A method for determining stiffness of a composite laminate plate entails disposing a device for generating an acoustical pulse against a surface of the plate and disposing a detecting device against the same surface spaced a known distance from the pulse-generating device, and using the pulse-generating device to emit a pulse so as to create an extensional wave in the plate. The detecting device is used to determine a time of flight of the wave over the known distance, and the wave velocity is calculated. A Young""s modulus of the plate is determined based on the wave velocity. Methods for both anisotropic and quasi-isotropic laminates are disclosed.

The invention relates to nondestructive test methods for determining stiffness properties of plate structures. The invention relates more particularly to such methods employing propagation of acoustic waves through a plate structure of homogeneous or composite laminate form for determining Young""s modulus of the plate structure.
In a variety of mechanical or structural devices or assemblies, it is frequently desired to be able to determine changes in material properties of a given part, because such changes can be indicative of degradation of the part. For example, material stiffness is an important parameter affecting the performance of a structure. While structures are typically designed based on a known initial stiffness of the materials making up the structure, various factors can cause the materials to lose stiffness. Stress, fatigue, and environmental attack such as thermal and/or oxidation processes are just a few of the mechanisms by which a material can be degraded in terms of material stiffnes. Fiber/matrix composite materials are particularly susceptible to stiffness degradation, chiefly through a process known as micro-cracking in which microscopic cracks develop in the matrix material that binds the fibers together. Such micro-cracking can cause deleterious changes in mechanical properties, stress concentration, and redistribution within the composite material, which in turn can lead to performance degradation, delamination, and fiber damage. It is difficult, however, to detect micro-cracking using the types of nondestructive testing methods that heretofore have been available.
Prior to the present invention, there was no known nondestructive testing device suitable for use in the field, such as a hand-held device, for quantitatively determining changes in stiffness of a plate such as a composite laminate plate along an in-plane direction of the plate. The prior art teaches various methods for determining stiffness of isotropic materials using ultrasonic wave propagation through the material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,971 to Lacy discloses a method for nondestructively measuring a Young""s modulus of a bulk isotropic material, such as cements or completion gels used in the petroleum industry for interzone isolation and fracture containment in drilling operations. The method involves using the through-transmission technique in which an ultrasonic transducer is disposed adjacent one end of a sample slug of the bulk material and another ultrasonic transducer is disposed adjacent an opposite end of the sample. The length of the sample between the two transducers is known. An ultrasonic pulse is generated by one of the transducers so as to cause an ultrasonic compression or longitudinal wave to be propagated beginning at one end of the sample, and the other transducer detects the wave when it arrives at the opposite end of the sample. The elapsed time between initiation of the wave at one end of the sample and arrival of the wave at the other end of the sample is measured. Based on this time and the known length of the sample, a velocity of the wave through the sample is calculated. A Young""s modulus for the material is then calculated based on the wave velocity and the known density and Poisson""s ratio of the material. The method of Lacy and the theory behind it are applicable only to isotropic materials. Lacy""s method requires placing transducers on two opposite sides of the sample, and thus would be difficult to apply to in-situ testing of a structure where it may be difficult or impossible to access both sides of the structure. Even if both sides of the structure could be accessed, the through-transmission technique of Lacy still cannot give a measurement of Young""s modulus in an in-plane direction, but can only provide an indication of stiffness in the thickness direction, which is the less interesting of the two directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,081 to Thompson et al. discloses a method for ultrasonic measurement of material properties for metal plates, involving using two transducers and a receiver arranged non-colinearly on one side of the plate. The two transducers generate Lamb waves that propagate along two different directions to the receiver. Based on differences in calculated velocities of the two Lamb waves, Thompson deduces material properties such as grain orientation and stress. The method is applicable only to metals, and does not provide a material stiffness measurement.
There has been a need, therefore, for a nondestructive method for measuring in-plane stiffness properties of plates including homogeneous isotropic plates and composite laminate plates. Additionally, there has been a need for such a method that can be used for in-situ examination of a plate where it may not be possible to access both sides of the plate.
The above needs are met and other advantages are achieved by the present invention, which provides a method for quantitatively evaluating in-plane stiffness properties of a plate in a nondestructive manner that is applicable to in-situ use, necessitating access to only one side of the plate. The method broadly comprises imparting energy to the plate at a first point located on a first of the major surfaces of the plate so as to cause an elastic wave to originate at the first point and propagate along the plate as a plate wave or guided wave. The plate wave generally consists of two wave modes, i.e., extensional and flexural wave modes. At a second point on the same surface of the plate and spaced from the first point along an in-plane direction, the extensional-mode wave, which travels faster than the flexural wave, is detected when it arrives. A velocity of the extensional wave along the in-plane direction of the plate is determined. Based on this velocity, a material stiffness of the plate along the in-plane direction is calculated.
The wave velocity can be determined by measuring the distance d between the first and second points and the elapsed time t required for the extensional-mode wave to travel the distance d from the first point to the second point, and dividing the distance d by the time t. Based on the velocity, a stiffness parameter for the plate along the in-plane direction is determined. The determination of the stiffness parameter is based on elastic wave propagation. The method can be applied to both homogeneous isotropic plates and composite laminate plate structures.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention applicable particularly to homogeneous isotropic plates, the stiffness parameter calculation in accordance with the invention comprises calculating the Young""s modulus based on the distance d and the time t. More particularly, the Young""s modulus E is calculated based on the equation
E=(1xe2x88x92xcexd2)xcfx81(d/t)2,
where xcexd is a predetermined Poisson""s ratio for the material of the plate and xcfx81 is a predetermined density of the material of the plate.
Preferably, the elastic wave is generated by applying acoustic energy to the plate. For example, a device for emitting acoustic pulses can be disposed against the plate surface and activated to create an acoustic pulse. An ultrasonic transducer or acoustic emission sensor can be used for this purpose. The extensional wave mode is detected with a second sensor placed a known distance from the first sensor against the same surface of the plate. It will thus be appreciated that unlike prior art methods employing the through-transmission technique in which a longitudinal wave is propagated from one side of a material to the other, the method of the invention is suitable for in-situ applications where it may not be possible or practical to locate sensors on both sides of the structure.
The methods described above are applicable primarily to isotropic plates and to quasi-isotropic composite laminate plates in which the plies are arranged in a lay-up such that the resulting laminate exhibits isotropic elastic behavior in the plane of the plate. The invention also provides a method for determining Young""s moduli of a composite laminate plate in the more general case of anisotropic laminates. This method involves solving a set of simultaneous equations to determine Young""s moduli for the plate along two orthogonal in-plane x- and y-directions corresponding to the zero-degree and 90-degree fiber directions of the laminate. The equations relate the Young""s moduli to the extensional wave velocities along these directions and to Poisson""s ratios and in-plane stiffness parameters for the plate. More specifically, one embodiment of the invention entails determining extensional wave velocities Cx and Cy along the x- and y-directions of a composite laminate plate, and solving the set of equations:
Cx={square root over (A11/xcfx81h)}xe2x80x83xe2x80x83Eq. (1)
Cy={square root over (A22/xcfx81h)}xe2x80x83xe2x80x83Eq. (2)
                              E          xx                =                                            σ              xx                                      ε              xx              xc2x0                                =                                                                      A                  11                                                                  A                  22                                            -                              A                12                2                                                    hA              22                                                          Eq.  (3)                                          v          xy                =                              -                                          ε                yy                xc2x0                                            ε                xx                xc2x0                                              =                                    A              12                                      A              22                                                          Eq.  (4)                                          E          yy                =                                                            A                11                                                          A                22                                      -                          A              12              2                                            hA            11                                              Eq.  (5)                                          v          yx                =                              A            12                                A            11                                              Eq.  (6)
where h is the plate thickness, Aij (i, j=1 and 2) are the in-plane stiffnesses of the plate as defined in the composite laminate theory, xcfx81 is the plate density, and xcexdxy, and xcexdxy are Poisson""s ratios for the plate along the x- and y-directions. The plate density and Poisson""s ratios will generally be known or can readily be determined. Thus, these equations can be solved for the Young""s moduli. It can be shown, for quasi-isotropic composite plates, that this set of equations can be greatly simplified and reduced to the equation
E=(1xe2x88x92xcexd2)xcfx81(d/t)2
set forth above.
The invention also provides a method for quantitatively determining a change in Young""s modulus for a plate. The method comprises performing a first test in which energy is imparted to the plate at a first point located on the plate surface and detecting when the extensional-mode wave reaches a second point located on the same surface and spaced a predetermined distance from the first point, and measuring a first-elapsed time t1 required for the extensional-mode wave to travel from the first point to the second point. A second test is then performed in the same manner, making sure that the distance between the two points is the same as for the first test. A second elapsed time t2 required for the extensional-mode wave to travel between the two points is measured. A change in Young""s modulus for the plate is calculated based on a degree of difference, of the times t1 and t2. More particularly, it is assumed that the density and Poisson""s ratio for the material of the plate are constant or its change is negligible between the first test and the second test. A ratio of Young""s moduli for the first and second tests is calculated based on a ratio of the times t1 and t2. Advantageously, the ratio of Young""s moduli is calculated by the equation
E2/E1=(t1/t2)2,
where E1 is Young""s modulus for the first test and E2 is Young""s modulus for the second test. The first and second tests may be performed at two different times, in which case the change in Young""s modulus represents a change in material stiffness over time. Thus, the method of the invention can be used for periodic inspection as a way of monitoring the health of a structure. The information regarding changes in material stiffness can be used for prediction of remaining life of the structure or other purposes.

