A tapered screw spittoon system is provided for an inkjet printing mechanism to handle waste inkjet ink residue that has been spit from an inkjet printhead during a nozzle clearing or "spitting" routine. The spittoon system has a cylindrical reservoir with a tapered screw rotatably mounted therein. The reservoir defines an entranceway opening to receive the ink residue, which then lands on a spit region of the screw. The screw has a tapered shaft which increases in diameter from the entranceway opening toward an exit opening defined by the reservoir wall at a remote location. When rotated, the tapered screw transports the ink residue from the spit region toward the exit opening. During transport, the ink residue is compacted between the screw shaft and the reservoir, and is squeezed out of the reservoir through the exit opening for permanent storage in a container surrounding the reservoir. Methods of purging ink residue from an inkjet printhead, along with an inkjet printing mechanism having such a tapered screw spittoon system, are also provided.

Inkjet printing mechanisms use cartridges, often called "pens," which eject drops of liquid colorant, referred to generally herein as "ink," onto a page. Each pen has a printhead formed with very small nozzles through which the ink drops are fired. To print an image, the printhead is propelled back and forth across the page, ejecting drops of ink in a desired pattern as it moves. The particular ink ejection mechanism within the printhead may take on a variety of different forms known to those skilled in the art, such as those using piezo-electric or thermal printhead technology. For instance, two earlier thermal ink ejection mechanisms are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,278,584 and 4,683,481. In a thermal system, a barrier layer containing ink channels and vaporization chambers is located between a nozzle orifice plate and a substrate layer. This substrate layer typically contains linear arrays of heater elements, such as resistors, which are energized to heat ink within the vaporization chambers. Upon heating, an ink droplet is ejected from a nozzle associated with the energized resistor. By selectively energizing the resistors as the printhead moves across the page, the ink is expelled in a pattern on the print media to form a desired image (e.g., picture, chart or text).
To clean and protect the printhead, typically a "service station" mechanism is supported by the printer chassis so the printhead can be moved over the station for maintenance. For storage, or during non-printing periods, the service stations usually include a capping system which substantially seals the printhead nozzles from contaminants and drying. Some caps are also designed to facilitate priming, such as by being connected to a pumping unit that draws a vacuum on the printhead. During operation, clogs in the printhead are periodically cleared by firing a number of drops of ink through each of the nozzles in a process known as "spitting," with the waste ink being collected in a "spittoon" reservoir portion of the service station. After spitting, uncapping, or occasionally during printing, most service stations have an elastomeric wiper that wipes the printhead surface to remove ink residue, as well as any paper dust or other debris that has collected on the printhead. The wiping action is usually achieved through relative motion of the printhead and wiper, for instance by moving the printhead across the wiper, by moving the wiper across the printhead, or by moving both the printhead and the wiper.
As the inkjet industry investigates new printhead designs, one trend is toward using a "snapper" reservoir system where permanent or semi-permanent printheads are used and a reservoir carrying a fresh ink supply is snapped into place on the printhead. Another new design uses permanent or semi-permanent printheads in what is known in the industry as an "off-axis" printer. In an off-axis system, the printheads carry only a small ink supply across the printzone, with this supply being replenished through tubing that delivers ink from an "off-axis" stationary reservoir placed at a remote stationary location within the printer. Narrower printheads may lead to a narrower printing mechanism, which has a smaller "footprint," so less desktop space is needed to house the printing mechanism during use. Narrower printheads are usually smaller and lighter, so smaller carriages, bearings, and drive motors may be used, leading to a more economical printing unit for consumers.
These snapper and off-axis inkjet systems are described in contrast with what is known as a "replaceable cartridge" system, which supply a disposable printhead with the ink supply in an inkjet cartridge, so when the reservoir is emptied, the entire cartridge including the printhead is replaced. A replaceable cartridge system assures the customer has a fresh, new printhead each time the ink supply is replaced. Some replaceable cartridges are monochrome (single color), for instance, carrying only black ink, while other cartridges are multi-color, typically carrying cyan, magenta and yellow inks. Some printing mechanisms use four monochrome cartridges, while others use a black monochrome cartridge in combination with a tri-color cartridge.
To improve the clarity and contrast of the printed image, recent research has focused on improving the ink itself. To provide quicker, more waterfast printing with darker blacks and more vivid colors, pigment-based inks have been developed. These pigment-based inks have a higher solid content than the earlier dye-based inks, which results in a higher optical density for the new inks. Both types of ink dry quickly, which allows inkjet printing mechanisms to form high quality images on readily available and economical plain paper, as well as on recently developed specialty coated papers, transparencies, fabric and other media. However, the combination of small nozzles and quick-drying ink leaves the printheads susceptible to clogging, not only from dried ink or minute dust particles, such as paper fibers, but also from the solids within the new inks themselves.
When spitting these new pigment-based inks onto the flat bottom of a conventional spittoon, over a period of time the rapidly solidifying waste ink grew into a stalagmite of ink residue. Eventually, in prototype units, the ink residue stalagmite grew to contact the printhead, which then either could interfere with printhead movement, print quality, or contribute to clogging the nozzles. Indeed, these stalagmites even formed ink deposits along the sides of the entranceway of prototype narrow spittoons, and eventually grew to meet one another and totally clog the entrance to the spittoon. To avoid this phenomenon, conventional spittoons had to be wide enough to handle these high solid content inks. This extra width increased the overall printer width, which then defeated the narrowing advantages realized by using an off-axis printhead system.
A ferris wheel spittoon system was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,124, currently assigned to the present assignee, the Hewlett-Packard Company. This system proposed an elastomeric ferris wheel as a spit surface. Ink residue was removed from the wheel with a rigid plastic scraper that was oriented along a radial of the wheel so the scraper edge approached the spitting surface at a substantially perpendicular angle. The scraper was located a short distance from the surface of the wheel, so it unfortunately could not completely clean the spitting surface. Furthermore, by locating the scraper a distance from the spit surface, the scraper was ineffective in removing any liquid ink residue from the wheel. This earlier ferris wheel spittoon system failed to provide for adequate storage of the ink residue after removal from the ferris wheel during the desired lifespan of a printer. One adaptation of the ferris wheel spittoon used a plastic scraper to remove the ink residue from the wheel in a spaghetti-like string that was packed in a storage bucket. Unfortunately, this wheel spittoon, scraper and bucket system does not lend itself well to height reduction. Thus, it would be desirable to have a spittoon system which defeats ink residue stalagmite build-up, and provides a low-profile ink residue storage system for the lifespan of the inkjet printing unit.

Tapered screw spittoom system for waste inkjet ink


A medical imaging system including a support, an X-ray emitting tube, and, facing the latter, a detector, the X-ray emitting tube being intended to accept displacements relatively to at least one portion of the support, the system also including a remote piece of equipment providing circulation of an oil intended to provide cooling and electric insulation of the X-ray emitting tube on the one hand, pipes in which said oil circulates, connecting the remote piece of equipment and the X-ray emitting tube, and a device for dehydrating the oil on the other hand, wherein the dehydration device includes means positioned in the circuit through which the oil flows during normal use of said imaging system and which provide or maintain dehydration of said oil during this use.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates to the medical imaging system of the type with an X-ray emitting tube.
2. Description of Related Art
X-ray tubes used in the medical field are of a known conventional structure. They generally include, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an emissive cathode 1 and a rotating anode 2 which forms the target of the electrons emitted by the cathode 1 and which is the location for producing X-rays. This rotating anode 1 is mounted on the rotor of a motor 3. The cathode 1, the anode 2 and the motor 3 are positioned in a metal or glass envelope 4, in which a high vacuum is established.
It will be noted that such X-ray tubes—to which very high voltages (100-150 kV) are applied—have very low yield and are the source of significant heat releases. This is the reason why provision is generally made for having a dielectric coolant oil circulate between the envelope 4 and an external sheath 5. For this purpose, a pump P is usually associated with the X-ray tube. This pump P will cause the oil to circulate between the envelope 4 and the sheath 5, and will send it back into a heat exchanger E for example with plates and cooling by circulation of water or with fins and cooling by air.
Generally, the possibility of strongly lightening the weight of the source of radiation and of reducing the volume is desired so as to allow faster displacements of the latter with more significant offsets if need be.
This is why it has already been proposed to move away the portion of the cooling circuit formed by the pump and the heat exchanger, for example into a maintenance room in the vicinity of the room in which the remainder of the imaging system is set up.
As this will be easily understood, this assumes the setting up of relatively long pipework in order to allow the fluid to circulate between this maintenance room and the X-ray tube. Lengths which may range up to 70 m or more are notably contemplated.
The materials of the pipes contemplated to this day for these applications are relatively permeable to moisture and loaded with water. Other sources of moisture exist, such as the expansion volume, the seal gaskets, the plastic materials, etc.
Now, in order to provide the sought-after electric insulation for the X-ray sources used in the field of medical imaging, the coolant oil should be very slightly loaded with moisture.
Medical imaging systems are already known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,998, which include dehydration systems used for dehydrating dielectric oil during the maintenance sequence outside the normal operation of the imaging system.
Such systems remain complex.
Moreover, further improvement of the quality of the dehydration of the dielectric oil is desired in order to attain better performance.

