A liquid fuel trap device for a vehicle fuel system includes a housing forming a confined space and including an outlet port connectable to a fuel vapor recovery system via a fuel vapor passage; and a valve capable of discharging liquid fuel from the confined space into a fuel tank. The housing includes at least two retention devices adapted to impede fuel in the housing from reaching the outlet port in angled positions of the housing.

In general, vehicle systems comprise, among other items, a fuel tank fitted with a filler neck, a variety of fuel valves, a tubing for supplying fuel to the ignition system and a fuel vapor treating system (typically a carbon filter recovery system canister) to which fuel vapor from the fuel tank flows and is then used for enriching the fuel mixture fed to the ignition system.
Fuel fluid (in form of liquid, droplets, spray and vapor) from the fuel tank flows via the one or more valves, which are connected via suitable tubing, to a liquid trap intermediate the fuel vapor recovery and the tank.
The liquid trap receives fuel fluid flowing from the fuel tank which flows via the one or more valves, which flows at a relatively high velocity owing to pressure and temperature changes, and thus vapor flowing from the fuel tank carries along with it also a considerable amount of liquid fuel in the form of droplets (as a result of venturi effect). The liquid trap entraps the liquid fuel and allows fuel vapor flow towards the vapor recovery system. The liquid fuel then returns back to the fuel tank, upon pressure decrease within the fuel tank.
The document DE 100 52 399 A1 discloses a vehicle's fuel system comprising a fuel tank, at least one fuel venting valve, a fuel recovery system and a liquid fuel trap extending between the at least one fuel valve fuel valve and the liquid fuel trap, said liquid fuel trap comprising a housing formed with a confined space with at least one inlet port connectable to the corresponding at least one fuel venting valve, an outlet port connectable to the fuel vapor recovery system, and a liquid fuel discharge assembly for discharging liquid fuel into the fuel tank, said liquid fuel discharge assembly fitted with a fuel propelling mechanism.
A liquid fuel trap is important in those cases where the various valves fitted within the tank are internally installed, i.e. do not project from an upper wall of the tank, where siphons may be generated at tubes connecting to the valves to the liquid trap. Such siphons interfere with venting the tank on the one hand and, on the other hand, interfere with draining of the devices.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,286 B2 a liquid fuel trap is known, comprising a housing formed with a confined space with at least one inlet port connectable to a corresponding fuel valve, an outlet port connectable to a fuel vapor recovery system, and a liquid fuel discharge valve adapted for discharging liquid fuel from the confined space into the tank. The housing further comprises a connecting arrangement for attaching the device on an inner surface of an upper wall of the fuel tank. Liquid flow from at least one inlet port is prevented from direct flowing or splashing to the outlet port. This effect may also be achieved by designing the at least one inlet port and the outlet port at different levels and axially diverted, i.e. not axially extending. Thus, the confined space may be formed with several unleveled chambers, where the inlet and outlet ports are fitted at different levels.
Such an arrangement could be used to prevent liquid fuel from getting out of the tanks venting system into the carbon canister in angle scenarios, this means situations like acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle and situations resulting in lateral and elevational liquid fuel displacement within the fuel tank (e.g. also by tilt of the vehicle).
The disadvantage is, that such an arrangement is quite complex and therefore cost-intensive.


A shoe storage system for housing and organizing shoes. The system includes a compartment defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a long open front, a long open back and long opposed side walls, and further includes a gear system disposed in the interior of the compartment, a pulley system coupled to the gear system, and a plurality of shoe pouches coupled to the gear system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoe organizers and more particularly pertains to a new shoe storage system for housing and organizing shoes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of shoe organizers is known in the prior art. More specifically, shoe organizers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art shoe organizers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,807 to Phillips; U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,017 to Doyel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,442 to Hakeem; U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,127 to Benedict; U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,528 to Cone; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 284,817 to Pryor.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new shoe storage system. The inventive device includes a compartment defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a long open front, a long open back and long opposed side walls. A gear system is disposed interiorly of the compartment. A pulley system is coupled with respect to the gear system. A plurality of shoe pouches are coupled with respect to the gear system.
In these respects, the shoe storage system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of housing and organizing shoes.

Shoe storage system with a compact shoe pouch transport mechanism


A text recognition system and method of operation thereof including: a storage unit for storing a text unit; and a processing unit, connected to the storage unit, the processing unit including: a communication interface for receiving the text unit, a feature detection module for determining an isolated feature of the text unit, an angle detection module for determining angle features of the text unit, a feature vector module for generating a feature vector for the text unit based on the isolated feature and the angle features, and a text recognition module for determining recognized text using the feature vector for display on a display interface.

Optical character recognition (OCR), or text recognition is used to translate text from paper to digital documents that can be easily searched, shared, and stored. Traditional OCR techniques work for printed text such as text generated by a printer or typewriter, but can fail when confronted by handwritten text, or text that is in a script with connected characters, such as when writing in cursive English or standard Arabic.
Thus, a need still remains for effective text recognition of all kinds of text and not just printed English. In view of the rapid rise of the global economy, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is crucial that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

Text recognition system with feature recognition and method of operation thereof


Expanding the coverage of a time-shared network comprising electronic edge nodes interconnected by bufferless fast-switching optical nodes is enabled by combining spatial switching with temporal switching. The output side of each edge node preferably connects to a large number of core switches through individual time-locked channels and the input side preferably connects to each of a small number of core switches through a channel band having a sufficiently large number of channels. Wavelength routers may be used to aggregate individually-routed channels into WDM links.

In a prior-art burst-switching scheme, a source node sends a burst transfer request to a core node to indicate that a burst of data follows the request. The request indicates the size of the accompanying burst and its destination. Responsive to this burst transfer request, the core node configures a space switch to connect a specific channel in a link on which the burst will be received to any channel in a link directed towards the requested burst destination. The burst follows the burst transfer request after a predetermined time period sufficient to configure the switch and it is expected that, when the burst arrives at the core node, the space switch would have been configured by the core-node controller to accommodate the burst. The core node may fail to schedule the transfer of the burst from input to output at the respective arrival time, and, if the core node does not include a buffer, the burst may be lost. Naturally, the probability of burst loss decreases with the number of channels per link and increases with the number of bufferless core nodes traversed. This switching method is hereinafter called "spatial switching".
An alternative burst switching method, hereinafter called "temporal switching", and a mechanism for burst transfer in a composite-star network having optical core nodes is described in Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/750,071, filed on Dec. 29, 2000, and titled "Burst Switching in a High-Capacity Network", the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. According to the method, a burst-transfer request is sent to a controller of a selected core node after a burst has been formed at a source node. High network efficiency is realized by pipelining burst scheduling and burst-transfer. The transfer of bursts across the optical core nodes is loss-free.
To realize low-latency temporal switching, Applicant developed a technique according to which burst schedules may be initiated by any of a plurality of bufferless core nodes and distributed to respective edge nodes. A burst size is determined by a core node according to an allocated flow rate of a burst stream to which the burst belongs. The technique is described in applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,512, filed on Nov. 13, 2001 and titled "Rate-Controlled Optical Burst Switching", the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. Burst formation takes place at source nodes, according to information accompanying the burst schedules. An allocated flow rate of a burst stream may be modified according to observed usage of scheduled bursts of a burst stream. A method of control-burst exchange between each of a plurality of edge nodes and each of a plurality of bufferless core nodes enables time coordination, burst scheduling, and loss-free burst switching. Both the load bursts and control bursts are carried by optical channels connecting the edge nodes and the core nodes. The burst descriptors are generated by a master controller of an optical switch in a core node. The switching times of the bursts corresponding to the generated descriptors are scheduled, and the schedules are distributed to the respective edge nodes. The burst-descriptor generation is based on burst-stream flow-rate-allocation defined by the source nodes. A method and an apparatus for allocating an appropriate flow rate to a data stream is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,721, issued to Beshai on Jun. 17, 2003 and titled "Routing and rate control in a universal transfer mode network, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The burst-switching methods of U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 09/750,071 and 10/054,512 require time-coordination where each path from a source edge node to a core node adjacent to a destination edge node is time locked. The network coverage, in terms of the number of edge nodes, is determined primarily by the dimensions of the core nodes.
Extending the network coverage to a global scale may be realized by using a cascade of channel switching and time-slot switching (channel switching establishes a connection from an input port to an output port of a switch and holds the connection for an extended period of time). Extending the network coverage may also be realized by partial use of random-access buffers at selected core channels, as described in Applicant's U.S. patent application titled "Hybrid fine-coarse carrier switching", filed on Nov. 8, 2002, and assigned Ser. No. 10/290,314, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. Such buffers may require optical-to-electrical conversion, electronic storage, and electrical to-optical conversion. The selected core channels are provided with buffers to enable temporal alignment of signals arriving at any core node from several other core nodes. A buffer may be provided at either end of a channel connecting two core nodes. Otherwise, all other ports of the core nodes may be bufferless. Providing such buffers enables the construction of a high-capacity wide-coverage network comprising a large number of core nodes shared by numerous edge nodes. Time-division-multiplexing and burst transfer can coexist in the network disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/290,314 and both are enabled by time-locking each edge node to an adjacent core node (or to a core node reached through channel switching) and by time-alignment at the random-access buffers.
Thus, as described above, extending the coverage of a network based on temporal switching may require an intermediate electronic-switching step either at an intermediate edge node or, preferably, at a random-access buffer placed at selected core channels. It may be desirable, however, to avoid electronic buffering, except at the source edge node and the destination edge node, and explore means for providing fast-switched paths in an entirely optical core in a wide-coverage network.


