Slew-rate limited differential drivers are useful for reliable data transmission on longer un-terminated cables with longer stub lengths. Slew-rate limit can be achieved by the ratio of a constant current to a capacitor means. In order to have equal rise and fall times, an equal amount of current is steered into the capacitor means in opposite directions. This architecture has unequal propagation delays on the transition edges. This mismatch is directly attributable to the signal transfer in current steering means. The slew-rate limited differential driver corrects this problem by delaying the rising edge by the required amount using a second capacitor means and a diode means. And hence, the preferred embodiment has a better skew on the output.

The Electronic Industry Association (EIA) 485 is an electrical standard, specifying balanced (differential) drivers and receivers for digital data transfer between interfaces of Data Transmission Equipment (DTE), such as a computer terminal, and Data Communication Equipment (DCE), such as a modem. Single ended data transmission suffers from susceptibility to Electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise coupling and generates EMI on the fast rise and fall edges of the data. Differential transmission techniques are not as susceptible to the noise since it is added to both lines in a common mode sense and thus the receiver does not see the longitudinal noise. Differential techniques simply do not generate as much EMI on the transition edges as long as the propagation skew is tolerable. It is very difficult, however, to achieve tolerable skew and to achieve acceptable slew rate control at the same time.
Conventional slew rate techniques using current steering architecture suffer from the unequal propagation delays of the controlled driver which makes the skew control cumbersome. These propagation delays can be directly attributed to the propagation delays in the transfer of signal from the input port to the output port of the current steering element, which may be, for example, a transconductor.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a technique of achieving both slew control and skew in differential driver circuits.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description and drawings following herein.

Slew-rate limited differential driver with improved skew control


A tool mounting block having a forward surface and a rearward surface and a cylindrical transverse aperture extending therethrough opening onto both the forward and rearward surfaces. The tool has a tapered forward cutting end, and axially aligned behind the forward cutting end is an annular flange. Axially aligned behind the annular flange is a cylindrical mounting portion adapted to sidably fit within a complementarily cylindrical aperture of the mounting block, and extending rearward of the cylindrical mounting portion is a threaded stud. At the forward end of the tapered cutting end is a seat into which a hardened metal insert is bonded. To retain the cylindrical mounting portion of the tool within the cylindrical aperture of the mounting block, a locking nut assembly is threaded on the stud. When a tool is retained in a mounting block by such a nut assembly, the nut may be tightened to prevent rotation of the tool within the mounting block. An anti-rotation device may be provided between the block and the tool in the form of a ridge or a groove on the forward surface of the block which is engaged by a complementary ridge or groove on the inner surface of an annular flange of the tool.

Machines which cut hard surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt and the like, have a rotating cutting element with a plurality of cutting tools mounted thereon. During the operation of the machine, each of the cutting elements is brought in contact with the hard surface to remove a small portion of the material and thereby advance the cut. The cutting tools for such machines are symmetrical about a longitudinal axis and have a forward cutting end into which a hardened tungsten carbide insert is fitted, and a rearward cylindrical mounting end which is retained in a mounting block of the machine. While the tools for certain machines are adapted to rotate within the mounting block, other cutting tools are non-rotatably mounted in the block. Presently, the non-rotatably mounted tools have a threaded stud at the rear end of the mounting portion thereof, and some portion of the tool has a non-circular cross section which mates with a complementary non-circular portion of the mounting block such that the tool is non-rotatably retained. When the tool is inserted into the mounting block of the machine, a lock nut is threaded to the stud to retain the stud in a cylindrical aperture extending through the mounting block. Typically, the lock nut has a radial hole extending through the wall of the nut with a plastic insert extending therethrough, and the plastic binds into the threads of the stud as the nut is tightened. As an alternative to a lock nut, some portion of the threads of the nut or stud may be damaged after a nut is assembled thereto such that the nut cannot subsequently be removed without the application of substantial torque. When lock nuts or damaged threads are used to retain the tool, the tool must be non-rotatably mounted so as to resist the large torque required to remove a nut having a plastic insert, or a nut for which the threads have been damaged.
Presently, such tools have a cylindrical mounting a portion and a tapered forward end, and some portion of the tool has a non-circular cross section, such as a flat. The mounting block, on the other hand, has a cylindrical aperture to retain the mounting portion of the tool and a forward portion has a complementarily shaped section which engages the non-circular portion of the tool.
There are certain drawbacks to the currently used methods of mounting tools into a mounting block of a cutting machine. Where the tool has a portion with a non-circular cross section, such as a flat, which engages a complementarily shaped portion of the mounting block, such as a ridge, the tool can be inserted in only a finite number of orientations. This structure increases the installation time for mounting such tools onto machines, and increase the manufacturing costs of both the tool and the mounting block.
Another problem with existing non-rotatable tools is that the anti-rotation device is typically a ridge on the forward surface of the block which engages a flat on the outer circumference of the tool. The metal from which the block and anti-rotation ridge are cast or forged, however, is relatively soft and is subject to being washed away by friction as the particles broken free by the tool are removed from the proximity of the cut. Over a period of time, the anti-rotation ridge on the block will become entirely washed away, thereby rendering the block unusable for receiving another tool.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide for the mounting of a tool within a machine which is completely symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, but would be non-rotatable during use. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have a mounting nut which would not loosen as a result of vibration, but could be loosened and reoriented to a different angle chosen by the operator.
As an alternative to the above, it would be desirable to provide a means for preventing the anti-rotation device on the mounting block from being washed away.


A mailbox system is provided including a housing including a chamber with a door allowing access to the chamber; and a rotatable guide assembly including a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and a plurality of plates extending radially from the shaft, wherein the guide assembly is adapted to rotate upon the movement of the door for transferring mail into the chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating mailbox system and more particularly pertains to maximizing the security and convenience of delivered mail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mailboxes of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, mailboxes of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of increasing either the security or the convenience of mailboxes through various methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,626 to Berry disclosed a Security Mailbox. U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,551 to Baylor discloses a Storage Mail Box. U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,595 to Bennett discloses a Mail Arrival Signal System. U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,974 to Clapper discloses a Security Mail Box With Improved Anti-Tamper Means. U.S. Pat. No. 1,227,934 to Riegg discloses a Mail Chute and Receptacle. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,234 to Deitchman discloses a Toy Mail Classification Rack.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aformentioned patents do not describe a rotating mailbox system that allows security and convenience for the recipient of delivered mail.
In this respect, the rotating mailbox system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of for maximizing the security and convenience of delivered mail.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved rotating mailbox system which can be used for maximizing the security and convenience of delivered mail. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material has superior magnetic properties. A method of manufacturing the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material controls the decline in the magnetic properties of the material during pulverizing processes, and pulverizes the material to a critical particle dimension for single-domain behavior. The fragility of the material is increased since the material includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W at 0.05-5% atomic percentage. The material is pulverized by a gas current type jet mill. Sample powder injected from a hopper is introduced from a supply mouth to a pulverizing chamber by nitrogen gas spouting from a pressure nozzle, and the powder is then accelerated to acoustic velocity by high pressure nitrogen gas spouting from gliding nozzles. As a result, the powder particles collide with each other. Pulverization is mainly carried out by collisions between powder particles, but can be accomplished by the collision of powder particles against the inner wall of a pulverizing chamber. The powder is then exhausted from a classifying zone.

