A releasable locking mechanism for maintaining the door of a merchandising machine in an open position for loading or servicing. Respective link arms pivotally interconnected at one end are pivotally coupled at their other ends to the door and to the cabinet for movement to an aligned position limiting further movement of the door away from the cabinet. A spring biases one of the arms from its aligned position against a stop to provide an automatic locking action, while an extension of the link arm coupled to the door permits ready kick release of the arms from their locking position.

In the merchandising machine art, the machine cabinet is provided with a door which usually covers the entire open front of the cabinet. Many merchandising machines of the prior art are provided with shelves each of which carries a plurality of merchandise delivery units. Each shelf is mounted in the cabinet for movement between a housed position and a position out of the cabinet at which the units thereof are accessible for loading. Owing to the leading opration described hereinabove, the door of the merchandise machine must be capable of movement to a fully open position to permit the shelves to be moved to loading position. Not only are merchandising machine doors heavy because they are relatively large, but also in many instances they carry mechansims such as minor item dispensing units which add to the weight of the door.
In view of the construction and operation of merchandising machines described hereinabove, it will be appreciated that any movement of the door from its fully open position to its closed position during servicing or loading may result in injury to the serviceman or damage to a tray being loaded or both. Even if neither injury nor damage can result, the consequent annoyance and inconvenience of such a movement of the door renders servicing more difficult. It will be appreciated that a door may inherently have a tendency to move in the manner described. Alternatively, such a movement might be produced accidentally by an individual in the vicinity of the machine.
From the discussion hereinabove, the desirability of maintaining the door in an open position away from the cabinet when loading or servicing merchandising machines will readily be appreciated. It is further desirable that such a means operate automatically and be easily releasable from a locked position.

Readily releasable mechanism for locking a merchandising machine door in open position


A single mold and plunger set is programmed to form a parison within each of a plurality of neck rings which are continuously successively presented along a linear path. The mold, which is positioned below the linear path of said continuously successively presented neck rings, receives a charge of molten glass and accelerates in a direction parallel to said linear path to a speed commensurate with that of the continuously presented neck rings, and upon tracking with a particular neck ring, such mold moves vertically into engagement with a bottom portion thereof. Simultaneously, the plunger, which is positioned above said linear path, accelerates in a direction parallel with the movement of said continuously presented neck rings to a speed commensurate therewith, and upon tracking said particular neck ring moves vertically into engagement with an upper portion thereof so as to press form the charge of molten glass deposited within the mold into a shape determined by the shape of the parison mold and plunger. The mold and plunger then retract from said particular neck ring, which retains the parison therein, and return to the starting position to repeat the cycle so that a parison may be press formed in the next succeeding neck ring.

This invention relates to the art of forming glass articles from molten glass, and more particularly to the forming of a plurality of virtually identical parisons or blanks by a single mold and plunger set, within a plurality of neck ring retainers continuously moving along a given linear path.
In the past, it has been known to form parisons for press and blow operations by conventional means such as the Hartford I.S. machine, the Miller press and blow machine and the Lynch MB machine. The Hartford I.S. machine utilizes a plurality of blank molds, each with its own plunger, blowhead and neck ring. With the mold, plunger and neck ring in position, a charge is received in the mold and blown down so that the plunger forms the finish in the neck ring. After a counter blow, the parison is completely formed and the blank mold opened with the glass parison held by the neck ring which is then rotated 180.degree. in a vertical plane to a position over a closing blow mold, wherein the neck ring is opened to release the parison into the blow mold and is then rotated back into position with the mold and plunger for a repeat cycle.
Both the Miller press and blow machine and the Lynch MB machine utilize rotating tables having a plurality of molds thereon for forming the parison, wherein the tables are rotated with an intermittent or cyclic movement such that molds stop at each station. Whereas the Miller press and blow machine uses one plunger for forming the blank and transfers the same by use of a neck ring, the Lynch MB machine utilizes individual plungers for each mold and transfers the parison from a blank mold table to a blow mold table by means of a swing transfer mechanism. A more complete explanation of the operation of the Hartford I.S. machine, the Miller press and blow machine and the Lynch MB machine is set forth on pages 326-339 of HANDBOOK OF GLASS MANUFACTURE VOL. I by Fay V. Tooley. However, from the foregoing it can be seen that the devices of the prior art not only functioned on an intermittent or cyclic basis in the production of parisons, but also required a plurality of mold and plunger sets so as to be available at each station and yet only productive at the pressing station.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,305 discloses a more recent concept in press and blow machines wherein a plurality of parisons are press formed by a plurality of mold and plunger sets as they rotate about a blank mold table. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,598,560 and 3,690,527, a plurality of continuously moving neck rings are mated with a plurality of continuously moving plunger type blowheads positioned thereabove and a plurality of continuously moving parison molds positioned therebelow. Although the parisons of the foregoing apparatus are formed in a continuously moving neck ring, such apparatus still requires the redundancy of multiple mold sets. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,263,126 and 2,576,191, while utilizing only one mold set to consecutively form glass parisons, the parisons are not formed along a linear path or within the neck rings successively presented along such a path.
The present invention, however, discloses method and apparatus for successively forming parisons with a single mold and plunger set along a linear path and within successively presented neck rings continuously traveling along such path.
It thus has been an object of the present invention to improve upon the known technology of delivering and forming molten glass into parisons while minimizing the required number of mold sets and facilitating the handling of the newly formed parisons.

Method and apparatus for forming glass parisons


The mobile radio communication system includes a plurality of base stations and call hand over units controlling which of the base stations services a call from a mobile station. When deciding whether to hand over a call from a first base station to a second base station, both serving microcells, the call hand over units hand the call over to a third base station, serving a macrocell, based on a duration of the call regardless of changes in radio coverage of the second base station. Also, the hand over units decide whether to hand over a call from a macrocell base station to a microcell base station based on a length of time the mobile station has been within a coverage area of the microcell base station regardless of changes in radio coverage of the microcell base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile radio communications system, a base station and a controller for such a mobile radio communications system, and also to a method of handing over a call.
2. Description of Related Art
Contemporary cellular mobile radio communications systems are generally formed by a plurality of base stations, in which each base station can be linked to a given number of subscriber stations (=mobile stations) whose locations may change inside a certain geographical area. Such a geographical area will be referenced radio coverage area or radio cell in the following. The radio coverage areas of individual base stations in the mobile radio communications system may then be so large that they cover radio coverage areas of other base stations. As a result, the respective geographical areas of radio cells of different sizes may be covered several times. Depending on the size of the geographical area, the radio cells or radio coverage areas may then be combined to individual hierarchical cell layers. Once a mobile subscriber station moves away from the radio coverage area of a base station with which it is just having a telephone call, care has to be taken that the call to the mobile subscriber station is taken over by another radio cell, i.e. by another base station. The occurrence of such a change of radio cells may be detected, for example, by measurements of the signal field strength, the signal-to-noise ratio, the bit error rate, the distance between base station and mobile subscriber station, and so on. If such a situation is detected, a call handover or handoff may be necessary.
EP 526 436 A1 proposes a method of call handover for a mobile radio communications system with various cell layers. A criterion for a call handover is used the speed of the relevant mobile subscriber station.

Mobile radio communications system with improved handover facility


An analog-to-digital conversion device includes quantization circuits and binarization circuits. Each quantization circuit samples an input analog signal at a predetermined period to obtain a sample, quantizes the sample into a (n+1)-valued signal with n (n is an integer of two or more) thresholds, and outputs the quantized value. Each binarization circuit converts the (n+1)-valued quantized value output from the quantization circuit into a binary code.