Medical imaging system with a remote fluid coolant circulation pump relatively to its X ray emitting tube


A multi-path controller is disclosed for connecting CPU channels with DASD device subsystems. Extended channel connection time are accommodated in the polling of the devices. The request for access signals for the devices are retained for a period of time during which channel connection should be completed and then dropped. The CPU and the controller are freed to complete other work in between the polling cycles. The requests-for-access signals by the devices for connection to the channel that requested the connection does not tie up the channels and the devices while communication is being made.

Since the introduction of the IBM System/360, nearly all large and intermediate system direct access storage devices (DASD) have used a count-key-data (CKD) track format. The devices respond to a common set of CKD procedural commands used to read and write data to and from the devices.
Certain CKD channel programs have been designed specifically for synchronous operation. Under the CKD commands, the devices and their storage controllers operate synchronously with the system channel. Channel data transfer for each search, read, or write command occurs as the target data field passes the read/write head on the device. The CKD commands depend on this synchronous mode of operation.
Under the synchronous mode of operation, all channel and storage controller activity required to end the execution of one command and initiate the execution of the next must be completed within the gap between two adjunct fields. If the synchronism is not maintained, many channel programs could suffer performance degradation. A write operation is one such channel program.
Channel programs that perform write operations depend on synchronous operations. All write commands must be preceded by a successful search operation and the write command is not sent to the storage controller until the storage controller reports completion of the search operation. Therefore, the completion of the search, the reporting of the outcome to the channel, the receipt of the next command from the channel, and the interpretation of the command, must all occur between the end of the current recording field and the start of the next recorded field.
Geometry dependent channel programs depend on synchronous operation between the channel and the devices. Geometry dependent channel programs are those that assume some vertical alignment of the records and the tracks in a cylinder of the device, and those that employ special technology to process records in a preferred sequence, such as switching from one track to another. Frequently, such programs inserted small filler records between real data records. This was done to effectively increase the size of the inter-record gaps enough to allow the command to be executed between successive commands without requiring an extra revolution of the disk device, for instance. The required size of the filler record typically changes with changes in device types and generally varies as a function of the storage controller. The size of the data records can be selected such that data records themselves function as the filler records, thereby not sacrificing track capacity to the filler records. The selection of data and filler record sizes depends upon an assumption of synchronous operation and may even require program modifications whenever there is a change in device or storage controller operational characteristics.
If the channel programs and the devices cannot operate synchronously, such as when the cable length delays are too long and the inter-record gaps are too short, the performance of the CKD channel programs are effected. The relay time of the channel program reading one or more consecutive records is extended by the amount by which the channel lags behind the device. Channel programs writing one or more records generally incur a delay of one device rotation for each record written. Channel programs updating multiple records lose one revolution for each write command, because each update write command must be preceded by a successful search. Geometry-dependent channel programs tend to incur a delay of one device rotation for each seek or seekhead command in the channel program. A filler record that is just large enough to allow a seek operation in a synchronous environment is not large enough to accommodate both the time required to complete the seek and the amount by which the channel lags behind the device. Adjusting the size of the filler record does not solve the problem, because the amount of lag is not consistent and can not be predicted.
Tape and disk devices are generally controlled by the channels through the use of channel programs which were executed in synchronism with the device. That is, as the fields recorded on the tracks of the devices passed the read/write element of the head, the specific channel programmed commands operating on those fields were executed in real time. This implied certain minimum speed requirements on the channel. For instance, the channel data rate capability must be at least as great as the device data rate. Further, during the inter-field gap between fields of data, it must be possible to signal to the channel at the end of the operation on a given field and also retrieve the command for the next field in time to operate on that field.
At the end of a disconnect period in which the head element is being oriented to the correct track and position on the track for a direct access disk device, it must be possible to reestablish a connection to the channel in time to process the record of entry.
These requirements were not always met, for instance, when the time required to communicate with the channel is increased. This occurs when the channel distance between the device and the CPU is increased. Also, there is an incentive to maximize the capacity of the devices by keeping the inter-field gaps as small as possible. This operates against the increase in channel time because the available time in the inter-field gap is decreased. If this occurs, it may be impossible to, accomplish the command turn around during the inter-field gap time.
Another reason for the requirements of a synchronous channel program is that the utilization of the channels has been increased by the addition of more tape and especially disk devices. It has become increasingly difficult for any device to acquire a channel connection to the CPU in time to process a record following a rotational positioning of the transducer over the disk device. Further, the advancing stages of the device technology has brought into existence devices in which the data rate exceeds that of some currently available channels. The channels have not been able to keep pace with the advancing data rate of the devices.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a non-gap synchronous function.
Synchronous channels must meet critical channel response times for the controller and the attached tape and disk devices. Withdrawn interrupts, lost revolutions, command overruns and data overruns will occur if the channel does not respond with its connection commands within the maximum allowable time interval.
It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to remove these channel response time requirements by providing a dynamic polling operation.
Formerly, the synchronous input/output controllers held a channel-request-in signal on the interface for a period of time necessary to insure that the request-in signal was detected by the channel and a connect was accomplished or dropped as being beyond an aging period. This did not seriously effect the performance of the controller. The nonsynchronous I/O controllers support channel connection time is approximately 10 times that of the synchronous controllers. The holding up of other work during the time the poll is made and the actual connection is accomplished can seriously affect performance.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced dynamic polling of a nonsynchronous channel.

Dynamic polling of devices for nonsynchronous channel connection

International Business Machines Corporation


A sausage conveyor hook has an elongated support arm having first and second ends and first and second arm portions disposed at an angle with respect to each other. The first arm portion normally is disposed in a horizontal position on the conveyor, and the second arm portion extends downwardly and outwardly from the first arm portion. The support arm extends outwardly from the conveyor chain at a right angle. The support arm has forwardly and rearwardly side edges. A pair of spaced hook elements extend forwardly from the second arm portion. When a strand of linked sausages comprised of a plurality of sausage links separated by link points is draped over the uppermost of the hook elements, the strand will bend on the pivotal link point proximate the upper hook element. The sausage links adjacent the bent link point will be held in an angular position with respect to each other by the relative positions and arm portions and the hook elements. Further, the center axes of adjacent sausage links draped across the upper hook element will be in substantially the same vertical plane, and will dwell in a plane that is diagonally disposed with respect to the forward edge of the support arm.

Sausage making machines of the type long known in the industry (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,191,222 and 3,115,668) are often accompanied by a conveyor which holds the strand of linked sausages in circular loops, each supported by a hook on the conveyor. The loops are then manually removed from the conveyor by use of an elongated xe2x80x9cstickxe2x80x9d wherein the stick is inserted through a plurality of loops, and then lifted from the hooks which support the loops. This is a difficult job which requires threading the stick through the loops of sausages which often are swinging on the hook. Removing the strands from the conveyor after they have been threaded onto the stick is also difficult, because the shape of the hooks does not easily release the loops, and because the hooks do not hold the loops in an open configuration.
The sticks, when filled with the loops of sausages, are then manually loaded onto a carrier or robotically loaded into a cooking or smoking device.
In addition, conventional wire hooks on sausage conveyors do not allow for the operator to easily insert the stick because the loop opening faces the operator of the sausage making machine, and the stick must be inserted from an opposite and more difficult direction. Further, much valuable time is consumed by removing a strand of linked material with the stick by conventional methods, and this slows down the overall progress of the sausage making machine. In the case of cellulose casings, they often become entangled upon being placed upon the conventional conveyors. They become twisted, and the loops form a figure eight shape which is not conducive to removal by the sticks.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a sausage conveyor hook which will spread the sausage links apart at the top of the loop to allow the person who is using the stick to remove the loop from the hooks by sliding it easily through the loops without having to slide the stick through loops of a tangled configuration.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sausage conveyor hook which will easily release the loops from the hooks.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a sausage conveyor hook which disposes the loops in a diagonal configuration with respect to the conveyor so as to permit the ease of insertion of a stick into the adjacent loops of sausages from a downstream direction.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a sausage conveyor hook which will allow the conveyor to drive the loops right upon the stick when the stick is held in a stationary position while the conveyor is moving the loops on to the stick.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a sausage conveyor hook that will easily accommodate cellulose casings as well as natural casings.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
A sausage conveyor hook has an elongated support arm having first and second ends and first and second arm portions disposed at an angle with respect to each other. The first arm portion normally is disposed in a horizontal position on the conveyor, and the second arm portion extends downwardly and outwardly from the first arm portion. The support arm extends outwardly from the conveyor chain at a right angle. The support arm has forwardly and rearwardly side edges.
A pair of spaced hook elements extend forwardly from the second arm portion. When a strand of linked sausages comprised of a plurality of sausage links separated by link points is draped over the uppermost of the hook elements, the strand will bend on the pivotal link point proximate the upper hook element. The sausage links adjacent the bent link point will be held in an angular position with respect to each other by the relative positions and arm portions and the hook elements.
Further, the center axes of adjacent sausage links draped across the upper hook element will be in substantially the same vertical plane, and will dwell in a plane that is diagonally disposed with respect to the forward edge of the support arm.


