In an automatic gain control circuit specifically adapted to control the gain of an amplifier for operating a noise cancelling circuit, a detector is provided for detecting a detector input signal, such as detected noise pulses. The detector includes a differential amplifier comprising a transistor pair connected to a constant current source. According to the detector input signal level, the constant current is switched between the transistor pair. The normally off transistor of the pair is connected to a third transistor, through which a substantially invariant current flows to relatively slowly charge a capacitor in a time constant circuit when the input signal level exceeds a reference level given by the difference between a pair of bias voltages for the transistor pair. The voltage accumulated across the capacitor serves as an automatic gain control signal, which rapidly disappears when the input signal level decreases below the reference level. The automatic gain control circuit may additionally comprise a similar detector responsive to an amplifier input signal supplied to the gain-controlled amplifier for likewise charging the capacitor through the third transistor.

This invention relates to an automatic gain control circuit (which is abbreviated to an AGC circuit hereinafter) and, more particularly, to an AGC circuit for use in combination with a pulse noise cancelling system.
In a radio receiver for an automobile or the like, an input signal is unavoidably accompanied by pulse noises caused by a signal device on a road such as traffic signals and warning lights and an ignition device on an automobile in itself. Audible reproduction of these pulse noises is discomforting to listeners. A pulse noise cancelling system is therefore essential in the radio receiver of the above type.
In a conventional noise pulse cancelling system, the input signal is interrupted during production of the noise pulses to produce an intermittent output signal from which the noise pulses are removed. With this cancelling system however, no output signal is audibly reproduced for a long time in the presence of continuous or long-term noise. The lack of an output signal for such long periods is also disturbing to the listener. As will later be described with reference to two figures of the accompanying drawing, an AGC circuit is used together with the pulse noise cancelling system to remove the above-mentioned problems.
An AGC circuit of this kind is preferably rendered active as slowly as possible in view of the removal of the noise pulses. This is because the active AGC circuit allows the noise pulses to be reproduced to a certain degree. On the other hand, the AGC circuit should be rapidly switched to an inactive state since it will otherwise allow the noise pulses to be reproduced.
With a conventional AGC circuit, it is difficult to attain such requirements. Moreover, the conventional AGC circuit suffers from temperature dependency and inevitably causes click pulses to propagate through any other analog circuits.
It is empirically or experimentally known in the art that, under strong field intensities, listeners accept noises of comparatively high levels. Under weak field intensities, the AGC circuit is preferably rendered active irrespective of noise pulses. It is therefore desirable that the AGC circuit is rendered active when the noise pulses are continuous or high in level and the field intensity are very strong or very weak.

Automatic gain control circuit for a noise pulse canceller


An multi-load friction damper includes opposed gusset-side plates defining a slip channel. First and second brace-side plates are received within the slip channel and form first and second frictional engagements respectively. The frictional force of the first and second frictional engagements may be different.

Friction dampers developed by Dr. Avtar Pall have been widely used in the construction industry since the 1980s. The friction dampers are effective for seismic control of buildings, i.e. making the buildings more resistant to forces from earthquakes.
The designs of the friction damper are described in Canadian patent no. 1,150,474 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,765. The friction dampers are installed in the structure of the building and operate by converting seismic energy from earthquakes into friction/heat.
FIG. 1A illustrates a side elevation view of prior art friction damper 1. FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D illustrate section views along the lines 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3 of FIG. 1A, respectively. The prior art friction damper 1 includes a pair of opposed gusset-side plates 4 that are spaced apart to define a slip channel 8 therebetween (see FIG. 1C). The proximal end region 12 of the gusset-side plates 4 are engageable with a gusset of a building structure. For example, and as illustrated, the proximal end region 12 include openings 16 for attachment to the gusset of the building structure.
The gusset-side plates 4 extend along and define a bracing axis 20. Accordingly, the slip channel 8 also extends along the bracing axis 20.
The cross-section at line 2-2, as illustrated in FIG. 1C corresponds to a first non-overlapping portion 24 of the friction damper 1 and the length of the slip channel 8 corresponding to this first non-overlapping portion 24 is unoccupied when the friction damper 1 is in its non-slip state, thereby defining a clear space within the slip channel 8.
The prior art friction damper 1 includes a brace-side plate 28. A proximal end region 32 of the brace-side plate 28 is engageable with a brace of the building structure. The brace-side plate 28 extends along, and is aligned with, the bracing axis 20. The brace-side plate 28 is also partially received within the slip channel 8.
The cross-section at line 3-3, as illustrated in FIG. 1D corresponds to a second non-overlapping portion 36 of the friction damper 1 and a length of the brace-side plate 28 is not overlapping with the gusset-side plates when the friction damper 1 is in its non-slip state.
The cross-section at line 1-1, as illustrated in FIG. 1B corresponds to an overlapping portion 40 of the friction damper 1 in which a length of the brace-side plate 28 overlaps with the gusset-side plates 4. Frictional engagements are formed between friction surfaces of the brace-side plate 28 with friction surfaces of the gusset-side plates 4. More particularly, a first outer friction surface 44 of the brace-side plate 28 forms a first frictional engagement with an inner surface 48 of a first of the gusset-side plates 4. A second outer friction surface 52 of the brace-side plate 28 forms a second frictional engagement with an inner friction surface 54 of a second of the gusset-side plates 4. The friction surfaces of the brace-side plate 28 and gusset-side plates 4 are treated to improve the frictional engagement.
As illustrated in FIG. 1B, a first clamping member 60 is disposed on the outer surface of the first of the gusset-side plates and a second clamping member 64 is disposed on the outer surface of the second of the gusset-side plates. Fasteners 68 extend through openings of the gusset-side plates 4, brace-side plate 28 and clamping members 60, 64 to fasten the clamping members 60, 64 together. The clamping by the fasteners 68 apply a normal force on the surfaces of the brace-side plate 28 and gusset-side plates 4, thereby causing the frictional engagements thereof.
In a non-slip state, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, frictional engagements of the friction surfaces of the brace-side plate 28 and the gusset-side plates 4 is maintained. The frictional force of the frictional engagements is sufficiently high to maintain the frictional engagement under seismic forces applied along the bracing axis 20 (compression or tension) within the building structure (i.e. when an earthquake is not occurring).
When a seismic force (compression or tension from an earthquake) applied along the bracing axis 20 is greater than the frictional force of the frictional engagement, the brace-side plate 28 and the gusset-side plates 4 slip relative to one another. FIG. 1E is a hysteresis loop showing the slip load from the slip length (length of travel of the plate 28 relative to plates 4). It will be appreciated that when the brace-side plate 28 and the gusset-side plates 4 slip relative to one another, the energy applied along the bracing axis 20 from the earthquake is converted to friction heat from the engagement between the surfaces 44, 52 of the brace-side plate 28 and surface 48, 54 of the gusset-side plates. This conversion of energy reduces the forces on other parts of the building structure, thereby improving building integrity during the earthquake.

Friction damper for a building structure

Abstract: A multi-layer friction damper includes a central gusset-side plate and first and second outer gusset-side plates. First and second brace-side plates are received between the central gusset-side plates and the first and second outer gusset-side plates to form first, second, third and fourth frictional engagements.

Abstract: A multi-damper assembly includes a gusset engagement member and brace engagement member. A plurality of friction dampers extend between the gusset engagement member and the brace engagement member.


A subassembly for an ice maker includes a double-sided ice cube tray having a housing located within the refrigerator freezer. The housing has a first side with spaced-apart first ice cube cavities facing upward and has a second side with spaced-apart second ice cube cavities facing downward. With frozen ice cubes attached to the second ice cube cavities, household water is delivered to the empty first ice cube cavities. The heat of the water causes the frozen ice cubes to become detached from the second ice cube cavities whereupon gravity causes them to fall into a storage bin below. After the water freezes in the first ice cube cavities, a mechanism rotates the housing one-half turn and the cycle is repeated.

The present invention relates generally to an automatic ice maker used in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator, and more particularly to a subassembly of such an ice maker which contains the water during formation of the ice cubes and from which the formed ice cubes are later released.
Conventional refrigerator ice makers form ice cubes in the freezer compartment and release the formed ice cubes through a dispenser located in the freezer compartment door. A known refrigerator ice maker fills a metallic (aluminum) ice cube tray with household tap water, allows the water to freeze into crescent-shaped ice cubes, electrically heats a "U"-shaped metallic rod heater located on the bottom of the metallic tray to loosen the individual ice cubes from the tray, uses an electric motor to rotate plastic fingers on a shaft one revolution to sweep the crescent-shaped ice cubes out of the tray into a storage bin, and uses a motor-powered auger in the storage bin to move the ice cubes forward into the dispenser.
Such known refrigerator ice maker has its "U"-shaped metallic rod heater release at least 200 Watts of power during a typical three minute heating cycle, and the refrigerator freezer must use extra energy to remove such heat generated by the rod heater. Since a portion of each ice cube may still be attached to the tray after the three minutes, the electric motor is designed to rotate the plastic fingers with sufficient torque to help dislodge any stuck ice cubes from the tray. What is needed is an ice maker with improved ice cube release.