Method for in-situ nondestructive measurement of Young""s modulus of plate structures


A computer-controlled machine equipped with sensors determines position and orientation of a workpiece, with respect to a model of the workpiece, which is stored in a data processing system interfaced to the machine, by measuring coordinates of points on the surfaces of the workpiece and determining a transformation in which a sum of squared distances from the points to the corresponding surfaces of the model is minimized. The determined transformation is improved so as to satisfy the specified tolerances.

The recent emphasis in the development of manufacturing technology has been directed toward the development of automated systems that eliminate most of the human interaction. Such manufacturing environments employ computer-controlled machine tools that are driven by computer programs, which define the tool motion, also referred to as tool-paths. Typically, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) workstation generates the tool paths automatically by processing the description of a mechanical component created by a designer. Although this environment provides a relatively high degree of automation for manufacturing of simple components that do not require high precision machining, human intervention is required for precision machining of relatively complicated shapes. The areas that still require significant and expensive human input include quality control procedures and fixturing methods.
Prior art CAD stations generate the tool paths that are valid only if a workpiece, which has to be machined into a mechanical component, is fixtured at a predetermined location of a machine table. Therefore, if a workpiece has to be moved from one machine to another at a particular stage of manufacturing, or if it has to be machined at different orientations, a human operator or a robot is required to refixture the workpiece accurately, which is a very difficult, time-consuming, and costly operation. However, this refixturing operation would be significantly simplified if the precise position and orientation of an approximately or randomly fixtured workpiece could be determined automatically or semi-automatically, since, on the basis of this information, the tool paths could be adjusted for accurate machining using conventional geometrical transformations. To date, accurate and efficient methods of localizing randomly and approximately fixtured workpieces have not been developed.
Also, precise fixturing plays an important role in automated quality control procedures. It is impossible to ascertain whether a mechanical component has been manufactured properly unless the relative location of the component is accurately determined with respect to the coordinate system of the model that defines the desired dimensions, which are typically stored in the CAD workstation.
Some progress has been made toward the development of an inspection system that determines whether a mechanical component is within tolerance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,417, issued to Beeson, discloses an inspection system which measures tolerance by comparing the coordinate data measured by manually moving a probe to certain features (the only disclosed features are holes) of a mechanical component, and the desired dimensions entered into a data processing system by a user. This disclosure is limited to the mechanical components which can be defined as two-dimensional objects. Furthermore, the inspection procedure discussed in this disclosure is possible only when a finished component is available. Thus, this system cannot be utilized for in-process inspection in order to detect and correct defects at the intermediate stages of manufacture. In addition, this system can only provide a user with a binary, "GO/ NO GO", decision that indicates whether a given component is within tolerance. No disclosure is made for determining accurate position and orientation of the component. An inspection system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,474 issued to Hurt also does not handle three-dimensional features, it does not allow for in-process inspection, and it does not generate accurate positioning data.

Method and apparatus for determining position and orientation of mechanical objects


Gases such as effluent air from industrial processes are cleaned in a purifying assembly which contains a filter bed with a bulk quantity of a cleaning composition. The cleaning composition is populated with micro-organisms and it is a mixture of grapeseeds (1-95%), beer draff (1-50%), minerals (0.01-40%) and lava dross or lava split. 13. Contaminated soil may be reclaimed with the method by forming a bulk mixture of the soil to be reclaimed with the purifying composition. Air is then conducted through the bulk mixture for cleaning the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a composition for purifying gases, in particular effluent air, which are conducted through a bulk volume of the composition. The bulk volume is thereby populated with micro-organisms.
2. Description of the Related Art
German publication DE-U 92 16 668 discloses a bulk filter for biological gas filters containing grapeseeds and minerals. While the bulk material is essentially suitable for removing highly odorous noxious components from the gases, it has been found that it takes rather a long time after starting the process before the filter reaches its full purifcation rate. Additionally, the purification rate is less than satisfying even after that time.
German patent publication DE-A 43 04 190 discloses a process and a device for the purification of gases; the gases to be purified are thereby conducted through a bulk volume of organic material. As an organic material there is proposed peat-heather-mixtures, bark chips, wood splinters, compost or also other mixtures of peat/synthetic material, compost/synthetic material or the like. In order to obtain a sufficient capacity of the biofilter it is necessary to feed the micro-organism populating the organic layer with nutrient substances. As a quite undesired side-effect, however, unwanted micro-organisms are supported as well, which have to be suppressed by adding toxic agents. Therefore the operation of such a biological filter is elaborate and depends from a precise control and regulation. Furthermore, the use of toxic agents is risky for obvious reasons of environmental protection.
German patent publication DE-A 041 233 discloses a process eliminating odoriforous substances from exhaust gases with the use of fibrous peak and heather. The efficiency of the filter in that process is improved in that the material is placed in a rotating cylinder. That prior art process, therefore, requires elaborate mechanical components and it cannot be used in an economical fashion for various applications.
European patent publication EP-A 492 135 discloses a device for purifying air, in which filter beds populated with micro-organisms are disposed in a purification column. Bark chips are described as a filter bed. Elaborate humidification equipment is required in order to obtain adequate and acceptable purification efficiency.
Further biological filters are described in German patent publication DE-A 41 02 167, in European patent application EP-A 497 214 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,676 (EP-A 470 468). However, similar disadvantages as described above are encountered with those processes and devices.

Assembly and process for purifying exhaust gas, and a process for reclaiming contaminated soil


A flexible hose mending apparatus including an adaptor portion and a clamping portion having cooperating engagement structure. The engagement structure preferably includes an outwardly projecting flange provided on an end of the adaptor portion adapted for insertion into the flexible hose and inwardly projecting ribs provided on notched areas of shell sections of the clamping portion. The flange and the ribs serve to retain the clamping portion on the adaptor portion when the adaptor portion is detached from the flexible hose and also to localize the clamping force applied to the flexible hose by the clamping portion when the adaptor portion is inserted therein.

Currently, when a flexible conduit such as a conventional garden hose becomes split, punctured or otherwise damaged, the damage is commonly repaired either by wrapping adhesive tape around the damaged area or by installing in the damaged region a commercially available hose mending apparatus. Wrapping adhesive tape around the damaged area of the hose may temporarily repair the hose; however, such solution is essentially a stopgap measure which either must be frequently repeated or used as a temporary repair until a more permanent hose mending apparatus can be installed.
In the event a long-lasting repair is desired, or perhaps the hose is to be shortened, a suitable hose mending apparatus such as, for example, that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,460 or the type currently manufactured by Green Garden, Inc. of Somerset, Pa., is typically installed. Hose menders of this sort normally comprise a sleeve-like adaptor portion and a clamping portion. The adaptor portion is normally a tubular member having a first end designed for insertion into the damaged hose and a second end provided with either external or internal threading compatible for threaded connection to a suitable female or male hose coupling or to the spout of a faucet. The clamping portion may take the form of any functional hose clamping mechanism that can apply radially inwardly directed force to the hose whereby the hose becomes sealingly and compressively attached to the first end of the adaptor portion. In the hose mending apparatus of the type manufactured by Green Garden, Inc., the clamping mechanism consists of a pair of mating shells each having a substantially semicircular notch formed in a central portion thereof. When the mating shells are brought into engagement with one another, the semicircular notches cooperate to form an opening within which the hose and the inserted adaptor portion are received. Thereafter, mechanical fasteners, such as self-tapping screws or the like are inserted into aligned openings provided in the shells whereby the shells can be drawn toward one another by tightening the screws, thereby providing the requisite clamping force.
Hose menders of the type thus far discussed suffer from several disadvantages. They must be packaged in costly and cumbersome packaging materials and containers in order to assure that the adaptor and clamping portions do not become accidentally separated during shipping and handling. Further, their configuration is such that, when attached to a hose, the clamping force that they apply to the hose is somewhat limited. As a result, if relatively moderate tension is applied to the hose, the hose may become unintentionally detached from the adaptor portion, thereby requiring the user to disassemble the hose mender and reinstall it on the hose before the hose can be again be rendered functional.
An advantage exists, therefore, for a hose mending apparatus of a construction that is inexpensive to manufacture and ship yet also capable of applying sizable gripping or clamping force to a hose such that the integrity of the connection between the hose mending apparatus and the hose is effectively maintained notwithstanding the level of tensile force applied to the hose.


