The application relates to a method for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water (10), wherein a calcium nitrate solution (3) is added to the anoxic body of water (10), and wherein the method comprises the steps of mixing water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150% with the calcium nitrate solution (3), resulting in a mixture, and pumping the mixture into the anoxic body of water (10), wherein the final concentration of nitrate-N in the remedied and/or restored anoxic body of water (10) is between 1 and 20 mg/l. The application furthermore relates to a system (1) for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water (10), wherein the system (1) is provided with means to add a calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10), wherein the means to add the calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10) consists of a mixing device (2) arranged to mix the calcium nitrate solution (3) with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, resulting in a mixture, and wherein the system (1) comprises first pumping means (5) for pumping the mixture into the anoxic body of water (10).

In present days, there is an increased inflow of nutrients into surface waters such as ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. which is becoming a worldwide problem. The nutrients are originating amongst others from the acid rain (with SO2 and NOx), sewage, agriculture, and contaminated ground water. In the drainage basins of bodies of water—a drainage basin or catchment basin is an extent or an area of land where all surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another body of water, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean—the organic matter production has now dramatically increased because of the intensive use of nutrients by the agriculture in the drainage basin areas, the industrialization and the growth of the population density. The ecosystem's response to the addition of artificial or natural nutrients, mainly phosphates, through amongst other detergents, fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system is known as "eutrophication", or more precisely "hypertrophication". An eutrophic body of water is thus "a body of water that is rich in mineral and organic nutrients that promote a proliferation of algae and aquatic plants, resulting in a reduction of dissolved oxygen".
Denitrification is a process in which nitrate (NO3−) is converted to molecular nitrogen N2 and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by heterotrophic and also certain autotrophic bacteria, and is therefore a loss of nitrogen from an aquatic system. As these processes either contribute or remove nitrogen from the system, they have the potential to affect water quality and the health of the aquatic system. There are potential indirect effects of eutrophication that limit denitrification. For example, bottom water (=the lowermost mass in a body of water) anoxia or the anoxic conditions in sludge or sediment layers limit nitrification and hence denitrification in sediments and bottom waters. Knowledge of the magnitude of denitrification can help predict the eutrophication response of a body of water because nitrogen that is denitrified is largely unavailable to support primary production.
In the absence of molecular oxygen (O2), organic substances and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) are oxidized by nitrate. Thus, nitrate provides under anoxic conditions the possibility of oxidative energy metabolisms. Normally, nitrate is produced during the nitrification of ammonia (NH3), or the conjugate acid ammonium (NH4+) and oxygen under aerobic conditions. In a body of water (including in sludge or sediments), which has almost all year round oxygen depletion, the natural production of nitrate is not possible and anaerobic decay processes are predominant. Denitrification only occurs at low oxygen levels, and hence is typically applicable to sediments, although it also occurs in the deoxygenated hypolimnia of certain bodies of water. In eutrophic bodies of water, such as lakes, that are stratified, concentrations of N2 may decline in the epilimnion because of reduced solubility as temperatures rise and increase in the hypolimnion from denitrification of nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2) to inorganic nitrogen (N2). Nitrite (NO2) rarely accumulates except in the metalimnion and hypolimnion of eutrophic bodies of water (lakes). Concentrations of nitrite in bodies of water (lakes) are usually very low unless organic pollution is high.
In eutrophic bodies of water, anoxia results in increased levels of ammonia (due to lack of Nitrosomonas metabolism) and nitrite (due to lack of Nitrobacter metabolism) with increasing depth in the hypolimnion. In oligotrophic bodies of water, high oxygen concentrations permit metabolism of ammonia to nitrate, resulting in low levels of nitrite and ammonia and high levels of nitrate in the hypolimnion. When the hypolimnion of a eutrophic body of water becomes anaerobic, bacterial nitrification of ammonia ceases and the NH4+-concentrations increase.
Although it is only needed in small amounts, phosphorus is one of the more common growth-limiting elements for phytoplankton (various kinds of minute, floating aquatic plants). These shortages arise because of the geochemical shortage of phosphorus in many drainage basins together with the lack of any biological pathway enabling phosphate fixation similar to that enabling nitrogen fixation. Phytoplankton is only able to use phosphorus in the phosphate (PO43−) form for growth. In deep stratified bodies of water, there is a limited replenishment of phosphate and the quantity of "available" phosphorus in late winter may determine the level of phytoplankton growth that can develop in the summer. Intensive algal growth in spring usually depletes phosphate to levels in the surface waters. Hence, phytoplankton growth during the summer usually occurs using phosphate excreted by animals feeding on phytoplankton. Direct sediment resupply is important in the summer in shallow areas.
Rooted aquatic plants often obtain large quantities of phosphorus from the sediments and can release large amounts into the water. When phosphate levels are low in surface waters, phytoplankton excrete extracellular enzymes called alkaline phosphatases, which have the ability to free phosphate bound to organic molecules. Since phosphate (in contrast to nitrate) is readily adsorbed to soil particles and does not move easily with groundwater, high inflows of total phosphorus are due to erosion of particles from steep slopes with easily erodible soils. Intensive algal growth in spring usually depletes lake phosphate to low levels. Agricultural, domestic, and industrial wastes are major sources of soluble phosphate and frequently contribute to lake eutrophication and algal blooms. Eutrophication is thus the process where first the sediment (including the water contained therein) of a body of water such as a lake will become anaerobic, and thereafter the deep water, since all oxygen is used up when the organic material is degraded. Deep water (or profundal) is the offshore zone within a body of water where water depths are greater than the depth to which sunlight can penetrate to support aquatic plants, in contrast with the littoral zone closer to shore.
Adverse and unwanted environmental effects of the eutrophication of lakes, ponds and rivers are amongst others                dead fish due to toxic H2S and sulfide;        H2S bubbles arising from the sediment of the body of water, creating a bad and harmful odor;        bloom of blue green algae;        a black and stinking sediment;        poor visibility in the water.
In artificial ponds that are for instance used to discharge industrial wastewater coming from the fertilizer industry, also the problem of high production of hydrogen sulfide can occur since there is not enough or even no aeration of such ponds.
Also shallow lakes or other flat waters may get temporarily anoxic under special conditions. Anoxic milieus may for instance be caused by storm water pollution or under other conditions of lake restoration measures such as removal of sludge, when the oxygen demand raises by organic material that is set free.
There exists therefor the need to restore and remediate anoxic bodies of water, and more in particular to restore and remediate anoxic bodies of water forming the bottom part of thermally stratified bodies of water such as thermally stratified lakes, ponds and rivers, or to restore and remediate anoxic bodies of water being contained in the sludge or sediment layer of a body of water.
At present, there are already many solutions available to control eutrophication by minimizing the nutrient inflows. There also exist EU requirements for surface water quality demanding reduction in nutrients, and especially phosphate, in the water body (2000/60/EG). However, often organic loads, acidity, salinity or contamination with hazardous substances need to be controlled. The amendment of the conditions may be different, and in some cases, contrary to the technologies developed to control eutrophication.
Another solution to control eutrophication is the application of different in-situ remediation techniques. An "in-situ" treatment involves applying treatment amendments onto or into surface sediments. An-in situ treatment of a lake is also called an "in-lake" restoration/remediation/treatment technique.
Hypolimnetic aeration (also called deep water aeration) is an in-situ water treatment technique wherein the oxygen demand of deep water is covered by oxygen from the atmosphere without destroying the lake's natural stratification. The deep water thus gets aerobic, the phosphate dissolution is reduced significantly and the mineralization of the sediments improves. An example of a hypolimnetic aeration system is TIBEAN™ by the company Polycon. The TIBEAN™-series are floating plants consisting of                one or more upstream pipes, where the water is aerated while rising up;        a degassing chamber where the aerated water is freed of gases; and        one or more downstream pipes where the vented, degassed water is pumped back into the hypolimnion.
In the degassing chamber, additional nutrient absorbers and/or nutrient precipitation devices are implementable.
At the lower end of the floating plant, atmospheric air is inserted into the water by an ejector. A mixture of water and oxygen is forced upwards in the upstream pipe. At the end of the upstream pipe, the mixture flows into the degassing chamber. Residual gases are separated from the oxygenated water. The gas escapes into the atmosphere, the oxygenated water flows back through the downstream pipe. The outlet provides a laminar flow and a horizontal flow into the hypolimnion.
Disadvantages of the hypolimnetic aeration system as described above are the limited solubility of oxygen in water and therefore the need of continuous application and operation of such a unit. This might compromise the use of a lake, pond or river for leisure and of course causes permanent costs.
Yara International ASA already commercializes an "in situ" remediation technique called "Limnox" to prevent fouling of sludge in lakes. In this Limnox remediation technique, a calcium nitrate solution with a calcium nitrate content of 50 weight % is added to the lake. Before the application of Limnox, a survey of the lake must be conducted to identify the major factors causing the problems. Depending on the desired effects, the calcium nitrate solution is mixed into parts of or the entire body of water or applied directly to the sediment of the lake. Mixing into the water is the preferred method for inhibiting cyanobacteria and also gives beneficial effects when used in small, shallow lakes. The sediment applications are more economical in bigger, deeper lakes. A comblike device is provided to release Limnox can be used to apply it to the sediment. A high density Limnox, i.e. 1.5 kg/l is applied in order to remain stable on the lake bed and to allow even penetration of the sediment. This is particularly important for sediments that are contaminated with toxic substances where any disturbance is undesirable. A layer of Limnox on the sediment keeps the redox potential high and the phosphorus bound. Phosphate is extremely reactive and interacts with many cations like iron to form relatively insoluble compounds that precipitate out of the water, especially under oxidising conditions. Thus, aerobic sediments normally act as a sink for phosphorus. Precipitated phosphorus compounds however become soluble again under anaerobic conditions. Since Limnox keeps the phosphorous bound, self-eutrophication of the lake is prevented. Furthermore, it is claimed that Limnox takes care that the natural stratification of a lake is maintained.
Disadvantages of Limnox are the challenging application in the sediment that also touches all animals and plants in that layer, the effort to precisely apply the aqueous calcium nitrate solution evenly and the loss of aqueous calcium nitrate solution due to currents in the lake which dilute the nitrate solution layer and transport nitrate into higher water body layers.
It is consequently a purpose to provide in a simple and reliable restoration and/or remediation technique of an anoxic body of water that can be permanently sustained and that leads to a water quality that is in accordance with the quality of natural healthy waters, without the stresses that cause degradation, i.e. having a good ecosystem health, long-term stability and sustainability.
In case a natural thermally stratified body of water such as a natural lake or pond or a river is treated, it is a further purpose to maintain the natural stratification of natural ponds or lakes and rivers when these are restored and/or remedied.

Remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water


A feedthrough terminal assembly for an active implantable medical device utilizes an insert to establish a reliable electrical connection between capacitor electrode plates, via inner surface metallization of a capacitor aperture, and an associated terminal pin 10, which passes at least partially therethrough. The inserts are preferably resiliently flexible, such as a spring, to establish this connection. The insert also serves to establish a mechanical connection between the capacitor and the terminal pin.

This invention relates generally to feedthrough capacitor terminal pin assemblies and related methods of construction, particularly of the type used in active implantable medical devices (AIMD), such as cardiac pacemakers, implantable hearing devices, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, neurostimulators, drug pumps and the like. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) feedthrough filter capacitors are typically used in such applications to decouple and shield undesirable electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals from the device. More specifically, this invention relates to processes and apparatuses for installing feedthrough capacitors to terminal pin assemblies utilizing conductive, resiliently flexible contact springs. This invention is particularly designed for use in cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators. This invention is also applicable to a wide range of other EMI filter applications, such as military or space electronic modules, wherever it is desirable to preclude entry of EMI into a shielded housing. The simplified electrical contact method as described herein is applicable both to hermetically sealed housings and non-hermetically sealed housings and bulkheads.
Feedthrough terminal pin assemblies are generally well known in the art for connecting electrical signals through the housing or case of an electronic instrument. For example, in active implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators or the like, the terminal pin assembly comprises one or more conductive terminal pins supported by an insulator structure for feedthrough passage from the exterior to the interior of the medical device. Many different insulator structures and related mounting methods are known in the art for use in medical devices wherein the insulator structure provides a hermetic seal to prevent entry of body fluids into the housing of the medical device. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,095, the contents of which are incorporated herein. The feedthrough terminal pins are typically connected to one or more lead wires which can undesirably act as an antenna and thus tend to collect stray EMI signals for transmission into the interior of the medical device. In the prior art devices, the hermetic terminal pin subassembly has been combined in various ways with a ceramic feedthrough filter capacitor to decouple interference signals to the housing of the medical device.
In prior art devices, a feedthrough capacitor is attached to the ferrule or insulator of the terminal of an active implantable medical device using various attachment methods. For example, thermal-setting conductive adhesives, such as conductive polyimides, solders, welds, brazes and the like, are all used to mechanically and electrically make connections to the feedthrough capacitor. With reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,095, a feedthrough capacitor is surface mounted onto the hermetic terminal subassembly. It is desirable to have a high temperature electrical connection between the lead wires and the inside diameter holes of a feedthrough capacitor. It is also desirable to have a high temperature electrical connection around the outside diameter or perimeter of the capacitor to the ferrule. In most of the prior art applications, including that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,095, the electrical connection material is a thermal-setting conductive polyimide such as that manufactured by Ablestick. Conductive polyimide is typically inserted using a microsyringe into the annular space between the lead wires and the inside diameter feedthrough holes of the feedthrough capacitor. Multiple centrifuging steps are normally required to pack and densify the thermal-setting conductive polyimide. It is important that the thermal-setting conductive polyimide not have large voids or cavities.
Because of the need to inject and then centrifuge the conductive polyimide, it is important that this material not be allowed to flow out underneath the capacitor where it could cause short circuits. Accordingly, in prior art devices there is an insulating washer (typically of a non-conductive polyimide material) that is disposed between the ceramic capacitor and a mounting surface of a terminal pin-supporting alumina insulator. In manufacturing the terminal pin feedthrough subassembly, the capacitor is seated against this non-conductive polyimide washer and then cured.
However, complications follow from the use of the conductive polyimide; that is, after the conductive polyimide is centrifuged multiple times, there is usually excess material either on the lead or terminal pin, or on the top surface of the capacitor. This requires multiple cleaning steps after the polyimide is cured at an elevated temperature. These cleaning steps typically consist of microblasting using sodium bicarbonate. No matter what microblasting medium is used, multiple cleaning steps are then required. In a typical application, this would mean multiple cleaning and ultrasonic baths containing de-ionized (DI) water followed by alcohol rinses, and subsequently followed by other cleaning solvents. After all of this, the subassembly is subjected to a bake-out process. To make the outside diameter connection to the ferrule, almost all of the above steps are repeated.
All of the foregoing manufacturing steps are highly labor intensive. This was not a significant problem when volumes of implantable medical devices were relatively low. However, in the United States alone, there are over 500,000 pacemakers implanted annually. This market is growing rapidly with the advent of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and biventricular pacemaking to control congestive heart failure. Thus, high volume manufacturing techniques are needed to control the cost.
Accordingly, there is a need for a manufacturing methodology which advantageously lends itself to high-volume manufacturing techniques. Preferably, such a manufacturing methodology would eliminate many of the foregoing labor-intensive manufacturing steps, and especially those related to the centrifuging and cleaning steps. The present invention addresses these needs and provides a very low cost manufacturing methodology for EMI filtered hermetic terminal assemblies for active implantable medical devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hybrid spring contact system for EMI filtered hermetic seals for active implantable medical devices


