A discharge lamp for a motor vehicle headlight is fed through a power supply device which includes a dc/ac converter. The power supplied to the dc/ac converter is modulated over time, preferably in a pseudo-random sequence. A power supply device adapted to perform this method is also described.

The present invention relates to the control of the power supply to discharge lamps, especially in motor vehicle headlights.
Reference is made here to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, which shows diagrammatically a power supply device for a discharge lamp for a motor vehicle headlight. Conventionally, the power supply device includes a direct current/direct current converter 1 (referred to in this specification as a dc/dc converter), which feeds power to a second converter 2. The converter 2 is a direct current/alternating current converter (referred to in this specification as a dc/ac converter), which itself supplies the discharge lamp 3.
The dc/dc converter 1 includes for example a transformer T and an interrupter Q1, which controls the power supply to the primary transformer T, the interrupter Q1 being itself controlled by a regulator 4. Interruptors Q2, in the H-connected bridge constituting the dc/ac converter 2, are controlled by a control circuit 5 which is a clock circuit.
The switching frequency of the interrupters in the converter 1 is of the order of 200 Hz to 1 KHz. However, such low frequency power supply gives rise to a substantial amount of electromagnetic noise.
One object of the invention is to propose a control means which enables the above mentioned noise to be eliminated completely, or at least to be substantially reduced.
In the field of electronics, it is known in general terms that electromagnetic noise generated by a power circuit with a switching function can be greatly diminished by widening the spectrum of the control frequencies. In this regard, reference may be made to the following papers:
xe2x80x9cThe Effect of Carrier Frequency Modulation of PWM Waveforms on Conducted EMC Problems in Switched Mode Power Suppliesxe2x80x9d, Stone, David and Chambers, Barry, University of Sheffield, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, EPE Journal volume 5 No. 3/4, January 1996;
xe2x80x9cEffect of Spread-spectrum Modulation of Switched Mode Power Converter PWM Carrier Frequencies on Conducted EMIxe2x80x9d, Stone, David and Chambers, Barry, University of Sheffield, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, IEE Mar. 16, 1995, Electronics Letters No. 19950543;
xe2x80x9cRandom Carrier Frequency Modulation of EMC Problems in Switched Mode Power Suppliesxe2x80x9d, Stone, David, Chambers, Barry and Howe, David, University of Sheffield, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, IEEE Catalogue No. 95TH8025 1995.
One solution for reducing the electronic noise produced by the alternating power supply of a discharge lamp could therefore be to modify the control of the interrupters of its dc/ac converter so as to widen its switching frequency spectrum.
According to the invention in a first aspect, a method of controlling a power supply device for a discharge lamp, especially for a motor vehicle headlight, the said power supply device comprising a dc/ac converter, is characterised in that the power supplied to the said dc/ac converter is modulated over time.
Preferably, the power supplied to the dc/ac converter is modulated in a pseudo-random sequence.
A method according to the invention has the advantage that it spreads the spectrum which leads to reduction or suppression of the electromagnetic noise without any modification of the control for the interrupters of the dc/ac converter.
According to the invention in a second aspect, a power supply device for a discharge lamp, especially for a motor vehicle headlight, comprising a dc/ac converter and means for generating a supply power which is passed as input to the said converter, is characterised in that the said means comprise means for modulating the said supply power.
Preferably, the means for generating the supply power passed as input to the said converter comprise a dc/dc converter and regulating means, and the said regulating means control the dc/dc converter in such a way that the latter delivers modulated power.
In another embodiment of the invention, the means for generating the supply power transmitted as input to the dc/ac converter comprise a dc/dc converter, and the said device further includes means for adding a modulated differential power to the power output from the direct current/direct current converter.

Reduced electronic noise power supply to discharge lamps, especially for motor vehicle headlights


A system employing vector signal generator (VSG) and vector signal analyzer (VSA) modules or cards that are configured to test multiple devices under test simultaneously. Each VSG is configured to generate multiple RF test signals and send them to multiple devices under test simultaneously. Similarly, each VSA is configured with multiple signal receiving modules connected to a single controller or memory. Each signal receiving module receives an RF signal from a device under test, converts it to a baseband digital signal, and transmits this digital signal to the VSA's memory. A single RF testing system can employ multiple such VSGs and VSAs, each capable of evaluating multiple devices under test. Each VSG/VSA can further be tuned for operation in discrete or defined frequency bands, which are narrower than those for conventional RF testers, and which can correspond to various wireless standards.

The recent proliferation of wireless devices and other systems with RF transmission/reception capability, such as cellular phones and RF modules, as well as other RF-capable devices like ICs, base stations, RF transmitters, other wireless systems, has led to an increase in demand for RF test equipment. This test equipment, usually used to test the RF functionality of wireless devices, typically operates by transmitting RF test signals, including data or commands, to a target wireless device, or device under test. The device under test is programmed to generate specific RF signals in response, and transmits these responsive signals back to the test equipment, where the signals are analyzed to determine the working condition of the device under test.
However, current modular RF test equipment suffers from a number of drawbacks. For example, most single modules or RF test cards are often limited in their ability to scan multiple devices under test simultaneously. Also, given that current modular RF test equipment is designed to cover a wide range of frequencies, they suffer from complex, high-cost designs. The RF test process thus often suffers from both low throughput, slowing the manufacturing and verification process, as well as high cost. Accordingly, ongoing efforts exist to improve the speed and quality of both RF test equipment and the RF testing process, and to reduce equipment costs.

Method and apparatus for simultaneous RF testing of multiple devices in specific frequency bands

Insight Scientific International (Shanghai) Ltd.


A plurality of independent U-shaped frame sections are articulately connected in an end series to form a flexible corridor. Each frame section is U-shaped being open at the bottom and supported on a wheel assembly and covered by a weatherproof fabric roof. Each is formed with collapsible side walls allowing collapsing in the longitudinal direction.

