A lithium metal oxide powder for a cathode material in a rechargeable battery, consisting of a core and a surface layer, the surface layer being delimited by an outer and an inner interface, the inner interface being in contact with the core, the core having a layered crystal structure comprising the elements Li, M and oxygen, wherein M has the formula M=(Niz (Ni1/2 Mn1/2)y Cox)1-k Ak, with 0.15≤x≤0.30, 0.20≤z≤0.55, x+y+z=1 and 0<k≤0.1, wherein the Li content is stoichiometrically controlled with a molar ratio 0.95≤Li:M≤1.10; wherein A is at least one dopant and comprises Al; wherein the core has an Al content of 0.3-3 mol % and a F content of less than 0.05 mol %; and wherein the surface layer has an Al content that increases continuously from the Al content of the core at the inner interface to at least 10 mol % at the outer interface, and a F content that increases continuously from less than 0.05 mol % at the inner interface to at least 3 mol % at the outer interface, the Al and F contents in the surface layer being determined by XPS. The surface layer may also have a Mn content that decreases continuously from the Mn content of the core at the inner interface, to less than 50% of the Mn content of the core at the outer interface.

This invention relates to improved cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The cathode material contains Ni, Mn and Co, is surface treated and has a modified composition which shows improved cycle stability during long term cycling in full cells, especially at high charge cut-off voltage (>4.35V), at both room and elevated temperatures.
Commercially available lithium-ion batteries typically contain a graphite-based anode and cathode materials. A cathode material is usually a powderous material capable to reversibly intercalate and de-intercalate lithium. Historically LiCoO2 was the dominating cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries. Recently the so-called NMC cathode materials replace LiCoO2 in many applications. "NMC" is an abbreviation for nickel-manganese-cobalt, and it is used for lithium transition metal based oxides, where the transition metal is a mixture of basically Ni, Mn and Co, having roughly the stoichiometry LiMO2, where M=NixMnyCoz. Additional doping is possible, and typical doping elements are Al, Mg, Zr etc. The crystal structure is an ordered rocksalt structure, where the cations order into 2-dimensional Li and M layers. The space group is R-3M. There are many different compositions possible, often categorized and named after their nickel, manganese and cobalt content. Typical NMC based materials are "111" with M=Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3, "442" with M=Ni0.4Mn0.4Co0.2, "532" with M=Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2, "622" with M=Ni0.6Mn0.2Co0.2 etc. It is known that the gravimetric energy density of NMC is increasing with Ni content for a constant Li potential, for example, NMC622 has a higher gravimetric energy density than NMC532 and NMC111, when charged to the same voltage.
Due to their high energy density, rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries can be used for a variety of purposes. One of the most important applications is in portable electronic applications, such as cellular phones, laptop computers, digital and video cameras. Another other very important application is automotive, including BEV (battery electric vehicles), HEV (hybrid electric vehicles) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles).
Regarding portable applications, NMC is not competitive with LiCoO2 into the high end portable devices, for example in polymer cells for smartphones, while successfully replacing LiCoO2 in low end portable devices, for example cylinder cells for laptop batteries. A major reason for this is that the volumetric energy density of commercially successful NMC products, which are mainly NMC111 and NMC532, is lower compared to LiCoO2, when charged to the normal applicable voltage (4.2V) in polymer cells. There are some advanced high voltage LiCoO2 products commercially available in the market, which can give a decent cycle stability in full cells, when cycled up to 4.35V or even 4.4V. In order to make NMC competitive with LiCoO2 concerning high energy density, a higher application voltage has to be used, for example, 4.35V or 4.4V, and NMC compositions should switch to higher Ni content, for example, from NMC111 to NMC622. Therefore, so-called "high Ni" NMC (with a Ni content of at least 45 mol %) cathodes that can be cycled stably at a high voltage are needed for portable applications.
Regarding automotive applications, NMC is currently dominating the market, due to its lower cost compared to LiCoO2. The requirements for batteries for automotive applications are stricter than those for portable electronics. A very long cycle life is mandatory, usually 80% capacity of the batteries should remain after 2000 cycles (at a 4.2V charge), using a full charge and discharge cycle. The high temperature cycle stability should be good, because batteries in the automotive usually work at an elevated temperature. There are also very strict requirements for the other properties of the batteries, for example, calendar life, safety, etc. Similar to batteries for portable application, improving the energy density of the cathode is primordial in the automotive applications. Effective approaches may be: using NMC materials with a high Ni content, for example NMC622, and increasing the charge cut-off voltage from currently 4.2V to 4.35V or even 4.4V.
However, there are several issues if one wants to use high Ni NMC at high voltage. First, high Ni NMC usually has serious issues of soluble base content. The soluble base content refers to the presence of surface impurities like Li2CO3 and LiOH. Li2CO3 and LiOH could either come from unreacted reagents of lithium sources, which are usually Li2CO3 or LiOH, or from ion exchange reactions with Li present in solvents, which can form LiOH and protons. The soluble base content is usually measured by a technique called pH titration, as is explained in WO2012/107313. The soluble bases will eventually cause a serious gas generation in full cells, which is usually called "bulging" in full cell tests. Serious gas generation/bulging issues will result in bad cycling life of battery, and safety concerns. In WO2011/054441, the authors propose a special LiF coating layer on NMC cathode materials, which can significantly reduce the soluble base content and suppress the gas generation of NMC polymer cells.
Another issue is that it is difficult to achieve a good cycle stability when NMC is charged to high voltages, for example 4.35V or even 4.4V. The reasons for this failure mechanism of NMC/graphite polymer cells when operated at high charge cut-off voltage is still unclear. It is known, e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,048, that one of the main drawbacks of 4V or higher secondary lithium and lithium-ion batteries is electrolyte decomposition during the charging process or during the shelf life of the battery in its charged state. The negative effects of this decomposition are considerably accelerated at elevated temperatures. Accordingly, to decrease electrolyte decomposition in conventional cells, low voltage limits are applied strictly during the cell charge process. When manganese-rich and cobalt-rich lithiated metal oxides are used as positive electrode materials, manganese and cobalt dissolution can occur in the cell. This dissolution is observed in the electrolyte and results in a reduction in the capacity and cycleability of the cell. In particular, the negative effect of manganese dissolution is more pronounced because it is believed that the dissolved manganese catalyzes electrolyte polymerization and/or decomposition. It is in general needed to limit the dissolution of any transition metal in the positive electrode into the electrolyte of the battery.
In J. Electrochem. Soc. 2013 160(9): A1451-A1456, Dahn et al. speculate that the polymer cells using NMC fails due to indissoluble electrolyte oxidized products created near the cathode surface, and moving to the anode side to block the SEI (solid-electrolyte interface), and then eventually blocking the diffusion path of Li+. Dahn also proposes that an effective surface coating on the cathode or effective functional electrolyte additives could suppress the electrolyte oxidization and extend the cycle life of the batteries. In US2009/0087362, the authors provide a LiCoO2 powder which is covered by an AlF3 layer. This coated LiCoO2 shows improved cycle stability in a LiCoO2/Li half cell when charged to 4.5V, at both 25° C. and 55° C.
In view of the problems cited before, in order to use high Ni NMC materials in high voltage applications, an effective surface modification is needed. An object of the present invention is to provide NMC cathode materials with high Ni content that are showing the improved properties required for high end portable and automotive applications.

Lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide cathode powders for high voltage lithium-ion batteries


For use in a wireless communication network that includes a transmitter having a multi-element transmit antenna array, an information hiding system and a method of hiding information. In one embodiment, the information hiding system includes an information spreading subsystem that is configured to scramble the information across the multi-element transmit antenna array. The information hiding system further includes a coherence modification subsystem that is configured to reduce channel coherence randomly during transmission of the scrambled information via the multi-element transmit antenna array. By hiding the information, the information hiding system advantageously reduces an unauthorized eavesdropper's ability to determine the contents of the transmitted information.

New wireless communication networks require higher data rates and lower bit error rates to provide an acceptable quality of service level. To achieve higher data rates, vendors have employed systems that use multiple transmit and receive antennas that increase the capacity of wireless channels. These multiple transmit and receive antenna systems may be used to combat and mitigate the destructive effects of multi-path fading, but the decoding complexity often increases as the number of transmit and receive antennas increases. Also, the multiple transmit and receive antenna systems may employ space-time diversity to code blocks of data and disperse the blocks across the multiple antennas effectively increasing the number of wireless channels available.
While the increased channel capacity and higher throughput are relevant to vendors, there is also a need for increasing network security to ensure data privacy, reliable user authentication and protection of information from unauthorized eavesdroppers over wireless communications. The communication industry is inadvertently helping the unauthorized eavesdropper by the standardization of coding schemes employed in wireless networks.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a system that decreases the likelihood of an unauthorized eavesdropper from determining the information transmitted over multiple transmit antennas.

