Disclosed are charging control methods for a rechargeable battery and portable computers. The charging control method includes acquiring a control parameter for a charge current of the rechargeable battery; modifying, based on the control parameter, the charge current from a first charge current to a second charge current less than the first charge current; and charging the rechargeable battery with the second charge current. Compared with conventional methods of charging the battery always with the maximal charge current, the present disclosure can improve the battery's lifetime.

Some of users having portable computers often have their computers operated with power supplied from a rechargeable battery. As a result, the rechargeable battery may undergo a cycle of charging and discharging per day, and the number of such cycles may reach up to 300 or more in one year.
As well known, the number of cycles of charging and discharging for a rechargeable battery is limited. When the number exceeds a threshold, for example, 300, the usable capacity of the battery will decrease significantly, for example, to 70% or lower of the original capacity of the battery.
As the usable capacity of a rechargeable battery decreases, the battery cannot continuously supply power for a time period as long as required by the user. In the worst case, the battery cannot work, and must be replaced with a new one.
The inventors have found that the conventional scheme of charging a rechargeable battery with a constant voltage or current is one of factors leading to a shortened lifetime of the battery.

Charging control method for a rechargeable battery and portable computer


The invention relates to a method and an apparatus by means of which a material is vaporized in a treatment chamber by means of an electron beam. Due to controlling the inhomogenity of power distribution over the working area of the beam it becomes possible to prevent local overheating of the target material and thus of a deformation of the target surface. This is realized by oscillating the beam around its working point. The amplitude of the oscillation is, thereby, of almost a few beam diameters and this oscillation is superimposed on the momentarily working position of the beam on the target.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling the density and/or distribution of a vapor deposition flow of a material vaporized from a vaporization object by a beam of electrons in a treatment chamber.
It also relates to an arrangement for a controlling of the density of the vapor deposition flow and/or its distribution in a treatment chamber of a material vaporized from a vaporization object by means of a beam of electrons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Throughout the description we use the following definitions:
vapor flow: the amount of evaporated material passing per time unit across a surface area PA1 vapor flow density: vapor flow passing across a unit of area PA1 vapor flow density distribution: the characteristic of vapor flow densities considered in two dimensions over a surface area PA1 standardized distribution: the distribution characteristic normalized by the maximum density occurring along the surface area considered PA1 power density: power per unit area PA1 power density distribution: power density characteristic considered in two dimensions over a surface area PA1 temperature distribution: temperature characteristic considered in two dimensions over a surface area PA1 evaporation rate: amount of material evaporated per time unit PA1 deposition vapor flow: vapor flow which is deposited on a desired surface area
The standard power density distribution p/p.sub.max of a beam of electrons used for the evaporating of a material, usually termed target, is substantially bell-shaped such as illustrated in FIG. 1.
At a model beam S.sub.m of an assumed homogeneous, standardized power density distribution p/p.sub.max the standardized temperature distribution .theta./.theta..sub.max is also substantially bell-shaped in the vaporization area acted upon by the beam, specifically due to the diffusion of the heat, such as illustrated FIG. 2a. Accordingly, in when regarding the power density as not being homogeneously distributed, as for a real beam according to FIG. 1 where distribution is quite pronounced, peripherically decreasing standardized temperature distribution is produced such as illustrated in FIG. 2b with a pronounced temperature peak at the center area of the vaporization surface.
Apart from a high thermal loading of the material being vaporized, i.e. of the target material, this leads among others at a high beam power to deformations of the vaporization surface (target surface) such as shown in "Elektronenstrahltechnologie", S. Schiller et al., Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Stuttgart, 1977, page 174. (Schiller) If the beam power is changed at a fixed, standardized distribution of the power density, the rate of evaporation, defined as the amount of material vaporized per unit of time from the vaporization object, runs through a pronounced maximum such as illustrated in Schiller on page 173.
The vapor flow which spreads from the area of impingement of the beam of electrons leads in the treatment space, considered locally, to varying densities of the vapor flow.
From the standardized power density distribution of the beam, the power of the beam, and depending on standardized density distributions of vapor flow result, in the treatment space such as disclosed, for example in the mentioned book, at page 142.
The occurrence of spatters at too high a beam power and at a given standardized density distribution is one of the limits to the evaporation-rate. Further increase in the evaporation-rate would be desirable, however, to increase the economics of such process. A second corresponding limit is to the co-changing of the density distribution of the vapor flow. See, for example, Schiller, page 142.
There is an inherent need to increase the density of the vapor flow in order to increase productivity, whereas the selection of an optimal distribution of vapor flow density depends on the type of deposition process, such as for instance how workpieces to be coated by electron beam vaporization are positioned in the treatment space or which coating profile is desired.
Without the above mentioned limits it thus would be possible to increase productivity by an increase in the evaporation rate or, an increase of vapor flow at the coating location or locally, an increase in the density of vapor flow. This would result from an increase of the power of the electron beam acting on the evaporation surface area.
The quality of the coating and the productivity of a plant, as well, could be further increased by aimed optimizing of the distribution of vapor flow density (exploitation of space!). Because the maximum of the evaporation rate does not generally occur at the same beam power (at a standardized distribution of power density which is kept constant) as a process specific, desired distribution of vapor flow, it would be desirable to optimize either the density of deposition vapor flew or the deposition vapor flow density, or to design the deposition vapor flow density and the deposition vapor flow density distribution specific to a given plant, optimally considering economic aspects.

Method for controlling evaporation for vapor deposition


An agent for increasing the rejection with a permeable membrane which comprises an ionic macromolecule having a weight-average molecular weight of 100,000 or greater; a process for increasing the rejection with a permeable membrane which comprises treating a permeable membrane with the agent; a permeable membrane which is treated in accordance with the process; and a process for water treatment which comprises using the permeable membrane are disclosed. By using the above agent, an increased rejection of inorganic electrolytes and organic compounds soluble in water can be maintained for a long time easily and safely at the location of the use of the membrane without extreme decrease in the flux of permeation in the membrane separation using a selective permeable membrane such as a nano filtration membrane and a reverse osmosis membrane.

The rejection of inorganic electrolytes and organic substances soluble in water with a selective permeable membrane such as a nano filtration membrane and a reverse osmosis membrane decreases due to degradation of the macromolecular material by the effect of oxidative substances and reductive substances present in water and by other causes, and it becomes difficult that the required quality of the treated water is obtained. This decrease may take place gradually during a long period of the use or suddenly due to an accident. When this decrease takes place, it is required that the ability of the membrane be recovered from the degraded condition without separating the membrane from the module to which the membrane is disposed and, where possible, the recovery be achieved while the operation of treating the supplied water is continued.
To satisfy the above requirement, processes for maintaining the rejection exhibited with an unused permeable membrane for a long time and repair processes for recovering the rejection with a permeable membrane exhibiting a decreased rejection are developed. For example, as the process for regenerating a selective permeable membrane on which organic substances having anionic groups are deposited, a process in which the permeable membranes is treated with an aqueous solution of an amphoteric surfactant having a quaternary amino group or a cationic surfactant is proposed (Patent Reference 1). As the process for maintaining the properties of a reverse osmosis membrane exhibited in the unused condition for a long time and recovering the rejection of salts with the membrane decreased by the use, a process in which the reverse osmosis membrane is brought into contact with an agent for treating a membrane such as polyvinyl methyl ether, polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylic acid in the condition of a great concentration and then with the agent continuously in the condition of a small concentration is proposed (Patent Reference 2). As the process for improving the rejecting ability and the maintenance of the ability of a semipermeable membrane, a treatment process in which an auxiliary polymer having acetyl group is added to a semipermeable membrane is proposed (Patent Reference 3). As the agent for treating a semipermeable membrane which is applied not only to a used semipermeable membrane but also to an unused semipermeable membrane and improves permeation of the solvent and separation of solutes, a treatment agent which comprises a vinyl-based polymer having an organic group having acetoxy group and terminal carboxyl group as the side chain is proposed (Patent Reference 3). However, these processes and agents have problems in that the increase in the rejection is possible only to a small degree, the decrease in the flux of permeation is great, and the increased rejection is not sufficiently maintained.
As for the process or the agent used for treating a cellulose acetate membrane, for example, a process in which a portion of defect is coated with a liquid substance having compatibility with the membrane and exhibiting the plasticizing effect, followed by smoothing the formed surface is proposed as the effective process for repairing and recovering a small defect found after the membrane is set at a module (Patent Reference 5). However, in accordance with this process, the material of the membrane which can be treated is limited, and complicated operations such as heating are required. As the agent for enhancing separation of solutes which shows a small decrease in the permeability of water and is durable, an agent comprising a vinyl polymer having an alkoxyl group, carboxyl group and an alkoxycarbonyl group in the side chains is proposed (Patent Reference 6).
A nano filtration membrane having adsorbed polyethyleneimine having a molecular weight of 70,000 is reported (Non-Patent Reference 1). Although the rejection of NaCl is about 15%, a rejection of MgCl2 of 90% or greater is obtained at a pH of 4. However, the rejection of MgCl2 is decreased by 3% after 15 hours, and the main cause for the decrease is considered to be the small molecular weight of polyethyleneimine. As the process for treating a reverse osmosis membrane which can maintain the effect of decreasing the concentration of solutes in water passed through the membrane for a long time and can separate boron which is not dissociated in a non-electrolytic organic substance or in a neutral range with a great rejection, a process in which a pressure-resistant vessel in an apparatus for the membrane separation is packed with a reverse osmosis element having a polyamide skin layer and, thereafter, an aqueous solution of free chlorine containing bromine is brought into contact with the element, is proposed (Patent Reference 7). In accordance with this process, bromine is introduced to the surface of the membrane, and the surface is chemically modified. Since chlorine and bromine are used in great concentrations, it is necessary that a great care be taken for the control of the reaction conditions and also for the safety. Therefore, it is difficult that the operation of increasing the rejection with a membrane is conducted at the place of the use.    [Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 57(1982)-119804 (page 1)    [Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 53(1978)-28083 (pages 1 and 2)    [Patent Reference 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 50(1975)-140378 (page 1)    [Patent Reference 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 55(1980)-114306 (pages 1 and 2)    [Patent Reference 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 56(1981)-67504 (pages 1 and 2)    [Patent Reference 6] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. Showa 55(1980)-11048 (pages 1 and 2)    [Patent Reference 7] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2003-88730 (page 2)    [Non-Patent Reference 1] Urairi et al., Journal of Membrane Science, 70(1992) 153-162.

