An object of the present invention is to provide an antifreeze solution which is used by adding it to a heating medium of a heat exchanger or a radiator coolant for an internal combustion car engine, which can be used to prevent the icing of road surfaces, which is easy to use and environmentally friendly, and which does not contain environmentally harmful substances such as ethylene glycol so that it can be easily treated for disposal after use. Another object of the present invention is to provide an antifreeze solution which contains water as a main component and glycerin. The undiluted antifreeze solution does not freeze even at −20° C. or less at normal pressures and is composed of components at a certain ratio.

When water freezes into ice at 0° C. or less, it swells by about 10%. If a coolant for cooling a heat exchanger such as a car engine freezes like water, a radiator or an engine block gets damaged. For this reason, the coolant for cooling a car engine has been conventionally prevented from freezing by adding a chemical having a low freezing point thereto and then using it after dilution. Such chemical to be added to the coolant contains glycols or alcohols as a main component. Further, in order to prevent metal corrosion and extend the service life of the metal, a rust inhibitor, a corrosion inhibitor, and an antioxidant are added (See "what is claimed is" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. (Patent Kokai No.) 07-157886 (1995) and "what is claimed is" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-97461, for example). Conventionally, a large amount of ethylene glycol has been used as a radiator coolant.
Particularly, in the winter season in a cold district, a passenger or a car slips on the road because the road freezes due to rainfall, snowfall, or frost or snow is trodden down on the road, and thus accidents and traffic jam are caused. In view of smooth traffic flow and transportation and prevention of danger, it is inevitable to take measures to melt snow on the road surface and to prevent freezing of the road surface. Therefore, the central or each local government or road maintenance industry distributes various antifreezing agents over the road surface to prevent freezing of the road surface. Specifically, an antifreezing agent containing sodium chloride and calcium chloride as a main component (See "what is claimed is" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-061095 (1999), "what is claimed is" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-204343, and "what is claimed is" of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-060726, for example) is distributed over the road. The distributed antifreezing agent melts in water on the road and increases the concentration of salt in the water, thus lowering the freezing temperature of the water. Also, the antifreezing agent melts snow or ice on the road by its own melting heat.
However, considering danger to environment, human body and animals, there has been a growing trend to regulate an additive contained in such antifreezing agent. Examples of substances which are likely to be regulated as harmful air contaminants include: sulfur base additives; chlorine base additives; boron compounds; nitrite and derivatives thereof; formaldehyde and derivatives thereof; amines such as hydroxylamine, diethanolamine, nitrosamines, and triethanolamine; PCP; PCB; other dioxin-containing substances; heavy metals; and ethylene glycol.
The aforementioned prior art antifreeze solution contains the substances described above. For this reason, it has been desired to develop a novel antifreeze solution containing no environmentally harmful substances.
In the meanwhile, an antifreezing agent for preventing the icing of the road surfaces contains chloride. Therefore, such antifreezing agent causes metal components that constitute a car, coating for protecting an electric system, and tires to rust and deteriorate. Further, such antifreezing agent causes the scaling deterioration of concrete or asphalt. When such antifreezing agent melt in water, it contaminates the soil around the road and exerts an adverse effect on living animal and plant life. Considering such effect, some municipalities stop using chloride and use acetic acid instead of chloride. However, since acetic acid is much more expensive than chloride, it is not possible to use a large amount of acetic acid. For this reason, some municipalities blockade the icy road. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a cheap and environmentally friendly antifreezing agent.
As a snow-melting agent for melting snow on the roof or the like, there has been used hot water so far. However, hot water freezes as temperature drops. Therefore, snow cannot often be removed.
As the result of our researches to provide a novel antifreeze solution that can be used as a radiator coolant, antifreezing agent, snow-melting agent, or the like, the inventor of the present invention has eventually found the present invention. The antifreeze solution of the present invention is composed of environmentally friendly and sanitary substances which do not exert an adverse effect on living animal and plant life and which are not legally regulated. The antifreeze solution of the present invention does not cause metals to rust and does not freeze even at law temperature. Further, the antifreeze solution of the present invention is environmentally friendly and does not require any complicated wastewater treatment after use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Antifreeze solution and rust inhibitor added thereto


An intake control device of an internal combustion engine in which an intake path of each cylinder is partitioned into an upper and a lower path and a tumble control valve and an intake pressure control valve are provided to open/close the upper path and lower path respectively. In a given driving condition, the intake air flow velocity in the lower path is increased by closing the tumble control valve, thereby generating a tumble flow in the combustion chamber. In this process, the intake pressure control valve is opened around start of an intake stroke and closed around its end to make intake pressure downstream of the intake pressure control valve higher than upstream of it to increase the difference between upstream and downstream intake pressures in the intake stroke. This increases the intake air flow velocity in the lower path and intensifies the tumble flow in the combustion chamber.

Japanese Patent No. 3671755 discloses an intake control device in which the intake port of an internal combustion engine is partitioned into an upper port part and a lower port part by a partition wall. One of these port parts is closed by a tumble control valve to let intake air flow only through the other port part. The flow velocity of intake air is thus increased and a tumble flow (vertical turbulent flow of intake air) is generated in the combustion chamber so as to accelerate homogenization and stratification of air-fuel mixture. The combustion condition is improved and high fuel efficiency and the lower emissions are achieved.
With the increasing tendency toward tighter regulations on fuel efficiency of vehicles, demand for improved combustion conditions of internal combustion engines to enhance fuel efficiency is growing.
In the system with a tumble control valve as described in Japanese Patent No. 3671755, if the tumble flow intensity is increased by increasing the flow velocity of intake air flowing through the open port part, which is referred to as a tumble port part hereinafter, the combustion condition will be further improved and fuel efficiency will be further enhanced.
Generally, as the piston descends during the intake stroke of the internal combustion engine, the intake pressure on the downstream of the tumble control valve decreases and a pressure difference between the intake pressure on the upstream side of the tumble control valve and that on the downstream side is generated. The larger this pressure difference (amount of decrease in intake pressure on the downstream of the tumble control valve relative to the upstream-intake-pressure) is, the higher the flow velocity of intake air in the tumble port part is and the higher the intensity of tumble flow is.
However, the system has the following problem: the tumble port part is always open and the pressure difference between the intake pressure on the upstream of the tumble control valve and that on the downstream thereof cannot be increased sufficiently. It is difficult to increase the flow velocity of intake air flowing through the tumble port part to increase the intensity of tumble flow and, as a consequence, demand for higher fuel efficiency cannot be met sufficiently.
In the system in which a tumble flow is generated in the combustion chamber, the fuel injected from a fuel injector well evaporates during idling after warm-up of the internal combustion engine. The generation of a tumble flow in the combustion chamber is not so effective in improving fuel efficiency and fuel efficiency cannot be improved sufficiently.

Intake control device for internal combustion engine


A disposable capsule for use in beverage machines is disclosed. The capsule has a hollow, cup-shaped body adapted to receive a measured dose of a syrup, a liquid or a powder concentrate. The hollow body has an insert housed therein which includes a disc-shaped portion and a stem which stretches out axially from the top of the disc-shaped portion. The stem has an axial through cavity which defines a channel for the dispensing of a beverage. The through cavity includes an inlet formed at an end of the stem located close to the cover of the capsule and an outlet formed at the opposite end of the stem.