A trunk houses an infant outfit and infant blanket appointed to clothe and swaddle a newborn infant on the momentous journey home from the hospital. Also included by the container are a plurality of cards adapted for documenting the joyous journey. The infant outfit, infant blanket, and cards are safely stored and displayed within the container. A memorabilia system and method are thereby provided for memorializing and commemorating the infant's first journey home from the hospital. The memorabilia system and method are operable to accommodate at least five generations of infant home journeys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memorabilia system and method; and more particularly, to a memorabilia system and method for memorializing a newborn infant's journey home from the hospital.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A newborn infant's first journey home from the hospital is a very joyous and momentous occasion tantamount to other events currently celebrated throughout one's life. For example, Weddings, Christenings, and Communions are all celebrated and memorialized throughout life's journey. These moments call for outfits and keepsakes that are symbolic of the event and are treasured for a lifetime. Accordingly, there are various kits and systems that provide the ritualistic outfits and keepsakes fundamental to these occasions. A newborn infant's journey home from the hospital is an event worthy of special kits and systems as well; however, such kits and systems are wanting. Currently, the occasion is merely memorialized by the few keepsakes parents manage to store away in various keepsake storage containments. Although there are a number of keepsake storage containments and kits available on the market, none of the containments or kits heretofore disclosed and utilized provide an all inclusive kit concentrating on an infant's first journey home.
Many of the keepsake kits heretofore devised and utilized generally comprise a storage and display device that is to be filled with various memorabilia generated as a special event unfolds. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,702 to Walsh discloses a keepsake holder that comprises a first housing section, a second housing section, and at least one hinge, at least one keepsake compartment, and retention means received in the keepsake compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,279 to Stanley, et al. discloses a custom display and storage system that includes an album or scrapbook for two dimensional objects and a display and storage system assembly container for three dimensional objects. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0047945 to Scherer discloses a "volume" book-like container set adapted to be utilized for storing memorabilia whereby the "volumes" stand on a shelf as a row of books, whereby the "volume" is entitled with a specific event and contains contents associated therewith. Significantly, none of these patent and patent application publication disclosures provides specific coordinating items that are adapted to be utilized in conjunction with an infant's first journey home from the hospital. Rather, these memorabilia type holders merely provide storage and display cases for a variety of occasions.
"Acid-free Keepsake Box, Memory Box, and Large Keepsake Boxes" by ForeverKeeps.com, found at http://www.foreverkeeps.com, discloses a keepsake box composed of acid-free materials. "Memories of Motherhood Box" by RedEnvelope, found at http://www.redenvelope.com/re/gifts/product_display/product_information.jsp, discloses a box for storing a mother's memories over the years as her children grow-up. The box comprises a chest, having various compartments therein and a pouch to facilitate the storage of special papers and documents. However, like the patent and patent publications referenced hereinabove, these web site literatures do not provide specific coordinating items that are adapted to be utilized in conjunction with an infant's first journey home from the hospital. Instead, these memorabilia type holders merely provide storage and display cases for a variety of occasions.
Other keepsake kits comprise a storage and display device and various items therein that generally consist of tools and instruments to be utilized in decorating the display and keepsake kit. In particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,005 to Monn discloses a memory box for storing photos and the like including a kit for decorating so that the contents within the storage box can be readily identified. The disclosed kit includes a storage box for holding and storing sheet objects, an adhesive that is spread-able with a brush and for adhering paper on the outside of the storage box, and instructions. "The Family Jewels" by Archival Preservation Co., found at http://www.familyjewelsarchival.com/themebaby.htm, discloses keepsake boxes and textile preservation kits adapted for storing a variety of memorabilia. The kit generally includes a box housing plastic envelopes, acid-free buffered envelopes, tissue paper, instructions, and cotton gloves for the user to wear when handling items placed inside the box. Significantly, the keepsake boxes and kits disclosed by the patent and web literature do not include coordinating memorabilia for celebrating an infant's journey home from the hospital. The disclosed kits merely provide tools for decorating and storing photographs and the like.
Still other keepsake kits comprise a storage and display device and specific items to be utilized in commemorating a special event, but none of these items or events are specifically associated with the journey home from the hospital. In particularly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,108 to Svopa discloses an expectant father system comprising a container housing various celebratory items in conjunction with a child's birth. The expectant father system generally comprises a container having a hollow center that houses items such as candy and "It's A Boy" and "It's A Girl" sleeves, which are appointed to be passed out upon the child's birth. However, the '108 patent does not provide specific coordinating items that are adapted to be utilized in conjunction with an infant's first journey home from the hospital.
"A Baby's Lifelong Journey Kit" by Baby's Lifelong Treasures, found at http://babysjourneykit.com, discloses a sixteen piece comprehensive keepsake kit that allows for easy and effective organization of information and memorabilia concerning a baby's lifelong journey from infancy to adult life. The kit includes books and the like for recordation and storage of special memorabilia and events. "Keepsake Gifts" by This Baby Of Mine, found at http://www.thisbabyofmine.com/keepsakesgifts1.htm, discloses a time capsule kit for an infant. The disclosed time capsule kit is a 22-piece kit and includes an embossed lid that reads "Do Not Open Until", and sets forth an opening date. The 'Time Capsule Keepsake reference's kit includes a book, a how-to guide, a message to the Future® stationery set with matching envelopes, a check list, a certificate and over 160 full-color stickers. "The Day I Was Born Keepsake Box" by The Day I Was Born, found at http://www.thedayiwasborn.ie/products/topsellers-1.stm, discloses limited edition keepsake boxes for the years 2003 and 2004. Each keepsake box contains such items as coins, stamps, a newspaper, and a CD single that commensurate the specific year. However, none of these web site literatures provide specific coordinating items that are adapted to be utilized in conjunction with an infant's first journey home from the hospital.
A number of keepsake kits are available on the market as is evidenced by a search of the term "baby keepsake kit" on the Internet. In particular, each of "Baby Keepsake Kit" by YAHOO! Shopping, found at http://search.shopping.yahoo.com/search and "Baby Keepsake Kit" by surprise.com, found at http://www.surprise.com/whositfor/new_parent/baby_keepsake-kit. cfm, lists stores and products that sell baby keepsake kits. The sites reveal numerous baby keepsake kits; but none of the products disclosed therein reveal a coordinating kit for celebrating an infant's journey home from the hospital. Specifically, many of the products are merely impression kits to be utilized to create molds of a baby's hand and/or foot impressions. Other products included scrap-books, craft kits, and an heirloom bonnet kit. Significantly, none of the baby keepsake kits reveals a keep-sake trunk set specifically commemorating a baby's journey home from the hospital.
A newborn infant's journey home from the hospital is an event worthy of special kits and systems as well; however, such kits and systems are wanting. Although there are a number of keepsake storage containments and kits available on the market, none of the containments or kits heretofore disclosed and utilized provide an all inclusive kit concentrating on an infant's first journey home. All of the above patent disclosures are similar and share the same drawbacks. The kits do not disclose a keep-sake coordinated trunk set commemorating a baby's journey home from the hospital, but instead basically discloses a storage system for the storage of general items that are placed therein by the user. Even where the kits disclose items contained within the box, none of the kits provides coordinating memorabilia to be utilized contemporaneously with an infant's journey home from the hospital.
For the foregoing reasons, there exists a need in the art for a memorabilia system and method that provides coordinating items to be utilized when a newborn infant is brought home from the hospital. Specifically, there exists a need in the art for a memorabilia system and method that provides a durable container adapted to house an infant outfit and a coordinating infant blanket to clothe and swaddle a newborn infant as the infant begins his or her journey home and into life. Additionally, there is a need in the art for a memorabilia system and method that further includes a plurality of cards having at least one photograph holder for receiving a photograph, and spaces for recording information wherein the cards are composed of a high quality material and are stored in a heavy weight envelope in the trunk with the infant outfit and the infant blanket. Clearly, a memorabilia system and method for memorializing a newborn infant's journey home from the hospital that is adapted to accommodate a plurality of generations of infants so that the momentous occasion can be memorialized from generation to generation would be highly advantageous. Such a memorabilia system and method for memorializing a newborn infant's journey home from the hospital has not been disclosed or suggested heretofore, and such a memorabilia system and method is not presently available.


