A cosmetic applicator includes: a seat that has a ventilation channel extending through an outer surface; an adjusting member that is disposed in a sleeve and that has several adjusting plates, an axial hole, and a gap formed in the adjusting plates and communicating the hole with the ventilation channel; and a core that extends through the hole, absorbs liquid cosmetic from a cartridge and defines a communicating channel with the adjusting member. The ventilation channel, the gap and the communicating channel define an air passage. The cartridge, the core and a bristle member define a liquid passage. Air is introduced into the cartridge through the air passage after the liquid cosmetic flows out of the cartridge through the liquid passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cosmetic product, more particularly to a cosmetic applicator with an application mechanism for allowing automatic and smooth flow of liquid cosmetic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional cosmetic applicator 10 (such as eyeliner) includes a casing 11, an adjusting member 12, a cartridge 13, a core 14, a seat 15 and a brush 16. The cartridge 13 is disposed on a rear end section of the adjusting member 12 and contains liquid cosmetic. The adjusting member 12 defines an axial hole 121 for insertion of the core 14. The core 14 has a rear end extending rearward toward the cartridge 13 for absorbing the liquid cosmetic therein. A plurality of adjusting plates 122 are provided on an outer surface of the adjusting member 12, and a side of each adjusting plate 122 is in spatial communication with the axial hole 121 such that liquid cosmetic absorbed by the core 14 can spread to the adjusting plates 122 for storage and water regulation. The seat 15 is sleeved onto a front end of the adjusting member 12 with at least one opening 151 formed in an outer side thereof. The outer side of the seat 15 and the adjusting member 12 cooperatively define a passage 152. Air flows into the passage 152 via the opening 151, the core 14 and reaches the adjusting plates 122 of the adjusting member 12. The brush 16 is disposed in the seat 15 and has a front end protruding therefrom, and a rear end connected to the core 14. The liquid cosmetic flows out the brush 16 after being absorbed by core 14.
Although the aforementioned conventional cosmetic applicator 10 has an automatic liquid cosmetic flow effect, there is still room for improvement. During use, when the liquid cosmetic passes through the core 14 to exit through the brush 16, negative pressure is produced within the adjusting member 12. At this time, air outside the conventional cosmetic applicator 10 enters the passage 152 through the opening 151, passes through the core 14 and reaches the adjusting plates 122 of the adjusting member 12 to balance the negative pressure. However, air and the liquid cosmetic share the core 14 as a common passage such that air entering and the liquid cosmetic exiting the conventional cosmetic applicator 10 interfere with each other. This causes inconsistent liquid cosmetic flow out of the brush 16. In addition, when the adjusting plates 122 have stored a large amount of the liquid cosmetic, the liquid cosmetic will flow along the passage 152 and leak out from the opening 151.


An apparatus for detecting a vehicle ground speed, including a transmitter for transmitting a wave towards a ground surface, and a receiver for receiving a portion of the transmitted wave reflected by the ground surface. The apparatus produces an output indicative of the vehicle ground speed, according to a Doppler effect on the basis of the frequencies of the transmitted wave and the reflected wave, and further includes a device for changing the frequency of the transmitted wave so that the sensitivity of the receiver is held within a predetermined optimum range. The device is adapted to restrict or inhibit a change in the frequency of the transmitted wave due to deterioration of the condition of the ground surface which causes the receiver sensitivity to be lowered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a speed sensing apparatus for detecting or determining the ground speed of a motor vehicle relative to the ground or road surface, by utilizing a Doppler effect or Doppler shift, and more particularly to improvements in such a Doppler-effect vehicle ground speed detecting apparatus which has means for adjusting the frequency of a wave generated by a transmitter of the apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A common Doppler-effect vehicle ground speed detecting apparatus includes (a) a transmitter which generates and transmits a wave towards the ground surface, (b) a receiver which receives a portion of the wave reflected by the ground surface, and (c) output means for producing an output indicative of the vehicle ground speed, on the basis of the frequency of the wave as transmitted from the transmitter, and the frequency of the wave as received by the receiver, and according to the principle of the well known "Doppler effect" or "Doppler shift".
Generally, a Doppler-effect ground speed detecting apparatus has a tendency that the sensitivity of the receiver to the reflected wave has some dependence upon the frequency of the wave received. Usually, the sensitivity of the receiver has a peak at a given frequency of the received wave, and is represented by a frequency-sensitivity curve which is convex upwards. On the other hand, the frequency of the wave received by the receiver (hereinafter referred to as "receiving frequency") changes with a change in the ground speed of the vehicle, provided that the frequency of the wave generated by the transmitter (hereinafter referred to as "transmitting frequency") is kept unchanged. Accordingly, the sensitivity of the receiver changes as the actual ground speed of the vehicle changes, if the transmitting frequency is constant. In other words, it is difficult to hold the sensitivity of the receiver at a high level within an optimum range, irrespective of a change in the vehicle ground speed, if the transmitting frequency of the transmitter is held constant.
To obviate the above drawback, an improved ultrasonic type Doppler-effect ground speed detecting apparatus is proposed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,097,453 and 5,148,409 which is equipped with frequency changing means for adjusting or changing the transmitting frequency, on the basis of the receiving frequency, so as to control the receiving frequency of the receiver, so that the sensitivity of the receiver to the received wave is always held in an optimum range.
For assuring high accuracy of detection of the vehicle ground speed by such a Doppler-effect speed detecting apparatus, it is important that the wave transmitted from the transmitter towards the ground or road surface be irregularly reflected by the ground surface in the presence of an adequate degree of roughness or waviness of the surface, so that a sufficiently large amount of the wave generated by the transmitter is received by the receiver. However, the ground surface usually has local smooth zones such as plashes or water holes. The smooth surface zone (hereinafter referred to as "undetectable zone") tends to regularly reflect the transmitted wave, and only a small fraction of the irregularly reflected wave is incident upon the receiver, whereby the optical energy received by the receiver is insufficient, and the output level of the receiver tends to be low. Therefore, when the vehicle is running on the undetectable zone, the output level of the receiver may be too low to detect the vehicle ground speed with high accuracy, leading to a risk that the receiving frequency of the wave as received by the receiver is lower than the actual frequency.
The known Doppler-effect vehicle ground speed detecting apparatus as disclosed in the above-identified U.S. Patents is designed to operate on the assumption that a change in the actual vehicle ground speed is the only cause for deviation of the receiving frequency from the optimum range. Consequently, the frequency changing means is activated to change the transmitting frequency, even when the receiving frequency deviates from the optimum range due to running of the vehicle on the undetectable zone.
Unlike a change of the transmitting frequency during running of the vehicle on an ordinary or normal ground surface, a change in the transmitting frequency during running of the vehicle on the undetectable zone does not significantly improve the sensitivity of the receiver. That is, a change in the transmitting frequency during running of the vehicle on the undetectable zone due to a change in the receiving frequency does not provide an appreciable effect on the receiver sensitivity, but rather has an adverse influence on the sensitivity soon after the vehicle has left the undetectable zone. Described more specifically, the transmitting frequency tends to be excessively increased with respect to the optimum range during the vehicle running on the undetectable zone, whereby the transmitting frequency may be too high to accurately detect the vehicle ground speed during an initial period following the passage of the vehicle through the undetectable zone. Since the apparatus in question is adapted to adjust the transmitting frequency so as to establish better detecting condition for accurate detection of the vehicle ground speed even on the undetectable zone, a result of this adjustment is an excessive increase in the transmitting frequency above the optimum level for the normal ground surface condition.

Doppler-effect vehicle ground speed detecting apparatus with means for adjusting frequency of generated wave


A new Salmonella preferential media uses lactose and cellobiose to suppress formation of black colonies by non-Salmonella, to permit easy inspection of the media to determine the presence or absence of Salmonella. Modified media, including high levels of peptone, beef extract, and tris buffers are required for preferential detection of S. typhi, all other Salmonella and Shigella.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a Salmonella-preferential or selective plating medium, to be used in conjunction with assays performed to determine the presence of Salmonella microorganisms in poultry, other livestock species, humans, and related environments. Other examples of Salmonella-preferential media exist, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,150, which is incorporated herein by reference. The MM medium (Miller-Mallinson medium) of the present invention is a significant and non-obvious improvement over the other selective media, for the reasons listed herein.


An anti-theft device for protecting a laptop computer or similar portable electronic product from theft or unauthorized removal includes at least one retaining assembly including a laterally extending retaining arm terminating in a retaining hook for engaging a lateral edge of the laptop computer or similar portable electronic product, a retaining leg depending from the retaining arm and a retaining base for receiving the retaining leg in a locked configuration. The retaining arm is adjustable to accommodate laptop computers or similar portable electronic products having various widths and a lock mechanism includes a shuttle fixed to a collar made of a magnetically attractive material and a biasing spring for biasing the shuttle into engagement with the retaining leg of the retaining arm. The lock mechanism is operable with a magnetic key to impart a magnetic attraction force to the shuttle to move the shuttle out of engagement with the retaining leg of the retaining arm and thereby permit the retaining arm to move to an unlocked configuration.

