A web processing apparatus has a cutting mechanism for cutting elongate webs of different widths from a raw web, a core rotating mechanism for selectively holding cores having different diameters and different axial lengths and rotating a selected one of the cores in opposite directions, a winding mechanism for supporting one of the elongate webs on an outer circumferential surface of the core to wind the elongate web in different winding directions when the core is rotated, and a cutting mechanism for cutting an end of the elongate web to produce a roll after the elongate web is wound around the core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a web winding apparatus for winding an elongate web cut to a predetermined width on a core, a method of and an apparatus for processing a web edge which is produced when a raw web is cut off, and a web processing apparatus for cutting an end of the elongate web to produce a web roll.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, winding machines for automatically winding an elongate web, e.g., an elongate film, on a core and cutting machines for cutting a wide raw film into an elongate film having a given width and automatically winding the elongate film on a core have various winding mechanisms for supporting the elongate film on the outer circumferential surface of the core when the core is rotated in a winding position.
Such winding mechanisms have a holder angularly movable for holding a spool on the tip end of a belt wrapper and a drive mechanism for reciprocally moving the belt wrapper until the central axis of the spool held by the holder is aligned with the central axis of a winding drum, as disclosed in Japanese patent publication No. 57-40052, for example.
Japanese utility model publication No. 48-38149 discloses a strip coiler having a mandrel for winding a strip into a coil, and a plurality of wrapper roll frames disposed around the mandrel with wrapper rolls and guide plates being positioned inwardly thereof, the wrapper roll frames each having an end pivotally mounted on a housing, and a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders coupled to the wrapper roll frames for pressing the wrapper rolls toward and retracting the wrapper rolls away from a position to start winding the strip.
It has become necessary in recent years to process various films of the same kind having different widths to meet demands for a variety of film products. Cutting machines and winding machines are thus required to have a winding mechanism capable of handling different widths of films.
For example, FIG. 93 of the accompanying drawings shows a winding mechanism 1 having two belt wrappers (or block wrappers) 4 for holding given portions of opposite ends of a core 3 which is supported by a core rotating mechanism 2, and a moving mechanism 5 for moving the belt wrappers 4 axially in the directions indicated by the arrow A depending on the axial length of the core 3. The moving mechanism 5 has a guide frame 6 extending in the directions indicated by the arrow A. The belt wrappers 4 are disposed on the guide frame 6 so as to be movable therealong by rack and pinion means (not shown) actuated by motors 7. The belt wrappers 4 are positioned in respective locations on the guide frame 6 depending on the axial length of the core 3, i.e., the width of a raw film.
However, since a film F is supported on the core 3 by the two belt wrappers 4, the film F cannot be held under pressure across its full width. Therefore, the film F wound around the core 3 tends to become loose or be displaced at its ends, and hence is not wound stably on the core 3.
One solution is to use a winding mechanism 1′ shown in FIG. 94 of the accompanying drawings. The winding mechanism 1′ has a plurality of block wrappers (or belt wrappers) 8 for holding the outer circumferential surface of a core 3 that is supported by a core rotating mechanism 2, and a moving mechanism 5′ for placing a given number of block wrappers 8 in a winding position depending on the axial length of the core 3. The moving mechanism 5′ has a guide frame 6′ extending in the directions indicated by the arrow A, with the block wrappers 8 being disposed on the guide frame 6′ so as to be movable therealong by motors 7′.
The winding mechanism 1′ is, however, problematic in that when a size change is performed in the transverse direction of a film F, those block wrappers 8 positioned in interference with the core rotating mechanism 2 need to be retracted into retracted zones 9′ outside of a raw film width 9, and hence the guide frame 6′ is considerably long in the directions indicated by the arrow A, making the winding mechanism 1′ large in overall size.
For changing the size of the core 3 and changing the direction in which the film F is wound, it is proposed to unitize the winding mechanism 1′ in its entirety and replace the unitized winding mechanism 1′ with another unit. However, since the winding mechanism 1′ is large in size, such unit replacement is difficult to perform.
If an actuator such as a cylinder or the like with a fixed stroke were used to move each of the block wrappers 8 in the directions indicated by the arrow A, then the winding mechanism 1′ could handle only films F of a particular size and would be poor in adaptability. For this reason, each of the block wrappers 8 uses a servomotor or a stepping motor as the positioning motor 7′, and hence needs a complex wiring and a complex control process.
To meet recent demands for a variety of film products, there have also been required two lines of film products, one having a film wound on a core with a coated surface of the film being directed toward the core, i.e., a roll with an inner coated surface, and the other having a film wound on a core with a coated surface of the film being directed away from the core, i.e., a roll with an outer coated surface. Therefore, various automatic winding apparatus capable of automatically changing the direction in which the film faces, i.e., the winding direction, are employed in the cutting and winding processes (see, for example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 10-25043 and Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 58-157663).
According to Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 10-25043, as shown in FIG. 95 of the accompanying drawings, two lock arms 3a, 3b swingable by respective cylinders 2a, 2b are disposed one on each side of a core 1a that is disposed in a film winding position. A rubber band 4a is trained around the lock arms 3a, 3b. A guide plate 7a for directing a film F which is fed vertically downwardly past a guide roller 5a selectively on both sides of the core 1a is swingably disposed above the core 1a.
For winding the film F counterclockwise around the core 1a, the guide plate 7a is placed in the solid-line position in FIG. 95, and the lock arm 3b is held in an open position by the cylinder 2b. Therefore, the film F which is fed vertically downwardly past the guide roller 5a has its leading end guided by the guide plate 7a and enters between the core 1a and the lock arm 3b. Then, when the core 1a rotates counterclockwise in the direction indicated by the arrow, the leading end of the film F is introduced between the core 1a and the rubber band 4a, causing the film F to be wound around the core 1a.
For winding the film F clockwise around the core 1a, the guide plate 7a is swung from the solid-line position to the dotted-line position, and the cylinders 2a, 2b are actuated to bring the lock arm 3a into an open position away from the core 1a and place the lock arm 3b in a closed position. The film F is now introduced between the core 1a and the rubber band 4a on the right side of the core 1a, and wound clockwise around the core 1a.
However, since the film F that has been cut transversely travels along a tortuous path before the leading end of the film F enters between the rubber band 4a and the core 1a, or it is difficult to control the rubber band 4a, which serves as a belt wrapper, in the transverse direction of the film F, even if the position of the leading end of the film F that is paid out is accurately controlled, an edge Fa of the film F may possibly project from the end of the core 1a, as shown in FIG. 96 of the accompanying drawings, due to a meandering movement of the rubber band 4a. Consequently, the projecting edge Fa tends to be damaged when a roll made up of the film F wound around the core 1a is delivered to and packaged by a packaging process, or the packaged roll is shipped.
It has been desired to use various cores having different diameters including a 2-inch diameter and a 3-inch diameter and also having different widths covering various film widths. There is also a demand for the production of film rolls having films wound on such cores with both inner and outer coated surfaces.
According to the above conventional arrangements, though the direction in which the film faces or the winding direction can be changed, it is impossible to handle different outside diameters of cores and different film widths. Therefore, it is necessary to provide different automatic winding apparatus dedicated to handling various cores of different diameters and different axial lengths. As a result, a large facility is required for installing the different winding apparatuses, and the production cost is high.
Various proposals have heretofore been made to automatically wind an elongate film. One such proposal is a slitter apparatus disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 6-234444, for example. In the conventional slitter apparatus, after a narrow web is wound to a given full length on a core disposed on the lower end of a core holding frame, producing a fully wound roll, a roll removal carriage is elevated to the core holding frame and supports the fully wound roll on its upper surface. The roll removal carriage removes the fully wound roll from the core holding frame, and is lowered while supporting the fully wound roll thereon.
When the core holding frame is moved and a new roll abuts against a touch roller, a cutting blade cuts off the narrow web in the transverse direction. Thereafter, one end of the cut-off narrow web is wound around the fully wound roll, and the other end is wound around the new core, starting to wind the narrow web around the new core.
When the roll removal carriage supports the fully wound roll, as shown in FIG. 97 of the accompanying drawings, a core rotating shaft 2c on a core holding frame 1b is rotated to wind a narrow web 4b to a given full length around a core 3c, producing a fully wound roll 5b. Thereafter, a roll removal carriage 6b is lifted to place the fully wound roll 5b thereon.
However, unless the narrow web 4b is wound to a certain length around the core 3c, the fully wound roll 5b is small in diameter, and when the roll removal carriage 6b is lifted, it may possibly interfere with the core holding frame 1b. Consequently, the fully wound roll 5b cannot be removed unless the fully wound roll 5b has a relatively large diameter, i.e., the narrow web 4b is substantially fully wound on the core 3c.
Usually, the roll removal carriage 6b has a width equal to or smaller than the minimum width of the fully wound roll 5b so as to handle size changes of various fully wound rolls 5b having different widths. However, when a fully wound roll 5b having a maximum width is discharged, the roll removal carriage 6b may possibly be damaged because the surface pressure developed by contact between the roll removal carriage 6b and the fully wound roll 5b is high. In addition, a complex size changing structure is needed, resulting in the high cost of the facility.
In the winding process described above, unwanted film edges are cut off both sides of the raw film, and need to be efficiently processed. It is known to collect severed film edges with an air stream. However, wide film edges which have been cut off a raw film cannot be collected with an air stream. Another process is to use a chopper to cut film edges into small pieces. However, the use of the chopper is liable to increase the cost of the facility, and is likely to cause trouble due to electrostatic charges which may impede to achieve a desired edge processing capability.
Heretofore, it has been customary for a worker to process film edges manually. Specifically, after a film edge is wound around an edge shaft, the film edge is cut off by the worker using scissors. Then, the worker manually removes the film edge from the edge shaft, and discards the film edge into a trash box.
Since the film edge is processed in a dark room as the film needs to be shielded from light, it is difficult for the worker to use the scissors and carry the film edge which is heavy.
Wide film edges need to be processed highly frequently because there is a limitation, such as 147 N (Newton), for example, on weights that can be carried by workers. When such film edges are processed, since the production facility needs to be shut off, the overall process of processing films cannot be performed efficiently. In addition, it is not possible to reduce the cost of films by making the film edge processing unattended by workers.


An electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor includes a motion artifact detector configured to detect a motion artifact component from a first channel signal of a first channel and a second channel signal of a second channel using a channel offset coefficient. The channel offset coefficient indicates a difference between the first channel signal and the second channel signal. The ECG sensor includes an ECG filter configured to generate an ECG signal by performing a least mean square (LMS) filtering operation on the first channel signal to remove the motion artifact component.

At least one example embodiment of the inventive concepts relates to an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor and/or a method of operating the same, and more particularly, to an ECG sensor for processing a signal for accurate detection of an ECG signal and/or a method of operating the same.
A biopsy system collects and analyzes action current generated in a subject (e.g., a person's heart), electrical changes in the action current, and so on and displays various biometric data of the subject in a form that can be recognized by an examiner. In detail, a biopsy system analyzes the changes in a voltage induced in a measuring electrode attached to a patient, and collects a bio-signal.
To collect a bio-signal using a biopsy system, a measuring electrode needs to be physically attached to the patient's skin. However, it is difficult to detect a signal generated in only the patient because of the patient's continuous motion, poor contact between the measuring electrode and the patient's skin, or an electrical signal generated by the movement of joints or muscles.
Accordingly, an approach for removing noise other than a signal generated in a subject in a biopsy system is desired in order to accurately collect various biometric data in daily life.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor and method of operating the same


A system and method of communication for a confined area of a facility are disclosed. Personal identification information of a guest is received into at least one of a set of stations distributed throughout the confined area to register the guest. Demographic information regarding the registered guest is received. The movement of the guest is monitored over time, and the guest movement information is stored. Reports are created on the demographic and movements of the guest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a data analysis system and method. It more particularly relates to a data analysis system and method, which may be used in confined areas of facilities such as amusement parks, theme parks, large retail stores, ships, casinos and others.
2. Background Art
There is no admission that any of the background art disclosed in this section legally constitutes prior art.
Large confined areas of facilities, such as amusement parks, theme parks, large retail stores, casinos, ships, and others, invite people to enter their facility for acquiring various goods and/or services. When the goods and/or services are distributed throughout a large confined area, the patrons typically wander either purposefully or randomly throughout the facility while determining which goods and/or services are to be procured.
It would be desirable to help facilitate the use of the facility while the patrons are present within the confined area of the facility.


A training device for thrown or pitched balls at a target is disclosed, especially useful for basketball training, in which a hyperbolic paraboloid surface deflects the approaching ball at a known angle in a manner in which the returned ball will strike a mat. The mat includes indicia which can be diagnostically useful in determining the proper correction to the throw or pitch.

Learning to throw or pitch an object, such as a ball, at a target upon which the object is to impact or pass through can be difficult, especially for younger players of games such as basketball, baseball, and football, because their body height, arm lengths, muscular power and quickness change throughout their cycle of maturation. Learning to throw or shoot a ball actually is an on-going process, because the motor motion and viewing angle of the target is different at each different particular body size and relative dimensions, which much relearning is required as the body changes size and proportions. To add to this challenge is the fact that, in some games, the game court dimensions, goal dimensions and ball size and weight are different for different age brackets. As such, while playing "little league" sports may appear simplistic, younger growing players face many challenges that mature, early adult players do not face and vice versa.
During the later adult aging processes, similar changes occur, but they occur in muscle strength, muscle quickness, slight changes in height, and reduced visual acuity. This also makes practice into more of an on-going learning process for adults, as well, even though many players do not recognize this.
Many training devices such as pitch-back targets (football, baseball) and restricted opening targets (football, baseball, and basketball) indicate an error in the pitch, throw, or shot, but they do not provide feedback to the player as to what changes or compensation to make to correct the error. Additionally, return devices tend to be bulky, large, and complicated. Targets fail to accurately define a finite point of aim and/or angles of launch. Targets fail to define an angle of entry. Other training processes fail to define a successful shot as one which is defined to maximize tolerance (centering of opportunity).
Turning to basketball, early in the history of the sport inventors used an apparatus having a circular hoop of smaller diameter placed acutely above and attached to the front of the regulation hoop as a guide to increase or assure a prescribed arc. This apparatus also had a restricted area of passage through which the practice toss of a basketball was then required to pass through to indicate a successful shot.
Since those early attempts at constructing a training aid/apparatus, numerous attempts have been invented featuring other devices providing feedback training, including: ball return; aiming and or reduced size hoop targeting devices; "proper" arc guidance or modifiers; nets; ramps, motorized directional ball return systems, video capture of visual and radio frequency indicated projectile motion path detection systems.
The complexity of the Physics associated with motion of a sphere through a fluid (air resistance) under the influence of acceleration of positive and negative values for gravitational pull between point of launch (release) and optimum passage through a horizontally disposed hoop of "reported" diameter of 18 inches (about 46 centimeters) at a commonly referred to distance of 15 feet (about 4.6 meters) for the free throw. It is not uncommon to dismiss the effect of air drag when studying or writing problems associated with motion equations as they relate/apply to basketball motion equations.
The training devices generally have been static, tethered or rotatably mounted to give way to allow the practice basketball to pass through the hoop thereby providing an immediate visual outcome. The return device portion of these training devices included massive cages, nets or shroud effects, and the arc identifiers involved computerized tracking and audible feedback which required interpretation or translation to kinetic terms and/or provide delayed result reporting.
The misinformation (myths) 18 inch (about 46 centimeters) diameter hoop when measured at center of cross section of ⅝ inch (about 1.7 centimeter) rod, is that there is an effective vertical clearance diameter of 17⅜ inches (about 44.1 centimeters). The common measure cited for the free throw is 15 feet (about 4.6 meters), which is the distance from the free throw line to the front plane of the backboard extended to the floor. The swish shot fails to maximize the opportunity for successful passage through the hoop.
The failure of athletes to comprehend and then adjust to the physics based changes associated with player growth, including increased height which modifies variables of the motion equation and then decreases the viewing angle to the basket, leads to diminishing results to many taller or tallest players.
With a range of release points from shortest to tallest players being greater than the range in player heights e.g. 5.0 feet to 7.7+ feet (about 1.5 meters to about 2.4+ meters) one angle of launch or arc definition fails to satisfy the need throughout the range of players in the sport.
What is needed is an easy to understand and easy to use accurate training aid and method to assist the individual player identify and practice to perfection targeting. Preferably, the training aid will include a ball return apparatus and training guide and score/record keeping system to identify and/or reinforce the most successful percentages for fixed length shot attempts through a series of visual and virtual targets. Preferably, the visual and virtual which aid the player in establishing a comprehension based training aid and system of use through motion equations including the effect of air drag to establish personal benchmarks for establishing a stance. The stance needs to be one which assures a point of launch in the trajectory plane. The repeatability of the stance is a result of using a repeatable method of aim to achieve an angle of entry to the hoop and to maximize the opportunity to center the ball within the maximized tolerance goal with minimal contacts with the rim on the downward flight of the ball as projected by a player using a one hand over hand release.

Basketball shooting training and ball return


A trash receptacle that both secures and conceals a plastic liner is provided that comprises a receptacle body having sidewalls that terminate in an open end, a receptacle flange having one end secured around the sidewalls of the receptacle body, and a free edge for supporting a portion of the open end of the liner that has been folded over the free edge, and a lid that both secures and covers the folded-over portion of the liner. The lid includes an upper portion having a trash receiving opening, a liner engaging portion for frictionally engaging the liner between the free edge of the receptacle flange and the lid, and a lid flange that frictionally interfits with the open end of the receptacle body to secure the lid in place. Alternatively, the flange may be removable from the receptacle and complementary in shape to the inner edge of the receptacle so that the open end of the liner is secured between the flange and the receptacle.

