The present invention relates to a liquid device, liquid device manufacturing apparatus and method, and an image display device that are so configured as to achieve increase in the capacitance and allow suppression of breakdown. An insulating film 43 having a higher insulating property and a higher dielectric constant than a water-repellent film 44 is newly formed between a lower electrode 42 and the water-repellent film 44, to thereby compensate for the dielectric strength and suppress breakdown. As the material of the insulating film 43, one having a higher insulating property and a higher dielectric constant is preferable. For example, polymer materials and inorganic materials are cited. For example, SOG is a silica-based inorganic coating material. A solution thereof is applied and deposited by a spin-coating method or the like, followed by being turned to glass through baking at a comparatively-low temperature. The present invention can be applied to a liquid device.

The present invention relates to a liquid device, liquid device manufacturing apparatus and method, and an image display device, and particularly to a liquid device, liquid device manufacturing apparatus and method, and an image display device that are so configured as to achieve increase in the dielectric constant and be capable of suppressing the occurrence of breakdown.
Conventionally, there is an electrowetting technique in which deformation and displacement of a liquid are generated by utilizing electrowetting of controlling the electrostatic wettability and the desired effect is achieved by this phenomenon, and utilizing this technique in various fields is considered.
For example, for an optical shutter employing a liquid crystal, various improvement methods are carried out, such as improvement in the angle between the liquid crystal molecules and the polarizer absorption axis (refer to e.g. Patent document 1), improvement in electric field application (refer to e.g. Patent document 2 and Patent document 3), alignment treatment (refer to e.g. Patent document 4), and provision of recesses and projections on a substrate (refer to e.g. Patent document 5). However, all of the cases involve problems such as low light extraction efficiency and very-low response speed, and a method of using the above-described electrowetting technique instead of these methods is considered.
Furthermore, for example, as methods for increasing the number of parallaxes in a three-dimensional display device, there is a method in which a micro-lens array is moved relative to a light-emitting pixel and light is refracted to plural directions (refer to e.g. Patent document 6) and a method in which the position of the droplet of a liquid lens is controlled (refer to e.g. Patent document 7). However, a method of using the electrowetting technique instead of these methods is considered.
Moreover, utilizing this electrowetting technique also for a focus variable lens whose focal length is arbitrarily varied, flow path control of a liquid, a liquid pump, and so on is considered.
The principle of such an electrowetting technique will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration example of a liquid device to which the electrowetting technique is applied.
As shown in FIG. 1, in a liquid device 1, an insulating water-repellent film 12 having water repellency against a polar liquid 13 is formed on one electrode 11, and the other electrode 14 is provided for the polar liquid 13 disposed on the water-repellent film 12. The voltage of a power supply 15 is applied between the electrode 11 and the electrode 14. The wettability of the polar liquid 13 to the water-repellent film 12 changes depending on the magnitude of this applied voltage, and the contact angle θ between the polar liquid 13 and the water-repellent film 12 changes. That is, the interfacial shape of the polar liquid 13 changes. Therefore, for example, the liquid device 1 can exert influences on the optical path of transmission light that passes through this polar liquid by controlling the magnitude of the applied voltage.
More specifically, the following equations (1) to (3) apply to the wettability of the polar liquid 13 to the water-repellent film 12.γLV cos θ=γSVγSL+γEW  (1)γEW=d×σL2/2×ε0×εr  (2)σL=ε0×εr×V/d  (3)
In these equations, γLV denotes the interfacial tension between the liquid and the vapor. γSV denotes the interfacial tension between the solid and the vapor. γSL denotes the interfacial tension between the solid and the liquid. γEW denotes the interfacial tension dependent on the intensity of the electric field. ε0 denotes the permeability of vacuum. εr denotes the relative dielectric constant of the water-repellent film 12. Furthermore, V denotes the magnitude of the applied voltage, and d denotes the length between the electrodes.
That is, the wettability of the polar liquid 13 to the water-repellent film 12 changes depending on the magnitude of the applied voltage, and the polar liquid 13 deforms or moves.
In addition to this, there is also e.g. a method in which the polar liquid 13 is moved or deformed by changing the voltage application position. The principle of this method is similar to that of the above-described case. Moreover, there is also another method. In this method, in addition to the polar liquid 13, a nonpolar liquid that does not mix with the polar liquid 13 and is not affected by the applied voltage is provided. This nonpolar liquid is pushed by the polar liquid 13 whose shape is changed by the applied voltage, so that the shape of the nonpolar liquid changes. The desired effect is achieved by this shape change of the nonpolar liquid. The principle of this method is similar to that of the case of FIG. 1.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2005-284261    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-262847    Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-131717    Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-148625    Patent document 5: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-347171    Patent document 6: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-176660    Patent document 7: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-215478

Liquid device, liquid device manufacturing apparatus and method, and image display device


A resistor connected in series with a source of external supply potential and a transistor circuit. The transistor circuit comprises a plurality of MOS transistors each of whose drain and gate are connected together, and is grounded. This transistor circuit detects whether an external supply potential is below or above a specific value. When the external supply potential is detected as being below the specific value, another MOS transistor connected to the source of external supply potential is made to conduct, and the external supply potential is supplied to a semiconductor memory circuit without voltage step-down. However, when the external supply potential is detected as being above the specific value, the external supply potential is stepped down through the other MOS transistor, and supplied to the semiconductor memory circuit. An internal supply potential is supplied to a semiconductor memory circuit device in a specific range even if the external supply potential fluctuates.

First, an example of a conventional semiconductor potential supply device used in a semiconductor memory apparatus is hereinafter described.
FIG. 14 shows a semiconductor potential supply device (a step-down circuit) used for supplying a potential within a specific range to a conventional static random access memory device (SRAM) (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication, unexamined, Hei. 3207091). FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a relation between an external supply voltage and an internal supply voltage determined by this step-down circuit.
In FIG. 14, the step-down circuit includes an external power line VCC (potential VCC), a ground VG, resistors R1, R2, R3, P-channel MOS transistors Q1, Q2, an N-channel MOS transistor Q3, nodes N1, N2, N3, and an internal circuit C that is a semiconductor memory circuit such as a SRAM.
Operation of this conventional step-down circuit is described below. When the external supply voltage is low, for example, 3 V, the P-channel MOS transistor Q1 is turned off by the voltage of the node N1 determined by the ratio of resistors R1 and R2, and the node N2 is lowered nearly to 0 V by the resistor R3. As a result, the P-channel MOS transistor Q2 is turned on, and the voltage VINT of the node N3 supplied to the internal circuit C becomes 3 V that is the same as the external voltage VCC.
On the other hand, when the external voltage VCC becomes higher than a prescribed value for activity, or "action point", for example 5 V, the P-channel MOS transistor Q1 is turned on by the node N1, and the node N2 is raised nearly to the supply voltage VCC, and the P-channel MOS transistor Q2 is turned off. As a result, current through the N-channel MOS transistor Q3 is supplied to the internal circuit C, and its internal supply voltage VINT is lowered from 5 V of the external supply voltage VCC by a portion of the threshold voltage Vtn', i.e., about 1.5 V of the transistor Q3 having back gate effect, and drops to about 3.5 V.
In this way, reliability is secured for preventing high voltage from being applied to the internal circuit C, and at the same, even when the external voltage VCC is lowered, data of memory cells in the internal circuit C is not lost. The prescribed value (action point) to change whether the potential supplied to the internal circuit C is directly coupled to the external potential VCC or internally lowered in the step-down circuit is determined substantially by the ratio of the resistors R1 and R2.
FIG. 16 shows a relation between a potential at node N1 and an external voltage VCC in the conventional step-down circuit. Supposing that the external voltage is VCC, a potential at the node N1 is VN1, and a threshold voltage without back gate effect of the P-channel MOS transistor Q1 is Vtp, the P-channel MOS transistor Q1 is turned on when the following relation is established. EQU VCC-VN1=Vtp
And a step-down state and a direct coupling state are changed over. The VCC at this moment is called an action point Vsp. At this time, following expressions are obtained. EQU Vsp-VN1=Vtp EQU Vsp=VN1+Vtp
In the conventional step-down circuit, however, the potential of the node N1 is determined by the ratio of resistors R1:R2. If this ratio deviates or fluctuates due to variation of manufacturing process or the like, the prescribed action point value may be shifted out of the intended voltage.
In FIG. 16, line "b" represents magnitude of external supply voltage, and line "c" shows a potential at node N1 at a specific resistor ratio R1:R2. Therefore, when VCC-VN1 is Vtp, the desired action point value VSP is achieved. However, when the resistor ratio R1:R2 is varied, the potential of the node N1 becomes as indicated by line "d" for example, and the prescribed value becomes varied.
In this manner, in the conventional step-down circuit, there arises the above-discussed problem and, moreover, the following problem takes place. First of all, particularly in a SRAM of low power consumption, the resistors used in the step-down circuit are as high as a several hundred megohm level in order to decrease the current consumed in the step-down circuit itself. These resistors are composed of very thin films in order to have a large resistor value. And since the films are thin, the resistor value thereof fluctuates significantly depending on formation of crystal, azimuth or bearing, etc. Therefore, a problem exists in that even if the voltage is subject to resistor division, for example, divided into 1:4, it may not actually be always 1:4.
Moreover, since the resistor value is very large as mentioned above, current is very small, and when the supply voltage is 5 V, for example, current is about 50 nA (5.times.10-8 A) at most. Therefore, the node N1 whose potential is determined by the resistor division requires a very long time until a desired potential is established. Hence, being unable to track sudden changes of external voltage VCC, the step-down circuit may supply an unintended voltage until the potential of the node N1 is sufficiently established.

