A novel all-wheel journaling of the rotary portion of a rotary self-cleaning strainer on a stationary central core. Respective sets of circumferentially spaced wheels are provided on respective end closures of the rotary portion that close opposite axial ends of a strainer screen to the central core. A first set of wheels on one end closure rides on a wear sleeve around the suction pipe of the stationary core, and a second set on the other end closure rides on a ring disposed around the supply pipe of the stationary core. Two additional rings sandwich the ring on the supply pipe to axially capture the second set of wheels and thereby axially capture the rotary portion on the central core. The rotary portion has a frame, including the end closures, for supporting the screen. Novel tie rod structures extend between the end closures.

When water is to be pumped out of an outdoor pit, reservoir, or canal, it is important to prevent debris, such as leaves, sticks, discarded plastic and paper articles, stones, etc., from entering the pump. Rotary self-cleaning strainers that contain cylindrical screens for performing the straining function are often used for this purpose.
The strainer is attached to the end of a conduit and placed in the body of water that is to be pumped. The pump is operated to suck water through the strainer and conduit, as the strainer screen prevents debris from being sucked into the conduit along with the water. Certain debris may adhere to the screen's exterior due to the pump suction force. However, the continued adherence of such debris to the screen's exterior, and resulting impairment of flow through the screen, are prevented by rotating the screen past a nozzle structure which is disposed on the interior of the screen and directs water outwardly through the screen to dislodge the debris. The water is fed under pressure to the strainer through a separate supply line which may be tapped into the pump's outlet. The water acts on only a limited circumferential zone of the screen at any given time to force adhering debris away from the exterior of the screen as the screen revolves past the nozzle structure. The remainder of the screen serves to pass the flow of water that is being sucked by the pump.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,822,486; 5,108,592; 5,215,656; 5,356,532; 5,520,808 disclose new and improved rotary self-cleaning strainers of this general type. One feature of these strainers is the use of nozzles directed to eject pressurized water against the cylindrical screen to rotate the rotary portion of the strainer and simultaneously dislodge adhering debris from the exterior of the screen.
Annular end closure disks close the opposite axial ends of a rotary portion of the strainer to the non-rotating central core of the strainer. The core comprises a suction pipe through which water from the source being pumped is sucked out of the strainer, and a supply pipe that extends coaxially within the suction pipe to deliver pressurized water to the nozzles that are disposed at the radially outer ends of branch pipes which are threaded into the wall of the supply pipe. These end closure disks are rigid plastic. An axial end of the rotary portion may be closed to the suction pipe by either a single disk, or by a stack of plural disks. Mounted on these annular end closure disks are means providing for the journaling of the rotary portion on the non-rotating central core about the strainer's longitudinal axis.
In certain of these referenced patents the journaling of the upper end closure to the suction pipe is provided by a series of identical diameter wheels that are mounted on the lower face of the upper annular end closure to rotate about axes that are parallel with the strainer's longitudinal axis. For example, in one of the referenced patents there are four such wheels at ninety degree intervals around the axis of the strainer, defining an imaginary circle that is concentric with the strainer axis and slightly smaller than the inside diameter (I.D.) of the annular end closure such that the wheels just touch the outside diameter (O.D.) of the suction pipe. In two of the referenced patents, an annular seal is mounted on and sealed against the upper face of the upper end closure around the margin of its I.D. In radial cross section this seal has a lip that curves into sealing contact with the O.D. of the suction pipe. The lower end closure is journaled on the lower end of the central core, but the journaled surface of the central core is not the O.D. of the suction pipe.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a rotary self-cleaning strainer that can be fabricated with improved economy and that can exhibit improved operational performance. By utilizing all-wheel journaling, greater use is made of common parts, such as journal wheels and bushings, and special sealing arrangements, such as lip-type seals and stacks of sealing disks like those shown in certain of the referenced patents, can be eliminated. The disclosed all-wheel journaling is believed also to provide less frictional resistance, thereby making the inventive strainer more efficient to operate. Such improved efficiency offers the potential for effective usage with lower pressure pumps. Since pump pressures available at certain sites where the strainers are used are sometimes limited, the inventive strainer offers the opportunity for usage at such sites, thereby providing more widespread usage for such strainers.
PVC pipe is useful for both suction and supply pipes. In certain uses of strainers described in one or more of the above-referenced patents, it has been observed that the journal wheels on the upper end closure may eventually cause wear on the PVC suction pipe. A result is that the journaling becomes looser. It is believed that a strainer embodying principles of the present invention can reduce this type of wear and loosening by providing around the PVC suction pipe, a wear sleeve on which the upper end closure journal wheels ride.
Another aspect of the invention relates to elimination of the supply pipe end closure cap as a device for also securing the lower end closure and seal on the strainer. Therefore, a seal between the supply pipe and the lower end closure becomes unnecessary, and tightening of the supply pipe end closure cap is precluded from having any effect on the lower end closure.
Still another aspect of the invention relates to the construction of the frame that supports the strainer screen, including the end closures and tie rod structures that join the end closures in assembly. By utilizing several disks assembled together, an end closure may be fabricated by cutting each of the individual disks from flat sheet material. The tie rod structures can be accurately located and securely related to the end closures without the necessity of machining counterbores in the end closures. Structural strength can be increased by including one or more rings in association with the tie rod structures between the end closures.
The foregoing features, advantages, and benefits of the invention, along with additional ones, will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which are accompanied by drawings. The drawings disclose a presently preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention.

Self-cleaning strainer having rotating strainer frame assembly journaled on central core by sets of wheels


An automotive powertrain has an engine placed within an engine compartment and oriented so that its crankshaft is directed transversely. The powertrain also has an automatic transmission placed in the engine compartment behind the engine, and a torque converter operationally coupled to the crankshaft and input shaft of the transmission. Input and are output shafts of the transmission are arranged coaxially with each other and are directed parallel to the crankshaft of the engine. A hydraulic control valve body, through which controlled hydraulic pressure is applied to the transmission so as to shift the transmission, is placed in a space defined below a horizontal plane including a top end of the transmission and behind a vertical plane including an axis of rotation of the crankshaft.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a particular construction of a powertrain on an automobile of a type including an engine and an automatic transmission having an assembly of hydraulically operated devices, such as shift valves. The invention particularly relates to a powertrain in which the engine and the automatic transmission are transversely disposed and arranged one behind the other.

Automobile powertrain structure including automatic transmission for transverse engine


An eye-safe short pulse room-temperature solid state laser emitting at about 2.1 microns is optically pumped by diode lasers emitting at about 1.9 microns Absorption spectra of Ho ions in YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) and YLF (Yttrium Lithium Fluoride) host crystals are described. Optical pumping is performed by high-power diode lasers emitting at about 1.91 microns consisting of a GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum-well active region and AlGaAsSb cladding layers grown on GaSb substrates.