Agent for increasing rejection with a permeable membrane, process for increasing the rejection, permeable membrane and process for water treatment


An electrode pad includes: a conductor layer; and an adhesive gel layer which is stacked on one surface of the conductor layer, the adhesive gel layer which contains 0.1 wt % or more of SnCl2.2H2O, and which has a pH of 3 to 6. The conductor layer may a conductive metal layer. The conductor layer may include a tin foil.

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to an electrode pad having an adhesive gel layer, and particularly to an electrode pad in which noises caused by chest compression or the like can be reduced.
In order to perform rescue from a cardiac arrest state due to ventricular fibrillation (VF), recently, not only public facilities but also offices, convenience stores, and the like are equipped with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). An AED is used for, when ventricular fibrillation or the like occurs, applying a strong defibrillation shock (electric shock) to the heart to eliminate a cramp in the heart muscle.
On the other hand, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is known as a method of maintaining a chance of rescuing a person who seems to stop breathing and have no cardiac activity. According to 2010 AHA (American Heart Association) Guidelines and JRC (Japan Resuscitation Council) Guidelines 2010 which show a procedure of performing CPR, it is recommended to perform chest compression in advance of defibrillation with an AED.
In a rescue procedure in which the lifesaving rate becomes lower as time elapses, it is preferable that the period required for automatic electrocardiogram analysis performed by an AED is as short as possible. When chest compression is performed in advance of defibrillation with an AED, however, noises caused by chest compression affect the automatic electrocardiogram analysis, so that the analysis is hardly performed. Therefore, chest compression is interrupted until the automatic electrocardiogram analysis performed by an AED is completed.
An electrode pad is known in which, in order to check as soon as possible the effect of defibrillation applied to a patient in ventricular fibrillation, a strong acid gel is used in the electrode pad as means for reducing a high DC offset voltage generated on the electrode pad (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,272).
As an electrode pad which has a low DC offset voltage and a low impedance, and in which the S/N ratio is high, an electrode pad having a soft conductive electrode configured by Sn, and a gel containing tin salts is known (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,512).
In the electrode pad which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,272, and in which a strong acid gel is used as a gel, in order to assure a long storage period, however, a metal layer in an electrode must be thick in consideration of corrosion due to oxidation of the electrode. When the metal layer is thick, the flexibility of the electrode pad is lowered, and the contacting property with respect to the skin is impaired. In a worse condition, there may arise a problem in that the skin is burned during defibrillation. In the case of an electrode pad using a strong acid gel, the skin irritation is so high that inflammation may occur. In order to prevent this from occurring, a double-layer gel structure in which a weak acid gel is formed on the side of the skin is employed.
Moreover, the electrode pad which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,512 cannot provide an electrocardiogram waveform which enables automatic electrocardiogram analysis to be performed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation by chest compression.


An internal combustion engine having cylinders capable of selectively resting during engine operation is capable of eliminating step increases in engine output when the number of operative cylinders is changed. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders divided into two or more groups, at least some of the cylinders being restable. A throttle valve of each of the cylinders is independently operable on the basis of the group to which the cylinder belongs, and the number of resting cylinders is controlled according to the throttle grip opening. The throttle valve opening is different between the groups, except for the full opening condition and the full closure condition of the throttle valve, and an ECU is provided for opening the throttle valve of the next cylinder group before the throttle valve opening of the former cylinder group reaches the full opening condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, in which at least some of a plurality of cylinders are capable of selectively resting during engine operation under low load.
2. Description of the Background Art
Among multiple-cylinder internal combustion engines, an engine is known in which some of the cylinders selectively rest, or become non-operative, during normal engine operation under certain low-load conditions. In such an engine, a plurality of cylinders are divided into at least two groups. The throttle valve opening of a second (or other) group is set smaller than that of a first group in a low load range, where the throttle valve opening of the first group is less than a predetermined value. A throttle valve control means is provided for ensuring that, when the throttle valve opening of the first group has reached the predetermined value, the throttle valve opening of the second group is thereafter increased at a ratio larger than that for the throttle valve opening of the first group. When the throttle valve opening of the second group coincides with the throttle valve opening of the first group, the throttle valve openings of the first and second groups are thereafter varied at the same rate. Such an engine is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 07-150982.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 07-150982, the irregular combustion in a 2-cycle engine can be suppressed by the throttle valve control. However, since the cylinders in the second group, which have been at rest, are operated when the throttle valve opening in the first group reaches a predetermined value, a step in engine output is generated at the time of operating the cylinders in the second group.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an internal combustion engine, in which at least some of a plurality of cylinders are capable of selectively resting during engine operation and which can eliminate engine output variations at the time of transition in the number of operable cylinders.

Internal combustion engine capable of selectively resting certain cylinders during low-load operation, and method of using same


A package squaring device for folding flaps on cartons traveling on a continuous carton conveyor, including a lug attached to an endless flight chain, a flap tucker pivotally connected to the lug, and a cam bar slidably linked to the flap tucker. The lug further includes a member constructed and arranged to engage and stabilize a carton. An endless flight of package squaring devices are synchronized with the continuous carton conveyor so that one or more package squaring devices are traveling operationally adjacent to a carton. The cam bar is forced up and lifts the flap tucker as the package squaring device travels over a cam. The flap tucker is designed to fold a flap on a carton when it is lifted. The cam bar is forced down and lowers the flap tucker when the package squaring device travels off of the cam. The flap tucker of the present invention forms a moveable plow for laterally folding a carton flap while minimizing the longitudinal component forces that tend to skew cartons.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to apparatus and methods used in the packaging industry. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for folding flaps of cartons traveling in a continuous stream. The invention has particular utility in folding the major flap of a six-sided carton while maintaining the relatively squared corners of the carton.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes various devices and methods for folding flaps of cartons traveling on a continuous carton conveyor. These devices include stationary plows and rotary tuckers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,644, assigned to applicant's assignee, illustrates a stationary plow; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,456,058, 5,457,940, and 5,241,806, all assigned to applicant's assignee, illustrate rotary tuckers.
These devices and methods are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. These limitations and shortcomings are especially evident when the known art attempts to fold the major flaps found in the bottom of six-sided cartons. Although stationary plows work well for folding small flaps, they tend to skew six-sided cartons when they attempt to fold the major flap. These cartons are stored and loaded into a carton magazine in a relatively flat shape. The six-sided cartons have a tendency to skew away from a rectangular footprint and back toward their original flat shape after they have been erected on a carton conveyor. The size of the major flaps is another factor that significantly affects the skewing problem. When a carton moves longitudinally over a stationary plow designed to laterally fold the major flap, the plow produces a resultant force. The lateral component of the resultant force folds the flap. However, the longitudinal component of the resultant force pushes the flap of the carton back against the longitudinal flow of the cartons and skews the cartons. Larger flaps cause the stationary plows to induce larger longitudinal component forces, which cause a greater tendency to skew the cartons when the flap is folded.
Rotary flap tuckers are typically used to fold dust flaps or end flaps found on the side of the carton. These flaps are longitudinally folded either with or against the flow of the stream of cartons. However, the major flap of the six-sided cartons are folded in a direction lateral to the flow of the stream of cartons. Therefore, these rotary flap tuckers would have to be adapted to laterally fold these bottom flaps. However, these stationary rotary flap tuckers would either have to operate at a speed that exerts considerable force on the cartons and thus skews the cartons, or they would require the cartons to travel at a lower speed or with intermittent motion.
Applicant's invention provides a package squaring device, or flap lifter, which overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of the known art. Specifically, it acts as a moveable plow that longitudinally travels along side of the cartons and produces a gentle lateral force to fold the flaps. Therefore, the package squaring device does not create the resultant forces that tend to skew the cartons.


