A scrubber removes dust from an exhaust gas. The scrubber includes a casing having an exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, an impeller housed in the casing and supported by a shaft, and a cleaning liquid supply tube for ejecting a cleaning liquid by which the dust contained in the exhaust gas is captured. The scrubber further includes a plurality of protrusions provided around the impeller such that the exhaust gas and the cleaning liquid which are discharged from the impeller impinge upon the protrusions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scrubber and an exhaust gas treatment apparatus for removing dust from an exhaust gas, and more particularly to a scrubber for removing dust from an exhaust gas at a high efficiency, and an exhaust gas treatment apparatus having such a scrubber, a heat exchanger disposed at the downstream side of the scrubber, and other equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor fabrication process and a liquid crystal panel fabrication process, an exhaust gas containing silane gas (SiH4) or halogen gas (NF3, ClF3, SF6, CHF3, C2F6, CF4, or the like) is discharged from fabrication apparatuses in the semiconductor fabrication process and the liquid crystal panel fabrication process. Since the silane and halogen gases are harmful, combustible, or hardly decomposable, the exhaust gas containing such silane and halogen gases cannot be released to the atmosphere as it is. Therefore, it has been customary to use an exhaust gas treatment system in which the exhaust gas is introduced therein and treated to be harmless, and is then released to the atmosphere.
A conventional exhaust gas treatment system is shown in FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 16, the conventional exhaust gas treatment system comprises an exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61, and an exhaust gas treatment apparatus 72 disposed downstream of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61. The exhaust gas discharged from a semiconductor fabrication apparatus or the like is introduced into the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61 in the direction indicated by the arrow G. The exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61 comprises a burner 63 and a liquid atomizing area 64. The exhaust gas introduced into the burner 63 is combusted by flames 65 generated in the burner 63, and is thus heated, oxidized and decomposed. Thereafter, the exhaust gas is fed to the liquid atomizing area 64, and is cooled by a coolant 67 sprayed from coolant spray nozzles 66. At this time, a part of dust contained in the exhaust gas is adsorbed by the coolant 67, and is then discharged together with the coolant 67 through a U-shaped drain pipe 68 to the outside of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61. The drain pipe 68 comprises a U-shaped pipe storing a liquid therein for discharging only the coolant 67 containing dust without allowing the exhaust gas to pass therethrough. The exhaust gas cooled in the liquid atomizing area 64 is fed to the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 72 through an exhaust gas pipe 17.
The exhaust gas treatment apparatus 72 comprises a scrubber 60, and a mist collector 69 connected to the scrubber 60 and disposed downstream of the scrubber 60. The scrubber 60 has a casing 2 and an impeller 3 housed in the casing 2. The impeller 3 has a number of impeller blades, and is fixed to a driving shaft 4 which is coupled to a motor 16. The impeller 3 is thus rotated by the motor 16 at a high speed. The casing 2 has an exhaust gas inlet 8 at a position near the central portion of the impeller 3. A cleaning liquid supply tube 9 extending into the impeller 3 for ejecting a cleaning liquid 10 is provided through the exhaust gas inlet 8.
The exhaust gas which has been treated by the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61 is drawn through the exhaust gas pipe 17 and the exhaust gas inlet 8 into the central portion of the impeller 3 by the rotation of the impeller 3. At this time, the cleaning liquid 10 is ejected from the cleaning liquid supply tube 9, and the exhaust gas is stirred together with the cleaning liquid 10 by the rotation of the impeller 3. Dust contained in the exhaust gas is adsorbed and captured by the cleaning liquid 10, and is thus removed from the exhaust gas. The dust adsorbed by the cleaning liquid 10 is discharged together with the cleaning liquid 10 through a U-shaped drain pipe 15 to the outside of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 72. The cleaning liquid 10 primarily comprises water.
The exhaust gas from which dust has been removed is discharged from the scrubber 60 through an exhaust gas outlet 7 provided at an upper end portion of the casing 2. The exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust gas outlet 7 flows into the mist collector 69 disposed at the downstream side of the exhaust gas outlet 7. Mist contained in the exhaust gas is trapped and collected by the mist collector 69, and the exhaust gas from which the mist has been removed is thus finally released to the atmosphere.
In the conventional exhaust gas treatment system having the above structure, the following problems arise:
1) When the exhaust gas containing silane gas (SiH4) or the like is heated, oxidized and decomposed in the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 61, the treated exhaust gas contains fine dust having a diameter of 1 μm or less at a high concentration. If the exhaust gas containing such fine dust is scrubbed by the above conventional scrubber, then the dust is removed by a percentage ranging from 20 to 60%, which is a low dust-removal efficiency.
2) In many cases, the conventional mist collector comprises a filling material (SUS, ceramic, plastic, or the like), a metal mesh, a filter, and the like. Since the mist collector has small openings for passing the exhaust gas therethrough, the mist collector tends to be easily clogged by the mist. Consequently, it is necessary to carry out time-consuming cleaning of the mist collector. Further, because a saturated vapor contained in the exhaust gas cannot be trapped by the mist collector, when a temperature of the exhaust gas is lowered after the exhaust gas is passed through the mist collector, the saturated vapor that has passed through the mist collector is changed into mist, thus causing a pipe provided at the downstream side of the mist collector to be clogged by the mist.
There has been known a treatment method in which a gas, to be treated, such as SiH4 which can easily react with water is directly drawn into the scrubber to be made harmless without passing through an exhaust gas treatment apparatus. However, the gas to be treated and water contained in the cleaning liquid attached to the exhaust gas inlet react with each other to produce SiO2, thus causing the exhaust gas inlet to be clogged.
Further, as shown in FIG. 16, in the case where the scrubber 60 is connected to an apparatus having the drain pipe 68 at the downstream side of such apparatus, the following problem arises:
FIG. 17 is a schematic view illustrating the relationship between a liquid level of the drain pipe and the scrubber shown in FIG. 16. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 17, if a suction pressure generated in the exhaust gas pipe 17 by the rotation of the impeller 3 is excessively high, then the liquid level 68b of the drain pipe 68 rises, and hence the exhaust gas pipe 17 is closed by a liquid 68c. On the other hand, if the suction pressure is too low, then the liquid level 68b of the drain pipe 68 is lowered to cause a liquid sealing state to be lost, resulting in a leakage of a gas, to be treated, through a liquid discharge port 68a of the drain pipe 68.
The above problem can be solved by changing an operating condition of the motor 16, i.e., increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the impeller 3. However, it is preferable to keep the operating condition (the rotational speed) of the motor 16 unchanged in order to prevent an exhaust gas treatment capability of the scrubber 60 from being lowered. Heretofore, therefore, it has been attempted to either provide a restrictor such as a butterfly valve (not shown) at an exhaust gas outlet side of the scrubber 60 or increase a liquid sealing length of the drain pipe 68 to adjust the liquid level 68a.
However, in the case where the restrictor is provided at the exhaust gas outlet side, the restrictor tends to be clogged due to deposition of dust thereon. On the other hand, in the case where the liquid sealing length of the drain pipe 68 is increased, a large area is required for the installation. From such viewpoints, it is problematic to employ these methods. Consequently, it has been customary to solve the above problems by increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the impeller 3. Specifically, when the suction pressure is too high, the rotational speed of the motor 16 is required to be lowered. As a result, the scrubber 60 has to be operated in such a state that the exhaust gas treatment capability of the scrubber 60 is lowered.

Scrubber and exhaust gas treatment apparatus


A device and method for the spectrally-designed and controlled attenuation of a light signal, including an attenuation structure which may be placed in the proximity of a waveguide's core and which comprises a base material system containing non-uniformities having optical properties that are different from those of the host. These non-uniformities may have various natures, geometrical forms and sizes and may be created, doped or otherwise introduced in the base material system to obtain externally controllable optical properties of the whole composite material providing a broadband spectral performance.

