Provided herein is a hybrid system for generating oxygen on-board an aircraft for passengers and/or flight crew to breath. The system includes a first chemical oxygen generator component configured to promptly supply oxygen suitable for breathing upon an emergency situation arising and during an initial descent mode. Heat produced from the exothermic decomposition reactions inherent in several types of chemical oxygen generators can be harvested and feed to a second oxygen generator. The second oxygen generator is a solid electrolyte oxygen separation system that catalytically separates oxygen from air inside specialized ceramic materials at high temperatures, about 650° C. to 750° C., using electrical voltage. The ability to feed heat from the first oxygen generator to the second oxygen generator substantially reduces the lag time until the second ceramic oxygen generator is available to take over as the oxygen supply.

This invention generally relates to a system and method for providing regulated flow of oxygen, including for flight crew or passengers on-board an aircraft. The invention more particularly relates to a system and method for ensuring that oxygen gas suitable for breathing is promptly and intermittently available to flight crew or passengers on-board an aircraft including during an aircraft's descent. Components of the system include oxygen generators and a heat exchanger interface for transferring heat from the exothermic decomposition reactions of a first oxygen generator to a second heat-dependent oxygen generator.
Conventional systems and methods for supplying oxygen to aircraft passengers typically rely upon gaseous oxygen that is either chemically generated in a passenger service unit (PSU) located above a passenger seat, or dispensed from pressurized gaseous cylinders, typically either through a centralized distribution network on the aircraft or from a plurality of separate individualized gaseous cylinders.
When the emergency oxygen is to be supplied to a face mask, a constant flow of oxygen is typically received by a reservoir bag attached to the face mask. The oxygen is commonly supplied continuously at a rate that is calculated to accommodate even the needs of a passenger with a significantly larger than average tidal volume who is breathing at a faster than average respiration rate. The continuing flow of oxygen into the reservoir bag and into the mask is typically diluted by cabin air.
Chemically generated oxygen systems are provided as single use devices that once activated can only be used once and must be replaced for future use. Chemically generated oxygen systems are generally suitable for shorter duration flights, under 22 minutes. However, the terrain of the flight path is also a determining factor in the suitability of chemically generated oxygen systems to meet oxygen demands. For longer duration flights and flights subject to variable or challenging terrain, gaseous oxygen can be stored in cylinders. Oxygen from pressurized cylinders of gas may be distributed from one or more sources within a distribution network of an aircraft, or individual cylinders may be provided for each passenger or crew member. In either case, given the limited space of an aircraft, oxygen from the cylinders is typically not far from components of the aircraft's illumination system increasing the hazard potential. For example, individual cylinders or outlets of a distribution network above the seats are near the lights. The extensive plumbing required throughout the aircraft to incorporate these pressurized oxygen cylinders as part of the on-board oxygen supply system for oxygen distribution to passengers must be periodically leak checked, which increases maintenance costs. Pressurized oxygen cylinders also have to be sufficiently strong so as to prevent burst hazards, which leads to increased weight, and consequently increased fuel consumption and fuel cost.
Enhancing the efficiency of such aircraft emergency oxygen supply systems either in terms of the generation, storage, distribution or consumption of oxygen could therefore yield a weight savings. Conversely, an enhancement of an aircraft emergency oxygen supply system's efficiency without a commensurate downsizing would impart a larger margin of safety in the system's operation. It is therefore highly desirable to enhance the efficiency of an emergency or supplemental oxygen supply system in any way possible.
The delivered supplemental oxygen flow rate needed to properly oxygenate an aircraft cabin occupant depends on the prevailing atmospheric pressure at a given altitude. The quantity and rate of flow of oxygen delivered to a user can advantageously be varied as a function of altitude, to provide proper oxygenation, while avoiding an inefficient and wasteful delivery of a greater quantity of oxygen than is required.
A molecular sieve oxygen generating system (MSOG) is also known that generates a supply of oxygen or an oxygen enriched gas and a residual gas from a supply gas. Such molecular sieve oxygen generator type of on-board oxygen generator devices rely on pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology to produce an oxygen enriched gas comprising up to 95% oxygen with a residual gas stream that can contain greater than about 9% oxygen. However, this system has limited applicability for meeting aircraft passenger demands for oxygen in the initial stages of operation, which may be required immediately at high altitudes. Further, this system does not minimize consumption of oxygen or conserve oxygen.
Pressure swing adsorption technology, incorporated in molecular sieve oxygen generating systems, is based on the principle that gases under pressure are generally attracted to solid surfaces upon which the gases are adsorbed. Higher pressure results in greater gas adsorption. When the pressure is reduced or swings from high to low, gas is released or desorbed. Gaseous mixtures may be separated through pressure swing adsorption because different gases tend to be adsorbed or attracted to different solid materials to varying degrees.
Accordingly, when the pressure is reduced gases that are less strongly attracted to the solid materials will be desorbed first to form an outlet stream. After the bed of solid material to which gases are adsorbed reaches its capacity to adsorb, pressure is further reduced to release more strongly attracted gases. As applied to an on-board oxygen generator (OBOG), engine bleed air is typically fed into the pressure swing adsorption device, the nitrogen component of air is adsorbed to a bed of solid material more strongly than the oxygen component of air, and a gaseous outlet stream enriched with oxygen is produced.
Adsorbents for pressure swing adsorption systems must have the ability to discriminate between two or more gases demonstrating selective adsorption. Suitable adsorbent materials for pressure swing adsorption systems are usually very porous materials selected for their large surface areas, for example activated carbon, silica gel, alumina and zeolites. The gas adsorbed on these surfaces may consist of a layer that is only one or at most a few molecules thick. Adsorbent materials having surface areas of several hundred square meters per gram enable the adsorption of a significant portion of the adsorbent's weight in gas. The molecular sieve characteristics of zeolites and some types of activated carbon called carbon molecular sieves serve to exclude some gas molecules based on size, in addition to the differential adsorption selectivity for different gases.
Another system is known that utilizes molecular sieve bed and/or permeable membrane technology, to produce first, oxygen for use for breathing by an aircrew, and second, nitrogen for use as an inert environment in the fuel tanks of an aircraft. However such systems still require the provision of compressors for both the oxygen, in order that the oxygen can be delivered at an appropriate pressure for breathing, and for the nitrogen. Also, the concentration of oxygen which can be produced is restricted by virtue of the nature of the conventional on-board oxygen generator device technology which is used. Due to the high temperature requirement there is a time lag before full oxygen capacity can be utilized.
Another type of on-board oxygen generator is a ceramic oxygen generator (COG), which utilizes solid electrolyte oxygen separation (SEOS) technology in which oxygen is catalytically separated from air inside specialized ceramic materials at high temperatures, about 650° C. to 750° C., typically using electrical voltage to supply the heat required. While this process can produce substantially pure oxygen gas product at pressure suitable for breathing at any altitude, including higher altitudes over 30,000 feet, the oxygen is not promptly available upon powering on of the device because the device has to reach the required operating temperature first.
While ceramic oxygen generator devices typically are superior to molecular sieve oxygen generator devices based on an ability to provide purer or more highly concentrated oxygen-enriched gas at pressures suitable for breathing, oxygen from ceramic oxygen generator devices is also not promptly available due to the high temperature requirement necessary for oxygen generation from such devices.
When an emergency situation arises on-board an aircraft, oxygen that is promptly available at a concentration, temperature, and pressure suitable for breathing is needed. At high altitudes, greater than 30,000 feet, 99% purity or higher oxygen gas is required. At lower altitudes, equal to or less than 30,000 feet, oxygen gas that is 90-95% oxygen may be suitable. An emergency situation may include sudden cabin decompression, sudden descent, and the like.
It would be desirable to provide a system that utilizes the advantages of ceramic oxygen generator devices incorporating solid electrolyte oxygen separation technology without sacrificing availability of breathable oxygen gas in the short-term during descent or upon an emergency situation arising by integrating ceramic oxygen generator devices with other sources that provide oxygen in the short-term. Ideally, such a system would also conserve oxygen and maximize efficiency of oxygen usage.
It would further be desirable to conserve oxygen that is available or generated by providing oxygen to the masks of passengers or crew intermittently, utilizing a feedback mechanism such that oxygen is provided as needed with a margin allowed for safety.
Finally, it would be highly desirable to reduce the wait time required for the supply of oxygen from ceramic oxygen generator systems incorporating solid electrolyte oxygen separation technology by heating the ceramic membranes upon which these systems rely more rapidly. The present invention meets these and other needs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hybrid on-board generation of oxygen for aircraft passengers


In a receiver (10) of a code division multiple access system, a method of processing a received signal including reading a first and second data item from a first memory (50), at least one of the first and second data items associated with Walsh data; performing a first arithmetic operation on the first and second data items to produce a first result; performing a second arithmetic operation on the first and second data items to produce a second result; and storing the first and second result into a second memory (52) while reading a third and fourth data item from the first memory (50).

