In a front housing (1) including at a front end portion thereof an engine flywheel (6), there are provided a primary drive shaft (8) which is co-axial with the flywheel, a transmission shaft (11) which is parallel to the drive shaft, and an output shaft (13) which is co-axial with the drive shaft. The output shaft is connected to a speed change mechanism (17, 20) in a transmission case (2) succeeding to the front housing. A first supplementary speed change mechanism (12) is disposed between the drive shaft and the transmission shaft, and a second supplementary speed change mechanism (14) is disposed between the transmission shaft and the output shaft. One of these supplementary change mechanisms is formed into a direction-reversing mechanism, and the other change mechanism is formed into a high/low speed-selecting mechanism.

This invention relates to a transmission system in a working vehicle comprising a front housing and a transmission case which are arranged in series in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are fastened together. The front housing includes at its front end portion an engine flywheel, and the transmission case includes at least one speed change mechanism. In such a working vehicle, the present invention particularly relates to a transmission system in which two kinds of supplementary speed change mechanisms, which are connected in series, are provided in the front housing so as to effectively use the inside of the front housing.
In a working vehicle comprising a front housing, including at its front end portion an engine flywheel, and a transmission case, including at least one speed change mechanism, which are arranged in series and are fastened together, it is well known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,455 and No. 5,617,936 that a supplementary speed change mechanism such as a direction-reversing mechanism or high/low speed-selecting mechanism is provided in the front housing. However, it has not been known yet that two kinds of such supplementary speed change mechanisms which are connected in series are provided in the front housing.
However, it would be very advantageous if such two kinds of supplementary speed change mechanisms could be provided in the front housing in a simple structure without enlarging substantially the length of the front housing. In such a case, a variety of speed change transmissions could be offered without any substantial change in the speed change mechanism in the transmission case by omitting any one of the supplementary speed change mechanisms in the front housing.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel transmission system in which two kinds of supplementary speed change mechanisms, namely a direction-revesing mechanism and a high/low speed-selecting mechanism which are connected in series, are provided in a front housing of a working vehicle.
An attendant object of the invention is to provide a transmission system which is easy in assembly notwithstanding the provision of two kinds of supplementary speed change mechanisms.
Another attendant object is to provide a transmission system which is simple in structure and which does not lengthen the front housing.
The present invention relates to a transmission system in a working vehicle comprising a front housing (1), including at its front end portion an engine flywheel (6), and a transmission case (2), including at least one speed change mechanism (17, 20), which are arranged in series in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are fastened together. The transmission system according to the present invention is characterized in:
that there are provided in the front housing (1) a primary drive shaft (8) which is co-axial with the engine flywheel (6) and is adapted to be driven to rotate by the engine flywheel, a transmission shaft (11) which is arranged in parallel with the primary drive shaft, and an output shaft (13) which is co-axial with the primary drive shaft, the output shaft (13) being connected to the speed change mechanism (17, 20); and
that a first two-ratio supplementary speed change mechanism (12) is disposed between the primary drive shaft (8) and the transmission shaft (11) and a second two-ratio supplementary speed change mechanism (14) is disposed between the transmission shaft (11) and the output shaft (13), one of the first and second supplementary speed change mechanism (12) being formed into a direction-reversing mechanism and the other of the first and second supplementary speed change mechanism (14) being formed into a high/low speed-selecting mechanism.
The primary drive shaft (8), provided in the front housing (1) such that it is co-axial with the engine flywheel (6), can be connected to the flywheel in a simplest manner. Because the primary drive shaft (8) and the output shaft (13) are arranged co-axially with each other, a rear end portion of the primary drive shaft and a front end portion of the output shaft can be supported by a single bearing support bore which is formed in and through a common bearing support wall. The first two-ratio supplementary speed change mechanism (12) and the second two-ratio supplementary speed change mechanism (14) are connected in series to each other by the transmission shaft (11) which is commonly employed for providing the first and second supplementary speed change mechanisms (12, 14), so that two kinds of supplementary speed change mechanisms which are connected in series are provided by employing a minimum number of the three shafts (8, 11, 13). Consequently, two kinds of the supplementary speed change mechanisms are provided in the front housing without any substantial enlargement of the housing. A variety of speed change transmissions can be offered without any substantial change in the speed change mechanism (17, 20) in the transmission case (2) by connecting between the primary drive shaft and the transmission shaft or between the transmission shaft and the output shaft through meshing gears in place of the first or second supplementary speed change mechanism.
For facilitating the assembly, it is preferred that the front housing (1) includes a first bearing support wall (1a) disposed before the first supplementary speed change mechanism (12) and a second bearing support wall (4) disposed between the first and second supplementary speed change mechanisms (12, 14), and that a third bearing support wall (5) disposed behind the second supplementary speed change mechanism (14) is provided at a location adjacent to a rear end of the front housing (1), the second bearing support wall (4) being removably secured to the front housing (1) and the third bearing support wall (5) being removably secured to the front housing (1) or to the transmission case (2). According to this structure, the first supplemetary speed change mechanism (12) can be assembled into the front housing (1) from the rear end thereof using the removable second bearing support wall (4) as a support therefor and, then, the second supplementary speed change mechanism (14) can be assembled into the front housing (1) from the rear end thereof using the removable third bearing support wall (5) as a support therefor.
The second supplementary speed change mechanism (14) can be formed into an easily operable fluid-operated type in which two clutches (45, 46) which are selectively supplied with fluid pressure for performing two-ratio speed change transmissin are mounted on the transmission shaft (11). In this case, it is preferred that the transmission shaft (11) includes at least one fluid passage (61) for supplying operating fluid to the clutches (45, 46) and a lubricant passage (69) for supplying lubricant to the clutches (45, 46), a rotary joint (65) for connecting the fluid passage (61) to a stationary fluid passage (67) being formed within the second bearing support wall (4) and another rotary joint (70) for connecting the lubricant passage (69) to a stationary lubricant passage (73) being formed within the first bearing support wall (1a). According to this structure, the rotary joint (65) for the fluid passage in the transmission shaft and the rotary joint (70) for the lubricant passage in the transmission shaft are formed at locations spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the transmission shaft so that the thickness of each of the first and second bearing support walls (1a, 4) can be made as small as possible, whereby enlargement of the length of the front housing (1) can be avoided.
More preferably, one of the clutches (45) is formed into a fluid-actuated frictional clutch having a first set of frictional elements (47, 48), a first piston (49) for engaging between the first set of frictional elements under the action of fluid pressure, and a return spring (50) for biasing the first piston to move away from the first set of frictional elements so as to disengage between the first set of frictional elements, whereas the other of the clutches (46) is formed into a spring-actuated frictional clutch having a second set of frictional elements (52, 53), a spring (56) for engaging between the second set of frictional elements, and a second piston (59) for disactuating the spring under the action of fluid pressure so as to disengage between the second set of frictional elements, said at least one fluid passage (61) in the transmission shaft (11) being composed of a single fluid passage through which fluid pressure is selectively supplied to and drained from the first and second pistons (49, 59) for performing the speed change transmission by the second supplementary speed change mechanism (14). According to this structure, when a trouble is caused in the fluid supply system for the second supplementary speed change mechanism the spring-actuated frictional clutch (46) will be automatically engaged due to the loss of fluid pressure applied to the second piston (59). Consequently, the vehicle drive line is not cut off at the second supplementary speed change mechanism, so that an engine brake action can be achieved. Because the fluid passage in the transmission shaft is a single one (61) and the single rotary joint (65) for such a single passage is satisfactory, the fluid passage structure for the second supplementary speed change mechanism is very simple. The length of the transmission shaft (11) can be small so that enlargement of the length of the front housing is avoided, too.
For simlifying the structure of the second supplementary speed change mechanism, it is preferred that a clutch cylinder (44) having a partition (44a) at an axially middle portion thereof is fixedly mounted on the transmission shaft (11), that the one clutch (45) is disposed within one axial half of the clutch cylinder (44) with the first piston (49) being disposed at a location adjacent to the partition (44a), and that the other clutch (46) is disposed within the other axial half of the clutch cylinder (44) with the second set of frictional elements (52, 53) being disposed at a location adjacent to the partition (44a), the spring (56) being disposed such that it acts upon the second set of frictional elements through a push disk (54) which is slidably but non-rotatably supported by the clutch cylinder, the clutch cylinder (44) having an integral cylinder portion (58) at an outer circumference of the partition (44a) for receiving the second piston (59) such that the second piston abuts at an extension (59a) thereof against the push disk (54). According to this structure, the clutch cylinder (44) is commonly employed for both of the clutches (45, 46). The structure that the clyinder portion (58) for receiving the second piston (59) is formed integrally with the clutch cylinder is simple, and the structure of the other clutch (46) is reasonable as a spring-actuated type.
For simplifying fluid passage structure in the clutch cylinder (44), it is preferred that the clutch cylinder (44) includes a fluid passage (62) for connecting the fluid passage (61) in the transmission shaft (11) to a fluid chamber (51) which is formed between the first piston (49) and the partition (44a), and another fluid passage (63) for connecting the fluid chamber (51) to a fluid chamber (60) in the cylinder portion (58). According to this structure, the former fluid chamber (51) acts as a fluid chamber for operating the first piston (49) and the latter fluid chamber (60) acts as a fluid chamber for operating the second piston (59). The fluid chamber (60) for operating the second piston (59) is supplied and drained with fluid pressure through the another fluid passage (63) and through the fluid chamber (60), so that the fluid passage structure in the clutch cylinder is simplified.
For shortening the clutch structure of the second supplementary speed change mechanism, it is preferred that the first piston (49) and the second piston (59) are partially overlapped in an axial direction of the clutch cylinder (44). According to this structure, the stroke of the first piston (49) and the stroke of the second piston (59) are partially overlapped in an axial direction of the clutch cylinder so that the clutch structure of the second supplementary speed change mechanism is shortened.
The present invention also relates to a speed change mechanism in a working vehicle which comprises two gears (40, 41) rotatably mounted on a transmission shaft (11) and two frictional clutches (45, 46) mounted on the transmission shaft for coupling the gears one at a time to the transmission shaft so as to perform a two-ratio speed change transmission. The speed change mechanism according to the present invention is characterized in:
that one of the clutches (45) is formed into a fluid-actuated clutch which is actuated by an engagement between a first set of frictional elements (47, 48) under the action of fluid pressure applied to a first piston (49) and which is disactuated by the force of a return spring (50) acting upon the first piston, whereas the other of the clutches (46) is formed into a spring-actuated clutch which is actuated by an engagement of a second set of frictional elements (52, 53) under the action of a spring (56) and which is disactuated under the action of fluid pressure applied to a second piston (59), and
that the transmission shaft (11) includes a single operating fluid passage (61) for supplying fluid to the first piston (49) and to the second piston (59), fluid pressure being applied to and drained from the first and second pistons respectively at a same time through the fluid passage so as to perform the two-ratio speed change transmission.
According to this structure, when a trouble is caused in the fluid supply system for the speed change mechanism the spring-actuated frictional clutch (46) will be automatically engaged due to the loss of fluid pressure applied to the second piston (59). Consequently, the vehicle drive line is not cut off at the speed change mechanism, so that an engine brake action can be achieved. Because the fluid passage in the transmission shaft is a single one (61) and the single rotary joint (65) for such a single passage is satisfactory, the fluid passage structure for the speed change mechanism is very simple and the length of the transmission shaft (11) can be small.