An apparatus for testing bending strength is provided. The apparatus includes a frame, a motor, and a control part. The frame includes an impingement board. The motor includes a piston. A piston head is mounted on an end of the piston for impacting the impingement board. The piston head defines a space configured for receiving a hand-held device. The control part is for controlling the piston to move up and down repeatedly. The apparatus can be used to test a hand-held device's bending strength conveniently.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for testing bending strength, and particularly to an apparatus for testing hand-held device's bending strength.
2. General Background
Hand-held devices, such as mobile phones, media players, etc, are easily damaged by inadvertent pressing stress. For example, if a user of the hand-held device sits down or squats down with the hand-held device is in the trousers' pocket of the user, the hand-held device will be subjected to the pressing stress. If the hand-held device is not strong enough, a liquid crystal display or an antenna of the hand-held device may be damaged.
For reasons mentioned above, after a hand-held device prototype is created, it is necessary to perform a bending strength test on the hand-held device prototype before the hand-held device is mass produced.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus for testing hand-held device' bending strength.

Longhua Town, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A network of interreporting participant stations configured to monitor and analyze station movement such that activity levels of the individual stations can be determined and reported across the network to alert participant stations whenever the activity level of any one of the participant stations has dropped to a pre-determined level.

Persons living alone are at risk of going without help for a long period if they have an accident or medical emergency that leaves them incapacitated. This is especially true for the elderly but the risk exists for anyone who spends long periods alone. One solution to this problem is for members of a family or small group of friends to routinely check up on each other.
At present devices exist to facilitate the health and welfare monitoring of a person living alone. These devices typically incorporate sensors in a living space to track the resident's activity level and can send an alarm to a third party if that activity falls below some threshold. Another variation requires the resident to wear a small button box such as a bracelet or necklace that allows the owner to signal for help. A drawback of the former sensor is the requirement for specially instrumenting the home to support the monitoring. This also limits monitoring to just the instrumented areas. A drawback of the latter is the requirement that the user carry it at all times which is often not practical. Furthermore the user must be capable of activating the alarm in time of need, which is not always possible.
At present all such devices are designed with a subject to be monitored and one or more third parties to be notified if an emergency occurs. Such products are intended primarily for individuals with special needs or higher risk of needing assistance such as the elderly.
In addition, there is a wider demographic of individuals who live alone some or all of the time. Any of these individuals is at risk for a medical emergency such as a heart attack or a fall that could leave them unable to seek help on their own. Typically these individuals would not consider setting up a welfare alerting system for themselves given the low probability of an incident. However, these same individuals typically have a small circle of friends or relatives who would from time to time manually check up on each other as a matter of habit if one of their friends has not been heard from for too long.
Additionally, there is a demographic of people who wish to encourage their friends and associates to remain physically active and to motivate one another to achieve healthy activity and exercise goals. This had traditionally been difficult to do, as it often involves making repetitive inquiries of a personal nature.

Activity level monitoring participant station network


Provided are an electrolyte for a high-voltage lithium secondary battery and a high-voltage lithium secondary battery containing the same, and more particularly, an electrolyte for a high-voltage lithium secondary battery which may not be oxidized and decomposed at the time of being kept at a high voltage and a high temperature to prevent swelling of a battery through suppression of gas generation, thereby having excellent high-temperature storage characteristics and excellent discharge characteristics at a low temperature while decreasing a thickness increase rate of the battery, and a high-voltage lithium secondary battery containing the same.

Recently, as a portable electronic device has widely spread, in accordance with rapid miniaturization, lightness, and thinness of the portable electronic device as described above, in a battery, which is a power supply of the portable electronic device, development of a secondary battery capable of having a small size and having a light weight, and being charged and discharged for a long period of time while having excellent high rate capability has been urgently demanded.
Among the currently applied secondary batteries, a lithium secondary battery developed in the early 1990s has been spotlighted due to advantages such as a high operation voltage and significantly high energy density as compared to conventional batteries using an aqueous electrolyte such as a Ni-MH battery, a Ni—Cd battery, and a lead sulfate battery, and the like. However, in the lithium secondary battery as described above, there are safety problems such as ignition and explosion, and the like, caused by using a non-aqueous electrolyte. As a capacity density of the battery is increased, this problem becomes more severe.
In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, there is a serious problem such as safety deterioration of the battery generated at the time of continuous charge. One of the causes affecting safety of the battery is heat generation due to collapse of a cathode structure. An operation principle thereof is as follows. That is, a cathode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte battery is composed of lithium, a lithium containing metal oxide capable of intercalating and releasing lithium ions, and/or the like, and as a large amount of lithium is detached at the time of over-charge, a structure of the cathode active material as described above is changed to a thermally unstable structure. In this over-charge state, when a battery temperature reaches a critical temperature due to external physical impact, for example, exposure to a high temperature, or the like, oxygen is released from the cathode active material having an unstable structure, and the released oxygen generates an exothermal decomposition reaction with an electrolyte solvent, or the like. Particularly, since combustion of the electrolyte is further accelerated by oxygen released from a cathode, the battery may be ignited and ruptured due to thermal runaway caused by a series of exothermic reactions as described above.
In order to suppress the above-mentioned ignition or rupture due to an increase in a temperature in the battery, a method of adding an aromatic compound to the electrolyte as a redox shuttle additive has been used. For example, a non-aqueous lithium ion battery capable of preventing over-charge current and a thermal runaway phenomenon caused by the over-charge current by using an aromatic compound such as biphenyl has been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2002-260725. In addition, a method of improving safety of a battery by adding a small amount of an aromatic compound such as biphenyl, 3-chlorothiophene, or the like, to increase an internal resistance by electrochemical neutralization in an abnormal over-voltage state has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,834.
However, in the case of using the additive such as biphenyl, or the like, there are problems in that when a relatively high voltage is locally generated in a general operation voltage, the additive is gradually decomposed during a charge and discharge process, or when the battery is discharged at a high temperature for a long period of time, an amount of biphenyl, or the like, may be gradually decreased, such that safety may not be secured after 300 charge and discharge cycles. In addition, there is a problem in storage characteristics, or the like.
Meanwhile, as a method of increasing an electricity charge amount for a small size and high capacity of the battery, a high voltage battery (4.4V system) has been continuously studied and developed. Even in the same battery system, when a charge voltage is increased, a charge amount is generally increased. However, safety problems such as decomposition of the electrolyte, a shortage of a space for lithium intercalation, a risk due to a potential rise of an electrode, or the like, may occur. Therefore, in order to manufacture a battery that may be used at a high voltage, overall conditions are managed with a system so that a large standard reduction potential difference between an anode active material and a cathode active material may be easily maintained, and an electrolyte is not decomposed at this voltage.
Considering this point of the high voltage battery, it may be appreciated that in the case of using existing over-charge preventing agents such as biphenyl (BP) or cyclohexylbenzene (CHB) used in a general lithium ion battery, even during a normal charge and discharge operation, large amounts of these over-charge preventing agents may be decomposed, and characteristics of the battery may be rapidly deteriorated even at a slightly high temperature, such that a life cycle of the battery may be decreased. Further, in the case of using a generally used non-aqueous carbonate based solvent as an electrolyte, when a battery is charged at a voltage higher than 4.2V, which is a general charge potential, oxidizing power may be increased, such that as charge and discharge cycles are performed, a decomposition reaction of the electrolyte is carried out, such that life cycle characteristics may be rapidly deteriorated.
Therefore, a method for improving safety and capacity of a battery at the time of high temperature storage without deteriorating life cycle characteristics of a high voltage battery (4.4V system) has been continuously demanded.

Electrolyte for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery comprising same


The present invention relates to a method for configuring and searching HS-SCCHs of a multi-carrier cell in a TD-SCDMA system. The network side configures the configuration information of a HS-SCCH set for a UE and notifies the UE through high layer signaling, wherein each HS-SCCH corresponds to a frequency point of high speed shared resources; the UE divides the HS-SCCH set into several subsets, and HS-SCCHs of the same subset correspond to the same frequency points; the UE selects the minimum value N from the number of carriers supported by itself, the number of the frequency points, and the number of the HS-SCCH subsets; the UE searches each HS-SCCH subset to be searched in turn, and if a consistent HS-SCCH is found, then the UE stops searching the other HS-SCCHs of the subset, the UE moves said subset out of the group of the HS-SCCH subsets to be searched, and adds the found HS-SCCH into a valid HS-SCCH set to be monitored; if the number of the HS-SCCHs of the valid HS-SCCH set equals to N, then stop searching. The present invention can increase the efficiency of searching the HS-SCCHs by the UE with satisfying normal communication requires.