A needle has an inner passage for applying viscous fluid. A filter having a plurality of minute perforations is provided in the needle, whereby the fluid enters the inner passage through the filter.

The present invention relates to a needle for applying viscous fluid such as cream-like solder, and more particularly to a needle which is not clogged with the solder.
In an electronic device, terminals of electronic elements are soldered on a wiring pattern formed on a substrate of a semiconductor chip. Increase in the functions of the device has rendered the terminals to be densely mounted, which requires high accuracy of the soldering operation.
Referring to FIG. 3, a conventional dispenser for applying solder has a syringe 1 in which cream-like solder 2 is charged. The syringe 1 is covered with an air-tight cap 7 having an upper opening. A pressure pipe 8 is attached to the cap 7 for supplying air into the syringe 1 through the opening of the cap.
On the bottom of the syringe 1 is formed a projection 3 having a hole, which engages with a holder 5 of a needle 4. The needle 4 has an axial passage 6 having a diameter about 0.26 mm.
When air pressure is applied to the syringe 1 through the pipe 8, the solder 2 flows downwardly through the holder 5 and the needle 4, and is discharged out from the needle 4. Since the diameter of the passage 6 is small, a strip of solder having an appropriate width is formed.
However, the solder 2 is not always constantly discharged from the needle 4. Moreover, the passage 6 may be clogged with the solder 2. These inconveniences occur under the following circumstances:
(1) The solder 2 contains solids caused by ingredients, such as flux, which are larger than the diameter of the passage 6. PA1 (2) The solder 2 is not homogeneous in viscosity. PA1 (3) The solder 2 is thixotropic so that when the flow rate varies, the viscosity becomes high.


In an electronic device having a battery holder which has first and second walls to define a battery cavity for receiving a dry battery, the battery holder has a movable terminal which is movably mounted on the second wall to be moved toward the first wall. A battery cover has an arm which is projected toward the movable terminal and which is engaged with a contact plate of the movable terminal to move the contact plate toward a stationary terminal which is fixed on the first wall when the battery cover covers the battery cavity. The dry battery is held between the stationary terminal and the contact plate in the cavity.

This invention relates to a battery holder for receiving a dry battery. Specially, this invention relates to a battery holder which is included in an electronic device.
A conventional battery holder of a type described has a cavity for receiving a dry battery which has positive and negative electrodes. The cavity is defined by at least two walls which are opposed to each other. As a rule, a stationary terminal is fixed on one of the two walls while a spring terminal are fixed on the other wall. The stationary terminal is brought into contact with the positive electrode and while the spring terminal is brought into contact with a negative electrode when the dry battery is housed in the cavity. With this structure, the spring terminal presses the dry battery toward the stationary terminal and, as a result, the dry battery is fixedly held between the stationary and the spring terminals.
When the dry battery is housed into or detached from the cavity, power should be imposed on the dry battery against compression force of the spring terminal. Otherwise, the dry battery can not be attached to or detached from the battery holder. This operation becomes troublesome as the dry battery is small in size.

Battery holder capable of readily attaching or detaching dry battery


A method and system for reducing the power consumption in a class of circuits utilizing inverters which rely upon a resistive load design such as pseudo NMOS and/or pseudo PMOS. In particular, rather than utilizing the load network to provide a resistive load, which imposes static dissipation, the load network is driven by the input signal along with the logic network. The circuit is then configured to function in a CMOS configuration by driving both the load and logic networks with the input signal.

The present invention relates to the reduction of power consumption in digital circuits that rely upon a resistive load design such as pseudo NMOS and/or pseudo PMOS.
Reducing power consumption in digital circuits has become increasingly important, especially for real time clocking (RTC) applications which are operated by a low capacity battery (typically 200 mA-hr). For these applications, having low power consuming circuit elements may be essential to prolong battery lifetime.
Power consumption determines how much heat the circuit dissipates and how much energy is consumed. It can be decomposed into two components: static and dynamic. The dynamic component only occurs during transients, i.e. when the circuit is switching. It is due to the charging of capacitive elements and temporary current paths between the supply rails, and is, therefore, proportional to the switching frequency and duration: the greater the number of switching events and the longer they occur, the greater the dynamic power consumption. The static component on the other hand is present even when no switching occurs and is caused by static conductive paths between the supply rails or by leakage currents.
A bistable pulse generator, known as the Schmidt Trigger, is frequently used in RTC applications to xe2x80x9cclean upxe2x80x9d noisy signals by switching at a different threshold on rising and falling edges of an input signal. FIG. 1a is a transistor level diagram of a conventional Schmidt Trigger circuit. This type of circuit may consume a large current during switching transitions, i.e. a high dynamic power consumption. As FIG. 1b illustrates, intermediate transistors MP3 and MN3 provide a direct current path from the power source to ground during the transition phase. As a result, the dynamic power consumption of the Schmidt Trigger may be quite significant.
FIG. 2a shows the voltage characteristic of Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000 during a high to low transition. FIG. 2b demonstrates the current consumption of Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000 during this same period.
FIG. 2a shows input voltage v(in) decreasing linearly while output voltage v(out) remains constant at a high potential (xcx9c1.5 v) until input voltage v(in) reaches a particular threshold level (xcx9c0.3 v) whereupon output voltage v(out) drops suddenly and sharply (xcx9c0.0 v). Corresponding to the transition from a high to low voltage level, a significant current i(mp3) flows via intermediate transistor MP3 as indicated in FIG. 2b.
FIG. 3a shows the voltage characteristic of Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000 during a low to high transition. FIG. 3b demonstrates the current consumption of Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000 during this same period
FIG. 3a shows input voltage v(in) increasing linearly while output voltage v(out) remains constant at a low potential (xcx9c0.0 v) until input voltage v(in) reaches a particular threshold level (xcx9c1.1 v) whereupon output voltage v(out) rises suddenly and sharply (xcx9c1.5 v). Corresponding to the transition from a low to high voltage level, a significant current i(mn3) flows via intermediate transistor MN3 as indicated in FIG. 3b.
FIG. 4a shows a block diagram of a Current Mode Dual Trip Point design (a.k.a the Intel 82801BA circuit or I/O Controller Hub2 or South Bridge) for reducing dynamic power dissipation in a bistable pulse generator circuit. Current Mode circuit 4000 includes bias circuit 4900, low trip point inverter 4100, high trip point inverter 4200, tri-state inverter 4300, weak intermediate inverter 4400, and 2-stage output buffer 4500. Low trip inverter 4100 includes load network 4101 coupled to bias circuit 4900 and logic network 4102 coupled to input IN. High trip point inverter 4200 includes load network 4201 coupled to the bias circuit 4900 and logic network 4202 coupled to input IN.
FIG. 4b shows a transistor level diagram of the Current Mode Dual Trip Point design. In particular, the circuit shown in FIG. 4b uses pseudo N-MOS arranged circuitry (transistors MPP1, MPP2, MNP1, MNP2) to control the current during a low phase operation and pseudo P-MOS arranged circuitry (transistors MPN1, MNN1, MNN2) to control the current during a high phase operation. In particular, transistor MPP1 serves as a load network and transistors MPP2, MNP1, MNP2 serve as a logic network. Transistor MPN1 serves as a load network and transistors MNN1, MNN2 serve as a logic network.
The pseudo N-MOS arranged circuitry acts as a low trip point buffer 4100 changing its output voltage level at particular low input voltage level while the pseudo P-MOS arranged circuitry acts as a high trip point buffer 4200 changing its output voltage level at a particular low input voltage level. Dynamic power dissipation is reduced because load network resistance may be controlled. However, with this design there is unwanted static power dissipation due to the presence of bias circuit 4900 which consumes static current, as well as pseudo NMOS/PMOS arranged circuitry of high trip point inverter 4200 and pseudo PMOS arranged circuitry of low trip point inverter 4100.
FIG. 5a shows the voltage characteristic of Current Mode circuit 4000 during a high to low transition. FIG. 5b demonstrates the current consumption of Current Mode circuit 4000 during this same period.
FIG. 5a shows input voltage v(in) decreasing linearly while output voltage v(out) remains constant at a high potential (xcx9c1.5 v) until input voltage v(in) reaches a particular threshold level (xcx9c0.4 v) whereupon output voltage v(out) drops suddenly and sharply (xcx9c0.0 v).
FIG. 5b demonstrates that overall current consumption i(vss) during the high to low transition is reduced as compared with Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000. However, this overall current consumption i(vss) exists regardless of whether circuit 4000 is in the high to low transition state or merely in the steady state. Such steady state current is consumed by bias circuitry 4900 represented by currents i(mnb1) and i(mnb2), pseudo NMOS circuitry 4100 represented by current i(mnn2), and pseudo PMOS circuitry 4200 represented by current i(mnp2).
FIG. 6a shows input voltage v(in) increasing linearly while output voltage v(out) remains constant at a low potential (xcx9c0.0 v) until the input voltage v(in) reaches a particular threshold level (xcx9c0.9 v) whereupon output voltage v(out) rises suddenly and sharply (xcx9c1.5 v). FIG. 6b demonstrates that overall current consumption i(vss) during the low to high transition is reduced as compared with Schmidt Trigger circuit 1000. However, this overall current consumption i(vss) exists regardless of whether circuit 4000 is in the low to high transition state or merely in the steady state. Such steady state current is consumed by bias circuitry 4900 by currents i(mnb1) and i(mnb2), pseudo NMOS circuitry 4100 represented by current i(mnn2), and pseudo PMOS circuitry 4200 represented by current i(mnp2).

