In a helicopter having a tail rotor with a plurality of rotor blades extending radially from a hollow rotor shaft which is mounted for rotation about a transverse rotor axis, and having a push-pull rod extending through the hollow shaft and operably connected to the blades to manually vary the collective pitch of the blades, a device for automatically stabilizing the yaw motion of the helicopter includes a gyroscopic assembly having a gyro rotor mounted to rotate with the tail rotor, to pivot about a substantially longitudinal pivot axis by and at the outboard end of the push-pull rod and to automatically vary the collective pitch of the blades in response to yaw motion.

In general, maintaining the stable yaw orientation of a helicopter in hover or low speed flight can be a difficult business for the pilot. To counterbalance the constantly changing torques on the helicopter fuselage produced by the main rotor blades and atmospheric conditions such as lateral wind gusts, helicopter pilots must continually manipulate the yaw controls of their aircraft.
Conventionally, the pilot of a full size helicopter controls the tail rotors by manipulating foot pedals located within the cockpit. Cables, push-pull rods, and bellcranks connect the pedals to the collective pitch controls of the tail rotor blades. As the pilot adjusts the pedal position, the change in angle of attack (pitch) and associated thrust force of the rotating tail rotor blades results in a yaw moment about the center of gravity of the helicopter. This moment is directed to maneuver the helicopter, or to oppose any destabilizing yaw moment sensed by the pilot.
Tail rotors of radio-controlled model helicopters operate in a manner identical to full size helicopters. The pilot manipulates a hand-held radio transmitter which in turn sends commands to electro-mechanical servo actuators located within the flying model. Push-pull rods and bellcranks connect the servos to the collective pitch controls of the tail rotor blades. Yaw instability can make a model helicopter particularly difficult for the pilot to control. This is because the pilot manipulates controls affixed to the radio transmitter, not to the model, so flight controls for yaw, roll and fore-aft cyclic are effectively reversed when the nose of the model becomes oriented toward the pilot.
To control yaw instability, both full-size and model helicopters are frequently equipped with stabilizer systems. Gyro-stabilizer systems can be broadly classified as either mechanical or electro-mechanical. Mechanical systems generally rely on precessional (angular) displacement of a relatively large gyroscopic arm or flywheel mechanism to alter the pitch of the tail rotor blades in opposition to any yaw displacement of the helicopter. Electro-mechanical systems sense the precessional displacement of a relatively small flywheel mechanism, and control the tail rotor blades through electronic amplification and electro-mechanical and/or hydraulic servo actuators. Modern model helicopters frequently carry electro-mechanical gyro stabilizer systems which are electronically mixed into the tail rotor servo control circuit. These gyro systems are relatively expensive and heavy, and draw power from the airborne radio receiver system batteries. An example of an electro-mechanical system designed for full-size helicopters is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,633.
Some yaw stabilizer systems, especially more sophisticated electro-mechanical systems, disengage whenever the pilot maneuvers the aircraft. Other systems, most notably mechanical systems, act to suppress all yaw motion of the helicopter including that desired by the pilot. With these mechanical systems the pilot must forcibly override the gyroscopic mechanism in order to control the tail rotor for trimming and normal flight. Since gyroscopic mechanisms tend to resist displacement, the pilot will feel resistance to control inputs. This resistance will typically persist as long as the rate of yaw is not zero. Generally, these systems tend to increase stability at the expense of controllability.
One such mechanical device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,004,736. The mechanism includes a gyroscopic mass in the form of weighted arms extending radially from and fixed via a gimbal to a rotating splined shaft which in turn is connected to the tail rotor pitch control mechanism. Precession (tilt) of the rotating arms about an axis perpendicular to and offset from the axis of rotation displaces the splined shaft axially thereby altering the pitch of the tail rotor blades. Override springs are provided on the tail rotor control cables to accommodate axial movement of the splined shaft. Pilot control inputs must forcibly change or override the gyroscopic mechanism in order to maneuver the aircraft. A related mechanical gyro stabilizer mechanism is detailed on page 41 of the March 1973 issue of American Aircraft Modeler magazine (originally located at 733 15th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005). In this mechanism yaw moment applied to a gyroscopic ring causes the ring to precess (tilt) off from the vertical about an offset axis. Displacement of the ring moves a slider on the tail rotor shaft and changes the pitch of the tail rotor blades to counter the yaw moment. This mechanism also suppresses pilot inputs, and requires override springs, ball bearings, pivot linkages, a gimbal mechanism and specially designed tail boom structure.
Another mechanical gyro stabilizer system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,514. This mechanism relies on gyroscopic precession of the entire tail rotor assembly about an offset axis to displace a slider connected to the tail rotor blades. This system differs from the aforementioned mechanical systems in that stabilizer control inputs are mechanically mixed with, rather than overridden by, pilot control inputs. Obvious drawbacks to this system include the complexity of the tail rotor mounting structure, and the required universal joint incorporated into the tail rotor drive shaft.
Other references to helicopter tail rotor control and stabilizer systems include U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,235 which describes a basic tail rotor control system; U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,302 which describes the use on a military helicopter of a spring loaded actuator to control tail rotor pitch adequately for a return flight to base if the primary control linkage system fails; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,041 which describes a non-gyroscopic technique for reducing transient yaw instability in model helicopters using a complex system of gears, levers and push-pull rods to sense and correct for torque changes.
These and similar yaw stabilizer systems currently available suffer from one or more disadvantages. Mechanical designs rely on expensive multiple ball bearings, complicated gimbal mechanisms, specially designed sliding shafting, and specially designed tail boom structure and pivoting mechanisms. Many require some sort of override springs on the pilot yaw control cables which must be carefully adjusted or "tuned". Stiff springs dampen gyro effectiveness while overly elastic springs dangerously decrease pilot control. Electro-mechanical systems are heavy and expensive in model applications, and require servo actuators which are complex and expensive in full-size applications.
What is needed is a stabilizer system which is simple, lightweight and inexpensive, which requires little power to operate, and which would not unduly inhibit pilot control for normal maneuvering.

Device for automatically stabilizing the yaw motion of a helicopter


An automated bagging apparatus for use in the hosiery industry which tightens the bag around the hosiery articles prior to sealing to eliminate any extra bag space. This tightening effect is accomplished by holding the articles in place while extending the bag from the articles. The bag, while extended is sealed and trimmed prior to moving the sealed bag onto a conveyor belt for further handling.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein pertains to an automated bagging apparatus suitable for use in the hosiery industry, and particularly to an improved bagging apparatus which eliminates excess space in the bag prior to sealing.
2. Description of the Prior Art And Objectives of the Invention
Automated bagging devices are common in the hosiery industry, and typically perform the functions of: placing hosiery in a plastic bag; moving the filled bag to a heat sealer; sealing the bag by fusing the plastic lips of the bag together and sending the sealed bag to a further point along the assembly line. These machines often have a common failing in that they routinely mis-seal the bags, by leaving too much space in the bags after sealing. In bags where there is too much space, the hosiery contained therein sags when vertically displayed such as in a retail store. Marketing dictates that no more than approximately one quarter inch (0.635 cm) of space exist between the top seal of the bag and the top of the hosiery contained therein to prevent excess sagging. Likewise, if this tight tolerance is not met, there can be much wasted space in the shipping cartons used to ship the hosiery from the factory to its ultimate retail store.
When there is not excess space in the bag after sealing by prior art machines, frequently too little spacing causes the bagging machine to seal the bag with the hosiery caught along the seal line. This results damages to the package and in unsalability of hosiery as the melted plastic bag adheres to the hosiery.
Thus, with the problems associated with the prior bagging machines, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automated bagging apparatus which eliminates excess space in a sealed bag while preventing the bag from inadvertently sealing atop the hosiery.
It is another object to sufficiently compress the hosiery within the bag.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bagging apparatus for incorporation in automated hosiery production lines.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device which uses pneumatic power as is commonly used on hosiery assembly lines.
It is still a further object to provide a bagging apparatus wherein the sealing and trimming of the bag occurs contemporaneously for efficiency purposes.
It is yet another object to provide a bagging apparatus which can be adjusted to seal the bags for any number of desired hosiery or bag sizes.
It is a further object to provide a bagging apparatus which corrects a misaligned stack of hosiery after bagging.
It is still a further object to provide a method of bagging socks which eliminates excess space in the bag prior to sealing.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.


A micromechanical Coriolis rate of rotation sensor for detecting a rate of rotation, comprising a substrate, a measurement axis (X-axis), a detection axis (Y-axis), and a drive axis (Z-axis), each disposed orthogonally to each other and a first and a second driving mass (2) disposed in an X-Y plane parallel to the substrate. Each driving mass (2) being rotatably connected to the substrate by means of a central suspension. The two central suspensions being disposed along the Y-axis. Drive means are used for generating a rotational oscillation of the driving masses (2) about the drive axis (Z) at each central suspension. At least one elastic connecting element (5) is disposed on each of the driving masses (2) on both sides of the Y-axis and spaced apart from the same for connecting and oscillating the two driving masses (2) in a mutually tuned manner.

A. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a micromechanical Coriolis rate of rotation sensor (MEMS rate of rotation sensor) for detecting a rate of rotation, comprising a substrate, a measurement axis (X-axis), a detection axis (Y-axis), and a drive axis (Z-axis), each disposed orthogonally to each other. The rate of rotation sensor further comprises a first and a second driving mass disposed in an X-Y plane parallel to the substrate, wherein each driving mass is rotatably connected to the substrate by means of a central suspension. The two central suspensions are disposed along the Y-axis. Drive means for generating a rotational oscillation of the driving masses about the drive axis are further provided at each central suspension.
B. Background of the Invention
A generic rate of rotation sensor using MEMS technology and comprising two driving masses is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,640. Both driving masses are attached to a substrate and disposed displaceably relative to said substrate. The two driving masses are coupled to each other by means of a spring, by means of which the rotary motions of the two driving masses about their corresponding centers of rotation is accomplished. The two driving masses are driven to move by the corresponding drive means, identically and generally in antiphase due to the central spring. If the substrate is rotated about a measurement axis, then a Coriolis force acting on the rotationally oscillating driving masses causes the two driving masses to rotate or tip about a detection axis in an equal and opposite manner. An electrical signal is generated by electrodes disposed between the driving masses and the substrate due to said tilting motion and the resulting change in distance between the driving mass and the substrate, allowing a conclusion to be drawn about the rotary motion of the substrate.
Generic Coriolis rate of rotation sensors are used, for example, in vehicles or other devices in which the sensors can be subject to impacts. A disadvantage of the rate of rotation sensors according to the state of the art is that said sensors are relatively sensitive to such external force influences. Imprecise measurements are thereby obtained, or the sensor can even be damaged.

Micromechanical coriolis rate of rotation sensor


A helical screw conveyor having a helical screw rotatably mounted within a casing and cooperating with a chain of platens to convey objects from one end of the casing to the other end or to selected locations therebetween. A thermodynamic combustion engine is provided having a helical screw rotatably mounted within a casing and cooperating with a platen chain to draw a combustible mixture into the casing, compress the mixture for ignition, and exhaust the burned mixture therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to Archimedean-type screws and, more particularly, to helical screw conveyors and helical combustion systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
An Archimedes screw consists of a helical element or screw rotatably mounted inside a close-fitting open-ended cylinder. One end of the cylinder is placed in water and the other end is inclined above the horizontal. As the screw is turned, the helical flight on the screw draws water into the cylinder and carries it to the upper end where the water is discharged.
The Archimedean principle is applied to modern devices for conveying bulk material and to machines for drilling and extraction, food processing, and irrigation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,274 discloses a sludge-processing device that utilizes two screw conveyors mounted inside a heat exchanger housing. The screw conveyors are rotated by a motor assembly to pass a sludge mixture through the heat exchanger.
A simple screw conveyor design utilizes a single flight helically formed around a central shaft, with the pitch and angle of the flight determined by the intended use. Flexible screw conveyors or centerless auger conveyors utilize a spring steel or a stainless steel helix that is enclosed within a flexible plastic tube and driven by an electric motor. When the flexible screw is rotated, an exposed section of the screw feeds material into the tube where it is then propelled to the discharge end. Flexible and rigid screw conveyors may be combined to form multiple intake and discharge point systems that can convey bulk material over short to medium distances, feed multiple discharge points selectively, and generally move material vertically, horizontally, or at any angle over, under, or around obstructions.
Screw conveyors are particularly useful in the food, drug, agricultural, general industry, and mining industries where a fully contained, metered effect is required. Sophisticated control systems monitor and regulate in-feed hoppers, discharge chutes, and the routing of the material as required.

Archimedean conveyors and combustion engines


The present invention pertains to a pigment based inkjet ink and ink set. More particularly the invention pertains to an ink that is red, green or blue in color comprised of certain pigment combinations. The invention further pertains to an ink set comprised of at least one red, green or blue ink and most preferably to an ink set with at least six differently colored inks that includes a cyan, magenta, yellow, red, blue and green ink.

The present invention pertains to a pigment based inkjet ink and ink set. More particularly the invention pertains to an ink that is red, green or blue in color comprised of certain pigment combinations. The invention further pertains to an ink set comprised of at least one red, green or blue ink, and most preferably to an ink set with at least six differently colored inks that includes a cyan, magenta, yellow, red, blue and green ink.
Inkjet printing is a non-impact printing process in which droplets of ink are deposited on a substrate, such as paper, to form the desired image. The droplets are ejected from a printhead in response to electrical signals generated by a microprocessor. Inkjet printers offer low cost, high quality printing and have become a popular alternative to other types of printers.
Color characteristics of pigment-containing inks play an important role in the quality of the printed ink-jet image. Perceived color quality can be characterized using any one of several color-space systems such as CIELAB (CIE No. 15.2, Colorimetry, 2nd. Ed., Commission Internationale de I'Eclarage, Vienna, Austria, 1986) or Munsell (Munsell Book of Color, Munsell Color Co., Baltimore, Md., 1929), as is well known in the art. With respect to Munsell color space, a given color is defined using three terms, namely Hue, Value and Chroma. With respect to CIELAB color space, a color is defined using three terms L*, a* and b*. In this system L* defines the lightness of the color and it ranges from 0 (black) to 100 (white). The terms a* and b* together define the hue, where a* ranges from a negative number (green) to a positive number (red) and b* ranges from a negative number (blue) to a positive number (yellow). Additional terms such as hue angle (ho) and chroma (C*) can also be used to describe a given color instead of a* and b* wherein
                              h          o                =                              tan                          -              1                                                      (                                          b                *                                            a                *                                      )                                              Equation                                                  1                                          C          *                =                                            a                              *                2                                      +                          b                              *                2                                                                        Equation                                                  2
To achieve full color images, ink jet printers typically employ a cyan ("C"), magenta ("M") and yellow ("Y") ink. These colors are known as subtractively-mixing primaries, as light is subtracted as it passes through the colorant. When these colors are mixed in pairs they form red, green and blue (so-called "secondaries"), and when all are mixed together they form black. Thus these three color inks can be used to print the entire range of hues with good chromaticity and/or color saturation.
The range of colors that a given ink set can print is called the color gamut, and can be described in the CIELAB system by the volume in the L*a*b* color space that encompasses a palette of representative colors that can be printed by the ink set on a given substrate. While a CMY ink set can produce all possible color hues, the color gamut does not encompass all the colors that can be perceived by the human eye. Thus there is still a desire to improve the printed image quality and extend the range of colors that can be printed.
One method for improving image quality or color gamut is to expand the ink set used for printing to include additional inks. There are various ways to employ expanded ink sets.
One way is by including inks of the same hue but lower concentration (so-called "lights"). Light colors improve image quality by producing smoother tonal gradations and light colors in an image. For light colors, the "light" or "photo" inks, which typically have 10%-20% of the colorant content of the full-strength colors, are used. For intermediate strength colors, "light" and full-strength inks are mixed. For the darkest colors only full-strength ink drops are used. Thus a smooth gradation of color tones can be obtained.
A further advantage of using "lights" is that it allows the dye concentration of the full-strength inks to be increased further without having the problem of dark sparsely spaced dots on the image. The higher concentration inks produce higher chroma secondary colors when mixed on high quality photo papers, and they also produce a darker CMY process black. These two effects serve to enhance the color gamut significantly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,743 discloses how up to three different concentrations of each of the primary hues can be used to greatly increase the color gamut obtainable from a CMY ink set. Typically "light" inks are only used for cyan and magenta as yellow is light enough so that any graininess is not objectionable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,509,916 discloses a printing method where a light ink of a different hue is added to the three-color set in order to improve improved gradation reproduction and expand the color gamut.
Another way an expanded ink set can be employed is by including more inks with hues other than CMY. In some cases this additional ink may be what is known as a spot color, where the image to be printed contains an abundance of a certain color and so that color is specifically added to the ink set. This spot color is not necessarily outside the existing color gamut of the CMY ink set. In the case where the desired color is inside the gamut, adding the ink still provides the advantage of using less ink since a single ink is used rather than a mixture, and it also may provide improved light color tones, again by avoiding using a mixture of other colors. As another example the digital image to be printed may contain a certain color that is difficult to accurately print with the existing ink set and that color can be selected as an additional ink for the ink set.
All of the above-identified publications are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes as if fully set forth.
The art described above attempts to improve image quality by making piecemeal additions to the basic CMY ink set to address specific issues; however, none of the solutions in themselves provides both a range of colors able to reproduce photographs and computer monitor images as well as reproduce light color tones. In addition many of the solutions assume that it is a simple matter to add colors to the ink set. This may be the case in many conventional (non-inkjet) printing processes; however, in inkjet printing the number of ink slots available is both fixed by the printer design and also limited due to the scanning nature of much ink-jet printing, which limits the width and weight of the printhead.
Commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/105,258 (filed Apr. 13, 2005), claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 60/564,062 (filed Apr. 21, 2004), entitled "Inkjet Ink Set for Improved Color Reproduction" (the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth), describes a six color dye-based ink set.
There is, consequently, a need for an ink set that integrates (a) a systematic method of expanding the color gamut, with (b) a method of printing light tones, highlights and grayscales using (c) a limited number of ink channels. There is furthermore a need to achieve these image quality improvements with pigment-based ink to gain the inherently better color fastness of pigment colorants. It is an object of this invention to provide an inkjet ink and ink set that address these issues.


