A printer performs a method for correcting density irregularity that includes: acquiring imaging data by imaging, using an imaging device mounted in a printer, a correcting pattern that is used to correct density irregularity, which contains a strip region (first pattern) with first density and a strip region (second pattern) with second density different from the first density; and correcting the density irregularity based on the imaging data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for correcting density irregularity, a printing apparatus, and an imaging module.
2. Related Art
In a printing apparatus that ejects ink on a medium (for example, a paper surface) so as to print an image, band-like or streaky density irregularity (so-called banding) occurs in a main-scanning direction of a printing head that ejects ink, in some cases. By comparison, there is known a system that corrects such banding (for example, see JP-A-2006-305956).
In the system disclosed in JP-A-2006-305956, a medium (paper, cloth, a film, an OHP sheet, or the like), on which a correcting pattern is printed by a printing apparatus, is set in a scanner. The scanner has a line sensor and line scanning is performed by the line sensor such that the correcting pattern is read to acquire image data. Then, the read and acquired image data is transmitted to a computer from the scanner, and the computer acquires a correction value that is used to correct density irregularity, based on the image data.
Incidentally, in the system disclosed in JP-A-2006-305956, the medium, on which printing is performed by a printer, is reset in the scanner such that the scanner reads the correcting pattern through line scanning. In the reading of the image through the line scanning, a problem arises in that there is a limit to a reading speed and it takes a time to acquire the correction value (banding correction). In addition, in JP-A-2006-305956, since the medium, on which the printing apparatus has performed printing, need to be reset in the scanner, even in this respect, it takes a long time to perform the banding correction. Further, there is a shift between a position of the correcting pattern when the medium is set in the scanner and a position of the correcting pattern printed by the printer, and thus there is a possibility that there is a positional error even in a correction value.

Method for correcting density irregularity, printing apparatus, and imaging module


Two-transistor devices protect electrical circuits from sustained overcurrent conditions. Some cases provide normally-on depletion mode transistors biased into enhancement mode for lower impedance during normal current conditions, and then the transistors are biased into blocking depletion mode during sustained overcurrent conditions to block the current to the circuit. Optionally, the devices have only two terminals and require no auxiliary power to operate. Other cases provide protective circuitry for the transistors' gates, timing circuitry designed to ignore brief nuisance spikes, and/or timing circuitry to delay resetting the device until the current has returned to an acceptable level.

Fuses, circuit breakers, and lambda diodes are known for protecting electrical circuits from spikes in current that could damage other components of the circuits. Fuses and circuit breakers, however, suffer from the disadvantage that they must be manually replaced or reset. Lambda diodes and devices derived from them unfortunately may introduce an undesirably high impedance in series with the load to be protected, and often require an auxiliary power supply to function properly. Sometimes that auxiliary power supply is provided by a battery or an independent circuit. If the auxiliary power supply fails, the protected circuit either no longer functions, or functions without adequate protection. The power consumed by a lambda diode may not impact a conventional low-power circuit; however, a high-power circuit will experience energy waste, shortened service life, and potentially significant thermal effects from conventional lambda diode configurations. Additionally, ultra-low power circuits such as so-called "nano-power" circuits, and various energy harvesting circuits are especially vulnerable to the effects of wasted energy.
Some lambda diode configurations also fail to take into account the significant variability in the performance characteristics of the transistors employed in the lambda diode. For example, the pinch-off voltage of standard manufactured junction gate field-effect transistors ("JFETs") can vary considerably over a range of several volts, causing the lambda diode to block current at higher- or lower-than-expected currents. Other conventional configurations begin blocking current too quickly, because they are triggered by relatively harmless transient spikes. Still other configurations do not wait long enough before resetting and allowing current flow, potentially subjecting the protected circuit to still-dangerous overcurrents. Accordingly, a lambda diode configuration that does not account for those shortcomings will yield a device of questionable protective value.
Solid-state fuses other than lambda circuits usually appear as an integrated circuit and require at least one pin to be grounded. In this way, the solid-state fuse is partially in parallel with the load to be protected instead of entirely in series with that load. This reduces the effectiveness of those solid-state fuses. Further, the necessity of grounding the integrated circuit may restrict the placement of integrated power field effect transistors ("FETs") to either high side or low side placement. Whichever placement is chosen, the additional burden is imposed of necessarily having to drive the potentials at the gates beyond the potential of the power rails. For higher-voltage applications especially, driving the gates above the high side rail or below the negative rail can be difficult and/or dangerous. In addition, solid-state fuses usually require a dedicated external power supply. Chaotic electrical conditions may cause power failure of the external power supply, resulting in the circuit to be protected being left unprotected. All of this reduces the effectiveness of those solid-state fuses.
Circuit protection devices are needed that do not require an auxiliary power source, more efficiently guard high-power circuit applications, adapt to high-side and low-side applications, serve any circuit with strict or sensitive energy requirements, and adequately protect electrical circuits.

Two-transistor devices for protecting circuits from sustained overcurrent


A precision cathode current regulator for controlling cathode current in a cathode-ray tube having a field effect transistor which is stabilized by an operational amplifier connected in a feedback mode. A second operational amplifier is electrically coupled to the field effect transistor for measuring cathode voltage accurately without affecting the regulated current.

This invention relates to current regulators and particularly to a precision regulator for controlling and monitoring current to a cathode of an electron tube such as a cathode-ray tube during testing of the tube.
After a cathode-ray tube, such as a color picture tube, has been fabricated, it is necessary to test the tube to ensure that it will operate within desired tolerances. In order to attain uniformity in testing, it is important that the cathode current being supplied to the tube is accurately controlled. To date, several different types of regulators have been tried to perform this regulation. These different types have employed components such as bipolar transistors, vacuum tubes and field effect transistors. Of these components, recent developments in improving field effect transistors have made these components a preferred choice. However, there are drawbacks in using field effect transistors. These drawbacks include drift or change of current due to change in the transistor characteristics caused by temperature sensitivity and the risk of transistor damage caused by high voltage transients.
In addition to providing regulated current, it is also desirable to be able to measure the actual cathode voltage when operating at the regulated current level without actually changing that value due to the metering employed. When the circuit is regulating to a low value of current at a high input voltage, the regulator represents a high impedance. FIG. 1 illustrates the impedance of a regulator versus current and voltage. Normal methods of voltage metering require a resistive shunt which would alter the test results. Further, the shunt load also represents a non-regulated current path which would degrade regulator performance.
The present invention provides a new current regulator circuit which has better regulation than the previous concepts, is more stable and less sensitive to thermal drift, has provision for cathode voltage measurement, and takes advantage of the properties of a field effect transistor which allow operation in the depletion and/or enhancement modes.


A method of surgically accessing and making an incision in a selected part of a body includes inserting a needle into part of the body and withdrawing fluid from the body through the needle to determine if the needle is located in the selected part of the body. Once properly located, a blade is moved along the length of the needle, making an adjacent incision. A depth of the blade relative to the end of the needle is indicated to the user. A surgical apparatus includes a hollow needle, having a needle point and a needle wall that defines a needle tube. A blade having a cutting edge and a blade base adjacent to the cutting edge is located adjacent to the needle wall. A platform slidably engages the needle for sliding along the length of the needle and holding the blade base adjacent to the needle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments and procedures, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for making a precise surgical incision.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the medical treatment of a living being, whether human or animal, it is frequently necessary to make a precise surgical incision at a particular location, and at a particular depth, in the body. Such a precise incision may be needed for creating a working portal for arthroscopic surgery, endoscopic surgery or other surgical procedures that operate with cameras and tools on the end of a tube inserted into the body.
In another circumstance, a patient with a failed airway—where a patient is unable to oxygenate and ventilate, and the trachea is not in condition for intubation—may require a precise surgical incision for placing a breathing tube in the trachea. Such an incision is typically made in the neck of the patient's body by an emergency room medical practitioner, surgeon, or paramedic. Access to the trachea is typically gained by making an incision in the cricothyroid membrane in a procedure referred to as cricothyroidotomy, which is incision through skin and the cricothyroid membrane to secure a patient's airway for emergency relief of upper airway obstruction.
Precision is needed because an improperly located incision may result in accidental damage to vital organs, infection, misplacement of an endotracheal tube or other instrument, laceration of blood vessels, hemorrhaging, spread of diseases (e.g., AIDS and hepatitis), and the like. Safety of the operator making the incision is also a concern because the operator may be cut, which increases the operator's chance of acquiring a fatal disease such as AIDS and hepatitis.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,115 to Lawrence discloses a sliding knife and needle assembly for creating a percutaneous incision in a living body. The device has a hollow rectangular handle, with a solid needle extending therefrom. A knife blade is located inside the hollow handle and may be extended parallel to the axis of the needle for creating an incision for arthroscopic or endoscopic surgery. This device has the disadvantage of not supporting an analysis of fluid from the location of the tip of the needle. Further disadvantages include a structure wherein the needle is not in the plane of the blade, and an absence of an indication of the depth of the blade relative to the needle.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for precisely locating a point of incision in a living body, wherein the improvements help a medical practitioner locate a point of incision prior to making an incision, and the depth of the incision relative to the located point is indicated to the practitioner.

