A bed shaped device or structure provides sensory enhancement for the comfort of the infant, baby, toddler, or child. The invention replicates the physical, physiology, and sensation of the mother to the child during the pregnancy period. The structure of the present invention facilitates transfer of the nurturing, characteristics of the mother through dynamics, temperature, graphical imagery, sound, scent, and nourishment to the infant, baby, toddler, or child whereby each senses the replicated comfort, attachment, and/or bonding the mother, as in the womb.

Infants, babies, toddlers and children are in most instances challenged by their inability to effectively communicate their needs verbally. As a result, more often than not they cry out desperately to signal that something is wrong. Parents, guardians and caretakers become perplexed on determining how to solve their challenge and meet their needs. One such challenge is to get them to calm down and relax, stop crying and simply go to sleep. Over the years, there have been numerous actions that have proven to be affective. These methods involve using each of the five senses, starting with sense of touch, being comprised of motion, movement and temperature. The remaining four senses taste, smell, sound and sight are also used.
The objectives within this patent are two-fold: 1) to illustrate how each of these external methods described incorporate either the single or collective use of the five senses used by parents, guardians or caretakers to get infants, babies, toddlers and children to calm down, relax, stop crying and go to sleep. The second objective is to parallel how internal sensory realm perception occurs normally within a mother's womb and thereby conveniently creating an environment of care and comfort for the unborn fetus. It is documented that after birth infants, babies, toddlers and children still have an innate craving for the bonding attachment, care and comfort they experienced in their mother's womb. Their verbal unexpressed agitation causes them to become cranky and cry. The objectives contained herein will clearly explain the need that exists for this present invention, the sensory enhancing bed. It has been developed to help infants, babies, toddlers and children to calm down. Examples of some of the external methodologies are as follows.
The Sense of Touch—Motion
Beginning with the sense of touch, which is comprised of motion, movement and temperature. Countless parents, guardians and caretakers have attested to the fact that on many occasions, they were intentional about making certain that the infant, baby, toddler or child was properly bundled in the appropriate clothing before putting them in the car and taking them on a drive until they fell asleep. It is the hypnotic motion and sound of the vehicle axle tire rotation that causes them to fall asleep. The second example is cuddling and locking infants, babies, toddlers and children are also reliable methods to get them to calm down, relax stop crying and go to sleep. Rocking is particularly affective.
The rocking motion is a proven, natural sleep aid. The external rocking is the same internal motion babies feel inside their mother's womb. Nature selected this motion for its calming effect. It has positive effects on the limbic, circulatory, and other systems. It activates a deep, powerful relaxation response. Mothers intuitively rock babies using that same floating motion that occurs in the womb. Every mother knows that rocking an infant, baby, toddler or child is good for them. Further, body rocking or the repetitive and rhythmic self-rocking of a child's body, is a common method of self-soothing in young children.
Children often fall into body rocking as a method of soothing themselves, though sometimes they also body rock as a way of providing pain relief or expressing frustration. Many children softly rock in a rhythm that they find soothing when they are tired and some children do this regularly at bedtime to help themselves fall asleep. Other children do not engage in body rocking routinely but do turn to this behavior when they are experiencing physical or emotional pain. Some children may also engage in body rocking when they are frustrated and unable—or unwilling to—explain their emotions. Finally, other children body rock while humming or softly singing to themselves.
Although rocking serves as a soothing solution for infants, babies, toddlers and children, science has found that motion is also good for adults. Studies show rocking improves dreams and reduces overall stress. Rocking cures motion sickness. How the rocking motion accomplishes this is not fully understood, but it is a well proven fact. One explanation is that rocking puts accumulated toxins into circulation, and then sweeps them out. Children rarely have motion sensitivity. Yet it is found in many adults and in some instances, it gets worse with age. It is ironic that this motion sensitivity that some avoid is the actual the solution for infants, babies, toddlers and children. Various types of motion can provide this calming effect.
Beds are one way to achieve this rocking motion. Motion or rocking beds can have several features. For babies, cribs can have leg bases with curved shapes to facilitate rocking the crib. Rocking beds also exist for adults. Some features include adjustable head and foot options and basic features of a power foundation.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,446 to Sims describes a variable motion rocking bed is provided that includes a first support structure having a first set of pins, a second support structure having a second set of pins, and a frame, the frame capable of being in a rocking motion with respect to the first support structure and the second support structure. The rocking bed further includes a first pair of linkage assemblies secured between the first support structure and the frame, a second pair of linkage assemblies secured between the second support structure and the frame and at least one adjusting mechanism coupled to each of the first pair of linkage assemblies and to each of the second pair of linkage assemblies. At least one adjusting mechanism is operatively configured to allow the position of said first pair of linkage assemblies to vary about the width of said first support structure and engage the first set of pins and configured to allow the position of said second pair of linkage assemblies to vary about the width of said second support structure and engage the second set of pins to modify the shape of the rocking motion of said frame relative to said first support structure and said second support structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,495 to Park describes a vibrating bed comprising a basic bed having a bed frame, casters secured on the basic bed, a lateral vibrating bed plate movably ridden on the casters, a mechanism for reciprocally moving the vibrating bed plate with respect to the bed frame, a connecting rod adjusting device and tension coil springs for dampening the vibrations of the vibrating bed plate as the vibrating bed plate reaches a predetermined horizontal, or lateral, position.
U.S. Patent Application publication number 20130019407 to Sheppard describes an adjustable bed adaptable to tilt in a number of different, comfortable positions is presented. The adjustable bed comprises a bed frame, a mattress support plate, a plurality of pairs of supporting legs, a plurality of lateral leg supporting members, a plurality of elongated structures, a mattress retainer bar, a sliding member, a central cross bar, a control box, a power supply module, a remote control, a battery compartment, a back rest motor, a foot rest motor, a plurality of levers and a bed lift mechanism. The bed lift mechanism includes at least one motor claw, a left lifting leg, a right lifting leg, a left mounting bracket, a right mounting bracket and a bed lift motor. The back rest motor, the foot rest motor and the bed lift motor receives an operating signal transmitted by the remote controller and tilts the adjustable bed in the plurality of comfortable positions.
The Sense of Touch—Movement
Touch is the first sense that is developed. The mother womb is a stimulating environment where there is constant activity. The amniotic fluid is mostly water from which a rocking sensation occurs. Communication begins with sense of touch within the mother's womb through movement. Research shows that the complexity of skin has 100 varieties of cells that are sensitive to heat, cold, pressure and pain. The first motion that occurs is the heart beat after only 3 weeks of conception. Between 6 and 10 weeks, fetal babies' burst into motion with stretching and rotational movement of the head, arm and legs. After 10 weeks, they are able to swallow and move spontaneously based their individual need and interest as they become more sensitive to their internal environment.
A variety of internal and external factors can dramatically influence a person's ability to sleep. In addition to motion, another factor that can influence one's ability to sleep is temperature. The thermal environment is a key determinant of sleep because thermoregulation is strongly linked to the mechanism regulating sleep. Excessively high or low ambient temperature may affect sleep even in healthy humans without insomnia. Research shows that the ideal temperature range for sleeping varies widely among individuals. People simply sleep best at the temperature that feels most comfortable. Extreme temperatures in sleeping environments have the tendency to disrupt an individual's sleep. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is commonly more sensitive to temperature-related disruption.
Human beings are warm-blooded and able to maintain their own body temperature independent of their outside environment. Because of thermoregulation, there is a natural physical balancing of heat loss, with heat production in our bodies. When an adult gets hot, the body sweats to compensate and cool down. When a person's body temperature drops, they shiver and move around to increase their metabolism and therefore their body heat. Infants, babies, toddlers and children have only a limited ability to regulate their own body temperature. As a result, their external environment is always critical, but it is especially critical when sleeping. One conventional way to control an infant, baby, toddler or child's temperature in bed is through their clothing and external coverings such as blankets.