Ice maker subassembly for a refrigerator freezer


A wave transmitted by an antenna made up of an array of radiating elements, two pulse waves are transmitted, each modulated by a phase shift law known as modulation phase shift, the phase shifts being in opposition, a first wave being transmitted by a sub-array of radiating elements referred to as odd and the second wave being transmitted by a second sub-array of radiating elements referred to as even, the two sub-arrays being interleaved, the transmitted wave being the combination of the first wave and the second wave.

These systems must increasingly comply with spurious emission standards. In fact, with the sharing of the radiation spectrum between the different civil and military domains, it has become crucial not to interfere with the adjacent frequency bands.
Compliance with these standards is a problem, particularly for solid-state transmission systems comprising transmitters based on microwave frequency transistors or microwave frequency transistor modules. In fact, these transistors are current-switched or voltage-switched to create the microwave frequency transmission pulses, and the switched edges generate spurious emissions.
A known solution for pulse radars is to flatten the temporal edges in order to obtain a pulse with soft edges on the rising edge and falling edge in order to substantially reduce transmission spectrum congestion. The theory shows that square pulses cause sinc harmonics. With the former travelling-wave tube radars, the rising and falling edges of the pulse were modelled in a pseudo-Gaussian manner by using, for example, variable capacitances in the modulator.
When microwave frequency transistors are used, the energizing of these elements often causes increased amplitude oscillation which is highly detrimental and which is not controllable.
One of the known solutions is to modulate the power supply of the microwave frequency transistor during transmission. One disadvantage of this solution is that it creates strong currents for very short periods of time. Highly sophisticated power supply controls and a substantial amount of electronics are therefore needed. Microwave frequency power transistors often operate in class C. The modulation of their power supply voltage, if it is possible, is not guaranteed by the manufacturer. Furthermore, due to the decoupling capacitances of the transistors, the modulation of the power supplies on the falling edge is difficult to control.
The other known solutions use the linear amplification zone for the amplitude modulation of the pulse. This modulation is performed by modulating the level of the driving signal of the microwave frequency transistors within the limit of their linear operation.
These solutions are limited to the linear zone of the transistors and do not allow the waveforms to be optimized. They impose a linearity on the entire chain from the waveform generation to the amplification. Furthermore, efficiency is lower in this case and these modulations often cause a heat dissipation which takes place in the components or loads.

Method for modulating a microwave frequency wave, transmission system carrying out this method, and radar comprising a system of this type


Grass collection apparatus for attachment to a rotary power mower includes a platform mounted behind the mower and carrying thereon a grass container comprising an open-ended wire mesh cylinder, the lower end of which has removably attached thereto in surrounding relationship therewith a disposable plastic bag which is folded between the platform and the container. A stream of air and entrained grass clippings from the blade housing are directed by a conduit upwardly into the container through an inlet near the bottom thereof and against a perforated deflector comprising two concave sections intersecting in a cusp-like ridge disposed centrally of the inlet path. The deflector is inclined upwardly and inwardly of the container and is provided at the upper end with a downturned hood portion and operates to split the stream of air and entrained grass clippings to prevent the buildup of back pressure and to prevent the clippings from exiting the top of the container.

The present invention relates to apparatus for attachment to a rotary power mower for collecting the grass clippings cut thereby. In particular, this invention relates to grass collection apparatus for use with tractor-mounted or riding-type rotary mowers.
In such rotary mowing machines, the action of the blades serves to create a vacuum within the blade housing and generates a stream of air which is directed through an exhaust outlet to a collection container, the cut grass clippings being entrained in this airstream for delivery to the collection container. A major problem with such devices is the creation of substantial back pressure within the collection container. This back pressure tends to inhibit the flow of air and entrained clippings into the collection container, leading to clogging of the conduit means and, ultimately, the blade housing, and severely decreasing the vacuum created in the blade housing. This vacuum is essential for pulling the grass into an erect position for proper mowing action, and for sucking the grass clippings up into the blade housing and through the exhaust opening. Thus, a loss of vacuum both impairs mowing efficiency and serves to permit heavier clippings to fall back onto the lawn, thereby seriously interfering with the vacuum-cleaning action of the mower. The decreased airflow resulting from the loss of vacuum also fosters the buildup of scale on the blade housing and associated conduits.
Prior art grass collection systems for mowing machines have attempted to overcome this back pressure problem by several methods. Some such devices have utilized auxiliary blowers for maintaining negative pressure within the collection container. But this arrangement obviously entails considerable additional expense and complexity, and decreases the tractor power otherwise available for propelling the tractor and the mowing blade.
Other systems have utilized a collection container which is wholly or partially porous or of mesh-like construction so as to readily permit the escape of air therefrom. But even in such porous containers, the grass clippings will tend to quickly line the inside of the container walls, closing the openings therein and creating in effect a sealed closed container, whereupon back pressure rapidly builds up.


The present invention provides a resin composition for a golf ball and a golf ball which have high resilience while maintaining soft compression and also have low spin on driver shots, and therefore can achieve a long flight distance. The present invention relates to a resin composition for a golf ball, including an ionomer resin consisting of a metal ion-neutralized copolymer of (A) a C3-8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and (B) a C3-8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, the ionomer resin having a mass ratio of (A)/(B) of 10/90 to 25/75, and a degree of neutralization of 30 to 105 mol %.

There is a need for materials for interlayers of golf balls which offer the properties of high resilience and low spin on driver shots and thereby enable a long flight distance. For example, some three-piece golf balls and multi-piece golf balls have been proposed which include a high rigid or high elastic interlayer so as to provide a high launch angle and a low spin and thereby enhance flight distance.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a golf ball including an interlayer which contains a high elastic polyamide resin or a metal-neutralized ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer. Patent literature 2 also discloses a golf ball including an interlayer which contains a resin composition including an olefin-containing thermoplastic polymer and a diene polymer, and an oxygen-containing inorganic metal compound. Such interlayers provide high rigidity or high elasticity and thereby enable the golf balls to have improved performance such as flight performance.
In order to achieve a low spin on driver shots, a golf ball needs to be highly hard and be firm on the outer layer while becoming softer towards the center so that a recoil force can act effectively. Hence, there are proposed various materials which enable soft compression and sufficient hardness of interlayers at the same time. However, it is generally difficult to achieve high resilience while maintaining soft compression, and also achieve low spin on driver shots. Therefore, improvement is desired.

Resin composition for golf ball and golf ball


A device is provided for use in solving male urinary incontinence. In particular, the device comprises a lower concave or "U-shaped" body section having first and second ends and male member cradle portion therebetween. The cradle portion includes a male member engaging surface which is convex in shape. Compression means are provided for compressing the male member against the body. The compression means comprise a shaft having a preferably convex engaging foot located thereon. The position of the shaft is selectively adjustable with respect to the bar. The shaft is preferably located in a bar which spans the ends of the body, and which is hingedly connected thereto at one end and selectively lockable to the body at the other end.

Male urinary incontinence is a severe problem, for which no completely acceptable and reliable surgical means exists for correction. Therefore, most males having this condition are relegated to one or more solutions: the use of diaper or similar absorbing materials, or crude clamping means.
The absorbing materials are unacceptable for several reasons. First, these materials do not attempt to solve the problem in that they do not stop the unwanted urine flow, but merely catch it. Further, these materials must be replaced very often in order to be effective. The replacement of such materials numerous time a day results in a burdensome cost. The disposal of large quantities of such used materials is also quite adverse to the environment.
Numerous clamping devices have also been developed in an attempt to stop the flow of urine by pinching closed the urethra in the penis.
None of these devices, however, have worked satisfactorily. In particular, such devices often cut off the flow of blood, causing extreme discomfort. Such devices can result in injury, and to avoid such, must be removed numerous times per day in order to reduce the applied pressure and allow proper blood flow.
Further, these devices do not always provide sufficient pressure to keep the urethra in a closed position. In particular, the penis is a very flexible member, and more importantly, the urethra located therein is also very flexible, and can, to some degree, change location within the penis itself. Prior devices have not adequately addressed the ability of the urethra and the penis to move, such that the urethra can not normally be retained in a closed or pinched position at all times. Further, many of these devices are very large and cumbersome. The size and weight of these devices results in such discomfort that the user is not able to wear the device for extended periods of time.


A method and system for maintaining ambient monitoring capability for a communication device. The method includes using a first target identity to identify the communication device in a first ambient monitoring session with an ambient monitoring device. The method also includes, while in the first ambient monitoring session, receiving, by an electronic processor of the communication device, a communication service state change notification for the first target identity. The method also includes, while in the first ambient monitoring session, determining a second target identity to identify the communication device in a second ambient monitoring session that has not been established. The method also includes, while in the first ambient monitoring session, transmitting, to the ambient monitoring device, the second target identity.