It was recently discovered that a rare earth-iron-nitrogen based alloy prepared by dissolving an alloy of rare earth metal and iron and nitrogen has excellent magnetic properties. When Sm is used as the rare earth metal, the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based alloy has a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. With the composition of Sm.sub.2 Fe.sub.17 N.sub.2.1, the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based alloy has high magnetic properties of 470.degree. C. Curie-temperature, 15.4 kG saturation magnetization and more than a 60 kOe anisotropic magnetic field (J. M. D. Coye and H. Sun, J.M.M.M. 87 (1990) L 251.).
The steps mentioned below are followed to manufacture the above-noted rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material:
(1) preparing a base alloy; PA1 (2) roughly grinding the alloy; PA1 (3) nitriding the alloy; and PA1 (4) pulverizing the alloy (making single-domain particles). PA1 preparing a base alloy; PA1 pulverizing the base alloy; PA1 nitriding the base alloy; and PA1 pulverizing the alloy.
It is known that the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material has a strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and improved Curie-temperature and saturation magnetization when nitrogen is introduced to the base alloy. In the nitriding treatment step, the rare earth-iron based material powder is treated with heat in nitrogen gas, ammonia gas, hydrogen-nitrogen mixed gas, hydrogen-ammonia mixed gas or the like. In order to keep the coercivity of the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based alloy at a high level, the alloy has to be pulverized to a critical particle dimension of less than 3 .mu.m for single-domain behavior. The alloy is pulverized by a ball mill such as a rotating ball mill, a vibrating ball mill and an attritor or a jet mill (for example, Published Unexamined (Kokai) Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 5-175022, No. Hei 5-304008 and No. Hei 6-45121).
It is important to minimize defects such as processing strains which are formed during the pulverizing process in order to prepare magnetic powder having high magnetic properties. When many defects are formed during the pulverizing process, saturation magnetization is reduced to a great extent, thus decreasing the rectangularity in the hysteresis loop. Rectangularity in the hysteresis loop is Hk divided by iHc (coercivity) where Hk is the outside magnetic field strength when the magnetic flux density at the second quadrant of the magnetic hysteresis loop becomes 90% of the residual magnetic flux density. The rectangularity in the hysteresis loop is preferably close to 1.0. The rectangularity in hysteresis loop has a close correlation to the maximum energy product (BH) max. When the rectangularity in the hysteresis loop is low, no high maximum energy product (BH) max is obtained. Thus, it is necessary to reduce defects that can be formed during the pulverizing process in order to prepare a magnetic powder having high magnetic properties.
However, much stress is added to the crystal structure of the alloy by the above-mentioned ball mill, thus increasing defects and lowering saturation magnetization. A jet mill, though, can pulverize the alloy with little stress to the crystal structure. The pulverizing mechanism of the jet mill is divided into two types, a collision-type and a gas current type. In both types, powder is moved at high speed by pulverizing gas at high pressure. In the collision-type, the powder collides with a target, thus pulverizing the alloy. The powder particles mutually collide with each other and are pulverized in the gas current type. In pulverizing properties, the collision-type is superior to the gas current type. However, in controlling stress added to the crystal structure, the gas current type jet mill is better than the the collision-type jet mill. As a method of pulverizing the above-mentioned rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material, the gas current type jet mill is effective. However, when pulverizing the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material by the gas current type jet mill, powder particles coagulate with each other as the particle diameter becomes small. Therefore, the treatment of pulverizing particles to a critical particle dimension for single-domain behavior by the gas current type jet mill requires a long period of time. The stress that powder particles receive during the pulverizing process accumulates and becomes large as the pulverization time increases. As a result, many defects are formed, and magnetization and rectangularity in the hysteresis loop are reduced even though the rate of reduction is smaller in the gas current type jet mill than the rate in a ball mill method.
Therefore, in order to maximize the advantage of the gas current type jet mill pulverizing method of controlling stress on a crystal structure, the pulverizing efficiency should be improved. Published Unexamined (Kokai) Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 5-175022 discloses the method of improving pulverizing efficiency by pulverizing powder particles while the temperature of the particles is kept at around the Curie-temperature (300.degree.-650.degree. C.) with an air current of high temperature, thus preventing the coagulation of powder particles during pulverizing. However, in this method, a device for keeping the temperature of pulverizing gas high is required, thereby increasing manufacturing cost. Published Unexamined (Kokai) Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 5-304008 discloses the method of pulverizing powder particles to an average particle diameter of 1-3 .mu.m using wet pulverizing treatment, after pulverizing the particles to an average particle diameter of 2.5-10 .mu.m by a jet mill. However, the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material is likely to be oxidized, thus reducing magnetic properties. In other word, a medium which can maintain a non-oxidizing atmosphere is required, and mainly an organic solvent is used. There are also problems of safety and cost of equipment for protecting the working environment to consider. Moreover, the wet pulverizing treatment becomes a batch processing, so that productivity is poor. Published Unexamined (Kokai) Japanese Patent Application (J.P.A.) No. Hei 6-45121 discloses the method of reducing the coagulation of powder particles by pulverizing the particles at 0.ltoreq.O.sub.2 .ltoreq.5 vol % oxygen density and with a jet mill so as to cover the particle surfaces with an oxide film. However, since the magnetic properties of the rare earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material decline due to oxidation as mentioned above, the method disclosed in Kokai J.P.A. No. Hei 6-45121 is not preferable.

Rare-earth-iron-nitrogen based magnetic material and method of manufacturing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The metal and plastic composite keyboards disclosed herein each include a two-part top bezel, which in turn includes a metallic first top bezel and a plastic second top bezel. The metallic first top bezel and a plastic second top bezel are attached to one another at respective overlapping regions and the two-part top bezel is attached to a bottom bezel to form a metal and plastic composite keyboard. The plastic second top bezel may include an electromagnetic window that reduces or eliminates interference on one or more antennas within a hingedly connected display, when the display is pivoted against the keyboard.

A computer keyboard or blade is a typewriter-style device having an arrangement of keys representing symbols or functions. The individual keys act as mechanical levers and electronic switches that convert physical operation of the keys into electronic signals that may be interpreted by a computing device to signify a user's selection of a symbol or function. As computing devices shrink in physical size and weight and become more portable, keyboards associated with the computing devices also shrink in physical size and weight. However, user expectations demand that keypad layout and size, as well as keypad performance, remain substantially the same or be improved.
Further, to effectively operate on surfaces that may not be entirely flat or rigid and reduce the likelihood of physically deflecting and damaging the keyboard, many keyboards incorporate a minimum stiffness specification to resist various bending loads. Maintaining the minimum stiffness specification becomes increasingly difficult as keyboard physical size (including thickness) and weight is reduced. Still further, the computing devices may include one or more antenna, whose performance may be affected by material construction of an adjacent keyboard.


A database system includes a database unit for storing a database, a managing processor and a processor. The managing processor manages the database unit and accesses the database unit in response to an inputted particular request. The processor internally generates a request in accordance with a user program, directly accesses the database unit in accordance with the generated request when the generated request is one of first predetermined requests, and outputs the generated request to the managing processor as a particular request when the generated request is one of second predetermined requests. Each of the second predetermined requests incurs a change in contents of the database, and the managing processor updates a log stored in a log unit in accordance with processing for the particular request.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of effectively sharing a database among processors and a database system therefor, and more particularly, to a database sharing method which is capable of reducing overhead when the database is accessed and a database system therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
With increasing scale and diversification of a computer system, a multiprocessor system has been employed as such a computer system for purpose of distributing functions, loads and risks. A database system used in the computer system is disclosed, for example, in JP-A-62-204360.
A database system 100 shown in the above-cited document, as shown in FIG. 1A, generally includes processors 112 and 122, which are connected to each other through a channel-to-channel adapter (CTCA) 120, share a database unit 110 and are respectively connected to log units 114 and 124. The processors 112 and 122 internally have exclusive control managers 112-1 and 122-1 for performing exclusive control when the database unit 110 is accessed. The unit 110 is unitarily managed by the processor 112 and the processor 122 accesses the unit 110 while exchanging exclusive control information with the processor 112.
Next, access processing to the unit 110 by the processor 122 will be explained with reference to FIG. 1B, taking processing for searching the unit 100 for data as an example. When access to the unit 110 is needed based on a user program executed by the processor 122, the manager 122-1 first transmits an exclusive control start request to the processor 112 through the CTCA 120 at step 132. The manager 112-1, responsive to the start request, prohibits the processor 112 and other processors from accessing the unit 110 and transmits an access permission to the processor 122. Then, the processor 122, responsive to the access permission, searches the unit 110 for data by accessing the unit 110, at step 134. Subsequently at step 136, a log in the log unit 124 is updated. Next, at step 138, an exclusive control end request is transmitted from the processor 122 to the processor 112 through the CTCA 120. The manager 112-1, responsive to the end request, enables the processor 112 to access the unit 110 based on the user program executed in the processor 112. The above processing is similarly performed for data update processing for the unit 110.
The conventional database system, as mentioned above, implies the following problems relative to a system performance and a system use.
First, the exclusive control is needed even when a processor performs a mere data search operation for a database unit. For this reason, the processor needs to communicate with another processor managing the database unit for the exclusive control, whereby overhead occurring in data search processing is increased compared with a case where a database unit is not shared among a plurality of processors.
Second, in a database system in which data update processing for a database unit is performed by a plurality of processors, since a log of the update processing is stored in a log unit connected to a processor which performs the update processing, it is necessary to merge all the logs stored in a plurality of log units, when the database unit is recovered from an obstacle, or when the database unit stopped for maintenance is connected again to the system. Therefore, complex processing and a long time for recovering the database unit are required.

Database system providing direct access for reads and indirect locked access for writes and reads in which an error was detected in previous attempt


An automatic transmission including plural friction engaging elements configures plural shift ranges based on combinations of each friction engaging element being in engaging or disengaging condition and a controlling unit for controlling the friction engaging elements to be in engaging or disengaging condition by controlling a hydraulic pressure applied.