The Sense of Touch—Temperature
Some parents, guardians and caretakers place infants and babies in dresser drawers that are proportionally befitting in height, length, depth and width. They align the entire inner perimeter of the drawers with blankets and also place blankets atop of the infant or baby. In their efforts, they were attempting to create an encapsulated environment for warmth.
Another method used to create warmer temperatures is an operable clothing dryer. Infants and babies are placed in bassinets then covered with blankets and placed on top of a running dryer. In this method, it is a combination the heated temperature, vibration movement and sound that cause the infant/baby to fall asleep. Also, swaddling infants and/or babies is another method that makes them feel warm and secure. However, none of these approaches to control their temperatures and help them fall asleep focus on regulating the temperature of the bed or crib in which they are sleeping. Research indicates the unborn fetus reacts to hot and cold temperatures with responsive movement that occurs when hot or cold objects are placed on the mother's abdomen. The temperature in the mother's womb is approximately 38 degrees Celsius. At birth, the newborn finds him/herself suddenly in a colder environment. They immediately lose heat as they leave the warmth of their mother's womb. The heat loss is due to the evaporation of amniotic fluids from the newborn's body. Newborns cannot regulate their own temperatures. Therefore proper thermal protection is crucial at birth and in the first days of life to ensure that the newborn does not become either too cold or overheated. If heat loss is not prevented, the newborn will develop hypothermia—subnormal body temperature. This causes sickness and increases the risk of developing more severe health problems or even death. It is also important to make certain that they do not become overheated. Whereas, hyperthermia-increased body temperature may be caused. Both are equally dangerous.
The Sense of Taste
Unborn babies are constantly being nourished while within their mother's womb. This is where true comfort food originated. Eating is pleasurable and both soothing as well as relaxing. Proper nutrition regulates our blood sugar which has a calming effect. Infants, babies and toddlers become calm and relaxed by the smell and taste of their mother's breast milk. This is why often times after eating they become sleepy. Giving infants, babies, toddlers and children warm milk is a method used to get them to relax and go to sleep. As the amino acid within the milk is heated, they become a natural tranquilizer. Many adults still utilize this method to also help them calm down, relax and go to sleep.
The Sense of Smell
The nose develops between 11 and 15 weeks. Chemical compounds cross the placenta and join the amniotic fluids providing the fetus with the senses of taste and smell. The nasal chemoreceptive system is comprised of four systems: 1) the main olfactory; 2) the trigeminal; 3) the vomeronasal; and 4) the terminal system. These systems provide complex olfactory input to the fetus. The smell of their mother's breast mild has a calming effect on infants and babies. These are the external methods taken by parents, guardians and caretakers pertaining to the sense of smell. Aroma therapeutic scents have also proven to be highly effective for their tranquil calming effects. Mothers have taken portions of their clothing and attached them to infants, babies, toddlers and children as a means to sooth them. The mother's aroma causes them to feel secure which is comforting. The use of scented candles, fragment potpourri, and essential oil are additional methods that have been used to help infants, babies, toddlers and children as well as adults to relax.
The Sense of Sound
It has been proven that certain sounds have relaxing calming effects. The sounds that sooth are varied and range from hypnotic repetitive humming tones to delicate lullabies, tranquil fluid, oceanic sounds and classical music compositions the name a few. Using rhythmic sounds is another practice that is used as a calming method. Parents, guardians and caretakers also do such things as recording the mother's voice and placing it close to the infant, baby, toddler and child. Some have operated/recorded vacuum cleaner/hair dryer sounds. Each of these methods work and have a calming influence to relax the infant, baby, toddler and child to get them to go to sleep.
Research suggests that there is a built-in rhythmic sound within the mother's womb that occurs from the blood swishing through the arteries. Amniotic fluids, embryonic membranes, the uterus and the maternal abdomen shield the fetus from the outside world, however, sound vibrations and emotions still simulate the fetus. Additional research concludes that the fetus can hear outside voices. A mother's voice is transmitted through her body to the womb. For this reason, her voice is more powerful and stronger than any other outside voices or sounds. It has been proven that sounds impact the fetal heart rate. Studies indicate that certain masial sound causes a change in metabolism.
The development of hearing is complex. At 16 weeks reactive listening begins, however, this is 8 weeks before the structure of the ear is complete, which takes 24 weeks to fully develop. It is amazing that receptive hearing starts developing with the skin and skeletal framework. Responsive hearing develops at 16 weeks.
The Sense of Sight
The use of audio and visual equipment is another method used to calm infants, babies, toddlers and children. Research suggests that reading, viewing educational games, playing musical videos or watching television helps to stimulate the brain. When the brain is stimulated for a prolonged period of time, it is this active engagement that makes one feel tired and want to go to sleep. The audio/visual methods works in unison to provide sound and sight to distract and calm the infant, baby, toddler and child.
Ceilings mounted colorful mobiles captivate their attention and consequently relaxation occurs. Parents, guardians and caretakers often select paint colors that have a calming effect as a means to provide comfortable environments for infants, babies, toddlers and children. Certain colors provoke emotional and physical responses. Colors are classified as either warm and stimulating (red, pink orange and yellow) while blue, green and purple colors are cooler in tone which makes them the most relaxing. Relaxing colors have a soothing effect on the mind and body. Studies point to the fact that vision evolves during gestation and when light is projected on a mother's abdomen, the fetus heart rate accelerates. Research further indicates that the unborn fetus has some form of sight. Upon observation, they have the same facial gestures and movements when they dream as that of adults who dream. The sense of sight becomes predominant after birth, however, studies show that the premature babies show visual focus between 28 through 32 weeks, and at 33-34 weeks their visual attention is equivalent to babies of 40 weeks. Prenates with their eye lids still fused use some aspect of vision to detect the location of needles entering the mother's womb by flight-shrinking away from them or fight-attacking the needle with a fist.
Research indicates that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in infants for the first 30 days following birth. There are physical and sleep environmental reasons that contribute to an infant or baby's vulnerability. Some of the physical factors are as follows: 1) Brain abnormalities—the portion of the brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep does not properly work. Examination of the brain stems indicates that there is a developmental delay in the formation and function of serotonin, which bind nerve pathways to the brain. Also, there is a delay in the development of nerve cells within the brain that are critical to normal heart rate and lung function. 2) Low birth weight in premature and multiple birth babies increases the likelihood that the brain has not matured completely. As a result, these babies have less control over the automatic processes such as breathing and heart rate. 3) Respiratory infections contribute to breathing problems when infants have a cold. 4) Larynged, chemoreflex, nerve cell pathways located in the back of the throat (pharyn) and within the voice box along with upper airways reflexes regulate changes in heart rate and blood pressure. When the airway is stimulated by saliva or regurgitated stomach contents, saliva in the airways activates this reflex and triggers swallowing. When infants rollover and/or are placed on their stomachs to sleep face down, their reflexes are diminished and swallowing is decreased. Air movement around the mouth may be impaired and may cause the infant and/or baby to breathe in the carbon dioxide they just exhaled. The facedown sleeping position on their stomachs or even sleeping on their sides causes more difficulty in breathing than those placed their backs. Infants and/or babies that sleep along side another person are at a higher risk of unintentional smothering. Furthermore, placing soft surfaces such as fluffy comforters, waterbeds, couches, sofas, pillows, quilts, sheepskins or blankets around the baby can block their airways. The Comfy Cruiser™ bed was designed to conveniently care for and comfort infants, babies, toddlers and children. The purpose of the multi-directional restraining seatbelt element featured is to keep them from repositioning themselves on their stomachs and/or side which causes difficulty in breathing. Also to secure the placement of the back sleeping position in order to help prevent one of the sleep environmental factors that causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Motion, temperature, sight, sound, scent and taste are stimulating determinants within a mother's womb. However, no current product provides features that are equipped with motion, temperature, sight, sound, scent and feeding features. There remains a need for a product that conveniently embodies and provides these features in a caring, comforting environment for infants, babies, toddlers and children.