Semiconductor potential supply device and semiconductor memory apparatus using the same


Bands of predetectors (92) detect the approach of lines of glyphs (12, 14) within an image being scanned. Linear lines or arrays of glyph detectors (116, 118, 120) are sampled in accordance with the detected approach of lines of glyphs. Each detector array includes a plurality of analog glyph detectors (20, 50) which respond to the presence of glyphs with a characteristic analog output. Preferably, the glyph detectors generate a corresponding analog output of a first polarity or other characteristic in response to glyphs of a first orientation and an output of a second polarity or characteristic in response to glyphs of a second orientation. The analog signals which are characteristic of the detection of a glyph are converted into binary 1's and 0's in accordance with the polarity or other characteristic of the signals. In this manner, glyphs are detected by analog detectors and the information encoded in the glyphs is directly output as a binary signal without computer analysis of the image.

The present invention relates to the character detection arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with the analog detection of binary glyphs which denote binary 1's and 0's and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention is also applicable to the detection of glyphs, marks, and characters of other configurations.
Glyphs are visually non-obtrusive encodings of information in the gray scale portions of pictures, drawings, logos, forms, and the like. More specifically, printers typically print black and white images by applying a series of dots of ink or toner to the print medium. A 600 dpi printer, for example, prints up to 600 dots per inch (240 dots per centimeter) in each horizontal line and prints 600 lines (240 lines per centimeter) per inch vertically. That is, each square inch contains a 600.times.600 grid of pixels. Black can be printed by placing a black dot in every available pixel and white by leaving the print medium white. Gray scales are depicted by adjusting the optical density of the applied ink or toner. For example, a small fraction of the pixels contain dots to depict pale gray, a large percentage for medium gray, etc.
Glyphs rearrange the dot patterns for a given gray shade in order to encode information. Rather than applying the dots for a given gray scale randomly, the dots are placed in preselected groupings of the same optical density to encode information. In one common glyph pattern, a 5.times.5 array of pixels are dedicated to each glyph. Three dots on a diagonal going down from left to right through the center of the pixel array define a glyph of one polarity and three dots going down from right to left through the center of the array define a glyph of the opposite polarity. These two polarity glyphs are typically used to encode binary information. Binary information can be encoded onto the print medium by printing lines of these 5.times.5 arrays. Such lines of glyphs have a uniform gray scale density and appear as gray bands which may be incorporated into logos, letterhead, borders, and the like. Such glyphs can also be encoded more subtly into portions of the image which already have this same gray scale level.
The glyphs may be utilized to encode an identification of the document, its date of printing, an identification of the printer on which it was printed, and the like. Glyphs may also be used in security applications to encode digital information into background or foreground gray scale regions of an image. For example, a passport image can be glyph encoded to carry a binary identification of the passport number, the name of the passport owner, a description of the person, or the like.
One of the drawbacks with glyph encoding techniques has been that reading and decoding the glyphs has been memory and computationally intensive. Typically, the image was scanned to generate an electronic bit-map of the entire page. Storing a bit-map for a page of a 600 dpi printer required a substantial memory commitment. This bit-map was then mathematically analyzed to identify the glyphs. One mathematical analysis technique included the use of a convolution filter in which a template of the glyph design was convolved with pixel regions of the image to identify the glyphs. Such page analysis techniques were so slow that it was difficult to use the glyph information in real time.
The present invention provides a new and improved glyph detection system and technique which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.

Analog glyph detector and detector arrays


An automatic transmissions for an automotive vehicle includes a variator of the traction drive type, the variator including two input discs, two output discs, and rollers driveably engaged with the discs and adapted to vary continuously the ratio of the speeds of the output discs and input discs. Each of two planetary gearsets includes a carrier driven by an engine and driveably connected to an input disc, a sun gear driven by an output disc, and a sun gear connected to one of two driveshafts, which drive the front and rear wheels, respectively, of a motor vehicle. Independent angular variation of the rollers causes the variator to drive the forward drive sun gear and rear drive sun gear at different, variable speeds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic transmissions for automotive vehicles, and, more particularly, it pertains to a continuously ratio-varying transmission (CVT) unit of the toroidal race-rolling traction type with a split variator AWD traction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Continuously variable transmissions of the toroidal race-rolling traction type are well known. CVTs of this type provide a continuously variable range of transmission ratios through the arrangement of possibly more than one epicyclic gear train. The engine drive variator has an output disc that delivers power to an epicyclic gear train that is also driven by an output shaft. More specifically, a variator output disc directly drives a sun gear of a planetary gearset.
CVT units of the toroidal race-rolling traction type wherein the output disc directly drives a sun gear of a planetary gearset are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,211, EP Document 84,724, U.K. Patent 1,228,749, and U.K. Patent 2,136,893.
Multiple planetary gearsets incorporating a CVT transmission of the toroidal type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,398. The drive system described there includes two epicyclic gearsets. A first gearset provides a compound planet system by way of a second set of gears in the system. The annulus of the first epicyclic gearing provides drive to a final drive shaft and provides reverse drive by way of a second set of gears. Depending on the variator ratio, the first epicyclic gearing provides a forward speed, neutral or a reverse speed in low regime. The annulus of the second epicyclic gearing provides drive to the final drive shaft in high regime. This method, as well as those of the other mentioned patents, offer complex methods of gearset arrangement and application of the variator to gearset relationship.
It is therefore desirable to create a simpler but just as effective drive method.

Torodial traction transmission for all wheel vehicles


A magneto-optical recording medium having a substrate whereupon a transparent dielectric layer, a readout layer showing in-plane magnetization at room temperature and perpendicular magnetization with an increase in temperature, a metal film layer, a recording layer made of a perpendicularly magnetized film, and a protective layer are formed in this order, wherein the film thickness of the readout layer is between 5 nm and 30 nm, the film thickness of the metal film layer is between 6 nm and 40 nm, and the film thickness of the recording layer is between 20 nm and 80 nm. Since recording domain information at a portion showing in-plane magnetization is masked, even when adjacent recording bit enters into the beam diameter of a light beam focused, it is possible to separately reproduce individual recording bits with high signal quality.

Magneto-optical recording media as rewritable optical recording media have been put to practical use. However, the magneto-optical recording media suffer from such a drawback that the reproduction characteristic deteriorates when the diameter of a recording bit as a recording magnetic domain and the recording bit interval become smaller with respect to the beam diameter of a light beam which is emitted by a semiconductor laser and focused on a magneto-optical recording medium. Such a drawback arise when adjacent recording bit enters into the beam diameter of the light beam focused on a target recording bit because the entered adjacent recording bit prevents separate reproduction of individual recording bits.
In order to overcome the drawback, Japanese Publication for Unexamined Patent Application (Tokukaihei) No. 6-150418 (1994) proposes a magneto-optical recording medium constructed by placing a nonmagnetic intermediate layer between a recording layer and a readout layer which shows in-plane magnetization at room temperature and perpendicular magnetization with an increase in temperature, and is magnetostatic-coupled with the recording layer. In this structure, the recording magnetic domain information at a portion showing in-plane magnetization is masked. Therefore, even when adjacent recording bit enters into the beam diameter of the focused light beam, it is possible to separately reproduce individual recording bits.
However, according to the above-mentioned publication, Tokukaihei No. 6-150418, it was confirmed that when recording and reproduction are performed with a smaller recording bit diameter and at a smaller recording bit interval, a great magnetic field is required for recording/erasure because a leakage magnetic field produced from a magnetization in the readout layer reaches the recording layer.