This invention relates generally to an anti-theft device for protecting consumer electronics, and in particular, a laptop computer or similar portable electronic product (e.g. DVD player). More particularly, the invention relates to an anti-theft device for protecting a laptop computer or similar portable electronic product having a base portion and a cover portion attached to the base portion with the cover portion positionable at an angle relative to the base portion. The anti-theft device is adjustable to accommodate laptop computers and similar portable electronic products having various widths, and includes a lock mechanism operable for automatically locking the anti-theft device and a magnetic key operable for unlocking the anti-theft device.
It is common practice for retailers to provide demonstration models of relatively expensive consumer electronics, such as laptop computers and similar portable electronic products, so that a potential purchaser may examine the demonstration model, and in some instances, test the function and operation of its features prior to purchasing the product. As used herein, the term "laptop computer" is intended to refer generically to all types of portable, personal computers, including notebook, mini-notebook, sub-notebook and netbook type computers, as well as personal data assistant (PDA) devices. The term "similar electronic product" is intended to refer generically to any type of portable, personal education and/or entertainment device, such as a digital video disc (DVD) player, karaoke machine, and the like. An operational display product, however, also creates an opportunity for the demonstration model to be stolen or removed from the display area by an unauthorized person. As a result, demonstration models of consumer electronics are typically protected by an anti-theft device, also commonly referred to as a "security device" or "merchandise display device," that permits a potential purchaser to examine and operate the demonstration model, while reducing the likelihood that the display product will be stolen or removed by an unauthorized person.
Certain consumer electronics are more difficult to protect than others. For example, cell phones and digital cameras are relatively small and include removable components that are easily separated from one another. Cell phones and digital cameras commonly include a battery pack (or one or more individual batteries) and a memory card for storing video, audio and/or data files. The display product and each removable component must be separately secured against theft without interfering with the ability of the potential purchaser to examine and operate the demonstration model. This requirement typically results in the use of a security device having multiple electronic sensors placed at different locations on the product. The use of multiple electronic sensors can make it more difficult for the potential purchaser to operate the demonstration model, and thus adversely influence the decision to purchase. Furthermore, the provision of multiple electronic sensors necessarily increases the cost and complexity of the security device. As a result of its increased complexity, there is a corresponding increased likelihood that the device may malfunction and produce a false indication of theft.
Laptop computers and similar portable electronic products are typically larger in size and have a base portion and a cover portion attached to the base portion that is more difficult to separate. Regardless, demonstration models of such products are likewise problematic to protect since access to the various input devices and ports must be provided without hindering the ability and freedom of the potential purchaser to examine and operate the display product. For example, all essential keyboard components must be readily accessible and the cover portion, which typically includes a display screen, must be clearly visible with only minimal obstruction. Furthermore, a suitable anti-theft device must be able to accommodate the various widths and thicknesses of different models and brands of the demonstration model without compromising the security of the display product. A particular concern for securing a demonstration model of a laptop computer or similar portable electronic product against theft is that providing adjustment of the anti-theft device in one dimension (e.g., width) may compromise or diminish security of the display product by the anti-theft device in another dimension (e.g., height or thickness). In particular, securing the demonstration model against removal from the anti-theft device in the lateral direction may cause the display product to be more vulnerable to removal from the anti-theft device in the vertical direction.
Known anti-theft devices for protecting laptop computers and similar portable electronic products having a base portion and a cover portion attached to the base portion include a conventional mechanical lock (e.g. key and tumbler; padlock; etc.) for locking the anti-theft device onto the laptop computer or similar portable electronic product. As a result, such anti-theft devices are vulnerable to attack by common means, such as picking the key lock and cutting the shank of the padlock. In addition, the keys used with conventional mechanical locks can be readily duplicated, and thus, are subject to circulation. Further, conventional mechanical locks used for locking the anti-theft device onto the laptop computer or similar portable electronic product typically secure the anti-theft device at only a single location. Still further, known anti-theft devices utilize conventional mechanical locks that do not automatically lock when the anti-theft device is positioned onto the laptop computer or similar portable electronic product. Accordingly, it is possible for store personnel to inadvertently fail to lock the anti-theft device when assembling the product display.
Accordingly, there exists an unresolved need for a simple, yet reliable and effective, anti-theft device for protecting a laptop computer or similar portable electronic product. There exists a specific need for such an anti-theft device having a base portion and a cover portion attached to the base portion with the cover portion extending from the base portion at an angle. There exists another specific need for such an anti-theft device that is adjustable to accommodate laptop computers and similar portable electronic products having various widths. There exists yet another specific need for such an anti-theft device that includes a lock mechanism operable for automatically locking the anti-theft device and a magnetic key operable for unlocking the anti-theft device.

Anti-theft device for laptop computer or portable electronic product


An apparatus and method for providing aluminum free under bump metallization stacks in an integrated circuit device is disclosed. Included is the use of vias having substantially non-vertical sidewalls that are formed in a resilient layer, such as benzocyclobutene. In general, semiconductor wafers having a plurality of dice are created, with each die having a plurality of contact pads that are formed on the active surface of the wafer. One or more passivation layers are formed on the active surface and etched appropriately to form vias coupled to the contact pads. At least one resilient layer is then disposed atop the top passivation layer and etched appropriately to form vias aligned with and smaller than the passivation layer vias, such that at least part of the contact pads but no part of the passivation layer is exposed. A plurality of UBM stacks are then formed atop the exposed contact pads and resilient layer, with each UBM stack having a plurality of layers, none of which are aluminum layers. Solder bumps are then formed atop each UBM stack.

Numerous conventional packages for integrated circuit ("IC") devices involve the formation of solder bumps or other suitable contacts onto associated I/O contact pads formed on an active face of a die. The die is then typically attached to a suitable substrate, such as a printed circuit board ("PCB"), such that the solder bumps on the die are surface mounted to contact pads on the substrate. The solder bumps are then typically reflowed to form solder joint connections between the substrate and the attached die. Such a surface mount device ("SMD") is often referred to as "flip chip," since the chip or die must be "flipped" to place its active surface containing solder bumps into contact with the substrate to which the chip is to be attached.
Many problems associated with connecting a solder bump to a contact pad, such as issues with wetting, adhesion, temperature cycling induced stresses, and the electrical isolation needs, among others, are solved by providing additional items between the solder bump and the contact pad. Such items can include, for example, passivation layers, resilient layers and under bump metallization ("UBM") stacks, among others. For purposes of efficiency, these items are all typically formed onto dice at the wafer level prior to separation, with such formation processes being generally known to those skilled in the art. Contact pads are usually formed first onto an active surface of a wafer, with one or more passivation and/or resilient layers having individual vias corresponding to individual contact pads coming next. UBM stacks having a multiple layers are formed above and typically through the vias, such that the bottom layer of each UBM stack contacts a contact pad or an electrical connector to a contact pad. A common UBM stack formation includes a bottom layer of aluminum for adhering to a contact pad, a top layer of copper for wetting to a solder bump, and a middle layer of nickel-vanadium or other suitable metal or alloy for adhering copper to aluminum.
Although the provision of UBM stacks solves many problems associated with connecting solder bumps to contact pads, other problems are introduced through their use. For example, a typical UBM stack is commonly formed by conventional sputtering and etching processes such that the end portion of each layer is exposed at the vertical edges of the UBM stack. Although an underfill layer may provide some protection, many SMDs now forgo the use of underfill layers, rendering their UBM stack edges as permanently exposed. For aluminum in particular, these exposed stack edges can experience corrosion and lead to eventual failure whenever moisture or other contaminants are introduced. Contamination may occur, for example, due to contact with a poorly formed solder paste or the inadequate cleaning of an associated pressure chamber having undesirable residues. In addition, the use of conventionally sputtered and etched layers frequently results in sharp edges, which can exacerbate stresses due to temperature cycling in any layer placed directly atop a sharp edge.
Although existing UBM structures work well in many situations, there are thus ongoing efforts to further improve the UBM structures used in various integrated circuit devices such that problems like those give above are minimized or eliminated.

