A data recording disk file having multiple actuators mounted on a common pivot axis, one of the actuators having fewer arms and lower inertia characteristics than the other. A servo system separately drives each of the actuators for seek repositioning, the lower inertia actuator having a higher performance than the other. A controller selectively records one type of data on the data surfaces associated with the lower inertia actuator, and records all other data on the other data surfaces, thereby providing a disk drive with increased performance appropriate to the data stored on the surfaces associated with the lower inertia actuator. A removable locking pin may be provided which extends through corresponding holes in each of the actuators for maintaining the actuators precisely positioned with respect to each other so that servo information may be written on each of the surfaces in a single process. Additionally, one of the actuators may be provided with a shorter stroke than the other actuators. Further, the tracks of the data surfaces associated with one of the actuators may have a different track pitch than the other data surfaces.

Magnetic hard disk drives comprise the primary means of storing programs and data for modern computer systems, ranging from very high performance "main frame" computer systems, to small "notebook PC's". The disk drives used are always designed to comprise the best compromise between size, performance, capacity and cost for the specific application.
In notebook PC's, the need for a small size is apparent to simply allow all of the components of the computer to fit within the small physical size of the computer. Small size for given performance and capacity has become very important for all other computer systems also, due to the need to conserve the floor space occupied by the computer system.
The rotary actuator disk drive has become the dominant type of magnetic hard disk drive in the industry because of its smaller size for the same capacity, as compared to linear actuator hard disk drives.
Design improvements are constantly being made to rotary actuator disk drives to increase their data capacity without dramatic increases in cost. Examples include the continuing increase in track density and in linear data density by use of ever smaller magnetic heads, such as the change from thin film inductive heads to inductive write and magneto-resistive read heads.
Improvements in track density and linear density provide significant improvements in data capacity for a given disk, but do not provide any improvement in performance, specifically in the ability to access the data on the disk. In fact, the increase in capacity of each disk in a disk drive makes it more difficult to access the data, since the tracks are now closer together and the smaller geometry of the head requires that the servo system be designed to operate the same actuator more precisely than previously. An actual loss in performance comes from the increased "settle time" for the actuator to come to rest over the desired track at the end of a seek. Settle time is not well defined in the art, but essentially includes the time required to bring the head to a stationary position from the seek, including any backwards movement after overshoot.
In the past, attempts have been made to increase the performance of disk drives by adding an additional actuator. The additional actuator has been a duplicate of the first and would access all of the disks of the drive to allow the data to be accessed more quickly by having one actuator seek to new data while the head on the other actuator was reading or writing the previous data. Some examples of identical dual actuators include U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,351, Ng, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention; U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,486, Cornaby, assigned to Conner Peripherals, Inc.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,154, Crawford, unassigned. Japanese patent publication no. 56-130865, Nagai, assigned to Hitachi Seisakusho K.K., appears to illustrate non-identical dual actuators, but does not discuss any difference. Such dual actuators, however, dramatically increase both the cost of the drive and the space requirement for the drive.
The increase in performance by providing dual or duplicated actuators is helpful. However, such dual actuator drives are not being implemented in modern disk drives with any amount of success.
In an attempt to reduce both the cost of the drive and the space requirements, the dual actuators can be mounted on the same pivot axis. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,972, Kogure et al., assigned to Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Public Corporation. The actuators thus access only separate disk surfaces of the drive but allow use of the same pivot axis and the same back iron for the voice coil motors of the two rotary actuators.
Such an arrangement greatly increases performance with only a small increase in cost. However, such a design still faces an additional challenge posed by modern applications. The conflict is between increasing capacity required by such things as image and video data versus the small record "character" or "text" data, which is best served by a higher performance disk drive.
The dramatically increasing requirements for capacity relates to the increase in image and video data in modern computer systems, as discussed above. Such data has very different characteristics from the programs and the "character" data primarily used in computers of the past. Whereas the programs and "character" data sets of the past utilized short data records, the image and video data are characterized by very large data sets. Such large data sets do not require the constant accessing and performance that the shorter data sets and programs require. The '972 patent, having identical actuators, cannot resolve these conflicting requirements.
Thus, what is needed is a disk drive with high capacity and with the capability of increasing performance appropriate to the data.

Disk drive with multiple actuators on a single axis and disk surfaces of differing track pitch

International Business Machines Corporation


A stepping motor includes a housing a supporting shaft a rotor, and a stator. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall facing each other. The supporting shaft is inserted into a through hole of the rotor and is held by the first wall and the second wall. The rotor has a first end face and a second end face in an axial direction of the rotor. The first end face and the second end face are separated from the first wall and the second wall, respectively. A lubricant fills between the through hole and the supporting shaft, and an oil repellent agent is applied at a predetermined first area of the first wall around the supporting shaft and a predetermined second area of the second wall around the supporting shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stepping motor and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-2002-340631-A discloses a stepping motor that includes a casing having two casing members attached to each other, and a rotor and a stator disposed in the casing.
The rotor has a through hole, and a supporting shaft fixed to the two casing members is inserted in the through hole to rotatably hold the rotor. There is a clearance between the through hole and the supporting shaft so that the rotor rotates smoothly. Thus, the rotor is movable in a radial direction of the rotor for a distance of the clearance. When the rotor moves in the radial direction, the rotor may collide against the supporting shaft, and may generate a noise. Thus, the clearance between the through hole and the supporting shaft is filled with a lubricant so that rotor is restricted from moving in the radial direction and the noise generated by a collision between the through hole and the supporting shaft is reduced.
In the above-described stepping motor the stator has a plurality of coils. Each of the coils generates a magnetic field by being supplied with electricity, and direction of magnetic fluxes of the magnetic fields cross each other. Thus, when electricity supply to each of the coils is switched in order and a direction of a magnetic flux passing through the yoke and the rotor is then switched in order, the rotor rotates on the supporting shaft. At the same time, the rotor moves in the radial direction of the rotor. When the rotor moves in the radial direction, the lubricant filling the clearance between the through hole and the supporting shaft may be flow out from the through hole. In a case where the lubricant flowing out from the though hole attaches at a portion in the vicinity of the through hole, the lubricant may be drawn in the through hole by the radial movement of the rotor. However, in a case where the lubricant flows out to another portion far from the through hole, the lubricant may be kept at the portion and may not return to the through hole. In the present case, the lubricant filling the through hole may be reduced as an operation time passes, and eventually, the rotor may directly collide with the supporting shaft and may generate a noise.