The energy budget and its dynamic balance are key issues to optimize the performance of agile optical telecommunication networks. This requires the use of variable optical attenuators (VOAs). At the same time, an optical telecommunication line needs more optical amplifiers if the optical losses of the network are high. It is therefore very important to choose optical components (e.g., VOAs) with minimal losses when they are used in their transparent state. The in-guide (or guided wave) modulation of light propagation (light remains in the original waveguide while being transformed) appears to be the best solution for the fabrication of low-loss optical components. The main underlying principle here is the use of the evanescent part of light to affect it dynamically.
The material issue appears to be inherently involved in the development of evanescent field devices since we must provide media that is able to dynamically alter the optical properties of the mentioned above guiding components. The traditional way to do this is the change of the optical properties of the cladding of the guide, particularly in the area where the evanescent field propagates. In the case of the VOA application, the materials used must have relatively high sensitivity to the external excitation (e.g., thermal) to provide sufficiently high refractive index changes (compared to the waveguide's core nco and cladding ncl refractive indexdifference Δn) generating thus corresponding light attenuation.
Composite materials, including polymers, liquid crystals, organic/inorganic compounds, etc., are good candidates to address this paramount problem. These materials often provide low-cost fabrication techniques and are easy to manipulate in comparison with complex and costly operations needed to fabricate semiconductor components or micro electro mechanical systems.
Significant efforts have been devoted in the past for the development of robust and reliable composite materials for applications in evanescent field devices. However, an important problem persists with these materials, which is related to their dispersion (refractive index dependence upon light wavelength: n(λ)). Namely, in FIG. 1a (PRIOR ART), the wavelength dependence (see solid line) of the effective refractive index neff of a silica glass based fiber waveguide is schematically presented. The typical dispersion curve (see dashed line) of an original ("pure") polymer material is also presented in the same FIG. 1a. In the case of modulation of the refractive index of the polymer np (for example, by changing the temperature T), the dashed line usually is shifted vertically while remaining parallel to its initial direction (this shift is not shown in FIG. 1a). When such a polymer is used as a part of waveguide's cladding, the light attenuation is achieved when we approach the situation np(T)≧neff(T), the maximum of attenuation being achieved for np(T)=nco(T). FIG. 1b is an experimental demonstration of such an attenuation transfer function.
However, it may be easily imagined that, because of the different slopes of the solid and dashed curves, the shorter ("blue") wavelengths of the guided light will suffer from different losses compared to longer ("red") wavelengths since the condition np(T)=neff(T) is satisfied at different values of T for the "red" and "blue" light. This will create an undesired tilt in the attenuation dependence upon the wavelength, or so called, wavelength dependent loss (WDL). For a more precise example, the maximum attenuation for the 1600 nm light will require a value of T for which the attenuation of 1500 nm will be much less, generating thus an undesired spectral tilt of attenuation, which may be appreciated from FIG. 1c. The curves 1-4 correspond to different levels of attenuation. The curve 4, for example, corresponds to 18 dB attenuation level at 1550 nm and it is accompanied by almost 6 dB WDL. This correspondingly will introduce additional changes in the spectral characteristics of the transfer function of the module where the VOA is integrated. A critical example is the Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier. The problem is particularly important when multiple channels (for example, in the conventional C band) are propagating in the same device. Then the dynamic adding or dropping of a part of those channels brings to significant power fluctuations. Then the power equilibrium must be re-established in a spectrally uniform way to avoid the degradation of the signal to noise ratio for all remaining channels having various wavelengths.
Various methods have been proposed in the past to avoid such wavelength dependence. One of them is the change of the device's wavelength dependence by modifying the waveguide's geometry, e.g., via tapering the fiber or using multiple cladding structures, keeping however the material composition of the guide unchanged. Such a method is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,312B1, (Gregory A. Wagoner, Kevin J. McCallion, Gary O. Jameson, all with MOEC) granted on Apr. 9, 2002, "Fiber Optic Attenuation Systems, Methods of Fabrication Thereof and Methods of Attenuation Using the Same". Another description of a similar solution may be found in the article, by Michel Monerie, "Propagation in Doubly Clad Single-Mode Fibers", IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, Vol. QE-18, N4, April 1982. A device with good WDL characteristics is described also in the article entitled "Fused fiber optic variable attenuator" published in OFC 2000 Proceedings, 4. pp. 22-24 by V. Morozov, H. Fan, L. Eldada, L. Yang, Y. Shi.
However, these approaches require a special waveguide design and fabrication, which is rather complicated and costly. Note that in all these approaches, the light propagates a "direct" waveguide, that is, the waveguide's axis is not deformed. As we shall disclose below, the use of a non-uniform composite material as a part of cladding or the deformation of that axes may decrease the wavelength dependence of attenuation.
Another solution has been proposed, which uses a standard guide, such as a SMF28 fiber, along with a polymer cladding of modified chemical composition and refractive index n*p (see the dotted line in FIG. 1a). This composition contains absorbing (between the 1100-1200 nm range, see dashed line in FIG. 1d) organic dyes, which increase the dispersion tilt (solid line in FIG. 1d and dotted line in FIG. 1a) and provide a slope of n*p(λ) that matches the neff(λ) of the fundamental waveguide mode. In this case, the vertical shift of the curve representing the polymer's refractive index n*p(λ) brings to the simultaneous satisfaction of the condition n*p(T, λ)=neff(T, λ) for almost all channels (wavelengths) that are propagating in the fiber, and respectively, to the same attenuation due to the guided mode field diameter increase and further leakage. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,399 (K. P. Chan, D. G. Gascoyne, J. L. Krahn, G. A. Wagoner, all with MOEC) granted on Dec. 3, 2002, "Dye-appended polymers for broadband fiber optic devices", and the references therein describe the details of such approach.
This method seams to be an easier way (compared to the fabrication of guides with special geometry), however, key tradeoffs must be considered here also. First one is the problem of the chemical miscibility and stability of the organic dye-polymer composition. This is the reason why only very small fractions of weight percentages of a specific group of organic dyes may be introduced in the polymer matrix. Another problem is related to the fact that the limited group of known dyes, which offer the "flattening" capacity, is composed of big organic molecules. Such molecules are rather unstable from photochemical point of view, in particularly when using multiple cycles of thermal control. The third problem is related to the additional optical losses introduced by those dyes at working telecommunication wavelengths (1300-1600 nm). Finally the high cost of the dye and the difficulty of its uniform integration in the polymer matrix (without aggregation or precipitation) complete the list of drawbacks of this approach.
In summary, the methods described above remain complex, non-reliable and costly. An ideal spectrally broadband device would use standard and cost effective optical waveguides (such as SMF28), be simply controllable and provide spectrally uniform (covering many communication channels simultaneously) attenuation of the optical signal with minimal loss and maximal material stability.
In view of the above, it is obvious that there is a need for a technology apt to spectrally design and control the attenuation of a light signal. More precisely, there is a need for a specifically designed controllable component (including material and geometry) for the broadband attenuation of the guided light.

Optical device and method for the spectrally-designed attenuation of a multi-wavelength light signal


An electrophotographic machine has a photoreceptive member supporting a composite color toner image formed of multiple layers of different colored toners. The composite toner image is pre-transfer charged at a first voltage level and recharge at a second voltage level less than the first voltage level. The background toner is preferentially charged by the second charging to reduce transfer of the background toner to the substrate.

Electrophotographic marking is a well-known and commonly used method of copying or printing documents. Electrophotographic marking is performed by exposing a light image representation of a desired document onto a substantially uniformly charged photoreceptive member. In response to exposure by the light image representation, the photoreceptive member discharges so as to create an electrostatic latent image of the desired document on the surface of the photoreceptive member. A development material having toner is then deposited onto the electrostatic latent image so as to form a toner image. That toner image is then transferred from the photoreceptor onto a substrate, such as a sheet of paper. The transferred toner image is then fused to the substrate to form the completed document. Fusing of the toner image to the substrate is typically accomplished by a combination of heat and/or pressure. The surface of the photoreceptive member is then cleaned of residual developing material and recharged in preparation for the production of another document.
Multicolor images by electrophotographic marking can be produced by repeating the above described process once for each color of toner that is employed to form the composite toner image. For example, in one color process referred to herein as the REaD process (recharge expose and develop), a charged photoreceptive surface is exposed to a light image which represents the first component color of a composite color image. The composite color image is produced from a composite toner image of four layers of toner, the first typically being black, followed by magenta, yellow, and cyan. The resulting first electrostatic latent image is then developed with black toner particles to produce the black toner layer for the composite toner image. The charge, expose and develop process is then repeated to form a toner layer of the second component color of the composite color image. In an image-on-image process color (IOI), the subsequent component toner layers may overlay the previous component toner layers to thereby form a full spectrum of colors by their interaction. Alternately, the process can involve image-next-to-image (INI) wherein the component toner layers are positioned adjacent each other. Image-next-to-image is typically employed, for example, in highlight color printing. The INI process typically has two color toners wherein one component color is the highlight on the document. However, the INI process can clearly be implemented with additional color toners. In the IOI process, the color toner particles of the component toner layers are placed in a superimposed registration so that the desired composite color images are formed. The composite toner image in either the Read IOI process or REaD INI process is then transferred from the photoreceptive member and onto the substrate.
The REaD IOI and REaD INI processes can be implemented in a variety of configurations of an electrophotographic printing machine. In a single pass printing arrangement, the final composite toner image is produced in a single pass of the photoreceptive member through a printing machine having multiple charging development and exposure stations. Typically, four charging stations and four exposure stations are implemented to recharge, expose and develop each component color toner layer of the desired final four color composite toner image. Alternately in a multiple pass arrangement, the photoreceptive member cycles past a single charging station, a single exposure station, and multiple development stations. The photoreceptive member typically will cycle four times, one cycle for each component toner layer. In either configuration of an electrophotographic-printing machine, the composite toner image is subsequently transferred from the photoreceptive member to the substrate in a single step. The transfer can be directly to the substrate or via an intermediate toner support member such as a belt or drum.
The above described processes for single or multiple pass electrophotographic marking are not mutually exclusive but can be combined in various configurations. For example, a printing machine can have two charging stations and four developing stations. Two toner layers are added at each cycle of the photoreceptive member to result in a final four-color composite toner image in two cycles of the photoreceptive member.
Background print quality defects can be a serious problem with any color print architecture which requires recharge of the photoreceptive member. Recharge of the photoreceptive member occurs between development stages and also occurs during pre-transfer charging of the toner image on the photoreceptive member. In conventional electrophotographic systems, the non-image or non-developed image areas of the toner image typically have at least a small quantity of unwanted background toner developed onto them. Transfer of this background toner to the substrate results in the unwanted background print quality defects. The background toner is usually extensively of opposite polarity from the developed image area toner. This opposite polarity or wrong-sign toner can arise from aging toner, the charging processes or other actions that occur in the toner sump. In monochromatic electrophotographic systems, the wrong-sign background toner typically does not transfer effectively from the photoreceptive member to the substrate. The transfer charge treatment of the substrate in a monochromatic system is of a particular polarity that the substrate attracts the image area toner but repels the wrong-sign background toner developed in the background areas of the toner image.
The recharging of the photoreceptive member in for example the REaD IOI process between development stages, delivers the same charge polarity to the image and non-image or background areas. This recharging causes all the toner, both in the desirable image areas and in the background areas, to take on the same charge polarity. The charging of all the toner on the photoreceptive member with the same polarity, regardless of location also occurs during pre-transfer charging to prepare the toner image for transfer to the substrate. In either the recharge step or pre-transfer charge step, the wrong-sign background toner is recharged to the same polarity as that of the image toner resulting in transfer of the background toner along with the image toner to the substrate. This background toner transfer degrades print quality.
Toner splatter is an additional print quality defect that can occur from the REaD/IOI process. Toner splatter occurs when highly charged toners are developed on top of multiple layers of previously developed toners. Fringe fields are generated between the top most toner and the photoreceptor that pull or drive the toner particles in the top most toner layer from their preferred location. The toner particles in the top most toner layer move from the top toner layer along the electric field and onto the background areas surrounding the image area. The result of the movement of the toner particles of the top most toner layer is a bleeding or halo of the color of the top most toner layer onto the photoreceptive member surrounding the preferred composite toner image.

