A fuel cell powered vehicle includes radiators disposed on left and right sides on the skew rear side of a front wheel in relation to the vehicle body front-rear direction. A secondary battery is disposed between the left and right radiators. A thin plate-shaped inner cowl is disposed between the secondary battery and the front wheel. Duct mechanisms surrounding the radiators are provided on the left and right sides of the inner cowl and inside a cowling. Each duct mechanism includes introduction ports for a running airflow, and a discharge port that is fitted with variable-type louvers. A voltage converter unit is accommodated in a straddled part of the vehicle. Radiating fins of the voltage converter include plate-like members erected in the vehicle body front-rear direction that are directed toward the upper side of the vehicle body and are exposed to the exterior of the vehicle body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle, and particularly to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle having radiator and surrounding configurations such that the cooling performance of radiators can be enhanced. In addition, the present invention relates to a fuel cell powered vehicle such that the cooling effect on a voltage converter unit can be enhanced with a simple configuration and that the weight balance of the vehicle body can be enhanced through the layout position of the voltage converter unit.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, there have been known fuel cell powered vehicles on which a fuel cell for generating electric power by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is mounted and which are driven to run by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. Such a fuel cell powered vehicle is ordinarily provided with a radiator for radiating the heat generated by the fuel cell.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2007-59127 discloses a saddle ride, fuel cell powered motorcycle in which, in addition to a radiator attached to a vehicle body frame on the rear side of a front wheel, another radiator is disposed on the front side of a head pipe of the vehicle body frame.
In a saddle ride, vehicle having little surplus space, unlike a four-wheel vehicle or the like having a compartment, it is desirable that a radiator is as small as possible. Besides, in a radiator of the type in which heat is radiated by passage of a running airflow or the like, the cooling performance is heavily influenced by such factors as the layout position of the radiator in relation to the vehicle body. Thus, there is a request for development of a technique for enhancing the cooling performance of a radiator without enlarging the radiator.
In addition, fuel cell powered vehicles have been known in which a voltage converter unit is provided for converting the voltage supplied from the fuel cell to a voltage suitable for driving a running motor or electrical equipment. Since the voltage converter unit generates heat at the time of voltage conversion, various techniques are investigated for appropriately treating the heat thus generated.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-37167 discloses a configuration in which a hydrogen fuel container made of a hydrogen occluding alloy is disposed in the proximity to the voltage converter unit (DC-DC converter), whereby the heat of the voltage converter unit can be transferred to the hydrogen fuel container
In the technology of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-37167, however, in the case of introducing the running airflow into the inside of the vehicle body in order to sufficiently cool the voltage converter unit, it has been necessary to provide a vehicle body cover or the like with a baffle plate or the like. In addition, it is desired that the layout position of the voltage converter unit be set taking into account the weight balance of the vehicle body.


A control section 31 comprised of a CPU is connected to a position detection circuit 33 for detecting the position of a driving axis 13 by means of an MR sensor 34, a first-current charging and discharging circuit 35 for driving a piezoelectric element 14, a first-current charging and discharging circuit 36, a second-current charging and discharging circuit 37 and a third-current charging and discharging circuit 38, the last three having different values of currents for driving a piezoelectric element 16. High-speed driving and low-speed driving are alternatively used depending on a detected position. In the case of the high-speed driving, the driving axis 13 is driven at high speed by continuously generating extension/contraction displacement of a varied speed in the piezoelectric element 16 by means of the first-current charging and discharging circuit 36. In the case of the low-speed driving, the driving of the piezoelectric element 16 by means of the charging and discharging circuits 36 through 38 is combined with the operation of holding the axis 13 executed by driving the piezoelectric element 14 by means of the charging and discharging circuit 35, thereby driving the axis 13 at low speed in units of one cycle of the extension/contraction displacement of the piezoelectric element 16.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus employing a driving mechanism provided with an electro-mechanical transducer such as an electrostrictive element, a piezoelectric element and a magnetostrictor for transducing an electric energy into mechanical displacement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a drive mechanism for moving a lens of a camera or the like into an in-focus position, there has been proposed a drive mechanism in which a driven member is put in frictional coupling with a driving axis fixed to a piezoelectric element with an appropriate frictional force, and the driving axis is reciprocally displaced by generating extension/contraction displacement at a varied speed in the piezoelectric element so as to move the driven member put in frictional coupling with the driving axis in a specified direction (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 4-69070). This drive mechanism has not only the feature of a remarkably compact size, light weight and low manufacturing cost as compared with those of the conventionally used drive mechanism comprised of a motor and a speed reduction mechanism but also the feature that it can execute a high-accuracy position control.
Furthermore, the specification of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,979 proposes one in which its driven member is moved by combining three piezoelectric elements with one another and appropriately controlling the timing at which extension/contraction displacement occurs in each of the piezoelectric elements.
In regard to the aforementioned structures of the drive apparatuses, the former is constructed so that the driving axis and the driven member are put in frictional coupling with each other, and when the driving axis is driven by the piezoelectric element, slip is generated between the frictional coupling surfaces of both of them and the slip is utilized for moving the driven member in a specified direction. However, since the amount of slip is not always constant, the position of the driven member cannot be controlled through an open loop, and it is required to execute feedback control with a means for detecting the position of the driven member. In this case, the position control cannot be executed finer than the resolution of the position detecting means. Therefore, in order to execute high-accuracy position control, a position detecting means having a high resolution appropriate for the required accuracy is necessary, and this results in increasing cost.
Furthermore, in the latter, the position of the driven member can be controlled through an open loop when the extension/contraction displacement amount of each piezoelectric element relative to an applied voltage is previously known. However, in addition to the disadvantage that the driving speed is slow, the number of components increases due to the use of three piezoelectric elements, and this results in increasing manufacturing cost.

Apparatus provided with electro-mechanical transducer


A method for producing a capacitor which includes, as one electrode, an electrical conductor having formed on the surface thereof a dielectric layer and, as the other electrode, a semiconductor layer, the method including producing fine electrically defective portions in the dielectric layer and forming the semiconductor layer on the dielectric layer by electrification. The capacitor obtained by the method of the present invention has good capacitance appearance factor, low ESR and is excellent in reliability.

For example, the capacitor in the periphery of CPU (Central Processing Unit) used for personal computers and the like is required to generate little heat at the passing of a high ripple current, suppress the fluctuation of voltage, and have a high capacitance and low ESR. In general, a plurality of aluminum solid electrolytic capacitors or tantalum solid electrolytic capacitors are used by disposing these in parallel.
This solid electrolytic capacitor comprises an aluminum foil having fine pores in the surface layer or a tantalum sintered body having fine pores in the inside, which is used as one electrode, a dielectric layer formed on the surface layer of the electrode, and the other electrode (usually a semiconductor layer) provided on the dielectric layer.
When all pore surfaces of the one electrode are covered up by the semiconductor of the other electrode, the expected capacitance as the capacitor of the one electrode can be 100% satisfied. However, not only a lot of time is necessary for covering nearly 100% of the semiconductor but also thermal stress is imposed on the element due to heat of soldering on mounting the produced capacitor on a substrate by soldering and the leakage current value (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an LC value) is increased in some cases.