This application generally relates to trash receptacles, and is specifically concerned with a liner concealing and securing trash receptacle.
Trash receptacles lined with plastic-bag type liners are not only well known in the prior art, but are in use in practically every home and office in the United States. The use of such liners in trash receptacles not only insulates the interior walls of the receptacle from liquids and sticky substances (which would necessitate frequent cleaning of the receptacles), but further provides a convenient way to empty the trash from such receptacles. To accommodate the wide variety of sizes and shapes of home, office, and commercial trash receptacles, plastic liners of all different sizes are presently available. Such liners are typically formed from thin, water impermeable plastic sheet material that has been formed into a tube having a closed end and an open end. In use, the open end of the liner is spread apart to allow air to enter its interior, whereupon it is placed into the interior of a trash receptacle. The top portion of the liner is then folded over the upper edge of the trash receptacle. In many instances, the diameter of the plastic liner is chosen to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the top of the trash receptacle so that the user must apply some amount of tension to the open end of the liner in order to fold a portion of the open end over the top portion of the receptacle. The tension thus generated by the upper portion of the liner advantageously helps to secure it in position around the open end of the receptacle.
While the folding over of the liner over the open end of the receptacle provides an easy, convenient, and inexpensive way to position the liner within the receptacle, the applicant has observed two major shortcomings associated with the resulting lined receptacles. First, if the diameter of the open end of the liner is the same size or larger than the outer diameter of the upper end of the receptacle, the folding over of the top end of the liner may not adequately secure it to the trash receptacle since there is no tension between the folded-over portion of the bag and the receptacle. Accordingly, as the receptacle is filled with trash, the upper end of the liner may easily be pulled away from its folded-over position. Once this happens, liquid or gummy substances thrown into the receptacle can become lodged between the outer surface of the liner and the inner walls of the receptacle, thereby necessitating the cleaning of the receptacle. Secondly, the folded-over portion of such plastic liners is unsightly, even when they are formed from translucent or transparent plastic materials. Thus much of the aesthetic effort spent by the designers and manufacturers of trash receptacles is negated by the broad fringe of ugly plastic material that overhangs the upper ends of these receptacles when they are lined with plastic trash bags.
Clearly, what is needed is a trash receptacle which is capable of positively securing and concealing a plastic bag-type liner disposed within its interior. Ideally, such a receptacle would make not only the liner itself, but also the trash disposed within it as unobtrusive as possible. Finally, such a receptacle should be simple to manufacture, compatible with the use of plastic liners of broadly varying dimensions, and aesthetically attractive.


A substrate cleaning device comprises a chamber for cleaning a substrate; a substrate support installed in the chamber providing a surface for supporting the substrate during cleaning thereof; at least one cleaning solution supply outlet for spraying a cleaning solution onto a surface of the substrate; a vibration force generator for supplying a vibratory action; a vibration force generating shaft which receives said vibratory action from the vibration force generator so that said vibration force generating shaft vibrates for agitating the cleaning solution on the substrate; and a vibration force distributor for preventing a vibration force from being concentrated on a portion of the substrate below the vibration force generating shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning device and, more particularly, to a substrate cleaning device which prevents a megasonic power from being locally concentrated on a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a semiconductor manufacturing process requires a cleaning process which cleans organics, particles, metallic ions, oxides, from the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Since such contaminants affect the quality and manufacturing yield of the semiconductors, contamination management is very strictly controlled.
The cleaning process is performed frequently during about 40% of the entire semiconductor manufacturing process. It is an essential part of the semiconductor manufacturing process to maintain an ultra-clean wafer since this is required in an ultra large scale integration (ULSI) technique.
As for this cleaning process, a mechanical method, a chemical method, or an ultrasonic method have traditionally been used. Now, as a further technique used to remove contaminants having a size less than micron is a megasonic method. This latter method uses a megasonic process that employs high frequency sound wave. This has attracted substantial public attention due to its high cleaning efficiency and safety.
In the case of a wet batch method, a cassette having wafers is immersed in a bath filled with a cleaning compound, and a megasonic sound wave having a high frequency (about 1 MHz) is generated. In this way, megasonic energy is transferred to the surface of the wafer in parallel through the cleaning compound.
However, the wet batch method has a problem in that a substantial amount of time is required. This is because the cassette is immersed into several bathes in sequence which are in turn used for wafer cleaning. This leads to a very large-sized cleaning device.
A single wafer spin method can be employed instead of the wet batch method. As one example, the single wafer spin method is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030015216("US '216"). According to US '216, a megasonic probe with a probe shaft extends generally parallel to a surface of a rotating substrate. At least one dispenser applies a cleaning liquid onto the surface of the substrate. The megasonic probe agitates the liquid on the surface.
However, there is a problem with the process of US '216 in that the megasonic probe cannot be used when a pattern size is less than 90 nm because pattern damage occurs due to the megasonic wave. As shown in, FIG. 1 of US '216, a cleaning solution 5 is supplied onto the surface of a substrate 1 by a cleaning solution supplying nozzle (not shown), and a megasonic probe shaft 3 vibrates to agitate the cleaning solution 5 on the substrate 1, thereby performing a cleaning process. Here, a megasonic wave is locally concentrated on a portion A of the substrate 1 below the megasonic probe shaft 3 as compared to the adjacent portions of the substrate 1. This leads to damage of the substrate 1.


A vehicle includes a tire rotation reminder system. The system includes a controller that generates a tire rotation reminder based on a predicted driving time for attaining a predetermined difference in tread wear between front tires and rear tires. The predicted driving time is based on a rate of change of a difference between a front tire circumference and a rear tire circumference. The tire rotation reminder is output when the predicted driving time is less than a predetermined time. The tire rotation reminder system may interface with at display to output additional information related to tire rotation. The tire rotation reminder may be communicated using a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator.

During vehicle operation, tires of a vehicle wear. Over time, the tread of the tires may become worn to a point that necessitates replacement of the tires. Proper vehicle maintenance may extend the operational life of the tires. Rotation of the tires is one such procedure that may increase the usable life of the tires. Tire rotation involves changing the position of the tires on the vehicle at periodic intervals to vary the wear on the tires. Over time, each tire is changed to a different position to equalize the wear on the tires. It is generally left to the operator to determine when tire rotation is needed. As many operators may neglect to monitor when tire rotation is needed, the tires may be operated for longer intervals without rotation leading to faster wear and earlier replacement.


An oral mucous membrane protector for orthodontic appliances formed of a protective element or member arranged on the distal end of the archwire that projects from the molar tube, covering or enveloping the archwire and fixing it to the molar tube by means of an elastic ring joined to the protective element. The protective element may be reinforced on the bottom thereof so as to prevent tearing or perforation.

The present invention, improved oral mucous membrane protector for orthodontic appliances, relates to a new and original mucous membrane and lip protection device in certain orthodontic technique applications.
Therefore, the present invention is especially interesting for the field of the orthodontic branch of the odontological industry, and especially of orthodontic techniques.
Orthodontic treatments are currently widely known, which treatments are carried out by removable or fixed appliances or appliances cemented or attached to teeth as in the case of brackets, which can be metallic, ceramic or plastic. Braces and arch wires are common appliances in orthodontics; they are prescribed and designed by a professional according to the problem to be treated.
Treatments of this type are carried out applying a slight constant force in a controlled direction, and the appliances will move teeth slowly, through the bone sustaining them, towards the new desired position.
In some cases, orthodontic appliances, especially removable ones, direct forces for guiding jaw growth and development in children and teenagers (prevention treatment). For example, a "jaw expansion" apparatus can widen the upper jaw if it is narrow in only a couple of months.
Although in practice it is observed that there are is no protective material element for the ends of metallic orthodontic appliances and more specifically for the sharp distal end of the orthodontic archwire, there are background documents relating to orthodontic assemblies such as those contained in WO 2004069082 for "VERTICAL BUCAL TUBES WITH MALLEABLE ARRESTING FLAPS", in the name of De Simone Pasquale (IT); EP 1360941 A1 for "ZAHNSPANGE" (DENTAL BRACES), in the name of Weissbach Otte K. and WO 021091940 A1, for "SUTURE EXPANSION DEVICE", in the name of Van Straten Research & Development B.V., and more specifically to the recent U. 200500029 for "ORAL MUCOUS MEMBRANE PROTECTOR FOR ORTHODONTIC APPLICATIONS" of the same inventor and the same applicant of this specification corresponding to a simple version which does not deal with or specify the structural expression, the correct constructive version and the material factor which are developed in the object of this patent.
Nevertheless and despite the benefits, these treatments imply a series of discomforts for the patient. For example, patients who have brackets and wires must take care to not eat hard foods or bite objects because this makes the appliances fall or become deformed, delaying the treatment.
Likewise the tendency to accumulate bacterial plaque is greater in teeth with appliances because these retain more food remains, therefore hygiene must be meticulous otherwise the gums will inflame and cavity formation will be imminent and then the treatment will have to be stopped in order to solve these problems, and this would increase the time and costs.
Lips, cheeks and tongue can also be irritated for one or two weeks while they get used to the appliances and therefore they become inflamed; this situation ends quickly without any major consequences.
To this respect, there are two main techniques to prevent the distal parts of orthodontic archwires from pricking the jugal mucous membrane (cheek mucous membrane).
On one hand, orthodontic wax can be used. This is supplied in easily applicable wax bars, by means of molding it and placing it covering the end of the arch projecting from the tube, as well as any other metallic element of the brace system, for the purpose of preventing contact with the mucous membranes and the damage thereof.
The other system consists of the use of distal cutting pliers. These are special pliers for cutting that part projecting from the arch at the level of the distal end of the molar tube. Nevertheless, there are three circumstances in which this is not effective. The first is when the arches are thin (of a small profile) and they move towards one of the sides, making them prick the mucous membrane of one side and disengaging from the molar tube on the opposite side. The second situation is when dental retrusion movements occur, in which the length of the dental arch decreases, leaving extra archwire on both sides of the arch and pricking the mucous membrane bilaterally. The third situation is when the molar is rotated, the distal part of the molar tube is directly facing the cheek mucous membrane and although the archwire is cut at the level of the tube, it pricks the mucous membrane.