Low power dual trip point input buffer circuit


A combinational weighing machine, for combining a plurality of packaged products to be boxed in by selecting a combination of products such that the total of net weights of the products exclusive of their tare weights will be close to a given target weight, includes many weight detecting devices for measuring and detecting the gross weight of one or more packaged products, a subtractor or subtractors for obtaining net weights by subtracting tare weights from gross weights and a combination calculator for combining a plurality of the weight detecting devices and selecting an optimum combination out of them of which the total net weight is equal to or the closest to the target value.

This invention relates to a weighing machine which weighs a plurality of products inclusive of their tare weights and selects an optimum combination such that the total of the net weights of the selected products is the closest to a given target weight.
There have been known combinational weighing machines (as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication Jikkai 4-36428), having many weight detecting units for weighing products comprising one or more articles such as salmon slices and adapted to combine a plurality of them such that the total weight detected by them is the closest to a given target weight value. The products from the selected plurality of weight detecting units are, for example, boxed and shipped.
In the case of already packaged products, however, the total weight obtained by such a weighing machine includes the tare weights. If the packaged products are vacuum-packed salmon slices, for example, the tare weights may be large enough to be non-negligible. Thus, tare weights must be subtracted and net weights of products must be obtained accurately when a large number of already packaged products are put in a box for a commercial purpose. Prior art weighing machines could not handle a situation like this because the net weights could not be ascertained.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combinational weighing machine which subtracts tare weights and hence can obtain a combination of products such that the total of their net weights exclusive of their tare weights approaches a given target weight value even where the products are already packaged.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a combinational weighing machine capable of reducing the error due to tare weights even in situations where there are fluctuations in the numbers of products weighed by the individual weight detecting units or the total number of products finally to be put in a box.

Weighing machine which subtracts tare weights


A replaceable ink reservoir for an inkjet printer includes a bag of flexible plastic film. The film is stretched over a plastic plug formed as a thick disc, and an annular ring is pressed over the plug, trapping the film therebetween. The grip achieved by this mode of fastening is secure enough for mechanical strength, and tight enough to seal the ink contained in the bag. No adhesives etc are needed. A needle-pierceable membrane is housed in the plug.

This invention relates to computer-operated printers of the kind that direct a jet of ink onto a passing surface. The invention is mainly intended for use on the kind of ink-jet printer in which the surface to be printed is a small distance away from the ink jet head, i.e the type that is used for printing onto cardboard boxes and the like. In such printers, the (liquid) ink reservoir is in the form of a flexible bag, and the bag is replaceable. The invention is aimed at providing an improved replaceable reservoir.
Previous designs of replaceable reservoirs for ink-jet printers have been based on the principle of sealing the ink in a container and of including a membrane as a portion of the wall of the container. A hollow needle fixed into the printer is arranged to mechanically pierce the membrane when the container, full of ink, is assembled into place in the printer. Ink flows into the printer through the hollow needle, and the membrane material is such as to seal itself around the needle, whereby no ink can leak out.
Both when the full container is assembled to the needle, and when the (nearly) empty container is removed from the needle, the membrane provides an adequate seal around the needle, and the membrane closes itself up, i.e seals itself, after the needle has been removed. The ink reservoir as described herein also is adapted to make use of the needle-and-membrane technology.
Some previous designs of ink reservoirs for ink-jet printers that might be considered relevant to the invention are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,356 (Ecklund, October 1994); U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,031 (Kyser, January 1980); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,901 (Skafvenstedt, October 1977).
One previous design approach to the replaceable reservoir has been to use a container having fixed or rigid walls. Such containers have been expensive, especially since, as the ink is used, some means of compensating for the reduced volume in the container has to be provided. Movable pistons, which require to be sealed, have added to the complexity and expense. Of course, such systems can be engineered to be leakproof, even if the components are subjected to abusive treatment, but the expense of achieving robust leak-proof reliability has been high.
Another approach has been to provide a flexible bag, which can collapse as the ink is consumed. This addresses the moving-parts problem, but raises the problem of how the bag might be attached to the base component, or plug, in which the membrane is located. The problem of sealing a bag of thin flexible film to a solid, chunky plug, has not previously been resolved adequately, but inexpensive manner. Too often, the joint between bag and plug has been prone to leakage, even when (expensive) care and attention is given especially to the potentially-leaky region of the reservoir during manufacture. Previous designs have included welding, adhesives of various types, and so on, in the attempt to provide a reliable seal.
The invention provides a manner of attaching a bag of flexible plastic film to a chunky, solid plug. Basically, the bag is held tightly between the plug and a tightly fitting ring. The ring holds the film material trapped between itself and the plug. As will be explained, assembly of this manner of attachment, on the production line, is simple enough that even an operator who carries out the assembly with a less than ideal degree of care and attention can readily produce reservoir after reservoir in which the chances of leakage are virtually nil. This level of reliability of the seal is achieved despite the fact that no adhesives or welding are needed.
For an effective seal, the ring should grip the film of the bag very tightly around the plug. The designer should see to it that the ring is of such dimensions as to support the stresses induced by the tight fit. The designer should have it in mind that plastic materials tend to settle or creep over a period of time, to a new dimension in which the stress is reduced. Thus, even though a badly-designed ring might produce a tight fit at first, such a ring might gradually xe2x80x9cgivexe2x80x9d slightly, and the tight fit would be relaxed. The stresses induced in the ring must be kept low enough that the tight fit can be maintained indefinitely. Therefore, the ring and the plug should be thick and chunky.
It is recognised that a plug and a ring of such suitable dimensions as to hold the tight fit more or less indefinitely can be provided inexpensively, and can be accommodated within the environment available for a replaceable ink-reservoir on an ink-jet printer.
The invention lies in an ink-storage reservoir apparatus for a printer that includes a bag of flexible plastic film. A plug serves to close a mouth of the bag, and thereby to define an ink container in the bag. The plug has an outward-facing surface, and the mouth of the bag is placed thereover, and the surface of the plug is so dimensioned, in relation to the mouth of the bag, as to cause the material of the mouth of the bag to stretch over the plug. The apparatus includes a ring, and the ring has an inward-facing surface, which is complementary to the outward-facing surface of the plug. The ring is a tight interference fit over the material of the mouth of the bag when the mouth of the bag is stretched over the outer surface of the plug. The ring is pressed over the plug and encircles the plug, and serves to grip the material of the mouth of the bag, tightly and securely, between the outward-facing surface of the plug and the inward-facing surface of the ring.


A masonry drill and method of manufacture is disclosed. The drill has an elongated axial body with at least one discharge groove and a transverse slot located at one end with a hardened drill bit insert brazed within the slot. The hardened insert has projections extending outward from flat planar surfaces which hold the insert in proper orientation within the axial drill body so that it may be brazed into place subsequent to insertion into the drill body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a masonry drill bit and particularly a masonry drill bit which has a drill body of a soft metal and a hardened carbide masonry drill bit insert inserted into the working end of said drill body.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Carbide-tipped masonry drills are fairly well known. A bit manufactured of tungsten carbide or other hardened material is inserted into a slot in the working end of a metallic shank, held in place utilizing a paste or other material which is replaced when the carbide insert is brazed within the slot. This practice, however, is very inaccurate in that the carbide insert is not oriented within the slot accurately and also prevents a clean braze. U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,616 teaches a drill having a detachable blade mounted on the end thereof in a slot extending transversely to the body of the drill. The blade is constructed with a hub having portions on opposite faces of the blade which fits into an opening formed into said slot so that the blade is oriented properly within the slot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,616 teaches a die-cast masonry drill with leading hard insert. The hardened insert is placed into the dies within which the drill body is to be cast. The drill body is cast in place around the insert with the molten material substantially surrounding the insert as well as interlocking means located on said insert. The insert is held into place within said slot by the contraction of the metal of the drill body due to differences in rates of thermal expansion.