Capacitor and production method of the capacitor


In accordance with an embodiment, a method for producing an aggregate is disclosed comprising mixing incinerator bottom ash (“IBA”) from a municipal solid waste incinerator and pulverized fuel ash (“PFA”) from coal combustion. The method further comprises agglomerating the mixture, such as by pelletizing, and pyroprocessing the agglomerates, such as by sintering or vitrification, to form the aggregate. The addition of PFA to IBA has been found to facilitate production of lightweight and normal weight aggregates. Preferably, the IBA or the mixture of IBA and PFA is wet milled prior to agglomerating. A preferred proportion of IBA to PFA is 40%/60%. The agglomerates may be coated with an inorganic material to create a surface layer on the aggregate. Organic material may be included in the mixture to increase the porosity of the aggregate. A lightweight sintered aggregate comprising IBA and PFA and an aggregate comprising IBA and PFA are also disclosed.

Aggregates, which are essential ingredients of concrete, may be derived from natural sources with minimal processing or from naturally occurring materials that are heat treated. Aggregates may also be synthetic. Aggregates from natural sources, such as quarries, pits in ground, and riverbeds, for example, are generally composed of rock fragments, gravel, stone, and sand, which may be crushed, washed, and sized for use, as needed. Aggregates from natural materials that may be used to form aggregates include clay, shale, and slate, which are pyroprocessed, causing expansion of the material. OPTIROC and LECA are examples of commercially available expanded clay aggregates, for example. Synthetic aggregates may comprise industrial byproducts, which may be waste materials. LYTAG, for example, is a commercially available sintered aggregate comprising pulverized fuel ash ("PFA"), also known as fly ash. PFA is produced from the combustion of coal in power plants, for example.
Aggregates may be lightweight or normal weight. Lightweight aggregates ("LWAs") have a particle density of less than 2.0 g/cm3 or a dry loose bulk density of less than 1.1 g/cm3, as defined in ASTM specification C330. Normal weight aggregates from gravel, sand, and crushed stone, for example, have generally bulk specific gravities of from about 2.4 to about 2.9 (both oven-dry and saturated-surface-dry), and bulk densities of up to about 1.7 g/cm3. High quality LWAs have a strong but low density porous ceramic core of uniform structural strength and a dense, continuous, relatively impermeable surface layer to inhibit water absorption. They are physically stable, durable, and environmentally inert. LWAs should also be nearly spherical, to improve concrete properties and provide good adherence to concrete paste. Suitable sizes for incorporation in concrete are in a range of from about 4.75 mm to about 25 mm, or 2.36 mm to 9.5 mm for coarse aggregates, in accordance with ASTM Specification C330. Smaller, fine aggregates, which are a byproduct of LWA production, may also be used, to replace sand in concrete, for example. For use in concrete, LWAs should have a sufficient crushing strength and resistance to fragmentation so that the resulting concrete has a strength of greater than 10 MPa and a dry density in a range of about 1.5 g/cm3 to about 2.0 g/cm3. Concrete containing LWAs ("LWA concrete") may also have a density as low as about 0.3 g/cm3.
While LWA concrete may be 20-30% lighter than conventional concrete, it may be just as strong. Even when it is not as strong as conventional concrete, the LWA concrete may have reduced structural dead loads enabling the use of longer spans, narrower cross-sections, and reduced reinforcement in structures. The lower weight of the LWA concrete facilitates handling and reduces transport, equipment, and manpower costs. LWA concrete may be particularly useful in construction slabs in high rise buildings and in concrete arch bridges, for example. LWA concrete may also have improved insulating properties, freeze-thaw performance, fire resistance, and sound reduction. LWAs can also be used in the construction of other structures, in highways, and as soil fillers, for example.
Quarrying is the largest source of aggregates by volume in most countries. Despite the many advantages of LWAs, aggregate extraction is complicated by environmental and legal issues, availability, and transportation and other costs, for example.
Waste disposal is another area presenting significant environmental and legal issues. Due to the exhaustion of available landfill sites, the difficulties in acquiring new sites, the adverse environmental effects, and the costs of landfilling, disposal of waste materials has been a significant problem for many years. For example, a significant amount of incinerator bottom ash ("IBA"), which is the principal ash stream generated from municipal solid waste ("MSW") incineration, is generated and needs to be disposed of. IBA accounts for about 75% to about 80% of the total weight of MSW incinerator residues. IBA comprises a heterogeneous mixture of slag, glass, ceramics, ferrous and nonferrous metals, minerals, other non-combustibles, and unburnt organic matter. The considerable amounts of IBA produced present significant disposal problems. When landfilled, heavy metals may leach from the IBA into the ground and underground resources. IBA is currently used in its raw form (without heat treatment) in the construction of fills and embankments, pavement base and road sub-base courses, soil stabilization, landfill cover, in bricks, blocks, and paving stones, and as fillers in particular applications. Although considered a relatively inert waste, leaching of heavy metals in these applications is possible. Concrete containing IBA is weaker than concrete incorporating LYTAG, for example. The IBA may also chemically react with cement, leading to swelling and cracking.
As mentioned above, sintered LWAs comprising PFA are commercially available under the tradename LYTAG. Electricity-generating coal power plants for example, produce large amounts of PFA, which is typically collected as fine-grained particulate material from the furnace in flue gases. ASTM C 618 defines two major classes of PFA, Class F and Class C, on the basis of their chemical composition. Class F PFA, which comprises siliceous and sometimes aluminous material, is normally produced from burning anthracite or bituminous coal and has little or no cementitious value. Class C PFA, which is normally produced from the burning of subbituminous coal and lignite, usually contains significant amount of calcium hydroxide (CaOH) or lime (CaO). Class C PFA has some cementitious properties. The majority of PFA produced is currently disposed of in landfills at a great cost and risk of leakage of heavy metals that could contaminate underground aquifers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,735 to Smith discloses a method of producing a brick or similarly fired construction unit, such as a ceramic-type tile or vitrified pipe, comprising mixing at least 50% by weight inorganic, non-ferrous residue from municipal incinerators (which generally refers to incinerator bottom ash) with coal fly ash and a binder, such as sodium silicate. The mixture is shaped and then fired in three steps. First, the mixture is heated at 180° C. for one hour, to ensure that moisture in the mixture is evaporated. Then the mixture is heated in increments of 65° C./minute to 550° C. and held overnight, to burn off carbon. Then the mixture is fired at temperatures of from about 1,700° F. (926° C.) to about 2,000° F. (1,093° C.), to form the brick. Smith emphasizes that the addition of the incinerator residue to the coal fly ash lowered the firing temperature as compared to a coal fly ash brick. Smith states that the incinerator residue, instead of the coal fly ash, melts to produce bonding on cooling. Considerable fusion is said to take place between 1,700° F. (926° C.) and 1,750° F. (954° C.). Smith also reports better brick properties as the proportion of incinerator residues increase. A preferred composition is 50% to 60% incinerator residue, 1% to 4% binder, and the remainder coal fly ash. Based on the low firing temperature, it is believed that the incinerator residue comprised predominantly glass and possibly incinerator fly ash. Due to the reported strengths, it is also believed that Smith produced a vitrified brick, with a large glassy, amorphous phase. The brick has high strength and low porosity, as the melted glass components of the incinerator residue filled most pores.
Avoidance of landfill disposal of wastes, such as IBA and PFA, by developing alternative, reuse applications, is needed. The economic burdens and the risks of waste disposal make it advantageous to develop alternative techniques for converting wastes into revenue-earning products that reduce the demand for less accessible, non-renewable materials.