Within a receiver of a wireless communication system, such as a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, many complex processing tasks are performed. An example of such a processing task is a fast hadamard transform (FHT), which may be performed by an integrated circuit or a digital signal processor. Due to power dissipation considerations and a limited number of available clock cycles, it is desirable to improve the performance of any FHT implementation by increasing the processing speed and reducing the amount of power consumed. In addition, in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a premium is placed on the number of gates used. Thus, it is desirable to reduce the number of gates used by an integrated circuit device performing the FHT function.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for FHT processing with increased speed, reduced power, and a reduced number of gates.

Fast hadamard transform within a code division, multiple access communication system


A method of tracking an entity by monitoring a signal, the signal tending to vary spatially and be generally time-invariant, the entity moving from a first location within an area to a second location within the area, the method being suitable for use when the location of the source of the signal is unknown, the method comprising providing a plurality of particles for use with a particle filter, each particle being associated with a first particle location, a first particle location being an estimate of the first location of the entity, providing an estimate of the motion of the entity between the first location and the second location, using the estimate of the motion and using the particle filter, for each particle, updating the first particle location for that particle thereby producing an updated particle location, the updated particle location being an estimate of the second location of the entity, for each updated particle, estimating at least one expected signal parameter at the updated particle location, measuring a signal parameter at the second location of the entity, assigning a weight to each updated particle depending on the expected signal parameter estimated for that particle and the measured signal parameter, estimating the second location of the entity by determining a function of the weighted updated particles, and inputting the estimated location and measured signal parameter, as a location/parameter data set, to a database.

An entity may be tracked, i.e. its position at a certain point in time may be estimated or determined, based on an entity's measurement of a given signal metric at locations that the entity visits.
In open outdoor environments, tracking is typically performed by measuring timing or carrier phase measurements. A position of the entity may then be estimated using simple propagation models and databases of transmitter sources.
However, in complex environments, such as indoors or other cluttered regions, these simple propagation calculations tend to fail. Conventional radio positioning methods tend to rely on a radio signal environment being smooth and easily modelled with simple mathematics. In cluttered and indoor regions, signal variations tend to be too complex for traditional radio positioning methods to function satisfactorily.
In a separate field to radio positioning methods, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a process by which one or more entities (typically robots or autonomous vehicles) can build a map of an unknown area and, at the same time, determine their current location within that map.
Distributed Particle Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (DP-SLAM), such as that described in "DP-SLAM: Fast, robust simultaneous localization and mapping without predetermined landmarks", A. Eliazar, R. Parr, International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence 2003, provides simultaneous localization and mapping without landmarks.


The present invention provides an air-foil bearing including a damper body, a front welding plate, and a front top foil for increasing durability, and which has a first bending mode. The damper body includes a front body portion, a rear body portion, and a front protruded portion protruded upward from the front body portion to have a flat protruded surface, and the front welding plate includes a front first contact portion in surface contact with a top surface of the front protruded portion and a front second contact portion which is a portion that is bent from the front first contact portion in surface contact with the front welding plate.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-foil bearing. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air-foil bearing which enables a simple configuration thereof, and enhances axis direction supporting capability and durability and mounting to a small rotating body such as a compressor or a turbine, to which mounting of a bearing is impossible or difficult.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, a machine having a rotating shaft provided thereto, such as a generator and a turbine, is provided with a thrust bearing for reducing axial direction vibration, together with a radial bearing for reducing radial direction vibration.
Particularly, in a case of the rotating body which rotates at a fast speed, along with the vibration reducing effect, the thrust bearing is required to be able to be used at a high temperature, and to have high durability for preventing the bearing from being damaged by an axis direction load.
Due to such conditions, in general, a fluid bearing or a bearing of a mode in which a fluid that serves as a lubricant is supplied to the bearing has been widely used as the thrust bearing.
However, in a case of a small machine such as a micro-gas turbine, although the small machine is required to rotate at a high speed for obtaining a desired output, the small machine is not suitable for connecting to a lubricant supplier thereto due to problems such as a volume thereof.
The fast rotating body is required to have a damping effect on the vibration generated due to the fast rotation, to be able to be used at a high temperature, and to have durability for preventing a bearing from being damaged by the axial direction load, thereby leading to demand for a non-contact oilless thrust bearing, which is becoming higher day by day.
The demand has led to suggestions regarding different non-contact oilless thrust bearing technologies, such as an air-foil bearing and an electro-magnetic bearing as typical examples.
As for the air-foil bearing, Korea Patent Registration No. 1204194 discloses "GAS-FOIL THRUST BEARING AND CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR HAVING THE SAME", and as for the electro-magnetic bearing, U.S. Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-0039740 discloses "MAGNETIC BEARING".
However, since the non-contact oilless thrust bearing has a complicated configuration to cause difficulty in manufacturing, particularly in manufacturing small-sized bearings with a diameter below 300 mm, and to have difficulty in improving manufacturing process accuracy, the non-contact oilless thrust bearing has problems in that productivity is poor and the bearing is expensive.
Particularly, a high axial direction thrust is liable to cause deformation of the air-foil thrust bearing to cause a problem of reducing a function of the bearing.
In the meantime, since the thrust bearing has an axial supporting direction, which is different from the radial direction of the radial bearing, the thrust bearing and the radial bearing are configured to have separate systems.
Since it is required to assemble two kinds of bearings after separately manufacturing them, while requiring a separate back plate for attaching the thrust bearing, which makes the manufacturing process complicated, steps for meeting assembly accuracy are required at the time of assembly.
Moreover, the air-foil bearing to be applied to the thrust bearing has a problem of having a very low axial direction load limitation.
Along with this, a process is required for manufacturing a complicated bump shape, and welding the thrust foil and the bump to a bearing housing.
That is, since the thrust bearing and the radial bearing have separate systems, a problem is caused in which the volume of a bearing portion is inevitably increased.
Particularly, there has been a problem in that, since the volume is increased when the radial bearing and the thrust bearing are applied, the small-sized rotating body having a compressor or turbine impeller must have the thrust bearing mounted to a back plate portion of the turbine or impeller for increasing a first bending mode.
Moreover, since the two kinds of bearings are required to be fabricated individually, a problem is caused in which the fabrication and assembly are complicated.
Along with this, mounting or assembly of an integrated bearing to the small rotating body, such as the compressor or the turbine, is impossible or difficult.
In order to solve above problems, U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,793 discloses "Thrust Bearing Assembly" which suggests a bearing assembly.
However, since the invention is limited to the thrust bearing which is not included to the non-contact oilless thrust bearing, the invention has a problem in that bearing durability for the axial direction load cannot be assured at the time of fast speed rotation.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY & MATERIALS


Apparatus (10) is provided, including an elongate carrier (24), configured to be advanced through an esophagus (20) of a subject. An anchor member (30) is coupled to a distal end of the carrier, and configured to be mounted in a stomach (32) of the subject in a vicinity of a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) (34) of the subject. An imaging capsule (26) is configured to move with respect to the carrier when the anchor member is in the vicinity of the LES. Other embodiments are also described.

Many imaging devices are known for producing medical images of body lumens, such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For example, endoscopy is widely used for observing, photographing tissue, and taking specimens from lesions and the like.
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0154355 to Gross et al., which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and is incorporated herein by reference, describes apparatus for use with a fluid pressure source. The apparatus includes an elongate carrier, adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening of a body lumen, and a distal piston head coupled to a distal portion of the carrier. The piston head is adapted to be in direct contact with a wall of the lumen when the carrier is inserted into the lumen, and to be advanced distally through the body lumen in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source.
The following references, which are incorporated herein by reference, may be of interest:
US Patent Application Publication 2004/0102681 to Gross
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0036059 to Goldwasser
US Patent Application Publications 2005/0038318 and 2005/0038319 to Goldwasser
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0038335 to Gross et al.
US Patent Application Publication 2005/0154278 to Cabiri et al.
PCT Publication WO 05/065044 to Cabiri et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,860 to Shan
U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,626 to Long et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,114 to Devanaboyina
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,732 to Grundfest et al.
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US Patent Application Publication 2002/0107478 to Wendlandt
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U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,131 to Lyddy, Jr. et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,413 to Ohshiro
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U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,005 to Ouchi et al.
US Patent Application Publication 2003/0083547 to Hamilton et al.
PCT Publication WO 04/069057 to Gobel
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U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,865 to Borody et al.


An aquaculture system (10) comprises one or more tanks (14) that are arranged to be disposed within a body of water such as a pond (12). A reticulation system (16) recirculates water from the pond (12) through the one or more tanks (14). Solid waste material including uneaten food is extracted from the tanks (14) and deposited at a location that is isolated from communication with the pond (16).

