Method and apparatus for the production of a plurality of uniform expansions of a tube in a plurality of tube supports simultaneously. A plurality of tubes are expanded in apertures of tube supports in a repetitive manner, each tube being expanded into the plurality of tube supports simultaneously. The tube expander assembly, when positioned such that each bladder is centered on each land of the tube support surrounding the tube, will precisely control the degree (magnitude) of expansion of each tube against the tube support aperture by controlling the amount of applied hydraulic pressure applied to expandable bladders. The method and apparatus can also be used to expand a tube into the apertures of the tube sheet. This operation can be accomplished without removing the tube expander assembly from the tube. Ideally, the operation is accomplished simultaneously, but may be accomplished in sequential pressurizations.

The present invention is used to expand tubing used in chillers. Chillers are a component of a refrigeration system typically being of a shell-and-tube design, the shell typically comprised of steel and the tubes being comprised, of copper or copper alloy. Chillers are used for large industrial process cooling and commercial air conditioning. The chiller comprises a plurality of tubes, from a few tubes to a few thousand tubes, depending upon the capacity of the refrigeration system, extending through the shell structure. The shell structure has a longitudinal axis and a head at either end of the shell structure. The heads typically act as manifolds for a fluid. The tubes extend through the shell structure generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell structure. Within the shell structure, the tubes extend between tube sheets in the heads. The tube sheets include a plurality of apertures into which the tubes are inserted. The tubes are plastically deformed by expansion into the tube sheet structure to form an extremely tight joint to prevent a first fluid flowing through the tubes from leaking around the joint and behind the tube sheet and mixing with a second fluid flowing over the tube bundle. The tight joint also prevents the second fluid from leaking across the joint and mixing with the first fluid flowing in the tubes. Although very uncommon in chiller applications, if a 100% leak-proof seal is demanded, a weld can be placed at the joint between the tube and the tube sheet.
The shell structure of the chiller can be of varying lengths, and therefore contains tube supports for the plurality of tubes at one or more locations along the length between the tube sheets. The tube supports include a plurality of tube apertures into which the tubes are inserted to form a tube bundle. Tube supports are axially located along the tubes, providing them with support and the problem of leakage across the joint is not an issue unless the tube is cracked. Refrigerant fluid and water are the fluids typically used in these heat exchangers. One of these fluids flows through the tubes and exchanges heat with the other fluid flowing over the tubes. In some designs, water flows through the tubes and refrigerant flows over the tube bundle to accomplish heat exchange. In other designs, the refrigerant flows through the tubes and water flows over the tube bundle to accomplish heat exchange. For the purposes of this invention, the particular design is not important. However, it is important that in either design, the flow paths of the fluids remain independent so that mixing of the fluids is minimized or prevented. Depending upon the location of the chiller within the refrigeration cycle, the chiller may act as a condenser or as an evaporator. Again, the particular application is not important for this invention. It is important, however, that mixing of the two different fluids be minimized or prevented, while also providing support to the tubes in the chiller.
These tube supports provide mechanical support to the plurality of tubes and maintain their separation so they can be effective in providing heat transfer. During operation, to reduce any noise due to vibration of the tubes against the apertures in the tube support, it is necessary to secure the tube against the corresponding aperture in the tube support. This gap can also lead to damage to the tube during the life of the chiller. The damage can be the result of repeated vibration and fatigue. Alternatively, foreign materials, sometimes referred to as crud, can be trapped in the gap and can chemically attack the tube. Thus, it is desirable to close the gap in order to eliminate or reduce the vibration and prevent crud entrapment. The tube can be secured in the tube support by a variety of different methods that accomplish this purpose. Currently, this expansion is most economically performed by a tube rolling technique which mechanically expands the tube outer diameter against the circumference of the tube aperture in the tube support by permanent plastic deformation of the tube using a mandrel and a series of circumferential rollers. The rollers are forced against the tube by the mandrel which expands the tube. This mechanical action can thin the tube as the action of the rollers against the tube inner diameter can also remove material as the tube is expanded. This tube expansion ideally expands the tube outer diameter into contact with the circumference of the tube aperture in the tube support uniformly 360° about this circumference. Such ideal expansion is sometimes referred to as touch expansion. Not all expansions are ideal. On occasion, the tube can become highly distorted or upset along one or more arc segments of the aperture in the support plate so as to extremely hinder or prevent its removal, particularly if the location of the rollers with respect to the tube support is not carefully controlled. This undesirable expansion is sometimes referred to as an overexpansion, and is to be avoided when possible. The problems associated with tube rolling introduce into the tubes manufacturing variables that can lead to increased failure rates. Reliability can be improved if these variables are eliminated. In addition, tube rolling is accomplished by rolling each tube individually into each tube support.
Tube expansion of tubes in structures such as tube supports, tube sheets and baffles has been accomplished by an ideal expansion of the tube outer diameter against the inner diameter of such structures. The nuclear industry has accomplished this expansion in a controlled manner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,679 outlines apparatus for locating a tube in relation to a tube sheet, baffle or support plate in a nuclear reactor steam generator and then expanding the tube sheet against the support plate once it has been properly located. As can be appreciated, the proper location of the tube in relation to a related structure in a nuclear reactor is exceedingly important, as failure to properly expand the tube or expanding an improperly located tube can lead to premature tube failure, having disastrous consequences, including contamination of non-radioactive secondary water with radioactive primary water, which can lead to radioactive contamination of the entire secondary system, which is supposed to remain non-radioactive. To achieve the necessary degree of quality assurance and reliability demanded by the nuclear industry, this patent sets forth a combination of an eddy current probe and an expandable bladder-type probe. The probe is inserted into each tube in the steam generator and the location of the tube with respect to an individual tube support plate, baffle plate or tube sheet is determined to within three thousandths of an inch (0.003″). The expandable bladder is then activated and the tube is expanded. The probe is then moved to locate the next support plate, baffle plate or tube sheet. The eddy current probe can inspect the extent of the expansion of the tube into the apertures in the structure. As one may expect, this operation is expensive and time consuming, considering that a steam generator includes hundreds and even thousands of tubes with multiple supports, baffle plates and tube sheets. However, due to the criticality of the operations and the overriding concern with safety, this time consuming, costly operation is acceptable, while cost-savings improvements that do not provide at least the same reliability and safety are not acceptable, and indeed will not even be considered.
A related patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,493 which describes a similar apparatus for locating, inspecting and expanding a tube at a tube location adjacent to a support plate, baffle plate or tube sheet in a nuclear reactor steam generator. Again, because of the reliability and safety concerns in a nuclear reactor, each tube is expanded sequentially at each location as a precise determination is made of the location of the tube with respect to the related structure.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,046 to Schafer issued Aug. 11, 1998, incorporated herein by reference, sets forth apparatus for expanding a sleeve in multiple locations against a defective region of a tube to accomplish a tube repair in an application such as a nuclear reactor heat exchanger. The apparatus disclosed in the patent utilizes the eddy current detector to locate the location and size of the defect and a plurality of bladders to expand a single sleeve in a plurality of locations to secure the sleeve against the tube and to reduce the leak rate between the tube and the sleeve. The location of the sleeve with respect to the tube defect is the critical aspect of the Schafer invention, as the defect can be located at any position along the tube.
What is needed is apparatus that permits the simultaneous expansion of a tube at multiple locations along its length corresponding to the position of the aperture in the tube support. This expansion should both simultaneously expand the tube against the tube support apertures, while assuring reasonable accuracy of the location of the tube with respect to the tube support, but without requiring overly accurate determinations of the location of the tube with respect to the tube support. The apparatus should also produce ideal expansions to uniformly expand the outer diameter into contact with the circumference of the tube aperture.

Multiple bladder internal tube expansion and method


A semantic multilayer network is established, wherein a first layer in said semantic multilayer network including tag annotations, and a second layer in said semantic multilayer network including data structured by an ontology, are established and wherein the first layer and the second layer are connected. Thus, connecting of two entirely different worlds of the dynamic, emergent “social tagging” (e.g., web applications like Web 2.0) and of the regular “ontology engineering” (e.g. Semantic Web) data, dynamic data tag annotations and ontology, seen as too opposed or conflictive, therefore being treated separately and independently so far, becomes possible. Here, by utilizing advantages of both worlds, computer aided handling of large amounts of data, including e.g. processing, management, or querying of data, becomes considerably efficient and effective, wherein said data may be distributed in different areas, locations, or systems.