A known hydraulic pressure value controller for an automatic transmission directly controls a hydraulic pressure value from a hydraulic pressure source by an electromagnetic valve and the hydraulic pressure value provided to friction engaging elements (friction clutch and friction brake), then each friction engaging element becomes engaged or disengaged. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-295529, a clutch torque point leaning method for preferably controlling the electromagnetic valve to be opened and closed has been disclosed. Specifically, according to such clutch torque point learning method, a duty ratio of a duty pulse is learned by a electronic control unit (hereinbelow referred to as ECU) as a torque transmitting start point (torque point) for controlling the clutch to be moved rapidly within an allowance range from the point where the clutch starts to be moved to the point where the clutch becomes in engaging condition, and for further controlling the clutch to be moved slowly by shifting the connection speed once the clutch becomes in engaging condition.
As shown in FIG. 8, in the allowance range of a first half of a piston stroke of a clutch piston (hereinbelow referred to as a piston), the friction engaging element is quickly filled with fluid (pre-charge) for increasing a piston speed. After a predetermined time of the pre-charge, the piston speed is decelerated to almost "zero" on the verge of that the friction engaging element becomes in engaging condition. Then, the piston speed needs to be maintained at a low speed corresponding to the low hydraulic pressure value (stand-by hydraulic pressure value) being equivalent to a force of a return spring as a reaction force element of the friction engaging element for keeping the piston at stand-by position. In this way, the automatic transmission needs to be more improved in terms of responsiveness and followability. Thus, the operation speed of transmission may be improved, at the same time, a shift shock may be prevented.
Although, an actual pressure may differ from an instruction pressure due to a difference of the reaction force between each return spring on each product. In addition, such phenomena result from an influence from each element excepting a control valve's performance, for example, an influence of the output flow amount from an oil pump when a stroke of the piston is controlled by the hydraulic amount control, not by the hydraulic pressure control. Thus, a means for precisely detecting and setting the return spring equivalent pressure (stand-by hydraulic pressure value) needs to be presented. Specifically, if the return spring equivalent pressure can be set to a proper value, especially at a factory initial setup, for preferably maintaining the piston at the stand-by position thereof, manufacturing variations of the automatic transmission, an engine and the electromagnetic valve on each product which may cause an individual difference between each product can be absorbed. Thus, the quality of the automatic transmission will be secured.
A known means for setting the return spring equivalent pressure (stand-by hydraulic pressure) in consideration of absorbing the individual difference between each product is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-338519. In this reference, an engagement controlling device of the friction element is disclosed, which is actuated by hydraulic pressure for monitoring an input shaft, detecting a rotating number change, and adjusting the pressure at critical value before engaging force is generated. In addition, a known controlling device of the automatic transmission is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-303568, which can adjust an initial engaging pressure (stand-by hydraulic pressure) at a preferable value based on an engagement starting pressure being required when the clutch starts engaging movement corresponding to a preferable neutral control.
The controlling device in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-338519, however, may misjudge the rotation number difference of the input shaft due to fluctuation on engine rotating number or noise, in addition, a problem may be occurred that the rotating number of the input shaft may not be changed if an inappropriate pre-charge control has been done. Thus, the known means for setting the return spring equivalent pressure (stand-by hydraulic pressure) in consideration of absorbing the individual difference between each product as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-338519 is not applicable for initial setting even if it is applicable for a long-term learning.
In such controlling device of the automatic transmission being adjustable for the initial engaging pressure (stand-by hydraulic pressure) at the preferable value as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-303568, a threshold for detecting the engaging starting pressure on each automatic transmission needs to be changed in consideration of the manufacturing variation on each automatic transmission, in addition, an influence from temperature change (oil temperature change) needs to be considered. In addition, such controlling device is based on the preferable neutral control, so that such controlling device is applicable for detecting the stand-by hydraulic pressure of the friction engaging element requiring a small input torque such as a C1 clutch for changing from N to D and having the rotation change equal to or less than the rotation change of the input shaft, however, such controlling device is not applicable for detecting the stand-by hydraulic pressure of another friction engaging element because the detecting accuracy may be decreased due to significant rotation change.
In consideration of aforementioned problems, the present invention seeks to provide a stand-by hydraulic pressure value setting means being high accuracy and applicable regardless of various conditions, such as individual difference between each product or temperature change, and a automatic transmission including such stand-by hydraulic pressure value setting means.

Control apparatus of automatic transmission


The present invention relates to a wastewater treating system and method for removing pollutants of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, comprising: a first reactor contains methanogenic bacteria, PAO and denitrifying bacteria for eliminating the organic carbon in denitrification by denitrifying bacteria, adsorbing partial organic carbon and releasing phosphate by PAO and; metabolizing organic carbon to form methane gas by methanogenic bacteria; a second reactor disposed at the rearward of first reactor, second reactor treats the effluent from first reactor by denitrifying bacteria and PAO, denitrifying bacteria is able to denitrifying the nitrate and PAO is able to process the phosphorous releasing; a third reactor disposed rearward of second reactor, which comprises PAO, heterotrophic bacteria and nitrifying bacteria, wherein PAO is applied for phosphorous accumulating process, the heterotrophic bacteria is applied for carbon removal process, the nitrifying bacteria is applied for nitrifying process; and a membrane separation reactor disposed inside or rear of third reactor to separate various microorganisms and the treated effluent. The present invention applies methanogenic bacteria in the system for decreasing the amount of waste sludge efficiently and reduce power consuming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel wastewater treating system for removing carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous and the method thereof. More particularly, to apply methanogenic bacteria in the wastewater treating system, which is able to lower the production volume of the residual sludge and decrease the problem of power consuming.
2. Description of Related Art
The design of early wastewater treatment system usually comprises with the purpose of decreasing the organic pollution, which prevents the pollutants flow into water and consumes the oxygen of the water due to the organism decomposed by the microorganism and causes the decreasing of the dissolved oxygen in the water then affects the living of the aquatic creature. However, the domestic wastewater includes not only the organisms but it also includes abundant nitrogen, phosphorous, theses compounds are the essential nutrients for the growth of various algae. In the proper temperature and enough sunshine, the abundant nitrogen and phosphorous will make the aquatic algae grow, and causes another damage of the water.
The traditional domestic wastewater usually treats with the active sludge process. It is mainly in the purpose of removing the carbon in the wastewater. Generally it is able to remove 5˜15% phosphorous at the primary treatment (mainly combine with the solid objects). It is able to remove about 10˜25% phosphorous with traditional biological treating method and transforms ammonia nitrogen into nitrate nitrogen by the nitrifying microorganisms, however, it is still limited in the removing ability to whole nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients. Currently, there had been a strict discharging standard of nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients in the domestic wastewater. Taiwan had already made the effluent standard of total concentration of nitrogen in 15 mg/L, total concentration of phosphorous in 2 mg/L of excluding the wastewater into the protective area of water source, quality and volume in the public sewers. However, in order to maintain the aquatic ecology balance effectively and prevent the problem of eutrophication on water body on the earth surface. Moreover, according to the popularity of the development of public sewers in our country, it is necessary to control the discharging of nitrogen, phosphorous nutrients.
The domestic wastewater exists in the form of ammonia nitrogen and organic nitrogen, no matter that it is treated in aerobic or anaerobic biological treating method; the organic nitrogen is easy to be metabolized into ammonia nitrogen. The traditional nitrogen removal process is to apply with the microorganism in the aerobic condition. It oxidizes ammonia nitrogen into nitrate-nitrogen, then in the anaerobic condition, to reduce the nitrate-nitrogen into nitrogen gas and spread into the water in order to achieve the purpose of nitrogen removal.
The phosphorous compound is able to remove in the following methods: (1) chemical precipitation: it is obtained the precipitation by adding ions such as, Ca, Fe and Al ions and controlling the pH value, (2) the phosphorous assimilation of microorganism, (3) the microorganism accumulates phosphate, (4) the enhanced chemical precipitation of microorganism control, wherein the microorganism accumulates method of phosphorous removal is widely applied in recent year. Phosphorous is saved in the form of polyphosphate granular objects in the cell, it is considered to be the cell energy and the source of phosphorous. In the wastewater treating system, there is a special microorganism called Phosphate Accumulating Organism (PAO). It releases phosphorous in the anaerobic condition, however it will accumulate large volume of phosphate in the water in the aerobic condition, which is over the physical require. PAO gains the energy by decomposing the polyphosphate salt in the bacteria in the condition of non-dissolved oxygen and non-combining oxygen. It processes absorption of low molecule fatty acid such as acetic acid (from facultative bacteria hydrolysis product or exist in the wastewater already) and synthesizes poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) to save in the cell. Polyphosphate granular object is decomposed and release phosphorous into the wastewater. In the aerobic condition, PAO is treating oxygen as an electron acceptor and aerobic decomposes the PHB in the bacteria or external carbon for producing the energy. Apply the energy for absorbing the phosphate in the wastewater and then transforming into polyphosphate in the bacteria in order to remove the exceeded sludge for achieving the purpose of removing phosphate in the wastewater.
In order to achieve removing nitrogen and phosphate in the same time in one wastewater treating system, basically, a wastewater treating system has to comprise three different oxidation states, (Anaerobic-Anoxic-Oxide Activated Sludge Process, A2O) (show as in FIG. 1). It is usually used for treating the wastewater includes organic carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen in order to make the wastewater pass through the biological treating process of anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic for achieving the effect of nitrogen removal and phosphorous removal at the same time. The microorganism of A2O treating process is nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, PAO and the heterotrophic bacteria of lowering the chemical oxygen demand (COD). In the anaerobic reactor, when denitrifying bacteria and PAO are processing the phosphorous and nitrogen removal, it is necessary to provide organic carbon for metabolism, and the organic compound left from the phosphorous and nitrogen removal process of denitrifying bacteria and PAO decomposes in the aerobic reactor by the heterotrophic bacteria. The aerobic reactor provides a place for nitrifying of ammonia nitrogen and the mineralization of the organic compound; therefore, the traditional A2O treating process is able to produce large volume of residual sludge in the normal operation. If the process is designed or operated improperly, it is easy to cause the shortage of nitrifying bacteria and the failure of nitrogen removal. Zenon company combine the membrane filtering technology and the A2O treating process, it solves the problem of losing nitrifying bacteria. Although, it solves the problem of losing nitrifying bacteria but causes a large volume of sludge and causes large power consuming, therefore, it still cannot overcome the problem of the deficiency in nitrogen removal.
The Taiwan patent application number 92132719 disclosures an organic-pollutant-included wastewater treating system, comprising an anaerobic bioreactor, aerobic bioreactor and a membrane separation reactor; wherein the aerobic bioreactor is disposed rearward of the anaerobic bioreactor, the membrane separation reactor is disposed rearward of the aerobic bioreactor, the system is capable of eliminating organic pollutants in wastewater by using a biological processing method, and separating solid substances from the liquid ones by using a membrane. The organic-pollutant-included wastewater treating system is able to remove the organic pollutants effectively and solve the problem of the scaling and the fouling on the surface of membrane. However, the objects in the wastewater comprise not only organic pollutants but also carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, therefore, to develop a wastewater treating system which is able to remove carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous in the same time and improve the problem of causing a large volume of sludge and power consuming of the traditional wastewater system (for example, A2O), it is truly a fine subject for research.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved speech recognition method to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