The standard method of growing fish in inland water bodies is in open ponds, either free range or in cages. Such ponds take advantage of the land resources particularly in rural areas, however, they may have disadvantages. Free-range fish grown in such ponds are difficult to observe, monitor and manage. For example, it is difficult to assess the feed intake of the fish, their health and growth rate. Harvesting fish from such a wide area is also difficult as either the pond needs to be drained (a process which may take many hours) or a large net dragged through the water. Predation by birds and water rats is also highly problematic. Arguably the greatest disadvantage is pollution of the water through nutrients from uneaten food and fish waste. The pollution typically limits the pond yields to 1-2 tonnes per hectare—particularly when water exchange rate through the pond is low.
Nutrients limit a pond's yield by encouraging blooms of microalgae. As nutrient input into the pond increases, so does the strength of the blooms. The bloom strips oxygen from the water at night time leading to many fish kills. If the bloom of microalgae gets too thick, the algae will die, sink to the bottom of the pond and again strip oxygen from the water. Solid waste excreted by the fish and uneaten food creates a sludge on the bottom of the pond that also depletes valuable oxygen. This sludge further complicates the net harvesting process because as the net is dragged through the pond it stirs up the sludge, further depleting oxygen and killing fish.
In an effort to overcome some of the disadvantages of open pond culture, people often contain fish within net cages. That overcomes the problems of harvesting, predation and fish management. Nevertheless yields are still limited by nutrient input into the pond and in the case of bloom induced oxygen depletion, fish are actually worse off in cages, as the fish are crowded together and oxygen starvation therefore occurs rapidly. The density of the fish in these cages is limited to approximately 10 kg/m3.


Locking projections (31) formed on resiliently deformable resilient arms (30) hold a lever (20) at an initial position by engaging locking recesses (18). Resilient escaping portions (19), on which the locking projections (31) slide in the process of rotating the lever (20) between an assembled position and the initial position, are resiliently deformable in directions away from the locking projections (31). Upon rotating the lever (20) from the assembled position to the initial position after the lever (20) is assembled with a first housing (10), both the resilient arms (30) and the resilient escaping portions (19) are resiliently deformed. Thus, as compared with the case where only the resilient arms (30) are resiliently deformed, degrees of resilient deformation of the resilient arms (30) are reduced, wherefore deformations of the locking projections (31) to be crushed can be suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lever-type connector and to a connector assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H08-162209 discloses a lever-type connector with first and second housings that can be connected with one another. The first housing is formed with a supporting shaft and a lever is formed with a bearing hole mounted rotatably on the supporting shaft. The lever is formed with a cam groove and the second housing is formed with a cam follower that can engage in the cam groove. The first and second housing are fit lightly together with the lever at an initial position so that the cam follower enters the cam groove. The lever then is rotated to a connected position.
A retaining projection is formed at the leading end of the supporting shaft and a cutout is formed in the inner circumference of the bearing hole. The retaining projection and the cutout are aligned to permit engagement of the supporting shaft and the bearing hole only when the lever is at an assembled position that is reached by rotating the lever from the initial position in a direction opposite to the rotational direction toward the connection position. The retaining projection is not aligned with the cutout and engages the opening edge of the bearing hole in the process of rotating the lever between the initial position and the connection position, i.e. in the process of connecting or separating the two housings. Therefore the bearing hole is not disengaged from the supporting shaft.
The connecting operation of the above-described connector is started with the lever at the initial position. Thus, a positioning projection is formed on the first housing and a positioning hole is formed on the lever. The positioning projection engages the positioning hole to hold the lever at the initial position. However, the positioning projection abrades against the inner surface of the lever in the process of rotating the lever from the assembled position to the initial position. Hence the positioning projection may be deformed and crushed. An engagement margin between the positioning projection and the positioning hole decreases if the positioning projection is crushed, and the lever is held less reliably at the initial position.
A resiliently deformable locking projection might be provided on the first housing or the lever and a locking recess could be provided on the other of the first housing and the lever for engaging the locking projection in an effort to avoid the above-described problem. According to this construction, the locking projection can be deformed resiliently to escape from a mating member in the process of rotating the lever from the assembled position to the initial position. Therefore, the locking projection is not likely to be broken.
However, the locking projection of this possible connector would be pressed against the mating member due to its resilient restoring force. Thus, the locking projection may possibly be deformed upon mounting the lever.
The invention was developed in view of the above, and an object thereof is to improve the reliability of holding a lever at an initial position.

Lever-type connector and a connector assembly


A pivotal multi-functional grill tool of the present invention includes first and second elongated arm members that are pivotally attached. The elongated arm members have each have first and second end members. Handle members are disposed at the respective second ends of the elongated arm members. Further, opposing jaw members are rigidly attached so as to be carried by the respective first ends of the elongated arm members. The opposing jaw members are adapted to engage at least a portion of the cooking grate and are further adapted for grasping charcoal briquettes, lump charcoal, or hardwood chunks used in grilling.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a pivotal tool useful in the grilling arts. More particularly, it relates to a pivotal multi-purpose tool having opposable pivotally attached ends adapted for grasping, among other things, a grill grate or other grill accessory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the grilling arts, particularly the gas or charcoal grilling arts, it is known that it is undesirable to handle the grill grate with bare hands. If the grate is hot, it is dangerous to touch the grate. However, even if the grate is cool, particularly a seasoned grate, it is undesirable to handle the grate because the seasoned grates will transfer grease to the individual's hands. Additionally, especially in the charcoal and/or wood smoking grilling art, it is known that it is advantageous to be able to move hot briquettes or to place wood chunks in or around the fire. Further, other grill accessories, such as cedar grill planks, or ceramic grill stones which can be used on the cooking surface of the grill also become very hot. In this regard, it is desirable to have a tool that is adapted to grasp chunks of wood and/or charcoal and to lift the cooking grates or other grill cooking accessories.
In the known art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,985, issued to P. E. Mahoney on Sep. 18, 1984, describes a barbecue lifting tool, having a handle, an elongated shaft, and a grill engaging element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,268, issued to L. H. Baker et al on Sep. 13, 1994, describes a tool for lifting the grill off of a barbecue burner. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,721, issued to A. Walde on Aug. 10, 1999, describes a multi-function, adjustable grip, barbecue tong assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,951, issued to J. C. Amodeo on Nov. 1, 2005, describes a wire rack and grill lifting tool having a handle connected to a flexible stabilizing member that engages the top surface of a wire rack, and a hook member that extends downwardly to engage and receive the wire rack. U.S. Pat. No. 8,556,310, issued to R. Nabors on Oct. 15, 2013, describes a grill hook device for lifting a cooking grate from a charcoal grill. U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,341, issued to J. K. Greer on Nov. 12, 2013, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,740,269, also issued to J. K. Greer on Jun. 3, 2014, both describe a grill grate lifter. Finally, Deutsch Patent No. 200 16819 U1, registered to M. Goldmann, on Jan. 4, 2001, describes tongs to be used for an open fire or barbecue.
Other similar tools are described in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 613,355, issued to R. G. Burton on Nov. 1, 1898, describes kitchen tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 749,110, issued to J. H. Spangler describes household tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 1,455,216, issued to M. Lombardi on May 15, 1923, describes an ash pan lifter. U.S. Pat. No. 1,484,100, issued to J. C. Wertz on Feb. 19, 1924, describes cinder tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 2,892,655, issued to B. F. Bower on Jun. 30, 1959, describes frankfurter tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,775, issued to L. E. Boyd on Jun. 22, 1976, describes a set of tongs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,806, issued to J. J. Halladay et al on Aug. 12, 1997, describes a pivotal set of tongs with tapered jaws for removing an inking plug from an ink container. U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,936, issued to M. V. Graziano on Jan. 10, 2012, describes a pivotally operated gripping device. U.S. Pat. No. 8,251,416, issued to J. D. Oberg on Aug. 28, 2012, describes a fireplace log handling device.
The problem with many such devices for lifting a cooking grate from a grill is that the known devices place the user's hands over the cooking grate and exposed to the direct heat of the flame. And, many of the known tools for lifting the cooking grate are not adapted for grasping and moving charcoal briquettes, chunks of wood, or other grill cooking accessories, such as cedar planks or ceramic grill stones. What is missing in the art is a pivotal grill tool for grasping and lifting a cooking grate from a grill, such as, but not limited to, a charcoal grill and for grasping and lifting grill accessories, and that has handle members that position the user's hands away from the direct heat of the flame.


Reassigning direction-related keys in a handheld device is disclosed. Activation of one of at least two direction-related keys on a rotatable panel of a hand held device is detected, wherein the activation is based on user input for navigating a display of the handheld device. A rotation-based position of the rotatable panel is detected. A different direction is assigned to the direction-related key based on the rotation-based position of the rotatable panel.