Aluminum-free under bump metallization structure


An xyz coordinate system is determined so that a z-axis may coincide with an incident direction of an incident light, an x-axis may coincide with a polarizing direction of the incident light and a y-axis may be defined as the right-handed system from the z-axis and x-axis. An acousto-optic element is rotated around the z-axis, around the axis in a direction of propagation of an ultrasonic wave and around an axis B perpendicular to a plane formed by the z-axis and the direction of propagation of the ultrasonic wave, so that the attitude of the acousto-optic element to the incident light is adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acousto-optic element, a light deflector, a light beam scanning apparatus and an image recording apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an acousto-optic element such as an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) using an acousto-optic effect, a light deflector using an acousto-optic effect, a light beam scanning apparatus for use in an image record and an image read by the use of this acousto-optic element and this light deflector, and an image recording apparatus for recording the image by the use of this acousto-optic element and this light deflector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, an acousto-optic deflector (referred to as AOD below) for performing a light deflection by an acousto-optic element has been known. This AOD is arranged on an optical path of a light beam of, for example, a light beam scanning apparatus or the like. For example, the light beam to be scanned by the scanning apparatus is previously deflected by the AOD, so that the AOD is used for an application such as a correction of a light beam irradiation position to an irradiated object.
On the other hand, in the above-described AOD, the AOD is provided in which an anisotropic Bragg diffraction generated between an ultrasonic wave propagating in an anisotropic crystal and a light wave propagating in the anisotropic crystal is used so as to perform the light deflection. In such an AOD, a single crystal composed of a tellurium dioxide (TeO.sub.2) , which is capable of a low-power drive, is used as an acousto-optic medium. A transversal ultrasonic wave, which propagates in a 110! axial direction of a TeO.sub.2 crystal and displaces in a 1' 10! axial direction (where 1' denotes a direction of -1), causes the incident light wave in the TeO.sub.2 crystal to be diffracted. The AOD using the TeO.sub.2 crystal can obtain a higher acousto-optic performance index and a higher diffraction efficiency than the AOD using a lithium niobate or a rock crystal as the acousto-optic medium.
However, the On- 110! type light deflector dose not have flat change characteristics of the diffraction efficiency to a change in a frequency of the ultrasonic wave. Near a center frequency, the diffraction efficiency is considerably reduced, thereby resulting in a considerable reduction of light volume of a diffractive light. Thus, there has been a problem that an available frequency band is narrow. Furthermore, in order to obtain the high diffraction efficiency in the On- 110! type light deflector, the incident light on the light deflector is required to be a circular polarized light. In order to convert a straight polarized laser light emitted from a laser light source into the circular polarized light, a .lambda./4 plate is necessary. Therefore, there has been another problem that a cost is increased.
As the AOD which solves the above problems, an Off- 110! type light deflector in which a direction of propagation of the ultrasonic wave is largely tilted from the 110! axial direction of the TeO.sub.2 crystal (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 51-99039). According to the Off- 110! type light deflector, the reduction of the light volume near the center frequency that is the problem of the above On-110! type light deflector is solved. In addition, since the incident laser light may be the straight polarized light, the .lambda./4 plate is unnecessary.
However, in the Off- 110! type light deflector, since the direction of propagation of the ultrasonic wave is largely tilted from the 110! axial direction, the size of the TeO.sub.2 crystal used as the acousto-optic medium is required to be increased. Thus, the cost is increased.
On the other hand, in the light beam scanning apparatus, for the two-dimensional correction (movement) of the light beam irradiation position to the irradiated object or the like, two AODs are combined with each other. The two AODs are arranged so that the AODs may be in series along the optical path of the light beam and the deflecting directions of the light beam of the two AODs are perpendicular to each other (tandem arrangement). However, the problem such as an increase of cost as described above is more significant.

Acousto-optic element light deflector light beam scanning apparatus and image recording apparatus


Devices and methods for controlling collection of liquid sample are described. In an example, a microfluidic device can include an analytical device and an actuator. The actuator can be connected to the analytical device. The actuator can be operable to absorb fluid. The actuator can guide the absorbed fluid to an input layer of the analytical device. The actuator can deform in response to an occurrence of an absorption condition. A degree of deformation of the actuator indicates a volume of fluid collected by the analytical device.

The present disclosure relates in general to paper-based microfluidic devices and methods of autonomous sample collection by paper-based microfluidic devices.
Paper-based microfluidic devices may require precise control of input sample or buffer volume. Inaccurate amount of input sample can lead to decrease in result precision and increase in error results. External tools such as pipettes can be used to provide a measured amount of input sample, but measurement from these external tools can be prone to errors, especially for miniscule sample volume (e.g., microliter range). Laboratory grade external tools, such as laboratory grade pipettes, can be expensive and may be unsuitable for applications such as point-of-care (PoC) applications.

Precise fluid input control for point-of-care devices

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a method for introducing a macromolecule comprising at least the helix 3 of a homeobox peptide into a living cell. In particular the macromolecule is active as a cell growth factor, in particular a neurotrope.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of homeobox peptides or peptides derived therefrom for the production of medicinal products.
2. Discussion of the Background
The name homeobox peptides denotes a family of related peptide sequences which occur in various animal species in the products of genes involved in embryogenesis.
Indeed, genes are known which are expressed at various stages of embryo development and whose expression controls the cell migration and differentiation phenomena involved in the morphogenesis of the organism.
These genes are called homeotic genes and their translational products are called homeoproteins.
One of these genes, which has been most particularly studied, is the Antennapedia gene of Drosophila; the analysis of this gene has made it possible to identify a DNA sequence of about 180 bp, called homeobox sequence.
This homeobox sequence has the characteristic of being highly conserved in many homeotic genes, and this not only in Drosophila, but also during the course of evolution, in various animal species. Homeobox sequences homologous to that of Drosophila have thus been found in all vertebrates including mammals ACAMPORA et al., NUCLEIC ACID RES., 17, 10385, (1989)!.
The homeobox sequence encodes a polypeptide sequence of 60 amino acids which corresponds to a structurally and functionally conserved region which is present in all homeoproteins, the homeodomain. The sequence of the homeodomain which is encoded by the homeobox sequence of the Antennapedia gene (SEQ ID NO: 1)is indicated below by way of example.
NH2-Arg Lys Arg Gly Arg Gln Thr Tyr Thr Arg Tyr Gln Thr Leu Glu Leu Glu Lys Glu Phe His Phe Asn Arg Tyr Leu Thr Arg Arg Arg Arg lle Glu lle Ala His Ala Leu Cys Leu Thr Glu Arg Gln lle Lys lle Trp Phe Gln Asn Arg Arg Met Lys Trp Lys Lys Glu Asn-COOH.
The role and the mechanism of action of the homeodomain sequence have been the subject of various research studies. It is thus currently known that this sequence allows the binding of the homeoproteins to DNA in the region of consensus sequences containing the unit ATTA, which are present in the promoters or in the enhancer sequences of various genes, including the homeobox-containing genes themselves.
MULLER et al EMBO J., 7, 4299, (1988)! have cloned the homeobox sequence of Antennapedia and purified the corresponding polypeptide or homeobox peptide (pAntp). In the presence of a reducing agent, they obtained the polypeptide in the form of a monomer with a sedimentation coefficient of about 1 S and with an apparent molecular weight of 9040 Da (theoretical molecular weight, based on the peptide sequence=8545 Da).
In the absence of a reducing agent, the polypeptide preparation contained a high proportion of dimers corresponding to homeodomains attached to each other via disulphide bridges.
These same authors also showed that the polypeptide purified in monomeric form became bound to the DNA in the region of a sequence ANNNNCATTA, (SEQ ID NO: 2) which therefore contains the consensus sequence ATTA.
Other research work OTTING et al., EMBO J., 7, 4305, (1988)! has established that the homeodomain has a special structure (helix/.beta.-turn/helix) which is reported to be involved in the binding to DNA.
The homeobox peptide/DNA binding is reported to be the resultant:
of a high-affinity binding (K.sub.D 10.sup.-9 -10.sup.-10 M), involving the consensus sequence ATTA, PA1 and of a low-affinity binding (K.sub.D 10.sup.-6 -10.sup.-7 M), involving the wide groove of the DNA double helix.
A publication by KISSINGER et al. Cell, 63, 579-590, (1990)! describes a crystallographic study on an "engrailed homeodomain/DNA" complex. This study shows that the C-terminal portion of the homeodomain, comprising in particular the structure called helix 3 (amino acids 42-58 of the engrailed homeodomain), binds to the wide groove of the DNA. This binding is essentially brought about by hydrophilic interactions; this binding is reported to be independent of the presence of the consensus sequence.
All known homeodomains share the same helix/.beta.-turn/helix structure, despite some differences in their primary sequences.
Given the very high degree of conservation of the homeobox sequences from one species to another, it is considered that the properties of the homeobox peptide pAntp can be extended to other homeobox peptides which may differ in their sequence by a few amino acids but possess virtually identical functional properties. In the following text, the term "homeobox peptide" will designate any peptide having the full-length sequence of an homeodomain as defined above, and able to fold into the helix/.beta.-turn/helix structure. This includes, for instance, the peptide pAntp or any other member of the same family or of a related family, for example the "engrailed" family.
"Helix 3" is understood to mean the portion of an homeobox peptide as defined above, which is involved in the low-affinity binding with the wide groove of the DNA. According to the definition provided by BURGLIN Cell, 53, 339-340, (1988)! helix 3 extends from amino-acid 43 to amino-acid 58 of the homeobox peptide. Within the context of the present invention "helix 3" also refers to peptides which may slightly differ in their sequence from the helix 3 of naturally occurring homeodomains, provided that said differences have no influence on the structure of said helix 3 and to its ability to bind to the DNA double helix.
Such polypeptides may for instance result from the substitution of an amino-acid by another, according to the known "groups of substitution" of aminoacids, since it is known in the art that conservative substitution of one hydrophobic, aromatic, aliphatic, acidic or basic residue for another in a peptide frequently does not alter the structural characteristics of said peptide.
Although numerous data, obtained in vitro and in an acellular system, are now available on the homeobox peptide/DNA binding, the effects on cellular functions were unknown up until now. It was not even known whether the homeobox peptides were capable of having an inherent activity or whether their role was simply limited to allowing the homeoprotein/DNA binding.
However, by studying the action of synthetic homeobox peptides on cell cultures, the Inventors have discovered unexpected properties of the said peptides, properties which had never been thought of up until then.
Indeed, they observed that the synthetic homeobox peptides, when they are added to cultured nerve cells, penetrate into all the cells of the culture and that the entry of the peptides into the neurons is followed by accumulation in the nucleus. This accumulation is blocked not only by preincubation with an oligonucleotide containing the consensus sequence ATTA, but also by preincubation with fragments of double-stranded DNA not containing the consensus sequence.
By analysing this penetration process, the Inventors demonstrated the importance therein of the region corresponding to the helix 3+4 (last 27 amino acids of the homeobox peptide).
They also observed the penetration of polypeptides comprising this homeobox peptide.
They also observed this phenomenon, although to a lesser degree, in cultures of cells other than nerve cells.
The Inventors also showed that the accumulation of homeobox peptides in the nucleus was accompanied by intense cell growth and differentiation.
These properties of the homeobox peptides, which have been demonstrated by the Inventors, allow their use for the production of new medicinal products as well as their use in vitro as an agent which is active on cell cultures.
Indeed, it stems from the research work by the Inventors that the homeobox peptides or fragments thereof, are capable of providing new, in particular neurotropic, growth factors and/or new vectors for the transmembrane and intracellular transport of molecules, in particular peptides and oligonucleotides, which are active on the cellular functions.
However, both of these applications correspond to current needs. They have been the subject of various research work of which a brief overview is given below.
The importance of the intracellular vectors for the transport of peptides or oligonucleotides became apparent following the demonstration that some peptides and oligonucleotides, by binding specifically to certain DNA regions, were capable of acting on the cellular functions (for example, proteins activating or repressing the expression of a gene, antisense oligonucleotides and the like).
However, an effective exploitation, in particular for a therapeutic objective, of the properties of these molecules involves delivering them to the site by causing them to cross numerous barriers, in particular the cytoplasmic membrane, separating the extracellular medium from the DNA. However, very often, these molecules, by virtue of their charge and their high molecular mass, are unable to cross this barrier by themselves. Various solutions have been proposed to this problem; some of them, relating to oligonucleotide sequences, are for example mentioned in the introduction in the publication by LEMAITRE et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 648-652 (1987)!. For their part, these authors propose an approach consisting of covalently binding an oligonucleotide sequence which is complementary to an RNA sequence of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), to (L-lysine) polymer.
The conjugate obtained penetrates into the cells and inhibits specifically the synthesis of the VSV proteins in the infected cells.
These results show the importance of the association between an active macromolecule and a vector for the transport of the said macromolecule. It is therefore particularly desirable to search for new vectors.
In the case of the growth factors which are active on the survival and the differentiation of the neurons, only a small number are currently known; the first one to be identified is the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). The action of the NGF is exerted essentially on the sensory neurons and the neurons of the sympathetic nervous system; an action on certain cells of the central nervous system and of the immune system has also been detected. The neurotropic activity of the NGF is carried by a subunit (.beta. subunit) of 118 amino acids.
Other substances with neurotropic action have also been described: they are for example, the Ciliary Neurotropic Factor (CNTF) LIN et al, SCIENCE, 246, 1023-1026, (1989); STOCKLI et al. NATURE, 342, 920-923, (1989)!, the Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) LEIBROCK et al., NATURE, 341, 149-152, (1989)!, the Glial Derived Nexin (GDN), a component of the extracellular matrix GLOOR et al., CELL, 47, 687-693, (1986)!,.
More ubiquitous growth factors such as Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) PARK and HOLLENBERG, DEV. BIOL., 134, 201-205, (1989)! or the Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) MORRISON et al., SCIENCE, 238, 72-74, (1987)! also have a neurotropic action.
The mechanism of action of these factors is currently not well known. It has been shown that the NGF penetrates into the neurons via a specific receptor which is a phosphorylated glycoprotein CHAO et al., Science, 232, 518 (1986)!. Inside the nerve cell, the NGF stimulates the synthesis of RNA via a second messenger.
Many experiments show the potential therapeutic importance of neurotropic growth factors.
The use of NGF has for example been suggested in Alzheimer's disease. It has indeed been shown that NGF makes it possible to increase the choline acetyltransferase activity of the cholinergic neurons and to prevent their degeneration MOBLEY et al, Science, 229, 284 (1984)!, KROMER, Science, 235, 214, (1987)!. However, it is known that Alzheimer's disease is associated with degeneration of the cholinergic neurons and with a decrease in the choline acetyltransferase activity.
Experiments carried out in adult rats in which the cholinergic route linking the hippocampus and the septum had previously been destroyed (which results in degeneration of the septal neurons) have shown that the intraventricular injection of NGF allows the survival of the septal neurons as well as the restoration of a normal choline acetyltransferase activity WILL et HEFTI, Behav. Brain. Res., 17,17 (1985)!. The use of neurotropic growth factors has also been envisaged in the case of Parkinson's disease which is linked to a degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons.
Another approach to the treatment of diseases associated with a neuronal degeneration has recently been proposed and appears set, in a new future, for a major development; it is the intracerebral transplantations of cells which are capable of making up for the defective neuronal functions; the use of fetal neurons LINDVALL et al., SCIENCE, 247, 574-577, (1990)! or of transformed cell lines HORELLOU et al., EUR. J. NEUROSCI., 2, 116-119, (1990)! has thus been suggested.
Recently, transformed cells, producing a recombinant NGF, were implanted in the brain of rats at the same time as cholinergic neurons of fetal origin. It was observed that, under these conditions, the survival of the transplanted neurons as well as the neogenesis of the nerve fibres was greatly increased ERNFORS et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86, 4756, (1989)!.
These research studies therefore show that neurotropic growth factors can find particularly advantageous applications in the treatment of disorders resulting from neuronal lesions or degeneration.
A limitation in the use of neurotropic growth factors, however, consists of the small number of growth factors currently known, as well as of their relatively narrow specificity of action which is limited to certain types of neurons. Furthermore, most of these growth factors currently cannot be obtained in sufficient amount for a therapeutic use.
It would therefore be particularly desirable to have neurotropic growth factors which do not possess the disadvantages that have just been mentioned.