In a private video recorder for recording contents of TV program delivered from TV stations, data of the contents of TV program (contents data) are memorized into segments in a contents data memory area, and the contents data are controlled as one video picture file by appointing the segments memorizing the contents data in segment appointing information of the video picture file. When the contents recorded in the private video recorder is edited, only the appointment of the segments in the segment appointing information is rewritten without cutting, copying or inserting the contents data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a private video recorder for recording contents of TV programs delivered from TV stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
The private video recorder is conventionally configured that the contents (video picture) of TV programs are recorded as video picture files in a contents accumulator (recording medium) such as a hard disc drive apparatus, and the contents recorded in the contents accumulator can be edited by cutting, copying, inserting and so on corresponding to operation of an operation apparatus such as a remote control unit by a user. The contents recorded in or edited by the private video recorder can be reproduced on a monitor of a display apparatus connected to the private video recorder, when the data of the video picture file is read out from the contents accumulator.
The private video recorder constantly memorizes the data corresponding to the contents of TV program (hereinafter abbreviated as "contents data") in a predetermined time period which has been received until the moment in a memory area called "circulation buffer area" in the contents accumulator with no relation to recording of the contents. The contents data, which is temporarily memorized into the circulation buffer area, can be readout from the circulation buffer area until the circulation buffer area is filled by the contents data. Furthermore, new contents data of the TV program just received are serially memorized into the circulation buffer memory, while the contents data already memorized into the circulation buffer area have been readout from the circulation buffer area. By such a configuration, the contents of TV program which has been received can be reproduced as if the contents are paused or rewound.
In the conventional private video recorder, a known file control system such as MS-DOS is used for controlling the video picture files of the contents of TV programs. In the file control system, video data and audio data, which are the substances of the contents data constituting the video picture file, are memorized into and read out from sectors on the recording medium. The sector is the minimum unit of the recording area on the recording medium.
As can be seen from FIG. 10, a memory area of the recording medium is allocated to a control area 91 called "FAT" and a file substance memory area 92 in the file control system of MS-DOS. The control area 91 memorizes control information for controlling the contents data memorized into the file substance memory area 92 as a file. The video data and the audio data, which are the substances of the contents data of the video picture file, are memorized into the file substance memory area 92. The file substance memory area 92 is constituted by a plurality of segments 93. Each segment 93 is further constituted by a predetermined number of the sectors. The segment 93 is the minimum unit for controlling the video picture file, so that the contents data of the video picture file are controlled by the unit of segment 93 in the file substance memory area 92. The control information memorized into the control area 91 includes location information showing positions of the sectors of the segments 93 into which the contents data constituting one video picture file are memorized. The contents data memorized into the segments 93 in the file substance memory area 92 are controlled as one video picture file corresponding to the control information. Each segment 93 is not commonly controlled by a plurality of control information but controlled by only one control information.
When recoding and erasing of the video picture files are repeated in the conventional file control system, the contents data constituting one file are memorized into disintegrative into a plurality of groups of segments 93 which is physically departed from each other. Such a phenomenon is called "fragmentation". When a video picture file having a larger size is recorded after erasing another video picture file having a smaller size, the contents data of the video picture file having the larger size cannot completely be memorized into the segments into which the contents data of the video picture file having the smaller size was memorized, so that the remainder of the contents data the video picture file having the larger size will be memorized into other segments. As a result, the contents data constituting one file are memorized into disintegrative into a plurality of groups of the segments. In FIG. 10, daubed boxes show the segments into which the contents data constituting the same file are memorized. In the conventional private video recorder, the conventional file control system is used not only for memorizing and reading the contents data of the video picture file of the contents of TV program but also for editing the contents data by such as cutting, copying or inserting.
In the conventional private video recorder, a memory capacity of each segment in the contents accumulator is not so large, so that degree of disintegration that the contents data constituting one file are recorded in disintegrative into a plurality of groups of the segments will be increased by repeating the recording and erasing of the contents of TV programs. When the fragmentation frequently occurs, speed for reading out the contents data of the video picture file from the contents accumulator becomes slower. Reduction of the speed for reading out the contents data of the video picture file causes inadmissible problem in audio-visual equipment that the recording and reproducing of the contents of TV program is paused in midstream.
Furthermore, in the conventional private video recorder, the control information for controlling the contents data of the video picture file has only the location information of the segments into which the contents data constituting the same video picture file are recorded, so that the contents of the video picture file cannot be confirmed until the contents are actually reproduced on the display apparatus by reading out the contents data of the video picture file from the contents accumulator. Thus, it takes much time for reproducing or editing the contents recorded in the conventional private video recorder, so that it is not easy to use.
Still furthermore, in the conventional private video recorder, there is a fear that important contents data are instantly erased from the contents accumulator by inappropriate operation, even though the contents data can be edited by cutting, copying, inserting, and so on. When the contents data memorized into the contents accumulator are once edited, it cannot be turned back. Thus, the conventional private video recorder is not easy to use for editing the contents data of the video picture files.
Still furthermore, in the conventional private video recorder, the contents data temporarily memorized into the circulation buffer area can be read out in repeating. The contents data memorized into the circulation buffer area, however, are erased in order of memorized time when the circulation buffer area is filled. When the contents data are once erased from the circulation buffer area, it is impossible to memorize the contents data into the contents accumulator as the video picture file. For recording the contents of TV program so as to be reproduced at anytime, it is necessary to start to memorize the contents data obtained from the broadcasting signals of the TV program in the contents accumulator simultaneously with the start of on air of the TV program. If the user awakes that the contents of TV program is not recorded due to erroneous operation in midstream of the TV program, it is impossible to memorize the contents data of the contents of TV program from the start of on air.
Still furthermore, in the conventional private video recorder, when no TV program is on air while the private video recorder records the contents of TV program, the contents data corresponding to a noisy picture like sandstorm or a dark picture are memorized into the contents accumulator of the private video recorder, so that the memory capacity of the contents accumulator is fribbled away.
The following documents are known in the art of the present invention.
Publication gazette of Japanese patent application 2001-93264 shows a recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing video data and audio data by encoding and decoding the signals. The contents recorded in a plurality of discrete memory areas on a disc respectively having relativity are rearranged and rememorized into consecutive areas. By such a configuration, the fragmentation can be resolved. The contents, however, are actually rememorized into the consecutive areas on the disc, so that it needs a lot of time for rememorizing the contents. The contents or other contents cannot be recorded or reproduced while the contents are rearranged and rememorized.
Publication gazette of Japanese patent application 5-308602 shows an image processing apparatus in which data for controlling still image information can be edited. This publication gazette does not refer to the edit of video pictures (contents) of TV programs.
Japanese patent No. 2713163 shows a video recorder in which video data and audio data under nonimage condition or unpronounced condition are replaced by nonimage data code or unpronounced data code, and the replaced data codes are encoded and recoded. By such a configuration, an amount of data can be reduced, so that efficiency of an external memory apparatus can be increased. This patent, however, does not refer to not only recording the contents of TV programs but also editing of files recorded in the memory apparatus.
Publication gazette of Japanese patent application 11-184737 shows a video disc recorder, in which cluster IDs are applied to recording areas and recording information with respect to a disc array, is controlled by using the cluster IDs for preventing the occurrence of the fragmentation by repeating recording and erasing contents of video pictures. This publication gazette, however, does not refer to edit of files recorded in the disc.
Publication gazette of Japanese patent application 2001-8122 shows a digital broadcasting receiver by which TV programs recorded in the past can easily be reproduced. This publication gazette relates to selection of the TV programs and does not relate to the fragmentation, edit and recording of the contents of TV programs.