The present invention relates to a semantic multilayer network and to establishing of the semantic multilayer network. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for establishing the semantic multilayer network, to use of the semantic multilayer network in further applications, etc.
In everyday life, large amounts of data and information have to be managed. The large amounts of data are unimaginable without the use of computing devices adapted to deal with the data through the use of several concepts for data structuring and representation.
For this reason, data representation by use of "social tagging" or ontologies has been provided. Characteristics of dynamic "social tagging" and of ontologies established or provided by engineers have been so far incompatible.
A tag is a (relevant) keyword or term associated with or assigned to a piece of information or data (e.g., a picture, a geographic map, a blog entry, or a video clip), thus describing the item and enabling keyword-based classification and search of information. The piece of information or data may be associated with several tags and vice versa. Describing of information or data by appropriate tags is called tagging. In particular, as regards tagging, an end user extends and changes within a continuous development process a vocabulary of tags within an application. During this process, a network of tags is established.
While using tags in such an organizational system is flexible and easy, tagging is not without its drawbacks. Disadvantages of tagging are, for example, absence of conciseness and structure (e.g., semantics) within the vocabularies (called among others tag clouds). Sources of said disadvantages are, for example, erroneous spelling, use of singular vs. plural forms, compositions of words with different separators (e.g., "-", "_", or "."), abbreviations, synonyms, or multilingualism.
Further, typically there is no information about the meaning or semantics of a tag. This lack of semantic distinction in tags can lead to inappropriate connections between items. Additionally, selection and assigning of tags is a highly individualistic issue, as different people may use drastically different terms to describe the same concept, information, or data.
A further concept of knowledge representation in a computing device is ontology. An ontology is a data model that represents a set of concepts within a domain and the relationships between those concepts. It is used to reason automatically about the objects within that domain.
In the past or so far, an ontology was established and managed separately, i.e., out of application software or a package. In general, it is performed by use of tools for establishing or creating ontologies, wherein the tools are directed rather to experts of knowledge engineering than to end users.
Disadvantages of ontologies are, for example, the following facts: normally, ontologies may be created by knowledge engineers only; creation of ontologies requires especial ontology editors; creation of ontologies requires long time; and, due to high expenditure of time, the ontologies once created are adjusted or adapted only rarely.

Establishing of a semantic multilayer network


A combination of a paper holder and a paper punch consisting of a base, a paper clip, and a paper punch built into the paper clip. A "U" shaped steel spring is inserted into depressions in the base and held in place with projections formed in the base and a depression formed in the unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a clipboard and more specifically to a desk piece paper holder and a paper punch.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There are numerous products on the market for keeping papers attached to a backing board to be used as a portable note pad with removable sheets. One such clipboard consists of a pair of opposed metal parts including a base and a clip pivoted together and held in a closed position with a wire spring. The spring loaded clip is then fastened to the board with screws or rivets. When holes are needed in the paper, a separate paper punch must be located, the paper punched, and then filed.


A central part of an anti-buffet screen formed by a vertical pane is held in its operating position on a roll bar by at least one lower plug connection and by upper latch connections spaced apart from one another. The central part cannot be released from the roll bar until the spring-loaded latch levers of the latch connections are pivoted free.

The invention relates to an anti-buffet screen for a convertible.
Pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/709,676, filed Sep. 9, 1996, and based on unpublished German patent application DE 195 34 584.3, neither of which are prior art to the present application, teaches a multipartite anti-buffet screen for a convertible, said screen being fastenable to a fixed roll bar.
A central part of the anti-buffet screen, formed by an upright pane, is held in place on the roll bar by at least one plug connection and/or a latch connection.
A goal of the invention is to improve on the mounting of a central part of the anti-buffet screen in such fashion that the central part can be inserted from a seated position in simple fashion, while preventing inadvertent release of the central part from the roll bar, especially when driving.
According to the invention, this goal is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein the anti-buffet screen is composed of a central part and two side parts, with the side parts being inserted into openings of the upwardly projecting bar sections and the central part being inserted into a central section of the roll bar that is delimited by the upwardly projecting bar sections and a tubular section running transversely, wherein the central part of the anti-buffet screen is formed by a transparent vertical pane and is held in position by at least one lower plug connection and upper latch connections spaced apart from one another in the operating position of said screen on the roll bar, and wherein the central part can be released from the roll bar only after pivoting spring-loaded latch levers of the latch connections into a release position.
Primary advantages achieved by the invention consist in the fact that simple insertion and locking of the central part of the anti-buffet screen is provided by a lower plug connection and two upper latch connections. The spring-loaded latching levers of the releasable latch connections ensure that the central part can be removed only after the latching levers have been swiveled free manually. The lower plug connections secure the central part to the roll bar in a preliminary fashion. A subsequent forward pivoting motion automatically latches the central part to the clip brackets. This provides a high degree of security against improper use. The spring elements provided in the receptacles for the pins keep the mount from rattling. The clip bracket and the parts of the latch connection provided on the frame form a complete unit in terms of styling.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


The invention relates to a convertible roof for a vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to locking means comprising a traveller which is mounted in a guide rail that is solidly connected to a roof element. The system also comprises: first elastomeric means which are designed to return the aforementioned traveller to an unlocked position; push means which are controlled by the translational movement of a bolt which is mounted to a threaded part of a rod, in order to push the traveller into a locked position against the force of said first elastic means; and at least one locking pin which is mounted to the traveller or the guide rail, such as to co-operate with a complementary locking member when the traveller is in the locked position, said complementary locking member being solidly connected to an adjacent roof element or to the front or rear of the vehicle body.

The invention relates to a retractable roof for a vehicle, the retractable roof being made up of a plurality of rigid roof elements that are movable between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are stowed inside the rear trunk of the vehicle.
Such a retractable roof makes it possible to transform a vehicle of the sedan/saloon type or of the coupe type into a vehicle of the convertible/cabriolet type.
It is known, in particular from Document FR A 2 820 692, that a retractable roof for a vehicle can be made up of a plurality of rigid roof elements that are movable between a position in which they cover the passenger compartment of the vehicle and a position in which they are stowed inside the rear trunk of the vehicle, said roof elements being connected together and to the front and rear portions of the bodywork by locking means when they cover the passenger compartment, said locking means being controlled by a first rod driven in rotation by an electric motor, the first rod and the motor being received in a roof element.
In that document the motor drives the locking elements positively both during unlocking and during locking. That motor must therefore be of relatively high power.

Lock system for a convertible vehicle roof


A syringe assembly has a cylindrical hole extending between the inside and outside of the syringe body for attachably and detachably carrying a holding member that in turn carries a liquid flow tube (e.g., a needle or similar tube). The holding member seals with the syringe body and permits the flow tube to communicate between the inside and outside of the syringe body. The holding member has a main body that is axially insertable into the installing hole and can be axially pulled from the installing hole into the syringe body after the plunger is advanced to engage the holding member. An annular groove or a projection on the outside of the holding member fits with a corresponding projection or groove on the inner wall of the installing hole to seal the holding member to the syringe body along a plane perpendicular to the axis. The groove is narrower in the axial direction than the projection, producing an effective seal with a predetermined contact pressure which can be overcome when the holding member is drawn into the syringe body.

This invention relates to a syringe assembly, suitable for applying to a throwaway syringe assembly.
Since a patient's blood included pathogenic bacteria may adhere to a needle of a syringe assembly used, many throwaway syringe assemblies which are not reused, have been used for preventing secondary infection. As one of these throwaway syringe assemblies, various kinds of the syringe assembly of the needle pulling type, capable of dispose of in such a state that it is impossible to contact a needle from the outside by inserting the needle to which bloods or the like adhere after use into a syringe of the syringe assembly, have been proposed and used.
In this syringe assembly of the needle pulling type, generally, a predetermined needle holding member is attachably and detachably provided at the top end of a syringe body, and the needle can be connected with the needle holding member. That is, when the needle is pulled out into the syringe body, the needle holding member connected the needle therewith can be pulled out into the syringe body together with the needle. Therefore, the desire to this syringe assembly of this needle pulling type is that the installment and the releasement of the needle holding member to the syringe body is easily executed with small force, then the pulling operation of the needle is easily executed. On the other hand, as is basic functions that needle assemblies should fulfill, the needle holding member should be certainly fixed with the syringe body, and the portion between the syringe body and the needle holding member should be sealed when the needle holding member is installed in the syringe body.
As mentioned before, the desire to the syringe assembly of the needle pulling type is that the installment between the syringe body and the needle holding member is realized in such a manner that the needle holding member is certainly fixed with the syringe body, the sealing efficiency between the syringe body and the needle holding member is extremely improved, and the installment and the releasement of the needle holding member to the syringe body is extremely easily executed with small force.
In addition, the need to the syringe assembly of the needle pulling type is that the structure is extremely easy, then its assembly and operation is extremely easy.
An object of the present invention is to provide a syringe assembly to be applied to the syringe assembly of the needle pulling type, in which the installment between the syringe body and the needle holing member can be realized in such a state that the needle holding member is certainly fixed with the syringe body, the sealing efficiency between the syringe body and the needle holding member can be extremely improved, and the installment and the releasement of the needle holding member to the syringe body can be extremely easily executed with small force, and the whole structure of the syringe assembly is extremely easy, then its assembly and operation is extremely easy, taking the above-mentioned circumstances into consideration.