Infant, toddler and child sensory enhancing bed


In a forging process analyzing method, many trace points are set in a workpiece. Lines connecting the trace points express fiber flow lines. The fiber flow lines may be imaginary ones that are irrelevant to real fiber flow lines. By applying a technique of a finite element method to the fiber flow lines, deformation calculation is performed. A new trace point is added between trace points when the distance therebetween is great. The velocity of each trace point cause by deformation is calculated, and the position of each trace point is updated. When any trace point in an element is left behind in a die, the left-behind phenomenon is prevented by converting the shape of the element while the crossing of fiber flow lines is prevented. A radius is set for each trace point. The radius of each trace point is adjusted so as to eliminate off-boundary extension and overlap of fiber flow lines.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-309920 filed on Oct. 30, 1998 and No. HEI 11-223755 filed on Aug. 6, 1999, each including the specification, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to analysis of a forging process of a material and, more specifically, to a technology for analyzing and/or predicting deformation of a workpiece caused due to the forging process performed thereon by setting fiber flow lines in the interior of the workpiece and calculating displacements of the fiber flow lines caused by the forging process. The invention relates particularly to a technology capable of analysis taking three-dimensional information into account.
2. Description of the Related Art
Forging processes, such as pressing or the like, sometimes suffer from defects, such as forging defects, dead metal, buckling or the like, depending on the combination of whether the workability of a material is good and how the material is processed. To analyze such defects, a fiber flow line is conventionally observed. Observation of a fiber flow line makes it possible to identify the type of the defect and detect the condition of friction between the workpiece and a die. In order to observe a fiber flow line, however, it is necessary to prepare a die, forge a material with the die, cut out a sample piece for the observation from the forged material, grind and etch the sample piece, and place it under a microscope. Results of the observation are fed back to the die designing or the production process designing. A single cycle of this procedure of observation and feedback consumes a long period of time, for example, several months. Therefore, the process designing cannot be quickly accomplished.
To avoid consumption of a long time, computer simulation of a forging process is often employed to predict the state of a fiber flow line occurring after the process. In many cases, such a simulation is performed by a finite element method. In a conventional manner of simulation based on the finite element method, a workpiece is divided into many elements by setting a grid mesh in the workpiece, and the displacements of individual element-forming nodes (grid points) are sequentially calculated to simulate the deformation of the entire workpiece.
However, the aforementioned conventional arts have the following problems. That is, the method in which a fiber flow line in an actually processed material is observed consumes an inconveniently long time as mentioned above. Furthermore, the method does not allow observation of material flowage in a cross section of a sample piece perpendicular to the length of the piece because a fiber flow line does not exist in such a section.
The conventional manner of computer simulation of a forging process is not able to provide a result whose fineness exceeds the fineness of the grid mesh set during an initial period of the analysis. This problem becomes remarkable particularly at sites of a workpiece that have high rates of surface area expansion. Furthermore, at a position between nodes, a left-behind phenomenon in which a deformed portion is left behind in a die sometimes occurs. This phenomenon makes it impossible to simulate a precise shape occurring after deformation.
Accordingly, the invention is intended to solve the aforementioned problems of the conventional technologies for analyzing a forging process. It is an object of the invention to provide a forging process analyzing method that allows simulation of a forging process within a short period of time, and also allows high-precision analysis with respect to a section perpendicular to the length of a workpiece and a site of a great expansion, and further allows display of results of the analysis in a three-dimensional manner, and to provide a medium storing a program for executing the method.
In the forging process analyzing method of the invention, a plurality of trace points for expressing at least one fiber flow line are set in a workpiece that is to be forged by a die. Furthermore, a displacement of each trace point involved in deformation of the workpiece is calculated. At least one post-deformation fiber flow line is expressed in the workpiece by connecting the trace points after displacement.
More specifically, trace points are set in the shape of a workpiece before a process is performed on the workpiece. The trace points provided for expressing fiber flow lines. That is, a bent or curved line obtained by connecting trace points expresses a fiber flow line. Arbitrary fiber flow lines can be set. That is, the fiber flow lines may be lines that match real fiber flow caused by the past processes actually performed on a workpiece or lines based on a simulation of real fiber flow. Furthermore, the fiber flow lines may also be imaginary lines that are irrelevant to real fiber flow. With regard to each trace point, a displacement involved in deformation caused by a process performed on the workpiece is calculated. Normally, this calculation is executed by iterative operation. Then, the post-displacement trace points are connected to form bent or curved lines that express fiber flow lines occurring after the workpiece has been processed.
Based on the post-process fiber flow lines, it is possible to predict whether the workability is good when the workpiece is actually subjected to the forging process. That is, it is possible to predict a possibility of occurrence of defects, such as a forging defect, dead metal, buckling and the like. This forging process analyzing method can be performed through computer processing. The computation time required by the method is only slightly longer than the computation time required when a normal finite element method is employed. Therefore, results of the analysis can be fed back to the die designing and the production process designing in a turn-around time of only one day or less. The forging process analyzing method thus contributes to quick process designing. Furthermore, the method of the invention achieves finer and closer results than a method in which fiber flow lines are formed by using element-forming nodes.
The forging process analyzing method of the invention is intended for the application to an analysis based on a Lagrangian method in which trace points are not fixed in a space but set as mobile points that move together with a workpiece material and the movement of the trace points caused by a workpiece process is tracked. Therefore, it is not essential to place trace points on a surface of a workpiece during the setting of trace points. Trace points belong to the same elements before and after being displaced.
In the forging process analyzing method of the invention, a new trace point may be set between trace points in a portion that has a high rate of expansion caused by deformation. That is, when calculation of a displacement of each trace point finds that the distance between post-displacement trace points has become equal to or greater than a certain value, a new trace point is set between those trace points. Then, the subsequent calculating process is performed. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform fine and close analysis even at a site of a high rate of expansion caused by the workpiece process (typically interpreted as a high rate of expansion of surface area).
The additional setting of a new trace point may be performed in the following manner. That is, a distance between adjacent trace points present on a fiber flow line is compared with a predetermined critical value. When the distance between the adjacent trace points exceeds the critical value, a new trace point is set. This manner of setting a new trace point prevents the distance between trace points from exceeding the critical value even at a site of expansion caused by deformation. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform fine and close analysis even at a site of a high expansion rate.
Furthermore, in the forging process analyzing method of the invention, when there is a trace point that is to be left behind in a die due to deformation, an element containing the trace point may be converted into a correction element in which an element side extending in a shape of the die is replaced by a line expressing the shape of the die. Through conversion of the element, positions of all trace points present in the element that contains the trace point that would otherwise be left behind can be corrected by an interpolating process. This processing manner makes it possible to perform high-precision analysis even in a portion where a normal finite element method would cause a trace point to be left behind in the die or cause fiber flow lines to cross each other, and therefore would suffer form a remarkable reduction of analysis precision.
Prevention of such a left-behind phenomenon may be performed as follows. When a die shape-expressing line extends in an outermost peripheral element of a workpiece, it is determined that a trace point contained in the outermost peripheral element is likely to be left behind in the die. Then, a process for preventing the left-behind phenomenon is performed with respect to the trace points contained in the element. That is, the aforementioned conversion is performed on the element, and the positions of all the trace points present in the element are corrected.
In the forging process analyzing method of the invention, it is also possible to set trace points so as to express fiber flow lines in a section that intersects with the length of a workpiece and, in particular, a section perpendicular to the length of the workpiece. In the case of a material prepared in a normal shape, such as a billet or a platy material or the like, the aforementioned section does not have fiber flow in reality. Therefore, the behavior of deformation in such a section cannot easily be analyzed by a method in which a test sample is polished and etched and then observed. However, since the forging process analyzing method of the invention is able to analyze imaginary fiber flow lines, the method can analyze fiber flow lines in a section intersecting with the length of a workpiece. That is, the method can also analyze fiber flow lines expressed by trace points set in the aforementioned manner. Therefore, it becomes possible to predict a condition of migration of the material in a section that interests with the length of the workpiece.
Furthermore, in the forging process analyzing method of the invention, a fiber flow line having a thickness may be expressed by providing post-displacement trace points with radii. As a result, each fiber flow line is expressed not as a mere point but as a finite area even during the observation of a section that intersects with the post-deformation fiber flow lines. Therefore, when three-dimensional consideration is to be performed on results of the analysis, the behavior of fiber flow lines can easily be understood in an arbitrarily selected section. This technique is particularly useful when trace points are set by simulating real fiber flow lines.
When such a three-dimensional analysis is to be performed, the radius of a trace point should be adjusted because after the workpiece is deformed, a trace point may possibly be located close to a surface of the workpiece or may be located close to another trace point. When in such cases, equal radii are provided for all the trace points, a fiber flow line containing a trace point adjacent to a surface of the workpiece will likely extend out of the boundary of the workpiece in the former case. In the latter case, adjacent fiber flow lines will likely overlap each other. Neither the off-boundary extension nor the overlap of fiber flow lines can occur in reality since fiber flow lines do not have a thickness in a real workpiece.
Therefore, when there is a fiber flow line extending off the boundary of a workpiece, the radius of the fiber flow line should be adjusted so that the fiber flow line is contained inside the boundary of the workpiece. When fiber flow lines overlap each other, the radius adjustment should be performed so that the overlap is eliminated. In either case, the radius adjustment is performed in the reducing direction. The radius adjustment for the aforementioned purposes may be applied collectively to all the trace points, or may also be applied individually to only the trace points having a specific problem as mentioned above. It should be noted that the latter manner of radius adjustment is more advantageous because larger radii of fiber flow lines make an easier-to-see display of results of the analysis.
When the trace points are provided with radii in this invention, it is useful to provide a display picture in which the interior of each fiber flow line is filled in in a section of the workpiece after the workpiece has been deformed. In such a display, the condition of congregation of fiber flow lines can be grasped based on the degree of sparsity or density of the filled-in portions. Furthermore, based on the shape of a filled-in portion (whether it is circular or elliptical), the intersecting angle of the fiber flow line to which the filled-in portion belongs with respect to the sectional face can be estimated. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform further detailed or three-dimensional consideration on results of the analysis.
The mechanically readable medium of the invention stores a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described procedures of the forging process analyzing method of the invention. Using the mechanically readable medium, it becomes possible to cause a computer to execute the forging process analyzing method of the invention.

Method for analyzing forging process and medium storing program for executing the method


A cosmetic includes a cosmetic composition of viscosity of 1,000-5,000 centipoise (cps) or 15,000-60,000 cps; and a urethane foam carrier, which is impregnated with the cosmetic composition. The urethane foam has a hardness of 50 to 100 when measured with an Asker hardness tester type F before impregnation and a number of pores per inch (ppi) of greater than or equal to 10 but less than 90 when the cosmetic composition has a viscosity of 1,000-5,000 centipoise (cps). The urethane foam has a hardness of greater than or equal to 1 but less than 50 when measured with an Asker hardness tester type F before impregnation and a number of pores per inch (ppi) of 90 to 200 when the cosmetic composition has a viscosity of 15,000-60,000 cps.

