The present invention relates to an indexable cutting insert for an end mill for machining of contours in a workpiece and to a milling tool. The cutting insert is asymmetrical in respect of a line through a hole in the cutting insert. The cutting insert includes two cutting edge portions. Each cutting edge portion comprises of a substantially straight cutting edge and a curved cutting edge along respective intersecting lines between a clearance surface and a chip surface. The curved cutting edges have different lengths. The cutting insert includes recesses in a bottom side of the cutting insert. The recesses are arranged on both sides of and at different distances from the hole of the cutting insert.

The present invention relates to an indexable cutting insert for an end mill for the machining of contours in a workpiece and to a milling tool, which correspond to EP-A1-842 723.
An end mill is used under complicated and severe conditions with intensely fluctuating cutting forces under heavy demands regarding the machining precision. If indexable cutting inserts are used for an end mill, it is important to place such indexable cutting inserts precisely in relation to the tool body and to clamp the cutting insert rigidly on the tool body.
A conventional indexable cutting insert for an end mill, see, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,355 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,213, has two cutting edges, each comprising a curved edge and a substantially straight edge connecting to one end thereof. In its entirety, the cutting insert has an oval shape as seen in top view. Thus, if the cutting insert is a positive cutting insert, i.e., a cutting insert having a leaning side, it is very difficult to precisely position the cutting insert on a tool body and clamp the same rigidly. Other documents of interest are EP 0842723A1, EP 1252955 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,355.
It is desirable to provide a milling tool for precise positioning of the cutting insert.
It is desirable to provide a milling tool wherein the cutting insert may be clamped rigidly.
It is desirable to provide a cutting insert that enables rigidly clamping in the tool body.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a milling tool comprises a shaft and a front chip-removing end. The end has at least one cutting insert pocket comprising a boring. The tool comprises an indexable cutting insert receivable in the pocket, and a clamp arranged to hold the cutting insert in the cutting insert pocket. The cutting insert is asymmetrical in respect of a line through a hole in the cutting insert, the cutting insert comprising two cutting edge portions, each cutting edge portion comprising a substantially straight cutting edge and a curved cutting edge along respective intersecting lines between a clearance surface and a chip surface, the curved cutting edges having different lengths. The cutting insert pocket and the cutting insert comprise cooperating projections and recesses, wherein the projections are arranged on both sides of and at different distances from the boring and the recesses are arranged on both sides of and at different distances from the hole of the cutting insert.
According to another aspect of the invention, an indexable cutting insert for a milling tool is provided. The cutting insert is asymmetrical in respect of a line through a hole in the cutting insert. The cutting insert comprises two cutting edge portions, each cutting edge portion comprising a substantially straight cutting edge and a curved cutting edge along respective intersecting lines between a clearance surface and a chip surface, the curved cutting edges having different lengths, the cutting insert comprising recesses in a bottom side of the cutting insert. The recesses are arranged on both sides of and at different distances from the hole of the cutting insert.

Milling tool with cooperating projections and recesses between the cutting insert and the holder


An ARQ system and method for a BWA communication system are provided. A transmitter activates an ARQ timer if exist transmission data or retransmission data and transmits the transmission data or the retransmission data to a receiver. The transmitter then receives a response signal for the transmitted data or the retransmitted data and stops the ARQ timer in the not exist of transmission data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an Automatic Re-transmission Request (ARQ) method in a wireless communication system, and in particular, to an ARQ method in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems have been developed to accommodate more users by multiple access schemes. A major multiple access scheme is Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). CDMA, originally proposed for voice communication, has now evolved to additionally process high-speed data. The driving force behind the development of the CDMA technology is user demands for high-speed data transmission and rapid technology development. At present, most of 3rd generation (3G) mobile communication standards have been approved and commercially deployed.
However, CDMA faces limits in high-speed data transmission due to limited resources. Nonetheless, a user demand for higher data rate is increasing.
In this context, extensive research is being conducted and attempts have been made with the aim to transmit data at higher rates in the wireless communication field.
Among these attempts, BWA is an actively studied area. Particularly, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) were introduced for BWA incorporation. While OFDM is a technology considered for the future-generation broadcasting service in Europe, it is being applied to cellular systems, for the purpose of transmitting a large amount of data at high rates to more users. OFDMA is a transmission scheme in which a plurality of channels are established using orthogonal frequencies and one or more channels are allocated to each user. OFDMA was standardized as the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.16d and the IEEE 802.16e standards.
Typically, communication systems must guarantee the safety of data transmission. The Safety is a more significant factor to wireless communications than to wired communications. The safety refers to the transmission of data with integrity, that is, without loss. Many methods are used to prevent data loss in the communication systems. A main approach is ARQ. In ARQ, when a receiver fails to receive or decode data transmitted from a transmitter, the receiver notifies the transmitter of the reception failure so that the transmitter can retransmit the data.
A description will be made of an ARQ scheme in an OFDMA system compliant with the IEEE 802.16d and the IEEE 802.16e standards.
According to the IEEE 802.16 standards, the transmitter segments a Medium Access Control (MAC) Service Data Unit (SDU) into ARQ blocks, for transmission. The receiver notifies the transmitter if the individual ARQ blocks have been received successfully. Both the transmitter and the receiver must identify the transmitted blocks to determine which block is received and for which block an ARQ is to be created. For block identification, each block is labeled with a Block Sequence Number (BSN).
When BSN information is matched between the transmitter and the receiver within a predetermined period of time, an ARQ window is moved. However, a BSN mismatch may occur between the transmitter and the receiver. In this case, a typical wireless communication system determines that an error has occurred to an ARQ transmission and initializes the ARQ transmission. This is called an ARQ Reset.
The IEEE 802.16 standards specify that an ARQ Reset takes place by transmitting/receiving an ARQ Reset message between the transmitter and the receiver if time intervals ARQ_TX_WINDOW_START and ARQ_RX_WINDOW_START do not increase when ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT has elapsed.
For the ARQ Reset, activation and initialization of an ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer is to be specified.
Yet, how the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer is initialized is not clearly set forth the standard. In relation to the time to activate the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer, the standards define ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT as "the maximum time interval ARQ_TX_WINDOW_START or ARQ_RX_WINDOW_START shall be allowed to remain at the same value before declaring a loss of synchronization of the sender and receiver state machines when data transfer is known to be active. The ARQ receiver and transmitter state machines manage independent timers. Each has its own criteria for determining when data transfer is 'active'".
The above description, which defines ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT simply as the time interval for which ARQ_TX_WINDOW_START or ARQ_RX_WINDOW_START can be kept unchanged when data transfer is known to be active, does not provide an explicit specification of ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT.
In addition, since the cause of the ARQ Reset is confined to the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer, abnormalities that may be created during an ARQ process are not adequately provided for. Hence, a need exists for restricting an unnecessary ARQ Reset by clarifying the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT operation, and defining additional causes for the ARQ Reset, for an efficient ARQ Reset.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a signal flow referred to for describing expiration of the time interval ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT according to the IEEE 802.16 standard.
Before describing FIG. 1, it is made clear that transmission and reception take place in the MAC layer 100 of a transmitter and the MAC layer 110 of a receiver and thus the MAC layers 100 and 110 are referred to as a transmitter 100 and a receiver 110, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 1, upon receipt of a MAC SDU from an upper layer in step 120, the transmitter 100 activates an ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TMEOUT timer in step 122. This timer is used to detect an ARQ sync loss timeout. In step 124, the transmitter 100 transmits a MAC PDU created from the MAC SDU to the receiver 110. The receiver 110 then receives the MAC PDU and activates an ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TMEOUT timer in step 126. The receiver 110 decodes the MAC PDU and notifies the transmitter 100 of the decoding result. In the case illustrated in FIG. 1, it will be assumed that the decoding failed.
The receiver 110 transmits a Negative-ACKnowledgement (NACK) signal requesting a retransmission to the transmitter 100 in step 128. The transmitter 100 retransmits the MAC PDU to the receiver 110 in step 130. The MAC PDU can be data with the same bits as those of the initially transmitted data or redundancy data with which to help decoding the initially transmitted data.
The receiver 110 decodes the retransmitted MAC PDU in step 132 and notifies the transmitter 100 of the decoding result in step 134. There it will be assumed that the retransmitted MAC PDU is successfully received and decoded. The receiver 110 transmits an ACKnowledgement (ACK) signal to the transmitter 100 in step 134.
In step 136, the receiver 110 transmits the MAC PDU to an upper layer. This is a normal traffic transmission procedure between the transmitter 100 and the receiver 110.
However, an ARQ sync loss timeout may occur even in the absence of any traffic data to transmit from the transmitter in the normal traffic transmission procedure.
With regard to this problem, the conventional technology according to the standards does not provide for a method to temporarily stop the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer. As in steps 140a and 140b of FIG. 1, even in the absence of any traffic to be transmitted from the transmitter 100, the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer expires. As a result, an ARQ Reset is carried out in step 142.
With the ARQ Reset, the transmitter 100 and the receiver 110 reactivate their ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timers in steps 144a and 144b. If no traffic still exists, the ARQ sync loss timeout lasts till steps 146a and 146b. Thus, the transmitter 100 and the receiver 110 carry out the ARQ Reset again in step 150. They also reactivate the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timers in step 150a and 150b.
The repetition of the ARQ Reset and ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer activation causes the following problem.
Even though ARQ_TX_WINDOW_START and ARQ_TX_WINDOW_START are not updated due to the absence of transmission traffic, the ARQ Reset is unnecessarily repeated. In other words, step 150 of FIG. 1 is performed.
In a real implementation, ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT is set to 655350 μsec. If there is no traffic to be transmitted within the 655350 μsec, an ARQ Reset message is transmitted and received and an initialization is performed, despite synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver. The unnecessary ARQ Reset leads to channel resource consumption. If a terminal uses a portable power supply like a battery, the standby time or call time of the terminal is reduced.
Now a description will be made of the cause of the above-described additional ARQ Reset. First, an overview of the operations of the ARQ transmitter and receiver will be provided.
The receiver transmits the BSN of a received ARQ block to tell which ARQ block has been received and an ACK/NACK signal for the ARQ block to the transmitter. The transmitter determines if the BSN falls within an ARQ window size or range. If the BSN falls within the ARQ window size and thus it is valid, the transmitter processes the ACK/NACK signal.
Although the transmitter is required to retransmit an ARQ block if the receiver wants, if the BSN is beyond the ARQ window range, the transmitter neglects the ACK/NACK signal. This will be described in great detail with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a signal flow for an ARQ Reset when a traffic transmission error occurs between the transmitter and the receiver according to the IEEE 802.16 standards.
Referring to FIG. 2, upon receipt of a MAC SDU from the upper layer in step 200, the transmitter 100 activates the ARQ_SYNC_LOSS_TIMEOUT timer in step 202. As stated before, this timer is used to detect an ARQ sync loss timeout. In step 222, the transmitter 100 generates a MAC PDU with BSNs of 0 to 4 and transmits it to the receiver 110.
In step 224, the receiver 110 receives the traffic with the incorrect BSNs due to errors, and transmits an ACK with the incorrect BSNs to the transmitter 100 in the illustrated case of FIG. 2. For example, although the transmitter 100 transmits a MAC PDU with the BSNs of 0 to 4, the receiver 110 determines the BSNs to be 8 to 12 due to the errors and transmits an ACK signal for the traffic with the incorrect BSNs of 8 to 12 to the transmitter 100.
Because of the incorrect BSNs, the transmitter 100 neglects the ACK signal in step 226. In step 228, as an RX_PURGE_TIMEOUT timer expires, the receiver 110 considers that reception of the MAC PDU with the BSNs of 8 to 12 is completed and provides the data with the incorrect BSNs to the upper layer.
In the above conventional technology, the receiver 110 transmits to the transmitter 100 an ACK signal with incorrect BSNs due to errors. Later, the receiver 110 fails to receive necessary ARQ blocks and discards them as the RX_PURGE_TIMEOUT timer expires. Nevertheless, the transmitter 100 does not recognize that the errors have occurred and transmits a MAC PDU with BSNs following those of the MAC PDU transmitted in step 222, when an ARQ_RETRY_TIMEOUT timer expires.
As described above, in the case where the receiver 110 transmits to the transmitter 100 an ACK for an ARQ block with a BSN falling within an ARQ window but not transmitted by the transmitter 100, the transmitter 100 has no action to take to deal with this situation.