Private video recorder using content segment pointing information to record, edit and reproduce content


A printing apparatus is provided. The printing apparatus includes a first medium holder and a second medium holder, at least one print head, at least one print head drive unit, at least two holder drive units, at least one ink cartridge, and a cooperation controlling system to control printing operations in the printing apparatus. The printing operations include a first printing operation, a first pre-print operation, a first after-print operation, a second printing operation, a second pre-print operation, and a second after-print operation. One of redundant behaviors included in the first after-print operation and the second pre-print operation is omitted by the cooperation controlling system when the second printing operation is conducted successively to the first printing operation.

1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to a printing apparatus, more specifically, a printing apparatus to print images on fabrics.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a printing apparatus for printing an image on a piece of fabric, having a platen to hold the fabric, an inkjet head to eject inks onto the fabric, a carriage to move the inkjet head, an operation panel, and a set of colored inks, has been known. Such a printing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2004-268506. According to the printing apparatus, an image represented by a piece of print data is formed on a piece of fabric as the carriage is moved in a main scanning direction and the platen is moved in an auxiliary direction.
For another example, in United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0179708 A1, a printing apparatus having a plurality of platens to hold a plurality of pieces of fabric aligned on a same horizontal plane is disclosed. According to the latter publication, two images are successively formed on the respective pieces of fabric in inks ejected from an inkjet head so that the images can be formed successively on the plurality of pieces of fabric in shorter lead time.
Prior to and after a printing operation, an inkjet printing apparatus conducts a pre-printing operation and an after-printing operation. That is, when the inkjet printing apparatus completes a printing operation, the carriage with the inkjet heads is moved to a maintenance position, and a nozzle surface of the inkjet head is wiped and capped (after-print operation), in order to prevent the nozzle surface from being dried out. When the inkjet printing apparatus starts a printing operation, the cap covering the nozzle surface of the inkjet head is detached, the uncovered nozzle surface is wiped, and the carriage is moved to a print-start position, in which the inkjet head starts ejecting inks (pre-print operation).


A checkout system and method is convertible between an assisted configuration or mode of operation and a non-assisted (self-assisted) configuration or mode of operation. The checkout system includes a checkout station having a movable scanner and a movable display each of which are selectively positionable to accommodate the assisted and non-assisted configurations. The checkout station also includes a customer bag well particularly for use by the customer when the checkout station is in a non-assisted mode of operation, a cashier bag well particularly for use by the cashier when the checkout station is in an assisted mode of operation, a merchandise placement or upload area, a payment module, and a walk through basket table, shelf or the like. A plurality of checkout stations is positioned or angled into a modified serial (staggered skew) configuration and are scalable.