Although a cosmetic composition was mainly used indoors in the past, it is frequently used outdoors with the change in lifestyles, comprising increased leisure activities. Accordingly, the need of a cosmetic composition which is convenient in use and carrying is increasing.
Although a cosmetic which is convenient to use and carry was developed by impregnating a cosmetic composition in a urethane foam, the urethane foam commonly used as a carrier for a cosmetic composition is applicable only to emulsion-type cosmetic compositions having viscosity of about 5,000-15,000 cps. With the recent trend toward naturally-looking makeup, there is a high preference for low-viscosity cosmetic compositions that allow lightly-looking makeup. There is also a consistent demand on a high-viscosity cosmetic composition capable of providing superior covering and moisturizing effect. Accordingly, there is a need for a carrier for a cosmetic composition that can stably hold low-viscosity and high-viscosity cosmetic compositions and allows convenient use and carry of cosmetics.

Cosmetic composition carrier comprising urethane foam


The present invention relates to a device for removing delivery member shields which are intended to cover and protect delivery members, said device comprising a remover body arranged to accommodate a delivery member in its interior. The invention is characterised in that the remover body comprises at least two sets of gripping members extending into its interior and wherein each set of gripping members is configured for gripping a certain type of delivery member shield.

There are a number of medicament delivery devices that have been developed and that are on the market which are intended for self-medication. Many of these devices are provided with medicament containers, to which medicament delivery members such as injection needles are attachable, or integrated with.
Some injectors have been provided with needle shields that are releasably attached to the injection needles. The purpose of the needle shields is to protect the environment against unintentional needle sticks as well as to protect the needle against contamination.
A conventional type of needle shield is a shield or sheath of a resilient and flexible material such as rubber, silicone, or the like. Before the delivery of a drug the flexible needle shield is manually removed by pulling it off the injection needle.
A more recent variant of needle shield is also called rigid needle shield or RNS. An RNS has an inner sheath of resilient and flexible material such as rubber or silicone, which is surrounded by an outer cover of a rigid material such as hard plastic. Before the delivery of a drug the RNS is removed by manually pulling the outer cover off the needle, whereby the inner flexible sheath follows.
In any of the above needle shields, there is a risk that a user is injured on the exposed needle during removal of the needle shield, either if it is a flexible or a rigid needle shield. Some persons may also feel discomfort having to handle components so close to the needles. Because of this, some devices have been developed that can be attached to the needle shields such that the risk of injury is reduced.
One such device is disclosed in WO 2010/089589. There, a medicament delivery device is arranged with an outer forward packaging part at a proximal or front end of the device. When the medicament delivery device is to be used, the forward packaging part is pulled off the device. Inside the forward packaging part a number of fingers are arranged, where each finger is provided with an outwardly extending enlargement and an inwardly extending blade, such that when the forward packaging part is pulled off, the blades grip a rubber needle sheath which surrounds the needle. Thus when the forwards packaging part is removed, so is the rubber sheath.
Document US 2010/0016793 discloses a similar device having a cap with grip means in the form of rearward protrusions which engage a rubber boot surrounding an injection needle when the cap is removed or pulled off a medicament delivery device.
WO 2005/115508 discloses an injection device having a protective cap with which a rigid needle shield may be removed when a dose of medicament is to be delivered. The protective cap is therefore arranged with a castellated washer of metal. When the cap with the washer is pushed onto the rigid needle shield surrounding an injection needle of the medicament delivery device, the washer grips into the rigid plastic material and a firm connection is established. When later the protective cap is removed, the rigid needle shield will follow.
However, even if working properly for the respective type of needle shield, no device has been disclosed that can handle several different types of needle shields, such as e.g. flexible needle shields as well as rigid needle shields. For some medicament delivery devices development has been done for handling different types of medicament containers provided with either rigid needle shields or flexible needle shields. Thus, each type of needle shield requires a certain specific solution that is not easily transferable to the other type of needle shield.

Device for removing delivery member shields


An audiovisual input from a wearable device is received. It is determined that a discrete task is currently being performed. The determination is based on the receiving the audiovisual input. An unrelated audiovisual input, unrelated to the discrete task is detected. The detection is based on the determining the discrete task. The unrelated audiovisual input is intercepted in response of the detection of the unrelated audiovisual input. The audiovisual input is prevented based on the intercepting the unrelated audiovisual input.

The present disclosure relates to augmented interfaces, and more specifically, to improving the usage of augmented reality interfaces to complete discrete transactions.
Augmented interfaces may operate to composite information from a real-world environment with computer-generated information. Augmented interfaces may allow for a user to receive more information concurrently. Augmented interfaces may allow users to perform computing tasks while also interacting with other people. In some cases, it may be difficult to perform computing and also perform other tasks.

Augmented interface distraction reduction

International Business Machines Corporation


Concepts for managing a supervised machine learning model of a set of documents are presented. A system obtains annotated versions of the documents, the documents being annotated by annotators. A conflict between a plurality of annotations of the annotated versions of the documents is identified. The machine learning model includes a set of entities and relations defining relationships between entities. The identified conflict is resolved by at least one of identifying the correct annotation between the conflicting options, splitting the annotated text into two separate entities or relations, generating a new entity at the same or a less specific hierarchical level as the entities or relation in conflict, and/or changing an annotation of the annotated version of the document.

Supervised Machine Learning (ML) is useful for analyzing a large set of documents that are complex and/or use domain-specific language. For example, a ML model in the medical domain may be used to read through dense content in a time-efficient manner. Supervised machine learning may include processing the annotations of one or more annotators who, e.g., have expertise in the domain of the respective documents. By analyzing a body of annotations relating to a "corpus" of documents, a computer system may effectively "learn" about one or more subjects.

Supervised machine learning models of documents


A resistance change memory device including: a substrate; cell arrays stacked thereabove, each including a matrix layout of memory cells; a write circuit configured to write a pair cell constituted by two neighboring memory cells; and a read circuit configured to read complementary resistance value states of the pair cell as one bit of data, wherein the memory cell includes a variable resistance element for storing as information a resistance value. The variable resistance element has: a recording layer formed of a composite compound containing at least one transition element and a cavity site for housing a cation ion; and electrodes formed on the opposite sides of the recording layer, one of the electrodes serving as a cation source in a write or erase mode for supplying a cation to the recording layer to be housed in the cavity site therein.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a resistance change memory device, which stores a resistance value determinable by a resistance change of memory material in a non-volatile manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
EEPROM flash memories are known in the prior art as large-capacity multifunctional nonvolatile semiconductor memories. In this type of semiconductor memories, microfabricated ultra-fine circuitry of less than 100 nm has been achieved on a flat surface or plane due to recent advances in lithography technologies and etching techniques.
As far as considerations on the plane are concerned, it is a must for enlargement of the memory capacity to further advance microfabrication or miniaturization in order to increase a cell number per unit area. However, such further miniaturization is not easy.
In order to increase the memory capacity without advancing the miniaturization, there is employed a method for sealing a plurality of stacked memory chips together into a package or alternatively a method of stacking or laminating memory cell arrays on or above silicon to thereby provide a three-dimensional memory chip. However, the conventionally conceived cell array stacking techniques are to simply overlie planar cell arrays. In this case, although if the number of such stacked or laminated layers is N then the resultant storage capacity is N times greater than a planar cell array, accessing is done separately in units of respective layers; thus, simultaneous access to a plurality of layers has not been easily achievable.
On the other hand, a phase change memory has been proposed which is expected as a nonvolatile memory for the future use and which utilizes a phase transition between crystalline and amorphous states in chalcogenide glass material (for example, see Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 39 (2000) PP. 6157-6161 Part 1. NO. 11, November 2000 "Submicron Nonvolatile Memory Cell Based on Reversible Phase Transition in Chalcogenide Glasses" Kazuya Nakayama et al). This utilizes the fact that the chalcogenide's resistance ratio of its amorphous state to crystalline state is as large as 100:1 or greater and stores therein such different resistance value states as binary data. The chalcogenide's phase change is reversible, wherein such change is well controllable by an appropriate heating technique or method, which in turn is controllable by the amount of a current flowing in this material.
In the case of designing such a phase change memory in ultra-large scale, unwanted variations or irregularities in distributions of low resistance values and high resistance values of memory cells within a cell array become larger so that how to provide the required read/write margins becomes an important technical issue.


A system and method for generating tornadoes and other vortex phenomen in an open air, free space enviroment is disclosed. The system includes a flat surface or deck suspended above the ground, a circular hole in the center of the deck, a means for creating an updraft through the hole in the deck and fans or other air moving means for creating a swirling air flow. Preferably, the fans for swirling the air are angled approximately 45 degrees relative to the vertical axis of the updraft flow through the center hole. For swirling the air at higher elevations, as well as at ground level, a multi level fan arrangement having the layers of fans spaced relative to the deck is used. Alternatively, a single level of fans are used in conjunction with louvers or vanes for deflecting the blown air into a fan shape. In another embodiment of the present invention, tangential flow is established by using a multiplicity of tubes for returning air flow from a plenum above an updraft fan. Higher elevation air swirling is accomplished by providing vents in the return columns along the entire length. The vents can be holes in the columns or arrangements of adjustable or fixed vanes. Controls, including valves and shutters, are positioned in the return tubes for adjusting air flow patterns. The present system and method does not require containing chambers to remove external perturbations and to constrain air flow, actively, as opposed to passively, creates the swirling tangential flow, can be operated or performed indoors or outdoors and works with an asymmetric air flow.