Technological improvements in processing speed and power and in memory capacity have opened the door to handheld electronic devices that provide a variety of functions that were heretofore found only in larger and bulkier devices. For instance, manufacturers have been able to shrink the size of a mobile phone to fit in the palm of a user's hand.
While smaller devices are generally perceived to be desirable, a problem arises when the space for physical features of the device diminishes. For example, in most cases, a mobile phone has a minimum number of alphanumeric keys, and additional input keys, e.g., navigation and select keys. These keys are typically located on one face of the device, which also typically includes a display, e.g., an LCD, so that the user can see what he or she has entered, or so that the user can access other functions of the device.
To make room for the input keys and display on the device face, the size of the keys and/or display, and the spacing between keys is usually decreased. Nevertheless, because the keys are so small and the number so many, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the keys. Moreover, even if the user can make such a distinction, it is difficult to press the desired key because the space between keys is so small. For individuals with large fingers, this can be particularly frustrating.
To address this problem, some devices place direction related keys, i.e., navigation keys, on a side surface perpendicular to the device face. Nevertheless, because these handheld electronic devices are slim devices, the side surface is thin and the keys must be positioned in a row along the side surface. Accordingly, navigation keys assigned to allow the user to navigate in a direction perpendicular to the row, i.e., right or left if the keys are on the left or right side of the device, are not intuitive for the user. Other devices offer a touchpad on a backside of the device, i.e., on the surface opposing the device face. (See, e.g., U. S. Pat. No. 5,543,588, entitled "Touch Pad Driven Handheld Computing Device" issued Aug. 6, 1996 to Bisset et al.). Here, the user navigates by tracing his or her finger on the surface of the touchpad to control the movement of a cursor on the display. Nevertheless, compared to input keys, a touchpad is more expensive, consumes more power, and requires more complex programming.
Each of the above described devices presents an additional disadvantage as well. For each device, the location of the navigation mechanism is fixed. Thus, if the user is not comfortable having the navigation mechanism facing away from him or her as the user is viewing the display, the user cannot change the position of the navigation mechanism.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method that provides navigation mechanisms, such as input keys, on a handheld electronic device. The system and method should be highly intuitive for the user, while being cost effective and efficient. The present invention addresses such a need.

Method and system for providing input mechanisms on a handheld electronic device


A device and a method are described for bidirectional single-wire data transmission of information between a control unit and at least one peripheral unit, having the following steps: generating a first current flow from the control unit to the peripheral unit during first time slots via a single-wire line to transmit voltage-coded or current-coded information from the control unit to the peripheral unit; and/or generating a second current flow from the peripheral unit to the control unit during second time slots via the single-wire line to upload voltage-coded or current-coded information from the peripheral unit to the control unit; the first and second time slots being implemented so they do not mutually overlap; and/or generating, in the first and/or second time slots, additional information to be transmitted and/or uploaded, which is transmitted as digital or analog signals by modulating the current or the voltage of the single-wire line and is analyzed in the control unit or the peripheral unit.

Although it is applicable to any arbitrary systems which include a control unit and at least one peripheral unit connected thereto using a line, the present invention and the set of problems on which it is based will be explained in relation to an ignition system or an injection system for gasoline engines in the field of motor vehicles, for example.
In current motor vehicle technology, systems are used in which peripheral units are connected via lines to a control unit. In this case, the corresponding peripheral units are usually spatially separated from the control unit, because of which special requirements are to be placed on the lines and the interfaces.
Some interfaces and/or bus systems for motor vehicle applications are already known, such as the CAN bus system. These bus systems are not suitable for real-time systems, however, i.e., for immediate triggering of the switching operation in the microsecond range, but rather solely for non-time-critical data exchange in the millisecond range of spatially distributed systems.
Further systems have the disadvantage that they may only upload information during activation of the peripheral unit by the control unit.

Method and device for bidirectional single-wire data transmission


A method of producing an electrochemically derived graphene oxide and product produced therefrom. The method comprises locating graphite particles within an electrochemical cell having a working electrode, counter electrode, and an aqueous acid electrolyte, the working electrode being positioned within the electrolyte to contact at least a portion of the graphite particles; agitating the graphite particles within the electrolyte; and applying a potential difference between the working electrode and counter electrode, thereby resulting in electrochemical exfoliation and oxidation of the graphite particles to produce graphene oxide.

The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
Graphene oxide (GO) is a widely used precursor for production of graphene through the subsequent reduction of GO to reduced graphene oxide (rGO). GO is conventionally produced using a multi-step chemical synthesis processes such as Hummers method, involving harsh chemical oxidation of graphite. Such chemical routes have a high yield, scalability and producing a product that has good dispersibility in various solvents. However, this route has several disadvantages including explosive risks, and metal ions (Mn2+) contamination issues. Most importantly, the use of strong oxidizing agent such as KMnO4, K2FeO4 and KClO3 can introduce irreparable hole defects which detrimentally affects the electrical conductivity of the product even after reduction by chemical or thermal methods.
Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite has been developed to overcome a number of the disadvantages of the above chemical method. Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite exfoliation involves the intercalation of molecules or ions between graphite layers through electrochemical activation. Moreover, graphene produced by electrochemical exfoliation method contains a lower proportion of hole defects and oxygen functional groups compared to the chemical method.
In existing electrochemical exfoliation methods, bulk graphite such as graphite rod, graphite foil or high orientated pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) are employed as the electrodes in an electrochemical cell. Such electrodes need to be pre-forming from graphite flakes or machining of a large graphite ingot to form the electrode. The need to preform such bulk graphite electrodes introduces extra cost, and can affect the reproducibility of electrochemical exfoliation through batch variation of graphite electrodes. Furthermore, uniform and complete oxidation is difficult to achieve using bulk graphite electrodes, as such graphite electrodes often exfoliate into few or multi-layer graphene (and lose electrical contact) before complete oxidation or functionalisation can occur. Moreover, the size of the graphite electrodes can also affect the electrochemical exfoliation efficiency. All these factors limit the scalability of existing electrochemical exfoliation techniques.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved and/or alternate electrochemical exfoliation method for producing graphene oxide from graphite.

Graphene oxide and method of production thereof


A semiconductor memory device, which prevents the penetration of hydrogen or moisture to a ferroelectric capacitor from its surrounding area including a contact plug portion, comprises a ferroelectric capacitor formed above a semiconductor substrate, a first hydrogen barrier film formed on an upper surface of the ferroelectric capacitor to work as a mask in the formation of the ferroelectric capacitor, a second hydrogen barrier film formed on the upper surface and a side face of the ferroelectric capacitor including on the first hydrogen barrier film, and a contact plug disposed through the first and second hydrogen barrier films, and connected to an upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor, a side face thereof being surrounded with the hydrogen barrier films.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and its manufacturing method, and more particularly to a semiconductor device which uses a ferroelectric film and its manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor device such as a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) which uses a ferroelectric capacitor using a ferroelectric film, if hydrogen or moisture penetrates the capacitor during the manufacturing process after the ferroelectric capacitor is formed, the characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor, especially the polarization characteristics of the ferroelectric film, are degraded. To prevent this degradation, the capacitor is covered with a hydrogen diffusion preventive film, e.g., an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) film, to prevent the penetration of hydrogen. The Al2O3 film is preferably formed in an atmosphere which does not contain hydrogen, thus sputtering is used for the formation typically. However, miniaturization of the semiconductor device has increased the ratio of the height of the ferroelectric capacitor to space (aspect ratio). Because of the need to cover the ferroelectric capacitor with the large aspect ratio, sputtering which is poor in step coverage cannot be used as it is. According to a method disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-68987, to improve the step coverage, a ferroelectric capacitor is covered with an interlevel insulator to reduce the step of the capacitor, then Al2O3 film is formed thereon by sputtering. As another technology, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-51582 discloses a method of using a hard mask which has the hydrogen barrier characteristics in an etching process of a ferroelectric capacitor. According to the method, Al2O3 film that is a hydrogen barrier film is deposited by sputtering after the ferroelectric capacitor is formed. Therefore, coverage of a ferroelectric capacitor side face with the hydrogen barrier film is not really sufficient. Additionally, a method of forming an Al2O3 film by atomic layer deposition (ALD) having excellent step coverage has been put to practical use. However, ALD is not suitable to form a thick Al2O3 film because its deposition speed is slow.
In all of the aforementioned technologies, an interlevel insulator is formed on the hydrogen barrier film which covers the ferroelectric capacitor, i.e., Al2O3 film, and a contact plug is formed in these films being connected to an upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor. The contact plug is formed by partially removing the hydrogen barrier film. The contact plug itself is not a hydrogen barrier material, a part of its surrounding area is contacted to the interlevel insulator, and thus the contact plug is not entirely covered with the hydrogen barrier film. Accordingly, there is a possibility that hydrogen will penetrate the ferroelectric capacitor through the contact plug portion to degrade the characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor.
Therefore, there is need for a semiconductor memory device which prevents the penetration of hydrogen or moisture to a ferroelectric capacitor from its surrounding area including a contact plug portion, and its manufacturing method.