System and method for treating carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous containing wastewater

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A reversibly bound book is provided. A first cover strip is wrapped around the first edge of a first cover board, passes over the first side of the first cover board and along the first side of the second cover board. One end of a second cover strip is wrapped around the second edge of the second cover board, strip passes along the second side of the second cover board and over the second side of the first cover board. The cover boards are only attached to each other via the cover strips and can be rotated and turned inside-out. One book can have two different appearances simply by rotating the cover boards with respect to each other. At least one floating spine is bound to one cover board, serving as a spine in one configuration and a closure in the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to book binding methods and techniques, and more specifically to a book binding and method of same that can be turned inside-out and back again to enable a single volume to have more than one preferably non-detachable cover.
2. Description of Related Art
Bookbinding is a centuries-old art that has remained largely unchanged over the last 100 years or so. Advances in paper-making and printing have occurred, but book-binding itself has remained fairly consistent.
Increasingly, many books such as children's books or instruction manuals are being printed in more than one language. A first set of pages may be printed in English, and then a second set may be printed in Spanish, for example. The pages may be bound as a regular book, perhaps the back cover of the English side serving as the front cover of the Spanish side. One set of pages (e.g., one language version) may be upside-down in relation to the other so as to avoid having to read the second set of pages in the opposite direction to that of the first set (e.g., from right to left, if the first set is in English or another left-to-right language).
One of the disadvantages of this conventional model of bilingual works is that the book only effectively has a front cover; the rear cover is being used as the front cover of the second half of the book written in the other language. If the book is an instruction manual and it is left "face down", then the "un-preferred" language front cover will be facing up, possibly confusing the user (who reads the other and hence "preferred" language). If the book is a children's book or a work of fiction, then the ability to utilize the entire cover of the book for artwork, games, or similar purposes is compromised.
Even apart from bilingual books, there is a long-felt need to create new and interesting types of bookbinding in an industry that has remained fairly stagnant from a creativity perspective.


A molded article of a fiber-reinforced resin contains at least a bundled aggregate [A] of discontinuous reinforcing fibers and a matrix resin [M], wherein the average layer thickness h in the molded article of the fiber-reinforced resin is 100 μm or less and the CV value of the average layer thickness h is 40% or less; and a compression molding method therefor. It is possible to reliably and greatly reduce the occurrence of stress concentration in the molded article and to thereby achieve higher mechanical properties and further reduce variation in the mechanical properties.

Conventionally, a fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing bundled aggregates of discontinuous reinforcing fibers (fiber bundles) and a matrix resin and a molded article of a fiber-reinforced resin compression-molded by heating and pressing using a large number of the fiber-reinforced resin molding materials are known. In a conventional general fiber-reinforced resin molding material, because the fiber bundle of discontinuous reinforcing fibers consists of a relatively large number of reinforcing fibers, and its layer thickness is relatively large, and because the fiber bundle of discontinuous reinforcing fibers is formed by being cut in a direction orthogonal to the lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle, in the molded article, the state of the load transmission to the adjacent fiber bundle at the end portion of each fiber bundle rapidly changes, and stress concentration is liable to occur at that portion. It thus tends to cause a limit for improvement of the mechanical properties of the molded article and also cause a limit for reduction of the variation of the mechanical properties.
On the other hand, a molding material wherein in each fiber bundle cross section, a transition section in which the number of fibers changes and an invariable section in which the number of fibers is invariable are provided, and by specifying the amount of change in the total sectional area in the cross section and by changing the width of the fiber bundle at the end portion of the fiber bundle so as to gently become smaller, it becomes possible to reduce the occurrence of stress concentration as described above, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the molded article, and a fiber-reinforced plastic using the molding material, are proposed (Japanese Patent No. 5572947).
By the above-described proposal of JP '947, it became possible to reduce the occurrence of stress concentration in molded articles and improve the mechanical properties of molded articles. However, such a stress concentration in the molded article essentially occurs originating from the rapid shape change at the end portion of the fiber bundle of discontinuous reinforcing fibers inherent in the molded article relative to the adjacent fiber bundle, although one cause of such a rapid shape change is a rapid change of the width of the fiber bundle at the end portion of the fiber bundle (a rapid change of the width of the fiber bundle due to cutting the fiber bundle in a direction orthogonal to the lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle), more essentially, it is considered that it is originating from a rapid change of the thickness of the fiber bundle at the end portion of the fiber bundle (that is, a rapid change due to suddenly becoming zero in thickness of fiber bundle at the end of the fiber bundle). Such a more essential cause is not mentioned in JP '947.
Accordingly, focusing on the more essential cause of the occurrence of stress concentration in a molded article, there is a need to provide a molded article of a fiber-reinforced resin capable of reducing the occurrence of stress concentration in the molded article reliably and greatly, thereby capable of exhibiting higher mechanical properties and further reducing the variation of the mechanical properties, and a compression molding method therefore.

Molded article of fiber-reinforced resin and compression molding method therefor


An overhead reverse diverter for diverting cartons passing under the diverter along a primary transport path, the diverter including a diverter frame arranged over a space through which the cartons move along the primary transport path, a divert belt, and one or more divert paddles attached to the divert belt. The divert belt may be movable along a movement profile when the diverter is triggered to divert one or more of the cartons from the primary transport path, such that the one or more divert paddles are configured to sweep through the space through which the cartons pass as the divert belt moves along the movement profile to divert one or more of the cartons from the primary transport path along one or more divert paths.

