Manually-operated field apparatus is disclosed for applying a pressed-on coupling to the end of a hose. A frame carries two threadedly-adjustable sets of interleaved clamping plates for clamping a hose end therebetween in a predetermined orientation. The frame defines a pair of tracks on opposite sides of the hose parallel thereto, on which are respectively slidably mounted two runners of a coupling carriage for supporting the coupling between the runners coaxially with the held hose end. A manually-operated ball-type screw and nut assembly mounted on the frame is engageable with the coupling carriage for moving it along the tracks toward the hose end for pressing the coupling onto the held hose end.

The present invention relates to apparatus for applying a coupling to an end of a hose. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus which can be manually operated in field applications.
The present invention relates in particular to the application of pressed-on couplings of the type which typically includes coaxial inner and outer sleeves, the outer sleeve having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the associated hose, and the inner sleeve having an outer diameter at least as great as the inner diameter of the hose, so that the coupling must be force- or press-fitted onto the hose and with the hose inner diameter being slightly stretched or spread by the inner sleeve of the coupling. The present invention has to do with apparatus for performing this press-fitting operation, and is particularly useful for larger heavy duty type hose which is relatively rigid, and the operation of applying the coupling to the hose therefore requires substantial force.
Typically, after the coupling has been pressed onto the hose end, the outer sleeve of the coupling then is swaged into firm gripping engagement with the outer surface of the hose by swaging apparatus which forms no part of the present invention, to complete the hose assembly. Typical of the hoses and couplings with which this invention is intended to be used are, for example, the S6 type hose and the S6-SF type flanged coupling manufactured by Anchor Coupling Co., Inc., the assignee of the present invention and a subsidiary of Amerace Corporation.
While apparatus is known for applying pressed-on couplings to hose ends, the prior art apparatus is principally hydraulically-driven, heavy-duty apparatus which is not readily portable and is not suitable for field use.
Hand actuated means have been provided for the swagging of couplings onto hose ends, one such apparatus being illustrated for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,298, issued on Jan. 7, 1975. But this device is intended to be used only for the swaging operation, and it is necessary that the couplings have been press-fitted onto the hose before insertion into such swaging device. Furthermore, such prior art apparatus could not be utilized for performing the pressing-on operation, since it includes no means for holding the hose end against the axial forces applied thereto by the pressing of the coupling thereonto.


A motor operator system for a power switch which allows electrical motor operation to the GROUND POSITION via TRAVEL SET electronics to ensure personnel safety by accomplishing travel setting without a person entering an underground vault but also allows operation to the ground position manually if so desired. The motor operator system of the present invention includes a position switch panel that allows a three position set travel with travel adjust function. The three positions are CLOSE, OPEN, GROUND, or, alternatively, CLOSE, OPEN, CLOSE.

The invention relates to motor operators, such as for power switches of electrical utilities, and particularly to such operators for underground switches as well as switches in other locations, with a drive and control system that allows adjustment of motor travel settings resulting in the proper travel of the power switch.
Power switches, for example, disconnect and load break switches for distribution systems, are typically used in three main types of locations: overhead on a utility pole, in an underground vault, and pad mounted substantially at surface level. (Reference to "pad" or "pad mounted" herein, unless the context clearly indicates the contrary, is to be understood as mounted on an above ground pad.) It is of course the case that these switches can sometimes be mounted on a pad instead of being under ground. The switches can also be of different types. Unenclosed air break switches are often used on pole top installations. Enclosed, but not sealed, air break switches are often used at pad mounted installations. Enclosed and sealed switches, such as with vacuum or gas (e.g., SF6) insulation, are often used on or in locations, such as underground vaults, where the confined and sometimes flooded space makes air break switches inappropriate.
Switches in underground locations, and also in some pad installations, have motor operators located near the switches (in contrast, for example, to pole top air break switches that are mechanically coupled to motor operators on or near the ground). At one time power switches could be operated only by direct access to the switch or its operator. More recently, the power switch art has applied technology for remote, automated operation of a motor operator to close and open a power switch, (see, for example, Cleaveland/Price Bulletin DB-32BC04 (of 2004). During installation, however, the motor operator will need travel adjustment at the motor operator itself in order to operate the switch with the complete open or close position travel, which can be accomplished as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,986, issued on Oct. 17, 2006, to the present assignee, Cleaveland/Price Inc., said patent herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Extra danger to utility workers is encountered in tight locations such as underground vaults. For example, an enclosed switch may explode, due to heat buildup from arcing during a malfunction of the switch, subjecting workers to injury.
Motor operators for underground switch locations generally require a sealed enclosure to protect the operator from common flooding of the vault. For access to the interior of the enclosure for any reason, it has been necessary to have a port or panel of the enclosure that is removable and replaceable at the service location by a worker. In addition to the time needed to access the interior and to reseal the motor operator properly, perhaps dealing with up to thirty fasteners and a gasket, there is a risk the attempt to reseal is not successful and can lead to malfunction of the unit. The worker performing the field work is not equipped to test whether the seal is effective. Therefore, there is a need in the industry to adjust the travel of a sealed motor operator without disturbing the seal of the enclosure.
Generally, in the past, underground motor operators, required adjustment at the motor operator-power switch location to set the limits of travel of the motor in the motor operator which determine the travel limits of the power switch. This required accessing inside the sealed enclosure. For proper operation the motor drive unit (i.e., the motor itself and related gearing) needs to be able to move the power switch contacts to a definite closed position or a definite open position which requires adjustment of motor travel.
For final adjustment during installation and occasional readjustment over the life of the equipment, in the case of an underground switch, a worker would have to enter the vault where the switch and motor operator are located. Typically, limit switches to control the limits of travel of the motor operating shaft would need setting upon initial installation of the operator and switch and possible adjusting from time to time of the installation. The limit switches would have to be accessed by opening the enclosure containing the motor resulting in the risks mentioned above in the case of underground units, including at least at the risk to the integrity of the enclosure seal. While other locations, such as pad mounted at ground level, do not involve quite the same concerns for worker safety and motor operator integrity, the need for accessing the limit switches is at least an undesirable maintenance requirement.
Motor operators have been used or proposed having a switch actuator with a position-sensing feature between an output shaft of the motor of the operator and a lever that produces power switch opening and closing, for example, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,647 issued to Ronald B. Tinkham on Sep. 3, 1996. Position sensing is shown by a potentiometer responsive to movement of a linear actuator to generate a signal indicating a position of a reference element on the actuator. The signal generated is communicated to control circuitry. The circuitry compares the signal to a standard to determine if the actuator travel is within limits determined by adjustable open-limit and closed-limit potentiometers. The arrangement is intended to improve on the prior limit switch assemblies which fail to provide sufficient accuracy and repeatability and tend to be complicated and costly. Such an actuator control is not one that avoids need for adjustment in the motor operator enclosure. The enclosure has an access hole specifically for adjustment of the open-limit potentiometer and the close-limit potentiometer. This adjustment requires a worker to enter the underground vault.
Other motor operators have been disclosed that also have a sensed position signal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,657, Feb. 15, 2000, is directed to a motor operator for either power on or manual operation without need for any decoupling or mode selection with a control system that receives signals indicating both the position of the drive output and the current drawn by the drive source. U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,263, Apr. 10, 2001, discloses a motor operator for overhead air break switches with a microcontroller subject to a variety of signals, including a position signal developed by a sensor that is a type of encoder. Some of the parameters relied on are temperature sensitive and require compensation. Some types of shaft position sensors, for example, including some encoders, depend on continuous power for a position signal to be reliably generated. Otherwise, after a power outage, the actual switch position would need to be observed and the motor travel limits reset. Such motor operators did not particularly address and respond to a need in the power switch art for avoiding needed travel limit adjustments in the enclosure of the motor, particularly important in underground sealed units.
As mentioned such motor operators will often need some adjustment at the motor operator itself in the case of a power switch having an open position and a dosed position, as disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,986 B1. This patent discloses a power switch motor operator system which includes a first enclosure housing a motor with a motor shaft, a gear train running on the motor shaft, and an output shaft from the gear train having an end extending from the first enclosure to a movable contact of a power switch. A second enclosure is provided for containing a power supply and control assembly and a position switch panel that electrically communicates with the power supply and control assembly and includes switches for setting and adjusting travel limits for the motor shaft for the open switch position and the closed switch position using the signal from a potentiometer without requiring access to the first enclosure.
There has been a longstanding safety issue in the electric utility industry related to enclosed high voltage switch vaults and the need to operate the switch (without a person entering the vault) to a position which grounds the power circuit. The safest configuration for the vault mount switches is a GROUND position in addition to the OPEN and CLOSE positions. The GROUND position allows for the associated high voltage line to be grounded instead of merely open circuited. A grounded line assures the utility that any switching errors elsewhere on the system will not allow any voltage on the line that can injure or kill utility personnel. Additionally switch explosions in the vault caused by malfunctioning switch gear represent a fatal risk to any personnel in the vault. Currently in order to operate a power switch to the GROUND position requires electric utility personnel to enter the vault to perform the switching or the utility requires a complicated rope and pulley system to manually operate the switchgear to GROUND. Therefore it is an object of this invention to develop a power switch motor operator system that permits operation to and from the GROUND POSITION by remote electrical (non-manual) operation without the need for electric utility personnel to enter the vault or the need for a complicated rope and pulley system to manually operate the switchgear to GROUND.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Motor operator system for a power switch with travel set with three positions for ground or double-throw type switch


