A biological sample collection tube suitable for use in collecting and processing blood samples, is of high strength, transparent plastic. The tube wall is substantially gas impermeable, permitting the retention of samples therein, under conditions of vacuum, for prolonged periods. The selected material is combustible in air, yielding products of combustion that are substantially non-toxic, to facilitate the safe disposal of the tubes, together with the enclosed samples. The tube is made of plastic copolymer or monomer resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide. A preferred material group is amorphous nylon, in particular Nylon 6 (T.M.) such as polyethylenenaphthalate and ethylene vinyl alcohol. The tube may be made from a combination of such materials by mechanical integration in manufacture, through co-extrusion, co-injection, or by a dual material indexed molding process. The impermeability of the tube wall may be enhanced by the application of a sealing coating of polyvinyldichloride, applied to the inner and/or the outer surface of the tube wall. The tube is compatible with a wide range of inner wall coating substances, to facilitate the processing of blood samples. A sealing cap for use with the improved tube has a tapered or parallel body of a thermoplastic elastomer, one embodiment of which incorporates a safety overcap to limit the formation of an aerosol when the tube is opened.

The traditional tube used in the collection and processing of biological samples has been the glass test tube, and variations thereof.
The brittleness of glass, together with its general weakness, a tendency to shatter, and to form dangerous cutting surfaces when broken, as well as its non combustibility have militated against its use.
These disadvantages of glass are particularly emphasized in relation to the handling of blood samples wherein a retro-virus such as HIV-manifesting or the AIDS virus, or other infectious or hazardous substances may be present.
Thus, the use of a potentially shatterable tube for collection and transportation of potentially highly infectious and hazardous substances is evidently undesirable, while the sharpness of its shards with their inherent capacity to wound and infect makes continuing use thereof untenable.
The adoption of plastic tubes for purposes of blood separation, by way of coagulation, and separation of serum by centrifugal separation is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,533 granted Aug. 15th, 1989.
In the case of tubes for use in blood analysis work a group of surface active coatings exists including, Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (E.D.T.A.), finely divided silica gel, silica, sodium heparin, silicon and its modifications, potassium oxalate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, citric acid, kaolin.
However, the gas sealing capability of these materials is quite limited, when considered in relation to glass, as an illustrative standard. Furthermore, particularly in the case of acrylonotrile group of resins, these are peculiarly inappropriate for the proposed usage as they form cyanide gas when incinerated, and are thus unsuited to incineration.
The need to provide safe incineration when disposing of blood samples possible containing the AIDS virus or infectious substances together with the contaminated tube, evidently requires no argument.
The above-identified document teaches also the need for the use of a hydrophilic surface coating on the interior of the collection tube, to preclude adhesion of a blood clot to the tube walls due to the existence of an undue number of blood coagulation sites on the plastic surface.
Use of inorganic adsorptive substances such as glass, silica, kaolin, cerite etc., is combined with a water soluble substance and an adsorptive inorganic substance to achieve coagulation in a controlled fashion. The examples taught comprise modified aliphatic silicone oils, modified aromatic silicone oils, modified paraffin, modified wax, etc., for which a number of examples are given.
Examples of water soluble substances that are given comprise low molecular weight and high molecular weight substances, particularly intended for blood fraction separation.

Sealing closure cap and biological sample collection tube


Construction machines typically utilize hydraulic cylinders to manipulate the linkage that extends between the machine frame and a work implement. In many instances the range of motion of the components creates limited room between the components when they are in their maximum positions. This limited room has prevented the direct attachment of valves to the various hydraulic cylinders. The present invention provides a valve that has a preselected angled configuration that substantially matches a preselected angled configuration of a surrounding frame member. When the linkage is in one of its extreme positions, the two preselected configurations of the valve and the frame member "nest" with one another to prevent contact therebetween, thus allowing the use of the available space.

In present day construction machines, such as a hydraulic excavator for example, the use of hydraulic cylinders to manipulate a work implement is quite common. A typical excavator includes a boom member that is pivotally connected to a frame of the machine, a secondary boom member, or stick, that is pivotally mounted to the boom, and a work implement that is pivotally mounted to a distal end of the stick. A hydraulic cylinder or a pair of hydraulic cylinders, depending on the size of the machine, are mounted between the frame and the boom member to move the boom member up and down with respect to the frame. At least one more hydraulic cylinder is positioned between the stick and the boom to move the stick with respect to the boom and the machine. Yet another hydraulic cylinder is positioned between the stick and the work implement to rotate the implement with respect to the stick. It is quite common for the hydraulic pressure requirements, especially in the boom and stick cylinders, to be quite high since it requires great force to manipulate the implement.
In many countries, especially those in Europe, there exist regulations, such as European Regulation ISO 8643, that require a load check valve to be connected to the pressurized end of the various cylinders to prevent the movement of the cylinders in the unlikely event that communication of the pressurized fluid to the cylinders is interrupted. Even more strict regulations require that this valve be connected directly to the cylinders without fluid conduits interposed therebetween. While this may seem to be a requirement that is relatively easy to satisfy, the movements and close proximity of the various components of an excavator make this an extremely difficult task, especially in the area of the boom. The reason for this stems from the positioning of both the lower portion of the boom and the hydraulic cylinder(s) on the forward portion of the frame. Since these members are massive and transmit great forces into the frame, there must be substantial reinforcement of the frame in this area. The reinforcement members must be in such close proximity to the boom and the stick cylinders, it is a very difficult to mount a valve directly on the boom cylinders without interfering with the frame or boom members.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Valve configuration and mounting arrangement


graphite sheet or block anode material can be used for non-aqueous lithium secondary battery, which has the improved characteristics of battery charge-discharge, as well as a circuit substrate and a shield plate in which dopants should be intercalated. The graphite sheet or block can be made of graphitized polymer film or films and comprises: a) an electric conductive body having a surface, in which graphite crystals are oriented along the surface of the graphite sheet or block and b) interphase insertion potions uniformly distributed over the surface of the graphite sheet or block, in which graphite phases are built perpendicularly to the surface to permit dopant to be inserted into a gap between graphite phases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a graphite sheet or block material suitable to a dopant interphase intercalation, which is used for a secondary battery, a circuit substrate, a shield material and so on, especially a graphite sheet or block used for the secondary battery wherein an active material can be intercalated between graphite phases or layers.
2. Prior Art
Many kinds of graphite have been proposed for an anode material of a lithium secondary battery as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,250 (inventors: Takahashi et al.), No.5,069,683 (inventors:Fong et al.), No. 5,153,082 (inventors: Ogino et al.), No. 5,244,757 (inventors: Takami et al.). In all cases, however, the anode material is made of carbon or graphite powder and/or fibers and binders, so that the electric conductivity is not good in comparison with the carbon or graphite material itself.
On the other hand, as reported by Japanese Patent Kokai 4-79155, a graphite sheet or block can be prepared directly from a specific polymer film by graphitizing at a high temperature. The graphite sheet has a good electric conductivity since graphite crystalline orientation is arranged along the sheet surface. However, the graphite sheet has a disadvantage that it is difficult for an active material or dopant to be intercalated from the sheet surface into the graphite interphase because of such a graphite crystalline orientation, so that the graphite material can not show the good characteristics of battery charge-discharge if used in the anode of the lithium secondary battery.


The producing unit for continuously producing metal microparticles formed of a multicomponent alloy accompanied by the generation of a byproduct gas through an early reaction of the formation of the metal particles comprises a first mixing unit for continuously supplying and mixing a plurality of solutions for conducting the early reaction, a second mixing unit for continuously supplying another solution to the reaction liquid containing the metal microparticles formed in the early reaction and for mixing the two solutions, to introduce dissimilar metal atoms into the crystal lattices of the metal microparticles, and a gas-liquid separation unit that is installed in a midway of the pipe which is made so as to have enough length to finish the early reaction, and which continuously passes the reaction liquid to the second mixing unit from the first mixing unit, and that continuously removes the byproduct gas generated with the proceeding of the early reaction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a unit for continuously producing metal microparticles, and relates to a method and a unit for continuously producing metal microparticles which are particularly formed of a multicomponent alloy through an early reaction accompanied by the generation of a byproduct gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attention is directed at metal microparticles formed of a multicomponent alloy, as magnetic particles which can enhance the coercive force of a magnetic layer constituting a magnetic record medium. In producing the metal microparticles, an initial reaction for forming the metal microparticles is occasionally accompanied by the generation of a byproduct gas.
The reaction accompanied by the byproduct gas is so hardly continued that a continuous unit for continuously producing the above described metal microparticles has not yet practically been realized. That is because 1 mol of a byproduct gas produces the byproduct gas expanded to as large a volume as 22.41, and in the case of continuous treatment, unless the byproduct gas can be effectively removed in the flow of the continuous treatment, it causes various detrimental effects. For instance, if the byproduct gas can not be effectively removed in the flow of the continuous treatment, the flow of the continuous treatment becomes unstable to make a mixing field and a reaction field nonuniform, and thereby to make the equilibrium of the reaction hardly proceed to a reaction-accelerating direction. In addition, when a temperature of a solution is controlled for the reaction, if the byproduct gas can not be effectively removed in the flow of the continuous treatment, the reaction temperature can not be accurately controlled, because gas has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity. As a result of the detrimental effects, there arise such problems that the produced metal microparticles increase in particle sizes, and that the monodispersibility gets worse.
There are various general methods for separating and removing gas from liquid. The typical ones include a degassing method with a separating film (for instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-333236, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-253272 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-52325); a degassing method by using an adsorbent having gas absorptiveness (for instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-113115); a degassing method by decompression; a degassing method by heating; and a degassing method by mechanical methods such as a cyclone method and a trapping method (for instance, Japanese Publication of International Patent Application No. 2002-529228, Japanese Publication of International Patent Application No. 2002-529233 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-281637).

