A hybrid electric automotive powertrain includes an engine start/stop system to improve fuel economy. The stop routine provides for quick restarting to avoid delay in a driver change of mind case. The stop routine may be terminated prior to full engine stop when a torque request is received during the stop routine.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling an automotive engine and in particular to a method of stopping a parallel hybrid engine while anticipating restarting the engine.
Automotive vehicle powertrains incorporate engine start/stop (ESS) systems to improve fuel economy. ESS stops an internal combustion engine under specified conditions when engine torque is not required and restarts the engine when torque is again required. For example, ESS may stop the engine of a vehicle after a driver brakes the vehicle to a stop at a traffic light and then restart the engine when the driver requests torque by depressing an accelerator pedal when the traffic light changes. ESS is commonly incorporated into hybrid electric powertrains. The more conditions specified when ESS stops the vehicle engine, the greater the potential improvement to fuel economy.
However, restarting an ESS stopped engine has a time delay. This delay may decrease the drivability of the vehicle. The delay may be more pronounced when the driver requests torque while the engine is still in the process of being stopped. Under certain scenarios the engine may be controlled to complete its stop routine before commencing its restart routine.

Stopping a hybrid engine with engine start anticipation


In a liquid container used in an automatic analyzer, a float that makes it possible to prevent liquid from making contact with a liquid collection opening of the liquid container to form a film thereon is provided. A float is floated on the liquid surface of a reagent placed in a reagent container for use with an automatic analyzer. The float is equipped with a float body and a required number of buoyancy adjusters. The float body is equipped with a liquid surface cover that covers substantially the entire liquid surface, and a side wall portion positioned so as to project beneath the liquid surface from the liquid surface cover. The side wall portion constitutes a device for the purpose of suppressing swaying motions of the liquid surface cover by making contact with or engaging an inner wall of the reagent container when the reagent sways.

In blood tests such as a blood coagulation test, an automatic analyzer that automatically analyzes blood is used. Various solutions are used as reagents in a blood test. A reagent is placed into a designated reagent container and housed inside an automatic analyzer. The reagent is then collected with a thin pipe-shaped collection tube called a probe and dispensed into a reaction container containing a blood sample, and analysis is performed.
By way of an explanation in further detail, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a plurality of reagent containers 2 are held on a turntable 4 inside an automatic analyzer. As shown in FIG. 5, at the top part of the reagent container 2, a reagent collection opening 221 into which a probe 5 can be inserted is open. The diameter of the reagent collection opening 221 is small, which prevents deterioration of the reagent as a result of oxidation and the like caused by contact with air.
The probe 5 is mounted on the tip of an arm 51. The turntable 4 rotates so as to position a desired reagent container 2 directly underneath the probe 5. Then, through vertical and rotational motions of the arm 51, the probe 5 is made to move between the reagent container 2 and a reaction container (not shown in the figure). A liquid-level sensor is mounted on the tip of the probe 5 and is set up so that even if the height of the liquid surface of the reagent to be collected changes, the tip of the probe 5 can be inserted beneath the liquid surface.
In order to increase the examination processing speed, the turntable 4 rotates not only in one direction but in both left and right directions, quickly and in small movements. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, if the liquid level of the reagent in the reagent container 2 is high, the reagent may, in some cases, splash up and contact the reagent collection opening 221 to form a thin film 6. In such a case, the liquid-level sensor at the tip of the probe 5 will mistakenly detect the film as the liquid surface, and the collection operation will be performed in midair where the reagent does not exist. As a result, even if the probe 5 moves to the reaction container, the reagent will not be dispensed and an incorrect examination value will be obtained.
In order to prevent this sort of mistake from occurring, it will be necessary to make the amount of reagent provided, for example, not exceed one-half the volume of the reagent container so that the reagent does not splash up. But, if the amount of reagent provided is small, the frequency with which to replenish the reagent will necessarily increase. However, since many varieties of reagents are used in blood tests, it is preferable to keep the frequency of replenishment low in order to prevent human-made errors such as mistaking a reagent to be replenished.
Also, when the amount of reagent provided is reduced, an increase in the area of contact with air per unit volume of reagent leads to the drawback of facilitating reagent deterioration. Therefore, it is preferable to have a large amount of reagent provided in the reagent container 2, but for that purpose a means to prevent the reagent from splashing up to the reagent collection opening 221 will be necessary.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-214171 (JP '171) proposes, in FIG. 1 on page 9, a solution stabilization member that floats on the liquid surface within a reagent container so as to prevent oxidation and the like caused by contact with air and ensure obtaining a stable quality of the reagent.

Float and liquid container using the float, method for preventing malfunction of probe in automatic analyzer, and examination method using automatic analyzer


A method for the continuous recording of irregularly supplied video signals on a selected video tape in a double deck video cassette recorder comprises the steps of: (a) setting a period of time allowing the video cassette recorder to operate in a recording mode during the period of time; (b) selecting any operable one of the two decks to drive a tape loaded therein in response to a trigger signal initiating the recording operation of the selected deck; (c) registering a reference signal to indicate that the selected deck is operable in the recording mode; (d) holding the selected deck in a stand-by state until another trigger signal is generated after the completion of the recording operation during the period of time; (e) referencing the reference signal in order to determine whether the selected deck remains operable to continuously drive the tape loaded therein when said another trigger signal is generated; (f) selecting the remaining operable deck so as to have the recording operation transferred thereto when the tape in the previously selected deck in step(b) has completed its recording operation; and (g) repeating the steps from(c) to: (f).

Typically, a double deck video cassette recorder (hereinafter referred to as a "VCR") having two video decks comprises a drive mechanism for a master tape and another drive mechanism for a slave tape. Conventional double deck VCRs of this kind may perform a tape to tape duplication (dubbing) operation wherein the playback operation by one of the tape drive mechanisms and the recording operation by the other tape drive mechanism can be started at the same time; and a linking operation wherein the recording operation (or playback operation)by one of the tape drive mechanisms can be started simultaneously with the completion of recording operation (or playback operation) by the other tape drive mechanism in addition to the conventional recording or playback operation, as is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent No. 2588/1979 of Hitachi Ltd.
The linking operation in the double deck VCR may be used in an automatic monitoring system adapted to successively record from one tape to the other scenes captured by a video camera installed in a restricted or security area whenever the entrance into the area is sensed by a sensing means.
However, one of the drawbacks of the linking operation which may be employed in the monitoring system is that it is limited to a one-time performance from the master tape to the slave tape and initiated from the master tape only; and, as a result, it is impossible to continuously record between the two tapes or to fully record on the entire portion of the slave tape.

Method for continuously recording on a selected tape in a double deck video cassette recorder


Described is a control system for stabilizing complex systems through self-adjustment. The complex system consists of agents or machines interacting with an environment and controlled by a controller. The control system includes a sensor configured to measure a state of the complex system and output the measured state of the complex system. A filter receives the measured state of the complex system, computes a variance in the measured state of the complex system over time, and outputs the computed variance. A regulator, which is connected with at least one controller, adjusts a control parameter in response to the computed variance received from the filter. The regulator is configured to regulate each controller's action on each agent or machine based on the control parameter in order to maintain stability of the complex system. In a desired aspect, the at least one control parameter comprises a set of additional input delays.

(1) Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for stabilizing complex systems, and more particularly, to a control system for stabilizing complex systems through self-adjustment.
(2) Description of Related Art
A control system is a device (or set of devices) which manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems. The state of the art in controlling complex systems splits the problem into modules, then uses either human supervision to set global control variables, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), or tries to abstract the modules to model them analytically, such as with Composition and Abstraction. SCADA uses self-adaptation of controllers, but requires human intervention. Composition and Abstraction methods rely on a sufficiently accurate model of the system and its interaction with the environment. In doing so, it can be assured that software errors are detected early in development. Thus, the behavior of the system can be made to match the model. However, there is no formal way to assure that the models are complete or correct. Furthermore, the models must be abstracted to scale with complexity. This abstraction means that there is no formal assurance that the choices made in abstraction are valid.
Thus, a continuing need exists for an approach to controlling complex systems which avoids the need for human intervention and also compensates for unforeseen modeling errors.

Self-stabilizing system for multiple interacting controllers


In processor-based systems, loss of ports may be avoided while connecting mass storage drives or devices at a host level. In one embodiment, a slave device (e.g., a cache or an accelerator) may be interposed between a host device and a master storage device (e.g., a disk drive) over a serialized link, providing accelerated communications between the host device and the master storage device through the slave device both coupled on select one of one or more ports available at the host device for device connections.