Neurotropic growth factors comprising a homeobox peptide

Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)


The invention provides a method of providing a nomadic service, the method including: i. sending, by a user, a nomadic service request to an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server to determine whether the nomadic service request is allowed; ii. if the nomadic service request is allowed, then instantiating a service module for the nomadic service in a corresponding virtual Residential Gateway (vRG) platform, or selecting a corresponding service module in a residential gateway of the user, based upon the nomadic service, by a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller; and iii. determining and configuring, by the SDN controller, a network delivery path between the user and the service module based upon the path establishment request and a position of the service module. With the technical solution according to the invention, even a user who is not at home can be provided rapidly with a service subscribed through a residential gateway.

In fact, no matter where a user is, he would like to be provided with the same service and experience as he is at home. In another word, even if he is in a nomadic site, he would like to obtain the service subscribed at home, e.g., a high-definition TV program, IPTV, various OTT services, etc.
In real life, we may be faced with the following scenarios or the like: if a home network 1 is a home network of a user 1-1, a user 1-2, and a user 1-3, and a home network 2 is a home network of a user 2-1 and a user 2-2, then (1) the user 1-3 visiting the home of the user 2-1 tries to invite the user 2-1 to watch high-definition TV subscribed the by user 1-3 through a Residential Gateway (RG, i.e., RG-1); and (2) the user 2-2 roaming in another pace wants to obtain a service subscribed by the user 2-2 at home.
The architecture of a Network Enhanced. Residential Gateway (NERC) proposed in the Broadband Forum (BBF) has modified most of service and network functions of the residential gateway to extend a local LAN outside the home of the user. Such functions as IP forwarding, routing, NAT and IP addressing related functions can be arranged on a Virtual Gateway (vG) so that the residential gateway acts as a bridge. In addition, some service modules corresponding to application services purchased in the home network (originally implemented in the home gateway) are also implemented in the virtual Residential Gateway (vRG).
In fact, wherever the user is nomadic, he generally prefers to be provided with a uniform and consistent experience of the user, so he generally prefers the services frequently subscribed through the residential gateway.
Thus it is highly desirable to support a nomadic service through the virtual residential gateway in the access network.

Method of providing nomadic service through virtual residential gateway


A situation where glass chip produced as a result of breakage of waste glass sheets floats in a cutting chamber when the waste glass sheets produced in glass sheet producing steps are collected is suppressed. Provided is a glass sheet production installation (1), in which a sheetshaped glass ribbon (B) is formed by supplying molten glass (A) into a forming body (2) and causing the molten glass (A) to flow downward on a conveyance path extending in an upper and lower direction from the forming body (2), and the glass ribbon (B) is cut into a predetermined dimension in a cutting chamber (6) provided on the conveyance path so that glass substrates (C) are produced. The glass sheet production installation (1) is provided with a drop hole (8) provided in a floor surface of the cutting chamber (6) and a collection chamber (7) provided under the cutting chamber (6) and is configured so as to collect waste glass substrates of the glass substrates (C) by dropping the waste glass substrates through a drop hole (8) into the collection chamber (7), the glass substrates (C) being obtained by cutting.