Multiple charging of a toner image for transfer


Methods and compositions for inhibiting corrosion of a metal product are provided. The metal product can be contacted with water that includes at least one carbonate and/or bicarbonate salt, or otherwise has components that increase the alkalinity of the water. In addition, or as an alternative, the water can include a stannous corrosion inhibitor. The water can be evaporated off of a surface of the metal product to provide a residual of the salt on the surface and/or a protective stannous film on the surface.

When storing or transporting surface sensitive products such as steel products and non-ferrous materials such as copper and brass, environmental conditions can create undesirable corrosion and/or staining of the finished product. Improper or inadequate treatment of the metal prior to coiling or finishing will impact the degree of corrosion and/or staining during storage or transport. This costs manufacturers millions of dollars in lost or downgraded product over the years.

Methods and compositions for inhibiting corrosion on metal surfaces


The invention relates to a method for producing a sleeve that has a greater length and is used for food, especially for sausages. The inventive sleeve consists of a plurality of individual sleeve sections made of sausage casings which contain collagens. According to the inventive method, a mandrel (3) is used. A first sleeve section (1) is pushed on said mandrel and a successive second sleeve section (2) is also pushed on said mandrel in such a way that the end regions of the two sleeve sections overlap on the mandrel and that an overlapping region (10) of sleeve sections is formed, whereby said end regions face each other. Heat and pressure are temporarily and simultaneously exerted on the overlapping region of the two sleeve sections in such a way that the sleeve sections in the overlapping region are at least partially welded together.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method according to the generic part of claim 1.
The invention relates to a method for the production of a casing with a longer length for foodstuffs.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Particularly in meat-processing plants or in the meat industry, casings or intestines (for example, natural or synthetic intestines) are needed for the production of sausages whereby, for purposes of efficient manufacturing, to the extent possible, they should be present in the form of endless material or at least in longer lengths. Especially natural intestines are normally only available in shorter lengths, which impairs efficient manufacturing.
German patent DE 679 748 discloses a process for the production of long sausage casings which is based on the technique of inserting the end pieces of intestines into each other and then sewing or gluing them together, an approach which involves a considerable amount of work and time.
German patent DE 30 29 808 C2 discloses a process for positioning on a shared sleeve several natural intestine sections into which meat is to be filled. Here, the intestine sections are slipped over the sleeve in such a way that two consecutive intestine sections overlap. The end of the first intestine section is inserted into the beginning of the second, the end of the second into the beginning of the third, etc., so that a kind of continuous intestine is created. The individual intestine sections, however, are not joined to each other here.

Method for producing a sleeve that has a greater length and is used for food


A camshaft adjuster for motor vehicles has an oscillating motor having a rotor that is fixedly connected to a camshaft and further having a stator surrounding the rotor. The rotor is rotatable relative to the stator. At least one connecting part acting by at least one of positive engagement and force transmission is provided on a camshaft having cams. The rotor has a base member that is fixedly mounted on the connecting part. The base member has a diameter that is different from a diameter of a circle circumscribing the cams of the camshaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a camshaft adjuster for vehicles, especially motor vehicles, comprising an oscillating motor having a rotor that is fixedly connected to the camshaft and rotatable relative to a stator surrounding the rotor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Camshaft adjusters are known that have an oscillating motor that is connected at the end of a camshaft by means of a central screw. By hydraulically loading the rotor of the oscillating motor, a rotatory movement relative to the stator results and, in this way, an adjustment of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft is achieved. The supply of hydraulic medium is realized either directly through the camshaft or by means of a rotary lead-through in the oscillating motor. It is also known to fasten the rotary lead-through behind the oscillating motor by means of the central screw on the camshaft. The camshaft adjuster has a complex configuration and requires a correspondingly complex assembly.

Camshaft adjuster for vehicles, especially motor vehicles


An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for generating trace data. In response to detecting a new trace event, a determination is made as to whether the new trace event occurred at an expected period of time with respect to a prior trace event. A time stamp in the trace data is placed in response to a determination that the new trace event did not occur at the expected period of time, wherein time stamps occurring at the expected period if time are eliminated from the trace data and wherein compression of the trace data occurs.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. In particular, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for obtaining performance data in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for hardware assistance to software tools in obtaining performance data in a data processing system.
2. Description of Related Art
In analyzing and enhancing performance of a data processing system and the applications executing within the data processing system, it is helpful to know which software modules within a data processing system are using system resources. Effective management and enhancement of data processing systems requires knowing how and when various system resources are being used. Performance tools are used to monitor and examine a data processing system to determine resource consumption as various software applications are executing within the data processing system. For example, a performance tool may identify the most frequently executed modules and instructions in a data processing system, or may identify those modules which allocate the largest amount of memory or perform the most I/O requests. Hardware performance tools may be built into the system or added at a later point in time.
One known software performance tool is a trace tool. A trace tool may use more than one technique to provide trace information that indicates execution flows for an executing program. A trace contains data about the execution of code. For example, a trace may contain records about events generated during the execution of the code. A trace may include information, such as a process identifier, a thread identifier, and a program counter. The information in a trace may vary depending on a particular profiling or analysis that is to be performed. A record is a unit of information relating to an event.
One technique keeps track of particular sequences of instructions by logging certain events as they occur, a so-called event-based profiling technique. For example, a trace tool may log every entry into, and every exit from, a module, subroutine, method, function, or system component. Alternately, a trace tool may log the requester and the amounts of memory allocated for each memory allocation request. Typically, a time-stamped record is produced for each such event. Corresponding pairs of records, similar to entry-exit records, also are used to trace execution of arbitrary code segments, starting and completing I/O or data transmission, and for many other events of interest.
In order to improve performance of code generated by various families of computers, it is often necessary to determine where time is being spent by the processor in executing code, such efforts being commonly known in the computer processing arts as locating "hot spots". Ideally, one would like to isolate such hot spots at the instruction and/or source line of code level in order to focus attention on areas which might benefit most from improvements to the code.
Another trace technique involves periodically sampling a program's execution flows to identify certain locations in the program in which the program appears to spend large amounts of time. This technique is based on the idea of periodically interrupting the application or data processing system execution at regular intervals, so-called sample-based profiling. At each interruption, information is recorded for a predetermined length of time or for a predetermined number of events of interest. For example, the program counter of the currently executing thread, which is an executable portion of the larger program being profiled, may be recorded during the intervals. These values may be resolved against a load map and symbol table information for the data processing system at post-processing time, and a profile of where the time is being spent may be obtained from this analysis.
With time profiling performance analysis, support for dynamic loading and unloading of modules and just-in-time (JIT) compiled methods typically uses tracing with time stamps. Time profiling is also referred to as "tprof". The time stamps are used to allow for playing back the trace to repeat the history of load information to allow for the dynamic resolution of address to name. This resolution is especially important for JIT. However, a tprof trace containing time stamps may require large memory resources to hold and analyze the trace.
Other solutions that are currently available avoid using any time stamps. Instead of using time stamps, these types of solutions write out address mapping when a module unload occurs. This approach requires a real time consumption of the information, which can significantly affect performance in a data processing system.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for generating trace data during time profiling analysis in a manner that reduces or compresses the amount of trace data generated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Event tracing with time stamp compression