A method and circuit for trimming a current source packaged with a device can facilitate trimming of the current source without the need for additional pins or dual function pins, resulting in improved accuracy and/or simplified trimming techniques. An exemplary packaged device is configured with a trimming circuit comprising a current trimming network and a coupling circuit. An exemplary packaged device can comprise any op amp, current or voltage reference, and/or sensor device, and is configured with one or more monitor inputs. An exemplary current trimming network comprises a variable current source and a reference current source, wherein a magnitude of the variable current source can be compared to the magnitude of the reference current source. An exemplary coupling circuit is coupled between the current trimming network and the device and is configured for enabling and disabling connection of an output of the current trimming network and a monitor input of the device. During an exemplary trimming method, the variable current source is configured with a magnitude adjusted to a desired proportion of a magnitude of the reference current source, with the current trimming network configured to produce a current proportional to the difference, sum, or product of the first and second current sources.

The demand for higher performance, amplifier, reference and sensor devices for use in communication, instrumentation and processing applications continues to increase. For example, designers and manufactures of such applications are requiring for the accuracy of the components and devices, such as operational amplifiers ("op amps"), current and voltage references, and temperature sensors and the like, to be continually improved to meet the higher performance requirements of a myriad of emerging audio, video, imaging and wireless applications.
Op amps, references, sensors and other similar types of devices typically are varied and adjusted through trimming techniques to improve the precision and accuracy of the devices. In many instances, a current source within such devices is trimmed at the wafer level before packaging in which extra pads are utilized. After packaging trimming requires a different technique. For example, with reference to an electronic package 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, a current source 102 needs to be trimmed after being packaged with a device, such as an op amp 104. Monitoring the progress of the trimming process requires sensing a change in the magnitude of the trimmed current source 102.
One method for sensing a change in the magnitude of the trimmed current source is to steer a replica of the trimmed current to an additional package pin, i.e., in addition to the ground GND, power PWR, and input/output pins, and then externally monitor the current. Requiring an additional pin is less desirable in modern micro-sized packaged devices.
Another method for monitoring the progress of the trimming process, implemented without the need for an extra package pin, includes the creation of a dual function on an existing package pin. For example, with reference to an electronic package 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, a dual function pin DUAL is configured for providing a positive terminal to an op amp 204 as well as for delivering a replica of current from a current source 202 to an external measurement system. While such a technique is conducted without the need for an extra package pin, the technique is susceptible to measurement errors. For example, if the target value of the adjusted current source is sufficiently small, any leakage current, such as from a switch circuit 206 or from an electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit, can alter the value of the replica current delivered to dual function pin DUAL. As a result, an error is added to the measurements resulting in a reduced accuracy in the trimming technique.

Method and circuit for trimming a current source in a package


An image processing apparatus includes a first display unit that displays a video input on an operation and display unit, a second display unit that displays an input image that is superimposed on the video input displayed on the operation and display unit, and a captured image recording unit that records a captured image of the video input and the input image that are displayed on the operation and display unit. The second display unit erases the input image that is recorded when the captured image recording unit records the captured image of the input image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing system, an image processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
The so-called "electronic information board" in which a touchscreen panel is mounted on a display is available on the market. The display may be a display using a flat panel, such as a liquid crystal panel or a plasma panel, or a projector. The electronic information board may include a plurality of functions.
The so-called "whiteboard" function, which enables a user to write on the touchscreen panel using a touch-pen or the user's finger, is one of the plurality of functions of the electronic information board. The whiteboard function may display a stroke image, corresponding to a stroke made on the touchscreen panel, on a screen.
Another function of the electronic information board enables the stroke image to be superimposed on a video that is input from a video output apparatus and displayed on the screen. The video output apparatus may be a personal computer, a television camera, or the like that is connected to the electronic information board.
Still another function of the electronic information board enables sharing of images between the electronic information board and another electronic information board via a network.
Examples of related art are proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications No. 2005-92538, No. 2012-84122, No. 2004-102455, and No. 2003-229987, for example.
However, according to the conventional electronic information board, when storing together the video that is input from the video output apparatus and displayed and the stroke image that corresponds to the stroke that is made by the user, the video must once be stored as a captured image, and the stroke image must be superimposed on the captured image and stored.
In addition, when the user makes the stroke on the captured image that is displayed, and the video from the video output apparatus is to be displayed thereafter, the display must be switched to the video from the video output apparatus. For example, in a case in which the video is scrolled by a scroll operation on the screen of the personal computer and the stroke is to be made successively on each of the scrolled videos and stored, the switching of the display from one video to another becomes troublesome operation for the user.

Image processing apparatus, image processing system, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium


The present invention provides a water absorption treatment material that has a structure suitable for obtaining a high level of water disintegrability. A water absorption treatment material is a water absorption treatment material that absorbs a liquid, and includes a granular core portion and a coating layer portion. The granular core portion has a granular shape. The granular core portion contains a first water-absorbent polymer. The coating layer portion covers the granular core portion. The coating layer portion contains a second water-absorbent polymer. The second water-absorbent polymer has a mean particle size smaller than the mean particle size of the first water-absorbent polymer.

Patent Document 1 discloses an excrement treatment material that is a kind of water absorption treatment material. This excrement treatment material includes a granular core portion and a coating layer portion that covers the granular core portion. The coating layer portion contains a water-absorbent polymer, and has a function of attaching grains of the excrement treatment material that have absorbed a liquid such as urine when in use to one another, and clumping them together.

Water absorption treatment material comprising granular core and coating containing polymer particles therein


Disclosed is a method for near net-shape fabrication of friction disk ring structures in which trapeziform paneled strips of friction paper or cloth are folded to make uniform 2-ply disks.

A survey of background and prior art in the fields of this invention reveals the following. Stimson and Dowell in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,686 teach carbon disk brakes with keyway formations reinforced by filament carbon inserts. Zarembka in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,932 discloses the use of pyrolyzed carbon-containing ribbon wrapped radially around a brake disk core. Resin is then added, and the assembly pyrolyzed to obtain an integral brake disk. Wiseman and Kovac in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,694 present brake disks of carbon or other porous material which contain grooves on opposing surfaces so as to vent steam or other gases generated during braking. Bauer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,794 reveals the use of various mixtures of pyrolytic carbon and graphite assemblies and also cross-hatched grooves in such assemblies for power transmission clutches. Taylor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,307 discloses means for assemblying carbon-carbon fiber composites used for aircraft bake disks. Chareire in U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,967 reveals brake disks utilizing carbon-carbon composite materials with carbon fibers of different lengths oriented in different directions relative to the plane of the disks. Winckler in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,823 teaches the use of carbon vapor deposition (CVD) in preparing oil lubricated clutch assemblies. Fox and East in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,548 teach bonding woven carbon fabric friction materials in which the tendency of bonding adhesives to bleed through the pores of the friction material are reduced. Tilton and Sorce in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,326 present a friction clutch which allows uniform distribution of friction loads over carbon plates. Guichard in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,700 reveals carbon disk brake rotors fitted with reinforcing riders which fit into trapezoidal-shaped drive notches around the periphery of such rotors. Seiz and Eldridge in U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,650 teach an automated process for making friction material having heat-resistant paper support bearing resin-bonded carbon particles. Bommier and Chareire in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,746 disclose various friction elements of composite carbon-carbon materials and differential textures. Prud'Homme in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,948 presents a clutch with structural carbon-carbon friction plates. Chareire and Salem in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,650 reveal a process for producing carbon-carbon brake disks with holes arranged in it to allow better CVD compregnation. Bernal, Hendrix, and Tilton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,262 disclose a carbon to carbon friction mechanism
Carbon-fiber cloth is made by mixing powdered carbon with poly-acrylyl-nitrile (PAN), a liquid polymer. This mixture is made into fiber. The fiber is woven into cloth. The cloth is the heated to about 1000 degrees C. for a few hours. All of the organic material burns up, leaving pure carbon-fiber cloth.
Stitching carbon-fiber cloth doesn't compress it as much as does hot pressing it. This is important because hot pressing carbon-fiber cloth results in a lower fiber volume of fraction materials made from the cloth. The cloth can then be built up with carbon vapor deposition (CVD) which is thought to be an advantageous form of carbon use in friction surfaces. However, stitching carbon fiber cloth is thought to be advantageous in the following manner: The carbon-fiber used to stitch layer of friction materials together is generally oriented perpendicular to the outer exposed friction surface which allows said fibers to conduct heat away from the exposed friction surface for better wear.
As currently practiced in the art, a typical disk will have an inner diameter (ID) of 4.175 inches and a outer diameter (OD) of 4.98 inches. Typical disks can be made of "papers" composed of randomly oriented resin binder, KEVLAR polymeric fiber, reycled materials, and filler. Disks can also be made of woven (i.e. nonrandomly oriented) carbon-carbon fiber cloth (as for example in Eaton/Hitco disks) described previously.
But "papers" and carbon-carbon fiber cloth are expensive and suffer from a very low materials utilization rate. That is, there is high waste of sheet or cloth materials as currently utilized in art field of friction disk fabrication. For example, if 1-ply rings with ID of 4.175 in. and OD of 4.98 in. are cut from a rectangular sheet, it can be calculated that there will be a 73% waste of material. In the automotive transmission industry, friction paper waste can be as high as 80%-90%.