Information hiding system and a method of hiding information in a wireless communication network


Methods and systems for delivering a segmented content item from a server to a first and second device are provided. A first key is used to encrypt the segmented content item into a first plurality of encrypted segments and a second key is used to encrypt the segmented content item into a second plurality of encrypted segments. The first and second keys are different. The first plurality of encrypted segments is delivered to the first device, and the second plurality of encrypted segments is delivered to the second device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to the authorized delivery of content items, and specifically related to the delivery of encrypted content items to multiple devices.
Related Art
As consumer demand increases for the delivery of content items to devices, the need for secure approaches to delivery has also increased. Modem smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers and portable media devices are all capable of the display of different content items.
Often those seeking to circumvent the protection of rights associated with a content item will collaborate and exchange information. Given modem Internet communications, limiting the success of this collaboration continues to be a challenge for content item providers.
The features and advantages of embodiments will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawings in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.

Delivering a content item from a server to a device


An image forming apparatus has an image carrier, a developing unit, a toner container, a pixel counter, and a used toner amount estimator. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the image carrier's surface. The developing unit feeds toner on the image carrier's surface. The toner container with a transport screw supplies toner to the developing unit. The pixel counter counts the number of pixels in toner images formed on the image carrier's surface since the toner container started being used. The used toner amount estimator estimates the amount of toner used, until the cumulative value of the number of revolutions of the transport screw reaches a predetermined number, based on the cumulative value and, thereafter, by multiplying the pixel count of the pixel counter by a coefficient. The estimator corrects the coefficient based on the pixel count as observed when the cumulative value reaches the predetermined number.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technology for estimating the amount of toner remaining in a toner container.
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, image development is achieved by feeding toner from a developing unit to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum or an intermediary transfer belt. The toner is contained in a toner container, and as the toner concentration in the developing unit lowers, the toner container is driven by a toner motor so that the toner inside the toner container is, while being stirred by a stirring paddle, supplied to the developing unit by a transport screw. Thus, the amount of drive of the toner container determines the amount of toner supplied to the developing unit.
In recognizing when to replace a toner container, it is essential to estimate the amount of toner remaining in the toner container. The amount of toner transported as a result of a transport screw being driven to rotate is constant. This makes it possible to estimate the amount of toner remaining in the toner container by estimating the amount of toner used based on the cumulative value of the number of revolutions of the transport screw. However, as the amount of toner in the toner container becomes small, the amount of toner transported with every single turn of the transport screw comes to vary. Thus, estimating the amount of toner used based on the cumulative value of the number of revolutions of the transport screw may lead to a large error. As a solution, for example, the amount of toner used is often calculated based on, for a period from the start of use of the toner container to a given time point, the length of time for which toner has been supplied and, thereafter, the number of pixels in toner images.


According to one embodiment, there is provided a high pressure bushing arranged through by penetrating a stator frame of a rotating electrical machine in which a cooling gas is sealed. At least a communicating hole is provided in the hollow connecting conductor and at least a reflux hole is provided in the gas circulation pipe, such that the cooling gas flows in both of the first gap and the second gap, passes through an inner side of the gas circulation pipe, and is discharged to the machine inner side.

Generally, a rotating electrical machine such as a turbine generator is configured to seal hydrogen gas and the like within the device, and to cool respective sections such as a rotor, a stator iron core, and a stator coil by using the same as a coolant.
Further, a stator frame of the rotating electrical machine is provided with a high pressure bushing that penetrates the stator frame. The stator coil of the rotating electrical machine is wire bound to the high pressure bushing via a connecting conductor, and an electric output can be taken out from the rotating electrical machine through a hollow connecting conductor provided in the high pressure bushing. Since the high pressure bushing generates heat by a large current flowing in the hollow connecting conductor, the cooling gas introduced from inside the device is used for cooling.
Generally, the high pressure bushing structurally uses only an inner circumferential surface side of the hollow connecting conductor as a cooling surface. An outer circumferential surface side of the hollow connecting conductor ensures a space for maintaining an insulating distance, an insulating cylinder such as glass is also provided, and a sealing section that is vulnerable to heat is provided, however, an effect of cooling is not sufficiently enjoyed on the side thereof. In order to perform a sufficient cooling, a current value with which the current can be flown must be made small or the high pressure bushing must be made large by enlarging a conductor cross sectional area, neither of which is a crucial solution.
Under the circumstances, it is desired to provide a high pressure bushing and a rotating electrical machine, capable of improving cooling efficiency.

High pressure bushing of rotating electrical machine and rotating electrical machine