A laser system includes a linear array of broad area lasers. Such a laser source produces a beam that has a polarization axis in the direction in which the array extends and a coherency axis orthogonal to that. The laser is injection locked by phase conjugating a portion of the array's light output. The phase conjugator has a conjugation axis. The coherency axis is aligned with this conjugation axis. External cavity optics include a polarization rotator to align the polarization axis with the coherency axis before the beam reaches the phase conjugator. Thus, the polarization, coherency, and conjugation axes are all aligned, optimizing the action of the phase conjugator. The approach works in both a single-beam and a dual-beam phase conjugation mode. The result is a laser system output of higher intensity, greater coherence, and a narrower frequency range.

The present invention relates to optics and, more particularly, to lasers. A major objective of the present invention is to provide low divergence output from a linear array of semiconductor lasers.
Lasers are a well-known source of coherent light. This coherency allows the laser light to be readily controlled, directed and concentrated. In addition, laser output tends to be limited to certain resonance modes; thus, laser light is often highly monochromatic. Accordingly, lasers serve in many applications as high-intensity precision light sources, as high intensity precision heat sources, and as signal carriers. Semiconductor lasers promise these capabilities in an inexpensive, compact, and rugged format. In fact, semiconductor lasers are the prime candidate for signal generators in the heavily promoted vision of an information superhighway.
Single-mode semiconductor lasers can provide coherent light. However, such lasers tend to provide only milliwatts of optical output. There are two basic approaches to increasing the optical power obtainable from semiconductor lasers: 1) develop more powerful semiconductor lasers, and 2) combine semiconductor elements in an array.
Taking advantage of both of these approaches, high-power "broad-area" semiconductor lasers have been arranged in linear arrays. The term "broad-area lasers" encompasses any laser that can support multiple spatial modes. Broad-area lasers can themselves be laser arrays, so herein the arrays they are incorporated into are referred to as "super arrays", and the output of a super array is herein referred to as a "super beam". The super beam is constituted by the beams from individual broad-area lasers. Each broad area laser can have a spatially periodically varying gain to exclude certain undesirable operating modes. The periodicity establishes discrete high-gain regions so that the broad area output beam is constituted by a linear series of subbeams.
The problem with these broad-area arrays and arryas is the lack of coherence among the beams and among the subbeams. This lack of coherence decreases the spectral purity, the controllability, and the general usefulness of the output for traditional laser applications. Several approaches to improving the coherency among the several subbeams of a broad area laser have met with at least limited success.
For example, light can be fed into the back face of a broad area laser by an external mirror, thus defining an external cavity. If the mirror is on-axis, then a spatial filter (an aperture) can be placed in the external cavity to prevent certain transverse modes from resonating, thus forcing the laser to operate in its fundamental, in-phase transverse mode. A disadvantage of this approach is that much of the available power is lost due to the filtering, and that there is no separate output beam. One can also feed light into the back face of a broad-area laser, but then it becomes more difficult to cool the laser because optical access is then needed to both the front and back laser faces.
Alternatively, a mirror can be arranged off-axis to feedback a portion of the output back into the front face of the laser. This arrangement can enhance the operation of a high order transverse mode. However, this arrangement is very sensitive to mirror misalignment, for example, due to mechanical vibrations and temperatures changes.
The alignment problem can be addressed by using a phase-conjugator instead of a mirror. While a mirror only returns a normal incident beam back to its source, a phase conjugator returns incident light arriving from any of a wide range of angles back to its source. A phase conjugator can adjust to small changes in alignment in real time so that laser operation is not disturbed by vibrations and temperature changes. However, the lack of coherency from a broad area laser makes it difficult to initiate phase conjugation. S. MacCormack and R. W. Eason, Opt. Lett. 16, 705 (1991) addresses this problem using a separate single-mode laser to drive the broad area laser. The broad area laser's subbeams are all locked to the single-mode laser, providing the coherency necessary to initiate phase conjugation. There is an alignment issue in directing the single-mode laser's output into the broad area laser, but this is much less critical that the alignment of a feedback mirror. However, the requirement of the additional laser adds to the cost and complexity of the laser system.
It should be noted that none of these methods works very well when extended to the super array of broad area lasers. In part, this is because any required laser and/or mirror alignment must be relative to many lasers at once. What is needed is a laser system that can take advantage of the power available from a super array of broad beam lasers and yet emit a laser beam that has the qualities of extreme directionality and coherence that make lasers so useful. Moreover, it is desirable that such a system does not require an external laser to drive the main output lasers.

Laser system with phase-conjugator-enhanced output


A method of making a sand core assembly, comprising: providing two or more sand cores parts with accurately mating surfaces and an injection port in at least one of the sand core parts that intersects with a desired portion of the mating surfaces, the core parts cooperating to define at least one molding surface; mechanically dry mating the core parts together at the mating surfaces to eliminate any space therebetween except for microfissures at the mating surfaces; and injecting a limited quantity of quick-setting (i.e., organic polyamide) adhesive into the port with a controlled pressure and viscosity effective to migrate the adhesive throughout the port but no further than the microfissures spaced from the molding surface. After the adhesive has set, the mated core assembly parts may be assembled into the mold, iron inserts inductively heated to about 600.degree. F. and molten metal poured into cavity, with only the adhesive to hold the suspended core parts in place.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the technology of sand core making, and more particularly to bonding sand core parts together to create a complex core assembly that enhances casting quality.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Sand core and mold assemblies for making complex metal castings are currently bonded together commercially by use of pastes applied to one of the mating surfaces of the cores to be joined. Pressure is needed to mate the mating core parts together and the use of such pressure often squeezes paste out from between the mating surfaces onto critical molding surfaces for defining the metal casting; the excessive paste will cause defective cast parts. The procedure is also disadvantageous because such mating pressure may impart undue stress to the fragile core parts, causing defects, and requires excessive setting and curing time, often about 30 minutes.
A recent attempt to bond cores together without interrupting critical molding surfaces is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,459 wherein a sand and curable binder mixture is blown into a keyway of a core assembly to mechanically lock the core parts together by groove and tongue coupling. This requires separate sand blowing steps, one for the core parts and one for the keyway, adding to the cost of the procedure. For this approach, the sand core parts must be designed to mate with special overhanging surfaces to make the joint work effectively, part design does not always allow the use of this process particularly with small, fragile cores because a thick core cross-section is needed. Moreover, the joint is not firm and strong because of the lack of adhesive.