This disclosure relates to a microphone system for a motor vehicle, having a first, second and third microphone and a signal processing device, which is configured to process respective signals provided by the microphones; wherein the signal processing device is configured to process the signals of the first and second microphones in such a manner that a driver directivity oriented towards a position of a driver seat is provided, or to process the signals of the second and third microphones in such a manner that a passenger directivity oriented towards a position of a passenger's seat is provided, and to provide a driver interfering noise directivity by processing the signals of two microphones together, and to further process a driver useful signal associated with the driver directivity in dependence on a driver interfering signal associated with the driver interfering noise directivity or to provide a passenger interfering noise directivity by processing the signals of two microphones together, and to further process a passenger useful signal associated with the passenger directivity in dependence on a passenger interfering signal associated with the passenger interfering noise directivity in order to improve a quality of the respective useful signal.

A variety of microphones are used today in motor vehicles. A microphone array with four microphones, whereby two microphones each are assigned to a driver or a passenger, is known from EP 1 695 873 A1. A noise-compensated hands-free kit in motor vehicles in which two directional microphones are installed in the area of a rearview mirror is known from DE 43 15 000 A1. DE 102 17 822 C1 lastly discloses a method and an apparatus for detecting the viewing direction of a person by means of at least one directionally selective microphone.
DE 199 38 171 A1 proposes the processing of acoustic signals for a plurality of positions in order to ensure a good communication between the occupants of a vehicle, in which different acoustic signals are controlled in such a manner that an acoustic zone, for example a quiet zone, is established. Disturbing noises can be compensated for in the quiet zone. WO2009/130513 A1 discloses a noise reduction system with two microphones and from DE 10 2013 007 141 A1 a voice input system for a motor vehicle is known which has at least two microphones.
DE 10 2014 013 919 A1 discloses a microphone system with three microphones arranged in the form of an isosceles triangle at respective corners of the triangle, in which the signals of the first and the second microphone are processed in such a manner that a directivity oriented towards the driver seat is provided and the signals of the second and third microphones are processed to provide a directivity oriented towards a passenger seat.

Microphone system for a motor vehicle having a directivity pattern and signal improvement


An application is provided for managing files. Information about a file system is mapped to a comparison file. A working version is made from the file system. The application identify one or more operations were performed on the working version. The identified operations are recreated on the file system during a synchronization operation.

When multiple file systems contain exactly the same content, the file systems are said to be "in sync". To keep file systems in sync, synchronization applications detect differences between file systems, and then perform operations to eliminate the differences. Typically, synchronization applications are used to synchronize the file systems of different computers that need to access different copies of the same files. A set of file systems that are to be synchronized with each other are referred to herein as a "synchronization set". Each file system that belongs to a given synchronization set is referred to as a "synchronized system".
The act of synchronizing a synchronization set is referred to as a synchronization operation. During each synchronization operation, a synchronization application typically attempts to detect when items have been deleted or added in any of the synchronized systems since the previous synchronization operation.
In general, synchronization applications seek to add to all synchronized systems those items that are detected as being added to any synchronized system since the previous synchronization operation. Similarly, synchronization applications seek to delete from all synchronized systems those items that are detected as being deleted from any synchronized system since the previous synchronization operation.
Typically, the synchronization application will not distinguish between (1) added items that are copies of other items and (2) added items that were created as originals. In addition, when a renamed item has been altered, it appears that the original item was deleted and a new item was added. Consequently, the original items may be deleted in all synchronized systems, and the new altered item will be added to all synchronized systems. Alternatively, the synchronization application may place both the altered item and the non-altered item together in the same file.
Under current synchronization techniques, if a user performs multiple operations on an item and then seeks to synchronize that item with another, the application will detect that item as altered or new. The application will not be able to detect specific operations performed on the item. As a result, the synchronization operation may delete one file for another, or add the altered file to be stored with the original file in the same file system.
Synchronization operations often involve a significant amount of resource consumption. For example, when a synchronization application detects the addition of a new file to one synchronized system, data transfer of the contents of the new file to all other synchronized systems is required. If the file is large and/or the number of synchronized systems is large, the resource consumption may be significant.
Another problem with current synchronization techniques is that new or replaced files do not retain metadata information from prior to their transfer or recreation on the file system. Thus, if a file created at time T1 is altered, the fact that the file was originally created at time T1 will be lost by when the synchronization application treats the altered file as a new file, and the original file as a deleted file.

Management and synchronization application for network file system


The present invention relates to a composition comprising:                (a) a fragrance oil wherein the fragrance oil comprises:                    (i) greater than about 50%, by weight of the fragrance oil, of perfume raw materials with high odour impact perfume raw materials which have an odour detection threshold of less than, or equal to, about 50 parts per billion;            (ii) less than about 5%, by weight of the fragrance oil, of top note perfume raw materials wherein the top note perfume raw materials have a boiling point of less than about 250° C. at 1 atmosphere pressure                        (b) an entrapment material which is selected from the group consisting of polymers;        capsules, microcapsules, and nanocapsules; liposomes; pro-perfumes; film formers; absorbents; cyclic oligosaccharides and mixtures thereof.        (c) greater than about 50%, by weight, of a volatile solvent.

