A carrying bag for mail or other heavy objects which has a pair of open topped compartments (20) upon which a number of pockets (36) are attached. A flap (38) covers each open top and a back connecting girdle (42) joins the compartment together. A quantity of belt loops (40) are connected to the compartments as well as the back connecting girdle and a belt (46) penetrates the loops thus placing the compartments one on each side of the hips of the carrier distributing the weight evenly. A front coupler (54) is attached permanently on one side to a compartment and is detachable from the other compartment on the opposite side completely encompassing the carrier around the waist. Optionally suspenders (56), shoulder straps (58) or a weight bearing vest (60) is attached to the belt for sharing the weight with the wearer's shoulders.

Previously, many types of carrying bags have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means for carrying mail and other heavy objects that are supported from the waist. At the present time, the United States Postal Service uses a shoulder satchel as the primary bag for transporting mail by carriers. This type of bag is supported on only one shoulder with a narrow strap. Other types of pouches and carrying accessories that encircle the wearer's waist have been developed in the past, including a mail bag structure with a single open top container that was recently introduced in an attempt to solve the specific problem of mail carriers.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,988,024 Weber 29 January 1991 4,974,761 Luque 4 December 1990 4,884,732 Sunderland 5 December 1989 4,836,428 Evans, et al 6 June 1989 4,303,187 Berman 1 December 1981 ______________________________________
Weber in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,024 teaches a collection wire basket that has a bottom mesh structure permitting sand and other debris to fall through retaining articles larger than the openings. A bottom deflector plate protects the user and a solid panel next to the user's body prevents direct contact with the contents. The basket may be fastened around the waist using a flexible tube and an attachment clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,761 of Luque discloses a slot machine coin bag holding a container that may be adapted to be worn on one's waist with a buckled strap.
A game bag for a scuba diver is presented in Sunderland's U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,732 which includes a flexible tubular envelope with an open mouth and closed end. The mouth is attached to the diver's belt at both the front and rear with the envelope disposed between the driver's legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,428 issued to Evans, et al employs a bag of heavy material such as canvas with an open top and a sleeve or sleeves to receive a belt worn around the carrier's waist. The bag may be positioned on either side of the body and has sufficient strength to carry mail. Another embodiment has a double row of belt loops allowing the belt to be positioned in one or the other rows to adjust the height of the bag relative to the carrier's waist.
Berman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,187 provides a number of pockets on a base panel that contains a pair of belt loops through which a belt is placed and is buckled to the wearer's trousers. The lower portion of the panel includes a tie string encircling the wearer's thigh. The pockets store personal objects for the wearer.
The search revealed bags suited for specific purposes and with the exception of Evans et al disclosure, the structure renders them unsuitable for carrying mail and heavy objects around the waist. While Evans et al do attempt to solve the problem, a single open bag is disclosed attached to a wide belt. The problem of weight distribution and multiple pockets for sorted mail is still left unsolved by prior art.


Provided are a communication system, a base station apparatus, a mobile station apparatus, and a communication method for reducing interference between uncoordinated adjacent cells. The communication system of the present invention comprises a base station apparatus and a mobile station apparatus. The base station apparatus notifies the mobile station apparatus of a downlink control information format, the downlink control information format including resource allocation information that dictates switching of resource allocation of an uplink demodulation reference signal localized resource allocation and distributed resource allocation, and a frequency offset of the distributed resource allocation of the uplink demodulation reference signal specific to the mobile station apparatus. The mobile station apparatus determines the resource allocation of the uplink demodulation reference signal in accordance with the frequency offset of the mobile station apparatus when information comprised in the downlink control information format dictates the distributed resource allocation in the resource allocation information, and transmits the uplink demodulation reference signal to the base station apparatus.

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) is a project that is intended to study and formulate specifications of a mobile communication system based on a network that is upgraded from W-CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (registered trademark) (Global System for Mobile Communications). Currently being studied under 3GPP, with the advance of the third-generation radio access technology (hereinafter referred to as "LTE (Long Term Evolution)" or "EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access)" and the use of a wider frequency bandwidth, is a mobile communication system (hereinafter referred to as "LTE-A (Long Term Evolution-Advanced)" or "Advanced-EUTRA") that permits even higher data transmission and reception.
As a communication scheme in LTE, 3GPP is studying, for a downlink, OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) that performs user-multiplexing using mutually orthogonal subcarriers and SC-FDMA (Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access) for an uplink.
As a communication scheme in LTE-A, 3GPP is studying OFDMA for the downlink and for the uplink, an introduction of Clustered-SC-FDMA (Clustered-Single Carrier-Frequency Division Multiple Access, also referred to as DFT-s-OFDM with Spectrum Division Control or DFT-precoded OFDM) in addition to SC-FDMA.
In a radio communication system, a communication area may be expanded by introducing a cellular structure to arrange in a cell-like fashion a plurality of coverage areas covered by base station apparatus. Although even a mobile station apparatus in a cell edge (cell end) region communicates without being interfered by using different frequencies between adjacent cells (sectors), frequency usage efficiency is problematic. In LTE, the frequency usage efficiency is substantially increased by using the same frequency repeatedly in each of the cells (sectors). However, a mobile station apparatus in the cell edge region is likely to be affected by interference from an adjacent cell, and communication quality is degraded. This entails reducing or suppressing interference to the mobile station apparatus in the cell edge region.
Currently being studied in LTE-A as a method of reducing or suppressing interference to the mobile station apparatus in the cell edge region is a Coordinated Multi-Point Transmission/Reception (CoMP) that performs interference coordination to cause adjacent cells (adjacent transmission and reception points) to coordinate each other. The word point herein refers to a transmission point (transmission station apparatus) of a signal and a reception point (reception station apparatus) of a signal. For example, the point may be a base station apparatus. Also, the point may be a mobile station apparatus. Also, the point may be a relay station apparatus. The point may be RRH (Remote Radio Head) as an upgraded antenna facility.
In coordinated communications, orthogonal resources alone of a uplink demodulation reference signal (DMRS: Demodulation Reference Signal) of LTE are insufficient to ensure orthogonality between the cells (transmission and reception points). Currently being studied is an increase in the orthogonal resources of DMRS that may be achieved by changing the frequency resource allocation of DMRS in a frequency spectrum from localized resource allocation to distributed resource allocation (for example, comb spectrum arrangement at two-subcarrier intervals such as a sounding reference signal (SRS: Sounding Reference Signal) (Non Patent Literature 1).
Disclosed further in the coordinated communications are a scenario where cell IDs (physical layer cell identities) different among a plurality of points are set, and a scenario where a common cell ID is set (Non Patent Literature 2).

Communication system, base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, and communication method


In a program storing unit (14), a dedicated processing program relating to at least one type of specific graphic data in the plurality of types of graphic data and a general purpose processing program which can deal with all of the plurality of types of graphic data are stored. A counting unit (16) counts the number of the specific graphic data included in the graphic data stored in the graphic storing unit. A processing unit (18) compares the counted number of the specific graphic data counted by the counting unit with a predetermined reference value. When the counted value is larger than or equal to the reference value, all of the graphic data are processed by the dedicated processing program, and the graphic data, which cannot be dealt with by the dedicated processing program, are processed by the general purpose processing program. When the count value is less than the reference value, all of the graphic data are processed by the general purpose processing program. Thus, the graphic processing time can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a graphic processing apparatus which can perform, at high speed, graphic processing such as decomposing or composing of a plurality of graphic data or checking of whether the graphic data are overlapped, and in more detail, it relates to a graphic processing apparatus having a dedicated processing program for specific graphics which can be processed easily and a general purpose processing program, and when the number of the specific graphics is large, all of the graphic data are first processed by the dedicated processing program, whereby the processing can be performed at a higher speed in comparison with a case where all of the graphics are processed by a general purpose processing program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional graphic processing apparatus will be described. As an example of the conventional apparatus, a graphic processing apparatus used for manufacturing large scale integrated circuits (LSIs) is described. In the graphic processing apparatus for manufacturing LSIs, design data for manufacturing masks are verified or converted into manufacturing data. To do this, the digitized design data (graphic data) for the mask pattern figures are divided into a plurality of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and/or trapezoids. Then these plural graphic data are processed.
The above-mentioned conventional graphic processing apparatus comprises a graphic storing unit for storing the plurality of graphic data of a plurality of types (in the above example, four types), a program storing unit for storing a general purpose program which can process all types of the graphic data, and a processing unit for reading the general purpose processing program from the program storing unit to graphically process the graphic data stored in the graphic storing unit.
The processing program is made as a single general purpose processing program which can process all types of figures, in order to minimize the size of the program, to make maintenance easy, and so forth.
The above-mentioned conventional graphic processing apparatus, however, has the following disadvantage.
Namely, the general purpose processing program is made in such a way that it can deal with the most complicated trapezoid graphic data because, if it can deal with the trapezoid graphic data, the other graphic data, such as data of a rectangle, a triangle, or a parallelogram, which can be obtained by specifying some of the parameters of the trapezoid graphic data, can also be dealt with.
That is, when the length of one of the parallel sides of a trapezoid is made to be zero, a triangle can be obtained; when two pairs of the sides are made to be parallel, a parallelogram can be obtained; and when two pairs of the sides are made to be parallel and one interior angle is made to be a right angle, a rectangle can be obtained.
However, since all graphic data are dealt as trapezoid graphic data even when the specified figure is a simple figure such as a triangle or the like, all graphic data have to be processed by the single general purpose processing program, resulting in a disadvantage in that it takes a long time to process the graphics by the processing unit.