Pyroprocessed aggregates comprising IBA and PFA and methods for producing such aggregates


A transmit/receive switching circuit is provided. The transmit/receive switching circuit comprises a first transformer to split a transmission signal into a first split transmission signal and a second split transmission signal. The first split transmission signal is out of phase with the second split transmission signal. The transmit/receive switching circuit also comprises a second transformer to split a received signal into a first split received signal and a second split received signal and to combine the first split transmission signal and the second split transmission signal. The first split received signal is out of phase with the second split received signal. The combined transmission signal is supplied to an antenna port and the received signal is received from the antenna port. The transmit/receive switching circuit also comprises a third transformer to combine the first split received signal and the second split received signal and to supply the combined received signal to a receive port of the transmit/receive switch. Finally, the transmit/receive switching circuit comprises first and second switches. Both the first and second switches are coupled to the first transformer and to the second transformer. The first switch switches between coupling the first split transmission signal to the second transformer and coupling the first split received signal to the third transformer. The second switch switches between coupling the second split transmission signal to the second transformer and coupling the second split received signal to the third transformer.

A common method for sharing a single antenna in a communications system is to use a transmit/receive (T/R) switch to alternate between coupling a relatively high power transmitter to the antenna and coupling a receiver to the antenna. In such a system, the high-power signal output by the transmitter typically requires the use of a T/R switch that is specially designed to handle such high-power signals. Designing a T/R switch to handle such high-power signals creates many technical difficulties, including difficulty of design, limited availability of off-the-shelf switches, reduced switch lifetime, and increased thermal heating.
Additionally, T/R switches generally produce port-to-port signal leakage. The leakage from the port coupled to the transmitter to the port coupled to the receiver is particularly unwanted For example, due to the high power output of the transmitter, leakage signals from the transmission signal may exceed the levels of expected receive signals. These high-power leakage signals can cause damage to sensitive receiver components or require design of a less sensitive receiver.

Apparatus and method for isolation and power handling in a radio frequency switch


The device includes a compression stand on which a food can is placed and which is driven with vertical translation motion by a telescopic rod under the control of a cam-follower roller engaged in a cam track. During the upstroke of the rod, its two component elements are hydraulically locked together by the presence of oil in an intermediate chamber that is closed. At the top end of the stroke, the oil can escape through a passage, thereby releasing a spring which determines the force with which the can is pressed against the stationary mandrel while the lid is actually being crimped thereon.

The function of the compression stand is to enable the lid to be pressed against the body of the can with greater or lesser force during the closure stage proper during which the edge of the lid is rolled over the edge of the body of the can and is then flattened out in order to obtain a sealed connection by peripheral crimping. The pressure exerted on the lid has a determining influence on the quality of the crimping roll formed around the edge of the lid. For any given type of can, said pressure should remain at a well-determined constant value: pressure that is too low or too high leads to faulty crimping.
In the mechanism described above, the compression stand bears, via the spring, against the second above-mentioned element which serves as a control member, the assembly performing reciprocating motion that is performed at an increasing rate with an increasing crimping throughput.
When the rate is low, inertia phenomena are small and the compression stand tracks the displacements of the control member accurately, with the spring remaining is a substantially constant state.
As the rate increases, the inertia of the compression stand and of the first element to which it is fixed subjects the spring to force on each stroke of the assembly towards the can to be closed. Since the spring exerts the pressure required for crimping properly only when stabilized, it will be understood that the degree of compression departs from the desired value and that the faster the rate the greater the departure, particularly if the cans to be closed are of a type that requires only a small amount of compression force, and thus a spring that is relatively weak (as applies, for example, to thin-walled cans made of light alloy).
Incompatibility thus appears to exist between closing food cans at a high rate and obtaining low compression force thereon during the crimping operation.

Device for closing food cans at a high rate


A seat track covering system and method are configured to cover a seat track and one or more cables within an internal cabin of a vehicle. The seat track covering system and method include a seat track cover that securely couples to the seat track, and at least one cover adjustment member moveably coupled to the seat track cover. The seat track cover and the cover adjustment member(s) cover at least a portion of the seat track and at least a portion of the cable(s).

Commercial aircraft typically include an internal cabin that may be divided into numerous sections. A cockpit is generally separated from a passenger cabin, which may include a first class section, a business class section, an economy section, and the like. Each section within a passenger cabin may have a different spacing or pitch between rows of seats. For example, a first class section typically has a greater pitch between rows of seats as compared to an economy section.
Between flights of an aircraft, an operator may decide to reconfigure certain seating areas to adjust the pitch between certain rows of seats. For example, an operator may decide to change a row of an economy section into an economy plus section, or vice versa. The pitch between rows of the economy section may differ from the pitch between rows of the economy plus section.
In order to change the pitch between rows of seats, the seats of at least one of the rows are completely removed and lifted from seat tracks. The seats are then moved to a new position, where they are secured to the seat tracks. Aircraft mechanics typically use tools to remove the seats from the seat tracks, reposition and align the seats in relation to the new positions, and securely lock the seats in the new positions. Moreover, any electrical connections within the seats are typically disconnected before the seats are moved, and then reconnected at the new positions.
Rows of seats aboard vehicles often have cables (such as wiring, electrical conduits, and/or the like) extending therebetween. For example, one or more cables extending between rows of seats may connect electrically connect to electrical components of the seats. When a pitch between the rows of seats is changed, the cables may also need to be reconfigured. For example, if the pitch is to be increased, a length of the cables is also increased. Conversely, if the pitch is to be decreased, the length of the cables is decreased.
The cables and seat tracks between rows of seats are typically covered by a seat track cover. However, when the pitch between the rows of seats is changed, the seat track covers are typically discarded and replaced with different seat track covers that are tailored to the changed pitch.
As can be appreciated, the process of removing the seats from the seat tracks, moving the seats to new positions, and securing the seats at the new positions is time and labor intensive. If there is a relatively short time until a subsequent flight, there may not be sufficient time to adjust the seats to new positions.


Various embodiments of a system and method for spitting are disclosed.

Inkjet printing mechanisms use cartridges, often called "pens," which eject drops of ink onto a page. Each pen has a print head formed with very small nozzles through which the ink drops are fired. Drum-type ink jet printing systems generally include one or more print heads disposed over a rotating cylindrical drum. The print media is carried by the rotating drum past the print heads, which eject drops of ink in a desired pattern upon the media.
In order to maintain good image quality, proper maintenance of the condition of the print heads is desirable. An improperly maintained print head can become clogged and/or become the source of dot placement errors that reduce print quality. To that end, inkjet printing devices also typically include a print head service station, generally located outside the print zone, to allow cleaning and protection of the print heads. Print head service stations usually include a waste ink collector, called a "spittoon", into which a number of drops of ink are periodically ejected, or "spit", from each nozzle to flush out drying ink. If spitting is not performed, the first few drops ejected from each nozzle can have poor trajectory or be of low optical density, resulting in visible image or print quality defects.
In many printing systems, the print head assembly moves from the print zone to the service station for print head servicing during non-printing periods and during the shutdown process. However, speed is a desirable printing consideration. Moving the print heads from the print zone (above the drum) to a service station that is off the drum, and then back again is a relatively slow process, which increases downtime and reduces throughput of the printing system. Additionally, moving the print heads to a service station outside the print zone can introduce print head position errors, which can harm print quality.