Method and apparatus for making a precise surgical incision


A wafer scale multi-chip semiconductor module used to interconnect and house a plurality of integrated circuit chips. The wafer scale multi-chip semiconductor module has an interconnect network extending between the integrated circuit chips along the substrate of the semiconductor wafer module, which allows electrical access to the integrated circuit chips by means of electrically conductive bridge connections. The integrated circuit chips are placed in openings in the semiconductor wafer module, allowing for excellent planarity.

The size, complexity, and speed of integrated circuits are increasing every year. At the same time, the reduction of size and weight is an extremely important goal, especially in applications such as aerospace, aviation, lap top computers, etc. And in the area of packaging, density translates directly into speed. Accordingly, the current trend is to house and interconnect multiple integrated circuits in the smallest area possible, often in a type of package referred to as a multi-chip module.
One type of multi-chip module utilizes solder bumps to attach integrated circuit die to a module substrate. Solder bumps are placed on the pads of the integrated circuit, the module, or both. The integrated circuit is then mated to the module substrate. A thermal cycle melts the solder and bonds the pad areas together. Generally, the module substrate has an interconnect network to route the integrated circuit's inputs and outputs to the rest of the system.
The solder bump technique has many advantages over other multi-chip module methods. However, the conventional solder bump approach does not address all packaging requirements. For example, since the solder bump connections are generally made between the under side of the integrated circuit die and the substrate, accurate placement is an issue. Also, it is difficult to test the individual integrated circuits for failures, once the integrated circuits are attached to the module. Even if individual defective integrated circuits are found, it is difficult to swap out defective integrated circuits for good ones.
Another aspect of multi-chip modules incorporating densely packed high power integrated circuits is that efficient heat dissipation is required. As integrated circuits are placed closer together, the power dissipation problem becomes aggravated. In the conventional solder bump attachment technique, the only contact the integrated circuits have with the module substrate is through the solder bumps. Yet, heat dissipation through the solder bump connections is not the best solution to the problem. For multi-chip modules with minimal heat dissipation requirements, thermal bumps can be added at the cost of active area or heat can be dissipated into the ambient via the back plane of the integrated circuit. However, for multi-chip modules with greater thermal dissipation requirements, complex attachments such as thermal conduction modules incorporating heat sinking or forced air are used, which increases the module complexity and cost.
Another recent approach to the size reduction goal is wafer scale integration in which many or all the integrated circuits necessary for a particular application are fabricated and interconnected on a single wafer. The problem with this approach is that numerous redundant integrated circuits must be designed into the wafer in order to accommodate failures. When the wafer is tested, bad die are disconnected and good die are connected into the circuit. Although this approach alleviates the need to remove bad die from a module and has better planarity, this is a very expensive solution, both in excess material cost and in excess size.
Accordingly, a solution to the size reduction goal for multi-chip integrated circuit packages is needed, which allows for easy placement of the integrated circuit die into the module, easy swapping of bad die for good die, and easy heat dissipation solutions, as well as optimum size reduction, and optimum module planarity.


A solid propellant for rocket propulsion systems or gas generators compri 35 to 80 wt. % ammonium nitrate (AN) in pure or nickel oxide, potassium or cesium nitrate phase-stabilized form (PSAN) with an average particle size of 5 to 200 .mu.m, 15 to 50 wt. % of a binder system of a binder polymer and an energy-rich plasticizer, as well as 0.2 to 5 wt. % of a burning moderator of vanadium/molybdenum oxide in the form of an oxide mixture or mixed oxide.

Solid propellants of the aforementioned type generally have a low burning speed and a high pressure exponent. The burning speed or rate can be increased by adding solid, high-energy substances such as octogen (HMX) or hexogen (RDX), or metals having a high heat of combustion, such as aluminium or boron. Combinations with energy-rich binders serve the same function. These include isocyanate-bound glycidylazido polymers (GAP), nitrate ester-containing polymers, such as polyglycidyl nitrate and polynitratomethylethyloxetan or nitro- amino-substituted polymers. Even though this leads to a rise in the burning rate, the pressure exponent and the temperature coefficient are only slightly or not reduced.
Additions of ammonium perchlorate, which lead to a rise in the burning speed, admittedly reduce with a higher dosage the pressure exponent, but lead to the formation of hydrochloric acid in the exhaust and therefore to higher smoke formation with high atmospheric humidity.
In the case of double base and composite double base solid propellants the burning behaviour can be favourably influenced by adding lead and copper salts or oxides in conjunction with carbon black, but said additives can only be used to a limited extent in the case of ammonium nitrate-containing propellants. Said salts and oxides mainly act in the sense of increasing the burning rate, but do not allow an adequate drop of the pressure exponent.
The problem of the invention is to improve the burning behaviour of solid propellants based on pure and phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate.

Solid propellant based on phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


A pressure pump in a primary liquid flow is combined with a pressure exchanger for energy recovery from a secondary liquid flow. A motor-driven rotor portion, including two (primary and secondary) rotatable drum-type cylinder assemblies, is disposed between end blocks configured with input/output ports and cavities forming sliding synchronous reversing valves. Interconnected piston assemblies, including at least one primary piston and one secondary piston, are reciprocated axially by a central angled swash-plate in a progressive sequential manner by rotation of the rotor portion. The combination machine can be optimized for beneficial deployment in a reverse osmosis seawater desalination system to provide unusual simplicity, high efficiency energy recovery from the brine discharge flow and low overall operating cost.

The functional block diagram of FIG. 1 shows a basic form of an RO desalination system of known art without energy recovery. An RO (reverse osmosis) unit 10 is a hydraulic device, "hydraulic" being defined as "operated or effected by the action of water or other fluid of low viscosity".
In a primary liquid flow, pressure pump 12 receives seawater at its input node "a" at relatively low pressure from preconditioning and filtration apparatus. Pump 12, typically driven by an electric motor 14, develops high pressure at node "b", the input port of seawater chamber 10A of the RO unit, where the pressurized seawater is forced against an RO membrane 10B, typically polyamide thin-film composite that will not pass sodium or chloride ions.
About 40% of the input liquid traverses membrane 10B to compartment 100 as desalinated water, available to be drawn off as required at outlet "c". The remaining 60% of the input liquid including extracted residue leaves chamber 10A as a secondary flow of brine from RO brine exit port "d" where it passes through a back-pressure regulating valve 17 to discharge port "e" where the secondary brine flow is discharged to a drainage system as wastewater, typically returned to the sea.
It has long been recognized that there is a substantial amount of energy Ed available in the secondary liquid flow at RO brine exit port "d", where, compared to 100% pressure Pb and flow rate Rb of the primary flow at input port "b", the pressure Pd is typically 99% and the flow rate Rd is 60%.
The energy at the RO brine exit port "d" can be calculated from the product of pressure and flow rate (Ed=Pd*Rd): for the foregoing conditions, Ed is found to be 59.4% of Eb. Since the discharge at node "e" is typically at very low pressure, most of the waste energy is dissipated at valve 17.
If this wasted energy could be totally recovered and utilized to reduce the electrical power consumption of the input pump, the net energy recovery of 59.4% would reduce the operating energy cost to 40.6% of the operating energy cost of the basic non-recovery system of FIG. 1. However, practical systems can only approach this limit due to unavoidable machine losses such as friction of bearings and seals, leakage past pistons, seals and valves, turbulence, etc.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system as in FIG. 1 to which energy recovery has been applied by the addition of an energy exchanger 18, connected into the RO brine discharge flow path between nodes "d" and "e" in place of valve 17. Energy recaptured from pressure drop in this flow is fed back to the primary liquid flow side between nodes "a" and "b" as indicated by the arrow.
There have been many different ways suggested and tried for implementing this energy feedback. It can be applied as torque to shaft 16 and/or via an auxiliary pump or equivalent introduced in series and/or parallel with the existing main seawater pump 12 to reduce its load due to pressure and/or flow rate, and thus reduce the electric power consumption of drive motor 14. The efficiency of this energy exchange system is critically important since it directly affects the actual amount of operating cost savings realized. Electric motor efficiency is about 90-95% and pump efficiency ranges from 50 to 90%, typically 80%, so these machines are generally selected for high efficiency.
Due to the cost incentive, energy exchange systems have been the subject of much design research, development and refinement, and with increasing concern about world wide consumer water availability, there are continued ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of desalination through increased efficiency: it is to this end that the present invention is directed.