A communication apparatus comprises a portable transmitter, having operating switches, first and second storing units, a first control unit, ID registration mode setting unit, and a transmitting unit; and a receiver, having a receiving unit, a third storing unit wherein reference code is stored, and a control signal generating unit. The portable transmitter transmits signals containing the ID code, and the receiver supplies control signals to controlled mechanisms at the time that the ID code within the received signals matches the reference code. The ID code is made up of a plurality of ID code sections. When the first control unit is set to the ID registration mode and at least one operating switch is operated the ID code section is eventually registered to the first storing unit as the ID code.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, and particularly relates to a communication apparatus wherein information signals containing ID (Identification) code are transmitted from a portable transmitter, and a controlled device is controlled in the event that the ID code within the information signals received with a receiver match a registered reference code, wherein the ID code of the portable transmitter is registered by the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Keyless entry devices for automobiles are known as an example of communication apparatuses comprising a portable transmitter and a receiver, wherein upon transmitting of information signals containing ID code by operating the operating unit of the portable transmitter, the ID code is extracted from the information signals received at the receiver side, and wherein the controlled device can be controlled in the event that that ID code matches the reference code already registered thereto.
With such keyless entry devices, each user carries the portable transmitter, and the receiver is installed in the vehicle.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a portable transmitter used with a known keyless entry device, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a receiver used with a known keyless entry device.
As shown in FIG. 9, the portable transmitter 70 is provided with an operating switch unit 71 having one or more operating switches, a function code converting unit 72, a transmitting code converting unit 73, an ID code storing unit 74, a transmitting unit 75, and a transmitting antenna 76. These components 71 through 76 are connected as shown in FIG. 9.
Also, the receiver 80 is provided with a receiving unit 81, a signal processing unit 82, a reference code storing unit 83, a function code storing unit 84, a control signal generating unit 85 which is built into the signal processing unit 82, an automobile ignition key 86, and a receiving antenna 87, wherein the signal processing unit 82 and the control signal generating unit 85 are built into the control unit (CPU), and the reference code storing unit 83 and function code storing unit 84 are built into the EEPROM. These components 81 through 87 are connected as shown in FIG. 10.
The portable transmitter 70 and the receiver 80 with the above configurations each operate as described next.
First, with regard to the portable transmitter 70, the operating switch unit 71 generates various types of switch information for performing operations of controlled mechanisms of the vehicle, for example, locking or unlocking the doors, opening the trunk, and so forth, by the user operating desired operating switches. The function code converting unit 72 converts the switch information output from the operating switch unit 71 into function code corresponding to the information contents thereof. The ID code storing unit 74 stores ID code unique to each portable transmitter 70. The transmitting code converting unit 73 forms a transmitting code wherein a header code and an end code and the like are added to the function code output from the function code converting unit 72 and the ID code read out from the ID code storing unit 74. The transmitting unit 75 converts the transmitting code formed by the transmitting code converting unit 73 into transmitting signals carried by electromagnetic waves or the like, and transmits the transmitting signals through the transmitting antenna 76.
On the other hand, with regard to the receiver 80, the receiving unit 81 receives the transmitting signals through the receiving antenna 87, and restores the transmitting code. The signal processing unit 82 compares the ID code within the transmitting code with the reference code stored in the reference code storing unit 83, and in the event that a match between the ID code and the reference code is confirmed, the collation is performed between the function code within the transmitting code and the function code stored in the function code storing unit 84. The control signal generating unit 85 generate control signals corresponding to the function code matched by collation. The control signal is supplied to the corresponding controlled mechanism of the vehicle, such as the door for example, and the door is locked or unlocked.
In this case, the ID code appropriated to each portable transmitter 70 in the known keyless entry device is stored in the ID code storing unit 74 of the portable transmitter 70 at the time of manufacturing and is unique to the portable transmitter 70, and the reference code stored in the reference code storing unit 83 of the receiver 80 is stored as the reference code by extracting the ID code transmitted from the portable transmitter 70 and writing the extracted ID code to the reference code storing unit 83.
Generally, users using a keyless entry device prefer that there is no compatibility between the portable transmitter 70 of the user and the portable transmitter 70 of others, so the ID code of the portable transmitter 70 of the user must differ from the ID code of the portable transmitter 70 of others.
One problem is that the portable transmitter 70 of the known keyless entry device requires an ID code writing device, since ID codes which differ for each vehicle are written to the ID code storing units 74 by the manufacturer at the time of manufacturing. An additional problem is that ID code management becomes complicated.

Communication apparatus capable of registering ID codes appropriated to portable transmitters by operating the transmitters


Provided is a seatbelt device capable of realizing a comfortable seatbelt-wearing environment as well as appropriately securing and protecting a passenger. The seatbelt device is further capable of realizing an immediate escape or rescue of a passenger after a vehicle accident, thereby providing extra safety and a swift escape by protracting the webbing in accordance with the state of the vehicle accident. This seatbelt device is provided with a retractor which uses a motor for retracting and protracting the webbing that secures a passenger to his/her seat, and a controller for rotating the motor and at least retracting the webbing. The controller is capable of altering the protraction mode of the webbing in accordance with the state of the webbing fastened by the passenger.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a seatbelt device for securing a passenger to a seat and ensuring the safety of such passenger, and particularly relates to a seatbelt device comprising a retractor for retracting and protracting a webbing with a power source such as a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A seatbelt device comprising a retractor for retracting and protracting a webbing has been conventionally known, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,097. This typical seatbelt device proposes a combination with a motor for protracting and retracting the webbing.
However, if an emergency situation occurs (disconnection within the motor, for example) and a drive current cannot be supplied to the motor of the seatbelt device, no driving force or braking force will be generated, and it is possible that the motor will slip. In such case, after the webbing is fastened, the webbing can be protracted but will not be automatically retracted, and thus, the slack in the webbing is not removed. Driving a vehicle with a slack in the webbing is undesirable as the passenger""s security cannot be sufficiently ensured.
The respective controls mentioned above are performed uniformly without consideration to the different uses of the seatbelt by various passengers, and are not necessarily optimum for each passenger. Thus, a typical conventional passenger security/protection device for vehicles could not, in a sufficient manner, provide a comfortable seatbelt-wearing environment or appropriately secure and protect the passenger.
Although a seatbelt is for securing and protecting the passenger upon a vehicle accident, it is also desired that such seatbelt be disengaged immediately after the accident so that the passenger may escape from such vehicle.
Conventionally, when a vehicle accidentally went underwater, the passenger would remove the webbing from the buckle and open the door or window to escape from such vehicle. In this case, the passenger may instantaneously panic, and try to escape without disengaging his/her seatbelt, and the seatbelt device will therefore hinder the passenger""s escape. When a vehicle accidentally rolls over, also, the passenger may panic and try to escape without disengaging the seatbelt.
Upon rescuing a passenger from the rolled over vehicle, it is difficult to disengage the buckle of the seatbelt device as it is mounted on the central side of the vehicle interior. Thus, the webbing is often cut in order to rescue the passenger.
Thereby, for example, proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 59(1984)-40964 is to provide a buckle disengagement device for automatically disengaging the buckle in order to let the passenger free. According to this structure, it is possible to disengage the buckle in emergency situations.
Nevertheless, if the buckle is disengaged due to a misdetection, the passenger must go through the trouble of reconnecting the tongue plate, which the webbing passes through, to the buckle.
The present invention was devised in order to resolve the aforementioned conventional problems and an object thereof is to provide a passenger security/protection device for vehicles capable of realizing a comfortable seatbelt-wearing environment as well as appropriately securing and protecting a passenger.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a seatbelt device capable of realizing the immediate escape or rescue of the passenger after a vehicle accident.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a seatbelt device capable of realizing extra safety and a swift escape of the passenger by protracting the seatbelt in accordance with the state of the vehicle accident.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a seatbelt device comprising: a retractor which uses a motor for retracting and protracting a webbing that secures a passenger to a seat; and a controller for rotating the motor in order to at least retract the webbing; wherein the controller changes the protraction mode of the webbing in accordance with the state of the webbing fastened by the passenger.
The retractor comprises: a reel to which the webbing is wrapped around; a motor for rotating the reel via a power transmitting mechanism; a rotation detection element for detecting the rotation of the reel; a locking mechanism for locking the rotation of the reel in emergency situations; wherein, when the controller does not detect the rotation of the reel after supplying drive signals to the motor, the controller supplies activation signals to the locking mechanism ordering the activation of the locking mechanism.
When the webbing cannot be retracted with a motor, this structure minimizes the possibility of a passenger wearing a loose webbing (seatbelt) by preventing the protraction of the webbing.
The controller controls the drive of the motor and alters the protraction mode of the webbing based on at least one condition among the slack, tension and retraction power of the webbing, and vibration pattern of the webbing for determining the generation of an alarm.
The controller comprises an alteration element for altering, in accordance with the state of webbing fastened by the passenger, at least one condition among the slack, tension and retraction power of the webbing, and vibration pattern of the webbing for determining the generation of an alarm.
According to this structure, since at least one condition among the slack, tension and retraction power of the webbing, and vibration pattern of the webbing for determining the generation of an alarm is altered in accordance with the state of webbing fastened by the passenger, it is possible to provide a comfortable seatbelt-wearing environment and to appropriately secure and protect the passenger.
Moreover, the seatbelt device according to the present invention may further comprise an adjustment element for adjusting the contents altered by the alteration element.
Even if the contents altered by the alteration element do not suit the passenger, this structure enables the adjustment of such altered contents with the adjustment element. Thus, it is possible to provide an optimum seatbelt-wearing environment for each passenger and to appropriately secure and protect the passenger at all times.
The seatbelt device according to the present invention may further comprise an accident detection element for detecting the state of the vehicle accident, wherein the controller alters the protraction mode of the webbing with a motor in correspondence with the state of accident.
With this structure, it is possible to secure the passenger to his/her seat upon removing the slack in the webbing before the accident, and to loosen the webbing in an appropriate timing in correspondence with the state of the vehicle after the accident. Thus, this is preferable as the passenger""s safety and ease of escape are provided.
The locking mechanism may include: a mechanical locking mechanism for mechanically locking the rotation of the reel; and at least (a) webbing acceleration sensor for activating the mechanical locking mechanism in correspondence with a sudden protraction of the webbing; or (b) a vehicle acceleration sensor for activating the mechanical locking mechanism upon considerable deceleration.
The webbing acceleration sensor and vehicle acceleration sensor may respectively comprise an electromagnetic actuator for compulsorily activating the mechanical locking mechanism in correspondence with the supply of activation signals.
The controller may be structured so that it does not activate the electromagnetic actuator when the reel is rotating due to the passenger protracting the webbing.
With this structure, it is possible to prevent the hindrance of the protraction of the webbing necessary for fastening the webbing.
The electromagnetic actuator may include: a mechanical urging element for providing a mechanical urge to the actuator in order to activate the webbing acceleration sensor or vehicle acceleration sensor; and an electromagnetic force generating element for generating electromagnetic force which suppresses the mechanical urge; wherein the electromagnetic actuator maintains the electromagnetic force in a stationary state.
Even if the power source to the motor or seatbelt device is cut off due to some problem, this structure activates the mechanical locking mechanism of the reel (i.e., webbing) with the mechanical urging element upon the termination of the electromagnetic force. Thereby, the locking of the webbing is secured even if irregularities occur to the electrical system.
The rotation detection element may be structured from a potential meter connected to the reel.
With this structure, it is possible to learn the rotation quantity from the standard position and estimate the protraction quantity, retraction quantity, rotation quantity of the reel (reel shaft), etc.
The controller is also capable of protracting the seatbelt with the motor after a predetermined time elapses from the detection of the accident.
The accident detection element comprises a drowning detection element for detecting that the vehicle has drowned, and the controller is capable of rotating the motor in the protracting direction in correspondence with the detection of this drowning.
The detection element comprises a rollover detection element for detecting that the vehicle has rolled over, and the controller is capable of rotating the motor in the protracting direction in correspondence with the detection of this rollover after a predetermined time elapses.
The predetermined time may be set to a time required for the abatement of the impact incurred to the rolled over vehicle.