Near net-shape fabrication of friction disk ring structures

No. 18 Alley 15 Lane 603, Ding-Jong Road


A method of reading multiple RFID tags located in a field of an interrogating antenna is based on periodic transmissions from the tags with large, non-transmission intervals between transmissions. The non-transmission intervals are fixed for a given tag, but are random between tags due to manufacturing tolerances in electrical components from which the tag is constructed, such that no coordination of transmissions from the interrogating antenna is required.

Tagging of articles for identification and/or theft protection is known. For instance, many articles are identified using a bar code comprising coded information which is read by passing the bar code within view of a scanner. Many articles also include a resonant tag for use in theft detection and prevention. More recently, passive resonant security tags which return unique or semi-unique identification codes have been developed. These security tags typically include an integrated circuit which stores the identification code. Such "intelligent" security tags provide information about an article to which the tag is affixed which is detected in the zone of an interrogator. The tags are desirable because they can be interrogated rapidly, and from a distance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,447 (Carney et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,441 (Bickley et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,263 (Carroll et al.) disclose three examples of intelligent tags.
Intelligent tagging of articles provides substantial benefits at the point of manufacture, at the point of distribution, and at the point of sale. That is, any place where articles are stored, shelved, displayed or inventoried, intelligent tags can result in substantial cost savings. For example, one function of a distribution center is to take merchandise that has been packed and shipped in bulk, and repack the merchandise into smaller "tote" boxes. Often the tote box is packed with single units of a variety of products. Mistakes in inventory during this repacking process can be very costly and there is a possibility of shipping products to the wrong retailer. An intelligent tagging system can check the contents of tote boxes with an interrogator or point reader at high speeds and confirm exactly what is being shipped to individual retailers.
Employees today spend many hours hand counting articles for inventory control and manually checking product expiration dates. Intelligent tags obviate the need for such hand counting and manual data checking. Rather than hand counting a plurality of items, an employee can point an intelligent tag reader at individual product clusters on shelves and scan entire product groups in minutes. Intelligent tags also allow employees to scan a product group to learn critical expiration dates to avoid spoilage, reduce stock and maintain continuous inventory counts.
Another example of an environment in which the use of intelligent tags is desirable is a library. Manual taking of inventory of a library collection is an expensive and time consuming task. Currently inventory taking is such an expensive and time consuming task that most libraries do not conduct a full inventory check as frequently as they should, if at all. Accordingly, there is a need for systems which allow library employees to efficiently check their inventory. Intelligent tags fulfill such a need.
One problem with attempting to read multiple RFID tags within an interrogation zone of a reader is that more than one tag could be activated by the reader or interrogator at about the same time, such that two or more tags may transmit their identification information to the reader at about the same time, thus causing the information to collide, which corrupts the information and prevents the reader from obtaining the desired information. In order to overcome such data collisions, some interrogators include a means for controlling the transmission of data from individual tags, for example, by shutting individual tags off for predetermined time periods after a response signal is transmitted. However, the transmission of a signal by the interrogator to an individual tag to shut the tag off may require the generation of signals in excess of the levels allowed by regulatory authorities, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Other systems include tags which include circuitry to detect the simultaneous transmission of data by multiple tags. Upon detection of such simultaneous transmissions, the tags abort their transmissions and wait for a prescribed time prior to retransmission, usually for a period of time that is set by a random number. However, this method requires the tags include detection circuitry and a battery, both of which excessively increase the cost of the tag. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of detecting substantially simultaneous transmission of data by multiple tags at the same frequency located within an interrogation zone and compensating for such multiple transmissions in order to accurately read the data transmitted by each tag.
The present invention provides a method of simultaneously reading multiple RFID tags located in a field of an interrogating antenna based on periodic transmissions from the tags with long non-transmission intervals between transmissions. The non-transmission intervals are fixed for a given tag, but are random between tags, preferably due to manufacturing tolerances, such that no co-ordination of transmissions from the interrogating antenna is required.

Anticollision protocol for reading multiple RFID tags


A sector drive assembly for a camera which can open and close an aperture has a sector drive unit having an actuator, a drive force transmitting mechanism, and a sector position detecting unit that are removably mounted as a unit to a support plate, and a sector unit having a base plate formed with an aperture and one or more sectors for opening and closing the aperture. Since the sector drive unit is provided as a removably mountable unit, it is high in versatility and can be mounted to various different types of sector units. In addition, since it is configured to detect the state of the sectors before operation, reliable exposure or opening and closing of the aperture are achieved. In addition, a positional adjustment function is provided by a sector urging spring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a sector drive assembly for a camera and, more particularly, to a sector drive assembly for driving a light-shielding device to protect an image pickup device such as a CCD or a CMOS device of a digital camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a diaphragm or shutter device of a conventional silver-film-type camera (hereinafter referred to as a "film-type camera") or a light-shielding device used for protecting an image pickup device of a digital camera, a mechanism for opening and closing an aperture by the pivotal movement of plural sectors is generally employed. Both the conventional diaphragm device and light-shielding device are capable of opening and closing an aperture and adjusting the size of a diaphragm opening by pivoting the sectors by use of a drive motor. The sectors are driven by the drive motor via a drive force transmitting mechanism. The drive motor, the drive force transmitting mechanism, and the sectors are all mounted on a base plate.
When all of the sectors, the drive motor, and the drive force transmitting mechanism are mounted to the base plate, the entire base plate assembly is deemed defective when any one of these three separate units has a defect, resulting in a reduction in manufacturing yield. In addition, since these small components must be assembled in sequence, assembly of the device involves a complex process.


The centrifugal pump includes a separable, multipartite impeller assembly and preferably incorporates a shock-absorbent shaft support that is tolerant of impeller vibrations or minor imbalances in the impeller assembly. The multipartite impeller assembly comprises an impeller portion, a wet-end magnetic coupler, and a radial bearing. The impeller portion and the wet-end magnetic coupler are secured together by a snap-fit joint, which is reinforced by a radial bearing adjacent to the snap-fit joint. The shaft support has an encapsulation junction which secures braces to a peripheral base.