A method and a circuit for limiting the current in an inductance, comprising means for interrupting the power storage in the inductance at the end of a delay triggered by the current in the inductance.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of circuits for protecting an inductance so that the current flowing through it does not exceed its saturation current, and relate to any system in which the current is desired to be limited in an inductance. An example application for embodiments of the present invention is the field of power converters (step-up or step-down) in which a switch controlling the current in an inductance is controlled by a train of pulses, for example, modulated in width (PWM), in frequency (FWM), etc.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 very schematically shows a conventional example of a step-up converter.
Such a converter uses an inductance L in series with a diode D between a terminal 1 for applying a D.C. input voltage Vin and a terminal 2 for applying an output voltage Vout for a load 3 (Q). A capacitor Cout for storing voltage Vout is connected between terminal 2 and ground M. Further, a switch K (for example, a MOS transistor) connects the anode of diode D (unction point of the inductance and of the diode) to ground. Switch K is controlled by a width-modulated pulse train to control the output voltage based upon the needs of the load or a predetermined value. The operation of such a converter is known. When switch K is on, a current flows through inductance L from voltage source Vin (for example, a battery) while capacitor Cout supplies load 3. When switch K turns off, the power stored in inductance L recharges capacitor Cout at the same time as it supplies the load.
To protect inductance L against a deterioration, it must be ascertained that the current flowing therethrough does not exceed its saturation current from which the inductance behaves as a wire. For this purpose, the turning-on of switch K is conventionally conditioned by a current threshold in the inductance or in the switch.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional example of an integrated circuit 10 for controlling a PWM converter integrating an inductance protection function. It shows, integrated to this circuit, switch K (in dotted lines) between two terminals 11 and 12 of circuit 10 respectively connected to the anode of diode D (here, a Zener diode) and to ground M. To control output voltage Vout, circuit 10 also comprises a terminal 13 of connection to terminal 2 of the converter. Circuit 10 is supplied from D.C. voltage Vin filtered by a capacitor Cin, terminal 1 being connected to a terminal 14 of circuit 10.
In the example of FIG. 2, the converter is intended to supply light-emitting diodes 20 (LEDs) ensuring a screen backlighting function (for example, of a mobile phone). Circuit 10 then integrates, optionally, a second switch K for turning on/off the load formed of diodes 20 in series. Switch K′ shown in dotted lines in the form of a MOS transistor connects a terminal 15 of circuit 10 connected to load 20 to a terminal 16 of this same circuit connected to ground M, generally via a protection resistor Rp. Of course, switch K′ may be external to circuit 10.
Circuit 10 comprises means not shown for measuring the current in inductance L. This current measurement is generally induced from the voltage across the inductance, measured at terminals 11 and 14 of the circuit. Another method consists of measuring (for example, by means of a shunt) the current in switch K. Circuit 10 compares the information linked to the current in inductance L with a reference value to force the turning-off of switch K in case said value is exceeded, independently from the PWM digital signal control point provided on a terminal 17.
A first family of known circuits comprises a predetermined reference, internal to circuit 10. A disadvantage of such a solution is that circuit 10 is then dedicated to an inductance L or, to stand several inductances of different values, requires setting of a minimum threshold while some inductances could stand higher currents.
A second solution consists of providing a resistor Rs connected to an additional terminal 18 of circuit 10 and to ground M to parameterize the limiting threshold of circuit 10. Such a solution enables changing resistance Rs when the value of the limiting current is desired to be modified, for example, after an inductance change. A disadvantage of this solution is that it requires a terminal (18) of additional connection of integrated circuit 10 as well as an external resistor.
FIG. 3 illustrates the variation of the maximum tolerable or standable current (ILmax) according to value L of an inductance. The curve, the exact shape of which depends on the considered inductance family (materials, conductor diameter, power dissipation capacity, etc.) shows a decrease in the maximum standable current along with the increase in the inductance value. Accordingly, when a limiting threshold is desired to be set in a circuit 10, be it internally or externally, so that it can stand several different inductances L, a relatively low threshold Imax has to be set to be able to protect all the inductances in the range. As a result, according to the inductance connected to circuit 10, its capacities are not fully exploited.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the operation of a circuit such as shown in FIG. 2 for two different inductance values L1 and L2. The left-hand portion of the timing diagrams of FIGS. 4A and 4B has been drawn for an inductance of relatively high value L1 with respect to the value of a relatively low inductance L2, the operation of which is illustrated in the right-hand portion of the timing diagrams. FIG. 4A illustrates current IL in the inductance while FIG. 4B illustrates the OFF and ON periods of switch K It should however be noted that this applies to the case of a step-up converter such as illustrated in FIG. 2, the off and on periods of the switch being inverted in the case of a step-down converter.
To enable operation with inductances L1 and L2, limiting current Imax set by circuit 10 is a function of the inductance of lower value L1. As illustrated in the right-hand portions of the timing diagrams, this results in inductance L2 having its limiting current ILmax greater than current Imax is not fully exploited. Indeed, even admitting that the duty cycle of the turn-on pulses of switch K is set in the same way as for low-value inductance L1, the limiting function is activated as soon as current I exceeds value Imax, while the control of the converter with an output voltage control point Vout would have required a longer power storage period.
The need to have an integrated circuit for controlling a converter that can accept several different inductance values is more and more frequent. Indeed, the manufacturers of integrated control circuits 10 are generally distinct from inductance manufacturers which will assemble the inductance and circuit 10 in a converter.

Current limitation in an inductance with a limit current adaptation


A fly guard for a horse generally comprises a flexible hood or mask with eye holes for fitting about the eyes and over adjacent parts of the head. Surrounding each eye hole is an upstanding annular collar having an outward facing surface having hook/loop fastener material thereon for releasingly attaching an eye cover to the collar and for adjusting the distance of the eye cover outer panel from the eye. The eye cover outer panel which covers the eye may be of see-through mesh or of opaque material. The hood further includes a device for holding insect repellant. The device comprises a first pair of hook/loop fastener patches including a fixed patch of outward facing hook/loop fastener material and a cover patch of mating hook/loop fastener material matingly attached to the first patch. The fastener patches retain insect repellant disposed between then. A multiplicity of such patches can be used. Different patches may be used to hold different insecticides.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a device for protecting horses from insects and more specifically includes a headdress having adjustable and removable eye covers and holders for insect repellant.
2. Prior Art
Headdresses or masks to protect a horses face and eyes are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,789 of Denning for "Animal Eye Protection Device" discloses a horse mask covering the eyes in the form of an arched mesh bubble. U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,429 of Knox for "Fly Guard" describes a mask having an cylindrical flange member surrounding the eye and topped with netting. U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,156 of Oettel for "Protective Mask for Animals" describes a mask having a formed bubble net over each eye and plush material around the exterior for preventing insects from crawling under the mask. U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,145 of Pelling for "Animal Goggles" describes a mask including eye holes having removable domed mesh.
It is desirable to have a mask that is adapted to repel insects originally, not just attempt to physically keep them off the eyes. Insect repellant creams and ointments of sufficient strength to be effective may be applied directly to the animal or to the mask. However, this is undesirable as the repellant eventually gets into areas for which it is unintended such as in the eyes or mouth of the horse or rider. Therefore, there is a need for a mask that provides a means for the safe and clean dispersal of insect repellant.
Horses eyes need considerable care. Therefore, it is desirable to have a mask that permits easy access to the eyes for care and cleaning without removing the mask.
Some horses have markedly protruding eyes or eyelashes that will strike most conventional masks. Therefore, it is desirable to have a mask with adjustable eye covers to allow for these variations.
Sometimes it is desirable that the horse not be able to see the surrounding. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a mask that is easily convertible from a see-through mask to a blinder mask.
Occasionally, it is desirable to hold medications against the eye area. Therefore, it would be additionally desirable to have a mask that provides a means for holding medications against the eye area.
Since the protruding areas of the mask over the eyes are the first to wear out, it is further desirable to have an mask in which these areas are easily replaceable.


A power tool has a working tool that is driven by a two-stroke engine that has a cylinder and a piston reciprocating within the cylinder and delimiting a combustion chamber in the cylinder. The two-stroke engine has a crankcase with a rotatably supported crankshaft that is driven by the piston with a connecting rod. Transfer passages connect the crankcase to the combustion chamber in at least one position of the piston. A mixture passage intake supplies a fuel/air mixture, and an air passage supplies combustion air. The combustion chamber has an exhaust port. The two-stroke engine has a transverse plane dividing the cylinder in a direction of the longitudinal cylinder axis. The exhaust port is arranged on one side of the transverse plane, and air passage and mixture passage are arranged on opposite sides of the transverse plane.

The invention relates to a power tool comprising a working tool that is driven by a two-stroke engine. The two-stroke engine comprises a cylinder having a combustion chamber arranged therein. The combustion chamber is delimited by a piston, wherein the piston is movable in the direction of a longitudinal cylinder axis within the cylinder and drives by means of a connecting rod a crankshaft that is rotatably supported about an axis of rotation in the crankcase. In at least one position of the piston, the crankcase is in flow communication with the combustion chamber by means of at least one transfer passage. The transfer passage opens with a transfer port into the combustion chamber. A mixture passage is provided for supplying a fuel/air mixture. The mixture passage has a piston-controlled mixture intake provided at the cylinder. An air passage for supplying combustion air is provided. An exhaust port is connected to the combustion chamber. The two-stroke engine has a transverse plane that divides the cylinder in the direction of the longitudinal cylinder axis. On one side of the transverse plane the exhaust port of the combustion chamber is arranged.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,708 discloses a two-stroke engine for a power tool, for example, a motor chainsaw. The two-stroke engine is operated with scavenging air. For this purpose, the two-stroke engine has a mixture passage for supplying a fuel/air mixture into the crankcase of the two-stroke engine and an air passage that supplies the transfer passages with scavenging air. The mixture passage and the air passage are arranged at the cylinder side that is opposite the exhaust port. The mixture passage extends on the side of the air passage that is facing the crankcase. Since both passages are arranged above one another, the two-stroke engine requires a lot of space on the side opposite the exhaust port.