This invention relates generally to processor-based systems and, more particularly, to storage interfaces or links utilized to connect mass storage devices with a processor-based device.
Many competing storage interface standards have been defined, playing a critical role in creating more affordable systems with performance, reliability, scalability, and interoperability generally needed for a host of storage applications. For example, a storage interface standard involving point-to-point connectivity may provide significant performance and reliability advantage over a shared connectivity approach. Other examples of serial storage interfaces may have different topology. For instance, Fibrechannel generally is connected in a loop with devices daisy-chained together, while another serial storage interface is connected in a hub and star hierarchy. Another storage interface standard uses a parallel protocol for connecting master and slave devices on a single, parallel cable in one specific example of legacy parallel AT attachment (ATA). Nonetheless, a storage interface may enable a controller to communicate with a given storage drive or device through a port to which it is connected. Because only one storage drive or device may be directly connected to a host via a dedicated link on a port, the entire port may have to be dedicated to that storage device itself. For example, a master storage device connected to a port cannot share the same port with another device in a slave mode. As a result, loss of the port alone causes fewer storage interface-compliant devices to be plugged into a system.
While a parallel storage interface may form a cable nest of multiple conductor ribbon cables affecting system's airflow and cooling, a serial storage interface may not allow communication to a slave device on a serialized link or a cable. When using a standard set of protocols, a single, fully-equipped storage interface-compliant device that is capable of interpreting all commands relating to the protocols may only be deployed. Additionally, in some parallel storage interfaces, the drives or devices on a shared common cable may need to be jointly qualified, resulting in unnecessary overhead in order to qualify all possible combinations of drives or devices sharing the same cable. In view of the problems set forth above and without incurring the loss of a port, an additional drive or device may not be desirably added on the same port.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to connect mass storage devices to a processor-based device, especially in processor-based systems.

Connecting storage devices to a processor-based device


A defibrillator with an automatic self-test system that includes a test signal generator and a defibrillator status indicator. The test system preferably performs functional tests and calibration verification tests automatically in response to test signals generated periodically and/or in response to predetermined conditions or events and indicates the test results visually and audibly. The invention also relates to a method for automatically determining and indicating a defibrillator's status without human intervention.

This invention relates generally to a defibrillator system that performs periodic self-tests and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for performing periodic functional, calibration and safety tests in an automatic external defibrillator to verify that the defibrillator's components and operation are within preset specifications.
Prior art external defibrillators were used primarily in the hospital. In that environment, the frequency with which a particular defibrillator was used was relatively high, e.g., on the order of several times per week. Periodic verification tests for these prior art defibrillators typically amounted to a battery level test and a functional test in which the defibrillator was hooked to a test load and discharged. These tests were usually performed once per day or once per shift per manufacturer recommendations. Other tests, such as recalibration of internal circuit components by a biomedical technician, were performed less often, on the order of twice per year, also pursuant to manufacturer recommendations. Each of these maintenance tests for prior art defibrillators was initiated and performed by human operators.

External defibrillator with automatic self-testing prior to use


An actuating device for mechanically actuating a component may include a housing having first and second housing parts lying against one another in a separation plane and fastened to one another, and an electric motor arranged in the first housing part and having an input shaft. The device may also include an output shaft rotatably mounted at least on the second housing part and penetrating a wall thereof, the output shaft one of (i) being connected externally on the second housing part with an actuating element for mechanical coupling with the component which is to be actuated, or (ii) forming an actuating element for mechanical coupling with the component which is to be actuated. The device may further include a gear connecting the input shaft with the output shaft, and having an output gearwheel rotatably connected with the output shaft. The second housing part, in relation to an axis of rotation running perpendicularly to the separation plane, may be able to be fastened to the first housing part in at least two different rotation positions. The output shaft may be arranged eccentrically to the axis of rotation on the second housing part. At least one of the first and second housing parts may have at least one bearing point for rotary bearing at least one additional gearwheel. In a first rotation position between the housing parts, the gear without the additional gearwheel may connect the input shaft with the output shaft with a first transmission ratio. In a second rotation position different from the first rotation position, between the housing parts, the gear with the additional gearwheel may connect the input and output shafts with a second transmission ratio different from the first transmission ratio.

In many fields of engineering, a component must be actuated mechanically. Especially in internal combustion engines or respectively in motor vehicles, several components are to be found which must be actuated mechanically. In the present context, preferably components are considered here such as throttle valves, exhaust flaps, waste gate valves, variable turbine geometries. Likewise, applications in the field of thermomanagement systems are conceivable, for example for the actuation of respective valves.
For actuating these components, actuating devices can come into use, which have, in a housing, an electric motor which is drivingly connected, via a gear likewise arranged in the housing, to an actuating element arranged externally on the housing. The actuating element can now be coupled mechanically to the component which is to be actuated. Various transmission ratios can be necessary for the gear for different cases of application of the actuating device. In order to be able to provide different actuating devices, which differ from one another through different transmission ratios of the gear, a comparatively great logistical effort is necessary, which is accompanied by correspondingly high costs.


A highly efficient lighting system, a scrolling unit, and a projection system adopting the highly efficient lighting system and the scrolling unit are provided. The scrolling unit has at least one lens cell. From the viewpoint of light incident upon the at least one lens cell, the rotation of the at least one lens cell is converted into a rectilinear motion of a lens array, such that incident light is scrolled. The projection system includes a light source, an optical splitter, at least one scrolling unit, and a light valve. The optical splitter splits light emitted from the light source according to wavelength. The at least one scrolling unit has at least one lens cell. The lens cell has an incident side and an emitting side and divides incident light into light beams. The rotation of the lens cell causes a rectilinear motion of the light beams, thereby scrolling incident light. The light emitted from the light source is separated into color beams by the optical splitter and the scrolling unit, and the color beams are focused on the light valve. The light valve processes incident light according to an input image signal in order to form a color image.

Projection systems are classified into three-panel projection systems and single panel projection systems according to the number of light valves which form an image by controlling the on/off operation of light emitted from a high power lamp used as a light source on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The single panel projection system may have an optical system smaller than that of the three-panel projection system in size. However, since the single panel projection system splits white light sequentially into three light beams of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors, a light efficiency of the single panel projection system decreases to ⅓ of that of the three panel type projection system. Thus, attempts to increase the light efficiency of the single panel projection system have been made.
A conventional single panel projection system is disclosed in U.S. Application No. 2002/191154 A1. As shown in FIG. 1, in the disclosed conventional single panel projection system, white light emitted from a light source 100 passes through first and second lens arrays 102 and 104 and a polarized light beam splitter array 105, and is then split into R, G, and B color light beams by first, second, third, and fourth dichroic filters 109, 112, 122, and 139. R and G color light beams are transmitted through the first dichroic filter 109 and proceed along a first optical path I1, and a B color light beam is reflected by the first dichroic filter 109 and proceeds along a second optical path I2 to be reflected by a mirror 133. The R and G color light beams proceeding along the first optical path I1 are separated from each other by the second dichroic filter 112. In other words, the R color light beam is transmitted through the second dichroic filter 112 and proceeds along the first optical path I1 to be reflected by another mirror 138, and the G color light beam is reflected by the second dichroic filter 112 and proceeds along a third optical path I3.
As described above, the white light emitted from the light source 100 is split into the R, G, and B color light beams, and the R, G, and B color light beams are scrolled to pass through first, second, and third prisms 114, 135, and 142 respectively corresponding to the R, G, and B color light beams. The first, second, and third prisms 114, 135, and 142 are arranged on the first, second, and third optical paths I1, I2, and I3, respectively, and rotated at a uniform speed so that R, G, and B color bars are scrolled. The G and B color light beams proceeding along the second and third optical paths I2 and I3 are reflected by and transmitted through the third dichroic filter 139 so that the G and B color light beams are combined. Finally, the R, G, and B color light beams are combined by the fourth dichroic filter 122 and pass through the polarized light beam splitter 127, and a light valve 130 forms an image using the R, G, and B color light beams. Here, reference numeral 125 denotes a polarizer, and reference numerals 118 and 133 denote light path conversion units.
FIG. 2 illustrates a process of scrolling R, G, and B color bars due to rotations of the first, second, and third prisms 114, 135, and 142. Here, the R, G, and B color bars formed on a surface of the light valve 130 periodically move when the first, second, and third prisms 114, 135, and 142 corresponding to the R, G, and B color light beams are rotated at the same time and at the same speed. For example, if R, G, and B color bars are formed on the light valve 130, one frame of color image is produced when the R, G, and B color bars rotate one round as shown in FIG. 2.
The light valve 130 forms a color image by processing its individual pixels according to an on-off signal. A projection lens (not shown) magnifies and projects the color image onto a screen.
In the above-mentioned method, since an optical path has to be used for each of three color light beams, a lens for each of the three color light beams is required, and parts for condensing split light beams are necessary. Thus, a volume of the single panel projection system is increased, assembly thereof is difficult, and optical paths are complicated to cause a difficulty in arranging an optical axis. Also, etendue of the light beams is increased during a process of splitting light into the three color light beams and condensing the three color light beams. Here, the etendue E refers to an optical conservative physical quantity in an optical system and is expressed as in Equation 1.
                    E        =                              π                                                                          A                                                                                sin                2                                                          (                                  θ                                      1                    2                                                  )                                              =                                    π                                                                                A                                                      (                                  4                                    Fno                                )                            2                                                          (        1        )            wherein A denotes an area of an object, the etendue of which is to be measured, and Fno denotes F numbers of lenses. In Equation 1, the etendue depends on the area and F number of the object and refers to a physical quantity expressed by a geometrical structure of the optical system. The etendue at a starting point of the optical system should be identical to the etendue at an ending point of the optical system, so that the light efficiency is optimized. For example, if the etendue at the ending point of the optical system is greater than the etendue at the starting point, the volume of the optical system is increased. If the etendue at the ending point is less than the etendue at the starting point, light may be lost. If the etendue of the light source is great, angles of the light beams incident onto a subsequent lens are widened. Thus, it is difficult to constitute the optical system satisfying these requirements.
However, the optical system may be easily constituted while reducing the etendue.
However, in a single panel scrolling projection display device, a light beam is split into three color light beams and then condensed. Due to this, a divergence angle becomes bigger, and thus the etendue is increased. Thus, constituting an optical system becomes difficult due to an increase in the etendue.
Also, in a general single panel projection optical system, white light is split into R, G, and B color light beams, which are sequentially forwarded to a light valve by a filter. The light valve operates according to the order of R, G, and B color light beams to form a color image. As described above, since the single panel projection optical system sequentially uses the R, G, and B color light beams, the light efficiency decreases to ⅓ of that of the three panel optical system. In order to solve these problems, a color scrolling method was suggested. In the color scrolling method, after the white light is split into the R, G, and B color light beams, the R, G, and B color light beams are forwarded to different positions of the light valve at the same time. All of the R, G, and B color light beams have to reach one pixel to realize a color image.
Thus, each of the R, G, and B color light beams is moved at a uniform speed using a specific method.
In the conventional single panel projection optical system, when prisms are rotated for scrolling, an independent prism is used for each of color light beams. However, it is difficult to match respective driving velocity of the prisms and the light valves, and the velocity for scrolling the color light beams may not be uniform due to circular movements of the prisms. Since a separate part is necessary for each of the color light beams, the volume of the optical system is increased, and processes of manufacturing and assembling the optical system are complicated. As a result, yield of the optical system decreases.