TD-SCDMA can support asymmetric services satisfactorily, which is very effective in meeting the demands of mobile communication users for data services, which grow increasingly, and the architecture of the TD-SCDMA system is shown in FIG. 1. HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology is a technology which provides high speed downlink data services for multiple users, and can meet the demands of the packet services having burst characteristics in downlinks, such as streaming data services and interactive applications. Data service and voice service have different service characteristics. A voice communication system generally adopts a power control technology to offset the influence of channel fading on the system so as to obtain a relatively stable speed, while the data service can relatively tolerate time delay and the short-term changes of the speed. Hence, the HSDPA adopts a corresponding speed according to the situations of the channel instead of trying to improve the situations of the channel.
To this end, HSDPA introduces a new kind of transmission channel, i.e., high speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH). Users share downlink code resources and power resources to conduct time division multiplexing. Before emitting a HS-PDSCH, the Node B first emits a high speed downlink control channel (HS-SCCH) to notify a mobile terminal (UE) of some necessary parameters. The HS-SCCH is used to carry physical layer control signalings on the HS-PDSCH for decoding. Through reading the information carried by the HS-SCCH, the mobile terminal can find high speed shared resources configured for the mobile terminal according to physical layer information, such as code channel, time slot and modulation manner, designated by the HS-SCCH. The mobile terminal monitors the HS-SCCH and inspects whether there is any information sent to it or not, and if there is, the mobile terminal begins to receive the HS-PDSCH, and demodulates the received data according to the configuration information of the obtained HS-PDSCH.
According to the current 3GPP protocol, in a TD-SCDMA system, a cell is configured for a carrier and the method for configuring high speed shared resources is as follows: one HS-PDSCH and multiple HS-SCCHs, wherein each HS-SCCH has a corresponding high speed shared information channel for HS-DSCH (HS-SICH). When the network side configures high speed shared resources for a mobile terminal, it configures 1 to 4 HS-SCCHs, constituting a HS-SCCH subset, and HS-SICHs which correspond to each HS-SCCH one by one meanwhile.
The flow of configuring HSDPA resources is shown in FIG. 2, and it includes the following steps:
Step 1. the UE applies for a HSDPA service to a RNC (Uu interface, RRC protocol);
Step 2. after receiving the service request message from the UE, the RNC applies for HSDPA resources to the Node B (Iub interface, NBAP protocol);
Step 3. the Node B allocates HSDPA resources for the UE and returns a response message to the RNC showing that the HSDPA resources are allocated successfully (Iub interface, NBAP protocol);
the above response message at least includes the following such as "RADIO LINK RECONFIGURATION READY". "RADIO LINK SETUP RESPONSE", and "RADIO LINK RECONFIGURATION RESPONSE"; and
Step 4. after receiving the resource allocation message from the Node B, the RNC returns a response message of applying for services to the UE, wherein the response message includes relevant configuration information of the HSDPA (Uu interface, RRC protocol).
The above response message at least includes "CELL UPDATE CONFIRM", "RADIO BEARER SETUP", "RADIO BEARER RECONFIGURATION", "RADIO BEARER RELEASE", "PHYSICAL CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION", "TRANSPORT CHANNEL RECONFIGURATION", and etc.
According to the 3GPP protocol, according to the configuration information of the HS-SCCH in the response message, the mobile terminal searches each HS-SCCH of the allocated HS-SCCH set in turn, and through reading the "mobile terminal identification" information on the HS-SCCH, after the mobile terminal finds a HS-SCCH which is actually allocated to it, the mobile terminal will not monitor the other allocated HS-SCCHs as only one HS-SCCH can be allocated in one TTI (Transmission Time Interval). The mobile terminal will monitor the HS-SCCH all the time and find the dynamic parameter configuration of the HS-PDSCH through the signaling information it carries. However, at a certain TTI, when the mobile terminal cannot read from the HS-SCCH the mobile terminal identification being consistent with itself, or cannot read the HS-SCCH, the mobile terminal will monitor the allocated HS-SCCH set again until it finds one HS-SCCH which is consistent with its own mobile terminal identification.
In a TD-SCDMA multi-carrier system, when the network and the mobile terminal both support the configuration of high speed shared resources at multiple carriers for the mobile terminal, the network side needs to configure HS-PDSCHs on one or more carriers for the mobile terminal according to factors such as the capability of the mobile terminal, the service of the mobile terminal and the resources of the network, side. Meanwhile, the downlink control channels HS-SCCH of these HS-PDSCHs are configured on one carrier, and the carrier is the carrier which carries the DPCH (Dedicated Physical Channel) channel of the high layer signaling of the mobile terminal. One to four HS-SCCHs are allocated for the HS-SCCHs on each carrier, and all HS-SCCHs being consistent with the mobile terminal identification constitute the HS-SCCH set allocated for the mobile terminal. However, at each TTI, only one HS-SCCH can be allocated to each carrier.
According to the current multi-carrier HSDPA solution, the network side notifies, by a high layer signaling, the UE which HS-SCCH signaling resources are configured. However, the solution does not disclose that after re-configuring the HS-PDSCH, how to modify the HS-SCCH-related configuration information in the response message showing that the resources have been successfully allocated in step 3 and in the response message of applying for a service in step 4, and also does not disclose how the UE search and monitor these HS-SCCHs.
Specifically, in the multi-carrier HSDPA, the following existing problems need to be solved:                1) as all HS-SCCHs in all HS-SCCH sets are carried at one carrier, while the HS-PDSCHs are configured on different carriers, therefore when reads the HS-SCCH information, the mobile terminal can not know which carrier the HS-PDSCH corresponding to the HS-SCCH is carried on; and        2) The mobile terminal may find a HS-SCCH being consistent with its own identification in each HS-SCCH subset, which shows that the network side has configured high speed shared resources to the carrier indicated by the HS-SCCH. On the other hand, the mobile terminal may be not able to find a HS-SCCH being consistent with its own identification in some HS-SCCH sets, which shows that the network side has not configured high speed shared resources to the carrier, to which the HS-SCCH set corresponds, for the mobile terminal.
Then is it necessary for the UE to search the HS-SCCH set allocated to the UE itself for all HS-SCCHs in a traversal manner? If the UE does not need to search the HS-SCCH set allocated to itself for all HS-SCCHs, then at a certain TTI, how can the UE judge whether the search stops or not? And also, at each TTI, does the UE only need to monitor these HS-SCCHs being consistent with the UE identification, or does it need to search the HS-SCCH set for the other HS-SCCHs all the time?

Method of configuring and searching high speed shared control channel of multi-carrier cell