International Business Machines Corporation


A phase modulation device is provided that comprises a retardation device and a control device. The retardation device is characterized by first and second polarization eigenstates SOPf and SOPs. Light polarized according to the second polarization eigenstate SOPs acquires, upon passing through said retardation device, a delay with regard to light polarized according to the first polarization eigenstate SOPf, which delay corresponds to λ/2±30%, preferably λ/2±20% and most preferably λ/2±10%. The retardation device is arranged to receive input light having a polarization state SOPf; that defines an angle with respect to one of the first and second polarization eigenstates SOPf, SOPs within a predetermined angle range and to emit output light. The control device is configured to control at least one of a change of the angle between the polarization state SOPi; of

Phase modulation refers to a modulation technique that encodes a modulation signal as variations in the instantaneous phase of a carrier wave while the amplitude and the frequency of the carrier wave may remain unaltered.
A widely used type of phase modulator is an electro-optic modulator which exploits the electrooptic effect, i.e. altering the refractive index of a medium in response to an electric field. A light beam passing through the electro-optic medium can be manipulated as a function of the applied electric field, thereby imposing a modulation on the phase, frequency, amplitude and/or polarization of the light beam.
Further types of phase modulators include liquid crystal modulators, thermal induction of refractive index changes or length changes e.g. of an optical fiber, and length changes by stretching. Phase modulators are often implemented in integrated optics, where light is modulated in waveguides.
The electro-optic effect is caused by forces that distort the position, orientation and/or shape of the particles constituting the medium. For example, the refractive index of a lithium niobate crystal changes as a function of the applied electric field, thereby slowing down light travelling through the crystal. The phase of the light exiting the crystal is proportional to the time required for the light to pass through it. The total phase shift may comprise a dynamic and a geometric component.
The voltage required for inducing a phase change of π is usually called a half-wave voltage. In usual electro-optical phase modulators, the half-wave voltage is several to several tens of volts. Suitable electronic circuits are required for switching the voltage within a small time period, e.g. of few nanoseconds.

Phase modulation device, receiver, transmitter and a phase modulating method

Abstract: the input light and the respective polarization eigenstate SOPf, SOPs by less than 0.1*π, preferably less than 0.05*π and most preferably less than 0.02*π; and a change of the amount of said delay upon passing through said retardation device by less than 0.3*λ, preferably less than 0.2*λ and most preferably less than 0.1*λ, such that a phase shift of π±30%, preferably π±20% and most preferably π±10% on the output light is obtained.


An image processing apparatus uses a camera to pick up images of an image pickup target illuminated by a transmission type illumination, via optical filters, and then allows a spectral characteristic estimating section and a pigment amount estimating section to calculate a physical amount relating to the image pickup target for each pixel of the image pickup target, on the basis of the picked-up multiple band images. On this occasion, the image processing apparatus uses the optical filters the number of which is equal to the number of independent components of the calculated physical amount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing images which uses an optical filter to evaluate physical characteristics of an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, to pick up an image for image processing, an RGB camera is used to acquire color information. The color information acquired using the RGB camera is similar to human visual information and is thus characterized by being readily understood by human beings.
However, the color information is subjective information having an intermediate position in a human visual recognition process. It is thus difficult to make this information physically objective. That is, the human recognition of colors varies depending on an observation environment or a physical state. The recognition cannot be easily quantified or normalized. Thus, for example, if any lesion in a tissue sample is to be recognized, it is difficult to form a criterion.
In contrast, the spectral characteristic (hereinafter referred to as a spectrum) of a target is a physical characteristic inherent in the target and can be quantified as an objective value not affected by human subjectivity. A characteristic amount derived from the spectrum can be used as a criterion for objective determinations. A spectral image is obtained by acquiring spectral data on a target for each pixel and arranging the spectral data in image form. The spectral image contains important physical information on the target.
Much attention has long been paid to image processing using a spectrum. Various attempts have been made particularly in the field of diagnostic support.
For example, WO99/16353 discloses a method of diagnosing spectral biological image of eye which method comprises using an interferometer to divide light emitted to and reflected by the fundus of the eye and processing the resulting spectrum to recognize the concentration of hemoglobin in the retina blood vessels.
Further, other techniques for spectral processing include "Analysis of tissue samples using transmittance spectra—The method of considering the differences of dyeing conditions" (Fujii et al., Third "Color" Symposium for Digital Biological Medical Images). With this technique, the amounts of dyeing pigments contained in a pathological sample is estimated as a two-dimensional map on the basis of the spectral transmittance of the sample and the transmittances of the dyeing elements.

Image processing apparatus and method for processing images


The present disclosure relates to a casing assembly and a terminal. The casing assembly includes a rear casing and a decorative member. The rear casing has a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The rear casing defines a mounting hole extending through the front surface and the rear surface. The decorative member is disposed in the mounting hole and coupled to the rear casing. The decorative member covers the mounting hole and extends out of the rear surface.

Terminals such as smart phones are generally provided with a rear casing. An appearance of the rear casing may represent an overall appearance of the terminal. Since the rear casing has a large surface area, when in contact with an external object, the rear casing may be easily subject to scratch and abrasion.

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


When the printing operation of a printer is restricted during the execution of a print job including print data of a plurality of pages, an image processing apparatus of the invention executes a retreat mode for storing image data obtained by developing the print data of the subsequent pages in which the printing operation has been restricted into an image memory. When a status to be restricted is cancelled, the printing operation is restarted by using the image data retreated into the image memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing apparatus having developing means for developing print data into image data which can be print-processed and printing means for printing an image shown by the image data developed by the developing means onto a paper and also relates to an image processing method which is used for such an apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, in an office or the like, there has been performed an operation administration such that the number of papers which are outputted from an image processing apparatus such as printer, copying machine, or the like is limited every division.
For example, in the printer, by controlling in a manner such that when the accumulated number of print papers reaches the preset maximum number of print papers, the subsequent printing operation is stopped, the operation administration of the printer is executed.
However, in the conventional printer, if the accumulated number of print papers reaches the preset maximum number of print papers, the subsequent printing operation is stopped. Therefore, for example, if the printing operation is stopped during the execution of a print job including print data of a plurality of pages, a print output of the print data of the subsequent pages is not derived. In such a case, in order to print and output images of the remaining pages, it is necessary for the user to execute again processes such that after the stop of the operation is cancelled, the print data of the print job is sent again and the print data is developed into bit map data, so that it is troublesome and inconvenient.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method


A method and system are disclosed for performing spatial similarity joins on high-dimensional points that represent data objects of a database. The method comprises the steps of: generating a data structure based on the similarity distance .epsilon. for organizing the high-dimensional points, traversing the data structure to select pairs of leaf nodes from which the high-dimensional points are joined, and joining the points from selected pairs of nodes according to a joining condition based on the similarity distance .epsilon.. An efficient data structure referred to as an .epsilon.-K-D-B tree is disclosed to provide fast access to the high-dimensional points and to minimize system storage requirements. The invention provides algorithms for generating the .epsilon.-K-D-B tree using biased splitting to minimize the number of nodes to be examined during join operations. The traversing step includes joining selected pairs of nodes and also self-joining selected nodes. Alternatively, the data structure is an R+tree generated using biased splitting.

In computer database applications, similarity joins involve the finding of data objects in a database that satisfy certain similarity requirements. Examples of similarity joins include query applications using multimedia databases, medical databases, scientific databases, and time-series databases. In such applications, a user query typically requires the finding of all pairs of similar images, retrieving music scores similar to a target music score, determining products with similar selling patterns, or discovering all stocks with similar price movements from a target database. In many emerging applications of databases similar to these examples, the efficient processing of similarity join queries is essential where the data is represented as points in a space of high dimensionality.
The representation of key attributes of the data objects as points, or spatial data, in a multi-dimensional space is necessary to facilitate the search of the database to find similar data objects. With such a mapping between data objects and multi-dimensional points, the problem of finding similar objects in the database is reduced to finding points in the multi-dimensional space that are close, or similar, to a given point. This operation is referred to as a spatial similarity join. Two points are said to be close to each other if they are within a certain distance of each other, according to some metrics used to measure the distance. This distance is referred to as a similarity distance and includes data attributes that are common to the two points. A closely related problem is to find all pairs of similar data objects, which translates into finding all pairs of similar points that satisfy the distance requirement. Prior art algorithms for mapping data objects into points in a multi-dimensional space are described, for instance, in "Fastmap: A Fast Algorithm for Indexing, Data Mining and Visualization of Traditional and Multimedia Datasets," by C. Faloutsos and K. -I. Lin, Proc. of ACM SIGMOD, pp. 163-174, 1995.
In addition to mapping data objects into multi-dimensional points, similarity join methods typically use a data structure or index for organizing the points so that they can be efficiently accessed during the join operation. Current spatial access methods have mainly concentrated on storing map information, which is usually a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional space. The data structures commonly used in existing spatial access methods include the R-tree family, K-D-B tree, hB-tree, TV-tree, and Grid-file. These data structures are described, for instance, in "R-trees: A Dynamic Index Structure for Spatial Searching," by A. Guttman, Proc. ACM SIGMOD, pp. 47-57, 1984, and "The Design and Analysis of Spatial Data Structures," by H. Samet, Addison-Wesley, 1989.
While existing spatial similarity join methods work well in cases of low dimensional data points, they are inefficient in terms of execution time and the system storage required in performing the join operation when the number of dimensions of the space is large. A space of high dimensionality is usually needed for representing data with complex attributes such as images, financial models, etc. The poor performance and large storage requirement associated with existing spatial join methods are due to the fact that the data structures in these methods were designed mainly for points in a low-dimensional space.
For instance, consider a typical prior art join method based on the R-tree or the K-D-B tree data structure. The R-tree is a balanced tree, i.e., the path from its root to each leaf node is the same. Each node of the tree represents a rectangular region in the space, and each internal node of the tree stores a minimum bounding rectangle (MBR) for each child node of the internal node. The K-D-B tree is similar to the R+tree of the R tree family, except its bounding rectangles cover the entire space. In forming these trees, the leaf nodes are split equally in every dimension as the nodes are traversed. This leads to a very large number of leaf nodes that are within a specified distance of a given leaf node in the case where the number of dimensions is high. In an n-dimensional space, there will be O(2.sup.n) leaf nodes within the specified distance of every leaf node.
The large number of leaf nodes results in poor performance and utilization of the system storage, since there are more nodes to traverse. A prior art join algorithm typically traverses each leaf node, extends the MBR of the leaf node with similarity distance, and finds all leaf nodes whose MBR intersects with the extended MBR. The algorithm then performs a nested-loop or sort-merge join for the points in the leaf nodes with intersecting MBRs. Thus, because of the large number of leaf nodes, the number of joins performed, which is proportional to the number of examined leaf nodes, is undesirably large.
In addition, in performing the joins, system storage is needed to store data relating to the bounding regions associated with the tree nodes. For instance, for a K-D-B tree, the bounding rectangles are represented by the "min" and "max" points of the rectangles, which are typically maintained in storage during the similarity joins. The required system storage increases linearly with the number of dimensions of the space, and becomes undesirably large as the number of dimensions increases.
Furthermore, since the bounding regions corresponding to the child nodes of a node must be checked to determine whether to traverse the subtree starting from the examined node, the execution time for the method increases proportionally to the number of dimensions of the data points. Like the required system storage, this execution time also becomes undesirably large as the number of dimensions increases.
There is thus a need for an efficient method for performing spatial similarity joins on high-dimensional points that has a short execution time, based on an efficient data structure, and does not require a large amount of storage space during the performance of the similarity joins.