High efficiency lighting system, scrolling unit and projection system employing the same


Embodiments generally relate to action detection in a video based on image analysis. In some embodiments, a method includes obtaining a plurality of images associated with an activity between a first object and a second object. The method further includes performing image analysis on the plurality of images to identify one or more portions of the first object and one or more portions of the second object. The method further includes, based on the image analysis, detecting at least one interaction between a given portion of the first object with a given portion of the second object in one or more images of the plurality of images. The method further includes, based on one or more positions of the given portion of the first object and the given portion of the second object in the one or more images of the plurality of images, determining one or more characteristics of the interaction. The method further includes using a cognitive model, classifying the interaction as a permitted interaction or an unpermitted interaction based at least on the one or more characteristics.

The detection of particular actions at an event is often performed by people. For example, during a sporting event, referees may be on a playing field to monitor the event for any fouls. Penalty calls made by people are prone to bias, which may lead to bad penalty calls. Sensors may be used to detect particular actions, where sensors that are placed on the body of the players interacting with each other. A system can determine via the sensors what body parts of one player made contact with another, which may facilitate in making penalty calls. This technique may be problematic, however, where sensors fail to adequately detect another person.

Action detection in a video based on image analysis

International Business Machines Corporation


A multilayer polymer dielectric film includes a stack of coextruded, alternating first dielectric layers and second dielectric layers that receive electrical charge. The first dielectric layers include a first polymer material and the second dielectric layers include a second polymer material different from the first polymer material. The first polymer material has a permittivity greater than the second polymer material. The second polymer material has a breakdown strength greater than the first polymer material. Adjoining first dielectric layers and second dielectric layers define an interface between the layers that delocalizes electrical charge build-up in the layers. The stack has substantially the crystallographic symmetry before and during receiving electrical charge.

Capacitors employ low temperature thermoplastic dielectric thin film polymers, such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate, polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate, polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), polyphenylene oxide, and polyphenylene sulfide, either metallized or maintained between metal foil electrodes. Metalized film capacitors are used extensively in a broad range of electrical and electronic equipment that include motor run and motor start circuits for air conditioners, fluorescent and high intensity light ballasts, power supplies, telecommunication equipment, instrumentation, hybrid electric vehicles, grid convertors, pulsed power applications, and medical electronics. In many of these applications, the metallized capacitors are used to store energy.

Multilayer polymer film having a charge-delocalizing interface

The Government of the United States of America, As Represented by Secretary of the Navy


Method for preparing cappuccino wherein at least one coffee pad filled with ground coffee and an instant and/or liquid creamer are utilized, the method further comprising the following method-steps: hot water is forced under pressure through the coffee pad for obtaining coffee extract;—the coffee extract is supplied under pressure to at least one nozzle for obtaining a coffee extract jet, the coffee extract jet is aimed at a first buffer reservoir already filled with the creamer so that in the first buffer reservoir the cappuccino is formed and the cappuccino is discharged from the first buffer reservoir.

The invention relates to a method for preparing cappuccino wherein at least one coffee pad filled with ground coffee is utilized. The invention also relates to an apparatus for preparing a cappuccino.
A method for preparing cappuccino is known per se. With this method, first, with au apparatus known per se, a coffee extract is made which is collected in, for instance, a cup. Then, with the aid of further means known per se, hot milk with a fine-bubble froth layer is prepared. This hot milk with fine-bubble froth layer is added to the coffee extract in the cup whereupon the cappuccino is ready. The known method has as a drawback that it is laborious and takes up relatively much time.
The invention contemplates providing a solution to this problem.


The present invention relates to a power transistor module for radio frequency applications, particularly for use in an amplifier stage in a radio base station or in a ground transmitter for TV or radio, wherein said power transistor module comprises a support plate, a power transistor chip arranged thereon, outer electrical connections projecting from the module for external connection and inner electrical connections connected between said transistor chip and said outer connections, at least one of said inner electrical connections comprising a first conductor pattern arranged on a flexible foil. The invention further comprises a power amplifier comprising said module, a method in the fabrication of said module, a method in the fabrication of a power amplifier, where said module is electrically connected to a circuit board mounted at a heat sink and to be mounted at said heat sink, and finally to a power amplifier manufactured according to the method.