Oral mucous membrane protector for orthodontic applications


A brake for tandem wheels comprising a block that is shaped to conform to a portion of the circumferential surface of each of the wheels. The block is positioned to be in continuous frictional engagement with the circumferential surface of each of the wheels so that a constant force is applied to each of the wheels. When one of the wheels is stopped due to an external force, the mechanical forces that are built through the continuous frictional engagement result in the block exerting a braking force against the circumferential surface of the other wheel.

There are numerous situations where wheels are placed in close proximity to one another in axially-parallel tandem configurations. For example, the wheels of a roller conveyor system are so configured, as are the wheels of tandem truck or truck trailer. In many situations it is desirable to provide a braking force to the wheels and there are numerous examples in the prior art of devices that can apply a braking force to wheels that are configured in tandem.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,994 to McKay discloses a braking apparatus for roller conveyors. The apparatus comprises an elongated block that is generally wedge-shaped and is located between two adjacent rollers. The narrower edge of the block is downwardly positioned. The apparatus has means to move the block in a generally vertical direction in order to cause the sides of the block to frictionally engage the rollers and thereby the block applies a braking force to the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,903 to Agnoff discloses a tandem wheel brake roller system for use in gravity conveyors. A brake roller is mounted below the conveyor. Two floating rollers are rotatably mounted above the brake roller. When a load bearing item engages the floating rollers, the floating rollers are forced downward into engagement with the brake roller. The brake roller thereby applies a braking force to the floating rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,680 to Rauch discloses a retractable wheel lock assembly that includes a telescoping security tube on which a wedge-shaped brake member is mounted. The security tube is moveable between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position. The wedge-shaped brake member frictionally engages the wheels when the telescoping security tube is moved to the extended position. The brake-member thereby applies a braking force to the wheels.
Although the prior art has many examples of braking systems for tandem wheels, it is heretofore unknown to provide a braking system that can apply a braking force to one of the wheels in direct reaction to the other wheel being stopped through external forces. For example, in a roller conveyer system, the wheels may be mechanically driven by an external drive shaft and one of the wheels may experience a loss of mechanical drive. In that situation, it would be desirable to immediately stop the adjacent wheels from rotating. Currently, one might employ an electronic sensing system to determine that a particular wheel had stopped and the system could then command other elements to provide braking force to the adjacent wheels using one of the prior art devices. However, it would be desirable to have a purely mechanical system that could immediately apply a braking force to an adjacent rotating wheel in direct reaction to the stoppage of one of the other wheels, regardless of the reason for the stoppage.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved braking system for axially-parallel tandem wheel configurations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a braking system for axially-parallel tandem wheel configurations that utilizes the forces created by the mechanically driven wheels to provide the braking forces needed to brake one of the wheels when one of the other wheels is braked due to external forces.
The present invention addresses these objects as well as other problems associated with braking systems for axially-parallel tandem wheel arrangements. The present invention provides a block that is shaped to conform to a portion of the circumferential surface of each of the wheels. The block is positioned to be in continuous frictional engagement with the circumferential surface of each of the wheels so that a constant force is applied to each of the wheels. When one of the wheels is stopped due to an external force, the mechanical forces that are built through the continuous frictional engagement result in the block exerting a braking force against the circumferential surface of the other wheel.


Alerts are targeted for display at an information handling system by associating conditions with alerts and downloading for display an alert only to information handling systems that meet the conditions of the alert. An alert list that includes alerts and associated conditions in an Extensible Mark-up Language file is periodically queried for retrieval at information handling systems and parsed to determine alerts targeted to the information handling system. Only relevant alerts are downloaded and displayed at each information handling system to minimize user distraction. Specific targeting is provided by logical expressions that may state conditional alert configuration parameters with precision to limit the number of information handling systems targeted for the alert to very specific configurations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of maintaining information handling systems, and more particularly to a method and system for targeting alerts to information handling systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling system manufacturers build and distribute information handling systems with a wide variety of hardware and software configurations. For instance, consumers often order different configurations of information handling systems to achieve desired price and performance constraints, and software and hardware manufacturers often change components as bugs are fixed and improvements added. In a dynamic manufacturing environment, available information handling system configurations often evolve rapidly with improved performance and greater consumer options for selecting hardware and software components. However, the evolving nature of information handling system configurations increases the difficulty faced by both manufacturers and users in maintaining information handling systems with updated components and software.
In order to aid consumers in maintaining information handling systems up to date, hardware and software component manufacturers often develop improvements and fixes to bugs that are distributed through the Internet. For instance, if a video card manufacturer learns of a driver fault when a video card is used with a particular sound card, the video card manufacturer typically develops an updated driver that fixes the fault and provides the updated driver to information handling system manufacturers for use in newly built information handling systems. In addition, the video card manufacturer and the information handling system manufacturer often post the new driver on the Internet so that users of existing information handling systems are able to download the new driver. However, unless users are made aware of the new driver they often will not download it. Users often learn of an updated driver by calling for technical assistance when the difficulty arises that led to the development of the updated driver, but calls for technical assistance are typically expensive to support. As an alternative, information handling system manufacturers could send alerts to all users each time updated drivers are posted, however, widespread dissemination of alerts results in notification to users who do not use or need the update. Rather than reduce service calls for technical assistance, unnecessary alert notices increase the number of user queries as users attempt to determine which alerts are relevant to their information handling system.

Method and system for targeting alerts to information handling systems


A seat has a first ischial region, a second ischial region, a tailbone region and a thigh transitional region, each having at least one slot. Each slot generally opens outward, away from a center of the seat. Each slot may have an elongated central portion and two distal portions extending from the central portion. The central portion and distal portions may be substantially linear and may have a specific configuration relative to each other to provide desired support characteristics. The slots may allow flexing and cantilevering of portions of the seat to dynamically contour the seat based on the weight of the user. Multiple grooves may be included at the front of the seat to facilitate curling of the front of the seat.

The present invention relates to seating surfaces, and more particularly to flexible seating surfaces.
Seating surfaces have experienced many advances over the years. For example, the materials used in the seating surface, the manufacturing methods used to create the seating surface, and the visual appearance of the seating surface have all been improved over time.
Another area of advancement in seating surfaces involves the contouring of the seat. Much time and effort have been spent designing contoured seats that closely match the shape of a user's body. Although some prior art surfaces are closely contoured to a user's body, some of these surfaces still create high pressure areas in certain zones. This results in discomfort for the user, and possibly injury over an extended period of sitting.
Some prior art seating surface configurations include slotted configurations. However, in many of these slotted configurations, the slots appear to be randomly spaced across the entire seating surface. Some of these configurations therefore fail to recognize or address the specific high pressure areas present in certain zones of the seat.
Further, many prior art seating surfaces are designed for a narrow range of user weights. Many of these surfaces may work well for users within a narrow range of weights, but are less than desirable for users having a weight outside of the intended narrow weight range.
Although much advancement has been made in the field of seating surfaces, there remains room for improvement in this technology area.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A fiducial for use in the manufacture of a fabric article includes a hole through a layer of fabric. Another layer of fabric of the fabric article overlays and obscures the fiducial. The fiducial is detected by transmitting electromagnetic radiation through the fabric article. The electromagnetic radiation may make a single pass directly through the fabric article to a sensor, or may pass through the fabric article, be reflected off a surface, and pass back through the fabric article to the sensor.