Public safety agencies responding to an incident (for example a building fire, a criminal pursuit or other law enforcement activity, a natural disaster, a medical incident, and the like) may coordinate response efforts using wireless communication devices. Some wireless communication devices (for example, mobile telephones and two-way radios) include a push-to-talk function, which is used to transmit simplex audio from one communication device to one or more other communication devices (for example, using a talk group) within a public safety communications system. Some public safety communications systems include an ambient monitoring service, which allows an ambient monitoring device to remotely activate the push-to-talk function of a communications device and receive the ambient audio sensed in the vicinity of the communication device. For example, a law enforcement officer may not be able to actively communicate, yet communications from the situation to other public safety personnel may be desirable (for example, a hostage situation). In such case, the other personnel may use the ambient monitoring service to receive and listen to the ambient sounds from the situation, for example, via an ambient monitoring session to a mobile radio.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Systems and methods for maintaining an ambient monitoring session


A noise and feedback suppression apparatus processes an audio input signal having both a desired component and an undesired component. When implemented so as to effect noise cancellation, the apparatus includes a first filter operatively coupled to the input signal. The first filter generates a focused reference signal by selectively passing an audio spectrum of the input signal which primarily contains the undesired component. The reference signal is supplied to an adaptive filter disposed to filter the input signal so as to provide an adaptive filter output signal. A combining network subtracts the adaptive filter output signal from the input signal to create an error signal. The noise suppression apparatus further includes a second filter for selectively passing to the adaptive filter an audio spectrum of the error signal substantially encompassing the spectrum of the undesired component of the input signal. This cancellation effectively removes the undesired component from the input signal without substantially affecting the desired component of the input signal. When the present apparatus is implemented so as to suppress feedback the adaptive filter output signal is employed to cancel a feedback component from the input signal.

Designers of audio signal processing systems including auditory prostheses face the continuing challenge of attempting to eliminate feedback and noise from an input signal of interest. For example, a common complaint among users of auditory prosthesis such as hearing aids is their inability to understand speech in a noisy environment. In the past, hearing aid users were limited to listening-in-noise strategies such as adjusting the overall gain via volume control, adjusting the frequency response, or simply removing the hearing aid. More recent hearing aids have used noise reduction techniques based on, for example, the modification of the low frequency gain in response to noise. Typically, however, these strategies and techniques have been incapable of achieving a desired degree of noise reduction.
Many commercially available hearing aids are also subject to the distortion, ringing and squealing engendered by acoustical feedback. This feedback is caused by the return to the input microphone of a portion of the sound emitted by the acoustical hearing aid output transducer. Such acoustical feedback may propagate either through or around an earpiece used to support the transducer.
In addition to effectively reducing noise and feedback, a practical ear-level hearing aid design must accommodate the power, size and microphone placement limitations dictated by current commercial hearing aid designs. While powerful digital signal processing techniques are available, they require considerable space and power in the hearing aid hardware and processing time in the software. The miniature dimensions of hearing aids place relatively rigorous constraints on the space and power which may be devoted to noise and feedback suppression.
One approach to remedying the distortion precipitated by noise and feedback interference involves the use of adaptive filtering techniques. The frequency response of the adaptive filter can be made to self-adjust sufficiently rapidly to remove statistically "stationary" (i.e., slowly-changing) noise components from the input signal. Adaptive interference reduction circuitry operates to eliminate stationary noise across the entire frequency spectrum, with greater attenuation being accorded to the frequencies of high energy noise. However, environmental background noise tends to be concentrated in the lower frequencies, in most cases below 1,000 Hertz.
Similarly, undesirable feedback harmonics tend to build up in the 3,000 to 5,000 Hertz range where the gain in the feedback path of audio systems tends to be the largest. As the gain of the system is increased the distortion induced by feedback harmonics introduces a metallic tinge to the audible sound. Distortion is less pronounced at frequencies below 3,000 Hertz as a consequence of the relatively lower gain in the feedback path.
Although background noise and feedback energy are concentrated in specific spectral regions, adaptive noise filters generally operate over the entire bandwidth of the hearing aid. Adaptive noise filters typically calculate an estimate of noise by appropriately adjusting the weighting parameters of a digital filter in accordance with the Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm, and then use the estimate to minimize noise. The relationship between the mean square error and the N weight values of the adaptive filter is quadratic. To minimize the mean square error, the weights are modified according to the negative gradient of an error surface obtained by plotting the mean square error against each of the N weights in N dimensions. Each weight is then updated by (i) computing an estimate of the gradient; (ii) scaling the estimate by a scaler adaptive learning constant, .mu.; and (iii) subtracting this quantity from the previous weight value.
This full-frequency mode of adjustment tends to skew the noise and feedback suppression capability of the filter towards the frequencies of higher signal energy, thereby minimizing the mean-square estimate of the energy through the adaptive filter. However, the set of parameters to which the adaptive filter converges when the full noise spectrum is evaluated results in less than desired attenuation over the frequency band of interest. Such "incomplete" convergence results in the noise and feedback suppression resources of the adaptive filter not being effectively concentrated over the spectral range of concern.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for an adaptive filtering system wherein noise or feedback suppression capability is focused over a selected frequency band.

Auditory prosthesis, noise suppression apparatus and feedback suppression apparatus having focused adaptive filtering

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

West Lakeland Township, Washington County


A piston, (1) incorporates a pair of tear-drop shaped springs (6) acting, in use, between the crown (2) of the piston and an associated connecting rod (4) so as to bias the connecting rod away from the piston crown (2). The springs (6) are supported by support members (7 and 8), the springs being located substantially in the region of the piston crown (2). A carrier (5) is positioned within the piston (1), the carrier being slidably mounted within the piston for axial movement relative thereto, and being connected to the connecting rod (4) in such a manner that the springs (6) permit the carrier (5) to move axially relative to the piston crown (2). The springs (6) are made of a beta titanium alloy such as gum metal.