This invention relates to systems and methods for generating tornadoes and other vortex phenomena.
Existing laboratory apparatus for creating vortices that are geometrically and dynamically similar to natural tornadoes have proven inadequate. Existing tornado simulators rely on passive techniques for developing the swirling air flow. An apparatus developed in the 1960's by Ward creates a swirling flow by injecting vorticity into a sink flow. A rotating cylindrical meshwire is used to spin the air as the air enters a lower compartment of the tornado vortex chamber. Other simulators, including the Purdue simulator developed by Snow, have modified the Ward simulator, but have maintained the passive generation of swirling air flows. Needs exist for simulators that generate swirling tangential flows using active means, as opposed to passive ones.
In existing simulators, tornado-like vortices are created in tornado vortex chambers. Containing walls are included to remove external perturbations, to constrain the airflow's and to ensure accuracy of experimental results. Existing vortex separators are operated in closed chambers of one kind or another and prevent any exposure or use of external open air. Needs exist for tornado simulators that are functionally effective in the absence of containing walls or chambers and that use the open air in their operation.
Existing vortex simulators require a symmetric inflow. That requirement limits potential applications for the simulators and increases design costs. Using symmetric air flows, lower quality and less stable vortices are produced. Needs exist for simulators that are effective using asymmetric air inflows.
Artificially-generated tornadoes and other vortex phenomena are important in the fields of materials and structural testing. Through understanding the structures, dynamics and intensities of atmospheric vortices, scientists and engineers become better able to design structures and materials that protect individuals during tornadoes and similar phenomena. Needs exist for simulators that create vortices on the same scale and intensities as naturally occurring tornadoes to provide meaningful measurements and observations.
People are intrigued and fascinated by tornadoes and other smaller-scale atmospheric vortices. Needs exist for methods and apparatus for generating controlled vortices for use in entertainment, amusement and educational settings that are inexpensive, realistic and transportable.

Method and system for generating artificial tornadoes and related vortex phenomena


An image recording medium used for an image recording apparatus having a recording head for recording an image on the image recording medium. The image recording apparatus is provided an information recording section in which information relating to the image recording medium is recorded.

The inkjet recording method is a method by which the minute ink droplet is jetted, and a dot is formed by adhering it to the recording medium such as the paper, and an image and character are recorded. Because it causes low noise and does not require a process such as the developing or fixing, and a full-color recording can be easily conducted, it is rapidly spread to various fields such as each kind of printer, facsimile, and computer terminal.
Particularly, recently, like as an increase of the speed of the apparatus, an increase of a high minuteness or an increase of a high image quality full color, improvement of performance of the inkjet recording apparatus in which the inkjet recording method is adopted is accelerated, and together with this, in the recording media used for the inkjet recording apparatus, various kinds of recording media are used. Accordingly, for these various kinds of recording medium, the inkjet recording apparatus by which respectively under the optimum condition, recording can be conducted is required.
Generally, as the characteristic of the recording medium which is required for conducting the high quality recording, the ink absorption characteristic such as the maximum ink absorption amount of the recording medium, the ink absorption speed, the ink drying time, and the ink dot diameter, can be listed.
The maximum ink absorption amount is a parameter required when the ink jetting amount per unit area jetted onto the recording medium is controlled. When, onto the recording medium, the ink more than the maximum ink absorption amount is jetted, the ink amount becomes excessive, and the ink overflows from the surface, and the phenomena of bleeding is generated. Inversely, when, to the ink absorption amount, the image is formed by the smaller amount of ink, a problem is generated like that the image density is lowered, and the quality of the image is lowered. Therefore, it is necessary that, according to the ink absorption amount, the ink jetting amount per unit area is adequately controlled.
Further, the ink absorption speed is a parameter necessary when the ink jetting amount per unit time which is jetted onto the recording medium is controlled. When the recording is conducted at a pace more than the ink absorption speed, before the first ink droplet is absorbed in the recording medium, the next ink droplet is jetted, and in this case, the ink droplets are fused into one and becomes a large ink droplet, and a problem that it is jointed to the adjoining ink dot is generated. Accordingly, it is necessary that the ink jetting amount per unit time is adequately controlled according to the ink absorption speed of the recording medium.
Then, the ink drying time is a parameter necessary when the recording time interval at the time of continuous recording is controlled. When the recording is conducted at the faster pace not larger than the ink drying time, before the ink on the recording surface of the recording medium is perfectly dried, the next image is outputted, and a problem that the ink is transferred between recording media stacked on the ejection sheet tray, or an image is disturbed by the scuffing, is generated. Accordingly, it is necessary that the recording interval time is adequately controlled according to the ink drying time of the recording medium.
Further, the ink dot diameter is a parameter which is necessary when the ink jetting amount per unit area which is jetted onto the recording medium is controlled. The ink jetting amount per unit area called herein is to be determined by a volume of the jetted ink droplets and a specified resolving power. When the volume of the ink droplet is larger than the necessary one, or the resolving power is set higher than the necessary one, the adjoining ink dots are jointed and a problem of the lowering of the image quality is generated. Further, when the volume of the ink droplet is too little, the image density is lowered, and the quality of the image is deteriorated. Accordingly, to the ink dot diameter, it is necessary that the ink jetting amount per unit area (the volume of the jetted ink droplet and the set resolving power) is adequately controlled.
As described above, in such an inkjet recording apparatus, in order to conduct the recording of the high quality onto the various kinds of recording media, corresponding to the ink absorption characteristic of the recording medium such as the ink absorption amount of the recording medium, ink absorption speed, ink drying time, and ink dot diameter, the necessity that the recording is adequately conducted, is generated.
However, in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus, in order to correspond to these various kinds of recording media, for example, operations by which the optimum condition is set again, are necessary every when the recording medium is changed. These operations require a long time period, and it is also a cause for generating a problem such as a mis-setting. Undoubtedly, in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus, there exist apparatus which record under several ways of recording conditions corresponding to the characteristic of the recording medium, however, these are apparatus which are considered so that, to absolutely limited several kinds of recording media, it corresponds only relating to the conditions in which the quality of paper is limited, and naturally, it can not correspond to the various kinds of recording media in the recent years. Then, it can not correspond to complicated conditions such as the ink absorption amount, ink absorption speed, ink drying time, and ink dot diameter.
Further, the ink used in the inkjet recording apparatus, is largely separated into the dye ink and the pigment ink. The dye ink is soluble in the solvent, and shows a highly pure and clear coloring, further, since it does not generate the scattering light and reflected light because of no granularity, the transparency is high and the hue is clear, however, on the one hand, when the pigment molecule is destroyed by the photochemical reaction, since the decrease of the number of molecules directly influence the coloring density, there is a problem that the light stability is poor.
In contrast to this, the pigment ink is insoluble in the solvent, and the pigment molecules form the particle and contribute to coloring under the situation that the particle is dispersed in the solvent, and even when the molecule of the surface is destroyed by the photochemical reaction, because there is a new pigment molecule layer under it, there is an advantage that the apparent decrease of coloring power is small and the image storage stability is more excellent comparing to the dyet ink.
However, there is a problem in the pigment ink that the glossiness is poor by the influence of the scattered light and reflected light caused by the particle of the pigment ink. Therefore, in order to give glossiness to the recording medium surface, on which an image is recorded and formed by using the pigment ink including dispersing agent, and in order to prevent the bleeding of the image by contact with the water, and together with that, in order to increase the abrasion-resistance, a technology id proposed that the image is recorded and formed by using the recording medium having the ink receiving layer including the thermoplastic resin particles and the pigment ink solvent absorption layer adjoining to the inside of the ink receiving layer on the surface layer (image recording surface side), and after that, when the recording medium is heated and pressed, the thermoplastic resin particles in the ink receiving layer are fused and smoothed, and the ink receiving layer is cleared (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-164386).
In such technology, the recording medium on which the image is recorded and formed by the recording head, is conveyed to the heat and pressure means by the transportation means, and heated and pressed and the ink receiving layer is made transparent, then, in order to make a high quality image print, it is necessary that the making transparent of this ink receiving layer is adequately conducted.
Accordingly, in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus, the recording medium on which the recording is conducted is previously specified, and when the optimum heating and pressing condition corresponding to the characteristic of the recording medium is set in the inkjet recording apparatus, it is realized that the high quality image print is produced.
However, in the recent years, various kinds of recording media are appeared also in the recording media having the thermoplastic resin layer on this surface layer, and in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus, in order to correspond to these recording media, it is necessary that the optimum heating and pressing condition is respectively set. This setting is a very troublesome operation, and it is also a cause to generate the mis-setting. Certainly, in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus, there exist apparatus by which the recording is conducted under several recording conditions corresponding to the characteristic of the recording medium, however, they are apparatus which are absolutely considered so as to correspond to the conditions of the paper quality of the recording medium, and they are not the apparatus corresponding to the heating and pressing conditions of the above-described recording medium having the thermoplastic resin layer on the surface layer.
Further, in the inkjet image recording apparatus, corresponding to the characteristic of the recording medium used for recording the high image quality image, the jetting amount of the ink, or the transportation amount for transporting the recording medium, the distance between the recording medium and the recording head, or the recording speed are controlled.
In the inkjet image recording apparatus as described above, it is necessary that the characteristic of the recording medium is detected in order to record the high image quality image on the recording medium. Further, it is also necessary that the residual amount of the roll-like image recording medium is detected.
The conventional method by which the information of the roll-like image recording medium is detected in the inkjet image recording apparatus as described above, is disclosed in Japanese Tokkaihei No. 4-51184. According to this, in the detection method of the information of the recording medium, the information of the recording medium is recorded on the core member of the roll-like recording medium and this information is detected by an optical sensor. Further, in this image recording apparatus, only the reading of the information of the recording medium is conducted.
Hereupon, as the method to detect the residual amount of the roll-like image recording medium, there is a method by which a mark is used on the trailing edge portion of the recording medium, or a method by which the residual amount is calculated from an initial amount and a used amount of the recording medium. However, there is a problem that the mid-flow using condition such as a residual amount of the recording medium is unknown, when, on the mid-flow of use of the recording medium, it is exchanged with the roll-like recording medium having another characteristic, and the roll-like recording medium is held in the image recording apparatus for the re-use.
Further, in the image recording apparatus, it is controlled in such a manner that the recording image becomes the high quality according to the characteristic of the recording medium, however, when the kind of the recording medium does not conform to the image recording apparatus, the high quality recording of the recording image can not be conducted.
Further, in the inkjet image recording apparatus, there is also an apparatus by which, in order to make the recording image high quality and the color gradation of the recording image optimum, the test pattern is recorded on the recording medium, and the recorded color gradation is measured, and color correction by calculating the color gradation correction curve is conducted. However, when the recording medium is exchanged with the image recording medium having another characteristic on the mid-flow of use and the image recording medium which is on the mid-flow of use is held in the image recording apparatus again for the re-use, it is necessary that the color correction is conducted every when the image recording medium is exchanged. From this reason, there is a waste in the recording medium or in time.
As described above, in the image recording apparatus, in the case where the image recording medium whose kind or characteristic is different is exchanged and used if necessary, when it is exchanged with the image recording medium whose kind or characteristic is different on the mid-flow of use, the information such as residual amount or characteristic relating to the use of the image recording medium which is used heretofore, that is, the information accumulated in the image recording apparatus is lost when it is disengaged from the image recording apparatus. Thereby, when the recording medium is held again in the image recording apparatus for re-use, because, in the image recording apparatus, the information of the image recording medium before the exchange becomes unknown, a waste of the recording medium due to the shortage such as the residual amount, or a waste of the time such as for the re-attempt of the color correction is generated.
Accordingly, the first object of the present invention is, in an inkjet recording apparatus by which the information showing the ink absorption amount, ink absorption speed, ink drying time, and ink dot diameter, which are the ink absorption characteristic, is previously recorded in the recording medium, and the recording is conducted in the recording medium, when the information is read and on the basis of the information, the recording is adequately conducted, to provide an inkjet recording medium and an inkjet recording apparatus by which it is realized that it corresponds also to recent various kinds of recording media, and produces the high quality image print.
The second object of the present invention is, in the inkjet recording apparatus by which the information showing the heating and/or pressing condition corresponding to its characteristic is previously recorded in the recording medium containing the thermoplastic resin particle on the surface layer and the recording is conducted in the recording medium, when the information showing the heating and/or pressing condition is read, and the heating and/or pressing processing is conducted under the heating and/or pressing condition, to provide the inkjet recording medium and the inkjet recording apparatus by which it is realized that it corresponds also to a plurality of kinds of recording media and produces the high quality image print.
The third object of the present invention is to provide an image recording medium by which the information relating to the image recording medium can be accurately detected, and the information relating to the use of the recording medium can be written and renewed, and to provide the image recording apparatus provided with an access means by which the information relating to the recording medium of the image recording medium can be read and written. Further, it is to provide the image recording apparatus provided with also the distinguish means for adaptation-judging the recording medium to the image recording apparatus.
The further object of the present invention is to provide the image recording medium by which the information relating to the image recording medium can be exactly detected, and the information relating to the use of the recording medium or the color correction information can be written and renewed, and to provide the image recording apparatus provided with an access means by which the information relating to the recording medium of the image recording medium can be read and written, and provided with the function by which the color correction can be conducted.