An array substrate for an in-plane switching liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, gate lines arranged in a first direction on the substrate, data lines crossing the gate lines to define a pixel region, the pixel region consists of four sub-pixel regions, a switching element at the crossing of the gate and data lines, a pixel electrode in each of the sub-pixel regions, and a common electrode alternatively arranged with the pixel electrode to form a plurality of blocks in each of the sub-pixel regions. Two of the sub-pixel regions include an n-number of blocks (n is a natural number). Two of the sub-pixel regions include an (n+2)-number of blocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to an array substrate for an in-plane switching (IPS) liquid crystal display device having high brightness and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device uses the optical anisotropy and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules to produce an image. Liquid crystal molecules have a definite alignment as a result of their long, thin shapes. That alignment direction can be controlled by applying an electric field. Specifically, variations in an applied electric field, influence the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules. Due to the optical anisotropy, the refraction of incident light depends on the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules. Thus, by properly controlling the applied electric field, an image which has a desired brightness can be produced.
Of the different types of known liquid crystal displays (LCDs), active matrix LCDs (AM-LCDs), which have thin film transistors (TFTs) and pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix form, are the subject of significant research and development because of their high resolution and superior ability in displaying moving images. Further, LCD devices have wide application in office automation (OA) equipment and video units because they are light and thin and consume low power.
A typical liquid crystal display panel has an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The upper substrate is commonly referred to as a color filter substrate. The upper substrate usually includes a common electrode and color filters. The lower substrate is commonly referred to as an array substrate. The lower substrate includes switching elements, such as thin film transistors, and pixel electrodes.
As previously described, LCD device operation is based on the principle that the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is dependent upon an electric field applied between the common electrode and the pixel electrode. The electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer controls the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules. When the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is properly adjusted, incident light is refracted along the alignment direction to display image data. The liquid crystal molecules function as an optical modulation element having variable optical characteristics that depend upon a polarity of the applied voltage.
In an LCD device according to the related art, the pixel and common electrodes are positioned on the lower and upper substrates, respectively. The electric field induced between the pixel and common electrodes is perpendicular to the lower and upper substrates. However, the related art LCD devices have a narrow viewing angle because of the longitudinal electric field.
In order to solve the problem of narrow viewing angle, in-plane switching liquid crystal display (IPS-LCD) devices have been proposed. An IPS-LCD device includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate and a liquid crystal. A pixel electrode and a common electrode are disposed on the lower substrate. The upper substrate has no electrode. The liquid crystal is interposed between the upper and lower substrates.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an IPS-LCD device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, first and second substrates 10 and 50 are spaced apart from each other. A liquid crystal layer 90 is interposed the first and second substrates. The first and second substrates 10 and 30 are often referred to as an array substrate and a color filter substrate, respectively.
A thin film transistor T, a common electrode 34c and a pixel electrode 32 are formed on an inner surface of the first substrate 10 in each pixel P1 and P2. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 12, a semiconductor layer 18, a source electrode 20 and a drain electrode 22. A gate insulating layer G1 is formed between the gate electrode 12 and the semiconductor layer 18. The source electrode 20 and the drain electrode 22 are spaced apart over the semiconductor layer 18.
The common electrode 34c and the pixel electrode 32 are aligned parallel to and spaced apart from each other over the first substrate 10. Generally, the common electrode 34c is formed of the same material as the gate electrode 12. Similarly, the pixel electrode 32 is formed of the same material as the source and drain electrodes 20 and 22. However, to improve an aperture ratio, the pixel electrode 32 may be formed of a transparent conductive material as shown.
Although not shown in the figure, a gate line, a data line and a common line are formed. The gate line extends along a side of the pixels P1 and P2. The data line is formed along a direction crossing the gate line. The common line is connected to the common electrode 34c and parallel to the gate line.
A black matrix 52 is formed on an inner surface of the second substrate 50. The black matrix 52 corresponds to the gate line, the data line and the thin film transistor T.
A color filter layer 54a and 54b is formed on the inner surface of the second substrate 50. The color filter layer 54a and 54b includes three sub-color filters of red, green and blue colors. Each sub-color filter 54a and 54b corresponds to each pixel P1 and P2.
Liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 90 are aligned by an electric field 95. The electric field 95 is induced between the common electrode 34c and the pixel electrode 32 parallel to the substrates 10 and 50.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an array substrate of an IPS-LCD device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of gate lines 14 are formed on a substrate 10. A common line 16 is formed between adjacent gate lines 14 parallel to the gate lines 14. A plurality of data lines 24 are extended in a direction perpendicular to the gate lines 14 and the common line 16 and are spaced apart from each other. The data lines 24 define sub-pixels P by crossing the gate lines 14 and the common line 16.
A thin film transistor T is formed at one side of the sub-pixel P. The thin film transistor T includes a gate electrode 12, an active layer 18, a source electrode 20 and a drain electrode 22. The drain electrode 22 has an extension part 26, which is extended over the common line 16.
A common electrode 34a, 34b, 34c and 36 and a pixel electrode 30 and 32 are formed in the sub-pixel P. The pixel electrode includes a horizontal portion 30. The horizontal portion 30 is connected to the extension part 26 through a first contact hole CH1 and a plurality of vertical portions 32. The vertical portions 32 are vertically extended from the horizontal portion 30. The extension part 26 and a part of the common line 16 overlapping each other constitute a storage capacitor CST. The extension part 26 represents a first electrode and the part of the common line 16 represents a second electrode of the storage capacitor CST.
The common electrode 34a, 34b, 34c and 36 includes a first vertical part 34a, a second vertical part 34b, a plurality of third vertical parts 34c and a horizontal part 36. The first and second vertical parts 34a and 34b are disposed along both sides of the sub-pixel P and are connected to the common line 16 through second and third contact holes CH2 and CH3, respectively. The first and second vertical parts 34a and 34b are extended over two sub-pixels P that are vertically adjacent. The plurality of third vertical parts 34c are alternatively arranged with the vertical portions 32 of the pixel electrode. The horizontal part 36 is connected to the plurality of third vertical parts 34c and the second vertical part 34b. Here, the second vertical part 34b vertically contacts both the horizontal parts 36 of the adjacent sub-pixels P.
In the above-mentioned array substrate, 6 blocks D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6 are formed in one sub-pixel P. The 6 blocks D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6 are defined as spaces between the vertical parts 34a, 34b and 34c of the common electrode and the vertical portions 32 of the pixel electrode.
Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, in the case of a quad type device, which includes red, green, blue and white sub-pixels, one pixel includes four sub-pixels, which are mutually adjacent vertically or horizontally.
In the IPS-LCD device, to cover influences from the data line 24, the common electrode 34a and 34b should be close to the data line 24. Accordingly, the number of blocks between the common electrode 34a, 34b and 34c and the pixel electrode 32 may be an even number.
Table 1 shows widths of elements in designing an array substrate for a related art IPS-LCD device including a sub-pixel of 6 blocks.
TABLE 1Blocks6Width of gate line16 μmWidth of data line20 μmWidth of pixel electrode4.5 μm Distance between data line and common4.5 μm electrodeWidth of outer common electrode9.0 μm Space between electrodes12.0 μm  Aperture ratio31.90
The IPS-LCD device having the conditions of Table 1 corresponds to a 15 inch XGA (extended graphics array) model. Here, the data line having a width of about 20 μm reduces an aperture area. Thus, the data line may have a maximum effective width of about 10 μm.
An aperture area is expanded as the number of blocks increases. However, although the width of the data line decreases, the number of blocks does not increase. Moreover, widths of the common electrode 34c and the pixel electrode 32 may decrease. Spaces between the electrodes may also decrease. Accordingly, the maximum efficiency cannot be obtained. Specifically, if the widths of the common electrode 34c and the pixel electrode 32 decrease sharply while the spaces between the electrodes have an effective value, it is likely that the electrodes are down during the manufacturing processes. If the spaces between the electrodes decrease, the increase in number of blocks is offset by the narrowing of the spaces. Accordingly, the aperture area is not increased.
To increase the aperture area, more blocks, such as 7 blocks, may be formed. However, since the common electrode should be near by the data line, the sub-pixel that includes 7 blocks cannot be formed. Thus, the sub-pixel should include an even number of blocks.
Therefore, although the above-structure array substrate can have a wider aperture area, the lines and the electrodes may have somewhat broad widths due to even blocks. Accordingly, a higher aperture ratio cannot be obtained.

Array substrate for in-plane switching liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same


A process for the separation and purification of pyrimidine derivatives, such as tetrahydropyrimidines, in particular 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acids (ectoine) from aqueous solutions by a combination of adsorption using inorganic solids and crossflow filtration.

The term tetrahydropyrimidine derivatives is used in particular to mean the compounds known from EP-A1-0553884.
Structurally, ectoines are cyclic amino acid derivatives, which belong to the class of so-called "compatible solutes". In high concentration they are also compatible with the cytoplasm and stabilize the cell components in an environment exhibiting low water activity. This action makes them suitable for a wide range of applications in the fields of medicine and cosmetics.
New biotechnological processes have made it possible to grow halophilic eubacteria, e.g. of the genus Halomonas, and to cause these organisms to excrete the ectoines into the medium surrounding them (T. Sauer et al., GIT Fachz. Lab. 10/95).
During subsequent processing, the ectoine is then purified by means of organic cation exchangers and crystallization.
However, it has become apparent that, for a suitable commercial product with approx. 90% purity to be obtained, this process has to comprise several stages and is very time consuming.

Process for the separation of pyrimidine derivatives from aqueous solutions


The disclosed embodiments related to a method and system for creating a digital image album implementable on a computing device. The method includes grouping a plurality of digital images to generate a plurality of groups. Each of the plurality of groups is then transmitted to one or more crowdworkers for ranking each digital image of the plurality of groups. A final rank corresponding to each of the plurality of digital images is then determined based on the one or more ranks assigned by the one or more crowdworkers to each digital image of the plurality of groups. Thereafter, at least one digital image is selected from each of the plurality of groups based on the final rank of at least one digital image to create the digital image album.

Photographs are a representation of a person's life and carry significant emotional value. Over the years, a person ends up collecting hundreds of photographs, which subsequently have to be organized for storage and viewing purposes. The most common manner of organizing these photographs is to place them in albums. However, it is known that although many people collect photographs, few invest time on a regular basis to organize and maintain the photographs. Moreover, with time, the number of unorganized photographs increase, making it immensely difficult to keep the collection organized. Therefore, there is a need to provide efficient techniques for organizing a collection of photographs.

Method and system for creating digital image album


A method for erasing a page-erasable EEPROM-type memory includes: the memory receiving a command associated with a set of addresses of pages of the memory to be erased, each page comprising several memory cell groups each forming a word, for each address of the set of addresses, selecting a word line corresponding to a page of the memory, and triggering the simultaneous erasing of all the selected word lines.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an erasing method adapted to a page-erasable EEPROM-type memory (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the main differences between a Flash-type memory and an EEPROM-type memory lies in the erase-granularity, i.e., the minimum number of memory cells likely to be erased during an erase cycle. Generally, the erase-granularity of an EEPROM memory is one page or one byte, whereas that of a Flash memory is one sector of several pages the number of which depends on the memory architecture. Furthermore, the physical size of a memory cell is a significant factor distinguishing Flash- and EEPROM-type memories. The memory cell of a Flash-type memory is typically three or four times smaller than an EEPROM-type memory cell. However, to write a single word in a Flash memory it is necessary to re-program a full sector of the memory.
Several solutions have been developed to attempt to benefit both from the reduced size of Flash-type memory cells and from the reduced erase-granularity of EEPROM memories. Generally, these solutions involve emulating an EEPROM memory using a Flash memory. A classic solution includes using a random access memory (RAM) to store a sector in which a word must be written. This solution implements a mechanism of writing a word, configured to load into the random access memory the sector containing the address of the word to be written, and the word to be written at this address, to control the erasing in the Flash memory of the sector loaded into the random access memory, and to transfer the sector from the random access memory to the Flash memory. This solution has also been adapted to solely page-erasable EEPROM memories, which correspond to one line of memory cells of the memory, to reduce the erase-granularity to the size of a word.
This solution has several disadvantages. It requires relatively large additional circuits, comprising a management circuit and a random access memory. It triggers cycles of erasing and programming not only the memory cells to be changed, but also all the other memory cells of the accessed sector. The result is a high consumption of energy and time compared to the writing of a single word in a word-erasable EEPROM memory. Given that a memory cell can only withstand a limited number of erase and program cycles, typically a hundred thousand cycles, this solution considerably reduces the service life of the memory. Furthermore, the two sector transfers between the Flash memory and the random access memory increase the risk of corrupting data.
It may therefore be desirable to combine the advantages of EEPROM memories, in particular in terms of erase-granularity, with the possibility offered by Flash memories of erasing extended to the scale of an entire sector.