Drum-mounted roller spittoon system and method

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A regeneration system that has a first regeneration module containing a first chosen regenerative substance; a second regeneration module containing the first chosen regenerative substance; and a first mixing chamber. A first outlet stream of a fluid sequentially exits the first mixing chamber, flows through the first regeneration module in fluid communication with the first chosen regenerative substance and returns to the first mixing chamber, and a second outlet stream of the fluid sequentially exits the first mixing chamber and flows through the second regeneration module in fluid communication with the first chosen regenerative substance.

Regenerative dialysis systems, such as the Recirculating Dialysate System ("REDY" System) contain regenerative substances that remove impurities, waste products and certain electrolytes from spent dialysate to result in cleansed dialysate that can be reconstituted and reused. Depending on the dialysis treatment being performed, several kilograms of sorbent materials may be required for dialysate regeneration. Hence, there is a need for systems and methods that minimize the amount of sorbent material required during hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration and peritoneal dialysis. There is also a need for systems and methods having decreased weight and cost of a regeneration module. There is further a need for configurations of regeneration modules such as sorbent cartridges that reduce the amount of regenerative substances that are consumed during dialysate regeneration.

Sorbent cartridge configurations for improved dialysate regeneration


A backup memory, a DMA (direct memory access) controller, and a WDT (watch dog timer) are provided in addition to a CPU (central processing unit), a RAM (random access memory), and a peripheral circuit. The DMA controller exercises control so that respective data of the CPU, RAM and peripheral circuit is saved in the backup memory each time the CPU, being under normal operation, supplies a counter reset signal to the WDT, and so that the data that has been saved in the backup memory is restored to the CPU, the RAM and the peripheral circuit, respectively, if the WDT has detected a program runaway and outputted a time-over signal. Therefore, even in a case where a program runaway has occurred in the CPU, normal operation is permitted to be resumed from midway in the program.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit including a control block, for example, a processor, of a stored-program type.
Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 6-131218 discloses a technique which utilizes a watch dog timer (WDT) as one of the processor (CPU) control techniques in which an abnormal condition in a computer system is detected to reset the CPU. The WDT, which monitors a counter reset signal outputted regularly from the CPU, outputs a time-over signal if the counter reset signal has not been inputted within a given period of time because of a program runaway. The time-over signal outputted from the WDT resets the CPU for recovery to the normal state.
However, a problem with the conventional technique has been that because the CPU is reset to the initial state by the time-over signal, the program is re-executed from the beginning, as a result of which the data is destroyed midway.

Semiconductor integrated circuit having improving program recovery capabilities

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A programmable load board which can be used for testing the electrical load requirements and thermal response characteristics of electronic equipment. The programmable load board of the present invention is capable of emulating the maximum power at which the electronic component of the emulated system is rated. Both the power requirements and the location of the heat sources of the emulated system can be simulated. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the programmable load board is constructed generally in the form of a circuit board such as that typically installed in a personal computer. The system is programmable, thus allowing a series of tests at differing loads to be conducted unattended for extended periods of time.

It is well known that electronic components operating in high temperature environments are subject to performance degradation and even failure. Although the ambient environment can contribute to the thermal load of a device, the dominant thermal factor is typically the heat generated by the electronic components in the system.
Systems for testing the electrical load requirements and thermal response characteristics of electronic equipment are known in the art. Prior art systems used by engineering, design and manufacturing groups are typically comprised of banks of resistors which require physical connection and disconnection by means of soldering or jumpers to set the specified load. To reset the load in a prior art system using these resistive loads, it is necessary to disassemble the test unit, physically disconnect the resistive loads to change the power dissipation, and then reassemble the unit. This process must be repeated if the test system does not meet the desired specifications or if the testing requires data to be taken at several power levels. The inconvenience of disassembly and the inconsistent test results generated by these prior art systems makes them undesirable for repeated testing of a large volume of equipment.
It would be desirable to have a load board which is capable of testing the electrical load requirements and thermal response characteristics of electronic equipment without requiring disassembly and reassembly to change the testing parameters. It would further be desirable for a load board to be programmable to enable testing at various thermal levels while the board and system to be tested are left unattended for extended periods of time.

Programmable load board with programmable simulation of thermal dissipation characteristics