The manufacture of articles that include fabrics involves performing operations, such as printing, cutting, and joining, on a web of fabric. The location of such operations on the web can be referenced with respect to fiducials on the web. Typically, the fiducials are printed onto portions of the web. However, some operations result in the portion of the web including the fiducial being cut away from the portion of the web that eventually forms the finished article, which renders the fiducial useless for any subsequent operation.
Additionally, some operations result in the portion of the web including the fiducial being obscured by another piece of fabric (or other material), such as a portion of second web, which creates difficulty in locating the fiducial for any subsequent operation. One solution is to trim the second web to be narrower than the web that includes the fiducials in order to avoid obscuring the fiducials. However, this unnecessarily wastes material, and adds time and cost to the manufacture of the articles.
There is a need for the creation and detection of fiducials that alleviate the above problems.

Vision systems and methods for locating fiducials in manufacturing fabric articles


An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, including a flexible substrate bent in a first direction, an OLED arranged on the flexible substrate, a first thin film transistor connected to the OLED and including a first channel area extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and one or more additional thin film transistors connected to the first thin film transistor and including corresponding additional channel areas extending in the second direction.

1. Filed of the Invention
The described technology relates generally to an organic light emitting diode display including a flexible substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device is a device displaying images, and recently, a display device including an organic light emitting diode has received attention. Since the organic light emitting diode display has a self-emission characteristic and, unlike a liquid crystal display device, does not require a separate light source, a thickness and a weight of the entire display device may be reduced. Further, the organic light emitting diode display has high-definition characteristics such as low power consumption, high luminance, and a high response speed.
In general, the organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors arranged on the substrate, and an organic light emitting diode connected to the thin film transistor. Recently, a flexible organic light emitting diode display including a flexible substrate containing a polymer material as a substrate capable of being bent has been developed.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology, and therefore it may contain information that does not constitute prior art under 35 U.S.C. §102.


An induction cooking device includes a light-pervious top plate on which a container with liquid contained therein is to be placed. A heating coil resides below the top plate to heat the container. An electrode is located at a portion of a lower surface of the top plate outward of a periphery of the heating coil. A capacitance detection device detects changes in capacitance of the electrode caused by liquid boiled over from the container. The top plate includes a light emitting part by which visible light, applied from a light source placed below the top plate, is transmitted to fulfill light emission. The light emitting part is located at a portion of the top plate between the periphery of the heating coil and the electrode, as viewed from above the top plate.

Conventionally, an induction cooking device has electrodes for detecting liquid as a cooking object boiled over from a container, the electrode being provided in a lower surface of a top plate on which the container is to be placed. When the liquid boiled over from the container reaches a portion of the top plate positioned above the electrode, the electrode changes in capacitance. Based on this change in capacitance of the electrode, the induction cooking device performs control for heating. Such an induction cooking device is described in Patent Literature 1 as an example.
PTL1: JP 2008-159494 A

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


In a hydraulic pressure unit, a housing is equipped with a plurality of piping connections having respectively corresponding openings exposed to an external or plurally grouped piping connections; and a protective tape includes one surface onto which a pressure-sensitive adhesive is disposed by means of which the tape is adhered onto an outer surface of the housing, one sheet of the tape covering simultaneously at least two of the openings or plurally grouped piping connections, the protective tape including: a division section dividing and peeling off the protective tape for each of the openings of the piping connections or for each of the groups of the piping connections; and a grip section disposed to be enabled to be gripped by an operator, an adhesion region of the protective tape to the outer surface of the housing by means of the adhesive being disposed on a region excluding the division section.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic pressure unit (or a hydraulic unit).
(2) Description of Related Art
A hydraulic (pressure) unit is known in which a plurality of piping connections are installed in a housing. For example, a previously proposed hydraulic pressure unit described in a Japanese Patent Application First Publication (tokkai) No. 2002-339903 (Published on Nov. 27, 2002) includes a protective tape to be adhered onto an outer surface of the housing, suppresses a mixture (or invasion) of foreign matter into the piping connections by covering openings of the piping connections with the protective tape so as to protect the hydraulic pressure unit. Each opening can be opened or closed by peeling off the tape or adhering the tape. The protective tape can be closed or open by dividing the protective tape or peeling off the protective tape for each of the openings of the respective piping connections. In this division section, a dotted shaped cut line (a perforated line) is disposed.


Piperidino-3,4-dihydrocarbostyril compounds represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydroxy group or an acyloxy group having 2 to 11 carbon atoms; one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represents a nitro group, a cyano group, an alkoxycarbonyl group having 2 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbons atoms, or a halogen atom, and the other represents a hydrogen atom; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, exhibit platelet aggregation inhibiting activity and thus being useful as therapeutic agents for the prevention or treatment of cerebral ischemic disorders and arterial ischemic disorders.

Up to the present, as therapeutic agents for cerebral ischemic disorders and for arterial ischemic disorders, platelet aggregation inhibitors or antithrombotic agents such as ticlopidine, cilostazole and prostacyclines have been employed usually.
However, these agents often exhibit undesirable side effect such as headache, tachycardia, and hepatic disorders.
Therefore, more desirable therapeutic agents which exhibit more specific anti-platelet action with less undesirable side effect have been desired.


A pulse-width modulator (PWM) accommodates a wider range of output pulse widths, with less gain variation, when compared to conventional circuits. The PWM can operate without requiring a voltage reference. In one example PWM, a ramp generator in the PWM includes a capacitive element that is charged by a current from a trans-conductance cell that is responsive to the input voltage and a power supply voltage. In another example PWM, the ramp generator cell in the PWM includes a follower circuit that is responsive to the input voltage. The PWM is suitable for use in a variety of applications including switching power converters.

Pulse-width modulator (PWM) circuits can be used in a variety of applications such as switching power converters. In a switching converter, the PWM circuit is typically arranged to provide a digital logic signal that has a pulse width that is a function of an analog input voltage. Example PWM circuits are illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B.
The circuit illustrated in FIG. 1A includes a current source (I), a capacitor (C), a switching transistor (M), an inverter, a comparator (CP), an oscillator (OSC), and an SR-type flip-flop. The oscillator is arranged to set the SR-type flip-flop at regular intervals, initiating the start of the output pulse (VOUT). The inverter is arranged to provide an inverse of the output voltage (VOUT) to switching transistor M such that switching transistor M is deactivated when the output pulse is initiated. Current source I works with capacitor C to generate a voltage ramp (VC=I*t/C) to one input of comparator CP while transistor M is deactivated. Comparator CP is arranged to reset the SR-type flip-flop whenever the analog input voltage (VIN) and the voltage ramp are equal, whereby the output pulse is terminated. Transistor M discharges capacitor C after the SR-flip-flop is reset. The pulse width (PW1A) for the circuit described above with respect to FIG. 1A is given by: PW1A=VIN*C/I.
The circuit illustrated in FIG. 1B includes a bandgap voltage reference, a trans-conductance (gm) cell, a capacitor (C), a switching transistor (M), an inverter, a comparator (CP), an oscillator (OSC), and an SR-type flip-flop. The oscillator is arranged to set the SR-type flip-flop at regular intervals, initiating the start of the output pulse (VOUT). The inverter is arranged to provide an inverse of the output voltage (VOUT) to switching transistor M such that switching transistor M is deactivated when the output pulse is initiated. Current is provided to charge capacitor C from the gm cell to generate a voltage ramp (VC=(VREF1−VIN)*gm*t/C) to one input of comparator CP while transistor M is deactivated. Comparator CP is arranged to reset the SR-type flip-flop whenever a reference voltage (VREF2) and the voltage ramp (VC) are equal, whereby the output pulse is terminated. Transistor M discharges capacitor C after the SR-flip-flop is reset. The pulse width (PW1B) for the circuit described above with respect to FIG. 1B is given by: PW1B=VREF2*C/(gm*[VREF1−VIN]).

Increased output range and decreased gain variation PWM circuit and method


The nozzles are in the form of blowing-in openings in the housing wall which bounds the flow channel. The blowing-in openings are fed directly by means of air which is extracted from the flow channel downstream from the diffusor. This air is at a higher pressure than the flow in the flow channel upstream of the diffusor. This results in a passive, dynamic stabilization system for a compressor stage in the high pressure-ratio range, which does not require any additional control or actuating elements.