Semiconductor memory device having ferroelectric capacitors with hydrogen barriers


A method of communication in a refrigeration system, between communication nodes connected to a serial data bus using Controller Area Network protocol (CAN) having a message frame format which includes a data field. The method includes converting a byte of the data field of each message frame to a permanent data descriptor expansion byte (DEB). In at least the first frame of a message a specific bit of the DEB is set to a first logic level to indicate a control frame, and information descriptive of the whole message is loaded into the remaining bits of the DEB, and data field. In each remaining frame of a message following a control frame, or control frames, the specific bit is set to a second logic level, to indicate a data frame. A block of data is loaded into the data field of each data frame, and index information specific to the associated block of data is loaded into the remaining bits of the DEB.

The automotive industry, in order to reduce the number of wires which must be run to electrical and electronic modules located in different parts of a vehicle, has evolved to a distributed type of multiplexed control. This distributed control arrangement utilizes computers located at certain of the modules which are connected together via a twisted pair, or coaxial or fiber optic cables, in a computer communications network. In order to communicate effectively between the various in-vehicle modules, Robert Bosch GmbH and Intel Corporation introduced a set of communication rules or protocol at the Society of Automotive Engineers trade show in February, 1986, which is currently implemented in the Intel 82526 Serial Communications Controller. This protocol, which is called CAN for "controller area network", supports a network of multi-master nodes, performing non-destructive bit-wise arbitration of messages with functional addressing.
It would be desirable to be able to use the serial communications controller chips, such as the Intel 82526, developed for in-vehicle networking, in refrigeration related applications, such as in transport refrigeration systems or units.
The fixed message frame format of the CAN protocol, however, while suitable for automotive use, is too limiting for the communications involved between refrigeration related control modules. For example, large amounts of information are required to be collected and transmitted between different refrigeration control modules, which information is operated upon by diagnostic programs, with system status, along with specific detected alarm conditions being displayed locally and/or remotely. Raw data, system status and alarm conditions must be readily available for remote monitoring functions. Examples of remote monitoring functions include remote monitoring arrangements which utilize electric power lines, including ship-board wiring in container refrigeration applications, satellite communications in over-the-road truck and trailer refrigeration applications, and the like. The information must also be readily available for down loading via plug-in data loggers, and refrigeration controls must be able to be initialized to a predetermined application by a plug-in data pack, and quickly and easily re-initialized to accommodate a different conditioned load having different refrigeration requirements, including temperature, humidity, and special protective atmospheres, such as by downloading specific program constants and/or application specific programs to a central computer node and/or flash programmable read-only memories (PROM) in the distributed network.

Serial bus communication method in a refrigeration system


A coloring composition for a color filter composed of composite particles having an average particle diameter of 0.00 1 to 1.0 μm, and containing white inorganic particles, a glue coating layer formed on the surface of the white inorganic particle and an organic pigment coat formed on the glue. A dispersant, binder resin, monomer as a reactive diluent, a polymerization initiator and a solvent are also present. The colorant provides not only a sharp particle size distribution but also excellent light resistance.

The present invention relates to a coloring composition for color filter containing a colorant and a color filter using the coloring composition, and more particularly, to a coloring composition for color filter containing a colorant exhibiting not only a sharp particle size distribution but also excellent light resistance, and a color filter using such a coloring composition, which exhibits excellent spectral properties.
In the recent computerized society, various information devices such as personal computers or the like have rapidly spread in any of business, personal and domestic applications. These information devices are almost provided with a display as one of terminal equipments thereof. In particular, since portable-type information devices are required to have a lightweight and a small size for space-saving, a liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, especially color LCD devices, have been used therein.
A color filter is essential to express the information by the color LCD devices. The color filter is an optical filter constituted by three primary colors of either R (red), G (green) and B (blue) or C (cyan), Y (yellow) and M (magenta) regularly arranged on a glass plate.
The color LCD devices have been first required to show a good color property (color-reproducing property), a high lightness and a large contrast. With these requirements, the color filter used in the color LCD devices have also been required to have a higher performance as to color property (color-reproducing property), a lightness and a contrast thereof.
The color property of the color filter can be improved by increasing a concentration of pigments contained therein so as to enhance its color density. However, the increased pigment concentration causes the deterioration in light transmittance of the color filter. Therefore, in general, the color property of the color filter has been improved by enhansing a color purity of a colorant used in the color filter, i.e., by using a colorant having a narrower transmission spectrum.
In order to obtain a colorant having a high color purity, there has been generally used the method of mixing the respective three primary colors R (red), G (green) and B (blue) with corresponding complementary colors, i.e., a so-called subtractive color mixing method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 8-295808(1996), 8-295809(1996) and 2001-188120, etc.).
In order to enhance a lightness of the color filter, pigments used in the color filter are required to have a high transparency and an excellent dispersibility.
Hitherto, dyes have been used as a colorant for the color filter from the standpoints of transparency, fluidity, dispersibility and the like. However, these dyes are chemically active and, therefore, deteriorated in fastness such as light resistance. For this reason, in recent years, pigments are mainly used as the colorant of the color filter.
However, since the pigments are in the form of particles unlike dyes dissolvable in vehicle, when such pigments are used, it has been difficult to obtain color filters having a high transparency corresponding to that of color filters using the dyes. In order to improve the transparency, there has been proposed the method of filling up colloid particles having a particle size of less than 100 nm between colorants having a particle size of more than 200 nm (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2001-126635).
Also, in the case of organic pigments, from pigments kept in a molecular state to pigments composed of fine primary particles having a particle size of about 20 to 100 nm are produced by the chemical reaction or the like. However, the fine primary particles or the like have a very high surface energy and, therefore, tend to be agglomerated together. As a result, the fine primary particles or the like are usually formed into aggregates, i.e., secondary particles having a very large particle size. For this reason, it has been required to develop techniques for obtaining finely divided pigments.
As the method of obtaining finely divided pigments, there are known a method of controlling crystal growth of pigments during the production process thereof; a method of mechanically pulverizing the pigments; or the like. However, in any of these methods, the obtained pigments tend to have a broader particle size distribution and an uninformed particle shape, resulting in tendencies of deteriorated contrast due to light scattering as well as poor dispersibility in vehicle.
For these reasons, there has been required a colorant for color filter, which has a fine particle size and a sharp particle size distribution.
Conventionally, in order to obtain color filters having excellent light transmittance and contrast, there have been proposed the methods using pigments having a specific particle size (Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) Nos. 4-37987(1992) and 4-39041(1992), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 9-197118(1997), etc.).
In addition, the color filters have been required to show a high reliability upon outdoor use, such as a high light resistance.
At present, it has been strongly required to provide a color filter having excellent spectral properties, using a colorant for color filter capable of exhibiting not only a sharp particle size distribution but also excellent transparency. However, the conventional colorants have failed to satisfy these requirements.
That is, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 8-295808(1996), 8-295809(1996) and 2001-188120, there is described the method of improving spectral properties of the color filter by a subtractive color mixing method using pigments having a specific particle size therein. However, since the pigments used have a broad particle size distribution, the spectral properties of the color filter cannot be sufficiently improved.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2001-126635, there is described the method of improving the transparency by filling up colloid particles having a particle size of less than 100 nm between colorants having a particle size of more than 200 nm. However, the adhesion strength between the colloid particles and the colorant is insufficient, thereby causing deterioration of dispersibility in vehicle and failing to obtain the effect of sufficiently improving the transparency.
In Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) Nos. 4-37987(1992) and 4-39041(1992) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 9-197118(1997), there is described the method of using pigment particles having a specific particle size. However, since the reduction of the particle size of the pigment particles is conducted by mechanical pulverization, the obtained particles failed to show a uniform particle shape and a sufficiently sharp particle size distribution.
Meanwhile, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2001-226609, there are described green-based pigments composed of green composite iron oxide hydroxide particles comprising iron oxide hydroxide particles; a coating layer formed on the surface of the iron oxide hydroxide particle, which comprises organosilane compounds obtainable from alkoxysilanes, or polysiloxanes; an organic blue pigment coat formed on the coating layer. However, the technique described in this KOKAI is to fixedly adhere the organic blue pigments onto the yellow iron oxide hydroxide particles and, therefore, is quite different from the technique of the present invention for obtaining the organic pigments having a high chroma. Further, in this KOKAI, there is neither taught nor suggested the motivation for applying the green-based pigments to a colorant for color filter.
As a result of the present inventors' earnest studies for solving the above problems, it has been found that by using a colorant composed of composite particles having an average particle diameter of 0.001 to 1.0 μm, which comprise white inorganic particles, a gluing agent coating layer formed on the surface of the white inorganic particle and an organic pigment coat formed onto the gluing agent coating layer, and exhibits not only a sharp particle size distribution but also excellent light resistance, the obtained color filter exhibits excellent spectral properties. The present invention has been attained on the basis of the findings.