A laser is a device which has the ability to produce monochromatic, coherent light through the stimulated emission of photons from atoms, molecules or ions of an active gain medium which have typically been excited from a ground state to a higher energy level by an input of energy. Such a device contains an optical cavity or resonator which is defined by highly reflecting surfaces which form a closed round trip path for light. The active gain medium is contained within the optical cavity.
If a population inversion is created by excitation of the active medium, the spontaneous emission of a photon from an excited atom, molecule or ion undergoing transition to a lower energy state can stimulate the emission of photons of substantially identical energy from other excited atoms, molecules or ions. As a consequence, the initial photon creates a cascade of photons between the reflecting surfaces of the optical cavity which are of substantially identical energy and exactly in phase. This multiplication effect causes light inside the cavity to undergo gain, which, along with the feedback provided by the resonator, constitutes a laser oscillator. A portion of this cascade of photons is then discharged out of the optical cavity, for example, by transmission through one or more of the reflecting surfaces of the cavity. These discharged photons constitute the laser output.
Excitation of the active medium of a laser can be accomplished by a variety of methods. However, the most common methods are optical pumping, use of an electrical discharge, and the passage of an electric current through the p-n junction of a semiconductor laser.
Semiconductor lasers contain a p-n junction which forms a diode, and this junction functions as the active medium of the laser. Such devices, which are also referred to as diode lasers, are typically constructed from materials such as gallium arsenide and aluminum gallium arsenide alloys. The efficiency of such lasers in converting electrical power to output radiation is relatively high and, for example, can be in excess of 40 percent.
The use of flashlamps, light-emitting diodes and laser diodes to optically pump or excite a solid lasant material is well-known. Lasant materials commonly used in such solid state lasers include crystalline or glassy host materials into which an active material, such as trivalent neodymium ions, is incorporated. By way of example, when neodymium-doped Y.sub.3 Al.sub.5 O.sub.12, referred to as YAG, is employed as the lasant material in an optically pumped solid state laser, it can be pumped by absorption of light having a wavelength of about 808 nm and can emit light having a wavelength of 1064 nm.
It is possible to operate solid state lasers to produce temporally short pulses using the techniques of Q-switching or mode locking. The term "Q" refers to the ratio of energy stored in a resonant cavity to the energy loss per cavity round trip. In Q-switching, a controllable loss-producing device (the "Q-switch") is inserted into the laser cavity which inhibits laser oscillation. When the Q-switch is switched to its low-loss mode, the laser is suddenly able to oscillate, and a substantial fraction of the stored energy of the gain medium is released in a very short time, producing very high peak powers. Q-switches may be based on acousto-optical, electro-optical, or magneto-optical effects, or may be mechanical.
In the related technique of mode locking, a modulator, typically an acousto-optical device, is placed in the cavity to modulate the round-trip phases or amplitude of a laser cavity at frequency equal to the inverse of the cavity round-trip time. This has the effect of causing the longitudinal modes of the laser to phase lock, and forcing the laser output to have the form of a train of very short pulses, whose individual widths are of the order of the inverse of the gain bandwidth of the gain medium, and whose repetition rate is the inverse of the cavity round-trip time. It is also possible to achieve mode locking by a variety of techniques wherein the cavity loss or effective output coupling is caused to be a nonlinear function of the circulating power.
Lasers, particularly solid state lasers, operable at room temperature and capable of generating optical radiation in the eye-safe wavelength band above about 2 microns, are highly desirable for a number of important military and civilian applications.
Such military applications include use as rangefinders, target designators, and battlefield simulators. Civilian applications of eye-safe lasers include laser surgery and laser radars for wind and turbulence sensing. Most of these applications require short-pulse (.ltoreq.10 ns) operation, such as produced by Q-switched or mode-locked lasers, as described above. However, there are a number of problems with existing eye-safe solid state lasers in generating short pulses at room temperature.
The known commercially available existing eye-safe solid state lasers utilize either optically pumped host crystals doped with thulium (Tm) emitting near 2.0 microns or Tm-sensitized holmium (Ho) emitting near 2.1 microns. Good continuous wave (cw) performance with high optical-to-optical conversion efficiency has been achieved for Tm and co-doped Tm,Ho lasers because each absorbed pump photon results in two ions (rather than one) with an electron in the upper laser level. However, the short pulse, Q-switched performance of these lasers is inadequate.

Holmium-doped solid state optically pumped laser


A heterocyclic compound and an organic light-emitting diode including the same, the heterocyclic compound being represented by Formula 1, below:

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a heterocyclic compound and an organic light-emitting device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) are self-emitting devices that have advantages such as wide viewing angles, excellent contrast, quick response time, and excellent brightness, driving voltage, and fast response speed characteristics, and may provide multicolored images.
An OLED may have a structure including, e.g., an anode, a hole-transporting layer (HTL), an emission layer (EML), an electron-transporting layer (ETL), and a cathode, which are sequentially stacked on the anode. For example, the HTL, EML, and ETL may be organic thin films formed of organic compounds.
An OLED that has the above-described structure operates as described below.
When voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, holes injected from the anode may move to the EML via the HTL, and electrons injected from the cathode may move to the EML via the ETL. Carriers (e.g., the holes and the electrons) may recombine in the EML to generate excitons. When the excitons drop from an excited state to a ground state, light is emitted.

Heterocyclic compound and organic light-emitting device including the same


The present invention concerns the novel antiobiotic 6-O-methylerythromycin A crystal form I, a process for its preparation, pharmaceutical compositions comprising this compound and a method of use as a therapeutic agent.

6-O-methylerythromycin A (Clarithromycin) is a semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic of formula ##STR1## which exhibits excellent antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, some gram-negative bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, Mycoplasma, and Chlamidia. It is stable under acidic conditions and is efficacious when administered orally. Clarithromycin is a useful therapy for infections of the upper respiratory tract in children and adults.


A vehicle antitheft system includes an immobilizer unit and a portable unit. Each of the units includes an antenna, a communication part, a data processor, and storages. The immobilizer unit and the portable unit authenticate each other, based on a highly encrypted authentication method, using at least first data for mutual authentication. Thereafter, the first data for mutual authentication or second data for mutual authentication different from the first data for mutual authentication is stored in the storages of the immobilizer unit and the portable unit.

A vehicle antitheft system for preventing theft of a vehicle is proposed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H08-40206, for example. This system includes an immobilizer unit incorporated in a vehicle, and a portable unit. Into a ROM provided on the immobilizer unit side, an encryption key, a password, and an ID identical to those stored in the portable unit are written, using equipment in a vehicle manufacturer's factory or a dealer. After this setting, authentication is performed between the immobilizer unit and the portable unit with a high level of security. When the immobilizer unit authenticates the portable unit, the engine of the vehicle is started.
In such a system, authentication is performed with a high level of security. However, special equipment is necessary to write the encryption key, the password, and the ID identical to those stored in the portable unit, into the ROM in the immobilizer unit.