This invention relates to a piston for an internal combustion engine.
A conventional internal combustion engine employs a crankshaft to convert the reciprocating motion of the piston(s) into output torque to propel a vehicle or act upon any other load. The crankshaft is inefficient in its ability to convert the power available from the fuel combustion into usable output torque. This is because combustion of the fuel/air mixture takes place a number of degrees before the top dead centre (TDC) position of the piston, dependent upon engine speed and load. The ignited fuel/air pressure forces cannot produce output torque when the piston is either before or at TDC as the connecting rod and the crank pin are producing reverse torque before TDC and are practically in a straight line at TDC so that there is no force component tangential to the crank circle. This results in most of the available energy being lost as heat. If ignition takes place too early, most of the pressure generated is wasted trying to stop the engine (as this pressure tries to force the piston in the opposite direction to which it is travelling during the compression stroke); and, if left too late, the pressure is reduced due to the increasing volume above the piston as it starts its descent for the power stroke. The optimum maximum pressure point varies from engine to engine, but is around 12° after TDC on average.
The specification of my UK patent 2 318 151 relates to a piston and connecting rod assembly for an internal combustion engine. The assembly comprises a piston, a connecting rod, and a spring, the connecting rod having a first end operatively associated with the piston for movement therewith, and a second end connectible to a rotary output shaft. The spring acts between the piston and the connecting rod to bias the connecting rod away from the crown of the piston. The piston is movable towards the second (small) end of the connecting rod by a distance substantially equal to the cylinder clearance volume height. One result of using a spring is that the assembly has a resonant frequency, the advantages of which are described in the specification of my International patent application WO 00/77367. This assembly will be referred to throughout this specification as an energy storage piston.
In use, ignition is timed, by conventional timing means to take place at a predetermined time before TDC, so that the expanding gases formed by the ignition combustion force the piston to descend rapidly within the cylinder during the power stroke. Prior to reaching TDC, however, the pressure in the cylinder will build up to a high value, and the piston is forced towards the crank pin, against the force of the spring. This compresses the spring, and increases the volume above the piston, causing a reduction in pressure and temperature in the cylinder. The lowered temperature reduces radiation losses and the heat lost to the cooling water and subsequently the exhaust, with the pressure being shared equally between the cylinder clearance volume and the spring. This energy stored in the spring is released when the piston has passed TDC, and leads to the production of increased output torque. This is achieved as the spring pressure is now combined with the cylinder pressure after TDC. A large proportion of this stored energy would otherwise have been lost as heat, owing to the fact that the fuel/air mixture must be ignited before TDC, which is a result of the requirement for the ignited fuel/air to reach maximum pressure by about 12° after TDC for optimum performance.
One problem with the type of energy storage piston disclosed in the above-mentioned patent specifications is the necessity to have relative movement between the connecting rod small end and the piston crown in order to store energy in the spring arrangement mounted between these two parts. This problem has manifested itself in wear of the spring arrangement and/or adjacent parts, this wear being due to the failure of the assembly to maintain rigid axial alignment between the moving parts. This misalignment can cause heavy wear, and sometimes leads to seizures between adjacent parts, particularly when the piston is on fill load.
The specification of my European patent application 1274927 describes an energy storage piston that has improved alignment properties. This piston incorporates a spring which is integrally formed with the piston, and is configured as a bellows spring, and is made of titanium.
The disadvantages of this bellows spring piston are that it is difficult to manufacture, and can suffer from excessive stress forces if overloaded. Thus, if the bellows spring is manufactured from an annular block of titanium by machining internal and external slots, these cannot be done without computer numerical control (CNC), and this is a costly exercise as it requires a considerable time input to generate the correct cross-section of the bellows to achieve a functional piston. Moreover, the machining of the slots results in a considerable wastage of expensive titanium, and each spring will have to be specifically designed for a given piston and its application. Furthermore, because of the curved internal and external portions of the bellows spring and the requirement that the opposite faces of adjacent leaves of the spring must be contoured in order to spread the stress concentrations, the gaps between adjacent leaves are relatively large—of the order of 3 mm—and this leads to excessive stress problems if overloaded. Thus, a bellows spring is produced which has a relatively few leaves per unit length, and these must take up the large stress forces to which the piston is subjected in use. Accordingly, the stress per leaf is relatively high, and this can lead to premature failure of the spring. An additional disadvantage of this type of bellows spring is that, in order to attempt to achieve the required stress and deflection figures, it occupies a comparatively large space, making piston design difficult. Thus, space that is required for other piston components has to compete with the space occupied by the bellows spring. Throughout this specification the term "leaves" should be taken to mean those parts of a bellows spring that form the corrugations of the spring.
Alternatively, if individual leaves of the spring are formed by stamping, and the leaves are diffusion bonded together to form a bellows spring, a more cost-effective bellows spring can be produced, but this still suffers from excessive stress problems owing to the relatively large gaps between the leaves which are inherent in a bellows spring having curved internal and external end portions and non-parallel leaf walls. Space problems also occur for the same reasons as outlined above.
The specification of my UK patent application 0216830.0 describes an energy storage piston incorporating a spring acting, in use, between the piston and an associated connecting rod so as to bias the connecting rod away from the crown of the piston. The spring is configured as a bellows spring having a plurality of substantially parallel leaves defining the corrugations of the bellows spring. The internal and external end portions of the spring that connect the leaves are of rectangular configuration, and the gaps between adjacent leaves are defined by substantially parallel surfaces.
This spring has the advantages of being easier to manufacture than earlier types of bellows spring, and it does not suffer to the same extent from over-stressing. It does, however, still occupy a lot of space within a piston, which results in difficulties in piston design.
The specification of my UK patent application 0218893.6 describes a piston incorporating spring means acting in use between the piston and an associated connecting rod so as to bias the connecting rod away from the crown of the piston. The spring means is configured as a generally circular cushion spring located substantially in the region of the piston crown and extending over substantially the entire transverse cross-section of the piston, the spring means being such as to permit the crown of the piston to move axially relative to the connecting rod.
The disadvantage of this cushion spring is that it needs to be manufactured from two identical members whose edges must be bonded together. Electron beam welding is the preferred bonding method, but this process results in the material in the weld region being taken above its Beta Transus temperature, which results in the material becoming brittle, thereby shortening its useful working life.
The specification of my European Patent Application 1616090 describes a piston incorporating two disc springs within the piston, the disc springs acting in use between the piston and an associated connecting rod. Circumferential edge portions of the disc springs are supported and separated by a substantially annular support member, the springs being located substantially in the region of the piston crown and extending over substantially the entire transverse cross-section of the piston. The springs permit the crown of the piston to move axially relative to the connecting rod. The support member is constituted by respective rings fixed to the circumferential edge portions of the disc springs, and by an annular band formed with curved support surfaces for rolling engagement with the rings.
The disc springs of this piston are made of Titanium 10-2-3. The disadvantage of this material is that it requires at least two discs to achieve the desired deflection, and even then the full load stresses are close to the fatigue limit. This leads to a relatively short working life for the springs.
The specification of my UK patent application 2431451 describes a piston incorporating a disc spring made of a super-elastic material such as Nitinol. This spring is much smaller than the rectangular bellows spring, so that it can be fitted into the space between the piston crown and the top of the carrier. Moreover, being smaller, it uses considerably less metal, and so leads to a piston having a reduced cost. Furthermore, the springs can be located entirely at the crown end of the piston, and so enables the carrier to be made of aluminium rather than titanium which was the case with the improved rectangular bellows spring design, thereby leading to a further materials cost reduction.
This spring is also much lighter than the rectangular bellows piston; and, due to the simplicity of its design, its manufacturing process is more economical, faster and simpler. Yet another advantage is that existing piston designs can easily be modified to accept this type of spring, thereby permitting existing internal combustion engines to be modified to take advantage of the improved efficiency and fuel conservation properties of the energy storage piston.
Unfortunately, testing of Nitinol springs in an internal combustion engine revealed that they heat up internally during operation causing their premature failure.
The present invention is based on the discovery of a beta titanium alloy called gum metal (also known as TNTZ), which is a unique alloy of high elasticity, ductility and yield strength, originally developed with a composition of 54.3% titanium, 23% niobium, 0.7% tantalum, 21% zirconium and 1% oxygen, and can exist over a range of compositions which also include vanadium and hafnium. Gum metal exhibits a super-elastic nature one digit higher in elastic deformation (2.5%) compared to general metallic materials, has an ultra-low elastic modulus with high strength, has a super-plastic nature permitting cold plastic working to 99% or more with no work hardening at room temperature, has ultra-high strength of more than 2000 MPa by applying a heat-treatment, and has a near zero linear expansion coefficient (Invar property) and a constant elastic modulus (Elinvar property) over a wide temperature range


A system for detecting and tracking targets or objects located in the earth's shadow. The system senses and processes starlight from one or more stars. More particularly, the stellar background provides an illumination source with which targets are detected as they eclipse or occlude one or more stars. The system includes a receiver which collects incident starlight and a sensor, coupled to the receiver, for sensing the collected starlight focused thereon by the receiver and for providing a sensor output signal indicating the intensity of the sensed starlight. A signal processor, responsive to the sensor output signal, provides a target detection signal indicating whether a target has crossed the line of sight between the receiver and one or more stars. The signal processor may be further responsive to a stellar background catalog for providing the target detection signal with bearing information indicating the bearing of a detected target.

Surveillance techniques and systems for detecting the presence and bearing of objects in space can be categorized, generally, as either passive or active. Typically, active systems require some type of electromagnetic energy emission, such as in the case of radar or laser systems. Passive systems on the other hand, rely on sensors which respond to natural phenomena or signal emissions from objects.
One type of passive space surveillance system senses sunlight reflected off objects or targets. Thus, while this technique may be suitable for daytime detection, it does not provide nighttime detection capability. That is, when a target is located in the earth's shadow, visible light sensing is unsuitable since there is no reflected visible light with which to sense a target.
One passive surveillance system for detecting targets located in the earth's shadow utilizes Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) detectors which rely on the self-emission of infrared radiation by targets. The resolution of LWIR detectors is equal to the product of a diffraction limit and the distance between the detector aperture and the target (i.e., the target range). More particularly, the diffraction limit is inversely proportional to detector aperture size (i.e., 1.22.lambda.aperture size). Thus, the resolution is bounded by feasible aperture size. For example, a LWIR detector operating at a wavelength of ten microns and having a 0.5 meter aperture, has a resolution of approximately forty-five meters for targets located at a range of one-thousand nautical miles. With such an arrangement, the detection of closely spaced objects (i.e., for example, those spaced closer than forty-five meters) may pose a problem. Moreover, LWIR detectors generally require target temperatures of at least three-hundred degrees Kelvin for detection. Thus, detection may be avoided by cooling a target. Furthermore, LWIR detector elements can be complex and costly to manufacture.

Space target detecting and tracking system utilizing starlight occlusion

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.


An image brightness adjustment device, comprising an image data processing unit for extracting brightness values of subpixels arranged in a matrix manner in a frame image according to the received image data, wherein each two adjacent subpixels in a frame image form one group, a calculating unit for calculating a difference between brightness values of the two subpixels in at least part of groups and outputting a calculation result, and a comparing unit for comparing the calculation result with a predetermined value Q, a brightness adjusting unit for adjusting the brightness values of the two subpixels in the group if the calculation result is greater than the predetermined value Q, a display data generating unit for generating display data from the image data if the calculation result is smaller than or equal to the predetermined value Q, and generating display data from the adjusted image data if the calculation result is greater than the predetermined value Q.

A stereoscopic display, i.e., 3D display technology, mainly obtains two images of the same object at different angles based on a person's vision, and projects the two images into the left eye and the right eye of the person, respectively, causing a certain parallax between the image in the left eye and the image in the right eye. By synthesizing the left eye image and the right eye image with a parallax therebetween, the person's brain will form a depth perception, that is, a display effect of a stereoscopic image is formed.
Currently, there are a variety of methods for generating and displaying a stereoscopic image. In the aspect of display, the methods include using colorfiltering glasses or polarized lenses to separate the left eye image from the right eye image, and using a shutter device to instantaneously select the left eye image and the right eye image transmitted time-sharing continuously. In a 3D display, 3D time-sharing display technology is primarily used, i.e., continuously displaying the left eye image and the right eye image with a certain parallax therebetween on a display screen. A viewer wears glasses with time-sharing photoswitches. When the left eye image is displayed, the time-sharing photoswitch in front of the left eye is turned on and the time-sharing photoswitch in front of the right eye is turned off. On the contrary, when the right eye image is displayed, the time-sharing photoswitch in front of the right eye is turned on and the time-sharing photoswitch in front of the left eye is turned off, so as to ensure the left eye and the right eye of the viewer are input with the left eye image and the right eye image, respectively, thereby achieving a 3D display effect.
The inventor discovers that the prior art has at least the following problem: contrast ratios of some images during display may be comparatively large. Researches find that an image with a large contrast ratio will affect the display effect of a next frame image due to restrictions by properties of a display device (e.g., turnover time of liquid crystal). In the usual 2D display, an image is continuously and simultaneously provided to both eyes, so the effect is not obvious. However, during 3D display, if a frame image that enters an eye (e.g., the left eye) has a large contrast ratio, the next frame image will be affected. As the left eye image and the right eye image are alternating, the image affected in this frame is the one that enters the other eye (e.g., the right eye), so the left eye image will affect the right eye image, i.e., crosstalk occurs between the left eye image and the right eye image, as a consequence, the viewing effect of the synthesized 3D image is affected.