A filtering process and an interpolating operation process are carried out in steps on an original image signal and, in the respective steps, a plurality of unsharp image signals are formed, which represent images having the same size as the size of the original image and have different frequency characteristics. Band-limited image signals are formed from the unsharp image signals and the original image signal, restricted by conversion, and integrated. An integration signal composed of predetermined frequency components of the original image signal is thereby formed. The frequency emphasis processing is carried out by multiplying the integration signal by an emphasis coefficient, and adding the resulting product to the original image signal. The dynamic range compressing process is carried out by converting a difference signal, which is obtained by subtracting the integration signal from the original image signal, and adding the converted difference signal to the original image signal. An artifact is thereby prevented from occurring at a region in the vicinity of an edge.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to processing for forming a plurality of unsharp image signals, which have different frequency characteristics, from an image signal. This invention also relates to frequency emphasis processing for emphasizing high frequency components of the image signal by utilizing the unsharp image signals. This invention further relates to a dynamic range compressing process for rendering the level of contrast of the original image low by utilizing the unsharp image signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Techniques for obtaining an image signal, which represents an image, carrying out appropriate image processing on the image signal, and thereafter reproducing a visible image from the processed image signal have heretofore been carried out in various fields. For example, in methods for carrying out such techniques, an image is transformed into multi-resolution images by a Fourier transform, a wavelet transform, a sub-band transform, or the like, and the image signal representing the image is thereby decomposed into signals falling within a plurality of different frequency bands. Thereafter, of the decomposed signals, a signal falling within a desired frequency band is subjected to predetermined image processing.
As one of such methods, a method has been proposed, wherein an original image is transformed into multi-resolution images by utilizing an unsharp mask filter as in the technique using the wavelet transform, and image processing is then carried out on an unsharp image signal representing the unsharp image of each solution. The proposed method is utilized in image processing of radiation images, and the like.
Also, in the field of radiation image processing, when a radiation image (i.e., a tomographic image) of a tomographic plane is recorded with a tomographic image recording operation described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,535, it often occurs that the amount of transmitted radiation changes sharply at a portion, which is located at a position other than the tomographic plane. In such cases, an image pattern of such a portion occurs as an interfering pattern (or an interfering shadow) in the direction, along which the recording medium moves, and at a center region which is to be used in the radiation image. (Such an interfering pattern will hereinafter be referred to as the "flow pattern.") An image processing method for eliminating the flow pattern is proposed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3(1991)-276265. With the proposed image processing method, low frequency components corresponding to the flow pattern are removed from the image signal, which represents the radiation image obtained from the tomographic image recording operation, and an image free of the flow pattern is thereby obtained from the resulting image signal. The unsharp image signal described above can also be utilized in the process for eliminating the flow pattern.
The applicant proposed the methods for carrying out frequency emphasis processing on an image signal by utilizing an unsharp image signal in order that a visible radiation image having good image quality can be reproduced and used as an effective tool in, particularly, the accurate and efficient diagnosis of an illness. The methods for carrying out the frequency emphasis processing are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,315,318 and 4,317,179. With the frequency emphasis processing, an unsharp mask image signal (hereinbelow often referred to as the unsharp image signal) Sus is subtracted from an original image signal Sorg, which has been detected from a radiation image. The obtained difference value is multiplied by an emphasis coefficient .beta.. The resulting product is then added to the original image signal Sorg. In this manner, predetermined frequency components in the image can be emphasized. The frequency emphasis processing is represented by Formula (1) shown below. EQU Sproc=Sorg+.beta..times.(Sorg-Sus) (1)
wherein Sproc represents the signal obtained from the frequency emphasis processing, Sorg represents the original image signal, Sus represents the unsharp image signal, and .beta. represents the emphasis coefficient.
The unsharp image signal Sus can be obtained by carrying out an operation with Formula (2) EQU Sus=.EPSILON.Sorg/(M.times.N) (2)
on the image signal components of the original image signal Sorg, which represent M.times.N picture elements surrounding a middle picture element. By way of example, each of picture elements located at every second row and every second column in the array of picture elements constituting the image is taken as the middle picture element.
The unsharp image signal Sus representing an unsharp image, which results from the unsharp mask processing and has a resolution lower than the resolution of the original image, can also be obtained by utilizing an unsharp mask filter, which has a predetermined size, and calculating the mean value or the weighted mean value of the values of the picture elements located within the unsharp mask filter.
The applicant also proposed a method for compressing a dynamic range of an image, wherein an unsharp image signal is utilized, and the level of contrast of the parts of the image having a high or low image density or the level of contrast of the whole image is rendered low such that the difference between the highest image density and the lowest image density in the original image may become small, i.e. such that the dynamic range of the original image may become narrow. The method for compressing a dynamic range of an image is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,044. The proposed method comprises the steps of calculating an unsharp image signal Sus from the original image signal representing the original image, and processing the original image signal with Formula (3) EQU Sproc=Sorg+f(Sus) (3)
wherein f(Sus) represents a function, the value of which decreases monotonically as the value of the unsharp image signal Sus increases. In this manner, a processed image signal Sproc is obtained, which represents an image having a dynamic range narrower than the dynamic range of the original image. With the proposed method, both the dynamic range of parts of the image, which parts have low levels of image density, and the dynamic range of parts of the image, which have high levels of image density, can be compressed appropriately. Also, in cases where the differential coefficient of the function f(Sus) is set to be continuous, no artificial contour occurs in the image represented by the processed image signal Sproc. In this manner, the range of image density of the image can be compressed such that the parts of the image covering a wide range of image density can be used and may have good image quality in the reproduced visible image, and the image quality of fine image structures at each of parts having various levels of image density may be kept well.
In the image processing described above, in order for the original image to be transformed into the multi-resolution images by utilizing unsharp mask filters, it is necessary to use a plurality of filters having different sizes. In particular, in order for an unsharp image having a low resolution to be obtained, it is necessary to use a filter having a large size. However, if the size of the filter becomes large, the amount of operations for carrying out the filtering process will become very large, and a long time will be required to carry out the operations for conducting the unsharp mask processing. Also, it will become necessary to use a storage means having a large capacity for storing the information, which represents the plurality of the filters for obtaining the plurality of unsharp images having different levels of resolution. Therefore, the apparatus for carrying out the processing cannot be kept small, and the cost of the apparatus cannot be kept low.
Further, in cases where the unsharp image signal is formed with the unsharp mask filter, in the region in the vicinity of an edge in the image, at which the image density changes sharply, the unsharp image signal is affected by the image density of the edge in the image. Therefore, if the frequency emphasis processing, the dynamic range compressing process, or the flow pattern eliminating process described above is carried out by using the unsharp image signal, the problems will occur in that an artifact, such as overshoot, undershoot, or an artificial contour, occurs, and the image quality of the image obtained from the processing cannot be kept well.

Multi-resolution transforming, image processing and dynamic range compressing method and apparatus


An improved method of preparing polyurethane foam by reacting an organic polyisocyanate with a polyol in the presence of water and a combination of a gelling catalyst and a blowing catalyst, in which the blowing catalyst is a compound represented by the following formulae: EQU M(L.sup.1)(L.sup.2)(L.sup.3)(L.sup.4)!.sub.n EQU M(L.sup.1)(L.sup.2)(L.sup.3)!.sub.n EQU M(L.sup.1)(L.sup.2)!.sub.n EQU M(L.sup.1)!.sub.n. wherein M is titanium, zirconium, or hafnium; n ranges from 1 to 20; and each of L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3, and L.sup.4 is the same or different ligand selected from the following groups: (1) oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen; (2) an alcoholate, phenolate, glycolate, thiolate, carboxylate, dithiocarbamate, aminate, aminoalcoholate, phosphate, phosphonate, pyrophosphate, sulfonate, or silylamide any of which contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and, optionally, contains one or more functional groups, or oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or phosphorus-containing; (3) a chelating ligand, such as, various non-fluorine containing and non-sterically hindered .beta.-diketones, triethanolamine, salicylaldehyde, and salicylamide.