The present invention relates generally to checkout station configurations that are convertible and, more particularly, to an apparatus, method, and system allowing selectable conversion and scaleable configuration of multiple checkout stations, providing either or both of self-assisted checkout and assisted checkout capabilities.
In a retail store such as a drugstore, for example, customer volume at checkout stations varies depending on the time of day, day of week, special promotions, weather, and other reasons. In order to efficiently manage a retail store, a number of checkout stations that are active and have a store employee functioning as a checkout operator will conventionally vary depending on anticipated customer volume for different times.
In a conventional drugstore checkout configuration, multiple checkout stations are either configured in a known xe2x80x98supermarketxe2x80x99 layout having parallel lanes (a parallel checkout configuration), or they are configured to have individual checkout stations along, for example, a counter (a serial checkout configuration). In the single counter configuration, the counter serves to demarcate and provide a secure employee area. The secure employee area is thus defined behind the counter such that a customer area is defined at the front of the counter. The secure employee area serves for making cash xe2x80x9cdropsxe2x80x9d into a register or a safe, for stocking and dispensing controlled goods such as alcohol and cigarettes, and for other purposes.
In any of the conventional checkout configurations for any type of store, it has become difficult to maximize throughput and to manage the variability of store traffic and employee availability. For example, if a store manager knows that her store is typically very busy during Friday evening hours, the manager may provide for having a large number of checkout employees at work during those peak period hours. In the event of one or more checkout employees being absent from work, the checkout employees who are present will be required to forego taking breaks, employees who are unfamiliar with checkout operations may be required to man a checkout station, or the amount of time a customer must wait in line becomes excessive.
In another example, a store manager may have hired additional checkout employees for a known peak-volume period only to encounter a weather condition such as cold temperatures that inhibits customers from shopping at that time. Other similar examples can easily be envisioned, where the conventional checkout configurations are inefficient because they are not adaptable to unseen events and conditions.
Certain stores such as drugstores may have additional logistical considerations such as having a limited amount of floor space. Generally, more floor space equates to the ability to sell more goods, provide for a more comfortable shopping environment, and/or the like. Implementation of the above-mentioned xe2x80x98counterxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98serialxe2x80x99 type checkout configuration generally requires less square footage than for the xe2x80x98supermarketxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98parallelxe2x80x99 type checkout configuration. The xe2x80x9cfootprint,xe2x80x9d an outline and floor surface area occupied by a checkout station""s equipment and by the checkout station""s related surfaces such as for a merchandise placement area and/or a bagging area, should, therefore, be minimized. Thus, most drugstores, convenience stores, and the like with limited floor space or other considerations, other than xe2x80x98superstoresxe2x80x99 use a counter or serial type checkout configuration.
To aid in the understanding of the present invention, a conventional counter or serial type checkout configuration is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1. A conventional counter or serial type checkout system 1 includes a counter 10 and multiple checkout stations 2 disposed primarily on a top surface of the counter 10. Each of the checkout stations 2 includes a checkout terminal/display 4, a universal product code (UPC) barcode scanner 5, a bagging area 6, and a merchandise placement area 7. The conventional counter type checkout system 1 also includes an exit lane 20 that a customer uses to walk to the store""s exit after the customer""s checkout activities have been completed.
It can be appreciated from the foregoing that a conventional counter or serial type checkout configuration is not scaleable or optimized/optimizable for efficient use of store and/or employee resources.
Recently, self-checkout stations have been developed that reduce a store""s dependency on a projection of when additional checkout personnel will be needed. One example of these recently developed checkout stations includes a checkout station for parallel type checkout configurations that is convertible from a self-checkout or non-assisted mode to a cashier-checkout or assisted mode, particularly the NCR Self-Checkout C-Series station from NCR Corporation of Dayton, Ohio. The NCR Self-Checkout C-Series station has a scanner/scale console or cabinet that is entirely removable from the checkout station assemblage, through casters or the like. The entire scanner/scale console is rotatable and replaced into the checkout station assemblage such that the scanner/scale is changed in orientation from a customer-usable scanner/scale to a cashier-usable scanner/scale. The scanner/scale console further has a cashier display that is rotatable for proper customer or cashier orientation. However, as can be appreciated, these currently developed convertible checkout stations and conventional self-checkout stations are laborious to convert, require a large amount of floor space, and thus are impractical for smaller retail stores such as drugstores.
The present invention is a system, method, and apparatus that provides selectable conversion and scaleable configuration of multiple checkout stations, allowing either or both of self-assisted checkout and assisted checkout. The multiple checkout stations are arranged in a modified serial or staggered angle or skew configuration relative to a linear walkway adjacent the checkout stations.
In one form, the present invention is a checkout station. The checkout station comprises a housing, a scanner, a first display, and a second display. The housing includes a counter. The scanner is movably mounted relative to the counter and has a scanning face operative to scan indicia, a first position wherein the scanning face has a first orientation corresponding to one of an assisted mode of operation and a self-assisted mode of operation, and a second position wherein the scanning face has a second orientation corresponding to the other of the assisted mode of operation and the self-assisted mode of operation, the scanner being selectively movable between the first and second positions. The first display is mounted on the counter and has a display face operative to display purchase transaction information to a clerk during the assisted mode of operation. The second display is mounted on the counter and has a display face operative to display purchase transaction information to a customer during the self-assisted mode of operation, a first position wherein the display face has a first orientation corresponding to one of the self-assisted mode of operation and the assisted mode of operation, and a second position wherein the display face has a second orientation corresponding to the other of the self-assisted mode of operation and the assisted mode of operation, the second display being selectively movable between the first and second positions.
In another form, the present invention is a system having a plurality of checkout stations disposed along a single, serial flow lane, wherein each checkout station is operative to perform purchase transactions and being convertible between a self-checkout configuration and an assisted checkout configuration.
In a further form, the present invention is a checkout system that includes a single serial flow lane and a plurality of checkout stations adjacent said single serial flow lane. Each checkout station includes a rotatable scanner, a customer display, and a clerk display. Each checkout station is convertible between an assisted configuration and a self-assisted configuration, wherein conversion of any one of the plurality of checkout stations comprises rotating the rotatable scanner from a first position to a second position, and selective activation of the customer display and the clerk display. Each one of the plurality of checkout stations defining a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of each checkout station is skewed relative to the single serial flow lane.
In yet another form, the present invention is a method of checkout. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of convertible checkout stations, each convertible checkout station operative to perform a purchase transaction and including a rotatable scanner, each convertible checkout station being convertible between an assisted configuration and a self-assisted configuration, wherein conversion of any one of the plurality of convertible checkout stations comprises rotating the rotatable scanner from a first position to a second position, the plurality of convertible checkout stations defining a front and a rear; (b) providing a single serial flow lane adjacent the front of each one of the plurality of convertible checkout stations for serial access to and from the plurality of convertible checkout stations, the single serial flow lane defining a longitudinal axis; and (c) angling the front of each convertible checkout station relative to the longitudinal axis.

Checkout system convertible between assisted and non-assisted configurations


A new and distinct Zamioculcas plant named ‘Dark Zamicro’, characterized by its broadly upright and compact growth habit; relatively small leaflets; and glossy leaflets that are close to pure black in color.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Zamioculcas plant, botanically known as Zamioculcas zamiifolia, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Dark Zamicro'.
The new Zamioculcas plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Zamicro', disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,314. The new Zamioculcas plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of 'Zamicro' in a controlled environment in Aarlanderveen, The Netherlands in September, 2013.
Asexual reproduction of the new Zamioculcas plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aarlanderveen, The Netherlands since November, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this new Zamioculcas plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Time-of-flight cameras may be synchronized where the fields of view of the time-of-flight cameras overlap. The time-of-flight cameras may be programmed within intervals of time for illuminating their respective fields of view that do not conflict with one another. When a first time-of-flight camera illuminates a first field of view that overlaps with a second field of view of a second time-of-flight camera, and the second time-of-flight camera detects reflected light from the illumination, the second time-of-flight camera may determine a time to illuminate the second field of view based on the reflected light. In this manner, any number of time-of-flight cameras may be synchronized with one another without requiring a direct connection between the time-of-flight cameras.

A "time-of-flight" camera is a depth-sensing or range-sensing system that operates by illuminating a scene using a light source (e.g., a modulated source of light at any wavelength or frequency, such as infrared) and capturing light that is reflected from various points of the scene following the illumination. Time-of-flight cameras are typically equipped with an illuminator for illuminating a scene, and a sensor for capturing reflected light from the scene. The reflected light that is captured by a time-of-flight camera sensor may be interpreted to generate a depth profile of portions of the scene within a field of view of the time-of-flight camera. Some time-of-flight cameras may capture and interpret reflected light, and generate depth images or profiles of portions of scenes from such reflected light, several dozen times per second. Depth images or profiles generated by time-of-flight cameras can be very accurate.
Occasionally, where two or more time-of-flight cameras are mounted at scenes with overlapping fields of view, care must be taken when operating the time-of-flight cameras. Where an illuminator of a first time-of-flight camera illuminates a scene, and a sensor of a second time-of-flight camera having an overlapping field of view is exposed, reflections of the light projected onto the scene from the illuminator of the first time-of-flight camera may be detected by the sensor of the second time-of-flight camera, thereby resulting in a false construction of a depth profile by the second time-of-flight camera. To alleviate this effect, the operation of multiple time-of-flight cameras may be synchronized. Where two or more time-of-flight cameras are mounted with overlapping fields of view, the times at which such cameras operate illuminators to illuminate scenes and expose sensors to capture reflected light from such scenes may be sequenced (or staggered) to ensure that a sensor of a time-of-flight camera is exposed only at times when an illuminator of that time-of-flight camera has illuminated a scene, and not at other times, e.g., when an illuminator of another time-of-flight camera has illuminated the scene.
Synchronizing the operation of multiple time-of-flight cameras having overlapping fields of view may be performed where the time-of-flight cameras operate under the control of, and are in communication with, a common computer device. In such environments, the time-of-flight cameras may be operated according to a network timing protocol that controls the illumination of a scene by an illuminator and the capture of reflected light by the exposure of a sensor for each of the time-of-flight cameras. Synchronizing the operation of multiple time-of-flight cameras is not presently feasible, however, where the time-of-flight cameras are not connected to a common computer device, or otherwise may not be operated according to a network timing protocol. Such environments may include, for example, scenes having a large number of time-of-flight cameras mounted with overlapping fields of view, or where time-of-flight cameras are mounted aboard independently operated machines such as autonomous mobile robots or unmanned aerial vehicles, such that fields of view of such cameras overlap for brief or unpredictable periods of time.


A wireless communication device declares one of a plurality of extended instant messaging states and transmits the declared states to a presence information server. Declared extended instant messaging states for destination devices are received, and an enhanced instant message based on declared extended instant messaging states is generated.