In magnetic-drive pumps, a wet-end magnetic coupler is often permanently attached to the impeller. For example, the wet-end magnetic coupler may be permanently coupled to the impeller by molding the impeller and wet-end magnetic coupler together. The wet-end magnetic coupler is attached to the impeller at the impeller's rear, creating an indivisible impeller-magnetic coupler unit. If the impeller is damaged or if an impeller with a different size is required, the entire unit must be replaced.
Some pump manufacturers have removably coupled the wet-end magnetic coupler to the impeller's rear. However, removable connections between the impeller and wet-end magnetic coupler often lack stability. The background art has connected the impeller to the wet-end magnetic coupler by threaded connections, twist-on connections, and spline connections. The threaded connection and twist-on connection may loosen during occasional reverse rotation of the impeller causing the partial or complete disengagement of the magnetic coupler and the impeller. Spline connections may loosen in response to axial forces placed upon the impeller; especially where wear rings are worn. Damage to pumps can result from the failure of the background art connections. Therefore, a need exists for an impeller assembly which stays together during normal pump operation, but allows for separation of the impeller and wet-end magnetic coupler during pump maintenance.
Centrifugal pumps may have stationary shafts or rotating shafts. In pumps with stationary shafts, the shaft is stationary with respect to the pump housing and the impeller rotates about the shaft. In pumps with rotating shafts, the shaft rotates simultaneously with the impeller. All centrifugal pumps, regardless of whether or not the shaft is stationary, require shaft supports that maintain the correct orientation of the shaft with respect to the housing and bearings.
When centrifugal pumps operate, hydraulic forces are transmitted from the impeller to the shaft. The hydraulic forces have both radial and axial components. The shaft support must have the necessary mechanical strength to prevent the shaft from being misaligned. Shaft misalignment can cause deterioration of wear rings and bearings of centrifugal pumps. Even the temporary displacement of a shaft can cause impeller damage because of a reduced radial gap between the impeller and the volute. For example, the vanes of a displaced impeller or an impeller shroud may be fractured by the pressurized fluid flow.
Radial forces are often a result of operating the pump outside of a design flow range. The volute cross sectional area is only optimized for a limited capacity range called the design flow range. If the pump deviates from the design flow range, unbalanced radial forces act on the impeller. The prior art has reduced radial forces by using double-volute configurations and using diffraction vanes that radially surround the impeller. In general, radial loads increase with increasing impeller diameter and decreasing impeller speed.
Axial forces are partially caused by the pressure difference between the suction head and the pressure head. Dynamic axial forces occur because of eddy current flows around the impeller based on the geometric relationship between the impeller and the housing.
Radial and axial forces are often characterized by low frequency vibrations being transmitted throughout the pump. When the moving impeller blade passes a stationary volute, fluid turbulence causes additional vibrations in the pump. Vibrations in the centrifugal pump can cause loosening of fasteners, failure of thrust bearings, failure of radial bearings, and breakage of shafts. Therefore, a need exists for a shaft support which can tolerate radial forces and reduce vibrations.

Centrifugal pump having separable, multipartite impeller assembly


A mobile terminal is provided that includes a terminal body having a battery receiving part, a battery received on the battery receiving part, a battery cover mounted at a rear side of the terminal body, and a battery locking unit for fixing the battery to the terminal body. The battery locking unit may prevent release of the battery due to an external impact.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention may relate to a mobile terminal. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention may relate to a mobile terminal capable of preventing separation of a battery from a terminal body even if external impact is applied.
2. Background of Related Art
A mobile terminal is a compact wireless communication device by which a user can make a phone call or exchange data without restriction as to place or distance. The mobile terminal is a critical communication unit in the current Information Age.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mobile terminal according to an example arrangement. FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views showing a battery coupling structure of the mobile terminal according to an example arrangement. Other arrangements are also possible.
The mobile terminal may include a terminal body 104 having a battery receiving part 102 at a rear side of the terminal body 104, a battery 106 mounted on the battery receiving part 102 to supply power to a terminal, a battery cover 108 detachably attached to the terminal body 104 to protect the battery 106, and a locking unit to lock the battery 106 to the terminal body 104.
The locking unit may include a first locking unit, a second locking unit and a third locking unit. The first locking unit may be formed between the battery covet 108 and the terminal body 104 to detachably lock the battery cover 108 to the terminal body 104. The second locking unit may be formed between the battery 106 and the terminal body 104 to fix the battery 106 onto the battery receiving part 102. The third locking unit may slidably couple the battery cover 108 to the terminal body 104.
The first locking unit may include a locking rib 120, a button 122 and a locker 124. The locking rib 120 may be formed at an upper portion of the battery cover 108. The button 122 may be installed at the rear side of the terminal body 104 and may be manipulated by a user. The locker 124 may be locked to or unlocked from the locking rib 120 according to manipulation of the button 122.
As shown in FIG. 2, the second locking unit may include a locking hook 110 vertically protruding from both edges of the battery receiving part 102, and a locking protrusion 112 protruding from both sides of the battery 105 and engaged with the locking hook 110.
When the battery 106 is mounted on the battery receiving part 102, the locking protrusion 112 formed at the battery may be locked to the looking hook 110 formed at the battery receiving part 102 to maintain the battery 106 received in the battery receiving part 102. The locking hook 110 may be maintained locked to the locking protrusion 112 by virtue of a self-elastic force.
FIG. 3 shows that the third locking unit may include hooking jaws 130 vertically protruding from both edges of the battery receiving part 102 with its end portions bent outwardly, and a hooking rib 132 protruding inwardly from both inner sides of the battery cover 108 so as to be inserted into the hooking jaw 130.
When the battery cover 108 is mounted at the battery receiving part 102 of the terminal body 104 and slid in a longitudinal direction of the terminal, the hooking rib 132 of the battery cover 108 may be inserted in the hooking jaw 130 of the terminal body 104, whereby the battery cover 108 is fixed at the terminal body 104.
However, the interval (Q) between the locking hook 110 and the inner side of the battery cover 108 may be larger than the interval (P) where the locking hook 110 and the locking protrusion 112 overlap. Thus, if an external impact is applied to the mobile terminal (i.e., if the mobile terminal is inadvertently dropped), the locking hook 110 may be elastically deformed and released from the locking protrusion 112. Thus, the battery may be released from the battery receiving part 102 and thereby cause a problem that an error may occur in a circuit due to the power being OFF.
In addition, the hooking rib 132 of the cover 108 may be insertedly fixed at the hooking jaw 130 of the terminal body 104 so that if an external impact is applied to the mobile terminal (i.e., if the mobile terminal is inadvertently dropped), both sides of the battery cover 108 may be opened to release the hooking rib 132 from the hooking jaw 130. Then, the battery cover 108 may separate from the battery cover 108 and the battery 106 may be separated from the battery receiving part 102.

Mobile terminal having battery locking unit


A tunnel notcher and guidewire delivery device is provided for creating a notch and positioning a guidewire within a bone tunnel. In general, the device includes an elongate member having proximal and distal ends with an inner lumen extending therebetween that is adapted to receive a guidewire. The device also includes a cutting element disposed on a distal portion of the elongate member that is adapted to remove bone within an opening of a bone tunnel. In use, the device 10 can be at least partially positioned within a bone tunnel containing a bone plug, and it can be manipulated to form a notch within or adjacent to an opening of the bone tunnel using the cutting element 18. The device 10 is also effective to deliver a guidewire 16 to the bone tunnel at a location adjacent to the notch.

Ligaments are tough bands of tissue which serve to connect the articular extremities of bones, or to support or retain organs in place within the body. Ligaments are typically composed of coarse bundles of dense white fibrous tissue which are disposed in a parallel or closely interlaced manner, with the fibrous tissue being pliant and flexible, but not significantly extensible.
In many cases, ligaments are torn or ruptured as a result of accidents or overexertion. Accordingly, various procedures have been developed to repair or replace such damaged ligaments. For example, in the human knee, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (i.e., the ACL and PCL) extend between the top end of the tibia and the bottom end of the femur. The ACL and PCL cooperate, together with other ligaments and soft tissue, to provide both static and dynamic stability to the knee. Often, the ACL is ruptured or torn as a result of, for example, a sports-related injury. Consequently, various surgical procedures have been developed for reconstructing the ACL so as to restore normal function to the knee.
In many instances, the ACL may be reconstructed by replacing the ruptured ACL with a graft ligament. More particularly, with such procedures, bone tunnels are typically formed in the top end of the tibia and the bottom end of the femur, and one end of the graft ligament is positioned in the femoral bone tunnel and the other end of the graft ligament is positioned in the tibial bone tunnel. The graft ligament thus extends between the femur and the tibia in substantially the same way, and with substantially the same function, as the original ACL, thereby allowing the graft ligament to cooperate with the surrounding anatomical structures so as to restore normal function to the knee.
When anchoring a graft ligament to the tibia and the femur, the two ends of the graft ligament are typically attached to an anchoring member, such as a bone plug, that is inserted into a bone tunnel. Bone screws or similar fasteners are often used to maintain each bone plug within its respective tunnel. Such a procedure typically requires a recess to be formed in the bone adjacent to the bone tunnel to allow the bone screw to be inserted alongside the bone plug. The recess serves as a "starter hole" for the bone screw so that the screw can engage bone in a generally proper direction with respect to the bone tunnel. As the bone screw is threaded into the bone, the resulting interference fit between the bone plug and the bone screw secures the graft ligament in place in the bone tunnel.
Since ACL repair is typically performed arthroscopically, the current procedure for forming a bone recess requires the surgeon to estimate the best location for positioning the bone screw adjacent to the bone plug. In particular, current devices for forming a recess in a bone tunnel have a relatively large size that requires that the recess be formed before the bone plug is inserted into the tunnel, thus the surgeon cannot determine the best location for the recess, and consequently for the bone screw, in relation to the bone plug. Once the recess is formed, a guidewire must be positioned between the anchoring member and a sidewall of the bone tunnel for delivering a bone screw to the tunnel at a location adjacent to the recess. Since the guidewire is delivered after formation of the notch, the position of the guidewire is often estimated as well. Accordingly, these methods and devices can result in misalignment of the bone screw, thus resulting in a high rate of divergence between the bone screw and the bone tunnel, and often in a loss of bone plug fixation within the bone tunnel. Unfortunately, screw/tunnel divergence is usually only identified postoperatively via radiographs, and the loss of bone plug fixation cannot be readily corrected, thereby resulting in an unsuccessful repair of a ruptured ACL.
Thus, there remains a need for improved methods and devices for creating a notch and positioning a guidewire within a bone tunnel to provide an accurate, secure, and trouble-free fixation of a ligament within the bone tunnel.