The sorting of objects, including, for example, boxes, cartons, containers, and the like, generally has a provision for at least one diverter mechanism to move designated objects from the main sort path onto a secondary sort conveyor and/or a designated receptacle. Conventional diverters typically use a single actuator that is either pneumatically or electromagnetically actuated. It is generally necessary to use two separate conventional diverters when it is necessary to divert an object in one of two lateral directions from the direction of transit along the main sort path. These actuators are commonly used because of low cost and simple operation, where they can be triggered via sensor(s) or controlled by a PLC where time delays can be added if needed. Such linear actuators typically do not incorporate any kind of motion control, meaning that when actuated a corresponding arm, paddle, etc. is extended at full speed to divert the designated object. More complex diverters are also known, but these require stepper, servo, or some other motor drive control that forces a plate or guide to be raised or lowered in the path of the object to be diverted; such diverters are typical in the paper handling industry, where diverting a sheet of paper up or down is more practical than moving it left or right. As such, there exists a need for configurable bi-directional diverters that are able to operate at variable force and velocity profiles with lower cost and complexity from conventionally known diverters.

Overhead reverse divert systems and methods


A waveform editing program displays waveforms of different types generated from the same data on the same screen, so that the characteristics of the waveforms can be easy to know, and with improved operability in the waveform editing, desired waveforms can be easily generated. A waveform editing system has at least a display device to display waveforms on a screen and an input device enabling input operations. The waveform editing system can display a waveform generated based on data input through the input device or data captured from an outside source on the screen, and is allowed to implement a first waveform display function of superimposing and displaying an analog waveform based on prescribed data and binary waveforms based on the prescribed data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium with a waveform editing program stored and a waveform editing system and, more particularly, to a computer-readable recording medium with a waveform editing program stored for implementing the editing of waveforms generated based on data input through an input device or data captured from an outside source and a waveform editing system.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Hitherto, in order to efficiently design and evaluate an electronic control unit for controlling a vehicle engine and the like, simulations of behavior of a controlled apparatus using a simulator (or computations using a mathematized vehicle model) have been performed, in place of various kinds of measurements such as operating conditions with the electronic control unit connected to a real controlled apparatus such as a vehicle.
The simulator has features of a waveform editing system which generates and displays waveforms (such as analog signal waveforms or digital signal waveforms) of data of various types output to the electronic control unit.
The waveform editing system comprises a display device consisting of a CRT, an LCD and associated parts, an input device consisting of a keyboard, a mouse and associated parts, and a microcomputer which controls those. In a ROM inside the microcomputer, a waveform editing program for editing waveforms of data of various kinds output to the electronic control unit is stored, and in the microcomputer, the waveform edit processing based on the waveform editing program is conducted.
The microcomputer reads the waveform editing program from the ROM in response to a command of program startup from the input device, displays a waveform editing screen on the display device, and generates signal waveforms of data of various kinds output to the electronic control unit based on data input through the input device or simulated data for display on the waveform editing screen. However, since the conventional waveform editing system has limited operability in the waveform editing, an evaluator has carried out the waveform editing with finding its use inconvenient.
In the Japanese Kokai No. 98-148546, as an example of an improved screen display device for improving the workability, described are that a correlation diagram drawing area and a detailed data view area are arranged on a screen of a correlation diagram display device, and that when an arbitrary plot of a correlation diagram shown in the correlation diagram drawing area is selected by an operator, detailed data corresponding to the selected plot is numerically shown in the detailed data view area. However, in the detailed data view area, only the detailed data corresponding to the selected plot is shown. In order to display detailed data of other plots, a plot selection line must be placed at a desired plot by operating the cursor, as occasion demands, resulting in burdensome operations.
The conventional waveform editing system does not have a function of superimposing and displaying an analog waveform and binary waveforms when analog signals expressible with the analog waveform are output after converted to digital signals expressible with the binary waveforms, or when digital signals expressible with the binary waveforms are output after converted to analog signals, a function of displaying coordinate data of points constituting a waveform and the waveform on the same screen, a function of superimposing multiple waveforms for display so as to edit these waveforms easily with comparisons of them with one another, and a function of preventing errors in the editing of binary waveforms or easily editing binary waveforms or an analog waveform, resulting in no enhanced efficiency in editing operations.

Computer-readable recording medium with waveform editing program stored and waveform editing system


A focal detector built-in interchangeable lens is disclosed. During photographing, a release signal is transmitted via a transmitting means to a control part provided in the interchangeable lens from a control part provided in a camera body. Based on this release signal, the interchangeable lens control part retreats a light path splitting means outwardly of a light path of a bundle of rays used for photographing, the splitting means splitting the rays toward a focal detection means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an interchangeable lens mountable into a camera body of a lens interchangeable type and to a camera system incorporating this interchangeable lens. This invention relates more particularly to an interchangeable lens including a focal detector and to a camera system incorporating this interchangeable lens.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional focal detector built-in interchangeable lens is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-128506. This interchangeable lens is of such a type that an elongate mirror is disposed with a tilt in a location apart from the optical axis within a light path of the interchangeable lens, and the light reflected by this mirror is led to a focal detector.
In the conventional focal detector built-in interchangeable lens described above, however, as shown in FIG. 6, a mirror 2 for leading some of a bundle of incident rays to a focal detector 1 is fixedly provided. The rays incident on the interchangeable lens are cut off by this mirror 2. For this reason, only doughnut-like rays T indicated by oblique lines in the Figure reach a focal surface 9a of the interchangeable lens 9. There arises such a problem that the actual brightness becomes lower than a brightness of the interchangeable lens. Then, the doughnut-like rays are projected on a film surface of an out-of-focus portion of a subject, i.e., on a focal surface 9b when defocused. Consequently, there is produced a problem in which a doughnut-like blur is formed in the case of projecting the rays T on the film surface 9b when defocused; and this blur is an extreme eyesore.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the rays passing through the interchangeable lens are incident on a focal detector (AF module 14) incorporated into a conventional camera body via a quick return mirror 13A and an auxiliary mirror 13B. Then, when this AF module 14 detects a focal point of a reflex telephoto lens, a bundle of rays S incident on the reflex telephoto lens are partly cut off by a submirror 6A. It is therefore impossible to perform a precise focal detection. Besides, this AF module 14 detects the focal point of the interchangeable lens other than the above-described reflex telephoto lens. In this case also, if a full-aperture F-number of this interchangeable lens is large, the rays incident on the interchangeable lens are partly cut off by a metal frame and a fixed stop of the interchangeable lens. The precise focal detection can not be therefore performed. The reason for this will be elucidated. Respective bundles of rays reaching the individual light receiving elements are partly cut off by a pair of image-reforming lenses provided in the AF module 14. Hereupon, there arises a possibility wherein a symmetry of the rays is lost, and a correlation can not be taken by the pair of light receiving elements. It is therefore impossible to precisely detect the focal point.

Interchangeable lens and camera system incorporating the same lens


Methods and apparatus for detecting the filtering state of a filter, such as a particulate filter. Some embodiments include one or more capacitive sensors that provide a signal corresponding to the filtered state of the filter with a change in measured capacitance. A novel ECT based sensing technique for soot load estimation in a diesel particulate filter is presented. The sensing technology is based on principle that deposited soot thickness inside DPF causes a variation in the dielectric constant which has a direct impact on the capacitance of ECT system and its output voltage. The sensor can be built into the DPF outer shell as indicated in the design. The simulation results demonstrate that there is a direct relationship between the amount of soot load in the DPF and the output voltage of the ECT system which can be used to estimate the soot load.