An operating method for a system including a reformer which in reformate mode can convert hydrocarbon-containing fuel to a hydrogen-rich reformate gas, and a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is acted upon by reformer gas to reach the catalytic converter light-off temperature more rapidly. During cold starts, the reformer, after its own starting phase, is initially operated in a so-called lean-burn mode, and the reformer is switched from lean-burn mode to reformate mode as soon as combustible constituents in the catalytic aftertreatment device can be independently oxidized. During the reformer lean-burn mode, the combustible constituents of the engine's exhaust gas react with the hot reformer gas, such that the cumulative exhaust gas flow has the composition of exhaust gas generated by stoichiometric combustion.

The invention relates to an operating method for a system composed of a reformer which, in a so-called reformate mode, can convert supplied hydrocarbon-containing fuel by a reforming method into a hydrogen-rich reformate gas—particularly having hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen—and a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is provided particularly for the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine and which is acted upon by the gas generated in the reformer in order to reach the catalytic converter light-off temperature more rapidly. Concerning the known state of the art, reference is made to German Patent Document DE 102 32 737 B4.
Reformer systems can be used, for example, in motor vehicles for producing a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas consisting of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO) and inert gas (N2, CO2, H2O) from liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon-containing fuels (such as gasoline, diesel, alcohols or methane or natural gas). Depending on the compound (O2, H2O, CO2) participating in addition to the hydrocarbon, different reforming methods are known, specifically, the so-called partial oxidation, the vapor reformation, the CO2 reformation, cracking, or also combinations thereof, such as the so-called autothermal reformation.
The partial oxidation, that is, the so-called reformate mode of a reformer operating according to the reformer principle of partial oxidation, takes place in an exothermal manner. However, in order to start such a reformer, conventionally, an air supplying device is operated first, after which a first combustion is carried out in front of a catalytic converter provided in the reformer. Subsequently, this catalytic converter of the reformer is acted upon by a "rich" fuel/air mixture (that is, by a mixture with an understoichiometric air fraction, which corresponds to a lambda value of less than "1") and thereby heated further until the reformer has reached its reformation operating temperature. The reformer then operates in the actual so-called reformate mode with an understoichiometric, very rich mixture (with lambda values in the order of from 0.3 to 0.4) and a system-dependent reformation temperature in the order of from 800° C. to 900° C. However, up to this point in time, exhaust gas emissions occur which should not be ignored.
Reformer systems can be used either in combination with fuel cells or alone, for example, in motor vehicles. In this case, numerous possibilities are known of using and utilizing the so-called reformate gas obtained in the reformate mode; thus, for example, for the operation of a fuel cell, or for feeding to an internal-combustion engine operating as a vehicle drive assembly for minimizing its cold-start/warm-up and crude emissions; in addition, also for the heating of a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device, particularly for the emissions of the above-mentioned internal-combustion engine, or directly for the aftertreatment of the internal-combustion engine exhaust gas, for example, in NOx adsorbers or particle filters.
A catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device can carry out its function, specifically the conversion of CO, HC and/or NOx to CO2, H2O and/or N2, only when the also so-called catalytic exhaust gas converter has reached or exceeded its so-called light-off temperature. Various measures are known for reaching this state as soon as possible, starting from a cold start of an above-mentioned internal-combustion engine as well as the pertaining catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device (="catalytic exhaust gas converter"). In addition to a targeted influencing of the combustion in the internal-combustion engine in the sense of an increased exhaust gas mass flow rate and/or an increased heat flow rate in the exhaust gas as well as exothermal subsequent reactions in the exhaust line, the catalytic exhaust gas converter can also be heated by the external feeding of electric energy.
It is known that the height of the so-called light-off temperature of the catalytic converter of an exhaust gas aftertreatment device depends on various parameters; thus, on the one hand, on the construction of the catalytic converter itself; that is, on its substrate, number of cells, heat capacity, precious metal components, precious metal loading, etc.; also, on its aging condition; in addition, on the oxygen fraction in the exhaust gas flow to be converted; and furthermore, directly on the composition of the exhaust gas to be converted. In this context, it is known that, by reformate gas generated in a reformer, a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device can be heated. In comparison to the conventional heating, the advantage of a catalytic converter heating by reformate gas (or the aiding of the catalytic converter heating by reformate gas) is the increase of the hydrogen fraction and of the carbon monoxide fraction, on the basis of which, the catalytic conversion of the pollutants already starts at lower temperatures (in the order of from 150° C. to 180° C.). Advantageously, as a result of the direct conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at the active catalytic converter surface, the heat is released precisely where it is required for the catalytic effect. As it were, a direct internal heating of the catalytic converter surface takes place in contrast to an external inefficient heating by way of complex heat transfers, in which considerable transmission losses occur. At the same time, an increased thermal energy aiding the heating is made available to the catalytic converter as a result of the fed reformate gas.
However, during the warm-up phase of a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device, to which reformate gas generated in a reformer is fed for shortening this warm-up phase, a time window exists despite the relatively low conversion temperature of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, in which time window, carbon monoxide can reach the environment uncoverted by the catalytic exhaust gas converter, specifically up to the point in time as of which the catalytic converter is capable of significantly converting carbon monoxide. The reason is that, up to this point in time, carbon monoxide and other gas constituents (water vapor, hydrocarbon radials, etc.) block the active centers of the catalytic converter, so that the conversion also of all other exhaust gas constituents—particularly of hydrogen—up to the above-mentioned point in time, does not take place to a significant extent. Since reformate gas, which was produced in the reformate mode in a reformer, contains approximately 24% carbon monoxide, in addition, defined strict exhaust gas limit values for motor vehicles, which are virtually valid worldwide, cannot be observed.
Hereby, an operating method for a system composed of a reformer which, in a so-called reformate mode, can convert supplied hydrocarbon-containing fuel by means of a reforming method to a hydrogen-rich reformate gas, and of an internal-combustion engine having an exhaust gas system with catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is acted upon by the gas generated in the reformer in order to reach the catalytic converter light-off temperature more rapidly, therefore is to be indicated, as a result of which the described problems will not occur (=object of the present invention).
The achieving of this object is characterized in that, during a cold start of the system, the reformer, after its own starting phase, is first operated by a lean fuel/air mixture, and therefore is not operated in the reformate mode but in a so-called lean-burn mode. This lean-burn mode, which can also be called a "lean combustion mode", is represented as the combustion of an overstoichiometric mixture, which corresponds to a lambda value of greater than "1".
Detailed explanations of the suggested method of the reformer operation of the lean-burn mode will follow. In this case, it should first be explicitly pointed out that the term "cold start" applies to any start or starting operation of a system according to the invention, where the catalytic converter of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device has a lower temperature than its light-off temperature (or conversion temperature), so that a successful conversion of harmful exhaust gas constituents in the catalytic exhaust gas converter cannot take place.
If, in addition, as provided for a preferred application, an internal-combustion engine is a component of a system according to the invention, this internal-combustion engine can be operated such during the reformer operation in the lean-burn mode that combustible constituents of the exhaust gas of the internal-combustion engine can react in its exhaust system with the hot gas generated by the reformer and fed upstream of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device provided therein, in which case, the cumulative exhaust gas flow guided through the catalytic converter of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device and consisting of the gas generated in the reformer and the exhaust gas of the internal-combustion engine essentially has the composition of an exhaust gas generated by the combustion of a stoichiometric mixture. Furthermore, during the above-mentioned warm-up phase, the hydrocarbons (HC) emitted by the internal-combustion engine can be intermediately stored in an HC adsorber connected in front of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device.