Auto re-transmission request method in a wireless communication system


A display device having a substrate with a display area and a peripheral area being formed on the substrate. A plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scan lines are arranged in the display area. Six signal line common lines are provided in the peripheral area and at least one of two, three and four scan line common lines are provided in the peripheral area.

The present invention relates generally to liquid crystal display devices; and, more particularly, the invention relates to liquid crystal display devices of the thin-film transistor type, in which test procedures are made easier for inspection of the functional operabilities of thin-film transistors and connection failures at scan line lead lines and/or signal line leads. This invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the same.
Liquid crystal display devices are widely employed as high-precision color display devices for use in notebook computers and display monitor units. Currently available liquid crystal display devices include those of the simple matrix type, which comprise a liquid crystal panel with a liquid crystal layer interposed between a pair of substrates, on the inside surfaces of which parallel electrodes are formed in such a manner as to cross over each other, and those of the active matrix type, which comprise a liquid crystal display element (referred to also as a liquid crystal panel hereinafter) having switching elements for selection of pixels disposed on one of a pair of substrates.
Active-matrix liquid crystal display devices include a liquid crystal display device of the so-called longitudinal electric field scheme, such as the twisted nematic (TN) type (generally called a TN type active-matrix liquid crystal display device), using a liquid crystal panel having a group of pixel selection electrodes formed on a respective one of a pair of upper and lower substrates, and a liquid crystal display device of the so-called lateral electric field type (generally known as an IPS type liquid crystal display device) using a liquid crystal panel with a pixel selection electrode group formed on only one of a pair of upper and lower substrates.
Typically, in Tn type of liquid crystal panel of an active-matrix liquid crystal display device, liquid crystals are aligned to twist by 90° within an interior space formed between a pair of substrates (two substrates consisting of a first substrate (lower substrate) and second substrate (upper substrate)), and two polarization plates are multilayered on the outside surfaces of the upper and lower substrates of such liquid crystal panel, respectively, with the absorption axis directions thereof being disposed in a cross polarization or "crossed Nicol" fashion and also with the light entrance side absorption axes being in parallel or at right angles to the rubbing direction.
In the TN type of active-matrix liquid crystal display device thus arranged, incident light becomes linearly polarized light at an incidence side polarization plate upon application of no voltages. This linear polarized light travels along the twisting paths of a liquid crystal layer; and, if the penetration axis of a light output side polarization plate is identical to the azimuth angle of the linear polarized light, then all rays of the linear polarized light are permitted to pass out, resulting in establishment of a white display (what is called the "normally open mode").
In the case of a voltage application, a unit vector's direction (director), indicating the average orientation direction of axes of the liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer, becomes perpendicular to the substrate surfaces, while the azimuth angle of incidence side linear polarized light remains unchanged, thus resulting in coincidence with the absorption axis of the light output side polarization plate, to thereby obtain a black display (see "Basics and Applications of Liquid Crystals," issued by Industry Research Association, 1991).
On the other hand, in an IPS type liquid crystal display device having pixel selection electrodes and electrode leads formed on only one of a pair of substrates for permitting switching of its liquid crystal layer in a specified direction extending in parallel to the substrate surfaces through voltage application between neighboring electrodes (between a pixel electrode and counter electrode) on this substrate, polarization plates are so disposed as to provide the black display when no voltages are applied thereto (the so-called "normally closed mode").
The IPS type liquid crystal display device's liquid crystal layer exhibits a homogeneous alignment or orientation parallel to the substrate surfaces in the initial state. Simultaneously the director of the liquid crystal layer in a plane parallel to the substrates is parallel or slightly angled relative to the electrode lead direction upon application of no voltages, causing the direction of the director of the liquid crystal layer in voltage application events to shift toward a direction perpendicular to the electrode lead direction upon application of a voltage thereto. When the liquid crystal layer's director direction is tilted toward the electrode lead direction by 45° in comparison with the director direction when no voltage are applied thereto, the liquid crystal layer, upon application of the voltage, causes the azimuth angle of polarized light to rotate 90° as in ½ wavelength plates resulting in coincidence between the light output side polarization plate's transmission axis and the polarized light's azimuth angle, thus providing a white display.
This IPS type liquid crystal display device has the characteristic feature that changes in color, phase and contrast remain low even at wide viewing angles, thus enabling achievement of wide view-field angles (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 505247/1993).
A major approach to attain full color image visualization of the respective types of liquid crystal display devices stated supra is to employ a color filter scheme. This is achieved by subdividing a pixel corresponding to a single dot of color display into three portions and disposing color filters of the three primary colors, e.g. red (R), green (G) and blue (B), at such unit pixels, respectively.
Although the present invention is applicable to the various types of liquid crystal display devices stated above, its outline will be explained below with reference to a TN type active-matrix liquid crystal display device as an example.
As previously stated, in a liquid crystal element (liquid crystal panel) making up the TN type active-matrix liquid crystal display device (referred to simply as an active-matrix liquid crystal display device hereinafter for brevity purposes), there are formed on a liquid crystal layer side surface of one substrate of two transparent dielectric substrates, which are typically made of glass plates mutually opposed with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, a group of scanning signal lines (referred to as gate lines hereinafter) extending in an "x" direction and being arranged in parallel in a "y" direction, and a group of drain lines (video signal lines) isolated from this gate line group and extending in the y direction, while being arranged in parallel in the x direction.
Each respective one of the regions surrounded by the gate line group and drain line group becomes a pixel region in which a thin-film transistor (TFT) for use as an active element (switching element) and a transparent pixel electrode are formed by way of example. When a scan signal is supplied to a gate line, the thin-film transistor turns on causing a video signal coming from a drain line to be supplied to the pixel electrode via this turned-on thin-film transistor.
Additionally, each drain line of the drain line group and each gate line of the gate line group are extended up to the periphery of the substrate to constitute external terminals, respectively, to which video drive circuits and gate scan drive circuits-namely a plurality of drive IC chips (semiconductor integrated circuits as will be referred to simply as drive ICs or ICs hereinafter) making up these circuits are connected, respectively, which are separately mounted at the substrate periphery. In other words, a plurality of tape carrier packages (TCPS) with these respective drive ICs mounted thereon are externally bonded to peripheral portions of the substrate.