Method and unit for continuously producing metal microparticle


A provided flash unit includes a light emitting part in the main unit of the flash unit and a distance sensor provided only in the light emitting part, achieving an accurate measurement of a distance from a subject. In the flash unit according to the present invention, the light emitting part (10) includes a light receiving element (6) that measures reflected light when light is emitted in advance from the light emitting part (10) to a subject (T) and reflected light when light is emitted in advance from the light emitting part (10) to a reflector (X) for bounce photography, the flash unit determines and controls a proper tilt angle (θ3) of the light emitting part (10) relative to a main unit (9) based on a distance (La) from the subject (T) and a distance (Lb) from the reflector (X), the distances being measured based on the detection by the light receiving element (6), and directivity for the detection by the light receiving element (6) is tilted toward the main unit (9) with respect to a horizontal direction.

In stroboscopic photography of a subject with a flash unit mounted on the accessory shoe of a camera, detection light emitted from a front central part 3 of a main unit (the main unit of the flash unit) 9 illustrated in FIG. 7 is reflected by the subject and the reflected light is detected by a distance measuring unit 4 disposed at the front of the main unit 9. Subsequently, a distance between the flash unit 2 and the subject is calculated based on the detection and then lighting is controlled such that a light emitting part 10 connected onto the main unit 9 has a proper amount of light in final shooting.
Alternatively, in this case (in stroboscopic photography of the subject with the flash unit mounted on the accessory shoe of the camera), instead of the detection light emitted from the main unit 9, light emitted in advance from the light emitting part 10 is reflected by the subject and the reflected light is detected by the distance measuring unit 4 disposed at the front of the main unit 9. Subsequently, a distance between the flash unit 2 and the subject is calculated based on the detection and then lighting is controlled such that the light emitting part 10 has a proper amount of light in final shooting.
Stroboscopic photography includes direct photography in which the camera and the light emitting part 10 of the flash unit are opposed to a subject and bounce photography in which the light emitting part 10, which is angled relative to the main unit 9, is not directly oriented to the subject but is directed toward, for example, a ceiling surface serving as a reflector. In this case, in addition to a distance between the camera and the subject, a distance between the flash unit and the ceiling surface is measured while the camera and the flash unit 2 attached to the camera are entirely opposed to the ceiling surface serving as a reflector. Subsequently, based on the distance between the camera and the subject and the distance between the flash unit 2 and the ceiling surface, lighting is controlled such that the light emitting part 10 has a proper angle relative to the main unit 9 and has a proper amount of light in final shooting.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-38268 discloses a technique in which the light emitting part 10 of the flash unit 2 is opposed to a subject T as illustrated in FIG. 8A, a distance La from the subject T is measured by a distance sensor 17 provided on the light emitting part 10, and then the light emitting part 10 is directed toward a ceiling surface X as illustrated in FIG. 8B so as to measure a distance Lb from the ceiling surface X by the distance sensor 17 provided on the light emitting part 10. As illustrated in FIG. 8C, lighting is controlled based on the distance La and the distance Lb in bounce photography such that the light emitting part 10 has a proper angle θ3 relative to the main unit 9 and has a proper amount of light in final shooting.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-38268, a distance is measured by the distance sensor 17 provided on the light emitting part 10, thereby eliminating the need for providing a sensor for measuring a distance on the main unit 9. Furthermore, a distance between the flash unit 2 and the ceiling surface X can be measured without entirely directing the camera 1 and the flash unit 2 attached to the camera 1 toward the ceiling surface X.
In this case, however, when the light emitting part 10 of the flash unit 2 is opposed to the subject T as illustrated in FIG. 8A and a distance from the subject T is measured by the distance sensor 17 provided on the light emitting part 10, the distance La between the camera 1 and the subject T cannot be accurately measured depending upon the position and size of the subject relative to the angle of view of the camera.
An object of the present invention is to provide a flash unit that can accurately measure a distance between a camera and a subject even if a sensor for measuring a distance from the subject is provided only on a light emitting part attached to a main unit.


A wireless communication infrastructure entity 200 and methods therein including assigning a first wireless communication terminal to one or more resources, and sending non-scheduling information to the first wireless communication terminal on an RRBP field in a downlink block based on whether information is received from the first wireless communication terminal on the assigned resource.

Low latency is necessary to provide a positive user experience for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Push-to-transmit over Cellular (PoC) and videophone application based services. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an intra-regional, e.g., within Africa, Europe, North America, etc, VoIP call should experience single direction latency on the order of 150 msec, and an inter-regional VoIP call should experience single direction latency on the order of 200-300 msec.
Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) is known generally. EGPRS currently existing within GSM enables HARQ by periodic polling. The polling mechanism, however, is a fundamental cause of latency. In section 10 of the GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) Evolution Feasibility Study 45.912, ACK/NACK messages are enabled either through polling and/or continuous bi-directional data flow. Thus where there is no continuous bi-directional data flow, low latency can only be guaranteed by continuous polling. This is spectrally inefficient and does not allow seamless interoperability with legacy mobile stations. Currently, wireless communication network operators must disable HARQ completely or operate HARQ in a spectrally inefficient manner to support low latency applications such as voice over IP or real time video streaming.
For a mobile-to-mobile VoIP call, existing Enhanced Data-rates for GSM (or Global) Evolution (EDGE) protocols with Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) have latency on the order of 420 msec for each uplink or down link. This latency exceeds the 200-300 msec latency for an inter-regional VoIP call and is well beyond the 150 msec latency for an intra-regional VoIP call.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the disclosure will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description and the accompanying drawings described below. The drawings may have been simplified for clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Communicating non-scheduling information in wireless networks


The present invention pertains to a supporting frame, a plurality of swiveling pieces, and a plurality of movable pieces, and the above elements are constructed with each other into a sphere shape; the supporting frame disposes a first supporting stem and a second supporting stem; each swiveling piece has a top face formed in a regular polygon and a blocker located at the side thereof, and the swiveling piece installed on an extremity of the first supporting stem or the second supporting stem via a limited nail; each movable piece has a top face formed in a regular polygon, a locking portion disposed thereon, a limited portion disposed thereon, and a toothed portion disposed thereon. Accordingly, the present invention facilitates to attain a logical configuration with lower manufacturing costs and an easy mass production.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a toy, in particular to a kind of ball-shaped puzzle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various toys are abundantly produced adapting for human lives and changeable for suiting a human growth, especially for intellectual toys to the kids and young teenagers. Recently, the computer games become a trend, whereas the growing problem of the game addiction among young people becomes obvious as well. Relatively, a toy with features of interesting and brainstorming properties is requisite for training those young people. Generally, the toy commonly associated with intellectual purpose is a magic cube or Rubik's cube, but such cube with square faces usually follows a single playing mode and becomes holding little attraction for the current young people. For improving the aforementioned problems, a toy of ball-shaped puzzle is thence published, but the toy ball-shaped puzzle contains the difficulties of high manufacturing costs, too simple playing modes to develop the intelligence, and a restriction on a mass production.


A noise preventing roller chain structure greatly reduces noise generated when a roller chain engages a sprocket or travels on a chain guide. The roller chain has a roller whose axial length is less than the space between opposed inner plates of the chain. A circumferentially continuous ridge portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the roller. A groove is formed in either the toothed surface of the sprocket or in the roller bearing surface of the chain guide. The ridge portion is fitted in the groove to guide and hold both end faces of the roller in a position spaced from the respective inner plates. An elastic member is embedded in the groove. It is thus possible to prevent the rubbing of the roller end faces with the surfaces of the inner plates and, concomitantly, the sound generated when the roller of the roller chain engages the sprocket or travels on the chain guide.