A cell search control method, a mobile station and a mobile communications system can save consumption power with maintaining high accuracy for selecting a base station. The mobile station measures receiving quality (highest received power and the like) of a currently captured perch channel of a base station; automatically makes a decision as to whether the mobile station is located at a cell periphery in which the need for searching for a new perch channel is great, or located in neighborhood of a base station in which the need is little; and increases the frequency of the search at a location where the need is great and decreases it at a location where the need is little.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method of call search (searching for a new perch channel), a mobile station and a mobile communications system including a mobile station and a plurality of base stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A widespread mobile communications system such as a mobile telephone system provides services by dividing its entire service area into rather small radio zones. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, such a system comprises a plurality of base stations 111-1–111-5 covering divided radio zones, and mobile stations 112-1–112-3 carrying out communications with the base stations 111-1–111-5 by establishing radio channels between them.
Radio waves radiated from a base station at a certain transmission power propagates through space to a receiving site with attenuation. The attenuation the radio waves undergo increases with the distance between the transmitting site to the receiving site. Thus, perch channels from distant base stations are usually received at lower received power, whereas those from near base stations are received at higher received power. In practice, however, since the propagation loss changes depending on conditions such as topography and buildings as well as distance, the received powers of the perch channels from the base stations vary widely with the movement of the mobile stations. To receive signals transmitted from the base stations, it is important for each mobile station to always monitor the perch channels from the base stations and to select the best base station.
On the other hand, a technique called "intermittent reception" is applied to the mobile stations to increase the life of the batteries by saving power. Although the mobile stations in the standby mode must always monitor paging, the intermittent reception tries to minimize the power consumption by halting the receivers as long as possible when the reception is unnecessary. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a paging channel specified in "Specification of Air-Interface for 3G Mobile System Volume 3". According to the specification, to increase the effect of the intermittent reception effect, a number of mobile stations are divided into a plurality of groups, and paging signals for individual groups are each mapped onto a single physical channel. FIG. 2 illustrates a paging signal for one of such groups. In this figure, symbols PI's (PI1 and PI2) designate a very short signal indicating the presence or absence of the paging, and MUI's (MUI1–MUI4) include paging information (ID number of the mobile stations). Each mobile station receives the PI portion first, and then receives the MUI portion only when a decision is made that the paging takes place as a result of receiving the PI portion. This makes it possible for the mobile station to reduce its consumption power to a minimum thanks to a small duty ratio of the reception because it is enough for the mobile station to carry out the two operations: receiving the paging for the group to which the mobile station belongs and receiving only the PI portion when no paging information is present. Although FIG. 2 illustrates the paging information from one of the base stations, which is decided and selected by the mobile station, the mobile station must carry out search for the perch channels from neighboring base stations while it is moving. Since the mobile station must receive many possible perch channels in the search operation for neighboring base stations, it is important for the mobile station to limit the frequency of the search operations to a minimum in order to increase the effect of the intermittent reception.
IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication-2000) standards specifying the third generation mobile communications system are now being planned in the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project). The transmission schemes of the paging information are described in "3G TS 25.211 V3.2.0" which revises the "Specification of Air-Interface for 3G Mobile System Volume 3" a little to increase versatility. Specifically, the information indicating the presence and absence of the paging is transmitted over a PICH (Paging Indicator CHannel), and the paging information itself is transmitted over a SCCPCH (Secondary Common Control Physical CHannel). Although the physical configuration is thus changed, the procedure of the mobile station of receiving the PI portion first, followed by receiving the paging information only when a decision is made that the paging occurs as a result of the PI reception, and the effect of the intermittent reception achieved by the procedure are identical to those of the "Specification of Air-Interface for 3G Mobile System Volume 3".
Thus, to select the best base station, it is necessary for each mobile station to always monitor the perch channels of the neighboring base stations by searching for and receiving them. On the other hand, the mobile station must reduce the duty ratio of its receiver to increase the life of the battery. Thus, there is an inevitable tradeoff between them. In other words, reducing the duty ratio of the receiver will bring about undesirable results such as prescribed service quality cannot be achieved because of the degradation in the accuracy of selecting the base station. In contrast with this, increasing the accuracy of selecting the base station by increasing the duty ratio of the receiver present an important problem of reducing the usefulness of the mobile station because of heavier consumption of its battery.
A document "Cell Selection Control in W-CDMA mobile station", by Yunoki, Higashi and Tsutsumi, 1999 IEICE General Conference B-5-186 estimates the effect of the intermittent reception. It suggests that the mobile station must carry out periodic search for the neighboring base stations in order to implement proper selection of the base station taking account of the movement of the mobile station. However, since it is unavoidable for the periodic search for the neighboring base stations to determine such a search period that can achieve a certain level of the intermittent reception effect, a problem can arise in that the accuracy of selecting the base station is reduced in such conditions as the mobile station moves quickly or the propagation state changes sharply, because the search cannot follow such changes in those propagation environments. In contrast, in such conditions as the mobile station little moves or the propagation condition changes slowly, most of the perch channel search becomes needless, which presents a problem of wasting the battery of the mobile station.

Cell search control method, mobile station and mobile communications system


The present invention teaches method and apparatus for a single stroke kinematic system, having a required mid stroke dwell, which permits positioning of the mid stroke dwell with respect to both space and time. A four bar linkage mechanism is disclosed having a bottom stroke and a top stroke toggle thereby kinematically providing the acceleration ramps into and out of the bottom stroke and top stroke dwells. A cycloidal drive mechanism is provided to drive the four bar linkage and providing time/phase shifting of the cycloidal drive's mid cycle dwell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mechanical, straight-line, four bar lift mechanism suitable for use on a conveyor assembly line wherein workpieces, transported along a conveyor, are gently lifted vertically, in a straight-line, from the conveyor while the mechanism moves through a dwell and then rapidly accelerates upwardly to an overhead work station where the linkage reaches a dwell such that work may be performed upon the workpiece and, thereafter, the workpiece is returned to the conveyor and the mechanism continues to travel below the conveyor to a dwell while in an at rest position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Straight-line linkage mechanisms are well known for transferring workpieces into and out of a press or machine and are most advantageous in such applications because of the accuracy of positioning the workpieces at the beginning and end of travel of the respective mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,780 teaches a straight-line linkage apparatus for automatically transferring workpieces which is characterized by extremely consistent movements during the starting and stopping stages thereof as well as by accurate stop positions thereof. This characteristic is provided by the fact that the velocity characteristics of the linkage and crank mechanism closely resembles that of a sine curve, which curve has longer or smoother foot portions to thereby allow smooth starting and stopping motion of the linkage mechanism. In fact, the linkage approaches a dwell at the start and stop positions.
Another widely used straight-line linkage mechanism is the so called Scott-Russell mechanism wherein an oscillating link in combination with a plurality of intermediate links is arranged to provide an approximate straight-line travel of the output link.
The above straight-line mechanisms are often criticized because of their instability where there is side loading on the mechanism in a direction transverse to the generated straight-line as the links travel through their respective arcuate motions to provide a straight-line output to the output links. These mechanisms are also generally bulky since the links must pass over each other making it difficult to provide a construction which is capable of reacting to transverse loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,266 to Brems attempts to resolve some of the shortcomings of the above described problems associated with straight-line linkage mechanisms. Brems teaches a mechanical linkage system for generating a straight-line utilizing links which do not cross over in the motion generated. The disclosed linkage teaches a rigid bell crank member which has a center pivot connection to a first suspension link, a second pivot connection to a substantially linear guide mechanism and a third pivot connection to an output point, the dimensions of the link, the distance between the outer pivot connection and the guide mechanism, and between the center pivot and the output point are generally equal allowing the mechanism to be used as a linear slide or a straight-line linkage.
Although such mechanical linkage overcomes the shortcomings of the Scott-Russell mechanisms, there are still numerous problems associated with the Brems straight-line linkage as utilized in wide applications. For example, such straight-line linkage is utilized in a welding press in U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,095 to Brems to elevate a platen from a rest position spaced below a conveyor to an elevated position and during this straight-line movement a workpiece is picked up from the conveyor by the lower tooling attached to the platen and moved to an upper position against tooling attached to the upper portion of the press to perform welding operations to the workpiece. To utilize the Brems straight-line linkage additional structure is required in the base of the welding press in order to accommodate the sliding pivot support. Further, the larger links that are required to be of equal length to make the straight-line mechanism operate according to the teachings of the invention occupy significantly more space than a Scott-Russell mechanism as well as demand special considerations in designing a counterbalance which resides within the confines of the platen. Because of the limitations of the attachment points to the platen, the side thrust capabilities of the welding knee are further limited. Finally, and most important, the straight-line linkage apparatus completely disregards the velocity of the input and output attachment links, resulting in the output and input links at the beginning and end limits of travel moving at relatively high velocity, requiring significant compensation in the parameters of the associated cycloidal drive in order to account for the high inertia forces at the uppermost and lowermost position of the platen. The bulkiness of the linkage, limitation of side thrust capabilities, and associated inertia forces of not only the links but the weight of the tooling carried by the platen (up to 5 tons) has resulted, at times, in unwanted vibration and instability of the mechanical welding knee.
Accordingly, what is needed is a mechanical welding press which provides desired lift characteristics without forfeiting optimum lift kinematic characteristics in favor of the straight-line kinematic requirements. Such a mechanical linkage system would produce a motion approaching a dwell at the beginning and ending limits of its motion as well as provide an intermediate dwell, variable as a function of time so that a workpiece may be elevated on a platen of a welding press with a straight-line vertical motion in two successive steps to first engage a workpiece on a conveyor located between the uppermost and lowermost position of travel and then elevate the workpiece to a work station above the conveyor. Thereafter, the mechanical linkage system lowers the platen with a straight-line vertical motion in two successive steps to first deposit the workpiece on the conveyor and then return to its starting position. The horizontal location of the conveying system will vary and accordingly the mechanism must be adjustable to variation of the midpoint pick up. For example, Rasenberger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,198, teaches a drive for producing motion for a printing press with intervening dwells including a four bar linkage defining a couple curve travel path traversable only in part and having equally coincident forward and return paths, and a dwell-producing driven rocker arm pair connected thereto, the couple curve travel path having a vertex therein dividing the couple curve travel path into a short curve path for producing a dwell and an elongated curve path extending at an angle to the short curve path for producing a movement, the vertex of the couple curve being identical with one instantaneous pole defining the start and end of the dwell. In view of the requirements outlined above with respect to a mechanical welding press, the teachings of this drive for producing dwells are not suited for a mechanical welding press application. For example, the linkage as described acquires only one dwell from the four bar linkage, the other dwell being generated by a harmonic input drive. The extended dwell created in the four bar linkage is a function of the position of the links not a velocity function. Further, the dwell apparatus is taught to be run with a single direction drive while a reversing drive is essential for a four bar linkage application having a dwell generated at both ends of travel with a variably occurring dwell therebetween, as will be made clear hereinafter. Finally, the drive for producing motion with dwells as taught in Rasenberger is very complex.
Brems, U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,676, teaches a reciprocating drive mechanism for transmitting an output motion with predetermined acceleration and velocity characteristics which provides a dwell at the beginning and end of its travel as well as a dwell timed precisely at the midpoint of total time traveled between the beginning and end position of its travel. This is accomplished by a lift mechanism powered by a reversible electric motor through a gear box. The output shaft of the gear box has a crank mounted thereon on which is located a fixed gear. A gear rack meshes with the fixed gear and is retained in engagement therewith by a bracket that is journalled on the axis of the fixed gear by a shaft. The pitch line of the teeth of the fixed gear passes through the axis of an output shaft. This arrangement generates a cycloidal motion to the gear rack which is shown in prior art FIG. 13.
The problem associated with utilizing a cycloidal drive to provide dwells at both ends of travel as well as at its midpoint is that the links associated with this type of drive provide a harmonic dwell at least one end (beginning or ending) of its travel which is required to lock up the platen in order to counteract the downward force generated by the tooling mounted in the welding press as it performs work on the workpiece. Further, the cycloidal drive, as stated above, generates a dwell at both ends of travel and at the precise midpoint in time of the total time to travel through the complete motion of the links. The displacement of the platen to reach the midpoint position in time is therefore very limited since the pickup position for the workpiece must be at the precise midpoint of the total time traveled during the total stroke of the platen, offering little flexibility as to the positioning of the conveyor that travels through the mechanical welding press due to the acceleration and velocity characteristics as a consequence of the pickup position being at exactly the midpoint, in time, of the total time requirement of the complete up and down movement of the platen.
Finally, if the drive is taken to its respective end of travel to its full dwell position, the drive will have infinite power multiplication at the respective end point dwell position, requiring some form of break-away output device as a safety feature to protect the mechanical welding press. Accordingly, what is needed is a four bar linkage system wherein the midpoint dwell of a cycloidal drive is advantageously used to pick up a workpiece from a conveyor system associated with a mechanical welding press and the end point dwells are generated by the four bar linkage itself rather than the cycloidal drive in order to avoid the additional safety devices associated with the end point dwells of the cycloidal drive as well as to offer adjustability for the occurrence of an intermediate dwell so that the stroke of the platen may be adjustable and the workpieces may be picked up from a conveyor which traverses the welding press between a predetermined range of distances from the bottom dwell position of the platen. Such an arrangement eliminates the potential hazards associated with the cycloidal drive end point dwells and permits a range of midpoint pickups of the workpiece from the conveyor by convenient adjustments of the four bar linkage and associated links between the four bar linkage and the cycloidal drive. Further, because of the linkage system's application to a welding press, the linkage must be able to move approximately 5 ton through a stroke of 18 to 24 inches in less than 2 seconds without vibrations or instability. The lift mechanism should be relatively compact as it must necessarily be positioned below the conveyor. The lift mechanism must be structurally rigid in the lateral, longitudinal, and vertical directions to resist the forces imposed by the work performed on the workpiece and imparted to the lift mechanism by the particular operations performed on the workpiece when the lift mechanism is in the raised position. Naturally, it is desired that the lift mechanism rise rapidly to the conveyor location, gently engage and pick up the workpiece and thereafter again rise rapidly to the end of its upper limit of travel to engage the tooling so that work may be performed on the workpiece. Upon completion of the work operation, the lift mechanism must rapidly descend to the conveyor level, gently deposit the workpiece thereon and descend to its rest position below the conveyor thereby permitting the conveyor to index to the next workpiece whereafter the cycle is repeated.