Image recording medium and image recording apparatus


The present invention is directed to an interspinous spacer assembly for implantation and/or affixation between spinous processes of adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae and associated tools and methods for stabilizing the human spine. The interspinous spacer assembly includes a spacer body, a first lateral plate, a second lateral plate and a locking mechanism extending through a channel provided in the spacer body and coupling the first and second lateral plates to the spacer body.

A human vertebra has a rearwardly projecting portion known as a spinous process. Bending or the natural aging and degeneration of the spine can cause the adjacent vertebrae and their spinous processes to be moved toward each other. This constricts the space in the spinal canal and foramina and, thus, may cause pain. Such constriction, known as stenosis, can be treated by the use of an implant in the space between adjacent spinous processes.
Generally speaking there are two types of spinal stenosis: (1) hard or rigid spinal stenosis, or (2) soft or dynamic spinal stenosis. In both cases, spinal stenosis may be caused by excessive growth of tissue due to degeneration, loss of disc height, as well as disorders such as spondylolisthesis where the normal relative position and/or orientation of the adjacent vertebrae have been modified.
The most significant difference between the two types of spinal stenosis is generally that dynamic spinal stenosis may be treated with distraction of the vertebra at the affected level while hard stenosis generally requires removal of the tissue that obstructs the spinal canal or foramina at the affected level. In case of tissue removal, the patient generally must accept some loss of stability of the spine. Therefore, it is preferable to increase the stability of the spinal segment by inserting an interspinous spacer between adjacent vertebrae to increase the stiffness of the segment and/or to restrict motion of that segment. Additional stability may be desirable and may be accomplished by adding plates to rigidly fix the spacer to the spinous processes and eliminate motion at that segment (i.e. fusion).
Many spinous process plate systems have a rigid construction that limits their ability to adapt to the varying anatomy of the spinous processes. The large size of many plate systems also limits their use to levels with sufficiently large spinous processes, making them unusable at L5-S1. Additionally, some plate systems consist of multiple pieces which require assembly in-situ. As a result, they sometimes require the simultaneous use of several instruments making the surgical technique and visibility into the operation site difficult. Still other plate systems do not offer an interspinous spacer component to help limit extension of the spine and further stabilize the segment.
Current instrumentation that works with existing spinous process plates requires significant lateral muscle retraction. For instance, in order to lock the plates of the implant to the spinous processes, many instruments compress the implant plates from the outside. This requires additional lateral dissection and muscle retraction to accommodate additional space for the instrument which leads to longer recovery time and healing for the patient. Furthermore, because the forces required to compress the plates can be high, these locking (crimping) instruments can become extremely big and bulky making it difficult for the surgeon to see into the wound. To improve visibility, some systems use smaller instruments but require the simultaneous use of two crimpers instead of one. Some systems require multiple instruments and steps to insert and lock the implant in place.
Thus, there is a need for a spinous process plate system that comes pre-assembled with an interspinous spacer, adapts to the bony anatomy for a wider range of spine levels, and can be easily fixated to the spine. In addition, there is a need for an instrument that can easily insert, crimp, and allow locking of a spinous process plate with minimal lateral muscle retraction while still allowing visualization of the implant.


An anti-tampering method for processing documents is disclosed. The method comprises, in regard to an encoding step, the steps of resolving (in a step 2303) in regard to an N-level image to be recorded, a pixel of the image into a major component having N possible values, selecting (in the step 2303) a pattern element depending upon the major component and the position of the pixel in the image, and recording the selected pattern element (in a step 2308) onto a transfer medium. In regard to a corresponding decoding step the method comprises extracting (in a step 2405) from the recorded document, a retrieved pattern element for said pixel, determining a pattern element (in a step 2407) depending upon a major component extracted from the retrieved pattern element and the position of the pixel on the recorded document, and comparing (in a step 2409) the retrieved pattern element and the said determined pattern element.