The present invention relates to apparatus permitting the swift and safe loading of small aircraft and in particular to a walkway for the protective movement of passengers to and from commuter aircraft.
Examples of gangways for large aircraft are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,683,440; 4,559,660 and 4,984,321. The conventional gangway is essentially a movable articulating steel enclosed corridor or bridge which when docked to an airplane provides a safe pathway for passenger traffic to and from the terminal. These jet bridges, as they are known, were designed and intended for use only with large jet engine type aircraft (i.e. Boeing 727, 737, 757, 767, 747) with door sill height ranging between 6' to 16' above ground. Such jet bridges cannot be used for commuter type aircraft which are only a fraction of the height of the jet airplanes and have a door sill well below 6 feet. Further, the smaller commuter aircraft are loaded at ground level and are provided with their own stairway. At present there is no bridge or pathway apparatus which can dock with a commuter aircraft on ground level having the capability of extending and retracting while simultaneously swinging left and right, so as to meet the aircraft where parked.
Presently, some users have constructed short permanent type awning walkways which protect passengers only part of the way to the aircraft. Due to the nature of commuter aircraft operation, no permanent fixed structure can be constructed so as to extend all the way out from the terminal to the parking position because it will interfere with and prohibit the aircraft from parking or eventually turn out under its own power for departure. Therefore, commuter airline passengers have always had to walk to the aircraft in an uncontrolled dangerous environment across the aircraft apron or airport tarmac. This exposure places the passengers in an endless amount of danger, chaos, inclement weather and inconvenience.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus overcoming the disadvantages inherent in present commuter aircraft loading and to provide a safe and protective walkway for the passengers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a passenger walkway for "zero" height application and at the same time be capable of extending, retracting and radiusing left and right.
It is a further object of the present invention to make the apparatus totally self-contained and mobile so as to be utilized at any gate location of the user's terminal facilities throughout the entire terminal network, in other words, completely independent from any permanent facility.
It is a particular object of the present invention to form the passageway of generic interchangeable sections so the user can readily accommodate the ongoing changing criteria of aircraft operations without costly engineering expense.
These objects and others together with their advantages and uses will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.

Passageway for loading and unloading aircraft


A common connection apparatus for coupling a power tool to an extensible arm and a power supply, the apparatus including a tool support base designed to support a tool, and a power supply support base designed to be affixed to the end of the extensible arm. The tool support base and the power supply support base each include a plurality of power connectors, positioned for engagement when the bases are aligned. The tool support base also has an alignment stab, which is received within a channel of the power supply support base. A plurality of pins are further positioned on the tool support base, to be received in apertures of the power supply support base. By this configuration, the bases may be aligned and engaged, facilitating the transmission of power from the machinery to which the arm is affixed, to the tool.

The disclosed technology relates to a method of connecting a variety of tools by means of a common connection design, useful with a telescopic type support base (e.g. mobile, articulated, knuckle-boom) or other articulated support base, with the capability of supplying hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, fiber optic and/or wireless power to the tool, as well as facilitate communication between the tool and a remote computer or server. The connection method is comprised of increasingly precise alignment steps, with the last step completing the power source connection to a selected tool. The connection method of the disclosed technology avails tools primarily reserved for the jib or stick boom cranes to telescopic boom cranes (e.g., mobile, articulated knuckle-booms) and other articulated support bases.
Present technology provides one alignment step to make the connection and affixation of a tool to an arm, thereby requiring significant time and manual engagement. By means of the disclosed technology, providing multiple alignment steps, a means to affix a tool to the end of an extensible arm is provided.


Described herein is a method detecting a plurality of upper respiratory tract sub-regions automatically. Volume of interest (VOI) is identified based on the extraction of certain features, such as regional properties and shape-based features. The complete airway volume from a patient's data is identified by observing the area and eccentricity profiles of the certain volume/organ in the skull. Maxillary sinus area and eccentricity profile in the sagittal view is chosen in the present subject matter for level 1 VOI identification. Once a level 1VOI is identified, the other sub-regions existing in the same VOI are further identified as individual level 2 VOI. Level 3 VOI is extracted based on the shape and geometric features of the organ. The extracted level 3 VOI is considered as the active contour that is followed by the initialized contour for the accurate segmentation of upper airway sub-regions.

Orthodontic surgeons and Otorhinolaryngologists are known to analyze the patient's upper airway-volume. There are many clinical applications for the evaluation of the upper airway volumetric analysis, such as diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, evaluation of sinus anatomy, and dento-maxillofacial morphology in cephalometric analysis etc. Obstruction of upper airway leads to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Segmentation of upper airway volume helps to identify the region of obstruction and volumetric measurements of the segmented data for further analysis and surgery.
Conventionally, X-ray radiographs were used for the evaluation of airway anatomy. The airway analysis is performed based on the various linear and angular measurements made on the lateral X-ray films. This analysis is performed without calculating true volume, which is not appropriate for the clinical diagnosis and therefore treatment planning likely not to be significantly effective due to probable error in volume analysis. The evolution of CT/CBCT has made possible to visualize the true volume of airway. Eventually, segmentation of the desired volume becomes possible manually.
There are a host of manual/semi-automatic segmentation techniques available such as region growing, fixed thresholding, interactive thresholding etc. These techniques require a high level of human interventions, time and efforts, and are also dependent on human perception and experience. It makes the segmentation tedious for the observer and raises a need for automation.

Method and system for automatic volumetric-segmentation of human upper respiratory tract

COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH


In a spot-type disc brake assembly with an electric friction lining warning device and a bleeder screw, a warning contact plug is supported at the brake caliper by using a holder. The holder is fixedly attached to the bleeder screw and has tongues that abut against the brake caliper. The tongues are a safeguard against the holder rotating relative to the caliper and position the warning contact plug on the brake.

While it is desirous to provide an auditory or visual indicator in the passenger compartment of a vehicle to warn of brake failure or damage due to excessive wearing of the brake liners, there is considerable difficulty in connecting electrical equipment to the brake assembly because of the confined space in which a disc brake assembly is disposed. One solution is to mount a warning contact plug to a holding angle which is screwed, on its part, to a projection of the brake housing. Anchoring the holding angle has, however, the disadvantage that additional costs associated with machining the projection to provide a threaded bore. Moulding a holding device to the brake housing projection may be uneconomical, for example, when a brake which is already being series manufactured has to be retrofitted with a warning contact plug.