Known disposable capsules for the preparation of beverages based on syrups, liquid or powder concentrates are used in dispensing machines for infused beverages. These capsules typically comprise a sealed cavity inside which a syrup, a liquid or powder concentrate is contained. A beverage is obtained by placing the capsule into an infusion chamber of a beverage dispensing machine and by subsequently piercing the capsule with one or more special perforators at a cover and a bottom thereof so as to allow passage of a flow of liquid therethrough. Depending on the types of dispensing machine and capsule, the liquid can flow from the cover of the capsule to its bottom or in the opposite direction.
The Italian patent application 102015000051841 in the Applicant's name describes for example a disposable capsule of the type above comprising a cup-shaped hollow body whose top is sealed by a cover secured to a flange thereof and whose bottom is sealed by a film applied inside the body cavity. A dispensing opening is formed at the bottom of the capsule body. The dispensing opening is funnel-shaped and serves as a dispensing duct for an infused beverage, thus allowing to simplify the structure of the infusion group of a dispensing machine and to avoid contamination of flavors between beverages produced consecutively, which is caused by a progressive soiling of the dispensing duct of a traditional infusion group.
The hollow body houses an insert comprising a frustoconical disc portion and a stem axially extending from the top of said frustoconical disc portion. The frustoconical disc portion rests on the bottom of the capsule, while the stem extends axially beyond the top of the capsule, so that the cover features a dome shape once applied to the cup-shaped hollow body of the capsule.
A plurality of through openings are formed in the mantle of the frustoconical disc portion, while perforation elements are formed in its concave portion. The perforation elements face the film which seals the bottom of the capsule.
The insert is axially movable between an assembling or packaging position, wherein the frustoconical disc portion rests on the bottom of the hollow body and the free end of the stem presses against the cover deforming it outwards, and an opening position, wherein the free end of the stem is advanced in an axial direction and the frustoconical disc portion is flattened on the bottom, whereby the perforating elements interfere with the inner film and cut it.
Hence, opening of the capsule for dispensing the infused beverage occurs mechanically inside it due to the movement of the insert upon closing of the infusion chamber of a beverage dispensing machine. When closing the infusion chamber in fact a special lever of the machine presses against the capsule cover, thereby moving axially the stem of the insert arranged under the cover.
The insert of the capsule described in the Italian patent application 102015000051841 also includes a cup-shaped element serving as a distributor for the infusion liquid. The cup-shaped element is housed in the capsule body in a seat formed close to a flanged edge thereof. The stem is tightly fitted in an aperture formed in the middle of the cup-shaped element and having a corresponding diameter. The overall configuration of the capsule in a packaging configuration is such that the insert separates the capsule cavity in two adjacent, non-communicating sectors. When the capsule is placed in the infusion group of a dispensing machine as indicated above, the insert stem is made to advance axially, thus creating a radial clearance with the aperture formed in the cup-shaped element and allowing passage of the infusion fluid into the cavity so as to form the beverage. The beverage is dispensed from the bottom of the capsule through the inner film, which has been cut by the perforating elements formed in the frustoconical disc portion of the insert.
Another example of a disposable capsule of the above type is described in the international publication WO 2012/121597 A1.
This capsule comprises a cup-shaped, hollow body suitable to receive a measured dose of a granular or particle product. The cup-shaped body comprises a side wall and a frustoconical bottom wherein a plurality of through openings are formed. The top of the cup-shaped body is sealed by a cover secured to a peripheral flange, while the bottom wall is sealed by a film applied from below, i.e. arranged outside the cup-shaped body.
On the surface of the bottom wall facing the film that seals the cup-shaped body, one or more perforating elements are formed. On the opposite surface of the bottom wall a rod-like element extending axially towards the cover is formed. The rod-like element is hollow and features a plurality of indentations formed at its free facing the cover. The cavity of the rod-like element is blind at the bottom wall of the cup-shaped body.
The capsule described in the international publication WO 2012/121597 A1 is configured to be inserted into an infusion chamber of a machine for infused beverages. An injector needle of the machine punctures the cover at the cavity of the rod-like element, whereby an infusion liquid fills the cavity and flows out into the cavity of the cap-shaped body of the capsule through the indentations formed at the free end of the rod-like element. The injector needle is associated with a shaped element which, simultaneously with the cover perforation step, presses against the rod-like element and causes it to move relative to the lateral wall of the cup-shaped body, thereby deforming its bottom wall toward the film sealing it from below. The perforating elements formed on the bottom wall cut the film thus allowing the infused beverage to be dispensed.
A further example of disposable capsule of the aforesaid type is described in the international publication WO 2014/102701 A1. In this case the capsule comprises an axially deformable body and a hollow insert extending axially from the top to the bottom thereof, from which it opens out of the capsule. The end of the hollow insert arranged inside the capsule body is sealed against the cover of the capsule, while the opposite end, which protrudes beyond the bottom of the capsule and is therefore outside it, is sealed by a film applied on the bottom from the outside.
The cavity of the insert is divided in two separate parts that are respectively set in fluid communication with the body cavity of the capsule through at least one injection port and one outlet. An infusion fluid supplied by the infusion group of an infused beverage dispensing machine is injected into the insert and dispensed into the cavity of the capsule body through the injection port, where it is mixed with a food product so as to form an infused beverage. By axially deforming the body of the capsule, the infused beverage thus obtained is forced to flow out of the capsule through the outlet of the insert.
Capsules of this type are extremely effective in causing a capsule to be opened from the inside so as to allow dispensing of an infused beverage, but have the drawback that they cannot prevent leakage of residues of a beverage at the end of the dispensing step. At the end of this step in fact a certain amount of the liquid injected into the capsule inevitably remains inside it.
Moreover, prior art capsules of this type can be improved as far as mixing between the infusion liquid and the product contained therein is concerned, which is particularly important for products such as syrups, liquid and powder concentrates, where the organoleptic properties of the beverage produced heavily depend on mixing among the ingredients.

Disposable capsule for dispensing machines of infused beverages


According to some embodiments, an image processor includes an image acquirer, a first image generator, a point acquirer, a detector, a calculator and a determiner. The detector detects a second plurality of points in the first perspective images or the second perspective images corresponding to the first plurality of points. The calculator calculates, based on at least the first plurality of points and the second plurality of points, a difference in position of the target between when the first perspective images were captured and when the second perspective images were generated. The determiner determines whether or not the difference is in a range. If the difference is not in the range, then the first image generator generates updated ones of the second perspective images from an updated one of the volume data, which is different by the difference from a previous one of the volume data.

In radiotherapy, heavy ion (heavy particle) radiotherapy, and the like, a lesion is treated by irradiating it with radiation or heavy ion radiation, thereby destroying the lesion. When performing radiotherapy or heavy ion radiotherapy, it is difficult to achieve effective treatment effect unless the radiation or heavy ion radiation is irradiated precisely on the lesion. For this reason, CT (computed tomography) is used to image the target of the treatment (for example, the object to be treated) to gain an understanding of the position of the lesion in three dimensions. A physician or technician determines a treatment plan that includes the angle and radiation strength of irradiation of radiation or heavy ion radiation, based on the determined three-dimensional position of the lesion. When actual treatment is done, positioning is performed to align the position of the object to be treated at the time of treatment with the position of the object to be treated at the time the treatment plan was determined. Because treatment is performed a plurality of times based on the treatment plan, positioning is performed each time. It is necessary that the object to be treated maintains its attitude from the start of the positioning to the end of the treatment, so that it is desirable that the positioning be performed in a short period of time. However, because the positioning must be done precisely, it may be difficult to perform positioning in a short period of time.

Image processor, treatment system, and image processing method


A conductive connection structure for a conductive wiring layer of a flexible circuit board includes a first through hole and a second through hole formed in a lamination structure including a conductive wiring layer, a first covering layer, and a second covering layer. The first through hole extends through the first covering layer and the conductive wiring layer. The second through hole extends through the second covering layer. The second through hole is formed at a location corresponding to an exposed zone on a second surface of the conductive wiring layer and communicates with the first through hole. A first conductive paste layer is formed on a surface of the first covering layer and fills in the first through hole to form a pillar portion in the first through hole. The pillar portion has a bottom end forming a curved cap. The exposed zone of the second surface of the conductive wiring layer is at least partially covered by the curved cap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure design of a circuit board, and in particular to a conductive connection structure for a conductive wiring layer of a flexible circuit board.
2. The Related Arts
Most of various kinds of electronic equipment uses circuit boards or flexible flat cables for positioning various types of necessary circuit components and connectors and for transmitting electronic signals. In the manufacturing art of circuit boards, wiring techniques are applied to form extended signal transmission lines on a surface of a substrate for transmission of electronic signals.
Being commonly adopted in structure designs of flexible circuit boards, a flexible circuit board generally comprises a lamination structure that is composed of a first conductive wiring layer, a first covering layer, and a second covering layer vertically stacked over each other. To enable a conductive wiring layer to be used as a signal transmission line, a grounding line, a power transmission line, a shielding layer, an impedance control layer, or to provide the function of signal wire jumper and conductive connection, it is a common practice to form a conductive through hole in the lamination structure of the flexible circuit board to realize electrical connection. For the known techniques, it is tedious and sophisticated to form the conductive through hole and it is generally impossible to effectively simplify the operation and reduce the cost.

Conductive connection structure for conductive wiring layer of flexible circuit board


An improved portable wood planing machine for the surface planing of wooden planks or boards is provided. The machine has a switched reluctance motor. In an exemplary embodiment, the planing machine includes a carriage assembly locking mechanism for locking the carriage assembly relative to a plurality of vertical support columns to thereby vertically fix the carriage assembly. In one form, the carriage assembly locking mechanism includes a plurality of levers which cooperate to engage the support columns of the carriage assembly. The exemplary embodiment further includes a depth stop adjustment mechanism which allows the operator to accurately select a minimum workpiece depth from one or more predetermined depths and a material removal indicator assembly operable for enabling the user of the planing machine to accurately determine the amount of material to be removed during each pass of the workpiece.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to woodworking. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable wood planing machine for the surface planing of wooden planks or boards.
2. Discussion
Most prior art planers use universal motors and gear or belt reduction drives to power a saw blade. For turning the universal motor on and off in a convenient manner, a switch is utilized. Recent models of prior art planers may also employ a brake to shorten the coast downtime of the saw blade. This is accomplished by reconnecting the universal motor into a short circuited generator. This is sometimes referred to as "regenerative" braking or "dynamic" braking. A separate circuit operated by a second contact of the switch engages and disengages the brake. Unfortunately, the optimum brush timing, or "brush lead," is different for a motor and a generator. Thus, braking the motor in the manner described above increases wear and tear on the motor brush and commutator. In addition, the braking action of a universal motor decreases sharply as the motor slows down, increasing the total stopping time.
As will be seen in the discussion that follows, the present invention employs a switched reluctance motor which eliminates the aforementioned problems associated with universal motors, particularly those that employ regenerative or dynamic braking.