Instant Messaging (IM) applications require solutions to two problems: (1) sending short messages; and (2) the problem of maintaining presence information.
Known Instant Messaging (IM) techniques, such as ICQ, typically address both short messaging and presence information issues by sending peer-to-peer data over IP (Internet protocol). In ICQ, IP packets are sent between ICQ clients to both send short messages and to maintain presence information. For any one ICQ client, the presence information of a select group of other ICQ clients is typically maintained in a "buddy list", so that when the user of an ICQ client consults the list, the user knows if any of the corresponding users in the "buddy list" are available for instant messaging, or if they are not. IM presence information in ICQ is defined using states such as connected, chatty, away, extended away, occupied, do not disturb (DND), invisible, and offline.
Known wireless networks are capable of sending data between wireless devices. Such wireless networks may include the GSM (Global System for Mobile) and GPRS (Generalized Packet Radio Service), modern Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks and third-generation (3G) networks like Enhanced Data-rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), currently under development. Some of these networks are also capable of sending peer-to-peer data over IP.
One skilled in the art might assume that simply providing IP-based IM clients, such as ICQ, on wireless devices is an acceptable solution to the problem of conducting Instant Messaging on wireless networks. However, although known wireless networks are capable of IP communication, this solution is not well adapted to wireless resources. For instance, SMS (Short Messaging Service), although an available resource on various wireless networks, does not operate over IP and therefore may not be used to solve the message-sending problem at the wireless device if IP clients, such as ICQ, are used. Furthermore, simply using IP clients, such as ICQ, may cause frequent network traffic communications typical of non-wireless IP networks, which could exceed typical wireless network capacity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method of wireless instant messaging


A utility meter includes: a meter body having a chamber through which material passes; a measuring unit contained within the chamber; and a register attached to the chamber. The register includes a register body and an electronics unit operatively connected to the measuring unit and positioned within the register body. The electronics unit coacts with the measuring unit to determine at least one of a volume of flow and a flow rate of a fluid traveling through the chamber. The register also includes a multiple resonance antenna operatively connected to the electronics unit and positioned within the register. The multiple resonance antenna is configured to resonate at at least a first frequency band and a second frequency band such that a signal representing at least one of the volume of flow and the flow rate is transmitted to a remote unit within the first frequency band when the utility meter is surrounded by a first medium and the signal representing at least one of the volume of flow and the flow rate is transmitted to the remote unit within the second frequency band when the utility meter is surrounded by a second medium.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to meter registers and, more particularly, to meter registers for remote reading that includes a multiple resonance antenna.
Description of Related Art
Presently, many locales visually read utility meters to determine utility consumption. The meters, such as water meters, include an odometer that identifies the consumption of the water consumed. The odometer is read periodically and the difference between the present and the prior reading determines the amount of utility water used. For example, if the most recent water meter reading was 2 million gallons or liters and the previous water meter reading was 1.8 million gallons or liters, then 200,000 gallons or liters of water were consumed. This procedure of individually reading water meters is time consuming, labor intensive, and expensive. In a competitive market, such an expense affects profitability to the utility provider. This is especially a problem in submetering markets where a separate entity may have to be employed to read water meters in apartment buildings and apartment building complexes.
Accordingly, systems were developed relating to remote reading systems. One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,407 to Galpern and entitled "System for Measuring and Recording a Utility Consumption". This particular arrangement incorporated a transponder and receiver arrangement whereby a meter reader placed a meter reading device in close proximity to a transponder for a meter reading. This arrangement reduced the time spent by the meter reader on an individual site and more accurately recorded utility consumption. However, meter reading was still a labor intensive process.
Subsequently, meter reading systems have evolved whereby they are either connected to telephone lines and/or transmitters which transmit radio waves to a central location. In many instances, this eliminates many of the problems associated with utility consumption reading. For example, Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems have been developed based on wireless networks. Such AMR systems typically include an end unit (EU) and a Collector Unit (CU). The EU measures the water flow and water consumption at the entrance point of houses, offices, or any civilian or industrial construction with a water connection. The EU accurately measures the water flow in a pipe and transmits the measured data to the CU using a radio frequency transmitter. Examples of such AMR systems can be found in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0191380 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,109,131 and 6,819,292, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
There are many types of EU installations. For instance, the EU can be positioned within the basement of a house or outside of a house mounted on a pipe. In addition, in moderate climate zones, the EU is located in a subsurface ground enclosure in an area near residences or other dwellings. Such enclosures are referred to as "pits". However, the positioning of a utility meter in such a pit causes various limitations when the utility meter is used as part of an AMR system. For instance, the radio wave signals of the antenna cannot radiate a great distance due to the properties of the pit. Further, in some instances, the pit may fill with water further hampering the transmission capability of the antenna.
Accordingly, a need exists for a meter register for remote reading that can provide a proper and consistent reading even when positioned in a pit and particularly when the pit is filled with water.

Utility meter having a meter register utilizing a multiple resonance antenna


An improved method for making aluminum connections to platinum electrodes is described. The method utilizes an oxide layer to isolate the aluminum from the platinum. The oxide layer is created by ashing the surface of the platinum using an Oxygen plasma.

There are a number of situations in which aluminum metalization used for signal and power conductors in semiconductors devices must be applied to a platinum electrode. For example, ferroelectric capacitors for use in semiconductor devices typically comprise a ferroelectric material sandwiched between two electrodes. It is advantageous to use platinum for the electrodes. The signal connections in many semiconductor devices are constructed by depositing aluminum. However, aluminum cannot be deposited directly on platinum, as electrochemical reactions between the aluminum and the platinum will destroy the deposited aluminum layer.
One prior art solution to this problem utilizes a layer of titanium nitride to isolate the platinum from the aluminum. The titanium nitride is deposited by a sputtering technique that leads to deformities such as "bumps" in the titanium nitride layer. It is difficult to obtain a uniform aluminum layer in the presence of these deformities.
Broadly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved platinum-aluminum interconnect system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved platinum-aluminum interconnect system that provide a superior platinum binding surface for subsequent aluminum deposition.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.


A relay device and a pressure detection device are provided that are configured to eliminate the necessity of calibrating an output value from a pressure sensor in the pressure detection device even when a mold is replaced. A relay device for a pressure detection device provided with a pressure sensor (S1 to Sn) configured to detect an inner pressure in a cavity (CT) of a mold of an injection molding machine is provided. The relay device is integrally fixed to the mold. The relay device includes a storage configured to store specific information of the pressure sensor (S1 to Sn) provided to the mold to detect the inner pressure of the cavity (CT), the cavity (CT) being defined between a fixed-side mold and a movable-side mold of the mold.

A typical pressure detection device in an injection molding machine includes a fixed mold supported by a fixed platen of a mold clamping device, a movable mold supported by a movable platen of the mold clamping device, and a pressure sensor configured to detect an inner pressure of a cavity defined by the fixed mold and the movable mold, the pressure sensor being attached to a rear end surface of an ejector pin of a movable mold (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
Such a pressure detection device in the injection molding machine is configured to store, as a correction value, a pressure detection value based on an output from the pressure sensor during a predetermined period from completion of ejection using an ejector pin to a mold-opened state where an inner pressure in the mold reaches zero in principle, and correct an output from the pressure sensor at the time of pressure detection with the correction value.

Relay device and pressure detection device


A method for developing a template of a reference document, such as a bank note and using that template to validate other test documents. The method involves using images of a plurality of reference documents, such as banknotes and segmenting each image in a like manner into a plurality of segments. Each segment is then classified using a one-class classifier to determine a reference classification parameter. These parameters are used to define a threshold reference classification parameter. Optionally, the step of segmenting is optimized to determine a preferred number of segments, and a preferred combination of these for use in a subsequent validation process. Preferably, this is done using a stochastic algorithm such as a genetic algorithm.

The present invention relates to a method and system for devising a template for validating currency. The invention also relates to a method and system, in particular a self-service system such as an automated teller machine, for automatically validating or authenticating currency.
Banks and financial institutions have an increasing need to provide their customers with an expanding range of high standard financial self-services. The most popular and well-established service currently available is the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM). At present, ATMs are primarily used to allow customers to access personal financial information and to dispense cash. However, there is an increasing requirement to provide secure deposit transaction capabilities to complement these traditional ATM services.
Although some ATMs that can accept cheque and banknote deposits are available, only a limited number of these allow the validation and confirmation of the authenticity of the enclosed currency or cheques to be completed by the ATM. Instead, more generally, bank personnel have to manually confirm the validity of the deposit before completing the transaction and, in the case of a cash deposit, authorizing the re-circulation of the banknotes. For cash deposits, this is a problem, because it means that there is often a significant delay between receipt of the banknotes at the ATM and re-circulation of these notes.
Automated currency verification and validation systems for incorporation in ATMs have been proposed, and indeed some are currently available. The aim of these is to allow deposited banknotes to be verified and validated within an ATM and then re-circulated as part of the withdrawal service of that same ATM. However, a fundamental danger of automated currency validation is the possibility of utilizing a currency recycling facility within ATMs as a means of circulating counterfeit currency.
At present, in order to validate currency classical pattern recognition techniques are used. For these to be effective, a representative sample of both genuine and counterfeit currency has to be available to devise discriminator templates. All other notes are compared with these discriminator templates. Notes that are identified as genuine are accepted. All other notes, such as counterfeits or defaced genuine notes or unknown notes, are rejected. In current systems, the templates are prepared manually by the observation of collected data and by putting more emphasis on some of the data than others. However, this handcrafted template approach is very time consuming and costly, and prevents rapid reaction to new counterfeits. Manufacture of the templates is done centrally, which requires the movement of data or notes and the use of an expert craftsman to carry out the work. This means that the templates can take several weeks to prepare, which in turn means that there is a delay between issuance of new currency, and the inevitable new counterfeits, and a validation mechanism for banks.