The present invention relates to an analog-to-digital conversion device for converting an analog signal into a digital signal, a binary code.
As a conventional ultra-high-speed analog-to-digital converter (analog-to-digital conversion device), for example, a parallel comparison type (flash type) analog-to-digital converter, like the one shown in FIG. 20, has been used (reference: Kazuo Kurokawa, Comp., "Analog IC Application Handbook", Industrial Investigation Committee, 1976, p. 333"). This analog-to-digital converter is constituted by voltage comparison circuits for comparing the magnitude of an analog input signal with a plurality of reference voltages prepared in advance and outputting each result in the form of a binary signal representing "0" or "1", and conversion circuits for encoding the respective binary outputs into a common binary code.
More specifically, the converter shown in FIG. 20 has been proposed as a 4-bit parallel comparison type analog-to-digital converter designed to convert an analog signal V.sub.in into a 4-bit binary code. This converter includes 16 (=4.sup.2) voltage comparison circuits C.sub.1 to C.sub.16 having input terminals. The analog signal V.sub.in from an input terminal T1 is supplied to one input terminal of each voltage comparison circuit.
This converter also has 16 voltage-dividing resistors R.sub.1 to R.sub.16 connected in series between power supply terminals E1 and E2. Each of reference voltages obtained at the nodes of the resistors R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 . . . , R.sub.15 and R.sub.16 is applied to the other input terminal of a corresponding voltage comparison circuit (C.sub.1 to C.sub.15). In addition, a reference voltage obtained on the opposite side of the resistor R.sub.16 to the resistor R.sub.15 is applied to the other input terminal of the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.16.
This converter also includes 15 (4.sup.2 -1) NOR circuits NOR.sub.1 to NOR.sub.15 each having two input terminals. These NOR circuits are connected as follows.
First of all, the negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.1 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.2 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.1.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.2 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.4 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.2.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.3 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.4 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.3.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.4 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.8 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.4.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.5 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.6 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.5.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.6 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.8 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.6.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.7 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.8 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.7.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.8 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.16 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.8.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.9 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.10 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.9.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.10 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.12 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.10.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.11 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.12 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.11.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.12 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.16 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.12.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.13 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.14 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.13.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.14 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.16 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.14.
The negative output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.15 and the positive output from the voltage comparison circuit C.sub.16 are supplied to the two input terminals of the NOR circuit NOR.sub.15.
This analog-to-digital converter includes an OR circuit OR.sub.1 having eight input terminals, an OR circuit OR.sub.2 having four input terminals, and an OR circuit OR.sub.3 having two input terminals. The outputs from the NOR circuits NOR.sub.1, NOR.sub.3, NOR.sub.5, NOR.sub.7, NOR.sub.9, NOR.sub.11, NOR.sub.13, and NOR.sub.15 are supplied to the eight input terminals of the OR circuit OR.sub.1. The outputs from the NOR circuits NOR.sub.2, NOR.sub.6, NOR.sub.10, and NOR.sub.14 are supplied to the four input terminals of the OR circuit OR.sub.2. The outputs from the NOR circuits NOR.sub.4 and NOR.sub.12 are supplied to the two input terminals of the OR circuit OR.sub.3.
In this analog-to-digital converter, the output from the OR circuit OR.sub.1 is output as the first (least significant) bit of a 4-bit binary code B to a bit terminal b4. Similarly, the output from the OR circuit OR.sub.2 is obtained as the second bit of the binary code B at a bit terminal b3. The output from the OR circuit OR.sub.3 is obtained as the third bit of the binary code B at a bit terminal b2. The output from the NOR circuit NOR.sub.8 is obtained as the fourth (most significant) bit of the binary code B at a bit terminal b1.
According to the above analog-to-digital converter, the analog signal V.sub.in can be converted into the binary code B consisting of the four bits at the bit terminals b4 to b1.
In the above conventional analog-to-digital converter, however, to convert the analog signal V.sub.in into the 4-bit binary code B, the following many elements are required: the 16 voltage comparison circuits C.sub.1 to C.sub.16, the 16 resistors R.sub.1 to R.sub.16, the 15 NOR circuits NOR.sub.1 to NOR.sub.15, and the three OR circuits OR.sub.1 to OR.sub.3.
When, therefore, the conventional analog-to-digital converter and other circuit devices are to be integrated into a monolithic unit on one substrate, the analog-to-digital converter occupies a large area, interfering with an increase in integration degree. In addition, since many elements are required, the power consumption becomes large. This inhibits an increase in operation speed.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A telecommunications system for providing an initial caller with access to one of a plurality of conversations each relating to a particular conversation topic available in the system. The system includes a voice recognizer and response unit for communicating with the caller. The caller selects a desired conversation topic by either generating an audio command to the voice recognizer, inputting a command in the keypad of the caller's telephone or computer, or communicating with a human operator. Upon selection of an available topic, the system connects the caller to a current conversation relating to that topic. In the event that there are no current conversations for the selected topic, the call is terminated and the system automatically calls back the initial caller when another caller selects the same topic as the initial caller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications systems, and more particularly to telephone systems providing services for customers to access telephone conversations based upon a desired conversation topic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telephone systems are currently used to provide a service for permitting a caller to access an on-going telephone conversation by dialing a specific telephone number, such as a 900 toll service. Typically, the specific telephone number relates to a single conversation topic. Accordingly, in these prior art telephone systems, the caller manually dials a specific telephone number corresponding to the conversation topic of interest and, so long as a conversation was on-going, the caller would be connected to and could participate in that particular conversation.
These prior art telephone systems, however, have a number of limitations. For instance, in the prior art systems, the number of available conversation topics are limited due to the fact that each telephone number is typically dedicated to a single or a limited number of conversation topics. The number of available topics are limited because the prior art systems required the topics to be verbally enumerated to the caller and this verbal enumeration is too slow to be practicable for more than typically ten topics.
Thus, in order to introduce additional conversation topics, a provider of these services must absorb the expense of contracting for additional 900 telephone services, which may also include expenses for market research to select the most popular topics and advertising to promote the new topics. Consequently, the prior art systems provide only a limited number of the most popular conversation topics. Less popular topics or topics that are popular for only a short period of time would not typically be offered due to the aforementioned expenses in introducing new topics.
Moreover, once the caller identifies and manually dials the telephone number for the desired conversation topic, the caller is only connected to the call if a conversation is on-going. However, in the not uncommon situation where there is no pending conversation, the call is terminated and the caller must repeatedly dial the number until a conversation is then pending.

Telecommunications system for dynamically selecting conversation topics having an automatic call-back feature


A method for providing improved castability in a gamma titanium aluminide is taught. The method involves adding inclusions to the near stoichiometric titanium aluminide and specifically low chromium and high niobium inclusions. Niobium additions are made in concentrations between 6 and 14 atomic percent. Chromium additions are between 1 and 3 atom percent. Property improvements are also achieved.. A preferred composition is according to the following expression: EQU Ti--i Al.sub.46--48 Cr.sub.1--3 Nb.sub.6--14

The present invention relates generally to gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl) alloys having improved castability as well as improved strength and ductility. More particularly, it relates to castings of TiAl doped by low chromium and high niobium.
In forming a casting, it is generally desirable to have highly fluid properties in the molten metal to be cast. Such fluidity permits the molten metal to flow more freely in a mold and to occupy portions of the mold which have thin dimensions and also to enter into intricate portions of the mold without premature freezing In this regard, it is generally desirable that the liquid metal have a low viscosity so that it can enter portions of the mold having sharp corners and so that the cast product will match very closely the shape of the mold in which it was cast.
It is also desirable that the castings have good combinations of strength and ductility properties.
With regard to the titanium aluminide itself, it is known that as aluminum is added to titanium metal in greater and greater proportions, the crystal form of the resultant titanium aluminum composition changes. Small percentages of aluminum go into solid solution in titanium and the crystal form remains that of alpha titanium At higher concentrations of aluminum (including about 25 to 30 atomic percent), intermetallic compound Ti.sub.3 Al forms and it has an ordered hexagonal crystal form called alpha-2. At still higher concentrations of aluminum (including the range of 50 to 60 atomic percent aluminum) another intermetallic compound, TiAl, is formed having an ordered tetragonal crystal form called gamma. The gamma titanium aluminides are of primary interest in the subject application.
The alloy of titanium and aluminum having a gamma crystal form and a stoichiometric ratio of approximately 1, is an intermetallic compound having a high modulus, low density, a high thermal conductivity, a favorable oxidation resistance, and good creep resistance. The relationship between the modulus and temperature for TiAl compounds to other alloys of titanium and in relation to nickle base superalloys is shown in FIG. 2. As is evident from the Figure, the gamma TiAl has the best modulus of any of the titanium alloys. Not only is the gamma TiAl modulus higher at higher temperature, but the rate of decrease of the modulus with temperature increase is lower for gamma TiAl than for the other titanium alloys. Moreover, the gamma TiAl retains a useful modulus at temperatures above those at which the other titanium alloys become useless Alloys which are based on the TiAl intermetallic compound are attractive, light-weight materials for use where high modulus is required at high temperatures and where good environmental protection is also required.
It is recognized that if the product is forged or otherwise mechanically worked following the casting, the microstructure can be altered and may be improved.
What is also sought and what is highly desirable in a cast product is a minimum ductility of more than 0.5%. Such a ductility is needed in order for the product to display an adequate integrity. A minimum room temperature strength for a composition to be generally useful is about 50 ksi or about 350 MPa. However, materials having this level of strength are of marginal utility and higher strengths are often preferred for many applications.
The stoichiometric ratio of gamma TiAl compounds can vary over a range without altering the crystal structure. The aluminum content can vary from about 50 to about 60 atom percent. However, the properties of gamma TiAl compositions are subject to very significant changes as a result of relatively small changes of 1% or more in the stoichiometric ratio of the titanium and aluminum ingredients. Also, the properties are similarly affected by the addition of relatively small amounts of ternary and quaternary elements as additives or as doping agents.
One of the attributes which is sought in a titanium aluminide is the capability for the aluminide to be cast into desirable shapes and forms and to have a desirable set of properties in the as-cast form or the ability to acquire a desirable set of properties with a minimal processing of the as-cast material.