A display method including: performing (S10) a service application that is an application for at lease one of services of a specific event, using an information terminal; obtaining (S11) a plurality of event information items by the information terminal through visible light communication with a display that displays the event information items, the information terminal being held toward a screen of the display; and displaying (S12), when the event information items obtained in the obtaining (S11) include related information, the related information on a display unit of the information terminal, the related information being information related to contents of the at least one of the services.

In recent years digital signage systems (e.g. digital signage) have been widely used. Accordingly, there have been expectations for a technique for obtaining, from a digital signage system, information about a product or the like displayed in a digital signage, and displaying the information, using an information terminal, for instance.
Patent Literature (PTL) 1 has suggested, for example, a guidance display system and a guidance display method that make it possible to simultaneously obtain guidance image information and related information thereof by using augmented reality technology and visible light communication in combination. PTL 1 discloses a technique for superimposing, on a captured image, additional information about a region (captured image) of a digital signage captured by an information terminal, and displaying the captured image.

Display method for displaying information desired by a user

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


An apparatus for reproducing video signals from a magnetic recording medium using first and second magnetic heads mutually having different azimuth angles. Here, the video signal is obtained by frequency-multiplexing of a low frequency-converted chrominance signal which is obtained by converting into a low frequency range and phase rotation of a chrominance signal per horizontal scanning period, and a modulated luminance signal, and recorded in the magnetic recording medium. One of video signals picked up by the magnetic heads is selected to obtain a chain of reproduced video signal. Discontinuity is detected if there is in the phase rotation of the low frequency-converted chrominance signal in the reproduced video signal. The low frequency-converted chrominance signal in the reproduced video signal is reconverted into a high frequency range chrominance signal having no phase rotation. The phase rotation of the low frequency-converted chrominance signal in the reproduced video signal is forcibly corrected when the discontinuity is detected in the phase rotation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic video signal reproducing apparatus which can magnetically record and reproduce video signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of prior art magnetic video signal reproducing apparatus will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B to FIG. 6.
In the prior art video signal reproducing apparatus (e.g. video tape recorder) as shown in FIG. 1A, a magnetic tape TT is obliquely wound around about a half of the circumference of a rotating drum X and further moved in the travel direction (the arrow direction) TT1. In addition, the rotating drum X is rotated in the clockwise direction (the arrow direction) X1, in order to reproduce video signals with the selective use of two first and second magnetic heads H1 and H2 provided with two different azimuth angles with respect to each other and arranged so as to be opposed at an angle of 180 degrees on the rotating drum X.
In the case where the magnetic tape TT is moved for high speed video signal reproduction at a speed higher than the ordinary magnetic tape travel speed, video signals are reproduced with the use of other two third and fourth magnetic heads H3 and H4 also provided with two different azimuth angles with respect to each other and arranged so as to be opposed at an angle of 180 degrees on the rotating drum X. Here, the third and fourth magnetic heads H3 and H4 are arranged away from the first and second magnetic heads H1 and H2 by an angle corresponding to approximately one horizontal line period (referred to as "1H" hereinafter), respectively. The azimuth angles of the first and fourth magnetic heads H1 and H4 are equal to each other, and the azimuth angles of the second and third magnetic heads are equal to each other, respectively.
In the high speed reproduction operation, since the one magnetic head passes through tracks written at different azimuth angles, the amplitude of the reproduced signals changes large and small alternately. For instance, in FIG. 1B, the signal reproduced by the first magnetic head H1 is of waveform as shown by H1a and the signal reproduced by the third magnetic head H3 is of waveform as shown by H3a.
An example of the prior art magnetic reproducing apparatus for reproducing the video signals as described above will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIG. 2. The apparatus is composed of a switch circuit (SW) 1; an FM (frequency modulation) level detecting circuit 2; a low-pass filter (LPF) 3; a high-pass filter (HPF) 4; a chrominance signal reproducing circuit 5; a first time base correcting circuit (TBC1) 6; a luminance signal reproducing circuit 7; a second time base correcting circuit (TBC2) 8; a synchronizing separator circuit (SS) 9; a latch circuit 10; and an adder circuit 11.
The signals H1a and H3a reproduced by the first and third magnetic heads H1 and H3 are amplified through two preamplifiers (not shown) to a predetermined amplitude, respectively and then applied to the switch circuit 1 and the FM level detecting circuit 2. The amplitudes of the two reproduced signals H1a and H3a are detected and compared with each other by the FM level detecting circuit 2 for binarization. The binarized output signal of the FM level detecting circuit 2 is supplied to the latch circuit 10.
The operation of the latch circuit 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. First, a horizontal synchronizing signal 9a as shown in FIG. 3(b) is separated synchronously from the reproduced luminance signal 7a as shown in FIG. 3(a) through the synchronizing separator circuit 9. The separated horizontal synchronizing signal 9a is applied to the latch circuit 10 as a clock signal. In response to the rising edge of this clock signal 9a, the latch circuit 10 latches the output signal 2a of the FM level detecting circuit 2 as shown in FIG. 3(c), and outputs a latch circuit output signal 10a as shown in FIG. 3(d) to the switch circuit 1.
In response to the latch circuit output signal 10a, the switch circuit 1 shown in FIG. 2 outputs a switch circuit output signal 1a by switching the two input signals H1a and H3a, respectively. That is, the switch circuit output signal 1a is the signal H1a reproduced through the first magnetic head H1 where the output signal 10a is at a high level, and the signal H3a reproduced through the third magnetic head H3 where the output signal 10a is at a low level, for instance.
As described above, since the horizontal synchronizing signal 9a is used as the clock signal to the latch circuit 10, it is possible to set the switch timing of the reproduced signals within the horizontal blanking period. Therefore, it is possible to generate the noise due to the discontinuity in the FM modulation signal caused when the reproduced signals H1a and H3a are switched, only within the horizontal blanking period (during the period free from the visual problems).
Further, the output signal la is applied to the low-pass filter 3 for separating the chrominance signal converted into the low frequency range on the basis of frequency (the low frequency-converted chrominance signal) and to the high-pass filter 4 for separating the modulated luminance signal also on the basis of frequency. The low frequency-converted chrominance signal 3a obtained through the low-pass filter 3 is supplied to the chrominance signal reproducing circuit 5, and the signal 4a obtained through the high-pass filter 4 is supplied to the luminance signal reproducing circuit 7. The chrominance signal reproducing circuit 5 restores the phase rotation of 90 degrees per 1H (one horizontal line period) implemented when the input signal is converted into a low frequency range in the recording operation thereof, on the basis of the synchronizing signal 9a and further converts the restored chrominance signal into the high frequency range in order to obtain the reproduced chrominance signal 5a. The obtained chrominance signal 5a is supplied to the first time base correcting circuit 6. On the other hand, the luminance signal reproducing circuit 7 supplies the reproduced luminance signal 7a obtained by demodulating the input signal in frequency to both the synchronizing separator circuit 9 and the second time base correcting circuit 8.