A grill or BBQ appliance that is generally intended for outdoor use has a pivoting hood disposed in hinged connection with a grill body, both of which are raised above a firebox that receives a food support grate. The hood may include overhanging lights configured to provide optimal lighting through a range of hood positions.

Cooking grills generally deploy a firebox enclosure for the combustion of fuel that have an upper rim. A grate is supported on the upper rim, and the grate in turn supports the food to be cooked. The fuel can be wood, pellets, charcoal, but may also be natural gas or liquid propane that is fed into a lower portion of the firebox via a manifold. The firebox typically has lower perforations to allow for the admission of air into the box to provide the oxygen that supports combustion of the fuel. The firebox and grate may be covered to conserve heat. One type of covering is a hinged overhead hood that extends from a lower rim at the periphery of the firebox upward to form a cavity for the food to be cooked or warmed. A hinge is typically located along a side of hood and firebox to allow closure and trapping of heat and opening to add, evaluate, or turn foodstuffs during cooking as well as removal of the foodstuffs after cooking.
A vent or other perforation may be provided in a hood for purposes of venting hot combustion gas. The resulting hot combustion gas, including water (steam) and carbon dioxide, as well as heated air, rise upward through the grate to escape from an upper hood area via one or more vents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A hand operated tool is provided having a working head and a pair of handles. The handles are operably connected to each other and to the working head. The handles are each made of a one-piece polymer member which can indicate wear of the handles at their connection to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand operated tools and, more particularly, to handles for such tools.
2. Prior Art
Various different handles are known in the prior art relating to hand operated tools. U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,485 discloses handles as fiberglass rods. U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,528 discloses handles of cast or forged metal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,148 discloses a gaging mechanism for a compression tool. As can be seen from U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,148, a problem exists with certain types of hand operated tools in that the tools have to be adjusted in order to maintain the tool in precise alignment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved handle for a hand operated tool.


This application describes, among others, wafer designs, testing systems and techniques for wafer-level optical testing by coupling probe light to/from the top of a wafer. A wafer level test system uses optical and electronic probes to search for and align with an optoelectronic alignment structure. The test system uses a located optoelectronic alignment structure as a reference point to locate other devices on the wafer. The system tests the operation of selected devices disposed on the wafer. The optoelectronic alignment loop is also used as an alignment reference of known performance for an adjacent device of unknown performance.

This application relates to testing of integrated optical devices, integrated optoelectronic circuits and systems.
Compact optical components, devices, and systems may be monolithically fabricated on various substrates to form integrated optical components, devices, and systems. Such fabrication may be achieved using various fabrication processes to process wafers, including micro fabrication processes used for fabricating integrated circuits (ICs), micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), and other microstructures. The integrated optical components, devices, and systems may be monolithically integrated with ICs, MEMS, and other microstructures on the same chip to provide various useful functions. Fabrication of such integrated devices with optical components or devices generally includes wafer-level fabrication processes and packaging after dice on a single wafer are separated into chips by, e.g., dicing or sawing. The individually packaged chips are then tested.
In fabrication of integrated electronic circuits, a portion of the IC testing can be performed at the wafer level prior to separation of the dice. This wafer level testing measures the performance or identifies defective components and dice. Hence based on such testing at the wafer level, defective dice may be removed from subsequent processes including the packaging and testing of individual chips. Labor and costs associated with subsequent processes for the defective dice, therefore, can be significantly reduced. Various wafer-level testing systems have been developed for testing ICs at the wafer level.

Optoelectronic alignment structures for the wafer level testing of optical and optoelectronic chips


Designs and programming schemes can be used to form memory arrays having low power, high density and good data retention. High resistance interconnect lines can be used to partition the memory array can be partitioned into areas of high data retention and areas of low data retention. Variable gate voltages can be used in control transistors to store memory values having different data retention characteristics.

Nonvolatile memory elements are used in systems in which persistent storage required. For example, digital cameras use nonvolatile memory cards to store images and digital music players use nonvolatile memory to store audio data. Nonvolatile memory is also used to persistently store data in computer environments. Nonvolatile memory is often formed using electrically-erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) technology. This type of nonvolatile memory contains floating gate transistors that can be selectively programmed or erased by application of suitable voltages to their terminals.
As fabrication techniques improve, it is becoming possible to fabricate nonvolatile memory elements with increasingly smaller dimensions, and therefore low power consumption. However, as device dimensions shrink and as operating voltages decrease, data retention issues are posing challenges for nonvolatile memory technology.
Therefore, there is a need for a memory array that can meet the design criteria for advanced memory devices.

Memory arrays for both good data retention and low power operation


Methods for adsorbing toxic target chemical compounds such as HCN, P(O)(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3)(CN)(N(CH.sub.3).sub.2), ClCN, (CF.sub.3).sub.2 C.dbd.CF.sub.2, Zn(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3).sub.2, Hg(CH.sub.3).sub.2, Fe(CO).sub.5, (P)(O)(CH.sub.3)(F)[OCH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 ], S(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 Cl).sub.2, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 C(O)CH.sub.2 Cl, C(O)Cl.sub.2, C.sub.6 Cl.sub.5 OH, C.sub.6 H.sub.3 (OH)(NO.sub.2).sub.3, C.sub.6 H.sub.5 (Br)(CN), C.sub.6 H.sub.5 CH.sub.2 CN and (CF.sub.3)C.dbd.CF.sub.2 are provided wherein such compounds (either as gases, liquids or solids) are contacted with nanoscale oxide adsorbents, such as MgO and CaO, preferably at a temperature in the range of -70 to 90.degree. C. and at atmospheric pressure. The preferred adsorbents have an average particle size of from about 1-20 nm, and have a total pore volume of at least about 0.5 cc/g.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved techniques for the adsorption of target compounds through use of finely divided adsorbents selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, NiO, CuO, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZnO and mixtures thereof. The most preferred adsorbents of the invention are prepared by aerogel methods and have an average particle size of from about 1-20 nm. In the method, target compound(s) are contacted with the adsorbent to destructively adsorb or chemisorb the target compound(s). In particularly preferred forms, the adsorption reaction may be carried out at ambient temperatures and at atmospheric pressures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the scientific community and the public at large have expressed increasing concern about the effect of toxic chemicals on the environment. Spills of liquid chemicals or the inadvertent release of gaseous pollutants can create extreme environmental hazards which must be effectively cleaned up and controlled. To give another example, several million tons of phosphorous nerve agents exist in the United States, and investigations are under way to find safe, effective measures to detoxify these chemicals without endangering human life or the environment.
Technology currently in use includes activated carbon adsorbents (black powders) and/or highly caustic solutions. Activated carbon suffers from the fact that it does not destroy a toxic chemical but merely "holds it" by adsorption forces (i.e., chemisorption). Moreover, inorganic pollutants such as hydrogen cyanide, cyanogen chloride and acid gases are not adsorbed well by activated carbon. Finally, activated carbon is difficult to clean up. Caustic wash solutions create problems because of their tendency to corrode and degrade metals, paint and wood. Moreover, these solutions are inherently heavy and very dangerous to handle.
It has been suggested in the past to employ ultrafine (nanoscale) particles of MgO or CaO for the destructive adsorption of chlorinated benzenes, Li et al., Environmental Science & Technology, 28:1248-1253 (1994). In this paper, high temperature destructive adsorption of chloroarenes was facilitated by the presence of the nanoscale oxides. Similarly, Koper et al., Chem. Mater., 5:500-505 (1993) described the destructive adsorption of chlorinated hydrocarbons at high temperatures using nanoscale CaO. Finally, Klabunde et al., High Temp. Mater. Sci., 33:99-106 (1995) advocates the destructive adsorption of chlorocarbons at high temperature through use of MgO/Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 composites.
Lin et al. (Langmuir, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp.600-605, 1985) describe the use of MgO and CaO for adsorbing organophosphorous compounds at subatmospheric pressures. The paper also reported destructive adsorption of certain compounds at temperatures of 100.degree. C. and above. There is no teaching in this reference of adsorption at atmospheric pressures or above, nor any suggestion that destructive adsorption can occur at lower temperatures.
Li et al. (Chem. Mater., Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 323-330, 1992) describes the high temperature destructive adsorption of organophosphorous compounds using nanoparticle MgO and CaO. The lowest effective destructive adsorption temperature described in this reference is 170.degree. C., with best results being achieved at temperatures of 700-900.degree. C.
These prior techniques all generally require relatively high reaction temperatures which consequently limits the utility of the adsorbence reactions. Moreover, there are a large number of potentially troublesome toxic materials such as nerve gases which are not addressed by these prior methods. There is accordingly a need in the art for improved adsorbent methods having broad applicability to a wide variety of target compounds and which can be carried out at relatively low and even room temperatures.