As is well known, regarding production of glass sheets, the so-called downdraw method is publicly known, in which glass sheets are produced by forming a glass ribbon formed by causing molten glass to flow downward from a forming body and the glass ribbon is cut into a predetermined dimension. Typical examples thereof include an overflow downdraw method (fusion method) and a slot downdraw method. In the former overflow downdraw method, glass sheets are produced by causing molten glass supplied into the forming body having a wedge-like shape in cross section to flow downward from the top of the forming body along both side surfaces thereof so as to be fused at a lower end portion of the forming body and to be formed into a single sheet-like shape, by causing the glass ribbon in this sheet-like shape to flow downward from the lower end portion of the forming body, and by finally cutting the hardened glass ribbon into a predetermined dimension. Meanwhile, in the latter slot downdraw method, glass sheets are produced by causing molten glass supplied into the forming body to flow downward from a slit in an oblong shape formed in a bottom portion of the forming body so as to be formed into a sheet-like shape, by causing the glass ribbon in this sheet-like shape to flow downward along a conveyance path, and then by finally cutting the hardened glass ribbon into a predetermined dimension.
In a glass sheet production installation of this type, in which the downdraw method is utilized, there are arranged, below a forming chamber in which the forming body is accommodated, an annealing chamber for annealing the glass ribbon, a cutting chamber for cutting the cooled glass ribbon into glass sheets having a predetermined dimension, and the like. In addition, cooling steps for the glass ribbon in the annealing chamber and the like have a significant influence on the product quality of the glass sheets finally produced. Thus, it is necessary to strictly control atmospheric temperatures therein. Under the circumstance, in order to prevent variation in the atmospheric temperature, the conveyance path for the glass ribbon vertically extends in a chimney shape, with the periphery thereof being surrounded (refer to JP 10-53426 A and JP 2001-31435 A, for example).
Incidentally, in recent years, as is typified by glass substrates for flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays and the like, various glass sheets are demanded to be of a higher grade and to have higher quality under the present circumstances. In this context, glass sheets (defective glass sheets) which do not meet the demands are produced in producing steps thereof in many cases, and hence it is necessary to classify and to collect the defective glass sheets. Similarly, also in the case where some troubles occur in steps subsequent to a cutting step in the producing steps, a situation may occur where glass sheets cannot be loaded in the steps subsequent to the cutting step. In this case also, it is necessary to collect the glass sheets. Thus, in the conventional producing steps in the glass sheet production installation as described above, in the case where failures such as intolerable distortion and inclusion occur in the glass ribbon and the glass sheets obtained by cutting, or in the case where glass sheets cannot be loaded in the steps subsequent to the cutting step irrespective of presence and absence of the failures, the glass sheets (waste glass sheets or cullet) are discarded into a dedicated collection box arranged in the cutting chamber.
In this case, when flowing-down of the molten glass from the forming body is interrupted so as to stop forming of the glass ribbon, it becomes considerably difficult to restore a forming condition into a desired state. Thus, even when it becomes necessary to discard a glass ribbon to be formed, the glass ribbon is sequentially cut and the glass sheets obtained by cutting are discarded into the collection box while supply of the glass ribbon into the cutting chamber is maintained as it is.

Process for producing glass sheet and glass sheet producing equipment


A reflection-type liquid crystal display according to the invention includes two glass substrates, a transparent electrode provided on one glass substrate, an insulator film which is provided on another glass substrate and on which an uneven structure is formed, a reflecting electrode provided on the insulator film, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a side of the transparent electrode and a side of the reflecting electrode. The insulator film includes a first insulating layer in which a large number of depressions isolated as surrounded by protrusions are irregularly arranged and a second insulating layer covering the insulating layer entirely. The protrusions are all connected in a network, so that if some of these protrusions have weaker adherence with an underlying layer, they can be supported by the surrounding protrusions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a reflection-type liquid crystal display having a reflecting plate for reflecting out a light transmitted through a liquid crystal layer from an outside and a method for manufacturing a same.
The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-013216 filed on Jan. 21, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reflection-type liquid crystal displays have been used mainly in a portable terminal because they can be made thinner, less power consuming, and lighter in weight than transmission-type ones. Specifically, a reflecting plate in the reflection-type liquid crystal display reflects an incident light transmitted from the outside, and it is therefore available as a light source for display, thus eliminating a necessity of a back-light.
A recent reflection-type liquid crystal display includes basically a liquid crystal of, for example, a TN (Twisted Nematic)-type, a single polarizing plate-type, a STN (Super Twisted Nematic)-type, a GH (guest host)-type, or a PDLC (Polymer Dispersion)-type, a Cholesteric-type, or alike, a switching element for driving the liquid crystal, and a reflecting plate provided inside or outside a liquid crystal cell. Such a typical reflection-type liquid crystal display employs an active matrix scheme which realizes high definition and high picture quality by using a TFT (TFT) or metal/insulator film/metal-structured diode (MIM) as the switching element and also has the reflecting plate attached thereto.
The following will describe a conventional liquid crystal display of the single polarizing plate-type with reference to FIG. 19.
An opposed-side substrate 1 includes a polarizing plate 2, a phase-difference plate 3, a glass substrate 4, a color filter 5, and a transparent electrode 6. A lower side substrate 7 includes, on the other hand, a glass substrate 8, a reverse stagger-structured TFT 9 formed as a switching element on the glass substrate 8, a protrusion shape 10 made up of a first insulating layer which provides an unevenly-structured base, a polyimide film 11 formed thereon as a second insulating layer, and a reflecting electrode 13 which is connected to a source electrode 12 of the TFT 9 and also which functions as a reflecting plate-and-pixel electrode.
Between the opposed-side substrate 1 and the lower side substrate 7 is located a liquid crystal layer 14.
A reflected light 16 is utilized for display. The reflected light 16 is given by an incident light 15 from outside when it passes through the polarizing plate 2, the phase-difference plate 3, the glass substrate 4, the color filter 5, the transparent electrode 6, and the liquid crystal layer 14 and then is reflected by the reflecting electrode 13.
This reflection-type liquid crystal display needs to have such display performance that it would give bright and white display when the liquid crystal is in a light-transmitting state. To achieve this display performance, the incident light 15 transmitted in various orientations needs to be efficiently emitted to the outside. To do so, an uneven structure can be formed on the polyimide film 11 to thereby provide the reflecting electrode 13 located thereon with a light-scattering function. Therefore, the display performance of the reflection-type liquid crystal display largely depends on how to control the uneven structure of the reflecting electrode 13.
The following will describe a conventional method for manufacturing a reflecting electrode used in the conventional reflection-type liquid crystal display with reference to FIG. 20A and FIG. 21J.
In steps for manufacturing a TFT, first a gate electrode 21 is formed on a glass substrate 20 (FIG. 20A). Subsequently, a gate insulator film 22, a semiconductor layer 23, and a doping layer 24 are formed (FIG. 20B). Subsequently, an island 25 of the semiconductor layer 23 and the doping layer 24 is formed (FIG. 20C), thereby forming a source electrode 26 and a drain electrode 27 (FIG. 20D). Next, a reflecting electrode 34 is formed.
In steps for manufacturing the reflecting electrode, first an organic insulator film 28 is formed which has photosensitivity (FIG. 20E). Subsequently, protrusions 29 are formed by photolithography in a region for forming the reflecting electrode (FIG. 20F) and melted into a smooth protrusion shape 30 (FIG. 21 G). Subsequently, the smooth protrusion shape 30 is covered with an organic insulator film 31 to form a further smoother uneven surface 32 (FIG. 21H). Subsequently, to electrically connect the reflecting electrode to the source electrode of the TFT, a contact portion 33 is formed (FIG. 21I), to then form a reflecting electrode 34 (FIG. 21J). This method for manufacturing reflecting electrodes is disclosed for example in Japanese Examined Patent Application No. Sho 61-6390 and in Proceedings of the SID (Tohru Koizumi and Tatsuo Uchida, Vol. 29, p. 157, 1988).
FIG. 22 is a plan view of a pattern of the protrusions 29 in the FIG. 20F. The following will describe the process with reference to FIG. 22F.
Protrusions 29 are not in contact with each other, that is mutually isolated. The protrusions 29 are each extremely small, measuring 1–20 μm in diameter and 0.5–5.0 μ m in height. Therefore, during a subsequent substrate washing process, a heating process, or a film forming process, adherence between the protrusions 29 and underlying layer may deteriorate, thus causing the protrusions 29 to problematically flake off.
With this, therefore, a desired uneven structure cannot be formed in a reflecting electrode region, so that a desired optical property cannot be obtained for the reflecting electrode. That is, such the reflection electrode, if used in the reflection-type liquid crystal display, would give dark display or irregularities in brightness.
To prevent flake-off of the protrusions, also, it may be suggested that a coupling material be applied under the protrusions 29 to improve adherence. Under and below the protrusions 29, however, the TFT, the wiring lines, and a like are arranged, so that they may be adversely influenced by the coupling material, thus deteriorating reliability of the switching element. Therefore, the coupling material should not be used.

Reflection-type liquid crystal display and method for manufacturing the same


A diffusion apparatus for use in the extraction of sugar cane juice from "prepared" sugar cane, comprises a lixiviation tank, a diffusion tank containing imbibition water and a conveyor for conveying the sugar cane from the lixiviation tank along a serpentine-like path through the diffusion tank. The diffusion tank has a rear end, a front end, two spaced sides and a base. The diffusion tank includes a plurality of spaced upright partition members which decrease in height in step-fashion from the rear end of the diffusion tank towards the front end thereof. Imbibition water is introduced into the diffusion tank at the rear end thereof and cascades towards the front end of the tank. Sugar cane is conveyed through the diffusion tank on support trays that are carried on chains along the serpentine-like path against the flow of imbibition water in the tank.