A measuring device for in-process measurement of test pieces during a machining operation on a machine tool, in particular a grinding machine, has a base body, and a measuring head movable between a neutral position and a measuring position and which is connected to the base body via a rod assembly which is configured and set up in such a way that the measuring head in the measuring position follows orbital rotations of a test piece about a rotational axis. The measuring head has a measuring sensor which is deflectable along a linear axis for recording measured values during a measuring operation. A control apparatus is provided for controlling the measuring operation. The control apparatus is configured and set up in such a way that the measuring device may be calibrated in a calibration mode.

In the manufacture of crankshafts it is necessary to grind the crank pins of the crankshaft to size on a grinding machine. To ensure that the grinding operation is terminated as soon as a desired dimension is reached, the crank pin must be continuously checked during the machining operation, in particular with regard to its diameter and roundness, within the scope of an in-process measuring operation. EP-A-0859689 discloses such a measuring device.
A measuring device is known from EP-A-1370391 which is used for in-process measurement of crank pins during a grinding operation on a grinding machine. The known measuring device has a measuring head which is connected via a rod assembly to a base body of the measuring device so as to be pivotable about a first pivot axis. The known measuring device also has a means for swiveling the measuring head in and out of a measuring position. For carrying out an in-process measurement on a crank pin, the measuring head is swiveled by the means provided for this purpose into a measuring position in which the measuring head, for example by means of a measuring prism, comes to rest on the crank pin to be measured. The crank pin undergoes an orbital rotation about the rotational axis of the crankshaft during the grinding operation. In this manner, the grinding wheel remains in contact with the crank pin, and for this purpose is movably supported radially with respect to the rotational axis of the crankshaft. To ensure that measurements may be carried out on the crank pin during the entire grinding operation, the measuring head follows the movements of the crank pin. For this purpose, the base body of the measuring device is connected to a base body of the grinding machine, so that during the grinding operation the measuring device is moved synchronously with the grinding wheel of the grinding machine in the radial direction of the crankshaft. Similar measuring devices are also known from DE 2009/052254 A1 and DE 2010 013 069 A1.
A measuring device of the type in question for in-process measurement of test pieces during a machining operation on a machine tool is known from EP 1 263 547 B1, having a base body, and a measuring head which is movable between a neutral position and a measuring position and which is connected to the base body via a rod assembly which is designed and set up in such a way that the measuring head in the measuring position follows orbital rotations of the test piece about a rotational axis, the measuring head having a measuring sensor which is deflectable along a linear axis for recording measured values during a measuring operation. The measuring device known from the cited publication also has a control apparatus for controlling the measuring operation, the measuring device being provided for measuring the diameter and roundness of crank pins of a crankshaft during a machining operation on a grinding machine.

JENOPTIK Industrial Metrology Germany GmbH


A siding block comprising an electrical junction box and a cover for mounting a light fixture to the exterior of a building. The electrical junction box includes a back wall, a front peripheral wall, and a recessed area within the back wall having one or more removable wall sections within the recessed area. One or more of the removable wall sections can be removed and an electrical cable connector inserted therein to provide strain relief attachment of an electrical cable therein. The electrical junction box includes two or more posts integral with and extending from the front peripheral wall and including fastener-accepting portions. The cover includes a central opening and a rear peripheral wall surrounding the central opening. The rear peripheral wall of the cover is adapted to slidingly engage the front peripheral wall of the electrical junction box in such a manner that the fastener accepting portions of the posts are situated within the rear peripheral wall of the cover when the cover and the electrical junction box are slidingly engaged.

Many homeowners find it desirable to improve the attractiveness and nighttime visibility around their homes by installing exterior lighting fixtures. Many of these are mounted directly to the outside surface of the house. Several prior art enclosures are available for accommodating exterior wall-mounted electrical fixtures. These commonly feature several separate configurations to accommodate various types of electrical devices, such as light fixtures, duplex receptacles, or switches.
Modern construction techniques typically increase the complexity of mounting exterior electrical fixtures. The exterior surface of a home may typically include irregular shaped surfaces, such as lapped siding, which does not present the desired flat surface for accommodating a typically box-shaped mounting block. For some exterior finishes, such as those with stucco finishes, the substrate beneath the stucco may consist of a sheet structure such as Celotex®, a foam board that does not have the structural integrity to accept fasteners.
To simplify the task of installing an electrical fixture on the exterior of a building, the present inventor has provided several siding boxes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,764 to Gretz (hereinafter the '764 patent), for example, provided a two-piece siding box and cover assembly that included an UL-listed (Underwriters Labs) electrical junction box for housing electrical connections. The box included a breakaway rear flange. For mounting on an unfinished exterior surface, the rear flange could be retained and mounted on the wall. The exterior finish, such as lapped siding, could then be laid overtop the flange. Alternatively, for mounting on a finished house, a hole could be cut in the lapped siding, the breakaway rear flange on the box removed, and the box mounted within the newly created hole to the substrate. Unfortunately, for those situations in which the substrate cannot accept fasteners, the mounting block of the '764 patent was not entirely acceptable, as it forced homeowners to locate the box over a stud.
To provide more utility for mounting electrical fixtures to the exterior of a building, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,051,786 and 6,239,368 (hereinafter the '786 and '368 patents) to Gretz provided a two-piece siding box having a rear edge conforming to the profile of lapped siding to which it may be attached. This siding box enabled easy installation by simply laying the rear edge over the lapped siding and driving fasteners directly into the siding.
Although the '786 and '368 patents simplified the task of mounting electrical fixtures to an exterior surface having lapped siding, the numerous styles of lapped siding available made it necessary to provide several mounting blocks with various rear edge geometries to accommodate the various lapped siding styles. In addition, the mounting block was not universal in that it was not easily used on flat surfaces.
Another drawback with the mounting block of the '764, '786, and '368 patents was the fact that the mounting blocks and associated covers had straight edges, necessitating that the straight edge of the cover be carefully lined up with the edge of the lapped siding to create an attractive finished installation. For those installations in which a hole was cut in the siding to expose the substrate, it became imperative for the homeowner to mark and cut very accurately to insure that the installed box and cover were lined up correctly with the siding.
Therefore, as can be seen from the above discussion, prior art siding boxes suffer several disadvantages when used on surfaces having lapped siding or a weak underlying substrate, such as foam board. When the siding were removed for direct mounting to the substrate, it was difficult to cut an appropriate hole and align it exactly with the siding. When the siding was retained, it was imperative to obtain a mounting block with a rear edge with the proper geometry conforming to the geometry of the actual siding it was mounted against.

Method of mounting a light fixture to a vertical wall


A metal substrate contains a barrier which functions as an electrical insulator. One can thus use the substrate to make an electrically heated catalytic converter, in which one must electrically isolate a catalyst-bearing strip from adjacent strips. One forms the substrate by first coating the substrate with a thin first layer of alumina washcoat and heating the substrate to a temperature of about 800.degree. to 1000.degree. C. This heating step produces the barrier, which may constitute a spinel. One can then apply a catalyst to the substrate, either by applying one or more secondary layer(s) of washcoat, having greater thickness than the first layer, and impregnating the second layer with the catalyst, or by coating the substrate with a washcoat which already contains the catalyst. Alternatively, one can omit the step of applying the catalyst, and can use the strips to form a heater for a stream of gas. One can use the heater in conjunction with a main catalytic heater, or as a stand-alone heater.

This invention relates to the field of compact electrically powered heaters mounted in exhaust streams from chemical or manufacturing processes or from engines, both mobile and stationary.
One can use such heaters (a) for bringing exhaust streams up to temperature rapidly under cold start conditions, for emission control, and (b) for holding exhaust streams at sufficiently high temperatures, such that a catalyst can be heated to and held at or above its light-off temperature, where it becomes effective, and (c) for general process heating.
In a particular application of the invention, an electrically heatable cord is close-coupled to a conventional catalyst or catalysts in the exhaust system of a vehicle. The heatable core serves to heat the conventional catalyst during initial cold start conditions, according to a predetermined heating-control strategy, by means of radiative and convective transfer of heat energy.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the heated elements (metal strips) are coated with catalyst materials and can be positioned upstream of a conventional catalyst or catalysts. The light-off of the catalyst adhered directly to the strip is more rapid than in the case above. In this latter case, the heater is known as an "electrically heated converter" (EHC). Descriptions of EHCs appear in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,928,485, 4,976,929, and 5,070,694. This specification hereby incorporates by reference the disclosures of all of the above-cited patents.
In either the first or the second embodiment of the invention, the new devices trigger the release of chemical energy to provide heat to light-off the main catalyst and maintain the gas stream at the light-off temperature.
In its most general form, the present invention comprises an electrically powered non-catalytic heater which can be used to heat a gas stream.