Diesel engines are widely used in heavy duty trucks and off road vehicles due to their fuel efficiency and high power outputs. Environmental regulatory agencies have pushed ever stringent regulations on all internal combustion engines, including Diesel engines on gaseous as well as particulates (soot) emissions. In order to meet today's and tomorrow's stringent emission requirements, modern diesel engines are equipped with diesel particulate filters (DPF's), as well as onboard technologies to evaluate the status of DPF. In course of time, particulate matter (soot) will be deposited inside the DPFs which tend to clog the filter and hence generate a back pressure in the exhaust system, negatively impacting the fuel efficiency. To remove the soot build-up, regeneration (active or passive) of the DPF must be done as an engine exhaust after treatment process at pre-determined time intervals. Since the regeneration process consume fuel, a robust and efficient operation based on accurate knowledge of the particulate matter deposit (or soot load) becomes essential in order to keep the fuel consumption at a minimum.
Diesel engines have come a long way in the area of emission control technologies in the last couple of decades. One of the areas in which engine technology made great strides is in the reduction of particulate matter (PM) emissions via diesel particulate filter (DPF). However, as the PM or soot is retained by the filter, the filter passageway increasingly becomes more restrictive resulting in elevated back pressure in the exhaust. This furthers results in lower fuel efficiency for the engines since the pistons have to exert more pressure to purge the exhaust gas.
One effective way to address this problem is to burn the soot load in the DPF periodically either by injecting more fuel in the engine or by a separate combustor upstream of the DPF with the aid of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). The latter is known as active regeneration of DPF and is commonly used for DPF. Here a fuel doser is used to raise the exhaust gas temperature to burn off the soot load in DPF. The timing and amount of fuel dosing is critical in ensuring optimal performance of DPF functions.
The performance efficiency of a DPF with active regeneration is dependent on the accuracy of soot load estimation. Current soot load estimation is based on differential pressure measurement across the DPF whose accuracy can vary up to 50% from the true soot load. As a result, fuel dosing for active regeneration may not be optimal. This can result in significant loss in fuel efficiency if the estimate is higher than real value (since more fuel need be used), or in serious DPF damage if the estimate is less than the real value when the filter may be nearly clogged. In the latter scenario, there is also a fuel penalty due to increased back pressure in the exhaust. Also, fuel dosing for active regeneration may not be optimal. It has been shown that fuel penalty caused by regeneration (2.2% to 5.3%) can be more than fuel penalty due to backpressure (1.8% to 2.2%).
Diesel particulate filters were first used in the 1980's to remove the particulate matter/soot from the exhaust of the Diesel engine with an efficiency level of 90% or more. These filters are mostly made of ceramic materials and can withstand high temperatures. The deposited soot in the filter cavities may result in higher back pressure causing overall efficiency of the diesel engine to drop by as much as 2%. Also, a clogged filter may fail prematurely. As a result, the deposited soot in the DPF is periodically cleaned, generally by means of a process of regeneration or burning out the soot. In active regeneration, fuel is injected in a chamber right before the DPF, thus raising the exhaust temperature high enough to burn the soot inside DPF cavities. Other methods, such as microwave heating, have been proposed to clean the DPF. Fuel dosing remains the most prevalent method of active regeneration. The timing and amount of fuel dosing is critical in ensuring optimal performance of DPF functions. As a result, fuel dosing for active regeneration may not be optimal.
What is needed are improved methods for detecting the flow capability of a diesel particulate filter. An instantaneous soot load sensor based on electrical capacitance sensor is shown and described herein, and also regeneration systems utilizing such a sensor, in various embodiments of the present invention as an alternative for soot load estimation.

Real-time soot measurement in a diesel particulate filter

Indiana University Research & Technology Corporation


A group-browsing system for a plurality of clients each including a shared web browser. A server is linked to the shared web browser of each client and is configured to monitor the transmission of the web site URL request from the shared web browser of one client of the group and to direct the request to the shared web browser of other clients in the group. A gatekeeper module is configured to first mask the identity of each client's computer on the shared browser. This prevents the web site from retrieving any client's actual identifier. Second, the gatekeeper is also configured to create a same temporary identifier for each client when any client logs on to the web site so that the same web page is displayed for all the clients in the group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an internet group-browsing system that allows multiple users to interact with web pages together.
2. Discussion of the Background
Internet users typically use a web-browser to "surf" the Internet. A browser is a special-purpose application program that effects requests of web pages and the display of a requested web page. It allows users to surf the Internet by moving from one World Wide Web (WWW) site to another. Information on providing Web services is provided in the following references which are incorporated herein by reference: (1) Visual Studio Core Reference Set, by Microsoft Press, (2) Visual InterDev 6.0: Web Technologies Reference, by Microsoft Press, (3) Professional Active Server Pages 2.0 by Francis et al., published by WROX Press Ltd., (4) Oracle PL/SQL Programming by Scott Urman, Published: March 1996, (5) Hitchhikers Guide to Visual Basic and SQL Server: with CD-ROM, by William Vaughn, Published: May 1997, (6) Using Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 (Special Edition) by Stephen Wynkoop, Published: March 1997, and (7) Advanced PowerBuilder 6 Techniques by Ramesh Chandak.
Each individual who is web-browsing typically interacts individually with a given web site. Therefore, when one individual is web-browsing, other Internet users at remote locations are unable to have the same experience or see what that individual is doing on a requested web site. For example, a person who is shopping on-line via a company's web site is unable to have a remotely located friend shop with him/her.
Web group-browsing allows multiple users to "surf" the Internet together and to experience the same web sites simultaneously by enabling those individuals to scroll through a web site's pages together. For example, two people at remote locations can now shop for clothes together on a company's web site. The shopping experience, however, bears little resemblance to a real world group shopping experience due to several existing technological limitations (e.g., privacy, personalization, and the inability of clients group-browsing together to communicate with each other).
Some web sites enable users to "personalize" or customize web pages on the site by (1) indicating preferences or (2) entering personal information. As a result, such users may be provided with personalized services (e.g., "one click shopping" shopping service currently provided by Amazon.com).
One implementation technique for personalization utilizes cookies. Cookies reside on each user's local computer to be used as personal identifiers sent together with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) requests. To view a specific web page, a client computer system specifies the URL for that web page in a request. This request is forwarded to the web server that supports that web page. When that web server receives the request, it sends that web page to the client computer system. When the client computer system receives that web page, it typically displays the web page using a browser. Cookies can be classified as "persistent cookies," which are stored on users' hard drives, and "session cookies," which are stored in the memory and are only valid during a particular browsing session. Since cookies enable web sites to display personalized information (e.g., personal preferences, names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card numbers), it is highly undesirable to allow one user's cookies to be accessed by another user without authorization. As such, personalization impacts privacy.
Different approaches have been taken to deal with personalization and privacy issues. The first approach is to confine all users to group-browse within one or a few sites that integrate group-browsing services, which address all personalization and privacy issues specific to those sites. However, because the group-browsing experience is limited to a few selected and customized sites, this approach is not a generalized service for sharing web-surfing experiences. As such, known group-browsing systems are specific to the web site visited and, as such, users have different group-browsing experiences at different web sites.
The second approach is to prevent users from sharing form data that is sent in a POST command. This approach has been used by Cahoots and SideTalk who designed web tour services. Such POST data is exists in some personalized web pages requiring login or automatic login. Thus, the second approach unduly limits group-browsing because it does not allow group-browsers to access pages/requiring POST data. Furthermore, such services limit group-browsing to a single "in-control" party, decreasing the sense of a shared activity.
The third approach is to place the burden of privacy on the users. If one of the users logs into his or her personalized web page during a group-browsing session, this user will receive a cookie from the web site. This personal cookie will be shared by all users in the same session because they will submit the same URL requests to the web site. The user may not, however, be aware that his personal cookie is being shared. There are two primary shortcomings to this approach. First, the shared cookie becomes a persistent cookie on someone else's computer, allowing other users to access and use the cookie owner's personal information. Second, the personal persistent cookies of other users in the session may be replaced without acknowledgment. With replaced cookies, users will not enjoy the same personalized pages they expected even if they are not in group-browsing sessions.

System for enabling multiple clients to interact together over a network with a secure web page


According to one embodiment, a decorative block comprising an open celled constructing block and a support rod suspending one or more ornaments such as art, logos and/or other decorative images or designs as part of a wall is provided.

Blocks of various shapes, sizes and materials are commonly used in a variety of construction applications. Such blocks include pre-cast concrete blocks used in the construction of, inter alia, building foundations, interior walls, exterior walls, retaining walls, and the like, and pre-formed glass blocks used to construct, inter alia, partially opaque windows, walls, and the like.
In addition to providing structural support, such blocks may be used in applications where the finished structure is desired to have some degree of aesthetic character and/or decorative appeal. While current construction blocks may be pre-cast and/or pre-formed with decorative features or other ornamentation, there is no provision for varying such pre-cast and/or pre-formed feature or ornamentation once the block is constructed. As such, there is a need for a block with decorative features and/or ornamentation which can be readily customized to the aesthetic and/or decorative needs of an end user while maintaining or enhancing the structural integrity of the block.