1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates to a noise preventing structure of a roller chain for suppressing a noise generated upon engagement of a roller chain with a sprocket or when a roller chain slides on a chain guide.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, various proposals have been made for suppressing a noise generated upon engagement of a roller chain with a sprocket. For example, reference is here made to Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 17250/83, in which a hole is formed in the toothed bottom of a sprocket, a cylindrical member formed of urethane rubber is fixed into the hole, and a prismatic member also formed of urethane rubber is inserted inside the cylindrical member so that an end portion of the prismatic member projects from the toothed bottom of the sprocket. It is intended to suppress an impulsive sound by abutment of a roller with the end portion of the prismatic member.
In Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 126659/88, a noise suppressing structure is proposed in which an intermediate layer of an elastic material is sandwiched in between a pair of metallic plates having the same shape of teeth on the respective outer peripheral surfaces, to constitute a sprocket. The intermediate layer is partially projected from the toothed surface to form a buffer portion. A collision sound, resulting from collision of a roller with the sprocket toothed surface upon engagement of a chain with the sprocket, is suppressed by the buffer portion projecting from the toothed surface.
Further, a noise suppressing structure has been proposed in which a circumferential slot, deeper than the toothed bottom of a sprocket, is formed centrally of the width of the teeth of the sprocket toothed surface, and an elastic ring is fitted in the slot. The elastic ring has soundproofing teeth implanted therein. The soundproofing teeth are formed of a synthetic resin and project somewhat beyond the sprocket toothed top, to buffer the collision between a roller and the sprocket toothed surface upon engagement of a chain with the sprocket, thereby suppressing the resulting noise.
However, in all of the conventional noise suppressing structures referred to above, a noise generated by collision of a roller with the sprocket toothed surface or toothed bottom upon chain-sprocket engagement is intended to be suppressed, with no measures being taken against a rubbing sound generated between the inside surfaces of inner plates of the chain and both end faces of the roller.
More particularly, when the chain engages the sprocket, the roller comes into abutment against the toothed surface of the sprocket and thereby rotates, so that the inner plates and the end faces of the rotating roller rub against each other, thus generating a rubbing sound. This rubbing sound is generated not only upon chain-sprocket engagement, but also when the chain moves while being guided by a chain guide. Thus, it has so far been impossible to completely prevent the generation of noise in a chain drive.

Chain drive mechanism having noise preventing structure


A projection-type male connector component includes a buttress of insulative polymeric material surrounded by a number of electrically conductive contacts electrically isolated from each other. The male component is designed to mate with an equal number of female cantilever beam contacts. The buttress is provided with a tapered end and the male contacts are bent over this tapered end so that the female contacts touch the male contacts when the male and female contacts are mated rather than the insulative material from which the buttress is made. In this way, excessive wear of the female contacts is avoided.

Interconnect systems refers generally to the connection of electrical or electronic devices and includes all the components necessary for connection, such as cabling, connectors for attaching cable to circuit boards or another cable, or connectors for directly attaching one component such as a circuit board to another. The present invention concerns itself particularly with projection type connector components wherein a conductive pin, or more typically, an array of a number of conductive pins, are mated with a number of similarly arrayed conductive sockets.
Such connector components may be mated and separated a large number of times and are usually employed to connect electrical cable to a device or another cable or to connect electronic devices, such as circuit boards, directly to one another. It is desirable that such connector components be as small as possible, both to conserve space and for performance reasons. The smaller the connector components the shorter the conductive path within the connector, which generally translates into the ability to transmit electrical signals at higher speeds than a connector having a larger size and longer conductive paths. Small size, however, creates its own problems in terms of the strength of the very small components, the ability to assemble such components and the fact that small, thin components will wear to a point of failure very quickly if care is not taken in their design.
One particular connector design of which applicant is aware achieves small size and high density in a projection-type connector by providing a male connector component having a square projection of electrically insulative material surrounded by four metal contacts in electrical isolation from one another. The four male contacts mate with four cantilever beam contacts arranged to form a square female socket. Each of the male contacts engages one of the beam female contacts to complete an electrical circuit, and thus four connections are achieved at a single projection.
A problem that has been recognized with the connector just described is that the female contacts first touch and slide along the surface of the insulative material forming the projection when the male connector component is mated to the female connector component. The insulative material of the projection is typically rough and abrasive, and thus the sliding motion of the female contacts relative to this material causes rapid wear and early failure of the female contact.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


An indicator is disclosed for providing an indication that a food item has attained a desired temperature. The indicator includes an organic retainer that maintains a plunger in a retracted position until the material from which the retainer is constructed yields. When the retainer yields, a spring urges the plunger toward an extended position to indicate that the food item has attained the desired temperature.

Thermally responsive indicators are useful in a variety of fields for providing a visual indication of the attainment of a desired temperature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,364 discloses a thermal indicator mounted through the skull of an animal to detect the presence of an elevated body temperature. German Patent No. 3,229,020 discloses a thermally responsive indicator that is designed to be mounted on an electrical conductor. The device provides a visual indication of the attainment of an elevated temperature in the conductor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,119 discloses a railroad wheel bearing bolt with an axially extending bore into which a heat sensor and indicator are inserted. The indicator is exposed when a desired temperature is attained Another example can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,088, which discloses a sterility indicating device for use in a steam autoclave.
Thermally responsive indicating devices are especially useful in preparing food products, particularly meat and fowl. Such devices are useful for indicating the elevated temperature of the interior of the food product, rather than the temperature of the exterior thereof. By indicating the attainment of a desired internal temperature of the food product, such devices can signal when the food product is organoleptically acceptable. Furthermore, these devices must be sufficiently accurate to prevent undercooking or overcooking, which significantly diminishes the palatability of the food, and may even render the food dangerous to eat, as in the case of undercooked pork.
Several such devices for use in cooking food are known. Examples of early indicating devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 945,978 and 1,509,110, each of which allows a plunger biased by a spring to be released into an extended position upon attaining a predetermined temperature. Retaining means, which is usually a fusible material, holds the plunger in a retracted position until the fusible material yields, at which time a spring urges the plunger into an extended position. When in the extended position, the plunger provides a visual indication to the user that the food is "done." To further enhance the visibility of the plunger when it is in the extended position, a cap may be attached to the end thereof.
The retaining material has typically comprised metal alloys, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,140,611, 3,682,130, 3,693,579 and 3,713,416. The '611 patent, for example, refers to an alloy "consisting of bismuth--52%, lead--40%, cadmium--8%, to which is added two parts of Wood's alloy." Indicators that use such alloys include the "Vue-Temp" brand and "Pop-Rite" brand pop-up timers by the Volk Development Company of Turlock, Calif. 95381. While devices employing such alloy retaining materials have proven useful, they have certain drawbacks. For example, such alloys are typically prepared from toxic metallic substances such as bismuth, lead, cadmium, tin and other materials, as noted above. Furthermore, metal alloys are high density materials. Thus, relatively heavy amounts of alloy must be used in order to provide a given volume of retaining material, thereby adding to the expense of the device.
Organic compounds, such as waxes, have been suggested as replacements for metal alloys but have not proven to be satisfactory. Waxes typically yield over a relatively wide temperature range and if composed of a mixture of different materials, can have multiple melting temperatures, thereby resulting in an early or a delayed signal. This, as mentioned above, is undesirable because the food item could either be undercooked or overcooked, respectively.
A known device which attempts to overcome the problems exhibited by alloy and wax retaining materials is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,956. The '956 patent discloses a nitrogen-containing organic retaining material. Devices using these nitrogen-containing materials have been sold in the United States under the name "Dun-Rite" brand pop-up timers by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minn. The nitrogen-based materials used in these devices do not exhibit the toxicity problems of their alloy predecessors and exhibit better release characteristics than waxes. However, while having their own utility, the nitrogen-based materials disclosed in the '956 patent also have certain drawbacks.
For example, the nitrogen-based materials of the '956 patent are very pure when they are prepared. Melting temperature (and therefore yield temperature) tends to increase with increased purity, and the materials of the '956 patent melt at approximately 84.9.degree. C. when they are tested in their purest state. A turkey, for example, is considered "done" when the interior temperature reaches approximately 82.2.degree. C., and the retaining material must therefore be mixed with a foreign substance to reduce its purity. The foreign substances are often an excess amount of one of the constituent elements of the nitrogen-based material, which adds unnecessary expense. Salts, which are added to the material to clean it, tend to solidify to form gel globules in the material which necessitates that the material be strained in order to obtain functionally acceptable material. The straining process often must be conducted repeatedly, which increases the time and cost of production. The available yield is reduced, and consequently, a greater amount of material must be manufactured and processed to obtain a given amount of retaining material.