Metal substrate having an insulating barrier


A trash bag support apparatus includes a flexible and unitary body being selectively adaptable between linear and arcuate positions for removably inserting into a trash bag and engaging with an inner surface thereof. The body has opposed end portions and a top portion integral therewith. A plurality of elongated leg portions having lower edge portions are integrally disposed with the top portion and extend downwardly therefrom for defining a plurality of channels therebetween. The edge portions define a uniform line of weakness below which the trash bag is unsupported by the apparatus.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a support apparatus and, more particularly, to a resilient trash bag support apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Flexible bags are used to hold a great variety of items, many of which have the potential of piercing the bag in which they are placed if the bag is not filled carefully. Thus, it is frequently desirable to support a flexible bag which is in the process of being filled so that the individual filling the bag may use both hands.
One example of a flexible bag which would benefit from a support is the lawn trash bag. These bags are typically made of plastic, and may have a capacity of approximately thirty to sixty gallons. Lawn trash bags are generally filled with leaves, sticks, dead plants, and other trash associated with gardening. One problem associated with their use is the difficulty of filling them. If only one worker is available, he must generally attempt to hold the lawn trash bag open with one hand, while inserting the intended contents with the other. This can be an awkward and time-consuming process. Even if an additional worker is available to hold open the lawn trash bag mouth, the width of the resultant opening is only as wide as the worker's spread fingers-approximately four inches. This opening width may be insufficient to insert much of the trash intended for the bag, such as branches, dead plants, rake-fulls of dead leaves, etc. Another problem associated with manually filling lawn trash bags is that sticks and branches frequently puncture the bag and stick out its sides, thus creating a safety hazard for workers handling the bags.
One solution to these problems has been to provide trash cans to hold bags being filled. This solution works where a permanent trash can installation can be justified, such as the kitchen garbage can. However in many situations, including gardening, there may not be a convenient place to leave a garbage can because the lawn trash is located in a number of places and spread out over a yard or garden. In these settings, it is more convenient to use a support which is lighter and more easily transported than a garbage can.
Accordingly, a need remains for a resilient trash bag support apparatus in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is easy to use, lightweight in design, portable, and easy to store. Such an apparatus advantageously reduces the amount of time spent cleaning up after working in the yard, while improving the appearance of the yard. The apparatus conveniently allows a user the use of both hands, which in turn allows for more effective manipulation of the material being discarded. Homeowners, as well as professional landscapers, will appreciate the support apparatus.


A spark plug cover includes a silicone elastomeric boot that includes a first portion for covering a spark plug terminal area and a second portion including a corrugated portion for covering a lead wire. A seal is provided at each end of the corrugated region. A ceramic shield covers a part of the elastomeric boot adjacent the spark plug terminal area. A recessed portion in the silicone elastomeric boot retains the ceramic shield, and a chamfered surface provided on the silicone elastomeric boot facilitates mounting the silicone elastomeric boot within the ceramic shield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spark plug cover, and more particularly, to a spark plug cover intended to withstand elevated temperatures.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Some automobiles, particularly heavy duty trucks, light-weight trucks, and utility vehicles, operate generally at lower ground speeds with higher engine rpm's because of pulling heavy loads or climbing steep grades. As a result, the engines of such vehicles tend to have higher heat at the exhaust manifold and spark plug locations. The higher heat tends to destroy the spark plug cover at the ignition lead.
Furthermore, as engine compartments are made progressively smaller, and the flow of air around the engine decreases, the heat buildup within the engine compartment continues to increase.
As the spark plug cover deteriorates, the insulating properties of the spark plug cover also deteriorate. Upon deterioration of the cover material, the voltage applied to the spark plug is no longer able to be contained within the ignition wire, or cover. As a result, the voltage will follow the path of least resistance to ground. When the unconfined voltage does not pass through the spark plug, the engine will misfire on that cylinder, resulting in decreased engine performance.


A female urinary incontinence device is provided for preventing uncontrolled flow of urine. The device is in the form of a hollow plastic tube having an open proximal end for insertion into the bladder and a control device at the distal for controlling the flow of urine. The proximal end has an extensible and retractable mushroom shaped plastic which maintains the device in the bladder.

The female urethra is two inches long. It is situated between the two labia and at the entrance of the vaginal tract. It is anatomically difficult or impossible to place an external device on the urethra. In the male, the presence of the penis will facilitate placing an external device around the penis if the male patient is incontinent. Therefore, incontinent female patients uses pads or diapers to conceal their incontinence problem. Sometimes they have a permanent indwelling catheter. In young incontinent females, sexual intercourse is almost impossible.
It is therefore desirable to have a device that will prevent leakage of the urine, in addition, the female can have a normal life including intercourse, pregnancy and delivery without the smell of urine or the hazard of an indwelling catheter.
It is ideal that this device is soft and in a semi-collapsed state. The device thus will be less irritant and can be easily tolerated. The device should be completely concealed and does not interfere with sexual intercourse, pregnancy or delivery. The device should be easily inserted by the female patient, controlled by the patient and removed by the patient at any time she wishes to do so.


The invention presents a sound dampening flow channel device defining at least one flow channel having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the flow channel being at least partly delimited by at least one acoustic energy dissipative wall. The outlet opening of the flow channel cannot be seen from the inlet opening and vice versa. Preferably, the acoustic energy dissipative wall presents, in relation to the interior of the flow channel, a smooth curvature.

Traditionally, sound attenuators or mufflers are used to reduce unwanted sounds in ducts with flowing air. Such a sound attenuator or muffler is usually designed as an add-on component, inserted somewhere along the duct. Among sound attenuators, there are resistive and reactive types.
A purely reactive type reduces the sound only by means of a difference regarding the geometrical dimension in relation to the duct, and can be regarded as a reflector and not an energy dissipative silencer.
A resistive silencer often contains resistive materials like pressed glass or mineral fibre wools, plastic foams, or polyester fibres as energy absorbing material. Thereby, placing the absorbing material, in the form of baffles or sidewall linings, in the flowing stream is the most effective way to reduce sound, since the sound is present in the stream. However, this will inevitably cause unwanted effects like a pressure drop, noise generated by turbulence, and reduced volume flow.
In order to avoid or reduce a pressure loss in the duet of a resistive silencer, wall-linings can be placed outside the original duct, whereby the duct has to be partly perforated in order to let the sound dissipate into the porous material, and an airtight wall has to be provided behind the absorbing material in order to avoid pressure loss and leakage. However, a disadvantage with such a solution is that it requires space outside the stream flow duct, and such space can be limited or non-existing in many applications.
Other solutions include a baffle in a sound absorbing material inserted in the stream flow duct, or a vane inserted in the stream flow duet to reduce turbulence. Such vanes are often provided in ducts bends.
WO02/089110 discloses a silencer design using microperforated linings on walls and baffles in one or several layers, using no fibrous absorbing materials. The air flow passes parallel to the surface of the using the non-moving air inside the lining or the baffle as a non-locally reacting absorber. A disadvantage with this solution is that the volume behind the linings or the baffles does not participate as a flow duct, but rather reduces the flow cross-section area.
GB1536164 describes an acoustic attenuator using angled vanes in a straight duct in order to guide the airflow and the sound field. The vanes form a plurality of flow channels distributed both in the transverse and longitudinal direction of the duct. The sound field is guided so that the sound waves impact against many vanes, which are covered with a porous material, so that the waves loose energy on every impact. Acoustically the vanes are mainly reflective. However, due to the angle of the vanes, and the large thicknesses of the vanes and the absorption layers, the vanes will cause a reduction of the flow cross-section. Further, the bending of the flow to a zigzag shape will cause a pressure drop.


A fluorene-containing aromatic compound represented by a formula (1) below.