The present invention relates to a power transistor module intended for radio frequency applications, particularly for use in an amplifier stage in a radio base station or in a ground transmitter for television or radio, to a power amplifier comprising said power transistor module and methods in the fabrication of the power transistor module and the power amplifier.
Power transistor modules for amplification at high frequencies have to comply with a number of detailed requirements as regards power amplification, ruggedness, break-down voltages, noise, distortion, capacitances, input and output impedances, etc. at a specified feed voltage and operation frequency. The demands on output power vary from a few watts to several hundred watts, in the latter case several components connected in parallel in a module being utilized. Power transistors operate at high signal levels and thus high current densities. The operation frequency is within the radio and microwave frequencies.
The power transistor modules are the critical components in power amplifiers in radio transmitters. The performance of the modules is the limiting factor as regards output power, efficiency and reliability.
In FIG. 1 is shown, schematically in cross-section, a power transistor module 1 mounted at a heat sink 3 and electrically connected to conductor pattern (not shown) on a circuit board or a printed circuit board 5 according to known practice, see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,042 and references therein.
Module 1 comprises a rectangular electrically conducting and heat conducting bottom plate or flange 7, preferably of a metallic material, onto the upper surface of which are mounted a transistor chip 9 and typically a first 11 and a second 13 capacitor chip. Further, module 1 comprises an insulating, preferably ceramic, frame arrangement or isolator 15 mounted on the upper surface of flange 7 so that the arrangement surrounds said chips, and a cover 17 attached to frame 15.
The transistor chip 9 is typically a chip of the LDMOS (Lateral Double Diffused Metal Oxide) type and comprises a row of blocks connected in parallel, which each comprises a large number of transistor cells connected in parallel. The higher output power that is desired, the more transistor cells are needed. In FIG. 2 is shown a schematic layout of the transistor chip 9 comprising seven blocks. In each block all gates are connected in parallel to a gate connection or pad and all drains are connected to a drain connection or pad. In the uppermost block the gate pad is indicated by 19 and the drain pad is indicated by 21. The sources have connections at the back side/bottom side of the chip, which are connected to ground, e.g. via flange 7.
High power transistors have at high frequencies very low input and output impedances. To match these to surrounding circuits on the circuit board 5 impedance matching networks are needed close to the active chip with the transistors. Usually, these matching circuits are implemented by using bonding wires 23, 25, 27, 29 and capacitor chips 11, 13 inside the power transistor module 1. The bonding wires are further connected to straight butt connection contacts 31, 33, preferably of alloy 42, which are projecting from module 1 for connection to said surrounding circuits. In FIG. 2 bonding wires 25, 27 are indicated at the uppermost block of the chip. Each other block is certainly connected via its own bonding wires (not shown). Difficulties to attain tight tolerances during manufacture of the modules give rise to undesired variations in different critical electrical parameters.
The module 1 may be fastened to heat sink 3 by screws or bolts, whereafter the butt connection contacts 31, 33 are manually soldered to the surrounding circuits of circuit board 5 through soldered seams 35, 37. Flange 7 and heat sink 3 typically comprise apertures or recesses for receiving screws or bolts (not shown) for the mounting of module 1.
The matching network gives an extra contribution to the impedances before an outer impedance matching is performed on the circuit board. The placement of the transistor chip in the module is very critical, since it affects the length and form of the bonding wires and thereby the impedance matching. Length and form of the bonding wires may be difficult to define.
The low output impedance of the transistor chip is caused by the capacitance of the transistor chip together with a relatively low feeding voltage. The possibilities to achieve a good matching to the surrounding circuits are limited by these facts and by inductance in the conductors (particularly the bonding wires) between the power transistor module and the circuit board.
The impedance matching, which is required, therefore has to be performed both inside the power transistor module and outside on the circuit board. Variations in the properties of the transistor module, in the dimensions of the circuit boards and in the placement of the components will imply that a power amplifier comprising said components ought to be functionally trimmed to possess the best performance. Tolerance equalization through trimming, however, is not desirable by amplifier manufacturers. Manufacture without trimming will, however,-rarely provide for optimal performance but results is discarding of transistor modules.
Further, high power transistor modules of the above kind cannot be surface soldered (i.e. machine soldered) together with other surface soldered circuits on the circuit board and thereafter be mounted, i.e. fastened by screws, to a heat sink, since the modules are mechanically stressed during the screwing. The force arisen hereby is directly transferred to the soldered seams through the butt connector contacts, such that the soldered seams will be damaged, e.g. they will crack. This involves that the transistors have to be soldered manually as indicated, which is time-consuming, costly and results in large quality variations.
Due to the straight butt connector contacts, which are very rigid, the movements, which arise due to the temperature variations, will direct affect the soldered seams between the module and the circuit board. During these stresses the solder will plasticize and relax, which results in congruence displacements. When this is repeated sufficiently many times the soldered seams start to crack, which constitutes the main source of failure during operation. The lifetime of an amplifier will in this case be 5-10 years instead of the desired 30 years. Existing capsules for transistors have preferably a metallic flange and a ceramic isolator. Both the flange and the isolator must have a certain thickness due to purely mechanical reasons and the transistor module will therefore be thicker than the circuit board (which normally is 0.8 mm). A recess must therefore be milled in the heat sink in order to be able to lower the flange of the transistor module, see FIG. 1. This involves increased manufacturing expenditures and a risk for irregularities in the bottom of the recesses. Such an irregular mounting surface results in a risk that the capsules are bent during the fastening by screws, so that the chips crack. Further, the cooling is deteriorated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a power transistor module intended for radio frequency applications, particularly for use in an amplifier stage in a radio base station, which is lacking at least some of the problems which are associated with prior art.
It is in this respect a particular object of the present invention to provide a power transistor module, which reduces the problems of high inductance and high resistance and of large parameter variations, which are associated with wire bonding.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a power transistor module, which offers possibilities to an enhanced impedance matching.
Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a power transistor module is thus provided, which comprises
a support plate;
a power transistor chip arranged on the support plate, the power transistor chip comprising an array of blocks connected in parallel, each of which comprising a plurality of transistors connected in parallel;
outer electrical connections for external connection of the transistor chip, the outer electrical connections projecting from the support plate; and
inner electrical connections connected between the transistor chip and the outer connections.
At least one block of transistors connected in parallel includes a plurality of connection pads for at least either ones of the gates or the drains of the transistors in the at least one block and at least one of the inner electrical connections comprises a first conductor pattern arranged on a flexible foil, wherein the first conductor pattern is connected between the plurality of connection pads and one of the outer connections.
Preferably, the first conductor pattern comprises an impedance matching network, particularly in the immediate vicinity of the power transistor chip. This network may comprise a plurality of capacitances and/or inductances. Further, at least some of the capacitances and/or inductances may comprise a trimmable, particularly laser trimmable, shunt for trimming the network for the purpose of reducing parameter variations that occur during the fabrication.
The flexible foil is preferably manufactured of an elastic polymer, e.g. a polyimide, and each conductor pattern is formed on at least one surface of the foil, preferably by printing or etching.
According to a further aspect of the present invention a power amplifier is provided comprising a power transistor module of the above-mentioned kind.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method in the fabrication of the power transistor module.
According to yet an aspect of the present invention a method in the fabrication of a power transistor module is thus provided, comprising the following steps:
(1) providing a support plate;
(2) arranging a power transistor chip on the support plate, the power transistor chip comprising an array of blocks connected in parallel, each of which comprising a plurality of transistors connected in parallel and wherein at least one block of transistors connected in parallel is provided with a plurality of connection pads for at least either ones of the gates or the drains of the transistors in the at least one block;
(3) mounting outer electrical connections for external connection, the outer electrical connections are arranged in a manner so as to project from the support plate; and
(4) mounting inner electrical connections, the inner electrical connections being arranged to connect the transistor chip with the outer connections, wherein at least one of the inner electrical connections is provided as a first conductor pattern arranged on a flexible foil, the first conductor pattern being connected between the plurality of connection pads and one of the outer connections.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a power amplifier and a method in the fabrication of such a power amplifier.
According to further aspects of the present invention a power amplifier and a method in the fabrication of a power amplifier, respectively, are thus provided, which include the power transistor module, and the provision thereof, respectively.
An advantage of the present invention is that it provides for power transistor modules and power amplifiers with improved performances.
By using a flexible foil with a metallic pattern in accordance with the present invention one is not limited to solely one connection point per transistor block but it is possible e.g. to realize the connection at several points. This will give enhanced transistor performance, since the width of the access connectors may be reduced, which implies lower parasitic capacitances. The power distribution will become more uniform, since the outermost cells are active.
Yet an advantage of the present invention is that a faster, cheaper and more reliable fabrication method is achieved, in which parameter variations are minimized.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.

Power transistor module, power amplifier and method in the fabrication thereof


An electronic system includes a three terminal device having a light emitting portion and a magnetically sensitive portion. The magnetically sensitive portion is for modulating light emission from the light emitting portion. The device is a spin valve transistor having a light-emitting quantum well in its collector. The device can convert a magnetic digital signal to both an electrical digital signal and an optical digital signal, wherein either or both of these signals can be provided as a device output. The magnetically sensitive portion of the device is formed of a pair of magnetically permeable layers. When the layers are aligned electron current can pass through with sufficient energy to reach a quantum well where they recombine, generating light. The device may be used to read a magnetic storage medium, such as a disk drive. Or it can be used to provide a display or a memory array composed of single device magnetic write, optical read memory cells. Amplification can be provided to the transistor by adjusting the collector base voltage to provide secondary electrons by impact ionization to provide greater electron current and a correspondingly larger optical emission signal.

Giant magnetoresistance, also called the spin-valve effect, has provided substantial improvement in read heads used for reading data from a magnetic disk drives. The read heads convert each magnetic bit of data into a digital electrical signal that is fed to a processor for display, analysis, or transmission. Processing in additional electronic devices is required before the electrical signal can be delivered to a laser or a light emitting diode for conversion to a digital optical signal. None of the available devices provide a one step process for reading magnetic data and converting the magnetic digital signal directly into an optical signal. Thus, a better system for converting a magnetic signal to an optical signal is needed, and this solution is provided by the following invention.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


Food composition supplemented with one or more honey proteins provide additional protein without detracting from flavor or mouthfeel and may also possess cytostimulatory properties. The honey proteins may be royal jelly major proteins (RJMP) such as those from the western honeybee Apis mellifera. The honey proteins can be created by expression of recombinant DNA in a yeast or bacterium. The honey protein is selected based on physical properties of the protein and of the food composition to reduce negative mouthfeel and flavor characteristics that may be caused by added protein. Multiple different proteins may be added in a specified ratio to create a desired texture or cytostimulatory property.