Masonry drill bit and method of making a masonry drill bit


A therapeutic method in which plural points on the body are stimulated by light of different wavelengths emitted from wands, probes or other applicators under the control of a central microprocessor. The microprocessor executes program instructions to produce light at each applicator whose intensity, frequency, duration and pulsation accord with protocols which are automatically selected depending on the portion of the body being treated. The protocols can be manually overridden by the therapist, in which case the changed parameters are stored in memory. The apparatus is particularly useful in performing traditional therapeutic methods to treat internal disorders, substance abuse, pediatric and podiatric problems and disorders of the ear, nose, throat, as well as musculoskeletal, neurological or dermatological disorders.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating the body.
The apparatus of the invention uses low-intensity light to treat disorders of biological tissues, and more practically, provides a computer-controlled system including self-adhesive multiple probes and wands for applying bio-energy to the body. The invention also relates to methods of using low-intensity light for medical therapy, combining key principles from different areas of medicine.
Since the time of "the father of western medicine," Hippocrates, light and energy have been used to treat biological problems. More recently, N. R Finsen, "the father of contemporary photo-therapy", used red and ultraviolet to treat lupus vulgaris, pockmarks, and other skin diseases. However, ultraviolet must be used with caution, because it is an ionizing radiation that has the potential for damaging biomolecules.
Today, light sources are used in both the visible and the near infrared (and thus invisible) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to provide medical therapy. Such light sources provide both coherent and polarization modes (e.g., laser diodes) and non-coherent modes (e.g., super luminous diodes).
As reported by Karu in "Photo-biological Fundamentals of Low Power Laser Therapy", IEEE Journal Quantum Electronics QE-23, 10:1703-1987, photo-biological and clinically significant reaction responses of cells have been induced by non-coherent, non-polarized, monochromatic light. Laser beams penetrate deeper into the tissue, scattering quickly and losing the coherence and polarization properties which distinguish lasers from non-laser light diodes. Electromagnetic wavelengths in the range of 400-2000 nm (both visible and invisible irradiation) provide non-ionizing radiation that does not induce mutagenic or carcinogenic effects. After over twenty years of clinical application of low-intensity light therapy, according to David Baxter (Therapeutic Lasers. P. 62, 1997), to date no serious side effects have been reported in the literature.
There are bio-energy light and heat generating apparatus combining both optical (visible) and infrared (invisible) with wavelengths ranging from 360 nm to 1,380 nm. Prior patents disclosing such devices include Nos. 4,232,678, 4,930,504, 5,500,009, 5,766,233, 5,800,479, and 4,535,784. Such devices may include a laser, laser diodes, or light emitting diodes to produce bio-energy which does not have a the potential for biological reaction in cells as does ionizing radiation in ultraviolet lights.
Devices for stimulating biological tissue using low-intensity light energy to stimulate acupuncture points are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,096, 6,238,424; 6,063,1089; 6,471,716; and 6,074,411(Lai et al.), which describes multi-diodes, self-adhesive using holder to attach diode modules onto patient's body. However, Lai's design can produce inaccuracy in terms of the thickness changes to the actual depth of acupuncture points. Furthermore, by placing a diode laser module into a counterbored hole in a holder, that device has difficulty maintaining an exact illumination 90° angle because the holder is made of soft, plastic foam paper.
For ideal biological tissue stimulation, a combination of wavelengths must be used to achieve illumination to specific depths at acupuncture points and to stimulate several tissue layers to the specific depths simultaneously. A third LED is added to the wand to produce therapeutic heat as moxibustion in TCM of specific light color of color therapy principles. Plural probes and wands provide the ability to treat a number of symptoms by simultaneously stimulating a plurality of acupuncture points. The probes and wands are made self-adhesive with a double-sided, non-allergenic tape to avoid the inconvenience of hand-held models (with which inconsistent radiation can result from movements of the practitioner/patient during treatment). The apparatus also saves time by treating more than one area at once.
A benefit of the present invention is that if the depth of an acupuncture point is variable, a practitioner can set a specific depth of each point in controlling software, providing more accurate treatment at that point's location. A fixed preset illumination depth (for example 3 cm depth, as in the Lai design) is not correct for all acupuncture points. For example, a hand acupuncture point is much closer to the surface than an acupuncture point located at the thigh of a patient.
Whereas prior devices required one to set a single time for all treatments, the present invention provides for variable treatment times. To fulfill the principles of TCM, the practitioner needs to stimulate each TCM acupuncture point by one of the following choices: tonify, sedate or even method. The present invention is built to control the frequency, intensity, dosage, and pulsing of light to satisfy these principle requirements. Pulsing the emissions not only affects the stimulation/inhibition of the biological tissue reaction; it also increases the life span of the treatment unit compared to continuously emitting models.
Taking the incident radiation and angle of reflection into account, the exact location of acupuncture point will be somewhat relative only. So another object of this invention is to minimize human errors in the complicated setting of depths (depending on area), frequencies, intensities, and dosages.
An apparatus according to this invention is an automated system, like a small computer, with specific operating software. Practitioners need only select a certain part or treatment area of the body; then the software automatically sets the frequency, intensity, and dosage and memorizes the settings for the next time. While the automatic mode is particularly convenient for the practitioner, the invention also provides an optional manual mode, allowing for more flexibility in treatment.
An important advantage is that the probes and wands may be started and stopped at the same time, so that they stimulate the body simultaneously to create an ideal effect, considering that the human body is an integrated system.
The invention combines techniques and methods from several different areas of medicine into an inventive treatment method. It also enables one to apply acupuncture and moxibustion to regulate Qi in TCM, or Prana in Ayurvedic, or vital life force of Hippocrates, without using metal needles or burning wools.
One can stimulate the production of certain hormones and enzymes, without the complication of injecting synthesized materials, by placing the plural probes and wands at specific glands'anatomical location to affect the endocrine system. By using LEDs of five different colors (such as white, blue, green, red, and yellow), one can perform color therapy. According to the TCM, these colors correspond to the five elements of the world. Red and infrared diodes are absorbed by the skin, muscles, tissues, and bones and work at the cellular level. The color red represents the element fire, or the cardiovascular system. Yellow represents the element earth, and provides a neutral/central balance state of the body, as related to the stomach. The yellow lights can be a great stimulant for the nervous system as well as toning muscles (spleen dominates muscle according to TCM). White represents the metal element and transformation of the body system that relates to your lung system, especially allergies. Blue represents the water element that relates to the kidney and your willpower; it is best for calming and gives a relaxing effect on treatment therapy. Green represents the wood element in TCM, which relates to the liver, tendons, and emotional state (stress), harmonizing the bio-electromagnetic energy field that surrounds our body.
Light is bio-energy that moves in a wave pattern. For this reason, the inventive method incorporates sound therapy's wave patterns, which harmonizes the endogenous rhythm of the organs and provides a new generation of therapy to enhance the natural building process of biological tissues.
The method and apparatus treat the body with bio-energy light and heat for various conditions. Using this bio-energy light and heat, the apparatus applies energy to patients for the benefits of healing. As modern quantum physics teaches us that all matter is composed of vibrating packets of energy (quanta) that appear to us as particles, so bio-electromagnetic energy is present in all living things with its own specific frequency range, both measurable (frequency of electromagnetic spectrum, such as light (color) and sound) and unmeasurable by conventional scientific methods. We live in a world that is surrounded and affected by the various interconnected magnetic fields of energy. According to Oriental medicine (Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine), a human being is a whole, a small universe that is composed of a body, mind, and spirit in a state of harmony including the free flow of invisible vital energy (life force), known as Qi in TCM and Prana in Ayurvedic, throughout the body. Illness is understood to be a result of the disharmonization of energy. BELG medicine aims to restore the harmonious interaction of energy within the patients and their environment by using the inventive bio-energy light and heat device and BELG method. Instead of injecting healthy cellular materials into the body to promote regeneration in cells, BELG method and its devices provide a non invasive stimulation at cellular level without the complication of injection and cell rejection. At the same time, if stimulated at the endocrine system, restoration of the balance of natural hormone/enzymes will be restored without the actual procedure of hormone/enzyme replacement therapy. Through BELG method, energy and light/colored light therapy applies the color principle, which corresponds to the five elements of TCM, including the benefits from the color spectrum.
BELG methods and devices are the perfect answer for oriental medicine. The invention is especially able to regulate and harmonize the vital life force known as Qi in TCM/Prana in Ayurvedic without using a metal needle or burning moxa wool for heat. In other words, energy, light (colored light) and sound therapy are similar because all of them are just different types of wavelengths that generated light beam through the inventive equipment for therapy purposes.
At the same time, neural therapy can be carry out to remove short circuits in the human's electrical network in the absence of anesthetic injection. Another important aspect of BELG method and devices is its ability to incorporate longevity medicine into the practice. By balancing the biochemistry of aging (such as stress hormones/enzymes helicase) as well as enhancing cell functions to boost up immune system, the aging process may be slowed. The invention also relates to the equipment for stimulating mammal tissue with bio-energy light and heat therapy. The equipment has a power source and a central microprocessor that controls twelve other probes and wands to provide bio-energy. The invention works like a small computer with preset protocols for exact frequency, intensity, and time of specific probes/wands to be activated, in order to eliminate human error. Another unique feature is that practitioners are able to select a variety of preset protocols or set their own preferred selections.