The first and second time base correcting circuits 6 and 8 correct the time bases of the reproduced chrominance signal 5a and the reproduced luminance signal 7a, respectively on the basis of the horizontal synchronizing signal 9a. The respective chrominance signal 6a and luminance signal 8a thus obtained are outputted to transmission paths (not shown) and the adder circuit 11. Further, the video signal 11a obtained by adding both the signals 6a and 8a is outputted to another transmission path (not shown).
As described above, in the high speed reproduction operation, since the magnetic heads are switched during the horizontal blanking period and further the input signal is demodulated in frequency, the switching noise superposed upon the outputted luminance signal 7a can be generated only the horizontal blanking period so as not to be noticeable on the picture display.
In the prior art video signal reproducing apparatus as described above, however, since the signal reproduced by the first magnetic head H1 is not in phase with the signal reproduced by the third magnetic head H3 at the timing when the magnetic heads are switched, when the horizontal frequency of the reproduced luminance signal 7a changes abruptly, a skew (asymmetrical portion) is inevitably produced. Consequently, even if the phase difference is corrected by the second time base correcting circuit 8, there still exists a problem in that the outputted luminance signal 8a includes a skew in the horizontal line immediately after the magnetic heads have been switched. In the reproduced chrominance signal 5a, on the other hand, since the order of the above-mentioned rotation correction is discontinuous, it takes some time to pull in the phase by an APC (automatic phase control) circuit (not shown), thus causing another problem in that the color is disturbed in the horizontal line immediately after the magnetic heads have been switched.
The problem in the outputted luminance signal 8a will be described in further detail hereinbelow with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4(a) shows the reproduced luminance signal 7a-1 related to the first magnetic head H1 obtained when the magnetic heads are not switched; and FIG. 4(b) shows the reproduced luminance signal 7a-2 related to the third magnetic head H3 obtained when the magnetic heads are not switched. In the phase relationship as shown by FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b), the assumption is made that the magnetic heads are switched. In the case where the first magnetic head H1 is switched to the third magnetic head H3 at the switch timing "A", the reproduced luminance signal 7a-3 as shown in FIG. 4(c) can be obtained. Further, in the case where the third magnetic head H3 is switched to the first magnetic head H1 at the switch timing "B", the reproduced luminance signal 7a-4 as shown in FIG. 4(d) can be obtained. The above-mentioned luminance signals 7a-3 and 7a-4 thus obtained have a skew, respectively.
The operation of the second time base correcting circuit 8 for correcting the time base of these signals will be described with reference to FIG. 4(e). The reproduced luminance signal 7a-5 as shown in FIG. 4(e) are written in order in first to seventh line memories M1 to M7 of the second time base correcting circuit 8, for a predetermined time period after the falling edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 9a, in response to the clock signal (the horizontal synchronizing signal 9a) following the jitter of the reproduced luminance signal 7a-5. Further, the written reproduced luminance signal 7a is read, as the outputted luminance signal 8a as shown in FIG. 4(f), in response to the clock signal of a stable frequency. Here, since the outputted luminance signal 8a related to the fourth line memory M4 includes two horizontal synchronizing signals, a skew is inevitably generated. Further, since the outputted luminance signal 8a related to the sixth line memory M6 is not perfect in waveform shape (at the front half portion), thus generating another skew in the same way.
The problem in the outputted chrominance signal 6a will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5(a) shows the output signal 10a of the latch circuit 10; and FIG. 5(b) shows the rotation of the reproduced low frequency-converted chrominance signal 3a obtained when the magnetic heads are switched under the ideal conditions. As shown in FIG. 5, when the output signal 10a of the latch circuit 10 is at a low level, the phase is shifted in such a way as to lag behind in sequence. On the other hand, when the output signal 10a is at a high level, the phase is shifted in such a way as to lead in sequence. As a result, it is possible to maintain the continuity of the phase.
In the prior art apparatus, however, the phase continuity is not necessarily maintained always in practice. The phase discontinuity sometimes occurs for instance in a low frequency-converted chrominance signal 3a-1 at the timings P1 and P2 as shown in FIG. 5(c).
The problem caused by the phase discontinuity as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 6, in which a prior art color rotation processor BB is shown. This processor is composed of a 4-phase signal generating circuit 63, a switching circuit 64, a frequency converting circuit 65, a 2-bit counter circuit 66, a first phase comparing circuit (P/D1) 90, a second phase comparing circuit (P/D2) 91, and a quartz oscillating circuit 92.
The frequency converting circuit 65 multiplies the output signal 64a of the switching circuit 64 by the reproduced low frequency-converted signal 3a (obtained through the low-pass filter 3 shown in FIG. 2) for conversion into a high frequency range, and outputs a high frequency-converted signal bb (3.58 MHz). The outputted signal bb is supplied to the second phase comparing circuit 91 for comparison in phase with the signal from the quartz oscillating circuit 92 (a stable oscillation source). The second phase comparing circuit 91 feedbacks the compared results to a voltage controlled oscillating circuit (not shown) for generating a local signal (4.2 MHz) included in the 4-phase signal generating circuit 63. In summary, the circuit shown in FIG. 6 forms an APC (Automatic Phase Control) loop for obtaining a stable high frequency-converted signal bb.
In addition, the high frequency-converted signal bb is also applied to the first phase comparing circuit 90 for comparison in phase with the signal supplied from the quartz oscillating circuit 92. In case where there exists a discontinuity in phase of the above-mentioned color rotation, the first phase comparing circuit 90 supplies a control signal to the 2-bit counter circuit 66 to restore the phase compulsorily. In other words, the 2-bit counter circuit 66 applies signals 66a, based on the horizontal synchronizing signal 9a, the latch circuit output signal 10a and the control signal, to the switching circuit 64, so that the switching circuit 64 can selects any one of the first to fourth local oscillation signals S0 to S3. As described above, in the prior art apparatus, the discontinuity in phase of color rotation has been corrected in accordance with the feedback loop thus constituted as described above.
In the prior art configuration, however, since the phase discontinuity can be detected only after the high frequency-converted signal bb has been outputted, the high frequency-converted signal bb is not perfectly continuous and therefore the phase discontinuity still remains, thus raising a problem in that color is disturbed in the horizontal line immediately after the magnetic heads have been switched.

Magnetic video signal reproducing apparatus with correction of phase rotation


A telephone set, where the state of an own-telephone-set is on-hook, the off-hook state of a parallel-telephone-set is detected by comparing telephone-line voltage value with a first standard voltage value. In the state where the own-telephone-set is off-hook, the off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set is detected by the following method, i.e., the telephone-line voltage value is measured in detail and a second standard voltage value for judging the off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set is determined and the voltage value is stored in place of the first standard voltage value while the own-telephone-set is off-hooked, then if the line voltage value exceeds the second standard voltage value, the parallel-telephone-set is regarded as off-hook. The telephone set having the above circuit structure can control not to send an acknowledgment signal when an alert signal is input into the telephone line in the state where the parallel-telephone-set is detected to be off-hook accordingly, the data sounds of the acknowledgment signal and caller data are prevented from being noise heard through the parallel-telephone-set.