It has long been a feature of many types of compositions, including cosmetic compositions, that they comprise a fragrance oil for the purpose of delivering a pleasant smell. This can improve the overall consumer acceptance of the composition or mask unpleasant odours. In fact, it can be the sole purpose of some compositions to impart a pleasant odour to suitable substrates including the skin and or hair.
Fragrance oils used within such compositions usually comprise many different perfume raw materials. Each perfume raw material used differs from another by several important properties including individual character, and volatility. By bearing in mind these different properties, and others, the perfume raw material can be blended to develop a fragrance oil with an overall specific character profile. To date, characters are designed to alter and develop with time as the different perfume raw materials evaporate from the substrate and are detected by the user. For example perfume raw materials which have a high volatility and low substantivity are commonly used to give an initial burst of characters such as light, fresh, fruity, citrus, green or delicate floral to the fragrance oil which are detected soon after application. Such materials are commonly referred to in the field of fragrances as "top notes". By way of a contrast, the less volatile, and more substantive, perfume raw materials are typically used to give characters such as musk, sweet, balsamic, spicy, woody or heavy floral to the fragrance oil which, although may also be detected soon after application, also last for longer. These materials are commonly referred to as "middle notes" or "base notes". Highly skilled perfumers are usually employed to carefully blend perfume raw materials so that the resultant fragrance oils have the desired overall fragrance character profile. The desired overall character is dependent both upon the type of composition in which the fragrance oil will finally be used and also the consumer preference for a fragrance.
In addition to the volatility, another important characteristic of a perfume raw material is its olfactory detection level, otherwise known as the odour detection threshold. If a perfume raw material has a low odour detection threshold, otherwise known as "high odour impact", only very low levels are required of the raw material within a composition for it to be detected by the user, sometimes as low as a few parts per billion. Conversely, if a perfume raw material has a high odour detection threshold, otherwise known as a "low odour impact", larger amounts of that material are required before it can be smelt by the user. To date, when developing a fragrance oil, it has been important to balance the fragrance with both low and high odour impact perfume raw materials since the use of too many high odour impact materials could lead to a short lived, overwhelming scent. As such the levels of high odour impact perfume raw materials within a fragrance oil have traditionally been restricted.
To date, due to the physical characteristics of the perfume raw materials, ie the volatility and the odour detection impact, the possible types of overall characters of fragrances have been limited. In addition, it has been difficult to develop a fragrance oil which remains detectable on the substrate over very long periods of time. Furthermore, it has not always been possible to develop a fragrance character which retains its initial fragrance character over time. However, it is known that consumer preference for fragranced compositions is mostly driven by the initial character detected after application. It is therefore desirable to have a fragrance which retains its initial character over time, and wherein that character remains noticeable to the consumer over time. Since materials with high odour impact can be detected when only very small levels are present, they are particularly useful for developing a noticeable long lasting fragrance character. It is also desirable to be able to create new to the world fragrance character profiles wherein one, or several, well recognised characters, regardless of their volatility, are maintained overtime such that a unique long lasting, "top, middle and base note" character is created. As such, it would be advantageous to be able to create a fragrance oil which will impart, in a new way, fragrance materials with a high odour impact, such that they can be experienced both initially, and over a substantial period of time, by the user.
In the past, many attempts have been made to delay the volatility profiles of fragrance oils within many types of compositions to extend the overall fragrance effect. For instance the fragrance oil may be formulated to include a higher proportion of perfume raw materials with a low volatility and which are therefore more substantive on the substrate. However, as discussed above, this restricts the fragrance character that can be achieved over time. Another approach has been to chemically, and reversibly, modify the perfume raw materials to a pro-perfume compound which is disclosed in patent applications WO 98/47477; WO 99/43667; WO 98/07405; WO 98/47478; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The resultant pro-perfumes are not themselves volatile but, after the chemical modification is reversed, usually by hydrolysis upon application to the substrate, the perfume raw material is released and can then evaporate in the usual way. In these examples the release rate of the perfume raw materials is controlled by the reaction rate of the pro-perfume to perfume raw material transformation.
Further disclosures have discussed improving the overall longevity of a fragrance by delaying the evaporation of the fragrance oils. A wide variety of techniques have been disclosed among them encapsulation of the perfume raw materials for example within capsules (disclosed in JP-A-58/052211, EP-A-303,461), absorbing the materials to a surface for example by using carbon or zeolites (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,679), occluding the release of the perfume raw materials for example by the formation of a film (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,099) and complexing the perfume raw materials for example by using cyclic oligosaccharides. The prior art on this latter method includes JP-A-6/287127 and JP-A-8/176587 which disclose use of hydroxyalkylated cyclodextrins within cosmetic compositions to sustain the effect of the fragrance; and JP-A-8/183719 and JP-A-10/120541 which discloses a combination of cyclodextrin encapsulated fragrance and non encapsulated fragrance within a deodorant composition for prolonging the fragrance duration to at least 2 hours, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Whilst the compositions and disclosures of the prior art provide useful teachings for prolonging the overall fragrance character of different compositions the approaches still have limitations. The pro-perfume approach is limited by those chemical modifications that can suitably be made to the perfume raw materials. In addition, the prior art is restricted by pro chemistries used thus preventing the development of a fragrance oil which exhibits a broad range of top note characters over time. On the other hand, entrapment materials, when used in the traditional way, interact with a broad range of perfume materials including top, middle and base notes prolonging the overall character of the whole fragrance. As such the prior art does not sufficiently teach how to preferentially delay the evaporation of a large range of high odour impact perfume raw materials within a single fragranced composition such that these distinct characters can be recognised throughout the usage period. In addition, since, in general, entrapment such as that described suppresses the evaporation of only a relatively small amount of the perfume raw materials, the low level of delayed release is often not noticeable to the user. As such the prior art does not adequately teach how to provide a fragrance wherein the prolonged character has sufficient strength to be noticeable and remains distinctive over time.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that compositions comprising a fragrance oil and a material which is able to delay the evaporation of the fragrance oil, wherein the fragrance oil is blended to comprise low levels of "top note" perfume raw materials and high levels of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials, can be used to create a long lasting fragrance character profile which has prolonged, and noticeable distinct characters. In addition, it has been found that within such fragrance oils, much higher levels of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials can be used than would be acceptable in a traditionally developed fragrance which leads to new and distinct fragrance characters. Furthermore, this use of high levels of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials can result in a reduction in the level of fragrance oil that is required in the final finished product which can reduce skin sensitisation and can have cost reduction benefits both for the manufacturer and the consumer. In addition, this use of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials can also result in a reduction in the level of entrapment material required to achieve the desired benefit which can have both aesthetic benefits for the final formulation in addition to further cost saving benefits.
While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that when a composition according to the present invention is applied to a substrate an association exists between the perfume raw materials and the entrapment material such that the evaporation of the perfume raw materials is delayed. Over time, this association breaks down resulting in release of the perfume raw materials. Since the composition comprises a fragrance oil which has been developed with a high level of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials, the very low levels of materials that are released from the association over time are easily detected by the user. In addition, despite the fact that the fragrance oil is developed with very high levels of "high odour impact" perfume raw materials, the association that forms means that the fragrance is not overwhelming when it is first applied.
In addition, because the volatilisation rate of any given ingredient has, until now, been mainly related to its own boiling point, it has not been possible to obtain recurring and intermittent blooms (or pulses) of specific fragrance characters throughout the complete usage period. Surprisingly it has now been found that, once a substrate has been fragranced using a composition of the present invention, the fragrance can be refreshed over time, either naturally or deliberately, to release periodic and unexpected blooms of one or several fragrance characters. Whilst not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this can be achieved by enhancing the natural decomposition rate of the fragrance oil entrapment material association for example by application of water, either naturally by breathing on the complex or by sweating, or artificially by spraying on a mist and the like. This "activation" results in the user experiencing a noticeable bloom of fragrance character. Surprisingly it has been found that it is possible to "activate" this complex, and thus generate fragrance blooms, several times during the wear. It is also believed that the negative consumer perception of becoming used to a scent can be minimised or prevented as a result of periodic "activation" resulting in an unexpected perceptible altering in the overall character of the fragrance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide compositions, which impart a long lasting and noticeable fragrance character to the substrate on which they are applied. It is a further object of this invention to provide a fragrance which maintains its initial character profile over time in a noticeable way. This, and other objects of this invention, will become apparent in light of the following disclosure.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions wherein the fragrance character remains detectable for greater than about 2 hours, preferably greater than about 4 hours, more preferably greater than about 6 hours, after the composition has been applied to the substrate.


A gasket for a combustion chamber is provided. The gasket comprises a plated surface extending across at least a portion of the metal base. In the gasket, at least a portion of the plated surface includes a laser treated section with a first raised surface that protrudes away from the metal base and the laser treated section is arranged in a mid-span that is arranged between two cylinder openings.

Gasket technology strives to provide robust combustion sealing. Internal combustion engines specifically establish a seal between a cylinder head and an engine block using a cylinder head gasket. Polymer coatings are deployed for sealing in these gaskets. These gaskets may further include steels layers. The chance of gasket degradation is elevated by the mechanical and thermal loading experienced by the gasket during engine operation which, under certain conditions, can lead to combustion chamber leakage.
Quick et al. in US 2008/0093808 A1 teaches a gasket with a laser treated surface where a laser beam removes material in the gasket to create round depressions in a steel layer. An elastomeric material is molded onto the depressions in an attempt to increase surface adhesion between the elastomeric bead and the steel layer of the gasket.
The inventors have recognized several drawbacks with the gasket taught in Quick and other gaskets. One drawback of the removal of the gasket's metal material via a laser is that the laser treatment process will reduce the gasket's thickness and create less compressive forces than if the material were not removed. Embrittling and warping of the metallic material in Quick's gasket may additionally result from the removal of material via a laser beam. Further, in Quick's gasket and other gaskets more generally, areas of the gasket adjacent to cylinder bridges may present sealing challenges. For instance, the gasket may experience motion near the cylinder bridge during combustion operation. Previous gaskets have been unable to tune gasket profile near the cylinder bridge and other targeted gasket areas to contend with the motion, which may lead to gasket leakage, under some conditions. Other gaskets have included shims in an attempt to enhance sealing of gasketed joints. However, the shimmed gasket may also experience leaks near the cylinder bridge, under some operating conditions. Further, localized gasket motion is exacerbated in boosted engines, due to the compression of the intake air.
To overcome at least some of the aforementioned challenges a gasket is provided. The gasket, in one example, includes a plated surface extending across at least a portion of a metal base. In the gasket, at least a portion of the plated surface includes a laser treated section with a raised surface that protrudes away from the metal base. Further in the gasket, the laser treated section is arranged in a mid-span that is arranged between adjacent cylinder openings. In this way, the gasket's profile is granularly altered by a laser treatment that increases gasket thickness in targeted areas to increase gasket stiffness and reduce motion. Gasket durability gains and decreased leakage result from this surface thickness profiling, under some conditions. In addition, this laser treatment technique reshapes existing material in the gasket (as opposed to removing gasket material) to allow the gasket to achieve high compressive forces when the gasket joint is assembled.
In another example, the laser treated section is localized in the mid-span portion. The mid-span portion is more susceptible to degradation due to its narrow width. However, the localized raised surfaces, created via laser treatment, increases that gasket's stiffness near the mid-span portion to further reduce motion during combustion operation. Consequently, gasket durability is further increased.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Laser profiled gasket and method for manufacturing said gasket


An article transporting facility includes:                a single predetermined path disposed along a plurality of article transfer locationsand having a first end and a second end;        a predetermined number of article transporting carriages traveling on the predetermined path;        controlling means for controlling traveling of the predetermined number of article transporting carriages;        wherein based on article transport request information for transporting an article from an original article transfer location to a destination article transfer location among the plurality of article transfer locations, the controlling means controls the traveling of the transporting carriages such that the controlling means selects an article transporting carriage from the plurality of article transporting carriages for causing the selected carriage to transfer the article from the original article transfer location to the destination article transfer location; and        when a multiple request condition exists wherein a plurality of transport request information designating a same single article transfer location as the original article transfer location are issued, the controlling means executes a multiple carriage selecting mode wherein the controlling means selects a plurality of article transporting carriages from the predetermined number of article transporting carriages for article transport.