Method and system for performing spatial similarity joins on high-dimensional points

International Business Machines Corporation


An imaging spectrometric instrument is disclosed. This instrument can include an imaging detector and one or more calibration standards having different optical properties. Portions of one or more actuators can move the calibration standards between the imaging detector and a sample. This instrument can use the actuator(s) to acquire an image of a sample and measure light and dark reference calibration values in quick succession at a given wavelength, before the instrument is tuned to another wavelength.

One method of constructing a hyperspectral imaging instrument is to incorporate a tunable filter in front of a generic two-dimensional detector array such as an infrared focal plane array (FPA), or a detector array responsive to visible or ultraviolet light such as a CCD detector. In FIG. 1 a liquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF) is used which is especially well suited for this purpose, since it allows very narrow wavelength selection (bandpass) over a wide and continuous range, in the visible or near-infrared (NIR) region of the light spectrum. However, this concept is equally applicable for other tunable filters such as AOTFs or interferometers typically used for hyperspectral imaging instrumentation.
In this case, the system is used to measure the NIR light absorbed by a sample at one or more wavelengths. To make such a measurement, it is generally necessary to compare (ratio) the sample response (IS) to the background response (IB) of a non-absorbing reference material ("bright" reference). This removes the contributions arising from the optical properties of the imaging system (illumination source, magnification optics, LCTF, and the FPA), usually referred to as the instrument function. Therefore the sample absorbance (A) is measured as:AS=−Log(IS/IB)  [equation 1]
It has been shown that the accuracy of the absorbance measurement for the sample can be further improved through the subtraction of the stray light signal (ID) which may contribute significant noise to the measurement. The stray light signal is typically measured from a "dark" reference such as a mirror placed significantly out of the focus of the instrument. Incorporating the stray light correction into the measurement, equation 1 becomes:AS=−Log((IS−ID)/(IB−ID))  [equation 2]
The prior art process for collecting data from a sample using the system has been as follows: a sample is placed at the focus of the instrument. The LCTF is tuned to the first desired wavelength and the FPA response is recorded. The LCTF is then tuned to the next desired wavelength and the next FPA response is recorded. This process is repeated for each of the desired wavelengths, and, when completed, the sample data set is stored. Next the sample is removed and replaced with the background reference. The entire process is repeated so that the FPA response at the same wavelength set is collected and stored for the reference. If the stray light correction is to be performed, the background reference is replaced with the "dark" reference, and a third data set is collected in the same stepwise fashion. The order of collection of the three data sets—sample, background, and stray light—is unimportant, each must be completed before the mathematical corrections (either equation 1 or 2) are performed yielding the true absorption response of the sample.

Automated interleaved spectral imaging calibration


A zirconia-containing composition and processes for synthesizing same. The composition comprises least about 99.9 percent tetragonal phase zirconia, based on the total crystalline zirconia in the zirconia-containing composition as determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The composition also has a substantially spherical morphology and comprises less than 100 wppm chlorine, based on the total weight of the zirconia-containing composition. The zirconia-containing composition has an average surface area of at least 80 m2/g and an average particle size of less than about 10 microns.

The global hydrogen market has been growing very rapidly, with recent growth rates exceeding 10% per year. Currently, about 95% of the hydrogen used today comes from the reforming of natural gas. In the near future, it is expected that the demand of hydrogen will increase due to the introduction of hydrogen fuel cells.
There are three major processes for hydrogen production: steam reforming (SR) (Equation 1), partial oxidation (POX) (Equation 2) and autothermal reforming (ATR) (Equation 3), as illustrated below.Steam Reforming CH4+H2O→CO+3H2  (1)Partial Oxidation CH4+½O2→CO+2H2  (2)Autothermal Reforming 2CH4+H2O+½O2→2CO+5H2  (3)
Generally, the reformate gases comprise H2, CO and CO2, H2O and a small amount of unconverted fuel. To maximize hydrogen production and avoid poisoning down stream catalyst, carbon monoxide in the reformate gas should be converted to carbon dioxide through the water gas shift (WGS) reaction, as shown below.Water Gas Shift Reaction CO+H2OCO2+H2  (4)
One of the hurdles in the application of fuel processing to generate hydrogen for fuel cells is the lack of an efficient WGS catalyst. The state-of-the-art WGS catalysts are mostly based on Cu—ZnO and Fe3O4—Cr2O3. These catalysts, however, possess slow kinetics, and are very sensitive to temperature excursions and to air exposure. Careful activation is often required for these catalysts. As a result, these catalysts have been deemed unsuitable for the synthesis of hydrogen for fuel cell applications. See, e.g., Song, Chunshan, "Fuel processing for Low-Temperature and High-Temperature Fuel Cells: Challenges, and Opportunities for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century," 77(1-2) Catalysis Today at 17-49 (2002). Also, these WGS catalysts are highly sensitive to sulfur, which poses a particular challenge for hydrogen production from coal gasification and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC). Thus, there is a great need for active, nonpyrophoric, sulfur resistant WGS catalysts.
Precious metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold supported on oxides have been reported as being active and stable as WGS catalysts over a wide temperature range. See, e.g., S. L. Swartz, M. M. Seabaugh, C. T. Holt and W. J. Dawson, "Fuel Processing Catalysts Based on Nanoscale Ceria," 30 Fuel Cell Bulletin at 7-10 (2001). Additionally, such WGS catalysts overcome the disadvantages of iron and copper based materials, mentioned above.
There is growing interest in implementing zirconium oxide-based compositions as WGS catalysts because of the unique amphoteric properties associated with the surface hydroxyl groups of zirconium oxide and because of its high thermal stability. Also, zirconia-supported metal catalysts are useful in many chemical processes, such as, for example, in methanol synthesis (particularly zirconia-supported copper) and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (particularly zirconia-supported nickel) processes.
Zirconia formed from conventional preparation methods normally contains a thermally stable monoclinic crystal structure (m—ZrO2), which is known to transition at about 1200° C. to tetragonal phase (t—ZrO2) and at about 2280° C. to cubic phase (c—ZrO2) crystal structures. The physical and chemical properties of zirconia are closely related to the crystal phases and determine its application in various industries. Of the three phases, tetragonal zirconia has great potential for catalytic applications.
Conventional processes for synthesizing tetragonal zirconia, however, have been unable to form high surface area tetragonal zirconia because of sintering encountered during the heat treatment of monoclinic phase zirconia to form tetragonal phase zirconia.
Thus, the need exists for high surface area tetragonal zirconia compositions and for processes to synthesize such high surface area tetragonal zirconia compositions.