An organic electroluminescence device (hereinafter, electroluminescence is occasionally abbreviated as EL) is a self-emitting device based on the principle that, when an electrical field is applied, a fluorescent material emits light using energy generated by a recombination of holes injected from an anode with electrons injected from a cathode. Studies on an organic EL device formed of an organic material have been vigorously carried out since a layered organic EL device driven at low voltage was reported (for instance, Patent Literatures 1 to 8). In the layered device, tris(8-quinolinolato)aluminum is used as an emitting layer and a triphenyldiamine derivative is used as a hole transporting layer. Advantages of such a layered structure are to improve efficiency of injecting holes into the emitting layer, to improve efficiency of generating excitons by recombination due to blockage of electrons injected from the cathode, to trap the excitons generated in the emitting layer, and the like. As a device structure of such an organic EL device, a two-layered structure, a three-layered structure or the like has been well known. The two-layered structure includes a hole transporting (injecting) layer and an electron transporting/emitting layer. The three-layered structure includes a hole transporting (injecting) layer, an emitting layer and an electron transporting (injecting) layer. In such a layered device, a device structure and a preparation method have been contrived in order to improve efficiency of recombining the injected holes and electrons.
Luminescent materials of an organic EL device such as a chelate complex (e.g. a tris(8-quinolinol)aluminum complex), a coumarin complex, a tetraphenyl butadiene derivative, a distyrylarylene derivative and an oxadiazole derivative have been known. These materials, which have been reported to emit light of blue to red in visible region, are expected to be applied to a color-display device.
Moreover, in addition to a fluorescent material, application of a phosphorescent material has been recently proposed for the emitting layer of the organic EL device. Thus, in the emitting layer of the organic EL device, a singlet state and a triplet state of excited states of an organic phosphorescent material are used to achieve a high luminous efficiency. When electrons and holes are recombined in the organic EL device, it is presumed that a singlet exciton and a triplet exciton are produced at a rate of 1:3 due to difference in spin multiplicity. Accordingly, luminous efficiency of the device using a phosphorescent material can reach three to four times as much as that of the device only using a fluorescent material.
In forming the emitting layer, a doping method, according to which the above luminescent material (dopant) is doped to a host material, has been known.
The emitting layer formed by the doping method can efficiently generate excitons from electric charges injected into the host material. With the exciton energy generated by the excitons being transferred to the dopant, the dopant can emit light with high efficiency.
Recently, in order to upgrade an organic EL device, a further study on the doping method has been made to seek favorable host materials.
Such a host material is disclosed in, for instance, Patent Literatures 1 to 6. Patent Literature 1 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton and a benzimidazole ring in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a blue fluorescent material host. Patent Literature 2 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton and a 1,2,4-triazole ring in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a blue to blue-green fluorescent material host. Patent Literature 3 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton and an imidazopyridine ring in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a blue fluorescent material host. Patent Literature 4 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton, a fluorene skeleton and an imidazopyridine ring (a nitrogen-containing aromatic ring) in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a blue fluorescent material host. Patent Literature 5 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton and a nitrogen-containing aromatic ring in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a host material used together with a blue to blue-green phosphorescent material. Patent Literature 6 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton, a fluorene skeleton and a phenanthroline ring (a nitrogen-containing aromatic ring) in the same molecule, and data of the compound as a green phosphorescent material host.
Patent Literatures 7 and 8 disclose compounds having the same skeletons as those of the compounds Patent Literatures 1 to 6. Patent Literature 7 discloses a compound containing a carbazole skeleton and a pyridine ring in the same molecule, and data of the compound serving as a hole transporting material. Patent Literature 8 discloses a compound containing a fluorene skeleton and a pyridine ring (a nitrogen-containing aromatic ring) in the same molecule, and application of the compound to the emitting layer.

Fluorene-containing aromatic compound, material for organic electroluminescent element, and organic electroluminescent element using same

Abstract: In the formula (1): Nr1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted monocyclic nitrogen-containing aromatic ring having 2 to 5 ring carbon atoms, or a bicyclic nitrogen-containing aromatic ring having 2 to 9 ring carbon atoms; Ar represents an aromatic ring and the like; Fl1 and Fl2 represent a fluorenyl group; and Cz1 and Cz2 represent a carbazolyl group. A compound represented by a formula (2) below is omitted from the fluorene-containing aromatic compound represented by the formula (1).


A dual-host, USB system comprising a USB hub, a multiplexor (MUX) configured to couple a first host computing device or a second host computing device to a USB hub where each of the first and second host computing device have host-level control of a plurality of USB ports coupled to the USB hub based on which of a first or second input of the MUX is selected. The system further includes a processor communicatively coupled to the second host computing device and the USB hub, the processor providing a non-USB communication path from the second host computing device to the first host computing device to facilitate the sending of commands from the second host computing device to the first host computing device in the USB system.

A USB hub can be a device that expands a single Universal Serial Bus (USB) port into several so that there are more ports available to connect devices to a host system, similar to the operation of a power strip with multiple receptacles. The devices connected through a USB hub typically share the bandwidth available to that hub. USB hubs are conventionally included in computer cases, keyboards, or other computer peripheral device, and those with many USB ports often draw from one or two internal USB ports rather than each port having independent USB circuitry.
USB hubs can have a variety of form factors including external boxes (e.g., similar to an Ethernet or network hub) and small boards that can couple directly into a USB port. In some cases, mobile devices (e.g., laptop computers) can be equipped with USB ports, but an external USB hub can consolidate many devices onto a single hub for more convenient access. Some USB hubs may support power delivery (PD) and charging, and in some cases can be referred to as a docking station.
Despite the advantages that USB hubs and docking stations can provide, there are a number of drawbacks with conventional USB hubs that limit their applicable use. Functional improvements in this space are needed.
It should be noted that unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.


An apparatus for smoke detection having an image sensor may be tested using image or pattern recognition, or facial gesturing without having to climb a ladder or chair to initiate the test, or be uncomfortably close to the smoke detector apparatus during initiation of the testing thereof. Carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring and alarm may also be incorporated into this apparatus. Other control functions may also be initiated with image or pattern recognition, or facial gesturing such as audio features associated with the smoke detector apparatus such as networked speakers for distribution of music, intercom, telephone, and/or doorbell annunciation.

Many municipalities, states and countries may require smoke alarms through building codes, e.g., 2012 International Residential Code (IRC), in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and on each additional story of the dwelling, including basements (IRC 314.3). Smoke detectors may be powered from the AC line and may have a battery backup. A single backup battery may be provided for a plurality of smoke detectors, e.g., in industrial installations where the one main battery backup may be used instead of a backup battery at each smoke alarm.
Where more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit in accordance with IRC Section R314.3, the smoke alarm devices shall be interconnected in such a manner that the actuation of one smoke alarm will activate all of the smoke alarms in the individual unit (IRC 314.5). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that smoke alarms be tested one a month. Even better to test once a week. However, testing of smoke alarms requires activating a test button on the smoke alarm device that, generally, is mounted on a ceiling of a room and well out of reach of a person unless a ladder or chair is used by the person to reach the smoke alarm test button. Even if the smoke alarm test button is easily reachable, the audible alarm signal is uncomfortable to the ears at close range.

Initiation of carbon monoxide and/or smoke detector alarm test using image recognition and/or facial gesturing


In the present invention, an instrument control device is provided with the following: a human detection sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a person in a specific region on the basis of temperature changes in the specific region; a tag correspondence communication device for communicating with a tag located in the specific region; and a communication unit for communicating with instruments that carry out a specific operation. The instrument control device is provided with an instrument operation control unit that causes an instrument to begin a specific operation in a case where the human detection sensor detects the presence of a person, and that causes the instrument to stop the specific operation in a case where no person is present as detected by the human detection sensor, and where the tag correspondence communication device is not communicating with the tag.

A lighting control system that detects the presence of a person using a pyroelectric human sensor to control lighting is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Moreover, a lighting control system including a tag that stores a lighting identifier for identifying associated lighting instrument and a tag reader that performs control related to lighting of the lighting instrument indicated by the lighting identifier upon receiving the lighting identifier from the tag via radio communication is known (for example, see Patent Document 2).

Instrument control device, instrument control system, instrument control method and program


A lathe chuck jaw assembly utilizes top jaws which have replaceable inserts mounted to their clamping faces. The inserts are used to provide a contact surface to hold a workpiece during machining. The contact surfaces of the inserts may be machined for matching a particular workpiece shape such as round stock, hex stock, square stock, or custom configurations. A boring ring is installed between the top jaws and rotated so that the inserts may be symmetrically machined. Alternatively, a polygonal insert blank having congruent sections which are joined with keys along their outer sides may be loaded in the lathe chuck and machined for a particular workpiece. A pad adapter base for supporting a hardened collet pad is also disclosed.

A lathe power chuck typically has a body with three slots which are offset by 120 degrees from one another. Each slot contains a master jaw which moves radially inward and outward in unison with the others. A replaceable top jaw mounts to each master jaw for moving inward to grip a workpiece. The top jaws have malleable inserts mounted to them which engage the workpiece. Although inserts can be purchased, a machinist may wish to fabricate inserts using a lathe. While this method is feasible, a more convenient means is needed.


Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a therapeutic furniture apparatus. The therapeutic furniture apparatus includes a non-magnetic base. The non-magnetic base has a vertical portion that extends vertically from the base, and a horizontal portion that extends from the vertical portion at a first location over the non-magnetic base. A non-magnetic ring attachment structure is coupled to the horizontal portion of the non-magnetic support structure at a second location disposed directly over the non-magnetic base. The non-magnetic ring attachment structure extends from the horizontal portion toward the non-magnetic base. A plurality of non-magnetic ring structures are coupled to the non-magnetic ring attachment structure and disposed between the horizontal portion of the non-magnetic support structure and the non-magnetic base. A plurality of permanent magnets are disposed at regular intervals on each of the plurality of non-magnetic ring structures.