Nanometer sized metal oxide particles for ambient temperature adsorption of toxic chemicals

Kansas State University Research Foundation


An apparatus providing uniform microwave processing of products especially those that are likely to absorb microwave energy such as meat and the like. The apparatus uses at least a pair of complimentary processing waveguides. The waveguides are offset along at least one axis thereof so that the energy coupled to the product when traveling through a first waveguide section is presented with a complimentary or mirror image of the field variation applied to the product when traveling in the second waveguide. Energy may be fed to the elongated waveguides through a broad open wall or a wall having narrow openings. Coupling values can therefore be adjusted to transfer a higher percentage of energy in the feeder waveguide as microwaves propagate but then are diminished by a previous coupling section.

Volume processing of products with microwaves, such as needed for large scale cooking and the like, typically uses a transmission-type system in which the microwave energy and the product being processed travel in the same direction through the same waveguide. This was an early approach by Marshall, L. K., "High Frequency electromagnetic cooking apparatus", U.S. Pat. No. 2,495,415 (1950) and in Revercomb, H. E. and Watts, D. E., "Ultrahigh frequency dielectric heater", U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,230 (1949). Later refinements by Johnson, R. M., "Waveguide applicator and method", U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,565 (1971) and Bleakley, W. J., "Waveguide", U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,232 (1971), involved making changes to the shape of the waveguide to improve uniformity of product heating.
However, all of the processes involving coincident microwave energy and product flow have problems when the product to be processed has a high loss factor of microwave energy, and is of sufficient cross section to provide substantial attenuation of the energy in a short distance. This combination results in instantaneous heating where the product and microwave first co-mingle, and also results in substantial non uniform heating when the product is relatively wide and thick. Having the product flow opposite to the microwave flow does not substantially improve uniformity where the energy attenuation is such that most energy absorption occurs in a short distance. This distance can be as small as 6–12 inches in WR975 type waveguide at 915 MHz, for example.
Another commonly used waveguide applicator was first described by Stiefel, K. J., "Waveguide dielectric heating apparatus", U.S. Pat. No. 2,560,903 (1951). This moves the product through slots in the major waveguide walls in the direction of the microwave electric field, such that the product flow and microwave flow are at right angles. This device is most applicable to heating a thin sheet-like material and can be typically provides relatively low attenuation. Multiple passes through the waveguide, which can be configured in some form of meander line to expose the material to the microwave on multiple occasions, is required for efficient operation using this method.
Many refinements have also been described for processing of web-like materials lying in the electric field plane, such as Smith, F. J. and Silberman, K., "Method and Apparatus for drying sheet materials", U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,733 (1971); Gaon, D. and Wiedersatz, J., "Process for preparing fat free snack chips", U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,601 (1993); and Hedrick, et al. in "System for applying microwave energy in processing sheet like materials", European Patent Application No. 0667732A1 (1995). These techniques are all applicable to thin or web-like materials with relative low absorption.

Coupled-waveguide microwave applicator for uniform processing


A degradation-determination system includes a volume change detecting unit configured to detect a volume change of a lithium-ion battery, a capacity change detecting unit configured to detect a capacity change of the lithium-ion battery, and a charge control unit configured to control charge of the lithium-ion battery. The charge control unit is configured to determine that the lithium-ion battery is in a state of degradation, upon occurrence of a condition in which volume expansion of the lithium-ion battery is detected by the volume change detecting unit, in conjunction with a condition in which a decrease in a capacity of the lithium-ion battery is not detected by the capacity change detecting unit.

Secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries have higher energy density, and are compact and lightweight. For this reason, such secondary batteries are widely used in electricity storage systems such as electric vehicles or smartphones.
Repeated charging and discharging causes lithium-ion batteries to degrade. In the past, a state of degradation of such lithium-ion batteries has been estimated by measuring and monitoring the voltage, current, temperature, or the like associated with electrode terminals, and charge control has been performed in consideration of the extent of degradation (see, for example, Patent document 1).

Degradation-determination system and method for determining degradation of secondary battery


A drive control device of a DC brushless multi-phase motor performs the speed control of the motor in place microprocessor, the burden on the microprocessor is relieved. The drive control device detects a zero crossing point of the back electromotive force in the non-energizing phase to perform the energizing switching to the coils by the PLL control, and includes a current detection circuit that detects currents flowing through the coils to perform the speed control of the motor based on the detected currents. The drive control device also, compares outputs from speed error detection circuit with outputs from the current detection circuit to determine the currents to be made to flow through the coils, and thereby controls the current output circuit.

The present invention relates to a drive control system of a brushless motor and a technique effective in use for the speed control of the motor. As an example, it relates to a technique effective in application to a semiconductor integrated circuit for driving and controlling a spindle motor that drives to rotate a disk storage medium such as a magnetic disk of a hard disk drive, and a motor drive control device using the integrated circuit.
The hard disk drive generally uses a DC brushless multi-phase motor as the so-called spindle motor. The hard disk drive rotates a magnetic disk at a high speed by means of the spindle motor, brings a read/write magnetic head close to the surface of the rotating magnetic disk, and writes or reads information while moving it in the radial direction. The invention concerning the drive control device of the spindle motor in a hard disk drive is disclosed, for example, in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-111485 (here under, referred to as Patent Document 1).

Drive control device of motor and disk rotation system


A structure and process for producing artificial fruits and vegetables (10). The structure consists of an inner assembly (12) that includes an upward extending stem (30) attached to a weighted core (14). The inner assembly is contained within a semi-rigid enclosure (48) that is subsequently covered with a resilient material (62) that is colored and textured to simulate a particular species of a fruit or vegetable. The process utilizes a mold (66) having a spherical cavity (96) into which is centrally placed the weighted core (14) with the stem (30) projecting through the mold's upward end (86). The mold (66) also has a fill port (92) into which is inserted a specified quantity of polystyrene beads. The beads expand when the mold is heated, to fill the cavity (96) and form the semi-rigid enclosure (48). The enclosure (48) is then covered with the resilient material (62) and the enclosure with the resilient material is placed in a hot-pressure mold that adds a texture. After the textured structure is removed from the mold, a color is added that simulates the color of the specific artificial fruit or vegetable.

The use of artificial fruit and vegetables has become extremely predominant, as the ability to present such items to a consumer has improved with current technology. Many restaurants and other food service companies offer a preview of their menu items by use of artificial samplers which highlight some of the specialities available. These samplers are not meant to be consumed, but rather, are used to give a diner or customer an idea of the appearance of a particular dish. This assists someone who may be curious about a certain item prior to ordering or purchasing
In any presentation medium that requires the use of high-intensity light-sources, such as television commercials, the use of real, living or non-living fruits and vegetables has been shown to be ineffective.
Also, any use that requires more than a minimal duration of time has proven to present significant problems as well. The reason for these, and other problems, is that real fruit and vegetables, especially after having been removed from their respective growing environment, wither and die very quickly. When exposed to various elements, such as a high-intensity light source, as mentioned above, the withering and dying process is considerably accelerated.
An alternative to using real fruits and vegetables is to use artificial fruits and vegetables. The most common and current method of manufacturing artificial fruits and vegetables utilizes shaped foam. The foam is first formed to give the appearance of whichever fruit or vegetable is desired. This piece is then cut into two pieces which are then filled to the respective weight of the individual fruit or vegetable. Usually sand, plaster or cement is used as a filler. Once filled, the two pieces are re-attached by use of an adhesive. There are several problems that are inherent to this method of manufacture. First and foremost is the fact that the several steps involved are very time consuming and require certain degrees of precision to guarantee an authentic looking fruit or vegetable. The materials are not expensive, but when compared with the inventive method of manufacture, and when considered along with the price of labor, the cost is decidedly higher.
Also, with other current methods of manufacture, many of the artificial fruits and vegetables develop mildew during the manufacturing process. The mildew is un-detectable during the process and subsequently remains on the finished product. The inventive process remedies this problem by allowing the detection of mildew prior to the product being completed. The mildew can be eradicated and will therefore present no further problem to the purchaser.
The stems on current artificial fruits and vegetables often utilize a hand-wrapping process of manufacture. Paper, the primary wrapping material, is wrapped around a centrally located piece of wire, which functions as a support and stabilizer. Unfortunately, there are problems such as unwrapping and unrealism that are associated with this method of manufacture. The inventive process hand wrapped stems, does not suffer from the non-inherent problems of the current designs.
A search of the prior art which included U.S. patents and industry publications did not disclose any art that read on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following two patents are considered are related:
______________________________________ PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 5,084,296 Lugay, et al 28 January 1992 4,119,739 Barwick, et al 10 October 1978 ______________________________________
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,296 Lugay, et al patent a simulated fruit piece suitable for combination with a dry food product. The fruit piece maintains its softness and the food product maintains its crispness after various storage conditions. The fruit consists of fruit solids, a fruit concentrate, a thickening agent, edible food grade acid, sweeteners, coloring and glycerol. A process for preparing the fruit piece is also disclosed wherein a solid phase comprising a fruit solids is combined with a hot liquid phase and the mixture extruded into fruit ropes or strands and cut into the desired shape or form.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,739 Barwick, et al patent discloses a process for preparing simulated soft fruit such as blackcurrants, blueberries and bilberries in which a relatively tough skin surrounds a liquid or at least a substantially liquid interior.