Coloring composition for color filter containing colorant and color filter using the same


Avalanches, such as snow avalanches, are triggered with an explosive char The charge is propelled into a potential avalanche slope and detonated therein. The explosive charge is first located in a tube which is closed at one end and which also houses a propelling charge with which the explosive charge is propelled from the tube into the avalanche slope.

Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to an apparatus for triggering an avalanche by means of an explosive charge, which is conveyed to an avalanche slope and which is detonated therein.
There exists a need to artificially trigger avalanches for safety reasons in upper mountainous regions, especially those that have been developed for skiing. Skiers are naturally exposed to the uncontrolled triggering of avalanches. A similar need to trigger avalanches in a controlled manner also exists where a possible destruction of housing areas, roads, forests or the like is to be prevented, which can be caused by uncontrolled starts of avalanches.
It has become known, heretofore, to artificially trigger avalanches by firing rockets at avalanche slopes. This method, however, has the disadvantage that the target area is reached only with inferior accuracy and that, furthermore, populated areas may be hit. Also, the trigger success (the ratio between the number of attempts and actual triggering of a successful avalanche) is less than satisfactory with such a process. Furthermore, rocket missiles are expensive and, due to the fact that they are characterized as military weapons, the use thereof is, or should be, subjected to legal and contractual limitations.
It has also been known, heretofore, to transport the explosive charges to the target area by means of a cableway system specifically established for the purpose and to detonate the same after delivery. While the accuracy of such systems is superior, the establishment and the maintenance thereof are very costly. The operating costs are further aggravated in that it is necessary to exactly determine those target areas at which the explosive charges are to be detonated, which is effected by measurements during the delivery process. For that purpose, operating personnel must be present at the cableway facility during the delivery of the explosives to the target area. The system is furthermore naturally limited to those areas which is covered by the cableway system.
It has also been known to manually throw explosive charges into avalanche slopes. Since, however, it is most important to ensure the safety of operating personnel, this method can only trigger avalanches to a very limited extent. Also, it is possible to throw explosive charges into avalanche slopes from helicopters. Besides the fact that this method is also costly, it requires weather conditions, in which helicopter flights are possible and admissible. This method, therefore, is subject to large organizational limitations.

Apparatus for triggering an avalanche or the like

Konrad Doppelmayr & Sohn Maschinenfabrik Gesellschaft mbH & Co. KG


An improved mounting assembly for automotive body panels includes a mounting plate (22) adjustably, fixably secured to an inner panel (16) and a slide plate (24), adjustably fixedly secured to an outer panel (12) and a slide arrangement (26) defined between the mounting plate (22) and slide plate (24) for facilitating adjustable movement therebetween.

In order to enhance an end user's appreciation of the quality of manufacture of an automotive vehicle, it is desired to mount the exterior decorative panels of the vehicle in an accurate manner that provides for flushness and consistent gaps between adjacent exterior body panels. The effecting of such accurate mounting can become a difficult task in the high volume manufacturing environment of the automotive industry. The exterior panels are typically formed as extremely large stampings or moldings and they must be fixed to internal structural members, often other massive stampings. The buildup of manufacturing tolerances between the associated underbody panels and exterior panels makes it necessary that there be a certain amount of adjustability in the final positioning of the exterior panels to provide the desired accurate mounting. This difficulty tends to be even more pronounced in larger vehicles such as medium and heavy trucks.
It is known in the prior art to provide such adjustability in the mechanical fixing of inner and outer body panels through the provision of elongated slots which cooperate with mechanical fasteners for setting the position of the exterior panel in relationship to the position of the fastener within the slot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,102 to Bien is exemplary of such approach. In the adjustable mounting arrangement of Bien, adjustable positioning longitudinal of the vehicle is permitted. It is also known to provide such slotting for vertical adjustable positioning of some surfaces.
Not taught or suggested in the prior art, however, is the provision of a mounting arrangement that provides for simple and economical adjustable positioning in a multiplicity of directions to ensure the most accurate positioning possible.

Mounting arrangement for automotive vehicle body panels


This dynamic image processing device (20) for a head mounted display includes an attitude detection means (30) capable of detecting the attitude of an imaging device affixed to the head of a user, a first image deviation amount calculation means (41) that calculates a first image deviation amount (G1) in the yawing and pitching directions of the imaging device based on the detection result of the attitude detection means, a second image deviation amount calculation means (42) that calculates a second image deviation amount (G2) between a past image (52) and a current frame image (51) based on the first image deviation amount, the current frame image captured by the imaging device, and the past image, and an image synthesis means (43) that corrects the past image based on the second image deviation amount and synthesizes the past image and the current frame image.

In general, a dynamic image processing device that displays an image on a head mounted display, including an imaging device and a display screen is known. Such a dynamic image processing device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-120988, for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-120988 discloses a head mounted display (HMD) including imaging devices and a display screen. This head mounted display is worn on the head of a user, and displays dynamic images captured by the imaging devices on the display screen for the user. The user can visually recognize the dynamic images captured by the imaging devices in a state where the dynamic images overlap with a view of the outside world transmitted and visible through the display screen.
It is known that noise is reduced by image processing using time direction filtering that synthesizes dynamic images in a time direction for improvement in visibility in this head mounted display. In the time direction filtering, when the imaging devices move or a moving body exists in the images, a residual image is generated after synthesis, and hence it is necessary to correct position deviation between frame images to be synthesized. The position deviation correction is performed by comparing the frame images to be synthesized with each other by image analysis.

Dynamic image processing device for head mounted display, dynamic image processing method for head mounted display and head mounted display system


A life vest container includes a hollow housing defining a storage volume adapted to receive a flotation device, the housing having an opening communicating with the storage volume. A cover is attached to the container and is moveable between a closed position in which it encloses the opening, and an open position in which the opening is accessible. Structure is provided for attaching the housing to a passenger seat, and for securing the cover in the closed position. At least a portion of the housing or the cover is sufficiently light-transmissive to allow observation of the condition of a flotation device disposed within the storage volume.

This invention relates generally to aircraft and more particularly to a life vest container assembly for an aircraft seat unit. Commercial passenger aircraft include safety devices for use by passengers in case of a crash or ditching, for example flotation devices. Some flotation devices are simple members of buoyant material. Inflatable life vests, packed in a folded condition, are also used. Such life vests must be stored in a manner and location so that they will not be damaged during normal operations but can be easily and quickly put into use during an emergency. Accordingly, many modern aircraft seating units include a pouch or container underneath the seat cushion where the life vest is readily accessible to the passenger.
Unfortunately, life vests stored in such an easily accessible location are subject to tampering and theft. Furthermore, it is possible for terrorists to insert weapons or other illegal items into the container. Recent government regulations also require airlines to visibly inspect each life vest pouch prior to operation of the aircraft. Using prior art life vest pouch designs, this regulation requires each pouch to be opened, inspected, closed and then resealed. This requires a significant amount of man-hours to inspect each aircraft before every flight, which is an enormous financial drain for the airlines.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a storage container for a life vest which protects the life vest until use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a storage container for a life vest which permits observation and inspection of the stored life vest and its identifying information.
It is another object of the invention to provide a storage container for a life vest which discourages tampering and theft.


Structure is disclosed for the ablation of material by the use of a laser beam wherein the laser provides a beam which is directed through an illumination and projection optical system for imaging on the material which is to be ablated. In the present invention the peak power of the laser beam is adjustable. The laser beam peak power adjustment structure includes a laser that provides a pulsed beam. The laser beam is directed into a beam splitter wherein the laser beam is split into two beam components. The first beam component passes through beam splitter with negligible or no delay, then passes through a quarter waveplate and impinges on a first mirror which reflects it back to the beam splitter. The second beam component is directed at an angle of 90 degrees by the beam splitter and toward a second mirror. The second mirror is at a predetermined distance from the beam splitter which introduces a total predetermined delay for the reflected second beam component as it is directed back to the beam splitter. The reflected first beam component and the delayed reflected second beam component are combined at the beam splitter to form a third beam which passes from the beam splitter toward the conventional optical column for the ablation tool including the mask and target. The resultant third beam directed to the mask therefore consists of original beam pulses and delayed beam pulses which combine to reduce the peak power of the third beam component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laser apparatus used as tools to process materials, and more particularly, to an optical system for laser apparatus for adjusting the peak power of the laser beam.
2. Background Art
Heretofore, lasers have been employed for selectively ablating material from a workpiece by the use of laser beam radiation and more particularly to ablating metal and/or dielectric workpieces by a pulse or pulses of laser beam radiation.
The selective removal of the material by laser radiation is well known. However, these techniques are not efficient and the processes cannot be controlled with sufficient precision. Processes known to the prior art characteristically provide undesirable side effects such as damage to the system illumination and projection optics by the peak power of the laser beam.
References describing the technique of laser ablation include U. S. Pat. No. 4,925,523 issued May 15, 1990 to Braren et al entitled "Enhancement of Ultraviolet Laser Ablation and Etching Organic Solids U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,668 issued Jan. 21, 1988 to Rosenfield et al entitled "System for Laser Removal of Excess Material from a Semiconductor Wafer" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,018 issued Sep. 12, 1978 to Von Allmen et al entitled "Method for Ablating Metal Workpieces with Laser Radiation".
In the present invention laser apparatus for material ablation is provided which employs techniques which use known optical structures such as beam splitters, polarizers, waveplates, mirrors and beam expanders. References that use these optical structures in combination for a variety of applications include U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,924 issued Dec. 16, 1966 to Culshaw et al entitled "Opposite Circularly-Polarized Optical Heterodyne Detection System. U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,026 issued Aug. 26, 1969 to Woodbury et al entitled "Laser Using Porro Prism End Reflectors". U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,334 issued Oct. 24, 1972 to Low et al entitled "Interferometer-Polarimeter". U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,823 issued May 6, 1975 to DeLang et al entitled "Apparatus for Measuring the Variation of an Optical Path Length with the Aid of an Interferometer". U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,759 issued Nov. 22, 1977 to Harney et al entitled "Passive and Active Pulse Stacking Scheme for Pulse Shaping". U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,324 issued Dec. 25, 1979 to Primboch entitled "Method and Apparatus for Measuring Deformation of a Workpiece Surface Responsive to Ultrasonic Energy". U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,122 issued Feb. 12, 1980 to Massie et al entitled "Interferometer". U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,096 issued Sep. 23, 1980 to Osborne entitled "Laser Sealing of Thermoplastic Material". U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,939 issued Jan. 22, 1982 to Stovell et al entitled "Optical Modulators and Apparatus Including Such Modulators".