Thermally responsive indicator with organic retaining means


Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for manufacturing a composite polymer insulator. The method includes: providing an elongate core having a core axis, the core including a first core main section, a second core main section, and a core midsection axially interposed between the first and second core main sections; and mounting a joint sleeve around the core midsection. The method further includes molding a polymeric first housing onto the core such that: the first housing surrounds the first core main section; and a joint section the first housing overlaps and bonds to the joint sleeve. The method further includes molding a polymeric second housing onto the core such that: the second housing surrounds the second core main section; and a joint section of the second housing overlaps and bonds to the joint sleeve.

Composite polymer insulators are used to support electrical power conductors and to secure electrical power conductors to support structures. In particular, composite polymer insulators are commonly used to support and attach high voltage (HV) power lines. As used herein, "high voltage" means a power line operating at a voltage of 69 kilovolts (kV) or greater.
Composite polymer insulators typically include an elongate, electrically insulating core, an electrically insulating housing surrounding the core, and end fittings affixed to the ends of the core. The core provides mechanical strength. The housing may include radially outwardly projecting sheds. The end fittings may be formed of metal (e.g., steel) and are configured to couple the ends of the insulator to cables and/or supports. The core may be formed of fiberglass composite material (e.g., fiberglass reinforced resin). The housing may be formed of an elastomeric material (e.g., silicone rubber). The housing may be mounted on the core by molding (e.g., injection molding) or by inserting the core into a preformed housing.
Current manufacturing techniques for producing long polymer insulators require molds that are bulky and expensive. Additionally, during the molding process, sometimes the insulators are molded in multiple sections such that each section has an overlapping or underlapping polymer surface. This overlapped section is susceptible to damage due to electrical activity and tears.

Composite polymer insulators and methods for forming same


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting fire in a monitored area even if the flames are hidden behind obstructing objects. The steps of this method include: (a) detecting and capturing, at a prescribed frequency, video images of the monitored area, (b) converting the captured images into two-dimensional bitmaps of the temporally varying brightness values observed in the captured images, wherein the spatial resolution of this bitmap is determined by the number of pixels comprising the bitmaps, (c) specifying for any two of the pixels in the bitmaps a temporal coherence factor whose magnitude is a measure over a prescribed time of the similarities observed in the temporal variations of the brightness values being captured at each of the bitmap's pixels, (d) computing this temporal coherence factors for each of the prescribed set of pixels in the captured images, and (e) analyzing the computed temporal coherence factors to identify those sets of pixels that have temporal coherence factors whose values are above a prescribed threshold value, wherein this prescribed threshold value is set so as to identify those pixels that correspond to regions of the monitored area whose temporal variations in brightness indicate that the source of this brightness is a fire in the monitored area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical, condition responsive systems and methods. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting fire in a monitored area by detecting the light emission patterns of flames in the monitored area as a result of the detailed, computational analysis of a sequence of digitized images of the monitored area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fire detectors are very important safety devices that can provide early warning of fire in a monitored area. Considerable efforts have been devoted to improving upon the technology used in fire detectors as a means of increasing their usefulness and reliability.
One of the most commonly used methodologies for fire detection is based on the light scattering properties of smoke or suspended aerosol particles that are generated by a fire. However, a disadvantage of this approach is that it assumes that smoke from a fire will find its way to a sensor at an instant in the fire's progression when there is still time for action to be taken to put out the fire before excessive damage occurs.
Another common fired detection method tries to overcome this limitation by directly measuring the light that is radiated by a fire. Such methods involve direct light emission measurements with the goal of identifying the variations of illumination intensities that are attributable to the turbulent flickering of flames.
Furthermore, it has been found that the reliability of this method can be greatly enhanced if such illumination intensities are measured in spectral or wavelength ranges that are characteristic of particular combustion processes. In particular, often the range around 4.5 μm is used because of the emission of CO radicals at this wavelength. This technique allows for reducing the sensitivity of such a system to light sources that are not caused by combustion (e.g., electric light, reflections of sunlight).
However, a possible disadvantage of this approach is that its sensitivity is optimized for only particular types of fuels. Thus, use of devices based on this methodology is usually limited to environments where probable fires could be caused by only a limited number of materials (i.e., natural gas, oil, methanol). To address this limitation, it has been suggested that a plurality of sensors be used wherein each sensor works at only a specific wavelength of interest. See King et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,008, and Shuler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,825.
Another disadvantage of this approach is that the sensors that are used with such methodologies are highly sensitive to the distance between the source of radiation (flames) and the actual sensor element. Thus, the areas that can be monitored by these devices can be quite limited in size (i.e., since making their sensitivity high so as to cover a greater area can result in false alarms). It is common practice to place these devices only in close proximity to installations that pose high fire risks. Additionally, the relatively high cost of such sensors prevents the use of a great number of them to monitor large production and commercial spaces.
An alternative approach for fire detection utilizing television cameras was suggested by Okamoto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,680,671. In this approach, the averaged intensity of all pixels in a monitored area is analyzed in search of particular flame-indicative, flickering patterns. However, this approach does not utilize the reliability enhancing technique of analyzing such data in spectral or wavelength ranges that are characteristic of particular combustion processes. Thus, the performance of this method is below that of other traditional methods.
Another, alternative approach is to utilize the sophisticated imaging techniques to detect fire by identifying its characteristic light patterns within the digitized images of monitored areas with the use of specialized software algorithms; see Privalov et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,792. This method provides a means of early fire detection within the framework of standard CCTV surveillance systems, and it is insensitive, within a monitoring camera's allowable range, to the distance between the camera and a light source which may be due to the presence of a fire. However, a significant disadvantage of this method is that it can be only employed when flames are directly visible by the imaging device. Any obstruction in the line of site between camera and flames will prevent a fire from being detected.
Despite the considerable prior art relating to radiation fire detectors, there is still a need for fire detector methods and systems that can more effectively detect fire independent of the types of combustibles being consumed, while also providing uniform monitoring sensitivity across an entire observation area. Inexpensive technologies that can provide such fire detection improvements can significantly affect public safety in general.


A system for inspecting container bottoms with an observation device, which observe the container bottoms, with a plurality of viewing windows, which are arranged underneath the container bottoms and which have viewing sections, through which the observation device observes the container bottoms, where the viewing windows are mounted in a carrier plate. Also, holding devices are provided, which transport the containers a certain distance above the carrier plate, and the viewing sections are at least partially offset from a projection of the containers in a direction perpendicular to the carrier plate.

Systems of this type are known in the state of the art. There exists a basic need to check filled containers for contamination such as shards of glass or other insoluble forms of organic or inorganic dirt in the product. For this purpose, many different systems are known according to the state of the art. Most of the optical inspection systems are based on the idea of bringing the contamination, such as a glass shard, into several different positions and of comparing several pictures of the container with each other, as a result of which the presence of the glass shard can be detected. These types of systems are known by the collective term "full bottle inspection" (FBI).
To change the position of the foreign body, the containers are put in motion; in some cases they are swirled, and in others they are rotated around the longitudinal axis of the bottle. When such movements are conducted close in time to the detection process, however, it is possible for water, belt lubricant, and occasionally the product itself (in the case of containers which have broken or have leaks) to be sprayed onto the glass guard of the optical sensor, which is usually a camera. The glass guard therefore become dirty.
The constant contamination of the glass guard is a fundamental problem in the process of inspecting containers as described above. The view of the container degrades over the course of time, and the detection quality decreases correspondingly. It is therefore known in the state of the art that the glass guard can be cleaned regularly. When this cleaning is done manually, however, the down times are increased considerably, and the efficiency of the machine is decreased. In the case of automatic cleaning, the effect of the cleaning operation is often unsatisfactory. In certain machines, the optical monitoring system inspects the bottoms of the containers through the glass guard of the camera, which is brought directly underneath the container bottom. Any moisture which drops off the container thus falls directly onto the glass guard, as a result of which, over time, the view becomes impaired and an error can be detected when none actually exists. In practice, this means that at the glass guards must be cleaned at least once very 8 hours of operating time. When bottles break in the machine, the frequency of the cleanings must be increased.
It has also been found that, when, for example, a container bursts in the inspection carousel or near it, the nearby glass guards become dirty. Another contamination factor is derived from the fact that the inspection carousels known according to the state of the art pass below the acceleration carousels in the area where the containers are transferred. These acceleration carousels are used to accelerate the containers by means of rotational movement, for example. In this case, lubricant and dirt from the drive units can fall onto the glass guards. Because abrasion also occurs, dirt can arrive on the glass guard for this reason as well.