Stepping motor and method of manufacturing the same


A neutralizing agent for effective but mild mass de-acidification of books and other paper products, consisting of a solution of one or more kinds of double alkoxides, each with one alkoxide of a metal promoting solubility, such as group IV metals, aluminum or tin, and one alkoxide of a metal binding the acids in the paper, such as alkali or alkaline earth metals, wherein a non-polar solvent can be used, which exhibits good compatibility with the archive materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to neutralizing agents for effective but mild deacidification of books and also other printed and paper products of all kinds, such as newspapers or files for example.
The aging which occurs with all printed and paper products, especially books, during storage leads in particular to progressive damage to the paper material from traces of acids released in the paper. If no counter-measures are taken in the way of neutralizing these acids, the damage leads to complete destruction of the paper after some decades. In order to keep archive and library stocks of worldwide some hundreds of millions of books and other archive material it is therefore necessary to neutralize the acids in the paper and at the same time to bind to the paper a sufficient amount of a substance which will act as an alkali reserve and neutralize acids still to be released in the paper in the future. Having regard to the very large numbers of books, the only methods which are suitable are those which allow the treatment of whole books, i.e. methods in which it is not necessary to open the book binding and treat the pages individually. The same applies to archive materials of all kinds, which likewise require treatment of sheets of paper which are bound up or otherwise held together. The need to treat bound archives gives rise to the very important requirement that the neutralizing agent and in particular the solvent required for the treatment shall in no wise attack or modify the components of the archives, such as glues and adhesives, binding materials, printing and stamping inks as well as writing inks. Since the archives are to be treated in bound form, it is unavoidable that the individual sheets lie more or less tightly against each other during the treatment. For this reason it is especially important that printing inks, stamping inks and writing inks, with which the books are signed in many cases shall not be dissolved in any wise, so that bleeding of the writing on to the adjacent sheet will be avoided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Of the known methods of de-acidification special importance attaches to those methods which employ compounds of the alkaline earth metals for the neutralization. Alkaline earth metals form very stable salts with the acids in the paper, which ensure reliable conservation and provide an alkaline reserve in the paper with pH values of around 8-9, which are compatible with the paper and do not cause any alkaline damage.
One known method for de-acidification of archive materials (U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,549) consists in treatment of the books with vapors of alkyl metals, especially with vapors of diethyl-zinc. Through the moisture in the paper, the alkyl metal is converted into the oxide of the metal, e.g. zinc oxide, which remains in the paper and forms a good neutralizing agent for free acids. The alkyl metals suitable for this purpose are however materials which decompose spontaneously in air, which present a constant risk of fire and explosion in their handling and therefore call for an extreme degree of care and corresponding qualifications.
According to another known method (EP 0 273 903 A2) the books are impregnated with an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide, whereby free acids are bound as calcium salts. The treated and still wet books are shock frozen and freeze dried. Although effective de-acidification is possible with this method, it has to be recognized that, as is generally known, water acts unfavorably on paper, especially books. As well as curling of the paper and especially of book covers there is a risk of damaging the book glue and of washing out the inks and stamp inks. Furthermore, there is a risk of the ice crystals damaging the paper in the freeze drying, in spite of the shock freezing. Very long drying times are associated with the freeze drying, which can amount to 34 hours and make a sensible pattern of work impossible.
A further known method, the so-called Wei T'O method, which has been used in conservation practice since 1974, uses a solution of a magnesium organic compound for the treatment, such as methyl magnesium carbonate for example. This method is referred to also in the article "Mass de-acidification in France" by Jean-Marie Arnoult, Restaurator 22/13 984, 1987. In this method also the magnesium compounds are converted into magnesium oxide and magnesium carbonate by the moisture in the paper, these both being adapted to neutralize acids. Methyl magnesium carbonate is however like all alcoholates of alkali and alkaline earth metals insoluble in non-polar solvents. However, non-polar solvents are in fact especially suitable solvents because of their compatibility with the archive materials. The Wei T'O method therefore uses as solvents which are compatible with books such solvents as fluorochloro-hydrocarbons for example, the solubility of the methyl magnesium carbonate being achieved by the addition of 10 to 20% of low boiling alcohols, such as methanol or ethanol. In practice it is found that these alcohol additives are enough to effect leaching out and bleeding on to the adjacent sheets of inks and stamping inks.
The cited problems in relation to the solvent are avoided in another known method (U.S. Ser. No. 252,421) in which magnesium glycolates are used. These glysolates also dissolve in non-polar solvents, such as trichlor-trifluor-ethane or hexane. However with the use of magnesium alcoholates of lower alcohols such as methanols, ethanols, butanols or even propanols, these alcohols are formed in the reaction with the moisture in the paper, as well as magnesium oxide, and vaporize in the ensuing drying on account of their volatility, with the use of glycolates, glycols result and remain in the paper on account of their higher boiling point. If not enough magnesium oxide is put into the paper to affect neutralization and to form an additional alkaline reserve in the paper, a corresponding amount of glycol unavoidably results, which remains in the paper and lends this a moist to greasy character.


A card edge connector assembly includes a connector with a central slot and a daughter card having an inserted end for being inserted into the central slot. The connector includes an elongated housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the elongated housing, and at least one lock mechanism for locking the daughter card. The lock mechanism has a locking portion for locking the daughter card and an elastic projection projects from the locking portion for downwardly pressing the daughter card. It can prevent the daughter card from shaking shake.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a card edge connector and more particularly to a card edge connector with a lock mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,506, issued on Apr. 12, 2011, discloses a related card edge connector which includes an elongated insulative housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing and a pair of lock mechanisms pivoted on two opposite ends of the housing. The lock mechanism has a locking portion for locking a daughter card. However, the lock mechanism using accounts the locking portion wear and tear, and then cause the daughter shaking.
Hence, an improved card edge connector is desired to overcome the above problems.

Card edge connector with a lock mechanism


The present invention uses a urethane resin composition including a urethane resin (A), a multifunctional acrylate (B), and a solvent (C). The urethane resin (A) is a reaction product of a polyol (a1) and a polyisocyanate (a2). The polyol (a1) includes an alkylene diol (a1-1) having two or more polymerizable unsaturated groups and represented by general formula (1) or an oxyalkylene diol (a1-2) having two or more polymerizable unsaturated groups and represented by general formula (2) below. The proportion of polymerizable unsaturated bonds in the urethane resin composition is within a range of 3 to 9 mmol/g. The urethane resin composition is a urethane resin composition that can form a coating film having excellent hardness, scratch resistance, and flexibility.HO—R1—OH  (1)HO—R1O—R2—OR3—OH  (2)

Urethane resin compositions typically have good adhesion to a substrate and can form a soft coating film and are thus used for various applications, such as in a coating agent and in an adhesive.
One known urethane resin composition is, for example, an aqueous polyurethane dispersion obtained by reacting a mixture containing a) at least one organic aliphatic, alicyclic, or aromatic di-, tri-, or poly-isocyanate; b) at least one isocyanate-reactive polycarbonate diol, triol, or polyol; c) at least one compound having at least one isocyanate-reactive group and at least one free-radical polymerizable unsaturated group; and d) at least one compound having at least one isocyanate-reactive group and at least one dispersing active group, and optionally containing e) at least one compound having at least two isocyanate-reactive groups and having a molecular weight of less than 1000 g/mol, preferably less than 500 g/mol, and then dispersing the resulting reaction product in water (see, for example, PTL 1).
Studies have been conducted on using a urethane resin composition, for example, for surface coatings of optical members, such as flexible displays. However, coating films formed from the above-described aqueous polyurethane dispersion are insufficient in terms of pliability, such as elongation and flexibility, and thus may exhibit, for example, blushing when the coated article is bent. In addition, coating films formed from the aqueous polyurethane dispersion are insufficient in terms of hardness and are thus susceptible to scratches when, for example, used as a surface coating agent for a touch panel or the like, which may result in poor appearance, for example.

Urethane resin composition, coating agent, and article


Newsprint for offset printing having sufficient water absorption resistance to provide a clear printing image with less color registration problems upon offset printing is manufactured by coating base paper, to which aluminum sulfate (a 50% by weight Al2O3.14H2O product) is added at a ratio of less than 3.0% by weight upon paper making, with a surface treating agent mainly comprised of (A) a water-soluble macromolecular substance selected from starches, PVAs, polyacrylamides, and cellulose derivatives, (B) a copolymer obtained by the copolymerization of a styrene monomer and a cationic monomer, a water-soluble copolymer obtained by the copolymerization of a styrene monomer, a cat ionic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer, or a water-soluble copolymer obtained by treating one of these copolymers in which a tertiary amine-containing vinyl monomer is used as a cationic monomer, with a quaternizing agent.