Portable wood planing machine with switched reluctance motor


Hard Imaging Methods, Liquid Marking Agent Monitoring Methods, and Hard Imaging Devices are described. According to one embodiment, a hard imaging method includes forming a plurality of latent images using a hard imaging device, using the hard imaging device, developing the latent images using a liquid marking agent, wherein bubbles are present in the liquid marking agent during the developing, calibrating the hard imaging device, and reducing bubbles present in the liquid marking agent during the calibrating compared with the bubbles present in the liquid marking agent during the developing. Additional embodiments are described in the disclosure.

Imaging devices capable of printing images upon paper and other media are ubiquitous and used in many applications including monochrome and color applications. For example, laser printers, ink jet printers, and digital printing presses are but a few examples of imaging devices in wide use today for monochrome or color imaging.
Electrophotographic imaging processes utilize a photoconductor which may be electrically charged and then selectively discharged to form latent images. The latent images may be developed and transferred to output media to form hard images upon the media. Electrophotographic imaging processes are implemented in laser printer configurations and digital presses in illustrative examples.
Imaging devices of example embodiments of the present disclosure use a liquid marking agent to develop latent images. At least some embodiments of the disclosure are directed towards apparatus and methods for monitoring the liquid marking agent and performing calibration operations. Additional embodiments are disclosed in the following disclosure.

Hard imaging methods, liquid marking agent monitoring methods, and hard imaging devices

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A network storage type video camera system enables to perform real-time recording and live distribution concurrently. The network storage type video camera system includes camera terminal equipment for generating moving image data; a network; and a moving image storage server connected to the camera terminal equipment through the network, wherein the camera terminal equipment converts the generated moving image data into packets to transmit in real time to the moving image storage server; the moving image storage server stores received packets and then reports reception packet information on the received packets to the camera terminal equipment; and further, after real-time transmission of the packets is completed, the camera terminal equipment supplies one or more lost packets having been lost during the transmission to the moving image storage server, so as to complement the lost packets according to the reported reception packet information.

With the improved technologies on moving image data compression and hardware devices, recently commercial equipment for handling digital moving images has been increasing in number. Among such equipment, there is one type having a large capacity hard disk (HDD) for storing a large amount of moving image data, enabling to extend recording time. Another type provides a flash memory as a storage medium having a capacity of several tens of megabytes, mainly aiming at miniaturization.
In the former type, it is difficult to miniaturize the equipment because of the HDD size, while in the latter type there is a disadvantage of limited image recording time. When extending the recording time is intended in the latter type, it is necessary to raise compression rate at the cost of image quality. Therefore, each of the types has the own merit and demerit.
In order to satisfy both requirements of miniaturization and elongation of recording time, there is one solution that the recorded images be stored not into a recording device included in the equipment itself, but into a recording device provided outside the equipment being connected with communication means. Provision of recording device outside the equipment (or 'terminal') facilitates to miniaturize the camera terminal, and at the same time to obtain extended recording time by storing into a recording device having a sufficiently large capacity.
When using a less reliable network with relatively frequent bit errors such as a wireless network, packet transmission technology can be applied to achieve accurate data transmission. The data are packetized and arrival of the packet data is monitored at both communication ends. When a packet is not received, retransmission processing is performed. Using such a method, it is required to provide a means for guaranteeing data identity between the data to be transmitted and the data actually received on the other side.
A known technology to enable the above means is ARQ (automatic repeat request). Data are divided into frames to transmit, and retransmission request is issued when a received frame includes an error, thus an error free scheme is realized.
However, in the ARQ retransmission processing, there is a problem that when packet loss occurs frequently, the packets triggered by the retransmission processing are retransmitted frequently through the network, which produces undesirable influence to the transmission bandwidth for normal data packets. In some cases network congestion may occur, resulting in stoppage of normal data transmission. Therefore, the ARQ method is regarded as not a proper means for real-time data transmission.
In particular, digital moving image data created by a digital video camera are generated in real time and continuously. Accordingly, to say nothing of the extreme case of network congestion, when real-time data transmission is impeded, data being unable to transmit must be kept in the camera terminal. Such communication bottleneck may cause stoppage of further recording.
To the contrary, if a priority is given to guaranteeing real-time data transmission at the cost of data accuracy, one method is to suppress retransmission of lost packets so as to circumvent the communication problem. However, when using this method, it is not possible to regenerate accurate moving image using data stored in the network server because of the inaccurate transmission and storage. Thus complete recording function of moving images, which is a basic requirement to a digital video camera, cannot be achieved.

Network storage type video camera system


A dye-sensitized solar cell includes four generation cells, wherein their negative electrodes and positive electrodes are facing each other, with an electrolytic solution sealed in between, and being contacted by generation layers. On the other main side of a polyimide layer on which the positive electrodes are formed, wiring layers corresponding to the positive electrodes are provided in positions overlapping with both the corresponding positive electrodes and the positive electrodes adjacent thereto. The wiring layers corresponding to the positive electrodes are connected by through holes and conductor penetrating the polyimide layer. The negative electrodes of the generation cells are connected, on the outer periphery side, with the wiring layers that are connected to the positive electrodes of the adjacent generation cells, except for the wiring layer and negative electrode on which leader terminal parts are formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell, and more specifically to an output voltage control.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dye-sensitized solar cells (hereinafter referred to as "DSC") are each structured in such a way that a generation electrode (negative electrode) that forms a semiconductor layer (generation layer) on which a sensitizing dye is supported is arranged to face an opposing electrode (positive electrode) that forms a catalyst metal, with an electrolyte-containing electrolytic solution contained between the opposing electrodes. When light is irradiated on to the DSC, the dye adsorbed to titanium oxide that constitutes the generation layer is electronically excited and the excited electrons are injected into the conductor of titanium oxide, and consequently the electrons migrate from titanium oxide to a clear conductive film of ITO or FTO and can be removed as electrical current. If there is only one dye-sensitized solar cell, however, the output voltage is 0.7 V at the maximum and accordingly the voltage must be stepped up using a step-up circuit, etc., before the solar cell can be connected to and used with electrical equipment.
To solve the aforementioned problem, for example, Patent Literature 1 specified below discloses technology whereby a pseudo-module is prepared as a structure comprising two adjacent dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion elements, where a clear conductive layer on one dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to a counter electrode on the other dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion element in the space provided between the elements.


A programmer system for implantable devices including a programmer and a telemetry wand joined by a telemetry cable or via wireless. The telemetry wand includes at least partial display and control functionality for the system. The telemetry wand and telemetry cable are encapsulated to facilitate ready sterilization of the same and may be removably connected to the programmer. The system enables a clinician to remain within a sterile field, such as during an implantation procedure, and employ the programmer system while maintaining the sterile field without requiring that the entire programmer system be sterilized.

The initial and ongoing clinical care provided to patients with implantable cardiac device systems often includes the use of programmers. A programmer is a device that enables a clinician to telemetrically communicate with and control an implantable cardiac device such as a pacemaker or defibrillator. Implantable devices often monitor and record a variety of internal physiological parameters of the patient and are often provided with a telemetry system to telemetrically transmit those measured and recorded parameters outside the patient's body to a programmer. A clinician can then review the data via the programmer and make any indicated changes in the patient's therapy.
Implantable devices are also often capable of receiving telemetric signals from a programmer to induce the device to set or change a variety of operational parameters of the device related to the therapy provided by the device as well as to select among the physiological parameters that the device monitors and records. These parameters are often desirably changed during the implantation period to adjust the therapy provided and/or the physiological parameters monitored in order to provide the attending clinician with different information or to adapt the therapy to a more efficacious regimen. It is highly desirable to set these parameters without the expense and health risks to the patient of additional invasive procedures and programmers enable the attending clinician to perform these tasks in a non-invasive, telegraphic manner after implantation with the insight of information provided from internal measurements provided by the device itself.
Accordingly, programmers typically include a display to visually present alphanumeric and graphical information relating to device performance and patient condition as well as user input devices to facilitate data entry and control inputs to be provided by a clinician to control device operation telemetrically. As implantable devices are typically battery powered, thus having also limited electrical power capacity, and, as telemetric communication is a relatively major source of battery depletion, programmers often include a movable wand with an antenna that is placed on the patient overlying the implanted device to receive and send signals to/from the implantable device. The wand is also placed over the implanted device to be proximate the device to thereby limit RF interference with other nearby devices. The telemetry wand with antenna is typically specially adapted for efficient establishment of a telemetric link between the programmer and the implantable device so as to minimize the power that the implantable device must provide to achieve the telemetric link thereby reducing the drain on the battery of the implantable device.
Programmers are particularly useful during the implantation process as the telemetric feedback from the device to the programmer can confirm integrity of the connections of leads to the implantable device as the leads are attached or, conversely, indicate faulty connections thereof. The implantable device can also telemetrically indicate its operational status to the programmer and it will be understood by one of skill in the art that correct device operation is preferably confirmed before closure of surgical incisions.
It will also be appreciated that the actual implantation procedure calls for a sterile environment to reduce risk of infections and complications for the implantee. Thus, it is desirable that not only the implantable device and any leads, but other operating room equipment in contact with the patient, such as a programmer be maintained sterile at least during invasive procedures, such as implantation.
However, it is problematic to sterilize electronic devices, such as programmers, because of their composition and construction. Thus, it is often the practice to interconnect a telemetry wand to the programmer via a relatively long (typically greater than 3 m) cable. The wand and cable are generally encapsulated in such a manner that the wand and cable can be readily sterilized such as by autoclaving or Ethylene Oxide (ETO) gas, without damaging the programmer or requiring that the programmer itself be sterilized. The sterilized wand and cable can then be placed in proximity to the implantee while maintaining an adequate distance from the unsterilized programmer.
However, the distancing between the wand and the programmer also presents some difficulties in use for the clinician. In particular, as previously mentioned, the programmer and wand are a useful tool to the implanting clinician to confirm attachment of leads to the implantable device and to confirm proper device operation and activation prior to closure of surgical incisions. However, the programmer with the display is typically located outside the sterile field and thus outside of the field of view of the implanting clinician. This imposes the burden of providing additional attending staff to convey to the implanting clinician the information provided by the programmer. It can be understood that this presents an added cost and inconvenience and a possible source of error in verbally conveying the information provided in a graphical manner at the programmer.
From the foregoing it can be appreciated that there is an ongoing need for a programmer that provides the ability for a clinician to directly access at least part of the display and control input capability of a programmer from within a sterile field.