High surface area tetragonal zirconia and processes for synthesizing same


An internal combustion engine has an oil circuit for supplying oil to powertrain components and cylinder head components of the internal combustion engine. At least one oil pump and one oil filter module are incorporated into the oil circuit. The oil circuit branches into a powertrain oil gallery and a cylinder head oil gallery in the oil filter module or downstream of the oil filter module in a flow direction. The oil circuit is designed so that a lower oil pressure prevails in the powertrain oil gallery than in the cylinder head oil gallery.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an internal combustion engine having an oil circuit for supplying oil to powertrain components and cylinder head components of the internal combustion engine. At least one oil pump and one oil filter module are incorporated into the oil circuit. The oil circuit branches into a powertrain oil gallery and a cylinder head oil gallery in the oil filter module or downstream of the oil filter module in a flow direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 10 2010 018 852 A1 discloses an internal combustion engine with an oil pump to draw engine oil from an oil pan and to deliver the oil under pressure via an oil filter to a main oil gallery. The main oil gallery branches into separate sub-galleries for feeding to powertrain components, such as crankshaft bearings, and cylinder head components, such as camshaft phase adjusters and camshaft bearings.
The oil circuit functions to supply engine oil to various components of the internal combustion engine. The components to which a supply is to be provided are very different and include both bearing points of shafts, such as crankshafts, camshafts and connecting rods, and also hydraulic and switchable consumers and valve drive components in the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. These different components typically have different requirements with regard to oil pressure and oil volume flow.
It is an object of the invention to provide an internal combustion engine that enables the oil volume flow to be adapted more effectively and in a simple manner to the respective requirements of the components to which oil is to be supplied.


In a conventional headphone set, there is a possibility that a headband cannot be put in a suitable position when an ear pad is snugly mounted on an ear. A headphone set of this disclosure includes speaker units which output a sound. The headphone set also includes: speaker housings which are brought into contact with a user; connecting portions which are connected to the speaker housings in a state where the speaker housings are movable in a forward and rearward direction of the user; and a headband which has connecting portions on end portions thereof and is mounted on a head of the user in directions toward a crown of the head of the user. Due to such a constitution, the headphone set can be used in a more stable manner.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a headphone set including speaker housings each of which incorporates a speaker unit, and a headband enabling a user to wear the speaker housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an apparatus which outputs music, various apparatuses are known such as a speaker, an earphone or a headphone set in accordance with a mode where the apparatus is used. The headphone set is used in such a manner where a user wears speaker housings each of which incorporates a speaker unit on user's left and right ears respectively. In case where the headphone includes left and right speaker housings, headband goes around in left and right directions from the crown of the user's head and connects left and right speaker housings. Besides the above-mentioned headphone set, there has been also known a headphone set using a neckband which a user wears in such a manner that left and right speaker housings or the like are connected to each other on a headband going around in left and right directions from a rear side of the user's head.
A headphone set generally used has several adjustment functions such that speaker housings each of which incorporates a speaker unit can be snugly fitted on ears of a user. For example, the headphone set has a function of adjusting an angle of the speaker housing when the speaker housing is brought into contact with the ear or a function of adjusting a length of the headband.
Further, patent literature 1 discloses a technique where when a user wearing glasses uses a headphone set, the user mounts speaker units on temples of glasses which are worn by the user, and the user can change the wearable position of the speaker unit along the frame of the glasses.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A method for determining a normalized weight of a non-static item is disclosed. Weight data associated with the non-static item is received from a plurality of load cells. A load cell weight for the non-static item is determined based at least in part on the weight data. The load cell weight for the non-static item is received as an input for a machine learning algorithm. The normalized weight for the non-static item is generated as an output for the machine learning algorithm.

Consumers are increasingly focused on health and health-related products. We focus on our weight, what we eat, how we stand, and so on. Thus, a need exists for a multi-use apparatus that generates health-related information of a user. The present disclosure is directed to addressing these needs and solving other problems.

Smart scale systems and methods of using the same


To effectively and efficiently provide control information, a broadcast pointer channel (BPCH) may be used to identify the type and perhaps relative location of control information that is being provided in a given frame structure, such as a sub-frame, frame, or superframe. A sub-frame (or like framing entity, such a frame or superframe) may have a BPCH and a corresponding system control information segment in which control information may reside. The system control information segment may have any number of control information blocks, wherein each control information block that is present may correspond to a particular type of control information. The BPCH is used to identify the type of control information that is present in a corresponding system control information segment, and if needed or desired, the relative locations of the various control information.

In most wireless communication systems, one or more base stations facilitate wireless communications with any number of mobile stations through a wireless interface. A significant amount of information must be exchanged between the base stations and the various mobile stations to enable communications therebetween. This information is generally defined as control information. An exemplary wireless communication system is defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standards as set forth by the Broadband Wireless Access Working Group for Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN). The IEEE 802.16 standard is commonly referred to as WiMAX, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.
The system requirements for the IEEE 802.16 standard are set forth in the IEEE 802.16m standards, and like many other wireless communication systems, much of the control information that is used for system access, the transmission and reception of traffic packets, and handovers from one base station to the next, is often transmitted and retransmitted ad nauseum, regardless of whether the mobile stations actually need to receive the information. In many instances, the mobile stations are in sleep or idle modes, or already have received and stored the control information. As such, the excessive retransmission of control information that is either not needed by the mobile stations or has already been received by the mobile stations significantly increases control overhead, wastes communication resources, and harms power efficiencies due to the mobile stations having to remain awake to receive and process control information that is either not necessary or is already available.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique to more efficiently disseminate control information to mobile stations in wireless communication environments, including those defined by the IEEE 802.16 standards and others, in an effective and efficient manner. There is a further need for a technique to ensure that the mobile stations efficiently obtain control information as necessary while reducing the need to receive and process control information that has already been received or is not relevant for operation.

Methods for control signaling for wireless systems


A novel method is provided wherein plants are first treated with an exogenous chemical (e.g., glyphosate herbicide) and then sequentially treated with a liquid accession agent which provides improved biological (e.g., herbicidal) effectiveness such that plants are controlled with lower rates of the applied exogenous chemical (e.g., glyphosate herbicide). Sequential application has been demonstrated to reduce the antagonism to herbicidal effectiveness that can be exhibited when the accession agent is added to a herbicide in a tank mix or simple coformulation. Typical accession agents employed in the disclosed method include a class of surfactants known as superwetting agents, such as certain organosilicone-based and fluorocarbon-based surfactants.