Gamma titanium aluminide rendered castable by low chromium and high niobium additives


A method of forming a semiconductor device structure is disclosed including providing a first active region and a second active region in an upper surface portion of a substrate, the first and second active regions being laterally separated by at least one isolation structure, forming a first gate structure comprising a first gate dielectric and a first gate electrode material over the first active region, and a second gate structure comprising a second gate dielectric and a second gate electrode material over the second active region, wherein a thickness of the second gate dielectric is greater than the thickness of the first gate dielectric, and forming a first sidewall spacer structure to the first gate structure and a second sidewall spacer structure to the second gate structure, wherein a lateral thickness of the second sidewall spacer structure is greater than a lateral thickness of the first sidewall spacer structure.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to methods of forming semiconductor device structures and semiconductor device structures, and, more particularly, to the fabrication of semiconductor device structures for higher voltage I/O applications and according semiconductor device structures used in higher voltage I/O applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Efforts to integrate more and more semiconductor devices on a semiconductor chip, and, alternatively, to optimize power loss of integrated circuits, resulted in the fabrication of integrated circuits having circuit elements of critical dimensions reaching into the deep sub-micron regime, currently 22 nanometers and beyond. The downscaling of circuit elements, such as transistor elements, e.g., MOSFET devices, to advanced scales raised constraints and issues to be dealt with, such as short channel effects, tunneling leakage, dielectric breakdown, etc. For example, the scaling of MOSFET devices poses an upper limit on the possible thickness of a gate dielectric at which reliable control of a channel region below a gate electrode is still maintained. With decreasing MOSFET size, the thickness of silicon dioxide used as a gate dielectric has decreased in order to increase the gate capacitance, and thereby the drive current, wherein the conductance of the channel region is, for example, modulated by the gate dielectric sustaining a sufficient high electric field transverse to the channel, the electric field normally being in a range from 1-5 MV/cm. On the other hand, the scaling of the thickness of a gate dielectric to smaller thickness values imposes constraints on the allowed magnitude of the electric field, bounded by a value at which electric breakdown (that is, rapid reduction in the resistance) of the gate dielectric occurs. On the one hand, the permissible voltage applied to a gate electrode depends on the thickness of a gate dielectric separating channel and gate. On the other hand, voltage values encountered in certain applications set constraints on the thickness of the dielectric, among others.
Conventionally, transistor devices are distinguished regarding the thickness of the gate dielectric as follows: devices having a thin gate dielectric (e.g., a thickness up to about 20 Å, such as having a thickness of about 10 Å) are referred to as "SG devices," devices having a normal gate dielectric (e.g., a thickness in a range from about 20-50 Å, such as having a thickness of about 35 Å) are referred to as "EG devices," and devices having a relatively thick gate dielectric (e.g., a thickness in a range from about 50 Å on, such as having a thickness of about 66 Å) are referred to as "ZG devices." The permissible voltage values, in which these devices may be operated, are as follows: SG devices may be operated between 0.6-1.2 V, EG devices may be operated in a range from about 1.2-1.8 V, and ZG devices may be operated above 1.8 V, commonly at 2.5 V and 3.3 V.
For example, SG devices, EG devices and ZG devices are used in I/O applications as I/O devices controlling the I/O voltage at I/O interfaces. For example, most current DDR SDRAM devices operate at a voltage of 2.5 volt, as compared to 3.3 volt for SDRAM, and thus, DDR SDRAM significantly reduces the power consumption over SDRAM. In further current variations of DDR SDRAM, the operating voltage is reduced from 2.5/2.6 V for DDR SDRAM, to 1.8 V for DDR2, to 1.5 V for DDR3, and even down to 1.05/1.2 V for DDR4. Accordingly, greater power efficiency has been achieved for DDR which is, for example, used as a memory in mobile devices.
From the initial discussion it becomes clear that, for example, newer devices cannot be expected as being compatible with legacy systems due to higher operating voltages used in legacy systems.
In view of the aforesaid, it is desirable to provide a semiconductor device structure that is compatible with different systems and/or that may be used as an interface between advanced computational systems and legacy systems. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide semiconductor device structures with co-integrated devices supporting different operating voltages.

Method of forming a semiconductor device structure using differing spacer widths and the resulting semiconductor device structure


A molding including a hollow molding body, and an ornamental film layer adhered on the upper surface and the side surfaces of the hollow molding body. The manufacturing process of the molding substantially comprises the steps of forming the hollow molding body by a blow molding method, and adhering the ornamental film layer on the hollow molding body. The adhesion of the ornamental film layer is achieved during formation of the hollow molding body.

The present invention relates to a molding and process for manufacturing the same.
In the automobile industry, conventional solid moldings for use with an automobile are gradually replaced by hollow moldings to reduce the weight of the automobile. Such hollow moldings are manufactured by a blow molding method.
As well known, the blow molding method comprises the steps of extruding molding material to form a parison in a forming cavity of a blow molding die, and feeding air pressure into the parison to form a hollow product.
A problem usually associated with the hollow molding formed by the blow molding method is that the outer surface of the hollow molding is generally formed with stripe-like irregularities which result from nonuniform flowing of the molding material. This may lead to undesirable awkward appearance of the hollow molding.

Moldings and process for manufacturing the same


Phenolic compounds, particularly phenol, are aminated by reaction with ammonia in the presence of a catalyst made by calcining bayerite.

The reaction of phenol and ammonia in vapor phase over acid catalysts has been described as early as 1933 in U.S. Pat. No. 1,935,209. A series of relevant patents has evolved, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,013,873, 3,272,865, and 3,578,714. A process flowsheet was published by M. Becker et al (Chemical Engineering, Apr. 2, 1973, pp 42-43) describing a process for making aniline by the reaction of phenol with an excess of ammonia over a catalyst made up of aluminas derived from precipitated gels containing less than 1% alkali metal and having surface areas of more than 150 sq. meters per gram.
The commercialization of this process resulted from two discoveries which are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,860,650 and 3,682,782. The '782 patent describes the recovery of high purity aniline from aniline-phenol mixtures. Crude aniline containing low residual phenol is needed, as phenol and aniline have close boiling points and also form an azeotrope. Such crude is obtained at low LHSV over a high activity catalyst. The '650 patent describes the catalytic part of the process which is carried out over acid washed H-151 alumina, manufactured by Alcoa (Activated and Catalytic Aluminas, Brochure published by Alcoa Chemicals, Oct. 1, 1961), a desiccant alumina derived from a precipitated gel.
The '650 patent describes also the procedure of leaching H-151 with aqueous acid solutions to remove sodium, which is imperative for achieving relatively high catalytic activity. Even though both disclosures permitted successful commercialization, this process is still an unusual vapor phase catalytic technology in that LHSV is adjusted at about 0.04 and an ammonia to phenol mole ratio of about 20 is needed to obtain high phenol conversion and high selectivities to aniline. Higher LHSV which would require higher reaction temperatures are not desirable because of ammonia dissociation to nitrogen and hydrogen. However, low capital costs, the low catalyst deactivation and minimum waste disposal problems are attractive compared to the conventional route of making aniline and, more generally, aromatic amines, from nitrobenzenes. As an environmental matter, a process which does not generate nitrogen oxide compounds is of increasing interest.
Following the implementation of the process, it appeared to the inventors herein that acid washed H-151 alumina is an exceptional catalyst in many ways and attempts to obtain a similar catalyst having at least equivalent activity, selectivity deactivation rate and thermal stability failed for the following reasons:
Silico-alumina catalysts have higher acid strength and produce undesirable by-products. Side reactions also favor the deposit of carbonaceous materials the catalyst which results in high deactivation rates. Such catalysts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,865.
Binary oxides such as zirconia-alumina, titania-alumina and others reported in Japanese Patents 23,053 and 23,571 are not as active as the acid leached H-151 alumina and deactivate rapidly because of the need of high reaction temperatures.
European Patent 293,483 describes a low alkali alumina catalyst obtained by firing an alumina (H-152 manufactured by Alcoa) at a temperature of 600.degree.-900.degree. C. followed by acid treatment. Although the catalyst shows good catalytic stabilities, its activity is about 70% of the H-151 based catalyst; equivalent performances are obtained at reaction temperatures of about 375.degree. C. compared to 363.degree. C. for the acid leached H-151. The firing treatment is needed to expel the sodium out of the alumina structure which then becomes removable by acid leaching treatments. However, while the removal of sodium is beneficial to the catalytic activity, the calcination at high temperature causes the alumina crystallites to sinter. The surface area, and consequently the catalytic activity are relatively reduced.
Other aluminas such as those obtained by calcination of gibbsite (product of the Bayer process) also contain appreciable amounts of sodium. Although high surface area can be obtained, the sodium is usually difficult to remove. Intensive acid treatments are able to bring the sodium content down to 0.3% Na.sub.2 O but reduce the surface area dramatically. A comparative example is shown in this disclosure.
Gamma aluminas obtained by calcination of pseudoboehmite materials such as Catapal (Vista Chemicals), Disperal and Pural (Condes Chemie), made from aluminum, and Versal 250, 450, 800 and 900 (LaRoche Chemicals), made from sodium aluminate, are low sodium aluminas. Comparative example D of U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,650 reported the test reaction results of such catalysts. It is shown that a reaction temperature of about 410.degree. C. is necessary to obtain 95% phenol conversion. Two disadvantages of such catalysts are their relatively lower surface areas and packed densities.
It is an object of this invention to provide a catalytic process for converting phenols to aromatic amines and in particular phenol to aniline.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a catalyst comparable in activity to one made from the acid leached H-151 alumina.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a catalyst which can be made cheaply and relatively easily with commercially available raw materials.
It is also a further object to provide a method for manufacturing such catalyst with good mechanical properties.