Tunnel notcher and guidewire delivery device


A horizontal metal extrusion press has a tool cassette (13) for a tool set composed of a die (134), a die holder (32) and at least one pressure ring (36), displaceable horizontally along guide rails (10,11) transversely to the press axis between an extrusion position (P) on the press axis and a changing position (W) spaced horizontally from the press axis, and replaceable by a second cassette in the changing position. The cassette has an upwardly open U shape to receive the tool set. A locking piece (14) for retaining the tool set can move in a vertical guideway (22) in the upper guide rail (10), to an upper position above the opening of the cassette and to a lower position inside the opening for closing the opening. The cassette opening has an internal bead (29), and the die holder has a corresponding annular groove. The locking piece is guided on the beads along the sides of the cassette opening.

A horizontal metal extrusion press consists of a press cylinder crosshead, a counter crosshead or platen, tie rods connecting these, a moving crosshead with a press ram, and a receiver for the billet to be extruded, the moving crosshead and the billet receiver being movable along the press axis, and the die which forms the extrusion being inserted in a die holder and being supported on the counter platen via a pressure ring or pressure rings. Great importance is attached to the design of the carrier for the tool set, composed of the die, the die holder and the pressure ring(s), since this has a decisive influence on the service life of the dies, the product quality, the die changing times, the operational reliability and the structure of the metal extrusion press. An important distinctive feature of metal extrusion presses is therefore the design of the tool carriers as slides or rotary heads. So that a change of dies can be prepared or a die can be treated (reconditioning, cleaning, lubricating, cooling, preheating) whilst another die is in use, the slides and the rotary heads are provided with two receivers which can be brought alternately into the working position (company specification P2/317 "Horizontal Rod and Tube Extrusion Presses", Schloemann Aktiengesellschaft, of October 1966; Zeitschrift for Metallkunde 51st year, (1960) no. 1, p. 29-35, "Hydraulische horizontale Strangpressen" von W. Dohrn and H. Schmoll).
Tool slides have the disadvantage that a change or treatment of dies must be carried out alternately on each side of the press. Rotary tool heads have a high spatial requirement resulting from their swivelling circle, and their structural complexity of rotary tool heads is a disadvantage; these disadvantages are compounded by the fact that they require a locking mechanism for the rotary arm when it is in the working position, which locking mechanism supports the rotary arm against axial forces occurring when the receiver is pulled off the shearing tool head and against radial shearing forces. Because of these disadvantages of rotary tool heads, it is preferable to use tool slides, particularly in the modified form of cassette slides in conjunction with a quick changing device for the cassettes, since these allow very short changing times whilst retaining a simple structure and the change is only carried out on one side of the press. In order to receive the tools, the cassettes are provided with a U-shaped opening at the top and are displaceable in a horizontally transversely to the axis of the press between a an extrusion position and a changing position, and to this end the counter platen of the press is provided with a guide frame, comprising an upper and a lower guide rail, on its side facing the press cylinder crosshead. A piston-cylinder unit is connected to the guide frame as a displacement drive for the cassettes, which can be replaced in the changing position by means of a second guide directed transversely to the first guide (EP 0 318 631 A2; firm specification P2/3210 "Standard extrusion press for aluminium", Schloemann-Siemag AG, of April 1981).
In order to secure a die holder axially in a tool carrier (slide, rotary head or cassette), the external diameter of the die holder is increased towards the counter holder by a step, the annular surface of the step being formed by a shoulder, a collar or an annular groove, and the tool carriers are shouldered correspondingly, the corresponding shoulder, the groove corresponding to the collar of the die holder or the bead corresponding to the annular groove of the die holder continuing on the U arms of the tool carrier opening. If, at the end of the extrusion process, the extrusion residue is severed by a shearing blade moved along the front surface of the die and the die holder, the die and the die holder can be lifted in the tool carrier when the shearing blade is moved back, which should not be possible. In order to prevent this, tool slides are closed with locking pieces, which need to be removed and reinserted whenever the die and the die holder are replaced (DE-AS 1 020 951). When using tool slides with two receivers for dies which can be brought alternately into the working position, the change of dies is simplified by a locking bar which is movable to a limited extent in the tool slide between limit stops and closes the tops of the openings for the tool sets in the respective extrusion position (DE-OS 21 34 258).
Before the extrusion residue can be sheared off, the receiver needs to be displaced so that the extrusion residue is exposed. A considerable axial force occurs when the receiver is "stripped off" in this manner, and a tilting moment occurs on the die holder when the extrusion residue is sheared off. Since, on the corresponding surfaces of the die holder and the tool carrier, the die holder is supported only slightly more than in its lower half, eccentric transmission of forces occurring when the receiver is torn off and the tilting moment occurring when the extrusion residue is sheared off lead to high localized surface pressure in the region where the die holder's periphery changes from being supported to being unsupported, with the result that these surfaces are deformed and it is not possible to guarantee the desired seating of the tools in the tool carrier to eliminate tilting. However, a tilting of the tools has the result that shearing off the extrusion residue does not produce a clean cut which is plane-parallel to the front surface of the die and the die holder. Projecting material residues, which can build up during successive extrusion processes, finally prevent the billet receiver from resting against the die holder in a sealing manner. In dies with an antechamber, an unclean cut can lead to air pockets, thus making it difficult to carry out billet-to-billet extrusion and to separate a narrow piece of extrusion containing the weld.
The known locking pieces or locking bars are not suitable for improving the support of the tools in the tool carrier so that tilting can be excluded, since to achieve this the support would need to be designed so as to be free from play and have sufficient dimensions. A locking piece according to DE-AS 1 020 951 can only be inserted and taken out again easily if it is designed with plenty of play. A locking bar according to DE-OS 21 34 258 gives an insufficient supporting surface.


A method of operation of a light curtain system for sensing the intrusion of objects into detection planes which define a protected zone. A group of light beams are strobed from one transmitter in a first direction across a zone to a receiver, and another group of light beams are strobed from another transmitter across the zone to another receiver. Light beams within each group which intersect a desired entry area are deactivated for penetration of a permitted object, and other beams in the groups are enabled to detect intrusion into the objects in portions of the zone which lie around the entry area.

Light curtains are commonly employed in a variety of industrial applications to detect the intrusion of objects, such as hands or feet of personnel, into or around a prescribed area or zone of protection. Typical applications for light curtains include provide operator protection around machinery such punch presses, brakes, molding machines, automatic assembly equipment, coil winding machinery, robot operation, casting operations and the like. Conventional light curtain systems employ invisible pulsed infrared light beams which project across a plane along the zone to be protected. Unintended intrusion of the light beams by an object, such as the operator's hand, is sensed so that a control circuit triggers a warning signal, shuts the machinery down, or otherwise safeguards the area.
Heretofore light curtain systems have been provided with transmitter and receiver heads arranged to pulse the beams across a single plane.
The heads are typically mounted so that the plane is positioned between the human operator and the machine, such as in the front of a punch press. Additional light curtain systems with separate transmitter and receiver heads are required where it is desired to provide protection to other areas of the machine, such as along either or both sides. Because light curtain systems are expensive, this leads to increased cost of the installation.
In certain cases it has been found that machine operators, in an effort to increase their productivity, attempt to foil the protection of the light curtains. For example, in the case of a single light curtain projected in a vertical plane between the operator and machine, the operator may attempt to reach under or around the plane of the curtain to feed the work pieces at a greater rate through the machine. With the light curtain system foiled in this manner, serious injury can result.
Certain light curtains heretofore available have included control systems by which selected beams can be electronically disabled to permit the sensing area to be penetrated by expected tooling or work pieces. An example is a metal forming machine in which the formed work piece is fed from the machine out through an electronically masked-off portion of the sensing area. The remaining portion of the sensing area continues to operate for sensing intrusion of the operator's hands or other objects. However, in these conventional systems there are shadows of unprotected areas on opposite sides of the masked-off portion of the curtain. As a result, injury or damage can occur from intrusion of a hand or other object into the unprotected area.