Optical structure for adjusting the peak power of a laser beam

International Business Machines Corporation


A drainage apparatus is disclosed to reduce intraocular pressure in an eyeball that includes an anterior chamber having aqueous humor disposed therein, a cornea and a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer disposed on an exposed surface of the eyeball and under eyelids, the apparatus comprising an inlet assembly configured to be disposed at the anterior chamber of the eyeball, an outlet assembly configured to be disposed at the external surface of the eyeball, the assembly having a central chamber, a tube extending between the inlet and outlet assemblies and configured to promote fluid communication between the inlet and outlet assemblies, and control means disposed within the outlet assembly for controlling a flow of aqueous humor through the tube from the anterior chamber of the eyeball to the external surface of the eyeball, the control means further comprising a replaceable filter disposed within the central chamber of the outer member to prevent intraocular infection, the filter having a medicinal agent applied thereto for preventing occlusion of the filter or bacterial contamination by inhibiting at least one of the formation of fibrotic membranes, inflammatory membrane, or bacterial adhesions or biofilms, thereby preventing increased of intraocular pressure or infection.

The present invention relates to the field of medical technology, particularly to an apparatus to be implanted in an eyeball for the treatment of glaucoma.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. It is estimated that two to three million people in the United States have some degree of visual loss resulting from glaucoma. While glaucoma is a medical condition which can be caused by several factors, excessive intraocular pressure is a major risk factor for developing glaucoma. Over time, excessive intraocular pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve resulting in gradual loss of vision and, in some cases, blindness. Excessive intraocular pressure is caused by an increase in the resistance to outflow of fluid, called aqueous humor, in the anterior chamber of the eyeball, which can be caused by a number of different factors including injury, the aging process, reaction to medication (such as corticosteroids), structural abnormalities within the eyeball, and a genetic predisposition.
Aqueous humor is a clear, watery fluid which is constantly circulated within the anterior chamber of the eyeball. It serves to nourish the cornea and lens and to provide the intraocular pressure necessary to maintain the shape of the eyeball. Aqueous humor exits the anterior chamber through a network of spongy tissue called the trabecular meshwork, which is located in the intersecting space (the angle) between the iris and the cornea. Increased intraocular pressure results when aqueous humor cannot drain properly or at an appropriate rate through the trabecular meshwork or other outflow pathways. The only proven treatment for glaucoma is to reduce intraocular pressure.
Increased intraocular pressure can in some cases be treated with appropriate medication. These medications are usually administered through pills or eye drops and work to either decrease the rate at which aqueous humor flows into the eyeball, or to increase the rate at which aqueous humor drains from the eyeball. However, as with any medication, patients experience different levels of response to the medication, and the side effects of some medications can become intolerable in certain individuals.
Surgical procedures are also employed to treat glaucoma. Certain procedures are referred to as "filtration" procedures, since the end goal of these particular surgical procedures is to increase the outflow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber, thereby reducing intraocular pressure. Procedures focused on increasing the outflow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eyeball are theoretically more beneficial than those designed to decrease the production of aqueous humor, as over 95% of glaucomatous disease is a consequence of increased outflow resistance or reduced outflow rate rather than increased aqueous humor production or increased venous pressure distal to the outflow channels. Full thickness filtration surgical procedures involve the creation of an alternate route for the aqueous humor to flow from the anterior chamber of the eyeball into the subconjunctival space with the formation of a bleb—an area of limbal (anterior) filtration—which contains the aqueous humor. Guarded filtration surgical procedures, such as a trabeculectomy, involve the surgical creation of an opening which is covered by partial thickness sclera, from the anterior chamber into the subconjunctival space, thereby resulting in increased aqueous humor flow out of the anterior chamber. Unfortunately, the failure rate of filtration procedures is unacceptably high. In addition, postoperative intraocular pressure is almost always unstable and unpredictable. Initial overdrainage can lead to abnormally low intraocular pressure, known as hypotony, which can cause the eyeball to malfunction and delay the patient's postoperative recovery. Also, scarring or excessive resistance may occur in the subconjunctival, episcleral, or scleral regions (i.e., the sclerostomy site or surgical opening into the anterior chamber), thereby restricting the drainage.
Surgical procedures have also been used to reduce the amount of aqueous humor production within the eyeball. Ciliodestructive surgery, also known as cyclocryotherapy or cyclophotocoagulation, involves the use of either cryotherapy or a laser on the surface of the eyeball to reduce the production of aqueous humor. However, this procedure can cause a decrease in vision, and is usually used as a last resort when other procedures have failed.
Another method of treating intraocular pressure involves the use of drainage devices implanted within the anterior chamber as a means to drain aqueous humor while maintaining proper intraocular pressure. These devices typically incorporate a tube situated within the anterior chamber which drains aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into a surgically created posterior reservoir, called a fibrous capsule, formed around the scleral explant of the device underneath the conjunctiva. The aqueous humor which drains into the fibrous capsule is eventually reabsorbed by the body. Some of these drainage devices employ valve mechanisms to provide resistance to aqueous humor outflow. These valves have been shown to be unpredictable in their performance, resulting in excessive outflow of aqueous humor and possible hypotony. The valves can also become clogged and cease to function altogether, which results in an increase in intraocular pressure. Also, the fibrous capsule can become scarred or can develop excessive resistance, resulting in failure and a need for surgical revision. In addition, the insertion process for properly implanting these drainage devices within the eyeball can often be very complex and time consuming, increasing the duration of the surgical procedure itself and the postoperative recovery period for the patient.
Certain drainage devices have been developed to reduce intraocular pressure by draining aqueous humor from the anterior chamber to the external surface of the eyeball, as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,464 to Camras (see also U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,788,327 to Donowitz, 5,743,868 to R H Brown; 6,595,945 to Brown, 4,886,488 to White, 5,743,868 to Brown and 5,807,302 to Wandel). These drainage devices have the added benefit of not requiring the creation of a bleb or fibrous capsule for drainage. Therefore, the surgical outcome is not influenced by the problems associated with the formation and maintenance of a bleb or fibrous capsule, including subconjunctival scarring. The devices described in the prior art have not eliminated potential problems such as difficulty of proper insertion, failure of the device, unpredictable postoperative intraocular pressure without a means to compensate or adjust the device for optimal results, extrusion, tolerability (discomfort or irritation) and/or extended postoperative recovery time. Additionally, some of these devices do not adequately guard against the potential for infection by entry of microorganisms either through or around the device.
There exists a need in the art for a means to treat glaucoma which is predictable, which allows for the post-surgical adjustment of intraocular pressure, which results in long-term efficacy, which limits the risk of infection, which is comfortable for the patient, which is securely fixated preventing extrusion, and which can be properly inserted both quickly and easily. The present invention meets these needs.

Method and apparatus for reducing intraocular pressure


A vehicle occupant restraint system including: a seat belt pretensioner comprising a curved cable guide and a flexible cable, having a determinable stiffness to bending, positioned about and movable relative to the cable guide. One end of the cable is adapted to be connected to a piston for moving the cable (or alternately to a static anchor) and an opposite end of the cable adapted to be operably connected to a seat belt buckle, a portion of the cable impregnated with a first material to increase the stiffness of the cable, the cable configured to be drawn into the cable guide and to dissipate energy as it is so moved. Additionally, the first material covers the exterior of the cable and is of determinable thickness.