Image brightness adjustment device and method, and display device

Beijing BOE Multimedia Technology Co., Ltd.


A centrifuge tube holder designed for use in a centrifuge rotor to hold a plurality of small volume tubes in such a manner that, when the centrifuge rotor is at rest, the tubes will be oriented at an inclined angle, but will assume essentially a horizontal orientation when the centrifuge rotor is operating. The holder provides improved collar support for the centrifuge tube during centrifugation and also provides for the inclusion of a tube pivot point in the plate to enhance the proper movement of the tube from its at-rest position to the correct support position during operational speeds of the centrifuge rotor.

The present invention is directed to a centrifuge tube adapter or holder designated to carry a plurality of small volume tubes within a centrifuge rotor and, more particularly, is directed to a holder which permits the tubes to pivot from an inclined angle when the rotor is at rest to a horizontal orientation when the rotor is operational.
In certain clinical tests or experiments, it is desirable to place a large number of separate individual samples in a plurality of very small volume centrifuge tubes for placement in a specific centrifugation run to obtain the desired separation within the sample. Therefore, in order to provide the most efficient use of the centrifuge, it is desirable to place as many of these small volume tubes within a single centrifuge rotor as possible so that each centrifuge run is as efficient as possible. One approach is the placement of a plurality of small volume tubes within the rotor on some type of adapter to hold the tubes in a large rotor for centrifugation.
The problem with previous devices used to handle a plurality of small volume tubes related to the proper orientation of the tubes in the rotor after centrifugation. It is desirable not to have the tubes remain in a horizontal position once the centrifugation has been completed. Some previously designed holders that have been used to support small volume tubes did provide for the desired inclined rest angle, but did not provide the needed support to the upper end or collar of the tube to prevent extrusion of the tube during centrifugation. In other words, it is important that support is provided around as much of the upper end of the tube as possible. Unfortunately, the prior approaches have generally provided support to the collar of the swinging tube on two sides leaving over 180.degree. of the collar portion of the tube unsupported which results in possible deflection or deformity in the tube.
One prior art arrangement incorporates a flat thin plate that has elongated holes into a rotor with a plurality of radially extending sections or arms forming a plurality of yokes. Slots are formed in the opposing arms within a yoke area into which the flat thin plate is positioned. The elongated holes permit pivoting of the tubes, but there is no locating function by the plate of the collar of the tube. Therefore, quite often the collar has significantly less than 180.degree. of support which may cause extrusion of the tube around the collar during high speed centrifugation.
It is also extremely important during the operation of the centrifuge that the tubes be generally free to move between the horizontal and the inclined position depending upon the speed of the centrifuge. Otherwise, the tubes may become askew or caught in the improper position. One reason for problems in this area has been the lack of provision of a proper pivot edge in the holder upon which the tube can rotate or pivot as the centrifuge moves from the rest position to the full operational speed. Similarly, the pivot area is important with respect to the movement of the tube from the operational speed to the rest position.


A display panel and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other. An integrated circuit (IC) is arranged at a non-display region of the first substrate, and at least one supporting component is arranged beyond a portion of the non-display region where the IC is arranged. A thickness of the at least one supporting component is larger than a thickness of the IC.

The POST process is to cut a whole piece of glass (Q-Glass) into a plurality of small pieces of glass (panels). Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of the process of cutting a display panel into sub-display panels according to the related art is shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the Q-Glass is cut into 50 small panels (designated by AA-EK). The Q-Glass is cut into 5 rows (i.e. row A, row B, row C, row D and row E) first. Then, each row is cut into 10 panels. For the row A, panels AA-AJ are obtained and the cover glass corresponding to the dashed block is removed to expose a region corresponding to the Teg of the integrated circuit (IC). Teg inputting and IC inputting are two approaches to providing signals. Teg is the input end for the ET lighting signal which is used to collect yield statistics, and IC is the input end of the (Flexible Printed Circuit) FPC which is attached in a subsequent module process. If the IC on the backplane glass is damaged, the corresponding IC lines would also be scratched. Even if the FPC is attached, circuit defects such as abnormal display, screen splitting, X-Line and Y-Line will occur.
In the POST process in the related art, manual assistances are required. After the Q-Glass is automatically cut into 5 rows, one of the rows needs to be manually taken out from the cutting device and put into the cutting device again so as to be cut into individual panels, and the cover glass corresponding to the dashed block as shown in FIG. 1 is required to be manually removed. Glass debris generated during this manual operation may scratch the IC. At present, there is no other effective way to detect IC scratches except manual detection, and there may be big errors in the manual detection, which leads to low detection success rate.
As a result, how to reduce glass debris during the manual operation so as to reduce the probability of scratches on the IC has become an urgent problem to be solved.

Display panel and method for forming the same

ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A method and associated e-commerce system for dynamically repricing an online subscription automatically identify a competing offer that offers a product that is equivalent to a subscribed product. If the competing offer offers a quantity of the equivalent product that is different from a quantity specified by the subscription, or if the competing offer is effective during a period of time that differs from a replenishment period of the subscription, the system automatically reconciles the differences and compares the resulting unit cost of the subscription product to the unit cost of the competing offer product. The system then determines whether it would be more beneficial to the subscriber to reprice a certain number of units of the subscription or to reprice the subscription for a certain period of time, and raises or lowers the price of the subscription accordingly as a function of this determination.

The present invention relates in general to e-commerce systems and in particular to dynamic repricing of online subscription services.
Online merchants may sell goods and services by means of an online subscription. Such methods automatically deliver a predetermined "replenishment" quantity of units of a good or service during each "replenishment" period throughout a fixed term of the subscription.
For example, if a merchant offers to sell a vitamin pill by subscription, a subscribing customer might automatically receive a bottle of thirty two-pill "servings" of the vitamin on the first day of each monthly replenishment period of a twelve-month subscription term. The subscription would automatically transfer a payment or invoice a subscriber each month for a corresponding 60-pill replenishment.
A unit price for this subscription may be determined by any known means. For example, if a "unit" is defined as a single serving, an automatic $30 "replenishment" billing at the beginning of each one-month replenishment period would result in a $1.00/serving unit price. But defining a unit as a single bottle would result in a $30 unit cost, and as a single pill would produce a $0.50 unit cost.
An online merchant may permit a subscribing customer to cancel a subscription at any time. This, however, creates a risk of a prematurely terminated subscription any time that a subscriber finds a lower price during the term of the subscription. A merchant's ability to competitively reprice a subscription mid-term is thus an important method of preventing churn.
Existing computerized e-commerce subscription systems have limited repricing features that at most merely notify a subscriber that a price of a current subscription has been lowered to match that of a competing price. This competing price may comprise a combination of events like a drop in a wholesale price, a manufacturer promotion, a competing merchant's announcement of a lower-priced offer, or a new promotion by the merchant offering the current subscription.
Existing e-commerce systems suffer, however, from an inability to compare prices when a potentially competing offer does not offer exactly the same product as the subscribed product, offers a product in a different quantity, comprises multiple products or sales incentives, or comprises a subscription that specifies a different replenishment period, a different term, or a different replenishment cost.
For example, known e-commerce systems cannot determine that a one-week third-party promotion that offers 200 servings of a product for $35 is a better bargain than a $20/month subscription that provides 100 servings/month. Similarly, such systems could not determine that an offer to sell a bottle of 100 1000 mg brand-name supplements for $10 is a better choice than a bottle of 50 generic 500 mg supplements for $3.
This technical problem of known e-commerce systems is detrimental to online merchants because the problem prevents the systems from automatically repricing a current subscription when a competing offer specifies a product that is equivalent to, rather than identical to, a subscribed product, includes incentives or other products not comprised by a subscription, or that offers a product in a different quantity or different serving size than that of the subscription. These problems exist even when a competing offer is a subscription that comprises a replenishment period, serving size, or replenishment amount that differs from that of the current subscription.
This technical limitation thus reduces the ability of e-commerce systems to avoid premature termination of a subscription by dynamically repricing the subscription in response to a competing offer.

Dynamic repricing of an online subscription


Apparatus for producing an aerosol jet comprising an atomizing means and a flow of carrier gas for entraining the particles formed.. Downstream of the atomizing means, the conduit for carrying the aerosol constitutes the central passage (20) of a double nozzle (21) whose annular passage (22) receives another dry gaseous flow. This thus forms a central flow of aerosol, which is sheathed externally by a flow of dry gas.. The invention is used for the analysis of solutions by spectroscopy.