Spot-type disc brake with holding device for warning contact plug


The battery has two legs of equal voltage (expressed as Volts DC or VDC) and equal electrochemical capacity (expressed as Ampere-Hours or AH). Each leg has one or more hinged and electrically connected modules. Both legs are hinged to each other but are not electrically connected. The modules of the battery can be folded into four basic prismatic shapes and an infinite number of non-prismatic shapes. Each shape is basically two batteries because the equal voltage legs can be connected to the load equipment in electrical series or electrical parallel. An adapter can be connected to the battery to provide additional battery footprints.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of electrochemical engineering, and in particular, to dual voltage, multiple configuration batteries.
2. Description of the Background Art
Two requirements must be met before a battery can be used to provide power to an electrical device.
First, the voltage of the battery must match the voltage required by the device. For example, a device that needs 10 volts to operate will use a 10 volt battery. This requirement is straightforward and simple.
Second, the shape of a battery must match a device's battery footprint before it can be used to provide power to that device. This second requirement is more difficult to meet. This requirement is a problem because different electrical devices have different battery footprints. Thus, in order for a 10 volt battery to be used in a device that requires 10 volts, the shape of that battery must match the device's battery footprint.
As a result, batteries of equal voltage are currently manufactured in different shapes and configurations in order to meet this second requirement. This is known in the art as a proliferation of different battery shapes. This proliferation of battery shapes is a problem because battery vendors have a difficult time supplying the various battery shapes that are needed to power the devices that are in the marketplace. For example, in order to manufacture every different battery shape that is required by equipment manufacturers, vendors have to set up a separate production line for each shape.
Also, battery shape proliferation hurts consumers. Currently, consumers have to purchase and store batteries that have equal voltages but different shapes. These purchases are relatively low volume purchases, which results in a higher unit price for an individual battery. This proliferation also increases the logistics involved in supplying each device with a specific battery that is shaped to match that device's battery footprint.
The problems that vendors and consumers are having because of battery shape proliferation show a strong need to alleviate this proliferation of battery shapes.
Currently, there is a method of partially alleviating the proliferation of battery shapes. This is done by using the smallest individual modules or cells of a battery to create "multiple configuration batteries." Consumers attach the small modules or cells in series and/or parallel electrical configurations to form many different shapes of batteries. Thus, the shape of a battery can be configured to match the battery footprint of an electrical device.
Logistically, this approach is very sound because vendors and consumers only have to stock a small family of common modules and cells. Since each module and cell is used in many types of battery configurations, each module and cell can be purchased by consumers in large quantities, then combined to form batteries of various shapes. This provides consumers with the ability to make large volume purchases of a common item at a low unit price.
However, in the field, attempts to use modules and cells as building blocks to create various shaped batteries is not so simple. Groups of partially used modules or cells from one device can not be intermingled with modules or cells used in another device. The reason for this is that one set of modules or cells may have been discharged by 50 percent and the other set of modules or cells may have been discharged by 75 percent. Accidentally mixing these two modules or cells to form batteries creates reliability and safety problems for the user.
Thus, in addition to alleviating battery shape proliferation, there is a strong need to eliminate the safety problems found in previous multiple configuration batteries.
The present invention meets these needs by using a design that enables multiple configuration batteries to be mass produced and to fit into many different battery footprints and battery boxes. Therefore, an advantage of the present invention is that it alleviates proliferation of battery shapes.
The design of the present invention eliminates the safety problems of previous multiple configuration batteries. Thus, another advantage of the present invention is providing multiple configuration batteries that are safer to use.
There are several additional advantages of the present invention. The battery design of the present invention has pertinent applications in the military, such as simplifying field logistics, lowering battery purchase costs and supplying power to electrical devices having various shapes and sizes of battery footprints.
Also, the present invention can be used by commercial battery vendors to simplify their production lines. Vendors can simply assemble one battery based on the design of the present invention. This design can then be reconfigured by consumers into several different shapes and voltages, so that the shape of the battery will match the battery footprint used by any given electrical device.

Dual voltage multiple configuration battery and adapter

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A multifunction electrocautery tool includes an elongated housing within which a generally cylindrical suction tube is slidably supported. A slide control is mechanically coupled to the suction tube and movable to control the retraction and extension thereof. The slide control includes an aperture coupled to the suction passage of the suction tube to facilitate a single finger or thumb control of the suction tube position and suctioning action. A cauterizing and cutting blade is supported proximate the suction tube and is coupled to a source of RF electrical energy by a connecting wire. In one embodiment, electrical controls for the cauterizing blade are supported upon the upper surface of the elongated housing while a pair of oppositely positioned slide controls are provided on right hand and left hand side surfaces to facilitate either right or left hand operation. In an alternate embodiment, a slide control is supported upon the upper surface which includes a control aperture coupled to the suction passage of the suction tube.