In order to widen the family of characteristics for radial compressor stages, stabilizers are used in the induction area of the compressor wheel in a multiplicity of the latest generations of radial compressor stages.
The market demand for ever higher pressure ratios in compressors of exhaust-gas turbochargers is never-ending. However, the process of increasing the pressure ratio by increasing the rotation speed without changing the compressor stage design is subject to limits, since the surge limit and choke limit, which limit the useful range of characteristics, converge as the rotation speed increases. The useful range of characteristics therefore decreases continuously in the direction of higher pressure ratios. In order to counteract this and to keep the useful range of characteristics as broad as possible even at high pressure ratios, it is possible to use a diffusor with a smaller flow cross section, while the compressor wheel design remains the same and the compressor wheel size is not changed. The surge limit is thus shifted in the direction of lower volume flows, resulting in a wider useful range of characteristics without changing the wheel choke limit. One disadvantage in this case is that the efficiency is reduced, particularly when on partial load. This disadvantage can be avoided by using appropriate measures to increase the stability of the given compressor stages at maximum load. This can be achieved by blowing air in, on the housing side, into the flow channel in the intermediate area, where there are no blades, between the rotor blades of the compressor wheel and the guide vanes of the diffusor. The dynamic stability in the region of high pressure ratios can be increased by blowing in air.
Another possible way to increase the pressure ratio and to avoid convergence of the surge limit and choke limit is adaptation of the compressor wheel design. The stability and therefore the useful range of characteristics can be achieved by increasing the "backsweep" of the compressor wheel. The "backsweep" denotes the angle at the compressor wheel outlet between a blade with a radial trailing edge and one with an outlet angle which is positioned at a flatter angle in the tangential direction, in the opposite direction to the wheel rotation direction. The increase in the "backsweep" results in the need to increase the wheel circumferential speed in order to achieve the same pressure ratio. It is therefore necessary to increase the rotation speed more than proportionally in order to achieve a higher pressure ratio. However, this is limited by the compressor wheel material limits, or a change must be made to a material with better mechanical characteristics. Materials such as these are considerably more expansive. In comparison to this solution, the process of blowing air in has cost advantages, since an existing compressor stage is suitable for achieving higher pressure ratios, and there is no need for a costly change in the material of the compressor wheel.
"Centrifugal Compressor Flow Range Extension using Diffusor Flow Control", (Gary J. Skoch; Army Research Laboratory, Vehicle Technology Directorate, Cleveland, Ohio; Dec. 5, 2000) discloses a radial compressor with a downstream diffusor, in which compressed air is blown in the flow direction into the flow channel between the compressor wheel and the diffusor, using the Coanda effect nozzles.
In the Coanda effect (described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,052,869) is a flow effect on the basis of which a rapidly flowing fluid (gas or liquid) which is flowing along a surface of a solid body adheres to the surface of this body and is not separated from the surface.
The compressed air nozzles are arranged in the housing wall which bounds the flow channel, and are firmly screwed to the compressor housing. They can move within the openings, so that the induction direction can be varied. The nozzles are connected via a pipeline to an external compressed-air supply.
CH 204 331 discloses a device for preventing jet separation in compressors. In this case, parts of the flow are sucked away through extraction openings in the area of the guide wheels, and are then fed back into the flow again, further upstream. In this case, the flow is reintroduced by means of circumferential slots, in the form of nozzles, aligned in the flow direction.


A mixer for products generally disposed in containers, such as, for example, varnishes, paints and the like, comprises a support structure to which a unit, generally movable selectively along a predetermined path, for supporting and clamping at least one container, is connected. The support unit comprises two clamping plates which are mounted on linear sliding guides and are rotatable about a common vertical axis in the operative condition. A plurality of idle wheels roll along an annular path on a surface of each plate in order to withstand loads perpendicular to the plates. The upper support plate can be driven along an axis parallel to the common axis by means of driving screws and is mounted on linear sliding guides and the lower support plate is slidable selectively along an axis perpendicular to the common axis.

The present invention relates to the field of mixers for fluids.
In particular, the present invention has been developed with reference to a mixer for fluids disposed in containers, of the so-called vibration type in which an inner frame which supports the container is set in oscillating motion along a predetermined path relative to the outer frame.
A vibration mixer of the known type indicated above is described in GB-1 310 655. Although this mixer has basic components for bringing about a vibratory mixing motion, it is bulky and not easy for an operator to use since it has means for clamping the container, consisting of a manually-operated driving screw which does not permit precise detection of the force with which the container is clamped on the machine. Moreover, the container has to be positioned in the machine manually and this operation may be difficult or onerous if not impossible, particularly with large or heavy containers. Moreover, the machine of the prior art has no protection or safety systems for protecting the operator during mixing operations, particularly when the movement of large and heavy containers gives rise to large forces and moments of inertia.
Another type of vibration mixer is described in the Applicant's European patent EP-0 617 998. This mixer is considerably improved in comparison with previously known mixers both from the point of view of mixing efficiency and as regards bulk, ease of use and the protection and safety of the operator.
However, the increasing need for mixing machines which are reliable, efficient and easy to use and maintain has led to a search for solutions to problems the awareness of which is greater and greater in the field.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,689 describes a mixing machine comprising a unit for clamping fluid containers in which two opposed clamping plates are opened and closed by the rotation of two vertical driving screws. During the mixing motion, the forces and moments of inertia generated by the mass of the container and of the fluids contained therein are discharged to the driving screws. This situation has two consequences: on the one hand, the continual stressing of the threads of the driving screws leads to rapid wear thereof and to an increase in play such as to render the reliability of the clamping of the container unacceptable and make it necessary to repair or replace the screws frequently and, on the other hand, bending of the driving screws, which is not preventable beforehand, takes place during the vibratory motion of the mixer, and, as well as rendering the methods of controlling the clamping force unreliable, necessitates the provision of oversized screws with the application of high safety factors to take account of unknown stresses. In any case, the bending stress on the driving screws is also undesirable because the flexural strength of the driving screws is reduced both by the accompanying tensile stresses due to the clamping of the container and by the presence of the threads which generate localized stresses which may reach very high levels.
In some mixing machines of known type it is possible to remove the lower plate at least partially to facilitate the loading of the container into the machine and its unloading therefrom. The systems currently used are not very reliable, however, since, on the one hand, an increase in the play of the members for ensuring the sliding of the lower support plate of the container is easily brought about with consequent adverse effects on the control of the clamping force of the container in operative conditions, on the other hand, sediments, fluid particles or, in any case, deposits may block the normal movement to extract the plate.

Mixer for products generally disposed in containers and a unit particularly adaptable to the mixer, for supporting and clamping at least one of the containers


The device forms first and second signals by mixing the input radio signal with two respective quadrature waves of frequency f.sub.O. An algebraic sum of these two signals is phase-shifted by .+-.45.degree. or .+-.135.degree. at an intermediate frequency f.sub.I. An output signal is formed by an algebraic sum between the phase-shifted signal and the first or second signal, in such a way that, at the intermediate frequency f.sub.I, the output signal has a phase representative of that possessed by the input radio signal at a communication frequency f.sub.C of the form f.sub.O -f.sub.I or f.sub.O +f.sub.I, with rejection of the phase of the input radio signal at the image frequency 2f.sub.O -f.sub.C.

The present invention relates to a mixer device for processing a radio signal. Such a device can in particular be used in the first receiving stage of a radio communication receiver. The radio signal processed can be a phase shift keying (PSK) or frequency shift keying (FSK) signal (FSK modulations may be regarded as particular cases of PSK modulations) .
The mixer device serves to extract at an intermediate frequency f.sub.I a modulated phase exhibited by the radio signal received at a communication frequency f.sub.C. To do this, use is made of a transposition frequency f.sub.O delivered by a local oscillator, equal to the sum or the difference between the communication frequency f.sub.C and the intermediate frequency f.sub.I. However, the radio signal picked up generally has a wide spectrum, and possesses a priori components at the frequency f.sub.O +f.sub.I and at the frequency f.sub.O -f.sub.I. One of these two frequencies is the desired communication frequency f.sub.C, whilst the other is an image frequency 2f.sub.O -f.sub.C which the device must reject in order for its phase not to disturb the modulated phase at the frequency f.sub.C which it is sought to extract.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional arrangement of an image frequency rejection device. A local oscillator 10 delivers two quadrature waves at the transposition frequency f.sub.O =.omega..sub.I /2.pi., which are each mixed with the input signal X by respective mixers 12, 14. With regard to the intermediate frequency f.sub.I =.omega..sub.I /2.pi., the radio signal X possesses two components to be considered, one written sin(.omega..sub.O -.omega..sub.I)t+.phi.! and the other written sin(.omega..sub.O +.omega..sub.I)t+.phi.'!. It is assumed here that the desired communication frequency f.sub.C is (.omega..sub.O -.omega..sub.I)/2.pi. and that the frequency (.omega..sub.O +.omega..sub.I /2.pi. is the undesirable image frequency. The modulated phase which it is sought to extract is then the phase .phi.. The output signal X1 from the mixer 12, resulting from the mixing of the radio signal X with the wave 2 cos .omega..sub.O t possesses two components at the intermediate frequency f.sub.I : one having the phase -.phi.+180.degree. and the other having the phase .phi.'. The output signal X2 from the mixer 14, resulting from the mixing of the radio signal X with the wave 2 sin .omega..sub.O t which has a phase lag of 90.degree. with respect to the wave 2 cos .omega..sub.O t, likewise possesses two components at the intermediate frequency: one having the phase -.phi.+90.degree. and the other having the phase .phi.'+90.degree.. A phase-shifter filter 16 applies a 90.degree. phase lag at the intermediate frequency to the signal X2 so as to produce a signal X2' having, at the intermediate frequency, a component of phase -.phi. and a component of phase .phi.'. A subtractor 18 deducts the signal X1 from this phase-shifted signal X2'. The undesirable phase .phi.' is thus eliminated from the output signal Y from the subtractor 18. Only the desired phase .phi. remains (bearing a minus sign in this particular case). The output signal Y is applied to a band-pass filter 20 which lets through the components with frequency close to the intermediate frequency f.sub.I so as to extract the desired phase.
The major drawback of the device represented in FIG. 1 is the need for a 90.degree. phase-shifter requiring two poles and generally having to be embodied in the form of discrete components. Furthermore, the paths followed by the two signals combined by the subtractor 18 are not identical, this affecting the effectiveness of the rejection.
In order to reduce the impact of these problems, it has been proposed to replace the 90.degree. phase-shifter with two .+-.45.degree. phase-shifters. FIG. 2 shows such an arrangement. The phase-shifter 15 applies a 45.degree. phase lead to the signal X1 so as to produce a signal X1" having, at the intermediate frequency, a component of phase -.phi.+225.degree. and a component of phase .phi.'+45.degree.. The phase-shifter 17 applies a 45.degree. phase lag to the signal X2 to produce a signal X2" having, at the intermediate frequency, a component of phase -.phi.+45.degree. and a component of phase .phi.'+45.degree.. The output signal Y=X2"-X1" from the subtractor 18 then possesses at the intermediate frequency a single component of phase -.phi.+45.degree., that is to say containing the useful information. It is noted that the amplitude of this signal Y is smaller than that obtained with the layout of FIG. 1, given the .sqroot.2 attenuation afforded by the .+-.45.degree. phase-shifters 15, 17.
The device of FIG. 2 improves on that of FIG. 1, especially in that it can be embodied in the form of an integrated circuit. However, it is not free of drawbacks. In particular, the construction of the two RC networks making up the phase-shifter filters 15, 17 is tricky. The matching of these two networks is tricky and requires compensations. In general, one of the capacitances is not floating and it is therefore necessary to take account of its stray capacitance, for example by placing follower stages with low output impedance upstream of the phase-shifter filters. To obtain sufficiently effective rejection, the phase-shifter networks usually have to be tuned by means of digital/analog converters. Furthermore, the device has constantly to adapt to changes in the environment (temperature, supply voltage, etc.) so as to optimize image rejection.
An object of the present invention is to propose a simplified structure for a mixer device with image frequency rejection which can be embodied entirely in the form of an integrated circuit.