Method of operating light curtain with deactivated zone control


A compressor includes a first throttle portion that receives a refrigerant at an intermediate pressure from an injection pipe of a refrigerant circuit, an enlarged flow path portion that receives the refrigerant from the first throttle portion, a second throttle portion that receives the refrigerant from the enlarged flow path portion, and a compression element. The compression element includes a compression chamber that receives the refrigerant from the second throttle portion. The first throttle portion has a flow path cross-sectional area that is narrower than both a flow path cross-sectional area of the injection pipe and a flow path cross-sectional area of the enlarged flow path portion. The second throttle portion has a flow path cross-sectional area that is narrower than the flow path cross-sectional area of the enlarged flow path portion.

A compressor is used in a refrigerant circuit such as an air conditioner. The compressor sucks a low-pressure gas refrigerant into its compression chamber and compresses the low-pressure gas refrigerant to produce a high-pressure gas refrigerant to discharge. Some compressors implement a technique called gas injection in order to improve the capacity of the refrigerant circuit. In the gas injection technique, a pipe called an injection pipe is connected to the compression chamber of the compressor. In a part of the refrigerant circuit, there exists an intermediate pressure gas refrigerant that indicates a pressure value between the low-pressure gas refrigerant and the high-pressure gas refrigerant. The injection pipe introduces the intermediate gas refrigerant into the compression chamber.
The injection pipe often vibrates under pressure pulsation of the gas refrigerant. For this reason, noise is generated or excessive stress may be applied to the injection pipe. In order to reduce problems caused by such vibrations and stress. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2010-185406 discloses an air conditioner in which a muffler is attached to the injection pipe.


The present invention relates to thermoplastic polyesters, which comprise, by weight:    (i) a thermoplastic polyester;    (ii) an impact modifier comprising:            (a) a core-shell copolymer (A);        (b) an ethylene copolymer (B) chosen from ethylene-unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride copolymers (B1), ethylene-unsaturated epoxide copolymers (B2) and blends thereof;            (iii) the (B)/(A) ratio being between 40/60 and 10/90 for proportions of impact modifier between 18 and 40% in 82 to 60% of polyester, respectively;    (iv) the (B)/(A) ratio being between 40/60 and 25/75 for proportions of impact modifier between 2 and 18% in 98 to 82% of polyester, respectively. It is particularly useful for PET and PBT.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,890 (=EP 174,343) describes polyesters, such as, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), which are modified by ethylene-alkyl(meth)acrylate-glycidyl (meth)acrylate copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,154 describes PET/polycarbonate blends containing four different modifiers: a copolymer comprising an epoxide, a copolymer of the core-shell type, an SBR- or SBS- or EPR-type elastomer and a copolymer of the SAN or ABS type. These core-shell copolymers comprise fine particles having an elastomer core and a thermoplastic shell.
Patent EP 115,015 describes PET or PBT containing linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), glass fibres and optionally a core-shell copolymer.
Patent EP 133,993 describes PET containing a core-shell copolymer and a copolymer of ethylene with either an alkyl acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid.
Japanese Patent Application JP 01,247,454 A, published on 3 Oct. 1989 describes PBT containing an ethylene-alkyl(meth)acrylate copolymer and an ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer.
Patents EP 838,501 and EP 511,475 describe compositions similar to those of the above Japanese application.
Patent EP 803,537 describes PET and polycarbonate containing a copolymer comprising glycidyl methacrylate. Firstly, the polycarbonate and the copolymer comprising glycidyl methacrylate are blended together and then this blend is incorporated into the PET.
Patent EP 187,650 describes PET containing a core-shell copolymer and a copolymer of ethylene with either maleic anhydride or a (meth)acrylic acid.
Patent EP 737,715 describes PBTs modified by an impact modifier consisting of an ethylene-methyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer/core-shell copolymer blend. The amount of impact modifier is from 5 to 20 parts per 100 parts of polyester, i.e. 4.8 to 16.7% for 95.2 to 83.7% of polyester, respectively. The proportions of the glycidyl methacrylate copolymer to the core-shell copolymer are in the ratio 15/85 to 20/80. In the examples, the amount of impact modifier is from 18 parts per 100 parts of polyester, i.e. 15.3%, and the proportion of glycidyl methacrylate copolymer to the core-shell copolymer is in the ratio 3/15, i.e. 17/83.
Patent EP 531,008 describes spent (recycled) PBT/polycarbonate (PC) blends containing core-shell copolymers, to which functionalized copolymers are added in order to make them into a new thermoplastic. These functionalized copolymers are either ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) copolymers or ethylene-vinyl acetate-glycidyl methacrylate copolymers. The description quotes proportions of 1 to 97% of polycarbonate, from 1 to 97% of PBT, 1 to 40% of core-shell copolymer and 1 to 40% of glycidyl methacrylate copolymer. In fact, the PBT/polycarbonate blends that it is desired to recycle contain, according to the examples, 15% of core-shell copolymer, which corresponds to more realistic values. Blends (i) of 80 parts of recycled material with 20 parts of glycidyl methacrylate copolymer and blends (ii) of 90 parts of recycled material with 10 parts of glycidyl methacrylate copolymer are then made. The proportions are in the EP 531,008 table below, in which the parts are by weight:
TABLEEP 531 008Compositions such that the core-shell copolymer/PC + PBT ratio =15/85PC + PBT856876.5Core-shell copolymer151213.5(CS)GMA copolymer2010PC + PBT + CS +100100100GMA copolymerGMA/CS copolymer20/12 = (62/38)10/13.5 = (43/57)Proportion of modifier20 + 12 = 32%10 + 13.5 = 23.5%(Core-shell copolymer +GMA copolymer) in PC +PBT
It has been seen from the prior art that saturated polyesters can have their impact properties improved by the addition of a core-shell copolymer. These polymers have a particularly well defined structure in which the core consists of a polymer having an elastomeric character and the shell has a thermoplastic character. It has also been seen that the improvement in impact strength may be obtained by also incorporating a dispersed phase of an impact modifier optionally containing reactive functional groups capable of reacting with the functional groups of the polyesters. This reactivity makes it possible to ensure a fine and homogeneous dispersion of the modifier as well as good adhesion. The core-shell copolymer may itself also be functionalized in order to allow better adhesion to the matrix. However, this reactivity is sometimes high and may lead to a reduction in the melt flow index. This reduction in the melt flow index is prejudicial to the injection moulding of large parts or of fine parts.
It has now been found that it is possible to improve the impact properties of thermoplastic polyesters by adding two kinds of modifier to them, namely (a) a core-shell copolymer and (b) either an ethylene-unsaturated epoxide copolymer or an ethylene-carboxylic acid anhydride copolymer, or a blend of these but in proportions in the polyester and in (b)/(a) ratios which are different from those of the prior art EP 737,715 and EP 531,008. Better impact strength is obtained, while maintaining and even improving the melt flow index.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Thermoplastic polyester compositions having improved impact properties


A light-emitting diode shelf includes a light guide panel, a reflector covering a first side of the light guide panel, a first diffuser covering a second side of the light guide panel, a second diffuser covering the reflector, a light-emitting diode strip at an edge of the light guide panel, and a base encompassing the light-emitting diode strip and attached to the light guide panel.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to lighting, and more particularly, to a light-emitting diode shelf. Although embodiments of the invention are suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for the emission of low-intensity planar light from a shelf for display lighting.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, display cases are used to display wares in a commercial setting and prized possessions in a residential settings. Display cases can be open or closed. Closed display cases can have transparent doors on the front of the case, or the front of the case can be transparent and the doors are either at the side or on the back of the case. Some display cases contain shelves on which items can be positioned for display and illuminated by a lighting fixture or lighting fixtures within the display case.
Lighting fixtures for display cases use point light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, or linear light sources, such as fluorescent light tubes. Point light sources are typically shaded or directed in such way so as not to be directly in the line of sight for an individual since the high intensity of point light sources can cause discomfort. Point light sources usually emit light at a relatively high-intensity so as to be able to provide a sufficient lighting. Linear light sources can be less intense but yet emit sufficient lighting because the light emits all along the length of the linear light source. Although not as intense, linear light sources are typically diffused or shielded in such way so as not to cause discomfort. The diffusers of most linear light sources are configured to emulate a planar light source by widely diffusing a source light into a lower intensity light across a plane.
Typically, lighting schemes for display cases are implemented by using fixtures mounted in one or two of three locations within the display case. The first location is at the top of the display case so to provide light for items on the top shelf or for items on all of the shelves if the shelves are transparent. The entire case is not sufficiently lit by lighting fixtures just at the top location of the display case and items at the sides of the display case can have unflattering shadows. The second location is at the front of the display case such that the light travels toward the items on the shelf in somewhat the same direction an individual would view the item. The lighting fixtures at the front location of the display case can generate glare off of the items on display. The third location is at the back of the display case adjacent to and under each of the shelves so as to provide light high above and from behind the items on each shelf. The lighting fixtures at the back location of the display case can generate unflattering shadows for the items on display.
Lighting fixtures for display cases should provide light to items on a shelf such that a light source or light sources will provide sufficient light to the entire display case such that areas of the display case are not too bright or not too dark. Further, the light sources should not cause any discomfort in the nominal viewing directions into the display case. Furthermore, the lighting fixtures for display cases should illuminate items without glare or shadows.