Structure and process for producing artificial fruits and vegetables


A hook dislodging assembly includes an elongated rod that has a first end and a second end. A tool head is attached to and extends away from the first end. The tool head has a free end, a top side, a bottom side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side. A groove is positioned in the top side and extends through a juncture of the top side and the free end. The groove extends toward the first end of the rod. The tool head may be removably positioned in a mouth of a fish such that a hook in the mouth is positioned in the groove. The hook may be dislodged with the free end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hook engaging devices and more particularly pertains to a new hook engaging device for dislodging a hook from the mouth of a fish.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of hook engaging devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,561 describes a device that includes an elongated slot therein for receiving a hook so that the hook may be removed from a fish. Another type of hook engaging device is U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,865 which includes a partial cylinder which is adapted for receiving fishing line attached to a hook. The cylinder is slid down the line and can be abutted against a hook to dislodge it from a fish. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,009 describes a tool that has a notch therein for catching a hook and thereby disengaging it from the mouth of a fish.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device which is capable of disengaging a hook from the mouth of a fish without actually attaching itself to the hook. This will accomplish a plurality of purposes. The fist will be that lures will be protected from being damaged, since the tool will grip any portion of the hook. The second purpose is that it allows the tool to be small since it has no moving parts and will only extend into the mouth as far as the hook. The third purpose is that since the tool only extends as deep as the part, there is less risk of harming the fish during the extraction of the hook.


DNAs encoding bradykinin B.sub.1 receptors from mammalian cells have been cloned and characterized. The recombinant receptor is capable of forming receptors which bind des-Arg.sup.10 kallidin and other B.sub.1 -specific ligands. The DNA has been expressed in recombinant host cells which produce active recombinant protein. In addition, the recombinant host cells are utilized to establish a method for identifying modulators of the receptor activity, and receptor modulators are identified.

Two mammalian bradykinin receptor subtypes, B.sub.1 and B.sub.2, have been defined based on their pharmacological properties (A. Dray, M. Perkins, TINS 16, 99-104 (1993), D. Proud, A. P. Kaplan, Annual Review Immunology 6, 49-83 (1988)). The nonapeptide bradykinin (BK) and the decapeptide Lys-BK (kallidin) are liberated from the large protein precursor kininogen by the proteolytic action of kallikreins. Because of their rapid degradation, these peptide hormones are presumed to mediate local effects. BK and kallidin both activate the B.sub.2 receptor. These B.sub.2 receptor agonists are then degraded by a carboxypeptidase to produce the B.sub.1 receptor agonists des-Arg.sup.9 BK and des-Arg.sup.10 kallidin or by the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) to yield inactive peptides. The phenomenon of the proteolytic transformation of a compound from B.sub.2 to B.sub.1 selectivity has been observed not only for the endogenous kinin agonists but also for several synthetic peptide antagonists (K. Wirth, et al., European Journal of Pharmacology 205, 217-218 (1991), D. Regoli, et al., European Journal of Pharmacology 127, 219-224 (1986)). BK and kallidin act as equipotent agonists at the B.sub.2 bradykinin receptor subtype. In contrast, BK is totally inactive at the B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor subtype. Although traditionally des-Arg.sup.9 BK has been utilized to study the B.sub.1 receptor, the most potent agonist for the B.sub.1 receptor appears to be des-Arg.sup.10 kallidin (D. Regoli, et al., European Journal of Pharmacology 127, 219-224 (1986)).
Bradykinin and kallidin, acting through the B.sub.2 receptor present in smooth muscle and certain neurons, cause pronounced hypotension and are potent mediators of pain and inflammation (A. Dray, supra; D. Proud, supra). In contrast, the B.sub.1 receptor is not detected in most normal tissues and appears to act predominantly in pathophysiological conditions (A. Dray, supra). The B.sub.1 receptor was originally discovered through a contractile response to des-Arg.sup.9 BK that was observed in rabbit aortic strips only after a prolonged ex vivo incubation (D. Regoli, J. Barabe, W. K. Park, Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 55, 855-867 (1977); D. Regoli, F. Marceau, J. Barabe, Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 56, 674-677 (1978); D. Regoli, J. Barabe, Pharmacological Reviews 32, 1-46 (1980)). The de novo synthesis of B.sub.1 receptors has been reported in vivo following treatment with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (D. C. Regoli, R. Marceau, J. Lavigne, European Journal of Pharmacology 71, 105-115 (1981)), and in animal models of antigen arthritis (S. G. Farmer, B. A. McMillan, S. N. Meeker, R. M. Burch, Agents and Action 34, 191-193 (1991)). In vitro studies have implicated a number of cytokines, most notably interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-2, as mediators that induce the expression of B.sub.1 receptors (D. Regoli, supra; D. Deblois, J. Bouthillier, F. Marceau, British Journal of Pharmacology 93, 969-977 (1988); D. deBlois, J. Bouthillier, F. Marceau, British Journal of Pharmacology 103, 1057-1066 (1991); D. deBlois, J. Bouthillier, R. Marceau, Immunopharmacology 17, 187-198 (1989)). These results, in conjunction with the finding that activation of a B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor on mouse macrophages causes the release of cytokines (R. M. Burch, J. R. Connor, C. W. Tiffany, Agents and Action 27, 258-260 (1989); C. W. Tiffany, R. M. Burch, FEBS letters 247, 189-192 (1989)), suggest that the B.sub.1 receptor could be an important mediator of chronic inflammation. Significantly, the B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor antagonist des-Arg.sup.9 [Leu.sup.8 ]BK was recently found to alleviate hyperalgesia in animal models of persistent inflammation (A. Dray, supra; M. N. Perkins, D. Kelly, British Journal of Pharmacology 110, 1441-1444 (1993); M. N. Perkins, E. Campbell, A. Dray, Pain 53, 191-197 (1993)). Thus, a body of evidence implicates the B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor in the pathophysiology of inflammation. Relatively little is known about the role for the B.sub.1 receptor in healthy tissues, although both B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 receptors may play a physiological role in renal function (N.-E. Rhaleb, et al., European Journal of Pharmacology 162,419-427 (1989); M. Lortie, D. Regoli, N.-E. Rhaleb, G. E. Plante, American Journal of Physiology 262, R72-R76 (1992)). The apparent inducibility of the B.sub.1 receptor under pathological conditions may provide a therapeutic window for the use of B.sub.1 receptor antagonists in treating chronic inflammation.
The cloning of the B.sub.2 bradykinin receptor revealed that this receptor is a member of the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (A. E. McEachem, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88, 7724-7728 (1991); S. J. Powell, et al., Genomics 15, 435-438 (1993); J. F. Hess, J. A. Borkowski, G. S. Young, C. D. Strader, R. W. Ransom, Biochem. and Biophys. Res. Comm. 184, 260-268 (1992); D. Eggerickx, E. Raspe, D. Bertrand, G. Vassart, M. Parmentier, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 187, 1306-1313 (1992)). The rat B.sub.2 bradykinin receptor was cloned using a Xenopus oocyte expression system (A. E. McEachern, et al., supra) that exploited the ability of the B.sub.2 receptor to act through G-proteins to activate phospholipase C and mobilize Ca.sup.2+ (R. M. Burch, J. Axelrod, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84, 6374-6378 (1987); S. R. Slivka, P. A. Insel, J. Biol. Chem 263, 14640-14647 (1988)). Recently, the B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor in rabbit aorta and rat mesangial cultured cells has also been shown to activate phospholipase C leading to Ca.sup.2+ mobilization (K. A. Schneck, supra; M. Issandou, J.-M. Darbon, Journal of Biological Chemistry 259, 9263-9268 (1991); M. M. Tropea, D. Gummelt, M. S. Herzig, L. M. F. Leeb-Lundberg, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 264, 930-937 (1993)). Furthermore, both B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 bradykinin receptor activities were detected when MRNA from the human fibroblast cell line WI-38 was injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes (E. Phillips, M. J. Conder, S. Bevan, P. McIntyre, M. Webb, Journal of Neurochemistry 58, 243-249 (1992). The similarity of ligands for the two bradykinin receptor subtypes suggests a similarity between the B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 receptor genes. However, the results of genomic Southern analyses indicated that these two receptors are not highly homologous (A. E. McEachern, et al., supra; J. F. Hess, et al., Molecular Pharmacology 45, 1-8 (1994). Therefore, in order to clone the human B.sub.1 receptor, we pursued an expression cloning strategy in Xenopus oocytes utilizing the photoprotein aequorin as an indicator of Ca.sup.2+ mobilization (K. Sandberg, A. J. Markwick, D. P. Trinh, K. J. Catt, FEBS Letters 241, 177-180 (1988); E. Giladi, E. R. Spindel, BioTechniques 10, 744-747 (1991). We isolated a cDNA clone that encodes a G-protein coupled receptor with an amino acid sequence that is 36% identical to that of the B.sub.2 bradykinin receptor. The pharmacological properties of this cloned receptor expressed in mammalian cells demonstrate that it is a B.sub.1 bradykinin receptor.