A linkage mechanism for foot seats comprises at least two shafts and two guide elements combined at the bottom of a housing, a foot seat is pivotally connected to each shaft, an arc rack is disposed at a relative end of each foot seat, a rack is disposed at each one of two sides of a linking rod corresponding to the arc rack of each foot seat; the racks is respectively engaged the said arc rack of each said foot seat; therefore, when one of the foot seats is rotated, the linking rod is driven to move and the other foot seats are then further driven to rotate. Whereby, the adjustment of the movable foot seats are munch more convenient and time-saving.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates foot seats below a housing of an electronic product such as a computer, a server or the like and particularly to a linkage mechanism for movable foot seat.
2. Description of Related Art
Please refer to FIG. 1. If the bottom face of a housing 10 of a general vertical computer is shallower and longer, it must be combined with a fixing type foot seat 11. The bigger surface of the bottom of the foot seat 11 is used to enhance the stability of the housing 10 so as to prevent the housing 10 from toppling over. But, the length of the fixing type foot seat projected out the housing cannot be adjusted to meet a user's requirement.
Please refer to FIG. 2. Another type of housing 20 is combined with four foot seats at the bottom face thereof. An arc rack 211 is disposed at the pivoting end of each foot seat 21. The racks 211 of the two adjacent foot seat 21 are engaged. A foot seat 21 rotated by a user can drive another foot seat 21 to rotate so that the length of the two foot seats 21 extended out of or retreated into the bottom of the housing 20 can be adjusted.
A set of foot seats of a computer housing disclosed in Taiwan patent No. 321,301 is a structure that several fixing masses are locked at the bottom of the computer housing, same numbers of seat sheets are clamped on the fixing masses by means of dovetail notch. The seat sheet can slide along the fixing mass and take it as a center to rotate to any angle. When the housing is horizontally laid, the foot seats can be also retreated together to attach at the bottom of the housing so that they and the housing can be allowed to be formed into one body.
Every kind of the movable foot seats mentioned above lacks a linkage mechanism on a whole to combine therewith. A user must drive the foot seat one after another and then can adjust all of the foot seats; it is time consuming in the operation. Besides, the adjustment is inconvenient to practice if the foot seats are at a place that a user's hand is difficult to touch.


A bearing assembly is provided including at least one needle roller that is resiliently compressible in response to a load applied to an exterior surface thereof. In addition, a method is provided for taking up a clearance between one or more first rollers and a bearing race in which the rollers are positioned. At least one resiliently compressible second roller is provided rollably secured within the bearing. The compressible second roller has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of any of the first rollers, such that the compressible second roller resiliently compresses when the bearing is positioned in the bearing race. Forces generated by compression of the resiliently compressible second roller urge the first rollers against a surface of the bearing race, thereby taking up the clearance between the first rollers and the race.

Needle roller bearings are used in a wide variety of applications. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one such application, wherein the needle roller bearings are incorporated into an intermediate shaft assembly 10 for connecting a steering wheel of an automobile to a rack-and-pinion gear assembly of an automobile steering system. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate shaft assembly 10 shown comprises a first yoke 12, a first spider assembly 14 rotationally coupled to first yoke 12, and a steering column clamp yoke 16 rotationally coupled to first spider 14 to form a first Cardan joint assembly. Shaft assembly 10 also includes a seal 18, a hollow tubular shaft 20, a solid shaft 22 extending from an interior of the tubular shaft, a second yoke 24 mounted to solid shaft 22, a second spider assembly 26 rotationally coupled to second yoke 24, and a gear clamp yoke 28 rotationally coupled to the second spider. The second yoke 24, second spider 26, and gear clamp yoke 28 combine to form a second Cardan joint assembly coupled to solid shaft 22.
In the shaft assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, first spider 14 and second spider 26 are basically identical. Therefore, the following description of spider 26 is equally applicable to spider 14. As seen in FIG. 2, each spider 26 has a central hub 26a and a plurality of trunnions 26b extending from the hub. A needle roller bearing 30 as shown in FIG. 3 is mounted to each of trunnions 26b. As seen in FIG. 3, each needle roller bearing 30 comprises a plurality of conventional solid needle rollers 34 and a cage 36. Cage 36 may be a plastic molded type cage or a stamped sheet metal type cage that includes spaced end rings 38 and 40 that are connected by a plurality of cross bars 42 to form a plurality of roller receiving windows.
Needle rollers 34 run directly along an interior cylindrical surface (not shown) inside a hole 44 (FIG. 1) formed in yoke 24.
Needle rollers 34 also run directly along an exterior cylindrical surface (not shown) formed along each trunnion 26b of spider 26. These interior surfaces and exterior surfaces form inner and outer races for the needle rollers 34.
In existing joint assemblies of the type just described, differences in the diameters of the needle rollers mounted in a given bearing can cause a pronounced rattling of the bearing in the joint, resulting from intermittent contact between undersized needle rollers and the trunnion and/or yoke during operation of the joint. To help prevent this rattling, the diameters of the needle rollers and the diameters of the portions of the trunnions contacting the needle rollers must be held to within very tight tolerances to help ensure noise-free operation of the joint. This greatly increases the expense of the joint.


A swag holder adapted for direct attachment to the head rail of a window blind system including an upper arm in turn providing a supporting surface for the swag at a position forwardly adjacent to the head rail and a lower arm having an attachment clip through which the holder is directly mounted to the head rail and wherein the clip is preferably rotatable between alternate positions to accommodate varied head rail configurations.

This invention relates to decorative window treatments and more particularly to a holder for the placement and support of a fabric swag used in providing such decorative window treatment. Such swags are commonly utilized to hide or soften the wood casement molding or paneling surrounding a window as well as to to some extent the mounting hardware associated with window blinds adjacent thereto. Such swags normally are of a decorative fabric material although other materials such as paper and plastic can be utilized and are generally utilized to convey stylized effects of color, depth and pattern to coordinate with other home or office furnishings in the room as well as to, as previously indicated, hide or mask plain or uncoordinated window wood surrounds.
Generally, these swags are supported by an arm or hook or some other type of support which is fastened directly to the wall or woodwork surrounding the window and thus represents a somewhat fixed or at least semi-permanent installation, and one that is often beyond the skill or inclination of the homeowners as well as those individuals such as designers, interior decorators and the like suggesting such treatment. It, accordingly, would be desirable to be able to easily mount the holders for such swags and to provide a holder designed not only for easy and detachable mounting in mind but one that accomplishes the swag holding task in a straightforward, decorative and functional manner.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a swag holder which can easily be positioned at various intervals along the upper end of the window and proximate to the casement desired to be covered or appearance altered and once so installed can be easily adjusted to various angular relationships with such casement and the window surrounded thereby such that the final window treatment can be experimented with and varied as desired by the homeowner and/or the design consultant. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swag holder with the above-mentioned advantages yet one that is reasonably easy to utilize and of low cost, simple construction.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a swag holder which includes a support and a retaining clip portion attached thereto such that the composite structure may be fixedly but adjustably attached directly to the head rail of a window blind anywhere along the length thereof.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.