Polyurethane foams are widely used in automotive, housing and other industries. The foams are produced through the reaction of a polyisocyanate with a polyol in the presence of various additives. One class of additives which is particularly effective as blowing agents is the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs vaporize as a result of the reaction exotherm during polymerization and cause the polymerizing mass to form a foam. However, the discovery that CFCs deplete ozone in the stratosphere has resulted in mandates for restricting CFC use. Therefore, more efforts have gone into the development of alternatives to CFCs for forming urethane foams and water blowing has emerged as an important alternative. In this method, blowing occurs from carbon dioxide generated by the reaction of water with the polyisocyanate. Foams can be formed by a one-shot method or by formation of a prepolymer and subsequent reaction of the prepolymer with water in the presence of a catalyst to form the foam. Regardless of the method, a balance is needed between reaction of the isocyanate and the polyol (gelling) and the reaction of the isocyanate with water (blowing) in order to produce a polyurethane foam in which the cells are relatively uniform and the foam has specific properties depending on the anticipated application; for example, rigid foams, semi-rigid foams, and flexible foams.
The ability of the catalyst to selectively promote either blowing or gelling is an important consideration in selecting a catalyst for the production of a polyurethane foam with specific properties. If a catalyst promotes the blowing reaction to too high a degree, carbon dioxide will be evolved before sufficient reaction of isocyanate with polyol has occurred. The carbon dioxide will bubble out of the formulation, resulting in collapse of the foam and production of a poor quality foam. At the opposite extreme, if a catalyst promotes the gelling reaction too strongly, a substantial portion of the carbon dioxide will be evolved after a significant degree of polymerization has occurred. Again, a poor quality foam is produced; characterized by high density, broken or poorly defined cells, or other undesirable features. Frequently, a gelling catalyst and a blowing catalyst are used together to achieve the desired balance of gelling and blowing in the foam.
Tertiary amine catalysts have been used to accelerate both blowing (reaction of water with isocyanate to generate carbon dioxide) and gelling (reaction of polyol with isocyanate) and have been shown to be effective in balancing the blowing and gelling reactions to produce a desirable product. However, tertiary amines generally have offensive odors and many are highly volatile due to low molecular weight. Release of tertiary amines during foam processing may present significant safety and toxicity problems, and release of residual amines from consumer products is generally undesirable. Reduction in the amount of tertiary amine catalysts used in the production of polyurethane foams is therefore desirable.
The following references disclose a variety of compounds which can be used alone or in combination with tertiary amines to accelerate curing of polyurethane foams and/or produce polyurethane foams with enhanced properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,788 (Hostettler et al., 1963) discloses the production of foamed polymers from isocyanate-modified alkylene oxide addition products of glycosides in which a variety of compounds are used to catalyze the foaming and crosslinking reaction; for example inorganic and organic bases such as sodium hydroxide, tertiary amines and phosphines, various metal compounds, such as titanium tetrachloride, bis(cyclopentadienyl) titanium difluoride, and a wide variety of organic tin compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,358 (Hostettler et al., 1965) discloses a method of preparing polyurethane foams using a catalyst of antimony trichloride, titanium tetrachloride, or dioctyl lead dichloride in combination with a tertiary amine in which the nitrogen is bonded to three aliphatic and cycloaliphatic carbon atoms.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,305 (Lanham, 1965) discloses a wide variety of catalysts for accelerating the reactive hydrogen/isocyanate reaction in producing flame-resistant urethane foams. Examples of disclosed catalysts are tertiary amines; tertiary phosphines; strong bases; acidic metal salts; chelates of various metals, such as magnesium, bismuth, and titanium; alcoholates and phenolates of various metals; and organometallic compounds. Dibutyltin dilaurate alone or together with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,3-butanediamine was used in the examples.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,648 (Windemuth et al, 1969) discloses a process for making cellular polyurethane plastics in the presence of a catalyst which is a mixture of a tertiary amine and one of eleven specific non-basic metal compounds; for example, TiCl.sub.2 (C.sub.5 H.sub.7 O.sub.2).sub.2, titanium tetrabutylate, and titanium dichloride diethyl. At levels of about 0.00001 to 0.1% weight of metal based on the total weight of the reactants, the non-basic metal compounds were reported to be useful in producing foamed plastics with improved tensile strength and no cracking.
Following are references which describe the use of Group 3 and 4 metal compounds for the preparation of polyurethanes, without the formation of bubbles or excess foam, even in the presence of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,159 (Dijkhuizen et al., 1972) discloses the use of organic zirconium compounds, specifically zirconium alcoholates, as catalysts for the preparation of unfoamed polyurethane from the reaction of isocyanates with polyols. If the polyol component contains trace water, the catalyst is added prior to the isocyanate to remove the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,486 (McLaughlin, 1981) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,968 (McLaughlin, 1983) disclose a method of forming an isocyanate polymer with little foam, in the presence of water, by using a catalytic mixture containing a Group 3 or 4 metal compound, such as dibutyl tin diacetate and tributyl titanate. Since these catalysts do not catalyze the reaction between the isocyanate and water, the gelation times are extended and little foam is produced.

Group IVB metal blowing catalyst compositions for the production of polyurethane foams


A housing for a portable electronic device which produces output on a display. A first body contains a chamber which contains electronic apparatus. Adjacent the first body is a second body, but spaced therefrom, to define a pocket in the space. A pin extends between the first and second bodies. The display rotates about the pin, in a single plane. The display rotates into the pocket for storage, and out of the pocket, for deployment.

As electronic devices become more compact and powerful, it is expected that their use will become more widespread. With more widespread usage, ease-of-use, ease-of-storage, and other ergonomic considerations will assume greater importance.
Convenience of storage, and deployment, of visual displays in portable electronic devices represents one ergonomic factor which is believed to have received insufficient attention within the prior art.

Pivotable display for portable electronic device


A silicon solar cell has increased efficiency by providing an anti-reflection and passivation layer comprising a layer of silicon dioxide thermally grown on a surface of a silicon body and a layer of titanium dioxide deposited on the layer of silicon oxide. In fabricating the composite anti-reflection passivation layer, a layer of aluminum is first deposited on a surface of the thermally grown silicon oxide. After annealing the aluminum layer, the aluminum is removed from the silicon dioxide layer, and the layer of titanium dioxide is then deposited on the surface of the silicon dioxide from which the aluminum was removed. A layer of magnesium fluoride can be deposited on the surface of the titanium dioxide.

This invention relates generally to silicon solar cells, and more particularly the invention relates to a solar cell having improved anti-reflective surface passivation.
The silicon solar cell generates electrical charge when exposed to solar radiation. The radiation interacts with atoms of the silicon and forms electrons and holes which migrate to p- and n-doped regions in the silicon body and create voltage differentials between doped regions.
Typically, the silicon body is coated with a silicon dioxide passivation layer. This layer may also serve as an anti-reflection layer to impinging radiation, or, alternatively, an additional anti-reflection coating can be applied over the passivation layer. Heretofore, a problem with oxide passivation layers has been a degradation of the surface recombination velocity at the silicon-silicon dioxide interface when exposed to concentrated sunlight. This effect is primarily due to hot electrons being created by the ultraviolet end of the solar spectrum and being injected from the silicon layer into the silicon dioxide layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,295 to Swanson, et al. discloses a stable passivation for silicon solar cells in which a thin silicon dioxide layer is capped by a thin polysilicon layer. Without the presence of the polysilicon, the surface is damaged by the ultraviolet portion of the solar spectrum, resulting in degradation of cell performance with time. The polysilicon is hypothesized to prevent such damage by virtue of either its absorption of the ultraviolet light or its prevention of water vapor diffusing through the thin silicon dioxide layer. Water is known to reduce the radiation hardness of silicon dioxide passivation.
The present invention is directed to a similar silicon solar cell which has an improved anti-reflection passivation layer and to a method of fabricating the passivation layer.