It is often desirable to ensure that a printed document has not been altered in some unauthorised manner from the time it was first produced. For example, a contract that has been agreed upon and signed on some date may subsequently be fraudulently altered. It is desirable to be able to detect such alterations in detail. Similarly, security documents of various sorts including cheques and monetary instruments record values that are vulnerable to fraudulent alteration. Detection of any fraudulent alteration is desirable. Further, it is desirable that such detection be performed automatically, and that the detection reveal the exact nature of the alteration. In addition to detection of fraudulent tampering with a document, it is desirable that such documents offer a visible deterrent to fraudulent alteration.
Various methods of deterring and detecting fraudulent alteration to documents have been proposed and used.
One class of methods in use before high quality colour scanners and printers became commonly available was to print important information such as monetary amounts in special fonts or with special shadows that were, at the time, difficult to reproduce. However, with modem printers and scanners, such techniques have become vulnerable to attack.
One known method of detecting alteration uses a 2D barcode printed on one part of a document page to encode (possibly cryptographically) a representation of some other portion, such as a signature area. This 2D barcode can be decoded and the resulting image compared by an operator to the area it is intending to represent to check for similarity.
A related body of work is the detection of tampering in digital images that are not subject to print/scan cycles. A number of "fragile watermark" techniques are known in this field, however these techniques are generally not applicable to tamper detection in printed documents because they cannot withstand the introduction of noise, Rotation, Scaling and Translation (RST), re-sampling, and local distortion that occurs in a print/scan cycle. Some of these techniques operate by replacing all or some of the least significant bits of pixels of an image with some form of checksum of remaining bits in each pixel.
A number of "semi-fragile" systems have also been described. These include systems that use cross-correlation to detect the presence of a lightly embedded shifted copy of a portion of the image. Another technique is to embed watermarks into image blocks, and then compare the detection strength of these watermarks to discern if any blocks have been altered. These systems tend to have less localisation ability as their detection ability improves, and as their localisation ability improves, they become more sensitive to noise and other distortions and so cannot be used to detect local changes in printed documents.
Other techniques use special materials to make alteration difficult. Such techniques include laminates covering the printed surface where damage to the laminate is obvious. However using special materials introduces production complexity, and is not applicable to plain paper applications. They are also not amenable to automatic detection.
An additional failing in many existing techniques is weak cryptographic security. In many cases, once the cryptographic algorithm being employed is identified, the identification leads directly to a subversion method to attack the identified method.
Another common failing of present techniques is the distribution of alteration detection information over wide areas of the page, or even areas completely separate to the image area to be authenticated (as in the barcode method above). This introduces problems if there is incidental soiling of the document in areas apart from the image area being authenticated. Many of these techniques cannot be used to authenticate the entire area of a document, so documents must be specifically designed to accommodate them.
A further class of techniques uses independent transfer of information about the original unaltered form of the document to the verification process. This could be as simple as a telephone call to a person with independent knowledge, and may extend to keeping a complete copy of the document in a secure location. Such techniques have many practical disadvantages because they require handling and storage of such independent information.


A method for manufacturing an external component for watches or jewellery, especially a bracelet, includes the steps of: providing a substrate including a first face opposite to a second face and co-extrusion coating the first face and the second face of the substrate respectively with a first and a second band of synthetic material. The first band forms on the first face a transparent or translucent layer so that all or part of the substrate remains visible.

Plastic bracelets having different colours, decorations or incorporating particular visual effects are highly prized by clients. This type of bracelet can be manufactured by injection moulding, overmoulding or bi-injection moulding plastic materials in different colours. These are batch manufacturing processes with multiple steps, which makes them unsuitable for inexpensive industrial mass production.
In the past, it has been proposed to make bracelets by an extrusion process which is a less expensive process. The manufacture of bracelets by extrusion has generally been limited to the manufacture of bracelets of simple shape, in one colour and made of the same material, as described in FR Patent No. 2121864. Recently, it was proposed in EP Patent Application No. 16150493 to co-extrude materials of different colours or properties to form bracelets with more complex geometries and properties.
However, these methods cannot produce complex patterns which involve particular geometries and very high precision, as in the case of landscapes, figurines, messages, etc. It is also difficult to integrate materials other than plastic materials which could produce an original aesthetic effect.
In general, bracelets with complex patterns are made by digital printing on unicoloured substrates made by moulding. Digital printing provides access to a large variety of designs. However, the process has several drawbacks: the pattern is only on the surface and is therefore subject to mechanical wear. This means that, over time, the pattern fades. Wear is generally irregular, which very quickly leads to an unsatisfactory aesthetic appearance of the bracelet. The pattern is also susceptible to UV damage and to chemical damage. Bracelets manufactured by this type of process thus have patterns that change over time with the appearance of undesired and unattractive effects. FR Patent No. 2639870 overcomes this problem by proposing a bracelet formed with a thermoplastic body, a printed film and a transparent protective layer. However, the manufacturing method proposed in this document is an injection moulding process. This results in problems of positioning and holding the printed film in place inside the mould. Moreover, the process is long (printing and cutting the printed film, positioning the film inside the mould, moulding and forming the transparent protective layer) and requires several manual operations. This makes high production rates impossible.
Another drawback of surface printing the bracelet is the lack of adhesion of digital printing inks to silicone type plastic bracelets which have low surface energy. Moreover, changing the basic plastic formulation of the bracelet often involves readjusting the ink formulation.

External component with decoration for watches or jewellery and method for manufacturing the same

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


A quick attach accessory tool mounting frame is adapted to be mounted onto a quick attachment bracket and held in place. The adapter frame has spaced side plates that slide over a bracket and with a linear movement can be held in place on the bracket. The frame is held in place on the bracket with bolts that draw the bracket and frame together.

The present invention relates to a mounting frame for attachment to a tool such as a clamshell, bucket, grapple, or power unit support for an auger, hydraulic hammer, or compactor, that will permit quick attachment to a bracket on an arm or boom, such as a backhoe or excavator arm, and which uses threaded fasteners for latching the frame in place.
With the advance of reliable, positive locking quick attachment brackets, it has become desirable to use a quick attachment arrangement for interchanging buckets, power earth augers, compactors, clam shells, grapples, breakers and other implements as well.
Efforts have been made to provide couplings that can automatically connect tools to an articulated arm of an excavator, backhoe or the like and while many include automatic latches for holding the parts assembled, a simple, low cost manual securement, after mounting the frame on the bracket, can be used.
A readily usable frame that will easily adapt for use on a wide variety of attachments is desired.

Fastener secured frame for boom mounted quick change bracket


A burner design for use especially with rotary dryers is provided, in which a primary firing tube is provided with an oil body disposed proximate the burner tip portion of the firing tube, the oil body being constructed to divide an airflow into an outer portion flowing through an outer airstream passageway and an inner portion flowing through an inner airstream passageway, and to cause said inner and outer portions to intersect each other proximate the burner tip portion. The oil body is further provided with a slit opening on an inner surface thereof along a boundary of the inner airstream passageway, the slit opening being in fluid communication with a supply of fuel oil, whereby fuel oil can be delivered at low pressure at an inner surface of the oil body, whereupon the inner airstream portion will cause the fuel oil to film along the inner surface of the oil body and to be intersected by the inner and outer airstream portions to atomize the fuel oil at the burner tip. A secondary air body surrounds one or more primary firing tubes and provides air to the firing tubes for a fuel/air premix, and provides swirling air surrounding the primary firing tube at the burner tip portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a burner configuration, and more particularly to a burner design adapted for use in rotary dryers, such as asphalt dryers, and in boilers and furnaces, which design enables the efficient burning of gaseous fuel or fuel oil.
2. Description of Related Art
Illustrative of the prior patents issued in the field of burners used, for example, in rotary dryers, furnaces, and boilers, are the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor ______________________________________ 4,298,337 Butler et al. 4,341,512 Wojcieson et al. 4,431,403 Nowak et al. 4,443,182 Wojcieson et al. 4,559,009 Marino et al. 5,083,382 Brashaars 5,192,204 Musil 5,259,755 Irwin et al. 5,263,849 Irwin et al. 5,415,539 Musil ______________________________________
Companies such as Hauck Manufacturing Co. and Gencor are involved in the production and sale of burners used in rotary dryers, and companies that are presently selling burners for use in boilers and furnaces are Coen and Industrial Combustion/Webster.
Throughout the time period in which all of the above patents issued, and continuing through the present, the goals sought to be achieved in developing new burner designs are to provide a compact and efficient combustion burner, a burner having a large turn-down ratio, a burner that achieves greater flame stability, a burner that efficiently and readily burns both liquid and gaseous fuel, and a design that provides dependable operation and economical manufacture.
While several of the designs disclosed in the above patents have proven to be commercially viable, there is a continuing need for further improvements and enhancements in burner design in order to better achieve the desired goals.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a burner design that achieves a high overall turn-down ratio when burning both liquid and gaseous fuel, by providing the burner with a unique nozzle design and improved air swirl adjustability.
It is an additional principal object of the present invention to provide a burner design that will burn both liquid and gaseous fuel through the same primary body, and which can be used to burn stoichiometrically or to burn with excess air or low air-fuel ratios.
It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a burner design that can be used under a wide variety of firing conditions, including being capable of firing liquid (such as oil) or gaseous fuel at lower horsepowers and using the same primary body for either fuel.
It is an additional important object of the present invention to provide a burner design in which the air capacity of the burner can be changed with minimal effort, thereby effectively providing a plurality of burner sizes for a single atomizing air body.
It is an additional important object of the present invention to provide a burner design in which the adjustment or trim of the flame oxygen content can be accomplished by direct movement of burner components, or by changing the available pressures to those components from an upstream valve.
It is yet an additional important object of the present invention to provide a burner design in which the primary firing body is designed to be capable of being stacked or clustered with additional identical primary bodies in constructing larger sized burners.