Device and process for inspecting the bottoms of containers


There is provided a liquid crystal unit having an on-chip photodetector.. On a transparent substrate are laid down a metallic wiring, an n-type a-Si, an a-SiGe, and a p-type a-Si successively, an insulating film is formed, and then a transparent electrode is formed to have a light detection region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a view point detector, a display unit, a view finder having said display unit and a camera, and more particularly to a sight line detector for detecting the sight line, a liquid crystal display unit for the image display using a liquid crystal material and having means capable of detecting the position on the liquid crystal display unit of the sight line of the observer, a video camera having said display unit, a view finder usable for an electronic camera such as a still video camera, and a camera such as electronic camera.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, liquid crystal display units have been employed exclusively for the image display, wherein each display unit is comprised of an image display in a liquid crystal display area 1502 composed of a liquid crystal material and a drive circuit area 1501 having a drive circuit for the image display and provided at least partly around the periphery of the liquid crystal display area, as shown in FIG. 1 which is a typical constitutional view. Liquid crystal display units have been recently utilized for all sorts of electronic apparatuses, including, for example, a display screen for the notebook type computer, a monitor for apparatus, a view finder for videocam coder and so on. In the background, remarkable technical progresses have been made, for example, liquid crystal display units with higher image quality, screens of large size, and mass production technology with reduced costs. However, such progresses only involved the enhancement of display performance, and there was almost no instance of providing additional functions to the liquid crystal display unit.
On the other hand, with the demands from the user side of products, numerous new functions are required for the business equipments and recording apparatuses as mentioned above. In particular, there have been proposed numerous methods of detecting the position at which the user of apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the observer) stares to employ its detection signal for the system control. For example, there is a specific method of using this detection signal as the focusing signal of camera as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-241511.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the outline of a focusing system will be described. FIG. 2 is a typical cross-sectional view showing schematically the constitution of a single lens reflex camera. Light from an object (not shown) is transmitted through an objective lens 701 and reflected at a right angle against a main mirror 702, so that an image is formed on a focusing screen 707 disposed corresponding to a photosensitive member 705 such as a film. The image formed on the focusing screen 707 follows the light path within a pentaprism 708 to pass through an eyepiece 709 to be incident on an observer's eye 715. In FIG. 2, the objective lens at 701 is shown with only a single lens for the sake of convenience, but practically may be comprised of a plurality of lenses as well known. The main mirror at 702 is obliquely disposed in the light path for photographing, or moved out of the light path, depending on the observation (non-photographing) state or the photographing state. A sub-mirror at 703 reflects light flux passing through the main mirror 702 downward toward the bottom of a camera body to be incident on a focus detector 706a. 704a is a shutter, 704b is a diaphragm disposed within the objective lens 701, and 704c is a drive mechanism for moving the objective lens 701 to effect focusing in a light axial direction. 705 is a photosensitive member, for example, a film of silver salt, a solid-state image pickup device using CCD or MOS-type transistor, or an image pickup tube such as a vidicon. 706a is a focus detector capable of detecting the focal point at a plurality of positions on the sight line for photographing. 706b is an exposure value detecting unit comprising an image forming lens and a light receiver allowing for the separate metering. The image forming lens relates conjugately the focusing screen 707 disposed on a predefined image forming plane for the objective lens 1 to the light receiver via the light path within the pentaprism 708. The output of the light receiver is sent to a microprocessor mp which can change the weighting to have a photometry sensitivity distribution around a plurality of central points.
Rearward of an exit plane of the pentaprism 708 for changing the finder light path, an eyepiece 709 is disposed, and used for the observation of the focusing screen with the observer's eye 715. 710 is a beam splitter, using a dichroic mirror for reflecting infrared ray, for example, which is provided within the eyepiece 709. 711 is a condenser lens, 712 is a beam splitter such as a half-mirror, 713 is an illuminating light source such as an LED, which preferably emits the infrared (and near infrared) ray. A light flux emerging from the illuminating infrared light source 713 is passed along the finder light path as parallel light, for example, by virtue of the power of the condenser lens 711 and the back face of the eyepiece 709 (the lateral side of the observer). 714 is a photoelectric converter which is disposed relative to the back face of the eyepiece 709 and the condenser lens 711 to be conjugate to the front eye part of the observer's eye, or particularly the neighborhood of a pupil, when the observer peeps through the eyepiece 709 properly. That is, one method is to dispose the appoint neighborhood of a finder optical system (708, 709) and the photoelectric converter 714 conjugately, preferably with the imaging power of 1 or less.
With the above constitution, an imaging light flux passing through the objective lens 701 is partially transmitted through the main mirror 702 and thus divided into a finder light flux and a focus detecting light flux. The focus detecting light flux is transmitted through the main mirror 702, and then reflected against the sub-mirror 703 to be incident on the focus detector 706a. In photographing, the main mirror 702 is turned upward, and the sub-mirror 703 is folded up over the main mirror. And the film 705 is exposed to light for a predetermined time while a shutter vane 704a is opened and then closed.
On the other hand, the finder light flux passes through the focusing screen 707 and enters the pentaprism 708. Herein, a Fresnel lens integral with or separate from the focusing screen may be disposed near the pentaprism 708. The light flux is incident on the eye of the observer 715 who views an object image projected on the focusing screen 707 by enlarging it by virtue of the dioptric-correction eyepiece 709.
The light path of a sight line detection system is as follows. An illuminating light emitting from the illuminating infrared light source 713 is transmitted through the half-mirror 712, collimated to some degree, and reflected from the mirror 710 to travel along the finder light path. It is desirable from the respects of finder brightness and illumination efficiency of the sight line detection system that the beam splitter 710 can transmit the finder light in visible range coming from the object, and the dichroic mirror can reflect illuminating light in infrared range. However, it is possible to substitute an ND half-mirror by considering on design that if using an infrared light source having too high luminance, the illumination efficiency decreases. Illuminating infrared light introduced into the finder light path passes through the back face of the eyepiece 709 to illuminate the observer's eyeball. Herein, it is expedient to make the illuminating light a substantially parallel light flux in entering the eyeball, so that the illumination condition can be unchanged if the position of observer's eye varies. This can be implemented by adjusting the power arrangement of each portion by utilizing the power of the lens 711 placed ahead and the power of the back face of the eyepiece 709 together.
Reflected light from the observer, which follows the reverse path, is transmitted through the mirror 710 and the lens 711, and reflected from the half-mirror 712 to enter the photoelectric converter 714. Herein, it is desirable that an infrared transmission filter for cutting off the visible light is inserted in the light path from the site where reflected light is separated from the finder light path to the site where it is received by the photoelectric converter. This is intended to cut off visible light of finder image reflected from the cornea to convert photoelectrically only reflected infrared light which is meaningful as the light signal. A photoelectric plane is placed at a site where the neighborhood of a crystal lens or pupil of the observer's eye is imaged with the total power of the lens 711 and the back face of the eyepiece 709. Thereby, light acceptance is performed in the state where Purkinje's first, second, and fourth images are formed, whereby the amount of reflected light is not necessarily weak. The third image does not greatly contribute to the photoelectric conversion signal because it is defocused and light is diffused.
In order to implement the above system when the liquid crystal display unit is used as the image display, it is important to incorporate a sight line detection function, without increasing the number of components as well as the total size of unit, by accumulating photoelectric conversion devices in a portion of the liquid crystal display unit.
However, the conventional active-type liquid crystal display unit used TFTs for the driving of liquid crystal, but conventionally, TFT is composed of polysilicone, amorphous silicone, or single crystal silicone, with its film thickness being about several hundreds .ANG. to 1 .mu.m. On the other hand, to make efficient photoelectric conversion of infrared ray, it is necessary to have the thickness of about several .mu.m for polysilicone and amorphous silicone, and for single crystal silicone, the thickness of 5 .mu.m at minimum. Because the light used for the sight line detection was an extremely weak signal, the integration of a liquid crystal display and a photoelectric converter was virtually impossible.
That is, it was difficult that both an image display area capable of transmitting visible light to operate TFTs (Thin Film Transistor) and a photoelectric conversion area capable of making photoelectric conversion for the sight-line detection by absorbing light enough were provided on the same substrate, and fabricated in a manufacturing process as simple as possible, as long as conventional liquid crystal displays were used.
Next, one example of the sight line detection method will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 3 is a principle view of the sight line detection method.
In the figure, 204 is a light source such as a light emitting diode for emitting infrared ray insensitive to the object, which is disposed on the focal plane of a projection lens 206.
Infrared ray emitted from the light source 204 is made a parallel light by the projection lens 206, and reflected against the half-mirror 205 to illuminate a cornea 201 of an eye ball 200. At this time, a Purkinje image d based on a part of infrared ray reflected from the surface of the cornea 201 is transmitted through the half-mirror 205 and converged by a light receiving lens 207 so that the Purkinje image d is formed again at a position d' on an image sensor 209. Also, a light flux from the ends a, b of an iris 203 is introduced via the half-mirror 205 and the light receiving lens 207 onto the image sensor 209, where an image on the ends a, b is formed at the positions a', b'.
When the rotational angle .theta. of the eye ball's optical axis with respect to the optical axis of the light receiving lens 207 is small, the coordinate Zc of the central position c of the iris 203 can be expressed as: EQU Zc.about.(Za+Zb)/2
where Za and Zb are Z coordinates of the ends a, b of the iris 203, respectively. Supposing that the Z coordinate of the position d where Purkinje image occurs is Zd, and the distance from the center of curvature o for the cornea 201 to the center of the iris 203 is Loc, the rotational angle .theta. of the eye ball's optical axis can substantially satisfy the relation: EQU Loc.multidot.sin .theta..about.Zc-Zd (1)
Therefore, the rotational angle .theta. of the eyeball's optical axis can be obtained by detecting the position of each feature point (each of images Za', Zb', Zd' on the image sensor 209 projected from the occurrence position d of Purkinje image and the ends a, b of the iris 203). Then, the above expression (1) can be rewritten as: EQU .beta.Loc.multidot.sin .theta.=(Za'-Zb')/2-Zd' (2)
Where .beta. is a magnifying power as determined by the distance L.sub.1 between the occurrence position d of Purkinje image and the light receiving lens 207 and the distance L.sub.0 between the light receiving lens 207 and the image sensor 209, which is normally a substantially constant value.
In this manner, by detecting the sight line (gazing point) of the observer's eyeball 200, it is possible to know at which point the photographer is staring on the focusing screen in the single lens reflex camera or video camera, for example.
In the above example, the detection of Purkinje image often becomes difficult because another peak output value appears at a position other than Purkinje image due to leak light from the external into the finder or reflection of illuminating infrared ray against the eyelashes.
The above phenomenon will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.
FIG. 4A is an output of the image sensor 209 without leak light such as external light, where d is Purkinje image, a, b is the boundary between the pupil and the iris 203, and i, h is the boundary between the iris 203 and the sclera 202.
If the external light is imaged on the image sensor 209, the output state is as shown in FIG. 4B, with a peak arising at the position f. Accordingly, this peak can not be distinguished from original Purkinje image, so that the sight line detection often fails.