Returning to the characterizing features of claim 1, it is suggested to start the reformer with low emissions in that, after the initiation of a first combustion in front of the catalytic converter of the reformer, the reformer is operated for a certain time period with a lean fuel/air mixture, that is, in a so-called "lean-burn mode" or as a so-called lean-mixture burner. As a result, during the thereby continued warm-up of the catalytic converter of the reformer, which is carried out in the conventional state of the art with a rich fuel/air mixture, significantly lower emissions, particularly of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, are produced. Advantageously, the combustion heat generated in this "lean-burn mode" can easily be adjusted or regulated by way of the composition of the mixture fed to the reformer and the air mass flow fed to the reformer and, as a result of the corresponding guidance of the thus obtained reformer gas, is particularly also fed to the catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device for heating, in which case, the heat flow provided by the reformer for the heating of the catalytic exhaust gas converter can be adjusted according to the requirements. Thus, by the hot gas generated in the reformer from the "lean-burn mode", a sufficiently large partial volume of the catalytic exhaust gas converter can be brought to the light-off or conversion temperature as rapidly as possible, in which case preferably the maximally conceivable reformat mass flow is to be utilized which the reformer operated as a lean-mixture burner can provide in its "lean-burn mode."
Accordingly, the reformer is preferably operated in the above-mentioned lean-burn mode until the fed combustible constituents can be oxidized independently with sufficient reliability in the catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device; that is, until the catalytic exhaust gas converter has reached or exceeded its light-off temperature. Subsequently, the reformer can be switched over to the normal operating reformat mode.
In addition, in the so-called lean-burn mode, at least a portion of those deposits that form in the reformer during its operation in the reformate mode, can be burnt off and thereby removed. The carrying-out of the lean-burn mode suggested here therefore has the advantageous effect for the reformer that the latter is freed of deposits. Accordingly, the reformer can also be operated in the lean-burn mode in order to oxidize deposits from a preceding reformate mode within the reformer, in which case the operating mode of the reformer is switched from the lean-burn mode to the reformate mode as soon as such deposits at least empirically are essentially oxidized. In this case, the lean-burn mode can be maintained for a certain time period, during which empirically present deposits in the reformer are essentially burned off. However, it is also conceivable to appropriately determine or measure the presence of significant deposits and to then operate the lean-burn mode until no more significant deposits can be determined.
As mentioned above, the preferred use of a system according to the invention is in the motor vehicle field in connection with an internal-combustion engine as a vehicle drive assembly. The hot gas flow generated in the reformer, which still contains free oxygen, is now, during the lean-burn mode of the reformer in the exhaust system of the internal-combustion engine, upstream of the catalytic exhaust gas treatment device, admixed to the exhaust gas flow of the internal-combustion engine which, after a cold start, is initially still relatively cold, so that the combustible constituents of the internal-combustion engine exhaust gas can be afterburned there. In this case preferably relatively cold, moderately rich exhaust gas of the internal-combustion engine is mixed with the hot and lean gas generated in the reformer in such a manner in the exhaust as system of the system upstream of the catalytic exhaust gas converter that a desired total fuel/air ratio occurs there. As a result, on the one hand, a desired afterburning can occur in the exhaust gas system, in which case, the exothermal character of this conversion, in addition to the thermal energy of the gas from the reformer, can be utilized for heating the catalytic exhaust gas converter. For a rapid heating of the catalytic exhaust gas converter (that is, of the catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device), favorable high temperatures are generated if the cumulative exhaust gas flow guided through the catalytic exhaust gas converter and consisting of the gas generated in the reformer and the exhaust gas of the internal-combustion engine essentially has the composition of an exhaust generated from the combustion of a stoichiometric mixture (lambda value essential equal to "1"). In this manner, virtually several heat sources are obtained for the catalytic exhaust gas converter, specifically the direct heat supply by way of the warm gas obtained in the reformer as well as by way of the afterburning of the rich internal-combustion engine exhaust gas still containing combustible fuel constituents.
Advantageously, a correspondingly composed cumulative exhaust gas flow, specifically essentially in the composition of an exhaust gas generated from the combustion of a stoichiometric mixture, can be aftertreated in the best possible manner in a three-way catalytic converter while the latter is heated; that is, the harmful exhaust gas constituents contained therein can be converted in the best possible manner by this exhaust gas composition, particularly since the reaching of the converting capability of the catalytic exhaust gas converter represents no step function, so that, with a targeted adjustment of the fuel/air ratio, a partial conversion can also already be achieved in a conventional three-way catalytic converter.
Thus, an externally ignited internal-combustion engine, which does not operate with a direct fuel injection (where the fuel is added to the fed combustion air current outside the combustion chambers), during the reformer operation in the lean-burn mode (and thus during the warm-up phase of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device), can initially be operated with such a moderately rich fuel/air mixture that the above-mentioned composition of the cumulative exhaust gas flow of the internal-combustion engine exhaust gas and the reformer gas occurs. In this case, the composition of the mixture fed to the internal-combustion engine can also be coordinated with respect to the engine-related driving comfort. Advantageously, the usual heating measures for the catalytic exhaust gas converter, which increase the fuel consumption, can then largely be eliminated. However, for the acceleration of the further heating of the catalytic exhaust gas converter, such measures may still be provided in a reduced fashion. The same naturally also applies to internal-combustion engines operated with direct fuel injection. For the latter, it is suggested that the internal-combustion engine be supplied with increased fuel during the reformer operation in the lean-burn mode, which fuel can preferably be placed in the combustion chambers of the internal-combustion engine in the manner of the known fuel after-injection. This increased feeding of fuel in the combustion chamber(s) of an internal-combustion engine operated with direct fuel injection shall preferably take place, when the products generated in the internal-combustion engine from this additional fuel can be converted in the above-mentioned exhaust gas aftertreatment device or in front of this device (viewed in the exhaust flow direction).
After a certain time period, particularly when the temperature of the catalytic exhaust gas converter is above its so-called light-off temperature for the conversion of carbon monoxide and/or above the light-off temperature or desorption temperature for other (stored gas constituents) and which, based on a cold start of the system, may, for example, by on the order of 10 seconds, and/or as soon as the internal-combustion engine can be operated with a moderately lean fuel/air mixture, not only the internal-combustion engine is operated with a corresponding moderately lean mixture, but the operating mode of the reformer is then also changed; that is, the so-called "lean-burn mode" is then terminated, and the reformer is subsequently operated in the normal reformate mode, in which conventional reformate gas (particularly H2 and CO) is produced. As of this point in time, the direct heat release in the catalytic exhaust gas converter is then initiated by way of the direct catalytic conversion of hydrogen-rich synthesis gas. In this case, the demanded reformate mass flow rate can be controlled or regulated as a function of the available oxygen mass flow rate, the exhaust gas mass flow rate of the internal-combustion engine, the desired overall exhaust gas lambda, etc., in which case, at least when a three-way catalytic converter is used, preferably again such a lambda value is set in the cumulative exhaust gas flow, which essentially corresponds to the composition of an exhaust gas generated by the combustion of a stoichiometric mixture (lambda value essentially equal to "1").
For an advantageous further development, at least during the reformer operation in the lean-burn mode or during the warm-up phase of the catalytic exhaust gas converter, the hydrocarbons emitted by the internal-combustion engine can be intermediately stored in a hydrocarbon adsorber fluidically connected in front of the catalytic exhaust gas converter and preferably also the blow-in point of the reformate gas into the exhaust system. At a later point in time, particularly after the catalytic exhaust gas converter has reached its conversion temperature, these can then again be desorbed. Furthermore, it is in fact basically known to regenerate some units preferably installed downstream of the catalytic exhaust gas converter in the exhaust gas system of the internal-combustion engine, particularly for the exhaust gas treatment, which may, for example, be a catalytic NOx storage converter or a particle filter, by starting a reformer that is already provided anyhow and the feeding of reformate gas connected therewith. This can also return an exhaust gas aftertreatment device that has cooled down for some reason back to its operating temperature or light-off temperature. A corresponding situation is also conceivable in connection with an operating method according to the invention, specifically in that, when being started, the reformer is at least initially operated in the above-mentioned lean-burn mode. In addition, the lean-burn mode can also be chosen with a view to a warming-up of the reformer itself in such a manner that the operation of the reformer is switched from the lean-burn mode to the reformate mode when the reformer itself has heated up so far that it can be operated with low emissions in the reformate mode. The term "with low emissions" is to be understood in that significantly lower pollutant emissions are to be detected in the reformate mode with such a preceding warm-up by way of the operation in the lean-burn mode than this would be the case during an operation in the reformate mode without a previous warm-up by the lean-burn mode.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Operating method for a system composed of a reformer and a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengellschaft


Apparatus for drying a web, such as a paper web, including a plurality of nozzle members successively located one after the other both in and transverse to the direction of travel of the web, each of the nozzle members defining a substantially annular slit and a carrying surface associated with the slit for directing gaseous drying fluid substantially contiguous with the carrying surface in a substantially radial flow field relative to the annular slit and in a direction substantially parallel to the web.

The present invention concerns a web dryer operating according to the air floating principle, comprising a plurality of nozzle members by which air, or an equivalent gaseous fluid, is blown into contiguity with the web that has to be dried, and which is at the same time supported without mechanical contact, and said nozzle members having a supporting surface producing said supporting effect.
Means which are based on the blowing of gas and operate according to the air float principle are employed on paper manufacturing and processing machines for contactless cleaning, drying and stabilizing of the web. In the operations mentioned, the gas is introduced with the aid of various nozzle means on one or both sides of the web under treatment, the gas being thereafter drawn off before the next nozzle for reuse.
The dryers known in prior art for contactless treatment of the web (float dryers) are composed of a plurality of nozzles from which are directed against the web a gas flow supporting and drying the web. The nozzles of the prior art used in said dryers can be divided into two groups: overpressure nozzles and nozzles with subatmospheric pressure. The operation of the former type is based on the so-called air cushion principle, wherein the air jet causes a static overpressure in the space between the nozzle and the web. The group of subatmospheric pressure nozzles includes the so-called airfoil nozzles, which attract the web and stabilize the running of the web. The attraction acting on the web is well known to derive from a flow field of the gas parallelling the web, causing a static under-pressure between the web and the supporting surface of the nozzle, or the so-called carrying surface. It is frequent that the so-called Coanda phenomenon is employed in overpressure as well as subatmospheric pressure nozzles to guide the air in desired direction.
The overpressure nozzles in float dryers of the prior art direct sharp air jets substantially against the web. Such a localized impingement of the air jet on the web significantly enhances the heat transfer at the point where the jet and the web meet, thus giving rise to non-uniform distribution of the heat transfer coefficient in the longitudinal direction of the web, and this may cause quality defects in the web that is being treated. A further detriment when overpressure nozzles are being used is that because of the over-pressure feature they may not be used in one-sided treatment of the web.
Regarding the patent literature associated with the present invention, reference is made to the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,960, Finnish Pat. No. 42 522 and German publicizing print No. 2 020 430.
The design of the dryers known through the said U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,960 and the German publicizing print No. 2 020 430 and of their subatmospheric pressure nozzles, is characterized by the feature that the nozzle slit opening on the side of the entry margin of the nozzle's carrying surface is extended onto a curved flow guiding surface connecting to the front margin of the carrying surface, so that the flow can be made to follow the carrying surface. These dryers of the prior art present the drawback that the blowing action parallel to the web tends to eject drying gas that has already been cooled in the preceding suction space, thereby lowering the differential temperature between the web and the drying gas and as a consequence reducing the heat transfer capacity. In dryers known in the art, the distance of the web from the carrying surface will be quite small (2-3 mm), which imposes high requirements on the smoothness and straightness of the drying surface (the carrying surface). This implies major requirements to be imposed on the design in the manufacturing of great width (over 3 m) dryers spanning the whole web.
Through the above-mentioned Finnish Pat. No. 42 522 a dryer is known by the nozzles of which the air is blown on one side of the web in the form of jets parallelling it and which in the breadth direction of the web give rise to discontinuities, for which reason a non-uniform heat transfer capacity is experienced. For the same reason the web stability is also poor, and this dryer cannot be used to handle thin webs, owing to the fluttering which is produced in their case. It is also impossible in this nozzle to employ high blowing rates, and the nozzle is not usable in two-sided web treatment. In connection with modern, high output paper manufacturing and conversion machines the dryers considered will be bulky, space-consuming and expensive. Owing to the low stabilizing power of the carrying surface in dryers of prior art, it is further noted that the one-sided treatment of heavy material webs has previously only been possible in the horizontal plane, with blowing from underneath the web. This fact has tended to restrict the designing of the dryer and to increase the apparatus size.

Web dryer operating on the air float principle


An improved method of producing methyl alcohol (methanol) from methane is provided using two reaction steps operated in tandem. In the first reaction step two chemical reactions occur simultaneously: a) perchloroethylene (CCl.sub.2 CCl.sub.2) is oxychlorinated with hydrogen chloride and oxygen to obtain hexachlorethane (CCL.sub.3 CCL.sub.3) and water, and b) methyl chloride (CH.sub.3 Cl) is hydrolyzed with water to give methyl alcohol and hydrogen chloride. In the second reaction step methane is chlorinated with hexachlorethane to produce methyl chloride, hydrogen chloride and perchloroethylene. By recycling the methyl chloride, hydrogen chloride, and regenerated perchloroethylene produced in the second step to the first step the process can be operated in a balanced mode whereby the internal consumption of hydrogen chloride is equal to its formation.

A process for the manufacture of methyl alcohol is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,696. The patent discloses a process involving three reaction steps operated in conjunction with each other. Beginning with the first step, perchloroethylene is oxychlorinated with hydrogen chloride and oxygen to obtain hexachloroethane. In the second step methane is chlorinated with hexachloroethane to produce methyl chloride, hydrogen chloride and regenerated perchloroethylene. The methyl chloride from the second step is isolated and hydrolyzed with water in the third step to give methyl alcohol and hydrogen chloride. The reactions are operated in a balanced mode by recycling perchloroethylene from the second step to the first step, and by recycling hydrogen chloride produced in each of the second and third steps to the first step.
A number of difficulties, however, are encountered with existing technology. Perhaps the greatest shortcoming is the unfavorable equilibrium in the hydrolysis reaction of methyl chloride with water to produce methyl alcohol. At ambient temperatures the reverse reaction, namely, the formation of methyl chloride from methyl alcohol and hydrogen chloride, is greatly favored. Elevated temperatures are required to shift the equilibrium, but even then only partial conversions are possible. Thus, an excess of water or steam is favored, and unreacted methyl chloride must be recycled to the hydrolysis reaction.
An additional problem identified with existing technology is the control of the temperature in the first step, namely, the oxychlorination reaction. This reaction is exothermic, and therefore heat must be removed to maintain the temperature at the desired setting. When a solid catalyst is used in this reaction, the possibility of hot spots developing on the catalyst particles ia potential problem.
Finally, the required investment in equipment must be considered. Since the existing technology involves the use of highly corrosive chemicals, especially aqueous hydrogen chloride streams, materials of construction can be a problem. Any reduction in the number of reaction steps and in the necessary unit operations, e.g., distillation, has the potential for substantial cost savings.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process that overcomes the disadvantages of existing technology for producing methyl alcohol.
A further object is to be able to produce high yields of product at minimum investment and operating costs.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and the following description.


Disclosed is a specially tapered balloon such as for sizing an implantable tubular stent that has been positioned within an ostium. In one application of the present invention, a stent is positioned within the right coronary ostium, and the tapered balloon of the present invention is positioned within the stent to provide a radial outward flare on the proximal end of the stent. In this manner, the proximal end of the stent is pressed back against the aortic wall surrounding the right coronary ostium, thereby minimizing any obstruction to blood flow in the aorta, and possibly reducing the risk of restenosis at the right coronary ostium.

The present invention relates generally to balloon dilatation catheters, and, in particular, to a specially configured balloon for implanting and/or sizing an implantable stent at an ostial treatment site.
In a typical percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedure, a guiding catheter is percutaneously introduced into the patient's cardiovascular system through the brachial or femoral arteries. The guiding catheter is advanced through the patient's vasculature until the distal end is in or near the ostium of the desired coronary artery. A guidewire is thereafter advanced through the guiding catheter and into the patient's coronary vasculature.
A balloon dilatation catheter is thereafter advanced over or along the guidewire until the dilatation balloon is properly positioned within a treatment site. Following positioning of the dilatation catheter, the balloon is inflated to a predetermined size by infusion of an inflation media at relatively high pressures. The inflated balloon radially enlarges the lumen (passage) at the treatment site by compressing the lesion against the artery wall. The balloon is thereafter deflated to a relatively smaller profile, so that the dilatation catheter can be proximally withdrawn from the patient's vasculature and blood flow resumed through the dilated artery.
Some lesions may benefit from deployment of an intravascular prosthesis (stent) immediately after coronary angioplasty to scaffold a flow-limiting dissection, thus obviating the need for emergency coronary artery bypass surgery. Also, certain de novo (new) lesions and some lesions which have developed restenosis may be associated with lower restenosis rates after stent deployment. That is, the risk of restenosis for certain types of lesions can be improved upon by implanting an intravascular prosthesis to maintain vascular patency within the artery at the site of the lesion.
The stent is generally a radially expandable tubular structure, such as a tubular metal mesh, which can be carried to the treatment site on a deflated deployment balloon. The deployment balloon is appropriately positioned within the vessel and inflated to radially outwardly expand the stent against the vessel wall. The deployment balloon can thereafter be deflated and removed from the patient, leaving a radially enlarged tubular stent in place within the treatment site. A variety of expandable tubular stents suitable for use in the coronary artery are known, for example the Palmaz-Schatz stent available from Johnson & Johnson.
Following stent deployment, a second catheter is sometimes positioned within the stent and expanded to accomplish a final "sizing" of the stent within the artery. A variety of stent deployment balloons and stent sizing balloons are known in the art.
Efforts in the deployment balloon and sizing balloon prior art have generally been directed to ensuring a uniform, generally cylindrical inflated profile in the enlarged balloon, so that the stent will be enlarged to a cylindrical final profile. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,495 to Osborn, disclosing a balloon design which is said to eliminate the "problem" of a dog bone-shaped inflated profile in the expanded stent.
Notwithstanding the various efforts in the prior art, the use of cylindrical stents presents some difficulties for treating lesions in certain relatively common locations. For example, in order to treat lesions at or near an arterial branch point, such as the ostium of the right coronary artery, the stent must either project into the aorta or risk not fully covering the proximal portion of the lesion. There remains a need, therefore, for a specialized balloon, designed to inflate or size a previously inflated stent to a specialized inflated profile to treat certain coronary vascular treatment sites.