A replacement discharge electrode including a plurality of tubular telescopically assemblable discharge elements, and a tensioning element, tensioning the cable when the tubular telescopically assemblable discharge elements are aligned forming a rigid unitary tubular replacement discharge electrode. The discharge electrode components include abuttable tubular sections, center support tubes telescopically received within the abuttable tubular sections and outer tubular sleeves or collars, forming a rigid discharge electrode having excellent electrical properties. The method includes loosely assembling the tubular component on a flexible cable and tensioning the cable to form a rigid mast-type discharge electrode.

Electrostatic precipitators are efficient and economical in removing particulates from the effluent of combustion processes, such as boilers, furnaces and the like. Electrostatic precipitators were first developed and implemented nearly 100 years ago by the predecessor-in-interest of the assignee of this Application, Hamon Research-Cottrell, Inc.
An electrostatic precipitator typically includes a chamber having a plurality of vertical spaced parallel large conductive panels or collecting electrodes which are rigidly mounted in vertical spaced relation in the chamber. At the centerpoints running between the conductive panels or collecting electrodes are a series of individual discharge electrodes that generally run vertically the full height of the collecting electrodes. For many years, the basic discharge electrode system for electrostatic precipitators consisted of flexible weighted wires hung vertically downwardly from an upper high voltage structure of the precipitator, which wire-discharge electrodes are provided with tensioning blades at the lower ends. More recently, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,364, assigned to the predecessor-in-interest of the Assignee of this Application, such flexible wire-type discharge electrodes were replaced with rigid "mast-type" discharge electrodes supported on an insulating assembly keeping them electrically isolated from the collecting electrodes. A high voltage direct current is applied to the opposing surfaces of the collecting and discharge electrodes, such that a positive charge is applied to the collecting electrodes and a negative charge is applied to the discharge electrodes. In a typical application, the mast-type discharge electrodes are generally cylindrical, having a plurality of thin spaced pointed radial spikes which create an electrical field between the negatively charged discharge electrodes and the spaced panel-shaped collecting electrodes. However, flexible wire-discharge electrodes are still in use. When particulate-laden waste gases are received at low velocity through this electrical field, the particulates in the waste gas stream become negatively charged and are thus attracted to the positive charge on the surfaces of the positively charged collecting electrodes. When the migration of the negatively charged particulates is complete, the inherent resistivity of the particulates will prevent complete loss of the negative charge to the collecting electrode surface. The retained opposing negative charge in the particles will cause the particulates to agglomerate on the surface of the collecting electrodes.
As will be understood by those skilled in this art, in recent decades the environmental laws have become even more stringent in limiting the discharge of particulates into the atmosphere, such that even slight emissions of particulates into the atmosphere can result in large fines and production cutbacks or shutdowns. These more stringent regulations have resulted in major changes in the physical design of electrostatic precipitators, resulting in "sectionalization", which are large electrostatic precipitators with many small electrical sections to increase efficiency and reduce the loss percentage in the event of failure of one section of the electrostatic precipitator. Although the flexible wire-type discharge electrodes are more efficient, the rigid mast-type discharge electrodes are more reliable, resulting in a preference for rigid mast-type discharge electrodes. Since the construction of the rigid mast-type discharge electrode is larger than the wire-type discharge electrodes, the rigid mast-type discharge electrodes are less efficient at producing an electrical corona at the same voltage, and thus, it became necessary to change the geometry of the electrostatic precipitator to larger conductive plate collecting electrodes, increase the spacing between the collecting electrodes, and raising the voltage to a higher level to achieve satisfactory corona discharge from the rigid mast-type discharge electrodes in the wider spaced precipitators.
As will be understood, however, even more reliable rigid mast-type discharge electrodes eventually require replacement due to general aging or failure due to temperature surges caused by process upset conditions or precipitator fires. However, placement or replacement of rigid mast-type discharge electrodes is difficult and expensive, requiring lengthy down-time for the electrostatic precipitator and the entire unit and process generally has to be shut down. Replacement of rigid mast-type discharge electrodes also generally requires large holes or openings to be cut in the roof of the electrostatic precipitator, often holes must be cut in the surrounding building structure and cranes are required to lift and lower the large rigid mast-type discharge electrodes, which may be 12 to 54 feet in length and are generally about two inches in diameter having radial discharge emission elements or pointed spikes, as described above.
There is, therefore, a long-standing need for replacement discharge electrodes which reduce down-time of the electrostatic precipitator, labor and cost. The rigid mast-type replacement discharge electrodes of this invention may be manufactured at a remote facility, the components easily shipped to the electrostatic precipitator, easily inserted in small or existing openings within the electrostatic precipitator casing and reassembled internally with minimum and significantly reduced labor, tools and electrostatic precipitator down-time.

Replacement discharge electrode for electrostatic precipitators and method of assembly


A reconfigurable multi-sport, game apparatus is disclosed. The reconfigurable multi-sport, game apparatus includes multiple, separate target portions and a ball return portion. The multi-sport, game apparatus a basketball basket, a first target portion configured to receive a first sports implement thrown by a user, and a second target portion configured to receive a second sports implement propelled along the supporting surface by a user.

Children can develop motor skills and game playing skills through the use of a sports game apparatus. Typical apparatuses are used in the outdoors (e.g., in a backyard or on a playground) and include a netted stand at which a child can throw, kick, or bat a ball, wherein the net retains the ball within the playing area. Portable basketball goals are also available. These apparatuses, however, are usually constructed for a particular, single sports activity (baseball or basketball). Consequently, when a child is interested in playing several sports game activities, several apparatuses are required.
Some multi-sport game apparatuses have been proposed, but they often involve separate, removable parts, which are easily lost when not in use. In addition, multi-sport apparatuses have been proposed that are limited in their utility (providing only two sport activities) or are complicated to use. The availability of an easily-handled, easily-assembled, easily-adjusted, multi-sport game apparatus is an important factor in stimulating the development of the child's interest and skill in more than one sport (since the more entertaining an apparatus is to a child, the more the child will interact with the apparatus). There is, therefore, a continuing need for a multi-purpose, sports game apparatus that is readily convertible, can be easily used when desired for various sports gaming activities, and is beneficial in developing motor skills and coordination in a growing child. There is also a need for a multi-purpose, sports game apparatus that is of a relatively inexpensive, yet sturdy, construction and can be easily assembled, handled, adjusted, and reconfigured.
The present invention is directed generally to a sports game apparatus adapted to convert from a storage mode to multiple deployed modes and, in particular, to a reconfigurable, multi-sport, game apparatus including multiple, separate target portions, a return portion, and multiple sport game configurations.


A single or multi-layer microporous material of which at least one layer contains a compatible, melt-processible polymer mixture having a first polymer component with a melting point greater than 140.degree. C. and a second polymer component having a melting point lower than 120.degree. C. is described as well as a method of preparing the material. The first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible in a compound or compatible liquid when heated above the melting temperature of the first polymer component or above the liquid--liquid phase separation temperature and phase separate from the compound or compatible liquid when cooled. The materials are particularly useful as battery separators.

Porous films made from mixtures of blends of polyolefin materials used as thermal shutdown separators for batteries have been previously described. Depending on the types of polymeric mixtures employed, several disadvantages have been found. For example, porous films made from the use of incompatible polymers result in non-uniform porous structures, thereby limiting their utility. Other porous films employ different grades of the same or miscible polymeric materials but with thermal shutdown temperatures above 125.degree. C. This high shutdown temperature does not provide complete protection against thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. For example, under adiabatic conditions, the thermal runaway of a lithium-ion battery with carbon anodes begins at about 120.degree. C. Still other porous films embody mixtures having melting points less than 15.degree. C. apart. Temperature surges in excess of 15.degree. C. may cause potentially dangerous holes to appear if a lithium battery were to overheat.