Recently, printing technology has been remarkably improved through the introduction of offset printing, color printing, high-speed, large-scale printing, automation, and the like. With such progress, improvement in various physical properties of printing paper is demanded from the viewpoints of workability and printing adaptability.
Newsprint is mainly composed of mechanical pulp (referred to as MP hereinafter) and deinked pulp (referred to as DIP hereinafter) and classified into medium-grade paper or low-grade paper. However, the quality requirements for newsprint are stricter than those for general printing paper because in newspaper printing a specified large number of newspapers have to be securely printed within a specified duration of time in a specified time zone. Since a reduction in weight and an increase in the DIP ratio are required for current newsprint, improvement in various respects has to be made considering these and other requirements. Thus, the improvement of newsprint requires a much higher level of technology as compared to that of general printing paper.
As regards to the newspaper printing system, transition to offset printing has proceeded rapidly together with the introduction of computer systems so that today the offset printing system is predominantly used. Further, as offset color printers such as satellite-type and tower-press-type printers have come into wide use, color printing space in newspaper increasingly tends to be expanded. Due to the use of currently popularized four color offset printing, in which the amount of adhering dumping water increases about four times and the transfer of the dumping water causes swelling of newsprint, a pitch problem (dot gaps) is generated, resulting in possible color registration errors with poor image resolution on the printed surface.
Due to the increased popularity of offset printing, quality requirements for newsprint today are different from those for relief printing newsprint; for example the following qualities are required:
(1) paper should have wet strength and not suffer from water break;
(2) paper should retain adequate water absorption resistance;
(3) paper should have a small peeling strength (Neppari); and
(4) paper powder should not be generated.
Among these quality requirements, provision of water absorption resistance (in other words, provision of sizing property) is an important objective.
Further, in addition to the use of offset printing system, a lesser use of GP due to an increase in DIP content, popularization of neutral papermaking, reduction in the basis weight of newsprint and the like are also considered as factors tending to cause the swelling of fibers and generate color registration errors.
In response to the quality requirements for newsprint paper, such as a higher whiteness level and improved clearness in color printing, so-called neutral papermaking has recently become a major trend, in which base paper for newsprint is manufactured at a pH in the range from neutral to weak alkaline. Due to this transition to neutral papermaking, the addition ratio of aluminum sulfate in newsprint production is reduced so that the effect (provision of water absorption resistance) of a surface sizing agent conventionally used in newsprint base paper produced in acidic papermaking (hereinafter referred to as acidic newsprint base paper) tends to be reduced. The surface sizing agent used for acidic newsprint paper is generally a copolymer of a monomer containing a carboxyl group and a styrene monomer. It is presumed that the interaction between the carboxyl group in the molecule of this surface sizing agent and an aluminum component in base paper for newsprint aligns the molecule of the surface sizing agent so that the hydrophobic monomer part having the carboxyl group is positioned inside the paper and the hydrophobic styrene monomer part is positioned on the surface of the paper, thereby providing water absorption resistance to the newsprint. However, also in base paper for newsprint having a low aluminum sulfate addition ratio, particularly in base paper for newsprint produced by a neutral papermaking process (hereinafter referred to as neutral newsprint base paper), the abovementioned alignment of the surface sizing agent is not as complete as in acidic newsprint base paper, which results in a huge decrease in water absorption resistance when compared to the case where the same amount of the abovementioned surface sizing agent is used for coating.
As mentioned above, it has been difficult to provide water absorption resistance to neutral newsprint at the same level as to acidic newsprint using surface sizing agents conventionally used for acidic newsprint. Further, in acidic newsprint, further improvement of water absorption resistance is desired.
Water absorption resistance has been conventionally controlled in the same manner as in general printing paper by adding sizing agents inside the paper (internal addition sizing) or by adding the agents outside the paper (external addition sizing). The internal addition is a means of adding an agent to pulp slurry at a so-called wet-end and make the agent to be contained in the inside of paper simultaneously at the time of papermaking. The external addition is a means of coating an agent onto the surface of base paper using a coating machine such as a two-roll size press and a gate roll coater after papermaking.
Examples of generally used sizing agents for internal addition include fortified rosin sizing agents, emulsion-type sizing agents, and synthetic sizing agents for acidic papermaking; and alkyl ketene dimers (AKDs) and alkenyl succinic anhydrides (ASAs) for neutral papermaking. Various problems are caused by using internal addition of such sizing agents, as follows:
(1) an agent should be added to pulp slurry at a low concentration;
(2) the amount of an agent fixed on pulp sheet is not constant (the amount of the agent fixed is low);
(3) manufacturing of paper that does not require water absorption resistance cannot be performed simultaneously when multiple numbers of papermaking machines are sharing the same circulatory white water;
(4) the effect of a retention aid is unstable; when the retention is increased, colored foreign materials derived from DIP are also integrated into the sheet;
(5) water absorption resistance changes with time;
(6) the retention of an internal addition sizing agent tends to decrease when a high-speed papermaking machine is used for manufacturing neutral and/or light-weighted newsprint, which makes it difficult to provide water absorption resistance, and
(7) the retention of an internal addition sizing agent tends to decrease when newsprint containing DIP at 80% or more is manufactured using a high-speed papermaking machine at 1,000 m or more/minute; this makes it difficult to provide water absorption resistance.
Accordingly, when a means of internal addition of a sizing agent is applied, the control of the amount of the sizing agent to add is difficult and the amounts of the internal addition sizing agent and retention aid have to be increased or decreased depending on the circumstances. The internal addition sizing agent is added in an excessive amount when its effect is insufficient, which tends to cause a decrease in paper strength, generation of marked stains in white water system caused by adhesion and accumulation of a hydrophobic sizing agent and the like, resulting in problems in cost, quality and operation conditions.
A papermaking machine for manufacturing newsprint generally is equipped with a gate roll coater for coating an agent onto the surface of newsprint base paper. In the abovementioned conventional technology for providing water absorption resistance to newsprint, a styrene surface sizing agent, which is a copolymer of a monomer containing a carboxyl group and a styrene monomer, is generally used for acidic newsprint as mentioned above. However, sufficient water absorption resistance cannot be attained when this styrene surface sizing agent is used for coating neutral newsprint added with a small ratio of aluminum sulfate, in particular neutral base newsprint.
The present inventors have been continuously studying on the provision of water absorption resistance to newsprint by external addition of sizing agents and have already made patent applications as follows. There is described a method of forming a coating layer containing a composition to control water absorptivity mainly composed of component A, component B and component C on base paper for printing (particularly newsprint). Component A: modified starch or starch; component B: at least one polyacrylamide selected from nonionic polyacrylamides, cationic polyacrylamides having a tertiary amine group, cationic polyacrylamides having a quaternary ammonium group, and amphoteric polyacrylamides; and component C: an anionic copolymer of a monomer having a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 3,000,000 and a hydrophobic substituent having 6 to 10 carbon atoms and a monomer having a carboxyl group or a sulfonic acid group (see Japanese Patent No. 2939971). There is described a method of manufacturing a neutral newsprint, in which a ketene dimer sizing agent and a paper surface treating agent are externally added using a gate role coater to neutral newsprint in which calcium carbonate is used as a filler, after which the coated paper is passed through a soft calender at a surface temperature of 50° C. or higher to attain the sizing degree (see Japanese Patent No. 2980833). There is described a method in which a coating layer containing an absorptivity controlling composition mainly comprised of two components, component A and component B, is formed on base paper for printing (particularly newsprint base paper) to achieve a droplet water absorption degree of 10 to 1,000 seconds. Component A: at least one polyacrylamide selected from nonionic polyacrylamides, cationic polyacrylamides, and amphoteric polyacrylamides; and component B: an anionic copolymer of a monomer having a hydrophobic substituent and a monomer having a carboxyl group and/or a sulfonic acid group (see Japanese Patent No. 3093965). There is described a method in which a coating layer containing a surface sizing agent mainly comprising three components consisting of the following component A, component B, and component C, or two components mainly comprising component B and component C at a ratio by solid weight of each component of A:B:C=0-80:95-20:1-10 is formed on newsprint base paper. Component A: at least one polyacrylamide selected from nonionic polyacrylamides, cationic polyacrylamides, and amphoteric polyacrylamides; component B: an anionic ammonium salt of a copolymer of a monomer having a hydrophobic substituent and a monomer having a carboxyl group, and component C: at least one resin acid selected from dehydroabietic acid, abietic acid, dihydroabietic acid, pimaric acid, neopimaric acid, isopimaric acid, levopimaric acid, and palustrine, or rosin containing these resin acids (see Japanese Patent No. 3303291).
Surface sizing agents shown in the abovementioned conventional methods and sizing agents to be used in the present invention can be common in terms of providing water absorption resistance; however, a surface sizing agent to be used in the present invention is novel and has a different composition.
Further, in order to prevent accumulation of paper powder on a blanket and the resulting faint printing problem in offset printing in which printing ink having a relatively strong tackiness is used, there are prior technologies with an objective to increase the surface strength and water resistance of newsprint, as described below.
There are disclosed newsprint for offset printing in which base paper is coated with an aqueous solution containing a surface treating agent and dried, characterized in that said surface treating agent comprises at least a polyacrylamide polymer and an epoxy water-resistant agent and/or a polyvalent metal compound water-resistant agent (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 10-259592); newsprint for offset printing in which base paper containing an internally added filler is coated with a surface treating agent, characterized in that said surface treating agent contains a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer having a silanol group (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-21790); newsprint for offset printing in which base paper is coated with a surface treating agent and dried, characterized in that said surface sizing agent mainly comprises a synthetic resin latex having a gel content of 90% or more by weight (see patent Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-50393); newsprint for offset printing in which base paper is coated with a surface treating agent and dried, characterized in that said surface treating agent mainly comprises a copolymer latex and contains a release agent (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-158795); newsprint for offset printing in which both sides of base paper are coated with a surface treating agent and dried, characterized in that said surface treating agent mainly comprises an acrylic alkali swellable synthetic resin latex (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-17597); newsprint for offset printing in which both sides of base paper are coated with a surface treating agent and dried, characterized in that said surface treating agent mainly comprises (a) starch or modified starch and (b) a hydrophobic acrylic surface sizing agent containing butyl (meth)acrylate and/or (meth)acryl 2-ethylhexyl as monomer components and having a glass transition temperature of 10° C. or lower, the ratio of said starch component to said hydrophobic acrylic surface sizing agent being in the range of 100:3 to 100:30 by solid weight (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-294588).
[Patent reference 1] Japanese Patent No. 2939971
[Patent reference 2] Japanese Patent No. 2980833
[Patent reference 3] Japanese Patent No. 3093965
[Patent reference 4] Japanese Patent No. 3303291
[Patent reference 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 10-259591
[Patent reference 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-21790
[Patent reference 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-50393
[Patent reference 8] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 11-158795
[Patent reference 9] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-17597
[Patent reference 10] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-294588

Newsprint paper treated with cationic surface sizing agent


The present invention provides a novel herbal chocolate composed of Tinospora cordifolia, Glycyrrhyza glabra, Adhatoda vasica, Madhuca indica and Cassia occidentalis. The solid or semisolid nutritious composition is rich in protein/mineral fortified with standardized herbs with proven pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti stress and adaptogenic property and relief the chronic cough and cold.