A control for an inverter-driven switched reluctance generator includes an angle control for generating a turn-on angle signal and a pulse width angle signal for switching respective inverter switches according to a function F(.theta..sub.on, .theta..sub.off) which depends on the machine geometry and speed of operation. A linearizer is provided for adjusting the turn-on angle signal and the pulse width angle signal by varying the value of the function F(.theta..sub.on, .theta..sub.off) inversely with the dc bus voltage so as to maintain a substantially constant average generator current. In this way, open loop operation of the switched reluctance generator drive is stabilized, and closed loop operation is improved, i.e., by making the system response to step load and commanded voltage changes independent of the dc bus voltage. The control further includes a commutator for switching each respective phase of the switched reluctance generator drive according to the adjusted turn-on angle signal and the adjusted pulse width angle signal generated by the linearizer.

A switched reluctance machine is a brushless, synchronous machine having salient rotor and stator poles. There is a concentrated winding on each of the stator poles, but no windings or permanent magnets on the rotor. Each pair of diametrically opposite stator pole windings is connected in series or in parallel to form an independent machine phase winding of the multi-phase switched reluctance machine. Ideally, the flux entering the rotor from one stator pole balances the flux leaving the rotor from the diametrically opposite stator pole, so that there is no mutual magnetic coupling among the phases.
Torque is produced by switching current in each phase winding in a predetermined sequence that is synchronized with angular position of the rotor. As a result, there is a magnetic force of attraction between the rotor poles and stator poles that are approaching each other. The current is switched off in each phase before the rotor poles nearest the stator poles of that phase rotate past the aligned position; otherwise, the magnetic force of attraction would produce a negative or braking torque. Hence, by properly positioning the firing pulses relative to the rotor angle, forward or reverse operation and motoring or generating operation can be obtained.
In practice, a switched reluctance generator operating open loop in the full square mode (i.e., such that the inverter switches driving each phase turn on and off once per cycle) is typically unstable. In particular, small perturbations in the dc bus voltage cause the average generated current to increase which, in turn, causes the dc bus voltage to increase further, resulting in an unstable drive. Furthermore, even if feedback is used to close the control loop, the system response to step load and commanded voltage changes depends on the dc bus voltage and is thus not optimum.
Accordingly, it is desirable to stabilize open loop operation of a switched reluctance generator as well as to improve the closed loop performance thereof.

Linearizer for a switched reluctance generator


Film carrier detecting mechanism is provided to detect a film carrier positioned at an image reading position to find to what size of film the film carrier is applied. Optical system driving mechanism is controlled according to the size of a film detected by the film carrier detecting mechanism, and varies magnification of image forming optical system so that the width of a film image formed on the surface of photoelectric conversion element is kept constant irrespective of the difference in size of film. Image processing circuit processes and regularize an image reading data corresponding to the size of a film detected by the film carrier detecting mechanism based on a corresponding reading condition.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film image reading apparatus, and more particularly, to an image reading apparatus which is adapted to read an image from different kinds of films.
2. Description of Related Art
Various kinds of films have heretofore been used in sizes of 35 mm, 6 cm and 4.times.5 inches. In the film of size 35 mm, for example, there are two kinds of films, that is, a continuous film and the one mounted one by one. Those films different in sizes are properly used to suit to each objective. Even in the same size of film, there are a wide variety of films to be used. For instance, a color positive film is used for appreciation, a color negative film for printing, and a monochrome film for an artistic purpose. The sizes and characteristics in a variety of films are shown in Table 1 shown below.
TABLE 1 35 mm Continuous Col Pos. Col Neg. Mono Neg. Mono Pos. 35 mm Mount Col Pos. Col Neg. Mono Neg. Mono Pos. 6 cm Col Pos. Col Neg. Mono Neg. Mono Pos. 4 .times. 5 inch Col Pos. Col Neg. Mono Neg. Mono Pos.

Image reading apparatus for reading images from different kinds of film in accordance with the size and characteristics of the film


An electric power steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a fail-safe circuit for, on the basis of an engine running-state signal from an engine running-state sensor, enabling an electric motor to be driven by a motor drive unit so that a steering assist force from the electric motor is applied to the steering system of a vehicle. The fail-safe circuit, when the vehicle velocity detected by a vehicle velocity sensor is above a predetermined value, enables the electric motor to be driven by the motor drive unit even if the engine running-state sensor fails to detect the running state of the engine. Thus, even when a failure arises in the engine running-state sensor during movement of the vehicle, the motor can continue application of the steering assist force to the steering system. The electric power steering apparatus can always provide a good and stable steering feel as long as the vehicle is running even though the running state of the engine is not detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in an electric power steering apparatus which provides power of an electric motor to the steering system of a vehicle to thereby reduce the manual steering effort or force needed to turn the steering wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive electric power steering apparatuses having an engine running-state sensor, such as an engine speed (rpm: revolutions per minute) sensor or an alternator, for detecting running of an automotive engine are known. The term "running" is used herein to refer to a condition or state in which the engine is in active or operation. When the engine runningstate sensor detects running of the engine, a power supply voltage from a battery is supplied to a bridge circuit (motor drive circuit) consisting of a plurality of switching elements such as power field-effect transistors (FETs), to thereby activate the motor drive circuit for driving the electric motor to provide the output power (steering assist) of the electric motor to the steering system of a motor vehicle.
In the conventional electric power steering apparatuses, the electric motor is kept inoperative until after running of the engine is detected. Accordingly, when a failure arises in the engine running-state sensor, the electric motor cannot be started even though the engine is running to drive the vehicle. Since there is no power assist available from the electric motor, a great muscular effort or force should be exerted by the driver to turn the steering wheel. Such steering operation is contrary to the driver's anticipative power-assisted steering operation and hence disconcerts the driver. As a result, the steering operation is performed unnaturally and a good steering feel cannot not be obtained.
One solution for the foregoing problems may include an arrangement in which start of operation of the electric motor is independent from the detection of running of the electric motor. This arrangement, however, has another problem that if the steering wheel is turned repeatedly during stop of the engine with the ignition switch kept in the ON state, the battery will become discharged in a relatively short period of use because the battery power is consumed by the electric motor without being recharged by the alternator which is connected in driven relation to the engine.


A brake disk frictional module is provided, composed of sintered metallic material reinforced throughout its entire volume by a grid system of pure metal or metallic alloy. The friction module may be manufactured by sintering the metallic material with the grid reinforcement in either a mold or within the brake disk cup. The internal reinforcement of the frictional module prevents spalling weight loss, friction coefficient decay, or other physical defect as caused by frictional strain during use. The reinforcement material reduces the overall temperature of the disk during use, and aids frictional coefficient of the disk because of the metallic compatibility of the metallic material and grid system.