Telemetry wand with display and control for implantable medical devices


A dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate is disclosed. The vehicle includes a frame, a dump bed mounted on the frame and having a floor, front and side walls and a rear opening through which material can be discharged from the bed, and a gate having a pair of lateral edges and a lower edge. The gate is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear opening and has a closed position in which the gate blocks the rear opening to prevent discharge from the bed through the rear opening. The vehicle further includes a gate control mechanism connected to the gate. The gate control mechanism is adapted to selectively raise the gate from the closed position to allow metered discharge of material or to release the gate from the closed position so that the gate may pivot away from the rear opening to allow unmetered discharge of material.

A conventional dump vehicle includes a frame mounted on wheels and a bed that is configured to hold a volume of material to be transported and eventually dumped, such as gravel, sand, asphalt, etc. Via a hydraulic lifting mechanism, the bed is able to be inclined or "tipped" with respect to the frame to urge any material contained therein to be dispensed through the bed's discharge port, which is usually a rear opening. Dump vehicles of this type also include a gate that is pivotally coupled to the bed and is pivotal from a closed position, in which the gate closes the opening and prevents material from passing there through, and a pivoted position, in which the gate is swung away from the bed and allows material to be freely dispensed through the opening.
The gate is retained in its closed position by a pair of pivotal latches, or dogs, that extend over a pair of tabs, one extending outwardly from each lateral edge of the gate, to retain the gate against the rear portion of the bed. When the dogs are actuated, they pivot generally upwardly and away from the tabs to release the tabs and enable the gate to pivot outwardly from the bed, thereby allowing the material contained therein to be dispensed through the rear opening. When the gate is in this pivoted position, the material in the bed may be dumped out of the bed simply by inclining the bed with respect to the frame. The material is dispensed rather quickly, in an unmerited fashion, through the opening and onto the ground or other surface proximate the vehicle.
Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult, although often necessary, to control the rate at which the material is dispensed. The speed of the vehicle, the angle of the bed with respect to the frame, and the viscosity of the material contained within the bed are factors which affect the rate at which material is dispensed from the gate and onto the ground. None of these factors, however, whether considered alone or collectively, enable sufficient control of the flow rate of material from the bed.
With the conventional dump vehicle described above, a chain is often used to attempt to control the degree to which the gate may pivot away from the rear opening, thereby controlling the rate at which material is dispensed from the bed. One end of the chain is secured to the frame or bed, and the other end of the chain is secured to the gate a specified distance from the secured end. By selecting a particular length of chain, usually a certain number of links, between the gate and the bed, the user is able to set a maximum angle at which the gate can pivot away from the bed. Unfortunately, this is a very rough measurement that lends itself to considerable guessing and speculation on the part of the user. Moreover, if the user guesses incorrectly, it is not possible to readjust the measurement. Similarly, it is not possible to adjust the measurement if the desired flow rate changes. Instead, once the material has begun to flow out of the rear opening, it will generally have sufficient weight to prevent the tailgate from being returned to the closed position until all, or at least most, of the material has been dispensed from the bed. It should be understood that this is not, as used herein, metered discharge of the material from the bed. While an upper limit to the flow rate of material from the bed may be established, the flow rate may not be adjusted or stopped.
Furthermore, once a flow of material from the bed has begun, it is not possible to stop the flow quickly, and often times is only possible after a majority of the material has been dispensed. At best, the bed can be returned to its most level position, and the material will continue to flow out of the opening until the outward force exerted on the pivoted gate by the material is less than the opposite force exerted by the gate on the material. Even when these forces are in equilibrium, the gate often cannot be returned fully to its closed position because of material trapped between the opening and the gate. This is especially true when the material is asphalt or rock.
Therefore, with a conventional dump vehicle and tailgate, it is possible to dump all of the material at once, or to make a one-time estimate and hope that the selected angle produces the desired flow rate of material through the rear opening. In addition, even if the desired flow rate is obtained, it is not possible to stop the flow of material through the rear opening until most or all of the material has been dispensed. Moreover, the flow of material generally spans the entire length of the rear opening and may not be selectively dispensed over only a variable portion of the length of the opening.
One attempt to solve this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,918 to Biddy, which is entitled "Material Handling Vehicle with Improved Tailgate," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Biddy discloses a dump truck with a tailgate that may be raised with respect to the bed by a pair of hydraulic lifting members and subsequently pivoted outwardly from the bed. The truck includes a pair of channels extending upwardly from adjacent the floor of the bed into which the tabs on each side of the tailgate are retained until the gate is raised a defined distance above the floor of the bed. When the tabs are within the channels, the gate may be selectively raised or lowered to control flow of material through the rear opening of the bed. Once the gate is raised to a height at which the tabs are higher than the channels, the gate is free to swing outwardly from the bed for unmerited, or uncontrolled, dumping of the material through the rear opening.
The drawback to this design, however, is that the vehicle of Biddy does not enable the gate to, from a closed position, be either pivoted or raised with respect to the bed. Instead, the gate must always be raised, from a closed position, to a height that exceeds the height of the channels. Only at this point may the gate be pivoted with respect to the bed. Therefore, if the user desires to quickly dump the material contained within the bed, the user must wait while the gate is raised a distance equal to the height of the channels before the gate may swing outwardly from the bed.
An additional problem with the design of Biddy is that the system is entirely dependent upon the operation of the hydraulic lifting members. If either of the members fails or malfunctions, the gate is locked in its current position, and the truck is inoperable for its intended purpose until the member is repaired. For example, if either of the hydraulic members or the system providing power and fluid to the members fails when the gate is in its closed position, the gate is locked in this position, with the tabs firmly retained within the channels. Even if the lifting members could be disengaged, the gate would have to be manually raised to allow the material within the bed to be removed. In most applications, the weight of the material within the bed would make the process extremely difficult and time-consuming.
Another disadvantage is that the distance through which the gate may be raised and returned to a closed position is directly proportional to the time it takes to pivot the gate away from the bed. For example, if the channels are fairly long, then the user has a wide range of heights at which the level of the gate with respect to the bed may be positively controlled. However, the gate must be raised through this entire height in order to pivot the gate away from the bed. On the other hand, if the channels are relatively short, the gate may be raised more quickly to a sufficient height to be pivoted away from the bed, but the user will have a much more limited range of heights at which the elevation of the gate may be positively controlled. Therefore, there is a constant tradeoff between the time to pivot the gate away from the bed and range of heights within which the elevation of the gate may be positively controlled.
A further disadvantage of the vehicle disclosed in Biddy is the position of the channels with respect to the floor of the bed. Because the channels extend from below the floor of the bed and have internally oriented openings extending along their entire length, material dispensed from the bed will always be prone to being received within the channels. When the transported and dumped material is compressible and easily removed, this may be more of a recurring inconvenience than a serious disadvantage. When the material is substantially incompressible, such as rock or gravel, then any of the material that is received within either of the channels may prevent the gate from being returned fully to its closed position. It should be understood that if the gate cannot be returned to its closed position, then the discharge port or opening of the vehicle will not be closed fully, thereby allowing material to continuously flow out of the opening until the obstruction is removed. Furthermore, to remove the obstruction, the gate would most likely have to be raised with respect to the floor of the bed, thereby increasing the available size of the opening and allowing even more material to be dispensed and possibly introduced into the channels.
Even more problems are encountered when the material hardens over time from a fluid or relatively amorphous state to a solid state. An example of such a material is asphalt. If this material is received and allowed to harden within the channels, it is possible to lock the gate in a given position because the tabs are stuck in that position by the hardened material. It is also possible that the material will harden within the channel and prevent the gate from being fully closed because the material will obstruct the lower or other portion of the channel. Therefore, if the vehicle is going to be used with this type of material, the channels and tabs must be continuously monitored for any build-up of hardened material.
Although Biddy attempts to address and satisfy some of the above-recited problems inherent in a conventional dump vehicle, it is an unsatisfactory solution to these problems, for at least the reasons discussed above. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a dump vehicle with a gate that may, from a closed position, be selectively pivoted away from the bed or raised with respect to the bed to respectively allow unmerited or metered discharge of material from the bed.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a vehicle with a dual-control mechanism that uses separate sets of mechanisms to cause the gate to be raised and to be pivoted with respect to the bed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a positively controlled tailgate system that may be easily and quickly retrofit on an existing dump vehicle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which utilizes a substantial amount of the existing components of the vehicle.
One more object is to provide such a vehicle and system that are durable and able to sustain the abuses encountered in their operating environment, while still being easy to maintain and requiring minimal maintenance.
Another object is to provide for selective control of the width, as well as the height, of the discharge port from the bed.
The invention achieves these and other objects and advantages in the form of a dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate. The vehicle includes a frame, a dump bed mounted on the frame and having a floor, front and side walls and a rear opening through which material can be discharged from the bed, and a gate having a pair of lateral edges and a lower edge. The gate is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear opening and has a closed position in which the gate blocks the rear opening to prevent discharge from the bed through the rear opening. The vehicle further includes a gate control mechanism connected to the gate. The gate control mechanism is adapted to selectively raise the gate from the closed position to allow metered discharge of material or to release the gate from the closed position so that the gate may pivot away from the rear opening to allow unmerited discharge of material.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more fully apparent as the detailed description below is read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Dump vehicle with a positively controlled opening gate