A panel device for use with a plurality of connectors and rods with the rods connectable to the connectors is provided. The panel device comprises a substantially planar panel member having a plurality of sides. A groove is formed along each side of the panel member. A first groove edge is positioned along one side of the groove. A second groove edge is positioned on the other side of the groove with the second groove edge extending beyond the first groove edge wherein each rod is adapted to be inserted into the groove, the first groove edge and the second groove edge releasably maintaining the rod within the groove.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to construction toys and, more particularly, the invention relates to an improved panel material and design for rod and connector construction toys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rod and connector style construction toys are well known in association with their respective trademarks, for example Tinkertoy™ manufactured by Playskool Inc., a division of Hasbro, Inc., FiddleStix™ manufactured by Toy N Things, and Zome™, manufactured by Zome Tool, Inc. These toys employ various linking means that permit connectors to join to rods to build composite, three-dimensional skeletal structures.
The prior art construction toys include a plurality of connector elements to be arranged with a plurality of rod elements to form coherent, skeletal structures. Typically, cylindrical rods are provided in graduated lengths allowing rectangular and triangular structures to be assembled in graduated sizes. The connectors are provided in a variety of configurations, having anywhere from one to eight sockets on a single connector part. Connectors can also be designed to be associated as multi-part assemblies with sockets radiating in more than one plane. When assembled, the rods are firmly gripped within the socket, which serve to position the rod element in alignment with the socket axis.
In the past, Playskool, a division of Hasbro, Inc., developed and marketed foam add-ons, called Foam Works™, with a TinkerToy™ construction set. However, these add-ons were not panels designed to fill skeletal structures. Toy N Things developed and marketed licensed add-on elements in a special Spiderman Fiddlestix™ construction set, but they also did not contain panels. The Gabriel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,975 had panel elements but these elements were not manufactured of foam and were either too costly to manufacture or resulted in heavily weighted structures unsuitable for children's play.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide panels that can be molded into a wide variety of possible shapes including, but not limited to rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, and octagons.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide panels that can be molded into three-dimensional objects.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide such panels as to allow lateral insertion and removal without distorting the skeletal structure of said construction sets.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide panels that are lightweight and safe for children to play with.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such panels as to allow auxiliary elements to be attached thereto.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such panels to flex to fit irregular planes.
It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide panels that are economical to manufacture.
For a more complete understanding of the above objectives and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings.

Panels for connector and rod construction toy sets


A breakout box, breakout box system, and method for management of optical fibers. The breakout box system provides a pass-through system for connecting optical fibers to network rack modules. The external routing of incoming and outgoing cables around the rack is kept neat and orderly, with one large cable serving a plurality of shelves. The breakout of the cable and distribution of the fibers to the individual modules occurs inside the breakout boxes and bridges, which provide protection for the fibers while still allowing easy access for fiber handling by means of the removable lids.

Optical fibers are used in various types of communication networks. In a typical optical fiber communication network, a large bundle of optical fibers is separated into smaller bundles (e.g., cables) and routed to any of a plurality of network racks. At each rack these smaller cables are then further separated into groupings that are distributed to network modules or "shelves" mounted in these network racks. These network modules are typically sized according to a standardized rack unit (RU) equal to 1.75″ tall. A standard rack can hold several dozen network modules, creating many separation points for the optical fiber cable.
Working with these large bundles of optical fiber poses a challenge in routing and handling of the optical fibers, which can be prone to breakage from improper handling or management. A single large incoming bundle of optical fibers is frequently routed along the outside of the rack, with individual optical fibers separated from the bundle at each network module. The optical fibers can be unwieldy and easily damaged, leading to additional installation time and cost from improper handling and/or installation. As such, a need presently exists for improved devices and methods of ensuring optical fibers are maintained in an orderly and protected fashion during installation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for joining and distributing a single optical fiber cable to multiple rack shelves


The disclosed method uses a headset to be placed on the head of an individual, an image capture apparatus, and a sensor adapted to measure a value of a first parameter linked to the luminous intensity of a light present in the environment of the individual with a wavelength included in a predetermined wavelength range. The method includes the following steps: a) capturing at least an image of the environment with the image capture apparatus; b) measuring the measured value of the first parameter; c) displaying on a screen of the headset a corrected image based on the captured image, taking into account the measured value and the optical feature of the lens. An associated electronic device is also described.

Light having a wavelength in a particular visible blue range or ultraviolet range is potentially harmful to an individual's eye, though barely, or not, visible to him/her.
Hence, most individuals evaluate poorly their eye protective needs against such blue and/or ultraviolet radiations.
In particular, when selecting a lens to be used in eyeglasses, by testing several kinds of lenses, a non-specialist individual barely takes into account optical protection features of these lenses e.g. lens features related to optical transmission and/or reflection of blue/ultraviolet light, all the more these features are not, or only faintly perceptible directly.

Method for virtual testing of at least one lens having a predetermined optical feature and associated device


An image forming apparatus which includes a platen for transporting a recording medium at a prescribed speed, a ribbon drive for transporting a thermoplastic ink ribbon which has a thermoplastic agent and thermal expansible particles contained in the thermoplastic agent in parallel with the recording medium at a speed slower than the transporting speed of the recording medium and a heater for selectively heating the thermoplastic ink ribbon so as to transfer the thermoplastic agent onto the recording medium.

In recent years, image forming apparatuses, such as printers, facsimiles, etc., employing a thermographic image forming system have been widely used. They are free of noise during operation, low in cost, provide easy down-sizing and light weight, have excellent operability and are easy to maintain.
Generally, in a thermographic image forming system, a thermoplastic image forming material having a thermoplastic ink layer (hereinafter referred to as an ink ribbon) provided on a sheet shape carrier melts the ink layer by selectively heating this ink ribbon with a thermal head, etc., transfers the melted ink on a recording medium and records an image corresponding to the heated shape.
Conventional ink ribbons have a problem that print quality drops for a recording medium with a surface that is not smooth. To achieve a satisfactory printing on a recording medium having an uneven surface, an image forming apparatus uses an ink ribbon with thermal expansible particles dispersed in a heat soluble ink layer or in a separately provided ink layer (hereinafter referred to as a micro capsule).
On this image forming apparatus, when the ink ribbon is heated by a thermal head, the ink layer is melted and micro capsules expand. The ink is attached to a recording medium by the expansion pressure of the micro capsules. Thus, a satisfactory printing is performed even on a recording medium having an uneven surface.
However, there were still such unsolved problems as shown below, even with the image forming apparatus described above.
(1) The placing pressure is high. As platen pressure was set at a high level form the viewpoint of thermoplastic image forming efficiency between the ink ribbon and the thermal head, such problems were caused as the revolving load of a drum, which transports a recording medium by winding it round the drum. Down-sizing of a driving motor is difficult, due to jitter resulting from a sliding load, wear of the thermal head, etc. PA1 (2) High rate of ink ribbon consumption. Especially in color printing, ink ribbons in multiple colors are consumed, and turning costs are remarkably high. Furthermore, as a long ink ribbon is used because of large consumption, the take-up diameter of an ink ribbon becomes large.


The present solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a light receiving element with a photoelectric conversion function; a readout circuit that reads out pixel information from the light receiving element, and outputs an output voltage; a CDS circuit that is composed of three-stage common source circuits, and generates a pixel signal based on a difference between an output voltage output from the readout circuit at the time of reset and an output voltage output based on the readout of the pixel information, the three-stage common source circuits being connected in series to one another and provided with direct-current cut elements that are each disposed on a corresponding one of input paths of the three-stage common source circuits; and a bias voltage supply circuit that supplies a direct-current bias voltage to gates of transistors of the three-stage common source circuits.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus, as well as an electronic device and the like that use the solid-state imaging apparatus.
2. Related Art
In a solid-state imaging apparatus such as a contact image sensor, light receiving elements that are each arranged in a different one of pixels in a pixel unit perform photoelectric conversion in accordance with illuminance, and a readout circuit reads out image information from the light receiving elements. An output voltage of the readout circuit is supplied to a CDS (correlated double sampling) circuit so as to cancel out variations in an offset voltage between the plurality of pixels. The CDS circuit generates a pixel signal based on a difference between an output voltage output from the readout circuit at the time of reset and an output voltage output based on the readout of pixel information.
As related art, published U.S. Patent Application No. 2012/0182450 discloses a solid-state imaging apparatus that is intended to improve the precision of temperature measurement based on the current-voltage characteristics of a diode. This solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel array unit, an image CDS processor, a temperature sensor, a temperature CDS processor, and a timing generator. As shown in FIG. 5 of published U.S. Patent Application No. 2012/0182450, the image CDS processor includes the following elements on a per-column basis: a capacitor C1, a comparator (operational amplifier) PA, a switch transistor Tcp, an inverter V, and an up/down counter UD.
Solid-state imaging apparatuses are expected to improve the linearity of a signal voltage relative to a change in illuminance, downsize the circuits, and reduce current consumption. However, a CDS circuit composed of operational amplifiers, like the solid-state imaging apparatus of published U.S. Patent Application No. 2012/0182450, has significant disadvantages including an increased circuit area and increased current consumption. There is also the problem of difficulty in detecting a defective portion when the CDS circuit is determined to be defective in an operation test.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and electronic device