The present invention relates to frictional surfaces of brake disks, wherein the frictional properties are improved by the employment of reinforcement material substantially throughout the depth of the frictional surfaces.
Heretofore, a multitude of structures for frictional engagement of two materials have been disclosed. More particularly, these frictional surfaces have found great utility in braking mechanisms for various vehicles and machinery, clutch mechanisms for the same, and other devices which require the engagement of two materials along an axis where no interlocking engaging means can exist.
Because the frictional surfaces must withstand the tremendous pressures and temperatures exerted by contact of the two materials, the materials comprising these frictional surfaces have generally been made from carbonized material or various metals. These materials are generally bonded to the internal structural supports, and the entire frictional properties of the system depend on the type of material employed. Examples of this type of frictional structure have been disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,935,713; 2,821,271; 2,973,336; 2,251,410; 2,783,529; 2,966,737; 2,850,118 and 3,191,734. The structure taught by each of these patents do not rely on any other material for additional support and resistance to the frictional strain.
Other approaches to the design of a good frictional surface which may be reinforced by various structures to improve its frictional properties and intended purposes. In some cases, the art has taught the employment of reinforcement means for engaging the frictional material to the supporting structure of the entire system. In this manner, greater anchoring of the frictional material to the supporting hardware of the system is achieved. There is no effect on the frictional characteristics of the frictional material along its surface. U.S. Pat. No. 1,470,475, U.S. Pat. No. 1,880,750, U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,074, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,361 disclose this structure as described, whereby reinforcement material secures the frictional material to the supporting structure. Frictional material reinforced only near the supporting structure does not adequately prevent spalling of the frictional surface upon contact with other surfaces during use.
Another reinforcement system teaches the placing of the reinforcement material entirely within the frictional material, whereby greater internal structural support of the frictional material is achieved. This internal reinforcement may assume a variety of configurations, including a special structure for later securing that embedded material to the supporting structure of the frictional system. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,182,368; 2,464,437; 2,818,634; 3,064,343 and 3,698,526 disclose internally embedded reinforcement of the frictional material. Reinforcement material embedded within the frictional material but not connected to other reinforcement material or the upper or lower surface of the frictional material does not provide adequate reinforcement throughout the entire volume of the frictional material.
Yet another type of reinforcement mechanism is the employment of reinforcement materials at the outer surface of the frictional material. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,160,770 and 2,728,700, exposure of the reinforcement material at the surface of the frictional material is designated for increased wear resistance without support of the reinforcement material back to the supporting structure of the frictional system. Reinforcement material contained in the frictional material at the functional surface does not provide adequate reinforcement of the frictional material near the supporting structure of the frictional system.
In some designs, the reinforcement material has been placed in uniform layers or disparate scattering to assure reinforcement in a direction parallel to the frictional surface of the entire system. U.S. Pat. No. 587,493, U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,701, U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,734, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,750 disclose systems where the reinforcement material is interlocked or associated in a direction parallel to the frictional surface. Horizontal reinforcement material throughout the frictional material without vertical interconnection provides a layered reinforcement mechanism which does not adequately reinforce the full depth of the frictional material.
Reinforcement of the frictional surfaces to the frictional system has assumed a direction perpendicular to the frictional surface. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 374,427, this reinforcement may be achieved by the use of soft metal rods embedded in the cast iron frictional material. There is no interconnection provided between the various rods in the frictional system, which seriously limits the scope of interconnected reinforcement. Likewise, the use of thin partition members as vertical members is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 1,557,668. In this patent, the thin partition members provide separation of the composition during the manufacture of the frictional system. The vertical partition members are removed after initial formation of the composition comprising the frictional material, their presence being required to separate various formulae of composition for the frictional material during the process of manufacture. Vertical reinforcement material in the frictional material as taught by these two patents does not provide adequate reinforcement across the width of the frictional material.
U.S. Pat. No. 199,161 discloses a system whereby the frictional material is embedded in a frame composed of a material having less desirable frictional characteristics. Through this system of embedment, the frictional material is restrained in position by the formation of the frame. Placing the frictional material in a frame provides outside support but achieves no inner reinforcement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,464 discloses the material of the frame extending into the saucer reserved for the frictional surface. This additional framework within the saucer provides additional reinforcement of the frictional material in the saucer to the frictional system. This reinforcement comprising a ribbed structure is welded in place in the saucers at the same time the frictional surfaces are sintered during assembly of the entire frictional system. The welded junction of the ribbed structures secures the reinforcement, against which the frictional material is sintered. Incorporating an internal welded framework into the area in which the frictional material resides cannot adequately reinforce the frictional material without becoming a frictional component itself and thereby having to exhibit frictional properties compatible with the frictional material itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,391,763 discloses a frictional system having rod-shaped heat transfer elements located on the obverse side of the frictional system. This structure provides ventilation to those heat transfer elements with a system of spacers embedded in the obverse side of the frictional system. Use of heat transfer elements to the obverse side of a frictional surface does not reinforce the frictional material at the frictional surface.
Besides resisting breakdown as caused by the results of destructive frictional forces, the frictional system must serve its purpose of providing a good frictional contact at its surface to engage other surfaces and transfer or inhibit power and momentum. The placing of too many reinforcement materials not having the same frictional coefficient as the frictional material disrupts the beneficial performance of the frictional system, even though the durability of the frictional system is enhanced. The reinforcement material supplants the frictional material as the true frictional surface, thereby seriously affecting overall beneficial frictional performance.

Brake friction material with reinforcement material


A connector has a housing (20) with cavities (26) for receiving terminals (10). A lock (30) projects is provided in each cavity (26) and has a forwardly tapered locking surface (32) that is sloped to project more forward at the base than at the top. The connector also has a retainer (50) with a restricting plate (53) to prevent displacement of the locks (30) toward deformation spaces (36). Push-up protrusions (60) of the restricting plate (53) slip under the lower surfaces of the locks (30) as the retainer (50) is pushed towards a full locking position and push the locks (30) up towards cavities (26). A cam action of the sloped locking surfaces (32) pushes the female terminals (10) forward and against front walls (27).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector configured to prevent abrasion of a terminal fitting and to a method of assembling such a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. H03-55674 and FIG. 13 herein show a connector. With reference to FIG. 13, the connector has a housing 1 formed with a cavity 2. A terminal fitting 3 is inserted into the cavity 2 and resiliently displaces a lock 4 in the cavity 2. The lock 4 then returns when the terminal fitting 3 is inserted by a specified distance so that a locking projection 5 on the upper surface of the lock 4 fits into a locking hole 6 in the terminal fitting 3 and engages a front edge of the locking hole 6. Thus, the locking projection 5 locks the terminal fitting 3 so as not to come out.
A clearance C normally is present between the terminal fitting 3 and a front wall 2A of the cavity 2. The clearance C is set beforehand to enable the lock 4 to fit securely into the locking hole 6. Alternatively, the clearance may be formed unintentionally due to a molding error.
The clearance C enables the terminal fitting 3 to make loose forward and backward movements in the cavity 2. Such movements create relative sliding at a contact portion with a mating terminal fitting, and lead to abrasion, if the connector is subjected to vibration, such as the vibration in an engine compartment. A large clearance C enables the terminal fitting 3 to move loosely over a longer distance and a range of abrasion is extended. Accordingly, the reliability of an electrical connection is reduced due to, for example, a reduced contact pressure.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to reduce or prevent abrasion of a terminal fitting caused by sliding movements.

Connector and a method of assembling such connector


The present invention relates to a process for imbibing a step-growth polymer into thermoplastic latex particles and a composition made by such a process. The composition is useful, for example, as a coating, an adhesive, a sealant, a primer, a caulk, a stain, or a filler for a variety of substrates.

Coatings prepared from aqueous dispersions of polymer particles can be deficient in gloss, resistance properties, and hardness development as compared to those prepared from solvent-based polymers. Dispersions containing a blend of different aqueous polymer dispersions—for example, a blend of acrylic and polyurethane dispersions or a blend of acrylic and epoxy dispersions—are known to improve coating properties; however, blends in the wet state can exhibit storage instability and be solids limited. In addition, coatings derived from these blends can exhibit performance issues due to latex incompatibility and polymer phase demixing.
One approach for improving coatings properties is the use of composite particle technology as described by Guyot et al. in "Hybrid Polymer Latexes" in Prog. Polym. Sci. 32 (2007) 1439-1461. Composite particles contain at least two distinct polymers that may form a homogenous blend within the particle or distinct microphases that are more intimately mixed than physical blends due to their method of preparation. Such composite particles can be prepared, for example, by swelling a dispersion of polymer particles such as polyurethane particles with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer such as acrylic and methacrylic monomers, then polymerizing these monomers to form polyacrylic-polyurethane particles. Alternatively, different types of pre-formed polymers can be co-dispersed into water from either the bulk phase or from an organic solution.
Moreover, monomers can serve a dual role: as a solvent for the preparation of a prepolymer and, subsequently, as a second polymer. For example, acrylic and methacrylic monomers can be used as a solvent to prepare a polyurethane prepolymer, which is subsequently dispersed in water and then chain extended with diamines to build molecular weight. The (meth)acrylic monomers are subsequently polymerized by radical polymerization.
In yet another example of forming composites, a dispersion of polymer particles can be mixed with a monomer or a prepolymer, which is substantially grafted to the first polymer by way of pendant functional groups.
The above-described processes typically result in composites that are either substantially crosslinked and, therefore, are limiting for applications where low temperature film-forming is desired, or that disadvantageously require organic solvents for manufacture or that contain organic solvents in their final dispersion, or are otherwise energy intensive to prepare.
The imbibed polymers are limited to low molecular weight polymers due to viscosity buildup, and the final dispersions are limited to lower potential solids content. A low molecular weight imbibed polymer can negatively impact the properties of the composite materials in its final application, such as a decrease in hardness, scratch resistance and dirt pick-up resistance of a coating made from such a material. It would therefore be advantageous to discover an efficient way to make composites that do not require organic solvents, that have little or no crosslinking, and that have capability for high solids content and high molecular weight.

Latex particles imbibed with a thermoplastic polymer


A calculation of a reliability value |Pa−Pb|−Pstd, representing represents a maximum likelihood decoding result on a portion which corresponds to a start or termination edge of a recording mark and has a high probability of error occurrence by a maximum likelihood decoding method, is performed on each combination of a predetermined mark length and a space length immediately before the mark and each combination of the mark length and a space length immediately after the mark. Based on the calculation result, a recording parameter is optimized, and recording reflecting the optimized recording parameter is performed.