An optical coupler is provided for a passive coherent combination of fiber lasers/amplifiers. A plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a close-packed hexagonal array having 1+3n(n+1) fibers with (3/2)(n2−n)+3 interferometrically dark fibers and (3/2)(n2+3n)−2 light fibers, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Each optical fiber has a first end and a second end. The plurality of optical fibers are fused together along a section of each optical fiber proximate the first end of each optical fiber to form a fused section having a fiber axis. The fused section of the plurality of optical fibers is tapered to form a tapered region. A facet is at an end of the fused section. The facet is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis. The coherent pattern is highly stable against perturbation.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to lasers, and more particularly, to obtaining a flat wavefront coherent output from a laser oscillator array that is stable against perturbations.
2. Description of Related Art
As described herein, the term "optical" is given the meaning used by those skilled in the art, that is, "optical" generally refers to that part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is generally known as the visible region together with those parts of the infrared and ultraviolet regions at each end of the visible region which are capable of being transmitted by dielectric optical waveguides such as optical fibers. Therefore, discussion of the output of laser devices includes optical outputs from such laser devices within the portions of the electromagnetic spectrum discussed immediately above.
Many potential laser applications such as laser communications, industrial material processing, and remote sensing require the use of laser sources producing high brightness light. High brightness light is typically considered to be light that can be focused into a diffraction-limited or near-diffraction-limited spot. Such high brightness light is typically generated by a single laser with a single transverse mode. A high power laser output typically requires the use of multiple laser sources. High power laser output generally does not demonstrate the flat wavefront coherent output typically seen with a single laser source and is, therefore, not usually classified as high brightness.
One method known in the art for providing a higher power laser output includes directing the output from a master laser oscillator to several laser gain elements used as amplifiers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,268, issued Jul. 12, 1988 to Abrams et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, describes such a laser apparatus with N parallel laser gain elements. If the outputs of the N laser gain elements sum incoherently, a brightness equal to N times the brightness of a single laser gain element results. However, in Abrams et al., phase conjugate reflector means are disposed in the optical path of the laser gain elements to provide that the laser beams traveling through the individual laser gain elements sum coherently. This coherent summation of the laser beams provides that the resultant laser apparatus output will have a peak brightness proportional to N2 times the brightness of a single laser gain element. Hence, coherent combination of laser outputs provides for substantial increases in laser output brightness.
The laser apparatus described by Abrams et al. uses a master oscillator including laser devices such as Nd:YAG crystals or diode lasers and several additional optical elements to ensure that the light traveling within the apparatus is properly polarized and directed. Hence, the apparatus described by Abrams et al. may be expensive and difficult to implement.
High power laser systems utilizing a fiber laser as a master oscillator are also known in the art. Fiber lasers are relatively compact and efficient, which reduces the power and weight requirements for systems based on fiber lasers. However, the power output of a single fiber laser without amplification or other power increasing techniques is relatively low. U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,356, issued Apr. 2, 2001 to Brosnan et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a laser system using a diode pumped fiber laser as a master oscillator and a plurality of fiber amplifiers connected to the master oscillator. The outputs from the plurality of fiber amplifiers are collimated by a lens array to produce a single high power laser beam output.
As briefly described above, coherent combination of multiple laser beams provides a power-law increase in power output. Therefore, Brosnan describes an additional electronic apparatus to correct the phase of the output provided by each fiber amplifier. The ability to compensate for the relative optical phase shifts among the array of fiber amplifiers provides for the preferred coherent combination of outputs. However, the additional circuitry required to detect and compensate for the relative optical phase shifts increases the complexity of the system disclosed by Brosnan. Also, fiber amplifiers are generally less efficient than fiber oscillators (lasers). Therefore, the array of fiber amplifiers disclosed by Brosnan would provide less power than an array of fiber oscillators of the same number. Hence, the system disclosed by Brosnan would be considered more complex and less efficient than a system based on a plurality of fiber oscillators.
Other high power laser systems based on fiber lasers avoid fiber amplifiers by using multiple-core coupler fiber oscillators. U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,196, issued Oct. 15, 1996 to Scifres, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a fiber laser with two or more generally parallel, nonconcentric doped core regions. The use of multiple cores spreads the light over a larger area of the fiber, thereby reducing the laser power density and reducing the nonlinear optical effects that would otherwise occur at high light intensities. Scifres discloses that the cores may be positioned far enough apart to ensure that light propagating in one core intersects only minimally with light propagating in the other cores, so that each core forms a completely independent laser. However, this configuration does not provide for phase-locking between the light propagating in each of the cores. Scifres also discloses spacing the neighboring cores sufficiently close such that interaction of the light in the cores does occur, thereby providing a phase-locked array of laser emitters in the fiber.
A key problem with multiple-core fiber oscillator systems, such as the system disclosed by Scifres, is heat dissipation. Because the cores are disposed parallel and adjacent to each other along the entire active region of the cores, the heat from each core will be partially transmitted to the adjacent cores. Hence, the power of the multiple-core fiber oscillator systems will be limited by the ability to dissipate the heat generated by the active regions away from the multiple-core fiber, similar to the way that glass rod lasers are limited in average power scaling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,155, issued Aug. 7, 2001, to Sekiguchi, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes the creation of a high intensity optical source through the creation of a high density group of incoherent fibers. See, for example, FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,155. If the fibers do not interact, they will lase with their own characteristic frequencies (spectrum of longitudinal modes) and thereby be incoherent. Sekiguchi discloses that the fibers are to be positioned relative to one another such that they do not interact. The total power output will then increase proportional to the number of sources (N) simply due to energy conservation.
Combining multiple optical sources into a single optical output having optical power nearly equal to the sum of the powers of the individual sources can be accomplished through the combination of the optical sources. One apparatus known in the art for combining N sources is a 1×N fiber coupler. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,779, issued Dec. 29, 1992 to Mortimore, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a 1×N single-mode star coupler configured to couple light into multiple fibers at two wavelengths. In Mortimore, multiple single mode fibers are stripped of their primary coating and constrained around a single central fiber, which is also a single mode fiber stripped of its primary coating. All fibers are inserted into a tight fitting silica base glass capillary tube. The fiber and the tube are heated and pulled to form a tapered coupler. During the pulling process, light transmitted through the central fiber and at least one of the multiple fibers disposed around the central fiber is measured. When the light in the central fiber and the fiber disposed around the central fiber is nearly equal at the two desired wavelengths, the pulling process is terminated.
The 1×N star coupler disclosed by Mortimore and other similar apparatus known in the art provide the capability to combine optical sources at relatively lower powers. Furthermore, as the optical power in each fiber is increased, this prior art has the disadvantage that the combined power must propagate in the core of the single central fiber. When the combined optical power is high, undesirable nonlinear effects in, or damage to, the single central fiber may occur. For example, at high optical powers, Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) may arise. This nonlinear optical effect results from the interaction of the light in the central fiber with acoustic waves in the fiber medium through which the light is propagating, producing inelastic backscattering of the light with a frequency shift equal to the frequency of the acoustic waves. The backward propagating light is amplified at the expense of the forward propagating light. Further, the acoustic waves may also be amplified by this effect, generating an acoustic intensity that can easily damage the single central fiber.
Splitting a single optical source into multiple optical outputs may also be provided by the 1×N star coupler described above, but the power handling capabilities of the coupler are again limited by the single central fiber. Further, if the optical source is a single plane wave, additional optical devices are needed to couple the plane wave into the single central fiber.
Devices are known in the art which allow an optical plane wave to be coupled to multiple fibers without using a single central fiber. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,699, issued Dec. 22, 1998 to Lissotschenko et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a coupling element having an array of lenses where each lens focuses an incident light beam onto a specific fiber in a fiber bundle. Hence, the coupling element splits the incident plane wave into multiple light beams, each of which is directed to a separate optical fiber.
The coupling efficiency for coupling an optical plane wave into multiple fibers using the approach disclosed by Lissotschenko (or other similar techniques known in the art) is generally limited to about 30%. Even assuming perfect alignment, the coupling efficiency is limited by the packing of both the fibers in the fiber bundle and the lenses in the array of lenses. The coupling efficiency is further limited by clipping that occurs at the edge of each lens in the array. Finally, the coupling efficiency is reduced because the fiber modes only accept a Gaussian-profiled fraction of the input beam. Therefore, even though the optical plane wave may be a high power optical beam, a significant portion of that power is lost when coupling the beam into multiple fibers using the apparatuses and methods known in the art.
There have been demonstrations of fiber locking via coupling external to the fibers themselves, but such a configuration is not amenable to fabricating a rugged, compact device for field use because (1) a laser oscillator requires two-way propagation and transmission into free space and coupling back into fiber is always very lossy (>20%), (2) coupling high power in and out of fiber requires sturdy and potentially massive alignment fixturing, and (3) independent fiber outputs create a thin array that cannot put sufficient power into the central lobe.
The art described above generally allows multiple laser sources to be combined, however, active phase controls for each of the laser sources is typically required to obtain a high power output with flat wavefront coherent output. That is, active controls on the laser lengths are needed or the lasers need to be made to be equal in length to much less than a wavelength. Such approaches complicate the design and/or fabrication of systems in which multiple laser sources are used to generate high power outputs. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for generating a high power laser output with a flat wavefront coherent output.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,717, entitled "Dark Fiber Laser Array Coupler," provided methods and apparatuses for generating a high power laser output with a flat wavefront coherent output. However, it was not known whether the provided all-fiber geometries were stable against perturbations. Accordingly, there is still a need in the art for a flat wavefront coherent output from a laser oscillator array that is stable against perturbations.

All-fiber laser coupler with high stability


A method for the production control of an extruded plastic product with the following steps: recording at a first measuring point a first actual temperature of a measuring area provided on the plastic product, recording a second actual temperature of the measuring area at a second measuring point which is arranged at a distance from the first measuring point in a direction of extrusion of the plastic product, determining a setpoint temperature of the measuring area at the second measuring point, and outputting information on whether the second actual temperature is inside or outside a prescribed tolerance range of the setpoint temperature.