Method for block-erasing a page-erasable EEPROM-type memory


In an image reading apparatus, first and second semiconductor chips are arranged in series on a transparent insulative base. The semiconductor chips are covered by a protective layer and have conductive pads located both side of the series arrangement of the chips. A traveling path in which a document passes is defined on the protective layer between the pads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device in which a series of semiconductor chips are electrically connected to each other, and, more particularly, are incorporated to apparatuses such as an image reader wherein semiconductor chips are incorporated to convert information on a document into an electrical signal, or a thermal printer wherein semiconductor chips are incorporated to thermally convert image information and record an image onto a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, semiconductor chips have been incorporated in an image reader and a thermal print head. In the conventional image reader, an image on a document is formed in a photo-converting section by a lens system, thereby reading information on the document. However, there is a growing need for equipment that can read a large-sized document can. Particularly, an image reader, which can sufficiently read the document as large as A4-sized or B4-sized documents, has been required. Such a technique has been also required in the recording apparatus such as a thermal print head as well as the reader.
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-31159 discloses a reader in which a plurality of semiconductor chips having a photo-converting section are connected by bonding wires in a direction where photo-converting elements are arranged. According to such a reader, the large-sized documents can be sufficiently read.
However, if the rod lens, such as SELFOC lens, is provided between the document and the photo-converting section, the size of the apparatus is necessarily enlarged. For this reason, there has recently been considered a reader from which the optical system is removed, that is, the reader wherein a photo-converting section having the same size as a document is disposed to the document and information on the document is read. In other words, in the above-structured reader, in view of the improvement of reading accuracy, it is preferable to place the document close to the photo-converting section at substantially 50 .mu.m to read information on the document.
However, if the document is placed closer to the photo-converting section to improve the reading accuracy, bonding wires, which are used to connect the chips having the photoelectric converting section, come near the document and the photo-converting section, thereby preventing the document from being transferred or causing the breakage of the bonding wires.
In order to allow the chips to be connected in the region other than the region where the document and the photo-converting section are placed closer to each other, each chip is enlarged in a sub-scanning direction. Thereby, making it possible to prevent the document from being transferred by the bonding wires.
However, enlarging the respective chips in the sub-scanning direction increases not only the size of the apparatus but also the manufacturing cost of the apparatus. Particularly, it has been required that the width of the chip be less than 1 mm to obtain the low manufacturing cost of the apparatus by forming a large number of chips out of one substrate.

Thermal print head in which a series of semiconductor chips are electrically connected to each other


The invention has now found out why ghost light occurs in an imaging optical system using a decentered reflecting prism for the purpose of reducing ghost light. The invention provides an imaging optical system comprising at least one decentered prism 10 having a rotationally asymmetric reflecting surface, at least located on an image side of an aperture stop. The prism 10 comprises three or more surfaces including an entrance surface 11, a reflecting surface 12 and an exit surface 13. The reflecting surface has an effective area A+B+C, and a reflection-enhancing member is applied onto an area B+C except a sub-area A at which an effective light beam is totally reflected.

The present invention relates generally to an imaging optical system, and more particularly to an imaging optical system using a decentered reflecting prism.
Various imaging optical systems including decentered reflecting prisms have been proposed so far in the art. Typically, patent publication 1 has come up with an imaging optical system wherein an aperture stop is provided on both its sides with decentered reflecting prisms, each having a rotationally asymmetric reflecting surface.
On the other hand, patent publication 2 has put forward a ghost light-preventive imaging optical system using a reflecting prism, wherein the reflecting surface of the reflecting prism is provided with a film in its effective area alone, and roughened at its peripheral, non-effective area.
Patent publications 3 and 4 show an image display using a reflecting prism equipped with means for prevention of ghost light resulting from illumination light for a liquid crystal display device.
Patent Publication 1
JP(A)2003-84200
Patent Publication 2
JP(A)9-90229
Patent Publication 3
JP(A)2001-174747
Patent Publication 4
JP(A)2002-118799
In this conjunction, the imaging optical system of patent publication 1 is susceptible of ghost light that is light arriving at an image plane by way of optical paths other than a normal one. On the other hand, patent publications 2, 3 and 4 disclose how to prevent ghost light. With patent publication 2, however, prevention of ghost light is still less than satisfactory. The ghost light referred to in patent publications 3 and 4 is different from that in the case of an imaging optical system, because of stemming from an illumination optical system.
In view of such problems with the prior art as described above, the primary object of the invention is to provide an imaging optical system with reduced or substantially eliminated ghost light.


A golf club grip drying device includes one chamber for receipt of a golf club grip and an adjacent chamber for receipt of an aerosol gas dispenser with a transfer tube conveying gas from the aerosol gas dispenser chamber to the golf club grip chamber. An actuator is provided which is responsive to movement of the golf club grip within its chamber so that when the golf club grip is so inserted, it engages the actuator which in turn engages the aerosol gas dispenser to open a valve contained within the aerosol gas dispenser and cause dispensing of aerosol gas within the golf club grip chamber to remove moisture from the surface of the golf club grip and therefore dry it.

The present invention relates to an ultra dry golf club grip dehumidifier system. Previously, golfers would utilize some sort of towel or other drying implement to dry golf club grips. It would be an improvement over such use of towels to provide a device in which a golf club grip could be placed completely within an enclosed chamber and dried using an aerosol dehumidifying gas. It is with this thought in mind that the present invention was developed.
In the prior art, it is known to dry the grip of a golf club to enhance the security of a golfer""s grasp on the golf club grip. Applicant is aware of the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,358 to Sacerdote
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,832 to Cuthbert
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,066 to Rose
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,254 to Bottiger et al.
None of these references teaches or suggests the concept of drying the grip of a golf club by inserting the golf club grip within an enclosed chamber and wherein motion of the golf club grip into the chamber causes actuation of an aerosol dispenser to dispense an aerosol gas into the enclosed chamber to dehumidify and dry the golf club grip.
The present invention relates to an ultra dry golf club grip dehumidifier system. The present invention includes the following interrelated obpects aspects and features:
(1) In a first aspect, the present invention contemplates providing an enclosed chamber having an opening permitting a golf club grip to be inserted therethrough while maintaining a secure seal about the periphery of the golf club grip.
(2) Fluidly connected to the enclosed chamber is a chamber containing an aerosol gas dispenser. The aerosol gas dispenser is associated with a passageway designed to convey aerosol gas from the dispenser into the enclosed chamber where the golf club grip is to be inserted.
(3) An actuator is provided that engages the aerosol gas dispenser and the golf club grip as it is inserted within the enclosed chamber. As the golf club grip is inserted into the enclosed chamber, it engages the actuator which causes, in the preferred embodiment, the aerosol gas dispenser to be activated to release aerosol gas into the enclosed chamber to dry and dehumidify the golf club grip.
As such, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an ultra dry golf club grip dehumidifier system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device in which a golf club grip is inserted within an enclosed chamber.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such a system wherein an aerosol gas dispenser is located in fluid connection with the enclosed chamber receiving the golf club grip.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a system in which insertion of the golf club grip into the enclosed chamber causes actuation of a valve associated with the aerosol gas dispenser to open the aerosol gas dispenser and dispense aerosol gas into the enclosed chamber to dry the surface of the golf club grip.


The invention relates to a pressure-measuring device (M1) with a controller (C) for controlling the functions of the measuring device (M1) and/or for processing measured data, a sensor (S1) for measuring a variable (p1) to provide first measured data (I1), and an output interface (IA1, D1) for outputting the measured data (I1). In order that additional measured data of a second measuring device (M2) can be easily processed without using another external data processor or an arrangement with a capillary line in the case of a differential pressure-measuring device, it is proposed that the measuring device (M1) have a communications interface (I2C1, I2C) for an additional, second measuring device (M2) with another sensor (S2) for measuring a variable (p2) to provide second measured data (I2), and, when the second measuring device (M2) is connected via the communications interface (I2C1, I2C, I2C2) or the second measuring device (M2) is activated, the controller (C) initiates a reception of the second measured data (I2), a joint processing of the first and second measured data (I1, I2; ΔI=I1−I2) and an output of jointly processed measured data (ΔI).