An apparatus and method for display and control of video data on a mobile device provides simultaneous multiple video data display of groups of video sources and selection of video data for single, larger viewing. Control of the camera source of the video data is provided for the mobile device user, such as by manipulation of a multi-touch sensitive screen to pan, tilt and zoom. Image capture from the video screen and marking of the captured image is provided. Activation of video data streams and groups of video data streams for display on the mobile device is provided by transfer of activation information to the mobile device via email. Notification of events monitored by the video source or by other sensors is sent to users of the mobile devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and to a method for display of video information on a portable device and for control of the displayed video.
2. Description of the Related Art
Security cameras are being increasingly used in a wide variety of places. Typically, one or more security cameras are connected as part of a security system. A centralized office is provided with one or more display devices on which is displayed the video feed from the security cameras. One or more persons at the centralized office views the video feed from the cameras on the display devices and selects which of the video feeds are displayed.
Police officers, firefighters, security personnel, and other emergency responders or first responders at or traveling to a location being monitored by security cameras do not see the video information captured by the security cameras. The emergency responder is therefore unaware of activities at the location that may be revealed by the security camera.

Apparatus and method for video display and control for portable device


Disclosed herein is a bicycle seat assembly designed for optimal comfort and riding efficiency. The assembly includes a forward, upward extending, rigid support member adjustably attached to the seat tube on a bicycle. In one embodiment, the support member has an adjustable collar assembly which enables the support member to be attached to a standard seat post which is inserted into the seat tube. A v-shaped, extension arm is pivotally attached to the support member. The extension arm may be rotated between a rearward extending position and a forward extending position. The standard bicycle seat, called a primary seat structure herein, is attached to the top surface of one leg segment of the extension arm with a secondary seat structure is attached to the rear surface. When the extension arm is disposed in the rearward extending position, the primary seat structure may be used for normal riding. When the rider climbs an incline surface, the extension arm is rotated forward in a counter-clockwise clockwise direction to the forward extended position. In the extension arm is disposed in the forward extended position, the secondary seat structure is disposed in a position to support a rider in a standing position. The distance of the secondary seat structure is sufficient so that pedal distance is maintained for full leg extension.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bicycle seat assemblies and more particularly, to such bicycle seat assemblies which, during use, may be moved in different positions for optimal riding efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that a bicycle seat should be adjusted in height so that the rider can sit comfortably and extend his legs fully when pedaling. The height of the bicycle seat, however, should not be so high that there is little or no clearance for the rider when he stands upright on the pedals to absorb road shocks.
When riding a bicycle, it is sometimes important that a rider adjust his relative position on the bicycle. For example, when riding the bicycle up a steep incline, the rider must lean forward on the bicycle so that his center of gravity is moved forward on the bicycle. When in this position, the rider is in a standing position on the bicycle and is able to fully extend his legs to deliver more power. Unfortunately, if the rider moves his center of gravity too far forward on the bicycle, an insufficient amount of weight will be applied to the rear wheel causing it to loose traction. Over a few minutes, this forward leaning position becomes fatiguing for the rider.
It is also well known that a rider must keep his center of gravity forward on the bicycle when riding up on a steep incline, so that a sufficient amount of weight is also applied over the front wheel. If the rider fails to lean forward a sufficient amount, the front wheel may lift causing the rider to lose control of the bicycle.
These problems are especially troublesome for mountain bike riders who often ride on paths or trails covered with loose dirt and debris.
The herein disclosed invention is designed to enable a bicycle rider to easily adjust his riding position on the bicycle when confronted with different riding conditions.


A Newton's method-based timing recovery circuit is provided for to solving a polynomial accurately. The timing recovery circuit can generate an interpolation signal, whose timing errors are confined within a predetermined timing error range, which corresponds to a demodulating capability of a demodulator. Therefore, the demodulator can demodulate the interpolation signal accurately.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timing recovery circuit, and more particularly, to a Newton's method-based timing recovery circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a wireless communications system, wireless signals received by a receiver have to enter into a synchronization process first and then travel to a demodulator to be demodulated accurately. A timing recovery circuit is designed to execute the synchronization process.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a function block diagram of a timing recovery circuit 10 according to the prior art. The timing recovery circuit 10 comprises a sampling clock generator 12, a sampler 14, an interpolator 16, and a data filter 18.
The sampling clock generator 12 generates a sampling clock TS having a period TS; The sampler 14 samples a wireless signal X(t) according to the sampling clock TS and generates a sampling signal X(mTS); The interpolator 16 interpolates the sampling signal X(mTS) with an interpolation interval Ti and generates an interpolation signal Y(kTi); The data filter 18 filters away noises in the interpolation signal Y(kTi) and outputs an interpolation signal Yf(kTi) to a demodulator electrically connected to the timing recovery circuit 10 to be demodulated.
In order that the demodulator can demodulate the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) output from the data filter 18 accurately, the timing recovery circuit 10 has to further comprise a timing error detector 20, and a timing error controller 22 electrically connected between the timing error detector 20 and the interpolator 16.
The timing error detector 20 detects any timing errors in the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) and generates a timing error signal e; The timing error controller 22 generates a timing_offset signal μ to control the operation of the interpolator 16 according to the timing error signal e, so as to reduce the timing errors in the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) ready to be generated by the data filter 18. Therefore, the demodulator can demodulate the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) more accurately.
Since the amplitude of the timing errors in the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) input to the demodulator by the timing recovery circuit 10 has a close relation with the accuracy of the demodulation process preformed by the demodulator on the interpolation signal Yf(kTi), i.e. a small interpolation signal Yf(kTi) corresponding to an accurate demodulation process performed by the demodulator on the interpolation signal Yf(kTi), designers to design the timing recovery circuit 10 have made a great effort and try to design a timing recovery circuit, on a basis of a variety of Mathematics and Physics methods, good enough to calculate the timing_offset signal μ more accurately, and to reduce the timing errors in the interpolation signal Yf(kTi) as small as possible.


What is disclosed is a vehicle engine control system responsive to a change between a first request for homogeneous charge combustion and a second request for stratified charge combustion. A spark-ignition cylinder-injection internal combustion engine has cylinders, each performing an intake phase, a compression phase, a power phase, and an exhaust phase. The cylinders each, when rendered operable in a first mode, experience first fuel injection at a first fuel injection timing during intake phase thereof and first spark ignition at a first ignition timing to initiate homogeneous charge combustion. The cylinders each, when rendered operable in a second mode, experiences second fuel injection at a second fuel injection timing during compression phase and second spark ignition at a second ignition timing to initiate stratified charge combustion. A fuel injection manager is operable to set one of the first fuel injection and second fuel injection for the cylinders in a predetermined sequential order in response to one of the first and second request. A spark ignition manager is operable to set one of the first spark ignition and second spark ignition for the cylinders in the predetermined sequential order in response to one of the first fuel injection and the second fuel injection that has been set to each of the cylinders.