However, since such a substrate is designed so that TCPs with drive ICs mounted are externally attached at the peripheral portions thereof, the occupation area of a region (generally called a "picture frame") defined between contour lines of a display region, as formed of the substrate's cross-over regions of the gate line group and drain line group, and an outer frame of the substrate becomes larger undesirably, which is conflicts with the demand for reducing or minimizing the outside dimensions of a liquid crystal display module with the liquid crystal display element and an illuminance light source (backlight unit) and other associative optical elements integrated therein.
Thus, in order to avoid this problem, or at least minimize risks involved, i.e. to fully meet demands for high-density mountability of the liquid crystal display element and also effect downsizing of the outer size of the liquid crystal display module, the so-called flip-chip scheme or alternative chip-on glass (COG) scheme has been proposed for permitting direct mounting of drive ICs for video driving and drive ICs for scan driving on one substrate (lower substrate) without the use of any TCP components. And, the drive ICs are designed to employ the so-called FCA scheme f or permitting electrodes formed on back surf aces of such drive ICs to be directly connected to electrical wiring leads formed on the substrate.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of a liquid crystal display device of the FCA mount type. This liquid crystal display device is arranged so that a liquid crystal layer is interposed between one substrate SUB1 with a matrix array of thin-film transistors formed thereon and an opposing substrate SUB2 with color filters formed thereon.
The one substrate SUB1 has one peripheral side along which scan line drive ICs (referred to as gate drivers hereafter) GDR are mounted by the FCA scheme. In addition, signal line drive circuit ICs (drain drivers) DDR are similarly mounted by the FCA scheme along another side of the substrate.
Outputs of the gate drivers GDR are connected to scan line extension leads GTM, whereas inputs thereof are connected to wiring lines of a flexible printed circuit board FPC1. Outputs of the drain drivers DDR are connected to signal line leads DTM, while their inputs are coupled to wiring lines of a flexible printed circuit board FPC2.
As shown by arrows in FIG. 10, the flexible printed circuit boards FPC1, FPC2 are arranged such that the flexible printed circuit board FPCI can be bent in a direction BENT1 toward the back surface of substrate SUB1; and then, a curvature portion JT2 of the flexible printed circuit board FPC2 can be folded along a fold line BTL in the BENT2 direction and then folded in a direction BENT3 for accordion-like folding onto the back surface of flexible printed circuit board FPC1.
Under this condition, the flexible printed circuit board FPC2's connector CT4 can be connected to a connector, not shown, as provided on the flexible printed circuit board FPC1. An adhesive tape BAT is interposed on the inner surface of the folded portion of the flexible printed circuit board FPC2, resulting in fixture of flexible printed circuit board FPC2.
Note here that reference characters "CHG" and "CHD" designate electronics components, such as capacitors and others; ALMG, ALMD denote alignment marks; POL2 denotes a polarization plate; and AR denotes a display region.
In the liquid crystal display device with the above arrangement, probes of test/inspection equipment may be attached to extension leads of the gate lines and extension leads of the drain lines, which are extended from the thin-film transistors formed on one substrate SUB1, to thereby perform several tests for inspection of thin-film transistor characteristics and connection failures at respective electrical leads and turn-on or "lighting" tests after adhesion with the other substrate.
FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are diagrams of test terminals in one prior art type of liquid crystal display device, wherein FIG. 11(a) is a pictorial representation of the gate driver side, whereas FIG. 11(b) depicts the drain driver side.
In FIG. 11(a), GTM designates gate line extension leads; TPC denotes test terminals; GDR indicates gate driver mount portions (shown by dot lines); LCT denotes a laser cut line; ASCL denotes a gate line side static electricity suppression common line; GTM denotes input terminals of the gate drivers GDR.
In the manufacture of one substrate SUB1 (thin-film transistor substrate), the gate line extension leads GTM are short-circuited by the static electricity suppression common line ASCL for protection against damage to thin-film transistors and wiring leads occurring due to invasion of static electricity. Thereafter, the gate line leads GTM and individually cut along the laser cut line LCT; and then, the probes are attached to the test terminals TPC for inspection to detect connection failure or unwanted open-circuiting, while performing lighting tests upon application of more than one signal thereto.
In FIG. 11(b), DTM designates drain line extension lines; TPC denotes test terminals; DDR indicates drain driver mount portions (shown by dot lines); LCT denotes a laser cut line; ASCL denotes a drain line side static electricity suppression common line; and TTB denotes input terminals of the gate drivers GDR.
Similarly, on the drain driver side also, in the manufacture of such a substrate, the drain line extension leads DTM are short-circuited by the static electricity suppression common line ASCL for preclusion of damage due to invasion of static electricity at the thin-film transistors and wiring leads concerned. Thereafter, the drain line leads DTM are individually cut along the laser cut line LCT; and then, all the probes are attached to the test terminals TPC at a time for open-circuit inspection while performing lighting tests upon application of a signal (s) thereto.
An example of this flip-chip scheme liquid crystal display device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 122806/1996.

Liquid crystal display device comprising a peripheral area having six signal line common lines each connected every six signal lines in a driver IC mount region and four scan line common lines each connected to every four scan lines


A new and distinct floribunda type Rosa hybrid named ‘GRAppl’ is disclosed, characterized by complete resistance to Diplocarpon rosae and strong tolerance for powdery mildew. Plants produce dark red-purple flowers with a strong fragrance and are typically dense and twiggy, reaching a height of between 1 to 1.2 meters. The new cultivar is a Rosa typically suited for ornamental container and landscape use.

The new cultivar is the result of a planned breeder program, conducted by the inventors, John Gray and Sylvia Gray, citizens of Australia. The new variety resulted from the crossing of a proprietary, unpatented, unnamed seedling with the pollen parent Rosa 'GRAsuper' U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,175. The crossing was made Dec. 12, 2011. The discovery was made Mar. 12, 2012.
After selecting the new cultivar, asexual reproduction of 'GRAppl' was first performed in the same commercial nursery by vegetative cuttings Mar. 30, 2012. 'GRAppl' has since produced two generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.


A beamsplitter includes a substrate formed from a material transparent to wavelengths of light at least above a selected cutoff wavelength and reflective structures distributed across a surface of the substrate. The reflective structures split incident light having wavelengths above the selected cutoff wavelength into a reflected beam formed from portions of the incident light reflected from the reflective structures and a transmitted beam formed from portions of the incident light transmitted through the substrate. A splitting ratio of a power of the reflected beam to a power of the transmitted beam is based on a ratio of surface area of the reflective surfaces to an area of the incident light on the substrate. Separation distances between neighboring reflective structures are smaller than the cutoff wavelength such that diffracted power of the incident light having wavelengths above the selected cutoff wavelength is maintained below a selected tolerance.

Beamsplitters suitable for splitting optical light beams are utilized in many optical systems. For example, in the context of optical metrology systems, beamsplitters are typically utilized to combine illumination and collection pathways for use with a common objective lens. However, designing beamsplitters for broadband applications in which the spectrum of light beams of interest covers a wide range of wavelengths presents multiple challenges. For example, simultaneously providing a selected beamsplitting ratio (e.g., a fraction of reflected light to transmitted light) along with a high degree of spatial uniformity, low absorption, and low diffraction is increasingly challenging as the required spectral width increases. It is therefore desirable to provide systems and methods to cure the deficiencies described above.