This invention relates to a diffusion apparatus. It relates particularly to a diffusion apparatus for use in the extraction of sugar cane juice from "prepared" sugar cane.
Diffusion is an alternative to heavy duty milling as a method of extracting sugar cane juice from prepared sugar cane. As in the milling process, in the diffusion process "imbibition" water is added to aid extraction of the cane juice and essentially flows counter-current to the cane fiber to optimize the extraction of the sugar juice from the cane fibers.
Prior to either the milling or diffusion-extraction processes, sugar cane is typically "prepared" by knifing and/or shredding the cane stalks to expose the juice cells. In this regard, the term "preparation index" (P.I.) is often used in the sugar cane industry to describe a scale that defines the extent to which the sugar cane is knifed and/or shredded, with a high preparation index being indicative of a high degree of opened cells.
The process of diffusion used in the extraction of sugar juice from sugar cane is well-known and involves repeatedly washing "prepared" sugar cane with hot imbibition water.
The extraction of sugar cane juice in a diffusion apparatus occurs partly by the physical action of repeated washing and draining of the water by and from the prepared sugar cane, and partly due to the process of osmosis.
Diffusers are designed to extract sugar cane juice either from prepared cane (in which case it is called a "cane" diffuser) or from prepared cane that has been passed once through a sugar mill (in which case it is called a "bagasse" diffuser). For the purpose of this patent application there will be no differentiation between cane and bagasse diffusion.
The most successful known sugar cane diffuser in use is the "Egyptian" diffuser (also referred to as a "breadbox" diffuser). This type of diffuser is commonly used in the South African sugar industry which has the highest sucrose-extraction level of any sugar cane industry in the world, largely due to its having converted from milling to diffusion-extraction at most of its sugar factories.
Despite the high extraction levels obtained, the Egyptian diffuser has a number of disadvantages:
a) Egyptian diffusers are large in size (typically 65 meters in length) and therefore costly to construct. The width of the diffuser is proportional to the required throughput thereof and, as such, is generally between 4 and 12 meters wide. PA1 b) In an Egyptian diffuser, the prepared cane is slowly moved over a perforated deck at a depth of typically 1.4 to 1.8 meters where it is repeatedly exposed to the washing action of the imbibition water. As such, an Egyptian diffuser has multiple stage-pumps, piping and distributors to recirculate the water/juice mixture which percolates through the bed of prepared cane. PA1 c) If an Egyptian diffuser is installed in an existing factory, it is typically situated some distance from the initial preparation equipment and final processing equipment and invariably relatively lengthy and expensive conveyors are required to feed the diffuser and return the residual fiber. PA1 d) If the preparation index of the cane is relatively high (typically>93%), the fines in the cane fiber have a tendency to "blind" the blanket of sugar cane, thereby inhibiting percolation and causing flooding on the surface of the cane bed which results in poor extraction. This is typically catered for by installing lifting screws to disturb the bed of cane at two or three places along the length of the diffuser. However, these lifting screws can be very troublesome and have been known to cause many stoppages. PA1 e) Egyptian diffusers require regular monitoring to ensure optimum operation. PA1 f) Egyptian diffusers and also other known diffusers require relatively high imbibition rates (typically 350 to 400% of the fiber flow rate). This in turn requires increased evaporation capacity in the final processing stage and increases steam demand from boilers. This can have serious financial implications when installing in an existing factory that typically uses low imbibition levels (100-200% on fiber). PA1 a diffusion tank for containing imbibition water, having an operative front end, an operative rear end, two spaced sides extending between said front and rear ends and a base, the diffusion tank including a plurality of spaced operative upright partition members located between said front and rear ends of the diffusion tank, extending between the sides thereof, each partition member defining an operative upper and lower end, with the lower end thereof being spaced from the base of the diffusion tank; and PA1 conveying means for conveying prepared cane from the front end of the diffusion tank to the rear end thereof along a continuous serpentine-like path wherein the prepared cane is conveyed along spaces defined between each of adjacent partition members located in the diffusion tank.
Any reference hereinafter to sugar cane must be interpreted to include sugar beet. Furthermore, any reference hereinafter to prepared cane must be interpreted to mean, in the case of sugar cane, sugar cane that has been prepared by knifing and/or shredding sugar cane stalks, and in the case of sugar beet, sliced sugar beet.
It is an object of this invention to provide a diffusion apparatus that eliminates or avoids the disadvantages of the Egyptian Diffuser.


A retainer device for conductors in an electrical raceway, which is applicable to raceways formed by the association of a U-shaped base section with a cover section. The base section is provided in the walls thereof with equidistant narrow transverse slots which define therebetween outstanding transverse tabs or strips which form a comb-like arrangement. The device is formed by an open narrow annular member of a right prismatic profile, the bottom portion thereof corresponds to the right internal cross section of the base section, of the raceway to which it is directed. The member has a bottom portion, two wall portions and two free end portions. The two free end portions are located at the level of the open side of the base section and face each other in an overhanging fashion and are partially overlapping. The two wall portions are provided with projections to interact with the walls and/or with the wall portion of an adjacent member.

This invention relates to a retainer device for conductors in an electrical raceway, particularly one which allows the electrical conductors to be kept grouped together in a bundle, the conductors being housed in a raceway of the type formed by a U-shaped base section defining side walls and a bottom wall, associated with a flattened cover section, with the ensemble defining a raceway and, more particularly, in one of these raceway in which the base section is provided in the walls thereof with equal equidistant narrow transverse slots which define therebetween tabs which, jointly, form a comb-like arrangement. The invention also relates to the use of a retainer according to the invention.
Devices for retaining the electrical conductors of a bundle thereof contained in a raceway having walls devoid of openings are known. Such retainers are attached only to the bottom wall of the duct and are provided with means for locating longitudinal dividing members, such as those disclosed in Spanish utility model 196,298, in which the retainer device is formed by a warped, closed annular member and in Spanish utility model 199,304, in which the retainer device is formed by a plurality of open stirrups defined by arrangements of pairs of walls which, extending from a common base, project the free ends thereof inwardly in curved confronting form, leaving a narrow open passage therebetween. In both cases of the above retainer devices, it so happens that a device is required for each width of raceway, whereby the transverse linking thereof is not contemplated. Furthermore, means for inserting longitudinal sheet-like partitions are contemplated in both cases.
The known retainer devices, the purpose of which is to prevent the electrical conductors from coming out of the raceway when the cover is removed therefrom for working on the conductors, have one or another of the drawbacks listed hereafter: to insert a new conductor in the bundle it must be threaded through the retainer devices, when these are of the closed type; where the retainer devices are open, the passage therein reduces the reliability of retention; and, in all cases, the devices are attached only to the bottom wall of the raceway, whereby since they do not bind the raceway walls together, no increase in the strength thereof is achieved.
Thus, with a view to overcoming the above drawbacks, the solution has been adopted of giving the retainer devices the structure of openable rings which are attached to the bottom wall and to the side walls of the raceway and which may be coupled together transversely to be adapted to all widths of the raceways with a minimum number of elements.
According to the foregoing solution, the retaining device of the invention has been developed. It is formed by an open narrow annular member of right prismatic profile. The sides thereof correspond to the right internal cross section of the raceway base section to which it is directed. The member is provided with a bottom portion, two wall portions and two free end portions, all mating with the internal shape of the said base section. The two free end portions are located at the level of the open side of the base section, facing each other in overhanging fashion and partly overlapping, at the same time as the two wall portions are provided with connecting means interacting with the walls of the base section and/or with the wall portion of an adjacent member, and the bottom portion is provided with means for connection to the bottom wall of the raceway base section.
It is a feature of the invention that the narrow annular members are provided on the surfaces of the wall portions thereof which contact the inner surfaces of the raceway base section side walls with a retaining projection as means for connecting them to the said base section walls. It is likewise contemplated that the retaining projections of one and the other of the wall portions of the narrow annular members are situated in the center of the width of said wall portions or are located at opposite edges, so as to be symmetrical about a point.
A further feature of the invention is that the retaining projections may be anchored to the walls of the raceway base section through the narrow slots of the latter and on two adjacent transverse strips thereof. To this end, the retaining projections are T-shaped, where the stem has the same width as the narrow slots of the raceway base section and a length equal to the thickness of the base section walls and the passage of the companion transverse cutaways, while the free arms of the crossbar are shorter than half of the width of the transverse strips against which they bear.
Yet a further feature of the invention is that the narrow annular members are provided at the two wall portions thereof with a transverse notch which is disposed at the same level as the retaining projections and on the opposite edges thereto and is dimensioned such as to allow engagement with the stem of the projection of the wall portion of an adjacent annular member.
According to the invention, the base portion is extended transversely by at least one tab which is provided with an aperture and allows the accessory to be attached to the bottom wall of the raceway in which it is located or to a support surface.
Also according to the invention, the two free end portions are slightly overlapping, the portion situated in the lower position being slightly inclined, and have the end edges thereof rounded.
Finally according to the invention, it is also contemplated that the narrow annular member of prismatic profile may be provided with an inner partition wall, parallel to the wall portions. This partition extends from the bottom portion and is provided at the free end thereof with a terminal acting with the free end portions in the sense of facilitating the insertion of the electrical cables and preventing accidental removal therefrom.
A further object of the invention is the use of said retainer devices, which are for retaining conductors in raceways, preferably if said raceways are of the type formed by the association of a U-shaped base section with a cover section, of flattened shape, in which said base section is provided on the walls thereof with a plurality of equal equidistant narrow slots defining therebetween outstanding tabs or transverse strips which, jointly, form a comb-like arrangement.

Retainer device for conductors in an electrical raceway


A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having an outer cylindrical surface defining a longitudinal piston axis, a combustion face defining a compound combustion bowl, and a compound rim extending radially outward from the compound combustion bowl to the outer cylindrical surface. The compound combustion bowl includes a convex inner bowl surface defining a conical projection and a concave outer bowl surface. The compound rim includes a flat outer rim surface adjoining the outer cylindrical surface, and a convex inner rim surface adjoining the compound combustion bowl. The convex inner bowl surface transitions smoothly to the concave outer bowl surface, and the convex inner rim surface transitions abruptly to the concave outer bowl surface at an edge of the compound combustion bowl.