A small-sized high performance fixing device is realized by using a thin cylindrical structure having a structure which prevents loss of contact between inner reinforcing members and the thin cylindrical structure and prevents collapsing in the circumferential direction of the thin cylindrical structure due to wall-thinning, when the thin cylindrical structure receives the external force on the peripheral surface thereof.. For a fixing device for heat fixing operated by passing recording papers, on which toner images were transferred, through a pressurizing zone formed by a fixing roller formed of a cylindrical structure having a heater in the inside and a pressure roller, a cylindrical structure which is provided with at least one supporting member forcibly inserted in the thin cylindrical structure and is maintained in the firm contact condition with the inside surface of the cylindrical structure at portions of the outside peripheral surface of the supporting members is used as the fixing roller.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fixing device using a reinforced thin cylinder structure, a thin cylinder structure used for the fixing device, and a method for manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Copy machines utilizing an electrophotographic process require a process for fixing the toner formed on a recording sheet to convert it to a permanent image, various fixing method such as the solvent fixing, pressure fixing, and heat fixing have been known as the fixing method.
The solvent fixing is disadvantageous in that solvent vapor is transpired to cause odor and health problems, and the pressure fixing is disadvantageous in that the flexibility is poor in comparison with other methods and pressure sensitive toner to be used in this method is expensive. Therefore, these two methods have been not used practically.
Accordingly, as a fixing method of a toner image for copy machines utilizing an electrophotographic process, the heat fixing in which toner is melted by heating to fix the image on a recording sheet has been used popularly.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for illustrating the schematic structure of a fixing device utilizing the heat fixing. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing device comprises a heating roller 30 provided with a heater 31 in a cylindrical metal core 32 and a releasing layer 33 comprising a heat resistant resin coating layer or heat resistant rubber coating layer formed on the outside peripheral surface of the metal core 32, and a pressure roller 40 provided in contact with the heating roller with the pressure roller comprising a cylindrical metal core 41 and a heat resistant elastomer layer 42 formed on the outside peripheral surface of the metal core. The fixing processing is carried out by passing a sheet 43 on which a toner image 44 is formed between the heating roller 30 and pressure roller 40, then, additives contained in the toner are fused so that the image is fixed on the sheet 43.
The heating roller method in which a heating roller is used to fix as a fixing device utilizing heat fixing is advantageous in that the thermal efficiency is high in comparison with other heat fixing methods such as hot air fixing and oven fixing, therefore required electric power is low (energy saving) and copying speed is high, and also the risk of fire due to paper jamming is low, therefore the heating roller method has been used popularly.
Conventional heating roller type fixing devices require a long time for raising up the surface temperature of the heating roller from a room temperature to a prescribed setting temperature (referred to as warm-up time hereinafter), namely 1 minute to 10 minutes. The warm-up time is determined based on the relationship between the heat capacity of the heating roller and supplied power. Therefore if the heat capacity of the heating roller is small and supplied power is large, the warm-up time can be shortened. However, the reduction of the heat capacity of the roller is limited by the rigidity of the roller, and the increase of supplied power is also limited by the power consumption of the copy machine.
In general, power to be exclusively supplied to a fixing device ranges from 300 W to 1000 W. In order to shorten the warm-up time within this power range, it is most effective to reduce the heat capacity of the heating roller.
If the diameter of a roll and wall thickness of a roll core are reduced to decrease the roll heat capacity of a roller to be used for a fixing device, the roll rigidity is reduced with the reduction of the diameter or wall thickness. The roll heat capacity is proportional to the square of roll diameter, while the roll rigidity is proportional to the biquadrate of roll diameter. When a load which is necessary for the fixing roller to function sufficiently is applied on the fixing roller having a small diameter, the load causes deformation in the axial direction of the roller (referred to as deflection hereinafter) and deformation in the peripheral direction (referred to as collapse hereinafter). As described above, the reduction of the roll diameter beyond a certain value results suddenly in the reduction of roll rigidity, thus a load sufficient for fixing can not be loaded.
Particularly, collapsing of a roller out of the above-mentioned two types of deformation severely affects on the function of the fixing device, namely the function of the heat fixing process. In detail, the function for carrying papers by pinching and the function for uniform heat transferring to toner layer are not quite performed, thus the fixing device does not function as a fixing device. Therefore, the wall thickness should be more than a prescribed value which is sufficient for a prescribed roll rigidity.
In general, pressure of 0.5 to 5.0 kg/cm.sup.2 in nipping area of a pair of rollers comprising a heating roller and pressure roller is necessary for performing prescribed fixing function. Interstices due to the roughness on the surface of a paper and roller can not be eliminated by a pressure lower than the prescribed value, heat is not transferred efficiently to powder toner. Such heat transfer causes mottled fixed toner surface, namely poor image quality.
Since the total load between both rollers is as high as 20 to 200 kg for loading sufficient pressure necessary for fixing, the roll rigidity of a heating roller which is resistant to such heavy load is necessary for a roller used as a heating roller (cylinder), and the minimization of roll diameter and the thinning of roll wall are inherently restricted.
In view of such problems, various techniques for preventing collapse of thin rollers have been proposed. These techniques for preventing collapse of rollers and problems which occur when such rollers are used for a fixing device are described hereinunder.
As the first method, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 59-128665, Japanese Examined Utility Model Application No. 61-4926, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 61-59381, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 6-130845 describe a method in which a reinforcing member is provided in a roller to prevent collapsing, thus the roll strength is increased without increasing in heat capacity of the roll itself. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the first example of a conventional fixing roller structure. In FIG. 2, the numeral 1 represents an inner frame of a supporting member of a roller, the numeral 2 represents a supporting rod for supporting the inner frame, the numeral 3 represents a roller (sleeve), the numeral 4 represents thermal insulator, the numeral 5 represents a coil heater, namely a heating source, the numeral 6 represents an offset preventing layer, namely a releasing layer, and the numeral 7 represents a supporting shaft.
For such a fixing roller having a structure as shown in FIG. 2, the supporting rod 2 for supporting the inner frame 1 of the reinforcing member for the roller 3 which is a constituent of a fixing roller is required, that is, large members for inner reinforcing structure are required. Such structure results inevitably in the large size and increased cost. In addition, the placing of large members in a fixing roller results in increased heat capacity of the whole fixing roller, so such structure is not preferable from the view point of the reduction of warm-up time. The portion of contact between the inner frame 1 and roller 3 should be structured using thermal insulator 4 such as resin. If a material having a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than that of metals is used, the inner frame 1 can lose contact with the inner surface of roller 3 when the fixing roller is heated, which is an disadvantage.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the second example of a conventional fixing roller structure. As shown in FIG. 3 depicting the second method, a roller 8 is provided with thick portions 9 each having the wall being formed partially thick in the axial direction. As a modified example of this case, a structure in which ribs for reinforcement are provided instead of thick portion 9 each having the wall being formed partially thick in the axial direction is proposed. Examples of the second method is described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application No. 56-7949 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 57-155571.
For manufacturing a fixing roller having a structure according to the second method, the wall should be so processed that the wall thickness of a roller 8 varies partially in the axial direction to form thick portions 9 inside the cylindrical structure. Therefore the heat capacity varies along the axial direction partially at the thick portions. if this type of heating roller is used for heat fixing, and the roller is heated, the thick portions cause ununiform temperature distribution, thus the uniform fixing inadvantageously failed. Further, in manufacturing of rollers, the drawing method can not be used for manufacturing seamless pipes, the manufacturing process of such roller results in higher cost.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the third example of a conventional fixing roller structure.
As shown in FIG. 4 depicting the third method, a solid pipe is inserted into the internal of a cylinder to improve the rigidity of a thin cylinder as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 63-26752. In the case of the roller shown in FIG. 4, reinforcing rigid members 11 are inserted to a conductive cylinder member 10, which is served as a photosensitive member, from both ends to improve the rigidity of the conductive cylindrical member 10, In this case, the contact charging conductive rubber roller 12 functions as a pressure roller.
In the third method, the roller essentially has high rigidity. However, because the reinforcing rigid member 11 is a solid member, a heat generating mechanism can not be provided when the roller is used as a fixing roller. This type of fixing roller can not be used for heating roller type fixing devices. Further, even when such roller is used for fixing devices of surface heat generating type (roller pair type) having no heat generating mechanism in the internal of the roll, such type of roller is not preferable from the view point of low power performance (energy saving) because of the surface temperature rising loss due to transfer of heat to the internal. The weight due to the reinforcing rigid member 11 is added, the roller has the same roll rigidity as that of a roller designed to have a thick wall, and such requirement for the extra member results in cost up. The reinforcing rigid member 11 is a member having large heat capacity, it means that a member having a large heat capacity is provided in the internal of the roller, such high heat capacity structure is not preferable also from the view point of shortening of warm-up time.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the fourth example of a conventional fixing roller structure. In a thin cylindrical structure according to the fourth method, an inner core formed of thin plate is inscribed inside a thin cylindrical outer cylinder and fixed as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 1-126417. In detail, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the roller has a structure that the inner core 14 in the form of a triangular prism formed of thin plate is inscribed inside the cylindrical outer cylinder 13 and fixed. In the case of the structure in accordance with the fourth method, it is difficult to provide a infrared ray lamp heater in the internal as a heating source. From the viewpoint of the strengthening of a roller, the rigidity in the direction of the axis of the roller is improved, but collapsing due to the thinning of the wall in the peripheral direction is not prevented at the area where the inner core 14 is inscribed, therefore such structure is not preferable from the view point of reliability.
The present invention is accomplished in view of the above-mentioned various problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized high performance fixing device using a thin cylindrical structure, which thin cylindrical structure receives the external force at the peripheral surface, having a structure which is free from the problem of loss of contact between the inner reinforcing member and the thin cylindrical structure and prevents sufficiently the thin cylinder from being collapsed due to the thinned wall in the peripheral direction. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provides a thin cylindrical structure used for fixing devices and a method for manufacturing the thin cylindrical structure.

Reinforced thin cylindrical structure, image fixing device using this cylindrical structure, and method for manufacturing reinforced thin cylindrical structure


A sensing device conveniently and accurately produces electrical signal representative of the direction in which he steerable wheels (10 and 11) of a vehicle are pointing and the rate of change of the direction of the steerable wheels. The device includes a circular or donut-shaped magnet (26) that is attached to the pinion (12) of a rack and pinion steering gear (6). The magnet has a plurality of magnetic poles (28) spaced around its circumference and preferably extending axially through the magnet. As the magnetic poles rotate past a plurality of sensors (36 and 38) that are located in quadrature positioning relative to the magnetic poles and to each other, the sensors generate electrical signals that are processed to determine the rotation direction of the pinion and the rate of such rotation.

Automotive vehicles have used hydraulic systems for many years to provide power assistance to the vehicle steering systems. The hydraulic systems typically consist of an engine driven pump that provides hydraulic fluid under pressure to an actuator which is connected into the steering system. A torsion bar senses the rotational torque and direction that the driver applies to the vehicle steering wheel, and appropriate hydraulic valving applies the hydraulic fluid in a manner that applies assisting forces to the steered wheels of the vehicle.
Over the years many improvements have been implemented to increase the efficiency and reduce the power consumption of the hydraulic systems. Despite these, the typical power steering system requires substantial amounts of energy because of inherent factors such as pumping losses.
Electrically assisted power steering systems offer increased efficiencies and packaging conveniences, and a great deal of development effort is being applied to prepare electrical power steering systems, also known as steer-by-wire systems, for the marketplace. Proposals for electrically powered vehicles add to this interest as the energy requirements of hydraulic power steering systems would likely prevent their use in electrically powered vehicles.
In a typical electrically assisted power steering system, angular displacement of the steering wheel is detected and converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is processed and applied to a servo motor that is attached to the steerable wheels of the vehicle. Much of the art of electrically assisted power steering systems is directed at devices for detecting the position and direction of rotation of the steering wheel, and at systems for processing and shaping the signals that are applied to the servo motor in efforts at duplicating the characteristics of the conventional steering system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,458 shows a steerby-wire system of interest in this regard.
Some work has been directed at providing electrical or electronic signals representative of the position of the steerable wheels of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,250 discusses the use of potentiometers as position sensing devices for a vehicle steering control device. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,036, an elongated strip on the rack bar of a steering gear is designed with a signal pattern of magnetic characteristics. The rack bar is the output member of the steering gear and it is mechanically representative of the position of the steerable wheels of the vehicle. A sensor is located adjacent the strip and reads the magnetic characteristics in a manner that identifies the location of the rack bar and hence the angular location of the steerable wheels.