Corrugated tubes or corrugated pipes can in particular be used in automotive engineering as protective conduits for cables, such as electrical lines. Such corrugated tubes comprise alternately arranged wave crests and wave valleys. These wave crests and wave valleys are molded onto the corrugated tube by means of a so-called corrugator after extrusion of a plastic material. To this end, the corrugator comprises mold jaws which are arranged in pairs and which continuously rotate on tracks. For quality control or production control, in particular for wall thickness control, of the corrugated tube, random samples of the corrugated tube can be taken and analyzed after the corrugator.

Method and device for the production control of an extruded plastic product and extrusion system for extruding such a plastic product


A joining method includes punching respective laminated plate materials by a rivet shaft portion of a SPR, forming a crimp portion at the front end of the rivet shaft portion, and fastening and joining the laminated plate materials between the rivet head portion and the crimp portion. Washers are laid on and brought into contact with respective opposite surfaces relative to joining surfaces of the laminated plate materials, the washers each having an inner hole through which the rivet shaft portion is allowed to pass, the washers are used as jigs at the time of the punching, the punching by means of the rivet shaft portion is performed along the inner holes of the washers, and the joining is performed so that the washers left between the rivet head and the crimp portion and the opposite surfaces.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is superior in terms of specific rigidity, specific strength, fatigue property, and corrosive property compared with metal, and is examined to be applied to structural members of automobiles or the like for the sake of weight reduction.
However, there is no method of joining in a short time with ease like spot welding for the metal. This is one of factors to frustrate the weight reduction due to the material substitution.
In this regard, adhesive joining is generally used to join laminated plate materials made of CFRP.
However, there are problems such that an adhesive requires a long time to be hardened in view of productivity in the automobile industry, and joining surfaces require to be processed and cleaned to result in high cost.
Further, there is a problem in heat resistance, influence of moisture absorbent, weakness under cool environment or fast deformation, and the like.
On the other hand, as mechanical joining, rivet joining is used.
However, there are problems such that it requires a long time for a hole making process, and a tool becomes worn early compared with that for metal or the like.
From such a situation, a joining method capable of being carried out in a short time at low cost is highly demanded.
As a conventional joining method in this kind, there is one described in Patent Document 1.
This joining method of Patent Document 3 uses a self-piercing rivet (SPR) that has a rivet head and a hollow rivet body opened at a front end face, to fasten two FRP plates laid one on another.
Namely, a metal plate is brought into firmly contact with a portion of one FRP plate to be fastened, and then the self-piercing rivet (SPR) is driven into both the FRP plates from a portion of the other FRP plate to be fastened so that the rivet head is brought into firmly contact with the portion of the other FRP plate to be fastened. Further, an annular front end of the rivet body that pierces both the FRP plates is put to biting the metal plate and radially expanding. In this way, the FRP plates are joined together between the rivet head and the metal plate.
However, the method drives the rivet body into the metal plate and plastically deforms the metal plate, so that the FRP plates may be separated from each other and get cracked around the rivet body according to the plastic deformation. Therefore, this method has little or no readability and Patent Document 1 has been deemed to be withdrawn.
Further, not only when joining the FRP plates but also when joining thin metal plates or the like, separation may be caused between joining surfaces by driving the rivet body. This is the broadly possible problem in joining laminated plate materials, thin plate materials, or the like by driving a rivet.
Additionally, the joining by driving a rivet may perform spin crimping other than use of the SPR. That is not necessarily possible problem in only the SPR and is the broadly possible problem in joining by driving a rivet.

Substrate joining method using rivet, and joining structure


The present disclosure relates to fixed-cutter drill bits with track-set primary cutters and backup cutters, methods of designing such bits, systems for implementing such methods, and systems for using such fixed-cutter drill bits to drill a wellbore in a geological formation.

Wellbores are most frequently formed in geological formations using earth-boring drill bits. Various types of such bits exist, but all of them experience some type of wear or fatigue from use that limits the overall life of the bit or the time it may spend downhole in the wellbore before being returned to the surface. The materials used in the bit and their ability to effectively cut different types of formations encountered as the wellbore progresses also sometimes necessitate removing the bit from the wellbore, replacing bit or components of it, and returning it downhole to resume cutting.
Particularly as wellbores reach greater lengths, the process of removing and returning a bit becomes time consuming and costly. In addition, the bit and bit components themselves are costly and are time consuming to make or replace. As a result, those involved in designing, manufacturing, and operating earth-boring drill bits and their components spend a substantial amount of time developing ways to limit removal and return of a bit in a wellbore as well as ways to improve the life of the bit and its components. These efforts are complicated, however, by the fact that earth-boring drill bits and their components and operation are often quite complex, resulting in some improvements being found to be impractical to implement.

Fixed-cutter drill bits with track-set primary cutters and backup cutters


A display apparatus comprises pixels (18) associated with intersections of select electrodes (17) and data electrodes (11) and having a bistable operation. A select driver (16) supplies select voltages (VG) to the select electrodes (17) to select a group of pixels (18). A data driver (10) supplies data voltages (VD) to the data electrodes (11) to supply the data voltages (VD) to the group of pixels (18) being selected. A common driver (25) supplies a backplane voltage (VB) to a common electrode (6) common for the group of pixels (18). A controller (15) controls the select driver (16), the data driver (10) and the common driver (25), in the order mentioned: (a) to change the select voltage (VG) to its on-level (on) at which the group of pixels (18) are selected, after the backplane voltage (VB) and the data voltage (VD) for the group of pixels (18) have a same first non-zero level (+15V), or before the backplane voltage (VB) and the data voltage (VD) for the group of pixels (18) are simultaneously changed to the same first non-zero level (+15V), (b) to change the data voltages (VD) in accordance with display data (13) defining an optical state of the individual pixels (18) of the group of pixels (18), (c) to change the select voltage (VG) to its off-level (off) at which the group of pixels (18) are not selected, (d) to change the select voltage (VG) to its on-level (on), after the backplane voltage (VB) and the data voltage (VD) for the group of pixels (18) have a same second non-zero level (−15V), or before the backplane voltage (VB) and the data voltage (VD) for the group of pixels (18) are simultaneously changed to the same second non-zero level (−15V), and (e) to change the data voltages (VD) in accordance with the display data (13).

A display device of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is known from the international patent application US2006/0227196. This patent application discloses an electronic ink display which comprises two substrates. One of the substrates is transparent and is provided with a single electrode which is referred to as the counter electrode. This counter electrode is in other literature also referred to as common electrode or backplane electrode. The other substrate is provided with picture electrodes which comprise row and column electrodes. A display element or pixel is associated with an intersection of a row electrode and a column electrode. A pixel electrode of the display element is coupled to the column electrode via a thin film transistor (further referred to as TFT), the gate of which is coupled to the row electrode. This arrangement of display elements, TFT transistors and row and column electrodes together forms an active matrix. A row driver sequentially selects rows of display elements and the column driver supplies data signals to the selected row of display elements via the column electrodes and the TFT transistors. The data signals correspond to graphic data to be displayed.
An electronic ink is provided between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The electronic ink comprises multiple microcapsules of about 10 to 50 microns. Each microcapsule comprises positively charged white particles and negative charge black particles suspended in a fluid. When a positive voltage is applied to the pixel electrode with respect to the common electrode, the positively charged white particles move to the side of the micro capsule directed to the transparent substrate on which the common electrode is present and a viewer will see a white display element. Simultaneously, the black particles move to the pixel electrode at the opposite side of the microcapsule where they are hidden to the viewer. By applying a negative voltage to the pixel electrode with respect to the common electrode, the black particles move to the common electrode at the side of the micro capsule directed to the transparent substrate and the display element appears dark to a viewer. When the voltage is removed, the display device remains in the acquired state and thus exhibits a bi-stable character. The electronic ink display with its black and white particles is particularly useful as an electronic book.
Grey scales are created in the display device by controlling the amount of particles that move to the common electrode at the top of the microcapsules. For example, the energy of the positive or negative electric field in the pixel caused by the voltage difference between the pixel and common electrodes, defined as the product of field strength and time of application, controls the amount of particles moving to the top of the microcapsules.
A multi-level drive of the pixel electrodes enables to more closely reach a desired light output of a pixel because it is possible to more accurately control the movement of the particles at a lower value of the drive voltage. However, such a multi-level drive of the pixel electrodes requires complex display drivers.