Mixer device with image frequency rejection


A medical instrument includes an instrument body and an operating mechanism. The instrument body has a window portion having a light permeable segment. The operating mechanism includes an indicator unit and an operating unit. The indicator unit is disposed in the window portion, and is changeable between a detectable state where the indicator unit is detectable through the light permeable segment of the window portion and a non-detectable state where the indicator unit is non-detectable through the light permeable segment. The operating unit is connected to the indicator unit and operable to change the indicator unit between the detectable and non-detectable states. An endoscopy system including the medical instrument is also disclosed.

A conventional endoscopy system, as disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. 1517828, includes a processing unit, an image capture unit, an endoscope unit, and two medical instruments each having a color ring. An image of the two medical instruments captured by the image capture unit is analyzed by the processing unit, and the processing unit drives the image capture unit to move to a position such that a center of the image captured by the image capture unit is located at a midpoint between the color rings of the two medical instruments. However, the medical instruments are manually and frequently moved toward or away from each other during a surgical operation, such moving action may result in unexpected and undesired movement of the endoscope unit and the image captured may not be stable, which may distract an operator and adversely affect the surgical operation.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a differential case for a vehicle and a differential device for a vehicle restricting change and movement of an intermeshing of a pair of side gears and a pair of pinion gears to achieve stable differential restriction force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a differential case for a vehicle and a differential devise for a vehicle including the differential case, and more particularly relates to the differential case for the vehicle and the differential devise for the vehicle having a pinion gear supporting portion supporting slidably a pinion gear which is a shaft-less type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known for a prior differential device for a vehicle to provide a pair of shaft-less pinion gears as disclosed in a published patent document; Tokkai 2006-46642.
This differential device for the vehicle comprises a differential case rotated by torque from an engine, a pair of pinion gears, a pair of side gears engaging in mesh with the pair of pinion gears in a state that an axis of the pinion gears is perpendicular to that of side gears, a pair of thrust washer receiving thrust force from the pair of side gears.
The pair of pinion gears has a gear peripheral portion as a supported portion over all around periphery and a gear engaging portion engaging in mesh with the pair of side gears and the pair of pinion gears are disposed in the differential case on an axis perpendicular to a rotational axis of the differential case.
The differential case is equipped with a pair of wheel shaft inserted holes. The differential case is also equipped with a pinion gear inserted hole having first pinion gear supporting surface to support slidably, that is rotatably, peripheral surfaces of a pair of pinion gears. On a peripheral edge of an inner opening of the pinion gear inserted hole is formed a second pinion gear supporting surface supporting slidably a part of the gear engaging portion of the pinion gear.
The pair of side gears is constructed with an annular bevel gear having a large diameter than that of the pinion gears and is installed on a rotational axis of the differential case. An inside surface of the pair of side gears is connected with right and left tire shafts in a spline engagement.
A pair of thrust washers is installed between back surfaces of the pair of side gears and an annular inner opening edged of a pair of the wheel shaft inserted holes. It can be adjusted a degree of intermeshing engagement of the pair of side gears with the pair of pinion gears by the thrust washers.
Based on the above-mentioned construction of the prior art, when torque from an engine is input into the differential case through a driving pinion and a ring gear, the differential case is rotated around the rotational axis. At the rotation of the differential case, the rotational force is transmitted to the pair of pinion gears and the pair of side gears through the pair of pinion gears. Therefore, the torque is distributed and transmitted differentially to right and left tire shafts through the drive pinion, the ring gear, the differential case, the pair of pinion gears and the pair of side gears according to a running condition of the vehicle since the pair of side gears engages with right and left tire shafts in the spline engagement.
In running of the vehicle, the pinion gears slide on the first pinion gear supporting surface and the second pinion gear supporting surface upon the rotation of the pinion gears, frictional resistance is occurred between the first pinion gear supporting surface and the pinion gears and also between the second pinion gear supporting surface and the pinion gears to restrict the differential rotation of the side gears.
And also in this time, another thrust force of an intermeshing surface of the pinion gears with the side gears, therefore, this thrust force acts the pair of side gears to be moved to separated directions each other. In this result, there occurs another frictional resistance between the thrust washers and the thrust washer receiving portions to restrict the differential rotation of the side gears also.
However, in the differential device for the vehicle of the published patent document of Tokkai 2006-46642 as the prior art, since an extending portion is formed on the annular inner opening edge of the pinion gear inserted holes and a free edge of the extending portion is not fixed, a bending stiffness of the extending portion is poor by receiving the load from the side gears through the pinion gears. As a result, it is easy to deform the extending portion to change and move an intermeshing position between the pinion gears and the side gears so that it restricts stable differential restriction force upon occurrence of excessive torque.

Differential case for vehicle and differential device for vehicle including differential case

Abstract: The differential case or the differential device for the vehicle comprises a case body 50 accommodating a pair of side gears 5R, 5L and a pinion gear 3 or 4 engaging in mesh with the side gears 5R, 5L, and a pinion gear supporter 53 accommodated in said case body 50 and having a pinion gear supporting portion 56 or 57 to install said pinion gear 3 or 4 in recess space 60, 61 of said pinion gear supporter 53 and to support slidably an outer peripheral surface of said pinion gear 3 or 4 for rotation of said pinion gear 3 or 4.


Provided is a method for performing printing on a recording paper with a medical apparatus that continuously prints acquired biological information of a patient on the recording paper while feeding the recording paper. The method includes reading a first identification image attached to the recording paper; determining whether or not the recording paper is a genuine product on the basis of a comparison result between information based on the read first identification image and paper information previously stored in the medical apparatus; reading a second identification image attached to the recording paper, and determining whether or not the recording paper is within an expiration date on the basis of expiration date information included in information based on the read second identification image; and printing the biological information on the recording paper in a case where the recording paper is determined to be the genuine product and the recording paper is determined to be within the expiration date.

In the related art, there is known a fetal and maternal monitor used to monitor labor pain (uterine contraction) and fetal heart rate of a mother's body under pregnancy and delivery in medical facilities and to check the health (well-being) of a fetus (refer to Patent Literature 1). In recording paper on which biological information, such as fetal heart rate and labor pain intensity, is recorded by the fetal and maternal monitor, a legal storage duty period is set.
The fetal and maternal monitor according to Patent Literature 1 includes fetal heart rate calculation means for calculating the fetal heart rate from signals relating to fetus heartbeats detected by fetal heart rate detecting means, labor pain intensity calculation means for calculating the labor pain intensity from signals related to the labor pain intensity of a mother's body detected by the labor pain intensity detecting means, display means for displaying the fetal heart rate and the labor pain intensity, and recording means for outputting the fetal heart rate and the labor pain intensity to the recording paper. Accordingly, each of the fetal heart rate and the labor pain intensity is recorded over time on the display means and the recording paper. Then, as a doctor, a maternity nurse, and the like decipher the recording paper on which the fetal heart rate and the labor pain intensity are recorded, the doctor and the like can perceive the health condition of a fetus under pregnancy and delivery.