Method of making a solar cell having improved anti-reflection passivation layer


The invention provides a method for improving image stitching accuracy and a device for implementing the same, which apply to the multi-camera system for wide-angle image generation. Lens distortion causes mismatches of the features in the overlapping region of the images captured by the multi-camera system. As a result, the mismatches on the stitched wide-angle image are visible. The method and device for improving image stitching accuracy correct the lens distortion before stitching the images captured by the multi-camera system, so that the features in the overlapping region are matched and a seamless wide-angle image is generated by the stitching engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to improvement in stitching accuracy of the wide-angle image generated by multi-camera system.
2. Related Art
As shown in the prior art of generating a wide-angle image by multi-camera system as claimed in US Patent No. US2003/0235344 A1 and US2005/0025313 A1, a system for generating a seamless wide-angle image using image stitching technique has been disclosed. However, the stitching problem caused by lens distortion was not addressed. The system for generating a wide-angle image utilizes the features in the image overlapping region for stitching point searching and calculation of the image transformation parameters. Due to the lens distortion, the features in the overlapping region are distorted and fail to match perfectly with the adjacent image. The mismatches in the stitched wide-angle image are visible and cannot be easily corrected.
Referring to FIG. 1 that shows a conventional multi-camera system 100, the multi-camera system 100 includes a camera array 101 and an image stitching engine 102. The image stitching engine 102 acquires multiple images from the camera array 101. The images are then transformed onto a common plane and blended, thereby generating a seamless wide-angle image. Each camera of the camera array 101 is connected to an aperture controller 103 by a control bus. An exposure control signal is sent by the image stitching engine 102 to the aperture controllers 103 based on the brightness of the acquired images for feedback control.
Images acquired from the camera array usually overlap. The overlapping regions are used for blending, stitching point searching and calculation of the image transformation parameters. Generally, the conventional multi-camera system utilizes block matching for stitching point searching in the overlapping regions.
Either barrel or pin-cushion distortion happens to the lens of cameras. The distortion brings two major problems to image stitching, i.e., inaccuracy of stitching point searching and inaccuracy of image transformation. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of lens distortion, where the distorted features in the overlapping region introduce deviation on the searched stitching points when block matching for stitching point searching is applied.
When the cameras of the camera array 101 shown in FIG. 1 are rotated, the images captured by the camera array 101 need to be transformed onto a reference plane for stitching. The transformation matrix is calculated by giving four coordinates on the reference plane and four coordinates on the rotated plane which is to be transformed.
Referring to FIG. 3 that shows four points deviated from the ideal coordinates due to lens distortion, this deviation causes inaccuracy of the calculated transformation matrix obtained from the distorted points. As a result, the rotated plane is not transformed exactly to the reference plane, and the features in the overlapping region of the transformed image do no match with those of the reference image. It is very difficult to compensate the mismatches by blending.
In view of the above, the present invention provides a method for correcting lens distortion of the system and a device for implementing the same, so as to overcome the mismatches of the features in the overlapping region of the multiple images and improve the accuracy of wide-angle image stitching, thereby generating a seamless wide-angle image.

Method for improving image stitching accuracy with lens distortion correction and device for implementing the same


A vehicle theft deterrent apparatus and method includes a flashing light emitting diode (LED) placed in a visible position within the passenger compartment of a vehicle to simulate an authenticate, armed security system. The flashing LED is powered by a DC power supply that is hidden behind a dashboard, under a carpet, in a glove compartment, or in some other remote, hidden location. An elongate, flexible conductor interconnects the LED and the power supply and is also hidden from view. The transverse cross section of the conductor enables it to be hidden at the base of a windshield or to extend through a small space between dashboard panels. The conductor is connected directly to the LED so that no housing for the LED is required and no holes need be drilled in the dashboard to accommodate a housing. A potential thief is deterred from a theft attempt because the only visible part of the apparatus is the flashing LED.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to security devices for vehicles. More particularly, it relates to a device that simulates an armed anti-theft device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Anti-theft devices for vehicles commonly include a flashing light mounted on the dashboard or in some other conspicuous location within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A thief seeing such a light will attempt to steal a different vehicle because the flashing light warns the thief that the vehicle's anti-theft security system is armed and that any attempts at entering the vehicle will result in the activation of one or more alarm systems.
The flashing red light is typically provided in the form of a flashing light emitting diode (LED) mounted within a housing that is much larger and bulkier than the LED itself. A hole is drilled in the dashboard of the vehicle, or in some other visible part, to accommodate the housing. Thus, the obvious drawback of such systems is that they require permanent alteration of the dashboard or other interior surface.
The second drawback of such systems is their expense. Moreover, their installation typically requires the use of tools.
Accordingly, it would be desireable to have an inexpensive flashing light that would simulate the armed flashing light of a conventional anti-theft security sytstem. It would be even more advantagous if such a flashing light could be provided in the absence of any need to drill a hole in a dashboard or other car part, and in the absence of need for installation tools.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how such a flashing light could be provided.

Vehicle theft deterrent apparatus and method


A micromechanical shock sensor includes a proof mass coupled to a surface of a substrate and a projection element extending laterally from the proof mass. The shock sensor further includes a latch mechanism and a retention anchor. The latch mechanism has a latch spring attached to the surface and a latch tip extending from a movable end of the latch spring. The retention anchor is attached to the surface and is located proximate the latch tip. The proof mass is configured for planar movement relative to the substrate when the proof mass is subjected to a force of at least a threshold magnitude. Movement of the proof mass in response to the force causes the latch tip to become retained between the projection element and the retention anchor to place the shock sensor in a latched state. The latched state may be detected by optical inspection, probe, or external readout.

Excessive vibration and/or shock during fabrication and assembly cycles, as well as during shipping, can damage fragile parts. Additionally, mechanical shock (such as dropping a device) is a critical damage-inducing event in many consumer and industrial electronics systems or packages. Thus, shock sensors are sometimes used in applications to monitor or detect shock forces imparted to an object that is fragile, under investigation, or of sufficient value. By way of example, monitoring the acceleration loads imposed on a package or system during fabrication, assembly, shipping, and in use can provide valuable information about the severity of a mechanical shock event and the likelihood of damage due to this event.
Accelerometers may be installed in some packages and systems as shock sensors to monitor for excessive acceleration, which can be an indicator of mechanical shock. Unfortunately, the use of conventional accelerometers in such packages and systems can require a constant power draw even when no acceleration or impact is present. In small-scale and/or long life packages and systems, such power draw can be highly undesirable. Therefore, no-power, small, low cost micromechanical shock sensor configurations are needed that could monitor for excessive shock and/or vibration during fabrication, assembly, and shipping activities, as well as in a wide variety of end use consumer and industrial devices.

Shock sensor with latch mechanism and method of shock detection


To provide a packaged medical device in which a medical device in a container is stably fixed and which can be easily opened. Specifically, provided is a packaged medical device comprising a container having an opening portion and a flange portion formed to extend outward in a peripheral portion of the opening portion, a medical device housed inside the container, and a lid member having a gas impermeable film and peelably heat-sealed to the flange portion, in which the inside of the container is set to a negative pressure to the atmospheric pressure so that the medical device is pressed by the lid member and the peel strength to the flange portion of the lid member is 2 to 50 N/in.

Medical devices are generally sterilized in a state of being housed in a container, and then circulated and stored in the sterilized state. As a method for sterilizing the inside of a container housing products or instruments which are intended to be sterilized, such as medical devices, a technique is known which comprises covering an opening portion in an upper portion of the container with a cover sheet formed of a selectively impermeable material, fixing the cover sheet for sealing, and then sterilizing the inside of the container by irradiation with electron beams (Patent Document 1).
However, according to the technique described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the medical devices vibrate in the container in conveyance, so that the medical devices are damaged or fine particles are generated due to friction to cause a sanitary problem.
In order to solve the above-described problems, a method for fixing medical devices in a container to suppress the vibration of the medical devices in conveyance has been proposed. For example, a method is known which comprises placing a container holding a plurality of syringe barrels in a bag containing a gas impermeable film, and then bringing the inside of the bag into a decompressed state (Patent Document 2). According to this method, the gas impermeable film is brought into a close contact with flange portions of the syringe barrels held in the container, and therefore the syringe barrels are fixed, so that the vibration during conveyance is reduced.