Foods supplemented with added protein are highly desirable foods. Protein may be added to many types of foods such as energy bars and shakes. High-protein foods may be used for weight loss, sports nutrition, and meal replacement. Protein rich foods can aid in recovery from physical activity and create feelings of satiety to aid in weight loss. Protein is a popular ingredient in athletic performance as it does not interfere with fat loss and helps with recovery from physical exercise or exertion (Lemon, 1991). Fats and carbohydrates may be viewed by consumers as less desirable. Many diets emphasize low carbohydrate and higher protein intake. Low carbohydrate Atkins and keto diets are popular and clinically effective for weight loss and even used in clinical therapy (Kossoff, 2008). Paleo diets are popularly associated with diets which are more in line with human's ancestral diets and are popularly considered healthy (Lindeberg S, 2007). The market for foods supplemented with additional protein is increasing especially in consumer-packaged goods foods. (Formanski, 2019). Accordingly, there is broad demand for higher levels of proteins in foods.
The protein added to foods can come from animal or non-animal sources. Animal sources include eggs and milk that provide casein or whey protein. Non-animal sources include soybeans, peas, rice, potatoes, and hemp. The proteins used to supplement foods are generally isolated from natural products and selected due to price and availability. Protein derived from plants are the most popular protein supplements with markets growing rapidly year on year (The plant-based protein market is changing what it takes to succeed, 2020). Despite their ubiquity as supplements, plant protein ingredients may taste astringent and have a chalky or dry mouthfeel. Protein supplements generally have a bland or unsavory taste. Thus, while added plant proteins are tolerated in performance/athletic products, consumers do not accept unpalatable taste and mouthfeel in food products consumed for taste and eating experience.
Honey is a natural, non-plant source of proteins. However, the amount of protein in honey is very low. Typically honey contains about 82% sugars (primarily fructose and glucose), 17% water, 0.3% proteins, with the remainder vitamins and minerals. Honey is a highly valued food product and has been touted as a natural remedy for wounds, respiratory infections, and other ailments. Most honey consumed by humans is produced by honeybees of the genus Apis. The specific composition of honey depends on the species of insect and flowers pollen.
Although honey has been used by humans for thousands of years, surprisingly little is known about the proteins in honey. Many of the proteins found in honey are also present in Royal Jelly. The most abundant class of proteins found in honey are the major royal jelly proteins (RJMP) such as RJMP-1, RJMP-2, RJMP-5, and RJMP-7. (Chua, Lee, & Chan, 2015).
Isolation of proteins from honey is laborious and expensive. Currently, the most popular method of protein isolation from honey is dialysis against distilled water and lyophilization of the dialysate. There are also chemical methods used such as sodium tungstate, ammonium sulfate, and acetone precipitation. A more recently developed technique uses extraction with saturated phenol. (Bocian, Buczkowicz, Jaromin, Hus, & Legáth, 2019).
It would be desirable to develop food compositions with added protein that have a neutral or beneficial effect on flavor and mouthfeel. Moreover, it would be also desirable if added protein was a functional food component that provides benefits to consumer health. It would able be desirable to create food compositions with these properties in a cost-effective manner at scale. The following disclosure is made with respect to these and other considerations.

Food compositions containing added honey proteins


An in vitro screening method for identifying insect tolerant genotypes or clones is described. The method comprises growing plantlets in an in vitro system, screening the plantlets for molecular variation of somaclones using RAPD analysis in vitro, selecting the somaclones having molecular variation, exposing the somaclones to insect larvae or nymphs and identifying the surviving somaclones.

Mentha arvensis Linn. var piperescens. Holmes (menthol or Japanese mint) is an industrial crop that is widely cultivated for its essential oil from which menthol is purified by crystallization through freezing. Menthol and other terpenoids present in the dementholated oil of Mentha arvensis are variously used in the food, perfumery and pharmaceutical industries. In the varietal improvement programme the genetic alternations leading to enhancement in the tolerance against pest and disease and improving other adaptive characters determining the yield and quality of essential oil is most desirable. Insect tolerance is desired particularly against Spilarctia obliqua in mentha, which is the most damaging pest of mints in India. Since the mints are of considerable interest to the industrial world, selection programs for the isolation of desirable clones with improved terpene accumulation and suitable agronomic traits are being pursued in several laboratories. However, due to the inherent problem of seed setting in mints, conventional breeding programmes are severely hampered. In vitro high efficiency procedures for cell and callus cultures and shoot regeneration from axillary buds and leaf explants have been reported in some species of the genus Mentha, especially the commercially important species M. piperata and M. spicata.
However, in M. arvensis mostly the media used have permitted shoot proliferation from limited explants such as nodes, terminal and axillary buds and distal segments of leaf petiole at relatively low levels of efficiency. Attempts to develop new varieties or genotypes by alternative methods like clonal selection, mutation breeding and somaclonal variation have been followed in mints (S. P. S. Khanuja, A. K. Shasany, S. Dhawan, S. Kumar, Rapid procedure for isolating somaclones of altered genotypes in Mentha arvensis. J Med. Aroma. Plant Sci. 20 (1998) 359–361.). The applicants have reported high efficiency protocols for rapid detection and selection procedure for development of somaclonal variants through molecular approaches in Mentha arvensis (S. P. S. Khanuja, A. K. Shasany, S. Dhawan, S. Kumar, Rapid procedure for isolating somaclones of altered genotypes in Mentha arvensis. J Med. Aroma. Plant Sci. 20 (1998) 359–361). We have also successfully defined the conditions and media to restrict the emergence of somaclonal variation for stable micropropagation purposes (A. K. Shasany, S. P. S. Khanuja, S. Dhawan, U. Yadav, S. Sharma, S. Kumar, High regenerative nature of Mentha arvensis internodes. Journal of Biosciences 23 (1998) 641–646.).
In the present invention, the applicants have utilized the already reported protocol (S. P. S. Khanuja, A. K. Shasany, S. Dhawan, S. Kumar, Rapid procedure for isolating somaclones of altered genotypes in Mentha arvensis. J Med. Aroma. Plant Sci. 20 (1998) 359–361.) to generate and capture the somaclonal variations in larger frequencies. We, then screened the somaclones for their tolerance to Spilarctia obliqua by devising a novel method for rapid and dependable selection of tolerant clone(s) right at the tissue culture stage. Further the tolerant plants, which survived were tested for their stability, essential oil, menthol content and biomass yield. Consequently, the plant GRB2-18 was selected for unmatchable vigor of shoots, higher menthol production and increased insect tolerance through field evaluation.

Screening method for selection of insect tolerant plants

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


The present invention relates to a brake arrangement (4) for a magnetic or an electric ergometer, e.g. an ergometer bike. The object of the invention is to provide an ergometer which is as user friendly as magnetic and electric ergometers, while the calibration of the ergometer is simplified considerably. The ergometer comprises a frame, a power transmission system (2) and a rotating member (3) which is driven by the power transmission system and is at least partially made of or coated with a conductive material or magnetic material a brake arrangement (4) is provided to adjust the rotation resistance of the rotating member, the arrangement consisting, according to the invention, of at least one magnetic brake member (8) which is at an adjustable distance from the rotating member. The brake member (8) has a fixed mass and is movable in a direction substantially parallel with, the cross-sectional plane of the rotating member (3) and parallel with the radius of the rotating member. The brake member can also be moved in a direction parallel with the outer circumference of the rotating member.

The present invention relates to a brake arrangement for a magnetic or an electric ergometer according to the preamble of claim 1. Such an ergometer can be made e.g. of an ergometer bike.
Different ergometers and particularly ergometer bikes have for years been the best way of measuring a person""s condition and oxygen uptake. These arrangements usually comprise a frame, two pedals, a power transmission system, a rotating member and a brake arrangement. The brake arrangement included the ergometer bike preferably comprises a mechanical friction system or a magnetic or an electric eddy-current brake.
Prior art brake arrangements are provided to affect the rotating member, e.g. a flywheel, which is driven by the power transmission system. The rotation of the flywheel is slowed down e.g. mechanically by a brake band placed against the outer circumference of the flywheel. The friction force between the flywheel and the brake band can be varied by tightening or loosening the brake band in respect of the outer circumference of the flywheel. In that case the braking force and the force needed to drive the power transmission system vary.
An eddy-current brake similarly comprises a rotating member which is at least partially made of or coated with a conductive material or magnetic means. Other magnetic members are mounted e.g. in the frame, their distance from the rotating member being adjustable. The magnetic members mounted in the frame generate, together with the rotating member, eddy-currents which slow down the speed of the rotating member. By increasing or decreasing the distance between the magnetic members mounted in the frame and the rotating member, the braking force and the force needed to drive the power transmission system can be varied.
An ergometer bike used for testing persons must be, in addition to the brake arrangement, provided with a measuring device which facilitates reading of the braking force and the load. The arrangement also needs to be accurate, reliable and easy to calibrate. This is the only way of obtaining reliable and comparable test results.
In an ergometer bike which comprises a friction-type brake arrangement the resistance of the brake band can be adjusted e.g. by providing it with a pendulum-type counterweight. The counterweight is usually arranged so that an increase in the tension of the brake band in respect of the flywheel""s outer circumference can be directly read from the pendulum motion of the counterweight. Usually an increase in the load rises the pendulum from its rest position. This solution is utilized e.g. in ergometer bikes produced by Monark.
A disadvantage of the solution described above is that it is difficult to adjust the friction resistance of the flywheel accurately. Furthermore, the friction coefficient between the flywheel and the braking band may change during the test either because of the increased temperature of the braking band or because of the speed of the flywheel. This means that a brake arrangement provided with a friction brake and a counterweight must be adjusted continuously during a test. Such continuous adjustment naturally has a considerable effect on the test result.
A further disadvantage of a brake arrangement based on friction is related to the user friendliness of the ergometer bike. Brake arrangement of this kind is relatively loud, which is irritating both to the person who is to be tested and for the personnel carrying out the test. In addition, the function of an ergometer bike provided with a brake arrangement based on friction is uneven and abrupt.
In normal exercise bikes magnetic and electric brake systems replaced the brake arrangement based on friction for a long time ago. The friction-type bikes described above are, however, still used as test apparatuses because they are relatively easy to calibrate and because the load can be read with sufficient accuracy from the position of the counterweight.
Compared to the arrangement with a braking band, the brake arrangement of the eddy-current type functions very smoothly and silently. A disadvantage of this arrangement is, however, that it is difficult to calibrate the load of power transmission accurately enough. The characteristics of electric and magnetic resistance which is used in the arrangement may also change in the course of time. Since brake arrangements of this type are usually built in the frame of the ergometer bicycle, the arrangement can be calibrated only with special tools designed for this particular purpose.
Because of the problems and costs related to calibration, it is usually performed only once a year. If a calibration error is found during the calibration process, it is impossible to know when the error occurred. In the worst case all the test results obtained since the previous calibration are completely useless.
In scientific research it is usually necessary to control the calibration of the equipment every day, for which reason the electric and magnetic brake systems have not become more common, but several tests and test series are still carried out using ergometer bikes provided with brake arrangements of the friction type regardless of their deficiencies in respect of the user friendliness.
The present invention considerably reduces the problems related to the prior art solutions, user friendliness, accuracy of reading the load force and calibration of electric or magnetic brake arrangements in ergometers.
The object of the present invention is to enable controlling of the calibration of the ergometer even every day. The present invention provides an ergometer which has the user friendliness of electric and magnetic brake arrangements and the calibration of the brake arrangement is as simple as the calibration of a brake arrangement based on friction.
The solution to the above-mentioned problems has been achieved by the present invention which has the characteristics disclosed in the claims. An arrangement of the present invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterising part of claim 1.
The preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
In connection with the present invention an ergometer means a system for measuring and evaluating the condition of a person to be tested. An ergometer can be attached to a bicycle, a manually operated hand bike, a rowing machine or a stepper.
Compared to the prior art, this arrangement provides several considerable advantages. The load force of the ergometer can be read much more accurately with an arrangement according to the invention. In an ergometer provided with an electric brake arrangement the load force is often measured directly with a force sensor which requires an amplifier enabling reading. In the brake arrangement according to the invention a high deviation can be obtained with the pendulum of the arrangement even with slight changes in the amount of force.
When a force sensor is used for measuring the load force, the measuring signal is given in millivolts. Thus the threshold for interference is very low. For example, the use of a mobile phone near the force sensor can cause interference sufficient for influencing the measuring result, which leads to an unnecessary repetition of the test carried out. In a brake arrangement comprising a pendulum system the changes in the angle of the pendulum can be measured e.g. with an ordinary potientiometer, in which case the measuring signal is always given in volts, which makes the system in practice immune to external interference.
A brake arrangement according to the present invention is also very inexpensive to produce because the deviation of the pendulum can be measured directly with a simple mechanical measuring device, a simple potientiometer or with an accelerometer which are considerably cheaper than a force sensor which is needed in the other electric brake arrangements.
The calibration of an ergometer according to the present invention can be controlled in a simple manner virtually without any costs when desired, even several times a day. The calibration of the ergometer does not require any special calibration equipment. It is sufficient to provide the pendulum of the brake arrangement with a weight of a known size so that the deviation of the pendulum can be observed.
The ergometer of the present invention also improves the user friendliness of the device considerably when used in various tests. The ergometer, when attached to a bicycle, is also silent and very comfortable to pedal thanks to its smooth going.