A method for dispersing a comminuted solid in an aqueous medium is described. An aqueous dispersing agent is added to an aqueous medium in an amount sufficient to disperse the comminuted solid in the aqueous medium. The aqueous dispersing agent includes from about 10 wt. % to about 55 wt. % of an amine compound selected from the group consisting of alkanolamines, triethylamine and morpholine, from about 15 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of a base selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, and from about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. % chelating agent.

Slurries and suspensions of comminuted solids in an aqueous medium generally contain a dispersing agent to effectively disperse the solids. Commonly used dispersants include anionic polyelectrolytes and alkanolamines such as 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP.TM.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,324 discloses a slurry containing kaolin clay, a suspending agent and an alkanolamine dispersant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,945 describes an AMP.TM. phosphate salt which disperses pigments in a water based, flat wall paint. The AMP.TM. phosphate salt is prepared by mixing AMP.TM. with phosphoric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,171 also discloses an agent for dispersing pigments in a water based paint. The agent is formed from an alkanolamine and a polymeric carboxylic acid.
Monoisopropanolamine (MIPA.TM.), sold by Dow Chemical Company, is used to aid dispersion of pigments and other comminuted solids. Although MIPA.TM. is a suitable dispersant, it is a high cost material. A need exists for a lower cost dispersant that is at least as effective as MIPA.TM..
The dispersing agent of the present invention is more effective than MIPA.TM. as indicated in the dispersion performance tests for gloss development, high-shear viscosity stability, dispersion stability (seeding), while contributing to an overall reduction in yellowing. The dispersing agent is a low cost material because it contains less than 55 wt. % active material as compared to 100 wt. % MIPA.TM..


An aspect of the disclosure includes a method, a system and a computer program product. The method includes measuring a first data with a sensor, the sensor and operatively coupled computing resources having at least two power states, an operating power state and a low power state, the low power state consuming less energy than the operating power state. A first time period is determined for measuring a second data, the first time period being based at least in part on the first data. The sensor is operated, and operatively coupled computing resources at the low power state during the first time period, wherein no data measurements are acquired during the first time period. The sensor is changed to the operating power state at an expiration of the first time period.

The present invention relates generally to autonomous sensors and, more specifically, to autonomous sensors with dynamic sampling rates that reduce power consumption.
Autonomous sensors are used in a variety of applications for the monitoring of conditions. Typically, these sensors measure a parameter and transmit a signal with the data back to a centralized server. Batteries are typically coupled to the sensors to provide energy for operations. In some applications, a renewable energy source, such as a solar panel may be coupled to recharge the battery and extend the operable life of the sensor.

Dynamic time sliced sensor sampling for reduced power consumption

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Embodiments provide an eyewear apparatus that include an additional structural component that resembles a character. Although, the location of the additional structural component on the frame can vary depending on implementation, in at least one example, the additional structural component is located on the top of the frame of the eyewear apparatus such that the additional structural component conceals the forehead of a user when the user is wearing the eyewear apparatus. In at least one embodiment, the additional structural component may be located at any point along the frame, however, in some embodiments, the additional structural component is located on the top or the sides of the frame, e.g., such that the additional structural component does not interfere with the user's ability to see out of the eyewear apparatus.

Some conventional eyewear apparatuses include a frame to house tinted or clear lenses for protecting a user's eyes from the sun. In some aspects, the frame is shaped in a decorative fashion to enhance how the user looks; for example, the frame can have circular lens apertures for housing the lenses. With the exception of novelty eyewear for purposes of humor, conventional eyewear products may lack an ability to provide functional additions to enable additional types of uses for the eyewear.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A chemical vapor sensor system and method are provided, wherein the system includes an air input device, a light source, a detector, a sample chamber, and a processor. The air input device includes at least a sample input port, a reference input port, and an output port. The light source emits light, and the detector receives at least a portion of the emitted light. The sample chamber is in fluid communication with the output port, wherein the air alternatively enters the air input device from the sample input port and the reference input port and enters the sample chamber. The processor receives an output signal from the detector based upon a detection of at least carbon dioxide and ethanol in the air in the sample chamber, wherein the processor determines a blood alcohol content of a person whose breath was received in the sample input port.

Generally, intoxicated drivers are a major cause of traffic accident fatalities in the United States. A recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report showed that 40% of the total accident fatalities in the U.S. in the year 2003 were alcohol related. More specifically, 12,373 motor vehicle occupants were killed in crashes that involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 g/dL or higher. This equates to over 33% of the 37,132 U.S. motor vehicle fatalities in 2003. In addition to the societal impact, the cost of such crashes in the U.S. is about $40 billion per year. It is well established that the rate of fatal traffic accidents per mile traveled is related to a driver's BAC and that there is a correlation between impairment in driving skills and the driver's BAC. The definition of drunk driving in the U.S. involves a BAC level of 0.08 g/dL. A primary countermeasure to combat drunk driving in the U.S. is the criminal justice system, which employs deterrents and sanctions against drunk drivers. Various other approaches to combat drunk driving have been utilized.
One existing approach to combat drunk driving utilizes an electrochemical sensor that measures ethanol concentration in air. Generally, ethanol concentration in human breath is a good indication of BAC. Inside the air sacs in the human lung, there is a chemical equilibrium between the concentration of ethanol in the air and the concentration of ethanol in an individual's blood. For law enforcement purposes, an electrochemical sensor can be built into an object such as a clipboard or flashlight that a police officer can, under certain circumstances, justifiably insert into a vehicle. Electrochemical sensors can also be used in commercially available interlocks, which can be mandated following a driver's drunk driving conviction. However, currently available electrochemical sensors typically have a limited lifetime and typically must be replaced after about three years. Generally, to be used as an on-board component of the safety system, an ethanol sensor must have a lifetime of at least ten to fifteen years. Another electrochemical sensor that can be used includes a device that is pressed against an individual's skin to determine alcohol intoxication through remote detection of ethanol that evaporates from the driver's skin. Other approaches typically involve passing infrared through the driver's extremities, such as a finger, or using Raman spectroscopy to measure the concentration of ethanol in the fluid at the surface of the driver's eyes. Generally, these approaches are impractical for on-board vehicle use as well.
Another approach to combat drunk driving uses a heated film of metal oxide that changes electrical resistance in response to ethanol concentration. Such sensors are sometimes used in handheld devices sold to consumers, typically to self test their BAC. However, such sensors generally operate with undiluted breath from the driver. The breath sample is undiluted and so the detection level needed is only about 210 parts per million (ppm) of ethanol, by volume. Also, the minimum ethanol concentration that can be reliably detected with a metal oxide film is typically in the range of 10 to 50 ppm.

Chemical vapor sensor system and method thereof


After respective one ends of lead wires are fixed to a printed circuit board, the lead wires are bent, the printed circuit board is brought into a case and the other ends of the lead wires are bonded to terminals of the case. Since the lead wires are processed before the substrate is brought into the case, this eliminates the necessity to perform formation of the bent portions of the lead wires and fixing of the lead wires to the substrate in a narrow space of the case and allows simplification of bonding operation. Thus provided is a lead wire bonding method for bonding lead wires with bent portions to the substrate, which simplifies a bonding operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lead wire bonding method for bonding a lead wire having a bent portion to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Background Art
As the lead wire bonding method for bonding a lead wire having a bent portion to a printed circuit board, there are various techniques. For example, the Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 2768141) shows a technique using laser beam welding.
If a lead wire has a bent portion, even in circumstances with heavy vibration, the bent portion of the lead wire absorbs the vibration to decrease bonding failure of the lead wire.
In the above Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 9, disclosed is a technique in which a pad 3 on a substrate 6 and a terminal 2 provided in a case 4 are connected to each other with a lead wire 5.
In the lead wire bonding method of the above Patent Document 1, however, formation of a bent portion of the lead wire and welding of the lead wire to the substrate must be performed in a narrow space of the case 4 and this requires complicated operations of a molding pin 86 and a welding nozzle 41. Therefore, the lead wire bonding operation becomes complicated and this increases time for manufacture and decreases yield due to bonding failure.