Magnetic therapy is an alternative medical practice that uses magnets to alleviate pain and other health concerns. The magnets produce magnetic fields. By placing a user (e.g., a human) within the magnetic fields, magnetic forces are exerted on the user. The magnetic forces exerted on the user may provide relief to the user's ailment (e.g., muscle relaxation, joint pain relief, mental relaxation, etc.). Some examples of magnetic therapy devices are bracelets having one or more magnets, rings having one or more magnets, or the like.


A portable extended life metrology system is disclosed. The system is of the kind which includes means for generating an interference fringe pattern as a function of a parameter to be measured, transducer apparatus for simultaneously generating three intensity-modulated optical signals, I.sub.R, I.sub.S and I.sub.T that are related to the interference fringe pattern; signal processing apparatus for accurately determining an aspect of the interference fringe pattern form the three signals; means for accumulating phase information proportional to the aspect of the interference fringe pattern; and means for converting the accumulated phase and aspect information to desired outputs indicative of the parameter to be measured. The system includes a pulsed drive circuit designed to minimize its power drain without affecting its measurement accuracy and an energy source connected by the pulsed drive circuit to a radiation source to power the same in two operative states: a low, standby mode and a higher operational mode, with incremental and self-adaptive switching therebetween. The pulsed drive circuit controls the energy per pulse, the pulse repetition rate, and returns residual energy to the energy source of the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to metrology and more particularly, to interferometric measurement technology embodied in a portable extended life metrology system.
2. The Prior Art
Interferometric measurement technology is useful in a number of fields. For example, interferometric measurement technology is used in the precise measurement of the linear displacement of material components, such as in the manufacture of machined metal parts, optically finished components and semiconductor integrated circuits. In making such displacement measurements, two techniques are currently in wide use: laser interferometry, in which the displacement of a mirror (attached to the part whose displacement is to be measured) is measured with a precision on the order of 1/16-wavelength (about 1.5 microinches); and linear encoders, in which a scale is attached to the moving part, and its position is read out with a precision of the order of 1/8scale division (or about 126 microinches for a 1000 line/inch scale). The ultimate precision of this technique is on the order of 50 to 100 microinches. Laser interferometry is very accurate and precise but requires a stabilized laser, elaborate optical components, and considerable expertise in its application. Linear encoders are robust and simple to use, but are limited in their precision by (a) difficulty in interpolating to better than 1/8-scale division, and (b) difficulty in manufacturing and reading out very fine scales (e.g. more than 2000 lines/inch).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,190 that issued to Geert J. Wyntjes et al. on Mar. 24, 1992, a metrology system is disclosed that includes means for generating an interference fringe pattern as a function of a parameter to be measured, transducer apparatus for simultaneously generating three intensity-modulated optical signals, I.sub.R, I.sub.S and I.sub.T, that are related to the interference fringe pattern; signal processing apparatus for accurately determining an aspect of the interference fringe pattern from the three signals; means for accumulating phase information proportional to the aspect of the interference fringe pattern; and means for converting the accumulated phase and aspect information to desired outputs indicative of the parameter to be measured. The disclosure of said U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,190 is incorporated herein by reference.
As stated therein, transducer generated optical intensity signals, I.sub.R, I.sub.S and I.sub.T, which under ideal circumstances differ only in their phases .PHI., are expressed by the following relationships: EQU I.sub.R =I.sub.1 +I.sub.2 cos (.PHI.-2.pi./3), (1) EQU I.sub.S =I.sub.1 +I.sub.2 cos (.PHI.), and EQU I.sub.T =I.sub.1 +I.sub.2 cos (.PHI.+2.pi./3),
from which the instantaneous value of the parameter of interest (such as the displacement of a scale relative to the transducer apparatus can be uniquely determined. The specific relationship between scale position, x, and phase, .PHI., (the phase angle .PHI. carrying the basic interferometric measurement information, which in a typical case is lateral displacement, x) being given by: EQU .PHI.=.PHI..sub.0 +2.pi.x/d radians, (2)
where d is the separation between adjacent rulings on the scale, and .PHI..sub.0 is a constant. In terms of R, S, and T (the electrical signals corresponding to the optical intensity signals I.sub.R, I.sub.S, and I.sub.T, respectively), ratios A, B, and C are defined by: EQU A=(R-S)/(T-S) (3)
B=(S-T)/(R-T), and EQU C=(T-R)/(S-R).
Concerning these ratios, two factors are immediately obvious: (a) the ratios are independent of the DC light level, I.sub.1 (since both numerators and denominators are differences between pairs of signals), and (2) they are independent of the AC- amplitude, I.sub.2. In fact, combining equations (1) and (2), we find that the ratios are simple functions of the phase .PHI. alone: ##EQU1##
Metrology systems are useful in numerous fields, including lateral and angular displacement applications, velocity measurements, surface profile and contour measurements, and in applications involving the measurement of electric or magnetic field strengths.
In the said U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,190 the source of power, a regulated 5 VDC, was obtained from and constantly being supplied by an AC/DC converter system plugged into a 120 VAC outlet.
In the several applications mentioned above, a portability feature for the metrology system becomes highly desirable. Such portable feature is possible by the use of a battery. Commercially available batteries to provide the required 5 VDC power supply for the metrology system disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,190 have proven to last for about 6 hours of continuous operation. Thereafter, either the battery must be replaced, recharged or, as a practical matter due to the delicate nature of the instrument embodying the metrology system, the instrument must be replaced with a new one.
A much more desirable alternative is to provide a portable extended life metrology system having an extended useful battery life, a system that is capable of useful life for about one year.

Portable extended life metrology system for measuring scale displacement with three output signals using a pulsed source


A gate alarm system includes a gate of a wire or cable between supports, a gate entry and a gate alarm comprising a gate alarm housing, a switch, a switch activating device, a spring or coiled wire for biasing the switch activating device, an alarm, and a power source for the alarm. The switch activating device is maintained under compression by the spring or coiled wire during the gate closed mode and contacts the switch and sets off the alarm in the gate open mode when this compression is relaxed. The gate entry can range from a handle, a clasp and a loop to a handle, a combination of a threaded rod and tube, a clasp and loop. This very simple alarm system warns of unauthorized entrance to parking lots of commercial establishments, driveways to private dwellings, and roads or cart paths to farms and ranches; and to alert personnel of open gates in enclosures around unsafe areas such as wells or in construction and demolition sites.

Elaborate alarm switches have been developed over the years, but they are much too complex and are not practical for numerous situations and environments. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,258,358 and 5,332,992 disclose and claim just two of numerous security alarm systems. Such systems are usually mounted on or within stationary doors or window frames of finished structures and require electrical leads from the switch to the alarm control box. U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,992 discloses and claims an alarm switch assembly for a door or window. Another category of alarm systems are those that detect forced entry at any section of fencing between vertical posts; see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,005,397; 4,829,287 and 5,438,316. None of these patents address the problem of entry through a gate.
There is a need for a non-complex system for signaling the unauthorized entry through a gate or other movable barrier that does not have a latch. A few examples of numerous situations where there is a need for such a non-complex system include a gate in a farm or ranch fence, a gate in commercial and residential fencing and a gate to protect personnel from hazardous areas, e.g. construction and demolition sites, mine shafts and the like.


This invention relates to a continuous process to prepare olefin impact copolymers comprising producing a semi-crystalline olefin polymer in a first reactor and then transferring the reactor contents to a second reactor where a low crystallinity olefin polymer is produced in the presence of the semi-crystalline polymer, where a fluorinated hydrocarbon is present in the polymerization medium of the first reactor, the second reactor or both reactors.