Catalyst and process for making aniline from phenol


In a sheet feeding device for a printing apparatus for feeding one sheet after another to a printing station, a stopper hook is located slightly posterior to point of contact between a platen and a roller or between two rollers brought into and out of pressing contact with each other, and a sheet fed to the printing station is stopped by the stopper hook and has its position corrected, if it has a skew, while the platen and the roller or the two rollers are out of contact with each other. Thus a sheet free from skew is pressed by the roller against the platen or the roller to enable automatic skewless sheet feeding to be effected.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sheet feeding devices for printing apparatus and more particularly to a sheet feeding device for a printing apparatus which enables skewless sheet feeding to be effected automatically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In printing apparatus such as typewriters and printers, it is necessary that each sheet which is fed to a platen or to a printing station by the platen be fed straight and have no skew. The usual practice is that a pressing roller maintained in pressing engagement with the platen is released from engagement therewith and a sheet has its position corrected manually if it has a skew.
In recent years, popularization of automation in document production has made it necessary to effect sheet feeding automatically. However, realization of full benefits from automatic sheet feeding has been hampered by the need to correct the position of a sheet manually if the sheet is at an angle.
An increase in the speed at which a printing apparatus is operated has rendered loss of the time which is required for correcting the position of a sheet when it has a skew unacceptable. Proposals have been made to use a method in which the leading edge of a sheet is caused to impinge against the contacting portions of a platen and a pressing roller in pressing engagement with each other, as a means for automatically preventing the skewing of the sheet.
A skew generally occurs in a sheet when it is caught in the nip between the pressing roller and the platen. A skew is produced in a sheet largely because it is difficult to cause the entire leading edge portion of a sheet to be caught at one time time by the platen and pressing roller due to the fact that a slip tends to occur between the sheet and the platen. Thus the method of the prior art in which the leading edge of a sheet is caused to impinge against the contacting portions of the platen and pressing roller is not capable of effectively preventing the skewing of a sheet.

Sheet feeding device for printing apparatus


Liquid injected screw compressor with an inlet valve and blow-off valve; a liquid circuit with injector; a controller for the transition from unloaded to loaded, whereby when unloaded the inlet valve is closed and the blow-off valve is open, and when loaded the inlet valve is open and the blow-off valve is closed, and whereby during an aforementioned transition, when the injection pressure is below a minimum threshold, the inlet valve remains closed and is opened with a certain delay and that there are means to gradually increase the injection during this delay and to open the inlet valve when the injection pressure has reached the minimum threshold.

The present invention relates to a liquid injected screw compressor and in particular the controller of such a screw compressor during a transition from an unloaded state, in brief unloaded, whereby no compressed gas is taken off, to a loaded situation, in brief loaded, whereby the screw compressor must supply compressed gas, for example compressed air.

Liquid injected screw compressor, controller for the transition from an unloaded state to a loaded state of such a screw compressor and method applied therewith

ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP


A device is configured to control a programmable integrated circuit having a plurality of first areas each of which has the same shape and a plurality of second areas formed between the plurality of first areas. The device includes: a memory; and a processor configured to: recognize an operation request executed by the programmable integrated circuit, select a third area and a fourth area used for configuring an operational circuit, by which processing pertaining to the operation request, from the plurality of first areas and the plurality of second areas, cause the selected third area and the selected fourth area to function as an operation processing unit to generate the operational circuit, cause the generated operational circuit to execute processing pertaining to the operation request, and after the processing is completed, cause the third area included in the operational circuit to function as a communication path.

In recent years, an operation processing system is implemented by mixing a central processing unit (CPU) and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) as processors in a data center in order to attain speeding up of data processing or reduction of power consumption. The FPGA is a programmable integrated circuit (large scale integration (LSI)) and is used as hardware of which algorithm is capable of being corrected and expanded in the operation processing system described above.
As examples of the prior art, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 9-26870 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-236106 are known.

System including programmable integrated circuit including first areas having same shape and second areas formed between first areas, and operation processing device and method for controlling the programmable integrated circuit


The electrical connector is connectable to a matching connector and has a body for receiving contacts that carries a threaded rotary locking nut for cooperation with a threaded portion of the matching connector. The nut is fast with internal ratchet teeth having edges each separating a face with a lower slope from a face with a steeper slope relative to a circumferential direction. The body of the connector is non-rotatably connected to a one-piece ring having teeth cooperating with notches formed by the ratchet teeth to establish a ratchet effect that opposes rotation of the ring in an unscrewing direction in which the teeth abut the steeper faces.

The invention relates to electrical connectors of the type connectable to a matching connector and having a body for receiving contacts that carries a threaded rotary locking nut for cooperation with a threaded portion of the matching connector, the nut being fast with internal ratchet teeth having edges each separating a face with a lower slope from a face with a steeper slope relative to a circumferential direction, the body of the connector being non-rotatably connected to catch means cooperating with notches formed by the ratchet teeth to establish a ratchet effect that opposes rotation of the ring in an unscrewing direction in which the catch means come into abutment against the steeper faces.
Such connectors may be said to be "self-locking" or "differential force locked" in that the torque to be exerted to unscrew the ring is greater than that required for tightening it. An important application for such connectors is in aviation where vibration is likely to loosen threaded connections and where bayonet-type connections are unsuitable in many cases.
Numerous self-locking connectors are already known in which the catch means are constituted by spring blades, generally of metal, that are designed to abut the steeper faces during uncoupling. Such connectors are complex and/or suffer from the possibility of the spring blades jamming the connector in a fully-coupled condition.

Electrical connector having a threaded ring and means for retaining it in locked condition


We describe a touch sensing system projecting light defining a touch sheet above a surface and a camera to capture a touch image of light scattered by a pen intersecting the touch sheet. A signal processor identifies a lateral location of the pen. The pen includes a light source to provide a light signal, and the system also includes two photodiodes to detect the signal from the pen. The touch detection is augmented by modelling the signals received at the photodiodes, dependent on the distance and angle of a pen, and using this to derive a probability of the observed received signals given the pen location determined from the touch sheet. This information can be used, for example, to allocate identities to the pens.

We have previously described a range of improvements in touch sensing systems of the type which project a sheet of light just above a surface or display, for example to provide an electronic whiteboard. Examples of such improvements can be found in our earlier filed WO2013/144599.
We now describe further improvements to pen-based touch systems which are particularly, but not exclusively applicable to 'sheet of light' touch sensing systems. In the later description we refer to pens but the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification 'pen' is to be interpreted broadly covering other hand held devices usable for indicating a position on a surface such as a whiteboard including, for example, wands and the like.
A sheet of light based touch sensing system typically uses a camera to capture an image of light scattered by a pen intersecting the sheet. This imposes an image capture and processing delay greater than the shutter speed, for example greater than 1/60 of a second. In addition, for this type of system a pen is invisible if it is hovering just above the sheet of light. A similar effect can occur, for example, when writing, when the scattered light from a pen (the 'blob' in the image captured by a camera of the scattered light) disappears and reappears during the writing process. A touch detection system may incorporate a touch tracking process such as a tracking filter, and it would be useful for such a process to maintain an approximate location for a pen even when the pen was not breaking the light sheet.
Further issues arise when multiple pens are used simultaneously, and/or when one or more of the light scattering regions in a touch image is not a pen but a finger. More particularly, it is useful to be able to identify individual pens during use, in particular when intersecting the light sheet, that is when not 'hovering', so that different pens can be given different functions, for example different colors. We have previously described techniques which enable a user to 'write' on a touch sensitive surface with different color pens (ibid), but nonetheless improvements are desirable.