A physical quantity sensor has a package, which is provided with a substrate and a lid and has an internal space inside, and a functional element which is accommodated in the internal space, the lid is formed on a partition wall section which is provided on the periphery of the internal space in planar view and has a communication hole which causes a lower surface at the substrate side to communicate with an upper surface at the opposite side to the substrate, and the communication hole communicates with the internal space via a groove which is formed in the substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a physical quantity sensor, an electronic device, and a mobile body.
2. Related Art
For example, in JP-A-2013-102036, a physical quantity sensor is disclosed which has a package that has a substrate and a lid, and a functional element which is accommodated in an internal space that is formed inside the package. In addition, a hole section for sealing, which causes the inside of the internal space to communicate with the outside of the internal space, is formed in the lid, and after the internal space is set to a predetermined atmosphere via the hole section, it is possible to maintain the internal space at the predetermined atmosphere by sealing the hole section. However, in the physical quantity sensor in JP-A-2013-102036, mechanical strength in the vicinity of the hole section of the lid is reduced since the configuration of the hole section is complicated, and the hole section is formed such that the upper surface of the lid communicates with the ceiling of the internal space. For this reason, in particular, there is an increased concern that cracks are generated at the periphery of the hole section of the lid and the lid is damaged due to contraction accompanying heat damage or cooling of a sealing material when the hole section is sealed using the sealing material. When the lid is damaged, airtightness of the internal space is reduced, and it is not possible to maintain the internal space in the predetermined atmosphere. Furthermore, the hole section of the lid is included in the internal space, and there are certain restrictions on the arrangement relationship of the hole section and the internal space.

Physical quantity sensor, electronic device, and mobile body


A dental undercut application device for producing an undercut on the surface of a tooth for securing a dental appliance. The application device contains an undercut or applique with a curved front side for engagement with the surface of the tooth and a stem on the back side attached to a locator tab. The locator tab can be grasped when applying the adhesive to the front side of the undercut and for locating the undercut on the surface of the tooth while the adhesive cures. When the undercut is secured to the tooth, the stem is cut and the tab removed. The back side of the undercut may then be smoothed to match the contour of the tooth. Clasps on removable orthodontic appliances or removable partial dentures engage with the undercut to retain the dental appliance or denture in the patient's mouth.

Dental appliances or prostheses, such as removable orthodontic devices or partial dentures, are typically held in place by securing the appliance to adjacent teeth. An Adam's, ring or "C" clasp is commonly used for this purpose. The clasp is a wire structure which wraps around adjacent teeth, generally along the gum line, in order to provide stable and reliable attachment of the dental appliance.
However, this configuration does not secure a removable dental appliance and can irritate the gum tissue. In certain circumstances, the crown of a tooth is prepared whereby a portion of the crown is removed and a dental crown is place on the tooth to provide an undercut surface. This method, however, is destructive to the tooth and expensive.
The method and apparatus of the present invention produces a properly contoured undercut on the surface of the tooth without damaging the tooth. Various removable dental prostheses and appliances can be held securely in place using the method and apparatus of the present invention.

Dental undercut application device and method of use


A tool head. The tool head includes an inner core and a plurality of nested shells fitted over the inner core. Each shell is engaged with the inner core at a proximal end. Each shell is independently biased towards the distal end of the inner core and independently compressible away from the distal end. Each shell is independently slidable relative to the inner core and relative to each other. A handle may be used to provide additional leverage and to fold over the tool head when the tool head is not in use.

It is often a challenge for a user to identify and locate the correct tool head size for engaging with a given socket fastener. Conventional tools, such as Allen key sets or hex key sets, are designed such that a single tool head will fit only a single socket size. The result is that the user must either determine the size of a given socket and select the appropriately-sized tool, or else must use trial-and-error to find the tool that matches the size of the socket.
It may be advantageous to provide a single tool head that is usable for multiple socket sizes.


A tent top folding and unfolding mechanism includes a connecting seat, a sliding seat, connecting rods, an elastic member and a bolt. The connecting seat is to be pivotally connected with tent top rods, and includes a sinking seat extending downward. The sliding seat is disposed below the connecting seat and movable in an upward and downward direction with respect to the connecting seat. The sliding seat includes an accommodating seat for receiving the elastic member. The sinking seat of the connecting seat has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the accommodating seat to receive the accommodating seat. Each connecting rod has one end pivotally connected to a lower portion of the sliding seat and the other end to be pivotally connected to a corresponding tent top rod. The bolt passes through the connecting seat and the elastic adjustable member, and is fastened at the lower end.

Tents or awnings are common leisure products prepared for outdoor use. However, as for a relatively large tent or awning, it requires several persons to unfold the tent or awning successfully due to its bulky size and heavy weight. Accordingly, various supporting structures have been designed to facilitate unfolding the tent or awning.
To solve the defects of an existing tent folding and unfolding mechanism, such as complicated parts and the scattered mechanism, the applicant has invented a mechanism disclosed in the Chinese Utility Model No. CN203034904. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a tent top folding and unfolding mechanism is disclosed, including a connecting seat 1′, a sliding seat 2′ that is flexibly disposed on the connecting seat 1′, and an elastic adjustable member 3′. The elastic adjustable member 3′ may be a spring or a cylinder. The middle portion of the connecting seat 1′ extends downward to form an accommodating seat 12′ for accommodating the elastic adjustable member. A sinking seat 21′ whose outer diameter is greater than an outer diameter of the accommodating seat is formed at the upper portion of the sliding seat 2′. A bolt rod 7′ successively passes upward through the sliding seat 2′ and a lower end of the accommodating seat 12′ from below the sliding seat, and is connected to a bolt cap 4′ in a locked manner after passing through the elastic adjustable member 3′. The circumference at the lower portion of the sliding seat 2′ is also provided with a pivotal connection slot 22′, where the pivotal connection slot 22′ is used to be pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 6′ for supporting a tent top rod 6′, and the other end of the connecting rod 6′ is pivotally connected on the tent top rod 5; additionally, a fixing portion 23′ is formed at a lower end of the sliding seat 2′ to connect a tent cloth.
The accommodating seat 12′ is provided on the connecting seat 1′, so that the elastic adjustable member 3′ is accommodated in the accommodating seat 12′; moreover, by means of the bolt rod 7′ and the bolt cap 4′, the elastic adjustable member 3′ can be compressed and the sliding seat 2′ is driven to move up and down, and by means of the connecting rod 6′, the sliding seat 2′ further drives the tent top rod 5′ to fold and unfold, thereby achieving the function of assisting in folding and unfolding a tent.
The aforementioned tent top folding and unfolding mechanism is concise and simple in structure, and desirable in appearance integrity. However, in the aforementioned tent top folding and unfolding mechanism, there is a countersink at the top portion of the connecting seat, and therefore, the structure is not beautiful; moreover, if sundries fall into the countersink at the upper portion, use of the tent is affected, and practicability is undesirable.