The present invention relates to an article transporting facility including a single predetermined path disposed along a plurality of article transfer locations
and having opposed ends, a plurality of article transporting carriages traveling on the predetermined path, and a controller for controlling traveling of the predetermined number of article transporting carriages. Based on article transport request information for transporting an article from an original article transfer location to a destination article transfer location among the plurality of article transfer locations, the controller selects an article transporting carriage from the plurality of article transporting carriages for causing the selected carriage to transfer the article from the original article transfer location to the destination article transfer location.
The article transporting facility of the above-noted type is for use in e.g. an automated warehouse. In response to each article transport request information issued, the transporting operation of an article from an original article transfer location to a destination article transfer location is effected, and the facility effects such transporting operation one after another in repetition, with utilizing a plurality of article transporting carriages.
According to one known article transporting facility of the above-noted type, there are provided two article transporting carriages, and controlling means selects one of the two article transporting carriages for effecting an article transporting operation, based on transport request information (see, e.g. JP 2002-175117).
Referring more particularly to this conventional article transporting facility, adjacent each one of the opposed ends of the predetermined path, there is set an "allotted area" accessible by only predetermined one of the carriages. At the center area of the predetermined path, there is set a "shared area" accessible by both of the two carriages, but prohibiting simultaneous access by the two carriages. In operation, the controlling means selects one of the two article transporting carriages, depending on e.g. which of the opposed allotted areas the original article transfer location included in the transport request information is present.
With the above-described article transporting facility, by setting the allotted areas and the shared area, the article transfer locations accessible by each carriage are limited to some of the plurality of article transfer locations. On the other hand, there is also known an article transporting facility in which the article transporting carriages are accessible to all of the article transfer locations, without setting such allotted areas or shared area.
According to this conventional article transporting facility in which the article transporting carriages are rendered accessible to all the article transfer locations, the controlling means selects, from a plurality of article transporting cars, one particular carriage for effecting a requested article transporting operation, which particular carriage is located near the original article transfer location included in each transport request information.
Then, with this conventional article transporting facility, since the controlling means selects one particular carriage located near the original article transfer location included in the transport request information, depending on the situation of issuance of the article transport request information, it may happen that a same single article transporting carriage is selected repeatedly as the carriage for effecting a series of requested article transporting operations.
Therefore, in spite of the fact that a plurality of article transporting carriages are provided, the same single carriage may be used in repetition for effecting articles from transport starting article transfer location(s) to destination article transfer location(s). Thus, the facility fails to take advantage of utilization of the plurality of carriages, thus failing to improve transporting ability.
Referring more particularly to the above facility with reference to FIG. 1, a plurality of stations 1 as article transfer locations are arranged along the length of a predetermined path 2. As article transporting carriages, 3, two carriages, i.e. a first article transporting carriage 3a and a second article transporting carriage 3b are provided. These two carriages 3 can travel to/from, i.e. are accessible to all of the plural stations 1.
As an issuance situation of transport request information, it may happen that transport request information may issue in a plurality of times, which designate, among the plurality of stations 1, the station 1c located on the most left-side in FIG. 1 as the transport starting station. For instance, such situation tends to occur during certain hours when a great number of article retrieval operations from article storage shelves article or storage operations to the article storage shelves are carried out in a concentrated manner.
And, the transport starting station 1c designated in the transport request information is located close to the first article transporting carriage 3a of the first and second article transporting carriages 3a, 3b. Then, if the controlling means selects, from the two article transporting carriages 3, the one carriage located near the transport starting station 1c, the first article transporting carriage 3a will be selected repeatedly as the carriage for effecting the plurality of article transporting operations.
Hence, the first article transporting carriage 3a alone will be used repeatedly for transporting articles from the transport starting station to transport destination station(s), whereas the facility fails to utilize the second article transporting carriage 3b.

Article transporting facility and method of controlling the facility


A computer system includes a touchpad with one or more overlays providing the computer system with various input control functions. The overlay preferably includes tactile response elements to provide tactile feedback to the operator as an indication that a portion of the overlay has been pressed. The touchpad includes a capacitive sensor. Electronics coupled to the touchpad determine which portion of the touchpad sensor surface area has been touched or pressed. The amount of tactile feedback to the computer operator can be varied through the design and construction of the overlay and the overlay may be provided with no tactile feedback, if desired. As such, numerous overlays can be placed on the touchpad of the computer system, thereby providing the computer system with multiple different input control functions. The computer operator may manually input the type of overlay being used into the computer. Alternatively, a portion of the touchpad surface area maybe dedicated to encoding overlay identification information using any one of a variety of techniques. Thus, the computer system may automatically detect the type of overlay used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an input control device for a personal computer. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an overlay device with tactile feedback for a touchpad.
2. Background of the Invention
The complexity of functions preformed by personal computers has created a need for more sophisticated input and output devices for controlling the operation of the computer. For example, the mouse was developed to facilitate control of the movement of a cursor on the computer screen. Other input devices for controlling the computer such as a track ball and joystick are widely available.
Keyboards used with desktop computers typically have 100 or more keys. Many of such keyboards include a 10 digit keypad to enable an operator to quickly and efficiently input numbers into a database, for example. Arrow keys, and other special purpose keys, are also included on such keyboards
The keyboards provided in laptop or portable computers, however, necessarily must be smaller than keyboards provided in desktop computers. Accordingly, keyboards used with laptop computers include fewer keys than keyboards in desktop computers. A laptop keyboard typically includes only 85 keys. Most laptop computer keyboards do not include a separate 10-digit keypad as do keyboards in desktop computers. Instead, the functions performed by the 10-digit keypads of desktop computers are added to existing keys on a laptop computer's keyboard. Thus, many keys on a laptop computers keyboard perform two or more functions, each function individually selected by pressing that key in combination with another key.
In a standard 10-digit keypad the keys are aligned vertically and horizontally allowing an operator to quickly press the keys without having to look down. Because the keys on which the numeric function keys are added in the laptop computer are staggered as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the numeric keys in a laptop computer's keyboard is different than the configuration in a standard desktop keyboard. This configuration difference is not desirable for operators that must quickly and repeatedly enter numbers into a database. All else being equal, laptop computer operators would prefer to have a full size keyboard, such as the keyboards used in desktop computers.
The sophistication of software, and particularly computer games, has fueled a need for more sophisticated input control devices. Joysticks, game controllers, and other control devices have been developed and are available to satisfy many different software needs. These devices typically plug into a connector on the rear portion of computer chassis. As the computer operator switches between software programs, the operator may have to switch input control devices disconnecting one control device and plugging in another. Often, the computer must be reset ("rebooted") to communicate properly with a newly connected control device.
The lack of room in a typical laptop computer's carrying case and the weight of multiple input control devices makes using multiple input control devices with a laptop computer system less than desirable. Even with a desktop computer system, having multiple input control devices can be cumbersome, as well as substantially increasing the cost of the system. Further, software developers usually are limited to the control devices currently available for computers. Although currently available control devices may not provide the most optimal control scheme for a particular program, computer programs, nevertheless, usually are designed to be operated with one of the available control devices to avoid requiring the operator to incur the substantial expense in buying a new control device that may be useless for other programs.
In sum, there is a substantial need to provide a greater number of input control devices to a personal computer system, particularly to a laptop computer. It would be especially advantageous to have a computer system with increased input control capability without increasing the size, weight, and number of peripheral computer control devices.