The present invention concerns an apparatus for producing an aerosol jet, which is more particularly intended, by way of example, for an apparatus for analysis by spectroscopy. In an apparatus for analysing a solution by means of spectroscopy, the solution to be studied is firstly finely divided in the form of an aerosol, and then injected into a plasma flame such as of ionised argon, at a temperature of the order of 5000.degree. C. The aerosol is excited in the plasma and in turn emits radiation which is characteristic of the elements contained in the solution. This radiation is analysed in a conventional spectrometer.
Various means are known for putting the solution into a finely divided form, and in particular the use of ultrasonics to cause the liquid mass to be broken down into very fine droplets; the droplets can then be entrained in a gas flow towards the position of use thereof and in particular towards the plasma torch. In the conventional apparatuses in their present state, certain droplets which are being transported can come into contact with the walls of the duct; in the vicinity of the plasma torch, the walls are hot, which, in that region, causes the droplets to evaporate, and the salts contained therein are deposited. This gives rise to the danger of restricting the flow section of the duct, and even blocking the duct. However, this also has the even more serious consequence of leaving in the apparatus a `memory`, which gives rise to the danger of falsifying the following analysis result, for example by a part of the deposits formed in the course of previous analysis operations being dissolved in the new mist of a subsequent analysis operation. In order to avoid such interference phenomena, the conduits for carrying the aerosol into the flame would have to be rinsed or changed for each analysis operation, which is incompatible with the increasingly felt need for the capability of carrying out sequential analysis operations at high rates.


A multilayer electronic component includes: a capacitor body including a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of first and second internal electrodes alternately disposed with respective dielectric layers interposed between each pair of first and second internal electrodes, the capacitor body having third and fourth surfaces opposing each other, an end of each the first and second internal electrodes being exposed through the third and fourth surfaces, respectively; first and second external electrodes disposed on the third and fourth surfaces of the capacitor body, respectively; and first and second connection terminals connected to the first and second external electrodes, respectively, wherein each of the first and second connection terminals includes a vertical portion disposed to face the external electrode, a horizontal portion extended from a lower end of the vertical portion, and a cut portion formed in a portion connecting the vertical portion and the horizontal portion to each other.

A multilayer capacitor is formed of a dielectric material. The dielectric material may have a piezoelectric property resulting in deformation of the dielectric material synchronized with a voltage applied thereto.
When a period of the applied voltage is in an audio frequency band, a displacement of the dielectric material may become vibration which may be transferred to a circuit board through solders. Such vibrations of the circuit board are can be heard as sound, known as acoustic noise.
In a case in which a device is operated in a silent environment, a user may experience the acoustic noise as an abnormal sound and believe that a fault has occurred in the device. In addition, in a device having an audio circuit, the acoustic noise may overlap an audio output resulting in deterioration of quality of the output.
In a case in which piezoelectric vibrations of the multilayer capacitor are generated in a high frequency region of 20 kHZ or more, outside the acoustic frequencies that can be heard by humans, malfunctions of various sensors used in information technology (IT) and industry/electrical component fields may be caused.
External electrodes of the capacitor and the circuit board are connected to each other by solders. In this case, the solders are formed in an inclined state at a predetermined height on surfaces of the external electrodes on both side surfaces or both end surfaces of a capacitor body. Here, in the case that a volume and a height of the solders are increased, the vibrations of the multilayer capacitor are more easily transferred to the circuit board, such that a magnitude of the generated acoustic noise may be increased.

Multilayer electronic component and board having the same


The method of locating in situ a damaged vane in a front stage of stator vanes of a jet engine, the engine also containing a stage of rotor blades and a rear stage of stator vanes, the rotor blade stage located between the front and rear stator vane stages, the engine including a housing about said stages, the method employing a radiation passing cable having a probe end, said method including:. (a) inserting the probe end of the cable through the housing and between vanes in said rear stage, PA1 (b) extending said probe end of the cable beyond said rear stage and toward blades of said rotor blade stage, PA1 (c) attaching the probe end of the cable to one of the rotor blades, PA1 (d) rotating said rotor to carry said probe end of the cable relatively past successive vanes in said front stage while maintaining said probe end directed toward the locus of said vanes in said rear stage so that said front stage vanes are successively brought into the field of view of said probe end, and PA1 (e) remotely viewing said successive vanes of the front stage via transmission of an image of the vanes through the cable.

This invention relates generally to detection, in situ, of damaged rotor vanes or blades; more particularly it concerns method and apparatus for quickly accessing and viewing a sequence of vanes or blades within the turbine or other section of a rotary engine, without requiring costly disassembly of the engine, for the purpose of determining whether or not a damaged vane or blade exists. If it does exist, expensive inflight engine failures can be prevented by early detection of distressed vanes or blades.
It is found in the operation of rotary engines, such as jet engines, that certain vane or blade elements can and do become damaged by overheating, whereas others remain undamaged. Thus, for example, hot spots can occur in the front stator vane stage rearward of the combustion zone, due to undesired local migration of combustion areas rearwardly to that stator vane stage. As a result, overheating and damage of a stator vane or vanes can occur, leading to eventual burn through of the vane, with resulting engine failure. In the past, such damage frequently remained undetected until engine disassembly or engine failure. No way was known to positively detect the existence and extent of damage to such vanes, without costly engine overhaul or disassembly.

Damaged vane locating method and apparatus


An apparatus and method for simulating a desired response in accordance with an external applied force. The apparatus includes a member which is responsive to the applied force, an actuator coupled to the member for exerting a torque on the member, a force sensor for detecting the applied force, and a torque sensor for detecting the torque exerted by the actuator. Signals from the force sensor are used to determine the system response based upon a desired relation. The force sensor signals also are used to determine the actual system response based upon the physical characteristics of the apparatus. The detected torque is compared with the desired and the actual system response, and as a result of the comparison the torque exerted by the actuator onto the member is adjusted accordingly so that the member performs the desired system response. The actuator is preferably an electric motor so that the apparatus can simulate any desired response, notwithstanding the physical characteristics of the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control loader systems and methods which apply a load in response to a detected force. Specifically, this invention relates to a control loading system and method for generating a desired dynamic load such as may be employed in an aircraft flight simulation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The need for controlling a motor or actuator in response to external parameters exists in production systems, robotics, and simulation systems, among others. The control of such actuators is critical not only in the static environment, but also in the dynamic environment, where an actuator's response varies as a function of the acceleration, velocity and position of the load coupled to that actuator.
A classic need for dynamic control of actuators is found in simulators, such as aircraft flight simulators. In aircraft flight simulators, a pilot will move a control stick in response to various visual and auditory stimuli. Since the goal of such simulation systems is to generate the apparent realism of the simulation, the dynamic response (e.g., the "feel") of the control stick must correspond to the vehicle, whether it be a helicopter, a commercial jet airplane, or a military aircraft.
Conventional flight simulators apply a controlled load on a target, such as a control stick and associated linkage, by using a force sensor located between an actuator of the simulator and the target. A diagram of such a prior art control loader is shown in FIG. 1. A hydraulic actuator 10 secured to a substrate 12 exerts a force in response to a control signal supplied to the hydraulic actuator 10 from a controller 18. A pilot force sensor 14 is coupled between the hydraulic actuator 10 and the load target 16 to which the actuator force is to be applied. The load target 16 includes, for example, a pilot stick, and the mechanical linkage associated with coupling the pilot stick and the pilot force to the pilot force sensor 14. At the same time, a pilot is also applying a force to the target.
In operation, the hydraulic actuator 10 exerts a force in response to the control signal from the controller 18. The force from the hydraulic actuator 10 is applied to one side of the pilot force sensor 14 which transmits the force of the hydraulic actuator 10 to the load target 16. Because the pilot force sensor 14 is coupled to the load target 16 to which a pilot may also be applying a force, the load target 16 exerts a reaction force upon the pilot force sensor 14. The force generated across the pilot force sensor 14 is output to the controller 18, which provides an appropriate control signal output to the hydraulic actuator 10 in response to the detected force. As a result, by establishing a predetermined system response characteristic in the controller 18, the control loader of FIG. 1 responds to the forces exerted on the load target 16 in an attempt to simulate, for example, the load exerted by an aircraft upon its pilot control stick in response to the load exerted by the pilot on the stick.
A fundamental problem in the conventional arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is that the pilot force sensor 14 is unable to distinguish between the force exerted by hydraulic actuator 10 and the force exerted by the pilot on the load target 16. The overall system response will be affected by limitations of the hydraulic actuator 10, the mechanical couplings, and system factors such as inertia, damping, vibration, and forces which, like a spring, are dependent upon relative position. In a static system (e.g., the hydraulic actuator 10 and the load target 16 have no acceleration), the systemic limitations are not apparent so that the controller 18 is able to accurately control the system.
In a dynamic system, in which forces applied to the load target are changing, because the force exerted by the hydraulic actuator 10 cannot be distinguished from the force exerted by the pilot, the system of FIG. 1 cannot correct for systemic limitations such as inertia, damping, and vibration within the hydraulic actuator 10 or its associated mechanical linkages. As a result, the dynamic response is poor, and any attempts to use the prior art system in an aircraft simulator results in an aircraft control stick which gives a poor "feel" to the pilot who moves the control stick.
The control loader of FIG. 1 has the additional problems associated with using the hydraulic actuator 10. The hydraulic system tends to develop leaks, thus affecting the reliability and accuracy of the system. Attempts have been made to replace the hydraulic system with a motor, but because the pilot force sensor 14 is unable to distinguish between the force. exerted by the motor and external forces acting on the load target, problems arise in eliminating ripple caused by the motor.
A further disadvantage to the prior art system is that because the controller 18 cannot compensate for the inertia or damping in the hydraulic actuator 10 or the associated mechanical linkages, the prior art system cannot be used for simulator systems wherein the stick of the aircraft being simulated has less inertia than the simulator's mechanism. This is because the prior art control loader system cannot take into account its own inertia. For example, while the system of FIG. 1 may be adequate to simulate a military fighter craft, which has a relatively heavy "feel", the inertia of the system may be too great for simulating a helicopter, which has a relatively light "feel". Consequently, different control loading systems are required having force and inertial characteristics which match the desired application.