Differential pressures must be measured in numerous technical applications. A generally known differential pressure-measuring device has a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor has two pressure- and separating membranes, which are spaced apart and each allocated to one delivery connection. A pressure-balancing medium is located in the space between the separating membranes. Situated on the side of the separating membranes facing away from the pressure-balancing medium is a respective space in which a first pressure prevails on the side of the first separating membrane, and a second pressure prevails on the side of the second separating membrane. In addition, the differential pressure-measuring device has integrated plate-type capacitors, whose capacity depends on the prevailing pressures. The capacity values for the plate-type capacitors are subjected to a capacitive evaluation to convert the corresponding pressures into a current signal, e.g., with values ranging from 4 to 20 mA, by finding the electrical difference.
This kind of structurally favorable embodiment makes it possible to measure the differential pressure of gases in piping that is connected to the differential pressure-measuring device, for example. The measurement of liquids with precipitating solids requires that a capillary line be arranged in each differential pressure-measuring device to avoid obstructions in the area of the delivery connections.
An embodiment of this type entails a correspondingly higher complexity of design and expense. When measuring a differential pressure between a container floor and container cover to determine a fill level with superposed pressure, the rising capillary also gives rise to a hydrostatic column, and hence a measuring error.
Another embodiment for a known differential pressure-measuring device consists of two conventional standard pressure-measuring devices with frontal, flush-mounted sensors each having a current output as an output for outputting measured data. The measured data are relayed to a separate electronic evaluator, wherein the electronic evaluator finds the difference between the currents. In this case, the difference between the current signal of the first pressure-measuring device and the current signal of the second pressure-measuring device is found with an analog circuit or a microprocessor. This kind of arrangement does not require a capillary line, thereby eliminating the otherwise resultant measuring error. However, the disadvantage here is that two stand-alone measuring devices and an additional evaluating device with electronic evaluator connected thereto are required, making installation complicated. The provision of a separate evaluating device results in additional costs.


Various examples are disclosed for generating a prediction of server requirements needed to deploy an application. The application can be deployed in virtualized environment in which virtual machines can execute the application. The predicted server requirements can be generated based upon data from other deployments of the application in other virtualized environments.

Data centers include various physical and virtual components that, when executed, provide web services, cloud computing environments, virtualization environments, as well as other distributed computing systems. For instance, data centers can include hardware and software to provide computer virtualization services, which relate to the creation of a virtualized version of a physical device, such as a server, a storage device, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or other computing resources. Data centers can also include virtual machines (VMs), which include emulations of a computer system that can be customized to include a predefined amount of random access memory (RAM), hard drive storage space, as well as other computing resources that emulate a physical machine.
Different enterprises often deploy similar applications in a virtualized computing environment. For example, two different enterprises in the healthcare industry can have the need to deploy a customer relationship management (CRM) application. While the scale of their deployments might vary, they might use the same CRM application deployed across a fleet of servers that are running VMs that power the CRM application. As another example, two different enterprises in different industries might deploy the same application at the same scale (e.g., number of supported users). A consultant, vendor, or administrator serving enterprises deploying applications across a fleet of servers may desire predictive metrics about a deployment before undertaking a project. A consultant might wish to generate a proposal that includes information about how many and what assortment of servers that will be required to deploy an application for an enterprise. The proposal can include a prediction of how many servers are needed for a particular deployment. An accurate prediction can facilitate the creation of an accurate estimate of the cost of making a deployment.

Generating predictive metrics for virtualized deployments


An electronic device of detecting contention of a bidirectional bus for avoiding failing to drive a bidirectional bus due to bus contention includes: an output terminal, an input terminal and a data output unit, a timing comparing controller and a comparing unit. The output terminal is coupled to the bidirectional bus and used for outputting a data output signal to the bidirectional bus. The input terminal is coupled to the output terminal and the bidirectional bus and used for receiving a data reception signal from the bidirectional bus. The data output unit is used for providing the data output signal. The timing comparing controller is used for generating a timing comparison signal according to the data output signal. The comparing unit is used for comparing the data reception signal with the data output signal according to the timing comparison signal to determine a contention state of the bidirectional bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device and related method for detection of bus contention, and more particularly, to an electronic device of detecting contention of a bidirectional bus and related method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A bus is a transmission interface capable of transmitting data between two electronic devices or among a plenty of electronic devices. In general, buses are classified with unidirectional and a bidirectional types. The unidirectional bus is allowed to transmit data from an X device to a Y device, but not from the Y device to the X device. The bidirectional bus is allowed to exchange data between the X and Y devices. In implementation of a chip, employment of the bidirectional bus interface has a need of fewer pins than employment of the unidirectional bus.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a master-slave system 10 according to the prior art. The master-slave system 10 employs a half-duplex bidirectional bus 12 for data transmission between a master device 14 and a slave device 16. The master device 14 includes a transmitter 142 and a receiver 144, whereas the slave device 16 includes a transmitter 162 and a receiver 164. In normal situation, the receiver 164 performs data receptions and no data is allowed to be transmitted from the transmitter 162 when the transmitter 142 outputs a data signal S1. Similarly, the receiver 144 performs data reception and no data is allowed to be transmitted by the transmitter 142 when the transmitter 162 outputs a data signal S2. That is, only one transmitting side is allowed to drive the bidirectional bus 12 at one time. As a result, the master device 14 and the slave device 16 have to contend for every transmission opportunity. However, the bidirectional bus 12 is likely to be simultaneously driven by the master device 14 and the slave device 16 due to occurrence of a signal transition during bus contention. This causes an operating failure in the bidirectional bus 12. For example, when the data signals S1 and S2 are simultaneously outputted to the bidirectional bus 12 as can be seen from FIG. 1, the transitions of the data signals S1 and S2 cause signal cancelling, thereby resulting in data reception failures in the receivers 164 and 144.

Electronic device for contention detection of bidirectional bus and related method


A speaker attaching construction mounted on a plate, including a speaker removably provided with fixtures, having a first engager on one side of an attaching plate and a second engager formed with an engaging piece on the other side of the attaching plate, at a plurality of points by engaging the first engagers with receivers of a frame, through clamping the plate by means of the engaging pieces passed fixing holes of the plate and elastically restored and the attaching plate. This can facilitate the attaching operation and eliminate the stress, resulting from the elastic force, from being applied to the frame. Thus, the speaker can be set up stably.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speaker attaching construction and speaker that a speaker is mounted on an attaching plate by the utilization of an elastic deformation and restoration of an engaging piece.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it is a general practice to use an attaching construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as a structure to mount a speaker on a plate. In FIGS. 6 and 7, 1 is a speaker, 2 is a frame generally circumferential in form, and 3 is a cone-formed vibration plate having a resilient hook (edge) at nearly an upper end. The frame 2 has an upper plate 2a having an upper surface bonded, by abutment, with an underside of a top plate 3a of the vibration plate 3, thus fixing the vibration plate 3 on the frame 2 at the inner portion thereof. The frame 2 has a lower plate 2b having an underside arranged, by abutment, on the upper surface of a plate 4. A screw 5 at its thread 5a is screwed in a screw hole 2c formed in the lower plate 2b.
In the FIG. 6 attaching construction, a fixing hole 4a is formed by screwing in the plate 4 a thread 5a of a screw 5, such as a tapping screw, being screwed in the screw hole 2c, thereby firmly fixing the frame 2 and the plate 4 together by screwing at three to four points. Meanwhile, in the FIG. 7 attaching construction, the screw 5 screwed in the screw hole 2c is screwed in the fixing hole 4b formed in a position corresponding to the screw hole 2c. A nut 6, e.g., U-formed speed nut, is screwed from the tip of the thread 5a projecting downward of the fixing hole 4b, thereby tightening the frame 2 lower plate 2b and the plate 4 together at three to four points.
However, in the speaker attaching construction in FIG. 6 or 7, troublesome operation is required in tightening, one by one, the screw 5 by means of a screwdriver while holding the speaker 1 during attaching operation. Furthermore, the FIG. 7 attaching construction requires an operation of tightening the nut 6 at back of the plate 4 in addition to the operation to tighten the screw 5 at front of the plate 4.
Consequently, there is a proposal, in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2001-352590), of an attaching construction in which fixing is facilitated by the utilization of elastic deformation and restoration of an engaging piece. The attaching construction in Patent Document 1 is a speaker mounting structure in which the frame is fixed to a plate by engaging in a fixing hole formed in the plate the engaging hook and clip formed in the frame. By engaging, in the plate fixing hole, the engaging hook, downwardly bent in the left and right lower portion of the frame, the engaging clip, at its slant guide, is elastically deformed by abutting against the upper edge of the fixing hole. Elastically restored by passing of the slant guide through the fixing hole, the engaging clip at its U-formed engager engages with the upper edge of the fixing hole. Furthermore, the engaging hook and the engaging clip are arranged inner than the outer edge of an annular seal member bonded to the frame mounting surface and closely contacted with the plate, thereby blocking the water intruding at an opening or fixing hole of the plate by the seal member and preventing it from flowing toward the vehicular compartment.
Similarly, Patent document 2 (JP-B-7-9504) discloses a structure in which a frame is projected with an insert-engager at one end and an insert-receiver at the other end thereof, so that an engaging fixture is inserted in the insert-receiver to hold it by a clamp piece and fit and fix a projection of the engaging fixture in a fit hole of the insert-receiver, whereby the frame insert-receiver is inserted in a plate insert hole and the engaging fixture is inserted in the insert hole into an engagement thereof with an edge of the insert hole, wherein the engager, when inserted in the insert hole, is narrowed and the engager, when passed, is elastically restored.
Besides, Patent Document 3 (JP-A-4-34091) discloses an attaching construction eliminating the need for tightening the nut at back of the plate. By using a cylindrical fixing tool having a polygonal engaging piece at one end and a screw hole at the other end and in a sheet form bendable circumferentially between a screw hole and an engaging piece and having a plurality of clamp pieces generally L-shaped in form, the fixing tool is inserted in a insert-hole in the plate. By engaging the engaging piece with an engaging groove corresponding to the engaging piece form of the speaker main body, rotation is restricted. Further, a fixing bolt is screwed to the fixing tool, and projected circumferentially while bending a center region of the clamping piece, thereby attaching the speaker main body to the plate.