Propylene impact copolymers (ICP's) are commonly used in a variety of applications where strength and impact resistance are desired such as molded and extruded automobile parts, household appliances, luggage and furniture.
Propylene homopolymers alone are often unsuitable for such applications because they are too brittle and have low impact resistance particularly at low temperature, whereas propylene impact copolymers are specifically engineered for applications such as these.
Propylene impact copolymers are typically an intimate mixture of a continuous phase of crystalline propylene homopolymer and dispersed rubbery phase of ethylene-propylene copolymer. While these so-called impact polypropylene products can be produced by melt compounding the individual polymer components, multi-reactor technology makes it possible to directly produce these products. This is conveniently accomplished by polymerizing propylene in a first reactor and transferring the polypropylene homopolymer from the first reactor into a secondary reactor where propylene and ethylene are copolymerized in the presence of the homopolymer.
A large number of processes for preparing homopropylene, known in the art, are used as the first reactor to produce the impact copolymer. These processes include slurry loop reactors, slurry CSTR reactors and gas-phase reactors. In a loop reactor, the first reaction stage consists of one or two tubular loop reactors where bulk polymerization of homopolymers is carried out in liquid propylene. The prepolymerized catalyst, liquid propylene, hydrogen for controlling molecular weight are continuously fed into the reactor in which polymerization takes place at temperatures of 60-80° C. and pressures of up to 4 MPa, preferably 3.5 to 4 MPa. The homopolymer in liquid propylene inside the loops is continuously discharged to a separation unit. Unreacted propylene is recycled to the reaction medium. For impact copolymer production, the polymer produced in the first stage is transferred to one or two gas phase reactors where ethylene, propylene and hydrogen are added to produce impact copolymers. The granules are discharged to a flashing unit for product/monomer separation.
Polymers produced during bulk/slurry polymerizations using hydrocarbon solvents, in particular polymers of low crystallinity and/or low molecular weight, are soluble in the reaction medium. This can cause considerable problems in such bulk/slurry polymerization applications. This problem can be mitigated by operating the polymerization reactor under supercritical condition as disclosed in WO 92/12182. By nature the super critical fluid has lower polymer solving power, and nearly unlimited solubility of gaseous components. Simultaneously, the separation of the recycled reaction medium and recovered polymer is simplified, because of the energy available in the polymerization product. However, supercritical operation requires handling of high pressure equipment and is energy intensive.
Production of low crystallinity and/or low molecular weight polymers also causes in difficulty in the operation of conventional flash systems. Such flash systems are highly sensitive to high soluble polymer fractions. Any non-evaporated liquid in the separation tank risks blocking the device. This is particularly true for cyclone type of devices operated at high pressures.
Propylene polymerizations in a gas-phase process was described in the article by Ross, et al. al., "An Inproved Gas-Phase Polypropylene Process." Ind. Eng. Chem. Prod. Res. Dev. 1985, 24, pp. 149-154. The polymerization system consists of a fluidized bed reactor, single-stage centrifugal recycle gas compressor, recycle gas condenser, catalyst feeder and product removal system. This compressor circulates reaction gas upward through the bed, providing the agitation required for fluidization, backmixing and heat removal. No mechanical stirrers or agitators are needed in Unipol process reactors. For production of impact copolymers in the gas-phase a smaller replica of the first reaction system is operated in series. The granular resin is conveyed from the polymerization system to a bin for purging with nitrogen to remove residual hydrocarbons and then to pelletizing. One of the advantages of gas phase processes is the possibility to produce high comonomer content products. High monomer content polymer inherently has low melting or softening temperature. Under such conditions in either a fluidized or stirred gas-solid phase reactor, stickiness of the olefin polymer particles or granules becomes a problem. Ethylene copolymers using propylene, butene-1, and higher alpha comonomers are prone to stickiness problems when their crystallinity is below 30% or densities less than about 910 kg/m3. The stickiness problem becomes even more critical with copolymers of ethylene and propylene having a crystalline content less than 10%. Only limited amount of the low crystallinity copolymer can be produced in the gas-phase reactor due to the sticky nature of low crystallinity copolymer. Presence of the low crystallinity copolymer also limits the polymerization temperature to a relatively low level. Low process temperatures are generally undesired due to reduced conversion efficiency and consequent increased costs of operation. The utilization of a conventional Ziegler-Natta or vanadium based catalyst compositions in such polymerizations also leads to product that is lacking in a desired level of homogeneity and randomness as to comonomer incorporation. Improved homogeneity and random comonomer incorporation is generally desired due to improved product physical properties.
Impact copolymers are typically produced in a sequential process with a combination of at least one slurry reactor and at least one gas-phase reactor. The combined processes posses all the advantages and drawbacks associated with the slurry and gas-phase processes discussed above. While these combined sequential processes are useful, it would be desirable to have an improved process for the production of impact copolymers.
To address these issues, the present invention provides a process to produce impact copolymers using fluorinated hydrocarbons in the polymerization medium of the first and/or second reactors. Such a process may reduce the drawbacks of known two step processes for forming impact copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,143 discloses a process to produce a boiling-xylene soluble polymer in a slurry using certain fluorinated organic carbon compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,251 discloses a gas phase process using a Ziegler-Natta catalyst system modified with a halogenated hydrocarbon, such as chloroform.
EP 0 459 320 A2 discloses polymerization in polar aprotic solvents, such as halogenated hydrocarbons.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,565 discloses dispersion polymerizations of polar monomers under super-atmospheric conditions such that the fluid is a liquid or supercritical fluid, the fluid being carbon dioxide, a hydrofluorocarbon, a perfluorocarbon or a mixture thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,878 discloses the polymerization using "constrained geometry metal complexes" of titanium and zirconium.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,534,698, U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,809 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,548,415 disclose preparation of butyl rubber type elastomers in fluorinated solvents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,613 discloses use of hydrofluorocarbons as catalyst modifiers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,724 disclose the polymerization of vinyl aromatic monomers in suspension polymerization using fluorinated aliphatic organic compounds.
WO 02/34794 discloses free radical polymerizations in certain hydrofluorocarbons.
WO 02/04120 discloses a fluorous bi-phasic systems.
WO 02/059161 discloses polymerization of isobutylene using fluorinated co-initiators.
EP 1 323 746 shows loading of biscyclopentadienyl catalyst onto a silica support in perfluorooctane and thereafter the prepolymerization of ethylene at room temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,771 discloses polymerization of ethylene using TiCl4/(Et)3Al in a mixture of heptane and perfluoromethylcyclohexane, presumably at room temperature.
Additional references of interest include:
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A pipe sealing apparatus insertable inside a pipe and inflatable therein to prevent fluid flow through the pipe includes an elongated inflatable sleeve of elastomeric material and an elongated outer sleeve substantially surrounding the inflatable sleeve. The inflatable sleeve is shiftable with respect to the outer sleeve during inflation of the inflatable sleeves. An intermediate sleeve, shiftable with respect to each of the inflatable sleeve and outer sleeve, may be provided between the inflatable sleeve and the outer sleeve. The ends of the inflatable, intermediate, and outer sleeves may be folded and clampingly sealed to each other to provide a fluid-tight seal at opposite ends of the sealing apparatus. A flexible cylindrical member may extend through the inflatable sleeve between the opposite ends thereof, an inflatable space being defined between the cylindrical member and the inflatable sleeve.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for sealing a pipeline section to prevent fluid flow through the pipeline and, alternatively, to clear obstructions in the pipeline. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pipe sealing apparatus that is insertable in pipelines of varying diameters and inflatable therein to seal a pipeline section. Such a pipe sealing apparatus is commonly referred to as an inflatable plug.
Inflatable plugs provide a quick and ready means to mitigate the uncontrolled release of fluids from a pipeline when a break occurs in the pipeline. One or more inflatable plugs may be used to isolate the break from the rest of the pipeline or isolate fluids held in the pipeline from the area of the break. Inflatable plugs are particularly helpful in the handling of liquid waste emergencies. For example, in the event of a liquid waste spill, inflatable plugs may be situated at the various surface entry points of a sewer system to prevent the liquid waste from escaping a designated containment area.
Inflatable plugs are also used to isolate sections of a pipeline when performing routine repair or maintenance on the pipeline. When replacing a valve, for example, a plug may be inserted into the pipeline upstream of the valve to thereby isolate the valve from the pipeline system and to allow for removal of the old valve. Inflatable plugs may also be used with existing pipeline valves to safely isolate an area where hot work is to be performed.
One type of inflatable plug is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,222, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The inflatable plug described there includes an inflatable bag of flexible sheet material that is constructed to form an elongated cylinder. The ends of the inflatable plug are wrapped around rigid end supports and then metal collars are placed over the ends of the inflatable plug. The metal collars are swaged or clamped down to form a fluid tight seal between the end supports and the collars. One of the rigid end supports includes an open pipe connectable to a pressurized air or water supply. The plug is inserted into the pipeline in the deflated state and maneuvered into the desired section of the pipeline. Pressurized air or water is then delivered through the open pipe to fill the inflatable bag. The inflatable bag expands to fill the pipeline section and frictionally engages the inside wall of the pipeline section, thereby sealing or plugging the pipeline.
Another type of inflatable plug may be used to clear a blockage inside a pipeline as well as to seal the pipeline. Such an inflatable plug is commonly referred to as a flow-through type inflatable plug. An example of a flow-through inflatable plug is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,842, which is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The inflatable plug shown there includes an elongated cylinder with a central, longitudinal bore and an expandable covering surrounding the central cylinder. The expandable covering is comprised of an elastomeric material which is wrapped around the cylinder. At one end of the inflatable plug, a first fluid inlet is provided for delivering pressurized air or water between the outer surface of the cylinder and the inner surface of the covering and a second fluid inlet is provided for delivering pressurized fluid to the cylinder bore. When the plug is inserted in a pipeline adjacent a pipe blockage, the first fluid inlet is used to inflate and expand the space between the covering and the cylinder, such that the outer surface of the plug sealingly engages the inside surface of the pipeline section. Then, pressurized fluid is delivered through the second fluid inlet and into the cylinder bore. This pressurized fluid is discharged at the opposite end of the cylinder bore in the direction of the pipe blockage, thereby clearing the blockage from the pipe.