Motor control desired dynamic load of a simulating system and method


Methods of identifying inhibitors of binding of IL-13 and its receptor and methods for their identification are also disclosed.

A variety of regulatory molecules, known as cytokines, have been identified including interleukin-13 (IL-13). Various protein forms of IL-13 and DNA encoding various forms of IL-13 activity are described in McKenzie et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:3735 (1993); Minty et al., Nature 362:248 (1993); and Aversa et al., WO94/04680. Thus, the term "IL-13" includes proteins having the sequence and/or biological activity described in these documents, whether produced by recombinant genetic engineering techniques; purified from cell sources producing the factor naturally or upon induction with other factors; or synthesized by chemical techniques; or a combination of the foregoing.
IL-13 is a cytokine that has been implicated in production of several biological activities including: induction of IgG4 and IgE switching, including in human immature B cells (Punnonen et al., J. Immunol. 152:1094 (1994)); induction of germ line IgE heavy chain (.epsilon.) transcription and CD23 expression in normal human B cells (Punnonen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:3730 (1993)); and induction of B cell proliferation in the presence of CD40L or anti-CD40 mAb (Cocks et al., Int. Immunol. 5:657 (1993)). Although many activities of IL-13 are similar to those of IL-4, in contrast to IL-4, IL-13 does not have growth promoting effects on activated T cells or T cell clones (Zurawski et al., EMBO J. 12:2663 (1993)).
Like most cytokines, IL-13 exhibits certain biological activities by interacting with an IL-13 receptor ("IL-13R") on the surface of target cells. IL-13R and the IL-4 receptor ("IL-4R") sharing a common component, which is required for receptor activation; however, IL-13 does not bind to cells transfected with the 130 kD IL-4R (Zurawski et al., supra). Thus, the IL-13R must contain at least one other ligand binding chain. Cytokine receptors are commonly composed or two or three chains. The cloning of one ligand binding chain for IL-13 has been recently reported (Hilton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:497-501).
It would be desirable to identify and clone the sequence for any other IL-13 binding chain of IL-13R so that IL-13R proteins can be produced for various reasons, including production of therapeutics and screening for inhibitors of IL-13 binding to the receptor and receptor signaling.

Methods of identifying inhibitors of binding of IL-13 to the IL-13 receptor chain


A Photohardenable composition consisting essentially of a free radical polymerizable compound, an electron donating coinitiator, and a benzospiropyran, wherein the benzospiropyran undergoes ring opening to form a merocyanine upon exposure to a actinic radiation or heat and exposure to a second 296 radiation causes the composition to harden.

The present invention relates to a novel method of photohardening a composition, to novel photohardenable compositions, to photosensitive materials employing them and to methods for two and three dimensional imaging using the same. More particularly, it relates to a chemical method using two photons to harden compositions containing certain photochromic materials by free radical addition polymerization.
The invention further relates to dosimetric devices incorporating benzospiropyrans.
Though it is relatively simple to transmit two dimensional drawings, figures and photographs from one place to another by optical processes such as xerography and photography, three dimensional photography or xerography is essentially unknown. Prior to the present invention three dimensional figures have been made visible or real by a number of different methods. Prior to the present invention, the techniques for doing so have been slow and expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330 to Hull and assigned to 3 D Systems describes a method for forming a three dimensional objec called stereolithography. Stereolithography involves the formation of a three dimensional object additively, i.e., layer by layer. As such, it couples the power of computer graphics, through laser initiated photopolymerization to the formation of a unique, real plastic form Stereolithography, in its original manifestation, employs a He/Cd laser (324 nm), a UV photoinitiator (usually an acetophenone acetal) and a mixture of viscous polyolacrylates. The x,y dimension is controlled by scanning the laser beam over the surface of the polyolacrylate/UV initiator mixture at a rate sufficiently fast to form a gelled layer of fixed depth on an aluminum platform immersed to essentially 100 .mu. in the polyolacrylate/UV initiator mixture After formation of the first layer the platform is immersed to a depth of 200 .mu. and a second layer is formed on top of the first. This process is continued in an additive modeling fashion until the unique object is formed. The entire x,y pattern for each of the successive layers of the model is controlled from a computer --either by vector scanning or raster scanning the laser beam from point X.sub.1,Y.sub.1 to X.sub.n,Y.sub.n.
Among the applications of stereolithography is the formation of models from CAD/CAM. One of the problems in the aforesaid process is that all of the photochemical polymerization events are required to take place at the interface between the monomer and the air. The mixture cannot be penetrated by the initiating beam without causing a polymerization process. In all cases of application to date, the photopolymerization events are carried out on a platform located a small distance under the surface of the photohardenable mixture. At the completion of the formation of a single layer, the platform is dipped further under the surface to expose the top of the formed layer of polymer to additional monomer mixture. This causes a dislocation in the level of the surface layer which comes to equilibrium slowly if left alone, or which can be leveled with a wiping blade artificially. The overall slow step in the three dimensional modeling process when viscous polyolacrylates are used as the prepolymer is the releveling process. It takes a substantial time period for the polyolacrylate mixture to come to dimensional equilibrium after the movement of the platform into the vessel following the formation of the first layer of stereolithogram. It would be desirable to extend the current practice of stereolithography to the formation of polymer internally of a volume of polymerizable composition rather than on its surface and thus obviate the time consuming reequilibration of the surface of a viscous monomer.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,041,476, 4,078,229, 4,238,840, 4,466,080, 4,471,470, an 4,333,165 to Swainson and assigned to Formigraphics Engine Corporation disclose a number of concepts which relate to the current invention in which a three-dimensional figure is formed in situ in a medium by causing two dissimilar radiation beams to intersect in the media. In this process, the X, Y and Z axes are scanned within a volume of a photohardenable material. There is no stage and scanning is not limited to the X, Y plane as it is in the Hull process. While the Swainson concepts are interesting in theory, the photochemistries disclosed in the patent do not appear to be commercially satisfactory at least from the standpoint of three dimensional model formation.

Photosensitive compositions containing benzospiropyrans and uses thereof


The present invention relates to composite optical elements, and particularly to a composite optical element in which second and third optical components are coupled to a first optical component. The present invention is advantageous in enhancing optical properties. A composite optical element (1) includes first, second and third optical components (10, 20, 30). The first optical component (10) has a lens surface (13). The second optical component (20) is coupled to the first optical component (10) at the lens surface (13) and has a lens surface (22) at a side opposite to a first coupling surface (21) at which the second optical component (20) is coupled to the first optical component (10). The third optical component (30) is coupled to the second optical component (20) at the lens surface (22) and has a lens surface (32) at a side opposite to a second coupling surface (31) at which the third optical component (30) is coupled to the second optical component (20). The lens surface (13) partially has a first uneven region (13a). The lens surface (22) partially has a third uneven region (22a). The lens surface (32) partially has a third uneven region (32a).

Composite optical elements each including two or more optical components are known to date. For example, in a composite optical element including two optical components, these optical components, i.e., first and second optical components, are coupled to each other. Such composite optical elements are used in various optical systems, and can be used as lenses by forming diffraction structures in their coupling surfaces, for example.
Most of the diffraction structures formed in the coupling surfaces are grating structures each made of evenly-spaced small slits or grooves in a number of about several tens to about several hundreds per a fine spacing (about 1 mm), as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Upon incidence of light on such a diffraction structure, a diffracted luminous flux is generated in a direction determined by the pitch (spacing) between the slits or grooves and the wavelength of incident light. This diffracted luminous flux is focused on one point, thereby allowing a composite optical element having such a diffraction structure to function as a lens.
In the case of using a composite optical element as a lens, a composite optical element in which a second optical component made of resin is coupled to a first optical component made of glass is employed, for example. Such a structure achieves a diffraction efficiency of 90% or more in a wide wavelength range from h-line (404.7 nm) to C-line (656.3 nm) by utilizing a wavelength characteristic opposite to that of a general lens made of a single glass or a single resin, i.e., by utilizing a characteristic in which the refractive index increases as the wavelength increases.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-287904