Speaker attaching construction and speaker


An electric power tool includes a power supply, a motor capable of being driven in a forward rotation mode or a reverse rotation mode, and a voltage step-up unit capable of performing a voltage step-up operation to raise a voltage supplied from the power supply and supply a raised voltage to the motor. The voltage step-up unit is configured to change the voltage step-up operation in accordance with whether a rotation mode of the motor is the forward rotation mode or the reverse rotation mode.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-35349 describes an example of a conventional electric power tool. The electric power tool includes a power supply, a motor, and a voltage step-up unit for raising a voltage supplied from the power supply and supplying the raised voltage to the motor. In this structure, even when power capacity of the power supply is small, the output of the motor may be ensured in a preferable manner.
The electric power tool including the voltage step-up unit consumes power from the power supply more rapidly than an electric power tool including no voltage step-up unit. This increases the number of times the power supply is replaced.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A flush toilet which includes: a bowl portion having a waste-receiving surface, a rim and a recess; a first rim spout portion which spouts flush water toward a front end of the bowl portion so as to form a swirl flow; and a second rim spout portion which spouts flush water so as to form a swirl flow having a same flow direction as that of the swirl flow formable by the first rim spout portion. The bowl portion is configured to allow flush water spouted from the first rim spout portion to form a major stream which flows from the front end of the bowl portion into the recess, and allow flush water spouted from the second rim spout portion to flow into the recess from a lateral side of the bowl portion and then merge with the major stream M.

Heretofore, there has been known a flush toilet in which flush water spouted from a first spout portion for rim water flows along a shelf, and, after swirlingly flowing downwardly while flushing (cleaning) a waste-receiving surface of a bowl portion, flows into a bottom of the bowl, and water spouted from a second spout portion for jet water flows downwardly into the bottom of the bowl portion to agitate pooled water within the bowl portion in an up-down direction, as described, for example, in JP 3975486B (Patent Document 1).
There has also been known a flush toilet in which flush water is spouted only from two rim spout ports, i.e., first and second spout ports for rim water, and supplied onto a waste-receiving surface of a bowl portion in the form of a swirling flow, as described, for example, in JP 2011-157738A (Patent Document 2). This flush water is configured such that flush water flowing out of the second spout port is supplied toward an inlet of a drainage trap while flowing downwardly along an inwardly convexedly curved surface continuously extending rearwardly from a rear end of a standing surface of the bowl portion.


A length-adjustable strap has two plies joined together to form a channel therebetween. The channel generally does not extend the entire length of the strap. At least one extender slidably engages in the channel. The extender may have holes therethrough or recesses that engage elements of one or more fasteners at or near the proximal end of the strap in an adjustment region outside of the channel. Mating screws are joined to the fastener(s) to secure the extender in place. Optionally, the fastener(s) and mating screws are replaced by a tie that threads through holes formed through the first ply and optionally the second ply as well as the hole(s) formed through the extender to secure the extender in place. Multiple fastening connections more evenly distribute the load.

The field of the present invention relates to length-adjustable leather straps for guitars.
Guitar straps are made to hold a guitar via the shoulders at an adjustable length to suit the position favored by the musician. Guitars have different mechanisms for permitting strap attachment. Most guitars have strap nuts anchored to the guitar with screws. Generally, two strap nuts are pre-attached to electric guitars. The lower strap nut usually is located at the bottom (bridge end) of the guitar body. The upper strap nut usually is located at or near the top (neck end) of the guitar body, such as on the upper body curve, at the tip of the upper horn on a double cut-away, or at the neck joint (heel), or sometimes at the lower body end. Some acoustic and classical guitars have only a single strap nut at the bottom of the body. The other end must be tied onto the headstock, above the nut and below the machine heads.
While some guitar straps are formed with lengths of fabric and have protruding buckles at one or both ends for length adjustment, most professional musicians favor leather guitar straps, and particularly those with ladder lock or "H" lock attachment. For leather straps with ladder lock attachment, the strap has a series of slots at each end. A separate length leather strap having a width comparable to the slot opening is provided with one end having a clasp or hole therein. Once a desired guitar strap length is determined, the separate length leather strap is threaded through the slots above and below the face surfaces of the main strap. The separate length leather strap also is threaded through the clasp or hole to engage the leather strap in place. The separate length of the leather strap is provided with one or more openings to engage strap buttons.
One disadvantage of existing leather guitar straps with ladder lock attachment is that length adjustment cannot be completed rapidly. Moreover, it is not intuitive how best to adjust for a desired length. The separate length leather strap has to be removed and repositioned and re-threaded through the slots of the main strap. A third disadvantage of existing leather guitar straps is that the separate length leather strap has portions seated on each face surface of the guitar strap. These raised portions increase the thickness of the guitar strap, make the outer faces of the strap not smooth, and tend to rub against the user's shoulder or back causing discomfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,507,889 shows a compression adjustable strap that has a first portion defining a tunnel along substantially the entire length of the first portion to slidingly receive a second strap portion. The compression or frictional engagement between the first strap portion and second strap portion is sufficient to secure the position of the second strap portion. Optionally, the second strap portion may define a row of holes to engage with a post or button on the first portion to maintain the second strap portion in a desired position with respect to the first portion (which the patent calls an "adjustment keeper"). The compression adjustable strap may be used as a guitar strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,801 discloses a guitar strap that is a band with an end belt coupled to one side of the band by slidably inserting the end belt into a tunnel. The anchor member to hold the end belt to the band may be a hook and loop fastener. One fastener strip is on the external face of the band.
A disadvantage of existing guitar straps with tunnels to hold extenders is that compression or frictional engagement is not sufficient to maintain the position of the slidable portion in a tunnel. A single hole seated over a single point post or button used as an "adjustment keeper" forms an early failure zone for the strap, shortening the useful life of the strap. A second disadvantage is that hook and loop fasteners increase the thickness of the guitar strap and lead to surface wear or cause bulges to form on the strap leading to user discomfort.
Improvements to length adjustable leather straps for guitars continue to be sought. Golf bags and rifle carry slings also would benefit from unencumbered, smooth-surfaced length-adjustable leather straps.