The origins of chocolate can be traced back to ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations in Central America, who first enjoyed 'chocolate; a much-prized spicy drink made from roasted cocoa beans. Chocolate was exclusively for drinking until the early Victorian era, when a technique for making solid 'eating' chocolate was devised. Throughout its history, whether as a cocoa, a drinking chocolate beverage or confectionery treat, chocolate has been a much sought after food.
Conventional chocolate is assumed to be a causative factor of to migraines, acne and pimples, diabetes and obesity and also considered a luxury food. On the other hand Cocoa beans contain a type of antioxidant that may have a role in the prevention of certain diseases. The catechins found in cocoa beans aid resistance against degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It is therefore desirable to provide a chocolate type of edible substance, which can provide positive effects with lesser or no side effect. One of the methods by which this can be achieved is by blending of modern knowledge with traditional Indian systems of medicine and preparing medicine in the form of food, which is therapeutically effective. Another factor, which was considered in the present investigation, was to ensure that the costs of the process were not prohibitive.

Herbal nutritious chocolate formulation and process for preparation thereof

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


Techniques for combining volatile and non-volatile programmable logic into one integrated circuit (IC) are provided. An IC is segregated into two portions. A first block of programmable logic is configured by bits stored in on-chip non-volatile memory. A second block of programmable logic is configured by bits stored in off-chip memory. The function of IO banks on the IC is multiplexed between the two logic blocks of the IC. The programmable logic in the first block can be configured and fully functional in a fraction of the time that the programmable logic in the second block can be configured. The programmable logic in the first block can configure fast enough and have enough independence to assist in the configuration of the second block. The non-volatile memory can also provide security features to a user design, such as encryption.

The present invention provides techniques for combining volatile and non-volatile programmable logic on an integrated circuit (IC), and more particularly, to techniques for providing an IC that has one section of programmable logic configured by off-chip memory and another section of programmable logic configured by on-chip non-volatile memory.
Large field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that contain on-chip volatile memory blocks usually require a considerable amount of time to be configured at power-up, because configuration data is loaded onto the chip from an external memory chip. The external memory chip can be, for example, a serial read only memory (SROM).
Small complex programmable logic device (CPLDs) such as Altera's MAX family of CPLDs contain on-chip non-volatile memory. The configuration data is stored in the on-chip non-volatile memory. The configuration data can be loaded quickly from the on-chip non-volatile memory into the programmable logic at power-up. Non-volatile CPLDs are virtually instant-on at power-up and require no external configuration data. However, making a large FPGA have all non-volatile memory can be prohibitive in terms of area and can limit process selection.
Many large volatile FPGAs have a companion CPLD to orchestrate the power-up and configuration process. The CPLD can also encrypt the configuration data before it is transmitted to the FPGA to prevent the configuration data from being intercepted and copied. However, this technique is more complex, because it makes a large FPGA a three-device solution that includes the FPGA, a SROM, and a CPLD.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide faster techniques for configuring field programmable gate arrays. It would also be desirable to provide users with ways to adequately secure their designs during the configuration process.

Techniques for combining volatile and non-volatile programmable logic on an integrated circuit


A thread feeder with a thread-twisting preventive device for a knitting machine is provided. The thread-twisting preventive device includes at least a protective piece which is substantially cup-shaped having a wall and a coupling hole. The coupling hole allows the cup-shaped protective piece to be axially coupled to the spinning axis on the thread feeder, thus allowing the wall of the cup-shaped protective device to surround the spinning axis. Since the protective piece is a fixed piece that covers the exposed part of the spinning axis, broken threads will not be pulled by the spinning axis and twisted around the same. Production of fabrics thus will not be delayed due to broken threads twisting around spinning parts of the knitting machine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to thread feeders for knitting machines, and more particularly, to a thread feeder having a feeding wheel capping with a thread-twisting preventive device to prevent broken threads from being pulled by and twisted around spinning parts of the thread feeder.
2. Description of Related Art
In knitting machines, a thread feeder is used to supply threads from a spool to the needles knitting a fabric. The smooth feeding of the threads is usually a primary consideration in designing the thread feeder. During the knitting process, however, the threads may break off due to various reasons. Once this happens, the broken threads could be pulled by and twisted around spinning parts of the thread feeder in a messy mass.
This problem is depicted in more details in the following with reference to FIG. 3. The conventional thread feeder shown in FIG. 3 includes a thread feeding wheel W on the bottom and a pulley set on the top. The bottom of the thread feeding wheel W is separated from the frame of the thread feeder by a space S, and the top the pulley set is separated from the same by a space of S1, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
If the thread breaks off at a point near the thread feeding wheel and yarn braking means P, the top portion of the broken thread, since it is still being rolled forwards, could be pulled by the exposed portions of the spinning axis in the neck portion N of the thread feeding wheel W as wall as in the neck portion N1 of the pulley set, and thus twisted around the same in a messy mass that could force the knitting machine to stop operation. Since the spaces S, S1 are very narrow in dimension, the twisted threads therein are very difficult to clear away. When doing the clearing, the knitting machine should be temporarily stopped, which will significantly affect the schedule of the production process.
In view of the foregoing problem in conventional knitting machines, there exists, therefore, a need for an improved thread feeder which is capable of preventing broken threads from being pulled by and twisted around spinning parts of the knitting machine such that the knitting machine will not be forced to stop for a long while so as to clear away the twisted mess of the broken threads.

Thread feeder with thread-twisting preventive device for knitting machines


Blade pitch of variable pitch blades is changed by an actuator having first and second ac machines. The first ac machine is excited with ac power to apply a motoring torque to a control shaft of the actuator, thereby causing blade pitch to change in one direction. The second ac machine is excited with appropriate power to apply a braking torque to the control shaft, thereby causing blade pitch to change in an opposite direction. When the second ac machine is an induction machine, dc excitation will brake the control shaft. When the second ac machine is a synchronous machine, an ac excitation causing a retarding magnetic field will brake the control shaft.

Turbofan engines have proven to be desirable for aircraft that travel at subsonic speeds. A turbofan engine utilizes energy from a jet stream of gas to turn a turbine shaft. The shaft turns a ducted fan assembly whose blades move a mass of air, providing a thrust that propels the aircraft. The thrust is varied by changing the pitch of the fan blades. During takeoff, when high thrust is required, the pitch of the blades is adjusted to produce maximum engine torque. At cruise, when lower speeds are required, the blade pitch is adjusted to provide optimum fuel efficiency. During landings, the pitch is adjusted to produce a reverse thrust, which brakes the aircraft. Among the advantages offered by variable pitch fan blades, fuel efficiency of the turbofan engine is increased since blade pitch can be varied to cater to ever-changing flight conditions. It is claimed that fuel consumption can be increased by as much as twelve percent by adjusting the pitch of the blades. Further, the reverse thrust capability permits the elimination of a thrust reversal mechanism. This offsets to a certain degree the weight and complexity introduced by the control system that varies blade pitch.
The fan blades are adjusted by an actuation system including a pitch-change gearbox that is located in the hub of the fan and rotated by the fan shaft. The gearbox has a control shaft that is rotated relative to the fan hub. Blade pitch is changed in one direction when the control shaft is rotated faster than the fan hub, and it is changed in the opposite direction when the control shaft is rotated slower than the fan hub.
The control shaft can be rotated by an electric motor such as the two-phase ac motor disclosed in Johnson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,274. Excitation power is supplied to the motor by two single phase generators, displaced by 90 degrees. Excitation polarity of the field coils of one of the generators is reversible in order to provide the motor with two phase power of reversible sequence.
This motor is mounted for rotation with the hub; therefore, both the rotor and stator of the motor are subjected to rotational stresses. Further, the power windings of the generators are in the same rotating frame of reference as the power windings of the motor; therefore, the generators cannot generate power to change blade pitch in the event the fan shaft stops rotating. As a consequence, the blades cannot be feathered during an in-flight engine failure.