A TSD (8) is provided in the vicinity of an IGBT (1), and reference voltages (VR1 to VR5) are provided to the negative inputs of comparators (51 to 55) as a function of a temperature detection signal (S8). A sense terminal (3) of the IGBT is connected to the positive inputs of the comparators (51 to 55) in common. An output signal (S51) of the comparator (51) and output signals (S72 to S75) of signal judging circuits (72 to 75) having received the output signals (S52 to S55) are applied to the input of an NOR gate (6) for on/off control of the IGBT. The signal judging circuits (72 to 75) normally output an L-level judgment signal (S7) and output an H-level judgment signal (S7) when the input signal is at the H level for periods of time that are not shorter than allowable durations (.DELTA.t2 to .DELTA.t5 ), respectively. This provides an overcurrent protective device for a power device which performs overcurrent protective operation adapted for a practical safe operating area of the power device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to overcurrent protective devices for power devices.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a conventional drive and overcurrent protective device for power devices. A drive signal S2 at H/L level is given from a drive circuit 2 such as a driver to the gate of an N-channel IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) 1 to control the on/off operation of the IGBT 1.
The IGBT 1 is provided with a sense terminal 3 separately. The sense terminal 3 is grounded through a sense resistor 4. Since the sense terminal 3 is adapted to carry a current proportional to a collector current IC of the IGBT 1, the current proportional to the collector current IC flows in the sense resistor 4. As a result, the level of a sense voltage VS provided from the sense terminal 3 is proportional to the collector current IC.
The sense terminal 3 of the IGBT 1 is connected to the positive inputs of comparators 51 and 52 in common. A reference voltage VR1 is applied to the negative input of the comparator 51, and a reference voltage VR2 (<VR1) is applied to the negative input of the comparator 52.
An output signal S51 of the comparator 51 is applied to the input of an NOR gate 6. An output signal S52 of the comparator 52 is applied to a signal judging circuit 7. A judgment signal S7 of the signal judging circuit 7 is applied to the input of the NOR gate 6.
The signal judging circuit 7 normally outputs the L-level judgment signal S7 and outputs the H-level judgment signal S7 when a period that the output signal S52 of the comparator 52 to be inputted thereto is at the H level is not shorter than an allowable duration At.
A control signal SC is also applied to the input of the NOR gate 6. An output signal S6 of the NOR gate 6 is applied to the input of the drive circuit 2.
In such arrangement, as the control signal SC that is set at the L level is inputted to the NOR gate 6, the output signal S6 of the NOR gate 6 turns to the H level since the two other input signals S51 and S7 of the NOR gate 6 are normally at the L level. As a result, the drive circuit 2 gives the H-level drive signal S2 to the gate of the IGBT 1, so that the IGBT 1 turn on.
The sense voltage VS is equal to or lower than the reference voltage VR2 with respect to the collector current IC of the IGBT 1 in normal operation. The output signals S51 and S52 of the comparators 51 and 52 are held at the L level, so that the H level of the output signal S6 of the NOR gate 6 is unchanged. The IGBT 1 is held "on".
As the collector current IC of the IGBT 1 grows high due to increase in load and the like, the sense voltage VS accordingly grows high. When the sense voltage VS exceeds the reference voltage VR2, the output signal S52 of the comparator 52 turns to the H level.
However, the judgment signal S7 of the signal judging circuit 7 is held at the L level when the period of VS>VR2 is shorter than the allowable duration .DELTA.t, so that the IGBT 1 is held "on". When the period of VS>VR2 is equal to or longer than the allowable duration .DELTA.t, the judgment signal S7 of the signal judging circuit 7 turns to the H level. Then the output signal S6 of the NOR gate 6 turns to the L level and the L-level drive signal S2 is given from the drive circuit 2 to the gate of the IGBT 1. Accordingly, the IGBT 1 turns off and the collector current flowing in the IGBT 1 is interrupted to permit overcurrent protection to function.
As the collector current IC further grows high until the sense voltage VS exceeds the reference voltage VR1, the output signal S51 of the comparator 51 turns to the H level, so that the output signal S6 of the NOR gate 6 instantaneously turns to the L level independently of the H/L level of the judgment signal S7 of the signal judging circuit 7. As a result, the L-level drive signal S2 is given from the drive circuit 2 to the gate of the IGBT 1. Accordingly, the IGBT 1 turns off and the collector current flowing in the IGBT 1 is interrupted to permit the overcurrent protection to function.
As above described, the conventional overcurrent protective device for the IGBT, on detecting an overcurrent state in the IGBT by detecting the collector current of the IGBT, causes the IGBT to turn off whereby the overcurrent protection functions.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing an operating area of the IGBT. In FIG. 5, IC1 represents the collector current where the sense voltage VS is equal to the reference voltage VR1, and IC2 is the collector current where the sense voltage VS is equal to the reference voltage VR2. A curve L1 indicates the upper limit of the safe operation of the IGBT. That is, the safe operating area of the IGBT is an area in which the collector current IC varying with time is below the maximum safe operation curve L1. The IGBT is enabled to operate safely within the safe operating area.
Unfortunately, the drive and overcurrent protective device for the IGBT shown in FIG. 4 determines only shaded regions B1 and B2 of FIG. 5 as the safe operating area. There has been a problem in that the collector current IC varying with time, if practically within a region A1 included in the safe operating area, is taken as being in an abnormal operating area to cause the protective function to operate.
Furthermore, fixed are the reference voltages VR1 and VR2 serving as a reference for comparison of the comparators 51 and 52 and the allowable duration .DELTA.t by the signal judging circuit 7. Another problem is that it is impossible to judge the safe operating area adapted for the practical IGBT safe operating area varied with temperature changes of the IGBT itself.

Overcurrent protective device for power device


A quality composite board can be manufactured by combining natural fibrous material, resin and a waxy hydrocarbonaceous material wherein the waxy hydrocarbonaceous material is a natural, synthetic or petroleum wax containing from greater than 30 wt % to up to 98 wt % oil content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to manufactured composite board products wherein the composite board product is a compressed, heat treated mixture of natural fibrous material, resin and wax.
2. Related Art
Manufactured composite board products, typically wafer board, hard board, oriented strand board, particle board, medium density fiberboard, etc., have been produced for many years and their method of manufacture is well known in the industry.
Typically such board products are produced by using a natural fibrous material as the primary component which is then sprayed, dipped or otherwise combined with a minor amount of resin and slack wax, formed into sheets and subjected to pressure and heat to yield finished, thin, generally stiff sheets of manufactured board materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,252 describes a surface stabilized waferboard having at least one surface rendered water resistant and stabilized against water loss.
In the process of that patent a wafer board is produced by bonding together wood wafers, adhesive resin and wax in a hot press, the water resistance and surface stabilization of at least one surface being accomplished by bonding a layer of porous paper to at least one surface of the wafer board while the wood wafers are being bonded together in the hot press. The wax employed in producing the wafer board is an aliphatic petroleum product referred to generally as a slack wax and is used in an amount in the range of 1 to 2 wt % of the wafer board, based on the oven dry weight of the wafer board.
While not so recited in the literature the slack wax generally used in the production of manufactured wafer or fiber board is typically 30 grade slack wax (550 N) which typically has an oil content in the range 18-28 wt %, more usually 18-21 wt % oil. A 10 grade slack wax (150 N) has also been used and it has a typical oil content in the range 12-28 wt %, more usually 14-21 wt %.
"The Effect of Wax Type and Content on Waferboard Properties" Hsu, et al, International Particleboard/Composite Materials Symposium, 1990, pp. 85-93, discusses and addresses the effect of wax content and oil content in wax on the physical properties of waferboard. The paper addresses waferboard swelling in response to from zero to 4.5% wax content as well as waferboard swelling and internal bond strength in response to from 0 to 30 wt % oil content in the wax used in the production of the waferboard.

Method for manufacturing composite board using high oil content wax and the composite board made using high oil content wax


A wiper apparatus includes an arm shank pivotably supported at its proximal end portion on a vehicle and an arm piece mounted at its proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the arm shank and having a wiper blade attached to the other end portion remote from the distal end portion of the arm shank. The wiper apparatus also includes an arm piece cover covering the arm piece having an outer peripheral surface flush with an outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the arm shank.

In wiper apparatus for vehicles, an arm shank is pivotably supported at its proximal end portion on a vehicle body, an arm piece is mounted to a distal end portion of the arm shank, and a wiper blade is mounted to the arm piece. Window glass is wiped with the wiper blade through pivoting movement of the ark shank.
Generally, such wiper apparatus are mounted on a vehicle body with the arm piece swaged to a distal end portion of the arm shank. Therefore, a step or level difference would be formed between the distal end portion of the arm shank and the arm piece, which impairs the outer appearance of the wiper apparatus.
To eliminate such an undesired level difference between the distal end portion of the arm shank and the arm piece, it has been proposed to form a sectional shape of the arm piece such that a portion of the arm shank to be swaged to the distal end portion of the arm shank has a relatively small size and another portion of the arm shank projecting from the distal end portion of the arm shank has a greater size (see, for example, the wiper apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-344057). By thus appropriately changing the sectional shape of the arm piece, it is possible to minimize or eliminate the level difference between the distal end portion of the arm shank and the arm piece; in this way, the outer peripheral surface of the arm piece can be made flush with the outer peripheral surface of the arm shank.
However, with the wiper apparatus disclosed in the 2000-344057 publication, which requires a particular sectional shape of the arm piece, it is difficult to appropriately shape the arm piece. Thus, formation of the arm piece tends to be complicated. Therefore, it has also been proposed to form the arm piece of resin so that it can be readily molded into the particular sectional shape. If the arm piece is formed of resin like this, however, a sufficient rigidity of the arm piece can not be secured, and as a consequence, the arm piece can not appropriately press the wiper blade against a window glass. Therefore, the window glass can not be appropriately wiped with the wiper blade of the wiper apparatus.