A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, a corresponding battery, and a corresponding functional device. A control unit of the battery receives measurement signals relating to a respective parameter of the battery cells from a plurality of switchable battery cells of the battery. The control unit prepares a location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter within the battery on the basis of the measurement signals. By activating the switching elements of the switchable battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, the control unit produces a pattern of battery cells switched to active and passive. A predetermined location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained.

A switchable battery cell in the meaning of the invention is a battery cell which comprises at least one switching element. The switching element is used to incorporate the switchable battery cell in an electrically conductive matter into a circuit of a battery, or to switch the battery cell out of such a circuit. The switchable battery cell can thus be switched to active and passive with the aid of the at least one switching element.
In addition to the at least one switching element, each of the switchable battery cells of the battery according to the invention comprises a monitoring unit, which in turn comprises at least one measuring unit for measuring a respective operating value or cell parameter of a respective battery cell. A cell parameter can relate in this case, for example, to a charge state and/or an aging state and/or a temperature of a respective battery cell. According to the method according to the invention, the respective measuring unit transmits a measurement signal relating to the respective cell parameter to the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit can be, for example, a microcontroller and can relay the respective measurement signal to a control unit of the battery. The combination of monitoring unit and switchable battery cells is also referred to as smart cells.
Batteries, for example, for use in at least partially electrically driven motor vehicles, which comprise a plurality of individual battery cells, are well known. Various devices are also known which enable individual battery cells to be switched out of a battery, for example, if they should become defective. Methods for operating such batteries are also known.
DE 10 2012 212 872 A1, for example, discloses a method for electrically charging a vehicle battery in such a way that inadequately charged battery cells of the battery are charged and simultaneously excessively charged battery cells are bypassed. The goal in this case is to increase the overall efficiency of the charging. A respective battery cell or a plurality of respective battery cells disadvantageously cannot be switched to active and passive as desired in this case, but rather only when a cell voltage of a respective battery cell exceeds a component-related breakthrough voltage of an installed Zener diode.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,987,935 B2 discloses a classic application of switchable battery cells: a battery for an electric motor vehicle and a method for its operation are described, wherein defective battery cells of the battery can be bypassed by means of activation of a bypass switch, while the remaining battery cells of the battery can still provide a power corresponding to the power requirement of the electric motor of the motor vehicle.
WO 2018/109744 A1 discloses an intelligent battery (smart battery) comprising a plurality of battery cells and a peripheral circuit which is connected to the plurality of battery cells. The smart battery moreover includes a monitoring unit, which is connected to the plurality of battery cells in the peripheral circuit and is oriented to triggering a service request when a maintenance measure or a service has to be performed on the battery.
The cited prior art generally disadvantageously focuses on the monitoring of a state or a behavior of individual battery cells or cell regions. Thus, the classic application examples for operating batteries having multiple switchable battery cells generally describe, for example, measures which necessarily induce inhomogeneities relating to one or more cell parameters within a battery cell composite or within the entire battery by individual battery cells being bypassed or deactivated.

Method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, corresponding battery, and functional device


Wear-replaceable resilient cover structure, or jacket, for the known-diameter cylindrical surface of an elongate, known-length anvil roll in a veneer clipper. The cover structure includes an elongate, internal, tubular, cylindrical armature having inside and outside diameters which are each larger than an anvil roll's surface's known diameter, and an elongate, tubular, cylindrical resiliency sleeve which embeddedly receives, and is stabilized by, the armature. The sleeve possesses inside and outside diameters which are, respectively, less than and greater than those of the armature, and the sleeve's inside diameter is sized to promote non-bonding, resistive slide-on/slide-off fitment of the armature-stabilized sleeve relative to a clipper anvil roll's cylindrical surface.

This invention pertains to veneer clippers, and more particularly to an easily installable, removable and replaceable, resilient, knife-impact cover structure (jacket) for the surface of an anvil roll in a rotary veneer clipper.
A veneer clipper is a machine which is used in plywood plants throughout the world to clip veneer to width, and to clip out defects. Among a rotary veneer clipper's advantages are that it (a) is very simple mechanically, (b) requires minimum maintenance, (c) operates at very high veneer-flow speeds, (d) does not stop the flow of veneer when it produces a cut, (e) is computer controllable, and (f) is very accurate. Most plywood plants, certainly in North America, have adopted the rotary clipper as a machine of choice, and many rotary veneer clippers are also used in other countries of the world.
Such a clipper operates in the following manner. Veneer flows over a bottom anvil roll that is rotating in such a fashion that its peripheral speed is about the same as the speed that veneer is flowing through the machine. Typically, approximately 2-inches above the bottom anvil roll, and above the flowing veneer, is a flexible knife about ¼-inches thick and about 4-inches wide is held in place, stretched along the length of the roll by hydraulic cylinders which connect to the knife through thrust bearings. The knife is sharpened on both long edges, and nominally (when not cutting) is held stationary in generally a "horizontal-plane" position. Another anvil roll essentially exactly the same as the mentioned bottom anvil roll is mounted above the knife, and rotates at the same speed as does the bottom roll, but in the opposite direction.
When it is time to perform a cut, a computer control system controls servo-valves that cause hydraulic motors which are connected to each end of the knife to cause the knife to rotate through 180-degrees. In this rotation, as the knife goes through a "vertical plane" position, and because the top and bottom anvil rolls are adjusted to be closer together than the width of the knife, the knife is squeezed, or forced, through the veneer and into the bottom anvil roll, effecting a cut of the veneer. Because the knife is sharpened on both edges (so that it can cut every 180-degree turn) the knife also cuts into the top anvil roll.
To make such a clipper operate effectively, it has been necessary to make the associated anvil rolls very massive in order to contain and manage the cutting forces that are developed during a cutting operation. Typically, such anvil rolls are made of 9½-inch diameter solid steel. In the case of an 8-foot wide clipper, the steel for one roll weighs about 2,500-pounds.
Obviously a sharp knife for cutting wood cannot be permitted to drive into, and attempt to cut, steel, such as the steel in the anvil rolls. Therefore, it is conventional that anvil rolls are covered with a bonded polyurethane (or urethane) surface covering normally about ¾-inches thick. Such a surface covering has been proven to be very effective, and substantially all clippers employ this approach to protect the sharp edges of the knife, and to furnish suitable opposing "reaction" structures during a cutting operation. Unfortunately, the knife in a clipper does, gradually and eventually, cut away such a surface covering, and as a consequence, anvil rolls must be re-covered from time to time—typically about every about every three to nine months, depending upon machine operating parameters and history.
When it comes time to replace damaged anvil roll covers, the process currently employed is very problematic and often very costly. In addition to the not surprisingly high cost of shipping such large and heavy components back and forth for damaged-cover removal followed by cover replacement, the current process for cover replacement per se is itself quite involved and expensive.
Typically, rolls that are received for recovering are placed in a metal lathe, and the damaged cover material is removed using a sharp tool bit and the usual lathe tool feed mechanism. The roll is then scraped using a carbide tool scraper in the lathe tool holder, and then taken for sandblasting where a suitable hard sandblast material is employed further to clean the roll and to rough-up the surface for subsequent bonding of a new cover.
The sandblasted roll is then surface treated with a special bonding agent glue, and placed in an oven for overnight processing involving preheating to a temperature of over 200-degrees Fahrenheit.
After overnight heating, the roll is appropriately surrounded by a special mold, and urethane for a new cover is poured into a mold to form around the outside roughened surface of the now prepared and cleaned roll. The roll is then placed back in an oven and cooked for a period of about 8-hours, and thereafter removed and returned to the metal lathe machine. In this machine, an appropriate machining operation is then performed to size the outside surface of the new roll covering to the correct outside diameter. The roll is then prepared for return shipment to its owner.
The present invention uniquely addresses this complicated and costly prior art process of anvil roll recovering. As will be more fully explained shortly, the present invention, to address these prior art issues, features a wear-replaceable resilient cover structure for the known-diameter cylindrical surface of an elongate anvil roll having a known length. This cover structure includes (a) an elongate, tubular, cylindrical armature having inside and outside diameters which are each larger than the anvil roll's surface's known diameter, and (b) an elongate, tubular, cylindrical resiliency sleeve which embeddedly receives, and is stabilized by, the mentioned armature, and which possesses inside and outside diameters that are, respectively, less than and greater than those of the mentioned armature. The sleeve's inside diameter is sized to promote non-bonding, but somewhat frictionally resisted, slide-on/slide-off fitment of the armature-stabilized sleeve relative to the anvil roll's cylindrical surface.
The armature and sleeve combination may be prepared as a single, full-length unit which is constructed to cover the entire, intended coverable surface of an anvil roll, or this combinational armature and sleeve structure may be made in modular "sub-lengths" to be placed end-to-end as a "lateral stack" of covering elements ranging over the entire, intended coverable surface of an anvil roll. Preferably, the armature is formed of a perforate material which enables, during "mold-pouring" of the employed resilient sleeve material of the invention, that poured material to flow into and as a continuum through these perforations, thus to produce a very secure and stable embedment of the armature. Preferably, the armature is formed of an expanded perforate metal, and the embedding sleeve is formed of a molded polyurethane material.
These and other features and clear advantages of the structure of the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description thereof which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Veneer clipper anvil roll jacket and related methodology