A vehicle door structure includes a mirror retainer having a main body, which is joined to the front end of an outer reinforcement with a part of the main body overlapping with the outer reinforcement. The mirror retainer includes an upper leg, which has a first facing surface facing a lower leg and is joined to the inner panel. The lower leg has a second facing surface facing the upper leg and is joined to the inner panel. A reinforcing member is connected to the first facing surface and at least one of a main body inner surface and the second facing surface so as to reinforce the mirror retainer.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle door structure and a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle door structure in which an outer reinforcement having a front end connected to a mirror retainer is arranged inside an outer panel, and a method for manufacturing the same.
When the section of a vehicle door structure to which the base of a door mirror is coupled has an insufficient rigidity, the door mirror may vibrate in the up-down direction or the front-rear direction during traveling of the vehicle or opening and closing of the door.
FIG. 10 shows a vehicle door structure that is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-321266 and has a door beltline outer reinforcement 52 extending along the door beltline of a door outer panel 51. A vertical reinforcement 53 extends in the up-down direction of the door. At the front end of the door beltline outer reinforcement 52, the upper edge of the vertical reinforcement 53 is spaced apart from the door inner panel 54 and located at the outer side of the door inner panel 54 in the vehicle width direction. The upper edge of the vertical reinforcement 53 is joined to the front end of the door beltline outer reinforcement 52. The above publication discloses a structure in which the coupling section of the coupling base 56 of the door mirror 55 is fixed to the upper edge of the vertical reinforcement 53. The publication describes that this structure increases the rigidity for holding the coupling base 56 of the door mirror 55.
The structure of the above publication is achieved by increasing the size of the upper section of the vertical reinforcement 53. Further, the front end of the door beltline outer reinforcement 52, which is spaced apart from and located at the outer side of the door inner panel 54, overlaps with the upper edge of the vertical reinforcement 53. This increases the weight of the vehicle door structure. In addition, it is not possible to enlarge the vertical reinforcement 53 when there is only a narrow gap (small space) between the door outer panel 51 and the door inner panel 54.

Vehicle door structure and method for manufacturing the same


A method of driving a plasma display panel, which includes controlling a charge state of a first display line being one of the two adjacent display lines utilizing the same single scan electrode, such that address discharge is not generated and controlling a charge state of a second display line being the other of the two adjacent display lines, such that address discharge can be generated, and then generating address discharge in the second display line, controlling the charge state of the second display line such that address discharge is not generated and controlling the charge state of the first display line such that the address discharge can be generated, and then generating address discharge in the first display line, and generating surface discharge simultaneously in the first and second display lines, thereby to achieve progressive display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of driving a plasma display panel (PDP) and more particular to a method of driving a plasma display panel comprising a plurality of display electrodes for producing surface discharge and a plurality of address electrodes (signal electrodes) for selection arranged orthogonally to each other between a pair of substrates.
2. Description of Related Art
In the above-described PDP, the display electrodes are extended in a row direction of a screen and arranged parallel to each other to have equal spaces therebetween. Display lines capable of producing surface discharge are defined between adjacent display electrodes. The address electrodes are extended in a column direction of the screen and arranged orthogonally to the display electrodes, thereby defining cells (unit light emitting regions) at points of intersection of the display lines and the address electrodes.
In a common PDP of surface discharge type, two display electrodes constitute a pair for producing surface discharge. Accordingly, a single display electrode between two adjacent display lines serves as a scan electrode for the two display lines. That is, at the time of producing address discharge for selecting a cell to illuminate, a single scan electrode is used both for an odd-numbered display line and an even-numbered display line. Accordingly, the displaying operation is generally carried out in an interlace mode. In this description, hereinafter, the PDP having a construction provided with the display electrodes arranged to have equal spaces therebetween will be referred to as an ALiS (Alternate Lighting of Surfaces) type PDP.
As compared with a PDP in which a pair of display electrodes is given for each of the display lines, the ALiS type PDP is advantageous to large-scale integration of the cells because it ensures the number of cells equal to that in the above-mentioned PDP while the number of the display electrodes is reduced. However, the interlace mode is inferior in display quality to a so-called progressive mode in which the display lines are scanned in sequence. Accordingly, various methods for driving the ALiS type PDP in the progressive mode have been proposed.
In the ALiS type PDP, as described above, a scan pulse is applied to every other display electrode used as the scan electrode in order to select a cell to illuminate. Since a single scan electrode is used for two display lines, a technique for selection between the two display lines is required.
Such a technique is known as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-181402, in which auxiliary discharge is taken place before the scan pulse is applied to the display electrodes, so that one of the two display lines is selected depending on the existence of the auxiliary discharge. However, the technique takes much time for the addressing because an auxiliary pulse needs to be applied before the scan pulse, and thus not practical. Moreover, the driving circuit is complicated.


Provided are a system and method for performing deduplication of web content. In one example, the method includes converting search results of a first website into a first fuzzy index and converting search results of a second website into a second fuzzy index, determining a search result of the first website corresponds to a same item as a search result of the second website based on a comparison of the first fuzzy index and the second fuzzy index, and displaying a comparison of web content associated with the item from the first search result and web content associated with item from the second search result. The deduplication of content according to various embodiments may be performed on the fly without storing web content in a centralized database.

Various search engines (e.g., comparison websites) compare web content from multiple websites and provide a user with a comparison of various attributes of the web content from the multiple sites, for example, price, availability, and other features. One industry where such comparisons often take place is in the retail industry where web visitors can filter and compare attributes of items. Comparison websites typically collect web content from multiple websites and databases and store the collected web content in a large centralized database. For example, a retail website may provide a list of products that are listed on the website to the centralized database such that the products can be compared with the same products listed on other retail websites. Another approach for collecting the web content is for the central database to perform a crawl for the web content. In this example, the central database or an agent thereof may scan retail web pages to retrieve product information such as features and prices and store the scanned information in the centralized database instead of relying on the retailer to provide such information. Additional approaches include receiving a data feed or a consolidated data feed of the web content from multiple websites including the product information, crowdsourcing data, and the like, and storing the web content in the centralized database.
However, one of the drawbacks of accumulating web content from multiple websites is that web content is always being updated, added, removed, and the like, at those websites. In order to keep track of the changes to the web content, the central database uses pointers to the web content at each site. For example, for a single hotel comparison, a travel related website may have a pointer to twenty different websites in order to gather web content from those twenty sites for comparing twenty possible prices for the hotel location. These pointers are typically generated manually by a user of the central database requiring significant time and delay. In addition, in the example of travel related websites, hotels are regularly being opened and closed throughout the world. For example, approximately fifty new hotels may open on one day while fifty hotels may close that same day. In order for the travel related website to maintain and keep track of the new hotels and the closing hotels, a user of the database must manually add the new hotels while at the same time removing the fifty hotels that are no longer valid.
Due to the changing, adding, deleting, and the like, of web content on a website, a centralized database typically performs a massive crawl/update on a daily basis such that the comparison website has the most recent changes. However, keeping track of this data is a significant and time-consuming event. Accordingly, what is needed is an automated system that does not use a centralized database and that does not require manual updates thereby avoiding the hassle of maintaining and updating a large amount of data on a continual basis.

System and method for web content matching


A secure and scalable data storage system that includes a server and a plurality of clients. The server maintains an access permission file that includes a file-group name, a plurality of client access blocks, a first and second public key, and a signature that is based on a first private key. The signature ensures that only clients who have a certain level of access can modify the contents of the access blocks. Each client access block includes at least one of a first access key, a second access key and a third access key. The access keys are encapsulated within biometric information of the client. The server grants one of a first level of access based on a successful verification of a signed request with the first public key and a second level of access based on a successful verification of the signed request with the second public key.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Current security-enhancing mechanisms for cloud based storage systems cannot be relied upon to store and share data of a highly confidential nature. For instance, data pertaining to patient records in hospitals and healthcare organizations, financial data pertaining to stock investments and trade markets, sensitive information pertaining to government organizations or the like, require a reliable and trustworthy approach of securing and maintaining data confidentiality. The lack of trust in current security systems is primarily due to their strong reliance on passwords for authenticating users of the system. A confidentiality service that relies only on passwords to authenticate its users runs the risk of being compromised as unauthorized user(s) may infiltrate such systems by using mechanisms such as hacking and stealing to gain access to the passwords of legitimate users.