Electromechanical apparatus for varying blade of variable-pitch fan blades


A method for machining a spectacle lens includes the step of inputting shape data of a spectacle frame opening or shape data of a shaped disk into a computing unit of a CNC-controlled spectacle lens grinding machine. Personal optometric data of a patient are input in the computing unit. A first radius of a front face of the lens blank and a second radius of a rear face of the lens blank as well as the thickness of the lens blank are input the Alternatively, the first and second radii and the thickness of the lens blank are calculated from the optometric data. The front edge curve and rear edge curve of the spectacle lens are either calculated from the shape data of the spectacle frame opening and the optometric data or based on the shape data of a shaped disk, the first and second radii and the thickness of the lens blank. The spacial curve of a suitable V-shaped bevel on the peripheral lens edge between the front edge curve and the rear edge curve is calculated. Grinding of the optical surfaces, of the peripheral lens edges, and of the V-shaped bevel by the spectacle lens grinding machine is controlled based on the shape data and the calculated spacial curve, respectively.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for determining the course of the bevel at a edge of the spectacle lens to be machined by shape grinding and for controlling shape grinding according to the determined bevel course.
The bevel course along the edge of the spectacle lens to be ground should be determined such that the spectacle lens to be machined can be inserted without further machining steps into a correspondingly selected spectacle frame and, for aesthetic reasons, has along the circumferential edge of the ground spectacle lens the same distance from the front edge, even when the spectacle lens has a shape that deviates greatly from a circular shape, in order to prevent forward projection of the spectacle lens from the spectacle frame by different amounts.
For CNC-controlled grinding, especially grinding of the optical surfaces and the subsequent shape grinding of the circumferential edge and of the bevel of a spectacle lens, the shape of the spectacle lens and the personal optometric data of the patient are known which are supplied in the form of a set of data and with which the spectacle lens grinding machine can be controlled such that the lens blank is machined according to the personal optometric data of the patient relative to optical surfaces as well as relative to the shape of the selected spectacle frame. Also, the bevel (V-shaped bevel) is placed onto the circumferential edge of the ground spectacle lens such that it extends over the entire circumference of the circumferential edge and has, for example, a certain distance to the front edge of the shape-ground spectacle lens.
The data in regard to the shape of the spectacle frame can be present in the form of a data set supplied by the spectacle frame manufacturer or can be determined by inserting the spectacle frame into a device for sensing the bevel groove and by recording the data set in a three-dimensional array. It must be noted in this context that the bevel groove within the spectacle frame is not always positioned on a spherical surface due to manufacturing tolerances or shape deviations.
A device for three-dimensional sensing of spectacle frames is disclosed in German Gebrauchsmuster 86 08 201 U1 of the applicant.
In the published German patent application DE 34 10 040 A1, a CNC-controlled spectacle lens grinding machine is disclosed in which the outer surface and the inner surface of a circular lens blank, clamped into a spectacle lens grinding machine and already finish-machined with regard to optical surfaces, is traced along a curve corresponding to the desired shape of the spectacle lens by two elastically supported, pin-shaped sensors which rest directly on the lens blank. Their axial position is determined by potentiometers whereby the data and values detected by these potentiometers are supplied to a computer for calculating therefrom the spacial curve of the front edge and of the rear edge of the spectacle lens as well as the respective thickness of the spectacle lens. The computer selects from a number of memorized data sets of different V-shaped bevels that particular V-shaped bevel that can be applied to the circumferential edge of the shape-ground spectacle lens without leaving the circumferential edge at any location. The disclosed measuring device is integrated into the CNC-controlled spectacle lens grinding machine, and sensing of the lens blank is always carried out as the first step of the machining process performed by the CNC-controlled spectacle lens grinding machine. During sensing, shape-grinding of the lens blank is not possible.
When measuring a spectacle lens according to German patent DE 38 42 601 C2 of the applicant, whereby the front and rear edges of a pre-ground spectacle lens are measured during the machining process by a sensor head, there is no additional time expenditure during measuring of the spectacle lens. However, deviations of the spectacle lens from the spherical shape are incorporated into the measured values. Such deviations may result from a prismatic or cylindrical grinding superimposed onto the spherical grinding as well as from the arrangement of a reading portion within the spectacle lens. The off-center placement of the optical axis of the spectacle lens with regard to the geometric axis of the spectacle lens, respectively, the geometric center point of the spectacle frame, also plays a part.
The invention is therefore concerned with providing a method for detecting the bevel course along the edge of the spectacle lens to be machined and for controlling the shape grinding step according to the determined bevel course, whereby the degree of utilization of a CNC-controlled spectacle lens grinding machine should be improved and the precision of the bevel course should be increased, while operation should be simplified.

Method for CNC-controlled shape grinding of spectacle lenses


A pneumatic tire having a runflat capability provided with a crescent shaped reinforcing rubber layer at the side part thereof, wherein an inner layer is composed of a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing (A) at least one thermoplastic resin having an air permeation coefficient of 100×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa and (B) at least one elastomer ingredient having an air permeation coefficient of 50×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg or more and a Young's modulus of 500 MPa or less in amounts of at least 30% by weight based upon the total polymer ingredients and having an air permeation coefficient of 100×10−12 cc·cm/cm2·sec·cmHg or less.

In the past, to impart a runflat capability enabling a tire to be driven on over a predetermined distance even if rapidly falling in internal pressure due to a puncture, burst, etc., for example, as shown in FIG. 1, there has been known a safety tire in which a reinforcing rubber 5 in the shape of crescent is inserted between a carcass 3 and an inner liner layer 4 in the side wall part 2 of a pneumatic tire 1. Note that, in FIG. 1, 6 indicates a cap tread, 7 indicates a bead filler, 8 indicates a belt layer and 9 indicates a bead. To enable the tire to be driven on even with a puncture by this configuration, it is sufficient to make the reinforcing rubber layer 5 a certain thickness or more. However, the reinforcing rubber layer 5 is too thick, there was the problem that the weight is increased. Further, if driven on in a state with the air expelled, the side part 2 will greatly flex and heat will build up, and therefore an inner liner layer 4 of butyl rubber having a large heat buildup will immediately peel off and break. Even if repairing the puncture before the reinforcing rubber layer 5 breaks, there was the problem that sometimes the tire could no longer be reused.

Pneumatic tire having run flat capability


A system and method for providing players with real-time information on any device capable of running a web browser is provided. The system solves the problem of game interface overloads and also brings the following benefits: provides for control optimization and for more options for a team game play. A usual game play experience is completely simulated on any remote mobile device by allowing remote input of the game controls from the mobile device to the base platform (PC/MAC, etc) and streaming the video from the base platform to the mobile device. The mobile device acts as a “thin client” for the base platform. Adoption of the game to the mobile device is not required.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video games and, in particular, to providing a web user interface for remote display of in-game information, receiving control inputs from auxiliary devices and providing web-based interactive editor of in-game maps, missions and other contents to facilitate creation of user-generated content, as well as for remote access of a game running on a host computer via a web browser on tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, many popular video games experience interface overloads—too many windows are activated during the game, pop-up notifications appear often, chat windows open automatically, etc. All these events cause players to lose immersion into a game, and generally annoy the players. The windows provide game-related information and the players have to look at them from time to time to know what is happening in the game. Thus, switching the windows off is not a solution for dealing with the interface overload.
Typically, the players have to use hotkeys to open/close certain windows (i.e., for example, chat or tasks windows), which is inconvenient in an action game, where a fast reaction is required and, especially, inconvenient when playing with a joystick. The interface overloads are particularly critical because of lack of a desktop space. There are still many players with laptops or older PCs who have low, or at best mediocre, monitor resolution, which affects their gaming experience. Apart from that, keyboard and mouse controls are not well suited for playing realistic simulation games such as aircraft simulator or car racing. These problems have become especially critical in cross-platform games that support a mission editor or other built-in tools for user-generated content. A mission editor normally requires a lot of inputs from user, such as positioning buildings on a map, choosing day/time and weather, setting specific parameters (victory conditions, session length, level limitations and so on. Such an editor further increases the interface overload, especially for console platforms where a user's input capabilities are limited by the console's gamepad. This, therefore, requires a special interface solution.
The above-described problems are present in almost any action or simulation game, but often are not given much consideration by the game developers. In some instances these issues can be partially solved by a special user interface (UI) design. However, none of the existing solutions provide for a desired gaming experience.
Accordingly, a solution which provides players with real-time information on any device capable of running a web browser is desired. It is also desired to be able to play a game on a desktop device without seeing any extra windows, while the additional interface windows can be shown on auxiliary mobile device(s), such as smartphones, tables, etc.