Recently, there is a growing attention paid to internal combustion engines of the spark-ignition cylinder-injection type.
JP-A 59-37236 discloses a fuel injection timing control for an internal combustion engine of the above kind. This engine performs an intake phase, a compression phase, a power phase and an exhaust phase and has a throttle valve in an air induction system that opens in degrees in response to depression of a gas pedal. According to this fuel injection timing control, information as to the engine rpm and information as to intake airflow rate are used in computing a base amount of fuel injection. In other words, the base amount of fuel injection is determined as a function of engine rpm and airflow rate and represents operator power requirement. The base amount of fuel injection is compared with a predetermined value. If the former is less than the latter, that is, power requirement is small, a table lookup operation of a two-dimensional table is performed based on engine rpm and airflow rate to determine an appropriate crankshaft position at which fuel injection should end. The base amount of fuel injection is converted into a fuel injector opening duration expressed in terms of crankshaft angles. These crankshaft angles are subtracted from the determined crankshaft position to give a result as a crankshaft position at which fuel injection should begin. Suppose the base amount of fuel injection is not less than the predetermined value, that is, power requirement is medium or large. In this case, a table look-up operation of another two-dimensional table is performed based on engine rpm and airflow rate to determine an appropriate crankshaft position at which fuel injection should begin. With this fuel injection timing management, stratified charge is formed to meet small power requirement, while homogeneous charge is formed to meet medium or large power requirement. The first mentioned two-dimensional table contains crankshaft angles ranging from 50.degree. BTDC to 100.degree. BTDC. The second two-dimensional table contains crankshaft angles ranging from 140.degree. BTDC to 330.degree. BTDC.
JP-A 3-281965 teaches performing a table look-up operation of a map in determining an appropriate spark timing for each of stratified charge combustion state and homogeneous charge combustion state.
Homogeneous charge combustion or stratified charge combustion is required to meet varying operating condition under which an internal combustion engine operates. Upon or immediately after a change, in request, from stratified charge combustion to homogeneous charge combustion, a special care has to be paid to the fact a fuel injection instant for homogeneous charge combustion be well in advance of an appropriate fuel injection instant for stratified charge combustion.
Thus, it is inevitable to allow at least one, if any, of cylinders to continue to perform stratified charge combustion immediately after the change, in request, to homogeneous charge combustion. With regard to such a cylinder that continues to perform stratified charge combustion, spark timing appropriate for homogeneous charge combustion Is adjusted to produce a spark to burn combustible charge resulting from the fuel injection in quantity and timing that are appropriate for stratified charge. This may result In incomplete combustion or occurrence of knock, causing increased emission of noxious components in the exhaust gas and a drop in derivability.
Therefore, it has been demanded that, immediately after a shift, in requirement, between stratified and homogeneous charge combustion, the ignition timing control as well as the fuel injection control switch, without any error, from stratified charge mode to homogeneous charge mode or vice versa form one individual cylinder to another.
Theoretically, it is possible to compute fuel injection quantity, fuel injection timing, and ignition timing appropriate for stratified charge combustion as well as those thru homogeneous charge combustion over the whole range of operation of the engine. In this case, operation time becomes long, increasing possibility that the engine controller might leave some of the jobs unfinished when the engine operates at high speeds.
An object of the present invention is to meet the above-mentioned demand.

Transient control between two spark-ignited combustion states in engine


An electric motor (19) comprises a first part (21) and a second part (23) which are moveable with respect to each other. The first part comprises a foil-shaped insulating substrate (51) on which a plurality of series-connected spiral-shaped patterns (67, 67′, 69, 69′, 71, 71′) of conductor tracks are provided. The second part comprises a permanent magnet unit (73) for generating a magnetic field at the location of the conductor tracks. Said patterns each comprise two main sections (79, 81) with substantially straight, parallel conductor tracks (83, 85) having first ends (89, 93) and second ends (91, 95), and two intermediate sections (97, 99) with curved conductor tracks (101, 103) which respectively mutually connect the first ends of the two main sections and mutually connect the second ends of the two main sections. Said intermediate sections each have a center area (105, 107) respectively halfway between the first ends of the two main sections and halfway between the second ends of the two main sections. According to the invention, each of the conductor tracks of the intermediate sections has a width (w, w′) which, seen from the first ends of each main section and from the second ends of each main section, respectively, to the center area of the intermediate section, initially increases and subsequently decreases. As a result, a motor stiffness of the electric motor is considerably increased, so that the motor speed is less affected during operation by external mechanical loads exerted on the motor.

The invention relates to an electric motor comprising a first part and a second part which are movable with respect to each other, wherein the first part comprises a foil-shaped insulating substrate on which a plurality of series-connected spiral-shaped patterns of conductor tracks are provided, each pattern comprising two main sections with substantially straight and parallel conductor tracks having first and second ends and two intermediate sections with conductor tracks which respectively mutually connect the first ends of the two main sections and mutually connect the second ends of the two main sections, said intermediate sections having a center area halfway between the first ends of the two main sections and halfway between the second ends of the two main sections, respectively, and wherein the second part comprises a permanent magnet unit for generating a magnetic field at the location of the conductor tracks.
The invention also relates to a data storage unit comprising a support for at least one information carrier, an electric motor for rotating the support about an axis of rotation, and a scanning unit for scanning the information carrier.
A data storage unit and an electric motor of the kinds mentioned in the opening paragraphs are known from EP-B-0 764 357. The known data storage unit is a hard disc drive, wherein a plurality of hard discs are arranged in mutually parallel positions on the rotatable support. The known electric motor, which is used to rotate the support about the axis of rotation, comprises a circular-cylindrical stator body comprising three layers of the foil-shaped insulating substrate. The patterns of conductor tracks form a three-phase electric coil system, wherein each layer of the stator body comprises one of the respective phases. The conductor tracks constitute relatively thin copper tracks, which are provided on the substrate by means of an etch process. The known electric motor further comprises a circular-cylindrical rotor body, which is fastened to the support and comprises a circular-cylindrical permanent magnet and a circular-cylindrical closing yoke, the stator body being arranged in a circular-cylindrical gap which is present between the magnet and the closing yoke. The intermediate sections of the patterns of conductor tracks of the known motor have substantially straight, parallel conductor tracks which extend perpendicularly to the conductor tracks of the main sections, so that the patterns of conductor tracks have a rectangular shape. The conductor tracks of the main and intermediate sections further have identical, constant widths.
A disadvantage of the known data storage unit and the known electric motor used therein is that, when a predetermined constant electric voltage is supplied to the coil system of the motor, the rotational speed of the motor strongly decreases when the external mechanical torque exerted on the motor about the axis of rotation increases. As a result, the voltage supplied to the motor must be strongly increased to maintain a predetermined speed of the motor at an increased value of the external torque.

Electric motor having foil-shaped substrate with tracks with varying width


A relaxing device in the form of a hard, hollow ball with a smooth hard coating decorated with a number of figure 8s to simulate the 8-ball in pocket billiards. A bell is mounted within the ball. Manipulation of the ball produces pleasant sensations of feel, sight, and sound.

This invention relates to an amusement device which can serve as an aid in promoting relaxation. There are a number of activities, usually performed in a sedentary position at a desk, that humans engage in to relieve minor stress and tension. Some examples are (1) tapping on a pad with a pencil (2) stretching a rubber band between the thumbs to hear and feel the low frequency vibrations (3) doodling on a scratch pad (4) twisting paper clips (5) manually squeezing malleable objects, among many others.
The present invention belongs to this kind of activity and comprises a hard smooth ball with a decorative coating simulating the 8-ball in the game of pocket billiards. The ball is smaller than a billiard ball and is of a size to be held in the palm of the hand.
A number of balls have been invented which are distantly related to applicant's invention U.S. Pat. No. 1,286,657 issued Dec. 3, 1918 to J. P. Lambert shows a billiard ball with six symmetrically placed numerals on the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,957 issued Jun. 4, 1935 to M. B. Salisbury shows a hard rubber ball with a sounding device mounted within the interior. A plug is permanently mounted on the ball after the sounding device is inserted within the hollow of the ball.
While the above patents teach isolated features of the invention, the prior art does not teach a simulated 8-ball with a sounding device mounted in the interior.