In recording/reproduction apparatuses for recording original digital information on, or reproducing such information from, a portable recording medium, there can be a variance in the shape of marks formed on the medium among individual apparatuses or recording mediums even with an identical shape of recording pulse. This results in significant difference in the quality of the signal reproduced. In order to avoid reduction in the reliability due to the variance, a correction operation is performed when, for example, the recording medium is mounted. A correction operation is a control operation for optimizing the setting of characteristics of the reproduction system, the shape of the recording pulse, or the like, in order to guarantee the reliability of user data.
A general information reproduction apparatus includes a PLL circuit for extracting clock information included in a reproduced signal and identifying the original digital information based on the clock information extracted.
FIG. 33 shows a conventional optical disc drive. Light reflected by an optical disc 17 is converted into a reproduced signal by an optical head 18. The reproduced signal is shape-rectified by a waveform equalizer 19. The resultant reproduced signal is binarized by a comparator 20. Usually, the threshold of the comparator 20 is feedback-controlled such that an integration result of binary signal outputs is 0. A phase comparator 21 obtains phase errors between the binary signal outputs and the reproduction clocks. The phase errors are averaged by an LPF 22, and a control voltage of a VCO 23 is determined based on the processing result. The phase comparator 21 is feedback-controlled such that the phase errors output by the phase comparator 21 are always 0. In recording mediums on which information is thermally recorded, the shape of the marks formed thereon vary in accordance with the thermal interference of the mediums and recording patterns before and after the mark which is to be recorded. Therefore, a recording parameter which is optimum for the recording of each pattern needs to be set.
The above-described error detection output is an index for evaluating the recording parameter. The recording parameter is set such that the error detection output is as small as possible. Specifically, a recording compensation circuit 27 generates a pulse having a prescribed pattern based on a recording pattern which is output from a pattern generation circuit 26 using an initially set recording parameter. A laser driving circuit 28 records information on the optical disc. While information is being reproduced from a track having the prescribed pattern recorded thereon, an error detection circuit 24 integrates absolute values of phase errors between an output from the comparator 20 and an output from the VCO 23, and thus obtains a detection signal. The detection signal is correlated with jitter between a reproduction clock and a binarized pulse edge. Recording and reproduction are repeatedly performed with different recording parameters. The recording parameter used when the detection value is minimum is determined as an optimum recording parameter.
FIG. 34 shows a specific operation of the error detection circuit 24. Here, a recording pattern having a repetition of 6T, 4T, 6T and 8T is used. The mark termination edge corresponding to a pattern of a combination of 4T marks and 6T spaces is optimized. It is assumed that a mark start edge corresponding to a pattern of a combination of 6T spaces and 8T marks, and a mark termination edge corresponding to a pattern of a combination of 8T marks and 6T spaces, are recorded with an optimum recording parameter.
When given an NRZI signal having a period shown in FIG. 34(a), the recording compensation circuit 27 generates a laser driving waveform pulse shown in FIG. 34(b). Tsfp is a parameter for setting a mark start position, and Telp is a parameter for setting a mark termination position. The laser driving circuit 28 modulates light emitting power in accordance with the pattern shown in FIG. 34(b). An amorphous area is physically formed on the track as shown in FIG. 34(c) by laser light. When Telp is varied as Telp1, Telp2 and Telp3, the shape of the mark formed is changed as shown in FIG. 34(c). Information reproduction from the track having such marks will be discussed.
When the recording parameter at the end of the 4T mark is Telp2, which is the optimum value, a reproduced signal shown with a solid line in FIG. 34(d) is obtained. The threshold value is defined such that the integration value of the outputs from the comparator is 0. A phase difference between the output from the comparator and the reproduction clock is detected, and a reproduction clock (FIG. 34(e)) is generated such that the integration value of the phase errors is 0.
In the case where the recording parameter at the end of a 4T mark is made Telp1, which is smaller than the optimum value, a reproduced signal shown in FIG. 34(f) with the solid line is obtained. Since the termination edge of the 4T mark changes in a time axis direction, the threshold value Tv of the comparator is greater than in the reproduced signal shown in FIG. 34(d), as indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 34(f). Because of the change in the output from the comparator, the phase of the reproduction clock is advanced as compared to the reproduction clock shown in FIG. 34(e) such that the integration value of the phase errors is 0. As a result, a reproduction clock shown in FIG. 34(g) is generated.
By contrast, in the case where the recording parameter at the end of a 4T mark is made Telp3, which is greater than the optimum value, a reproduced signal shown in FIG. 34(h) with the solid line is obtained. Since the termination edge of the 4T mark changes in a time axis direction, the threshold value Tv of the comparator is smaller than in the reproduced signal shown in FIG. 34(d), as indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 34(h). Because of the change in the output from the comparator, the phase of the reproduction clock is behind as compared to the reproduction clock shown in FIG. 34(e) such that the integration value of the phase errors is 0. As a result, a reproduction clock shown in FIG. 34(i) is generated.
Measurement results of the time difference between the mark termination edge (rising edge of a reproduced signal) and the reproduction clock (so-called data-clock jitter) exhibit distributions shown in FIG. 34(j) through (l). It is assumed here that the 4T mark termination edge and the 8T mark termination edge have a variance such that both of the edges exhibit normal distributions of identical variance values.
In the case of the reproduced signal shown in FIG. 34(d), and the reproduction clock shown in FIG. 34(e), the time difference distribution between the output from the comparator and the reproduction clock at the rising edge (mark termination edge) is as shown in FIG. 34(k). The average value of the distributed values at the 4T mark termination edge, and the average value of the distributed values at the 8T mark termination edge, are each 0.
In the case where the parameter of the end of the 4T mark is Telp1 (smaller than the optimum value Telp2), neither the average value of the distributed values at the 4T mark termination edge, nor the average value of the distributed values at the 8T mark termination edge, is 0, but both are away from 0 by the same distance, as shown in FIG. 34(j). Therefore, the total variance at the rising edge is greater than the case in FIG. 34(k). Similarly, in the case where the parameter of the end of the 4T mark is Telp3 (greater than the optimum value Telp2), neither the average value of the distributed values at the 4T mark termination edge, nor the average value of the distributed values at the 8T mark termination edge, is 0, but both are away from 0 by the same distance, as shown in FIG. 34(l). In FIG. 34(j) and (l), the distribution of the 4T mark termination edge and the distribution of the 8T mark termination edge are inverted. In this case also, the total variance at the rising edge is greater than the case in FIG. 34(k).
In the case where the accumulation result of absolute values of phase errors is the error detection output, the error detection value changes as shown in FIG. 34(m) in accordance with the change in the recording parameter Telp. Accordingly, the recording parameter is varied, and the parameter when the output from the error detection circuit 24 is minimum is determined as an optimum parameter.
In the above example, the parameter Telp at the 4T mark termination edge is optimized. For the other parameters, test recordings using a respective specific parameter are performed and the optimum parameters are obtained based on the error detection output.
FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating an operation for obtaining all the recording parameters in accordance with the above-described procedure. Areas of a medium on which test recordings are to be performed are accessed (S161), and the test recordings are performed while the recording parameter at the mark start edge or the mark termination edge is changed prescribed area by prescribed area (for example, sector by sector)(S163). Information is reproduced from the test recording areas, and error detection outputs are obtained area by area by which the parameter is changed (S164). The parameter at which the error detection output is minimum is determined as an optimum parameter (S165). This operation is repeated until all the optimum parameters are obtained (S162) in order to obtain the next parameter (see Patent Document No. 1 and Patent Document No. 2).
Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-200418
Patent Document No. 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-109597

Recording/reproducing device, recording condition adjusting device and recording/reproducing method


Embodiments of the invention provide for methods for the management of logically partitioned computing resources of a data processing system configured with a plurality of hypervisors that each manages one or more logical partitions of the computing resources. Each hypervisor and logical partitions managed thereby are allocated to a domain of a plurality of domains. Logical partitions and hypervisors allocated to a first domain are monitored to determine whether additional computing resources are needed for the first domain. Responsive to determining that additional computing resources are needed for the first domain, a second domain having available computing resources is determined. At least a portion of the available computing resources of the second domain are used by the first domain.

Modern requirements for a computer system may require that a computer be utilized to run several operating environments, or operating systems, at once. In a typical embodiment, a logically partitioned data processing system may run a plurality of operating systems in one or more logical partitions. Each operating system resides in a logical partition, with each logical partition allocated at least part of a processor, an entire processor, or multiple processors from the computer. Moreover in data processing systems of cloud computing environments, computing resources of the data processing system may be allocated to different customers.
Consequently, there is a continuing need for improving management of computing resources in data processing systems and particularly data processing systems implemented in cloud computing environments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dynamic management of computing platform resources

International Business Machines Corporation


A system and method are disclosed for managing the display or the printing of a copyright notice or security label for a soft copy document, so as to provide appropriate security for the document as desired by its author. A special copyright notice can be displayed on the first page or predetermined pages of the document as it is displayed on a display screen. If a printer is connected to the system and commanded to print the document, a cover page will be printed which includes the copyright notice, before the rest of the document is printed. If a "Do Not Copy" label is included in the soft copy of the structured document, any printer command, write to disk command, or telecommunication command will be aborted, thereby giving effect to the author's desired restriction not to copy the document.