The present invention relates to a telephone set having a function of is playing caller data.
In recent years, a visual call waiting service has become popular. The service is that second caller data can be displayed in the call waiting service of a telephone office, i.e. in the service when there is a call from a second caller during talk over the telephone, the line can be switched to the second caller.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a structure of a conventional telephone set, and FIG. 6 is a flow chart for an explanation of the operation of the telephone set.
In FIG. 5, the telephone set comprises an alert-signal detector 2 for detecting an alert signal input through a telephone line 1, an acknowledgment-signal sender 3 for sending an acknowledgment signal when detecting the alert signal through the telephone line 1, a caller-data detector 4 for detecting caller data coming through the telephone line 1, a hook switch 5, storage 6 for storing the caller data obtained by the caller-data detector 4, a controller 7 comprising a microcomputer, and a duplex circuit 8 for sending and receiving the signals of talking and listening through the telephone line 1.
The operation of the telephone set having the above components is described hereinafter.
The telephone set, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 6, always monitors the input of an alert signal (STEP 1) in its off-hook state and, when an alert signal is input, it sends an acknowledgment signal ACK (STEP 2), then receives caller data which comes after that, then displays and stores the data (STEP 3).
However, in the above structure of the conventional telephone set, there is a problem that the data sounds of the acknowledgment signal and the caller data are heard as noise through the parallel-telephone-set when it is in an off-hook state because the telephone set sends an acknowledgment signal upon receiving the alert signal regardless of the state of the parallel-telephone-set connected to the same telephone line. Also, when there is a public telephone network standard that an acknowledgment signal should not be sent in the state where the parallel-telephone-set connected to the same telephone line is off-hook, the off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set has to be detected, otherwise the telephone set does not meet the standard.
The telephone set of the present invention comprises an own-telephone-set off-hook detector for detecting the off-hook state of the own-telephone-set, a parallel-telephone-set off-hook detector for detecting an off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set connected to the same telephone line, a telephone-line-voltage detection circuit for detecting the voltage value of the telephone line, an alert-signal detector for detecting an alert signal input through the telephone line, an acknowledgment-signal sender for sending an acknowledgment signal when the alert-signal detector detects the alert signal, a caller-data detector for detecting a caller-data signals input through the telephone line after the acknowledgment-signal sender has sent the acknowledgment signal, and a controller for controlling the acknowledgment-signal sender not to send an acknowledgment signal when the alert signal is input in a state that the parallel-telephone-set off-hook detector detects the off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set, and, the telephone set is so composed that the parallel-telephone-set off-hook detector judges the off-hook state of the parallel-telephone-set based on the data detected by the own-telephone-set off-hook detector and the telephone-line voltage value detected by the telephone-line-voltage detection circuit.
The above telephone set of the present invention realizes that the data sounds of an acknowledgment signal and caller data are prevented to be heard as noise through the parallel-telephone-set when it is in an off-hook state, by the method that the acknowledgment-signal sender does not send an acknowledgment signal when the alert signal is input in the state where the parallel-telephone-set off-hook detector detects that the parallel-telephone-set is off-hook.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In an optical reflection preventing film comprised of a plurality of layers provided on an optical element, one of the plurality of layers is formed by a transparent electrically conductive layer, and the optical film thickness of the transparent electrically conductive layer is 45-120 nm.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a transparent electrically conductive film whose transmittance is increased, and to an optical element in which said transparent electrically conductive film is caused to generate heat and thereby eliminate fogging occurring on the optical element.
2. Related Background Art
Cameras such as television cameras, video cameras and photographic cameras are sometimes used in an environment in which temperature and humidity change suddenly.
For example, there is a case where photographing is carried out outdoors in the rainy season in which the rain on the previous day ceases and temperature rises due to the fine weather from the morning. Generally, if the temperature of the open air changes suddenly, the difference between the temperature in the camera and the temperature of the open air becomes great and fogging sometimes occurs on the lens surface of the photo-taking lens to make photographing impossible.
Therefore, for example, in the case of a television camera or the like, heating means has heretofore been provided in the camera so that when the environmental conditions of the open air change suddenly, the temperature in the camera is increased by the heating means to thereby prevent fogging from occurring on the lens surface.
However, it is very difficult to uniformly increase the temperature of each lens surface in the lens barrel and thereby prevent fogging from occurring on the entire lens surface, and it has often been the case that fogging inevitably occurs partly.
Also, even in the case of an optical apparatus used indoors, fogging may sometimes occur on the imaging lens thereof to reduce the performance thereof. In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-41383, it is proposed to provide an electrically conductive film on the objective lens of a pick-up device for digital disk, supply an electric current to this electrically conductive film through an electrode and thereby warm the objective lens. This is considered to be an application of the technique of preventing condensation from occurring on the window glass of an automobile.
On the other hand, it has become popular to use a transparent electrically conductive film of indium oxide (In.sub.2 O.sub.3) or tin oxide (SnO.sub.2) as the transparent electrode of a liquid crystal panel.
This transparent electrically conductive film, if it is a single piece, is not high enough in transmittance.
As a method of decreasing the reflectance of a panel formed with a transparent electrically conductive film, there is known a film construction using a transparent electrically conductive film instead of a high refractive index layer, as a constituent film of a multilayer reflection preventing film formed on the surface of a substrate.
For example, with .lambda..sub.0 as the central wavelength of the reflection preventing area, there is made a film construction comprising an integer layer (a layer having an optical film thickness integer times as great as 1/4 of .lambda..sub.0).
(1) Substrate glass - In.sub.2 O.sub.3 (.lambda..sub.0 /2)-MgF.sub.2 (.lambda..sub.0 /4) PA1 (2) Substrate glass - Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (.lambda..sub.0 /4)-In.sub.2 O.sub.3 (.lambda..sub.0 /2)-MgF.sub.2 (.lambda..sub.0 /4)
where parentheses represent the optical film thickness obtained by multiplying the physical film thickness by the refractive index.
However, with these constructions, the reflectance of the transparent electrically conductive film could be decreased, but the light absorption of the film itself could not be decreased. In the material forming the transparent electrically conductive film, electrons are ready to be excited from the value electron zone to the electrically conductive zone. Light energy is absorbed during this excitation and therefore, the transparent electrically conductive film is readier to absorb light than an ordinary optical film such as MgF.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2 or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. In the reflection preventing film, this transparent electrically conductive film must be provided to a thickness corresponding to .lambda..sub.0 /2 for the central wavelength .lambda..sub.0. Where .lambda..sub.0 =500, a film of a refractive index 1.9 need be as thick as 132 nm, and the decrease in transmittance by light absorption is great to a degree which cannot be neglected, and the use of such film, for example, as an antifogging film in an optical element whose transmittance is necessary up to approximately 100% leads to a great loss.
SnO.sub.2 film (resistivity 2.times.10.sup.-3 .OMEGA..multidot.cm) which is a transparent electrically conductive film being presently used has a transmittance of only 85% for a film thickness of 125 nm, and likewise, In.sub.2 O.sub.3 film (resistivity 2.times.10.sup.-4 .OMEGA./cm) used as a transparent electrically conductive film provided a transmittance of only 90% for a film thickness of 125 nm.

Antifogging film and optical element using the same


A system and/or method for utilizing mechanical motion limiters to control proof mass amplitude in MEMS devices (e.g., MEMS devices having resonant MEMS structures, for example various implementations of gyroscopes, magnetometers, accelerometers, etc.). As a non-limiting example, amplitude control for a MEMS gyroscope proof mass may be accomplished during normal (e.g., steady state) gyroscope operation utilizing impact stops (e.g., bump stops) of various designs. As another non-limiting example, amplitude control for a MEMS gyroscope proof mass may be accomplished utilizing non-impact limiters (e.g., springs) of various designs, for example springs exhibiting non-linear stiffness characteristics through at least a portion of their normal range of operation.

Energy consumption is a design constraint for MEMS devices, for example MEMS device implementations having resonant proof masses. For example, MEMS gyroscopes generally rely on relatively high-quality and high-power circuitry, for example amplitude control circuitry, to work properly. The use of lower-power circuitry, however, often leads to reduced performance. Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with the disclosure as set forth in the remainder of this application with reference to the drawings.

MEMS device mechanical amplitude control


Methods and systems consistent with certain disclosed embodiments provide applications. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed that provides applications. The system may include a computer system that receives a request related to an application and a database system. The database system may include a database and an application server module and a framework of software modules logically arranged to provide controlled access to data in the database. The application server module may use the data to generate content to generate a Web page related to the application. Further, the software modules may be logically arranged in layers such that access to data or software in a software module of one layer is performed by executing software in another software module of another layer.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to distributed systems that implement application services and, more particularly, relates to systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for dynamically providing application services in a distributed system.
II. Background and Material Information
The continued growth of networked systems, such as the Internet, and their use for communicating and performing multiple tasks, has spawned many software and hardware architectures and solutions that help enterprises conduct business in a global market. Many forms of distributed systems have been designed to address performance, scalability, and reliability issues inherent in remotely connected environments. One type of distributed system that emerged to overcome limitations of earlier systems is the three-tier architecture. The three tier architecture is a popular system arrangement that implements a middle tier server between client and server tiers. The middle tier provides process management services where enterprise business logic and rules, and process monitoring and development may be executed to handle requests from many distributed users operating at the client tier. The server tier is designed to handle database management tasks, such as file and data services for assisting the middle tier in delivering requesting information to the client tier. In some conventional systems, the middle tier may be separated into further layers for handling client requests received across distributed networks, such as the Internet. In such configurations, some three-tier architectures become a multi-layer architecture, where a Web server may be positioned as an intermediate layer between the client tier and the process management components of the middle tier. The Web server may be configured to receive requests from the Internet clients and generate Web pages with, for example, HyperText Mark-Up Language (HTML), using application services provided by the process management business logic.
While conventional distributed systems, such as the three tier architecture provides global enterprises with efficient and flexible solutions for providing shared resources to multiple clients, there are some drawbacks to their design and implementation. For example, in some environments the three tier architecture promotes disjointed design and development that results in inefficiencies when developing and implementing new applications for use in the system. Different developers work on different aspects of the architecture; database experts work on the database system, Web service developers work on application services in the middle tier, etc. Personnel associated with one tier may not be knowledgeable in the development and operations of another tier, which may result in a disconnect between the tiers. Further, by allowing a Web server to perform Web page and application creation, systems may lose control over certain information and how content is created, and possibly expose proprietary information to unauthorized access. Moreover, the number of communications between the server tier and the database tier to process client requests, and the type of code and infrastructure implemented by an enterprise may detrimentally affect the bandwidth and other network performances.
Accordingly, there is a need for a distributed system that provides the benefits of a three tier architecture while minimizing the potential problems of such an architecture in order to provide efficient, reliable, and secure applications for development and distribution.