Recording paper used for medical apparatus and method for performing printing on recording paper


A system for managing threads to handle transaction requests connected to input/output (I/O) subsystems to enable notification to threads to complete operations.

In computing systems, such as web servers or application servers, threads are used to handle transaction requests. A "thread" is generally defined as a sequence of instructions that, when executed, perform a task. Multiple threads may be processed concurrently to perform different tasks such as those tasks necessary to collectively handle a transaction request. A "transaction request" is a message transmitted over a network that indicates what kind of service is requested. For instance, the message may request to browse some data contained in a database. In order to service the request, the recipient initiates a particular task that corresponds to the nature of the requested task.
One problem associated with conventional computing systems is that a significant amount of processing time is spent by a central processing unit (CPU) on thread management. In general, "thread management" involves management of queues, synchronizing, waking up and putting-to-sleep threads, context switches and many other known functions. For instance, in systems with a very high thread count, on the order of thousands for example, operations of the systems can be bogged down simply due to thread management and overhead, namely the time it takes to process threads.
A proposed solution of reducing the high processing demands is to preclude the use of a large number of threads to handle transaction requests. Rather, single threads or a few threads may be configured to handle such requests. This leads to poor system scalability.
Currently, there are computing systems that have threading control built into the CPU such as a CRAY® MTA™ computer. However, these systems suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, only a maximum of 128 threads are supported per CPU. As a result, support of a larger thread count would need to be implemented in software. Second, integrating circuitry to support up to 128 threads occupies a significant amount of silicon real estate, and thereby, increases the overall costs for the CPU. Third, the threading control hardware of conventional computing systems is stand-alone and is not connected to the rest of the system (e.g., input/output "I/O" circuitry). Since this hardware does not have the proper interface with the rest of the system, true automatic thread management is not provided (e.g., waking up a thread when a "file read" operation that the thread has been waiting on is completed).

Hardware management of java threads utilizing a thread processor to manage a plurality of active threads with synchronization primitives


A tire mold according to the invention includes a plurality of tread sectors for forming a tread portion of a tire and two shell inserts for molding the sidewalls of a tire wherein the tread sectors and the shell inserts are castings formed from the same model. A method for manufacturing a mold in accordance with the invention includes the steps of providing a casting model having the tread and sidewall features of a tire, the casting model having parting zones between the tread and sidewall, casting an element from the model, the cast element accordingly having parting zones between the tread and sidewall portions, and separating the cast element into a plurality of tread sectors and opposing sidewall shells. An advantage of casting the molding parts, the tread sectors and sidewall shells from a single casting model is that deeper and more complex features can be formed in the sidewall shells, and the features extending from the tread onto the sidewall can be better aligned and better conformed in size, shape and appearance.

A recent trend in tire design has been to extend features of the tread relatively far onto the sidewall of the tire. In many cases, the features extend to at least the tire equator. Tread features, for example, grooves, ribs, and blocks, are relatively deep or tall compared to the features typically formed on the sidewall, such as indicia or lettering.
In conventional molds, the tread ring is formed by taking an aluminum casting using a model. The sidewall shells are made by machining steel plate to have the desired molding elements. To form deep tread-like features in the sidewall shell poses difficulties, for example, in aligning the features with the tread rings and in machining deep or complex features in the sidewall shell surface.
The invention provides an improved tire mold and a method for manufacturing an improved tire mold that overcomes the difficulties in the art and provides additional advantages.
The invention is preferably applied to a two-piece segmented mold, the type which parts along or near an axial center line of the mold cavity and includes an upper half and a lower half, each half having tread sectors and a sidewall shell. Other molds may advantageously use the invention, for example, a one-piece segmented mold, in which the tread segments are not split along the axial center, but are-mounted to either the top or the bottom half of the mold, and mounted to pivot away upon opening the mold.
A tire mold according to the invention includes a plurality of tread sectors for forming a tread portion of a tire, a mold back for supporting the tread sectors and permitting movement between an open position and a closed position, two shell inserts for molding the sidewalls of a tire, and two side plates, each shell insert being mounted to a side plate, wherein the tread sectors and the shell inserts are castings.
According to another aspect of the invention, the shell inserts each have a circumferential mounting rib on a back surface for inserting into a mounting groove in the side plate. The mounting groove is wider in the radial direction than the mounting rib to accommodate differential expansions upon heating of the shell insert and the side plate to ensure proper mating of the tread sectors and the shell inserts during the tire molding process.
The shell inserts have vents extending from the molding surface (the front surface) through to the back surface, and grooves formed on the back surface to connect with vent passages in the side plate. The side plates each include passages on the mating surface that connect to interior passages that may be connected to a vacuum source.
The mold further includes two bead rings for molding the bead areas of the tire. The bead rings in the assembled mold are position on each half of the mold and overlap a portion of the shell inserts and will cover any gap present between the shell insert and the side plate in that area.
A method for manufacturing a mold in accordance with the invention includes the steps of providing a casting model having the tread and sidewall features of a tire, the casting model having parting zones between the tread and sidewall, casting an element from the model, the cast element accordingly having parting zones between the tread and sidewall portions, and separating the cast element into a plurality of tread sectors and opposing sidewall shells.
According to a preferred method, the casting elements are made in top and bottom halves divided along or near an axial centerline. A single casting model may be used, or upper and lower half models may be made, as is convenient. The two cast elements are then cut apart, the upper half element being separated into upper tread sectors and an upper sidewall shell for an upper half of the mold, and a lower cast element being separated to form lower tread sectors and a lower sidewall shell for a bottom half of the mold.
According to an alternative embodiment, a casting model is made without a parting zone between the tread and sidewall, and for each of the upper and lower half, at least two cast elements are formed, a first cast element separated into a plurality of tread sectors and a second cast element separated into at least one sidewall shell.
An advantage of casting the molding parts, the tread sectors and sidewall shells from a single casting model is that deeper and more complex features can be formed in the sidewall shells, and the features extending from the tread onto the sidewall can be better aligned and better conformed in size, shape and appearance.

Tire mold and method for making a tire mold


A hand-held, portable navigation system and method are integrated within a cellular telephone enclosure, resulting in a simplified architecture with fewer buttons to press and items to carry. The apparatus uses a cellular telephone having a microphone, a keypad, GPS receiver, a display, a memory, an earphone, a wireless transceiver, and a processor. The processor is programmed to receive a command through a user input device to determine the initial location of the user and activate the GPS receiver to obtain positional coordinates associated with the initial location. The coordinates are then stored in the memory. A subsequent command through a user input device causes the processor to determine the new location of the user, and the GPS receiver is again activated to obtain positional coordinates of the new location. The processor is further programmed to provide guidance to the user based upon the coordinates of the initial location and the new location enabling the user to return to the initial location from the new location. The user input device may be a portable wireless keyless entry device such as a ‘fob,’ in which case the processor is further operative to receive and store a vehicular DOOR LOCK command in memory, and determine the initial location of the user when the DOOR LOCK command is received and recognized by the telephone.

There is nothing more frustrating than forgetting where you parked you car. For this reason, numerous vehicle locator systems have been proposed. Some of these involve the use of cell phones. The problems with existing approaches, however, is that they require significant changes in existing infrastructures.
One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,534. The system proposes a small hand-held locator for the automobile operator which will attach to a key chain or fit in a wallet, pocket, or purse. This small portable unit will communicate with a unit attached to an automobile to enable the operator to locate the automobile. Once the portable unit senses that it is leaving the car unit it will request a position estimate from the car unit. The car unit will feed its position information to a modulation circuit which will use the antenna to transmit this information to the handheld unit. The handheld unit has an antenna and a receiver circuit to capture this information. This position estimate will be stored, in both the car unit and the handheld unit, for the duration of the operation and used upon return.
In an alternative embodiment, the portable unit will continuously update its own location independently of the car unit. With this embodiment there is not need for the portable unit to sense that it is leaving the car unit in order to store the car location. The operator can merely push a button to request that the location be stored. Alternatively, the portable unit is the only unit and the car unit is dispensed with altogether. The portable unit would then continuously update the position until the operator signaled that they had parked. The portable unit would then store the parking position. Upon return, the operator must turn on the portable unit. The portable unit will then attempt to acquire a GPS signal to determine position. It will retrieve the car location from memory and calculate a return bearing and display that bearing to the operator. As long as the GPS signal is good it will continue to calculate a return bearing to display to the operator.

Cell-phone-based vehicle locator and “path back” navigator