Embodiments of systems and methods for managing performance optimization of applications executed by an Information Handling System (IHS) are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include computer-executable instructions to, for each of multiple resources used to execute a target application, receive one or more machine learning (ML)-based hints associated with each resource that have been generated by a ML-based optimization service, and generate one or more augmented hints for at least one of the resources using a ML-to-ML orchestration service. The ML-to-ML orchestration service then transmits the augmented hints to the ML-based optimization service that combines the augmented ML-based hints with the one or more internally generated hints to generate augmented profile recommendations that are, in turn, used to adjust one or more settings of the resource to optimize a performance of the target application executed by the resource.

As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store it. One option available to users is Information Handling Systems (IHSs). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
IHSs can execute many different types of applications. In some IHSs, a machine learning (ML) engine (e.g., optimization engine) may be used to improve application performance by dynamically adjusting IHS settings. Particularly, a ML engine may apply a profile to adjust the operation of certain resources of the IHS, such as the operating system (OS), hardware resources (e.g., central processing units (CPU), graphics processing units (GPU), storage, etc.), or drivers used to interface with those hardware resources, or other applications that may be executed by the IHS.
Many IHS designs are currently implemented with numerous resources that are each provided with ML-based optimization services to enhance their performance. But because these ML-based optimization services function individually without regard for each others operation, overall optimization of the IHS is often limited due in large part to the inability of these ML-based optimization services to coordinate their operations with one another. It is with these problems, among others, in mind that embodiments of the present disclosure have been developed.

ML-to-ML orchestration system and method for system wide information handling system (IHS) optimization


A pressure sensor including a pressure-sensor element having a monolithic body of semiconductor material, and a first main face and a second main face acting on which is a stress resulting from a pressure, the value of which is to be determined; and a package enclosing the pressure-sensor element. The package has an inner chamber containing liquid material, and the pressure-sensor element is arranged within the inner chamber in such a manner that the first and second main faces are both in contact with the liquid material. In particular, the liquid material is a silicone gel.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensor having a high full-scale value with a package thereof and, in particular, in the following description explicit reference will be made, without implying any loss in generality, to use of the pressure sensor in an electromechanical braking system of the BBW (Brake By Wire) type.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, disc-braking systems of a traditional type for vehicles have a disc fixed to a respective wheel of the vehicle, a caliper associated with the disc, and a hydraulic control circuit. The caliper houses pads (generally two in number) made of friction material, and one or more pistons connected to the hydraulic control circuit. Due to pressure exerted by a user on the brake pedal, a pump in the hydraulic control circuit pressurizes a fluid contained in the circuit. Consequently, the pistons, which are equipped with appropriate seal elements, leave their respective seats and press the pads against the surface of the disc, thus exerting a braking action on the wheel.
Recently, systems have been proposed referred to as "Drive by Wire", which envisage electronic control of the main functions of a vehicle, for example the steering system, the clutch, and the braking system. In particular, braking systems with electronic control have been proposed, which envisage replacing the hydraulic calipers with actuators of an electromechanical type. In detail, appropriate sensors detect actuation of the brake pedal, and generate corresponding electrical signals, which are received and interpreted by an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit then controls intervention of the electromechanical actuators (for example, pistons actuated by an electric motor), which exert the braking action on the corresponding brake discs through the pads. The electronic control unit moreover receives from sensors associated with the braking system information on the braking action exerted by the electromechanical actuators so as to provide an appropriate closed-loop feedback control, for example, via a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. In particular, the electronic control unit receives information on the pressure exerted by each actuator on the respective disc brake.
In order to measure the pressure, pressure sensors with a high full-scale value are necessary. In fact, the force with which the pads are pressed against the disc can assume values from 0 N up to a maximum value in the range of 15,000 N-35,000 N. The piston acting on the pads has a cross section in the region of 2 cm2, so that the pressure sensors must operate up to full-scale values in the region of 1700 kg/cm2 or more. Furthermore, it is advantageous to perform a pressure measurement with a dual measurement scale for measuring both low-pressure values with a first precision and high-pressures values with a second precision that is lower than the first precision.
The patent application PCT/IT05/00435, filed on Jul. 22, 2005, in the name of the present applicant, describes an integrated pressure-sensor element with a high full-scale value made with the monolithic-silicon technology.
More particularly, in detail (FIG. 1), the pressure-sensor element, designated by 1, comprises a monolithic body 2 made of semiconductor material, and has a first main surface 2a and a second main surface 2b opposite to one another. A stress resulting from a pressure P to be determined acts on both surfaces. The monolithic body 2 is solid and compact, is preferably made of monocrystalline silicon of an N type with (100) orientation of the crystallographic plane, and has a square cross section, for example, 800 μm×800 μm. The monolithic body 2 moreover has a thickness W (understood as distance between a first main outer surface thereof and a second main outer surface thereof that are opposite to one another) that is substantially uniform, for example, of 400 μm, and further comprises a bulk region 3 and piezoresistive detection elements 4. The piezoresistive detection elements 4 comprise doped regions, obtained, for example, by diffusion, and are made within a portion of the bulk region 3 arranged in the proximity of the first main surface 2a. In particular, the bulk region 3 is a solid and compact region (without empty spaces), having a respective thickness substantially equal to the thickness W. Furthermore, a passivation layer 5 (made, for example, of silicon oxide) coats the main outer surface of the monolithic body 2 adjacent to the piezoresistive detection elements 4.
The general operation of the pressure-sensor element 1 is based upon the so-called piezoresistive effect, whereby a stress applied to a piezoresistive material causes a variation of resistance thereof. In the case of semiconductor materials, such as silicon, the applied stress determines a deformation of the crystal lattice and hence an alteration of the mobility of the majority charge carriers. Deriving therefrom is a variation in the resistivity of piezoresistive elements formed in the semiconductor material. In particular, the pressure P determines a stress in a direction normal to the first main surface 2a, which causes a variation in the resistance of the piezoresistive detection elements 4. Said variation is detected by an appropriate Wheatstone-bridge measuring circuit (not illustrated) in order to determine the value of the pressure P.
The patent application PCT/IT05/00431 filed on Jul. 22, 2005, in the name of the present applicant, further describes an integrated pressure-sensor element with a high full-scale value and a double measurement scale, made with the monolithic-silicon technology.
More particularly, in detail (see FIG. 2), the pressure-sensor element, designated by 10, comprises a monolithic body 12 of semiconductor material, preferably monocrystalline silicon, and has a first main surface 12a and a second main surface 12b opposite to one another. A stress resulting from the pressure P, the value of which is to be determined, acts on both surfaces. The monolithic body 12 is preferably made of monocrystalline silicon of an N type with (100) orientation of the crystallographic plane, and has a square cross section, for example, 15 mm×15 mm, and a substantially uniform thickness W, for example, of 375 μm. The monolithic body 12 further comprises a bulk region 13 and a cavity 14, buried in the monolithic body 12.
For example, the cavity 14 can be formed with the manufacturing process described in patent application EP 04 425 197.3 filed in the name of the present applicant on Mar. 19, 2004.
In summary, said process initially envisages depositing on the monolithic body 12 a resist layer, which is then defined so as to form a mask. The mask has an area of an approximately square shape and comprises a plurality of hexagonal mask portions that define a honeycomb lattice. Then, through the mask, an anisotropic chemical etching of the monolithic body 12 is performed, following upon which trenches are formed, which communicate with one another and delimit a plurality of silicon pillars. In practice, the trenches form an open region of a complex shape in which the pillars extend. Next, the mask is removed and an epitaxial growth is performed in a deoxidizing environment. Consequently, an epitaxial layer grows above the pillars and closes the open region at the top. A step of thermal annealing is then carried out, which causes a migration of the silicon atoms, which tend to move into position of lower energy. Consequently, and also due to the small distance between the pillars, the silicon atoms migrate completely from the portions of the pillars within the open region, and the cavity 14 is consequently formed. A thin silicon layer remains above the cavity 14, constituted in part by epitaxially grown silicon atoms and in part by migrated silicon atoms, which forms a membrane 15.
The cavity 14 has, for example, a square cross section, 300 μm×300 μm, and a thickness of approximately 1 μm (in particular, the size of the cavity 14 is quite negligible as compared to the size of the monolithic body 12). The membrane 15, for example having the thickness of 0.5 μm, is laterally surrounded by the bulk region 13, is flexible and deforms as a function of the pressure P acting on the monolithic body 12. First piezoresistive detection elements 16 are provided within the membrane 15, and comprise doped regions, obtained, for example, by diffusion, the resistance of which varies as a function of the deformation of the membrane 15. The first piezoresistive detection elements 16 are connected in a first Wheatstone-bridge sensing circuit (not illustrated).
In a surface portion of the bulk region 13, in a position separated and distinct from the membrane 15, second piezoresistive detection elements 18 are provided, which also comprise doped regions, for example, obtained by diffusion, which are separated from the membrane 15 by a distance, for example not less than 50 μm, such as not to feel the effect of the stresses acting on the membrane 15 and of its deformation. In particular, the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 are integrated in a portion of the bulk region 13 that is solid and compact (without empty spaces), having a respective thickness substantially equal to the thickness W. Furthermore, the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 are connected in a second Wheatstone-bridge sensing circuit (not illustrated), distinct from the first sensing circuit. In particular, the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 are not electrically connected to the first piezoresistive detection elements 16. A focusing region 19a, of silicon oxide, is arranged on the monolithic body 12, at the membrane 15, so as to focus the pressure P on the membrane 15, forcing it to deform. Furthermore, a passivation layer 19b, which also is, for example, of silicon oxide, is arranged on the focusing region 19a.
Operation of the pressure-sensor element 10 is again based upon the piezoresistive effect of monocrystalline silicon. In particular, the pressure P to be measured determines a stress in a direction normal to the first main surface 12a, which causes a deformation of the membrane 15. Said deformation induces a longitudinal and transverse mechanical stress in the first piezoresistive detection elements 16, which undergo a variation of resistance, which is detected by the first Wheatstone-bridge sensing circuit. The pressure P moreover determines on each of the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 a transverse stress that determines a variation of their resistance, which can be detected by the second Wheatstone-bridge sensing circuit. In detail, for low values of the pressure P, the deformation of the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 is practically negligible. Instead, the membrane 15 is induced to deform by the focusing region 19a, causing a corresponding deformation of the first piezoresistive detection elements 16. As the pressure P increases, the deformation of the membrane 15 increases, until the membrane 15 contacts the bottom of the underlying cavity 14, thus saturating the pressure value supplied at output (in so far as no further deformations are possible). In particular, said saturation occurs for values of the pressure P in the range of around 10-15 kg/cm2. At this point, a further increase in the pressure P starts affecting the entire outer surface of the monolithic body 12, causing a non-negligible variation in the resistance of the second piezoresistive detection elements 18 from which the value of the pressure P is obtained. The pressure-sensor element 10 thus has two independent and complementary measurement scales: a first measurement scale, which is valid for low values of the pressure P and has a full scale of around 10-15 kg/cm2 (due to the action of the membrane 15 and of the first piezoresistive detection elements 16), and a second measurement scale, which is valid for high values of the pressure P and has a full scale of around 2000 kg/cm2 (due to the action of the second piezoresistive detection elements 18). The first measurement scale is more precise than the second, given that the membrane 15 is sensitive to even minimal pressure variations.
In both of the described pressure sensors, given the crystalline nature of silicon and the high values of pressure involved, the presence of a first buffer layer and of a second buffer layer is necessary, said buffer layers being made of a solid elastic material, for example steel, and being arranged, respectively, on the first main surface 2a, 12a, and underneath the second main surface 2b, 12b of the pressure-sensor element 1, 10. The buffer layers have the function of uniformly distributing the applied pressure over all the useful surface, preventing any "focusing" that might cause cracks along the crystallographic axes. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first and second buffer layers are designated by 20a and 20b.
In detail, the first buffer layer 20a and the second buffer layer 20b require a high precision in the machining stage to guarantee absolute planarity of the respective faces in contact with the pressure-sensor element. In fact, as is schematically shown in FIG. 3, which refers by way of example to the pressure-sensor element 1 of FIG. 1, the presence of projecting asperities 21 on the face of the first buffer layer 20a and/or of the second buffer layer 20b set directly in contact with the pressure-sensor element 1 determines focusing of the applied pressure P in given points of the monolithic body 2, with the possibility of the silicon mechanical resistance being locally exceeded and of cracks 23 forming in the monolithic silicon body 2.