Revision hip implants and prosthesis systems include femoral heads, cups, screws, bridges, and segmental prostheses for revision surgeries.

Hips are critical to mobility and overall lifestyle satisfaction for patients of all ages. However, hips can strain, rupture, degenerate, and break due to injury, degradation, previous surgery, disease or the like to such a degree that surgical correction becomes necessary. Often, the surgical correction includes the removal of the natural femoral head and replacement with prosthetic implants and replacing both the femoral head and the acetabular socket. It also often includes replacement of the natural acetabulum of the pelvis with a prosthetic acetabular cup.
In some cases, the implanted prosthetics may not function properly for any of a wide variety of reasons including, for example, failure of or damage to the implant, poor tissue healing, the deterioration of the function and/or shape of the supporting bone tissue, subsequent accidents, implant subsidence, pain, wear, premature loosening and/or other patient-related factors. In response, revision surgery, that is, another surgical correction may be required in which the implanted prosthetics are removed, replaced, or modified in the femur or pelvis.
Removal, replacement, or modification of an existing implant can be traumatic and painful for a patient. For example, it may require portions of bone to be resected, which in some cases may impair the structural integrity of the host bone in the femur and the pelvic socket. In other cases, the removal of old implants may disturb the bone stock and alignment required for standard (off the shelf) implants. This often results in reduced amounts of healthy tissue to work with during the revision surgery. Accordingly, revision surgery is often more difficult than the initial surgery because there is often less intact tissue, bone stock, and thinner bone structure, than was present during the initial surgery.
Although there continues to be improvements made to prosthetic hip implants and to revision techniques, a need remains for devices and systems that can more particularly maintain and support the surrounding bone tissue and support the patient's weight, activity, quality of life, while limiting patient trauma.
The implants and systems disclosed herein overcome one or more of the shortcomings of prior art devices.


A hydraulic drive system includes a pair of hydraulic drive motors connected in series. Each motor includes a hydraulic circuit with a spring-biased directional control valve and a pair of check valves. The circuits are located in the end cover for each motor, and are in fluid communication with the respective motor and with each other. The circuits are responsive to the pressure differential across the motors, due to the load and direction of the vehicle, and direct flow to one wheel or the other. Flow is directed to the inside motor when accelerating and/or climbing, while the outside motor is allowed to turn freely to compensate for the different turning radius. This reverses when the vehicle is going downhill and/or decelerating, when the motors are braking. If the drive wheel loses traction, the flow and pressure shifts to the other wheel (or to both wheels), until traction is regained.

The present invention relates generally to hydraulic drive systems for vehicles.
In certain vehicles, a hydraulic system is used to move the vehicle. When the vehicle turns left or right, the turning wheels rotate at different speeds because of the turning radius of the vehicle. If the hydraulic system is connected to provide power to the turning wheels, the system must compensate for this differential, to maintain power and traction to the vehicle. The system must also compensate for different loads, and whether the vehicle is on an upgrade or downgrade, as well as when one wheel loses traction.
A number of hydraulic drive systems have been developed in an attempt to power the vehicle under different loads and when the vehicle is turning.
Some systems use motors connected in parallel, that is, a single input is provided which is then split off to the right and left motors. Flow divider/combiner units or other types of control valves are used to control the flow rates to the motors, in proportion to the steer angle. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,149,464; 3,978,937; and 5,181,579. While such systems may be appropriate for certain applications, the parallel plumbing of the systems adds complexity and cost to the hydraulic drive system. In certain applications, the space available for the hydraulic circuit and motors is at a premium, and it is incumbent to keep the components as compact as possible. It is believed at least some of such prior devices fail in this respect.
It is therefore believed there is a demand in the industry for a hydraulic drive system for a vehicle which compensates for the load and direction of the vehicle, so that power is maintained to the vehicle in different directions, under different loads, and even when a drive wheel loses traction, and where the system is simple, efficient and compact.