Magneto-optical recording medium having a readout layer and a recording layer


A split power transmission with a variable drive, a brake, a clutch, an integrating transmission containing a planetary set, the internal gear forming the output of the transmission, and an additional planetary set located between the drive shaft and the transmission. A portion of the transmission drive shaft power is transferable to the transmission which includes a secondary shaft located axially parallel to the variable drive. The power of the variable drive is directed towards the integrating transmission via the secondary shaft by using a defined transmission ratio. Torque division in the low cruising range and is achieved by locking the brake connecting the internal gear of the planetary set located between the drive shaft, and the transmission to the unit. Whereas in the high cruising range, by engaging the clutch the sun gear of the transmission is interlocked with the internal gear of the transmission.

Normally, such transmission units include variable drives with continuously adjustable friction wheels that contain at least two toroidal disks and a toroidal running surface with rolls moving between the disks and running surface. Besides the continuously adjustable change in gears, variable drives with friction wheels exhibit a high torque capacity.
DE 196 29 213 A1 describes a transmission that can be operated in two different ranges of performance. The main components of these well-known friction wheel transmissions are a continuously adjustable variable drive with friction wheels and two paired interacting toroidal running surfaces, a secondary shaft, and an integrating transmission. Split power is provided for in the low cruising range (LOW). The drive power is conducted from the drive shaft through a transmission stage to the secondary shaft and on to the continuously adjustable transmission (variable drive with friction wheel). On the power take-off side, it is connected to the integrating transmission. A second power branch will conduct the drive power, via a secondary shaft, and a transmission stage directly into the integrating transmission. The power of both branches will then be combined and transferred to the output shaft.
In the second range of performance (HIGH) of this well-known transmission, the drive power will be transmitted through a transmission stage to the secondary shaft and subsequently to the continuously adjustable transmission. There is no additional power provided in this case.
Another transmission unit is described in the Applicant's DE 197 03 544 A1. It provides for split power and uses a continuously adjustable transmission unit, in particular a transmission unit consisting of interacting toroidal running surfaces (friction wheel transmission) paired together. This well-known transmission unit, too, includes an intermediate shaft and/or secondary shaft in order to achieve the desired split power.
A split power, dual area, transmission unit, as described above, is contained in EP 1 253 350 A2. To increase overall effectiveness, a gear is engaged in overdrive, because a variable drive, in general, shows less effectiveness than the application of a positive power or torque transmission device. Here, the transmission includes a double-tension, toroidal variable drive, an integrating transmission containing a planetary set and a planetary set used as a reverse transmission. All units are arranged in the direction of the power flow.
Furthermore, there is a transmission unit described in the Applicant's DE 100 43 623 A1. This unit consists of a drive shaft, at least one output shaft, and a configuration that allows for a change in the transmission ratio between the drive shaft and the output shaft by connecting the drive shaft with a startup unit that is connected to a continuously adjustable transmission. Furthermore, the continuously adjustable transmission is connected to a transfer gearbox, which contains a drive shaft for rear wheel drive operation and a second drive shaft for front wheel drive operation. Provisions can be made that the transmission unit is constructed as a two-zone transmission designed as a geared neutral transmission unit. In this well-known transmission, in order to shift to HIGH, the sun gear will interlock with the internal gear of an integrating transmission used as a planetary set which has the disadvantage of creating a high coupling torque.
The purpose of the present invention is to specify a split power transmission including a variable drive that will avoid high coupling torque in the upper cruising range. Furthermore, production of the invented transmission must be cost effective and utilize as little installation space as possible.

Split power transmission to include a variable drive


A waterproof connector is mounted on a circuit board fixed within an enclosure. The waterproof connector is connectable with a mating connector through a connector passageway formed in the enclosure. The waterproof connector includes a contact electrically connectable with the mating connector, an insulating housing holding the contact, a first seal disposed on a circumference of the housing, and a faceplate into which the insulating housing is inserted. The having a cylindrical section and a brim section. The cylindrical section includes a first and second open end with the brim section formed at the first open end and spreading outwards. A second seal is interposed between the first open end and the insulating housing.

Many electronic devices, which connect to external circuits through connectors, are required to be waterproofed. For example, an automotive electronic control unit is required to be airtight, since the electronic control unit is generally mounted in a location having moisture, or where the temperature greatly varies. For an electronic device required to be airtight, there is a known structure in which a seal is disposed between an enclosure that contains an electronic circuit and a connector.
A conventions electronic device 800 is shown in FIG. 12, which includes a enclosure 803, a connector 802 fixed to the enclosure 803 with an adhesive resin 804, and a circuit board 801 fixed to the connector 802. Incidentally, illustration of components mounted on the circuit board 801, except the connector 802 is omitted. Also, illustration of an adhesive resin, which fills a space between the bottom surface of the enclosure 803 and the undersurface of the circuit board 801 so as to improve its resistance to vibration and heat radiation property, is omitted. The known electronic device 800 is assembled in such a manner that the connector 802 is fixed to and integrated with the circuit board 801 first, and subsequently, the circuit board 801 is installed in and secured to the enclosure 803. When the circuit board 801 is installed in the enclosure 803, the edge of a through-hole portion of the enclosure 803 is located at a groove formed on the circumference of the connector 802. The groove of the connector 802 is filled with an adhesive resin 804, thereby sealing a gap between the connector 802 and the enclosure 803. In this assembly, the enclosure 803, the connector 802 and the circuit board 801 are integrated.
The electronic device 800 shown in FIG. 12 has a known problem. If the number or size of components to be mounted on the circuit board 801 is increased, or if incorporate two or more circuit boards, the connector 802 is unable to support the circuit board 801. For example, solder may crack because of excessive load may be applied to a solder joint. Therefore, in order to allow for an increase in the number or sizes of components, or mounting of two or more circuit boards, it is necessary to directly install the circuit board in the enclosure. When the circuit board is directly installed in the enclosure, the position of the circuit board with respect to the enclosure deviates from a reference position in design, within installation tolerance. Further, the position of the connector with respect to the circuit board is also displaced within installation tolerance. The displacements of these positions finally appear as a displacement of the position of the connector with respect to the enclosure. In particular, when a displacement of the position of the circuit board with respect to the enclosure and a displacement of the position of the connector with respect to the circuit board take place in the same direction, the displacements amass, resulting in a larger displacement.
However, the known electronic device 800, shown in FIG. 12, hardly allows for positional displacement between the connector 802 and the enclosure 803. This is because if displacement of the position is increased, there is a possibility that the connector 802 cannot be installed in the enclosure 803. Also, even if the through-hole portion of the enclosure 803 is made larger, there is a possibility that the gap between the enclosure 803 and the connector 802 cannot be filled with the adhesive resin 804.
FIG. 13 illustrates another example of the internal structure of a known conventional electronic device 900, which includes a circuit board 901 fixed to a enclosure 903 having a enclosure main body 903a and a enclosure faceplate 903b, while an internal connector 907 is fixed to the circuit board 901. An external connector 902 is further included, which connects to a mating connector (not illustrated). The external connector 902 has a flange 902a that abuts on a through-hole portion of the enclosure 903. A gap between an abutting surface of the flange 902a of the external connector 902 and the enclosure 903 is sealed by an elastomeric seal 904. The external connector 902 is connected to a relay connector 906 through internal wires 905. The relay connector 906 then connected to the internal connector 907 fixed to the circuit board 901. In the electronic device 900, because the gap between the flange 902a of the external connector 902 and the enclosure 903 is sealed by the seal 904, it is possible to make the through-hole portion of the enclosure 903 larger and also to set a less strict tolerance for the installation position of the external connector 902, as compared to that in the structure shown in FIG. 12. Further, according to the electronic device 900, the position of the external connector 902 with respect to the enclosure 903 is not affected by a displacement in installation position between the circuit board 901 and the enclosure 903 and a displacement in installation position between the internal connector 907 and the circuit board 901.
The electronic device 900, shown in FIG. 13, can improve the degree of flexibility in layout due to the structure using internal wires. On the other hand, however, the electronic device 900 requires the internal connector 907, the relay connector 906 and the internal wires 905 besides the external connector 902, thereby increasing the number of components. Also, connection work and the like within the enclosure 903 are necessary.