The present invention provides a generator brake system for providing a brake control of a generator. The generator brake system includes a power conversion unit, a sensing unit, and a control unit. The power conversion unit receives an output voltage and an output current, generated from the generator, and the power conversion unit has at least one switch unit. The sensing unit receives the output voltage and the output current to generate a voltage signal and a current signal. The control unit receives the voltage signal and the current signal. When receiving a braking signal, the control unit generates at least one control signal for correspondingly turning on the at least one switch unit, thus braking the generator in a short circuit manner.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a generator brake system and a method of controlling the same, and more particularly to a generator brake system for a permanent magnet generator (PMG) and a method of braking the PMG in a short circuit manner by turning on at least one switch unit.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the current wind power generation system, the wind turbine is provided to convert the wind power into the electric power with a constant frequency by inverters. Hence, the reliability of the wind power generation system as well as that of the inverter system is critical. In addition, the protection ability of the wind power system will be subject to strict tasks because the wind frequently and intensely changes. Also, the inverter system would be damaged when the wind turbine is operated at a high wind speed.
Please refer to FIG. 1 which shows a conventional protection circuit for electrical machines. US 2013/0194704 disclosed the protection circuit and method for electrical machines. The generator is a permanent magnet generator 2 with a three-phase stator winding 4. Stator terminals of the permanent magnet generator 2 are connected to the power converter 6 through the three-phase circuit 8. The three-phase circuit 8 has three separate conductors 10a, 10b, 10c, each of which is connected to a respective phase of the stator winding 4. A contact device 12 includes three separate contacts 14a, 14b, 14c, each of which is connected between one of the conductors 10a, 10b, 10c and a common conductor 16.
When the generator 2 normally operates, the contacts 14a, 14b, 14c are open and electrical power flows from the stator terminals of the generator 2 to the power converter 6 through the three-phase circuit 8. If there is a short circuit or fault in the three-phase circuit 8 or the power converter 6, the generator 2 will start to produce a fault current. At this time, the contacts 14a, 14b, 14c can be closed to connect the conductors 10a, 10b, 10c to the common conductor 16. Once the contacts 14a, 14b, 14c are closed then no fault current will flow from the generator 2 to the power converter 6. Therefore, the addition of the contactor device 12 minimizes any damaged risk of the power converter 6. The contacts 14a, 14b, 14c of the contactor device 12 can be opened again once the fault current has been cleared.
However, once the switch contacts are used to provide brake protection for the generator, the problems of reduction of life time and invalidation of brake protection of the hardware switches would occur because of frequently switching the switches and failure of switch contacts.

Generator brake system and method of controlling the same


A grease packer (10) for packing grease into a bearing (15) has an inner race and an outer race, having a non-rigid bearing holder (11) that defines a conical chamber (12) having a first open end (13) and a second open end (14) through which the bearing (15) may be loaded into the packer (10) with the outer race (16) sitting on the inner wall (17) of the conical chamber (12) and the bearing (16) spaced from the first open end. A non-rigid insert (20) has a first end defined by a stub (22) adapted to pass through the inner race (18) of the bearing (16) located in the conical chamber (12) and a conical outer surface (23) adapted to seat against the inner race (18) of the bearing (16). Grease applying means (38, 43) is connected to the bearing holder (11) to force grease through the first opening (13) of the bearing holder (11) and into the bearing (16) so as to pack the bearing (16) with grease.

When maintenance is carried out on vehicles, machinery and the like, it is often the case that bearings need to be re-packed with grease to ensure efficient running of the bearing and to improve the service life of the bearing.
In the particular case of a sedan or station wagon, the bearings are of relatively small diameter and the usual way that the bearings are packed with grease is by tapping the bearing against the hand which has an amount of grease located thereon. This tapping is continued until the bearing is fully packed. In the case of larger motor vehicles such as multi-wheeled transport vehicles and heavy duty work vehicles, the bearings are of a much greater diameter and therefore a substantial amount of time would be required to pack the bearings with grease using this particular procedure.
The aforementioned procedure also has the difficulty that the bearings may not be packed to the desired extent and also to the fact that it is a recurring problem that dirt and other grit may not be able to be excluded from within the bearing. This is particularly the case where the hands of the person packing the bearing are often not completely clean prior to the commencement of the procedure.
Bearings may be packed using commercially available grease packers which operate using cones which screw together on a central thread and grease is then introduced to the bearing situated between the cones using a grease gun. This method has many features which are less than desirable such as:
(i) many other types of bearing packers use a hand grease gun to apply grease to the packing device, if a manual non-power assisted gun is used much effort and time is wasted as a grease gun is a low volume/high pressure device, PA1 (ii) the time taken to screw the cones together is a time consuming procedure, PA1 (iii) after a greasing operation, the device has many surfaces from which the grease must be removed, so as to keep the device clean, PA1 (iv) unless the whole device is kept under cover, dust and grit will enter the threads and surfaces of the cones, thereby causing contamination during the next greasing operation, PA1 (v) to initiate work, one must purchase both a grease gun and also a bearing packer adding to the cost. PA1 (i) a non-rigid bearing holder defining a conical chamber having a first open end and a second open end through which the bearing may be loaded into the packer with the outer race sitting on the inner wall of the conical chamber and the bearing spaced from the first open end, PA1 (ii) a non-rigid insert having a first end defined by a stub adapted to pass through the inner race of a bearing located in the conical chamber and a conical outer surface adapted to seat against the inner race of the bearing located in the conical chamber, said insert having a second end, and PA1 (iii) grease applying means connectable to the bearing holder adapted to force grease through the first opening of the bearing holder and into the bearing so as to pack the bearing with grease.
Some other types of bearing packers, use a conical piston inside a blind ended cylinder, which prior to use, must first be loaded with grease using either a grease gun or a spatula to bring grease from a remote container. Again, there is unnecessary time inconvenience and the likelihood of dust/grit or foreign matter entering the bearing. With this style of packer it may not be possible to observe the bearing during packing operations, leading to under greasing or wasting of grease.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for packing grease into bearings which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages.


A moisture removal apparatus for a breathing circuit includes a breathing gas conduit for receiving a flow of breathing gas having a first humidity level. A dry gas conduit is provided adjacent to at least a portion of the breathing gas conduit for receiving a flow of dry gas having a second humidity level lower than the first humidity level. A heating element extends from an upstream end of the breathing gas conduit to a downstream end of the breathing gas conduit. The heating element provides heat to the flow of breathing gas such that the breathing gas at the downstream end is heated to a higher temperature than the breathing gas at the upstream end. A moisture transmission pathway enables transfer of moisture from the breathing gas to the dry gas based on the humidity differential.

A breathing circuit delivers medical gas to a patient under pressure in a prescribed volume and breathing rate. The medical gas is often humidified by a humidifier located at or near the ventilator or respirator. The optimum respiratory circuit delivers 100% RH medical gases to the patient while reducing the amount of humidity and subsequent condensate delivered back to the ventilator through the expiratory limb. Therefore, the humidified gas has to travel through all or most of the tubing and has time to cool. Cooling of the gas leads to rainout or condensation in the breathing tube and collection of water within the breathing circuit. It is known that excessive condensate entering a device, such as a ventilator or respirator, from the expiratory limb of a respiratory circuit can harm the device.
Several possible solutions to the problem of rainout have been developed. One such proposed solution is a heating wire provided along the length of the breathing tube. The wire heats the humidified gas traveling through the tubing to prevent the gas from cooling, thus preventing the problem of water condensing out of the gas traveling through the breathing circuit. The thermal output from such a heating wire is usually achieved by imposing an electrical current in the wire so that the generated heat is released to the flow of gas, such as by convection.
Conventional heating wires are typically straight and extend along the length of the breathing tube so that uniform heating of the gas can be achieved. Coiled heating wires which are spirally wound around the breathing tube along its length are also commonly used to achieve uniform heating of the gas. However, such breathing circuit configurations that have an even heating distribution across the circuit, or breathing circuit configurations that have a higher temperature at an upstream end, can lead to rain out and condensation accumulation in the ventilator.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved apparatus for removing or decreasing water vapor, moisture, and/or condensate in a breathing circuit. It is further desirable that the improved apparatus for removing water vapor, moisture and/or condensate from the breathing tube, eliminates or reduces rain out and condensate in the ventilator, thus protecting the device from damage. Further, there is a need to increase the capacity for moisture removal and condensation management in a breathing circuit.

Moisture removal and condensation and humidity management apparatus for a breathing circuit


A system and method in an IP-based network for defining a specific router for a host to utilize as a default router. The host is configured with a plurality of preferred correlation values, each of which has a different corresponding preference level. Routers send Router Advertisement (RA) messages to the host and include at least one router correlation value and at least one corresponding priority value. The host compares the received router correlation values with its preferred correlation values and identifies the router that sent the router correlation value that matched the preferred correlation value having the highest corresponding preference level. The identified router is selected as the host's default router. If more than one router matches the preferred correlation value having the highest corresponding preference level, the router that sent the highest priority value is selected.