A method for producing a catalyst for a fuel cell is provided which is capable of improving output characteristics of the fuel cell. Metal fine particles making up the catalyst for the fuel cell to be used as a fuel electrode and air electrode are formed by reducing platinum salt with molybdenum carbonyl. The catalyst for the fuel cell is formed by supporting platinum-molybdenum fine particles on carbon particles. By employing this reducing method, platinum-molybdenum fine particles being small in size and high in dispersibility can be obtained, making the catalyst for the fuel cell highly active. By constructing the fuel and air electrodes using the catalyst for the fuel cell, high outputs from the fuel cell are made possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a catalyst to be used for a fuel cell, a method for producing the fuel cell, and to a catalyst to be used in the fuel cell and the fuel cell, and particularly to the method for producing the catalyst to be used for the fuel cell using platinum or the like, the method for producing the fuel cell using, as an electrode, such a catalyst produced as above, and to the catalyst to be used in the fuel cell and the fuel cell to be produced by using such methods as described above.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a lithium secondary cell is widely used as a driving power source for miniaturized and compact devices such as notebook personal computers, portable phones, or the like. However, in recent years, such devices are further made high-performance, the lithium secondary cells becoming unable to fully satisfy demands for highly functional operations as a driving power source. At present, in addition to efforts to improve the lithium secondary cells, attempts to use a fuel cell as a driving power source as a substitute for the lithium secondary cell are being made.
Such a fuel cell includes, for example, a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). The PEFC is a fuel cell which uses a solid polymer membrane having ionic conductivity as an electrolyte layer interposed between one electrode (fuel electrode) to which fuel such as hydrogen or the like is supplied and another electrode (air electrode) to which gas containing oxygen such as air is supplied. The fuel electrode or air electrode is formed by using a catalyst obtained by supporting metal fine particles of platinum(Pt) or the like on a supporter made up of, for example, porous carbon particles or the like. In the fuel electrode (negative electrode), by catalyst reaction of the supplied fuel on the electrode, mainly, protons and electrons are produced, or carbon dioxide is produced depending on a kind of fuel to be supplied. The protons move toward the air electrode (positive electrode) in the polyer membrane, and electrons are taken out to an outside of the fuel cell and, after having been fed to loads in the device, again flow toward the air electrode. In the air electrode, by catalyst reaction of the electrons and the protons having moved in the polymer membrane with oxygen having been fed to the air electrode on the electrode, mainly water is produced.
Thus, the PEFC can be used, by feeding fuel and oxygen thereto, as a driving power source, as in the case of the lithium secondary cell. Various studies on a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), out of the PEFCs, in particular, that uses methanol, as fuel, on which reforming has not been performed, as it is, are being made so as to put the DMFC to actual use, since the DMFC has simpler system configurations that are advantageous when being made small in size and lightweight.
In order to realize a fuel cell not only being small in size and lightweight but also being high-performance, by using a highly active catalyst as a fuel electrode or an air electrode serving as a reaction field for power generation, output characteristics of the fuel cell have to be improved. To achieve this, it is desirous that metal fine particles of platinum or the like contained in a catalyst are made small in size, its specific surface area is made large, and such metal fine particules are supported on a supporter in a highly-dispersed state.
Various methods for forming metal fine particles have been so far proposed not only in the field of fuel cells but also in other fields. For example, a method for forming metal fine particles by reducing metal salt with alcohol is proposed (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-54012).
Morevoer, when a catalyst to be used as an electrode of a fuel cell is formed, if metal fine particles are formed only by platinum, its active site is easily poisoned by carbon monoxide contained in fuel or air to be supplied or produced during catalyst reaction in some cases, which causes a life of the fuel cell to tend to be shortened. Therefore, at present, by combining platinum with other metal, for example, by alloying platinum with other metal, poisoning caused by carbon monoxide in the active site is suppressed to lengthen a life of a fuel cell. For example, a method is widely known which prevents poisoning caused by carbon monoxide or the like by using a catalyst formed by supporting a platinum-ruthenium (Ru) fine particle obtained by combining platinum and ruthenium.
As the method for suppressing poisoning caused by carbon monoxide, another method is also proposed which combines platinum with nickel(Ni) (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-203536). According to this proposed method, by physically mixing a catalyst obtained by supporting nickel fine particles on carbon particles and with a catalyst obtained by supporting platinum fine particles on carbon particles, an attempt to lengthen a life of the fuel cell is being made. Also, according to the above proposed method, after having formed a catalyst obtained by supporting nickel fine particles on carbon particles, further by supporting platinum on the resulting catalyst obtained by supporting the nickel fine particles on the carbon particles, an attempt to make a life of the fuel cell longer is also being made.
However, when a catalyst is formed by using platinum and other metals to suppress poisoning caused by carbon monoxide, following problems occur.
For example, in the formation of the catalyst in which platinum-ruthenium fine particles are supported on carbon particles, first, a reducing agent such as alcohol is added to a solution containing carbon particles and platinum salt to make platinum salt be reduced and then a liquid component is removed to precipitate platinum on carbon particles. Then, a solution containing carbon particles on which platinum has been precipitated and ruthenium salt is prepared and the ruthenium salt is reduced again by using the reducing agent such as alcohol or the like and liquid components are removed to make ruthenium be precipiated.
Thus, when the catalyst obtained by supporting metal fine particles containing platinum and other metal on carbon particles is formed, two-step reducing reactions are required. However, this causes costs to be naturally increased when compared with the case in which the catalyst is formed by supporting only platinum on carbon particles. Moreover, if this method is employed, due to occurrence of the two-step reducing reactions, metal fine particles to be finally obtained become large in size, causing its specific area to tend to become smaller. As a result, when the catalyst formed by the methods as described above is used as an electrode of a fuel cell, there is a fear that it is difficult to obtain an output being usable as a driving power source for high-performance devices in a stable manner.

Production method of catalyst for fuel cell and of fuel cell, and catalyst for fuel cell and fuel cell


A vehicular generator-motor control apparatus wherein a winding field type salient-pole generator-motor 1 (in FIG. 1) for a vehicle is subjected to a conduction control by a DC-AC converter 2, characterized in that a stator 1A of the vehicular winding field type salient-pole generator-motor 1 is energized by rectangular wave voltages at those conduction start angles δ of respective phases of the stator 1A which are shifted a predetermined angle relative to a rotor position, and that the conduction start angles δ of the respective phases change substantially continuously in accordance with an input voltage of the DC-AC converter 2 and a revolution speed of the generator-motor 2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicular generator-motor control apparatus wherein currents are inputted to and outputted from a vehicular generator-motor by a DC-AC converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-T-2004-519184 (FIGS. 2 and 3, and the explanations thereof), for example, adopts a method for controlling a reversible multiphase rotary electric equipment. The method is characterized in that, in actuating as a motor a generator-motor which serves as both a generator and the motor, the electric equipment is driven in accordance with two modes which correspond to different speed/torque characteristic curves, that is, a first mode which is called "starter mode " and in which the thermal engine of an automobile can be driven so as to start the automobile at a low speed and with a large torque, and a second mode which is called "auxiliary motor mode " and in which only the electric equipment, at least one power consumption unit or the thermal engine can be driven at a higher speed and with a smaller torque than in the first mode. Besides, in general, in a case where a PWM sinusoidal wave control is performed, phases are continuously changed in correspondence with a revolution speed by a vector control.
With the prior-art method, a current becomes discontinuous at the changeover of the two modes, and a voltage accordingly becomes discontinuous. Therefore, the torque becomes discontinuous, and the revolution speed does not become smooth.
On account of the discontinuous current, electromagnetic noise suddenly enlarges at the changeover of the two modes, so that an uneasy feeling is incurred.
In a region near the changeover of the two modes, the torque lowers, and the maximum torque is not attained. Therefore, the capability of the motor cannot be exploited to the utmost.
Since the PWM control is performed by turning ON/OFF voltages, a section in which no voltage is used develops, and a voltage utilization factor lowers. Especially a battery for the automobile usually has a voltage of 12 V, and the lowering of the torque is drastic when the voltage utilization factor is low.
In a case where a rotor has non-salient poles, a reluctance torque is not generated even by changing the phases of stator currents, and the phase changes are less effective.

Vehicular generator-motor control apparatus


The present invention relates to a method of producing a cheese-like dairy product, characterized by adding at least 10 wt %, relative to the starting material milk, of water containing Paenibacillus sp. bacteria or water that has been treated with immobilized cells of Paenibacillus sp. Bacteria into starting material milk, followed by maintaining at a prescribed temperature, separating off the curd thus formed, and performing productization with or without further maturing; a cheese-like dairy product thus produced; and a water purifier packed with a support having Paenibacillus sp. bacteria immobilized thereon and a filter medium as a packing material.

In general, in the cheese production process, a method is adopted in which pasteurized cow's milk or goat's milk is used as starting material milk, a lactic acid bacteria starter is added thereto to make the starting material milk acidic, a milk-coagulating enzyme such as chymosin is added to coagulate the milk protein casein, the coagulum (curd) and milk serum (whey) are separated, and the coagulum is matured to produce cheese. The above-mentioned milk-coagulating enzyme does not have sterilizing ability, and hence in general it is only acceptable to use pasteurized milk as the starting material milk.
In this way, with the conventional cheese production method, a method is adopted in which a lactic acid bacteria starter is added to the starting material milk, and once the pH has dropped to a prescribed level, rennet is added to coagulate the milk. With the conventional method, it is thus necessary to proliferate the starter lactic acid bacteria by repeating subculture a plurality of times from a stored strain. Moreover, the starter is added to a large amount of the starting material milk, and hence it is necessary to produce a large amount of a highly active mother starter. Furthermore, quality control must be carried out thoroughly such that there is no contamination with other unwanted bacteria when using the starter.
Moreover, to inoculate with the starter and attain the target pH, it is necessary, for example, to culture the starting material milk at 20° C. for at least several hours. Furthermore, rennet is added to coagulate the milk once the pH has dropped; this rennet is an enzyme taken from calves' stomachs, and is expensive. There is, on the other hand, a method of preparing rennet by culturing a microorganism, but as with the case of taking the rennet from calves' stomachs, this is expensive, and moreover there is a problem that the product becomes bitter.
In view of the prior art described above, it is a problem of the present invention to develop a novel technique enabling a high-quality cheese-like dairy product to be produced without using a starter or rennet as described above; according to the present invention, this problem can be solved by utilizing the functions of Paenibacillus sp. cells, instead of using a starter and rennet as described above.
The present invention provides a method of producing a high-quality cheese-like dairy product without using rennet, which is expensive, or a starter, as used in a conventional cheese production method, and a product thus produced.
The present invention relates to a method of producing a cheese-like dairy product, characterized by adding at least 10 wt %, relative to the starting material milk, of water containing Paenibacillus sp. bacteria or water that has been treated with immobilized cells of Paenibacillus sp. bacteria, into starting material milk, followed by maintaining at a prescribed temperature, separating off the curd thus formed, and performing productization with or without further manufacturing; a cheese-like dairy product thus produced; and a water purifier packed with a support having Paenibacillus sp. bacteria immobilized thereon and a filter medium as a packing material.

Cheese-like dairy products and process for producing the same