A method for resolving sub-carrier ambiguities of a total number of tracking channels of a binary offset carrier (BOC) navigation signal is provided. For a simultaneously considered subset of at least four tracking channels, a set of sub-carrier candidate ambiguities is determined based on the sub-carrier modulation. Position and receiver clock error are calculated for each possible combination of sub-carrier ambiguities. Predicted delays are calculated based on each calculated position and receiver clock error. Differences between the predicted delays and the delay candidates originating from each specific combination of subcarrier ambiguities are calculated. A residual is calculated based on the differences and the set of sub-carrier ambiguities and the corresponding position and receiver clock error leading to the smallest residual are selected.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method for resolving sub-carrier ambiguities of a total number of tracking channels of a binary offset carrier (BOC) navigation signal comprising a carrier modulated by a code modulation function of a given code rate and further modulated by a sub-carrier modulation function of a given sub-carrier rate. For each channel, the method comprises the steps of generating a first estimate of delay based on the code modulation and generating a second estimate of delay based on the sub-carrier modulation.
In a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), a receiver estimates delays in the navigation signals received from different satellites and uses this information, combined with information on the position of the satellites, to estimate its position. The more accurate the estimation of the delays is, the more accurately the receiver can estimate its position.
In current GNSS systems, navigation signals transmitted by the satellites are modulated using a phase shift keying (PSK) modulation of a code onto a carrier signal having a designated carrier frequency. In next generation GNSS systems, like the Galileo system or an improved American global positioning system (GPS), binary offset carrier (BOC) modulations will be used. Like PSK modulation, BOC modulation involves modulating a code onto a carrier. This code is similar to that used in PSK modulation. However, BOC modulation involves further modulating the signal by a sub-carrier which can be represented by a sub-carrier modulation function having a sub-carrier rate and a sub-chip duration. Consequently, a BOC signal consists of a carrier, modulated with a pseudo random noise (PRN) code, and additionally modulated with a binary sub-carrier.
An auto correlation function of a BOC signal shows multiple peaks, as illustrated in FIG. 1 for a BOC (15, 2.5) signal. As known to the person skilled in the art the first parameter (here: 15) of the BOC signal indicates the subcarrier rate whereas the second parameter (here: 2.5) of the BOC signal indicates the code rate. If a receiver uses early (E) and late (L) replicas for code tracking consisting of a respective PRN code modulated with the sub-carrier, a tracking loop can settle on a sidepeak of the correlation function which introduces a bias in the delay estimate. In case of a BOC (15, 2.5) signal the bias is approximately 9.7 m. In case of a BOC (10, 5) signal, the bias is approximately 14.7 m. Obviously, this bias directly translates into a position error which is highly undesirable.
Different techniques have been proposed to overcome this problem, for example Bump Jumping or Sub-carrier Cancellation (SCC).
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0104046 A1 discloses an approach for BOC signal tracking, which is called Double Estimator technique. The entire disclosure of this Patent Application Publication is herein expressly incorporated by reference. While a tracking loop of a conventional receiver includes two loops for carrier and code tracking, a Double Estimator includes three independent but cooperative loops for the carrier, the sub-carrier and code. A simplified block diagram of a Double Estimator tracking loop is shown in FIG. 2. For clarity, complex signals are used in this representation. An input signal s(t) is mixed with a carrier, generated by a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) 10. The mixed signal splits up in three branches and is mixed with an early (E), a prompt (P) and a late (L) subcarrier replica, respectively, which are generated by a sub-carrier NCO 12. Next, the signals that were mixed with the early and late subcarrier are mixed with a prompt code replica, the signal that was mixed with the prompt subcarrier is split up in three branches and mixed with an early, a prompt and a late code replica. All code replicas are generated by a code NCO 14. The resulting signals are fed to respective adders connected to discriminators and loop filters 16. The discriminators and loop filters 16 are connected to the NCOs 10, 12, 14.
The Double Estimator of US 2010/0104046 A1 provides two independent delay estimates, one from code tracking, τ, and one from sub-carrier tracking, τ*. The code tracking delay estimate τ is less accurate while the sub-carrier tracking delay estimate τ* is ambiguous with the sub-carrier chip duration Ts. A final delay estimate is calculated by resolving the sub-carrier delay ambiguity using a less accurate code delay estimate as follows:τi+=τi*+TS·Ni.
Ni denotes the sub-carrier ambiguity for a tracking channel i, obtained as follows:
      N    i    =      round              (                                    τ            i                    -                      τ            i            *                                    T          S                    )
However, depending on multipath, dynamics and tracking loop bandwidths, the above rounding operation can fail to resolve the sub-carrier ambiguity correctly which leads again to a bias in the final delay estimate.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention involve a method providing a more accurate way for resolving sub-carrier ambiguities of tracking channels of a binary offset carrier (BOC) navigation signal.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention involve a method for resolving sub-carrier ambiguities of a total number of tracking channels of a binary offset carrier (BOC) navigation signal comprising a carrier modulated by a code modulation function of a given code rate and further modulated by a sub-carrier modulation function of a given sub-carrier rate, for each channel comprising the steps of generating a first estimate of delay based on the code modulation, and generating a second estimate of delay based on the sub-carrier modulation.
According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the method involves, for a simultaneously considered subset of at least four tracking channels, determining a set of sub-carrier candidate ambiguities based on the sub-carrier modulation; calculating for each possible combination of sub-carrier ambiguities position and receiver clock error; calculating predicted delays based on each calculated position and receiver clock error; calculating differences between the predicted delays and the delay candidates originating from each specific combination of subcarrier ambiguities; calculating a residual based on the differences; and selecting the set of sub-carrier ambiguities and the corresponding position and receiver clock error which leads to the smallest residual.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method of jointly resolving the sub-carrier ambiguity for a number of tracking channels and calculating a position and time solution which is more robust with respect to dynamics and multipath than the code-based rounding operation described previously which is applied independently for each channel. Compared to solutions where each tracking channel resolves a sub-carrier ambiguity independent from the other channels, the method provides a solution where the probability for a false sub-carrier ambiguity resolution, and in consequence for a bias position and clock estimate, is smaller.
According to a preferred embodiment the step of calculating a residual comprises squaring and summing the differences between the predicted delays and the delay candidates, providing the residual for a specific combination of sub-carrier ambiguities.
According to a further preferred embodiment ki residuals are calculated with k being the number of ambiguities and i being the number of channels.
It is further preferred when the subset of considered tracking channels comprises a good geometric dilution of precision (GDOP). Especially, for the remaining channels the predicted delays are calculated using the calculated position and receiver clock error. "Remaining channels" are those channels of the total number of tracking channels that are not considered in the subset of tracking channels.
In a further preferred embodiment the sub-carrier ambiguities for the remaining channels are obtained using the calculated predicted delays {circumflex over (τ)}i for the remaining tracking channels. Preferably, the sub-carrier ambiguities for the remaining channels are obtained by:
      N    i    =            round                    (                                                            τ                ^                            i                        -                          τ              i              *                                            T            S                          )              .
Alternatively, the sub-carrier ambiguities are obtained using Real-Time Kinematic-technology for carrier phase ambiguity fixing.
In a further preferred embodiment all tracking channels are considered simultaneously.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for resolving sub-carrier ambiguities of a number of tracking channels of a navigation signal


A thermostat resists tampering by including a hidden mechanism for switching from a limit setting mode to an operation mode. In some embodiments, the switching mechanism is in the form of a tamper proof switch or jumper on the thermostat's circuit board. The switching mechanism can be hidden from a potential non-administrative user and can be located on the circuit board of the thermostat, as opposed to on the external housing. While the switching mechanism is in limit setting mode, the limits of the thermostat's temperature range can be adjusted. Once these limits have been set, the adjuster can move the switching mechanism to operation mode, and the thermostat will now be able to maintain temperatures within the new limit settings.