In many surgical procedures, various blood vessels of tissue within the operating area are routinely coagulated during the surgical procedure by application of a high frequency electrical current. This technique is widely used and is usually carried forward by applying one electrical circuit connection to the patient's body and applying an additional electrical circuit connection to a conductive cauterizing probe or element. The electrical connections are coupled to a source of high frequency electrical energy through appropriate switching apparatus with the result that high frequency electrical current flows the probe into and through the patient's body when the probe is energized. The energy of the high frequency electrical current coagulates the blood vessels at the point of contact thereby sealing off blood flow. Despite the presence of coagulation equipment in most surgical procedures, a quantity of blood is found within the operative area which is typically removed by a suction device.
While virtually any shaped electrocautery device will provide coagulation, it has been found advantageous in many surgical procedures to utilize a blade-like probe sufficiently sharpened for incision and cutting while maintaining its conductive properties to be utilized as an electrocautery probe. The result is a surgical tool which is capable of cutting and cauterizing tissue during the surgical procedure.
In most surgical environments, it is highly desirable if not essential to avoid or at least minimize wasted moves and manipulation of instruments during surgical procedures. Thus, time spent by surgeons and their assistants in switching between operations of cutting, cauterizing and suctioning a surgical area should be avoided to the extent possible.
In attempting to meet the demanding needs of modern surgical procedures and efficiency, practitioners in the art have provided a variety of combination tools which combine one or more implements in a common tool package which provide capability for cutting, cauterizing and suctioning a surgical area. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,955 issued to Roberts sets forth a SURGICAL CAUTERIZING TOOL having suction means in which an elongated generally cylindrical housing supports a movable or extendable suction tube in proximity to a cauterizing blade. A slide button is movably supported upon the generally cylindrical housing and is coupled to the suction tube facilitating the retraction and extension of the suction tube relative to the cauterizing blade. In its anticipated use, a source of RF electrical energy is coupled to the cauterizing blade through a foot operated switch while a vacuum source is coupled to the suction tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,695 issued to Weber, Jr. et al. sets forth an EXTENDABLE ELECTROCAUTERY SURGICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD in which an elongated housing supports a generally cylindrical suction tube together with a slidably supported electrocautery blade movable with respect to the extended suction tube. A slide member is movably supported upon the housing of the tool and is coupled to the electrocautery blade to facilitate extension and retraction of the blade with respect to the extended end of the suction tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,234 issued to Graham sets forth a SYSTEM FOR USE WITH ELECTRO-SURGICAL PENCIL having an elongated generally cylindrical housing supporting a replaceable electrocautery blade and a plurality of parallelly spaced electrical connections to a source of RF electrical energy. A rocker switch element includes a plurality of metal contacts to provide electrical switching between the plurality of electrical connections and the electrocautery blade to vary the electrical energy applied to the blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,720 issued to Weber, Jr. sets forth an ELECTROCAUTERY APPARATUS AND METHOD AND MEANS FOR CLEANING THE SAME in which an elongated generally cylindrical housing supports a retractable electrocautery blade coupled to a movable slide switch. A suction passage is formed in the housing and is coupled to a vacuum source. A guide is supported upon the housing and closely spaced to the electrocautery blade to provide a cleaning and scraping action as the blade is drawn into the housing through the guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,006 issued to Nottke sets forth ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT for providing an interface between an electrosurgical electrode and an electrosurgical generator. A hollow handle supports an electrode at one end and receives a three-wire cable through the opening in the other end. The wires of the cable are supported and positioned on a substantially flat insert which has three contact pins in electrical connection with the connectors. A conductor plate overlies the insert and is equipped with conductor strips for interconnecting the conductive pins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,950 issued to Pike sets forth MEDICAL ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND COMPONENTS. The apparatus includes a high frequency, high voltage generator, a therapeutic instrument, a compound electrical power and control cable connected therebetween and a switch for selectively connecting at least one signal current conductor in the cable to the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,780 issued to Morrison, Jr. sets forth a COMBINED ELECTROCOAGULATOR-SUCTION INSTRUMENT having an elongated body of electrically nonconductive material supporting a hollow generally cylindrical combination suction and cauterizing unit at one thereof. The remaining end of the instrument is coupled to source of electrical energy and vacuum to provide cauterizing and suction.
U.S. Pat. No. 15,195,959 issued to Smith sets forth an ELECTROSURGICAL DEVICE WITH SUCTION AND IRRIGATION which provides a disposable electrosurgical device which is useful in performing laparoscopic surgical procedures. The device includes both suction and irrigation capabilities in which the application of electrical current, the application of suction and the transmission of irrigation fluid to the surgical site can be conveniently regulated through control mechanisms contained within the surgical handpiece.
Thus, the prior art exemplifies past invention having certain superficial similarities to the present invention in that all have electrosurgery capabilities and some provide means for electrosurgery and fluid transfer. Unfortunately, all possess inherent limitations from an ergonomics and manufacturing engineering standpoint.
These limitations include, for example, the fact that the valves for suction or irrigation incorporate complex pistons and compression methods to conduct conduit collapsing which is complex, costly, and limits of performance due to kinking and clogging reliability due to complex springs and pistons. Additionally, many of the prior art utilize control of fluids from remote proximation in relation to the hand piece as an attached stop clock valve is used, being attached to its proximal end for fluid control, requiring major relocation of both hands required. Of the systems that utilize vent control of suction by a bleed hole, the bleed holes are normally located at twelve o'clock and only include foot control activation and activation of cut and cautery functions impeding precise activation of the electrosurgery current and causing fatigue for the surgeon's foot. Consequently, of the systems that provide bleed hole or control valve at any location, offer no method to control over the retraction deployment of a vacuum tube. Others utilize a suction regulation by means of an occluder taking two individuals to operate and is cumbersome. With the different instruments provided with retraction of blade or tube, there is no means to control over the retraction of the tube or blade and fluid control from the same module and location at one convenient step. There is no design that permits a suction control module built in the same element that additional controls over the deployment of the retraction, in addition to one convenient step.
While the foregoing devices have provided some measure of success in combining various functions of electrosurgical tools, they tend to be impractical or subject to substantial difficulty when manipulated by surgeons in the demanding environment of a surgical procedure. There remains, therefore, a continuing need in the art for evermore improved, easy to use, convenient and efficient multifunction electrocautery tools.


A chair backrest elevating device includes a slide base having a slide way provided with a recessed hole and a positioning rod. An adjusting unit is combined with the positioning rod, composed of a sustaining member, a movable block, a spring, a positioning block and an elastic retainer. A fixing plate unit received in the slide way of the slide base contains a fitting block and a fixing plate. A slide cover is coupled with the slide base for covering the adjusting unit and the fixing plate unit. The slide base and the slide cover are assembled on a chair backrest while the fixing plate unit is combined with a seat. When the backrest is pulled up or down, the slide base and the slide cover is also shifted to have the sustaining member engaged in different-level engage grooves of the fitting block, thus adjusting the backrest upward or downward.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chair backrest elevating device, particularly to one having a slide base and a slide cover assembled on a chair backrest, and a fixing plate unit combined with a chair seat. Thus, when the chair backrest is pulled up or down, the slide base and the slide cover will be actuated to shift to enable the sustaining member of an adjusting unit, which is combined with the positioning rod of the slide base, to be correspondingly engaged and positioned in different-level engage grooves of an engage block, thus attaining effect of adjusting a chair backrest to move upward or downward.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, the seat and the backrest of a conventional chair are fixed in form and impossible to be adjusted, while the backrest of another conventional chair is adjustable in elevation angles so that a user can lie on the backrest comfortably. However, the backrests of these two conventional chairs are respectively secured at the rear side of the seat and fixed in height; therefore, the backrest is impossible to be adjusted in height for matching with the height and the stature of a sitter in order to effectively support the back of the sitter.


A rod-like smoking product with a strand-like filler rod of comminuted smoking tobacco and which is enclosed by a mantle of reconstituted tobacco sheets. At least one of these tobacco sheets is essentially obtained from 75 to 100% by weight of tobacco-inherent constituents including tobacco extract obtained from leaf or cut tobacco blend and tobacco rib material, and tobacco cellulose obtained from cut tobacco blend or scrap and stalk or rib material where the ratio of leaf and scrap material to stalk and rib material is in the range of 1:1.1 to 1:5.