Improved power MOSFET structure, and fabrication process are disclosed in this invention to achieve higher breakdown voltage and improved device ruggedness. The power transistor includes a core cell area which includes a plurality of power transistor cells and a termination area. The power transistor further includes an outer pickup guarding ring, disposed in the termination area guarding the core cell area, for picking up free charged-particles generated in the termination area for preventing the free charged particles from entering the core cell area. In another preferred embodiment, the power transistor further includes an inner pickup guarding fence and blocks, disposed between the termination area and the core cell area for picking up free charged-particles not yet picked up by the outer pickup guarding ring for preventing the free charged particles from entering the core cell area.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the structure and fabrication process of power MOSFET transistors. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel and improved MOSFET termination layout design and core cell configuration in order to increase the breakdown voltage in the termination area and to improve the device ruggedness by eliminating incidental turning-on of the parasitic bipolar transistors whereby the damages caused by snapback voltage may be prevented.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The concern of device damages caused by early breakdown, particularly, breakdown in the termination area for a power MOSFET transistor with smaller cells, often becomes a technical limitation faced by device designers. The maximum blocking voltage and the conditions leading to a breakdown for a power MOSFET are dependent upon the spacing of the cells in the active core cell area and the configuration of the device termination. For the power MOSFET with small transistor cells, the depletion layer curvature is relatively larger at the edge junction when the MOSFET is under reverse bias, and the breakdown most likely occurs at the termination areas near the edge of the device. When an avalanche breakdown occurs in the termination area, large number of free electrons and holes are generated. For a N-channel device, the free electrons flows down-wardly to the drain electrode while the holes are influenced by the negative voltage of the source electrodes to migrate laterally toward the core cell area. Before these holes are finally "picked up" by the source electrodes, due to the lateral migration of large number of holes through the N.sup.+ source regions underneath the source electrodes, the parasitic bipolar transistor of the cells may be incidentally turned on. A snapback voltage caused by the turning-on of the parasitic bipolar may often cause a permanent damage to the MOSFET cells.
FIG. 1 is a partial top view of the MOSFET device 10 with the core cell area 40 and the termination area 50. There are a plurality of cells each includes source 30 surrounded by p-body 25 and the cells are arranged in a square-on-square configuration. In the termination area, the polysilicon gates are extended as "poly-fingers" 72 from the core cell area 40 outwardly to the termination area 50 with a gate runner 76 connected to these poly fingers 72 with a plurality of gate contacts, i.e., poly contact 70 form thereon. With such a layout, suppose that the width of the poly finger 72 is approximately X and the width of the gate runner 76 is Y, and X is approximately equivalent to Y. A breakdown is most likely to occur at the center of the block formed by the intersection of the gate runner 76 and the poly finger 72. The breakdown is caused by the extra length of the polysilicon Z, i.e., the diagonal distance, which has a length of: ##EQU1## Due to the longer length of poly in this diagonal direction, a breakdown is most likely to occur in the center portion of the intersecting square block formed by the gate runner 76 and the poly finger 72. This weak point of breaking down is caused by a longer distance of separation between the underneath p-body regions. Such longer distance of separations, i.e., a separation of Z, requires higher voltage before the depletion edge under the gate in these regions are be merged to form a shield for preventing a breakdown. The termination layout with the gate runner 76 to connect each poly fingers 72 thus generated breakdown weak points. An early breakdown in this configuration imposes more constraints to device design and performance limitations in addition to the concerns that device damages may occur caused by a snapback phenomena due to incidental turning-on of the parasitic bipolar transistor resulting from breakdown in the termination area.
FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a cross-sectional views along the lines of X--X' and Y--Y' in FIG. 1 respectively for the conventional N-channel MOSFET device 10. The MOSFET device 10 is supported on a n.sup.+ substrate 15 with a n.sup.- doped epitaxial drain region 20 formed thereon. A plurality of p-body regions 25 and n.sup.+ source regions 30 are formed on top of the drain region 20 as shown. The MOSFET device 10 is divided into a core cell area 40 and a termination area 50. A plurality of cells which include the p-body 25, the source regions 30, and a poly gate 35 are formed in the core cell area 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the source electrode (S) 60 is formed in the core cell area 40 while the gate runner (G) 70, the field plate (FP) 80, and the equal ring (EQR) 90 are formed in the termination area 50.
For a 30V rating device, when a breakdown occur at a breakdown voltage, e.g., a voltage between 36 to 40 volts, a large number of free electrons and holes are generated. For a high cell density MOSFET device with a high drain voltage, the breakdown is likely to occur in the termination area 50, e.g., at point 95 as that shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. At the time of breakdown, for a N-channel MOSFET, the free electrons generated will flow down to the drain via the epi-layer 20 and the substrate 15. In the meantime, a large number of holes each carrying positive charge will migrate laterally moving toward the core cell area 40 under the influence of the source voltage applied through the source electrode 60 as that shown by the dotted lines 98. As these holes travel underneath the n.sup.+ source region 30 via the p-body 25, a parasitic bipolar of near the pn-junction may be incidentally turned on. A bipolar snapback voltage may cause permanent damages to the MOSFET device 10. A break-down in the termination area 50 thus becomes a design limit for the MOSFET device. More stringent restrictions on the design limits and MOSFET performance characteristics are imposed due to this breakdown concern.
It should be noted that, in FIG. 2B along the line Y--Y', where a contact for the field plate 80 is formed in the termination area. A very small portion of holes, i.e., holes 99 as shown, may be picked up by this small contact window through a p+ region 25'. However, since the purpose of this metal layer is for connecting the poly field plate, via a cross-over near the gate pad region, to a source electrode at a ground voltage, the effect of charge pickup is insignificant The conventional MOSFET structure, even with the field plate contact distributed in the termination area, is not sufficient to prevent the MOSFET damages which may be caused by incidental turning on of the parasitic bipolar as the result of large inflow of holes due to a breakdown in the termination area.
Therefore, there is still a need in the art of power device fabrication, particularly for MOSFET design and fabrication, to provide an improved device layout and fabrication process that would resolve these difficulties.

Mosfet termination design and core cell configuration to increase breakdown voltage and to improve device ruggedness


A speaker with an earphone function comprises a main body, magnet, washer, voice coil, diaphragm, front cover, rear cover and sound tube; it is characterized in that a conventional earphone housing is integrated with a housing of a speaker unit used in an earphone to enable the main body to be used as the speaker housing concurrently so as to save the production material and cost of a speaker housing, and a speaker assembly and the an earphone assembly can be completed at one time so as to reduce the earphone assembly cost. Furthermore, a diameter of a diaphragm can be relatively increased and a length of an earphone front chamber in front of the diaphragm can be shortened so that the bass quality can be elevated and the alt loss can be decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an earphone, and more particularly to a structure capable of simplifying the earphone, and a structure allowing the earphone to have a better sound effect.
2. Description of Related Art
A portable electronic device with a voice output function such as cellular phone or AV player may mostly be coupled to an earphone to provide a user with a better voice listening function.
A speaker unit must be coupled into a housing of a general earphone to be used as a voice output unit. As an example, an insert type earphone disclosed by Taiwan Patent No. M324935 comprises a housing, a rear portion of the housing is disposed with an indentation portion, a sounding element is fixed in the housing, and the sounding element is connected with a lead. There are various patents concerning speaker unit, for example, a frame structure for a mini-earphone speaker disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 68550 and an earphone type loudspeaker disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 504099.
In the earphone type loudspeaker mentioned above, components such as a magnet, a pole piece, a voice coil, a diaphragm and a protection cover are placed in sequence in a central ring indentation portion of a bottom shell thereof, a bottom of a rim wall of the bottom shell is coupled to a terminal strip for allowing pair wiring of the voice coil to be passed through and bonded thereon and a circumference of the diaphragm is further pre-stuck with a metal ring; an annular rim face of the bottom shell is formed to be a open plain portion, and sizes of the components such as the diaphragm, the metal ring and the protection cover are also allowed to be extended to a diameter size of the bottom shell to enable the diaphragm to be attached along the plain portion of the annular rim face of the bottom shell to form an even-jointed combination to expand an area of the diaphragm and further to obtain an effect of a broader compass of voice.
The earphone type loudspeaker mentioned above is still necessary to be coupled to the earphone shell to assemble into an earphone, and the diaphragm must be pre-stuck with a metal ring; it will increase the material and assembly costs. Moreover, there is no design of rear resonant chamber in the earphone type loudspeaker; the earphone will not obtain a better bass effect.


A slat for forming a flooring structure for a hog pen and particularly the area under the sow in a farrowing crate is rectangular with side edges which abut side edges of adjacent slats to align the slats in a row. Each side edge has tabs projecting outwardly to interlock above or below tabs on the next adjacent slat to prevent lifting of the slats. The length of the slat is greater than 24 inches so that it can sit with its ends on top of an existing flooring spaced at exactly 24 inches. The slats can be supported on and held in place against longitudinal movement relative to edges of an underlying flooring by inter engaging strip elements which engage onto castellated members on the edge of the underlying flooring and include upstanding flanges which stand up under the edges of the slats to hold the slats above the flooring.

This invention relates to a flooring apparatus for an animal pen which includes a plurality of slats arranged so that end edges of the slats lie along a pair of common parallel lines with sides of the slats abutting to form a generally rectangular flooring area and a support system for the slats.
The flooring apparatus of the present invention is particularly but not exclusively designed for use in a farrowing crate for hogs in which the slats define a flooring area lying underneath the sow.
Such flooring slats have previously been manufactured and sold and are presently in wide use. Such flooring slats generally have a length of 24 inches and a width which is less than 24 inches so that when the slats are arranged side by side they define a flooring area of approximately 72 inches by 24 inches which is sufficient to receive the body of the sow when lying.
Such slats are generally formed of cast iron which has been found to provide sufficient strength to accommodate the heavy wear which occurs under the sow particularly when attempting to stand from the normal lying condition.
Such slats are generally formed with a series of parallel slotted perforations which extend across the width of the slat from one side edge toward the opposed side edge. In order to provide sufficient strength for the slat, the slotted perforations extend only partway across the width so as to form a series of such slotted perforations end to end across the width.
Such slats also include tabs at the side edges with at least one tab at each side edge being arranged at a top surface of the slat so as to overlie a corresponding tab at the second edge of the next adjacent slat which is arranged at the bottom surface of the slat. These tabs thus prevent the slats from being lifted each relative to the next.
The slats are generally supported on a pair of parallel vertical flanges each adjacent to but spaced slightly inwardly from a respective one of the end edges and the underside of each slat has downwardly projecting abutments which hold the slat in place on top of the flanges.
In one example of a slat of this type shown in a brochure, a very shallow rib is provided along each end edge projecting upwardly from the upper surface by the distance of the order of 1/16 inch.