Pressure sensor having a high full-scale value with package thereof


A thermal toner image fixing device thermally fuses and fixes a toner image to a sheet of paper. The thermal toner image fixing device has a sensor for detecting the surface reflectance of the sheet, a sensor for detecting the electric resistance of the sheet, and a sensor for detecting the ambient temperature. A temperature threshold level for a thermal fixing roller of the thermal toner image fixing device is determined according to fuzzy logic operations based on the detected surface temperature, the detected resistance, and the detected ambient temperature, and also control rules stored in a memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for thermally fixing toner images in copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One conventional device for thermally fixing toner images is shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The conventional thermal toner image fixing device includes a heater 9, a temperature fuse 10, a heater control circuit 6, and an AC power supply 7. The heater 9 is surrounded by a thermal fixing roller 8 for fixing toner to a sheet of paper. The temperature of the thermal fixing roller 8 is detected by a surface temperature sensor 1 that is positioned near the thermal fixing roller 8. A controller 11, which is in the form of a microprocessor, determines whether the temperature as detected by the surface temperature sensor 1 is higher than a predetermined temperature or not, and sends a control signal to the heater control circuit 6.
If the temperature as detected by the surface temperature sensor 1 is lower than the predetermined temperature, then the controller 11 applies a control signal to the heater control circuit 6, which then energizes the heater 9 thereby heating the thermal fixing roller 8.
Generally, in order to fix toner sufficiently to a sheet of paper in the thermal toner image fixing device, it is necessary that the viscosity of a toner layer contacting the sheet as well as a surface toner layer remote from the sheet be lower than a certain viscosity level (normally in the range of from 104 to 105 poise), and the toner be impregnated in paper fibers of the sheet under the pressure of a pressure roller that is pressed at the same time when the toner is heated.
Heretofore, the energization of the heater is controlled based only on the comparison between the predetermined temperature and the temperature as detected by the surface temperature sensor 1. The predetermined temperature remains the same irrespective of various conditions that affect the fixing of the toner. Specifically, the toner is fixed at the same temperature even if the sheet has a different paper quality, the water content of the sheet varies due to a relative humidity around the copying machine, the printer, or the facsimile machine, and the temperature of the sheet varies depending on the ambient temperature of the copying machine, the printer, or the facsimile machine. When these conditions vary, however, the toner is fixed to different degrees.
For example, when the thermal fixing roller is heated to the same temperature, the toner fixation is poorer as the surface roughness of the sheet is greater. This is because the toner that has been softened below a certain viscosity level is not well impregnated in the paper fibers of the sheet since the wettability of the paper fibers with respect to the softened toner is lower as the surface roughness of the sheet is greater. If the surface roughness of the sheet is greater, then the paper fibers tends to be peeled off more easily when the fixed toner is subjected to shearing or peeling forces. When the shearing or peeling forces are applied, the fixed toner as well as the paper fibers held in contact therewith is peeled off.
The toner fixation is also poorer as the sheet has a higher water content. If the water content of the sheet is higher, then a larger proportion of the thermal energy that is applied to heat the toner and the sheet is consumed to evaporate the water in the sheet. Consequently, the toner and the sheet are not sufficiently heated. The temperature at the boundary between the toner and the sheet does not rise to a level necessary to fix the toner to the sheet, and the viscosity of the toner at the boundary does not decrease to a level necessary to fix the toner to the sheet.
If the ambient temperature is lower, then the temperature of the sheet is also lower, and the temperature at the boundary between the toner and the sheet does not rise to a level necessary to fix the toner to the sheet, resulting in poor toner fixation.