A wide variety of operating strategies and component geometries are known in the field of internal combustion engines. Engineers have experimented for decades with different ways to operate fueling, exhaust, intake, and other engine systems, and different ways to shape and proportion engine components. One motivation behind such experimentation has been balancing the often competing concerns of reducing certain emissions in the engine exhaust, and optimizing efficiency. Internal combustion engines typically burn air and a hydrocarbon fuel. Combustion of the fuel and air produces exhaust from the internal combustion engine, which can include a variety of compounds and materials such as soot, ash, unburned hydrocarbons, water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and various other organic and inorganic species.
In recent years, the reduction in emissions of oxides of nitrogen, collectively referred to as "NOx," and the reduction of particulate matter which generally includes soot and ash, has been of particular focus in internal combustion engine research. Unfortunately, reducing these undesirable exhaust constituents often comes at the expense of efficiency properties such as fuel efficiency and/or attainable engine speed or power. As noted above, component shapes and operating parameters of the engine have been varied in almost innumerable ways over the years. One area of particular focus has involved attempts to shape a piston combustion face in such a way that certain exhaust emissions are reduced, without sacrificing efficiency.
One common piston design directed to reducing emissions without unduly sacrificing efficiency includes a combustion bowl defined by the combustion face of the piston which is exposed to and defines a portion of the engine combustion chamber. It is believed that a combustion bowl may affect the flow and combustion properties of gases and atomized liquid fuel during a combustion event in such a way that the make-up of the combustion products can be tailored for various purposes. As mentioned above, it is often desirable to reduce NOx and particulate matter without unduly affecting combustion efficiency.
Currently, despite the development of numerous research and commercial designs for piston combustion bowls, the science of combustion as it relates to bowl shape or combinations of shapes during a combustion event is not fully understood. It is well known that even relatively minor modifications to combustion bowl geometry can have significant effects on the type and relative proportions of combustion products. Due to this lack of sufficient understanding, the art provides relatively little guidance on how to achieve any specific set of goals. Engineers have discovered many different variables which they know will have some effect on emissions and/or efficiency, but the grouping of these variables and other factors do not often result in satisfactory and predictable results. Developing a suitable design often requires years of research and development including thorough application, testing and field analysis.

Piston having combustion bowl shaped to balance combustion efficiency and emission properties


Provided are an apparatus and a method for transmitting wireless power. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a wireless power transmission apparatus includes: a switching block receiving distributed power signals and delivering the power signals as periodical preamble signals that make a detour around a power amplification and transmission block or delivering the power signals to the power amplification and transmission block; the power amplification and transmission block amplifying the power signals and transmitting the power signals to a coil array block; a sensing block detecting the preamble signals on the respective paths that are delivered to the coil array block, and sensing changes in the preamble signals according to whether wireless power receiving apparatuses appear; and a power distribution and control block controlling the switching block according to sensing results to transmit the power signals to the power amplification and transmission block.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting wireless power, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for effectively transmitting wireless power, which control power signal transmission by detecting level changes in preamble signals that are not amplified with power on respective paths of a coil array block having a plurality of transmission coil arrays.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although wireless communication technology has undergone remarkable progress, there is still a need for development. In the case of representative cellular phones in an Information Technology (IT) field, information may be freely and wirelessly delivered, however, its power source still supplies power in a wired manner or through a charged battery. Wireless charging technology has been developed, but still remains at an insignificant level.
Wireless power transmission technology includes electromagnetic induction and magnetic resonance. In the electromagnetic induction method, a power transmission coil and a power reception coil are inductively coupled to each other with a distance of several millimeters (mm) therebetween to deliver energy by means of electromagnetic induction. The electromagnetic induction method may be applied to electric toothbrushes, cellular phone chargers or the like as products that are already put into practical use. In the magnetic resonance method, two dielectric resonators or coil resonators having the same resonance frequency are disposed close to each other to wirelessly transmit the power by means of resonance. This method has developed at a slower pace than the electromagnetic induction method.
In wireless charging systems using the conventional wireless power transmission technology, in order to enhance the efficiency of the system having a multi-coil array structure where multi-charging can be performed, the power is transmitted to the coils where power receiving apparatuses are present by determining the presence of the power receiving apparatuses. Here, determining the presence of the power receiving apparatuses may include receiving a feedback response from a battery being charged by sequentially driving the transmission coils.
Since this method sequentially drives the transmission coils, a delay time increases when several coils are sequentially sensed in the case of the multi-coil array.
In addition, all transmission coils are sequentially driven in order to determine the presence of the power receiving apparatuses, and a great deal of power must be consumed to recognize the presence of the power receiving apparatuses.
Further, in order to make a determination from the received feedback response from the battery being charged, separate communication means for communicating with the battery may be required.

Wireless power transmission apparatus and method of transmitting wireless power using the same


A disk drive includes a rotatable storage disk, a suspension, and a slider assembly. The slider assembly includes a slider body, a read/write head that magnetically interacts with the storage disk, and a slider mover. The slider body is secured to the suspension in a fashion that allows the slider body to roll. The slider mover selectively rolls the slider body in a controlled fashion. With this design, the slider mover selectively rolls the slider body to control a head-to-disk spacing of the read/write head. Further, the slider body can have a roll axis and the read/write head and the slider mover can be positioned on opposite sides of the roll axis.

Disk drives are widely used in computers, consumer electronics and data processing systems for storing information. The disk drive typically includes one or more storage disks and one or more slider assemblies. Each slider assembly includes a read/write head that transfers information to and from the storage disk. Rotation of the storage disk causes the slider assembly to ride on an air bearing with the read/write head spaced apart from the storage disk a distance that is commonly referred to as a "head-to-disk spacing".
Because today's disk drives utilize storage disks having increasingly high densities of data tracks, decreasing the head-to-disk spacing has become of great importance. However, this desire for a very small head-to-disk spacing must be balanced with tribological concerns in order to avoid damage to the read/write head and/or the storage disk, as well as loss of data.
Maintaining a relatively small and consistent head-to-disk spacing is further complicated by other factors. In particular, the read/write head includes a write element. During a write operation, the electrical resistance in the write element generates heat in and around the read/write head. The heat causes thermal expansion of portions of the slider assembly toward the storage disk, known as write pole tip protrusion ("WPTP"). In addition, environmental temperature increases within the disk drive can also result in environmental pole tip protrusion ("EPTP") toward the storage disk. If pole tip protrusion is excessive, the slider assembly can unintentionally contact the storage disk ("head-to-disk contact"), causing off-track writing, degraded data transfer rates, damage to the slider assembly, damage to the storage disk and/or a permanent loss of data.
Conversely, a temperature decrease in the drive will induce the opposite effect on the EPTP—the pole tips will retract from the disk. Such retraction can degrade the performance of the reading and writing process since larger spacing can generally degrade the information transfer to and/or from the disk.

Slider with actuator-transducer separation and roll activation


A cartridge for supplying liquid ink to a thermal ink-jet printing apparatus includes a chamber having a ventilation port and an outlet port. A medium occupies at least a portion of the chamber, for retaining liquid ink therein at a predetermined back pressure. An open-ended conduit defines a passageway extending from the ventilation port to a portion of the chamber substantially devoid of liquid ink, to prevent leakage of liquid ink from the cartridge.