Inflatable apparatus for sealing a pipeline


A multi-polar rotary machine comprises a cylindrical outer rotor arranged concentrically with the stator and with an air gap therebetween. The stator has two spaced stator elements and a ring shaped permanent magnet held between the stator elements and magnetized so as to form N and S poles in the axial direction of the stator. Small axially separated stator teeth A and Ā and B and B are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spaced stator elements. Stator windings for A phase and B phase are wound around the respective stator elements. The small stator teeth A, Ā, B and B are circumferentially shifted from corresponding small rotor teeth by a ¼ pitch of the small stator teeth, respectively. Each of the stator and rotor is formed of pressed powder comprising a soft magnetic material at least one of a resin and an inorganic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-polar rotary machine, and more particularly, to a typical hybrid type stepping motor capable of increasing an output and reducing cogging torque for use in an office automation (OA) apparatus or a fully automatic (FA) equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variable• reluctance (VR) type stepping motor having a rotor using no permanent magnet, a permanent magnet (PM) type stepping motor having a rotor composed of a permanent magnet, and a hybrid (HB) type stepping motor formed by mixing the variable• reluctance type stepping motor and the permanent magnet type stepping motor have been proposed. The permanent magnet type stepping motor and the hybrid type stepping motor are capable of reducing in size and accordingly are used in a relatively small industrial machine. Especially, the hybrid type stepping motor is high in precision and torque and is small in step angle, and accordingly such motor is used widely. However, it is required for the motor to reduce in size and to increase in torque further.
In order to increase a torque, it is effective to increase magnetic flux interlinkaging a winding and a turn number of the winding. A stepping motor capable of increasing the magnetic flux interlinkaging the winding without reducing the resolution or the rotor tooth number is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 12856/81.
FIG. 26 is a vertically sectioned front view of a hybrid type motor having an outer rotor disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 12856/81. In FIG. 26, a reference numeral 1 denotes a stationary shaft, 2 denotes a front cover, 2′ denotes a rear cover, and 3 denotes a ring shaped magnet magnetized so as to form N and S poles in the axial direction thereof, the magnet 3 being fixed to the stationary shaft 1 passing through a center portion of the magnet 3. Reference numerals 4, 5 denote cylindrical stator elements forming a stator 6 fixed to the shaft 1 corresponding to A phase and B phase, respectively. The stator element 4 has on an outer peripheral surface thereof a plurality of small stator teeth A and Ā separated from each other in the axial direction thereof, the small stator teeth Ā being brought into contact with one side surface of the magnet 3. The stator element 5 has on an outer peripheral surface thereof a plurality of small stator teeth B and B separated from each other in the axial direction thereof, the small stator teeth B being brought into contact with the other side surface of the magnet 3.
A reference numeral 8 denotes an annular groove formed on a peripheral surface at a central portion of the stator element 4, 9 denotes an annular groove formed on a peripheral surface at a central portion of the stator element 5, 12 denotes an exciting winding arranged in the annular groove 8, and 13 denotes an exciting winding arranged in the annular groove 9.
A reference numeral 10 denotes a cylindrical rotor supported rotatably by the shaft 1 through bearings 11 and 11 and covers 2 and 2′. An inner peripheral surface of the rotor 10 faces to an outer peripheral surface of the stator 6 with an air gap therebetween, and has a plurality of small rotor teeth similar in number to the small stator teeth of the stator element 4 or 5.
As shown in FIG. 26A and FIG. 26B, the small stator teeth Ā is circumferentially shifted from the small stator teeth A by 0.5 pitch of the small stator teeth. As shown in FIG. 26C and FIG. 26D, the small stator teeth B is circumferentially shifted from the small stator teeth A by 0.25 pitch of the small stator teeth, and the small stator teeth B is circumferentially shifted from the small stator teeth A by 0.75 pitch of the small stator teeth.
In the above case, the small stator teeth A, B, Ā, and B are circumferentially shifted by 0.25 pitch of the small stator teeth, respectively. In the other case, the small stator teeth are not circumferentially shifted, but the small rotor teeth corresponding to the small stator teeth are circumferentially shifted by 0.25 pitch of the small rotor teeth.
A current flow of the magnetic flux will now be explained. As shown in FIG. 28, a magnetic flux issued from the magnet 3 is entered into the stator element 4, and divided into a magnetic flux φA passing through the small stator teeth A and a magnetic flux φĀ passing though the small stator teeth Ā. The magnetic fluxes φA and φĀ are entered into the rotor 10, directed rightward, and divided into a magnetic flux φB passing through the small stator teeth B and a magnetic flux φ B passing through the small stator teeth B. The magnetic fluxes φB and φ B are directed leftward, and returned to the magnet 3.
The magnetic fluxes φA, φĀ, φB and φ B can be expressed by Formulas 1 to 4, respectively.φA=ΦA(1+k cos θ)  (1)φĀ=ΦĀ(1−k′ cos θ)  (2)φB=ΦB(1+k sin θ)  (3)Φ B=Φ B(1−k′ sin θ)  (4)
Here, θ denotes an electrical angle of the rotation of rotor 10, ΦA, ΦĀ, ΦB and Φ B are mean values of variable magnetic fluxes φA, φĀ, φB and φ B, respectively, and k and k′ are rate of variation. As shown in FIG. 26, the A phase and the B phase are bisymmetric with respect to the magnet except the phase relation, so that ΦA=ΦB, ΦĀ=Φ B and k=k′. Here, it is assumed that the magnetic flux is varied as a sine wave by omtting the harmonic components thereof for the sake of simplicity.
As shown in the Formulas 1 to 4, the magnetic fluxes φA, φB, φĀ and φ B are deviated, respectively, in phase by electrical angle of 90° in this order.
The generated torque is analyzed as follows.
As shown in FIG. 28, effective main magnetic fluxes interlinkaging the windings 12 and 13 for exciting the A phase and the B phase, respectively, are the magnetic fluxes φA and φB, respectively. In case that the rotor 10 is rotated at an electrical angular velocity of ω, counter electromotive forces eA and eB can be expressed by Formulas 5 and 6. Here, n denotes a number of winding of each phase.
                              e          A                =                                            -              n                                                                  ⅆ                                  ϕ                  A                                                            ⅆ                t                                              =                      n                                                                          Φ                                                                          k                                                                          ω                                                                          sin                                                                          θ                                              (        5        )                                          e          B                =                                            -              n                                                                  ⅆ                                  ϕ                  B                                                            ⅆ                t                                              =                      n                                                                          Φ                                                                          k                                                                          ω                                                                          cos                                                                          θ                                              (        6        )
A torque TA and a torque TB can be expressed by Formulas 7 and 8.TA=eAi/ωM=niΦkp sin θ  (7)TB=eBi/ωM=niΦkp cos θ  (8)
Here, ωM denotes a mechanical angular velocity and is ω/p, and p denotes a pole pair number, that is, a number of the small stator teeth or small rotor teeth.
It is appreciated that a mean magnetic flux Φ interlinkaging the winding and a rate of variation k must be increased in order to increase the torque if the number of windings and the number of the small teeth are constant.
In general, each of the rotor and the stator of the motor is formed by laminating a plurality of silicon steel plates, and each silicon steel plate is coated with an anti-corrosion film, so that a gap is formed between laminated silicon steel plates unavoidably. In the conventional motor, many paths of magnetic flux are formed in the axial direction of the motor, and the permeance of iron core is reduced by the gap between the laminated plates, so that the magnetic flux interlinkaging the winding is reduced. Especially, in the motor as shown in FIG. 28, effective main fluxes are only φA and φB and the magnetic fluxes φĀ and φ B are all reactive components. The magnetic flux has a tendency to pass through a magnetic path of smaller magnetic reluctance, so that almost all magnetic fluxes issued from the magnet become φĀ and φ B and the magnetic fluxes φA and φB become very small, and the torque shown in Formulas 5 and 6 is reduced, but the cogging torque is increased, in case of the motor using laminated steel plates.
FIG. 29 shows a waveform of counter electromotive force p of one phase of the conventional motor when it is rotated at 500 revolutions per minute. In this case, the magnitude of the induced voltage is 10V. In this motor, the induced voltage is decreased and the efficiency is lowered compared with the normal motor of similar dimension.
FIG. 30 shows a waveform of cogging torque r of the conventional motor. The magnitude of the cogging torque r is about 0.5 Nm and increased compared with the normal motor of similar dimension, thereby causing a large vibration in the motor when it is rotated.

Motor having shifted teeth of pressed powder construction