Industrial Equipment Manufacturing, Ltd.


A system and method is provided to control a purge valve during an unsafe condition associated with a cryopump. An electronic controller may be used to control the opening and closing of one or more purge valves during the unsafe condition. The purge valve can be a cryo-purge valve or exhaust purge valve. The purge valve can be a normally open valve. The electronic controller can release the normally open valve in response to the unsafe condition. The electronic controller can delay its response to the unsafe condition for a safe period of time. Attempts from other systems to control these valves during unsafe conditions can be preempted during unsafe conditions. A user can be inhibited from manually controlling the purge valve during unsafe conditions. A power failure recovery routine may be initiated in response to a restoration of power. The power failure recovery routine can respond to an unsafe condition even if the power failure recovery routine has been manually turned off by a user.

The hazardous and reactive nature of the gaseous emissions during ion implantation generates safety and handling challenges. Each tool discharges different types and concentrations of volatile and hazardous gases in a continuous or intermittent mode. Hydrogen, for instance, can be a byproduct of implantation. While hydrogen alone is not hazardous, there is a potential risk of ignition. Several factors can cause ignitions to occur. Such factors include the presence of an oxidizer, a specific combination of pressure and temperature, certain ratios of hydrogen and oxygen, or an ignition source.
Cryogenic vacuum pumps (cryopumps) are a type of capture pump that are often employed to evacuate gases from process chambers because they permit higher hydrogen pumping speeds. Due to the volatility of hydrogen, great care must be taken to assure that safe conditions are maintained during normal use and during maintenance of cryopumps in implanter applications. For example, cryopumped gases are retained within the pump as long as the pumping arrays are maintained at cryogenic temperatures. When the cryopump is warmed, these gases are released. It is possible that the mixtures of gases in the pump may ignite during this process. When the hydrogen vents from the pump, it can also cause a potentially explosive mixture with oxygen in the exhaust line/manifold system which is coupled to the cryopump.
A common scheme for managing safety functions in a cryopump involves a distributed system. In a typical configuration, a cryopump is networked and managed from a network terminal, which provides a standardized communication link to the host control system. Control of the cryopump's local electronics is fully integrated with the host control system. In this way, the host control system controls the safety functions of the cryopump and can regenerate and purge the cryopump in response to a dangerous situation. This feature puts the pump into a safe mode to reduce the risks of combustion. Purging the pump can dilute hydrogen gas present in the pump as the hydrogen is liberated from the pump and vented into an exhaust system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Integration of automated cryopump safety purge


A method for synthesizing ammonia borane includes (a) preparing a reaction mixture in one or more solvents, the reaction mixture containing sodium borohydride, at least one ammonium salt, and ammonia; and (b) incubating the reaction mixture at temperatures between about 0° C. to about room temperature in an ambient air environment under conditions sufficient to form ammonia borane. Methods for synthesizing ethylenediamine bisborane, and methods for dehydrogenation of ethylenediamine bisborane are also described.

Hydrogen is the environmentally desirable fuel of choice since it can be used in internal combustion engines or electrochemically oxidized efficiently in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), or other types of fuel cells.1 Presently, hydrogen storage processes are either inadequate or impractical for widespread use. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has targeted a gravimetric density of 9% for on-board hydrogen storage for 2015.2 Higher hydrogen weight percentages are required for lightweight power supplies, particularly for the requirements of soldiers in the field.
Although many hydride complexes have been studied, amine boranes, particularly, ammonia borane (AB) (19.6 wt. % of H2), has unique potential to store and deliver a large amount of molecular hydrogen through dehydrogenation reaction. Accordingly, AB has been examined by several groups as a hydrogen source.3 Ammonia-borane, a white crystalline transportable solid of low specific weight, is stable in ambient air. Furthermore, the non-toxicity of AB makes it a superior carrier of hydrogen compared to ammonia.4 AB can liberate hydrogen through a stepwise sequence of reactions that occur at distinct temperature ranges. The byproducts of the reaction are ill-defined; depending on the conditions of dehydrogenation, monomeric BN heterocycles (e.g., cyclotriborazene, cyclopentaborazane, and borazine), polymeric amino- or iminoboranes, and/or polyborazylene materials have been reported.5 Liberation of the third equivalent of hydrogen from AB is not desirable, since the byproduct, boron nitride (BN), is isoelectronic to a similarly structured carbon lattice and has a melting point of 2973° C. The liberation of two equiv of hydrogen from AB provides polyborazylene (a polymer of borazine).5 However, trace amounts of borazine are also produced in this process. Hydrogen generated for fuel cell applications should be extremely pure and any traces of borazine will be detrimental to the fuel cell membrane. The removal of borazine has been a challenge for the application of AB in fuel cell cartridges. This led us to the examination of other amine boranes for hydrogen storage applications.
Methylamine borane complex (11.1% hydrogen), methylenediamine bisborane complex (13.5% hydrogen), and ethylenediamine bisborane complex (11.4% hydrogen) were considered for this application. Methylamine borane complex is known in the literature.6 Although methylenediamine bisborane complex is not known in the chemical literature, it can be prepared using the corresponding methylenediamine dihydrochloride7 and sodium borohydride. The low cost of ethylenediamine coupled with similar hydrogen storage capacity makes it an attractive reagent for synthesis of ethylenediamine bisborane (ethane 1,2-diaminoborane, EDAB)8 as a viable hydrogen storage material and contributor to the hydrogen economy.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for economically efficient synthesis protocols for preparing EDAB, including corresponding synthesis reagents, such as AB.

Procedures for the synthesis of ethylenediamine bisborane and ammonia borane


A modular roof like enclosed structure has attachments suitable for handling by lifting machinery to be placed on a landfill site and a perimeter strip extension which abuts or overlaps an adjoining module on the site. The modular structure is vented to allow ventilation of the landfill and the vent contains a filter to extract harmful gasses and odors. The structure also contains a liquid spray system to spray insecticide and deodorant onto the landfill and a fire retardant system which is activated automatically when smoke is detected.

Occupational and Health Regulations require that landfill sites be covered after each day's operation to prevent fire and health hazards which can come from decomposing rubbish. Traditionally a heavy layer of clean earth about 30 cm deep, has been used to cover the layer of rubbish pushed onto the site during the day and to prevent spontaneous combustion, odors, vermin and danger to people and animals on the site.
However this traditional method is costly and time consuming since supplies of clean earth have to be retained on the site and then uniformly spread to the required depth at the end of each day. Accordingly a range of alternatives have been developed to minimise the cost of and time required for ADC.
Many of these alternatives have involved the development of clay and other mineral compositions which are spread over the layer of rubbish to form a potentially impermeable cap. However these materials also have to be stored on site or nearby and take considerable time and labor to spread over the site.
A popular alternative involves using a film of material such as polythene which is spread over the fill usually by a mobile dispensing machine. However such films have to be weighted down usually by a layer of earth which in the case of the apparatus taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,079 is also deposited and rolled on the film by the machine. The resulting covering is expensive since it consumes large quantities of earth, energy and time each day and does not provide effective protection against flies, birds, vermin and fire.
Another alternative is a foam technology wherein a mobile machine dispenses dense foam to cover the layer of rubbish. However the foam can be washed away by rain and blown away by high winds and once again the method requires large quantities of material and energy. Accordingly there is a need for a cost effective ADC which does not consume costly materials and which can secure a landfill site to the standard required by the relevant regulations.
The only ADC we have found which does not consume materials is disclosed in WO0232594. This system consists of a plurality of freely mobile support members with a cable array secured to the support members to form a supporting framework. A covering membrane is attached to the supporting framework to form an enclosure over the landfill site.
Although this apparatus covers the site, the cable array is particularly cumbersome to store, erect and to cover with a membrane and it would take some time to tension the cable array as required and to restrain the walls of the enclosure at ground level. Further the membrane is prone to tearing and contamination especially at ground level. Also since it is not vented there is a probability of the build up of methane and other flammable gasses in the enclosure with the attendant risk of fire.