Reconstituted tobacco sheets are known, for example, those produced according to the paper making process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,349. In this process, tobacco stalks, stems, ribs, fines, and other tobacco constituents typically unusable in the manufacture of cigarettes, are reduced to fibers and extracted with hot, aqueous solutions. The hot water-soluble extract is removed, e.g. by screening, and the resultant pulp, containing the tobacco cellulose constituents, is fed to a paper-making apparatus after optional treatments such as homogenization, cleaning, or further screening. Fillers or other additives may be mixed with the pulp prior to feeding it to the paper-making machine. Concentrated hot water-soluble tobacco extract may be added to the raw tobacco sheet prior to its processing into the final tobacco sheet product.
Tobacco sheets produced by the extraction and reconstituted-sheet processes have hitherto been used in small, cut form to extend smoking tobacco in cigarettes and cigarillos, permitting previously unusable fines and ribs to be used as smokable material. Additionally, due to their uniform structure and better mechanical characteristics, reconstituted tobacco sheets have been used as outer wrappers for cigarillos. See, for example, European Patent Application EP-A-495,567, where a reconstituted tobacco sheet made by a paper-making process is used to wrap a smoking product.
However, the use of tobacco sheets as the inner or outer wrapper for smoking products has not been satisfactory for a number of reasons. For example, the starting tobacco material used to make the tobacco sheets, e.g., ribs and stalks having a sufficient cellulose content to form a sheet of sufficient mechanical strength, is inadequate from a sensory standpoint, e.g., aroma and taste, and their dark color is not and attractive or pleasing to the smoker. These smoking products have a cigar or cigarillo taste and not the desired cigarette taste.
Numerous attempts have been made to obviate these disadvantages, including enzymatic preparation of the extract, however, such attempts have hitherto not been successful. Some attempts have led to products which fail to comply with legal requirements for the smoking product.
The use of tobacco sheets as wrappers of smoking products has also been unsatisfactory with respect to tensile strength, water or saliva resistance and with respect to general smoking characteristics, including porosity, burning behavior, ash content and in particular the smoking aroma desired by the smoker.
In the smoking product described in EP-A-495 567, the tobacco sheet is formed from the pulpy extraction of essentially tobacco leaf ribs and fines. To reduce sidestream smoke, only a limited amount of the water-soluble extract is reapplied to the tobacco sheet, namely not exceeding 20% by weight of the tobacco sheet. Therefore, the taste, quality and aroma of this product is not desirable to the smoker.
Products produced using reconstituted tobacco sheets suffer from the disadvantages of unpleasing taste and obtrusive, heavy aroma of side-stream smoke, due to the type of tobacco material used to form the tobacco sheets and are not accepted by many smokers. This deterioration in taste and aroma is worsened in a tobacco product enveloped in two tobacco sheets, because the two sheets account for approximately 20% by weight of the total tobacco product and consequently influence or reduce the taste impression of its main stream smoke considerably, as well as the aroma impression of its sidestream smoke.
The instant invention solves the prior art problem described above with smoking product wrapped with reconstituted tobacco sheets having a satisfactory taste desired and expected by the smoker, and which also improves the quality of sidestream smoke.


A silver halide color photographic material, which comprises a support and a silver halide emulsion layer, contains a pyrazoloazole type coupler represented by the following general formula (II) in the emulsion layer, to ensure high sensitivity and high gamma without attended by increase in fog: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent group; X represents a hydrogen atom or a group releasable upon coupling with the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine developing agent; or --NH--; Zb and Zc also represent a methine group, a substituted methine group, .dbd.N-- or --NH--, wherein the substituent of at least either of Zb and Zc is a tertiary alkyl group represented by ##STR2## provided that when Zc is the above-described substituted methine group having the tertiary alkyl group as a substituent, R.sub.1 is not such a tertiary alkyl group, and when Zb represents the above-described substituted methine group, either Za or Zc is --NH-- and the remainder is a methine group, a substituted methine group or .dbd.NH--, while when Zc represents the above-described substituted methine group, Za is --NH-- and Zb is a methine group, a substituted methine group or .dbd.N--. R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group or a halogen atom; and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each represents substituents as defined in the specification.

Color images are well known to be formed by reacting couplers with color developing agents of aromatic primary amine type which have been oxidized by optically exposed silver halides, which function as oxidizing agent to produce indophenol, indoaniline, indamine, azomethine, phenoxazine, phenazine and their analogous dyes.
Most of the magenta color image-forming couplers which have widely been submitted to practical use up to the present, studies of which have been proceeded, are 5-pyrazolones. The 5-pyrazolone couplers are excellent in dye-forming speed and efficiency and, moreover, the azomethine dyes produced therefrom are excellent in fastness to light and heat. However, it is also known that such azomethine dyes have absorption of a yellow component in the neighborhood of 430 nm, which is undesirable as a magenta dye and responsible for color turbidity.
As a result of seeking after magenta color image-forming coupler nuclei which enable reduction of this yellow component, pyrazolobenzimidazole nuclei described in British Patent 1,047,612, pyrazolotriazole nuclei described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,067, pyrazoloimidazole nuclei described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,630, pyrazolopyrazole nuclei described in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 43659/85 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"), and pyrazolotriazole nuclei described in European Patent 119,860A have been developed.
All of the dyes formed from these nuclei are superior to those formed from the former 5-pyrazolones in respect of unnecessary absorption of the yellow component, and, further, they are desirable from the viewpoint of color reproducibility, for the absorption on the long wavelength side in their absorption spectra descends sharply to the zero level.
However, we have found that these pyrazoloazole couplers, though superior in the above-described respects, are possessed of undesirable properties as described below.
Namely, when these couplers are present together with silver halides to function as oxidizing agent for an aromatic primary amine developing agent, more specifically when emulsified dispersions of these couplers and silver halide emulsions are mixed, coated on supports respectively, and examined for photographic properties, the silver halide emulsions used cannot manifest their intrinsic sensitivity, gradation and fog. That is, some emulsions undergo sensitization, some emulsions undergo desensitization, and the others undergo decrease in color density of developed images. These behaviors can be ascertained, e.g., by comparing with the result of color development or black-and-white development conducted in the emulsion-coated sample in which a 5-pyrazolone type coupler is incorporated under the same condition as pyrazoloazole type couplers. Also, part of the above-described phenomena can be understood by preparing a coat which contains a silver halide emulsion alone and does not contain any couplers, and comparing the result of black-and-white development of the coat with that of a silver halide emulsion coat containing a pyrazoloazole type coupler.
In the nature of things, couplers to be employed in silver halide color photographic materials, exclusive of development inhibitor releasing couplers and development accelerator releasing couplers, are not expected to exert any actions on silver halide emulsions, and are not desired to produce a sensitization, desensitization or like effect by acting particularly on the sensitization process.
The above-described actions on silver halides were found to be hardly caused by 5-pyrazolone couplers which have prevailingly been put to practical use as magenta color image-forming coupler up to the present, whereas such actions have turned out to be extensively observed in case of pyrazoloazole couplers.
The pyrazoloazole couplers are couplers having a pyrazolobenzimidazole ring, a pyrazolotriazole ring or the like. We have confirmed that compounds containing residues of these rings have stronger interaction upon silver ion or silver halide, more specifically complexation power thereover or adsorptive activity thereon, compared with compounds containing residues of 5-pyrazolones which have widely used as magenta coupler up to the present. Further, it has also been ascertained that these interactions result in sensitization, desensitization or drop in color formability.
Variations of interaction between a silver halide emulsion and a pyrazoloazole coupler with the kind of halide contained in the emulsion were examined using samples prepared by coating combinations of various kinds of silver halide emulsions and a pyrazoloazole coupler on separate supports. As a result of these examinations, it has turned out that the pyrazoloazole coupler is more liable to cause the drop in color formability in a silver chloride emulsion than in a silver bromide emulsion. Moreover, it has been found that a silver iodobromide emulsion which contains silver iodide is more difficult to undergo the lowering of color formability than a silver bromide emulsion and a silver chlorobromide emulsion. That is, there was a greater interaction between a silver chlorobromide emulsion and a pyrazoloazole coupler than between a silver iodobromide emulsion and a pyrazoloazole coupler in regard to drop in color formability. Therefore, it was still more difficult to introduce a pyrazoloazole coupler into a light-sensitive material when a silver chlorobromide emulsion was used therein.
As a means for solving the above-described problem, the method of properly controlling pH of the emulsion coat is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 162874/85. Although this method is very effective in severing the above-described interaction, it contains the following insufficiency. Even if the interaction inside the emulsion coat as it is can be cut off by previously controlling pH of the emulsion coat, the emulsion coat must be submitted to color development processing in order to make the emulsion coat develop a color. In the color development, it is, in general, to soak the light-sensitive material in a developer exhibiting pH ranging from about 9 to about 12 and, thereby, the pH of the emulsion coat increases sharply, and the interaction is newly generated in the processing solution. This interaction also is strong in case of silver chlorobromide.
It is important at any rate to cut off the actions of pyrazoloazoles upon silver halides, particularly silver chlorobromide, and it is expected to bring about improvements upon methods for cutting off the interaction between silver halides and pyrazoloazoles.