Hydrocyclones and separator assemblies a wherein the hydrocyclones installed in the separator assemblies by a push fit and are under no lateral tensile or compressive stress. The body has an interior defined by an axially-extending frusto-conical separating chamber which extends from an inlet chamber nearer an overflow end to an underflow outlet opening at an underflow end. The body also has a tangential inlet to the inlet chamber. A tubular vortex finder member fits through the overflow end of the body into a cooperating seat therein and is snap fitted in the body. The vortex-finder member is seated in a predetermined position in which a portion thereof extends through the inlet chamber to define the axial overflow outlet from the separating chamber, said portion having a helical guide surface to guide the inlet flow from the tangential inlet towards the separating chamber. The vortex-finder also is extended so that a small clearance is created between the outlet end of the vortex finder and the outer casing of the separator assembly and the small clearance allows the hydrocyclone to float laterally during operation of the separator assembly so that the hydrocyclone is under no tensile or compressive stress.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydrocyclones for separating a slurry into separate constituents by density and particle size and to separator assemblies utilizing the hydrocyclones. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved hydrocyclone which is not under tensile or compressive stress when it is installed in a separator assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known to use hydrocyclones to separate particles of different sizes carried in a fluid stream. The particle separation achieved is governed by various factors including the dimensions of the hydrocyclone, the density of the suspension to be separated and its inlet pressure. To achieve some separations, it is necessary to use extremely small hydrocyclones which have a correspondingly small throughput. In order to achieve a commercially viable throughput, it is then necessary to employ a multitude of such hydrocyclones assembled in parallel. The most effective use of hydrocyclones is in separator assemblies with multi-stage operations. In the corn wet milling industry, hydrocyclones are used in starch wash operations, where multi-stage counter-current assemblies are preferred for purification of starch by removal of contaminants to the light phase, such as soluble and insoluble proteins, fine fibers, etc.
One type of a known separator assembly which uses a multitude of hydrocyclones is illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 12 is a schematic, partially sectioned side elevational view of part of the prior art separator assembly;
FIG. 13 is a section taken on line 13--13 of FIG. 12; and
FIG. 14 is an enlarged axial-sectional view of a hydrocyclone incorporated in the assembly of FIGS. 12 and 13.
The prior art assembly of FIGS. 12 to 14 will now be described in brief with an emphasis on those parts which lead to an understanding of the present invention.
With reference to FIG. 12, a part of a separator assembly generally indicated as 10 is shown. Separator assembly 10 has a generally cylindrical casing 12, only one end portion of which is shown, and which is constituted by annular walls 14 and end walls 16. Walls 14, 16 are clamped together by longitudinally extending bolt members 18 and end clamp members (not shown) with the interposition of pairs of transverse round partitions 20, 22 extending perpendicular to casing 12 axis and clamped between adjacent edges of annular walls 14. Only one pair of partitions 20, 22 is shown. Casing 12 may include any number of such pairs of partitions 20, 22. Partitions 20, 22 each have outer faces 24, 26 and opposing inner faces 28, 30, respectively.
With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, each partition 20, 22 has a plurality of circular apertures 32, 34, respectively, arranged in regular two dimensional arrays. Apertures 32, 34 in each pair of partitions 20, 22 are axially aligned. Not all of apertures 32, 34 are shown in FIG. 13, for clarity of illustration.
Partitions 20, 22 define central inlet chamber 36 between their opposing faces 28, 30 and two outlet chambers 38, 40 adjacent their outer faces 24, 26, respectively. An inlet duct 42 opens into central inlet chamber 36 while outlet ducts 44, 46 open from outlet chambers 38, 40, respectively.
Inlet chamber 36 does not communicate directly through apertures 32, 34 in partitions 20, 22 with outlet chambers 38, 40 but through hydrocyclones 48, each of which extends parallel to the chamber 36 axis. with reference to FIG. 14, each hydrocyclone 48 is formed in two cooperatingly screw threaded parts 50 and 52. Part 52 has an underflow end 54 and an opposite overflow end 56. Parts 50 and 52 have substantially cylindrical outer surfaces 58 and 60, each formed with annular grooves 62 and 64 therein and having flange 66 and end flange 68, projecting from their ends. O-rings 70 are provided to fit into each of the cooperating grooves 62 and 64.
When interengaged, the inner surface of part 52 defines a frusto-conical internal separating chamber 72 to extend and taper between overflow end 56 and underflow end 54 thereof. Surface 60 has inlet cavity 74 formed at overflow end 56 of part 52. Each inlet cavity 74 has a rectangular tangential inlet opening 76 into it from central chamber 36.
Continuing with FIG. 14, vortex finder 78 projects through inlet cavity 74, terminating axially downstream of tangential inlet opening 76 and defines a first axial outlet 80, the overflow outlet, which communicates with the adjacent outlet chamber 38 (shown in FIG. 12) of assembly 10 while the opposite underflow end 54 of hydrocyclone 48, clamped in the opposite partition 22, has a second axial outlet 82, the underflow outlet, which communicates with outlet chamber 40. Vortex finder 78 also defines a helical channel 84 (not shown) the beginning of which faces inlet opening 76.
When assembled in assembly 10, hydrocyclones 48 extend through and are sealed in apertures 32 and 34 by means of O-rings 70 fitted in grooves 62 and 64, which create seals between central chamber 36 and outlet chambers 38 and 40, respectively. Inlet cavity 74 is located adjacent partition 20. Flange 66 of part 50 abuts outer face 24 of partition 20, while end flange 68 of part 52 abuts outer face 26 of part 22.
In use of assembly 10, a suspension to be classified is pumped under pressure into central inlet chamber 36 through inlet duct 42 and is forced through tangential inlet openings 76 of hydrocyclones 48 into their frusto-conical chambers 72. Helical channel 84, defined by vortex finder 78, ducts the inlet flow circumferentially and axially toward frusto-conical chamber 72, thereby reducing the turbulence that would arise in a purely cylindrical inlet cavity. In each chamber 72, the suspension is separated into two flows. The first, termed the overflow, contains the finer particles and exits through first axial outlet 80 into chamber 38 while the second, termed the underflow, containing coarser particles, exits through the opposite outlet 82 into chamber 40. Naturally, the combined overflows from hydrocyclones 48 exit from assembly 10 through outlet duct 44 while the combined underflows exit through outlet duct 46.
Separator assembly 10 described in relation to FIGS. 12 to 14 achieves good separation, but has certain problems and disadvantages.
A first problem is in the assembly of hydrocyclones 48. In order to enable hydrocyclones 48 to be inserted and firmly held in their positions of use, extending through partitions 20 and 22, parts 50 and 52 are inserted through opposing apertures 32 and 34 from outer faces 24 and 26 of partitions 20 and 22, respectively, to meet in central chamber 36 and are screwed tightly together until flanges 66, 68 abut outer faces 24 and 26. In order to screw parts 50 and 52 together, each end needs to be gripped by a suitable tool to enable adequate tightening. Access to outer faces 24 and 26 of both partitions 20 and 22 simultaneously, however, can be problematical and this process is further complicated by the fact that vortex finder 78 is formed as a separate part which is inserted into inlet opening 76 defined by hydrocyclone part 50 through its screw-threaded end which mates with part 52. The insertion of vortex finder 78 is an awkward operation since it is a close fit in its seat in part 50 but is small and not easy to manipulate. Also, although it is shaped to key with its seat in one specific orientation, there is no positive engagement between the two parts, and vortex finder 78 is held in position by clamping between the two interengaged parts 50 and 52. All of the parts must therefore be very precisely dimensioned in relation to each other and there is always a possibility of vortex finder 78 being accidentally shaken from its seat during the screwing together of parts 50 and 52.
An alternative prior-art hydrocyclone, disclosed in connection with a Type C "Clamshell" housing in a 1976 Dorr-Oliver brochure, used in a similar assembly as that shown in FIG. 12, is easier to assemble. Each Type C 10 mm hydrocyclone is formed in three parts, each injection molded in nylon. The components are a major annular body part, a tubular vortex finder and an apex nut which is hexagonal and internally threaded to mate with corresponding external threads on the annular body at the underflow end. The vortex finder has a hexagonal head forming a flange and a parallel threaded section below the head which threadably mates with corresponding threads internal to the annular body at the overflow end. The body can be inserted through the corresponding holes in the two partitions from the overflow side until the vortex finder head, serving as a stop member, abuts the outer face of the partition on the overflow end and the opposite underflow end projects through the other partition, on the underflow end. The apex nut is then screwed onto the projecting underflow end of the body and tightened into contact with the outer face of the partition on the underflow end, so that the hydrocyclone is clamped to the outer surfaces of the partitions, thereby placing the hydrocyclones under tension.
A major problem with this alternative hydrocyclone arises. Precisely because of the screw-fitting of the vortex finder, it is difficult to provide a helical surface on the vortex finder, as will be described below with respect to the present invention, to improve the fluid flow into the hydrocyclone separating chamber. It is difficult because the vortex finders and hence the helical surface cannot be aligned accurately with the inlet. The hydrocyclone must, therefore, have relatively smaller dimensions and a correspondingly smaller throughput to achieve a given degree of separation. Considering assemblies including tens, or even a hundred or more, of such hydrocyclones, it will be appreciated that even slight differences in throughput have a great effect on the overall performance of the assembly.
A further problem with this alternative construction is that, in use, the suspension to be separated is pumped into the central chamber of the separator assembly under considerable pressure which may cause outward deflection of the partitions, thus putting the hydrocyclones under additional strain, or tension. The strain reduces the working life of the hydrocyclones.
Also, because both of the O-rings in this construction are the same size, the distal O-ring, which has to be pulled through two holes of the separator assembly on disassembly, often breaks or is damaged.
Furthermore, the alternative prior art hydrocyclone described above is used particularly in the food industry in a counter-current washing circuit in which clean wash water pumped in at one end separates gluten from corn starch. The clean corn starch exiting with the underflow while the gluten is washed out with the overflow. A further problem that arises with this use is that the hydrocyclones are made from NYLON, which reacts with sulfur dioxide used as a preservative in the corn starch slurry and embrittles over the years. The combination of embrittlement and strain can lead to fracture of the hydrocyclone body as well as reduced capacity and performance, leading to production losses and to incurment of relatively high replacement costs. Another problem with the use of NYLON as a material of construction for hydrocyclones is that the material tends to expand on contact with the slurry of water and processed corn during separation, and in a non-uniform manner.
Another type of separator assembly which uses a multitude of hydrocyclones is illustrated in "The Dorr Clone Hydrocyclone" sales brochure, 1976. These assemblies, in which one or both of the wall members is removable, are designated as "Type TM". The TM assemblies utilize 10 mm hydrocyclones to wash starch in corn wet milling operations. An adaptation of this assembly also is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,720 and a related patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,708.
Each type TM hydrocyclone is formed in two parts, each injection molded from nylon, comprising a major annular body part and a tubular vortex finder, which fits by insertion into the body part. The major annular body part extends between its overflow end and opposite underflow end. The body part has an exterior defined by a semi-annular flange at its overflow end, which connects to a relatively short cylindrical portion of a smaller diameter than the flange. The short cylindrical portion further connects to a frusto conical portion which tapers toward an annular radially projecting stop member, which has a diameter approximately equivalent to that of the flange. The stop member connects to a cylindrical boss of a smaller diameter which in turn connects to relatively short frusto-conical transition portion. The transition portion connects to a frusto-conical spigot which tapers to its apex at the underflow end. The semi-annular flange has a rectangular opening bounded on three sides therein connecting to a further rectangular opening, also bounded on three sides. formed in the relatively short cylindrical portion. A rectangle bounded on all four sides, constituting a tangential inlet opening, is formed by cooperation of the body part and the vortex finder. The vortex finder is provided with a frusto-conical guide surface, which projects and extends through the inlet chamber and terminates axially downstream of the tangential inlet when assembled with the body. These hydrocyclones are held in place by being compressed between their respective partition plates.
This separator assembly achieves good separation, but has certain problems and disadvantages.
These cyclones are used particularly in the food industry, particularly in corn wet milling, in a counter-current washing circuit in which clean wash water pumped in at one end separates gluten from corn starch, the clean corn starch exiting with the underflow while the gluten is washed out with the overflow. A problem that arises with this use is that the hydrocyclones are injection molded from NYLON. The NYLON reacts with sulfur dioxide, used as a preservative in the corn starch slurry, and embrittles over the years. The combination of embrittlement and compression of the cyclones between the plates can lead to fracture of the hydrocyclone body as well as reduced capacity and performance, leading to production losses and to incurment of relatively high replacement costs.
The capacity and performance of the hydrocyclones is further limited due to the overall external and internal configuration of the hydrocyclone, which is the key parameter for optimal operation of hydrocyclones. The vortex finder is not provided with a helical guide surface, which would improve the fluid flow into the hydrocyclone separating chamber. The hydrocyclones, therefore, have a relatively small throughput to achieve a given degree of separation. Considering assemblies including tens, or even a hundred or more, such hydrocyclones, it will be appreciated that even slight differences in throughput have a great effect on the overall performance of the assembly.
The present invention, therefore, seeks to provide hydrocyclones particularly of a type usable in the assemblies of the general type described above. An object of the present invention is to provide hydrocyclones which overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art as discussed above.
An object of the present invention is to provide hydrocyclones which are simpler to assemble and install, as well as to disassemble for repair or maintenance, than previously known hydrocyclones. The invention provides a distal O-ring having a smaller diameter than the proximal O-ring and this resolves the problem of breakage of the distal O-ring which is caused by the prior art construction. Furthermore, the hydrocyclones of the invention are installed in a separator assembly by pushing them into holes that are not threaded, thus substantially reducing the cost of the assembly and the hydrocyclones as well as simplifying assembly and disassembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide hydrocyclones having a larger internal diameter and a better throughput for a given size of hydrocyclone, and thereby increase the capacity of the overall multi-cyclone separator assembly.
A further object is to provide hydrocyclones which are not under any tensile or compressive stress when they are installed in a separator assembly and which have a longer working life than the prior art hydrocyclones described.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the summary and detailed description which follows.