Waterproof connector, mounting structure of waterproof connector and mounting method of waterproof connector


A building management system includes HVAC equipment operable to affect an indoor air temperature of a building, a system manager configured to obtain a cost function that characterizes a cost of operating the HVAC equipment, obtain a dataset relating to the building, determine a current state of the building by applying the dataset to a neural network, select a temperature bound associated with the current state, augment the cost function to include a penalty term that increases the cost when the indoor air temperature violates the temperature bound, and determine a temperature setpoint for each of a plurality of time steps in the future time period. The temperature setpoints achieve a target value of the cost function over the future time period. The building management system also includes a controller configured to operate the HVAC equipment to drive the indoor air temperature towards the temperature setpoint.

The present disclosure relates generally to building management systems for managing energy costs in HVAC systems. HVAC systems provided heating, cooling, and ventilation for buildings. Minimizing energy consumption of HVAC systems may lead to discomfort for occupants of the building because comfortable temperatures cannot be maintained without increased power, while matching occupant temperature preferences at all times typically leads to high energy costs. Thus, systems and methods are needed to reduce energy consumption of HVAC systems without leading to occupant discomfort.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

HVAC control system with cost target optimization


A foldable boat has a hull divided into at least three sections; one of which includes at least one hull forming member. Each hull forming member has a bottom forming member with side forming members rotatably mounted thereon. Flexible members extend through the hull forming members and attach on the other remaining two sections of the hull. When the flexible members are pulled and fastened, the hull forming members are forced together thereby forming a hull. When the flexible members are not attached, the boat can be folded and transported easily. The side forming members are foldable flat against their respective bottom forming members and adjacent bottom forming members are foldable flat against each other to provide a compact folded configuration.

The present invention relates to a compact foldable boat. In particular, the present invention relates to a foldable boat that is comfortable and stable during use.
Various types of foldable boats are known. In one type of foldable boat, a frame is used to provide the outer shape of a hull. A waterproof fabric covers over the frame. Japanese laid-open patent publication number 1-233190 and Japanese laid-open patent publication number 6-48376 also describe types of foldable boats. In the foldable boat disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication number 1-233190, an outer hull plate is formed by joining a fiberglass-reinforced synthetic resin and a synthetic fiber cloth. A box filled with a synthetic foam resin is attached to the outer side of the outer hull plate, and a reinforcement frame is attached inside the boat. The foldable boat disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication number 6-48376 has a pair of bottom panels and a pair of side panels hinged to these bottom panels. Each panel has an edge at the back end. A flexible sectional plate has a fold line, a flange to the bottom rear and a pair of side-edge flanges. The connecting section between the sectional plates and the edges at the back end of a panel are sealed to prevent the boat from leaking at the folds and the connecting sections. The flanges of the sectional plates are joined via joining means to the edges at the back ends of the panels.
In conventional foldable boats where a frame is used to form the outer shape of the hull and a waterproof cloth covers the frame, a large number of parts is required and assembly is complicated and time-consuming. Since the bottom is formed using pipes, movement on the boat must be along the frame, which is unstable and dangerous. Also, in the foldable boat disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication number 1-233190, where the joining section is waterproofed, the number ofjoints is reduced and a stiffener filled with bulky foam resin (made from FRP board into which synthetic resin is foamed into long, thin boxes) is used. Thus, the boat is not compact when folded. The boat requires a lot of space for storage, and transporting the boat is inconvenient. In the foldable boat disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication number 6-48376, the flanges of the sectional plates are joined via joining means joints) to the edge of the rear end of the panels. Thus, large number ofjoints must be used, making the structure complex and expensive.


The present invention provides a newly constituted liquid crystal display element incorporating a touch sensor unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display element integrated with a touch sensor, more particularly to a liquid crystal display element integrated with a touch sensor using a resistive membrane method.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, it has been necessary to add a touch sensor unit as an external component to a liquid crystal display element when a touch panel function is given to the liquid crystal display element using, for example, a resistive membrane method.
FIG. 1 shows a liquid crystal display apparatus 1 having a conventional touch sensor function. That is, an upper electrode 8 is formed on a film 7 and a lower electrode 10 is formed on a glass substrate 6. By laminating the film 7 and the glass substrate 6 via a spacer, a touch sensor unit 3 of the resistive membrane method is formed. There is a space 9 between the upper electrode 8 and the lower electrode 10. Then, this touch sensor unit 3 is attached externally to a liquid crystal display element 2 composed of a back light 4 and a TFT array cell 5.
However, as described above, attaching a touch sensor unit externally means adding the touch sensor unit as an extra component to the foregoing liquid crystal display element. This has resulted in thickening and weighting of the whole of the element. Additionally, this has resulted in creating an optically undesirable condition owing to degradation of performance such as transmissivity. For this reason, it has been difficult for an electronic apparatus required to be compact and light weight such as a note book type personal computer to be equipped with a touch sensor unit. Moreover, since a touch sensor unit of this kind is fabricated in a different process from that for a liquid crystal element, its cost has also increased.
To solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 2, substituting a film 11 for the glass substrate 6 composing the touch sensor unit 3 has been investigated. This has improved the problem of thickness and weight to some extent, but it is unsatisfactory. Moreover, using a film has caused increase of cost conversely because of complexity of a fabricating process of a conductive thin film, as compared with a fabricating process of a glass substrate. And lack of strength and optical non-uniformity of a film has made it impossible to fabricate a touch sensor unit exhibiting full reliability and optical characteristics.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and light weight liquid crystal display element incorporating a touch sensor unit. It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display element incorporating a touch sensor unit exhibiting excellent position detectability by a touch operation.
A liquid crystal display element integrated with a touch sensor of the present invention comprises a first substrate, a second substrate opposing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a display electrode and a touch electrode disposed on the surface adjacent to the liquid crystal layer of at least either the first substrate or the second substrate. And a liquid crystal display element integrated with a touch sensor of the present invention has a pillar-shaped spacer, and has a convex-shaped part on which the touch electrode is provided.

Liquid crystal display element integrated with a touch sensor

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display element where a liquid crystal layer is inserted between a first substrate and a second substrate, a display electrode for displaying an image and a touch electrode for detecting a touch position are provided on the surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate opposing with each other. The display electrode may be used as the touch electrode. A pillar-shaped spacer may be formed to support the first substrate and the second substrate. Additionally, the touch electrode may be provided on a convex-shaped part formed on the substrate.

International Business Machines Corporation


A drain cleaning machine with an electronic cable counter is disclosed which is of the character comprising a frame supporting a rotatable drum which is driven by a motor through an endless belt. The drum contains a flexible drain cleaning snake which is rotatable with the drum and axially displaceable into an out from the drum, and the frame supports a cable feeding device through which the cable extends and by which the cable is displaced into and out of the drum. An electronic cable counter is configured to count an amount of cable payed out from and retracted into the drum and includes first and second sensor portions mounted on the rotatable drum and a cable follower member, respectively to sense relative rotational movement therebetween. A process determines an amount and direction of relative movement therebetween and generates a signal representative of an amount of cable payed or retracted into the drum. A fixed receiver unit is mounted to the frame and includes a human readable display portion and a receiver portion configured to receive the signal generated from the processor portion.