A transducer suspension system has a transducer head, laminated member and a load beam. The laminated member is comprised of a support layer, at least two electrically insulating layers, and at least two electrically conducting layers. The electrical leads are formed directly into the laminated member such that each electrical lead is directly above or below at least one other electrical lead. The overlying leads have noise cancellation similar to that for twisted wire pairs. In addition, by stacking the electrical leads, more electrical leads can be accommodated in the same suspension width.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to transducer suspension systems and more particularly to a suspension system with stacked electrical leads.
2. Description of Prior Art
Direct access storage devices (DASD), or disk drives, store information on concentric tracks of a rotatable magnetic recording disk. A magnetic head or transducer element is moved from track to track to record and read the desired information. Typically, the magnetic head is positioned on a air bearing slider which flies above the surface of the disk as the disk rotates. In some recently proposed disk drives, the slider (or carrier) rides on a liquid film or bearing on the disk. A suspension assembly connects the slider to a rotary or linear actuator. The suspension provides support for the slider.
Examples of suspension systems are shown in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,097, issued Oct. 1, 1996, by Bajhorek et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,552, issued May 21, 1996, by Kohira et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,597, issued Feb. 13, 1996, by Bennin et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,623, issued Feb. 26, 1991, by Erpelding et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,795, issued Dec. 4, 1990, by Spash; U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,094, issued Apr. 4, 1989 by Oberg; U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,280, issued Feb. 24, 1987, by Gordon et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,622, issued Jun. 1, 1976 by Hofling et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,189, issued Jan. 4, 1972 by Billawala; U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,861, issued Aug. 30, 1966, to Schneble et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,954, issued Aug. 28, 1962, by Osterlund; TW 276333, published May 21, 1996, by Klaasen; Japanese Patent Application 06-194945, published Feb. 16, 1996, by Matsumoto et al; Japanese Patent Application 05-81630, published Oct. 21, 1994, by Yamamura et al; Japanese Patent Application 03-211668, published Jun. 22, 1993, by Inaba; Japanese Patent Application 55-93422, published May 22, 1982, by Watanabe; Japanese Patent Application 51-104787, published Mar. 22, 1978, by Takahashi; and Japanese Patent Application 4-272635, published May 6, 1994.
The suspension must meet several requirements. The suspension must be flexible and provide a bias force in the vertical direction. This is necessary to provide a compensating force to the lifting force of the air bearing in order to keep the slider at the correct height above the disk. Also, vertical flexibility is needed to allow the slider to be loaded and unloaded away from the disk. Another requirement of the suspension is that it must provide a pivotal connection for the slider. Irregularities in operation may result in misalignment of the slider. The slider is able to compensate for these problems by pitching and/or rolling slightly to maintain the proper orientation necessary for the air bearing. Another requirement of the suspension is that it must be rigid in the lateral direction. This is needed to prevent the head from moving from side to side, which would result in the head reading the wrong track.
Disk drives have become smaller in size and their recording track density has increased dramatically. This has necessitated the use of smaller and smaller heads and suspensions. The smaller size makes it more difficult to string individual wires along the suspension to the head. Recently, it has been proposed that electrical leads be etched directly into the suspension in order to do away with the need to string separate wires.
However, these etched leads may have some disadvantages. The separately strung wires of the past were strung in twisted wire pairs. These twisted pairs were effective in canceling out the effects of external noise. The new etched leads run parallel to one another along the surface of the suspension and do not achieve the same degree of noise cancellation.
Another disadvantage of the etched leads is that they require a certain distance of spacing between them. In the smaller suspensions of the future, the suspension width may limit the number of electrical leads. The newer transducer heads may require more electrical leads than in the past. What is needed is a suspension system which solves these problems.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for carrying out a chemical reaction between at least two reactants occupying separate phases within a multiphase reaction mixture has been discovered in which at least one phosphazenium salt is employed as a phase transfer catalyst. The remarkable utility of phosphazenium salts as phase transfer catalysts is illustrated by the preparation of aromatic ethers. The phosphazenium salt phase transfer catalysts are shown to be especially useful in the preparation of aromatic polyethers such as polyether sulfones.

This invention relates to use of phosphazenium salts as phase transfer catalysts. In one aspect the invention relates to a method of making aromatic ethers. More particularly, the method relates to a method of preparing aromatic ethers using exceptionally stable phosphazenium salt phase transfer catalysts.
Various types of aromatic ethers have gained prominence due to their utility in diverse fields as agricultural chemistry, medicinal chemistry and polymer chemistry. One class of aromatic ethers, aromatic polyethers (e.g. See for example polyethersulfones, polyetherimides, and polyetherketones), are important engineering resins due to their exceptional chemical and physical properties.
Aromatic ethers are typically prepared by synthetic methodology involving the reaction of the salt of an aromatic hydroxy compound with an aromatic compound comprising at least one suitable leaving group. In one general methodology, aromatic ethers are prepared in a nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction between a nucelophilic aromatic hydroxy compound and an electrophonic aromatic compound comprising at least one suitable leaving group, the reaction being mediated by a stoichiometric amount of a basic reactant such as an alkali metal hydroxide or alkali metal carbonate. Typically, such nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions must be carried out in polar aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide, or sulfolane in order to achieve synthetically useful rates of conversion of starting materials to product aromatic ethers. In such cases, drying, recovery, and reuse of the solvent is cumbersome and expensive.
Various phase transfer catalysts (PTC's) are known to accelerate reaction rates of chemical reactions generally. Phase transfer catalysts are typically most effective when the chemical reaction involves reactants which tend to segregate into separate phases. Among other benefits, the use of phase transfer catalysts is known to enable the use of solvents in which one or more of the reactants is insoluble in the absence of the phase transfer catalyst.
Known phase transfer catalysts include quaternary ammonium salts, quaternary phosphonium salts, and hexaalkylguanidinium salts. Of the known phase transfer catalysts, quaternary ammonium salts are stable at ambient temperature, but decompose rapidly at temperatures in excess of about 100° C. Quaternary phosphonium salts are more stable, but their use typically results in a lower reaction rate relative to the reaction rate observed in the corresponding reaction in which a quaternary ammonium salt phase transfer catalyst is employed. Thus, higher levels of phosphonium salt phase transfer catalyst must be used in order to achieve reaction rates comparable to reaction rates attained using quaternary ammonium salt phase transfer catalysts. Hexaalkylguanidinium salts are effective phase transfer catalysts but nonetheless are subject to decomposition at higher temperatures.
Much attention has been directed in recent years to organic reactions in heterogeneous systems, employing a phase transfer catalyst which facilitates the migration of a reactant into a phase from which it is normally absent. Many types of phase transfer catalysts are known to be effective under such conditions, including quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,712. Additionally, various bis-quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts have been used as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,357; and aminopyridinium salts have been used as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,460,778, 4,513,141 and 4,681,949. Hexaalkylguanidinium salts, and their bis-salt analogues have been used as phase transfer catalysts as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,132,423; 5,116,975; and 5,081,298.
Nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions, also referred to as "nucleophilic aromatic displacement reactions" often require heating a highly insoluble salt of an aromatic hydroxy compound with a soluble aromatic compound comprising at least one suitable leaving group in a relatively nonpolar solvent such as o-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst. Frequently, for synthetically useful reaction rates to be achieved, the reaction mixture must be heated to a temperature at which the phase transfer catalyst decomposes. While a prodigious technical effort has been expended in the development of more thermally stable phase transfer catalysts (See for example the development of 4-dialkylaminopyridinium salt catalysts and hexaalkylguanidinium salt catalysts), improved phase transfer catalyst thermal stability remains an important objective.
It would be highly desirable, therefore, to discover phase transfer catalysts having improved stability that could be used under a wide variety of reaction conditions, including the formation of aromatic ethers.

Method of making an aromatic polyether composition using phosphazenium salt phase transfer catalysts


The efficient performance of prefetching of data prior to the reading of the data by a program. A prefetching apparatus, for prefetching data from a file to a buffer before the data is read by a program, includes: a history recorder, for recording a history for a plurality of data readings issued by the program while performing data reading; a prefetching generator, for generating a plurality of prefetchings that correspond to the plurality of data readings recorded in the history; a prefetching process determination unit, for determining, based on the history, the performance order for the plurality of prefetchings; and a prefetching unit, for performing, when following the determination of the performance order the program is executed, the plurality of prefetchings in the performance order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prefetching apparatus, a prefetching method, and a prefetching program. Particularly, the present invention relates to a prefetching apparatus for prefetching data from a file to a buffer before the data is read by a program, and a prefetching method and a prefetching program therefor.
2. Background of the Invention
As a consequence of recent increases in the processing speeds of processors, the times required to read data from external storage devices, such as hard disk drives, are greatly extended, when compared with the processing times of the processors. Therefore, when to process data a processor must first read the data from an external storage device, the processor will frequently fall into an input/output wait (IO wait) state during an extended period between the time a reading request is issued to the external storage device and the time the reading is completed.
As methods for preventing performance reductions due to input/output wait times, various techniques have been proposed for the prefetching (prefetching) of data stored on external storage devices.
In non-patent documents 1 and 2, techniques are disclosed whereby whether a file is read sequencially is detected each time a program is executed, and when the file is read sequencially, the file is prefetched sequencially from top of the file to the bottom.
In non-patent documents 3 to 5, techniques are disclosed whereby a program is executed in advance and information for files accessed by the program is collected as a profile, and whereby files are prefetched based on the profile. Further, according to non-patent document 3 and 4, a technique is disclosed whereby the order in which a series of files are to be accessed by individual programs is generated based on a profile, and whereby, when a specific file is accessed during the execution of a program, the next file is prefetched. According to the technique in non-patent document 5, information for designating a cluster that highly probably will be accessed next, following a current cluster, is stored for each cluster on a hard disk. Then, when a specific cluster is read, a cluster it is highly probable will be accessed is prefetched.
In non-patent documents 6 and 7, a method is disclosed whereby data to be prefetched from an external storage device are designated by a program, to ensure that appropriate data are prefetched.
In non-patent document 8, a method is disclosed whereby a file access pattern is detected by analyzing a program during the compilation, and the computer is used to insert a prefetching process into execution code.
In non-patent documents 9 and 10, a method is disclosed whereby prefetching is performed by using a prefetching program from which an unnecessary process to I/O, for example, is removed. That is, prior to the execution of an original program, a prefetching program is executed to prefetch data and the original program is permitted to use the obtained data.
In non-patent documents 11 and 12, a technique is disclosed whereby the order in which access requests are issued to a hard disk is rearranged to reduce the seek time for a head.    [Non-Patent Document 1] R. J. Feiertang and E. I. Organisk, "The Multics Input/Output System", in Proceedings of Third Symposium on Operating System Principles, pp. 35-41, 1971    [Non-Patent Document 2] M. K. McKusick, W. J. Joy, S. J. Leffler, and R. S. Fabry, "A Fast File System for Unix", ACM Transactions on Computer Systems, 2(3), pp. 181-197, 1984    [Non-Patent Document 3] H. Lei and D. Duchamp, "An Analytical Approach to File Prefetching", USENIX 1997, 1997    [Non-Patent Document 4] J. Griffioen and R. Appleton, "Reducing File System Latency using a Predictive Approach", in Proceedings of the USENIX Summer Technical Conference, pp. 197-207, 1994    [Non-Patent Document 5] K. S. Grimsrud, J. K. Archibald, and B. E. Nelson, "Multiple Prefetch Adaptive Disk Caching", IEEE Transaction on Knowledge and Data Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 88-103, 1993    [Non-Patent Document 6] Jeffrey Richter, "Advanced Windows—The Developer's Guide to the Win32(r) API for Windows NT(tm) 3.5 and Windows 95", Microsoft Press, 1995    [Non-Patent Document 7] R. H. Patterson, et. al., "Informed Prefetching and Caching", in Proceedings of Fifteenth Symposium on Operating System Principles, pp. 79-95, 1995    [Non-Patent Document 8] T. C. Mowry, A. K. Demke, and O. Krieger, "Automatic Compiler-Inserted I/O Prefetching for Out-of-Core Application", in Proceedings of the 2nd USENIX Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation, 1996    [Non-Patent Document 9] C. K. Yang, T. Mitra, and T. C. Chiueh, "A Decoupled Architecture for Application-Specific File Prefetching", USENIX 2002, 2002    [Non-Patent Document 10] K. Fraser and F. Chang, "Operating System I/O Speculation:
How two invocations are faster than one", USENIX 2003, 2003    [Non-Patent Document 11] C. C. Gotlieb and G. H. MacEwen, "Performance of Movable-Head Disk Storage Devices", Journal of ACM, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 604-623, 1973    [Non-Patent Document 12] R. Geist and S. Daniel, "A Continuum of Disk Scheduling Algorithms, ACM Transactions on Computer Systems", Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 77-92, 1987