Thermal toner image fixing device which uses fuzzy logic


A tool is provided including a ratchet assembly including a handle grip and a socket; and a clamping assembly including a clamp with a notch; wherein the ratchet assembly is configured to be affixed to the clamping assembly so that a rotatable force applied to the handle grip actuates the clamp.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). In particular, the present disclosure relates to a tool and process for the removal of PMTs during the refurbishment and/or repair of photo-detectors or photo-sensors.
2. Background of Related Art
Nuclear medicine is a unique medical specialty wherein radiation is used to acquire images which show the function and anatomy of organs, bones or tissues of the body. Radiopharmaceuticals are introduced into the body, either by injection or ingestion, and are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues of interest. Such radiopharmaceuticals produce gamma photon emissions which emanate from the body and are detected by a radiation detector, such as a positron emission tomography (PET) camera.
Conventional PET cameras utilize a scintillation crystal, which absorbs the gamma photon emissions and emits light photons (or light events) in response to the gamma absorption. An array of photo-detectors, such as photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs), is positioned adjacent to the scintillation crystal. The PMTs receive the light photons from the scintillation crystal and produce electrical signals having amplitudes corresponding to the amount of light photons received. The electrical signals from the photo-multiplier tubes are applied to position computing circuitry, wherein the location of the light event is determined, and the event location is then stored in a memory, from which an image of the radiation field can be displayed or printed.
The PMTs are frequently removed during refurbishment and/or repair of the detectors via a PMT removal tool. One such removal tool resembles a gardener's trowel or a painting knife. A gardener's trowel is described in the prior art as shown and described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,612. A trowel 11 is constructed from a flat metal blade 13, a metal shank 15, and a handle 17. Shank 15 is integrally formed with, or is otherwise secured to, the top surface of blade 13. Shank 15 extends upwardly from the top surface of the blade providing a metal handle tang 19 which serves as the support structure of handle 17. Tang 19 extends distally from shank 15 and is raised above the plane of blade 13 in a generally parallel disposition thereto. Blade 13, shank 15 and tang 19 are typically forged of metal as one piece. The distal end of the flat metal blade 13 is preferably a sharp edge for allowing the user of the trowel 11 to separate and loosen the gel between a PMT and a metal shield.
However, this method of using a gardener's trowel or a painting knife can cause severe damage to the PMTs during the removal process. The sharp edge of the trowel is preferably inserted into a notch on a plastic end cap located on a top portion of the PMT assembly. Once the edge of the trowel is inserted into the notch, the user of the trowel applies variable forces to the PMT in order to loosen the PMT from the gel adhesive bond securing the PMT to the tube shield. The variable forces applied to detach the PMT can easily damage PMTs during the refurbishment and/or repair of the detectors.
Therefore, a need exists to provide for a more precise tool and process for the damage-free removal of PMTs during the refurbishment and/or repair of detectors.


Each of a number of wheel hubs of a modified mini stock racing car is removably affixed to a corresponding one of a number of brake rotors in coaxial relation with its corresponding axle. Each of the wheel hubs has a hollow cylindrical base portion coaxially positioned around the corresponding axle on the side of the corresponding brake rotor closer to the corresponding end of the corresponding axle than the opposite side of the brake rotor. The base portion has a first end and a spaced opposite second end axially farther from the corresponding brake rotor than the first end. A number of equiangularly spaced ears extend radially from the second end of the base portion of the hub for equal radial distances and a plurality of equiangularly spaced gussets equal in number to the ears extend radially from the base portion. Each of the gussets extends from a corresponding one of the ears along the base portion to the first end of the base portion and each of the gussets has a coupling component at its end adjacent the first end of the base portion to enable the rotor to be removably affixed to its corresponding wheel hub. Bearings are positioned between the axles and each of the wheel hubs and in contact with both the wheel hubs and the axles.

The present invention relates to a modified mini stock racing car. This type of racing car is also known as a Pro Four Modified car, a Mini Modified car, a Mini Stock car, a Baby Grand car, a Daytona Dash, a Four Cylinder car, IMSA, GTU, SCCA, GT2, GT3 or GT4. More particularly, the invention relates to a wheel hub of a modified mini stock racing car.
In mini stock racing cars of the aforementioned types, the front and rear wheel hub designs are non-interchangeable, so that the four bearings of the rear wheels cannot be interchanged with the four bearings of the front wheels. The front bearings are two different sizes, so that the car requires three different sized bearings.
The wheel hub presently used has a close bolt pattern of four bolts in a circle having a diameter of approximately 41/4 inches. This increases the moment at the wheel attachment point and thus necessitates a heavy wheel rim center. In fact, a double center is required in most cases to strengthen the loaded area.
In present day cars of the type discussed, both the front and rear wheel hubs require an adapter plate to couple them to the brake rotor. This involves at least one part and a plurality of bolts at four locations.
The present wheel hub design does nothing to induce air circulation to assist brake cooling.
If a repair is to be made on a mini stock type racing car, said car must be jacked up and the rear wheel must be removed before the rear drive flange can be removed and serviced.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is efficient, effective and reliable in operation.
An object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub of simple structure of great strength.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is used with facility and convenience.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which enables the use of a bearing of one size at all eight locations of the axles of the car.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which assists in brake cooling.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which eliminates the need for an adapter plate in coupling to the brake rotor.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which may be interchangeably used on the front and rear axles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which may be used with facility and convenience in Pro Four Modified cars, Mini Modified cars, Mini Stock cars, Baby Grand cars, Daytona Dashes, Four Cylinder cars, IMSAs, GTUs, SCCAs, GT2s, GT3s, GT4s and any cars having the same power and total weight.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which adapts the 1948 to 1967 Volkswagon wide five wheel bolt pattern having an 8.071 inch diameter bolt center to the Baby Grand spindle upright and/or Baby Grand axle.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is bolted to the brake rotor via five bolts at the five inch bolt center.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is usable in both the front and rear assemblies; with the aid of a Baby Grand to Ford Pinto adapter when used in the front assembly or with the aid of a tubular body Baby Grand axle stub spindle upright and/or Baby Grand axle.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is a five bolt hub and replaces the presently used four bolt front hub.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which has a reduced moment at the axis or center of the wheel, thereby permitting the use of a lighter wheel center and an overall lighter wheel rim assembly.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which produces reduced wheel bolt loading.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which produces a 58% reduction in wheel bolt loading compared to other wheel hubs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub which is driven in the rear axle assembly by a well known 8 bolt 24 spline drive flange.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub having reduced unsprung weight.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified mini stock racing car wheel hub having reduced rotational mass.

Modified mini stock racing car wheel hub


Golf club head comprising a shell extended laterally by a neck, said shell being constituted by a series of metal plates forming an interior cavity, whose front plate incorporates a support surface to which a hitting plate made of a plastic or composite material is attached. The support face of the front plate is a convex surface extending forward, and the hitting plate associated with it is such that its rear plate, which is supported on the support face, has a matching shape, while the hitting surface is a convex surface extending forward.

At present, the clubs used by golfers at the tee, or starting area, to drive the ball over long distances are called woods. Woods were originally constructed, in their entirety, of wood materials, such as persimmon or other similar varieties. These clubs are still prized by many golfers, but their performance tolerances are narrow, because of the low density of the material used and its homogeneous distribution behind the impact surface of the club head.
To remedy this disadvantage, the "wood-metal" club was created, a club which reproduces the shape of the wood, but whose head is made entirely of steel. Because of the high density of the material used and the necessary weight constraints, wood-metal clubs generally incorporate a hollow steel head, normally manufactured using the lost wax casting process. In this type of construction, the weight, which is mainly distributed on the periphery of the impact surface, imparts to the club a tolerance which is clearly greater than that of conventional woods. This tolerance applies both to the angle at which the ball leaves the club, an angle which determines the vertical trajectory of the ball, and to the deviation of the ball, i.e., to its lateral trajectory.
A first disadvantage of wood-metal clubs lies in the unpleasant sensations experienced by the golfer at the time of impact and caused by the contact of the metal face with the ball.
Another problem arises from the fact that the stiffness of the steel impact surface, whose thickness must be sufficient to absorb the shock of the blow, is not optimal. It can be demonstrated that reduced stiffness of the surface increases the speed of restitution, thus increasing the distance of flight. It can be shown that the stiffness of the surface depends on the thickness of the impact surface and on the modulus of elasticity of the material. For a given modulus of elasticity, reduced stiffness is, therefore, directly linked to a reduction of the thickness of this surface. It is today apparent that the optimal degree of stiffness of the impact surface of a wood-metal club corresponds to an excessive thinness, i.e., less than 3 millimeters, thus leading to irreversible deformation.
According to a well-known arrangement, the hitting surface of wood-type club heads is not planar, as is the casing for irons, but is rounded in both vertical and horizontal cross-sections. The advantage of these curvatures is that they correct the trajectory of the ball, more particularly when the point of impact of the blow is not located exactly in the center of the surface. Because of these curvatures and of present-day design of conventional clubs, their performance when used to strike the ball is uneven, a fact which golfers can only complain about.

Golf club head and processes for its manufacture


A paper scoop particularly suitable for use in concentrated detergent cartons. The scoop is formed from a blank of paperboard which includes a front panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel and two side panels on either side of the front panel. The side panels include handle apertures. When erected from the paperboard blank, the scoop can assume two positions: a flattened tubular position wherein the bottom panel is folded along a bisecting scoreline and an erected position wherein the bottom panel is snapped open whereby the bottom panel is disposed generally perpendicularly to the plane of the flattened scoop.