A composition for forming insulating films on electrical steel sheets includes a (meth)acrylate ester polymer, modified into a polymer containing an ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid component as an essential copolymerizable component, optionally with other copolymerizable vinylic compound components. The composition is used in the form of an aqueous emulsion with or without methacrylate ester base polymer powders. The composition has low expandability and coatability and provides an improved film. Especially when the composition contains methacrylate ester base polymer powders, improved weldability is achieved and high-quality coated steel sheet products are provided. A method of forming the insulating films is also described.

So far, numerous techniques have been disclosed about how to form insulating films on the surfaces of electrical steel steers and compositions for providing such insulating films. Long-established techniques make use of insulating film-forming compositions consisting as the main component of chromates and/or phosphates to form inorganic films. A problem with the inorganic films made of such inorganic materials is that although they excel in heat resistance, yet they are inferior in their water resistance, punchability and adhesion to steel sheets during processing.
Recently, according to techniques attempted in many cases to solve such a problem, a film-forming composition containing a mixture of a film forming-inorganic element such as chromate or phosphate etc. (hereinafter sometimes called the inorganic component) with a film forming-organic resin (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the organic component or simply the resin; said resin being usually a synthetic resin which may hereinafter be also called the "polymer") is applied to an electrical steel sheet to form on it a combined inorganic/organic film (hereinafter often sometimes called the semi-organic film). This semi-organic film is to take full advantage of both the properties of the inorganic film that it excels in weldability and heat resistance and the properties of the organic film that it excels in water resistance, insulating performance, punchability and adhesion. A composition for forming the semi-organic film is generally obtained in the form of a mixture (hereinafter sometimes called the inorganic component-containing mixed emulsion or simply referred to as the mixed emulsion) of an aqueous solution (often used with a view to a working environment and fire prevention) of an inorganic component with an aqueous polymer emulsion in which an organic component is dispersed. However, the technique for forming the semi-organic film of the inorganic component-containing mixed emulsion suffers from various disadvantages. The first disadvantage is a short pot life due to the emulsification and dispersion of the resin (polymer) in the mixed emulsion which are unstable. The second disadvantage is that because the mixed emulsion contains an emulsifier or dispersant used to emulsify and disperse the resin (polymer), foams come to be observed on the resulting film by various coating operations such as stirring etc. to give rise to pinholes in crater-forms or bubble-like defects on the film. This makes the formed film poor in corrosion resistance and insulating performance. The third disadvantage is that when electrical steel sheets with films formed on them are punched out followed by lamination and welding, the organic component decomposes to emit gases and give rise to blow-holes in a beaded region, resulting in a serious degradation of weldability.
Action taken against the second disadvantage will now be explained. In order to reduce as much as possible the expansion of the mixed emulsion to a minimum, a defoamer is generally incorporated in the aqueous polymer emulsion that is one preparatory material for the mixed emulsion. However, this defoamer is likely to lose its effect gradually during the storage of the aqueous polymer solution to which the defoamer was added. Especially when it freezes in a cold district during the winter season, it loses its substantial defoaming effect upon thawing. This then causes the mixed emulsion to foam during preparation or when applied to steel plates, giving rise to various difficulties. Another problem with the mixed emulsion is that it is poor in freeze-thaw stability (the dispersion stability of the aqueous polymer emulsion frozen during storage--an index to whether or not it maintains the prior-to-freeze dispersion state after thawing) or it undergoes a drop-with-time of dispersion stability. Such problems have yet to be solved to satisfaction.
In order to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages relating to pot life, foaming and weldability, the inventors have proposed to use as the organic component a combination of an acryl base resin and/or an acryl/styrene base resin with an acrylonitrile base resin, as set forth in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-100561.
However, it has now been found that in post-treatments following the formation of insulating films on the surfaces of steel sheets (e.g. annealing which is carried out to rid the steel sheets of deformation caused by punching them into the desired shape and which, by way of example, is performed at 815.degree. C. for 1 hour in a gaseous mixture of 5% H.sub.2 with the balance of N.sub.2), the acrylonitrile base resin decomposes thermally into CO, CH.sub.4 and other gases, which in turn cause an increase in the amount of C in the steel sheets or, to put it another way, give rise to the so-called "carburizing". This carburizing or the increase in the amount of C in the steel sheets deteriorates their magnetic properties severely, thus leading to another problem.
With current tendencies toward making the performance of electrical steel sheet products higher, insulating films for them are increasingly required not only to be enhanced in terms of General characteristics but also to be greatly improved in terms of specific film characteristics, e.g. weldability and insulating performance in particular. If higher insulating performance are to be imparted to such a conventional semi-organic film in meeting such requirements as referred to above, it is necessary to make insulating films thicker. However, imparting a thickness of, say 2-8 g/m.sup.2 or more to an insulating film would result in a flow of a larger amount of the composition for forming it; this implies the liklihood of foaming of that composition. Thus, the film forming-composition is required to be less likely to foam. The increase in the thickness of the film, on the other hand, brings about a considerable drop in its weldability. This is because such a thickness increase gives rise to an increase in the amount of resin to be contained in the insulating film. The resin then decomposes by welding heat to emit a large quantity of gases, which render it difficult to form normal welding beads. As means for solving this problem, there is known a technique according to which coarse resin powders are added to an insulating film to impart a roughness of a minute degree onto the film, whereby the gases produced by welding ape dissipated (which is called as space effect) to improve its weldability. However, this technique is far from satisfactory, because at a degree of roughness defining a space factor of about 99% usually demanded in the art, voids to the quantity of gases by decomposition are so small that any sufficient space effect is not attained. As means for solving this, there is known a technique according to which inorganic coarse powders giving no emission of gases are incorporated in an insulating film. Depending upon the type of the inorganic coarse powders incorporated, however, it gives rise to a serious drop in punchability and, due to their inferior resistance to acids and alkalis, it reacts with, e.g. CrO.sub.3 in a state of composition, resulting in coagulation or a considerable decrease in the pot life of a composition containing them. Furthermore, the incorporation of such powders in a composition brings about an increase in its thickness and hence a decrease in its adhesion. To improve the weldability of an insulating film, on the contrary, by making it by far thinner, e.g. imparting a thickness of, say, 1 g/m.sup.2 or less to it, would reduce its interlaminar resistance (as measured according to JIS C2550)--an index to insulating performance--to a low value of, say, 70-80 .OMEGA..multidot.cm.sup.2 /sheet, and this would cause a drop in its punchability.
Thus, although, taken altogether, the prior art semi-organic films are more or less improved in terms of insulating film properties, yet the compositions for forming them are still not sufficient in terms of foaming, if higher-performance levels currently required for the product are taken into consideration. Nor are the resulting insulating film properties satisfactory. The conventional compositions has an additional disadvantage of carburizing incidental to the decomposition of resins.