Prefetching apparatus, prefetching method and prefetching program product

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a stabilization composition of coelenterazine or an analog thereof, a kit, a method for measuring a coelenterazine-based biological luminescence, containing coelenterazine or the analog thereof and an antioxidant.

In the field of life science, the measurement of an activity of gene transcription which occurs in a cell is generally performed, and used for evaluation of effects of foreign factors which affect the cell, analyses of intracellular signal transduction and expression of an individual protein group. In order to quantitatively determine the gene expression in a wide range and analyze temporal dynamic changes of the gene expression, the measurement of gene transcription activity by reporter technology using luciferase which is a luminescent enzyme has been actively performed. Meanwhile, special substances in vivo have been actively evaluated, quantified and analyzed, and in particular, in immunoassays using antibodies, utilizing recognizability of the antibody, from low molecular biomolecules which are specific hormones and physiologically active substances to high molecular proteins have been quantified. At that time, it is common to detect the antibody by a labeling method utilizing radioactivity or chromogenic property, but in recent years, the labeling method using luciferase has been used. Therefore, it becomes a more important theme to improve and develop the luciferase technology for the purpose of elucidating life phenomena.
As major luminescent proteins currently exploited as the luciferase technology, luciferases derived from firefly, Cypridina, Renilla and copepod, and an aequorin luminescent protein derived from luminescent jellyfish are available. To exploit these luciferases, firefly luciferin, Cypridina luciferin, and coelenterazine (other names: Renilla luciferin, firefly squid preluciferin, oplophorus luciferin) which is a substrate of Renilla luciferase, copepod luciferase and aequorin are available (Table 1). Three luciferins can be directly extracted from luminescent organisms, can also be chemically synthesized and are commercially available.
TABLE 1Relationship of luciferin and luciferaseLuciferaseLuciferinFirefly luciferaseFirefly luciferinBeetle luciferaseCypridina luciferaseCypridina luciferinRenilla luciferaseCoelenterazine (other names:Copepod luciferaseRenilla luciferin, firefly squidOplophorus luciferasepreluciferin, oplophorusLuminescent proteinluciferin)(aequorin)
Coelenterazine which can be synthesized relatively easily has been already used in many products. For example, a dual assay system supplied from Promega is the system which measures two transcription activities with two substrates by inserting a transcription active region A in a firefly luminescent enzyme gene, simultaneously inserting a transcription active region B in a Renilla luciferase gene and introducing two gene constructs in a cell. In this method after lysing the cells, firefly luciferin is added to measure the transcription activity A. The luminescence of firefly luciferase is quenched, and subsequently coelenterazine is added to measure the transcription activity B.
Meanwhile, recently copepod luciferase (Gaussia Luciferase U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,682) extracellularly secreted and supplied from Prolume has been noticed. The system in which this gene is introduced into the cell, and taking advantage of synthesized and secreted luciferase, an expression amount of a gene is measured by adding coelenterazine into medium is suitable for the assay with high throughput.
Since a pKa value of proton of an imidazopyrazinone ring in coelenterazine is around 7.4, the proton is easily dissociated in neutral or weak basic buffer. Thus, coelenterazine reacts with oxygen to release faint light with being oxidized and decomposed. In existing methods, it is necessary to store coelenterazine in an alcohol solution under an acidic condition at pH 4 to 5 in a freezer at −20(C or below (Non-patent literature 1). Meanwhile, the optimal pH of the luciferase group using coelenterazine as the substrate is around the neutral, 7 to 8, and is much different from the pH value which stabilizes coelenterazine. In order to reduce the effect of the alcohol solution under the acidic condition, a small amount of luciferin (1/1000, v/v) relative to the luciferase solution is added (Non-patent literature 1).
Since a volume of a well in a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate used in the assay with high throughput is 0.2 mL or less, it is preferable to add 0.2 (L or less of the coelenterazine acidic alcohol solution (Non-patent literature 1). Since the amount of dispensed liquid in an existing luminometer for the 96-well plate is 25 to 250 (L, it is impossible to add the faint amount of the coelenterazine acidic alcohol solution. In addition, in the case of immunoassay, it is desirable to directly add the coelenterazine solution into the washed well. This way, in any cases, it is necessary to dilute coelenterazine with the buffer at pH 7 to 8.
Meanwhile, since coelenterazine is unstable in a weak basic aqueous solution, when coelenterazine is diluted with the buffer at pH 7 to 8, variation of the luciferin activity between the first sample and the last sample appears in the measurement of samples in a large amount. Thus, the correct measurement can not be performed (FIG. 1). Stability of coelenterazine in the buffer at pH 7 to 8 is an important problem for the assay with high throughput. Upon the measurement of coelenterazine, its self-luminescence which is a background is also a factor to reduce a dynamic range, and a reaction solution to reduce the self-luminescence is required.
Non-Patent literature 1: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 233, 349-353 (1997)

Stabilizing composition and stabilizing method of coelenterazine solution for high-throughput measurement of luciferase activity

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


An open end wrench has a single movable jaw to enable a ratcheting action. The movable jaw has an arcuate stem guided in an arcuate slot in the wrench body to enable spring retraction of the movable jaw to allow rotation of the jaws past the corners of a hex fastener in the reverse motion of the wrench. The center of the arcuate slot walls is located well within a quadrant of the wrench space nearest the slot which produces a particularly smooth ratcheting action enabling snapping the wrench over the bolt or nut from any angle. The movable jaw stem immediately wedges in the slot during advancing motion of the wrench to enable wrenching forces to be applied. Vee notches in the jaw faces allow twelve increments of ratcheting action, with a slightly shallower side on each notch further facilitating the ratcheting action. A serrating of the jaw faces enables the wrench to be used as an open end pipe wrench.

This invention concerns wrenches and more particularly ratcheting type wrenches enabling turning of a bolt, nut, or other threaded element without having to repeatedly reengage the wrench.
Socket type ratchets have long been employed but those require considerable end clearance, as the socket projects axially from the head of the ratchet drive. Sometimes, a bolt head or nut to be wrenched is in a location where sufficient end clearance is not available.
Open end wrenches must then be resorted to, but this requires a tedious successive removal and reengagement of the wrench jaws with the bolt head or nut.
Conventional pipe wrenches require a clearance on opposite sides of the pipe or fitting. Conventional open end wrenches are not effective to engage the pipe surface sufficiently tightly to set up a gripping action to loosen or tighten the pipe or fitting when the wrench is turned.
Ratcheting open end wrenches have previously been devised as for example disclosed in French patent 1,382,457, German DT 2041855, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,975. However, such prior open end wrenches have in some instances been complex, requiring multiple movable jaws. Ease of ratcheting has not been achieved in the prior designs, as the mechanism allowing movement of one or more jaws have not produced a smooth and easy operation.
The ease of ratcheting is important as allowing ratcheting past a loose nut or bolt. Also, the wrench can be snapped in place easily over the bolt head from any angle if the movable jaw is easily and smoothly retractable.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an open end wrench with a ratcheting action which is easier and smoother than prior designs, and simpler than the double jaw designs.