Method and apparatus for treating the body


An eyeglass lens grinding apparatus for grinding a periphery of a lens. Lens rotating shafts holds and rotates the lens. A lens rotating device rotates the lens rotating shafts. The lens rotating device includes a motor and a transmission member that transmits rotational force of the motor to the lens rotating shafts. An abrasive wheel rotating shaft rotates at least one lens grinding abrasive wheel. An abrasive wheel rotating device rotates the abrasive wheel rotating shaft. The abrasive wheel rotating device includes a motor and a transmission member that transmits rotational force of the motor to the abrasive wheel rotating shaft. A moving device relatively moves the lens rotating shafts with respect to the abrasive wheel rotating shaft to thereby vary an axis-to-axis distance between the each of the lens rotating shafts and the abrasive wheel rotating shaft. The moving device includes a moving motor. An axis-to-axis distance detecting device detects an angle of rotation of the moving motor, to thereby obtain the axis-to-axis distance varied by the moving device. A controller controls processing based on a result of detection by the axis-to-axis distance detecting device.

The present invention relates to an eyeglass lens grinding apparatus for grinding the periphery of an eyeglass lens.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,762, a typical eyeglass lens grinding apparatus for grinding the eyeglass lens periphery is designed such that a lens to be processed is clamped by lens rotating shafts, and a carriage holding the lens rotating shafts are pivotably moved using a pulse motor so as to control an axis-to-axis distance between the rotating lens and an rotating abrasive wheel, thereby processing the lens while depressing the lens onto the abrasive wheel.
To prevent breakage and axial offset of the lens during processing, it is necessary to set processing pressure to an appropriate level. For this reason, the apparatus employs such a mechanism that a carriage is pressed by a spring force in the direction toward an abrasive-wheel rotating shaft during processing of the lens, and the carriage is relieved in a direction away from the abrasive wheel if the force exceeding the processing pressure adjusted by the spring force is applied to the lens.
The apparatus is further provided with a processing completion sensor for detecting whether or not the lens has been processed to a predetermined size. The apparatus controls the processing while monitoring (detecting) whether or not the relief mechanism works using this sensor.
If the apparatus having the above-described arrangement is further provided with a motor for adjusting the spring force of the relief mechanism, then it may be possible to adjust the processing pressure depending on the difference in the lens material prior to processing. However, the processing pressure is generally constant during processing. For this reason, if the processing pressure is set to a high level, an excessively high torque is applied to the lens rotating shafts in an early stage of processing where the lens diameter is large, which may results in the axial offset. If the processing pressure is set to a low level to prevent such situation, the overall processing time is long.
In addition, with apparatus having the above-described arrangement, the range in which processing has not been completed can be known by the processing completion sensor, but it has been impossible to ascertain how much such a portion remains unprocessed (unprocessed amount). For this reason, it has been impossible to change the processing conditions in correspondence with the unprocessed amount.
Further, the relief mechanism as described above is complex in construction, and is disadvantageous in terms of cost.


An optical device for viewing a sample contained within a holder (e.g., pair of glass slides), featuring an array of lenses and a collimating plate for illuminating spaced-apart narrow areas of the sample, and another lenticular array and collimating plate for viewing the illuminated areas.

It is often desirable to make a wide area photograph of a frail specimen (e.g., a very thin slice), which must be supported inside a holder of some kind, such as between two microscope slides. Such frail specimens include extremely thin slices (e.g., 0.5 microns), in which the holder is needed for mechanical support, or materials prone to corrosion, in which the holder provides an environmental seal. Because such a specimen cannot be placed in direct contact with film or with a fiber-optic plate, contact prints cannot be made. Instead, photographs are made using a camera held at a suitable distance (for focusing) from the specimen and holder.


An enclosure for an energy monitoring current transformer includes upper housing that houses an upper transformer core section. Lower housing houses a transformer coil and a lower transformer core section. When the enclosure is assembled there is an overlap between the cap for the lower housing and the lower housing that lengthens a creepage path from the upper transformer core to the external surface of the enclosure.

Energy monitoring current transformer are often used as low voltage non-invasive current sensing devices. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2808 sets out standards for open-type current transformers rated for use in either 250 volt alternate current (VAC) or 600 VAC line-to-line circuits. The transformers are evaluated for installation within equipment on the load side of the service equipment over current device.

Energy monitoring current transformer enclosure


An impeller high-precision static performance simulation device, a testing machine, and an impeller performance simulation testing method are provided. In the device, a centrifugal force acting on a blade is simulated by an upper clamper, a lower clamper and a tension sensor. In the process of carrying out a simulation test to the performance of the impeller, a centrifugal force effect of an air compressor impeller is simulated by a static pulling force, to accurately simulate and evaluate the service condition of the impeller under the action of a high-precision static force.

The impeller is an important component of an air compressor, and is an important part that ensures the performance, reliability and durability of the air compressor.
In the working process of the air compressor, a blade rotating at a high speed may be subjected to a great centrifugal force, and thus defects such as micro-cracks are apt to be generated on the surface and inside of the blade. Accordingly, the service performance of a blade under the action of the centrifugal force is of great significance to the durability and reliability of the impeller in service.
An impeller performance test in the remanufacturing or production process of impellers has a guiding significance for the subsequent mass production of impellers. Therefore, it becomes a technical issue to be addressed urgently by the person skilled in the art to simulate the effect of a centrifugal force of an impeller of an air compressor so as to accurately simulate and evaluate the service performance of the impeller under the action of a high-precision static force.

Impeller high-precision static performance simulation device, testing machine and impeller performance simulation testing method


A vehicle shade and vehicle window combination comprises a vehicle side panel having a window recess and a window which may be lowered into such window recess and raised therefrom to a window closed position, a window opening in the vehicle side panel having a window opening bottom wall, window opening top wall, and window opening side walls, the window recess opening to the window opening bottom wall, a window shade recess between the window recess and inner wall of the vehicle side panel also opening to the window opening bottom wall, a wind-up roller secured in the window shade recess, one end of a flexible sheet shade member secured to the wind-up roller, its other free end being liftable to the window opening upper wall and having one or more eyelets to receive corresponding hook members on a rib member secured to the upper edge of the vehicle window. The shade when so connected to the upper edge of the vehicle window can be raised and lowered by raising and lowering the vehicle window.

This invention relates to the field of window shades for vehicle windows of the type that are primarily used to shade the side windows of the vehicle.
Prior art window shades for vehicle windows of which the inventor is aware include those described in the following United States patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,546 discloses a roller blind for a motor vehicle comprising a housing with a curved guide slot through which a strip of flexible material extends fixed to a roller for winding up thereon, and a curved pull bar affixed to the free end of the blind.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,775 discloses a window shade primarily for a vehicle windshield, comprising a shade strip and a winding shaft being axially displaced when the shade strip is pulled past a window or wound back onto the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,224 discloses a rear window shade assembly for the rear window of a vehicle, comprising a base which can be set on a back-seat shelf of an automobile with a roll shade mechanism, a winch, and an angularly adjustable crane arm mounted thereon. A cord extends from the winch along the crane arm and is attached to the outer free end of a shade on the roll shade mechanism for extending and retracting the shade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,542 discloses a sun visor device for shading the rear window of an automobile, comprising a seat, a shade roller having an elongated cylindrical housing and a retractable shade body received in the cylindrical housing, a gripping member and a stay rod. The seat and gripping member are mounted on a platform located under the rear window of the automobile and an inside rubber bib connected to the roof panel of the automobile and biased by a stay rod connected therebetween. The sun visor device can be installed and removed without drilling holes in the interior surface of the automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,263 discloses a window screen or shade for motor vehicles comprising a wind-up roller biased in the wind-up direction to which one end of a screen or shade is secured. The other end is mounted in an end rail which may be pushed upwardly by a pair of levers. The levers are pivoted to a support member at each opposite end of the roller, and they have their outer free ends in bearing engagement against the end rail. As their free ends are pivoted upwardly, they push the end rail and shade member upwardly against the bias of the wind-up roller in the opposite direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,041 discloses a glare protection device for use with the rear window of passenger cars, comprising laterally separated flexible guide rails, a pull bar fixed to one edge of a sunscreen, the other edge of the sunscreen being fixed to a roll bar, a pair of hold bars slidably received in the end portions of the pull bar, each of the hold bars engaging respective ones of the guide rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,018 discloses a free standing sunshade assembly to be attached to a motor vehicle, comprising a shade housing having an internal sunshade roller which stores the shade material, the shade being positioned and maintained in a desired extended or retracted position through use of an elongated stiffener tape member having a crowned cross-sectional shape which provides bending stiffness. The stiffener tape is stored by coiling within a stiffener tape housing and is extended and retracted along with the shade material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,773 discloses a wind-up curtain for motor vehicles comprising a sheet of flexible opaque material having a plurality of holes and attached to a wind-up shaft carried by end supports. A semi-cylindrical casing is parallel to the wind-up shaft to permit a hand grip member to be rotated, when mounted, from one side to the other of the casing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,386 discloses an anti-glare shade for windshields comprising a mounting device to mount the shade assembly on the dashboard along the bottom edge of the windshield, a wind-up roller supported on the mounting device, a flexible sheet shade member having one end secured to the wind-up roller, an eyelet in the center of the opposite end of the shade member to receive one of the lugs of a retaining member secured to the upper edge of the windshield.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,677,287 discloses an apparatus for adjusting automobile curtains, comprising an assembly of pulleys and cords which are connected to curtains to the rear of the driver, with a portion of the cord within reach of the driver so he can raise or lower the curtains to his rear from the driver's seat.