Tent top folding and unfolding structure


A data output buffer in a semiconductor memory device capable of minimizing generation of ground noise in data being transmitted to an external circuit device via an output line. The data output buffer includes a first input line for inputting true data, a second input line fox inputting complement data, a pull-up transistor connected among a first power supply source, an output line and the first input line, a pull-down transistor connected among a second power supply source, the output line and the second input line, and a resistance-varying transistor for controlling an amount of current being supplied from the second input line to the pull-down transistor, and thereby removing a noise signal to be included in output data of low logic on the output line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data output buffer for externally transmitting data read in memory cells of a semiconductor memory device via output lines, and more particularly to such a data output buffer capable of minimizing generation of ground noise in data of low logic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Data output buffers employed in typical semiconductor memory devices such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) and static random access memories (SRAMs) have a function for matching input impedance of an external circuit device connected to an output line with output impedance of a sense amplifier for sensing and amplifying data from a memory cell. Such data output buffers need a transistor with a high channel width and supply voltages exhibiting a high voltage level difference because of a relatively high input impedance of the external circuit device. The high channel-width transistor varies steeply the current on the output line at both the leading and trailing edges of output data, thereby generating noise at the edge portions of output data. The noise generated in the output data becomes larger as the voltage level difference between the supply voltages goes up.
Among noise involved in output data, those included in high logic involve a steep variation and have a large amount of current, as compared to those included in low logic. For this reason, the conventional data output buffers may have an adverse effect of damaging external circuit devices connected to output lines and output drivers. Such a problem encountered in the conventional data output buffers will be described in detail, in conjunction with FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of one example of the conventional data output buffers. As shown in FIG. 1, the data output buffer includes a first NOR Gate 10 for receiving true data/TD of low logic from a first input line 11 and a second NOR Gate 12 for receiving complement data/CD of low logic from a second input line 13. The first NOR gate 10 selves to invert the true data/TD received from the first input line 11 in response to a low logic signal received from a first inverter 14 and then transmit the inverted true data/TD to a second inverter 16. In similar, the second NOR Gate 12 serves to invert the complement data /CD received from the second input line 13 in response to a low logic signal received from a first inverter 14 and then transmit the inverted complement data/CD to the gate of an NMOS transistor 20 via a node 17. The first inverter 14 inverts an enable signal EN applied to a control line 15 and then sends the inverted enable signal to both the first NOR Gate 10 and the second NOR Gate 12. Consequently, the first and second NOR Gates 10 and 12 perform their transmission operations when an enable signal EN of high logic is applied to the control line 15.
On the other hand, the second inverter 16 inverts the already inverted true data from the first NOR gate 10 again and then sends the resultant true data to the Gate of a PMOS transistor 18 via a node 19. The PMOS transistor 18 is turned on when true data of low logic from the second inverter 16 is applied to the gate thereof. The activated PMOS transistor 18 supplies a supply voltage from a first power supply source Vcc to an output line 21, so that data of high logic can be outputted through the output line 21. The NOMS transistor 20 is turned on when the inverted complement data from the second NOR Gate 12 applied to the Gate thereof has high logic. The activated NMOS transistor 20 supplies a supply voltage from a second power supply source, namely, Ground GND to the output line 21, so that data of low logic can be transmitted to the external circuit device via the output line 21.
In this conventional data output buffer, however, current flowing from the output line 21 to the ground GND via the NMOS transistor 20 is steeply decreased in amount because of a steep increase in current at the leading edge of the output signal from the second NOR gate 12 being applied to the node 17. As a result, the ground noise is generated at the trailing edge of data transmitted to the external circuit device via the output line. Furthermore, the conventional data output buffer generates, in output data, a noise signal with a higher current variation depending on the peak output current and time as the voltage level difference between the power supply sources Vcc and GND goes up.

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A treatment instrument apparatus, which is an endoscopic treatment instrument, includes a sheath having an opening in a distal end; an actuator placed in the sheath and driven by a gas supplied via a tube; a treatment unit connected with the actuator by a wire and placed on a distal end side of the opening of the sheath; and an opening and closing switch, which is an operation portion used for an operation of supplying the gas into the sheath and supplying the gas to the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscopic treatment instrument and an endoscope system, and more particularly, to an endoscopic treatment instrument and an endoscope system which are equipped with an actuator driven by gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, endoscope apparatuses are used widely in medical fields and industrial fields. Endoscopic treatment instruments are sometimes used together with endoscopes.
For example, in the industrial field, treatment instruments are used together with endoscopes in endoscopic examinations to collect foreign matter in test objects or to sample substances in piping.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-220685 discloses a manipulator equipped with a grasping portion used to grasp an object and the like, wherein a pneumatic actuator is housed in a tubular portion having flexibility, to cause the grasping portion to perform an opening and closing action.
Because the endoscopic examination is conducted by inserting an insertion portion of the endoscope in the test object, desirably the endoscopic treatment instrument has a small-diameter tubular member as with the insertion portion of the endoscope.
However, a configuration of the manipulator according to the above proposal has a problem in that plural pneumatic actuators are mounted in a flexible tube portion, increasing an outside diameter of the manipulator.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an endoscopic treatment instrument and endoscope system which are equipped with an actuator driven by gas and capable of reducing a diameter.

Endoscopic treatment instrument and endoscope system


An apparatus for measuring the electric power or energy in an a-c network is disclosed wherein a multiplying device operating according to the principle of pulse duration-pulse height modulation is used and the variables proportional to the load current and the load voltage are taken directly from the load current and the load voltage respectively.

The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the electric power or energy in an A-C network, and more specifically to multiplying devices operating according to the principle of pulse duration-pulse height modulation.
An arrangement for generating a pulse sequence proportional to the product of two electrical analog variables is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 25 19 668. That arrangement, used for measuring electric power and energy, feeds an electrical analog variable, derived from the one measurement variable to be multiplied, to a current to frequency converter which includes an integrating stage, a monostable multivibrator and a reference voltage source. The reference D-C quantity from the voltage source is superimposed on the electrical analog variable for a time predetermined by the monostable multivibrator in such a manner that it opposes this variable and leads to the discharge of a capacitor in the integrating stage. The switching time of the monostable multivibrator is determined by an electrical analog variable derived from the second measurement variable in such a manner that the switching time is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the electrical analog variable. A charging and discharging of the capacitor of the integrating stage is thus caused. The frequency of the charging and discharging of the capacitor of the integrating stage is proportional to the product of the two electrical analog variables. In this connection, it has already been proposed that an input signal be derived from the measured current by means of a shunt or a current transformer and that the input signal derived from the measurement voltage be converted directly into a D-C voltage proportional to the latter, and the phase relation between the two measurement variables be taken into consideration by one of the known circuits.
An electronic kilowatt-hour meter with a multiplying device operating according to the principle of pulse duration-pulse height modulation is disclosed in German Auslegeschrift No. 23 48 667. This device generates a current or a voltage proportional to the product of load voltage and current. Through the use of a resistance network, the device derives two currents directly from the load voltage. The first current is proportional to the load voltage, and the second current is also proportional to the load voltage, but has a polarity opposed to that of the first current and halved instantaneous values. The first current is added to the second current during one of two switching states of a switch, which is actuated by a pulse duration-pulse height modulator controlled by the load current. The mean value of the resultant current is proportional to the product of the load current and the load voltage.

Apparatus for measuring the electric power or energy in an A-C network


A method and apparatus for asserting a signal that does one or more of (a) causing the computing device to enter a low power state, (b) turning the computing device off completely, or (c) resetting the computing device, in response to a received request from a remote device.

A business with many computers pays a considerable amount of money for the electricity to power those computers. Not surprisingly, businesses would like to save as much money as possible by utilizing computers with the ability to use less power. Accordingly, an industry trade group established the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification (ACPI), Revision 2.0, Compaq Computer Corporation, Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Phoenix Technologies Ltd. and Toshiba Corporation, published Jul. 27, 2000, which describes the use of low power states for a computer when it is not in active use.
Another way businesses can save money is by managing their computers remotely across a network. By enabling an administrator to communicate with and control a computer remotely, time and money is often saved by not having to send the administrator to the physical location of the computer. Remote manageability software exists that enables an administrator to place remote devices into a low power state, however, one limitation of such software is that the operating system on the remote device must be in a fully functional and operating state. Other methods of remote device management require the remote device to have additional hardware components that increase the cost of the device.
Accordingly, there exists a need to have a reliable way to remotely place a computing device into a low power state that does not require the operating system to be in a fully functional and operating state, and that does not require additional hardware components be built into the managed device.

Method and apparatus for remotely placing a computing device into a low power state


A device for monitoring operating conditions of an RF transmitter, including the RF power output thereof, and the reflected voltage wave on a transmission line therefor, and for promptly switching the transmitter off whenever a faulty condition is detected. The device includes two voltage comparators that receive voltage signals representative of transmitter power output and the magnitude of the reflected voltage wave on an associated transmission line, and which generate an output signal whenever a respective voltage signal varies a predetermined amount from a preset reference voltage level. The two voltage comparators are activated by a relay operated by the carrier wave of the transmitter so that the comparators function only when the transmitter is operating. The output signals from the two comparators are transmitted together with any other signals indicating a faulty condition, to a NAND gate which outputs an alarm signal whenever at least one fault signal is received. The alarm signal is then processed to switch off the transmitter and, if desired, to simultaneously switch on an alternate backup transmitter. A third comparator associated with the amplifier circuit for the meter that indicates the transmitter power output is used to provide a transmitter-on condition indication once the transmitter reaches a power level of 2% of its output power after being switched on.

This invention relates to devices for monitoring RF transmitters to detect the occurrence of faulty conditions and for automatically switching off the transmitter whenever such a faulty condition is detected. More particularly, the invention relates to such a device wherein an extremely fast switching capability is achieved, such as 25 microseconds.
Recent developments in communication technology have been accompanied by a need for high-speed RF transmitter monitoring systems. In fact, recent FCC regulations make RF transmission monitoring and supervision mandatory. Prior art devices for monitoring transmitter power, etc., have been capable of switching response times to up to 50 milliseconds, however, current requirements indicate a need for response times as fast as 25 microseconds.
The types of transmitters for which the device of the present invention is designed include radio repeater systems, such as are used in the two-way communication field, and in the more recent computer terminal systems for dissemination of printed line information. Such systems require condition monitors for driver outputs, final outputs, VSWR at various points, as well as tamper alarms, cooling water flow, air flow, standby power fall-off, etc.
The device of the present invention satisfies the requirements indicated above and affords other features and advantages heretofore not obtainable.