In order to reduce the amount of storage space taken up by laundry detergents and to minimize the amount of packaging materials used, superconcentrated detergents and superconcentrated detergent cartons have been developed. Superconcentrated detergent cartons tend to be shorter and wider than typical detergent cartons. Since they are wider than ordinary detergent cartons, they are not so readily grasped along their narrow sides for pouring by the consumer.
One solution to the problem of dispensing such products is the inclusion of a plastic scoop in the carton. Such scoops are strong enough to hold the dense detergent powder and possess sufficient integrity so that the powder does not leak as it is scooped from the carton and placed in the wash. However, the use of plastic scoops has been criticized for the ultimate addition of plastic into the environment.
While cups fabricated from paper are known in the art, it is important that the scoop be strong enough to accommodate the dense superconcentrated powdered detergent and possess sufficient integrity that the powder does not sift through the cup and onto the floor when product is being transferred from the carton to the wash. Moreover, the scoop must be small enough to fit conveniently into the superconcentrated detergent cartons.
Struble U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,955 discloses a scoop-type carton said to be most useful for serving of French fries and for providing a carton blank configuration making maximum use of the width of the printing equipment and most economical use of board with the least amount of scrap. The carton blank used to make the carton includes a central side wall, end wall panels on either side of the side wall, a somewhat oval appearing bottom panel below the side wall panel and a second side wall panel below the bottom wall panel.
Russa U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,235 discloses a French fry carton including a tear panel. The Russa carton includes a bottom panel, two end panels attached to the bottom panel, end forming flaps, and a tear out portion in one of the end panels.
Cox U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,917 discloses a foldable container including a handle.
Ullger U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,506 discloses a collapsible container having a bottom portion E folded along scoreline 28 and a bottom portion F folded along scoreline 29.
Berke U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,018 discloses a collapsible tray having a central panel 1 divided in half by a scoreline 10.
Page U.S. Pat. No. 2,226,178 discloses a container having an end section divided into two half sections 21 and 22.
Kohler U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,500 discloses an automatically erectable liquid-type tray which comprises a gusset member 20 including a pair of generally semicircular first and second gusset sections 22 and 24 which are foldably joined between inwardly bowed fold lines 23 and 25 to adjacent sections of first and second inner side wall panels 14 and 16 and which are foldably joined to each other along a straight fold line 27.
Harrod U.S. Pat. No. 1,902,072 discloses a collapsible cylindrical container which can be folded flat when not in use. The container includes a collapsible body and a collapsible wall of a disk shape and a diametrically extending scoreline 21 to permit the walls to be folded in half and to be collapsed with the body of the container.
Main U.S. Pat. No. 1,690,586 discloses a collapsible paper cup.
Alba et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,389 discloses a self supporting food carton which includes a base panel and two upright side panels.

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


Disclosed are electrolytes that are organosilicon phosphorus-based, and supercapacitors which incorporate them. These electrolytes are cationic salts with a phosphorous containing organosilicon moiety. They appear particularly suitable for use in applications such as electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

The present invention relates to ionic liquids useful as electrolytes in connection with energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. More particularly, it relates to organosilicon phosphorus electrolytes.
Supercapacitors, sometimes also referred to in the literature as "electric double-layer capacitors", "electrochemical capacitors" or "ultracapacitors" are well known. Supercapacitors provide energy storage as well as pulse power delivery. This is useful in many applications, such as in connection with automotive starters and hybrid automotive vehicles.
One well known type of supercapacitor is depicted in FIG. 1. This drawing shows a supercapacitor 10 having two electrodes 11 which are kept from electrical contact with each other by a separator 12. There are current collectors 13 at opposite ends of the device. The electrodes consist of a porous material 14 and an electrolyte 15. Both the separator 12 and the porous material 14 are typically immersed in the electrolyte 15.
Current collecting plates 13 are in contact with the electrodes 11. Electrostatic energy is stored in polarized liquid layers, which form when a potential is applied across two of the electrodes. A "double layer" of positive and negative charges is formed at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The electrolyte allows ions to move freely through the separator.
To be optimally effective for certain applications, supercapacitors must, among other properties, have low internal resistance, store large amounts of charge, be physically strong, be stable at desired (preferably high) voltages, and be otherwise compatible with the usage environment. Therefore, there are many design parameters that must be considered in construction of such devices.
Aqueous and some organic electrolyte solutions have been proposed for use in supercapacitors. Aqueous electrolytes provide relatively low series resistance, improving the time constant of a supercapacitor and providing high power densities. However, they are often not stable at the operating voltages exceeding the electrolysis voltage of water (1.23 V).
Organic liquid electrolytes used in supercapacitors should preferably have higher ionic conductivity. As an example, acetonitrile provided high ionic conductivity. However, acetonitrile is a hazardous flammable and toxic material, which produces highly toxic products (HCN and CO) upon combustion and thermal decomposition.
Some other previously used organic liquid electrolytes have been based on alkyl carbonates (ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, and γ-butyro-lactone, or dimethylcarbonate, diethylcarbonate, and ethylmethylcarbonate, for example) which are highly flammable. Some also have lower ionic conductivity as compared to aqueous electrolytes or electrolytes based on acetonitrile, and this causes higher internal losses of stored energy and power density of the supercapacitor.
In A. Balducci, The Use of Ionic Liquids As Solvent-free Green Electrolytes For Hybrid Supercapacitors, 82 Applied Physics 627-632 (2006), there was a discussion of using (CF3SO2)2N− ("TFSI") as an anion portion of salts containing cyclic cationic nitrogen moieties, as electrolytes for supercapacitors.
Our laboratory also recently reported, in U.S. patent application publication 2007/0076349, that polysiloxanes could have utility as electrolytes for supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.
In Z. Li et al., A New Room Temperature Ionic Liquid 1-butyl-3-trimethylsilylimidazolium Hexafluorophosphate As A Solvent For Extraction And Preconcentration Of Mercury With Determination By Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, 71 Talanta 68-72 (2007) there was a discussion of using PF6− as an anion with a cationic organosilicon compound having a cyclic nitrogen containing moiety, as a solvent for extraction.
In U.S. Ser. No. 11/865,089, filed Oct. 1, 2007, we recently reported on the use of organosilicon amine-based electrolytes, primarily for use in energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. These have certain advantages. However, still other improvements are desired with respect to electrolytes having varied properties.
In E. Frackowiak et al., Room-temperature Phosphonium Ionic Liquids For Supercapacitor Application, 164104-1-164104-3 (86 Applied Physics Letters) (2005) there was a discussion of using phosphonium salts for supercapacitor electrolytes, where the anion for such salts was (CF3SO2)2N−.
Notwithstanding these developments in the art, there is a need for additional improvements with respect to electrolytes for supercapacitors and batteries, particularly with respect to providing electrolytes which do not have high flammability and have high thermal stability.


A scent delivery system includes scent delivery units that are configured to deliver scent at a variable scent level by being turned on and off successively according to a variable duty cycle. The scent delivery units are associated with corresponding base scent settings. The scent delivery system also includes a central controller configured to control the scent delivery units by generating command data based on a scenting schedule that indicates a desired activation time for more than one implicated scent delivery unit. The scenting schedule is configured to further indicate a scent level bias to be applied to the base scent settings that are associated with different of the implicated scent delivery units. The central controller is configured to generate the command data, based upon a variation in the scent level bias, that takes into account a corresponding variation to duty cycles that are associated with different of the implicated scent delivery units and to communicate the command data to the different implicated scent delivery units.

Products can be developed to deliver scents or aromas in commercial or office environments, such as in a hotel or a retail setting. The scents can improve a customer's perception of the environment and can help influence customer behavior. Scents and systems can be customized to reflect and complement various activities, events, brands, moods, or environments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A process and device are disclosed for perforating and/or partially cutting printed laminated composite materials by means of laser beams from at least one laser arranged in a laser station. In order to minimize equipment costs, in particular for the control of the perforation and/or partial cutting processes, without having to renounce to an exact positioning of the perforations and/or partial cuts, a process is disclosed characterized by the following steps: the laminated composite material web is cut into individual blanks (1) according to the printed image and/or folding pattern; the blanks (1) are transported to the laser station; and the perforations or partial cuts are carried out in the stationary blank (1). Also disclosed are means for carrying out the process.