Composition and method for forming insulating films on electrical steel sheets


A semiconductor memory device includes: a pattern selector configured to receive a first test control signal and a second test control signal to output a plurality of pattern selection signals and a selection end signal in response to an entry signal; a shifting controller configured to receive the first test control signal and the second test control signal to output a shifting control signal in response to the selection end signal; and a pattern test signal generator configured to select a stress pattern corresponding to the pattern selection signals to generate a plurality of test mode signals for controlling a sequential entry into a plurality of test modes for executing the stress pattern in response to the shifting control signal.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having a burn-in test mode and a method for driving the same.
In the fabrication of semiconductor memory devices, a stress mode is widely used as a test process for increasing the reliability of memory cells.
In particular, a stress mode at a wafer level is called a wafer burn-in process. The wafer burn-in process is to apply a stress to a core region of a DRAM at a relatively high temperature to induce the generation of defects in a weak core region in an early stage. Then, the defects are repaired in a probe test. In addition, the process of applying the stress to the core region of the DRAM includes a process of applying a stress to a cell and a process of applying a stress to a bit line. The two processes can be implemented with simple logic.
In executing the stress pattern, the test modes are sequentially set in each step to perform the stress process. Separate codes are assigned in each test mode. In other words, in addition to a wafer burn-in test mode entry pad and an internal bias forcing pad, another pad is necessary for inputting a separate operation code for entry into the test mode defining each step. The operation code uses a data pad or address pad.
Table 1 below shows operation codes for each mode in a conventional wafer burn-in test.
TABLE 1MODEA<0>A<1>A<2>A<3>TM0HLLLTM1HHLLTM2HLHLTM3HHHLTM4HLLHTM5HHLHTM6HLHHTM7HHHH
The order of the test modes according to the test pattern will be described below.
A cell stress pattern has a procedure of TM2→TM3→apply a logic low level to a cell data→TM2→apply a logic high level→TM2→TM3→apply a logic low level→TM3→apply a logic high level.
An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stress pattern has a procedure of TM2→TM3→apply a logic low level→apply a bias→TM2→TM3→apply a logic high level→apply a logic low level.
A first bit line stress pattern has a procedure of TM7→apply a logic low level→apply a logic high level→apply a logic low level→apply a logic high level.
A second bit line stress pattern has a procedure of TM4→apply a logic low level→TM5→apply a logic high level→TM1→TM6.
As shown in Table 1, the operation codes for each test mode are applied through four address pads. For example, all the addresses A<0:3> must be applied with a logic high level in order to enter into the test mode TM7.
Meanwhile, a test apparatus reduces test time by testing a plurality of dies one time. Because the number of channels of the test apparatus is limited, the number of pads necessary for the test must be reduced so as to test a large number of dies at one time.
A built-in self test (BIST) is widely used in a memory cell test in a conventional ASIC. The built-in self test has an advantage in that a large number of pads are not used because it does not directly access a memory cell from the outside. However, the patterns that can be tested in the built-in self test are complicated. To this end, logic circuits must be added, thus increasing the layout area. Therefore, the built-in self test is difficult to apply to memory devices in which a net die is important. The net die is defined by number of dies per wafer.
In the wafer burn-in test, a probe card is separately manufactured and a stress is applied to a plurality of dies by one-time test. However, because the number of pads for testing one pad increases, the number of dies to which a stress is applied at a time decreases due to the limited channels of the test apparatus.
Therefore, because the number of pads necessary for the burn-in test mode is large, the number of dies that can be tested one time is small, thus increasing the test time.

Semiconductor memory device having burn-in test mode and method for driving the same


A method, computer system, and computer readable medium for facilitating selection from a plurality of devices, each device defined by a selection range dependent on at least a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter and the second parameter being correlated. The method includes: displaying on a graphical interface screen a graph of the first parameter versus the second parameter, the graph having displayed thereon a plurality of regions representing the selection ranges, receiving selection of at least a point of the graph from an indicator overlaid onto the graph and which is moveable on the graphical interface screen based on control from an input device, and in response to the selection, displaying on the graph only the regions which are relevant to the selected point.

In some conventional systems, manufacturer specifications for equipment are published with maximum load ratings. As an example, for fixed speed HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) pump systems, performance criteria may be based on a narrow band of conditions, optimizing for occupant use during maximum load, which often meant sacrificing operating efficiency during part-load conditions.
Prior to variable speed drives, some conventional industry practices meant designing heating, cooling and plumbing system performance around a single point that represented the most extreme conditions or loads that a building might experience during its operating lifecycle.
A difficulty with some existing systems is that, at part-load, the pumping system may be susceptible to instability, poor occupant comfort and energy and economic wastage.
The traditional selection of a pump or pumps may result in wastage of resources and inefficient operation. Load limits for a building may vary so that the variable speed equipment, (e.g. pump, boiler plant, booster or other) may not be required to operate at full capacity to service the system requirements. Further, improper equipment selection may require a repair or total replacement of the equipment to a more suitable size of equipment (e.g. pump, boiler plant, booster, or other).
Additional difficulties with existing systems may be appreciated in view of the detailed description below.