The present application relates to sewer cleaning machines and, more particularly, to improvements in sewer cleaning machines of the type having a flexible plumbers cable or "snake" with a bulk portion coiled within a rotatable drum from which a working portion of the snake is withdrawn and inserted into a pipe or sewer to be cleaned and by which the snake is rotated to achieve such cleaning. In one preferred form the improvement is an electronic cable counter configured to count an amount of cable payed out from or withdrawn into the rotating drum during use of the drain cleaning apparatus for specific jobs, over the life of the cable, and a time of use of the machine per job and overall and, in another form, the improvement is a drain cleaning apparatus in combination with such cable counter. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention may find application in related environments and in any application where a working member is carried in or on a rotating carrier member and wherein there is a need or desire to determine an amount of the working member payed from the rotating carrier member.
Drum type sewer cleaning machines of the type to which the present application is directed are well known and are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,468,490 to DiJoseph; U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,740 to O'Brien; U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,186 to Olsson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,422 to Siegal; U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,592 to Hunt; U.S. Pat. No. 3,134,119 to Criscuolo; U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,354 to Cooney, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,139 to Babb, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,306 to Irwin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,276 to Babb, et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,588 to Rutkowski, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. As will be seen from these patents, it is known to provide a drum type sewer cleaning machine comprising a frame structure supporting a rotatable snake drum and a drive motor arrangement for rotating the drum, and to provide for the drum to be removable from the frame and drive arrangement to, for example, facilitate replacement of the drum with one containing a snake having a different diameter. It will also be seen from these prior art patents that such drum type sewer cleaning machines may include a snake feeding arrangement supported by the frame and by which the snake or cable is adapted to be axially displaced relative to the drum during use of the machine. In these feeding devices, typically, a set of stationary roller wheels are moved into selective engagement with the rotating cable. The wheels are held at an angle relative to the rotational axis of the cable to thereby axially urge the cable out from and into the rotating carrier member where it is stored.
Simple devices for monitoring the length of snake or cable material payed out from a sewer or drain cleaning machine are also known in the art, such as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,422 to Siegal, U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,519 to Pembroke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,017 to Prange, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,242 to Prange, hereby incorporated by reference. These patents are generally concerned with measuring the length of a cable displaced into a drain being cleaned. However, in these applications, the cable material in the sewer cleaning device is not rotated about its axis, and is not in the form of a helically wound snake. In addition, in a selected set of these patents, the cable counting device requires a direct physical contact with the drain cleaning cable which could in some circumstances cause the counting device to become contaminated by debris carried by the drain cleaning snake or cable. Thus, these devices are somewhat limited and, further, do not encounter the same problems as are encountered in connection with monitoring the displacement of such a rotating cable coiled inside a rotating drum.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electronic cable counter configured to count an amount of snake or drain cleaning cable payed out from or retracted into a rotating drum of an associated drain cleaning apparatus without the need to directly contact the snake or cable and while permitting drum rotation. There is a further need for a drain cleaning apparatus including a frame, a drum, a flexible drain cleaning cable, and an electronic cable counter configured to count the amount of snake or cable payed out from or retracted into the rotating drum of the apparatus.
There is an additional need for an electronic cable counter configured to count an amount of snake or drain cleaning cable payed out from or retracted into a rotating drum of an associated drain cleaning apparatus on a per job basis as well as on an overall or historical basis. There is a further need for a drain cleaning apparatus including a frame, a drum, a flexible drain cleaning cable, and an electronic cable counter configured to count the amount of snake or cable payed out from or retracted into the rotating drum of the apparatus on a per job basis as well as on an overall or historical basis.
There is yet a further need for an electronic cable counter configured to count a time of use of the machine on a per job basis as well as on an overall or historical basis. There is a further need for a drain cleaning apparatus including a frame, a drum, a flexible drain cleaning cable, and an electronic cable counter configured to count the time of use of the machine on a per job basis as well as on an overall or historical basis.

Drain cleaning apparatus with electronic cable counter


A tapping screw includes a head, a shank and a cutting member, Said the shank has male threads, and the cutting member extends down from the shank and has a plurality of cutting grooves lengthwise formed and/or a plurality of wings also lengthwise formed; an annular groove is further provided between the shank and the cutting groove for wood waste cut out of a drilled hole of an object to move out smoothly and quickly, so the sharpness of the cutting member and the pointed end may be kept usual, and resistance against drilling and fixing of the screw may be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tapping screw, particularly to one possible to force cut wood waste move out of an object being fixed, and to shorten a cutting member as possible, and to elevate fixing force of a screw.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A first conventional tapping screw 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a head 10, a shank 11 provided with male threads 110, a cutting member 12 provided with a plurality of cutting grooves 120 and a plurality of wings 121 projecting outward from the outer surface of the cutting member 12. The wings 121 are formed in parallel vertically to the cutting grooves 120 so that the cutting member may be formed with one round of process. The wings 121 respectively have an inclined cut surface 1210 respectively formed at its lower side.
A second conventional tapping screw 2 shown in FIG. 3 includes a head 20, a shank 21, and cutting member 22. The cutting member 22 has a plurality of cutting grooves 220 vertically formed, and a plurality of wings 221, but the wings 221 are not parallel to the cutting grooves 220, so the cutting grooves 220 and the wings 221 needs a separate process, that is, two processes for forming, resulting in high cost.
A third conventional tapping screw shown in FIG. 4 includes also a head, a shank, and a cutting member 32, which is especially elongate, forming a plurality of cutting grooves 320 elongate for containing cut wood waste therein.
The common disadvantage of the three kinds of conventional tapping screw mentioned above is that the cutting grooves are located in the lower end portion of a screw, regardless of the cutting grooves being long or short. Then in drilling and fixing a screw on an object as shown in FIG. 5, wood waste 41 coming from a drilled hole 40 moves upward along the cutting grooves 13, 23 or 33 as shown respectively in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, exhausted out of the opening 400 of the drilled hole 40. Then wood waste in the cutting grooves may gradually be piled more and more in accordance with the space of the cutting grooves becoming smaller and smaller (the upper portion becomes smaller the lower portion), due to the wood waste continually produced. The sharpness of the outer edges of the cutting grooves and the pointed ends decreases gradually, blocked by the wood waste therein so that the screw may be impossible to pass through an object such as a steel plate 42.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the conventional tapping screw have the wings 121, 221 321 provided with the inclined surfaces 1210, 2210, 3210, which may function to cut the drilled hole 420 of a steel plate to a larger hole to form a trumpet-like hole 421. Then only a small portion instead of the whole portion of the male threads can engage with the hole 420, resulting in insufficient force of fixing of the screw with an object.