The invention relates to a process and a device for producing perforations and/or semi-cuts in printed multilayer composite material by means of laser beams from at least one laser arranged in a laser station.
Multilayer composite material is used in particular for packaging foodstuffs in folding box packages. In this a base layer of cardboard, paperboard or paper and if applicable an aluminium foil layer arranged on top of it is provided on both sides with a layer of polyethylene (PE), in order to provide the subsequent package with the necessary characteristics regarding impermeability, ability to keep out oxygen, protection of the contents from light etc. As such known packages are primarily used for milk, juice or similar; as a rule these packages contain a printed image comprising details concerning the content, manufacturer, advertising or similar.
As a rule, the multilayer composite material is produced as a sheet material; the surface of the material which will later be on the outside of the package is provided with the desired printed images and transported on rollers or directed to further use. Folding box packaging made from this material often comprises weakening lines in the base material and the exterior PE layer, for example to facilitate the insertion of drinking straws into the package or else to enable the intrusion of pouring aids. Such weakening lines which are either made as perforations or as semi-cuts (weakening lines in one or several layer/s of the composite material/s) must therefore be positioned on the composite material depending on the printed image, so as to be "correctly" located in the subsequent package.
From EP 0 357 841 B1, it is already known to lead a sheet of composite material past a laser station, depending on the printed image, with the control of the laser taking place depending on the previously scanned printed image. It is quite evident that this process is extremely expensive because laser treatment has to be carried out while the sheet is moving. To this purpose the movement of the laser beam must not only take into account the actual contour of the notch but also the speed of the sheet.
From GB 21 61 427 A a process by itself for treating thermoplastic cut shapes e.g. PVC is already known, in which folding lines are made in these cut shapes by means of a laser beam applied through a mask, in order to fold a container for packaging purposes from this cut shape. In this it is however necessary to fix the PVC cut shapes onto negative-pressure tables in order to treat the said cut shapes. By contrast, the process according to the invention does not require such construction expenditure.
In addition, the production of cut shapes with smooth-cut edges from sheets of paper, by the application of laser beams, has by itself also been known for a long time (DE 32 22 394 A1). In addition, a laser beam has already been used as a device for longitudinal separation of sheet material on sheet processing machines, as is known from DE 26 14 941 A1by itself.
It is thus the object of the present invention to further improve and develop a device of the type mentioned in the introduction in that the construction effort in particular regarding the control during the production of the perforation and/or the semi-cuts, is minimised without having to renounce exact positioning of the perforations and/or semi-cuts.
In a process of the type mentioned in the introduction, this object is met by the following steps:
cutting the sheet of multilayer composite material into individual cut shapes, depending on the printed image and/or the fold pattern; PA1 transporting the cut shapes to the laser station; PA1 positioning and fixing the cut shapes laterally and in the plane of laser treatment by means of limit-stop means; and PA1 producing the perforation lines or semi-cut lines while the cut shape is stationary, depending on the limit-stops.
Regarding a device, the task is solved by providing a device for cutting the sheet of multilayer composite material into individual cut shapes, a laser station with at least one laser and respective deflector devices for guiding each laser beam as well as limit-stop means for positioning the individual cut shapes fed to the laser station, in the plane of laser treatment, and providing respective transport means and/or stacking means for the individual cut shapes.
According to the invention it is thus no longer the moving sheet of multilayer composite material which is subjected to laser treatment but the said sheet is first cut into individual cut shapes which are then laser-treated and from which finally the actual packages are produced. Since printing of the composite material takes place mechanically and thus in good register, the sheet of composite material, too, is cut into cut shapes in good register, so that laser treatment is no longer undertaken depending on the printed image but rather can be undertaken depending on the edges of the cut shapes. In this way, the construction effort with the process according to the invention and the respective device is clearly less than in the known process because elaborate recognition of the printed image and complicated laser control system depending on the speed of the sheet can be done without.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, during laser treatment the cut shapes to be treated are aligned in a horizontal plane. In this way, gravity is used to let the flat cut shapes rest in one plane so that no surface curvatures, throws or similar can result.
In this, the actual laser treatment of the stationary cut shapes can be handled according to three alternative options. A first embodiment of the invention provides for the individual cut shapes to be stacked prior to laser treatment; for laser treatment to take place on the topmost cut shape in the stack; and for the treated cut shapes to be drawn off individually from the stack, step by step to one side. Alternatively it is however also possible for the individual cut shapes to be fed to the laser station and stacked there; for laser treatment to take place on the topmost cut shape in the stack; and for the stack forming below the laser station to be moved downwards, step by step; or else for the cut shapes to undergo laser treatment individually, With the first and third variant it is advantageous, in a further embodiment of the invention, to stack the finished cut shapes behind the laser station.
In this, selection of the optimal form of laser treatment depends first of all on the space available and the operational requirements. Thus the first alternative suggests itself in particular in those cases where the cut shapes which have been previously separated, are already stacked, for example in order to be transported to the laser station. The second alternative is always of advantage if the laser-treated cut shapes are to be stacked anyway. In this, depending on the operational circumstances, supply of the cut shapes to the laser station can take place directly or else by using one or several intermediary stacking magazines, in order to separate the printing and cutting processes on the one hand, from the laser treatment process on the other hand.
According to a further teaching of the invention, the intensity of the laser beam or beams applied is adjustable. This is of great importance in particular for the production of semi-cuts since, depending on the design of the multilayer composite material, a different intensity of local evaporation in one or several layers of the material to be removed is required.
From the point of view of device design, the three alternative processes take place in such a manner that the limit-stop means for positioning and fixing the cut shapes to be treated are designed in such a way that the laser station comprises a chute through which a multiple number of horizontally stacked cut shapes are fed from below; or else that the limit-stop means are designed in such a way that the individual cut shapes are laterally fed to the laser station and that below the laser station a stacking magazine for the completely treated cut shapes is arranged. It is advantageous if according to a further teaching of the invention, there is a stacking device behind the laser station, for holding the cut shapes upon completion of their treatment.
If the laser station is not to be equipped with a feed chute or removal chute for feeding or removing stacks of cut shapes, then in the device according to the third alternative, the limit-stop means are designed in such a way that the individual cut shapes of the laser station are fed in and removed again in the treatment plane. For the cut shapes fed to the laser station horizontally, it is advantageous if in front of the laser station, means for stacking and singling out cut shapes are arranged in order to separate the above-mentioned procedures of printing and cutting on the one hand, and laser treatment on the other hand.

Process and device for perforating or cutting printed laminated composite materials


From a blank goods layout map of a gondola showing a goods layout on each gondola by contours, a user request is inputted for displaying information of the merchandise management, the information responding to the request is output for the corresponding goods layout map, a user request is inputted for a selected elemental operation, and the inputted request is transferred to the elemental operation for execution.

The present invention relates to supporting merchandise management by using a computer system for controlling the overall management of the merchandising cycle at a retail store which sells goods by repeating analysis on changes in a trading area caused by changes in the area environment and each of the operational elements from:
a department layout planning; department arrangement planning; goods assortment planning; and planning of goods layout on each gondola to an ordering, delivering, inspection and storage, layout (gondola filling), and sales on the bases of the analytical results.
For the information processing system for retailing stores, gondola filling planning support systems for supporting the planning of a goods layout on each gondola are discussed in Hitachi Review, Vol. 71, No. 2, pp. 67-72 (1989-2) and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,322. The systems discussed, first request the user interactively to establish a precondition of goods assortments. Then in accordance with the precondition and data, such as the sales results, standard sales prices, etc., the goods assortments are automatically decided by utilizing a knowledge basis, and the results are output on the terminal display screen of a computer system. If the user is not satisfied with the output goods assortment proposal, the user can modify it by interacting with the system. Then, in accordance with data, such as the result of an assortment, the sizes of the gondola and goods, etc., a goods layout proposal is automatically decided by utilizing the knowledge basis, and the result thereof is displayed as a color image on the screen of the computer terminal. If required, the result is displayed in terms of the goods classifications by different containers, etc., and the goods popularity such as goods of middle profits and sales, goods of low profits and low sales, etc. If the user is not satisfied with the result of the goods layout, the user can modify it interactively.
For some other information processing systems, a vehicle marshal planning support system for supporting plans on consignment arrangement and operational routing for each individual vehicle is discussed in Measurement and Control, Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 31-36. This system first predicts the following day's delivery volume based on the information on orders received, and decides the kinds and numbers of vehicles to be used in accordance with the result of the prediction and restrictive conditions caused by different destinations and varieties of the consignment. Then, finally, the system decides the vehicle and driver for the delivery. To make these decisions, a knowledge basis is used.
For others, many information processing systems developed for different types of retailing stores are discussed in Measurement and Control, Vol. 28, No. 1, 1989 of the SICE, pp. 31-36.

Method for supporting merchandise management operation and system therefor