Window shade and vehicle window combination


Systems and methods for a heated gas cylinder assembly are disclosed. The heated gas cylinder assembly may comprise a cylinder shell and a heat exchanger disposed within the cylinder shell. The heat exchanger and the cylinder shell may define an interior chamber configured to hold a gas mixture. The heat exchanger may comprise an inner bore configured to receive a pyrotechnic composition. In response to igniting the pyrotechnic composition, the heat exchanger may provide thermal conduction to the gas mixture. The gas mixture may be simultaneously heated and released, or the gas mixture may be preheated before release.

Various industries, such as automotive, marine, aircraft, medical, sporting equipment, food and beverage, plumbing and electrical industries, may use compressed gas tank assemblies or high-pressure gas cylinders for storage and delivery of pressurized fluid. For example, compressed gas cylinder assemblies (or inflation assemblies) may be used with aircraft evacuation systems. In that respect, the compressed gas cylinder may supply gas to inflate life rafts, evacuation slides, and/or other floats to be used in evacuation situations. The amount of gas needed to provide inflation may vary as the operating temperature changes (e.g., heated gas is capable of doing more work than cold gas). Typically, an external propellant system, such as a solid propellant gas generator, may mix hot gas with the gas supplied from the compressed gas cylinder to account for cold operating temperatures.

System and method for a heated gas cylinder assembly


A well screen formed of an extruded wedge shaped plastic strip wound about cylindrically disposed supporting rods in which the flexible strip is extruded of dual durometer dissimilar materials in the form of a unitary strip having complementary characteristics in which one body portion is formed of a suitable substantially rigid plastic material and another body portion is formed of a plastic material which has relatively greater strength characteristics whereby in the event of cracking of one of the portions, the strip is held together in a useable condition by the other body portion and a coating of abrasive resistant material is extruded unitarily with the strip to form an outer surface portion having substantial resistance to wear.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates particularly to the strip material used to form well screen structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is not an uncommon practice in the prior art to form well screens by winding a strip about supporting rods to form a substantially cylindrical screen. However, in the prior art practice, it is apparent that the strip material used is formed of a uniform material and a wire core is also known to be used.
In U.S. Letters Patent No. 1,858,592 it is disclosed that a ribbon is wound about supporting rods with no description being given of the substance of the ribbon. In U.S. Letters Patent No. 4,068,713 there is disclosed the use of a PVC strip wound about a core. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,373 there is disclosed the use of a strip of plastic having a metal wire core to be wound about supporting rods. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,182 there is shown the use of a high density polyethylene.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,293 a wedge shaped wire is shown wrapped about supporting rods but the substance of the wire is not defined. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,128 there is defined a strip formed of bundles of glass filaments embodied in a resin forming the outer surface of a well screen.
The invention herein makes a disclosure with respect to the use of a dual durometer strip material of two or more dissimilar material which is particularly adapted to withstand handling and installation of stresses to provide a long useful life.


A turbine engine nozzle having confluent streams, the nozzle including a core cowl arranged around an annular central body and co-operating therewith to define a core annular channel for passing a flow of a core stream, the core stream on entry into the nozzle possessing an azimuth component driving residual gyratory movement of the core stream in two opposite gyratory flow directions corresponding to two operating speeds of the engine, the core cowl having an annular upstream portion that is extended downstream by an annular terminal portion having longitudinal cuts forming a plurality of flaps that overlap radially in pairs via their respective side edges in such a manner that, for each flap, one of the two side edges of the flap is positioned internally relative to the corresponding side edge of one of the adjacent flaps, while the other side edge of the flap is positioned externally relative to the corresponding side edge of the other adjacent flap.

The present invention relates to the general field of nozzles with confluent streams fitted to turbine engines.
Typically, a turbine engine nozzle with confluent streams comprises an annular central body centered on a longitudinal axis of the engine, an annular core cowl positioned around the central body, being on the same axis, so as to co-operate therewith to define a core channel, and an annular bypass cowl positioned around the core cowl, being on the same axis, so as to co-operate therewith to define a bypass channel.
A gas stream (referred to as a core stream or hot stream) coming from the low pressure turbine of the engine flows in the core channel of the nozzle. Another gas stream (referred to as the bypass stream or the cold stream) outside the engine flows in the bypass channel. The core and bypass streams mix in a confluence zone situated at the exit from the core channel. Reference may be made to Document EP 1 870 588, which describes a mixer for such a nozzle.
A nozzle with confluent streams presents certain problems relating to questions of ventilation at different operating points of the engine. In particular, the nacelle of the engine is ventilated by a stream of air flowing in the bypass channel and that is sucked in by the core stream in the confluence zone by a jet pump effect. Unfortunately, one of the critical points of that system of suction by the jet pump effect is how it operates when the engine is idling. When idling, the jet of the core stream is reduced and is therefore not sufficiently energetic to ensure that the ventilation flow is driven correctly. Such poor suction can even lead to hot gas being ingested into the bypass channel, and that can lead to severe damage for equipment present in the nacelle compartment and indeed for the nacelle itself.
In order to avoid that phenomenon of re-ingesting hot gas, it is possible to improve the mixing between the core stream and the bypass stream. One known solution is to position geometrical elements that generate vortices in the primary channel in the proximity of the confluence zone. Such vortex generators serve to increase the amount of turbulence, thereby enhancing mixing between the streams. Nevertheless, in cruising flight, the vortex generators lead to significant head loss, with direct consequences on the overall efficiency of the engine.
Furthermore, those problems of re-ingesting hot gas while idling and of head loss while cruising are made worse by the residual gyration of the core stream on entry into the nozzle. Depending on the operating speed of the engine, the core stream entering into the nozzle possesses an azimuth speed component that is not zero. This residual gyratory motion is generally not in the same direction while the engine is operating at idling speed and while it is operating at cruising speed. Unfortunately, this azimuth component has the consequences both of increasing the probability of hot gas being re-ingested while idling, and of mismatching the vortex generators at cruising speed (thereby increasing head losses).

Turbine engine nozzle having confluent streams and including a core cowl with overlapping flaps


A combination valve and pump assembly for use as ballasting apparatus in ships includes a cylindrical valve element disposed within an opening in a ballast chamber. The valve element communicates with ambient sea water and is movable toward and away from the ship's outer surface to block and unblock the opening. The valve and pump assembly also comprises pump apparatus, operable with the valve element, and including an impeller rotatably positioned concentrically within the valve element. The invention contemplates simultaneous reciprocatory translation of the valve element and the pump assembly by hydraulic motor apparatus such that opening and closing of the opening by the valve element is effected by the hydraulic apparatus, while a pump motor causes rotation of the impeller when the valve element is displaced from a position where the opening is blocked.