A type semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type; a plurality of gate electrodes which are formed in gate trenches via gate insulating films, the gate trenches being formed through the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer; a plurality of impurity regions of the second conductivity type which are formed at regions below bottoms of contact trenches, the contact trenches being formed at the third semiconductor layer in a thickness direction thereof between corresponding ones of the gate trenches and longitudinal cross sections of the contact trenches being shaped in ellipse, respectively; first electrodes which are formed so as to embed the contact trenches and contacted with the impurity regions, respectively; and a second electrode formed on a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device such as an field effect transistor, particularly a vertical field effect transistor (MOSFET) and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A MOS transistor such as a power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) can be exemplified as a semiconductor device for electric power control. In view of energy saving, recently, it is required the efficiency of the semiconductor device is enhanced. With the semiconductor device for electric power control, the electric conduction loss, that is, the on-resistance of the device is reduced in order to enhance the efficiency of the semiconductor device. As of now, the reduction of on-resistance would be conducted by miniaturizing the cells of the semiconductor device.
Alternatively, a trench gate structure is applied to the semiconductor device so that the size of each cell can be remarkably miniaturized while the channel widths in the semiconductor device can be maintained. At present, the cells of the semiconductor device are much more miniaturized by using the trench gate structure so that the on-resistance of the semiconductor device can be remarkably improved. Moreover, second trenches are formed at the respective source regions so as to form the source contacts with the side walls of the second trenches. Such a structure is called as a "trench contact structure".
Referring to Reference 1, for example, a plurality of contact trenches are arranged in the direction along the gate trenches so as to increase the contact areas between the respective source electrodes and source regions and thus, to reduce the on-resistance of the semiconductor device. Each contact trench is configured such that a through hole is formed at the area to be formed as a source region between the adjacent gate trenches and the side wall of the through hole is entirely rendered the source region.
In Reference 1, however, since each cell is miniaturized, the embedding condition of electrode material for forming the source electrode into the contact trench per cell is deteriorated so that some voids may be formed in the resultant source electrode. As a result, the contact resistances in the respective contact trenches may be increased so that the on-resistance of the semiconductor device may be also increased. In Reference 2, in this point of view, each contact trench is shaped linearly so as to improve the embedding condition of the electrode material therein and thus, improve the on-resistance of the semiconductor device through the reduction in contact resistance of each contact trench.
[Reference 1] JP-A 2006-59940 (KOKAI)
[Reference 2] JP-A 2006-294853 (KOKAI)
In Reference 2, however, impurity regions are formed so as to embed the corresponding contact trenches so that the contacts between the source electrodes and the impurity regions are formed at the upper sides of the corresponding contact trenches. As a result, the Vsus (Vsustain) tolerance of the semiconductor device such as a transistor as described above may be weakened.
In References 1 and 2, however, since each contact trench is formed by means of anisotropic etching such as RIE (reactive ion etching), impurities are implanted into the side wall of each contact trench when the impurity region is formed so that the contact resistance per cell, that is, the on-resistance of the semiconductor device is increased.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same


A distance measurement object is imaged by a pair of line sensors of an AF sensor, and sensor data showing the sensor images is generated. A CPU generates AF data showing the contrast of sensor images with the sensor data being sequentially acquired by the CPU for each cell. Then, the AF data is used to carry out calculation of correlation values or the like, thereby calculating the distance from the distance measurement object. Thus, generation of AF data for distance measurement calculation such as correlation value calculation showing the contrast of the sensor images formed by the pair of line sensors of the AF sensor, and distance measurement calculation using the AF data are carried out by the computation processing circuit (CPU) to simplify the circuit, and also the sensor data is sequentially acquired from the AF sensor, and at the same time the AF data is sequentially generated, whereby the amount of processing time for generation of the AF data is significantly reduced to shorten distance measurement time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distance measuring apparatus, and particularly to a distance measuring apparatus of, for example, a camera using a passive AF sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The distance measurement using a passive AF sensor is known as a process of imaging a distance measurement object by, for example, a pair of left and right line sensors and calculating the distance from the distance measurement object from the amount of deviation between left and right sensor images obtained by the left and right line sensors.
The deviation amount of sensor images can be determined by setting window ranges in left and right line sensors, respectively, determining the level of correlation of a pair of left and right sensor data showing sensor images in the window ranges with a pair of left and right window ranges being relatively shifted in left and right directions, and detecting a shift amount in the window ranges providing the highest correlation level.
Also, it is described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 3-48484 and 6-93059 that the distance from a distance measurement object can accurately be determined by determining the correlation level of data showing the contrast of sensor images instead of determining the correlation level of sensor data showing sensor images. Data showing the contrast of sensor images is, for example, difference data obtained by determining a difference (two-pixel difference) between sensor data and the data into which the sensor data is shifted by a predetermined number of pixels for sensor data of each line sensor. That is, the correlation level is determined according to difference data obtained by subtracting from sensor data of a cell watched when each of cells is watched the sensor data of the cell separated by a predetermined number of pixels from the watched cell.
Furthermore, data showing the contrast of sensor images is not difference data, but may be data showing the ratio between sensor data and the data into which the sensor data is shifted by a predetermined number of pixels for sensor data of each line sensor. Also, in this specification, data that is used for determining the correlation level is referred to as AF data.
In the case where data showing the contrast of sensor images is used as AF data, however, there are disadvantages that time is required for generating AF data from sensor data to prolong distance measurement time, and a special circuit is required for generating AF data from sensor data.

Distance measuring apparatus using passive AF sensor


Mitigative and remedial approaches to reduction of autofluorescence background noise are applied in analytical systems that rely upon sensitive measurement of fluorescent signals from arrays of fluorescent signal sources. Such systems are for particular use in fluorescence based sequencing by incorporation systems that rely upon small numbers or individual fluorescent molecules in detecting incorporation of nucleotides in primer extension reactions.

Typical fluorescence based optical analysis of analytical reactions employs reactants or other reagents in the reaction of interest that bear a fluorescent moiety, such as a labeling group, where the detection of that moiety is indicative of a particular reaction result or condition. For example, reactions may be engineered to produce a change in the amount, location, spectrum, or other characteristic upon occurrence of a reaction of interest.
During analysis, an excitation light source is directed through an optical system or train at the reaction to excite fluorescence from the fluorescent moiety. The emitted fluorescence is then collected by the optical train and directed toward a detection system, which quantifies, records, and/or processes the signal data from the fluorescence. Fluorescence-based systems are generally desired for their high signal levels deriving from the high quantum efficiency of the available fluorescent dye moieties. Because of these high signal levels, relatively low levels of the materials are generally required in order to observe a fluorescent signal.
Notwithstanding the great benefits of fluorescent reaction systems, the application of these systems does have some drawbacks particularly when used in extremely low signal level reactions, e.g., low concentration or even single molecule detection systems. In particular, these systems often have a number of components that can potentially generate amounts of background signal, e.g., detected signal that does not emanate from the fluorescent species of interest, when illuminated with relatively high intensity radiation. This background signal can contribute to signal noise levels, and potentially overwhelm relatively low reaction derived signals or make more difficult the identification of signal events, e.g., increases, decreases, pulses etc., of fluorescent signal associated with the reactions being observed.
Background signal, or noise, can derive from a number of sources, including, for example, fluorescent signals from non targeted reaction regions, fluorescence from targeted reaction regions but that derive from non-relevant sources, such as non-specific reactions or associations, such as dye or label molecules that have nonspecifically adsorbed to surfaces, prevalence or build up of labeled reaction products, other fluorescent reaction components, contaminants, and the like. Other sources of background signals in fluorescent systems include signal noise that derives from the use of relatively high-intensity excitation radiation in conjunction with sensitive light detection. Such noise sources include those that derive from errant light entering the detection system that may come from inappropriately filtered or blocked excitation radiation, and/or contaminating ambient light sources that may impact the overall system. Other sources of signal noise resulting from the application of high intensity excitation illumination derives from the auto-fluorescence of the various components of the system when subjected to such illumination, as well as Raman scattering of the excitation illumination. The contribution of this systemic fluorescence is generally referred to herein as autofluorescence background noise (ABN).
It would be therefore desirable to provide methods, components and systems in which background signal, such as autofluorescence background noise, was minimized. This is particularly the case in relatively low signal level reactions, such as single molecule fluorescence detection methods and systems. The present invention meets these and other needs.

Methods and systems for analyzing fluorescent materials with reduced authofluorescence