Sight line detector, display unit, view finder and unit and camera with the same display unit


A light emitting module for generating a light includes a semiconductor light emitting unit for generating a light, a plurality of nanophosphor particles having diameters which are smaller than a half-wavelength of the light generated from the light emitting module and serving to emit a fluorescent light corresponding to the light generated from the semiconductor light emitting unit, and a binder for holding the nanophosphor particles like a layer covering a light emitting surface of the semiconductor light emitting unit. Furthermore, a lighting unit for a vehicle includes the light emitting module.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a light emitting module and a lighting unit for a vehicle.
2. Related Art
In the related art, there has been known a light emitting module for generating a white light by utilizing a semiconductor light emitting unit and a phosphor (for example, see Ohm MOOK Light Series No. 1 "Optical Device" Ohmsha, Nov. 25, 2001). The phosphor generates a fluorescent light corresponding to a light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting unit.
In the light emitting module, a phosphor is formed like a layer over the light emitting surface of the semiconductor light emitting unit, for example. In this case, however, the layer of the phosphor has a thickness. For this reason, a light generated from a phosphor to be a lower layer is sometimes intercepted by a phosphor that is an upper layer. In these cases, a part of the light generated from the phosphor is lost. For this reason, the external quantum efficiency of the light emitting module is reduced. In the related art, therefore, it is difficult to provide a light emitting module having a high external quantum efficiency.

Light emitting module and lighting unit for vehicle


A multi-core electrical cable for use in the supply of electricity to certain electrical devices such as vapor lamps and the like comprises a molded-on outer sheath and at least two separately insulated inner core cables. At least one of the core cables has a high tension conducting core with an overall cross-sectional area of at least 1 mm square. Preferably, the high tension conducting core comprises a bundle of at least 32 strands of 0.2 mm diameter tinned copper wire with an insulating sheath which is at least 1.8 mm thick. The molded-on outer sheath of the multi-core cable preferably totally encapsulates the inner cables to a depth of at least 1.3 mm.

In the supply of electricity to certain electrical devices it is often necessary for the cable or flex used to withstand an initial high electrical voltage which is used to commence operation of the device, which thereafter runs on a standard mains voltage. For example, in order to strike a mercury vapour lamp or other similar lighting means, it is necessary to supply an initial voltage of approximately 4,500 volts. If a standard 3-core 13 amp electrical cable is used to supply this voltage, the cable can cope initially but quickly becomes burnt out with repeated use. There is also a significantly increased risk of fire.
To overcome the problem of supplying an initial high voltage to devices, such as lamps, which then run on a standard mains voltage, a heavy gauge single core insulated cable is often used as the live wire of the electrical supply along with separate standard single core neutral and earth wires. When wiring such a device to a mains electric supply these three wires are often pulled into a hollow sheath or tubular casing by the electrician so that the resulting single flex can be threaded, as appropriate, down a conduit between the electrical supply and the location of the device. However, it will be appreciated that this considerably increases the work required by the electrician as compared with the wiring of a device capable of being supplied by a standard 3-core cable. In addition, the sheathing of the three separate wires in the outer casing is often difficult to accomplish satisfactorily as the casing tends to twist and wrinkle.
The object of the present invention is to overcome or substantially mitigate the aforementioned problems.


A rib support system, a rib support device, a rib support method, a method for manufacturing a rib support device, and a computer readable medium are provided as described herein. The rib support device is configured to support a mine or tunnel rib (or wall) or roof to prevent spalling, and to provide safety and long term protection of tunnel (or open) areas. The rib support device may be made from a high density polyethylene (HDPE) material, or the like, that is resistant to corrosion, has superior overall performance and strength, has few (or no) sharp edges, is light weight, and is easy to handle.

Mine (or tunnel) openings, created during room and pillar mining or longwall mining for example, are frequently supported using concrete structures, metallic structures, and/or fasteners, such as, e.g., bolts. It is also known to use, e.g., mobile roof supports (MRS), which may be hydraulically operated. Longwall mining techniques are also known that include using roof chocks and roof shields. These techniques may include using self-advancing hydraulic devices to hold the roof in the immediate area of a longwall mining machine, away from the machine and its operator.
At deeper strata of mining (or tunneling) operations, the strength and durability of the mine rib, roof, and rib support system are critical as pressure tends to increase with mine depth, frequently resulting in greater numbers of rib bumps, rib buckling, and other failures in supporting ribs. The increased forces on rib lines can result in spalling of support ribs, and ultimately, in wall failure and/or roof collapse. According to some studies, roof and rib control faults and failures account for more fatalities than any other single source during mining or tunneling operations.
Thin gauge steel straps are known in mining and tunneling industries. U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,628 to Jay Kelley discloses an arched roof support for a mine opening that essentially includes an elastic plate member with a preselected curvature across its length. The elastic plate member is employed for establishing a prestressed emplacement into a load-bearing contact along the middle portion of the roof stratum of the mine opening. The sides of the plate member are supported by ribs or additional support by roof bolts, rib bolts, or props. However, roof and rib supports made of metals, such as carbon steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy metal, and magnesium alloy metal, are susceptible to corrosion when used in wet areas, and the sharp metal edges can create sparks when coming into contact with rock walls, which may be dangerous in the presence of combustible gases, such as, e.g., methane.
An unfulfilled need exists for a rib support device, system and method that improve overall performance and strength of a mining or tunneling support system, while being corrosive resistant for longevity. The instant disclosure provides a rib support system, a rib support device, and a method that improve overall performance and strength in supporting mine (or tunnel) ribs to prevent spalling of the ribs and to provide safety and long term protection of tunnel (or open) areas, while providing corrosive resistance for longevity.