Most residential and commercial properties have at least one thermostat managing some form of a temperature maintenance system. These systems help keep occupants and stored material in a comfortable environment.
The laws of thermodynamics dictate that temperature maintenance systems require more energy to maintain temperatures which are further from the ambient temperature of the surrounding environment. For instance, it takes less energy, and as a result, is less expensive to heat a house to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter than to keep the same house at 75 degrees. Similarly, it is less expensive to cool the same house to 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer than to cool the house down to 72 degrees. In order to limit the costs of providing a comfortable environment within a temperature maintenance controlled building, measures are often taken to set limits on temperature ranges available for selection on a thermostat.
In addition, there are instances where occupants (such as those residing in hospitals, assist living, or nursing homes) need to be protected from setting the temperature maintenance system either too high or too low, regardless of economic efficiency.
Modern thermostats are often controlled by a plurality of "hard" and "soft" buttons. Soft buttons are touch sensitive areas on screens, and the functions of these soft buttons vary depending on the display of the screens. Hard buttons are traditional mechanical switches and buttons. Thermostats can have a variety soft and/or hard buttons having different functions. Often these buttons take the form of a "+" and a "−" system of buttons for adjusting the room temperature up or down.
These controls are sufficient to regulate the function of the thermostat, however they allow anyone with access to them to have complete control over the thermostat's settings. This allows anyone with access to the thermostat to adjust it outside of a cost effective operating temperature range, driving up the costs to heat or cool the environment and/or putting undesired stress on the temperature maintenance system. It also allows anyone with access to the thermostat, such as nursing home residents, to adjust it outside of a medically safe temperature range. The medically safe temperature range can differ from a cost effective operating temperature range.
Often it is desired that certain individuals such as tenants, college students living in dorms, and/or travelers at hotels who have no incentive or limited ability to keep the thermostat set at a cost effective range, be limited to the cost effective range. These individuals can be referred to as non-administrative users.
Similarly, it is desired that certain individuals such as hospital and/or nursing home residents who, for medical reasons be unable to set their thermostat at a safe operating range, be limited to a medically safe temperature range. These individuals can also be referred to as non-administrative users.
There have been many proposed solutions to the problem of allowing anyone with access to the thermostat to adjust it outside of a particular operating temperature range. One solution has been to require a security code to set the upper and lower limits of the thermostat's possible operating range. However, individuals can often find these codes online and/or hack the system, thus defeating the purpose of the tamper proof thermostat.
Another proposed solution involves permanently fixing the temperature range of the thermostat by having limitations on temperature within the circuit itself, which cannot be overridden. However, this solution offers no degree of flexibility if someone with the proper authority (for example a landlord or maintenance person) desires to alter these limits. Instead they would be required to purchase a whole new unit with the desired operating range.
There is a need for a tamper resistant thermostat which unauthorized individuals cannot easily override, and qualified personnel have the capability to limit as desired.

Tamper resistant thermostat having hidden limit adjustment capabilities


Methods and apparatus described herein provide for a knotless suture anchor that captures and secures a suture by pinching on an inserted suture with a flexible element disposed within the knotless suture anchors body. The knotless suture anchor has an integrated flexible element that is formed as a plastic part within the knotless suture anchor's body. The free end of the flexible element terminates near a suture eyelet and can be compressed by a driver rod that is inserted into the knotless suture anchor to allow for insertion of a suture. With the flexible element compressed by the driver rod, the suture can be passed through the eyelet(s). When the driver rod is withdrawn, the flexible element expands thereby pinching the suture against the eyelet(s). If the driver rod is reinserted, the flexible element is recompressed and the suture can thereby be released or adjusted.

Suture anchors are generally comprised of the following basic parts: an anchor, an eyelet and a suture. The anchor is the portion that can be inserted into the bone. The anchor may be a screw mechanism and made of metal or biodegradable material that can dissolve in the body over time. The eyelet is a hole or a loop in the anchor to through which the suture passes thereby linking the anchor to the suture. Conventional suture anchors secure a suture by securing the suture by an internal screw plug, capturing the suture via friction between a bone tunnel and an implant and capturing the suture through one-way slip knots.


A balancing jacket for scuba divers includes at least two valves for discharge of air. All the valves are connected to a pneumatic-control pipe, and preferably at least one of the valves is located in the bottom part of the balancing jacket and at least one in the top part. The air-discharge valves are air valves of the open-close type with spring-operated return combined with non-return valves to prevent any entry of water into the jacket.

The present invention refers to a system for the pneumatic opening of the valves for discharging air present in balancing jackets.
Balancing jackets for scuba divers have the purpose of enabling stable positioning of the diver at the desired depth. This is obtained by regulating the air contained inside the bag. In fact, if the diver wants to remain stable at a certain depth, he discharges some of the air from the jacket by operating a discharge valve until the desired amount of fluid remains inside the bag. Generally this valve is located in the top part of the balancing jacket, and thus enables discharge of air only when the diver is in a vertical position with his head at a higher depth than his feet. This therefore constitutes a limitation; in fact, if the diver has his head higher than his legs, as for instance, in the case where he is carrying out speleology, the valve can no longer discharge the air because it is in the part of the balancing jacket that is at the greater depth, and consequently in the part where there is no air since the jacket is generally not completely inflated.
Furthermore, balancing jackets are known which are provided with two valves for discharging air, located at the top of the jacket. However, these valves must be operated individually, and this, in the case, for example, of fast ascent, is not always convenient.
Consequently, the main aim of the present invention is to provide a system of pneumatic opening of valves for discharging air which carries out opening of all the discharge valves of the jacket by operating a single control element.
In the specific case where the two discharge valves are both located in just one part of the balancing jacket, the advantage is obtained of a faster discharge of the air from the jacket.
Instead, in the case where the balancing jacket contains one (or more) discharge valves located in the top part and one or more discharge valves located in the bottom part, all connected to the air-discharge system, when the single discharge control is operated, which is generally a push-button, the user is sure that at least one valve will discharge, whatever his position may be. At the same time he must be also sure that through the valve or valves that cannot discharge air, water may not get in through them.
To overcome this problem, according to the invention the air-discharge valves are combined with one way valves, so that if any air is present, it goes out, whereas water cannot get inside in any case.

Balancing jacket with a plurality of connected discharge valves for scuba divers


A method and an apparatus are disclosed which are simplified in their constitution and capable of forming a strip material 58 that is inexpensive and yet of high quality by joining one on the other first and second strips 25, 41 shifted from each other in the lengthwise direction. During the joining the second strip 41 with the first strip 25, the second strip 41 is pulled by the transfer conveyor 11 and thereby drawn from the supporting means 42 and then fed to the transfer conveyor 11, and by virtue of this, the feed rate of the second strip 41 is identical to the traveling speed of the transfer conveyor 11 (the transfer speed of the first strip 25), thus leading to enhanced quality of the resulting strip material 58. In addition, since the transfer means 51 and the transfer conveyor 11 are required to be controlled only in timing of actuation, a controlling means therefor may be simple.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preparing a strip material by joining two strips one on the other with the strips shifted each other in the lengthwise direction, and an apparatus for the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a conventional apparatus for preparing a strip material, for example, there has been known one disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No.078736/1988. This apparatus comprises a first conveyor extending in the longitudinal direction and capable of transferring a first strip forward while supporting the first strip from the lower side, a second conveyor located directly above the first conveyor and extending in the longitudinal direction and capable of transferring a second strip forward while supporting the second strip from the lower side, and a controlling means for joining the first and second strips one on the other to form a strip material with the strips shifted each other in the lengthwise direction by a predetermined amount by controlling operations of the first and second conveyors separately or synchronously. To form a strip material by means of such an apparatus, only the second conveyor is first actuated to transfer the second strip forward, and when the forward end of the second strip is transferred to a predetermined position, the first conveyor is caused to travel by the controlling means at the same speed and in the same direction as the second conveyor. Thus, the second strip and the first strip meet together at a joining position on the first conveyor with the strips shifted each other in the lengthwise direction by a predetermined amount and they are joined at the joining position one on the other to form a strip material.
In such a conventional method or apparatus for preparing a strip material, however, the feed rates of the first and second strips are straightforwardly determined by the traveling speeds of the first and second conveyors, respectively. Accordingly, if inequality is caused between the first and second conveyors in traveling speed even in an extremely slight degree, the second strip is joined with the first strip while being tensed or contracted. As a result, excess or shortage is caused in the length of the second strip at the time of completion of the joining, leading to a problem that quality of the resulting strip material is impaired. Further, it is required, on one hand, for providing the shift to cause the first and second conveyors to travel separately, and on the other hand, for joining the strips one on the other to cause the first and second conveyors to travel simultaneously at the same speed in the same direction. Accordingly, a special control device is required for controlling the travels of the first and second conveyors, thereby causing problems of complicated constitution and diseconomy.