Techniques, such as might be implemented in a wireless device operating in a wireless network, for reporting measurements of interference affecting a wireless service provided by the wireless network. An example method includes receiving (210), from the wireless network, configuration information instructing the wireless device to perform measurements on one or more radio resources or signals, where the one or more radio resources or signals are solely associated with one or more wireless services that the wireless device is at least currently unable to use. The method further includes performing (220) one or more measurements on the radio resources or signals, in accordance with the received configuration information, and selectively reporting (230) results of the measurements, based on the configuration information.

The 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is currently developing specifications for a so-called fifth-generation (5G) cellular wireless communications system. A category of usage scenarios referred to by 3GPP as "Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications" or "URLLC" is a family of usage scenarios identified by 3GPP to be addressed by future 5G cellular systems. A 3GPP document numbered 3GPP TR 22.862, v14.1.0, and titled "Feasibility Study on New Services and Markets Technology Enablers for Critical Communications," defines URRLC as comprising use cases that are characterized by higher reliability, higher availability, and lower latency requirements, compared to conventional services.
Example of such use cases could include:                Remote control of machinery by a human operator located at a different place. This could, for instance, be used in the forest, mining, transportation industry, such that the use of remote control enables placing human operators at a safe, cost-efficient place that is different from the remote machine. In this scenario, the operator requires a highly reliable communication link to the controlled machine, which may carry control information, audio, video, haptic feedback, etc.        Intelligent traffic systems, to improve traffic safety and efficiency. This scenario can include cars, buses, and trucks that communicate with each other as well as with surrounding roadside equipment, pedestrians, etc. One example of such a use case is truck platooning, where trucks can lower fuel consumption by traveling very closely to each other. This requires a highly reliable and low-latency communication channel between the trucks, e.g., to coordinate braking.        Industrial factory automation, making it possible to improve factory efficiencies by connecting all sensors and actuators to the same network, enabling centralized control. Wireless technologies can play a large part in this, since wireless communications minimizes the need to deploy cables, which may be costly to maintain. Depending on the scenario or the particular control loop, the communications for factory automation could require very low latency and/or high reliability could be very high.
High reliability is one of the most important aspects of URLLC use cases. As can be seen in 3GPP TR 22.862, not all use cases in this family require latencies as low as 1 millisecond, but instead what is most important is that the messages get reliably delivered within a given latency bound. Reliability in this sense can be defined such that the ratio of lost, erroneous or delayed messages (i.e., exceeding the given latency bound) should be very low. If, for example, transmission of messages is required to be provided at a reliability level of 1-10−5, within a delay bound of 1 millisecond, then only 10−5 of the transmissions may either fail, or lead to latencies exceeding the 1 ms bound. In other words, for a URLLC service, the successful in-time transmission of messages needs to be guaranteed for the service up to the given reliability level for the defined latency bound.
This is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows an example cumulative distribution function (CDF) indicating the percentage of transmissions delivered within a given latency. As shown in the figure, at least (100-ε)% of the transmissions should be delivered within the latency bound, where ε defines a maximum failure level for the corresponding service, in percentage terms, and thus 100-ε defines the minimum reliability level.
Another characteristic that is important for some URLLC use cases is high availability of the service. High availability is related to the end-to-end availability of an adequate communication path between the applications of the communication endpoints. The availability is specific to a service (or a class of services). For example, the availability provided by a specific network deployment and configuration for low-rate services with required high reliability but modest latency may differ from the availability provided to high-rate services with modest reliability and very low latency. Furthermore, the availability of services needs to be considered within the area of interest for a certain service. For example, for industrial factory automation, availability may be relevant only within the factory area, whereas for remote control of vehicles a much larger geographic area is relevant concerning the availability.
The communication path between the communication end points will be made up of radio links as well as transport links and different hardware and software-implemented functions. These resources may be deployed using redundant components and links, thus providing high availability. The provision of high availability is very much up to the operator offering the URLLC service.
Low latency is another service characteristic frequently mentioned in relation to URLLC, in 3GPP TR 22.862. For future 5G cellular networks, target latencies for URLLC are 0.5 milliseconds for both uplink and downlink communications. It is important to note though that many URLLC use cases may not require such low latency, and/or may require low latency in only one direction. Thus, 3GPP TR 22.862 describes use cases ranging from those that require 1-millisecond end-to-end latencies to others that are satisfied with multi-second latencies. Many URLLC services are most interested in the latency bound, i.e., the largest message latency that is expected to be achieved with a high reliability, as discussed above and in connection with FIG. 1. Transmission with lower latency than the bounded latency may not provide any benefits for these services. Generally, it is expected that there will be a trade-off between reliability and latency, e.g., a system may be able to provide 0.5-millisecond latency with a relatively low reliability, while much higher reliability is achieved (e.g., thanks to re-transmissions) if the latency can be longer.
It is difficult for a cellular operator to provide high-reliability services in wireless networks due to such factors as mobility of the wireless devices (referred to as "user equipment" or "UEs," in 3GPP documentation), varying signal coverage, congestion, variable system loading, interference. In an indoor controlled environment, such as a factory, it may be possible with traditional planning methods to provide a high-reliability service, but for wide-area coverage more statistically based methods are required. Most wireless network deployments are not controlled environments, in that they are affected by a number of external factors that are not readily controlled by either the wireless operator or the customer.

Reliability monitoring for critical wireless services


An access floor of a motor vehicle comprising a structural core made from injection-molded thermoplastic material, the core comprising at least one first part, the first part having a first face for receiving feet of passengers, defining a generally flat and horizontal surface, and a first rear face, defining a non-planar surface, wherein the first part comprises a network of contiguous cells defining a repetitive pattern extending along two axes, the cells being open on the reception and rear faces and delimited by partitions extending vertically, wherein two contiguous cells having at least one common portion of the partition, the core comprising an MFR fluidity in accordance with ISO 1133, greater than or equal to 50, the partitions have a thickness of between 0.6 and 1.6 mm, the thickness varying progressively so as to exhibit at least one undercut enabling the core to be removed from the mold.

The invention relates to an access floor of a motor vehicle.
Producing an access floor of a motor vehicle is known, said access floor comprising a structural core made from injection-moulded thermoplastic material, said core comprising at least one first part, said first part having a first face for receiving the feet of the passengers, defining a generally flat and horizontal surface, and a first rear face, defining a non-planar surface.
The reception face is usually formed by the top face of a plate issuing from moulding, the reverse face usually being formed by base means in the form of feet issuing from moulding.
The base means have variable geometries and heights in order to take account of the geometry of the floor of the vehicle and the presence of various members—such as cable networks—disposed below the access floor.
The core thus formed, is in particular based on polypropylene loaded with reinforcement fibres, in particular glass, conferring it the expected bearing capacity for receiving the feet of the passengers.
Such a core generally has a large wall thickness, for example around 2 to 3 mm, because of the high viscosity of the material constituting the core, which prevents the production of partitions with a finer thickness.
The core is therefore heavy, which is prejudicial to the lightening sought for motor vehicles.


An enclosure is provided for a switch having at least one extending terminal with a first configuration engageable with an adaptor terminal that converts the switch terminal to a second configuration for connection to an electrical lead. The enclosure includes at least one support block defining a switch cavity for receiving at least a portion of the switch and also defines an adaptor terminal cavity for receiving at least a portion of the adaptor terminal with access provided for connection of the electrical lead. Rivets or other fasteners are provided for holding at least the switch and support block together. The support block further includes support surfaces for engaging at least a portion of the adaptor terminal to resist at least some of the force applied to the adaptor terminal as the electrical lead is connected thereto.