Brake arrangement for magnetic or electric ergometer


Rotating drill head with a boring bar which is swivel able by small amounts transversely to the rotational axis by fluidic means, with a base, a driven member located opposite the base, a pressure chamber arranged between the base and driven member and having a fluid inlet, and with an expanding lever gearing in a working connection with the driven member and serving for the synchronous and oppositely directed swiveling of a tool carrier and a compensating member which are constructed so as to be geometrically similar and constitute the boring bar.

a) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a cutting chisel holder with a cutting chisel which can be clamped in, particularly a rotating drill head which is adjustable in a fluidic manner.
b) Background Art
DE 34 33 793 Al (FIG. 3) discloses a rotating drill head with a tool carrier which is precisely adjustable transversely to the axis of rotation and has a wedge or key carrier which displaces the tool carrier transversely relative to the axis of rotation. The tool carrier, which forms a displacing part, is associated with an additional displacing part. The tool carrier and displacing part have sloping surfaces which face one another and are pressed outward by the key carrier. The tool carrier and displacing part are accordingly moved outward symmetrically in opposite directions in order to counterbalance occurring centrifugal forces with respect to the axis of rotation.
However, due to the multitude of parts sliding against one another, the mechanical operating means is subject to high friction so that it is not possible for such drill heads to meet the demand for a quick adjustment of the cutting chisel to produce inner cylindrical surface areas with accurate dimensions and minimum deviation (roughly 500.mu. to 1,000.mu.) from an exactly cylindrical surface area.
Further, a precisely adjustable drill head is known in which the driven member is a plate having projections and resting thereon. A tappet situated in an eccentric bore hole of the boring bar rests on the side of the plate which faces away. When acted upon in the axial direction, this tappet causes the boring bar, which has a thin and a thick wall due to the eccentric bore hole, to be stretched along its thinner wall so that the boring bar swivels toward the thicker wall and, in doing so, impresses upon the cutting chisel a virtually axially vertical advancing motion in the .mu. range transverse to the axis of rotation (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,356, FIG. 2).
Since the tappet contacts the plate eccentrically, the plate and tappet form a lever gearing which is unbalanced when deflected and is likewise subject to repetitive friction. Further, the tappet is acted upon obliquely as a result of this construction and accordingly experiences lateral deflections which lead to jamming of the tappet in the bore hole. Frictional and clamping forces prevent such a drill head from following slight changes in pressure whose effect does not exceed the frictional forces, and when larger forces occur the cutting chisel position cannot be associated with the control pressure in a reproducible manner, so that different cutting chisel positions result under the same control pressure, depending on whether it is falling or rising.
To prevent troublesome frictional forces and maintain the desired stiffness of the mechanical operating means, it is known to construct the drive member and boring bar in one piece (see DE 39 29 472-Al, FIG. 1).
To this end, the drill head includes a flat rotating part having a circular cross section and divided into two portions by an eccentric recess or groove, namely into a portion forming a thin plate and a portion forming a thick plate, which portions are connected with one another by the round, off-center portion formed by the groove. The relatively thin plate resulting from the groove is springing or resilient relative to the comparatively thick plate and simultaneously forms part of the compression motor, whose rigid base forms the thick plate or disk. In addition, the thin plate has a continuation which faces away and has a cylindrical outer surface area in which a piston shaped continuation engages, the latter being constructed in one piece with the boring bar. This piston-shaped continuation forms the driven member and is securely connected with the thin plate by screws. Due to the eccentricity of the remaining portion between the thick and thin plates, a change in pressure of the pressure medium supplied to the compression motor results in a driven path in the .mu. range determined by the path of the driven center of gravity of the thin plate relative to the thick plate.
With the exception of the construction according to DE 34 33 793 Al, FIG. 3, these constructions of drill heads have the disadvantage that the boring bar forming part of the drill head is out of balance when deflected. At very high speeds of the drill head, which can reach 8,000 r.p.m. and more, this unbalance can generate forces high enough to overload the bearings of the drill machine to which these forces are transmitted. Apart from this, such unbalance works against the reproducible adjustment of the boring bar.

Rotating drill head with a boring bar which is pivotable by a slight distance transversely to the axis of rotation by fluidic means