1. Technical Field
The invention disclosed broadly relates to data processing and more particularly relates to the management of display and printing operations for a document by a data processor, so as to comply with proprietary and security restrictions of the document.
2. Background Art
Modern word processing and text editing programs employ structured document architecture to provide greater control and flexibility in the displayed and printed appearance of documents prepared with the programs. Structured document architecture is described, for example, in the copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 344,332, filed Apr. 26, 1989, entitled "A Method for Manipulating Elements Within a Structured Document Using Active Intent Interpretation," by C. J. Bennett, et al., assigned to the IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference. A structured document can be prepared in accordance with the standardized general markup language, such as is described in the International Standard's Organization Standard 8879-1986. A data stream of text marked up in accordance with the standardized general markup language, will have its text divided into elements consisting of a begin tag and its content and terminated by an end tag, when necessary. Within a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor, text is displayed to the user as it will appear when it is printed, even though its structure is defined by the begin tags and end tags for each element of text. Formatting of the elements within a structured document is done when the document is displayed to the user. Those elements which fall into the category of commonly used elements include paragraphs, simple lists, ordered lists, bulleted lists, and list items.
Large documents marked up with structured document architecture tags, can be manipulated as an electronic book, by the method described in the copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 317,248, filed Feb. 20, 1989, entitled "A Method for Displaying On-Line Information," by E. Cassorla, et al., assigned to the IBM Corporation and incorporated herein by reference. The Cassorla, et al. patent application describes a method for creating on-line information from the same marked up source material used to create printed information such as a word processor or a markup language source used with a text formatter. A book data stream is provided, in an intermediate format for storing on-line information, specifically designed to be used by a book display program. The data stream captures and preserves structural information about the books, by using the structured document tags. The method is suited to display on-line books in a useable manner on a variety of display devices. A book display program manipulates the book data stream and allows users to interact with the on-line information. The electronic book may be used like a hard copy book, except that it is displayed on a display screen. The method allows readers to treat on-line books as if they were hard copy books, and uses the book data stream as its input.
Electronic books are frequently communicated, stored, displayed and modified in their soft copy form, with hard copies only occasionally made. Authors of such electronic books or documents frequently desire to impose appropriate forms of security treatment for the electronic books so generated and they wish to have any rights of authorship in their works, respected. However, the prior art has not provided an adequate means to enforce the author's intentions for the treatment of his electronic books or documents. Although the author may place a copyright notice on his soft copy documents, there is no mechanism for increasing the prominence of that notice. Security labels such as "Company Confidential," "Do Not Copy," or "Do Not Distribute," which the author may place on the soft copy of the document, are not readily enforceable.

Structured document tags invoking specialized functions


A game is described involving operations on a permutation group (X,*) where X is a set of symbols, illustratively the alphabet, and * is a two argument operation on the symbols of said set, said group having closure, associativity, an identity element and an inverse for each element of the set. A series of plaintext symbols of the set X is encoded by replacing each plaintext symbol with a symbol pair comprising two of the three symbols x, y, z in the relation x*y=z and where x, y, and z are each elements of the set X and one of x, y and z is the plaintext symbol to be encoded. The encoded symbol pairs are then decoded to recover the series of plaintext symbols.

The present invention relates to permutation groups and games utilizing such groups.
If one defines a set of elements X and an operation * that assigns to each pair of elements a and b of X an element c of X, then the pair G=(X,*) is called a group if it has the properties of closure, associativity, identity and inverse. For the pair (X,*) to have closure, the operation * must assign to each pair of elements of X another element of X. Thus, if a, b are elements of X, then *(a,b) (which may also be written a*b) must also be an element of X. For the pair (X,*) to have associativity, then a*(b*c)=(a*b)*c where a, b, c are elements of X. For the pair (X,*) to have an identity, there must be an element I in X such that I*x=x*I=x for each element x of the set X. For the pair (X,*) to have an inverse, then each element x in the set X must have an element x.sup.-1 in the set X for which x*x.sup.-1 =x.sup.-1 *x=I where I is the identity element.
An example of a group is the pair formed by the positive real numbers and the operation of multiplication. Multiplication of two positive real numbers has closure since it always yields a positive real number. Multiplication is associative; the identity element is 1; and the inverse of any positive real number a under the operation of multiplication is 1/a. Another example of a group is the pair formed by the real numbers and the operation of addition.
A permutation of a set of elements is an ordering of the set of elements. For example, if the set of elements consists of the four numbers, 1,2,3 and 4, one such ordering is 1234 and another such ordering is 2143. The number of different orderings of a set of elements is equal to n! where n is the number of different elements in the set. For example, if the set of elements consists of the four numbers 1,2,3,4, then there are 4!=4 x 3 x 2 x 1=24 different ways of arranging these numbers. These 24 different ways are set forth in Table I.
TABLE I ______________________________________ 1 2 3 4 2 1 3 4 3 1 2 4 4 1 2 3 1 2 4 3 2 1 4 3 3 1 4 2 4 1 3 2 1 3 2 4 2 3 1 4 3 2 1 4 4 2 1 3 1 3 4 2 2 3 4 1 3 2 4 1 4 2 3 1 1 4 2 3 2 4 1 3 3 4 1 2 4 3 1 2 1 4 3 2 2 4 3 1 3 4 2 1 4 3 2 1 ______________________________________
As is demonstrated below, operations can be defined on the collection of all permutations of a set of elements such that the pair formed by the collection and the operation(s) satisfies the properties of closure, associatively, identity and inverse. Such pairs are called permutation groups. For further information about permutation groups, see Fred S. Roberts, Applied Combinatorics, (Prentice-Hall, 1984), especially .sctn.7.2.
In the teaching of the rules of permutation groups to beginning students and others having trouble mastering the concepts and principles of same, it is important for teachers to present the material in an effective manner. Traditional methods of teaching such as memorization of modular systems and derivation of equations has in many instances been very difficult for both the student and the teacher. It is therefore desirable to have an apparatus and a method for teaching and learning the rules of permutation groups which is less tedious than the traditional methods and which provides for the student a rewarding experience.
Equally important are the avid game players who are always looking for new and challenging games which may be played for sheer intellectual stimulation and pleasure. It is therefore desirable to have an apparatus and a method for playing a game which has varying degrees of difficulty and which provides exciting entertainment to the avid game player.


A vehicle charging control apparatus includes: a communicator transmitting and receiving a signal to and from a parking lot control system, which is in a parking lot including charging slots and non-charging slots, and a user terminal; a remote parking controller activating an automatic moving and parking function of a vehicle according to the signal received from the user terminal when the vehicle is in a non-charging slot of the parking lot, receiving charging slot information from the parking lot control system when a charging slot among the charging slots is empty, and controlling the vehicle to move and park based on the empty charging slot; and a charging controller controlling wireless charging of the vehicle when the vehicle moves to park in the charging slot.

Chargers for charging electric vehicles are roughly classified into a quick charger and a standard charger depending on a charging capacity and a charging speed. A charging infrastructure including such chargers may be provided with wired chargers, but a charging infrastructure with wireless chargers is expected to be gradually introduced.
It takes a predetermined amount of time to charge a vehicle parked in a parking lot having a charging infrastructure. Thus, a user often parks the vehicle and moves to another place to wait while charging the vehicle.
In this case, if the user leaves the vehicle parked even after the charging of the vehicle is completed, another vehicle entering the parking lot for charging should wait until the charged vehicle is moved, or should find another charging infrastructure.

Vehicle charging control apparatus and method, and vehicle charging system


Novel flame retardant compounds for polymers are disclosed that include 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol bis(diphenyl phosphate)s. These can be synthesized by reacting 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and a diphenyl halophosphate, such as diphenyl chlorophosphate, in the presence of a catalyst, such as magnesium chloride, in an appropriate solvent, such as hexane.

The prior art discloses a wide variety of diphosphate flame retardant compounds which contain two phosphate groups (often containing two phenyl substituents each) linked together by a bridging group --O--R--O--, where R comprises an arylene or alkylene group. Certain disclosures exist which include cyclohexylene as a possible alkylene group for R, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,526 to M. Combey et al. (see Col. 1, line 27) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,732 to T. Zama et al. (see Col. 3, lines 52-53).

1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol bis (diaryl phosphate)


A medical instrument provisionally fastens a polyaxial pedicle screw having a threaded shank. The shank has a shank head, on which a holding sleeve is arranged. A clamping plunger is mounted in the holding sleeve such that the clamping plunger acts on the shank head, such that the holding sleeve can be positionally fixed on the shank head by relative loading of the holding sleeve and the clamping plunger. The instrument has a coupling unit for engaging the holding sleeve and a pressure tappet for applying force to the clamping plunger. The coupling unit and the pressure tappet can be moved relative to each other. The instrument has a sleeve, in which the coupling unit is arranged such that the coupling unit can be moved in the axial direction, decoupled from the holding sleeve in a first position, and fastened to the holding sleeve in a second position.