The agricultural industry is under pressure to reduce pesticide, particularly herbicide, usage. This is evidenced by symposia on the subject, such as that held in 1993 by the Weed Science Society of America and documented in Weed Technology 1994, Vol. 8, pp. 331-86. Reduced use rates are desirable both environmentally and economically, in that the treatment cost per unit area decreases. In the case of exogenous chemicals applied to foliage of a plant, herein referred to as "foliar-applied" exogenous chemicals, enhanced delivery efficiency can also improve the ability or tendency of an exogenous chemical such as a pesticide to retain its biological effectiveness when the treated plant is exposed to natural or artificial rain or overhead irrigation within a short period (such as a few minutes to a few hours) after application. This property is generally referred to as "rainfastness." In many cases, enhanced delivery efficiency leads to earlier manifestation of outward signs or symptoms that the applied exogenous chemical is exerting its desired effect in or on a treated plant, on parasites or pathogens of the plant, or on organisms, particularly invertebrate animals such as insects, feeding on non-woody or woody parts of the plant.
Exogenous chemicals, especially foliar-applied exogenous chemicals including foliar-applied herbicides, are commonly formulated with surfactants or wetting agents, so that when water is added, the resulting sprayable composition is more easily and effectively retained on the foliage (e.g., the leaves or other photosynthesizing organs) of plants. Surfactants can also bring other benefits, including improved contact of spray droplets with a waxy leaf surface and, in some cases, improved penetration of the accompanying exogenous chemical into the interior of leaves. Through these and perhaps other effects, surfactants have long been known to increase the biological effectiveness of herbicide compositions, or other compositions of exogenous chemicals, when added to or included in such compositions. Thus, for example, the herbicide glyphosateis typically formulated with surfactants such as polyoxyalkylene or polyglycoside surfactants. More particularly, certain commercial formulations of glyphosate herbicide marketed under the trademark ROUNDUP.RTM. have been formulated with a polyoxyalkylene alkylamine, in particular polyoxyethylene (15) tallowamine.
European Patent No. 0 394 21 1 discloses solid granular formulations of glyphosate containing organosilicone wetting agents or fluoro-organic wetting agents. Some commercial formulations of glyphosate herbicide have been formulated with such surfactants, including a particular group of polyoxyalkylene polysiloxane surfactants exemplified by the commercial organosilicone surfactant Silwet L-77, which has been reported to affect the foliar absorption of glyphosate by plants. A number of studies relating to the use of Silwet L-77 with glyphosate and other herbicides have been published. It should be noted that surfactants have been combined with glyphosate or other exogenous chemicals either in a concentrate liquid or dry composition (herein referred to as a "simple coformulation") containing an intimate admixture (i.e. not partitioned in separate phases of the concentrate composition) of both exogenous chemical and surfactant, or in a diluted mixture that is prepared from separate exogenous chemical (e.g. glyphosate) and surfactant compositions immediately prior to use in the field (herein referred to as a "tank mix"). Simple coformulations and tank mixes, and methods for applying them, are herein distinguished from the "sequential application" methods that are the subject of this invention.
A foliar uptake study of glyphosate herbicide, wherein an organosilicone surfactant (Silwet L-77) was applied together with glyphosate to simulate a tank mix, is reported by Field & Bishop, Pestic. Sci., 1988, Vol. 24, pp. 55-62. When these tank mix compositions were applied to the adaxial leaf surfaces of perennial ryegrass plants, complete surface wetting was observed at Silwet L-77 concentrations of 0.1-0.5% by volume. Through timed experiments wherein radio-labeled glyphosate was applied to the leaves followed by washing of the leaves, it was concluded that use of Silwet L-77 provides a reduced critical rain-free period after application because of an enhanced rate of glyphosate uptake. Rapid uptake was observed into stomata of the plants treated with the tank mix. Visual confirmation of stomatal uptake was confirmed by dye studies. However, these workers found Silwet L-77 antagonistic to glyphosate uptake over a 48 hour period. Herbicidal effects were reported in terms of tiller regrowth (expressed as percentage of tiller number at time of glyphosate application). Stevens et al, Pestic. Sci., 1991, Vol. 33, pp. 371-82, note an enhancement of herbicide uptake over a 0-6 hour period for tank mixes of glyphosate and Silwet L-77.
Another study of the effects of Silwet L-77 upon the foliar uptake of glyphosate herbicide is reported in an article by Gaskin & Stevens, Pestic. Sci., 1993, Vol. 38, pp. 185-92. In this study, radio-labeled glyphosate (specifically the isopropylammonium salt of glyphosate) was utilized to determine the uptake of herbicide in wheat plants. The authors measured the foliar uptake when Silwet L-77 was applied before (pretreatment), during (i.e., in a tank mix), and after (post-treatment) application of the glyphosate herbicide to the plants. Pretreatment of the plants with Silwet L-77 reduced the uptake of glyphosate by the foliage over the course of the study and generally failed to increase even the initial rate of uptake of glyphosate into the plant. Both simultaneous (i.e., tank mix) and post-treatment of the plants with Silwet L-77 at 4 and 8 hours after herbicide application were found to increase the initial rate of uptake of glyphosate; but these workers concluded that "the initial enhancements provided by both simultaneous and sequential application of Silwet L-77 slowed down rapidly thereafter in all treatments." The article reports no measurements of herbicidal effectiveness for any species. The article states that Silwet L-77 may be beneficial as a spray (i.e., a tank mix) adjuvant if rain falls after its application but not in the absence of rain. Further study of the antagonism of glyphosate uptake by Silwet L-77 is reported by Gaskin & Stevens, Pestic. Sci., 1993, Vol. 38, pp. 193-200.
An extensive review of 160 citations relating to the use of organosilicone surfactants as adjuvants for agrochemicals was provided by Stevens, Pestic. Sci., 1993, Vol. 38, pp. 103-22. Stevens reviews work reporting the use of organosilicone surfactants in formulations of herbicides, foliar nutrients, growth regulators, insecticides, and fungicides. Although Stevens discusses extensively work relating to coformulations or tank mixes of organosilicones with, e.g., herbicides, there is no discussion of work relating to sequential application of these materials.
The effects of Silwet L-77 on the foliar uptake of other herbicides has been investigated. Buick et al., Pestic. Sci., 1993, Vol. 38, pp. 227-35, report increases in uptake of triclopyr triethylamine in field bean over time periods of one hour and six hours by inclusion of Silwet L-77 in a simulated tank mix. These workers posit infiltration of foliar stomata to explain this effect. Other workers have questioned the significance of stomatal infiltration to the operation of organosilicone surfactants. Roggenbuck et al., Weed Tech., 1994, Vol. 8, pp. 582-85, conclude there is no relationship between the number of stomata covered and the degree to which herbicide uptake is influenced by addition of Sylgard 309, an organosilicone surfactant.
Antagonistic effects with respect to the herbicidal effectiveness or uptake of glyphosate have been reported in the following species for tank mixes containing Silwet L-77:
colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis) PA1 downy brome (Bromus tectorum) PA1 orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) PA1 crabgrass (Digitaria sp.) PA1 barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) PA1 goosegrass (Eleusine indica) PA1 quackgrass (Elymus repens) PA1 wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla) PA1 common velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus) PA1 dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum) PA1 prostrate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare) PA1 green foxtail (Setaria viridis) PA1 johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) PA1 wheat (Triticum aestivum) PA1 cocklebur (Xanthium pennsylvanicum)
See Gaskin & Stevens, Pestic. Sci., 1993, Vol. 38, pp. 185-92; Baylis & Hart, Brighton Crop Protection Conference, 1993, pp. 1331-36; Field & Tisdall, Ninth Australian Weed Conference, 1990, pp. 332-35; Australian Patent Publication No. 38389/89.
Blumrhorst & Kapusta, Weed Technolog, 1987, Vol.1, pp. 149-53, have investigated sequential and tank mix applications of plant growth regulators (specifically, mefluidide) with herbicides. A study of the sequential application of herbicide materials is reported by Qureshi & VandenBorn, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 1979, Vol. 59, pp. 93-98.
Because surfactants can enhance herbicidal effects when coformulated with or added in a tank mix to herbicidal compositions, numerous workers have studied the effects of various surfactants. One extensive study was conducted by Wyrill & Burnside, Weed Science, 1977, Vol. 25, pp. 285-87. These investigators concluded that "the effectiveness of surfactant combinations was quite variable and difficult to predict. Therefore, the indiscriminate addition of surfactants into glyphosate spray mixtures which already contain a surfactant should be avoided." However, this study did not include any organosilicone or fluoro-organic surfactant treatment. Another study of surfactant effects on glyphosate is set forth in Gaskin & Kirkwood, Adjuvants and Agrochemicals, 1989, Vol. 1, Chapter 13, pp. 129-39. In this study, surfactants (including Silwet L-77) are compared and rated for selected herbicides, based upon plant uptake and translocation measurements. Silwet L-77 was shown to be superior to two non-organosilicone surfactants for enhancing glyphosate uptake and translocation in bracken when added to the glyphosate spray solution as a tank mix.
So many studies are reported in this area that OSi Specialties (a unit of Witco Corporation) has published a Bibliography of Silwet Organosilicone Surfactants As Agricultural Adjuvants (1996), which is indexed for computer searching. This bibliography lists hundreds of published studies of commercial organosilicone surfactants in agricultural applications. This bibliography is available to the public through the publisher's office in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Bishop & Field, Aspects of Applied Biology, 1983, Vol. 4, pp. 363-70, report that Silwet L-77 in tank mix enhanced the performance of glyphosate in field trials on perennial ryegrass. "Spectacular" leaf wetting was observed for tank mixes including 0.5% by volume Silwet L-77, indicating pronounced spreading of the herbicide over the foliar portions of the plant. Stevens et al., Pestic. Sci., 1991, Vol. 33, pp. 371-82, report that in vicia bean leaves, stomatal infiltration of Silwet L-77 is antagonized by the surfactant coformulant in ROUNDUP.RTM. herbicide. Baylis & Hart, Brighton Crop Protection Conference, 1993, pp. 1331-36, have concluded that the effect of Silwet L-77 in tank mix on the herbicidal efficacy of glyphosate-trimesium (the trimethylsulfonium salt of glyphosate) varies with plant species, and could not be explained simply by stomatal infiltration.
Many have investigated the possible mechanisms of herbicide antagonism by Silwet L-77 and, therefore, the means to avoid it. As used herein, "antagonism" refers to a decrease in biological (such as herbicidal) effectiveness of an exogenous chemical (such as a herbicide) when a material (such as Silwet L-77) is used in combination with the exogenous chemical; although it has been used in some of the literature cited herein to refer to a decrease in uptake or translocation. Reduction of antagonism is believed to be one of the means by which the sequential application method of this invention improves the result obtained through tank mixes or coformulations of surfactants with exogenous chemicals.
Australian Patent Application No. 38389/89 reports the use of tank mixed formulations of glyphosate and Silwet L-77, in combination with a humectant such as glycerin. An uptake investigation of similar formulations is reported by Field & Tisdall, Ninth Australian Weed Conference, 1990, pp. 332-35. Glycerin was claimed to promote the uptake of glyphosate from formulations containing Silwet L-77. In this study, paspalum leaves were treated with formulations containing Silwet L-77, with and without glycerin. Pretreatment of the paspalum leaf surfaces with Silwet L-77 two hours prior to application of glyphosate stimulated uptake. Silwet L-77 tank mixed with glyphosate did not. These investigators stated that "glycerin does not appear to have a pronounced humectant effect and it is concluded that antagonism and its alleviation by glycerin involves specific leaf surface - solution interactions that are clearly species specific." They concluded that no stomatal infiltration occurred even at Silwet L-77 concentrations as high as 0.5% by volume.
From the numerous publications on the subject of formulating exogenous chemicals such as glyphosate herbicide with various surfactants, particularly organosilicone surfactants and others that can induce stomatal infiltration, it must be concluded that the effects observed vary with the plant species, exogenous chemical, and surfactant. Tank mixed formulations containing Silwet L-77 (or other surfactants) can yield improved results on some species, but frequently antagonize the biological effectiveness for others. In the case of herbicides, this provides a disincentive to use surfactants like Silwet L-77, because multiple weed species are typically treated in the same field and the surfactant is likely to prove antagonistic for at least some of the weed species present. Similar disincentives hold for other classes of exogenous chemicals.
The problem addressed by the present invention can be stated in its broadest sense as follows. Significant benefit in the efficiency of delivery to the interior of a plant, and therefore in the ultimate biological effectiveness in the plant, of an exogenous chemical can often be obtained, as shown in the art, by adding a stomatal infiltrant such as an organosilicone surfactant in tank mix or simple coformulation to the exogenous chemical. However, this benefit is offset by a risk that the stomatal infiltrant will antagonize, rather than enhance, the biological effectiveness of the exogenous chemical. The occurrence of such antagonism is largely unpredictable. A method that consistently reduced such antagonism whenever it occurred, or that substantially removed the risk of antagonism, while still offering the benefit of enhanced delivery sought from the stomatal infiltrant, would be a great advance in the art.