Positive traction hydraulic drive system


A ball lens assembly constructed of a lens holder formed with a press-fit hole having a circular section and a ball lens press-fitted with the press-fit hole of the lens holder. The lens holder is formed by sintering stainless steel powder. As the lens holder is formed by sintering, a force for press-fitting the ball lens into the lens holder can be suppressed to thereby effectively prevent breakage of the ball lens.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a ball lens assembly to be used in an optical device such as a light emitting device module or a light receiving device module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of optical communication, a ball lens is widely used, so as to condense light emitted from a light emitting device or a light emitting end of an optical fiber and make the light enter a light entering end of an optical fiber, or so as to condense light emitted from the light emitting end of the optical fiber and make the light enter a light receiving device. The ball lens is not easy to fix and hold because it is spherical, and it is apt to break. Accordingly, these points must be considered in manufacturing a ball lens assembly.
It is known that the ball lens assembly is constructed by press-fitting the ball lens into a sectionally circular press-fit hole formed in a lens holder. In the use of such a ball lens assembly, a position of the ball lens relative to other optical parts such as a light emitting device can be decided by fixing the lens holder to a substrate or the like of an optical device.
In fixing the lens holder to the substrate, fixation by laser welding is effective so that aged displacement of the lens holder after fixed may be prevented. However, a metal material suitable for laser welding, such as stainless steel, is generally hard. Accordingly, in the case that the accuracy of interference (difference between an outer diameter of the ball lens and an inner diameter of the lens holder) is low, there is a possibility of the ball lens being broken. While the breakage of the ball lens during press-fitting thereof may be prevented by increasing the accuracy of the interference, it becomes not easy to manufacture the lens holder in this case, causing an increase in cost.
In view of the above problem, there has been proposed a structure of a ball lens assembly as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. This ball lens assembly is constructed of a composite lens holder and a ball lens 3 press-fitted in the composite lens holder. The composite lens holder is constructed of an outer cylindrical member 1 and an inner cylindrical member 2 fixed to the outer cylindrical member 1. The outer cylindrical member 1 is made of a weldable metal material such as stainless steel, and the inner cylindrical member 2 is made of a relatively soft metal material such as copper.
According to this ball lens assembly, laser welding to the substrate or any other metal parts is possible, and a force for press-fitting the ball lens into the composite lens holder can be suppressed even when the accuracy of the interference is low. However, this ball lens assembly is not easy to manufacture, still causing an increase in cost.


A fiber optic interferometer utilizes a low coherence LED laser as a light source which is filtered and driven at two RF frequencies, high and low, that are specific to the initial length of the resonator chamber. A displacement of a reflecting mirror changes the length traveled by the nonreferencing signal. The low frequency light undergoes destructive interference which reduces the average intensity of the wave while the high frequency light undergoes constructive interference which increases the average intensity of the wave. The ratio of these two intensity measurements is proportional to the displacement incurred.

Smith-Vaniz patent No. 3,542,472 discloses a displacement measuring apparatus having two or more frequencies simultaneously occurring. Tur et al patent No. 4,768,880 describes a device which utilizes a multi-mode laser diode with a low coherence that is substantially shorter than the length being measured. Any suggestions of intensity modulation in either of these patents is incidental inasmuch as it is generally the result of phase modulation. It would appear that the device shown in the Tur et al patent must overcome the same inherent disadvantages of any system using current laser diodes. The Smith-Vaniz patent shows the relationship between intensity and displacement.
Menderin et al patent No. 3,970,389 is concerned with a displacement measuring apparatus that varies laser frequencies to determine an unknown distance. A photodetector is used to monitor the intensity of a phase shifted monochromatic light source. The shifts in both phase and frequency allow for the resolution of ambiguity resulting from the unknown initial position.
Bourdet et al patent No. 4,492,464 is concerned with a displacement measuring apparatus which utilizes dual frequencies from dual source lasers. While this patent shows the use of dual frequencies, their use is for the resolution of ambiguities. This device appears to be an improvement over the apparatus shown in the Menderin et al patent.

The United States of America as represented by the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


The present invention discloses an apparatus that shields electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference. The apparatus is a partially enclosed box having a substantially enclosed cavity. Disposed within the cavity is electronic equipment that is either sensitive to or responsible for generating unwanted EMI radiation. Within each apparatus are cooling air openings. Within each opening is a heat sink device, dimensioned to provide a level of EMI filtering. The heat sink device has a dual function. First, as an EMI filter, it attenuates EMI radiation in the range of frequencies generated by or disruptive to the electronic equipment. Secondly, as a heat sink device, it transfers heat away from the apparatus. In this way, the apparatus of the present invention successfully provides an EMI filter that doubles as a heat sink.

EMI is the unintentional radiation from electronic equipment which can interfere with external equipment such as radio, television, or computer units. Additionally, EMI radiation is capable of interfering with internal circuitry within the unit generating the EMI. In recent years, EMI has taken on greater importance because of the substantial use and increased density of electronic components which either generate or are susceptible to the effects of EMI. In computers and related fields which employ digital technologies, EMI is an extremely sensitive issue because of the increased speed of operation of digital circuits Modern digital circuits are capable of generating and processing signals with rise times as short as two nanoseconds. Unfortunately, these signals, while they represent a substantial increase in the speed of operation, are natural source of wide spectrum interference. One of the most troubling EMI problems therefore, is how to prevent these extremely fast digital circuits from interfering with the operation of other digital circuits positioned nearby.
Prior art techniques for containing EMI have been confined essentially to placing shielding screens in enclosures that surround the interference producing equipment. An alternative approach has been simply to place the interference producing equipment into a screened room. The type of screening generally employed is shown in FIG. 1 This type shielding is typically made of a conducting materials such as aluminum, and operates on the basic principal that the EMI will not pass through the apertures in the screen. For an in depth discussion on this phenomenon, refer to White, Donald R. J., Mardiguian, M. "Electromagnetic Shielding," Vol.3, Chapter 7, Interference Control Technologies Inc., Gainsville, Va., 1988.
Despite the plausibility of shielding screens, their use nonetheless suffers from various shortcomings. For example, installation is a labor intensive effort, which represents a substantial cost in the development of a shielded enclosure. While an improperly fitted screen will render an enclosure susceptible to intolerable levels of EMI leakage, more problematic are the effects of screen seal degradation under normal use and wear. Over time, the screen seals which fix the shielding screens within an enclosure degrade. Eventually, EMI leakage will necessitate refitting the entire enclosure. Because of the cost associated with each of these steps, there is a desire to avoid the use of shielding screens in the next generation shielded enclosure.

Integrated EMI filter and thermal heat sink


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor mesa which is formed between cell trench structures extending from a first surface into a semiconductor body. The semiconductor mesa includes a body zone forming a first pn junction with a drift zone between the body zone and a second surface opposite to the first surface. Source zones are arranged along a longitudinal axis of the semiconductor mesa at a first distance from each other and form second pn junctions with the body zone. A barrier structure, which has the conductivity type of the source zones, forms at least one of a unipolar homojunction with the drift zone and a pn junction with the body zone at least outside a vertical projection of the source zones perpendicular to the first surface. The barrier structure may be absent in the vertical projection of the source zones.

In semiconductor diodes and semiconductor switching devices with integrated body diodes like IGFETs (insulated gate field effect transistors) as well as RC-IGBTs (reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistors) mobile charge carriers flood the semiconductor regions on both sides of the forward biased pn junction and may form a charge carrier plasma that provides a low forward resistance of the semiconductor diode or body diode but that has to be removed in a reverse recovery period when the pn junction changes from forward biased to reverse biased. The reverse recovery process contributes to the dynamic switching losses of the semiconductor device. A desaturation cycle may attenuate the charge carrier plasma before switching the pn junction from forward biased to reverse biased to reduce the dynamic switching losses. It is desirable to provide semiconductor devices with improved switching characteristics.

Semiconductor device and insulated gate bipolar transistor with barrier structure