The present invention relates to a catalyst for C2 oxygenate synthesis in which a hydrogenated active metal is supported on a porous carrier to synthesize a C2 oxygenate from a mixed gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, wherein the porous carrier has an average pore diameter of 0.1 to 20 nm.

Bioethanol is becoming more widespread as an alternative fuel to petroleum. Bioethanol is mainly manufactured by the saccharification and fermentation of sugar cane or maize. In recent years, techniques have been developed for manufacturing bioethanol from wood-based or plant-based biomass (also known as cellulose-based biomass), including the unused portions of crops such as waste wood or rice straw, which are not in competition for use as foodstuffs or animal feed.
In order to use a cellulose-based biomass as a raw material, and enable the manufacture of bioethanol using a conventional ethanol fermentation method, the cellulose must be saccharified. Examples of the saccharification method include a concentrated sulfuric acid saccharification method, a dilute sulfuric acid-enzymatic saccharification method, and a heated water saccharification method, but many problems still remain to manufacturing bioethanol inexpensively.
On the other hand, another method exists in which the cellulose-based biomass is converted to a mixed gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and ethanol is then synthesized from this mixed gas. With this method, tests are being conducted with the aim of manufacturing bioethanol efficiently from cellulose-based biomass that is difficult to use in the ethanol fermentation method. This method is not limited to wood-based and plant-based biomass, but can use all manner of organic matter as the raw material, such as animal-based biomass derived from animal corpses and feces; biomass derived from raw garbage, waste paper and waste fiber; and plastic.
Moreover, the mixed gas of hydrogen and carbon monoxide can also be obtained from resources besides petroleum, including natural gas and coal, and therefore methods of synthesizing C2 oxygenates, such as ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid, from this type of mixed gas are also being researched as potential techniques for breaking away from petroleum dependency.
Examples of known methods for obtaining C2 oxygenates from a mixed gas of hydrogen and carbon monoxide include methods in which, for example, the mixed gas is brought into contact with a catalyst in which rhodium and an alkali metal are supported on a silica gel carrier (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Catalyst for C2 oxygenate synthesis, device for manufacturing C2 oxygenate, and method for manufacturing C2 oxygenate

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A safety belt retractor for providing motor vehicle occupant protection is disclosed. The retractor has a rotatable spool for storing safety belt webbing and a rewind spring for exerting a retraction force on the belt webbing. The retractor includes a comfort mechanism for relieving the tension exerted on the belt webbing by the rewind spring. The comfort mechanism is actuated in response to a deliberate motion exerted on the belt webbing which is different than belt movements normally associated with operation of the retractor. The tension relief feature can be automatically cancelled in response to the occurrence of a predetermined condition for returning the belt webbing to a taut position.

The present invention relates generally to automotive safety belt retractor assemblies and, more particularly, to such a retractor assembly having an improved comfort mechanism and a method of operating and cancelling the same.
Virtually all motor vehicles are now equipped with safety belt restraint systems for physically restraining the seat occupants when the vehicle is subjected to a high rate of deceleration which may occur, for example, during a motor vehicle collision. Most safety belt restraint systems include one or more retractor assemblies which function to selectively permit and inhibit the withdrawal of belt webbing therefrom. In addition, some retractor assemblies also include one or more comfort features for providing the seat occupant with enhanced seating comfort. For example, an emergency locking retractor ("ELR") permits belt webbing to be controllably withdrawn from the retractor assembly during normal vehicle operating conditions for providing increased freedom of movement for the vehicle occupants. However, the "ELR" prevents the withdrawal of belt webbing from the retractor assembly when the vehicle is subjected to deceleration forces above a predetermined maximum level, thereby restraining the vehicle occupant.
As an additional comfort feature, some safety belt retractor assemblies are also equipped with a tension relieving device or so-called "comfort" mechanism. In general, comfort mechanisms are adapted to prevent the retractor assembly from exerting a retractive force on the belt webbing which tends to be uncomfortable and annoying to the seat occupants. Conventional comfort mechanisms are typically actuated in response to the magnitude and direction of belt movement for introducing a limited amount of "slack" to the belt webbing. Thereafter, the comfort mechanism can be "cancelled" for removing the "slack" by withdrawing a predetermined length of the belt webbing from the retractor assembly. Upon cancellation of the slack, the retractor assembly exerts the retractive force on the belt webbing for returning it to a "taut" position against the seat occupant. Moreover, governmental regulations now require that the tension relief feature of any comfort mechanism be automatically cancelled in response to the occurrence of specific conditions such as, for example, opening of the vehicle door.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved comfort mechanism for use in safety belt retractor assemblies. Actuation of the comfort mechanism for setting the desired amount of belt "slack" requires a conscious "intentional" and "deliberate" act on the part of the seat occupant. As such, the safety belt retractor assembly of the present invention will not provide tension relief until the comfort mechanism is deliberately actuated by an intentional act of the vehicle occupant. As a related object, the present invention is directed to a method for actuating and cancelling the tension relief feature of the improved comfort mechanism.
A further object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically cancelling the tension relief feature of the improved comfort mechanism in response to the occurrence of a predetermined condition. To this end, the comfort mechanism of the present invention includes a solenoid-actuated release mechanism operable for automatically cancelling the tension relief in response to an electrical signal indicative of the predetermined condition.
The improved comfort mechanism of the present invention includes a locking member, a driven member and a movable actuation member located intermediate to the locking member and the driven member. With the comfort mechanism in a "non-actuated" mode, the locking member is disengaged from the driven member for prohibiting tension relief (i.e., "slack") in the safety belt. When it is desired to place the comfort mechanism in its "acutated" mode, the safety belt is extracted from the retractor assembly to its fully extended position. Thereafter, the seat occupant must intentionally and deliberately "tug" or "snap" the safety belt for causing the actuation member to move to a position wherein the locking member is permitted to engage the driven member for providing the desired tension relief. A release mechanism is provided for returning the comfort mechanism to its "non-actuated" mode for automatically cancelling the tension relief feature under certain specific conditions.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from studying the written description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Comfort mechanism for safety belt retractor assembly


Disclosed is an environmental test apparatus having a thermal chamber for stress testing electronic products. The apparatus has a carrier for supporting the products in the chamber and equipment for monitoring product characteristics during stress testing. The improved apparatus has an auxiliary chamber in which ambient temperature and humidity conditions prevail. A flexible partition is interposed between the thermal and auxiliary chambers, the monitoring equipment is in the auxiliary chamber and the carrier having products under test mounted thereon is in the thermal chamber. A conveying mechanism is in the auxiliary chamber and the support platform is in driven engagement with such mechanism, thereby causing movement of the platform along the auxiliary chamber.