The present invention relates to routers and hosts in an Internet Protocol (IP) network. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to a system and method for assigning routers to hosts in IP Version 6 (IPv6) networks.
Currently IPv6 routers use a mechanism called Neighbor Discovery (or Router Discovery) for stateless auto-configuration of IPv6 host systems. The Neighbor Discovery mechanism is described in T. Narten, et al., "Neighbor Discovery for IP Version 6 (IPv6)," RFC 2461, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference. Nodes (hosts and routers) use the Neighbor Discovery mechanism to determine the link-layer addresses for neighbors known to reside on attached links and to quickly purge cached values that become invalid. The Router Discovery function of the Neighbor Discovery mechanism allows the hosts to solicit or periodically be updated with prefix and default router information. As such, the Router Discovery protocol introduces two types of messages: a) Router Solicitation (RS) messages and b) Router Advertisement (RA) messages. In addition, hosts use Router Discovery to find neighboring routers that are willing to forward packets on their behalf. Finally, nodes use a Neighbor Discovery protocol suite to actively keep track of which neighbors are reachable and which are not, and to detect changed link-layer addresses. When a router or the path to a router fails, a host actively searches for functioning alternates.
Hosts send RS messages in order to prompt routers to generate RA messages quickly. Routers send out Router Advertisements periodically, or in response to a Router Solicitation. The Router Advertisements indicate various router characteristics and whether the router is available as a default router. Hosts populate their Default Router List and Prefix List based on information in the Router Advertisements. A conceptual sending algorithm uses the Prefix List to determine if a destination address is on-link and uses the Default Router List to select a router for off-link destinations. In some network topologies where the host has multiple routers on its Default Router List, the choice of router for an off-link destination is important. In some situations, one router may provide much better performance than another for a given destination. In other situations, choosing the wrong router may result in a failure to communicate.
An extension to the Router Advertisement message for communicating default router preferences and more-specific routes from routers to hosts is described in R. Draves, et al., "Default Router Preferences and More-Specific Routes," RFC 4191, 2005. This improves the ability of hosts to pick an appropriate router, especially when the host is multi-homed and the routers are on different links. The preference values and specific routes advertised to hosts require administrative configuration; they are not automatically derived from routing tables.
In scalable, high speed networks, more than one IPv6 router may not be adequate to serve the capacity requirements of the servers or hosts on a given local area network (LAN). In this situation, it becomes necessary to provision the routers and divide the host traffic load between them. However, it is not always feasible or cost effective to add load balancing equipment to spread the server load across multiple routers. In this case, the best solution is to divide the servers amongst the multiple routers based on policy or some other provisioning or dimensioning exercise.
The methods disclosed in RFC 2461 and RFC 4191 allow the host to choose which router it uses based on criteria presented in the RA messages. Using these methods, however, a disproportionate number of hosts may choose the same router to serve as their default router. A finer granularity and stricter control is needed while maintaining the auto-configuration from the host point of view
It would be advantageous to have a system and method for assigning routers to hosts that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention provides such a system and method.

Method and system for assigning routers to hosts


A first embodiment of a measurement system provides an indication of performance of an electrophotographic process. The first embodiment includes a charge measurement device coupled to a developing device and a high voltage power supply. The charge measurement device generates a signal corresponding to the net charge transferred between the high voltage power supply and the developing device during an imaging operation. The measured charge transfer is compared to an estimated charge transfer to determine if the electrophotographic process is operating correctly. The estimated charge transfer is determined by multiplying an estimate of the mass of the toner transferred during an imaging operation by an average value of toner charge to mass ratio. A sufficiently large difference in the magnitude between the measured charge transfer and the estimated charge transferred indicates that the electrophotographic process is not operating correctly. A second embodiment of measurement system includes a charge measurement device coupled to a photoconductor to measure the net charge transfer between the photoconductor and ground during an imaging operation. The net charge transfer is compared to the estimated charge transfer to determine whether the electrophotographic process is operating correctly. A third embodiment of the measurement system includes a voltage measuring probe to measure a voltage on the surface of a photoconductor. A controller determines if the measured surface voltage on the photoconductor is within a range of voltages occurring during normal operation of the electrophotographic process.

This invention relates to electrophotography. More particularly, this invention relates to the measurement of parameters related to the performance of the electrophotographic process.
Electrophotography involves the controlled movement of colorant material, such as toner particles, under the influence of an electric field to create images, such as text, graphics, or pictures, on media. Overtime, the performance of the electrophotographic process can degrade as a result of the wear of components or depletion of materials used in the process. A need exists for a system that can detect changes in the electrophotographic process that may cause an unacceptable degradation in print quality.
Accordingly, a measurement system has been developed. The measurement system includes a developing device and a power supply coupled to the developing device. In addition, the measurement system includes a charge measuring device configured to measure charge transferred between the developing device and the power supply and to provide output related to measurement of the charge.
A measuring system includes a photoconductor. In addition, the measuring system includes a charge measuring device configured to measure charge flowing to or from the photoconductor and to provide output related to measurement of the charge.
A measuring system includes a photoconductor. In addition, the measuring system includes a voltage measurement device configured to measure voltage on the surface of the photoconductor and to provide output related to charge on the photoconductor. Furthermore, the measuring system includes a controller arranged to receive the output and configured to determine if a value of the output exists outside of a predetermined range.
A method for determining performance of an electrophotographic process includes determining a threshold value using an estimated quantity of toner for an imaging operation and a first value of a first parameter related to a characteristic of the toner. In addition, the method includes measuring a second value of a second parameter related to a flow of charge to or from a component in an electrophotographic system. Furthermore, the method includes determining the performance of the electrophotographic process using the second value and the threshold value.
An electrophotographic imaging device to form an image on media using toner includes a photoconductor and a photoconductor exposure system to form a latent electrostatic image on the photoconductor. In addition, the electrophotographic imaging device includes a developing device to develop the toner onto the media, a transfer device to transfer the toner from the photoconductor to the media, a fixing device to fix toner to the media, and a power supply configured to provide a bias to the developing device. Furthermore, the electrophotographic imaging device includes a charge measuring device configured to measure charge transferred between the developing device and the power supply and to provide output related to measurement of the charge and a controller arranged to receive the output and configured to compare a value of the output to a threshold value.
An electrophotographic imaging device to form an image on media using toner includes a photoconductor and a photoconductor exposure device to form a latent electrostatic image on the photoconductor. In addition, the electrophotographic imaging device includes a developing device to develop the toner onto the media, a transfer device to transfer the toner from the photoconductor to the media, and a fixing device to fix toner to the media. Furthermore, the electrophotographic imaging device includes a charge measuring device configured to measure charge flowing to or from the photoconductor to provide output related to measurement of the charge and a controller arranged to receive the output and configured to compare a value of the output to a threshold value.
A method for determining performance of an electrophotographic process includes measuring a distribution of charge flowing to or from a component in an electrophotographic system from a plurality of imaging operations and determining a threshold value using the distribution. In addition, the method includes measuring a value of a parameter related to the charge flowing to or from the component during an imaging operation following the plurality of imaging operations and determining the performance of the electrophotographic process using the value and the threshold value.