Pedicle screws are basically used for dorsal stabilization of the spine by means of transpedicular screwing in the event of fractures, tumors, inflammations, deformities and degenerative instabilities. Pedicle screws are placed in the pedicles of adjacent vertebrae, whereupon an angularly stable connection is created between the axially superimposed pedicle screws and an axially extending longitudinal beam or bridge. The pedicle screws and longitudinal beams form a vertebral stabilization system.
For this purpose, a pedicle screw usually has an axial, shank-like external thread section which is adjoined by a so-called tulip on the screw head side. This tulip forms a U-shaped, longitudinally slotted/tunneled holding sleeve with an internal thread, whereby each of the two radially opposite longitudinal slots defines a slot gap of predetermined gap width. The longitudinal beam/rod is inserted transversely in the parallel extending longitudinal slots and fastened by means of a locking element, for example in the form of a grub screw, threaded nut or set screw, which is screwed into the internal thread.
In general, two basic types of pedicle screws are distinguished, namely uniaxial and polyaxial pedicle screws. In the case of a uniaxial pedicle screw, the external thread section/shank and the tulip/holding sleeve are formed in one piece. A polyaxial pedicle screw, however, has an external thread shank manufactured as a separate component with a mostly spherical or (semi-) spherical screw head, with the holding sleeve/tulip gripping it in a relatively pivotal manner and simultaneously reaching behind the transition area between head and shank. In this way, after lowering the external thread shank into the pedicle channel of a vertebra, the holding sleeve/tulip can be swiveled and/or twisted relative thereto in order to obtain a desired position and orientation substantially independent of the orientation of the shank. The undercut prevents the holding sleeve/tulip from being removed from the shank head. Next, the holding sleeve/tulip is positionally fixed on the screw head by means of the locking element/set screw with an intermediate web (single-screw principle) or by means of an additional screw/screw nut (multiple-screw principle).
Pedicle screws are inserted by a surgeon into the pedicle canal of a vertebra or anchored by screwing. In doing so, the surgeon aligns the screws based on the orientation of the pedicle canal. When the screws are set, the aforementioned longitudinal beam or bar having the correct length is selected and, if necessary, adapted in its longitudinal curvature to the pedicle screws and their respective positions. The longitudinal beam is to be placed in the tulips of the pedicle screws.
The fact that the holding sleeve of a polyaxial pedicle screw is movably supported relative to the threaded shank makes it easier for the surgeon to insert the longitudinal beam laterally into the holding sleeve. If the surgeon is satisfied with the fit of the longitudinal beam and the holding sleeve, he locks the pedicle screw by means of the locking element, preferably the grub screw (in principle also called a set screw of any configuration). In the case of the above-mentioned single-screw principle, the polyaxial locking (positional fixation of the holding sleeve with respect to the shank) and the longitudinal beam clamping are realized in a single assembly step during tightening the one set screw.
Due to the mobility (joint) between the screw shank and the holding sleeve during the implantation process, it is generally not possible with polyaxial screws to transfer forces from the holding sleeve into the vertebra in order to be able to manipulate it, for example. However, this is particularly necessary for repositioning maneuvers in the case of fractures or spondylolistheses and partly for compressions or distractions. Therefore, uniaxial pedicle screws are used for this purpose, in which the holding sleeve is rigid with respect to the screw shank. However, these uniaxial pedicle screws have the disadvantage that it is difficult to insert the longitudinal beam laterally into the tulip/holding sleeve of several uniaxial pedicle screws.
With many pedicle screws as described above, the fixing means/locking elements (screws) are essentially self-locking to avoid the risk of unintentional loosening of the longitudinal beams from the pedicle screws after implantation. In addition, the fixation forces between the pedicle screw and longitudinal beam are considerable, as the entire system must withstand high loads without the set positional relationship between the threaded shank, holding sleeve and longitudinal beam being allowed to change. This means that the clamping forces between the shank head and the holding sleeve are also very high, so that the frictional connection forming between them is often not released even when the fixing means is released. However, these necessities also cause problems during the implantation process.
As long as the holding sleeve is not fastened relative to the shank head, e.g. firmly connected to the shank head by a frictional connection, no adjustment force can be transmitted to the vertebra by it. In the case of a polyaxial pedicle screw according to the single-screw principle, a longitudinal beam would first have to be inserted and then the locking element, preferably the grub screw, tightened in order to finally be able to apply an adjusting force to the vertebra. However, this would not make technical sense.
Once an operator has tightened the locking element/set screw with force and a subsequent adjustment of the vertebral position may be necessary, the positional relationship thus determined cannot be changed again, or only with great effort. In other words, the surgeon would have to loosen the grub screw(s) tightened with great force against their self-locking effect without loosening or even breaking out the external thread section which is already anchored in the vertebra. Even if the grub screw can be loosened without any problems, a self-locking frictional connection may have developed between the shank head and the holding sleeve. Even if the grub screw is loosened, this frictional connection could only be released with considerable force (knocks on the holding sleeve, etc.). Furthermore, subsequent loosening of the locking element may impair its self-locking effect, so that the functionality of the pedicle screw is no longer guaranteed.
A pedicle screw is known from WO 2013/034351 A1 in which the polyaxiality can be provisionally fixed so that the polyaxiality and the web/longitudinal beam can be locked independently at least temporarily, i.e. only the polyaxiality is fixed without the web being fixed. This publication also discloses a medical device or auxiliary means for provisionally fixing the polyaxiality of a pedicle screw. The pedicle screw essentially consists of a screw shank with a shank head, which is surrounded by a holding sleeve. This holding sleeve supports a plunger that can be pretensioned against the shank head by a locking element. The instrument has a first component in the form of a pressure tappet in order to get into pressing engagement with points of attack provided directly on the plunger. It also has a second component in the form of a sleeve-shaped traction component which is movable relative to the first component and has a latching means which can be brought into pulling engagement with the holding sleeve. The disadvantage of this instrument is that the traction component must be expanded in the area of the pedicle screw's holding sleeve in order to uncouple the traction component. Under certain circumstances, however, this is hardly possible, as bony structures may stand in the way. In addition, the possibility of accidental disconnection of the pedicle screw's holding sleeve cannot be reliably excluded with this instrument.
From US 2014/0277137 A1, a medical instrument is known for provisionally fixing the polyaxiality of a polyaxial pedicle screw, in which an outer component is designed to come into engagement with a holding sleeve of the polyaxial pedicle screw. An inner component received in the outer component is movable relative to the outer component in the axial direction so that the inner component can exert a proximal force on a compression element received in a proximal area of the holding sleeve and thus fix the holding sleeve in position. With this instrument, it is a disadvantage that the locking element/set screw cannot be screwed into the dedicated thread of the holding sleeve in the state when temporarily fastened (with Poly-Lock activated). Furthermore, the small undercut of the holding sleeve can only transmit low fixing forces.
At this point it should be pointed out that the term "provisionally fixing or fastening", especially with regard to the invention described below, is not necessarily meant to mean only easy application/clamping of the shank head, but in particular such a locking measure which is used temporarily and whose achievable locking properties such as the clamping force on the shank head, etc. definitely correspond to, at least come close to or even exceed the permanent locking. In other words, the "provisional" locking should be dimensioned such that it can also cause the holding sleeve to jam on the shank head in accordance with the permanent locking element. In this case, it may be possible to subsequently loosen the frictional connection in accordance with the state of the art by applying the appropriate force, but it is possible to readjust the vertebrae before fixing the longitudinal beam. It is therefore desirable to dimension the "provisional" locking in such a way that sufficient adjustment forces can be transferred to the vertebra by means of the polyaxial pedicle screw, whereby the frictional connection achieved between the shank head and the holding sleeve can be released again.

Medical instrument for provisionally fastening a polyaxial pedicle screw


A door lock apparatus, comprising a male component; a connection to a power source; a lock actuator, powered by the power source and configured to move the male component at least partially through a strike and into a box beyond the strike in the path of the male component to lock a door, wherein the male component comprises a plurality of parallel subcomponents oriented lengthwise in the direction of a path of the male component; a bed of sensors positioned in the box and configured to sense a number of parallel subcomponents that contact the bed after the male component has been moved into the box; and an alarm in communication with the bed, wherein the alarm is triggered when an attempt is made to lock the door and an insufficient number of parallel subcomponents contacting the bed has been sensed by the bed of sensors.

Traditional home door locks require a user to manually set a deadbolt and/or a latch mechanism to lock the door. This may be accomplished by turning a knob or pressing a mechanical button, for example. Such actions are not generally difficult for a user to perform. Nonetheless, there can be advantages to a door lock apparatus where the lock is electrically activated. For example, such a lock could be electrically connected to one or more sensors located elsewhere. If an attempted intrusion is detected at the home, an alarm condition may be raised. As a part of this alarm condition, electrically powered door locks may be automatically set to secure the home. If a fire is detected by a sensor, a different alarm condition may be asserted, whereby electrically powered door locks may be automatically reset, i.e., unlocked. This allows occupants to easily exit the home, particularly those who may have difficulty manipulating a traditional lock, such as children or elderly residents.
An electrically activated home door lock may be difficult to implement, however. The physical configuration of a door may not be stable over time, for example, which could hamper the operation of an electromechanical lock. A door or jamb may sag or warp over time, so that eventually a deadbolt may no longer fit easily through a strike. Such a condition may also be brought about by humidity, by temperature variations that expand and contract the door and jamb, or by repeated use of the door. Moreover, a door in a home may not have a ready power source with which to power a lock apparatus.


A dust cover for covering one or more fiber optic ferrules of an optical fiber connector. The dust cover comprises a base portion and at least one protruding portion extending therefrom, each of the at least one protruding portion having a cavity therein for receiving one of the one or more ferrules to cover the one or more ferrules when the dust cover is mounted to the connector. The dust cover is particularly designed for connectors having a plurality of ferrules for terminating a plurality of optical fibers, and is especially advantageous for connectors having a retractable body portion which normally surrounds the ferrules when the connector is not in use; and permits all of the plurality of ferrules of a connector to be individually covered substantially simultaneously in a single operation. The dust cover also includes a grasping portion to facilitate grasping and manipulation of the cover, and a lanyard to connect the dust cover to an optical fiber cable to which the connector is attached to prevent misplacement of the cover when it is not in use.