Hydrocyclones and associated separator assemblies


A fluid compressor comprises a hollow cylinder closed at the axially opposite ends, a cylindrical turning body disposed within the cylinder and provided with a helical groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder, the axis of the turning body being eccentrically displaced from the axis of the cylinder by a given distance, and a blade held and vertically movable in the groove in the direction of the depth of the groove as a compressing element, the compressor drawing operating fluid into the cylinder through a suction port disposed at an end of the cylinder, transferring the drawn-in fluid toward a discharge port disposed at the other end of the cylinder and eventually discharging the fluid through the discharge port by the rotary movement of the turning body as the object of compression, wherein, when the given formula is expressed in terms of the circumferential coordinate and the axial coordinate of the turning body, the values obtained as a result of "differentiation of second order" of the axial coordinate by the peripheral coordinate of the given formula show an approximately continuous distribution.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compressor for compressing gas that operates as a fluid cooling medium in a refrigerating cycle machine and, more particularly, it relates to a liquid compressor comprising a helical blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of compressors are known including the "reciprocal type" and the "rotary type". Compressors of these known types, however, normally have a very complicated configuration including a drive unit and a compression unit, to which the turning effort of the drive unit is transmitted by means of one or more than one crank shafts of the drive unit, making the overall number of components and hence the manufacturing cost of the compressor considerable. Additionally, the rotary unit of such compressors is frequently off balanced and hence generates large noises.
In an attempt to solve these problems, fluid compressors comprising a helical blade have recently been proposed.
FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings illustrates the compression unit of a known "helical blade type" fluid compressor. It comprises a cylinder 101, a turning body 102 which is slightly eccentrically located within and rotates relative to the cylinder 101 and a helical blade 104 fitted into and slidingly and radially movable in a helical groove 103 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the turning body 102.
The blade 104 slidingly and radially shifts its position in the groove 103 as the turning body 102 rotates relative to the cylinder 101. The opposites ends of the cylinder 101 and those of the turning body 102 are "freely rotatably" held by respective bearings 105 and 106. The bearings are respectively provided with a suction port 107 and a discharge port 108. Starting from the suction port 107, the pitch of the helix is gradually and progressively increases toward the discharge port 108 as a function of the distance from the suction port 107.
With such an arrangement, starting again from the suction port 107, the volumes of the spaces defined by the cylinder 101, the turning body 102 and the blade 104 gradually or progressively decrease toward the discharge port 108 as a function of the distance from the suction port 107. Thus, the operating fluid taken up by the unit through the suction port 107 is gradually compressed as it advances toward the discharge port 108 by the rotary movement of the turning body 102 until it is released from the discharge port 108.
With a fluid compressor having a compression unit having a configuration as described above, the "compression performance" of the unit are determined by the form and arrangement and of the groove 103 disposed on the peripheral surface of the turning body 102.
More specifically, the "compression ratio" of the fluid is determined by the ratio of the volume of the space closest to the suction port 107 to that of the space closest to the discharge port 108 regardless of the volumes of all the intermediate spaces defined by the cylinder 101, the turning body 102 and the blade 104. Therefore, in order for the compression ration to have a large value, it is necessary to make the volume of the space closest to the suction port 107 as large as possible relative to that of the space closest to the discharge port 10.
To meet the above requirement, conventional compressors typically have a blade holding groove 103 realized in a form as defined by the line graph of FIG. 17, (showing the relationship between the axial distance from the suction port 107 and the circumferential angle of the groove). In FIG. 17, the abscissa represents the circumferential angle .theta. of the groove 103 and the ordinate represents the distance Z from the suction port 107 of the turning body 102. The form of the groove consists of curve f and curve g. More specifically, the curve f is located closer to and convex toward the suction port 107 whereas the curve g is located closer to and convex toward the discharge port 108, the two different curves being linked at junction h. The fact that the suction port side curve f is convex toward the suction port 107 allows large spaces to be defined by the cylinder 101, the turning body 102 and the blade 104 near the suction port 107, contributing to the realization of a relatively large compression ratio.
Meanwhile, as the blade 104 goes in and out from (or, in other words, moves slidingly and radially in) the groove 103 of the turning body 102, groove is forced to deform the blade and consequently generates strain and stress inside of the blade. The generated strain and stress are distributed on the circumference direction of the blade 104. The inventors of the present invention conducted a mathematical analysis in a manner as described below as showing in FIGS. 21A to 21D to determine how strain and stress are generated in the blade as the blade is deformed in the helical groove of the turning body. If the blade initially has a helical form identical with that of the blade holding groove, no deformation can occur on the blade so long as the blade and the groove are coaxially arranged but the blade will be deformed to produce strain and stress in it once it is eccentrically disposed relative to the groove because the former is forced to conform to the shape of the latter. Assuming that there are a cylindrical coordinate system (R, .THETA., Z) with the Z-axis superposed on the center axis of the blade and another cylindrical coordinate system (r, .THETA., z) with the z-axis superposed on the center axis of the groove of the turning body and that the eccentrically of the two axis is expressed by e, a coordinate transformation can be carried out for either of the two coordinate systems by using the following equations if any eccentrically exists between the two systems. EQU Rcos.THETA.=rcos.theta.+e . . . (2-1) EQU Rsin.THETA.=rsin.theta. . . . (2-2)
Assuming that the Z-coordinate of the blade has an initial value of Z.sub.B before the blade is deformed and that the z-coordinate of the groove of the turning body has a value of z.sub.p, the displacement of the blade in the Z-direction, or .delta.Z, is expressed by the following equation. ##EQU1##
If the gradient of the groove is .gamma., the displacement of the blade in the direction perpendicular to its outer or upper surface, or .delta.Z.sub.B, is expressed as follows. EQU .delta.Z.sub.B =.delta.Zcos.gamma. . . . (2-4)
If the displacement of the inner periphery of the blade in the direction perpendicular to its outer or upper surface is .delta.Z.sub.Bi and the displacement of the outer periphery of the groove of the turning body in the direction perpendicular to its outer or upper surface is .delta.Z.sub.BO, they are respectively expressed by the following formulas. EQU .delta.Z.sub.Bi ={z.sub.p [Tan.sup.-1 {R.sub.i sin.THETA./(R.sub.i cos.THETA.-e)}]-Z.sub.B (.THETA.)}cos.gamma..sub.o . . . ( 2-5)
.delta.Z.sub.B0 ={z.sub.p [Tan.sup.-1 {R.vertline..sub.r=ro sin.THETA./(R.vertline.r=rocos.THETA.-e)}]-Z.sub.B (.THETA.)}cos.gamma..sub.o . . . ( 2-6)
where Ri is the inner diameter of the blade, ro is the outer diameter of the groove and R.vertline..sub.r=ro is the radial coordinate of the outer periphery of the groove in the cylindrical coordinate system of the blade when the blade is eccentric relative to the groove and expressed by ##EQU2##
If the blade is assumed as a circumferentially spread "straight beam", the bending surface strain .epsilon. of the blade is a function of the radius of curvature of beam deformation and expressed by the following formula.
.epsilon.==.+-.H/2.rho. . . . (2-8)
where H is the thickness of the blade and .rho. is a value expressed by the equation below, because the blade tangential direction coordinate T is expressed as T=R.THETA./cos.gamma.. EQU 1/.rho.=.differential..sup.2 .differential.Z.sub.B /.differential.T.sup.2. . . ( 2-10)
If .delta.Z.sub.B, .gamma. and R are discretely determined with an interval of .delta..THETA., the value of .rho. can be obtained by using the discrete values of these three points. Namely, EQU a=[(2R.sub.2 .delta..THETA./cos.gamma..sub.l-3).sup.2 +(.delta.Z.sub.B1 -.delta.Z.sub.B3).sup.2 ].sup.1/2 . . . ( 2-11) EQU A=Tan.sup.-1 [(R.sub.2 .delta..THETA./cos.gamma..sub.1-3)/(.delta.Z.sub.B2 -.delta.Z.sub.B1)]+Tan.sup.-1 [R.sub.2 .delta..THETA./cos.gamma..sub.1-3)/(.delta.Z.sub.B2 -.delta.Z.sub.B3)]. . . (2-12) EQU .rho..sub.2 =a/2sinA . . . (2-13)
Assuming that the initial gradient of the blade is .phi.(R,.THETA.) and the gradient angle of the groove is .phi.(r, .theta.), then the torsion displacement angle .delta..PHI. of the blade at its radial axis is expressed by the equation below. EQU .delta..PHI.=.phi.-.PHI. . . . (2-14)
Similarly, the torsion displacement angle .delta..PHI..sub.1 of the blade at its inner periphery and the torsion displacement angle .delta..PHI..sub.0 of the blade at its outer periphery are respectively expressed by the following equations. EQU .delta..PHI..sub.i .phi.(r.vertline..sub.R=Ri, Tan.sup.-1 {R.sub.i sin.THETA./(R.sub.i cos.THETA.-e)})-.phi.(R.sub.i, .THETA.) . . . (2-15) EQU .delta..PHI..sub.o =.phi.(r.sub.o, Tan.sup.-1 {R.vertline.r=ro.sup.sin.THETA./(R.vertline. r=ro.sup.cos.THETA.-e)})-.phi.(R.vertline.r=ro, .THETA.) . . . (2-16)
where ##EQU3##
The torsion angle .omega..sub.NT per unit length of the blade at its radial axis can be obtained by using the torsion displacement angle of the inner periphery of the blade, that of the outer periphery of the blade and the radial length .DELTA.R of the engaging area of the blade and groove. EQU NT=(.delta..PHI..sub.o -.delta..PHI..sub.i)/.DELTA.R . . . (2-18)
where
.DELTA.R=R.vertline..sub.r-ro-R.sub.i. The shear strain of the blade surface generated by the torsion, or .gamma..sub.NT, can be obtained from .omega..sub.NT above. EQU .gamma.NT=.+-.H.omega.NT/.sup.2 . . . ( 2-19)
If Z, R, .delta.Z are discretely determined with an interval of .delta..THETA., the value of .delta..PHI. can be obtained by using the discrete values of these two points. Namely, EQU .delta..PHI..sub.1 =Tan.sup.-1 [{(Z.sub.2 +.delta.Z.sub.2)-(Z.sub.1 +.delta.Z.sub.1) }/R.sub.1 .delta..THETA.]-Tan.sup.1 ((Z.sub.2 -Z.sub.1)/R.sub.1 .delta..THETA.} . . . (2-20)
According to a computation, a compressor of a known type provided with a groove defined by the line graph of FIG. 17 shows a circumferential direction distribution of bending strain as illustrated by the graph of FIG. 18.
It is apparent from FIG. 18 that the strain of the blade 104 reaches a maximum at the junction h of FIG. 17 where the two different component curves of the groove meet. Because of the very large strain to which the blade 104 is periodically subjected at the junction h of the two component curves when the turning body 102 is rotated, blades of the type under consideration are frequently damaged and broken at the junction h.
The forced deformation of the blade 104 also gives rise to a strain in it distributed radially and in the direction perpendicular to the principal surfaces of the blade 104, let alone a concentrated distribution of strain on the peripheries. According to a computation carried out by the inventors of the present invention, the bending strain generated by deformation of the helical blade of a conventional compression unit having a turning body with a groove defined by the line graph of FIG. 17 shows circumferential and radial distributions and a distribution in the direction perpendicular to the principal surfaces of the blade as illustrated respectively in FIGS. 18, 19 and 20.
It is seen from FIGS. 19 and 20 that the strain in the blade 104 shows a maximum also at a point on the inner periphery of the blade 104 that corresponds to the junction h of the two component curves and at points on the principal surfaces of the blade 104 corresponding to the junction h.
As described above, since conventional compressors are provided with a blade holding groove on the turning body having a form consisted of two component curves with a view to giving it a high compression ratio, they can periodically produce a large strain in the blade at locations corresponding to the junction of the two component curves when the burning body is rotated. Such a strain can eventually damage and break the blade.