Method for simulating video games on mobile device


A method and apparatus are disclosed for aligning the coupling an optical laser fiber using an alignment structure. The disclosed alignment structure accepts an optical fiber having a beam and a detection apparatus. According to one aspect of the teachings, the detection apparatus has a tapered form having a circular cross section at one end to match the laser aperture, and a circular cross section at the other end to match the fiber core.

The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A number of coupling techniques have been developed to efficiently couple power between optical fibers and optical devices, especially between a semiconductor laser and an optical fiber, in optical communications and industrial laser systems. For example, proper alignment allows an increase in the coupling efficiency and, thus, a decrease in the coupling loss between the laser and the fiber or receiver, permit an increase in fiber output. However, efficient coupling of semiconductor lasers to optical fibers has been a problem of general concern since the advent of optical fiber laser transmission. Generally, as a result of coupling inefficiencies, a percentage of the laser output is not utilized. Thus, the laser has to be run at a correspondingly higher current to yield the same-coupled power into fiber that a more efficient coupling scheme could provide. In addition, operation of the laser at higher currents results in greater heat to be dissipated and raises questions of long term stability and reliability of the laser itself. As laser-cutting heads can need repair or replacement, realignment of the laser head to the transmission optical fiber with the optical lenses in the laser head is necessary. Typically, power meters are coupled to a laser head optics that attempt to allow maximization of the output of the system caused by proper laser to fiber input coupling. Because of the nature of industrial lasers, power measurement in a working environment may not be the best measure of fiber alignment.


A wireless communications system includes a base station, a plurality of intermediate devices, and a terminal device. Downlink communications may be provided directly from the base station to the terminal device, including control signals which instruct the terminal device where to send uplink data. This enables the base station to directly control scheduling of uplink communications, and in particular to define an uplink route from the terminal device to the base station via one or more intermediate devices. Power is conserved at the terminal device on the uplink because a lower power transmission can be used which although insufficient to reach the base station can reach the intermediate device. The terminal device is not required to determine the uplink path itself and therefore does not require complex, expensive, and power consuming control logic.

Machine Type Communication (MTC) is being discussed in various wireless communication standards bodies as a new trend of wireless technology of communication network applications which typically do not require human interaction.
A broad definition of MTC is an automated communication network to and from machines. One major category of MTC devices are expected to have the characteristics of very low power consumption, very small data transmissions and a very large number of terminals. An example MTC application that fits within this category may for example be energy consumption monitoring of home appliances for smart grid systems.
In order to realize these requirements, wireless PAN (Personal Area Network: 10-20 m range) standards such as ZigBee adopt Adhoc/Mesh topology where there is no central coordinating entity to control the traffic flow, and where the scheduling/routing of data transmission is managed in a distributed manner. The Mesh characteristics allow data to be conveyed beyond the PAN range by multihopping the information via a series of neighbouring devices. Because each transmission link is kept short, the power consumption per terminal is kept low.
However, in order to reliably convey information from a source to a destination, this topology encounters several problems.
Routing/Scheduling Complexity
One characteristic of Mesh topology is that there could be multiple routes from source to destination. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a Mesh network topology. Seven terminal devices A to G are shown. In order to transfer information from terminal A to terminal G, route 1 (solid arrows) or route 2 (dashed arrows) can be taken. The arrows accompanied by question marks indicate alternative routes available for transmission from a given terminal. In particular, terminal A needs to make a decision whether to transmit its data first to terminal B (via solid arrow), or to terminal C (via dashed arrow). Terminal D needs to make a similar decision. This means that each terminal in a Mesh topology requires knowledge of the existing surrounding terminals and requires the capability to select the optimum route to a given destination, which intuitively requires significant intelligence.
Furthermore, in an energy conserving system, some terminals may be required to switch into a hibernation mode when they are not required to receive or transmit. In such a scenario, because there is no central coordinator, each terminal is required to have knowledge of when the neighbouring terminals are capable to receive information, which would impact on how they schedule transmission.
Hidden Node Problem
As described above, in a Mesh topology each terminal is required to make a decision on when to transmit data. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates how this can be problematic due to hidden nodes. In FIG. 2, four terminals A to D are shown, with the radio transmission range of terminals A and C being indicated by the circles surrounding these respective terminals. In the deployment scenario envisaged in FIG. 2, where terminal A has data to send to terminal B, and terminal C has data to send to terminal D, because terminal A is not in range of C and vice versa, there is possibility that terminals A and C may commence transmission at the same time. In this situation, a mixed signal from terminals A and C will be received at terminal B, which may inhibit decoding of the desired signal (from terminal A) at terminal B. A "listen before send" mechanism at the transmitting terminals (to observer for interfering transmissions) will not work in this case because the transmitting terminals are out of range of each other, or in other words are hidden from each other. Complex mechanisms would be required to effectively solve this hidden node problem.
Excessive Use of Resource (Medium & Energy)
The nature of the Mesh topology requires the same data to be transmitted multiple times through multiple hops. FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate how control signals are communicated from a terminal A to a terminal G, and how in response data signals are communicated from the terminal G to the terminal A. In particular, FIG. 3A illustrates a single hop scenario whereas FIG. 3B illustrates a multi-hop scenario. In FIG. 3A, the terminals A and G communicate directly with each other. Neighbouring (intermediate) terminals B, D and E are not utilised in the communication. More specifically, the terminal A sends a control signal directly to the terminal G to request data, and the terminal G responsively transmits the requested data directly back to the terminal A. The period between the transmission of the control signal from the terminal A to the reception of the data at the terminal A is referred to as the transmission time. In contrast, in FIG. 3B, the terminals A and G communicate with each other via the terminals B, D and E, in a multi-hop manner. More specifically, the terminal A sends a control signal to request data firstly to the terminal B. Terminal B then relays the control signal to the terminal D, and so on through the terminal E until the control signal is finally received at the terminal G from the terminal E. The terminal G then responsively transmits the requested data firstly to the terminal E, where it is relayed on to the terminal D and so on through the terminal B until the data is finally received at the terminal A. As with FIG. 3A, the period between the transmission of the control signal from the terminal A to the reception of the data at the terminal A is referred to as the transmission time.
As can be understood from a comparison of FIGS. 3A and 3B, not only does multi-hopping increase the latency to transfer information from source to destination, but it also has some additional side effects. One effect is, since the same data needs to be sent multiple times, it consumes more medium time than when transmitted in a single hop. Routing signals and traffic flow control signals may also be sent multiple times, making the effect more serious. This problem is particularly significant in MTC where there may be large numbers of terminals, and for which the signalling information (control signals) is likely to dominate the actual information (data) transmitted.
Also, because in a Mesh topology terminals within the route (terminals B, D & E in FIG. 3B) need to receive and transmit data and signalling that is not originated by itself, they are required to consume more energy than in a single hop network, in which they would only transmit self-originated data. These same problems (excessive use of medium) can be observed in a Relay topology or when a gateway is used.
Accordingly, it will be understood that one of the main characteristics of MTC is that terminals are expected to have extremely low power consumption. One effective way to realize this is to limit the transmission range of the MTC terminals, and to use Relay or Mesh topology to multihop the information from the MTC terminals to the base station.
However, it will also be understood from the above discussion that Relay and Mesh topologies have their own drawbacks in that each relay or mesh terminal needs to have distributed scheduling and routing capability in order to convey information in a multihop manner, which brings complexity to these terminals. Furthermore, the scheduling messages need also to be multihopped, which results in an ineffective use of the medium.
An uplink only single-hop relay is described in US2008/0285499. The mobile terminal in this case is agnostic to the relay node, that is it is not aware that its uplink data is being forwarded by the relay node. One characteristic of this transparent operation is that the relay node only transmits towards the base station (eNB), and never to the mobile terminal (UE). This creates some problems. For example, this arrangement will not work with a Type 1 relay of the sort that is being standardized in 3GPP. Additionally, there is no way to enforce per link automatic repeat requests (ARQ). There is no way to compensate for additional uplink delay caused by two or more hops. Also, there is no way to measure downlink channel quality between individual multihop links.

Wireless communications system and method


The invention relates to a device which is used to inject an implant (6) into tissues (50). The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises: a main hollow body (2; 2′) having a hollow needle (4; 4′) fixed thereto, into which the implant (6) is introduced; a secondary body (26; 26′) which is disposed coaxially inside the main body (2; 2′) and which surrounds the needle (4; 4′); and a plunger rod (36; 36′) which can slide coaxially inside the hollow needle (4; 4′). The injection device (1; 1′) is arranged such that: (i) when it is pressed against the tissues (50), the main body (2; 2′) slides along the length of the secondary body (26; 26′) from a proximal position to a distal position such that the needle (4; 4′) can penetrate the tissues (50), whereby the movement of the main body (1; 1′) is accompanied by the concomitant movement of the plunger rod (36; 36′); and (ii) the plunger rod (36; 36′) remains fixed and maintains the implant (6) at the required depth in the tissues (50) until the needle (4; 4′) is removed therefrom when the main body (2; 2′) is returned from the distal position to the proximal position.