A diverter is capable of selectively and alternatively operating in an in-line mode in which it conveys articles along a primary conveyor and in a diverting mode in which it swivels and pops-up to smoothly ramp articles vertically from the primary conveyor and to divert the articles at an angle from the primary conveyor and onto a secondary conveyor or the like. In addition to popping-up and swiveling, the diverter helps to turn the diverted article onto the secondary conveyor by conveying one side of the article faster than the other side. The diverter includes a plurality of laterally spaced diverter wheel assemblies each of which can be swiveled from an in-line orientation to a skewed orientation. The outer peripheral surfaces of the diverter wheels run at the primary conveyor's in-line speed when the diverter wheels are in their in-line orientation and change speeds when the diverter wheels swivel to their skewed orientation so that their speeds increase progressively from wheel-to-wheel as one moves laterally across the diverter to create a speed differential across the primary conveyor. Speed changeover is effected via a multi-grooved spool coupled to the diverter wheel by an O-ring belt. Diverter wheel swiveling causes the belt to twist and to traverse a generally helical or flattened-S-shaped crossover groove forward in a flange separating the adjacent pulley grooves of the spool. The spools and diverter wheel assemblies move together during a pop-up operation to reduce belt stretching.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to conveyor assemblies and, more particularly, relates to a conveyor assembly that includes a swivel wheel diverter for selectively diverting conveyed articles at an angle from a conveyor. The invention relates additionally to an improved diverter wheel assembly usable in a diverter and to an improved method of diverting articles from a conveyor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is necessary in many conveying applications to selectively and alternatively 1) convey articles along a conveyor in an initial conveying path or direction (generally known as "in-line" conveyance) and 2) divert articles from the conveyor and onto another conveyor, a sort location, a spur line, etc. Selectively operable apparatus usable for this purpose are generally known in the art as "diverters."
One type of diverter used in a variety of applications and particular in high-speed applications is the so-called wheel diverter that uses a series of rotating diverter wheels to direct articles. The diverter wheels of traditional wheel diverters at least selectively rotate at an angle to the in-line direction of conveyance of the primary conveyor in which the diverter is disposed and are positioned between adjacent primary conveyor sections (or, in the case of a roller conveyor, between adjacent rollers) so as to selectively engage and divert articles travelling along the conveyor. To effect a divert operation, the diverter wheels of a diverter may swivel, pop-up, or both swivel and pop-up.
In diverters in which the diverter wheels pop-up, the diverter wheels are normally positioned beneath the primary conveyor's plane of conveyance. These wheels are permanently skewed and hence cannot rotate in-line with the associated primary conveyor. To effect a divert operation, the skewed wheels are driven upwardly so that they "pop-up" into the plane of conveyance to convey articles away from the primary conveyor. Diverters of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,238 to Good et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,988 to Maxted et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,889 to Maxted.
Other diverters incorporate diverter wheels that can swivel but do not pop-up, at least on a cycle-to-cycle basis, but that instead swivel between an in-line orientation and a skewed orientation in which they rotate at least generally towards a secondary conveyor or some other device extending at an angle from the primary conveyor. A diverter of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,961 to Nicholson.
Still other diverters incorporate diverter wheels that both pop-up and swivel. The diverter wheels of these diverters can be swiveled from an in-line orientation in which they help convey articles along the primary conveyor to a skewed orientation in which they convey articles at an angle from the primary conveyor. The diverter wheels pop-up as they swivel so that they may facilitate a diverting operation by lifting the article from the primary conveyor and positioning it for transfer to a secondary conveyor or another structure that may be located above the plane of conveyance of the primary conveyor. Lifting the article from the primary conveyor prevents the adjacent portions of the primary conveyor from acting on the article and hence prevents the diverted articles from being pulled in two directions at once. Diverters having diverter wheels that both pop-up and swivel are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,815 to Adama; U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,844 to Jahns; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,693 to Williams.
The rotational speed of the diverter wheels of the diverters disclosed in several of the above-mentioned patents are controlled to be different from the in-line speed of the primary conveyor. For instance, the diverter wheels disclosed in the Maxted '988 and Nicholson patents rotate faster than the in-line speed of the primary conveyor to accelerate articles being diverted to maintain a desired spacing between diverted articles. The diverter wheels disclosed in the Berends patent are somewhat more sophisticated in that the diverter wheels are accelerated only during a diverting operation so that they convey articles at generally the in-line speed of the primary conveyor when in their in-line orientation and accelerate articles when in their skewed orientation. The increased speed of the skewed diverter wheels is said to allow the articles to be diverted abruptly from the main or primary conveyor without interference from either the previously-diverted articles or the upstream articles. Diverter wheel acceleration is effected by driving each wheel directly via a drive shaft that rides up a curved surface of a spool upon wheel swiveling to increase the rotational velocity of the shaft and hence the rotational velocity of the wheel.
Previously-known wheel diverters of the type described above exhibit several drawbacks and disadvantages.
For instance, none of the diverters described above is capable of changing the rotational speeds of diverter wheels between two distinct, pre-settable speeds upon diverter wheel swiveling. Interaction between the curved spool surface and the drive shaft of each diverter wheel described in the Berends patent instead causes the rotational velocity of the diverter wheel to vary progressively as the wheel swivels and its shaft rides up the curved surface of the associated spool. In addition, the direct contact between the drive shaft and the spool in Berends' diverter may result in accelerated wear of both components.
In addition, none of the prior art diverters, including that disclosed by Berends, controls the rotational velocities of the diverted wheels such that the velocity of the wheels increases progressively from wheel-to-wheel as one travels laterally across the primary conveyor. Rather, all diverter wheels rotate at the same velocity when in their diverted position. As a result, article diverting is effected solely via diverter wheel skewing. There is no change of speed across the width of the article that otherwise could assist article diverting by turning the article towards the secondary conveyor.
In addition, in those prior art diverters in which the diverter wheel is driven by an O-ring or some other type of belt (generally considered to be the most cost effective and efficient manner of driving a diverter wheel) and in which the diverter wheels both swivel and pop-up, the belt stretches twice. It stretches first as the diverter wheel swivels due to the change in angular orientation between the driven diverter wheel and the pulley or spool which drives it. It stretches again during the pop-up operation because the vertical spacing between the rising diverter wheel and the vertically-stationary drive pulley increases. This two-stage stretching (both stages of which may take place simultaneously if the swivel and pop-up operations occur simultaneously) may lead to premature wear and early failure of the driven belt.
Moreover, no known pop-up diverter smoothly ramps the diverted articles upwardly from the surface of the primary conveyor. The diverted articles instead are lifted rather abruptly by the elevated diverter wheels.

Conveyor assembly incorporating a pop-up swivel wheel diverter


A ceiling transport vehicle in which articles may be transferred precisely while allowing its travel portion to travel smoothly along a set travel path is provided. The ceiling transport vehicle has a pair of guiding bodies which guide the travel portion along a set travel path by contacting each of right and left lateral sides of a guide rail with a pair of contacting members that are supported by the travel portion such that the contacting members can be moved away from each other and moved toward each other in a lateral width direction. The ceiling transport vehicle also has a switching portion for moving each of the pair of contacting members away from each other and toward each other to switch between a holding state and a holding release state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceiling transport vehicle comprising a travel portion that travels along a guide rail installed on a ceiling side along a set travel path, a main body portion that is suspended and supported by the travel portion and that supports an article such that the article can be moved vertically, and a pair of guiding bodies that contact right and left lateral sides of the guide rail to guide the travel portion along the set travel path.
2. Description of Related Art
Such ceiling transport vehicles are configured to guide its travel portion, which travels on a guide rail along a set travel path, with a pair of guiding bodies, and to vertically move an article with the travel portion stopped at an article transfer position, which is arranged at a location that corresponds to an article transfer target location in the travel path, so as to transfer the article to and from the article transfer target location.
And in such a conventional ceiling transport vehicle, the pair of guiding bodies are caused to contact right and left lateral side faces of the guide rail to restrict the movement of the travel portion relative to the guide rail in the lateral width direction, thereby to restrict a displacement of the travel portion in the lateral width direction with respect to the article transfer position when the travel portion is stopped. The ceiling transport vehicle is configured to transfer an article to and from an article transfer target location with the displacement of the travel portion in the lateral width direction being restricted with respect to the article transfer position in this manner. (See, for example, Patent Document 1.)
In this conventional ceiling transport vehicle, the guide rail consists of a pair of rail portions spaced apart from each other in the lateral width direction. And the pair of guiding bodies are provided between the pair of rail portions such that the pair of guiding bodies contact respective inward faces of the rail portions (i.e., a left hand side surface of the right hand side rail portion, and the right hand side surface of the left hand side rail portion) which face each other and which define the right and left lateral side faces of the guide rail. And even if there are locations where the distance between the pair of rail portions is narrower due to inaccuracies in the installation of the pair of rail portions or changes that occur over time, the pair of guiding bodies are configured or positioned such that the pair of guiding bodies will not be caught and stuck at these locations, so that the travel portion can travel smoothly along a set travel path. More specifically, for example, by forming the pair of guiding bodies with resilient members so that they can deform elastically, or by positioning the pair of guiding bodies such that they can retreat away from the rail portions and urging them toward the rail portions, the pair of guiding bodies are configured or positioned such that they will not be caught and get stuck at a location where the distance between the pair of rail portions is narrower so that the travel portion can travel smoothly along the set travel path.


This invention relates to a series of organic/inorganic hybrid polymers that are easy to fabricate into dimensionally stable films with good ion-conductivity over a wide range of temperatures for use in a variety of applications. The polymers are prepared by the reaction of amines, preferably diamines and mixtures thereof with monoamines with epoxy-functionalized alkoxysilanes. The products of the reaction are polymerized by hydrolysis of the alkoxysilane groups to produce an organic-containing silica network. Suitable functionality introduced into the amine and alkoxysilane groups produce solid polymeric membranes which conduct ions for use in fuel cells, high-performance solid state batteries, chemical sensors, electrochemical capacitors, electro-chromic windows or displays, analog memory devices and the like.