The invention generally relates to ropes, wires (cables), wire ropes and assemblies thereof (also referred to as a cable or cable assembly). Additionally, the invention more specifically relates to a wire, wire rope, cable or cable assemblies useable with safety restraint products including seat belt buckle assemblies and pretensioners (which are also referred to in the art as belt tighteners).
Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate the construction of a typical wire rope (cable) 20. The wire rope 20 typically includes a core 22, which can be a solid wire or of a multi-strand construction of small diameter wires. The core 22 can be metal, a resin-based material or a naturally occurring material such as wood, cotton, etc. The wire rope or cable 20 additionally includes a plurality of exterior strands 24 wound about the core 22. In many applications, each exterior strand 24 can be formed of a plurality of thin wires 26 or by a single wire. For the purpose of illustration, the wire rope 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of conventional construction and comprises a multi-wire stranded core 22 and five external multi-wire strands 24 twisted about the core 22. The lay of the wires relative to each strand as well as the lay of each strand 24 relative to the core 22 will vary with application. The number of wires in a given strand, as is known in the art, will vary from about 3-19.
Additionally, each strand 24 and each wire 26 (of a strand) has a general circular cross-section (see in FIG. 2), however other individual wire (and strand) cross-sectional shapes are acceptable for the present invention.
As can be seen from FIG. 2, there will, in general, exist small spaces 27 between adjacent strands as well as smaller spaces 27a between each adjacent individual wire 26. This spacing typically arises because of the arcuate (circular) cross-sectional shape of the individual wires 26 in each strand 24 as well as the composite shape of each strand 24. As can be appreciated, as the diameter of each of the individual wires 26 is reduced the overall shape of the strands 24 becomes more circular. For the purpose of illustration, each of the multi-wire strands 24 in FIG. 2 is surrounded by a line 32. In one context, the line 32 is an approximation of the general outer circular shape of each strand 24 formed using multiple wires 26. If however, the wire rope cable 20 is made up of a solid core surrounded by solid exterior strand wires (in place of the multi-wire strands), then the line 32 would, of course, show the actual profile of each wire/strand. However, even with the use of solid strands (each with an arcuate cross-sectional shape) the intra-strand spacing 27 will continue to exist.
Returning to FIG. 1, any segment (regardless of length) of wire rope/cable 20 will generally include a first end 34 and an opposite or second end 36, which can be connected to a variety of cooperating mechanisms or couplings in a variety of ways. The length of any segment of wire rope will vary with application.
Reference is briefly made to FIG. 3, which illustrates one known type of application for a wire rope or cable 20 as part of a seat belt system and more particularly as part of an anchor mechanism or seat belt buckle presenting mechanism (for a seat belt buckle 42). In this application, end 36 is connected to a buckle anchor via a ferrule (or some other connection or termination mechanism) 40, which in turn is connected to or is part of a seat belt buckle 42. Opposite end 34 of the segment of wire rope 20 is connected to a floor anchor mechanism 46, which may include another ferrule 44. This arrangement permits the wire rope 20 to be anchored to a structural component of the vehicle, such as the vehicle floor 48 or seat 50). As is known in the art the buckle 42 is mounted adjacent a vehicle seat 50 and positioned at or held at a preferred orientation. One of the benefits of using a wire rope, even a thin rope, is that it is lightweight and extremely strong when subjected to tension forces. However, in seat belt applications if the overall gauge of the wire rope 20 is relatively thin the wire rope will obviously be flexible and will bend even when loaded by a typical seat belt buckle. For example, a seat belt buckle is often anchored by wire ropes having diameters in the range of 2.0-4.0-6.0 mm, which show a propensity to easily bend.
In the configuration of FIG. 3, the seat belt buckle 42 will fall (as an unsupported thin wire rope 20 will bend under the weight of the buckle) to a position illustrated by phantom line 51. To maintain the seat belt buckle in its in desired orientation relative to the seat 50 and to prevent the wire rope 20 from bending, it is common practice to surround the cable with a semi-rigid plastic sleeve or jacket shown by phantom line 52. In essence, the plastic sleeve 52 presents the seat belt buckle 42 in a desired orientation. As will be seen below, one of the advantages of the present invention is the elimination of the need for a sleeve 52 while retaining the ability to present the buckle at known orientations. One of the further disadvantages of wire rope of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is that it has a "memory", that is, it will not easily take a permanent curvature and therefore easily returns to its original shape after it is bent.
Reference is made to FIG. 4, which shows another use for a wire rope or cable assembly such as 60, which has been incorporated into a known type of seat belt tightener 70 (also referred to in the art as a pretensioner). In a broad sense a pretensioning mechanism also anchors the seat belt buckle. This cable assembly 60 comprises the wire, wire rope or cable 20 terminated at one end 36 at the buckle anchor 40, which is connected to or is formed as part of a frame of a seat belt buckle 42. The other end 34 of the cable 20 is terminated at a piston 68. The pretensioner 70, which is of known design, additionally comprises a tubular housing 72 (which supports the piston) extending from a propellant or generant housing 74 and a bracket section 75. Mounting bracket section 75 is connected to the generant housing 74. A quantity of propellant 76 is located within the generant housing 74 such that when the propellant burns the gases produced propel the piston 68 rapidly down the tube 72, forcibly pulling the cable 20 into the pretensioner 70, which pulls the buckle 42 toward the pretensioner. The downward movement of the buckle reduces slack in the seat belt (not shown) about the occupant. The operation of pretensioners is well known.
Characteristically many buckle belt tighteners such as 70 include a direction changing mechanism 80 such as a pulley, pulley wheel or pulley segment, all of which are denoted by numeral 82. The pulley 82 is secured to or is part of the bracket section 75. As can be seen, the medial section 84 of the cable 20 is looped about (in contact with, threaded through) the pulley 82. The pretensioner 70 includes a guard(s) 86 that functions to prevent the cable from moving off from the pulley 82. In some pretensioners the guard 86 is realized by stand-offs or stops, which are formed (often as bent tabs) as part of the bracket 75 or as part of the pulley 82. These stand-offs or guards 86 define, in cooperation with the pulley 82, a channel in which the cable 20 resides and, as mentioned, the stand-offs or guards maintain the flexible cable in proximity to the surface of the pulley. U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,440 shows one prior buckle pretensioner. Additionally, as can be appreciated, the placement of the guards 86 about the pulley defines the departure angles the cable 20 makes with the pulley. In use within a pulley, the initially straight though flexible cable is easily bent by hand and positioned about the pulley. The channel for the cable can also be machined into mating pretensioner parts as shown in Canadian patent 2158901.
The typical belt tightener (pretensioner) such as 70 will move the buckle a distance to 100 mm within a few milliseconds. As can be appreciated the seat belt buckle experiences extremely high levels of acceleration as the buckle begins to move and subsequent high levels of deceleration as it is brought to a rapid stop (when the piston stops moving or as the buckle engages the bracket 75). To lessen the magnitude of the deceleration to which the buckle is subjected at the end of the pretensioner stroke, the prior art has proposed the use of energy absorption (also called energy dissipation) mechanisms. These mechanisms operate to reduce the velocity (and hence the terminal level of deceleration) the buckle experiences.
The pretensioner 70 of FIG. 4 includes one such energy absorbing mechanism in the form of a thin-walled tube 90, which is made as an integral part of ferrule 40. This tube can also be a separate part positioned loosely about the cable and might be located remote from the ferrule 40. As the ferrule 40 is pulled into contact with the pulley 82 and pulley housing/bracket 75, the tube 90 deforms.
The prior art shows the thin-walled tubing 90 bending along predefined regions as though it were a bellows but not entering the spacing or channel 87 between the guards, tabs or stands-offs 86 and the pulley 82 (or the pulley housing 80). Other proposals permit the thin-walled tubing such as 90 to be pulled into the curved channel 87 in the bracket 75 and dissipate energy as the tube is pinched or diametrically bends as it enters the channel narrower between the bracket 75 and the pulley 82.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rope, wire rope or cable assembly. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of increasing the stiffness of all or a portion of the wire rope or a segment thereof. A further object of the present invention is to incorporate a wire rope of predetermined stiffness that dissipates energy as the increased stiffness portion of the wire rope is pulled around a pulley. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved pretensioner or improved anchor assembly.
Accordingly the invention comprises: an improved wire rope or cable or an assembly including such a rope or cable. Additionally, the invention includes various devices which use such a cable or cable assembly including a vehicle occupant restraint system having a seat belt pretensioner comprising a curved cable guide and a flexible wire rope or cable, the rope or cable having a determinable stiffness to bending, positioned about and movable relative to the cable guide, one end of the cable (or wire rope) adapted to be connected to a first means for moving the cable and an opposite end of the cable adapted to be operably connected to a seat belt buckle, a portion of the cable configured to be drawn into the cable guide, such portion being impregnated with a first material to increase the stiffness of the cable.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.

Wire, wire rope or cable assemblies for seat belt component