In existing thermal ink jet printing, the printhead comprises one or more ink filled channels, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,359, communicating with a relatively small ink supply chamber, or manifold, at one end and having an opening at the opposite end, referred to as a nozzle. A thermal energy generator, usually a resistor, is located in each of the channels, a predetermined distance from the nozzles. The resistors are individually addressed with a current pulse to momentarily vaporize the ink and form a bubble which expels an ink droplet. As the bubble grows, the ink bulges from the nozzle and is contained by the surface tension of the ink as a meniscus. As the bubble begins to collapse, the ink still in the channel between the nozzle and bubble starts to move towards the collapsing bubble, causing a volumetric contraction of the ink at the nozzle and resulting in the separation of the bulging ink as a droplet. The acceleration of the ink out of the nozzle while the bubble is growing provides the momentum and velocity of the droplet in a substantially straight line direction towards a recording medium, such as paper. Because the droplet of ink is emitted only when the resistor is actuated, this general type of thermal ink-jet printing is known as "drop-on-demand" printing.
The printhead of U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,359 has one or more ink-filled channels which are replenished by capillary action. A meniscus is formed at each nozzle to prevent ink from weeping therefrom. A resistor or heater is located in each channel upstream from the nozzles. Current pulses representative of data signals are applied to the resistors to momentarily vaporize the ink in contact therewith and form a bubble for each current pulse. Ink droplets are expelled from each nozzle by the growth and collapse of the bubbles. The current pulses to the heater are shaped to prevent the meniscus from breaking up and receding too far into the channels after each droplet is expelled. Various embodiments of linear arrays of thermal ink jet devices are known, such as those having staggered linear arrays attached to the top and bottom of a heat sinking substrate and those having different colored inks for multiple colored printing.
A common type of printhead is known as a "sideshooter." Sideshooters are so named because the ink droplets are emitted through the channel at a right angle relative to the heating element. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,530 describes such a construction in greater detail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,337 describes a side-shooter in which the sudden release of vaporized ink known as blowout is prevented by disposing the heater in a recess.
In current practical embodiments of drop-on-demand thermal ink-jet printers, it has been found that the printers work most effectively when the pressure of the ink in the printhead nozzle is kept within a predetermined range of gauge pressures. Specifically, at those times during operation in which an individual nozzle or an entire printhead is not actively emitting a droplet of ink, it is important that a certain negative pressure, or "back pressure," exist in each of the nozzles and, by extension, within the ink supply manifold of the printhead. A discussion of desirable ranges for back pressure in thermal ink-jet printing is given in the "Xerox Disclosure Journal," Vol. 16, No. 4, July/August 1991, p. 233. This back pressure is important for practical applications to prevent unintended leakage, or "weeping," of liquid ink out of the nozzles onto the copy surface. Such weeping will obviously have adverse results on copy quality, as liquid ink leaks out of the printhead uncontrollably.
A typical end-user product in this art is a cartridge in the form of a prepackaged, usually disposable item comprising a sealed container holding a supply of ink and, operatively attached thereto, a printhead having a linear or matrix array of channels. Generally the cartridge may include terminals to interface with the electronic control of the printer; electronic parts in the cartridge itself are associated with the ink channels in the printhead, such as the resistors and any electronic temperature sensors, as well as digital means for converting incoming signals for imagewise operation of the heaters. In one common design of printer, the cartridge is held with the printhead against the sheet on which an image is to be rendered, and is then moved across the sheet periodically, in swaths, to form the image, much like a typewriter. Full-width linear arrays, in which the sheet is moved past a linear array of channels which extends across the full width of the sheet, are also known. Typically, cartridges are purchased as needed by the consumer and used either until the supply of ink is exhausted, or, equally if not more importantly, until the amount of ink in the cartridge becomes insufficient to maintain the back pressure of ink to the printhead within the useful range.
Other considerations are crucial for a practical ink supply as well. The back pressure, for instance, must be maintained at a usable level for as long as possible while there is still a supply of ink in an ink cartridge. Therefore, a cartridge must be so designed as to maintain the back pressure within the usable range for as large a proportion of the total range of ink levels in the cartridge as possible. Failure to maintain back pressure causes the ink remaining in the cartridge to leak out through the printhead or otherwise be wasted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,295 discloses an ink-supply cartridge construction having multiple ink storage compartments. Ink is stored in a medium of reticulated polyurethane foam of controlled porosity and capillarity. The medium empties into ink pipes, which are provided with wire mesh filters for filtering of air bubbles and solid particles from the ink. The foam is also compressed to reduce the pore size therein, thereby reducing the foam thickness while increasing its density; in this way, the capillary force of the foam may be increased.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,438 discloses an ink jet pen (ink supply) including a primary ink reservoir and a secondary ink reservoir, with a capillary member forming an ink flow path between them. This capillary member draws ink from the primary reservoir toward the secondary ink reservoir by capillary action as temperature and pressure within the primary reservoir increases. Conversely, when temperature and pressure in the housing decreases, the ink is drawn back toward the primary reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,032 discloses an ink supply cartridge with an air vent having a conical-shaped member with an opening extending through the center thereof. The opening creates a capillary force on any small amount of liquid that might enter the opening, to prevent any remaining liquid from leaking through the opening. The vent also includes a capillary trap that encircles the base of the conical-shaped member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,969 discloses an ink supply reservoir for drop-on-demand ink jet printing, including a medium in the form of a mass of foam material. This foam material comprises a three dimensionally branched network of fine filaments creating interstitial pores of uniform size. In preferred embodiments of the invention described, this foam material is a thermoset melamine condensate. In this patent, it is further pointed out that foam materials, when used as a medium for liquid ink, exert a controlled capillary back pressure.

Air vent for an ink supply cartridge in a thermal ink-jet printer


A micro gas generator 10 is provided primarily for supplying and directing gas from the combustion of pyrotechnic materials into a seatbelt pretensioner 26, for example. A perforated housing 12 of gas generator 10 provides a body for containment of the other gas generant constituents, and forms a propellant chamber 14. A propellant or gas generant 16 is contained within chamber 14 and provides combustion thereof. An annular bore 20 is centrally oriented within the bore seal 18 thereby providing a seat for an associated initiator 22. An initiator blast shield 36 is encased about the initiator 22 thereby attenuating or mitigating the force and progression of the combustion of an ignition compound (not shown) within the initiator 22.

As part of the overall vehicle occupant protection system, seatbelt assemblies have evolved considerably since their earliest inception. Improvements are continually sought relative to durability, ease of manufacturing, and general cost-effectiveness.
One concern that continues to receive attention is the design of the seatbelt pretensioner. Seatbelt pretensioners generally function in concert with an associated retractor to tension and retract a seatbelt during a crash event. Typically, upon a crash event a pretensioner initiator is used to ignite associated propellant thereby actuating the pretensioner and tensioning the seat belt spooled about a seatbelt retractor in rotatable communication with the pretensioner.
State of the art automotive initiators may be described as exhibiting a non-directional output. As a result, upon activation, the hot gases, flame front, and burning particles of the initiator exhibit a radially extending pattern that is somewhat spherical. In these designs, the explosive output of the initiator impacts the performance of the device associated therewith. For example, many pretensioners once activated must be replaced due to the damage caused by initiator operation. In the past, one proven method to address this concern is to increase or decrease the initiator pyrotechnic load, thereby varying the device's output, respectively. This approach, however is quite time-consuming and expensive. An alternative approach responsive to these concerns would therefore be an improvement in the art.

Micro gas generator including an initiator blast shield


The present invention discloses a method for coreless spinning of a large-ratio multi-variable-diameter hollow shaft, belonging to the field of spinning. The present invention includes following steps: S1: clamping a blank in a lower die unit, driving the workpiece to rotate, causing a rough spinning wheel and a fine spinning wheel to be in contact with the workpiece for staggered spinning, and performing curved reciprocating feed spinning via point contact to form a roughly-spun blank; S2: shifting the rough spinning wheel and the fine spinning wheel, causing shaping spinning wheels to be in contact with the workpiece for shaping spinning, and subjecting the shaping spinning wheels to linear contact shaping and fine spinning only in a radial direction, to obtain a finely spun blank. The present invention solves the problems of high machining difficulty and poor molding quality of hollow shafts in the prior art.

New energy vehicles are an inevitable trend in the development of vehicles in the world today. All countries are racing to develop various types of high-density batteries or other power sources to continuously increase the driving range, and have achieved good results. The market development potential of new energy vehicles is undoubtedly huge. The new energy vehicle industry has increasingly stringent requirements on the weight and quality of internal parts of a vehicle body. At present, the design of hollow axles is widely used in new energy vehicles, and especially the application of variable-diameter long shaft type hollow shafts has attracted more and more attention. The manufacturing of variable-diameter hollow long shaft workpieces in the industry mainly includes the following methods: (1) a forging technology is used to forge seamless steel tubes with large diameters into stepped tubes with different diameters, but the process has low production efficiency and material utilization, and the large tonnage of forging devices results in high costs; (2) a welding process is utilized to weld seamless steel tubes of different sizes together to form stepped tubes of different diameters, but the products manufactured by using this process have obvious strength risks; (3) a solid bar is used to finely turn dimensions required by drawings, but this method uses a solid inner hole, which increases material costs and makes it difficult to reduce the weight.
Spinning is an advanced technology that implements chipless forming and combines the characteristics of forging, extrusion, stretching, bending, ring rolling, rolling and other processes. It is an economical and optimal method for rapid forming of thin-walled rotary parts. When a conventional spinning process is used to manufacture hollow shaft parts, a mandrel and a tail top are often matched, but it is not suitable for precise machining of variable-diameter slender shafts, and especially multi-variable-diameter hollow shafts cannot be machined using mandrels. Ordinary spinning forming often has the problems that the axial runout is large, and a formed variable-diameter tube is prone to bending and poor flatness. Consequently, the forming length is extremely limited. The difficulty in material flow or local bending and deformation more easily leads to great reduction in forming quality and use performance. Therefore, a spinning process for variable-diameter hollow shafts, especially for the machining of large-ratio multi-variable-diameter hollow shafts, has always been a technical problem to which the industry is constantly pursuing a solution.
According to the searching, there have been a large number of patents on the optimization of the spinning technology. For example, Chinese patent No. CN 2010105448425 titled METHOD FOR DIELESS FLOATING BALL SPINNING OF VARIABLE-DIAMETER TUBE AND CLAMP is provided, in which a tube blank is subjected to segmented multi-pass spinning by using a special clamp, and the specific process includes determining the external diameter of each reduced-diameter segment through trial spinning, performing segmented spinning on each of the reduced-diameter segments, and reasonably controlling a spinning amount in each spinning process to finally obtain a formed pipe fitting. This application can effectively control the diameter of the thin-walled tube at the reduced-diameter position, and solves the technical problem of local reduction of the variable-diameter tube.
For another example, Chinese patent No. CN 2016103047475 titled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER SPINNING FORMING OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE ALLOY VARIABLE-DIAMETER TUBE is provided. The method includes: first fixing a high-temperature alloy tube on a spindle, measuring axial runout, and controlling the tube to be stably mounted on the spindle, mounting a mandrel on a tail top, inserting the mandrel into a tube blank, then selecting an appropriate spinning forming process, and using the motion of the tail top to apply tension to the tube blank to control the forming length and thickness of the tube in the spinning forming; and at this time, spinning the high-temperature alloy variable-diameter tube under the action of the feeding of a spinning wheel and the pulling force of the tail top to finally obtain a multi-segment variable-diameter tube with a uniform wall thickness. The above applications all involve the optimization of the spinning process for variable-diameter hollow shafts, but there is still room for further improvement.

Method for coreless spinning of large-ratio multi-variable-diameter hollow shaft