A widely used polymeric membrane for use as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) in fuel cells is Nafion®. Nafion is a relatively expensive perfluorinated polymer which has an operating temperature in a fuel cell at approximately 80° C. Above 80° C., however, the membrane loses its effectiveness due to a loss of proton conductivity. The Nafion® membrane technology is well known in the art and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,282,875 and 4,330,654. Unreinforced Nafion® membranes are used almost exclusively as the ion-exchange membrane in solid polymer electrolyte-fuel cell (SPEFC) applications. The membrane is fabricated from a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluorovinyl ethersulfonyl fluoride. There are many advantages in operating a PEM fuel cell above 100° C. The advantages obtained when a PEM fuel cell is operated above 100° C. is that the rate of the reaction inside the fuel cell is increased, the catalyst is less susceptible to poisoning by carbon monoxide and the power density of the fuel cell is increased by the reduction of ancillary equipment such as humidifiers and compressors. There are many systems currently being investigated to replace Nafion for use in PEM fuel cells (J. Power Sources, 5044, 1-22, 2002). The most promising of these are the acid-doped polybenzimidazoles (Electrochimica Acta 43, 1289-1294, 1998), sulfonated polyetherketone (Solid State Ionics, 97, 1-15, 1997), and the sulfonated naphthalenic polyimides. However, a majority of the systems under investigation suffer from a lack of mechanical and thermal durability or poor performance. In addition, many of these systems offer no cost performance advantage over the current state-of-the-art.
Lithium based polymer batteries for aerospace applications, for example, need the ability to operate at temperatures ranging from about −70° C. to 70° C. Current state-of-art solid polymer electrolytes (SPE), (based on amorphous polyethylene oxide, PEO) have acceptable ionic conductivities (10E-4 to 10E-3 S/cm) only above 60° C. PEO has moderate lithium conductivity at room temperature (10E-6 S/cm). In addition, it is difficult to process and except for the very high molecular weight polymers not very dimensionally stable. Higher conductivity can be achieved in current PEO systems by the addition of solvents or plasticizers to the solid polymer to improve ion transport. However, these approaches typically compromise dimensional and thermal stability of the electrolyte as well as compatibility with electrode materials. Thus, there is intense interest in developing new electrolytes with acceptable room temperature ionic conductivity without the need for solvents or plasticizers. Some of these new approaches include combinations of polymers (Electrochimica Acta, 43, 1177-1184, 1998), hyperbrached systems (Macromolecules, 29, 3831-3838, 1996), highly ordered Lanmuir-Blogett films (J. Power Sources, 97-98, 641-643, 2001) and polyphosphazenes (Chemistry of Materials, 13, 2231-2233, 2001). All of the aforementioned approaches for lithium battery applications produce electrolytes with a higher ionic conductivity than PEO, but not high enough for future applications and all suffer from poor dimensional stability.
Accordingly, research and development has now focused on the development of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. In brief, proton-exchange membrane fuel cells have a polymer electrolyte membrane between a positive electrode (cathode) and a negative electrode (anode). The polymer electrolyte membrane is composed of an ion-exchange polymer. It provides for ionic transport and prevents mixing of the molecular forms of the fuel and the oxidant. Solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells (SPEFCs) are a source of quiet, efficient, power. While batteries have reactants within their structure, fuel cells use air and hydrogen to operate. Their fuel efficiency is high, they are quite, operate over a wide power range and are relatively easy to manufacture. For example, during fuel cell operation, hydrogen permeates through the anode and interacts with the catalyst producing electrons and protons. The electrons are conducted by an electrically conductive polymeric membrane through an external circuit to the cathode, while the protons are transferred by an ionic route through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode. Oxygen permeates to the cathode, where it gains electrons and reacts with protons to form water. The products of the SPEFC's reactions are water, electricity and heat.
However, despite their potential, SPEFC have not been commercialized to a large extent due to unresolved technical problems and overall high cost. To make the SPEFC commercially viable, the membranes should operate at elevated temperatures (>120° C.) to increase power density and limit catalyst sensitivity to impurities. Thus, the problems of using solid polymer electrolyte membranes in electrochemical systems, such as fuel cells, at elevated temperatures have not been solved by the electrolyte membranes presently available. Therefore, it is important to develop solid polymer electrolyte membranes that have high proton conductivity, good mechanical strength and long term stability at temperatures above 120° C. and low relative humidity.

Ion conducting organic/inorganic hybrid polymers

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A battery-cell protection system includes a processor, a wake-up circuit, and a shunt or isolation switch. The processor responds to voltages from cells in a battery by detecting any of the voltages being less than or equal to a predetermined threshold voltage. The processor samples cell voltages at a fast sampling rate and compares the sampled voltages to a predetermined threshold value. The processor further identifies any cell having an associated voltage that is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold voltage. The wake-up circuit responds to a current load from the battery by activating the processor. The shunt switch responds to the identification of the cell by selectively electrically shunting the identified cell to allow the other cells of the battery to continue to supply power to a connected load. The monitoring and identification of cells are performed in parallel to rapidly monitor all of the cells at once. In addition, the monitoring of the cells adaptive in modifying the sampling rate for improved detection and isolation of discharged cells. The processor may further include appropriate memory for recording information, such as total load current, which may later be used as a battery-usage clock to determine the "age" and remaining "life" of the battery.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to energy storage devices (e.g., batteries), and in particular, to a system for monitoring and controlling the discharge cycle of the cells in a battery.
2. Description of Related Art
Circuits are known in the art for monitoring the condition of batteries and their cells. Such known circuits measure the voltage, the current and discharge cycle of the batteries and use this information to determine the status of the battery as a whole, or any particular battery cell.
In multi-cell batteries, a low-capacity cell will typically discharge more rapidly than the other cells, causing that particular cell to "reverse charge". Once a cell becomes reverse charged (i.e., forced below 0 volts by adjacent, electrically connected cells, during a discharge cycle), the cell becomes permanently damaged and will develop poor recharging characteristics. In prior art batteries, once a cell becomes reverse charged, the damaged cell will affect the operating characteristics of the entire battery. The damaged battery will have lower capacity and will become discharged more rapidly than a healthy battery.
It would be desirable to manufacture a battery with cells that are "matched", having similar charging and discharging characteristics. Although, a battery mate up of matched cells will typically outperform unmatched batteries, the cell-matching process is difficult to implement cost effectively and is rarely performed, most commercially available batteries are made from unmatched cells and therefore perform somewhat unpredictably. Furthermore, in such matched-cell batteries, the charging and discharging characteristics of each cell will change differently each time the battery is charged and discharged so that over a period of time, such matched cells will invariably become unmatched.
In an unmatched battery, each cell will operate with its own particular charging and discharging characteristics, and one of the cells wig inherently have poorer operating characteristics (e.g., will not hold a high charge and will rapidly discharge) than the others. This low-capacity cell will typically be the first one to discharge as the battery supplies power to a connected load. Once the low-capacity cell becomes fully discharged, it will be drawn ino a reverse charge condition and will become damaged. The effective output of the battery as a whole is dictated by the effective output of the low-capacity cell. When the low-capacity cell becomes discharged, the outlet voltage of the remaining "good" cells is reduced by the reversed charged voltage of the low-capacity cell and the battery, as a whole, rapidly fails.
Devices in the prior art are capable of detecting failing cells and responding to protect the remaining cells of a battery. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,244 measures voltage differences across individual cells using internal impedances of each cell. Failing cells, as determined by an increase in their internal impedance, may the be isolated from the other cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,956 monitors the condition of cells by sequentially sampling the voltage of each cell and comparing the sampled cell voltage with a reference voltage to generate voltage differences which are stored in a shift register for each cell. If the voltage difference is sufficiently high, the cell is isolated from the other cells.
The selective identification and isolation of discharging cells in the prior art has distinguished defective cells from healthy cells, and so has not treated both defective and healthy cells for common monitoring and protection.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a battery monitoring/controlling circuit that monitors each cell of a battery and isolates any cell whose charge reaches a predetermined threshold voltage without affecting the operation of any adjacent cell.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a battery monitoring/controlling which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a battery monitoring/controlling circuit that allows each cell of a battery to operate independent of the other cells.

Discharge monitoring and isolating system for batteries


A method for providing a real time, three-dimensional (3D) navigational map for platforms includes integrating at least two sources of multi-modal and multi-dimensional platform sensor information to produce a more accurate 3D navigational map. The method receives both a 3D point cloud from a first sensor on a platform with a first modality and a 2D image from a second sensor on the platform with a second modality different from the first modality, generates a semantic label and a semantic label uncertainty associated with a first space point in the 3D point cloud, generates a semantic label and a semantic label uncertainty associated with a second space point in the 2D image, and fuses the first space semantic label and the first space semantic uncertainty with the second space semantic label and the second space semantic label uncertainty to create fused 3D spatial information to enhance the 3D navigational map.

Self-driving vehicles utilize sensor information from their surroundings to determine control inputs in order to safely guide the vehicle through real world environments. The sensor information may also be used to determine a vehicle's orientation and position in a given environment. Images provided by sensors, like cameras, are processed and interpreted from the vehicle's frame of reference to generate a digital representation of the environment surrounding the vehicle. The digital representation is then used to create a mathematical map that includes digital constructions of objects from the real world. The map can then be used by the vehicle to derive a navigational path to a final destination.
As the speeds of the self-driving vehicles increase, objects in the real world approach the immediate environment of the vehicle much quicker, giving the vehicle less time to recognize the object and react with an appropriate control input. Sensors, such as cameras, provide very dense information close to the vehicle but at long range the information is very sparse. Some techniques to overcome this issue dictate that the vehicle travel a given course several times such that the entire course is densely mapped by cameras beforehand. However, this constricts the vehicle to only navigating known paths and does not account for ad hoc objects that may appear, such as pedestrians and other vehicles, leading to possible injuries by the vehicle or to occupants in the vehicle.

Multi-modal data fusion for enhanced 3D perception for platforms