Compressor having a blade shape for minimal strain


The battery pack includes: a charging terminal receiving power from a charger while connected to the charger; a battery connected to the charging terminal and recharged by power from the charger via the charging terminal; a protective circuit performing a protective operation of detecting an overcharge of the battery by using power from the battery while receiving a driving signal, and terminating the protective operation when receiving no driving signal; an activation terminal receiving an activation signal from the charger while connected to the charger; an activation circuit connected to the activation terminal and configured to output the driving signal to the protective circuit while receiving the activation signal from the charger via the activation terminal; and an auxiliary activation circuit connected to the charging terminal and configured to provide the driving signal to the protective circuit while the battery receives power from the charger via the charging terminal.

Recently as a battery pack used for a rechargeable load device having relatively high power consumption such as an electrical power tool, a battery pack using lithium-ion batteries has attracted attention because it has high energy density and is lightweight. However, such a lithium-ion battery is easily damaged by overcharge or over discharge. Hence, generally, in view of improvement of reliability and safety, a protective circuit for monitoring each cell voltage is provided in the battery pack, and charge-discharge control is performed based on the cell voltage.
Generally, the aforementioned protective circuit is constituted by an IC designed for this use. When the protective circuit is in operation even when the battery pack is not connected to the charger or even when a load device powered by the battery pack as its power source is turned off, a remaining amount of the battery may be reduced due to a current consumed by the protective circuit.
In view of the above, for example, document 1 (JP 2008-199827 A) discloses a battery pack which switches the protective circuit to a rest state or a standby state with a low consumption current when the battery pack is not connected to the charger or when the load device connected to the battery packs is turned off. Further, this battery pack switches the protective circuit to an operating state in response to an activation signal inputted from the charger or the load device when the battery pack is connected to the charger or when the load device is turned on.
Normally, the activation signal is sent from the charger. However, when the breakage of the charger or the contact failure of a connector for transferring the activation signal occurs, the activation signal is not inputted into the battery pack. In this situation, the charging process is started while the protective circuit does not perform the protective operation. Thus, the battery pack is likely to be in an overcharged state.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A cassette seal, comprising an outer ring and an inner ring of an opposing angular profile, which mutually surround an annular space having an imaginary concentric axis. The outer ring is provided with at least one sealing lip abutting on the inner ring. Also a gap connection is provided between the annular space and the space to be sealed off. This gap connection is limited on one side by a flange connected to the inner ring 2. With respect to its cross-section, the gap connection is widened on the side turned away from the flange in segmental cut-outs of the outer ring that are uniformly distributed over the circumference. These segmental cut-outs constitute ducts connecting the annular space and the space to be sealed off. These ducts are limited in the axial direction on the side facing the flange by a conically inclined run-off surface. This run-off surface constitutes a part of a diameter that concentrically surrounds the axis and is extended in a funnel shape in the direction of the annular space. The run-off surface completely surrounds the flange in the axial direction and at least partially surrounds the sealing lip.

The present invention relates to a cassette seal having means for improving cooling and lubrication of its sealing lip.
A known cassette seal is disclosed in European Patent Application EP 0 267 353. This type of cassette seal, however, does not exhibit a sufficiently long service life. This is due to the fact that the medium discharged in the radial direction to the outside as a result of centrifugal forces does not satisfactorily contribute to the cooling and lubrication of the sealing lip.
An object of the present invention is to further develop a cassette seal of the type mentioned above in order to obtain considerably improved working properties, particularly at high shaft speeds and accompanying high temperatures. By improving the cooling and lubrication of the sealing lip, the cassette seal demonstrates a clearly improved service life.


Provided is a solar cell with improved photoelectric conversion efficiency. The solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion body and first and second electrodes. The photoelectric conversion body includes a substrate made of semiconductor material. The first and second electrodes are disposed at intervals on one main surface of the photoelectric conversion body. Terraces each formed of a crystal plane are provided on a main surface of the substrate on the one main surface side of the photoelectric conversion body. At least one of the terraces exists between the first electrode and the second electrode.

The invention relates to a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same.
Patent Document 1 proposes a back junction solar cell. In the back junction solar cell, it is not always necessary to provide electrodes on a light receiving surface. Due to this configuration, a light receiving efficiency on the light receiving surface can be improved. Accordingly, photoelectric conversion efficiency can be improved.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-80887

Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.