Underground mining rib support system and method


A reader writer (a communication device) executes at least one of reading identification information of an IC tag (an identification component) and writing the identification information to the IC tag. The reader writer includes a CPU board (a control board) that includes CPU (a controller) and a wireless control circuit to output radio waves by a command from the CPU, an antenna that is spaced from the CPU board, and a connection cable that electrically connects the CPU board to the antenna. The CPU board includes a disconnection detector that detects a disconnection of the connection cable, and a transmission controller that interrupts an output from the wireless control circuit to the antenna when the disconnection detector judges that the connection cable is disconnected.

A fuel filter and an oil filter mounted in a construction machine are consumable supplies (also referred to as a replacement component or a refill component) which are replaced every predetermined operating hours.
In order to detect replacement of a filter set in an engine room and a pump room of the construction machine, an IC (Integrated Circuit) tag is attached to the filter. The replacement of the filter is detectable by reading information (hereinafter, referred to as identification information) stored in the IC tag with use of a reader writer. When the reader writer is set in the engine room and the pump room, the reader writer can even constantly read the identification information. The reader writer transmits radio waves to the IC tag. The IC tag receiving the radio waves is activated to transmit the identification information stored therein toward the reader writer through the radio waves. Further, a component management system, in which the identification information is transmitted via wireless communication to a remote area using a wireless communication device and the like installed in the construction machine, has been proposed. Such a reader writer is required to have reliability of stable operation without breakdown or the like.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a replacement-component identifying device of a construction machine, which can easily identifying a genuine component and an imitation component among replacement components for use in the construction machine, and issue a warning or a command to stop the operation of the construction machine when the imitation component is identified.

Communication device and working vehicle provided with the same


A stack cache memory mechanism and method for managing the mechanism are provided. The mechanism comprises a data array including a plurality of storage elements in which stack data may be stored, and a plurality of individual stack tag sets for identifying beginning and ending locations of a corresponding plurality of individual stacks contained within the data array. Each of the individual stack tag sets comprise (i) a first register for containing an address in the data array corresponding to the top of a stack associated with that individual stack tag set and (ii) a second register for containing an address in the data array corresponding to the bottom of a stack associated with that individual stack tag set. A backward pointer array comprises a plurality of backward pointers which map each of the plurality of stack tag sets to address locations in the data array. Allocation logic determines which of the data array storage elements are currently included within existing stacks, as defined by the plurality of backward pointers and the plurality of stack tag sets, and which of the data array storage elements are available to be allocated to a stack.

The memory included with computer systems typically includes a memory cache which comprises buffer storage that contains instructions and data frequently accessed by the processor in the system. Caches are typically constructed of cache lines which are boundaries between blocks of storage that map to a specific area in the cache. The cache lines are usually made up of a plurality of words having adjacent addresses.
Computer systems which include memory caches often support the concept of memory stacks. Stacks represent areas in memory which store temporary register information and return addresses of subroutines. The number of stacks which may be supported and the length of the stacks varies between systems.
Stacks permit POP read and PUSH write operations, also referred to as pushdown storage. The operation of the stack in POP and PUSH operations is a last-in-first-out type of operation, that is, the last word written (PUSHED) into the stack is the first word retrieved (POPPED) from the stack.
Many of the computers in use today, however, are register based and do not directly support stacks in hardware. These types of computers therefore implement memory stacks in software (application code), and most high level programming languages make use of stacks to support a variety of programming constructs.
The actual memory for storing the data which make up stacks is typically allocated on a stack-by-stack basis. Each stack is provided with a certain segment of the cache storage area which corresponds to that stack. In multi-tasking environments, individually operating programs may each involve operations to separate stacks. Accordingly, at any time during operation of a multi-tasking system, a plurality of stacks may be in existence. In multi-tasking environments which generate a large number of stacks, designating memory for each of the separate stacks can result in exhaustion of available cache space.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cache design which supports execution of stack operations in a multi-tasking computer environment. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a stack cache design which permits each of a plurality of stacks of various sizes to be mapped to a common cache storage space, such that the cache design may be implemented using less memory than known designs.

System and method for allocating cache memory storage space

International Business Machines Corporation


The beginning of a segment within a track of a record carrier, having a plurality of frames in each segment, is identified by detecting the presence of a control mark at a given position near the beginning of a frame, and the absence of a control mark at an adjoining position at which a control mark will be found in all other frames of the segment. The other frames of each segment are free from a mark at the given position. The next bit position containing a mark, after the given position and its adjoining position, is the clock bit position used for bit clock synchronization. An apparatus for reading these marks may include a qualification circuit for evaluating the magnitude of the difference in detector output at the given bit position and the adjoining bit position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of data recording on optical discs, and more particularly to methods of locating a portion of a track identified by an address.
Data are recorded in tracks which are concentric circles, or in spiral tracks where the track pitch is very small compared with the track radius so that the track may be considered a circle for addressing purposes. Typically each track itself is divided into segments or sectors, and each of these is in turn divided into frames. The frame is really the basic unit for data retrieval, because it frame is essentially self-contained: it generally begins with a "servo" field which contains control marks or pre-formatted pits defining the track centerline, clock and frame synchronizing information, and frame address information.
Because of the large number of frames which may be recorded on a disc, a significant portion of the total space may be occupied by addresses. Because these addresses become longer as more frames are squeezed onto a disc, locating a particular position as an optical head moves across the disc becomes increasingly difficult.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,991 discloses a technique for speeding identification of a location on the disc by using a "creeping" code for the address. With this technique successive addresses are represented by respective code words differing in one bit position only. This improves the reliability of identifying the address when the scanning beam is not locked onto the center of a particular track.
As taught in the '991 patent, to speed identification and correction of errors, track addresses may be repeated in different locations along the track. Accuracy may be further improved by multiplexing the address: it is split into parts, and so-called servo areas of individual frames contain only one of these parts.
A particular improved technique for identifying locations on a disc is disclosed in ANSI document X3B11/91/300-043, dated Apr. 29, 1991. The MASS FORMAT described therein uses address nibbles which are pre-formatted in servo areas of successive frames. When a creeping code is used, the part of the address which is incrementing can be used as a segment address. To do this it is necessary to establish segment synchronization, by reading and decoding enough address nibbles that the respective frame locations in the segment can be known; from this information the position of the beginning of the segment can then be determined. After this synchronization, a microprocessor can then determine where the other address bytes in the sequence are located.

Optical data recorder with segment synchronization marks


The present invention relates to an intelligent lighting control apparatus and method, which control an intelligent lighting unit including multiple sensors depending on time, place, scene, environment, or the like, based on the results of sensing by the sensors. The intelligent lighting control apparatus includes a multi-sensor unit including multiple sensors, the multi-sensor unit sensing motion of a person or an object within a set sensing area using at least one of the multiple sensors. A lighting control unit controls an operation of a lighting unit based on frequency data corresponding to results of sensing by the multi-sensor unit and a class of lighting type corresponding to the frequency data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an intelligent lighting control apparatus and method and, more particularly, to an intelligent lighting control apparatus and method, which control an intelligent lighting unit including multiple sensors depending on time, place, scene, environment, or the like, based on the results of sensing by the sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Domestic and foreign lighting equipment companies efficiently and intelligently control lighting using a variety of sensors. Here, sensors are independent components operated separately from lighting equipment. Such a lighting control method requires a separate communication scheme to collect and combine information sensed by the sensors, and has difficulty in managing such sensing information in an integrated manner.
For example, Korean Patent No. 1234176 discloses technology for controlling lighting using information sensed by echo sensors for sensing the environment of surroundings around lighting equipment.
Further, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2013-0015103 discloses technology for controlling bathroom lighting in which noncontact switches for generating electrical signals are installed so that various functions are performed due to the motion of a user as sensed by an infrared sensor, or sounds produced by the user and sensed by an acoustic sensor.
In this way, conventional technologies for controlling lighting are configured to control lighting using only information sensed by sensors, that is, raw data, so that lighting equipment is sensitive to a variation in scene and the probability of the lighting equipment malfunctioning is increased, and thus there is a problem in that the user may feel annoyed.
When lighting is controlled using raw data of a human body detection sensor that utilizes pyroelectricity, ON/OFF operations of lighting are controlled using only the raw data of the human body detection sensor, thus encountering the problem of error rate increasing in a direction toward the border of a sensing area. Further, there is a disadvantage in that, even when a person is not present, malfunctioning may occur due to a variation in surrounding brightness or the like, and energy waste and annoyance attributable to such malfunctioning may also occur.