A method for measuring fluid flow are disclosed. The invention combines isolating flow conditioner technology with ultrasonic technology to determine flow velocity. The method and apparatus of the invention does not require the use of integration techniques or the prior determination of flow swirl or asymmetry to achieve accuracy. The performance of this novel flowmeter exceeds the performance of current ultrasonic flowmeters by an order of four to twelve times and offers significant savings in manufacturing and maintenance costs. The disclosed flowmeter also has self-diagnostic capabilities.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of ultrasonic flowmeters and, in particular, to an ultrasonic flowmeter that combines flow conditioning technology with simple and inexpensive ultrasonic technology to yield high accuracy. The method and apparatus of the invention does not require the use of integration techniques or the prior determination of flow swirl or asymmetry to achieve accuracy. The invention also allows implementation of various self-diagnostic features.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring now to FIG. 1, flowmeters are generally classified as either energy additive or energy extractive. Energy additive meters introduce energy into the flowing stream to determine flowrate. Common examples of energy additive meters are magnetic meters and ultrasonic meters. Energy extractive meters require energy from the flowing stream, usually in the form of pressure drop, to determine the fluid""s flowrate. Examples of energy extractive meters are PD meters, turbine meters, vortex meters and head meters (orifice, pitot, venturi, etc.).
Further subclasses of flowmeters are based on determining if the meter is discrete or inferential. Discrete meters determine the flowrate by continuously separating a flow stream into discrete segments and counting them. Inferential meters infer flowrate by measuring some dynamic property of the flowing stream.
Ultrasonic flowmeters are energy additive inferential flowmeters. They are well known in the art and can be further subclassified as shown in FIG. 2. Ultrasonic flowmeters determine the velocity of the flowing stream from the difference in transit time of acoustic pulses transmitted in the downstream and upstream directions between acoustic transducers. These acoustic pulses are transmitted along a chordal path, and a measure of the average chordal velocity is determined from the measured transit times. The fluid can be gas or liquid.
Transit times depend on the mean velocity of the chordal path, the flow profile and the turbulence structure of the flowing stream. The reliability of the measured chordal velocity depends on the path length, the configuration and radial position of the acoustic path, the transmitted acoustic pulse form, the electronic timing and gating performance and the calculations involved in reducing the measured parameters to the mean chordal velocity.
Acoustic transducers can be mounted in an invasive or non-invasive manner. An invasive mount invades the channel""s containment structure through an aperture and allows the transducer to transmit acoustic pulses directly into the flowing stream. Invasively mounted transducers are also referred to as xe2x80x9cwettedxe2x80x9d transducers. A non-invasive mount transmits the acoustic pulses through all or part of the channel""s containment structure. Transducers mounted in this fashion are also referred to as xe2x80x9cnon-wettedxe2x80x9d transducers.
The invasive mount is further classified as intrusive or non-intrusive. Intrusive mounting means that all or part of a transducer intrudes into the flowing stream. Non-intrusive mounting means that the transducer is recessed and does not intrude into the flowing stream.
Acoustic paths may be arranged in a reflective, non-reflective or hybrid geometry. A reflective path is arranged in a geometric manner to reflect one or more times off the containment structure or reflective bodies installed inside the channel. A non-reflective path is arranged in a geometric manner that does not reflect off the containment structure or a reflective body inside the channel. A hybrid is a design that employs both reflective and non-reflective paths. The number of paths and their placement in the channel vary among state of the art designs.
Ultrasonic flowmeters have been the center of attention within the natural gas industry for the last decade. State of the art ultrasonic flowmeters employ one of two commercially available integration methods to determine the average flow velocity in a circular duct. A third integration method is under development by the scientific community. Both commercial methods perform well in the laboratory environment of xe2x80x9cfully developedxe2x80x9d pipe flow. However, in the industrial environment, multiple piping configurations assembled in series generate complex problems for flow-metering engineers. The challenge is to minimize the difference, i.e. achieve xe2x80x9csimilarity,xe2x80x9d between the actual, field flow conditions and laboratory, xe2x80x9cfully developedxe2x80x9d flow conditions. The correlating parameters which impact similarity vary with meter type and design. However, it is generally accepted that the level of sensitivity to time-averaged velocity profile, turbulence structure, and bulk swirl is dependent on the metering technology and the specific design of that meter.
The first integration method, known as Gaussian integration, is based on a fixed number of paths whose locations and correction factors are based on the numerical Gaussian method selected by the designer. Several Gaussian methods are available from publications (Jacobi and Gauss, Pannell and Evans, etc.) or disclosed in U.S. Patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,564,912, 3,940,985, and 4,317,178. The advantages of this approach are clear. No additional information of the flow profile is required for calculating the average flowing velocity. The correction factors are fixed in advance as a result of the number of paths and the Gaussian method selected by the designer. Gaussian integration methods require at least four paths to yield acceptable results. Based on available public research, Gaussian integration methods have a bias uncertainty of up to 3% due to variations in piping configuration.
The second integration method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,812, determines the swirl and asymmetry of the flowing stream by transmitting acoustic pulses along two or more paths having different degrees of sensitivity to swirl and to symmetry. This method uses a conversion matrix to determine the correction factors for the chordal velocities based on the measured swirl and asymmetry. The recommended number of paths is five for the proprietary method. According to available literature, this integration method has an additional bias uncertainty of up to 1% due to variations in piping configuration.
The third integration method, now under development by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an eleven-path arrangement. The unit, termed the advanced ultrasonic flowmeter (AUFM), is based on computer modeling of pipe flow fields and simulations of their corresponding ultrasonic signatures. The sensor arrangement for the AUFM will have enhanced velocity profile diagnostic capabilities for deviations from non-ideal pipe flows. A pattern recognition system capable of classifying the approaching unknown flow among one of a number of typical flows contained in an onboard, electronic library will interpret the acoustic signals. The flow library will be created using results from computational fluid dynamics simulations. No bias uncertainty information is currently available for this experimental integration technique.
All of the state of the art ultrasonic flowmeters suffer from the disadvantage of high cost due to the requirement of at least four paths (up to eleven paths in the AUFM). Each path requires a pair of transducers with associated mounting mechanisms and wiring. Thus current ultrasonic flowmeters are costly and maintenance intensive. In addition, under real-world industrial conditions, current ultrasonic flowmeters suffer relatively high bias uncertainty errors due to swirl and asymmetry effects. These disadvantages are overcome by the present invention.
The present invention combines simple ultrasonic technology with isolating flow conditioner technology to determine the flow velocity in a channel. The performance of this novel combination exceeds current state of the art ultrasonic flowmeter performance by an order of four to twelve times and offers significant savings in manufacturing costs. In addition, this novel device allows the creation of a method for measuring the xe2x80x9creal timexe2x80x9d health of the flowmeter.
The isolating flow conditioner section of the present invention eliminates swirl (defined as reducing swirl or radial velocity perpendicular to the direction of flow to less than 2 degrees) and eliminates asymmetry (defined as less than 5% difference in flow velocity between parallel chords on opposing sides of the flow axis) upstream of the ultrasonic meter section. Acoustic pulses are then transmitted along a chordal path within the conditioned flow and the chordal velocity is determined from the measured transit times. A correction factor is then applied to the xe2x80x9crawxe2x80x9d chordal velocity to determine a highly accurate xe2x80x9ccorrectedxe2x80x9d measure of chordal velocity. The correction factor can be a weighting factor as further described below, or it can be a calibration factor based upon laboratory testing of that particular flowmeter. A calibration factor may be applied in lieu of the weighting factor or in addition to the weighting factor.
In designs that use a single-path ultrasonic flowmeter section, a weighting factor based upon the geometry of the acoustic path and the turbulence level of the flowing medium is used. Designs with an ultrasonic flowmeter section that has more than one path can further refine the weighting factor based upon a relaxation term, which is a measure of flow profile development. Use of weighting factors provides high accuracy without the necessity for laboratory testing and calibration of individual flowmeters.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the combination of isolating flow conditioner technology with ultrasonic flowmeter technology enables a self-diagnostic capabilities for measuring the xe2x80x9creal timexe2x80x9d health of the flowmeter. A one-path design provides a low-level capability for measuring flowmeter health, while multi-path designs provide a high-level capability. In the industrial environment, a flowmeter with such built-in diagnostic capabilities is referred to as a xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d flowmeter.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it can be used in a variety of different channel cross-sections, including cylindrical, square, rectangular, curved rectilinear or a U-shaped cross-sections, without any accuracy degradation.