Structures and method for covering landfill


A cleaning blade includes an elastic member configured to come into contact with a surface of a member to be cleaned and remove residual matter adhering to the surface of the member to be cleaned. The elastic member satisfies the following requirements a and b: a. The elastic member has a contact portion configured to come into contact with the surface of the member to be cleaned and the contact portion includes a modified layer that contains a cured product of an ultraviolet curable composition containing a (meth)acrylate compound; and b. A value obtained by normalizing a peak area ratio SA/SB of a modified portion with a peak area ratio SA′/SB′ of a portion outside the modified layer is 1.5 or more and 10 or less where SA is a peak area value at 1162 cm−1 and SB is a peak area value at 1533 cm−1 obtained by infrared microspectrometry, and the modified portion is a region that extends 100 μm in a contact portion thickness inward direction from the contact portion on a plane that lies at an equal distance from two surfaces constituting the contact portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cleaning blade that includes an elastic member that comes into contact with a surface of a member to be cleaned so as to remove residual matter adhering on the surface of the member to be cleaned.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical electrophotographic image forming apparatus, residual toner adhering to the surface of an image carrier after transfer of a toner image onto a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body during an image forming process is removed by cleaning means.
A cleaning blade is used as the cleaning means due to its simple structure and good cleaning performance. A typical cleaning blade includes an elastic member composed of polyurethane rubber or the like and a supporting member. A base end of the elastic member is supported by the supporting member and a contact portion (tip ridge) of the elastic member is pressed against the image carrier surface so as to block and scrape off the residual toner on the image carrier surface to carry out removal.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, a cleaning blade 62 composed of polyurethane rubber is pulled in a direction in which an image carrier 123 moves due to increased frictional force between the image carrier 123 and the cleaning blade 62 and a contact portion (tip ridge) 62c of the cleaning blade 62 is bent back as a result. Once cleaning is continued with the contact portion 62c of the cleaning blade 62 in a bent-back state, local friction X occurs in a tip surface 62a of the cleaning blade 62 at a position several micrometers distant from the contact portion 62c, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. If cleaning is further continued under such a condition, the local friction X is increased and, as illustrated in FIG. 1C, the contact portion 62c ultimately comes to have a missing part. Toner cannot be appropriately cleaned with a contact portion 62c missing, resulting in cleaning failure. In FIGS. 1A to 1C, reference numeral 62b denotes a lower surface of the cleaning blade.

Cleaning blade, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge


A packaged micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device assembly includes a MEMS device, a substrate within which the MEMS device is disposed, and a lid disposed over the substrate. The assembly may include one or more first cavities within the lid having a predetermined volume satisfying packaging specifications for the packaged MEMS device assembly. The assembly may include one or more second cavities within the lid and one or more corresponding overflow areas within the lid, where each second cavity contains a material and each corresponding overflow area is adapted to catch overflow of the material. The assembly may include one or more third cavities within the lid and one or more channels within one of the substrate and the lid to fluidically connect the MEMS device to the third cavities.

Display devices are commonly used for computing device purposes, as well as for large-scale viewing purposes, such as business presentations and home theaters. One type of display device uses a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device, such as a digital-mirror device (DMD), an interference-type MEMS device, or another type of MEMS device. Light is output incident to the MEMS device. The MEMS device reflects or otherwise manipulates the light differently based on the desired image to be displayed. The light after manipulation by the MEMS device may be output externally from the display device of which the MEMS device is a part, for viewing purposes.
While the MEMS device can itself be an expensive component of a display device, the packaging of the MEMS device also can contribute to the expense of display device. That is, to employ a MEMS device within a display device, the MEMS device has to be packaged into a packaged MEMS device assembly. The manner by which the MEMS device is packaged into this assembly can significantly contribute to how expensive the display device is, and thus contribute to the commercial success of the display device.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A compressed air drying device includes a support case, a drying container installed in the support case, and a cover installed on the support case while covering the drying container. In load operation, compressed air that flows from an inlet of the support case is dried by a desiccant, and the dried compressed air is discharged. In unload operation, the compressed air inside the cover is passed through the inside of the drying container and oil and water is drained from a drain outlet. The compressed air drying device further includes an inlet opening/closing device that opens the inlet in the load operation, and closes the inlet in the unload operation.

A vehicle such as a truck, a bus, or a construction machine controls systems of a brake, a suspension, and the like using compressed air delivered by a compressor, which is directly connected to an internal combustion engine (hereinafter, an engine). The compressed air contains water from atmospheric air and lubricant oil from the interior of the compressor. If the compressed air containing water and oil enters the systems, rusting and swelling of rubber members (such as O rings) occur, thus hampering operation of the systems. Therefore, a compressed air drying device, which removes water and oil from compressed air, is arranged downstream of the compressor in an air system (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
The compressed air drying device has a filter and is filled with desiccant such as silica gel or zeolite. The desiccant of the compressed air drying device adsorbs and removes water from compressed air, thus drying the compressed air.
When performing load operation for removing water, the compressed air drying device causes compressed air, which is introduced through an inlet, to pass through a drying container from below to above. The compressed air drying apparatus retains the dry compressed air in a purge tank and, meanwhile, supplies the dry compressed air to a main tank through an outlet. When carrying out unload operation for regenerating the desiccant, the compressed air drying device opens a drain valve of a draining device to cause the dry compressed air retained in the purge tank to pass through the drying container from above to below, thus discharging oil and water through the drain valve. The compressed air drying device periodically performs the load operation and the unload operation in a repeated manner.


The present invention relates to a method for controlling a polyphase voltage inverter the inverter being designed to control a load in terms of pulse width modulation and to be connected upstream to a voltage source via a DC bus and downstream to an electrical load. It is connected to a control logic which implements said method. A geometric structure is produced while taking account of the constraints downstream and upstream of the inverter. More particularly, an upstream constraint relates to the voltage of the supply source at the input of the inverter. An error vector is also produced.

At present, polyphase voltage inverters are used to drive polyphase electrical loads. These electrical loads are for example reversible machines such as starter-alternators. The polyphase voltage inverter is a DC/AC converter. It is connected upstream to a DC supply source and connected downstream to the phase windings of the load. The inverter is supplied with power by the DC supply source. It is controlled in terms of pulse width modulation by a control logic.
The inverter comprises a number of bridge arms, each comprising for example two static switches equipped with free-wheel diodes, i.e. two levels. The mid-point of each pair of switches of one and the same bridge arm is connected to a phase winding of the load. The control logic makes it possible to control the switches of one and the same bridge arm so as to avoid short-circuiting the supply source, for example by controlling them in a complementary manner.
A number of techniques exist for controlling the polyphase inverter, in particular voltage control of the load or current control of the load. To stabilize the voltage, on the upstream side of the inverter, according to the known control techniques, the inverter comprises a decoupling capacitor upstream. This decoupling capacitor makes it possible to filter the current entering the inverter, said current being subject to considerable discontinuities. This decoupling capacitor has a high capacitance so as to keep the input voltage of the inverter constant and to avoid any oscillation effects. The physical size of the decoupling capacitor is very large. Such a decoupling capacitor poses size problems when used in a restricted space.
In order to reduce the physical size of the decoupling capacitor, use is currently being made of capacitors with a high volume capacitance, such as electrochemical capacitors. However, these capacitors exhibit a lack of reliability, particularly in high-temperature or humid environments.
Moreover, the manufacture of these decoupling capacitors requires the use of expensive technologies on account of the demanding specifications. This expensive technology increases the overall cost of the polyphase inverter.
The control techniques mentioned above therefore do not make it possible to stabilize the voltage of the upstream part of the inverter.