Miniature switches are used in a wide variety of applications. Miniature switches are relatively small and delicate. A typical miniature switch has a right rectangular prism-shaped body which may be, for example, about 1.0 inch long, 0.6 inch wide, and 0.4 inch thick with extending spade-type terminals each about 0.4 inch long, 0.25 inch wide, and 0.03 inch thick.
In many situations, miniature switches are provided with spade-type terminals on which are mounted special slip-on adaptors having crimp-type terminals for being crimped to electrical lead wires. The crimping operation, even when executed with care, can exert excessive forces on the switch terminal and other portions of the miniature switch which may damage the miniature switch.
In many applications, for example, where miniature switches are used in a supervisory switch assembly for a water-flow indicator in sprinkler-type fire suppressant systems, connections of electrical leads to the miniature switches are usually field-terminated at the construction site by electricians. Since electricians at a construction site typically connect cable and wire to larger and more substantial components, electricians may not exercise the care that is required to connect the miniature switches without damage to the miniature switch terminals or other portions of the miniature switch. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a means for protecting miniature switches, including the miniature switch terminals, from damage during connection of the electrical wires.
With many types of electrical systems (e.g., alarms systems, including those associated with fire suppressant systems) it is necessary to provide the capability for disconnecting the electrical wires from miniature switches, and it is necessary to provide the capability for easily accommodating the replacement of the miniature switches. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved system for facilitating switch replacement as well as for facilitating the disconnecting and reconnecting of wires to miniature switches while still providing means for preventing damage to the switches during the wire disconnecting and reconnecting procedures.
In some applications, such as in supervisory switch assemblies used to monitor the position of valves in fire extinguishing sprinkler systems (e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,686), two miniature switches must be mounted in relatively close proximity to each other. This close mounting of two switches hinders access to the switch terminals and makes it more difficult for the electrician to exercise the care required to properly connect the switches without subjecting the switches to excessive forces. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved means for mounting to such switches in an appropriate configuration to facilitate the connecting of the electrical wires to the switches.


Drying turrets (10) serve for stabilizing the shape of cigarette packs (13) immediately after their completion. For this purpose, the drying turret (10) is provided with a plurality of pockets (11) for receiving the cuboidal cigarette packs (13) in a positive manner. To locally increase the pressure exerted on the cigarette packs (13), at least one of the pocket walls (partition wall 18, inner wall 21, outer wall 23) defining the pocket (11) is provided with a shoulder (37) which exerts the locally increased pressure on the cigarette pack (13) in the pocket (11). This shoulder (37) is particularly arranged in the middle region of a partition wall (18) on a side confronting a pack front panel (14). As a result, the pressure in the region of adhesive bonds (glue spots 33, 34) located in the region of the pack front panel (14) is increased.

The invention relates to an apparatus for shaping cuboidal (cigarette) packs immediately after their completion and for setting glue points of the packs, in which apparatus several pockets, for receiving at least one pack each and having a cross-section corresponding to the shape of the pack, are arranged on a common conveyor and thus form a drying turret.
Such drying turrets are part of packaging machines for the production of cuboidal packs with adhesively bonded folding tabs. These drying turrets are especially found in cigarette packaging machines. The adhesively bonded folding tabs of such cigarette packs require a minimum period for a hardening of the glue and therewith for a stabilization of the shape of the pack.
Such a drying turret for receiving cigarette packs of the hinge-lid pack type is for example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,393. A plurality of pockets arranged along the periphery of the drying turret serve for receiving one cigarette pack each. The cross-section of the pockets is adapted to the dimensions of the packs. The panels of the pack are subjected to a small shaping pressure. In addition, the pockets are heated in order to accelerate a setting of the glue.
A further development of such a drying turret is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,715. This publication also shows proposals for an efficient feeding of the packs to the drying turret and for discharging the hardened packs.

Apparatus for shaping and for setting the glue of cuboidal (cigarette) packs


A control unit includes a scale detection unit for detecting, while the a burner provides combustion, occurrence of clogging with scale in a tube of a heat exchanger, and an output unit for outputting a result of a detection by the scale detection unit, a storage stores information including a numerical value representing how many times a surface temperature of the heat exchanger measured by a temperature measuring unit exceeds at least one of a plurality of threshold values. While the burner provides combustion when the surface temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit exceeds at least one of the plurality of threshold values the scale detection unit adds a predetermined value to the numerical value in the storage and when the numerical value attains a defined value or more the scale detection unit detects occurrence of clogging with scale.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water heating apparatus and system, and more particularly to a water heating apparatus and system having a scale detecting function.
Description of the Background Art
Use of a water heating apparatus for a long time causes a scale to adhere in a pipe of a heat exchanger. In particular, in the case where so-called hard water containing a large quantity of calcium ion and magnesium ion is used, the amount of adhesion of the scale becomes greater. When use of the water heating apparatus with adhesion of the scale continues, normal heat transmission of the heat exchanger may be impaired by the scale, thus damage such as cracks in the heat exchanger may occur due to generation of thermal stress caused by the scale. Accordingly, it is necessary to detect adhesion of the scale appropriately. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-138952 and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2014-47980 disclose a method of detecting scale in a water heating apparatus.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-138952 describes that adhesion of scale is determined based on whether a post-boiling temperature after heating is stopped exceeds a threshold value. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2014-47980 describes that adhesion of scale is determined based on comparing a heat exchanger's heat exchanging efficiency with a threshold value. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2014-47980 provides one threshold value for determination, whereas Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-138952 employs different threshold values. However, the temperature monitored in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-138952 is a post-boiling temperature detected after heating is stopped, rather than temperature detected while a combustion operation is implemented. Accordingly, during combustion, adhesion of scale cannot be determined or an error cannot be output based on the result of such determination. Accordingly, damage such as cracking of the heat exchanger which may arise during combustion cannot be prevented.

Water heating apparatus and system having a scale detecting function


A glue application roller for use in a gluing assembly equipped with at least one scooping roller includes a glue roller body that is provided with a central hole to receive a drive shaft. The glue roller body has at least two parts including a base and an outer ring. The base is operatively connected to the drive shaft by a non-positive fit. The outer ring is configured with at least one cavity. The base and the outer ring are coupled to each other non-positively via at least one first means. On at least one side of the glue roller body, there are second means that ensure that compressed air and/or another gaseous or liquid medium is fed into or discharged from the cavity so as to effectuate a change in a circumferential contour of the cavity.

During bookbinding, the book blocks that have not yet been provided with a cover are transported by means of a transport device, while an application roller that cooperates with a scooping roller is rolled along the spine of the book block, thereby applying adhesive to the spine.
The contour of the spine of the book block can be straight or else round as well as quasi-round, which is why a correspondingly shaped application roller is used. Prior-art application rollers have, for example, a flat or profiled configuration.
These and similar methods and devices can be found in European patent application EP 0873882 A1, in German patent DE 3502733 C1 or in German patent application DE 4332069 A1.
The prior-art methods and devices call for a manual replacement of the application roller.
Whenever a new production order is received, the bookbinding line has to be brought to a standstill for safety reasons since the application roller can only be removed or installed when the housing is open. Consequently, after adhesive has been applied to the spine of the last book block belonging to the preceding production order, the machine first has to be brought to a standstill. After the housing is opened, the application roller that is currently present is removed and an application roller that is suited for the new production order is installed. In the ideal case, before the application roller that is currently present is removed, the application of glue onto the glue scooping roller is set to almost zero and consequently, the glue film thickness on the application roller is also set to the minimum thickness, so that the application roller can be removed with virtually no dripping. In order to remove the application roller, at least the side scraper, which is installed in the dismantling direction, has to be pivoted out of the way. Then the application roller is manually moved away from the glue scooping roller by means of a positioning unit and removed by hand. Subsequently, the new application roller is slid back onto the drive shaft and locked in place, and then moved towards the scooping roller by means of the positioning unit. Then the one scraper has to be pivoted back in place and both scrapers have to be adjusted to the thickness and diameter of the new glue application roller, and the glue film thickness on the glue scooping roller has to be set manually once again. Once the housing has been closed, the production can be started up again and the new production order can be processed.
The prior-art methods and devices are thus relatively time-consuming and also require manual intervention on the part of the operating personnel. As a result, especially in cases of small print runs, this translates into retooling that requires a relatively long time.
Moreover, European patent specification EP 2634007 B1 discloses a device consisting of at least two application rollers that are spaced axially relative to each other as well as a replacement apparatus for the application rollers. Each of the application rollers is oriented so as to be flush with the scooping roller. The replacement apparatus is configured in such a way that a first application roller that is oriented so as to be flush with the scooping roller can be replaced by a second application roller.
Owing to this configuration of the device and to the corresponding process sequence, the replacement of the application rollers arranged in the device can be carried out without manual intervention and independently of the size of the print run of a given production order.
However, such a solution encounters difficulties if glue residues harden on the disengaged glue application roller, since these glue residues then cause malfunctions during the subsequent use if they are not specifically removed or dissolved beforehand. These malfunctions are no longer so critical in the case of self-dissolving glue residues, if such types of glue are used.
European patent specification EP 2634008 B1 proposes using a certain automatic approach in a gluing assembly in order to switch over from one application roller to another. An installed application roller is dismantled in that, together with its rotating shaft, it is pivoted away from the glue scooping roller by using a pneumatic drive in such a way that this application roller can be swung out without touching the glue scooping roller.
The new application roller can be manually or automatically slid onto the rotating shaft, and then the above-mentioned pneumatic drive can bring this application roller back into position relative to the glue scooping roller. Because of the different round or straight contours of the application rollers, the distance has to be readjusted between the glue scooping roller and the rotating shaft—and thus the application roller.