This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to power-operated valve and pump apparatus for flooding and evacuating sea water from compartments of ships.
Efficient disposal of excess or unwanted water, which leaks or is admitted into waterborne vessels, has historically been a problem of great concern. Sea water can enter a ship's compartments in a "passive" manner, e.g. by leakage or flooding (as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 551,473; 706,561; and 1,127,648 to Perkins, Holland and Lake, respectively) or in an "active" manner, e.g., by pumping (as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,796,200, 3,242,613 to Grieshaver and Schwartz, respectively).
At present the two most widely used methods of water evacuation involve either removal of the water from a compartment by centrifugal pumping, or by sealing a compartment and pumping of compressed air into it to "blow out" the water. There are disadvantages, however, attendant with conventional centrifugal pumping methods which make their use extremely undesirable. These methods require, for example, use of extremely expensive machinery and extensive amounts of interconnecting piping. Related to this is the great loss of energy (power consumption) due to frictional losses in the piping system. And in the "blow out" method, a great amount of non-recoverable heat is generated as a result of the air compression, and the pumped air is heated sufficiently to require extensive insulation of the air pipes. This extra insulation not only increases installation costs, but also adds extra weight and maintenance.

Combination sea valve and deballast pump


A method and system for the application of hair treatment solution, such as permanent solutions, to the hair is disclosed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the present invention includes hair curlers having cylindrically shaped outside surfaces and hollow interiors. After the curler is rolled in the hair, vapor retainers may be placed around the hair rolled on the hair curler. The vapor retainer includes in its most preferred form, first and second semicircular members hinged together for defining a hair treatment solution receiving volume. Vaporized hair treatment solution may be injected into the interior of the hair curler for communication with the hair located within the vapor retainer. In its most preferred form, the curler includes a frustro-conical portion extending into the interior of the curler and having a closure formed from wedge-shaped flaps. The injector includes in its most preferred form a member for opening the flap closure of the hair curlers and further includes a source of heated, pressurized air and a member for delivering hair treatment solution into the stream of pressurized, heated air for vaporizing the hair treatment solution for introduction into the hair curler. After the hair treatment solution is allowed to set, the retainers may be removed and clips attached to the curlers for retaining the hair curlers in their rolled position in the hair. At that time, the hair may be rinsed and/or a neutralizer solution applied. Thereafter, the clips and curlers may be removed from the hair.

The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for the application of hair treatment solution to hair and more specifically to a method and system for the application of vaporized hair treatment solution to hair.
Prior to the present invention, hair treatment solutions such as permanent solutions were applied to the hair in liquid form. This resulted in excessive waste of the solution, in possible damage to the hair, and in possible irritation to the patron's scalp. The use of liquid solution also required considerable time for application, required the use of harsh chemicals which were hard on the hair, and had other, like, and different disadvantages and limitations. Further, the use of steam to restore the hair and prepare the hair for hair treatment solution was recognized at least by the present inventor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,692.
Thus, a need has arisen for a method and system of applying hair treatment solution to hair which is less time consuming both to the patron and the salon operator, which maximizes the use of hair treatment solution, which allows the use of gentler hair treatment solutions, and is otherwise advantageous.

Method and system for the application of hair treatment solution


An optical scanning device provided with a casing, a plurality of light sources, a deflection scanning unit that deflects and scans light beams from the plurality of light sources onto a plurality of bodies to be scanned, and a plurality of optical units arranged between the deflection scanning unit and the bodies to be scanned, in which optical unit supporting members that support the optical units are provided, the optical unit supporting members support the plurality of optical units arranged at predetermined intervals, and a thermal expansion coefficient of the optical unit supporting members is lower than a thermal expansion coefficient of the casing.

Conventionally, in an image forming device, an image is formed with images of a plurality of colors being superposed by an optical scanning device (laser scanning unit: LSU), and therefore a problem that is referred to as color deviation sometimes occurs.
For example, image forming devices having configurations such as the following are known. A light beam such as a laser is scanned on the surfaces of a plurality of latent image carriers (also referred to as drum-shaped photoreceptor units or photoreceptor drums, for example) that correspond to each color of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and respective latent images are thereby written to each latent image carrier. Those latent images are then developed for images of each color to be formed on each latent image carrier, the images of each color are transferred from each latent image carrier to an image carrier (transfer belt), and the images of each color are superposed and formed on the image carrier. In addition, the images of each color are transferred from the image carrier to a printing sheet for an image to be formed on the printing sheet. In an image forming device of this kind of configuration, the images of each color sometimes deviate when transferred from each latent image carrier to the image carrier, color deviation occurs, and image quality deteriorates.
In particular, when an image forming device is being driven, the temperature inside the casing of the image forming device rises, the casing of the optical scanning device thermally expands, and as a result the positions of optical components such as Fθ second lenses fluctuate and color deviation sometimes occurs.
To prevent this kind of color deviation caused by thermal expansion, conventionally, a method is known in which a temperature sensor such as a thermistor is provided inside the optical scanning device, and color deviation is corrected according to the temperature inside and peripheral to the optical scanning device (see PTL 1, for example).
According to this method, the positions of the images of each color are corrected by controlling the latent image writing timing with reference to a table indicating characteristics of the color deviation amounts for each color for the image carrier with respect to temperature changes in the temperature inside and peripheral to the optical scanning device.

Optical scanning device and image forming device provided with optical scanning device


The combination of a vehicle steering wheel assembly and an electronic device mounting system that enables the device to be mounted on said steering wheel assembly and maintained thereon in a substantially vertical position regardless of the rotational position of the steering wheel. A mounting stud is centrally located on the steering wheel assembly and a mounting clip is attached to the electronic device having a structure for attachment to the mounting stud whereby the mounting clip and the mounting stub are characterized by being freely movable each with the other whereby the device is maintained in a substantially vertical position by gravity regardless of the position of the steering wheel. A safety strap maintains the device attached to the steering wheel assembly and includes a first end attached to the mounting stud and a second end attached to the steering wheel.

The use of electronic devices, such as cell phones or Global Positioning Systems, GPS, by the driver of a vehicle has become commonplace in modern society. Typically use of this equipment is distracting particularly if the electronic device is required to be hand held by the driver. These types of distractions are particularly dangerous and have been known to cause serious accidents. Even when mounting structures are provided on or above the dashboard, the driver typically must remove the hands from the steering wheel to engage the electronic device thereby diverting attention from the task of safely driving the vehicle.
It has been recognized that mounting of the electronic device on the steering wheel of the vehicle provides easy access to the driver whereby the device is visually available and requires a minimum use of the driver's hands while driving. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,217 shows a cell phone mounted on the steering wheel of the vehicle, however the cell phone holder is permanently attached whereby the cell phone rotates with the wheel as it is turned making it difficult to view still causing a distraction to the driver.
An improvement is shown in Publication Number 2011/0024470 to Hajarian that discloses a cell phone mount on the center console of a typical steering wheel assembly that includes a rotatable platform mounted on the steering wheel to which the cell phone is attached.

Self leveling steering wheel mount assembly


An upgrade campaign specification upgrades a system from a current configuration to a target configuration. A method is provided for selecting one or more upgrade campaign specifications from a given set of upgrade campaign specifications. For each upgrade campaign specification, the method (1) identifies software and management operations specified in the upgrade campaign specification for upgrading the system; and (2) for each of a set of one or more scenarios defined in terms of operation execution time selection and execution mode, simulates upgrade of the system according to a corresponding arrangement of the software and management operations, thereby obtaining a corresponding execution time and a corresponding outage. A subset of the upgrade campaign specifications is rejected, for which the corresponding execution times do not meet an execution time threshold or for which the corresponding outages do not meet an outage threshold.

High availability (HA) is an important requirement for carrier grade services. The Service Availability Forum (SAF) developed a set of standard services for an HA enabling middleware. Among these services, the Availability Management Framework (AMF) is responsible for managing application/service availability, while the Software Management Framework (SMF) is in charge of orchestrating upgrade campaigns that perform changes on these applications.
An upgrade campaign is the process of migrating a system from its current configuration to a target configuration that, for example, deploys a new version of some software. In a Service Availability Forum (SAF) compliant environment, SMF orchestrates this migration by following a roadmap: an upgrade campaign specification, which describes the changes to be done and their ordering. An upgrade campaign specification describes the actions to initialize and to wrap up the campaign, and the upgrade procedures that compose the body of the campaign. Each procedure has an upgrade scope, an upgrade method, and the common attributes of the steps composing this procedure. Based on the upgrade scope, the upgrade method and the state of the current system configuration, at execution time, SMF decomposes each procedure into a number of upgrade steps. Each step has a sequence of actions, some of which are performed online while the service is being provided, while others are performed offline by taking a subset of the service providers out of service while upgrading them. The later may induce some service outage.
Several upgrade campaign specifications might be applicable to take a system from a source configuration to a target configuration. These upgrade campaign specifications have in common the set of changes they have to perform, but they vary in other aspects such as the number of procedures, the ordering of the procedures, or even the choice of the scope and upgrade method of each procedure. Therefore, some upgrade campaign specifications may induce more outage or may take longer time to execute than others.

Method and system for evaluating upgrade campaigns