Optical fiber connectors are used to facilitate mating of optical fibers to one another in an end-to-end relationship so as to permit optical energy carried by the fibers to be transmitted therebetween. Frequently, such connectors include one or more fiber optic ferrules of ceramic or other suitable material for terminating exposed ends of the optical fibers in order to protect the delicate fibers and to assist in aligning the fibers during mating.
When an optical fiber connector is not in use (e.g., is not connected to another connector), it is often desirable that it be covered so as to prevent dust and other debris from collecting on the ends of the ferrules or on the exposed end surface of the optical fibers carried thereby as such contaminants can interfere with proper mating of fibers and affect the proper transmission of optical energy between connected fibers. Accordingly, it is known to provide a dust cover for such connectors to be used during transport or storage or at other times when the connectors are not in use.
One known type of dust cover is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,792 and comprises a member which substantially encircles and covers the mating end of a connector. Although such a cover is useful in preventing dust or other debris from entering into the body of the connector, it does not separately cover the individual ferrules themselves; and any dust that may have entered into the body of the connector prior to mounting of the cover may still settle on the ferrules.
Another known type of dust cover comprises a flexible, tubular-shaped member which is adapted to be inserted onto and over an individual fiber optic ferrule. Such dust covers are effective in protecting the ferrules and the optical fibers carried thereby from dust and other debris, but also tend to be rather difficult to handle and manipulate. For example, many connectors carry a plurality of separate ferrules for terminating a plurality of optical fibers, and it is necessary to insert a cover onto or remove a cover from each of the plurality of ferrules one at a time. This procedure is not only time-consuming, but can also be quite difficult in many connector designs.
Furthermore, many connectors include a retractable body portion which normally surrounds the ferrules when the connector is not in use; and in such connectors, it is often necessary to hold the retractable body portion in its retracted position with one hand to expose the ferrules, and to insert the individual dust covers onto the ferrules one at a time with the other hand. This procedure is often particularly difficult and awkward to accomplish with any degree of efficiency.

Dust cover for fiber optic ferrules of optical fiber connectors


An electromagnetic coil assembly for an electromagnetic apparatus has a bobbin, a coil formed of an electrical wire wound a spool of the bobbin, a thermal protection device including a pair of lead wires, a first and a second lead wires, extending from thereof. The first lead wire is connected to one end of the electrical wire through a first connecting member. The second lead wire is connected to one end of a lead wire of an electric circuit through a second connecting member. At least one securing member having a groove-shaped cross-section is secured, e.g., welded securely or fittied pressedly, on a first end surface of the bobbin. The thermal protection device, the first connecting member, and the second connecting member are disposed on the first end surface of the bobbin and are covered by the securing member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic coil assembly for use in an electromagnetic apparatus, such as an electromagnetic clutch for use in controlling the transmission of power from an automobile engine to a refrigerant compressor in an automobile air conditioning system. More particularly, it relates to the mounting structure for a thermal protection device, electrical wires, and caulking terminals in the electromagnetic coil assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electromagnetic coil assembly 4, which comprises a bobbin 1 and a coil 3, is known in the art. Bobbin 1 has a toroidal shape having a spool portion, which has an exterior open edge. Coil 3 is formed of electrical wire 2, which is wound around the spool portion. An electromagnetic coil assembly 4, for example, is used in an electromagnetic clutch 6 of a compressor 5 in an automobile air conditioning system, as shown in FIG. 3. Electromagnetic coil assembly 4 may be provided with a thermal protection device 7, e.g., a thermal fuse or a thermal switch, which is sensitive to high temperatures in electromagnetic clutch 6. Thermal protection device 7 isolates a power source, such as an automobile engine, to protect electromagnetic clutch 6 and compressor 5 when high temperatures due to friction are generated between the parts in electromagnetic clutch 6.
Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, thermal protection device 7 has a pair of leads, a first lead 7a and a second lead 7b, extending from either end of thermal protection device 7. An end of first lead 7a of thermal protection device 7 is connected to a wire end portion 2a of electrical wire 2 through a first caulking terminal 8. An end of second lead 7b of thermal protection device 7 is connected to a third lead 9, which is connected to the external power source (not shown), through a second caulking terminal 10. Thermal protection device 7, first lead 7a and second lead 7b, wire end portion 2a, and third lead 9 are disposed on a first end surface 1a of bobbin 1. A securing member 11 having a groove-shaped cross-section is fixed securely on first end surface 1a by adhesives. Thermal protection device 7 is fitted into the groove-shaped portion of securing member 11. A pair of projection portions 12a and 12b are formed on first end surface 1a. First lead 7a and second lead 7b are fixeded to projection portions 12a and 12b, respectively. Consequently, thermal protection device 7, as well as first caulking terminal 8 and second caulking terminal 10, is fixed to first end surface 1a of bobbin 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, electromagnetic coil assembly 4 is inserted into a core 5 ring 13 having a groove-shaped cross-section and a toroidal shape in plan view, such that thermal protection device 7 on first end surface 1a is positioned in an open end of core ring 13. Thereafter, a resin 14 is poured into the open end of core ring 13, and electromagnetic coil assembly 4 is fixed within core ring 13.
In electromagnetic coil assembly 4, the retention strength of thermal 40 protection device 7, first caulking terminal 8, and second caulking terminal 10 within core ring 13 is relatively low. Therefore, resin 14 may enter into the spaces between thermal protection device 7, first caulking terminal 8, and second caulking terminal 10 and first end surface 1a of bobbin 1. Consequently, thermal protection device 7, first caulking terminal 8, and second caulking terminal 10 may be pushed upward by resin 14 entering into the spaces between these elements, and as a result, these elements may not be covered by resin 14 and may be exposed outside core ring 13. Thus, when electromagnetic coil assembly 4 disposed in core ring 13 is equipped with the parts, which comprise, for example, electromagnetic clutch 6, defects or damage may occur at thermal protection device 7, first caulking terminal 8, and second caulking terminal 10.
An object of the present invention is to reduce or eliminate the above-mentioned defects or damage, which may be encountered in known electromagnetic coil assemblies with thermal protection devices and caulking terminals.
In an embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnetic coil assembly for an electromagnetic apparatus comprises a bobbin, a coil, and a thermal protection device. The bobbin comprises a cylindrical tubular spool, and a pair of annular flanges projecting radially from the spool to form an exterior open edge. The coil is formed of an electrical wire. The electrical wire is wound around the spool between the flanges. The thermal protection device has a first and a second lead wires, each extending from one side thereof. The first lead wire is connected to one end of the electrical wire through a first connecting member. The second lead wire is connected to one end of a third lead wire of an electrical circuit through a second connecting member. The thermal protection device, the first lead wire, the second lead wire, the first connecting member, the second connecting member, and one end of the electrical wire, one end of the third lead wire are disposed and fixed on a first end surface of the bobbin. At least one securing member having a groove-shaped cross-section is fixed, e.g., welded securely or fitted pressedly, on the first end surface of the bobbin. The thermal protection device, the first connecting member, and the second connecting member are covered by the securing member.
Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Electromagnetic coil assembly for electromagnetic apparatus


A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat frame structure having a riser and a movable portion movable in relation to the riser in fore and aft directions with respect to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle. A seat cushion assembly including an open-cell foam seat cushion is mounted on the movable portion. The seat cushion includes a plurality of air channels therein extending from a bottom surface to a top surface thereof. The seat cushion is of sufficient thickness and density to support an occupant thereon. The seat cushion assembly includes a seat cushion cover material covering at least the top surface of the seat cushion. The seat cushion cover material is constructed and arranged to permit air to pass therethrough. A seat back frame is coupled to the movable portion of the frame structure. A seat back pad assembly is mounted on the seat back frame. Air flow directing structure is adapted to be coupled to a source of forced air and has a portion constructed and arranged to be mounted on the floor of the vehicle.

The present invention relates generally to a vehicle seat assembly, and more particularly to a vehicle seat assembly which may be heated or cooled by forced air directed through the cushions of the seat assembly.
When a conventional vehicle seat is exposed to a warm ambient temperature, the seat may attain a high temperature. Further, after the occupant of the vehicle is seated on the seat, the occupant may quickly become uncomfortable as the heat held by the seat is trapped between the occupant's body and the seat. Even after the vehicle's air conditioning system has cooled the vehicle's interior, the heat trapped between the seat and the occupant is ever present, causing the occupant to perspire. This moisture becomes a primary source of discomfort to the occupant. The moisture build up between the seat and the occupant increases with the length of time the occupant is seated on the seat. The moisture is most noticeable upon exiting the vehicle, when the occupant has the chance to actually feel his or her dampened clothing.
In colder temperatures, the conventional vehicle seats can be uncomfortably cold for a period of time. After the vehicle's interior has heated up, the occupant's body may lose a significant amount of heat, and subsequently, the occupant may be uncomfortable until the heat can be replaced.
Molded foam vehicle seating is especially susceptible to the above-mentioned problems since a barrier film, necessary for molding, lies approximately five millimeters below the seat covering material or fabric surface. Thus, even if the material covering the foam is air permeable, the seat will not "breath," due to the film barrier layer. When covering material such as leather is used to cover the foamed cushion, the leather must be punctured so as to permit air to pass therethrough enabling the seat to breath. However, even seats that can breath still cause the above-mentioned discomfort to the occupant since sufficient heating or cooling of the seat cannot occur.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a vehicle seating assembly which permits air flow through the seat cushion structure to heat or cool the seat and to provide a flow of air to reach the occupant seated on the seat to reduce moisture between the occupant and the seat.