An injection device of the aforementioned type is already known from European Patent No. EP 0 783 342 in the name of the DELAB company. This type of injection device includes a main body in two parts to which a hollow needle is fixed via a holding part. A rod is capable of sliding coaxially inside the needle and is stopped against an implant introduced into said needle. A secondary body is arranged coaxially inside the main body and surrounds the needle, such that the latter does not project prior to the injection. The secondary body includes one or several slots at different places on the length thereof, which join the two parts of the secondary body via radially extending connecting elements. The rod has a raised portion that is used as means for stopping the movement of said rod. The rod is connected to a piston, which, at the base thereof, includes a longitudinal hole. A guide element is secured to the piston and is arranged inside the main body so as to guide said piston and the rod.
One drawback of the injection device described above is that it includes a large number of parts. It is thus expensive to manufacture and difficult to assemble. Moreover, the relative movements of the constituent elements of the injection device in relation to each other are complex, which increases the risk of malfunction. Another drawback can be seen in the fact that the configuration of the injection device before and after injection is not the same, which makes this device particularly bulky and thus difficult to store.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks in addition to others by providing an injection device which includes, in particular, a limited number of parts and which is thus less expensive to manufacture and easier to assemble.

Device for the injection of a solid or semi-solid implant

Sociétéde Conseils de Recherches et d'Applications Scientifiques (S.C.R.A.S.) SAS


A hand-held drain cleaning machine which is of the type that employs a flexible snake that can be inserted into a waste line and rotated to remove a blockage, includes a drum in which the snake is coiled and a guide tube extending from a central front portion of the drum, through which the snake can be extended and retracted. An electric motor, which is coupled to the drum, provides rotational movement to the drum and the snake when AC line current is provided to the motor through an operator-activated switch located within a handle grip. The handle grip, which is secured to the electric motor, is preferably positioned directly above the machine' center of gravity. In addition, an extendable support, having a foot, is also secured to the electric motor and preferably positioned so that the foot is directly beneath the machine' center of gravity.

Portable electric rotary drain cleaners have been around for more than seventy years. U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,849 to John V. O'brien, et al. describes a device having a pistol-grip handle coupled to a hollow barrel, an electric motor assembly positioned in front of the handle below the barrel, a chuck at the distal end of the barrel that is coupled to the motor assembly via a gear drive, and a flexible cable that passes through the handle, enters the barrel, and exits through the chuck. An appropriate portion of the cable can be extended through the chuck opening and, with the chuck tightened so that it clamps the cable to the gear drive, the cable will be axially rotated when the motor assembly is activated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,191 which issued to Robert G. Hunt, et al. In 1954 (some ten years later) discloses a Plumber's Tool, a similar machine having a rotating drum that houses an unused portion of the drain cleaning cable. U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,782 to John H. Larsen discloses a Plumber's Snake Device that improves on the device of the '191 patent. Though equipped with a unidirectional motor, the Larsen device provides the operator with a simple controller to effect change between feed and retraction while the motor is operating. In addition, the controller enables the operator to halt feed or retraction of the snake while the motor is operating. The device also automatically stops the feed when the free end of the snake encounters an abnormal obstruction in the pipe being cleaned. In addition, retraction of the snake is automatically stopped when it comes to a fixed stop. U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,024 to Robert G. Hunt discloses a portable powered plumber's snake having an alternative feed mechanism.
Most of the ultra-portable powered plumber's snakes incorporate what appears to be an electric drill motor. Realizing the limitations of such a device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,937 to Burton J. Bollinger has packaged such a portable unit in a box, while providing an external switch for the operator.
The Plumbers' Tool described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,788 to Mark F. Mier is a plumbers' flexible snake having a chuck through which the snake passes in and out, an adapter shell suitable for mounting on a motor or on a crank which releasably attaches to the rear of the container to afford a means for rotating the container, and a container adaptable for mounting various types of chucks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,802 describes a Drain Cleaning Apparatus that utilizes a flexible snake which is inserted into a drain pipe and rotated so as to cut through a blockage or obstruction in the drain pipe. The apparatus includes a manually actuated chuck operable while the apparatus is in operation, for holding the snake relative to the apparatus, thus enabling the operator to feed the snake forceably into the drain pipe and into cutting engagement with an obstruction, and auxiliary means operable to lock the snake securely with respect to the apparatus so as to perm it the torque of the apparatus' drive motor to be applied to the snake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,374 to Paul S. Kaye discloses a powered drain-cleaning implement of the type with a rotatable snake extendable for drain insertion. The device has a housing with a rear portion over the motor and a front portion terminating in a collar, a snake container rotatably supported in the front portion and having a forward tubular portion extending through the collar and ending in a distal opening where the snake is adjustably secured, a ring gear on the back of the container, and a pinion gear on the motor engaging the ring gear for high-torque rotation of the snake. The housing preferably covers the motor, gears and container. Its rear portion preferably has a handle and associated trigger for easy holding and operation.
A Portable Drain Cleaning Apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,889 to Karl L. Kirk, which is of the type employing a flexible snake which is rotated and inserted into a waste line to remove blockage. The apparatus includes a housing in which the snake is coiled and a guide tube extending from the housing and through which the snake passes for insertion into a waste line. A manually actuated sleeve assembly is provided on the guide for displacing resilient spring finger clamping elements into engagement with the snake to hold the snake against axial displacement relative to the housing during insertion and/or removal of the snake from the waste line and to clamp the snake against rotation relative to the guide tube and the housing during the drain cleaning operation. The sleeve assembly is removably retained on the guide tube, and the spring finger elements, the guide tube and the sleeve assembly engage with one another to alone removably support the spring finger clamping elements against axial and circumferential displacement relative to and radial separation from the guide tube. Upon removal of the tubular hand grip, the spring finger gripping elements are released for separation from the guide tube.
It will be noted that the drain cleaning device of the '849 Patent to O'brien, et al., as well as more modern drain cleaning devices, such as the device of the '889 Patent to Kirk, are derivatives of the Drain Cleaner that is the subject of the 1940 U.S. Pat. No. 2,284,939 to Remi C. Asnard. The Asnard patent discloses a hand-cranked drain cleaner which includes a plumbers' snake that is stored in a container and which has one end protruding through a central hole in the container. The snake, which can be extended and retracted through the hole, can also be rotated—along with the container—by rotating the hand crank.
A main problem with the foregoing devices is that they have what may be characterized as a pistol grip. Thus, using such a device is like holding a pistol with a thirty-pound weight suspended from the end of the barrel. Using conventional portable motorized drain cleaning machines can not only be tiring, but can result in soft tissue damage to the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints of the user.