Methods and systems for providing web applications


An instant photo film pack loadable in a camera includes a box-shaped pack and plural stacked self-developing photo film units of a mono-sheet type contained therein. The pack includes an upper wall having an exposure opening for providing the photo film units with an exposure, and a front wall having an exit slot for exiting the photo film units. The photo film units have a developing solution pod for containing developing solution along an advancing edge thereof. A bottom edge of each one of the photo film units is pushed by an ejecting claw after the exposure to advance the advancing edge through the exit slot. The each one photo film unit is contacted by a spreading control member while moved to a pair of spreader rollers. The instant photo film pack satisfies: EQU D.ltoreq.F. where D is a moving amount of the one photo film unit moving from the initial position to a position where the advancing edge of the one photo film unit contacts the spreading control member, and F is a distance between an inner edge of the exposure opening positioned in reverse to the advancing direction, and the bottom edge of the one photo film unit directly behind the exposure opening, the bottom edge being positioned in reverse to the advancing direction. Orientation of the bottom edge is stabilized while the one photo film unit directly behind the exposure opening is advanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instant photo film pack and an instant camera. More particularly, the present invention relates to an instant photo film pack and an instant camera in which developing solution of self-developing photo film units can be caused to spread adequately.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
There is an instant photo film pack 4 as illustrated in FIG. 13A. A case 2 of the instant photo film pack 4 in a box shape contains plural self-developing photo film units 3 of a mono-sheet type. The case 2 is formed from plastic material and provided with opacity and dark color for shielding light. An exposure opening 2a is formed in the front wall of the case 2, and opens for the exposure surface 3a of the photo film units 3. A top end wall is provided with an exit slot 2b for exiting the photo film units 3 to the outside of the case 2. The instant photo film pack 4 is for use with an instant camera, a printer and other optical instruments, and loaded in a pack chamber disposed in such optical instruments.
An advancing mechanism is incorporated in an optical instrument loadable with the instant photo film pack 4, for example an instant camera, for advancing an exposed one of the photo film units 3 out of the case 2 and for spreading developing solution. The advancing mechanism is constituted by a claw member 7 and a pair of spreader rollers 8. The claw member 7 moves upwards and enters a cutout 6 formed in the case 2, and advances the one photo film unit 3 through an exit slot formed in the top of the case 2. The spreader rollers 8 squeeze the one photo film unit 3 from the case 2 and rotate, so as to convey the one photo film unit 3 toward a camera exit slot, to spread developing solution to the photosensitive layer of the one photo film unit 3.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,519 discloses a spreading control member, which is disposed at an exit slot of a case for contacting an advancing photo film unit for the purpose of raising precision in spreading developing solution to a photosensitive layer by controlling distribution of the developing solution on the photosensitive layer. A commonly assigned patent application U.S. Ser. No. 09/258,258 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application No. 10-53855) suggests a spreading control plate 10, disposed in an optical instrument loadable with the instant photo film pack 4, and arranged between the exit slot 2b of the case 2 and the spreader rollers 8.
The spreading control plate 10 being disposed above the spreader rollers 8, resistance against the passage of the one photo film unit 3 toward the spreader rollers 8 is increased in the course of contact of the one photo film unit with the spreading control plate 10. There occurs rotational moment with which the one photo film unit 3 starts rotating inside the case 2, because one bottom corner of the one photo film unit 3 is pushed by the claw member 7. Frictional resistance received by the one photo film unit 3 from the inside of the case 2 increases. It is likely that, in FIG. 13B, the one photo film unit 3 becomes curved convexly into the exposure opening 2a. If the one photo film unit 3 continues being advanced in such a curved state, a portion of the one photo film unit 3 pushed by the claw member 7 is pressed against the inside of the case 2. In FIG. 14, there occurs an undeveloped portion 3b of the one photo film unit 3 where developing solution fails to be spread.
The above problems are remarkable according to the horizontally extending shape of the photo film units 3, resistance applied to by the one photo film unit 3, and lowness in rigidity of photo film units. It is to be noted that the rigidity of the photo film units becomes low also when humidity changes.

Instant photo film pack and instant camera


A POS terminal receives a signal that indicates an item, for example, via a bar code scanner. The POS terminal ascertains whether the item is associated with an offer for a rebate. If so, a code is generated and output to the customer, such as on a printed receipt. The code is associated with an offer for a rebate in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical. If the customer subscribes to a required periodical, he will be credited the amount he paid for the item. Subsequently, the customer requests a subscription to a periodical from a subscription fulfillment house, and provides his code in conjunction with the request. If the code is valid, the customer is provided with a rebate. The rebate may be provided directly by the subscription fulfillment house (e.g. a credit to a credit card account) or may be provided by a merchant (e.g. a discount on a future purchase).

Each year over one billion magazine issues are sold through over 50,000 retail stores in the United States. The "cover price" (cost of an issue) at a typical retail store ("retailer") is often two or three times higher than the pro rata price of an issue provided in connection with a subscription to the periodical. Despite the higher prices, consumers are willing to purchase issues from retail stores because of convenience and timeliness.
Some consumers decide to forgo the advantages of issues purchased at retail stores in favor of subscriptions to periodicals, which are more cost effective. However, many inconveniences deter purchasers of single issues at retail stores from subscribing to the periodicals. For example, if a customer purchases a subscription, the retailer is deprived of the revenue he might have gained if the customer were to purchase the issues of the periodical. Furthermore, the customer cannot pay for a subscription with cash. The consumer must either mail a check or make a telephone call to initiate a subscription and provide a credit card number.
Retailers are burdened by the need to manage issues of periodicals. Retailers receive issues from a fulfillment house. Typically, the retailer is unable to sell approximately half of the issues, and must return them at substantial cost to the retailer. It is very difficult to predict which issues will sell and the quantities thereof. If too many issues are ordered, they must be returned. If too few issues are ordered, the retailer does not realize the profit it could have realized. Consequently, it is difficult or impossible to accurately stock the correct quantities of various issues.
It would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals.

Method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals


A method for forming a semiconductor device having a fin-type channel is provided. The method may include the following operations: forming a first buffer layer over a substrate; forming a first dielectric layer over the first buffer layer; patterning the first dielectric layer over the first buffer layer; forming a barrier layer over the first buffer layer; forming a second dielectric layer over the barrier layer; patterning the second dielectric layer over the barrier layer; forming a channel layer over the barrier layer; and patterning the second dielectric layer, such that at least a portion of the channel layer protrudes to form the fin-type channel.

Semiconductor devices with fin-type channels are more and more popular. However, fabrication of fin-type channels is difficult due to tight design rules for the width, the spacing, the depth, and the complication of the process. Furthermore, the narrow process window of devices with fin-type channels makes etching processes and forming processes (such as epitaxy) more difficult.