Method and apparatus for preparing strip material


An example method for performing pulse oximetry can commence with receiving at least three light signals of three different wavelengths reflected from a human tissue. The human tissue includes a pulsatile tissue and a non-pulsatile tissue. Based on the three light signals, values of at least three functions are determined. The three functions are invariant to an oxygen saturation in the pulsatile tissue and depend on location of a sensor operable to detect the three light signals and pressure of the sensor on the human tissue. Based on the values of the three functions, non-pulsatile components are analyzed for intensities of a red light signal and infrared light signal reflected from the human tissue. The non-pulsated components are removed from the intensities to allow correct estimates of a ratio of the absorption coefficients, with the ratio being used to determine the oxygen saturation in the pulsatile tissue.

It should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Pulse oximetry is a method for estimating blood oxygen saturation by utilizing specialized light sources and optical sensors. Tuned light wavelengths are either transmitted through or reflected from a human tissue and are used to estimate a relative proportion of oxygenated blood. This estimated oxygen saturation, termed SpO2, strongly correlates to arterial blood oxygen saturation. One of the advantages of pulse oximetry over other methods of determining oxygen saturation, such as blood sampling, is that the pulse oximetry is non-invasive, minimally intrusive, generally not painful, portable if it needs to be, and provides for continuous readings.
For a healthy human at normal altitudes, SpO2 is typically 95% or above, with 90% or below indicating hypoxemia, and sustained periods of 80% or below possibly indicating serious medical complications. SpO2 can reflect statuses of individuals suffering from various clinical disorders such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or asthma, whether in a stable chronic condition or during an acute phase. Pulse oximetry is also useful in neonatal monitoring, surgical monitoring, or status evaluation when the possibility of oxygen depletion must be considered (pilot monitoring, deep sea diving, and so forth).
Certain clinical conditions can interfere with either the accuracy of pulse oximetry or affect interpretation of results. Diseases which affect peripheral circulation can make the SpO2 an inaccurate estimate of arterial oxygenation. For example, anemia impedes utilization of blood oxygen regardless of the saturation level.
Human activity and behavior can also affect results of the pulse oximetry measurements. Movement of the sensor used in pulse oximetry can interfere with signal acquisition. Temperature changes can affect blood flow to the area being monitored with the sensor. Sweating can affect optical quality. Smoking can increase carbon monoxide which competes with oxygen to bind hemoglobin and can confuse most systems. Contrast dye injections can interfere with blood optical qualities.
Pulse oximetry depends on differences in light absorbance characteristics of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyhemoglobin) and non-oxygenated hemoglobin (deoxyhemoglobin). The former absorbs light at about 660 nm (in the visible red range) and the latter absorbs light at about 940 nm (infrared). Both light signals, whether reflected or transmitted, fluctuate with the arterial pulse. The resulting signals, photoplethysmograms (PPGs), can indicate volume changes due to blood flow. Pulse oximetry utilizes the intensity change (light signal fluctuation at each heartbeat) for each wavelength to eliminate the confounding optical effects of other tissues (which remain constant). SpO2 can be estimated using the Beer-Lambert Law, which relates to light absorbance due to the concentration of a substance in media, and empirically-derived reference curves from blood samples of hypoxic volunteers, based on the ratio of these changes in each wavelength (delta 660 nm/delta 940 nm), although other complex factors are often included in the calculations.
Typically, the light sources are light-emitting diodes (LEDs) optimized for output at each of the target wavelengths. A single optical sensor (often a photodiode) may be used for both. Each LED can be activated separately, and accompanied by a "dark" period where neither is on (to obtain ambient light levels). The sensor records light transmitted or reflected for each LED. The obtained signals can be processed in real time or offline.
The sensors can be utilized in either a transmission or a reflectance mode. In the transmission mode, the sensor is typically attached or clipped to a translucent body part (finger, toe, earlobe, and so forth). The LED light sources can be positioned on one side of a body part and the sensor can be positioned on the directly opposite side. The light passes through the entirety of the body part, from one side to the other, and is thus modulated by the pulsating arterial blood flow. In the reflectance mode, the light source and the sensor are on the same side of the body part (e.g. a forehead, finger, and wrist), and the light is reflected from the skin and the underlying near-surface tissues back to the sensor.
Despite the conceptually different optical paths in the reflectance pulse oximetry and transmission pulse oximetry, conventional transmission type signal processing can be used for determining of oxygen saturation. However, the sensor part may need to be adapted to enhance the reflectance signal and the usage of a transmission model for reflectance analysis can result in unstable and erroneous SpO2 estimates.
Continued monitoring of chronic outpatients can be greatly enhanced by accurate SpO2 measurements. A reflectance device can be worn on body parts such as a wrist or an ankle and would impose minimal burden on normal activities. Thus, developing reliable reflectance oximetry devices based on a specific light reflectance model holds great promise for outpatients suffering from chronic diseases.

Using invariant factors for pulse oximetry


A system and method of controlling surrounding devices, based on a topology are provided. The method of controlling sub surrounding devices, which is performed by a main surrounding device, includes receiving a plurality of pieces of surrounding device information about the sub surrounding devices from a host device; receiving context information about a context of the host device from the host device; obtaining topology setting information about topology configuration standards; determining a sub surrounding device to be comprised in a topology from among the sub surrounding devices, based on the context information and the topology setting information; connecting the main surrounding device with the host device and the sub surrounding device; and controlling the sub surrounding device, based on control information received from the host device.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to the controlling of surrounding devices based on a topology that is configured according to a context of a host device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to improvements in the performance of a device and its surrounding devices, the device and the surrounding devices may provide various functions. Also, due to improvements in communication technologies, the device and the surrounding devices may be connected to each other according to various topologies. Also, according to a connection relation among the device and the surrounding devices, the device and the surrounding devices may selectively perform some functions from among the various functions.
Thus, according to a context of the device, the device and appropriate surrounding devices from among the surrounding devices are required to configure a topology, and the device and the surrounding devices are required to be effectively connected to each other. Furthermore, there is a demand for a technique that allows the device and the surrounding devices included in the topology to effectively control each other.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method of controlling surrounding devices, based on topology


Technologies for dynamically protecting memory of the mobile compute device include a main memory, a location sensor that produces sensor data indicative of a present location of the mobile compute device, a sensor hub communicatively coupled to the location sensor, and a security engine communicatively coupled to the sensor hub. The sensor hub determines a present location security zone of the mobile compute device based on the present location of the mobile compute device and a geofence policy, which maps locations to location security zones. The security engine encrypts the main memory of the mobile compute device and determines whether the present location security zone has changed relative to a most-previous location security zone of the mobile compute device. If the present location security zone has changed to a safe zone, the security engine decrypts the main memory.

Data theft on mobile compute devices is becoming a growing concern for many companies and users. There are numerous ways in which systems, such as hardware systems and software systems, of mobile compute devices can be exploited by hardware and software attacks, such as by malicious computer programs that are received over the Internet or other communication networks. For example, low-cost cold-boot and side-channel attacks have been demonstrated as capable of stealing valuable information stored in the memory of mobile compute devices, such as hard-drive encryption keys, personal data, and intellectual property.
To protect the memory of mobile compute device from physical attacks, new technologies like Total Memory Encryption (TME) has been developed. In such technologies, all data directed to off-chip memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and non-volatile random access memory (RAM), is encrypted. To provide full security, the entire memory range of the main memory of the mobile compute device is encrypted at all times. However, such encryption strategies can have a negative impact to the overall performance and/or user experience of the mobile compute device.

Technologies for dynamically protecting memory of mobile compute device with geofencing


Vessel for storing a fluid under pressure, such as a gas storage vessel, of the type comprising an internal casing surrounded by an external hooping. The internal casing has symmetry about a longitudinal axis, a central pipe section and two extremity portions, and at least one of the extremity portions protruding outwardly. The hooping is of reinforcing fibers coated with a thermoplastic of thermosetting binder, and opposite the pipe section the hooping has at least one layer of fibers, known as longitudinal fibers, having a flat winding pattern and a winding angle as small as possible, so as to allow a boss, centered on the longitudinal axis of the protruded extremity, to be uncovered with fibers. Further, the hooping has at least one layer of fibers, known as circumferential fibers, having an almost 90.degree. winding angle. Moreover, the pipe section further comprises at least one layer of fibers having a winding pattern that is either flat or helical with a winding angle (.alpha..sub.n) of between the angle (.alpha.) of the longitudinal fibers and 90.degree..