Handheld powered cable-drum drain cleaning machine


A multilayer electronic component includes a ceramic body including ceramic layers that are laminated to one another and internal conductors having exposed portions at side surfaces of the ceramic body. Substantially linear connection portions extend in the lamination direction of the ceramic layers so as to connect the exposed portions to one another. External terminal electrodes cover the exposed portions of the internal conductors and the connection portions and include base plating films directly disposed on the side surfaces by plating. The connection portions are formed by polishing the side surfaces in which the internal conductors are exposed using, for example, a brush so as to elongate the exposed portions of the internal conductors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multilayer electronic components and methods for producing multilayer electronic components, and particularly, to a multilayer electronic component in which external terminal electrodes that are connected to internal conductors are directly formed on surfaces of a ceramic body by plating and a method for producing the multilayer electronic component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the market for compact portable electronic devices has been expanding, including cellular phones, notebook PCs, digital cameras, and digital audio equipment. Such portable electronic devices are becoming smaller while having higher capabilities. Accordingly, smaller sizes and higher capabilities have also been demanded for numerous multilayer ceramic electronic components mounted on the portable electronic devices. For example, there has been a demand for monolithic ceramic capacitors having smaller sizes and higher capacitances.
One effective approach to provide monolithic ceramic capacitors having smaller sizes and higher capacitances is to reduce the thickness of ceramic layers. Recently, capacitors including ceramic layers having a thickness of about 3 μm or less have been produced. Although a further reduction in the thickness of the ceramic layers has been attempted, it has been difficult to ensure quality because a reduced layer thickness increases the risk of a short circuit between internal electrodes.
Another approach is to increase the effective area of the internal electrodes. However, mass production of monolithic ceramic capacitors requires side margins between the internal electrodes and side surfaces of a ceramic body and end margins between the internal electrodes and end surfaces of the ceramic body to allow for misalignment during lamination and cutting of ceramic green sheets. Therefore, to increase the effective area of the internal electrodes, the area of the ceramic layers must be increased to accommodate predetermined margins. However, there is a limitation on increasing the area of the ceramic layers within predetermined dimensional specifications of the products, and the thickness of external terminal electrodes is a hindrance to increasing the area of the ceramic layers.
Typically, external terminal electrodes of monolithic ceramic capacitors are formed by applying a conductive paste to the ends of a ceramic body and firing the paste. A common method for applying the conductive paste is to dip the ends of the ceramic body into a paste bath and to remove the ends therefrom. However, in this method, the conductive paste tends to be thickly applied at the central portions of the end surfaces of the ceramic body due to the viscosity of the conductive paste. Thus, the external terminal electrodes are partially thick (specifically, more than about 30 μm thick), and the area of the ceramic layers must be decreased accordingly.
In response to this problem, a method in which external terminal electrodes are directly formed by plating has been proposed.
In this method, plating films precipitate on exposed portions of internal electrodes at end surfaces of a ceramic body, and as the plating films grow, the exposed portions of the adjacent internal electrodes are connected together. This method enables the formation of thinner and flatter electrode films than the method using a conductive paste (see International Publication No. WO 2007/049456).
However, if the external terminal electrodes are directly formed on the surfaces of the ceramic body by plating, the following problem occurs.
If the external terminal electrodes are directly formed by plating, plating growth proceeds in two stages: a primary growth stage in which plating films grow from the exposed portions of the individual internal electrodes primarily in a spreading direction, and a secondary growth stage in which the plating films grown at the primary growth stage combine together in the spreading direction and a plating film grows from the continuous plating film primarily in a thickness direction. However, a problem arises in that it takes a significant amount of time for the separate plating films to grow and combine together in the spreading direction at the primary growth stage because the exposed portions of the internal electrodes are independent and isolated from each other. This increases the time required to form a plating film with a predetermined thickness, thus causing low productivity.

Multilayer electronic component and method for manufacturing the same


An electrical connector configured for connecting wires to components includes a female component defining a socket with electrical contacts therein. A male component includes an insulative base body with contacts having a first section configured for receipt of a conductive core of an insulated wire, and an insulative plug member that extends transversely from the base body. The electrical contacts have a second section that extends at least partially onto the plug member. In mating contact of the male and female components, the plug member is inserted into the socket such that the electrical contacts on the plug member engage against the electrical contacts in the socket to electrically connect the wires to the electrical component.

Various types of connectors are known in the art for forming connections between an insulated wire and any manner of electronic component. These connectors are typically available as sockets, plugs, and shrouded headers in a vast range of sizes, pitches, and plating options. Many of these conventional connectors are referred to as Insulation Displacement Connectors (IDC) in that they include one or more contact elements incorporating a set of blades or jaws that cut through the insulation around the wire and make electrical contact with the conductive core in a one-step process, thus eliminating the need for wire stripping and crimping, or other wire preparation. IDCs are used extensively in the telecommunications industry, and are becoming more widely used in printed circuit board (PCB) applications.
AVX Corporation of Myrtle Beach, S.C., USA, offers a line of low profile IDC wire to board connectors (Series 9175 -9177) that are surface mounted to a circuit board prior to insertion of wires into contact slots with the aid of a hand tool. This process cuts the wire insulation and enables the conductive wire cores to form a secure conductive joint with the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,845 describes an IDC assembly that can be mounted to a circuit board and secured thereto prior to terminating conductors to the connector. The electrical connector includes a housing having at least one conductor-receiving aperture and an associated terminal-receiving passageway extending from a board mounting face and intersecting each conductor-receiving aperture
U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,616 describes an IDC specifically configured for SMT mounting to a PCB. The connector assembly has at least one contact member with a piercing, cutting or slicing end that is slideably disposed within a main body, and a mounting end that extends from the main body and is attached to a printed circuit board using conventional SMT processes.
IDC wire to board connectors are not suited for all applications, particularly where a rugged connection is required and space is limited between the connected components. For example, the IDCs in the above cited references are relatively complicated in that they require all or a portion of the main body to be movable or slidable relative to the contacts to make final connection with the wires after ends of the contacts have been inserted into through holes in the PCB or surface mounted to the PCB. In addition, a perception to some in the industry is that IDCs are not well suited for stressful environments wherein the electrical component is subjected to prolonged shock and vibrations because the wires tend to move or pull out of the contact blades.
The present invention provides an alternative to IDC wire to board connectors that is rugged, reliable, and allows for easy connection and disconnection of the connector components.


A plug connector for a circuit board connection possesses a plug strip and a plug part that includes a socket housing projecting on the plug side. The socket housing possesses a generally rectangular basic cross section with longitudinal sides opposite each other on both sides, and a face side located between them. Insertion guide holes with adjacent plug receptors for contact pins are located on this face side, such pins being positioned on the plug strip with matching alignment. In order to be able to join the plug part and the plug strip along at least two insertion directions offset from each other by 90°, and to ensure a solid mechanical connection of the plug part independent of insertion direction, first the plug strip is formed as an angle strip with a first strip shoulder and a second strip shoulder perpendicular to it, and the contact pins are mounted either on the first or on the second strip shoulder. Engaging hooks are present on each of the two strip shoulders on the inner side facing the plug part that are mirror images with respect to the angle-bisecting plane of the plug strip, and engaging steps are provided in the vicinity of the two longitudinal sides of the socket housing on the plug part that may be engaged by the engaging hook. The position of such engaging steps is matched to allow interaction with the engaging hook on each longitudinal side of the socket housing.

Many versions of such plug connectors are known in which a plug strip is provided on the one hand to be connected mechanically to a circuit board, and on the other, to establish electrical contact with the circuit board. It is the task of the plug part of the plug connector to electrically connect incoming or outgoing conductors to the plug strip and thereby to the components on the circuit board. Suitable clamps are provided on or in the plug part to connect these conductors.
It is further known to connect the plug part with the plug strip. For this, a threaded connector is provided whereby accordingly the plug part is shaped as a threaded plug, and the plug strip is provided with threaded flanges. In such versions of the plug connector, the plug part and the plug strip may be inserted together in only one direction.
It is the task of the present invention to create a plug connector of the type mentioned at the outset in which the plug part and the plug strip may be inserted together along at least two insertion directions offset from each other by 90° depending on the positions of the contact pins on the plug strip and to ensure a solid mechanical connection of the plug part independent of insertion direction.

Plug connector for circuit board connection


A tool for securing a clamp, such as a P clamp, to a mounting location, comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw; and an actuator to move the first jaw relative to the second jaw. The first jaw includes a retainer for a fastener. The method of attaching the clamp to the mounting location includes the steps of: placing a first fastener in the retainer; locating the clamp between the jaws; manipulating the actuator to tighten the clamp; and securing a second fastener to the first fastener.

This invention relates to a tool for securing a clamp to an object. Specifically, the present invention relates to a hand tool that assists a technician secure a clamp to an object.
Gas turbine engine externals, such as tubes and wire harnesses, must be adequately secured to the engine. Typically, technicians use "P clamps" to secure the externals to the engine. A P clamp is a metal band partially overmolded by an elastomeric material. The metal band provides rigidity to the P clamp to mount the external securely to the engine. The metal band compresses the elastomeric material against the external. The elastomeric material prevents contact between the external by the metal band, limits movement of the external, and can damp vibration caused by engine operation.
The process of securing the P clamp to the external can produce ergonomic issues. Since typical P clamps require approximately 22 pounds of compression force, a technician continuously applying such a compression force for extended periods of time can quickly tire. Repetitive applications of such compression forces (i.e. installing multiple clamps) can also tire the installer. The potential for ergonomic issues increases as the size of the external increases (i.e. larger P clamps needed) and as the length of the external increases (e.g. one engine could use up to 96 P clamps).
Conventionally, the installer followed these steps: (1) compress the clamp with a hand tool, such as a needle nose pliers; (2) continue applying the compression force to the clamp until the clamp achieves a set state; (3) discontinue applying the compression force to the clamp; (4) attach fasteners to the clamp; and (5) tighten the fasteners with suitable tools. While tightening the fasteners, the user may have to compress the clamp further with the tools to engage the fasteners. That requires the technician to manipulate simultaneously the pliers, the P clamp, and both fasteners.
Other practices include the use of small clips to keep the clamp in a compressed state or to secure the fastener to the clamp. The use of such small clips is not preferred in at least gas turbine engine application. The clips have a tendency to fail. The clips can also become foreign object debris (FOD) if not removed properly.