Method and system for selecting a device from a graphical interface


A golf tee anchoring system including a substantially indestructible, reusable tee member, an anchoring element which is adapted to be inserted into the ground to prevent the loss of the tee member, and a flexible tether for coupling the tee member to the anchoring element. The reusable tee member incorporates a tubular, resilient upper ball support portion to prevent any tee breakage or dislodgement due to the impact of a golf club head thereagainst.

As is well known in the sport of golf, tees formed from wood typically break and/or become lost when struck by the head of a golf club, thereby requiring a golfer to bring a large quantity of wooden tees to the golf course or driving range. In an attempt to overcome the breakage problem commonly associated with wooden tees, a wide variety of plastic tees have been produced. Unfortunately, although plastic tees are nearly indestructible, they are typically ejected from the ground and catapulted a large distance through the air when struck by the head of a golf club, due to the inherent material characteristics of most plastics. As such, the robustness of plastic tees is negatively balanced by an increased probability of tee loss.
In order to prevent the above-described, annoying loss of wooden and plastic golf tees, several golf tee anchoring systems have been developed, each comprising a ball support tee and an anchoring element for tethering the ball support tee to the ground. Unfortunately, currently available golf tee anchoring systems suffer from a wide variety of disadvantages as detailed hereinbelow.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,655,751 to Cody discloses a golf tee anchoring system comprising first and second conventional wooden tees which are coupled together by a string. A pair of detachable, metal, annular washers, each including an inwardly projecting tip which is adapted to penetrate into the wooden shank of a tee, and a notch for receiving an end portion of the coupling string, are utilized to connect together the first and second tees. However, by forming the tees from wood, and by weakening the wooden shank of the ball supporting tee by inserting the inwardly projecting tip of a washer therein, the tee anchoring system disclosed by Cody is highly susceptible to tee breakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,552,991 to Jones discloses a golf tee anchoring system which prevents tee loss while simultaneously avoiding the inherent breakage problem of wooden tees. Specifically, Jones' golf tee anchoring system utilizes a metal anchoring pin to secure a tee, having a body formed either entirely from plastic, or having a body comprising a plastic head mounted on a metal shank, into the ground. Unfortunately, when utilizing a tee having a plastic shank, the tee will typically "pop" out of the ground if it is struck by the head of a golf club, due to the resiliency of most plastic materials. Consequently, when on a driving range, a golfer must repeatedly reinsert the tee into the ground to tee off a new golf ball. Further, if a metal shank is utilized, the force of the golf club may bend the tee, rendering it substantially unusable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,940 to Sprague illustrates a golf tee holder which is tethered to a conventional green repair tool. The golf tee holder comprises a generally cylindrical, resilient, hollow body having an upper body opening through which a golf tee is inserted. When fully inserted into the golf tee holder, the concave head of the tee is disposed slightly below the upper rim of the cylindrical, hollow body of the holder, with the lower shank of the tee protruding outward from the bottom of the hollow body. As such, the upper section of a golf tee is fully enclosed within a protective shell, thereby reducing the probability of tee breakage. Unfortunately, the decreased degree of tee breakage afforded by the Sprague's golf tee holder is offset by a greatly increased chance of the tee being lifted out of the ground when struck by a club. Consequently, the golf tee holder would not be suitable for use on a driving range where a plurality of golf balls are typically driven in rapid succession
Ward, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,170, discloses a two piece golf tee having an upper sleeve portion for receiving a golf ball thereon, and a lower spike portion which is designed to remain in the ground when struck by a golf club. The two piece golf tee is assembled by snapping the upper sleeve portion over and around a flange which is integrally formed on the top of the lower spike portion. To prevent the detachment of the upper sleeve and the lower spike portions of the two piece golf tee, a flexible retainer shaft extends from the top of the lower spike portion and is slidably received within the upper sleeve portion of the tee. When the tee is struck by a golf club, the upper sleeve portion separates from the lower spike portion and slides upward along the flexible retainer shaft. In theory, the upper sleeve portion is designed to snap back over the flanged top of the lower spike portion, thereby assuming its proper orientation, after being struck by a golf club. However, in actual use, the upper sleeve portion commonly does not snap back to its original seated configuration, thereby requiring a user to reseat the upper sleeve portion on the lower spike portion prior to driving another golf ball.


A device (1) for transmitting torque for driving an auxiliary unit, in particular an alternator, preferably in a motor vehicle, and for damping torsional vibrations, said device comprising driving means (2) that can be driven about an axis of rotation (4) by an internal combustion engine, and output drive means (3) rotatable about the axis of rotation (4) that are arranged and designed for driving the auxiliary unit, wherein at least one axial front face of the driving means (2) and/or of the output drive means (3) carries permanent magnet means (10, 11) which allow torques to be transmitted between the driving means (2) and the output drive means (3) and which allow torsional vibrations to be dampened, the poles (13, 14, 15, 16) of the permanent magnet means (10, 11) being arranged in at least one radial plane, characterized in that the permanent magnet means (10, 11) comprise a plurality of permanent magnet elements (17) arranged next to each other in the circumferential direction, these permanent magnets (17) adjoining each other, in particular being directly in contact or fixed to each other via an adhesive layer of less than 2 mm thickness, and/or that the permanent magnet means (10, 11) comprise at least one shaped part made of plastic, in particular an injection-molded part made of plastic and/or a shaped part made of a sintered material, and/or the permanent magnet means (10, 11) are arranged on a geometrical, preferably concentric annular orbit, which deviates from a concentric circular orbit, preferably an elliptic orbital (27, 28).

The invention relates to a device for transmitting torque, for driving an auxiliary unit, in particular an alternator, preferably in a motor vehicle, and for damping torsional vibrations. The invention also relates to a system having such a torque transmission device.
Document EP 1 444 767 B1 discloses a torsional vibration damper for transmitting a torque from a drive shaft driven by an internal combustion engine onto an auxiliary unit in a motor vehicle. The known torsional vibration damper is characterized in that, to provide torque transmission, the circular-cylindrical permanent magnets provided on drive means as well as on drive output means are arranged on two opposite circular orbits, each oriented concentric to the axis of rotation, wherein the poles of the permanent magnets point in the axial direction, i.e. towards the front faces of the drive or output drive means respectively. The permanent magnets are in practice inserted in frontal grooves for fixing to the drive and output drive means and encapsulated there with a potting compound, which fills up the free spaces of the permanent magnets which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The known torque transmission device has been proven in practice.

Torsional vibration damper and torsional vibration damper system