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns vessels for storing fluid under pressure and more particularly, but not exclusively, vessels of the bottle type for storing gas, such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, used in various industrial areas.
More specifically, the invention further concerns bottles of the type comprising an internal casing with a form that is symmetric about a longitudinal axis and having a cylindrical portion or pipe section and two extremity portions, one extremity portion protruding outwardly, and further the internal casing is surrounded by a hooping of reinforcing fiber windings coated with a suitable binder.
2. Discussion of Background Information
When such vessels break, this generally occurs along the pipe section of the casing which opens suddenly. This occurs usually when the vessel contains a gas under high pressure. Such a rupture may cause the release of dangerous metal fragments which pose a threat to persons located nearby. Moreover, a recent official standard further imposes that this type of vessel is required to satisfy an under pressure rupture test. Moreover, the results of the test must produce a rupture without fragmentation of the internal casing of the vessel.

Vessel for storing fluid under pressure able to undergo rupture without fragmentation

Societe Anonyme Dite Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle


A developing apparatus having: a developing roll for carrying a developing agent, a stirring chamber for feeding the developing agent, and a partition board arranged upright therebetween along the length of the developing roll within a space which the magnetic force of the developing roll can reach. Accordingly, the charged amounts of the developing agent can be kept substantially uniform within the developing apparatus to allow recorded images whose densities are uniform and satisfactory to be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to developing apparatuses which develop latent electrostatic images for various recording apparatuses such as xerographic copying machines and laser printers. More particularly, it is directed to a developing apparatus which develops latent electrostatic images using a developing agent consisting of a single magnetic component.
2. Related Art
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a developing apparatus of such type as using a single-component developing agent consisting solely of magnetic toner. Specifically, such a developing apparatus includes: a plurality of magnets fixed within a rotatable cylindrical sleeve; a developing agent carrying body b which rotates while attracting a developing agent, or toner T, on the sleeve (hereinafter referred to as "developing roll"); a blade c which forms the toner T into a thin layer by being in pressure contact with the developing roll b, and frictionally charges the toner T; a toner stirring chamber e disposed along the length of the developing roll b (hereinafter referred to as "stirring chamber"); and a toner delivering/feeding member f disposed in parallel to the developing roll b within the stirring chamber e.
In the developing apparatus thus constructed., the toner T is delivered from the stirring chamber e to a developing region facing a latent electrostatic image carrying body d by being attracted by the developing roll b so that a latent electrostatic image will be developed into a permanent image. Part of the toner T which has not contributed to the development is delivered back into the developing apparatus in association with rotation of the developing roll b, separated from the developing roll b, and returned to the stirring chamber e.
The developing apparatus thus constructed replenishes the toner T to the stirring chamber e as shown in FIG. 9. That is, after being dropped into an end of the stirring chamber e from a toner box a located at an upper position of the developing apparatus, the toner T is delivered to the other end of the stirring chamber e by the toner delivering/feeding member f and uniformly distributed over the stirring chamber e.
In delivering the toner from one end to the other of the stirring chamber, the toner is distributed uniformly over the stirring chamber by repeating the development cycle described above. In other words, the toner delivered to the stirring chamber advances toward the opposite end of the stirring chamber while moving from the stirring chamber to the developing region and back to the stirring chamber.
However, such an arrangement results in the following inconveniences. Since the toner is rubbed on the blade many times as it advances along the stirring chamber, part of the toner which is at the back in the toner delivery direction is excessively loaded compared with the toner which is in the front, and this causes an additive (such as silica) which is externally added to the toner to adjust charging amounts is blended into the toner or separated from the toner. As a result, the excessively loaded toner is deposited heavily at the back of the stirring chamber, charging such toner less intensely than that in the front. This causes the problem of reducing the densities in part of a recording image developed with such toner.
It should be noted that this problem is not unique to developing apparatuses of such type that toner is pressed and subjected to frictional charging using a blade. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, even in a developing apparatus of such type that toner T which has been frictionally charged by stirring is formed into a layer of a predetermined thickness by a noncontact type trimming member g, the toner T is likewise loaded at stirring or at toner layer forming, thereby suffering from the same problem.

Developing apparatus including a partition between a developing roll and a stirring member


A toothbrush is provided having two housing sections (1, 2) which are pivotable relative to one another, of which a first housing section (1) serves as a handle and accommodates a drive unit (4) for driving a drive shaft (5), and of which a second housing section (2) carries a brush-head (3), which is drivable by the drive shaft, which second housing section (2) is pivotable relative to the drive shaft (5) about a pivot (6). To warn the user against an excessive brushing pressure the toothbrush has a spring device with at least one spring (14) which acts between the second housing section (2) and the drive shaft (5), the second housing section (2) being pivotable relative to the first housing section (1) about the pivot (6) against a pressure exerted by the spring (14) during use of the toothbrush, which spring snaps when a given pressure threshold is exceeded and which pivot is disposed in the second housing section and also forms at least a part of a mechanical coupling between the drive shaft and the second housing section.

Such a toothbrush is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,684.
This known toothbrush comprises a rotatable brush having a brush shaft pivotably connected to a drive shaft by means of a universal joint, the drive shaft being situated in a first housing section. The brush shaft is enclosed by a second housing section, which projects into the first housing section. A switching spring is arranged between the housing sections to turn on the motor when the second housing section is pivoted relative to the first housing section during use.
The force with which the brush is pushed against the teeth is important for a proper cleaning action. To remove dental plaque a certain pressure must be applied. However, the brushing pressure should not be too high because the brush also comes into contact with, for example, the gums and the tooth necks during brushing. The tooth brush in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,684 does not provide such protection.


A communications device for generating a key for use as a shared secret in communications with another communications device is provided. Each of the communications devices comprises a sensor array for measuring a spatially-varying magnetic field originating from a first spatially-varying density of metallic particles comprised in a first battery, when subjected to an excitation magnetic field, and processing means operative to acquire a set of values from the sensor array, which set of values represents the spatially-varying magnetic field, and to derive the key from the set of values. The excitation magnetic field is generated by a magnetic-field generator comprised in one of the communications devices. Thereby, the two communications devices may, when in proximity, generate identical keys by probing the spatially-varying density of metallic particles comprised in the first battery.

Many applications of communications devices require secure communications to exchange data with one or more other communications devices or a communications network. In the present context, a communications device is an electronic device capable of effecting communications using a wired or wireless technology in combination with one or more suitable communication protocols.
A first example is to exchange a document, a message, an email, or an image, between a first mobile terminal, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a User Equipment (UE), a tablet, or a laptop, and a second mobile terminal. A second example is Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications between a mobile terminal and a sensor or actuator. A third example is the communication between a mobile terminal and a payment terminal for effecting a financial transaction at a point-of-sale.
Encryption may be used to provide a certain level of security for data and messages transmitted between two or more communications devices, or a communications device and a communications network. Several encryption schemes, in particular symmetric schemes, are based on the availability of a shared secret, i.e., information such as a bit string or a string of symbols which is shared between, and only available to, the communications devices which are engaged in a communications sessions. Such a shared secret may be generated in software or hardware at one communications device, or at a separate network entity, and distributed to the other communications devices. The process of sharing the secret is not straightforward and is vulnerable to attacks. For instance, the shared secret may be revealed as a result of eavesdropping, man-in-the-middle attacks, or the like.

Generating a key for use as a shared secret


A dildo with adjustable girth is provided through a construction including a base, dilating mechanisms, and an elastic membrane which is fit over the dilating mechanisms. The dilating mechanisms are formed from a shaft, lateral bracing supports, and a drive mechanism. The lateral bracing supports are connected along the shaft, forming an inner structure for the elastic membrane. The drive mechanism, when activated, causes the shaft to rotate, which in turn causes the lateral bracing supports to press against and expand the elastic membrane. Preferably, two dilating mechanisms are provided in order to evenly expand the dildo to each side. The drive mechanisms can be either electrically operated (for example a corded input or an internal battery powering a motor) or manually operated (for example a user manually turning a handle to rotate the shaft). An articulated shaft can also be added to allow for bending of the dildo.

Sex toys are popular with many people to enhance sexual experiences. Many sex toys are provided for use individually or with one or more partners. There exist a wide range of applications for sex toys; for example, many people utilize specialized outfits, paddles, or dildos. The present invention addresses the latter example, seeking to provide an improved dildo. Dildos are commonly used for insertion into an orifice, most commonly the vaginal cavity or anal cavity. Dildos are currently provided with a variety of features to enhance the user experience. One such feature is the ability to adjust the dimensions (e.g. "girth") of the dildo. The present invention seeks to provide an improved means to accomplish this, utilizing a rotating system that effectively contracts or expands the dildo.