Method for determining flow velocity in a channel


In a connector fitting structure, one connector includes an inner housing, having lock arms, and an outer housing having a slider slidably mounted therein. The other connector includes a housing, and engagement projections for abutment against the slider and for respectively elastically deforming the lock arms are formed on this housing. Second retaining portions, which are engageable respectively with first retaining portions formed on the one connector, are formed respectively on engagement arms 16 provided at a second slide member of the slider. Stoppers, which prevent the cancellation of the engagement of the first retaining portions with the second retaining portions before starting the connector fitting operation, are formed on a first slide member of the slider.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector fitting structure in which a pair of male and female connectors are fittingly connected together.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-49746, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, many electronic equipments are mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, and various cables for supplying electric power to these equipments and for controlling these equipments, as well as male and female connectors for connecting these cables, have been extensively used. Such male and female connectors have durability and a waterproof function so as to be suitably used in a severe environment, in which vibrations and submergence are encountered, and besides the male and female connectors are so constructed that a wire harness or the like can be easily attached to and detached from the connectors during an assembling process and at the time of maintenance.
One example of conventional connector fitting structures will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11. As shown in FIG. 8, a male connector (one connector) 60 of the connector fitting structure 51 includes an inner housing 62, which has terminal receiving chambers for respectively receiving a predetermined number of socket contacts, and is open to the front side thereof, and an outer housing 61 covering the outer periphery of the inner housing 62.
The outer housing 61 includes a slider receiving portion 63 for receiving a slider 70, and guide grooves 65 for respectively guiding opposite side portions of the slider 70 are formed respectively at opposite side portions of the slider receiving portion 63, that is, in inner surfaces of opposite side walls of the outer housing 61. Within the slider receiving portion 63, lock arms 66, each having a free end (front end in a connector fitting direction), are formed integrally on the inner housing 62.
A housing lock 68 for retaining engagement with an engagement projection 93 on a female connector (the other connector) 90 is formed on an upper surface of each lock arm 66 at the distal end thereof. An insertion space 66a for allowing the insertion of a pressing rib 92 on the female connector 90 is formed between the distal end portions of the lock arms 66. A pressing portion 69, which is pressed when canceling the fitting connection, is formed on central portions of the lock arms 66.
A pair of retaining arms 67 for temporarily preventing the rearward movement of the slider 70 are provided respectively in opposite side spaces 63a of the slider receiving portion 63 disposed at a rear portion of the housing in the connector fitting direction.
The slider 70 comprises a first slide member 71, a second slide member 76 engaged with a rear portion of the first slide member 71, and compression springs 83 held in the second slide member 76.
The first slide member 71 includes a pair of rearwardly-extending stopper arm portions 73 and 73, which are engaged respectively with front ends of the compression springs 83, and an interconnecting portion 74 interconnecting these arm portions. An abutment portion 75, against which the pressing rib 92 on the female connector 90, can abut, is formed at the interconnecting portion 74. A pair of slide grooves 72 and 72 for allowing the movement of engagement arm portions 78 of the second slide member 76 are formed in opposite ends of the interconnecting portion 74, respectively.
The second slide member 76 has forwardly-extending retaining portions 77. The retaining portions 77 can be engaged respectively with the housing locks 68, formed respectively at the distal ends of the lock arms 66, during a connector fitting operation. A passage notch 77a for allowing the passage of the pressing rib 92 of the female connector 90 is formed between front ends of the retaining portions 77. An operating portion 79, which is pressed when canceling the fitting connection, is formed at an upper portion of the second slide member 76 at a widthwise-central portion thereof, and this operating portion 79 covers the pressing portion 69 of the lock arms 66 in overlying relation thereto.
For assembling the slider 70, the compression springs 83 are inserted respectively into spring receiving chambers 81 in the second slide member 76, and then the stopper arm portions 73 of the first slide member 71 are inserted into the spring receiving chambers 81, respectively. The engagement arm portions 78 are engaged respectively with retaining surfaces 73a of the stopper arm portions 73, thereby combining the first and second slide members 71 and 76 together into a unitary form. The slider 70, thus assembled into a unitary form, is inserted into the male connector 60 from the front side thereof, and is pushed until the rear end of the second slide member 76 is brought into retaining engagement with retaining projections 67a of the retaining arms 67.
The female connector 90 has a housing insertion port 94 open to the front side thereof. The pressing rib 92 for abutment against the abutment portion 75 of the first slide member 71 is formed upright on a housing 91. The pair of engagement projections 93 for respectively elastically deforming the lock arms 66 are formed respectively on both side surfaces of the pressing rib 92 at the front end thereof.
Next, the operation for fitting the male and female connectors 60 and 90 together will be described.
When the fitting operation is started as shown in FIG. 9, the pressing rib 92 of the female connector 90 passes through the passage notch 77a (see FIG. 8), and the front end of the pressing rib 92 abuts against the abutment portion 75 of the first slide member 71.
When the fitting operation further proceeds, the pressing rib 92 of the female connector 90, while pressing the first slide member 71, enters the insertion space 66a (see FIG. 8) between the lock arms 66 of the male connector 60. At this time, the engagement projections 93, formed at the front end of the pressing rib 92, are brought into sliding contact with slanting surfaces of the housing locks 68, formed respectively at the distal ends of the lock arms 66, respectively, so that the distal end portions of the lock arms 66 are displaced toward the housing 91 of the female connector 90. As a result, the distal ends of the housing locks 68 are engaged respectively with the retaining portions 77 of the second slide member 76, thereby preventing the sliding movement of the second slide member 76, as shown in FIG. 10.
When the fitting operation further proceeds, the first slide member 71 is pushed by the pressing rib 92, and therefore is moved rearward. At this time, the engagement arm portions 78 of the second slide member 76 are introduced respectively into the slide grooves 72 (see FIG. 8) in the first slide member 71. Thus, the first slide member 71 is moved while the second slide member 76 is stopped, and therefore the compression springs 83 in the second slide member 76 are compressed, and a restoring force for resiliently restoring the compression spring 83 into its original condition is produced in each compression spring 83.
If the fitting operation is stopped in a half-fitted condition in which the housing locks 68 of the male connector 60 are not completely engaged respectively with the engagement projections 93 of the female connector 90, the first slide member 71 is pushed back in a disengaging direction (opposite to the connector fitting direction) by the restoring force of the compression springs 83. Therefore, the half-fitted condition can be easily detected.
Then, when the fitting operation further proceeds against the bias of the compression springs 83, the engagement projections 93 of the female connector 90 slide respectively past the housing locks 68 formed respectively at the distal ends of the lock arms 66, as shown in FIG. 11. At this time, the lock arms 66 are elastically restored into their original shape. As a result, the engagement of the distal end of each housing lock 68 with the retaining portion 77 is canceled, so that the housing lock 68 is engaged with the rear end of the engagement projection 93. Namely, the male connector 60 and the female connector 90 are completely fitted together, and contacts 64 in the male connector are completely electrically connected respectively to contacts 95 in the female connector.
For canceling the completely-fitted condition shown in FIG. 11, the operating portion 79 of the second slide member 76 is pushed back by the finger or other against the bias of the compression springs 83 to a position where this operating portion 79 covers the pressing portion 69 of the lock arms 66. In this condition, the operating portion 79 is pressed to depress the pressing portion 69, so that the housing locks 68 of the lock arms 66 are displaced downward (in the drawings). As a result, the engagement of the housing locks 68 with the engagement projections 93 is canceled. At this time, the first slide member 71 is pushed forward by the restoring force of the compressed compression springs 83. As a result, the female connector 90 is pushed back in the disengaging direction through the pressing rib 92 abutted against the abutment portion 75 of the first slide member 71.
In the above conventional connector fitting structure 51, the slider 70 is mounted in the slider receiving portion 63 of the male connector 60, and in this condition, the restoring force is slightly produced in the compression springs 83 before the fitting operation is started. Therefore, the retainment of the second slide member 76 by the retaining projections 67a of the retaining arms 67 was sometimes canceled by vibrations or other developing during the transport of the product, so that the second slide member 76 is moved rearward (right in FIG. 9) by the resilient force of the compression springs 83. If the second slide member 76 is thus moved, the second slide member 76 must first be pushed back to its initial position (shown in FIG. 9) when starting the fitting operation, and therefore the fitting operation is cumbersome.
The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector fitting structure in which a half-fitted condition of a pair of male and female connectors can be positively detected, and besides the fitting operation can be easily carried out.
The above object of the invention has been achieved by a connector fitting structure comprising a first connector having an inner housing opening to a front side thereof, an outer housing covering the inner housing and a lock arm provided on the inner housing;
a second connector fitted and connected to the first connector and having an engagement projection;
a slider comprising, a first slide member for sliding within the connector in a connector fitting direction, a second slide member engaged with a rear portion of the first slide member, and an resilient member for urging the first and second slide members away from each other;
wherein at least one part of the second slide member is engaged with at least one part of the first connector to thereby retain the second slide member in its initial position and a stopper means provided on the fist slide member for preventing the cancellation of the engagement between the parts of the second slide member and the first connector before the connector fitting operation, and
wherein, the engagement projection of the second connector urges the first slider member and deforms elastically the lock arm to thereby prevent tentatively the second slide member from moving, whereby the first slide member is moved relatively to the second slide member and the first connector to thereby unlock the stopper means and disengage the engagement between the parts of the second slide member and the first connector by an abutment of a part of the first connector to the second sliding member in accordance with the connector fitting operation.
In the above connector fitting structure, when the slider is disposed in its initial position where the second retaining portion of the second slide member is retained by the first retaining portion of the one connector before the operation for fitting the male and female connectors together is started, the stopper of the first slide member prevents the cancellation of the engagement of the first retaining portion with the second retaining portion. Therefore, the second slide member can be positively prevented from being moved before starting the fitting operation, and therefore it is not necessary to push the second slide member back to its initial position, and the fitting operation can be carried out easily and rapidly.


An arrangement for mounting of a mobile apparatus in equipment provided with a first movable support displaceable along a main axis, the first movable support being able to receive the mobile apparatus for it to be arranged in a location in which it is held in position by a holding device. The holding device is itself displaceable along a longitudinal axis between a retracted position in which the mobile apparatus can be placed in or removed from the location and an extended position in which the mobile apparatus is held in position in the housing. The equipment is in addition provided with a mechanical transmission means arranged between the movable support and the holding device so that the displacements of the mobile apparatus drives those of the holding device.

Devices are known permitting the installation of a mobile apparatus of mobile telephone with touchscreen or "smartphone" type in various equipment, for example a seat armrest or a central console of a motor vehicle.
Application FR1255634 teaches a particular arrangement in which the visible surface of the mobile apparatus, generally the touchscreen, is in surface continuity with the surface of the equipment. Moreover, when the mobile apparatus is removed, a cover is automatically placed in position not allowing the empty location intended for the mobile device to be seen. The arrangement can in addition be provided with a means which retains the mobile apparatus in position in its location.
Application FR1343040 teaches an arrangement provided with a holding device and a device for electrical connection of the mobile apparatus, the two devices being manually activated once the apparatus is placed in position, the delicate manipulation of the apparatus intended to place it exactly in position being able to attract and retain the attention of a vehicle driver.
Application FR1355429 teaches an arrangement provided with motorization and a control device permitting connection and a fixing of the mobile apparatus by simple depression.
This latter version remains dependent on an electrical connection to power the motor.

Automated arrangement of a mobile apparatus in equipment


A connector assembly is provided for coupling an electric motor to a power source, wherein the power source comprises a first conductive member. The connector assembly comprises a non-conductive member having an inner channel configured to receive at least a portion of the first conductive member, a second conductive member slidably disposed within the inner channel, coupled to the electric motor, and configured to be coupled to, and to receive a force having a first direction from, the first conductive member, and a spring member, retained between the non-conductive member and the second conductive member and configured to resist movement of the second conductive member in the first direction.