Intelligent lighting control apparatus and method

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A computer graphics processor capable of reading from, and writing to, virtual memory. The invention provides a graphics processing unit which includes, among other things, an graphic processor in the form of an address generator which retrieves data from memory locations, and writes data to memory locations. The address generator retrieves data from memory locations memory access request directly to a memory control unit, which retrieves the contents of the memory location. Prior to issuing the request, the address generator sends the address to a virtual translation unit, which translates the virtual address to a physical address. The virtual translation/FIFO control unit also contains three translation buffers, in which are stored the most recently accessed virtual addresses, which, in many situations, enables the virtual translation/FIFO control unit to translate the virtual address using less memory accesses.

Computer graphics systems are special purpose computers that are used to create complex images on a display and to allow the computer user to modify and store the images.
Showing images on a display and moving the images on the display screen is a complex computer task, and there is a need in the industry for methods for more efficiently performing this complex task. In addition, as computer graphics applications become more popular, there is a need in the industry for computer graphics systems that are less expensive than current systems. this complex task. In addition, as computer graphics applications become more popular, there is a need in the industry for computer graphics systems that are less expensive than current systems. Many of the elements of a typical computer graphics system are shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,407, entitled "Memory Organization Apparatus and Method", issued May 17, 1988 to Costello. A graphics accelerator is a special purpose processor unit which receives graphics commands from the CPU and executes them, typically by changing information stored in the frame buffer. A frame buffer is a special purpose type of memory in which the memory locations correspond to a location, or pixel, on a color monitor, or other type of display. Devices not shown in FIG. 4 of Costello sequentially read the memory locations in the frame buffer, and cause the pixel to be lit with the appropriate intensity or color, thereby causing the image to be shown on the display.
If an application program running on a system such as that described by Costello contains drawing instructions and/or commands that specify that an image is to be "drawn" and stored in main memory, rather than the frame buffer memory, the CPU can not take advantage of the graphics processing power of the graphics system processor, because the graphics system processor does not have access to main memory. If the computer graphics system has virtual memory capability graphics system is further disadvantaged in that it cannot access virtual memory, and therefore cannot take advantage of the increased memory made available by a virtual memory system. Prior art compute graphics systems do not provide a method to efficiently interact directly with main memory, and do not provide a method for the graphics processor to access virtual memory.

Translation of virtual addresses in a computer graphics system


A compact and modular cryogenic method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas. The liquefaction process is highly efficient and requires no external refrigeration system, and the apparatus is small enough to be transportable from one remote site to another. A compressed natural gas feed stream is cooled and then expanded to form a bi-phase stream comprising a first refrigerated vapor component and a first liquid component. The first liquid component is then separated from the bi-phase stream and expanded to form a second bi-phase stream comprising a second refrigerated vapor component and a second liquid component. The second liquid component is then introduced into a means configured for storage and transport. The remaining feed stream can then be recycled, and at least a substantial portion of the original feed stream can be processed into liquefied natural gas (LNG). The first and second vapor components are recycled through the system and comprise at least a portion of the feed stream in the repeated steps.

There are numerous reasons for the liquefaction of gases, including naturally occurring gases such as methane. Perhaps the chief reason is that liquefaction greatly reduces the volume of a gas, making it feasible to store and transport the liquefied gas in containers of improved economy and design. Liquid gases can be stored in suitably designed cryogenic containers and dispensed into vehicle tanks using techniques that have been in use for many years in the industrial cryogenic gas industries.
Many industrial gases such as propane, butane and carbon dioxide can be liquefied by placing them under very high pressure. However, producing liquid from methane may not be achieved with high pressure alone. To this extent, methane, a cryogenic gas, is different from other industrial gases. To liquefy methane it is typically necessary to reduce the temperature of the gaseous phase to below about −160° C., depending upon the pressure at which the process is operated.
Numerous systems exist in the prior art for the production of liquefied natural gas ("LNG"). Conventional processes known in the art require substantial refrigeration to reduce the gas to liquid and maintain it at its liquefaction temperature. Among the most common of these refrigeration processes are: (1) the cascade process; (2) the single mixed refrigerant process; and (3) the propane pre-cooled mixed refrigerant process.
The cascade process produces liquefied gases by employing several closed-loop cooling circuits, each utilizing a single pure refrigerant and collectively configured in order of progressively lower temperatures. The first cooling circuit commonly utilizes propane or propylene as the refrigerant; the second circuit may utilize ethane or ethylene, while the third circuit generally utilizes methane as the refrigerant.
The single mixed refrigerant process produces LNG by employing a single closed-loop cooling circuit utilizing a multi-component refrigerant consisting of components such as nitrogen, methane, ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes. The mixed refrigerant undergoes the steps of condensation, expansion and recompression to reduce the temperature of natural gas by employing a unitary collection of heat exchangers known as a "cold box."
The propane pre-cooled mixed refrigerant process produces LNG by employing an initial series of propane-cooled heat exchangers in addition to a single closed-loop cooling circuit, which utilizes a multi-component refrigerant consisting of components such as nitrogen, methane, ethane and propane. Natural gas initially passes through one or more propane-cooled heat exchangers, proceeds to a main exchanger cooled by the multi-component refrigerant, and is thereafter expanded to produce LNG.
Most liquefaction plants utilize one of these gas liquefaction processes. Unfortunately, the cost and maintenance of such plants is expensive because of the cost of constructing, operating and maintaining one or more external, single or mixed refrigerant, closed-loop cooling circuits. Such circuits typically require the use and storage of multiple highly explosive refrigerants that can present safety concerns. Refrigerants such as propane, ethylene and propylene are explosive, while propane and propylene, in particular, are heavier than air, further complicating dispersion of these gases in the event of a leak or other equipment failure. It would therefore be beneficial to eliminate the external refrigeration circuit(s) in a liquefaction plant.
One of the distinguishing features of a conventional liquefaction plant in the prior art is the large capital investment required. The equipment used to liquefy cryogenic gases in high volumes is large, complex and very expensive. The plant is typically made up of several basic systems, including a gas treatment system (to remove impurities from the initial feed stream), and liquefaction, refrigeration, power, storage and loading facilities. Materials required in conventional liquefaction plants also contribute greatly to the plants' cost. Containers, long runs of piping, and multiple-level tiers of other equipment are principally constructed from aluminum, stainless steel or high nickel content steel to provide the necessary strength and fracture toughness at low temperatures. It would therefore be beneficial to decrease the initial amount of capital investment needed to form a liquefaction plant.
Another distinguishing feature of a conventional liquefaction plant in the prior art is that as a result of its complexity and size, the plant, by necessity, is typically a fixed installation that can not be easily relocated. Even if a conventional plant can be physically relocated, such a move is very costly and requires the plant to be out of service for many months while plant systems, components and structures are disassembled, moved and then reassembled on a newly prepared site. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a liquefaction plant that is small and simple in design so that it can be easily relocated without significant operational down time.
There exists a multitude of current prior art methods for the liquefaction of natural gas. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,114 to Foglietta discloses a hybrid liquefaction cycle for the production of LNG. The Foglietta process passes a pressurized natural gas feed stream into heat exchange contact with a closed-loop propane or propylene refrigeration cycle prior to directing the natural gas feed stream through a turboexpander cycle to provide auxiliary refrigeration. The Foglietta process requires at least one external closed-loop refrigeration cycle comprising propane or propylene, both of which are explosive.
The system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,545 to Johnston first compresses the natural gas feed (typically methane) which then passes through an after-cooler to remove the heat of compression. At this point the natural gas flow is split into two flow portions, the first of which is cooled in at least one heat exchanger and then throttled into a collector, and the second of which enters a turboexpander wherein the temperature and pressure are lowered and the work of expansion is extracted. The second flow portion is then used in at least one heat exchanger as the heat exchange cooling medium.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,652 to Engel discloses a process for producing LNG in a single stage by compressing a natural gas feed stream, cooling the compressed natural gas feed stream to form a liquefied stream, dramatically expanding the liquefied stream to an intermediate-pressure liquid, and then flashing and separating the intermediate-pressure liquid in a single separation step to produce LNG and a low-pressure flash gas. The low-pressure flash gas is recirculated, substantially compressed and reintroduced into the intermediate pressure liquid. While the Engel process produces LNG without the use of external refrigerants, the process yields a small volume of LNG compared to the amount of work required for its production, thus limiting the economic viability of the process.
While these prior art inventions may be sufficient for the particular problems that they solve, it would be beneficial in the industry to provide an improved process for the cryogenic refrigeration and liquefaction of gases. It would also be beneficial to eliminate the external refrigeration circuit(s) in a liquefaction plant. It would be likewise be advantageous to decrease the initial amount of capital investment needed to form a liquefaction plant. It would also be advantageous to provide a liquefaction plant that is small and simple in design so that it can be easily relocated without significant operational down time.

Compact, modular method and apparatus for liquefying natural gas