An imaging unit includes: a solid-state imager including an imaging surface disposed on a front surface of the solid-state imager and electrode pads disposed separately from each other on a rear surface of the solid-state imager that is opposite to the front surface; and a coaxial cable electrically connected to the electrode pads on the rear surface of the solid-state imager. The coaxial cable includes: an inner coated wire including an internal conductor that includes a plurality of element wires and an inner insulating layer that coats a surrounding circumference of the internal conductor; an external conductor including a plurality of element wires that surround the inner coated wire; and an outer insulating layer that coats the external conductor.

In an electronic endoscope, a configuration in which an imaging unit configured to electrically connect a solid-state image sensing device (hereinafter, also simply referred to as an imaging device) to a distal end of an electric wire via a wiring substrate is housed in a flexible tube made of a resin is widely employed (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication, First Publication No. 2017-18415, hereinbelow, referred to as Patent Document 1).
In this type of imaging unit, distal ends of electric wires are electrically connected to a plurality of wirings of the wiring substrate, and the respective electric wires are electrically connected to the imaging device via the wirings of the wiring substrate.
The wiring substrate is disposed on a rear side of the imaging device by electrically connecting the wirings to electrodes on a rear surface of the imaging device opposite to an imaging surface at a front end thereof.
In imaging units used for endoscopes or the like, as a countermeasure against noise, use of coaxial cables for electric wires has become common in recent years.
When a coaxial cable is used, a wiring substrate (coaxial cable wiring substrate) including an electrode pad (internal conductor connecting pad) to which a distal end portion of an internal conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered, and an electrode pad (external conductor connecting pad) to which a distal end portion of an external conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered is used. The coaxial cable wiring substrate includes a wiring for electrically connecting the internal conductor connecting pad to the imaging device and a wiring for electrically connecting the external conductor connecting pad to the imaging device.
As a coaxial cable wiring substrate, there are one using a rigid substrate and one using a flexible printed wiring substrate (hereinafter also referred to as an FPC). The coaxial cable wiring substrate includes a connection front end portion connected to the imaging device by soldering the wiring to the electrode on the rear surface of the imaging device and a rear side extended portion extending toward the imaging device rear side from the connection front end portion. The rear side extended portion of the coaxial cable wiring substrate is generally in a flat plate shape or strip shape having a pair of the internal conductor connecting pad and the external conductor connecting pad on one side or both sides. The internal conductor connecting pad and the external conductor connecting pad are provided separately from each other in an extending direction (front-rear direction) of the rear side extended portion.
An imaging unit has a rigid portion that does not easily bend at a front end portion at which an imaging device is positioned.
For example, an imaging unit in which a rigid coaxial cable wiring substrate is used may include a rigid portion constituted by an imaging device, a lens unit fixed to a front end surface of the imaging device, a coaxial cable wiring substrate provided on a rear side of the imaging device, and soldered portions in which respective distal end portions of an internal conductor and an external conductor of a coaxial cable are soldered to electrode pads of the coaxial cable wiring substrate.
The soldered portions include solder that has soldered the respective distal end portions of the internal conductor and the external conductor of the coaxial cable to the electrode pads of the coaxial cable wiring substrate.
A rear side extended portion of a coaxial cable wiring substrate in a conventional structure using an FPC (hereinafter referred to as a coaxial cable FPC) has a certain level of flexibility before an internal conductor and an external conductor of the coaxial cable are soldered. However, in the rear side extended portion of the coaxial cable FPC, in a state in which the internal conductor and the external conductor of the coaxial cable are respectively soldered to an internal conductor connecting pad and an external conductor connecting pad, an entire region in which the coaxial cable is provided substantially becomes a portion of a rigid portion due to rigidity of the coaxial cable provided along the rear side extended portion and rigidity of soldered portions of the internal conductor and the external conductor.
The imaging unit of the conventional structure assembled using the coaxial cable FPC includes a rigid portion constituted by an imaging device, a lens unit, a coaxial cable wiring substrate, and soldered portions in which the internal conductor and the external conductor of the coaxial cable are soldered with respect to electrode pads of the rear side extended portion of the coaxial cable wiring substrate.
In an imaging unit used for endoscopes or the like, when a length of the rigid portion of the front end portion at which the imaging device is positioned (a dimension in a front-rear direction of the imaging device, hereinafter also referred to as a rigid portion length) is long, in a case in which a swinging operation for changing an orientation of the front end portion of the imaging unit at which the imaging device is positioned is performed in a narrow conduit or the like, a case in which a movable range of the front end portion of the imaging unit due to a swinging operation cannot be sufficiently secured is likely to occur. Therefore, a length of the rigid portion of the front end portion (a dimension in a front-rear direction of the imaging device, hereinafter also referred to as a rigid portion length) is required to be reduced in the imaging unit.
In view showing this requirement, in the conventional coaxial cable wiring substrate, reducing an extended length of the rear side extended portion from the connection front end portion is being investigated. However, in the conventional coaxial cable wiring substrate, in order to prevent short-circuiting between the soldered portions of the internal conductor and the external conductor of the coaxial cable, it is necessary to secure a separation distance in an extending direction (front-rear direction) of the rear side extended portion between the internal conductor connecting pad and the external conductor connecting pad. Therefore, in the conventional imaging unit, it has been difficult to reduce an extension dimension of the rear side extended portion of the coaxial cable wiring substrate and reduce the rigid portion length.


A communication system (100) has a portal (110), a subscriber (108), a plurality of content providers (112), and a communication network for providing communication between the portal, the subscriber and the plurality of content providers. The components of the communication system are programmed to transmit to the subscriber from the portal an available selection of the plurality of content providers, select at the subscriber a select one of the plurality of content providers, and transmit content provider registration corresponding to the selected content provider from the portal to the selected content provider.

It is now common place to apply security measures at commercial content providers. Each content provider typically requires registration information such as a login and password for each of its members. Often consumers have accounts at more than one content provider (e.g., banking, corporate email, investing, etc.), each account having its own unique registration information.
The least secure and least desirable approach used by consumers to remember registration information is to simply write down their account information for each provider on a piece of paper and store it in a place they can readily find.
Alternatively, software applications have been developed that operate on a subscriber device (e.g., a laptop) for managing storage and later retrieval of account information. This approach, however, is very cumbersome to consumers who use multiple subscriber devices such as a laptop, cell phone, or desktop computer at any one time.
It would be undesirable for a consumer to have to manually update registration information across multiple devices or for systems and client devices to be burdened with synchronization overhead. Moreover, in the case where such devices are manufactured by different vendors, it is very likely that the account management software will not be operable on all devices, which adds a further complexity to maintaining passwords for a content provider within multiple client devices.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to consumers to be able to register with content providers effortlessly. The invention described below provides an apparatus and method to overcome the prior art disadvantages described above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Effortless registration with content providers and methods thereof

International Business Machines Corporation