Method for controlling a polyphase voltage inverter


A device (1) for a user to secure a workpiece (2) that is positioned on a substrate (3) during the processing of the workpiece (2) with a hand-held power tool. A stepping element (4) has a stepping surface (10) via which the user applies a holding force, and that also has a placement surface (11) for placing the device (1) onto the workpiece (2).

Hand-held power tools are used to cut elongated workpieces to length. The term "hand-held power tools" refers below to power tools such as, for example, angle grinders and chainsaws that an user holds in his hands during the work. Electric as well as gasoline-powered hand-held power tools are known. The tool selected depends, among other things, on the material of the workpiece that is to be cut to length. Chainsaws are used mainly for tree trunks and wooden beams, whereas angle grinders are used primarily for stone curbs and steel pipes.
In actual practice, the workpieces that are to be cut to length are not clamped during the work, but rather are secured by the user who puts his foot onto the top of the workpiece. This securing technique entails the risk of foot injuries since the foot is close to the cutting site and thus to the moving work tool. The risk of foot injuries is especially high at the beginning and end of the cutting procedure since the work tool can move in an uncontrolled manner.


By using a winding type electrode plate assembly resistant to displacement by wind-up and buckling, a lithium ion secondary battery, capable of suppressing deterioration in cycle and storage characteristic caused by expansion and shrinkage of the electrode plate due to charge/discharge cycles or by generation of gas during storage at high temperatures or the like, is accomplished. An electrode plate A comprising a binder mainly composed of a polymer material “a” and an electrode plate B, having the opposite polarity to the electrode plate A, with a porous polymer layer mainly composed of the polymer material “a” or a copolymer of the polymer material “a” formed thereon, are wound up in flat form to give a flat electrode plate assembly, which is soaked in a non-aqueous electrolyte and then heated and cooled, with the soaked state maintained, while pressure is applied in the direction of the thickness of the flat electrode plate assembly, to integrate the electrode plate assembly.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a winding type lithium ion secondary battery. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating a lithium ion secondary battery using a winding type electrode plate assembly formed by integrating a separator with electrode plates.
As lithium ion secondary batteries mainly used have been batteries having a structure obtained by winding up a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate together with a separator such as a microporous polyethylene sheet to prepare a winding type electrode plate assembly and then accommodating this electrode plate assembly and a non-aqueous electrolyte in a predetermined case.
Moreover, from the perspective of accommodating properties in devices, rectangular batteries having a shape obtained by: applying pressure to an electrode plate assembly wound up in cylindrical form or winding up an electrode plate assembly in flat form to prepare a flat winding type electrode plate assembly; and accommodating it in a flat metal battery case of a rectangular or long-elliptic cross section, have been preferably employed as the winding type batteries.
Principally from the viewpoint of safety, lithium ion secondary batteries, so-called polymer batteries, having a configuration of disposing a porous polymer layer between a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode have been attracting attention in recent years. A typical lithium ion secondary battery of this type is a laminated type battery comprising a laminated electrode plate assembly obtained by laminating and integrating the platy positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate via the porous polymer layer.
Furthermore, because of an increasingly demand for safety associated with thinner separators for higher capacity, winding type batteries obtained by forming a porous polymer layer on an electrode plate and then winding up the whole to prepare a winding type electrode plate assembly have been proposed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications No. 11-345606 and No. 11-86844. In the process of preparing the winding type electrode plate assembly, however, the entire electrode plates can be integrated only after the electrode plate assembly is wound up.
On the contrary, since an electrode plate assembly prepared by integrating and winding up one of the electrode plates and the separator is not integrated as a whole, expansion and shrinkage of the electrode plates due to charge/discharge cycles, or generation of gas during storage at high temperatures and the like causes the gas to remain within the electrode plate assembly or the electrode plate assembly to deform, leading to deterioration in characteristics.
From the aforesaid perspective, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a lithium ion secondary battery capable of suppressing deterioration in cycle characteristic as well as storage characteristic resulted from expansion and shrinkage of an electrode plate due to charge/discharge cycles or generation of gas during storage at high temperatures and the like, by using a flat winding type electrode plate assembly, which can be wound up and further is integrated at the time of completion thereof.

Method for fabricating lithium ion secondary battery

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A reusable analyte sensor site for use with a replaceable analyte sensor for determining a level of an analyte includes a site housing material and a resealable insertion site coupled to one end of the site housing material. Preferably, the site housing material is formed to have an interior cavity with an opening. The site housing material is selected to promote tissue ingrowth and vascularization, and yet be free of tissue ingress. Also, the site housing material permits the analyte to pass through the site housing material to the interior cavity to permit measurement by the replaceable analyte sensor. The resealable insertion site provides a for inserting the replaceable analyte sensor into the interior cavity of the site housing material.

Over the years, bodily characteristics have been determined by obtaining a sample of bodily fluid. For example, diabetics often test for blood glucose levels with a blood glucose meter. Traditional blood glucose determinations have utilized a painful finger prick using a lancet to withdraw a small blood sample that is used by the blood glucose meter. This results in discomfort from the lancet as it contacts nerves in the subcutaneous tissue. The pain of lancing and the cumulative discomfort from multiple needle pricks is a strong reason why patients fail to comply with a medical testing regimen used to determine a change in characteristic over a period of time. In addition, these blood glucose meters are only designed to provide data at discrete points and do not provide continuous data to show the variations in the characteristic between testing times.
A variety of subcutaneous electrochemical sensors for use with monitors have been developed for detecting and/or quantifying specific agents or compositions in a patient's blood. For instance, glucose sensors have been developed for use in obtaining an indication of blood glucose levels in a diabetic patient. Such readings are useful in monitoring and/or adjusting a treatment regimen which typically includes the regular administration of insulin to the patient. Thus, blood glucose readings from the monitor improve medical therapies with semi-automated medication infusion pumps of the external type, as generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,562,751; 4,678,408; and 4,685,903, which are herein incorporated by reference. Typical thin film sensors are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,390,671; 5,391,250; 5,482,473; and 5,586,553, which are incorporated by reference herein. However, the thin film subcutaneous glucose sensor must be changed every few days to prevent infection. Also, due to the small size of this sensor to minimize pain on insertion under the skin, the enzymes on the sensor wear out relatively quickly and require regular replacement. In addition, the user must carry around external hardware connected or linked to the sensor. Thus, although subcutaneous sensors provide an improvement over conventional test strips, they still require frequent changes.
Long term implanted glucose sensors have been proposed that can stay in the body for long periods of time, such as weeks and months. These long term implanted glucose sensors are particularly well adapted for use with automated implantable medication infusion pumps, as generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,994, which is herein incorporated by reference. The long term glucose sensor would obviate the need for frequent replacement of sensors and the need to carry around a large amount of external equipment. However, the long term glucose sensor is typically placed in the superior vena cava of the patient's body, and the insertion and placement of the long term sensor in this location is quite invasive to the body and requires much effort by an attending physician. As a result, removal and replacement of long term sensors in the superior vena cava is difficult.
Long term glucose sensors may be adapted for insertion and placement in locations that are less invasive to the body and require less effort by the attending physician, such as the peritoneal, subcutaneous, and/or adipose tissue of the patient's body. For example, an outer covering may be formed around the long term sensor, and the long term sensor formed with the outer covering may then be placed into the peritoneal, subcutaneous, or adipose tissue of the patient's body. After insertion, the long term sensor would not be usable for a period of time until the body heals and vascularizes the implanted long term sensor. Thus, each time a long term sensor formed with an outer covering is replaced, the body must re-vascularize the replaced sensor. Another drawback to long term sensors is the development of scar tissue at the insertion site that encapsulates the implanted sensor formed with the outer covering. Therefore, materials must be carefully selected to promote vascularization and not encapsulation. This requires careful construction of the outer covering for the long term sensor, which increases costs and may further delay the period of time before a newly implanted sensor may be used. Further, extensive surgery may be required to cut through the scar tissue and remove the implanted sensor, thus rendering the insertion site unusable for implantation of a replacement sensor. Accordingly, to minimize and/or eliminate the delay due to re-vascularization and the need for extensive surgery due to encapsulation, it would be desirable to develop a reusable sensor insertion site for use with a replaceable sensor.

