stacked condition in the conveying system to thereby effectively utilize space in the conveying system.

The present invention relates to a parts tray conveying system, and more particularly to a parts tray conveying system suitable for use with an automatic assembly system employing a robot, wherein a plurality of parts trays each containing parts are supplied to a predetermined position.
In carrying out an assembly operation by using an automatic machine such as an assembly robot, parts to be employed for the assembly operation need to be preliminarily supplied to a predetermined position. An apparatus for supplying the parts is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 63-306108, for example. In the conventional parts supply apparatus, the parts are preliminarily accommodated in a tray, and a plurality of trays containing the parts are supplied to a predetermined position. The robot open rates to pick up the parts one by one from each tray and carry out the automatic assembly operation.
However, such a parts supply apparatus has a shortcoming such that the trays containing the parts are preliminarily separated from each other at intervals in a tray box, so that a large space is necessary in the parts supply apparatus. Accordingly, the parts supply apparatus becomes large in size