Environmental test chambers are widely used to test electrical products such as printed circuit boards and other electrical/electronic products which include a printed circuit board as a component part. Such testing involves monitoring certain electrical operating characteristics of the product while it is undergoing extreme changes in temperature. Temperature cycling over a range of +125.degree. C. to -65.degree. C. (about +255.degree. F. to -85.degree. F.) is not uncommon and is often accompanied by extreme changes in humidity and/or by vibrating the product under test. In the industry, testing of this type is often referred to as "stress testing."
A primary reason that product stress testing is undertaken is to identify particular products (within a larger group of products) which exhibit characteristics evidencing probable premature failure. And such testing is intended to cull out those products which actually fail during test. In the vernacular of the industry, such products are said to exhibit "infant mortality." Those products which do not exhibit infant mortality are much more reliable in the automotive, aircraft, military or other application in which they are used. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,058 (Leathers); 4,683,424 (Cutright et al.); 4,949,031 (Szasz et al.) and 5,021,732 (Fuoco et al.) all disclose apparatus used for environmental stress testing.
Designers of environmental test chambers must deal with a number of engineering considerations. One is the rapidity with which the temperature in the product-containing chamber can be changed. In a test chamber having refrigeration and heating systems of a particular size, the rate at which the temperature can be changed is, in significant part, a function of the mass (e.g., the mass of the products and product carriers) in the chamber. This is so because the heat absorbed by the chamber contents and the heat which must be removed therefrom is a function of such mass.
A household refrigerator is a good analogy of the foregoing. For a particular refrigerator, two pounds of foodstuffs in the refrigerator are more quickly cooled to a particular temperature than twenty pounds of foodstuffs. And as a corollary, cooling twenty pounds of foodstuffs to a particular temperature within a stated time requires a larger refrigeration unit than is required to cool two pounds of foodstuffs to the same temperature within the same time.
Another engineering consideration involves the equipment used to monitor the electrical operating characteristics of the products under test. Such equipment is temperature sensitive and must be maintained nominally at room ambient conditions. In other words, such equipment should not be in the chamber with the products undergoing test.
Still another engineering consideration is whether to configure the test chamber for batch-process or continuous-process testing. The apparatus of above-noted Szasz et al. patent is for batch testing in that a number of products are placed on a pallet which is inserted into the chamber. All the products on the pallet undergo test simultaneously and after such test is completed, the pallet and its "batch" of products is removed and another pallet loaded with products to be tested is inserted.
On the other hand, the vibration chamber disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,326 (Polen et al.) may be referred to as a type of continuous testing arrangement. Such chamber uses a conveyor having spaced pairs of rollers to grasp respective edges of flatwise-oriented printed circuit boards to be tested. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,998 (Soeno et al.) discloses several different arrangements of a conveyor and products to be tested carried atop such conveyor. In one arrangement, feeder apparatus along the conveyor supply electric power to the products during burn-in and the "burned-in" products are then tested after exiting at the end of the conveyor.
While these earlier arrangements are thought to have been generally satisfactory for their intended uses, they are not without disadvantages for some types of applications. For example, the conveying arrangements shown in the Soeno et al. patent apparently do not permit instrumented product testing while the product is moving through the chamber. In other words, such instrumented testing is carried out after the product leaves the burn-in chamber. The "failure mode" characteristics exhibited by the products while in the burn-in chamber and after they leave such chamber may differ markedly.
Yet another disadvantage of the conveying arrangements of the Soeno et al. patent is that the mass of the conveyor (as well as that of the product to be tested) is in the burn-in chamber. Chamber temperature changes can be accomplished and maintained only by adding heat to or removing heat from the conveyor components.
Still another disadvantage of prior art arrangements is that they seemingly have not appreciated how to configure test chambers so that the size and capacity thereof can be selected or changed to suit a particular application. For example, the arrangement shown in FIG. 5 of the Polen et al. patent apparently has a fixed length which cannot be changed. At least, there is no suggestion to the contrary.
A new environmental test apparatus which addresses certain shortcomings of earlier apparatus would be an important advance in the art.