Reusable analyte sensor site and method of using the same


Treatment system for wastewater containing ammonium is provided. The treatment system of the present invention includes an ammonia oxidation reactor and a membrane reactor disposed on the back of the ammonia oxidation reactor. The ammonia oxidation reactor includes biological carriers for carrying the ammonium oxidation bacteria and nitrite oxidation bacteria, a pH level controller for increasing the pH level to above 7.5, and a DO (dissolved oxygen) controller for reducing the DO content to less than 1.0 mg/L. The membrane reactor composed of a membrane and an aerator is used to separate the solids and liquids of the effluent of the ammonia oxidation reactor. In addition, a method for treating wastewater containing ammonium is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to environmental engineering, and in particular relates to a system for treating wastewater containing ammonia.
2. Description of the Related Art
Either city or industry wastewater treatment, removing the ammonia is an important factor. The nitrogen exists in the form of ammonium and/or organic nitrogen in the city wastewater and the organic is usually converted to ammonium under an aerobic or anaerobic treatment. In the conversional denitrification process, ammonium is oxidized to become nitrate by bacteria occurs during aerobic condigion, and then the nitrate is reduced to become nigrogen gas and returned to the atmosphere.
In the conversional biological process, ammonium is firstly oxidized by the ammonium oxidation bacteria (AOB) to become nitrite, the nitrite is sequentially oxidized by the nitrite oxidation bacteria (NOB) to become nitrate, and then nitrate is reduced by denitrifying bacteria to become nitrogen gas. Since the high aeration volume and addition of organic materials are required to convert the ammonium to nitrate and provide a carbon source in the conversional treatment, not only excess energy is consumed but also the footprint of aeration unit is large to complete nitrification.
To mitigate the previously mentioned problems, an anammox process is developed. In the anammox process, nitrite which acts as electron acceptor and subsequently combines with ammonium, which also results in the production of nitrogen gas. Before the anaerobic oxidation process, ammoinium shall be converted to nitrite to provide enough electron acceptors. However, because nitrite is a transitional material in the nitrification process, nitrite concentration usually is low and not enough. Thus, the amount of nitrite shall be increased to improve the ammonium oxidation process.

System and method for treating wastewater containing ammonia

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method is provided for monitoring channels and controlling calls. Multiple channels provided by at least one digital line are monitored. Based on this monitoring, the present invention determines when all of the multiple channels are occupied. At least one of an incoming call and an established call is given priority when all of the multiple channels are busy. The priority is based on predetermined inputs from a user. The call with priority is provided on one of the multiple channels. The present invention then determines when one or more of the multiple channels are available. When one of the multiple channels becomes available, the action based on the call priority is automatically disabled.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to monitoring and controlling channels to improve the interface of calls, and more particularly to a method for monitoring B-channels for an ISDN basic rate line to improve the interface of video and voice calls.
2. Description of the Related Art
ISDN lines are becoming more common in single user environments (e.g., in single resident homes). Similarly, high speed data transmission, internet access, remote LAN access and video transmission is becoming more desirable. For example, telecommuters often use basic-rate interface ISDN lines to obtain high speed data transfer, internet access, remote LAN access and/or video transmission and reception. ISDN is an evolving set of standards for a digital network carrying both voice and data communications. Basic-rate interface ISDN lines are configured to include two bearer (or B) channels and one D-channel (commonly referred to as 2B+D). Each B-channel carries 64 kbps of digitized voice or data. Data is transferred on one or both of the bearer channels and information related to a call is transferred on the D-channel. Thus, the D-channel is the signaling channel. The D-channel carries 16 or 64 kbps, depending on the circuit type.
Currently, to participate in, for example, a high quality video conference, both of the B-channels in the ISDN line are used for data transmission. When this occurs, the voice device handler does not detect that both B-channels are in use. Therefore, if a voice call is received when both B-channels are in use, the switching unit (e.g., a central office or a PBX) attempts to connect the voice call to the user's voice terminal. In this situation, all the available B-channels are already in use, so the voice call cannot be connected. The telephone still rings when an incoming voice call is detected because the ring signal is sent on the available D-channel. As a result, if a user attempts to answer a ringing voice terminal under these circumstances, the user is presented with a dead telephone which is not connected to the incoming voice call.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art environment for utilization of an ISDN line. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) 100 is connected to ISDN line 102. Up to eight lines can be connected to this ISDN line, but only two lines can be used at one time because only two B-channels are available on an ISDN line. Video terminal 104 and telephone 106 are connected to PBX 100 via ISDN line 102. In the original configuration for an ISDN line, one voice terminal and one data terminal were envisioned. Each of these terminals were to use only one B-channel. Problems now arise because old software and new data terminals utilizing both B-channels provide high quality video transfer. In addition, problems arise when more than two devices are connected to one ISDN line because only two B-channels are available. When two B-channels are used, the device handler software does not detect the unavailability of the B-channels and attempts to connect a voice call to telephone 106 when both B-channels are used to provide data to video terminal 104. A ring signal is transferred on the D-channel. Therefore, in this example, telephone 106 rings as though a voice call is being provided at telephone 106. As stated above, in this situation, when the user attempts to answer telephone 106, no response is provided.
Similarly, if a user attempts to make a call on telephone 106 when both B-channels are being used to provide data to video terminal 104, the user would receive no response from telephone 106. No visual or audio indications are provided from the voice terminal when the B-channels are unavailable. Depending on the implementation of a particular voice terminal, a local busy tone may be provided on the telephone rather than a dead line. In both circumstances, telephone 106 rings as a result of an incoming call, but the B-channels are unavailable, so the call cannot be received.
Data devices are currently available to provide protection against B-channel contention. These devices simply drop one of the B-channels when a voice call arrives. This arrangement assumes that the user wants to receive the voice call. Additionally, when one of the B-channels is dropped, a degradation of the video display results because the data transmission for the video display is then provided on only one B-channel. To re-establish the full quality video, the user may have to place the video call again which incurs additional line charges. FIG. 2 illustrates an environment for a data device which provides protection against B-channel contention. These data devices are utilized in a central office switch environment. Typically, central office 120 is connected to data device/adapter 124 via ISDN line 122. Adapter 124 is either a card located in video terminal 126 or a separate box. Telephone 128 is directly connected to adapter 124. In this arrangement, when both B-channels are being used to provide a video display to video terminal 126, and an incoming voice call is detected by adapter 124, the user can pick up ringing telephone 128 and receive the voice call. This occurs because adapter 124 drops one of the B-channels and allows the voice call to be provided on that B-channel to telephone 128. In this arrangement, when the user picks up telephone 128, the video display being provided by video terminal 126 immediately degrades in quality.
It is desirable to have an adapter which does not automatically drop a channel and give priority to a voice call. It is also desirable to have a less expensive, configurable adapter which allows the user to determine how incoming calls will be handled when both B-channels are being used.

Monitoring and controlling channels to improve the interface of calls

Siemens Information and Communications Network, Inc.


A cell phone peripheral device comprises a communication unit, for short-distance wireless communicating between said cell phone peripheral device and the cell phone; a processing unit, for receiving information from said communication unit, processing the information to obtain and analyze data information; a display unit, for receiving and displaying said data information. A method for a cell phone perpheral device communicating with a cell phone comprises receiving information from the cell phone by way of short-distance wireless communication; processing the information to obtain and analyze data information; and displaying, by the cell phone peripheral device, the data information. And a communication terminal comprises: a first communication unit for communicating with a cellular network, a processing unit, and a first input/output unit, and further comprising: a second communication unit, for transmitting voice and data information between the processing unit and the first input/output unit by way of short distance wireless communication.

Along with the wide use of cell phones (also referred as mobile terminal) and the rapid development of integrated circuit, the functions and shapes of cell phones are increasingly abundant as well as convenient for users. Currently, the shape of a complete cell phone can be designed as a wristwatch in order to facilitate a user in carrying and using it. The circuit of the complete cell phone can be integrated into a wristwatch-shaped cover device so that the user can wear the cell phone on his/her wrist. However, the current designing mode has the following disadvantages.
Firstly, designing a product is difficult. Since the size of wristwatch is relatively smaller than that of the cell phone, the design and machining are difficult when all circuits of the cell phone are to be integrated into the cover in a wristwatch size to implement rich functions of the cell phone, which also increases the manufacture cost.
Secondly, it is difficult to be successful in business because the wristwatch as an accessory has become a fashion product and requires a low cost. Since the frequency for changing a wristwatch is much higher than the cell phone, if serving as an accessory in a wristwatch shape, the cell phone with a high cost may not be changed frequently and thus without the characteristic of free changing, and making the success in business difficult.

Cell phone peripheral device, communication terminal and method for a cell phone peripheral device communicating with a cell phone