Semiconductor device having fin-type channel and method for forming the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited


Apparatus for changing tuyere and tuyere stock assemblies of a blast furnace in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes support rail means extending around the furnace and fixed a selected distance above the level of the tuyeres of the furnace. A primary carriage is arranged for travel along said rail means and first motor means are provided for effecting such travel. A guide frame is connected to the primary carriage and depends downwardly therefrom. The guide frame is connected for rotation about a vertical axis relative to the primary carriage. A second motor means is provided for effecting this relative rotation about the vertical axis. A carriage support frame is associated with the guide frame and is adapted to travel upwardly and downwardly along the latter in a vertical path. Third motor means are connected between the carriage support frame and the main support carriage to effect the upward and downward movement of the carriage support frame. The carriage support frame includes an elongated horizontal section defining a path of travel for a tuyere stock support carriage. A tuyere stock support carriage is disposed on the carriage support frame for travel along the horizontal section thereof at a level corresponding generally to the level of the tuyeres. Fourth motor means are provided for effecting movement of the tuyere stock support carriage along the horizontal section of the support frame. The tuyere stock support carriage has clamp means thereon for engaging and holding a tuyere stock.. By selective actuation of the above-noted first, second, third and fourth motor means, the tuyere stock support carriage may be brought into close juxtaposition and alignment with a tuyere stock and the clamp means engaged therewith and the tuyere assembly either retracted from or inserted into the blast furnace in a prescribed manner.

This invention relates to an apparatus for changing tuyeres on a blast furnace. More particularly it relates to apparatus for handling the tuyeres and their associated tuyere stock assemblies during installation in and removal from a blast furnace.
As is well known in the art, a blast furnace is one of the largest single installations in any fully integrated steel mill which is designed to produce pig iron essential for the manufacture of steel. In the production of iron, a predetermined quantity of iron ore, iron pellets, sinter, coke and limestone is charged into the furnace and is ignited. Effective and controlled combustion is sustained by blowing preheated air at temperatures some 2000.degree.-2300.degree. F. through the furnace. The hot air is blown into a circular refractory lined pipe known as the bustle pipe and from there enters a series of blow-pipes and water cooled copper nozzles distributed uniformly around the circumference of the furnace. These copper nozzles are known as tuyeres. The tuyeres are in direct contact with the molten iron and are subject to extreme heat, abrasion etc., and thus must be replaced from time to time. It is necessary to remove the lower tuyere stock and blow-pipe assembly to change the tuyere. A modern large size blast furnace may have as many as forty blow-pipe assemblies and tuyeres and the weight of an individual tuyere stock and blow-pipe may reach 3000 lbs.
The problem of changing blow-pipes and tuyeres is compounded by the sizes and weights of the components involved as well as by the intense heat, the proximity of cooling pipes, furnace supporting columns and structures and the furnace tapping arrangements.
On smaller furnaces of an older design having some 12 to 16 tuyeres, the tuyere changes are normally performed by the furnace crew with the aid of relatively simple lifting devices. On newer relativey large furnaces, much more complex rigging is involved and a crew of highly trained specialists is required to accomplish the tuyere replacements. A fork-lift truck is also needed to handle the tuyere stock and blow-pipe assembly to remove a tuyere. The whole operation is considered time consuming, dangerous and difficult. Several types of apparatus have been devised in the part in an attempt to facilitate the tuyere changing operation. However, to the best of applicants' knowledge, these techniques and equipment were never used with any degree of success and generally did not find acceptance by the steel making industry.

Apparatus for changing tuyeres on a blast furnace


A hydraulic system includes a double acting hydraulic cylinder for suitably supporting a snow wing on an articulated motor grader in a fixed roading position. The hydraulic system is provided with a pressure relief circuit that permits the motor grader to be articulated without manual adjustment of the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder.

The motor grader is a very versatile vehicle, which is capable of being adapted with numerous production work implements. Motor graders have steerable front wheels for turning. Because of their length, motor graders have relatively large turning radiuses. An articulated motor grader has a front frame portion that is pivotally connected to a rear frame portion about a vertical axis. The pivotable frame portions are used to provide the articulated motor grader with a tighter turning radius to make it more maneuverable.
Motor graders have long been used for removing snow from roads and other paved surfaces. The center moldboard or snow plow, located behind the front wheels and ahead of the operator's cab on the motor grader is angled in use to cast the snow to one side. Normally, the snow is cast to the right side to place the snow removed from the traffic lane onto the shoulder of the highway being plowed. As a result, high banks of snow can be built up on the shoulder of the road. To alleviate this problem, motor graders can be equipped with an auxiliary snow wing. The snow wing has a second snow plow or snow wing moldboard. The snow wing moldboard typically extends from the right side of the motor grader at an angle to cast snow on the shoulder further to the right to remove it from the edge of the adjacent lane of traffic.
Because the snow wing moldboard extends well beyond the side of the motor grader when in its plowing position, it is necessary to bring the snow wing moldboard in close to the motor grader to permit the motor grader to travel from place to place when not plowing snow. A boom arrangement is typically used to raise and lower the moldboard and to maintain the snow wing moldboard in a fixed roading position close to the side of the motor grader. The forward or leading edge of the snow wing moldboard is located adjacent the trailing right hand end of the center moldboard, which places it along the front frame portion of the articulated motor grader. The rearward trailing end of the snow wing moldboard, on the other hand, is located toward the rear of the motor grader, which places it along the rear frame portion. As a consequence, the leading end of the snow wing is connected to the front frame portion, while the trailing end is connected to the rear frame portion of the motor grader. As those skilled will appreciate, the distance from the connection of snow wing on the front frame portion and the connection on the rear frame portion increases in length when the motor grader articulates to the left.
In prior snow wings, a problem occurs when the motor grader was articulated to the left to make a left-hand turn because of this increase in distance between the front connection and the rear connection. As this distance increases, a downward force is exerted on the boom. As the boom is raised and lowered by a double acting hydraulic cylinder, this force is likewise exerted on the hydraulic cylinder in a direction tending to collapse the cylinder. In order to prevent damage to the snow wing or other components, the operator of the motor grader must be cognizant of this force build-up and continually correct the adjustment of the cylinder as required while the motor grader is being articulated.
The present invention is directed to overcome the problems encountered with the prior snow wing support mechanism by providing a hydraulic system having a pressure relief circuit to prevent the creation of a high force acting to collapse the hydraulic cylinder.

Hydraulic system for a double acting cylinder


A process for the production of foamable elements, in which a metal powder is mixed with a foaming agent powder, the powder mixture is brought to an elevated temperature in a receiver and is extruded through a die, so that the extruded part can be subsequently foamed by decomposition of the foaming agent powder by heating of the extruded part and then cooled to yield a finished foam element. The powder mixture is continuously introduced into a channel, leading to the die, which has a moving wall component by which the powder mixture is transported in the channel by friction with precompacting and is extruded through the die. The speed of the wall component is selected so that the heating necessary for the precompacting comes from heat generated in the transport operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for the production of metal foam elements in which a metal powder is mixed with a gas-producing foaming agent powder. More specifically, where the powder mixture is brought to an elevated temperature in a vessel and is extruded through a die, the extruded part being subsequently foamed by heating with decomposition of the foaming agent powder, and then is cooled to produce a finished foam element.
2. Description of Related Art
A process of the initially-mentioned type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,807. In this known process, a preferably pre-compacted mixture of a metallic powder (preferably aluminum powder) and a gas-producing foaming agent powder (preferably zirconium hydride or calcium carbonate) is poured batchwise, i.e., in a measured amount, into a cylindrical cavity and extruded therefrom through the opening of a die by a ram. The material to be extruded contained in the cavity is, in this case, brought to a temperature suitable for extrusion by resistance heating or induction heating.
Disadvantages of this known process are that the length of the extrudate is limited and that even in the preparation of the amount of powder to be extruded, the latter has to be measured corresponding to the desired length of the extrudate. In this connection, the capacity of the cylindrical cavity sets an upper limit on the size of the product that can be produced and permits only relatively short extruded parts to be obtained, especially if it is desired to dispense with precompacting of the powder.

Process for the production of foamable metal elements


A device for loading photographic transparencies into a magazine having transparency slots, said device comprising a chamber adapted to contain at least some of the transparencies, a feeder means for transferring one of the transparencies from the chamber to one of the slots in the magazine via a feeder gap and a slot positioning means for positioning the slot in alignment with the feeder gap.

This invention relates to image projecting equipment. More particularly, it concerns a device which enables photographic transparencies to be loaded into a magazine of a projector or viewer. The term "photographic transparencies" refers to the type of transparency which has a rigid mount, made of cardboard of plastic, for example.
Known ways of loading photographic transparencies into a magazine of a projector or viewer involve a manual insertion of the transparencies one by one into the slots provided for this purpose in the magazine. This is a relatively slow task and one that requires certain precision. Other than being time consuming, it may also cause significant apprehension to people with various physical disabilities such as poor sight, arthritic conditions, etc.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate some or all of these disadvantages and to provide a device which permits the rapid and accurate loading of photographic transparencies into the magazine of the projector or viewer.
Although the present invention will be described herein in connection with a magazine of a projector or viewer, it will be appreciated that the invention may find many different applications.