Glue application roller for use in a gluing assembly equipped with at least one scooping roller


A power regulator is provided which employs a resonant circuit and permits regulation between a certain maximum value and zero. A series resonant circuit is adjusted to regulate power by adjusting the correspondence between the resonance frequency and the frequency of the voltage source such as an AC source delivering a sine wave or a square wave. Further, the output voltage is regulated to be lower than the voltage of the AC source when output current is zero. A capacitance is connected in parallel with the output of the power regulator to form a second resonant circuit with the inductance of the series resonant circuit. A method of power regulation is also contemplated.

Several methods are known for regulating the output power of a power supply. In switched mode power supplies, regulation by means of pulse width modulation is the most common method used. Another method of regulating output power is the use of a tuned circuit in series with an AC voltage source. The tuned circuit includes an inductance and a capacitor and has a resonance frequency associated with it. FIG. 1 shows the attenuation curve of a series connection of an inductance L and a capacitance C acting as an LC filter as a function of frequency. The resonance frequency Fres of the inductance L and the capacitance C is given by Equation 1 for the simplest circuit that can be used for power regulation to a resistance load employing a resonant circuit (an LC filter): EQU Fres=1/(2.pi.LC) (Eq. 1)
By definition, the attenuation at the frequency Fres is 1, meaning that all energy passes through the circuit and there is maximum power. In the regions adjacent the resonance frequency Fres, only a portion of the energy passes through.
Power output to a load resistance from an LC filter may be regulated by adjusting the correspondence between the frequency of an AC source and the frequency of the resonant circuit formed of the LC filter with inductance L and capacitance C. The correspondence between the frequency of an AC source and the frequency of a resonant circuit may be adjusted by either changing the frequency of the AC source closer to or farther away from the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, or, in the case of a fixed frequency AC source, by changing the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit closer to or away from the frequency of the AC source. FIG. 2 illustrates attenuation curves for power regulation accomplished by changing the resonance frequency of a resonant circuit closer to or farther away from the AC source. More particularly, in FIG. 2, Fac is the frequency of the AC source signal. Fres.1 is the attenuation curve of an LC filter, as in FIG. 1. The point A where the frequency of the AC source Fac crosses the attenuation curve for the LC filter having a resonance frequency Fres.1, illustrates the amount of attenuation of the frequency of the AC source Fac that is achieved by the LC filter. In the situation illustrated, the amplitude of the signal after the LC filter is reduced by the LC filter to about 15% of the amplitude of the frequency of the AC source Fac as shown by point A.
However, if the curve of the resonance frequency is moved in the direction of the frequency of the AC source Fac, the attenuation of the frequency of the AC source Fac by the LC filter changes, and the voltage output amplitude rises, increasing the power output. The curve of the resonance frequency may be moved in the direction of the frequency of the AC source Fac by changing one or both of the values of the inductance L and the capacitance C in accordance with Equation 1 above. In FIG. 2, this shift is illustrated by moving the curve of the resonance frequency Fres.1 in the direction of the horizontal arrow to a new resonance frequency Fres.2. The point B where the frequency of the AC source Fac crosses the new attenuation curve shows that the signal after the LC filter is increased to about 90% of the amplitude of the frequency of the AC source signal Fac as shown by the vertical arrow. Thus, the output voltage and hence the output power are increased. By changing the resonance frequency of the inductance L and the capacitance C of the resonant circuit, the output power delivered by the power supply to a load resistance can be regulated.
A second method of power regulation is achieved by changing the frequency of an AC source closer to or farther away from the resonance frequence of a resonant circuit. FIG. 3 illustrates this method graphically where the resonance frequency Fres is kept constant, while the graph of frequency of the AC source is varied from Fac1 to Fac2 in the direction of the horizontal arrow. For the first frequency of the AC source Fac1, the point of crossing of the attenuation curve and Fac1 results in an amplitude after the LC filter of about 15% of the amplitude of the frequency of the AC source Fac. When the frequency of the AC source is decreased as indicated by the horizontal arrow to the value Fac2, the attenuation of the frequency of the AC source by the LC filter changes and the output amplitude rises. At the new frequency of the AC source Fac2, the point B of crossing of the attenuation curve increases to about 90% of the amplitude of the frequency of the AC source as shown by the vertical arrow. Accordingly, the output voltage and the output power to a load resistance is increased. By changing the frequency of the AC source from Fac1 to Fac2, power can be regulated.
FIG. 4 shows a prior art power regulator for supplying power to a resistance load which performs power regulation by a resonant circuit which is more complicated than just the LC filter discussed above. More particularly, the power regulator 10 illustrated in FIG. 4 has an AC source 11, a resonant circuit 12, an isolation transformer 13, rectifying means 14, and an output across terminals 18 and 19 for connecting to the load resistor R.sub.load 20. The resonant circuit 12 includes an inductance L and a capacitance C. The rectifier means 14 is a rectifier and includes a diode circuit made up of diodes 15 and 16, and a smoothing capacitor 17. A circuit in accordance with prior art FIG. 4 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,063, issued to Henze et al. on May 29, 1990, and includes a variable inductor for the inductance L of the resonant circuit. Accordingly, in the Henze et al. regulator for a power supply, the resonance frequency is varied by varying the inductance of the resonant circuit in order to regulate power. An attenuation curve similar to that of FIG. 1 may be obtained for the prior art circuit in the Henze et al. Patent, and power regulation may be obtained by changing the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit in a manner similar to that graphically illustrated in FIG. 2.
Several disadvantages are associated with the prior art circuits for power regulation employing resonant circuits. As illustrated in the attenuation curves of FIGS. 1-3, the attenuation curve for each circuit approaches but never equals zero amplitude of the frequency of the AC source. The output power can never equal zero. This is because the attenuation of the LC filters of the prior art circuits would have to be substantially infinitely high in order to regulate to a voltage lower than the AC source voltage when the current at the output of a circuit is equal to essentially zero and the resistance of the load connected to the circuit is substantially infinite. A minimum power output can only occur at substantially an infinitely high source frequency or at substantially an infinitely large inductance L. Further, the diodes in the rectifier result in significant recovery losses due to significant instantaneous reverse voltages immediately after recovery. In prior art circuits, the voltages across the diodes of the rectifier are subject to sharp transitions. Further, the prior art circuits are subject to parasitic effects from the leakage inductance of the isolation transformer, the winding capacitances of the isolation transformer, and capacitances associated with the diodes of the rectifier. Further, isolation transformers are associated with power dissipation due to the resistance of the copper windings referred to as copper losses of the windings.
There is therefore a need for a power regulator that regulates power by adjusting the correspondence between the frequency of an AC source and the resonance frequency of a resonant circuit which permits power regulation between a maximum value and a minimum value of zero. Further, there is a need for a power regulator employing a resonant circuit that reduces the recovery loss in diodes employed in the rectifier. Additionally, there is a need for a power regulator that regulates power by employing a resonant circuit that reduces or eliminates the parasitic effects due to transformer leakage, copper losses of transformer windings, unwanted winding capacitances associated with a transformer, and unwanted capacitances associated with diodes in the rectifier means.