Environmental test apparatus with partition-isolated thermal chamber


A key switch comprising a base, a key top arranged above the base, a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with the base and the key top to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, and a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top. Each of the link members includes a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of the base and the key top. At least one plate spring is disposed between at least one of the link members and either one of the base and the key top with which the sliding portion is engaged, to exert a biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of the sliding portion, onto at least one of the link members in a direction different from the vertical direction. The plate spring includes, in an integral manner, a first spring portion extending along a fixed-end side in a direction substantially parallel to a shifting direction of the sliding portion of each link member and a second spring portion extending along a free-end side in a direction intersecting the first spring portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a switch mechanism for key-entry operation and, more particularly, to a key-entry switch (hereinafter referred to as a key switch) preferably used for a keyboard incorporated as an input device in electronic equipment. The present invention also relates to a relatively thin keyboard provided with a plurality of key switches.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the technical field of portable electronic equipment such as notebook-size personal computers or word processors, etc., various techniques have been provided to facilitate a reduction in height or thickness of an equipment housing including a keyboard and to improve the portability of the equipment. Particularly, when the height of a keyboard provided with a plurality of key switches is to be reduced, it has been generally required to maintain the stroke of each key switch at a predetermined distance to ensure constant operational properties thereof and, simultaneously, to reduce the entire height of the key switch upon both the non-operated (or switched-off) and operated (or pushed down and switched-on) condition thereof.
There has been known a conventional key switch, for use in such a relatively thin keyboard, which includes a base, a key top disposed above the base, a pair of link members for supporting the key top above the base and directing it in the vertical or up-and-down direction, and a switching mechanism for opening and closing contacts of an electric circuit in correspondence to the vertical or up-and-down movement of the key top. The pair of link members are interlocked to each other, each being operatively engaged with both the base and the key top so as to allow the key top to be moved in a parallel displacement in a substantially vertical direction in relation to the major surface of the base, while keeping a predetermined posture of the key top. The switching mechanism comprises a sheet-like switch disposed beneath the base, and an elastic actuating member which is disposed between the key top and the sheet-like switch and which operates so as to close the contacts in the sheet-like switch as the key top is moved downward.
As the elastic actuating member, in general, a dome-like member integrally formed from a rubber material is widely employed. When no external force is applied to the key top, the dome-like elastic actuating member supports the key top on the outer surface of the dome upper end, and urges the key top toward an initial position vertically upwardly away from the base. When the key top is pushed downward by a key-entry operation, the elastic actuating member is elastically deformed while exerting a biasing or an elastic restoring force to the key top in an opposite direction. In this condition, a protrusion formed on the interior surface of the dome upper end serves to push a pair of contacts in the sheet-like switch from its outer surface, so as to close or turn-on the sheet-like switch. When the downward pushing force applied to the key top is released, the elastic actuating member is elastically restored, so as to return the key top to the initial position and to open or turn-off the contacts in the sheet-like switch.
The dome-like elastic actuating member can exert, when it is elastically deformed by a key-entry operation, a biasing or an elastic restoring force to the key top, which assumes non-linear relationship with a displacement of the key top due to its dome-shaped profile. That is, the key switch can establish such a key-entry operating properties that at the instant when the pushed-down displacement of the key top exceeds a predetermined value, the biasing force, which has been gradually increased until that time, is sharply reduced. As a result, an operator can easily recognize that the key switch has been correctly and appropriately operated, by finger pressure, even when the keyboard is one adapted to be incorporated in a portable electronic equipment in which the key switch generally has a relatively short keying stroke. The dome-shaped elastic actuating member is, however, held in a location between the key top and the sheet-like switch and interposed therebetween in relation to the height of the key switch, regardless of the degree of the deformation of the actuating member. Therefore, the dome-shaped elastic actuating member in itself affects the entire height of the key switch upon both the inoperated and operated condition thereof, and thus tends to become a major factor that hinders further reduction in the height or thickness of the key switch, and hence of the keyboard. An alternative construction of the dome-shaped elastic actuating member has, therefore, been proposed which does not affect the entire height of the key switch in both the inoperated and operated condition thereof.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-334760 (JP-A-10-334760) discloses one example of a key switch in which at least one of a pair of frame-like link members and a base supporting these link members is formed from an elastic material such as a thin elastic metal sheet. The pair of link members are elastically supported between the base and the key top by a cantilever spring formed on the lower end portion of at least one of the frame-like link members, or on at least one of the supporting portion of the base supporting the lower end portion of the frame. When the key top is pushed down by a key-entry operation, a horizontal displacement of the lower end portion of the frame-like link member causes the deflection of the cantilever spring, and produces an elastic restoring force, which is transmitted via the link members to the key top and exerts a biasing force, onto the key top, upwardly and toward the initial position. In this construction, another cantilever spring is formed at one of the link members for pushing the pair of contacts in the sheet-like switch, thus eliminating the dome-shaped elastic actuating member.
The cantilever spring which is used as the key top biasing means, as described above, is thought to contribute to the reduction of the entire height of key switch in both the inoperated and operated condition thereof, since, unlike the dome-shaped elastic actuating member, it is not interposed between the key top and the sheet-like switch in relation to the height of the key switch. This cantilever spring, however, produces the elastic restoring force mainly in generally flat spring portion between the proximal end connected to the link member or the base and the free distal end thereof. As the key top moves downward, the generally flat spring portion of the cantilever spring is deflected in substantially the same direction as the shifting mortion of the lower end portion of the frame-like link member. Thus, the length of the spring portion of the cantilever spring is relatively short corresponding to the width (in the direction perpendicular to the shifting direction) of the lower end portion of the frame-like link member.
With this construction, in order to reduce the dimension of the key switch, it is required to reduce the dimension of the cantilever spring, and hence to shorten the length of the spring portion thereof. As a result, among key switches having different dimensions, the elastic restoring force of a key switch having a smaller dimension tends to be unnecessarily increased for the same amount of deformation, that is, for substantially same length of depressed key stroke, compared to a key switch having a greater dimension. Thus, there arises a problem that the size reduction of a key switch entails an unnecessary increase in the elastic biasing force exerted onto the key top toward the initial position, and adversely affects the key-entry operating properties. In addition, the degradation of the durability of the cantilever spring, due to the increased bending stress, is also of concern.
In order to achieve the desired key entry operating properties, it is required, of the cantilever spring as the key top biasing means, that it exerts, in cooperation with the link members, a biasing force which assumes the same non-linear relationship with a displacement of the key top as the dome-shaped elastic actuating member. In order to satisfy this requirement, it is advantageous that the cantilever spring has some degree of freedom in design, that is, the optimal dimension and geometry of the cantilever spring for exerting a desired biasing force can be selected from a range of values. With the above construction, however, a size reduction of the key switch entails a size reduction of the cantilever spring so that the design freedom is also decreased and it may become difficult to exert a desired biasing force, onto the key top, in a non-linear relationship with the displacement of the key top.
There has been known a key switch having the above described construction in which each of the pair of link members have, at one end region thereof, an engaging shaft portion rotatably or slidably engaged with the base, and at the other end region thereof, an engaging shaft rotatably or slidably engaged with the key top. In this construction, the base and the key top have both bearing portions formed thereon for receiving individually the respective engaging shaft of the link members. In this case, the engaging shafts are required to rotate or slide smoothly in respective bearing portions. In the case where an unnecessary gap is formed between the bearing portion of the key top and the engaging shaft of the link member due to the dimensional errors in the shaping of the key top and the link member, there arises a fluctuation of the key top during key-entry operation. Especially when the key top is in the initial position, that is, in the uppermost position in the key-entry stroke, the fluctuation of the key top with respect to the link member may cause the key top to be inclined from the normal position when the key top is pushed down by an operator, and cause the contacts in the sheet-like switch to be pushed down incorrectly. If the machining precision is to be increased, with a smaller tolerance for the key top and the link member, to avoid this problem, the production cost of the key switch may be increased.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a key switch, using a pair of link members as supporting/directing means for the key top, in which a simple and inexpensive construction permits further reduction of the entire height of the key switch in both the inoperated and operated conditions, and eliminates the dome-shaped elastic actuating member without impairing the non-linear key-entry operating properties of the key switch, and which can avoid an unnecessary increase of the biasing force elastically biasing the key top toward the initial position when the dimension of the key switch is reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a key switch, using a pair of link members as supporting/directing means for the key top, in which the fluctuation of the key top with respect to the link members is reduced as much as possible without requiring high dimensional precision for the key top and the link members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a keyboard, provided with a plurality of key switches as described above, in which a further reduction in the height or thickness, as well as an improvement in portability and improvement in key-entry operability, are achieved.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a key switch comprising a base; a key top arranged above the base; a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with the base and the key top to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, each of the link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of the base and the key top; at least one plate spring disposed between at least one of the link members and either one of the base and the key top with which the sliding portion is engaged, to exert a biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of the sliding portion, onto the at least one of the link members in a direction different from the vertical direction, each of the at least one plate spring including, in an integral manner, a first spring portion extending along a fixed-end side in a direction substantially parallel to a shifting direction of the sliding portion of each link member and a second spring portion extending along a free-end side in a direction intersecting the first spring portion; and a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top.
At least one plate spring may be fixed, at a proximal end of the first spring portion, to the at least one of the link members and abutted at a part of the second spring portion onto the base.
Alternatively, at least one plate spring may be fixed, at a proximal end of the first spring portion, to the base and abutted at a part of the second spring portion onto the at least one of the link members.
The base may include a fixed base element engaged with the pair of link members and a movable base element disposed under the fixed base element in such a manner as to be movable with relation to the fixed base element.
In this arrangement, at least one plate spring may be fixed at a proximal end of the first spring portion to the at least one of the link members and abutted at a part of the second spring portion onto the movable base element.
Alternatively, at least one plate spring may be fixed at a proximal end of the first spring portion to the movable base element and abutted at a part of the second spring portion onto the at least one of the link members.
In one aspect of the invention, the pair of link members are arranged to mutually intersect and are pivotably connected relative to each other at an intersection thereof. In this aspect, a first one of the link members is slidably engaged at one end region thereof with the base and rotatably engaged at another end region thereof with the key top, the sliding portion being provided on the one end region of the first link member, and a second one of the link members is engaged rotatably at one end region thereof with the base and slidably at another end region thereof with the key top, the sliding portion being provided on the other end region of the second link member.
In another aspect of the invention, the pair of link members are arranged to mutually intersect and are pivotably and slidably connected relative to each other at an intersection thereof. In this aspect, each of the link members is slidably engaged at one end region thereof with the base and rotatably engaged at another end region thereof with the key top, the sliding portion being provided on the one end region of each link member.
In further aspect of the invention, the pair of link members are meshed with each other at a toothed end of each of the link members. In this aspect, each of the link members is slidably engaged at one end region thereof with the base and rotatably engaged at another end region thereof with the key top, the sliding portion being provided on the one end region of each link member, the toothed end being provided adjacent to the other end region of each link member.
The present invention also provides a key switch comprising a base; a key top arranged above the base; a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with the base and the key top to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, each of the link members including an axle engaged with the key top and an extension provided adjacent to the axle; and a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top; wherein the link members are arranged in such a manner that, when the key top is in an upper limit position of a key-entry stroke, extensions provided in the link members are substantially in contact with the key top at respective areas extending further than the distance between axles of the link members.
It is preferred that the extension comprises an elastic member.
In one aspect of the invention, the pair of link members are arranged to mutually intersect and are meshed with each other at an intersection thereof. In this aspect, each of the link members is engaged slidably at one end region thereof with the base and rotatably at another end region thereof with the key top, a second axle being provided on the one end region of each link member, the first-mentioned axle and the extension being provided on the other end region of each link member.
The present invention further provides a keyboard comprising a plurality of key switches, each of the key switches being one as defined above.


Provided is an image presentation apparatus configured to present a virtual space image to a user. The image presentation apparatus receives acquisition information that is acquired during the presentation of the image and a notification from the user that indicates that the user has entered a predetermined condition. The image presentation apparatus learns a relationship between the acquisition information and content of the notification by machine learning. A result of the machine learning is used for predetermined processing during the presentation of the virtual space image to the user.

A display apparatus that is worn on the head of a user and presents a virtual space image to the user has recently become widespread. When using such a display apparatus, the user sometimes gets motion sickness with, for example, display that continuously moves the field of view of the user in a displayed virtual space (what is called virtual reality (VR) motion sickness).
To reduce such motion sickness, there have been considered various methods such as discontinuously moving the field of view of a user, providing vibration to a user along with movement, and using what is called a motion chair that makes a user feel a weight shift. It has turned out that the effect of each measure differs depending on individual differences in users such as the users' eyesight or ages.

Image presentation apparatus, image presentation method, recording medium, and program