A substrate for a liquid crystal panel having an alignment film, wherein an evaporated film is formed as the alignment film on the substrate, and wherein a portion of the evaporated film corresponding to each single pixel is split into a plurality of segments, and the evaporated film is formed with a different evaporation angle on each of the segments. The evaporation angle θ which is different for each of the plurality of segments is set within a range of 80°≦θ≦88° with respect to the layer normal to the substrate, and the plurality of split segments have approximately equal areas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal panel and, more specifically, to a liquid crystal panel with substrate having an alignment film, and to a method for driving the liquid crystal panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that generally, a ferroelectric liquid crystal molecule moves in such a manner as to rotate along the lateral surface of a cone (hereinafter called the "liquid crystal cone") when an external force such as an electric field is applied. In a liquid crystal panel constructed by sandwiching a ferroelectric liquid crystal between a pair of substrates, the ferroelectric liquid crystal is controlled by the polarity of the applied voltage so that the liquid crystal molecules lie in one of two positions on the lateral surface of the liquid crystal cone. These two stable states of the ferroelectric liquid crystal are called the first ferroelectric state and the second ferroelectric state.
FIG. 1 shows one example of the arrangement of polarizers in a ferroelectric liquid crystal panel constructed using a ferroelectric liquid crystal. A liquid crystal cell 22 with the ferroelectric liquid crystal confined therein is placed between the polarizers 11a and 11b whose polarization axes are arranged substantially at right angles to each other (crossed Nicol configuration), with either the polarization axis "a" of the polarizer 11a or the polarization axis "b" of the polarizer 11b oriented so as to coincide with the long axis direction of the ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules when the molecules are in the first or the second ferroelectric state when no voltage is applied. In the example of FIG. 1, the polarizers are arranged with the polarization axis "a" oriented so as to coincide with the long axis direction of the ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules in the second ferroelectric state.
When the polarizers are arranged as shown in FIG. 1, light is not transmitted in the second ferroelectric state, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel therefore produces a black display (non-transmissive state). Depending on the polarity of the applied voltage, the ferroelectric liquid crystal is switched to the first ferroelectric state, causing the ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules to tilt at a certain angle relative to the polarization axis, so that light from a backlight is transmitted therethrough and a white display is thus produced (transmissive state). In the illustrated example, the polarizers are arranged with the polarization axis "a" oriented so as to coincide with the long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the second ferroelectric state but, alternatively, the polarizers may be arranged so that the direction of the polarization axis "a" coincides with the long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the first ferroelectric state. In that case, the display appears black (non-transmissive state) in the first ferroelectric state, and white (transmissive state) in the second ferroelectric state. Either arrangement can be employed in the present invention but, the following description is given by taking as an example the case where the arrangement shown FIG. 1 is employed.
FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the value of the voltage applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel and the light transmittance of the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel. As shown in FIG. 2, when a positive voltage equal to or greater in magnitude than a certain value is applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal, the ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibits the first ferroelectric state, allowing light to transmit through the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel when the polarizers are arranged as shown in FIG. 1. Conversely, when a negative voltage equal to or greater in magnitude than a certain value is applied, the ferroelectric liquid crystal exhibits the second ferroelectric state, the state in which no light is transmitted. As can be seen from the figure, the light transmittance of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is maintained even when the applied voltage becomes 0 V. That is, the display state, once written, is retained even after the applied voltage is removed.
FIG. 3 shows a typical driving method for the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel having the polarizer arrangement shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3D shows how the amount of light (light transmittance) transmitted through one pixel in the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel varies with the applied voltage. The period ON (W) corresponds to the state that allows light transmission, and thus the pixel is in a white display state. The period OFF (B) corresponds to the state that blocks light transmission, and thus the pixel is in a black display state. Scanning electrodes and signal electrodes are formed on the opposing substrates of the liquid crystal panel, and the pixel located at each intersection of the scanning electrodes and signal electrodes is driven in the white display state or black display state. A composite voltage waveform (FIG. 3C) representing the composition of the scanning voltage waveform 3A applied to a scanning electrode and the signal voltage waveform (FIG. 3B) applied to a signal electrode is applied to the corresponding pixel in the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel.
The driving waveform shown in FIG. 3A has at least one scanning period in order to produce a display based on the first display data, and the scanning period includes a selection period (Se) for selecting the display state based on the display data and a non-selection period (NSe) for holding the selected display state; here, for writing the next display data, a reset period (Rs) for resetting, irrespective of the previously display state, the ferroelectric liquid crystal to one of the ferroelectric states is provided preceding the selection period. In the driving method illustrated by the driving waveform shown in FIG. 3, the ferroelectric liquid crystal is first reset to the first ferroelectric state for a white display state (transmissive state) in the first half of the reset period, and then to the second ferroelectric state for a black display state (non-transmissive state) in the second half of the reset period. In this way, in a ferroelectric liquid crystal display driving method, in order to produce a good display it is generally practiced to provide a reset period for switching the ferroelectric liquid crystal between the first and second ferroelectric states, irrespective of the immediately preceding display state, by applying pulses of opposite polarities.
As a grayscale display method for a ferroelectric liquid crystal panel having only two states, i.e., the first ferroelectric state and the second ferroelectric state, it is practiced to provide a voltage gradient within the same pixel and thus provide different threshold voltages within the same pixel, or to split each one pixel into a plurality of segments and apply a designated voltage to each individual segment, achieving a grayscale display based on the area ratio between the white and black display states within the pixel divided into the plurality of segments.
However, if each one pixel is divided into a plurality of segments, the number of electrodes increases, increasing the complexity of the cell structure; furthermore, since the number of ICs also increases, the cost of the panel rises. On the other hand, two main methods are used to provide a voltage gradient within the same pixel, one being by providing a voltage gradient across an electrode itself and the other by providing numerous recesses and protrusions on the electrode surface, but in either method, it is technically extremely difficult to provide the voltage gradient with good reproducibility.

Liquid crystal panel substrate having alignment film and method for forming alignment film by varied evaporation angle


A connection assembly for electrical cables, for connection to connectors with cylindrical-pin terminals, having a connector with guides inside for stable locking and accommodation of electrical terminals. Each terminal is constituted by a base with portions folded so as to form a substantially three-dimensional volume. Two opposite elastically flexible wings protrude from the folded portions toward the crimping region of the terminal converging toward the longitudinal centerline of the terminal. Free ends of the wings inserted in a corresponding guide are arranged in recesses which are undercut with respect to the direction of insertion and are formed on opposite sides of an internal rib of the guide; the connector is provided with an abutment for the non-crimped end of the corresponding inserted electrical terminal locked between the recesses and the abutment.

The present invention relates to a connection assembly for electrical cables, of the type for connection to connectors with cylindrical-pin terminals.
In particular, the connection assembly can be used preferably in the connection between the power supply cables of the electric motor of a compressor for electrical appliances and the cables for connection to the external mains.
An assembly for connecting electrical cables to connectors provided with cylindrical-pin terminals is known which is used typically in the connection between the power supply cables of the electric motor of a compressor for electrical appliances and the cables for connection to the external mains.
Said connection assembly comprises a connector made of plastic material, which is known in the field of reference also as "cluster" and forms internally mutually parallel guides for accommodating and stably locking respective electrical terminals.
These guides have, on a common wall of the connector, respective circular through holes, which can be used for the insertion of the cylindrical pins of the additional connector with which the connection assembly must associate (typically a connector with three cylindrical pins arranged like the corners of an equilateral triangle).
Each electrical terminal is constituted by a base, on which there is a region for crimping to electrical cables and a region for electrical contact.
At said electrical contact region there is a through opening in which it is possible to insert, in electrical contact with said terminal, a respective cylindrical pin of the additional connector with which the connection assembly must associate.
On mutually opposite sides of the base there are portions which are folded (so as to obtain a three-dimensional volume) and form means for locking the electrical terminal in the respective guide.
Said folded portions in fact protrude from the base outward in diverging directions and are flexible (flexing occurs transversely to the base).
The guides are narrower than the distance between the ends of the folded portions; therefore, during the insertion of each terminal in the corresponding guide, the folded portions flex toward the center of said terminal.
Wider regions are provided on the side walls of each guide and form abutments which are undercut with respect to the direction of insertion of the terminal in said guide.
Once the folded portions have reached said wider regions during insertion, they resume their initial (not flexed) shape, thus occupying the wider regions.
An abutment is provided on the bottom of each guide for the non-crimped end of the corresponding inserted electrical terminal.
The electrical terminal is thus locked between the recesses and the abutment.
With the terminal inserted in the corresponding guide, the circular through hole of the connector is superimposed on the through opening of the terminal for the insertion of the electrical connection pin.
This known type of connection assembly, however, has drawbacks linked both to the step for inserting the electrical terminal in the connector and to the step for crimping the electrical terminal to the corresponding cable.
The cantilevered parts of the folded portions designed to be deformed elastically by flexing are in fact limited in length (in the direction of flexing) due to issues of terminal bulk.
For this reason, the load for the insertion of the terminal in the connector is high (the folded portions flex scarcely because they are "short").
This can lead to cases in which the terminal is not inserted perfectly in the connector, thus leading to an inaccurate superimposition of the circular through hole of the connector on the through opening of the terminal, making it consequently difficult or impossible to insert the cylindrical pins therein.
Moreover, for this same reason, the load for extraction of the terminal from the guide can be practically non-existent.
Another drawback occurs during the step for crimping the electrical cables to the electrical terminals.
Said crimping generally occurs by means of automated equipment, which comprises a small press under which the terminal and the cable are arranged.
The terminal is generally stored in a spool (in practice, the terminals are formed by a single tape which is pressed progressively).
The terminal is then brought to the press by unwinding the reel; the descent of the press cuts the terminal and deforms it so as to crimp the wire.
With terminals that can be used in this connection assembly, there are often problems during the feeding of the press; the unwinding of the reel is in fact problematic, owing to the portions that are folded laterally to the base of the terminal.
The folded portions of the contiguous terminals, by protruding toward the outside of each base, during the unwinding of the reel tend to interlock and become "entangled" with the contiguous terminals, requiring machine halting and operator intervention.

Connection assembly for electrical cables, of the type for connection to connectors with cylindrical-pin terminals