A semiconductor memory device compensates leakage current. A plurality of memory cells is disposed at intersections of word lines and bit lines. A plurality of dummy cells is connected to at least one dummy bit line. A leakage compensation circuit is connected to the at least one dummy bit line that outputs a leakage compensation current to at least one of the bit lines. A read current supply circuit outputs a read current necessary for a read operation to at least one of the bit lines in response to a first control signal. The memory device is a phase-change memory device containing phase-change material. The semiconductor memory device compensates leakage current in a read operation and supplies the leakage compensation current to a selected bit line, thereby suppressing error operation occurrence caused by leakage current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a phase-change memory device for compensating for a leakage current in a read operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a Phase-Change Random Access Memory (PRAM) is heated and then cooled, the PRAM is maintained in one of two states, and is made of phase-change material such as chalcogenide alloy that can be again changeable by a heating and cooling operation. The two states are a crystalline state and an amorphous state. The PRAM has been disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,113 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,438.
In a PRAM, the resistance is low in the crystalline state and is high in the amorphous state. The logic value of the PRAM is determined as 0 or 1 by the resistance value. The crystalline state corresponds to set or logic 0, and the amorphous state corresponds to reset or logic 1.
To change the phase-change material of the PRAM to its amorphous state, the PRAM is heated by resistance heat above the melting point of the phase-change material, and then is rapidly cooled. To change the phase-change material to the crystalline state, the phase-change material is heated for a predetermined time at a temperature under the melting point.
The kernel of the phase-change memory is the phase-change material, such as chalcogenide. The phase-change material, generally called a GST alloy, contains germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb) and tellurium (Te). The GST alloy has the properties of being rapidly changed by a heating and cooling operation between the amorphous state (reset or 1) and the crystalline state (set or 0), and thus it can be usefully applied to a memory device.
Phase-change materials have a high resistance in the amorphous state and a low resistance in the crystalline state.
A memory cell made of chalcogenide as a phase-change material includes a top electrode, a chalcogenide layer, a bottom electrode contact, a bottom electrode and an access transistor. The operation of reading a programmed cell is performed by measuring the resistance of the chalcogenide material. Programming, or the write operation, denotes that a memory cell has reset and set states and has corresponding logic values of 1 and 0 respectively.
Writing data in a memory cell is accomplished by heating chalcogenide above its melting point and then by rapidly cooling it to enter its amorphous state, or by heating it at a temperature under its melting point, maintaining the temperature for a predetermined time and then cooling it to enter its crystalline state.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a conventional memory cell in set and reset states.
A memory cell 100 includes a top electrode 12 having conductivity, formed on a phase-change material 14. A bottom electrode contact (BEC) 16 having conductivity connects the top electrode 12 and the phase-change material 14 with a bottom electrode 18 having conductivity.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the memory cell 100 is in the set state or the logic 0 state. In this state the phase-change material 14 has a crystalline state. Referring to FIG. 1B, the memory cell 100 is in the reset state or the logic 1 state. In this state the phase-change material 14 has an amorphous state.
FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively include an access transistor N20 for controlling the current flowing through the memory cell. When current flows through the memory cell 100, the bottom electrode contact 16 operates as a heater for heating the phase-change material 14 to change its state.
FIG. 2 illustrates an electric circuit configuration of a memory cell shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
In FIG. 2, a word line WL controls the activation of the memory cell 100. A current ICELL flowing through the memory cell 100 and a bit line BL are used in programming or reading the memory cell 100.
FIG. 3 illustrates conventional time-temperature curves for programming the phase-change material. FIG. 3 also shows the correlation between the time and the temperature of a programming pulse for programming the phase-change material to a set or reset state according to a conventional programming method.
In FIG. 3, a reset curve 35 illustrates the time-temperature correlation of a reset pulse, and a set curve 36 illustrates the time-temperature correlation of a set pulse.
With reference to the reset curve 35 of FIG. 3, to program the phase-change material to the reset state, the phase-change material is heated above its melting point Tm. Next, heat is applied to the phase-change material for a short time. Then the phase-change material is cooled rapidly. In the set curve 36 of FIG. 3, to program the phase-change material to the set state, the phase-change material is heated to a temperature under its melting point Tm. The temperature corresponds to a set window provided between the melting point Tm and a crystalline temperature Tx. The temperature is maintained for a predetermined time and then the phase-change material is cooled.
FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional current-voltage curve of the phase-change material.
Referring to FIG. 4, there is a reset state {circle around (1)} and a set state {circle around (3)} for a read operation, and a program state {circle around (2)} to program the phase-change material to a set state. For the read operation of a memory cell, a voltage applied to the phase-change material should be smaller than a threshold voltage Vth of the phase-change material. A voltage Vread for the read operation is applied to the phase-change material in a range of, e.g., 0.4Vth-0.6Vth. For a read operation, a read current Iread is applied to the bit line of the memory cell.
When a leakage current escapes to non-selected memory cells connected to the same bit line, the read current Iread necessary for a read operation cannot be sufficiently supplied to the selected memory cell, which may cause read error. Such an error operation may become larger by increased integration and lower power consumption of semiconductor memory devices.
Thus, if leakage current in a read operation can be compensated, integration of semiconductor memory devices can be increased and error operations caused by leakage current can be prevented.

Semiconductor memory device capable of compensating for leakage current


A photosensitive drum unit for an image forming device includes a tubular member having two openings at the opposite ends thereof, two flange members pressed into the openings of the tubular member, and an electroconductive ground plate attached to one or both of the flange members. The ground plate is provided with a plurality of projections formed integrally with the ground plate. The projections engage with the tubular member in order to create an electrical connection between the photosensitive drum and the body of the image forming device.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum unit and a ground plate for image forming devices such as copying machines, facsimile devices or laser printers.
B. Description of Related Art
In an image forming device such as a copying machine, an image from an original document is optically read by an exposure unit, and a electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive drum. A developing device is disposed adjacent to the photosensitive drum for forming a toner image thereon. The developing device includes a toner hopper, and toner supplied from the hopper is given an electric charge opposite that of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. The toner adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum to form a toner-developed image.
The photosensitive drum includes a tubular member formed from an electroconductive metal, and two flange members which are pressed into the openings defined on the opposite ends of the tubular member. An aperture is defined in the central portion of each of the flange members, and a support axle passages through the two apertures for supporting the drum-unit in the copying machine.
In order for electricity to flow between the surface of the tubular member and the body of the copying machine, a ground plate is attached to the flange member, with a portion of the outer circumference thereof in contact with a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the tubular member and the inner circumference thereof in contact with the support axle. However, because the inner surface of the tubular member is often coated with a substance for corrosion prevention, (such as aluminum oxide), this coating must be removed so that electricity can be conducted between the tubular member and the ground plate.
In order to do this portions of the ground plate have a diameter which are larger than the inner diameter of the tubular member. The ground plate is then forced into the tubular member, thereby deforming portions of the outer circumference of the, ground plate so that it may fit into the tubular member. This action scratches the inner circumferential surface of the tubular member, and removes enough of the coating so that electricity may be conducted between the tubular member and the ground plate.
However, due to the configuration of the ground plate, the tubular member can be deformed when the ground plate is forced into the tubular member. If the tubular member is deformed in such a manner, it may produce unsatisfactory copies. In addition, the tubular member is often made thinner in order to reduce the total weight of the copying machine, as well as its cost of production. However, the amount of deformation that occurs during ground plate installation often increases when the thickness of the tubular member is reduced.

Photosensitive drum unit and a ground plant used therewith


There is provided a knocking sensor that has good insulation characteristics even at an operating temperature of 150° C. or more and is excellent in the accuracy of knocking detection. The knocking sensor 10 includes a sensor body 20 including: a metal shell 12 that includes a cylindrical portion 12a and a flange portion 12b positioned at one end of the cylindrical portion 12a and protruding outward in a radial direction; an annular piezoelectric element 15; upper and lower electrode plates 16 and 14 that are superimposed on upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric element 15; a weight 17 that is disposed so that the piezoelectric element 15 is interposed between the weight and the flange portion 12b; a lower insulating plate 13 that is disposed between the flange portion 12b and the lower electrode plate 14; and an upper insulating plate 13t that is disposed between the upper electrode plate 16 and the weight 17; and a resin molding 11 that covers the sensor body 20. Further, the thickness of each of the upper and lower insulating plates 16 and 14 is in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.50 mm, and the resin molding 11 is made of polyphenylene sulfide having good heat resistance.

A knocking sensor, which detects the knocking of an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like, is known and the delay control of an ignition timing of a spark plug is performed according to the detection of the knocking sensor.
A knocking sensor, which has a structure shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, is known as the above-mentioned knocking sensor (Patent Documents 1 and 2). The knocking sensor 100 is a so-called center hole-type non-resonant knocking sensor that has a mounting hole 120b, through which the knocking sensor is mounted on a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine, at the central portion thereof.
As shown in an exploded perspective view of FIG. 6, the knocking sensor 100 includes a metal shell 120 that includes a cylindrical portion 121 and a flange portion 122 positioned at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 121. An annular lower insulating plate 130, a lower electrode plate 140, a piezoelectric element 150, an upper electrode plate 160, an upper insulating plate 135, a weight 170, and a disc spring 180 are fitted to the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 121 in this order from the flange portion 122. Meanwhile, upper and lower terminals 141 and 161, which are used to take a voltage, are formed on the outsides of the lower and upper electrodes 140 and 160, respectively, so as to extend in the shape of a piece in the radial direction. A male screw portion 121b is formed on the upper outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 121. Meanwhile, a female screw portion 185b is formed on the inner surface of a nut 185. Further, the nut 185 is threadably engaged with the male screw portion 121b. Accordingly, a laminated body, which reaches the disc spring 180 from the lower insulating plate 130, is interposed between the flange portion 122 and the nut 185, so that a sensor body 190 is formed (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, the sensor body 190 is covered with a resin molding 110 as shown in FIG. 5, so that the knocking sensor 100 is formed.
When being used, the knocking sensor 100 having this structure is mounted so that the lower surface of the flange portion 122 of the metal shell 120 comes into contact with the cylinder block. Accordingly, the metal shell 120 is electrically connected to (comes into electrical contact with) the cylinder block. As a result, the weight 170, which is electrically connected to the metal shell 120, is also electrically connected to (also comes into electrical contact with) the cylinder block. Accordingly, the lower insulating plate 130 that electrically insulates the flange portion 122 of the metal shell 120 from the lower electrode plate 140 and the upper insulating plate 135 that electrically insulates the upper electrode plate 160 from the weight 170 are used in the knocking sensor 100 as components of the sensor body 190 so that the insulation between the piezoelectric element 150 and the metal shell 120 and the weight 170 is secured. Meanwhile, a cylindrical insulating sleeve 131 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 121, so that the lower electrode plate 140, the piezoelectric element 150, and the upper electrode plate 160 are prevented from being electrically connected to the cylindrical portion 121.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2003-322580
[Patent Document 2] JP-A-2008-144677