Sequential application method for treating plants with exogenous chemicals


A steam reforming system with high thermal efficiency, which can compensate for a reduction in the amount of steam generated in a reformer without increasing the reformer size and without limiting the degree of freedom in layout of the reformer and a gas turbine. A gas turbine and a heat recovery exchanger are additionally installed such that the gas turbine generates electric power, and flue gases of the gas turbine are employed to preheat feedstocks supplied to the reformer and to generate steam used for the pre-reforming stage. The heat recovery exchanger is disposed in a downstream channel for the flue gases (at 500-600° C.) of the gas turbine to perform heat exchange between the high-temperature flue gases of the gas turbine and the feedstocks supplied to the reformer, thereby increasing the temperature of the feedstocks to a level suitable for vaporization and desulfurization, and to a level suitable for the pre-reforming stage in a pre-reformer. Generation and superheating of steam required for the pre-reforming stage are performed by the remaining heat of the flue gases of the gas turbine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steam reforming system utilizing flue gases of a gas turbine, and more particularly to a steam reforming system equipped with a pre-reformer, which is used for a plant producing hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, etc. by using hydrocarbons with carbon numbers of C2 or more as feedstocks.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reformer is employed in production processes for hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, etc. to produce, from hydrocarbons supplied as feedstocks, synthesis gases that serve in turn as feedstocks for producing those products. The hydrocarbons supplied as feedstocks are pressurized to a level of required pressure, and then subjected to preheating and desulfurization. After being mixed with steam, the feedstocks are heated to about 500° C. through heat exchange with flue gases leaving the reformer, and are introduced to a heated pipe of the reformer which is filled with a steam reforming catalyst. The introduced feedstocks are exposed to the heat of combustion gases of the reformer and are converted to the synthetic gases. For example, when the feedstocks are reformed for conversion to the synthetic gases under pressurization at a pressure of about 20 atmospheres, the reforming temperature is not lower than 800° C. and therefore a large amount of fuel used for the heating is required.
As methods for saving fuel used for the heating, Patent Reference 1; JP,A 06-207531, for example, proposes a system (hereinafter referred to as a "steam reforming system utilizing flue gases of a gas turbine") in which a gas turbine is additionally installed in combination with a reformer to produce electric power, and high-temperature flue gases of the gas turbine are introduced as combustion air to the reformer. Another proposal is a system (hereinafter referred to as a "pre-reforming system") in which the fuel consumption in the reformer is reduced by installing a pre-reformer upstream of the reformer to convert heavy hydrocarbons in feedstocks to methane in advance, thereby increasing the temperature at a reformer inlet, which has hitherto been limited to a level not higher than about 500° C. for the purpose of preventing a trouble of carbon formation due to thermal cracking of the feedstocks at the reformer inlet, up to a level of 550-600° C. through heat exchange with flue gases of the reformer.
Also, in the steam reforming system of JP,A 06-207531, a part of the high-temperature flue gases of the additionally-installed gas turbine is directly introduced to a heating furnace via a flue gas channel, and a regular or emergency blower is installed to be ready for unexpected stop of the gas turbine so that air exiting the blower can be introduced to some midpoint of the exhaust gas channel.
Further, in the known pre-reforming system, the feedstocks must be desulfurized before being introduced to the pre-reformer, and a preheater furnace is installed to preheat the feedstocks up to the temperature required for desulfurization. The temperature of the feedstocks must be further increased to perform a pre-reforming stage, and the flue gases of the reformer are employed as a heat source for that purpose. More specifically, a heating coil is inserted in a reformer's convection section to heat the feedstocks up to the temperature required for the pre-reforming stage, and the preheated feedstocks are introduced to the pre-reformer.


An inductor or transformer for mounting on a PCB has a two-part magnetic core structure and at least one coil wound on a bobbin. Each core part has a backwall and an abbreviated outer skirt extending from the backwall and an asymmetric center core element extending from the backwall in the same direction as the outer skirt along a longitudinal axis parallel with the mounting plane and including the centroid of the center core element. The center core element is asymmetric relative to a dividing plane parallel with the mounting plane and including the longitudinal axis, such that a greater portion of the center core element lies on a side of the dividing plane than on an opposite side of the dividing plane. In one preferred form, the center core element has a cross-sectional shape resembling a “D” character turned on its side, or “lazy D” shape.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric device in the form of a transformer or an inductor, having a two-part magnetic core; and this invention relates to cross-sectional geometry and resultant shape of a magnetic core part of such a device.
2. Introduction to the Invention
Electrical devices for use as transformers and inductors commonly comprise a magnetic core inserted into a bobbin around which one or more wire coils are wound. When used for power supply, data, or telecommunications applications, such devices are mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs), along with other electronic elements. Due to the large number of elements present on the board, it is important that the amount of space occupied by the electrical device be minimized. However, it is also important that the electrical device maintain a certain level of performance required for maximum data or power throughput. The conventional approach for reducing the area occupied by the device is to use a smaller conventional part. However, this can give disadvantages in terms of leakage inductance, DC resistance, and total harmonic distortion.
A conventional transformer, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,412 (Holdahl et al.), is positioned so that the core, which has a generally rectangular shape with curved edges, is perpendicular to the PCB, so as to minimize the amount of space used on the printed circuit board. It is typically surface-mounted onto the PCB by means of self-leaded terminals or pins extending from a structure forming a coil bobbin, the terminals or pins being aligned with and bonded to circuit traces or pads of the PCB.
Heretofore it has been assumed by workers in the art, that in shielded core geometries the sidewalls of the skirt and the back plane must extend down the same distance. In addition, it has been assumed that the central core portion of the magnetic core structure should be provided with a symmetrical cross-sectional shape. By "symmetrical" it is meant that the central core portion can be divided into similar halves by a plane parallel to the device mounting plane and passing through a center of mass, i.e., centroid, of the central core portion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,366 (Mitsui) illustrates a ferrite core having a central core portion including circular ends and a flattened rectangular central region, rendering the resultant core structure and electrical device relatively wide and thereby unduly consumptive of valuable PCB space. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,412 (Holdahl et al), U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,362 (Hoffman et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,913 (Meuche et al.) attempted to reduce the PCB footprint of the electrical device by orientating the central core region perpendicularly relative to the PCB mounting plane. In these prior examples the sidewalls of the skirt and the back plane extend downwardly toward the mounting surface or plane by the same distance. Another limitation of these prior art electrical devices is that the central core regions are symmetrical about a plane parallel to the PCB mounting plane and passing through the center of each central core region. While these approaches have resulted in usable electrical devices, the reorientation to vertical of the oblong or flattened symmetrical central core region has necessarily extended the resultant height of the device above the PCB surface, creating issues with regard to adjacent PCB board spacing and mechanical integrity of the surface mounting arrangement.
A hitherto unsolved need has remained for an electrical device having both a reduced footprint and a reduced mounting height above the PCB.

Transformer or inductor containing a magnetic core having abbreviated sidewalls and an asymmetric center core portion


An improved swivel yoke assembly for use on shopping carts. The yoke assembly is of the type having a steel yolk with forks which support a wheel. The yolk is permitted to swivel because it is supported between an upper and a lower set of ball bearings. The improvement comprises a polymeric bearing race below the upper set of ball bearings and a second polymeric bearing race above the lower set of ball bearings. The upper ball bearing race has a compound curve. The metal bearing races do not have to be heat treated and, thus, can be more accurately dimensioned. The assembly is better able to withstand the loss of lubricant in shopping cart washing operations.

The field of the invention is casters, and the invention relates more particularly to swivel yoke assemblies of the type used on shopping carts.
There are several trends which have made the prior art swivel yoke assemblies less satisfactory. The first is the use of high pressure cleaning compounds which are ever more commonly used to wash shopping carts. Because of the spraying of the carts with detergent solutions under high pressure, the grease which is originally placed in the bearings tends to be removed. The result is a steel-on-steel contact on both sides of each ball bearing without lubrication which causes the swivel to become very hard to turn and very rough. Secondly, larger shopping carts are being made and are often used in warehouse type of retail outlets where the weight which each shopping cart wheel must bear is much greater than it was in the past.
The ball bearing races on shopping cart yokes have been heat treated in the past to increase their hardness so that the races could withstand the wear caused by the heavier loads. Unfortunately, the heat treating is not only expensive, but it also tends to cause warpage of the formed metal which, in turn, causes constant assembly problems because no two pieces of heat treated, formed races are identical. The result is that after extended periods of use and washing, many swivel yokes no longer swivel smoothly and a better swivel yoke design is needed.

Shopping cart swivel yoke assembly with plastic bearing races