Increasingly, modern vehicles are configured to use electric traction motors to drive wheels. For example, a vehicle may include an alternating current (AC) traction motor that is coupled to an inverter. The inverter converts direct current (DC) received from a power source (e.g., a battery) to alternating current that can be used by the AC traction motor. In general, inverters use a combination of switches, or transistors, operated at various intervals to convert DC power to AC power. The AC traction motor receives the AC power via one or more inverter output terminals.
Typically, AC traction motors are coupled to the inverter output terminal via a cable assembly. The cable assembly includes a cable that is coupled to the AC traction motor and the inverter output terminal via one or more pluggable connectors, ring connectors, crimp connectors, or other suitable electrical connector types. In addition, the cable may be secured within the vehicle via one or more clips or brackets. Cable assemblies such as the one described above provide an effective mechanism for coupling an AC traction motor to an inverter output terminal.
However, the use of a cable assembly does have certain disadvantages. For example, the cable assembly must be connected, and disconnected, each time the inverter is installed on, or removed from, the vehicle, increasing the complexity and cost of manufacturing, or repairing, the vehicle. Further, the cable assembly is subject to vibrations, heat, and other conditions within the vehicle that can damage the cable or cause it to become disconnected. Under such circumstances, it may be necessary to replace or reconnect the cable resulting in additional expense to the vehicle owner.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a connector assembly for coupling an AC traction motor to an inverter output terminal that does not require a cable. In addition, it is also desirable to provide a connector assembly that enables an inverter to be installed on, or removed from, a vehicle without the need to connect, or disconnect, a cable. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Connector assembly for coupling an electric motor to a power source


This invention relates to a method and apparatus for centralized control of operations, administration, maintenance and provisioning (OAMP) for a system comprising sub network elements and sub-elements from a plurality of vendors having different OAMP interfaces. The messages to and from the sub network elements are translated into a standard format for display at a centralized control terminal. Advantageously, a system administrator can control the network without having to have detailed knowledge of the OAMP interface of each element.

Today's telecom systems are made up of different components offering different capabilities, interconnected and configured to provide advertised end-to-end services. These components, also referred to as Sub Network Elements (SNEs), based on Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) Standard, can be supplied by different vendors. Therefore, the scope of the Operations, Administration, Maintenance and Provisioning (OAMP) management capabilities offered by these components vary and are limited to the components only. Thus, managing (monitoring and maintaining) a system made up of SNEs from different vendors, with different native OAMP capabilities, different user interfaces and distributed geographically, significantly impacts the maintenance cost and system reliability.

Telecommunications management interface system


The heat capacity laser concept is extended to systems in which the heat capacity lasing media is a liquid. The laser active liquid is circulated from a reservoir (where the bulk of the media and hence waste heat resides) through a channel so configured for both optical pumping of the media for gain and for light amplification from the resulting gain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to diode pumped heat capacity lasers. More specifically, it relates to the production of high-energy laser output from a liquid state laser operated in a heat capacity limited regime.
2. Description of Related Art
For continuous operation of medium to high average power lasers various heat exchanger systems, frequently with water flow loops and refrigeration units, have been used to handle the waste heat These cooling systems tend to be a significant (if not dominant) contribution to the laser system's mass, size, and average power consumption. There are a class of laser applications arising today that require minimal mass, volume, and peak electrical demand to support a given laser power. In this class there are a variety of applications in which the laser is to be operated only for an interval of time, followed by a longer period of time in which system recovery may be achieved; the so called "burst mode" laser. This is the basis of the concept of the heat capacity laser solid-state media (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,372, titled: "High Energy Bursts From A Solid State Laser Operated In The Heat Capacity Limited Regime," by Albrecht et al.). In the state of the art solid-state heat capacity system, the heat released during operation is stored in the lasing media itself, which is also thermally isolated. This isolation is used to reduce thermal gradients within the laser media. If allowed to form, these gradients severely limit the optical quality of the laser media.
Laser systems empowered by heat capacity technology have a high value at the present time. Practical laser weapons are militarily desirable. The systems receiving attention are heat capacity solid-state lasers. The solid-state heat capacity approach solves a variety of problems that the conventionally cooled laser poses when operated in the extremely high power regime. A thermally isolated media can be pumped much harder than a cooled media since there is so little heat conduction in the media, hence greatly reduced internal stresses (driven by temperature gradients). With greatly reduced thermal gradients, there are greatly reduced beam aberrations, which allow current adaptive optical technology to handle the residual distortions even in a 100,000 watt scale laser. A 100 kW actively cooled laser would need ˜400 kW worth of cooling on the gain media. This will produce a very large concurrent power drain to the refrigeration unit as well require a big and heavy cooling unit This prevents the practical realization of mobile applications. In the heat capacity approach, cooling is separate from lasing, such that the cooling rate does not need to match the lasing media heating rate, allowing much smaller cooling systems and requiring power for cooling after the high laser power demand is gone.
A heat capacity laser is not simply a laser running with the cooling off. A heat capacity laser must be built according to principles laid out in the description of heat capacity lasers as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,372 For solid-state systems, the amount of gain media is more dependent on run time than on lasing cross section. Structures to hold the media must be reasonably thermally isolating in order to keep thermal conduction small. The on time will be dictated by the elevated temperature laser dynamics. The pumping scheme must be very uniform in the lasing beam cross-section plane.

The Regents of the University of California


A baud rate mixing transmission system includes a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus. The transmission apparatus transmits data signals at predetermined different baud rates at time intervals. The transmission apparatus adds a baud rate switching signal indicating a baud rate of a data signal to the data signal. The reception apparatus detects the baud rate switching signal added to the data signal from the transmission apparatus, and receives the data signal in accordance with the detected baud rate switching signal.

The present invention relates to a baud rate mixing transmission system for transmitting data signals at a plurality of different transmission rates (baud rates) at time intervals, and receiving transmitted data signals in accordance with corresponding baud rates.
As the first apparatus for receiving data signals transmitted at a plurality of different baud rates at time intervals, a data reception apparatus is disclosed in, e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-83328. This first apparatus includes a generating means for generating clock signals corresponding to a plurality of baud rates such as 200 bps, 600 pbs, and 1,200 pbs. When a data signal is to be received, the transmitted data signal is sampled to discriminate a synchronization pattern, and a baud rate is calculated from the discriminated synchronization pattern. A corresponding reception clock signal is selected from the generating means on the basis of this calculation result, and subsequent data reception is performed on the basis of the selected reception clock signal
The second apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-238338 includes two types of data interval detecting circuits for detecting the specific baud rates of data signals from the transmitted data signals, and a count circuit for sampling input data with an external clock signal. Detection results obtained by the respective detecting circuits are supplied, as control signals, to gate circuits arranged for the respective baud rates. A data signal having a desired baud rate is output from the output terminal of a gate circuit corresponding to the desired baud rate.
In the first apparatus described above, since a specific timing at which the baud rate of a data signal transmitted from the transmission side changes is unknown on the reception side, a baud rate is determined by using a synchronization pattern. In the second apparatus, when a data signal transmitted from the transmission side is to be received, a data interval is set for the data signal to determine a specific baud rate.
In both the apparatuses, therefore, when a data signal transmitted from the transmission side is to be received on the reception side, detection processing must be performed while expecting all baud rate values from the data signal. In the first apparatus, in particular, baud rate detection processing is complicated. In the second apparatus, a complicated, large-size detection circuit is required.
Furthermore in both the apparatuses since a baud rate is directly detected from a data signal transmitted from the transmission side, the processing time between the instant at which a baud rate changes and the instant at which this baud rate is detected is required. During such a detection processing time, therefore, received data cannot be properly detected on the reception side. Consequently, the received data during this time is lost.


A seat adjustment device for a vehicle comprising a base member, a pair of lower rails, a pair of upper rails, a pair of latch assemblies, a handle, and a top member, wherein the adjustment device is adjustable within a range toward the front of the vehicle or the rear of the vehicle.

In conventional trucks, the driver's seat is typically bolted directly to the floor and/or cannot be adjusted to accommodate a range of drivers. This presents a significant problem because the conventional truck driver's seat cannot accommodate drivers of different sizes, heights, and weights. Instead, if a driver is swapped for a particular truck, the entire driver's seat and base apparatus must be removed and a new seat and base apparatus installed to fit the new driver. This is a significant issue for the trucking industry, especially for those who frequently switch drivers. Moreover, this has been an unsolved-problem for many years.
Accordingly, there is a significant and long-felt need for a seat-adjustment device that can be easily adjusted for each driver without removing the entire seat. Such an improvement would offer a "one-size-fits-all" device that could easily adjust for each driver. Along with other features and advantages outlined herein, seat adjustment devices within present embodiments meet these and other needs. In doing so, the inventive apparatuses easily adjust for each driver and offer additional room as compared to conventional seats.